The New England Patriots had quite the dip in play in 2020. After losing Tom Brady, getting hit by multiple opt outs on defense, Bill Belichick and the rest of the New England area were all bracing for a down year in comparison to what they once were. They are hoping the 2021 NFL Draft turns their tides back into the right direction.
After signing Cam Newton, the hype started gaining traction again, however; and that hype would carry into the first few weeks of the season. Cam Newton and the New England Patriots were playing some fantastic football in the first few weeks of the season, but unfortunate circumstances came about.
2020 season did not go as planned for Patriots
Newton ended up suffering some injuries and contracted COVID-19. This, mixed with the fact that the Patriots offense couldn’t get anything going, made for a rough season for the Patriots. The Patriots ended the season with a 7-9 record, and finished third in the AFC East. The 2020 NFL season marked just the fourth time Bill Belichick would not be crowned the king of the AFC East in his tenure with the Patriots. In addition, this season was the first time the Patriots missed the playoffs since 2008.
The Patriots went all out to succeed when they had Tom Brady, and no one should blame them for doing so, but it seems like it came at the expense of the team’s near future. However, when the greatest head coach of all time is on your sideline, he’ll try his hardest to get back to the top. The Patriots are going to be okay.