Columnist Sal DeFilippo: Patriots sit back, watch AFC power struggle

Sal DeFilippo

Friday, Jan. 4, 2002 | 11:28 a.m.

Sal DeFilippo's pro football column appears Friday. Reach him at sal@lasvegassun.com or 259-4076.

I remember at the beginning of the season thinking about how bad the Patriots were going to be. No running game. The ongoing squabbles and distractions of star receiver Terry Glenn. The declining stats of Drew Bledsoe in recent years.

They had some quality defensive players, but this team was so desperate on offense it was relying on Buffalo outcast Antowain Smith to revive his career.

Entering the season's final weekend, New England is rested, coming off a bye week with a game against 1-14 Carolina on Sunday, and dangerous.

More importantly, if a team's performance heading into the postseason counts for anything, New England is the only team in the AFC heading in the right direction.

Imagine being Bill Belichick and sitting on your couch last weekend, watching this unfold:

It began Saturday as defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore had a chance to secure a wild-card berth with a win at Tampa Bay. The Ravens played less-than-inspired ball, losing by 12.

On Sunday, Pittsburgh heads into lowly Cincinnati needing only a win to clinch home field advantage throughout the postseason. The Bengals had lost seven straight, and Pittsburgh led by 13 points with less than three minutes left. But the Steelers blew the lead and lost in overtime.

Oakland had a chance to stay alive in the race for home field in the AFC, but watched Denver score the final 10 points to lose its second straight game.

The Jets needed only a home win against 2-12 Buffalo to clinch a playoff berth and stay tied for the lead in the AFC East with New England and Miami. Bills 14, Jets 9.

The Dolphins managed a home win over Atlanta, but only after stopping the Falcons twice on goal-line stands. Seattle, trying to steal the last playoff spot from Baltimore or the Jets, stayed alive -- with a 54-yard field goal on the game's final play to beat San Diego, a team which had lost its previous eight games.

The Patriots may be wearing the glass slipper this year, but at least they aren't stepping on their feet at the wrong time.