It started at the Meadowlands and it ended at the Meadowlands. From “Spygate” to an unblemished perfect slate, the season began in an explosion and ended in complete satisfaction. The New England Patriots, whether you loved them or not, and whether you say they haven’t done “anything” yet since the Vince Lambrodi trophy won’t be given out to early next year, had the greatest regular season in their sport’s history, and arguably, in all of sports.
As the weeks progressed and the steady hate of this team (already there before the season started) mounted as time continued to elapse over the season’s course, the Patriots displayed a sense of character, commitment, and composure that few in sports have ever shown, let alone the history of the National Football League. And everything was thrown at them (until they get into the playoffs, where it won’t be just the kitchen sink, but the bathroom tub, household appliances and even the roof will be tossed in their direction).
But did they ever whither?
Did they let the Indianapolis Colts still hang on to the title of best in the AFC after they were outplayed for much of the game back in November?
Did they back down when disappointing teams such as the Baltimore Ravens and the Philadelphia Eagles made it their season’s Super Bowl and had them on the ropes?
And did they succumb to all the attention and the week in, week out grind of hearing about 16-0 at the last game of the season in the biggest media market in the world, where the proud franchise playing against them was hell bent on representing the other 28 teams in the league and not let a record be set against them?
No, they didn’t, and that is what makes them special.
Yes, they are just one lost away from the whole season, a regular season that may not ever be seen again in NFL history, from everything going down the drain. As the great Cris Collonsworth mentioned in last night’s historic simulcast telecast of this historic game, “they wouldn’t even be in mentioned as one of the great teams in NFL history.”
They are right now however. Never has there been a team, especially in this decade, where you can hit them with your best shot, play your best game, and have your players play out of their socks, and still not get them rattled or most importantly, defeat them. There willingness to never given up and their determination to not be stopped until the job is done is a testament to what this team and organization is truly about.
One play from last night, before the recorded setting touchdown pass and reception of Tom Brady to Randy Moss that gave the Patriots the lead and perfection for good, highlighted the unparalleled fervor of this team. A third down play in the early stages of the third quarter, and the Giants did what they did for portions of the night, get to Brady. The pressure was on, Brady was dead for rights, the sack was Osi Umenyiora’s for the taking. All of a sudden, despite Umenyiora draping all over his back, Brady somehow managed to muscle himself off of the Ginats defensive end and get off a floating pass in the air that Moss almost caught for a third down conversation.
Despite the Patriots resulting in punting on the next play, the resilience shown by Brady that play is the paradigm for how on every single play, the New England Patriots give it their best effort, whether successful or not. And that persistence played off on that 50th touchdown pass to Moss for the receiver’s 23rd touchdown reception. After missing the previous deep ball to Moss, the Patriots saw that Giants cornerback Sam Madison was ailing on that play. With him out of the game, Brady went right back deep to Moss, beating a clueless and incompetent James Butler to place the Giants as their final scalp.
Their ability to overcome adversary, and their relentless persistence once again payed off. Unlike the Ravens game, where the luck was on their side, the Patriots didn’t need massive mistakes or fortuitous fortune. Instead, they earned every bit of their record setting win last night. They got smacked in the face in all phases of the game, offense, defense, and special teams. But what did they do that they have done all season long? They smacked right back, and their opponent couldn’t get up from that.
It will be a weird and stunning feeling that will be felt around the league and in the sports world if the Patriots, with this legendary season of theirs, somehow will have that all negated if 16-0 isn’t 19-0.
All great teams only earn the mantel of “great team” if they win it all, and the Patriots have not won it yet.
The pressure will continue to mount as the second season is upon us, as great teams are made at this period, not the regular season. And even if they are at home until the Super Bowl, the usual bitter ailments of winter will get worst. The bad weather (or in this case, real football weather as they say around the game) will continue to conflict with what they do best, and that is pass the football. The Jets showed this a few weeks ago, and all of the teams in the playoffs are better than the Jets, even if Mangini and company know the Pats just about as well as anyone, and wasn’t going to get humiliated as that 24 point spread thought they would be.
But if there is any team, in the history of football, who can withstand anyone’s best shot and overcome it, the team owned by Robert Kraft, managed by Scott Peoli, controlled by Bill Belichick, operated by Brady, and led by Teddy Bruschi, Mike Vrabal and 50 other guys, is the one who can do just that. They have done it all season along, admit the Spygate, admit the classless respect for the rest of the league’s teams by running out the score, admit Brady’s reckless comments of “destroying” every team in league, they have withstood all of the challenges.
Two weeks time, however, all of the events from week one in September to Saturday night are insignificant, because one lost will change everything. The auora of invisibility will be gone, the embarrassment will be there, and the pain of such a defeat would be worst than blowing the 21-3 lead they had against the Colts way back in January.
The season started and ended at the Meadowlands in perfection. The regular season that is.
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