The Washington Redskins remain the only team in the NFL that Tom Brady has not yet beaten.

AP / MICHAEL DWYER

WHEN THE PATRIOTS

HAVE THE BALL

They have basically been unstoppable to this point. … Tom Brady has taken full advantage of his top-flight receiving corps, and his 27 touchdowns through seven games are the best in league history. … He is on pace for an NFL-record 62 TDs. … The double-teams, and sometimes triple-coverage that Randy Moss draws has helped teammates Donte Stallworth and Wes Welker, inasmuch as not everyone can get maximum attention with Moss on the field. … Laurence Maroney is at full strength after missing three games with a groin injury, and he and Kevin Faulk will need to help keep the Redskins’ defense honest. … Washington’s defense is one of the best in the league, allowing just 81 yards rushing and 277 yards passing per game. … Over their last two games, the Redskins have held Green Bay’s Brett Favre and Detroit’s Jon Kitna to a combined 294 passing yards. … Washington’s hard-hitting secondary: Sean Taylor, LaRon Landry, Shawn Springs and Carlos Rogers are a group that likes the ball, as the Redskins have 11 takeaways.

Key matchup: Welker vs. CB Fred Smoot — This could be a day with Welker and tight end Kyle Brady running a lot of underneath routes, and Smoot will very likely be the one facing up on Welker. The Pats’ receiver has enjoyed career days on consecutive weeks, totaling 20 catches for 262 yards and four touchdowns against Miami and Dallas.

Edge: New England

WHEN THE REDSKINS

HAVE THE BALL

With a running game featuring Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts, emerging quarterback Jason Campbell isn’t asked to do a whole lot. … Though Campbell’s completion mark is just under 60 percent, he’s averaging under 200 yards passing per game. … The Washington ground game accounts for 115 yards a game. … But New England’s defense allows 93 yards rushing, and will probably try to shut down the run and force Campbell to make plays. … It is worth noting that Campbell has just five passing touchdowns, and none of them are to top receivers Santana Moss or Antwaan Randle El; tight end Chris Cooley does have four TD grabs. … The Patriots’ giveaway/takeaway ratio of plus-8 is second in the league. … Washington is one of the better red-zone teams offensively, with 12 touchdowns in 20 chances (plus four field goals), while New England continues to struggle with red-zone defense, giving up 12 touchdowns in 16 opponent opportunities.

Key matchup: Portis vs. New England NT Vince Wilfork — Wilfork, as he so often is, will be called upon to clog the middle and keep Portis from gaining a lot of yardage.

Edge: New England

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Patriots continue to be one of the best kick-return teams in the NFL, giving their high-powered offense excellent field position. …. Last week in Miami, Willie Andrews fielded the second kickoff of his career and ended up with his first touchdown 77 yards later. … Washington’s Rock Cartwright is a dangerous kick returner, but is listed as questionable for the game with a quadriceps injury; he did not practice Friday. … Redskins kicker Shaun Suisham is 7-for-10 on field goals, missing from 39, 41 and 48 yards. … New England kicker Stephen Gostkowski has lined up and converted 36 extra points; his only miss was a 41-yard field goal in Week Two. … With injuries to Eric Alexander and Mel Mitchell, the Pats’ special-teams units are undergoing some changes.

Edge: New England

COACHING

It’s hard to find two coaches in the NFL more accomplished than Joe Gibbs and Bill Belichick. … Gibbs won three Super Bowl titles with the Redskins during his first stint as the team’s head coach, with three different quarterbacks. … After leaving the game for 11 years and enjoying success in auto racing, he returned to the Washington sidelines in 2004. … Belichick saw Gibbs’ Skins teams of the 1980s up close when he was with their NFC East foes, the New York Giants. … Belichick has since won three Super Bowl titles of his own as a head coach and is considered the game’s best currently. … Belichick’s defenses confound quarterbacks, especially ones who are facing one of his units for the first time, as Campbell will today.

Edge: New England

INTANGIBLES

Washington is the only NFL team Tom Brady has not yet beaten; in his only previous game against them, in September 2003, the Redskins won, 20-17, at FedEx Field. … These teams have met seven times before, and New England’s only win was the first time they met, Oct. 1, 1972. … The Pats have won eight straight games against NFC opponents, going 24-4 against NFC teams since 2001. … Today’s weather calls for sunny skies and winds 15 to 25 mph; high temperature will be 56 degrees.

smanza@projo.com