Bill Belichick once ruled the NFL. But now the Patriots are a sad shambles

New England have scored three points in their last two games. It may be for the best if the man who made them a dynasty moves on

There was a little under seven minutes left in the third quarter. It was another three-and-out for the New England Patriots in their humiliating 34-0 home loss to the New Orleans Saints. The third down had been an uninspired and poorly executed pass up the middle into traffic. It was deflected and nearly intercepted.

The boos inside Gillette Stadium had been crescendoing all afternoon. They rose at the end of the first half when a respectable Patriots drive was halted after Mac Jones took a couple of sacks. They grew even louder when New England turned the ball over on a failed pitch three plays into the third quarter. Now they were deafening.