Patriots need to take a few steps to get back on track – Sports – The Boston Globe

Great pregame read, or save it for after the game, as Bedard breaks down three things the Pats need to do to regroup on defense.

Here’s a quick preview of them, with some of my comments, we’re very much on the same page and I love when that happens:

1. Get Gronk/Hernando healthy – not sure if either will be 100% this year, but the bye week comes at a good time. Hopefully Hernando’s ankle doesn’t linger. 

2. Rush the passer better – Bedard even gives a shout out to PatsProp mascot Myron Pryor. I like that he mentioned Dont’a Hightower too, he could be the creative answer with more blitzes.

3. Get by in the secondary – that’s about all they can do. Get healthy and hope things gel, but it’s clear they still need more talent on the back end next off-season.

I’m always an optimist because I do think that teams can improve over the course of the season, and I’m not especially interested in spending the regular season evaluating the off-season moves. There are enough players here to get the job done, they just have to come together.