Yes, New England should have won on Sunday, but they essentially lost more than just one game that day. Just after an initial report defused any worry about his status for TNF, it was announced that Ja’Whaun Bentley is out for the season with a torn pectoral muscle.
Although this is just one player, Bentley is the true quarterback of the defense and looked to have an omnipresent impact in Week 1 on defense vs. Cincinnati. You lose your best linebacker with this injury, and thus a domino effect has been set off for the defense.
After safety Kyle Dugger took over the leadership of the defensive scheme, Metcalf scored a long touchdown on a misjudged play call by the safety. Although Dugger will definitely be better prepared and ready to go vs. the Jets, it still remains that the defense ran through Bentley.
Look to revisit this dynamic throughout the season, and God only knows how the Patriots will make up for this huge loss. Although this is just one injury, this quickly changes the whole picture of the Patriots’ season for this writer…
Flavin Media 
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