EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – A few classic drives. An impressive rout. Total control of the division.

Struggling no more, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots sent a clear message Sunday night: They’re still the team to beat in the AFC East. Not the Buffalo Bills. And certainly not the New York Jets.

Brady threw three touchdown passes, including two to Rob Gronkowski, and the Patriots assumed sole possession of first place in the division with a convincing 37-16 victory over the Jets on Sunday night.

“It’s very sweet,” Brady said, “getting this win.”

Especially after two consecutive losses had some wondering if the Patriots (6-3) were no longer the powerhouse they’ve been for years. Well, not so fast.

“Losing two straight, you have 14 days of just feeling crappy,” Brady said. “Every day of practice is harder. It’s hard to build on losses. It feels really good to win this one.”

After the Jets got within a score at 23-16 early in the fourth quarter, Brady coolly led the Patriots down the field on an 84-yard drive that was capped by an 8-yard touchdown catch by Deion Branch.

New England linebacker Rob Ninkovich then sealed the victory – which snapped a 2-game skid – on the Jets’ next possession with a 12-yard interception return for a touchdown midway through the final quarter.

“One game won’t win you much,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said, “but it’s a good win and we’re certainly happy to have it.”

The game was a showdown for the top spot in the division, but it was no contest as the Patriots took over sole possession by snapping the Jets’ 3-game winning streak and sweeping the regular-season series.

“It looks doubtful right now,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said of his team’s chances of winning the division. “Maybe I should guarantee we’re out of it. The last time I did we made it.

“Yeah, we got no chance.”

Buffalo entered the day tied with New England and New York, but the Bills were blown out by the Dallas Cowboys 44-7.

It was also the first home loss for the Jets (5-4) after opening 4-0, but they can’t dwell on it because they play again at Denver on Thursday night.

“You’re not going to beat many teams when you make the mistakes that we made,” Ryan said. “We’ve been down this road before. I apologize to our fans.”

Ryan insisted his team was greatly improved since a 30-21 loss at New England on Oct. 9 and declared it a must-win if New York wanted to get some home playoff games. Turns out, the Jets still have plenty of work to do if they expect to dethrone the Patriots.

“It just wasn’t our night,” Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez said. “We earned what we got tonight.”

New England was coming off consecutive losses to Pittsburgh and the Giants, but said there was no concern in its locker room. It certainly showed as the Patriots avoided their first 3-game losing streak since 2002.

Brady finished 26 of 39 for 329 yards, the 40th time he reached the 300-yard mark in a regular-season game, breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Joe Montana for eighth on the NFL’s list. He also joined New Orleans’ Drew Brees as the only players to throw for 3,000 yards in their team’s first nine games. Brees also accomplished the feat this season.

Brady and Belichick broke a tie with Miami’s Dan Marino and Don Shula as the winningest quarterback-coach duo since 1966 with 117 victories.

“The good teams keep getting better this time of year,” Brady said. “That’s what we need to do.”

Gronkowski finished with eight catches for 113 yards and the two scores, and Stephen Gostkowski kicked three field goals. Andre Carter had a team-record 4½ sacks as the Patriots’ defense – ranked last in the league coming in – harassed Sanchez all night.

Sanchez was 20 of 39 for 306 yards and a touchdown, but was intercepted twice and sacked five times.

LaDainian Tomlinson passed Hall of Famer Barry Sanders for fifth place on the NFL’s career list for yards from scrimmage, but left the game with an injured left leg which was tightly wrapped in the locker room. He said he would have “some tests” on Monday.

The Jets appeared to get back in it when Plaxico Burress caught a 7-yard fade pass over Antwaun Molden in the right corner of the end zone for a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter, making it 23-16.

But Brady went right back to work, leading the Patriots on a typically efficient drive, going 84 yards on 13 plays using a no-huddle offense that kept the Jets’ defense off balance. Mixing in some solid runs by Danny Woodhead, Brady calmly spread the ball around to his receivers before connecting with Branch with 8:04 remaining.

The score sent many in the crowd at MetLife Stadium heading for the exits. Many of those who remained didn’t stick around much longer once Ninkovich returned an errant pass by Sanchez 12 yards to make it 37-16 with 7:45 left.

“Bill challenged us last week,” nose tackle Vince Wilfork said. “We took his challenge and it showed tonight.”

Three Jets bobbled a muffed punt by Joe McKnight to set up Gostkowski’s short field goal for a 16-9 lead.

A few minutes later, Ninkovich returned a twice-tipped interception as Sanchez’s throw went off the hands of running back Shonn Greene, then was deflected by linebacker Jerod Mayo to Ninkovich.

The Jets got on the scoreboard when they got some rare pressure on Brady. Jamaal Westerman got to the Patriots quarterback in the end zone, and Brady threw the ball away left-handed and was called for intentional grounding and a safety.

New York took the free kick and moved 65 yards on seven plays, and Sanchez ran in from the 2 on a quarterback draw for a 9-6 lead. But the Jets quarterback made a mistake on the play right before his score, calling a timeout with 1:24 left in the half. Ryan was so angry, he told NBC at halftime that the timeout was the “stupidest play in NFL history.”

Adding to the frustration was New York not opting to try a pooch kickoff following a 15-yard penalty on New England’s Wilfork, and Nick Folk kicked the ball through the end zone. Brady hit five passes on an 80-yard drive, with Gronkowski getting open over the middle for the 18-yard score with 9 seconds left in the half that made it 13-9.

NOTES: The Patriots lost CB Devin McCourty to an injured right shoulder midway through the second quarter after he collided with teammate Sterling Moore. … Jets WR Patrick Turner had his first catch of the season, but later left with what the team called “a kidney injury.” … Patriots WR Chad Ochocinco had two catches for 65 yards, his first receptions since the last time these teams played, on Oct. 9.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Hanging from the steel framework at the home of the New England Patriots is a banner unlike any other in the NFL, one that commemorates their 16-0 record in the 2007 regular season.

Perfection.

Almost.

The Patriots won every game that season and the first two in the playoffs as well, giving them a chance to be the first NFL team to finish the year 19-0. But their quest for perfection disintegrated — along with their hopes for a fourth title in seven years — when they ran into the New York Giants in the Super Bowl .

“We’ve won them, we’ve lost them, but they’re all in the past; they’re in the books,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “Whatever happened or didn’t happen, can’t change it, it’s part of history. Right now I’m focused on getting ready for this week’s game. That’s the way it is every week: focus on the week that we’re playing, not what happened in the past.”

The Giants and Patriots will play again Sunday — the first time they’ve met in a game that counts since New York won the Super Bowl 17-14 with two fourth-quarter touchdowns, including the one by Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left set up by David Tyree’s acrobatic catch. Although the teams have different emotions about that game, they agree the 2007 season and the ’08 Super Bowl are too far in the past to help them plan for this weekend.

“If we were still living in the shadow of 2007, then that’s one of our greatest downfalls,” defensive lineman Justin Tuck said. “We have to move on. … Obviously, 2007 was a great year in all of our careers, but that’s not going to help us going there this year. A lot of guys are back from those two teams and a lot of guys are gone.

“The better team this year is going to win the football game, not the better team in ’07.”

There are only 14 players left from the Super Bowl on the Giants now; for New England, it’s just seven. But some of the big names remain, including quarterbacks Tom Brady and Eli Manning.

“That’s a distant memory,” Brady said. “This is an entirely different team that we have and that they have. … We’ve played them in the preseason this year and that probably gives us a little more of an understanding of what they do then the game a few years ago.”

The Giants (5-2) and Patriots (5-2) both have impressive records — and still plenty of reason to doubt they are on the right track.

The Patriots lost to Pittsburgh on Sunday in a game that further exposed their NFL-worst defense, and showed what happens when the offense isn’t able to carry the team. Brady threw for a season-low 198 yards against a team he had dominated, and he was strip-sacked at the end of the game for a safety that cost the Patriots their remote chance at a comeback.

New York barely slipped by winless Miami last week, getting a touchdown pass from Manning to Victor Cruz with just under 6 minutes left to take the lead. Two key offensive players, running back Ahmad Bradshaw and wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, are banged-up and might not play.

Next up for New York after New England: San Francisco, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Green Bay, a stretch that is likely to determine whether the Giants make the playoffs for the second time since their Super Bowl win.

“It’s been a few years, so obviously now we’re more focused on trying to get back to those circumstances,” Manning said. “Our focus is on this week’s game and getting ready for the Patriots.”

The Giants may have been the ones that stood in New England’s way four years ago, but they were also the ones that made the 16-0 banner possible by losing to the Patriots on the final weekend of the regular season, 38-35.

They made up for it in the title game.

Coach Tom Coughlin doesn’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about it — not even this week.

“It seems like a long time ago,” he said. “I certainly was very proud of our players and very happy for our team and our franchise and our ownership, and I’ll always cherish those memories. There isn’t any a question about that.

“The New England Patriots were a team that had gone through the regular season undefeated, which is a feat that is very, very, very rare indeed, and they deserve credit for that. That’s the extent of it for me. I’m trying to live in the moment.”

___

AP Sports Writer Tom Canavan in East Rutherford, N.J., contributed to this story.

Posted: 12:00 AM

BY JIMMY GOLEN
AP Sports Writer

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Hanging from the steel framework at the home of the New England Patriots is a banner unlike any other in the NFL, one that commemorates their 16-0 record in the 2007 regular season.

Perfection.

Almost.

The Patriots won every game that season and the first two in the playoffs as well, giving them a chance to be the first NFL team to finish the year 19-0. But their quest for perfection disintegrated — along with their hopes for a fourth title in seven years — when they ran into the New York Giants in the Super Bowl .

“We’ve won them, we’ve lost them, but they’re all in the past; they’re in the books,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “Whatever happened or didn’t happen, can’t change it, it’s part of history. Right now I’m focused on getting ready for this week’s game. That’s the way it is every week: focus on the week that we’re playing, not what happened in the past.”

The Giants and Patriots will play again Sunday — the first time they’ve met in a game that counts since New York won the Super Bowl 17-14 with two fourth-quarter touchdowns, including the one by Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left set up by David Tyree’s acrobatic catch. Although the teams have different emotions about that game, they agree the 2007 season and the ’08 Super Bowl are too far in the past to help them plan for this weekend.

“If we were still living in the shadow of 2007, then that’s one of our greatest downfalls,” defensive lineman Justin Tuck said. “We have to move on. … Obviously, 2007 was a great year in all of our careers, but that’s not going to help us going there this year. A lot of guys are back from those two teams and a lot of guys are gone.

“The better team this year is going to win the football game, not the better team in ’07.”

There are only 14 players left from the Super Bowl on the Giants now; for New England, it’s just seven. But some of the big names remain, including quarterbacks Tom Brady and Eli Manning.

“That’s a distant memory,” Brady said. “This is an entirely different team that we have and that they have. … We’ve played them in the preseason this year and that probably gives us a little more of an understanding of what they do then the game a few years ago.”

The Giants (5-2) and Patriots (5-2) both have impressive records — and still plenty of reason to doubt they are on the right track.

The Patriots lost to Pittsburgh on Sunday in a game that further exposed their NFL-worst defense, and showed what happens when the offense isn’t able to carry the team. Brady threw for a season-low 198 yards against a team he had dominated, and he was strip-sacked at the end of the game for a safety that cost the Patriots their remote chance at a comeback.

New York barely slipped by winless Miami last week, getting a touchdown pass from Manning to Victor Cruz with just under 6 minutes left to take the lead. Two key offensive players, running back Ahmad Bradshaw and wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, are banged-up and might not play.

Next up for New York after New England: San Francisco, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Green Bay, a stretch that is likely to determine whether the Giants make the playoffs for the second time since their Super Bowl win.

“It’s been a few years, so obviously now we’re more focused on trying to get back to those circumstances,” Manning said. “Our focus is on this week’s game and getting ready for the Patriots.”

The Giants may have been the ones that stood in New England’s way four years ago, but they were also the ones that made the 16-0 banner possible by losing to the Patriots on the final weekend of the regular season, 38-35.

They made up for it in the title game.

Coach Tom Coughlin doesn’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about it — not even this week.

“It seems like a long time ago,” he said. “I certainly was very proud of our players and very happy for our team and our franchise and our ownership, and I’ll always cherish those memories. There isn’t any a question about that.

“The New England Patriots were a team that had gone through the regular season undefeated, which is a feat that is very, very, very rare indeed, and they deserve credit for that. That’s the extent of it for me. I’m trying to live in the moment.”

——

AP Sports Writer Tom Canavan in East Rutherford, N.J., contributed to this story.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Hanging from the steel framework at the home of the New England Patriots is a banner unlike any other in the NFL, one that commemorates their 16-0 record in the 2007 regular season.

Perfection.

Almost.

The Patriots won every game that season and the first two in the playoffs as well, giving them a chance to be the first NFL team to finish the year 19-0. But their quest for perfection disintegrated — along with their hopes for a fourth title in seven years — when they ran into the New York Giants in the Super Bowl .

“We’ve won them, we’ve lost them, but they’re all in the past; they’re in the books,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “Whatever happened or didn’t happen, can’t change it, it’s part of history. Right now I’m focused on getting ready for this week’s game. That’s the way it is every week: focus on the week that we’re playing, not what happened in the past.”

The Giants and Patriots will play again Sunday — the first time they’ve met in a game that counts since New York won the Super Bowl 17-14 with two fourth-quarter touchdowns, including the one by Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left set up by David Tyree’s acrobatic catch. Although the teams have different emotions about that game, they agree the 2007 season and the ’08 Super Bowl are too far in the past to help them plan for this weekend.

“If we were still living in the shadow of 2007, then that’s one of our greatest downfalls,” defensive lineman Justin Tuck said. “We have to move on. … Obviously, 2007 was a great year in all of our careers, but that’s not going to help us going there this year. A lot of guys are back from those two teams and a lot of guys are gone.

“The better team this year is going to win the football game, not the better team in ’07.”

There are only 14 players left from the Super Bowl on the Giants now; for New England, it’s just seven. But some of the big names remain, including quarterbacks Tom Brady and Eli Manning.

“That’s a distant memory,” Brady said. “This is an entirely different team that we have and that they have. … We’ve played them in the pre-season this year and that probably gives us a little more of an understanding of what they do then the game a few years ago.”

The Giants (5-2) and Patriots (5-2) both have impressive records — and still plenty of reason to doubt they are on the right track.

The Patriots lost to Pittsburgh on Sunday in a game that further exposed their NFL-worst defence, and showed what happens when the offence isn’t able to carry the team. Brady threw for a season-low 198 yards against a team he had dominated, and he was strip-sacked at the end of the game for a safety that cost the Patriots their remote chance at a comeback.

New York barely slipped by winless Miami last week, getting a touchdown pass from Manning to Victor Cruz with just under 6 minutes left to take the lead. Two key offensive players, running back Ahmad Bradshaw and wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, are banged-up and might not play.

Next up for New York after New England: San Francisco, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Green Bay, a stretch that is likely to determine whether the Giants make the playoffs for the second time since their Super Bowl win.

“It’s been a few years, so obviously now we’re more focused on trying to get back to those circumstances,” Manning said. “Our focus is on this week’s game and getting ready for the Patriots.”

The Giants may have been the ones that stood in New England’s way four years ago, but they were also the ones that made the 16-0 banner possible by losing to the Patriots on the final weekend of the regular season, 38-35.

They made up for it in the title game.

Coach Tom Coughlin doesn’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about it — not even this week.

“It seems like a long time ago,” he said. “I certainly was very proud of our players and very happy for our team and our franchise and our ownership, and I’ll always cherish those memories. There isn’t any a question about that.

“The New England Patriots were a team that had gone through the regular season undefeated, which is a feat that is very, very, very rare indeed, and they deserve credit for that. That’s the extent of it for me. I’m trying to live in the moment.”

___

AP Sports Writer Tom Canavan in East Rutherford, N.J., contributed to this story.

Patriots hope ’08 Super Bowl loss to giants behind them

By Jimmy Golen / Associated Press

FOXBOROUGH – Hanging from the steel framework at the home of the New England Patriots is a banner unlike any other in the NFL, one that commemorates their 16-0 record in the 2007 regular season.

Perfection.

Almost.

The Patriots won every game that season and the first two in the playoffs as well, giving them a chance to be the first NFL team to finish the year 19-0. But their quest for perfection disintegrated — along with their hopes for a fourth title in seven years — when they ran into the New York Giants in the Super Bowl .

“We’ve won them, we’ve lost them, but they’re all in the past; they’re in the books,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “Whatever happened or didn’t happen, can’t change it, it’s part of history. Right now I’m focused on getting ready for this week’s game. That’s the way it is every week: focus on the week that we’re playing, not what happened in the past.”

The Giants and Patriots will play again Sunday — the first time they’ve met in a game that counts since New York won the Super Bowl 17-14 with two fourth-quarter touchdowns, including the one by Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left set up by David Tyree’s acrobatic catch. Although the teams have different emotions about that game, they agree the 2007 season and the ’08 Super Bowl are too far in the past to help them plan for this weekend.

“If we were still living in the shadow of 2007, then that’s one of our greatest downfalls,” defensive lineman Justin Tuck said. “We have to move on. … Obviously, 2007 was a great year in all of our careers, but that’s not going to help us going there this year. A lot of guys are back from those two teams and a lot of guys are gone.

“The better team this year is going to win the football game, not the better team in “07.”

There are only 14 players left from the Super Bowl on the Giants now; for New England, it’s just seven. But some of the big names remain, including quarterbacks Tom Brady and Eli Manning.

“That’s a distant memory,” Brady said. “This is an entirely different team that we have and that they have. … We’ve played them in the preseason this year and that probably gives us a little more of an understanding of what they do then the game a few years ago.”

The Giants (5-2) and Patriots (5-2) both have impressive records — and still plenty of reason to doubt they are on the right track.

The Patriots lost to Pittsburgh on Sunday in a game that further exposed their NFL-worst defense, and showed what happens when the offense isn’t able to carry the team. Brady threw for a season-low 198 yards against a team he had dominated, and he was strip-sacked at the end of the game for a safety that cost the Patriots their remote chance at a comeback.

New York barely slipped by winless Miami last week, getting a touchdown pass from Manning to Victor Cruz with just under 6 minutes left to take the lead. Two key offensive players, running back Ahmad Bradshaw and wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, are banged-up and might not play.

Next up for New York after New England: San Francisco, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Green Bay, a stretch that is likely to determine whether the Giants make the playoffs for the second time since their Super Bowl win.

“It’s been a few years, so obviously now we’re more focused on trying to get back to those circumstances,” Manning said. “Our focus is on this week’s game and getting ready for the Patriots.”

The Giants may have been the ones that stood in New England’s way four years ago, but they were also the ones that made the 16-0 banner possible by losing to the Patriots on the final weekend of the regular season, 38-35.

They made up for it in the title game.

Coach Tom Coughlin doesn’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about it — not even this week.

“It seems like a long time ago,” he said. “I certainly was very proud of our players and very happy for our team and our franchise and our ownership, and I’ll always cherish those memories. There isn’t any a question about that.

“The New England Patriots were a team that had gone through the regular season undefeated, which is a feat that is very, very, very rare indeed, and they deserve credit for that. That’s the extent of it for me. I’m trying to live in the moment.”

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(Sports Network) – When the New York Giants and New England Patriots take the
field Sunday at Gillette Stadium in one of the marquee matchups of this week’s
NFL schedule, the game will serve as an opportunity for one quarterback to back
up a headline-grabbing statement and one team to gain retribution for a
memorable loss it’s waited four years to avenge.

Though this Week 9 showdown certainly carries plenty of significance for the
two participants, both of whom currently sit at the top of their respective
divisions, the stakes still won’t nearly be as high as the last time the Giants
and Patriots squared off in a meaningful contest. That took place at Arizona’s
University of Phoenix Stadium in February of 2008, when New York spoiled New
England’s attempt at an unprecedented 19-0 season by rallying for a thrilling
17-14 victory in Super Bowl XLII.

The Patriots’ chance at revenge still isn’t the primary storyline of this key
clash, however. Instead, most viewers will be focused on the two quarterbacks
that will be leading their offenses on Sunday, thanks to some comments made by
Giants signal-caller Eli Manning during the preseason that drew a flurry of
attention and debate.

Manning created a small controversy by stating in a radio interview over the
summer he considered himself in the same class as New England counterpart Tom
Brady, a player who’s garnered six Pro Bowl citations, three Super Bowl titles
and two NFL Most Valuable Player Awards during his glorious career.

Though New York’s triggerman doesn’t possess that amount of accolades, he was
able to get the better of Brady in their most recent head-to-head encounter.
Manning helped the Giants pull off the upset in Super Bowl XLII by engineering
a long touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter, highlighted by an
unforgettable third-down play in which he eluded a heavy rush and connected
with David Tyree for an improbable 32-yard completion, and was named the game’s
MVP.

Manning has actually compared favorably with Brady through the first eight
weeks of this season. The former No. 1 overall draft pick has produced a
career-best 102.1 passer rating during New York’s 5-2 start, which trails only
the Patriots’ star and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers for tops in the league in that
category.

While that individual battle has brought some additional intrigue to this
already compelling tilt, Manning said his goal this week won’t be to prove he
belongs in the league’s upper echelon of quarterbacks.

“I think when you go against New England, that’s all I’m thinking about,” he
stated this week. “They’re always a talented team, always a team that finds
ways to win games, whether it’s through their offense or defense. We understand
that we have to play solid football.

“I’m focused on this game, this team and what we have to do this week.”

Likewise, the Patriots’ goal this week won’t be getting payback for that
stinging Super Bowl defeat. New England is presently engaged in a three-team
fight for AFC East supremacy, with the defending division champions tied with
surprising Buffalo for the top spot, and returns home off its worst outing of
the season after being stymied by Pittsburgh in a 25-17 loss last Sunday.

“That’s a distant memory,” said Brady of the Patriots’ last skirmish with the
Giants. There’s not much you can take from that. This is an entirely different
team that we have and that they have. There are so many players on our team
that were obviously not a part of that game, or any game against the Giants.”

New England’s powerful offense was held to 213 total yards by the Steelers,
less than half of its season average coming into the game.

Coming back to Gillette Stadium could help the Pats get back on track. New
England owns a 20-game regular-season winning streak at its home venue, and
hasn’t lost there in its last 31 non-playoff tests in which Brady has started.

The Giants have opened up a two-game advantage in the NFC East by winning their
last two games, including this past week’s 20-17 triumph over stumbling Miami
in which Manning threw for 349 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

SERIES HISTORY

The Patriots hold a 5-3 edge in their overall regular-season series with New
York and have bested the Giants four straight times in games not involving the
postseason. The teams also faced one another in the 2007 regular-season finale,
with New England capping a 16-0 campaign with a hard-earned 38-35 victory at
Giants Stadium. New York has left with defeats in its last two trips to
Foxborough, which occurred in 1999 and 2003, and hasn’t topped the Pats in the
regular season since a 13-10 road decision on Dec. 30, 1990.

New York’s comeback win in Super Bowl XLII stands as the only postseason
meeting between the clubs.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who served 12 years as a Giants assistant
from 1979-90, is 2-3 against his former employer for his career and 2-1 during
his tenure in New England. His first two losses to New York came while the head
coach of the Cleveland Browns from 1991-95.

The Giants’ Tom Coughlin has a 2-4 record versus New England as a head coach,
including a 1-3 mark during his time in charge of Jacksonville from 1995-2002
that contains a win over the Pats in a 1998 AFC First-Round Playoff and a loss
in the 1996 AFC Championship. Coughlin is 3-1 lifetime in head-to-head bouts
with Belichick, with the first two victories coming for his Jaguars against the
Browns in 1995.

Belichick and Coughlin also worked together for three years (1988-90) on Bill
Parcells’ staff with the Giants, with the former then the defensive coordinator
and the latter the team’s wide receivers coach.

WHEN THE GIANTS HAVE THE BALL

Manning (2127 passing yards, 13 TD, 5 INT) is in the midst of the best season
of his eight-year career, with the formerly-erratic quarterback having
completed a personal-high 64.7 percent of his throws and ranking second only to
Rodgers in yards per attempt (8.8), and he’s also drastically cut down his
turnovers one year after leading the league with 25 interceptions. The Giants
have needed him to step up and shine as well, since a running game that was
once an integral part of the team’s offense has been close to non-existent this
season. New York has generated the third-fewest rushing yards (85.6 ypg) in the
NFL and was held to just 58 yards on the ground by the Dolphins last week, and
top back Ahmad Bradshaw (440 rushing yards, 24 receptions, 6 total TD) is
dealing with a possible stress fracture in his foot that could sideline him on
Sunday. The Giants do have a two-time 1,000-yard rusher in reserve in Brandon
Jacobs (126 rushing yards, 3 total TD), but the unhappy veteran is averaging a
meager 3.0 yards per carry on the year. Manning’s No. 1 target, wide receiver
Hakeem Nicks (38 receptions, 575 yards, 3 TD), has also been bothered by a
hamstring injury, though he’s tentatively believed to play this week. If he’s
unable to go, New York does have some outside depth in the young combo of
Victor Cruz (28 receptions, 497 yards, 4 TD) and Mario Manningham (24
receptions, 1 TD), who combined for 13 catches, 162 yards and two touchdowns
against Miami, and oversized tight end Jake Ballard (19 receptions, 2 TD) has
also made contributions to the club’s fourth-ranked aerial attack (287.6 ypg).

The Giants figure to take to the air early and often come Sunday, considering
the game has the makings of being high-scoring and the Patriots have been
dreadful in preventing enemy passers from piling up yards at will. A secondary
littered with marginal talents other than cornerback Devin McCourty (49
tackles) and safety Patrick Chung (50 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) has permitted a
league-worst 323.1 passing yards per game, and all but one quarterback the team
has faced this year has eclipsed the 300-yard mark. Pittsburgh’s Ben
Roethlisberger torched the group for 365 yards and two scores a week ago. New
England did register a season-high five sacks in the loss, including two by
veteran end Andre Carter (28 tackles, 4.5 sacks), and both he and situational
rusher Mark Anderson (10 tackles, 4.5 sacks) will be counted on to bring the
heat upon Manning. The Patriots are in the top 10 in run defense (101.0 ypg),
though that’s partly because they’ve been thrown on so much, but do possess
three proven stoppers up front in three-time Pro Bowl tackle Vince Wilfork (19
tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 INT) and linebackers Brandon Spikes (39 tackles) and
Jerod Mayo (27 tackles), who returned last week from a two-game absence caused
by a knee sprain.

WHEN THE PATRIOTS HAVE THE BALL

Despite being held in check by Pittsburgh’s formidable defense last week, the
Patriots still boast one of the NFL’s most potent and dangerous offenses that
tops the league in first downs (25.7 avg.), stands second in passing yards
(324.7 ypg), third in total yards (437.1 ypg) and fourth in third-down
conversions (50.6 pct.). The key to it all is obviously Brady (2361 passing
yards, 18 TD, 8 INT), who’s enjoying another stellar season even though he’s
had twice as many interceptions as he did during his MVP campaign of 2010. The
standout quarterback has four quality options to throw to, led by prolific slot
receiver Wes Welker (57 receptions, 824 yards, 6 TD), the league’s leader in
both catches and receiving yards per game. Former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch
(30 receptions, 3 TD) provides a reliable outside presence to the mix, while
second-year tight ends Rob Gronkowski (36 receptions, 495 yards, 5 TD) and
Aaron Hernandez (29 receptions, 4 TD) are both lethal inside the red zone and
often Brady’s preferred choices in that area. New England also has an
interesting collection of running backs, with leading rusher BenJarvus Green-
Ellis (400 rushing yards, 5 TD) a physical and sure-handed performer between
the tackles and 13-year vet Kevin Faulk now back from an ACL tear to reprise
his longtime role as the team’s third-down specialist.

Brady and his cast of receivers will be taking on a New York defense that’s
played quite well against the pass in recent weeks, albeit the Pats do
represent a step up in class. The Giants have yielded just four touchdowns
through the air and bagged eight interceptions over their last five games, with
cornerbacks Corey Webster (26 tackles, 3 INT, 9 PD) and Aaron Ross (24 tackles,
3 INT, 8 PD) each recording three picks during that stretch, and allowed a
scant 101 net passing yards to Miami’s anemic offense last Sunday. The duo is
backed by an excellent pass rush that’s amassed a league-best 26 sacks thus far
and is now at full strength now that valued end Justin Tuck (7 tackles, 2
sacks) is over neck and groin injuries that have limited him to three games.
The 2010 All-Pro honoree teams with two-time Pro Bowler Osi Umenyiora (12
tackles, 6 sacks) and second-year phenom Jason Pierre-Paul (35 tackles, 8.5
sacks) to give New York an outstanding collection of pressure-creators.
Umenyiora has racked up six sacks in just four games since returning from
early-season knee surgery. The Giants haven’t fared well in containing the run,
however, having allowed at least 145 yards on the ground in five straight
outings and owning an unwanted 28th overall ranking in rush defense (130.1
ypg).

KEYS TO THE GAME

Control the clock. The Steelers may have revealed the blueprint for keeping New
England’s high-powered offense at bay last week, as Pittsburgh held the ball
for over 39 minutes by mixing Roethlisberger’s efficient passing with an
effective running game. Dallas utilized a similar approach two weeks prior in
its near-upset of the Patriots, with the Cowboys also owning a sizeable edge in
time of possession. New England may actually benefit from employing that
philosophy as well when factoring in New York’s struggles in stopping the run
and its own deficiencies on the defensive side.

Pressuring the quarterbacks. Brady has been sacked 10 times over New England’s
past three games and the offense experienced a noticeable drop-off against both
the Cowboys and Steelers because both teams were able to continually harass the
reigning league MVP. The Giants certainly have the pass rushers in place to
make an impact as well. It’s also important for the Patriots to create pressure
on Manning, as New York isn’t much of a threat running the ball and the durable
field general is capable of shredding New England’s shaky secondary if he isn’t
under duress.

The fourth quarter. This could very well be a game that’s decided by which team
has the ball last. Manning has been marvelous in the final period this season,
having thrown for six touchdowns and earning an NFL-leading 119.3 passer
rating, while Brady has orchestrated 24 fourth-quarter comebacks over his
decorated career and is considered one of the all-time greats with the game on
the line.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

This Super Bowl rematch may turn out more like the 2007 regular-season meeting
between these teams, an all-out shootout in which Brady and Manning combined
for over 600 yards and six touchdowns, as opposed to the defensively-oriented
nail-biter that took place in Arizona. Both quarterbacks will have their
moments, as will a Giants defense that has the potential to disrupt New
England’s aerial assault with its pressure. The offenses should have their say
in the end, however. If that’s indeed the case, the Patriots’ better balance on
that side of the ball and sustained success at home could be the determining
factors in a hard-fought contest that won’t have a shortage of thrills.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Patriots 35, Giants 31

The Sports Network

FOXBORO (CBS) -The New England Patriots secondary has been under fire all season long and for good reason: The Pats have the worst pass defense in the NFL.

But the players are only part of the blame.  Bill Belichick has shuffled so many players in and out of positions, it’s hard for any of the players to get a rhythm together.

Felger & Mazz: Is It Time To Start Questioning Bill?

Devin McCourty says continuity has to start in practice.

“You just keep playing,” said the second-year corner. “Just because you don’t always see guys on the game field, guys have been out here practicing and got those reps out on the practice field. When you’re in the meeting room, we’re communicating with guys and that’s where you try to build that trust, and that communication on the field, in meeting rooms and walkthroughs.”

Read: Levan Reid’s Patriots Blog

McCourty says they are getting better and they have to bring their “A” game to take on Eli Manning and the Giants on Sunday. Eli is quietly having a good season and the McCourty knows the younger Manning is going to test their secondary.

“I think he’s a guy who makes a lot of throws on the field, and when you watch their offense, they are never really in a bad situation,” he said. “He’s a smart quarterback that is able to check them into good situations, good plays, against whatever he sees out there on the field. As a team, you have to be ready to play all-around; with the run game… and then they have a bunch of good receivers that can make plays.”

Tune in to the Patriots-Giants game on 98.5 The Sports Hub Sunday at 4:15pm. Pregame coverage kicks on WBZ-TV at 11:30am with Patriots Gameday, with the Hub’s coverage beginning at 1pm. After the game, tune in to the Hub for the Patriots Postgame show, and to MY TV38 for Patriots Fifth Quarter.

Steelers respectful but not in awe of Patriots

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

By WILL GRAVES

AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) Brett Keisel’s short-term memory is a little hazy. Actually, his long-term memory is clouded, too, at least when it comes to the New England Patriots.

The Pittsburgh defensive end isn’t quite sure how many times Tom Brady has beaten the defending AFC champions.

Is it four? Five? All Keisel knows is, whatever the number is – six, actually – it’s too many. He also knows he’s not dwelling on it heading into their showdown Sunday at Heinz Field.

“I really haven’t thought about what they’ve done in the past, honestly,” Keisel said.

Good idea.

The Steelers have won 129 games (including a pair of Super Bowls) since Brady took over as the Patriots’ starting quarterback in 2001. Only one of those victories came against the two-time MVP.

Does that mean New England is in the Steelers’ heads? Keisel has the ultimate respect for the Patriots, but he’s not ready to go there.

“If they feel good about themselves for beating us back in whenever, and it’s an advantage for them, so be it,” Keisel said.

The Patriots haven’t just beaten the Steelers through the years, however, they’ve dominated.

New England’s average margin of victory against Pittsburgh since 2001 is 12.3 points with only one game decided by fewer than seven points.

Impressive, to be sure.

Also, the Steelers point out, irrelevant.

“The amazing thing is none of that counts,” safety Ryan Clark said. “They clearly have no reason to be afraid of us, but neither do we.”

Maybe, though the Steelers (5-2) are well aware they’ve played second fiddle to the Patriots (5-1) over the last decade in which the two organizations combined to win half the Super Bowls and seven AFC titles.

“That’s how it always is,” linebacker LaMarr Woodley said. “They’ve got a great organization, great coaches, great players. Last time I checked, we were pretty good, too.”

Just not good enough to beat Brady.

The Steelers insist there’s no secret formula to beating Brady. Put pressure on him, disrupt his timing and try to put him on the ground.

“If I knew the reason why they’ve beaten us more than we’ve beaten them, we wouldn’t have that problem anymore,” nose tackle Casey Hampton said. “So, we’ve just got to go out there and do what we do.”

And just do it better than they’ve done it in the past even if Brady seems immune to whatever schemes the Steelers throw at him. If they blitz, he finds the hot receiver. If they drop back and give him time, he picks them apart.

Brady’s numbers against the Steelers seem as if they’ve come out of a video game. He has racked up 2,008 yards passing with 14 touchdowns against three interceptions against Pittsburgh, remarkable statistics against any team, mind-blowing considering the Steelers annually rank among the league’s top defenses.

This year is no different. The Steelers are third in the league in average yards against and first against the pass.

Yet Brady is in a different league than the likes of Curtis Painter, Blaine Gabbert and Tarvaris Jackson, and the Steelers know it.

New England has beaten the Steelers in a variety of ways. Early in Brady’s career the Patriots relied on the defense and running game. Now coach Bill Belichick lets his quarterback throw it all over the field.

Whatever button the Patriots push works. That’s typically not the way it goes when teams face the Steelers.

“You see them one week and they do this, then the next week they do something completely different,” Clark said. “One week it’s five receivers and the next it’s two tight ends.”

And sometimes it’s both in the same game.

The Patriots slogged to a 10-3 halftime lead a year ago only to pull away for a 39-26 victory, with Brady throwing for 350 yards and three scores.

“We scored points and our defense played pretty good but it was like something that was missing, like we were trying but we just couldn’t get there,” Steelers receiver Mike Wallace said. “You always going to keep that in the back of your head that you have to beat this team because of what happened.”

If the Steelers need advice on how to turn things around, they need only look within their own locker room.

Wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery spent seven seasons in New York before signing with Pittsburgh during training camp.

The Patriots whipped the Jets regularly early in Cotchery’s career before New York evened things out over the last three seasons. The Jets went 4-3 against New England from 2008-10, including an upset victory last season in the divisional playoffs that served as an exclamation point in one of the AFC’s most heated rivalries.

How did the Jets go from patsies to Pats-beaters? Cotchery says it started with an attitude adjustment. Former Jets coach Eric Mangini – a longtime New England assistant – gave his players the belief they could hang with New England.

Rex Ryan, Mangini’s replacement, took it a step further by telling the team to ignore New England’s star power and just hit the delete button.

It’s a lesson Keisel is already following. Cotchery thinks it would be wise for the rest of his new teammates to follow suit.

“You just have to play ball, you don’t play history,” he said. “It’s not Steelers versus history. It’s Steelers vs. Patriots.”

Updated October 27, 2011

Since the foundation of the New England Patriots—formerly the Boston Patriots—in 1960, the franchise has provided exciting football action within the lines.

Included in that long history are several game-winning moments, by running backs, receivers, quarterbacks, kickers and defensive players. Here is a look at five of the greatest game-winning moments in Patriots history.

5. Otis Smith seals the AFC title

Patriots cornerback Otis Smith sealed the 1996 AFC Championship Game by picking up a fumble and rumbling for 45 yards, putting the Patriots ahead 20-6. The score put the game out of reach for Jacksonville, earning the Patriots second Super Bowl appearance with a spot in XXXVI.

4. Bledsoe airs it out

With Minnesota leading the Patriots 20-0 in the second quarter, New England turned to second-year quarterback Drew Bledsoe to air it out. Bledsoe set single game records with 70 pass attempts and 45 completed passes, helping the Patriots get back into the game. He hit Ray Crittenden and Leroy Thompson with second-half touchdown passes, and set up a game-tying field goal by Matt Bahr. In overtime, Bledsoe connected with Kevin Turner in the back of the end zone for a 14 yard touchdown to complete the comeback with a 26-20 win.

3. The Snow Plow Game

On December 12, 1982, the Patriots edged Miami 3-0. The score itself may not be so memorable, but what was is that Patriot coach Ron Meyer ordered the area cleaned by a snowplow. In came Mark Henderson, a work release convict, who cleared a path for John Smith’s attempt.

2. Down the middle

The Patriots got the ball with 1:21 left on the clock at their own 17 yard line at the end of Super Bowl XXXVI. Quarterback Tom Brady(notes) marched the team down the field, connecting on key passes to J.R. Redmond, Troy Brown and Jermaine Wiggins. With seven seconds left, Brady spiked the ball and in came Adam Vinateri, who split the uprights to give the Patriots an improbable championship, 20-17.

1. Vinatieri boots a pair in the snow

Adam Vinatieri(notes) kicked what many call the greatest field goal in NFL history, and added the game winner in what was one of the most exciting games in team history. Moments after the “Tuck Rule ” was learned by football fans across the nation, Vinatieri kicked the game-tying field goal, a 45-yarder throguh the snow, referred by many as the greatest kick in NFL history. The Patriots got the ball in overtime and again turned to Vinatieri, who again booted it through the uprights for the 16-13 victory.

Sources:

“Otis Smith Retires A Patriot,” Patriots.com

Lisa Altobelli, “The Pats’ Naughty Snowplow,” Sports Illustrated

Pro-football Reference

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski spent some time with porn star Bibi Jones during his bye week this week.

Jones tweeted two pictures with the Pats star yesterday.

“Getting hyped with @RobGronkowski ” she tweeted with this picture:

Some fans and media members get all in a tizzy whenever a football player does something non-football related during his bye week. 

But relative to going on vacation and hitting the clubs at all hours, this is fairly benign.

(story via Larry Brown Sports)

FOXBORO (CBS) – With the New England Patriots on a mini-vacation for their Bye Week, the WBZ-TV Sports team is breaking down the season so far.

Dan Roche and Levan Reid start with the Patriots offense, one of the best attacks in the NFL through six weeks.

It all starts with quarterback Tom Brady. If he’s not putting up 400+ passing yards per game, Brady is leading the team on a fourth quarter comeback. But the offense has evolved a bit over the last few weeks. What are the Patriots doing differently, something that separates them from their offensive attack from 2010?

Dan and Levan Talk Patriots Offense

As for Brady’s targets, who does the offense revolve around? Wes Welker is leading the NFL in receptions and receiving yards, but Roche and Reid say the offense runs through their two young tight ends; Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski.

Read: Levan Reid’s Patriots Blog

Gronk may get the touchdowns, but Hernandez is a “nightmare” matchup for opposing defenses. Brady targeted Hernandez 14 times against the Cowboys, and another nine times against the Jets (with a leg injury). In those two games, Hernandez has a total of 13 catches for 124 yards and a touchdown.

Read: Brady Lands On Most Influential Men of 2011 List

Then there is the offensive line. After losing starting center Dan Koppen in the first game of the season, and Sebastian Vollmer’s back keeping him out of all but one game, the offensive line has actually done a solid job protecting Brady. The Patriots have gotten major contributions from the likes of Brian Waters and rookie Nate Solder, and allowed just 11 sacks so far (seven coming the last two weeks against the Jets and Cowboys).

So far, it seems liken everything is clicking for the Patriots offense. Except Chad Ochocinco of course…

BOSTON (CBS) – The New England Patriots defense was not perfect on Sunday, but they showed vast improvements from the first four games of the season.

“We had our moments,” said head coach Bill Belichick after their 31-20 win over the Jets. “We had some three-and-outs. We didn’t play very well in the red area and we still gave up 21 points, but it was enough to win. Certainly, there are things we can improve on, but I think we have improved and hopefully we keep building on that and continue to get better each week.”

“I think we stepped up big today,” nose tackle Vince Wilfork said after the victory. “I think every week we’ve been getting better and better. Today was a good day to get back on track. I think a lot of guys took it upon themselves to go out and make plays and be in the right position without giving up big plays. I am very proud of the defense.”

Read: Pats-Jets Highs and Lows

For the first time this season the Patriots defense allowed less than 400 total yards for the game, holding the Jets to just 255 yards. Quarterback Mark Sanchez totaled just 166 yards through the air, with the Jets run-attacked grounded at just 97 yards.

The Patriots forced the Jets into seven three-and-outs in 12 of their possessions; something the defense took a lot of pride in after the win.

“You know, every time we did it, and the offense went out, and then we went right back on the field. I just remember guys saying to each other ‘Hey let’s do it again.’ Because we knew eventually our offense was going to get back on track and put some points up,” said Wilfork, who had two tackles on the afternoon.

“It was really big and it is one of the things we really harp on in practice and putting us in the position to getting us off the field after third down,’ said defensive end Mark Anderson, who had 1.5 sacks against New York. “We executed the game plan well stopping them on first and second down and putting them into a position of third and long, we then put the pressure on the quarterback and the defensive backs playing bump and cover which gave us a chance to make plays.”

Andre Carter Talks Pats D On Sports Final

The Jets did not get a first down until 10:27 remaining in the second quarter.

The Patriots defense also kept big plays out of the equation, with New York’s longest strike of the afternoon a 22-yard connection between Mark Sanchez and Jeremy Kerley in the fourth quarter. Sanchez and Santonio Holmes also hooked up on a 21-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, making it 27-21 New England.

Read: Rex Ryan: Patriots “The Better Team Right Now”

Along with an 88-yard kick return in the third, those were the only big plays New England allowed. The longest rushing play they gave up was nine yards.

While it was not perfect, the Patriots definitely see improvement.

“This was definitely our best game and now we have to continue to get better,” said Andre Carter, who pressured Sanchez every chance he got. “Unfortunately the Jets had a long drive in the second quarter and that is unacceptable on my part, but overall this was a stepping-stone and we will just have to continue to get better.”

One area they hope to improve on is pressure on the quarterback. While Sanchez was harassed at some points of the game, he remained relatively untouched at others. The Pats registered just two sacks and five quarterback hits.

“We got a little pressure, but I definitely want to improve on that so we can hit the quarterback more,” said defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth, who returned after missing the last two weeks with a bad back. “I think we let (Sanchez) loose too many times. My goal is to, anytime he’s going to throw the ball, at least 50-percent he’s got to be on the ground after throwing the ball.”

“We’re trying to improve every week and we’ve been seeing it,” Haynesworth continued. “Guys are flying around in practice, making plays in practice. We’re working hard, getting better and that’s when you’ll see improvement.”

“Is everything perfect? No. There are a lot of things we could better but I think the penalties are down, [and] we aren’t giving up big plays,” said Wilfork. “We have to continue to grow. We definitively have to continue to grow, continue to get better, but I think we definitely did a good job tonight.”

BOSTON (CBS) – The CBSBoston sports team makes their predictions for the New England Patriots trip out west to take on the Oakland Raiders.

Andy Gresh, 98.5 The Sports Hub

Obviously the Patriots  have to do a good job up front against the Raiders and make sure the run game doesn’t get going. I envision a little bit of the San Diego game plan where they kept everything in front of them, and the Charger’s run game didn’t really get on track.

The one thing the Patriots have to do very well is tackle. This is a week where they are going against bigger running backs and faster guys. If the first guy misses the tackle, which is a little bit of what happened in Buffalo, then they’re going to have a problem and give up a lot of extra yards.

But, the Seymour/Mankins matchup is the one to watch. Can Mankins or Brian Waters make sure that Richard Seymour doesn’t consistently push the pocket so Tom Brady doesn’t have a place to step up. They handle all that they’re going to win the game.

Prediction: Patriots 31-30

Scott Zolak, 98.5 The Sports Hub

Oakland is a team New England is very unfamiliar with since they haven’t played them since 2008.

I think the most intriguing matchup here is going to be Logan Mankins versus Richard Seymour. All talk is going to be about Richard Seymour.

The Pats need to go out there and survive that first wave, since the Raiders have two quality backs in Michael Bush and McFadden. McFadden runs up and down like Eric Dickerson (he’s a hall of famer from back in the day for all you youngsters). They have got to hit McFadden nice and low and they’ve got to hit and wrap. I’m concerned with the tackling, with these two safeties they’ve got now and the amount of yards they’re giving up on defense.

I’m not concerned with the offense. Brady and Co. are going to score points, and they’ll probably hit 30.

The question becomes, can they keep Oakland from scoring more than 30? That’s going to be the story of the game.

Prediction: Patriots 31-20

Walt Perkins, WBZ NewsRadio 1030

The Patriots face another up and coming team hungry for a belt notch, much like the Bills’ team that managed to squeak out a pair of 3-point wins against both New England and the Oakland Raiders.

In both cases, the game came down to who had the ball last. Last Sunday, if Patriots cornerback Devon McCourty does not hustle down field for a tackle at the one-yard line and allowed the Bills to score, I have no doubt that Tom Brady would have marched his troops down the field  for the tie with the minute and a half he would have had on the clock.

In the Raiders, the Patriots face one of the best rushing teams in the NFL and the best statistically, averaging 131 yards per game.

Darren McFadden ate up Rex Ryan’s Jets last week to the tune of 171 yards and two touchdowns.

It seems in the NFL, the offense is way ahead of the defense in the early part of the season. Don’t expect that to change Sunday.

The Patriots will be without tight end Aaron Hernandez for the second straight week. Same with OL Sebastain Vollmer and DL Mike Wright. DL Albert Haynesworth was listed as Questionable on Friday’s participation report but he did not practice for the second straight day and usually, if you don’t practice during the week, you don’t play.

However, the team did add DL Gerard Warren and his presence should help up front.

Even without Hernandez, expect Tom Brady to light up the Silver and Black enough to make them the Black and Blue.

The team with the ball last wins. This week, that’s New England.

Steve Burton, WBZ-TV

New England could use a pick-me-up, and a Patriots win would help do just that.

Let’s start with a defense that hasn’t shown up all year. From the secondary that needs to bring it in coverage, to the defensive line that has to, sometime this year, come up with a pass-rush. This week would be the perfect week to do it.

Ochocinco needs to come alive. Run the right routes, and catch the ball.  Be the Ocho we were expecting him to be.

As for Tom Brady, he gets a pass for last week’s four interceptions. But those picks have to go.

I expect Deion Branch, who went without a catch against the Bills, to come up big in Week 4. I’m hoping the Patriots will let Stevan Ridley run wild, since they had little to no rush attack last week. He could be a touchdown waiting to happen.

The Patriots can’t afford to take the Raiders lightly because they can sting you. Just ask the Jets.

Levan Reid, WBZ-TV

I have gone back and forth on this game and finally I have come up with an answer.  The Pats beat the Raiders.

I don’t expect Tom Brady to have another bad game; he’s just too good for that.  Also, I think the Pats run the ball a little more this week, which should slow down the Raiders pass rush.

This game though will come down to the defense.  The Patriots will put as many players in the box to slow Darren McFadden and the Raiders running attack, and that will force Jason Campbell to beat them.  I like Campbell’s conservative play but that won’t win the game against the Patriots.

Pats win this game and come home 3-1 and get ready for two big games versus the Ryan brothers. Rex and the Jets and the Rob Ryan defense and the Cowboys.

Tune in to the Patriots-Raiders game Sunday at 4:15 pm on 98.5 The Sports Hub and WBZ-TV. Tune in to Patriots Gameday at 11:30am on WBZ-TV and The Sports Hub’s pregame coverage, beginning at 1:00 pm. After the game tune in to the Postgame show on 98.5, and to Patriots Fifth Quarter on TV38.