Before the Patriots kicked off their season opener four months ago, their roster holes were as troubling as they were obvious.

Those were, in order: offensive tackle, wide receiver, offensive guard and a quarterbacks room that didn’t house a player capable of elevating the offense. Time, most figured, would heal these wounds; offensive line starters returning and young wideouts developing. Neither happened.

And after their 4-13 slog of a season, the Patriots can point to those same position groups – plus a few tough breaks – as chief reasons for their demise. They could not pass protect, generate explosive plays nor elevate Mac Jones, who instead lost his confidence and broke in real time. Their offense averaged 13.9 points per game, second-worst in the league, and lost three games when the defense allowed 10 points or fewer.

There is no secret to what happened to the 2023 Patriots. This was a bad team undone by poor roster construction, some internal dysfunction and downright terrible quarterback play. Bailey Zappe saved his worst for last in Sunday’s snowy season finale, a loss that spotlighted all of the Patriots’ shortcomings.

So instead of breaking down why Sunday’s game, like we have all others this season, here is a review of what else the film revealed about the 2023 season, including a few bright spots:

Bailey Zappe

127-of-212 (59.9%) for 1,272 yards, 6 TDs, 9 INTs

Accurate throw percentage: 68.7%

New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe gets off a pass as he scrambles during the second quarter of Sunday’s game against the Jets. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)

Under pressure: 38-of-69 for 394 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs

Against the blitz: 35-of-61 for 373 yards, 2 INTs (11 sacks)

Behind the line: 36-of-39 for 244 yards, TD

0-9 yards downfield: 64-of-94 for 459 yards, TD, 5 INTs

10-19 yards downfield: 17-of-38 for 272 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs

20+ yards downfield: 10-of-27 for 297 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs

Notes: Zappe bookended his brief stint as the Patriots’ starter with bad performances in worse weather. Between, though, he set off a few memorable fireworks.

Zappe expanded the passing game downfield in a way Mac Jones hadn’t for months, including back-to-back games at Denver and Buffalo that included one upset and two of the Pats’ highest explosive play rates of the season. A few of these fireworks, however, went off in his hands, as Zappe couldn’t shake the turnover bug that also plagued Jones. Overall, Zappe was also more inaccurate than his predecessor, but handled pressure better; which all together underscored his place in the league as a likely backup with clear limitations but more creativity than the robotic Jones.

Mac Jones

224-of-345 (64.9%) for 2,120 yards, 10 TDs, 12 INTs

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) reacts after throwing an interception during an NFL football game between the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts at Deutsche Bank Park Stadium in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Steve Luciano)

Accurate throw percentage: 73.9%

Under pressure: 51-of-95 for 536 yards, 4 TDs, 6 INTs

Against the blitz: 49-of-73 for 444 yards, TD, 2 INTs (5 sacks)

Behind the line: 66-of-70 for 376 yards

0-9 yards downfield: 116-of-157 for 1,014 yards, 3 TDs, 4 INTs

10-19 yards downfield: 36-of-70 for 597 yards, 4 TDs, 8 INTs

20+ yards downfield: 6-of-31 for 133 yards, 3 TDs

Notes: It’s easy to forget Jones started the season completing a career-high 35 passes.

He also threw for more than 300 yards against the Eagles, and may have completed the first game-winning, fourth-quarter drive of his career – to that point – had rookie receiver Kayshon Boutte stayed in bounds. But Boutte didn’t, and close calls became the story of Jones’ season around a memorable home upset of the Bills.

Arguably the saddest part of Jones’ year – excluding a three-turnover half against the Giants that ended his year and a crippling pick against the Colts – is all of his problems carried over from 2022.

He was hesitant to pull the trigger on open downfield receivers – even on plays that he had checked to – and routinely melted under pressure and against the blitz. He committed mind-numbing mistakes and essentially couldn’t operate outside of the of the middle of the field. Count me as a believer that Jones might one-day operate as a consistent, low-level starter in the NFL, but this season he broke. He broke badly, and that, in the end, is all that matters.

Critical areas

Turnovers: Patriots 29, Opponents 18
Explosive play rate: Patriots 6.1%, Opponents 7.9%
Success rate: Patriots 38.9%, Opponents 41%
Red-zone efficiency: Patriots 58.3%, Opponents 46.2%
Defensive pressure rate: Patriots 33.4%, Opponents 35.2%

Offense

New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, left, talks to quarterback Bailey Zappe (4) during an NFL Football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)

Game plan

Personnel breakdown: 51.5% of snaps in 11 personnel, 39.2% snaps in 12 personnel, 6.1% snaps in 13 personnel, 2.4% in 21 personnel, 0.4% in 22 personnel, 0.4% in 01 personnel***
Personnel production: 4.5 yards/play in 11 personnel, 4.3 yards/play in 12 personnel, 5.0 yards/play in 13 personnel, 6.4 yards/play in 21 personnel, 4.5 yards/play in 22 personnel, 8.25 yards/play in 01 personnel.
First-down down play-calls: 52% pass (5.5 yards per play), 48% run (4.3 yards per play)
Play-action rate: 19.5%

Player stats

First downs: RB Ezekiel Elliott 45, RB Rhamondre Stevenson 44, TE Hunter Henry 29, WR Demario Douglas 28
Broken tackles: Stevenson 35, Elliott 34, Douglas 14, WR Kendrick Bourne 8
Penalties: OL Atonio Mafi 7, TE Hunter Henry 5, QB Mac Jones 4, WR JuJu Smith-Schsuter 4, OL Mike Onwenu 4
Drops: Stevenson 4, Elliott 3, Smith-Schuster 3, WR DeVante Parker 3

Offensive line

Sacks allowed: OT Vederian Lowe 6, C David Andrews 5, OG Atonio Mafi 5, OL Sidy Sow 5
QB hits allowed: OT Trent Broen 6, C Andrews 4
Hurries allowed: Lowe 29, Mafi 24, Andrews 22

Notes

New England Patriots’ Rhamondre Stevenson (38) is tackled by Philadelphia Eagles defenders Michael Jacquet (38), Marlon Tuipulotu (72) and Shaun Bradley (54) during the second quarter of a pre-season NFL football game, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

Abject disaster. From minimal scoring, absent explosion, the stream of turnovers and inability to win the line of scrimmage, the Patriots played an untenable brand of offensive football in 2023.
One of every seven possessions ended with a turnover. Let that sink in.
By the end of the season, this offense resembled a preseason roster. There was Bailey Zappe, Kevin Harris, Jalen Reagor, Pharoah Brown and Matt Sokol, among others. Talent is the primary issue here.
Injuries, of course, played a role. The Patriots’ lost their best running back (Rhamondre Stevenson), receiver (Kendrick Bourne), tight end (Hunter Henry) and offensive lineman (Trent Brown) for stretches, and all were out for the end of the season.
However, even with all of them available, this is the same offense that scored 13, three and zero points from Weeks 3-5. That, of course, was thanks to the quarterbacks. The Patriots must find a new starter this offseason and rebuild their quarterbacks room, skill positions and offensive line.
The coaching staff could at least trust running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott, who finished as the Pats’ leading rushers and two of their four leading pass-catchers; a direct reflection on the NFL’s worst receiving corps.
Stevenson also missed the last five games of the season with an ankle injury and broke tackles at one of the lowest rates in the league through Week 5. He’s entering a critical contract year.
At receiver, Bourne was the Patriots’ only reliable target and yards-after-catch threat, followed by Demario Douglas, a bright spot. The sixth-round rookie packs both long speed and above-average quickness, which offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien utilized too rarely through pre-snap motion that could stress defenses.
Schematically, this was a basic offense. Simple pass concepts and run-pass options, minimal play-action and motion, heavy emphasis on quick throws and the same personnel groupings that rarely presented matchup problems.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones and offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien walk off the field after a loss at Gillette Stadium. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)

Douglas should have been more of a central focus, but his inconsistent route-running – understandable for a rookie – made it harder for that to happen. Not to mention, JuJu Smith-Schuster completely busted as the team’s No. 1 target.
The Pats paid Smith-Schuster to be their new top target, but it was evident early on that all of his explosion had been sapped by a nagging knee injury. The staff also didn’t seem to trust him from the get-go, sitting him in favor of sixth-round rookie Kayshon Boutte for the two-minute drill at the end of the season opener. Boutte then missed every game through October.
None of Boutte, DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton or Jalen Reagor seized on their extra opportunity. Thornton, Boutte and Reagor were all healthy scratches at various points at midseason.
Tight end Hunter Henry fizzled after a fast start, though his chemistry with both Jones and Zappe is a credit to him. Mike Gesicki was largely invisible, and never weaponized into the red-zone threat many expected him to be.
Up front, Brown performed at an All-Pro level through the first half of the season, then injuries hit, his play wobbled and he eventually checked out.
His absence completely exposed a lack of depth at both tackle spots. Veteran backups Calvin Anderson and Vederian Lowe were avoidable disasters, especially after coaching staff wasted valuable time trying fourth-round rookie guard Sidy Sow out of position in training camp. Sow eventually returned to right guard, where he proved to be one of the team’s best run-blockers.
Eventual right tackle Mike Onewenu could be headed for a big payday after making the switch from guard midseason. He hadn’t played tackle since 2021 and played at an above-average level – including a shutdown performance against T.J. Watt and the Steelers – over the last two months.
Center David Andrews was the only steady member of this line, and he finished having played every offensive snap.

Defense

New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers celebrates his interception during the first quarter of an Oct. 22 game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)

Game plan

Coverage snaps breakdown: 62% zone, 38% man
Blitz rate: 35.2%
Blitz efficacy: 7.1 yards/dropback and 107. passer rating allowed

Pass rush

Sacks: DL Christian Barmore 8.5, LB Ja’Whaun Bentley 4.5, DL Deatrich Wise 4.5, OLB Matt Judon 4
QB hits: Barmore 16, Bentley 12, Judon 9
Hurries: Barmore 34, Wise 29, OLB Josh Uche 28

Disruption

Interceptions: S Jabrill Peppers 2, S Kyle Dugger 2, LB Jahlani Tavai 2
Forced fumbles: Tavai 2, DB Myles Bryant 2, LB Mack Wilson 2
Pass deflections: Peppers 8, Dugger 7, Bryant 7, Jonathan Jones 7
Missed tackles: Bentley 17, Peppers 12, Dugger 11, Tavai 11, Jennings 11
Penalties: ST Brenden Schooler 5, CB J.C. Jackson 4, DL Deatrich Wise 4, DL Christian Barmore 3, CB Jack Jones 3

Notes

New England Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon walks off the field with teammates and staff after suffering an injury in the second half during a Week 4 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)

Injuries to Matt Judon and Christian Gonzalez in Week 4 killed any hope this defense would rank among the league’s elite. But an above-average unit, maybe even top 10? You bet.
The Patriots finished with the NFL’s best run defense, despite letting Breece Hall pull away with a win last Sunday in the snow. Significant credit is owed to nose tackle Davon Godchaux, linebacker Jahlani Tavai and outside linebacker Anfernee Jennings, all of whom enjoyed career years.
Their pass defense, however, finished about average by advanced metrics like EPA and DVOA. The Pats severely missed Gonzalez and, to a lesser degree, nickelback Marcus Jones, whom they lost in Week 2.
Without Gonzalez and Jones, a reliance on cornerbacks J.C. Jackson and Jack Jones led to several penalties, explosive plays allowed and some locker-room discord midseason. Once they exited, that left backups like rookie Alex Austin and Shaun Wade to soak up snaps opposite Jonathan Jones from late November on.
To offset their loss of man-to-man coverage talent, the Patriots morphed into a zone-heavy defense over the back half of the season, when their blitz package simultaneously grew more ineffective by the week. That left a thin secondary exposed in single coverage when defensive play-caller Steve Belichick sent extra pressure; a tough place to be playing modern defense
Defensive tackle Christian Barmore did his part – 8.5 sacks, 16 QB hits – but no other pass rusher flashed on a consistent basis. Josh Uche finished with just three sacks and played one-third of the team’s defensive snaps, still unable to earn the coaching staff’s trust on early downs.
Jennings, meanwhile, achieved the opposite as the fiercest edge-setter on the team. He began averaging close to one run-stuff per game late in the year and will hit free agency at exactly the right time come March.
Rookie defensive lineman Keion White underwhelmed relative to his explosive preseason, though he did show late signs of expanding his pass-rushing toolkit beyond a powerful bull rush and potent inside move.

New England Patriots defensive end Keion White tips a ball thrown by New York Jets quarterback Trevor Siemian during the fourth quarter of last Sunday’s game. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)

Shout-out to fan punching bag Myles Bryant. The fourth-year defensive back will never be a star, and missed some key plays, but his ability to bounce between nickel and corner unlocked a lot of versatility for Belichick’s defense without changing personnel.
Bryant is also one of a handful of players to record a sack, interception, forced fumble and 70-plus tackles across the NFL this season, not to mention how he added punt return duties late.
At safety, Dugger failed to seize on his momentum from last season – a Pro Bowl-caliber campaign – and found himself caught out of position more than you would expect. But, the 27-year-old is still rightfully counted among the Pats’ best players and should be a priority in free agency.
Jabrill Peppers’ breakout effectively sent rookie Marte Mapu and Adrian Phillips to the bench for good. Peppers played the best football of his career (2 INTs, 8 PBUs), primarily as a box safety though he also rotated deep with Dugger and Bryant. Jalen Mills played mostly on passing downs, then saw his playing time increase as the season dragged on.
The same can be said for linebacker Mack Wilson, who broke out as a surprise edge rusher. Wilson may never become a full-time starter, but the staff finally weaponized his athleticism, which led to one of the higher pass rush win rates among regular rushers.
Down seasons for Ja’Whaun Bentley and defensive tackle Lawrence Guy. It would not be a surprise to see Guy play elsewhere next season at age 34.

Studs

S Jabrill Peppers

Peppers was the most consistently disruptive force on Belichick’s defense, leading the team in interceptions, pass breakups and crunching hits. A career year for the former first-round pick.

DL Christian Barmore

New England Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore (90) reacts after a play during the second half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Barmore bloomed in the second half of the season, terrorizing the interior of opposing offensive lines in most games. Once Matt Judon was lost for the season, he became the top pass rusher that opponents schemed against on game day.

LB Jahlani Tavai

Like Peppers, Tavai enjoyed a breakout season built mostly on turnovers and improved play in coverage. He also helped patch an injured front seven, often flipping between inside and outside linebacker like many Patriot greats of the past.

Duds

QB Mac Jones

This lost season all started with a broken quarterback. The Patriots are not blameless in his fall, of course, but Jones was the one still holding the grenade time after time after pulling the pin.

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Offensive line

Between the rookie guards and turnstile tackles, this was a bad year to be a Patriots offensive lineman. Losing position coach Adrian Klemm midway through hurt, but it never should have been this bad.

WR JuJu Smith-Schuster

Smith-Schuster was a complete non-factor in his first season with the Patriots, save for the game-clinching interception he batted to the Commanders in early November. He finished with 260 yards and one touchdown

Statistics for pressure, passing depth, broken tackles and missed tackles courtesy of Pro Football Focus.

*Explosive plays are defined as runs of 12-plus yards and passes of 20-plus yards. Explosive play rate is one of the most strongly correlated metrics with wins and losses.

**Success rate is an efficiency metric measuring how often an offense stays on schedule. A play is successful when it gains at least 40% of yards-to-go on first down, 60% of yards-to-go on second down and 100% of yards-to-go on third or fourth down.

***11 personnel = one running back, one tight end; 12 personnel = one running back, two tight ends; 13 personnel = one running back, three tight ends; 21 = two halfbacks, one tight end; 22 = two halfbacks, two tight ends; 01 = no running backs, one tight end.