Is it the beginning of the end of one of the most successful NFL franchises? After a 1-5 start to the season, and with upcoming games against the Dolphins and the Bills, it looks like the only direction the Patriots can go is downward. However, this is not a rude shock for Patriots fans. The team has been on the decline ever since football GOAT Tom Brady left it in 2019.

Is there any hope for the once-mighty New England Patriots, or are they a lost cause? In the latest episode of Fox Sports’ First Things First, the analysts debated the future of the Patriots and their QB, Mac Jones.

Lack of players plagues the Patriots

“They’re boring. They have zero offensive players,” was Nick Wright’s hard-hitting comment on the Patriots. And it does not stop there. Continuing to bash the team, he said that if the team were to be disbanded, no other franchise would want to claim their players. Next, taking shots at QB Mac Jones, he said he is a backup QB and could probably serve as Jimmy Garoppolo’s backup in the Las Vegas Raiders. The Patriots need to change their roster, and if they continue to lead with the same performance, they will get that opportunity next year. Nick Wright predicts that they’ll be in the Top 4 in next year’s NFL Draft.

Kevin Wildes, the unofficial “Patriots’ public defender,” came to his team’s rescue. He argued that the Detroit Lions had started 1-6 last season. But as the season unfolded, they ended up 9-8. A greater than 0.500 score. Wright lashed back, saying: “You don’t have good players!” The Detroit Lions, this year, currently are the leaders of the NFC North with a reverse score of 5-1 as that of the Patriots. But who’s the problem, really? The analysts seem to think it is Mac Jones.

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Is it a Mac Jones problem?

There’s no doubt that Mac Jones is one of the most — statistically speaking — poorly performing QBs this season. He has thrown 7 interceptions in 6 games and has a QB rating of 36.8. According to a table compiled by ESPN, he stands 30th in a list of 33 players. He also has a pass completion percentage of 64.2%. Is Mac Jones beyond help?

Colin Cowherd does not seem to think so. In his podcast, The Herd, he said that head coach Bill Belichick was the real problem. He argued that even Tua Tagovailoa “had no market” before Mike McDaniel. But enter McDaniel — and Tua is one of the strongest contenders for the title of Super Bowl MVP this season. So, is it time for the 71-year-old head coach, touted as “football’s most successful head coach,” to retire? Or should the Patriots just do away with Mac Jones?

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