Throughout the offseason, ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) updates with its predictions for the upcoming campaign.
FPI, if you’re unfamiliar, is regarded as “a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season.” Any projected results are based on 10,000 simulations of the season.
As of right now, the FPI projections have the New England Patriots finishing with the league’s worst record in 2024. New England’s predicted record under first-year head coach is 4.9-12.1.
Right behind them are the Carolina Panthers, owners of last season’s worst mark, at 5.4-11.6. New England has only a 1.6% chance of making the playoffs and a 0.5% shot of winning the AFC East, per the FPI.
The Patriots missed the postseason in three of Bill Belichick’s final four years as head coach, and are now entering a new era with a rookie head coach in Mayo and likely a first-year starting quarterback in No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye.
“Honestly, I’ll say in my opinion, I couldn’t articulate what the “Patriot Way” is. I just know that hard work works, and that’s how I looked at the “Patriot Way” is that we just worked harder than everyone else and I believe in that philosophy as well,” said Mayo, who played for Belichick, during media availability last week. “So, we’ll be out here working hard and look, you try to put the guys in difficult situations to see how they respond. You put them in the weight room, heavy weight on their backs, see how they respond, and try to build a tough, dependable football team.”
New England will open up the 2024 season against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 8.