PatsPropaganda

Gruden’s game plan was simple: Minimize Dalton’s impact, and give him as many high-percentage throws as possible. The Bengals called five straight runs to open the game, and overall called 37 runs to 33 passes, rushing for 162 yards.  Dalton had the early hiccup with the red zone interception to Brandon Spikes, but overall he completed 20 of 27 passes for 212 yards and made no other big mistakes. Of his 33 dropbacks, 15 were plays with quick, designed reads — short slants and swings and plays on which Dalton just had to get the ball out quickly. He also checked down four times, smartly taking positive yards instead of trying for something big and risky.

Fun historical context read from Chris Price. Love stuff like this!!

Now it appears the 2013 Patriots are at a similar intersection, one that will determine whether or not they are tough enough – both physically and mentally – to be a success. Can they use an early season setback to pave the way for a run through the second half of the regular season? Or is the letdown part of a larger problem that could dog this team throughout the rest of the year? One thing that certainly distinguishes the current edition from previous years is that you can argue – as Brady did on Monday – that New England’s No. 1 offense has yet to be on the field. The fact that the Patriots will get their two best running backs in Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen on the field sooner rather than later, while tight end Rob Gronkowski continues to make progress from an offseason that was filled with surgeries. That alone should provide a boost to an offense that’s been sluggish for much of the first five games of the season. But it’s one thing to get a much-needed infusion of talent on the offensive side of the ball – it’s another thing to have those players be able to execute the game plan on a consistent basis.