The Kansas City Chiefs will begin the homestretch of their 2023 schedule with a visit to Foxborough to take on the New England Patriots on “Monday Night Football.”
The Patriots’ offseason began with the return of Bill O’Brien as offensive coordinator, having previously served in that role with the team back in 2011. New England then signed former Chief JuJu Smith-Schuster to a three-year, $25.5 million contract and he is expected to be the Patriots’ top wide receiver this season.
To boost their pass-catching group even more, the Pats signed tight end Mike Gesicki, who has 18 touchdown receptions since 2019. To cap off their offensive additions, the Pats recently signed former All-Pro running back Ezekiel Elliott, who is still a dangerous goal line back that has scored double-digit touchdowns in three of his last four seasons.
The Patriots also added some key pieces to their defense, including bringing back linebacker Trey Flowers, who played for them from 2015-2018. The Pats spent their first three draft picks on defense, selecting cornerback Christian Gonzalez, defensive end Keion White, and safety Marte Mapu. Gonzalez has a chance to be a very good NFL cornerback instantly.
New England took a step backward last season, finishing 8-9 and missing the playoffs after a 10-7 campaign in 2021. It finished 26th overall in total offense and committed the sixth-most turnovers in the league. The Pats were strong defensively, however, ranking sixth against the run and fourth in sacks.
Now, let’s take a look at some of the Patriots’ top players and their outlooks heading into the 2023 NFL season: