Reliving the Giants and Patriots Super Bowl Feels Fantastic

Please tell me I'm dreaming.  Tell me that I didn't just see Eli Manning throw a fade over the head of an over matched Patriots defender to pull out a last second win over the Patriots, again.  Tell me I didn't have to endure a bunch of Giants' fans acting the fools in the parking lot after the game (You know you still live in New Jersey, right, and that's not going to change).  Tell me again that Number 77 has checked in as an eligible receiver.

This time some unknown linebacker named Tracy White was the outclassed defender, as Brandon Spikes went down with pulled pansy earlier in the drive.  And this time I had the good fortune of attending the game live as I grew increasingly disgusted as the game went on.  Not so much because of the loss but because I had seen this same exact game played a couple of years ago - February of 2008 actually.  Is Bill "V Rings" Belichick just mailing these games in or something?

Better times yesterday afternoon

The comparisons are startling.  Two high-powered offenses (although not that high powered recently) that didn't come alive until the Fourth Quarter.  The Patriots taking the lead with just a couple of minutes left in the game.  Wes Welker leading the offense, even though the team should be running against this Giants defense.  And plenty of time for Eli to win the game.  I'm still shaking my head just thinking about it. 

But did it have to be this way?  Bill O'Brien has seen the tapes from the Super Bowl, right?  The Giants front four is REALLY good.  They don't need to blitz and try different formations to put pressure on quarterbacks in passing situations.  I'm no genius, but couldn't they have run a little more than they did?  Pound the ball into that line.  Except for some trickery with Danny Woodhead taking a direct snap and handing off to Wes Welker on a reverse (which my friend insisted was tapped up in the air on purpose...yeah I laughed too), the Patriots' offense looked exposed and sorry.  I am actually considering purchasing tickets to this franchise next year?  Lord help me.

But let's not place the blame entirely on O'Brien.  Despite 2 touchdowns and over 300 yards passing, Brady looked awful against the Giants.  People were booing Chad Ochocinco every time a pass sailed over his head or wide left or right.  But that's the point.  Brady wasn't even close on the pass to Ochocinco in the endzone.  A couple of passes to Rob Gronkowski at the end of the game seemed like they should have been caught, but they weren't crisp passes.  I believe the words "Where the Hell was that pass going?" came out of my mouth after each of those passes.  Add to that two hideous interceptions and a fumble, and Brady looked positively Bledsoe-dian.

I'm still not ready to talk rationally abut this.  But where do we go from here?  A tough game against the Jets is looming next week and it appeared that Patrick Chung and Brandon Spikes are both hurt.  Not that they're that great to begin with, but I'm afraid we're one more injury away from seeing Junior Seau pulled out of retirement.  Oh God, no.  Please don't tell me.