Two of the NFL's preeminent franchises are heading in the wrong direction this season.
The New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys own a combined 2-11 record entering Week 9. The Patriots have been marred by a nightmarish offense, while the Cowboys feature one of the league's most porous defenses and likely will remain in a world of hurt without Dak Prescott. But even before Prescott's injury, the Cowboys were trending toward falling well short of the justifiably lofty preseason expectations.
While both New England and Dallas have disappointed in 2020, Damien Woody believes his former club has more so than America's Team.
"The reason I say the Patriots is I believe so much in the coaching and the greatness of Bill Belichick," Woody said Wednesday on ESPN's "First Take." "With all the defections they had on defense -- whether it was free agency or guys opting out and obviously bringing in Cam Newton this year -- I was still a big believer in the fact that Bill Belichick, even with all of those defections, would be able to coach these guys up and have these guys ready to play.
"But here we are right now at this point in the season and you're talking about a team in the Patriots, particularly on offense, where the quarterback play has been atrocious all the way around. Outside of the one big game Cam Newton had up there in Seattle where he was vintage Cam Newton, this offense has just been bad. I believe it's been like three passing touchdowns for all of the quarterbacks in New England.
"So when I look at the Patriots, to me, it's where is the coaching? Where is this championship-level coaching that we've seen on the New England Patriots for 20 years? I get it, Tom Brady's down there in Tampa. I get all of that. But in the game of football, I've always said coaching matters more than any other sport."
Belichick has been pressed for more than just his coaching this season. Belichick, the general manager, also has garnered criticism for the Patriots' weak roster, though he's rather bluntly explained New England was bogged down by limitations over the offseason as the franchise reconstructed the roster.
The Patriots, losers of four consecutive games, while try to earn their first win since Week 3 on Monday night when they visit the New York Jets.
