NFL 2011

[Ghambit]

The deep ball interception in the 4th quarter was the best play of the game, imo, and it turned the tide.

This.  Had to be one of the 1st times that play has actually ever happened in a Superbowl.  A giant tight-end and a middle linebacker going at it 50 yds. down the middle of the field, wherein the MLB comes up with a pick.  I dont think I've ever seen that actually.

I give it to Brady for giving Gronk a shot at that one, but the reality is (as I've said before) that the play should've been designed for someone else.  A 1-legged tight-end streaking down the middle for a jump ball... ummmm, yah.

[Ingmar]

That play wasn't 'designed'.

[HaemishM]

If the Pats really did just let Bradshaw walk in for the score, that makes me really fucking hate them and Belichek. It's just a real dick move. You can say all you want about the strategy and I understand that aspect of it. But it totally fucks with my thought that there should be some honest pride in your defense that would tell a coach that asked them to let a guy waltz in for a score to go fuck himself.

EDIT: Also, that INT by Blackburn was a really stupid throw by Brady. He was trying to make something happen that he never should have. The ball was underthrown and Gronk let the linebacker get underneath him. The best Gronk could hope for was to knock it down so Blackburn couldn't get it. That's the play that really turned the game. If it had been Eli or Brett Favre making that play, we'd have said "That's just Eli being Eli." Instead, Brady makes a bonehead play that gives the Giants the ball back and the sports media is talking about dropped passes. Not to diminish the magnitude of the dropped passes, but if Brady throws that ball away, they may not have mattered.

[Ghambit]

That play wasn't 'designed'.

So Gronk streaked down the middle 'cause he felt like it?   

[Ingmar]

Broken play due to the pass rush. The receivers were well into the 'oh shit scramble around and just try to get open' mode by the time the throw was made. Gronk probably ran in a straight line because he can't really do anything more compliacted on a bum ankle.

[Paelos]

EDIT: Also, that INT by Blackburn was a really stupid throw by Brady. He was trying to make something happen that he never should have. The ball was underthrown and Gronk let the linebacker get underneath him. The best Gronk could hope for was to knock it down so Blackburn couldn't get it. That's the play that really turned the game. If it had been Eli or Brett Favre making that play, we'd have said "That's just Eli being Eli." Instead, Brady makes a bonehead play that gives the Giants the ball back and the sports media is talking about dropped passes. Not to diminish the magnitude of the dropped passes, but if Brady throws that ball away, they may not have mattered.

Boneheaded or not, that's an outstanding play by a linebacker to stay in coverage in a broken play with a tight end that's much bigger than you. That's why I gave it my "play of the game" vote.

[HaemishM]

Oh no doubt. Most of the talk this week was about the "new breed" of tight ends that "you can't cover with a linebacker!" And yet, Blackburn, who got released early in the season and was substitute teaching school, won that battle. And it most certainly was the most important play of the game. Maybe Gronk could have come back to the ball well enough if he wasn't injured, but he didn't and the scrub linebacker turned the tide of the game. For that play alone, he should have been MVP instead of Manning, but you knew that wasn't going to happen.

[Paelos]

Of course not. Not in the YEAR OF THE QUARTERBACK !!!ONE! 

Some shit drives me crazy about how football gets covered these days. The game hasn't changed as much as the media wants to paint it. The QB is not the goddamn most important thing on the field, you knob-slobbing morons at ESPN.

[Rasix]

You guys are acting like Eli pulled a Trent Dilfer or something.  Dude completed 75% of his passes for nearly 300 yards and one TD.  I don't remember a pass of his that was even close to being picked off.  He threw another pass that will be shown in every Super Bowl highlight from here to eternity.    I think the only other person you could realistically give it to would be Tuck.  Maybe share the trophy.  

Yah, it was against a shit D.  But he still made the plays when he needed to and, yet again, pulled another 4th quarter drive out of his ass.

With Eli's attitude, he probably doesn't even care.  Monday's taco night.  Eli was probably already on to thinking about red chili pork or tequila lime chicken the second the game was done.

[HaemishM]

No, he had a GOOD game, especially considering the no picks. It just wasn't gaudy QB numbers like the media has been wetting themselves over all year. To me, MVP QB's ought to have gaudy numbers or you might look elsewhere. Of course, compared to games like Rothliesberger's first Super Bowl, I guess it was pretty good.

[ghost]

If the Pats really did just let Bradshaw walk in for the score, that makes me really fucking hate them and Belichek. It's just a real dick move. You can say all you want about the strategy and I understand that aspect of it. But it totally fucks with my thought that there should be some honest pride in your defense that would tell a coach that asked them to let a guy waltz in for a score to go fuck himself.

They knew they were fucked.  Better to at least have a chance to win, rather than having the Giants milk the clock down to 5 seconds and kick a field goal (which is what was going to happen). 

[Malakili]

If the Pats really did just let Bradshaw walk in for the score, that makes me really fucking hate them and Belichek. It's just a real dick move. You can say all you want about the strategy and I understand that aspect of it. But it totally fucks with my thought that there should be some honest pride in your defense that would tell a coach that asked them to let a guy waltz in for a score to go fuck himself.

You make the choice that you think leaves you with the best chance to win. 

[Nebu]

The game hasn't changed as much as the media wants to paint it. The QB is not the goddamn most important thing on the field, you knob-slobbing morons at ESPN.

The game has changed a lot in the last 25 years.  Rules to WR and QB contact, protection, and popularization of dome stadiums and artificial turf all contributed.  In my humble opinion, the offense has a larger advantage than ever in the history of the sport.  I do agree that coverage has become clownshoes though.  Overanalysis ruins the game.

On the other topic, I think Belichek is a football genius.  The man knows the sport better than nearly everyone on the planet from an X's and O's standpoint.  His players let him down this year.

Edit: I may have to revise this statement.  I think that Belichek got every drop of talent out of his team.  The giants just played a sound game.

[ghost]

That safety lost the Pats the game.  Without it, they could have held for the FG and been fine.  Okay, so their shitty defense didn't help much, but the safety was a killer.

[Ingmar]

That safety lost the Pats the game.  Without it, they could have held for the FG and been fine.  Okay, so their shitty defense didn't help much, but the safety was a killer.

Not to mention what could potentially have happened on that drive.

[Sjofn]

With Eli's attitude, he probably doesn't even care.  Monday's taco night.  Eli was probably already on to thinking about red chili pork or tequila lime chicken the second the game was done.

I kinda feel like that is why he got the MVP. He didn't put up gaudy numbers, but as derp as he looks 99% of the time, he is the calmest motherfucker around in pressure situations.


Unlike the last time the Giants beat the Patriots in the Superbowl (the defense won the shit out of that game), it doesn't bug me that they gave it to Eli this time at all. I see it more as a "you were pretty much the rock for this team the entire season" award than anything in this case.

[01101010]

Now he needs 10 more seasons to knock off the most consecutive starts.

[Tannhauser]

Giants were last in rushing this season, Eli deserves the MVP.  Not that Eli cares, Sears has Dockers 40% off but just until Wednesday.

[Johny Cee]

Giants were last in rushing this season, Eli deserves the MVP.  Not that Eli cares, Sears has Dockers 40% off but just until Wednesday.

Eli finally accepted the keys to the Camaro because his baby needed something to chew on...  she's teething.

[TheWalrus]

Corvette maybe?

[MuffinMan]

I was just sitting down after work to download the game to make a gif from last night and the Internet beat me to it.

[Sjofn]

Ahh, the exact moment when THEY knew they were going to lose. 

[Paelos]

Giants were last in rushing this season, Eli deserves the MVP.  Not that Eli cares, Sears has Dockers 40% off but just until Wednesday.

Right, like when they got beat by the Skins and the Seahawks?

Nothing about the regular season was "great" for the Giants. It was good enough to scrape by with some bad injuries and some weak wins against mental midget teams (mine included), and one against the Pats whom they just own for some reason.

The playoffs? They averaged 116 yards a game. That would have moved them from dead last in the regular season to middle of the pack. In essence, their rushing game was 1.5 times better in the playoffs than it was in the regular season.

[Ingmar]

Eli's regular season was legitimately great. Giants problem was injuries, injuries, injuries. So fire the trainers, and give everyone else a raise.

EDIT: Also I can't help but think you may have completely misread what Tannhauser said?

[Paelos]

Eli's regular season was legitimately great. Giants problem was injuries, injuries, injuries. So fire the trainers, and give everyone else a raise.

EDIT: Also I can't help but think you may have completely misread what Tannhauser said?

Eli didn't deserve the MVP any more than any QB who wins the Superbowl does. I would have just given it to the defense and special teams, but it's a one man award so it defaults to the guy who throws the ball.

Again, it's not about me not liking Eli. He is a collected guy. But the Patriots with their backs against the wall couldn't even force a third down on that final drive! I mean, that's probably the most limp-dicked defense in the NFL that made it in the playoffs. And they were getting away with it because Tom Brady was keeping them off the field for the most part.

[Sjofn]

He doesn't deserve it any less than any other QB that got it, though, and he deserved it more this time than he did last time.


Edit: Well, any other QB that got it as the "default" and not because they, say, threw five or six TDs during the game.

[Paelos]

He doesn't deserve it any less than any other QB that got it, though, and he deserved it more this time than he did last time.


Edit: Well, any other QB that got it as the "default" and not because they, say, threw five or six TDs during the game.

I agree with that. I just think it's a silly award or distinction, is all. He played well, and the team played well. Tom Brady tried hard, his team dropped passes, and their D was for the most part poor.

[Nevermore]

Another reason I'm so glad the Patriots lost: Belichick cutting a wide receiver the night before the Super Bowl.  Really? The night before the biggest game in the NFL?  What a dick move.

[Paelos]

I mean seriously, as if I needed more confirmation that he's a cockbag.

[Cyrrex]

I have done a complete reversal of opinion on Eli this year.  I'll put him on my top five list of QBs if I were starting a team.  When it really, really counts, this sumbitch is as cool and unphased as a QB can be.  Clutch.

Dude has won two Super Bowls and 2 SB MVP awards (I actually think he deserved both, especially the first).  Both times over Tom Brady and Bill Bellichick.  He is probably going to end up in the Hall of Fame.  Mind blowing.  Yeah, he has his truly bad moments, and I am sure there are plenty of semantical arguments about his numbers.  Doesn't matter any more. 

[Margalis]

I think a legitimate argument could be made for the Giants punter as MVP. He basically had the perfect game for a punter.

[Cyrrex]

He did have a good game, but the only way he could be made MVP would be if one of those punts had knocked Brady unconscious whilst studying photos on the sideline.  Point made, though.

Giants running attack was also really good, IMO.  Moving the chains, eating the clock.  Not a lot of big plays, but just grinding away and keeping Brady on the sidelines.

[Sjofn]

I loved the Giants punter, mostly because he was the most amped up I have ever seen a punter. I mean, if I punted as well as him, I'd be jumping around and screaming like a moron too, mind you, but you usually don't actually SEE that.

I also loved how he looked like someone kicked his puppy when he got a touchback (because one of the other Giants couldn't quiiiiiite bat the ball down at the one).

[HaemishM]

I have done a complete reversal of opinion on Eli this year.  I'll put him on my top five list of QBs if I were starting a team.  When it really, really counts, this sumbitch is as cool and unphased as a QB can be.  Clutch.

Dude has won two Super Bowls and 2 SB MVP awards (I actually think he deserved both, especially the first).  Both times over Tom Brady and Bill Bellichick.  He is probably going to end up in the Hall of Fame.  Mind blowing.  Yeah, he has his truly bad moments, and I am sure there are plenty of semantical arguments about his numbers.  Doesn't matter any more. 

I've come to realize that he's really a Brett Favre type. His brother is the analytic, Joe Montana type who can pick apart a defense. Eli has some of that, but his main strength is unflappability and audacity. Though he constantly looks like a 4th grader who's surrounded by the bullies in the bathroom about to dunk his head in the toilet, he somehow finds a way to make a play or throw an INT, just like Favre used to. When he's on and lucky, he can take over a game, and he did just that many times this season. He was one good defensive stop away from beating the Packers in the regular season and did beat them in the playoffs by demolishing their defense. On a team with a better running game, a better O line and a consistent core of uninjured receivers, he will put up gaudy numbers. He had more yards passing this season than Rodgers, 29 TD and 16 INT and averaged over 300 yards a game. Those numbers are actually right in line with some of Favre's better seasons, and are better than many of Favre's worst seasons.

[01101010]

I've come to realize that he's really a Brett Favre type. His brother is the analytic, Joe Montana type who can pick apart a defense. Eli has some of that, but his main strength is unflappability and audacity. Though he constantly looks like a 4th grader who's surrounded by the bullies in the bathroom about to dunk his head in the toilet, he somehow finds a way to make a play or throw an INT, just like Favre used to. When he's on and lucky, he can take over a game, and he did just that many times this season. He was one good defensive stop away from beating the Packers in the regular season and did beat them in the playoffs by demolishing their defense. On a team with a better running game, a better O line and a consistent core of uninjured receivers, he will put up gaudy numbers. He had more yards passing this season than Rodgers, 29 TD and 16 INT and averaged over 300 yards a game. Those numbers are actually right in line with some of Favre's better seasons, and are better than many of Favre's worst seasons.

I have to agree. However, their moxies are too different to automatically put them in company. Favre conjures images of the old farmboy with a gift for the game, where Eli - well you said it best with the 4th grader image. However, on the field, they are damn similar.

Funny, I really hated Eli when he came into the league because I am of the mentality of you obey the draft, you don't get to pick and choose... that is why it is a fucking draft. Felt a lot like getting picked for a team on the playground and deciding since stupid John is on the team you aren't going to play unless you get on the other team. Whereas I liked Favre from the onset, though his exit left a very bad impression (I still like the guy though).