The New England Patriots are now 0-2 after suffering a loss to the Miami Dolphins on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. The Patriots are 0-2 to start a season for the first time since 2001. This is not familiar territory for Patriots fans and they have to be disgusted with how the season has started, but not as disgusted as head coach Bill Belichick was on Sunday Night.
Late in the third quarter, when the Patriots were trailing by two touchdowns, Belichick threw the challenge flag in disgust after the refs called Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson short of the first-down marker.
"Shaq would have been proud of that dunk," Cris Collinsworth.
"The disgusted challenge flag thrown by Bill," Mike Tirico.
Bill Belichick was not happy to have to challenge this spot. He lost the challenge but the Pats picked up the first down. pic.twitter.com/pZThxVX0z5
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 18, 2023
Belichick was confident that Stevenson did enough on the play to give the Patriots a first down, so he threw down his challenge flag emphatically. NBC’s sportscaster Cris Collinsworth compared Belichick’s forceful toss to a dunk by NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal. “Shaq would have been proud of that dunk,” said Collinsworth.
Ultimately, Belichick lost the challenge, stripping the Patriots of a timeout and still having to face a fourth-down decision. Belichick decided to keep the offense on the field on fourth-and-one when quarterback Mac Jones rushed up the middle to gain two yards and a Patriots first down.
Jones was intercepted the very next play. He targeted wide receiver DeVante Parker on a deep shot down the field that was picked off by former Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard.
After an 0-2 start, Belichick and the Patriots will have a chance to right the ship when they head to MetLife Stadium to face the New York Jets on Sunday, Sept. 24.
