A Change of Heart for the Patriots
A few weeks back, everyone was hating the Patriots for running up the score, and keeping their starters in too long in blowout victories. The stonewalling Belichick just kept saying that the game is 60 minutes long, and they're just preparing for the playoffs when they'll have to play the whole game. Nobody bought it.
Well, they played the Colts, and managed to pull out a victory late in the fourth quarter. It's likely that if they hadn't been accustomed to playing a full four quarters, they wouldn't have been able to come back against the Colts. After that game, the criticism started to dry up.
Last night, the Patriots absolutely destroyed the Bills, 56-10. They finally took Brady and Moss out of the game late in the 4th quarter ... after "running up the score" just a little bit. There was little, if any, criticism about it. Not only that, the PTI guys said today that regardless of the score, they'll watch the game if Brady's still throwing the ball to Moss, and that who cares what the score is, "just keep chucking it." Frankly, I have to agree.
I've hated the Patriots since they decided to finally get good immediately after 9/11. It just seemed too trite for me, and Belichick and Brady never seemed likable to me. When Moss went there over the offseason, I knew it would be good for that team, but what they're doing this year is beyond even my expectations. (How could anyone have expected them to look like this?)
I've stopped caring what the score is in their games, and worrying about whether they're running up the score. I just don't care. I don't even care that I dislike them and want them to lose. I just can't get enough of watching that offense. If you were trying to come up with the perfect offensive attack, you'd probably come pretty close to what the Patriots have this year. They could have a better running game, but when you score a touchdown on your first seven drives of the game, and you do it essentially all through the air, you've demonstrated that you don't need a running game. The Patriots just move inexorably down the field, safe in the knowledge that even if it's third and long they can just throw it over to Moss for the first down (or a touchdown). At any time, they can send Moss deep and either score immediately or stretch the field to gain yards with another receiver.
It's very close to the perfect passing game. It's thrilling to watch Randy Moss's career have a resurgence, and to see him renew his attack on the record books (and to score those touchdowns). And I don't see anyone successfully stopping them. Most importantly, they've become fun to watch. That hadn't been true of their previous teams, despite the Super Bowls.
Posted by Sean Schulte at 2007-11-19 16:47:17
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