Patriots lose to Packers, extend struggles against teams with winning records

The New England Patriots lost 45-27 to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at Gillette Stadium. The result marked the fourth defeat for New England this season and its fourth loss against an opponent with a winning record. The team’s four turnovers allowed Green Bay to capitalize on mistakes while the Patriots’ defense failed to generate any turnovers of its own.

The loss continues a pattern identified by analysts. New England has lost four of its six games against teams that were above .500 in the standings when those matchups occurred. In those four losses, the Patriots allowed an average of 30 points per game. The team’s record against winning opponents is now 2-4.

Week 1 brought a 13-10 loss at Seattle. Week 2 featured a 20-3 win over Pittsburgh. Week 3 resulted in a 35-6 loss at Jacksonville. Week 4 saw a 29-26 win at Buffalo. Week 7 ended in a 30-24 loss at Chicago. Sunday’s 45-27 loss to Green Bay completed the current slate of matchups against quality opponents.

Phil Perry, a commentator on NBC Sports Boston’s Postgame Live, noted the team’s standing. "They've got a winning record. They're firmly in what is a very tightly packed AFC going into this game tonight," Perry said. He added that the team’s performance against quality opponents does not suggest enough competitiveness for a team with high hopes. Perry expressed doubt about whether the current roster will remain healthy through December, noting that hurt teams tend to stay hurt.

Tom E. Curran, also appearing on Postgame Live, pointed to individual player performances. He cited the Seattle loss, where the Patriots allowed 13 points, as an example of a team being undone by its quarterback. Curran stated that the Packers game followed the same pattern, with starting quarterback Drake Maye committing three turnovers. He also identified cornerback Christian Gonzalez as a factor in the loss, noting Gonzalez allowed 187 yards and one touchdown.

Curran highlighted the Patriots’ slow starts in recent games. The team was outscored 10-0 in the first quarter by Chicago in Week 7. They were outscored 13-3 in the first half by Miami in Week 5. Against Green Bay, New England was outscored 17-0 in the first quarter. Curran described this as a quality control issue that reflects a team showing up unready to start football games.

He also raised concerns about defensive communication. Curran pointed to breakdowns between Marcus Jones and Christian Gonzalez. He questioned how two high-level cornerbacks, one Pro Bowl caliber and one All-Pro caliber, could be positioned against a slot receiver in a way that led to mistakes. The loss leaves the Patriots with a 2-3 record on the road, a drop from an 8-0 road record in last year’s regular season.

New England enters Week 10 as the No. 7 seed in the AFC playoff picture. They sit ahead of the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, and Las Vegas Raiders. The team’s remaining schedule includes five games against opponents with winning records. The next such matchup is against the 6-2 Detroit Lions, scheduled for next week in Germany.

The Patriots have one week to prepare for that contest. The loss to Green Bay was the second consecutive home defeat for New England. The team’s defense allowed 27 points, the second most allowed at home this season. The offense scored 27 points, its third-highest total of the year. The ball possession time favored Green Bay, who controlled the clock for the majority of the third and fourth quarters.

The Packers’ offense featured consistent drives that moved the field. New England’s pass rush recorded two sacks in the game. The ground game for the Patriots was limited, with the team averaging fewer than four yards per carry. The loss keeps the Patriots tied with the Browns in the division race, though both teams have different remaining schedules. The next game will be played in Munich, Germany, on Sunday.