The Most Pathetic Game in NFL History?

We don’t mean to keep harping on our poor Patriots, but their contest this past Sunday with the Miami Dolphins has to rate as the most pathetic excuse for a professional football game we’ve ever seen in our lives — and we’ve been Pats’ fans since the 1960s, so we’ve witnessed quite a few sorry performances.

The Pats entered the game as the #31 offensive team in the NFL, exceeded in futility only by the Dolphins at #32 — and the game lived up to the low expectations of both teams, featuring a variety of miscues that normally you might see once in an NFL game, not multiple times. In the first half alone, the Dolphins missed a mid-range field goal that bounced off the goal post, dribbled a snap back to the holder on another field goal attempt, snapped a ball over their quarterback’s head, and had a punt blocked.

The Patriots missed a short field goal, shanked a punt, allowed hapless veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissette to be hit countless times, and committed 12 penalties for 105 yards. It was a performance by both teams not worthy of even a JV high school game — and fans paid hundreds of dollars for a ticket for that sorry demonstration. From the perspective of long-time Pats’ fans, we’d like to chalk it up to just a tough week, but it is clear that this will be a season that is only going to get worse.