The Patriots' current season has long left the disappointment behind. With a month to go before the end of the regular calendar, it is no exaggeration to say that the 2023 vintage represents one of the worst editions in the dealership's history.
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It's gotten to the point where no one should want their worst enemy to have the entire Thursday night matchup against the Steelers. Unless it's just a matter of noting the chronic ineptitude of the two attacks that compete in mediocrity. The Thursday night show, which is often “not great,” promises to be terrifying this time.
If young partygoers decide to play drinking games that require a sip to be taken at any point in the game, there will be a lot of empty stomachs in the room!
At least the Steelers can take solace in the fact that they have some talent that can be game-changing offensively, like wide receiver George Pickens, tight end Pat Freiermuth, a promising tackle in Broderick Jones and a trained backfield. by Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris. The 7-5 record is also much more interesting than the Patriots' laborious 2-10 record.
The offensive depths
To go into the sad case of the Patriots in more detail, the team has hit rock bottom in the last few weeks.
In the last three games against the Colts, Giants and Chargers, the defense has largely done its part in limiting opponents to 10 points or fewer. However, the offense was so lazy that the Patriots still lost all three games.
We have to go back to 1938 to find such offensive impotence, when the Chicago Cardinals also escaped three games by allowing 10 points or fewer.
That lousy version of that team has since become the St. Louis Cardinals, then Phoenix, and then Arizona. From 1938 to 2023, we are still talking about 85 years in which we have not experienced such an insulting tragedy.
Also note that the 32 NFL teams have a combined record of 54-3 this season when limiting opponents to 10 points or fewer. The three defeats in this context go to the Patriots.
To add to the magnitude of the offensive coma, this is the first time since 1992 that the Patriots have been shut out twice in the same season, and the first time in their history that they have suffered that disgrace at home twice.
Other comparable editions
So is the 2023 version the worst in Patriots history, which began in 1960? Maybe not, as the defense is doing pretty well in this whole fiasco, but offensively it's on par with the worst editions.
The worst year that comes to mind is probably 1990, when the Patriots went 1-15. They only scored 181 points, or 11.3 per game. This season, Bill Belichick's men are flirting dangerously with that kind of mediocrity, limited to an average of 12.3 points per game.
Since the NFL season began with at least 16 games, the Patriots have had three seasons with two wins or fewer in 1992, 1990 and 1981. They are in danger of sinking into this abyss for the fourth time and have duels against the Steelers, Chiefs, Broncos, Bills and Jets to complete the schedule.
In 1988, the legendary Tom Landry sadly ended his head coaching career after 28 seasons in Dallas with a three-win, 13-loss season, a winning percentage of .188. Bill Belichick is headed for a winning percentage of .167, which would be the worst mark for a coach who has already won the Super Bowl with the team he still coaches.
Times have changed drastically in New England.
MY PREDICTION FOR THURSDAY:
Patriots 13 Steelers 16