Brady Not Standing Pat

Last night's closer-than-it-shoulda-been Patriots-Jets game has shown me one thing.

The Pats should be worried; very worried.

With the chosen one, Thomas Brady, only going 19-39 with one touchdown when there was more out there to be had, everyone in that locker room had best be prepared to come to work on Monday. Their total of nine first downs was their lowest since 1998.

I mean, if anyone else -- say, Tim Tebow -- posted that performance, even his pastor would have cut him.

But this is Brady at the helm, and it just can't be his fault.

Actually, the game was a classic example of quarterbacks getting too much credit or blame for a team's performance. The Pats receivers were definitely playing like the junior varsity last night. In the Jets' case, they would have been thrilled if anyone on offense played as well as the junior varsity last night.

The only good thing the Pats had going for them was their pressure on rookie Geno Smith, resulting in their ability to pick him off three times in the fourth quarter. They won't be that fortunate going forward as New England must deal with Matt Ryan and Drew Brees in the next four weeks.

Yes, winning teams find a way to prevail in the ugly games, but this is now two in a row for the Pats. At some point, the odds will catch up with them, and that's not counting the better teams doing it first.

And as to teams like the Bills and Jets?

Well, for this year, yet again, ugly is just a way of life.