New England Patriots links 11/27/23 - Win-win: Giants win game; Pats win draft position

The idea of a team purposely tanking has never made sense. Too many people have to buy in. The coaches and assistants running the team all have their jobs on the line. That means the potential uprooting of families to different cities, the loss of income and uncertainty of where the next job will be and explaining why the lousy record was someone else’s fault. The players are under the microscope too. They’re playing for new contracts and free agency opportunities.

And why would a head coach or a GM agree to it? He’s just setting up the next regime with a better draft position. It’s like a man remodeling the house and padding the joint bank account right before a divorce. He’d be crazy to work overtime to set up the ex-wife’s new husband with a cushy landing spot on his dime.

The 2023 New England Patriots aren’t tanking on purpose. That’s the real kicker. They’re just bad. Bill Belichick knows switching quarterbacks is the “rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic” meme in real life. Reporters harassing him about it should know it too. It doesn’t matter, both QBs are torpedoing their own ship. Neither Will Grier nor Malik Cunningham were the answer either. Grier is now gone and Cunningham isn’t ready for prime time. Starting him just to prove that fact to the rest of the world wouldn’t be good for anyone.

Six games to go. I’ll still be rooting for the players who are trying, to do well — and the roster does have plenty of root-worthy players. But I’m not losing sleep with every loss either. It’s uncomfortable to be fans at the moment, but it’s growing pains. Once the team finds its quarterback, it will find its way.

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