Sydney Ellen Wade: “I gotta nip this in the bud. This has catastrophe written all over it.”

Beth Wade: “In what language? Sydney, the man is the leader of the free world. He’s brilliant, funny, handsome. He’s an above-average dancer. Isn’t it possible our standards are just a tad high?”

—from the film American President, when the Wade sisters are discussing Sidney’s relationship with widowed President Andrew Shepherd.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — They’ve scored more points than any team in the history of the National Football League. They’ve scored more touchdowns than any team in the history of the National Football League. And last night at Giants Stadium they were bidding to make history by becoming only the second NFL team ever to finish the regular season undefeated, and the first to go 16-0.

And yet, when they don’t win by enough points, or don’t win as impressively as some people seem to think they should, the Patriots are made to seem like, well, like the 1-14 Dolphins — the team they beat by a mere three touchdowns last Sunday in Foxboro, 28-7.

There was this from the next day’s Boston Globe: “For most of this season, Patriots fans have enjoyed pigskin Picassos. Yesterday resembled a paint-by-numbers kit.” That was polite, compared to this from the tabloid Boston Herald: “The Pats played like horse manure for more than 30 minutes against the worst team in the NFL.”

And what was it that prompted this mud — or, in the case of the Herald, some other, even-less-savory, substance — slinging at a team with an unblemished record?

The Patriots had failed to score in the second half.

That was the egregious offense committed, the sorry shortcoming that brought wrath and ridicule down upon their helmeted heads.

Isn’t it possible our standards are just a tad high?

After jumping out to a 28-0 halftime lead against Miami, the Patriots didn’t put even a single point on the board in either the third or fourth quarter. It was the first time all season the Pats had gone an entire half without scoring.

But points — lots and lots of points — are something New England fans have grown accustomed to seeing throughout this spectacular season. And, when they don’t get them, they get cranky.

It’s not enough now for the Patriots to win. They have to win big, the way they did the first half of the season, when they scored at least 34 games in every game, and their smallest margin of victory was 17 points.

The way it was when they clobbered the Chargers, 38-14; clobbered the Cowboys, 48-27; mauled Miami, 49-28; walloped Washington, 52-7; and blasted the Bills, 56-10.

That’s not the way it’s been lately, though.

With the exception of a 34-13 pounding of Pittsburgh three weeks ago, the Pats haven’t been winning as emphatically, or as impressively, as they did earlier.

Fact is, they were lucky to beat the Ravens, who, as three-touchdown underdogs, appeared to have an upset victory in hand on a Monday night in Baltimore when they stuffed Tom Brady on a fourth-down, quarterback sneak late in the game.

Fortunately for the Pats, that play didn’t count, because one of the Ravens’ coaches had called timeout from the sideline just before the snap. Able to retain possession, New England went on to pull out a 27-24 victory.

That was the second straight come-from-behind win for the Patriots against a team the oddsmakers felt was overmatched.

Only the week before, New England had had to rally to knock off the Eagles, who, with backup quarterback A.J. Feeley running the offense, led in the fourth quarter in Foxboro, 28-24, before the Patriots rallied to win, 31-28.

And, two weeks ago against the hated Jets, in a game that had been expected to be a blowout — payback for New York coach Eric Mangini for having blown the whistle on the Patriots for videotaping sideline signals in the season opener, resulting in fines of $750,000 and a heaping amount of embarrassment for coach Bill Belichick — the final score was only 20-10.

Although that was due more to the quality (or lack of same) of the weather than the quality (or lack of same) of the Jets defense, the pigskin pundits, and the populace of Patriots Nation who read and listen to them, were disappointed and disgruntled.

No matter that it was tough to pile up points with sleet pouring down throughout much of the game.

It’s wasn’t enough that the Patriots had a perfect record. It was as if they also had to play the perfect game, or many fans — and many media — felt let down.

The Patriots finished undefeated in the division (6-0) for the first time in franchise history. They went into last night’s game, not only as the league’s highest-scoring team — by 102 points over the NFC-leading Cowboys, 551-449 — but also tied for the league lead in fewest points allowed.

And, still, some people complain.

Isn’t it possible our standards are just a tad high?

jdonalds@projo.com