Wonder whatever became of the Pats? Well, they missed their target of 38 points, but still comfortably routed the Bengals last night, 34-13. On paper, it looked like the Bengals hung around - it was 10-7 until late in the second quarter - but it never felt like they were any closer than a long arm's length.
With Laurence Maroney sidelined due to a groin injury, the spotlight shone on Sammy Morris, who made the spotlight operator run up and down the field a lot, punishing the Bengals for 117 yards (didn't it seem like he got 6 yards every time he touched the ball?) and a touchdown. With everyone in the receiving game healthy, Tom Brady was his usual masterful self, notching 231 yards and hitting Randy Moss twice and Mike Vrabel once for TDs. Brady was pressured a little in the first half, but the depleted Cincinnati defense never really seemed to get close to him as the Pats pulled away in the second.
The defense wasn't spectacular, but was thoroughly efficient, keeping Carson Palmer and his superstar receivers from breaking any big plays, and keeping Cincy's running game a complete cipher.
Even Belichick couldn't find much to grumble about in the postgame press conference, praising the players, singling out Asante Samuel's coverage of Chad Johnson, and grimly reminding everyone that the upcoming game against Cleveland has the fate of the free world resting on it. Good thing, because this sucker has "trap game" written - not in permanent marker, but still - all over it.
You may have spent last night flipping back and forth to TBS, where the familiar voice of Don Orsillo was narrating a completely wacky playoff game between the Padres and Rockies. You may very well have gone to bed before the utterly insane 13th inning, when San Diego took a 2-run lead on a Scott Hairston home run, only to see Trevor Hoffman give three runs back in the bottom of the 13th, on a Matt Holliday triple, a Jamey Carroll sac fly, and a controversial play at the plate (did Holliday's hand actually touch the plate?). Colorado advances to play Philly in the first round; San Diego actually has to start thinking about the Chargers. Poor them.
The Red Sox, between acts at the rally, announced that Daisuke will start Game 2 at home and Curt Schilling will take Game 3 on the West Coast. You may want to see how the next few weeks shake out before you complete your purchase, but if you have an obnoxious Yankee fan on your Xmas list, the official Yankees Wild Card hat is available for sale.
Image from Amazon.
add to digg
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
