http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/notebook?page=lastcall07/week7
About the only question left to wonder about New England -- aside from the weekly debate about when they eventually will lose -- is whether anybody can actually slow them down. Here's a list of the teams with the best shot at keeping Tom Brady & Co. under 30 points when they meet:
1. Pittsburgh (Dec. 9): The Steelers have the talent and the numbers. Even after Sunday night's 31-28 loss at Denver, the Steelers still rank first in total defense (250.3 yards per game). They are second in the NFL in scoring defense (13.0 points per game) and rate third in pass defense (174.8 yards per game). Defensive coordinator **** LeBeau, in his 34th year as an NFL coach, is getting it done.
2. Indianapolis (Nov. 4): The Colts know the Pats, so there's no fear factor here. The Colts also play Cover 2, which means they're not going to give up the big plays other Pats opponents have allowed. Throw in a hard-hitting secondary led by safety Bob Sanders, and these Colts can measure up.
3. Baltimore (Dec. 3): This game is late enough in the season that the Ravens should be back to full strength. Once defensive end Trevor Pryce and cornerback Chris McAlister return from injuries, this athletic unit will be able to cause problems once again.
4. Washington (Oct. 28): The Redskins have the first thing you need if you want to survive against New England: a talented secondary. With four first-round picks in their defensive backfield (cornerbacks Shawn Springs and Carlos Rogers and safeties LaRon Landry and Sean Taylor), the Skins won't have to worry about being overmatched by the Patriots' wealth of talent. Plus, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams loves the challenge of facing dominant offenses.
5. New York Giants (Dec. 29): Yes, the Giants have a suspect secondary. But their front four -- led by ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora -- can create the kind of pressure Brady rarely has seen this season. The Giants lead the NFL with 27 sacks.
• There are some suspicions about the speed of the New England Patriots' defense, especially in the back end. Except for cornerback Asante Samuel, there's not a lot of quickness in the secondary, even more so after the return of strong safety Rodney Harrison to the lineup. And the linebackers haven't made as many plays as one normally expects from a Patriots unit.
