Should we pencil them in now...Pats/Cowboys SB 42

[VikingJuice]

I know Favre was out with a rare injury(for him-iron man and all) and his back up is nowhere near the same caliber of player, the Cowboys just look so damned good.  The Packer defense was purported to be among the best in the league and supposedly was top notch against the pass but Tony Romo carved them up to the tune of 300 yards and 4 TD's.

The Cowboys are averaging 32.5 points a game (2nd) and 388 yards (2nd) a game offense and they average 122 yards on the ground(a must stat for all potential SB champions).  Defensively they are 11th in points and 7th in yards(not great but good enough).

Then there are the Patriots who are in the midst of doing things NO ONE IN HISTORY has ever done.  I don't mean going undefeated 11-0, a number of squads have done that.  It's HOW they are doing that is so unbelievably freakin' amazing!!  Just look at the numbers:
40.2 points a game.  In the modern era, no one has ever averaged that.  Few teams even can average 30 for a season.  In fact, even some of the best offenses in league history only averaged about 28 points but managed to land in the 30's about 8 to 10 games worth.  The Patriots have scored 38, 38, 38, 34, 34, 48, 49, 52, 24, 56, 31 respectively, that makes 30 or more 10 out of 11 tries.

The offense average 434 yards a game(1st), passes for 310.3 (1st), runs for 124.2(7th) and the defense yields 16.8 (5th) for 281.5 (3rd).

Their margin of victory is the largest in NFL history.  Their margin of victory alone is more than about 12 teams total scoring.  The Pats are scoring like no team in history.  They are currently on pace to shatter the scoring records of the 1983 Redskins, the 1989 49ers, the 1999 Rams and even the 2001 Rams.  And they've already knocked off the only other undefeated squads besides themselves, Cowboys 48-27, and Colts 24-20-BOTH on the road.

So as the leaves continue to fall and the season gives way to winter, two major league, historic heavyweights are trimming up for the end of the year weigh in.  It seems like the playoffs may be a mere formality in each division.

I personally hate the Pats.  Always have even back to their days of Steve Grogan and Tony Eason.  But I am enamored with their performances.  They are playing football at the highest level in the history of the league.  This game has NEVER been played this well.  Who knows what will ultimately happen, maybe there'll be an upset somewhere, maybe someone gets hurt and New England loses its steam, but for now, you should take time to appreciate history unfolding in an epic manner.

[VikingJuice]

Perfection and Imperfection cross paths this coming Sunday.  In what amounts to a speed bump for the Patriots, the hapless, brainless, hopeless Dolphins roll into town with all the style and panache of the three stooges.  Miami sits, or rather lays there, at 0-13 while the 13-0 Patriots, fresh off of dismantling the NFL's best defense to the tune of 34-13 are revving their engines for the postseason run..  Brady tossed a gentleman's 4 touchdowns bringing his count to 45, just 4 shy of tying Peyton Manning's record set just two years ago.

In an odd twist of fate, Miami hopes to break the streak of the Patriots for more than just the current season's legacy but also for the franchises' legacy.  In what has become an annual rite of fall, the 1972 Dolphins remaining members continue to annually toast champagne when the last unbeaten team falls under the weight of perfection.  So far this year, the sparkling beverage has remained on ice and it appears that the tradition may come to an end unless somehow, by God's graces or by a lucky series of bounces, the aforementioned pathetic '07 squad can muster up a single victory. 

It would be poetic, it would be stunning, it would be a shot heard 'round the world, it would be....a freakin' miracle. 

Prediction:
Pats win going away 45-20 and roll on into history.

[Alice]

The Pats will be taken down.  I predict Moss will get injured and suddenly they aren't so good anymore.

[BigDun]

I'm going with Patriots and Packers. And the Packers will pull out a miracle win.

[Alice]

I'm going with Patriots and Packers. And the Packers will pull out a miracle win.

I would throw things.

[VikingJuice]

My posting about the Dolphins/Pats game was off by a week, instead they play the week after next.  My bad.

And at this point, I think the only thing that can derail perfection is injury.  Aside from that, they look damned tough to beat.

[Alice]

It would be hysterical if somehow the Dolphins managed to beat the Patriots.

[Bennyhana]

It would be hysterical if somehow the Dolphins managed to beat the Patriots.

The dolphins were the only team to beat the bears in '85.  Pathetic they may be, but you know what they say about "Any given Sunday."

I wouldn't be surprised at all if they won.

[BigDun]

It would be hysterical if somehow the Dolphins managed to beat the Patriots.

The dolphins were the only team to beat the bears in '85.  Pathetic they may be, but you know what they say about "Any given Sunday."

I wouldn't be surprised at all if they won.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Pats put the water boys and coaching assistants on the field to play the Dolphins.

[Beefy]

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/football/patriots/view.bg?articleid=1050066

[VikingJuice]

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/football/patriots/view.bg?articleid=1050066

I love football.  Even when all the animosity is just made-up unnecessary bullshit, it still makes the games more exciting to watch as grudge matches are played out.

[Alice]

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/football/patriots/view.bg?articleid=1050066

I love football.  Even when all the animosity is just made-up unnecessary bullshit, it still makes the games more exciting to watch as grudge matches are played out.

Except now they don't let anything grudgy happen without causing a penalty.

[VikingJuice]

New twist to spygate.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3151217

[ursus]

It would be hysterical if somehow the Dolphins managed to beat the Patriots.

The dolphins were the only team to beat the bears in '85.  Pathetic they may be, but you know what they say about "Any given Sunday."

I wouldn't be surprised at all if they won.

One of the chefs players said something about an 0-fer season ruining the "any given sunday" paradigm. I thought it was kind of funny, given how close the chefs are to 0-fer... I would tend to doubt that the fish will win that particular game, are they going to play the Raiders over the next three weeks? That's a game I think they could win.

[Alice]

are they going to play the Raiders over the next three weeks? That's a game I think they could win.

Nope, they already played them.  And the Raiders whomped their asses too.  35-17.  The only reason they got 17 was because that was before Ronnie Brown's injury.

[VikingJuice]

are they going to play the Raiders over the next three weeks? That's a game I think they could win.

Nope, they already played them.  And the Raiders whomped their asses too.  35-17.  The only reason they got 17 was because that was before Ronnie Brown's injury.

HEY hey hey...use gentle words when describing my team's complete ineptitude.  I talk about it freely but it still hurts being 0-fer the whole freakin' season.

[Alice]

are they going to play the Raiders over the next three weeks? That's a game I think they could win.

Nope, they already played them.  And the Raiders whomped their asses too.  35-17.  The only reason they got 17 was because that was before Ronnie Brown's injury.

HEY hey hey...use gentle words when describing my team's complete ineptitude.  I talk about it freely but it still hurts being 0-fer the whole freakin' season.

Sorry. 

And the Raiders nicely ran the football for touchdowns more times than the Dolphins.

[VikingJuice]

are they going to play the Raiders over the next three weeks? That's a game I think they could win.

Nope, they already played them.  And the Raiders whomped their asses too.  35-17.  The only reason they got 17 was because that was before Ronnie Brown's injury.

HEY hey hey...use gentle words when describing my team's complete ineptitude.  I talk about it freely but it still hurts being 0-fer the whole freakin' season.

Sorry. 

And the Raiders nicely ran the football for touchdowns more times than the Dolphins.

Not only that, but their backup running back, who has not managed even a 600 yard season even once, gouged us for 173.  It was really UGLY.

[ursus]

are they going to play the Raiders over the next three weeks? That's a game I think they could win.

Nope, they already played them.  And the Raiders whomped their asses too.  35-17.  The only reason they got 17 was because that was before Ronnie Brown's injury.

HEY hey hey...use gentle words when describing my team's complete ineptitude.  I talk about it freely but it still hurts being 0-fer the whole freakin' season.

Sorry. 

And the Raiders nicely ran the football for touchdowns more times than the Dolphins.

Not only that, but their backup running back, who has not managed even a 600 yard season even once, gouged us for 173.  It was really UGLY.

It seems that neither season will bring much but high first round draft picks...

I think it's a crime that someone can use "Raiders" and "nice" in the same sentence. It's a crazy world. Upside down, even.

[Alice]

I think it's a crime that someone can use "Raiders" and "nice" in the same sentence. It's a crazy world. Upside down, even.

Hey, I didn't want to!  VJ made me not use mean words this time. 

[VikingJuice]

Lost in the shuffle of my really shitty Sunday afternoon (see asshole thread), my beloved yet hapless Miami Dolphins FINALLY got off the shnide.  They upset the Baltimore Ravens in OT with a long catch and run from Cleo Lemon to Greg Camarillo.  Write that down because those are two names that probably won't even be in the league in two more seasons but for today at least, they are kings of Miami!!  WOOT!

Oh yeah, New England won their 14th in a row setting up a juggarnaught contest in Miami next week with the streaking Miami Dolphins. Because 1 in a row is a streak.

[Alice]

I'm glad that they could win and make your day a little better.

[VikingJuice]

Today, sports history was made.  The Patriots just completed the first 16-0 start to a season in professional football history.  In the process, the Patriots scored more touchdowns than the'84 Dolphins, more points than any team in history, Brady threw for more touchdowns than Petyon Manning's record, and Randy Moss caught for more touchdowns that the unparalleled Jerry Rice.  To paraphrase Dr. Belloq from Raiders of the Lost Ark, 'most teams merely pass through history, the Patriots, they ARE history."

I've been watching the NFL since 1978 when the Houston Oilers were known as the "Luv Ya Blue" team from Texas, since Earl Campbell's rookie season where he rushed for over 1800 yards after winning the Heisman trophy in college.  I've seen good teams come and go.  I've seen perfection chased and missed time after time.  And even though the 1972 Dolphins were perfect, that was in a completely different league than the one we watch today.  The athletes of that time couldn't compete for very long in today's game against today's talent.  In all my years, I've never seen a team like these Patriots.  They aren't perfect in every aspect, but they are damned close, and they are perfect where it counts most-on the scoreboard.

Now the question that remains is can they finish the perfect season they've started?  They have this next week off and then will play the lowest remaining seed from the AFC's first round of playoffs.  They only need three more games to do what no one has ever dreamt of doing.

Stay tuned folks.

[Beefy]

I miss Luv Ya Blue.  The enthusiasm thsi city had for that team was genuine.  The enthusiasm for the Texans has always seemed forced, like what's exciting is that Houston has a football team, not the football team itself.

I saw a little over two quarters of the game last night.  The Giants were not making it easy for Brady and Co.  And Randy Moss was just insane.

[VikingJuice]

I miss Luv Ya Blue.  The enthusiasm thsi city had for that team was genuine.  The enthusiasm for the Texans has always seemed forced, like what's exciting is that Houston has a football team, not the football team itself.

I saw a little over two quarters of the game last night.  The Giants were not making it easy for Brady and Co.  And Randy Moss was just insane.

Yeah, that one series where Brady threw deep to Moss and Moss dropped it, then came RIGHT BACK to him for 65 yards and a TD was sheer BALLS.  That is a gutsy call on third and long, knowing you need momentum like they did at that point.