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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Rapid reaction from the Patriots' 47-12 win over the Jaguars in the preseason opener:

A night for backups. Bill Belichick sat several key players, quarterback Tom Brady; receivers Chad Ochocinco, Wes Welker and Deion Branch; defensive lineman Vince Wilfork; cornerback Devin McCourty and linebacker Jerod Mayo among them. This gave Belichick a chance to evaluate some younger players, while at the same time not rushing things with key personnel after just seven full-pad practices. You had to be a hard-core fan to sit through all of this one, but in all, it was a productive night for a first preseason game.

Taylor Price one of the big stories. The second-year receiver was excellent, the highlight play coming with a back-of-the-end-zone, fingertip, toe-tapping touchdown grab. Price later showed his speed on a long catch-and-run play. Price is behind Ochocinco, Branch and Welker on the depth chart, but he ensured that he's not in jeopardy of missing the final roster cut. Impressive night.

Quarterback situation looks sharp. Between Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett, the Patriots appear to have one of the best backup quarterback situations in the NFL. Both were impressive.

Rookie RB Stevan Ridley shines. Third-round pick Stevan Ridley showed up for camp on time and took advantage of extended reps as second-rounder Shane Vereen had yet to sign and veterans BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Kevin Faulk and Sammy Morris could not yet practice. That showed tonight. Ridley's confidence and hard-charging style was evident on two touchdown runs and he showed good hands on a touchdown catch. Agents generally don't get a lot of praise, but Ridley's agent -- Andy Simms -- gets a tip of the cap from here. Simms is also the agent for McCourty and for two years in a row he's made sure his clients were there for the first day of practice, putting them in the best position to succeed.

Tough night for CBs Darius Butler and Jonathan Wilhite. Both played into the fourth quarter. That's a hard fall for Butler, the 2009 second-round pick was an opening-day starter last season. Butler and Wilhite look to be on the roster bubble.

Nate Solder passes first test. The first-round pick played the entire first half at left tackle. He was hardly noticed, which meant he did his job well.

Dane Fletcher a top performer on defense. The second-year linebacker started and led the defensive huddle. He finished with five tackles while delivering a bit hit in the process. A strong special teams player as a rookie (he made the club as a free agent), he showed he's ready if called upon as a middle linebacker in the event of injury to Brandon Spikes.

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Readiness factor: The Patriots' organization might have the NFL's most established infrastructure. Players dutifully follow Bill Belichick's scripted, proven routines. Leadership from players such as Tom Brady, Wes Welker, Logan Mankins, Matt Light (if he returns) and Vince Wilfork will help the Patriots galvanize more speedily than most clubs.

Biggest challenge: The Patriots need to manufacture a pass rush. It will be interesting to see whether Belichick pursues assistance through free agency or sticks with the youngsters on his roster. The Patriots tied for 14th in sacks last season with 36. Starting outside linebackers Tully Banta-Cain, Rob Ninkovich and Jermaine Cunningham combined for just 10 sacks and 26 quarterback hits.

Backfield in motion: The Patriots had an entertaining tandem with BenJarvus Green-Ellis pounding out the carries (1,008 yards and 13 touchdowns) and Danny Woodhead electrifying fans as a combo runner-receiver (926 yards from scrimmage and six TDs) last season. But the rest of the backfield depth chart could be erased (see below), and the DanJarvus Green-Woodhead attack probably won't handle as much responsibility. The Patriots drafted running backs Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley back-to-back in the second round.

Key players without contracts for 2011: Mankins' contract has expired, but the Patriots placed the franchise tag on him. Light, running backs Kevin Faulk, Sammy Morris and Fred Taylor and safety Brandon McGowan are up in the air.

At 36 and out of football for four years, Tiki Barber decided he needed football and launched a comeback this offseason.

The question is whether the NFL needs him.

What could help Barber is a league that might trust veterans more than rookies because of a lockout that robbed rookies the chance of working with coaches during the offseason. It also helps that most teams use two-back rotations that create openings for role-playing backs.

Barber’s name won’t be at the front of lists of free agents once the lockout ends, but let’s explore a few considerations for future employment.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers: There wouldn’t be a chance if coach Mike Tomlin had a chance to work with 2010 sixth-round choice Jonathan Dwyer during the offseason to see if he’s ready to be Rashard Mendenhall’s backup. But Dwyer’s stock is as uncertain as it was at the end of last season. The Steelers would need a third-down back if Mewelde Moore leaves in free agency. An experienced playoff contender such as the Steelers might find Barber an intriguing option.

2. St. Louis Rams: The Rams need a backup running back to lighten the load for workhorse Steven Jackson. Even though coach Steve Spagnuolo didn’t join the New York Giants’ coaching staff until the year Barber retired, he knows Barber’s résumé and what he can do to fill out a backfield. Barber may not head the list of running back candidates for the Rams, but he could be discussed.

3. Miami Dolphins: Coach Tony Sparano has to decide if he can bring Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown back to the roster. Neither back, though, fills the role of pass-catcher. The Dolphins plan to remain a running team, so it wouldn’t hurt to have a veteran back with Barber’s experience in big games.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Once the lockout ends and contact between players and coaches resumes, twin brother Ronde Barber could be pushing the Bucs to add Tiki to the backfield. LeGarrette Blount has established himself as the early-down back. The team has to decide whether to bring back Cadillac Williams. Barber could be a fit behind Blount.

5. New England Patriots: No coach in football appreciates older backs as much as Bill Belichick. Kevin Faulk and Fred Taylor are 35. Sammy Morris is 34. If Faulk retires or the Patriots don’t re-sign him, Faulk’s role in the Patriots’ backfield fits Barber’s skills.

The New England Patriots used their second of three second-round picks on California running back Shane Vereen.

Why the Patriots took him: The Patriots wanted to diversify their offense with a running back who can do more than one thing. BenJarvus Green-Ellis was the AFC East's lone 1,000-yard rusher, but he's a one-dimensional power runner. Vereen rushed for 1,167 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. He averaged 25 receptions over his three seasons.

How it affects the roster: Green-Ellis and Woodhead aren't going anywhere. But the rest of the backfield needs to be evaluated. Kevin Faulk is coming off reconstructive knee surgery and will turn 35 in June. Fred Taylor is 35. Sammy Morris is 34. All three are free agents.

Scouts Inc. says: Experienced and natural pass catcher. Is accustomed to working out of the slot and splitting out wide. Runs good routes for a college running back and shows upper echelon hands. Can adjust to poorly thrown ball. Shows understanding for pass pro. Is willing to mix it up and has adequate toughness. Can do a better job with leverage and sustaining but is capable of pass blocking in the NFL.

Three years ago, the New England Patriots left jaws agape by operating almost exclusively out of the shotgun, spreading out their receivers, sending Randy Moss deep, zipping quick passes to Wes Welker and mixing in throws to Jabar Gaffney, Donte Stallworth and Kevin Faulk. The run game and tight ends were afterthoughts.

This year, Tom Brady's hands are underneath center Dan Koppen. Nine quarterbacks, including Ryan Fitzpatrick for the Buffalo Bills, have attempted more passes out of the shotgun than Brady has. No other team uses two-tight end sets more than the Patriots, who have no established deep threat since trading Moss.

Not much of a resemblance, right?

Football Outsiders writer Doug Farrar compared this year's Patriots' offense to their sublime 2007 unit and found more similarities than you might think.

Farrar wrote in a column for ESPN Insider subscribers:

This offense has been just about as efficient, especially when adjusted for opponent, and especially in the last few weeks. The current team has an offensive DVOA of 45.2 percent, the second-highest total of any team after 12 weeks (since our numbers begin in 1993). It's the exact same figure the 2007 offense finished with after reality set in.

Farrar explained how Football Outsider's metrics show this year's Patriots and their record-setting '07 offense are alike. While the numbers might not be as explosive this year, the Patriots are producing against defenses that rate better than the ones they faced three years ago. In the division, the Patriots twice played the Jets in a down year, a 1-15 Dolphins club and the perennially subpar Buffalo Bills.

This year's Patriots have played four of Football Outsiders' top 10 passing defenses and only one in the bottom third, the Bills.

Farrar notes Brady's numbers have gotten stronger as the season has evolved, suggesting a growing comfort with rookie tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, running backs BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead and receiver Deion Branch, who was reacquired in Week 5. It probably also helps that Pro Bowl left guard Logan Mankins is in front of Brady again after missing the first seven games.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are such iconic quarterbacks, their teams often are depicted as ancillary.

It was Brady and everybody else on the New England Patriots versus Manning and everybody else on the Indianapolis Colts.

On Sunday, everybody else on the Patriots was superior to everybody else on the Colts. The Patriots held on for a thrilling 31-28 victory in Gillette Stadium.

The latest installment of the Brady versus Manning rivalry didn't disappoint, but while Manning threw for a garish amount of yards and touchdowns, Brady didn't drive New England's offense.

The Patriots controlled the game with running backs BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead, overachievers who were neither drafted nor claimed whenever they were placed on waivers.

Patriots play-caller Bill O'Brien was masterful at mixing in the bruising Green-Ellis and the elusive Woodhead, sometimes alternating them play for play. The DanJarvus Green-Woodhead combo rushed for all but 3 of the Patriots' 168 net rushing yards.

They have added a dimension to the Patriots' run game first-round draft choice Laurence Maroney wasn't willing or capable to bring. Maroney was criticized for being too indecisive and not hitting the hole.

That's not a problem with New England's current combo.

"It's just too hard to run away from these guys," Patriots tight end Alge Crumpler said of defenders. "They're too fast, too light on their feet. You have to go through them. It's hand the ball off and run downhill. Sometimes it works that way, and it was fun it be a part of it."

A quality run game is critical for New England's offense, especially since they traded Randy Moss. Defenses are crowding the box more than before.

And with the always-reliable Kevin Faulk out for the season after two games and the disappointing Maroney traded in September, a couple of unproven backs had to step up.

Green-Ellis ran 21 times for 96 yards and a touchdown against the Colts. He helped the Patriots grind down the clock with seven carries for 40 yards in the fourth quarter.

Woodhead had seven attempts for 69 yards. He produced a dazzling, 36-yard touchdown weave in the third quarter. He then made a stupendous tackle on the ensuing kickoff. Woodhead also caught four passes for 21 yards.

They gave the Colts fits, whatever the situation.

"With Woodhead in the game, we look at it as an empty backfield," Colts safety Antoine Bethea said. "He's another receiver. He has the ability to get out and, if a linebacker or safety is on him, it's a tough matchup.

"When Green-Ellis is in the game, we know they're running downhill, and they're going to get the hard yards."

The Colts were going to win or lose with whatever Manning did. He passed for 396 yards and four touchdowns to give the Patriots a scare. But he failed to tie the game or win it when, with 31 seconds left on the clock and the Colts within field-goal range, he threw his third interception.

With Green-Ellis and Woodhead, the Patriots' offense was diversified.

Brady played a tidy game and certainly exuded his usual championship presence throughout the game. He completed 19 of 25 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns for a 123.1 passer rating.

Still, Green-Ellis and Woodhead were highly prominent. Of their 60 offensive snaps, the Patriots ran 34 times.

"They're getting a lot of opportunities because we're running the ball," Brady said. "It's not just drop back and throw it every time. That's certainly important, especially in a game like this, to be able to run the ball. We found ways to do it."

Green-Ellis and Woodhead became more integral to the game plan as the game wore on.

The Patriots scored the first two touchdowns and held a pair of 14-point margins in the second quarter and took another late in the third. With 10:23 left in the game, a Shayne Graham field goal gave the Patriots a 31-14 lead.

Some teams would just pound away with their feature back. The Patriots kept mixing Green-Ellis and Woodhead with wonderful success. All but one of Woodhead's rushing attempts came in the second half.

ESPN Stats & Information charted New England for 114 rushing yards up the middle, its highest total of the year. Indianapolis' defense went into the game yielding an average of 4.6 yards a carry up the middle. With linebackers Gary Brackett and Clint Session scratched because of injuries, Green-Ellis and Woodhead feasted.

For the season, Green-Ellis has 568 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, the first Patriots running back to run for seven touchdowns through 10 games since Corey Dillon in 2006.

Woodhead has 529 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns, certainly disgusting stats for anyone who wears New York Jets apparel. The Jets waived him this year because they didn't have a roster spot for him.

Woodhead and Green-Ellis are sharing the load and making the Patriots a better team.

"Football is a team sport," Woodhead said. "We've got to work together. We're on team. We're doing this thing together."

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FALLING

1. Dolphins red zone offense: They perforated the Steelers' 25-yard line five times and got as far as the 5- and 4-yard lines Sunday. But the Dolphins didn't score a single touchdown in those situations. Dan Carpenter converted a field goal each time instead, and the Dolphins lost by one point. The Dolphins are tied for 18th in red-zone efficiency, scoring touchdowns 50 percent of the time. Only the Cardinals have fewer than the Dolphins' 12 trips inside an opponent's 20-yard line.

2. Patriots' pass protection: Tom Brady was sacked 16 times all last year. In the past three games, opponents have sacked him 10 times. On Sunday, the Chargers recorded four sacks, something that hadn't happened to Brady since December 2006. Not completely sure how much the absences of Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins and fullback Kevin Faulk are playing a role in this trend, but I'm going to guess it's more than a little bit.

3. C.J. Spiller, Bills running back: This year's ninth overall draft choice hasn't been an impact player for weeks, but on Sunday he hurt his team. Spiller fumbled a kickoff on his own 27-yard line with 48 seconds left in the first half. The turnover was crucial. Rather than take an 11-point lead into the locker room (the Bills had the opening possession of the second half), the Ravens scored a touchdown four plays later. On offense, Spiller ran seven times for 33 yards and didn't have a reception for the first time.

RISING

1. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bills quarterback: He had the greatest statistical game of his pro career, completing 29 of 43 passes for 374 yards and four touchdowns with a couple interceptions. He posted a 106.2 passer rating. That raised his season rating to 102.0, second in the NFL to only Peyton Manning. Fitzpatrick has 11 touchdown passes (as many as Brady and Tony Romo) in just four starts since taking over for Trent Edwards.

2. Chris Clemons, Dolphins free safety: That position was considered one of the bigger concerns for Miami's defense heading into the season, but Clemons has done well. In that heartbreaking loss to Pittsburgh, he made six tackles, recorded half a sack and forced two fumbles, including the controversial Ben Roethlisberger calamity at the goal line. Clemons went into the game with zero sacks or forced fumbles in his 16-game pro career.

3. Devin McCourty, Patriots cornerback: The 27th pick in April's draft quietly has put together a solid rookie campaign on the treacherous left side and leads the Patriots with four passes defensed. McCourty snagged his first NFL interception last Sunday against the Chargers. Patriots coach Bill Belichick praised McCourty for his consistency not only game-to-game, but also practice-to-practice. McCourty likely will see a lot of Randy Moss this Sunday, when the Vikings visit Gillette Stadium.

A look at the New England Patriots heading into their bye weekend ...

Reason for hope: The Patriots went into their break with an emphatic reminder they must be taken seriously as a division contender. They showed their resourcefulness with a gargantuan special-teams performance to compensate for a questionable defense in Monday night's victory over the Miami Dolphins.

Wes Welker still isn't 100 percent recovered from his knee injury, but he's close enough to be dangerous. The Patriots seem to have morphed successfully into a base offense that includes two tight ends about 60 percent of the time. Rookie tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski are contributors already. BenJarvus Green-Ellis might be the running back Patriots fans have been awaiting for a few years. And as long as Tom Brady is at quarterback and Bill Belichick is running the program, it's foolish to count them out.

Cause for concern: The Patriots can't depend on 100-yard kickoff returns and 21 points off special teams to bail them out every week. Pass defense remains the biggest question mark. They rank 28th at 272.2 yards allowed per game. The secondary needs to get settled. Inexperienced cornerbacks Devin McCourty, Kyle Arrington and Darius Butler need to grow up quickly. A pass rush needs to come from somewhere. They've registered seven sacks.

The subtraction of Randy Moss from the offense will weaken New England. It won't be able to stretch the field like before. Defenses can key on Welker more. As effective as Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead have been out of the backfield, the Patriots will miss injured veteran Kevin Faulk.

Time to heal: The Patriots' active roster is in decent shape. Running back Fred Taylor certainly could use a week off to help overcome his toe problem. Welker's knee certainly will benefit, too. Left guard Nick Kaczur has the most serious injury. He's recovering from back surgery, and Belichick recently said Kaczur was doing well in his recovery. Cornerback Terrence Wheatley is nearing a return from a foot injury late in preseason.

AccuScore forecast: The Patriots are projected to win 10 games, with a 33 percent chance to claim the division title and a 61 percent chance to reach the playoffs.

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FALLING

1. Donte Whitner, Bills safety: A few days before playing the Patriots, he grumbled about being tired of hearing opponents laugh at the Bills during games. Then, in a game when the Bills offense and special teams put up a fight, Whitner had one of his worst games in a defensive collapse. Whitner, the eight overall draft pick in 2006, twice was flummoxed on Randy Moss touchdowns and had trouble with rookie tight end Rob Gronkowski.

2. Jason Allen, Dolphins cornerback: With the emergence of young cornerback Vontae Davis on the left side and Allen's track record, quarterbacks are going to be throwing Allen's direction as long as the Dolphins keep him out there. Allen thrived against Brett Favre in Week 2, but Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez didn't have much problem. Allen whiffed on Braylon Edwards' 67-yard catch and run and committed pass interference on third-and-goal from the 3 in the fourth quarter. The extra set of downs allowed the Jets to score a touchdown and take an eight-point lead.

3. Jets' pass defense without Darrelle Revis: They looked far from formidable Sunday night. Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne threw for 363 yards and two touchdowns. The Jets couldn't contain Brandon Marshall. All told, the Dolphins amassed 436 yards, the most the Rex Ryan-coached Jets have surrendered in a victory by nearly a full football field.

RISING

1. Mark Sanchez, Jets quarterback: I generally don't include a player as "rising" or "falling" two Stock Watches in a row. If you're up, then you're up, etc. But Sanchez has put together his best two games as a pro back-to-back. Headed into Week 2, he'd never thrown three touchdowns or recorded higher than a 107.0 passer rating. Sanchez notched three TDs, no interceptions and a passer rating of at least 120.5 each of the past two games.

2. Dustin Keller, Jets tight end: After a clunker of a performance on opening night -- really, how many Jets didn't have that kind of game? -- Keller has regained his footing as a game-changer. He had six receptions for 98 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday night's victory over the Dolphins. Keller already has matched his season-high with three touchdown catches and, counting last year's playoffs, has scored at least one in five of his past six games.

3. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Patriots running back: With trusted veteran Kevin Faulk done for the year, the Patriots will need to rely upon their backfield committee approach even more. On any given week, we could see anybody step up, but Green-Ellis got to be the chairman Sunday against the Bills. He pounded out 16 carries for 98 yards and a late touchdown.

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A look at a player who gave his team a significant boost in Week 3.

The New England Patriots badly needed a backfield boost.

Five days after they traded Laurence Maroney, trusted veteran Kevin Faulk went down with a season-finishing knee injury last week.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis stepped in and propelled the Patriots to a 38-30 victory over the Buffalo Bills in Gillette Stadium. The undrafted and seldom-used running back rushed 16 times for 98 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown that virtually ended the game.

"No matter who goes down, the train has to keep rolling," Green-Ellis said. "So everybody has to go out and do their part."

Green-Ellis went into Sunday with only 52 carries over his previous 18 games dating to November 2008.

ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss charted Green-Ellis for 23 of the Patriots' 68 offensive plays, more than any other back.

"He gets it downhill," Patriots center Dan Koppen said. "He finds what's there to get and keeps positive yards. He's a great running back to block for."

Another undrafted runner, Danny Woodhead, had a big game in his Patriots debut with three carries for 42 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown.

What it means: The Buffalo Bills gave the New England Patriots a good scare and plenty to think about. The Bills led three times and were within a touchdown and a two-point conversion on their final drive. But the Patriots' offense was too tough to get into a shootout with. Their winning streak over the Bills increases to 14 games.

What I liked: The Bills showed life after a demoralizing 0-2 start. Ryan Fitzpatrick gave the offense a jolt, helping it score one fewer point in the first half than the Trent Edwards-led offense was able to generate in eight quarters. The Bills averaged 176 yards in each of their first two games. They had 202 by halftime Sunday. Fitzpatrick did throw two frustrating interceptions, but his overall play is what gave the Bills a shot to be competitive.

For at least this week, the Patriots coped well without running back Kevin Faulk, who's out for the year with a knee injury. Danny Woodhead and BenJarvus Green-Ellis each broke off a touchdown run. They combined for 19 carries and 150 yards. Faulk's absence wasn't evident in pass protection either.

What I didn't like: New England's defense is in trouble. Fitzpatrick replacing Edwards isn't like Steve Young replacing an aging Joe Montana. New England's defense had difficulty stopping Buffalo's run game and pass game. Think about that. The Patriots surrendered 374 yards, more than double what the Bills averaged their first two games.

The Bills' pass defense didn't perform as though it's a strength. Tom Brady was 21 of 27 for 252 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Not helping was a virtually non-existent pass rush. Aaron Maybin, last year's 11th overall draft pick, continues to be a colossal disappointment. Kyle Williams recorded Buffalo's first sack late in the fourth quarter.

Breakout: Bills rookie running back C.J. Spiller finally made his presence felt -- and in a huge way. After two games as a non-factor, he scored his first two NFL touchdowns. He scored on a 5-yard slip screen in the second quarter and a 95-yard kickoff return in the third quarter.

Breakout II: In his third NFL season, Woodhead scored his first touchdown. The New York Jets didn't have room for the popular running back and cut him last week. In his Patriots debut, he scampered 22 yards for a second-quarter score.

Big revelation: Marshawn Lynch has emerged as Chan Gailey's preferred running back. He started again and had 13 carries for 79 yards. Fred Jackson ran four times for 8 yards.

What's next: The Bills complete their first tour of the AFC East by hosting the Jets next Sunday afternoon. The Patriots will visit the Miami Dolphins on "Monday Night Football."

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 3:

The best way for the Dolphins to put up points on the Jets won't be the run game or the long ball. When thinking about what the Dolphins' offense can do best, two images come to mind: Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams pounding the ball and Chad Henne using his big arm. The best formula might be the short passing game. Since Jets head coach Rex Ryan took over and installed his defense, the Jets have allowed only 27.1 percent completions on passes longer than 15 yards, but 60.3 percent on passes 14 yards or shorter, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Henne took advantage last year in beating the Jets twice, completing 75 percent of his passes of 14 yards or shorter. He averaged 7.1 yards per attempt, gained 17 first downs and threw for a pair of touchdowns with no interceptions. On such throws against the Jets, Henne posted a 110.9 passer rating.

Nobody should be laughing about the Bills' chances to beat the Patriots. True enough, the Bills never have won in Gillette Stadium and have lost 13 straight to the Patriots regardless of venue. But let's not forget the Bills would've won in New England last year if not for a fluke play. Buffalo presents some tough matchups for New England. Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't Buffalo's franchise quarterback, but he's the right choice for this game. New England's secondary has been vulnerable, and, unlike Trent Edwards, Fitzpatrick will test those unproven cornerbacks. Buffalo's chief strength is its underrated pass defense. If the Bills can get some pressure on Tom Brady, especially with sergeant at arms Kevin Faulk out of the lineup, then they'll have a chance.

Sunday night could be a huge turnover game for Mark Sanchez. Young quarterbacks are erratic. Just when you think they have it figured out -- Sanchez had the best day of his career last week against New England -- they waver. Sanchez hasn't committed a turnover this season, but Miami has an opportunistic defense that must be passed against if New York wants to win. Miami extracted four turnovers out of Brett Favre last week. Granted, Favre has been prone to those kinds of games throughout his career, but Sanchez has shown that propensity as well. Sanchez will need to be on point.

Patriots outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain is looking at Sunday's game like it's Christmas. When you look at Banta-Cain's stat line for last year, you can't help but be impressed. He led the Patriots with 10 sacks. But take a look at his game-by-game production. Seven of his sacks came on three days, leaving him with three sacks in his other 13 games. Banta-Cain amassed five of his sacks against the Bills, two in the season opener and three more in the rematch. He's off to a decent start this year with 1.5 sacks through two games.

As happy as Brady is to know Aaron Schobel won't be chasing him Sunday, the Jets have to be even more stoked Ted Ginn isn't with the Dolphins anymore. The Jets went to the playoffs last year, while the Dolphins watched on television. But the Dolphins did sweep the season series with monumental contributions from Ginn, whose last memory in South Florida will be of dropped passes and torturing the Jets. In the first game, which featured five lead changes in the fourth quarter, Ginn beat broken coverage for a 53-yard touchdown strike from Henne. In the rematch, Ginn set an NFL record by returning two kickoffs of at least 100 yards for touchdowns in a game the Jets lost by five points.

ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss provided an in-depth analysis of why the loss of running back Kevin Faulk will be difficult for the New England Patriots' offense to overcome.

Multiple reports state Faulk is out for the season with a torn knee ligament.

Faulk wasn't just a hot target for Tom Brady on third down. Reiss, who tracks every Patriots play, points out no other New England back was on the field more than Faulk in each of the past three seasons.

Faulk also is an effective blocker. With Brady in the shotgun, Faulk often stands sentry and picks up blitzes. A decline in that role certainly increases the likelihood of quarterback hits and hurries. In one of the only two games Faulk has missed since 2006, Kansas City Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard wrecked Brady's knee with a lunging hit.

Reiss speculates veteran Sammy Morris probably will step into Faulk's role and wonders if Faulk has played his last NFL down.

Faulk, 34, was on a one-year contract. Unless he can recover at Wes Welker warp speed, the Patriots might have a tough time bringing Faulk back.

After much jumbling in recent editions of the Power Rankings, the AFC East still has three clubs among the top 10. No other division can claim that.

The Miami Dolphins shot up eight spots, the second-biggest climb of the week. The New York Jets recovered from last week's slide and improved five spots by beating the New England Patriots, who dropped five.

For the first time, the Buffalo Bills are rated the worst team in the NFL.

The Power Rankings panel consists of ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton, AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky, AFC North blogger James Walker and NFC West blogger Mike Sando.

6. New York Jets

Previous rank: 11

My take: The Jets showed how difficult of a matchup they can be when their offense is clicking. Mark Sanchez looked every bit the part of a leading man. He shredded the Patriots' defense and threw touchdown passes to three targets. Without cornerback Darrelle Revis, they shut out the Patriots in the second half.

7. Miami Dolphins

Previous rank: 15

My take: The Dolphins are 2-0, but this ranking seems a little lofty. Their defense has looked impressive, especially linebacker Karlos Dansby and cornerback Vontae Davis. But I need to see more than two offensive touchdowns before I'm ready to consider them as great as the Power Rankings panel does. Chad Henne and Brandon Marshall have been quiet.

9. New England Patriots

Previous rank: 4

My take: Too many people got excited by the Patriots' decisive victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. Sando had them rated second only to the New Orleans Saints. Now they've drifted back to a more reasonable place, in my mind. The holes in their pass defense were exposed. The loss of running back Kevin Faulk will hurt.

32. Buffalo Bills

Previous rank: 30

My take: The Bills have stated a convincing case for being the worst team in the league. Although they did hang tough against the No. 7 Dolphins on opening day, their game at Green Bay was an abomination. The Bills already have switched quarterbacks, and I don't think Ryan Fitzpatrick will ignite a hot streak.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Jets sure looked like a contender with their 28-14 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday at the Meadowlands.

What it means: Confidence has to be surging for the Jets with the way they bounced back from a disappointing performance six days earlier. Their offense looked sharp. Their defense was tough. Most importantly, they avoided starting the season in a two-game hole to the Patriots and Miami Dolphins.

Hero: Jets receiver Braylon Edwards didn't catch a pass in the opening-night loss to the Baltimore Ravens until there was about a minute left in the game. He rebounded with a huge day. He had five receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown plus a two-point conversion to give the Jets a seven-point lead late in the third quarter.

Goat: Patriots cornerback Darius Butler had a rough day. He was on Edwards most of the game, including the touchdown and two-point conversion. Butler committed two pass interference penalties on the same fourth-quarter possession, one for 23 yards and the other for 16 yards, to help the Jets score a touchdown. He was replaced by Kyle Arrington on the Jets' next series.

Hindsight: Who in his right mind could have predicted Mark Sanchez would outplay Tom Brady? Six days after a deplorable game, Sanchez looked quite comfortable. He completed 21 of 30 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Brady was 20 of 36 for 248 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. He also lost a fumble after driving the Patriots to a first down on the Jets' 16-yard line.

Injuries of note: Maybe Darrelle Revis should have gone to training camp. The Jets cornerback missed the second half with a hamstring injury he aggravated while getting beaten on a 34-yard Randy Moss touchdown. ... The Jets lost All-Pro center Nick Mangold for a series in the third quarter because of a shoulder injury. ... Outside linebacker Jason Taylor went to the trainer's room with an undisclosed injury in the fourth quarter. He returned but left again after an awesome strip sack of Brady. ... Patriots running back Kevin Faulk suffered an apparent right knee injury with 13:06 left in the game. A prolonged absence would hurt the Patriots. He's their third-down specialist, and they traded running back Laurence Maroney last week.

Unsung hero: Jets tight end Dustin Keller had seven catches for 115 yards and the final touchdown.

What's next: The Jets will open their road schedule Sunday night against the Dolphins in Sun Life Stadium. The Patriots will host the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in Gillette Stadium.