Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Seahawks dealt the New England Patriots a tough blow on the road a week before, and the Pats were looking to make things right by taking it out on the circus of the division. But the Jets were anything but a laughingstock in this one, as Mark Sanchez led them to an incredible fourth quarter performance. They came into the fourth down 23-13, but Sanchez tossed a seven-yard touchdown pass to Dustin Keller and Nick folk knocked down two 43-yard field goals to give the Jets a 26-23 lead.

Now that’s scary. The Jets were leading 26-23 in Foxboro, and the Patriots had just 1:37 left to put some points on the board. Sanchez showed some clutch ability in giving the Jets a lead, but Tom Brady showed that he is the king of clutch drives by hitting up star tight end Rob Gronkowski for back-to-back 15 and 12-yard completions to set the Pats up at the 48. Then, Danny Woodhead took over and showed why he is one of the must clutch players in the league by reeling off a big 20-yard gain on his first reception, then putting Stephen Gostkowski into better field goal position by snagging a seven-yarder. Brady and the Patriots were incredible working out of the no-huddle in a clutch situation, and they were able to save their third timeout to give Gostkowski the chance to knock down the field goal with five seconds left.

Gostkowski was criticized for not performing in the clutch and missing late field goals, as some Pats fans were still upset over his miss against the Arizona Cardinals. I felt somewhat vindicated by standing by Gostkowski as a great kicker when he nailed the 43-yarder to tie it up at 26, but there was still work to be done.

The Patriots started off with the ball in overtime, and their drive was nearly killed off on third-and-seven with the ball at their own 44 after an incomplete pass to Aaron Hernandez, but a pass interference from Jets corner Kyle Wilson saved the Jets. Gostkowski had a second clutch field goal to attempt, and he delivered by also hitting a 48-yarder to give the Pats a 29-26 lead.

The Jets weren’t done, though, and they continued to scare the Patriots at home. Alfonzo Dennard committed a penalty of his own (holding) on third down to get the Jets going, and Sanchez hit up Jeremy Kerley for a 17-yard pass to get the Jets to their own 40. But that’s as far as the Jets would go, because Rob Ninkovich performed one of the most heroic plays of the Patriots season. He and Jermaine Cunningham teamed up for a 12-yard sack of Mark Sanchez, and Ninko (one of the best players in the league at forcing and recovering fumbles) pounced on the loose ball to give the Pats the win. Thus, the Pats won on a game-winning fumble.

Each week, I do a “What We Learned” post on Monday after the game, but I feel like we need to run through some stuff we “learned” from this game in context. So below are some bullet points on why this game was so significant.

1. We realized just how bad the Patriots pass defense was, and I think this is when the Pats realized they needed to get another cornerback. The Pats managed to make Mark Sanchez look good by allowing him to throw for 328 yards, 8.0 yard per attempt, and a 90.3 QB Rating. While those numbers are a bit inflated (his TQBR was below 50), Sanchez still looked a lot better than he should have. The Pats acquired Aqib Talib during the bye week following their blowout victory in London over the St. Louis Rams, but let’s just say that this too-close-for-comfort game against the Jets was the final straw. They realized that Kyle Arrington is a good slot corner, but he is terrible on the outside; Arrington had a terrible game against the Jets. It showed the Pats that they needed a true outside CB and someone who could lock down possession receivers, as they were unfairly playing Arrington out of position throughout the beginning of the year.

2. The fact that the Patriots were able to pull this game out and not completely blow it after the Jets near-comeback in the fourth quarter was a moral boost for this team. They really needed it after losing out at the end to the Seahawks, and this game against the Jets started a seven-game winning streak for the Patriots. This game taught the Patriots a real lesson, and that is to not discount any opponent. Tom Brady, Vince Wilfork, and other veterans will tell you this all the time, but it seemed like younger players like Dennard and Stevan Ridley needed to have that lesson ingrained into their minds.

3. Rob Gronkowski, Wes Welker, and Aaron Hernandez all did a solid job moving the chains, and they rose up to help Brady move the ball down the field in important situations. Gronk caught six passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns, and that’s the kind of dependability, solid production, and playmaking ability at the TE position that the Pats were making. He was their best playmaker last season, and the Pats lost a lot of schematic advantages when he went down.

4. We didn’t learn this, but if you watch this game again closely, you’ll once again be amazed at just how good the Patriots starting linebackers are. Dont’a Hightower looks like a solid LB for a long-time, Brandon Spikes is a true difference-maker on defense, and Jerod Mayo is indeed one of the best linebackers in the league right now. If you still think he is overrated, then you probably didn’t watch him as closely as you think you did this past season. He improved greatly in pass coverage (Hightower and especially Spikes still have some work to do in that regard, though) and looked lively against the run.

This “Look Back” series is driven by reader suggestions, and this piece was suggested to us by Musket Fire staff writer Cyrus Geller, who told me that this game was an extremely important one for the Patriots.

Past “Look Back” pieces

Patriots score 21 points in 52 seconds to help destroy the Jets.

Defensive end Chandler Jones debuts against the Tennessee Titans.

The Arizona Cardinals upset the Patriots in Week 2.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.

Dec 2, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New England Patriots middle linebacker Brandon Spikes (55) reacts during a game against the Miami Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

(This is another entry into the ‘Positional Breakdown’ feature on Musket Fire.)

Under Contract for 2013: Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes, Dont’a Hightower, Mike Rivera, Dane Fletcher, Jeff Tarpinian

Jerod Mayo:

Mayo had another great year in 2012, he arguably is the best player on the Patriots defense. He is a fantastic tackler, and great at reading run plays and shutting them down. Mayo is a pretty good cover linebacker as well, as he is the one guy that the Patriots have that has a pretty good shot at staying with faster guys over the middle. I do think that Mayo can improve in pass defense, and I think he will because he is an elite linebacker in this game, and guys like him are always working hard to improve.

Brandon Spikes:

Spikes had a good year in 2012, as he once again proved himself as one of the biggest hitters in the NFL, and one of the best run stoppers. He delivers bone crunching hits to opposing running backs throughout the season, and forced quite a few fumbles in 2012. He is good at reading where the play is heading as well, so he can actually use his run stuffing prowess. However, he did not make as big as an improvement in pass coverage as many of us Pats fans would have liked. He routinely got beat over the middle by tight ends and running backs. In my opinion he does not look like he can ever be a true three down linebacker like Jerod Mayo. Unless he really steps up his ability to cover players over the middle, I think he will be relegated to strictly a run stopper in 2013.

Dont’a Hightower:

Hightower had a very good rookie season in my opinion. He was good against the run, and routinely did a very solid job at setting the edge. Hightower is built much like Brandon Spikes and has the capability of stopping the run nearly as well as Spikes can. Hightower is a big guy, and struggles in pass coverage, much like Spikes. However the difference is, I think Hightower has a much better chance at improving as a defender in the pass game. He even showed good improvements toward the end of the 2012 season, and I think that will carry over to the 2013 season.

Mike Rivera, Dane Fletcher, and Jeff Tarpinian:

Fletcher is the only guy of these players that I think will make an impact on the Patriots defense in 2013. Rivera and Tarpinian are both excellent special team players, and are really only linebackers for depth. Fletcher however I believe can make a big impact for 2013. As I said above, the Patriots starting linebackers struggle in pass coverage at times and I think Dane Fletcher can help that in 2013. Fletcher missed all of 2012 with a knee injury, but when he was healthy, he was a fast guy that could actually cover tight ends and running backs over the middle when needed. He may not be as good at stopping the run as Mayo, Spikes, and Hightower but I think he may be better in pass coverage than all of them. He could possibly come on to the field when the Patriots go to their nickel and dime packages on defense.

2013 Outlook:

This group looks pretty solid for the Patriots in 2013. They have a great starting group in terms of stopping the run, however they do struggle at pass coverage. I do not think that they need to go out and get somebody specifically for that need, because I am confident that Dont’a Hightower will improve in that area, and Dane Fletcher will be back with the team in 2013. Another reason I don’t think they should sign someone new is because I don’t want them to sacrifice good run defense for a little better pass defense. I believe that run defense for linebackers is much more important than pass defense for linebackers. If you allow the opposition to run the football  then it really does not matter who you have to cover players in the passing game, it will be pretty tough to slow the opposing team down. I expect another solid year in run defense for the Pats in 2013, and hopefully an improved year in pass coverage.

Jan 20, 2013; Foxboro, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker (83) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Albert McClellan (50) on a punt return during the first quarter of the AFC championship game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

When a team goes to 5 Super Bowls in 11 years and wins 3 of them, the expectations will always be Super Bowl or bust. After losing in the AFC championship this past Sunday the Pats obviously are disappointed. Maybe for another franchise it would have been a successful year, but for the Patriots it was a disappointment. Changes need to be made for them to get back to the ‘Promised Land’.

1.Re-sign Wes Welker

I am really amazed at how many people have voiced their opinion of not bringing Welker back. He is such an important part of this team. People seem to focus in on his untimely drops and want him gone, and I understand that. Ultimately though, he makes so many positive plays that it severely outweighs his negative plays. The first thing is his durability. Welker plays one of the most dangerous positions in football, he is a slot receiver which means he goes over the middle unprotected numerous times throughout the game. He is constantly smashed by safeties and linebackers and he just repeatedly gets up and goes back to the huddle. As opposed to some of his comrades in the receiver core, he never misses any time because of injuries. This year Gronk, Hernandez, and Edelman all missed games because of injuries, but not Welker. He is so tough and durable, that alone should make the Pats resign him. Welker, in my opinion is the 2^nd most important player in the Pats offense, (obviously Brady is 1^st). He is the one that makes all the huge 3^rd down plays that the Pats need; when Brady needs something he goes to Welker. Brady and Welker have such great trust between them that sometimes it does not matter whether or not Welker runs a great route or if Brady doesn’t make a perfect throw. Welker is almost impossible to stop one on one and requires extra attention throughout the game, which opens up single coverage for the TE’s and Brandon Lloyd. If Welker were not signed, the Pats offense would just not be the same. The TE’s would get a ton of double coverage and Brady would not have the security blanket he has had over the last 5 years.

2. Address the CB position

Lack of skill in the defensive backfield once again came back to bite the Pats in the butt in their loss to the Ravens. When Aquib Talib was injured in the first quarter, the Pats secondary could not cover anybody and Joe Flacco threw three second half touchdowns. The Pats need some quality DB’s if they want to get back to the Super Bowl. I think it is a necessity for the Pats to resign Aquib Talib and then acquire some young talent through the draft. Talib can be a lockdown corner that allows the Pats to play a lot more man coverage and dial up some blitzes on the quarterback. A tandem of Talib and Alfonzo Dennard at the CB position is a very good start for the Pats. Keeping Devin McCourty at the safety position really helps limit the big plays. However, I think a change needs to be made at the other safety position with Steve Gregory. Gregory really struggled in the run game and covering one on one. Maybe the Pats should draft a safety or go after somebody like Jairus Byrd in free agency to help shore up that position. The Pats main weakness as a team is the secondary, and if they could fix that, a run to the Super Bowl gets that much easier.

3. Offensive Line

Throughout the season when we preview the Pats games, protecting Brady is always a key to winning the game. This year the offensive line did a great job of protecting Brady, finishing tied for 4^th in the league in fewest sacks allowed. They will need to do that again next year to make a Super Bowl run. Resigning right tackle Sebastian Vollmer should be a major point of emphasis if they want to protect Brady at the level they did this year.  Vollmer is maybe the most underrated tackles in the NFL; he battled through back injuries this year to produce a very solid year. He went up against some of the premier pass rushers in the league and held his own. If Vollmer is brought back the Pats have a very solid offensive line for the upcoming season. One other thing they should try and do is draft some depth to go behind their starting tackles in the event Vollmer is not resigned or if Nate Solder suffers an injury during the season. This would really help the Pats O line in protecting Brady, as the inside is pretty solid with Mankins, Connolly, and Wendell. No matter what weapons Brady has, the offense stalls without good protection, which is why the Pats O line must remain intact for next season.

4. Vertical Receiving Threat

The one weakness the Pats offense had in 2011 was the downfield receiving threat outside the numbers. So, they went out and got Brandon Lloyd this offseason, and I thought it was a great move. A lot of people thought he had a bad year, but I thought he had a pretty solid campaign. Sure, he was inconsistent at times, but he made a number of plays outside the numbers to help take some pressure away from the inside passing game. But in the loss to the Ravens, he did not make enough plays when the middle of the field was shut down. It was not entirely his fault, but the main reason the Pats offense stalled was because he was the only guy that could go outside the numbers. To make this offense better they need another vertical threat to go along with Lloyd. The draft is one option they can use to find some young talent that can make some impacts and learn alongside veterans at the same time. They can also go the free agent route (Dwayne Bowe?) to help out Lloyd on the outside. Bottom line is, the Pats have a great offense but they still need another threat to “take the top off of a defense”.

5. Young Players Improving

The Pats have a multitude of young guys on their team, particularly on defense. They are good players that helped improve the defense from last year. To continue to improve that defense, they will need to improve as players for next year. Alfonzo Dennard was the most impressive rookie in my opinion. In the Ravens game he stepped up when Talib went out of the game and he nearly shut down Torrey Smith. He has great technique and is incredibly tough and aggressive which makes up in part for his small frame. If he continues to work and improve he will be a great cornerback in the NFL. Dont’a Hightower and Chandler Jones were both 1^st round draft picks and made impacts immediately. Chandler Jones was on his way to winning the defensive rookie of the year award when he injured his ankle in a regular season game against the Colts. He was never really the same after that, and he only played 2 snaps in the AFC championship game. Dont’a Hightower is a big physical linebacker who is great against the run but needs to improve his coverage skills. He is cut from the same mold as the Pats other two linebackers, Jerod Mayo and Brandon Spikes. They are big guys who are great against the run but vulnerable in coverage. Hightower will need to improve that aspect of his game to help out the Pats pass defense in the future.

Those are the five main priority’s for the Pats this offseason in my opinion. If they do these things they will be right back in the middle of the Super Bowl conversation.