It wasn’t a game so much as a coronation, an acknowledgment that the New England Patriots are indeed the perfect team — at least in the regular season.
They defeated the New York Giants 38-35 Saturday night in a contest that meant nothing except whether the 2007 Patriots would have a place in history. There were no playoff implications for the Giants, who already had the fifth seed in the NFC playoffs secure, or the Patriots, who already had the top seed in the AFC.
Years from now, though, they will be talking about the 16-0 Patriots, the second team in modern NFL history after the 1972 Miami Dolphins to finish a regular season without a loss.
Years from now, we will remember Tom Brady like he was Saturday night — efficient, cool and deadly.
Years from now, we will remember Randy Moss flying past defenders like he did Saturday night.
Years from now, we will remember little Wes Welker confounding the opponent with tough catches and impossible elusiveness like he showed against the Giants.
And years from now, we will remember how resilient the Patriots were in a come-from behind victory against an opponent that gave them all they could handle.
The Patriots’ 16th triumph came in the same stadium where they had their first victory. That game, a 38-14 victory over the New York Jets, was the beginning of more than a run of dominance. The Jets blew the whistle on the Patriots for videotaping their sidelines that day in Giants Stadium. The resulting “spygate” controversy marred the Patriots’ accomplishments in the eyes of some, but also gave wings to the Patriots’ “us against the world” mentality.
The Patriots were videotaping again Saturday, except this time it was Brady with his personal camcorder, recording the moments for posterity.
The Patriots’ first touchdown was momentous. Two plays after Moss was knocked out of the game by a hit from Giants safety Gibril Wilson, he caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Brady. Moss danced among some teammates and spiked the ball, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, apparently for taking part in a group celebration.
He had good reason to dance because the touchdown was a record setter. The Patriots became the highest-scoring team in NFL history with their 561st point. It was Brady’s 49th touchdown pass, which tied Peyton Manning’s NFL record. And it was Moss’ 22nd touchdown reception of the year, which tied Jerry Rice’s NFL mark.
The Patriots paid the price for Moss’ post-touchdown antics, however, as Domenik Hixon took advantage of the short kickoff helped by the 15-yard penalty and went all the way for a 74-yard touchdown that gave the Giants a 14-10 lead.
The Patriots had the No. 1 scoring defense in the league going in, but they promptly gave up a touchdown on the opening drive of the game. The drive was highlighted by a 52-yard reception by Plaxico Burress. Two plays later, Giants quarterback Eli Manning threw a short pass to running back Brandon Jacobs, who ran a few yards and stretched the ball over the end zone for the touchdown.
Manning showed considerable poise and leadership on an 80-yard, two-minute drive before the end of the half. The Giants took a 21-16 lead when Manning found tight end Kevin Boss in the end zone for a 3-yard score.
The 21 points were the most the Patriots allowed in a first half this year, and the performance raised some questions about the Patriots defense heading into the playoffs. If Manning, Burress and Jacobs gave the Patriots problems, what might the Colts’ Manning, Marvin Harrison and Joseph Addai do in a game that means something?
The Giants added another seven to their lead on their first possession of the second half on Burress’ second touchdown catch, this one was a 19-yarder in the corner of the end zone.
But the Patriots kept their cool and continued to battle back. They answered Burress’ touchdown with an impressive drive that ended with Laurence Maroney’s 6-yard run. The touchdown and extra point brought the Patriots to within five.
The Patriots took the lead 31-28 with 11:06 remaining in the fourth quarter. One play after Brady and Moss were off on what should have been a long touchdown pass (Brady underthrew his pass and Moss failed to adjust and catch the ball), Brady hit Moss for a 65-yard touchdown pass past safety James Butler. The pass gave Brady and Moss their respective records for touchdowns in a season.
The Patriots upped their lead to 38-28 with 4:46 to play when Maroney scored from 5 yards out to cap a nine-play, 52-yard drive that ate up 5:17.
Playing without the starting right side of their line, the Patriots had protection issues. Brady usually was savvy enough to compensate by avoiding pressure, throwing the ball away or dumping it off. But he was continually hit, hurried and forced to adjust with his feet and his throws.
The Patriots will need better protection — and better defense — against the better teams they will face in what might be a more dramatic postseason than many of us thought it was going to be.
———-
dpompei@tribune.com
