FOXBOROUGH – Last week, you probably wouldn’t have had to go very far to find fans who were thoroughly disgusted not only with the way the Patriots played against the New York Jets, but with the game plan they trotted out.In short, the game plan left quarterback Tom Brady vulnerable to be besieged by blabbermouth Jets linemen, who made him look old and slow. And at least one of those adjectives has never been used to describe the ever-youthful looking quarterback (we will concede he’s never been a speed demon).Brady is obviously still feeling his way around after missing all but a few plays of last season with a torn ACL. It could very well be that Brady is a few games – maybe even more – away from being the guy who can do it all himself, despite insurmountable odds ? the way he’s done it so often in the past.This means the guy needs help ? and the Patriots certainly didn’t give him any at the Meadowlands.He got plenty Sunday, however, as the running game actually became a factor. And balanced offenses generally win games – especially if the objective is to keep the ball out of up-and-coming quarterback Matty Ryan’s hands. Knowing this, it’s no surprise the Pats were able to handle the previously unbeaten Atlanta Falcons easily, 26-10.Fred Taylor, acquired during the off-season, ran for 105 yards Sunday and all the backs, combined, rushed for 168.”That really set up the play action we had,” Brady said. “It was real good execution on the offensive line and the running backs’ parts.”In all their years of winning division titles and championships, the Patriots were never really known for trickery with the running game. It was always pretty much straight-ahead, whether with Corey Dillon, Antoine Smith, or Laurence Maroney. However, the low-to-the-ground Kevin Faulk gave them the opportunity Sunday to trot out the draw play – one of the best weapons there is to keep rushing linemen and linebackers at bay. And it worked.Pretty much everything Taylor did worked as well. The former Jacksonville Jaguar ran hard all afternoon, especially up the middle. And after the game, it sounded as if there was a mutual admiration society going on between Taylor and the offensive line.More than one offensive lineman said afterward that seeing Taylor bowling people over as he burst through holes just inspired them to block harder (one could – one supposes – take that as a tacit knock on Maroney, who isn’t known for lowering the shoulder and running over people, preferring to dance around much of the time).”Just doing my job,” Taylor said. “Just run as hard as I possibly can. Try not to make that wrong cut, and give them (the line) all the credit in the world so they can keep on being inspired so that they want to do it more. That’s about it.”Taylor said coach Bill Belichick put it on the backs and line to come up with a better game than they did last week.”Coach challenged all of us,” he said, “and we were fortunate enough to go out there and make it happen.”By the third quarter, things were going so well that Belichick – who can be a gambler sometimes – decided to go for a first down with the Patriots nursing a 19-10 lead, and stuck on their own 24. It was certainly a huge risk, as it could have resulted in the Falcons getting the ball in great field position – with 5:19 left in the game.However, Sammy Morris busted one up the middle for two yards.”I felt we could get the yard,” Belichick said.”It was something we have to do,” Morris said. “We’ve lacked consistency, especially in short yardage situations. We know what kind of group we have ? we just weren’t executing the way we’re capable of doing.””I think the guys played well together,” said guard Logan Mankins. “But it’s never easy. I’m tired right now. The backs ran hard,Tommy (Brady) was throwing and making good throws ? the whole offense played together and played a good game.”The offense held the ball for almost 40 minutes, and that allowed a defense that was undermanned coming in (and became