The Patriots’ defense was expected to be one of the few pillars of stability on a rebuilding roster in 2024.
But after dominating the Bengals in their season-opening win, New England has been shredded in three straight weeks by the Seahawks, Jets, and Bengals.
A week removed from relinquishing 400 total yards to Aaron Rodgers and the Jets, New England had little answer for Brock Purdy and the Niners. San Francisco finished with 431 total yards of offense, including a 54 percent success rate on third-down opportunities.
New England struggled to keep Purdy contained in the pocket, allowing the QB to either gain first downs with his legs or buy himself time to heave the ball down the field.