Brady still looking to return to form.

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Christopher Price reports longtime Brady advisor Tom Martinez thinks Tom is still struggling to re-acclimate to the NFL but should snap out of it like Peyton Manning did last year.

"I think watching him, he’s not throwing the ball mechanically like he did two years ago," Martinez said. "But he’s gone through spells this year where he wasn’t as mechanically as good as he could be, he knows what he’s supposed to do and snaps out of it. It’s normally very repairable, and I think obviously for him, it’s repairable."

Martinez also assures people that as the quarterback struggles through a difficult stretch, no one is harder on himself than Brady.

"Tom, it’ll bother him more than anyone else," Martinez said. "No one has to tell him anything to motivate himself — he’ll do that out of his competitive nature."

Chris Gasper pens an outstanding perspective commentary, reminding us that 2007 was a once in a lifetime season, not a yearly expectation.

The Patriots simply can't win this season, because even when they do, it's not enough. The specter of the 2007 season hangs over their every game and their every play. New England isn't just playing the team on its schedule each week. It's lining up against the gridiron ghosts of its perfect regular-season past.

Offensively, this looks eerily like that [2006] season, even though Brady has two of the league's best receivers. What he doesn't have is an experienced offensive coordinator, a third receiver he can trust and his pre-injury pinpoint accuracy.

The reality is that the '09 Patriots are still a good team, still tied for the AFC East division lead and still a Super Bowl contender, depending on injuries and the other vagaries of an NFL season. That makes them no different from the 3-2 Ravens or the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers, who are also 3-2.

They're not blowing teams out a la '07, but they're also not getting blown out. Their two losses are by a combined 10 points.

Mike Reiss notes Phil Simms figures the Patriots will be OK -- particularly on Sunday.

"Tennessee always has a shot, but it's not great because of confidence. And now there is five weeks on tape so everybody sees what has caused them to be 0-5. Teams are going to keep attacking until they can fix it and make them do something else. The game interests me because New England, like most teams in the NFL, just keeps fighting until they find what they are on both sides of the football. With the Patriots, the running back situation would be a concern of mine just looking at them. And the passing game is still not what everybody expects -- razor sharp. It's definitely way too early to panic."

TEAM TALK

• Erik Scalavino Seau working towards Sunday, plus Thursday practice notes.
• Friday Out-Takes: The Audacity of Dopes; Rush to judgment and the Blooper Reel.
• Patriots Today: Titans preview.  (9.30 min. video)
• Patriots Playbook: PFW's Erik Scalavino is joined by Projo's Shalise Manza. Listen as they discuss this Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans.  (1:57:30 video)
• Football Patriotico: Patriots launch new blog with original spanish-language content.
  

LOCAL LINKS

• Shalise Manza Young says playing a team with its back against the wall puts the Pats on notice.
• Steve Buckley notes the Patriots are not taking the 0-5 Titans lightly.
• Mike Reiss reports the Patriots are prepared for either Titans QB.
• Monique Walker notes the Patriots have been able to turn to utility man Sammy Morris for whatever needs doing, and he loves the challenge.
• Chad Finn reports on analyst Phil Simms thoughts about the Patriots 2009 season so far.  Simms preaches patience, and feels the Patriots and Brady will come around.
• Ron Borges with uncharacteristic patience and empathy, says there's no reason to panic because while Brady is not yet himself he's not far off.
• Ian Rapoport notes Vince Wilfork says everyone on the team has to start playing 'Patriots football.'
• Chris Gasper answered on-line questions on player moves, Sunday's game vs. the Titans and other issues surrounding the team.  Lots of good insight here in the transcript.
• Ian Rapoport suggests with Mayo and Seau back, the defense will switch to their preferred 3-4.
• Michael Vega looks ahead to the Patriots trip to London in two weeks, mentioning the European journalists are on hand already.
• Christopher Price gets Clay Matthews thoughts on what Junior Seau faces as a 20-year veteran LB.  Matthews was a 37 year-old LB that suited up for Belichick in Cleveland back in '93.
• Boston Globe Patriots Notebook: The Pats linebackers are pleased to have Seau back, and Seau insists he wasn't brought in to baby-sit, but to help the team win; Wilfork isn't commenting on his contract and the possibility of an uncapped year in 2010; Brandon Meriweather says he's going to keep having fun on the field and won't let the threat of penalties inhibit him; Injury and practice updates.
• Mike Reiss tracks how often the Patriots are in sub packages on defense (5 or more defensive backs).
• Jim Lazar makes his weekly NFL picks, taking the Pats over the Titans 31-17.

VIEW FROM TENNESSEE

• Jim Wyatt (The Tennessean) Titans sign veteran CB Rod Hood to bolster banged-up secondary.
• Gary Estwick (The Tennessean) Titans' passing game slow to catch on.
• David Climer (The Tennessean) This year's team stuck remembering 2008 Titans.
• TennesseeTitans.com Coach Fisher's Thursday Practice Report Q&A.
• TennesseeTitans.com (AP) Titans seek first win; Patriots want consistency.