Moving on to Cincinnati

I don’t know if you’ve heard but we’re moving on to Cincinnati.

 

The best thing about getting your ass kicked in Week 4?

Week 5.

The Patriots will be on a national stage again this Sunday night. It should make for riveting TV. I’ve seen how New England teams of previous years have responded to adversity and it doesn’t get much more adverse than having everyone throw a shovelful of dirt on your face. Over the week I’ve seen lots of math quantifying just how awful the Patriots are with pie charts parceling out the blame. Belichick, Brady, McDaniels, the offensive line, the new offensive line coach, Brady, Belichick, Obama, Free Masons, Hipsters and Belichick. There was a lot of blame. It was a big pie chart. Lots of colors.

So.

Adversity.

Nobody moves on like Belichick, of course. The clothing and other personal belongings of last week’s game have been thrown out in the yard. (Grab your bags and get gone – You better hurry up!) The locks have been changed. There is no then. There is only now. And now it’s all about the Bengals.

Do the Patriots get up off the mat this Sunday night?

Like I said, I’ve seen them do it before.

Whoever the leaders of this team are, they need to step up. The defense needs Tedy Bruschi/Rodney Harrison level attitude. Someone needs to lead this offensive line. Tom Brady needs to say fuck it and just chuck it. Okay, I have no idea what I’m saying now. Except maybe that I expect a fight to break out in this game.

Is there such a thing as a “must win” game in October? In this case, I think so. This Sunday’s game is a “must win” game for New England. A win Sunday night and the Patriots will have their ineffable it back; their mojo, their swag, their tude, their chi.

A loss, however respectable, will justify a narrative that will be difficult for the Patriots to escape. The Patriots are coding and the defibrillator isn’t having any effect. Kill the monster! I mean… Trade Brady! Anybody who wanted to see Brady throwing passes to Cordarrelle Patterson might just get their wish. Unlikely? Yeah, Teddy Bridgewater isn’t hurt that bad. St. Louis? Tennessee? Oakland? Sounds crazy? Still more likely than thinking the Patriots can get Larry Fitzgerald in trade for Aaron Dobson.

I find I have fewer and fewer rational reasons for it but I still think this thing turns out all right.

I think there’s no shortage of pride – or talent – in the Patriots locker room. There should be no shortage of desperation, either, and that may be even more important.