Mohamed Sanu's debut unspectacular, but his presence could be just enough

FOXBOROUGH – Mohamed Sanu, the New England Patriots' Super Bowl hopes are now in your hands.

Well, Sanu's, Julian Edelman's, Philip Dorsett's, Jakobi Meyers', and yes, those of the absent-but-hopeful rookie, N'Keal Harry.

When the New England Patriots, dispatchers of yet another pathetic loser, the 2-5 Cleveland Browns, here on Sunday, actually locate an opponent with a pulse, the receiving corps will determine whether a February trip to Miami is in the works or not.

Hold it together. Make the clutch, tough catches. Let Tom Brady throw you into a big play (see Dorsett's 33-yarder Sunday in which there was a 6-inch margin for error, tops) and just stay healthy.

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With this defense and the ineptitude permeating through the AFC, it's plenty.

“We all know we can't sit here and play for ourselves, we play for each other,” said Dorsett, noting just why this group – as a group, not individuals – can do enough to win a championship.

Sanu's debut would hardly be considered spectacular with two catches for 23 yards. But spectacular is simply not needed here.

Play sound and move the chains. He did that twice, once coming on a fourth-and-4 on which he was belted by the defense and bounced right back up.

The second was a 19-yarder that helped set up a Mike Nugent field goal in the fourth.

“That felt great. Tom put it on the money, and I had to catch it in self-defense,” Sanu said.

You can see the relationship is a work in progress.

“We talked about that early in the week. He said, 'Be alert and please be on the same page',” the receiver said of Brady.

The ultimate example is, of course, Brady-to-Edelman, something Sanu, who along with being a true professional seems to be a student of the game as well, has seen both from far and now near.

“You could just see it, I was like man, I can't wait to be on that page,” said Sanu, who went on to promise, “It's going to be like that soon.”

Brady, who was 20 of 36 for 259 yards and two TDs on Sunday, is clearly enthused about the prospects. So is the new guy.

“You can see why (the Patriots) are the way they are,” said Sanu. “I wasn't nervous. I play ball. You see him as a competitor but getting to understand his personality is pretty cool.”

Now, it's just a matter of keeping the group together and progressing.

Start with the leader of the group, the incomparable Edelman, who is hurting in his upper body, has probably gone from lightning quick to simply maniacally quick and has the tendency to drop a ball or two a night. That's fine.

The way he's open for eight on every third-and-7 continues to confound.

How do you play him?

“I don't know ...” laughed Patriots' All-Pro corner Stephon Gilmore.

Edelman's eight-catch night on 11 targets for 78 yards was just so impactful. Do you have any idea what a 10-yard pitch-and-catch does to a defense trying to get off the field on fourth-and-7?

Sanu's presence here, and again with fingers crossed the return of Harry, allows Dorsett the opportunity to be what he is – a third or fourth guy.

His first catch, a third-and-6 33-yard Brady mini-masterpiece on New England's first scoring drive, was proof positive of that.

Dorsett was barely open, if he was it was open by inches. But he lets Brady be Brady and the throw was, well …

“Do I have to explain (how good that was)?” said Dorsett, who simply held out his hands on the sideline and let the ball fall in. “Just an amazing throw. Good coverage, better throw.”

Anything from Meyers (1 catch, 5 yards) or, gulp, Gunner Olszewski has to be considered a bonus. At least this year.

Harry remains the wild card, but as constituted now, the Patriots have plenty.

That was evident even with Brady staring across the sideline at Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr. and the totally outclassed Cleveland Browns.