Patriots

If there is one thing we've learned from the first week and a half of the Episcopal Academy girls' basketball season, it is that the Churchwomen surely can keep their composure. And when it really counts, they'll make their free throws. Saturday, the Churchwomen overcame a late surge from Cardinal O'Hara to beat the Lions in overtime, going 9 for 12 from the foul line in extra time. While Tuesday's 42-29 win over Germantown Academy in an Inter-Ac League game might not have been as dramatic, Episcopal showed that same poise.

Texans at Patriots 8:30 p.m., ESPN. Line: Patriots by 3. The skinny: Stevan Ridley and the revived New England ground game have brought balance to a Patriots offense that relied more heavily on quarterback Tom Brady in recent years. Ridley, in his second pro season, is third in the AFC with 1,010 yards rushing going into Monday night's game between the Texans (11-1) and the Patriots (9-3). Houston has the best record in the AFC and has clinched a playoff berth.

The Archbishop Carroll girls' basketball team is well aware of how young it is. After all, having three sophomores in the starting lineup is hard to ignore. But instead of viewing their inexperience as a negative, the Patriots are looking to turn it around. That was the message from their coaching staff Saturday afternoon, after the Patriots lost their season-opening game to Christ the King (N.Y.), 54-39. "I didn't expect it to be as frustrating," Sarah Curran said of the opener in the Blue Chip Tip-Off Classic at Carroll.

Here are my picks to roll and get rolled in Week 14 of the 2012 season.   Watch 'em roll Matt Schaub, QB, Texans at Patriots. It's always nice having a starter or two playing on Monday night, especially when it's your QB facing a lousy secondary. Schaub isn't the most consistent fantasy performer, but he's been sharp enough to trust against one of the NFL's passing doormats. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, Bengals vs. Cowboys. The Law Firm is on a monster run, while the Dallas run defense is imploding.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - NATO agreed Tuesday to send new American-made air defenses to Turkey's volatile southern border with Syria, a boost to an alliance member on the front lines of the civil war and a potential backstop for wider U.S. or NATO air operations if Syria deteriorates further. The military alliance's approval of Patriot antimissile batteries represents NATO's first significant military involvement in the 20-month-long crisis, even if it falls well short of rebel demands for help.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score as the New England Patriots embarrassed the New York Jets with a 35-point second quarter in a 49-19 victory Thursday night. After a scoreless opening quarter, the Patriots (8-3) went on a touchdown spree while taking advantage of several mistakes by the hapless Jets (4-7), scoring four touchdowns in just over 6 minutes.  

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots' superb offense finally got some help from the rest of the team. The Patriots used three scoring passes from Tom Brady, two touchdowns on interception returns, and another on a punt return to match a team single-game scoring record in a 59-24 rout of the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. The first matchup between three-time Super Bowl winner Brady and star rookie Andrew Luck was no match. The Patriots (7-3) won their fourth straight game and extended their lead in the AFC East to three games.

BEIRUT - Britain called on the U.S. and other allies Wednesday to do more to shape the Syrian opposition into a coherent force, saying the re-election of President Barack Obama is an opportunity for the world to take stronger action to end the deadlocked civil war. Also Wednesday, Turkey said NATO members - including the United States - have discussed using Patriot missiles along the Syrian border. It was unclear whether the purpose was to protect a safe zone inside Syria or to protect Turkey from Syrian regime attacks.

BLACKSBURG, Va. - The number of college students in the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps has grown 50 percent since the 2005-06 school year, with the Army outpacing its goals for minting new officers as it sees a surge of patriotism at schools across the country. The Army is in the waning stages of war and has largely stopped growing, yet its ROTC program is reaching near-historic highs for enrollment. Partly the result of increased scholarship and recruitment efforts from years ago, the Army has been welcoming the new officer candidates and has been funneling them into active duty and the Reserves and National Guard.