Oh yeah! 13-2! With a big win on the road in New Jersey, the Patriots are now primed for the sole spot as the best record in the NFL.

With the help of five Chad Pennington INTs, the Patriots handled the Jets and remained in the top spot for the AFC. That and won their eleventh straight.

"Yeah we've got 11, which is always good, but our goal was to finish undefeated," wide receiver David Givens said. "After the first couple of games, our run really speaks for itself. We're finding ways to win every week."

And finding a way to win is right. Ty Law was all over Santana Moss all night, twice in the far corner of the endzone he either disrupted a touchdown pass or intercepted one. Rodney Harrison had seven tackles and an INT, Richard Seymour had a sack, Tedy Bruschi had a tipped ball and an interception. Mike Vrabel had two sacks. And Willie McGinest ran an interception back for a touchdown.

"Coach always tells us that turnovers need to mean points," McGinest said. "So that was a big one. So was Tedy's because we got points out of that one right away and we were up 7-0."

And Givens had his first double touchdown day.

"David's played well for us this year," coach Bill Belichick said after the game. "He's played in the kicking game, and he's made some big plays offensively and down the field as well. He's also run the ball well after the catch on a few occasions. He's really come along as a young receiver. Second year, still, certainly, has some room to grow. But he's given us a big lift."

"I'm coming out here trying to make plays however I can, whether it's special teams or receiver," Givens said. "When Tom puts perfect balls in the air, as a receiver, you're supposed to come down with it and score. That's the way I look at it."

And with a Kansas City loss to the Vikings, that leaves the Patriots with wiggle room should next week's game at home versus the Bills go badly. But for this 2003 Patriots team, its about winning the game in front of you. They've been playing that way all season, and that is the philosophy that'll keep them winning all the way to Houston.

Falcons (4-11) 30, BUCCANEERS (7-8) 28 - FINAL: The Bucs are officially out of it. Too bad, so sad. And it is too bad the Falcons need Mike Vick to win. This proves that Atlanta is not a good team when you need one player to energize you.

VIKINGS (9-6) 45, Chiefs (12-3) 20 - FINAL: Oh yeah! The Vikes nearly gave this one away after being up 24-0 at the half, but they held Kansas City off, who are now in danger of losing not only the top seed in the AFC, but the bye week as well.

Patriots (13-2) 21, JETS (6-9) 16 - FINAL: 11 straight wins, and the best record in football. I never thought I would see the day the Patriots would be 13-2. And poor Chad Pennington. Can't throw 5 INTs in this league.

BEARS (7-8) 27, Redskins (5-10) 24 - FINAL: Yup, this has to be Steve Spurrier's Swan Song, but look at Chicago. They have a chance at finishing at .500, and that will give Dick Jauron a chance at coaching da Bears next season.

COWBOYS (10-5) 19, Giants (4-11) 3 - FINAL: Jim Fassel is down to his last couple of games, and this is how his team says goodbye.

PANTHERS (10-5) 20, Lions (4-11) 14 - FINAL: The Lions have now lost 1,459 consecutive road games.

Dolphins (9-6) 20, BILLS (6-9) 3 - FINAL: The Fins really want to get into the playoffs. What can I say about Buffalo that the score doesn't say already.

RAMS (12-3) 27, Bengals (8-7) 10 - FINAL: This one was a tough one for the Bengals to have a chance to win. Next year, maybe, but this year was a tough one.

JAGUARS (5-10) 20, Saints (7-8) 19 - FINAL: Wow! The Jags are for real this second half in the season. And the Saints will come up short this year. About five yards off the goal post short.

Ravens (9-6) 35, BROWNS (4-11) 0 - FINAL: Heh. Goose egged.

Titans (11-4) 27, TEXANS (5-10) 24 - FINAL: Got to hand it to them Texans. They can put up a fight.

STEELERS (6-9) 40, Chargers (3-12) 24 - FINAL: Big scoring game with two big losers.

49ers (7-8) 31, EAGLES (11-4) 28 - FINAL/OT: This one is gonna hurt. Philly needed the home field points in this one.

SEAHAWKS (9-6) 28, Cardinals (3-12) 10 - FINAL: Hey, look, Arizona lost. What a surprise.

Broncos (10-5) 31, COLTS (11-4) 17 - FINAL: Broncos get themselves a playoff spot - and put Indy on the ropes for the division.

Packers (8-6) at Raiders (4-10) Tonight 9 PM ABC (Note: This is the final MNF game this season)

Santa has thrown out that naughty and nice list and has started one for draft picks next April.

Chargers (3-12): Next year, just don't bother.
Cardinals (3-12): Mrs. Clause doesn't even let Santa deliver presents in Arizona.
Falcons (4-11): This team should be renamed the Vicks, cause Atlanta can't win without one guy. Sad.
Lions (4-11): This is pathetic. This 24 straight road losses is beyond funny.
Oakland (4-10): Stupid idiots couldn't win this year.
Browns (4-11): Butch Davis is a bigger loser than Cleveland Belichick could ever think of being.
Giants (4-11): New coach next year probably has a lot of work to do cleaning up this puke of a team. They've let themselves go.
Texans (5-10): This will be a playoff team next year. They really gave Tennessee a run for their money.
Jaguars (5-10): Another 2004 Playoff team.
Redskins (5-10): Daniel Snyder has had three coaches in four years, and Spurrier is the worst of them all.
Bills (6-9): Tom Donahue wants a whole new coaching staff, and it might start with hiring Jim Fassel.
Steelers (6-9): Could be Bill Cowher's swan song.
49ers (7-8): A big win over Philly leads a nice clear path for next year to build on.
Buccaneers (7-8): Out.
Saints (7-8): Had a bleak chance and they blew it on touchdown celebrations.
Dolphins (9-5): What can you say, the Fins won't quit. No playoffs tho.

Packers (8-6): They need this win tonight, and next week would help, too.
Ravens (9-6): Jamal Lewis is the running stud of '03.
Titans (11-4): Texans almost had them this week. They're chasing Indy down as fast as they can.
Seahawks (9-6): Still a chance here.
Vikings (9-6): They stepped up and destroyed Kansas City. They almost gave it away in the middle, but they pounded on them pretty good.
Broncos (10-5): They got a win and they are in.
Cowboys (10-5): Parcells has these guys primed for a playoff spot.
Bengals (8-7): What a first year job you have done, Marvin Lewis. But trying to beat the Rams this late this season is a lot to ask Santa for.

Patriots (13-2): 11 straight and the best of them all.
Chiefs (12-3): The Chiefs are in and they're just going through the motions into the playoffs.
Eagles (11-4): That loss to San Fran could hurt their home field points.
Colts (11-4): They are not making any of this easy on themselves.
Panthers (10-5): The South is all their own.
Rams (12-3): It could be a Patriots - Rams rematch in Houston.

This had better not be a problem in the playoffs.

The Patriots were forced to place their second long snapper in as many weeks on injured reserve. Sean McDermott was signed last week after Lonie Paxton injured his ACL in the Miami game. McDermott injured his shoulder in the Jacksonville game, and placed on IR.

In comes Brian Kinchen out of retirement to long snap. The 38-year old last snapped for Carolina in 2000, and had been the long snapper for the Cleveland Browns during head coach Bill Belichick's tenure there. He had also been a tight end for the Panthers.

Kinchen had been teaching Bible classes at his kids' school on Monday mornings when VP of Player Personnel Scott Pioli gave him a call to come in.

"You got to me kidding me," the new Patriots long snapper had told Pioli. At first Kinchen was apprehensive to come to New England for a tryout, but friends and family convinced him that this was a great opportunity. "'You need to go,' they told me. It's great to see that everyone cares."

Kinchen seems like a great guy, and a welcome addition to this team. Now winning for the Patriots will be even sweeter to see more great people have an opportunity for the NFL prize.

Richard Seymour and Ty Law have been voted to the Pro Bowl for the Patriots. This will be Seymour's second trip and Law's fourth.

Best record in the league and all people could do was vote in two from New England. Huh. See below.

Since this is my column, I can write about whatever the hell I want. And I want to talk about Rodney Harrison, and the crimes that have been made against him.

Rodney Harrison was snubbed by Pro Bowl voters this year, and with no good reason. Harrison was picked up in the offseason by the Patriots, actually swiped away from suitors in Denver after a number of years in San Diego. Diego is cleaning house of veterans - which included the safety out of Western Illinois.

The prime offseason acquisitions were supposed to be Takeo Spikes from the Bengals to the Bills, then Rosevelt Colvin from Chicago to the Patriots. But Spikes turned out to be lack-luster this season despite a Pro Bowl appointment with a Bills team that could not get out of their own way outside Week 1, and Colvin went out on injured reserve early in the season with a hip injury.

That brings us to Harrison.

Filling in for the veteran spot on and off the field vacated by the release of Lawyer Milloy, Harrison has erupted like a dangerous volcano. He is at the top of the league in total tackles at 116, and 85 of them solo ones. He always seems to be apart of a pile up. he comes in from the back field to sack a quarterback when he sees the opening. He's been social to the media, calm and cool and outgoing. He's avoided injuries (that we know of) and shaken off tough hits like they were nothing, ready and willing to play the next series at full speed.

After all of this you'd think someone would have taken notice that he was producing, something that has been lacking in the safety position of New England for a couple of seasons. But no. No one seemed to recognize greatness in front of them. No one saw Rodney Harrison as a threat in the back field. No one saw how hard he's worked this season, and been such a key player in the Patriots running to a 13-2 record.

I ask the question: How the hell did you miss him?

Harrison is a missile, a nuclear warhead. He hunts enemies down and wipes them clean off the planet without even flinching. And he's not going to the Pro Bowl this year! How could you have missed it, people! How!

Jim Fassel will be replaced next season as head coach for the New York Giants. Fassel has been with the Giants for seven seasons, and his team has struggled (actually died) this second half of 2003. Look for Fassel to be a prime candidate for jobs in Arizona, Atlanta and Buffalo this offseason.

All of them. This is Week 17. Time to catch all your favorite teams and players before they go home for the winter.

Buffalo (6-9) at New England (13-2), 1:30 PM. New England is looking for some home field points, but that 31-0 game Week 1 is still stinging them.

Seattle (9-6) at San Francisco (7-8), 5:15 PM. NFC West matchup. Seattle needs the playoff points.

Philadelphia (11-4) at Washington (5-10), 8:30 PM. NFC East matchup. Philly needs the home field points, and this should be Steve Spurrier's last game in the NFL.

Chicago (7-8) at Kansas City (12-3), 1 PM. KC can redeem themselves and help their bye week chances, but Chicago is playing hot all of a sudden.

Cleveland (4-11) at Cincinnati (8-7), 1 PM. Battle for Ohio, and Cinci is the team in control right now.

Dallas (10-5) at New Orleans (7-8), 1 PM. Dallas needs the playoff points.

Indianapolis (11-4) at Houston (5-10), 1 PM. AFC South, Indy needs the division and home field points and the Texans need something more to build on for next year.

N.Y. Jets (6-9) at Miami (9-6), 1 PM. AFC East, and Miami is out of the playoffs with the Denver win over Indy. So sorry, Dave Wanndstedt.

St. Louis (12-3) at Detroit (4-11), 1 PM. The Rams are looking to lock the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

Tampa Bay (7-8) at Tennessee (11-4), 1 PM. Tennessee is looking for all kinds of playoff and divisional advantages.

Carolina (10-5) at N.Y. Giants (4-11), 4:05 PM. Carolina needs the home field points.

Minnesota (9-6) at Arizona (3-12), 4:05 PM. The Vikes need divisional and home field and playoff points.

Denver (10-5) at Green Bay (8-6), 4:15 PM. Both of these teams need this win for playoff points. Game of the Week.

Oakland (4-10) at San Diego (3-12), 4:15 PM. AFC West Battle for Bottom of the Barrel.

Pittsburgh (6-9) at Baltimore (9-6), 8:30 PM. Final game of the regular season. AFC North and Baltimore needs the win for securing the division.

- Joe Nameth to ESPN's sideline reporter Suzy Kobler during the Patriots- Jets game.

1. All of us here at Unestone Press and the Monday Analysis wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

2. The New England Patriots and their best in the league record of 13-2. No one gets out of Foxboro alive.

3. Jamal Lewis is the stud of this season. 205 yards and 2 TDs against the Browns. Magnificent!

4. I am hoping to see Jim Fassel go to Buffalo next season. But my real money is probably sending him to Arizona.

5. What was with Joe Nameth on Saturday night? He must have been liquored up. He kept leaning into Suzy Kobler (was it me or is he shorter than her?), saying "I want to kiss you." How does one such as Suzy Kolber respond? She remarked that she was flattered, but in a tom-boyish tone, and I am sure ran like hell afterwards. How creepy!

6. Miami is out of the playoffs once again with the Denver win over Indy. So, thought these Dolphins were good. Guess not.

7. Bravo to Drew Bledsoe, who didn't do much this season, but has finally sold his Medford home to new Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling. Schilling said he paid much less than the $6.5 million asking price.

8. Nice job by David Givens on Saturday night (the interception not included). Two touchdown receptions put you on everyone's list.

9. Next week, several teams are coming right down to the wire on winning the division and making the playoffs, and that's exciting!

10. The Playoffs commercials from the NFL starring Don Cheadle are back! Oh yeah!

ejh