Bill Belichick was staring-down what he called the “best pass rush in the league” in the Buffalo Bills.
His New England team, meanwhile, had just one victory, had averaged just 60 yards on the ground in its last three games and was starting a quarterback who has been prone to both interceptions (seven in six games) and sacks (12).
So Belichick decided to shuffle his offensive line.
Most notably, right guard Mike Onwenu moved to right tackle. Sidy Sow took over next to him at guard. Cole Strange moved to left guard and Trent Brown set up at left tackle. David Andrews, as always, started at center.
And just like that, “the offensive line, especially, gave me the time I needed today,” said QB Mac Jones, who was hit just four times and delivered his best game this season by completing 25 of 30 passes and leading a game-winning touchdown drive in the 29-25 victory.
New England even rushed for 96 yards, its second-best tally on the year.
The victory was the 300th of Belichick’s career and it should serve as a reminder that he can still coach the game.
The Patriots are 2-5 and going forward, who knows what New England is capable of if they get the offensive line back into its traditional form?
“When I have time,” Jones said, “I can read the offense.”
On Sunday morning, prior to the game, the NFL Network reported that Belichick had agreed to a “lucrative, multi-year” contract with the franchise last summer. Conceivably, that should lower the heat on the coaching hot seat Belichick, 71, sits in.
In reality, it doesn’t matter. No matter how “lucrative” the deal is, billionaire owner Robert Kraft can cover it. And if the Patriots season spirals into doom and Kraft thinks Belichick has lost his ability to lead a NFL team, then he’ll write that check.
The debate here — again presuming the team doesn’t rally into playoff contention — really is about whether Belichick deserves another chance at a rebuild, or more specifically if he should be empowered to both select the Patriots next franchise quarterback and then develop him.
Next spring’s NFL Draft will be rich with quarterback prospects, perhaps five or even six first rounders according to scouts. Some names are obvious: USC’s Caleb Williams and North Carolina’s Drake Maye.
There are others who quickly follow, some of whom still have to decide whether to come out: Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, Colorado’s Shadeur Sanders, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Oregon’s Bo Nix, Washington’s Michael Penix, Texas’ Quinn Ewers, Duke’s Riley Leonard and so on.
There are going to be debates. There are going to be misses and mistakes. There are going to be brilliant choices.
Despite the victory over Buffalo, New England is still likely headed for a season that will put them near the top of the draft and in that mix.
Presuming Jones — now with some protection — doesn’t reverse his career arc during the rest of the season, this is a golden opportunity to do what the Patriots haven’t had to do since 1993 when they drafted a franchise quarterback (Drew Bledsoe).
Yes, the Pats took Jones in the first round in 2021, but he drifted (“fell” is too strong a word) to them at the 15th overall selection. He was the fifth quarterback taken after Trevor Lawrence (1st overall, Jacksonville), Zach Wilson (2, New York Jets), Trey Lance (3, San Francisco) and Justin Fields (11, Chicago).
This would be different and feel different. Jones was considered a bit of a gift, New England reloading at QB post-Brady without the full collapse that precedes most NFL rebuilds and assures a top-five or at least top-10 selection.
The question for Kraft is whether in a draft with a significant amount of quarterback talent, he trusts Belichick to decide whether it is or isn’t time to move on from Jones and then to evaluate the prospects and make the proper choice?
Then, once that player is selected, is Belchick the best coach to develop a young talented QB for the future?
Or are the Patriots better off going in a completely different direction and hoping they can find a different, likely far younger, coaching and scouting perspective to make such an important pick?
You can’t win with bad players and the Patriots current roster holes are Belichick’s fault — he’s the de facto general manager as well. Since 2012, just one of his first-round draft choices has become even a Pro Bowler and that is Jones, who was added as a rookie in 2021 after other QBs opted out.
Is that a reason for caution going forward? Or do you consider this a NFL mirror to the NBA situation in San Antonio, where arguably that league’s greatest coach, 74-year-old Gregg Popovich, is getting a final career act by teaching an intriguing talent in 7-foot-4 rookie Victor Wembanyama?
Sunday’s victory over the Bills was fun for New England. It was a milestone for Belichick; he followed Don Shula (328) and George Halas (318) into the 300-win club. It was a reminder the guy still can fix a problem and snag an unexpected victory.
The decision on Belichick’s future is still about the future of the Patriots, though. Is he the right guy for what comes next? That should outweigh nearly any definition of “lucrative” contract extension.
