The Amazing Bill Belichick

Perhaps his finest season of coaching ever, and the Pats might not even reach the playoffs. (One cannot help but wonder if all the hardship this season -- not just losing Brady! 14 players on season-ending injured reserve since training camp -- is in some way bad karma from spygate... of course the same could be said of the Pats devastating Super Bowl loss to the Giants back in February.) Love or hate the Patriots, you wouldn't be a football fan if a part of you weren't rooting for the Patriots to overcome all the tremendous obstacles they've faced this season and win the Super Bowl championship that eluded them last February after compiling a perfect regular-season record.

And make no mistake: the TV ratings for a Giants-Pats rematch would be like nothing ever seen before (begging the question, what company in the current downturn could afford the ads?)