The Birth of A Fan

14 years ago today, on a snowy, cold night in Foxboro, Massachusetts the New England Patriots defeated the Oakland Raiders 16-13 in the AFC Divisional Round. The game would go down in infamy as “The Tuck Rule Game” where referee Walt Coleman reversed the ruling of a fumble on the field due to a little known technicality at the time. Charles Woodson’s sack on Tom Brady was not really a sack, the supposed fumble recovered by Greg Bierkert not a fumble, and a game that looked to be won by the Oakland Raiders was once again up for grabs. With the drive alive the Patriots were able to get within FG range allowing for the heroics of Adam Vinatieri to put the game into overtime and then win the game for the Patriots.

This was more than a simple playoff victory for New England, though it didn’t seem like it at the time. Sure, it may go down in Patriot lore like the Snow Plow game vs Shula’s Dolphins, but it became so much more than that. It heralded an age of unparalleled success for the Patriots franchise as it was the first postseason game started by then 2nd year QB Brady. It was the final game played at Foxboro Stadium, nee Sullivan Stadium, the only home the Patriots had called their own as an NFL franchise. A building that had housed a frustrated fan base and largely irrelevant franchise ended up, on the final scene of its swan song, playing host to one of the most significant plays in, one could argue, NFL history before its demise. In the process, it gave birth to what has become the most successful NFL franchise in the 21st century.

More than all that though, January 19, 2002 was the birth of a fan.

AFC Wild Card Wrap Up

The first slate of games in the NFL’s 2015 postseason could not have been more opposite if they tried. On the one hand you had the massacre of the Houston Texans (and Brian Hoyer’s career as a starting QB) at the hands of the Chiefs and, on the other, the gutter war that was the Cincinnati and Pittsburgh contest. If you watched any of the game last night or watch any sports coverage this morning you know what a circus that was.

Now, despite the fact that I called both outcomes, the results of both games and the way they went down have me questioning my outlook. I’ll stick to my guns though and hope that the injuries the Steelers suffered in their game are not as serious as they appear and that they can still challenge, and beat, Denver with Noodle-Arm McGee back starting. Before we get to the Steelers and yesterday’s game that everyone will be talking about let’s go over JJ Watt’s season ending first.

Patriots 2015 Season Preview To Get Confident To

As we all know the real football season starts in January and is set to begin. In a surprise to no one the New England Patriots find themselves in the postseason for the 7th season in a row and enter the 2015 playoffs as defending Super Bowl champions and owners of the AFC’s #2 seed. However, not all is picture perfect in Patriot-land. The Patriots have been riddle with key injuries, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, and played uncommonly bad in the final month of the season losing 4 of their last 6 games and squandering the opportunity to lock up the #1 seed which has gone to the Denver Broncos instead.

Despite all of this though, I’m still confident that the Patriots will make it to Levi’s Stadium with a chance to defend their title and earn one for the thumb. While losing the #1 seed definitely hurts (I do not want to see the Patriots in Denver again. Once was good enough for me this season) fate is going to have the road to San Francisco not go a mile high but, instead, travel down Route 1. Allow me to explain how and why you should still feel confident in Bill and TFB as we break down the AFC Playoff picture.