Patriots taking control, 35-21

Ed Croson deserves some major credit with his play calling.

Despite the Vikings' crowding the line of scrimmage with eight men, Croson had confidence that his linemen _ with a huge assist from tight end Mychal Rivera _ could win the battle up front.

And boy have they in the second half, Rivera in particular with his devastating blocks.

The result: Two long touchdown drives to take a 35-21 lead with seven minutes left in the game. Each scoring march was keyed by the ground game, as the Patriots continually pounded the Vikings with runs.

Meanwhile, Birmingham's defense has simply shut the Vikings down. The key is the Patriots athletic ability along the defensive line and in the backfield.

As a result, Graham Wilbert doesn't have much time to throw, and when he does his guys have been covered.