Why Buy In? Bill Belichick Has Message For Floundering Patriots

After gaining a glimmer of hope in Week 7, the Patriots were issued a harsh reality check Sunday.

Any good vibes produced from New England’s upset win over the Buffalo Bills were short-lived, as Bill Belichick’s team was knocked back down with a two-touchdown loss to the Miami Dolphins. With the defeat at Hard Rock Stadium, the Patriots dropped to the cellar of the AFC standings and received a reminder that the playoffs probably aren’t in the cards.

So, with a lost season unraveling and a potential sell-off set for Tuesday, why should New England players remain bought in? Belichick on Monday explained how his team should shape its mindset moving forward.

“From week to week, it’s just about the week you have in front of you. That’s really what it is,” Belichick said on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show.” “You can’t do anything about the weeks that have passed. The weeks ahead — you’ll get to them when you get to them. So, you focus on the team that you play, the next opponent — getting ready for that game. You take it one game at a time and one day at a time for each game.”

Patriots fans shouldn’t expect to see unmotivated players for the remainder of the season. Incentives still are on the table and several players are in the process of proving their worth for their next contract.

But in past years, it was around this time when New England really started to harness its identity and set the stage for a deep playoff run. Now, Patriots players are forced to lean on personal interests for inspiration rather than Super Bowl aspirations.