The Patriots were disciplined and focused this entire offseason - if not so smooth in the preseason. There was no post-collapse hangover. No recriminations in Foxborough. No Gisele -fueled sniping. No off-season exposÃ©s. Just the age-old focus to "do your job." And the same number of victories in September as the Red Sox.

And a defensive front that quickly earned the " Police Academy " moniker by some fans on social media thanks to rookies (Dont'a) Hightower and (Chandler) Jones and the real-life "Tackelberry" himself, Vince Wilfork . Jones sacked Jake Locker and Hightower ran the resulting fumble in for a touchdown. Wilfork simply dominated. Second-round pick Tavon Wilson added an interception as Bill Belichick's 2012 NFL Draft Grade was revised to an A+. Thankfully, the Patriots do not employ a "Naked Gun" offensive - which in this case would feature slashing back O.J. Simpson .

The Patriots began their 2012 season by doing everything they were unable to do when it counted most last season - controlling the line scrimmage, running the ball and making big plays (even scoring touchdowns) on defense.

The Patriots' ascent to the throne of Boston Sportsdom appears unabated . Everything is back to perfect - at least until the Patriots meet a team in the playoffs that can contain Brady. This is the narrative that has stuck with this team since January of 2011 and that "can't wait' loss to the Jets. Despite the caveat, the Patriots would finish 16-0 if the season ended today - or something like that. The Titans were the perfect cure-all for any would-be AFC championship malaise. The Titans are hardly NFL giants. Nor are they apparently as good as old AFL Titans - also known as the Jets - who decimated Buffalo 48-28 Sunday.

The Patriots have taken any wreckage of last February's Super Bowl and left it somewhere between Indianapolis and Nashville - probably outside Louisville, Ky.

Sunday, the Patriots showed more balance than Aly Raisman (Note: Raisman, luckily, was uninjured in a fall over the weekend.). They were in perfect harmony playing in "the home of country music." Brooks and Dunn. Tim and Faith. Lester and Earl. (As opposed to Lester and Beckett). Brady and Stevan Ridley/Brandon Lloyd/Aaron Hernandez/Rob Gronkowski. New England had 25 first downs - 13 rushing and 12 passing. Of its 67 offensive plays - 35 were runs, 31 were pass attempts and there was one sack.

That sack led to Brady's boo-boo. Brady enjoyed Secret Service-like protection and was hit only three times all day. More importantly, he had an offensive line that was actually better at run blocking than pass protection most of the day. He also knows that at age 35, his arm, body and good looks might not last forever. Of course, in the case of America's Alpha Dog, a (possible) broken nose just makes him look even sexier/more handsome.

"You can't just drop back and throw it 50 times a game ... The toughness of your team is built around running the ball and stopping the run in the critical games and critical situations." said a bandaged-but-valiant Brady in his post-game press conference. "You've got to be able to run it when they know you want to run it."

Mission accomplished Sunday.

The Titans bit on Brady's play-action early and often Sunday. Once they decided to lay back, they were cooked.

Ridley carried the ball 21 times for 125 yards and ran for a touchdown. Ridley's carries weren't during garbage time. Nor were those numbers built upon one or two breakaway runs. Ridley's longest carry of the day was only 17 yards. BenJarvus Green-Ellis certainly gave the Patriots stability with the ball, given the fact he never fumbled during the regular season or playoffs as a Patriot. But Law Firm often found himself in contempt of court when it came time for a big gains when the opposition knew he was coming - to wit his 10-carry, 44-yard effort against the Giants in February. The Patriots have not had a legitimate in-your-face running threat since Corey Dillon - who incidentally gained 1,635 yards rushing, scored 12 TDs for the Patriots during their last championship campaign in 2004 before adding 292 yards and two touchdowns in three playoff games - including Super Bowl XXXIX.

Ridley runs with power and straight downhill. Having Brady - nose gauze and all - at quarterback helps make that happen but does not make it a given - as Patriots fans learned with the Laurence Maroney Era.

The Patriots balance Sunday went way beyond simple numbers. On New England's first touchdown drive, which began with a no-gain by Ridley, the Patriots went downstairs to Rob Gronkowski on the next play, which was followed by a Ridley run for 17 yards, a 1-yard loss by Ridley and then a missile to Hernandez for a 23-yard touchdown.

Even when the Patriots were throwing - Brady spread the wealth. Up 14-3 taking over on their own 33, the Patriots pieced together a 12-play, 5:17 drive that started with a 15-yard run by Ridley and closed with this string: a direct snap to Hernandez, completions to Gronk, Julian Edelman and Wes Welker, runs by Danny Woodhead and Ridley, and finally a 2-yard TD catch and muffed spike by Gronkowski that put the Pats up 21-3.

And to the one guy who might have the biggest reason to gripe and cause discontent in the locker room because of his contract - Wes Welker - the message was simple: "Deion Branch, Donte' Stallworth and Jabar Gaffney were cut in the offseason and we can get along just fine without you." And Welker seems to have acknowledged as much. Welker - who is tied with Troy Brown atop the Patriots receptions list with 557 - was fourth on the receptions list Sunday with only three after being just targeted five times. "Weâve got a lot of good players. Itâs tough to get balls out there" Welker said during his now-weekly post-game appearance on Comcast Sports New England. "I can't have drops like I did on that first drive on that crucial 3rd-and-8." No he cannot.

The Patriots spoiled everyone down the stretch last season - rolling through two months worth of cupcakes before a playoff rematch rout of Tim Tebow and Billy Cundiff's miss in the AFC championship game. This season's early schedule is softer than Josh Beckett's work ethic - with the Broncos and Ravens begin the only legitimate threat New England will face (assuming the Jets come back to earth) until the Texans come to Foxborough on the 10th - of December.

There's little satisfaction with any season in Foxborough under Belichick that does not end with a Super Bowl victory. That's quite a seven-year itch. And the Patriots began scratching away again on Sunday.

Don't forget to join us for our in-game Patriots-Cardinals fan chat next Sunday at 12:45 p.m. As always, let us know what you think. Post your thoughts here, on our Obnoxious Boston Fan Facebook page or e-mail them to me at obnoxiousbostonfan@hotmail.com. And don't forget to follow us on Twitter @realOBF. Thanks for reading. Pass the clicker.