Perfect NFL Playoff Weekend

Wow, what a weekend for football! First Green Bay destroys Seattle in an action packed snow game at Lambeau Field. The snowy images brought back warm (freezing cold actually) memories of our own Snow Bowl back in 2001 playoffs that started this whole Patriots Dynasty. We watched the Green Bay game from Gillette Stadium while waiting for the Perfect Patriots to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Pat's first playoff game of this season. Give the Jags their due, they showed up to play and they played hard. They didn't just come in running the ball as expected and they shut down Randy Moss, holding him to one catch. Watching the game live, it didn't feel like Brady and the offense were performing as well as the stats say they were. Tom Brady truly was perfect for most of the game, going 26-of-28 for 262 yards and three touchdowns. His 92.9 completion percentage was yet another NFL record. With long drives by both teams in the first half, the game went fast and was tied at 14. But even when the opponent brings their best game - the Patriots get even better when the game matters most. Our defense made great adjustments and shut the Jags down in the second half, holding them to two field goals. The highlight of the game for me was the best fake I've ever seen. The NFL needs to have an acting award because Tom Brady sold a fake handoff to Kevin Faulk so amazingly; both teams and the whole stadium seemed stunned when Tom still had the ball and threw for a touchdown. And give the fans some credit too - Gillette was LOUD, and it isn't always. Something about a dynasty can lull you into just sitting back and watching more than raising hell like fans should.

The weekend just got better though, with San Diego shocking Peyton Manning and the defending champion Colts on Sunday. Even if San Diego wasn't now riddled with injuries, I'd think the Pats path to the Super Bowl just got a little easier. I was also pulling for the Giants to beat the Cowboys since those New York Football Giants played so well against the Patriots in the final game of the regular season. I really wanted to see teams the played hard to end the full season beat the teams that rested and coasted at the end. I love that Eli is going to the NFC Championship while his big whiny brother sits back home.