1-5 Patriots’ morale being tested, but players are focused on improving

Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff WriterOct 16, 2023, 10:18 AM ET
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LAS VEGAS — In a shocking turn that few saw coming, the New England Patriots are 1-5 for the first time since 1995, which was Robert Kraft’s second year owning the team.

Players were looking within following Sunday’s 21-17 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, knowing they’ve dug themselves into a major hole, sitting in last place in the AFC East with division games against the Buffalo Bills (4-2) and Miami Dolphins (5-1) the next two weeks.

“I think we’re all right, man. It’s a good test for us,” seven-year veteran receiver Kendrick Bourne said. “It’s up to us to look ourselves in the mirror and see who we are individually and what we are going to bring every day.

“Are we just going to quit and come in to work to just work? Or are we going to come to work to really work and put in effort so we can change this thing around? If we get guys coming in like that, I think it will change.”

Even if it changes, the Patriots hardly look like a contending team, putting them in jeopardy of finishing in last place in the AFC East for the first time since 2000, Bill Belichick’s first year as coach. Only the Steelers have a longer active streak without a last-place division finish (1998).

The Patriots are the only team to have not scored more than 20 points in a game this season.

Asked to assess the team’s morale on Sunday, quarterback Mac Jones said: “Obviously, we just lost, so it’s not good. But I think we have a really good group of guys, and if we choose to respond the right way, then it’ll be really good. If we don’t, then it’ll go the other way.

“I know I’m going to be positive, always. That’s my goal. Try to work hard like I’ve been doing and bring people with me. I know we’ve been saying that, and the results haven’t been there. I guess maybe look at the process and see what we need to change to get better.”

Among the Patriots’ undoing against the Raiders were self-inflicted wounds. Belichick said he was going to take a closer look at the team’s 10 penalties for 79 yards — two of which came on the first two offensive plays and three when the offense was attempting to drive for a game-winning field goal late in the fourth quarter — which he noted was not a “good formula.”

Furthermore, the sloppy performance came after a week when Belichick had said the team was going to “start over” and focus on more fundamentals.

“We work so hard and we’ve put an emphasis on it,” Jones said. “I like to put them in different buckets. Was it a forced penalty? Or were you giving effort and they just called it? The unforced ones are the ones that you want to take away, and we have too many of those — penalties, turnovers, all that stuff.

“We definitely need to improve, but we have to keep swinging. If you don’t swing, you’re not going to get any hits.”

The early-season slide also sparks a question of how the Patriots will approach the Oct. 31 trade deadline. They usually look to add players, but that’s because they’ve usually been in contention for a postseason berth.

Players were still processing their standing after Sunday’s loss, acknowledging they must look beyond their 1-5 record.

“You have to love this game. You have to put your best foot forward every time you get the opportunity to step on the field,” running back Rhamondre Stevenson said. “So I would just say it just starts within, and just being your own leader, and following the guys that do it well. And just on to the next play, on to the next day, and just keep their head up and just stay working hard.”