WASHINGTON — Remember back in Week 4, when the Patriots got crushed by Kansas City in prime time? Remember how Tom Brady was old and washed up and how Bill Belichick was even older and overrated?
Me neither. Mainly because New England has only lost once since.
This isn’t like years past, when the Patriots got fat off a cakewalk divisional schedule. New England has truly earned their 12th straight 10-win season, playing in an AFC East with just one losing team — and more impressively, going 6-1 against teams that were either leading or tied for the lead of their divisions at the time of the game.
The Pats aren’t just winning these games, either; they’re dominating, winning those six games by an average 22.2 points.
With Sunday’s win in San Diego, Brady now sports a 46-7 career record in December — along with an unapologetic potty mouth — and Belichick is 52-9.
So yeah — the Patriots are still really good.
It’s hard not to really like New England this year. It appears the Pats have finally remembered they can’t just ride Brady to the promised land. Whether it’s undrafted Jonas Gray, or LeGarrette Blount coming in off the street to carry the load, the Pats’ ground game is finally legit.
Also, the defense is again among the league’s best. They’re in the top 10 in scoring, rank in the top half in yards allowed, and held down productive offenses such as Cincy, Denver and Indy.
The Patriots won three Super Bowls in four years when they ran the ball effectively and played great defense. This team, more than any in recent years, is playing like the squads in the early 2000s.
When sizing up the AFC contenders, ask yourself this question: Who do you trust to play good, clutch football in inclement weather regardless of location?
I don’t know about you, but my only answer is New England. (And I wish it was my answer in September.)
Recap time:
Cowboys 41
Bears 28
Dallas thinks there won’t be a December swoon in 2014. If the Cowboys keep running DeMarco Murray until the wheels come off (Thursday he was the first player in five years to get 40 touches in a game), they might be right.
Meanwhile, fans in the Windy City are blown: These Bears are just 2-4 at home and have given up the most points thru 13 games in team history. Perhaps the next thing to blow into Chicago is change…
Rams 24
Redskins 0
How great is that St. Louis swag nowadays? The Rams have not only won their last two games by a combined score of 76-0, but they’re also on top of their taunting game. In any other division, this is a playoff team.
Ravens 28
Dolphins 13
Baltimore sure likes taking their talents to South Beach: The Ravens are 5-0 in Miami in the Harbaugh/Flacco Era.
Oh, and you wanna talk underrated? Elvis Dumervil racked up 3 1/2 sacks Sunday to set a new Ravens single-season sack record with 16. Dumervil might be their best defensive free agent pickup since Rod Woodson.
Steelers 42
Bengals 21
If these two teams each win their next two, the division will be decided when they meet in Pittsburgh in Week 17. I’m rooting hard for this scenario.
Giants 36
Titans 7
In Tennessee this week. Hosting the ‘Skins next week. How did the Giants manage to get two bye weeks in December?
Panthers 41
Saints 10
Last week, there was talk that New Orleans was starting to think about life after Drew Brees. Now that the Saints are on their first four-game home losing streak since 1999 after their worst home loss in 11 years, they may want to consider changing more than just the quarterback.
Jets 24
Vikings 30 (OT)
Percy Harvin caught a touchdown for the first time since … he played in Minnesota. Talk about potential unfulfilled …
Colts 25
Browns 24
Well, it looks like Billy Winn and the Dawg Pound might get their wish after all. Just be careful what you wish for, Cleveland. When you succumb to Manziel Mania, you get all that comes with Johnny Football.
Bucs 17
Lions 34
It’s rare this sentence can be said seriously, but … Detroit is getting all the breaks these days.
Texans 27
Jaguars 13
I would love to say something non-J.J. Watt related here, but I can’t. Three more sacks, four tackles for loss and five QB knockdowns. If he’s not MVP, I’m starting a riot.
Bills 17
Broncos 24
Denver fell way short of their average of 33 points per home game, and Peyton Manning’s string of 51 straight games with a TD pass ended in awful fashion, but the Broncos won a key game against a winning AFC opponent anyway. Glad to see one half of my Super Bowl pick hold up its end of the bargain.
Chiefs 14
Cardinals 17
Congrats to Arizona for clinching their eighth 10-win season in team history and their first back-to-back seasons with double-digit wins since 1975-76. But with Andre Ellington joining the parade to injured reserve, it’s hard to see the Cardinals’ postseason run lasting more than one game.
Seahawks 24 Eagles 14
Seattle’s top-ranked D has given up less than a TD per game during the Seahawks’ three-game win streak, and shut down the number-four Philly offense in a game that meant a great deal to the NFC playoff picture. The Legion of Boom is back.
Niners 13 Raiders 24
It wasn’t quite the blood bath Justin Tuck predicted, but there will be blood in San Francisco this offseason after the Niners allowed their Bay Area rival to snap a 13-game losing streak against NFC opponents at their expense.
Patriots 23
Chargers 14
Even with this loss, Philip Rivers is 30-7 in the month of December. These aren’t Norv’s Chargers; this team can still be a dangerous draw in the AFC wild card.
Falcons 37
Packers 43
After 100 career starts, Aaron Rodgers has more career yards, touchdowns, and thrown nearly half as many interceptions as Brett Favre at the same point in his career (and ironically equaling his 68-32 record and one championship). That’s just part of the reason why #12 in Green and Gold is both the best and the most underrated quarterback in the NFL.
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