Patriots go to work on division problem

AFC East rivals are coming after them

November 04, 2008|Christopher L. Gasper, Globe Staff

The mood in the Patriots' locker room following their hard-fought and hard-luck 18-15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts Sunday night was understandably funereal. It would be human nature to dwell on what could have been/should have been against the Colts, but the Patriots don't have time to wallow in pigskin self-pity.

With next to no contributions from their projected starting backfield of quarterback Tom Brady and running back Laurence Maroney, both of whom are done for the season, the Patriots sit at 5-3 halfway through the season, locked in a three-way tie with the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets for first place in the AFC East.

This Sunday's crucial game at home against the Bills kicks off a stretch of three straight division games for the Patriots. After the Bills, New England plays the Jets on a Thursday night, Nov. 13, at Gillette Stadium and then travels to Miami to face the Dolphins Nov. 23. Those games will go a long way in deciding whether the Patriots can win a sixth straight AFC East title.

Any anger over playing perfect stall ball on offense and limiting Peyton Manning and the Colts to 18 points on defense but still losing has to be left in the locker room at Lucas Oil Stadium, or the Patriots will be left behind in the AFC East.

"You got to take it for what it is - we're still 5-3," said cornerback Ellis Hobbs following Sunday night's loss. "We go from here. We continue to play. We've got an eight-game season. We have some division games coming up.

"It hurts right now, but it's just like a win. I take it for what it is today. Then tomorrow it's out of my system."

The Patriots have dominated the AFC East since 2001, winning five straight titles and six of seven. Their 36-10 record (.783 winning percentage) in divisional play since 2001 is the best in the NFL.

But this year is different.

The balance of power in the division shifted the moment Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard plowed into Brady's left knee in the season opener. While the Bills, Jets, and Patriots are tied for the lead, Miami, which already has beaten the Patriots this season, is just a game back at 4-4.

"I think all three of those are good football teams," said coach Bill Belichick. "We certainly knew about the Jets and Miami, that wasn't any surprise. The way that Buffalo has been built with the job that [coach] Dick [Jauron] has done there and getting a lot of young talented players on their team and how explosive they are in the return game, on special teams and offensively with [Lee] Evans, all the [other] receivers, and [Marshawn] Lynch [at running back]. Defensively, their speed and quickness up front with some talented guys in the secondary it doesn't surprise me that they have won five games, no."