Down in the dumps

27. New England Patriots (0-1) 28. Dallas Cowboys (0-1) 29. Atlanta Falcons (0-1) 30. Carolina Panthers (0-1) 31. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1) 32. New York Jets (0-1)

As if losing 20-7 to the Dolphins wasn’t bad enough, the Patriots got word that quarterback Mac Jones is suffering from back spasms, which could keep him out this week and possibly longer. Training camp reports indicated the Patriots’ offense was a mess under the direction of Joe Judge and Matt Patricia, and it looked that way on the field Sunday as New England committed three turnovers and averaged just 3.5 yards per carry. Even legendary coach Bill Belichick and a strong defense might not be enough to save the Patriots from falling out of the playoff race.

Dallas also got bad news about its quarterback after its season-opening loss to the Buccaneers. Dak Prescott will have surgery on his right thumb and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks, pushing Cooper Rush into the starting role unless the Cowboys make a move to acquire a veteran quarterback. While Rush delivered a win over the Vikings in emergency duty last season, he’s simply not good enough to lead Dallas to the top of the division. It’s only Week 1, but it already feels like the Cowboys should start thinking about 2023.