How Bad Do The Patriots Really Have It?

It’s funny.

Patriot fans are going through a trying time right now, with the team off to a 1-3 start.  Compared to most other years over the past two decades, sure – it’s different.

Although, it’s not completely out of the ordinary.  The 2001 Patriots began the season 1-3, and later that same season launched a 20-year dynastic run through the NFL.

They also won the Super Bowl that year by ripping off nine straight wins after sitting at 5-5, too.

Struggling on the field hasn’t been all that uncommon, even throughout these ‘glory’ years.  The 2005 and 2012 seasons, for instance, both began with 3-3 starts out of the gate…and both seasons also ended up in the playoffs.

Every year is its own individual season, of course.  Injuries, depth, and individual performances are all factors.  But there has been at least some adversity overcome during this journey that perhaps you haven’t recalled, or remembered quite right.

The point here – is that every season is a journey.  Every season tells a story.  But do you know how a story ends before you’ve heard the whole thing?

Gotta finish the book, or complete the trip currently underway before reaching conclusive evidence.  Maybe it doesn’t look so good right now, but there are 31 other teams in the NFL who wish they had the run of success that New England has had.

That’s no cop-out, or an excuse.  The Houston Texans, who are also struggling like the Patriots at 1-3 to start what they thought would be a promising year, are likely thinking a win Sunday could kick-start their year, too.

Just a thought – but no matter how bad you think YOU have it, there’s always someone else who has it worse than you do.

At least until the other disappointments out there manage to beat you.  It’s funny that way.

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Did you know?

• The Patriots are only five weeks away from playing in the 1000th game of their now 62-year history.
• Nick Folk has kicked 295 career field goals and needs five more for 300…which would make him the 35th player in NFL history to reach that mark.

But wait, there’s more

• Matt Judon has recorded a sack in three straight games.  If he can get one Sunday, he’ll be the first player in two years to get one in four straight games.
• Matt Slater has played in 194 career games; if he gets to 200, he’ll be just the fifth Patriot to reach that mark.
• Devin McCourty needs one more interception for 30 in his career, which would make him the third player in team history with 30 career picks.

And finally, this

• Jakobi Meyers completed two passes against Tampa Bay last week.  A Patriots’ wide receiver has NEVER had more than two pass completions in a single season.