I can see it now, the new NFL Network commercial. It pans to a diner and instead of Joe Montana cooking, it’s Tiki Barber. The two guys sitting at the counter are looking at the menu when they look up and say:
” So Tiki, help us out. How does crow taste? ”
Enough said.. Tip of the hat to Tom Coughlin.
munch…munch…munch – do you know what that is? The sound of Tiki Barber chewing on the crow.
Gotta hand it to Coughlin and the G-men. They soundly outplayed the Packers and deserved to win. Eli made all the throws and looks quite confident these days and NY has really come together as a team over the past 3-4 weeks. I was rooting for the Pack … sad to see Favre eliminated before the Super Bowl, especially on the poor throw leading to the INT in OT.
So once again … another very rare instance … I’ll be a NYG fan on Super Sunday. Just add me to the list … I badly want somebody to beat those Pesky Pats, the most UNDERwhelming “great” team in American sports. I think the G-men can pull it off, but of course it won’t be easy … they’ll have to play a nearly flawless game. If they don’t, pick the Pats by a field goal in the final seconds :). Hard to believe the opening point spread is around 13 or 14 points. Should only be single digits.
Go Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee- men!!!!
Wally
Congrats to the G-Men. Very impressive game and Eli is playing the football of his life right now. I am very happy for Tom Coughlin. If there was a coach that deserved this, it is Coughlin. Any coach that looks at himself before the season and says, ” I need to change a few things about my approach to the guys” deserves the credit he receives. For a guy that was supposedly tough on his players, it was great to hear the praise that was being sung by Brandon Jacobs, other Giants and even Ryan Grant. It speaks volume.
As for the Pats, I am already hearing it at work and with the family – Tom Brady wasn’t at his best on Sunday, but the Pats still found ways to win. Laurence Maroney and Kevin Faulk to the rescue. Junior Seau coming up big on 3rd and short. Kelley Washington making an insane special teams play. In the end, it was a team victory.
Like Belichek said, now they can look ahead.. The Giants are going to be very tough and this is going to be a great Super Bowl. Just wish we didn’t have to wait 2 weeks.
I would like to hear why this Pats team is “underwhelming”. Especially since this team may go down as the greatest team in NFL history if – and it is a definite IF – they can finish it off in 2 weeks.
Is it any coincidence that the two teams that have coaches that preach ” One week at a time and there is no I-you-me on this football team” philosophy and both are students of Bill Parcells? I don’t think so.
Go Pats!!!
I, like Wally, would love to see the Pats knocked off, so I can wear my Giants hat around Boston and stop listening to the yahoos in this town talk about how beating the Giants will be like beating the Yankees…I guess because of the common fans.
Like Aaron, though, I would like to hear why the Patriots are underwhelming. They seem pretty awesome to me…when they’re not blowing people out, they’re pulling out tough wins late by proving they simply are the better team. That’s pretty much what they did to the Giants in the week’s final season.
The Pats are a “great team” … 4 SBs in 7 years … potentially 4 SB wins, we’ll see … one of the great runs in NFL history. A dynasty? Yes. .. without question.
Still, their slot in history in terms of how they rank among the all-time teams is not at the top, IMO. In my mind, these Pats are not as “striking” as three dynasties that I remember: ’70’s Steelers, ’80’s 49ers, or ’90’s Cowboys. Might even add the ’60’s Packers to the list ahead of these Pats, but my sports consciousness didn’t really start until about 1970. Okay … now why? Well, it’s a feel for how dominating a team is, especially in playoff games and in the SB itself. Pats have played just well enough to win many of their playoff games, including last second field goals to squeak by for two of their SB titles.
This year’s Pats have an opportunity to clearly distinguish themselves for a single season if they win in two weeks and finish as undefeated champs. Then they will clearly be one of the best, if not THE BEST, “single season” team ever. They’ll be right up there with the ’72 Dolphins and the ’85 Bears. In terms of “all-time dynasty teams”, though, they’ll still be 4th or 5th on my list. It would help their cause if they beat the Giants by a landslide and actually dominated them … but I just don’t see that happening. Have they ever really dominated anybody for a string of games in the playoffs?? Can’t recall such a streak. Even if they do kill NY on Feb 3, this team over the past 7 years just doesn’t break into the Top 3 of all-time dynasties, and that’s just my opinion … but I think it’s shared by many.
Wally
Pats are somewhere between the ‘Steel Curtain’ and 80’s 49ers and 90’s ‘Pokes. Pats could handle the latter, but not as good as Mean Joe Greene and company.
Pats vs. ’85 Bears would be a game for the ages.
Casey
Casey —
Respectfully disagree. I don’t see the Pats handling any of those teams that you mentioned. All 3 were great on both sides of the ball … with the most underrated unit of them all being the 49ers defense with Lott & Co. Pats defense is “pretty good”; don’t think it could hold any of those teams to under 24 points, while I believe without a doubt that Steelers and Cowboys could hold NE to under 20. 49ers … maybe not … but they certainly wouldn’t have trouble scoring against NE.
’85 Bears would beat these Pats 4 out of 5 times … nobody could come close to solving Bears defense when it really mattered. Two shutouts and only 10 points allowed in 3 playoff games that year. Shutouts!!! Recall that the Bears shut out and dominated a damned good Giants team that year in the playoffs. Phil Simms & LT … they were a great team the following year.
Again, I’m basing my opinion on how these various teams fared in the playoffs in the games that really mattered. The fact that NE hasn’t lost a game this year is great, but I’m also looking at HOW you did it … how dominating are you.
Wally
Hi. Not sure if I agree with the Bears beating the Pats ” 4 out of 5 times”. If I am not mistaken, Buddy Ryan’s 46 defense was predicated by stacking the line and attacking the offense. This Pats team is pretty flexible in its attack and far from one-dimensional. Stack the box and the Pats are going to go 5 wide receiver formation, shot-gun formation and/or 3 step drops. I don’t remember the Bears corners and safeties being as athletic as their linebackers and defensive line. This is a pretty athletic corp of wide receivers and tight ends. I am not sure who Gary Fencik would be able to stay with. Kyle Brady maybe?
With the quick passes, I think they would force the Bears to come out of their normal defense – similar to what the Dolphins did to the Bears in ’85.
Certainly not knocking the Bears. I think they probably would beat the Pats. Just not 4 out of 5 times.
Nice site….Great conversation.