Once and Future Champs
The defending Super Bowl champion New Enland Patriots were defeated on Saturday eight by the one group of players capable of beating the: themselves. It wasn't the Broncos - who were more than happy to receive the Patriot's largesse - but the extremely uncharacteristic miscues by the champs that did them in, with the help of some terrible calls by the inept referees.
Since the team has been on such a winning streak for the past five years, complaints about the refs have come from the winning side - so not a big deal. On Saturday night, their calls took the game from us - admittedly a game we were bust giving away at the time.
Two calls come ti mind: first, a pass interference in the end zone where the offensive player clearly pushed off. There were two correct referee decisions possible: either no call at all, as the contact could be considered incidental, or else an offensive pass interference, as the receiver pushed the defender.
Nope. Defensive pass interference, a free seven points for the home team.
The other was on the fumbled interception return. A fumble through the end zone by an offensive player (even a defender returning a pick) is a safety for the other team. The ball was clearly fumbled out the side of the end zone by the returner after a hard hit by TE Ben Watson. That was a nine-point swing - the seven they got and the two taken from us.
Then there was the motion on the Denver field goal that was not called. Add those three points to the total, and the referees gave them 19 points. Yes, the Pats played the worst game of the Belichick era, but those 19 points did decide the game. And no, there were not corresponding calls that went the Patriots way.
For the rest of it, the Patriots fumbled and picked the game away. When Troy Brown muffed a punt return - down by four with the game starting to break our way - I thought the world was going to end. I mean, if you'd asked me to choose one person in all of football to catch that punt, I would have taken Troy Brown. If that had happened on Xbox, I would have hit reset on the basis that it's just not possible.
This is where not having an offensive coordinator hurt the team. When the offense started coming apart and things looked grim, there was no strong coordinator's voice to take charge. Belichick has proven to be a great leader as a coach, but more was needed to right the ship. I hope he hires and offensive coordinator for net year, and that he's able to keep young Eric Mangini as defensive coordinator.
The sad part is that they were looking good in a quest for the third straight Super Bowl - and when will they be in that position again? Will they win two straight again to set up another run like that?
It's a sad ending to a bumpy season. But I still celebrate the team and its accomplishments. Pats fans have no cause to complain. Some days, the breaks beat the boys. I'm just happy it didn't happen before.
Since the team has been on such a winning streak for the past five years, complaints about the refs have come from the winning side - so not a big deal. On Saturday night, their calls took the game from us - admittedly a game we were bust giving away at the time.
Two calls come ti mind: first, a pass interference in the end zone where the offensive player clearly pushed off. There were two correct referee decisions possible: either no call at all, as the contact could be considered incidental, or else an offensive pass interference, as the receiver pushed the defender.
Nope. Defensive pass interference, a free seven points for the home team.
The other was on the fumbled interception return. A fumble through the end zone by an offensive player (even a defender returning a pick) is a safety for the other team. The ball was clearly fumbled out the side of the end zone by the returner after a hard hit by TE Ben Watson. That was a nine-point swing - the seven they got and the two taken from us.
Then there was the motion on the Denver field goal that was not called. Add those three points to the total, and the referees gave them 19 points. Yes, the Pats played the worst game of the Belichick era, but those 19 points did decide the game. And no, there were not corresponding calls that went the Patriots way.
For the rest of it, the Patriots fumbled and picked the game away. When Troy Brown muffed a punt return - down by four with the game starting to break our way - I thought the world was going to end. I mean, if you'd asked me to choose one person in all of football to catch that punt, I would have taken Troy Brown. If that had happened on Xbox, I would have hit reset on the basis that it's just not possible.
This is where not having an offensive coordinator hurt the team. When the offense started coming apart and things looked grim, there was no strong coordinator's voice to take charge. Belichick has proven to be a great leader as a coach, but more was needed to right the ship. I hope he hires and offensive coordinator for net year, and that he's able to keep young Eric Mangini as defensive coordinator.
The sad part is that they were looking good in a quest for the third straight Super Bowl - and when will they be in that position again? Will they win two straight again to set up another run like that?
It's a sad ending to a bumpy season. But I still celebrate the team and its accomplishments. Pats fans have no cause to complain. Some days, the breaks beat the boys. I'm just happy it didn't happen before.
posted by fiduciary at 8:16 AM
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