New England Patriots: Four Takeaways From Win Over Minnesota Vikings

Sep 14, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick looks on during the third quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at TCF Bank Stadium. The Patriots defeated the Vikings 30-7. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

4. Penalties

For the second consecutive week, the Patriots struggled mightily in this department.

15 penalties. 163 yards. Are you kidding me?

I’m really glad the Patriots got their first win of the year, but it was one of the sloppiest wins in recent memory for this team. It seemed like every time they made a good play, it would be brought back because of a dumb, pointless penalty. Whether it was Nate Solder along the offensive line, or Dont’a Hightower and the defense, everybody was responsible for this, and it must be fixed immediately.

Of course, the Seahawks did win the Super Bowl last year while being the most penalized team in the entire league, so it is no impossible to be successful as a team that commits a lot of fouls. But that is no excuse for their dumb mistakes in this game. I hope Bill Belichick drives this point home all week long, in an effort to get his team back in their disciplined ways.