The Patriots got off to a rough start against the 49ers at home this Sunday, already down by a touchdown in the first quarter.
It's not unlikely that team's give up a touchdown on the first drive of the game, but it is rare that Bill Belichick and the Patriots concede a TD this early in the game. It's even more rare that they do this at home.
In fact, this is the first time the Patriots allowed a first-drive touchdown at home in 32 regular-season games according to Jim Nantz from CBS Sports.
Per Jim Nantz of CBS, that's the first time the Patriots had allowed a first-drive TD in a regular-season home game in 32 games (2016).
— Matt Zemek (@MattZemek) October 25, 2020
Are the New England Patriots losing their luster? I wouldn't go that far just yet.
The San Francisco offense has been rolling the last few weeks and young head coach Kyle Shanahan is one of the brightest minds in the NFL. This 49ers team has the potential to score on any play just based on pure play-calling expertise.
Article Continues BelowThe Patriots are also missing rookie safety, Kyle Dugger, in this Week 7 matchup, opening up more passing lanes for Jimmy Garoppolo.
Dugger has been a bright spot on this Patriots team this season and has 16 tackles in the first few games of his pro career.
Despite going down early, it would be foolish to count out the Belichick-led Patriots team. An effective running attack from Damien Harris and Cam Newton should be very effective against the 49ers, who have lost Nick Bosa to injury earlier this year.
Will this be the first time since 2008 that the Patriots miss the playoffs? We'll just have to wait and see.