New England Patriots: How 2-Game Slide Could Help Patriots

The New England Patriots have fallen fast the last two weeks and have lost these games due to the lack of consistency from the defense. The two-game slide is beginning to set panic into Patriots' fans.

Patriots' fans, do not fret! This little bump in the road is exactly what will open the eyes for the Patriots and will put their butts in gear for the stretch run to get into the playoffs.

Release of Haynesworth

Albert Haynesworth has moved on to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who claimed him off waivers a few days ago. The Patriots placed him on waivers due to his poor performance on the field. He only had three tackles and sacked no quarterbacks during his tenure with the Patriots.

Since he has been struggling on the defensive line and the Patriots have been losing, it is great that the skid came when Haynesworth has struggled.

So long Haynesworth and time for some real defensive help to get some playing time.

Motivation

Coach Bill Belichick can not stand to lose and losing two games in a row is even worse for his beloved Patriots. He will stand before his team on Sunday night before the New York Jets' game and will give them an earful.

The Patriots need to get back on the winning side of football. Their defense needs to keep composure all game long and this two-game losing streak should be motivation enough to get back top their winning ways

Easy Road Ahead

The Patriots season is halfway over at this point and only two of their final eight games are against opponents with a record over .500.

After the Jets, they face the mediocre Kansas City Chiefs, the overrated Philadelphia Eagles, the still winless Indianapolis Colts, the not-so-good Washington Redskins, the Tebow-led Denver Broncos, the 1-7 Miami Dolphins and then the other team tied for first place in the AFC East, the Buffalo Bills.

The Patriots should win at least six, if not seven, of these remaining eight games. This should put them at least in the playoffs.

Running Attack

BenJarvus Green-Ellis and the other running backs for the Patriots need to be able to get more carries. Yes, the Patriots have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but they need to get a better balance for the passing and running games.

Green-Ellis only has 61 yards on 17 attempts in his last two games combined. He deserves at least 17 carries to run effectively, and when he is running well, then the Patriots offense clicks on cylinders.

Back to Basics

The Patriots' defense needs to pressure the passer more and make sure to get better coverage with their secondary. They also need to not commit silly penalties in crucial moments down the stretch.

The defense needs to be able to relax more, so the offense needs to be out on the field longer than they have been lately. Using this tactic is the key to success in the NFL and the Patriots key to making another run to the postseason.