The Pats and Dolphins just faced off on MNF in what should have been a shoot out to decide 2nd place in the hotly contested AFC East. The Pats won by almost 30 points and the game was simply unwatchable.
Let me start off by saying that I am a life long Jets fan and obviously a Patriot hater. But, there is no team in the entire league I hate more than the Dolphins. I am going to point out a few, very significant plays where the referees changed the momentum and coarse of this game. I will be defending the Dolphins (who got robbed) and if anyone thinks that I am being unfair because Tom Brady is a douche, just remember who's side I am taking here.
The game was just starting the second quarter and the Dolphins are leading 7-3. Ricky Williams breaks off a huge run and after his 3rd juke he had a clear shot to the endzone. That would have made the score 14-3 and the Dolphins would have complete control of the game. Instead the final Patriot defender, who missed the tackle badly, sticks out his right leg and BLATANTLY trips Williams. No flag and not a word from the studio commentators even after the second replay. He tripped the guy in the open field and prevented the TD. Another play is forced and immediately Henne throws his 2nd INT. That (ill-advised) pass should have never been necessary.
Now it's 7-6 and the 2nd half kickoff is in the air. #19 Tate takes the ball from the endzone and starts heading up the field. He follows a lane along the sideline. #39 of the returning team BLATANTLY and very obviously blocks a Miami player in the back and springs Tate for a 103 yd TD. The kick return was replayed 3 times. The first time showed the return after the illegal block, the second was cut off right before the block happened and the last replay actually edited out the illegal move by showing the beginning and end of the play, conveniently omitting the middle. This TD should have been called back but instead it completely changed the game.
Later in the 3rd quarter Cameron Wake, the young CFL transplant who has been making some serious waves as the newest elite pass rusher in the AFC, bullrushed the patriots LT. His whole existence is about protecting Brady's blindside. Wake got an amazing first step and the savvy tackle knew he had no choice but to grab him and hold on for dear life. It was another BLATANT penalty, and it was the right choice by the linemen. It is more important to protect your franchise than to worry about getting called. The ref threw the flag and after a conference the head referee decided to make him pick it up and announced "there was no holding on the last play". The replay showed exactly what the original ref called... unmistakable HOLDING. Again, not a word from the guys in the booth.
That last play may seem insignificant, but it is a microcosm for what is wrong with the NFL and it's select few superstars. Players like Tom Brady are not allowed to lose in key games and the outcome is controlled by a few, very significant calls and non-calls by the officials. Tom Brady needs to be in the post season as far as the NFL is concerned. If anyone thinks that they would have let the Pats slip to 3rd place in the AFC East, and let their golden child start to become an after thought, you are fucking nuts.
The 2010 Patriots are simply garbage. They stole the game against the Bills and another against the Dolphins. Their secondary is inexperienced and weak, as is their backfield and defensive line. Teams that are built like them win 3 games all year, and somehow they are 3-1 after four. It must be the genius of Mr. Belichick.
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