Lines: Patriots -4.5, O/U: 44.5

Kickoff: The Patriots host the uber talented but wildly inconsistent Atlanta Falcons at Gillette Stadium today. Atlanta is coming off a brutal loss to the Dolphins at home last week and have lost two in a row. Conversely, the Patriots have won five in a row and are playing as well as any team in the NFL thanks to Drake Maye’s MVP caliber play and an elite defense.

Today’s game should still be a good litmus test of just how good this Patriots team is.

Here are our four keys to the game.

1st Down: Pick up the blitz: Atlanta is the most aggressive team in the NFL when it comes to blitzing. They blitz 48.1 percent of the time. They are going to get after Drake Maye. The offensive line needs to play and do a good job of identifying and picking up pressure.

2nd Down: Fundamentally sound run defense: Falcons running back Bijan Robinson is the most complete back in the NFL. He can beat you as a runner and as a receiver. The Patriots may not stop him but they can slow him down. The best way to do that is to be fundamentally sound. Good run fits, pursuit angles and finish your tackles.

3rd Down: Pressure Penix: The Falcons have been inconsistent in pass protection. Michael Penix has gotten hit a lot. In fact, he missed last week’s game against the Dolphins. The Patriots don’t need to necessarily blitz a ton but the base pressure needs to get there.

4th Down: Throw to win: With Rhamondre Stevenson out, the Patriots are thin at running back. Yes, Trey’veon Henderson will get the bulk of the carries but the focus should once again be on Maye and the passing game to win the game through the air. The passing game should be good today. Provided they can block things up in pass protection.

Extra Points: The Patriots lead the all-time series with a 10-6 record, including a 4-2 record in home games and 2-0 record in games played in Gillette Stadium following a 26-10 win on Sept. 27, 2009 and a 23-7 win on Oct. 22, 2017.

The Patriots beat the Falcons, 34-28 in overtime in Super Bowl LI after overcoming a 28-3 deficit on Feb. 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas.

The Patriots have won the last six times the teams have played in the regular season. Prior to those six wins, the Patriots had suffered four straight losses to the Falcons, dating back to 1989.

(Courtesy of patriots.com)

Final Drive: Two weeks ago, this game made me nervous. Not so much anymore. The Falcons are talented but inconsistent. This is a game the Patriots should win but if they get off to a slow start and struggle, it could end up being a game they lose. It should be an intriguing test for a team that is playing well right now.