These are not the dynasty days in New England any longer. Those days, the Patriots could handle any adversity thrown at them, replace almost anyone in the lineup, and the one constant was always their undeniable defense.
These days, the Patriots look a lot like the rest of the 2009 NFL playoff field - flawed, vulnerable and beaten up.
Wide receiver Wes Welker, with an NFL-high 123 receptions this season, injured his left knee in the first quarter of Sunday's game and could be lost for the postseason. Tom Brady, one of the most successful quarterbacks in NFL history, is playing with three broken ribs, according to a CBS report.
Coach Bill Belichick even had to send four players home for arriving late to a team meeting this season.
If the Ravens are on top of their game when they go into Foxborough, Mass., in the wild-card round Sunday, they might get a chance to make the plays that matter in the fourth quarter and beat a good team on the road.
If the Ravens aren't on top of their game, they could get crushed.
The Ravens-Patriots matchup is like the question of whether the glass is half full or half empty. Here's one perspective.
Home-field advantage
It is always significant in Foxborough. The Patriots are 8-0 there this season and have outscored their opponents by 18.4 points a game. But the Patriots are also 2-6 on the road, and that means they are vulnerable. The Ravens are 3-5 on the road, but the only good team they beat was the San Diego Chargers and that was barely. Glass: : Half empty.
Strength of schedule
The Patriots played just five games against 2009 playoff teams. They won just two of those games but still won the AFC East at 10-6. It was a soft schedule. The Ravens went 1-6 against playoff teams, losing the last six. Glass:: Half empty.
Quarterbacks
The Patriots' Brady has it all - beautiful wife, three Super Bowl rings, referees who protect his every move. Playing most of Sunday's 34-27 loss in Houston despite the alleged three broken ribs, Brady finished the regular season with 28 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. Joe Flacco is not there yet, but he had a terrific rookie season in 2008. He has thrown 21 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions this season, doesn't use the whole field and gets sacked a lot. Both teams are suspect in the secondary, but perhaps only Brady, with Randy Moss, will be able to take advantage. Glass: : Half empty.
Running game
The Patriots have none to speak of. They are one-dimensional on offense, and they lost their leading pass catcher in Wes Welker in Houston. The Ravens are at their best when they're running the ball. They ran 35 times in Oakland and passed 19, a ratio that won them a Super Bowl in the 2000 season. Willis McGahee buried the Raiders with 167 rushing yards and three touchdowns, and Ray Rice punched out 70 more. That's a tough combination to beat. The Ravens are 0-5 when they don't rush for 100 net yards this season. Glass: : Half full.
Defense
The Patriots won't be able to run the ball on the Ravens. Brady will have room to work in Baltimore's secondary, even without Welker. He will have to contend with safety Ed Reed, who returned Sunday after a three-game absence. But which team is more vulnerable in the back end? The Ravens gave up 17 touchdown passes this season. The Patriots gave up 25. Glass: : Half full.
Turnovers
The Ravens had none against the Raiders and 22 for the season. They were plus-10 in turnover ratio. The Patriots gave away two against the Texans and are plus-6. Reed was huge in the turnover game in last year's playoffs. Glass: : Half full.
Penalties
Under Bill Belichick, the Patriots are well disciplined and almost never beat themselves. The Ravens cut their penalties to five on Sunday but are penalty-prone against good teams. They were flagged 115 times this season, compared with the Patriots' 81 penalties. Glass: : Half empty.
Week 4
Patriots 27, Ravens 21
When: Oct. 4
Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
What happened: Call it a game of missed opportunities for the Ravens. A touchdown reception by the Patriots' Randy Moss made the score 24-14 late in the third quarter, but Joe Flacco's 13-yard scoring pass to Willis McGahee cut the lead to 24-21. A field goal by the Patriots put them up by six points midway through the fourth quarter. The Ravens were then stopped twice in the last half of the quarter on fourth down. After the field goal, McGahee was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-1 at the Ravens' 45-yard line. The Ravens (3-1) got the ball back with 5:09 left after a punt and moved to a fourth-and-4 at the 14. Flacco threw to Mark Clayton, who was open inside the 5-yard line for a first down, but he dropped the pass with 28 seconds remaining.