Don't look now, but the unfortunate Tom Brady injury seems to have reintroduced us to an old friend: the New England Patriots.
It's funny how one high-octane, near-perfect season can shift perceptions. Last year's Pats were not at all reflective of how New England has won games during its now eight-season run among NFL elite. Games in this era of Patriots football followed the script of yesterday's 20-10 win over Buffalo: bend but not break defense, effective though not overpowering running game, efficient passing game, few mistakes and penalties, and suffocating opponents at the end, when games are on the line.
I'm late to the Matt Cassel party but he certainly is looking like Tom Brady 2001, Game Manager Extraordinaire. His job isn't to win games but to make sure they aren't lost. Scrutiny of yesterday's game also shows the team has confidence in No. 16 to let him air the ball out downfield if it believes the chances are there.
In fact, I'll call it right now: the underdog Pats to face the high-flying Giants in Super Bowl XLIII. Wouldn't that just be delicious?
-- MJM
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2 comments:
I totally agree. They were more fun to watch yesterday than they have been in a while.
I think a little humility is good for a team and it makes me nervous when someone wins all the time. Kind of reminds me of the Yankees (not this year's Yankees - ha ha!). It's more fun to root for a team that you know has to put its heart and soul into winning the came.
Yes, they are grinding it out and winning. Yes, this is perhaps the best coaching job Belichick has done, ever. How they keep winning when it seems every week they lose a marquee player, is amazing.
But I'm still pissed the shot at 37-1 went by the wayside. I'm more bitter about last year's Super Bowl loss than anything previous (Dent's homer, 1986 Sox) in Boston sports. The Tyree catch is one of the greatest plays in NFL history, and I'll never be able to watch it. Ever. Anytime I see that highlight start, the channel is changed before Seymour has a hand on Eli's shoulder pad.
Call me a sore loser. I freely admit it. I wanted history last year, dammit! And it'll truly never happen again, not in New England, anyway. How many times are we going to see a good team made better by the addition of a HofC candidate like Randy Moss for a FOURTH-ROUND PICK?
I'm going to go sulk now. . . .
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