Perfection *

**Angus** · 04/12/2007, 7:57 AM

Well, another 4th quarter win for the Pats and, unfortunately, a dodgy call.

You can hear and could see the annoyance in Brady and Bellichick, knowing that the perfect season would be tainted by the unbeliveble holding call.

The Pats are a remarkably good team - for me, their legacy is one where they got very lucky in the famous playoff game against Oakland, with another blown referee call.

They are the best we have seen over the last few years but their first superbowl and what could be this perfect season will have the same asterisk beside it that some of the Juve and Man U wins of the mid 90's have - aided and abetted by bad umpiring.

**Dodge** · 04/12/2007, 9:45 AM

hope they dn't go unbeaten. Late wins v Eagles and a poor Ravens side show they may be slipping

Or they're just resting...

**Burny89** · 04/12/2007, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by Angus

Well, another 4th quarter win for the Pats and, unfortunately, a dodgy call.

You can hear and could see the annoyance in Brady and Bellichick, knowing that the perfect season would be tainted by the unbeliveble holding call.

The Pats are a remarkably good team - for me, their legacy is one where they got very lucky in the famous playoff game against Oakland, with another blown referee call.

They are the best we have seen over the last few years but their first superbowl and what could be this perfect season will have the same asterisk beside it that some of the Juve and Man U wins of the mid 90's have - aided and abetted by bad umpiring.

Wise up! They won, thats sports! Never realised that big old asterix by uniteds name

**Angus** · 04/12/2007, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by Burny89

Wise up! They won, thats sports! Never realised that big old asterix by uniteds name

Yes, they did - all I am saying is that assuming they win the rest of their games, which they are likely to do because they are the best by some distance, last night's last minute and a half will, in my mind (not that anybody else will care !!), leave the incredible achievemnt slightly less valid because of a dodgy call and the fine issued to the coach earlier in the season - it does not take away from their superiority over pretty much every other team - it just takes something small away from the perfect season achievement they are likely to emulate.

Put it this way, if they were 10 and 1 instead of 11 and 0, this would not be an issue. The significance of the game, and the fact I woke up at 345am to watch this is the perfect season - and it is slightly tainted.

**RogerMilla** · 04/12/2007, 11:41 AM

also irrelevant if they they dont win the superbowl.. there will be tough playoff games .. reminds me a bit of new zealand in the rugby world cup..

**shedite** · 04/12/2007, 1:24 PM

Nobody is gonna remember a monday night game in Baltimore. It will be forgotten about by the time they get to Arizona

**Real ale Madrid** · 05/12/2007, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by Angus

Well, another 4th quarter win for the Pats and, unfortunately, a dodgy call.

You can hear and could see the annoyance in Brady and Bellichick, knowing that the perfect season would be tainted by the unbeliveble holding call.

The Pats are a remarkably good team - for me, their legacy is one where they got very lucky in the famous playoff game against Oakland, with another blown referee call.

They are the best we have seen over the last few years but their first superbowl and what could be this perfect season will have the same asterisk beside it that some of the Juve and Man U wins of the mid 90's have - aided and abetted by bad umpiring.

What a load of rubbish. Gaffney's catch was the only call that on review maybe is debatable. The Ravens screwed it up all by themselves.

**Angus** · 05/12/2007, 11:42 AM

You don't think the holding call on 4th down was generous, to say the least ?

Let me preface this by saying that, as I am sure you will agree, holding, like pushing in soccer, happens all of the time and it should be blatant to be called.

**Aberdonian Stu** · 05/12/2007, 2:58 PM

Peter King had some good analysis on it yesterday and even though he's the biggest Pats fan this side of Bill Simmons he stil made some valid points regarding the rules that seem to show the calls were right. The holding call, by which I think you mean the defensive holding call, was the correct decision. A brave one to make yes, but still the right one.

**Real ale Madrid** · 06/12/2007, 3:00 PM

[QUOTE=Angus;832668]You don't think the holding call on 4th down was generous, to say the least ?

QUOTE]

no i don't - the ump was in a perfect position and made the correct call. The Patriots were very fortunate to win the game - but in no way would i blame the umpires - The Ravens must have been extremely frustrated after the game and came out and said some silly things but in the cold light of Day they got most of the decisions right.

I am a Patriots fan but even if i wasn't i must admit its really starting to grip me this pursuit of 16-0, I really hope they go on and do it now. but it won't mean anything to Bellichick unless they win the superbowl.

The steelers have some great stats on defence - fewest pass yards allowed and fewest total yards allowed and second fewest rushing yards allowed and have the best chance at this stage to beat them.