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The Peyton Manning Face Appears One Week Early

Published
by
Adam Pieniazek
on January 14, 2008
in Boston, Football and Patriots
. 0 Comments

What a great weekend of playoff football. Though I didn’t watch the whole game, Brett Favre and the Packers playing anybody on a snow-filled Lambeau field is entertaining. Then, Saturday night we got to see the Greatest Show on FieldTurf operating at a near maximum efficiency. The Jaguars tried to utilize the bend but don’t break defensive strategy that’s won the Patriots three Super Bowls, but did not realize Tom Brady would bend and break their defense on the way to the best single-game performance by a quarterback in NFL history, as Brady completed all but two of his twenty-eight passes and passed for three touchdowns. Even with the historic night by the offense, the Patriots defense bent and the Jaguars matched the Patriots through the first half. In the end, the defense held itself together enough to hold the Jaguars to just twenty points, with only six points scored in the second half, while the Pats’ offense kept up the clinic from the first half. It all made for an entertaining game that was close until the end.

And then we had the Sunday games. After the Pats beat the Jaguars, I said “Man, I hope the Chargers win tomorrow night”, and now that I got what I wished for, I hope I don’t regret it! Unlike seemingly every analyst, I did not think the Colts would blow out the Chargers, but I didn’t think they’d lose either. Seeing Michael Turner and Billy Volek step in and play like starters is a little bit scary for us Pats fans, as it shows the Chargers are playing well as a time, with any player able to step up when needed. It’s this type of team mentality that won us three Super Bowls and got us to the AFC Championship game without any blemishes on our record. Though the Colts made mistakes, they also didn’t play as a team. Too much hype was given to Marvin Harrison. With the season on the line, neither Marvin nor Reggie Wayne were in the game for the Colts. The Colts didn’t adjust and the Chargers did.

After the Chargers-Colts game, I posted this comment on the facebook wall of one of my buddies whose a life-long New York Giants fan:

Congratulations on Eli Manning outlasting his brother in the playoffs (for now).

By having the late game, Eli was guaranteed of tasting the playoffs for at least four hours longer than his brother, and possibly longer. The Giants became a bandwagon pick for the upset and this time the popular upset pick came through. Why do coaches and teams think they can take a month off and then all of a sudden start operating at full strength again? Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson’s romp to Mexico had nothing to do with the Cowboys losing; rather the Giants experience the past three weeks, playing two high-intensity games and then a playoff game, prepared them to catch the Cowboys napping. The Cowboys did not take the Giants seriously and when they came into their house and stomped all over it, the Cowboys rolled over and cried. Literally.

All in all it was a great football weekend and I can’t wait for next Sunday.

Humble Pats Serve Dynasty Pie to Hungry Cowboys

Published
by
JoshGans
on October 15, 2007
in Boston, Football and Patriots
. 2 Comments

The humblest of pie is served in Foxboro, Massachusetts. After a 48-27 passing barrage of Tom Brady to Donte Stallworth, Wes Welker, Ben Watson, Kyle Brady, Kevin Faulk, and of course Randy Moss who had only 6 catches for 57 yards and one touchdown; the Brady to New England show moves their undefeated record to 6-0. This week’s “Duel in Dallas” was the talk of every SportsCenter, talk-radio show, newspaper and football fan gathering. What was almost called this year’s Super Bowl was yet another high scoring onslaught by the Patriots of New England.

The magnitude of this game held T.O. “speechless” at the beginning of the week, minus the note left on his locker that read:

Due to the magnitude of this weekends game, with the match up between the Original 81 and the other 81, I will not be talking to the media this week. I will answer all questions after the game on Sunday.

Sincerely, Terrell Owens
P.S. Getcha popcorn ready!

Though Terrell Owens did not talk to the press before the game, he still gave the Patriots locker room something to put on the bulletin board; Owens posted the bulletin board on his locker, on National Television, before the game. Regardless of the “other 81″ not having another 100+ yard game, while he was being double and triple covered, Brady managed to have two receivers, in Welker and Stallworth, pass the 100 yard mark. The so-called Brady to Moss show turned off the “octane” in the offense and still pulled out another victory with hard work, solid football, and the mind of a man who tells you no more in a press conference that any football analyst could tell you after the game. Which brings me back to that warm humble pie.

Bellichick is in New England for the sole purpose of winning Super Bowls. He does not crave media attention, he does not want to become a television starlet; he wants to coach football and win championships. This man is the kind of coach that everyone aspires to be. He has wonderful relationships with his players and they win games. He does not brag about the fact that the Patriots are 6-0, he puts it behind him and begins to think about Miami. He is not looking ahead to Indianapolis, thinking about going 16-0, or Brady almost having 6 touchdowns in one game (which could have been done from the three yard-line at the end of the game).

Mr. Bellichick simply ran the ball with a fourth string running back (Eckel) in an attempt to end the game with a form of class; a notion returned by Tony Romo, Wade Phillips, and the rest of the Dallas Cowboys by downing the ball on the next possession and going to the locker room with a loss(and no injuries on either team). A sign of respect for another undefeated team who came out on top, in your own home nonetheless.

What more can be said about such a versatile, exciting team that makes big plays, every play, and on both sides of the ball. With so many different players catching Brady’s passes all day, the “ooooh’s and aaaah’s” filled the room for all sixty minutes. When Kevin Faulk made a crucial first down catch on 3rd and 4 in the second quarter, the only way to sum it up was, “I can’t believe he held on to that”, pushing the Patriots down the field to secure their second score of the game. Wes Welker was on the receiving end of that touchdown for his first of two of the game.

With all the talk of Moss, he only had one catch on the opening drive, which was for a seven yard touchdown, giving the Patriots a total of 30 first drive points on the season. This game showed us that we don’t need to throw the ball to Moss every play, but having him let’s us spread the ball around to our other big name receivers and still win games. The thought that we had under 100 yards on the ground and still won by the amount we did, shows just how great Brady is for New England and the team can still manage the clock, the game, and the win.

The Patriots offense does however have many screens in their playbook, which is their form of the run in situations such as when the starting runningback, Laurence Maroney, is out injured. Not to mention Richard Seymour, who is still out on defense, yet, we still play great football and continue to win with high scores and large deficits. Is there a team better than the New England Patriots right now? Can we be compared to the ‘72 Dolphins, the Cowboys of the ’90’s, or any other team that we see in that light? That’s for the media to decide. In New England, we’re scouting the Miami Dolphins for the next game. We’re not thinking about week 16 or the Super Bowl(short term), we’re playing one game at a time and as of yet, winning one game at a time…humble.

The game was played intense on both sides of the ball the whole 59 minutes and forty-seven seconds. Amazing catches, hits, and returns by both teams made for a very close, very interesting game. After Junior Seau had his third pick of the season, we knew we had the game sealed for sure. Hearing the names like Junior Seau, Randy Moss, Donte Stallworth and Wes Welker, so many veteran players with the heart to want to win. The attitudes of these Patriot players are very different from that of when they were with teams such as the Chargers, Raiders and Dolphins. When everyone is playing for the same goal of winning, there are no problems in the locker room or off the field. People can mention all they want about the “other 81″, but he is a new 81, who wants to win a Super Bowl before he ends his career. With such “low” statistics, to those who think because he is Randy Moss he should always have 100+ yards and 3 touchdowns, he is excited that his team won, even if he had no catches and no touchdowns…humble.

What can be said for the humble Patriots that hasn’t already been said, this is the team to beat in the NFL, and I don’t think anyone can do it.

[Note from Adam, hope you all enjoyed the guest article from my buddy Josh].

Duel in Dallas: The Patriots of New England Invade the Cowboys Homeland.

Published
by
Adam Pieniazek
on October 14, 2007
in Boston, Patriots and Sports
. 0 Comments

Good start, Cowboys don’t cross the 20 till the third play of the game. And that’s why the line shouldn’t be in the Cowboys favor (which according to a Google search for “pats-cowboys line”, it isn’t. Pats are favored by a safety and a half minus the 3 point home-field advantage). Both teams are undefeated and the boys are at home, BUT, they don’t have the Patriots defense.

Good punt, good coverage for the boys, but the best offense in the NFL gets the ball now.

And the thing with the best offense is the defense has to believe they run a reverse giving Brady time to throw down the field…too far down the field overthrowing Moss. Wes Welker is a great replacement for third down Troy Brown. Haha. Just as I’m wondering where our running game is, Morris gets stopped right at the line.

Stallworth is stacking up as another great possession receiver. Our whole receiving corps has great possession abilities. Looks like they’re shifting coverage to each hot receiver as Dante just got triple tackled by the Cowboys after getting a few catches…will they forget about Randy Moss though?

My buddy Josh perfectly describes the Kevin Faulk catch and run for four yards as “I can’t believe he held onto that”. Every Faulk possession adds to my heart attack meter. It just seems he forgets he has the football sometimes. Big 3rd down. 2/2 so far on 3rd down this the drive. Nice catch and run by Welker for the first and then some. Awesome job taking the hit and recovering the fumble caused by the flip from the 2nd Cowboy defender hitting Wes. Welker runs with reckless abandon.

Pats need a TD here on the 6 yard line to set the pace of scoring in this game. NICE. Brady makes up for missing Moss on the first play of the drive with a nice pass n catch by the Brady-Moss connection Dallas so feared before the game. The rest of the drive was dominated by Brady sprinkling passes to our OTHER receivers…hint Dallas, you can’t double-cover Moss because our other receivers will light you up all day long.

WoW…World of Warcraft in a Toyota commercial…what an awesome combination.

FOUR WHEELS OF FURY!!!!

Wolfork absolutely eats up the boys’ running back. Asante breaks up a. Rodney Harrison makes a big play to put Tony and the boys at the eight yard line forcing them to punt on 4th and 17.

The one girl in the room says “Sweet, looks like a blowout like our other games” and every guy in the room jaws drop followed by a loud “No”…the game just started, you never know what will happen, every true Bostonian sports fan will always remember the times things didn’t go as they should’ve…for the good (Greatest comeback/biggest collapse in A history/) and the bad (1986).

We’re passing the ball a bit too much for my liking. Sammy Morris has been impressive this year, as has our offensive line. The cowboys knew to watch out for the screen on 3rd and 14 since that is a money play for us and we haven’t been running all day. 3/16 running plays makes the defense look out for passes, all types of passes. The running game isn’t usually a surprise.

Good defensive stand to force a punt. We need to see runs on 1st and 1st/2nd down here.

FOUR WHEELS OF FURY!!!!

3rd and 6…looks like Brady is struggling a bit with the crown of the hill throwing to the sidelines.

Oooh…but he’s still on an equilibrium throwing down the middle to his money target, Ben Watson.

Moss almost makes a nice catch at the sideline on a low Tom pass.

Welker for 6 down the middle on a perfect post. How are you not looking for this on the Cowboys defense? I figure we get one more pass down the middle for a long gain before they put four backs in the middle at all times.

Pats looking good, up 14.

End of the 1st Quarter

UPDATE

Start of 2nd quarter.

The Pats play with intensity in all games at all times, that’s why we sometimes get penalties and fines for wanting to get too much of an advantage over everyone else.

Good hold by the defense to force a field goal…14-3 Pats and we’ve only run the ball five times. Let’s get a nice 11 minute drive going here and send it to the half.

Brady just threw the ball 70 yards down the field on a flea flicker but Moss couldn’t keep up with him as the Dallas cornerback’s legs got mixed up with Randy. But Tom literally threw the ball 70 yards.

Dammit..a 70 yard Brady pass was just wasted AND the Cowboys score a touchdown on the NEXT play. Aaaargh…hence why you don’t call games in the first quarter. Senor John states it well…”a touchdown on the return would be real nice right here”.

4th and inches Brady sneaks for the 1st down after two bad spots. NICE Welker for a touchdown, aided by a block from the refs.

Pats 21-Cowboys 10.

Pizza…

Dammit…Cowboys TD…21 17 46 seconds left.

41 seconds left.

Brady takes a knee.

Pats get the ball at the start of the third. Let’s see some runs.

End of the 1st half

UPDATE

Start of the 2nd half

Ouch…Sammy Morris takes a huge hit and is off to the locker room. Kevin Faulk is now our main back…and I’m getting a bit of indigestion from my DIY calzone from Mama Lisas’s in Somerville…which was delicious . I might have to disappear from this commentary as I lay in shock.

Ouch…Cowboys go up. 24-17.

Nice 5 minute 10 play drive by the Pats there, helped out by a pass interference the announcers though should have gone against Moss, even though he was going for the ball. Kyle Brady (yes he’s on our team too, Corey) puts the good guys up by four.

Pats 28, Boys 24 5 minutes in the third.

WoW…Marion Barber gets the best 2 yard run in history narrowly avoiding a safety as he slipped through four or five defenders. Dallas punts.

WoW…Randy Moss makes an awesome catch at the edge of the end zone!

My buddy Josh is yelling for Moss to get off the field so we can kick the extra point before Dallas can challenge but the officials are conferencing around the spot and are throwing a flag on the play.

Nice, roughing the passer. Dallas challenges the play. Too bad for them that Randy Moss made an amazing catch just inside the lines and held onto it.

Pats up 34-24.

UPDATE

The officials reversed the call!! WTF! He held onto the ball, his elbow hit the ground, that’s a touchdown. Terrible call by the refs. 1st down, Pats up 28-24.

Pats 31, Boys 24.

Dallas gets a questionable 3rd and 1 spot but get a holding call on a enough for a first down run (though Jones fumbled it to himself) and the Cowboys punt on 4th and 11. Pats come back with a bomb 69 yard pass to Stallworth who gets free from a Cowboys defender and goes down the field for a touchdown.

Very nice. Pats up 38-24.

Ugh. Cowboy # 28 Thompson, brings Dallas up to the Pat’s 23 on the return, near-guaranteeing them a field goal, which they promptly stumble towards (after an initial first down).

Pats await the ball up 14, 38-27. Welker starts them off at the 36 and Randy drives us further up the field. Btw, Tom Brady has five, count em, five touchdown passes. We really should have ran the ball more.

Welker eludes a Cowboy past their forty yard line. Seven and a half minutes to go…definitely time to run, run, run.

Touchdown Randy Moss…ahh there’s a flag…a nonexistent pass interference call…dangit..

Nice, back to Moss five yards short of the 1st down line.

Kevin Faulk slinks through for a ten yard gain to the seven. Tick-tock, tick-tock…Faulk runs for a couple.

My internet connection hasn’t been working for a while now…time for a refresh.

Brady throws it out the back of the end zone for an incomplete pass and we “settle” for the field goal and a fourteen point lead. Cowboys down by 14 with four minutes to go….

….

FOUR WHEELS OF FURY!!!!

Junior Seau picks Romo and Rodney Harrision tells him to sit down and shut up with a finger in his face.

WoW…

3rd and ten….is Brady going for #6?

Welker for the first down…

Two minute warning.

We’re all hoping for a FOUR WHEELS OF FURY!!!! commercial.

Geico…which isn’t available in Massachusetts, home of the Patriots…advertises low low rates we’re not allowed to purchase…way to infuriate a good portion of your target audience Geico…

Pats 41-Cowboys 27.

Game Ovah

Eckel to the one inch line….30 seconds left…

Touchdown.

48-27.

19 seconds left.

Cowboys take a knee.

Game Ovah!

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