5 Things We Learned About the Patriots in Their Huge Monday Night Win

The New England Patriots made a splash in their 2011 debut last night, beating the Miami Dolphins for a third-consecutive time.  In all three of the contests, the Patriots scored 38 or more points, but 24 is the highest total Miami has reached against New England since 2008. 

The Monday Night Football contest featured over 1,100 yards of total offense, eight touchdowns and only two turnovers.  Neither team executed perfectly on both sides of the ball, and although the Patriots blitzkrieg-offense put up huge numbers, there were quite a few aspects of the game they will have to improve.

1. Secondary Remains an Issue

Releasing Brandon Meriweather may help the Patriots in the long-run, but they certainly didn't show any evidence of that Monday night.  The secondary allowed Chad Henne to throw for 416 yards, a career high for a QB who has averaged under 215 passing yards per game over the last two seasons.  The Pats also allowed Henne to throw two touchdowns and failed to intercept the turnover-prone QB until the final seconds of the game.

New England's secondary wasn't all bad.  Devin McCourty picked up where he left off in his stellar rookie season, finishing with 11 tackles and two passes defended.  McCourty kept Brandon Marshall out of the end zone, despite being targeted 13 times.  Leigh Bodden also played well, recording three tackles and defending a pass while covering speedy Davone Bess. 

The Patriots will need improved play by anyone not named Patrick Chung at safety in order to succeed against the pass in 2011.  Chung recorded 10 tackles and a sack in the start, but starting strong safety Josh Barrett and backup free safety Sergio Brown desperately need to improve their pass coverage. 

The Patriots' Pro Bowl-caliber defensive line will free up the linebackers to defend short passes, but the middle of the field was exposed by Henne too many times for comfort.  Even when there was adequate coverage, the Dolphins still managed to exploit the middle of the field, as New England allowed Henne to rush for a team-high 59 yards and a touchdown.

Improved safety play will be necessary for the Patriots against the likes of more high-power offenses, as they look ahead to matchups against San Diego, Philly, and Pittsburgh in the coming weeks.

2. Passing Game Is as Dynamic as Ever

Brady targeted ten different receivers on Monday night, completing 32 passes for the fifth-highest single-game passing yardage in NFL history.  Brady again relied heavily on his dynamic-duo tight ends, throwing for a combined 189 yards and two touchdowns to Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski.

Truthfully, the Dolphins have one of the weakest secondaries in the NFL, and Wes Welker historically has above-average games against Miami, but last night was a whole different story.  Welker torched the Fins for 160 yards and two touchdowns, including a 99-yard quick slant resulting in the Patriots' final points. 

The Branch-Brady combo looked like that of 2005, as Brady targeted him nine times leading to seven receptions for 93 yards.  Even Matthew Slater managed to haul in an early 46-yard grab, which eventually led to New England's first touchdown of the season. 

Chad Ochocinco was a non-factor opening night, catching just one ball for 14 yards, but he will certainly play an important role in future games.  Brady is known for his ability to spread the ball around, which was as apparent in Week 1 as ever.  Three of his receivers finished in the NFL's top-15 in yardage this week, and the overall passing game looked as good as ever heading into a matchup against the San Diego Chargers' underrated defense.

3. Danny Woodhead Will Play a Bigger Role in 2011

Little Danny Woodhead had just 97 carries in 14 games for the Pats in 2010, but his workload should increase drastically this season.  The strategy was apparent in Week 1, as he led the team with 14 carries for 69 yards and a 4.9 yards-per-carry average.  Woodhead had 926 yards from scrimmage last season but will have over 1,200 in 2011 if he stays healthy, a tall task for one of the smallest players in the NFL.

Woodhead carried the ball 10-plus times just twice in 2010, while BenJarvus Green-Ellis toted the rock 229 times, just eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark.  Green-Ellis had just seven carries Monday night but still managed 34 yards and a four-yard TD plunge early on. 

Rookies Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen went without a carry, as Vereen was inactive and Ridley listed as probable with a banged-up ankle.  However, the Patriots will take a running back by committee approach in 2011, and the rooks will get their fair-share of carries as the season progresses.

4. They Are Who We Thought They Were: the Defensive Line

The interior of the Patriots' defensive line consists of two men who equal about 675 pounds between them, enough to strike fear into the heart of any NFL running back.  The upgraded New England defensive line did exactly what they were designed to do Monday night, holding starting Fins running back Reggie Bush to just 38 yards on the ground.

Last year's D-line failed to pressure opposing QB's and registered just 25 sacks the whole season.  Monday night, the Patriots recorded four sacks and pressured Chad Henne relentlessly.  The line was immovable on the goal line, especially during a late third-period stand when Miami had a first and goal on the Patriots' one-yard line.  Three failed attempts later, the Fins settled for a field goal.

Just as Belichick had hoped, the Wilfork-Haynesworth tandem was a force to be reckoned with and will need to continue their success against super backs like Darren McFadden, Rashard Mendenhall and Jamaal Charles in 2011.

5. Offensive Line Needs Depth

Patriots' center Dan Koppen had missed just one game since joining the team in 2003 but will miss the majority (if not all) of 2011 with a broken ankle after suffering the injury late in the first half Monday night.  New England slid guard Dan Connolly over to center for the rest of the game, but it remains to be seen what their plan will be going forward.

Already missing starting tackle Sebastian Vollmer, the Patriots have an extremely depleted offensive line.  They signed Pro Bowl guard Brian Waters a little over a week ago, but behind the starting line is very little depth.  If Connolly remains at center, Waters will assume the starting role at guard, leaving just Rich Ohrnberger as a reserve.  At tackle, the Patriots will need a quick return from Vollmer so as not to overwhelm rookie Nate Solder and the aging Matt Light.

There are still options available via free agency, including guards Leonard Davis, Max Jean-Gilles and Travis Bright, as well as tackle Max Starks and center Shaun O'Hara.  Look for the Pats to sign at least one or two veterans to shore up the OL depth heading into Week 2, and keep an eye on Dan Koppen's much-awaited timetable for return.