Let the games begin

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Not that I haven't been enjoying the Summer Olympics from London. I have. The US-Canada women's soccer semifinal game was one of the 10 greatest non-Boston sporting events I've ever seen. (Do you believe in miracles is still at the top.) I like turning on the TV at 10:30 after I get home from work and having a wide variety of sporting events played at their highest level. What's not to like about that?

That said, I've been ready for this season for a while now. Brady and the Pats got back on the field for (almost) real against Brees and the Saints at Gillette last night. I had to work so Shep and his Dad took in the game on a perfect summer night for football. One of those nights that make you know why Texans love their football so much. The 2012 season has begun. The Pats are 1-0. It's all good.

And that's what Pats fans should focus on after the preseason opener... the good. There are always problems in the preseason. They are not really problems till Week 1. Or more like Week 5. The offense only scored seven points. Brady got whacked from behind. Nate Solder looked a little uncertain in stepping in for Matt Light. Brandon Lloyd is wearing 85 and at times playing like it. Brady got whacked from behind. Problems. But when you are coming off yet another run to the Super Bowl the odds are those problems will mostly get solved by September 10.

It's more relevant to look at the question marks coming into training camp and see how they are starting to be answered.

Q. Are the Pats two stud first-round picks Chandler Jones and D'onta Hightower good enough to make an impact right away?

A. Sure looks like it. Jones was everywhere. He only recorded one tackle but he disrupted many more plays. His size and speed looked NFL caliber. Hightower had one tackle (a crusher) and assisted on three others. He may not start, but he will see lots of playing time at key moments.

Q. Can Ridley and Vereen build on the promise from last year?

A. Once again... sure looks like it. Ridley averaged five yards a carry and looked very quick. His longest run was only five yards. That will have to get better. Shane Vereen, who was hurt most of last year, picked up 64 yards on 11 carries. His longest run was also only about five yards, but he made a few Saints miss on several rushes. And both backs held on to the ball. That is key.

Q. Is the team's depth -- a key to surviving the long season and finishing near the top -- improved from last year? A year that had pretty good depth.

A. Yes. Backup QB Brian Hoyer is clearly ready to play the role of Matt Cassel if he should be called upon. But more importantly the depth in the secondary is greatly improved. Free agent Steve Gregory -- a seven-year vet from San Diego -- looked solid in the middle of the field with Chung. Each had a nice pick in the red zone. McCourty and Arrington started at corner and didn't give up many big plays. The depth came with second-year corner Ras-I Dowling and rookie safety Tavon Wilson. Both played well and seem to have moved ahead of returning players Ihedigbo, Moore, Brown, Barrett, and Ventrone. 12-year vet Will Allen also looked good and could provide some veteran leadership to a young group. Then again I thought that about Joe Addai too.

Q. Can Belichick -- after all these years -- do what most coaches can't do and keep control of his team and stop them from tuning him out?

A. Do you have to ask? No one does it better. I saw the Pats on Day 2 of training camp. There was a lot of rust as you would expect. Less than two weeks later the coaching staff has the team well on its way to being ready for another season and another run at Lombardi #4.

Next up a game against Mad Dog Vick and the Eagles on the 20th. The second preseason game is always a big one in deciding position battles. It's a Monday night summer game at Gillette. And I don't work Mondays. Let the games begin.

Break it down -- defensive backs

What's the old saying? Saving the worst for last? Something like that. In the case of the Patriots, the defensive backfield is definitely the worst position on the team. But maybe that's about to change.

The Pats were last in the league against the pass for most of last season. They gave up yards in big chunks to an array of quarterbacks. There were two key reasons for that. First, Devin McCourty -- a sensation at the corner in his rookie season -- had the sophomore slump to end sophomore slumps. He went from being almost unbeatable to being almost invisible. So many passes were completed over his head that it was like he wasn't even there. Second, Patrick Chung got hurt ... again. That left it up to guys like James Ihedigbo, Sterling Moore, and Sergio Brown. And those guys actually held their own. Especially Moore.

Bolstering the secondary was a key coming into 2012. It looks like the Pats may have done that. The secondary should be better, and if Chung can stay healthy and reach his potential then the secondary could actually be very good.

STARTERS
Chung is at the center of everything. When he's on the field and making plays at strong safety the defense comes together. When he's out, there's a big hole. He hasn't had a reliable partner in the middle of the field at free safety although former Jet Ihedigbo surprised. The Pats signed free agent Steve Gregory to bring some stability -- and experience -- to the secondary. He might be this year's Andre Carter as far as impact goes. That pushes McCourty back to the outside. After struggling badly for the first three months of the season last year, McCourty started to play some safety and he played it pretty well. He seemed to get his feet back under him. Hopefully that will carry through to this year. The other corner position will come down to either Kyle Arrington and second-year man Ras-I Dowling. Arrington tied for the league lead in picks last year. I know, it's hard to believe. But it's like when Meriweather made the Pro Bowl two years in a row. It made no sense but the guy had to be doing something right. Arrington gets credit for making the plays. Dowling was a second-round pick who got hurt and did nothing last year. But the word is he has starter-level talent. I think Arrington starts the season with the job.

BACK-UPS
The Pats are starting to build secondary depth. A key in today's pass-first, pass-second NFL. Dowling or Arrington make a very good third corner. Ihedigbo and Moore go back to their more suited roles as nickel and dime guys. Josh Barrett will be back and the Pats added veteran Will Allen. I like it when the Pats have a savvy veteran defensive back. I hope Allen is that guy. The Pats also drafted three rookies this year. They drafted Tavon Wilson out of Illinios in the second-round ahead of some other more notable prospects. He's 6-0 and can play both corner and safety. The team then grabbed Alfonzo Dennard and rubgy player Nate Ebner in the later rounds. Dennard had off-the-field problems that caused him to slide way way way down the draft board. He could be a surprise. Ebner was a ruby sensation at Ohio State but will most likely be returning kicks, not picks

IN THE MIX
Role players Ross Ventrone, Malcom Williams, and Jets-castoff Marquice Cole fill out the roster.

The Pats were ugly against the pass for large parts of last year. A part of that is a lack of pass rush. But the other part is a solid secondary. The Pats are getting closer to having that.

Starting with defense

The Pats have just about finished their free agent shopping. The draft is now over. Except for a few undrafted free agents and training camp veteran signings the 2012 version of the New England Patriots is pretty much set. When you have gone 27-5 in the last two seasons there's not too many battles in camp.

The offense is loaded again and will threaten the records the team set in '07. The defense was where reinforcements were needed. Reinforcements have arrived.

I'm guessing the Pats will return to playing a 3-4 more this year since they now have four potentially very good linebackers. Here's what the starters in the 3-4 could look like if everyone stays healthy and the new guys reach their potential quickly:

DEFENSIVE LINE

          LEFT END                          NOSE TACKLE                              RIGHT END

     Jonathan Fanene                     Vince Wilfork                              Chandler Jones

LINEBACKERS

    LEFT OUTSIDE              MIDDLE                  MIDDLE                RIGHT OUTSIDE

   Dont'a Hightower         Brandon Spikes         Jerod Mayo              Rob Ninkovich

DEFENSIVE BACKS

  CORNERBACK              SAFETY                   SAFETY                   CORNERBACK
   Ras-I Dowling             Patrick Chung         Devin McCourty             Kyle Arrington          

I'm counting on a few things. Jonathan Fanene is this year's Andre Carter. Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower earn starting jobs and make impacts like McCourty and Mayo did in their rookie years. Ras-I-Dowling gets healthy and lives up to his draft position.

If those things happen then the transition from the Bruschi-Willie-Rodney-Vrabel-Law-Seymour years to the next championship-caliber defense is in the final stage. Big Vince is one of the dominant forces in the game. Brandon Spikes and Mayo came together at the end of last year to show just how good they can be as a duo in the middle of the field. Chung and a relocated McCourty could be one of the best young safety tandems in the game by mid-season.

It's a very athletic, young, and skilled group of starters with some serious playoff experience and confidence.  And as good as the starters look (on paper), the depth of the defense is just as good and experienced. I don't think this defense will be near the bottom in yards allowed next year. No way.

Taking stock

The Patriots came so close to entering the 2012 season as defending champs. So close. Now the question is can Bill Belichick make the moves to keep them atop the AFC during the final few years of Tom Brady's career and get them another shot at that fourth Lombardi. A question that is just as important is can Belichick continue to build a team that can compete for a title even after Gisele locks the hall of fame QB away forever in their California mansion.

As the free-agency free-for-all kicks off today -- and with the NFL draft a little more than a month away -- it's time to take a quick look at the roster and identify where the biggest needs are. There aren't many glaring weaknesses, but there is always room for improvement.

OFFENSE
Quarterback: Brady is still playing at an MVP level as he enters his mid-30s. That's why it is so surprising when he doesn't make the big pass to win the big game. He had the ball late in the AFC title game and went three-and-out. He had the ball with a chance to wrap up the Super Bowl and missed a wide-open Welker. You could see that he couldn't believe he didn't get it done as much as I couldn't. There's still no other quarterback that I would want. Brian Hoyer and young Ryan Mallett are just fine as backups. Free agency/draft need: LOW.

Wide receiver: There's no other wide receiver I would want over Wes Welker either. 122 catches. All of them clutch. He took all the blame for a drop that was mostly Brady's fault. He's a class act. And a leader. Veteran Deion Branch should be back. He is a solid third or fourth wideout. Problem is that he was often the number two guy. Chad Johnsoncinco will have a full training camp to show that he can no longer play in the NFL. It shouldn't take long. Young guys Slater and Edelman are not going to scare anyone. The thing that made the wideout corp look better last year than it really was was the play of Aaron Hernandez. He may be listed as a tight end, but he was often the second best wide receiver on the field. Free agency/draft need: HIGH.

Tight end: One word: Gronk. Rob Gronkowski had the best year statistically ever for a tight end. The only thing that could -- and did -- slow him down was injury. Gronk had his surgery and should be back to catching TDs and dancing come the start of camp. Hernandez gives Brady two young, talented targets to throw to. It's a heck of a combination that should make the last few years of Brady's career enjoyable. The Pats are pretty set at tight end for years to come, but that never stops Belichick from drafting another one. Free agency/draft need: LOW.

Running back: There's no stud in the group, but the thinking seems to be that since the Pats are a passing team they don't really need one. They have gone 27-5 the last two years with that philosophy so it's hard to argue that. BenJarvus, Woody, and second-year guys Ridley and Vereen are a solid group who know how to get that extra yard and take care of the ball. Ridley showed he could break some big runs. If he can build on that he could end up becoming the lead back, especially if Bennie leaves as a free agent. The Pats finally added a fullback -- my favorite position -- in Lousaka Polite, but they didn't really use him. Football historian Belichick should show more respect to the fullback's role. I'd be surprised if the Pats added another running back unless one slid to them in the draft. Oh, and I look forward to Kevin Faulk's retirement ceremony. Free agency/draft need: MEDIUM.

Offensive line: Is the Pats line overrated? Maybe a bit. Brady was sacked 32 times this year, which put the Pats line at ninth best at protecting their quarterback. But as long as Dante Scarnecchia is coaching 'em up, the offensive line will be solid. Matt Light, who was on the verge of extinction, found the fountain of youth and had a great season. But can he do that again? Logan Mankins continues to be a guy who has great games followed by not-so-great games. Not really worthy of all the holdout noise he made and the giant contract that he got. But I think his best few years are right ahead of him. Dan Koppen -- one of the best centers in the game -- might not be back which would not make me happy. Veteran Brian Waters was one of the best free agent signings last year and should be back for more. Youngsters Vollmer, Solder, and Cannon give the Pats a bright future on the line. Dan Connolly and Ryan Wendell provide depth. Among the drafting rules in the NFL ... when in doubt, it's always worth grabbing another O lineman. Free agency/draft need: MEDIUM.

DEFENSE
Defensive line: It all starts with Big Vince. Wilfork signed a huge contract two years ago and has played his best two seasons of his hall of fame career. Not many pro athletes do that. He's the leader that has kept a young, evolving -- sometimes devolving -- defense together. The question, as it was last year when the Pats brought about 25 D lineman to camp, is who will line up on either side of him. Free agent Andre Carter filled one of those spots better than anyone imagined till he went down late in the season. He says he wants to be back. Mark Anderson was also a pleasant surprise, getting stronger as the year went on. After that, there's not a lot to love. Oh, there's Kyle Love. And Shaun Ellis. Gerard Warren. Brandon Deaderick. All had their moments, but as a whole the line once again failed to get any consistent pressure on the quarterback. The Pats still need a pass rusher. Free agency/draft need: HIGH.

Linebacker: I love this group. If they can stay healthy (the proverbial BIG IF), this young group could grow into one of the best in the league by year's end. Jerod Mayo. Brandon Spikes. Rob Ninkovich. Mayo and Spikes both were injured at times last year but with both of them on the field, the defense played its best football in the playoffs. Mayo -- when on his game -- is a beast. Spikes's pick in the AFC title game was a huge moment for him. Ninkovich has the playmaking knack of a Bruschi or a Vrabel. However, there's not a lot of depth behind them. Guyton, Fletcher, and White are all replaceable parts. You always need more linebackers. Free agency/draft need: HIGH.

Safety: Now we get to the real problem areas. The defensive backfield. It got so bad that wide receivers Julian Edelman and Matthew Slater took some snaps on the defensive side of the ball. And they were actually better than many of the real defensive backs. Among the group of safeties and cornerbacks there is one great player. Patrick Chung. Check that, he's a really great player. But he can't cover and tackle everyone, although at times last year it felt like he did. James Ihedigbo, a Jets castoff, struggled early but played solid as the playoffs neared. He would make a solid third safety. I'm not going to even mention the other safeties that are still on the roster or passed through during the year. Not going to waste the bold ink on them. The Pats need to get Chung some help at safety. Lots of help. Free agency/draft need: HIGH.

Cornerback: And lots of help at cornerback would be good too. Rookie sensation Devin McCourty took a huge step back in his second year. So far back that he was moved to safety. I kept the faith in him all year so I'm not giving up on him now. I still rank him as a solid NFL defensive back. Kyle Arrington had seven picks last year, among the league leaders. But many of those were of the "ball bounced right into his arms" variety. But he still caught them. That's something. Rookie Ras-I Dowling missed the year with an injury. Will he be the next Wheatley/Wilhite and never play? Like safety, I'm not even mentioning the backup guys. They should be moving on. Except Edelman and Slater. They can stay. They just shouldn't be playing defensive back anymore. Free agency/draft need: SKY HIGH.

SPECIAL TEAMS
The Pats are set at kicker for years to come with Gosty and Zoltan. They've got the legs. Free agency/draft need: LOW.


Guys that can catch the ball. Guys that can keep old man Brady off his back. Guys that can stop other guys from catching the ball. And guys that can put the other team's quarterback on his back. Those are the priorities. Now we'll see what coach/GM/concessions manager Bill Belichick can do about it.

General concerns

It hasn't been a good year for the Pats' general manager.

Yesterday the team dumped Albert Haynesworth. This on the heels of the waiving of veteran DB Leigh Bodden two weeks ago. Which came on the heels of the surrender on younger guys like Meriweather, McGowan, and Tate. Can the end of the Ocho be far behind? (Since he only has nine catches, who cares?)

The Pats are still in position to have a very good season. And as everyone was reminded the last two years, it doesn't always matter how great a regular season you have as long as you make the playoffs. That's when the wins really matter. Last year's team had an outstanding regular season. Winning big game after big game. It was a lot of fun. But a quick playoff exit took the lustre off all those wins. Still, it was a great year. A big step back in the right direction. But the '11 Patriots are not building on what the '10 Patriots started. Especially on D.

As many have written and said, GM Belichick has not done coach Belichick too many favors lately. The team made two very good off-season acquisitions. Offensive lineman Brian Waters has been a rock. Even though the line has had its hands full the last few weeks -- as they will Sunday night against the Jets -- they still have been one of the strengths. On the other side of the ball, free agent defensive end Andre Carter has been one of the few bright spots. He leads the team in sacks.

Two very good pick-ups. First-round pick Nate Solder looks to be a solid member of the O line for years to come. A 14-2 team that adds three more good starters should only be better. But when you subtract as many guys (Ty Warren, Meriweather, McGowan, Banta-Cain, coach Crump, Sanders, to name a few) as the Pats did then you have to add more than just three to replace them.  Not that the names on that list were star players. They weren't. But they were experienced guys that are missed. Especially on D. Someone had to replace them.

Haynesworth. Ellis. Ocho. Ras-I. Vereen. Price. Ihedigbo. A group of players that have added almost nothing in their first -- and in Haynesworth's case last -- season with the team. Nothing. Throw in second-year player -- and now, incredibly, almost starting safety -- Sergio Brown and you have less than nothing. Suddenly a deep 14-2 team doesn't look so deep.

The GM has done an impressive job moving the team from its dynasty years into its next incarnation. Ten years after the first Lombardi the Pats are still battling at the top of the league. Welker. Mayo. Vollmer. Chung. McCourty (maybe). Spikes. BenJarvis. Woody. Hernandez. Branch. Gronk. Ninko. Gostkowski. That's a lot of strong talent added over the past four or five seasons. The Sports Blabosphere seems to take for granted that the Pats are still one of the best teams in the NFL. They shouldn't.

Look at the Manning-less Colts right now. 0-9. When Brady went down in '08 the Pats went 11-5. That's because of depth. Belichick's Pats -- more often than not -- have had someone ready to step in when someone else goes down. Dan Connolly filling in for center Dan Koppen this season is just the latest example. The Pats rarely miss a beat.

This year that hasn't applied to the secondary. When the GM dumped Meriweather, Sanders, McGowan, Wilhite, and Butler before the season started it left a very shallow talent pool. Other than Pat Chung, McCourty, and Bodden there wasn't much to choose from. Ras-I Dowling? Josh Barrett? Sergio Brown? James Ihedigbo?The defensive backfield was Concern #1 coming out of camp. Eight games later the situation is beyond concern. Veteran Bodden has been cut. Barrett and Dowling are out for the year. James Ihedigbo is now your starting strong safety. That's bad planning by the GM. If Chung -- who throws his body around so much that he seems to drag himself back to the huddle at least once a game -- ever goes down you'll have Brown and Ihedigbo covering the middle of the field. You think the pass defense is bad now?

The Pats made eleven roster moves since Sunday's last-second loss to the Giants. Eleven. Belichick is starting to run the Pats like I run my fantasy team. "Let's try this guy. No. How about this guy. OK, let's bring back Ross Ventrone." It's a bad way to run a fantasy team. It's a really bad way to run an NFL team.

Not a good year for the GM. So far.

A break in the schedule

WEEK 7
The Patriots have come to their bye week. Time to take a little break from football -- and blogging. My break is a two-week bye as Dev and I head to Spain and then Morocco to visit my brother and let him know that Brady is having another MVP season. Oh, and see North Africa.

By the time I return to the land of the NFL the Patriots will have played a road game against the Steelers (VCR set) and will be in the process of hosting the Giants in Week 9. The way the 5-1 Pats have played, I like their chances in both those games.

The combined records of the six teams the Pats have played so far is only 13-14, but one of those teams is the 0-5 and soon-to-have-a-new-coach Dolphins. The Jets, Chargers, Bills, and Cowboys are all in the top 15 teams in the league and have posed serious tests to both the Pats' offense and defense. Tests they have mostly passed. As the players and coaches recharge -- and I head overseas -- here's a quick look at where they stand on both sides of the ball.

OFFENSE
What's not to like? The whole key is to keep Brady standing upright as much as possible. Give him time -- with all the weapons at his disposal -- and he will almost always make a play. He's one of the all-time greats and one more Lombardi away from sitting atop everyone's list. I know the rest of the football-loving world can't stand looking at him anymore. But he sure makes it good to be a Pats fan. And although I really don't care what his hair looks like, I have to admit his short hair is better.

The offensive line holds that aforementioned key and so far they have more than done the job. The last two weeks against Ryan brothers' defenses. They don't get any tougher than that. And all without center Dan Koppen. There aren't many teams that can miss a player like him and yet not miss a beat. That's coaching. Brian Waters (left), the veteran from KC, may be the best offseason pickup in the entire league. He's been that good. And he seems to have a lot left in the tank. As does Matt Light, the versatile leader with the three rings who can move all over the field. Mankins and youngsters Vollmer and Solder are beasts. The Pats have a lot of strengths, but none stronger than the O line.

The emphasis is always on protecting #12. But the last three games have seen the offense rush for more than 100 yards. That shouldn't surprise because the Pats could run the ball pretty well last year. BenJarvus and Woody are perfect for this offense. Tough. Protect the ball. Rarely lose yards. Solid blockers. Rookie Stevan Ridley has shown some flashes and maybe -- just maybe -- Kevin Faulk has a little more magic left. The Patriots can attack all kinds of ways.

Then there are the guys that catch Brady's passes. First and foremost there's Welker. He could shatter the record books if he keeps it up. And there's no reason to think he won't because he has lots of help. There's veteran Branch, who can be quiet for a stretch but then put together a string of big catches. And when he's quiet he's still playing hard and throwing blocks all over the field. Throw in the two-headed tight end monster of Gronk and Hernandez and you have lots of offensive weapons. Even Ocho, who has yet to have a big impact, has made some key plays. When he is your fourth or fifth option on a play, well, you have an offense that is tough to stop.

An offense that has had only eight three-and-outs so far this year. Eight. Some teams have that in one game. Like I said, what's not to like?

DEFENSE
Unfortunately, there are several things not to like about the defense. They are last in the league against the pass and last in yards allowed per game. But stats -- as they say -- are for losers and Ron Borges. The D is also ninth in the league against the run and fourteenth in points per game at 22. Now 22 is a lot to give up on average, but not when you are scoring 30 all the time. And the 22 has been trending downward.

The pass rush from the revamped defensive line has only made occasional appearances. Big Vince is having another great season. He truly is one of the rare cases of a star player finally landing his big pay day and actually playing harder and better. Gotta love Big Vince. He's the one constant in an ever-changing cast on the D line. Phat Albert, Shaun Ellis, Andre Carter, Kyle Love, Gerard Warren, Mark Anderson, Jermaine Cunningham. Carter has been a great addition. Not a stud, but definitely a playmaker. Ellis and Albert have yet to make a big impact for guys of their size. I think as the weather and the games get tougher, so will they.

The linebacking group WILL be a strength of this team. When everyone is healthy at the same time. First Brandon Spikes was out. He is back and starting to make an impact. Check out the first and second down plays of the Cowboys possession right before the Pats game-winning drive. Spikes smashed through the middle on back-to-back run plays, forcing Dallas into a third-and-long and eventually a punt. Big plays. And he did it with defensive captain Jerod Mayo on the sideline. Mayo had completely returned to his rookie-of-the-year form and seemed on the verge of taking the next step into Bruschi territory. Then he got hurt again. But he is already back on the practice field. Role players Ninko, Guyton, Fletcher, White, and Tarpinian round out a solid -- if not outstanding -- linebacking corp. When Mayo is on the field they are more than solid.

The secondary? I repeat. The Pats are last in the league against the pass. The pass rush needs to be better. No doubt. But when the D is getting passed on it's the coverage that has been really lacking. Especially in the first three games. Since then the coverage has been better. McCourty is having an ugly sophomore slump. But last year proved that he has the skills. He'll get it right. On the other side, veteran Leigh Bodden is back and you aren't hearing much about him. That's the way it should be for a cornerback. Patrick Chung is the man in the middle. I don't know how many times I've seen him limp off the field only to come back a few minutes later and make a huge tackle. He's fast becoming one of the best young safeties in the game. Which is good because he's practically playing the position by himself. Oh, I know James Ihedigbo, Sergio Brown, and Josh Barrett are on the roster. Someone has to play free safety.

The defense gave up lots of yards last year but the Pats went 14-2 because they got stops and turnovers when they had to. They led the league with 38 turnovers, 25 of them interceptions. They scored five defensive touchdowns. Those are the stats the defense needs to repeat. They already have eight picks and three fumble recoveries. That's a good start.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Gostkowski is back and looks strong although I thought he'd be sending his kickoffs off the lighthouse with the new rules. He made two big field goals last week in the comeback win against Dallas and he was 3-for-3 against the Jets in a game the Pats win by nine points. He's clutch. It was a big loss when he went down last year. Zoltan is having a much better start to his second season than his first. He wasn't bad last year for a rookie punter, but he's looking much more confident and comfortable so far this season. His average is up from 43 to nearly 46 yards and he has already dropped eight inside the 20. He only did that 19 times all of last year. The former Michigan captain is showing he was worth the draft pick.

Young players Julian Edelman and Matthew Slater have the potential to become a great pair of kick returners. Injuries have slowed them down. When one of them can't make it, some guy named Welker is there to fill in. he's pretty good.

COACHING
The quarterback may some day go down in the books as the greatest the NFL has ever seen. The coach already is. Watching the Pats' bench from my view in Section 109, I get to see the coaching staff in action. There's not a lot of high fiving and laughing and hysterics. Whether up by 10 or down by 10, the bench is always focused. Belichick had replaced Charlie Weiss and Romeo Crennel -- two key parts to the dynasty -- with Eric Mangini (rat) and Josh McDaniels. But they were too quick to bolt for their own head coaching jobs. (How did that work out?) Belichick now has a new group of young coaches led by Bill O'Brien (offense) and Matt Patricia (defense) and they seem to be learning fast. The Pats aren't perfect, but they very rarely beat themselves or look lost. Watch the coaching staffs of many other NFL teams and you'll realize just how rare that is.

Ten years after the first Super Bowl title and the Pats are still one of the best teams in the league. How good can the 2011 Pats be? They have lots of strengths and very few weaknesses. The season is still young. Ten more weeks to go. The Pats -- as they have done with regularity with Belichick as coach -- have put themselves in a good position. If they can stay relatively healthy, they should be in even better position when they finish up Week 17.

Isn't that special

WEEK 4
Finally! I repeat. Finally!

Patriots 41, Miami 14. AT Miami. I said to Mark as we talked on the phone during the game... "This is the biggest win the team has had since we lost that bleeping Super Bowl." It's only one game -- as they say -- but as one games go it's huge.

And it was 7-6 Dolphins at halftime. Then the Patriots did something they haven't done in a long time. Put all three phases of the game together, on the road, in the second half.

WEEK 4: Everybody Pat Chung tonight.

Mark and I were discussing the options to open the half with the Pats getting the ball. A drive for a leading score would be great. Or a field goal. Even a few first downs to gain some field position. As we were talking I saw Brandon Tate (class of '09) take the kick-off, get a monster block from Sammy Morris, and fly 103 yards for a touchdown. We hadn't thought of that option. But we should have. Whatever problems having young players causes on defense, it makes for fast, explosive play on special teams. Very special indeed.

The defense then forced Miami to punt from its own 26-yard line and safety Patrick Chung (class of '09) came flying through and blocked the punt. Another huge special teams play. The Pats recovered at the Miami 15 and two Ben Jarvis runs later they were up 20-7 just a few minutes into the second half.

Miami responded with a long scoring drive to cut the score to 20-14 and all the concerns about the defense returned. Would the Pats blow yet another second-half lead on the road? Can the defense stop anyone? I texted my nephew Pete "We need a drive to get the momentum back." Brady and the offense did just that, putting together a 12-play drive that ended with Danny Woodhead (playing the role of Kevin Faulk and cult hero) hauling in a pass over the middle and taking it in for a huge score. Pats 27-14.

Miami responded with another solid drive but the defense toughened and forced Miami to try a field goal. Chung came flying in again from the exact same spot and blocked the kick. Kyle Arrington scooped the ball up and raced 35-yards for the touchdown. The blowout was on.

Chung also returned a pick for a touchdown. Rob Ninkovich had two huge drive killing picks in the first half when the Dolphins were up 7-0 and trying to take control of the game early. The Pats also set some kind of record for the first team ever to return a kick for a TD, block a punt, return a pick for a TD, and about five other things in the same game. All that without Randy Moss catching a pass for the first time since coming to the team. The Pats made more plays in one night than they made in many, many road games combined.

The defense still gave up 400 yards but then again the vaunted Jets D gave up more than 400 yards to the same offense last week. The thing that was most encouraging was the way the D played when the game got out of hand in the fourth quarter. I was expecting Miami to score a late garbage TD or two. Instead the young defense continued to play hard in the heat of South Beach and kept Miami off the board. That was a strong way to finish.

The whole team finished strong -- and happy. Even the coach. When he took Brady out of the game with a minute left the two embraced in celebration. There's been a debate in my family about whether Brady -- with his frequent appearances in Names and his long locks and West Coast mansion -- still has the desire he had that made him so great when he was younger. Some in my family (you know who you are) think he's gone too Hollywood. Myself, being lucky enough to watch him on the bench week after week, and my nephew Pete see a Brady who is as determined as ever. Even more. Watching him come off the field and congratulating his teammates it was obvious the fire is still there.

As Mark and I signed off for the night, conversation had already turned to two weekends from now at Gillette. The rematch with the Ravens. "Let's start planning for that tomorrow,'' Mark said. "No bye week for us."