In their toughest test all year, the Patriots beat the Ravens by a score of 27-24.

The Ravens were leading for most of the game, controlling the game and the Patriots behind the hard running of Willis McGahee. McGahee finished the game with 138 yards on 30 carries and a touchdown.

All that running really allowed the Ravens to keep the Patriots offense off the field.Wwith solid defense and a heavy dose of McGahee, the Ravens had the time of possession edge, 32:54 to 27:06.

In the end though, it was Brady in the clutch(and shotgun). With the Patriots down by three, and under 3 minutes to play, it was 4th and 6 for the Patriots from the Ravens 35. Brady lined up in the shotgun and scrambled up the middle for 12 yards before being stopped by Ray Lewis. Then the Patriots did what they do, score touchdowns. 4 plays later Brady found Jabar Gaffney in the end zone for the go ahead touchdown.

The Ravens go the ball back with :44 to go, but needed 4 points and couldn't get anything going.

What is most interesting about the game is that before Brady's scramble, it was 4th and 1 from the Ravens 30 before a false start made it 4th and 6. I think it is interesting that on 4th and 1 from the 30 down by 3, about a 47 yard field goal, Belichick goes for it. It was windy in Baltimore, but that is a makable field goal. That tells me Belichick wants to win, and wants to win out.

Like most people, I would like to see New England lose one, just to knock them down a peg, but I am glad the team to do it was not the Ravens. I don't like the Ravens at all. I don't think there is a more chest-thumping, look-at-me type team in the league. Let them enjoy 4-8 for a while.

EDIT: Chance points out in the comments that they Patriots were down by 4, not 3, so kicking the field goal was not an option.

The Colts are the Champs, and they will win this week and basically secure home field advantage this weekend.

"What about Moss?" you scream! "Vrable is a machine!" someone adds.

Yes, and yes, but people have not spent enough time watching the Colts. Moss and Brady get on ESPN every week with 80 yard bombs and press conference fashion shows, but the Colts wear teams out with long 9 minute drives. The Colts are perfect, they plod along, waiting for the other team to make a mistake while they make none.

They will keep Brady and Co. off the field for long stretches at a time before they score. If Brady comes on and answers a long drive with an 80 yard bomb, the Colts will go right back to work against an already tiring Patriots defense.

If New England should miss a pass or two, or lose a yard rushing and have to punt, Manning will trot back on the field, *poke*, *dink*, *poke* back into the end zone.

The Colts will wear out the Patriots, they will drive on them, and by the end of the game, they will break them.

Prediction: Colts over Patriots 34-30 on Sunday.

The Patriots SHOULD have run up the score against the Redskins on October 28th.

This is football, not ice skating. The Patriots are as good as they are because they play 100% every time, every down. They are dominating right now. They don't take plays off, and they punish people.

If the Patriots start taking it easy, or going soft on teams, it could become a habit, or they could get a little too much of an ego and start playing at 99%. As good as they are, not many teams in the NFL can win at 99%, and The Patriots have the Colts coming up this week, they need every edge they can get. Maybe they were practicing new plays to use against the Colts. Maybe they were showing the Colts some new looks. Who cares why, they have a right too.

The Redskins do not get to ask the Patriots to tone it down. The Redskins have to get off the field on their own. This is football, this is America, you get up and off the field on your own, with the team you came with. Don't ask the other team for help, or mercy, or pity.

To the Redskins credit, they did not say anything ill too the Patriots, it was mostly the media.

I say, let em play.