Outlets like Sports Illustrated and Newsweek were saying it ahead of Week 10: If the Patriots come back from Germany with a 2-8 record, that could be the end for Bill Belichick.
Well, New England played a stinker in Frankfurt and are in fact 2-8 heading into their bye week.
What are the odds their long-time head coach is sent packing before the team returns to play in Week 12?
"A Bailey Zappe fake-spike leads to a game-sealing interception. Words that I didn't wake up this morning here in Germany think that I'd be saying."- Rich Eisen
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 12, 2023
"I'm in disbelief of just the sequence... [Bill Belichick's] look right there sums up their season..."- Jason McCourty pic.twitter.com/IiKNzsexm9
The updated odds at Bookies.com list Belichick at +450 odds (9-2) to be the next NFL coach to be sent packing. Sure, Bears coach Matt Eberflus is still the betting favorite at +275 (11-4) odds, followed by Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles at 4-1 -- although Tampa Bay getting that 20-6 win against the Titans in Week 10 will probably help him keep his job for a little bit longer.
But don't assume Belichick is in the clear just because he isn't the betting favorite at the moment to lose his job. An NFL coach's job is a "what have you done for me lately?" kind of business, and lately, he hasn't done much good. New England has lost three straight and trading out Mac Jones for Bailey Zappe was clearly not the answer to their problems in Week 10. Even with a downtrodden team like the New York Giants coming up on the schedule following the bye week, the Patriots aren't going to be favored to win due to the current state they are in.
Does that state mean that Belichick's meteoric run as head coach is over?
We wouldn't shy away from putting money on him being out of a job soon.
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