2008 Woodie Awards
Seventh-Inning-Stretch: Nineteen and countring for New England
Justin Aucoin
Issue date: 10/14/04 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
It has been well over a calendar year since the last time it happened; the date was Sept. 28, 2003, to be exact.
Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady threw for 289 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions that sunny afternoon. He was phenomenal and horrific at the same time. In fact, he threw for more passing yards than his opponents, the Washington Redskins, earned in total yardage on offense.
Still, the Redskins defeated the Patriots, 20-17. It has been a feat no team has been able to achieve against New England since.
The following week, the Patriots eluded the Tennessee Titans, 38-30, and since then have won an unprecedented 19 straight games, surpassing the '33-'34 and '41-'42 Chicago Bears, the '89-'90 San Francisco 49ers and the perfect season '72-'73 Miami Dolphins and about another half-dozen teams, winning 18 games straight.
In the NFL, it is hard enough to put a three or four-game winning streak together, forget what the Patriots have been able to accomplish. Still, New England's streak isn't getting the full recognition it should be.
If you flip through the NFL record books you will not see New England's 19 game winning streak listed, merely because NFL historians do not count playoff games as part of streaks. In their eyes, the Patriots have only won 16 straight games and need to win two more games to tie the "real" record and three to call it their own.
Even if you are not a sports fan or do not understand football, you may ask yourself, "Aren't those three games that don't count in the streak actually the most important?"
The answer is yes. Just ask the Indianapolis Colt's and Philadelphia Eagles. They are two teams that have unbelievable talent on their roster but always seem to find new ways of choking in their respected conference finals.
Then there is the beloved Boston Red Sox pennant run that has slightly shadowed the Patriot's achievement. And now with yet another Sox-Yankee showdown, New England will get less acknowledgment. Even during CBS's Fifth Quarter-a show dedicated to the Patriots-the hosts could not help but bring up the fact that the Red Sox and Yankees play each other this week in the American League Championship Series (ALCS).
Nineteen games, people! Nineteen games!
I'm not trying to take away from the intensity and importance of the ALCS, but can't we dedicate one day to what the Patriots have done? Apparently not.
Still, the Pats take it in stride. They do not see what they have done as one winning streak of 19 games. Instead, they see it as 19 one-game winning streaks. To them, each game is a season and not winning is failure. They continue to defy critics and so-called "experts" who doubt New England day in and day out.
They see their winning streak as nice, but give any one of them the option of a third Super Bowl ring this year or the record for most consecutive wins, they will pick the Super Bowl every time-it is every team's ultimate goal.
And the Patriots won number 19 the same way they have won every other game since defeating the Titans last year-with perseverance and gritty play by both the offense and defense teams.
New England's 24-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins this past Sunday was no different. Brady did not look as sharp as he normally does but was good enough to get the job done. He threw for less than 100 yards for the first time in his career, while running back Corey Dillon rushed for only 95 yards for New England. The Dolphins actually had more penalty yards (86) then their team did in rushing yards (67) and Brady had in passing yards (69).
Miami also had several chances in the final five minutes to cut the lead in half and then tie New England but came up short each time because of the Patriots hard-hitting defense.
The Pats have not always played brilliantly or up to the caliber in which they are capable. They have not always stormed right through their opponents with the greatest of ease and grace. They have not always had the most talented players out on the field. What they have always done since late last September is win.
For the Patriots, it does not matter if they are playing the winless Buffalo Bills or the powered offense of the Indianapolis Colts. Somehow they find a way to win.
"There's no set formula," Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said after his team's historic 19th victory in a row.
No set formula? How about the fact that his players come up big when needed; i.e. New England's goal-line stand in the AFC Championship last year against the Colts, Brady's countless marches downfield for late-scoring drives and anytime kicker Adam Vinatieri steps on the field for a game winning field goal.
Out of their 19 consecutive wins, nine have been decided by six points or less. Those are nine games New England could have lost but did not because of their determination to win.
And the amazing thing is the Patriots are not done yet.
Justin Aucoin is the sports editor for The Beacon. He can be reached at BosFan24@yahoo.com
Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady threw for 289 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions that sunny afternoon. He was phenomenal and horrific at the same time. In fact, he threw for more passing yards than his opponents, the Washington Redskins, earned in total yardage on offense.
Still, the Redskins defeated the Patriots, 20-17. It has been a feat no team has been able to achieve against New England since.
The following week, the Patriots eluded the Tennessee Titans, 38-30, and since then have won an unprecedented 19 straight games, surpassing the '33-'34 and '41-'42 Chicago Bears, the '89-'90 San Francisco 49ers and the perfect season '72-'73 Miami Dolphins and about another half-dozen teams, winning 18 games straight.
In the NFL, it is hard enough to put a three or four-game winning streak together, forget what the Patriots have been able to accomplish. Still, New England's streak isn't getting the full recognition it should be.
If you flip through the NFL record books you will not see New England's 19 game winning streak listed, merely because NFL historians do not count playoff games as part of streaks. In their eyes, the Patriots have only won 16 straight games and need to win two more games to tie the "real" record and three to call it their own.
Even if you are not a sports fan or do not understand football, you may ask yourself, "Aren't those three games that don't count in the streak actually the most important?"
The answer is yes. Just ask the Indianapolis Colt's and Philadelphia Eagles. They are two teams that have unbelievable talent on their roster but always seem to find new ways of choking in their respected conference finals.
Then there is the beloved Boston Red Sox pennant run that has slightly shadowed the Patriot's achievement. And now with yet another Sox-Yankee showdown, New England will get less acknowledgment. Even during CBS's Fifth Quarter-a show dedicated to the Patriots-the hosts could not help but bring up the fact that the Red Sox and Yankees play each other this week in the American League Championship Series (ALCS).
Nineteen games, people! Nineteen games!
I'm not trying to take away from the intensity and importance of the ALCS, but can't we dedicate one day to what the Patriots have done? Apparently not.
Still, the Pats take it in stride. They do not see what they have done as one winning streak of 19 games. Instead, they see it as 19 one-game winning streaks. To them, each game is a season and not winning is failure. They continue to defy critics and so-called "experts" who doubt New England day in and day out.
They see their winning streak as nice, but give any one of them the option of a third Super Bowl ring this year or the record for most consecutive wins, they will pick the Super Bowl every time-it is every team's ultimate goal.
And the Patriots won number 19 the same way they have won every other game since defeating the Titans last year-with perseverance and gritty play by both the offense and defense teams.
New England's 24-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins this past Sunday was no different. Brady did not look as sharp as he normally does but was good enough to get the job done. He threw for less than 100 yards for the first time in his career, while running back Corey Dillon rushed for only 95 yards for New England. The Dolphins actually had more penalty yards (86) then their team did in rushing yards (67) and Brady had in passing yards (69).
Miami also had several chances in the final five minutes to cut the lead in half and then tie New England but came up short each time because of the Patriots hard-hitting defense.
The Pats have not always played brilliantly or up to the caliber in which they are capable. They have not always stormed right through their opponents with the greatest of ease and grace. They have not always had the most talented players out on the field. What they have always done since late last September is win.
For the Patriots, it does not matter if they are playing the winless Buffalo Bills or the powered offense of the Indianapolis Colts. Somehow they find a way to win.
"There's no set formula," Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said after his team's historic 19th victory in a row.
No set formula? How about the fact that his players come up big when needed; i.e. New England's goal-line stand in the AFC Championship last year against the Colts, Brady's countless marches downfield for late-scoring drives and anytime kicker Adam Vinatieri steps on the field for a game winning field goal.
Out of their 19 consecutive wins, nine have been decided by six points or less. Those are nine games New England could have lost but did not because of their determination to win.
And the amazing thing is the Patriots are not done yet.
Justin Aucoin is the sports editor for The Beacon. He can be reached at BosFan24@yahoo.com