NEW ORLEANS - Bill Belichick is not a man who mixes sentiment and work, which means one opportunity he has tonight likely will remain unfulfilled. Moments before kickoff, if he wants to, Belichick will be able to gaze around and replay one of the seminal days of his career.
The last time he stood on the Louisiana Superdome sideline, the Patriots won Super Bowl XXXVI and launched an NFL dynasty. But Belichick is not a coach who looks back, and the opponent leaves no room for nostalgia.
“I don’t know what will be going through my mind then,’’ Belichick said. “Right now, it’s really just focusing on New Orleans. It’s a huge game.’’
Following their coach, the Patriots will dismiss the subplots hovering around their showdown against the Saints and focus on a game that presents enough imminent concerns on its own. Two weeks after collapsing in the fourth quarter against the unbeaten Colts, the Patriots will receive another chance to notch a defining victory tonight, when they face the undefeated Saints on “Monday Night Football.’’
A victory over the dominant Saints will fill the void the loss to the Colts left. The Patriots will have to earn it against a team playing what might be the most anticipated game in the history of its franchise.
“This game, everybody is going to be watching us,’’ Patriots cornerback Jonathan Wilhite said. “This is going to be the game to make a stand.’’
The Patriots only have beaten two teams with winning records, the Falcons and the Ravens, and they’re both 6-5. The Patriots allowed their most recent chance for a statement victory, at Indianapolis, to slip away.
The Saints may present a more complete challenge. They hardly have been challenged this year, winning games on average by more than two touchdowns. While the Colts rely on Peyton Manning and their prolific passing game, the Saints average more than 150 yards rushing, and their defense has forced 29 turnovers.
“Indianapolis does one thing great,’’ Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather said. “This team does everything else great.’’
The Patriots and Saints have been perhaps the league’s two most dominant teams. Though New England has lost three times, it has outscored opponents by 126 points, the second-highest margin in the league. The highest, not surprisingly, belongs to the Saints, who have outscored foes by 165 points this season, an average of almost 17.
While the Saints and Patriots share space on the top rung of the NFL’s hierarchy this season, a chasm exists between their historical track records.
