Scouting the Patriots

Sizing up the Patriots at each position before Sunday's game with the Jets.

QUARTERBACK

Well, he'll most likely be named the league's MVP, has already won three Super Bowl rings, and players on both teams will say that he's having a better season this year than he did when the Patriots won 18 games before losing to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII. He's Tom Brady. And unfortunately for the Jets, he doesn't have tickets to a Broadway show this weekend.

RUNNING BACK

BenJarvus Green-Ellis scored 13 rushing TDs for the Patriots this season; only Curtis Martin, who scored 14 twice in a season, has had more in team history. Danny Woodhead, meanwhile, set a team record by averaging 5.68 yards per carry, the most by a Pats back with 90 or more carries since 1976. He's also caught 34 passes at 11.1 yards a pop.

WIDE RECEIVER / TIGHT END

No one has more receptions in the NFL since 2007 than Wes Welker, who came back from a devastating knee injury to grab 86 passes for 848 yards and earn a Pro Bowl nod. Deion Branch has been reunited with Brady and they've connected on five TDs in 11 games. Rookie TEs Rob Gronkowski (10) and Aaron Hernandez have combined for 16 TDs. The only rookie TE to catch more TD passes than Gronkowski in NFL history was Mike Ditka with 12 in 1961.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Matt Light and Logan Mankins each earned their third Pro Bowl selection this season and make a formidable left side of the line. At the opposite bookend is Sebastian Vollmer, who grew up in Germany and didn't start playing football until age 14. Brady was sacked 25 times this season, including four times in two games by the Jets. The Pats also had two of their four lowest rushing outputs of the season against the Jets.

DEFENSIVE LINE

If you can, try to watch Vince Wilfork going against Jets center Nick Mangold. It's sure to be a show between two of the best at their positions. The Patriots' defensive line has taken some dents this season. Mike Wright, who led the team with 5 1/2 sacks despite missing the last six games, was placed on injured reserve and Ron Brace was also recently put on IR. Eric Moore, who also played in the UFL and was signed by the Patriots three days before the Jets game in December, has two sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in his brief time in New England.

LINEBACKERS

Jerod Mayo led the NFL with 193 total tackles, has been selected to his first Pro Bowl, and is a young leader for the defense. He'll be joined in the middle by rookie Brandon Spikes, who has finished a four-game suspension. Outside backer Rob Ninkovich had four sacks and two interceptions and Tully Banta-Cain had five sacks and a team-high 13 quarterback hits.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Devin McCourty will likely be the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year after grabbing seven interceptions. Following a shaky start, he's become a star and a Pro Bowler. Kyle Arrington, who went to Hofstra, starts opposite him, having replaced Darius Butler, who was burned by the Jets in Week 2. Safety Brandon Meriweather is a Pro Bowler as well. Even with two Pro Bowlers in the secondary, though, the Pats' 258.5 passing yards allowed are worse than all but the Redskins and Texans.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Shayne Graham, whose two missed field goals in Cincinnati last season helped the Jets advance to the AFC title game, is now the kicker for the Pats having replaced injured Stephen Gostkowski. He is 1-for-3 on career field-goal attempts in the postseason but has connected on all 12 of his attempts for the Pats this season. Punter Zoltan Mesko set an NFL rookie record with a 38.4 net average. Brandon Tate handles the kickoff returns and has two TDs, including a 103-yarder, while Julian Edelman returned a punt 94 yards for a TD in Week 17.