FOXBORO — Just read between the lines of Jerod Mayo‘s postgame address to reporters and you know the Patriots defense is still a work-in-progress.

Just how much?

Well, you could make the argument that if the Patriots don’t stop making teams like the Jets and Bills look like the Colts every week, they’re going to fall far short of their playoff/Super Bowl expectations this season.

As one of two captains – Vince Wilfork being the other – on defense, Mayo knows that full well.

Sunday was not one of New England’s finest moments on the defensive side of the ball.

“I think we came up with some big plays but at the end of the day, we gave up too many yards, we gave up too many points at the end of day but we still got the win so it’s something to build off,” Mayo said.

If that hardly sounds like an overwhelming endorsement, there’s good reason. Mayo and everyone else on defense knows Bill Belichick and company will have plenty to review on Monday.

The Patriots gave up 374 yards, allowed Buffalo to convert 5-of-10 on third down and gave up 5.6 yards per carry to the combination of Marshawn Lynch and C.J. Spiller. The Bills turned over their offense to Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Harvard product – while tossing two very costly interceptions – still managed to keep his team in the game, completing 20-for-24 for 247 yards.

“Fitz did a good job moving the ball,” Bills receiver Roscoe Parrish said. “When you score 30 points you expect a victory but it didn’t go that way for us today. We have to watch film. Our coach mentioned in his speech that everyone has to do a good job. Not just one unit. That is something we have to do so we can find a way to win.”

If Tom Brady didn’t have an obscenely good rating of 142.6, it probably would’ve been good enough for the huge upset.

“You never want to give up points,” Mayo said. “Giving up points like that to any team is very alarming. We weren’t really expecting some of the things they showed today but we got the job done.” Read the rest of this entry »

Asked this week about the Harvard-educated background of his starting quarterback and how “nerdy” Ryan Fitzpatrick might be, Buffalo’s interim coach Perry Fewell laughed.

Fitzpatrick had eyes for the NFL ever since Harvard.

“No comment,” Fewell chuckled. “That was a good question, I like that one.”

After the laughing finally stopped some 15 seconds later, Fewell offered serious insight into the leadership Fitzpatrick has provided since taking over for Trent Edwards on Oct. 25.

“I’ve liked his leadership and his command,” Fewell said. “I’ve liked his communication with not only the offensive line, but with the running backs and the receivers as well as the coaching staff. That’s been good and that’s been something we can draw on.”

Another amusing note about Fitzpatrick and his Harvard background can be found on page 72 of the Bills media guide. In his bio, Fitzpatrick, it points out, played for the “Crimson Tide.” No, he didn’t transfer to Alabama and no, Harvard didn’t roll out the name Tide in Fitzpatrick’s honor. Just a simple mistake.

What’s not a mistake is the record the Harvard economics major has posted in the the last nine NFL games he has started.