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Addendum to Last Post: The Plays Before a Funny Bounce Count Too

The Patriots need not be too mad at themselves for the double lateral touchdown that beat them last Sunday. Fluke plays are by definition something unlikely to ever happen again, even your own screwups within it. Franco Harris played 10 seasons after 1972 and never had another Immaculate Reception.

The Patriots, however, should be dismayed about the many previous plays that let the Dolphins stay within a funny bounce of victory. It's like Bob Ryan wrote about losing NBA games on bad calls down the stretch. Bad calls happen. It's your fault for letting the game be close enough to be turned on them.

New England blocked two Miami punts. A team that does that should win by 10 or more points 90 percent of the time and it should never, ever lose the damn game.

The Pats lost anyhow. They lost despite turning in about 10 game-winning plays against what might politely be called a mediocre opponent. That's what most notable about the Dolphins game.

Or do I mean ominous? No, that's still way too strong. Might not be by 7:30 Sunday evening, though.

posted by Michael Gee @ 10:37 AM