New England Patriots cornerback Jack Jones (13) intercepts a pass intended for Detroit Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson (88) as Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai (48) defends during the first half of Sunday's game against the Lions at Gillette Stadium. (AP photo)

They still have it.

Yes, if Sunday proved anything, it told us the New England Patriots can beat a team the old fashioned way: Defense, running game, special teams, turnovers, and, most important, good football IQ.

Oh yeah, with a quarterback as a game manager.

Rookie Bailey Zappe is the talk of the region these days, not because he’s been spectacular, but because he’s steady. We’ve already said, Mac Jones will likely up the tempo of his recovery from a high ankle sprain; the Patriots and Bill Belichick likely won’t have the same sense of urgency that they had before Zappe has played in two straight varsity games, as they say.

What’s next? The Patriots have to answer whether it’s safter with a fully healthy Zappe or a Jones that is probably 75-80 percent. That’s about what his ankle would be, unless all those photos of him screaming when leaving the field two weeks ago were because he was ticklish.

Yes, the Tom Brady era is now way back in the rear view mirror. Thankfully, so is the Cam Newton era. But even though they’ve chartered new course, the Patriots proved Sunday they still have the smarts and ability to beat teams that really have no clue about fundamental football. Yes, like Detroit.

And probably like Cleveland, Chicago, and the Jets over the next three weeks.

Taking a look at things, you can move the ball against the Patriots defense. But you can’t make a mistake against them, and you better protect your quarterback to ensure that you don’t.

The Patriots had to face two quarterbacks who can run around from one degree to another in suffering two straight losses, Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers. So Detroit’s Jared Goff had to be like going after the third string QB in practice, right?

They’ll see old friend Jacoby Brissett – the seatwarmer for Deshaun Watson in Cleveland – this Sunday. Justin Fields in two weeks on a Monday night. The Jets’ Zach Wilson can likely be confused into throwing a couple of picks, but he’ll also throw a couple of TDs.

The Patriots have proven that they can still spot talent, as the play of defensive back Jack Jones, safety Kyle Dugger, and running back Rhamondre Stevenson has shown. These are the Patriots whose names you’ll be talking about just as much as Jones or Zappe because they make their presence felt.

They create turnovers. They make smart plays, taking advantage of awful game planning, panicking, or just bad decisions on the part of the opposition.

These were all the things that were a complement to the Tom Brady led Patriots, not the things that drove them. Now, the way things are going, the Patriots need those new players to and those big plays to be their driving force. The quarterback play is now complementary as they still try to figure out their offense and how it fits in today’s NFL.

They won’t be able to get into shootouts with the opposition. But with the teams they’ll face in the next month, they shouldn’t have to worry about it.

Belichick during his morning after Q &A on Monday acknowledged his 400th game as a Patriots coach.

“It’s worked out pretty well (since his hiring in 2000), all the way around,” he said. “Hopefully, we can keep it going.”

In many respects, they have, especially against a certain level of inferior coaching – and competition. For now, that’s how things will have to continue.

RANKINGS

AFC

1.Buffalo (4-1). 2. Kansas City (3-1). 3.Baltimore (3-2). 4.L.A. Chargers (3-2). 5. Tennessee (3-2).

NFC

1.Philadelphia (5-0). 2. Dallas (4-1). 3.San Francisco (4-1). 4.Minnesota (4-1). 5. Green Bay (3-2).