Patriots owner Robert Kraft this past week spoke to the 2009 team about Feb. 3, 2002, the night he declared us all to be Patriots . "He's a very reflective person," said Brady.

But the only powerful emotion Faulk expects to feel Monday night is a desire to beat the Saints. Faulk is from Carencro, La., and attended LSU, but grew up cheering for the Cowboys.

"At the time (the Saints) weren't doing what a lot of people expected," said Faulk. "The Dallas Cowboys were 'America's Team.'"

Now, the Saints are something: A perfect 10-0.

The Patriots , meanwhile, have played only two teams currently with winning records (Broncos, Colts), and lost to them both.

Even more disturbing, the 7-3 Patriots appeared outcoached in their three losses. They led each game at halftime. In the second halves -- after adjustments were made -- they were outscored 54-10.

"Playing 60 minutes of Football, that's what every team in the league is looking to do," said Brady. "To play consistently over every play, every series, every punt, every kickoff ... The momentum changes can happen very quickly. And once you lose the momentum, it's like playing a different team when you go out there for the next series.

'It's important when you have a team that's reeling; you have to keep piling it on ... like we did against Tennessee (59-0 victory)," added Brady. "We've just had some games this year when we haven't done that. Believe me, it's something that we're all focusing on. It's something that's brought to our attention on a daily basis by our coach."

New England's killer instinct has waned on the road, where the Patriots are 1-3 (0-3 if you disregard Tampa Bay's "home" game in neutral London). The Saints on Monday night will be trying to win a franchise-record sixth straight home game. The Superdome will be chaotic. Saints safety Darren Sharper said it will be like "Mardi Gras in November."

"After what they went through a few years ago (with Hurricane Katrina), it's something special for everyone down there," said Patriots defensive lineman Jarvis Green of Donaldsonville, La., who has missed the last three games with a knee injury. "It's like everything else; everybody supports each other and it's huge for the state, it just keeps them stronger."

"(Their) fans are going to be into it," said Patriots center Dan Koppen. "That's another thing we're going to have to deal with. Make sure everybody is on the same page."

Saints coach Sean Payton will be out to short-circuit the Patriots' communication on defense. New Orleans uses as many offensive formations and personnel groupings as New England will see in all its other 15 games combined, said Belichick. "You can't name a play they don't run," he said. "Honestly, I can't think of one."

New Orleans' offense is ranked first in the NFL (the Patriots are second) while its defense is ranked only 17th but leads the league with 29 takeaways.

If the Saints are really as good as Belichick says ( "Look, nobody has really been that competitive with them." ) -- and, of course, Belichick would never exaggerate opponents' strengths for public consumption, right? -- the Patriots might even lose.

If that happens, and the 5-5 Dolphins win at Buffalo on Sunday, the Dolphins catch the Patriots on a short week with a chance, at home the following Sunday, to pull even in the AFC East.

So, Monday night is an enormous spectacle on many levels.