19-0*

The Patriots’ days are numbered. In the modern NFL, it is impossible for a team to go 19-0 and even though they seem as poised as any team in NFL history to accomplish such a feat, the odds are stacked against them deeper than a trips bunch formation.

Now, granted, I had been saying all season long that they couldn’t go 16-0, and how did that prediction work out for me? Not too well. But I stand resilient and unwavering in my belief that as the playoffs get underway, emotional pressure mounts and opponents’ desires increase, leading to an inevitable collapse. The only remote chance they stand of reaching the Super Bowl this year is if they eek past the Jaguars AND the Chargers manage to upend the Colts (not likely). Because if the Pats are forced to square off against Peyton Manning once more this year, the result will not be the same as earlier in the season. No defending NFL champ has ever been so overlooked as the Colts are this year and (not to say that Belichick and the Pats are overlooking anybody), Indy will be ready to wreak havoc at Gillette Stadium. You think the Patriots used SpyGate and Anthony Smith for fuel? Wait ‘til you see an Indianapolis team that will enter the game as underdogs. Now that’s fuel! Any time two solid teams square off in the regular season and then have a rematch in the playoffs, always give the edge to the loser of the previous meeting. They will be hungrier, they will be playing with a bigger chip on their shoulder, and the earlier victor will be more likely to relax or swap preparation for ego. I know the Patriots are the most disciplined team in the league and not a single man on their roster or coaching staff would consciously take their foot off the pedal until after the season is over. But they are also all human beings and knowing that you haven’t lost a game all season and knowing that you’ve already beat your current opponent once before can make anybody drop their guard. An expectation to win can often be an invitation to lose.

And let’s just assume for a moment that they make it to the Super Bowl; allow us to examine their potential opponents: There have four possibilities, two of which they are extremely unfamiliar with (Green Bay and Seattle) and two that they narrowly beat this season (Dallas and New York). Not promising scenarios.

The upshot is, they will lose this Saturday to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Yes, they are at home and haven’t lost a game all season. But, they were given a scare this year by teams this year that ran the ball well. Baltimore, Philadelphia, both New York teams, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, and Dallas. If that ill-advised timeout hadn’t been called in the Baltimore game, they would have lost after failing on a pivotal fourth down conversion. And what do the Jaguars do better than any other team in the NFL? Run the ball between the tackles.

Sometimes it’s hard to decipher the blur in your mind that distinguishes what you believe from what you want to believe. Admittedly, that blur is quite large in my mind. I honestly believe that the Patriots will be derailed prior to winning Super Bowl XLII, but I can’t help but wonder if part of my conviction lies in my fear of this happening. If the Pats do go all the way and achieve the elusive 19-0 mark, then there’s nothing else for a team to accomplish in a season. Bill Plaschke, of the L.A. Times remarked on “Around the Horn” a few weeks ago that, like the Hank Aaron home run record, he didn’t want it broken because he wanted to believe that there were still some sacred records that could never be duplicated or surpassed. It sets a bar impossibly high for which everyone can strive from now on, but never reach. And isn’t that what sports is all about? Trying to best another, but always leaving room to best yourself. And like the Barry Bonds record, unfortunately this season is blemished with the cheating allegation, imposed fines, and a docked draft pick. Whether you believe that Patriots’ 16-0 record is legitimate or not, no football fan wants the record held by a team surrounded by uncertainty or at least the perception of uncertainty. You could be the most staunch defender of the Patriots and Bill Belichick and even though you know in your heart of hearts that they did no wrong, you still resent the suspicion and wish it didn’t have to be discussed every time the issue of legitimacy arises.

For the sake of the league, the fans, sports history, and the Patriots themselves, may the undefeated season come to rest before Super Sunday. I’m not that naïve; I know the record is bound to be achieved at some point down the road, but just like Christmas morning: the anticipation is far more rewarding than the event itself. Let’s savor the excitement of the possibility and then gear up for February 4^th when there are 32 undefeated teams.