The lowly New England Patriots — in the midst of their worst season in 30 years, were officially eliminated from postseason contention Sunday afternoon following the Cincinnati Bengals' 31-14 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

The elimination marks the earliest the Patriots have been knocked out of the playoffs since the 2000 season, over two decades ago.

“We're about winning and doing whatever we can to win,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft told reporters on March 28th of this year. “That's what our focus is. It's very important to me that we make the playoffs. That's what I hope happens next year.”

Kraft's hopes were in vain.

An offseason reunion with offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien was meant to help third-year starting quarterback Mac Jones rebound from a terrible 2022 campaign and jolt the team back into relevance in the AFC.

Instead, the opposite occurred, with Jones' struggles only growing more profound, his ineptitude in crucial moments only broadening as the losses piled up. He was eventually benched for backup Bailey Zappe.

Quarterback mess aside, O'Brien's addition has turned the Patriots into the worst offense in the NFL —and one of the worst offenses in league history.

The Patriots' 13 points per game this season ranks last among all 32 NFL teams. They rank last or near-last in every significant offensive category: 29th in time of possession, 28th in total yards, and 25th in passing yards.

The Patriots' struggles have led to intense speculation over the future of head coach Bill Belichick, who has been the team's coach and general manager for nearly all of his 23 years with the team.

The Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders have emerged as potential destinations for Belichick, who many believe will be mercifully fired by Kraft at season end.