Posted by | Madison | in Weekly Recaps

The Patriots have finished the season 16-0, ending our regular season nightmare where we continued to speculate on ways they would get beat. 

To do so though, they had to endure a close game in which Eli Manning almost…almost screamed, “Atari, bitches!” to became a man.  He led the Giants starters and they fought tooth and nail for three and a half quarters only to, in true Big Blue fashion, give up a 12-point lead to lose 38-35.

All the talk now is at what cost.  Kawika Mitchell, Shawn O’Hara, and Sam Madison were injured as a result of playing on Saturday and it is unclear if they will be available for the Giants wild card game against the Bucs. 

As I have said, all this talk is ridiculous.  You know who I think the real loser here is? 

The Patriots. Seriously. 

Once again, it was proven that the Patriots are beatable IF you keep the game close by attacking the slow, aging linebackers in the middle through the first three quarters and then play strong, mentally strong football in the 4th quarter. 

Easier said than done, to be sure but look at the Pats’ close calls this season: Philly lost the game because of A.J. Feely’s hubris, the Ravens lost because of frustration due to some ticky-tack calls, and The Giants, the only team to have made the playoffs, lost against the Pats because they just couldn’t outrun the fact that they’ve lead the league in mental errors since I’ve been alive.

Did the Giants have some sort of inherent responsibility to prove this?  No, of course not.  They had an inherent responsibility to try to win the game.  And while there are no moral victories in the NFL, the other playoff teams can rest easy knowing - once and for all - that though they are 16-0, the “Greatriots” are beatable. 

Now will somebody please stand up and do the beating?