More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP

23 days ago: New England Patriots cornerback Leigh Bodden (23) heads for a touchdown with an interception of a pass intended for New York Jets wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery (89), being blocked by Patriots safety Pat Chung, right, in the first quarter of an NFL football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

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The last time the Pats played the Saints, New England escaped with a 24-17 victory in Foxboro.  This highlight vid from NFL films features a lot of old friends who aren't around anymore: Branch, Vrabel, Wilson, Davis just to name a few.  The Saints look different, too.  No one will mistake Aaron Brooks for Drew Brees, for example.  No rest for the weary -- not this week, anyway. 

Use this space for jibber-jabber, if anyone's up watching the Monday night tilt between Tennessee and Houston.  They hate each other, and are treating us to a glimpse of playoff-level intensity.  Keep an eye on Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson and Mario Williams, as we'll be facing them the last week of the year -- a match that might have implications for playoff seeding.

Got a chance to see this one in person.  We were very far away, but here are some quick hits and general impressions.

First, our offensive line is very banged up.  Vollmer missed four or five series at the end of the first half.  Mark LeVoir filled in for him (and absolutely crushed cornerback Donald Strickland -- you could hear the helmets crack in the upper deck -- if anyone Tivoed it, please post!), but it was clear that we're in dutch if we don't have a healthy Sebastian Vollmer.  Protection suffered.  Dan Connolly started for the injured Stephen Neal.  Nick Kaczur got banged up pretty good late in the game -- his knee I think.  He gutted it out and I was impressed because I don't think he should have been walking on it, much less playing football.  Hopefully he and Matt Light and Vollmer will all be serviceable for the Saints game.

Almost, but not quite, this far away.  Using the field lights at the bottom of the image, count 3 stanchions from the right, then down three rows of seats. They must've known I write for electronic media.

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These two original AFL franchises will meet for the 101st time this week, with the Jest holding a 50-49 advantage; there has been one tie.  The Patriots have played the Jets more than any other team in their thirty-nine year history.  Over that time, emotions around the game have rolled up and down from indifference when either team was irrelevant, to something like sympathy as the formerly moribund Patriots found their way to the 2001 Super Bowl and offered hope that the AFC East might find its way back to the elite.  For myself, however, any hint of fellow-feeling was erased by a 2007 trip to the Meadowlands for opening day.  So let me set this on the table:

I hate the Jets.  I hate the team.  I disdain their fanbase.  I will make no bones about it.  This is nothing like the "hate" I have for the Colts.  The Colts you can respect.  The Steelers, you can respect.  The Jets are beneath contempt.  They are the worst of New York, the dregs of the tri-state area and a blight on the face of the AFC.  In Rex Ryan they have found their apotheosis: a loud-mouthed ass who yaks when he wins, whines when he loses, and generally shows his ample hind-parts every time he goes out in public.  Their fans have no relationship with reality, no sense of propriety and zero class.  If this starts a full-fledged flame way, fine.  I don't care.  Don't blame MaPatsFan, who knows better than me. 

I can compartmentalize, though.  I have much respect for Kris Jenkins (injured).  Leon Washington is a threat (injured).  They have a very serious offensive line, led by Alan Faneca, Jason Ferguson and Nick Mangold (who deserves more credit as a top-shelf center).  But the stink that surrounds this franchise is not the fault of the fens which surround it, but rather the barely animate homunculi which drag themselves from the mire to gibber in brainless orgy at the direction of a scabby inebriate whose single lesson in spelling fails to take hold in the webby, vacant brain-pans of those idiots bound by habit alone to drool on this "franchise" in their borrowed stadium.

So no.  I don't like the Jets very much.

File this under "thank god they kept it in-house."

Noted graphic artist Ken Carbone took a shot at redesigning three of what he felt were the worst graphic designs on NFL helmets.  Number three?  The "Flying Elvis" of your New England Patriots.  Now, I've never been a fan of the new design.  I'm very partial to old Pat Patriot, ready to snap the ball and rip off your face.  But Elvis is so significantly better than what this professional dreamed up that it makes me glad to have him.  Peter Fonda would be quite at home in this, but man!  What a horrible football helmet.  Just horrible.

Follow the link to Fast Company and read the universal panning this design gets in the comments.  (Including some valid insight into what being a patriot means up New England way.)  I can't say that any idea I'd come up with would be an improvement over what we already have, but I goddamnguarantee you that it'd be a huge improvement over this...this...monstrosity.

via Fast Company, KSK

A clear and cold late December afternoon in Baltimore's Memorial Stadium.  The sun struggled all day to bring the temperature above the freezing mark, and by game time the barometer rests around forty -- a fine football day.  The bundled crowds assemble in the face of a light southerly breeze as Johnny Unitas, black high-topped cleats and buzz cut in place, warms up along the sidelines.  Baltimore is in a fight for playoff positioning, trailing Miami by half a game in the standings in the regular season's final week.

The 38-year-old Unitas was nearing the end of an unrivalled career.  He had been dueling for starts with Earl Morrall all season, but there was plenty of gas still in the tank. 

The previous year marked the merger of the upstart AFL with big-brother NFL. The storied Baltimore franchise had been called to play the low-rent league frequently as a member of the new AFC East.  In 1970, they defeated Boston in the first-ever meeting, 27-3, with Unitas throwing 3 touchdowns.  In 1971 the Patriots became "New England," but the early results were much the same.  Baltimore had walked all over the Patriots in brand new Schaffer Stadium back in October, 23-3.  The lone Patriot score was a Charlie Gogolak field goal, courtesy of a 19 yard interception return by Patriots defensive back John Outlaw who picked Earl Morrell in the second quarter.

Here now in December, the 10 - 3 Colts had the Dolphins in their sights and 5 - 8 New England firmly in the rearview.  Across the field from Morrall and Unitas, two kids in their early 20's were stretching for the kickoff: a speedy receiver from Stanford named Randy Vataha and his old college quarterback, rookie Jim Plunkett.

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I normally wouldn't bother to lay out a piece that takes rebuking a pundit as its jumping-off point.  But what's the point of blogging if not to vent your spleen from time to time? 

There's no game so perfect that Dan Shaughnessy won't take a leak on it in an effort to make himself seem relevant.  Sunday's win was no gem, but rather than simply celebrating the beauty of Brady-to-Moss, Shaughnessy can't help but throw a few barbs at Randy, apparently because he doesn't like talking to the press.

He comes off as rude, ridiculous, self-important, and difficult.

Why not take a look in the mirror, Dan?  'Cause that sounds like a sportswriter I know.

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More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

This way to the hospital! Indianapolis Colts safety Bob Sanders is among the several Colts suffering with injury as Indy heads into the meat of its schedule. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)

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Back in early October, New England squeaked out a home win over the Ravens when a Joe Flacco pass bounced harmlessly to the turf off the chest of his receiver.  Looks like the Colts had their Baltimore.

This past Sunday in Indianapolis, Texans' kicker Kris Brown missed a field goal as time wound down.  The miss preserved a Colts' home victory in which Peyton Manning had to engineer yet another late-game scoring drive to overcome a furious Houston rally.  After taking a 13-0 lead early in the second quarter, Indy surredered 17 unanswered points and the lead.  Manning engineered an 8-play 60-yard drive midway through the fourth to go ahead and they survived with Brown's miss to keep their record pure.

Just as New England has hit the serious part of the year, so has Indy -- or what passes for it.  Their early season schedule ranks as the easiest in the AFC and the Colts have treated it accordingly in racking up the wins.  Nevertheless, losses have been suffered.  Indianapolis will play host to New England with many of its most important players holding down the fort in the infirmary.

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More photos » by Stephan Savoia - AP

New England Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski had four field goals in the win over Miami on Sunday. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

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"The inches we need are everywhere around us.
They are in ever break of the game
every minute, every second."

-- Coach Tony D'Amato, "Any Given Sunday"

The inches we need are everywhere sound bite  

Every week, there are plays that waste inches and plays that scoop them up.  Over the course of the game, thousands of variables collide and the outcome of the game could turn on any one of them.  A holding call, an offside penalty.  A broken shoelace, an angle of pursuit just a little too acute.  A pass an inch too slow.

Watching the game, we see these moments go by.  Sometimes you know they're big; often they fade into the background of a great win or a heartbreaking defeat. 

Without question, the most prodigal of inches are penalties -- particularly mental errors that threaten to swing momentum.  When your team commits a gaffe like that, the hero of the moment can be the teammate who grabs those yards back with a great individual effort.  The hero of the moment may not make the cover story, but his colleagues will know the game turned on his timely work. 

Despite some great individual performances by marquee players, this week's moment belongs to Stephen Gostkowski.

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More photos » by Charles Krupa - AP

about 1 month ago: New England Patriots running back Laurence Maroney (39) runs into the end zone for a touchdown during the first quarter of their NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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Big-time divisional tilt, and the Pats performed when they had to.

Miami rolled out a couple of wrinkles to the catPhish this week, and it had an effect.  A second quarter, 5 play, 80 yard touchdown drive had New England running around like a bunch of peewees, and a Joey Haynos reception from Ronnie Brown after what had been a tough goalline stand landed another 7 in the 'Phins ledger.

Pat White momentarily confused the lads, lining up at QB but running the old option (and taking a shot or two for his trouble).  New England was having enough trouble setting the edge that they ultimately moved Big Vince out over stud LT Jake Long.  It worked, sort of, but it didn't help the pass-rush much. 

Speaking of the pass rush, it was still anemic.  We can't seem to get pressure unless we bring a big-blitz.  Pat Chung had one sack and one sick hit that doubtless helped Henne forget a little more of his childhood.

The Patriots, for their part, unveiled a recommitted Laurence Maroney who ran with a will and a punishing style that we've been longing to see.  The line was opening holes and LOMO was finding them. Twice in the fourth quarter we started inside our 15.  On the first series, Maroney and BJGE hammered us out to the 48 before we lost momentum.

That brutalizing was the key to escaping the box on the second deep-startng drive, as the 1st play was a play-action pass to Randy Moss for 17 yards that moved him into 17th all-time in career receiving yards.

Speaking of Mr. Moss, he had a couple of beautiful plays today against surprisingly game rookie corners.  One was a peach of a one-hander down near the goalline -- a 37 yard reception that had us seeing 2007.  The second was a no-soup-for-you special on a crossing route where he stiff-armed the defender and ran away for a 71 yard score.  That TD moved Moss into 6th all-time.  So a good day for Randy.

Henne made a real game of it, as his receivers dropped two catchable balls on Miami's 2nd-to-last possession (stupid penalties reared their ugly head throughout -- a glaring jump on the o-line at the end ruined what should have been a satisfying clock-killer of a drive).

All in all, an uneven day from the boys in blue.  Great to see us running hard (24 for 109).  The run defense was adequate considering the foe, but the defensive backfield got fooled a few times. I'm guessing Joey Porter will be blaming the officials, but I don't think he had a single tackle on the day.  What's wrong J-Peezy?  Nothing to say?

Key Late Games: Nuthin', really, until Pittsburgh and Denver kick off tomorrow at 8:30 (MNF).

Here's a thread for communal jibber-jabber:

More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP

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It's a balmy 66 degrees and sunny at Gillette Stadium today, as your 5-2 New England Patriots prepare to host the 3-4 Miami Dolphins, a fierce intra-division rival who is playing better than its record.  Beer is cold, crowd is hot.