Plenty of fans in New England don’t think their team has done enough to truly compete for a Super Bowl in 2023.
According to the latest Sunday column from ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the Las Vegas sportsbooks aren’t buying these Patriots as title contenders, either.
Reiss wrote this weekend that the Patriots currently have 70-1 preseason odds to win the Super Bowl, which is apparently the longest shot the team has faced to win a championship under Bill Belichick yet. Prior to that, the only worse chances the books gave the Patriots were in 1993 (100-1).
Given that there's absolutely no buzz about the team in a potentially loaded division and a conference that also features Patrick Mahomes and the Super Bowl-champion Chiefs and Joe Burrow's Bengals, none of this should shock anyone.
Still, the games have to be played, and the Patriots might relish the opportunity to make an unexpected playoff run as they did (somewhat) in 2021.
But Reiss also points out some encouraging history associated with the team's ominous odds: "From the silver-lining department: The last time the Patriots entered a season at least 50-1 to win the Super Bowl was 2001 … and they won their first title with Belichick and Tom Brady (20-17 over the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI)."
Prior to winning that Super Bowl in 2001, the Patriots had gone five seasons without making the big game, last appearing in a loss to Brett Favre's Packers in the 1996 season.
This year will mark five seasons since the Patriots defeated the Rams in Super Bowl LIII. Coincidence? (Look, I'm trying here!)
It's borderline impossible to imagine New England competing meaningfully for a title as currently constructed. This team would need some serious internal improvement, especially from Mac Jones, and to nail the draft to change perceptions on that.
But it's still true that the Patriots will have a chance to make the playoffs. If they can somehow avoid one of the Big Three in the first round (Chiefs, Bengals or Bills), you never know what could be possible.