Patriots' Bill Belichick Called Out by NFL Fans After Loss to Sam Howell, Commanders

The New England Patriots keep finding ways to hit rock bottom, with Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Washington Commanders being a combined effort from an out-of-sorts offense led by Mac Jones and Bill Belichick's defense letting Sam Howell throw seemingly at will against them.

Jones' attempt to put the offense into field position or potentially score the go-ahead touchdown in the final minute ended when he tried to force a pass over the middle to JuJu Smith-Schuster, but it was tipped and intercepted by Jartavius Martin.

The interception was Jones' only turnover of the game, but he had at least two other throws just in the fourth quarter that could have been picked off. He finished 24-of-44 for 220 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

But the bigger story from this game is yet another instance of Belichick getting outcoached by the opposition.

If penalties are a reflection of discipline and coaching, Belichick clearly isn't doing a very good job, as evidenced by a couple of plays late in the fourth quarter.

On a 4th-and-2 play with the Commanders lined up to punt, Ty Montgomery and Mack Wilson Sr. were called for penalties. Montgomery's holding call was declined, but Wilson lined up offside to give Washington a fresh set of downs with 2:29 remaining.

The Patriots forced another punt four plays later and it went into the end zone for a touchback, but they had to start the drive from their own nine yard line because Brenden Schooler was called for holding.

Special teams woes are nothing new for the Patriots, though this is yet another instance of Belichick failing his team by not being able to fix what should be the easiest area of a roster to correct.

While the call against Schooler was questionable, it was still a mistake that shouldn't have happened in the first place. Belichick is still struggling to find ways to help his team that is often at a talent disadvantage.

Belichick has never been an easy coach to read, but now he seems actively working against his own best interests. Rookie wide receiver Kayshon Boutte was expected to play on Sunday with Kendrick Bourne out for the season with a torn ACL and DeVante Parker unavailable this week due to a concussion.

Instead, Boutte was a surprise inactive against the Commanders. Jalen Reagor dropped a pass on what was probably Jones' best throw of the day deep down the field that would have set the offense up inside the Commanders' 10-yard line late in the third quarter.

Boutte, a sixth-round draft pick out of LSU, may not save the entire receiving corps. But it's certainly easy to justify giving him a look when you're down two wide receivers instead of betting on a failed former first-round pick like Reagor.

Even the defense, which is supposed to be Belichick's specialty, allowed 432 yards to the Commanders. Howell went 29-of-45 for 325 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

The Patriots (2-7) own the worst record in the AFC and have to travel to Germany next week for a game against the Indianapolis Colts before their bye in Week 11.