38, 38, 38, 34, 34, 48, 49, 52. Those are the points that the New England Patriots have scored in each of their first eight games. (An NFL record)
3, 3, 4, 3, 3, 5, 6, 3. That's how many touchdown passes Tom Brady has accumulated in each of his first eight games. (Also an NFL record)
There they are. Stare at them. Soak them in. Those are the numbers that you've been asking the New England Patriots to put up for the past seven years. All those victories, all those Super Bowl titles were never good enough for you. You didn't care about teamwork. You didn't care about character. You didn't care about always coming through when it mattered or overcoming impossible odds. You wanted numbers.
Well there they are.
Tom Brady and the New England Patriots spent six seasons exemplifying everything a professional sports team should be. They were a group who reveled in the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. They weren't flashy. They weren't in your face and obnoxious. They just stuck together and got the job done. And there has never been an NFL team quite like them.
Flashback to 2004... As the confetti was falling in Jacksonville, and the Patriots were celebrating a record-tying third Super Bowl in four years, everyone was still more impressed with Peyton Manning's 49 touchdown passes that season. Don't think for a second that the Patriots have forgotten that. Over those six years, the media and the fans sent their message loud and clear - "It's all about the numbers." What happens in the win and loss columns is secondary to what shows up in the stats sheet. It's not about titles. It's all about touchdowns. That's the message they sent.
Well, the Patriots have received it, loud and clear. Over the first half of this NFL Season, the Patriots have put on a numerical display above and beyond anything that the league has ever seen. If the Patriots duplicate their stats to close out the season, Tom Brady will have beaten Peyton Manning's touchdown record by 11, and the Patriots will have surpassed the 1998 Minnesota Vikings' record for the highest scoring season by 104 points. I repeat: One hundred and four points.
Everyone wanted the numbers. Unfortunately for them, they didn't realize what they were asking for. When the Patriots trampled the Washington Redskins 52-7 last week, the media once again attempted to attack the Patriots. They began to bash Bill Belichick for being unsportsman-like in running up the score. They started calling him "classless", accusing him of trying to "embarrass" the Redskins. Funny how no one ever threw those words around when Peyton Manning was tossing touchdowns in already-decided games to achieve his record. It's that kind of hypocrisy that has fueled the Patriots' fire this season. Whether it be the insults of the past, camera-gate, or the clear disdain that the outside world unjustly has for this team, all of it has served as the ultimate motivation for the Patriots' march towards a fourth title. New England spent six years being everything a team should be, while being constantly berated for what they weren't. Now that they have become that evil empire, that merciless machine everyone wanted them to be, the world will pay the price. They never gave New England their respect, so now the Patriots will take their dignity.
With every point, the Patriots return the message. The constant, repeated criticisms will be repaid with an unrelenting offensive assault. No lead will be large enough. No mercy will be displayed. No opponent will be left standing with a single ounce of pride. Like an overwhelming flood, the Patriots will continue to drown and choke everything in their path. And as everyone and everything looks up through the murky water, they will realize that they've fallen victim to the most important numbers of all...
19-0.
Predictions:
NFC NORTH:
1. Packers
2. Lions
3. Bears
4. Vikings
The Packers have the talent to take the division, but should they slip up, don't count out Detroit.
NFC SOUTH:
1. Saints
2. Panthers
3. Buccaneers
4. Falcons
The Saints are marching, while the 1st and 2nd place Panthers and Buccs are reeling with injuries. New Orleans might just have another comeback in them.
NFC EAST:
1. Cowboys
2. Giants
3. Redskins
4. Eagles
Where did the G-Men come from? They've bounced back from an 0-2 start with six straight victories and have helped the East become the premiere division in the NFC.
NFC WEST:
1. Seahawks
2. Cardinals
3. 49ers
4. Rams
If it weren't for the fact that one of these teams has to make the playoffs by default, it's likely that none of them would be there. We've got a definite "tallest midget at the circus" competition in full swing here.
NFC SEEDING:
1. Cowboys
2. Packers
3. Saints
4. Seahawks
5. Giants
6. Lions
The wild card decision was a tough one. I had to give the rejuvenated Giants a spot, but the Panthers, Redskins, and Lions were all a potential pick to fill the last spot. At the end of the day, the Lions get to play the Bears and the Vikings, while the other two face tougher inter-division competition. That could very well be the difference.
AFC NORTH:
1. Steelers
2. Browns
3. Ravens
4. Bengals
How about those Browns? It's Pittsburgh's division to lose, but it's nice to see a team who's winning games nobody expected them to by playing hard.
AFC SOUTH:
1. Colts
2. Jaguars
3. Titans
4. Texans
There's no denying that the division is going to Indy. However, the Jaguars have been a force to be reckoned with as well. I think they'll maintain their lead against the inconsistent Titans, while the Texans' Cinderella story is put on hold for another year.
AFC EAST:
1. Patriots
2. Bills
3. Jets
4. Dolphins
The Dolphins lone prayer to avoid a 0-16 season? Week 13 at home vs. the putrid Jets.
AFC WEST:
1. Chargers
2. Chiefs
3. Broncos
4. Raiders
Looks like the Chargers have come back to life. The Chiefs may be friskier than anyone expected, but San Diego should role to the division title from here on out.
AFC SEEDING:
1. Patriots
2. Colts
3. Steelers
4. Chargers
5. Jaguars
6. Titans
It broke my heart to deny the Browns, but the Texans are simply the better team.
NFC PLAYOFFS:
Wildcard Round:
Saints over Lions, Giants over Seahawks
Divisional Round:
Cowboys over Giants, Packers over Saints
NFC Championship:
Packers over Cowboys
AFC PLAYOFFS:
Wildcard Round:
Steelers over Titans, Jaguars over Chargers
Divisional Round:
Patriots over Jaguars, Colts over Steelers
AFC Championship:
Patriots over Colts
SUPERBOWL XLII:
Patriots over Packers
Can you imagine the hype of this game? Every writer's man-crush, Brett Favre in his final game vs. the hated Patriots! I can't wait to get some Super Bowl XXXI revenge and play the role of the ultimate villain!
