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This season, the New England Patriots have been nothing short of appalling. The squad most likely had high expectations for this season, believing they might improve on their 8-9 league record from the previous one.
Their hope was short-lived, though, as they lost this season to the New Orleans Saints and the Dallas Cowboys—two games that will go down in history for all the wrong reasons.
Bill Belichick is in his 29th season as the head coach of the New England Patriots. After coaching the Cleveland Browns for five seasons, he joined the Patriots and has stayed there for 24 seasons. Let's examine the seven biggest defeats he has witnessed since taking over in New England.
#1 - A 3-38 loss to the Dallas Cowboys - 2023
In the fourth week of the 2023 season, the New England Patriots fell to the Dallas Cowboys 38-3, a game that was especially difficult for young quarterback Mac Jones.
Jones only completed 12 of his 21 attempts for 150 yards and no touchdowns in that contest. One of his two interceptions was returned for a touchdown by Dallas. After appearing to be unable to gain any momentum from the game, the young quarterback was replaced in the third quarter by Bailey Zappe.
In his nearly three decades as an NFL head coach, coach Bill Belichick's 35-point loss set a record and represented his largest margin of loss.
#2 - A 34-0 home loss to the New Orleans Saints - 2023
In Week 5 of the 2023 regular season, Bill Belichick endured the worst home blowout loss of his career, one week after enduring the most crushing defeat of his head coaching career.
In Gillette Stadium, New Orleans massacred New England 34-0. The Patriots were now 1-4 on the season following the defeat; that one win represents their lowest number of victories after five games in more than 20 years.
Bill Belichick decided to substitute quarterback Mac Jones for Bailey Zappe in the second half for the second week in a row.
The Patriots lost consecutive games by at least 34 points for the first time in team history during that contest.
#3 - A 31-0 loss to the Buffalo Bills - 2003
The Patriots lost their season opener, 31-0, to the Buffalo Bills in the 2003 NFL campaign.
The Patriots had just had a 9-7 campaign in which they were unable to make it to the postseason.
In addition, Bill Belichick dismissed seasoned safety Lawyer Milloy a few days prior to the season's opening game, a decision that was very contentious at that point in time. As one of the most well-liked figures in the locker room, the player had been an integral member of the squad and served as team captain.
Following his departure from the Pats, Milloy inked a five-year contract to join the Buffalo Bills, and he was a key player in that humiliating defeat of his previous side.
The most intriguing aspect of that game is that, sixteen weeks later, the Patriots exacted revenge on the Bills. Later in the season, the Pats would defeat the Buffalo Bills by precisely the same score of 31-0.
#4 - A 47-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills - 2022
In their AFC wild-card victory over the New England Patriots in January 2022, the Buffalo Bills displayed dominance. With a 47–17 victory, the Bills advanced in the postseason before eventually suffering a defeat at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals.
At the time, that 47-17 loss was the second-worst defeat in any game during Bill Belichick's tenure as head coach, and it was also New England's worst postseason loss.
#5 - A 38-9 home loss to the Buffalo Bills - 2020
Josh Allen, the quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, broke the franchise record with four touchdown passes, three of which went to wide receiver Stefon Diggs, in a win over the Pats in 2020. The Bills defeated the New England Patriots 38-9 in primetime, thanks in large part to Allen's effort.
The Bills' triumph made them the first club in 20 years to defeat the Patriots two times in a season.
Although the New Orleans Saints have now broken that record, that loss stood as the biggest home defeat in head coach Bill Belichick's tenure.
#6 - A 33-6 home loss to the San Francisco 49ers - 2020
The 2020 season was widely regarded as the New England Patriots' rebuilding season with the departure of quarterback Tom Brady to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Cam Newton was then acquired by the Patriots to replace Brady.
The Patriots hosted Jimmy Garoppolo and the San Francisco 49ers at Gillette Stadium in Week 7, following a 2-3 start to the season.
Garoppolo passed for 277 yards in his first game back against the Patriots following his trade to the 49ers in 2017. He guided San Francisco to a decisive 33-6 victory over his previous team on the road.
At the time, that 27-point defeat margin was the biggest the Pats had suffered in six years.
#7 - A 41-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs - 2014
The New England Patriots lost to the Kansas City Chiefs on September 29, 2014, which was their worst defeat with quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick working together.
The seven-time Super Bowl winner only accomplished 159 yards of passing with one score and two interceptions in the contest. Some even questioned Brady's position with the Patriots at the time, believing this to be the end of the Patriots' dominance.
Brady guided the Patriots to yet another title later that season when they defeated the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl XLIX.
