Darius Butler News

No position was without reproach after the Patriots' 38-17 beatdown in New Orleans, and though they have been the ultimate turn-the-page team - win or lose - under Bill Belichick , several positions now have come under close scrutiny given the tough nature of the loss.

A short summary of my opinion... - A short summary of my opinion... The Patriots have a few problems.

And what Belichick can't fix, the players will take care of with hard work. Using that combination, which has been as good as gold in the past, the Patriots will climb back into the elite ranks before season's end.

I'd say this: Both teams had serious adjustments and made them. The Colts were no longer getting slaughtered with the long bombs.

How do the Pats feel about that? Naturally, coach Bill Belichick 's focus is on the game, as opposed to records.

"The decision to go for it would be enough to make my blood boil for weeks," Bruschi, now an analyst for ESPN, wrote on his ESPN.com blog.

Jerod Mayo came out in support of Bill Belichick yesterday regarding the coach's controversial decision to go for it on fourth-and-2 against the Colts rather than punt.

There are rules for rookies in the NFL. They enter a new world with tons of questions, uncertain of the answers.

The New England Patriots should've won that game. And when I say Patriots, I am referring to the 45 men who pulled on their jerseys and played their hearts out against a gutsy Colts team.

The Fanball Sports Network offers insight and expert advice on all 32 NFL teams, and has in-depth information regarding all aspects of weekly games.

The New England Patriots' young defense kept Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts under control for three quarters.

That was certainly an impressive statistic after eight games, but we all knew it wouldn't hold any substance until seeing how they stood up to Peyton Manning.

Through five games, S Patrick Chung , the Patriots' top draft pick who was, in essence, dealt for Mike Vrabel and Matt Cassel , was playing well on special teams - but that was it.

Maybe it was a master plan, one formulated in the wake of their historic meltdown against the Colts in the AFC Championship in 2006.

In his brief NFL career, Patriots rookie safety Patrick Chung already has revealed some of the characteristics that define him as a player.

Dallas Clark has gashed many a defense over the past two-plus seasons, as the Indianapolis Colt has become one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the NFL.

For the second straight week, Patriots rookie cornerback Darius Butler will reunite with one of his college teammates from Connecticut.

Watching the Patriots beat the Dolphins 27-17 Sunday, I got the impression that if that game had been played 100 times in 100 alternate universes the Patriots would have won all 100.

There's been a clear pattern to the way the Pats' pass defense has been going. First they concentrated on hitting--preventing the long breakaway plays that plagued them last year.

During the bye week, Laurence Maroney took extra time to examine his performance during the past two games.