Time Out for Sports Talk: Weathering the Storm and a Pats Playoff Hangover
Todd: It’s been nearly two weeks since the New England Patriots’ season came to a somewhat abrupt and premature end. Other than Game 7 overtime of a Stanley Cup playoff series, there is no other professional team sport whose season can end so suddenly. But with football, there is no other sport we invest so much of our time to watch while also viewing nearly every play of the season.
So when Tom Brady and company couldn’t come up with the tying two-point conversion in Denver (because Stephen Gostkowski incredibly shanked the first PAT of his 10-year career), we were all left with the raw reality that there would be no record-setting ninth Super Bowl appearance for the Pats, no chance for a fifth Lombardi trophy. My co-blogger Mike is still coming to grips with that, leaving me to try and sum up this season for the both of us.
2015 was a season that started with so much promise, but losing more player games to injury than any other championship contender took its toll. I’m not trying to make excuses, but the reality of the NFL’s salary cap era is that it’s extremely difficult to have second and third string players step in for long stretches and still be able to maintain championship-level success. That rationale has made it somewhat less difficult for me to accept this loss.
There is also the improbable Super Bowl win of last season—once again, thank you Malcolm Butler—that has helped me cope with watching the Pats fall short. Two years ago when they lost in Denver, I felt like the Brady/Belichick championship window had nearly shut and I was beginning to accept that a fourth championship would not be possible. But after the jubilation of SB XLIX, this AFC Championship loss in Denver felt different to me than the one two years prior.
Sure, this loss was more disappointing from the standpoint that the Pats were actually favored to win in Denver because Brady had both Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman as pass-catching options. In addition, Peyton Manning's recent performances more resembled those of Trent Dilfer fifteen years ago than Peyton's from even two years ago.
But getting back to those non-excusable injuries, I guess we grossly underestimated the state of the Pats’ offensive line and the ability of duct tape and bailing wire to hold it together. Nate Solder landing on IR in October with a torn bicep set into motion five revolving doors across the entire O-line. Players switched in and out with their own injuries that, while not season-enders, definitely affected their quality of play. Combine that with Denver’s top-ranked defense and Wade Phillips finally drawing up a game plan that neutralized Tom Brady, and you have a recipe for defeat.
I know there is much to second guess about the 2015 Patriots and some of Bill Belichick’s coaching decisions, not only in the AFC Championship game, but all the way back to the final six weeks of the regular season and the lost opportunity to earn the conference’s top seed. In the end, it turned out to be another miserable mile high experience for a franchise that is now 3-18 since 1969. If you actually need more perspective regarding how long the Pats’ rocky mountain futility has been going on, Joe Namath led the N.Y. Jets to their only Super Bowl win and a ‘gate’ wasn’t a word commonly added to the end of any imbroglio.
The Patriots not reaching the 50th Super Bowl is frustrating on many levels, particularly the possibility that Commissioner Voldemort would have had to hand the Lombardi trophy to Robert Kraft. In light of the commish’s recent comments regarding how the league dealt with PSI testing this season, it feels all the more obvious to me that Kraft should (but realizing in reality he won’t) fight to get those lost draft picks back.
Having said that, I’m still glad Tom Brady plans to be in Santa Clara this Sunday along with all the other living former Super Bowl MVPs because that he is there to represent the league and its golden anniversary of their big game, which to me takes precedence and will be remembered much longer and much more fondly than the redhead residing in the corner office who pulls down $30-40 million annually.
Like Mike, I haven’t spent much time watching any of the pregame surrounding this upcoming SB50 matchup. I do find it somewhat interesting that the Broncos—this year’s designated home team—have chosen to wear their white uniforms. This could be because Denver is 0-4 all-time in Super Bowls wearing their orange jerseys, or that teams wearing white have won 10 of the last 11 Super Bowls. While I normally take some credence in these numbers, it shouldn’t matter this year.
What does matter is that the Carolina Panthers are 17-1 with a defense playing at its best and an offense featuring a dynamic QB in Cam Newton and a running game that will challenge the Broncos’ D in a way the Pats couldn’t. Here’s what I know Mike will like reading—I think this Super Bowl resembles the one from two years ago and sends Peyton to his third loss in the big game, which for us Pats fans would be a fitting ending to a postseason career that has always fallen short. Panthers 37, Broncos 13.
Mike: I want to be mature about this, I really do. After all, it is only a game. But ever since the Patriots lost in Denver, I haven't been able to watch, read or listen to anything about football.
I know it's only a game, but seeing Denver rip the hearts out of New England again has been tough to take. And , as of now (Friday) I'm actually still on the fence about even watching the game. I really don't even want the possibility of having to see the Broncos win.
So, I guess I really have no analysis of the game. I know what I hope to see happen, but somehow, I know deep down, that I need to be ready for the only thing as bad as a New York Yankee win...happy Denver Broncos. Yuck.
I'll pick a score, but I'm going to admit I'm going to pick my fantasy. Carolina wins 75-3, with Manning benched in the 2nd quarter after throwing 6 INTs. Oh, and John Elway is forced to leave his box during the game because of a knee injury suffered when he accidentally slips on some ice on the floor because Roger Goodell tipped over the shrimp platter in the box while plotting new ways to screw the Patriots next season.
(OK, I know I'm just bitter, besides the way things are going, the Broncos will probably win 24-20).
Maybe I'll just go see Star Wars instead.
Our next LIVE show is coming up this Wednesday, February 24 from 8:00-9:00pm. Post your questions via Twitter using the hashtag #TOSTfeb24 or call us at (617) 484-2443.
More From 92 Moose
