It's The Extreme, Baby!

Yesterday in a What Would Dusty Do? post, I stated that I was not even going to bother watching my helpless 'Fins take on the Reason Bobby Lee Was Right New England Patriots.

Well, what with one thing and another, I did wind up watching the game. Okay, it wasn't so much a 'Fins win as it was a Pats loss. But we'll take it. I was a little apprehensive about how Gregg Easterbrook was going to treat the game today, but I need not have worried. He's not shooting fish at the moment:

New England Analysis Special!

Tuesday Morning Quarterback's AutoText can practically write this item -- which is a sign of how badly the once-perfect Patriots botched their tactics last night. First, Tis Better to Have Rushed and Lost Than Never to Have Rushed At All. Leading 28-23 with 1:52 remaining, the Flying Elvii faced third-and-9 on the Miami 21, the Dolphins down to two timeouts. Run the ball, force them to burn another timeout, and then you're punting back to a low-voltage offense which to that point had sputtered to gain just 210 yards at home. Doesn't that scenario favor the Flying Elvii? Instead Charlie Weis called a pass. Second, Crazy Pass Watch. Last week Tom Brady threw a pass whilst positioned on his keister (this is a technical term). The sports world praised Brady as charmed but yours truly said, "Plays like this almost always backfire: Tom, don't ever think about doing this again." With 1:52 remaining last night Brady threw from his keister once more, and this time the result was an interception. Third, Stop Me Before I Blitz Again! Now it's Miami facing fourth-and-10 on the New England 21 with 1:29 showing. Is Romeo Crennel distracted too? For two years during the Patriots' mega-streak, he has resisted the urge to call silly big blitzes. Now Crennel calls a silly big-blitz, sending seven gentlemen after A.J. Feeley; touchdown pass, and Miami wins. Ay caramba! Ye gods! Yumpin yiminy! Good golly Miss Molly!

Aaaaah, hahahahahaaaa! Rueage, indeed! Any time the 'Fins can take a game off the Pats, I consider the season to have been at least partially successful. We're still in the Suck Zone, but no longer under the Finger of God.