"Forget the fact that the Patriots [team stats] entered the game with the third-ranked defense in the NFL. We can all pretty much agree that rating was misleading.

Let's face it: With Atlanta and its high-powered offense coming to Gillette Stadium yesterday, the matchup against the Patriots defense made you cringe, didn't it?

Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Tony Gonzalez, Roddy White, Michael Jenkins. This was easily the best offense the Patriots had faced in three games, and stopping it seemed like a tall order for the injury/trade/retirement-depleted defense.

This had mismatch written all over it.

For starters, it didn't look like the Pats had anyone with the right body type or credentials to cover the all-world tight end Gonzalez. And once Ryan and Gonzalez got going, that would open up everything else from the running game to the long ball.

But as the saying goes, that's why you play the games. Because even without cornerback Jonathan Wilhite, who was an unexpected scratch before the game, and nose tackle Vince Wilfork [stats], who departed before halftime with an ankle injury, the Pats still managed to flatten the Falcons' vaunted offense in a 26-10 win.

This was a mismatch, all right, only the Pats were in charge.

One game ball had to go to the defense collectively. It held Ryan & Co. to a touchdown and a field goal and just 257 net yards. It was stingy on third down (the Falcons converted on just 2-of-9 attempts), made big plays - with Brandon McGowan forcing a fumble recovered by James Sanders [stats] - and refused to buckle with players going down to injury (Mike Wright also was forced to leave).

Ryan? The Patriots pressured him, drove him out of the pocket and forced him into a rather ho-hum afternoon (17-for-28, 199 yards, no touchdowns)."