Ryan Mallett? Really?

[CaptainHook]

The legend is dead, the prince has turned back into a frog, and...well, use whatever other cliché you want.

 

A performance as bad as Tom Brady's tonight in Super Bowl XLVI deserves a lead just as lame.

 

Sorry, Tommy Boy, this one's on you. Your hideous performance led to the Giants' 21-17 Super Bowl title win. How embarrassing for your coach, your teammates, and your fans.

 

But especially for you, boy wonder. It was one thing when you led the game off with a safety, which surely put plenty of faith into the heart of Patriot Nation, but just when you have the game, just when you might be able to run off the clock, you huck the thing downfield. Yes, if Wes Welker catches that thing, you're in the clear, and fans will place the blame either way, but what happened to being safe in that situation? What happened to the Patriot Way and clock management?

 

What happened to you?

 

What an embarrassment for the Patriots organization and Bob Kraft. So now the Giants have taken Lombardi from you twice, and you haven't looked this bad in a playoff game since...well, two weeks ago against the Ravens. Maybe that moment will actually hit you as you're whittling down water slides in South America looking like Prince Valiant this spring. The Patriots haven't won a title in seven years, but even worse, they're now turning into the Buffalo Bills, with the Giants being their Cowboy daddy. That's not easy to swallow in a region where New York is regarded as highly as the menu at Beacon Hill Pub.

 

But, there you are, Tom. That's what you have become. Your legacy has been stamped, but you're turning your Joe Montana status into one of Jim Kelly. But, hey what you worry? There's that new mansion in the "Names" pages to deal with.

 

Yes, there were plenty of dropped passes to go around. Granted. But when you begin the game with such a boneheaded play, then proceed to make random mistakes, sorry, Tom, game is on you.

 

There was no fourth and 13 to blame Belichick for.

 

Welker was the closest thing to Asante, and the eeriness compared to the Tyree play will be discussed for decades to come.

 

Thanks for that too. Can't wait. Oh, look, another text coming in from 212...

 

Tom, it's not all your fault, but you're the poster boy, you had opportunities, and you failed to make them. Add to that your blunders, and it all becomes about you. You blew this Super Bowl. You denied your coach No. 4. You let down your teammates.

 

Eli and Peyton now have as many rings as you combined over the past five years. You haven't sniffed one in seven. How's that hit you?

 

Maybe it doesn't hit you as hard anymore, and maybe that's the problem.

 

The safety killed the Patriots. Killed them.

 

And there's nobody to blame but Tom Brady.

 

However hard it might be to swallow, the glory days are gone. Even Montana handed off to Mallett at some point, right?

 

[Chief Dick]

That's a dumbass article.

[Scooby's Hubby]

That's a dumbass article.

+1

[stevegrab]

The boston.com site has a Copyright NY Times Co at the bottom. And this appears to be the Boston Globe site. Is the Boston Globe owned by the NY Times?

 

But yeah, stupid article for sure.

[Bronco Billy]

Wow. I though Brady had a great game overall. There were a few throws that while certainly not perfect were also very catchable and yet were dropped - and some of those throws had to be off target a bit to fit into coverage.

 

Don't see how this one is on Brady at all.

[Ice1]

That's a dumbass article.

 

You are correct sir!

[Jackass]

The boston.com site has a Copyright NY Times Co at the bottom. And this appears to be the Boston Globe site. Is the Boston Globe owned by the NY Times?

 

It is.

 

And dumb article for sure. a journalist trying to get attention.

[Caveman_Nick]

Wow. I though Brady had a great game overall. There were a few throws that while certainly not perfect were also very catchable and yet were dropped - and some of those throws had to be off target a bit to fit into coverage.

 

Don't see how this one is on Brady at all.

 

Brady has to take a fairly large chunk of the blame. That safety to start the game changes the ending from the Pats having to let Bradshaw score because a FG wins to the Giants having to score a TD to win. Hugh swing.

 

That deep ball to Gronk was also a very poor throw.

 

Not saying it's entirely his fault....several key of dropped passes by the receivers and missed opportunities to capitalize on fumbles also cost the team.

 

Overall I think the Pats played a good game. To me the difference in the game was that they made a few mistakes the Giants did not and that in key moments the Giants rose to the occasion and made the big catch, etc.

[Ice1]

Brady has to take a fairly large chunk of the blame. That safety to start the game changes the ending from the Pats having to let Bradshaw score because a FG wins to the Giants having to score a TD to win. Hugh swing.

 

I wonder if offensive lineman love this line of thinking. He was about to get sacked when he threw it. Play action there was a high risk call. No receiver open certainly didn't help. not sure the WR was supposed go in or out but Brady threw the ball with authority as if the WR was supposed be on a post.

 

Not to mention some no name 12th player on the field caused a turnover to be taken of the board which turned into a TD making the game 9-0.

 

It was a team loss. QB's always get much blame so all is fair I guess.

Edited February 6, 2012 by Ice1

[Caveman_Nick]

I wonder if offensive lineman love this line of thinking. He was about to get sacked when he threw it. Play action there was a high risk call. No receiver open certainly didn't help. not sure the WR was supposed go in or out but Brady threw the ball with authority as if the WR was supposed be on a post.

 

Not to mention some no name 12th player on the field caused a turnover to be taken of the board which turned into a TD making the game 9-0.

 

It was a team loss. QB's always get much blame so all is fair I guess.

 

I don't know what the O-Line would think, but I do know that Brady had plenty of time and certainly could have thrown the ball away without making a bad mistake ending in a safety.

 

The 12 men on the field play was really bad. Another HUGH problem. I am not laying the blame at Brady's feet, I am saying that he has to accept a pretty large slice and in particular because of the two plays I mentioned. That defensive gaff is another spot to lay blame, as were the number of dropped balls at critical times at the end.

 

Those mistakes were all throughout the team, and my main point is that the Giants won because they did not make as many of those bad mistakes. The game was very even other than that.

 

What we saw from the Pats last night is a reason to be confident going into next season. Hopefully they will shore up some spots on defense, get players like Volmer, Koppen, Dowling and Cunningham back and healthy and add a couple of nice pieces in the draft.

[Slugs3511]

Blame on Brady, sure, it comes with the position....the most highly coveted win or loose.....HOWEVER,

 

I 've always said that to win, and win it all, you need some sort of LUCK.....That's right....luck.....

 

Giants hail mary against the Pack.....changed everything....

Two fumbles that they recovered themselves, one very deep in the Patriots territory....

Another fumble with 12 men on the field.....say what you will....still lucky.....

Two, yes two of best WR catches in Superbowl history, ranked up there with Swann's and Santonio's.....Skill, and LUCK though.....

 

NOW, I am not taking anything away from the Giants....they are a great team and could be right there again next year....The truth of the matter is that they had some luck...... that helped them along the way......

[CaptainHook]

Did anybody else notice that on the play where Cruz fumbled, and NE had 12 men on the field, that the whistle blew before the ball came out? Cruz forward momentum had clearly stopped, and he was moving backwards, but was not down, when the ball was stripped. Before the ball came out, I clearly heard the whistle blow. It would have been interesting to see what happens if NE had not been guilty of having too many men on the field. I believe the ref said the ruling on the field was a fumble, but I'm not so sure. The penalty saved the ref who blew that whistle a little early.

[CaptainHook]

The Giants did make plenty of mistakes. They were just lucky enough that they also recovered their own fumbles on two occasions. Clearly "luck" happens for every SB champion. You could point to several plays along the way that could have altered the outcome.

Edited February 6, 2012 by CaptainHook

[Caveman_Nick]

Sure you need luck....but sometimes teams make their own luck. The Giants made some good luck for themselves and the Pats made some bad luck.

[Caveman_Nick]

Did anybody else notice that on the play where Cruz fumbled, and NE had 12 men on the field, that the whistle blew before the ball came out? Cruz forward momentum had clearly stopped, and he was moving backwards, but was not down, when the ball was stripped. Before the ball came out, I clearly heard the whistle blow. It would have been interesting to see what happens if NE had not been guilty of having too many men on the field. I believe the ref said the ruling on the field was a fumble, but I'm not so sure. The penalty saved the ref who blew that whistle a little early.

 

 

If you can watch the play again, the backjudge threw the bean bag signaling change of possession. Audio is not part of the review process IIRC, so the turnover would have stood.

[CaptainHook]

If you can watch the play again, the backjudge threw the bean bag signaling change of possession. Audio is not part of the review process IIRC, so the turnover would have stood.

Unless, the official admitted that he did in fact blow the whistle before the ball was out. That has happened many times.

[Caveman_Nick]

Unless, the official admitted that he did in fact blow the whistle before the ball was out. That has happened many times.

 

That would have to do with the ruling on the field, not a replay review. They ruled fumble on the field. If another official thought he blew the play dead first they would have had to sort through that before they ruled on the fumble initially.

[CaptainHook]

That would have to do with the ruling on the field, not a replay review. They ruled fumble on the field. If another official thought he blew the play dead first they would have had to sort through that before they ruled on the fumble initially.

I actually just watched it again. The whistle clearly blows AFTER Cruz fumbles the ball, but BEFORE anyone had recovered it. By rule, that is a dead ball, with the Giants retaining possession, is it not?

[Caveman_Nick]

I actually just watched it again. The whistle clearly blows AFTER Cruz fumbles the ball, but BEFORE anyone had recovered it. By rule, that is a dead ball, with the Giants retaining possession, is it not?

 

I am not sure of the rule....you could be right. In the end it is not the rule that matters but what is ruled on the field. And regardless boneheadery on the D's part negated the play.

[Ursa Majoris]

And dumb article for sure. a journalist trying to get attention.

Not a journalist. Michael Yon is a journalist, Anderson Cooper is a journalist. This guy is the writing equivalent of the loudmouthed know-nothing fat drunk guy at the end of bar. Worthless and best ignored.

[giantsfan]

Honestly, last night was not Brady's fault. I thought he was fine. Was he great...no. Did he make a mistake or 2...sure. But he was certainly not the reason they lost.

 

It was a close hard fought game that could have gone either way. We came out on top, but it wasn't because of Brady IMO.

 

On the safety, what should he have done? I mean yes result was bad, but wasn't a terrible play by him.

 

On the int, so let me get this straight, he threw up a pass to his stud TE Gronk in one on one coverage with a LB who was a teacher 2 months ago, and we are going to kill Brady for that? Do we give him credit for escaping a sure sack on that play...no. But we will rip him for giving his guy a shot in one on one coverage against an average LB? COME ON....QB's do that all the time...see Stafford and Calvin.

 

I think it is very unfair to blame this on Brady. I am no Brady lover, but he played a solid game yesterday IMO. Not great, but solid.

[Ursa Majoris]

Honestly, last night was not Brady's fault. I thought he was fine. Was he great...no. Did he make a mistake or 2...sure. But he was certainly not the reason they lost.

 

It was a close hard fought game that could have gone either way. We came out on top, but it wasn't because of Brady IMO.

 

On the safety, what should he have done? I mean yes result was bad, but wasn't a terrible play by him.

 

On the int, so let me get this straight, he threw up a pass to his stud TE Gronk in one on one coverage with a LB who was a teacher 2 months ago, and we are going to kill Brady for that? Do we give him credit for escaping a sure sack on that play...no. But we will rip him for giving his guy a shot in one on one coverage against an average LB? COME ON....QB's do that all the time...see Stafford and Calvin.

 

I think it is very unfair to blame this on Brady. I am no Brady lover, but he played a solid game yesterday IMO. Not great, but solid.

Completely agree with this. Anyone trying to dump on Brady for this defeat is a buffoon, IMO.

[CaptainHook]

On the safety, what should he have done? I mean yes result was bad, but wasn't a terrible play by him.

 

On the int, so let me get this straight, he threw up a pass to his stud TE Gronk in one on one coverage with a LB who was a teacher 2 months ago, and we are going to kill Brady for that? Do we give him credit for escaping a sure sack on that play...no. But we will rip him for giving his guy a shot in one on one coverage against an average LB? COME ON....QB's do that all the time...see Stafford and Calvin.

I guess I would disagree on these two plays. The safety was a pretty bad play on Brady's part. He didn't get it within 20 yards of a single WR. That's gonna get called every time. On the interception . . . it was clearly under thrown. Gronk was CLEARLY hobbled. Brady should have found somebody else, thrown it away, or ran for it. That was a poor throw.

[Caveman_Nick]

Honestly, last night was not Brady's fault. I thought he was fine. Was he great...no. Did he make a mistake or 2...sure. But he was certainly not the reason they lost.

 

It was a close hard fought game that could have gone either way. We came out on top, but it wasn't because of Brady IMO.

 

On the safety, what should he have done? I mean yes result was bad, but wasn't a terrible play by him.

 

On the int, so let me get this straight, he threw up a pass to his stud TE Gronk in one on one coverage with a LB who was a teacher 2 months ago, and we are going to kill Brady for that? Do we give him credit for escaping a sure sack on that play...no. But we will rip him for giving his guy a shot in one on one coverage against an average LB? COME ON....QB's do that all the time...see Stafford and Calvin.

 

I think it is very unfair to blame this on Brady. I am no Brady lover, but he played a solid game yesterday IMO. Not great, but solid.

 

So it is unfair to say he deserves a share of the blame for the loss for making some bad plays?

 

Yes, I expect more from him on both of those plays. The argument exists within the thread. I expect more from other players on the team during other plays.

 

He is not solely to blame, but he bears a good chunk for those two plays.

 

FYI, I am a big Pats fan, season ticket holder, etc., but I do try and look at the performance of the team without any kind of filter. Two very bad plays by him.

 

 

Completely agree with this. Anyone trying to dump on Brady for this defeat is a buffoon, IMO.

 

[Bronco Billy]

Hard to beleive I have to make an argument supporting Brady to Pats fans. Amazing, really. You guys need a few seasons of serious sucking to get over yourselves and lower your bar to reasonable levels.