# 2023 New England Patriots season

The 2023 season was the New England Patriots' 54th in the National Football League (NFL), their 64th overall, their 22nd playing home games at Gillette Stadium and their 24th and final under head coach Bill Belichick.
The Patriots started 1–5 for the first time since 1995. Following their Week 12 loss to the New York Giants, the Patriots failed to improve on their 8–9 record from 2022. This was the first time the Patriots had back-to-back losing seasons since 1992–1993. The Patriots missed the postseason for the second consecutive year (and third in four seasons). Following a Week 17 loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Patriots finished last in the AFC East for the first time since 2000. The 4–13 record marked Belichick's worst-ever season as an NFL head coach, and the Patriots' worst season since 1992.
The team's offense finished last in scoring (tied with the Panthers). They were also shutout twice, failed to score 10 or more points in 6 games, failed to score 20 or more points in 12 games, and failed to score 30 or more points for the first time since 1991. The Patriots also failed to win consecutive games for the first time since 1990. Belichick and the Patriots mutually agreed to part ways following the season's conclusion.

## Roster changes
### Free agency
#### Unrestricted

| Position | Player | 2023 team | Date signed | Contract |
| WR | Nelson Agholor | Baltimore Ravens | March 29, 2023 | 1 year, $3.25 million |
| OT | Marcus Cannon | | | |
| LS | Joe Cardona | New England Patriots | March 21, 2023 | 4 years, $6.3 million |
| DT | Carl Davis | New England Patriots | March 13, 2023 | 1 year, $1.3175 million |
| FS | Cody Davis | New England Patriots | March 21, 2023 | 1 year, $2.2 million |
| DT | Daniel Ekuale | New England Patriots | March 23, 2023 | 2 years, $3.4 million |
| RB | Damien Harris | Buffalo Bills | March 21, 2023 | 1 year, $1.77 million |
| CB | Jonathan Jones | New England Patriots | March 13, 2023 | 2 years, $19 million |
| WR | Jakobi Meyers | Las Vegas Raiders | March 16, 2023 | 3 years, $33 million |
| P | Michael Palardy | | | |
| SS | Jabrill Peppers | New England Patriots | March 17, 2023 | 2 years, $9 million |
| CB | Joejuan Williams | Minnesota Vikings | April 17, 2023 | 1 year, $1.1 million |
| OLB | Mack Wilson | New England Patriots | March 20, 2023 | 1 year, $1.6 million |
| OT | Isaiah Wynn | Miami Dolphins | May 14, 2023 | 1 year, $2.3 million |

#### Restricted

| Position | Player | 2023 team | Date signed | Contract |
| CB | Myles Bryant | New England Patriots | April 17, 2023 | 1 year, $2.627 million |
| OT | Yodny Cajuste | New England Patriots | April 5, 2023 | 1 year, $2.743 million |

#### Signings/waiver claims

| Player | Position | Previous team | Date signed | Contract |
| Calvin Anderson | OT | Denver Broncos | March 16, 2023 | 2 years, $7 million |
| James Robinson | RB | New York Jets | March 17, 2023 | 2 years, $4 million |
| Juju Smith-Schuster | WR | Kansas City Chiefs | March 17, 2023 | 3 years, $25.5 million |
| Mike Gesicki | TE | Miami Dolphins | March 20, 2023 | 1 year, $4.5 million |
| Riley Reiff | OT | Chicago Bears | March 20, 2023 | 1 year, $5 million |
| Chris Board | LB | Detroit Lions | March 22, 2023 | 2 years, $5 million |
| Corliss Waitman | P | Denver Broncos | March 23, 2023 | 1 year, $990,000 |
| Trace McSorley | QB | Arizona Cardinals | April 13, 2023 | 1 year, $1.08 million |
| Anthony Firkser | TE | Atlanta Falcons | May 25, 2023 | 1 year, $1.08 million |
| Ezekiel Elliott | RB | Dallas Cowboys | August 16, 2023 | 1 year, $3 million |
| Marquan McCall | DT | Carolina Panthers | August 22, 2023 | 3 years, $2.575 million |
| Matt Corral | QB | Carolina Panthers | August 31, 2023 | 4 years, $5.094 million |
| Bailey Zappe | QB | New England Patriots | September 9, 2023 | 1 year, $870,000 |
| Ty Montgomery II | RB | New England Patriots | September 9, 2023 | 1 year, $1.165 million |
| Will Grier | QB | Cincinnati Bengals | September 21, 2023 | 1 year, $370,800 |
| Malik Cunningham | QB | New England Patriots | October 14, 2023 | 3 years, $2.725 million |
| Jalen Reagor | WR | New England Patriots | October 26, 2023 | 1 year, $1.01 million |
| Alex Austin | CB | Houston Texans | November 2, 2023 | 1 year, $750,000 |
| Jeremiah Pharms Jr. | DT | New England Patriots | November 4, 2023 | 1 year, $750,000 |
| JaMycal Hasty | RB | Jacksonville Jaguars | November 13, 2023 | 2 years, $2.9 million |
| Conor McDermott | OT | New England Patriots | November 25, 2023 | 1 year, $1.08 million |
| Christian Elliss | LB | Philadelphia Eagles | December 8, 2023 | 2 years, $1.575 million |
| Nathan Rourke | QB | Jacksonville Jaguars | December 18, 2023 | 1 year, $750,000 |
| Kevin Harris | RB | New England Patriots | December 19, 2023 | 1 year, $705,000 |
| James Ferentz | C | New England Patriots | December 23, 2023 | 1 year, $1.08 million |
| Marco Wilson | CB | Arizona Cardinals | December 27, 2023 | 4 years, $4.13 million |
| La'Michael Pettway | TE | New England Patriots | January 6, 2024 | |

### Releases/waivers

| Position | Player | Date released/waived |
| QB | Brian Hoyer | March 16, 2023 |
| WR | Lynn Bowden Jr. | May 10, 2023 |
| OT | Yodny Cajuste | May 18, 2023 |
| WR | Tre Nixon | August 22, 2023 |
| DT | Marquan McCall | August 23, 2023 |
| DT | Carl Davis Jr. | August 26, 2023 |
| CB | Quandre Mosely | August 26, 2023 |
| LB | Diego Fagot | August 27, 2023 |
| S | Brad Hawkins Jr. | August 27, 2023 |
| TE | Johnny Lumpkin | August 27, 2023 |
| RB | C. J. Marable | August 27, 2023 |
| DB | Rodney Randle Jr. | August 27, 2023 |
| DT | Justus Tavai | August 27, 2023 |
| OT | Micah Vanterpool | August 27, 2023 |
| TE | Scotty Washington | August 27, 2023 |
| LB | Carson Wells | August 27, 2023 |
| QB | Trace McSorley | August 28, 2023 |
| P | Corliss Waitman | August 28, 2023 |
| S | Joshuah Bledsoe | August 29, 2023 |
| QB | Malik Cunningham | August 29, 2023 |
| C | James Ferentz | August 29, 2023 |
| TE | Anthony Firkser | August 29, 2023 |
| LB | Joe Giles-Harris | August 29, 2023 |
| RB | Kevin Harris | August 29, 2023 |
| G | Chasen Hines | August 29, 2023 |
| RB | Ty Montgomery II | August 29, 2023 |
| LB | Calvin Munson | August 29, 2023 |
| G | Bill Murray | August 29, 2023 |
| LB | Ronnie Perkins | August 29, 2023 |
| DT | Jeremiah Pharms Jr. | August 29, 2023 |
| WR | Thyrick Pitts | August 29, 2023 |
| C | Kody Russey | August 29, 2023 |
| TE | Matt Sokol | August 29, 2023 |
| G | Andrew Stueber | August 29, 2023 |
| RB | J. J. Taylor | August 29, 2023 |
| WR | Raleigh Webb | August 29, 2023 |
| QB | Bailey Zappe | August 29, 2023 |
| QB | Ian Book | September 18, 2023 |
| QB | Matt Corral | September 18, 2023 |
| P | Corliss Waitman | October 4, 2023 |
| CB | Ameer Speed | October 19, 2023 |
| QB | Malik Cunningham | October 24, 2023 |
| DE | Trey Flowers | October 24, 2023 |
| CB | Jack Jones | November 13, 2023 |
| QB | Will Grier | November 25, 2023 |
| RB | Ty Montgomery II | December 8, 2023 |

### Trades

* March 16 – Tight end Jonnu Smith was traded to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a 2023 seventh-round selection (No. 245).
* August 27 – Running back Pierre Strong Jr. was traded to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for offensive tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr.
* August 27 – The Patriots traded a 2024 sixth-round selection to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for offensive tackle Vederian Lowe.
* August 29 – Kicker Nick Folk was traded to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for a 2025 seventh-round selection.
* October 5 – The Patriots traded a 2025 sixth-round selection to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for cornerback J. C. Jackson and a 2025 seventh-round selection.

## Draft

2023 New England Patriots draft selections :
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College | Notes |
| 1 | 14 | Traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers | Traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers | Traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers | |
| 1 | 17 | Christian Gonzalez | CB | Oregon | From Pittsburgh |
| 2 | 46 | Keion White | DE | Georgia Tech | |
| 3 | 76 | Marte Mapu | MLB | Sacramento State | From Carolina |
| 3 | 77 | Traded to the Miami Dolphins | Traded to the Miami Dolphins | Traded to the Miami Dolphins | |
| 4 | 107 | Jake Andrews | C | Troy | From Rams |
| 4 | 112 | Chad Ryland | K | Maryland | From Jets |
| 4 | 117 | Sidy Sow | G | Eastern Michigan | |
| 4 | 120 | Traded to the New York Jets | Traded to the New York Jets | Traded to the New York Jets | From Steelers |
| 4 | 135 | Traded to the Las Vegas Raiders | Traded to the Las Vegas Raiders | Traded to the Las Vegas Raiders | |
| 5 | 144 | Atonio Mafi | G | UCLA | From Falcons via Raiders |
| 5 | 148 | Traded to the Baltimore Ravens | Traded to the Baltimore Ravens | Traded to the Baltimore Ravens | |
| 6 | 184 | Traded to the New York Jets | Traded to the New York Jets | Traded to the New York Jets | From Raiders |
| 6 | 187 | Kayshon Boutte | WR | LSU | From Panthers |
| 6 | 192 | Bryce Baringer | P | Michigan State | |
| 6 | 210 | Demario Douglas | WR | Liberty | Compensatory pick |
| 6 | 214 | Ameer Speed | CB | Michigan State | Compensatory pick; from Raiders |
| 7 | 231 | Traded to the Las Vegas Raiders | Traded to the Las Vegas Raiders | Traded to the Las Vegas Raiders | |
| 7 | 245 | Isaiah Bolden | CB | Jackson State | From Bills via Falcons |
2023 New England Patriots undrafted free agents :
| Name | Position | College |
| Malik Cunningham | QB | Louisville |
| Jourdan Heilig | LB | Appalachian State |
| Johnny Lumpkin | TE | Louisiana |
Draft trades
* 1 2 3 The Patriots traded a first-round selection (14th overall) to Pittsburgh in exchange for first- and fourth-round selections (17th and 120th overall).
* ↑ The Patriots traded a 2022 third-round selection to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a third-round selection (76th overall) and a 2022 fourth-round selection.
* ↑ The Patriots traded a third-round selection (77th overall) to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a 2022 fifth-round selection and WR DeVante Parker.
* ↑ The Patriots traded RB Sony Michel to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for a fourth-round selection (107th overall) and a 2022 sixth-round selection.
* 1 2 3 The Patriots traded fourth- and sixth-round selections (120th and 184th overall) to the New York Jets in exchange for a fourth-round selection (112th overall).
* 1 2 3 The Patriots traded a fourth-round selection (135th overall) to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for fifth- and sixth-round selections (144th and 214th overall).
* ↑ The Patriots traded a fifth-round selection (148th overall) and a 2022 seventh-round selection to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for CB Shaun Wade.
* 1 2 The Patriots traded a seventh-round selection (231st overall) and QB Jarrett Stidham to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a sixth-round selection (184th overall).
* ↑ The Patriots traded CB Stephon Gilmore to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a sixth-round selection (187th overall).
* ↑ The Patriots traded TE Jonnu Smith to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a seventh-round selection (245th overall).

## Preseason

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | August 10 | Houston Texans | L 9–20 | 0–1 | Gillette Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | August 19 | at Green Bay Packers | W 21–17 | 1–1 | Lambeau Field | Recap |
| 3 | August 25 | at Tennessee Titans | L 7–23 | 1–2 | Nissan Stadium | Recap |

## Regular season
### Schedule

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | September 10 | Philadelphia Eagles | L 20–25 | 0–1 | Gillette Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | September 17 | Miami Dolphins | L 17–24 | 0–2 | Gillette Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | September 24 | at New York Jets | W 15–10 | 1–2 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | October 1 | at Dallas Cowboys | L 3–38 | 1–3 | AT&T Stadium | Recap |
| 5 | October 8 | New Orleans Saints | L 0–34 | 1–4 | Gillette Stadium | Recap |
| 6 | October 15 | at Las Vegas Raiders | L 17–21 | 1–5 | Allegiant Stadium | Recap |
| 7 | October 22 | Buffalo Bills | W 29–25 | 2–5 | Gillette Stadium | Recap |
| 8 | October 29 | at Miami Dolphins | L 17–31 | 2–6 | Hard Rock Stadium | Recap |
| 9 | November 5 | Washington Commanders | L 17–20 | 2–7 | Gillette Stadium | Recap |
| 10 | November 12 | Indianapolis Colts | L 6–10 | 2–8 | Deutsche Bank Park (Frankfurt) | Recap |
| 11 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 12 | November 26 | at New York Giants | L 7–10 | 2–9 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 13 | December 3 | Los Angeles Chargers | L 0–6 | 2–10 | Gillette Stadium | Recap |
| 14 | December 7 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | W 21–18 | 3–10 | Acrisure Stadium | Recap |
| 15 | December 17 | Kansas City Chiefs | L 17–27 | 3–11 | Gillette Stadium | Recap |
| 16 | December 24 | at Denver Broncos | W 26–23 | 4–11 | Empower Field at Mile High | Recap |
| 17 | December 31 | at Buffalo Bills | L 21–27 | 4–12 | Highmark Stadium | Recap |
| 18 | January 7 | New York Jets | L 3–17 | 4–13 | Gillette Stadium | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles | 16 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 25 |
| Patriots | 0 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 20 |
at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
* Date: September 10
* Game time: 4:25 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Rain, 71 °F (22 °C)
* Game attendance: 64,628
* Referee: Shawn Hochuli
* TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
PHI – Jake Elliott 32-yard field goal, 7:42. Eagles 3–0. Drive: 14 plays, 61 yards, 7:18.
PHI – Darius Slay 70-yard interception return (Jake Elliott kick), 4:56. Eagles 10–0.
PHI – DeVonta Smith 5-yard pass from Jalen Hurts (kick failed), 2:39. Eagles 16–0. Drive: 4 plays, 26 yards, 2:09.
Second quarter
NE – Hunter Henry 9-yard pass from Mac Jones (Chad Ryland kick), 4:34. Eagles 16–7. Drive: 10 plays, 71 yards, 4:48.
NE – Kendrick Bourne 19-yard pass from Mac Jones (Chad Ryland kick), 0:25. Eagles 16–14. Drive: 6 plays, 63 yards, 2:08.
Third quarter
PHI – Jake Elliott 56-yard field goal, 8:48. Eagles 19–14. Drive: 10 plays, 33 yards, 4:55.
Fourth quarter
PHI – Jake Elliott 48-yard field goal, 13:21. Eagles 22–14. Drive: 11 plays, 50 yards, 4:22.
PHI – Jake Elliott 51-yard field goal, 5:33. Eagles 25–14. Drive: 7 plays, 50 yards, 3:59.
NE – Kendrick Bourne 11-yard pass from Mac Jones (pass failed), 3:37. Eagles 25–20. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 1:56.
Top passers
PHI – Jalen Hurts – 22/33, 170 yards, TD
NE – Mac Jones – 35/54, 316 yards, 3 TD, INT
Top rushers
PHI – Kenneth Gainwell – 14 rushes, 54 yards
NE – Ezekiel Elliott – 7 rushes, 29 yards
Top receivers
PHI – A. J. Brown – 7 receptions, 79 yards
NE – Kendrick Bourne – 6 receptions, 64 yards, 2 TD :
In the Patriots season opener, they hosted the Eagles. On a day where the team honored longtime quarterback Tom Brady in their halftime ceremony, it was spoiled by an Eagles victory. The loss was the team's third consecutive season where they lost their season opener. The Patriots started off the season 0–1.

#### Week 2: vs. Miami Dolphins

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins | 3 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
| Patriots | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 17 |
at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
* Date: September 17
* Game time: 8:20 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Clear, 63 °F (17 °C)
* Game attendance: 64,628
* Referee: Shawn Smith
* TV announcers (NBC): Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth and Melissa Stark
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
MIA – Jason Sanders 23-yard field goal, 3:00. Dolphins 3–0. Drive: 13 plays, 81 yards, 7:13.
Second quarter
MIA – Raheem Mostert 8-yard rush (Jason Sanders kick), 9:39. Dolphins 10–0. Drive: 11 plays, 73 yards, 5:21.
NE – Chad Ryland 49-yard field goal, 1:49. Dolphins 10–3. Drive: 10 plays, 35 yards, 3:55.
MIA – Tyreek Hill 2-yard pass from Tua Tagovailoa (Jason Sanders kick), 0:11. Dolphins 17–3. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 1:38.
Fourth quarter
NE – Hunter Henry 6-yard pass from Mac Jones (Chad Ryland kick), 11:21. Dolphins 17–10. Drive: 8 plays, 58 yards, 3:26.
MIA – Raheem Mostert 43-yard rush (Jason Sanders kick), 8:45. Dolphins 24–10. Drive: 1 play, 43 yards, 0:07.
NE – Rhamondre Stevenson 2-yard rush (Chad Ryland kick), 5:25. Dolphins 24–17. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:20.
Top passers
MIA – Tua Tagovailoa – 21/30, 249 yards, TD, INT
NE – Mac Jones – 31/42, 231 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
MIA – Raheem Mostert – 18 rushes, 121 yards, 2 TD
NE – Rhamondre Stevenson – 15 rushes, 50 yards, TD
Top receivers
MIA – Jaylen Waddle – 4 receptions, 86 yards
NE – DeVante Parker – 6 receptions, 57 yards :
For the first time since 2001, the Patriots lost their first two games.

#### Week 3: at New York Jets

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Patriots | 3 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 15 |
| Jets | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
* Date: September 24
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Rain, 65 °F (18 °C)
* Game attendance: 80,878
* Referee: Bill Vinovich
* TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
NE – Chad Ryland 48-yard field goal, 10:41. Patriots 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 29 yards, 2:37.
Second quarter
NE – Pharaoh Brown 58-yard pass from Mac Jones (Chad Ryland kick), 11:38. Patriots 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 78 yards, 2:09.
NYJ – Greg Zuerlein 52-yard field goal, 1:21. Patriots 10–3. Drive: 10 plays, 33 yards, 6:08.
Third quarter
NE – Chad Ryland 51-yard field goal, 10:26. Patriots 13–3. Drive: 10 plays, 42 yards, 4:34.
Fourth quarter
NYJ – Nick Bawden 1-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 5:24. Patriots 13–10. Drive: 13 plays, 87 yards, 5:22.
NE – Zach Wilson sacked in end zone by Matthew Judon for a safety, 2:19. Patriots 15–10.
Top passers
NE – Mac Jones – 15/29, 201 yards, TD
NYJ – Zach Wilson – 18/36, 157 yards
Top rusher'
NE – Ezekiel Elliott – 16 rushes, 80 yards
NYJ – Breece Hall – 12 rushes, 18 yards
Top receiver
NE – Pharaoh Brown – 2 receptions, 71 yards, TD
NYJ – Garrett Wilson – 5 receptions, 48 yards :
The Patriots picked up their first win of the season, improving to 1–2. Additionally, this win marked the team's 15th straight victory over the Jets in their rivalry, dating back to 2016.

#### Week 4: at Dallas Cowboys

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Patriots | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Cowboys | 10 | 18 | 3 | 7 | 38 |
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
* Date: October 1
* Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST/3:25 p.m. CST
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 93,719
* Referee: Scott Novak
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
DAL – Brandon Aubrey 23-yard field goal, 10:52. Cowboys 3-0. Drive: 10 plays, 70 yards, 4:08.
NE – Chad Ryland 29-yard field goal, 6:41. Tied 3-3. Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 4:11.
DAL – CeeDee Lamb 20-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Brandon Aubrey kick), 1:30. Cowboys 10-3. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:11.
Second quarter
DAL – Leighton Vander Esch 11-yard fumble return (Bryan Anger-Chauncey Golston pass), 11:09. Cowboys 18-3.
DAL – Brandon Aubrey 23-yard field goal, 4:03. Cowboys 21-3. Drive: 11 plays, 73 yards, 5:33.
DAL – DaRon Bland 54-yard interception return (Brandon Aubrey kick), 0:54. Cowboys 28-3.
Third quarter
DAL – Brandon Aubrey 33-yard field goal, 7:42. Cowboys 31-3. Drive: 10 plays, 37 yards, 4:01.
Fourth quarter
DAL – Hunter Luepke 3-yard run (Brandon Aubrey kick), 6:38. Cowboys 38-3. Drive: 7 plays, 63 yards, 4:21.
Top passers
NE – Mac Jones – 12/21, 150 yards, 2 INT
DAL – Dak Prescott – 28/34, 261 yards, TD
Top rushers
NE – Rhamondre Stevenson – 14 rushes, 30 yards
DAL – Tony Pollard – 11 rushes, 47 yards
Top receivers
NE – Hunter Henry – 4 receptions, 51 yards
DAL – Jake Ferguson – 7 receptions, 77 yards :
Bill Belichick endured his worst loss ever as a head coach. Two defensive touchdowns by the Cowboys sealed the defeat. The Patriots dropped to 1–3 after this game.

#### Week 5: vs. New Orleans Saints

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 7 | 14 | 3 | 10 | 34 |
| Patriots | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
* Date: October 8
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 61 °F (16 °C)
* Game attendance: 64,628
* Referee: Alex Kemp
* TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Trent Green and Melanie Collins
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
NO – Tyrann Mathieu 27-yard interception return (Blake Grupe kick), 7:02. Saints 7–0.
Second quarter
NO – Alvin Kamara 2-yard run (Blake Grupe kick), 14:23. Saints 14–0. Drive: 8 plays, 62 yards, 4:16.
NO – Chris Olave 5-yard pass from Derek Carr (Blake Grupe kick), 10:47. Saints 21–0. Drive: 5 plays, 59 yards, 2:35.
Third quarter
NO – Blake Groupe 54-yard field goal, 11:34. Saints 24–0. Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 2:26.
Fourth quarter
NO – Foster Moreau 6-yard pass from Derek Carr (Blake Grupe kick), 13:03. Saints 31–0. Drive: 6 plays, 31 yards, 3:04.
NO – Blake Grupe 53-yard field goal, 5:43. Saints 34–0. Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 1:32.
Top passers
NO – Derek Carr – 18/26, 183 yards, 2 TD
NE – Mac Jones – 12/22, 110 yards, 2 INT
Top rushers
NO – Alvin Kamara – 22 rushes, 80 yards, TD
NE – Rhamondre Stevenson – 8 rushes, 24 yards
Top receivers
NO – Michael Thomas – 4 receptions, 65 yards
NE – Kendrick Bourne – 2 receptions, 43 yards :
For the second straight week, the Patriots failed to score a touchdown. This was the team's first shutout loss since 2016. They dropped to 1–4.

#### Week 6: at Las Vegas Raiders

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Patriots | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| Raiders | 3 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 21 |
at Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, Nevada
* Date: October 15
* Game time: 4:05 p.m. EDT/1:05 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 61,985
* Referee: Brad Rogers
* TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
LV – Daniel Carlson 25-yard field goal, 6:54. Raiders 3–0. Drive: 16 plays, 69 yards, 8:06.
Second quarter
LV – Jakobi Meyers 12-yard pass from Jimmy Garoppolo (Daniel Carlson kick), 12:22. Raiders 10–0. Drive: 8 plays, 59 yards, 4:14.
NE – Chad Ryland 43-yard field goal, 8:38. Raiders 10–3. Drive: 9 plays, 57 yards, 3:44.
LV – Daniel Carlson 37-yard field goal, 0:10. Raiders 13–3. Drive: 10 plays, 47 yards, 3:26.
Third quarter
NE – Ezekiel Elliott 2-yard run (Chad Ryland kick), 8:56. Raiders 13–10. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 6:04.
LV – Daniel Carlson 30-yard field goal, 3:55. Raiders 16–10. Drive: 10 plays, 63 yards, 5:01.
Fourth quarter
LV – Daniel Carlson 24-yard field goal, 13:03. Raiders 19–10. Drive: 9 plays, 59 yards, 4:24.
NE – Rhamondre Stevenson 1-yard run (Chad Ryland kick), 3:33. Raiders 19–17. Drive: 17 plays, 75 yards, 9:30.
LV – Mac Jones sacked in end zone for a Safety, 1:47. Raiders 21–17.
Top passers
NE – Mac Jones – 24/33, 200 yards, INT
LV – Jimmy Garoppolo – 14/22, 162 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
NE – Rhamondre Stevenson – 10 rushes, 46 yards, TD
LV – Josh Jacobs – 25 rushes, 77 yards
Top receivers
NE – Kendrick Bourne – 10 receptions, 89 yards
LV – Michael Mayer – 5 receptions, 75 yards :
The Patriots lost to the Raiders for the second year in a row, and had their worst start in the Bill Belichick era. They dropped to 1–5 for the first time since 1995.

#### Week 7: vs. Buffalo Bills

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bills | 0 | 3 | 7 | 15 | 25 |
| Patriots | 10 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 29 |
at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
* Date: October 22
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Partly cloudy, 55 °F (13 °C)
* Game attendance: 64,628
* Referee: Clete Blakeman
* TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Charles Davis and Evan Washburn
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
NE – Chad Ryland 30-yard field goal, 3:19. Patriots 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards, 4:58.
NE – Ezekiel Elliott 2-yard run (Chad Ryland kick), 6:58. Patriots 10–0. Drive: 7 plays, 45 yards, 2:49.
Second quarter
BUF – Tyler Bass 36-yard field goal, 14:49. Patriots 10–3. Drive: 13 plays, 57 yards, 7:09.
NE – Chad Ryland 24-yard field goal, 7:36. Patriots 13–3. Drive: 5 plays, 40 yards, 2:44.
Third quarter
BUF – James Cook 8-yard pass from Josh Allen (Tyler Bass kick), 9:53. Patriots 13–10. Drive: 10 plays, 81 yards, 5:07.
NE – Chad Ryland 49-yard field goal, 4:30. Patriots 16–10. Drive: 9 plays, 44 yards, 5:23.
Fourth quarter
NE – Kendrick Bourne 4-yard pass from Mac Jones (run failed), 7:36. Patriots 22–10. Drive: 9 plays, 66 yards, 6:07.
BUF – Stefon Diggs 25-yard pass from Josh Allen (Tyler Bass kick), 5:32. Patriots 22–17. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:04.
BUF – Josh Allen 1-yard run (Josh Allen–Dawson Knox pass), 1:58. Bills 25–22. Drive: 8 plays, 29 yards, 2:58.
NE – Mike Gesicki 1-yard pass from Mac Jones (Chad Ryland kick), 0:12. Patriots 29–25. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 1:46.
Top passers
BUF – Josh Allen – 27/41, 265 yards, 2 TD, INT
NE – Mac Jones – 25/30, 272 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
BUF – James Cook – 13 rushes, 56 yards
NE – Rhamondre Stevenson – 9 rushes, 34 yards
Top receivers
BUF – Dalton Kincaid – 8 receptions, 75 yards
NE – Kendrick Bourne – 6 receptions, 63 yards, TD :
This win, their first in three games, as well as their first against the Bills in two years, marks Bill Belichick's 300th in his head coaching career. This would end up being the Patriots' only win at home this season.

#### Week 8: at Miami Dolphins

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Patriots | 7 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 17 |
| Dolphins | 7 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: October 29
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Partly cloudy, 83 °F (28 °C)
* Game attendance: 65,836
* Referee: Land Clark
* TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta and Aditi Kinkhabwala
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
NE – Kendrick Bourne 24-yard pass from Mac Jones (Chad Ryland kick), 3:32. Patriots 7–0. Drive: 3 plays, 30 yards, 0:54.
MIA – Tyreek Hill 42-yard pass from Tua Tagovailoa (Jason Sanders kick), 0:22. Tied 7–7. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:10.
Second quarter
MIA – Cedrick Wilson Jr. 1-yard pass from Tua Tagovailoa (Jason Sanders kick), 6:10. Dolphins 14–7. Drive: 14 plays, 53 yard, 7:25.
MIA – Jason Sanders 30-yard field goal, 0:26. Dolphins 17–7. Drive: 8 plays, 28 yards, 1:22.
Third quarter
NE – Chad Ryland 38-yard field goal, 12:45. Dolphins 17–10. Drive: 4 plays, 1 yard, 2:10.
MIA – Raheem Mostert 1-yard run (Jason Sanders kick), 7:35. Dolphins 24–10. Drive: 9 plays, 77 yards, 5:10.
Fourth quarter
NE – JuJu Smith-Schuster 3-yard pass from Mac Jones (Chad Ryland kick), 8:30. Dolphins 24–17. Drive: 13 plays, 81 yards, 5:17.
MIA – Jaylen Waddle 31-yard pass from Tua Tagovailoa (Jason Sanders kick), 2:43. Dolphins 31–17. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:47.
Top passers
MIA – Mac Jones – 19/29, 161 yards, 2 TD, INT
NE – Tua Tagovailoa – 30/45, 324 yards, 3 TD, INT
Top rushers
NE – Rhamondre Stevenson – 10 rushes, 39 yards
MIA – Raheem Mostert – 13 rushes, 46 yards, TD
Top receivers
NE – Demario Douglas – 5 receptions, 25 yards
MIA – Tyreek Hill – 8 receptions, 112 yards, TD :
For the second time in three years, the Patriots got swept by the Dolphins.

#### Week 9: vs. Washington Commanders

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Commanders | 3 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
| Patriots | 0 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
* Date: November 5
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Mostly sunny, 62 °F (17 °C)
* Game attendance: 64,628
* Referee: Adrian Hill
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Shannon Spake
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
WAS – Joey Slye 37-yard field goal, 3:14. Commanders 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 42 yards, 5:20.
Second quarter
WAS – Brian Robinson Jr. 9-yard run (Joey Slye kick), 12:05. Commanders 10–0. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:16.
NE – Hunter Henry 14-yard pass from Mac Jones (Chad Ryland kick), 9:26. Commanders 10–7. Drive: 3 plays, 25 yards, 0:59.
NE – Rhamondre Stevenson 64-yard run (Chad Ryland kick), 6:06. Patriots 14–10. Drive: 2 plays, 84 yards, 0:35.
Third quarter
NE – Chad Ryland 43-yard field goal, 10:14. Patriots 17–10. Drive: 12 plays, 51 yards, 4:46.
WAS – Jahan Dotson 33-yard pass from Sam Howell (Joey Slye kick), 6:51. Tied 17–17. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:23.
WAS – Joey Slye 30-yard field goal, 1:49. Commanders 20–17. Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 2:50.
Fourth quarter
No scoring plays.
Top passers
WAS – Sam Howell – 29/45, 325 yards, TD, INT
NE – Mac Jones – 24/44, 240 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
WAS – Brian Robinson Jr. – 18 rushes, 63 yards, TD
NE – Rhamondre Stevenson – 9 rushes, 87 yards, TD
Top receivers
WAS – Terry McLaurin – 5 receptions, 73 yards
NE – Demario Douglas – 5 receptions, 55 yards :
This was the Patriots' first loss to Washington since 2003, and their first home loss to them since 1996.

#### Week 10: vs. Indianapolis Colts

NFL Germany games
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Colts | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| Patriots | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
at Deutsche Bank Park, Frankfurt, Germany
* Date: November 12
* Game time: 3:30 p.m. CET/9:30 a.m. EST
* Game weather: Cloudy, 47 °F (8 °C)
* Game attendance: 50,144
* Referee: Tra Blake
* TV announcers (WCVB/NFLN): Rich Eisen, Jason McCourty, Sara Walsh and Stacey Dales
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
NE – Chad Ryland 37-yard field goal, 8:11. Patriots 3–0. Drive: 13 plays, 61 yards, 6:49.
IND – Jonathan Taylor 1-yard run (Matt Gay kick), 0:58. Colts 7–3. Drive: 14 plays, 75 yards, 7:13.
Second quarter
No scoring plays.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
NE – Chad Ryland 24-yard field goal, 12:44. Colts 7–6. Drive: 15 plays, 89 yards, 8:04.
IND – Matt Gay 51-yard field goal, 8:54. Colts 10–6. Drive: 7 plays, 20 yards, 3:50.
Top passers
IND – Gardner Minshew – 18/28, 194 yards, INT
NE – Mac Jones – 15/20, 170 yards, INT
Top rushers
IND – Jonathan Taylor – 23 rushes, 69 yards, TD
NE – Rhamondre Stevenson – 20 rushes, 88 yards
Top receivers
IND – Michael Pittman Jr. – 8 receptions, 84 yards
NE – Demario Douglas – 6 receptions, 84 yards :
This was the Patriots' first-ever regular season game in Germany and were the designated home team; this was their first "home" loss to the Colts since 2006.

#### Week 12: at New York Giants

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Patriots | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Giants | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
* Date: November 26
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Mostly cloudy, 43 °F (6 °C)
* Game attendance: 82,211
* Referee: Scott Novak
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Shannon Spake
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays.
Second quarter
NYG – Isaiah Hodgins 12-yard pass from Tommy DeVito (Randy Bullock kick), 1:53. Giants 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 26 yards, 2:34.
Third quarter
NE – Rhamondre Stevenson 7-yard run (Chad Ryland kick), 8:02. Tied 7–7. Drive: 11 plays, 60 yards, 6:58.
Fourth quarter
NYG – Randy Bullock 42-yard field goal, 8:10. Giants 10–7. Drive: 7 plays, 8 yards, 4:21.
Top passers
NE – Mac Jones – 12/21, 89 yards, 2 INT
NYG – Tommy DeVito – 17/25, 191 yards, TD
Top rushers
NE – Rhamondre Stevenson – 21 rushes, 98 yards, TD
NYG – Saquon Barkley – 12 rushes, 46 yards
Top receivers
NE – Demario Douglas – 6 receptions, 49 yards
NYG – Jalin Hyatt – 5 receptions, 109 yards :
This was the Patriots' first road loss to the Giants since 1987. Chad Ryland missed a game-tying field goal with 6 seconds left to seal the defeat. This would also be the last time that Mac Jones would serve as the starting quarterback of the Patriots.

#### Week 13: vs. Los Angeles Chargers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chargers | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Patriots | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
* Date: December 3
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Rain, 44 °F (7 °C)
* Game attendance: 64,628
* Referee: Bill Vinovich
* TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta and Aditi Kinkhabwala
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays.
Second quarter
LAC – Cameron Dicker 38-yard field goal, 9:09. Chargers 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 27 yards, 2:26.
LAC – Cameron Dicker 38-yard field goal, 0:44. Chargers 6–0. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 0:50.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
No scoring plays.
Top passers
LAC – Justin Herbert – 22/37, 212 yards
NE – Bailey Zappe – 13/25, 141 yards
Top rushers
LAC – Austin Ekeler – 14 rushes, 18 yards
NE – Ezekiel Elliott – 17 rushes, 52 yards
Top receivers
LAC – Keenan Allen – 5 receptions, 58 yards
NE – DeVante Parker – 4 rushes, 64 yards :
The Patriots fell to 2–10, securing their first season with 10 or more losses since 2000, which was Belichick's first season coaching the team. This was the Patriots' first five-game losing streak since 1995. Plus, this was the first time in franchise history that the Patriots were shut out at home twice in a season. Also, the Patriots became the first team since the 1938 Cardinals to allow 10 or fewer points in three consecutive games and lose all of them. In addition it was their first loss to the Chargers since 2008.

#### Week 14: at Pittsburgh Steelers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Patriots | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| Steelers | 3 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 18 |
at Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
* Date: December 7
* Game time: 8:15 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Partly cloudy, 42 °F (6 °C)
* Game attendance: 66,376
* Referee: Clay Martin
* TV announcers (WFXT/Prime Video): Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit and Kaylee Hartung
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
NE – Ezekiel Elliott 11-yard pass from Bailey Zappe (Chad Ryland kick), 11:12. Patriots 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:48.
PIT – Chris Boswell 56-yard field goal, 6:39. Patriots 7–3. Drive: 7 plays, 31 yards, 4:33.
Second quarter
NE – Hunter Henry 7-yard pass from Bailey Zappe (Chad Ryland kick), 14:14. Patriots 14–3. Drive: 2 plays, 11 yards, 0:33.
NE – Hunter Henry 24-yard pass from Bailey Zappe (Chad Ryland kick), 7:38. Patriots 21–3. Drive: 4 plays, 59 yards, 2:10.
PIT – Diontae Johnson 25-yard pass from Mitchell Trubisky (Chris Boswell kick), 2:50. Patriots 21–10. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:48.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
PIT – Mitchell Trubisky 1-yard run (Mitchell Trubisky–Pat Freiermuth pass), 11:44. Patriots 21–18. Drive: 4 plays, 26 yards, 1:39.
Top passers
NE – Bailey Zappe – 19/28, 240 yards, 3 TD, INT
PIT – Mitchell Trubisky – 22/35, 190 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
NE – Ezekiel Elliott – 22 rushes, 68 yards
PIT – Mitchell Trubisky – 8 rushes, 30 yards, TD
Top receivers
NE – Ezekiel Elliott – 7 receptions, 72 yards, TD
PIT – George Pickens – 5 receptions, 19 yards :
The win not only snapped the Patriots' five-game losing streak but also marked their 3rd win over Pittsburgh since 2019. On top of that, the Patriots scored more points in this game than in their previous three games combined. However, the Patriots were eliminated from postseason contention when the Bengals defeated the Colts the following Sunday.

#### Week 15: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chiefs | 7 | 7 | 13 | 0 | 27 |
| Patriots | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
* Date: December 17
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Cloudy, 53 °F (12 °C)
* Game attendance: 64,628
* Referee: Shawn Hochuli
* TV announcers (Fox): Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston and Pam Oliver
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
KC – Rashee Rice 4-yard pass from Jerick McKinnon (Harrison Butker kick), 1:30. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 4 plays, 69 yards, 2:05.
Second quarter
NE – Hunter Henry 16-yard pass from Bailey Zappe (Chad Ryland kick), 7:09. Tied 7–7. Drive: 10 plays, 61 yards, 5:47.
NE – Chad Ryland 25-yard field goal, 4:47. Patriots 10–7. Drive: 4 plays, 1 yard, 2:10.
KC – Jerick McKinnon 8-yard pass from Patrick Mahomes (Harrison Butker kick), 0:35. Chiefs 14–10. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:12.
Third quarter
KC – Harrison Butker 29-yard field goal, 10:29. Chiefs 17–10. Drive: 11 plays, 64 yards, 4:31.
KC – Clyde Edwards-Helaire 6-yard pass from Patrick Mahomes (Harrison Butker kick), 9:22. Chiefs 24–10. Drive: 2 plays, 7 yards, 0:49.
KC – Harrison Butker 54-yard field goal, 3:40. Chiefs 27–10. Drive: 6 plays, 39 yards, 2:53.
Fourth quarter
NE – Kevin Harris 18-yard run (Chad Ryland kick), 8:24. Chiefs 27–17. Drive: 2 plays, 29 yards, 0:44.
Top passers
KC – Patrick Mahomes – 27/37, 305 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
NE – Bailey Zappe – 23/31, 180 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
KC – Clyde Edwards-Helaire – 13 rushes, 37 yards
NE – Ezekiel Elliott – 11 rushes, 25 yards
Top receivers
KC – Rashee Rice – 9 receptions, 91 yards, TD
NE – Hunter Henry – 7 receptions, 66 yards, TD :
This marked the 3rd time the Patriots lost to the Chiefs since 2019, having not won against them since the 2018 AFC Championship game.

#### Week 16: at Denver Broncos

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Patriots | 0 | 3 | 20 | 3 | 26 |
| Broncos | 7 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 23 |
at Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
* Date: December 24
* Game time: 8:15 p.m. EST/6:15 p.m. MST
* Game weather: Mostly cloudy, 28 °F (−2 °C)
* Game attendance: 76,201
* Referee: Carl Cheffers
* TV announcers (WCVB/NFLN): Rich Eisen, Kurt Warner, James Palmer and Sherree Burruss
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
DEN – Javonte Williams 3-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 5:15. Broncos 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 25 yards, 2:46.
Second quarter
NE – Chad Ryland 33-yard field goal, 13:30. Broncos 7–3. Drive: 13 plays, 61 yards, 6:45.
Third quarter
NE – Ezekiel Elliott 15-yard pass from Bailey Zappe (kick failed), 9:54. Patriots 9–7. Drive: 5 plays, 70 yards, 2:56.
NE – Mike Gesicki 11-yard pass from Bailey Zappe (Chad Ryland kick), 1:34. Patriots 16–7. Drive: 5 plays, 42 yards, 2:54.
NE – Cody Davis 1-yard fumble return (Chad Ryland kick), 1:28. Patriots 23–7.
Fourth quarter
DEN – Lucas Krull 3-yard pass from Russell Wilson (Russell Wilson–Brandon Johnson pass), 8:33. Patriots 23–15. Drive: 9 plays, 83 yards, 4:38.
DEN – Brandon Johnson 21-yard pass from Russell Wilson (Russell Wilson–Javonte Williams pass), 2:53. Tied 23–23. Drive: 11 plays, 78 yards, 3:40.
NE – Chad Ryland 56-yard field goal, 0:07. Patriots 26–23. Drive: 7 plays, 43 yards, 0:56.
Top passers
NE – Bailey Zappe – 25/33, 256 yards, 2 TD
DEN – Russell Wilson – 25/37, 238 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
NE – Ezekiel Elliot – 12 rushes, 27 yards
DEN – Jaleel McLaughlin – 6 rushes, 37 yards
Top receivers
NE – Demario Douglas – 5 receptions, 74 yards
DEN – Marvin Mims – 3 receptions, 63 yards :
This victory over Denver marked Bill Belichick's final win as head coach of the New England Patriots, and possibly the last win of his coaching career.

#### Week 17: at Buffalo Bills

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Patriots | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| Bills | 13 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 27 |
at Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
* Date: December 31
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Cloudy, 35 °F (2 °C)
* Game attendance: 70,772
* Referee: Alan Eck
* TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Trent Green and Melanie Collins
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
NE – Jalen Reagor 98-yard kickoff return (Chad Ryland kick), 14:48. Patriots 7–0. Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:12.
BUF – Tyler Bass 35-yard field goal, 12:07. Patriots 7–3. Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 0:53.
BUF – Josh Allen 1-yard run (Tyler Bass kick), 6:37. Bills 10–7. Drive: 4 plays, 14 yards, 1:57.
BUF – Tyler Bass 24-yard field goal, 2:16. Bills 13–7. Drive: 7 plays, 24 yards, 3:35.
Second quarter
BUF – Rasul Douglas 40-yard interception return (Tyler Bass kick), 12:36. Bills 20–7.
NE – Bailey Zappe 17-yard run (Chad Ryland kick), 9:44. Bills 20–14. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:52.
Third quarter
BUF – Josh Allen 1-yard run (Tyler Bass kick), 10:42. Bills 27–14. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:18.
Fourth quarter
NE – Ezekiel Elliott 6-yard run (Chad Ryland kick), 11:01. Bills 27–21. Drive: 7 plays, 84 yards, 3:09.
Top passers
NE – Bailey Zappe – 16/26, 209 yards, 3 INT
BUF – Josh Allen – 15/30, 169 yards, INT
Top rushers
NE – Ezekiel Elliot – 14 rushes, 39 yards, TD
BUF – James Cook – 16 rushes, 48 yards
Top receivers
NE – Mike Gesicki – 4 receptions, 35 yards
BUF – Dalton Kincaid – 4 receptions, 87 yards :
This was the second time in three seasons these teams split the series. With the loss, the Patriots fell to 4–12, setting a new record for most losses under Robert Kraft's ownership, and the most losses under Bill Belichick, and their most losses since 1992. Also, the loss meant that the Patriots would finish last in the AFC East for the first time since 2000.

#### Week 18: vs. New York Jets

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Jets | 3 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 17 |
| Patriots | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
* Date: January 7
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Snow, 33 °F (1 °C)
* Game attendance: 64,628
* Referee: Land Clark
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Robert Smith and Jen Hale
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
NYJ – Greg Zuerlein 21-yard field goal, 2:04. Jets 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 35 yards, 5:16.
Second quarter
NE – Chad Ryland 30-yard field goal, 9:32. Tied 3–3. Drive: 10 plays, 50 yards, 5:09.
NYJ – Greg Zuerlein 40-yard field goal, 6:07. Jets 6–3. Drive: 8 plays, 56 yards, 3:25.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
NYJ – Greg Zuerlein 33-yard field goal, 8:08. Jets 9–3. Drive: 8 plays, 30 yards, 4:09.
NYJ – Breece Hall 50-yard run (Breece Hall run), 1:47. Jets 17–3. Drive: 2 plays, 53 yards, 0:16.
Top passers
NYJ – Trevor Siemian – 8/20, 70 yards
NE – Bailey Zappe – 12/30, 88 yards, 2 INT
Top rushers
NYJ – Breece Hall – 37 rushes, 178 yards, TD
NE – Ezekiel Elliott – 13 rushes, 54 yards
Top receivers
NYJ – Garrett Wilson – 2 receptions, 34 yards
NE – Ezekiel Elliott – 5 receptions, 27 yards :
This was the Patriots' first loss to the Jets since 2015, and their first home loss to them since the 2010 playoffs. With this loss, they finished with the worst record in the AFC. This was also Bill Belichick's final game with New England, as he and the Patriots mutually agreed to part ways a couple of days afterwards.

## Standings
### Division

AFC East :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(2)}$ Buffalo Bills | 11 | 6 | 0 | .647 | 4–2 | 7–5 | 451 | 311 | W5 |
| $^{(6)}$ Miami Dolphins | 11 | 6 | 0 | .647 | 4–2 | 7–5 | 496 | 391 | L2 |
| New York Jets | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 2–4 | 4–8 | 268 | 355 | W1 |
| New England Patriots | 4 | 13 | 0 | .235 | 2–4 | 4–8 | 236 | 366 | L2 |

### Conference

AFCvte :
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
| Division leaders ||||||||||||
| 1 | Baltimore Ravens | North | 13 | 4 | 0 | .765 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .543 | .529 | L1 |
| 2 | Buffalo Bills | East | 11 | 6 | 0 | .647 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .471 | .471 | W5 |
| 3 | Kansas City Chiefs | West | 11 | 6 | 0 | .647 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .481 | .428 | W2 |
| 4 | Houston Texans | South | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .474 | .465 | W2 |
| Wild cards ||||||||||||
| 5 | Cleveland Browns | North | 11 | 6 | 0 | .647 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .536 | .513 | L1 |
| 6 | Miami Dolphins | East | 11 | 6 | 0 | .647 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .450 | .358 | L2 |
| 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers | North | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 5–1 | 7–5 | .540 | .571 | W3 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason ||||||||||||
| 8 | Cincinnati Bengals | North | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .574 | .536 | W1 |
| 9 | Jacksonville Jaguars | South | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .533 | .477 | L1 |
| 10 | Indianapolis Colts | South | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .491 | .444 | L1 |
| 11 | Las Vegas Raiders | West | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .488 | .426 | W1 |
| 12 | Denver Broncos | West | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .488 | .485 | L1 |
| 13 | New York Jets | East | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .502 | .454 | W1 |
| 14 | Tennessee Titans | South | 6 | 11 | 0 | .353 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .522 | .422 | W1 |
| 15 | Los Angeles Chargers | West | 5 | 12 | 0 | .294 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .529 | .388 | L5 |
| 16 | New England Patriots | East | 4 | 13 | 0 | .235 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .522 | .529 | L2 |
| Tiebreakers ||||||||||||
| 1 2 Buffalo claimed the No. 2 seed over Kansas City based on head-to-head victory. 1 2 Buffalo finished ahead of Miami in the AFC East based on head-to-head sweep. 1 2 Cleveland claimed the No. 5 seed over Miami based on conference record. 1 2 Cincinnati finished ahead of Jacksonville based on head-to-head victory. Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Indianapolis (see below). 1 2 Jacksonville finished ahead of Indianapolis based on head-to-head sweep. 1 2 Las Vegas finished ahead of Denver based on head-to-head sweep. ↑ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division. ||||||||||||