SportsGirl

Well, well, it appears that the Patriots are continuing down the yellow brick road towards achieving a perfect record. The Steelers were supposed to be the last test for the Pats before the playoffs, and last night, the Steelers looked worse than the Ravens playing against New England. Now, I don’t know if that’s a testament to how well the Patriots played, how badly the Steelers played, or how gritty the Ravens are. Though the Colts kind of made the Pats look stupid in the way they man-handled the Ravens in the Sunday night game. I’m choosing to believe that last night was a display of how balanced the Patriots are and how well they’ll match up with their remaining opponents. I had a few hodge-podge thoughts to throw in this post in regards to my Pats.

Thought 1. It continues to be stated that Bill Belichick lacks respect for his opponents  by running up the score in games that they’ve already won. Clearly, they hadn’t had the opportunity to run up the score in their previous two games before last night. To me, that gives credence to the fact that they’re not, in fact, running up the score in their games, but rather they’re playing to win for all 60 minutes. Whether that means they’re clobbering their foe or barely scraping by, they play the entire game at the same speed, for consistency’s sake. 

Thought 2. I listened Keyshawn Johnson on Monday Night Countdown tonight discussing what he thinks will happen next week when the Pats play the Jets for the second time this season. Now, I think it’s pretty well a given that the Jets will lose, though no game is a gimme to me. So no one is really talking about whether or not the Jets stand a chance (caution: see the Ravens game and the Eagles game). Keyshawn was basically pardoning the Pats in advance for actually running up the score in this impending contest and said that since Mangini blew the whistle on the whole CameraGate incident, that he would deserve whatever the Patriots want to dish out. Sorry, Keyshawn, but that sounds like the most faulty logic I’ve ever heard. I’m definitely not defending the whole video taping incident, and I feel like it’s been blown a little out of proportion (even I had a knee-jerk reaction before really processing the whole situation). But actually, intentionally running up the score on your opponent because you’re pissed that they called you out on your spying techniques? Not classy. I know, some would argue that Belichick is anti-classy in everything he does. I disagree and if it appears he really is running up the score just for spite’s sake I will be disappointed. I actually think the best revenge the Pats could exact would be to wrap the game up in the first quarter, then put their subs in and cruise to an easy victory. That would be the ultimate “I didn’t need to cheat to beat your crappy franchise” statement.

Thought 3.  ESPN’s bottom line now contains a section all about the Patriots. So in between the NCAA Men’s Basketball scores and the latest on the MLB trades, you have a whole bottom line item devoted to the pursuit of perfection. How cool is that? I don’t remember the Colts ever getting that kind of recognition!

So once again, I will state that I don’t believe that Belichick and the team are actually chasing the perfect season just to earn a place in the record books. Would it be nice? Of course. But his main goal is to win every game. Not to have your name etched with the ‘72 Dolphins, but because that is perfection. And that is what Belichick is all about. It’s just how he rolls.