Some thoughts:
QB
Brady clearly learned from watching the tape of himself *****ing too much at the Jets game. When a rookie drops a pass or runs the wrong route, he mentally moves on to the next play. That seems to be helping him out. This was his best game of the year.
RB
Blount is clearly a weapon. You just don't see that breakaway coming from the big guy, but he is capable of it. Only downside is an inability to get anyone into any rhythm when each RB is getting 10 touches. Ridley seemed to run face-forward a lot more this game - wasn't turning his back to the pile, was leaning forward on contact.
WR
We are seeing development. Tremendous improvement from Game One to Game Four. If we get half this much development over the course of the rest of the year, we will enter the winter with more depth at WR than anytime in the past decade - not more talent, but more depth. In Game One, the rookies just seemed unable to understand what to do on the tree. Unsurprisingly little improvement on the short week. But better last week, and even better this week. Thompkins and Dobson are going to drop more passes than we like, but they are also getting a little more separation than Brady had been seeing. Boyce showed good recognition and good hands coming back for the ball when Brady was under pressure, and made a nice first down. Of course Atlanta was missing their #1 corner and DE.
TE
Even when Gronkowski comes back, this team is going to need a second TE. Clearly they weren't satisfied with Fells or Ballard. Hoomanawanui is limited athletically. We are going to have to hope Sudfeld develops as the rookie WR's are. The offense has been built on a number of two-TE formations, with two potential receivers. Sudfeld has been a disappointment, but he is an undrafted rookie with very limited college exposure - even over six years. I guess the other option is two slot receivers, with Edelman taking more of a move-TE role. He's tough enough to block in space.
OL
Nice job pulling and blocking by Connolly. Wendell has been a problem. Team probably needs to draft a Day Two center next year. Cannon has been pretty versatile, playing LT, RT, and guard. Good thing Solder wasn't badly hurt - he also had a very nice night. Vollmer played pretty well on a bad foot. How about 10 straight runs to beat on the defense - you can only do that if you are consistently getting four or five yards a rush. That then led to the most effective play-action we've seen in a long time - Brady was able to play-action all through the second half and look up at two people open as all the linebackers and safeties stepped forward - including a touchdown to Mulligan (who?!) on third-and-goal immediately after those 10 rushes. That 10-rush drive really impacted the entire game.
DL
Losing Wilfork for the season is tough. Saw a stat that said the Pats average under 4 yards a rush with Wilfork and 5 yards without him. That said, if they are running on us, at least they're not passing on us.
The Jones/Buchanan formation seems to be working. Earlier I was very concerned that there is no pass rushing specialist on the bench, like TBC or Mark Anderson in the past. Buchanan has provided some spark for a seventh round rookie.
In general, still not much pressure. Not much improvement from last year. We argued well, they were trying to contain EJ Manuel/Geno Smith in the first couple games. Not sure they were trying to force Matt Ryan to beat them with his arm because they were more concerned with him beating them with his feet.
LB
Loved the ability to adjust over the game. Last year we really saw very little defensive or offensive adjustment over the game. It had been such a hallmark of a Belichick-coached team: the second half demostrated an approach to counter the strategy of the other team. They clearly were focused on stopping Jones and Roddy White from killing them, but then Gonzalez was a problem. They vice on Gonzalez was reminiscent of the defense on Marshall Faulk in the Rams Super Bowl. I think Gonzalez had 9 receptions in the first half and 3 in the second.
That said, the LB/Safeties still really struggle defending the pass. Spikes, Hightower, and Mayo are all ILB's, good tacklers, but limited rushers and limited in coverage. When Jamie Collins played, I saw him trailing the receiver as much as Hightower was. I'm pretty lukewarm on Hightower.
Secondary
Best corner rotation since Law/Poole/Samuel in 2004, and more straight man coverage than anytime over the past 10 years. Talib might be playing the best corner in the league right now. We just don't see receivers with five yards of space in a zone defense like we're used to. The catches being made are contested. Dennard has really improved as well, and plays above his size. Both guys are really sticking with their guys. Hope Dennard wasn't badly injured - if he is out and Arrington is injured and Cole is gone, uh oh.
Special teams
Maybe Spikes should be training with Gostkowski - I'll have what he's having, to paraphrase the line from When Harry Met Sally. Flawless special teams. Missing Slater will hurt less if they only punt once or twice a game as well.
Officiating
Yeah, it was bad. Move the ball back, huh, you're trying to get me upset. Turn off the instant replay, really? OK, wish you didn't do that. But I'll always love Coleman, no matter what he does now.
That said, good thing that instant replay broke, or the Pats would have lost that challenge on the catch/fumble.
Injuries
Bad game for injuries. Worst case, Wilfork for the season; Dennard out; Dobson out. If Amendola & Gronk come back, that could even things out. Probably need to scour the D-tackle practice squads.
