FOXBORO — Bill Belichick has understandably come under his fair share of criticism for his decision to go for a first down on fourth-and-2 at the Pats’ own 28 with 2:08 remaining and the Pats up by six against the Colts, but Tom Brady doesn’t think the criticism is fair.

“Listen, we lost the game, and I understand the blame’s got to be placed somewhere, and everyone always wants to point the finger and say this is the one reason why we lost. The reality is there’s a lot of reasons why we lost that game,” Brady said on his weekly scheduled appearance on WEEI. “We’re 3-of-6 in the red area. We had some real critical turnovers. We had some opportunities to get the ball in the end zone. We had an opportunity to run the clock out at the end of the game and we didn’t.

“We as players are responsible for that. Everyone just wants to second-guess the decision. But believe me, I think as a team, we don’t buy into that. We understand that’s one of many, many decisions that are made over the course of a game. I believe also when Coach Belichick says ‘I thought that’s just our best chance of winning the game,’ I believe him. I really thought it was, too. I wish we would have done a better job executing those last couple of plays or else we’d be talking about how great of a win it was.”

Belichick said that “everyone is entitled to their own opinion” and that he has moved on from the game. Pats defensive coordinator Dean Pees and director of player personnel Nick Caserio both said that Belichick has been unfazed by the criticism.

“As far as I can see right now, it’s business as usual,” Pees said. “I haven’t seen Bill in any different light. [We] came in here yesterday and did our job that we normally do on Monday, and I’m in here on Tuesday talking to him about game planning things. Bill is Bill. There hasn’t been any change and that’s really all I can tell you.”

Rarely does Belichick let a loss get under his skin. The Patriots have not lost back-to-back game since November of the 2006 season.

“You move forward,” Caserio said. “You put [the loss] behind you. You try to learn from it and then you realize that it’s such a quick turnaround because each week you have to prepare for the next challenge and the next opponent. That’s been our belief. That’s Bill’s belief since he’s been here and he imparts that to the players.

“That’s the only way you can deal with it because what’s done is done, so you have to move forward and there’s a long season still ahead of us. We just have to make sure these next seven games … that each week we’re prepared and we’re doing everything in our power to give us the best chance to win. And that’s what we’re going to continue to do.”

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After running back Laurence Maroney fumbled at the Colts’ 1-yard line with 2:48 remaining in the third quarter on Sunday, turning over the ball and squandering a touchdown that would have given the Patriots a better chance to win the game, Maroney carried the ball just three times after that.

But Caserio said that doesn’t mean the Patriots have lost faith in Maroney. He said that the game plan called for more spread-formation plays and that’s why Kevin Faulk played more after Maroney’s fumble more than anything else.

“We have a lot of faith in Laurence and his ability with the ball in his hands,” Caserio said. “That situation came up. If you were to look at the game whether it was that play or there was a handful of plays … and I think as the game wore on, we ended up playing in a lot of spread formations and multiple receiver formations, which brings up Kevin [Faulk]’s strength as a football player — getting him into space as well as the passing game and some of those things.

“I’m sure [Maroney is] anxious to bounce back this week and I’m sure the next opportunity that arises, he’ll look to step up to the challenge. But, we have a lot of confidence in Laurence, in his ability for our offense.”

“I know Laurence is trying,” Brady said on WEEI. “It’s a mistake that happened. The guy makes a good play, hits you, and the ball pops out. He’s just trying to punch it in. Those things happen. They really do. There’s no running back who’s ever played who hasn’t fumbled. We all have confidence giving it to Laurence and let him pound it in there. Obviously, you’re never excited when it happens, but it happens. You’ve got to move forward.”

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Now that rookie receiver Brandon Tate has been placed on injured reserve, Caserio said that Isaiah Stanback might see more playing time at receiver.

Stanback was a quarterback at the University of Washington where he passed for 3,868 yards and 22 touchdowns with 12 interceptions, but he switched to receiver and kick-returner after being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2007 draft.

“I think Isaiah is kind of a unique player from the standpoint that he has a pretty unique skill set,” Caserio said. “And he has performed multiple roles since he’s been here in practice, whether it’s quarterback or receiver. As the weeks progressed, he did some different things at receiver and he improved. So you know … he’s a unique player, he’s athletic, he’s big, he’s strong, he’s fast, he has good hands.”

Stanback caught two passes for 17 yards in his Patriots debut last Sunday. Caserio said that if he continues to play well in practice, it will translate into more playing time on Sundays.

roblee@projo.com