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Had a chance to briefly look back at the game this morning and there weren’t too many new things that stuck out to me. Looking forward to taking a closer look at the defense once the all-22 comes out, seems like they amped up the complexity this week a bit. Otherwise, here’s what’s on my mind this morning.

1. There’s no question I really like what this defense has done in three weeks, and really, it’s just living up to expectations. They’ve been torched by so many sub-par QBs in recent years, it shouldn’t be understated that despite the lack of strong opposition, they’re getting it done now. Bigger tests are coming, but this group should have some confidence.
2. Nice to see some of the rookies getting worked in on defense as well, with Jamie Collins starting to see the field in pass defense sub-packages. From the early snaps I saw, he was solely covering the middle of the field, a place the Pats have struggled in recent years.
3. Have to take a closer look at Kyle Arrington, but it certainly seems like he got benched in this one, giving Logan Ryan some quality snaps in his place. 
4. Brandon Spikes was back and it seems clear he was not himself the first two games. He was once again blowing up oncoming blockers and making plays behind the line of scrimmage. Didn’t seem like the Bucs were able to attack him in coverage either.
5. Can’t say enough about Aqib Talib and the performance of the defensive backs. Looked to me like almost all the sacks were because of the coverage. Even when there were completed passes on them, the tackles came immediately.
6. I’m still a little worried about Vince Wilfork. He was better against the Bucs, but has yet to really flash his usual dominance.
7. Brady was off a bit for sure, but it’s all part of the process. I don’t think you can make any major judgement of Brady separate from the receivers he has, even if there were open throws he missed.
8. Props to Gostkowski. There was some buzz around him this offseason, but he’s played as well as a kicker can play thus far. The impact of putting Ryan Allen in at holder has had zero effect.
9. I still don’t love LeGarrette Blount and would be happy with a Ridley/Bolden rotation.
10. Hopefully Gronk is back this week, they need him in the red zone especially and then things should really start to click.
11. All in all it was an old-fashioned win. It’s tough for the Pats because they’re always judged against the high standards of past teams. But judged alone this looks like a team that will really improve and be a tough out once winter comes.

The start of the regular season is always filled with uncertainty and sloppy play, with teams headed for disastrous seasons often looking pretty good, and teams headed for the conference championship losing at home to teams that wouldn’t win another road game all season.

Couple this uncertainty with the amount of injuries that the Pats have had to deal with and it’s obvious that the 2013 Patriots are still very much an unknown.

By winning their first two games, regardless of the lack of style points they got in doing so, the Patriots have set themselves up to overcome their litany of injuries. Now they’ll face NFC opponents in three of the next four weeks, games unlikely to have a major impact on the AFC playoff race down the line.

The Patriots now have a cushion, at least in the division, to continue to force feed their rookie receivers as reinforcements slowly pour in.

The first expected to return is Rob Gronkowski, whose impact in all aspects of offensive football is undeniable. 

Re-incorporating the tight end into New England’s offense will provide a huge boost in both the passing and running game. Add in rookie Zach Sudfeld’s return from a hamstring injury that kept him out Week 2, and the Pats should have an entirely new dynamic to their offensive attack.

Danny Amendola will not require surgery for a sports hernia, putting the time table for his return around “a few weeks”. The ideal target return for him? When the Pats return to the division, traveling to the Jets in Week 7. That would give Amendola four more weeks to recover and give the Pats a boost in the Pats’ back-to-back divisional games with them facing the Dolphins the following week.

After an important Week 9 matchup against the Steelers, the Pats get their bye week, the first week running back Shane Vereen would be eligible to return. With that additional bye week to heal, the Pats should be fully healthy heading into the last two months of their season.

Their young wide receivers will have gotten plenty of experience, not only as third and fourth options, but as the primary weapons in the offense. That kind of experience is hard to come by and should pay dividends down the road.

Of course there will be other injuries the Pats must contend with, but no matter how ugly things looked in the first two games, they should be back to near full-strength for the stretch run, and not face a single divisional game as shorthanded as they were for the first two.

Get your Patriots tickets!!