Patriots finish last for first time since 2000 - ESPN

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The New England Patriots' turnover-filled 27-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday clinched a last-place finish in the AFC East — the first for the franchise since 2000, which was Bill Belichick's first year as head coach.

Entering this season, the only team that had a longer active streak without a last-place division finish was the Pittsburgh Steelers (1988).

The Patriots (4-12) host the New York Jets (6-10) in the season finale next weekend, and after that, some major questions hovering over the organization should soon be answered.

Speculation has swirled on whether Belichick will return in 2024, in part because owner Robert Kraft, who attended Sunday's game at Highmark Stadium, said in March how important it was to him to qualify for the playoffs.

Instead, the Patriots have endured their worst season under Belichick, with Sunday's result a reflection of season-long offensive issues. The team had four first-half turnovers and now have a minus-10 turnover differential on the season, as they are primed to finish the year with a negative turnover differential for the first time since 2005.

The team's 17 straight seasons with a positive turnover differential is the longest streak in the NFL since the 1970 AFL-merger.

«Just a terrible first 20 minutes,» Belichick said. «Turnovers are obviously a big story in the game. Can't make those kind of mistakes against Buffalo.»

The four turnovers were the most the Patriots have had in a first half in Belichick's tenure.

«There's an old saying around here 'you can't win until you keep from losing' and that first half — you can't do that,» captain and starting center David Andrews said. «We put our defense in an impossible position.»

The Patriots' 27 giveaways