5 New England Patriots With Still Everything to Play For
For the first time in over two decades, "watching the New England Patriots" is no longer a preferred method of Christmas procrastination in the greater Boston area.
As Patriots fans light their trees or menorahs, they can include the fact that this season is almost over in their prayers of gratitude. The NFL, in fact, seems more than happy to get things over with in a timely manner: New England (2-10) was removed from a Monday night showdown against the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs but they were certainly allowed to keep their upcoming Thursday night slot against the Pittsburgh Steelers (8:15 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime Video). Beyond official elimination and the dramatics of waiting to see who will start under center, there's little, if any, reason for fans to tune in to these final hours.
Arguments for the players following in their footsteps will certainly follow, especially with the top overall pick in next spring's draft potentially on the line. Tanking, however, is a fruitless, insulting exercise, asking players to sow rewards they'll never get to reap. It's down right moronic in the 17-game sprint that is the NFL season, where one week could be the difference between playing games in the fall and spring for many. New England will no doubt use the final, fatal five to audition its current crop of youth for parts in next year's roster and potentially beyond.
For five relatively high-profile Patriots, in fact, these supposedly meaningless games could mean everything for their careers, whether their future lies at Gillette Stadium or elsewhere ...
Boutte (in blue) has struggled to take advantage of his opportunities this season
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WR Kayshon Boutte
It's getting late early for Boutte, a recurring guest on the Patriots' weekly inactive list. Though he has dealt with shoulder issues, the sixth-round pick Boutte feels destined for inclusion on the traditional lists that document the players facing the most pressure at training camp. Situations like these are tailor-made for players in his position: consequence-free opportunities, cold extensions of the preseason for a potentially fringe roster entrant to prove his worth to the coaching staff.
"That dude, he can play anywhere on the field," fellow receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster said of Boutte in November, per Mike Reiss of ESPN. "He can move really fast, (has) great hands. He's getting better every single day."
Time, however, is running out for Boutte to prove that before the possibility of being a summer cut arises.
Elliott will likely be relied upon amidst the Patriots' offensive drama
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RB Ezekiel Elliott
Elliott isn't used to playing meaningless games, having spent the prime of his career amidst the rollercoaster antics of the 2020s Dallas Cowboys. Enough has been said about Elliott's past so the focus now lingers on his future, one where the value and existence of his entire position have been called into question. That decline was perhaps perfectly personified by the fact he lingered on the free agency ledgers until the final stages of the summer.
As the Patriots' passing follies continue under center, it stands to reason that Elliott will get plenty of opportunities, especially with Rhamondre Stevenson nursing an ankle injury. Losing the undeniable primary playmaker will no doubt make these final hours all the more brutal but Elliott, while remaining remorseful over Stevenson's departure, sounds ready to take advantage and understanding of the necessary urgency involved.
"The more and more I’m in there, the better I’ll be,” Elliott said, per video from the Patriots. “I think the more touches I get, the better I get with the game going on. The opportunity presented itself and if it continues to present itself, I definitely would love to keep playing more.”
Frustration boiled over for Godchaux after the Patriots' latest series of losses
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DL Davon Godchaux
Godchaux has been a relatively consistent prescience on the New England defensive line, but he could well become a cap casualty as the Patriots embark on what's sure to become a busy offseason: upon his release, New England would get back over $8 million in cap savings.
As one of the few Foxborough defensive regulars that, knock on wood, haven't been bitten by the injury bug, Godchaux will be one of the Patriots' star attractions over the final weeks of the season. He's made a bit of a home at Gillette Stadium after beginning his career as an AFC East divisional rival, to the tune of several standout defensive performances without the safety blankets of Christian Gonzalez and Matthew Judon to help him out. But frustration boiled over on Sunday, as a sterling shutdown of a Chargers offense led by Justin Herbert and Austin Ekeler was wasted in the face of offensive ineptitude.
“It’s frustrating. It’s frustrating. I’m not going to sit up here and say, ‘You know, I still believe.’ It’s (bleeping) frustrating. Anybody can tell you that,” Godchaux said, per Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald. "The margin of error in this league is so small.”
With the financial implications in mind, Godchaux probably has five weeks to buy into whatever New England's planning to build or risk snaps on the free agency market.
Jackson's second stint with the Patriots hasn't gone according to plan
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CB J.C. Jackson
A rare remnant of the Patriots' championship glory, Jackson's return to Foxborough has not panned out as desired. Instead of his championship influence becoming contagious, Jackson has apparently fallen into the cesspool unearthed from the gridiron underworld: his mandated removal from the Patriots' last study abroad was another unnecessary sideshow in a season packed to the brim with far too many.
Jackson has seemed to have gained some form of stability since New England came home. A sterling performance against his former SoCal compatriots (4 tackles, 2 pass breakups, letting assignments earn only 14 yards) certainly might've helped in that regard.
“I’m just having fun. I’m not looking at our record, I’m looking at our stat line," Jackson said after Sunday's 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, per Mark Daniels of MassLive.com. "The defense hasn’t been giving up points so of course, I’m excited about that. I feel like our defense is good. I was happy to come back and I’m happy now. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. That’s what I’m going to do, I’m going to finish strong.”
Jackson sounds happy in New England, but the Patriots will have to determine if its literally worth keeping him around: thanks to the Chargers converting most of his salary to a signing bonus prior to October's trade, Jackson's departure is worth over $14 million in cap savings with no financial penalty.
Thornton has struggled to live up to his bigPlay' potential
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WR Tyquan Thornton
Like Boutte and Elliott, Thornton will likely see his snaps rise amidst little-viewed football thanks to injuries (in this case, that of Demario Douglas) and must take advantage no matter how small the audience.
If not for the decline of his would-be bestower Mac Jones, Thornton might've become the Patriots' homegrown franchise face for all the wrong reasons: it's bad enough that New England has drastically misfired with their offensive selections but taking Thornton in 2022's second round (50th overall) looks downright criminal considering who immediately went after him (George Pickens, Ed Ingram, James Cook, among others).
Thornton has further egg on his face after a crucial drop in the offensive slog that was Sunday's loss to Los Angeles. But the eternally stoic Bill Belichick's uncharacteristically understanding response seemed to hint that the Patriots still have hope and plans for the Baylor alum.
"Unfortunately, those things are going to happen. There’s going to be drops. There’s going to be a missed tackle. There’s gonna be a missed kick. There’s gonna be an interception,” Belichick said during a Monday appearance on WEEI's "Greg Hill Show.“ "Even the great ones have done it. So, work through it. Better concentration, better finish. But Tyquan can catch the ball."
