The New England Patriots came within a 35-yard field goal of completing a comeback rally and pushing Sunday’s game against the New York Giants into overtime.
But for the ninth time this season, it wasn’t meant to be for the Patriots. Rookie kicker Chad Ryland shanked the field goal, and New England slumped to 2-9 on the season.
With the playoffs out of reach, Patriots fans were actually celebrating the team’s demise on social media with the hope that the loss could land them a higher 2024 NFL draft pick.
As for the game itself, it was more of the same from the Patriots. Mac Jones got the start at quarterback and was benched after a horrific first half. Bailey Zappe had some good moments, including a touchdown drive and a near game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter. But he also turned the ball over and caught a couple breaks with Giants defenders dropping potential interceptions.
Overall, it was a disappointing effort mixed with a few positives for New England. Here are the studs and duds from Sunday’s game: