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Patriots still searching for an identity after brutal loss to Dolphins originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The New England Patriots hit a low point with their 32-16 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, a defeat that dropped them to a 1-6 record at the bottom of the AFC standings.
But the next four games saw the Patriots make genuine progress.
Rookie quarterback Drake Maye has shown — albeit in a small sample — that he has the tools to be a franchise quarterback. The defense showed improvement, including a nine-sack performance against the Chicago Bears in Week 10. The rushing attack, led by Rhamondre Stevenson, showed signs of life. Veteran tight ends Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper made a strong impact.
The Patriots went 2-2 during this stretch, and easily could have beaten the Tennessee Titans in Week 9 (20-17 overtime loss) and the Los Angeles Rams in Week 11 (28-22 defeat).
Unfortunately for the Patriots, most of that momentum and progress was erased — or at the very least halted — by Sunday’s 34-15 loss to the Dolphins in Miami in Week 12. The Patriots were penalized 10 times for 75 yards. They committed two turnovers, and the defense had no answers for the Dolphins’ high-powered passing attack.
It was an awful performance. And as a result, it’s become clear that this Patriots team is still searching for its identity entering Week 13.
“Hope you enjoyed the four games before the Patriots went down to Miami, because that one that just happened is the one that’s gonna leave a dent,” Tom E. Curran said Tuesday on NBC Sports Boston show Quick Slants, as seen in the video player above.
“The Patriots had shown some minor progress since they got whipped in London by the Jaguars. But now I feel like they’re right back where they were when they left London, and that’s a team trying to find its identity, still a team that has five games in six weeks to figure out just exactly what it’s going to do in the offseason. A team that seems much further away than it…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/patriots-still-searching-identity-brutal-001106569.html
Author : NBC Sports Boston
Publish date : 2024-11-27 00:11:00
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