New England Patriots Bear Similarities To Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints

Jim Rogash/Getty ImagesThe New Orleans Saints marched into Super Bowl XLIV, and the New England Patriots' 60-minute men look poised to do the same thing in 2010. In fact, the similarities between the two are eerie, to say the least. No, the Patriots didn't have much of 4 Brett Favre White jersey
a chance at perfection. That was shattered in Week 2 at the hands of the New York Jets. Their defense isn't striking fear in the heart of anyone, but maybe it doesn't have to. It sure didn't with the Saints, who forfeited an average of 21 points per game. The Patriots defense gives up 24 points per game. Much like with the Saints last year, the pundits agree that the Patriots are the team to beat at this point in the season. But how are they doing it? The Patriots feature a defense that could generously be called "opportunistic," with the ability to force turnovers at key points in the game. It currently sits at plus-11 in the turnover margin (the same mark the Saints finished with in 2009), and ranks second in the league in that category. Its 15 interceptions rank eighth in the league, and it is on pace for 22, just four short of the total which New Orleans finished with last year. The Patriots' complementary running backs could have something to do with it. The Saints had Reggie Bush, their pass-catcher and quickster out of Jets 6 Sanchez AFL50th jersey
the backfield; they had Pierre Thomas, their hammer up the middle; they had Mike Bell, their jack-of-all-trades who could often be seen leaping over piles into the end zone. The Patriots have two talented backs in BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead, both of whom excel in their own rights. Green-Ellis is best between the tackles and Woodhead is best in open space. They have explosive potential, but the Patriots get by with them simply doing their jobs. The Patriots feature a who's-who of some of the most underrated receivers in the game right now. Wes Welker, Brandon Tate and Deion Branch aren't 6-foot-somethings that impose their will on opposing defensive backs like New Orleans. Just like the running backs, though, these guys are okay with just doing their jobs to the utmost of their ability. Perhaps most importantly, both the 2009 Saints and the 2010 Patriots feature the No. 1 scoring offenses in the league, led by their uber-talented quarterbacks. Ah, there's the rub. In what's become a 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
quarterback-driven league, the Patriots are proving that you can make up for deficiencies across the board with a great quarterback. And as for that old adage that "defense wins championships"? The Saints were ranked No. 1 in scoring offense in 2009; the Patriots currently enjoy that same ranking. In that respect, we've seen a change of the guard in the NFL. But as it did in the previous decade, the logo on that guard may still be a "Flying Elvis".