Welcome to Season 10, Episode 7 of the Unconventional Preview, a serious-yet-lighthearted, nostalgia-tinted look at the Patriots’ weekly matchup.
Gone, at least for now, are the days when the Patriots could pull out a win against a quality opponent despite not playing their best. With near-misses against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers (a 19-17 loss in Week 4) and last Sunday against the Cowboys (a 35-29 loss in overtime), Bill Belichick’s work-in-progress team ranks among the league leaders in near-misses, what-ifs, and we-almost-had-its.
Or, as those desperately grasping for a positive in a frustrating situation like to call them, moral victories.