In a season of lows for the Patriots, things continue to sink lower and lower for the once-mighty AFC franchise.
The Pats dropped their fifth consecutive game in a 6-0 loss to the San Diego Chargers as they moved to 2-10 on the season while becoming a surprising footnote in NFL history.
The defeat was the third straight game that the Patriots lost while allowing 10 or fewer points in all three contests, making it the first time a team has done so in the Super Bowl Era.
The last team to reach such a low was the 1938 Chicago Cardinals, who lost a record four straight games while giving up 10 or fewer points, according to NFL senior researcher Tony Holzman-Escareno.
While the Patriots have failed to pick up a win since Oct. 22, when they defeated the Buffalo Bills 29-22, New England has given up just 26 combined points over the past three weeks.
However, more than anything, it highlights just how inept the offense has been this season, particularly the past three weeks.
New England’s offensive sputter continued in their latest loss, even with a new starter at the helm for the Week 13 matchup. Bailey Zappe did little to turn things around in his first start since Week 6 of the 2022 season.
Zappe, who took over for struggling starter Mac Jones, connected on just five of his 12 first-half attempts through the air for New England before settling in a bit during the second half. He did finish the game going 13-of-25 with 141 passing yards but no touchdowns.
Zappe didn’t throw an interception either, which was a plus for the Patriots, but it was far from enough to change the tide of what was a dismal day for New England.
It wasn’t until the 7:40 mark of the fourth quarter that they even made it past the 30-yard line of the Chargers.
It doesn’t seem like the Patriots will give the ball back to Jones, who has struggled all season, next week, but head coach Bill Belichick wouldn’t discuss his starter for next week after the game.
The Pats will have a short week before they’ll be back on the field, with a Thursday night matchup against Pittsburgh on the docket.
The only upside for New England through all of this would be if they can come out at the end of the season with a chance to select USC star Caleb Williams in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The latest loss moved the Patriots into the No. 2 slot for next year’s draft and helped further solidify a top-three pick.
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