Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe looks frustrated while answering questions after Sunday's loss to the Chiefs at Gillette Stadium. (AP photo)

Sometimes it can be that simple.

Yes, sometimes in the National Football League it’s about the coaching. But in most sports, including pro football, it’s all about the talent, right?

We can be critical of Bill Belichick all we want for not going for it on this or that fourth down, especially in Sunday’s 10-point loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the latest Taylor Swift Bowl.

But when it comes down to it, in a close game at one points, it was Bailey Zappe vs. Patrick Mahomes.

Who are we kidding?

The New England Patriots are 3-11 because their talent level is sorely lacking. Zappe has done somewhat better than Mac Jones, as he is more decisive and quicker to let it fly. But he has yet to play a complete game, is smaller and can’t pick up certain defensive maneuvers such a corner blitz, and, unfortunately, also has thrown that one bad pass that costs his team, like Jones.

The Patriots are a 3-11 team because offensively they have killed themselves with turnovers and hardly any big plays. Zappe has his 17 of 19 first half Sunday and his first half at Pittsburgh, but not much else.

The Patriots had better find themselves a quarterback for whoever is doing the finding.

“Still working through it, but like any game, there’s some good plays, there’s some plays that could have been executed better overall as an offense, and that’s each guy,” Belichick said. “But just offensively, there’s some things that we could have done better.”

The Patriots on Sunday had problems with the zig-zag offense of the Chiefs in the first half but eventually, like most defenses do, they adjusted. You start to wonder just how good this defense would be if Matt Judon and Christian Gonzalez were available.

We all know it’s the other side of the ball that is the problem. The losing is starting to get to the players now that the end is in sight, and that end may also included their head coach’s tenure in New England. The post-game lovefest between the Chiefs and Belichick was telling.

“I have a ton of respect for the way they play the game and how good they are, how consistent they are and the job they’ve done,” Belichick said Monday.

There’s a long way to go for the Patriots to even reach that level once again, and these things do change in the NFL over time, especially with free agency, as good players often leave good teams for more money. But the Patriots won’t be throwing a lot of money out there, but whoever makes the calls should be able to draft good young talent because the Patriots will be high up in every round.

The uthinkable in New England has happened. The bottom has fallen out. A Chiefs team with better receivers would have beaten the Patriots by way more than 10 points.

Because more often than not, it comes down to talent. Belichick knows that, knows he doesn’t have much of it, so he won’t try to gamble with a lot of fourth down tries.

Because for New England and Belichick it’s been fourth and long for quite awhile.

RANKINGS

AFC

1.Miami (10-4). 2.Baltimore (11-3). 3. Kansas City (9-5). 4. Cleveland (9-5). 5. Buffalo (8-6).

NFC

1.San Francisco (11-3). 2. Philadelphia (10-3). 3.Dallas (10-4). 4.Detroit (10-4). 5. L.A. Rams (7-7).

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