Saturday, December 29, 2007
1 evening to go easy on the Patriots
Aaron McFarling
Recent columns
We all should be pulling for them now.
Maybe we weren't in Week 4 or Week 8 or even Week 13. But now, in the final week of the regular season, we have little choice but to throw up our hands and admit that they're simply too good.
It's time to jump on board with the New England Patriots.
Today the Pats face the New York Giants, trying to become the first team to finish an NFL regular season 16-0. And all of us -- Redskins fans, Steelers fans, Cowboys fans, sports fans in general -- ought to savor it.
The chances of any of us seeing it again in our lifetimes are infinitesimal. The chances of most of us seeing it this time seemed just as slim, until the NFL struck a deal this week to simulcast the game on CBS and NBC as well as their own network.
Smart move. This one deserves a hefty nationwide audience, because it's harder to do what the Patriots are doing than it is to win a Super Bowl.
It's been 35 years since the Miami Dolphins became the only team to win all 14 of their regular-season games. Today's NFL, where free agency and salary caps threaten continuity, demands even more from its perfection-seekers.
A rare combination of Pro Bowl talent, good health, lucky breaks and a coach with a killer instinct -- the Pats have had it all. They stiff-armed Dallas, the class of the NFC. They rallied at Indianapolis against the defending Super Bowl champions. They dodged disaster at Baltimore, dispatched division rivals with ease, shined in the sun and survived in the snow.
And it makes a difference that this is a team accomplishment as opposed to an individual one. We've been blessed -- and cursed -- to witness plenty of solo swipes at history in the past few years. While it can be fun to see Tiger Woods win another tournament or Roger Federer capture another major, the Barry Bonds saga became exhausting.
It's impossible to look at cycling or track -- potential theaters for remarkable individual achievement -- without wondering what the athletes are on.
But the Patriots, collectively, are simply on a roll. Tom Brady gets plenty of ink, but Randy Moss has helped take him to another level. Laurence Maroney provides a viable threat at running back. Junior Seau? Tedy Bruschi? Adalius Thomas? Asante Samuel? They've all played key roles.
There's a reason so many Giants fans are fleeing the Meadowlands today. It's not just the money those tickets are fetching on eBay -- upwards of $1,600 a seat.
It's also a realization that should they show up today, they might find themselves in the unforgiveable position of rooting against their own team. The game means nothing to New York.
The Giants, two-touchdown underdogs, will be playing their backups as they prepare for a first-round playoff game.
For Giants fans, the temptation to choose history over homerism would be too strong. It's better to sell your ticket than your soul.
But the rest of us don't have that problem. For one week, we can latch on to greatness. For one week, we can piggyback on perfection.
So go ahead, Patriots. We're ready now.
Bring on history.
