Don't be mistaken. The real heavyweight match is saved for prime time Monday. In one corner, there's the AFC East-leading Patriots. In the other, there's the unbeaten hometown favorite Saints.

All that's missing is the prefight weigh-in where the opponents stare each other down and the trainers trade barbs. These Saints and Patriots are just too civil. Any chance Jets mouthpiece Rex Ryan can be honorary spokesman of the game?

"I don't think there's any better team in Football than the New Orleans Saints," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said, and he would know. He's played the undefeated Colts, and lost to the Jets and Broncos when they were still good.

"They have no weaknesses that I can see."

If Belichick isn't seeing, he isn't looking hard enough. The Saints may be 10-0 for the first time ever, but they always ease their way into it. First round TKO, this won't be.

The Saints haven't led at the end of the first quarter in five straight games. Two of those teams were the unmighty Rams and Buccaneers.

The Patriots? They come out with fists of flurry, leading the NFL with 71 first-quarter points and 125 second-quarter points.

"It's going to take our best game to beat the Patriots," Saints quarterback Drew Brees said. "They're a dynasty. Obviously, that's one of the organizations we try to emulate."

Brees is right. The Saints aren't the Patriots. They come strong at fight's end. New Orleans has outscored opponents 105-24 in the fourth quarter. That's almost as many points as the Raiders 108, Rams 113 and Browns 115 have scored all season.

The Patriots? In their three losses, they were outscored 47-10 after halftime.

They can't let the Saints get off the ropes, not if they want a fighting chance.

"It's important when you have a team reeling, that you keep piling it on so they don't ever have an opportunity to come back," New England quarterback Tom Brady said.

That's what the 2007 Patriots did in their 16-0 season. They must do the same tonight unless they want the Saints to match their perfect record.

On the rise Packers cornerback Charles Woodson.Two picks, one returned for a touchdown, a forced fumble and recovery ... and a $2 million donation to a children's hospital. Not a bad Thanksgiving.Go ahead and enter Woodson into the defensive Player of the Year sweepstakes. He has seven interceptions, four forced fumbles and two touchdowns, all at an age 33 where most corners have lost their speed.Twenty-six of his 43 career picks have come since leaving Oakland in 2006. Even when Al Davis got a top-seven pick right, Oakland got the short end.Teams that beat OaklandBeat the woeful , and it could take weeks to recover. It's as if the are contagious, in all the wrong ways.The Chargers beat the in the season opener, then lost three of four. The Giants thumped them in a "scrimmage," then went from 5-0 to 6-5.And don't forget the Jets. They've lost three straight since dismantling the .Maybe the Eagles and the Bengals had the right idea losing in Oakland. If the Cowboys do their usual December collapse, you now know why.Even Belichick is buttering up their praises.Cutting it close with four in a row by four points or fewerFavre's three picks a league-low after 22 in '08.Let's see what Belichick does on 4th-and-2.How did they become 8-3 with such a shortage of drama?One TD a game keeps the wins away.Not even the president will pardon this turkey.Dodge sales slump, guilt by name association.Two coordinators down, one head coach to go.Lost to one-armed Lions rookie. Uncle!Mike Martz is having "people close to him" job-lobbying on his behalf in Buffalo. Instead of dusting off the old resume, Martz should take an eraser to it.He has been fired by the Rams, Lions and 49ers since 2005. Losers, losers and more losers. Martz can only milk the Greatest Show on Turf years for so long, and that dairy has closed.So don't call them. They'll call you. Except, they won't be calling.