SI Power Rankings: Patriots Continue To Plummet Despite Win
Things improved for New England Patriots fans in Week 9. The Patriots were finally able to win, but that wasn't enough for Sports Illustrated.
SI came out with their latest power rankings and the Patriots fell out of the top-20 and are ranked 23rd.
Now, this might surprise some fans as the Patriots got some quality performances on offense. Cam Newton returned to being a capable NFL quarterback, and it appears as though Damien Harris and Jakobi Meyers will become major contributors to the offense.
Also, even though it was a slim victory, the Patriots were without key players such as Ja'Whaun Bentley, Stephon Gilmore, Lawrence Guy and Julian Edelman.
The explanation for New England's placement in the power rankings seems to indicate that things could be much worse for the six-time Super Bowl champions.
"The Patriots just barely escaped MetLife Stadium with a win against the Jets. Now that they’ve avoided what would have been the embarrassing low point of the season, let’s see if they can hang around and get back in this thing. One thing’s for sure: We’re all giving this particularly group a little more benefit of the doubt because they’re wearing Patriots jerseys."
It's hard to imagine things getting better for the Patriots. With a matchup against the Baltimore Ravens on the horizon, it's unlikely that New England stays at 23rd. It's quite possible that the Patriots are a bottom-five team in the NFL after Week 10.
If New England was able to defeat the Ravens it would skyrocket the Patriots. One would have to think that they would at least be in the top-20 or 15.
Even though Lamar Jackson has struggled, he was still MVP of the NFL in 2019. He is a dynamic playmaker who will likely tear apart the Patriots defense. Especially if New England's defense is unable to improve its health.
If the Patriots are falling down the list after winning, just how far will they drop after being defeated? Without Tom Brady, it is staggering to see how much New England has struggled. Who would have ever thought that the Patriots would fall apart and become one of the worst teams in the NFL so quickly?
A moral victory in Week 10 won't do the job. If New England wants to improve their standing around the league they will need to take advantage of playing at their home stadium and upset Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens Sunday night.
