12/13/09
This was a must-win game for New England for playoff hopes and they delivered, or Carolina didn't, whichever way you want to look at it. There's a loss of swagger, attitude, and confidence in this New England team that I think stems around a lack of a defensive presence. Well I suppose I don't have to think, I know. In years past New England has had several go-to players on defense. Guys you could depend on for turnovers, big plays, but most of all the intangibles. The presence that these players had made the opposition reluctant to face them. Alas, the Tedy Bruschi's, Rodney Harrison's, Lawyer Milloy's, and Ty Law's are gone. Most of these guys there time had come in New England.
As my Dad and I sat in the nosebleeds in the pouring rain, we watched New England claw its way to a 20-10 victory. To which I pose the question, is there such thing as an ugly win?
Some would argue that the ends justify the means, that the victory in itself sufficient, regardless of how it is achieved. Others might say that it's not enough to simply win. One must win with poise, power, skill, some sort of positive trait apart from either luck or the other team's misfortune (A few favorable calls from the refs couldn't hurt, right?).
While I could defend both points and take up more space in what's to be in all likelihood a long, drawn out discussion, ultimately it is wins that allow teams to progress into playoffs (DON'T TALK ABOUT PLAYOFFS? PLAYOFFS?*), not passing yards, receiving yards, turnover differential, or even points. Those statistics only augment ones chances of winning, theoretically all games could be 2-0 for a score.
*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdUr5hF0yGc
This was a must-win game for New England for playoff hopes and they delivered, or Carolina didn't, whichever way you want to look at it. There's a loss of swagger, attitude, and confidence in this New England team that I think stems around a lack of a defensive presence. Well I suppose I don't have to think, I know. In years past New England has had several go-to players on defense. Guys you could depend on for turnovers, big plays, but most of all the intangibles. The presence that these players had made the opposition reluctant to face them. Alas, the Tedy Bruschi's, Rodney Harrison's, Lawyer Milloy's, and Ty Law's are gone. Most of these guys there time had come in New England.
As my Dad and I sat in the nosebleeds in the pouring rain, we watched New England claw its way to a 20-10 victory. To which I pose the question, is there such thing as an ugly win?
Some would argue that the ends justify the means, that the victory in itself sufficient, regardless of how it is achieved. Others might say that it's not enough to simply win. One must win with poise, power, skill, some sort of positive trait apart from either luck or the other team's misfortune (A few favorable calls from the refs couldn't hurt, right?).
While I could defend both points and take up more space in what's to be in all likelihood a long, drawn out discussion, ultimately it is wins that allow teams to progress into playoffs (DON'T TALK ABOUT PLAYOFFS? PLAYOFFS?*), not passing yards, receiving yards, turnover differential, or even points. Those statistics only augment ones chances of winning, theoretically all games could be 2-0 for a score.
*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdUr5hF0yGc
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