Written by Alex Marvez at Sporting News.com
Through five games, the 2017 Patriots haven’t lived up to the high standards set by their predecessors.
This will be a problem in the playoffs — should New England get that far — if the shortcomings aren’t fixed.
It wasn’t one Thursday night.
Not when the opposition repeatedly self-destructs like the Buccaneers did during the Pats’ ugly 19-14 victory at Raymond James Stadium.
Teams don’t have to play the proverbial “perfect game” to beat these Patriots like when Bill Belichick’s machine is truly humming. The Chiefs and Panthers already have proven that, sending New England to Florida with the possibility of its first 2-3 start since 2001.
But as history continues to show — and exemplified by Bucs kicker Nick Folk’s three missed field goal attempts — you still can’t make as many mistakes against New England as Tampa Bay did and have a realistic chance of winning.
Especially if Tom Brady manages to remain upright.
That’s not a given over the rest of the season. Brady is already nursing a sore left (non-throwing) shoulder, according to Patriots radio analyst Scott Zolak. More physical damage may be forthcoming if the Patriots (3-2) don’t provide better protection.
Brady was sacked thrice by a Bucs defense that had generated just one sack through its first three games. Brady’s 40-year-old body has now gone down 16 times, already eclipsing the 15 sacks he weathered through the 12 regular-season games he played in 2016.
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