Two-hundred and thirty-nine days...
That's how long it's been since their lone playoff defeat.
Two-hundred and thirty-nine days...
That's how long their dynasty has been lying as a smoking ruin.
Two-hundred and thirty-nine days...
That's how long the New England Patriots have been waiting for their revenge.
Not for revenge against the Denver Broncos, but for revenge against the world. Every team in National Football League, every pompous sportscaster or analyst, and ever fan who has ever disrespected their dynasty - consider yourself on notice. The New England Patriots are back, and they will leave no one standing in their wake.
For five straight year the Patriots either won the championship or were the defending champions. And throughout those years they never received the respect they were due. I know many of you are tired of hearing it. But before you dismiss that notion, stop and consider that through every one of those seasons, some other team, often several other teams, were considered to be the favorites. And remember how the Patriots were constantly picked against game after game throughout all those playoff runs. And realize that less than thirty minutes after some of those Super Bowl victories, there were analysts on TV spewing reason after reason why some other team would dethrone them next year. Think about those things and then see if you can honestly say that equals respect. It wouldn't suffice for any other champion, let alone a team with three out of four titles, an unprecidented 21-game winning streak, and 10 consecutive playoff victories.
For five years, the New England Patriots have been walking around with a giant chip on their shoulder. Now someone has finally gone and knocked it off, and it's time for everyone to pay. Everyone who shrieked with joy as they danced around flaming rubble of the dynasty be warned: The Patriots have risen from those ashes and have left their mercy behind.
They can continue deny the Patriots all they want. They can discount the ability of the players. They can question the will of the team. They can look smug each week as they deliver their predictions against them. But none of that will change this fact...
As the clock ticked down that fateful January evening, the New England Patriots experienced something for the first time - the taste of blood in their mouths. It's a sense they've remembered for two-hundred and thirty-nine days, and the next time that blood touches their tongue, it won't be their own.
All the sleepless nights, all the two-a-days in training camp, all the hours of film-watching, they have all been done in preparation of this moment. The quest to rebuild the dynasty and claim a fourth title begins September 10th in Foxboro. It's a journey that will allow the Patriots to enact their revenge down by down through nineteen grueling battles. And when it's all said and done, it won't be the roar of the crowd that's their reward, but the vacuum of silence.
Because for the first time in six years, no one will have anything to say.
Pre-Season Predictions:
'It's the most wonderful time of the year"... The NFL is back, and that means that means it's once again time for my pre-season predictions!
After going 8 for 12 in 2002, and 7 for 12 in 2003, I imploded with a wretched 4 for 12 in 2004 when three of my picks blew their playoff hopes in Week 17. Last year I somewhat redeemed myself by going 6 for 12, but this season I'm really hoping to show off my analytical skills and break out the sacred 12 for 12. As always, I'm staying tried an true to my "no more than seven playoff teams from last year will be back" rule which trips up so many people.
Let's see how it goes...
NFC NORTH:
1. Bears
2. Vikings
3. Lions
4. Packers
This division is pathetic. With three new coaches, I'm inclined to give my pick to the one team with stable and fairly solid leadership, Lovie Smith's Bears.
NFC SOUTH:
1. Panthers
2. Buccaneers
3. Falcons
4. Saints
I'm a big fan of the Panthers, and as long as they stay healthy, I see no reason why they won't be in the post-season.
NFC EAST:
1. Eagles
2. Cowboys
3. Giants
4. Redskins
It's going to be a close division. I have a reason to pick against every single team in the division. But the Eagles have got to be better without T.O., right?
NFC WEST:
1. Rams
2. Seahawks
3. Cardinals
4. 49ers
Shaun Alexander is on the cover of Madden '07! I repeat: Shaun Alexander is on the cover of Madden '07! You've been warned.
NFC SEEDING:
1. Carolina
2. Rams
3. Eagles
4. Bears
5. Cowboys
6. Buccaneers
I don't see the Panthers having trouble with anyone in the Conference. The Rams have the Cards and Niners to beat up on four times. As for the rest, it's like trying to pick out the tallest midgets at the circus. I don't know!
AFC NORTH:
1. Steelers
2. Bengals
3. Ravens
4. Browns
I don't trust Carson Palmer's knee, or Steve McNair's anything. So I'm begrudgingly going with Pittsburgh. But before we move on, please allow me to state that the Steelers are completely fraudulent champions. And for those of you who wonder how I have the audacity to knock the Steelers when I just went on an eight paragraph rant about how no one respected the Patriots for the past five years, consider this: The Patriots never needed to injure an opposing quarterback at the start of a playoff game, rely on the most accurate kicker in NFL history to shank a game winning field goal indoors, and have the referees railroad the NFC Champions in the title game in order to capture the Lombardi trophy. If that ever happens to the Pats, you can call them a fraud all you want. I will agree with you.
AFC SOUTH:
1. Colts
2. Jaguars
3. Titans
4. Texans
I see no reason to pick against Peyton Manning in the Colts. After all, this is a pick to make the playoffs, not to win a playoff game.
AFC EAST:
1. Patriots
2. Dolphins
3. Bills
4. Jets
I love how everyone is expecting Daunte Culpepper to be the catalyst for the Dolphins as they take the division from the Patriots. Wasn't this the same guy who imploded last year for the Vikings?
AFC WEST:
1. Broncos
2. Chargers
3. Chiefs
4. Raiders
They're right up there with the Colts and Eagles in my book, but there's no denying that the Broncos should be a very good team this year.
AFC SEEDING:
1. Colts
2. Patriots
3. Broncos
4. Steelers
5. Dolphins
6. Chargers
I'm very upset that I had to leave the Jaguars off this list, but the "no more than seven playoff teams can return" me no choice. I would have also like to have given the Bengals the nod as well, but again, how can I take off the Pats, Colts, or Broncos? There's always a part of you that wants to make the easy call that all the good teams from last year will be good again. But that never happens, so these are my picks.
Observations:
Returning playoff teams from last season - 7: Patriots, Colts, Broncos, Steelers, Bears, Panthers, Buccaneers
Non-returning playoff teams from last season - 5: Bengals, Jaguars, Redskins Giants, Seahawks
New playoff teams - 5: Dolphins, Chargers, Rams, Eagles, Cowboys
Only the Bucs and Bears are a little shaky on my returning teams. Maybe one of the NFC North teams gets hot and knocks off the Bears, but I'm pretty confident about them. The NFC East will be pretty tight, so that may be my downfall. Looking at the five new teams, the only other teams that didn't make the playoffs last year that have a real shot are the Chiefs and the Falcons. All in all, I'm pretty happy with my picks. I guess we'll have to wait and see how happy I am come January.
NFC PLAYOFFS:
Wildcard Round:
Eagles over Buccaneers, Cowboys over Bears
Divisional Round:
Panthers over Cowboys, Eagles over Rams
NFC Championship:
Panthers over Eagles
AFC PLAYOFFS:
Wildcard Round:
Broncos over Chargers, Steelers over Dolphins
Divisional Round:
Colts over Steelers, Patriots over Broncos
AFC Championship :
Patriots over Colts
SUPERBOWL XLI:
Patriots over Panthers
At least it will probably be a good game! Unlike XL...
