Andy Dunn
Staff Writer

What a season it has been for the Pats. Unlike most years, there is no debate in the topic of who’s #1 right now-the Patriots are the unanimous choice no matter who you ask. Their offense is an unstoppable monster and their defense causes huge plays via turnovers several times every game. At home, they have been literally impossible to beat, going 8-0 this season when playing at Gillette in Foxborough.

The achievements of the 2010-11 Patriots are staggering. They have broken some NFL records that have withheld for decades, including fewest turnovers committed in a season (10), fewest interceptions in a season (5), and tying the 2000-01 St. Louis Rams for most consecutive games scoring more than 30 points with eight.

Three statement wins of the second half of  this season have transcended the Pats to their own top tier of the NFL. Their three huge second half victories were facing three powerhouse teams in the NFL-the Colts, Jets, and Bears.

The Colts game was their first real statement game without Randy Moss against a top-tier team, and their offense was top-notch. Both sides played perfectly in the first half, and the defense held in the second-half with a rally-killing interception to win the game by 3.

The Jets and Bears games were both romps. The Patriots beat the Jets 45-3 on national television and beat the Bears in a snowy Chicago next week 36-7. Both games not only featured Tom Brady playing like a complete MVP, but the defense coming up huge in each of the games-causing several turnovers and allowing the opponents to score only one touchdown in both of the games combined.

The Pats have showed their strength all year by breaking such amazing NFL records and by absolutely dominating NFL powerhouses like the Bears at Soldier Field and the Jets at the Meadowlands. It is apparent that the Patriots have had a great combination of offense, defense, and special teams.

This year the Patriot’s defense was not head coach Bill Belichick’s usual squad. The defense is young and inexperienced with an average age of 25.5 out of the starters (Belichick’s youngest defensive squad ever), but the defense has drastically improved over the year from inexperienced and undisciplined to a turnover machine that can hold even elite offenses to a few points.

The defense is full of young play-makers, guys who make things happen on the field. Collectively, the team has 21 interceptions this year with 4 of them being returned for touchdowns. Jerod Mayo has been the biggest defensive player for the Patriots leading the team in tackles with 175 tackles this year.

The true bright spot of the Patriots is the offense though. Star QB Tom Brady seems to be the runaway candidate for MVP of this season and deservingly so-he hasn’t thrown an interception in 335 passes and has won 28 consecutive regular-season wins at home-both are NFL records. Brady is averaging an astronomical 9 touchdowns to 1 interception this season.

Almost more amazing is who he has done it with. It was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Pats. Projected to have such a bad defense and aging offense they were projected to barely make the playoffs and have an early exit, but Belichick has crafted a winner yet again by making some nifty moves during the season including trading Randy Moss and Laurence Maroney away, while at the same time acquiring 31-year old Deion Branch for a bargain price in a trade and Danny Woodhead from the waiver wire, who was cut from the Jets practice squad.

Both have blossomed into vital role players for the Patriots and plan to have large roles in the future as well. Maroney’s departure left the door open for not just Woodhead, but Ben-Jarvis Green-Ellis as well, who has a 1,000 rushing yard season. This was the first time the Patriots have had a single running back run for 1000 since 2003 with Corey Dillon.

It seems like the Patriots are a lock for the Super Bowl-in fact AccuScore calculated the probability of each team in the playoffs winning the Super Bowl and the Patriots not-surprisingly finished first at 35.4%.

Their is only one obstacle standing in the way of Super Bowl glory-and that obstacle is also the Patriots best player. Brady has struggled the last few years in playoff games-he is 5-4  in the playoffs since 2005. He has struggled individually in the playoffs recently as well, posting numbers such as 3 interceptions and a 49.1 QB rating in the ’09 Wildcard vs. Ravens, 3 interceptions and a 66.4 QB rating in the ’07 AFC Conference game vs. Chargers, and a 3 interception, 57.6 QB rating outing against the Chargers in the ’06 Divisional game.

My prediction for the Patriots this year in the playoffs is they will face the Baltimore Ravens in the second-round after their first-round bye, dominate in that game, and then move on the AFC Championship against the Steelers. I expect them to edge out  a close-game with the Steelers and advance to the Super Bowl where they will face the 10-6 Philadelphia Eagles led by Michael Vick.

Vick vs. Brady will be one epic match-up that will not only determine the best NFL team of 2010-11 but will settle the MVP debate between Brady and Vick as well. In the Super Bowl I would fully expect Brady to transcend his play to a new level and absolutely wreck the Eagles offensively, capping off their amazing year with a Super Bowl victory.