2005 NFL Play-off Falcons Go Flat, Patriots Stay Tough and Talented

The Eagles Falcons playoff game went flat somewhere around the middle of the third quarter. The Steelers fought hard into the fourth quarter before the Patriots team effort squashed them flat. Bettis fumble just started things off wrong for the Steelers.

My first NFL roommate from the 1959 Browns training camp Dick Lebeau, now the terrific graying defensive coach for the Steelers, looked like he set out to shut down the Pat's running back Cory Dillon and he did. He had Dillon talking to himself. Patriots QB Tom Brady was on target again in another big game, firing one tight spiraled strike after another to receivers who made marvelous catches. It seems when a Patriot player bobbles a ball he winds up holding on to it while opponents drop most of theirs. What is it? A secret ingrediant? Team spirit? Guts? Skill? Desire?

When I saw Freddie Mitchell's, "look at me, Look at me" hair do at the end of the Eagles-Falcon game it convinced me the Patriots would win the Super Bowl by beating the Eagles. The Patriots have nothing but team business on their minds and the Eagles have a problem with players who are selfish enough to spend part of their teams limited capital on their own cheap self promotion. This appears to be a Terrill Ownes by-product or perhaps infection is a better word. I don't remember Mitchell catching any key passes against the Falcons.

The Eagles have a tough defense especially backed up on their own goal line. Jeremiha Trotter #54 Eagles Middle linebacker had another great game but so did #57 Adams and all of their defensive teammates. The Eagles defense played like the Patriots defense. The Eagles and Patriots defenses look pretty equal except the Eagles have the Owens-Mitchell distractions to deal with even though neither plays defense. Great defense wins Championships, the Patriots have the advantage.

It looks to me as though Eagles saftey Brian Dawkins #20 hasS intimidated Michael Vick when he put an outstanding lick on Vick in a previous game. Dawkins hits like Marvin Harrison #37 and Asante Samuel #22 the Patriots defensive backs.