What Happens Next

The Bill Belichick era  New England Patriots have been a team that eats adversity for breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Guess what's on the menu?

The loss to the Chiefs was a sucker punch to the pigskin psyche. Losing Dont'a Hightower and Danny Amendola in the 4th quarter of that game and the foreseeable future falls well short of the worst case scenario (I can't say it out loud) but let's call it the recurring nightmare scenario. The Pats had already lost Julian Edelman and the defense was starting two new defensive ends and there was uncertainty at every linebacker spot save one. Hightower is the heart and soul of the defense. They'd be okay as long as he was on the field.

Well, that's not happening this Sunday.

Next Man Up

I'm looking forward to this Sunday's game. The look in the mirror loss to the Chiefs. The injuries to 'Dola and Boomtower. On the road facing a 0-1-0 Saints team that needs a win every bit as much as the Patriots and has their own Hall of Fame quarterback anxious to put one in the W column.

I'm expecting Tom Brady will be wearing his angry eyes; that's a given. But who needs to step up, shoulder to shoulder with Tom Terrific?

Brandin Cooks, Chris Hogan and Phillip Dorsett need to get loose and take the top off of the Saints defense.

All week long, local pigskin pundits and bobbleheads have been talking about James White, Rex Burkhead and how Josh McDaniels can replace routes run by the missing slot receivers. I know Brady's numbers from last Thursday might argue otherwise but I think the Patriots need to get vertical this Sunday to win.

The Saints would be fools to single Cooks on Sunday. Losing would be bad enough; losing because Cooks took the top off New Orleans' defense for 100+ yards and multiple TDs would make for a very uncomfortable post-game presser for Sean Payton.

I'd like to see Dorsett have a big game but I don't think he's had enough reps in practice for Brady to look for him. That leaves Hogan, who needs a game like the one he had against Pittsburgh in the 2016  AFC Championship game.

My only caveat here would be Dion Lewis. After a week of trade speculation, who better to have a big game running, catching and returning kicks?

Rob Gronkowski needs to be Gronk this Sunday.

(I know. This is the kind of pigskin insights you come here for. You're welcome.)

I suspect we'll see more of Mike Gillislee between the 20s this week. I'm not a big fan of taking the ball out of Tom Brady's hands but New England needs to get physical in this game. They got pushed around by the Chiefs last week. They failed to convert two 4th and 1 situations. They need to make a statement, not just to the Other 31 but for their own mental health. When they aren't throwing deep they should be running the ball straight ahead.

I think we find out if Rob Ninkovich is coming out of retirement this Sunday.

If Trey Flowers and Dietrich Wise can get after Drew Brees and Devin McCourty and the secondary can keep the Saints offense in front of them, New England should win what I think will be a shootout. I have no idea what's wrong with Malcolm Butler and I'm not sure the Patriots have a linebacker who can cover running backs in the passing game. We saw what Alex Smith did to the Patriots last Thursday and we know Drew Brees is better at throwing a football. Given time in the pocket, Brees could do serious damage to the scoreboard.

The defensive line has to dominate the line of scrimmage in this one and somebody has to make Brees life miserable. I'm looking at you Trey Flowers.

Regardless of the specifics, I'll be watching a team that has prided itself on mental toughness to see how they respond to what feels like (and may be) one of the worst regular season losses of the Belichick era.

Go Pats!