MIAMI -- Having posted consecutive losses for the first time in his brief professional career, New England Patriots quarterback and national poster boy for wholesomeness, Tom Brady, paused on Sunday evening, long enough to consider not only a question but also where his team goes from here.

He ended the deliberation by noting that, in last year's magical Super Bowl season, the Patriots were 5-5 at one point. And that, while less than satisfied with their current 3-2 status and continuing spotty play, the panic button is still a lot more than an arm's reach away.

At least for now.

"It was a tough loss last week, and it's a tough loss this week, and it doesn't get any easier next week," said Brady, harassed all afternoon by a ravenous Miami front four. "You can sit around and sulk for three or four days or you can put this one behind you, and learn from it, and win next week."

Tough to tell what lesson will be gleaned after Sunday's 26-13 defeat here, in a game that wasn't as close as the final tally, and in which the defending Super Bowl champions continued to sputter and their quarterback continued to suddenly appear merely mortal.

Whatever the tutorial, the Pats don't have a grace period to assimilate it, as the schedule only grows tougher and opponents more motivated. Next week the Patriots face Green Bay at home, then have a bye week, before coming back for a four-game stretch against a quartet of playoff aspirants, with three straight road contests thrown into the mix.

	“	There's no lack of confidence. This is still a 16-game season and we have to keep fighting. We know that every team is going to bring its 'A-game' when they play us. And all of us have got to be prepared for that. We'll get the ship righted. ”
		— Patriots tailback Antowain Smith

It is, to be sure, a recipe for disaster. Or, on the positive side, an attention-grabbing stretch that can be transformed into an antidote. But only if the Pats can find the key to the medicine cabinet.

Since the middle of last season, when it caught fire, New England has been immune to the reality that the NFL has turned into a league where teams are judged and re-evaluated in two-game stretches. Now the once-imperious club has fallen victim to the maddening two-game cycle that seems to engulf everyone else, and fallen into a lull, one that it sorely needs to escape.

There were a few private doubts whispered by New England veterans early Sunday evening, as they exited the locker room, but the public temperment is that of a team determined to rebound.

"There's no lack of confidence," said tailback Antowain Smith. "This is still a 16-game season and we have to keep fighting. We know that every team is going to bring its 'A-game' when they play us. And all of us have got to be prepared for that. We'll get the ship righted. We're not sunk yet, OK?"

There are, however, plenty of leaks that need to be addressed.

New England played on Sunday without several starters, including wideout Troy Brown, guard Joe Andruzzi and defensive end Anthony Pleasant. As good as rookie receiver Deion Branch has been, he isn't Brown, and the Pats need to get Brady's "go to" guy healthy again.

Brown ran hard for about 25 minutes on the sideline two hours before Sunday's contest, but his knee was still not stable enough to get him back on the field. Andruzzi is the kind of savvy veteran who would have helped pick up some of the Miami upfront "twists" and Pleasant is a run-stuffer who fits well into the defensive line rotation.

But as much as the injuries have hampered the Patriots, it's the ineptitude that is hurting far more, and there were lapses on both sides of the ball as the Pats lost here for a 12th straight time in a September or October matchup. It is notable that coach Bill Belichick brought the team here on Friday, to help cope with the climate, but that didn't take the heat off the Pats.

And the humidity of the schedule, along with some failure in fundamentals, is apt to make things only stickier.

New England played more disciplined gap control against the run, limiting Miami tailback Ricky Williams to 2.9 yards per rush, but the defense still couldn't get itself off the field often enough as the Dolphins converted on nine of 17 third-down situations. Point to note: This is hardly a youthful defensive unit, with a healthy mix of Belichick favorites, and there are not a lot of playmakers right now.

"We could use some (takeaways), that's for sure, man," said cornerback Otis Smith, who got beat for a deep catch by James McKnight which set up the final Miami touchdown.

The Pats could use some consistency in the running game, too, something that was sorely lacking here. And the offensive line must keep opponents from compacting the pocket on Brady, who had trouble getting a clean look at the secondary on Sunday, that despite the fact he was rarely blitzed. This is a team right now playing decidedly un-Belichick football and that likely means a long week devoted to basics in advance of the Packers game.

Not that the Pats need any advice from an opponent, but Miami defensive tackle Tim Bowens was happy to offer it anyway, after his team's win.

"I think they need to realize that no one has been crowned the champion yet this year," Bowens said. "Their rings say '2001' on them, OK? Maybe they need to forget about what's already happened and focus on what's to come."

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.