Caught in a storm of a media glare the New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins are being scrutinized for very different reasons. Throughout this article I am not going to rehash every game that has brought the Patriots to their now (7-0) record, and I am not going to reopen the wounds of the seven losses for the Miami Dolphins. No what I am going to do is try to answer the question, "What is More Likely... Patriots (16-0) or Dolphins (0-16)?" to the best of my ability....

In order to gain perspective for this subject, one has to actually delve into both teams remaining schedules, injuries, stats and what actually counts the most, in my opinion, heart and determination. And while there is also no doubt that the halfway mark should count for something, I have always found that "Any Given Sunday" and constantly being an "Underdog" can completely change everything. . . .

THE (7-0) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS:

We all know how this season started for the Pats and their beloved head coach Bill Bellichick. But just in case you were stuck in a dungeon or orbiting the Earth, let me quickly catch you up.

In Week One, during the game against the Jets, it was brought to the attention of the entire Free World, that the New England Patriots were caught filming signals being called from the Jets sideline. And much to the dismay of Patriots fans, and to the delight of Patriots haters, the NFL fined both the team and Bill Bellichick. Many teams around the league rumbled about some of the same activity occurring while they too played the Patriots, but it seemed that only a monetary fine and loss of draft picks was in order.

Many thought that with the Patriots being branded "Cheaters" they would fall by the wayside. But, as it turned out, the money was an insignificant small price to pay for a team who would go on to become (7-0). If anything, this brief blip made this team, who has already become a Dynasty, even more determined to prove that they are still the elite, creme de la creme of the National Football League.

With a combustible combination of Tom Brady, a completely changed Randy Moss, and multitude of talented receivers, running backs and tight ends to throw to, they have found a chemistry that propelled the Patriots onto one victory after the next. On average the Patriots are scoring (39.9) points a game. Tom Brady seems poised to surpass Payton Mannings record of forty-nine touchdowns set back in 2004. As of this moment, Brady has already thrown twenty-seven touchdown passes, and it seems to be a very good possibility that he could finish the season above the sixty TD mark.

With such perfection coming out of New England, one would have to give serious thought to the possibility that the Patriots could be the team to finally go through a season undefeated since the '72 Dolphins. Still this is something that has not occurred in almost thirty-five years. The reason this record has not been tied yet....it is almost an impossible accomplishment in today's computerized NFL.

With the advanced equipment that is used to study each player's strength and weaknesses, it is very probable that the Patriots will run into an opponent who will find a way to stop them. So far this season the Patriots have yet to truly face a tough defense. A defense that will put significant pressure on  Brady and shut down their passing game as well as their running game. What will happen then? Will Tom Brady be able to maintain that same level of composed consistency? Will Moss be able to get out in the open, down field when Brady airs it out? I think these questions and many more will be answered over the next two weeks.

Remaining games left on Patriots Schedule:   

Week 8-   WASHINGTON at NEW ENGLAND

Week 9-   NEW ENGLAND at INDIANAPOLIS

Week 10- BYE

Week 11- NEW ENGLAND at BUFFALO

Week 12- PHILADELPHIA at NEW ENGLAND

Week 13- NEW ENGLAND at BALTIMORE

Week 14- PITTSBURGH at NEW ENGLAND

Week 15- NEW YORK JETS at NEW ENGLAND

Week 16- MIAMI DOLPHINS at NEW ENGLAND

Week 17-  NEW ENGLAND at NEW YORK GIANTS

The Patriots will take on the Washington Redskins this Sunday at Gillette Stadium. And while it is no secret that the Redskins' offense has been in dire straits due to injuries on the line, Greg Williams defense is rated amongst the top five throughout the league. Free Safety, Sean Taylor is rated first in the league with five defensive interceptions this season. 

London Fletcher alone has had seventy tackles for the season. Forty on his own, and an interception returned for a touchdown last week against the Cardinals. Not only that, but Fletcher also has some old scores to settle. In 2002 London Fletcher, while playing for the Rams, lost Super Bowl XXXVI to Tom Brady and his Patriots. He also then went on to play for Buffalo where he would meet the Patriots twice a season from 2002-2006.

In Brady's time with the Patriots he has beaten every team in the NFL except the Washington Redskins.  Back in 2003 during Brady's only appearance against the Redskins he was limited by a talented Washington defense to only two touchdowns and in turn threw three interceptions. Could this be the week that Tom Brady and his offense falter?

The following week the Patriots will travel to Indianapolis, the one place where they are NOT welcome. They will face their rivals the (6-0) Indianapolis Colts. It is the most anticipated game of the 2007 NFL season. To be honest, I do not even think the Super Bowl is billed as highly as this game is. It does not get much better than Brady vs. Manning, a classic showdown! If anyone on the schedule for the Patriots can give them a run for their money, it is Payton Manning and his Colts.

In a season where there are many doubters to the true legitimacy of whether the Patriots are THAT good, I would have to say that, "Yes, I do think they are that good offensively, but I am not sold on the fact that they will be able too win every single remaining game left this season." I have not brought up their defense, as I am not overly impressed with them. To me, I think the best way to sum up their defense is to look at who has scored the most against points against them. It was last Sunday when the (0-7) Dolphins scored twenty-eight points. To me that just does not say much for the Patriots' defense.

There is just too much good competition ahead of the Patriots. Not only will the 'Skins and Colts give them a run for their money, but I believe the Steelers and the Giants also have a very good shot at it as well. But if you were to strip it down and look solely at who has had a tougher schedule, the Colts, by far, have played a harder fought season than the New England Patriots. Therefore I do not believe that the Patriots will finish this season undefeated at (16-0).

THE 0-7 MIAMI DOLPHINS:

In a season where brown paper bags seem to be on backorder in Miami, truth is, if it were not for bad luck the Miami Dolphins would have no luck at all. From losing key players in the off-season, to season ending injuries, the Dolphins are now finding themselves the butt of every joke around the league. I find it completely amazing that this team has not gone into the Witness Protection Program to hide from their fans.

This week we find that the Fins have swam across the "Pond" to take on the New York Giants in Merry Ole London, at Wembley Stadium.  Not only is this a tough situation by just traveling, but the Dolphins find they are facing a team who has managed to pull themselves up by their cleat straps too win the last five games in a row. The New York Giants have become a formidable opponent for any team, but for the Dolphins it is just another Sunday they would rather not face....

The Dolphins lost their Vet. quarterback Trent Green when he decided to lower his head against Travis Johnson during the Fins/Texans game three weeks ago. And while there has been much debate over who was in the wrong, Trent Green is done for the season and possibly for good. This has allowed Cleo Lemon to come in and take the helm. To be honest with you, I was kinda impressed while looking at Lemons stats. Did you know, for instance, that in the two weeks he has been quarterback for the Dolphins he has thrown for 214.3 yards a game? He also threw for two touchdowns. Not great, but not bad either.

Of course there is no reason to jump on that train, as I have found that Cam Cameron is considering replacing Lemon with back up QB John Beck. Why? Well maybe he wants to cement Beck as the future for the Dolphins, but with a lack of consistency at that crucial position it is bound to ruin any quarterback in the NFL. So unless Cameron is willing to stick with one QB it very well may be a possibility that the Miami Dolphins could become the first winless team in the NFL since the 1976 Bucs.

To say that the Defense for the Dolphins has been abysmal is a gross understatement. When a defense for any team allows an average of thirty-plus points to be scored on them all season, with two games surpassing the forty point mark you know it is time to pack up the moving van. I think it would be in the best interest of Wayne Huizenga to do some serious house keeping once this season comes to a close.

Remaining games left on Dolphins Schedule:  

Week 8-   DOLPHINS VS NEW YORK GIANTS (LONDON, ENGLAND)

Week 9-   BYE

Week 10- BUFFALO BILLS at MIAMI DOLPHINS

Week11- MIAMI DOLPHINS at PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Week 12- MIAMI DOLPHINS at PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Week 13- NEW YORK JETS at MIAMI DOLPHINS

Week 14- MIAMI DOLPHINS at BUFFALO BILLS

Week 15- BALTIMORE RAVENS at MIAMI DOLPHINS

Week 16- MIAMI DOLPHINS at NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Week 17- CINCINNATI BENGALS  at MIAMI DOLPHINS

 By looking at the above schedule I honestly believe that the Dolphins will not lose in week nine. It is actually a sure bet. No I am just kidding. Sorry long articles make me a bit giddy.

 Here are a few suggestions too coach Cameron on how to win at least one game this season:  

1- Do not pull Cleo Lemon and replace him with rookie John Beck.

 2- Always make sure that all of your players are educated enough to know where London is on the map.

3-Do not allow players to sit in traffic at the stadium after a game, as "Fender Benders" are bound to happen.

4- Whatever you did in the second half of the game against the Patriots to mount a mini comeback, use again on teams such as the Jets, Ravens and Bengals.

5- Let Jason Taylor give the pep talks to the team. This guy knows how to motivate.

6-Look up the winning formula of the 1972 Dolphins and apply exactly as written.

Seriously, with so much turmoil upsetting the Dolphins this season, fans of the team either have to give up and start looking forward to next season, or laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. Zach Thomas was in a fender bender last Sunday in stadium traffic. He has whiplash and will not be in London. Linebacker Channing Crowder treated the media to a peak into his sad education by saying he could not point out London on the map unless it was already written in. He knows Italy is in the shape of a boot, but that's about it. Oh, and he was relieved to learn that they speak English in London....WOW!

Jason Taylor was the only thing that impressed me coming out of Miami. Let me give you just a sample from his quote given recently,

 "There's certain things in life, in this world, we can control and certain things we can't. And if we waste our time and energy and worry too much about things we can't control, then I think were not giving ourselves a good enough chance."

That statement, Dolphin players, is something to hang your hat on. Build from there and know that, while this is not a playoff year, the worse thing you could allow is to have your name placed in history as winless right next to the 1976 Bucs....  

So all in all, if I have to answer which team will achieve the status of undefeated, or winless, it would have to be the Miami Dolphins going winless. I just see too much possibility in the teams left facing the Patriots to allow them to finish the season undefeated. And while my opinion throughout this has been based on the sure thing teams... I have to finish with this......An Underdog on Any Given Sunday can change Everything!