Fun Fact: Patriots Led NFL in Point Differential for 4 Weeks in 2021, Finished 3rd Overall

[Ian]

Was digging around and looking at the point totals in 2021, and after clicking, noticed that from Week 11 through Week 14 (despite being idle that week), they were at the top of the league in point differential:









They actually ended up finishing third in the NFL that season in that category:

2021 NFL Point Differential Totals

2021 NFL Point Differential Totals Points By Quarter and Season Point Differentials.

www.patsfans.com

You can click around on the weeks, which will show you week-to-week how things played out.

I either didn't realize or had forgotten about it, but it was surprising to see that, and it's hard not to wonder where they'll fall this season with both Maye and McDaniels. I know it's been discussed ad nauseam, but I figured a few people might find this interesting.

 

[A Defiant Goose]

Didn't we beat the Jags something like 62-7 one of those weeks?

 

[Ian]

Didn't we beat the Jags something like 62-7 one of those weeks?

Yes, 50-10, but not until Week 17:

2021 Patriots Schedule - Full Results

The complete 2021 New England Patriots Schedule with Game-by-Game Season Results.

www.patsfans.com

 

[TheRainMaker]

That was a weird team. They weren't a very good and should've been dead to right after starting 2-4. The talk of BB getting exposed was getting loud. The same thing was happening in the NFC with the 49ers as Shanahan's seat was getting extremely hot going 2-4. Both teams making the playoffs with that start was very unusual. The Pats had a stretch of an easy schedule ripping off 7 straight wins. After they won in Buffalo, they were the #1 seed and it was theirs to lose. The slide started in Indy going 2-3 after the win in Buffalo.

 

[sb1]

That was a weird team. They weren't a very good and should've been dead to right after starting 2-4. The talk of BB getting exposed was getting loud. The same thing was happening in the NFC with the 49ers as Shanahan's seat was getting extremely hot going 2-4. Both teams making the playoffs with that start was very unusual. The Pats had a stretch of an easy schedule ripping off 7 straight wins. After they won in Buffalo, they were the #1 seed and it was theirs to lose. The slide started in Indy going 2-3 after the win in Buffalo.

Yep.

Fortunate to make the playoffs at all. The wind game in Buffalo was a huge advantage and Miami somehow lost to the 3-14 Jaguars. Had either not gone the Patriots way BB would have 0 playoff appearances post Brady. They pretty much did have 0 playoff appearance anyway with the way that Wild Card game went.

 

[Pape]

Was digging around and looking at the point totals in 2021, and after clicking, noticed that from Week 11 through Week 14 (despite being idle that week), they were at the top of the league in point differential:









They actually ended up finishing third in the NFL that season in that category:

2021 NFL Point Differential Totals

2021 NFL Point Differential Totals Points By Quarter and Season Point Differentials.

www.patsfans.com

You can click around on the weeks, which will show you week-to-week how things played out.

I either didn't realize or had forgotten about it, but it was surprising to see that, and it's hard not to wonder where they'll fall this season with both Maye and McDaniels. I know it's been discussed ad nauseam, but I figured a few people might find this interesting.

wonder what would have happened if Josh didn't fly the coop after 2021... That move effectively killed this team and BB's career to boot...

 

[signbabybrady]

Josh going to bring that back again

 

[RobertWeathers]

wonder what would have happened if Josh didn't fly the coop after 2021... That move effectively killed this team and BB's career to boot...

I firmly believe it did. Josh stays BB is at a minimum here in 2023 and maybe so is Mac.

Amazing how a coordinator's departure altered the trajectory of a franchise.

 

[sb1]

wonder what would have happened if Josh didn't fly the coop after 2021... That move effectively killed this team and BB's career to boot...

I think hiring a competent OC instead of pretending Matt Patricia belonged in the role would have mitigated Josh's departure. BB killed his own career in NE because he chose wrong.

 

[sb1]

I firmly believe it did. Josh stays BB is at a minimum here in 2023 and maybe so is Mac.

Amazing how a coordinator's departure altered the trajectory of a franchise.

Also think Ernie Adams retiring hurt a lot.

 

[Vindicate]

Also think Ernie Adams retiring hurt a lot.

It was the whole franchise turning over. An insane amount of experience and brain power had left by this time. But like we saw with Mayo, who came in with no one, we saw BB not have anyone he felt like he could rely on because he had only been in one place for the past 20 years.

Very difficult task to conquer. He couldn't do it. He really fumbled it. Even on his way out, players said he was still just as right as he ever was from a scheme perspective, but the staff changes, losing TB, losing his FO over the two decades, it all got back to him. McDaniels was kinda the last straw.

 

[rkarp1]

Mac Jones paired with Josh was pretty damn good. and if Josh had stayed, Mac could have been better.
Bill's ego when it came to replacing the coaches that left with Josh was his ultimate downfall.