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...on a season.
I am very ashamed to admit that once I turned off the TV after the AFC Championship game, I didn't look at a ESPN or local sports telecast or looked at a sports page or internet site. Until today, I haven't even wanted to deal with anything about football that would remind me of the the most painful loss I've even experienced as a Patriot fan (and that goes back to 1960 ). The closest thing I can think of was how I felt after game 6 of the 86 World series)
Actually I don't know why I took it so badly, It wasn't like it was a sure thing going into Indy after a tough win in SD. So it wasn't any high expectations that were crushed, Perhaps it just the way the game played out and how it ended that made me not want to read or hear post game commentary that would just be reminders of what I already knew.
One good thing, though, I found out that I had a lot more time in my life when I'm not investing it in my following of the local eleven. You know they these things called "books" at a place called the "library", and if you have the time to "read" one of them...it can be damned enjoyable.
Any ways I think I'm over "it" now, and I thought the best way to start the "new season" would be to exorsize any observations that I have about the LAST game of the 2006 season. That being said, I'm sure some of what I will say was thoroughly discussed LAST week, so thank you in advance for putting up with this attempt to get my OWN Patriot hangover issues resolved.
1. Count me in amoung ALL of you who were pissed about the NON-CALL of the PI in the 4th quarter that would have given the Pats a SEVEN point lead. ESPECIALLY since the Pats had one go the OTHER WAY that wasn't nearly so OBVIOUS. Clearly it was a game changing play. I would appreciate it if someone can post what explaintion by the NFL on the play. Was there one.
2. Some one told me the Globe did a piece that broke down the call on Hobbs' PI that led to a Colt TD. I have long held the belief that "face guarding" when you don't make contact with the receiver SHOULDN'T be a penalty. NOW I hear, it never was. At the time I thought it was the right call, at least as its been called for the last few years. In fact I was taling to the TV wondering WHY THE HELL, he just didn't turn around. If he HAD, he would have mad the PICK,
MY beef at the time WASN't that call, but the one they DIDN'T call later on in the game, where the defender put BOTH hands on the Caldwell's chest LONG BEFORE the ball arrived, AND never turned around.
3. All that being said, IMHO the best team THAT DAY won the game. Or to put it another way, the QB who had the best day won the game. I think Manning was magnificent. The thing that impressed me the most was the fact that he CONTINUALLY threw strikes to his receivers DESPITE being under constant pressure ALL GAME. I can remember off hand six or eight times Manning was crushed as he threw the ball and EVERY single FREAKING time the ball was right on target. I mean it wasn't once or twice, it was A LOT. Especially in the second half.
4. In other words, the Colts were the team that made the key play at the key time. IMHO the key play of the game was the 3rd and 4 with about 2:40 to play. THAT'S the play a CHAMPIONSHIP team makes, and the team that MADE that play was the Colts. IF they hadn't had to make 15 yds that series because of a stupid, unPatriot like penalty, they wouldn't have HAD a third and 4 in the first place. I said that before the play to a friend, fully expecting us to make that 4 yds, because that is what CHAMPIONSHIP teams do....and we didn't
5. Bottom line, IMHO the defense just ran out of gas at the end, at least that is what it looked like to me. The tough game in SD, the 2 long flights, the flu, the hot stadium, whatever. Would would have thought that THAT defense would give up 31 points in just 2 quarters, and almost EVERY ONE of them a 70+ drive.
5. Nitpicking b*tches and moans - not many, but it will be good to get them off my chest.
a. I wonder why we didn't SEEM to play that tighter coverage that was evident in the first half much in the second. It seemed to me at least that somewhere in the second half we start to play a softer zone. AND well you saw the results as well as I.
b. When the offense puts up 27 points in an away game, there shouldn't be much to complain about, but some of the Play calling in that game kind of stunned me. We didn't ONCE throw the ball deep down the field. WE rare used play action passes in the second half, even on shorter yardage plays, and finally we didn't execute those runs in the last drive like we should have. Just compare. The Colts in Baltimore made THREE first downs to kill the clock and win the game. WE only needed to make ONE. Who is the Championship team????
c. It didn't mean much IMHO, but what about that "hitting the QB in the helmet" call on the last drive. In the replay it looked like his hand, which was on Manning's shoulder pad, moved up and touched his helmet. It was more of a "slide" than contact. It was a terrible call, especially given all the REAL contact that went on with the QB's ALL DAY. (Like I said, I'm nitpicking)
d. Again, NEXT, TIME ELLIS - JUST turn the F**K around!!!!!
e. I always want the ball for the second half kick off. I would have deferred. That way regardless of what happened in the first half you get the ball in the second. This is ESPECIALLY TRUE ON THE ROAD. After the opening KO the home crowd is at its NOISIEST and most disruptive. Also I hate those situations when the home team get the ball for the last drive of the first half, and gets it again for the first one of the second. Just compare what happend in SD to what happened in INDY
6. Overall Seasonal observations
a. When you think about it, given all the off season losses, given all the injuries during the season, given all the travel and away games they had to play in the playoffs....we were only ONE defensive stop away from going to the supperbowl...this was a very productive, if disappointing at the end, season
b. Given our cap situation, and the draft pick we have, and people coming back from the IR, we SHOULD be a more athletic, and deeper team NEXT season than this one. THAT's a pretty amazing thought given the last 6 year run, and pretty horrifying for the rest of the league
c. BTW - I'm a Colts fan this week. I wasn't sure I was going to be, but Manning's effort in the Championship game won be over. He deserves it this season, AND the bonus of a Colt win will be, we won't have to hear all the "it's his year" crap all next year. NOW we will get to see how the Colts fare, when THEY are the team with a target on their chest EVERY WEEK.
Well thanks for the vine as they say. I know I feel a lot better. I look forward to all the off season talk after the Superbowl
I am very ashamed to admit that once I turned off the TV after the AFC Championship game, I didn't look at a ESPN or local sports telecast or looked at a sports page or internet site. Until today, I haven't even wanted to deal with anything about football that would remind me of the the most painful loss I've even experienced as a Patriot fan (and that goes back to 1960 ). The closest thing I can think of was how I felt after game 6 of the 86 World series)
Actually I don't know why I took it so badly, It wasn't like it was a sure thing going into Indy after a tough win in SD. So it wasn't any high expectations that were crushed, Perhaps it just the way the game played out and how it ended that made me not want to read or hear post game commentary that would just be reminders of what I already knew.
One good thing, though, I found out that I had a lot more time in my life when I'm not investing it in my following of the local eleven. You know they these things called "books" at a place called the "library", and if you have the time to "read" one of them...it can be damned enjoyable.
Any ways I think I'm over "it" now, and I thought the best way to start the "new season" would be to exorsize any observations that I have about the LAST game of the 2006 season. That being said, I'm sure some of what I will say was thoroughly discussed LAST week, so thank you in advance for putting up with this attempt to get my OWN Patriot hangover issues resolved.
1. Count me in amoung ALL of you who were pissed about the NON-CALL of the PI in the 4th quarter that would have given the Pats a SEVEN point lead. ESPECIALLY since the Pats had one go the OTHER WAY that wasn't nearly so OBVIOUS. Clearly it was a game changing play. I would appreciate it if someone can post what explaintion by the NFL on the play. Was there one.
2. Some one told me the Globe did a piece that broke down the call on Hobbs' PI that led to a Colt TD. I have long held the belief that "face guarding" when you don't make contact with the receiver SHOULDN'T be a penalty. NOW I hear, it never was. At the time I thought it was the right call, at least as its been called for the last few years. In fact I was taling to the TV wondering WHY THE HELL, he just didn't turn around. If he HAD, he would have mad the PICK,
MY beef at the time WASN't that call, but the one they DIDN'T call later on in the game, where the defender put BOTH hands on the Caldwell's chest LONG BEFORE the ball arrived, AND never turned around.
3. All that being said, IMHO the best team THAT DAY won the game. Or to put it another way, the QB who had the best day won the game. I think Manning was magnificent. The thing that impressed me the most was the fact that he CONTINUALLY threw strikes to his receivers DESPITE being under constant pressure ALL GAME. I can remember off hand six or eight times Manning was crushed as he threw the ball and EVERY single FREAKING time the ball was right on target. I mean it wasn't once or twice, it was A LOT. Especially in the second half.
4. In other words, the Colts were the team that made the key play at the key time. IMHO the key play of the game was the 3rd and 4 with about 2:40 to play. THAT'S the play a CHAMPIONSHIP team makes, and the team that MADE that play was the Colts. IF they hadn't had to make 15 yds that series because of a stupid, unPatriot like penalty, they wouldn't have HAD a third and 4 in the first place. I said that before the play to a friend, fully expecting us to make that 4 yds, because that is what CHAMPIONSHIP teams do....and we didn't
5. Bottom line, IMHO the defense just ran out of gas at the end, at least that is what it looked like to me. The tough game in SD, the 2 long flights, the flu, the hot stadium, whatever. Would would have thought that THAT defense would give up 31 points in just 2 quarters, and almost EVERY ONE of them a 70+ drive.
5. Nitpicking b*tches and moans - not many, but it will be good to get them off my chest.
a. I wonder why we didn't SEEM to play that tighter coverage that was evident in the first half much in the second. It seemed to me at least that somewhere in the second half we start to play a softer zone. AND well you saw the results as well as I.
b. When the offense puts up 27 points in an away game, there shouldn't be much to complain about, but some of the Play calling in that game kind of stunned me. We didn't ONCE throw the ball deep down the field. WE rare used play action passes in the second half, even on shorter yardage plays, and finally we didn't execute those runs in the last drive like we should have. Just compare. The Colts in Baltimore made THREE first downs to kill the clock and win the game. WE only needed to make ONE. Who is the Championship team????
c. It didn't mean much IMHO, but what about that "hitting the QB in the helmet" call on the last drive. In the replay it looked like his hand, which was on Manning's shoulder pad, moved up and touched his helmet. It was more of a "slide" than contact. It was a terrible call, especially given all the REAL contact that went on with the QB's ALL DAY. (Like I said, I'm nitpicking)
d. Again, NEXT, TIME ELLIS - JUST turn the F**K around!!!!!
e. I always want the ball for the second half kick off. I would have deferred. That way regardless of what happened in the first half you get the ball in the second. This is ESPECIALLY TRUE ON THE ROAD. After the opening KO the home crowd is at its NOISIEST and most disruptive. Also I hate those situations when the home team get the ball for the last drive of the first half, and gets it again for the first one of the second. Just compare what happend in SD to what happened in INDY
6. Overall Seasonal observations
a. When you think about it, given all the off season losses, given all the injuries during the season, given all the travel and away games they had to play in the playoffs....we were only ONE defensive stop away from going to the supperbowl...this was a very productive, if disappointing at the end, season
b. Given our cap situation, and the draft pick we have, and people coming back from the IR, we SHOULD be a more athletic, and deeper team NEXT season than this one. THAT's a pretty amazing thought given the last 6 year run, and pretty horrifying for the rest of the league
c. BTW - I'm a Colts fan this week. I wasn't sure I was going to be, but Manning's effort in the Championship game won be over. He deserves it this season, AND the bonus of a Colt win will be, we won't have to hear all the "it's his year" crap all next year. NOW we will get to see how the Colts fare, when THEY are the team with a target on their chest EVERY WEEK.
Well thanks for the vine as they say. I know I feel a lot better. I look forward to all the off season talk after the Superbowl