Week 10 Preview: Will playing on a different continent help the Patriots play better?
Maybe the Patriots just need to get away from everything. If so, Germany is as far away from Foxboro as you can get for an NFL game.
From all the sounds of it, the Patriots have a strong following in Germany. It may have begun with the drafting of German-born offensive lineman Sebastian Vollmer in 2009. Winning Super Bowls and having Tom Brady as your quarterback made the Patriots even more attractive to fans overseas.
The Patriots also signed German-born Jakob Johnson as an undrafted free agent in 2019. Johnson was very effective as a fullback for the Patriots for three seasons. He was so effective as a lead blocker in the running game that after Johnson was let go and the Patriots running game struggled, fans and media bemoaned not having a fullback like Johnson the last couple of seasons.
Belichick looked almost giddy during his press conference in Germany. He, uncharacteristically, smiled and made jokes with the regular mix of Patriots’ media, as well as several international reporters. He even gave longer than three word answers.
He seemed very happy for a coach who is on the hot seat. Usually if a team is to fire their coach, there is no better time than a bye week. It would give a new head coach extra time to acclimate to things. The Patriots are on a bye following Sunday's game with the Colts.
Does that mean that if the Patriots lose in Germany that Belichick may be enjoying his last few hours as head coach of the Patriots? If his name wasn’t Bill Belichick and if he didn’t own six Super Bowl rings, there would be a high likelihood that the coach of a 2-8 team would be fired. Josh McDaniels was fired from the Raiders and he had more wins this year. It would be especially true with all the turmoil going on in the locker room, which is getting worse by the week.
Cornerbacks J.C. Jackson and Jack Jones were benched for the first quarter of the last game, presumably for missing curfew the night before the game. Belichick traded for J.C. Jackson early in the season when rookie Christian Gonzalez's season ended prematurely. Jackson has gotten picked on and has not responded well as exemplified by Tyreke Hill blowing past him for a long touchdown in a loss to Miami. Jackson has been so toxic that he is not even making the trip to Germany.
Belichick, again uncharacteristically, stood by Jack Jones when Jones was charged with bringing firearms to Logan airport just prior to camp. The charges were eventually dropped, but Jones continues to be a headache. And he remains on the team.
I wrote before the Buffalo Bills game to be on the lookout for players “quiet quitting.” The team made me look like a fool with their fired up, solid performance in a victory against Buffalo. But as the defeats continued to mount up, I am being proven right. Belichick has lost his mojo. Players don’t fear him anymore. It seems like every week there is another story about a Patriots’ player being disciplined for whatever reason. At some point, you need to pin the lack of discipline on the head coach.
With the circus going on in the Patriots’ locker room there is a game to be played. The game really only matters in terms of how it affects Belichick’s future. As the train rolls back to the station, it is only a matter of how fast it goes. Can Robert Kraft withstand a blowout with the spotlight shining on a featured game in a foreign country? There was footage circulating after the Washington game of an obviously disgruntled Jonathan Kraft talking to Robert Kraft in their skybox. Lip readers believe Jonathan told his father “we’re just not good enough.” It is one thing for fans to say that, but it is astonishing, and not a good thing for Belichick, to have the owners of the team caught saying it.
Prediction: Colts 20, Patriots 10
As for the game, the Patriots offense continues to struggle to get first downs, nevermind touchdowns. You just can’t win in the NFL if you can’t score more than twenty points in a game. The Colts have a top ten offense. Fans are deprived of the only reason to be excited to watch this game – the season-ending injury to the Colts' dynamic rookie quarterback, Anthony Richardson. Gardner Minshew has been a more than adequate replacement. Minshew had long been rumored in recent years as a possible pickup for the Patriots as a backup at quarterback. He would, most likely, be starting for the Patriots right now. The only reason Mac Jones continues to start is because there is no one better on New England's roster.
Indy's defense is suspect, but the Patriots are incapable of taking advantage of weak defenses. New England's defense has been keeping the Patriots in games, but, again, it is only a matter of time before they get completely disheartened at the ineffectiveness of the offense. They have every right to believe, "Why should I bust my ass to stop the other team when I know our offense can’t score?"
How did it get to this point and how did it happen so fast?