The New England Patriots cannot wake up from their fever dream of a season. After two weeks of preparation and what amounted to pointless speculation about who would be their starting quarterback in their Week 12 matchup against the New York Giants, it was once again bumbling third-year starter Mac Jones who meekly took the field at MetLife Stadium.

By the time the first half was over, Jones was on the bench after a pair of interceptions. Another terrible performance brought Jones' season interception total to 12, tying him for second most in the NFL behind only the Commanders' Sam Howell (13). The Patriots limped away in defeat after rookie kicker Chad Ryland missed a game-tying field goal attempt in the fourth quarter as the clock trickled to zero.

It was the fourth game this season he's been replaced by backup Bailey Zappe. The Pats' equally dreadful backup QB threw an interception of his own as the team could muster one second-half touchdown.

The loss brings the 2023 Patriots to a rarely-seen low: they're 2-9 for the first time since 1992.

That season, they finished 2-14, securing the number one overall pick in the 1993 NFL Draft, a pick they used to select quarterback Drew Bledsoe.

Fan reactions on social media were about what one would expect.

 

 

The Week 12 matchup against the Giants was believed to be one of the only winnable games remaining on New England's schedule. The team faces the Los Angeles Chargers at home next week, followed by a visit to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15. The Patriots then have road games at Denver and Buffalo before their season mercifully ends with a home date against the New York Jets on January 7th.