Wrapping up Week Three of the NFL, as teams prepare for their next few games, fans of football can have some major takeaways. The NFL season, which always starts in early September and brings some teams till February, draws in viewers every year. Whether people watch solely to root for their team or out of their passion for the sport, the NFL season draws in more viewers than any other sport in the United States. New Englanders in particular are keeping an eye on the Patriots’ development. Following the collapse of the Pats Dynasty, these past three weeks give fans insight into the season. 

When the legendary Tom Brady played quarterback for the Patriots, the team had a monopoly over the entire AFC East. Over the team’s history, the New England Patriots have appeared in 11 Super Bowls, winning 6 of them. Once Brady left the team, the offense struggled to find an adequate replacement. The team has tested out various quarterbacks including Cam Newton, Brian Hoyer, and Bailey Zappe, before deciding to start Mac Jones. 

Sophomore Mac Corey said, “The Patriots defense has been carrying the team since week one, but the team is not going to win games if our offense can’t score. Mac Jones needs to step up.” 

So far, the Patriots have a 1-2 record, with last weeks victory over the Jets marking their first season win. There is hope, however considering the narrow loss to Philadelphia whom experts had high hopes for. The Philadelphia Eagles are currently 3-0, so a 25-20 loss to such a team gives fans slight hope. 

Once again, the loss to Miami was unfortunate for the Pats but considering the Dolphins electric offense, the tight game was an improvement. The Miami Dolphins defeated the Patriots in Week 2 with a close 24-17 win. The next week, however, they scored a whopping 70 points against the Denver Broncos. Sophomore Emily Keirnan, who has season tickets for the Patriots, loves to spend her Sundays watching football with her family and friends. In regards to the Dolphins game this past Sunday, Emily says that the team “has demonstrated their dominant offense that will be threatening to other teams in the AFC East.” 

There is definitely hope for the Patriots this week. The most likely outcome for their season is they will end as a mediocre team, not bad enough to secure a high draft pick, but not good enough to go far in the playoffs. The team has potential, but also have many things to work on in the next couple of weeks.