Championship Sunday was like an emotional roller coaster for Pats fans, but in the end, it resulted in a third trip to the Super Bowl in the Belichick era.
4:52pm – Brian Westbrook is amazing. It’s a marvel he only touched the ball 6 times in the first half. It doesn’t really matter though, this is just dead time until the Patriots game starts.
6:04pm – Time to find out which AFC team will meet the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl. Congratulations to the Eagles, it was a long time coming, but this year belongs to the AFC. Bad year to be an NFC champion.
6:15pm – T.O. in Jacksonville, eh? We will have to wait and see.
6:23pm – Is it just me or is there still some tension between Dan Marino and Boomer Esiason. I think I’d feel more comfortable telling my parents I just burnt their new house down than I would sitting in Shannon Sharpe’s seat right now.
6:36pm – Adam Vinatieri with the short kickoff, he was just making sure my ticker was working….
6:38pm – And it begins…. Eugene Wilson intercepts a tipped pass, I’m sensing a long day for Ben Roethlisberger. After tonight, he’s going to make Jack Bauer’s life look like a cake walk. The rookie will be exposed. And not in a Dennis Quaid Disney movie sort of way.
6:39pm – I thought the end-around only worked in video games….
6:41pm – Vinatieri puts the Pats on the board first. I told you it would happen. This can only be good. It’s only 3 points, but we’re on our way to putting the ball in Roethlisberger’s hands which is exactly where Rodney Harrison, Tedy Bruschi and Big Willie want it.
6:47pm – Rodney Harrison and Jerome Bettis start to mouth off to each other. Bad idea, Jerome, Harrison is not the guy you want in your head all game long. Harrison reminds me of the scene in the “Water Boy” when Adam Sandler finds the guy on the other team that was making fun of him and tosses him the ball just so he can hit him, that’s the type of person Rodney Harrison is.
6:53pm – This just in: Tom Brady can throw the long ball. If there is such a thing as a game-changing play in the first quarter, that fumble and recovery after the Steelers went for it on fourth down was it. Beautiful throw and a beautiful catch by Deion Branch, and Heinz Field is currently quieter than Fenway Park during game 3 of the 2004 ALCS.
7:05pm – Big hit on Givens, he drops the ball. Horrible punt by Miller, or, Ken Walter-esque as Kristen says to me, I’m starting to taste my dinner again. No reason to worry yet, because according to Kristen, she’s not shaking from fear, it’s because the only thing she’s had to drink all day was coffee because it’s warm and she’s snowed in with three foot drifts and hurricane speed winds. Ah, New England.
7:10pm – Field goal Jeff Reed, 10-3 Pats, 1:22 first quarter. Time for the Pats to erase the three and out from the last drive.
7:19pm – Much better punt by Josh Miller this time. I’ll take it. Time to button up the chin straps and play some defense.
7:26pm – Dexter Reed has replaced Rodney Harrison? Not good, then again, neither was losing Tyrone Poole, or Ty Law, or Richard Seymour. Okay, I’m over it…for now. But I’d still like to get Harrison back.
7:30pm – Start the drive at the 30 yard line? No problem. Branch absorbs a rib-rattling hit from Troy Polamalu and holds on for a 46 yard gain. Deion is the man. No one talks about him being out. But that man is a big game player.
7:33pm – TOUCHDOWN, NEW ENGLAND! A nice 9 yard waltz into the end zone by David Givens. 17-3 New England. The Steelers could use a jump-start now
7:37pm – “To do everything right that you did wrong the first time.” Phil Simms says regarding Tom Brady and the Patriots. They are in fact doing much better this time around than they did on Halloween against the Steelers. Could Bill Belichick have something to do with that? Analysts are kicking themselves now for not paying attention to the stat about Belichick being 13-0 when facing a QB for the second time in a season since 2001. Belichick does not lose to the same QB twice. That is a fact. And he ain’t losing to a rookie twice.
7:42pm – Interception returned 87 yards for a touchdown by Rodney Harrison. My, what a turn around from 15 minutes ago when I was uncomfortable hearing he was out of the game. Don’t look now, but Big Ben is starting to play like a rookie. And Harrison just followed the convoy and Vrabel block into the end zone….beautiful. It’s gonna be a long night for Baby Ben.
7:44pm – In the last 11 games when Romeo Crennel’s defense has scored a touchdown, they are undefeated. Just putting that out there.
7:45pm – First half two minute warning. The Pats lead 24-3. Time to put the ball in the rookie’s hands. Can Roethlisberger show me something here? I doubt it. But hey, chin up, big guy, you’re only a rookie once. And you’ve got that Chunky Soup endorsement to fall back on. And, you know, you’re dating that golf hottie. So no worries, man. Not your night.
7:51pm – Late timeout called by the Steelers in Pats territory. Can they stop ‘em? I’ll give them the three points, I just can’t wait until the halftime show. I bet Marino and Esiason are ready for some friendly halftime analysis. Or a cage match. Whichever.
7:53pm – Halftime, 24-3 Patriots. Looks like they picked up right where they left off last week. After playing the “best thirty minutes of football all year” according to Belichick in the second half against the Colts last week, there seems to be no let down. Football analysts nationwide should currently be partaking in the obligatory foot in the mouth ritual brought to you weekly by the Patriots for the last three seasons.
7:57pm – Marino is complementing Brady, talking about his big game ability, and his Super Bowl MVP’s. This is the time where I keep thinking it’s about time for Boomer to jump in and yell “To continue our QB by era comparisons from last week, in which I correctly dubbed Peyton Manning this generation’s Dan Marino, Tom Brady could be compared to Joe Montana. Don’t you think so Dan? (snickers under breath).”
8:00pm – Smartest thing Dan Marino has said all day, “the Steelers aren’t built to come from behind, its going to be hard for them to come back in the second half because they’ve been built to run all year long.” I feel like there’s an echo in here. I said that a few days ago. Let’s see what happens when you put the ball in Roethlisberger’s hands. Well, we’re about to, unless Boomer is right again, we might see Maddox….
8:10pm – Three and out for the Patriots to start the second half. Bill Cowher must have said something good during halftime. Let’s see how Roethlisberger responds.
8:15pm – Randle El down to the 5 yard line. First and goal to go for Pittsburgh. This isn’t good. After watching this afternoon’s game, I wasn’t sure it was possible, but is this guy more scary and versatile than Brian Westbrook?
8:16pm – No sooner did I finish writing my last sentence than Bettis finds the end zone. 24-10 Patriots. Heinz Field is alive. Ladies and Gentlemen, we have ourselves a ball game.
8:17pm – I’m not quite sure why it took me this long to realize, but the “terrible towel” is easily the second worst cheering device ever. Second only to those damn thunder sticks made so popular by the Disney Angels. Though, hopefully they’ll be useful at the end of the game for the Steelers fans to wipe away tears of defeat…just sayin.
8:22pm – Third and long, holding call on the Steelers, couldn’t have happened at a better time for the Patriots. First down. Okay I admit, I’m slightly worried.
8:24pm – As if that wasn’t enough, Givens drops the ball after catching it. Fumble recovered by Pittsburgh. Personal foul after the play on Pittsburgh. If I could somehow strap my keyboard to my waist, no doubt I’d be pacing the room right now.
8:27pm – Patriots are currently challenging the ruling on the field. So CBS cuts to commercial, the one with the Jeep Liberty blowing through the snow. My father proceeds to tell me while going to my grandparents house this morning, he had snow like that coming up over his front bumper. Where does he get this ice cold demeanor? He shows less emotion than Tim Duncan. I mean this is a huge challenge and snow blowing up over the bumper is all he can talk about during the commercial. And I thought I acted like a kid when it snows….
8:30pm – SHOW ME YOUR FIRST POSTSEASON TOUCHDOWN COREY DILLON! A 25 yard scamper by Corey Dillon completes the momentum turn-around. Just after you think the Steelers are back in the game, the Patriots are up by three touchdowns, and Heinz Field is now quieter than Yankee Stadium during the 2004 World Series. I’ve said this before, and to my friends that actually listen to me, it’s a repeat, but Corey Dillon has been to the Patriots this year what Keith Foulke was to the Red Sox in the 2004 playoffs. He makes me wonder, as good as Antowain Smith was in 2001, how exactly the Patriots won two Super Bowls without a running attack like this. This guy is just great, he makes you all giddy inside. He's got the same look on his face the OC (happy trails bud) had on his face everytime he stepped onto the field at Fenway after being traded to the Sox. Its the look that says, "Wow, I'm used to playing in front of maybe 5000 people, this is AMAZING, I like winning."
8:38pm – First down run by Roethlisberger. He might be my new candidate for “QB who might be even better playing another position…say FB or LB?” He knocked QB/LB/DE Daunte Culpepper down a peg. And QB/PR/KR/WR/RB/whatever other position you have a hole at Michael Vick down a notch too.
8:42pm – Asante Samuel has a nose for the ball, along with stone hands. How many “almost interceptions” can you have in a single game? The tipped interception to Eugene Wilson. And this missed one in 4th down territory.
8:46pm – I thought I said Roethlisberger was a rookie? Four down territory and he airs a nice TD pass to Hines Ward. Once again, we have a ball game folks. The Steelers remind me a lot of the Patriots. Give them an extra chance, and they’ll take it (or in Doug Brien’s case, two extra chances). Teams of opportunity, they win games that result in the other team crying one excuse after another. They win because the CB’s jam the receivers. They win because “we turned the ball over in the red zone.” They win because other teams miss field goals and keep them in the game. You know what? Those are all parts of the game. And these two teams take advantage of opportunities better than anybody else in the NFL. It is no mistake that these two teams are in the AFC title game. This is what I’m starting to tell myself if things don’t go well. Yes, it’s almost working.
8:53pm – This game is like an emotional roller coaster. Up and down up and down. Now the Pats get a call overturned that was originally in their favor. Steelers ball, good return by Randle El. Bettis reels off a nice run. These are the types of games that give me a newfound respect for people with bi-polar disorder, ‘cause I sure feel like I have it now. Oh good, Dexter Reed is in for Rodney again. Seriously, if the Pats win this game, I’m investing in a tranquilizer gun for myself for the Super Bowl.
9:00pm – Start of the fourth quarter, first and goal for the Steelers inside the 5 yard line. 31-17 Patriots. Kristen and I agree, its Big Willie time. A goal line stand keeps it a two possession game. Four down territory for the Steelers.
9:02pm – Bill Cowher doesn’t agree with me, he kicks the field goal, Jim Nantz and Phil Simms agree with his call, it remains a two possession game. I hold true to my calling, Cowher made the wrong call. So you score a TD next possession, you need to go for two, so unless you get that, you still need two touchdowns just for the tie. I know you trust in your defense, so why not give the Patriots the ball at their own 2 yard line and make them earn the game? Who knows? Kristen agrees. “Why did they kick that?” she says, “Is this going to be the ‘Manning wanted to go for it on fourth down but Dungy waved on the punting team’ moment of this game?”
9:03pm – This weird Nike commercial comes on. Crazy techno music, Albert Pujols, Ben Roethlisberger, Mariano Rivera, Brian Urlacher and some others doing their respective sports in a small box. Weird masks appear on them, they get all freaky, I don’t get it, but it sure makes me want to watch Gladiator. My dad turns to me and says, “What the hell was that?” I don’t know dad, I really don’t know….
9:10pm – Kevin Faulk makes a nice 17 yard dash for a first down. Great change of pace back, and perfect time for the call. This is the slow uphill climb part of the roller coaster, it’s the part where the anticipation builds in your stomach and you try to build up the courage to let your arms flail in the air on the way down instead of holding on. But years of being a Red Sox fan has taught me to keep at least one hand on the restraint.
9:13pm – Adam Vinatieri tacks on another field goal. Current score 34-20 Patriots. Maybe this roller coaster is about to plateau. The drop-off is looking like we might not get to it again before the end of the game. Now is the time to start second guessing Cowher’s call to kick the field goal in four down territory. Or you could have just listened to me 11 minutes ago.
9:14pm – Phone commercial that slightly resembles the scene in Swingers where John Favreau keeps calling the girl who’s number he got earlier that night. My dad simply looks at me and says, “I didn’t get that one.” Gotta love it.
9:18pm – Interception Eugene Wilson. We think, its being reviewed. Remember ref, undisputable evidence. Meanwhile, Jimmy Buffet’s song “Volcano” plays in the background at Heinz Field. Foreshadowing? “I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know where I’m a’ gonna go, when the volcano blows.” Maybe some of the Steelers are wondering where they’re going to go after this volcano blows on them. Just a thought. Oh, and back to the game, Patriots ball, the ruling on the field stands, the Steelers are charged with their first time out.
9:30pm – 4th and 1 for the Pats. It would be a 43 yard field goal for Vinatieri, who hasn’t missed in 27 kicks. Pats elect to go for it. FIRST DOWN Pats!! Less than a 4:30 left in the game, and the Steelers are out of timeouts. This is looking good. That, my friends, shows confidence in your QB and your team. And that is why Brady and Belichick is a deadly combination. Cowher and Baby Ben, take note.
9:32pm – And now it’s looking even better. The end around? Twice in a game? It works for the first play of the game, so I guess its only fitting that it results in a Deion Branch touchdown for the Patriots final offensive play of the game. 41-20 New England Patriots. Just over two minutes to go. I hear a collective “Oops!” being mumbled by the “football experts” around the country. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. Continue to fool me week after week, I’m an idiot.
9:39pm – 1:24 left in the game. The Steelers are currently creeping inside the 20 for the obligatory garbage touchdown.
9:41pm – Touchdown Steelers. The ref is still holding his arms up. Well if this makes them feel better in the off-season, then I’ll accept it. You know the onside kick is coming now. Though I do admire them for not giving up before their fans did. There must be no more than seven thousand fans left in the stadium….probably all wearing red, white and blue. And there is a conspicuous absence of Terrible Towels. Guess the remaining ones can be used to clean the Gatorade off Belichick.
9:45pm – It is now official. The Patriots are the AFC Champions for the third time in four years. Dynasty? Of course not, the Pats would be lucky if they were even favored in the Super Bowl. But that has been their M.O. all year long. Today it was Brady, Asante Samuel and Eugene Wilson making the plays. Last week it was Bruschi, Vrabel, McGinest and Dillon. That’s what makes the Patriots so dominant, you never know who the hero will be. Everyone shares in the victory as much as everyone laments in the loss.
9:51pm – Is Joe Namath more drunk right now than he was in his last famous television appearance? At least he didn’t drop the trophy.
9:53pm – Bill Belichick brushes self promoting questions aside like Tom Brady brushes off teeny boppers. One day he might acknowledge what he’s done. But until then, Pats fans can just appreciate what they’ve got, the best big game coach and team in the business. With the victory tonight, Belichick has tied Vince Lombardi, the man the Super Bowl trophy is named after for the best playoff win percentage ever. Not too shabby. Bring on the Eagles!
