Getting blown out is what the Patriots needed

Monday night against the Kansas City Chiefs was the worst Patriots game in recent memory. 41-14 is a number we are used to seeing, but it's the Patriots blowing a team out, not getting blown out. That was a huge punch in the gut/stomach/groin. I've been optimistic about the Patriots all season, believing each week that they will finally get the ball rolling. This week, the ball rolled the other way.

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The Patriots went 2-1 through the first three weeks of the season, but it felt like they were 0-3 and had problem after problem. I was positive and gave the Patriots credit, even though they beat two terrible teams, one of them barely. However, I knew this week would be a test against a quality team in a hostile environment, and I believed the Patriots would step up against tougher competition.

That didn't happen, and this loss exposed all the problems the Patriots have and actually proved that their two wins were not quality wins. It confirmed that our defense hadn't been tested against a stiffer rushing attack. It confirmed our doubts about the offensive line, which was terrible against weak competition, and how they would struggle to get it together against a dominant pass rush. Of course, there are other problems besides these two, but these are the most glaring.

This was the punch the Patriots needed. As terrible as the game was to watch, the Patriots needed that. They squeaked by the first three weeks of the season and got away with having a lot of problems. After getting blown out by a team that was better than any competition they have faced up to that point, it's time to solve these problems. No more getting by.

I'm not saying New England hasn't tried addressing these problems, but through four weeks, they certainly haven't done enough. Getting blown out will wake up a great organization like the Patriots, and no team is better at turning things around than them. Whether they do or not is tough to say. I want to be confident that they will, but these problems are bigger than ones in the past. That being said, there's reason to be optimistic. It's too early to give up on the Patriots, because, well...they're the Patriots.

Sunday night against the Cincinnati Bengals is going to tell us a lot about the character of this team, and if they have the ability to overcome present challenges.

-Brian Thibodeau

Follow me on Twitter - @b_thibs34

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