boy.Let’s just get this out of the way: the Patriots got embarrassed last night. They looked completely lost http://www.patriotslockerroom.com/authentic-malcolm-mitchell-jersey , they were sloppy, they got pushed around and out-muscled at absolutely every position, and had absolutely no business being on the field with the Lions last night.The Lions. Yikes.Was the Sunday Night Football intro always just one big ad for Pepsi, or is that a new thing? I legit don’t know, as I’ve actively tried to avoid the Faith Hill/Jewel/Pink/whoever preamble for a while now, but I was completely out of stuff to do by the time the game rolled around and made the mistake of tuning in.If your name is Jim-Bob Cooter, you have exactly two career options: football coach or rider mower salesman. Glad to see that he made it.Not glad to see him completely destroy the Patriots defense...but to be honest, I feel like I could have called a successful game plan last night.New England really needs to stop receiving these opening kickoffs. Maybe that’s why they suck so bad right now.The only thing worse than New England’s performance last night was that off-neon green whatever it is they decided to put on the field on third downs. It’s absurd and completely unnecessary. I would have loved to be in the production meeting when that green zone came into fruition. I feel like there was a guy who hadn’t contributed anything to the team since he was hired in the offseason and was on his last strike, so as a Hail Mary he just kind of threw out, “maybe we add another color to the screen?” I may as well break down the offense now and get it over with.....Um...Stretch run for no gain? Blown up screen? One decent drive per game?OK, that was easy. Moving on.The big issue with the offense right now is that it’s incredibly predictable. Part of that is the early season jitters and everyone finding their stride, and another part of that is the lack of depth at receiver position. It’s nothing but stretch runs and screens Dwayne Allen Jersey , and then when those don’t work they have no choice but to go for a middle crosser. I have absolutely no worries about what this offense will do when the games start to matter, but right now the NFL is a pool and the Patriots keep dipping a toe in to see if it’s too cold.Another real problem is how the receivers can’t get anything remotely close to resembling separation. There were plenty of plays last night where Tommy B had time to throw, but nobody was open.New England, three and out. Opponent, long, sustained drive that ends in points. Sound familiar? Being a Pats fan in September stinks. October through February? Juuuust fine. But man...these first few games are always rough.As for the defense...Never thought I’d see LeGarrette Blount torching the Pats as a receiver.I did, however, think I’d see receivers out in the flat go for big gains. Lateral movement is such an Achilles heel for these linebackers.The Lions didn’t even need a third down on their first TD of the day. I don’t know what’s worse: September 2017 when receivers were 10 to 15 yards open, or September 2018 when teams are just imposing their will.Kerryon Johnson averaged six yards per carry and have over 100 on the day. If that’s not bad enough, I can point to a handful of plays where all 200 pounds of him literally dragged Lawrence Guy, Danny Shelton, Malcom Brown Womens Vincent Valentine Jersey , or sometimes all three for a few extra yards before he was brought down. I’m not sure how that’s even scientifically possible, but here we find ourselves.NFL football in 2018 has absolutely zero flow. The 1st quarter took 20 minutes, the 2nd took six days, the 3rd took 25 seconds, and the 4th took an hour. What happens in between is a series of questionable flags, unwatchable commercials, a bunch of weird colors, and watered down play. Last year it took me until mid-October to start questioning if I had better things to do with my Sundays.The red flag is officially up and waving furiously on Dont’a Hightower. He looks unbearably slow and constantly winded. The rust should be off by now and usually rust comes in the form of missed reads and muffed tackles. It doesn’t come in the form of getting smoked around the edge and getting shoved violently backwards on blitzes.Sony Michel didn’t do much as a short yardage back, did he. I don’t know why they keep running off-tackle on those plays...either do the sneak or go up the gut.Chris Collinsworth on Lions owner Martha Firestone Ford: “There’s just a difference when there’s a lady in the room, ins’t there?” Yikes, Chris. You can’t say things like that in 2018! I can think of a whole slew of college students that would be VIOLENTLY offended by that statement had they been watching the game last night instead of busy protesting Rice Krispies for discriminating against giants.Through three weeks now, I can think of exactly one instance where anybody not named Tom Brady showed any kind of emotion on or off the field http://www.patriotslockerroom.com/authentic-danny-shelton-jersey , and that was last night when Deatrich Wise sacked Matt Stafford to fire everyone up. On the very next play, Jahwan Bentley picked off Stafford to set up New England’s only touchdown of the day. As of right now, this team has no teeth. No toughness. Nobody not named Tom Brady getting riled up on or off the field.Nobody upset when an opponent marches right down the field with ease and scores. The defense looked like it was just kind of killing time before the game ended, and you never want to see that. Somebody needs to step up.What may be most frustrating at the moment is that, every once in a while, the Patriots will look good. They play with urgency and passion and move the ball well. And then they remember to not give a crap anymore and go back to the stretch run and screen.Man... Golden Tate would have been something else as a Patriot. I love that guy.The great thing about a loss like this one is the smoking hot takes that are already coming from all angles. You have your typical Patriots fans who never grew up in the non-Brady era already calling for an end to the season. You have your media folks chasing clicks and pageviews with the end of days talk. I’m sure you have your Chiefs and Dolphins fans chirping away as they race towards their inevitable 9-7 finishes.Today’s Fan Notes were negative, because the Patriots deserve negativity this morning. That said, I’m still very staunchly in the “Patriots Will Be Fine” camp.That said... I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t occasionally looking across the lake at the ever-growing Camp Not Our Year and wondering what they’re serving for lunch tomorrow.We’re on to Miami. NEW ENGLAND (9-4) at PITTSBURGH (7-5-1)Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBSOPENING LINE 鈥?Steelers by 1; Patriots later favored by 1陆RECORD VS. SPREAD 鈥?New England 8-5, Pittsburgh 6-6-1SERIES RECORD 鈥?Patriots lead 16-15LAST MEETING 鈥?Patriots beat Steelers 27-24, Dec. 17 Derek Rivers Jersey , 2017LAST WEEK 鈥?Patriots lost to Dolphins 34-33; Steelers lost to Raiders 24-21.AP PRO32 RANKING 鈥?Patriots No. 5, Steelers No. 10PATRIOTS OFFENSE 鈥?OVERALL (5), RUSH (16), PASS (7).PATRIOTS DEFENSE 鈥?OVERALL (22), RUSH (15), PASS (23).STEELERS OFFENSE 鈥?OVERALL (4), RUSH (29), PASS (2).STEELERS DEFENSE 鈥?OVERALL (7), RUSH (6), PASS (12).STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES 鈥?Patriots have won last five meetings. ... New England can clinch 10th straight AFC East title with win or tie and Miami loss or tie vs. Minnesota. ... Victory would give Patriots 10 on season for 16th straight year, tying NFL record held by San Francisco (1983-98). ... Playoff berth would be 17th for coach Bill Belichick Womens Cordarrelle Patterson Jersey , third all-time behind Don Shula (19), Tom Landry (18). ... Patriots' visit to Heinz Field last fall ended with Ben Roethlisberger interception in end zone with 5 seconds remaining. ... Pittsburgh TE Jesse James' apparent go-ahead touchdown with 29 seconds was overturned on review. Officials ruled catch did not "survive the ground." James jostled it after stretching across goal line. League amended rule in offseason to allow some movement by ball if receiver maintains possession. ... New England QB Tom Brady 11-2 all-time against Steelers including playoffs. Brady has thrown 30 touchdowns against Steelers against four interceptions. ... Brady will start 265th game, tied with Peyton Manning for second all-time by quarterback. ... Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski needs 164 yards receiving to move into top five all-time among NFL tight ends. ... Patriots RB Sony Michel's three 100-yard rushing games most by New England rookie since 1998 (Robert Edwards). ... New England posted season-high five sacks last week vs. Dolphins. ... Steelers lead AFC North but have dropped three straight since 7-2-1 start. Three losses by a combined 13 points. ... Roethlisberger expected to play despite bruised ribs suffered last week vs. Oakland. ... Roethlisberger second in NFL in yards passing (4,227). ... Steelers RB James Conner (ankle) could return after sitting out last week. ... Pittsburgh 10-2 at Heinz Field in December since 2013. One of losses was last year's setback to Patriots. Other came two weeks ago to Los Angeles Chargers. ... Steelers K Chris Boswell's 11 combined missed kicks (six field goals, five extra points) most by active kicker in NFL. ... Pittsburgh WR JuJu Smith-Schuster sixth in NFL in receptions (91), fourth in yards receiving (1,234). Teammate Antonio Brown has led team in both categories every year since 2013. Fantasy tip: Gronkowski feasts on Pittsburgh's defense. He's averaging 110.7 yards receiving in six regular-season games vs. Steelers, including nine-reception, 168-yard performance last year.