In what is likely to be a recurring theme this season for the Patriots, the offense led the way for New England in yesterday’s 38-30 win over the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium. The young defense once again gave up large chunks of yardage, but made a couple key interceptions late in the game to salt this one away.

Get all the coverage at PatriotsLinks.com.

Patriots’ win doesn’t mask issues – Mike Reiss says that while this win wasn’t convincing, it was much-needed.

Ten Things We Learned Sunday: Right now, it’s all on the offense – Chris Price counts down what we learned.

Running attack key for Patriots – Andy Vogt notes that having a running attack helped out Tom Brady yesterday.

They got some mileage out of new-look group – Monique Walker has the Patriots mixing things up with the running attack.

Replacing Kevin Faulk a group effort – Karen Guregian has the Patriots using several players in the third down role.

Danny Woodhead a spark for Patriots  – Chris Forsberg looks at the big debut for the newest Patriot.

Small guy, big impression – Mike Lowe has Woodhead already well-versed in Belichickian.

These Pats are defenseless – Mike Felger says that the defense stinks and there is no hope for the future.

Schedule may be Pats biggest foe – Bill Burt has a sobering look at the upcomign schedule for the Patriots.

Defense reaches for positives — interceptions – Walker’s notebook sews up many of the remaining storylines.

The Red Sox were on the cusp of sweeping the Yankees in New York last night, but Jonathan Papelbon blew his league-leading eighth save as the Yankees won, 4-3 in 10 innings. Get the stories at RedSoxLinks.com.

How one game encompassed a Red Sox season that came up short – Alex Speier says that last night was the entire season in microcosm.

Glimmer of hope goes out for Red Sox – Joe McDonald has the last hopes of the 2010 season put out last night.

Red Sox still playing with pride – Sean McAdam says that the Red Sox played to the end.

Yankee outfielders could open door for Sox on Jayson Werth, Carl Crawford – Speier says that the play of Curtis Granderson and Brett Gardner might cool the Yankees interest in free agent outfielders.

Papelbon walks a fine line with ump – Amalie Benjamin’s notebook has the Sox closer unhappy with the strike zone.

Shaq ready to leave mark in Boston – Jackie MacMullan has the big man talking about teammates past and present.

Celtics hope a vertical jump gets them back on track – Julian Benbow has the Celtics hoping to use their newfound size to an advantage this season.

Published by Bruce Allen

Automattician.

16 thoughts on “Not Pretty, But Patriots Will Take Win Over Bills”

  1. Thank God for Felger's expert analysis.

    If not for him, I may have wasted my time over the next 14 weeks watching the Patriots play football. Now that I know that they defense is terrible (yes, right now they're not very good) and that there's no hope for the future, I can devote my Sundays to more important activities, like apple picking or raking leaves.

    No hope for the future? Really Mike? You do realize that the Raiders and Panthers are a combined 1-5 right now, and that the Pats own their first and second rounders, respectively, in next year's draft (insert Felger's snarky comments about trading down 10 times for "great value" here).

    Is he this negative at home? What do Sarah and his young child think of this attitude if he is that negative?

    Wow. I knew he was kind of a jerk when I dealt with him at the Garden (nee FleetCenter) when he covered the Bruins, but he's taken it to about the 25th level in the years hence.

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    1. He is insufferable, but he makes a semi-valid point. This defense does stink. Period. Maybe they'll step up as the season goes along, but I don't see them holding GB, Indy, SD, Pittsburgh, or Miami to under 24 points this year. Giving up 30 points and over 400 yards to Buffalo AT HOME is inexcusable.

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      1. I agree. Right now the defense does stink, but if he really is saying that there's no hope for the future I have to disagree there. How can anyone watch Spikes, Chung and a few of these other young guys play and say that there's no hope going forward? Plus, I know the Pats like to trade down for value, etc., and I know that strategy has caused headaches and hand-wringing among the fandom (especially seeing how Clay Matthews has been tearing it up for Green Bay this year), but those two picks coming from Oakland and Carolina next April could be very, very good picks. If the Oakland pick is a Top 10, the Pats have NEVER traded out of the Top 10 during the BB Era: they WILL use that pick (they took Seymour in 2001 and traded down only three slots, from 7 to 10, in 2008 to take Mayo).

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        1. the special teams gave up 7 because of an illegal block in the back … I saw that before the TD run was done and was able to rewind using the DVR – amazing that the tv crew actually went back and replayed the blatant block in the back … they hardly ever replay horribly missed calls

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          1. The thing that made me angry about the broadcast was that they didn't show any penalties…like that one on Gronk.

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  2. I agree. Their defense is aweful. Writers and fans alike keep trying to stay positive by repeatedly saying that the defense is young and athletic. That may be true, but it still stinks. True…they did get a division win. But you can't take anything away from this game other than it gives them another W. Giving up 30 pts to a sorry Buffalo team is discouraging. Even though this is "a passing league", you still win with defense.

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  3. 'These Pats are defenseless – Mike Felger says that the defense stinks and there is no hope for the future."
    ——————————————————————————————————————————

    You could offer me $500.00 bucks and I wouldn't click on that link…………I agree the defense hasn't looked good but I'm not shocked by it either. You had to know they were going to struggle with the loss of Bodden and Ty Warren and 2 inexperienced corners…….call me a cock-eyed optimist but with more game experience,coaching,film study etc..etc…..I believe they will get better (not saying they'll turn into the 85'Bears but better than they have been)…….to say they have "no hope for the future" is just MORONIC but we are talking Felger here.

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  4. Why do people get so angry with the writers when they write about the Pats aweful defense? That's been the story of the young season so far!! It's not being overly negative. What are they supposed to write about?? We already know how great the offense is. The defense has given us nothing to believe they're going to drastically improve. AOB, I'd be interested in hearing why you believe the defense is going to get better?

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    1. Johnny, the problem with Felger's article is the "no hope for the future" angle to it. It's 100% true that the Pats' defense has major problems right now. But anyone can see that there is some talent there that wasn't there last season. "No hope for the future" truly is an idiiotic statement to make, especially given that with the Maroney trade they're now looking at having 7 picks in the first four rounds next April, in addition to several promising rookies on this year's team. But sure, through three weeks the defense has been lousy. I don't think anyone is denying that.

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    2. well "Johnny", I say that because because alot of them ARE YOUNG……do you think that players never improve?…..that when they come into the NFL as rookies that's as good as they'll ever be???……..like I said, I don't expect them to improve so much that they'll be a great defense by week 10……just better than they have been………..and I don't care if the media is critical of the Pats defense if they do it in a RATIONAL manner………Felger is a screaming idiot who doesn't know what the word rational means.

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  5. Tony,
    agreed. There's no reason start play the 'no hope for the future' angle. It's too early and we all have no idea how the defense will shape over the rest of this season and beyond.
    however, i have lost a little bit of faith in Belichick's strategy of hoarding draft picks and building through the draft. Their recent draft history is atrocious. They have to start doing a much much better job of drafting players…(and avoid making huge free agency mistakes like Burgess) otherwise the D is not going to improve as quickly as people are thinking.

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    1. Actually, Belichick did have bad drafts in 2006 and most likely 2008; I don't count 2007 as a "bad" draft because part of that draft haul included Moss and Welker, who were acquired for 4th and 2nd round picks. But aside from Butler, who has struggled, the 2009 draft has produced some pretty good players like Chung, Brace, Edelman, Tate and Vollmer; and the 2010 draft, so far, looks like a bumper crop. If the last two drafts are any indication, BB has his draft mojo back working again….he certainly did have about a three-year stretch where it wasn't working, there's no doubt about that, but the last two drafts have been encouraging IMO.

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  6. A major theme of Felger & Mazz last week was how much the Pats suck in the second half.

    Yesterday in the second half, the offense scored what, 21 points? The defense only gave up 7 points, and had two interceptions. Granted, the special teams sucked and gave up a TD.

    Not surprised in the least that Felger completely forgets this…

    Not that the defense didn't play horrific in the first half and on many individual plays. But they did turn around in exactly what Felger was criticizing them so heavily for during the week.

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  8. This might be a good time to remind fans that Miami beat Buffalo 15-10… so I would argue that 38 – 30 is not the end of the world. Buffalo is a good game to start some rookies, like cunningham. Would you rather they get their first start against Indy?

    All I read is teammates saying "I am going to do what the coach asks the best that I can" . This team believes in their coach.

    I guess we are not going to romp through the division like usual, but I continue to be entertained and grateful that I don't have to root for selfish jerks like Braylon Edwards, Ben Rapistburger and Brandon Marshall. I know some people would rather win with selfish malcontents but I am enjoying the other path.

    Go Pats!!

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