The New England Patriots came into Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers as the biggest underdogs in the NFL in Week 4.
They didn’t even come close to proving oddsmakers wrong in an ugly 30-13 loss on the road. It was their third straight loss and second straight blowout loss. Things have rapidly declined since the team’s shocking Week 1 upset win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
They have been battered with injuries and exposed to obvious depth issues in key areas, particularly along the offensive front. Help doesn’t appear to be coming anytime soon for New England, and they’re already in danger of letting the season get away from them after only playing in four games.
Here are the studs and duds from the team’s Week 4 loss to San Francisco:
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Joey Slye was the best scoring weapon on the field for the Patriots. He kicked a franchise record 63-yard field goal to close out the first half and then knocked a 54-yarder through the uprights in the second half. The consistency at kicker has been a huge improvement over last season, and it’s thanks to the veteran Slye, who is playing really well right now.
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Turnovers were a backbreaker for the Patriots in Sunday’s loss. Jacoby Brissett was responsible for a fumble and a pick-six to 49ers linebacker Fred Warner. He also held onto the football for too long in too many key situations. The obvious struggles playing behind the Patriots’ patchwork offensive line is a big issue, but Brissett has to avoid exacerbating things with sloppy quarterback play.
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The Patriots desperately needed a turnover to spark a potential comeback, and they got one from linebacker Christian Elliss. He recovered a fumbled ball on special teams with an incredible one-handed snag to setup the one and only touchdown drive of the game for New England.
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The fumbling woes continued for Rhamondre Stevenson in this matchup. There’s no question that Stevenson has been the Patriots’ best offensive playmaker, but he has also fumbled the ball at least once in every game so far this season. Trust is everything when plays are called for Stevenson. The team needs to be able to trust that they can put the game in his hands, and he won’t fumble it away.
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