On The Spot

The one consistently robust element of New England's defense has been its pass rush, with half of the Patriots' 40 sacks coming from Mark Anderson and Andre Carter, two free-agent ends who were deemed by most observers to be washed-up. The 32-year-old Carter, formerly of the Redskins, had a team-high 10 sacks through Week 15, but then his season ended with a torn left quad. That means the pass-rushing load now falls on the 6'4", 255-pound Anderson, who had 12 sacks as a Bears rookie in 2006 but only 13½ over the next four years, until rallying for 10 this season.