Dave2112
Level of Cherry Feather
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2001
- Messages
- 10,292
- Points
- 0
Well, another year in the books, and another exciting finish.
What can you say about a game that will go down as one of the greatest ever played? Especially since we were saying the same thing only two years ago? The opposing team ties the game with a little over a minute left (Ricky Proehl to be exact, as he did with the Rams two years ago against these same Pats), and Brady marches them down for a game-winning field goal.
This was perhaps the greatest defensive game ever played. Neither team might be considered the best defense ever, but never have we seen both teams dominate on D to such effect. No score through almost the whole first half.
I have to give kudos to Carolina, though. Jake Delhomme can play with the big boys. After the running game failed to gain much, he lit it up. No one has picked apart the Pats secondary this year the way that Carolina did in the second half of SB XXXVIII. Before the game, I said that if Stephen Davis's power runs didn't work (which I didn't think they would), DeShaun Foster would be in to add some speed. Did you see that touchdown run of his? Beauty. And how about Jake setting the Super Bowl record for the longest passing touchdown in history? 85 yards, man...good stuff. It was painful to watch such a great performance come up short the way it did. But New England played a great game as well and deserved the win.
We've talked a lot about parity in the modern NFL and how it's affected the game. There may not be dynasties like there were before (although the Pats are the closest we've come to one, we'll see what happens next year), but you have to admit that the age of parity has produced four of the best Super Bowls over the last seven seasons...The Broncos gutsy win over Green Bay, The Rams out-of-nowhere last second save, and the last two Pats games ending the way they did. Even the playoffs have been better in recent years, especially this one. Parity may have done away with Dallas and San Fran winning all the time, but it has made the playoffs something special. I think dynasties may return once coaching staffs start to utilize the system better (again, if the Pats pull it off again, they're a dynasty baby). When the forward pass was adopted, naysayers said it would end all interest in professional football. The AFL-NFL merger was also supposed to spell doom to the game for some. Give this a few more years and you'll see the system pan out.
All in all, this was a great season. The great starts and horrible crashes of the Vikings and Chiefs, the drama in Green Bay, the Eagles losing the third NFC game in a row, the Saints miracle three-lateral touchdown but missed PAT, the Colts choking after being perfect in two playoff games and the final battle of the titans in the Super Bowl.
We can only hope next year is as good. Congrats to the Patriots on being the best in the NFL and to the Panthers who were arguably the best team to ever lose a Super Bowl.
Now I get to hibernate until September. 😎
What can you say about a game that will go down as one of the greatest ever played? Especially since we were saying the same thing only two years ago? The opposing team ties the game with a little over a minute left (Ricky Proehl to be exact, as he did with the Rams two years ago against these same Pats), and Brady marches them down for a game-winning field goal.
This was perhaps the greatest defensive game ever played. Neither team might be considered the best defense ever, but never have we seen both teams dominate on D to such effect. No score through almost the whole first half.
I have to give kudos to Carolina, though. Jake Delhomme can play with the big boys. After the running game failed to gain much, he lit it up. No one has picked apart the Pats secondary this year the way that Carolina did in the second half of SB XXXVIII. Before the game, I said that if Stephen Davis's power runs didn't work (which I didn't think they would), DeShaun Foster would be in to add some speed. Did you see that touchdown run of his? Beauty. And how about Jake setting the Super Bowl record for the longest passing touchdown in history? 85 yards, man...good stuff. It was painful to watch such a great performance come up short the way it did. But New England played a great game as well and deserved the win.
We've talked a lot about parity in the modern NFL and how it's affected the game. There may not be dynasties like there were before (although the Pats are the closest we've come to one, we'll see what happens next year), but you have to admit that the age of parity has produced four of the best Super Bowls over the last seven seasons...The Broncos gutsy win over Green Bay, The Rams out-of-nowhere last second save, and the last two Pats games ending the way they did. Even the playoffs have been better in recent years, especially this one. Parity may have done away with Dallas and San Fran winning all the time, but it has made the playoffs something special. I think dynasties may return once coaching staffs start to utilize the system better (again, if the Pats pull it off again, they're a dynasty baby). When the forward pass was adopted, naysayers said it would end all interest in professional football. The AFL-NFL merger was also supposed to spell doom to the game for some. Give this a few more years and you'll see the system pan out.
All in all, this was a great season. The great starts and horrible crashes of the Vikings and Chiefs, the drama in Green Bay, the Eagles losing the third NFC game in a row, the Saints miracle three-lateral touchdown but missed PAT, the Colts choking after being perfect in two playoff games and the final battle of the titans in the Super Bowl.
We can only hope next year is as good. Congrats to the Patriots on being the best in the NFL and to the Panthers who were arguably the best team to ever lose a Super Bowl.
Now I get to hibernate until September. 😎
