There was a somber mood around New England after its ugly loss to the Jets, but there are reasons to keep the optimism alive.
The Patriots were smacked by the New York Jets on Thursday, and there were little positives to take away from Week 3. The offensive line was horrendous, the tackling was nonexistent and the wide receivers simply existed.
This was the team analysts projected the Patriots to be, but Week 1 did provide hope that this season wasn't going to be a complete trainwreck. It still might not be, and we'll dig into three reasons why hope for a successful season could be alive.
"Thursday Night Football" variance
Let's first dig into Week 3. Amazon paid a hefty price to be the exclusive home for "Thursday Night Football." It hired big names for its studio show, and it has Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit on the broadcast. "TNF" still stinks, though. You can probably count on one hand the amount of actually great matchups we've gotten on "Thursday Night Football."
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Teams and players also hate it because you're not allowed enough time to prepare for the matchup. It's a mix of walkthroughs and light practice, so game plans often aren't that complex. What was lost in New England's putrid effort was that New York wasn't all that impressive. Sure, Aaron Rodgers hit perfect throws on occasion, but to say the Jets are Super Bowl contenders would be hyperbolic.
To give the Patriots another excuse, they'll get a full week of preparation the rest of the way and should come better prepared.
Easier schedule ahead
The 49ers are excluded from this argument -- though San Francisco could be without multiple playmakers, which could give New England a chance. But the Patriots will face a Miami Dolphins side without Tua Tagovailoa in Week 5. The Houston Texans will be a tough opponent in Week 6, but the London game against the Jaguars is very winnable based on Jacksonville's play through two weeks. A full week of preparation against the Jets at Gillette Stadium is another winnable game. Will Levis is a nightmare waiting to happen, and the Patriots get two straight matchups against the teams with offensive lines just as bad as theirs: Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams. You can talk yourself into a fair amount of wins, and the middle of the season would be an ideal time for Drake Maye to look good against what could be inferior competition.
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Potential reinforcements
New England's wide receiver room needs more juice. It's laughable on the surface to say a player with a torn ACL is going to provide that, but Kendrick Bourne was one of the most consistent wide receivers for the Patriots in the past three seasons. Ja'Whaun Bentley's absence was deeply felt Thursday. but Sione Takitaki's return could help and provide stronger depth at the position. Cole Strange's injury status is unknown, but if he's able to come back, that would be a huge lift for the offensive line. Eliot Wolf also could work the phones for a potential low-risk, high-reward option that could help add more life after a deflating loss to the Jets.
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Featured image via Brad Penner/Imagn Images
