National Football League

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

What an amazing game.. patriots showed nerves of steel to come back from that scoreline, they deserve all the praise they get.

Feel for the Falcons.. but they blew it, this will haunt them forever.

The really went off the rails in the second half, the game was there for them.

Here's a stat that will surely blow us all a way: ESPN reported that when the Falcons went up 28-3 in the 3rd quarter, they had a *99.5%* probability of winning! Fox also reported that teams ahead by 19 or more points at any point in the 3rd quarter of a postseason game are *93-0* (93-1 now. Lol).

This was, without a doubt, a Miracle comeback!

Crazy and no team has won a SB coming from behind by more than 10 points ! Atlanta started sleepwalking in the third quarter, once again Ryan will be criticized for his second half performance and their secondary was very good in the first half but poor in the second. Talk about a game of two halves............

 

[BullsFan22]

Trump wins again!!!

 

[King Boonen]

Re: Re:

I watched until half time then went to sleep...

Funny, I fell asleep during the first quarter and woke up in the third. Recorded the whole game, which I'm not sure I'll even watch given the result.

It was always going to happen for me, work in the morning and so on, but I must admit to feeling a bit gutted at missing it as I went to sleep assuming the Falcons had it in the bag and expecting to read loads of comments about how the loss ruined Brady's GOAT argument. Checked the news when I woke up and was more than a little shocked!

 

[Angliru]

Re:

I watched until half time then went to sleep...

I watched until Brady's pick/6 (interception returned for a touchdown). Figured it was over and closed my eyes for what I thought was for a few moments nap. Woke up watching the new "24" series and the news that the Patriots had won! I honestly thought that it was over. It's very rare that a team gets so outplayed in the first half that they come back in the second. The blow out usual continues to snowball.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Feel sorry for those who missed it. I have to say that was maybe the best game I've ever seen, and to me cemented Brady as the best QB ever, maybe best player ever. To come that far back, from that far down, that late in the game, two 2-pt conversions. I mean, at the start of the 4th quarter they were down 28-9.

It's easy to be a Monday morning QB here, but with 5 minutes to go in the game, and the Falcons just about in FG range, trying a pass (and a developing play at that, not a quick out, slant, screen) instead of just running the ball, which they had done fairly well all night, and kicking a FG to put them up by 11 at that point, has to be the pivot of the game. I think Shanahan anticipated a run blitz by the Pats they could pick up, and put the ball in his MVP's hands, but that turned out to be a big mistake. The sack taking them out of range did the Falcons in. The Pats marched right down and tied the game. And once the Pats got the ball in OT, you just had this sense the game was over. There was no possible way Brady was going to be stopped at that point.

Did anyone hear what Roger Goodell had to say during the presentation? The fans were booing so loud, they completely drowned him out.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

So glad to watch Falcon Fan melt down and Happy the Falcons lost.

You bunch of you part time prognosticators on here were rooting for the falcons. Never in my entire life will I root for them.

I did actually feel just a little bad for the owner and his wife. They went down to the sideline to dance the night away with a victory in hand. They left feeling like crap. I know that feeling from way back in the 1970's and 80's watching how the Saints would be leading the falcons only to lose in some dramatic fashion.

To bad Falcon fan, maybe you can do it without the offensive coordinator or maybe you can't.

 

[Irondan]

It's easy to comment on the internet about how much I love the Patriots yada yada yada, but for me growing up in New England during the 70's and 80's, watching the absolute worst football teams ever assembled (sorry bucs, saints fans but the Patriots sucked ass back then) but still as a kid always looking up to my beloved Patriots as bad as they were, there was never any doubt who I rooted for. Fast forward to the 90's when I moved to Seattle, for some reason I became a fan of another futile franchise that would only disappoint until the past five years or so, I never stopped paying attention to what the Patriots were doing. There was only one time in my life that I ever wanted the Patriots to lose, that was when they played the Seahawks in the Superbowl and that was only because celebrating a champion from 3000 miles away doesn't quite feel the same as watching the parade in person. To see what the Patriots have done since I moved away from the Boston area is something that I just chalk up to my bad luck, being so good for so long is something that has not been done before quite to the level of what the Patriots have done since the 2001 season. The Pats could easily have won 7 Superbowls in this time frame if it wasn't for Eli Manning playing like Peyton and David Tyree's ridiculous catch (I couldn't watch ESPN for 6 months after the Tyree catch for fear of having to relive that loss again). Of all the games that I've seen, in all the seasons that I've been a fan, this game last night was without a doubt the best game I've ever witnessed, in any sport.

Congratulations to the New England Patriots! They certainly earned their spot in football history.

 

[Irondan]

Re:

Feel sorry for those who missed it. I have to say that was maybe the best game I've ever seen, and to me cemented Brady as the best QB ever, maybe best player ever. To come that far back, from that far down, that late in the game, two 2-pt conversions. I mean, at the start of the 4th quarter they were down 28-9.

It's easy to be a Monday morning QB here, but with 5 minutes to go in the game, and the Falcons just about in FG range, trying a pass (and a developing play at that, not a quick out, slant, screen) instead of just running the ball, which they had done fairly well all night, and kicking a FG to put them up by 11 at that point, has to be the pivot of the game. I think Shanahan anticipated a run blitz by the Pats they could pick up, and put the ball in his MVP's hands, but that turned out to be a big mistake. The sack taking them out of range did the Falcons in. The Pats marched right down and tied the game. And once the Pats got the ball in OT, you just had this sense the game was over. There was no possible way Brady was going to be stopped at that point.

Did anyone hear what Roger Goodell had to say during the presentation? The fans were booing so loud, they completely drowned him out.

Even without the booing he was intelligible due to his choking on Tom Brady's balls... :lol:

 

[Scott SoCal]

Re:

Feel sorry for those who missed it. I have to say that was maybe the best game I've ever seen, and to me cemented Brady as the best QB ever, maybe best player ever. To come that far back, from that far down, that late in the game, two 2-pt conversions. I mean, at the start of the 4th quarter they were down 28-9.

It's easy to be a Monday morning QB here, but with 5 minutes to go in the game, and the Falcons just about in FG range, trying a pass (and a developing play at that, not a quick out, slant, screen) instead of just running the ball, which they had done fairly well all night, and kicking a FG to put them up by 11 at that point, has to be the pivot of the game. I think Shanahan anticipated a run blitz by the Pats they could pick up, and put the ball in his MVP's hands, but that turned out to be a big mistake. The sack taking them out of range did the Falcons in. The Pats marched right down and tied the game. And once the Pats got the ball in OT, you just had this sense the game was over. There was no possible way Brady was going to be stopped at that point.

Did anyone hear what Roger Goodell had to say during the presentation? The fans were booing so loud, they completely drowned him out.

Isn't it wild how many recent SB's have turned on one completely wild, unbelievable play (Edelman's catch). It's almost as if it were fate after that.

I thought Tyree's catch could not be topped....

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Re:

It's easy to comment on the internet about how much I love the Patriots yada yada yada, but for me growing up in New England during the 70's and 80's, watching the absolute worst football teams ever assembled (sorry bucs, saints fans but the Patriots sucked *** back then)

The Patriots weren't nearly as bad as a lot of people seem to remember. It's probably because there's a perceived rivalry with the New York Giants, who walked away with a few SB rings then, coupled with some tough playoff or late season losses. The Pats were bad in the early 70's, but by 1976 the Patriots were actually very talented, going 11-3, and losing a very close playoff game to the 13-1 Raiders on a questionable (for the time) roughing the passer call, the Raiders went on to win the SB that year, with their only loss in the regular season to New England, who beat them easily. Two years later in 1978, they were almost as good, motivated by Darryl Stingley's injury in the preseason, but a late season squabble with coach Chuck Fairbanks suspended for negotiating a coaching deal in college, and a Steve Grogan knee injury, did them in come playoffs. They only had one terrible year in the early 80's, the rest were average, but made it to the '85 Superbowl. Yes, they were blown out by the Bears, but got there with a great win over Miami. They went 11-5 the following year, losing a close playoff game to Elway and Denver. Yes, in the late 80's and early 90's they weren't good, but by 96, they were good again, and lost a close Superbowl to Favre's Packers.

Of all the games that I've seen, in all the seasons that I've been a fan, this game last night was without a doubt the best game I've ever witnessed, in any sport.

Me too I think. This tops the game from two years ago that went down to the wire. The win over Seattle was nice for them, but this has to even erase the losses to the Giants, especially that first one, and any leftover controversy from the Tuck Rule game. It takes something for me to say that, as I'm a Raiders fan, but when Belicheck and Brady have done is astounding. The greatest coach, greatest QB, and the greatest dynasty in NFL history, with this win the best of the best.

 

[Tank Engine]

Re:

I watched until half time then went to sleep...

I got to the final Atlanta score, it was way beyond my bedtime and so I dozed off.

Although New England hadn't exactly been dominated in the first half, Atlanta had been definitely better and had taken advantage of the turnovers. I thought there was no way that the Patriots would come back.

When I woke up in the morning, I checked the score and my jaw just dropped. I immediately watched the highlights. There were some huge plays (4th and 3 when the Pats were still 25 points down, the Ryan fumble - he was caught just before his arm started coming forward and of course the Edelman catch). But what were the Falcons thinking. Close to the Pats 20 with time running down and getting a FG would put them two scores up (Alpe more or less sums up my thoughts above).

About NE in the early 80s: I started following football then. I decided to follow the teams in 2nd place in the Eastern divisions (don't ask me why), which were Dallas and NE. I remember NE as a reasonably solid wild card team in that period (well there was the SB washout against the Bears), with a decent QB, Eason, and a mediocre running attack. The Bills really stunk at that time.

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

Of all the games that I've seen, in all the seasons that I've been a fan, this game last night was without a doubt the best game I've ever witnessed, in any sport.

Disagree - AC Milan 3-0 up against Liverpool in the 2005 Champions League final at half time. Milan had put in a sublime performance, and Liverpool seemed to be completely lost. Liverpool make a substitution, change formation and in the space of 6 minutes they score not once, twice but three times to equalise. Ten minutes later, Shevchenko has a shot cleared off the line. Stalemate for the next 20 minutes, and extra time. In extra time, once again Shevchenko misses; this time from six yards out. Penalties. Milan miss their first two; Liverpool score theirs. It is 2-3 on Milan's final strike, and Shevchenko (who else) misses. Liverpool came back from 3-0 down, which is basically equivalent to what the Patriots did. And this is coming from a Milan fan.

 

[pmcg76]

Re: Re:

Of all the games that I've seen, in all the seasons that I've been a fan, this game last night was without a doubt the best game I've ever witnessed, in any sport.

Disagree - AC Milan 3-0 up against Liverpool in the 2005 Champions League final at half time. Milan had put in a sublime performance, and Liverpool seemed to be completely lost. Liverpool make a substitution, change formation and in the space of 6 minutes they score not once, twice but three times to equalise. Ten minutes later, Shevchenko has a shot cleared off the line. Stalemate for the next 20 minutes, and extra time. In extra time, once again Shevchenko misses; this time from six yards out. Penalties. Milan miss their first two; Liverpool score theirs. It is 2-3 on Milan's final strike, and Shevchenko (who else) misses. Liverpool came back from 3-0 down, which is basically equivalent to what the Patriots did. And this is coming from a Milan fan.

That Champions League comeback was pretty amazing, but I honestly think Patriots were in an even bigger hole last night. I would say it was more like 4-0 down as they needed to score 4 times, plus it was the final third of the game before it happened. Liverpool had already levelled by that stage in their game. I also think the dynamics of (real)football make it easier to score 3 times in quick succession, not so much in American football. I only ever saw the first half of the Milan-Liverpool game as I had to go to work(in Oz at the time). Thought it was over, just as I did last night at several points.

The Patriots became my team when I lived in New England, the same year Brady emerged, 2001. I had to root for the local teams and was already schooled in the Red Sox way even though I didn't care for baseball. Of the US sports, football was the only one I remotely knew anything about, though I didn't really follow it. Remember not much was expected of the Patriots, but started following them anyways. Also remember watching the game when Bledsoe got injured and Brady coming in. Has been an amazing ride ever since and last night topped it off. Worth staying up to 4am.

P.S-Of all the teams Patriots have played in the SB, I wouldnt have minded losing to the Falcons so much. Kinda felt bad for them. That will be hard to come back from. That Julio Jones catch that looked like it had sealed it the Falcons was pretty amazing, but now overshadowed by the Edelman catch.

 

[The Hitch]

Re:

Feel sorry for those who missed it. I have to say that was maybe the best game I've ever seen, and to me cemented Brady as the best QB ever, maybe best player ever. To come that far back, from that far down, that late in the game, two 2-pt conversions. I mean, at the start of the 4th quarter they were down 28-9.

It's easy to be a Monday morning QB here, but with 5 minutes to go in the game, and the Falcons just about in FG range, trying a pass (and a developing play at that, not a quick out, slant, screen) instead of just running the ball, which they had done fairly well all night, and kicking a FG to put them up by 11 at that point, has to be the pivot of the game. I think Shanahan anticipated a run blitz by the Pats they could pick up, and put the ball in his MVP's hands, but that turned out to be a big mistake. The sack taking them out of range did the Falcons in. The Pats marched right down and tied the game. And once the Pats got the ball in OT, you just had this sense the game was over. There was no possible way Brady was going to be stopped at that point.

Did anyone hear what Roger Goodell had to say during the presentation? The fans were booing so loud, they completely drowned him out.

I wish I had missed it. My only request from the football gods every season is that the pats don't win. Actually going into this game I didn't hate the pats that much (don't feel too strongly about any sporting team anymore these days). But I did want Atlanta to win. And from the moment they did that turnover on Ryan, it was just Destiny that nep would win. Something supernatural had decided it would happen. I was just overcome with a moment of clarity, patriots were going to win, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Atlanta I think had the same thing. Anytime an New England player would do a mistake from that moment on, the football would just happen to fall into their hands and away from Atlanta any way. The Edelman catch is the perfect example of this. Potentially the greatest wr play of all time from Edelman. Take nothing away from him. But that tip could have gone anywhere. There were 3 Atlanta players there. It just so happened to fall in the 1 spot where it was easier for Je to get than the others.

Only patriots ever get this kind of luck. After this, patriots could not win a game for the next 50 seasons and it wouldn't pay off this victory.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Feel sorry for those who missed it. I have to say that was maybe the best game I've ever seen, and to me cemented Brady as the best QB ever, maybe best player ever. To come that far back, from that far down, that late in the game, two 2-pt conversions. I mean, at the start of the 4th quarter they were down 28-9.

It's easy to be a Monday morning QB here, but with 5 minutes to go in the game, and the Falcons just about in FG range, trying a pass (and a developing play at that, not a quick out, slant, screen) instead of just running the ball, which they had done fairly well all night, and kicking a FG to put them up by 11 at that point, has to be the pivot of the game. I think Shanahan anticipated a run blitz by the Pats they could pick up, and put the ball in his MVP's hands, but that turned out to be a big mistake. The sack taking them out of range did the Falcons in. The Pats marched right down and tied the game. And once the Pats got the ball in OT, you just had this sense the game was over. There was no possible way Brady was going to be stopped at that point.

Did anyone hear what Roger Goodell had to say during the presentation? The fans were booing so loud, they completely drowned him out.

Yep did not understand that at all. Falcons were already within FG range, one more run even for a gain of yard was okay. Ridiculous play call and you sensed that that was the game as the Patriots had the momentum which they had for the entire fourth quarter anyway apart from a few good catches by the Falcons. I knew Edelman would figure in the result after he had a mediocre first half by his standards although some of Brady's throws, quite a few actually were off target and the Falcons were pressuring him in the first half but Edelman and Brady certainly turned it around in the second half as did the Patriots defense. Not surprised by the result but after half time I was surprised by how the Falcons lost and how they lost discipline.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Re: Re:

Feel sorry for those who missed it. I have to say that was maybe the best game I've ever seen, and to me cemented Brady as the best QB ever, maybe best player ever. To come that far back, from that far down, that late in the game, two 2-pt conversions. I mean, at the start of the 4th quarter they were down 28-9.

I wish I had missed it. My only request from the football gods every season is that the pats don't win. Actually going into this game I didn't hate the pats that much (don't feel too strongly about any sporting team anymore these days). But I did want Atlanta to win. And from the moment they did that turnover on Ryan, it was just Destiny that nep would win. Something supernatural had decided it would happen. I was just overcome with a moment of clarity, patriots were going to win, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Atlanta I think had the same thing. Anytime an New England player would do a mistake from that moment on, the football would just happen to fall into their hands and away from Atlanta any way. The Edelman catch is the perfect example of this. Potentially the greatest wr play of all time from Edelman. Take nothing away from him. But that tip could have gone anywhere. There were 3 Atlanta players there. It just so happened to fall in the 1 spot where it was easier for Je to get than the others.

Only patriots ever get this kind of luck. After this, patriots could not win a game for the next 50 seasons and it wouldn't pay off this victory.

True that was a great play by JE. What concentration. I think we will be seeing replays of that for a long, long time.

As for the ball being tipped, things like that happen often enough. That's just football. The Falcons obviously did not practice their tipped ball drill enough. :razz: Remember Seattle in 2014 (actually played Jan 2015) coming back from a 16–0 halftime deficit to beat the Packers in the NFC Championship game, where Seattle was helped by a bobble by Packer's Brandon Bostick of a Seattle onside kick? Or the 2013 NFC Championship game (SF in Seattle) where Seattle CB Richard Sherman tipped the ball away from 9ers WR Crabtree and into the hands of Seattle LB Malcolm Smith (now that was a well placed tip)?

And as for being luck on the Edelman catch, lets say the ball fell to the carpet and it was ruled incomplete. The play was a 1st and 10 at NE 36 (2:28 of the 4th quarter). An incompletion on that play would have made it 2nd and 10 from the NE 36. At that point NE was on a roll. Is there any doubt about NE converting the first down? They had Big Mo (MoJo for momentum) going for them at that point and there seemed to be nothing Atlanta could do to stop NE from advancing the ball downfield even though they were still getting some pressure on Brady. So for me, I will say f**k to the luck crap and only remember that play as being one helluva football play.

Then, if you think that JE catch was the only game-altering play, there were probably a dozen plays by each team, where, had they gone just a bit different, could have affected the outcome. It usually does not make sense to get hung up on one play, even if it does make for good discussion.

The one effect of the JE catch nobody seems to be talking about is how that affected Atlanta. Atlanta HC Dan Quinn challenged the pass completion ruling, the play was upheld as the ruling on the field was confirmed. As a result, Atlanta lost their third and final timeout. Oh how Atlanta could have used that later in the game.

Not just that. The game was really Atlanta's to lose in the second half. And that they did by failing to score in the second half. They even got a turnover in field goal range and proceeded to make mistakes and bad play calls that sent them backwards out of field goal range. So they ended up punting. If Atlanta had just scored a field goal on that series it could have put they game out of reach for NE.

Alpe submitted a one-word post a page or so back: "LEGEND (singular)". Of course referring to Brady.
I want to add "S" (for the plural or Superman, whatever) to that and say: LEGENDS, referring to both Brady and Belichick. This game for me cemented them both as all-time GOATs, surpassing all persons who have either gone before them or are still active. Especially for Belichick, who has remarkably done this in the era of free agency.

I partly understand HOW Bill does this. But being ABLE to do it consistently year after year is a tribute in this era. Just one example, trading MLB Jamie Collins to the Browns for picks at mid-season this year. Collins is a top 15 MLB (some would say even top 10) who would have commanded a bigger contract than NE wanted considering how he played with his teammates in NE. Collins is kind of a star, or star in the making, but Bill does not need all stars. Just guys who he can put together and play well as a unit. And that is how Bill says he assesses things like the Collins trade.

Back to the SB game, other than legendary performances by Brady and Bill, I really have to give big props to NE DC Matt Patricia for adjustments made that really messed up what Ryan and Atlanta had been doing in the first half. I won't be surprised if Patricia ends up on some team's radar for a HC position.

Nice try by Atlanta though. And for all the Saints fans out there, N.O.L.A. (No One Likes Atlanta - right?).

 

[Archibald]

Re:

It's easy to comment on the internet about how much I love the Patriots yada yada yada, but for me growing up in New England during the 70's and 80's, watching the absolute worst football teams ever assembled (sorry bucs, saints fans but the Patriots sucked *** back then) but still as a kid always looking up to my beloved Patriots as bad as they were, there was never any doubt who I rooted for. Fast forward to the 90's when I moved to Seattle, for some reason I became a fan of another futile franchise that would only disappoint until the past five years or so, I never stopped paying attention to what the Patriots were doing. There was only one time in my life that I ever wanted the Patriots to lose, that was when they played the Seahawks in the Superbowl and that was only because celebrating a champion from 3000 miles away doesn't quite feel the same as watching the parade in person. To see what the Patriots have done since I moved away from the Boston area is something that I just chalk up to my bad luck, being so good for so long is something that has not been done before quite to the level of what the Patriots have done since the 2001 season. The Pats could easily have won 7 Superbowls in this time frame if it wasn't for Eli Manning playing like Peyton and David Tyree's ridiculous catch (I couldn't watch ESPN for 6 months after the Tyree catch for fear of having to relive that loss again). Of all the games that I've seen, in all the seasons that I've been a fan, this game last night was without a doubt the best game I've ever witnessed, in any sport.

Congratulations to the New England Patriots! They certainly earned their spot in football history.

How's Lilith these days?

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Re: Re:

It's easy to comment on the internet about how much I love the Patriots yada yada yada, but for me growing up in New England during the 70's and 80's, watching the absolute worst football teams ever assembled (sorry bucs, saints fans but the Patriots sucked *** back then) but still as a kid always looking up to my beloved Patriots as bad as they were, there was never any doubt who I rooted for. Fast forward to the 90's when I moved to Seattle, for some reason I became a fan of another futile franchise that would only disappoint until the past five years or so, I never stopped paying attention to what the Patriots were doing. There was only one time in my life that I ever wanted the Patriots to lose, that was when they played the Seahawks in the Superbowl and that was only because celebrating a champion from 3000 miles away doesn't quite feel the same as watching the parade in person. To see what the Patriots have done since I moved away from the Boston area is something that I just chalk up to my bad luck, being so good for so long is something that has not been done before quite to the level of what the Patriots have done since the 2001 season. The Pats could easily have won 7 Superbowls in this time frame if it wasn't for Eli Manning playing like Peyton and David Tyree's ridiculous catch (I couldn't watch ESPN for 6 months after the Tyree catch for fear of having to relive that loss again). Of all the games that I've seen, in all the seasons that I've been a fan, this game last night was without a doubt the best game I've ever witnessed, in any sport.

Congratulations to the New England Patriots! They certainly earned their spot in football history.

How's Lilith these days?

lol.. took me a while to get that particular reference.

Well played, Archibald. Well played.

 

[King Boonen]

Re: Re:

Of all the games that I've seen, in all the seasons that I've been a fan, this game last night was without a doubt the best game I've ever witnessed, in any sport.

Disagree - AC Milan 3-0 up against Liverpool in the 2005 Champions League final at half time. Milan had put in a sublime performance, and Liverpool seemed to be completely lost. Liverpool make a substitution, change formation and in the space of 6 minutes they score not once, twice but three times to equalise. Ten minutes later, Shevchenko has a shot cleared off the line. Stalemate for the next 20 minutes, and extra time. In extra time, once again Shevchenko misses; this time from six yards out. Penalties. Milan miss their first two; Liverpool score theirs. It is 2-3 on Milan's final strike, and Shevchenko (who else) misses. Liverpool came back from 3-0 down, which is basically equivalent to what the Patriots did. And this is coming from a Milan fan.

Don't start! I stopped watching that one at half time as well!!!

 

[King Boonen]

Re: Re:

I watched until half time then went to sleep...

I got to the final Atlanta score, it was way beyond my bedtime and so I dozed off.

Although New England hadn't exactly been dominated in the first half, Atlanta had been definitely better and had taken advantage of the turnovers. I thought there was no way that the Patriots would come back.

When I woke up in the morning, I checked the score and my jaw just dropped. I immediately watched the highlights. There were some huge plays (4th and 3 when the Pats were still 25 points down, the Ryan fumble - he was caught just before his arm started coming forward and of course the Edelman catch). But what were the Falcons thinking. Close to the Pats 20 with time running down and getting a FG would put them two scores up (Alpe more or less sums up my thoughts above).

A bit like passing when you're 2nd and goal on the 1 yard line with 25 seconds to go and 4 points down..?

 

[Irondan]

Re: Re:

It's easy to comment on the internet about how much I love the Patriots yada yada yada, but for me growing up in New England during the 70's and 80's, watching the absolute worst football teams ever assembled (sorry bucs, saints fans but the Patriots sucked *** back then) but still as a kid always looking up to my beloved Patriots as bad as they were, there was never any doubt who I rooted for. Fast forward to the 90's when I moved to Seattle, for some reason I became a fan of another futile franchise that would only disappoint until the past five years or so, I never stopped paying attention to what the Patriots were doing. There was only one time in my life that I ever wanted the Patriots to lose, that was when they played the Seahawks in the Superbowl and that was only because celebrating a champion from 3000 miles away doesn't quite feel the same as watching the parade in person. To see what the Patriots have done since I moved away from the Boston area is something that I just chalk up to my bad luck, being so good for so long is something that has not been done before quite to the level of what the Patriots have done since the 2001 season. The Pats could easily have won 7 Superbowls in this time frame if it wasn't for Eli Manning playing like Peyton and David Tyree's ridiculous catch (I couldn't watch ESPN for 6 months after the Tyree catch for fear of having to relive that loss again). Of all the games that I've seen, in all the seasons that I've been a fan, this game last night was without a doubt the best game I've ever witnessed, in any sport.

Congratulations to the New England Patriots! They certainly earned their spot in football history.

How's Lilith these days?

I assume that's some sort of pop culture reference that flew over my head this early in the morning, perhaps I'll get it later or someone could enlighten me? If you read Alpe's response to my comment you'll see that my memory fails me deeply...

 

[King Boonen]

Re: Re:

It's easy to comment on the internet about how much I love the Patriots yada yada yada, but for me growing up in New England during the 70's and 80's, watching the absolute worst football teams ever assembled (sorry bucs, saints fans but the Patriots sucked *** back then) but still as a kid always looking up to my beloved Patriots as bad as they were, there was never any doubt who I rooted for. Fast forward to the 90's when I moved to Seattle, for some reason I became a fan of another futile franchise that would only disappoint until the past five years or so, I never stopped paying attention to what the Patriots were doing. There was only one time in my life that I ever wanted the Patriots to lose, that was when they played the Seahawks in the Superbowl and that was only because celebrating a champion from 3000 miles away doesn't quite feel the same as watching the parade in person. To see what the Patriots have done since I moved away from the Boston area is something that I just chalk up to my bad luck, being so good for so long is something that has not been done before quite to the level of what the Patriots have done since the 2001 season. The Pats could easily have won 7 Superbowls in this time frame if it wasn't for Eli Manning playing like Peyton and David Tyree's ridiculous catch (I couldn't watch ESPN for 6 months after the Tyree catch for fear of having to relive that loss again). Of all the games that I've seen, in all the seasons that I've been a fan, this game last night was without a doubt the best game I've ever witnessed, in any sport.

Congratulations to the New England Patriots! They certainly earned their spot in football history.

How's Lilith these days?

I assume that's some sort of pop culture reference that flew over my head this early in the morning, perhaps I'll get it later or someone could enlighten me? If you read Alpe's response to my comment you'll see that my memory fails me deeply...

It's a Fraiser Crane reference. He moved from Boston (Cheers) to Seattle (Fraiser).

 

[Irondan]

Re: Re:

It's easy to comment on the internet about how much I love the Patriots yada yada yada, but for me growing up in New England during the 70's and 80's, watching the absolute worst football teams ever assembled (sorry bucs, saints fans but the Patriots sucked *** back then) but still as a kid always looking up to my beloved Patriots as bad as they were, there was never any doubt who I rooted for. Fast forward to the 90's when I moved to Seattle, for some reason I became a fan of another futile franchise that would only disappoint until the past five years or so, I never stopped paying attention to what the Patriots were doing. There was only one time in my life that I ever wanted the Patriots to lose, that was when they played the Seahawks in the Superbowl and that was only because celebrating a champion from 3000 miles away doesn't quite feel the same as watching the parade in person. To see what the Patriots have done since I moved away from the Boston area is something that I just chalk up to my bad luck, being so good for so long is something that has not been done before quite to the level of what the Patriots have done since the 2001 season. The Pats could easily have won 7 Superbowls in this time frame if it wasn't for Eli Manning playing like Peyton and David Tyree's ridiculous catch (I couldn't watch ESPN for 6 months after the Tyree catch for fear of having to relive that loss again). Of all the games that I've seen, in all the seasons that I've been a fan, this game last night was without a doubt the best game I've ever witnessed, in any sport.

Congratulations to the New England Patriots! They certainly earned their spot in football history.

How's Lilith these days?

I assume that's some sort of pop culture reference that flew over my head this early in the morning, perhaps I'll get it later or someone could enlighten me? If you read Alpe's response to my comment you'll see that my memory fails me deeply...

It's a Fraiser Crane reference. He moved from Boston (Cheers) to Seattle (Fraiser).

Ahahhh, now I remember.. Thanks KB!

 

[King Boonen]

No worries, Cheers is one of my earliest TV memories!

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I don't know how lucky I'd say the Patriots are either. I'm sure there are plenty of fans who will tell you it was really the Giants luck that cost the Pats that perfect season, and also bad luck that cost them the other loss to them in the SB. Bad luck when they were primed in 2005 for a third SB in a row when Teddy Bruschi had a stroke, Rodney Harrison got hurt, and nearly the whole roster turned over. Bad luck when Brady got hurt (2008), the year they probably had the most stacked talent they ever did. Either that or 2010, when Football Insider said their offense was the most potent in history, even more than the unbeaten season, when they inexplicably lost to the Jets in the playoffs, after blowing them out a few weeks previously, luck or not. So, every team in the league could come up with a big list of "bad luck" they've had.

As to Belicheck, I think one forgotten thing that makes him the greatest, and Brady as well if you think about it, is that there is no Belicheck System. This isn't like Bill Walsh' West Coast offense of short routes, flooding zones with receivers, cutting the field in half, mastering legal pick plays, having a RB receive for 1000 yards (Roger Craig), etc. You look through the annuls of history, all great coaches, and see the changes they made, systems or not. Belicheck is a pragmatist, intellectually nimble and dynamic with his play designing, game planning, and play calling, and incredible foresight (like trading Collins). Whatever you do, he comes up with the best way to beat you. You're actually beating him during a game? It's much more likely he's going to adapt and change than any other coach in history. And Brady goes right along with that.