upstater1

1. ...IF this secondary improves as much as last year's did as the season goes on. With no Sergio and Ihedigbo, it should.

2. ...IF Hernandez and Gronk come back into form and get over injuries, this offense will be dynamic again, especially with the addition of Lloyd and a running game. Right now, hobbling Gronk and Hernandez are killing the offense, the strength of the team.

3. ...IF Mankins gets over his injuries.

4. ...IF the D's front 7 stick together, they'll eventually dial up the pass rush as we saw toward the end of the game. This was Hightower's first game back.

The Patriots' future is in their hands.

PS. I thought they came out flat today, from the beginning of the game. You could tell they were emotionally spent.

deters

we are in prime position to head into the bye week 5-3. If we can win next week in London, we can finally get some momentum going and use the extra week to get healthy and fix the correctable mistakes.

PatsFanInVa

PS, from what? Did I miss their wives all leaving them at one time? Seriously, did a coach die and I napped on it, something like that?

You can't be spent at the start of the game. CheezeandCrackers.

I'm not a chicken-little kind of guy at all, but I'm hoping this team has another gear. I can get behind a NY Gintz-style season, where the unimpressive team goes all the way. I'll jump any bandwagon. But right now this is a team that is exactly what the record says, 1 game above average.

Not saying they can't be great, heck, any Brady-QB'd, BB-coached team can be great. Just not seeing it yet.

PATRIOTSFANINPA

Unless you are a diehard blind homer,there was nothing from this game that leads anyone to believe that the team is better or worse than it was before 4pm today.

The only thing you can get out of this game is.....

1) Gostkowski is still a kicker who can kick a good FG under duress
2) The team is now over .500


That's all folks

upstater1

Flat is flat. They've never been flat before? Against the Seahawks and Ravens they were sharp.

Another gear? No, the team is hurting on offense. Only the TEs can make it dynamic. The D is healthy and will come around.

We had McDonald and Thomas on the OL today. We need to give Brady more time.

Calciumee

And Mesko is a bloody good punter!

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FirstAndGoal

This team reminds me of 2009 without the internal friction...they just don't want it.

LuthierJr

Brady led us into position to tie, and then to win. It would have been nice to see the offense put the game away when they should have, but he still stepped up when it had to be done.

Ifleninwasawizard

Yep, clearly, the offense comes up with a huge drive in the 4th quarter, and the D forces a huge turnover to win the game. I guess they just don't want it.

We beat a divisional opponent who lost to the 'best team in the AFC texans' by only 6 points last week. Oh yah, and it was with a completely makeshift secondary. Sure we didn't dominate but I wonder what it will take to make some people happy.

FirstAndGoal

A division opponent with a qb that didn't get over 50 % until today. An offense that was gifted a safety and a special teams TD....yeah, brilliant game. Keep counting on the turnovers. It's only failed 3 times in 7 games.