Bungled

DAVID KOHL/AP

WEEK 5
Every team, even the best in the NFL, has a game or two each year when it just beats itself. That's why only one has ever gone 16-0. And very few ever go 15-1. Or 14-2. There are going to be those Sundays.

The Pats have already had a few brushes with those games (Bill, Jets) but they managed to make enough plays to pull out victories. The Patriots -- on offense at least -- made very few plays in their Joan Rivers-caliber ugly 13-6 loss in Cincy.

The last time the Patriots held an opponent to 13 points and lost? Week 2 of 2001. That's right. The game when Mo Lewis changed Patriot history forever and knocked Drew Bledsoe off the team. Tom Brady has thrown a lot of touchdown passes since that September day and has set a lot of records. That's what future hall of famers do. But #12, for the first time in 52 games, couldn't throw a touchdown pass yesterday.

The Cincy D gets a lot of the credit. They have a great pass rush and made the Pats' usually stout O line look bad for much of the day. And they made Brady look worse. Five weeks into the season and he and his new crew of receivers are still far from on the same page. Cincy's D was missing several starters and their offense has really only one weapon in A.J. Green. That looked like a recipe for 5-0. But not when Brady is under-throwing guys or those guys are dropping the ones that he did get to them. A bad fumble. A bad interception. Too many mistakes. That's what always makes the difference. If the Pats don't turn the ball over they probably win. Win ugly. But win.

One week after playing their best game of the season on offense the Pats played their worst. That's the way it goes in the NFL. One week really has nothing to do with the next.

And hopefully that will be the case this Sunday at home against New Orleans. A late afternoon kickoff against the best the NFC has to offer. Drew Brees. Sean Payton. One of the biggest home games of the year. One of the biggest tailgates of the year.

And maybe the return of Gronk. Just in time.