Already stuck with two double-digit losses and an injured quarterback, Patriots coach Bill Belichick is facing long odds as he stumbles into foreign territory Sunday.
New England opened the week as a double-digit underdog and could close as one, too. How rare are these occasions? The Patriots are on the brink of being double-digit dogs for the first time since Week 4 of the 2020 season and for only the fourth time since 2001, in Tom Brady’s first year as the starting quarterback.
Mac Jones might eventually become the next Brady, but he’s not there yet and he’s not going to be New England’s starter at Green Bay. Jones is out with a high-ankle sprain. Brian Hoyer, who has lost 11 consecutive starts, gets the relief assignment opposite Aaron Rodgers at Lambeau Field.
This is not the same Belichick who bettors banked on for two decades. His defense is not among the NFL’s best, his quarterback is a career backup and his offensive coordinator is a former defensive coach. This is strange, but it’s also reality.