3 Takeaways from Patriots' Week 17 Loss vs. Bills
The New England Patriots played another competitive game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, but they made too many mistakes to come out on top.
The Patriots used a late surge to upset Buffalo back in Week 7, they couldn't do the same in the rematch. Three early Bailey Zappe interceptions—including a pick six—put New England in too deep of a hole.
The loss keeps New England in contention for a top-three draft selection—and possibly a shot at a top quarterback prospect. It also does nothing to quiet the speculation surrounding the future of head coach Bill Belichick.
Here's what we learned during the Patriots' Week 17 loss to the Bills.
Bailey Zappe Magic Has Disappeared
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Let's be clear. Zappe was never likely to be New England's quarterback of the future. However, he had played well over the past three weeks, allowing New England to record two surprising road wins with a relatively tight game against the Kansas City Chiefs between them.
His level of play—coupled with the offensive improvement without Mac Jones—had made Zappe a potential bridge option for 2024.
New England is set to possess a high first-round pick, and it would be a shock if it didn't target a prospect like Caleb Williams or Drake Maye. If the Patriots don't want to force a rookie onto the field immediately, though, they'll want a serviceable placeholder.
While Zappe did some good things on Sunday, his three interceptions proved to be too much to overcome. His performance was reminiscent of many of Jones' mistake-filled games this season, and it serves as a sign that New England will likely want to target an impending free-agent veteran in the offseason.
Quarterbacks like Tyrod Taylor, Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew are scheduled to be available and would be intriguing options to lead New England's new-look quarterback room in 2024.
The Offense Needs a Stronger Supporting Cast
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This isn't exactly a new takeaway, but New England's lack of playmaking offensive talent was glaring against Buffalo. The Patriots defense did an admirable job at keeping the game close, but the offense just didn't have enough offensive potency to take advantage.
Tight end Mike Gesicki led the team with four catches, while running back Kevin Harris led with 54 receiving yards. Ezekiel Elliott—starting again in place of the injured Rhamondre Stevenson—averaged just 2.8 yards per rush.
While New England compiled 294 yards, it was just 4-of-10 on third down and held the ball for just over 27 minutes.
Even if the Patriots land a future franchise quarterback like Williams or Maye in the draft, they cannot possibly expect him to succeed with the current group. The fact that players like tight end Hunter Henry, wideout Kendrick Bourne, Gesicki and Elliott are impending free agents certainly doesn't help the situation.
Long before New England is on the clock, it must use a large chunk of its $78.7 million in projected cap space to build a functional supporting cast.
The Patriots Haven't Quit on Belichick
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Belichick's future in New England remains very much up in the air.
"He has expressed doubt about his future in New England to the staff at various points over the last few weeks. To the best of my knowledge (and as reported on NFL Network this weekend), he has yet to sit down with ownership," Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
While this might be it for Belichick and the Patriots, no one can say that New England has quit on its head coach—something that can't be said for recently fired coaches Josh McDaniels and Brandon Staley.
The roster is starved for talent, and the miscues have been many (four turnovers on Sunday). Yet, New England has managed to beat teams like Pittsburgh and Denver, and it hung in against Buffalo.
The defense did a tremendous job of limiting Bills quarterback Josh Allen (15-of-30 for 169 yards, 1 INT) in the passing game, and it nearly shut down No. 1 receiver Stefon Diggs. This is a game that New England easily could have stolen if not for Zappe's turnovers.
This might not mean much for the Patriots long term, but it won't be lost on franchises considering Belichick if he indeed becomes available.
*Cap information from Spotrac.
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