Once Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots used to be a scary nightmare for other teams in the NFL when Tom Brady was at the helm. Now, the equation has changed for the worse and the team, with a golden two-decade dynasty, is struggling to manage mere victories in the regular season.
Being embroiled in a losing streak lately, the Patriots will face off against the New York Jets in their upcoming match. Due to Aaron Rodgers’ injury, Gang Green will be led by Zach Wilson against the Pats, and Belichick has nothing but praise for this young signal-caller ahead of their on-field clash.
Belichick acknowledges Zach Wilson’s athleticism
Zach Wilson had his first encounter with the Patriots when he was starting to don the Jets jersey for the second time. Though Belichick holds a straight 4-0 record against his opponent’s quarterback, he didn’t forget to gush about the signal-caller during a press conference on Wednesday.
“Pretty athletic quarterback. We’ve seen him before,” he said.
Last season, the Pats veteran Marcus Jones recorded a punt 84 yards with a few seconds left in the game for a touchdown to slap their AFC rival with a horrible 10-3 loss in Foxborough. Wilson holds a dismay of seven interceptions with a 50.6 passer rating against them. Rodgers’ backup has thrown four interceptions to only two touchdowns this year.
Surely Belichick might have voiced a good word or two about the player, but with Zach Wilson leading charge the Jets won’t seemingly be as lethal as they would with A-Rod at the helm.
New England Patriots primed for first win against the Jets
Though Brady left the Patriots in 2020, the team never had such a horrible start like this season as for the first time since 2001, the franchise is 0-2. Hence, Belichick’s team will aim at their first win of the season while facing Gang Green on Sunday, 1 p.m. ET. at MetLife Stadium.
However, the Patriots’ luck opens up when they face Robert Saleh’s team as they hold a 14-0 record against them. The Jets’ last win against their AFC rival came on Dec. 27, 2015, under the watch of head coach Todd Bowles. Only the Buffalo Bills’ 20-game losing streak against the Miami Dolphins is the highest in the league as of now.
Meanwhile, the Patriots offense is struggling like never before. Though the offensive line showcased relatively good performance in their season-opening match against the Philadelphia Eagles, albeit that line did a poor job in the team’s 24-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Their QB1 Mac Jones was allowed only four sacks and seven hits.
Hence, the upcoming showdown will be an intense battle for both teams to solidify their positions in the league. What’s your prediction regarding the match? Do you think that Belichick will be able to break Don Shula’s record and become the HC with most wins in the NFL? Tell us in the comments.
