Giants vs Pats

[Kurn]

Well, 28 on the D, 7 on the KO team. Still wasn't enough. I've said it before I'll say it again. The only way to beat the Patriots is a blowout. If they're within 3 scores with half a quarter left, they win.

The Giants' offense, particularly their pass offense, has been a bunch of underachievers all year. Last night, they played to (and maybe a bit beyond) their potential.

Its really hilarious actually. had the Pats rolled last night, the critics would've said "meaningless game, blah blah blah." The Giants showed guts and pride and made it close, and now the naysayers think that means the Pats are weak. IMO, last night's game makes them look like a tougher team than if they'd won 38-3. Because in reality, it was nowhere near a must win game for them. Some people may think shutting up Mercury Morris and Don Shula is more important than winning the next 3 games. Nobody on the Pats does. They know winning last night was nice, but winning their fourth Super Bowl is the only thing that matters.

NEXT!!!

[Reel Deal]

I actually don't like the match up for the Jags... they're not good against the pass and are not built to play in catch-up or shoot-out mode. I think the only hope is poor weather in New England, then I think it would be close. But, way too soon to worry about that as they still have to get past either Pitt or SD in the Wild Card.

The only real hope for keeping the Pats from 19-0 is the Colts (and I hate to admit that).

[Gordogg]

I cannot wait to see that game, Colts vs Pats. I'll take the Colts if anybody wants to bet.

[Fildy]

You miss the first half of the season?

[Gordogg]

That was a close ass game that the Patriots pulled out for the victory. Manning is the man. Colts defending super bowl champs. I'll take the Colts no problem.

[drewjax]

BRADY.......... is THE man.


How much???

[Kurn]

Colts couldn't hold a 10 point lead at home in the 4th quarter. *If* they make it to the AFC title game with no Freeney they probably won't have a lead in the 4th and the Pats are, what, 84-1 since '01 when leading at the start of the 4th?

[Talking Poker]

You can't really believe this, can you? I mean, if that was true, why would the Pats have started ANY of their studs?

Don't get me wrong - I'm glad BOTH teams played their good players and very obviously cared about winning the game last night (it made for an awesome game), but you can't seriously believe that no one on the Pats cared about winning last night, can you? Or the individual records..... I mean, did you even watch the game? Did you look at the players faces?

Do Patriots fans really get blinded this easily?

[Kurn]

No doubt it meant something to them, and to the organization, but not as much as the ring means. As Kraft said after the game, there was no champagne in the locker room, since they haven't acheived their goal yet.

I watched the entire game and saw the same thing I've seen since the Colts game: an opponent possessed to knock of the big dog, playing at an emotional level beyond what any team can muster every week. And like the Eagles, Ravens, Jets, et. al., the Giants fell short in the last 15 minutes.

The reason the Pats win late is that no team has ever been as capable of making the in-game adjustments to counter their opponents' best efforts.

The early season blowouts have obscured what has always been the Brady-era Pats' strength: making the plays that need to be made to win. The last 6 games have shown that again. They haven't been getting weaker, they've just been showcasing their biggest strength.

[Reel Deal]

Getting every call from the refs?

[Kurn]

You mean like the celebration call?

Hey, there were weird call on both sides. That crew is normally solid, but they left me scratching my head a couple of times.

[Reel Deal]

Should have qualified that to say every call unless Randy Moss is involved.

[Kurn]

To tell you the truth. I don't really like today's pass coverage rules, but I did see some good non-calls in the game. Sometimes I get nostalgic for the late 70's early 80's and Lester Hayes' uniform and hands coated with stickum. I still laugh when I think of seeing him intercepting a pass and it taking 4 guys and about 2 minutes on the sideline to get the ball out of his hands.

But, the NFL wants offense, so the receivers get all the breaks.

[bdawg31]

I have to respectfully disagree. I can think of nothing more important football-wise than shutting up Mercury Morris.

[CalifNaughti]

Giants are playing Tampa Bay Sunday, Giants play much better on the road than they do at home. Giants will win and then have to play the Packers in GreenBay, where they will have to do something special in order to win that one.

[Kurn]

Actually, I'm beginning to think that nothing will shut up mercury Morris.