I've had some time to reflect and think about all the events that happened from the Super Bowl. To start things off, that was one heck of a game, one of the best games ever played. It was tight, down to the wire; it could have been anybody's ballgame. Both quarterbacks had equal statistics throughout the entire event, both teams had decent defense (most of the time) and both pulled off incredible plays. So why so much controversy? Because the Patriots were supposed to win.
The Patriots were supposed to be perfect. Shut up about the Spycam, I can guarantee you that most/all teams do the exact same thing. However, this Patriots team wasn't just good; they were very good, dangerously good. The 72 Dolphins had never been sweating so much, because the Giants did not have a chance. Everyone knew they didn't have a chance, despite the "close" game against the Patriots towards the end of the season. So what happened? The Patriots team that we all knew did not show up. The Giants did not win the game as much as the Patriots lost it. This is not a Patriots fan speaking either, this was someone so afraid of New England destroying the traces of my beloved 1972 Dolphins team. With the way the Patriots played, any decent team with determination could have butted heads with the Pats, perhaps even winning it all. The Cowboys, Packers, and even Bucs could have beaten the February 2nd Patriots if they were the opposing team. Yet it was the Giants that arrived, and proved that perfection is nowhere near as easy as the Pats made it seem to be.
Everyone bashed on the 72 Dolphins for them being lucky, having an easy schedule, for not competing in a tough league. You can argue all you want but one thing rings true: that 72 Dolphins team is better than your team. To be the better team every game of a season is something that not the 84-85 Bears, the early 90s 49ers, and not the 07 Patriots could accomplish. This is what makes the 1972 Dolphins the best team in NFL history, despite the statistics (By the way, the 72 Dolphins became the Super Bowl-winning, 15-2, 1973 Dolphinsso hush with the fluke talk). If we went by statistics, then the Patriots should have won and did win the Super Bowl. However, this is not the case, this did not happen, and there are multiple reasons why.
For starters, Tom Brady had no protection whatsoever. The offensive line was ultimately destroyed by the Giants defense again and again and again. Tom Brady was already still lingering from an ankle injury, so why not do a better job of giving him time to throw the ball? The Giants defense was good, don't get me wrong, but they were pushing around the Pats' offensive defenders like a sack of pathetic potatoes. Tom Brady overthrew a couple of times, but that was because he was under pressure, under that lingering thought that there was a Giant player about to take him out. Randy Moss didn't get thrown to because he didn't do a decent job in getting open; he failed on his man-to-man matchups with the backcourt of the Giants defense. Defense wins Super Bowls, and that is why the Giants won. The Ravens years ago ripped apart New York because of defense.
The Patriots were a mixed bag with defense. Sometimes they did great, yet other times just collapsed, and the last drive proves this. Why on earth are you blitzing instead of using man-to-man defense in the final moments of the game? Blitzing means potential open players, and the Giants needed a touchdown, not a field goal. It was extremely stupid to not place defensive players deep instead sending a bunch in front to try to take down Eli Manning. The 4th-best defense in the NFL failed to live up to its name, and downgraded the almost-perfect to the almost-mediocre.
Sounds like I am stripping away all the credibility from the Giants, and this isn't the case, but the Giants did not take down an excellent Patriots team, they surprised an extremely confident Patriots team that for some odd reason didn't look like themselves. Eli Manning MVP? He participated in the amazing final drive, but the car and the MVP award should not have been his. Remember, this is the same guy that refused to play for the Chargersand that alone should disallow him to win anything. You do not become a whiny baby and refuse to play for a certain team, which is disgusting. What if every player drafted did this? Then the teams that never win will continue their failing ways because potentially decent players will flee the scene of failure. I stopped being a fan of Eli Manning because of this, and why I'd rather see him fail from now on. Now, back to the game, give it to David Tyree, who made easily the best catch in the game with his crazy over-the-top catch in the 4th quarter. He should have gotten the keys to that car. We should give that catch a name: I'd personally name it the Helmet Catch.
So the main thing we learned is this: The Patriots aren't perfect and picked the worst time to showcase this. The Giants put up an excellent fight, and deserved the win especially after Tyree's catch. Quoting my dad: "The Giants should win this game because of that play alone."
Congrats Giants, you've won it all, and in a most unexpected fashion. As for the 1972 Dolphins, you still remain the best team the NFL has ever seen. As for the Patriots: better luck next year.
P.S. The commercials weren't as good this year, and the halftime show didn't interest me except for "Free Falling." P.P.S. The best commercial of the Super Bowl was the FedEX commercial with the carrier pigeons.
The Patriots were supposed to be perfect. Shut up about the Spycam, I can guarantee you that most/all teams do the exact same thing. However, this Patriots team wasn't just good; they were very good, dangerously good. The 72 Dolphins had never been sweating so much, because the Giants did not have a chance. Everyone knew they didn't have a chance, despite the "close" game against the Patriots towards the end of the season. So what happened? The Patriots team that we all knew did not show up. The Giants did not win the game as much as the Patriots lost it. This is not a Patriots fan speaking either, this was someone so afraid of New England destroying the traces of my beloved 1972 Dolphins team. With the way the Patriots played, any decent team with determination could have butted heads with the Pats, perhaps even winning it all. The Cowboys, Packers, and even Bucs could have beaten the February 2nd Patriots if they were the opposing team. Yet it was the Giants that arrived, and proved that perfection is nowhere near as easy as the Pats made it seem to be.
Everyone bashed on the 72 Dolphins for them being lucky, having an easy schedule, for not competing in a tough league. You can argue all you want but one thing rings true: that 72 Dolphins team is better than your team. To be the better team every game of a season is something that not the 84-85 Bears, the early 90s 49ers, and not the 07 Patriots could accomplish. This is what makes the 1972 Dolphins the best team in NFL history, despite the statistics (By the way, the 72 Dolphins became the Super Bowl-winning, 15-2, 1973 Dolphinsso hush with the fluke talk). If we went by statistics, then the Patriots should have won and did win the Super Bowl. However, this is not the case, this did not happen, and there are multiple reasons why.
For starters, Tom Brady had no protection whatsoever. The offensive line was ultimately destroyed by the Giants defense again and again and again. Tom Brady was already still lingering from an ankle injury, so why not do a better job of giving him time to throw the ball? The Giants defense was good, don't get me wrong, but they were pushing around the Pats' offensive defenders like a sack of pathetic potatoes. Tom Brady overthrew a couple of times, but that was because he was under pressure, under that lingering thought that there was a Giant player about to take him out. Randy Moss didn't get thrown to because he didn't do a decent job in getting open; he failed on his man-to-man matchups with the backcourt of the Giants defense. Defense wins Super Bowls, and that is why the Giants won. The Ravens years ago ripped apart New York because of defense.
The Patriots were a mixed bag with defense. Sometimes they did great, yet other times just collapsed, and the last drive proves this. Why on earth are you blitzing instead of using man-to-man defense in the final moments of the game? Blitzing means potential open players, and the Giants needed a touchdown, not a field goal. It was extremely stupid to not place defensive players deep instead sending a bunch in front to try to take down Eli Manning. The 4th-best defense in the NFL failed to live up to its name, and downgraded the almost-perfect to the almost-mediocre.
Sounds like I am stripping away all the credibility from the Giants, and this isn't the case, but the Giants did not take down an excellent Patriots team, they surprised an extremely confident Patriots team that for some odd reason didn't look like themselves. Eli Manning MVP? He participated in the amazing final drive, but the car and the MVP award should not have been his. Remember, this is the same guy that refused to play for the Chargersand that alone should disallow him to win anything. You do not become a whiny baby and refuse to play for a certain team, which is disgusting. What if every player drafted did this? Then the teams that never win will continue their failing ways because potentially decent players will flee the scene of failure. I stopped being a fan of Eli Manning because of this, and why I'd rather see him fail from now on. Now, back to the game, give it to David Tyree, who made easily the best catch in the game with his crazy over-the-top catch in the 4th quarter. He should have gotten the keys to that car. We should give that catch a name: I'd personally name it the Helmet Catch.
So the main thing we learned is this: The Patriots aren't perfect and picked the worst time to showcase this. The Giants put up an excellent fight, and deserved the win especially after Tyree's catch. Quoting my dad: "The Giants should win this game because of that play alone."
Congrats Giants, you've won it all, and in a most unexpected fashion. As for the 1972 Dolphins, you still remain the best team the NFL has ever seen. As for the Patriots: better luck next year.
P.S. The commercials weren't as good this year, and the halftime show didn't interest me except for "Free Falling." P.P.S. The best commercial of the Super Bowl was the FedEX commercial with the carrier pigeons.