Patriots Have Bounce Back in Their Step

Pete Carroll wasn’t around when the New England Patriots rebounded from a blowout by the Denver Broncos last season. So he asked some veterans if they could do it again.

“I told him we’d be ready,” tackle Bruce Armstrong said.

Six days after a 21-point loss in Denver--the Patriots’ first of the season--New England routed the Buffalo Bills, 33-6, on Sunday. After a 34-8 loss to the Broncos last year, the Patriots won four of their last five regular-season games and advanced to the Super Bowl.

“You can’t sit there and linger and lick your wounds all week and pout about it,” Keith Byars said. “I told him [Carroll, a 49er assistant last year] that the mind-set of the team is we respond to adversity.”

Adam Vinatieri also has responded since missing a 40-yard field-goal attempt last season against Denver. He has made all 20 since then, the longest current streak in the NFL. He was four for four Sunday, including a career-best 52-yarder.

And Drew Bledsoe, who struggled in both those games with Denver, threw for touchdowns of 20 yards to Ben Coates and fours yards to Byars.

The Bills (3-3) couldn’t stop the run either. Curtis Martin ran for 99 yards and a 26-yard touchdown, and the Patriots (5-1) outgained the Bills, 310 yards to 242. Buffalo managed to avoid its second shutout since Marv Levy became coach in 1986 when Darick Holmes scored on a one-yard run with 13:59 left.

Buffalo quarterback Todd Collins left with a strained left rotator cuff after being sacked by Tedy Bruschi in the first quarter and was replaced by Billy Joe Hobert. There was no indication of how long Collins would be sidelined, though Levy said the shoulder wasn’t separated.