The Patriots are going to be without Aaron Hernandez for a while and replacing his production will be both a challenge and a necessity.
Perhaps the most difficult challenge will come Sunday night in Baltimore against a Ravens team that has become a recent rival, and a team that always gives the Patriots all they can handle.
Beyond finding a Hernandez replacement, the Patriots will need to run the ball effectively to keep the aggressive Baltimore defense at bay and give players like Brandon Lloyd an opportunity to get down the field.
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