"While the Patriots have relied on many interchangeable parts on defense this season, one thing has remained consistent: Vince Wilfork.

The 30-year-old captain anchors a defensive line that has held opponents to 102.1 rushing yards per game, good for 10th overall in the NFL. And Wilfork has played more snaps through 12 games this season than he has in any other season in his career.

Though it's hard to miss the 6-foot-2, 325-pound nose tackle, his stats in the final box score aren't always eye-opening. That wasn't the case last week in the Patriots' 31-24 win over the Colts at Gillette. Wilfork started the first series with a sack of Indianapolis quarterback Dan Orlovsky and finished the game with a season-high 10 tackles."