New England Patriots defeat Baltimore Ravens, 27-24

BALTIMORE - The Baltimore Ravens handed out white towels to their fans before last night's game.

They should have handed out yellow flags. In the end, they handed the game to the Patriots.

The Patriots are still undefeated, and they have the Ravens' penchant for penalties to thank for it.

In one of the wildest endings you'll ever see in a football game, the Patriots converted a fourth down on their third try to keep their hopes alive and then pulled out a 27-24 victo...

BALTIMORE - All week, the primary question was how the Patriots would alter their defensive approach with outside linebacker Rosevelt Colvin lost for the season with a foot injury.

Would it mean more playing time for Junior Seau, a super sub off the bench, in the base 3-4 alignment? Would Adalius Thomas move from inside linebacker to outside linebacker? Would younger players Pierre Woods and Eric Alexander step in? Would there even be a scheme switch from the 3-4 alignm...

The Patriots' mantra has been consistent, predictable, and, quite frankly, downright boring for almost eight years now.

One game at a time. One play at a time. Never look ahead. Don't incite the opposition. Coach Bill Belichick has drilled these football edicts into his team so frequently that his players often appear to be flat-lined zombies with no original thoughts or discernible emotions. The penalty for venturing outside that box, they explain in whispers when the ...

BALTIMORE - Even when they lose, they win. This is what it takes to be perfect.

When the history of this Patriots season is recited by future generations, the bards will speak of a night in Baltimore when snow swirled, passes were dropped, and the Patriots were left for dead three or four times - only to be rescued. Again. And again. And again.

Remember Walt Coleman and the tuck rule in the big snowstorm in Foxborough? The phantom play that delivered the first Super ...