Power Rankings: Pats aren't what we thought they were

Updated Dec. 4

Two weeks ago, I wrote in this very space that the New England Patriots would not be beaten.

With all apologies to Dennis Green, I said it was time to go ahead and crown their asses.

Did I get ahead of myself? You bet.

Feeling a bit more vulnerable, Bill Belichick? (AP)

The past two weeks have taught us again a very valuable NFL lesson: Anybody can be beaten. When things seem predictable and outcomes predetermined, we always seem to get something that reminds us to be careful racing to such conclusions.

The Patriots have been pushed to the limit in winning the past two weeks. They are still undefeated, but that gives hope to the rest of the league that the team being called by some the greatest of all-time has flaws just like they do.

The interesting thing is that they were tested in two very different ways. The Philadelphia Eagles went to New England and played an up-tempo style, trying to match the Pats point for point. They were there in the end, too, but two late-game interceptions kept the Pats unbeaten.

Monday night, the Baltimore Ravens took a different approach. They pounded them, beat them up and essentially mugged them, even making Tom Brady look uncomfortable in the pocket for much of the game.

In the end, Brady drove the Pats to the winning score in a 27-24 victory, helped by a favorable holding call late in the game. But I'm not about to sit here and say the officials cost the Ravens the game. Bad calls happen. They're a part of football.

What cost the Ravens the game was that stupid interception Kyle Boller threw from the Patriots 30 with the Ravens leading 24-17.

The late touchdown ruined a heck of an effort by the Ravens and forced the 1972 Dolphins to put the champagne back on ice. The Ravens flew to the football and they never backed down. They played so physical that at times it appeared they were pushing it a bit.

To their credit, the Pats didn't back down, which is why they are still atop the CBSSports.com Power Rankings. But the more I watched that game it became clear that New England doesn't like to be hit in the mouth. Who does? It also brought up this question: Have the Patriots become a finesse team?

If so, there will be plenty of tough-guy teams ready to smack them in the mouth come playoff time. One of those will visit Foxboro this week in the Pittsburgh Steelers. Two others could be the San Diego Chargers and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In two weeks, we've learned a lot about the Pats. We've learned they are soft in the middle of their pass defense. We've learned they can be pushed around at the line of scrimmage. We've learned that exotic blitzes seem to be the way to counter Brady. Mostly, though, we've learned they aren't unbeatable.

Crown their asses? Let's hold off on that. The NFL has a way of making all that rushing to judgment look bad.

The Patriots are still the team to beat. It's just that the past two weeks have taught us that beating them isn't as impossible a task as we thought.

The Power Rankings through Week 13:

Power Rankings
Current		Team	Previous
	1	Colts · Trends	1
	They won four games in November by a total of 10 points. They're not dominating, but they are winning.
	2	Saints · Trends	2
	They get a major test next week when the Patriots come to town for a Monday night game. Is that the end of the unbeaten season?
	3	Vikings · Trends	3
	Brett Favre might be having his best season. Who said he would flop? Oh, me.
	4	Patriots · Trends	5
	They bounced back nicely against the Jets and have a two-game lead in the division, but the Saints will be a great barometer for where they are now.
	5	Cowboys · Trends	7
	They beat the Redskins, but they still looked off. They'll get it going Thursday against the Raiders.
	6	Bengals · Trends	4
	What was that in Oakland? That reminds us a little of why they're still the Bengals. They had no business losing that game.
	7	Chargers · Trends	9
	They are rolling again after a slow start. What else is new for this team? They are the class of the AFC West, just like we thought they'd be.
	8	Cardinals · Trends	10
	They played a decent road game against the Rams, even if they made it interesting in the end. The running game is getting cranked up, which is great for the playoff run.
	9	Eagles · Trends	11
	They snapped a two-game losing streak against the Bears to keep their playoff chances solid. This is the time when the Eagles usually get it going.
	10	Steelers · Trends	6
	They just haven't looked that good this season. Something is off. It might be wise to work on that kickoff coverage.
	11	Giants · Trends	12
	Eli Manning's big game saved their season against Atlanta. Now they face a tough road game at Denver on a short week.
	12	Broncos · Trends	8
	Was their start a fraud? It sure looks like it. They aren't playing well on either side of the ball, but especially on offense.
	13	Jaguars · Trends	16
	If the playoffs started today, they'd be in. Wow. They aren't winning pretty, but they're finding a way.
	14	Packers · Trends	17
	Losing Al Harris and Aaron Kampman for the season will impact that defense in a big way. It's good that the offense is playing better now to help offset it.
	15	Falcons · Trends	14
	They have three consecutive homes games to turn their season back around. The defense just gives up too many big plays.
	16	Dolphins · Trends	21
	Chad Henne is growing up. As he does, they will be better. The playoffs are still possible. But don't lose at Buffalo.
	17	Ravens · Trends	15
	They've been a disappointment so far. If they lose to the Steelers this week, they can say goodbye to the playoffs.
	18	Texans · Trends	13
	That loss at home to the Titans is a big hit to their playoff chances. They just never got it going on offense. Kris Brown choked two weeks in a row. Now the Colts come to town.
	19	Titans · Trends	22
	They are somehow still alive at 4-6. Winning four consecutive games after opening 0-6 is impressive. Vince Young is doing a nice job.
	20	Jets · Trends	18
	Mark Sanchez is playing like a rookie. But it doesn't mean he should sit down. He needs to grow and playing is the right way.
	21	Panthers · Trends	19
	They will likely have a new coach next season and that could mean the end for Jake Delhomme. He just isn't good enough.
	22	Bears · Trends	20
	Is Lovie Smith in trouble? He might be. Cutler sure hasn't lived up to the expectations. He needs help.
	23	49ers · Trends	23
	They can forget the playoffs now. The rest of the season is about finding out if Alex Smith is the long-term answer at quarterback.
	24	Bills · Trends	25
	Perry Fewell's first game showed a team that will still fight. And there was a Terrell Owens sighting. Amazing.
	25	Seahawks · Trends	24
	Count this team as one of the biggest flops of the season. But injuries have played a big part. Is Mike Holmgren coming to the rescue?
	26	Chiefs · Trends	26
	They're on a two-game winning streak. Beating the Steelers is a big step for this young team. The Chiefs are improving.
	27	Redskins · Trends	27
	The best thing to come out of the Cowboys loss is that Jason Campbell played better. They're still fighting.
	28	Raiders · Trends	28
	Say hello to the bench, JaMarcus Russell. Bruce Gradkowski is the guy the rest of the way.
	29	Lions · Trends	31
	Matt Stafford showed against the Browns that he was the right pick last April. They have their building block.
	30	Rams · Trends	29
	Do you feel sorry a little for Steven Jackson playing on this team? He's having a huge season. And now Marc Bulger is out? Ouch.
	31	Buccaneers · Trends	30
	Josh Freeman played like a rookie against the Saints, but he will have those days. It's hard to believe that's a Bucs defense we've been watching. It tells us why Jim Bates was fired.
	32	Browns · Trends	32
	The good news is Brady Quinn is looking better. The bad news is the defense regressed. They have a long way to go to being able to compete for a playoff spot.