There have certainly been some putrid efforts by the Patriots this season en route to a 3-11 record. But Sunday's 30-17 spanking at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals has to be as odious as Oscar the Grouch's trash can in July.
It was absolutely pathetic in all three phases of the game. Bad coaching, bad playing, bad everything. It was yet another case of Drake Maye (19-23, 202 yards, one touchdown, one interception, one rush TD) doing everything he could to will his team to a win, but the other ten guys on New England's offense resembling a junior high school team.
Yes, we all want New England to have the highest possible pick in next spring's draft (Travis Hunter, anyone?) But there's a difference between losing with dignity and laying an egg, and the Patriots had absolutely no dignity out there. Right now, Maye and Christian Gonzalez are the only guys on this roster worth anything, and the rest are heading toward villain territory.
Speaking of which, here are the odious of the odious from this pathetic performance
3 biggest villains from the Patriots Week 15 loss to the Cardinals
1. Alex Van Pelt
While getting rid of an offensive coordinator after one season of developing a rookie quarterback seems to hinder his development, Van Pelt is coaching his way toward a pink slip. Yes, Maye threw only four incompletions, and the interception, which Kayshon Boutte should've caught, wasn't Maye's fault.
But Van Pelt and Jerod Mayo are coaching scared. It's the opposite of what Dan Campbell is doing in Detroit, and the Lions are sitting pretty atop the NFC. Van Pelt's conservative playcalling needs to improve over these last three games, particularly with two coming against a Buffalo team that is vulnerable in the secondary.
2. WR Kayshon Boutte
We've talked about how the young wide receivers need to put up or shut up, and Boutte didn't help his cause by gift-wrapping a turnover to Arizona while the game was still somewhat competitive. Aside from catching Maye's first NFL touchdown pass against Houston, Boutte has done next to nothing.
The Patriots' leading receiver Sunday was Kendrick Bourne (three receptions, 44 yards). This group needs a major overhaul this offseason (again, hello Travis Hunter? Tee Higgins?)
3. The entire front seven
The defense was supposed to be a strength of this team this season, but it has been completely pathetic. The run defense and the Patriots made James Conner (16 carries, 110 yards, two TDs) look like Walter Payton on Sunday. Arizona rushed for 163 yards and averaged 5.1 yards per carry. We all know the NFL is a passing league now, but stopping the run remains an essential factor to championship success.
Let's see if this team can finish the season with some dignity these last three weeks. Even if the record says 3-14 three Sundays from now, that's fine as long as there are no more pathetic efforts like the one we saw in the desert.