FOXBOROUGH — All you really need to know is this:
The Patriots entered Sunday with a 39-0 record under Bill Belichick when not allowing a touchdown, including the postseason.
And now they're 39-1 after falling 18-12 to the Broncos, who entered the game 1-3 with their lone victory a dogfight with the winless Jets.
It was pathetic. It was inexcusable. It was ugly. And it was on Cam Newton and the offense.
And it also counts as one loss. I don't think I need to remind you the Patriots annually have a "How the hell did they lose that game?!" loss.
2018: at Jaguars, at Lions
2017: vs. Panthers (and Newton)
2016: vs. Bills 16-0
2015: vs. Eagles, at Jets
2014: vs. Miami
In four of those five seasons, the Patriots went to the Super Bowl and won three of them. So the Patriots are no strangers to really crappy losses, like Sunday's debacle.
But, yes, this loss feels different. And it was.
Because it was like deja vu all over again, and it makes you feel like they are headed for the same pathetic ending as last season — or worse.
Why? Because Bill Belichick put them here.
What was the problem last year? The defense was great for long stretches of the season, but it got worn out at the end because the offense and their lack of real weapons couldn't beat man coverage, stay on the field or score enough points.
It was so frustrating, Tom Brady packed up and relocated because he knew Belichick wouldn't improve the offense. Brady knew Belichick's offensive philosophy would again be: "Well, Tom and Josh (McDaniels) will figure it out while I keep the defense well-stocked."
Brady was right. Belichick didn't do anything.
(Adam Richins for BSJ)
Belichick spent his first three draft picks on defensive players — two (Kyle Dugger and Anfernee Jennings) have bit parts, and one hasn't seen the field yet (Josh Uche). He traded up for two tight ends who have more healthy scratches (three for Dalton Keene) than targets (zero for Devin Asiasi).
The Patriots thought so much of free-agent receiver Damiere Byrd that they gave him a one-year deal for $1.6 million.
And then they had the rest of the group back again: Julian Edelman (one year older with a lot of miles), N'Keal Harry, Gunner Olszewski, Jakobi Meyers and Ryan Izzo.
Basically, the Patriots' entire offensive improvement would rest on the threat of Cam Newton — who fell into the Patriots' lap in late June — creating more space for the weapons to operate.
So now it's, "Josh will figure it out." Meanwhile, Brady was throwing two touchdown passes in a 38-10 victory over Aaron Rodgers and the previously unbeaten Packers on Sunday in Tampa.
Sure, things looked pretty promising through the first two games. Newton helped to run over the Dolphins in the opener. Then his arm shredded what we now know is a terrible Seahawks secondary.
Then things started to change against the Raiders.
This was bound to happen. Newton in the Patriots' offense was a completely foreign concept early in this season to other defensive coordinators.
They were no longer a secret to the Raiders, who aren't even that good on defense. Newton was awful in that game as they made him a pocket passer.
After his Covid break, Newton was worse against the Broncos. Sure, some of that had to do with the layoff and lack of practice time. But Ryan Tannehill and the Titans were in a similar spot — with two light practices and a walk-through — before they dismantled the undefeated Bills.
Newton and the Patriots had one light practice and a walkthrough — remember, Belichick chose not to practice on Wednesday — and then only penetrated the Broncos' 40-yard line once in their first eight drives.
Yes, the Patriots played like strangers and, in many respects, they were with hardly any face-to-face time the past two weeks.
But that wasn't the real issue. And the problem isn't easily rectified.
The Broncos, with extra time to prepare and study the Patriots, unleashed a gameplan that was very similar to each one the Patriots faced last season. Because of their lack of speed and weapons, the Broncos were completely unafraid of the Patriots' passing game. So they sold out to stop the run, and then blitzed Newton when he passed because the chances of the Patriots making a big play were slim to none.
Who was going to burn the Broncos with a big play?
Edelman? After a catch-less first half, he finished with two catches on six targets for a whopping 8 yards (he was removed from the postgame press conference schedule as well).
Harry? 2 targets, 0 catches for the 2019 first-round pick.
Byrd? 3 catches, 38 yards.
Isaiah Zuber? 1 catch, 16 yards.
Izzo? 3 catches, 38 yards and a fumble after one of them.
Asiasi? Without a target for the fifth-straight game to start his career. Meanwhile, Broncos fourth-round TE Albert Okwuegbunam, inactive in the first four games, had two catches for 45 yards on six targets (on in the end zone) in his NFL debut replacing stud Noah Fant.
Broncos coach Vic Fangio, long one of the best defensive coordinators in this league, basically gave Belichick a taste of his own medicine. His gameplan put a mirror up to the Patriots' offense and they were left saying only, "Look away, we're hideous."
Belichick needs to do something and soon, or else this season is going to end the same as last season — if they can even win the division and/or qualify for the postseason this time around.
The Patriots need an impact receiver (after whiffing on Antonio Brown and Mohamed Sanu last season), and a tight end since it's clear McDaniels would rather call a play for one of his kids than Asiasi at this point. McDaniels' desperation and frustration with the options staring up at him from his playsheet could not have been more clear than when he called not one, but two passes by Edelman.
Talk about smoke and mirrors, McDaniels might as well have been screaming to Belichick down the sideline: "None of these guys can get open against man coverage!"
Outside of that, the Patriots have no other option than to go back to basics, figure out what they can execute and might be good at, and rebuild this offense brick by brick. Unfortunately, they're going to have to make Newton's running more of a central focus of the offense, like against the Dolphins. On Sunday, 32 percent of the Patriots' yardage (the whole 288 yards) came from Newton‘s legs.
The way the last two seasons have gone, McDaniels and Newton can't count on any meaningful help being on the way — just ask Brady.
And they have no time to waste, and zero room for error. At 2-3, the Patriots have the 49ers (home) and Bills (road) coming up. Two losses and we could be talking about a lost season and the Patriots being sellers at the deadline.
Largely because Belichick didn't buy anything offensively that changed last season's downward trajectory.