Patriots Report: Week 12

Last week's prediction

Pats 44
Jets 14

Final score

Pats 31
Jets 14

I thought the Pats would score 28 points prior to the second half. They scored 24. Are the Pats letting up in the second half? Are they saving themselves for the really tough opponents?

Monday Night Football has the Pats and the Saints. On paper the Saints look to be the best team in the NFL. In reality, the Saints are not as good as the Pats or the Colts. However, if they win this game, they will likely go 16-0 if they can get past Dallas.

The NFL could end up with two 16-0 teams!

Although it is obvious, I'll let my only commenter explain why a regular season mark of 16-0 is a certain kiss of death in the playoffs.

If the Pats win this game they have a shot at a bye. If they lose, they are are still looking to all but wrap-up the division the next week in Miami. It's not a meaningless game by far, but in the grand scheme of things, a loss is just one loss It doesn't mean much to either team's playoff hopes.

It's difficult to analyze how the two teams stack up. The Pats are by far the better defensive team. Only one other division leader's defense (San Diego) has performed more poorly than New Orleans.

The Saints look to be winners purely on their offensive numbers -- one that could challenge several of New England's 2007 records. But how much of this is a good team made to look like the greatest offensive team in history by their schedule?

The Patriots should win with the best defense the Saints will see all year -- second only to Indianapolis.

The odds makers are all over the map with this one. I predict the Pats by four points.

My Prediction

Pats 37
Saints 33