The Atlanta Falcons may be anxious to put Sunday’s 40-point loss to the Dallas Cowboys behind them, but things won’t get any easier on Thursday night when the red-hot New England Patriots come to town riding a four-game winning streak.

Bill Belichick appears to finally be adjusting to life without Tom Brady, and rookie quarterback Mac Jones is playing efficient football. Atlanta could be in some trouble if running back Cordarrelle Patterson (ankle) has to sit out.

To help us preview this Week 11 matchup, we’ve gone behind enemy lines to interview Henry McKenna, the managing editor of Patriots Wire.

Watch Thursday Night Football on Amazon with a Prime Membership. Viewers can watch this week’s game with an Amazon Fire TV Product. Get yours now!

After a 2-4 start, what is going so right in New England lately?

Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

McKenna: It has helped that their opponents (Jets, Chargers, Panthers, Browns) are relatively weaker over the last four games than the impressive squads they saw in the first six games (Buccaneers, Cowboys). But it has also helped that the defense has gone from being good to great, with an uptick in takeaways, stemming from Bill Belichick’s move away from man coverage and into zone. That has helped mask the team’s weakness at CB2 and CB3 behind the excellent CB1 J.C. Jackson. The final component is the development of QB Mac Jones, who is starting to gain confidence and competence as a downfield thrower. He was tenuous in the beginning of the season and the Patriots were very hesitant to rely upon him. New England is finding they can do just that.

How would you sum up QB Mac Jones' rookie season so far?

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

McKenna: Well, I dove into that slightly in the previous question. Considering that the Patriots stand 6-4 with a strong chance of making the playoffs, I’d call Jones’ rookie season a success. He was the fifth quarterback taken in the NFL draft, but has played better — a lot better — than the rest of the rookie signal-callers. That’s more a product of circumstance than talent. The Patriots loaded up on skill players in free agency to support their quarterback (which, at the time, they thought would be Cam Newton). New England has an offensive line that’s starting to look elite. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is calling good games for Jones. It’s all clicking around the rookie quarterback, who is basically just a point guard in a high-functioning offensive system. He distributes the ball and lets others score.

Who's been MVP of the Patriots' defense over last 4 games?

Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

McKenna: It has to be newcomer Matthew Judon, who has 9.5 sacks and, according to PFF, 47 pressures. That’s just what he’s done in the pass-rush. Judon is actually an excellent run defender who can set the edge. That’s what he was known best for when he played in Baltimore, where he played before joining the Patriots in free agency for $56 million this offseason. It has been money well spent.

Where should Atlanta look to attack New England on Thursday?

Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

McKenna: The Patriots’ tackles have struggled, which is a part of why Jones is so quick to deliver the football. If there’s a way to confuse Jones — perhaps, in part, by taking away his checkdowns — then the Falcons can get pressure on the quarterback. When pressured, he can get rattled and give up turnovers. That’s how the Chargers kept Jones off-balance in Week 8. He struggled in that game. The other area, which I already mentioned, is cornerback depth. Don’t bother going after Jackson in the passing game. See what cornerback Jalen Mills will give up.

Game score/prediction?

(Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images)

McKenna: The Patriots win, 17-14. Something tells me this will be a sloppy game, where the underdog Falcons make a surprising push on the suddenly resurgent Patriots. New England has partially built its win streak around the idea that everyone thinks they stink — and that their record is not reflective of who they are as a team. That might bring about a letdown when everyone thinks the Patriots are good again and the record actually reflects how good they are. That’s why the Falcons, clearly less talented, will give the Patriots a game.