Ok, so maybe I was too conservative when I said there was no way that a team could go a full 16 game season undefeated in todays NFL.
13-0, and this one was absolutely convincing. No luck to it, this was just a game where both teams played solidly; but one team outplayed the other at every turn.
Through the first half Pittsburgh really kept the game going; but the Patriots demonstrated once again that they play at 100% for all four quarters. As the Steelers defense tired out, the Patriots kept up their phenomenal usage of superior physical conditioning and tactical substitution; keeping the most talented players at their best, all the way through the last minutes of the game.
In the fourth quarter, the Steelers simply lost the mental and spiritual game. They were tired, they were fighting a 3 touchdown lead, and they were angry.
Mel commented that it must be frustrating for other teams playing the Pats these days. A team looks like they're going to do something, the defense is shutting the pats down, and there's decent offensive production; when all of a sudden they're down by 21 with 12 minutes to play.
Honestly, it's not exactly surprising that the Pats have been drawing a lot of personal fouls, and some fighting.
The remaining three games... Well, the old saying "any given Sunday" is true; but at this point, it would surprise me if the Pats didn't finish out with three more wins. The Jets and the Dolphins are the two worst team in the AFC right now (in fact the Dolphins are the worst team in football, and are likely to end up the only team with a winless season in NFL history) ; and honestly, I don't think the Giants are going to be a problem.
So here's to lucky number 13.
