Batting Around is BC Sports' look back at the week's happenings in the world o' sports, presented in a lineup card format for some undisclosed reason.
This week, we spent the first eight lineup slots looking back at the NFC and AFC championship games.
The Lineup Card
1. QB Tom Brady
2. RB LaDainian Tomlinson Michael Turner
3. RB Laurence Maroney
4. CB Antonio Cromartie
5. QB Eli Manning
6. K Lawrence Tynes
7. QB Brett Favre
8. WR Donald Driver
9. SP Bartolo Colon
Coach: Jason Garrett
Bench: Me
1. QB Tom Brady — Further proof that video games really have no predictive properties: A Madden 08 simulation said that Brady would throw five touchdowns and no interceptions. He actually threw two TDs and three picks.
And somehow that was enough to avoid the upset by the hands of the San Diego Chargers, 21-12, but we'll get into that later.
A lot of Brady's success comes from his own being, but the line has always been the foundation for the offense. So a bad day for Brady? No big deal. They'll just run it. And they did. (Which, again, we'll get into later.)
So really, much like the game, this entry wasn't really about Brady. He's not God's gift to football, but merely the archetypal New England Patriots offensive starter-- one of 11 — who does everything right and has 10 other stellar teammates to pick up the teensy bit of slack that may show itself throughout the game.
2. RB LaDainian Tomlinson Michael Turner — Like fish in a barrel, it's time to take contention with a knee-jerk canned Associated Press headline. Was "too little L.T." really a factor in this loss? Michael Turner is regarded as the league's best running back. And while his 12 carries for 65 yards were decent, Tomlinson probably could have gotten some more yardage, although I doubt it would have made 9 points difference. Or one point difference, at that.
The 12 points were the result of four almost touchdowns. New England's defense stepped up and shut down Rivers, Jackson, and Gates. Tomlinson probably would not have made much of a difference in those 3rd down conversions, because he is as good a rusher as Turner and as good a receiving tailback as Darren Sproles. The Pats linebackers basically shut down both main facets of their dynamic running game.
Although had Tomlinson played in the entire it game might've helped. A little. But not much.
Article comments
1 - RJ Elliott
Thanks for the memories, Suss.
;_;