The New England Patriots suffered a hard loss to one of the AFC’s best teams. Andy Reid and his offensive genius proved too much for New England’s defense while Tom Brady and the offense struggled to find consistency for the vast majority of the game. This describes what happened last Sunday, but it also describes what happened in Week 4 of the 2014 season. Instead of overreacting to the heartbreaking loss, Bill Belichick shifted the focus on to Cincinnati and eventually led New England to their first Super Bowl title in a decade.
Time is a flat circle, and history has a chance to repeat itself. While New England’s 23-16 loss wasn’t nearly as bad as the 41-14 slaughter on Monday Night Football, there are some serious causes for concern with this team. However, instead of worrying about what this team cannot do, it’s time for the Patriots to figure out what they can do for the stretch run. Just like in 2014, the Patriots have the chance to fix their issues against the Cincinnati Bengals.
New England Patriots in Familiar Spot – On to Cincinnati
Historical Comparison
The 2019 Patriots offense hasn’t looked right ever since Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins. New England’s offensive line isn’t playing up to their usual standards, the pass-catchers don’t inspire confidence, and Tom Brady doesn’t look like his typical elite self. Interestingly enough, this also describes the first month of the 2014 Patriots.
The 2014 Patriots needed time to sort out their offensive line woes. Ryan Wendell and Bryan Stork started the season on the bench as the team searched to find a replacement for Logan Mankins. This led to Jordan Devey seeing way too much time on the field as the rest of the line struggled to find cohesion. The pass-catchers, meanwhile, appeared to consist of Julian Edelman and nothing else. Brandon LaFell and Danny Amendola looked like free agent busts, Rob Gronkowski looked like a shell of his former self, and Aaron Dobson and Kenbrell Thompkins took major steps back after promising rookie seasons.
Perhaps the biggest worry was Brady himself. The greatest quarterback of all-time struggled through the first month of the season, culminating in a Week 4 benching to young hotshot Jimmy Garoppolo. Brady looked so bad that reporters questioned whether Belichick had contemplated a change at the quarterback position.
By all accounts, this was the worst the Patriots dynasty looked since their 2009 Wild Card loss to the Baltimore Ravens. New England essentially rebuilt on the fly following that loss, and it looked like the Patriots might be going down the same road during that fateful September. However, the Patriots put all that behind them and went on to win one of the best Super Bowls in recent memory. The only question is whether or not they can do it again.
On to Cincinnati – 2019 Version
Tom Brady isn’t playing his best football this season, but he’s considerably better than he looked early in 2014. Nobody’s questioning his standing as the starter, but the rest of the offense leaves a lot to be desired. New England’s offensive line ranks among the worst in ESPN’s Pass Block Win Rate and the offensive weapons haven’t held up their end of the bargain. New England fixed both issues over the course of a week in 2014, but doing it again won’t be easy.
It’s hard to imagine this offensive line getting any better. While the 2014 team just needed to reshuffle their pieces to find the optimal grouping, the 2019 team has already tried that. Losing David Andrews hurt more than anyone could have expected, and Marcus Cannon is clearly playing hurt. Isaiah Wynn hasn’t been great in his return to the field, but he’s still a sizable upgrade on Marshall Newhouse. The offensive line might just be what it is, but there is hope that the offensive weapons could improve.
Brady’s receivers aren’t the most talented bunch in the world, but each player has a skill that can be incorporated into the offense. The margin of error here is slim, but New England can create a top offense out of these pieces. Julian Edelman is fantastic, and James White certainly deserves more playing time over Sony Michel. N’Keal Harry is still a raw prospect, but he can make contested catches and is dangerous in open space. If schemed properly, he can be a more dangerous version of Cordarrelle Patterson. In a similar vein, Matt LaCosse has made some nice plays and probably deserves a larger share of the pie.
What’s Different
Back in 2014, the New England Patriots needed to be at the top of their game against Cincinnati. At 3-0, the Bengals were the last undefeated team in the league and had a bye week to prepare for New England. Top to bottom, theirs was one of the more talented rosters in the league.
The same cannot be said in 2019. Andy Dalton is still around, but the rest of the roster is an absolute mess. At 1-12, the Bengals are on the inside track to the first overall pick and don’t have the talent to stop anything that stands in their way. New England has the ability to experiment with a few ideas, figure out what does and doesn’t work, and still come away with a victory. Instead of a statement game on national television, this game can serve as a test run for a new offensive identity.
New England’s second dynasty kicked off with an iconic press conference that powered the team to three Super Bowls in five years. The Patriots can continue their run of dominance by putting their worries in the past and shifting their focus on to Cincinnati.
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