Well…the battle is set! I have to be honest…I was like a LOT of the “experts”; I really expected St. Louis and either Oakland or Pittsburgh. New England is a team that really “snuck-up” on a lot of people (except for their fans and coaching staff, I guess!).Two questions:
1)Is New England’s success in large part due to great coaching? No question they have talent, but it seems like they also have a phenomenal coaching staff.
2)Who do you pick for the “Big Party?” (I have to go with St. Louis). So…go at it, guys!
I believe the bulk of thier success is from the inclusion of tom brady as quarterback. I think he is better then drew bledsoenot because he is more talented but bledsoe thinks he knows more then everyone else somtimes (maybe in part because he is a veteran) but he tries to do his own thing and not whats best for the team all the time.
I picked St. Louis and Pittsburgh like all the experts but there was one stat that kept knawing at me: over the last 15 years no Super Bowl has featured the best regular season records from each conference. I thought it would end this year but I guess the Patriots are one of those “teams of destiny” and found a way to win(special teams). I’m rooting for St. Louis but I hope Brady plays b/c I love it when guys who are completely overlooked turn into stars when they get a chance to play. I didn’t get a chance to see the first game against the Rams and Pats but judging by the score it looks like Bellichek whipped up some magical scheme for the game and I think Martz will be able to adjust to that now. I go back to what all the experts say: “Too many weapons.” Oh, Mufasa, how did you like it when Aeneas Williams picked off the pass at the end to seal the game. I thought it was so fitting that a perrenial pro bowler, who never won anything b/c of his team, acquired in the off-season made the final big play to get them in the big game.
New England does have outstanding coaching, but I think that Brady was the key this season. Essentially, he is a better fit for their team because the O-Line is traditionally bad (although Damien Woody has really improved), and Brady is more mobile than Bledsoe, so he can run for his life when needed. Also, I like the coaching staff because they make it clear that no spot is sacred. They canned Terry Glenn (I wish they had tied him and Carl Everett together in a boat and sank it in Boston Harbor), which says a lot. But, on a less publicized note, at linebacker, they played Roman Pfifer, Mike Vrabel, and Tedy Bruschi over Brian Cox and Ted Johnson-two former Pro-Bowlers (also, Katzenmoyer is hurt).
I am cheering for New England in spite of the fact that they are 14.5 point underdogs. Why? First, I’m a lifelong New Englander (Maine-you know, that place next to the North Pole). Second, I’m pissed off at St. Louis for giving up that late TD against Philadelphia. I lost $25 because they didn’t cover the spread! Probably shouldn’t have said that-“Lonnie” from the Christianity post will be after me because gambling is a sin…
im gonna have to pick the rams like most people do, BUT i am worried about the luck of the patriots. the patriots are a team that pulls games out of their ass though, and teams seem to always be off of their game when they play the pats. the pats are like the 1-15 team that go their one win over say the 15-1 team, they do it out of pure luck when they obviously arent a better team. but…they consistently are that lucky team every week, so the rams better watch out. maybe they should just have grant wistrom take out troy browns knee or something, then the patriots would be screwed. winning a game with special teams is not winning a game.
i think their success on defense is all about coaching- half their players were washed up jets- on offense brady has just energized the team and i was amazed that bledsoe was able to win that game for the pats
Drago, why don’t you believe winning a game through special teams is winning a game? I’m not being an ass, just curious why you think that way. And I do agree that the Pats have been nothing if not lucky, but when you do that over the course of an entire season I say that you have a pretty good football team.
Is nobody going to mention how the Patriots stole the game from the Raiders…or how vs Pittsburg 2 of their TDs came from special teams. They are a lucky team, simple as that, and personally I hope the Rams (my pick to win, obviously) tear them apart. However, anything can happen in football…
I can’t believe the Patriots made it! I really see them getting thumped though. St. Louis is like a damn machine! Although I hate the patriots, it would be fun to see them as such a big under dog beating these guys. But My prediction: Rams 49- Patriots 16
I’m also predicting the best Halftime show in the history of the Superbowl with U2 kicking into a few awesome songs and getting the crowd rocking!
the pats are a team of destiny. If Brady was the starting QB all year, they could be 15-1.
The defense is outstanding, they give up yards, but no one gets in the end zone without a fight.
Pats by 6