Well… crap. Just like four years ago, the New England Patriots came up just a couple plays short of beating the New York Giants and claiming their fourth Lombardi Trophy Sunday in Super Bowl XLVI. Instead, Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning once again bested Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, with Manning executing yet another fourth-quarter comeback highlighted by an improbable reception. Brady’s quest to tie Joe Montana and Bradshaw continues.

The Patriots under-performed on their last test of the season. Which Patriots will get credit and which are now on academic probation? Here’s the last report card until September.

Quarterback: B

Brady wasn’t terrible, completing just over 65 percent of his passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns, but he definitely wasn’t at his best. His line gave him all kinds of protection, but he still had trouble hitting his receivers. Wes Welker should have caught that second-and-11 late in the game, but Brady could have thrown a much easier pass, one that didn’t require Welker to simultaneously spin around, leap into the air and haul in a ball barely within his range.

Brady occasionally gets lost inside his own mind, seeing diagrams of plays instead of the actual field. His deep-ball interception is a perfect example. On paper, Rob Gronkowski would out-jump a linebacker every time. But the real Gronkowski couldn’t run or jump with that high-ankle sprain Sunday, yet Brady tried to bomb it to him anyway. Chase Blackburn hauled picked it, squandering yet another second-half drive that could have extended the Patriots’ lead beyond one possession.

Brady only played above-average football (including the bone-headed if oddly penalized safety), while Manning played spectacular football, especially in the second half. The better quarterback took home the title.

Running Backs: B+

Danny Woodhead and BenJarvus Green-Ellis combined for 62 yards on the ground, plus 57 more in the air. Woodhead proved incredibly useful on check-down passes and screens, either running through the defensive line or lining up outside it. He also caught the Patriots’ first touchdown – a bullet from Brady that required as much concentration to catch in traffic as it did to throw.

The Patriots’ rushers did enough to make play-action viable some of the time, but not always. Not having Gronkowski at full strength likely affected that play’s success.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: C+

Four consecutive dropped passes. Four. Had Welker or Deion Branch caught theirs on second- and third-and-11, the Patriots probably win the game. Had Branch or Aaron Hernandez caught theirs on the final drive, the Patriots preserve a timeout and probably get at least a better chance at the Hail Mary. Instead, the Patriots had to try a 50-yard bomb, which is a tough sell for any offense.

Brady’s decent pass-protection meant much of the passing game’s failure must rest with his receivers not getting open. Hernandez and Welker had to deal with extra coverage because of Gronkowski, and they couldn’t handle the extra pressure. Of all the position groups on the team, the receiving corps under-performed the most.

Offensive Line: A-

Only allowing two sacks (both in the second half) to a pass-rush as relentless as the Giants’ deserves high marks. The offensive line did as much as they could to buy Brady time, but the offense just never synchronized outside the line of scrimmage. The offensive line didn’t quite establish the run the way they should have, however, and Brian Waters committed a holding penalty, bringing down the line’s final grade.

Defensive Line: B+

The offensive line combined for 2.5 sacks and three QB hits. Mark Anderson led with 1.5. But of the three sacks the Patriots recorded overall, two came on the Giants’ first drive. After that, Manning enjoyed all kinds of protection. More pressure on Manning could have protected the Patriots’ secondary a little, but that’s been a complaint all season long.

The defensive line also gave up 114 rushing yards (plus a touchdown they purposefully allowed).

Linebackers: B-

Beyond Rob Ninkovich‘s half-sack and two QB hits, the linebackers were almost invisible Sunday. Manning only targeted tight ends seven times, but he connected six times. Jerod Mayo could have intercepted Manning’s first touchdown pass, but instead he whiffed completely and the Giants went up 9-0. And while he and Brandon Spikes led the team with 11 tackles each, none were for losses.

Ninkovich also jumped off-sides on a third-and-7, making the conversion much easier.

Defensive Backs: B+

Sterling Moore represented himself well, batting aside two passes and making several key stops. And it’s hard to fault the defense when it had to play over 60 percent of the game. Still, Manning threw for 296 yards, and the secondary couldn’t get themselves together for one more stop late in the fourth.

The secondary played at or above what it’s played at all season long, so they shouldn’t lose points they could never have earned in the first place. But given one last chance to make any kind of statement, the defensive backs once again fell silent.

Special Teams: A-

Stephen Gostkowski nailed his only field goal, and no one committed any special teams penalties. But Giants punter Steve Weatherford easily out-performed Zoltan Mesko, three times pinning the Patriots inside their 10. The Giants started their average drive (discounting the one following the interception) over 10 yards ahead of the Patriots, making scoring all the more difficult for the Patriots.

New England didn’t lose because of special teams, but they could still have done more.

© Matt Goisman for Sports of Boston, 2012. | Permalink | One comment
Filed under: Featured, Opinion, Patriots, Top Story.

Alec Baldwin famously said “Coffee is for closers” in the movie “Glengarry Glen Ross,” and when it came to Super Bowl 46, he couldn’t be more right. The Patriots couldn’t close. I have had a couple days to digest, and I am like many Patriot fans, I’m ready to move on.

I wanted to reflect on a few things first, because history tends to repeat itself and unfortunately for the Patriots, it’s repeated itself a few times in the last eight years. Now, the pessimistic fan would say the New England Patriots are the Atlanta Braves: another playoff run, another failure. There is obvious truth in that statement, but the Patriots are a victim of their own success. This isn’t baseball, where a large payroll can guarantee admission on a yearly basis.

The Patriots have made the playoffs 9 out of the last 11 seasons and that excellence has allowed them to reach the biggest games in the sporting world. Compare them to their contemporaries: the Steelers, Colts, Ravens, Giants, and Packers. Yes, four of those teams have won Super Bowls since the Patriots last won a Super Bowl. But, the Giants have missed the playoffs 2 out of the last 4 years. The Steelers have missed the playoffs 2 out of the last 4 years. The Ravens haven’t been to a Super Bowl since 2000. The Packers lost in the first round this year and the Colts were the WORST team in the NFL this season.

From 2001-2004, the Patriots were not just the best team in the NFL, they were the most clutch. They completed two Super Bowl winning drives with under two minutes on the clock. They had a close, but convincing win in 2004 to capture their third title in four years. With all of that said, the Patriots couldn’t close on Sunday, and in three of their most gut wrenching losses, under Belichick that has been a consistent theme.

2007 AFC Championship: Colts 38, Patriots 34

Looking back at this game, it WAS Déjà vu all over again. If you remember that season, it was the “Year without Receivers” after the Patriots traded Deion Branch and let David Givens go to free agency. Tom Brady was still in his absolute prime, but spent much of the year throwing to Reche Caldwell, Jabar Gaffney, an aging Troy Brown, Doug Gabriel and Benjamin Watson.

Gabriel was actually cut during the season and Gaffney was signed off the street. Watson, a former first round pick, had poor hands and was NOT Rob Gronkowski. Still, the excellence of Brady and a stout defense somehow got the Patriots to 12-4. They finished as a #4 seed in the AFC. They beat the Jaguars in the first round and then shocked the NFL when the upset the 14-2 San Diego Chargers on the road despite Brady’s three interceptions. By the way, when the chips were down, Brady hit Caldwell down the sideline to set up the winning kick.

The Patriots came into Indianapolis weary and tired. They managed to go up 21-3 late in the first half and were a controversial Troy Brown offensive pass interference call from being up 28-3 at the midway point. The Brown penalty ended up being a drive killer and the Patriots instead led 21-6 at the half.

The Patriots led 34-31 when they started a drive on their own 40-yard line with 3:22 to go in the game.

• First Play: Heath Evans gets called for a motion penalty. 1st and 15 at the Patriots 35-yard line.
• Second Play: Brady completes a seven-yard pass to Caldwell. 2nd and 8 at the Patriots 42-yard line.
• Third Play: Brady completes a four-yard pass to Watson. 3rd and 4 at the Patriots 46-yard line.

This is the game.

With a conversion, the Colts were going to get the ball back with very little time on the clock, if at all. Sound Familiar?

• Fourth Play: Brady’s pass intended for Brown was batted down by Bob Sanders. 4th and 4 at the 46-yard line. Patriots punt, Colts win.

It’s tough to say who was at fault here. Brown was nearing the end, but was still Brady’s favorite 3rd down target. If Brown had cut outside, he had 20 yards in front of him, but Sanders made the play. This would be the first of three never forgotten failures for the Patriots in Indianapolis. The failure to convert cost them the game, the AFC Championship and most likely the Super Bowl considering the Bears were an inferior team.

Super Bowl 42

I will comment briefly on this game. It’s been lumped in as another post-2004 failure for Brady and Belichick. After watching the game a few times since, I give Brady less and less blame. A bad offensive game plan, poor adjustments, a horrific performance by the Patriots offensive line and one of the greatest/luckiest Super Bowl drives you will ever see all were to blame.

Regardless, the Patriots could not close for a second time. Another Lombardi Trophy was left on the shelf.

2012 AFC Championship: Patriots 23, Ravens 20

If you had the choice knowing what you know now would you have taken the Lee Evans touchdown or the Wes Welker drop? Yes the Patriots won this game, but they made it a lot harder than it had to be and it was because they couldn’t make a play on offense to seal it.

Patriots take over possession at their own 33-yard line with 2:46 to go in the game, leading 23-20.

• First Play: Brady 70yard pass to Branch. 2nd and 3 at the Patriot 40-yard line.
• Second Play: Green-Ellis loses a yard. 3rd and 4 at the Patriot 39-yard line.

Just to recap, a first down here and the game is essentially over. It’s the Colts game all over again.

• Third Play: Brady passes to Hernandez, but it is batted down by another Pro Bowl safety (this time it’s Ed Reed).

Mesko punts the Ravens gets the ball at their own 21 with 1:44 to go and the Patriots miraculously hold on. Was this a matter of bad decisions, good coverage, the inability to run the ball or the lack of faith to run? All good questions that would not have to be answered until…

Super Bowl 46: Giants 21, Patriots 17

Forget the safety. Forget the interception to Gronk. Forget the penalties and fumbles and everything else. No matter who won this game, both teams were going to be shaking their head in the end. The Giants didn’t turn the ball over and their quarterback was on target all day, but yet they were still losing for most of the second half. The Patriots HAD turned it over twice but yet, here they were: 1st and 10 on their own 8-yard line with 9:24 to go. I said at the time to people I was watching the game with that if the Patriots can score a touchdown, it’s over.

In the 2008 AFC Championship, they were able to chew up the last 9 minutes of the game to clinch a Super Bowl appearance. Last year’s 7-minute drive against the Jets that produced no points was called by Bob Neumeier the “Drive to Nowhere.” This was the “Road to Perdition.”

• Play 1 – Incomplete pass. 2nd and 10 at the Patriot 8 yard line.
• Play 2 – Brady complete to Welker for 5 yards to the Patriot 13-yard line. 3rd and 5.
• Play 3 – Brady completes to Woodhead for 19 yards to the Patriot 32-yard line.

At this point, you still have to be thinking touchdown. The clock is ticking, but there was still way too much time to preserve a two-point lead.

• Play 4 – Ellis carries for 3 yards. Where was this play later? 2nd and 7 at the Patriot 35.
• Play 5 – Welker reverse for 11 yards. FIRST DOWN, at the Patriot 46 and the clock is ticking down to the five-minute mark.
• Play 6 – Woodhead dive for 1 yard. 2nd and 9, at the Patriot 47.
• Play 7 – Brady hits..Gronk? Wow, did they miss him. 6-yard gain. 3rd and 3 at the GIANTS 47.

Not quite close out time. At this time, it’s do or die. Both teams know a first down gets them within reach of Lombardi, and within reach of the Four Super Bowl Champion Pantheon.

• Play 8 – Brady to Hernandez for a FIRST DOWN at the Giant 44. The clock is under five minutes and ticking, Giants have ONE timeout.

People in New England are feeling it and for the first time all game, I was feeling like it was going to happen. Hindsight is 20/20, but the Patriots have been in this situation before. Today, everyone is still talking about Brady or Welker, but to me this was one of the pivotal mistakes of the game. This cracked the dam, and Welker broke it open.

This WAS the coaching mistake of the game. Not the 12-men, not the challenge, not the time outs; this play, this decision.

The Giants were on their heels it was getting desperate. The Patriots decide to pull Hernandez and bring in Politte at fullback and put Green-Ellis in an I formation. They didn’t line Brady up in the shotgun and try a halfback draw. They didn’t try to run Green-Ellis to the right with Connolly and a guard pulling like they did so successfully in the first half. Get positive yards, don’t put yourself in a do or die situation.

• Play 9 – Green-Ellis was tacked by Canty for a one-yard loss. 2nd and 11 at the Giants 45.

They did just that. Politte missed Chris Canty on Green-Ellis straight ahead run and Green-Ellis was tackled for a one-yard loss.

At this point, the Patriots are in a situation where they need to get to 3rd and 5 or 6. Belichick has to know they can’t punt the ball back to Eli with a two-point lead. Not with this defense, and not with the year Eli has been having.

• Play 10 – Brady to Welker incomplete. 3rd and 11 at the Giants 45. A play we’ll always remember.

I have gone back and forth on this play all week. If you’re in the “HE SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT IT CAMP!!!” – you’re right.

Recent history shows receivers make great plays in the big game. Santonio Holmes against Arizona, Tyree against the Patriots, Manningham against the Patriots.

If you think “BRADY BLEW IT!!!” – well you’re not completely off. It was a not a perfect pass. He had time, it was a broken play and Branch was actually WIDE open on a check down. Can’t question the decision by Brady, if he never wins another Super Bowl it will be remembered along with Larry Bird’s Game 5 three-pointer that just missed in the 1987 Finals. It was Bird’s last chance at greatness. It could be Brady’s.

This left a do or die play. The Patriots maybe should have taken a timeout and thought about this as two-down territory.

• Play 11 – Brady incomplete to Branch. 4th and 11 at the Giants 45 yard line.

If you’re going to criticize Brady for a bad throw, this was it. Branch was there, but the ball was behind him because it was partially tipped. It could have caught, but it was not a no-brainer by any means. It was a do or die play, as it could have saved Wes, Tom and Patriot nation many a sleepless night. We all know what happened from there.

The Legacy of SB46

Well, it’s the Giants and not the Patriots who join the Steelers, 49’ers, Packers, and Cowboys in the Pantheon. All those teams have won four Super Bowls. Brady has done kind of a reverse John Elway by winning Super Bowls early and losing late as opposed to Elway, who didn’t win his first until he was 37.

If you’re a Patriot fan don’t let the media irritate you too much. In the world of Twitter, ESPN and the 24/7 Sports media cycle there will always be fools like Skip Bayless, Rich Cimini and Eric Wilbur. There will always be jealous ex and current players who will want to disparage this quarterback and this team.

Is it better to be 3-2 in the Super Bowl or 2-0? Brady is not going to be mentioned above Montana, but he’s not Troy Aikman either. Aikman might have been 3-0, but he never played in another Super Bowl after 28 years of age. Aikman’s regular season also never compared to Brady, who did much more with much less. You have to compare Brady with his peers, and unless Big Ben or Eli can capture one more and play and in another, then Tom is the greatest of his time.

As for the Patriots and their ability to close, well it’s hard to point at their collapses and give blame to one party. Belichick is a student of history so I am sure he’s read George Santayana’s quote, “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” Maybe next time, they won’t have to rely on one play to win the Super Bowl, if there is a next time for Brady and Belichick.

The NFL football season has the longest offseason of the major professional sports. In a couple of weeks it will be time to start looking toward the 2012-2013 season, but for now it’s time for quiet, and maybe a cup of tea.

© gcain for Sports of Boston, 2012. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Featured, Opinion, Patriots, Top Story.

The New York Giants claimed their second Lombardi Trophy in five years, with Eli Manning leading them from behind in a 21-17 victory over the New England Patriots to win Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, Ind.

Manning lead a nine-play, 88-yard drive that started with 3:46 remaining, capping it off with an Ahmad Bradshaw six-yard plunge with :57 seconds left to give New York the decisive touchdown. The drive was highlighted by a phenomenal 38-yard reception by Mario Manningham where he was able to maintain possession on a close sideline play.

Brady Struggles in Second Half

New England quarterback Tom Brady was terrific in the first half, tossing for 147 yards and a touchdown on 15-18 passing. He struggled in the second half however, generating just one scoring drive and passing for only 129 yards, one touchdown and one interception. In the offense’s final four possessions, the team had two punts, one interception, and a failed hail mary to end the game.

Brady finished the afternoon with 276 yards, a pair of touchdowns and one interception in his second straight Super Bowl defeat.

The ground game did not fare any better, gaining just 86 yards on the ground throughout the contest. BenJarvus Green-Ellis was the team’s leading rusher with 44 yards on 10 carries, but the New England ground game was ineffective throughout.

Gronkowski Limited by Injured Ankle

Sophomore tight end Rob Gronkowski was hampered by his ankle injury all evening, finishing the game with only two receptions for 26 yards. Gronkowski was targeted just three times, and he was in and out of the line up in the second half.

Three Studs

Danny Woodhead
Woodhead was critical on New England’s 14-play, 96-yard drive that put the Patriots up 10-9 at the half. The first time Super Bowl participant accumulated 33 yards on that pivotal drive, and finished the first half with 36 yards.

Middle Linebackers
One of the few positives coming out of the heart breaking defeat was the play of Jerod Mayo and Brandon Spikes. The young tandem each concluded their evenings with 11 tackles and eight solo takedowns each.

Special Teams
One of the few strengths New England had all night was on special teams. They fielded punts well, committed minimal turnovers, and did not allow big returns to the Giant’ returners.

Three Duds

Offensive Line
The Patriots were unable to generate any rushing game, finishing the night with 83 yards. In additions to that, the line allowed a pair of sacks to stifle Patriot drives. Another key error was on New England’s first play, in which a slight breakdown in protection resulted in an intentional grounding, giving New York a 2-0 lead on the penalty in the end zone.

Discipline
Brady’s blunder on that opening snap, coupled with a critical 12-men-on-the-field penalty which allowed the Giants to score a touchdown put the Patriots in a 9-0 hole. A third penalty was an offsides call on New England LB Rob Ninkovich, which prevented a would be Giants punt. New England finished the first half with five penalties for 28 yards.

Rush Defense
The rush defense did not play great in the first half, surrendering 70 rushing yards on 16 attempts for a 4.4 average. New York finished with 114 yards, an average of 4.1 yards, which helped the Giants’s dominate the time of possession early with a 19:45-10:15 advantage. The Giants continued their possession edge in the second half, ending the night with a 37:05-22:55 edge.

© Taylor for Sports of Boston, 2012. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Featured, Patriots, Top Story.

What Did We Learn This Week?
Jan. 29 – Feb. 5

1. The Super Bowl prop bets are much more interesting than the actual Super Bowl. You can bet on anything if you’re desperate enough. As of now, the odds are still even on whether the coin toss will be heads or tails. (Come on tails! Come ON!) Will the first punt of the game be longer or shorter than 44.5 yards? How many times will Gisele Bundchen be shown on TV? Will the call on the first coaches’ challenge of the game be overturned or upheld? What color will the Gatorade be when the players dump it on the winning coach? You can lose money on any of those important issues.

2. Is Fake Tom Brady more interesting than the real Tom Brady? Probably not. But intentionally or not, he made fools of a bunch of reporters, which is always funny. And it must have been him who was playing QB for the Pats against the Ravens in the AFC title game.

3. The Bruins lose to Carolina yet AGAIN. Whatever the Bruins number is, the Canes have it. Will the Bruins ever score off Cam Ward again? He owns them like… some guy who owns something a lot. This season, Ward is 4-0-0 with a 1.25 goals-against average and a surreal .965 save percentage against the Bruins.

4. This is Hype Week, and Hype Week always brings out attention whores: Vanilla Ice’s ex-girlfriend is using the platform of the Super Bowl to get attention for herself again, while the NFL is using her to try to appeal to a demographic that would otherwise have no interest in the game. The national sports media is using Madonna’s attention-grabs to generate interest in their stories during the newsless week before the Super Bowl. Everyone is using everyone for money. Why are we the only ones not getting paid here?

5. Just when you think this Red Sox team couldn’t get any less likable, they manage to find a way. New lousy pitcher Vicente Padilla was busted in Nicaragua for failing to pay child support for his tenth child. And Carl Crawford was accused of stealing. Crawford was caught stealing six times last year, but this is a different kind of stealing: a monetary swindle. Just like his awful contract is a huge swindle of the Red Sox.

6. The Red Sox can’t or won’t pay anything for much-needed starting pitchers, unlike the big-market, big-money… Washington Nationals? One year after handing $140 million to a left fielder who doesn’t get on base, and two years after giving John Lackey $80 million to be as annoying as possible while also being one of the worst pitchers in history, the Sox now “can’t afford” Edwin Jackson or Roy Oswalt on relatively cheap one-year contracts. They suddenly just can’t compete economically with the Natinals.

7. There’s no need to watch the Super Bowl. According to their official website, the Giants have already won Super Bowl XLVI, on February 5 2012. Might as well forget the game and watch Downton Abbey instead.

The Giants have already won the Super Bowl

© Dan Davis for Sports of Boston, 2012. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Featured, Now!.

On Sunday, Feb. 5, the New England Patriots (15-3) will battle the New York Giants (12-7) for the right to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.

The Patriots have won 10 in a row, outscoring their opponents 359-188 over that time period to advance to their fifth Super Bowl during the Bill Belichick era. New York is on a roll as well with six wins in their past seven outings, including a quartet of road wins at the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers to advance to their second title game in five years.

Path to the Big Game

New York Giants
New York punched their ticket to Indianapolis after winning five straight single-elimination games. Following back-to-back triumphs over the Jets and Cowboys to clinch the NFC East, the Giants dismantled the Atlanta Falcons 27-2 in the Wild Card round.

The Giants’ hot play continued on the road after they upset the heavily favored Green Bay Packers in Lambeau Field, knocking off the defending Super Bowl Champions 37-20 to advance to the NFC Championship game in San Francisco. In a defensive struggle, New York capitalized on a pair of special teams fumbles by Kyle Williams, including one in overtime, to top the 49ers 20-17 to advance Super Bowl XLVI.

New England Patriots
Following an impressive 13-3 season, the New England Patriots earned a first-round bye and home field advantage throughout the AFC Playoffs. New England hosted the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional match up, and crushed Tim Tebow and the AFC West champions 45-10 to snap the Patriots’ three-game playoff skid.

Baltimore was next on the chopping block, but Coach Belichick’s team needed all 60-minutes and a little bit of luck to top the Ravens. Tom Brady tossed for zero touchdowns and a pair of interceptions, but his fourth quarter, one-yard plunge on fourth-and-goal proved to be the conference-winning play.

Baltimore had a three more opportunities to tie the contest in New England territory, but a Brandon Spikes interception, a fourth-down stop, and a Lee Evans drop set the stage for one of the worst misses in NFL history. With 15 seconds to play, Baltimore kicker Billy Cundiff shanked a 32-yard attempt wide left to send New England to their seventh Super Bowl in franchise history.

Recent History

Despite being in different conferences, this will be the fourth match up between these two teams in the last five years. The last three have been decided by four points or less, and each game has showcased a lead change in the final frame.

In the 2007 regular season finale, the 15-0 Patriots roared back from a 12-point second-half deficit in the Meadowlands to top New York 38-35 to cement a perfect regular season.

The two teams met just five weeks later in Super Bowl XLII, resulting in a Giants 17-14 victory. That game featured a trio of lead changes in the final frame, including Eli Manning’s 13-yard strike to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left to seal the title and bshatter New England’s shot at immortality.

In the most recent match up between these two, both offense and defense were showcased in a 24-20 New York win. The two defenses pitched a first half shutout that resulted in a 0-0 half time tie, but both offenses stepped up in the second half.

After Manning connected with Mario Manningham on a 10-yard touchdown with 3:03 remaining, Brady answered with a touchdown march of his own, converting a fourth-down to Rob Gronkowksi to give the Patriots 20-17 lead with 1:36 left. It was too much time for Manning however, as he surgically dissected New England’s defense, capping it off with a one-yard score to Jake Ballard to give New York a 24-20 win in Foxborough, Mass.

Injury Report

New York

New England

There are three notable injuries to watch in this game. While Rob Gronkowski’s ankle injury has stolen the headlines, the Patriots should see the return of All-Pro offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer to bolster the right side of the line.

For New York, the key injury to keep an eye is Hakeem Nicks’ shoulder injury. If he is limited at all, the ability to cover New York’s receiving core will be a simpler task for Belichick’s secondary.

Key Matchup – Offense

Giants’ Pass Rush vs. Patriots’ Offensive Line
New York’s defensive line is one of, if not the best pass rush in the league. Defensive Coordinator Perry Fewell can roll out a plethora of pass rushers, including Jason Pierre-Paul (16.5 sacks), Osi Umenyiora (nine sacks in nine games), Justin Tuck (five sacks), and the rest of a unit that ranked third in the league with 48 sacks.

New York’s pressure has pulverized Brady in their previous two meetings. In Super Bowl XLII, the Giants registered five sacks and pummeled New England’s MVP quarterback throughout. In their Week 9 rematch this season, New York tallied a pair of sacks and hit Brady three more times.

On the New England side of the ball, Coach Bill Belichick may finally have the resistance needed to mar the Giants’ pass rush. LT Matt Light is having one of his best seasons in his career, LG Logan Mankins is a rock solid protector, C Dan Connelly has been tremendous as an injury replacement and Brian Waters is experiencing a career resurgence.

Those facts, combined with the quicker-than-expected development of Nate Solder, the possible return of Sebastian Vollmer, and Rob Gronkowski’s blocking ability could mitigate New York’s rush.

If Tom Brady can remain upright and find his targets, the Patriots will have a great chance of capturing the title. If New York’s defensive line can generate pressure, this game will be a nail biter until the very end.

Key Matchup – Defense

Giants’ Running Game vs. Patriots’ Defensive Line
We all know of the phenomenal play of Eli Manning over the past month, and we all know the bevy of options he has at his disposal. Each of his receivers possesses a different match up difficulty for Belichick, but despite their talent, the success ofNew York’s offense will come down to their ground game.

The Giants opened the season 6-2, receiving great play from running back Ahmad Bradshaw, who accumulated 440 yards and five touchdowns during that span. Following a Bradshaw foot injury however, the Giants went on a free fall, going 1-5 over the next six to bottom out at 7-7.

In their nine wins, the Giants averaged nearly 100 yards on the ground while just averaging 76 yards in their seven losses.

A balanced attack poses problems for Belichick, who will have to account for both the run and the pass. If New England can limit the Giants’ ground game, the New York offense will become one dimensional and play right into the Patriots’ hands, possibly providing a few turnovers.

Prediction

Despite a pair of hot, high-flying offenses, Super Bowl XLVI will come down to which team is more focused, disciplined, and plays the most clutch defense and special teams. If you look at the previous two match ups between New York and New England, both were hard-hitting, low scoring contests. Look for that trend to continue on Sunday, with the Patriots making one or two key plays late to insure their fourth title in franchise history.

New England 17, New York 14

© Taylor for Sports of Boston, 2012. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Featured, Giants, NFL, Opinion, Patriots, Top Story.

Before I get to Media Day, I want to discuss a couple of topics that took place on Monday. I previously wrote Bob Ryan had lost his fastball. Well, Bob stayed consistent when making a guest appearance on Mike Francesa’s radio show on Monday. When asked why Brady had struggled in recent playoff appearances, Bob stated that in his opinion, Brady’s arm strength had declined.

OK Bob, let me just ask what proof do you have to back up that claim? Brady threw for 5,000+ yards this year. It was one of the best seasons of his career. I don’t see a correlation between struggling against the league’s best defense and declining arm strength. It seems Bob is howling at the moon again, with no facts and no data to back up his claims.

Then, there was Monday night.

Borges Has Outdone Himself Again

When I posted my column earlier in the night, I had made the foolish assumption that all the Spygate talk was done for the night. But anytime you get Michael Felger and Ron Borges together for a Belichick legacy question, there’s a 99% chance of Spygate coming up. Now, it’s nothing new to fans in this market that Ron Borges is one of the biggest Belichick haters in the media. We also are aware that Borges was suspended from the Boston Globe for plagiarism; he would later “retire” from the Globe. I wish he would retire from making guest appearances.

It seems Ron’s new passion is to make up lies or unsubstantiated claims about the Patriots organization. The first lie came about a month ago when he claimed out of the blue that Nick Caserio might not have declined the Colts GM interview. That in fact, Belichick might not have allowed Caserio to interview for the role. When pressed by Tom Curran, Borges had no answer or facts to back up that allegation. Felger just sat there smiling.

Monday night, Borges said that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell believed the Patriots had cheated in 2001. He then said that Goodell called Belichick a liar. So let’s be clear, Goodell said that Belichick had lied to him when he said he would apologize for the Spygate incident. But, Goodell never said that the Patriots cheated in 2001. He said this: “We were able to verify that there was no Rams walkthrough tape. No one asked him to tape the walkthrough. He’s not aware of anybody else who may have taped the walkthrough. He had not seen such a tape. He does not know of anybody who says there is a tape.” At that point Goodell ended the Spygate investigation. I can’t read Roger Goodell’s mind, but he never SAID the Patriots cheated in 2001.

So what was Borges talking about? Well he was letting his agenda get in the way of the facts. In other words, he lied. Gary Tanguay and Felger didn’t even try to dispute the lie. Either they were too ignorant to know it was a lie or were encouraging the controversy. Either way, is that journalism?

Media Day

Moving on…Dennis and Callahan started the day off painting a bleak picture for the Patriots on Sunday. It was actually a nice change of pace from their usually over-confident stance on the team. Heath Evans was a great interview, especially when he gave detailed information about how the Patriots in Super Bowl 42 moved hotels the night before the game, and had extra practice in pads leading up to the big game. He also hinted that the Patriots might have come into the game a little too tight.

I didn’t listen to significant portions of the Toucher and Rich show, but I did see a lot of tweets from fans and listened to some sound bites myself later in the day. They seemed to spend a lot of time on their Media Day experience and had some very funny bits with Rob Gronkowski. The foolishness of Media Day really accentuates the comedic abilities of T&R and this week, they have been crushing it. It has been an excellent change of pace for listeners who don’t want to rehash the same topics all week.

There is also the interesting dynamic with WEEI and the Sports Hub being together at their first Media Day. There were constants jabs at WEEI from T&R and later Gresh and Zo on the air and through Twitter. This is a definite role reversal for WEEI, who is used to playing the role of bully on the playground with other local radio challengers.

Tony Massarotti started the “Felger and Mazz” show off with a conspiracy theory. They average about one conspiracy a show. Tuesday, it was that the Patriots were purposely broadcasting that Gronkowski was out of the walking boot. Mazz believes that this is all a rouse and that in fact Gronk is MORE hurt than the Patriots are letting on. Either way it doesn’t matter, the Giants are going to prepare as if he’s healthy as most teams do with injured players. We can all speculate on Gronk but we won’t know how hurt he is until 6:30 PM Sunday.

Rich Cimini

Rich Cimini, writing for ESPN New York, had a column speculating that Tom Brady was overrated. The title of the column was “the Brady Myth.” Wow, where to start. I have a couple of comments on this article. First, there is nothing wrong with questioning Tom Brady’s recent playoff history. He’s had a few clunkers.

Cimini, though, might not be the most objective person to write this column. He’s basically a Jet fanboy; picture Fred Smerlas writing for ESPN New York. He’s a constant basher of the Patriots, so his opinion on Tom Brady really loses credibility. Lately when people want to bash Brady, they bring up Montana. That’s fine, but really you should measure Brady against his peers. He’s playing in his 5th Super Bowl Sunday. That’s two more Super Bowls than Big Ben, three more than Peyton, four more than Brees.

There were also numerous foolish assertions by Cimini. Cimini listed out a bunch of uneven performances Brady had in his last 11 playoff games. He remarked that in two of those games (San Diego in 2006 and last week against Baltimore), that Brady was a fumble and dropped past from being 4-7 in his last 11 games instead of 6-5. Alright, Rich we’ll play you’re dumb game.

You realize in that San Diego game Brady had no running game, average tight ends, and Jabar Gaffney and Reche Caldwell at wide receiver. The Chargers were also 14-2 that year and the most talented team in the NFL. Brady did throw three interceptions, but late in the game he hit Caldwell down the sideline to set up the winning score. Cimini also brought up an interception he threw against the Colts the next week. Well, the Patriots got the ball back at their own 21, trailing by four with under a minute to go. Brady’s interception was more a desperation throw with twenty seconds on the clock than anything else. It’s a ludicrous example.

See, its morons like Cimini that make journalists look ignorant and biased. You can’t play the “if this doesn’t happen then blank” game. If Bengals defensive back Lewis Billups doesn’t drop that Montana pass in Super Bowl 23, the 49ers lose that game. If Norwood doesn’t miss that field goal, the Giants don’t beat the Bills and if David Tyree doesn’t catch the luckiest throw in NFL Super Bowl history, Tom Brady is 4-0 in Super Bowls, and the Patriots are the only team to go 19-0. So what the heck is Cimini talking about? You are what your record says you are. Brady is 6-5 in his last 11 playoff games and he’s the best quarterback of his era. Cimini doesn’t make a credible case as a journalist or a sports fan.

Peyton Manning

Finally, I thought it was great that Peyton Manning did what every little brother enjoys, and that is when their older brother overshadows their biggest moments. Manning in an interview with ESPN said he expected to play in 2012. This was right up there with A-Rod announcing he was opting out of his contract during the World Series.

Peyton, let your little brother have his moment. I know its killing you that he’s going for his second Super Bowl in your stadium, but don’t be a Marsha Brady. Let Eli have his moment and then you can have the media write stories about how you’re the most sought after free agent ever.

Lot of ridiculousness going around Indy and tomorrow is only Wednesday.

© gcain for Sports of Boston, 2012. | Permalink | One comment
Filed under: Featured, Opinion, Patriots, Top Story.

Super Bowl Media Day was a complete circus as usual on Tuesday. One of the sideshows was a man dubbed “Fake Tom Brady.”

At first glance, Fake Tom, also known as Nick Lower of Missouri, resembled the Brady of a couple years back. He has long, flowing brown hair and a thick beard (do you ever remember the real Brady with a thick beard?).

“I didn’t really expect this,” Lower told Dan Hanzus of NFL.com. “I figured all the attention would be on the players, but I guess I get a glimpse of what Tom Brady deals with every day.”

Yeah, OK.

Now, after some thought, I’d liken Lower to a mix between David Arquette and Julian Edelman (when he had long hair). What do you think?

© KC Downey for Sports of Boston, 2012. | Permalink | No comment
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The Super Bowl media hype really kicked into gear Sunday night with the arrival of the Boston sports media in Indianapolis. So, let’s start the insanity with our resident contrarian, Michael Felger. Felger began his “Sports Sunday” program with his “Reality Check.”

Felger on Spygate

Incidentally, Felger stole that segment from Bill O’Reilly, but regardless, his fourth check point was titled “Cheating.” Yes, Michael Felger went to the Spygate well…. again. I don’t want to rehash Spygate, as a sports story, it’s just red meat for the haters. I am amazed that Felger won’t let it go. Now, I don’t believe Felger thinks it was why the Patriots won three Super Bowls. He brings it up because he knows it’s an inflammatory topic that draws the ire of Patriots fans and Patriot haters. Felger continues to validate John Henry ‘s claim that he is just an “entertainer.”

Felger later had a segment with Steve Buckley and Bob Ryan where the topic was Spygate. Listen, I grew up reading Bob Ryan. He is, in my opinion, one of the five best sports writers this town has ever seen. However, Bob has lost his fastball. Bob wants everyone to like the Patriots and he just can’t get over Spygate. He goes on a lot of national shows and he constantly brings up the topic. He just can’t seem to accept that the Patriots are hated by the jealous masses especially in the media and because of that will never be forgiven for Spygate, the most overblown, ridiculous, sport media scandal in my life. Bob, stick to “Around the Horn” where you and Woody Paige can make funny faces to each other and continue to make us forget you were once accomplished “writers.”

It was pathetic for Felger to use that STUPID scoreboard controversy as a way to rehash Spygate talk. Felger then brought it up again Monday on his radio show in an interview with New England Patriots President Jonathan Kraft. Jonathan, who seems to lack his father’s media acumen, foolishly answered the question instead of telling Mike to put a sock in it, which is what his father did the last time it was brought up to him. It won’t be the last time Felger brings it up this week, unless someone up above at the Sports Hub tells him to give it rest and remind him that his station is the Patriots’ flagship network.

Other Local Media Members

Other comments over the last 48 hours featured Tony Massarotti continuing to say that this Super Bowl fell in the Patriots’ lap. Tony sure is right on this one: 13-3 record, a win over the 12-4 Ravens by a field goal…yep, it fell right in their lap.

Rodney Harrison made some news by saying Eli Manning is better right now than Tom Brady. Rodney could be right. Eli has had a phenomenal season especially clutch and late. I think this is another intriguing subplot in this week’s game. Michael Holley made a great point Monday on WEEI that while Eli might have had a better season than Tom this year, let’s not forget that Brady is playing in his fifth Super Bowl and Eli missed the playoffs the previous two seasons.

Chris Russo, one of my favorite sports talk show hosts of all-time, joined Felger and Mazz Monday to talk about the game. Chris was comparing the legacy of Lombardi and Belichick, and stated that Belichick can’t be mentioned in the same sentence with Lombardi if he loses a second Super Bowl. Chris, let me spare you the time, comparing two coaches who coached 45 years apart is an exercise in futility. Belichick, like Lombardi, will go down as the best in HIS time. How can you really tell who is better when the game is played so differently today?

Gary “He’s Gone” Tanguay might soon be adding another name to his prediction list. Monday night on Sports Tonight he dropped the bomb that a Patriot Insider told him: Belichick loves Julian Edelman and he wouldn’t be surprised if the Patriots let Wes Welker walk at the end of the season. As much as I like to kid Gary about his over-the-top predictions, this one is interesting. Brandon Lloyd, who played for Josh McDaniels in Denver and St. Louis, is a free agent at the end of the season. Lloyd has already proclaimed how much he enjoys being part of Josh’s offense. If Welker is taken out of this game by the Giants defense, don’t be shocked if the Patriots go in a different direction in the offseason. Of course, they could sign Lloyd AND franchise Welker, but that’s a discussion for next week.

New York Media

Finally, the New York media didn’t disappoint. Wow, I thought the Boston media was childish. These guys and gals are behaving like a bunch of 10-year-old children. From Gary Myers’ “Fraidy Cat” reference to Flip Bondy’s column stating that Belichick needs this Super Bowl to save his legacy. Then Monday, came the headlines in the New York papers in response to Tom Brady using the word “hopefully” at the send off/Pep rally.

“Party of Jive”, “Tom’s Taunt” and “Tom Talkin Trash” were the headlines in the New York Tabloids on Monday. And I do mean tabloids, as those papers really can no longer be taken seriously. Steve Serby topped them all by saying the “Giants would make Brady pay for talking trash.” Steve, grow up. You’re a columnist, not some drunken fan at a bar.

Of course, this proves what I have been saying for years. There isn’t much difference between the media and the average fan. Talk to you tomorrow.

© gcain for Sports of Boston, 2012. | Permalink | 2 comments
Filed under: Featured, Opinion, Patriots, Top Story.

The Baltimore Ravens shut down the New England Patriots’ receivers in Sunday’s AFC Championship, rattled Tom Brady and held the Patriots to their fewest points since October. And they still didn’t win.

The Patriots beat the Ravens, 23-20, advancing to their fifth Super Bowl of the new millennium when Ravens place-kicker Billy Cundiff badly missed a game-tying 32-yard field goal with 11 seconds left. The Patriots will face the New York Giants in Indianapolis in two weeks.

The AFC Championship was the last test before the final. Who’s ready, and who’ll be pulling an all-nighter? Here’s the penultimate report card of the season.

Quarterback: B+

Brady’s successes Sunday came on seven, eight, nine-yard passes – the bit-by-bit passing attack that’s won three Super Bowls. Brady only got into trouble when he got greedy and tried for more too quickly. Given the ball following a Brandon Spikes interception, Brady could have slowly marched the Patriots 50 yards, scored a touchdown and probably clinched the game. Instead he tried an unconvincing play-action bomb to Matthew Slater, who’s caught one pass this season. The Ravens sniffed it out, sent two deep and picked him off.

Every so often, Brady forgets to use common sense when selecting targets. Against a good pass-rush, Brady barely completed 60 percent of his passes, throwing for just 239 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. In typically gritty fashion, he did rush for a touchdown on fourth down in the fourth, putting the Patriots ahead for good.

Brady won’t have to be perfect to out-score the Giants in two weeks. He just can’t get lost inside his own head as much as he did Sunday.

Running backs: A-

BenJarvus Green-Ellis led all running backs with 68 yards, a touchdown and a 4.5 yards-per-carry average. He made the most noise on a drive early in the second quarter in which he picked up 24 yards on the first two plays. He also picked up nine by drawing a face mask penalty in the red zone, then scored from seven yards out on the very next play to put the Patriots up 10-3.

Green-Ellis’ running kept the Ravens’ defense slightly more honest up front. As much as Green-Ellis helped the team, Danny Woodhead nearly killed the team by fumbling the kickoff following a Ravens third-quarter touchdown. Luckily, the defense held the Ravens to a field goal, keeping it a one-score game.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: B+

The Ravens don’t just rush the QB well; they also play terrific in the secondary. The Patriots tried as best they could to get open, but they just couldn’t. Even Rob Gronkowski couldn’t wreak the havoc he normally does, catching just five balls for 87 yards. Brady missed him on his best chance to get into the end zone early in the game.

Aaron Hernandez, looking more or less recovered from his concussion, led the team with seven receptions. That’s seven catches or more in five of the last seven games. Hernandez should head to Indianapolis healthy and confident, and that’s bad news for the Giants’ secondary, which even at its best can’t do what the Ravens’ can.

Offensive Line: A

The offensive line allowed just one sack, two tackles behind the line and three quarterback hits. They also committed no penalties and opened up enough holes at the line for the Patriots to rush for 96 yards. Baltimore entered Sunday’s game with the AFC’s best front-seven, and New England’s offensive line didn’t flinch.

The passing game didn’t always work, but that wasn’t because Brady had to scramble to avoid constant pressure. If the line protects Brady that well in the Super Bowl, the Patriots will take home their fourth Lombardi Trophy.

Defensive Line: A-

Vince Wilfork by himself gets an “A,” finishing the game with a sack and three tackles behind the line. He also got a hand on Joe Flacco on fourth-and-6 from the New England 33, spinning him and forcing an errant pass.

The offensive line finished with two sacks (the other another crusher from Mark Anderson) and four QB hits. They also held NFL total-yardage leader Ray Rice to just 67 rushing yards and 3.2 yards per carry. More pressure on the QB is always desirable, but this line is at least the potentially good enough to win another Super Bowl. At this point, that might be all Pats fans can ask.

Linebackers: A-

The linebackers let tight end Dennis Pitta into the end zone for a second-quarter touchdown, but otherwise held him and fellow tight end Ed Dickson to 5-of-9 receiving for just 64 yards. Spikes also picked off Flacco midway through the fourth, preserving for the moment a three-point lead.

Spikes’ return has definitely rejuvenated the defense, giving the front seven another two-way player who can both rush the passer and drop into coverage. Considering Giants tight end Jake Ballard‘s effect on the first Patriots-Giants game this season, Spikes could be a difference-maker in Indianapolis.

Defensive Backs: B+

Although the defense allowed 306 receiving yards and two touchdowns, they didn’t look out of position on many plays. Flacco relied more and more on timing routes as the game progressed, throwing just as wide receivers broke for the ball. Usually the Patriots’ corners trailed by just a step or two, and you can’t avoid that split-second difference in reactions without risking your man beating you deep. Had Flacco’s passes been just a bit less accurate, his total yardage would likely have plummeted. Flacco played out his mind, and that really can’t be blamed on the secondary.

The glaring exception, of course, was Sterling Moore‘s missed tackle on third-and-4 from the New England 33. Flacco threw a sideline pass to Torrey Smith, and Moore whiffed on a tackle that would have stopped Smith behind the line of scrimmage. Instead, Smith ran almost untouched 29 yards into the end zone for a 17-16 lead.

Still, Moore made up for the play in the final seconds of the game, stripping Lee Evans in the end zone on second down and then deflecting a pass to Pitta on third down to set up Cundiff’s missed field goal.

Special Teams: A

Cundiff’s miss showed that executing field goals – even short-range ones – is never as easy as it looks. That Stephen Gostkowski made all three in a game won by three points earns this unit an “A.” The return teams also didn’t commit a single penalty, and despite Woodhead’s above-criticized fumble, he still out-gained Ravens safety Tom Zbikowski by almost 14 yards per return. Woodhead also made up for the fumble on his next return, reaching the 37 and shortening the field for what proved to be the game-winning drive.

Stephen Tyler’s National Anthem: F

Didn’t we learn in the 2004 World Series that this was a bad idea?

© Matt Goisman for Sports of Boston, 2012. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Featured, Opinion, Patriots, Top Story.

The New England Patriots advanced to Super Bowl XLVI Sunday evening, edging the Baltimore Ravens 23-20 to win the AFC Championship at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

Billy Cundiff missed a chip shot, 32-yard attempt with just 11 seconds remaining to send the Patriots to their fifth Super Bowl appearance in the Bill Belichick era.

Tom Brady was inconsistent all evening, tossing for just 239 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions on 22-36 passing. Brady’s one-yard plunge on fourth and goal gave the Patriots a 23-20 lead with 11:29 remaining. Brady’s top target was sophomore tightend Rob Gronkowski, who finished the contest with five receptions for 87 yards with a long of 23.

The defense was stoic in victory, limiting Ravens star rusher Ray Rice to just 67 yards on 21 carries, and only one catch for 11 yards.

Baltimore QB Joe Flacco was admirable in defeat, passing for 306 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He almost notched the game winning touchdown pass with 22 seconds, but Patriots corner Sterling Moore knocked the ball loose from Lee Evans to force an incompletion.

After another Flacco incompletion, Cundiff enter the field of play with a chance to send the AFC Title to overtime. Instead, Cundiff hooked the kick to the left, sending New England to Indianapolis where they will look to hoist their fourth Lombardi Trophy.

Three Studs

Vince Wilfork
Wilfork was a key instrument along the defensive line, helping to limit Ray Rice to just 78 yards of offense. The eight-year veteran ended the game with six tackles, three tackles-for-loss, and one sack in the victory.

Stephen Gostkowski
Gostkowski’s trio of field goals ultimately provided the margin in New England’s victory. The Memphis-alum ended the evening 3-3 on fieldgoals, converting tries from 29, 35, and 24 yards, had five touchbacks, and nailed a pair of extra points.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis
New England surprisingly established their ground game early against a stout Ravens defense. Green-Ellis was a vital cog in that equation, rushing for 68 yards on 15 carries, including a seven-yard, second quarter touchdown to give New England a 10-3 lead.

Three Duds

Tom Brady
Brady seemed to never establish a rhythm against Baltimore, often dissecting them at times or struggling to gain traction at other occasions. In his defense, he led five scoring drives, but his two picks and only two touchdowns in five red zone attempts needs to be improved upon.

Secondary
Flacco seemed to move the ball successfully against New England en route to 306 passing yards. Baltimore’s wideouts also had success against the Patriots’ secondary, with Anquan Boldin having six receptions for 101 yards and Torrey Smith registering 82 yards on three catches.

Billy Cundiff
Cundiff’s botched 32-yard may go down as one of the most notable misses in NFL history. With a chance to go to overtime, his attempt sailed directly left, sending the New England faithful crazy.

Looking Ahead

The Patriots will face the New York Giants on February 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. The game will be a rematch of New York’s 24-20 regular season triumph, and also a Super Bowl XLII rematch in which New York won 17-14.

© Taylor for Sports of Boston, 2012. | Permalink | No comment
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