Saturday night in front of a TV audience estimated at 35 million fans the New England Patriots completed the regular season a perfect 16-0. But like so many of their games down the stretch the Giants put up a fight. From the get go it was clear the Giants didn’t want anything to do with being a trivia question twenty years from now. An impressive Eli Manning drive started the game off with a touchdown, the first time all season the Pats had given up an opening drive TD. It also ended the team’s defensive streak of nine consecutive red zone trips without more than three points given up. After an impressive defensive stand held the Patriots to a field goal on their ensuing drive the game was clearly on.

On the next Patriots possession Tom Brady methodically drove his team down the field and as he has so often this season found Randy Moss in the endzone for the go ahead score. With the TD pass and reception Brady and Moss tied the marks held by Peyton Manning and Jerry Rice in a season at 49 and 22. Their lead however would last all of eleven seconds as Domenik Hixon took the Patriots kickoff 74 yards to the house. It should be mentioned the short kickoff was setup by a very interesting excessive celebration penalty on Randy Moss. Throughout the game the refs use and lack their of on 15 yard penalty’s was again interesting. Before the half the Patriots responded with two more Steve Gostkowski field goals to again claim the lead 16-14. However the G-men once again fought back. Without a drive so much as three plays long since the opening Manning drove the field again to take an 21-16 lead into the half.

The third quarter would begin just as the first had. After a rare three and out for Tom Brady and co. Eli Manning again found the endzone with a 19 yard strike to Plexico Burress. Suddenly the Giants had the Patriots full attention almost mid way through the third quarter the Pats were facing their largest deficit of the season 12 points. But anyone who has watched this team this season knew what was coming. With a combination of suddenly stifling defense and Brady magic the Pats would rack up 22 straight points. The second touchdown was setup by Eli Manning’s first and only mistake of the game. In the second half the Patriots began zone-blitzing Manning at almost every opportunity. Under pressure Manning threw up a pass that was picked of by Ellis Hobbs along the sideline. Looking to capitalize on the turnover Brady went deep for Randy Moss along the sideline, wide open, but the under thrown ball if you ask Tom, was dropped. A sure TD pass to break both records, dropped. So naturally on the next play Brady again went deep looking for Moss, this time it was history. The 65-yard TD pass from Brady to Moss at 11:06 of the fourth quarter established new NFL marks for TD passes and receptions in a season. More importantly it gave the Pats a lead they wouldn’t relinquish for the remainder of the fourth quarter. The two teams swapped late touchdowns but a Mike Vrabel onside kick recovery sealed the win 38-35 for the Patriots.

The win left the Patriots a perfect 16-0 on the regular season. Now the Patriots who are off until Thursday will wait for their next opponent who will be Tennessee, Pittsburgh or Jacksonville. Their season to this point has no doubt been historic but this team still has its eye’s on the prize.

NFL Single Season Records Set by the 2007 New England Patriots
•    50 Touchdown passes- Tom Brady
•    23 Touchdown receptions- Randy Moss
•    23 TD Connections- Tom Brady to Randy Moss
•    589 Points
•    First 16-0 in regular season.
•    19 Consecutive regular season wins. (Dating back to 2006)
•    21 different Patriots with TD’s. (Tied with two other teams)
•    75 TD ‘s scored.
•    36.8 points per game. (2nd all time)

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