Patriots 0-2 for first time since 2001, ending NFL's longest streak - ESPN

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots are 0-2 for the first time since the 2001 season, snapping the NFL's longest streak of avoiding back-to-back opening losses and sparking emotions from players following Sunday night's 24-17 home defeat to the Miami Dolphins.

«I know it looks bad when you start [0-2], but this is not a bad team, so don't get to asking those type of questions,» outside linebacker Matthew Judon said. «I don't think we're about to hang our heads in that locker room.»

The Green Bay Packers (2006) now hold the NFL's longest active streak of avoiding an 0-2 start, followed by the Dallas Cowboys (2010) and Rams (2011).

Since 1990, only 31 of 270 teams that began a season 0-2 qualified for the postseason, according to ESPN Stats & Information — although the implementation of the 17-game regular season in 2021 has created more margin for error. The Cincinnati Bengals rebounded from an 0-2 start last season to advance to the AFC Championship Game.

In opening losses to the Philadelphia Eagles and Dolphins this year, the Patriots started slow, totaling three turnovers in the first quarter, before roaring back and having a final rally fall short.

This year marked the first time a Bill Belichick-coached Patriots team trailed by 10 or more points in each of the first two games of a season.

Asked what he attributes the team's slow starts to, Belichick, now in his 24th season as Patriots coach, said simply: «Can't turn the ball over.»

Meanwhile, Judon, one of the team's veteran leaders, delivered his remarks late Sunday night before reporters asked him questions.

«When we come back [this week], it's not going to be, 'How are you all going to pull it together?' We already know how. We have to play how we played