This offseason I had two mantras to the 2013 Patriots:
1. There would be growing pains with the offensive turnover, but in the long run they would be better set up, both short and long-term, to be more explosive and unpredictable.
2. It was time for the defense to go from one that just didn’t lose games, to a defense that wins games.
Now here we are in week two, and these two things are truer than ever, yet because the offense didn’t look unstoppable many are ready to hit the panic button.
There’s no question, losing Vereen and possibly Amendola hurts, but both should be fine in the long run. So let’s look at this game for what it is, an excellent challenge against a divisional opponent who always plays us tough early in the season.
What we saw from the Pats offense is exactly what was expected. Inconsistency, and, gasp, an undrafted rookie actually playing like an undrafted rookie in Kenbrell Thompkins.
But let’s look at the positive. Julian Edelman played arguably his best game as a pro. If the preseason was any indication, Thompkins should bounce back, and Aaron Dobson said this morning he’s expecting to play.
Are they the 2007 Pats offense right now? No. But come on, it’s not like we need to hang 50 on the Jets to get the win.
So that makes me turn the page to the defense. This game is all about them as I see it. This is their chance to prove they can control games.
They’ve got a rookie quarterback, making his first road start and likely missing a significant weapon of his own in Jeremy Kerley coming into town. My expectation is for the defense to be the difference and shut Geno Smith completely down.
Let’s remember what happened in week two last year. The Pats lost to the Cardinals when they had Welker, Gronk, Lloyd, and Branch. The first couple weeks of the season are always flukey.
I think that Brady with Ridley (yes, Ridley), Edelman, Thompkins, Boyce, Dobson and whoever else they throw in there are good enough to put more points on the board than Geno Smith and the Jets offense IF the Patriots defense comes to play like an experienced veteran defense loaded with high-round draft picks should play in this situation.
For the offense, this will be nothing but a positive learning experience whether they win or lose. The young receivers will be thrown into the fire against a Jets defense that knows how to give Brady problems.
For the defense, it’s time to live up to what we talked about all offseason.