The New England Patriots are fast approaching must-win territory. Coming off three straight losses to drop to 1-3 on the year, their game against the visiting Miami Dolphins on Sunday is a big one already: another loss, and their already slim-looking chances of competing for a playoff spot will take a hit the team probably won’t be able to recover from. Naturally, most of our attention this week was on that game.
As for anything else that might have come up, we have you covered as well. Welcome to this week’s edition of our Sunday Patriots Notes . Honeymoon phase is quickly coming to an end for the Patriots’ new coaching staff: Ever since the Patriots and Bill Belichick decided to part ways in January, “patience” has become a leading mantra for the organization.
It is not hard to see why given that the club is embarking on a major rebuild both on and off the field. The success of that rebuild cannot be accurately measured nine months in. That does not mean there is no pressure on those overseeing it, especially from the sidelines: the Patriots’ new-look coaching staff is quickly moving past the honeymoon phase.
The Patriots’ 1-3 record is one thing first-year head coach Jerod Mayo and his hand-picked group of assistants have to deal with. They also need to make sure players remain bought into the vision for the team as a whole — something that was called in question this week. While the “teetering on mutiny” statement made on an team-produced podcast this .
