Скачать или смотреть New England Patriots show troubling signs, admirable characteristic

EAST RUTHERFORD, N. J. -- Six games into the New England Patriots’ season, a big part of their DNA is both troubling and admirable.This team creates its own adversity with sloppy play, coverage breakdowns and untimely turnovers.But then it shows toughness to fight through the adversity, which is a critical characteristic for championship teams.Such a Jekyll-and-Hyde approach might be OK against teams such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets, but when the competition rises -- such as next Sunday night against the visiting Atlanta Falcons -- what will happen?The Patriots' 24-17 victory on Sunday over the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium, which was aided by a controversial replay review that negated a fourth-quarter Jets touchdown, buys the Patriots more time to work out their issues in a season in which almost every game seems like a tractor-pull struggle.Defensively, when the Patriots seem to have the opponent where they want them in third-and-long and fourth-and-long situations, they are faltering."You never want to give up big plays, so we have to go back and assess the situation, and come up with a plan of how we can limit those -- whether it's the call, the technique or blowing a coverage, but I don't think we had any of those today," safety Duron Harmon said."We have to fix that, but for us when we gave up those big plays and still be able to hang in the red area a couple times, make them kick [a field goal], force the ball out in the end zone on the touchback, it shows what kind of players we have.Guys that won't quit that will fight to the end. That's what kind of team we are. "At the same time, these aren’t the Patriots we’re used to seeing -- Bill Belichick noted "a lot of our wounds were self-inflicted" -- and that includes up-and-down play from quarterback Tom Brady.While Brady picked up his 24th career win over the Jets -- his most over any team other than the Bills (26) -- he didn’t display his trademark accuracy and smart decision-making throughout.When the Patriots needed a first down to close out the game in the fourth quarter, Brady & Co.couldn't deliver. At one point in the third quarter, after being sandwiched in between two Jets defenders and falling to the ground, Brady thrust his right fist into the ground in frustration.That probably describes how some of the Patriots’ loyal fans feel watching some of the same mistakes continue to show up on a weekly basis.If the Patriots aren’t leading the NFL in giving up big plays, they have to be close.Brady also continues to take his share of big hits. And penalties are still adding up.“We’ll keep at it. It’s only the sixth game of the year. We still have a lot to figure out," Brady said."We’ll just keep going out to practice and trying to get better. ”Added tight end Rob Gronkowski, "Every win is not pretty.You just have to keep on grinding. "This might simply be who the Patriots are this year, which has still been good enough for a 4-2 record and first place in the AFC East.From a bottom-line perspective, give them credit. They have shown the toughness to overcome adversity, much of it caused by their own play.It’s been that type of season, with Sunday’s victory over the Jets the latest example.