I'm sure that there's going to be a lot of really bad posts made in this thread, so I'm just going to take a post from the game thread, modify it and add a bit at the end, and them I'm outta here so the two extreme sides can lob grenades at each other:
The Patriots defense is missing both of its NFL starting-level DTs. It's missing it's best LB, who happens to be the only LB capable of covering against the pass. It's missing its CB1, which leads to the CB3 and S2 being exposed.
The Patriots offense is missing it's best WR. It's dealing with a TE who's playing his first game of the year. It's missing it's only RB receiving weapon. It's got a pair of rookie WRs who are inconsistent, at best, and who struggle mightily against man coverage. It's got a center who is not starting quality going against an excellent pair of DTs. It's got a LT who's been struggling for much of this young season.
All this, and the team is coming off a last-second win in an emotional game, against an excellent opponent.
With that in mind, why were people posting as if they were shocked that this game was a struggle and ended in a loss?
Now, having done that, I'll just make one quick rant:
It took an offseason of incredible incompetence on the part of the "GM" to get this team to the point where the greatest offensive lineups in history have turned into this steaming turd.
Congrats Bill! You've taken the best team in the league and turned it into a mediocrity, in just one season. I sure as hell hope your changes improve by the factor of about 1000 that they'll need to in order to get this team just back to where it should have been.