Patriots Worst-Case Scenario: Miss Playoffs, 'Blow Everything Up'?!
Since taking over as the New England Patriots head coach over two decades ago, Bill Belichick has been the epitome of success. Leading the Patriots to six Super Bowl victories while also being crowned AP Coach of the Year three times, winning and Foxborough have became synonymous to his tenure.
But since Tom Brady departed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, postseason success has became hard to come by. Impossible, even. Without the iconic quarterback, Belichick and the Pats are 25-25 in the regular season and 0-1 in the playoffs.
New England's eight wins in 2022 marked just the seventh time Belichick has failed to reach .500 over his 23 seasons and second over the past three years. Another disappointing campaign, according to Pro Football Network, could bring about a "worst-case scenario" for New England.
"Another season below .500 and a fifth consecutive year without a playoff victory is certainly within the range of New England’s worst-case scenario," Pro Football Network writes. "If Jones struggles and the Patriots end up in seven-to-nine-win purgatory, they likely wouldn’t have many avenues to pursue a quarterback upgrade."
"In that scenario, Kraft could feasibly decide to blow everything up and start fresh. The Patriots haven’t played a game without Belichick roaming the sidelines in nearly a quarter-century. But without a step in the right direction in 2023, a new head coach might be on the table."
With Bill O'Brien taking over play-calling this season, Belichick will lean on his former coordinator to put points on the board and propel New England to the playoffs once again.
Follow Riley Sheppard on Twitter @RileyDSheppard
Follow Patriots Country on Twitter and Facebook
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Patriots? Click Here
More Patriots coverage from Sports Illustrated here.
