The New England Patriots are hoping to clinch their third win today while facing the visiting Chargers in their Week 13 matchup. Just a few years back, the Pats were one of the most dominant teams in the league. However, this season and the few before it haven’t been very kind to the team. Star QB Mac Jones‘ struggle continued, as the offense failed yet another week to rake in good points.
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It was time for some sensible change, and head coach Bill Belichick decided to bench Jones for the fifth time this season. The team now turns to 24-year-old rookie QB Bailey Zappe for their bout against the Bolts. However, the Patriots’ failure doesn’t only stem from a quarterback problem, and Belichick has faced intense criticism for it.
It’s safe to say that the Patriots Nation hasn’t been happy with both the head coach and the team. While the week 13 matchup commenced, MLFootball posted a picture of the New England Patriots home stadium on X (formerly Twitter). As the team’s playoff dreams hang by a thread, so does the attendance. It’s basically empty.
New England Patriots Host the Chargers in an Empty Stadium
In the wide snapshot that surfaced online, blue seats, even from the other side of the stadium, can be clearly seen, which was once an anomaly for the six-time Super Bowl champions. MLFootball even noted in the caption, “Robert Kraft will not be happy,” which has been the case for a while now. During their international matchup, even reports of Belichick getting fired by the Patriots owner spread like wildfire.
YIKES… Gillette Stadium is basically EMPTY for today’s #Patriots game
Robert Kraft will not be happy, @praxismedia63 pic.twitter.com/FqKQlCjFWq
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) December 3, 2023
As soon as this picture surfaced online, some fans were more than happy to see the Pats’ downfall, while others couldn’t believe their eyes.
One of the fans wrote, “That’s honestly brutal.”
That’s honestly brutal
— Last Take™ (@TheRealLastTake) December 3, 2023
Another chimed in, writing, “Patriots have the biggest bandwagon fan base in football.”
Patriots have the biggest bandwagon fan base in football
— PICKETTSBURGH (@Pickettsburgh8) December 3, 2023
Some of the fans pointed out that the price of a ticket was only $5, but the arena was still mostly empty. One fan wrote, “$5 tickets and it’s empty lmao.”
$5 tickets and it’s empty lmao
— Giants(4-8-5)soon (@X2_notdrippzy) December 3, 2023
This fan wrote, “Fire the coach. ”
A fan had a witty reaction: “Brady won the break-up.”
Some fans noted that the weather was very much at odds, which is one of the reasons why fans didn’t show up. One of the users wrote, “Definitely not a team thats worth to watch in the pouring rain.”
Definitely not a team thats worth to watch in the pouring rain
— A (@twan1021) December 3, 2023
The New England Patriots cannot seem to catch a break. In the midst of a disastrous season, even Amazon Prime took an unintentional dig at the team. During the Thursday Night Football bout between the Cowboys and the Seahawks, the broadcast host mistakenly put Bill Belichick as the featured player on their promo while previewing the upcoming game between the Patriots and the Steelers.
Amazon had no idea which #Patriots player to feature on the promo for next week… so they just put Bill Belichick.
Have never seen something like this before pic.twitter.com/dHLvcCGPJ2
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 1, 2023
It was T.J. Watt, who stood at the opposite of the Pats head coach, and the fans didn’t shy away before taking a dig or two at the team. While some added that the Patriots don’t have a worthy player to feature, others added that the team has had a long run, and it’s finally time for them to rest.
