The 2011-12 Patriots have the opportunity to settle some serious scores for New England fans. And it can all happen in the time span of just about one month.
In one playoff run the Patriots could put a lot of New England heart and minds at rest. The team has already beat Denver to avenge what is an underrated devastating loss from the 2005 playoffs.
Baltimore dismantled the Patriots during the 2009 playoffs. I was at Gillette Stadium that afternoon. It was cold. And it was absolutely miserable.
You might recall one more big playoff loss — this one from the 2007 season. That was when the Giants put a stop to the “best team ever” talks very quickly. Talk about miserable for New England fans.
The Broncos are in the rear-view. Next up; the Ravens. If New England makes it past this weekend, two more storylines can unfold.
A victory this Sunday puts the Patriots in the Super Bowl. That means the final battle will be in the home of their arch rivals. Yes, think about it. This year the Super Bowl will emanate from Indianapolis.
There would be no better place to complete their “V For Vendetta” run than the home of Jim Irsay and Peyton Manning (at least his home for the time being).
And, lastly, who might their opponent be for the big game? The New York Football Giants.
This is too much to be some coincidence. It’s poetry. The football Gods want to either solidify New England as the team of the early part of this century, or completely break their backs with another heart-wrenching loss.
This is why we love sports.
[art via aiglemkf]
