Yep, if you haven't heard, the improbable happened again in the NFL-- SB XLII was won by the NY Giants 17-14 over the ready-to-be-coronated, perfect season having New England Patriots.  So much for that notion.

I watched the whole game and could not believe the defense being played by both teams, especially the brutal domination of the Patriots' offensive line by the Giants' front line.  Officially Brady was sacked 5 times, but unofficially, he hit the ground alot-- probably over 20 times or more-- it was absolutely brutal on certain possessions.   On the other side, Eli Manning was also under siege, but he also ended up with perhaps the most clutch offensive possession in this year's postseason, and did it with only the Super Bowl hanging in the balance.  

I kinda knew that someone other than the Patriots would raise the XLII trophy, not in my wildest dreams did I believe it would be the Giants, but I had a strong hunch on this game.  Let me explain myself before you think I'm pulling a fast one on everyone!!!

I was in a conversation before the start of this year's playoffs with a couple of diehard football fans like myself, and I made one statement from past experience-- that if the Patriots lose the last game, then they'll raise the Lombardi Trophy, but if they don't, they're not winning it all....  Of course, they beat the Giants 38-35 to go 16-0, and we know how Super Bowl XLII went.   

My past experience I was making reference to was the 2005 Colts.  I distinctly remember the season very well, week 15 matchup with San Diego and the Colts rolling along with a 13-0 record.  The prevailing feeling was that with each successive victory, the pressure mounted and the story grew larger.  Soon, every team was playing the Colts like it was their own private superbowl and at a certain point, there wasn't any real compelling reason to play that way when everything has been wrapped up.

The Chargers beat the 2005 Colts at home 26-17 to make them 13-1, BUT that was actually a blessing-- it ended the speculation of the "perfect season".  The next 3 games had the Colts going 2-1 but the pressure cooker was stopped-- unfortunately the Colts took it a little too easy against the Steelers in the playoffs. (but that was a totally different story IMO.)

This is where I believe the Pats faltered-- they seemed to not get the "rest" from the pressure by going perfect this season, and I believe this cost them the one victory that mattered this season-- XLII.  Sure, I congrat them for posting 16-0 for the first time in NFL history-- not a small feat by any measure, but now they will have the distinction of being the answer to a few NFL trivia questions instead of wearing the ring.  

I betcha if you ask the Pats about which would you rather want, 16-0 regular season record, or a XLII victory, they would be thinking XLII.  Just remember those 13-0 2005 Colts-- I do-- but I guarantee you that hardly anyone else does-- catch my point????