(Re: ESPN’s Gene Wojciechowski’s article, “Sorry, Bill, but your team’s going undefeated.”)

Even after the New England Patriots beat the Indianapolis Colts on the road with a franchise-high ten penalties for 146 yards and Tom Brady doubled his season-total interceptions in one game, Wojciechowski still claims the New England Patriots are going undefeated. He thinks the National Football League should already have another Lombardi Trophy for Foxborough, Mass.

Wojciechowski is an idiot.

While the Patriots look like the best team in the NFL, they are certainly nowhere near going 16-0.

First off, the Patriots play the Buffalo Bills (4-4) on the road after their bye week, a game they could possibly come into over-rested and big-headed. Remember how close Buffalo was to upsetting Dallas?

Second, in Week 13, the Patriots face off against the Ravens (4-3) in Baltimore, a team with the potential to shut teams down, and that, by no means, is a secure win. The following week they host the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2), likely considered the third strongest team in the American Football Conference, a game they can’t consider an easy win.

Third, let’s suppose the Patriots make it to 15-0. They conclude the regular season in the Meadowlands against the New York Giants (6-2). The Giants pose a serious threat, supposing they will be jockeying for a top spot in the National Football Conference. Plus, if the Colts lose another game, the Patriots would already have the top AFC spot secured with a 15-0 record, meaning they would likely rest their starters at least for a half, giving the Giants a good shot for the win.

Fourth, what about injuries? Did Wojciechowski forget that injuries happen every NFL game, and with a little luck the world could witness Tom Brady being carted off the field, leaving him to occupy his time with ridiculous cologne advertisements?

Finally, when the playoffs start, the Patriots could face a team like the 2005-2006 Pittsburgh Steelers: a wild-card team that rolled into the playoffs with four straight wins and tremendous momentum. Oh yeah, the Steelers won it all that year. If that doesn’t happen, a Colts-Patriots rematch is very likely. Don’t you think the Colts will be foaming at the mouth for this second opportunity? Giving Peyton Manning a second chance to beat you and redeem himself is never a smart choice, and the Patriots may find that out in January.

Obviously, the Patriots are an incredible football team this year, but to write off the rest of the NFL as if they mean nothing is absolutely ridiculous. The Patriots will face more challenges this season, and they won’t strut to the Super Bowl untouched. Sorry, Gene Wojciechowski, you are a typical ESPN idiot.