Patriots quarterback Tom Brady completed 31 of 41 passes for 372 yards on Sunday. AP
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MINNEAPOLIS -- Omen of the Week:

Winner of the first race Saturday at Monmouth Park (N.J.) Racetrack at the Jersey shore: Belichick.

There are games in this business you wish you had covered, and watching the fourth quarter of the Patriots-Steelers game on TV at the big ketchup bottle on Sunday, that's what I kept thinking. God, I wish I had I could have convinced the bosses to send me to Pittsburgh instead of my colleague Mike Silver. The revival (maybe) of the Vikings is an interesting story, but a time capsule game for Tom Brady's career ... well, that comes along, what? Ten times? Eight? However many times, this was one of them.

This game did not figure to be Patriots Day. New England stunk last week at Carolina and headed into the belly of the beast, Pittsburgh, who had new rushing threat (Fast) Willie Parker. The Pats had a beat-up secondary and Corey Dillon is running like he's 74 (2.7 yards per rush). It looked twice as bad when two tremendous pieces of their chemistry and football puzzles, safety Rodney Harrison and tackle Matt Light, left with what could be serious leg injuries during the game.

The Pats turned it over three times. They committed 10 penalties for 108 yards. Very un-Belichickian. I'm sure talk show jocks all over the country, watching this CBS doubleheader game, were yelling into their mikes: "You don't go on the road and turn it over and have any chance of winning.'' Same thing I would have said had I not been transfixed.

This is the odd thing about the Patriots. Have you noticed they seem to play better when the world is closing in on them? Bill Belichick coaches better, Tom Brady throws better, Adam Vinatieri kicks better, Richard Seymour sacks better. Maybe it's my imagination, but I don't think so. We've seen it too often, folks. And it came again.

Pittsburgh up 13-10. New England ball at its 14. Brady to David Givens for 14, to Deion Branch for eight, to Troy Brown for 19, to Brown for five. Dillon up the gut for three. Brady, using the shotgun with the noise cascading down, lofting a 30-yarder to Givens. Dillon for the touchdown. Seven yards out. Patriots, 17-13.

Five for five.

Steelers punt. Pats ball on their 24. Brady to Givens for 12, to Dillon for 19, to Givens for 20 ... and the guy hasn't thrown an incompletion yet. He can't hear himself think there in Copeville. Patrick Pass and Dillon run for five combined, then Brady to Faulk for three on a dump. Vinatieri, with a perfect 35-yard field goal.

Now nine for nine.

With 3:23 left, New England led 20-13.