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Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good, and the New England Patriots were luckier than a barn full of cats as they pulled out a 27-24 come from behind win over the Baltimore Ravens Monday night 27-24. The Patriots unbeaten streak appeared to be over as Baltimore snatched defeat out of the jaws of victory, as a holding penalty in the game’s final minutes gave New England new life. If, and it is a big if, especially as they face the Pittsburgh Steelers in their next game, the Patriots do go undefeated this will just go down in the history books as just another win. But for those of who watched this contest can attest to, the New England Patriots are extremely fortunate to walk out of Baltimore 12-0.

Nobody in the Patriots organization would ever admit to it, maybe not even to each other. But I wonder if there are at least a few members of the team that would like the perfect streak to be over with. If for nothing else so that they can start resting players and start concentrating on the postseason. But first they have the perfect streak to contend with, and now if they can win their next two games, they can clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs. You know New England wants that AFC Championship Game to be in Foxborough, not Indianapolis, or Pittsburgh. But this team has been playing tight the last two weeks. A.J. Feeley’s predilection to throw interceptions saved them this week it was Baltimore’s penalties that kept the streak alive.

I guess that all pro teams reflect the personality of their coach, or manager, in my mind though it really translates on the field demonstrably in football. These two teams the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens are perfect examples. Bill Belichick is well known to be a quiet, introverted business like man. Although New England was scoring some amazing numbers in their first 10 games of the season, there was not a lot of celebrating or dramatics on the field. When Randy Moss was putting up those incredible numbers we certainly never witnessed the kind of showboating he would demonstrate with the Vikings. Belichick would not allow, and more importantly the team would not allow it. Now Brian Billick has always been kind of a loose cannon type of guy. Good football coach, maybe even great, he did win a Super Bowl after all. But not what you would call a man with a lot of inner discipline, look all the moronic remarks he has made over the years. Is it any wonder that his team would be undisciplined as well?

This game basically came down to with time winding down, Baltimore leading 24-20, Tom Brady made an incomplete pass on fourth down. Possession Baltimore, game Baltimore, Bye Bye streak right? Uh, No. A defensive holding penalty gave the Pats a reprieve, which is all Brady needed. With 44 seconds remaining in the game Brady hit Jabar Gaffney with an 8 yard touchdown pass to give New England the win. Brady was okay but certainly not great he went 18/37 for a total of 257 yards 2 touchdowns 1 interception. The other touchdown pass went to Moss. Again the last two weeks there has been a different Tom Brady on the field. This is not the man who looked like he was on pace to obliterate Peyton Manning’s season record for touchdowns. Has he hit a lull and needs to get his second wind? Is he hurt? Or is it the streak? We may never know.

Ravens quarterback Kyle Boller had numbers not that far from Brady’s in fact his completion rate was better. Boller was 15/23 for 210 yards 2 touchdowns 1 pick. He hit Derrick Mason with a 4 yard pass for a touchdown in the first quarter. And in the fourth quarter he fed Daniel Wilcox a one yard pass up the middle for the second one. Willis McGahee a nice night rushing for the Ravens carrying the ball 30 times for 138 yards, including a 17 yard touchdown run. Baltimore now has a record of 4-8.

New England played two not very good teams the last two weeks, and barely walked out with two wins. They can not play like this against the Steelers and expect to have the same luck. Next week it will be more important to be good than lucky.

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