For most of the 2000s and 2010s, the New England Patriots were virtually unbeatable at Gillette Stadium. Opponents dreaded making trips to Foxborough, where Tom Brady and Bill Belichick would typically send them home with a demoralizing loss.That hasn’t been the case recently, however, as the Patriots have undergone a lengthy rebuild following Brady’s departure in 2020. Including the postseason, New England is 33-53 since Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Patriots’ incredible dynasty is over. They’re just another team now, and Gillette is just another stadium.
With Sunday’s 20-13 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, New England has now lost 24 home games since the start of the 2021 season — the most home losses in the NFL during that span. The Patriots are just 11-24 (.314 winning percentage) at Gillette Stadium during that span, including an abysmal 3-15 in their last 18 home games.
By comparison, Brady went 141-24 (.855 winning percentage) during his 20 seasons with New England, including the playoffs. In two of those losses, he didn’t play in the second half due to rest/seeding purposes.
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Whereas games in Foxborough used to be automatic wins for the Patriots, they’ve become the opposite.
Much has changed for New England over the last half-decade. Brady and Belichick both left, causing the franchise to bottom out with back-to-back 4-13 seasons in 2023 and 2024. The Patriots have finished with a winning record just once in the last five seasons. They’ve struggled everywhere, not just at home.
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New England is on the upswing with Drake Maye under center and Mike Vrabel on the sidelines, but it needs to start winning at home again to return to contention. After visiting the Miami Dolphins in Week 2, the Patriots will try to reverse their recent home woes against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3.
