New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) spins out of the reach of Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Malik Reed (50) during the first half of Sunday's game in Pittsburgh. (AP photo)

The New England Patriots are in the process right now of forming an identity.

Check back by the end of October.

It will take that long as things evolve several times over during the course of a long NFL season that last year got one game longer at 17.

Right now, we know that the Patriots are not exactly prolific on offense. They have some good pieces, but it’s still a work in progress.

Right now they’re in, as veteran safety Devin McCourty said Sunday, “finding a way to win” mode. They really don’t care how it’s done.

The problem will be when the Patriots have to match points,and that could take place this Sunday when a high scoring Baltimore team comes to Gillette Stadium for the home opener with a quarterback, Lamar Jackson, on a mission to get a huge payday next off-season. Tthere’s not the impression that 24 points in two games combined can get the job done, right?

There will be points in the season when the defense will have to carry these Patriots, and points when the offense may have to do that job. Right now, it’s the defense’s duty. And it’s getting it done via it’s ability to tackle and not give up big plays,save for one badly covered slant pass in Miami.

Nothing over the top.

“We’re just trying to keep the ball in front of us,” Patriots linebacker Matt Judon said.

“I think that with every team we play, there is going to be an element of dangerous players,” McCourty said. “We got to do a better job of (forcing short passes) in the back end and andI think our front end has to make them pay for trying to buy time to creat an opportunity throw the ball downfield.”

And that will be a tough job the next two weeks, first with the Ravens and then the following week at Green Bay vs. Aaron Rodgers.

A tired defense won’t get the job done. That’s why a ball control offense may be the way to go, especially if the New England offensive line can run block the way it didn in the final six minutes on Sunday.

“As they go, the rest of our offense goes,” Harris said. “It was good offensively we could end the game in our hands. In these tough games, these critical situations, hostile environments, that’s what it comes down to, good fundamentals, good execution.”

The Patriots should look to get better on third down than the 9 for 17 they were on Sunday.

“A lot of third downs relate to second down and first down,” Belichick said. “But obviously we have to convert on third-and-10 and third-and-17. We just have to do a better job there all heway around. Coaching, playing, awareness and so forth.”

Right now, Harris and Stevenson can handle the running back chores that include blitz pickup and pass receiving in the absence of the injured Ty Montgomery.

“We’re able to use them and still maintain all the protections that we would usually use in those situations,” Belichick said. “We didn’t have to modify anything (on Sunday) .. I thought that when they did come, both backs stepped up and blocked the linebackers competitively, so that was good, too.”

The offense can be inspired by how it kept the ball, but there is still such a long way to go. Had receiver Nelson Agholor not gotten hungry enough to win a jump ball for a TD, what would be we talking about?

“It’s definitely a step in the right direction,” Harris said. “Obviously we’re still not where we want to be, and it’ll be long time before we get there.

“The way we finished this game is a huge stepping stone in the right direction of continuing to be the team we want to be.”

Right now, the team they actually have to be is one that will rely on its defense until the offense catches up.

And that’s a big gamble.