A Super Super Bowl

Well I thoroughly enjoyed that. I know it was low scoring, but frankly I loved the chess match between the Pats O and Giants D. Eli Manning was outstanding, especially that last drive, but the Giants defensive line was the difference in the game. Three things off the top:
1) I haven't seen much at all made yet of Pats coach Bill Belichek's decision to go for it on 4th & 13 from the Giants 31. That's a 48 yard field goal attempt, and if don't trust you kicker to make a 48 yarder, why is he on your team? 48 yards is not a chip shot, but it's not like it's a 58 yarder either. That should be a makeable kick for any kicker in the NFL. If there's something I'm missing or a rationale that explains this that I can't see, please, enlighten me. The Pats lost by three, and they passed on a potential field goal needing 13 yards for the first down. Absolutely baffling to me.

2) Plaxico Burress should be commended for playing on a bad ankle all season, and giving his all in this game. But he should NOT be commended for his "Guarantee" that the Giants would win. Back when Joe Willie Namath made "THE Guarantee" in Super Bowl III it was a big deal because nobody made comments like that at the time. Namath staked his reputation on that game, and he certainly wouldn't be a hall-of-famer without that monumental upset. But today, guarantees are a joke. Nobody takes them seriously. Plax had nothing at stake if his prediction was wrong. His team was a huge underdog, so if they lost, well hey they were supposed to. A guarantee needs to be backed by something, there needs to be a consequence or payment made if it falls through. If Burress had said he'd donate his game check to charity if they lost, then that's a guarantee. But just saying his team would win? Worthless.

3) It's bad enough when Congress gets involved with steroids in baseball, but now Arlen Specter wants to reopen "SpyGate"? Call my cynical or a bad person, but I could care less if the Patriots cheated this season or against the Rams when they won their first Super Bowl, or anytime before or since. It's like stealing signs in baseball- people get mad when somebody gets caught, but everybody does it. I just don't get riled up about this at all, and really hope it goes away, especially now that New England lost.

Ok, back to the game. Seriously, despite the low scoring battle for the first three quarters, I just loved watching NY's defense giving Tom Brady and the Pats the business. Their strategy was obviously to double Moss and then pressure Brady like crazy. It's not rocket science- I'm pretty sure everybody that's played them since week 1 knew this was the way to slow them down, it's just there's not many teams that can get that kind of pressure with just their front four. Really impressive.

I'm wondering a few things about the Patriots offense too:
1) was Brady's ankle hurting him more than he let on? Because the few times he actually had time to throw deep to Moss (not counting the end of the game), his throws were way off. Maybe he was just rattled a bit because he hadn't faced pressure all season, but it just didn't look right.
2) Where was Ben Watson all night? I'm guessing that after the first quarter siege on Brady the Pats started going max protect by leaving a tight end into block, but wouldn't you still think they'd try to get Watson, who's one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the game, open on shorter routes or hot routes?
3) Why didn't New England run more on their last drive, especially once they got in the red zone and knew they'd have more time? I know they were running more of a hurry-up to try and tire out the Giants defenders, but once they were safely into scoring territory with that much time left, why not run and take some time off?
4) How in the hell did Miami let Wes Welker go for a second round pick? Wow. So shifty and effective over the middle, he was Brady's safety valve all night. One of the guys I was watching the game with who knows football thought that the Giants were giving the Pats Welker all night on the short stuff in order to take away Moss and pressure Brady. So Welker's numbers may have been inflated because that's where the Giants D was funneling BRady to go, but he still made some great catches.

I can't think of much else, other than I need to go watch the Super Bowl ads again. Some really good ones, yet I can't think of many off the top. Anyway, congrats to the Giants who were definitely the best team (if Steve Smith doesn't give that one interception away, the Giants could have been rolling even earlier), and showed it's not about who's playing the best at the beginning or the middle of the season, but who's peaking at the end.