6 rings: Who is to blame for the mess that was the 2023-24 Patriots season with Doug Kyed
This week’s all about the Patriots.
Sure, they’re playing their division rival New York Jets on Sunday at 1 p.m., but with virtually nothing to suit up for for besides pride and putting quality play on tape, it makes more sense to focus on New England’s players as we enter the season finale.
So, to honor Bill Belichick and his six Super Bowl titles in what could be his final game at the helm in Foxborough, here are six Patriots to watch in this weekend’s contest:
6 - S Kyle Dugger, 5 - LB Josh Uche, and 4 - OT Mike Onwenu
Not only is Sunday the final game of the 2023-24 season, but it could also be safety Kyle Dugger’s, linebacker Josh Uche’s, and offensive lineman Mike Onwenu’s last time ever lacing them up for the Patriots.
All three players were 2020 NFL Draft picks by New England and, as they finish the fourth and final year of their contracts, were not re-signed this season and are now prime candidates to sign elsewhere in free agency.
While Onwenu has expressed interest in returning to New England, Dugger and Uche have said that they’ll likely explore their options this offseason.
Keep that in mind as you watch Sunday’s game in Foxborough.
3 - QB Bailey Zappe
Given all of the uncertainly surrounding both the front office and coaching staff in Foxborough, Sunday very well could be Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe’s last chance to start an NFL game.
Since becoming the team’s starter in Week 14, the second-year signal caller has thrown for six touchdowns to five interceptions and has led the team to a 2-2 record. He looked the part for a while there down the stretch, but a three turnover first half last Sunday in Buffalo ultimately made one thing clear: The Patriots need a new quarterback.
Zappe, however, has proven that he’s at least serviceable under center and deserves a spot on an NFL roster. With the Patriots likely landing a top-five pick in next season’s draft (that they could potentially use on a quarterback), this weekend’s game against the Jets may be his last time to show other teams what he’s got.
2 - WR DeMario Douglas
Statistically, wide receiver DeMario Douglas has been one of the best rookies in Patriots history. The 2023 sixth-round pick set the franchise record for receptions by a rookie (47) this season, and has the opportunity to surpass 50 catches this weekend.
“I'm learning as I go,” Douglas said on Wednesday afternoon of his first season. “As I go, I'm getting better. I'm working to become one of the greats.”
How he finishes his inaugural campaign will be one to watch on Sunday.
1 - ST Matthew Slater
“The thing that I value most. The thing that I hope people remember me by when my time is up, is what I did off the football field. How I engaged with the community. How I tried to use my platform the right way. To connect with people, uplift them and bring the people around me up.”
That’s what Patriots special teamer Matthew Slater told media on Thursday afternoon ahead of what could be his final career game on Sunday. The long-time captain told WEEI’s Jones and Mego on Tuesday that he hasn’t yet made a decision to retire yet, but mentioned that at times he can, “feel like you're an absentee husband, an absentee father. There's certain things that you neglect or certain things that you can't attend to because of the demands of football.”
Former New England safety Devin McCourty joined WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show on Wednesday afternoon and told them that he hopes Gillette Stadium “is packed with a lot of love [and] a lot of energy, for what he brought to that team for 16 years because there'll be anybody like him ever to walk in that building. I hope they do send him out the right way if it is indeed his last game."
Slater will play just a handful of plays on Sunday (last week he played just 25), but if they’re his last, fans both in attendance and and at home should keep and eye on all of them.
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @WEEI for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!
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