It might be way too early to start talking like this, but I don't think we can understate the importance of this game for New England. The merits of a victory are obvious. If the Patriots can overcome all the bye-week adversity and last season's playoff demons, and beat Baltimore, then it could be the rallying point of something special. It will give the home fans an a chance to immediately embrace the Pats' return to their glory day mentality, and . . . OK, I've gotten carried away. But a win on Sunday sets an essential tone for the post-Moss Patriots Era. It provides them with immediate confidence and justifies all the crap the team went through since last taking the field. With a win, the Pats sit at 4-1 and head out to San Diego feeling fantastic.
On the other hand, a loss just complicates everything. It gives credence to those who feel the Pats offense can't thrive without Moss, and that the decision to trade him may sabotage the season, or even the rest of Brady's prime. These people will be misguided, but they'll now have their own rallying cry. Now there's a lot more riding on that tough game in San Diego, and the Pats won't have as much confidence on their side. Especially once Justin Beiber releases a new track dissing Belichick's defensive schemes.
The Pick: Patriots (-3)