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          New England Patriots

          3 up, 3 down for the Patriots

          • Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff WriterSep 24, 2012, 12:15 AM ET
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              Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. You can follow Reiss on Twitter at @MikeReiss.
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          BALTIMORE -- At an initial glance, a look at three players whose performance was "up" and three players at the opposite end of the spectrum:

          Up

          Tom Brady -- Quarterback calmly directs an up-tempo approach and avoids the big mistake.

          Brandon Lloyd -- Receiver has a big night as the Patriots pick on cornerback Cary Williams.

          Wes Welker -- As Patriots play primarily with three receivers, he is in the slot and produces big numbers, including a 59-yard reception down the left sideline.

          Down

          Kyle Arrington -- Starting right cornerback has some struggles in coverage.

          Niko Koutouvides -- Penalized twice on special teams, once for an illegal block above the waist and once for being offsides.

          Pass rush -- Joe Flacco has too much time in the pocket.

          Referees -- Too much of an impact on the game, with both teams victimized by questionable calls.