I'm trying to articulate that I spend my hard earned money to watch and cheer for the Patriots, and not the New York Giants, so don't get it twisted you fucking asshole. That said, I am a fan of the league in general, so I can look at these games objectively.
1. The ODB touchdown was not fluky. McCourty took a horrible angle and blew it. Hold players accountable for their mistakes, please.
2. They have the ability to game plan around the offensive line. Bolden and White were held in to chip DEs & LBs instead of running routes. Gronk & Chandler spent time running timing routes, block then release. Michael Williams is an extra tackle every time he is on the field. The fact of the matter is Brady got spooked, held onto the ball too long, and stepped into pressure on many of his hurries. He also did not protect that ball.
3. I'm sorry, but the defensive backfield cannot do anything right. They can't play man, because players like Logan Ryan and Rashaan Melvin get toasted. They can't play soft zone or they'll get shredded. The only DB that came to play last night was Malcolm Butler, and it's about fucking time. 9 games in.
4. Brady's decision-making was poor and he has made more than "two or three" bad throws all season. You cannot throw that ball on the goal line where he did. That needs to be a bullet to the lead hip of LaFell, he threw it two steps behind. I'm sorry, but that mistake was inexcusable. The incompletion to Dobson was an even poorer decision. He waited for the route to develop, was pressured, and under-threw the ball. Throw it away and we live to die another day. HE got lucky, the Giants did not get lucky. The Giants dialed up the blitz and got to him, like any team is supposed to do.
5. The singlest best thing the Patriots did all night was that final defensive stand, articulated entirely by BB and executed entirely by Butler. Pats send out the goal line package with 1st and goal from 6, forcing Eli to kill a run play and check to pass. Butler makes an exceptional play to force an incompletion (though I don't know what a catch is anymore). Second down, Manning is forced to basically throw the ball away. Belichick forced the Giants hand, played the clock well, and aggressively used his time outs. it was genius.
6. The Patriots offense was anemic. Couldn't capitalize on a strip-sack (Chandler Jones is quietly becoming a Defensive MVP Candidate), benefited from an exceptional return by Amendola, and had no rhythm.
If you are comfortable beating a 5-4 NFC East team by 1 point, then good for you. I am happy with the win, but not happy with the effort. You simply cannot leave the game in the hands of kickers.
You are not entitled to be an asshole. We did it! Jimmy Hotfingers has been sticking needles in footballs for years. The only injustices done to the team were the severity of the punishment and the be-smudging of Brady's reputation. He is always and will forever be the greatest quarterback to ever live, but make no mistake about it, the Patriots did it.
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