Peek at the Week: Niners seek revenge, Brady gets first taste of Seattle

N.Y. Giants at San Francisco, 4:25 p.m. ET

The line: 49ers by 6?

The story: It's the 2011 NFC Championship Game all over again, only this time Kyle Williams won't be playing Santa Claus. This is the 49ers' chance to prove -- at least in their minds -- that they were the better team nine months ago when Williams' botched punt returns led to an overtime victory for Big Blue.

Only this is more than that. It's San Francisco's chance to prove that it is the best team out there, period.

I know I haven't seen anyone better. Granted, the 49ers lost at Minnesota. It happens. Sometimes you take one step back to go two steps forward, and all I know is that after that loss the 49ers outscored their next two opponents 79-3 and have the attention of Giants coach Tom Coughlin.

"Nobody gives us a chance to win," Coughlin said. "We'll see."

I give them a chance. I just don't give them much of one.

This game will be closer, a lot closer, than what San Francisco experienced the past two weeks -- especially if the Giants' pass rush wakes up. The pressure Alex Smith felt in the conference championship game hasn't been felt by much of anyone playing the Giants, with only five clubs having fewer sacks than New York (8). That's not the New York Giants, and if it is again this weekend they're doomed.

Not only is Smith accurate when he has the time (he's the league's top-rated passer); he has receivers he didn't the last time these two met. That's when Michael Crabtree was the only wideout with a catch, and he had one for three yards. Pathetic, huh? The 49ers agreed, so they went out and added Randy Moss and Super Bowl hero Mario Manningham and believe they plugged the holes that held them back a year ago.

I guess this is where we find out. The Giants are formidable, especially with Eli Manning playing as well as he has this season, but that's another thing I remember from the championship game: Manning got clobbered. Yeah, he survived. Yeah, he won. But he still got hammered.

The Giants' pass protection must be better. The Giants must be able to produce a rushing attack to keep defensive linemen honest. And, of course, they can't screw up. The 49ers don't make mistakes, seldom miss tackles and don't miss field goals -- a formula that has them at the top of their division and near the top of the league. Don't expect many points here, but do expect the better defense to determine the outcome.

And, for the moment, that defense is in San Francisco.

The back story: The 49ers have scored on 49.1 percent of their offensive possessions, second only to ... who else? ... the Giants, at 51.8.

Dallas at Baltimore, 1 p.m. ET | Preview

The line: Ravens by 3?

The story: The last time we saw the Cowboys, Tony Romo was the Bears' best quarterback, Dez Bryant was a sieve, DeMarco Murray was a nonfactor and the entire Dallas team was getting the Matt Cassel treatment from its fans. But that was over a week ago, and the Cowboys have had plenty of time to think about turning what was wrong then into what can be right now. And they better ... because they're in for a grind, with four of the next five games on the road -- beginning with an opponent (Baltimore) they have never defeated.

Yep, they're 0-3 against the Ravens. That makes this more a measuring stick of the Cowboys than it does Baltimore, a chance to discover how resilient and tough and, yes, playoff worthy Dallas is.

First, of course, the Cowboys must address a number of shortcomings, including the offensive line, the running game, Bryant, Murray, Romo ... basically, anything involved with a first-team offense in such a funk that it has just three touchdowns the past three games.

People in Dallas want to see more of a commitment to the run, and maybe this is the chance. Jamaal Charles shredded Baltimore for 140 yards rushing last week, which means there must be holes in the Ravens' run defense that Dallas can exploit. So find them, take the heat off Romo and an underachieving pass attack and maybe, just maybe, you pull the upset.

I don't expect that to happen. Neither do most people and not just because of what the Cowboys do but because of what Baltimore doesn't -- lose at home. The Ravens are 30-5 there under John Harbaugh and are unbeaten (8-0) at home under Harbaugh vs. NFC opponents.

Nevertheless, I do expect Dallas to shake up an offense stuck in neutral. A year ago it was the defense that was the problem, particularly a pass defense that hemorrhaged too many points and yards, but now it's an offense that can't find the end zone with a compass. That better change, and fast.

The back story: Since Harbaugh took over the Ravens in 2008, opposing quarterbacks have a 63.8 passer rating in Baltimore and opposing teams are averaging 13.9 points per game there.

New England at Seattle, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)

The line: Patriots by 3?

The story: Conventional wisdom says this shouldn't be close. There's no comparison between veteran Tom Brady and rookie Russell Wilson, there's no comparison between the two teams. The Patriots have won the AFC East eight of the past nine years. Seattle hasn't had a winning season since 2007. But conventional wisdom seldom applies when it comes to playing in Seattle.

That's because there's the 12th man ... or 13th man if you're Green Bay ... and it causes a riot of trouble for visiting teams. Dallas lost here this season. So did Green Bay. The Giants once had 11 false-start penalties. Yeah, the Seahawks' record the past few years at home hasn't been all that great, but that's because the Seahawks haven't been all that great.

They're better now because their defense is superb. They rush the passer. They defend the run. Their defensive backs are tall, physical and rangy. In short, they're tough to solve. People tell me Brady and Co. will figure these guys out with their no-huddle, and maybe they're right. But it's never easy here, and don't say you weren't warned, Brady. Seattle and San Francisco are the only two places he hasn't played in his pro career, and he'll learn soon that noise is a factor.

To solve it, you take the crowd out of the game, and there's no better solution than jumping on top early, then padding a lead. The problem with New England is that it sometimes doesn't protect those leads, and that can happen when you have the NFL's 30th-ranked pass defense. Only look how Seattle wins: It's not with the pass; its with its defense and Marshawn Lynch. So maybe the Patriots have just what it takes to silence this crowd.

The back story: Since 2003 the Patriots are an NFL-best 33-6 in October, including a 14-5 record on the road.

Green Bay at Houston, 8:20 p.m. ET

The line: Texans by 4?

The story: The Texans just lost linebacker and leading tackler Brian Cushing for the season, and while that's a blow, it's not one they can't overcome. Remember, this is a team that overcame the losses of Matt Schaub and Mario Williams last season and played through the absences of Andre Johnson and Arian Foster. So they've been through this before, and they not only survived; they flourished, reaching the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

I guess what I'm saying is that the Texans know how to overcome adversity. I just wonder if they know how to overcome the Green Bay Packers.

Houston is one of two undefeated teams, but the Texans' 5-0 record is built on losing opponents, and you can look it up. Not one of their five wins have come vs. a club with a winning record, and that's not a complaint. They don't have to apologize for the schedule; they just have to take advantage of it ... and they have.

But while Green Bay is another opponent without a winning record, I have a feeling the Packers are a more difficult puzzle to solve basically because they're beginning to get the feeling that the season is slipping away. So there's an urgency here there might not have been with other opponents.

Green Bay hasn't been right all season, with its offense struggling, Greg Jennings in and out of the lineup and its defense blowing a 21-3 lead last weekend. So something has to give, and give quickly. That's why this is a dangerous game for a Houston team coming off a short week of practice and a desultory performance in its last outing.

I expect the Texans to pound Foster into the middle of the league's 17th-ranked run defense, and I expect them to succeed. But it's the passing game that concerns me. I'm not sold on Schaub, even though the guy has won his last nine starts. For that matter, I'm not particularly sold on Aaron Rodgers this year, either, but I know how good Rodgers can be because I've seen it. I don't know how good Schaub can be, and we may have to see it here.

Houston is ripe for the upset. Green Bay is overdue for a big game. This has all the makings of a trap waiting to happen.

The back story: The Texans have trailed opponents for only 18 minutes, 52 seconds this season. They've also led for 242:36 out of possible 300 minutes.

Denver at San Diego, 8:30 p.m. ET

The line: Chargers by 2?

Peyton Manning has a history of struggling vs. the Chargers, his Week 6 foe. (Getty Images) The story: Now we get a look at the two best teams in a division that continues to get sand kicked in its face -- and I offer last week as the latest evidence. Three of the AFC West's teams played, and all three lost.

San Diego is the only club with a winning record, but the Bolts' three wins have come against opponents with a combined record of 4-11. So the question becomes: Does anybody out there want to win the West?

We're about to find out.

Peyton Manning has been hot lately, with eight touchdown passes and no interceptions in his past three games, and that's great. But the Broncos lost two of those games, and that's not. Denver has won two of its past three in San Diego, before Manning arrived ... and he's supposed to be the guy who puts the Broncos over the top.

Maybe he does, except remember this: When he was in Indianapolis, there was one team that had his number ... and you're looking at it. San Diego beat him five of the past six times the two met, including twice in the playoffs. If Denver is going to win the division, this is the team it must beat.

And if San Diego is going to prevail, this is a team it must hold off in the fourth quarter. A week ago, the Bolts blew a 10-point lead to New Orleans in a game they should've won ... but didn't. Now they're facing an opponent that not only features a future Hall of Fame quarterback but that, like New Orleans, is never out of game. In fact, Denver's plus-52-point fourth-quarter differential is the best in the league.

This will be a measure of both clubs, but it's more of a measure of San Diego defensive coordinator John Pagano's defense. The Chargers haven't been able to make big stops in big games the past couple of years, and this qualifies as a big game.

The back story: Denver linebacker Von Miller leads the league with 12 tackles for loss, five fewer than he put up all of last season when he was the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Kansas City at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

The line: Bucs by 3?

The story: I really don't know what to say about this game. One team has a quarterback its fans don't like. The other has a head coach opposing quarterbacks don't like. Both clubs don't know how to win.

With Cassel sidelined by a concussion he suffered last week, Brady Quinn will start at quarterback for the Chiefs, and while Chiefs fans may think that's a step forward they might want to review Quinn's history. There's a reason he didn't stick with Cleveland and Denver.

Kansas City isn't that bad on defense. Neither is Tampa Bay. But both teams are -- how shall we put this -- QB-challenged, with Josh Freeman the star of this group with a ranking of 26th among quarterbacks in 2012. The Chiefs, meanwhile, wheel out Quinn and a league-high 19 turnovers, and you want to know why Tampa Bay can't sell out games? Offense sells tickets, and you'll have to look hard for one here.

New coach Greg Schiano may have Tom Coughlin hot and bothered with his approach to the game, but he hasn't moved the needle here ... and let's be honest: What would you rather be doing Sunday -- hitting the beaches in Clearwater or spending three hours at this game?

I thought so.

The back story: Bad news, Kansas City: Not only does Tampa Bay rank fourth vs. the run; it has allowed only one 100-yard rusher this season.

Green Bay (+5?) over Houston

The story: At some point, the Packers have to wake up -- on offense and defense -- and I say that point is now. There's just too much talent on this team for it to flounder, starting with Rodgers. He needs to play better, and so does virtually everyone on offense. A year ago the Packers produced points in prodigious numbers, but now they are averaging 22.2 points a game. While that's not bad it's not the Green Bay Packers.

I know the Packers won't have running back Cedric Benson for eight weeks. OK, fine. He wasn't doing a lot for them anyway. They still have Rodgers, and it's time he starts acting like the MVP he was a year ago instead of the league's eighth-ranked passer.

There's another reason I like the Packers, and it has nothing to do with panic buttons. Nope, it has more to do with Houston, which stumbled through its latest victory over the Jets. Granted, a win is a win is a win, and a win on the road when you play mediocre football is the mark of a good team.

So I'm not arguing these guys aren't solid. Heck, they're one of two unbeaten teams left in the league and should be the first to clinch a division this season. But I don't know if Schaub can take you to the next level, I wonder why Johnson disappeared against the Jets and I worry about the loss of Cushing.

The Texans will win a lot of games this year, but they're ripe for a loss sooner or later. I say it's sooner because Green Bay needs this game more ... a lot more ... than a Texans did that hasn't really been tested and that just lost one of its key players.

1. Atlanta DE John Abraham: In four games vs. Oakland, he has seven sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery -- including three sacks the last time he played them.

2. Baltimore QB Joe Flacco: He's 8-0 vs. the NFC at home, with 13 touchdown passes, three interceptions and a passer rating of 98.7. He's also 30-5 overall as a starter at M&T Stadium.

3. Arizona QB Kevin Kolb: The Cardinals have won their past five at home when he played.

4. Seattle RB Marshawn Lynch: Over his past nine home games, he has produced either 95 or more yards rushing or scored a rushing TD. He has also averaged 115.7 yards per game in his past seven starts at home, with six touchdowns.

5. San Diego RB Ryan Mathews: He has rushed for at least 120 yards in each of three career games vs. Denver (120, 125, 137), including one in Week 17 of 2010 where he scored three times.

1. Houston DE J.J. Watt vs. Green Bay LB Clay Matthews: OK, let's get something straight: I know they're not lining up against each other. Now, the reason I'm intrigued by the matchup is that Matthews leads the league in sacks with eight and Watt (7?) is second. Watt is the runaway front-runner for Defensive MVP, but I would never count out Matthews. Here's a chance to get your vote in early.

2. San Francisco WR Mario Manningham vs. his former team: Manningham was a hero in Super Bowl XLVI for the Giants, but they showed little interest in re-signing him when he became a free agent. "Do I have a grudge?" said Manningham. "No. Am I motivated? Yeah."

3. Philadelphia QB Michael Vick vs. ball security: Maybe we should just make this a weekly item because in all but one game Vick has had a turnover. His total for the season is 11. Entering this week, that exceeded all but six teams. That, in turn, has cut down on the Eagles' production, with the club having fewer points (80) than anyone but Jacksonville (65) among teams with five starts. This weekend's game with Detroit is Philadelphia's last before a bye so it's Vick's chance to get on track. "There's nobody more competitive than this guy," said Andy Reid, "and he knows that he can't fumble."

4. Dallas FB Lawrence Vickers vs. Baltimore LB Ray Lewis: Lewis suggested the Cowboys might want to reconsider when it comes to improving their running game this weekend; Vickers suggested he doesn't care what Ray Lewis thinks. "Names don't scare me," he said. "Teams don't scare me. He is Ray Lewis, that's all I know."

5. New England coach Bill Belichick vs. Seattle's Pete Carroll: Before there was Belichick in New England, there was Carroll in New England ... and the Patriots went to the playoffs. Twice. But they didn't go to the Super Bowl. In fact, they were nowhere close, with Carroll fired after the 1999 season. Carroll went away quietly, but getting fired always hurts. He proved how good he can be as a head coach at Southern California, then won a division title in his first season with the Seahawks. Granted, it was with a 7-9 record, but give him this: He beat the defending Super Bowl champions in the playoffs. This, of course, is something different because this can be ... well, personal, though Carroll would never let on. He's having too much fun at his job, a stark contrast to the dour and brooding Belichick. "The differences?" said wide receiver Deion Branch, who has played for both. "They're different." I would say that about sums it up.

1. Since the start of the 2011, Philadelphia has scored 13 touchdowns and 106 points in the final two minutes of either half, the most in the league. The Giants are second with 11 touchdowns and 103 points.

2. The Bears are the first team in league history to return five interceptions for touchdowns through the first five weeks of the season.

3. Dating back to 2010, the 49ers have at least one interception in each of their past 12 home games.

4. Since the current playoff format was adopted in 1990, 13 teams that were at least three games under .500 after five weeks rebounded to make the playoffs -- with two of them, the 1996 Jaguars and 2002 Titans, reaching the conference championship game.

5. Reggie Jackson, move over. The Giants' Manning has become the NFL's Mr. October with a 24-5 record this month that is the best among quarterbacks who began their careers in the Super Bowl-era. His .828 percentage puts him ahead of Kordell Stewart (.800) and Daryle Lamonica (.771).

3: Points allowed by San Francisco off turnovers, best in the league
9-5: Dallas on the road following a bye
11-4: Peyton Manning's Monday night record
13-0: Baltimore's record at home in its past 13 games
13-5: Philip Rivers' record at home vs. AFC West
14-1: Chicago's record since 2005 when the Bears return an interception for a touchdown
20?: Aldon Smith sacks in 20 NFL games
30: Offensive plays of 30 or more yards for Baltimore, best in the NFL
52.9: Percentage of completions by opposing quarterbacks vs. Houston

• Atlanta: Dome
• Baltimore: Partly cloudy, high of 72
• Cleveland: Thunderstorms, high of 67
• Miami: Isolated thunderstorms, high of 84
• East Rutherford, N.J.: Partly cloudy, high of 68
• Philadelphia: Partly cloudy, high of 69
• Tampa, Fla.: Partly cloudy, high of 87
• Glendale, Ariz.: Sunny, high of 92 (retractable roof)
• Seattle: Rain, high of 60
• San Francisco: Mostly sunny, high of 71
• Landover, Md.: Partly cloudy, high of 73
• Houston: Partly cloudy, high of 84 (retractable roof)

• I'll be at Candlestick Park, waiting for the Beatles to return, then fly to San Diego on Monday to treat Laz, Eddie and Darren Bennett to lunch at the Encinitas Cafe.
• Pete Prisco will be in Houston to join Aaron Rodgers for pizza.
• Mike Freeman will be in Baltimore to give Detroit coach Jim Schwartz the Mt. St. Joe's handshake.

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Brady shakes off bloody nose; Pats handle Titans

CBSSports.com wire reports
Sep. 9, 2012

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tom Brady might have a broken nose, about the only damage inflicted by the Tennessee Titans against the New England Patriots who simply don't lose season openers.

Brady threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns, and the defending AFC champion Patriots routed the Titans 34-13 for their ninth straight season-opening win Sunday. It's the longest current streak in the league.

"I need some scars," Brady said, joking about the white bandage covering his nose and marring his usual look.

Titans defensive end Kamerion Wimbley hurt Brady in the second quarter when he got Tennessee's only sack of the game. Brady said that was the only good hit he took all day and complimented his revised offensive line featuring a new left tackle in Nate Solder, new center in Dan Connolly and right guard in Donald Thomas.

"It wasn't perfect by any stretch, but it's always fun to win," Brady said. "It's a good feeling."

The Patriots ruined Jake Locker's debut as Tennessee's starter, sacking him twice and forcing two turnovers. New England rookie Dont'a Hightower returned Locker's fumble 6 yards for a TD in his own debut, and Stevan Ridley ran for 125 yards and a TD.

New England even knocked Locker out of the game in the fourth quarter and held Chris Johnson to 4 yards on 11 carries.

"This is something that can be a backbone for us," Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said. " To hold a great back to only 4 yards that was good defense."

Locker hurt his left shoulder tackling safety Patrick Chung on a fumble return officials should have whistled dead as an incomplete pass to Titans receiver Nate Washington, who also was hurt on the play. Matt Hasselbeck replaced Locker, who was kept on the sideline as a precaution.

The eighth pick overall in 2011 tried to talk his way back onto the field after being examined. Locker said he was sore but expects to play next week at San Diego. And he won't shy away from tackling in the future.

"I know I'm playing offense," Locker said. "I'm not going to let a guy run into the end zone."

The Titans weren't happy at the failure of the replacement officials on three different passes into the end zone they thought deserved flags for pass interference. Coach Mike Munchak said there always will be calls they believe are missed by officials.

The first came on the opening drive when Devin McCourty helped break up a pass to Damian Williams in the end zone. The second wound up an interception by Patriots rookie Tavon Wilson on a pass to Washington. The third came with Chung defending Jared Cook in the fourth quarter that left the Titans tight end pleading his case to an official.

Williams had an opinion on the lack of a flag, but refused to criticize the officials, who also needed replay to overturn the on-field ruling of an interception by McCourty in the third quarter that squirted out when he hit the ground.

The Titans even had former Tennessee basketball coach Pat Summitt on hand, not that she could help them stop or even slow Brady -- despite spending the offseason prepping for the teams' first meeting since being routed 59-0 in New England in October 2009.

Brady threw five TD passes in one quarter that day. He didn't match that Sunday, but didn't need to with Ridley providing plenty of help on the ground as the Patriots outgained Tennessee 390-284.

"They're going to make their share of plays, which we knew," Munchak said. "We just couldn't help them, and unfortunately along the way, we helped them."

The Titans couldn't match Brady's efficiency and had to settle twice for field goals of 28 and 24 yards by Rob Bironas. Locker did find Washington on a 29-yard TD in the third quarter even with Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones grabbing the quarterback.

Brady missed connecting with Brandon Lloyd for a would-be TD on the opening drive. That was among his few misses.

He put the Patriots up 7-3 with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Hernandez late in the first quarter, capping a 67-yard drive. It was Brady's 301st career pass, surpassing John Elway for fifth in TD passes in NFL history. It also marked his 33rd straight game with a TD pass. He found Rob Gronkowski on a 2-yard TD pass just before halftime for a 21-3 lead.

The Patriots' work boosting their defense through the draft showed early dividends. Jones sacked Locker and forced a fumble that Hightower ran in for a 14-3 lead in the second quarter.

Notes

Patriots coach Bill Belichick got his 193rd career victory, tying him for eighth all-time with Chuck Knox. Brady became the 14th player with 40,000 yards passing in his career. He has 40,215 yards, just shy of Johnny Unitas (40,239) for 13th. Brady now has sole possession of fifth for career wins by a quarterback with 125. Brady is 5-1 against Tennessee and has 10 TDs with no interceptions in those games. Titans LB Colin McCarthy had a walking boot on his right foot but said he'll be OK.

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Brady gets hit in nose, not sure if it's broken

Tom Brady says he has never had a broken nose, but he does need a few scars. (AP)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tom Brady might have broken his nose in the New England Patriots' 34-13 win over the Tennessee Titans.

The two-time NFL MVP says he never has had a broken nose before.

Brady was hurt in the second quarter when sacked by Titans defensive end Kamerion Wimbley but didn't miss a play. Trainers taped up his nose, and he finished off the game by throwing for 236 yards and two touchdowns.

He talked to reporters after the game wearing a suit with a fresh bandage covering his nose. Brady joked that it's not his usual look but he doesn't mind a little blood.

Brady said he needs some scars.

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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Brady returns to limited practice after report of shoulder injury

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Tom Brady participated in practice Thursday on a limited basis because of a left shoulder injury.

The New England Patriots quarterback had missed Wednesday's session, but the team said his absence was not injury-related.

Comcast SportsNet reported that same day that Brady had X-rays to check for a separated left shoulder and was told he was "all set." Patriots spokesman Stacey James said Thursday: "If there was an injury then it would be on the injury report."

Brady was listed on Thursday's report as having participated on a limited basis with the shoulder injury. He was one of 17 Patriots listed as participating on a limited basis, meaning a player took part in fewer than 100 percent of his normal repetitions.

He loosened up and ran with his teammates at the start of the practice while reporters were allowed to watch.

Brady landed hard on his left shoulder with 1:40 left in the fourth quarter Saturday when he was tackled by Kevin Burnett on a scramble in a 27-24 win over the Miami Dolphins in which he also scored on two 1-yard sneaks.

The Patriots have one more practice on Friday before a walkthrough on Saturday for Sunday's regular-season finale against the Buffalo Bills (6-9).

The Patriots (12-3) have clinched a first-round bye and can lock up home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with a win or tie. If they lose, they could still get home-field advantage with a loss or tie by both the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Brady has a chance for the fourth 5,000-yard passing season, needing just 103. Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints set the NFL record of 5,087 Monday night, 3 more than the mark set by Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins in 1984.

The Saints, tied with the San Francisco 49ers for the second-best record in the NFC at 12-3 and with a chance to earn a bye, face the Carolina Panthers.

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Brady powers Pats by Miami to clinch playoff bye

CBSSports.com wire reports
Dec. 24, 2011

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots emphasize playing well for 60 minutes every game. On Saturday, 30 was enough -- barely.

Rallying from their worst half of the season, the Patriots scored on their next five possessions and clinched a playoff bye with a 27-24 win over the Miami Dolphins on Saturday.

"You don't want to, certainly, make a habit of this," said Tom Brady, who scored on two 1-yard sneaks and threw for a 1-yard touchdown. "We showed some resiliency."

New England (12-3) won its seventh straight game. After the Houston Texans lost to the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night, the Patriots needed a win or a tie to lock up one of the top two spots in the AFC.

"It's good to clinch," said Deion Branch, who caught the touchdown pass from Brady, "but not by the way we played. It's not the way you want to do it."

Miami (5-10) lost for the third time in eight games after opening at 0-7 and is 1-1 under Todd Bowles, who took over when Tony Sparano was fired.

"First half we came out and played our tempo and our ballgame," Bowles said. "The second half they made us play theirs."

The AFC East champions trailed 17-0 at halftime but made the necessary adjustments and went to their no-huddle offense more, keeping the Dolphins from making defensive substitutions. And Brady was on target after a first half in which heavy defensive pressure against a makeshift offensive line affected his accuracy. He completed just 7 of 19 passes for 87 yards and was sacked three times in the half.

But in the second half, he completed 20 of 27 passes for 217 yards, finishing at 27 for 46 for 304 yards and leading one scoring drive after another -- a 45-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski, the scoring pass to Branch, his own sneak that tied the game, Gostkowski's 42-yard go-ahead kick after Devin McCourty's first interception of the year, and the other sneak with 2:56 to go, making it 27-17.

The Dolphins made it closer on Matt Moore's 15-yard scoring pass to Davone Bess with 1:48 to play. They had three timeouts left, but their hopes faded when Brady hit Wes Welker for a 6-yard gain and a first down.

"We had [Brady's] number in the first half, but in the second half he came out and made a lot of plays," Miami linebacker Karlos Dansby said. "He is a coach on the field."

The Dolphins seemed headed for a victory and got a break even before the game started when Patriots left tackle Matt Light hurt his ankle in warmups and didn't play. Left guard Logan Mankins took his spot, but he left with a knee injury suffered on New England's second series.

"There's always things that are going to go wrong in a football game and things aren't going to work out the way you want them to all the time," said Welker, who finished with 12 catches for 138 yards after managing just two for 20 in the first half. "The main thing is just playing a full 60 minutes and never giving in and understanding that one drive and one score [can] get things going."

The Patriots punted on their first six series of the first half then missed a field goal on the other. The Dolphins struggled in the second half when Moore fumbled the snap at his 38-yard line and Vince Wilfork recovered, starting the drive capped by Branch's touchdown.

"They committed penalties in the first half," Dolphins guard Richie Incognito said. "We turned the ball over and committed penalties in the second half. That is never a good recipe."

Reggie Bush had another outstanding game for Miami with his fourth straight rushing day of at least 100 yards. He finished with 113 on 22 carries one week after gaining a career-high 203 yards.

His latest performance gave him 1,086 yards rushing for the season, the first time in his six years, the first five with the New Orleans Saints, that he passed 1,000.

"It really doesn't mean anything right now," he said. "This one's pretty tough."

The Dolphins had taken a 3-0 lead on Dan Carpenter's 47-yard field goal 4:01 into the game and made it 10-0 with 1:15 gone in the second quarter on Moore's 19-yard pass to Brandon Marshall.

They stretched that to 17-0, the Patriots biggest deficit of the season, on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Moore to Charles Clay. The 89-yard drive was helped by two defensive pass interference penalties on third down.

But the Patriots remained calm in the locker room at intermission.

"There wasn't a bunch of yelling," Wilfork said. "We just came in and said we've got to play better, we've got to make more plays."

They did. The Dolphins didn't.

"Our guys fought," Bowles said, "but we didn't finish."

Notes

Welker set a franchise record for one season with 1,518 yards receiving. He broke the mark of 1,493 set by Randy Moss in 2007. Bush was checked my medical personnel on the sideline late in the game "Something in my leg just didn't feel right," he said. "I'm walking. If it was serious, I wouldn't be walking." Moore completed 17 of 33 passes for 294 yards, his highest total as a Dolphin. He threw for more than that with the Carolina Panthers once in 2009 and once in 2010. The victory was the largest comeback by the Patriots from a second-half deficit since Nov. 10, 2002 when they beat the Chicago Bears 33-30 after trailing 27-6 in the third quarter.

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Rodgers, Brees MVP frontrunners, but don't dismiss Brady

Aaron Rodgers will win this season's MVP award, and he should. I can't imagine where Green Bay would be without him. But there's someone as deserving who won't get the attention, the votes or the hardware, and not because he's done something wrong but because he almost always does something right.

And that's New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

Brady is such a superb quarterback that he's become a victim of his own success. Basically, we don't appreciate him for what he is because he's been that way for years. So he wins a zillion games, throws for a slew of yards and touchdowns, leads New England to another division title, and we yawn. He's done it so often that we're inured to it, forgetting how good he really is.

And he's so good now that despite playing with the league's worst defense ... despite playing with its most porous secondary ... despite having no outside threat to launch a vertical passing game ... despite having no franchise running back ... despite losing his starting center ... he still has the Patriots on track to be the AFC's top seed for the upcoming playoffs.

That's not just an accomplishment; it's a coup.

"I think Tom Brady is appreciated," said former head coach Brian Billick, now an analyst with Fox and the NFL Network. "But there's no denying that Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees are having phenomenal years, and you'd have to say they're having better years. But from the standpoint of supporting casts? Green Bay is probably first, New Orleans second and New England a distant third."

That's an understatement. Yet instead of marveling at how Brady does so much with so little, we spend our time debating who's having the better season -- Rodgers or the Saints' Drew Brees -- and, believe me, I understand. Rodgers can't lose, hasn't had a passer rating lower than 106.2 and is performing so adroitly he could become the league's second unanimous MVP in two years.

Brees, meanwhile, keeps piling up touchdowns, is on target to break Dan Marino's yardage record and is closing in on John Unitas' mark for consecutive games with a TD pass. If Rodgers is numero uno at quarterback, Brees is 1-A, pushed to the second chair only by Rodgers' near-flawless play.

But what about Brady? Well, he just keeps doing what he's always done, which is winning, only now he's doing it with the league's 32nd-ranked defense. Nevertheless, that's not enough to gain him the attention he deserves.

But I'd argue that if there's anyone out there who should press Rodgers for MVP -- if there's anyone who is most valuable in the truest sense of the award -- it's Tom Brady. He doesn't have the receivers Rodgers and Brees have. His offensive line is nothing special. His running backs aren't as proficient. And his defense stinks. Yet somehow, some way, New England continues to win.

Yeah, I know, the Packers aren't scintillating on defense, either, especially against the pass -- and I'm being kind. But they have playmakers on that side of the ball. I'm talking about people like Charles Woodson, Clay Matthews, B.J. Raji and Tramon Williams. Woodson was the league's Defensive Player of the Year in 2009. Matthews was the runner-up one year later. And Williams was the defensive star of last year's playoffs.

Now, tell me what difference maker New England has, especially in its secondary. Julian Edelman? Nope, the Patriots keep winning because of Tom Brady, which means this year is no different than the year before ... or the year before that ... or the year before that.

"He makes everything look so easy," said former coach Eric Mangini, now with ESPN, "that you forget how good he is. He makes the exceptional look commonplace, and it's not. It's special, but he does it so often it's just another day at the office. We've become spoiled."

So Brady wins, the Patriots are the AFC's top seed and we barely notice. It happens. Heck, Chuck Noll never was the league's Coach of the Year, and Phil Jackson won the NBA's award just once. The more they won the more we started thinking they were successful because ... well, because they had more talent than everyone else ... so, we figured, that put them at an advantage.

But that's my point with Brady: He wins without as much talent as everyone else. And it's been that way for years.

With the exception of Randy Moss, Brady never had an elite wide receiver. In fact, the Patriots haven't drafted a wide receiver in the first round on coach Bill Belichick's watch. So Brady makes the best of what he has, and in 2006 what he had was Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney as go-to receivers. Nevertheless, he came this close to advancing to another Super Bowl.

"The difference between Tom Brady and other quarterbacks," said one AFC coach, "is that with Tom Brady it's never a matter of who he plays with. They all get better."

Wes Welker is Exhibit A. Welker annually leads the league in catches, but was rarely a starter in Miami before he was teamed with Brady. Now he's a Pro Bowl regular. Welker and Deion Branch are Brady's favorite outside targets, and both are 30 or older, under 5-10 and without top-end speed. No problem. Brady turns to tight end Rob Gronkowski, makes him a red zone weapon and the Patriots keep pushing forward.

Connect the dots, people. Other than the head coach, there's one constant in the Patriots' decade of success, and it's the quarterback. No club in NFL history has reached a Super Bowl with the league's 32nd-ranked defense, but New England will try -- and it has a chance because of Brady.

"It's Tom Brady's offense where, with Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers, you have to say they're playing in Sean Payton's and Mike McCarthy's offenses," Billick said. "But Tom Brady is just like Peyton Manning. They are the offensive coordinators."

I was on a Milwaukee radio station recently when the host asked if I ever witnessed a season like the one Rodgers is having. I said, yes, as a matter of fact, I had: Tom Brady in 2007. When he challenged me, questioning if Brady didn't make the mistakes that Rodgers avoids now, I told him to look it up. And he did.

Through his first 12 starts this season Rodgers has completed 70.6 percent of his passes for 3,844 yards, with 37 touchdowns and five interceptions. Now look at Brady in 2007: Through his first 12 games he completed 70.2 of his passes for 3,696 yards, with 41 touchdowns and five interceptions.

But here's the number I like most: .774. That's Brady's career winning percentage. No other quarterback in the Super Bowl era is higher. He wins passing titles. He wins division championships. He wins conference championships. He wins league MVPs. Most important, he wins Super Bowls. He's been to four, winning three, and tell me what quarterback in today's game can say that.

People keep telling me he's not having a stellar season and that an elbow injury may be responsible. I don't know about that. Brady threw for a franchise-record 517 yards in the season opener, then followed with a 400-yard effort. Like Brees, he's on schedule to break Marino's single-season yardage record. He's also on schedule to throw 40 touchdowns, joining Marino as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to get there. He has touchdown passes in 28 straight starts. He hasn't thrown an interception in his last four. And his passer rating is 100 or better in nine of 12 games.

All I know is that the Patriots were non-factors until Brady showed up. Then they went to four Super Bowls, and draw your own conclusions. I have. A writer I respect once told me you could make the case each year for Tom Brady as league MVP. Now, more than ever, I understand what he meant.

"I don't like getting in this debate," said Billick, "but when you talk about the greatest quarterbacks of all time, clearly, he's in the discussion -- and his three Super Bowls are the 'screw-you' part of the argument."

I'll second that.

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Lawsuit plaintiffs Brady, Manning, Brees say it's time for NFL deal

NEW YORK -- Calling the players' offer "fair for both sides," star quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees -- plaintiffs in an antitrust suit against the NFL -- said Wednesday "it is time" to wrap up negotiations on a deal to end the league's lockout.

At the bargaining table, though, it wasn't that easy.

On the day Brady, Manning and Brees spoke as a group publicly for the first time, players and owners spent nearly 11 hours meeting at a Manhattan law office.

About two hours after players' association chief DeMaurice Smith left, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell walked out with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and the league's lead negotiator Jeff Pash at 10 p.m.

Other owners including Pittsburgh's Art Rooney and Carolina's Jerry Richardson departed around then, too.

Negotiations were scheduled to resume Thursday morning. With each passing day, the need to strike a bargain and end the first NFL work stoppage since 1987 becomes greater.

Deadlines are coming up next week to get training camps and the preseason started on time. Although it seems the sides have agreed on the basic elements of how to split more than $9 billion in annual revenues, among the key sticking points recently have been how to structure a new rookie salary system and what free agency will look like.

In a statement released to the Associated Press via the NFL Players Association, New England's Brady, Indianapolis' Manning and New Orleans' Brees said: "We believe the overall proposal made by the players is fair for both sides and it is time to get this deal done."

They continued: "This is the time of year we as players turn our attention to the game on the field. We hope the owners feel the same way."

In response, the NFL issued a statement saying: "We share the view that now is the time to reach an agreement so we can all get back to football and a full 2011 season. We are working hard with the players' negotiating team every day to complete an agreement as soon as possible."

Brady, Manning and Brees are among 10 players who are named plaintiffs in an antitrust suit that is pending in federal court in Minnesota. That class-action lawsuit was filed March 11, hours after federally mediated negotiations to arrive at a new collective bargaining agreement broke down, and the old labor contract expired. The NFLPA immediately dissolved itself, meaning players no longer were protected under labor law but instead were allowed to take their chances under antitrust law.

On March 12, the owners imposed a lockout on the players, a right management has to shut down a business when a CBA expires. During the lockout, there can be no communication between the teams and current NFL players; no players -- including those drafted in April -- can be signed; teams won't pay for players' health insurance.

A series of court rulings followed, including one last week from an appeals court that said the lockout could continue.

Talks gained steam in May, overseen by a court-appointed mediator, U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan, who is on vacation this week. Boylan ordered both sides to speak with him in Minneapolis next Tuesday, and the owners have a special meeting set for July 21 in Atlanta, where they could vote to ratify a new deal if one is reached.

That means there's intense pressure on Smith and Goodell to keep things moving in a positive direction. Disruptions to the planned preseason schedule would decrease the overall revenue pie.

In an added complication, a federal judge has set an Aug. 8 hearing for NFL retirees, who claimed Wednesday that the league and NFLPA "have conspired" to set low retiree benefit and pension payments in the negotiations. The retirees also say they have been illegally and intentionally excluded from the talks.

Smith and Goodell were joined at Wednesday's meeting by a half-dozen team owners: Jones, Rooney, Richardson, Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots, John Mara of the New York Giants and Clark Hunt of the Kansas City Chiefs.

On the players' side were Jeff Saturday of the Indianapolis Colts and Tyson Clabo of the Atlanta Falcons.

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