We’ve seen the Patriots enough over the years to know that they’re plenty motivated. And in 2007, with the NFL’s first 16-0 regular season already in the books, we know the Patriots don’t need any extra motivation. But the Jacksonville Jaguars appear more than willing to give it to them. On the Jags’ official website, the weekly power rankings include an asterisk next to the Patriots name, with an explanation below: “Cheated in one game.” Uh oh.

While I think the term “bulletin board material” is a bit played out, it’s never a good idea to give a team like New England even more motivation to kick some ass. We all remember what became of Steelers safety Anthony Smith after he guaranteed a victory: Smith was burnt all day and was the subject of taunts by everyone including Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. So here’s an idea, Vic. If you like your employee, take that damn asterisk off your article.

Let’s combine these power rankings with Paul Spicer’s rant about how the Patriots should be kicked out of the playoffs . What’s this all add up to? An angry Patriots team. Trust me, no team will need motivation during the NFL Playoffs. But at the same time, nobody prides themselves more on shutting people up than the Pats. Do we really need to keep tugging on Superman’s cape?

Update: It appears the Jaguars have removed the asterisk. Too bad we know the real truth.