Man Bites Blog

I suppose it’s natural that sportswriters would enjoy the demise of the Patriots, what with the merciless way they approached the season, and Belichick’s contemptuous treatment of the press.

Still, I think Bernie Miklasz may have gone a bit over the top…

Belichick’s aging defense couldn’t stop Eli Manning and the Giants on two crucial fourth-quarter possessions. They didn’t have the legs to keep up. I can’t help but think that all the blowouts., all the times that Belichick ran up the score, played a role in this. So many times this season, the Patriots kept their starters on the field much longer than they needed to, as Belichick tried to humiliate other coaches in some bizarre act of revenge for being fined for his cheating. Well, on Sunday night in the Valley, the age and the arrogance finally caught up to Belichick and his defense.

On the contrary, the Pats’s “60 minute” approach was designed to forestall such a breakdown. Belichick thought the team let up in last year’s AFC Cahmpionship Game, and wanted to ensure that they kept playing at a high level throught the game.

I don’t see that playing an extra quarter or two in October means the Pats lost a step in February.

Belichick and staff were outcoached. The Giants had better tactics on both sides of the ball. The Pats never adjusted to the Giants’ decision to go after Tom Brady, who was sacked five times and smacked around all night.

Yes, a brilliant “decision” on the Giants’ part. I can just see the defensive meeting where one of the Giants’ players raised his hand and said, “Hey Coach, I have an idea. When #12 tries to pass the ball, why don’t we try to tackle him? It seems to me that would make it harder for him to throw the ball to #81,” and Tom Coughlin yells, “Yes! That’s it! We’ll go after him. They’ll never see it coming!”

Many teams had made the same “decision” the Giants made. The Giants were the first team that was able to execute.

Patriots fans, including ESPN.com’s Bill Simmons, are saying now they know how Rams fans felt after Super Bowl 36. NO YOU DON’T. The Rams may have been cheated out of that win. I don’t think the Giants cheated to beat the Patriots. So spare me this nonsense.

Um, unless your counting roughing up the Rams’ receivers, the allegations of cheating just came out now, six years later, so I don’t think it qualifies us as particular victims.

Few things are less becoming than fan bases angling for worst victim status.

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