Bob Ryan looks at the reality that is the fact that the Patriots are vulnerable.

Gregg Easterbrook tells us that “the widespread belief — regardless whether this belief is grounded in fact — is that the league wants the Patriots to finish undefeated.” Prior to that, he went through the calls in the late stages of the Baltimore game, and agreed with most of them. No contradiction there.

So the league wants the Patriots – whom the entire rest of the country hates, or so Tony Kornheiser tells us, and who were punished for breaking league rules at the start of the season, to go undefeated, and is actually helping them by means of the officials.

Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs said following the game: “Everybody is kind of cheering for them to go undefeated and break all the records.”

I’m really confused. Does the whole country hate the Patriots, or is “everyone” cheering for them to go undefeated?

Peter King goes over the fourth quarter calls one-by-one and says none of the calls helped the Patriots unfairly. He’s also dead set again including Jacoby Ellsbury in any trade for Johan Santana.

Len Pasquarelli examines an incredible sequence of events that allowed the Patriots to escape with the win.

Tom Curran tells us that the Patriots were both lucky and good yesterday.

Adam Schein thinks that the Steelers will be the ones to beat the Patriots and prevent a 16-0 season.

Glenn Dickey tells us that history isn’t going to hold spygate or poor alleged poor sportsmanship against these Patriots.

Tonight’s edition of Costas Now (HBO, 10:00pm) wraps up the year in sports, and has David Ortiz talking about prank pulled on him.

Published by Bruce Allen

Automattician.