We’re coming up on the midway point of the season and the New England Patriots have the same record as the Miami Dolphins, New York Jets and Buffalo Bills. Raise your hand if you saw that coming.

Didn’t think so. After losing a heartbreaking, 24-23 game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, the Patriots (3-3) appear to be vulnerable for the first time in several years. They have the talent to get back to the Super Bowl, but questions now must be raised over their mental makeup and inability to close out games.

No, it’s not time to panic, New England could still easily end up winning 11 games, it just no longer seems like a given. The players know it, too.

“I don’t know what else to say,” defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said. “I’d probably lose my head right now, but [I’m] very frustrated.”

Most people probably who follow this team probably feel the same way.

Time to calculate the carnage from Sunday’s loss:

Offense: C

Take away two mistakes and we’re celebrating the Patriots for gaining 475 yards on the league’s top defense. But Tom Brady’s intentional grounding penalty at the end of the first half and interception in the end zone in the fourth quarter took 10 points off the board, and now we’re left to ponder whether or not New England has the mental makeup to compete for another title. You can blame the loss on the weather -- Brady was 21 of 30 for 216 yards in the first half and 15 of 28 for 179 in the second when the rain picked up -- but that doesn’t change the fact that the Patriots have now lost three games by a combined four points. Didn’t Brady used to thrive in these situations? Previous game’s grade: A

Defense: D

The run defense held Marshawn Lynch to 41 yards, but unfortunately the secondary made Russell Wilson look like an elite passer instead of the inconsistent rookie he’s been the last five weeks. Wilson was 16 of 27 for 293 yards and three touchdowns, and had plays of 51, 50 and 46 yards. The dagger came in the fourth quarter when Sidney Rice got behind rookie safeties Nate Ebner and Tavon Wilson for the game-winning 46-yard touchdown with 1:18 remaining. CB Kyle Arrington was so poor early in the game that he was yanked after the third series in favor of rookie Alfonzo Dennard. Previous game’s grade: B

Special Teams: D

The return team gave up a 25-yard punt return late in the fourth quarter that help set up the game-winning touchdown and Danny Woodhead averaged 17 yards per kick return. Not a good day. Previous game's grade: A-

Coaching C

The fog never lifted from Bill Belichick’s oracle during this one. He’ll spend the week under fire for his decision to go for it at the end of the first half, though it bears mention that any other result outside of a grounding penalty or turnover would have made the decision innocuous. But he also had to burn a pair of timeouts when the play clock was set to expire and when the defense had 12 men on the field. Previous game’s grade: B+

Nick Underhill covers the Patriots for MassLive.com. Follow him on Twitter @CBSPats or @Nick_Underhill.

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