The New England Patriots look like crap and Dave Portnoy couldn't care less ... with the Barstool Sports founder telling TMZ Sports there are much bigger issues to worry about -- like COVID-19.
It's been a different experience for Pats Nation in 2020 -- the team is 2-4 for the first time since 2000(!!!) and players like Cam Newton and Stephon Gilmore have dealt with coronavirus.
We spoke with El Presidente out in NYC fresh off the Pats' 33-6 loss to the 49ers ... and he says it's pointless to care about the season when there's a pandemic going on.
"Cam Newton had COVID, he probably still has COVID, a lot of people have died from COVID, so we should be focusing probably on bigger things," Pres told us Monday.
Of course, Portnoy was singing a different tune after Week 1 ... saying it was "business as usual" after Cam's Pats beat the Miami Dolphins in the season opener.
Now, he's questioning everything.
"Does this season even count? Those are the bigger questions that I feel like, right now, we as a people should be discussing. Not wins and losses in a season that'll go down as not counting."
He added, "We're in a major pandemic here. Lives are being lost. That's the bigger issue. That's what I'm focusing on."
As for that "antique" Tom Brady?? Portnoy gives his former QB his flowers ... but doubles down that whichever team wins the Super Bowl this season will have an asterisk by its name.