Why the Pats Win Big

I wish the Giants would bust these guys in the mouth, force Brady into looking ordinary, shut down the Patriot running game, burn their defense. I wish the NFL's steroid and performance enhancing drug policy was half as tough as it is in track and field, cycling, swimming, or soccer. Then Rodney Harrison would have been out all season instead of the first four games. I wish and hope these Giants turn the clock back, slow the game down, and have 23-play, 95 yard drives every time they touch the ball. I hope they stun the football world.

But I think all of this is wishful thinking on my part as well as everyone else's part. And I think the man pictured above is the reason the Pats win and win big. In case you don't know who that is, it's Kevin Faulk. Can anyone honestly say they were worried about Faulk being the top receiver for the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game? Do you think smokkee was wringing his hands, saying, "If we can only shut down that little Faulk, we'll go to the Super Bowl."

No, the reason the Pats will win big isn't because of Tom Brady or Randy Moss or Laurence Maroney or Wes Walker. No, it's because they had eight guys who caught a pass against the Bolts, and Brady could care less if the Giants take Moss away from him. When sports gurus talk about a team having too many weapons, it usually means that there are three excellent offensive players on the team. This team actually has only one weapon on offense, and that is the Heat-Seeking Missile. This weapon finds the soft spot with each defense then regularly strikes and adapts, much like some advanced supercomputer would to continually beat the world's best chess players.

On a side note, I was wondering during my drive back home today why Bill Belicheck isn't coaching the other team in this Super Bowl. If you remember, he was on Bill Parcells NY Giants staff, became head coach at the Browns, was fired then followed Parcells to the Patriots and the Jets, held the Jets head coaching position for I assume twenty-four hours (maybe off an hour or two), then chicken-scratched his resignation on a piece of loose-leaf paper before taking the Patriot job. In fact, his defensive blueprint for the Giants upset of the Bills is the exact model the Giants have to produce to have a prayer this weekend. So why did he land in the Jets-Pats tug-of-war instead of being sought after by the real team of New York?

Parcells knew how talented Belicheck is, how relentless and precise his preparation is, and he thought he'd orchestrated his own legacy by handing off the Jets to him. To his credit, Belicheck wanted true redemption of his Browns legacy, and he knew he'd be Parcells boy if he stayed at the Jets. Jim Fassel was also at the Meadowlands, this the season before his playoff guarantee turned him into a motivational prophet. Regardless, Belicheck has become the standard in football coaching, and a win here will make it very difficult for all not to recognize him.

I'll either be in the air or in Edmonton watching this game. I'd much rather be with my wife at a movie then either of the other options, believe me.