Bill Belichick has had plenty of moments of jubilation during his tenure as head coach of the New England Patriots. Even if he didn't necessarily show that emotion. But on Sunday Belichick set a new record for his coaching career. And it's not one he'll look back fondly on.
The Patriots got drubbed by the Dallas Cowboys by a score of 38-3. The 35-point defeat marked the worst loss of Belichick's 29-year career as a NFL head coach, courtesy of ESPN Stats and Info.
Since losing QB Tom Brady to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency, the Patriots have struggled to return to the Super Bowl contender status they enjoyed for years with Brady running the team's offense. Belichick and the Patriots have posted a losing record in two of the year post-Brady seasons.
2021 was the exception, a season that saw New England post a 10-7 record before getting blown out in the Wild Card round by the Buffalo Bills.
But Sunday marked a new low for Belichick. It was a non-competitive loss that also served as a reminder of how the franchise has struggled without Brady. Mac Jones, the team's 2021 first-round draft pick, was supposed to be the team's future at the quarterback position.
But Jones has been plagued by inconsistency. Belichick's choice of offensive coordinator for the 2022 season certainly did not help. On Sunday, Belichick benched Jones in the third quarter and inserted backup Bailey Zappe to finish out the game.
Jones was responsible for three Pats turnovers. He threw two interceptions and lost a fumble on a strip sack. The fumble and one of the interceptions were returned for touchdowns, crippling the Patriots and putting them into a hole they simply couldn't climb out of.
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