The Patriot Way – New England Patriots News 10/7

Oct 6, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive lineman Geno Atkins (97) sacks New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) in teh first half at Paul Brown Stadium. Cincinnati defeated New England 13-6. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

The Patriots dropped their first game of the season on Sunday as the Cincinnati Bengals stymied Tom Brady and the Patriots offense. While the defense again played like the top-tier unit they’ve become, the Patriots really struggled to develop any rhythm in the passing game. Bill Belichick and his team will not try to move on quickly from a disappointing showing and start preparing for what is going to be a serious test against the undefeated New Orleans Saints in week six.

Let’s get caught up on the The Patriot Way.

Recap of Loss to Bengals
MusketFire.com by Hal Bent
Sunday afternoon in Cincinnati was the definition of “frustration” for the New England Patriots.  While another strong defensive effort was put forth by the New England defense, the Patriots offense was unable to get in gear all game long. 

Bengals End Brady’s Touchdown Streak
SI by Chris Burke
After throwing at least one touchdown pass in 52 straight games, Tom Brady ran into the perfect storm — quite literally — on Sunday in Cincinnati.

Patriots Offensive Woes Run Deeper than Absence of Gronkowski
Bleacher Report by Erik Frenz
The eventual return of tight end Rob Gronkowski will help, but the problems with the Patriots offense run deeper than just the absence of their star tight end, and their return to prominence will require more than just the return of the Gronk.

Danny Amendola Returns, Catches Four Passes in Loss
Boston. com by Michael Whitmer
From the second he came sprinting onto Paul Brown Stadium two hours before Sunday’s kickoff, Danny Amendola had the look of someone who was physically ready to play.

Brady, Patriots Offense Knocked for Loop
ESPN Boston by Mike Reiss
When the New England Patriots’ offense has been knocked off track in recent years, the formula is usually the same: Quarterback Tom Brady gets hit early, the offensive line struggles to consistently hold its ground and the critical situations they usually win sway in the other direction. 

Defense Not Satisfied with Job Well Done
ESPN Boston by Field Yates
The offensive output overshadowed what was, at least from the outside, another standout defensive effort, though cornerback Aqib Talib was among a chorus of defensive players who were not satisfied following the game. 

Tom Brady Not So Terrific: Patriots Quarterback Lousy in Loss
Boston Herald by Karen Guregian
Brady completed just 18-of-38 passes for 197 yards. He was sacked four times. His passer rating was in Tim Tebow territory, a miserable 52.2. With the game on the line, on the team’s final drive in the pouring rain, he was picked off by Adam Jones on a badly underthrown ball intended for receiver Aaron Dobson near the end zone.

Aqib Talib, Jerod Mayo, Chris Jones Among Top 5 Positive Performances in Patriots’ Loss to Bengals
NESN by Doug Kyed
We could probably spend all day listing the players who underperformed against the Bengals — starting with Tom Brady – but let’s get the positives out of the way first.

Patriots’ Offense Still Starts, Ends with Tom Brady, Won’t Get Better Until He Resolves Issues
NESN by Luke Hughes
Tom Brady still doesn’t look like his old self. Maybe it’s his young receivers or the absence of his behemoth tight end over the middle, but something is just off with Brady right now.

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