Patricia: Wilfork helps us win every week

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FOXBORO -- Vince Wilfork owns some impressive accolades:
 Four-time Pro Bowler
 Four-time Second-team All-Pro
 Named in the NFL's Top 100 Players of 2011
 Named in the NFL's Top 100 Players of 2012
But there's so much the Patriots nose tackle does that doesn't win awards. Defensive coordinator Matt Patricia was asked Tuesday how Wilfork's contributions can be appropriately quantified. 
If it's even possible. 
"I think its really difficult to say," Patricia admitted. "Obviously, the biggest stat were concerned with is winning. I think you can definitely say that Vince helps us win every week. That's really what were trying to do and thats what were trying to work for as a defense: to get better. And thats the stat were looking for. So its hard; like you said, theres no real stat for it. Were just trying to win and do what we can to win. I think obviously for us hes just a key component."
Wilfork was, per usual, at the center of New England's most recent defensive effort. The Patriots were staring down the barrel of Houston -- the AFC's No. 1 team, an offense that was averaging over 29 points per game and converting almost 40-percent of third downs. 
The Texans were shut out for the first two quarters of the game. They finished with just 14 points, converting only 4 of 14 third-down opportunities. Just 2 of 13 drives reached the red zone.   
"You really have to give credit to those guys up front," said Patricia. "They did a heck of a job playing really good fundamental, disciplined football. Vince, obviously, leads the charge and is really just a tremendous player for us in the front. He obviously commands a lot of attention from the opponent, which in other cases can help free up teammates."
One of the many things Wilfork does that doesn't show up in the box score. 
"Its something we talked about earlier in the yearkind of those unsung plays that present themselves where he's obviously just such a force in there. He gets those plays once in a while where he is singled up or he has a chance, the opportunity, to make a big play, which he did quite a bit last night."

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