A Head-Scratching Loss
Disappointment. The one word I would use to best describe the outcome of the Patriots loss to the New York Jets on Sunday. The Patriots let themselves and the fans down after a solid start, plain and simple. It is easy to point fingers; the fact of the matter is, the Jets outplayed the Patriots in the second half.
After a great victory in week one, the questions regarding the Patriots team have come back to haunt them.
- The team cannot seem to win on the road.
- After the first half, the team seems to disappear; along with their leads.
- The Play calling was abysmal.
- The defense cannot make stops when it truly counts.
Now, in all fairness, the Jets are a very good football team and the Patriots were on the road against a division rival. However, the team was simply outplayed and outscored 18-0 in the second half. There was more pressure on the Jets to win this game after losing week 1 to the Baltimore Ravens, but I am not making excuses. Neither should anyone else.
 Belichick's team has been outscored 38-14 in the second half through two games so far this season.(PHOTO:Icon/SMI) |
Very few positives can be taken from this week’s loss. Randy Moss bested Darrelle Revis. Aaron Hernandez had a stellar day, showing he was a steal as a fourth round selection. Devin McCourty looked like he had another good day, although he was taken advantage of in the end zone.
If the Patriots duplicated there first half performance in the second half, Patriot nation would be singing a different tune. Unfortunately, that was not the case on Sunday. Mental mistakes and undisciplined play hurt the team. As a result they'll need to put a lot of work in this week as they go home to face the Buffalo Bills.
It's still early in this 2010 NFL season, but the Patriots have work to do. Many people made a knee-jerk reaction after week one, so let's not do the same after this week. The team has shown flashes of brilliance along with their disappointments. In the end, the fate of the team is up to the players to execute on the field. An exciting victory, followed by a letdown should make an intriguing week 3.
