New England Patriots links 11/13/23 - Patriots fall to 2-8, rise to No. 3 in 2024 NFL Draft order

The bad news: The Patriots’ offense just can’t get it done under Mac Jones. Or Bailey Zappe. It seems obvious that with any good game-manager quarterback who takes care of the football, the Patriots easily win that game — even with the acknowledgment that upgrades will need to be made to WR and OL.

The good news: With Sunday’s loss, the team moved up to the 3rd spot in the 2024 draft order. Also, the defense held the Colts to ten points. They did their job. It’s a good place to be in when thinking about next year, that there’s no need to throw the entire turkey out with the carcass. And hey, even the carcass can be used to make soup.

Sure, yesterday was frustrating to watch. It’s amazing how badly the offense performed as a unit, and yet I was also observant of some of the positives. The running backs were a bright spot. The players who were in position, who were trying, but because of the quarterback play, didn’t have a chance. Those are the guys I feel bad for.

Man, this week’s film session is going to be brutal.

TEAM TALK

• Post Game Notes: Patriots-Colts. DB Myles Bryant has first interception of the season, Pats rush for season-high 167 yards, WR Demario Douglas led the team with a career-high six receptions for 84 yards; More.
• Gamebook: Full Patriots-Colts stats.
• Evan Lazar’s Game Observations: Despite plenty of opportunities, the Patriots dropped to 2-8 with a loss to the Colts at Frankfurt Stadium in Germany. 1. Play of the game: Colts S Julian Blackmon’s fourth-quarter interception leads to Mac Jones’s benching.
• Mike Dussault shares six keys from the brutal 10-6 loss in Frankfurt. 1. Sack stops strong opening drive, Colts counter. 2. Pats sacks piling up, in a bad way. More.
• Post Game Quotes: Patriots - Colts.
• Post Game Pressers: Matthew Slater - Deatrich Wise - Mac Jones - Bill Belichick - Hunter Henry - David Andrews.

LOCAL LINKS

• Dakota Randall reports New England’s record took another hit in Week 10, but their 2024 NFL Draft hopes received a major boost. Pats are now No. 3 in the draft order.
• Chris Mason recaps Sunday’s loss: New continent, same old Patriots.
• Taylor Kyles takeaways from the 10-6 loss to the Colts. 1. Can the Patriots trust Mac Jones? 2. Pass protection proves problematic early. Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott put the team on their backs; More.
• Alex Barth gives us six takeaways to the Pats’ loss to the [gag] Colts: Different country same result.
• Zack Cox’ six takeaways from the loss and Mac Jones benching. 2. The defense should be getting sick of this.
• Chris Mason offers nine takeaways from Germany. 1. No way around this benching. 2. Zappe isn’t any better. 3. Special teams still hurts. More.
• Nick Goss shares his Pats-Colts takeaways: Mac Jones’ disastrous play costs Pats in ugly loss. 1. Ball security is job security and Mac Jones can’t protect the ball.
• Tim Crowley points out how power football has been the only recent spark for a New England offense that needs one. The Patriots’ talented tandem of Stevenson and Elliott that should be relied on down the stretch.
• Mark Daniels doesn’t see an easy fix for the Patriots. They need to reset this offseason with a new coach, quarterback and general manager.
• Karen Guregian says the Patriots need to stop the madness and move on from Mac Jones.
• Michael Hurley writes how Mac Jones failed on multiple occasions to do something — anything — to prove he belongs as the starting quarterback of the New England Patriots.
• Michael Hurley reports Bailey Zappe was given an opportunity to win the game in the final minutes. It didn’t turn out too well. Zappe “can’t say” what he wants to say on play that led to game-ending interception.
• Alex Barth explores the Patriots four options at quarterback for the rest of the 2023 season.
• Zack Cox notes special teams captain Matthew Slater strongly backed Bill Belichick with a passionate defense.
• Matt Vautour explains how other than satisfying the angry mob, there’s no value to firing Bill Belichick before the season is over.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Staff (PFF) NFL Week 10 game recap: Indianapolis Colts 10, New England Patriots 6. Offensive spotlight: Mac Jones was benched at quarterback for the Patriots, having gone 15-for-20 for 170 yards. Bailey Zappe replaced him but went just three-for-seven for 25 yards. Both players had bad interceptions.
• Conor Orr (SI) Bill Belichick doesn’t need to go, but he does need a GM forced on him: The tough conversations need to be had with the Patriots’ coach, sanity needs to be restored, high draft capital needs to be spent wisely this offseason, and Mac Jones needs to be replaced.
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Bill Belichick: We’ll look at everything across the board.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Bill Belichick on talk of job security: “I just do the best I can every day.”
• Tyler Sullivan (CBS Sports) Belichick landing spots: 4 potential suitors for legendary head coach if Pats era ends.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Is this the end for Bill Belichick in New England?
• Michael Baca (NFL.com) Bill Belichick on benching QB Mac Jones in loss: ‘Thought it was time for a change.’
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Mac Jones had X-rays after loss, calls it a “little bruise.”
• Matt Verderame (SI) NFL Week 10 Recap: Rookie C.J. Stroud is magical once again; Plus: Browns pull off amazing win against Ravens; 49ers end three-game skid with win over the Jaguars: Lions maintain lead over Joshua Dobbs and the Vikings; Patriots 2-8 for the first time since 2000.
• NFL Nation (ESPN) NFL 2023 Week 10: Biggest questions, risers and takeaways. Patriots: Is this rock-bottom? The Patriots are 2-8 heading into their bye, and the inconsistency and overall ineptitude of the Mac Jones-led passing attack is holding them back; More. Stock up after the loss: LB Jahlani Tavai.
• Around the NFL (NFL.com) Week 10: What we learned from Sunday’s games. 2. Patience running thin at quarterback for New England; More. Next Gen stat of the game: Mac Jones was pressured on 12 of his 27 dropbacks in Week 10 (44.4% pressure rate). Ten of Jones’ 12 pressures came against 4-man rushes.
• Peter King (ProFootballTalk) FMIA Week 10: C.J. Stroud taking off, while it’s time to ground Zach Wilson; More.
• Will Brinson (CBS Sports) NFL Week 10 storylines: Lions roar, C.J. Stroud might have entered the MVP chat.
• Jeff Kerr (CBS Sports) Week 10 overreactions, reality checks.
• John Breech (CBS Sports) NFL Week 10 grades. Patriots: F, Colts: C.
• Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports) NFL winners and losers: Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell might be a coaching superstar. Loser: Mac Jones.
• Cody Benjamin (CBS Sports) Week 10 winners and losers. Loser: The entire Patriots franchise