Welker had as good a career in New England as any receiver in the history of the franchise and one of the greatest six-year stretches in the history of the league. So, news about his past endeavors will surely be a topic throughout training camp and into the new year. Oh, and don’t forget about the Patriots regular-season game with the Broncos set for next season — date is still to be determined.

Beyond Welker’s comments during the news conference, if you want to take a look at a preview of what Welker will look like for the next few seasons here is a photo.

Photo via Twitter/ByLindsayJones

5:58 p.m.: I’m sure Welker is glad that no one had any Danny Amendola related questions for him during that quick media session, but I am surprised no one at least offered up a chance to offer his two cents or even praise his fellow Red Raider.

One thing you can bet on in the coming year is that Welker will become a more loose and open guy in the media. He was known as something of a prankster and joker during his days at Texas Tech and even in Miami. But Belichick forced him to tone it down considerably during his six seasons with the Patriots.

It will be nice to fun Wes come out more often than the occasional glimpse we got in Foxboro.

5:52 p.m.: That presser was certainly short lived, lasting a little less than 15 minutes on the whole.

There’s no set time for these sorts of things, but I’m sure there were a lot more questions to be asked if he stuck around a little longer.

On the whole, Welker did seem pretty grateful for Patriots fans and his time in New England and even let on a little that leaving wasn’t his first choice. Very well handled.

You’ve got to appreciate a guy with that much humility and respect. He really stayed his ground and made sure not to step on any toes on his way out, even with the clear issues between he and the front office.

5:47 p.m.: Speaking specifically on Belichick, Welker let on no real hard feelings about the situation.

He said that when leaving “everything was on good terms” with the head coach. Take that as you will, and for what it’s worth at an opening presser.

5:42 p.m.: He hasn’t specifically mentioned Bill Belichick or Robert Kraft at all yet, which isn’t all that unusual for these news conferences but definitely an interesting piece to this drama.

As for making such a tough decision, Welker credited “wanting to win” for the move the Denver.

5:40 p.m.: He’s all smiles at the podium in Denver, but Welker did say the hardest part about leaving New England was “leaving Tom [Brady].”

The two have been great friends for so many years, so it’s got to be a difficult situation moving to a rival.

5:38 p.m.: Welker thanks New England for all the opportunities, but seems focused on turning his attention to the future with the Broncos.

5:36 p.m.: John Elways approaches the podium and immediately opens with “we’re proud that he’s a Denver Bronco.”

This should get fun real quick.

5:34 p.m.: The media are patiently waiting on Welker, Elway and the rest of the Broncos staff to pop through those doors and get this thing underway.

It will be interesting to see if Welker actually addresses much about his time in New England or goes into depth about the bitter days leading up his departure.

There are some local reporters in the house, so we’ll leave it on them to make sure the right questions are asked and Welker can address just what happened.

5:20 p.m.: We’re mere minutes away from Welker being introduced out in the Mile High City. In the meantime, we’ve got some updates on Welker’s contract with the Broncos for you.

The original two years and $12 million is correct, but if you’re a nerd like me then maybe you want it broken down.

He’ll receiver a $4 million signing bonus and his base salary will be $2 million this season. As for 2014, Welker will receive a $3 million roster bonus and will make $3 million in base salary, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.

This isn’t the most shocking or desirable info — I know — but people tend to like seeing exactly how the contract breaks down and it piqued my interest. So there.

Anyhow, back to the matter at hand. We’re still awaiting Welker making his way to the podium.

5 p.m.: Wes Welker’s departure has left Patriots fans almost everywhere shocked and disheartened for the future of the team. Even so, Welker is already moving on with his football career and the Broncos are set to introduce their new wideout within the next hour.

Welker has already arrived in Denver, rocking a snazzy purple button up and some shades. He seems ready to take on the challenge of joining a new team and the benefits of playing with one of the other best quarterbacks in NFL history Peyton Manning.

Speaking of legenedary quarterbacks, guess who greeted Welker at the door? Yup, that’s John Elway meeting Welker for the first time, while sporting an odd pink shirt, maroon slacks combo — now, I’m beginning to sound like the fashion police.

All the action begins promptly at 5:30 p.m., and we’ll have the highlights for you throughout the duration of the presser. So, keep it locked here for everything you need to know.

Oh yeah, and check out the photos of Welker entering the premises and meeting with Elway below.

Photos via Twitter/@Denver Broncos

Tom Brady looked solid throughout much of the day, but ultimately the Ravens’ defense proved just too much for he and the Patriots to handle. Dannell Ellerbe’s interception ultimately clinched the game for Baltimore, too, as they continue on with Ray Lewis’ retirement tour.

Joe Flacco started slow, completing just one of six passes in the first quarter, but he was brilliant in the second half and finished with three touchdowns on the night. Aqib Talib, who shut down Torrey Smith for much of the first quarter, left the game in the first half and the Patriots’ defense was never the same again.

Once again, Flacco outplayed Brady, and the Ravens will be headed to their first Super Bowl since winning the game back in 2001.

Awaiting them will be the San Francisco 49ers, who ousted the Atlanta Falcons in dramatic fashion earlier in the day with a 28-24 win in the NFC Championship Game.

As for the Patriots, they’re headed into another deflating offseason with only dreams of what could have been. That closes the book on a very promising and successful — but ultimately disappointing — season for the Patriots. Next season might bring more glory, but this one just didn’t pan out as Bill Belichick envisioned.

Fourth Quarter, 2:00, Ravens 28-13: This game really took a turn in the second half.

Flacco led the Ravens to 21 unanswered points and the Patriots just weren’t able to get anything going against Ray Lewis and this Ravens defense.

What a comeback by the Ravens, too. They really are working their butts off to send Ray Lewis out into the sunset. Now, they’ll get their chance to see him off in style.

Fourth Quarter, 7:25, Ravens 28-13: That’s all she wrote.

The Patriots were in prime position to at least cut the lead down to a single score after a big Welker reception, but a batted ball and interception by Dannell Ellerbe all but sealed the game for the Ravens.

Brady’s been pretty good all day, but the Patriots needed better than “pretty good,” especially in the second half, to win this one.

Barring any drastic changes, the Ravens will be heading to New Orleans and the Patriots will be headed into yet another disappointing offseason.

Fourth Quarter, 8:27, Ravens 28-13: There’s more than eight minutes left, but barring some dramatic turn of events it looks like the Patriots will be done right here.

Brady dipped and dunked down the field, but a key drop from Shane Vereen and a few errant decisions by Brady ultimately saw that drive stalled. The Ravens get the ball back with a chance to finish the one off.

Fourth Quarter, 11:16, Ravens 28-13: Stevan Ridley won’t be coming back, but this time the fumble wasn’t really his fault.

The Ravens took advantage of an unfortunate fumble from an almost unconscious Ridley, and Flacco hit Boldin for another touchdown catch to put Baltimore up 28-13.

After dominating much of the first half, the Patriots have been outscored 21-0 in the second.

There are still 11 minutes left, but judging by the Patriots’ inability to stop Flacco in the second half, this one will need a quick strike from Brady or we could be waiting for the fat lady to sing.

Fourth Quarter, 14:56, Ravens 21-13: That Ravens drive looked almost Patriots-esque.

Baltimore worked its way down the field in 4:50 and ran 10 plays, mostly passes, to give them what feels like a commanding eight-point lead.

The middle of the field continues to be a big problem for the Patriots’ secondary, and Devin McCourty just got beat by the more physical Boldin on that touchdown snag.

Brady and the offense really need to find a rhythm and quickly, or maybe even get Ridley going again. Otherwise, this could be a blowout going in the wrong direction heading into the final minutes of the fourth.

End Third Quarter, Ravens 14-13: That quarter couldn’t have gone any worse for the Patriots.

The offense was quiet, and then the defense let Flacco and the Ravens drive downfield twice, scoring to take the lead once and now in prime position to build on that lead.

Brady hasn’t looked very sharp in the second half, and Baltimore is finally utilizing its tight ends and the middle of the field. The emergence of Bernard Pierce out of the backfield has also killed the Patriots, as he’s busted out nine carries for 47 yards on the ground and reestablished the running game.

Third Quarter, 6:14, Ravens 14-13: Jim Caldwell was the Ravens’ biggest problem in the first half, but he’s finally seemed to adjust to what can work against this defense.

After Talib went out in the first half, Caldwell started calling a lot of deep balls to exploit the absence, but the Patriots stood strong and Kyle Arrington played well in his place.

On that drive, though, Caldwell started attacking Marquice Cole and the middle of the field over the top of the linebackers. Well, it worked, as Flacco found Dennis Pitta on a few conversions and finally started eyeing Boldin more.

If the Patriots don’t figure out how to contain Pitta and these tight ends, then the Ravens will stick around all night.

Third Quarter,9:48, Patriots 13-7: With so much of the focus on Talib’s absence, Chandler Jones has been an absolute no-show on the day.

After fully participating in practice on Friday, the expectation was for the Jones to see at some sort of role in today’s game. Apparently he must not have been healthy enough to really contribute today.

Both Justin Francis and Trevor Scott have been filling in well in his place, but it is interesting to see Jones standing intently with his helmet on on the sidelines as if he’s expecting to go in at some point.

Third Quarter, 12:49, Patriots 13-7: The Patriots are clearly much better with Talib on the field, but Kyle Arrington has actually done a nice job in his absence.

Arrington allowed one big 25-yard catch to Smith on the Ravens’ scoring drive, but since then he’s done a nice job shutting down the big-play receiver and really locking in on the outside.

When Arrington moved inside to the slot midseason, the results were tremendous and it seemed like a permanent fit. Now, he’s at least showing that he can still cover on the outside, especially with the Patriots in a pinch without Talib.

I don’t see Talib coming back anytime today, either.

Halftime, Patriots 13-7: The offense was steady throughout the first half, mixing in a good variety of run and pass and jumping all over the Ravens heading into the half.

One key to the Patriots’ 13-7 lead heading into the half was the disparity in field position for both teams. The Ravens started all four of their drives inside their own 15-yard line, while the Patriot started two of their drives beyond their own 30 and one inside Baltimore territory.

Brady went 14-for-24 for 139 yards, connecting with Aaron Hernandez seven times for 67 yards, and really opening up the running game for Ridley. The running back pounded the Ravens for 46 yards on the ground and really took control on the Patriots’ only touchdown drive.

As for the defense, Aqib Talib’s early exit with a thigh injury was noticeable when Joe Flacco dinked and dunked the Ravens down the field over the patchwork secondary. Ray Rice did his part, too, running off for 31 yards and punching in a two-yard score to get the Ravens on the board.

If Talib can’t return, the Ravens might be in a very good spot offensively and we might see a lot more deep passes to Smith and Boldin. With  Baltimore getting the ball to start the second half, that initial drive will be key for the Patriots in continuing their momentum and giving Brady a chance to tack onto that lead.

Second Quarter, 2:00, Patriots 10-7: With the passing game rolling on full tilt, the emergence of Ridley out of the backfield has been just as important to the Patriots’ offensive success so far.

Ridley has run 13 times for 46 yards on the afternoon and is continually eating up Ravens linebackers. His success on the ground has forced Baltimore to take some focus away from the pass and allowed Brady to reconnect with Welker over the middle.

With Ridley running in high gear, Brady should be able to work in another scoring drive heading into the locker room. The Ravens get the ball to start the second half, so it would be very important to have a two-score leading coming out of the half.

Second Quarter, 4:18, Patriots 10-7: We’ve got a Wes Welker sighting, and he’s looking good.

Welker, who was shut out entirely in the first quarter, caught three big passes on that scoring drive, including the two-yard touchdown to reclaim the lead for the Patriots.

Welker needs to establish some sort of presence over the middle for Brady to find more consistency in this passing game, but his emergence on that drive is certainly a good sign.

Meanwhile, Ridley is pounding away at this defense and just continues to find holes to run through. He’s going to continue to be a big piece in this offensive puzzle.

Second Quarter, 9:28, Ravens 7-3: Just like you did with your mom as a kid, with Talib away the Ravens could play.

Flacco rediscovered his deep ball with a nice pass to Torrey Smith, and Ray Rice tore up the Patriots on the ground and through the air, eventually punching the two-yard run in for the score.

If Talib can’t make it back on the field, the Patriots might be in big trouble. His ability to shut down Smith or Boldin was key to containing this passing game in the first quarter, but without him Flacco seems far more comfortable.

Bernard Pierce was also key on that drive, spelling Rice and gashing the Patriots’ defense a few times. Now, Vince Wilfork and Co. will need to lock down up the middle and contain this dangerous pair.

End First Quarter, Patriots 3-0: Flacco needs a big day to take down the Patriots, but so far he’s come up with nothing.

Flacco’s completed just one of six in the first quarter, and the Ravens’ offense isn’t functioning nearly as effectively as it did in Denver last weekend.

Tom Brady and the Patriots are rolling as usual, though. Brady’s connected with both Hernandez and Lloyd for all of his production (eight catches for 80 yards), and the running game has found some legs — at least temportarily — behind Ridley and Shane Vereen.

The big key in this one, so far at least, has been the field position for both teams. Neither offense has started drives with great field position, but the Ravens have started each of their four drives inside the 20-yard line now. You’re not going to win any big games without field position, too.

Now, the major question lingering is if Talib can return to this game. His thigh clearly bothered him as he went back to the locker room, but without him the Ravens might find a way to beat the Patriots deep.

First Quarter, 5:00, Patriots 3-0: So far, Joe Flacco’s big, strong arm has been held in tight contain by this secondary.

Aqib Talib has been a big part of this defense since coming over in a trade, and his big-play ability was on display again to start this game. He’s shut down both Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin as the Ravens’ passing game is almost non-existent.

There is a point of concern on Talib, though. He seemed to hop toward the sideline, grabbing his right hamstring, as he headed off the field. He met with members of the Patriots’ medical staff, but then went off to the locker room as the Pats’ offense took the field.

First Quarter, 6:21, Patriots 3-0: Tom Brady has looked awfully accurate to start this game, and his connection with Brandon Lloyd and Aaron Hernandez is playing a big part in that.

Lloyd, who had a great game against the Ravens in Week 3, is finding holes in their coverage again with three catches for 37 yards to start this game.

As for Hernandez, he’s being used as something of a Z-back and lining up all over the field. But his ability to catch and run with the ball has been huge for the Patriots in getting first downs and extending drives.

If Brady is to continue being effective, more guys like Welker will need to step up and assert some sort of presence on the outside. For the time being, Lloyd and Hernandez are doing a terrific job.

First Quarter, 11:50: Even without Gronk, the Patriots started out of the two-tight end set in this one.

Hoomanawanui and Hernandez were up on the line for most of it, and Stevan Ridley established the ground game with three carries for 13 yards.

That running game will be key for the Patriots in this game, as it will determine how much time Brady will have to throw out of the pocket. Brady’s time and protection, which seems quality on that first series, are crucial to maintaining this up-tempo attack.

6:22 p.m.: Tom Brady’s all sorts of fired up leading up to kickoff here, but Ray Lewis has his Ravens teammates just as jacked up.

The Patriots are fortunate to have home-field advantage in such a big game, especially considering the impact it had on last year’s outcome. But while the crowd gets settled into their seats and all riled up for what should be another epic showdown, we’ll get you ready with our weekly Three and Out.

Let’s take a peek at the three biggest keys for the Patriots in this AFC Championship rematch.

1. Replacing Gronk – Well, let’s cover the obvious with this one. Rob Gronkowski was placed on injured reserve on Thursday, officially ending his season. The Patriots finally have a healthy Aaron Hernandez, which will be huge, and guys like Michael Hoomanawanui at tight end and Shane Vereen out of the backfield will help to make up for Gronk’s impact and production here against the Ravens.

2. Special Concerns – Last week the Ravens were gashed by Trindon Holliday and the Broncos’ special teams. But the Patriots faced a similar fate as the Texans return unit sliced through Matt Slater and the special teams on a few different occasions. This time around, Jacoby Jones and the special teams unit could present a major issue for the Pats, which needs to be a top priority throughout.

3. Tom Terrific? – In last year’s version of this game, Tom Brady put up quite a stinker. Joe Flacco outplayed him in almost every aspect of that game, and a similar performance this year might not see the same result. Brady really needs one of those legendary playoff showings (like he did a few times during the early part of his career) to keep the Patriots’ offense rolling and Flacco off the field.

6:10 p.m.:  After a phenomenal finish in Atlanta, it looks like Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers will be waiting for one of these two teams in New Orleans.

The 49ers made a terrific comeback from down 17 to pull out the win, and whichever team they meet will certainly make for an exciting Super Bowl.

As for the Falcons, you’ve got to give them credit for another gutsy performance. Ryan, even with a battered shoulder, led them down inside the 10 for the second straight week, but they came up short this time.

What a terrific game. These Falcons can no longer be seen as “chokers.”

5:43 p.m.: The 49ers have taken the lead, but Matt Ryan and company still have plenty of time to get back in the driver’s seat.

As a Boston College alum I’m a bit biased here, but I do feel like Ryan has done nearly everything to put the Falcons in position to win. This defense just can’t seem to stop anything in the second half.

The Niners have taken away a lot of the deep balls that Ryan killed them with early on, so he’ll need to rely on Gonzalez to take control of this one.

Keep up with all the action in our 49ers-Falcons Live Blog.

5:15 p.m.: Rob Gronkowski won’t be walking through that door, but we knew that coming into this championship showdown.

With so much focus on Jacoby Jones and one of the NFL’s best special teams units, the Patriots were expected to have some extra specialists out there today. Instead, it looks like they won’t have any extra help on that unit after all.

As for Gronk, it’s no great surprise that tight end Daniel Fells is active and should see a decent role in this game.

Now, let’s take a look at the other guys who won’t be playing for the Patriots and Ravens on Sunday.

Ravens:
CB Asa Jackson
OL Ramon Harewood
DL DeAngelo Tyson
DT Bryan Hall
S Omar Brown
LB Adrian Hamilton
WR Deonte Thompson

Patriots:
WR Kamar Aiken
DE Jake Bequette
DL Marcus Forston
CB Malcolm Williams
CB Derrick Martin
OL Nick McDonald
OL Marcus Zusevics

4:30 p.m.: The first game of today’s championship doubleheader is proving to be quite exciting. It’s really setting a precedent for this Ravens-Patriots showdown, too.

Julio Jones is the talk of the town down in Atlanta, already racking up more than 130 receiving yards, but Matt Ryan’s three touchdown passes are even more impressive.

After trailing 17-0 to start things off, Colin Kapenerick led the Niners back downfield for a pair of scores to cut the lead to just three. But then Matty Ice sparked a quick-strike drive within two minutes once again and put the Falcons up 24-14 just before the half.

Keep up with all the action and excitement with our 49ers-Falcons Live Blog.

3:23 p.m.: Here we go, New England. It’s championship weekend and the big game is finally upon us.

The Falcons are already on the board, leading the 49ers 7-0 early in the NFC showdown. Meanwhile, the Patriots and Ravens are getting set inside the lockers rooms here at Gillette.

NFL Writer Luke Hughes and NESN.com writer Doug Kyed will have all your news and analysis here from inside the press box from here on out.

Players haven’t made their way onto the field for pregame warmups just yet, but here’s a shot of the field in preparation of today’s events anyhow.

8 a.m. ET: The day of reckoning is upon us, at least for those of us who intently follow the NFL.

The NFL’s conference judgment day will begin with the San Francisco 49ers’ visit to Atlanta for the NFC crown, but all eyes will be peeled for the Ravens’ trip to Foxboro to mark a repeat of last season’s AFC title game.

Tom Brady has been preparing for his chance at a sixth Super Bowl appearance, and he won’t let another underwhelming performance, as he experienced last year, keep the Patriots from getting back to the big game.

Vince Wilfork, Jerod Mayo and the defense are keeping a similar mindset, trying to play with a chip on their shoulder given the Ravens’ narrow 31-30 victory over the Pats earlier this season. The Patriots boast a very different defensive unit than Baltimore saw in Week 3. Aqib Talib has helped stabilize the Patriots’ secondary, while the play of Devin McCourty and rookie Alfonzo Dennard has also made a significant difference in the transition.

This game will be much different than the first one between these teams this season, as the Patriots have developed into a very different team and Joe Flacco has seemingly developed into a very different quarterback in these playoffs. There’s plenty to keep an eye out for, so make sure you keep it locked here with the NESN.com live blog for all your updates.

Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m., but make sure you stick with us all day to get all your news, notes and analysis from the 49ers-Falcons showdown as well ahead of the Patriots’ game.

Have a question for Luke Hughes? Send it to him via Twitter at @LukeFHughes or send it here.

Final, Patriots 41-28: 

Tom Brady was impressive in the win, throwing for 344 yards and three touchdowns.

The victory also came at a cost — Danny Woodhead, Rob Gronkowski and Chandler Jones all left the game with injuries, and it’s been reported by multiple sources that Gronkowski is lost for the remainder of the playoffs.

The Patriots will face the Ravens in Foxboro on Sunday, Jan. 20, at 6:30 p.m.

Fourth quarter, 2:00, Patriots 38-28: Stevan Ridley is doing a nice job putting this game away for New England. The Patriots are at the 19-yard line, and they’ve taken more than three minutes off the clock now.

It would be tough for the Texans to come back from 10 down with two minutes left, but a score would really put this game away.

Fourth quarter, 5:11, Patriots 38-28: The Texans scored again and converted the two-point conversion to cut the lead to 38-28. At this point, the Texans are just making the final score look a little better in their favor. The Patriots will try to eat the clock again here to end the fourth quarter.

The statistics may not look great by the end of the game, but the Patriots have been impressive on defense today.

Fourth quarter, 10:42, Patriots 38-20: Pro Football Talk sent out a tweet saying Rob Gronkowski needs another surgery and is out for the remainder of the postseason. That’s obviously a huge hit for New England, but they were getting it done down the stretch without the star tight end.

Fourth quarter, 11:35, Patriots 38-20: If there’s one area for Patriots fans and Bill Belichick to complain about after this game, it’s kickoff coverage. New England has been giving up yards in giants chunks to Danieal Manning on kick returns. He now has four returns for 216 yards. He doesn’t have any touchdowns, so that’s a plus for the Patriots.

Devier Posey caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Schaub. It was a great diving play by the rookie out of Ohio State. It was originally ruled incomplete, but the Texans challenged, and it was overturned into a touchdown.

The Texans are now down by just three scores, so the Patriots will likely try to eat some clock with Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen. With the way Vereen has been playing, though, that clock may turn into points pretty quickly.

Fourth quarter, 13:07, Patriots 38-13: You may be able to classify this game as “out of hand.” The Patriots have gone up by four scores now and are firing on all cylinders.

The Patriots will rarely chuck it out to a running back split out wide at wide receiver, but Shane Vereen has been a big contributor in the passing game tonight, and that included a 33-yard touchdown pass. Woodhead was lost early in this game with a thumb injury, and Vereen has more than stepped up in his place. Chucking a ball 33 yards deep to Woodhead would be doubtful.

End Third Quarter, Patriots 31-13: The Patriots came out with one heck of a response here in the second half, and two touchdowns in the third quarter have extended a dominating three-score lead heading into the fourth.

Stevan Ridley’s strong running through the tackles has been huge, and the play of the defense, especially against the run, has been big in keeping the Texans off the scoreboard.

Houston will need quite the effort from Schaub, Foster and company in this final frame if they have any hope of regaining momentum and/or this lead.

Third Quarter, 1:21 , Patriots 31-13: He’s alive.

After barely seeing the field in the first half, Stevan Ridley has now run for 68 yards on 10 carries and seems to be carrying the Patriots’ offense in the second half.

Ridley has been very careful with the ball and must be gaining all sorts of confidence with the ball in his hands.

As for Brandon Lloyd, in his first career postseason game he also recorded his first career postseason touchdown. Great sign for this offense if he can get going again.

Third Quarter, 4:33 , Patriots 24-13: Matt Schaub has struggled under duress all game long, and he just forced one throws too many on that drive.

After leading the Texans down the field in what looked like a would-be deficit-cutting drive, Schaub made yet another errant throw and let Rob Ninkovich catch maybe the easiest interception of his career.

Brady and the boys now have the ball and the momentum to take a commanding three-score lead on this drive.

Third Quarter, 8:22 , Patriots 24-13: In case you absolutely loved that Brandon Spikes shuffle on the non-fumble call, well, your prayers have been answered.

Take a peek at the epic dance right here. Watch it over, and over, and over again. As many times as you’d like, in fact.

Respect to Bleacher Report on this.

Third Quarter, 9:50 , Patriots 24-13: Forward progress? Wow, that’s embarrassing for these refs.

The Patriots appeared to pry the ball out of James Casey’s hands to get the ball back inside the Houston 25-yard line, but the referees made a terrible call that the fullback’s forward progress had been stopped.

The Texans were still forced to punt the ball back to Brady, which could be a killer if he leads the offense on another touchdown drive.

Third Quarter, 11:30 , Patriots 24-13: Gronk is still nowhere to be found to start the second half, as it looks like he’s being kept back in the locker room for further examination, but Aaron Hernandez is making his presence felt.

Hernandez caught one pass out in the flat and swerved his way down the field to get the Patriots into the red zone. For a guy who was hampered with an ankle injury for much of the season, Hernandez finally looks to be healthy and able to contribute for New England.

Ridley, who was nothing more than a ghost in the first half, is the one who punched in the touchdown to put the Patriots back up by two scores.

Halftime, Patriots 17-13: The Patriots chose a very conservative game plan with a minute left and two timeouts. They seemed content to just give Houston the ball, and the Texans made them play, drilling a 54-yard field goal to close out the half.

The Patriots now lead by just four, but they will get the ball back in the second half. Typically, the Patriots will defer to grab an extra possession at the half. They lost the coin toss, but they still got the ball in the second half. That seemed like a wasted opportunity by New England to grab an extra score before getting the ball back again.

Second quarter, 1:15, Patriots 17-10: The ruling on the field was upheld. From the replays here, it looked short, but it could have been inconclusive.

The Patriots could get a free touchdown here before the half. The goal of deferring at the coin toss is to get these extra possessions.

Second quarter, 1:15, Patriots 17-9: The call on the field is an Arian Foster touchdown, but it’s currently under review. The replay looks questionable. Foster could be down here.

Second quarter, 2:00, Patriots 17-3: The Patriots’ kickoff coverage lacked again on another big return from Danieal Manning. Stephen Gostkowski brought him down but was flagged with a horse-collar tackle.

As soon as we brought up how the Patriots’ run defense was stopping Arian Foster, he started lighting up the stat sheet. He ran the ball three times for 42 yards. With the ball on the six-yard line, a touchdown here for the Texans could put them right back in the game.

Second quarter, 3:38, Patriots 17-3: Apparently Wes Welker didn’t like being told he was unathletic by Wade Phillips. He has six receptions, and his 120 yards are a postseason record for him. It’s only his second playoff game over 100 yards.

Shane Vereen continues to make the most of his opportunities on the field. He took an eight-yard pass in for touchdown. The Patriots are looking like that Week 14 game never ended right now. Did the Texans wear their letterman jackets again?

Second quarter, 6:34, Patriots 10-3: The Patriots were able to generate some pressure up the middle on that third-down play with Dont’a Hightower. Matt Schaub can certainly struggle at times when he’s facing a prevalent pass rush.

The Patriots’ secondary is playing strong as well right now. No complaints about the run defense, either. Arian Foster has just six carries for 10 yards.

Second Quarter, 10:16, Patriots 10-3: Well, that was a pretty bizarre penalty on Brandon Lloyd. Apparently throwing the ball in a straight line to an official is a penalty, but throwing it with a slight arc is not. There is a major difference between throwing to and throwing at in a football game. Who knew?

Tom Brady is keying in on Wes Welker and Aaron Hernandez. They have 11 of the 17 targets on the game. Since Danny Woodhead has been out, Shane Vereen has been a major part of the game plan as well. He has two receptions for 37 yards and five carries for 36.

Second Quarter,14:07,  Patriots 7-3: Doug Kyed taking over here in the second quarter.

The Patriots’ secondary came up big on that drive with impressive plays from Tavon Wilson and Aqib Talib. The Patriots’ defense completely changed when Talib came in. The combination of Devin McCourty and Steve Gregory at safety and Talib and Alfonzo Dennard at cornerback has been a big improvement over the start of the season.

End First Quarter, Patriots 7-3: Danieal Manning gave the Texans an immediate jolt with his 94-yard return on the opening kickoff, but the Patriots have responded.

Tom Brady is 8 of 11 for 94 yards through the air, and Shane Vereen has provided a nice spark on the ground and in the passing game.

Stevan Ridley didn’t see a single snap on either of the Patriots’ first two drives, but he was in there to start the third drive. Ridley has been the stable running threat for the Patriots for much of the season, and his absence at the start has to be more about the game plan than concerns over his fumbles.

As for Gronk and Woodhead, both are questionable for returns, which could be a big problem for the Patriots going forward in this one.

First Quarter, 1:29, Patriots 7-3: Danny Woodhead took to the sidelines after the Patriots’ first drive, but Shane Vereen has picked up just where he left off.

Vereen caught and ran for 25-yard gain to get the Patriots in scoring position, and then he punched in the one-yard score to put New England on top 7-3.

The big concern now is the health of Gronk, who left the game after laying out for a ball on the second drive. It appears his forearm might be bothering him more than expected.

First Quarter, 5:49, Texans 3-0: Wes Welker has shown a little bit of the good and the bad already here against the Texans.

Welker picked up a  big first down on that drive, hauling in a ball at the sticks before getting lit up by a Texans defensive back. But then the reliable receiver also let a 3rd-and-8 pass slip right through his hands, forcing the Patriots to punt.

Welker’s role in this game has been important so far, as his three catches and 30 yards are almost all of Brady’s passing totals, but he’ll need to step up and make those big plays if the Patriots expect to take control of this game.

First Quarter, 9:23, Texans 3-0: So far, Andre Johnson (one catch, 11 yards) has gotten the best of Aqib Talib in that crucial matchup on the outside, but the battle isn’t anywhere near over.

As a matter of fact, Johnson and Talib have been jawing at each other since kickoff, and the two even got into a bit of a shoving match after an incompletion on that last drive.

That could be a matchup to keep an eye on all day, not only for it’s onfield impact but also for pure entertainment and the potential of a Cortland Finnegan-esque brawl to break out.

First Quarter, 12:04, Texans 3-0: Just an FYI: After his opening rush that went for no gain, Danny Woodhead went to the locker room with the Patriots’ training staff and appeared to be favoring his left arm.

His absence would be noticeable if he can’t return, and Shane Vereen’s role in the offense would immediately expand.

First Quarter, 13:57, Texans 3-0: Houston came out and grabbed the momentum early, and the Texans are hoping to keep it that way with Tom Brady set to take the field.

Manning’s 94-yard kick return really set the precedent to start this one, but Matt Schaub’s ineptitude on an easy touchdown toss forced Shayne Graham to put three points on the board rather than a 7-0 lead.

Now, it’s Brady’s time to shine and get the lead back for the Pats.

First Quarter, 14:49: No wonder the Texans wanted the ball. With that sort of kick return — 94 yards by Danieal Manning — I’d take the ball first every time.

Now, that’s some much-needed momentum right away for Houston.

4:25 p.m.: Now that the Falcons have done away with the Seahawks, it’s time to turn our undivided attention to the Patriots and Texans.

Tom Brady and J.J. Watt are both amped up to get this game under way. So, in that same breath, let’s jump into the weekly Three and Out to see what some of the biggest storylines of this game will be.

1. Aftershock – The Texans got blown out by 28 points during their last trip to Foxboro. We all know this, but how will they respond this time around? There’s lots of pressure on them to rebound from that awful showing and prove that they aren’t the “frauds” they were accused of being.

2. Gronk’s Back – Gronk wasn’t around for the last meeting between these two teams, but he and his massive white arm wrap are ready to go for the rematch. The middle of the field proved to be susceptible to the Texans last time, and we’ll see if Gronk further exploits that in this one.

3. Containing Foster – Arian Foster racked up 174 total yards last weekend against the Bengals, but last time he was at Gillette, he managed just 45 yards.  The Texans will need to get Foster rolling early to set up the play action and keep the Patriots’ defense honest.

4 p.m.: So, rumor has it that J.J. Watt was disrespecting the Patriots’ logo during pregame warm ups.

Watt, who wasn’t pleased by the disrespect the Texans have faced since their blowout in New England last month, apparently spit on the field, according to Mike Petraglia of WEEI.

There’s no idea what Watt’s intention was in the incident, but I’m sure the Patriots won’t take kindly to that sort of disrespect, especially in such a big game.

3:10 p.m.: The Patriots are as close to full health as they have been all season, and today’s inactives are even further proof of that.

For the first time in quite a while, a significant member of the Patriots won’t be watching from the sidelines.

Daniel Fells is the only consistent contributor that won’t be seeing any action against the Texans. Aside from him, the inactives are as expected.

Check out the Patriots and Texans inactive players below.

Texans:
CB Rashad Carmichael,
CB Stanford Routt,
LB Cameron Collins,
OL Antoine Caldwell,
OL Andrew Gardner,
OL Cody White,
DT Terrell McClain

Patriots:
WR Kamar Aiken,
DB Derrick Martin,
DB Malcolm Williams,
OL  Nick McDonald,
OL Marcus Zusevics,
TE Daniel Fells,
DE Jake Bequette

2:20 p.m.: With one Patriots foe already settled into the NFC title game next weekend in the 49ers, it looks like another won’t be joining them.

Granted, it’s still early,  but the Seahawks aren’t looking too good thus far, and a 20-0 deficit might be just too much to overcome. Matt Ryan and the Falcons have jumped all over Seattle in the early going, and 133 rushing yards might be the most the Seahawks have given up in one game, never mind a half, all year.

The Patriots are still focused on their own game here at Gillette, and there are already some players out on the field getting set up for game time.

1:50 p.m.: Andre Johnson came out onto the field around 1 p.m. and hasn’t stopped working for even a moment since.

Johnson has been running a variety of routes and catching balls from a number of assistant coaches as well as backup quarterback T.J. Yates.

The work he’s putting in must be to try and counter the blanketed coverage that Aqib Talib and Devin McCourty threw over him on the Texans’ last visit.

Johnson caught just four passes for 62 yards against the Bengals last weekend, and I’m sure he’s looking to significantly improve on that output this time around.

1:15 p.m.: Welcome to cloudy and cool Gillette Stadium for the final game of this weekend’s divisional playoff fun. Luke Hughes here alongside colleague Doug Kyed, and we’ll be bringing you all your Patriots news for the day.

Andre Johnson and some of the Texans got out on the field awful early to start their preparations for this game, which may be necessary given the 28-point blowout they endured on their last visit to Foxboro.

The Seahawks and Falcons are getting most of the attention around the NFL right now, but there are plenty of fans around Gillette, and they are plenty excited. The Patriots diehards are out in the parking lot, firing up their grills and cracking a few beverages.

There’s still a little over three hours until game time, but here’s a look at the field at Gillette in preparation of today’s game.

10:30 a.m.: It’s expected to be a heated affair in Foxboro, especially with a chance to host the AFC Championship Game on the line.

The Texans won’t be wearing their lettermans this time around — in fact, they’re going in the opposite direction for this matchup and instead professing to be underdogs.

9 a.m. ET: The Ravens stole the show in Denver on Saturday. Now the Patriots hold all the cards looking ahead to the AFC Championship Game.

Tom Brady, who threw four touchdowns against the Texans in their first meeting (a 42-14 New England win), will be looking to manhandle Houston’s secondary again, but he knows J.J. Watt and company aren’t willing to just lie down and take the beating.

The Patriots’ defense could also face some trouble against this potent Texans attack. Arian Foster, who was held to just 45 yards on the ground last time out, tore up the Bengals for 174 total yards last weekend, and the talented running back has all the intentions of more big runs inside Gillette Stadium. Vince Wilfork, Brandon Spikes and the rest of the Patriots’ front seven may have something to say about that, but it will be a major determining factor in this epic battle.

Foster’s success will dictate quarterback Matt Schaub’s ability to run effective play-action passes and increase wide receiver Andre Johnson’s chances of getting open down the field.

The X-factor for both sides will lie with the tight ends, though. Rob Gronkowski, who missed the first meeting with a broken forearm, is back and ready to contribute at 100 percent, while Owen Daniels has eyes for another big day similar to his nine-catch performance last Saturday.

And, thanks to the Broncos losing, the winner of this game will host the AFC Championship.

There are plenty of storylines to follow, but don’t worry, because we’ve got you covered.

Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m., but we’ll have all your news, notes and analysis on everything Patriots popping off right here all day long. So, keep it locked with the NESN.com live blog, and stay up to date on everything Patriots.

Have a question for Luke Hughes? Send it to him via Twitter at @LukeFHughes or send it here.

Final, Patriots 28-0: Everything fell into place for the Patriots today, and now they’re on their way to a first-round bye in the playoffs.

The Colts took down the Texans with a 28-16 win earlier in the day, and the Pats took care of business against the Dolphins to secure a 28-0 win and that ever-coveted bye.

Brady was stellar for much of the night, completing 22 of 36 for 284 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Ridley contributed a pair of scores on his own, as well as 74 yards on the ground, and helped steady the New England offense.

The big story of the day, though, was the return of Rob Gronkowski. Gronk caught two passes for 42 yards and a touchdown, showing that he was perfectly healthy even while wearing a protective wrap on his injured left arm.

The defense was stellar, too, recording seven sacks, which marked a new season high for this group. Justin Francis had a career day, getting three sacks of his own, and his emergence could be even bigger as Rob Ninkovich left earlier in the game with a hip injury.

There are still plenty of questions left lingering heading into the playoffs, but fortunately for the Patriots they will have two weeks to fix and prepare for them.

Keep it locked with NESN.com and  be sure to keep up with Luke Hughes on Twitter @LukeFHughes for all your Patriots postgame info.

Fourth Quarter, 2:00, Patriots 28-0: The Patriots’ passing game got plenty of attention in this one as Brady threw for 277 yards and a pair of scores, but the running game was just as effective.

Ridley carried the ball 20 times for 74 yards and a pair of scores, Vereen got the ball eight times for 38 yards, Woodhead crushed it on the ground and through the air and even Brandon Bolden got back in on the action.

It’s good to see Bolden back in the fold after failing to link back in since serving his four-game suspension. He likely won’t be relied upon in the postseason, but his ability to jump in if necessary is huge. He’s a reliable back and a hard runner, which could help if the Patriots run into trouble in the playoffs.

Fourth Quarter, 9:27, Patriots 28-0: Gronk managed just one catch through the first 40-plus minutes, but that one was the biggest of his return.

Brady tossed a sweet 27-yard touchdown pass to Gronk over the middle, and suddenly the big fella is a big part of this Patriots offense once again.

Playing Gronk today was risky, but also very important to getting this offense back on track after two consecutive subpar performances. Gronk is a major piece in this offensive puzzle, and he should only continue to get better as the playoffs come around.

Fourth Quarter, 11:47, Patriots 21-0: This game is turning into a snoozer.

Neither team has scored in almost 20 minutes, and there’s far too many quickly stalled drives. The Patriots ended the first half looking like they were on pace for 50 points, and suddenly there’s barely half of that.

We need some excitement to get the crowd riled up here again inside Gillette.

End Third Quarter, Patriots 21-0: There weren’t many fireworks in the third quarter, as no points were thrown up on the scoreboard, but there was plenty of excitement.

The Dolphins had two potential scoring opportunities, but blew one with a turnover and saw the other overturned. The Patriots may not reach the 40-point plateau after all, but they might also shutout the Dolphins altogether.

A first-round bye is well within reach here, let’s see if they grab it.

Third Quarter, 4:13, Patriots 21-0: The Dolphins just threw away — err fumbled away — their best chance to get back into this game.

After finally finding some rhythm on offense, Tannehill missed the handoff to Reggie Bush down near the goal line and the Patriots are back looking to pour on to this lead.

Chandler Jones was all sorts of amped up after that turnover, and the defensive line seems to be really making a stand in the absence of Nink. This is an entire team effort so far and this sort of win is exactly the type you want going into the playoffs.

Third Quarter, 11:18, Patriots 21-0: Trevor Scott absolutely owns the Dolphins. That is becoming more and more apparent.

Scott, who has seen more action with Ninkovich’s injury, now has three sacks on the season and all three have come against the Dolphins.

The Patriots’ pass rush hasn’t seen any drop off without Nink on the field, but he certainly helps out on defense especially with Brandon Spikes being limited at linebacker. Thank goodness for Scott, though, he’s been great over the past few weeks.

Halftime, Patriots 21-0: Tom Brady got the Patriots off to a fast start early in this one, and they haven’t let their foot off the gas.

With a shot at that first-round bye still a good possibility, the Patriots have stepped up their effort on both sides of the ball and built an early 21-0 lead.

Brady is 14 of 22 for 193 yards and a touchdown so far, while Ridley has carried the ball 10 times for just 30 yards, but has a pair of touchdowns to show for it.

Over on defense, Justin Francis and Brandon Deaderick have led the pass rush, but Rob Ninkovich’s loss to a hip injury could prove devastating. He’s listed as questionable to return, but that’s the same status they gave Julian Edelman a few weeks ago and now he’s on IR.

There’s plenty of game left to be played, but I still wouldn’t be surprised to see the Patriots throw a 40 spot up on the scoreboard.

Second Quarter, 1:00, Patriots 21-0: Stevan Ridley has shared carries with Vereen and Woodhead so far tonight, but when it comes to the goal line you know who’s getting the rock.

Ridley scores his second touchdown of the night, and the Patriots now hold a 21-0 lead on the Dolphins.

Second Quarter, 2:04, Patriots 14-0: You think the Dolphins were focusing in on Danny Woodhead this week? Well, it certainly doesn’t look like it.

Woodhead has already had five touches for 75 yards, including three catches for 63 yards, and is just tearing apart this Dolphins defense.

With so much attention on Welker, Hernandez and Gronk, I guess it’s no great surprise that Woodhead would be overlooked — not to mention his diminutive frame. But seriously, this guy deserves more attention than the Dolphins are giving him today. He’s open every time.

Second Quarter, 6:24, Patriots 14-0: The Patriots’ defense held Tannehill and the Dolphins, and Miami was unable to convert on the field goal try. But the bigger story might be Rob Ninkovich’s injury.

Nink was down for quite a while down on the field and needed assistance coming to the sidelines, which is  a very bad sign.

Ninkovich has been the Patriots’ best pass rusher for a few games now and was consistently getting after Tannehill today. The situation definitely bears watching and could be a big problem if the injury causes him to miss action beyond this week.

Second Quarter, 10:26, Patriots 14-0: They’re back it.

The Patriots jumped on the Dolphins’ defense early, and a nice steady drive just saw them double their lead with a one-yard touchdown run by Stevan Ridley.

After a lot of passing early, the Patriots haven’t gone back to the ground against Miami on the last two drives, though, and it seems to be paying off.

Ridley has 24 yards and a touchdown, Shane Vereen has 24 yards and Woodhead has played a key role in the passing game with two grabs for 49 yards. Talk about using these running backs to the utmost.

End First Quarter, Patriots 7-0: Tom Brady jumped the Patriots’ offense out to some quick success, but they only managed seven points on the scoreboard in that first quarter.

Brady is 9 of 14 for 140 yards and a touchdown so far, but the stout play of the defense against rookie Ryan Tannehill has been the real story in this one.

Steve Gregory came up with a huge interception that prompted the Patriots’ first score, and solid play from McCourty and Arrington on the outside has helped.

Also, the return of the Gronk is taking center stage as he’s played about half of the snaps, so far, and even hauled in a big 19-yard catch. Gronk’s return has been a big sticking point all week, but he looks good so far, and that bodes very well for the Patriots in their pursuit of a first-round bye.

First Quarter, 6:40, Patriots 7-0: Tom Brady was having a tough time getting the Patriots on the scoreboard on the first two drives, but the defense gave the offense a little punch in the arm to get things going.

Steve Gregory made a big interception, and Brady seemed fired up to be back on the field with a touchdown pass to Wes Welker two plays later.

The big story of the drive, though, was a big catch  by Gronk across the middle. Gronk’s health is clearly a big issue, and seeing him make that catch and turn to run was a definite positive to come out of the early going here against the Dolphins.

First Quarter, 11:15: Gronk got the start and the Patriots jumped out to a quick start of their own, but they end up without any points to show for a solid opening series.

Brady looked strong on the first drive of the day, and Belichick showed some urgency in going for it on fourth and six from inside the 25-yard line, but ultimately it just didn’t work out.

The Patriots are at least showing that they aren’t to be played with today, as they look ready to get this win and clinch that bye.

4:24 p.m.: Now there’s something to play for. This Patriots game just turned into an even more meaningful affair.

So, with plenty to play for, Tom Brady and the Patriots will be even more motivated for this one, and that means that the underlying storylines are even bigger now. That being said, let’s jump into our weekly Three and Out and see what we should keep an eye on today.

1. Return of the Gronk – Mark Morrison knew what he was doing when he released “Return of the Mack” back in 1996, but now we have the return of the Gronk here at Gillette. How much will he play, and how effective will he be with that massive wrap on his left arm? We’ll see, but his impact could be huge.

2. Secondary depth – Without Dennard and Cole, the Patriots are left with some serious depth issues in the secondary. Expect Devin McCourty to play some more cornerback, much like last week, and Kyle Arrington should see some added time on the outside as well. But who will fill in back there in sub packages?

3. Plenty to Play for -- There’s a lot on the line, and the Patriots usually play their best in some of the biggest moments. So, this one means a great deal and that could indicate a big showing on both sides of the ball.

3:58 p.m.: The Colts are on the verge of knocking off the Texans, which means the Patriots have their chance at that coveted first-round bye in the playoffs.

Gronk is back, and with so much on the line, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him play a lot more than expected. Bill Belichick knows how much the bye would mean to this team’s Super Bowl hopes, and he’s ready to pull out all the stops to ensure that happens.

Plus, if the Patriots do get the bye that just allows for another week to get Gronk and the rest of these guys rested and healthy for the playoff run.

3:27 p.m.: All the talk this week has surrounded the Patriots’ chances at a first-round bye in the playoffs. Well, the Colts, of all teams, might be giving them some hope yet.

The Colts are locked in a tight battle with the Houston Texans, which seems to have Patriots fans all riled up inside Gillette.

Andrew Luck led the Colts out to a 14-6 lead at the half, and Indy’s keeping up their strong play into the second half. After falling behind 16-14 to start the third quarter, running back Deji Karim returned a kickoff 101 yards — completely untouched — for a touchdown and returned the lead back to Indy.

The game is being played on both big screens inside the stadium and Patriots’ fans are going wild with excitement on just about every play. There’s still some game left to be played, but at least we know the fans are well aware of the impact this outcome could have.

3:05 p.m.: Rob Gronkowski is officially a go for the Patriots today, but a few other key players won’t be taking the field at Gillette today.

Alfonzo Dennard headlines that list, as the cornerback is still bothered by lingering hamstring and knee injuries that kept him out against the Jaguars, too.

As for the Dolphins, wide receiver Davone Bess won’t be slicing up this Patriots defense, as he’s been ruled out as well. That could mean bad things for rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill, especially in this cold weather.

Take a peek at the inactives for both teams below.

Patriots:
OL Markus Zusevics,
CB Alfonzo Dennard,
S Nate Ebner,
DL Jake Bequette,
OL Nick McDonald,
WR Kamar Aiken,
DB Marquice Cole

Dolphins:
QB Pat Devlin,
WR Davone Bess,
CB Nolan Carroll,
LB Josh Kaddu,
OT Patrick Brown,
TE Kyle Miller,
DT Kheeston Randall

2:28 p.m.: Rob Gronkowski is ready to make his triumphant return to the field against the Dolphins today, but questions about the big tight end’s health still linger.

Gronkowski is just six weeks removed from breaking his forearm, and while his activity in practice has increased recently there’s still thought that he might be better served taking more time to heal.

This game against the Dolphins definitely means something to the Patriots, with New England’s playoff seeding potentially on the line, but then again the playoffs are right around the corner.

Gronk’s health will be key to the Patriots’ chances at a Super Bowl repeat, and risking his health for one game does cause some concern. I understand the need for game reps ahead of the playoffs, but I’m also not sure it’s worth the risk of further injury.

1:57 p.m.: Welcome to cold and snowy Gillette Stadium. There’s plenty of snow still being cleaned out of the seats here inside Gillette, but there shouldn’t be any remnants left by game time.

The conditions aren’t too pretty, but then again that could benefit Brady and the offense as the Dolphins aren’t used to these frigid temperatures.

Anyhow, as we get going here inside the press box, take a peek at the field ahead of kick off.

10:45 a.m.: While the Patriots do have business to take care of, they’re relatively safe compared to the rest of the league. In the NFC, several of the six playoff sports are still to be determined. Follow the progress on that front in our NFL playoff picture live blog.

A few individuals are also hoping to put their names in the record books today. We’ll be keeping track of all of those pursuits in our NFL record chase live blog.

All in all, it’s a great day to be an NFL fan.

10:30 a.m. ET: There is still plenty left to be uncovered in the AFC playoff picture, but the Patriots can at least help their own cause with a win over the Dolphins.

After an ugly win down in Jacksonville last Sunday, Tom Brady and the Patriots will host another Florida foe this weekend as Miami pays a visit to Gillette. If the last game between these two is any indication, then Sunday’s showdown will be no cakewalk for Brady and the Patriots’ potent offense.

The Patriots snuck out of South Florida with a 23-16 win just four short weeks ago. Brady struggled as much as anyone that day, completing just 24 of 40 passes with one touchdown and an interception. Coming off a similar performance against the Jaguars last week (24 of 41 with two touchdowns and two interceptions), Brady is primed for a breakout in an important game for the Pats’ playoff seeding.

One big boost for Brady would be the return of tight end Rob Gronkowski. Gronk has missed five straight games while recovering from forearm surgery but is back practicing with the team. With Gronk back out on the field, Brady would have yet another big-play option and his most reliable red zone target (10 touchdowns in 10 games this season) back in the mix.

As for the defense, Aqib Talib, who was limited to just eight snaps last week because of a hip injury, has made great strides this week and appears ready for a return to the starting lineup. Talib’s return would allow Devin McCourty to move back to safety and give the Patriots some much-needed depth in the secondary against rookie Ryan Tannehill.

Kickoff got pushed back to 4:25 p.m., thanks to the NFL’s flex scheduling, so be sure to keep it locked here for all your Patriots news, notes and analysis throughout the day.

Have a question for Luke Hughes? Send it to him via Twitter at @LukeFHughes or send it here.

9:05 p.m.: The panel is asked for their thoughts about the controversy surrounding the latest ballots for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Merloni’s passionate answer is that the hall is for the best players that have ever played the game and shouldn’t have the moral clause. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are certain hall of famers in his opinion. He doesn’t agree with what they did, but he “knows a hall of famer” when he sees one.

Ryan wants the hall to acknowledge that the steroid era existed and says people have to be stupid to think Bonds and Clemens didn’t cheat.

Massarotti says PEDs have inflated all of the numbers. He says the voting was inconsistent in the past and is even more so in 2012 and beyond. He’ll go purely by the eyeball. “I’m a yes on Clemens and a yes on Bonds,” he said. Edgar Martinez got his vote because he’s the “greatest designated hitter that has ever played.”

Littlefield says the hall is full of guys who did far worse things than the players currently under scrutiny. “There’s nothing moral about it.”

Shaughnessy says that sports are supposed to be a level playing field, and the steroid era has made it incredibly difficult to vote.

For Bell, Bonds’ and Clemens’ (and others’) cheating should disqualify them from a place in the hall.

9:05 p.m.: An audience member asks about the panel’s faith in the Patriots’ front seven (on defense) and undersized secondary.

Bell sums it up perfectly: No pass rush, no defense. “You could have Jesus Christ back there and it wouldn’t make a difference.”

9 p.m.: Bell says players are more disposable today than ever before, and playing more games during a span of seven days puts players in greater danger than ever.

8:55 p.m.: Littlefield says coal miners are compensated for black lung, asbestos workers are compensated for mesothelioma, why can’t football players be compensated for the injuries they suffer on the job?

An audience member adds that arthritis is prevalent among athletes — especially the big ones — of today.

8:45 p.m.: The next question is about football’s future in light of what we now know about head injuries.

Littlefield says the U.S. loves football and other countries don’t. He adds that this is the only military superpower in the world and the two facts “aren’t entirely unrelated.”

Bell adds that people he speaks to love the sport’s violence. He jokes that in 20 years, the losing team will be executed — like in the days of ancient Rome. Will Americans not be entertained?

Merloni cites his first experience watching UFC. “Apparently boxing is not violent enough,” he says. Fans booed two tired fighters. He thinks Americans love the vicious nature of the two sports.

Ryan disagrees. He says mothers of America could shut the “barbaric enterprise” down tomorrow because it systematically destroys the people who play it.

Bell notes that African Americans from poor communities played football to escape poverty in the 1960s and they still do today.

8:40 p.m.: The panel continues on the changing face of sports journalism.

Bell compares the Patriots to the Kremlin in terms of how difficult it is to get inside information.

8:35 p.m.: The next question was asked about the changing face of journalism in the age of Twitter and instant updates and analysis.

Shaughnessy says the function of the daily newspaper is a thing of the past.

Littlefield adds that there are still great places for writers to tell great stories.

8:30 p.m.: An audience member says the Patriots’ hiring of Bill Parcells changed the face of sports in the region, creating a race to the top among the local teams.

Bell says Parcells brought a way of playing football that is unique. He adds the Patriots might not be playing in New England if Parcells didn’t come.

Ryan adds that the Patriots rise has been the single biggest story in his career. He says the Pats are the number one team in the region — ahead of the Red Sox.

Bell adds that Belichick following Parcells was also critical, as the coach controls everything in the professional game.

8:25 p.m.: Bell asks if Francona was the best manager in Red Sox history.

Merloni says he is, but his refusal to change over time cost him dearly. The former Sox infielder says the players changed, Francona didn’t and it cost him control of the clubhouse.

8:20 p.m.: Caron asks if the Red Sox players face more scrutiny than their counterparts on the Celtics, Bruins and Patriots.

Merloni says the Red Sox are a special case because everyone in the region played and understand the sport really well. He says there’s no better place to play when things are going well, but players “face the wrath” when they fail. Some players can take it, others can’t. He adds that you learn a lot about players by how they react to failure.

8:15 p.m.: Bell wants to know what’s going on behind the scenes at Fenway Park.

Shaughnessy says there are plenty of bright and capable people in the upper reaches of Red Sox management working to dig out from the current situation. He says Ben Cherington has a “methodical” approach.

Ryan points out how difficult it is to win a championship. He cites the Yankees, who have spent over a billion dollars this century and have only one championship to show for it.

8:10 p.m.: Merloni says the Red Sox players never believed in the Curse of the Bambino. He adds that watching the Sox win the 2004 World Series from afar (he left for Cleveland after the 2003 season) gave him mixed emotions.

8:07 p.m.: Bell says the 49ers are the best team in the NFL.

8:05 p.m.: Ryan says Boston sports fans should be most upbeat about the Patriots, but we’ll know a lot more after the next three games.

The Celtics are in for a frustrating season, as their defense and rebounding are too inconsistent to put them among the best teams in the league. Shaughnessy agrees with Ryan’s assessment of the Celtics.

8 p.m.: The panel is making its way to the stage and the discussion will begin in a few minutes.

I’m Marcus Kwesi O’Mard, putting down my soccer shoes for the evening to bring you the highlights of the discussion.

If you’d like to make a donation to the Arthritis Foundation, visit ArthritisFoundation.org/Massachusetts.

If you want to follow along on Twitter, use #SportsConnection2012.

7:55 p.m.: Bob Ryan, the guest of honor, is making a few remarks. He says Celtics’ Dave Cowens was the biggest personality he ever got a chance to cover. It goes without saying that he feels Boston is the “perfect place” for him to be a sportswriter.

“The Commissioner” graciously accepts the Sports Connection Achievement Award.

7:30 p.m.: The panel discussion will begin in a few minutes. Those who want to follow the discussion on Twitter should use #SportsConnection2012. You can join the conversation there.

8 a.m. ET: December is not yet upon us, but it’s safe to say that 2012 was an action-packed year as far as Boston sports go.

Some of the region’s esteemed media personalities will review the year that was (and still is) at the Sports Connection “Your Ticket to the Inside Track,” presented by the Arthritis Foundation event on Thursday evening.

NESN’s Tom Caron will host a panel discussion about all the year’s best moments in Boston sports.

The Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy, Globe writer and 98.5 the Sports Hub broadcaster Tony Massarotti, National Public Radio’s Only A Game program host Bill Littlefield, WCRN’s (Worcester) Upton Bell and former Red Sox utility man and WEEI-FM host Lou Merloni will break down the highlights of 2012.

They will be joined by the guest of honor – legendary Boston Globe sports columnist Bob Ryan.

We’ll be at Boston’s Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel to bring you all of the panel’s main points — as they happen. Join us right here on Thursday starting at 6 p.m. ET.

Tom Brady and the offense struggled to find a rhythm for much of the first half, but the Patriots still put up 23 points on the afternoon. The defense also held the Jaguars to just three points over the final 43 minutes of the game, even if they allowed them back in the red zone twice.

Stevan Ridley had a nice bounce-back game with 18 carries for 84 yards to steady the ground game, and Wes Welker did his job on the outside to keep pressure off Brady — at least partially.

Chad Henne ended up throwing three interceptions, including a pair to Patrick Chung to close things out, but he also lit up the Patriots’ secondary for a season-high 348 yards and put some fear into the hearts of Bill Belichick and the coaching staff.

Chandler Jones, Donta Hightower and the Patriots’ defensive pressure proved too much in the end, though, as Henne was forced into mistakes and allowed Chung to close out the game.

In the end, a win is a win. So, who is your Patriots player of the game?

Fourth Quarter, 1:46, Patriots 23-16: Coming into this game, the Jaguars ranked last in the NFL in sacks, but they’ve taken Brady down three times today.

The Patriots’ offensive line, which has been so solid all season, has struggled over the past few games. That marks the third game in the past five that Brady’s been taken down at least two times, too.

This O-line really needs to step it up and figure out their issues, because Brady can’t keep taking these licks.

Fourth Quarter, 3:26, Patriots 23-16: Now, that’s one heck of a four-down stand. I can’t remember the last time I saw one of those goal-line type stands from this Patriots defense.

After the way they started this game for the defense, which was just God awful, the pressure from both Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower just changed the fortunes of this game.

Patrick Chung came up with the interception, which was the Patriots’ second of the day, but it was the work of Jones on that play that really caused the turnover.

The way this defense responded after such a tough start is really encouraging as this team moves closer to the postseason.

Fourth Quarter, 8:37, Patriots 23-16: The Jaguars scored 13 points in the opening 17 minutes of the game, and that field goal just gave them their first three since.

The Patriots’ defense has really locked up since their atrocious start to the game, making big stops on the ground and through the air. The usual suspects have stepped up, as Jerod Mayo, Vince Wilfork and Devin McCourty have all made big plays, but Brandon Deaderick has been the real surprise.

Deaderick has seen some extended playing time on the afternoon, and his ability to push the pass rush on Henne and to get his hands up in the air to bat down balls has helped New England slow down the Jaguars. His play has also returned some momentum to the Patriots’ offense, which seems to be rolling yet again.

Fourth Quarter, 14:15, Patriots 23-13: What was once a 10-point deficit is now a 10-point lead.

Brady and the Patriots’ offense are finally back in rhythm, and much of that success is due to the play of Wes Welker.

Welker has now caught eight passes for 78 yards, including that touchdown, and his punt returns have helped give the Patriots some better field position, too.

Welker was a ghost the past two weeks, catching a combined eight passes for just over 100 yards, but he seems to be back and the Patriots’ offense is clearly benefiting from his return to prominence.

End Third Quarter, Patriots 16-13: Brady’s led a somewhat stale offense for the majority of the game, but Josh McDaniels has been spicing some things up over the last few drives.

First it was the direct snap to Ridley, then an end around to Welker, what’s next? McDaniels realized that the Jaguars were ready for most of the Patriots normal plays, so he’s thrown some trickery their way. It’s working, too.

Beyond the play calling  Brady has been stellar since the end of the first quarter, now 20 of 35 for 241 yards, and Ridley has continued his strong running with 15 carries for 80 yards.

If Ridley can continue busting it out on the ground, this game should end with the Patriots on top by double digits.

Third Quarter, 5:54, Patriots 16-13: The Patriots’ offense feeds off the momentum of their defense, and Marquice Cole just gave Tom Brady the ball and some energy to work with.

Cole’s first interception of the season, which is the third of his career, was a good motivating point for the Patriots and could see this as a turning point for the Patriots.

Now, it’s up to Brady to see if the Patriots can drop the hammer on the Jags.

2:53 p.m.: While the Patriots attempt to extend their lead down in Jacksonville, there is some positive news coming out of Houston.

The Texans are currently getting shut down by the visiting Vikings, as Adrian Peterson and the Vikes jumped out to a 16-3 lead. A Houston loss would at least keep the Patriots’ first-round bye hopes alive, which would be a major turn in the tides.

We’ll see if AP and the Vikes can continue their dominance, but the Patriots first need to close out a win over the Jaguars.

Third Quarter, 11:54, Patriots 16-13: You wouldn’t expect it to take 34 minutes, but the Patriots have finally taken the lead in Jacksonville.

Brady was dipping and dunking all the way down field during their first possession of the second half, and maybe even more important he finally is linking up with Brandon Lloyd again.

If Brady and Lloyd can continue to hook up then the Patriots shouldn’t be too concerned about the Jaguars; defense. Now, it’s Aaron Hernandez’s time to get going on the outside.

Halftime, 13-13: The first quarter was real ugly for the Patriots, but Brady and the boys have rebounded nicely.

After just a 3-for-8 start and a pair of picks, Brady is now 14-for-24 with 162 yards and a touchdown. Much of that is thanks to Danny Woodhead’s impact on the offense, which has seen him gain 45 total yards and score a touchdown to tie things up for New England.

While Brady has returned to his typical elite form, Chad Henne looks like a real-life starter with the way he’s played in the first half. Henne is 15 of 24 for 210 yards and a touchdown, leading the Jaguars’ offensive push.

The defensive struggles have to be concerning for the Patriots, but since Talib came in on the outside there hasn’t been of an issue. Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich haven’t created much pressure on Henne and Devin McCourty, who has become accustomed to the safety position, needs to tighten up his coverage out on the corner.

There’s plenty of football left, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Patriots threw up a second half similar to the Buffalo game earlier this season.

Second Quarter, 0:17, 13-13: Remember that Danny Woodhead talk? Well, apparently we were right.

Woodhead continues to roll this Patriots offense along, scoring on 14-yard touchdown pass to get this game all tied up at 13-13. His involvement in the offense the past few weeks has provided a major spark, and the Patriots seem to be back to their gameplan heading toward the half.

Second Quarter, 2:07, Jaguars 13-6: A big defensive stop finally got the ball back for Brady and the offense, and Brady’s making the most of it.

The Patriots apparently realized they were getting a little stale, because there’s been a bit of trickery going on to help get this offense going forward again.

A fake reverse on Wes Welker’s punt return was first on the list, then the old direct snap to Ridley gained a first down to keep the drive alive. That direct snap even reminded me of the play they used to run for Kevin Faulk every now and again, and it still works.

This is beginning to look a lot like the old run and gun Patriots we’d see in the mid-2000′s. Yes, the Super Bowl years, for all of you wondering.

Second Quarter, 5:27, Jaguars 13-6: The Patriots just continue rotating these running backs.

Stevan Ridley got the start and seemed to take on the full load in the early going, but since a couple of stuffed runs both Danny Woodhead and Brandon Bolden have gotten the majority of the work.

Woodhead has been extremely productive the past few weeks, helping to get the Patriots’ offense rolling, and he did the same again today with a 24-yard catch and run to get Gostkowski back in position for another.

Since Brady appears to be struggling with the downfield throws, maybe more dump outs to Woodhead are on the horizon. That would likely signal a significant decrease in Ridley’s time in the backfield, too.

Second Quarter, 13:07, Jaguars 13-3: If anyone thought the Jaguars would be in command of this game, especially after the way the Patriots got beatdown last week, then kudos but you were probably alone.

Brady has not seemed himself early on in Jacksonville, throwing  a pair of picks, and the Patriots’ secondary appears to be back to its early-season struggles without Dennard or Talib out there consistently.

Josh Scobee hit his second field goal of the game, and the Jags now hold a 13-3 lead.

End First Quarter, Jaguars 10-3: What is happening? No seriously.

The Patriots, who looked almost unbeatable on offense through Week 14, have now seen two consecutive slow starts. Brady threw two picks in the first quarter alone, which makes it two consecutive weeks with two picks or more.

Henne has the Jaguars’ offense rolling against this Patriots defense, too, hitting on 10 of 14 passes for  162 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Brady is just 3 of 8 for 50 yards and the pair of picks.

Wow, talk about strange. This is becoming troubling.

First Quarter, 2:34, Jaguars 10-3: Stevan Ridley suffered through some fumbling issues over the past two weeks, but he seems to have overcome those.

Ridley has the Patriots’ offense rolling once again, running five times for 44 yards, to take pressure off of Brady and give New England an opportunity to get on the board.

If Ridley can continue running with that sort of aggression and power, the Patriots should be in good position offensively throughout the rest of this game.

First Quarter, 5:44, Jaguars 10-0: Things have not gone well for the Patriots so far in Jacksonville.

A putrid effort by the defense has Chad Henne looking like Tom Brady, Drew Brees or even just a legitimate starter, and Brady’s interception allowed the Jags to tack onto their early lead.

The Jaguars now have a 10-0 lead on the Pats, which is even more demoralizing than it sounds as they score an average of just 15 points per game. Talk about ugly, this is looking gruesome early on.

First Quarter, 9:34, Jaguars 7-0: All of the injuries seem to be taking their effect in the Patriots’ defense.

Devin McCourty, who has played at safety of late, was forced to start at cornerback alongside Kyle Arrington, who also hasn’t played on the outside in a while. The ailing Patriots allowed Chad Henne to look like Drew Brees, going a perfect 6-for-6 with 56 yards and a touchdown to give the Jags an early 7-0 lead.

This patchwork defense could be a big concern this afternoon, as both the Jaguars’ passing and rushing attacks were rolling on all cylinders during that opening drive. Vince Wilfork will need to establish more of a presence up front and McCourty really needs to lock down on the outside, even if he isn’t used to being there anymore, if New England hopes to get out to a comfortable lead.

12:59 p.m.: I hope you’re ready for some football, because by the look of Brady in the photo below I’d say there’s going to be a big number put up on that scoreboard this afternoon.

Brady’s focus on today’s game does bring up a few thoughts ahead of kickoff, though, So, let’s jump into this week’s Three and Out and see what some of the Patriots’ biggest storylines are heading into this one.

1. Secondary health – Alfonzo Dennard, the Patriots starting right cornerback, will sit this game out with a knee/hamstring injury, but he’s not the only Patriots’ player ailing. Aqib Talib is still dealing with a hip injury. With both starting cornerbacks struggling to keep healthy, Talib’s mobility and Kyle Arrington’s ability to play on the outside will be huge factors against Chad Henne and some talented Jaguars wide receivers.

2. Ball Security – The Patriots had four turnovers in last week’s loss to the 49ers, including a pair of fumbles by Stevan Ridley. This week, Ridley’s ball security and Tom Brady’s precision downfield will be key to jumping out to, and maintaining, a big lead in Jacksonville.

3. Replacing Spikes – Brandon Spikes has been dealing with some lingering ankle and hamstring issues. This week he’ll take a seat and get some much-needed rest, meaning someone will have to step up in his linebacker position. Rob Ninkovich is the most likely candidate, as the linebacker/defensive end hybrid will probably play from his feet and let Trevor Scott get some reps on the line. Nink’s ability to fill Spikes’ role as a run stopper will be huge.

12:27 p.m.: Tom Brady wasn’t too pleased with last week’s loss, and he let that fact be known after the game. This week, the Patriots’ starting quarterback appears to be focused on getting back to his winning ways.

Before Sunday’s game, Brady was out on the field getting pumped up for kickoff with his normal pregame workout routine — some running and a little light passing. He was also sporting some “Beats by Dre” headphones, likely bumping some hot jams to get Brady even more amped.

Check out Brady doing some pregame work at Everbank Field down in Jacksonville.

via Instagram/Patriots

12:05 p.m.: The Patriots may not have some of their key stars on the field in Jacksonville on Sunday, but they’ll still have plenty of weapons to work with.

After a tough loss to the 49ers last Sunday, Tom Brady and the Patriots will be coming out firing here against the Jaguars. With so many red flags rising from last week’s loss, which Patriots player needs to step up most over these final two weeks of the season?

11:32 a.m.: Gronk, Dennard and Spikes were already known to be out, but a few more Patriots will be joining them on the inactive list in Jacksonville.

The list includes defensive linemen Ron Brace and Jake Bequette but Aqib Talib has been left off the list, which appears to be a good sign for the cornerback’s ailing hip.

As for the rest of the inactives, here’s a list of the Patriots and Jaguars players who won’t be suiting up on Sunday.

Patriots:
TE Rob Gronkowski,
LB Brandon Spikes,
CB Alfonzo Dennard,
FB James Develin,
DE Jake Bequette,
DL Ron Brace,
OL Marcus Zusevics

Jaguars:
RB Rashad Jennings,
RB Maurice Jones-Drew,
CB Antwaun Molden,
RB Jonathan Grimes,
LB Brandon Marshall,
OL Eben Britton,
DE Austen Lane

11:15 a.m.: Tom Brady and the Patriots’ offense will be looking for a big bounce back performance in Jacksonville, but they will still be without their big, burly tight end.

Rob Gronkowski has already been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Jaguars. He joins cornerback Alfonzo Dennard and linebacker Brandon Spikes on the inactive list as it appears the Patriots will be resting some of their stars ahead of the playoffs.

There has been much made of Bill Belichick sitting his players this week, but with slim hopes for a first-round bye in the playoffs this might be the better long-term option for the Patriots.

8 a.m. ET: Last week’s loss to the 49ers was stuck in the Patriots’ craw all week. But that may be a good thing — New England needs to close out the season on a high note heading into the playoffs.

Tom Brady was the most frustrated of all by the loss, which he said made him feel like he hadn’t won a game in “three years.” The performance wasn’t the Patriots’ best, that’s for sure. But the loss did manage to produce some positives for Brady and the Patriots.

Fighting their way back from a 28-point deficit and nearly pulling out the victory were major motivational points, even if the Patriots aren’t interested in moral victories.

Now, the Patriots head into Jacksonville, looking to take out their frustration on the dreadful Jaguars. Brady, Stevan Ridley (who had a costly fumble last week) and the rest of the offense will be looking to throw a big number up on the board and reestablish the Patriots’ place among the dominant teams in the AFC.

Chad Henne, who has a history of solid performances against the Patriots, will at least offer a challenge to the Patriots’ defense. If Maurice Jones-Drew starts in the backfield, then Vince Wilfork and the defense could face a much more difficult challenge.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m., but we’ll have all your Patriots info throughout the day. So, keep it locked here for all your news, notes and analysis.

Have a question for Luke Hughes? Send it to him via Twitter at @LukeFHughes or send it here.

What began as a defensive showdown between the 49ers and Patriots quickly turned into a barn-burning rout and then into a tie ball game. Ultimately, the 49ers pulled out the win with some late-game heroics from Colin Kaepernick. But Tom Brady and the Patriots’ will was the real story here.

Brady threw a career-high 65 passes for 445 yards. He scored two touchdowns, one rushing and one passing, as the Patriots came back from a 31-3 deficit to tie the game. But a LaMichael James kick return for 62 yards and Kaepernick’s ability to convert a  big pass play to Michael Crabtree all but sealed things up.

Danny Woodhead, who scored two touchdowns for the second time this season, played an incredible game out of the backfield, and Brandon Lloyd continued his recent streak of breakout games with 10 grabs for 190 yards.

In the end, the 49ers’ lead was just too much, though, and San Francisco pulled out the 41-34 win. But, wow, what a comeback.

Fourth Quarter, 0:38, 49ers 41-34:  The Patriots made quick work on that drive, and Stephen Gostkowski hit a field goal to bring this back to within a one-score game. But it appears it’s all over … finally … after that onside kick recovery.

Fourth Quarter, 1:55, 49ers 41-31: That field goal all but seals the game. It was a wild run, but there’s just too much ground to overcome and not enough time to do it at this point.

If this game has shown one thing, it’s the mental toughness of this Patriots team. Clearly, the Pats didn’t have the focus and presence coming into this one, but the way they charged back in the second half was admirable and telling. These guys aren’t messing around.

Fourth Quarter, 2:25, 49ers 38-31: The epic comeback looks like it’s going to fall just short.

The Patriots just made too many mistakes, and that failed fourth down pretty much sealed their fate in this one. It was one heck of a comeback, but in the end there was just too much ground to make up to expect to come up with the win.

Brady stood poised in the pocket under the pressure on that short drive, but again, it was just too much to overcome.

Fourth Quarter, 6:25, 49ers 38-31: And just like that….

Just when you think the Patriots can’t be stopped, the 49ers cruise past the Patriots back into the lead with a helluva kickoff return and then a pretty pitch and catch between Kaepernick and Crabtree for the touchdown.

There’s still six-plus minutes left to play, so don’t go anywhere. This one’s still got plenty of legs left.

Fourth Quarter, 7:30, 31-31: Wow. This is just unbelievable.

I had this team dead in the water midway through the third quarter, and now they’re all the way back to tie it up.

Tom Brady has absolutely unloaded on this 49ers defense, and Danny Woodhead has reemerged as something of a secret weapon. There’s really no words to properly describe this except maybe “magical.”

Honestly, this game couldn’t have been scripted any better.

Fourth Quarter, 12:08, 49ers 31-24: They’re alive!

After being down by 28 points at one point in the second half, the Patriots are now back within a touchdown, and Tom Brady isn’t playing around.

Brady just led the third straight touchdown drive to pull the Pats back within a score, but what was even more telling was his reaction and intensity toward the refs and his teammates throughout that drive. Talk about leadership. This guy is oozing with it.

Also, Brandon Lloyd must have taken some acting classes in college, because the key play on that touchdown drive was a clear flop by the talented wideout. But he got the desired result, so I suppose that’s all that matters.

Fourth Quarter, 14:58, 49ers 31-17: This is suddenly a game again.

This couldn’t get much weirder. The first half in itself was strange, but now the Patriots look primed to make a big run. Now just two scores down, it’s definitely possible.

Tom Brady has been leading the attack, even if not statistically, all the way in the second half, and he continues to show just how tough he is. That toughness is driving the Patriots tonight, and it will be key if they hope to come back in this one.

End Third Quarter, 49ers 31-10: Well, it wasn’t a pretty quarter of play, that’s for sure. But the Patriots at least got on the scoreboard.

Tom Brady seemed to figure out the kinks in his passing game, and Danny Woodhead reemerged as the Patriots’ secret offensive weapon. But let’s be real, here. If the Patriots get stopped here, this one’s over, right?

Brandon Lloyd has looked good, and the defense looks better. But the turnovers are killing this team tonight. They better figure out how to deal with physical defenses like this, because this is exactly what the playoffs are going to look like.

Third Quarter, 6:00, 49ers 31-10: That’s unusual — the Patriots scored, you say?

Danny Woodhead has suddenly taken on the role of “feature back,” carrying the ball nine times for 58 yards and scoring the only touchdown of the night.

I’m not saying this one is over just yet, but even while cutting into the deficit, this one isn’t looking too good.

At least there’s some sense of excitement in Gillette now, though, especially after the way things have just completely spiraled out of control.

Third Quarter, 10:00, 49ers 31-3: The hits just keep on coming.

The 49ers are well out in front now, and there’s nothing Tom Brady can do to stop them. Even when he is doing his job well, which he finally seems to be doing, Brady can’t catch a break.

There was a fumble by Ridley, and now an interception off Hernandez’s hands. Bad luck is just haunting the Patriots this week, the same way it did the Texans on Monday.

The Patriots may need to take a double dose of NyQuil, because they look sick out there.

Third Quarter, 10:30, 49ers 24-3: Ball security is something Bill Belichick preaches almost every time he speaks, and Stevan Ridley just put the ball on the ground again.

After what seemed to be a game-changing pick  by McCourty, the Patriots just coughed up another turnover, and the 49ers seem ready to put this one away.

Brady has far too much work to do to make up this deficit. I’m not saying it’s impossible, or unlikely given Brady’s knack for heroics. But let’s just say the fat lady should be getting her vocals ready.

Third Quarter, 11:37, 49ers 17-3: Devin McCourty does it again.

Since moving to safety, McCourty has been an absolute playmaker in the Patriots’ secondary, and that interception — his fifth of the season — further solidified that notion.

The 49ers seemed dead set on another scoring drive, which would have only further crippled the Patriots. But McCourty read Kaepernick’s tendencies perfectly and intercepted that pass to give Brady and the offense a shot.

With his leadership and playmaking back there, the Patriots’ defense may have a shot at keeping this game within reach.

10:21 p.m.: For all you fans that thought Colin Kaepernick would be the best answer for the Patriots under center, now you can see the results.

Still think he’s the easier of the two? Vote below.

Halftime, 49ers 17-3: This game is apparently being played inside the twilight zone. Because I don’t think things can normally get this weird in a football game.

The Patriots haven’t been this dominated in quite some time, and this almost looks like a reversal of last week’s beatdown of the Texans.

The 49ers’ defense has done a great job of containing Brady and the passing attack, but the most surprising, and maybe most important, aspect of this one is how they’ve been able to bottle up Wes Welker.

Welker, who is one of the league leaders in receptions and receiving yards,  hasn’t seen many opportunities in the first half. He’s been blanketed in coverage all night, as if Harbaugh knew exactly how to weaken New England’s potent attack.

Without Welker and with the slick weather making it hard for receivers to grip the ball, the Patriots’ offense actually looks the worst it has since maybe the Cardinals’ game in Week 2. Gronk could really help right now.

Second Quarter, 2:14, 49ers 14-3:And as the weirdest game rolls on, Ed Hochuli may have just given the single best referee monologue of all time.

After one of the strangest punts/punt returns I’ve seen since maybe the 49ers’ muffed punt in the 2011 playoffs, Ed Hochuli just managed to botch the call and utterly confuse football fans everywhere.

Did anyone at home even come close to understanding that? Because I gave up about halfway through.

Luckily for Hochuli, his biceps are big enough to end all troubles that it may have caused, and a right jab would help us all forget about that unbearable sequence.

Anywho, back to football!

Second Quarter, 6:54, 49ers 14-3: You remember those secondary issues that were crippling the Patriots early in the season? Well, they appear to be back.

After a tough first series that saw Randy Moss crush his former team for a touchdown, the most recent drive wasn’t much better. Aqib Talib has now been called for a suspect pass interference penalty, and Alfonzo Dennard got caught peeking at Colin Kaepernick and lost track of Delanie Walker on a big touchdown toss.

If these struggles persist, the Patriots are going to be in for one very, very long night. They can’t sustain for too long against this defense down multiple scores.

Second Quarter, 8:31, 49ers 7-3: As the first quarter came to a close, Tom Brady got in the faces of every offensive player on the sidelines and let them know just how serious he was about this game.

The fire continued on the field as Brady led the Patriots on a 16-play, 82-yard drive all the way into the red zone. But it only yielded a field goal, which means the 49ers still lead in this one.

The resolve by this offense is encouraging, though. Brady’s intensity is noticeable and will be key if the Patriots expect to get the lead back before the half.

End First Quarter, 49ers 7-0: I don’t think the start of this game could have been any stranger.

There’s already been three turnovers, a fake punt, two challenges, a couple of bad overthrows and a missed field goal. It’s like Belichick and Harbaugh are competing on an episode of Survivor, trying to see who can have the weirder play.

All we really know thus far is that Brady is struggling badly and that the football doesn’t want to stay in anyone’s hands. We’ll see if things calm down going forward, but the only real solid piece to note so far is that Randy Moss looked damn good on both of his grabs.

First Quarter, 2:03, 49ers 7-0: A weird start to the first quarter only continues to get stranger.

After another near-fumble, the 49ers ran a fake punt that put them in field goal range. But David Akers missed the kick and we’re still at 7-0.

Beyond the strange sequence that started this thing, I’ve got to note that Harbaugh has shown some serious guts in the early going. Not only has he challenged Brady with extra pass rushers, but the fake punt has to be the biggest challenge to Belichick I’ve seen.

If this continues, the Patriots may not have a prayer when all is said and done.

First Quarter, 6:13, 49ers 7-0: Things are getting weird.

After a Brady interception that nearly went back to the house — thank goodness he learned how to tackle, although I don’t know when — Steve Gregory steps up with a big hit, and the Patriots got the recovered fumble.

There’s still no consistency to this Patriots offense, though. Ridley has had a tough time against this 49ers defense, and Brady can’t seem to establish a rhythm over the middle — or anywhere, for that matter.

Kaepernick has looked good so far, and the Patriots really need to start moving the ball if they hope not to go into the half down multiple scores.

First Quarter, 10:57, 49ers 7-0: Randy Moss’ tenure in New England had an ugly ending, but his return to Gillette Stadium got off to a pretty good start.

After catching a ball on a key play to extend the 49ers’ first drive of the game, Moss just beat the Patriots’ secondary deep again and made them pay for some mediocre coverage with a 24-yard touchdown pass.

Moss knows this defense and Belichick’s schemes all too well, and he could be a big problem for the Patriots tonight. Look out.

First Quarter, 12:17: The fumble may not have done the Patriots in this time, but Stevan Ridley really needs to hold onto that ball better.

Ridley fumbled early in the game against the Texans and saw some limited action until late in the fourth quarter afterward. You have to wonder if this is going to continue to be a problem, or if Belichick just sits him down and makes him understand how important ball security is.

8:20 p.m.: It’s wet and wild on the field at Gillette here ahead of kickoff. But that shouldn’t keep Tom Brady and the Patriots from airing it out against a stingy Niners defense.

With Gronk in the lineup, for a fourth straight week mind you, the combination of Aaron Hernandez and Brandon Lloyd will once again have to step up to give the Patriots’ passing attack a chance. Last week it worked like a charm, but this 49ers secondary is completely different beast. The 49ers’ pass rush will also present quite the challenge for Brady and New England.

With those lingering questions in mind, let’s dive into the weekly Three and Out for some burning concerns heading into this Sunday night showdown.

Weathering the Storm – It’s cold and wet on the field, and we may even see snow before all is said and done. So, look out for a ground-and-pound attack to be the key to winning this one. Also, don’t be surprised if the passing attacks struggle and turnovers pop up a little more often than usual.

Containing the Kid – Colin Kaepernick is a problem. But can the Patriots’ powerful pass rush contain the kid from the Bay? Chandler Jones, Vince Wilfork and the linebackers will be responsible for not only pressuring Kaepernick but also keeping him inside the pocket and not letting any of those big runs get them.

Keep Brady Vertical – Tom Brady likes to go vertical down the field with Hernandez, Welker and Lloyd as some of his favorite targets. But Brady will need to stay vertical if he wants to go vertical, and that could be a tough task for the offensive line. This 49ers pass rush is one of the best in football, and if the Patriots hope to establish any sort of passing attack, they’ll have to get an all-star day from their bruisers up front.

7:50 p.m.: With Gronk officially out, the Patriots are back in the same situation as the past few weeks offensively.

Tom Brady won’t have his favorite target over the middle to look to when under duress, but some of his other big-play receivers should be available to fill the void.

Aaron Hernandez was huge last week, catching seven passes and a pair of touchdowns. And Brandon Lloyd finally reemerged as a viable option in the passing game, catching eight balls and scoring twice in the rout.

As always, Wes Welker will be ready to contribute over the middle. But with one of the best pass rushes and secondaries in football on the other side, will the receivers find open space, and fast, for Brady to work the ball in? Getting the ball out quick and under pressure will be key. So, look for some short dumpoffs and some added touches for Danny Woodhead and Shane Vereen.

7:25 p.m.: Just as we all expected, at least anyone who’s familiar with the Patriots, Rob Gronkowski is officially out against the 49ers.

Gronk leads the list of the Patriots’ inactives, joining a few other notable players on the outs tonight.

As for the 49ers, Mario Manningham leads their group of inactives. Now, let’s take a look at the full list of players ruled out for Sunday night’s showdown here at Gillette.

Patriots:
Derrick Martin, S
Tracy White, LB
Marcus Zusevics, OL
Rob Gronkowski, TE
Jake Bequette, DE
Ron Drace, DL

49ers:
Trenton Robinson, S
Jewel Hamilton, RB
Tavares Gooden, LB
Joe Looney, OL
Mario Manningham, WR
Ian Williams, DT

6:54 p.m.: The tragedy that took place in Newtown, Conn., is almost unspeakable. I, like many across the country I assume, have been left speechless and thoroughly devastated by the details of Friday’s horrific events.

But while we all mourn for the 28 lost in the tragedy, for at least one night we can take our minds away from the horror and go into something of a safe zone. Nothing is going to change the awful occurrences, but at least for a few hours we can duck away into our little slice of peace and take our minds off reality.

Football is a popular sport across America, and sports are an opportunity for us all to take our minds away from the realities that life present. Tonight is a perfect opportunity for everyone, especially us here in New England, to escape the walls of reality for at least a few hours and focus on something that brings us all together: football.

We’ll keep thinking about the victims and remembering the terrible occurrences of Friday, but at least the Patriots and 49ers can occupy our attention for a little while.

6:25 p.m.: The rain is still falling hard and fast, but the tarp is coming off the field at Gillette Stadium, and the Patriots are getting set for another prime time showdown.

Less than a week after beating the AFC-leading Texans, the Patriots now welcome another Super Bowl contender to town.

The 49ers bring a young stud quarterback in Colin Kaepernick as well as the best defense in football, which should present a tough challenge even in the confines of comfort at Gillette.

Anyhow, before we get rolling, take a quick look at the field as the players make their way out to do some pregame warmups.

2:30 p.m.: Robert Kraft’s family is connected to what happened in Connecticut on Friday. He said he’s planning on donating $25,000 to the Newtown community and also talked about how the Patriots’ players have responded over the last couple of days.

11:15 a.m.: The Patriots, Jets and Giants will all be honoring the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday.

Perhaps the saddest story comes out of the Giants’ organization, where Victor Cruz  took the memories one step further by writing the name of one of the victims, 6-year-old Jack Pinto, on his gloves and cleats.

Cruz is giving Pinto the special treatment after finding out that the 6-year-old was an especially big fan of Cruz. The Giants’ wide receiver even placed a call Pinto’s parents, who are reportedly considering burying their son in a Cruz jersey.

There will be plenty of emotion before the Patriots, Jets and Giants all play their games this week, with the memories taking to the field, too, as the teams each honor the victims in their own ways. Check out a closeup of what the Patriots will be wearing tonight:

Photo via Twitter/@NewEnglandPatriots

9:15 a.m.: It’s been a heartbreaking weekend in New England, with the shooting in Newtown, Conn., close to home for many in local states.

The Patriots have plans to honor the Newtown community and remember the victims of the shooting during tonight’s game. As well as the moment of silence that each NFL team is going to hold before its Sunday game, the Patriots will send up 26 flares and wear a helmet decal tonight.

8 a.m. ET: Less than a week after the Patriots laid the proverbial smackdown on the Houston Texans on national television, the San Francisco 49ers come to Gillette Stadium, with their focus on making their own point in front of a national audience.

Tom Brady, who won his record 23rd AFC Player of the Week award this week, will try to build on last week’s four-touchdown performance, which further solidified his place in the MVP race. But the 49ers come to Foxboro with maybe the best pass rush Brady will see all season and arguably the best defense in the NFL.

Brady knew the 49ers’ defense would provide a challenge, and he even admitted this week that he’s been preparing for San Francisco since Thanksgiving. That extra prep time alone may not be enough for Brady to overcome the 49ers, though.

Stevan Ridley — who ranks seventh among running backs with 1,082 rushing yards and leads the league in first downs with 70 — and the Patriots’ stable of running backs will need to help energize the offense Sunday.

While Brady attempts to counter the 49ers’ vaunted defense, the Patriots will also have their hands full with a very different style of quarterback. The versatility and athleticism of Colin Kaepernick should offer Vince Wilfork and the defensive line fits all night, while Kaepernick’s combination of arm strength and precision should test Aqib Talib, Devin McCourty and an improving, yet still suspect, secondary.

There’s plenty to look forward to in this potential Super Bowl preview, so keep it locked here. Kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m., but we’ve got you covered from all angles ahead of time with all the news, notes and analysis on your New England Patriots.

Have a question for Luke Hughes? Send it to him via Twitter at @LukeFHughes or send it here.

The Patriots lit up the Texans on both sides of the ball, almost from the start. Things got bad for Houston early on, as the Patriots took a 21-0 lead early, and they didn’t get much better throughout the night.

Tom Brady was almost unstoppable on the evening, throwing for 296 yards and hitting on four touchdown passes to lead the offensive onslaught. He connected with Brandon Lloyd five times, including a 37-yard touchdown strike in the first half, and Lloyd continued the success the rest of the way coming up with a fumble recovery for a touchdown to extend the Patriots lead late in the second half.

But just as good as Brady seemed to be, the defense found a way to be just as good.

Devin McCourty got things going with a first-half interception, but Vince Wilfork was the real star of the defensive show. He managed a strip-sack and a few run stuffs up the middle to stabilize the defense, while a seemingly much-improved secondary found ways to slow Matt Schaub and the Houston passing attack.

In the end, the Patriots were able to contain Arian Foster, who managed just 46 yards on the ground, as well as the pass rush of J.J. Watt, who seemed to be a non-factor for most of the night.

With so many great players deserving of recognition in this one, we’ll give you a choice of which Patriots player had the best night. Vote below and let us know what you think in the comments section.

Fourth Quarter, 2:00, Patriots 42-14:  T.J. Yates, the Texans’ backup quarterback, just led as many touchdown drives as starter Matt Schaub did. Sadly, it was against the Patriots’ second- or maybe third-string unit.

In the only battle the Texans have won on Monday night, Yates outdueled Mallett to earn the “W” in the battle of the backups. Big ups, Yates.

Fourth Quarter, 3:15, Patriots 42-7: It’s Mallett time — also known as the Patriots’ version of the blowout victory formation.

Ryan Mallett didn’t exactly impress with an interception on his only pass of the night, but the sight of him in the game can only mean one thing in New England: a win is the works.

Patriots fans don’t know too much about Mallett just yet, aside from the fact that he’s Brady’s backup. But he does bring smiles to faces of many in the crowd.

Fourth Quarter, 7:15, Patriots 42-7: Stevan Ridley finally found his way back onto the football field, and he was just fed the rock to close out this one.

Ridley, who had just eight carries for 22 yards through thee quarters, saw a serious increase in his work here in the fourth quarter. He’s seen 10 carries for 50 yards this quarter and just scored his 10th touchdown of the season, becoming just the sixth Patriots’ back to accomplish the feat.

Now, we’ve got a 42-7 ballgame and I’d have to say that is all she wrote. Done and done. See you later, Houston.

Fourth Quarter, 14:15, Patriots 35-7: Seriously, nothing could possibly go wrong for the Patriots tonight.

I’ve seen some weird things in my life, but a fumble from the smallest guy on the field — Danny Woodhead — just bounced about 15 yards into the end zone and suddenly Brandon Lloyd has the Patriots up 35-7.

That was a strange sequence and may even eclipse Robert Griffin III’s fumble/touchdown last Monday for best/weirdest touchdown of the year.

Awesomely strange or strangely awesome? Either way it was both unusual and pretty cool.

End Third Quarter, Patriots 28-7: Tom Brady has been as close to perfect tonight as you can get in the NFL these days. And after a nice first-down run to get us into the fourth quarter, and after showing off some excitement, the fans greeted him with the reception he deserves.

The crowd at Gillette Stadium showered Brady with a resounding “MVP” chant heading into the fourth quarter, and the cheers from the crowd could probably be heard all the way in Sharon — the next town over.

He really does deserve more MVP hype, though. He’s been unbelievable this year.

Third Quarter, 2:01, Patriots 28-7: The Patriots have a clear points advantage over Houston here tonight. But the same doesn’t hold true when looking at the yards disparity.

In fact, as of the 4:00 mark in the third quarter, the Patriots had only out-gained the Texans by 12 yards — 287 to 275. That’s wild considering the stark difference on the scoreboard.

Obviously, the numbers don’t tell the whole story all of the time — and that’s definitely the case tonight.

Third Quarter, 6:12, Patriots 28-7: Arian Foster finally gets the Texans on the board, and the crowd greets him with some resounding boos.

It only took 38 minutes and 48 seconds, but Houston finally cracked that goose egg and have cut their deficit to 28-7.

Still, when you’re up 21 points is it really necessary to boo? I mean, you’re leading … by a lot. What’s the purpose of booing an opponent just happy to get on the board and regain some semblance of dignity?

Whatever. I just think Patriots fans could be a little more respectful and less idiotic sometimes. That’s not to call everyone out, but come on.

Third Quarter, 9:49, Patriots 28-0: Just when we get done chatting about Donte Stallworth, what does he go out and do? Stick the dagger into the Texans.

Stallworth showed off his speed in his first game back in New England, beating his man over the top and taking a 63-yard catch and run to the house for a touchdown.

Now that the dagger is in, giving the Patriots a 28-0 lead, it will be interesting to see if the Texans start messing around with things and trying to figure out the Patriots’ weaknesses.

Anyhow, Gillette is bumping right now. “Jump Around” is playing on the loudspeakers and the fans are following that command.

Third Quarter, 13:03, Patriots 21-0: We’ve got our first Donte Stallworth shot of the evening.

After playing just a handful of snaps in the first half, Stallworth finally got a look deep downfield. He didn’t convert on the catch, even though he had his man beat, but his speed is definitely an asset the Patriots could use downfield.

Lloyd’s big catch earlier in the game was a nice sign of what could be, but with Stallworth back in the fold maybe he’ll become the deep threat Brady’s needed this year.

Halftime, Patriots 21-0: With the dagger in hand, the Patriots just couldn’t land the final blow before halftime.

After a dominating performance on both sides of the football put New England up 21-0, Tom Brady and the offense had a chance to send the Texans to the locker room with a four-score deficit. Unfortunately, they couldn’t pull it off.

Oh well, you can’t expect a Jets-like blowout with these guys anyhow.

Brady threw for 165 yards and three scores, hitting Hernandez on two of them. The offense would seem to be the story heading into the locker room, but the defense played about as well as they have all season in the first half.

Devin McCourty’s interception may seem like the highlight, but Vince Wilfork was the real story of the first thirty minutes. Talk about a beastly performance. Wilfork was stuffing runs, sacking Schaub and forcing fumbles as he just murdered the Houston offensive line with his size and power. With two batted balls at the line of scrimmage to kick things off, the Patriots secondary has also been stellar with six total passes defended in the first half and Andre Johnson, who caught four balls for 58 yards, shut down for the most part.

We’ll see if they can continue this rout into the second half.

Second Quarter, 2:00, Patriots 21-0: If you came into this knowing nothing about the NFL standings, you’d have guessed that the Patriots were undefeated and the Texans were on the bottom of the league. Well, that’s not reality but it certainly looks that way.

I’m not sure if Houston just came in here with too much confidence or were just overwhelmed by how ready Bill Belichick can be on an extended week.

Either way, this is embarrassing, especially if they put up a goose egg for the half. Yikes.

Second Quarter, 4:17, Patriots 21-0: Kyle Arrington might have been the most maligned member of the Patriots’ secondary earlier this season. But with a shift inside to the slot corner spot, it looks like he’s finally rediscovered himself.

He’s come up with a few big plays already tonight, the biggest being that fourth-down pass breakup to get Houston’s offense off the field and give New England a chance to stick the dagger in here.

Second Quarter, 8:03, Patriots 21-0:  With so much talk about the offense so far, there’s been little time to discuss the best player on the field tonight: Vince Wilfork.

Wiflork has been an a absolute beast so far, just continuing his trend of lighting up opposing O-lines and quarterbacks.

Schaub has had no time to pass, and Foster has found himself trapped when running inside.  Add on his 20-yard sack and a forced fumble, and yup, Wilfork has been a monster,

If there was a first-half MVP for this game, it’d have to be Wilfork.

Second Quarter, 11:01, Patriots 21-0: Aaron Hernandez is at it again, and the rout is on.

I’m not saying this is going to be a blowout by night’s end, but you’ve got like the Patriots’ chances as Brady extends this lead to 21-0.

Not sure who might have expected a massive blowout like this, especially this early. But it’s on, and it hasn’t been pretty.

Hernandez now has two touchdowns tonight, matching his season total entering the game. Yup, I’d say he’s healthy.

End First Quarter, Patriots 14-0: The game of season seems to be shaping up like just another typical day at The Razor for Patriots fans.

Whatever might have been said about this showdown ahead of kickoff can now be thrown out the window. Brady has completed 6 of 8 for 114 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Oh yeah, and Brandon Lloyd showed up. Crazy, I know.

The Patriots’ offensive line has done a stellar job shutting down J.J. Watt and the Houston pass rush, and the Patriots defenders continue to come up with big plays — like Wilfork’s strip-sack and McCourty’s interception.

This game could get out of hand, and fast, if things don’t turn around for Houston soon.

First Quarter, 2:47, Patriots 14-0: Okay, so now Brandon Lloyd’s getting in on the action. Talk about a guy who really needed to step up in a big way. Well, he’s doing it.

Lloyd has been a ghost by all accounts over the past few games, and now with Edelman out, he’s finally rediscovering himself in this Patriots offense.

Not that Brady didn’t have a big part in that 37-yard touchdown toss, but Lloyd’s the real story there. We’re finally seeing a deep ball connection between the two … not like we’ve been waiting four months for that or anything.

First Quarter, 5:37, Patriots 7-0: Remember after the Baltimore game when everyone and their mother was hating on Devin McCourty? Well, how do you like him now?

McCourty made yet another huge play, picking off Schaub’s pass in the end zone and giving the Patriots the ball back with a chance to take a commanding two-score lead.

Since the switch to safety, McCourty has had a major impact in the secondary and he’s been playing maybe the best football of his young NFL career. A good move, I’d say.

First Quarter, 9:27, Patriots 7-0:  Aaron Hernandez looked pretty healthy last week in Miami, and an early touchdown would only seem to reinforce that this week.

With Edelman now out, Hernandez’s health is of utmost importance for the well-being of this offense. Welker has been the main target in the early going against Houston, but Hernandez will obviously be a focal point going forward.

A healthy Hernandez is important for Brady’s confidence on the outside. And surprise, surprise but it was Matthew Slater, not Donte Stallworth, getting the first look as the third receiver on offense. That could be a budding storyline, especially given Slater’s speed.

First Quarter, 12:38: The Patriots defense looked like it might be in trouble, but after a pair of big runs by Arian Foster, the D finally came around.

Julian Edelman’s gap on special teams appears to be filled, too, as Wes Welker was the one returning the first punt of the day. We’ll see how Brady and the offense replace him on the outside, it will be a tough task.

8:25 p.m.: This game has all the feel of a late-January showdown, but luckily for the NFL it’s taking place on a Monday in December.

Such an important game, and one that will have such a major impact on the AFC playoff picture, also features plenty of major storylines. But when thinking of this one, a few names pop off the page and those are the ones that will be the biggest factors in the result here at Gillette.

With that in mind, we’ll have to be selective as we jump into the weekly Three And Out and examine the Patriots’ three biggest keys heading into this one.

1. Lights out on Watt – J.J. Watt might be the best pass rusher in football, and Sebastian Vollmer has the unfortunate duty of containing him. But after a terrible week in Miami, Vollmer may need some help. Can the Patriots’ offensive line keep Watt out of the backfield and make sure Brady stays upright?

2. Replacing Edelman – Donte Stallworth is back in town and he’s being tasked with filling in for the injured Julian Edelman. Can he live up to the lofty expectations? If not, then it will likely fall on the shoulders of Wes Welker and the ghost that is Brandon Lloyd. Different guys will have to work together to replace Edelman, but the biggest issue likely lies on special teams.

3. Ground Control – The Patriots have a successful rushing attack with Stevan Ridley, and now Brandon Bolden is back. But can Vince Wilfork and the defense contain one of the NFL’s best backs in Arian Foster? Establishing a presence at the line will be huge, and the work of Brandon Spikes and Jerod Mayo will be even bigger in containing Foster on any runs beyond the line. The team able to best establish the ground game is likely the one that will come out ahead at night’s end.

8:02 p.m.: If there was one area of the Patriots that could be considered a weakness this year, it would be in the secondary.

The addition of Aqib Talib has helped to dispel at least some of that notion, but the secondary has continued to struggle at times against top-flight passing attacks. Now, Houston’s passing game wouldn’t necessarily be described as “top-flight” but it does feature some talent.

Matt Schaub is an accurate thrower and solid decision-maker, while his favorite target Andre Johnson is one of the best receivers in all of football, even at 31 years old.

The combination of Schaub and Johnson, along with the ability of Kevin Walter and Owen Daniels, will test Talib and the secondary. So, it will fall on the shoulders of Devin McCourty, Steve Gregory and even rookie Alfonzo Dennard to combat the attack and make Houston as one-dimensional as possible.

7:17 p.m.: The Patriots will be as close to full health as they’ve been in a while on Monday, and just in time for the biggest game of the year.

Logan Mankins and Chandler Jones are both back on the active gameday roster for New England, and they’ll both be relied upon heavily to give the Patriots an advantage against a scrappy Texans team.

Check out the inactives for both the Patriots and Texans below.

Patriots:
OL Nick McDonald,
OL Marcus Zusevics,
TE Rob Gronkowski,
DE Jake Bequette,
DL Ron Brace,
DB Derrick Martin,
FB James Develin

Texans:
CB Alan Ball;
OLB Brooks Reed;
OG Antonio Caldwell;
OG Cody White;
OT Derek Newton;
TE Garrett Graham;
NT Terrell McClain

6:58 p.m.: J.J. Watt is an animal, as I referenced in the post below. But he’s so aggressive and impressive, that even the Patriots’ former All-Pro left tackle is glad he won’t be tasked with defending Watt here on Monday.

Matt Light, who is set to be honored at halftime, talked a little bit about life after football before Monday’s game, and mentioned Watt while saying, “There’s a lot of guys I’m glad I don’t have to face anymore.

Keep it locked on NESN.com for more on Light’s pregame chat with reporters.

6:24 p.m.: Sebastian Vollmer has a very difficult task tonight, maybe the most difficult he’s faced on the field since entering the NFL.

Coming off one of the worst games of his young career, Vollmer will be tasked with stopping the AFC’s sack leader and one of the best defensive lineman in all of football in J.J. Watt.

Watt, who is one of the most athletic lineman, maybe ever — see this video of his 55-inch vertical leap as evidence — won’t be an easy force to stop or even slow down.

Tom Brady could be in some deep trouble dealing with Watt’s outside presence and unbelievable swatting ability unless Vollmer is able to respond with arguably the best game of his career.

Watt is a serious concern for the Patriots coming into this Monday night game, and there’s no question he’ll have an impact on the outcome — one way or another.

6:02 p.m.: Brandon Bolden is back, and just in time for what’s being billed as the biggest game of the year.

The rookie running back’s suspension has been over for about a week now, and the Patriots have added the dynamic runner to the 53-man roster ahead of Monday night’s game in Foxboro.

Bolden, who broke through as a solid backup to Stevan Ridley earlier this season, got popped with a four-game suspension after breaking the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

The 22-year-old back has 43 carries for 234 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the season. His success might not matter, though, as both Danny Woodhead and Shane Vereen have emerged out of the backfield in his absence.

He may be back on the 53-man roster, but it’s still left to be seen if Bolden will be active for Monday night’s game here against Houston. In a wet one with potential to turn into a ground-and-pound showdown, Bolden could be important.

5:30 p.m.: Welcome to a rainy and tarp-covered Gillette Stadium. We’re all getting settled up here in the press box, but both Patriots and Texans fans are getting amped up out in the parking lot in front of the stadium.

With the rain expected to pour down for the majority of the night, both sides could be in for a sloppy New England evening. But if that does turn out to be the case, Houston may actually be the one to benefit most.

The Patriots have realigned their offense this season and produced one of the most improved running games in the NFL. But the Texans still boast one of the most, if not the most, dominant ground games in football. Arian Foster has been churning out tough yards all year. And with weather similar to their win in Chicago, the Texans could be in for another treat.

Anyhow, here’s a look down at the field inside Gillette circa 5:40 p.m. There’s plenty more where this came from, so stay tuned.

Photo via Twitter/@lukefhughes

1 p.m.: It’s strange not having football until Monday night, but that just means more time to get ready for the game.

We’ve been asking all week who needs to step up this week against the Texans, and Aqib Talib has been getting a lot of votes. Although the Patriots’ defense — and secondary, especially — has been looking a lot better since Talib arrived, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s been playing well, or up to his potential. Tonight is a big stage for him to prove himself and see whether he can not only lift the team but also show off his individual game.

Two players who didn’t make our poll will also likely see their numbers called tonight: receivers Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd. Getting Welker involved early has helped the Patriots when they’ve been successful, while Lloyd has all but disappeared in recent weeks. And, of course, Donte Stallworth is back on the roster for this one.

The Patriots have just three games after tonight to get their house in order before the playoffs. How comfortable Tom Brady is with his receivers will be key down the stretch.

8 a.m.: Are you ready for some football? A Monday night party, perhaps? Well, do we have a game for you.

Tom Brady welcomed a new addition to his family earlier this week, and now he’s looking to add another tally to the Patriots’ win column. But with the AFC’s premier team coming to visit, Brady and the boys have a tough test ahead of them.

The Texans enter Gillette Stadium at an NFL-best 11-1. They have their eye on clinching a first-round bye in the playoffs — a privilege the Patriots are also chasing.

Houston running back Arian Foster should have a big impact on the ground, as his combination of speed and power will test Vince Wilfork and a stout Patriots rush defense. Pair Houston’s running game with Matt Schaub’s efficiency and Andre Johnson’s big-play ability, and the Texans look like a well-oiled offensive machine.

On the other side of the ball, J.J. Watt has been a beast all season and should put pressure on Brady all night long, especially with a battered offensive line and Logan Mankins’ status still uncertain.

Donte Stallworth is back in the fold, giving Brady another option on the outside since Julian Edelman was put on injured reserve. The receiver’s ability to pick up the offense and reestablish his presence will be key to New England countering one of the NFL’s best pass defenses.

There’s plenty of stones left to be unturned ahead of kickoff, so keep it here for all your up-to-the-minute news, notes and analysis on everything about your New England Patriots.

Have a question for Luke Hughes? Send it to him via Twitter at @LukeFHughes or send it here.

Tom Brady’s interception-less streak ended after 202 consecutive passes and the offensive line, after 10 quarters without a sack, relented and Brady saw more of the turf than he would’ve liked.

But the defense came through time after time, even amidst the secondary issues creeping up again, and held the Dolphins to a trio of field goals on the day.

Stevan Ridley, who struggled early in the game, came through in a big way late in the day and ended up with 71 yards and a touchdown in the win. But even bigger was Ridley’s achievement of a 1,000-yard season, becoming just the third running back in the past eight seasons to do so.

It was a gritty and ugly win, but with a long week ahead and two tough opponents heading to Gillette Stadium in the next two weeks, this could be a good motivator for the Patriots to figure out their problems.

Fourth Quarter, 0:36, Patriots 23-16: Dan Carpenter just made his third field goal of the day, and it’s a show of the Dolphins’ inadequacies that Tannehill hasn’t been able to punch them into the end zone more than once.

Clearly this offense is having trouble in the red zone, and in the big picture Miami has just beaten themselves today, because they’ve had enough opportunities to win.

Fourth Quarter, 1:16, Patriots 23-13: Gostkowski’s miss early on the day made it three of four misses for the usually reliable kicker. Since, though, he’s been on point, booting 43, 32 and 20 yard field goals to give the Patriots a comfortable 23-13 lead.

Maybe those misses have reinvigorated him and are making him more motivated to get back on track.

Fourth Quarter, 2:06, Patriots 20-13: Stevan Ridley has been a pleasant surprise for the Patriots this season. And he just achieved something only two other Patriots running backs have since 2004.

Ridley went over 1,000 yards on the season during that drive. His emergence has been a terrific addition to the Patriots’ offensive attack. Without the running game, New England likely wouldn’t be nearly as effective as it has been.

You’ve got to give it up for the 23-year-old, he’s obviously taken the leading role in the offense and really usurped BenJarvus Green-Ellis’ role as the starting tailback. Kudos.

Fourth Quarter, 7:26, Patriots 20-13: Just when the defense looks to be breaking once again, the leaders step up in a big way.

Jerod Mayo wouldn’t talk about his place in the Pro Bowl voting earlier this week, but he just continues to establish himself as the best middle linebacker in the AFC.

Not only does he lead the NFL in tackles, but he always seems to come up with huge plays at the biggest moments.

A sack of Tannehill to force the field goal, and suddenly this lead isn’t so much in jeopardy.

Fourth Quarter, 14:26, Patriots 20-10: The running game is finally finding some legs — yes, pun intended — and that’s been a huge part of the Patriots finally finding offensive success again.

Stevan Ridley and Woodhead are making things difficult for the Dolphins, but without some of the biggest pieces along the offensive line Brady has been on the ground a lot.

After 10 quarters of sack-less football, Brady has been taken down four times today, and with little time to find receivers it’s no wonder the Patriots can’t establish a rhythm on offense.

End Third Quarter, Patriots 17-10: An eventful game in the first half has now turned extremely uneventful at least to start the second.

Tom Brady started hot on the afternoon, but has seemed to struggle since throwing an interception. He’s just 20 of 35 on the day, and the ground game has found a difficult time establishing anything consistent.

With Danny Woodhead having an impact, maybe the Patriots can finally develop a drive on the ground and add onto their lead with another touchdown to make things comfortable.

3:13 p.m.: With so much emotion on the field with the Chiefs’ players in Kansas City, you can’t help but enjoy what is turning into a dominant performance in front of the home crowd.

A little more than 24 hours after Jovan Belcher took his own life in the parking lot at Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs are up 24-14 and look as though they are on their way to earning their second win of the season.

You’ve just got to feel for these players.

Third Quarter, 6:45, Patriots 17-10: Vince Wilfork already has a fumble recovery in his homecoming to Miami, but he’s been beasting on the Dolphins’ offensive line all afternoon.

Wilfork has the defensive line starting to look more like the stingy unit that’s been dominating opposing quarterbacks all season, instead of the soft group that let Tannehill march downfield earlier in the game.

New England really needs more guys to step up like Wilfork so Brady and the offense can do work.

Third Quarter, 12:45, Patriots 17-10: The offensive line health just continues to suffer.

Dan Connolly left the game early in the first half and he still isn’t back on the field, which is forcing Marcus Cannon into extended work at right guard.

With Mankins and now Connolly out, the Patriots are in some dire straits along the line. No wonder the running game is essentially non-existent against the Dolphins today.

Halftime, Patriots 17-10: Some streaks came to an end during that first half, and the Patriots’ offensive dominance doesn’t seem to be extending into Miami.

Brady threw a pick, his first in over 200 passes, and he was sacked for the first time in over 10 quarters of play. The stingy Dolphins defense has locked down Brady and the offensive attack, and Tannehill has exploited the Patriots’ struggling secondary to pull Miami within a score.

The running game has struggled, gaining just 10 yards on eight carries, but Wes Welker has continued his dominance over the Dolphins with 10 catches for 89 yards and a touchdown already.

If the Patriots hope to extend their lead and lock down the AFC East crown, they’ll need to establish a more consistent running game and keep pumping Welker the ball. The defense needs to stand up and make some plays, too, otherwise this game could get a little too close for comfort — as if it’s not already.

Second Quarter, 0:28, Patriots 17-10: The bend but don’t break is starting to break a little too much.

Tannehill is beating the Patriots on the ground and through the air, but his receivers are also doing a good job of exploiting the Patriots’ secondary.

The defensive line ended up relenting, too, as Tannehill took advantage of a play-fake on the ground and suddenly it’s just a 17-10 lead for the Pats.

Second Quarter, 6:58, Patriots 17-3: With so many questions about Jermaine Cunningham’s absence, I’m pretty sure the concerns are being quelled.

Trevor Scott, Vince Wilfork and the rest of the defensive line have stepped up big, even forcing a big fumble in a strip-sack of Tannehill.

The Patriots need to continue taking advantage of the good field position on offense, though.

Three points from Gostkowski on a 43-yard field goal will help, but it’s still only a 14-point lead.

Second Quarter, 9:21, Patriots 14-3: Wes Welker has a history of crushing the Dolphins, and the dominance just continues.

Welker now has nine catches for 80 yards and a touchdown. It’s like they just can’t stop him.

With so many questions surrounding Welker’s long-term future in New England earlier this season, I’m pretty sure we can settle that he’s continually earning himself a place in this offense for years to come.

Second Quarter, 12:01, Patriots 7-3: You don’t mess with the Zoltan, coming soon to theaters near you!

The refs may have called roughing the kicker, but I’m pretty sure Mesko was the one doing the roughing on that hit. Yikes.

End First Quarter, Patriots 7-3: A botched punt seemed to set the Patriots up for a big day offensively, but the Dolphins aren’t going quietly into the sunset.

Brady led a touchdown drive deep in the Miami zone, and Ridley put the Patriots up 7-0. But more kicking issues from Gostkowski kept New England from taking an early 10-0 lead.

Instead the Dolphins intercepted Brady, breaking his 202 consecutive passes with a pick streak, and turned the turnover into three points to cut into the Patriots lead.

The four-point lead isn’t that concerning. But with the Patriots struggling to cope with injuries, this could get interesting.

First Quarter, 1:23, Patriots 7-0: There goes the streak.

Brady had thrown 202 consecutive passes without an interception, but that pick by Rashard Jones just broke that up.

The throw was a bit of a force, trying to thread the needle to Hernandez. The streak was of interest, seeing that Brady set the record with 309 straight passes without a pick in 2010. Then again, these things aren’t meant to last forever.

First Quarter, 4:03, Patriots 7-0: Aqib Talib has been credited with a lot of the improvements in the Patriots’ secondary. But some luck may be on his side in Miami.

Dolphins wide receiver Brian Hartline just burned Talib badly, but was overthrown by Ryan Tannehill and Talib didn’t have to get berated quite so badly on the sidelines.

Still, Talib is clearly not solid in his breaks and needs to focus more on his man and less in the backfield.

First Quarter, 6:53, Patriots 7-0: Special teams has been a high point for the Patriots so far this season, but the kicking game is keeping them down.

After that miss, Stephen Gostkowski has now missed three of his past four field goal attempts. And all those free agents that the Patriots worked out a few weeks ago could be making an appearance on the roster if things continue this way.

Gostkowski has been fairly consistent his entire career in New England, but this season seems to be putting his future in doubt.

First Quarter, 11:53, Patriots 7-0: The special teams has been truly “special” over the past few weeks. But sometimes you just get lucky.

A botched punt by the Dolphins led to great field position for the Patriots early in the first quarter, and Stevan Ridley pounded it in for the two-yard touchdown to get things going quickly.

1:02 p.m.: The Patriots have a chance to clinch the AFC East with a win in Miami, but can they pull off the feat with so many questions lingering around the team.

Let’s take a look at our weekly Three and Out with the three biggest questions heading into the Sunshine Showdown.

1. Trouble in Miami – The Patriots have had their fair share of trouble in Miami over the years, going just 14-33 lifetime in the Sunshine state. But Brady has had his own trouble over the years, going just 5-5. With two consecutive wins in Miami, can the Patriots continue their streak?

2. Replacing Gronk – Visanthe Shiancoe is out for Sunday’s game, so a lot of the pressure to replace Gronk’s production will lie on Hernandez and Fells, as well as Wes Welker, who tends to do pretty well against the Dolphins.

3. Secondary issues — Aqib Talib has brought a spark to the Patriots’ defense over the past few weeks, but can the turnover trend continue in Miami? It will be huge in establishing early dominance for the Patriots.

12:48 p.m.: Wes Welker just dominates the Miami Dolphins.

In just nine games against the division rivals, Welker has caught 75 passes for 985 yards and four touchdowns, including a 99-yard score last season.

But the outrageous performances aren’t more than a coincidence, at least according to Welker.

Welker said over the weekend, that his big performances against the Dolphins are completely “random.”

12:28 p.m.: With Logan Mankins out for yet another week and Sebastian Vollmer struggling with a lingering back issue, the Patriots could use all the offensive line help they could get.

But for all you hoping for Brian Waters to make a triumphant return, I’m sorry to burst your bubble.

Waters, who was placed on the “did not report” list during training camp, is officially not an option for the Patriots any longer this season. There was reportedly a deal in the works for the Pro Bowl guard to return, but the window for his return has now closed.

So, Tom Brady’s left with the makeshift line in front of him the rest of the way, which is worrisome but hasn’t been a cause for too much concern yet this year.

12:08 p.m.: November may technically be over, meaning the end of sweet mustaches and interesting facial hair decisions. But Wes Welker apparently isn’t quite ready to let go just yet.

Welker, who is currently third in the NFL with 80 receptions, rocked a solid mustache throughout “Movember” and has now turned that stache into a Fu Manchu.

I’m not sure if Welker will have his best day down in Miami, although past history would indicate he’ll hold his own. But at least we know he’s having the best mustache of anyone on the field.

Check out the Fu Manchu below.

11:35 a.m.: The sunshine showdown is getting closer and closer to kickoff, and the Patriots will yet again be without a few of their big stars.

Rob Gronkowski, Logan Mankins and Chandler Jones are all set to miss another week of action, as has been the expectation.

But with a need for the Patriots to fill those holes down in Miami, Bill Belichick had to make some decisions on today’s inactives.

Visanthe Shiancoe was the unfortunate casualty of the situation, getting a seat on the afternoon to give Daniel Fells, Aaron Hernandez and other the chance to fill the void at tight end.

Patriots:
TE Visanthe Shianoce,
G Mitch Petrus,
FB James Develin
DB Derrick Martin
DE Chandler Jones,
G Logan Mankins
TE Rob Gronkowski

Dolphins:
QB Pat Develin,
S Jonathan Amaya
LB Josh Kaddu
OT Will Yeatman
TE Michael Egnew
TE Kyle Miller
DT Kheeston Randall

8 a.m. ET: The Patriots are on the verge of clinching the AFC East for the fourth straight year and the 10th time in the last 12 seasons. But a trip to Miami — which, mind you, is no easy feat — still stands in their way.

After a Thanksgiving night feast at the Meadowlands — a 49-19 rout of the rival Jets — Tom Brady and the Patriots are primed for another meal in Miami. The Patriots have averaged nearly 44 points per game during their five-game win streak and appear to be ready to eat up more yards and opponents. But taking the AFC East crown won’t come without a challenge.

The Dolphins’ defense, led by pass-rushing powerhouse Cameron Wake, has been one of the best in football all season, and it should offer Brady and company another big test on Sunday. Meanwhile, rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill has been inconsistent on the whole this season, but a 21-point fourth quarter comeback against Seattle last week is reason to have faith in him.

Tannehill has the skills and arm strength necessary to take advantage of New England’s fickle defensive play. But with Aqib Talib’s addition and the return of Steve Gregory and Patrick Chung, the Patriots’ secondary looks to have new life and could be a problem for Miami.

There will be lots to watch out for in Miami, considering Brady is just 5-5 there as a starter, and the Patriots’ offense should provide plenty of fireworks.

The game is set for 1 p.m., but we’ll have all the action right here for you throughout the day. So, keep it locked here for all the news, notes and analysis on your New England Patriots.

Have a question for Luke Hughes? Send it to him via Twitter at @LukeFHughes or send it here.

Alright, well, maybe it wasn’t a trident, and maybe Brick was the Patriots and the guy was the Jets’ playoff hopes. But that really did get out of hand.

For what was supposed to be an exciting Thursday night football game, that was disgusting.

Tom Brady scored four times, including one rushing touchdown, and the Patriots scored once on defense and another time on special teams. That means, for the second straight week, New England has scored a touchdown in all three facets of the game.

Steve Gregory was in on four turnovers. He forced a fumble, intercepted a pass and recovered a pair of fumbles, including one for a touchdown. He led a defensive effort that included two picks, two sacks and five forced fumbles.

Overall, that was a terrific effort by the entire team. Wes Welker, Shane Vereen, Julian Edelman and Stevan Ridley also got in on the scoring action.

So, while you take all that in and let it fester, which Patriots player do you think deserves this week’s game ball?

Fourth Quarter, 2:00, Patriots 49-19: Oh, Dustin Keller scored a touchdown to bring it to 49-19, for all you keeping track at home.

Let the tryptophan sink in and enjoy the night, because this one looks like it’s all over.

Fourth Quarter, 2:52, Patriots 49-12: For real this time, riddle me this. Why is Brady still in the game at quarterback?

I understand you hate the Jets, and that you want to put the biggest hurting on them as humanly possible in a 60-minute game. But why are you going to risk your best player in a meaningless end to a now meaningless game?

Must be saving Mallett’s arm for the postseason.

Fourth Quarter, 12:02, Patriots 49-12: Ridley me this.

Alright, I don’t know where I’m going with this one. I’ve gotten completely stir crazy in the press box and have resorted to making terrible puns. Let’s act as if I don’t normally.

As such, Ridley just punched in a nine-yard score, and this game is all but over at 49-12. Let’s call it a night and go to bed … or at least get a snack!

Fourth Quarter, 12:02, Patriots 42-12: Brady can be sneaky, especially near the goal line.

A one-yard score gives Brady four touchdowns on the day, and fantasy owners must be grinning real wide.

Seriously, this is absurd. A 30-point deficit is bad enough, but Rex missed Thanksgiving dinner for this.

OK, no more Ryan fat jokes. But he may need to eat more leftovers than a teenage girl who was just broken up with. Yup, it’s that bad.

Also, this place is empty. I mean, completely empty. There might be one-eighth of the seats filled at this point.

End Third Quarter, Patriots 35-12: The Jets were rolling in the third quarter. They even shut out the Patriots 9-0.

So, the Jets are back then, right? Well, if you call a 22-point deficit being back then, sure, they’re back.

At least these fans don’t have to be embarrassed that the only scores they had on the night were a field goal and a safety. There’s a touchdown in there now. It is Thanksgiving, and I’d say Rex is pretty thankful for that.

I wonder how many plates of leftovers Rex is going to eat after this one, though.

Third Quarter, 3:32, Patriots 35-12: Five points obviously weren’t enough. The Jets now have 12 points on the night. Boomshackalacka.

Mark Sanchez is doing his best Tony Romo impersonation by giving up a big lead and then leading his team to a bunch of meaningless scoring drives. Seriously, these guys might as well be brothers — or at least distant cousins. They both stink.

Either way, the Patriots need a score here just to reaffirm their dominance over this suddenly enthused — even if only slightly — Jets crowd.

Third Quarter, 6:42, Patriots 35-5: Just when you thought the Jets were in danger, safety arrived.

Ha, a little football humor on that one. But seriously, Stevan Ridley got caught with a chop block in the end zone, and the Jets now have five whole points. Woohoo!

Aside from that, the New England defense has been the talk of the night.

Sanchez drove the Jets all the way down to the one-yard line. But alas, nothing but some sand to pound for that Gang Green offense.

Spikes, Jerod Mayo and Gregory have been huge on the night. There’s gotta be a game ball in there for a number of these guys.

Third Quarter, 8:22, Patriots 35-3: Sorry — I was in a collective state of shock for much of that halftime. I must’ve even blacked out Lenny Kravitz’s performance. Devastating!

The majority of the Jets crowd is still here, but about one quarter of these fans must have left at halftime, given the excessive number of empty seats all over the stands.

I understand this is an ugly, embarrassing game. Truly, I do. But, if I paid $150-plus for these seats, I’d damn well be sure to get my time and/or money’s worth.

Halftime, Patriots 35-3: I’ve been hearing The Twilight Zone music going off in my head since basically the start of the second quarter. And Mark Sanchez isn’t making things any better.

Sanchez’s first half included an interception, a fumble and a bum rush — literally — into his offensive lineman, and the Jets’ 35-point deficit can’t even be questioned because of it.

Turnovers continue to be the flavor of the season for the Patriots. Four forced turnovers in the first half, and Sanchez has apparently reverted back to his crummy self for this game.

Brandon Spikes forced a fumble with some serious strength, tossing it almost 20 yards downfield. But Steve Gregory has been the defensive story of the half, picking off a pass, scooping up a pair of fumbles and scoring a touchdown.

It doesn’t help that the Patriots scored three touchdowns in a matter of 56 seconds off those turnovers, extending their lead to 28-0 at the time. It’s now 35-3, and the Jets fans were even booing their kicker after scoring the only points of the game.

This is embarrassing for the Jets, their fans and pretty much everyone involved in this game. The Patriots must be pleased with a 32-point lead heading into the half, but yikes — this is ugly with a capital “U.”

Second Quarter, 2:51, Patriots 35-0: Julian Edelman is a weapon — not like the Patriots need anymore.

While Brady and Brandon Lloyd continue to struggle with their connection on deep balls, Brady and Edelman seem to be right in rhythm.

A 59-yard touchdown grab gives Edelman two scores on the night, and all the questions about putting consecutive performances together are put to rest … just like this game.

Second Quarter, 8:51, Patriots 28-0: Seriously, what is happening? Am I in an episode of The Twilight Zone?

The first touchdown marked Gregory’s third turnover of the game, with the pick and now two fumble recoveries. That’s weird enough after all the grief he’s gotten this season.

And not to overshadow Gregory here, but Sanchez is literally falling apart before our very eyes.

Sanchez just tackled himself into the butt of Brandon Moore, fumbling the ball, and then Gregory returned the fumble for a score to make it 21-0.

Now, it was McKnight fumbling on the kickoff return. Edelman gets the touchdown, and then … another touchdown. That’s three touchdowns in the matter of 56 seconds. Umm, is that a record? If not, then it should be.

Second Quarter, 9:44, Patriots 14-0: Ok, so this is getting silly.

First it was Spikes’ strength. Now it’s Vereen’s speed.

Shane Vereen was a nobody in the Patriots’ offense just four weeks ago, and now he looks like an integral piece to the puzzle.

Vereen busted out a 83-yard touchdown catch-and-run off a screen pass from Brady. The play was nice, but the speed he showed after the catch was the real impressive part.

I mean, talk about off to the races. This dude would have just beat “I’ll Have Another” at the Kentucky Derby. I’m talking Jeff Demps fast. Damn.

Second Quarter, 10:04, Patriots 7-0: Well, well, well. What do we have here?

Another turnover, you say? The Patriots are the best team in the NFL at creating turnovers, and Brandon Spikes just created another.

Even more impressive than the second turnover in less than two quarters, though, is Spikes’ strength. He just swatted that ball out Shonn Greene’s hand and it flew about 20 yards down field. Was this guy born half-moose, half-human?

Second Quarter, 14:54, Patriots 7-0: Need a replacement for the Gronk? Look no further than Wes Welker.

The questions all week surrounded how the Ptriots would replace Gronk, especially in the red zone. Well, with a drive getting in close to the goal line, Welker was the target, and the shifty little receiver got it done.

A three-yard touchdown grab puts the Patriots up 7-0 and might put some of the growing Gronk concerns to bed — for now.

End First Quarter: A scoreless first quarter? I’m pretty sure no one predicted that.

The Patriots and Jets both had their chances, but kicked — or, in Sanchez’s case, threw — them away.

Gostkowski’s miss only further raises concerns over his inconsistencies in the kicking game. But Sanchez’s pick must be far more worrisome for the Jets, seeing as it indicates he’s still not progressing in this offense.

Brady hasn’t been very sharp to start, completing just 4 of 10 passes. But Ridley and Vereen have carried the offensive load with 66 first quarter yards.

Oh yeah, and Steve Gregory is a beast.

First Quarter, 6:03: Steve Gregory is constantly being criticized for his inconsistent play out of the secondary. But he’s finally making good on his expectations heading into the season.

Gregory picked off a Mark Sanchez pass and cut down a Jets deep drive downfield before they had a chance to take the early lead.

The secondary seems to be playing much more aggressive since Talib came on board, and Gregory is just one of the guys reaping some of the benefits. Also, I’m not sure Patrick Chung would’ve read the route the same way or been able to come up with that pick.

First Quarter, 10:03: Well, there’s good news and there’s bad news. I would ask which you want first, but given I’m manning this live blog and don’t want to wait for your tweets to roll through, I’ll go with the good.

Rob Ninkovich is back to sideline and on the field, following a quick run to the locker room. Bathroom break, maybe?

As for the bad, Stephen Gostkowski just botched a 39-yard field goal that would’ve given the Patriots an early lead.

That’s Gostkowski’s second missed field goal in as many games, which could become a much bigger problem as the season goes on. If the kicking game can’t figure things out, then the Jets could have a much easier time than anticipated.

First Quarter, 11:38: The defense looked stout in their first action of the day. But hey, the Dcould be getting even thinner along the line.

Rob Ninkovich headed to the locker room, running the entire way, and looked to be holding his arm tight to his chest.

Without Jones already, the Patriots are thin on the outside. But add Nink to that absentee list, and suddenly the pass rush looks even weaker.

First Quarter, 13:28: Th Patriots got the ball first, but what was hopeful to be a quick strike turned into a foiled drive.

Brady and the offense went a quick three and out, which isn’t a good sign for the first series of life without Gronk.

Hernandez should see some extended playing time, but can he be effective enough to help propel the offense?

8:25 p.m.: Pretty cool moment just ahead of game time.

After the Jets players ran out of the tunnel, New York firefighters and police ran out of the tunnel with some serious giddy excitement. It was pretty sweet to see the first responders get all amped up down on the field, and for the fans to properly salute them.

8:11 p.m.: The players are amped up out on the field here at Metlife Stadium, and Tom Brady has his fierce face in full gear as he gears up for the Jets.

But even a no-nonsense face like that can’t protect him from a weakened and seriously depleted offensive line. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the biggest questions heading into this Thanksgiving showdown at the Meadowlands with this week’s Three and Out.

1. Replacing the Gronk – Gronk is out for at least the next four games, and that means some other guys will need to step up on offense to make up for his production. Aaron Hernandez’s return should help alleviate the blow, but his role is still to be fully determined. As for the rest of the production, Wes Welker will need to take on more of the offensive load, and Visanthe Shiancoe and Daniel Fells will have to take on the extra tight end responsibilities.

2. Keeping up with the Jones – Speaking of stars on the shelf, Chandler Jones will miss his first game of the season here on Thursday, and the defensive line will be hard-pressed to make up for his presence on defense. Rob Ninkovich will have some extra responsibilities to put pressure on Mark Sanchez,but Jermaine Cunningham will once again need to provide any added pass rush. We’ll see if the Patriots can get a push against this O line and force some errant throws without arguably their best pass rusher.

3. Holding the line — Mankins is out again. That hasn’t been a huge problem, so far, but will the Patriots be able to make up for Sebastian Vollmer’s presence along the line? Vollmer has been playing at an All-Pro level of late. And with him unable to give it a go against the Jets, New England will be looking to the likes of Nick McDonald and Marcus Cannon to fill the hole he’s leaving behind. How much time will Brady have in the pocket, and will he have enough of an opportunity to find his open receivers?

We’ll just have to wait and see. But in the meantime, keep it locked here with the live blog for all your New England Patriots news, notes and analysis.

7:51 p.m.: Also, who’s watching the end of this Cowboys vs. Redskins game?

Tony Romo literally looks like Tom Brady right now, and Dez Bryant is finally showing up like Michael Irvin in the No. 88 jersey.

If this defense can hold Robert Griffin III at the end, they may actually have a chance to pull off a major comeback win.

Something big could finally be going down in Big D.

7:38 p.m.: Just before the start of the season, New England traded a late-round pick to the Rams in exchange for wide receiver Greg Salas. But after an extended stint on the practice squad and some time with the first teamers last week, Salas is no more.

Salas was waived by the Patriots Thursday night to make room for offensive lineman Markus Zusevics on the 53-man roster. Zusevics has been on the Patriots’ practice squad for most of the season, but with lingering injuries to guard Logan Mankins and tackle Sebastian Vollmer, his addition to provide more depth.

Salas did see a few plays on one series with the offense against the Colts last Sunday, but his impact was minor if at all noticeable.

Zusevics is inactive against the Jets for this Thanksgiving night showdown, and Salas is likely an option for the practice squad should he pass through the waiver wire.

7:15 p.m.: The Patriots will obviously be without tight end Rob Gronkowski tonight, given his surgically repaired forearm. But — on Thanksgiving, no less — the Patriots are getting something they can be thankful for.

The returns of tight end Aaron Hernandez and safety Patrick Chung will help bolster a receiving corps and secondary that have been left thin in recent weeks.

Hernandez’s availability should be a point to watch, specifically how many plays he’ll be allotted, but his presence will be helpful nontheless.

As for Chung, the depth on defense will be helpful, but where will Devin McCourty line up come game time? That is the million-dollar question. McCourty has looked solid over the top in coverage, but will he stick around at safety, or would he and new acquisition Aqib Talib be better suited on the corners in the New England secondary?

7 p.m.: Rob Gronkowski, Logan Mankins and Chandler Jones were all ruled out ahead of tonight’s game, but there was one surprise on the inactives list for the Patriots here at the Meadowlands.

Sebastian Vollmer, who was listed as questionable on Wednesday’s injury report, will be out against the Jets. That means that the Patriots line will be even thinner as Logan Mankins is slated to miss yet another game.

Check out the full list of inactives for both teams below.

Patriots:
Chandler Jones
OL Logan Mankins
TE Rob Gronkowski
OL Sebastian Vollmer
OL Mark Vusevics
DL Jake Bequette
CB Marquice Cole

Jets:
QB Greg McElroy
RB Kahlil Bell
CB Eric Berry
DL Damon Harrison
G Caleb Schlauderaff
G Hayworth Hicks
TE Hayden Smith

6:20 p.m.: Some Patriots players are out on the field here at Metlife, working out some of the kinks and getting all jacked up for a showdown with the AFC East rival Jets.

The stadium has yet to open its gates, but we’re sure to see fans filling the seats in no time as Tom Brady gets ready to lead New England onto the field against Mark Sanchez and the Jets.

While I prepare to provide you with the most up-to-date info ahead of gametime, check out my view from the press box. This place is no Gillette, but it’s pretty sweet.

5:38 p.m.: Most people have carved up the turkey and are already starting on the dessert portion of their meal. But I’m just getting set and ready for a long night ahead here at MetLife Stadium.

There’s plenty for us to cover ahead of game time, including a new addition to the Patriots offense and a wild finish in Detroit.

So, wrap up the leftovers and grab a big plate of pie, because we’ve got a rivalry ready to be reborn down at the Meadowlands.

8 a.m. ET: It’s a beautiful day for a parade here in New York City, but it’s also a great day for some football.

Thanksgiving simply wouldn’t be complete without the continued tradition of turkey and football overtaking America. And the Patriots will be extending that practice with a Thursday night showdown at the Meadowlands to get you over your tryptophan hangover.

Tom Brady is 2-0 in Thanksgiving Day games (2002, 2010), but this time around he’ll be celebrating Turkey Day with the AFC East rival Jets to see who gets the divisional drumstick. That feat might face a tougher test this week, though, as not only does the short week present a problem, but Rob Gronkowski’s injury will keep the talented tight end off the field for four to eight weeks.

Gronk, who had surgery to repair his broken left forearm on Monday, was just getting back into the swing of the season before the injury, and now the Patriots are left with a gaping hole on offense.

The return of tight end Aaron Hernandez could help fill the void in the meantime, but Brady will need some other players to step up as well if he expects to continue the recent rhythm in the passing game. Visanthe Shiancoe, Daniel Fells and even Brandon Lloyd and Julian Edelman will be relied on to make up for the missing production.

As for the Jets, a big win in St. Louis has them sitting at 4-6 and feeling more confident as the Patriots come to town. But their success rides on Mark Sanchez’s shoulder, and which version of Sanchez shows up could determine the Jets’ chances on Thursday.

The action won’t get under way until a little after 8:20 p.m. So, get your fill of turkey, stuffing and potatoes early, and then be sure to keep up with our live blog, which we’ll be updating from MetLife Stadium throughout the day, for all the news, notes and analysis on your New England Patriots.

Have a question for Luke Hughes? Send it to him via Twitter at @LukeFHughes or send it here.

Sure, they may have given up their fair share of points themselves in the 59-24 win, but the secondary was much improved, led by Talib and Dennard’s interception returns for touchdowns. The pass rush looked about as good as it has all season, too, with Rob Ninkovich and Vince Wilfork leading the charge.

The Julian Edelman show also took center stage against the Colts. The versatile receiver kicked things off with a 68-yard punt return for a touchdown and he finished things off with five catches for 58 yards and a touchdown as well as a 47-yard run to set up another. Mr. Versatility was unbelievable on the whole and could be a serious weapon as the season goes on.

Rob Gronkowski was sensational, yet again, catching seven balls for 137 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The scores made Gronk the first tight end in NFL history with 10-plus scores in three consecutive seasons. That stat continues to amaze me, especially considering guys like Kellen Winslow, Tony Gonzalez and other that have come before him.

Andrew Luck’s day was marred by four costly turnovers — which cost the Colts 14 points in fact — but he looked a lot better than his numbers (27 for 50, 334 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs and a fumble) may show.

The youngster definitely had some rookie moments, but his poise and focus showed through in the way he progressed past the mistakes and kept Indy going even through some tough times.

A great win for the Patriots, and a performance to be proud of on all sides of the ball. I wouldn’t even be surprised to see a smile out of Bill Belichick in postgame.

For all your news, notes and analysis of this win, keep with NESN.com and remember to follow @LukeFHughes on Twitter.

Fourth Quarter, 4:37, Patriots 59-24: Mercy!

That’s what the Colts should be screaming at this point, because this defense can’t hold the Patriots down for even the slightest of moments in this game.

What began as a concerning afternoon has turned into an all-out rout in a 59-24 banger.

This offense has been absurdly good all day, and Shane Vereen’s four-yard score just cemented that reality.

Fourth Quarter, 8:37, Patriots 52-24: Last week it was Danny Woodhead serving the utility role, this time around it’s Julian Edelman doing it all.

After hauling in five passes and returning a punt for a touchdown, Edelman decided to take an end around 47 yards deep into Colts territory and set Stevan Ridley up for the score.

I feel like a broken record, but Edelman is an absolute stud and a weapon unlike many in the NFL. He’s got unbelievable speed and agility. His moves are almost unstoppable. If he stays healthy, this offense might be even more dangerous than it already is — that thought alone could give you chills.

Fourth Quarter, 12:37, Patriots 45-24: So, we saw the good. Now, comes the bad.

Talib bit on a double-move from T.Y. Hilton and got burned badly as Luck hits the rookie with a 43-yard touchdown pass.

The secondary has been stellar on the whole against Luck and these Colts, but sometimes they do seem to get complacent. That’s how that drive felt and it’s a trend that can’t continue if they seriously expect to make a deep playoff run.

Talib has been a big help already, but these defensive backs need to continue relying on one another and trusting themselves on such moves.

Fourth Quarter, 14:47, Patriots 45-17: Just when I get done raving about the defense, they step up even bigger.

Alfonzo Dennard clearly is getting the better of the rookie matchup here at Gillette, as he just picked off Luck and returned it 86-yards for the touchdown.

The last time two Patriots returned interceptions for touchdowns was on Jan. 6, 2002 when Otis Smith and Ty Law put TDs on the board for the Pats.

This secondary is starting to inspire hope in fans. Premature? Maybe. But deserved, today.

End Third Quarter, Patriots 38-17: If there was any doubt about the Patriots heading into the half, many concerns were answered in that third quarter.

Gronk and Edelman got the glory, as both scored touchdowns to give the Patriots their 21-point lead. But it was Rob Ninkovich and Vince Wilfork who really made a big difference.

Both guys stepped up big time in pressuring Luck and forcing errant passes as well as a huge strip-sack turnover that helped extend the lead.

Nink has been vital to the Patriots pass rush this season, and even at 31, Wilfork continues to be the leader of the New England defense.

Third Quarter, 1:01, Patriots 38-17: Well, the Andrew Luck question drew some seriously interesting comparisons.

There were a few Big Ben’s out there, and surprisingly no Manning’s — at least not straight up. Anyhow, I’ll share a few with you right now.

@nesn luck is like a cross between peyton manning and Aaron Rogers

— David Carbone (@deecee3737) November 18, 2012

@nesn Big Ben, but with touch!

— Bill McGoldrick (@billmcgoldrick1) November 18, 2012

@nesn elway

— Ray Richardson (@sammysaab11) November 18, 2012

Third Quarter, 3:41, Patriots 38-17: So, Gronk’s pretty good at football. Huh?

Remember when Gronk had 17 touchdowns last season, well he could very well eclipse that this season.

A pair of touchdowns against the Colts today gives Gronk 10 on the year, and makes him the first tight end in NFL history — yep, NFL history — with three consecutive seasons of 10 or more touchdowns. Wow, talk about impressive.

Third Quarter, 7:01, Patriots 31-17: Andrew Luck is a pretty insane athlete, enough so that he draws comparisons to just about every great quarterback of all time.

But while scouring the Twittersphere, I came across some interesting comparisons, including: Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning and Steve Young.

I’d say he’s a combination of Roethlisberger’s escapability and Young’s athleticism. What do you think?

Tweet @LukeFHughes with your thoughts and your tweet could be featured on NESN.com.

Third Quarter, 11:07, Patriots 31-17: Just like the cowbell, we need more Edelman.

For the second time today, Edelman has found the end zone. The only difference is that this time around, he was on the receiving end of a Tom Brady pass.

Edelman has been the spark plug for the Patriots all evening, hauling in five passes for 58 yards and returning that punt for a touchdown earlier in the game.

If this production is anything even close to what Edelman is capable of the rest of the season, then Branch’s absence won’t even be an after thought. Edelman is a versatile receiver and when healthy he can give the Patriots even more weapons.

End Second Quarter, Patriots 24-17: Andrew Luck has the Colts offense looking like the Patriots early in the first quarter. But an inspired defensive effort, led by some solid work and a touchdown return by Aqib Talib, changed those fortunes.

Between Edelman’s 68-yard punt return and Talib’s 59-yard interception return, which came in a span of 61 seconds, the Patriots have a big handle on the big plays.

Aside from the good fortune, Brady has been stellar, completing 13 of 20 for 181 yards and a touchdown to Gronk.

The big star of the day, though, is surprisingly not Talib. Rather Edelman should be the one in the spotlight. The versatile receiver has three catches for 39 yards, the incredible punt return for a TD and forced fumble that nearly gave New England a chance for a two-score lead heading into the half. I smell AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in his future.

Second Quarter, 1:56, Patriots 24-17: Something that’s just bothered me all evening is the way the Patriots fans have treated Adam Viniateri in his return.

Look, I know he left town for more money in rival Indy, but he also helped you win three Super Bowls. Does that mean nothing these days?

Seriously, there needs to be a stark change in reception for a guy heavily responsible for Lombardis filling the cases at the Patriots Hall of Fame.

In the meantime, Viniateri’s successor, Gostkowski, makes up for his miss earlier with a 31-yard kick to give the Pats a seven-point lead once again, 24-17.

Second Quarter, 5:56, Patriots 21-17: Talib may not be the “savior” of this Patriots defense, but he’s definitely a huge help.

The new addition returned an interception for a TD, but now he’s assisting with some solid coverage on the outside.

While Talib gets the credit, though, McCourty has still been nothing but consistent at safety. He’s helped break up two big passes from Luck, and there haven’t been any big plays over the top with him roaming around back there.

McCourty may not be the “leader” of the defense, that distinction still goes to Mayo and Wilfork, but he’s definitely the heart and soul of the secondary. Too important to ignore.

Oh, and Adam Viniateri made a 47-yard field goal to cut the Colts deficit to 21-17.

Second Quarter, 10:56, Patriots 21-14: Talk about an entrance. Aqib Talib is already making the Patriots secondary better.

The play-making cornerback not only intercepts an errant pass from Luck, but he proceeds to return it 59 yards for the touchdown.

Talib has always been known as a ball hawk of sorts, but that was just an incredible show of the type of ability he brings to this secondary. With even more time and practice in that unit, the sky could really be the limit for him.

Second Quarter, 11:56, 14-14: Julian Edelman has been the unheralded star of the show so far in this game.

Just when things start to go bad, Edelman shows up with a huge 68-yard punt return for a touchdown.

Edelman hasn’t been too involved in the offense in recent weeks, but with three catches for 39 yards and now the punt return, he could see a lot more time and looks as this season goes on. What a great weapon for Brady and the Patriots, especially in key situations like this.

Second Quarter, 12:26, Colts 14-7: Stephen Gostkowski’s consistency problems from early in the season were over, right? Wrong.

Gostkowski just botched a kick from about 36-yards out, and suddenly the concerns return.

Maybe Gostkowski just needs a shot in the arm every once in a while. But in a tight game against a very good, and underrated, Colts team, there’s not much room for error.

Get back on the horse, Stephen.

End First Quarter, Colts 14-7: Defense. Defense. Defense.

That defense just continues to be a problem, and there just seems to be no answer for the Patriots.

The Colts 14-7 lead isn’t luck by any stretch of the imagination. Simply put, Indy has been the superior team through one quarter. Luck’s been sensational, completing 6 of 7 and a touchdown. And rookie Vick Ballard has slashed his way through the Pats’ front seven for 51 yards on the ground.

If these problems persist, the Patriots could be headed for 6-4 rather than the 7-3 they were hoping for. Aqib Talib, where you at?

First Quarter, 1:49 , Colts 14-7: As much as the Patriots run defense gets credit, they’ve looked awful so far against Indy.

Vick Ballard, a fifth-round rookie, has torn up the ground game for the Colts with eight carries for 51 yards. Ouch.

If the Patriots can’t hold down the run game, and even with Talib they can’t stop the passing attack, then how do they expect to keep Luck and the Colts out of the end zone?

Talib has at least looked alright in coverage, but Luck’s just been way too precise for the new Patriots corner to have any serious impact.

First Quarter, 7:09 , 7-7: If the defense was horrendous to start this one, then the offense has to be stupendous.

Rob Gronkowski has been dealing with a hip injury all season, but the big tight end finally seems to have found his stride.

Gronk caught a four-yard touchdown pass to tie things up for the Patriots, but he also is climbing the record books with the catch.

That touchdown is historic as Gronk is now tied with John Jefferson for fourth all-time with 36 touchdown catches in his first three seasons.

If Gronk keeps up this pace then the Patriots offense will be just fine, even without Mankins and Connolly.

First Quarter, 10:49 , Colts 7-0: The Patriots secondary is once again a point of concern, and this time it’s Kyle Arrington.

Arrington gets a huge pass interference call, which gives the Cotls a free 40 yards, which leads to the 1-yard touchdown run. Indy now up 7-0 early.

Arrington has been hit or miss all season, and his struggles to turn and cover have cost the Patriots time and again. Talib should help boost the secondary, but if Arrington doesn’t figure out how to stick his man then the improvement on the outside won’t matter much.

4:25 p.m.: “Good luck, men,” the head referee says after New England won the coin toss.

Now, we’re ready for game time and the Patriots will be kicking off, per usual.

Get ready for an exciting game. Luck vs. Brady should be in full swing and Aqib Talib will make his presence felt, one way or another.

4:03 p.m.:  Injuries seem to be the hot topic of the day.

With Mankins and Connolly set to miss this one, the Colts have a good opportunity to get after Tom Brady and really slow down the Patriots potent passing game.

While this is the main question on the afternoon, there are plenty of other concerns heading into the 4:25 p.m. kickoff.

So let’s take a look at some of those storylines ahead of kickoff with this week’s Three and Out.

1. Protection Problems – Tom Brady is the Patriots prized possession, and with two of his best offensive lineman out will New England be able to protect him often enough to establish a strong passing game? Donald Thomas and Nick McDonald have filled in admirably so far this season. But can they meet the challenge in a big game against a good Colts pass rush?

2. Talib Time – The Patriots newest defensive weapon is finally suited up and ready to take on a major role in this defense. But how “major” will his impact really be in his debut? With Reggie Wayne, the NFL’s receptions leader with 69, in town, will Talib be tasked with shutting him down? And will he be up to the test?

3. Wide Outs – Deion Branch isn’t wide anymore, but he is on the “outs.” Who will fill that void in the Patriots offense? Greg Salas has been signed from the practice squad and is active as the Patriots fourth receiver. But will he or special-teamer Matthew Slater be looked to in that role? Especially with Wes Welker still ailing. Don’t forget about Visanthe Shiancoe, either. He and Julian Edelman could be relied on heavily against the Colts.

3:47: Let’s go Around the League quickly, and take a look at a big story or two.

First off, Jacksonville has jumped all over the Texans in Houston and is up 34-27 with only a few minutes left in the 4th quarter.

As for the Eagles, it looks like Nick Foles may not be the savior in Philly after all. Robert Griffin III and the Redskins are up 31-6 and Foles is just 16 of 33 with a pair of interceptions. “Michael Vick” will be the name on the tip of every Eagles fans tongue come Monday morning.

3:32 p.m.: Andrew Luck has led a resurgence in Indianapolis this season. But, according to Colts interim head coach Bruce Arians, the quarterback could be on the shelf soon enough if things continue in their current state.

In talking about Luck’s health, Arians went on a rant about the way defenders have been coming after his QB. And he’s not too pleased with the outcome, as he said in an interview with ESPN.

Arians spoke at length about how defenders have been going after Luck’s head and subjecting the rookie phenom to potential unnecessary injuries.

“Even if Andrew slides, guys are coming for his head,” Arians said.  “That was a cheap shot by [Dawan] Landry. He got a penalty.  But a penalty is not enough. Landry should have been ejected from the game. He is sliding, and it’s illegal to launch yourself at the quarterback’s head like that. He should have been ejected.”

Arians might be directing those comments at officials ahead of his showdown in New England, especially with Luck squaring off with Patriots “punks” like Brandon Spikes, who delivers bone-crushing hits on a weekly basis.

3:02 p.m.: Inactives are out, and it looks like more of the same for the Patriots.

Safety Patrick Chung will be out yet again, meaning that Devin McCourty will likely be back at his newly accustomed safety spot again against the Colts.

But the big story is on offense, where Aaron Hernandez leads the list of inactives, as expected. The absence of Logan Mankins and Dan Connolly could be a big problem for Tom Brady, though, as he will be fighting for time in the pocket all afternoon against Colts defensive ends Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney.

Tight end Daniel Fells is also out this week, in a surprise move. Look for Visanthe Shiancoe to see some added reps in his place and for wide receiver Greg Salas to see some time over the middle.

Let’s take a look at the rest of the inactives for both sides.

Colts:
CB Vontae Davis,
TE Coby Fleener,
LB Mario Harvey,
OT Bradley Sowell,
DT Josh Chapman,
DT Martin Tevaseu,
OT Tony Hills

Patriots:
DE Jake Bequette,
DL Justin Francis,
TE Daniel Fells,
G Logan Mankins,
TE Aaron Hernandez,
G Dan Connolly,
S Patrick Chung

2:41 p.m.: The secondary has been the Achilles heel of this Patriots defense all season — I feel like I write this every week. And help may have finally arrived — this too.

Aqib Talib will be making his Patriots debut here on Sunday, and New England will need him as Andrew Luck, the NFL’s best young quarterback, and Reggie Wayne, the league’s leading receiver, enter Foxboro looking to pick apart this secondary.

Talib is known as a solid coverage cornerback and a playmaker. He’ll need to bring those skills to the table in his debut, as Luck and the Colts will undoubtedly try to exploit the Patriots defense early and often.

But can he be the difference this defense needs? And more so, who will line up on the opposite side of Talib at corner for New England? Devin McCourty, Kyle Arrington and rookie Alfonzo Dennard all have some claim, but only one will start on the outside.

2:01 p.m.: Injuries have been plaguing the Patriots for what has seemed like all season.

With so many guys still on the shelf or at least on the injury report (17 as of Saturday), New England will be hoping that at least a few of their key players will be back on the turf at Gillette for kickoff.

Tight end Aaron Hernandez, who has missed five games already this season, is expected to be out for the third consecutive game. Wes Welker is expected to play, fighting through the pain of a lingering ankle injury. And All-Pro guard Logan Mankins is doubtful and will probably be shelved once again. There’s plenty more where those came from, including safety Patrick Chung, and the questions will only continue to mount ahead of game time.

We’ll see how things shape up as kickoff time rolls closer and closer.

1:35 p.m.: Welcome to Gillette Stadium. We’ve got you covered from now all the way through the end of this Patriots-Colts showdown.

Tight end Aaron Hernandez is likely out of action here on Sunday, as is the same with guard Logan Mankins. So Tom Brady will be in some trouble. And with reliable receiver Deion Branch no longer around, Brady and the offense could find a few hiccups, at least to start, against this Colts defense.

Anyhow, here’s a shot from the press box here at Gillette to hold you over until players start getting stretched and set to go out on the field.

8:45 a.m.: Saturday was busy for the Patriots, with Deion Branch once again finding himself without a spot on the team. Greg Salas and Aqib Talib have taken roster spots, bumping off Branch and special teams player Malcolm Williams.

8 a.m. ET: Help has finally arrived. His name is Aqib.

Aqib Talib is finally suiting up for the Patriots after two weeks of uncertainty since coming over from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline. A big, physical and very skilled cornerback, Talib is certain to add some much-needed assistance to a struggling secondary.

In his first game in New England, Talib will have quite the challenge. Rookie sensation Andrew Luck leads the resurgent Colts into Foxboro for a showdown of potential playoff contenders in a billing few expected coming into the season.

The Colts had a dreadful 2-14 campaign in 2011, leaving them hogtied and desperate in the cellar of the NFL. Luck came to save the day — but not without help from his favorite receiver on the outside, Reggie Wayne, who has also been a huge factor in Indy’s return to glory.

With the spirit of Chuck Pagano, who continues to battle leukemia, behind them, the Colts are sure to give New England plenty of problems. And with All-Pro guard Logan Mankins and Pro Bowl receiver Wes Welker questionable for Sunday’s game, the Patriots could be in even deeper trouble come game time at Gillette Stadium. Tight end Aaron Hernandez has already been ruled out, according to several reports.

Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. But be sure to keep with the live blog throughout the day for all your news, notes and analysis on your New England Patriots.

Have a question for Luke Hughes? Send it to him via Twitter at @LukeFHughes or send it here.

The social media picture-taking application has been a relative revolution in smart-phone culture, one of the primary ways people use to share moments of their life.

Well, NESN is in on the act, too, and we even took a few pictures while covering Goodell’s news conference on Thursday at Harvard. Check out a choice image below as the commissioner holds court with the media after his lecture. Goodell may have his share of critics, but when he talks, people listen.

Is he telling the truth? You be the judge.

4:05 p.m.: Throughout the course of the hour-long speech, Goodell touched on a lot of subjects related with player safety.

Some of the bigger takeaways, though, are related to Goodell’s thoughts on Thursday night football, an 18-game schedule and the development of better and different protective gear.

More to come on NESN.com afterward. So keep posted here for more from Commissioner Goodell. In the meantime, you can vote in the below poll: is the NFL safer or softer since the new concern over head injuries?

4:01 p.m.: When asked about the short weeks associated with Thursday Night Football games. Goodell explains that players tend to like the Thursday games.

He also added that injury data hasn’t backed up the belief that injuries are more likely with shorter weeks.

3:55 p.m.: Goodell believes the “all out” mentality of NFL players isn’t necessarily the right way for them to be playing.

“I don’t believe it’s winning at all costs. I believe it’s winning the right way.”

3:45 p.m.: In taking questions, Goodell speaking a lot about proactive approach about concussions.

But in talking about concussions to Jay Cutler, Alex Smith and others, and the reports that players play through symptoms.

“If they don’t tell medical professionals that they’re showing symptoms, how are we going to know to take them out?

3:37 p.m.: Goodell hints that helmets may change in the near future, even mentioning that each position could be assigned witha  differently designed helmet.

“We support research into the new helmet designs and independent research.

“We may see a day when there are different helmets for different positions.”

3:31 p.m.: Goodell talks about the need for change in the NFL before jumping into specifics.

“Make no mistake. Change doesn’t inhibit the game. It improves it.”

3:27 p.m.: Before jumping into specifics about how the NFL will help protect its players, he makes sure to note that change is needed.

“Make no mistake. Change doesn’t inhibit the game. It improves it.”

3:23 p.m.: After some time talking about the present game of football, Goodell takes a look at its long history.

He references President Teddy Roosevelt as major player in helping to save the game of football.

“Teddy Roosevelt came to football’s rescue… President Roosevelt recognized the game didn’t need to change. It needed to evolve.”

3:18 p.m.: His focus and demeanor seems pretty sincere, especially when addressing the growing concerns over concussions.

“I can say in no uncertain terms that this is our biggest challenge. We want players to enjoy long and prosperous careers.”

3:16 p.m.: Goodell discusses the NFL’s long-time stance on health and safety in football, while also acknowledging the growing popularity of the sport.

“The game of football is thriving, it’s more popular than ever. But we’re at a crossroads… and if we are at a crossroads, we have taken the right path. We took it a long time ago.”

3:14 p.m.: Goodell spends a little time reminiscing about his first interactions with the game of football.Even discussing his college internship where he was able to drive around then NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle.

Which then brought out this little nugget…

“Other than my family, my passion is football. And it always has been.”

3:10 p.m.: Here’s a photo of Goodell addressing the audience at Harvard School of Public Health.

Roger Goodell adressing students at Harvard School of Public Health about #NFL player safety twitpic.com/bdhxfa

— Luke Hughes (@LukeFHughes) November 15, 2012

3:07 p.m.: Goodell immediately jumps into the connection between football and Harvard University.

“The history of football is closely connected with the history of Harvard.”

“You have given so much to the sport we love.”

3 p.m.: We’re underway at the Harvard School of Public Health and awaiting Commissioner Goodell’s time at the podium.

This should be an interesting lecture, but the Q&A afterward should be eve more entertaining. We’ll be updating frequently throughout the lecture, so keep with us for everything Goodell has to say about player safety this afternoon.

8 a.m. ET: The NFL has experience some serious issues in regards to player safety throughout the history of the league. But only in the past few years have they really become a hot-button issue.

Roger Goodell and the NFL Players Association have worked together, making strides to make the game a much safer one. But how much safer is it really?

After a weekend which saw at least seven concussions, and at least two players — Jay Cutler and Alex Smith — continue playing with them, how can we truly believe the game is any safer than it was 10, 20 or even 50 years ago.

Well, Goodell will be on hand at 3 p.m. at the Harvard School of Public Health in Cambridge, Mass. to discuss the progress the league has made in player safety and what steps lay ahead.

The talk, entitled “Leadership on the Road to a Safer Game,” should offer some interesting insight into Goodell’s thoughts and policies going forward with the direction of player safety in the NFL. But at the same time, how much will he realistically let go of in a crowded room?

That, I suppose, is what we’ll learn come 3 p.m. Stay tuned and we’ll keep you up to date on everything Goodell has in store.

Have a question for Luke Hughes? Send it to him via Twitter at @LukeFHughes or send it here.

Devin McCourty’s play was of great concern earlier this season. But when push came to shove, McCourty was there to make the big play that mattered.

McCourty picked off Fitzpatrick’s pass at the end of the game, holding off the Bills’ ferocious comeback and closing up the win for New England.

But things weren’t all rosy for the defense on Sunday.

The defense allowed three 80-plus yard touchdown drives and essentially kept the Bills in the game one their own. Vince Wilfork and Devin McCourty came up with a pair of huge turnovers, but aside from them the defense was back to its old mediocre ways.

But where the defense found trouble, Brady found success. He completed 23 of 38 passes for 237 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The ground game afforded the Patriots with some good fortune, too.

Stevan Ridley rushed for 98 yards on the ground, 77 coming in the second half, and Danny Woodhead served his typical versatile role and scored a pair of touchdowns to give the Patriots an early cushion.

In the end, it wasn’t pretty but the end result is all that matters, and the Patriots came out on top with the 37-31 win.

There’s plenty of analysis to come from this game, so keep tuned into NESN.com and be sure to follow Patriots beat writer Luke Hughes @LukeFHughes on Twitter for all the latest.

Fourth Quarter, 2:10, Patriots 34-31: The Patriots really needed a touchdown to put this game away, but instead they only came away with a field goal.

Gostkowski’s third field goal of the afternoon put them up 37-31, but with the defense looking as putrid as it has on the whole today there’s no comfort in giving the ball back to Mannning, err Fitzpatrick.

Wilfork and McCourty have been great all day, but Mayo and Spikes will need to step up if this figures to be any sort of late game stand for the win

Fourth Quarter, 7:10, Patriots 34-31: The Patriots making yet another mediocre quarterback look like they belong in Canton, Ohio.

I’ll give credit to Wilfork and McCourty for playing so well today, but aside from those two the defense has been atrocious.

The Bills have gained 416 yards and Fitzpatrick has thrown for 273 and two touchdowns. Spiller and Jackson have also run for 161 yards on the ground, the most the Patriots have allowed to any team all season.

It’s bad enough that the secondary can’t cover a paper bag with plastic, but it’s even worse when you can’t contain the run either.

Fourth Quarter, 9:10, Patriots 34-24: The Bills were pushing toward the end zone once again, but the Patriots defense finally toughened up.

McCourty was the one in on the forced fumble, and the Patriots were fortunate to get the ball back and keep Buffalo from cutting this lead back to one score.

The Patriots defense has been making opportune plays like that all year and there was just another example of a big time play from a big time player.

Fourth Quarter, 14:10, Patriots 34-24: Just when the Patriots need some offensive relief to ease the defensive woes, Brady delivers.

Well, technically at least, Gostkowski is the one who delivered, but Brady worked the Patriots down the field and got them in position to kick the 48-yarder.

Since that terrible miss against the Cardinals at the end of the game in Week 2, Gostkowski has missed just two kicks and has hit six beyond 40 yards.

End Third Quarter, Patriots 31-24: Tom Brady continues to be terrific with crisp, precise passes, but the Patriots defense just can’t hold Fitzpatrick down.

After three quarters, Fitzpatrick has completed 19 of 25 passes for 235 yards and a touchdown. I’m actually a proponent of Fitzpatrick, because I think he’s a talented quarterback on a bad team. But this is ridiculous.

Three 80-plus yard scoring drives, this defense needs to shape up.

Third Quarter, 1:37, Patriots 31-24: Another 80-plus yard drive, another touchdown against this Patriots defense. Ugh.

After the pass rush made big strides on the Bills first two drives of the half, they were non-existent to end the quarter and the Bills capitalized with an 11-play, 84-yard touchdown drive in a little over five minutes.

These long, drawn out drives are becoming a serious issue for New England, as Buffalo now has three of them today.

If Alfonzo Dennard and Kyle Arrington can’t cover these Bills receivers then how do they ever expect to contain Andre Johnson or even Brian Hartline later this season. This secondary has reverted back to its terrible ways and the defensive line has been as inconsistent as Mitt Romney’s political stances.

Third Quarter, 6:33, Patriots 31-17: Danny Woodhead may be 5-foot-7, maybe, but he runs like the wind. So height doesn’t really matter.

While Woodhead’s running is what ultimately punched in that 18-yard touchdown, Brady’s precision on that pass was what made it possible.

The Brady to Welker connection is always harped on as the Patriots bread and butter, but the more that Woodhead gets involved the more it seems his rapport with Brady is just as good.

Third Quarter, 8:42, Patriots 24-17: After a so-so first half by the defense, Jermaine Cunningham led the attack on Ryan Fitzpatrick to kick off the second half.

Cunningham got to Fitzpatrick for the Pats’ third sack of the game. He now has 2.5 on the year.

With Cunningham helping add pressure, alongside Rob Ninkovich and Chandler Jones, the Patriots defensive line is looking as stout as it has in quite some time.

2:45 p.m.: The Patriots are ahead 24-17 at the half, but they’ve obviously been struggling in certain areas.

So, with the second half on the horizon, who needs to step up most?

Which Patriots player needs to step up most in the 2nd Half?

2:40 p.m. (Around the League):  With the Patriots heading into the half with a 24-17 lead let’s sneak away for a few minutes and take a look around the league.

The Vikings have put a spanking on the Lions, so far, and it’s been primarily behind the running of Adrian Peterson. With 37 first-half yards and a touchdown, Peterson eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the fifth straight season tying Robert Smith as the only Vikings ever to do that. Peterson has been truly exceptional this season, especially coming off of such a gruesome knee injury. He deserves some MVP buzz, particularly if the Vikes keep pushing toward the playoffs.

The other big story of the day has to be the massive dump the Giants are dropping in Cincinnati. The Bengals have just manhandled the Giants thus far, and with a 17-6 lead New York better turn things around and fast. Or else they’ll be in big trouble.

End Second Quarter, Patriots 24-17: Vince Wilfork got the party started for New England with a big strip-sack to give the Patriots offense some life. But while the offense has emerged, the defense has apparently sunk faster than the Titanic.

After posting a 17-3 lead to start, the Patriots defense allowed two consecutive 80-yard touchdown drives and made Fitzpatrick look like a Hall of Fame-worthy quarterback.

Luckily, Brady has done his part, completing 11 of 18 for 114 yards and a touchdown. But if the defense doesn’t figure out how to contain a mediocre quarterback and a set of good, but not great, receivers. There might be some wholesale changes coming in the second half, and Kyle Arrington could be the recipient of a nice warm spot on the bench.

Second Quarter, 0:31, Patriots 24-17: The Patriots defense looked so promising to start, but they’ve just fallen off considerably since that Wilfork strip-sack.

On two consecutive drives, the Bills have powered downfield for 80 yards en route to a touchdown. Now New England’s lead is just seven, 24-17, and there could be even more problems coming as the Bills get the ball to start the second half.

This secondary needs to stop making Ryan Fitzpatrick look like Peyton Manning, and keep Scott Chandler from appearing to be anything like Rob Gronkowski. This is absurd.

Second Quarter, 2:07, Patriots 24-10: Brady has been good, but the refs have been the real spark the Patriots offense has needed.

Buffalo now has 10 penalties for 115 yards on the day, and even uncatchable balls are now being flagged as penalties.

The Bills haven’t helped their cause any, especially Stephen Gilmore with that atrocious pushoff, but seriously these refs are atrocious.

Either way, Gronk hauls in the incredible 1-yard TD from Brady, then proceeds to spike it 25 yards up the field. Needless to say, Gronk likes touchdowns.

Second Quarter, 6:07, Patriots 17-10: Good grief, just when I start saying nice things about the Patriots defense. Boom, Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller happen.

The Bills went 80 yards on six plays in 3:06 and just ravaged the NFL’s eight-best rush defense for chunk after chunk after chunk.

C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson make quite the dynamic duo of backs, sort of like thunder and lightning, and 81 yards on just 12 carries is clear proof of that.

Big Vince and Kyle Love need to press down on those blocks and clog those holes, or else the Patriots could be in big trouble.

Second Quarter, 9:07, Patriots 17-3: Sound the alarm, Danny Woodhead is in the house.

Brady has been on point all day and just dipped and dunked his way downfield, using Gronk, Welker and Woodhead to get some points across — literally and figuratively.

Woodhead, who is the primary back in the no-huddle, has made slower linebackers look like they might as well use walkers all season. He just caught a pair of passes for 22 yards and then ran one in from 15 yards out to give the Patriots a dominant 17-3 lead.

Just like the cowbell, we need more Woodhead.

Second Quarter, 12:07, Patriots 10-3: The Bills continue to be their own worst enemy. As they have been all season.

Buffalo has now been flagged with seven penalties for 50 yards, most on offense, and have continually cost themselves field position.

Fortunately, for them at least, Rian Lindell booted a 41-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 10-3. But if this trend keeps up they’ll be dead in the water in no time.

End First Quarter, Patriots 10-0: Vince Wilfork always gets attention for his stellar play, but he’s been an absolute ball hog — a little play off the old ball hawk — this season.

Wilfork forced yet another fumble and immediately provided a spark for the Patriots offense, giving them the ball inside the Bills’ 10-yard line.

With Wilfork playing at such a high level not only are teams struggling to run on the Pats, but apparently they can’t pass the ball either. Big Vince is hungry and he’s just eating up turnovers — nom, nom, nom, nom.
Ok, that was weird — I know. But, for real, the Patriots are dominating with this 10-0 lead, so far. Now, can they secondary hold up?

First Quarter, 3:54, Patriots 10-0: The Patriots front seven have done their job time and again this season, and the pass rush is proving dominant yet again.

Vince Wilfork has had a nose for the ball almost weekly, and a big strip-sack of Ryan Fitzpatrick just continued that trend.

The offense capitalized off of the turnover, as well as a few questionable penalties, and Stevan Ridley pounded it in for the score.

Just as they’ve done all season, this opporunistic defense is giving life to the Patriots offense. As they say, the best offense is  a good defense for the Patriots so far today. A big 10-0 lead and this could get ugly quick.

First Quarter, 6:04, Patriots 3-0: Tom Brady has been locked into the zone so far today, yet the Patriots continue to miss opportunities.

Those missed opportunities are what killed the Patriots during the first half of the season, and if Wes Welker’s botched touchdown and another drop by Deion Branch weren’t enough to convince you, then there will surely be plenty more where that came from.

Luckily, stephen Gostkowski nailed a 43-yard field goal to give the Patriots an early lead. But the three-point cushion should really be a seven-point lead.

First Quarter, 10:43: So, all the questions about Devin McCourty’s role on defense were answered on that first drive.

McCourty, who switched from corner to safety three games ago, is sticking at the safety spot even with Steve Gregory back in the secondary.

If McCourty’s at safety without newly-acquired Aqib Talib, then you’ve got to figure he’s going to keep at the position when Talib arrives.

12:55 p.m.: The last time the Patriots squared off against the Bills the result was a 52-28 blowout. But it wasn’t without some drama.

In round 2 of this heavyweight bout, there will be some big challenges facing the Patriots coming out of the gate.

Let’s take a look at some of the big storylines heading into this one.

1. Replacing Aaron – Injuries just keep piling up on the Patriots, but with Aaron Hernandez set to miss his third straight game who will step up? Daniel Fells has done a good job of blocking downfield but hasn’t been much of a threat in the passing game. Visanthe Shiancoe may be able to help that, though, as he makes his regular-season debut.

2. McCourty’s place – Devin McCourty has been an all-around leader, filling in for Patrick Chung and Steve Gregory in recent weeks. But with Gregory back and so many questions still to be answered on defense, will he be back out at safety or move back to his more natural corner. He’s done a great job up over the top, so maybe a permanent switch to safety is the best move.

3. Running away — Stevan Ridley has revitalized a once lost Patriots ground game, but will he, Shane Vereen and Danny Woodhead be able to keep up their high level of play in the second half of the season? Or will they burn out before it’s over? The Bills aren’t the greatest test, but seeing how the backs respond off the bye week will be an interesting nugget to keep an eye on.

Now, let’s watch some football.

12:31 p.m.: Visanthe Shiancoe is suited up and running around out on the field like a little ferret.

Oh yeah, that reminds me. Apparently, Shiancoe is a big fan of ferrets, at least considering this priceless photo from Andy Gray on Twitter.

Check it out.

Patriots tight end Visanthe Shiancoe poses with his two ferrets – Gee and Smoke: twitter.com/si_vault/statu…

— Andy Gray (@si_vault) November 8, 2012

11:41 a.m.: The Patriots will be without Aaron Hernandez on Sunday, but we already knew that. Now, who else won’t be suiting up against the Bills?

With Hernandez out, Shiancoe, who will make his season debut, and Gronk will be heavily relied upon to make up for the missing production at the tight end spot.

The other big name being left on the sidelines for this one is Patrick Chung, who will miss his third consecutive game with an ailing shoulder injury.

Chung’s absence continues to hinder the Patriots secondary, but Steve Gregory, who has also missed the past few weeks, will be back in action at safety. Gregory’s return adds some much-needed depth to the defensive backfield, but the big question will be if Devin McCourty will still be back there alongside him for a third consecutive game.

As for the Bills, old friend Mark Anderson is the big name out of action on his return to Foxboro. It will be interesting to see how the Bills pass rush does in his absence.

In the meantime, here’s the inactives for both sides.

Bills:
QB Tarvaris Jackson,
CB Aaron Williams,
DB M Silva,
LB K Morrison,
OL Thomas Welch,
DE Chris Kelsay,
DE Mark Anderson

Patriots:
TE Aaron Hernandez,
S Patrick Chung,
LB Tracy White,
DE Trevor Scott,
CB Malcolm Williams,
DL Jake Bequette

11:25 a.m.: Tom Brady has been having a very good season. Yet, he’s not being mentioned in much of the MVP talk around the league.

While guys like Aaron Rodgers, Adrian Peterson and Matt Ryan are all talked about weekly, Brady has performed something of a Houdini act this year. Usually a major player in the conversation, Brady has flown under the radar in recent weeks and it may be because of New England’s sub par 5-3 start.

With one of the best QB ratings, fifth most passing yards and a stellar 16-3 touchdown to interception ratio, Brady has been doing his part. But maybe another three-touchdown (four total) performance against the Bills will generate some buzz for the overlooked superstar.

10:30 a.m.: They’re back!

After a nice, long bye week that saw many Patriots players catch up on some much-needed rest, Tom Brady and the boys are back in Foxboro with an AFC East rival in for a visit.

The Bills (3-5) made the trip from Buffalo and are looking to spoil the Patriots homecoming. Wide receiver Stevie Johnson should be back on the field to give Ryan Fitzpatrick a legitimate deep threat, and a spotty Bills defense will be focused on shutting down Brady and the steam-rolling Patriots offense.

Brady will have the ever-reliable Rob Gronkowski available out in the open field, but fellow stud tight end Aaron Hernandez appears to be shelved for the second straight game with a bum ankle. Visanthe Shiancoe, who will wear No. 80, is set to take Hernandez’s place in the offense after being activated from the injured reserved list over the weekend.

With so many moving pieces coming back from a bye week, the Patriots will be looking to settle down early and not let the Bills put up another double-digit deficit before the half.

So, get geared up for game time and be sure to keep it locked here for all your latest news, notes and analysis for everything about your New England Patriots.

Brady went 23 of 35 for 304 yards and four touchdowns, absolutely slicing through the Rams defense like a surgeon.

Gronk was his favorite target on the afternoon, seeing 13 balls and catching eight for 146 yards and a pair of scores. Thoughts that Gronk's hip injury was limiting his production can now be ceased and we can focus on how the Patriots can rebound following such a big win.

Stevan Ridley, who busted out 15 times for 127 yards and a touchdown, established the ground game and gave the Patriots the needed balance to assert such a strong passing attack.

The defense impressed, too, even after allowing a 50-yard touchdown pass on the first drive of the game. Alfonzo Dennard recorded his second career interception, one week after getting his first pick, and Tavon Wilson made up for getting burned early, icing the game with a pick at the very end.

Responding with 45 consecutive unanswered points on the afternoon is pretty uplifting for an offense under a lot of scrutiny in recent weeks. Heading into the bye week, this should offer a great deal of momentum for the second half of the season, both on offense and defense.

Fourth Quarter, 2:00, Patriots 45-7: For as much flak as the Patriots secondary has gotten in recent weeks — from this writer included — they've actually looked a lot better against the Rams.

McCourty has done a great job containing the big plays and Alfonzo Dennard has done a stellar job of holding position on the outside.

Cole looked like an answer in the slot before the injury. It might take some more time until they're in rhythm but the return of Chung, hopefully alongside McCourty, would be a huge help.

Fourth Quarter, 7:20, Patriots 45-7: Since that horrendous first drive of the game, the Patriots defense has been pretty damn good.

The pass rush has put immense pressure on Bradford and even the secondary is starting to look good. Then there was Alfonzo Dennard, who just made his second career interception in the second consecutive week.

Dennard felt much more confident after his first interception last week against the Jets, I wonder what he's thinking now.

Fourth Quarter, 11:20, Patriots 45-7: I don't know how long Gronk practiced that dance, but as long as he keeps producing he can dance however he pleases.

Gronk has been just murdering the Rams defense all day and now has eight catches for 146 yards and that marks his second touchdown of the day.

The Patriots offense has been moving down the field at a lightning quick pace and Gronk has been a major reason for that.

He's such a little kid, even if in a man's body, but if the Patriots offense keeps rolling at this rate then he should keep it up.

End Third Quarter, Patriots 38-7: The Patriots offense has slowed its roll a bit, but that doesn't mean the Patriots aren't still trucking along.

Stevan Ridley busted out for another few big runs, giving him 119 yards on 13 carries on the day. But the defense has also stepped up.

Chandler Jones beasted his way through the offensive line en route to one of the most athletic sacks seen in recent history, and Marquice Cole has been arguably the Patriots best cornerback on the afternoon. The man deserves some more time on the field.

Third Quarter, 3:23, Patriots 38-7: Where's Chandler Jones? Oh, there he is.

Wow. Jones just laid the smack down on Sam Bradford with one of the most unbelievably athletic plays ever from the defensive end position.

Jones' athleticism has made the Patriots defense so much better and helped mask some of the issues in the secondary.

Third Quarter, 7:28, Patriots 38-7: Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 26-yard field goal to put the Patriots up 38-7 lead but Stevan Ridley was the story of that drive.

Stevan Ridley has firmly asserted himself as the Patriots lead running back, but that drive was the epitome of what Ridley has become for this offense.

Ridley lowered his shoulder on a few runs, but he also busted out for a 41-yard scamper to get the Patriots into the red zone.

Ridley has been working hard for yards and finding holes consistently.

Third Quarter, 13:28, Patriots 35-7: The Patriots dominance continued into the second half.

After scoring 28 unanswered points to cap off the first half, Tom Brady just extended that even further with the first drive of the third quarter to make it a cool 35-7 lead.

It was Gronk and a grab from Michael Hoomawanui that pushed the Patriots down the field, but Brandon Lloyd was the target in the back of the end zone to extend the lead out.

Lloyd now has two touchdowns on the day, giving him two more than he had in the first seven games of the year. Both of Lloyd's grabs are touchdowns against the Rams, but he's looked good out in the open field.

End Second Quarter, Patriots 28-7: After Sam Bradford's 50-yard touchdown toss to put the Rams up 7-0 early in the first quarter, Tom Brady made a point of it to show him up.

Brady hit on 14 of 22 passes for 206 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the Patriots offense to 28 unanswered points before the half.

Gronk has killed the Rams defense across the middle with five grabs for 105 yards and a touchdown, but more importantly has made the absence of Aaron Hernandez almost unnoticeable.

As for the defense, after that God awful sequence on the first drive, the Patriots secondary has shaped up and limited all the big play opportunities.

Second Quarter, 1:56, Patriots 28-7: Pass Interference was the Patriots best friend on that drive.

Bradley Fletcher was called on a pair of pass interference calls on key third downs that saw the Patriots keep the drive alive.

Ultimately, Stevan Ridley punched in the one-yard score and put the Patriots up 28-7.

After Bradford's early TD pass, that's 28 straight points for the Patriots.

Second Quarter, 1:56, Patriots 21-7: That was a botched snap, not a designed fake.

Rough break for the Rams, who just conceded great field position to a Patriots offense that hasn't missed a beat today.

Second Quarter, 6:26, Patriots 21-7: Gronkowski is absolutely killing these Rams linebackers in coverage, and yet again Brady rocketed in past the defenders for another touchdown.

Gronk, who has been hampered by a hip problem in recent weeks, has looked smooth in his cuts and really fluid running down field. With Hernandez out, Gronk is doing it big.

That seven-yard touchdown catch was Gronk's fifth of the day and he already has 105 yards through the air. Absolute monster.

Second Quarter, 11:12, Patriots 14-7: If you're liking the way Gronk's playing in the game so far, you'll like what he was doing before the game just as much.

During a fan fest event over the weekend, featuring Gronk, Brady, Belichick and a bunch of other Patriots, Gronk decided to take the mic into his own hands. And then spike it.

The video is pretty hilarious, so check it out.

Second Quarter, 14:12, Patriots 14-7: Facing a fourth and inches at the goal line, who you gonna call? Shane Vereen?

Well, it looks like last week's outburst from Vereen has earned him some trust from Bill Belichick. Vereen pounded in the one-yard score to put the Patriots up 14-7.

Ridley looked good on that drive and Woodhead had a huge catch, but Vereen got the glory. The trio really complement each other well, though, and should only continue to grow as a unit — at least, if Josh McDaniels will give them the opportunity.

End First Quarter, 7-7: Rob Gronkwski, welcome to the party.

With Aaron Hernandez out, the Patriots were going to need someone to step up over the middle but apparently Gronk just decided to reemgere instead.

Brady has been razor sharp, hitting on eight of eight passes for 119 yards and there looks like no relenting in the future.

The defense was better on the second drive of the day, too, shutting down Bradford and forcing him into some early trouble.

First Quarter, 9:39, 7-7: Anything you can do, I can do better? Apparently, Tom Brady isn't messing around.

After Bradford led the Rams to a quick 7-0 lead with a deep pass down the field, Brady just dipped, dunked and sliced his way through the St. Louis defense for a touchdown of his own.

Any questions about this Patriots offense may not have been squashed right there, but that drive definitely eased some of the concern.

Also, it's nice to see Brandon Lloyd, who looked inept at times last week, finally getting back in the end zone and tying this one up. He might be primed for a breakout game here in London. Last time he was overseas, he busted out for nine catches and 150 yards. More of the same? I hope so.

First Quarter, 12:25, Rams 7-0: When did Joe Montana come out of retirement and start playing for the Rams?

Oh, nevermind, that's just Sam Bradford vs. a high school secondary.

The Patriots defensive backs have apparently regressed from a week where they allowed Mark Sanchez to throw for 328 yards.

Bradford hit a 50-yard touchdown pass to Chris Givens, suddenly a fantasy stud, on the first drive of the game and here are the Rams up 7-0.

Devin McCourty, who looked good at safety last weekend, and Tavon Wilson were beat over the top. Shape up, boys.

12:42 p.m.: With some key players out for today's game with the Rams,
there are plenty of questions as to how the Patriots will be able to counter
the inconvenience.  So, let's take
a look at some of the biggest keys for New England in London.

1. Hernandez's replacement – Much like a Gerry Bertier,
there is no replacement for an Aaron Hernandez. But the Patriots will need to
find someone to replace him while he recovers from an ankle injury, at least
for a little while. Deion Branch, who's seen increased snaps in recent weeks, and
tight end Daniel Fells will likely see even more time on the field and will be
relied upon to fill the gap left behind.

2. Secondary help, please? – With Aaron Hernandez out,
obviously the receiving corps will have to step up to fill the hole his absence
leaves behind. But who will step up to help firm up the ailing secondary, as
Chung and Gregory are out yet again? Devin McCourty's a lock to be back there
yet again. But will Tavon Wilson be able to improve over last week? And can
anyone cover out on the corners?

3. Late game letdowns – Are fourth quarter letdowns a thing
of the past? After a few disappointing finished against Baltimore, Arizona and
Seattle, Tom Brady finally led a late game winner against the Jets. So, does
this mean the worries are over? The late game struggles are concerning, and
hopefully they're a thing of the past. Although, it would be even better if
they didn't need any sort of late game heroics to pull out a win.

12:15 p.m.: While the Patriots are preparing for kickoff overseas, there
are also plenty of great games stateside this weekend.

Robert Griffin III leads the Redskins into Pittsburgh for a
showdown with a Steelers team that all but shut down Andy Dalton's Bengals last
Sunday night. With James Harrison as close to 100 percent as he's been in
nearly a year, RG III will have a tough time finding any sort of comfort in the
pocket or room to take off on the ground. It should make for an exciting bout
between arguably the league's most dynamic offensive player and one of the
NFL's best pass rushes.

Over on the other side of Pennsylvania, Mike Vick and the
3-3 Eagles welcome the NFL's final undefeated team to Philadelphia. Matt Ryan
leads the Falcons out of their bye week and into a turmoil-ridden Eagles camp
for a shot at improving their record to 7-0.

And keeping things in the NFC East, the Giants visit to
Dallas will be a test for both squads. The Cowboys have been consistently
inconsistent this season, meanwhile New York may be the best team in football,
right now. With Cowboys middle linebacker Sean Lee out for the season with a
knee injury, the 'Boys will need someone to step up and fill that hole in the
defense against Eli Manning's explosive offense.

11:40 a.m.: Preparations are getting underway on the field at Wembley Stadium in London. And with game time inching ever closer let's take a look at today's inactives.

While Ron Brace and Jake Bequette will be active, after being inactive last week, for Sunday's showdown with the Rams, neither starting safety will see the field.

Both Steve Gregory and Patrick Chung will miss action for a second straight week, meaning Devin McCourty should be back at safety for another week.

The big loss for the Patriots again this week, though, is offensive lineman Logan Mankins, who continues to suffer from calf and hip injuries. That will put more pressure back on Nick McDonald and Donald Thomas to keep Brady up right on the left side of the line.

Patriots:
OG Logan Mankins
TE Aaron Hernandez
S Steve Gregory
S Patrick Chung
RB Brandon Bolden
DL Trevor Scott
LB Tracy White
CB Ras-I Dowling (Injured reserved)

Rams:
WR Danny Amendola
OT Wayne Hunter
OT Roger Saffold
QB Austin Davis
DE Eugene Sims
LB Mario Haggan
DL Matt Conrath

10:30 a.m. ET: The Patriots have traveled across the pond for a tilt in England, and hopefully they've left their recent struggles back home in New England.

With a beat-up offensive line and a secondary worthy of some fearful Halloween frights, New England will need a stellar performance from its superstars if the Pats are going to take down the Rams on Sunday.

Tom Brady said he is confident that his offense has worked out the kinks from the past two weeks and that last week's overtime win against the Jets may have finally shaken the team of their dreaded fourth-quarter woes.

If so, Brady will need a role player to step up big, as tight end Aaron Hernandez is back on the shelf after tweaking his ankle during practice this week. Both Daniel Fells and veteran wide receiver Deion Branch will be relied upon heavily to fill the void left in Hernandez's absence against a stingy Rams secondary.

Speaking of defense, Vince Wilfork will be leading the charge once again alongside Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich. The Patriots' pass rush will have to get on top of third-year quarterback Sam Bradford early and often to mask some of the Patriots' issues in the defensive backfield.

Tune into the game starting at 1 p.m. ET, and see if the Patriots can out-duel the Rams in London. Keep it locked right here with the NESN.com Patriots Live Blog for all your news, notes and analysis about your New England Patriots.

Final, Patriots 29-26:

With the Jets driving deep downfield during the overtime looking for the tying score, Ninkovich, who had 1.5 sacks on the game, made two consecutive big plays to secure the Patriots lead.

Ninkovich stuffed a run deep in the backfield, and then forced Sanchez into a forced fumble on a sack to end the game.

This was way too close for the Patriots liking, or even than it should've been. But in crunch time Gostkowski made the big kicks, Brady completed the big passes and the defense actually stepped up.

Still, the Jets ran more plays and put up more passing and total yards on the day. Sanchez actually looked decent in the second half, and luckily the Patriots were able to pull it out in the end. This should serve as a lesson for New England, though, because they didn't deserve this win.

Overtime, 11:02, Patriots 29-26: The Patriots might have gotten away with some luck, there. But they did take the lead, and that's really all that matters.

Brady led the Patriots on an epic overtime drive, aided by a late flag on a pass along the outside. Gostkowski nailed a 48-yad field goal and the Patriots will now turn to their defense to protect a 29-26 lead.

End Fourth Quarter, 26-26: Tom Brady just did what Tom Brady does.

He was built on late-game comebacks and game-winning drives, and, well, there's evidence that he does still possess some of that old swagger.

Stephen Gostkowski nailed a 43-yarder — nearly shades of Arizona — and tied this thing up at 26-26 entering overtime.

Let's go.

Fourth Quarter, 1:37, Jets 26-23: The Patriots secondary has been atrocious, but Devin McCourty's fumble could be the difference in this game.

McCourty fumbled on a kickoff return, after returning a 104-yard kick earlier in the game, and the Jets were able to get the ball back and take the lead.

Nick Folk kicked a 43-yard field goal, his fourth of the game, and the Jets now lead 26-23.

Fourth Quarter, 2:14, 23-23: The Patriots offense is inept, and the Jets offense continues to roll.

This is like a parallel universe or something. Honestly, Tom Brady has had trouble completing passes downfield all day long and Mark Sanchez suddenly looks like Peyton Manning or at least a respectable quarterback.

Nick Folk added another field goal, this time from 43 yards out, and it's a tie game

This Patriots secondary will honestly make anyone look good, even Sanchez. Brutal.

Fourth Quarter, 5:44, Patriots 23-20: The Patriots defensive strategy in 2011 was "bend but don't break," and it appears they've returned to that once again this year.

After shutting down Sanchez for much of the first half, the Patriots have now allowed two long Jets scoring drives and continue to allow big plays. The Jets have hit on six 20-plus yard plays at this point, an awful stat for a defense who should be able to limit the damage from an almost inept quarterback.

End Third Quarter, Patriots 23-13: What had appeared to be turning into another letdown performance, Tom Brady and the Patriots offense finally turned on their jets — pun very much intended — during that third quarter.

Brady, who was struggling to find time all afternoon, has finally settled into the pocket in large part to the resurgent running game.

Stevan Ridley has carried it 16 times for 61 yards while Vereen — yes, that Vereen – has seen six carries for 45 yards and is finally contributing to the team.

If the Patriots can maintain this consistency on offense, there should be no issue in closing out the Jets and quickly.

Third Quarter, 2:36, Patriots 23-13: The Patriots have finally found some patience on offense, and the running game seems to be spurring things along nicely.

Stevan Ridely, who was limited last week and wasn't heard much from early in this one, has had a number of carries and really re-energize the Patriots attack.

Brady's seemed to get into a bit of rhythm off of that momentum, too, connecting with Welker and Hernandez.

The rhythm panned out, too, as Brady hit Gronk with a two-yard pass for his second score of the game. That gives the Patriots a 10-point lead and could be just what they need to finally close — yes, I know it's early — out Sanchez and these pesky Jets.

Third Quarter, 9:33, Patriots 16-13: Okay, this game is getting too close for comfort.

Folk's 21-yard field goal gets the Jets a little closer.

After a first quarter that seemed headed for a Patriots blowout, the Jets have rallied back and cut this one to within three points.

Tom Brady really needs to step up and lead this offense, even if there is brutal pressure. This offense needs some leading right now, because otherwise New England could be staring downa 3-4 record as they turn their attention to London. Yes, it's getting that bad.

End Second Quarter, Patriots 16-10: A stellar kickoff return from Devin McCourty and some terrific series out of the defense had the Patriots staring down a rout. But the offense is having too tough of a time against the Jets.

Tom Brady is just 9 of 17 for 112 yards and a touchdown at the half. He's looked pretty inconsistent throughout, under throwing some balls and seeming to succumb to the pressure felt from the Jets pass rush.

Without Mankins and Connolly on the offensive line, Brady has constantly been fighting off pressure and can't seem to get enough time to hit guys who have been wide open down field.

On the other side, Sanchez has been decent overall, completing 12 of 21 passes for 138 yards, but a few mistakes stand out among the good. The interception by Dennard was as much a good play by the rookie defender as it was an awful pass from Sanchez. If he doesn't improve and fast, then we could be seeing some more Tebow in the second half.

The biggest concern of the game, though, should be Jerod Mayo's apparent arm injury. He walked off the field at the end of the second quarter and was being attended to on the sideline. Without him in the game, the Patriots defense could be in big trouble — yes, even against Sanchez.

Second Quarter, 0:04, Patriots 16-10: Nick Folk does what Mark Sanchez can't by putting points on the board for the Jets.

A 54-yard field goal cuts the Patriots lead down to six as the teams head for halftime.

Second Quarter, 3:30, Patriots 16-7: Without Connolly and Mankins, the Patriots offensive line has struggled to keep the Jets away from Brady.

Brady's only been sacked once so far, but he's constantly being forced from the pocket. There have been a number of wide open receivers that he's missed because he's been on the run.

Mankins is obviously so valuable to this Patriots offense, but it's showing just how important he is against the Jets today.

Second Quarter, 7:30, Patriots 16-7: First he kicked the ball out of the end zone, now he's back to making his typical mistakes — interceptions.

Alfonzo Dennard, who just made his NFL debut three weeks ago, hauled in his first career interception on an errant Sanchez throw.

The pass was just awful, and with any more wobbly misthrows like that one Sanchez will be on the bench in no time. Get Tebow warming up on the sidelines, because the Jets fans are about to roar up the chants.

Second Quarter, 13:10, Patriots 16-7: Put your hands together, because it's a safety.

The Patriots defense, which looked almost historically bad on the first drive of the game, has now put together consecutive strong stands and even got an extra two points out of it.

Vince Wilfork was the culprit of the pressure up the middle, causing even more havoc than he has already in this one. The pressure saw Sanchez mishandle the ball and suddenly, boom, tack a few points onto that lead.

End First Quarter, Patriots 14-7: The Patriots have made a commitment to running the ball against this Jets defense, but the tailback choice may have you scratching your head.

Shane Vereen, who has been absent from the Patriots offense pretty much all season, has seen four carries for 21 yards as well as a catch for 10 yards on the outside. Meanwhile, Stevan Ridley, the normal starter, has only touched the ball twice.

The carries will likely balance out by the end, but it's an interesting storyline to watch. Also, Julian Edelman is back on the field and Wes Welker has yet to see a pass his way. Cue the rampant speculation about Welker's demise… now.

First Quarter, 2:00, Patriots 14-7: With Mankins already out for the game, the Patriots are now down yet another offensive lineman.

Dan Connolly, who was absent on the field up until game time, is now listed as "questionable" for a return to the game with an unidentified illness.

With both Connolly and Mankins out, the Patriots are down to Nick McDonald and Donald Thomas at guard. I bet they're regretting cutting Matt Tennant now.

First Quarter, 4:11, Patriots 14-7: Brady was a little inconsistent on the first drive of the day, but he more than made up for it with that spirited offensive effort.

The Patriots utilized three tight ends for most of that drive, hitting Gronkowski and Hernandez down the seam to get things going. Then Gronk was the recipient of the score as well, hauling in the 17-yard touchdown to put the Patriots on top 14-7.

First Quarter, 8:39, 7-7: And just as I was about to start ripping Devin McCourty for that defensive dud on the Jets first drive, boom!

McCourty just busted the ensuing kickoff return to the house 104 yards for the touchdown.

It's been quite some time since the Patriots have had a dangerous return game, but with McCourty's speed back there it's always a problem.

That 104-yard return is the second-longest in Patriots history, second only to Ellis Hobbs 108-yard return back in 2007 against, you guessed it, the Jets.

First Quarter, 8:49, Jets 7-0: Shonn Greene gets credited with the one-yard touchdown to give the Jets an early lead, but the Patriots defense really deserve all the credit for that one.

Kyle Arrington got burned, yet again, on the outside, which is miserable considering he's covering Jeremy Kerley. Meanwhile, the rest of the secondary doesn't have much to be proud of either. They were atrocious, and so the trials and tribulations in the defensive backfield continue.

First Quarter, 13:42: Dan Connolly has arrived, or at least is starting. Oh yeah, and Shane Vereen started at tailback on the first series of the game.

Connolly, who was MIA ahead of gametime, was out in his normal guard spot in front of Tom Brady for the first series. But it was Vereen's presence, and three straight touches, that was the most surprising tidbit from the start of this one.

If Vereen can get going early, making up for Brandon Bolden's absence, then he and Ridley could really pound this miserable Jets run defense.

4:25 p.m.: Game time is upon us, let's take a look at some important storylines for this one.

1. Where's Dan Connolly? – The Patriots right guard hasn't been seen on the field all day, and with Mankins already out he'll be even more important than usual. But first he needs to show up.

2. Can Patriots secondary contain anything? – Sanchez isn't the most accurate passer, but with both Chung and Gregory out in this one the pressure will be on. Can rookies Wilson and Nate Ebner make due?

3:58 p.m.: With Chung missing from the secondary, the Patriots will likely drop a cornerback into that strong safety role to fill the void.

Now with both starting safeties on the sidelines, there will be more of an onus on rookie Tavon Wilson to perform. But alongside him in the defensive backfield will likely be a bit of a rotation.

While the speculation tends to indicate Devin McCourty would be the option, pregame warmups saw Sterling Moore take more reps back there than anyone. It wouldn't surprise me to see Moore and maybe even Ras-I Dowling see some time back there, as the size and physicality of Dowling wouldn't deviate too much from Chung's style of play.

As for the offensive line, Donald Thomas will probably be called upon to fill Mankins' spot in front of Brady. But without the Patriots best lineman, Brady will probably be under a lot more pressure and the running game could also suffer from his absence.

3:35 p.m.: Patrick Chung and Logan Mankins won't be suiting up for the Patriots here on Sunday.

With some limited time in practice this week, both Chung and Mankins appear to still be suffering from their injuries and will be inactive for the game against the Jets.

Here's a complete list of both teams inactives:

Patriots:
S Patrick Chung
S Steve Gregory
RB Brandon Bolden
LB Tracy White
OL Logan Mankins
DL Jake Bequette
DL Ron Brace

Jets:
QB Greg McElroy
WR Clyde Gates
RB Bilal Powell
S Eric Smith
OL Caleb Schlauderaff
DL Sione Po'uha
DL Kenrick Ellis

3:03 p.m.: Tim Tebow spent an extended period of time out on the field during pregame warmups.

Mark Sanchez was out on the field throwing passes to a few receivers, but he wasn't out there nearly as long as Tebow.

Tebow spent the majority of his time throwing passes with coaches and to receivers running routes. The indication here could be that Tebow sees an extended role in the passing attack against the Patriots.

Sanchez has been struggling mightily this year, completing just 49 percent of his passes through the first six games, and maybe the addition of Tebow into the passing mix could help alleviate some pressure and find more success. Then again, it also could turn out to backfire on the Jets knowing that Tebow isn't exactly the most accurate passer in football.

2:25 p.m.: Good afternoon, Foxboro!

There's plenty of anticipation for a rivalry game as the Jets come to town looking to keep their place atop the AFC East — yes, technically they're No. 1 even though all four teams are tied. But that won't be an easy task.

The Patriots have a number of questions regarding their lineup and two of those question marks — Dont'a Hightower (hamstring) and Ron Brace (back) could be seen out on the field testing out their respective injuries ahead of game time.

The two remain questionable for the game, but Hightower did appear to be moving well and that could mean his return after two weeks away from game action. As for Brace, he's played the past few weeks and I wouldn't be surprised to see him suit up again here on Sunday.

12 p.m.: Gillette may be quiet, for the time being at least, but this game day should offer some fireworks.

With the Jets in town, this game is going to contain a little more emotion than most. Let's see if Tom Brady and crew can overcome their letdown in Seattle and take control of the AFC East.

8 a.m. ET: The disappointment of a tough loss in Seattle is now in the rear-view
mirror, and the Patriots' attention turns to the visiting Jets.

Rex Ryan leads the Jets into Foxboro for an important early-season division showdown. With all four AFC East teams tied at 3-3 atop the division, there's even more riding on this typically heated rivalry.

Tom Brady is unhappy with how New England has played late in games this season, and an ailing secondary knows that a lot of the defensive issues have stemmed from their inconsistent play. With Steve Gregory out again this weekend and Patrick Chung still dinged up from last week's loss, Devin McCourty could see a shift back to safety against New York.

The secondary issues shouldn't be exploited too much against a stagnant Jets passing attack. Mark Sanchez is completing less than 50 percent of his passes and has thrown just eight touchdowns to six interceptions. Not having Santonio Holmes certainly doesn't help his case, but
Sanchez's accuracy and confidence continue to be in flux each week.

There will be plenty to keep an eye on as Sanchez and the Jets take the field, and injuries to key Patriots will make for some interesting decisions before kickoff. So keep it here for all your news, notes and analysis for your New England Patriots.

Final, Seahawks 24-23:

Heading into halftime with a 17-10 lead, Tom Brady and the Patriots were unable to capitalize during the second half and just dropped yet another unnecessary loss to the Seahawks.

Brady threw two interceptions in the 24-23 loss, giving the Seahawks a fighting chance that eventually led to the defeat.

While Brady had a tough day, it was the Patriots secondary that truly was the culprit of the loss on Sunday, allowing rookie quarterback Russell Wilson to complete 16 of 27 passes for 293 yards — yup, you read that right — and a trio of touchdowns. Devin McCourty actually had a good day, but the rest of the secondary just was unable to cover Sidney Rice and the Seahawks receivers.

There's plenty to be discussed about this one, so keep up with all the postgame info, news and notes on Twitter at @LukeFHughes.

Fourth Quarter, 1:31, Seahawks 24-23: I don't know if anything is actually worse than this Patriots secondary.

After allowing big play after big play today, a 46-yard touchdown pass to Sidney Rice is just icing on the cake.

Now, with under two minutes left, the Seahawks have a 24-23 lead and have appropriately victimized the Patriots secondary.

Tom Brady, you're up.

Fourth Quarter, 3:21, Patriots 23-17: Danny Woodhead just continues to make play after play for what's become a struggling New England offense.

Woodehead's consistency, especially in big moments, is very reminiscent of Kevin Faulk's role on this team for so many years. Sure, it's a big compliment but also one he's earned over the past few years.

Now, Tom Brady needs to try and work out that ever-questioned "four minute offense"

Fourth Quarter, 7:21, Patriots 23-17: Braylon Edwards? He lives!

After being a non-factor for much of the afternoon, or the season for that matter, Edwards just hauled in a touchdown to get the Seahawks back within one score.

The bigger story, though, is how bad the Patriots secondary has been. Alfonzo Dennard, who came in for Kyle Arrington earlier in the game, just got beat pretty badly by Edwards and allowed the tying score.

Dennard isn't the problem, though. Patrick Chung continues to be a liability in the passing game, then again no one has been able to cover the Seahawks or any receivers for that matter. There needs to be some accountability and even more work in the defensive backfield in New England wants to take this game.

Fourth Quarter, 10:31, Patriots 23-10: Stephen Gostkowski had some confidence issues earlier in the year. He looks to have rediscovered his stroke, though.

After a key turnover from Mayo, Brady was able to work the Patriots downfield setting up Gostkowski for his third field goal of the game.

Although all three kicks have been within 35 yards, the accuracy and approach have been reinvigorating for Patriots fans. Gostkowski's confidence could have been a big problem for this offense, but with a return to form the Patriots only become even more dangerous of an attack.

Fourth Quarter, 12:31, Patriots 20-10: While Tom Brady continues to give the ball away, the defense just continues to bail him out.

Jerod Mayo made a great play across the middle, stripping the ball from Zach Miller and ending a dangerous drive by Seattle.

Mayo is such a terrific play maker and just continues to make great decisions and intervene on big drives during crucial moments. If Mayo didn't make that play this may well have been a one-possession game.

End Third Quarter, Patriots 20-10: That may not have been the prettiest quarter of play from the Patriots this season, but the defense made sure to pick them up.

Tom Brady threw away a terrible interception, but Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich made sure to force some pressure on Russell Wilson and keep him from finding any sort of success through the air.

The Patriots secondary, especially Devin McCourty will be huge the rest of the way as the Seahawks will undoubtedly resort to a more pass-heavy attack with the game closing down.

Third Quarter, 4:45, Patriots 20-10: Tom Brady has been almost perfect for much of the day, but that pass was maybe his worst so far.

While New England continued to drive on this stingy Seattle defense, Brady just under threw Branch and gave the Seahawks offense the ball back with some decent field position.

While Wilson hasn't exactly been Aaron Rodgers so far today, that's nothing a little momentum swing couldn't change.

Third Quarter, 9:21, Patriots 20-10: And there are the three points that the Patriots should've had at the end of the first half.

Brady just led another great drive downfield, and even got backup tight end Daniel Fells in on the action.

Fells, who had just one grab on the season coming into the game, stretched out and hauled in an incredible 35-yard grab to get the Pats into the red zone.

Brady has displayed a great deal of precision on the night and looks to be much more confident in the pocket now with his line intact and a full arsenal of weapons. With the offense pretty much back to health, this could get real dangerous for opposing defenses.

End Second Quarter, Patriots 17-10: After a slow start to the game, Tom Brady and the Patriots offense got rolling with 252 yards of total offense on the half — the most Seattle's allowed in one half this season.

But the half ended with a big mistake as Brady caved under pressure down by the goal line and was called for intentional grounding. The 10-second runoff ended the half and sent the Patriots to the locker room with only a 17-10 lead.

Aside from that mental error, Brady was pretty flawless with 21 of 30 passes for 216 yards and a touchdown. He's also got Hernandez, who is back on the field for the first time, back on track nice and quick here in Seattle.

Russell Wilson has exploited the Patriots secondary with some terrific accuracy, completing 9 of 12 passes for 155 yards and an impressive touchdown over the top of Kyle Arrington. Arrington has since been benched in favor of Alfonzo Dennard, one the many switches to the defensive backfield.

There's plenty more to be done in the second half, and New England could definitely take advantage of so many more opportunities if this inconsistency in the Seattle defense continues.

Oh yeah, and Wes Welker is a beast.

Second Quarter, 2:12, Patriots 17-10: Who is tougher than Wes Welker?

Welker took a brutal hit at the start of the drive. But after going to the bench, he returned to the game, caught a pass and secured a big first down for the Patriots.

Welker may be a jokester and a little undersize, but dammit if he isn't a warrior. What an animal.

Stephen Gostkowski fed off of that energy and nailed a 25-yard field to put the Pats up 17-10 on the afternoon.

Now, the Patriots just need to exert more of that mentality and build on that lead in the second half.

Second Quarter, 6:17, Patriots 14-10: Chandler Jones isn't joking around anymore.

After seeming pretty much a non-factor in the first quarter, Jones has established himself in the pass rush during the second quarter thus far.

Jones is working on the right side of the Seahawks line and continues to impose his physical dominance as he keeps getting after Wilson.

That strip-sack was a clutch turnover for New England, too, as they now have the chance to take a two-score lead on the Seahawks.

Second Quarter, 11:17, Patriots 14-10: Did somebody say Aaron Hernandez was back? Well, if you didn't know then now you know.

Hernandez made his presence well known on the first few drives with a pair of catches, but none were bigger than that lofty toss from Brady that put the Patriots back on top with a 14-10 lead.

Hernandez wasn't expected to play very much coming into this one, as he has missed a few weeks with an ankle injury, but it looks like he's moving just fine on that ankle. So, we'll probably see even more of him today, and hopefully in the coming weeks. That's big news for the Patriots, as they can now get back to their normal attack.

End 1st Quarter, Seahawks 10-7: Tom Brady was impressive during the Patriots 82-yard scoring drive, but Russell Wilson has looked better so far.

Brady tore up the Seahawks No. 1 -ranked defense, completing nine of 12 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown. But while Brady was slicing his way through, Wilson hit on 7 of 8 passes for 131 yards and has made the Patriots secondary look like Boston College.

The Patriots have gotten some pressure up the middle on Wilson, though, and with Chandler Jones, Vince Wilfork and Rob Ninkovich putting so much pressure they should eventually get to him.

First Quarter, 1:49, Seahawks 10-7: If the Patriots secondary seemed to be exploited on the first drive of the game, then now they just look severely over matched.

Russell Wilson, a rookie quarterback mind you, is putting on a Michael Vick-esque showing with some great passes as well as the elusiveness worthy of the comparison.

Wilson has been inconsistent all season, but against this secondary he's suddenly a Pro Bowl-caliber signal-caller.

Kyle Arrington looks bad in coverage, getting beat multiple times now, and there could be a replacement coming soon.

First Quarter, 5:49, Patriots 7-3: Any thoughts about a letdown for Wes Welker this week — after some controversial comments — were just put to bed.

Brady, who looked somewhat lost on the first drive, just sliced and diced his way downfield as he used Brandon Lloyd and Wes Welker to take the lead.

Lloyd seemingly walked on a tightrope along the sidelines to haul in a crucial catch. Meanwhile Welker did his best Willie Mays with an incredible over the head grab and scored the touchdown to put the Pats up 7-3.

Big momentum swing for the offense after struggling with the crowd noise on the first series. This could be a defensive series to dictate the game.

First Quarter, 7:39, Seahawks 3-0: The Patriots secondary has been exploited in the early going, and it could be a concern as this game, and season, rolls on.

Brandon Spikes isn't great in coverage usually, but he actually has been better in recent weeks. McCourty and safety Tavon Wilson need to step up more in coverage, though.

An early sighting of Alfonzo Dennard could be a sign of things to come in this one, as he was on the field as the first series went on.

First Quarter, 12:52: The Patriots got the ball first, but it looks like the noise is already playing a factor.

Tom Brady and the offense seemed to struggle with the crowd noise, as we saw at times in Baltimore, and that could be a big problem for the Patriots offense especially against such a talented Seattle defensive front.

3:41 p.m.: As it inches closer and closer to game time, the excitement for kickoff just continues to grow for the Patriots.

Aaron Hernandez, who we've talked about at length already, is clearly the story of the day as he's set to make his return to the Patriots lineup. But there are a few other keys to consider for the Patriots as they enter the showdown in Seattle.

1. How do the Patriots make up for Dont'a Hightower? – Hightower wasn't active for the Patriots against the Broncos either, but this week New England will face a much more potent rushing attack and his presence should be missed a lot more. Marshawn Lynch is running about as well as any back in the NFL this season, and setting the edge on defense will be important in containing Lynch and even quarterback Russell Wilson.

2. Which Devin McCourty shows up? – McCourty was maligned for the first few weeks of the season, as his success was overlooked but his mistakes were glaring. An impressive showing against Buffalo raised hopes of a turnaround, but he seemed lost once again last week as Peyton Manning picked him apart at times. If the Pro Bowl-caliber McCourty shows up in Seattle then Wilson will have a very tough time finding success through the air. The question now is, which McCourty will we see.

3. Aaron Hernandez, enough said. – Hernandez is back, but how big of a role will he play in the offense? Reports indicated a lesser role for the tight end, but how much less? Hernandez is a vital cog to this offensive unit, even if they've found success without him, but they're much more dangerous with him at full strength. If he can stay on the field for even 20 snaps, and play them effectively, then the Patriots offense will have a much better chance of success against a big, physical and imposing Seahawks defense.

3:22 p.m.: With a bit of a shakeup on the Patriots defense here against the Seahawks, there are definitely a few major questions that remain ahead of kickoff.

Dont'a Hightower's absence for the second straight week should have an impact on the pressure off the outside and could make a typically strong rush defense into a vulnerable position.

Tracy White, Hightower's typical backup, is also unavailable against Seattle meaning Carpenter and Rob Ninkovich will have to account for the loss on the outside. They will be relied upon heavily to help contain Marshawn Lycnh, who has beem a beast this season — yes, beast mode — and the rest of the Seahawks attack.

The defense should turn into an interesting storyline on the afternoon, but with an improving Brandon Spikes and the ever-consistent Jerod Mayo, there should still be a steadying presence in that second level.

3:03 p.m.: Just because Aaron Hernandez is active against the Seahawks on Sunday doesn't necessarily mean he's going to see a lot of action.

Hernandez, who hasn't played in a game since spraining his ankle in a Sept. 16 game against the Cardinals, is active but will reportedly have a limited role in the Patriots offense.

Daniel Fells, who is active for his third straight game, will likely have a bigger role in the offense and could even see a few more passes come his way this week.

Wes Welker and Deion Branch will continue to fill the void out wide, so Hernandez shouldn't be too heavily leaned upon in his return.

2:37 p.m.:There's no doubt anymore, Aaron Hernandez is back for the Patriots.

While Dont'a Hightower, Julian Edelman and Tracy White were already ruled out for the Patriots in Seattle, four other players joined them as inactives for the game against the Seahawks.

Sebastian Vollmer, who had been questionable heading into Sunday, is active and expected to start against Seahawks.

Check out the inactives for both New England and Seattle for today's game.

Patriots:
WR Julian Edelman
LB Dont'a Hightower
LB Tracy White
DL Jake Bequette
S Steve Gregory
TE Michael Hoomanawanui
C Matt Tennant

Seattle:
WR Charly Martin
SS Winston Guy
CB Danny Gorrer
CB Jeremy Lane
DT Clinton McDonald
G John Moffitt
DT Jaye Howard

2:17 p.m.: Less than a month since severely spraining his ankle in a game against the Cardinals, Aaron Hernandez is expected to return to the field for the Patriots on Sunday.

While Hernandez is anticipated back, it appears rookie linebacker Dont'a Hightower and wide receiver Julian Edelman, who returned to practice this week, have already been ruled out for New England.

Hightower's backup at the outside linebacker position, Tracy White, has also been ruled out, meaning that recently re-signed linebacker Bobby Carpenter will probably play a larger role in his second game back with the Pats.

The inactive list should be released shortly with the Patriots needing to fill four more spots, which could still include Hernandez.

11 a.m. ET: He's back. Aaron Hernandez will return to the field Sunday afternoon.

The Patriots, who will be facing
a raucous environment in Seattle, may need him more than
ever, even if it is in a limited role.

Tom Brady and the offense have been rolling at a historic level in recent weeks, scoring 30 points or more in each of their past three games. But entering a showdown with the NFL's No. 1-ranked defense, Brady will need his full arsenal of weapons to keep up the pace.

Stevan Ridley and Brandon Bolden have combined to give the Patriots a solid 1-2 punch out of the backfield for the first time in what feels like forever, and New England will need them to maintain the consistency on offense.

Seattle's Brandon Browner, Chris Clemons and K.J. Wright will do their best to make sure that Ridley and Brady don't find much success on Sunday. Meanwhile, Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch will try to power the Seahawks offense against an inconsistent New England secondary.

The action gets started at 4:05 p.m., but we'll have all your news, notes and analysis ready before then. So, be sure to stick here for everything you need to know about your New England Patriots.

Final, Patriots 31-21:

Brady, who went 23 of 31 for 223 yards and two touchdowns (one rush), lead a potent Patriots attack that included a powerful running game from Stevan Ridley and Brandon Bolden. The duo combined again this week for over 200 yards on the ground.

The offense was awfully efficient from the very start as well, even going on to break the franchise record for first down with 35 on the day. With 223 yards through the air and 251 on the ground, including Ridley's career-best 151 yards, helped maintain some consistency and dominate in the win.

Rob Ninkovich and Jerod Mayo led the way for the defense as they forced three fumbles and sacked Manning three times en route to the 31-21 win. Vince Wilfork and even rookies Tavon Wilson and Alfonzo Dennard also made big contributions in the effort.

Fourth Quarter, 3:27, Patriots 31-21: Stevan Ridley's fumble looked like it was about to cost the Patriots this lead, but Willis McGahee bailed them out again.

Earlier it was a dropped pass on fourth down and now the fumble, it's like McGahee wants the Pats to take this.

Fourth Quarter, 4:43, Patriots 31-21: Stevan Ridley had been the workhorse all afternoon, but that was just a brutal return to reality with that fumble.

The fumbilitis that forced Ridley off the field in 2011 was on display once again and it could be costly for the Patriots as Manning excels in these situations.

Fourth Quarter, 6:43, Patriots 31-21: Manning does it again, and the Broncos are quietly within 10 points.

Manning just led a 6-play, 43-yard drive down the field in under two minutes, something the Patriots can't afford to allow any more of.

While Alfonzo Dennard continues to impress at the corner position, Tavon Wilson has appeared to get burned on a number of occasions against Manning.

The young secondary still needs to find an anchor, though to be McCourty but that hasn't quite panned out yet. And with the quiet comeback, this game could get real interesting very, very fast. Brady needs to put them away here.

Fourth Quarter, 10:50, Patriots 31-14: The Patriots rotation at the left cornerback continues, as Moore was replaced by Dennard again on that drive.

Dennard has looked good in coverage, at least much better than Moore, and the Broncos haven't been able to beat him over the top for any big gains. This could be a big breakthrough in terms of reps moving forward

End Third Quarter, Patriots 31-14: Tom Brady led the Patriots to some more second-half success here against Denver. But it still all comes back to Ridley.

The Riddler continues to dominate the line of scrimmage and is well over 100 yards now, with 21 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown run to cap it off. Brady has been sharp — per usual — and his hookup with Welker has been unstoppable.

The defense hasn't gotten enough credit for holding Manning and Broncos to just 14 points through three quarters, though. Plus the two turnovers have been key to this offensive surge.

Third Quarter, 4:40, Patriots 31-14: Peyton got his groove back. Would be a good 90's movie title?

Manning just cut his way through the Patriots secondary, mainly Sterling Moore actually, and eventually led the Broncos on a 10-play, 90-yard scoring drive to get back within a more reasonable 31-14 — eek.

That is the sort of Manning that frightens a defense, and a fan base. Manning's precision and ability to dip and dunk, not to mention Thomas' unbelievable catches, are a danger and should have the New England defense zoning in on the sidelines because that was ugly.

Third Quarter, 4:40, Patriots 31-7: This is getting ugly. But Vince Wilfork and the Patriots are eating it up — literally.

A strip-sack from Rob Ninkovich and Chandler Jones had Manning put the ball on the ground and for the second week in a row, Wilfork was there to gobble it up for the Patriots. He might figuratively and literally be the biggest play-maker in the NFL.

That turnover was key as Brady led another scoring drive, quickly I'll add, and Ridley punched it in for the score as Pats get out to 31-7 lead of Broncos. Yikes.

Third Quarter, 5:00, Patriots 24-7: Stevan Ridley has been an absolute monster out of the backfield, but other players continue to get the glory.

Tom Brady gets the 1-yard score on yet another double-digit play drive to give the Pats a 24-7 lead. All four scoring drives have been 12-plus plays.

No matter, though. Ridley has now rushed for 106 yards on the afternoon, marking his second straight game and third time this season to achieve the feat.

With Ridley in the backfield, powering through the front seven consistently, Brady has become even more effective and dangerous. The semblance of a running game has been absent for years in New England, but it looks like that could well be what helps this offense move onto an even more threatening territory.

Third Quarter, 11:24, Patriots 17-7: An exciting first half hasn't quite lived up to the billing during the early going of the second so far.

Brady and the offense had a chance to really step on the throat of the Broncos with another scoring drive, but instead they just went a quick 3-and-out.

The Patriots have had a tough time knocking teams out all season. It started with the missed field goal against Arizona and just continued with the missed opportunities in Baltimore. There has to be a concern, even after the rout in Buffalo, that maybe this offense needs a boost in crucial situation.

6:05 p.m.: With Manning in town and such a big game for the Patriots, there must have been plenty of excitement for tailgaters out on the lots at Gillette here on Sunday.

Well, if you've got any great tailgating photos, or just want to take some, send them on in to NESN and we might profile you and your tailgating experience.

Click here to send your photos in >>

End Second Quarter, Patriots 17-7: Tom Brady may get the credit for a successful first half on offense, but even with his razor-sharp precision it's been Ridley whose really spurred the attack.

Brady ends the first half 17 of 20 for 165 yards and a touchdown. But Ridley has pounded the Broncos defense with a brutal rushing attack, banging out 13 carries for 70 yards and forcing Denver to stack the box more often.

Wes Welker has also been a story on his own, grabbing nine balls for 71 yards and a touchdown. But the stats don't show how important he's been as cornerback Chris Harris has just been burned time and again as Welker continues to take advantage of the mismatch.

On defense, the secondary has been mediocre but with Jerod Mayo leading the attack up the middle there hasn't been much success for Manning and company to find.

Manning did slice his way downfield on a few drives, but the Patriots continue to shut down the Broncos on third downs and have kept Denver from making due on much of their offense success. With Sterling Moore now on the sidelines, or at least he was at the half, and the rookie Dennard and maybe even Dowling taking some of his snaps maybe the secondary will turn around as well.

Second Quarter, 0:02, Patriots 17-7: Stephen Gostkowski may have had a tough go of it lately, but that field goal gives the Patriots a 17-7 lead.

A chip shot, but an important one as the Patriots will take a 10-point lead into the locker room.

Second Quarter, 2:00, Patriots 14-7: The Bolden bus is leaving the station, but that's a good thing if you're the Patriots.

Since his explosion for 137 yards last week in Buffalo, Bolden has been the talk of Patriots Nation. While Ridley is still, clearly, the feature back, Bolden is quietly carving out a consistent role in the New England backfield.

So much power from these Patriots backs, and having a legit running game — a rarity in New England — is a sweet delicacy.

Second Quarter, 5:07, Patriots 14-7: Alfonzo Dennard suited up for his first NFL game on Sunday, and he didn't disappoint in his first action.

Replacing Sterling Moore on the outside, Dennard looked solid in run protection and had a big pass breakup to force the Broncos to punt.

It's not an easy task for a late-round rookie, albeit undervalued in the draft, to come in and make an immediate impact. But it's even harder to do it against one of the best QBs and most physical receivers in the league. Big kudos.

Second Quarter, 7:57, Patriots 14-7: Stevan Ridley's got the Broncos by the ankles and is just shaking them for all their lunch money. But Shane Vereen — yes, that Vereen — is the one to collect the dough after all.

Vereen saw his first goal-line action of the season and the result is a one-yard touchdown score. Big news for a guy that can't seem to stay on the field.

Vereen and Ridley, combining for nine carries and 51 yards so far, may be the big story after that score, but it was the connection between Brady and Lloyd that really made that drive go.

Lloyd made a number of adjustments at the line during that series and was able to get inside of Bailey on routes, not an easy feat. This is great to see, not only for now, but long term.

Second Quarter, 14:05, 7-7: Manning was cutting through the Patriots defense some more, but it was Devin McCourty that truly helped the Broncos get their first points of the day.

Joel Dreessen caught a one-yard touchdown from Manning, but a brutal face-guarding pass interference penalty on McCourty made the different on that series.

McCourty has been struggling to cover in one-on-one sets this season, and while he had great positioning he just doesn't ever seem to turn to the ball to make the play. That has become a trend and a big issue, one that needs to be fixed or else it will continues costing New England valuable yards and leads.

End First Quarter, Patriots 7-0: Manning-Brady has lived up to the hype, thus far. But a lot of the reasoning has been the porous play out of both secondaries.

Manning looked methodical going down the field on each of the Broncos drives, cutting up the Patriots for 10 of 12 completions and 126 yards. The only positive for New England is that the Broncos have coughed the ball up and haven't yet been able to get on the board.

Meanwhile, Brady looked razor sharp in his own right with 7 of 8 for 58 yards and that sweet toss to Welker for the score.

As key as Brady has been, though, Stevan Ridley has been just as if not more important. His running has been hard, downhill and very powerful. More of that and we'll be talking about his third 100-yard game of the season before this one is done.

On defense, the linebackers and front four have looked stellar, but Sterling Moore and Tavon Wilson have looked overmatched by Demaryius Thomas's speed and size. Really need to step it up.

First Quarter, 3:08, Patriots 7-0: Wes Welker's demise was really overplayed earlier this season. Now, the murmurs just seem absurd.

The Patriots offense was pushing the tempo throughout that entire drive, and with the perfect combination of Stevan Ridley's running and Brady's slinging, a 7-0 lead was all but on the scoreboard.

Welker's eight-yard grab changed that. Brady hit Welker four times, including the score, on that drive and found his favorite target for the score in the end.

With the most targets here on Sunday, and on the season for the Patriots rumors of Welker's demise have been vastly overrated. Let's get real, people.

First Quarter, 7:51: In Patriots' news, Jerod Mayo is a beast.

Manning, once again dialing it down the field, gets himself flipped up and table topped by Mayo and Rob Ninkovich. The sack was impressive but it's even more impressive to see the type of effort and leadership Mayo has been displaying this year… it's contagious.

4:44 p.m.: How 'bout them Colts?

After head coach Chuck Pagano took a leave for six to eight weeks to battle cancer, the Colts responded by not only talking the talk but also beating the crap out of Green Bay.

The 30-27 win was a close one, but geez was that an impressive comeback. Reggie Wayne is the man and boy does Bruce Arians have some go-nads.

First Quarter, 11:11: Rob Gronkowski was uncertain for the Patriots heading into Sunday. But with an early grab and run he doesn't seem to be hurting from any lingering hip problems.

That's a good sign for the Patriots offense, too, as it means Daniel Fells likely won't be relied upon as originally thought — not that he couldn't suffice.

First Quarter, 12:22: Peyton Manning had the Broncos offense rolling down field on the Patriots, but with one swift swipe of the arm New England's got the ball back.

Sterling Moore hasn't been the most consistent corner for the Patriots this season, but that sort of heady play is exactly what they're looking for out of this secondary.

Now, Tom Brady and the offense get the ball back thanks to Moore's opportunist nature,

4:15 p.m.: Breast cancer survivors, all decked out in pink, line the field outside of the big helmet in front of Patriots entryway.

A really nice gesture for the Patriots and a show of grace as the pink warriors will be welcoming the Pats players out on the field as they charge from the inflatable helmet.

Everything is pink in the NFL in October, something I actually look forward to every year, and this is just another great moment for the Patriots and the NFL as a whole. Gotta feel good about moments like that.

4:00 p.m.: Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning may be the story on the tip of every fans' tongue today, but there are plenty of other plot lines to keep an eye on in this one.

Rob Gronkowski's health, the Broncos defense's ability to slow down Brady and even the Patriots questions on defense all come to mind.

So, with all that in mind, why don't we take a peek at some of the keys to the Patriots and Broncos showdown here on Sunday.

1.Tavon Wilson's effectiveness in secondary – With Steve Gregory out of action here on Sunday, a lot of his responsibilities are likely to fall on the shoulders on rookie safety Tavon Wilson. While Wilson has developed a reputation as a ball hawk through his first four games in the NFL, it will be interesting to see how he can adapt to more reps and a bigger responsibility in the defense, especially against the best in the business.

2. Daniel Fells' role in offense – Daniel Fells hasn't seen all that much time on the field for the Patriots this year. But during his first real action of the season last week he actually looked pretty strong in the run game. Fells' ability to adapt to the passing attack and fill the hole left behind in Aaron Hernandez's absence will be huge. You can't expect Hernandez-like numbers, but just getting open and

3. Offensive lines success against Denver pass rush – In Buffalo, the Patriots offensive line looked about as good as they have all season. A tremendous rushing attack and allowing Brady plenty of time to pick apart the Bills' defense was essential to their success. But with guys like Elvis Dumervil, Joe Mays and Von Miller coming after Brady on Sunday, can the O-line, even with Logan Mankins, hold up?

3:21 p.m.: All the hype surrounding Aaron Hernandez's return to the practice field can now be settled, as the tight end won't be suiting up for the Patriots on Sunday. Neither will linebacker Dont'a Hightower.

While Hernandez was not expected to play for the Patriots here on Sunday, Hightower, who suffered an injury against the Bills last Sunday, was expected to suit up.

Although Hernandez and Hightower headline the list of guys that won't be playing against the Broncos, tight end Rob Gronkowski, who has been suffering from some chronic hip pain, will be in the starting lineup come kickoff. Shane Vereen, who has been on and off the injury list all season, will also be on the active roster for New England.

Check out the inactives for both teams below.

Patriots:

WR Julian Edelman
S Steve Gregory
TE Michael Hoomanawanui
LB Dont'a Hightower
C Matt Tennant
TE Aaron Hernandez
DE Jake Bequette

Broncos:

QB Caleb Hanie
RB Knowshon Moreno
SS Duke Ihenacho
LB C.J. Davis
TE Julius Thomas
DT Sealver Siliga

2:41 p.m.: With the halftime buzzer going off in the 1 p.m. games throughout the NFL, let's take a gander around the world of football.

Mike Vick, who seemed to find his rhythm in a win against the Giants last Sunday, is back to his unstable ways.

Following a week without turnovers, Vick has already fumbled twice against the Steelers and hasn't led the Eagles to any scores as of yet. It's ugly to see such a great quarterback struggling so mightily with ball security and makes you wonder if Nick Foles might actually be an option at this point.

Foles looked good in the preseason, filling in for Vick while he recovered from a few injuries. And although he's just a rookie, he has the talent and confidence to excel in the NFL — at some point.

In other news from Pittsburgh, Rashard Mendenhall has returned to the field and looks solid on the afternoon. He's already scored his first touchdown of the season, punching in a 13-yard run to give the Steelers the lead. The Steelers have a 10-0 lead into the half and it looks like Mendenhall and Vick might be on opposite sides of the coin on this Sunday.

2:22 p.m.: The rain seems to be holding off, for now at least, and the Patriots and Broncos should be taking the field here shortly.

Ahead of the players coming onto the field, there was a massive green tarp covering the field at Gillette Stadium. But now, the tarp is being taken off and the green grass is showing in preparation of kickoff.

Take a peek at the field as the tarp comes off ahead of game time.

Photo via Twitter/@LukeFHughes

12 p.m. ET: This should be a meeting to remember: an epic clash of two of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. It's Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning.

One of the greatest player rivalries of our generation will be making a triumphant return to the field in Foxboro, Mass., here on Sunday, and it's shaping up to be another classic.

Manning leads his 2-2 Broncos into Gillette Stadium against a Patriots defense fresh off one of their best performances of this young season. A second-half surge, which included six total turnovers in Buffalo, has Devin McCourty and New England's secondary feeling quite confident in welcoming Manning to town.

As for the offense, Aaron Hernandez is the big story heading into Sunday afternoon. Hernandez practiced on both Thursday and Friday this week, and rumors have been swirling whether he'll actually see the field against Denver. But with Hernandez's ankle sprain still not fully healed, Bill Belichick likely won't chance the tight end's season status for just one game.

Tune into all the action starting at 4:25 p.m., but be sure to kick it here for all the news, notes and analysis you could ask for.

Final, Patriots 52-28:

After an underwhelming first half — that might be an understatement — Brady and the Patriots owned the second with a 45-point shellacking en route to a 52-28 win.

Brady tossed three touchdowns and ran for another, but the true story of the day was the combination of Brandon Bolden and Stevan Ridley out of the Patriots backfield.

Bolden, an undrafted rookie, ran the ball 16 times for 137 yards and a touchdown while Ridley cruised out to 106 yards and a pair of scores on 22 carries. The duo was unbelievably effective, especially behind an ailing offensive line, becoming the first pair of Patriots to run for 100-yards in the same game since 1980.

A terrific performance on just about all counts, Vince Wilfork and Jerod Mayo led an aggressive defense to force six turnovers and just dominate the Buffalo running backs.

A terrific all around win, even with the early miscues, this was a much-needed breakout performance by a team seeking a way to rebound after last Sunday's crushing defeat.

Fourth Quarter, 1:56, Patriots 52-28: The scoring just doesn't stop.

After putting up just seven points in the first half, the Patriots have loaded up with 45 points here in the second half.

Gostkowski rebounded for his two early misses and just nailed a 30-yard field goal to put the Patriots up 52-28.

I don't like to call games before the clock says so, but this is over. Goodnight.

Fourth Quarter, 4:09, Patriots 49-28: Let's just get everyone in on the action. Brandon Lloyd, you're up.

After struggling to establish himself against Stephen Gilmore all day, Lloyd just laid out for an unbelievable grab for the 25-yard touchdown pass. The score extended the Pats dominating lead to 49-28 as well.

Lloyd hasn't seemed very in sync with Brady for much of the season, as they've struggled to consistently connect, but that was just a thing of pure beauty. Honestly, a sight not seen in New England since Randy Moss last left town.

Fourth Quarter, 6:35, Patriots 42-28: The Patriots had scored 35 unanswered points, but the Bills sliced up the New England secondary on way to another score.

Ryan Fitzpatrick connected on his fourth touchdown pass of the afternoon, hitting Brad Smith on a 35-yard toss down the middle of the seam.

The touchdown doesn't do all that much in terms of the outcome of this game, but the score does raise eyebrows even higher as the secondary appears to be depleted and unable to contain opposing quarterbacks. First Joe Flacco, now Fitzpatrick, this is getting ugly.

Fourth Quarter, 12:35, Patriots 42-21: Turnovers galore. This game went from a major disappointment for the Patriots to a massive score.

Devin McCourty picked off his second pass of the day, making up for his missed opportunities a week ago. McCourty's played awesome against the Bills and looks like he might actually be able to cover after all.

Brandon Bolden, meanwhile — this guy is unbelievable. More than just a goal-line back, this kid has 132 touchdowns and now punched in a seven-yard score to give New England a 42-21 lead.

The lead now makes it 35 unanswered points for the Pats and it finally feels like the Patriots might be back to normal — being good that is.

Fourth Quarter, 14:55, Patriots 35-21: A 14-point deficit had the Patriots worrying about how to get back on track. But multiple turnovers and a pair of 100-yard rushers — yes, a pair — finally got things back on track.

Brandon Bolden and Stevan Ridley have combined to become a dangerous tandem out of the backfield.

Bolden busted through some flailing arm tackles while Ridley punched the ball into the end zone with a two-yard touchdown to give the Patriots a 35-21 lead.

Oh, how the tides have turned.

Fourth Quarter, 14:55, Patriots 28-21: Gronk has had a rough go of it early on Sunday, but a streak down the seam helped atone for some of his earlier mistakes.

A 28-yard touchdown pass put New  England back on top and has the Patriots' passing attack looking like the weapon used to dismantle defense last season.

Gronk's working out the kinks and five catches for 104 yards might be just what the doctor ordered to get out of this slump.

End Third Quarter, 21-21: When was the last time that the Patriots running game sparked the offense? It's been too long.

Brandon Bolden and Stevan Ridley joined forces to bolster the Patriots rushing attack, busting out to 184 yards on the afternoon and giving Brady some room to work over the middle in the passing game.

Brady capitalized first with a touchdown pass then a rush up the middle and suddenly New England is all tied up at 21-21 heading into the final frame of the day.

Third Quarter, 3:56, 21-21: Tom Brady is good at football. Well, that's obvious I suppose.

After a stellar drive down the field, Brady showed off more than just his arm as he took the ball across the plane with his feet.

Brandon Bolden was key to that drive yet again, bulldozing through the defensive line and finding his way to 93 yards on the afternoon, the best possible scenario for the undrafted rookie.

Bolden did the work but Brady gets the score to cap things off and bring the Pats to a 21-21 tie.

Third Quarter, 8:16, Bills 21-14: Running the football isn't the forte of the Patriots, but apparently it's what works best against the Bills.

The combination of Ridley, Bolden and even Danny Woodhead got the Patriots back in the swing of things and finally on the board again.

Woodhead took a 17-yard pass into the end zone for the score and got New England back within seven at 21-14.

Bolden and Ridley have officially been the most productive members of the offense in Buffalo, combining for 21 carries and 132 yards. Score.

Third Quarter, 11:08, Bills 21-7: The Patriots appear to just be overmatched by the Bills at this point.

21-7? This is getting out of control.

Ryan Fitzpatrick just tossed his third touchdown of the afternoon, as he pitched out a 68-yard pass to Donald Jones for the longest play of the young receivers' career.

On the other side of the field, Brady has looked solid in his decision making, but with limited time in the pocket and an apparently unreliable receiving corps something's gotta give.

Third Quarter, 13:26, Bills 14-7: Gronk just isn't making good on his opportunities in Buffalo.

After a disappointing fumble in the first half, Gronk had a chance to make up for his blunder, but a drop on the deep ball from Brady means no score for the struggling Patriots offense.

Gronkowski has killed the Bills in the past, and it seemed like he would from the get-go on Sunday but it looks like he might be overwhelmed by Stephen Gilmore and the Bills D.

2:38 p.m.: The Patriots have been underwhelming on the whole in Buffalo. So, who needs to step up the most for New England to pull out a win?

Gronk's looked good, but his fumble cost the Patriots big time. Meanwhile, Lloyd has been inconsistent and seemed overmatched by cornerback Stephen Gilmore.

As for the defense, Scott Chandler has killed the secondary and they need to get it together.

So, who needs to step up biggest for the Pats in the second half?

Who needs to step up most for Patriots in second half against Bills?

End Second Quarter, Bills 14-7: Tom Brady'f first drive downfield in Buffalo on Sunday was a gem. Since then, though, it's been all down hill.

Turnovers by Gronkowski and Welker cost the Patriots both the ball and great field position. And a pair of botched kicks from the typically reliable Gostkowski just worsened the blow.

Gronk may have gotten all of the hype coming into this matchup, but Bills' tight end Scott Chandler looks to be the better of the two on the afternoon. Chandler's scored both  of Buffalo's touchdowns and ran the Bills out to a 14-7 lead at the half.

On defense, the play of Chandler Jones (four tackles, one sack) and Vince Wilfork, who had the huge fumble recovery has helped keep the Bills from adding to that total. The stout defense has been key to keeping this game as close as it is.

Brady needs to figure out what's happening through the air, because the Bills look to be the far superior offense thus far.

Second Quarter, 0:16, Bills 14-7: Big Vince Wilfork just doing what he does best: make plays.

A massive hit on Fred Jackson as he came through in search of the goal line and Wilfork comes up with the loose ball to give the Patriots some hope before the half.

Second Quarter, 2:15, Bills 14-7:
The Patriots had an opportunity to get back on the board before the half, but another mistake could be awful costly.

Wes Welker made a great catch and run across the middle, but a hard hit as he went down to the ground and knocked the ball loose. The Bills start another drive in great field position. This seems to be becoming a trend, and not a good one.

Already down 14-7, the Patriots just look lost against the Bills. What is going on with these guys?

Second Quarter, 3:31, Bills 14-7:  Missed opportunities are killing the Patriots.

Gronkowski's fumble was the first atrocity, now a pair of missed field goals from Gostkowski have proved far too costly.

The Bills scored another quick touchdown, as Fitzpatrick hit Chandler for the second touchdown of the game to give Buffalo a 14-7 lead.

Second Quarter, 4:51, 7-7: Stephen Gostkowski is struggling badly.

Gostkowski, who is usually about as automatic as any kicker in football, looks awful with yet another missed field goal.

After that Week 2 miss at the end of regulation, Gostkowski seemed ready to rebound but his second miss of the day in Buffalo doesn't look very promising.

Yikes, a couple good drives and the Patriots still only have seven points to show for it.

Second Quarter, 9:51, 7-7: Rob Gronkowski might be the most talented tight end on the football field in Buffalo, but Scott Chandler's got the edge on this afternoon.

Gronk's fumble after a great catch over the middle ended up costing the Pats, as the Bills capitalized with a big touchdown from Fitzpatrick to Chandler to tie things up at 7-7.

Fitzpatrick literally needed just one play to toss the Bills on the board. Patrick Chung played some good defense but the eight inches between Chung and Chandler proved too tall a task — literally — for the Patriots to overcome.

Second Quarter, 11:16, Patriots 7-0: Brandon Lloyd looked good in the first two weeks of play, but in Buffalo he seems to be a bit overmatched.

Lloyd has been targeted three times already on the afternoon, but has no catches to show for it.

A missed field goal by Stephen Gostkowski was disappointing, as the Patriots don't add to their 7-0 lead, but there was some great promise from Brandon Bolden on that drive.

Bolden, a rookie from Mississippi, has looked strong on the ground and even leads the Patriots ground game with four carries for 25 yards. A young stud with some great potential in this kid.

Second Quarter, 11:41, Patriots 7-0: Devin McCourty was underwhelming with a few missed opportunities last week, but he wasn't going to allow that to keep him down in Buffalo.

McCourty made a sweet interception on Ryan Fitzpatrick's pass, giving the Pats tremendous field position to begin another drive in the second quarter.

Second Quarter, 13:41, Patriots 7-0: A punt isn't the best result for the Patriots offense, but when they've
executed that well the confidence only builds in that unit.

Pro Bowler Matthew Slater talked about keeping Bills' returner Leodis McKelvin earlier this week, hoping to keep the dangerous return mn at bay.

Check out what he had to say.

"If we can get 10 hats to the ball and try to contain and rally to the
ball, hopefully we can at least minimize the damage that he'll do back there."

End First Quarter, Patriots 7-0: Tom Brady shredded the Bills defense on his way to an opening drive score, and even a 7-0 lead is looking awful secure with the play of this aggressive Patriots defense.

Jerod Mayo and Vince Wilfork have combined to cause continuous problems for Ryan Fitzpatrick, and the work of Chandler Jones off the edge is keeping the Bills' running game at bay as well as Fitzpatrick from getting anything off too quickly.

Stevan Ridley gets the glory with the 6-yard touchdown, but it was the connection of Brady and Gronk that did the dirty work. Can Brady keep up this pace, though?

First Quarter, 0:54, Patriots 7-0: Chandler Jones has been a problem for opposing offensive lineman, and he just continues to show off his pass-rushing skills against the Bills.

Jones, who was in on Hightower's sack early in the first quarter, took down Ryan Fitzpatrick with a big third-down sack to get the ball back to the offense.

Jones is a beast, kid's bringing the heat.

First Quarter, 3:54, Patriots 7-0: The Patriots defense seemed a bit over matched at the start of this one, but they just continue to make key plays to keep the Bills at bay.

After a sack from Dont'a Hightower, Jerod Mayo got involved in the action. Mayo hauled in an interception off of a batted ball from Vince Wilfork and suddenly the Patriots are back on the attack.

Mayo and Wilfork are so key to this Patriots defense and Mayo just continues to show his ability as an ultimate opportunist.

First Quarter, 6:54, Patriots 7-0: The red zone woes appear to be over.

Tom Brady led an absolute perfect opening drive with a seven-play, 90-yard drive on the on the opening series of the game for the Pats to take the 7-0 lead.

Brady was precise with each of his passes, even hitting Rob Gronkowski down the right sideline for a 41-yard connection while involving both Daniel Fells and Shane Vereen nice and early.

As for the reward, the strong running of Stevan Ridley pounded the Patriots into the end zone and suddenly a 7-0 lead is making New England's early-season issues a lot less concerning.

First Quarter, 10:37: Fred Jackson doesn't seem to have missed a beat since suffering a knee injury in Week 1. But Chandler Jones is leading the Patriots run defense against the Bill's potent attack.

Jackson took five carried for 16 yards almost immediately when Buffalo got the ball, but Jones is asserting his size and strength on the left side of the defense against the Bills line.

Jones will be important to the Patriots success in the pass rush and apparently against the run as well.

1:03 p.m.: Injuries are the buzzword of the day around the Patriots.

With Mankins, Edelman and Brandon Deaderick all out on Sunday in Buffalo, there are some big question surrounding New England's ability to withstand a streaking Bills' team.

Here's three keys to keep an eye on for Sunday in Buffalo.

1. Can Donald Thomas fill Mankins' shoes? – Clearly Logan Mankins leaves some big shoes to be filled, but will Thomas be able to keep Tom Brady standing long enough to get this offense rolling?

2. Which McCourty shows up? – Devin McCourty has been an enigma for much of this season, just like his career. Will the talented Pro Bowler or the seemingly confused corner show up on Sunday? He's key to the Patriots secondary, so hopeully McCourty can be more than just another body on the field.

3. Can the Patriots hold down Spiller and Jackson – At week's start it looked like neither Jackson or Spiller wouldn't play. Now, both are healthy and ready to go. Can an injured Patriots' defensive live hold them down?

12:44 p.m.: With some key players out for the Patriots on Sunday, a number of reserves will have to fill the voids left behind.

Logan Mankins' absence may leave the biggest hole. But with Edelman and Hernandez out as well, New England could see some unlikely players step into the limelight.

Donald Thomas will get the start at guard for Mankins, but players like tight end Daniel Fells, wide receiver Matthew Slater and running back Shane Vereen all could see extended time in Buffalo.

The question now becomes which of these "unlikely reserves" will have the biggest impact for the Patriots.

Which Unlikely Reserve Player Will Have Biggest Impact for Patriots?

12:25 p.m.: With Julian Edelman out here on Sunday, Wes Welker will be seeing a lot more time on the field. But not just as a wide receiver.

Edelman, who serves as the Patriots primary punt returner, is out with a hand injury and so Welker will be taking up the role on punts.

Welker hasn't returned punts full time since 2009, having fielded just eight last season and not having yet returned one this year

He has been successful in the return game before, but Welker has yet to ever return a punt for a touchdown. So it should be interesting to see how he gets back into the game.

Also, an interesting note, it looks like Patrick Chung will be Welker's back-up in case there is another returner needed.

11:38 a.m.: The Patriots will be without Logan Mankins in Buffalo on Sunday — that we know — but there are some other key players who will miss Sunday's AFC East showdown.

Mankins and injured tight end Aaron Hernandez are the two big name players to miss action on Sunday. Meanwhile, Julian Edelman (hand) will also be sidelined with a lingering injury.

As for the Bills, both C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson are active and will see the field causing even more concern for a thin Patriots defensive line.

Here's a list of the Patriots' inactives for Sunday.

G Logan Mankins
TE Aaron Hernandez
WR Julian Edelman
DL Brandon Deaderick
DL Justin Francis
CB Alfonzo Dennard
OL Matt Tennant.

11:31 a.m.: Fred Jackson will be in the lineup for the Bills when the Patriots step on the field at Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday. He'll also be especially careful about protecting his injured right knee.

Jackson, who has missed two straight weeks since injuring his knee in the season opener against the Jets, is going to wear a protective knee brace on Sunday.

The brace looks pretty heavy duty and should offer some added support for the Bills' starting tailback. The only big question remaining now is whether Jackson's partner in crime, C.J. Spiller, will be able to get on the field after suffering a shoulder sprain last Sunday.

Check out the photo of Jackson's knee brace below.

Photo via Twitter/@JosinaAnderson

11 a.m.: Tom Brady has been left fairly vulnerable to opposing defense in recent weeks. And things could be even worse on Sunday as the Patriots will be without Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins.

Mankins, who didn't practice at all this week, is suffering from a hip injury and will not play against the Bills.

New England will start back-up guard Donald Thomas in Mankins' place and have signed former New Orleans Saints center Matt Tennant as some insurance on the line.

Without the ever-reliable Mankins, Brady will likely have a tougher job against a revamped Bills' pass rush. Mario Williams and Mark Anderson haven't gotten out to the best start this season, but with more time on the line together things could finally fall into place this week.

At 1-2, the Patriots can ill afford another letdown this week, but without Mankins that might be difficult to avoid.

8 a.m. ET: After a pair of early-season letdowns, Bill Belichick and the Patriots are at 1-2 heading into an AFC East showdown in Buffalo. That's a place they certainly weren't expecting.

With so much talent on the offensive side and a revamped defense, New England had high hopes for a Super Bowl return entering the year. But the results just haven't been there. Maybe the excitement of a divisional battle will get the adrenaline pumping once again.

The Bills come in on the opposite end of things, riding a two-game win streak behind the powerful arm of quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Injured tailback Fred Jackson appears ready to return to the Bills' backfield while his partner in crime, C.J. Spiller (third in the NFL in rushing), could also get back on the field this week. The duo would present an added challenge for a struggling Patriots defense.

As for the New England offense, while Aaron Hernandez remains out this week, the performance in Sunday's loss to the Ravens was encouraging. Brady led six scoring drives, including three touchdowns, but the crunch-time woes struck once again. With the lead and time to kill late in the fourth quarter, Brady was just unable to close things out.

Brady said earlier this week that the Patriots don't "deserve" to be any better than their record after the way they've played, but he and the rest of the Patriots are focused on returning to their winning ways. We'll see whether they can get on the victory side with that motivation come game time.

Keep up with all the game action, but be sure to return here for all the news, notes and analysis you can get your hands on. It's Patriots football, and we've got you covered.

Final, Ravens 31-30:

The Patriots now fall to 1-2 on the season, the first time they’ve been under .500 since holding a 3-4 record in Week 8 in 2002 — 10 years.

Torrey Smith is the star of this one, though, grabbing six passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns on the way to the 31-30 win.

Joe Flacco slung the ball around fairly well and found a solid rhythm with Smith throughout the win. Ray Rice had a big night, too, rushing for over 100 yards for the first time this season and grabbing five passes and 49 yards.

Tom Brady was poised and had the precision pin-point all evening long. A terrific 28 of 41 for 335 yards and a touchdown, but in the end he was just unable to lead the Patriots to the first down needed to win.

There were plenty of controversial calls, including the final play, but the pass interference penalties were just so inconsistent on both sides and it definitely had an impact in the outcome.

Fourth Quarter, 1:51, Patriots 30-28:That third down was key and now the Ravens have a prime opportunity to get the game-winning score.

The Patriots defense, which has been inconsistent all night, will need to step up big time and really take it to the Ravens to ensure a win. Can they do it?

Fourth Quarter, 4:01, Patriots 30-28: Torrey Smith is unbelievable.

I know that last year, Smith was mainly known as a deep threat but he’s been playing absolutely out of his mind tonight.

If this isn’t a Brett Favre-esque performance in memory of his brother, then I don’t know what would ever qualify.

Patriots fans or not, you’ve got to respect what Smith is doing and the courage it must take to go out there with so much sadness trapped inside. Unbelievable amounts of respect.

Fourth Quarter, 7:49, Patriots 30-21: Man, I respect Deion Branch as much as anyone. But after seeing him take a beating time and again tonight, think he’s reconsidering his decision to come back?

His back definitely didn’t hurt as much on his couch as it will tomorrow morning in the ice tub. Let’s see if he can make a catch without being decapitated or knocked unconscious.

Fourth Quarter, 10:49, Patriots 30-21: Chandler Jones has been all but a ghost for the majority of the night, but that fourth down stop was all CJ95.

Jones, who has had a sack in each of the first two games, has been stifled by Bryant McKinnie for much of the game and is finding it difficult to get anywhere near the backfield or Joe Flacco.

That key fourth down stop shows even more promise for the young stud, though. He’s so strong and fast and even more importantly seems committed to the Patriots defensive system and becoming a key piece in the winning formula.

Fourth Quarter, 14:19, Patriots 30-21: The Patriots were looking to really put a firm stamp on the lead, but instead of punching it in with a touchdown, the Patriots tacked on another field goal to take the 30-21 lead.

Gostkowski nailed his third field goal of the night, this time from 20 yards out, to tack on enough to make it a two-score game.

The New England defense will now be key in holding the Ravens from reaching the end zone and to get the ball back into the locked-in Brady’s hands once again.

End Third Quarter, Patriots 27-21: Danny Woodhead got the majority of the carries in that third quarter and he made the most of it, scoring a touchdown to bring the lead back to New England.

Stevan Ridley’s return to the field also provided a strong power running game and is flexing out the offense as well, giving Brady more options down the field.

After some serious struggles at the beginning of the half, the Patriots defense also turned a corner and has been shutting down Joe Flacco since.

The key going forward is to keep Ray Rice from getting a head of steam and controlling the tempo and to keep Brady hitting his targets in stride.

Third Quarter, 5:08, Patriots 27-21: The Patriots defense got sliced up on the first drive of the second half, but McCourty seems to be settling in the defensive backfield.

McCourty, Gregory and Arrington seem to have a good handle on the Ravens receiver, aside from Torrey Smith that is.

Smith has been beasting on the Patriots all night, he’s now got four catches for 106 yards and one touchdown on the night.

Third Quarter, 6:48, Patriots 27-21: Where’s Stevan Ridley? Apparently, it doesn’t matter.

Danny Woodhead was featured through the entire first drive of the second half and gets the bone for his effort. Ridley was no where to be found, but he’ll be back.

Woodhead busted his way down the field, racking up 30 yards along the way and filling the void for Edelman, who is questionable to return.

Meanwhile, Tom Brady looks about as good as he has all season. Brady is 19 for 27 with 255 yards and has been extremely precise with his targets.

Third Quarter, 12:15, Ravens 21-20: Joe Flacco dipped and dunked his way into Patriots territory and then used a big toss to Torrey Smith to get the Ravens into the red zone.

Flacco did the work and then Ray Rice got the reward, bulldozing his way into the end zone to give the Ravens the lead back.

Rice now has 78 yards on 15 carries on the night and scored his third touchdown of the year.

The Patriots defense needs to tighten up and keep Baltimore out of the red zone and off the board. Tom Brady can’t do it all here, fellas.

10:15 p.m.: The Patriots have a lot of work to do in the second half, but mainly the need is to find some more consistency on offense and maintain a strong hold on the Ravens receivers in the defensive backfield.

Rob Gronkowski hasn’t been heard from much and Devin McCourty obviously made the big blunder on the second TD drive, but who needs to step up biggest to ensure a Patriots win in the second half?

Which Patriots player needs to step up biggest in the second half?

End Second Quarter, Patriots 20-14: Tom Brady got off to a hot start from the get go in Baltimore, but a brief cooling period nearly saw the momentum shift permanently.

Brady was able to regroup the offense at the end of the first half, though, throwing his way down the field with the help of Wes Welker, who has been a beast with three catches and 96 yards in this one.

Julian Edelman has played a bigger role in the passing attack as well, finding himself targeted seven times — the most of any Patriots receiver — and really filling in the same role that Hernandez usually does.

The defense was strong as it has been in years for much of the first half, but some lackadaisical tackling from McCourty and allowing Rice to bust through the middle and control the pace of the game.

Joe Flacco has thrown a pair of touchdown passes to get the Ravens on the board, but the true highlight was seeing a devastated Torrey Smith to catch a touchdown pass and pay respect to his fallen brother inside the end zone.

Second Quarter, 0:02, Patriots 20-14: Tom Brady doesn’t accept being second best, and that touchdown pass just goes to prove it even more.

Wes Welker made a few great grabs to get the Patriots down the field, but it was Edelman’s seven-yard grab that ultimately brought in the touchdown to take the 20-14 lead.

Second Quarter, 1:47, Ravens 14-13: That 13-point lead seems like ages ago at this point.

Joe Flacco slides one in to Dennis Pitta and suddenly the Ravens have overcome the 13-0 deficit to take 14-13 lead near the end of the first half.

The throw was impressive, but Devin McCourty’s lack of effort on the tackle was miserable. After locking up some great tackled earlier in the game, that was just a horrid attempt.

Second Quarter, 6:36, Patriots 13-7: The Patriots had a cushy little 13-0 lead and it looked like they were going to run away with this one. As Lee Corso would say, not so fast my friend.

Ray Rice and the Ravens offense found some consistency and the Baltimore defense has been stifling Brady and the Pats passing attack over the past few drives.

After a great grab down the middle of the field, Edelman was crushed on an end around and saw the Patriots offense finished on that series. The momentum could be shifting quickly in the Ravens favor, so the Patriots better find their rhythm again and fast.

Second Quarter, 9:45, Patriots 13-7: Torrey Smith took a knee and prayed looking up to the sky as he hauled in a touchdown pass to bring the Ravens back within one score of the Patriots.

Smith, whose brother passed away late Saturday night, found himself open over the top of the Patriots secondary and brought in a 25-yard touchdown to bring the Patriots lead down to 13-7.

You’ve just got to be really happy for Smith, especially after going through so much trauma and still deciding to play for his team here on Sunday. Talk about a kid with character.

Second Quarter, 11:28, Patriots 13-0: Joe Flacco has been incredibly accurate with his throws in the first half, but the Patriots secondary has been keeping the Baltimore receivers at bay.

Devin McCourty has done a great job shutting down Anquan Boldin, allowing the receiver two catches for 17 yards, and Torrey Smith has still been without a grab.

Pat Chung deep over the top and Kyle Arrington in the nickel packages have been really shutting down the Ravens offensive attack.

End First Quarter, Patriots 13-0: Tom Brady went just 7 of 12 for 75 yards during the first half last week, this week there’s a totally different story.

Brady is 8 of 12 for 123 yards and seems to just be slicing through the Ravens secondary, utilizing all his options in the passing game.

Brandon Lloyd has been a pleasant surprise and a bright spot for the Patriots, especially given his limited availability in practice this week and uncertain status heading into this game.

The defense has been solid as well, standing up to the fast paced attack of the Ravens and keeping Flacco’s arm at bay.

First Quarter, 0:35, Patriots 13-0:The Patriots offense may have looked all but dead against the Cardinals, but apparently they’re up for this one in Baltimore.

Brady is picking apart the Ravens secondary and just gives the Pats a bigger lead as Gostkowski sends a 49-yarder through the uprights that arguably looks like it could have been good from 60.

First Quarter, 5:55, Patriots 10-0: New England’s 10-0 lead is a show of how strong the Patriots offense has been at the start of this one. But the defense has been just as important, if not more so, to the commanding lead.

Vince Wilfork is clogging up every hole that Ray Rice has been looking for and Stevan Gregory and the secondary have been closing in on receivers with every toss from Joe Flacco.

This defense seems to be far improved over last season, and with some veteran additions to the unit this team could be heading for elite status.

First Quarter,7:09, Patriots 10-0: Stevan Gregory was a great pickup for the Patriots secondary during the offseason.

For a team that struggled so mightily in the defensive backfield last season, Gregory’s experience and instincts add a lot of depth and ability to the defense.

Brandon Bolden also seems like a great addition, even if it were as a free agent pickup after the draft. Obviously, he seems to be a bigger part of this offense around the goal line as well, scoring a one-yard touchdown to put the Patriots up 10-0 in the early going here.

First Quarter, 7:52, Patriots 3-0: Wes Welker may not have gotten the start for the second straight week, but that doesn’t mean he’s any less productive.

After getting Edelman involved in the early going, Brady found Welker down the left sideline for a 59-yard gain and to get the Pats into the red zone.

Edelman will likely find his way into the consistent rotation, at least it appears that way so far, but Welker is still an integral part of this passing attack.

New England was unable to get into the end zone, but Stephen Gostkowski nailed a 37-yard field goal to get the scoring going with a 3-0 lead for the Patriots.

First Quarter,12:40: The no-huddle offense looked to be paying off for the Patriots in the early going, but the pressure ended up getting to Brady and company as the Patriots didn’t do much after a quick first down to Brandon Lloyd.

It looks like Julian Edelman will be picking up some of Aaron Hernandez responsibilities for the Patriots, though, as he looks to be set up in a similar catch and run fashion on the first drive.

Brady will need to avoid the pass rush and the offensive line will really need to step it up if they expect to get this offense off and rolling.

8:20 p.m.: The Patriots have plenty of questions surrounding the team after falling to a crushing defeat at the hands of the Cardinals last Sunday.

Tom Brady will undoubtedly rebound from the dismal showing, but will the Patriots be able to cope without one of their premier targets?

Here’s three things to keep an eye on for Sunday night’s game in Baltimore.

1. Who will step up in place of Aaron Hernandez? - Hernandez’s loss was a brutal blow for the Pats, but the depth of New England’s receiving corps should see someone step up to make up for the production he leaves behind. Wes Welker and Deion Branch will be looked toward to fill that void and don’t be surprised to see Daniel Fells get some good reps in two tight end sets either.

2. Can the secondary hold up? -  Devin McCourty and the Patriots secondary have been stellar for the most part of the 2012 season, and the defensive backfield is looking forward to another opportunity to solidify themselves against the Ravens.

3. Will the offensive line hold up? - Logan Mankins, Dan Connolly and Sebastian Vollmer are all dinged up to an extent, so can the Patriots hang with Baltimore’s aggressive pass rush if their line isn’t healthy?

7:10 p.m.: The Patriots aren’t fully healthy heading into Sunday night’s clash with the Ravens, given Aaron Hernandez’s absence, but all of their key players will be active for game time.

Brandon Lloyd, who had been limited with a thigh issue, and Logan Mankins, who was having hip trouble, will both be active for Sunday night’s game.

Shane Vereen, who has missed both of the Patriots first two games this season, will once again be inactive for the Pats. Unlike Vereen, Daniel Fells will be active for the Patriots for the first time since joining the team in the offseason.

As for the Ravens, Torrey Smith, whose brother was killed in a motorcycle accident on Saturday, will be in the lineup for the Ravens after some debate about his status heading into the game.

Check out the full inactive list for the Patriots below.

Patriots inactives

RB Shane Vereen (foot)

DE Jake Bequette
OL Nick McDonald (shoulder)

TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle)

DE Justin Francis (ankle)

DL Brandon Deaderick (ankle)

CB Alfonzo Dennard (hamstring)

6:26 p.m.: After dealing with the death of his brother over the weekend, Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith was uncertain for Sunday’s game against the Patriots. His status is no longer a question, though.

Smith, a talented, second-year wideout from Maryland, was devastated by the loss of his brother on Saturday but apparently he will be suiting up for Baltimore on Sunday and pay homage to his brother.

The decision is an admirable one, especially considering the grave circumstances surrounding the uncertainty. Much like Brett Favre’s epic Monday night performance the day after his father passed away some years ago, I expect Smith to come out with a streak of fire and rage and just take over the passing game for the Ravens.

Torrey Smith is now on the field warming up with his teammates.

— Ravens RapidReports (@CBSRavens) September 23, 2012

5:49 p.m.: Tom Brady is headlining Sunday night’s prime time bout between the Ravens and Patriots, and apparently the game is being promoted as such.

As the two teams prepare for the AFC Championship Game repeat, Brady finds himself donning the primary poster marketing the game, at least in New England.

The people at NBC Sports Sunday Night Football tweeted out a photo of a stoic-looking Brady looking ready to get the action going.

Check out the tweet from SNF on NBC.

Alright @patriots Fans RT this if you think Sunday Night will be Patriots Night #SNF twitter.com/SNFonNBC/statu…

— SNF on NBC (@SNFonNBC) September 23, 2012

Photo via Twitter/@SNFonNBC

5:36 p.m.: The Patriots are at M&T Bank Stadium, gearing up for what should be a wild night of football.

The field in Baltimore in primed and proper for an invasion from Tom Brady and the Patriots offense.

Meanwhile, Joe Flacco and the Ravens are looking to exact some revenge for their brutal loss in the AFC Championship Game last January.

A rivalry is brewing in Baltimore and we’re getting pumped up for some Patriots action in a little less than three hours.

Check out the field view from the press box below.

Photo via Twitter/@JeffpHowe

5:05 p.m.: The Patriots will be without Aaron Hernandez on Sunday, and likely for the near future, but they’ve got replacement — not refs — locked and loaded for the Sunday night showdown.

Kellen Winslow, who signed in New England on Tuesday, is expected to fill the void for Hernandez and allow Brady and the offense to maintain its consistent flow.

Winslow, much like recently re-signed receiver Deion Branch, is expected to play on Sunday against the Ravens in hopes of stealing one from their foes in Baltimore.

8 a.m. ET: After an ugly offensive performance in the last Sunday’s crushing loss to the Cardinals, Tom Brady and the Patriots added a few key pieces this week to try to bolster their passing attack.

The loss of Aaron Hernandez, at least for a few weeks, is going to to sting, but the additions of veteran tight end Kellen Winslow and long-time friend Deion Branch should help to ease the pain. Both players had been biding their time on the free agent market since the end of training camp, but with a big showdown with the Ravens coming Sunday night, the time was finally right for them in New England.

The Ravens, too, are coming off a tough one-point loss to the Eagles last week. A critical replay reversal turned their fortunes for the worse, and now both squads enter their Sunday night tilt at an underwhelming 1-1.

Joe Flacco and the Ravens’ offense have turned over a new leaf in the early going of 2012, enacting a fast-paced no-huddle attack and utilizing the speed of receiver Torrey Smith deep downfield. The deep threat adds a new element to Baltimore’s attack and could expose a New England secondary still riddled with uncertainty.

Ray Rice will undoubtedly be someone to keep an eye on. But with big Vince Wilfork and the versatile Jerod Mayo clogging up the middle of the defense, the Patriots should be able to control the speedy tailback.

The big question will be how Brady and the Patriots’ offense adjust without Hernandez. Wes Welker is expected to play a much bigger role in the slot, and Julian Edelman should find his snaps cut with Branch’s return.

Sunday should bring plenty of fun around the NFL with the Texans in Denver, the Eagles in Arizona and Atlanta headed to San Diego, but Patriots-Ravens will still be the game of the weekend.

Catch all the action Sunday night with kickoff set for 8:20 p.m., and be sure to keep it here with the NESN.com Patriots Live Blog for all your Patriots news, notes and analysis.

Final, Cardinals 20-18:

A forced fumble by Brandon Spikes gave the Patriots some semblance of hope as they received the ball in field goal position.

Gostkowski, who was 4-for-4 on field goals with two 50-plus yard makes, missed a 42-yarder with :06 left, however, and the Patriots dreams of a comeback win were dashed.

While Wes Welker didn't play, likely throwing Brady off at the start, it was Aaron Hernandez's injury that really threw a hiccup in the Pats' offensive scheme.

The defense looked stellar for the most of the afternoon, but one mistake too many ended up costing the Pats in this one.

Fourth Quarter, :52, Cardinals 20-18: The Patriots were in need of some magic, and Brandon Spikes, of all people, was the one to deliver.

On third down, Ryan Williams tried running up the middle for the Cardinals, but Spikes met him with a helmet, clearing the ball down onto the ground. The Pats take the the ball back with less than a minute to go and within striking distance.

What a turn of events.

Fourth Quarter, 2:06, Cardinals 20-18: Brady to Gronkowski was a sound heard many, many times last season.

After missing out on a deep pass across the middle that Gronk seemed to let slip through his fingers, Brady finally connected with the big TE on a five-yard toss.

The two-point conversion failed, though, and the Pats still trail 20-18.

Fourth Quarter, 6:46, Cardinals 20-12: Gostkowski legged a 53-yarder up through the posts to get New England back within striking distance, now a 20-12 lead for the Cardinals.

Brady looked good on that drive, but a missed opportunity with Gronk ended things. Brady was all sorts of fired up about it, too. He walked about 20 yards downfield to yell at the official in the back, shouting about defensive holding. Maybe it will bring out some calls for the Pats.

Fourth Quarter, 7:56, Cardinals 20-9: The Patriots needed a strong defensive stand and they got it, forcing Arizona to punt for the fifth time on Sunday. Now, they need a strong showing from their offense and to finally capitalize on some of their long drives.

Brady's found a rhythm in the second half, but it seems that without Hernandez in there the offense isn't finding ways to convert in keys situations.

Welker and Gronkowski need to continue coming up big, but can they do enough to get two scores on the board?

Fourth Quarter, 11:50, Cardinals 20-9: A strong drive goes for naught once again.

Brady seemed to getting into a rhythm after completing a 22-yard pass to Gronk across the middle and hooking up with Lloyd on a couple out patterns. But a Ridley run to the right side was sniffed out by Peterson and ended the drive prematurely

Yikes. This is getting ugly and with just over 10:00 left, this could be falling into desperation territory.

Fourth Quarter, 14:00, Cardinals 20-9: This game is getting out of hand quickly. Ater a few solid stops from the Patriots D, Kolb rushed through the Pats front line on the way to a five-yard touchdown score.

The Cardinals now have a 20-9 lead, putting the Patriots in near extinct territory as they need two scores to even get back to within a sniff of the lead.

The Cardinals were bailed out by a couple foolish plays, including Steven Gregory's late-hit penalty that tacked on 15 yards to a 28-yard grab.

The Pats desperately need a score. Even with 14 minutes left, time is precious.

End Third Quarter, Cardinals 13-9: The Cardinals haven't been all that consistent offensively, yet they still maintain a 13-9 lead heading into the final frame.

The charge has been primarily led by the Cardinals defense, which has kept Tom Brady and the Patriots passing attack at bay for much of the afternoon.

A strong special teams showing, which was a concern heading into this one, played a role in the Cardinals lead as a blocked punt gave way to Kolb's 2-yard touchdown pass to Roberts.

Now, it's time for Brady to find the red zone and make an impact. The defense has done its job, for the most part, yet they still trail.

Third Quarter, 2:46, Cardinals 13-9: Surprise, surprise, the strength of the Patriots offense is running on the powerful legs of Stevan Ridley. Sadly, there are no results to show for it.

Ridley busted out for four carries and about 21 yards to kick the drive off, and Brady connected with both Welker and Lloyd to keep the momentum alive. But Danny Woodhead's failed third-down rush ended up killing all the momentum Ridley and Brady built.

There just seems to be something seriously off with the Patriots attack here against the Cardinals. Not to discredit the Arizona defense, which has been stellar and is obviously underrated, but maybe Hernandez's absence — even if his ankle isn't broken — is showing more than it would have been expected.

Third Quarter, 8:52, Cardinals 13-9: The old punt block actually worked, and the Patriots had their backs against the wall — and goal line.

A Zoltan Mesko punt was blocked inside the Patriots five-yard line and the Cards took over at the three.

A pair of missed opportunities, including Larry Fitzgerald dropping a typically routine play by his standards, but the Cardinals finally fired through with a touchdown toss from Kolb to Andre Roberts for the score and a 13-9 lead.

That special teams gaffe is concerning and the impact could be heightened if Brady and the offense can't find the end zone and fast. This game is quickly flying by and the Pats offense just continues to look stagnant.

Third Quarter, 12:53, Patriots 9-6: For the third time on the afternoon, the Patriots have to settle for another field goal.

Stephen Gostkowski booted his third field goal up through the uprights, this time from 51-yards out.

The big play of the drive, though, was actually the first one. Brady came out firing with a long toss to Welker for a 36-yard completion. The grab just continues to prove how valuable Welker is to this offense, even if it costs a little bit more than expected out of the old wallet. Brady is just not the same without him, or at least he hasn't been today.

2:34 p.m.: Injury update!

Aaron Hernandez's ankle doesn't look to be good, but apparently it's not broken, at least according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.

Check out the Tweet below for confirmation.

Source: Aaron Hernandez's ankle is not broken bit.ly/RVoeJJ

— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) September 16, 2012

A broken ankle would've been devastating and could have even meant a good 10 weeks on the sidelines for the Pats. It still isn't a good look for the Pats, but it's better news than they could've have received.

End Second Quarter, 6-6: An uneventful — for the most part — first quarter quickly became an uneventful first half.

Tom Brady seems out of sync on offense, or at least he did until that last drive, and that could well be primarily due to Wes Welker's inconsistent play in the lineup.

Brady completed just 7 of 12 passes for 75 yards, highlighted by a 25-yard grab by Welker at the end of the half.

Aaron Hernandez's injured ankle is a definite point of concern, but even if the tight end is unable to return — and I expect that's the case — Brady still needs to find a way to get this offense up and running.

The defense put on a heck of a show even in the stead of offensive consistency, holding the Cardinals to six points and crushing Kevin Kolb at almost every turn.

Chandler Jones kept the heat on — highlighted by a forced fumble — while Brandon Spikes, Rob Ninkovich and Vince Wilfork stuffed holes and made sure the Cardinals QB was as uncomfortable as a wool sweater on a sunburn.

Stevan Ridley rushed out for 54 yards in the first half and with another effort like that in the second frame, the Patriots just might find some holes in the secondary.

Second Quarter, 0:06, 6-6: Well, hello Mr. Welker.

After being about as good as a ghost for almost the entirety of the first half, Welker hauled in a 25-yard catch along the sidelines.

With the grab not only did he crawl out of the depths of God knows where, but Welker also broke Troy Brown's Patriots record with 558 career catches.

Congratulations, Wes, you deserve it.

Second Quarter, 4:42, 6-6: The turnover was nice, but it looks like Brady might just be a bit out of sync against this stingy Cardinals D.

A sack and two missed chances across the middle gave the ball right back to Kolb and Arizona.

Brady just looks out of whack for some reason, maybe it has something to do with his main man Wes Welker not being out there as a consistent piece in this offensive attack. Just a thought.

Second Quarter, 5:52, 6-6: Brandon Spikes brought the pressure on Kevin Kolb for much of that defensive stand, but it was the hard hit and strong hands of Rob Ninkovich and Chandler Jones that got the ball back for the Pats.

Jones and Ninkovich combined to force the fumble and the opportunistic Tavon Wilson was there to receive it and give New England the ball back with great field position right around midfield.

Second Quarter, 9:02, 6-6: Stevan Ridley took a little time to get going but he was a man on a mission on the Patriots second drive of the second quarter.

Ridley almost single handedly drove the Patriots attack with four rushes for about 30 yards on the series. He just put his head down and drove through Cardinals defenders, cruising for a couple big gains and providing a spark for this offense.

Woodhead was unable to get the first down on 3rd and 1, but Gostkowski put his second field goal on the board with a 34-yarder to tie things up for New England.

Second Quarter, 12:40, Cardinals 6-3: After a tough first quarter on the defensive end, Chandler Jones had the Patriots back in high gear to start off the second.

Jones nearly took down Kolb inside his own five, but a holding penalty kept the rookie from getting a sack for the second straight week.

Devin McCourty and the secondary seemed to lock down on the receivers as well, as Kolb has completed just two of his past five after starting off hot with four of six on the first drive.

End First Quarter, Cardinals 6-3: There was plenty of action to break down in that first quarter, revolving primarily around the questions with the Patriots offense.

Aaron Hernandez fell victim to an unfortunate ankle injury and suddenly the Pats are down at least one weapon in the passing game. His injury looked serious as he struggled to get off the field and went to the locker room to get X-rays, almost immediately.

Another big thing to note is that Wes Welker started the game on the bench as Julian Edelman took over as the starter on the outside here against the Cardinals. An interesting move and possibly foreshadowing to future passes and games?

The Cardinals were fortunate during the first quarter, though, taking advantage of a struggling Pats D and coming up with a miscommunication that went for an interception to give them the early 6-3 lead.

First Quarter, 2:22, Cardinals 6-3: Even without Hernandez on the field, as he gets X-rays on the injured ankle, Tom Brady was able to lead the Pats on a scoring drive.

Rob Gronkowski and Stevan Ridley made some solid catches to help get the Pats in position and then Stephen Gostkowski booted a 46-yarder through the uprights to cut the Cardinals lead to 6-3.

First Quarter, 5:12, Cardinals 6-0: The Patriots thought they were in trouble after an interception on the first series of the afternoon, but now it looks like they could be hurting even more.

Aaron Hernandez, who caught a touchdown in last week's win, had his right leg rolled up on by Julian Edelman as he was being tackled to the ground. And it doesn't look good.

Hernandez was helped out by the training staff on the field for about two minutes before being helped off and then taken directly back to the locker room for X-rays.

First Quarter, 7:42, Cardinals 6-0: It looks like Brady's miscue cost the Patriots, but not nearly as much as it could have.

After the turnover, the Cardinals were in prime position to make this a 10-point game. But a missed opportunity from Kolb on a pass to Todd Heap across the middle left a touchdown on the field.

Feely booted his second field goal of the afternoon, though, ripping a 47-yarder through the uprights for a 6-0 lead.

First Quarter, 7:52, Cardinals 3-0: A bad first defensive series was just one upped by the offense, as the first pass of the day was tipped and Patrick Peterson picked Brady off to give Arizona the ball back at the Patriots' 36-yard line.

A little miscomunication between Brady and Julian Edelman, who started in place of Wes Welker — surprise, surprise — was the cause of the turnover.

First Quarter, 8:42, Cardinals 3-0: Just like the first series in the Patriots opener a week ago, the defense looked overmatched and it resulted in an early 3-0 deficit.

Beanie Wells helped steady the Cardinals rushing attack with four carries for 12 yards, but it was the surprising 17-yard rush by wildcat QB Patrick Peterson that broke the drive open.

Jay Feely capped things off with a 38-yard field goal to give Arizona the early lead after a 13-play, 60-yard drive took 6:18 off the clock.

Kevin Kolb looked steady on the opening drive as well, hitting Fitzgerald and Early Doucet along the way to go 4 of 6 with 29 yards. He could be the answer for the Cardinals under center, and if not then Peterson is a definite possibility.

1 p.m.: There's plenty to keep an eye on as the Cardinals invades Gillette on Sunday. But here's three items to keep a close watch on.

1. Nate Solder's protection – Solder has been inconsistent since the start of training camp and although better still didn't live up to the high expectations in Week 1. After allowing Kamerion Wimbley to sack Brady, and subsequently bloody his nose, Solder did settle in. But will he find the rhythm on the line early against Calais Campbell and a fierce Arizona D?

2. Devin McCourty as no. 1 corner – McCourty looked good as the game against the Titans went on, but can he be the No. 1 corner expected when he went to the Pro Bowl in 2010? There were signs of both good and bad McCourty in Week 1, it'll be interesting to see what he does against Larry Fitzgerald in Week 2.

3. Can Ridley maintain? – After an impressive 21 carries and 125 yards in Week 1, Ridley seems like he could be the savior the Patriots have so sought after at the running back position. But with a stingy Cardinal D, can he produce again in Week 2?

12:30 p.m.: Both teams are out on the field and getting set in their positional drills.

It looks like Kevin Kolb is set for his first start of the season and to hopefully reclaim the job full time. There's a lot of expectation surrounding the Cardinals after a strong defensive showing in a Week 1 win over the Seahawks. But this Patriots bunch is a completely different beast.

On a side note, with three catches here on Sunday, Larry Fitzgerald will become the youngest player in NFL history to reach 700 catches — 29 years, 116 days, let me know if I didn't do my math correctly. The current record is held by Texans wideout Andre Johnson, who did it at 30 years and some odd days.

11:50 a.m.: Shane Vereen was hopeful that he would be able to suit up for the first time this week, but it looks like the cards just didn't fall in his favor. But for Patriots guard Dan Connolly, the prognosis is looking a lot better.

Vereen leads a list of seven inactives for the Patriots on Sunday. He and newly-acquired wide receiver Greg Salas — in a trade with the Rams — highlight the list along with a number of rookies and a well-known tight end.

One potential surprise for Patriots fans, though, is that Connolly will be getting the go ahead and should be expected to start against the Cardinals at Gillette on Sunday.

Check out the full list of inactives for both sides below.

Patriots:
Greg Salas, WR
Shane Vereen, RB
Alfonzo Dennard, CB
Daniel Fells, TE
Jake Bequette, DE
Justin Francis, DE
Marcus Forston, DL

Cardinals:
LaRon Byrd, WR
John Skelton, QB
William Powell, RB
Jamaal Westerman, LB
Senio Kelemete, G
Pat McQuistan, T
Jim Dray, TE

11:33 a.m.: It looks like the NFL referee issue has taken an entirely new turn on Sunday.

After so many questions of whether the replacement officials could even hack it with the calls coming into the season, it now looks like there might also be an issue of bias.

One replacement official was pulled from his assignment ahead of Sunday's games, because it was revealed that he was a Saints fan.

The allegiance is something that normal NFL refs do not have, especially given the league's thorough vetting of each official before hiring. These replacements, though, were not nearly given the proper follow through and could well be fanatics for any number of teams.

Check out the full story on the replaced replacement ref.

11:15 a.m.: Foxboro is bumping with the sound of country music and the smell of meats sizzling on the grill. That can only mean one thing: football's back at Gillette.

The Patriots are preparing for a scrappy Cardinals team at the Razor here on Sunday, and both teams are getting themselves all stretched and ready for gametime.

Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez and some of the skill position players were out along the Patriots sidelines doing some stretching with the group.

As for Arizona, Larry Fitzgerald was at it yet again, pushing himself and his teammates in the pregame routine ahead of the 1 p.m. kickoff.

Check out a photo of the field below.

8 a.m. ET: Wes Welker only managed three catches in the Patriots' 34-13 win in Tennessee last Sunday, but he's looking to have a much bigger impact on the New England offense in Week 2.

Tom Brady turned to the tight ends last week to attack the Titans,
with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez both catching touchdown passes
in the lopsided victory. Stevan Ridley provided consistency in the running game with 125 yards and a touchdown on the ground. If that sort of production keeps up, the Cardinals will have an almost impossible time containing the Patriots' offense at Gillette on Sunday.

While the Patriots have the stability of Brady under center, Arizona's quarterback situation is in flux. Opening day starter John Skelton was carrying the load in Week 1 before an ankle injury ended his day. After Kevin Kolb led the Cards to a game-winning touchdown drive over the Seahawks, it could now be his job to lose.

Kickoff for the Patriots' home opener is set for 1 p.m. Be sure to keep it here all afternoon long for all your news, notes and analysis of everything Patriots-Cardinals.