Brandon Lloyd Exemplifies Perseverance in Patriots Debut as New No. 85 Differentiates Self From Chad Johnson

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Number 85 made an appearance for the Patriots in their regular season opener on Sunday, but for at least one play it appeared that Chad Johnson might still be the one filling out that jersey.

After making a big mistake early, though, Brandon Lloyd made sure to correct that misconception. On his first real opportunity in a Patriots uniform, Lloyd cut inside of his man and headed straight down the middle of the field. Tom Brady worked a fake double reverse to perfection to freeze the defense, freeing up Lloyd as he headed toward the end zone in what appeared to be a Randy Moss-esque connection. But the chemistry between the two hadn't quite fermented just yet. Lloyd turned around on the pass, leaping in anticipation of a spectacular catch but ultimately came up just inches short with the leather skimming off his fingertips. If this was the same No. 85 as a year ago that made the miscue, he wouldn't be heard from again. Luckily for the Patriots, the new guy isn't afraid to fail. "We were close," Brady said of the missed opportunity with Lloyd after the game.

"When they're that open you don't want to miss those ones. He made some really good plays on the ball." The misjudged pass play was just one of many opportunities for Lloyd during the Pats 34-13 win in Tennessee, and New England's newest deep threat made sure not to make the same mistake twice.

Lloyd finished the day with a team-leading 69 yards on five receptions. He wasn't able to find the end zone like tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, but his production was important to opening up the duo for their opportunities inside the red zone. At the very least, it was a vast improvement over the man formerly known as Ochocinco -- both literally and numerically.

The expectations for Lloyd entering this season were to provide the deep threat that the Patriots have been lacking since Moss' heyday, and what they thought they were getting with Johnson last season. The understanding is that he'll likely never break any of the records Moss was able to set during his historic 2007 season, nor will he flounder in historic fashion like his numerical predecessor.

But a more tempered outlook would be for the 31-year-old wideout to maintain consistency on the outside and open up passing lanes for the rest of the Patriots offense. The chemistry between Brady and Lloyd will continue to develop as the season rolls on, which was already on display as the game progressed on Sunday.

 But until their connection is deeply rooted within this Patriots offense, Lloyd will have to settle for being the second, third or even fourth option and just making the most of every