The New England Patriots are 1-3 through four games. They are bottom of the AFC East for the second time since 2000. If the season ends today, they’ll get the sixth overall pick.
But luckily for the Patriots, the season didn’t end today. While things look pretty bleak in New England right now, the Patriots have plenty of time to turn their fortunes around — and that turnaround could be imminent.
Bill Belichick’s team is on the verge of a six-game streak of .500 or worse against the team, starting with a 1-3 home game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Even with starting quarterback Mike Jones unable to fit due to an ankle injury, the fact that the Patriots took the Green Bay Packers to overtime last Sunday with thirdback Belizen bodes well for what they can do in Detroit. Bounce back in the game.
Another reason for optimism? The Patriots have struggled early in the season on multiple occasions before finding themselves and breaking their streak mid- or late-season. Belichick said preseason that we probably won’t know the identity of this team until October, and if you believe him, it’s time for New England to start rolling.
Our Tom E. Curran paved the way for the Patriots Tuesday night on NBC Sports Boston Quick tilt.
Patriots Talk: Can Adversity Help Patriots Rediscover Their Mysteries? | Listen and subscribe | Watch on YouTube
“Ryan Holiday wrote a book called ‘The Obstacle is the Way’ and Bill Belichick is a huge Ryan Holiday fan,” Curran said. “He’s talked to the team, he’s talked about stoicism: finding a way to embrace adversity and do good. Well, now that the Patriots have played four games, the table set part of the season is done. It’s their meal time.
“No Mike Jones doesn’t matter. There are 52 other active players who have stakes and have a chance to look like no other middling team that doesn’t have the discipline, brain cramps and beats themselves up. It’s time to overtake these picks. The next five games into a bye, the Patriots will return to their roots of being the biggest, most powerful brains on the court.
“It should start on Sunday against the Lions. If the Patriots are what they used to be, they’ll be as clean as a mom. It might not get them back to the elite, but it will get them off the rim ‘meh’ they’ve been living there for the past few years, they’ve been their own worst enemy, and they don’t look at all like the clean-cut Patriots we remember.”
It’s unrealistic to expect the Patriots to be a serious playoff contender at the end of the season because the AFC has more talented teams. But New England went 10-7 last season and has a more talented lineup than the 1-3 record would suggest. The team can prove it over the next six weeks.