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.

Instant replay is a fairly recent addition to NFL football. Instant replay is great, because important games should not turn on mistakes or non calls by the officials. It does, however, have some problems.

When it started out, the officials had 30 seconds to review the play, and issue a ruling. That system was removed, because rushing the official did not accomplish the goal of getting the call right. In the current system coaches have 2 challenge flags they can throw. Throwing a flag triggers a review of the play.

The problem is, these flags are being abused. It is possible to throw a flag on a unchallengeable call. Pass interference, for example, cannot be challenged. If the coach throws the flag and finds out he cannot challenge the call, the flag is returned.

So what happens is the coach basically gets a free conference with the official while everyone picks around. Coach throws the flag, finds out he can't challenge, and gets his flag back.

Jacksonville's coach Jack DelRio took it a step further. He just help up the flag and got a conference with the zebras while his team was on defense. What this does is slow down the game, lets his defense get a breather, and throws the opposing offense off balance. (DelRio is not the only coach to do this, just the most recent.)

Football is not Shakespeare, there should be no long, drawn out "to challenge or not to challenge". Play should continue, and if a coach wants to challenge, he should throw the flag. Can't challenge it? Lose the flag. Mis-throw? Lose the flag. You get two a game, use them wisely.

Take the game out of the officials hands, and let them play football.