Morning Sports Update

Robert Kraft says Patriots will make ‘critical evaluations’ in coming weeks

The message, sent to Patriots' season ticket holders, said the evaluations will be made on "all elements of our football operation as we strive to improve and return to the playoffs next year."

By Hayden Bird

January 9, 2023

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The Patriots’ season came to an end on Sunday following a 35-23 loss to the Bills in Buffalo.

Also on Sunday, the Bruins defeated the Ducks 7-1 behind a David Pastrnak hat-trick.

Tonight at 7:30 p.m., the Celtics face the Bulls at TD Garden.

A message from the Kraft ownership: Following the Patriots’ 8-9 season ending on Sunday in defeat — and without a playoff berth — Robert and Jonathan Kraft sent an email to the team’s season ticket holders on Monday.

In it, they outlined intending to present an “improve product on the field” in 2023, and that “our expectation was to perform better throughout the season and to advance to the playoffs.”

In addition, they announced a review of the current team from top to bottom.

“In the weeks ahead, we will be making critical evaluations of all elements of our football operation as we strive to improve and return to the playoffs next year.”

Bill Belichick, who revealed on Monday that he intends to be back for what would be his 24th season in charge of the Patriots, also acknowledged “mistakes” during his end-of-season press conference, though he didn’t reveal if there would be major changes to the team’s coaching staff.

Trivia: David Pastrnak is one of four Bruins in team history to have recorded at least 10 career hat-tricks. Can you name the other three?

(Answer at the bottom).

Hint: One right wing, one center, one left wing.

More from Boston.com:

• 5 takeaways from the Patriots’ season-ending loss to the Bills
• David Pastrnak’s artistry, and other takeaways from Bruins-Ducks

• ‘I feel like we cost the team the game’: Patriots’ poor special teams play dooms them once again in Buffalo
• Bill Belichick disagrees with Jake Bailey’s agent, but sheds little light on punter’s suspension
• Patriots 2023 opponents finalized: Here are the 14 teams New England will play in 2023
• Mac Jones: ‘Learned more than anything I ever could have imagined’ during tough season
• Watch: David Andrews tears up when asked about Devin McCourty and Matthew Slater
• Bucs’ Tom Brady breaks own record but suffers 1st losing season
• Roger Goodell: NFL’s slow decision to postpone Bills-Bengals was due to players ‘discussing it with their teams’
• Bills honor Damar Hamlin; open game vs. Patriots with kickoff return TD
• Two catalysts in bringing Justin Turner to Boston? Kiké Hernández and … Bill Belichick
• Houston Texans fire coach Lovie Smith after just one season

Jakobi Meyers’s toe-tap catch: Though it came in defeat, Meyers made one of the Patriots’ plays of the season with this touchdown reception against Buffalo on Sunday.

A look at the top of the 2023 NFL draft order: The Patriots will have the 14th overall pick.

On this day: In 1987, Robert Parish led the Celtics past the Kings 109-99. Playing without Larry Bird (who was resting his back), Parish stepped up with 28 points and 25 rebounds.

Daily highlight: Spanish forward Lucas Perez paid half the transfer fee himself so that he could rejoin his hometown team, Deportivo La Coruna, earlier in January. The club, which has fallen on hard times in the last few years, is currently battling in Spain’s third division after multiple relegations.

But in his return debut, Perez scored twice in a 3-0 win on Sunday:

Trivia answer: Cam Neely, Phil Esposito, Johnny Bucyk