New England Patriots links 1/09/23 – Robert Kraft promises ‘critical evaluation’ of everything

Daily news and links for Monday.

TEAM TALK

• Post Game Notes: Pats-Bills. Devin McCourty has two takeaways with an interception and a fumble recovery; More.
• Evan Lazar’s Game Observations: Eight takeaways from the season-ending loss to the Bills. 1. Play of the Game: Patriots pass rush causes key red zone interception to end the first half.
• Mike Dussault gives us the 7 keys takeaways as the Patriots drop their final game of the 2022 regular season and finish 8-9 on the year, missing the playoffs. 1. Bills open the game in epic fashion.
• Mike Dussault reports the Patriots will pick 14th overall in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.
• Mike Dussault says the Patriots’ slate of opponents has been set for 2023.
• Press Conferences: DeVante Parker – Devin McCourty – Bill Belichick – Mac Jones – David Andrews – Matthew Slater.

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike Kadlic gives us five takeaways from the Patriots season ending Week 18 loss. 1. The Patriots are closer than you think to being contenders again.
• Zack Cox shares six takeaways from the Patriots’ season-ending loss. 1. Special teams disaster.
• Darren Hartwell credits special teams miscues, Josh Allen for dooming the Patriots in season-ending loss.
• Mike D’Abate (Patriots Country) Patriots-Bills Notebook: Special teams breakdowns, costly INTs sink playoff hopes.
• Michael Hurley mentions that by several measures, Sunday was the best showing of the season for the Patriots, and the team proved they weren’t playoff-worthy in the process.
• CBS Boston reports the Patriots failed to make the playoffs, losing to the Bills, getting no help from Jets or Browns.
• Matt Geagan picks his Ups and Downs: Pats show some fight, but not nearly enough in season-ending loss to Bills.
• Zack Cox posts the message that Robert Kraft sent to Patriots fans after the team’s elimination. Ownership promised a “critical evaluation” this offseason.
• Mark Daniels offers suggestions on what the Patriots must do to get Mac Jones back on track.
• Dakota Randall says Mac Jones “compiled a 66.5 completion percentage over his first two years in the pros. In NFL history, there’s only one quarterback who posted a better completion percentage through his first two campaigns: Joe Burrow (68.2%).” That’s it. End of list.
• Andrew Callahan highlights Bill Belichick on Mac Jones regression in 2022. “I think Mac has the ability to play quarterback in this league,” Belichick said. “We have to all work together to try to find the best way as a football team — which obviously quarterback’s an important position — to be more productive than we were this season.”
• Zack Cox finds Mac Jones unhappy with his 2022 progress as the Patriots fall short of the playoffs; Fixing their offense must be an offseason priority.
• Michael Hurley has the autopsy report: Here’s where the Patriots ranked in just about every offensive category.
• Chris Mason explains why major change must be afoot for the Patriots offense in 2023.
• Dakota Randall posts an advanced stat that paints an accurate picture of the not-so-special Special Teams unit.
• CBS Boston points out Rhamondre Stevenson becomes the Patriots’ first 1,000-yard rusher since 2016.
• Keagan Stiefel adds some context to the 8-9 season that makes it sting a little worse. The Pats’ inability to close out close games was the difference.
• Andrew Callahan reports Bill Belichick plans to return as head coach next season.
• Karen Guregian tells us what Bill Belichick had to say about Matt Patricia and Joe Judge having same jobs next year.
• Justin Leger relays Albert Breer with three OC options for New England, not named Bill O’Brien
• Alan Nahigian (Chowder and Champions) Patriots special teams coach Cam Achord needs to be fired.
• Michael Hurley notes Bill Belichick disagrees with Jake Bailey’s agent: He was unavailable. That’s the bottom line.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Sam Monson (PFF) NFL Week 18 game recap: Buffalo Bills 35, New England Patriots 23.
• Shanna McCarriston (CBS Sports) Bills vs. Patriots takeaways: Buffalo secures AFC’s No. 2 seed in emotional win, eliminates New England.
• Around the NFL (NFL.com) Week 18: What we learned from Sunday’s games. “Mac Jones made plays, but turnovers sank Pats. …It was an encouraging performance until the miscues reared their head.”
• Rodger Sherman (The Ringer) Winners and losers of NFL Week 18. Winner: Damar Hamlin: “…It was the Bills’ first kickoff return touchdown in three seasons. (And, quite frankly, it was the worst kickoff coverage you will ever see in an NFL game, by a team coached by the NFL’s all-time greatest special-teams obsessive. Thanks, New England, for taking the L on this one.)” /You’re welcome. : (
• NFL Nation (ESPN) NFL playoffs bracket: Preview, schedule, Super Bowl odds, more.
• Cody Benjamin (CBS Sports) Ranking all 14 postseason teams, with Chiefs, Bills headlining Super Bowl contenders.
• Jeffri Chadiha (NFL.com) NFL playoffs first look: What to like, dislike about 12 teams playing on Super Wild Card Weekend.
• Dan Parr and Eric Edholm (NFL.com) 2023 NFL Draft order: First 18 spots locked in, analysis on each one.
• Brad Spielberger (PFF) Head coach carousel: Potential ‘Black Monday’ openings, top head coach candidates; more.
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Report: Sean McVay will take time after season to determine coaching future.
• Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports) Lovie Smith fired, becomes Texans’ second straight one-and-done head coach.
• Staff (ESPN) 2023 NFL regular-season opponents for all 32 teams.
• Jay Busbee (Yahoo! Sports) Tom Brady can’t rally a fragmented Bucs team in the playoffs … can he?