The offense covered up for the D and special teams for the Patriots yesterday.  Tom Brady completed 21 of 27 passes for 253 yards with 3 TD passes and 0 INTs.  Benjarvus Green-Ellis led the way on the ground for the Patriots yesterday with 16 carries for 98 yards (6.1 ypc) with a TD run.  Danny Woodhead made a good first impression for the Patriots yesterday with 3 carries for 42 yards (14.0 ypc) with a TD run.  Rookie TEs Rob Gronkowski (3 rec, 43 yards, TD) and Aaron Hernandez (6 rec, 65 yards) led the way for the Patriots in this game.  Randy Moss only caught 2 passes but they each went for TDs covering 42 total yards.  The Patriots finished up with 200 yards rushing on 38 carries (5.3 ypc) and they also completed 21 of 27 passes for 245 yards.

Bills’ rookie RB C.J. Spiller dropped a 95-yard kickoff return for a TD on the Patriots yesterday and the D didn’t play too well either.  Linebacker Jared Mayo led the way for the Patriots in this game with 9 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 sack and 1 QB hit.  Safeties Patrick Chung (7 tackles, 1 pass defensed and 1 INT) and Brandon Meriweather (6 tackles, 1 pass defensed and 1 interception) also made some big plays in this game for the Patriots.  The Bills finished up with 134 yards rushing on 24 carries (5.6 ypc) and they also completed 20 of 28 passes for 240 yards.  The Patriots are now 2-1 on the year.

The Patriots have won 13 games in a row against the Buffalo Bills.  But the Bills played them tough last season as they were only outscored 42-34 by the Patriots.  The Bills have been outscored 49-17 this season so look for the Patriots to try to jump them early and break their will.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Patriots have the ball:  I see the Patriots attacking the Bills through the air early and often in this game.  Last year Tom Brady was 50 of 76 (65.8%) for 493 yards with 3 TD passes and 2 INTs against the Bills.  I look for the Patriots to spread the field and go where the matchups dictate in this game.  Randy Moss and Wes Welker will likely get most of the targets in this game for the Patriots.  Rookie TE Aaron Hernandez is the guy who could really cause problems for the Bills in this game because he will likely have single coverage with either a linebacker or a safety on him.  The Patriots will likely on use the ground game to churn out the clock if they get a big lead.

When the Bills have the ball:  The Bills are only averaging 176.0 total yards per game so far this season.  They have switched QBs (Ryan Fitzpatrick to start) but I don’t think it will matter for them.  Fitzpatrick has a weak throwing arm and the Bills are going to try to run the ball with Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson.  That will allow the safeties to move up and help against the running game. 

PREDICTION:  PATRIOTS 37, BILLS 17

The Patriots used a 4th round pick last April on 20-year old TE Aaron Hernandez out of Florida and the early returns look great.  Hernandez is a big target with good hands and slippery moves.  He has caught 7 passes for 146 yards (20.9 avg) in his first two NFL games.  Tom Brady really looked for him a lot against the Jets and he delivered.  Hernandez could have a big year because defenses will be worried about stopping Randy Moss and Wes Welker often leaving a safety or linebacker on him one on one.  Hernandez looks like another draft steal for the Patriots.

The Patriots have lost 34-year old RB Kevin Faulk for the rest of the season due to a torn ACL.  Faulk played in the Patriots first two games in which he carried the ball 8 times for 45 yards (5.6 ypc) and he also caught 6 passes for 62 yards (10.3 avg).  BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Sammy Morris will likely have to step up behind Fred Taylor for the Patriots the rest of the year.  The Patriots will miss Faulk a lot in the passing game as he is the guy Tom Brady looks for out of the backfield.

The game was a tale of two halves as the Patriots were winning this game 14-10 at the half before they were shut out 18-0 in the second half.  Tom Brady completed 20 of 36 passes for 248 yards with 2 TD passes and 2 INTs in this game.  Kevin Faulk led the way on the ground for the Patriots with 22 yards rushing on 5 carries (4.4 ypc) and he also caught 2 passes for 15 yards.  BenJarvus Green-Ellis (10 carries, 19 yards) and Fred Taylor (5 carries, 11 yards) both had a hard time getting anything going on the ground for the Patriots in this game.  Rookie TE Aaron Hernandez played a outstanding game for the Patriots catching 6 passes for 101 yards (16.8 avg).  WRs Wes Welker (6 rec, 38 yards, TD) and Randy Moss (2 rec, 38 yards, TD) both scored but neither of them had their usual impact.  The Patriots finished up with 52 yards rushing on 20 carries (2.6 ypc) and they completed 20 of 36 passes for 239 yards. 

LBs Brandon Spikes (9 tackles) and Tully Banta-Cain (8 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 sack and a QB hit) led the way for the Patriots on D.  DE Gerard Warren was also busy in this game with 2 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 2 QB hits and 2 sacks.  The Jets finished up with 136 yards rushing on 32 carries (4.3 ypc) and they also completed 21 of 30 passes for 200 yards.  The Patriots are now 1-1 on the season after this tough loss.

The Patriots have signed 25-year old RB/WR Danny Woodhead.  Woodhead played last week for the Jets but he didn’t get any yards or touch the ball.  He has played in 11 games (0 starts) in his 2 years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 15 times for 64 yards (4.3 ypc).  Woodhead has also caught 8 passes for 87 yards (10.9 avg) in his career.  Woodhead could help the Patriots out on special teams and he will provide depth and running back and wide receiver.  I like this pick-up for the Patriots.

This will be a heavy weight battle along the lines of Ali-Frazier.  The Patriots are an offensive team while the Jets are a defensive team.  Something has to give and it will on Sunday.  Here is a look at the match-ups in this game:

When the Patriots have the football:  I don’t see the Patriots changing the offense to adjust to the Jets’ D.  Brady completed 51 of 88 passes (58%) with 526 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 INT against the Jets last season so he will not be intimidated by them.  Randy Moss only caught 9 passes for 58 yards (6.4 avg) with 1 TD grab against the Jets last season as he doesn’t appear to like dealing with Darrelle Revis.  Wes Welker though is a different story.  He didn’t play in the loss on the road against the Jets last season but he played in the home game won by the Patriots in which he caught 15 passes for 192 yards.  Brady will also likely target his backs in the flat and his TEs as Todd Heap looked good against the Jets last weekend.  Fred Taylor will try to get some yards on the ground when he’s needed.

When the Jets have the ball:  The Jets are going to try to pound the Patriots on the ground with LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene.  If they have success running the ball it will open up the passing game for Mark Sanchez who did not play well against the Patriots last season as they picked him off four times.  The Patriots will likely be blitzing Sanchez a lot in this game to cause him to make mistakes.

PREDICTION:  PATRIOTS 23, JETS 16

The Patriots have traded 25-year old RB Laurence Maroney and a sixth round pick in 2011 to the Broncos for a fourth round pick in 2011.  Maroney played in 45 games in his four years with the Patriots and he carried the ball 582 times for 2,430 yards (4.2 ypc) with 21 TD runs.  He also caught 40 passes for 409 yards (10.3 avg) with 1 TD grab and he also returned 41 kickoffs for 1,062 yards (25.9 avg) for the Patriots.  Maroney was in the Bill Belichick’s Dog House so it was good of the Patriots to deal him so they could get something in return.

The Patriots won this game in all three phases against the Bengals.  The Patriots rushed out to a 24-3 lead at the half.  Then on the opening kickoff of the second half, Brandon Tate returned it 97 yards for a TD essentially ending this game.  Tom Brady was awesome as usual as he completed 25 of 35 passes for 258 yards with 3 TD passes in this game.  Fred Taylor led the way on the ground for the Patriots in this game with 14 carries for 71 yards (5.1 ypc).  Kevin Faulk pitched in with 3 carries for 23 yards (7.7 ypc) and he also caught 4 passes for 47 yards (11.8 avg) yesterday.  Wes Welker caught 8 passes for 64 yards with 2 TD grabs in this game which was a great sight to see for the Patriots and their fans.  Brandon Tate was also a game changer with 4 receptions for 36 yards (9.0 avg).  But he also returned 4 kickoffs for 184 yards (46.0 avg) with a TD return (97 yards) often setting up the offense with good starting position.  The Patriots finished up with 118 yards rushing on 23 carries (5.1 ypc) and they also completed 25 of 35 passes for 258 yards in this game.

Safety Patrick Chung led the way for the Patriots’ D in this game with 16 tackles and 1 tackle for a loss.  LB Jared Mayo was also very busy with 12 tackles and 1 tackle for a loss.  LB Gary Guyton pitched in with 2 tackles, 1 pass defensed and 1 interception that he returned 59 yards for a TD.  The Bengals finished up with 87 yards rushing on 25 carries (3.5 ypc) and they completed 34 of 50 passes for 341 yards in this game.  The Patriots got a nice win at home yesterday to start the season 1-0.

Tom Brady has proven to be invincible as he was in a serious car crash today.  He shrugged it off and is practicing already as he appears fine.  The Patriots have a very tough challenge in front of them this Sunday as the Bengals look like a pretty solid football team.  Here is a close look at the match-ups this Sunday:

When the Patriots have the football:  The Patriots are good at what they do and I think the gameplan will reflect that Sunday as I see them throwing the ball early and often.  Randy Moss and Wes Welker are going to face a stiff challenge from Bengals’ CBs Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph but that won’t keep Brady from aiming for them a lot.  Brandon Tate, Julian Edelman and the deep corps of TEs could also get a lot of looks in this game which will put a lot of pressure on the Bengals’ safeties in this game.  The Patriots might also try to attack the Bengals with perimeter runs and passes out of the backfield to Kevin Faulk.

When the Bengals have the ball:  The Bengals will be taking aim at the Patriots young secondary with Chad Ocho Cinco and Terrell Owens.  While the Patriots would be smart to give the corners safety help over the top it might be hard to do because rookies (WR) Jordan Shipley and (TE) Jermaine Gresham are going to be tough on the short stuff.  The Patriots hope that the D-Line and inside linebackers will be able to handle stopping Cedric Benson which will not be an easy task.

PREDICTION:  PATRIOTS 24, BENGALS 21