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Despite the Patriots 3 and 0 start to the season and the Falcons normally being one of the NFL's more consistent teams on both sites of the ball, both teams enter this weeks match up with questions on offensive. The Patriots have reached this point in the season undefeated by beating 3 questionable teams while the Falcons have gone 1 and 2 against what appears to be a better trio of teams up to this point in the season.
The Patriots are averaging 19.7 points per game and hope to improve upon that number with the return of tight end Rob Gronkowski and wide reciver Danny Amendola, although both are listed as questionable. New England also knows that slowing down Matt Ryan will be a much more difficult task then what they faced during their first three games of the season in rookies EJ Manuel, Geno Smith or now benched Josh Freeman. Up to this point in the season the Patriots have relied on their defense to carry the team. They have only allowed and NFL's second best 11.3 points per game (tied with Kansas City and one behind Seattle with 9.0 points per game).
The Falcons hope to bounce back from their late fourth quarter loss to the Miami Dolphins last Sunday. Defensively Atlanta was 3 and 0 in the red zone against the Dolphins versus 2 of 5 on their own drives inside the twenty. Falcons wide receivers Julio Jones and Roddy White have both been dealing with injury's as has starting running back Steven Jackson who will once again sit out a game. Both Jones and White along with back up running backs Jacquizz Rodgers and Jason Snelling hope to have big games against the Patriots defense.