godef
In the Starting Line-Up
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2004
- Messages
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- Let me count the moments when I thought the quest for an undefeated season had ended: (1) after the Ravens opening drive of the 2nd half, which began to give me visions of the 2005 encounter with San Diego; then still down by 7 we punted the ball and they ran the ball back to our 26; it looked bleak for a moment there, but God bless that Kevin Faulk! (2) when they stuffed Brady on the QB sneak; it looked over for a split moment (alright, that was awkward) prior to realizing time had been called. (3) the very next play when they stuffed us again; it looked over for another split moment. So when is the NFL going to change the rule to allow a play to proceed and call a penalty after when there's motion? Thank God not this year! (4) the holding call on 4th down; thank God again that it was an obvious call, but it looked over for yet another split moment. (5) the deflected pass popping up in the air; now that was a moment! (6) The review of Gaffney's touchdown. Now that was a long agonizing moment (or ten). I was certain it was going to be overturned (a caller on WEEI claims he wasn't concerned because the unsportsman penalties would have given us 1st down close to the 1 if it had been overturned, but if I'm not mistaken, those penalties would have been considered "post play" and merely would have backed up the Ravens halfway to their endzone when they took possession). (7) the Raven hail mary attempt; I had a quick vision of that receiver turning to his left and sliding into the end zone for a moment. Whew! SEVEN MOMENTS!!!
- I am amazed how the tone of the Patriots season has changed from blow-out-of-the-week to games that are even more intense than those in 2003. I think back and consider those 2003 regular season games: (a) the back-and-forth struggle with Tennessee; (b) the OT victory in Miami; (c) the intentional-safety game in Denver; (d) the goal line stand in Indy... those were also pretty intense games. But I think the difference is, there has never been so much on the line. Had we lost any of those games in 2003, we still had a reasonable chance to get to the Super Bowl, but this year it has been pro football immortality that's been on the line. I swear, had they lost either of the last two games, or any game the rest of this year for that matter, I would have / will be more upset than I was when we lost the championship last year.
- To whoever on this board said the Patriots were boring when they dominated: I hope the last two games shut you up!
I hope the Pats outscore their opponents 200-0 in the final four games. And 100-0 in the postseason. - I'm getting flashbacks of the 1986 season, the season that followed the first Patriot Super Bowl. They had started the year 3-3 but then strung together 7 straight wins for a 10-3 record. However, John Hannah had retired, the running game had disappeared, and the Pats were relying on the arm of (gasp!) Tony Eason. However, that well seemed to be drying up; they needed a hail mary at the end of the game at the LA Rams for their 8th win, nudged by Buffalo by 3 points at home for #9, and barely scraped by a bad Saints team for win #10. The NFL was catching up to the Pats, they were forming the "blueprint" to beat them. It came tumbling down with a blow-out home loss to the Bengals and a demoralizing loss to San Francisco, also at home. It didn't end until Grogan relieved an injured Eason and helped the Pats stage a comeback in Miami in the regular season finale to win the division. But the damage was done, they had lost home field in the first round of the play-offs, and lost a close game in Denver.
- I also get flashbacks of the 2004 season. We were 11-1 and hosting the Bengals who came in and gouged our defense for mucho yardage. Fortunately, their defense wasn't so hot either, and Asante Samuel (?) helped save the day with a pick for a TD, but our D really looked exposed that day. This was followed by that disaster in Miami the next week, losing to the 2-11 Dolphins, and suddenly the Patriots appeared very vulnerable, particularly the defense. However, faith was restored the next week when we went into NY and dominated a play-off bound Jets team. And I think the same thing happens this week vs Pittsburgh: unlike the "flounders" we played the last two weeks, the Steelers are a quality opponent, and Tom Brady and the Pats WILL be ready to play at their best. I expect a SOLID win.
- Despite being a season ticket holder, I have to miss going to this weekend's game due to a prior commitment. A few weeks ago (after the 2nd Buffalo game), I asked my season ticket buddy if he thought Brady would hold off breaking the TD toss record until the Jets game, and we both ended up agreeing that it would probably be broken already. Now it looks like it won't happen until at least the Dolphins game, which I will also not be going to. Bummer.
- Considering that the Ravens completed that hail mary down to the 2 yard line as time ran out, how crucial were the unsportsmanlike penalties? It may have cost them the game! If I were Billick, I wouldn't wait for the NFL to levy any fines, I would do it myself.
- When Kevin Faulk ran out of bounds on 3rd down a yard short of the marker, was he thinking he needed to preserve some clock? Of course this is hindsight, but we certainly didn't need it.
- Jabar Gaffney has become another weapon in our arsenal. Two clutch edge-of-the-endzone catches the last two weeks. Any coincidence that Moss has been relatively unproductive? Teams are finally resigning themselves, or else actually have the ability, to shut him down (or at least make him more human), but the price they pay is Brady finding that new weapon.
