And so it continues. The Ravens played their hearts out. Willis McGahee ran roughshod over New England for 3 1/2 quarters, and Kyle Boller went a majority of the game without making a mistake, but 10 penalties (an astonishing number to even be close in the game) and some ill-advised decisions (like calling a timeout on 4th and 1 while your defense was stopping the Pats to end the game, thus keeping the game alive), and poor luck (like stopping the Pats a second time on 4th down only to watch a false start penalty give Tom Brady a chance to make a rare run for a first down) were just enough to bring the Raven’s upset attempt to smoke.

And now we wonder. Are the Patriots vulnerable? Or are they just great? Granted, at 12-0 you don’t get their by mistake. They’re a fabulous team. But their last few games have been close, and the reason: they’re now getting everyones best shot. The revolving door is swinging to knock off the Patriots, and no one can get in, get out, and escape with a win.

Pittsburgh is next. The Steelers are a tough team. They have some shaky losses in Arizona and to the Jets, but the Steelers are a quality football team. Better then the Ravens or Eagles. The Steelers will beat New England if Tom Brady throws for less then 50% and Moss, Welker, and co drop easy passes.

The Steelers will knock off the Pats if New England’s defense allows the type of holes it did tonight.

Ben Roethlisberger is better then Kyle Boller. Hines Ward is better then Derrick Mason. Willie Parker is a better back then Willis McGahee. Pittsburgh’s defense is very good.

And the pressure will mount every game. Brick by brick, everyone wants to bury the Patriots. The loud, obnoxious Patriots. The Spygate Patriots from week 1. They want to beat the team that wants to not only beat you, but kill you.

But no one’s been able to do it yet. And close only gets you somewhere in golf, and only that works from shot to shot. You can get it close to the hole like the Ravens did tonight, but if you can’t putt it in and seal the deal, its all for not.

It will make great talk radio and fuel the debates yet another week. It will linger on New England, no matter how calm, cool, and collective the Patriots seem. Every game is hard from here. The Patriots are chasing Miami’s shadow, and ironically, they’re on a crash course to meet them in Foxboro the second to last game of the year.

The Dolphins (0-12) starring a winless season in the face, against the Patriots, starring down history, and the record Miami has that New England wants. It’s getting close, real close.

Kind of like the Patriots and their chase for immortality.

Hit me with your best shot. Fire away.

New England’s still perfect, and there’s just four rounds left to knock them out of the king’s chair.