Mark Kriegel is the national columnist for FOXSports.com. He is the author of two New York Times best sellers, Namath: A Biography and Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich, which Sports Illustrated called "the best sports biography of the year."
Updated: January 20, 2008, 11:47 PM EST
Laurence Maroney found running room in the fourth quarter.
(Globe Staff Photo / Jim Davis)
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Last week, Tom Brady threw but two incompletions.
On Sunday, with an historic season in the balance, the best big-game quarterback in football threw three interceptions.
This might seem like cause for optimism for the Giants. New York might also take comfort in the fact that Randy Moss, who set a record for touchdown receptions this season, was held to a single catch — and that didn't come until midway through the third quarter.
Yes, with this conference championship game now in evidence, there are a number of ways to argue against the Pats. San Diego was playing without the best runner in the game, who sat on the bench with his helmet on, as if hoping that his dark face mask could keep his true identity a secret. The Chargers quarterback, though game, was also gimpy with a bad knee. Finally, the star tight end (two catches, 17 yards) was rendered ineffective with a sprained toe. It stands to reason that a healthy Phillip Rivers, a healthy LaDainian Tomlinson and a healthy Antonio Gates might well have changed the outcome of this less-than-epic contest.
For much of the afternoon, the Patriots' record-breaking offense was considerably less than sharp. The signature play of their season has been Brady to Moss, who tends to catch the ball without any break in his long, loping strides. And as it began on Sunday, Brady threw to Moss on the Patriots' third play from scrimmage. But this time, the ball traveled a path not unlike a knuckle-change that got away. It wasn't the wind, either. It was Brady.
"We didn't execute as well as we're capable," he said. "... It just felt like everything was a struggle today."
This was the Patriots' game to lose. For whatever reason — give the San Diego defense, especially cornerback Quentin Jammer, a load of credit — their offense was sloppy and mistake-prone. Jammer leaped high to snare the first interception. The second came off a bad pass that Donte Stallworth could only get a hand on. The third was all Brady, as he lost track of cornerback Antonio Cromartie in the end zone.
Bill Belichick (left) and Junior Seau (right) talked on the sidelines during the game.
(Globe Staff Photo / John Tlumacki)
So there you have it: the Patriots suddenly seem vulnerable. They can be beat.
Or can they?
There's another way to consider this contest. Even on their bad night — with their best player at his worst — the Patriots won. Again. The Chargers, on the road in the cold, had no pressure. With all the injuries, and the oddsmakers predicting a two-touchdown defeat, San Diego was playing with house money. On the other hand, the Patriots were looking at potentially the worst choke job in football history. But even as the game got tight, the Patriots did not.
And that — that ability to maintain their composure — is what should scare the hell out of the Giants.
"I've been with Tom for eight years," said Kevin Faulk. "He's thrown three interceptions before. He's the type of quarterback who just shakes it off. "
Lest you think Faulk was just talking, Brady was seven-for-seven in the fourth quarter. They were all short passes, the longest and last of them going for 14 yards to Faulk over the middle. But more than that, Brady's crew demonstrated spectacular adaptability.
As that fourth quarter began, the Patriots were clinging to a two-point lead and looking quite beatable. But then, without much warning, late in their 18th game of the season, they became a smash-mouth team.
Tom Brady made calls at the line of scrimmage in the first quarter.
(Globe Staff Photo / John Tlumacki)
Faulk, who is 31, caught the short passes, and Laurence Maroney, who is 22, started doing his Earl Campbell impression. Maroney finished with 122 yards, 106 of them in the second half. Recalled Faulk, "I told Laurence, 'Be patient, your time is going to come.' ... All year long we heard the question: 'Why don't you guys have a running game?' "
Well, Sunday they did — the sight of which would have warmed the hearts of smash-mouth advocates from Vince Lombardi to Bill Parcells. The Patriots didn't score on their last drive. But it was a triumph nonetheless, as they held the ball for the final nine minutes and 13 seconds.
The highest-scoring offense in football history has now shown it can win ugly.
The Giants should take note. It's not cause for much encouragement.
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