New England showed everyone why they are undefeated ... and Miami showed everyone why they are still looking for their first win. There's no reason to bother breaking this thing down. We all knew it going in ... and it did look like a Madden-style spanking. The Patriots had Tom Brady simply go off with 6 TD passes and a perfect QB rating. Randy Moss went up and took away two TD passes. The defense effectively shut Miami down. You know: that old chestnut.
Sure, history will see the 49-28 score and think that Miami put up some sort of fight ... but, not really. If not for the Pats giving mercy, this could have gotten worse* {check on that asterisk in a bit}.
Ya know how the weatherman shows us a warm and cold front heading for a collision? Same thing here. As great as New England is, they looked better because of Miami's struggles. Even when Miami made this a 14-7 game, they absurdly give up the ensuing kickoff return for a TD. Brady and the Pats rolled it on to a 42-7 halftime lead and then held on for the ride.
*I will say that it was poor taste to bring Brady back into the game to throw another TD pass. Sure, Matt Cassel threw a pick that was returned for a TD, but why bring Brady into the game up 21 points? Especially on a drive that started near midfield. And then pass on the first two plays of the series, in shotgun formation. Sorry, but that is a bit classless and, while I wish no one any harm, would've served Bill Belichick right if Brady did get injured on such a stunt. If it was to get Brady the team record for TD passes ... that's bush league! All we heard about was how all Brady cares about is winning and not how. So why go for the record? I mean, isn't it understood that he's the best QB in franchise history?!?! Heck, he may end up with the single season TD mark anyways, so why go for this?
And spare me the crap about "Miami are paid professionals". Sure, they are ... but "paid professionals" also means being able to win as a professional. Do what you gotta do, and go home 7-0. Piling on isn't "professional" in any sport.
P.S. I am a blogger, not a writer, and I blog what I feel. I do feel that it was in poor taste to bring Brady back into the ballgame, up 21 points with 10 minutes to play and the Dolphins' [by the way, easily the worst team in the NFL] best player out of the game [Ronnie Brown]. The ball was at the 41 yard line when they took over and could've killed the time. Sorry, but if the Pats were interested in just "winning the game", they may have tried running the ball a few times ... not yanking Cassel right after a very, very, very poor interception. If you want to play the "anything can happen" card or the "the game is 60 minutes long" card ... then why in the hell did Belichick take Brady out in the first place? The minutes he was out counted, too, quite obviously.
I have never been one of those "the Patriots cheat" guys ... never have been. I cover the Cowboys here too and made no mention of the final touchdown scored last week against Dallas [nor did anyone here at Fanhouse, as other websites did]. Sure, Belichick has a grumpy side that gets old, but dude's the best coach in the league by far. However, I don't see how running the score up on a team that wouldn't even be in the BCS standings right now is classy.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
10-21-2007 @ 5:08PM
Mal13 said...
Grow Up
Maybe instead of Sports Assassin
you should just call yourself
Sports Sissy this is football
not T-ball
Reply
10-21-2007 @ 5:10PM
Jackie Eddins said...
The media has already crowned the Pats. Just give them the trophy now and cancel the rest of their games. That would leave the rest of us to enjoy the season and able to hear something good occasionally about our favorite teams. The Pats are classless and cheats but all we hear is their greatness. One more hymn to the Pats or Brady and I'm going to puke.
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10-21-2007 @ 5:11PM
George said...
Note this Sportz Assassin, Your comments were Classless!! They were up 14 pts when Brady went back in, NOT 21 pts. Playing down in Miami for the Patriots, well you can never tell. Good for Belichick for not taking the chance. Smart coach, smart team. Sportz Assassin, not so smart
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10-21-2007 @ 5:11PM
Clint Kirby said...
I don't think that there is anything for sure in the NFL anymore. Why would NE want to risk a Miami comeback? It makes sense to put Brady in and have him seal the victory. If we are talking about PeeWee league, then I would agree with you, but this is the NFL. If Miami's feelings are hurt, they have enough money to pay for counseling.
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10-21-2007 @ 5:11PM
Signal to Noise said...
That Pats defense wound up giving up 28 points. They leave Cassel in there and he throws more picks, it'll get even closer because the defense slacked off.
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10-21-2007 @ 5:14PM
Clint Kirby said...
I don't think that there is anything for sure in the NFL anymore. Why
would NE want to risk a Miami comeback? It makes sense to put Brady
in and have him seal the victory. If we are talking about PeeWee
league, then I would agree with you, but this is the NFL. If Miami's
feelings are hurt, they have enough money to pay for counseling.
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10-21-2007 @ 5:17PM
TalkingNFL said...
Sportz Assassin DOES approve of Tennessee letting Houston score 29 points in the 4th quarter with their backup QB & almost winning the game. Now THAT'S classy!
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10-21-2007 @ 5:23PM
bizzo5000 said...
This isn't little league. You want to keep the Pats from scoring? Stop them. Oh, you can't? Then you loose.
This has nothing to do with the fact that Wes Welker is on my fantasy team. No really. Come on, I mean it.
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10-21-2007 @ 5:58PM
injuryrate said...
Hey George, you're the idiot. The Pats were up 21 when Brady came back in.
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10-21-2007 @ 5:40PM
dewces said...
Well there was 10 min left only up by two scores. Why would they risk it? This is a stupid post. If they had a good running game to run out the clock I can understand. I am not a pats fan but come on.
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10-21-2007 @ 5:49PM
John C said...
The standard discussed, the few times I ever heard it discussed, was 28 plus, so with more than a quarter to go with the opposition gaining momentum the best way to shut it down was to do what Belechik did, go with the first team. Sore Ego's are better saved for the Pom Pom cheerleader games.
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10-21-2007 @ 10:04PM
John C said...
The standard discussed, the few times I ever heard it discussed, was 28 plus, so with more than a quarter to go with the opposition gaining momentum the best way to shut it down was to do what Belechik did, go with the first team. Sore Ego's are better saved for the Pom Pom cheerleader games.
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10-21-2007 @ 5:59PM
Sportz Assassin said...
Actually, the score was 42-21 when Brady went back into the game ... a 21 point lead. And for all of you saying that the Pats were just for bringing Brady back into the game ... then why in the hell did they take him out in the first place????
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10-21-2007 @ 6:01PM
wadecounty said...
Game is 60 minutes and any player that is active for the game is eligible to play regardless of what the score is. You wanna talk about class. Go to a red carpet model show coz this is football and YOU PLAY TO WIN. I can't wait when the patriots put 80 plus on someone with Brady in there to the end. They're paid to play 60 minutes just like you're paid to be there the full eight hours regardless of how much you have or have not to do. CHECK 12
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10-21-2007 @ 6:05PM
Bill said...
They took Brady out when it was a 28 point game and brought him back in a 21 point game with 10 minutes to go--plenty of time.
Sportz is usually pretty good.....this "classless" stuff here is totally off the wall--no basis.
When Miami quits trying to win only running the ball with their 3rd stringer you'll have a point.
Till then, I ignore this blog after this comment.
Bill
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10-21-2007 @ 6:19PM
Eric said...
In the post-game press conference, Belichick basically said that he didn't feel safe with a lead that could've easily been cut to 14 points, and that anything's possible in the NFL (he referenced one comeback a few years ago, forget which though). Yeah, he's crazy, but that's Belichick. He was also legitimately a bit pissed at a couple reporters who were implying he was running up the score.
And thinking Brady was put back in there just so he could go for the record is f'n nonsense, since they would've just kept Tom in all along if that was the case. Make sense please... "classless"... jesus christ.
Personally I can't wait for the Pats to lose one or two games so they're no longer under this goddamn microscope each and every time they take the field.
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10-21-2007 @ 6:30PM
Mr said...
yo assassin, if I could wipe my ass with my monitor, your drivel would do a pretty nice job.
go pats!
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10-22-2007 @ 5:26PM
timma55 said...
Sports assasin,,wahhhhhhhhhhhh, thats why Belichick has 3 Super Bowl rings..He knows how to win games
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10-21-2007 @ 7:03PM
Dan Daoust said...
Whenever a crime has been committed, ask who stood to benefit. The line was 17...
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10-21-2007 @ 7:41PM
Judy said...
Why is it that when the Patriots beat the Dolphins by 49-28, which is a 21 point spread, it is considered "classless", but when the Dolphins beat the Patriots by 21-0, also a 21 point spread, the last time they played each before today it's acceptable?
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