The New England Patriots came into today's game against the Los Angeles Chargers hoping to spoil the Chargers' hopes of clinching a playoff berth. Unfortunately, the exact opposite happened.
Not only did the Patriots lose, but they lost in brutal fashion. New England ended up falling by a final score of 40-7.
With their latest loss, the Patriots have clinched a sub-.300 winning percentage in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1968-69. Back then, they were the AFL's Boston Patriots.
That note was shared by NFL insider Dianna Russini from The Athletic.
For the Patriots it marks a historic low in franchise history, clinching a sub-.300 win percentage in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1968 and ’69, when they were the AFL’s Boston Patriots.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) December 28, 2024
Nothing went right for New England all game long. Drake Maye left the game with a head injury but was able to return and star cornerback Christian Gonzalez also left the game and was diagnosed with a concussion.
Offensively, Maye struggled to get things going. He completed 12 of his 22 pass attempts for 117 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions.
On the other side of the field, Justin Herbert torched the Patriots' defense. He racked up 281 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions while completing 26 of his 38 passes. J.K. Dobbins also had a solid game on the ground with 19 carries for 76 yards and a score.
With the loss, New England dropped to 3-13 on the season. If they were to lose next week against the Buffalo Bills, the Patriots would be guaranteed at least the No. 2 overall pick.
Quite honestly, losing next week would be what's best for New England moving forward.
Jerod Mayo's future might have become more questionable after today's game as well. The Patriots didn't show any fight and had clearly lost the game from the very beginning. New England will have a tough decision to make with him as well.
All of that being said, the season is almost over. There is just one game remaining and then a pivotal offseason will arrive.
Fans will not be sad to see the 2024 campaign come to a close. Russini's statistic from above shows just how painful the year has really been.
