That may be a tad severe. But this has been the most disappointing season I can remember under BB.
What's disappointing to me is the way we have played relative to our ability. Even the 2005 team, which had severe flaws, peaked in December and came close to making a playoff run. The 2008 team, minus Brady, was a team no one wanted to face in the playoffs, and ended the year on an up note.
This team has been inconsistent and underperforming all year. The defense can claim youthfulness and rebuilding, but the offense has just plain underperformed. The team has shown a lot of "un-Patriot"-like tendencies, including repeatedly blowing 2nd half leads. We haven't yet won a true road game this year. We've gone from being the best clutch team in the NFL, to a dominant team that let a few opportunities slip away (2007 AFCCG, 2008 SB), to just an inconsistent team that can't finish and blows opportunities.
The coaching has been the worst I can remember in the BB era. There has been extremely questionable schemes and playcalling on both sides of the ball, and poor judgments regarding game management, timeouts, challenges, and 3rd/4th down decisions.
The Patriots have now lost 2 in a row for the first time since November 2006. The last time before that was December 2002. This is also the first time in the 10 year BB era that the Pats have opened December with a loss. December has always been when we peaked. Doesn't seem to be happening right now.
I'm not crying or complaining. It is what it is. But the fact is, we are not a very good team right now, and this has to be considered the most underperforming Pats team in the BB era.
I expect to get flamed for this post. But that's the way I see it. Again, no complaints. But it is what it is.
