The concern here is going 0-2. New Orleans has the ability to put up 50 on this team unless the defense gets fixed right quick. Losing Hightower, and having a gimpy Flowers, hurts badly. The corners need to do a better job and there was minimal pass rush. And the run defense was HORRENDOUS all game long. They got absolutely shredded on the ground right from the beginning.
They'll need to play well on D, which at this point feels like holding NO to 30 or less. And the offense needs to get a lot sharper. That, despite the loss of Amendola, is less of a concern to me. They should have put up 40 last night easy, but they couldn't convert on numerous third and fourth downs and very short yardage. Gronk dropped a TD pass. The refs let KC maul Pats receivers all night long, and despite the fact that they got called for several penalties, Berry alone could have been called for 10 defensive holding/illegal contact penalties defending Gronk.
The offense should be fine. The D will take a lot more time to work out the problems. The challenge is going into New Orleans, a place where Brees obliterated them the last time they were there (different rosters I know...still can't shake the memory). Brees is twice the QB that Smith is, and Smith absolutely ate their lunch last night.
They're going to have to play really, really well to win next week to avoid going 0-2.