Lights Out Marty!

What a game on Sunday! The Chargers absolutely gift wrapped that game in so many different ways. A few dumb penalties, some missed plays, throw in a couple of key Marty blunders, and you have another Pats playoff W. Some key points from the game:

- If you ever hear fans or media of another team saying things like "The coach doesn't block or tackle","players play the game", etc. Then those fans do not know what it is to watch a well coached team week in and week out. Will you hear Jets fans say this right now? Pats fans? Nope. I remember dumb people would make that argument for the "Tuna Bowls" during the Pete Carroll Era. How did that work out???

- It was clear that the Chargers had superior players, and really were the better team. If you swapped coaches, I think the Chargers win by 14 points. They dominated the game statisically, but they kept shooting themselves in the foot, and let the Pats hang around. Then as the game got close, they tightened up, left that door slightly ajar and the Pats blew right through it. How do you challange that play? Then how the heck do you call timeout after an injury timeout at the 4:00 minute mark!?? How!??! That is almost as bad as punting with 1:56 to go, down by 3 with 2 timeouts (Andy Reid).

- OK, I admit the Pats went a little overboard in the postgame celebration which really irked Tomlinson and others. But seriously, if your teammate (who is roiding) goes crazy with a "lights out dance" after a snap which he didn't even make a sack (he tallied a "hurry" of Brady), and you talk smack all week in the papers, what the f do you expect when the 3 time champs beat you in your crib??? If you can't take getting taunted back, then don't do all of that stuff. Maybe Rosie Colvin running down the tunnel (where the both teams were going to their lockers) shouting "You can turn out the lights now, cuz your season's over chumps!!" was probably a little bit much. But seriously, stop the whining. Stop talking about the celebration, start talking how you choked away a 14-2 #1 seed season and lost in your crib to an inferior team, in a game you were winning by 8 with 6 minutes to go.

- One final thing on this Chargers silliness. Their big point was act like you've been there before. Well, how the hell do they know how to act!?! What big games have they won, that would tell them how one should or shouldn't act after a big playoff win?? Oh, thats right their next big playoff win will be their first one.

-Brady was pretty bad in that game. I know he was clutch when he needed to be, but if Troy Brown doesn't cause that fumble he would be remembered for throwing 3 picks in the final game of the season. He missed several throws that he would normally make left handed. Of course, he made up for it by nailing that 49 yard bomb with the game on the line and the two minute drive before halftime.

- One more thing on Brady. I'm sure this week we'll here some of the Joe Montana comparisons, and for my money he really was the best. I don't think he is at that level yet, but one thing is interesting if you think about it. Where is his Roger Craig? Where is the Jerry Rice, the Dwight Clark, the John Taylor? I admit his defenses have been much better than the 49ers, but when you compare the offensive teammates, it really isn't even close (except maybe Dillon in 2004 was probably equal to R. Craig). I thought the offensive crew in 2001 was the worst I have ever seen (on a good team), but this crop is right down there too. Gaffney, Caldwell, Troy Brown...yes!

- Speaking of Troy Brown, how many HUGE little plays (if that makes sense) has he made over this run? Blocked kick / punt return in the 2001 AFC CC, playing 25 snaps of defense against the 49 TD Manning Colts in 2004 divisional, huge catch to setup the GW FG in SB XXXVI. Truly amazing all around football player.

I'm not sure what to think of this game against the Colts. The Colts defense is playing better, and the Patriots really can't show Peyton anything he hasn't seen before at this point. They have played each other so many times over the couple years. Logic and history tells me that the Pats will win. Belichick is usually great with the same season rematches. But, I'm not really that confident.