New England Patriots team owner Robert Kraft spoke about the team’s slow start, after losing two of their last three games to the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Detroit Lions. In an interview with "Squawk Box" on CNBC, Kraft expressed confidence that his team will bounce back despite a 1-2 mark. "Well, we have a saying up here in New England that the season really starts after Thanksgiving," Kraft said, alluding to the Patriots’ 1-2 mark.
Kraft admitted that the loss of several key pieces from last season has affected the team’s performance and chemistry, especially between quarterback Tom Brady and his new group of wide receivers.
Brady has struggled without his favorite target, suspended wide receiver Julian Edelman, especially on third- and fourth-down situations.
Brady having problems in third and fourth-down situations
In his first three games, Brady has a passer rating of 74.6 in third and fourth-down situations, according to Pro Football Focus. Brady’s number was lower than Mitchell Trubisky (81.9) of the Chicago Bears and Tyrod Taylor (76.0) of the Cleveland Browns.
Brady is also having a hard time finding the necessary yards on third and fourth downs, averaging just 4.27 yards per pass in those situations. Without his familiar receivers, Brady’s completion percentage in third and fourth-down situations slipped to 40.9 percent.
However, Kraft expressed confidence that the team will finally find its groove. “We believe strongly in this team, our coaching staff, our quarterback and we're going to have a lot of fun."
Kraft slams reports of tension
Kraft also discussed reports about alleged tension within the team, saying these unfounded allegations stem from jealousy and envy because of the Patriots’ success in recent years.
Kraft said he, coach Bill Belichick and Brady have been together for 19 years, which is unheard of in professional sports. The partnership between the three has resulted in five Super Bowl rings. “Thankfully, we have had a lot of success and whenever that happens you become a target,” Kraft said.
Last season, the Patriots were hounded by rumors about a rift between Kraft, Belichick, and Brady.
The report alleged that the conflict emerged because the three were all claiming credit for the team’s success. However, the three denied the reports. Kraft admitted that in every successful organization, tensions and issues will always remain, but those things don’t affect the Patriots as they are a solid group.
