The expectations outside of 1 Patriot Place are not particularly high on the 2023 New England Patriots as they inch closer to the start of the regular season. They are currently expected to finish last in the AFC East at Caesars Sportsbook, have a projected win total that sits at 7.5 and the odds swing dramatically in the way of them missing the playoffs at -340. In their home opener against the Eagles on Sunday, they are also underdogs.
Still, that doesn't stop owner Robert Kraft from holding an optimistic view of his team. No, he is not burying his head in the sand and unaware of what those say about his team on the outside. In fact, he's well aware. And he likes it.
"I sort of like that most people are picking us to come in fourth in the division," Kraft told reporters outside of Gillette Stadium for a ribbon-cutting ceremony of their new North End renovations on Thursday, via ESPN. "I think there's a great chemistry. This is a young team, too. This might be one of the youngest teams [under this ownership]. I think Coach [Bill Belichick] has done a good job overall. I think having Bill O'Brien come here and work with Mac [Jones] ... they seem to have great chemistry. I'm actually excited about the team."
As Kraft noted, arguably the biggest addition the team made this offseason was the hiring of Bill O'Brien to be the team's offensive coordinator after a lackluster 2022 campaign with the combination of Matt Patricia/Joe Judge handling the offensive play-calling duties. O'Brien's arrival should give a boost to the development of Jones and the offense as a whole, which averaged just 18.2 points per game last season (third fewest since 2000).
If the offense can even ascend to simply the league averages, they boast a top five-caliber defense that could make them a tough out and surprise folks in 2023. But not Kraft. However, if things go sideways and the skeptics are proven right, New England could be looking at its first last-place finish within the division since the 2000 season.
