What Could Have Been

Okay, well since I ran the Perfectville video last week, I have been telling everyone that they filmed two commercials, in case the Pats won. Well, the 'other' commercial finally leaked to the internet, and just makes me wonder what could have been...



Wow, that hurt.

Kicking When Down

Since Reebok got the '72 Dolphins to star in an ad, apparently Nike refused to be left out. Pats fans, there is no reason to play this video.



Told you so. Again.

Super Bowl Fallout

In one game, the New England Patriots went from potentially the greatest team of all time to the most disappointing NFL team of all time. I watched every second of the game, and honestly thought that Brady was going to pull that game out. Knee jerk reactions...

*Eli had a great fourth quarter, but Justin Tuck or one of those other front four should have been the MVP. They derailed the greatest offense we've ever seen.

*Speaking of the offense, what/where the hell?

*When did Eli get maneuverable? In the words of my friend Rake Colson, Eli spinning out of those sacks is not a Manning move, it's a Montana/Brady move. The Manning move would be get sacked, pound the ground, and blame the o-line.

*I think the ankle was bugging Brady way more than he wanted to think.

*Go away Mercury Morris.

*The Pats are still a Dynasty, but we just learned that no one will ever go 19-0.

*All you people crucifying Belichick for leaving a little early, cut it out. Everyone figured the game was over, and though he was in the tunnel for the final kneel down, he shook Coughlin's hand, and hustled out so that the Giants could celebrate on their own.

*We should crucify him for wearing the Red Hoodie, when the Grey is what got you there. Again, what the hell?

*Wes Welker tied the Super Bowl record with 11 receptions.

*How you finish is how you're remembered. 18-1.

*At least I guessed the score for the Giants. Just not the Pats.

I still can't believe this.

Perfectville

Lies, Damned Lies, And Super Bowl Lies...

Before I unveil my Super Bowl pick (which, based on this past season of picks, could be worthless), I want to address and debase some of the more popular falsehoods that have been put forth over the last 2 weeks of Super Bowl preparation.

38-35

Ignore these numbers. The score in the week 17 match up between these two teams is much closer than the game ever was. Belichick calls the second half of games exceedingly different than he does the first half; he turned up the heat on Eli Manning, and took the win from the upstart Giants. And Brady demonstrated what he can do against that defense with their last 4 possessions of the game, which went as follows: TD, TD, TD, Kneel. The only reason the last Giants touchdown seemed so important is because in the second quarter the Pats allowed their only kickoff return for a touchdown all year, which was also the Giants only kickoff return for a touchdown all year. And all this nonsense happened in cold weather, while the Super Bowl is being played in Arizona.

Brady is too hurt to play well

Aside from the fact that he has been untaped and unbraced the last two days of practice, we've seen players play in big games with much more major injuries. A few years ago, we all saw the impact that Terrell Owens had coming off of a broken leg, and a few weeks ago, we saw Phil Rivers play on a torn ligament in his knee. Let's just say, that Brady will be playing, and he will be fine.

Randy Moss has disappeared in the playoffs

He has far from vanished, though he has been hard to see through the double and triple coverages. His impact has been seen and felt in the box scores of the games, just not under his name. Check the numbers corresponding with men by the names of...let's see...Welker, Stallworth, Gaffney, and Watson. Oh, and please also look at Faulk and Maroney, under receiving yards. Go ahead. I'll wait.

Eli Manning has turned into an elite quarterback

Ok, everyone has different parameters over what defines greatness is, and maybe my bar is too high. He has looked good at specific times this postseason, but I'm not ready to give the kid the crown just yet. Anyone who brings more than 5 can get to him, yet no one has done it since the 3rd quarter of the Week 17 game. He has averaged less than 200 ypg this postseason, and won't be getting that against this defense. Hey, speaking of...

The Giants exposed the Patriot defense Week 17

While hanging 35 was admirable, in the loss, don't look for the Giants to repeat the feat. They were picking on a beat up, tired, OLD team playing in the cold. As I already mentioned, this temperature plays right into New England's hands; both the offense and defense looked better early this year, not only because of the fatigue factor, but because they operate better in warm weather. Which we will see Sunday.

23-17

Oh, Plax. Why would you bring it on yourself? It's good to be confident in your team, but the Pats are 18-0 for a reason. People, as opposed to thinking up ways for them to lose, let's think about how many ways (and times) they've won this year. Especially in games where someone has poked the sleeping giant (see ex-Steeler no name), this team has used that motivation to not only win, but to embarrass. Good run Giants, but your tour ends here.

The Picks:

PATRIOTS (-12) OVER GIANTS


PATRIOTS 35, GIANTS 17

A Quick Bite

Oh, hi come one in. I didn't see you there. Don't mind me, I'm just finishing up this light snack prepared for me by my new friend, Eli Manning. Could you pass the salt?

I understand he got the recipe online somewhere. I told him I understood; not exactly like there are years of family recipes he can thumb through or anything.

I am sitting here on Wednesday still in shock over the outcome of the Giants-Packers game. It's not that hard to accept that Favre helped architect a Green Bay meltdown; this has been his modus operandi for the past few years. No, what is most shocking is that Tynes was able to miss those two VERY makable field goals in regulation, steel himself, and hit that 47 yarder to win the game. Point blank: I was very wrong about Eli Manning. He carried himself and his team to a win in wind chill -25 degree weather, and he didn't just manage the game; he was not Trent Dilfer '07, he was something totally different. He did everything his team needed to win, and still had to run around for a full 23 seconds after the winning field goal, before finding someone to hug (the punter).

Packers fans, I have nothing to offer. I cannot relate to this, because the only similar event I can remember was when the Birds punished the offensive record-breaking Vikings at home to go to the Super Bowl. Don't forget that your hero Favre is not the most culpable party in this loss. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you: Mike McCarthy.

Mike, haven't you known in the past that Bret Favre is a gunslinger who thinks his arm can cure cancer? Mike, did you not publicly request that Favre dial back this aspect of himself early in the year? Mike, was the most successful part of your offensive efforts in recent weeks the resurgance in the running game, a running game you turned to less than 15 times on Sunday? Mike, why are we not doubling Plaxico Burress after he tore apart Al Harris in the first half?

Lots of questions.

I'm not going to start Super Bowl Hype; I'll leave that up to the talking heads on ESPN 1-27. Besides, we've got more than 2 weeks until the game, so why start now?

Actually, we've got exactly THIS LONG.