Anyone think New England’s going down?

BY SCOTT JACOBS
JSB ONLINE COLUMNIST

They were championed by the media. Rulers of the football universe for an entire 16 game slate. They took down anyone who came in their path, putting up unparalled offensive numbers, and breaking countless records. They were disliked, hated in fact, by a hoard of media who wanted to put a fork in their success and claim it was a video camera that done it.

This week, they start anew. No records needed. Everything to prove. Little to gain. Everyone’s gunning for them, though what’s new after they told people they wanted to “not only beat you, but to kill you.” What they did for 16 weeks will look great in a record book, but incomplete if they can’t finish the job. Pressure? That’s the understatement of the universe.

But that’s what New England wants. The world on their shoulders. The expectations that nothing but a ring on their finger will get the job done. People claimed they didn’t enjoy their regular season, and that was with 16 wins and a goose-egg in the loss column. A loss in the playoffs will doom them to the greatest team that couldn’t win it all.

Tom Brady is the MVP. Bill Belichek is the Coach of the Year. The Patriots have homefield throughout the playoffs. Everything says they can’t lose. But one slip-up, against a very good team, and the greatest superpower we’ve ever seen on a football field, goes up in smoke.

Smoke and mirrors you ask, when wondering about Jacksonville’s chances this week? Let’s find out.

Jacksonville is coming off a tough come from behind win after man-handling the Steelers for most of the game. David Garrard’s 2 interceptions, and the rushing game’s anemic output will not do the trick in Foxboro. In fact, this game reminds me a little bit of that Jags-Pats game a few years ago.

Why?

Because people also thought Jacksonville could win that game. And they didn’t. They were hammered in fact, in the last game ABC broadcasted. But wait a minute you say. In 1996 the Jags took out New England in Foxboro. So shouldn’t we at least give them a fighting chance to do the unthinkable? (Shh… I won’t say it, cause I don’t want to jinx it… but here’s a hint, the word I’m going for starts with a “w” and ends with “in”)

This is the classic, well, someone has to beat those guys argument, that we often love to throw out there in sports. And Jacksonville is considered quite the challenger, because well, they can run the ball, they don’t turn the ball over, and they grind out wins. Everything they didn’t do in Pittsburgh. So what makes one think that everything they didn’t do in the Steel City will reverse itself and perfect itself in New England?

Jacksonville is a very good team, and any other year I would like their chances. But that game in Pittsburgh exposed some major chinks in their armor. Mainly that they’re new at this whole, playoff thing. The Patriots not so much. New England has had two weeks to focus on this game, and they’re going to be so prepared, Jacksonville might not want to take the field.

New England knows that they’re playing for a championship, but even more, an unprecedented spot in history, unmatched by anyone, ever.

19-0 has been thrown out there a lot. People say, eh, New England has already won a few, they’re not as hungry. Don’t buy that for a second.

Ask Randy Moss if he has a ring? No. How about Wes Welker who jumped ship just in time from Miami to the Untouchables. What about Laurence Maroney? No? And it’s clear now about Brady and Mr. Hoodie. They want to be the greatest tandem ever. They want to go out with more rings then anyone, ever. And with three down and three to go, who’s to say they can’t do it?

Last year it looked like they might be in some trouble with no receiving corps (the reason they lost to the Colts), but they went out in the off season and had arguably the greatest off-season ever. Even George Steinbrenner was probably watching and going, “damn these guys are good.”

So you don’t have to like them. Many outside of New England don’t. But damn it, don’t underestimate the drive for greatness. The chance to do the unthinkable.

It’s like that line in Remember the Titans, “Now, I know I ain’t perfect, none of us are, but this team has not lost. And that, makes this team, perfect.”

A strong driving force for the team that refuses to get high on itself will be more then enough to combat a game, but flawed Jags team.

At least, that’s the thinking that I’ve learned from New England this year.

Pat-Fect? The journey starts this week.

Popularity: 2% [?]