WHEN NEW ENGLAND HAS THE BALL

The offense Bill Belichick envisioned during training camp has emerged the last two games. Quarterback Tom Brady is spreading the wealth and will have to continue to do so for continued success. The Patriots' tight ends have been crucial the last two weeks. . . . Wide receiver Reche Caldwell and Brady have hit the comfort zone. . . . The running back trio of Kevin Faulk, Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney has exploded of late with Faulk leading the charge in rushing and receiving. . . . The Patriots have the ability to put a lot of points on the board today. ADVANTAGE: New England.

WHEN DETROIT HAS THE BALL

Today will be an enormous challenge for the Lions. New England has one of the best defensive units in the league and is ranked second for fewest points allowed. . . . Detroit's veteran quarterback Jon Kitna has been sacked 41 times this season. Ouch. He'll definitely see, and expects, a lot of pressure this afternoon. . . . Despite a 2-9 record, the Lions do have some top-quality offensive weapons. Roy Williams is one of the top-rated wide receivers in the league and needs just seven yards to reach the 1,000-yard receiving mark. . . . If Kitna attempts the big pass play, he'll have to deal with New England's secondary, mainly Asante Samuel, who collected three interceptions against the Bears. . . . The Patriots lost linebacker Junior Seau for the remainder of the season after he suffered a broken right arm last Sunday against Chicago. Prior to the injury, Seau was second on the team with 69 tackles. ADVANTAGE: New England.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Lions kicker Jason Hanson has nine touchbacks this season, good for fourth in the NFC. The 15-year veteran for Detroit is ranked 20th overall in the league, while Patriots' rookie kicker Stephen Gostkowski is ranked 29th. Gostkowski made a huge statement last week against Chicago when he nailed his longest field-goal attempt (52 yards) of the season. He's 11-for-15 with field-goal attempts this season and 30-for-30 on extra points. But, the Patriots have a highly-successful fourth-down conversion rate (81.3) because Belichick has decided to go for it more often. . . . Punting could be an issue for both teams today. ADVANTAGE: Detroit.

COACHING

This is the first time Lions head coach Rod Marinelli has faced Belichick. Both coaches are defensive-minded, but Detroit has offensive coordinator Mike Martz, who was instrumental for the St. Louis Rams and faced Belichick in the Super Bowl in 2001. The Patriots beat the Rams for their first title that season. Marinelli brings his 2-9 club to a hostile environment with Belichick and the Pats ready to make their march towards the playoffs. ADVANTAGE: New England.

INTANGIBLES

The Patriots are 3-0 against the NFC North this season, including wins over Green Bay, Minnesota and Chicago. . . . The Patriots, especially Brady, were very satisfied with their new FieldTurf at Gillette Stadium. New England's QB is 20-1 on the artificial surface. . . . Even though its remaining opponents -- Detroit, Miami, Houston, Jacksonville and Tennessee -- have losing records, New England has its fourth consecutive division title within reach, so don't expect the Patriots to ease up. . . . New England plays its best football in the closing months of the season. ADVANTAGE: New England.