It’s feeling like a long season already in New England, at least if you ask Barstool Sports founder and die-hard Patriots fan Dave Portnoy. After watching his team suffer a crushing 24-3 defeat to the rival New York Jets on Thursday night at MetLife Stadium, Portnoy didn’t hold back in expressing his frustration.
The Patriots’ performance, particularly on offense, left much to be desired, and Portnoy wasn’t shy about predicting a grim future for the team. As the Jets dominated every phase of the game, Portnoy took to social media to share his disappointment. He posted on X (formerly Twitter) during the game, writing, “Pats may lose this game by 1000,” capturing his early sense of doom as the game spiraled out of control.
Portnoy then escalated his critique by speculating that the Patriots are already looking like a team destined for a top draft pick next spring. He sarcastically wrote, “And with the 1st pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots select Travis Hunter from Colorado,” referencing the star two-way player who has been making headlines in college football.
The suggestion that New England could be headed for the first overall draft pick shows just how low Portnoy’s confidence in the team has fallen after just three games.
Thursday’s game was an absolute disaster for the Patriots’ offense, which only managed to gain a dismal 139 total yards. Starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who had taken over after Mac Jones was sidelined with an injury, was under constant pressure from the Jets’ relentless defense. Brissett was sacked five times and completed only 12 of 18 passes for a mere 98 yards. With no protection and limited options, he struggled to get anything going.
Amid the offensive breakdown, Portnoy commented on Brissett’s situation, tweeting, “Whatever we’re paying Jacoby Brissett, it’s not enough,” a nod to the brutal hits Brissett endured all night long.
The Patriots’ offensive line offered little resistance to the Jets’ pass rush, leaving Brissett scrambling for survival on nearly every play.
The Patriots eventually turned to rookie quarterback Drake Maye in the fourth quarter, giving the team’s first-round pick a chance to make his NFL debut. However, things didn’t go much better for Maye, who completed just four passes for 22 yards and also found himself sacked four times during his brief stint on the field.
Maye’s debut was far from ideal, but the lack of offensive production wasn’t entirely his fault, given the relentless pressure the Jets’ defense continued to apply.
For the Patriots, this loss marked their second consecutive defeat, bringing their record to 1-2 after a promising Week 1 victory over the Bengals. The Jets, on the other hand, have now won two straight games against New England, a significant shift after they snapped a 15-game losing streak to the Patriots last season in Week 18.
Portnoy’s frustration echoes the sentiments of many Patriots fans who are growing increasingly concerned about the direction of the team. What once seemed like a promising start to the season has quickly unraveled, and the Patriots now find themselves searching for answers, especially on offense.
As for Portnoy, his sarcastic commentary and early draft predictions reflect the growing unease in New England, where fans are used to success but are now staring down the possibility of a long and painful rebuilding process.
With two losses in a row and a quarterback situation in flux, the Patriots have plenty of work to do if they hope to turn things around before the season slips away entirely.
