What happened: New England has yet to finish on the plus side of the turnover differential through seven games, dropping a 30-24 road decision on Thursday to fall to 4-3. Wide receiver A.J. Brown, who previously exited a September game with an ankle injury, has posted limited offensive output while the locker room emphasizes how narrow the weekly margins have been. On the payroll side, the Patriots recouped $1 million in salary cap savings tied to the AVT injury.

Why it matters: Holding the ninth seed in the conference at 4-3 on a one-game skid, the Patriots have already cycled through four different starting offensive line combinations in seven outings. Turning close takeaway opportunities into turnovers and sparking Brown's receiving production are central to stabilizing the offense with limited remaining cap room.

What to watch: Patriots players remain off through Sunday following their early Friday return and report back Monday to begin Week 8 preparation.