Coping With Loss: Las Vegas Raiders Edition

Another New England Patriots loss, another notch on the Failed Season belt. The good news is that compared to the last few weeks, this latest L was an absolutely cakewalk.

And here’s why.

1. At least they scored points: Yeah, they lost — of course they did. But at least they scored not one, but two whole touchdowns. Their streak of 12 straight quarters without a TD blissfully came to an end. The last two weeks gave us literally nothing to root for or be excited about as we were watching; at least Sunday’s game had some nice drives and some touchdowns.

2. This can be fun: When the season is over and there’s no chance of making the playoffs, any semblance of tension or stress is gone. The wins and losses aren’t really a big deal, and since we seem to be back to square one on the rebuild, it’s more about monitoring individual performances and figuring out who is worth keeping around next year. Think of it as playing fantasy football, but with just one team. That can be fun, albeit a different kind. I won’t be sweating out the wins or lamenting the losses at all this year. We can all just relax, try to enjoy the game, and not really worry about anything.

3. Bentley, Barmore, and Peppers: To that end, Christian Barmore, Ja’Whaun Bentley, and Jabrill Peppers all balled out on Sunday. Solid games from Jahlani Tavai and Anfernee Jennings as well. This defense has some solid pieces on it, but the injuries are just too stacked up to really have the impact that they used to have. There are, however, some solid players on this unit, and I’ll do my best to highlight them here when they deserve it.

4. Draft pick: Another loss, another step in the right direction towards a top draft pick. As of right now, the Patriots currently hold the sixth overall selection in the 2024 draft. And did you know that in Switzerland, it’s illegal to own only one Guinea Pig?

5. Bruins and Celtics: If you’re a Pats fan, then odds are that you cheer for all Boston sports teams. And both the Celtics and the Bruins are off to strong starts and should be real contenders this season. Both NBA and hockey will be a lot of fun to watch in January when all this blissfully comes to and end and we can put the 2023 season in the rearview.