BALTIMORE — The New England Patriots weren't kidding that they aren't perfect, no matter what their record through 12 games shows.

They looked mighty vulnerable last night, needing a late touchdown drive and some penalties that both sides complained about to beat the Baltimore Ravens, 27-24.

New England pulled off its great escape to become the sixth team in NFL history to start a season with 12 victories. For the second straight week, it was a struggle against a losing team, but the incredibly resourceful Patriots got Tom Brady's 8-yard touchdown pass to Jabar Gaffney with 44 seconds left to win it.

The winning drive in the final minutes covered 73 yards and required two fourth-down conversions, one on a defensive holding penalty 6 seconds before Gaffney beat Dawan Landry in the left corner of the end zone.

"We made enough plays at the end," Brady said. "A lot of questionable calls and we made some plays.

"There's a lot of room to improve in the final four weeks. There's things we could've certainly done better ... we kept clawing back."

Driven to distraction by a Baltimore defense at times reminiscent of the 2000 unit that led the Ravens (4-8) to a Super Bowl victory, Brady came through late — as he always seems to.

"Most of it for three quarters didn't go in our favor," Brady said. "On the road, tough environment against a team that has won a lot of games in the last few years. It was tough."

Eight days after edging Philadelphia 31-28, the Patriots barely kept alive their pursuit of the only unblemished record in NFL history, Miami's 17-0 in 1972.

With Pittsburgh (9-3) up next, the Patriots must recapture some of their record-setting ways from earlier in the season to keep their flawless record intact.

"We prepared to get their best," coach Bill Belichick said. "A lot of things that we didn't do well that we need to do — you name it, we need to improve it. Offense, defense, special teams."

As the biggest road favorite in a non-replacement game (19 points), the Patriots nearly laid a dud in swirling winds and occasional snow flurries. But Brady relentlessly guided them downfield for the winning score and his 41st touchdown pass of the season. He's eight short of Peyton Manning's record.

"I told him it was the best catch of his career and it was a great time to do it," Brady said of Gaffney's only reception.

New England is four wins shy of the only 16-0 regular season ever. Remaining contests are home games with the Steelers, the weak Dolphins and Jets, then a visit to the Giants.

That the Ravens, losers of five straight, would test the Patriots so severely was stunning. Indeed, if not for untimely penalties and a fumble of an interception return by Ed Reed, the Ravens might have pulled off one of the biggest upsets in NFL history.

Baltimore got a brilliant effort from Willis McGahee, who rushed for 138 yards and a touchdown. The former Miami Hurricane was inspired by the memory of his teammate at the U, the recently slain Sean Taylor.

"I just played for him, basically, dedicated the rest of the season to him," McGahee said.

"The loss takes away everything. We played our hearts out tonight. We got some bogus calls."

Cornerback Chris McAlister was more emphatic about the officiating, particularly the late holding call on rookie safety Jamaine Winborne.

"It's hard to go out there and play the Patriots and the refs at the same time," McAlister complained. "They put the crown on top of them, they want them to win. They won."

Barely.

"Everybody's coming out and giving us their best," Gaffney said, "so we've just got to be prepared to come out and give them ours."