When Patriots owner Robert Kraft spoke to the media this past March at the NFL owner’s meetings in Phoenix, he outlined some pretty clear expectations that he has for his football team:
“My objective for our team is that we make the playoffs,” he said. “Because once you make the playoffs anything can happen, but if you don’t then your season ends in a way that doesn’t make me very happy.”
Well, after a 1-4 start to their 2023 campaign and two consecutive 30+ point losses, New England’s chances of postseason play look slim, at least according to our partners at FanDuel Sportsbook:
Yes +790
No -1500
There are plenty of problems with the Patriots right now, including but not limited to the team that Bill Belichick has assembled – especially on offense. New England is averaging just 11 points per game this season, offseason acquisition JuJu Smith-Schuster has just 86 receiving yards through five games, and quarterback Mac Jones has turned the ball over seven times.
It’s not good.
Belichick is widely considered to be the greatest head coach in NFL history, but with the way things are going, would Kraft ever consider making a seismic shift midseason? While it’s unlikely, anything should be on the table at this point.
One thing that may be standing in the way is Belichick’s quest to break Don Shula’s record for most coaching wins in NFL history. He’s currently 17 behind the former Dolphins head coach.
“Look, I’d like him to break Don Shula’s record,” Kraft said in March. “But I’m not looking for any of our players to get great stats. We’re about winning and doing whatever we can to win. That’s what our focus is now… It’s very important to me that we make the playoffs so that’s what I hope happens next year.”
“In the end, this is a business. You either execute and win or you don’t. That’s where we’re at.”
New England heads to Las Vegas next weekend to take on the Raiders (where they’re two-point underdogs according to FanDuel) before two division contests against the Bills and Dolphins. If things continue down the path they’re currently on, it doesn’t look like there’s going to be much winning in their near future.
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick and head to FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook, for all of your sports wagering.
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