New England Patriots links 10/02/17 - DBs: ‘What we’ve got here is failure to communicate’

TEAM TALK

• Post Game Notes & Records: Patriots vs. Panthers. Tom Brady ties Fran Tarkenton with his 239th career start.
• Gamebook: Full Panthers-Patriots stats.
• Erik Scalavino shares his observations from the press box at Gillette Stadium: Frustration builds, but optimism remains.
• Paul Perillo posts his random thoughts from the second loss of the season: For the fourth straight week big plays were a problem, and they all came in the passing game.
• Andy Hart's Stock Watch: Gilmore, Patriots D continue to struggle.
• Don Banks Week 4 Snap Judgments: In a matter of seconds apart, last season’s two Super Bowl teams — Atlanta and New England — both lost at home in stunning fashion, being upset by a pair of opponents that finished with a combined 13 wins a year ago.
• Post Game Transcripts: Patriots and Panthers.

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike Reiss shares some quick-hit weekend thoughts: Tom Brady's success in vertical passing game has been off the charts.
• Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) Sunday Patriots news, AFC East notes: It isn't the RBs, OL isn't opening holes.
• Jeff Howe recaps yesterday's loss: Tom Brady may be a miracle worker, but he can’t play defense, too. /Quote from Gisele?
• Ryan Hannable says Tom Brady almost did it again, but the comeback effort fell short because of poor play from the defense.
• Ian Glendon (Cover32) By the numbers: Brady is still on an MVP pace.
• Ty Anderson finds Rob Gronkowski blames the Week 4 loss on the offense not finishing drives.
• Mike Reiss focuses on how the secondary and its communication breakdowns are a growing concern.
• Mike Giardi points to two blown coverages by Stephon Gilmore that led to TDs and two key third-down penalties that extended Carolina scoring drives and wonders if he can turn things around.
• Ryan Hannable highlights Stephon Gilmore post-game: 'I have to get better at the communication.
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Instant analysis of Patriots' putrid defensive outing in loss to Panthers.
• Kevin Duffy asks how can the defense be this awful.
• Phil Perry reminds us that this was supposed to be the cushy part of the schedule.
• Ryan Hannable notes Devin McCourty and Duron Harmon haven't seen anything like this.
• Adam Kurkjian says no one wanted to single out one player after a defensive performance so completely inept, but Stephon Gilmore's performance could not be ignored.
• Tom E. Curran explains how the "secondary brain drain caused by saying buh-bye to Logan Ryan and hello to Gilmore" caused the defense to suddenly look stupid.
• Ryan Hannable shares 10 observations from the stunner: 6. Gilmore started on the bench to open the second half in favor of Eric Rowe, but Rowe was injured on the first play and Gilmore came right back in.
• Doug Kyed gives us his takeaways from Sunday: A horrible day at the office for the pass defense.
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) 5 takeaways from Patriots' heartbreaking loss to Panthers. 1. Stephon Gilmore looks like a mess.
• Dave D'Onofrio gives us five takeaways from the loss to the Panthers; 1. Newton outplays Brady. 2. Disorganized defense. /Hm... think perhaps they’re related?
• Karen Guregian declares Gillette Stadium is no longer an imposing fortress for Pats opponents.
• Mark Daniels points out the Patriots have little time to fix Sunday's mistakes.
• Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) FG gives Panthers win over Patriots; Defense historically bad.
• Jeff Howe Patriots Notebook: Rob Gronkowski baffled by pass interference penalties. /Us too, Rob. We all are.
• Zack Cox Patriots Notes: More frustration for Eric Rowe; Danny Amendola stays clutch.
• Ty Anderson reports the Patriots saw their defense beat and beat up on Sunday, losing Elandon Roberts (ankle) and Eric Rowe (groin) to injury in the second half.
• Phil Perry takes a look at Dont'a Hightower and some of the other banged-up Patriots and how they performed Sunday.
• Joy Manning (BostonSportsChick) Gilmore struggling in New England.: “So far this season it seems like knowing what to do has been a major struggle for the wellpaid cornerback."
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Bill Belichick evasive when asked to evaluate Stephon Gilmore's play. /Belichick never negatively evaluates a player in a presser.
• Dan Ventura picks his Best and Worst from Pats-Panthers.
• Emerson Lotzia and Matt Chatham break down the Patriots’ defensive woes. (1.47 min. video)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Jason La Canfora (CBS Sports) NFL Week 4 Notebook: Patriots must trade Garoppolo; Cowboys don't stick with run.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Patriots search for "better" after 2-2 start.
• Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) Patriots' defensive woes can take their toll on Tom Brady, too.
• Danny Heifetz (The Ringer) This Patriots defense doesn't belong on a Super Bowl contener: The Panthers exposed huge flaws for New England’s unit.
• Tim Rohan (SI) Three & Out: Carolina’s victory proves that New England is, in fact, beatable—and the Patriots’ defense is a huge reason why.
• Pat Eaton-Robb (AP) Blown coverages, penalties plague Patriots secondary in loss.
• Darin Gantt (ProFootballTalk) Panthers find offense, hold off Patriots for road win. /It was right there on the welcome mat.
• Peter King (SI) Monday Morning QB: NFL quarter mark - Rams are great, Patriots are not and more NFL oddities 'nobody saw coming.'
• Gary Gramling (SI) Week 4 Sunday Freakout: Cam turns back the clock, Derek Carr goes down, Deshaun Watson and the Texans have turned it around; More.
• Will Brinson (CBS Sports) Sorting the Sunday Pile, Week 4: Watson the answer for Texans' questions on offense; Plus the rookie RBs who went down this week, the Patriots' worst defense ever and much more.
• Mike Tanier (Bleacher Report) Monday Morning Digest: Upsets turn the NFL upside down.
• Around the NFL (NFL.com) Forty-two takeaways from Sunday's Week 4 games. "At a certain point, Brady is going to buckle under all this weight."
• Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports) NFL Winners and Losers: Are we sure the Patriots can turn this around?
• Dwight Freeney (The Players' Tribune) The 5 toughest guys I’ve ever faced. No. 4 Tom Brady.
• Danny Heifetz (The Ringer) The Jay Cutler experiment is failing in Miami.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL has not approved an automatic ejection rule.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL should avoid matching teams that played on Thursday and Monday.