The Patriots… lost?

First it was slow. The Giants just getting 20 yards in about a minute. The clock was winding down. The Patriots were getting to Eli. He was throwing incomplete passes, he was running around, he was getting sacked. They were losing.

After the Patriots convinced everyone that they were going to win when Brady did what Brady does best: show-up when it matters. Brady lead the Patriots on an almost perfect 80 yard TD drive. After being beaten, sacked, and pressured by the Giants all day long. Brady did it. He put the Pats in position to win. And then?

Little Eli Manning. The ‘other’ Manning… earned his Cadillac.

It was third and five. The Patriots blitzed Adalius Thomas, who was hounding LT David Diehl all throughout the fourth quarter, came in with Richard Seymour on Manning. Both players had their hands on Peyton’s little brother. Had it been Peyton, he might have went down. But, Eli isn’t Peyton. Eli is Eli. Eli fought off both players and avoided the sack. He scrambled off to his right and looked downfield.

David Tyree was open, but Rodney Harrison was right behind him and could probably make a play on the ball if thrown. Eli tossed it up. He had nothing to lose. There was always 4th and 5.

It wouldn’t come to that, however. As David Tyree, who had caught the Giants first TD which was also his first of the season, leaped into the air and caught the ball. Harrison was on him. Harrison clearly touched the ball when it was in the hands of Tyree, but it didn’t matter. Tyree used his helmet to keep possession of the ball and came down with it.

And with that, down came the chances of the Patriots winning their fourth Super Bowl. Eli Manning them completed a pass to Steve Smith on the sideline, where Asante ‘Get Paid’ Samuel reigns, to get another first down.

With an all out blitz, Patriots corner Ellis Hobbs, who had previously limited Plaxico Burress to 1 catch, was left on an island with Burress. Burress took advantage and made a fantastic move and flew by Hobbs to catch an easy touchdown and give the Giants the lead with 39 seconds left.

The Patriots still had time outs, and they had Tom Brady. But the Giants, had something different: resiliency. Yes, the word they all talked about in the opening video of the Super Bowl. The Patriots had a word too, it was team work. Although, the teams were only allowed one word each. A shame, because the Giants also had the words ‘intensity’ and ‘drive.’ They wanted it more and they held out Brady and the all-time scoring offense on that last drive.

They became champions in the ultimate underdog story.

Hollywood often makes sports movies because they are good stories.

Last night was an epic.

Super Bowl XLII Breakdown

Tomorrow, the New England Patriots and New York Giants square off in Arizona in Super Bowl XLII for all the marbles. The Patriots going for a perfect season and the Giants looking to shock the world.

Now, I understand that the Giants are a ‘hot’ team, having won 10 road games in a row. That’s not easy and is very admirable. Thing is, the team on the other sideline has won 18 games in a row.

I’m sorry New York, but the Patriots will win this game.

In the week 17 match-up the Patriots 38 – 35 in comeback fashion and many cite that game as a reason why the Giants could stand a chance.

Well, it could easily be why they don’t stand a chance.

1) Giants rookie runningback Ahmad Bradshaw was absent in that game, but so were New England starting offensive linemen Nick Kazcur and Stephen Neal, along with blocking tightend Kyle Brady. Now, with half their blocking specialist (K. Brady is often called a ‘third tackle’ because of his superior blocking ability) missing the game you’d think the Giants vaunted pass rush would tear up Brady. Nope, sorry. In fact, they only sacked him one time… and he torched them by going 32/42 for 356 yards and 2 TDs. In comparison, Eli went 22/32 for 251 yards, 4 TDs, and an interception. He hasn’t thrown an interception since that game.

2) It’s not a home game. Ok, so the Giants went 2 -6 at home this season, but homefield advantage is still a plus. On top of this, it’s in a dome. Warm weather. Remember what the Patriots looked like back when the weather was warm? Yeah, they were even more unstoppable. There won’t be wind and snow to throw off the deep passing game this time.

3) The Giants secondary relies on the pressure of their front four. They pressure their quarterback into mistakes. You might look at the poor play, at least by New England’s standards, against San Diego and Jacksonville… but realize that the defensive backfield of the Jags and Bolts are great, physical corners that have the size and ability to take on Moss, Welker, and Stallworth. Aaron Ross, Jason Webster, and co. aren’t that good.

4) The Giants special teams won’t register a touchdown. In the week 17 matchup Giants returnman Hixon took one to the house. It was the only kickoff for a touchdown the Giants had all season. And the only one the Patriots have allowed all season.

5) Last year the Colts had the hottest running game in the playoffs and it carried them to the podium where they were handed the Lombardi trophy. Patriots RB Laurence Maroney is the leading rusher in the playoffs this year, and not against chumps either. The Jags and Chargers both have pretty good run defenses, which makes Maroney’s accomplishment even greater. If the Pats struggle in the passing game, they will have no problem running with Maroney.

The Giants have had a great season, but the Patriots are something special this year. Not only that, but the AFC is just far superior to the NFC. If it had been the Chargers (with injured Gates, Rivers, and LT) I’d still pick them over the Giants. I’d pick the Colts over the Giants. I’d pick even the Jaguars over the Giants.

Patriots win. 42 – 24

Turn on the hype machine.

Sports journalist across the country have already begun to hype up this weeks match up between the two undefeated AFC juggernauts: the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots. Surely you can expect plenty of Brady vs Manning, Belichick vs Dungy, maybe some Maroney vs Addai, Moss vs Harrison, and if you’re like one ESPN columnist, good vs evil.

Don’t fall into the hype and believe that’s why this game is important. It surely is important, but for a very different reason. This game could easily determine who gains home field advantage in the playoffs, and if these two teams are lucky enough, home field advantage in a potential rematch in the AFC Championship game. That is the only reason this game is important.

So as you watch ESPN and other sports shows this week and follow the hype-a-thon for this game keep in mind that there is one reason why it’s important. Sure, Brady vs Manning is always sexy and we haven’t seen a quarterback rivalry like this one in a long time, but there are more to these two teams than their quarterbacks.

I mean why can’t this be a contest between Howard Mudd and Dante Scarnecchia? Wait, who? They are the offensive line coaches of the Colts and Patriots, respectively, and the reason why their future Hall of Fame quarterbacks get so much time in the pocket.

Oh, and do keep in mind that while the media is labeling this as the “Game of the Century,” it’ll be awfully difficult to outdo the gem these two teams played in in the 2006 AFC Championship.

Instead, enjoy a hardy laugh at the media’s coverage and sit back on Sunday and enjoy not only Colts vs Patriots, Belichick vs Dungy, and Manning vs Brady, but also Mudd vs Scarnecchia.

Those darn Patriots.

Those Patriots. Who do they think they are? How dare they come out after an emotional week for their coach and dismantle the most sexy SuperBowl pick this year! How dare they focus and use bulletin board material and come out ready to play. How dare they believe in their “cheating” coach.

No no, wait. How dare us. In the midst of the media absolutely smacking Belichick and the Patriots with the “cheater” tag and questioning their past success we kind of forgot who they were. They’re the New England Patriots. Winners of three SuperBowls. The team with arguably the best quarterback in the game and the best head coach in the game. The most consistent team on draft day for the past six years. The team who’s played amazing defense and has had late game rallies and Superbowl winning last second field goals.

Where did this “cheater” tag come from? If I recall correctly, stealing signals isn’t cheating. And it’s not the reason the Patriots and Belichick got in trouble. No, if people actually payed attention instead of jumping on the creme of the crop in the NFL(people tend to hate the best, the whole jealousy thing you know), they’d know that the Patriots got in trouble for breaking a rule. They used a camera on the sideline. Stealing signals is perfectly fine, more than half the teams in the NFL have done it and probably still do it. Now that the Patriots dismantled the Chargers and reminded us who they really are, I suggest we do what Belichick and the Patriots do best each week. Move on to the next game.

Around the NFL…

I’m sure the Saints are wondering why they didn’t attempt to get a premier defensive player in the draft. Maybe Robert Meachem can be converted to corner? If he can stay with the wide receivers on deep routes he’s already better than Fred Thomas.

Why is it that head coaches inherit teams that can’t excel at their speciality? For example, both Tony Dungy and Marvin Lewis are defensive coaches yet their defenses don’t particularly play that great. Scott Linehan is an offensive coach and the Rams can’t score. Why?

I have an odd feeling Donovan McNabb has little left in his tank and it saddens me. McNabb has stood up to adversity in Philly ever since the day he was drafted and now with the drafting of Kevin Kolb in addition to an 0 – 2 start worries me. McNabb does all he can with what he has and he carried Philly as much as he could tonight. He just wasn’t able to be the McNabb of old that did it with less.

The 49ers must be very happy they’ve started out 2 – 0, cause they’ve got Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Baltimore coming up. Ouch.

The Colts have crept by this week with all the attention on the Chargers and Patriots, but their defense was very solid led again by super player Bob Sanders. The Colts just found a way to get it done on the road in a close game.

Am I the only one that hopes Kitna’s 10 game guarantee comes true? The dude plays with so much heart it’s fun watching him play. Just 8 more victories in 14 games. They have a decent shot at it and they have Philly next.