Sept. 24, 8:15 p.m., host Denver — The bandwagon comes to a screeching halt. Jake Plummer and Rod Smith again stretch Belichick's secondary with those unstoppable crossing routes, and the Pats take their first tumble on national TV.
Record: 2-1
Oct. 1, 4:15 p.m., at Cincinnati — Just an atrocious matchup for the Pats. Neither Johnson (Chad or Rudi) can be stopped and a recovered Carson Palmer takes care of the rest. The Bengals are like Belichickian Kryptonite. The Pats stumble to .500.
Record: 2-2
Nov. 5, 8:15 p.m., host Indianapolis — No, Adam Vinatieri doesn't come home to kick the game-winning field goal for Indy. He's too busy putting up extra-point kicks as Peyton Manning — whose ownership and management choose to surround him with two big-time receivers — tears the Pats secondary to shreds. A big step backward for New England.
~~~This is the point where you get back into your chair after laughing uncontrollably~~~
Record: 5-3
Nov. 19, 1 p.m., at Green Bay — Our NFL sources have Brett Favre coming back for one more season. That makes this one an all-out war. Two of the greatest competitors in history, Brady and Favre, collide at historic Lambeau Field. The result is a classic, in which age prevails over beauty in a thriller. There's just enough left in No. 4's tank.
~~~You've just passed the point where this idiot's agenda really comes into focus. Are you sure this story was truly published on the website, not some hacker's garbage?~~~
Record: 6-4
Dec. 10, 1 p.m., at Miami — The Dolphins are hungry, playing with an attitude ex-coach Dave Wannstedt and every QB since Dan Marino could not provide. It's possibly the most physical game on the schedule, with Miami looking to end the Patriots' stranglehold on the division. Match up the weapons on each side of the ball, and the Fish are just better. They show it in the biggest win of Saban's young tenure.
Record: 8-5
Dec. 24, 1 p.m., at Jacksonville — Playing three of the final four on the road hurts the Pats here, especially with the Jaguars remaining hungry and in the playoff hunt. Both teams are up for this playoff-type game, but the Jags remember the rough treatment in the January meeting at Gillette. It's time to exact a little payback. The Pats see their AFC East title reign end with a loss. Record: 9-6