Here’s what respected NFL.com coumnist Mike Lombardi had to say about the Pats in his Monday column…
In New England, the Patriots faced another tough team in the Baltimore Ravens and the game had a playoff feel. The Patriots are young, but in the last two weeks they had to overcome poor starts, plays and mistakes to win. This was a huge win for the young Patriots, because beating a tough team like the Ravens requires mental and physical toughness something they have worked all off season to achieve.
In one Sunday, Deion Branch caught the same amount of passes that Randy Moss had in four games with the Patriots. But more important than the amount of catches, was the location of those completions that makes the biggest difference. Branch is not in New England to replace Moss, but rather to help run routes that enhance the playbook.
The Patriots’ secondary was extremely physical and these young players are starting to grow up.