sync.js

define([
    "backbone",
    "lodash"],
function(Backbone, _) {

    var oldSync = Backbone.sync;

    var methodMap = {
      'create': 'POST',
      'update': 'PATCH', // must use patch because put acts like post ATM
      'patch':  'PATCH',
      'delete': 'DELETE',
      'read':   'GET'
    };

    Backbone.sync = function(method, model, options){
        if (method === 'update') {
            method = 'patch';
        }

        oldSync.apply(this, arguments);
    };

});