Well, the Patriots are 0-2 for the first time since 2001 in a 24-17 loss to the Dolphins. Oh boy, what is there to say about this game? This Patriots’ team isn’t too much different than last season. Other than a few minor changes on offense. I will say, that I think JuJu is overall a better WR than Meyers, and Gesicki is currently better than Smith. But the biggest difference in this team is the coaching. If we look at these two games we have played the eye test is there that this team is different.
Let’s look at Kendrick Bourne for these last two games. In this game, Bourne didn’t do tremendous. He had 4 catches for 29 receiving yards. But I want to look at targets. In the Matt Patricia offense, Bourne had only 48 targets in 16 games. He caught 35 of those 48 targets, about a 73% catch percentage. In these first two games in the BoB offense, he has had 20 targets with 10 catches. He is already almost half of his targets for 16 games last year in 2 games. He has a little over 1/5 of the yardage from last season and has doubled his TDs from last season (1 last season). Bourne is seeing more chances in this offense, hopefully, we will get some big games out of him this year.
Patriots fans have also been divided since Brady left. Cam or Stidham, Mac or Cam, Mac or Zappe. It has been the same cry since 2020, but this year, I think Mac will prove he is our guy. While a slow start has come from what is honestly a lack of offensive talent, Mac is doing what he can. He is on pace for over 4,600 passing yards and 34 TDs. Now, that also comes with 17 INTs but, he also is currently at a career-high 68.8% completion percentage. But it’s only week 2, let’s see how this season continues.
Now, I must address the elephant in the room. Was it a first down? Was it not a first down? I will never blame refs. The Patriots went down early and didn’t have their first touchdown till the 4th quarter. This is unacceptable if you want to win. But this team is still rebuilding, and recovering from what we lost in Brady and the veterans. There were 20 years of darkness over the AFC East and NFL where Brady ruled. But now, Bill needs to build a new army to bring the NFL back into darkness. We just have to wait and see, as Patriots fans it may be hard as we are spoiled to Super Bowl wins nowadays. I write this as a 25-year-old, and I only have to wonder what it was like for fans from the 60s to 80s. The Patriots will rise again, all we can do right now is wait.
-Richard Gantz