After the Patriots lit up the NFL’s top dog Steelers like a crackpipe Sunday, they are now headed to their third super bowl in four years.

In Jacksonville we will meet up with the Philadelphia Eagles and as my roommate, and huge Eagles fan - Jesse, will let you know “the Patriots have no chance at all.” He is somehow absolutely convinced that his lord and savior, T.O. will be not only back in the lineup on February 6th -- but a huge factor in the game.

If you were to look at the two conferences in the NFL during the 2004 regular season, the AFC and the NFC, there is no doubt that the AFC is hands down the tougher conference consisting of better teams. The Eagles have enjoyed a much easier schedule than almost every AFC team, especially the Patriots playing a majority of their games against teams with losing records.

Even in the feeble NFC conference the Eagles were only able to have the 3th best defense in the NFL, bested by the Patriots supposedly vulnerable and decimated secondary whom managed to have the 2nd best defense in the NFL.

But with the Eagles high octane (high trash talking) offence consisting of T.O, McNabb, Westbrook and that “Crazy” Freddie Mitchell .. their offence must be better than the Patriots, right? Wrong! The eagles only managed to score 24.1PPG (8th in NFL) during the regular season as compared to the Patriots 27.3 (4th)

The Pats over the past two weeks have held the highest production offence that ever lined up on the field (or astroturf) to a measly field goal. After that, they destroyed the best defense in the NFL, and smoked them in blowout fashion (nice touch guys).

The Patriots are an anomaly -- they don’t play their game, they beat you at whatever you do best. We have the coaching trifecta of Belichick, Weiss and Crennel to thank for that as they keep bending and molding this team to greatness.

Over the past 4 years the Pats have just found a way to win, period. The bigger the game – the bigger the Patriots play. In this very impressive run (31-2) the Patriots usually do just enough to beat you. They don’t run up scores, no trash talking and they certainly don’t divulge too much of their play book if they don’t need to. There smart, lean, mean and they play like a team.

Looking at the line up as it stands today, if were able to neutralize Westbrook and keep Donovan McScrambles in the pocket we should be able to easily cage the wingless Eagles.

If bigmouth T.O. somehow does manage to make it into the lineup … I think he will be a non factor. There is no way a wide receiver can break his ankle, go through surgery and 8 weeks later run and cut as well as he is used to. If he broke an arm, or a shoulder, I could see it. But a wide receiver breaking an ankle and injuring an bone in the knee area is like an pitcher blowing out his shoulder and elbow.

The Patriots have made their name by not underestimating teams and I fully expect the Patriots to be well prepared for this game.

But after all you don’t win 13 games in the NFL by accident, the Eagles will be ready too.