Patriots hope to build for 2025 in season's final stretch
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The Patriots enter the home stretch of the NFL season with a lot to prove.
Why it matters: The Pats (3-10) are out of playoff contention. But the stakes of their final four games are still high as they seek to finish strong and restore fans' confidence for 2025.
- All eyes will be on first-year head coach Jerod Mayo and rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who need to show they can lead the team into a winning era.
Catch up quick: After upsetting the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, the Patriots have been what most people expected this season: an overmatched team with holes across the roster.
- The highlight: Their victory over the Chicago Bears, in which Maye outdueled Caleb Williams, the quarterback drafted two picks ahead of him last April.
- The lowlight: The Pats' last game against the Indianapolis Colts, in which they led for most of the second half before falling just short, 25-24.
The Hoodie speaks: Bill Belichick took the team to task on his podcast last week.
- The Pats "just haven't done enough to win," he said, and have failed in "all three areas of the game," offense, defense and special teams.
- "There are a lot of people there that [I'm] very close to. ... So it's hard to see them going through that type of a season."
- Maybe Coach Bill will take his own advice when he takes over the University of North Carolina team next season.
Yes, but: Praise for the young quarterback has been growing in recent weeks, with the NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah calling Maye the most impressive rookie QB.
- "Drake Maye's gone in there and made everyone else around him better, which for a rookie quarterback, that's some rare stuff," he said.
What's next: The Pats head to Arizona to face the Cardinals. 4:25pm Sunday, CBS.