Bruschi's Breakdown: Pats-Bengals

Tedy: Seriously, in situations like this, you drive home after practices and in weeks after a bad performance you big-picture it to yourself and realize that at 2-2, you're not far away from the top teams record-wise. A lot can happen over the course of the year when thinking about who the best and worst teams will be. That's how you break it down -- simplistic -- and the formula is this: Just win a game. Do that and a lot of your problems will be solved. I rewatched last year's Patriots-Bengals game and there is no reason the Patriots shouldn't have confidence that they have every chance of winning.

Mike: The Patriots lost to the Bengals 13-6 in Week 5 last year, and they were 1-of-12 on third down in that game.

Tedy: They had a couple of good chances and maybe some questionable play-calling was part of it -- throwing to Nate Solder in the end zone, Danny Amendola was close to a touchdown but hit the ground and couldn't get the ball over before being touched, and then the rain came and made it hard to come back. Two big differences I saw from that game to now is that Tommy Kelly is no longer on the defensive line -- you watch him last year and he was helping -- and Logan Mankins was setting the tone on the offensive line. They miss those guys. Another thing was Ryan Wendell holding his own at center against Domata Peko. Maybe Wendell needs to get the start at center. Was he exposed a bit toward the end of last year? He was. But there were other games I remember that he was holding his own and fighting in there. Dan Connolly also looked good at right guard, which is where he's probably most natural. That offensive line is so important and this is a really good Bengals defensive line.

Mike: It's a 4-3 defense and they have had the benefit of being able to cut it loose at times because the Bengals have only trailed for 48 seconds this season.

Tedy: The first guy to look at up front is defensive tackle Geno Atkins. He's good, but has he lost a little burst, still waiting for extra healing to happen in the knee (torn ACL in 2013)? I'd say yes. You're still waiting for that true explosiveness, pre-ACL, to come back. It seems it's coming along. Domata Peko is a stout defensive tackle who is going to fight you in there and anchor. Carlos Dunlap is a solid pass rusher at defensive end, but this isn't Tamba Hali or Justin Houston. He's a bigger body (6-6, 280). It's a solid unit and once again a test for the Patriots' offensive line, especially on the interior.

Mike: Noticing many changes with Paul Guenther now at coordinator?

Tedy: This is still a pressure-based defense even though their defensive coordinator from last year, Mike Zimmer, is now in Minnesota as head coach. Guenther coached under Zimmer and he likes to send the linebackers up the middle. It could be Rey Maualuga or Vontaze Burfict, who is a budding star. Burfict had some problems coming out of college, but he's turned into a quality linebacker, leading the NFL in tackles last season. He's a guy who can get downhill, run through linemen and he's not afraid of contact -- one example came in Week 1 against Baltimore when he ran over an offensive lineman to record a tackle for a loss (second quarter, 8:46 remaining). He's like a Brandon Spikes, but with a little more ability. That would be significant if he doesn't play because of a concussion. (Burfict did not practice Wednesday or Thursday.) They play a lot of zone and do a good job of dropping to the sticks on third down and coming up and making the tackle. They will also drop defensive ends out, like they did against Atlanta (third quarter, 12:20) with Dunlap as he broke up the pass. You see that and say, "Wow, if their defensive ends can do that in coverage, it really gives them a lot of options." They will also send safeties off the edge, and cornerbacks off the edge. So that's another thing for the Patriots' offensive line -- it's not just physically matching them, but also the mental chess match. Once you see the A gaps are full and the ball is snapped, and they drop out, you have to get back to your responsibility in terms of scanning out who the threat is. If the Patriots are in the 'gun like they were last week in Kansas City, and the running back is offset, he's going to have to do some thinking too.

Mike: Think they can get the running game going?

Tedy: You see how they tried to do it against them last year, not necessarily by moving them off the line of scrimmage but getting angles on blockers. Mankins was pulling around. The offset tight end would angle back to the unblocked defensive line in the middle. It's possible that's part of the plan this year when you know you can't overpower them.

Mike: Bill Belichick pointed out this week that the Bengals have five players in their secondary who entered the NFL as first-round draft picks, but it sounds like it's a later-round pick who has caught your eye.

Tedy: Safety George Iloka, a big guy out of Boise State at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, is starting to show up a little bit. He was a fifth-round pick in 2012 and he shows good pursuit. I always like to watch young defensive backs and see how they play. He had an interception earlier this year and has had some other good moments. It might be interesting to see him on Rob Gronkowski.

Mike: Offensively, let's start with running back Giovani Bernard. Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said this week that the Bengals are best when they get the running game going, and Bernard is a big part of that.

Tedy: He's a very explosive, exciting player who is a difficult one-on-one tackle and will test your run force. He has a great spin move and it will be crucial for Patriots defenders to execute good open-field tackles. Bernard has enough toughness and instincts to make you commit inside and then bounce back out, like he did against Atlanta in Week 2 (third quarter, 1:08 remaining).

Mike: Because they are seldom playing from behind, it seems the offense under quarterback Andy Dalton has never really been placed in a compromising situation.