Led by captain Vince Wilfork along the defensive line, who had a J.J. Watt-type of game with solid all-around play that included a batted-down pass at the line of scrimmage, the Patriots defense turned in arguably its best performance of the season. The defense, which was once viewed as a weakness of the team, has turned a corner in recent weeks and has the Patriots primed to make a run deep into the postseason.