Hurley's Picks: What is Robert Kraft thinking with Patriots right now?

BOSTON -- The last time we heard from Robert Kraft, he said he liked his team being an underdog entering the 2023 season. Prior to that, he said he loves this year's team and still has sights set on winning "number seven." Prior to that, he said this about the Patriots franchise: "We're about winning and doing whatever we can to win. That's what our focus is. It's very important to me that we make the playoffs. That's what I hope happens next year."

Well, "number seven" isn't coming. Making the playoffs isn't happening. The biggest unknown now is whether the Patriots will get flexed out of prime time in Weeks 14 or 15 and where New England will be drafting in the first round next spring.

You have to wonder what the Patriots' owner is thinking now.

Kraft has been there for every game this season, making a halftime speech for Tom Brady in Week 1 and speaking at Mike Vrabel's Hall of Fame induction a couple of weeks ago. But he's -- somewhat understandably -- not taking questions from the media as his team has spiraled to a 2-6 record.

Surely, Kraft didn't see this coming. Despite mediocre results over the previous three seasons, despite a couple of baffling coaching staff decisions by Bill Belichick a year prior, Kraft maintained -- publicly, at least -- confidence that this year's team would bring the Patriots back to national prominence. Instead, they're bordering on irrelevance, sitting in dead last in the AFC near the season's halfway point.

So what's he going to do?

It goes without saying that Bill Belichick is no ordinary coach with no ordinary resume, so a head coaching change in New England is not the simplest thing to execute. It's not like dumping Josh McDaniels midseason, or moving on from Mike McCarthy after a disappointing finish, or firing Ron Rivera or Brandon Staley or Dennis Allen or Robert Saleh or Todd Bowles. Bill Belichick wrote football history for 20 years in New England, and whichever way that tenure ends, it has to be treated delicately.

It's also not known if Kraft has lost faith in Belichick as a coach. As of March, the owner still had it.

"His football intellect and knowledge is unparalleled from what I've seen. But in the end, this is a business. You either execute and win or you don't. That's where we're at," Kraft said. "We're in a transition phase. I think we've made some moves this year that personally I'm comfortable with. And I still believe in Bill."

A little bit of support. A little bit of pressure.

Where's it stand now?

Clearly, Kraft sees no benefit in making any public proclamations on his position. But we know that he wants the Patriots to be a powerhouse, he wants to have a little spring in his step when strolling through league meetings, and he'd love to hoist another Lombardi Trophy on a makeshift stage once again.

Does he think Bill Belichick is going to get him there?

We'll find out this coming winter. For now, we're all left to spectate on what is a tedious and unpleasant football season in New England.

(Home team in CAPS; Wednesday lines)

PITTSBURGH (-2.5) over Tennessee
The Titans are 0-2 coming off wins this year, losing by 24 points the first time and seven points in Indianapolis the second time. Sustaining success has been an issue. Doing it on a short week with travel and a rookie quarterback won't make it easier.

Miami (+1.5) over Kansas City (in Germany)
I think we can say ... the Dolphins are a better team, right? Might seem crazy on the surface but pound for pound? Not really a question.

ATLANTA (-4.5) over Minnesota
Taylor Heinecke vs. Jaren Hall. A QB matchup for the ages.

I looked up the cheapest tickets on StubHub for this game, and after fees, it's still more than $60. That's crazy.

Anyways, I suppose one of the teams is going to win the game, right? How about ... Atlanta? Sure.

Seattle (+5.5) over BALTIMORE
The Ravens' inability to cover last week puts them in a one-week purgatory. Insanely rude. INSANELY rude. Did you watch that play out? The Agholor GIFs were out in full force, and with good reason.

Shameful. The Ravens are hereby BANISHED from the picks column for this week.

Green Bay (-3) over LOS ANGELES RAMS
The NFL used to be great. Something I just was thinking about. Unrelated to this matchup.

Tampa Bay (+2.5) over HOUSTON
It's just like, there used to be a ton of premium matchups. Great quarterbacks. Great coaches. Hall of Fame talent all over the place. Maybe I'm only remembering the good times and I'm ignoring the bad matchups from the golden era. Surely I am. Nevertheless this is just something that I'm thinking about.

Washington (+3.5) over NEW ENGLAND
You know, it's just ... you'd sit down at 1 p.m., and you'd almost be overloaded. Matchups you were so excited to see play out on TV. RedZone firing on all cylinders, plus a warm snack, a cold drink. Nothing beat it! I don't know. We do have Sam Howell vs. Mac Jones now so maybe it's not so bad.

Chicago (+8.5) over NEW ORLEANS
Take this matchup, for instance. This was an NFC Championship Game waiting to happen in the 2000s. Now it's just sort of an event that's going to happen. People will attend, people will watch. But will they feel anything? I have my doubts.

Indianapolis (-2.5) over CAROLINA
This was a potential SUPER BOWL matchup back in those days, too! Peyton Manning vs. a John Fox defense?! Sign me up!

Gardner Minsew vs. Frank Reich? It lacks the oomph, if you will.

Arizona (+8) over CLEVELAND
OK, to be fair, a Cardinals-Browns game was never exciting. Never in the history of the world. So at least that has stayed the same.

LAS VEGAS (-1.5) over New York Giants
So now I'm forced to pick a team fresh off firing its coach (and part of his staff) and the GM, because they're playing against a team that not only had negative-9 passing yards last week but also blew a three-point lead with 24 seconds left against a team quarterbacked by Zach Wilson.

DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO DO THAT? DO YOU KNOW HOW BAD YOU HAVE TO BE AS A FOOTBALL TEAM TO DO BOTH OF THOSE THINGS IN A SEASON, LET ALONE IN ONE AFTERNOON?

Dallas (+3) over PHILADELPHIA
Hey, look. A good game.

I used to love the way the Eagles were going through the season, doing just enough to win each week, preserving their best for the playoffs. But it has started rubbing me the wrong way. They were kind of begging to lose last week to Washington. That'll bite them eventually. And with this game probably meaning a lot more to the Cowboys, I am going to close my eyes and believe in Mike McCarthy to pull out a road victory with the whole country watching. Surely, nothing will go wrong.

CINCINNATI (-2) over Buffalo
Bengals are BACK. This clip alone tells that story.

NEW YORK JETS (+3) over Los Angeles Chargers
Call it my "Aw geez what the heck why not" pick of the week. But the Jets are kind of surprisingly good in prime time. They beat the Bills after losing Aaron Rodgers in Week 1. They only lost by a field goal in Kansas City. Let's take them at home against a Chargers team that you just can't love across the country, at night, in November.

I don't really like my pick, but look at my record. Time to start going against the gut. 

Last week: 7-8-1
Season: 51-64-5