Getty Odell Beckham
The New England Patriots might not even need Odell Beckham Jr. The team is on a four game win streak after they manhandled the Cleveland Browns 45-7 at Gillette Stadium on Sunday in Week 10. Rookie quarterback Mac Jones is seemingly getting better every couple weeks and the Patriots are firmly in the playoff mix.
The Patriots were among a group of teams interested in signing Beckham after the Browns released him last week. Ultimately, Beckham Jr. chose the Los Angeles Rams over the Seattle Seahawks. Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs and Patriots. Beckham Jr. will make his debut with his new team on Monday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers. Clearly, Beckham Jr. had several options, but why didn’t he choose to play for the Patriots?
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There were reports of mutual admiration between the veteran receiver and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the Patriots made a pitch, but it came down to two important factors.
Reiss wrote: “They [Patriots] made their pitch — which was limited financially due to their salary-cap standing — and ultimately Beckham chose to go to the Los Angeles Rams because of a more proven quarterback (Matthew Stafford) and an offense that can put points on the board in a hurry.”
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Stafford is more of the most prolific passers in NFL history and he has a clear edge in experience over Jones. Stafford’s 2,771 passing yards in 2021 are the third-most in the NFL. The Rams are also sixth in the NFL in yards per game while the Patriots are 15th. For a 30-year-old receiver who has something to prove and who really wants as many touches as possible in the offense, Beckham probably made the right choice for himself. That said, the Patriots are rolling.
Signing Odell Beckham Jr. Could Have Rocked the Boat
Chemistry is very important to the Patriots. The players in their locker room largely buy into their system and culture. We can’t definitively say Beckham Jr. would have been a problem. However, we do know how smoothly the Patriots are functioning at the moment, and it would have been a risk to bring in a personality as big and demanding as Beckham Jr. to work closely with a rookie quarterback like Jones.
In L.A., Beckham joins a slew of stars in a town made for celebrities. Things would have been much different in New England. The Patriots have the perfect quarterback for the way they function and it would be a bade idea to align him with someone who might want to expedite his development.
In the end, it seems both parties may be better for not joining.
Patriots Schedule and Results – 2021
During the Patriots’ four-game win streak, they have outscored opponents 149-50. It doesn’t get much more dominant than that over 4 games. Expect the Patriots to be heavily favored to beat the Atlanta Falcons as well, even on the road.
Here is a look at the Patriots’ results and upcoming schedule for the 2021 season.
New England Patriots (6-4) 2021 Regular Season Schedule
- Week 1 – vs. Miami Dolphins 17, New England Patriots 16
- Week 2 – New England Patriots 25, at New York Jets 6
- Week 3 – New Orleans Saints 28, New England Patriots 13
- Week 4 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19, New England Patriots 17
- Week 5 – New England Patriots 25, at Houston Texans 22
- Week 6 – Dallas Cowboys 35, New England Patriots 29 – OT
- Week 7 – New England Patriots 54, New York Jets 13
- Week 8 – New England Patriots 27, Los Angeles Chargers 24
- Week 9 – New England Patriots 24, at Carolina Panthers 6
- Week 10 – New England Patriots 45, Cleveland Browns 7
- Week 11 – at Atlanta Falcons at 8:20 pm ET – FOX/NFL Network/Amazon – November 18
- Week 12 – Tennessee Titans at 1 pm ET – CBS – November 28
- Week 13 – at Buffalo Bills at 8:15 pm ET – ESPN – December 6
- Week 14 – Bye Week
- Week 15 – at Indianapolis Colts Time TBA – December 19
- Week 16 – Buffalo Bills at 1 pm ET – CBS – December 26
- Week 17 – Jacksonville Jaguars at 1 pm ET – CBS – January 2
- Week 18 – at Miami Dolphins at 1 pm ET – CBS – January 9
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