EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – When the Patriots players looked around the locker room Sunday, they saw a healthy team. It's scary for the rest of the NFL.

Or maybe not.

Unless New England makes significant improvements in the next month – and can we doubt that the Patriots will do so, given their track record? – A third trip to the Super Bowl will be problematic.

In their 27-13 win over the match, but surpassed the Jets, the Patriots (8-3) were pretty much workers. Given the competition of Chefs, Steelers, Chargers and Texans this season, this may not be enough.

Of course, the run was a big advantage as New England rushed for 215 yards, led by the best rookie of the season, Sony Michel, 133 with 21 wins out of 21 carries. And the defense was OK.

But it was the Jets, who in no way compare to the contenders of the AFC. Things will become more difficult in December, but not very badly. And in January, unless the Patriots take advantage on the field in front of the CAF – they only follow Kansas City in a match and have the tiebreak – their defense will have to be solid facing decisive fouls and strong match.

Given the flaws in this defense that the Jets were unable to exploit often enough, New England has some problems that have not been a problem for him during his remarkable run led by Tom Brady since the early 2000s.

These patriots do not have the appearance of a team capable of avoiding shootings, especially on the road. When you have Brady and Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski – and now Michel – by your side, you score your share of the points. They will have to do exactly that, probably throughout the playoffs, to get to the big game in Atlanta.

"You'd like to be perfect there," said Brady. "The other teams are well trained and have a lot of good players too, so when you win, you feel really good, obviously a few weeks ago we did the opposite of what we had to do (in Tennessee I think that we do a better job taking care of the ball, it gives us a much better chance of winning games, scoring more points, converting the third try, scoring in the red zone, all these things are really important. of.

"We have made plays, there are certainly others that we have left there, but we will continue and go forward.

As they move forward, observers will see several areas:

GRONK HEALTH

Returning Gronkowski is huge. It makes the difference even when it is not targeted because of attention, the defenses have to pay up to the tight end, and the elevator that it offers to teammates . He is also fragile, an effect of his game so difficult and his enormous success.

Apart from Edelman and the ultra-dangerous James White, the Gronk support team is not intimidating. Josh Gordon remains limited and Chris Hogan is solid, but not a No. 1 fumble. The rest of the cast is, well, the rest of the cast.

More than perhaps in his nine professional seasons, the availability of Gronk is paramount.

THE ROAD

New England played three stinkers away from Foxborough; it's 5-0 at home. Two of those defeats were now poor in Detroit and Jacksonville in September. The high ratings that the Patriots played in Music City in week 10 are more disturbing.

Never before have Bill Belichick's former assistant coaches dominated the mentor. That happened with Lions and Titans this year, of course.

The Patriots are still fighting in Miami, where they have lost four of their last five. They also travel to Pittsburgh, which is not really a palace of horrors – New England has won three of the last four trips to Heinz Field – but by far their most difficult opponent.

Of the eight Super Bowls that Brady has guided them, the Patriots have never failed to win a first-round pass.

DEFENSE

Here is the great mystery.

In addition to security, Devin McCourty, a long-standing standout player who has rarely earned the credit he deserves, and linebacker Who's Hightower, New England seems to lack decision-makers. This group is rather a collection of parts adapted to the roles. They do not put a lot of pressure on passers-by, they are not particularly bulls, and all too many times the group of New York recipients was at liberty.

Do this against Antonio Brown, Tyreek Hill or DeAndre Hopkins in the playoffs – that's not a good idea.

Of course, anyone who returns Brady and Co. has little sense of history. The weekend of the Patriots of Thanksgiving is not great. Check the New Year's day to see where they are.