Patriots at Chiefs - Week 12 - Record: 7-4

Getting up for this game was probably not difficult since we were facing the Super Bowl champs and nothing less than playing at top form would do. A fine effort, but curmudgeonly me, the Patriots were still without their top running back and have slogged along all season playing no better than .500 ball.

Our defense is showing that it can play, and I don't think there is any question at this point that it is much improved from last year. Greg Wesley had three of the four picks we had on the day, so our guys did a terrific job of disrupting the Brady-to-Branch connection.

Our offense is still struggling big-time in the red zone, exposing in the rawest way the loss of Priest Holmes. Down there he just found a way to get into the end zone. Today Larry Johnson did pound it in from the one on the very first drive, but after that we'd get down there and we'd be all excited and then blap -- in'd come Tynes to boot in a chip shot. This is just not going to get it done. The other touchdown was a unconventionally non-spectacular 52-yard pass play to Dante Hall, who did do a nifty job of getting behind the defense.

On the whole I can't be unpleased with the result today, setting us up positively for more of a grueling final stretch of the season in which we play all winning teams.