Deja vu with Pats

While watching the Patriots/Giants football game on Sunday, I got a sense of deja vu. It was just like the 2007 Super Bowl when Tom Brady led the Pats down the field late in the fourth quarter to give his team the lead. Bad thing was, both times he left Eli Manning too much time. All the defense had to do was come up with a stop. The only difference was this time the Giants only needed a field goal to tie the game, whereas in the Super Bowl they needed to get into the end zone, which they did when Palaxico Burress hauled in one of the most memorable (good or bad) touchdown receptions in Super Bowl history. The stage was set once again when Brady found Rob Gronkowski in the end zone to give New England a lead late on Sunday. But then, just like they did a few years ago, things started to fall into place for New York. A long pass down the middle of the field put them in New England territory and a penalty put them on the 1. It was only a matter of time before the Giants punched it in, which of course they did, with just seconds remaining. So, after that display against the Giants, are the Patriots any closer now to where they were last time they played the Giants -- the Super Bowl? Surprisingly, I have to say yes. There were some positives that came out of the game on Sunday which, despite the loss, was one of the most complete efforts by the Patriots all season even though that was hard to stomach right after the game. Lets start with the defense, which held the Giants, the No. 11 offense in the league, scoreless for a half. OK, they gave up 24 points in the second half, but it was a step forward for a defense that looked like it couldn't stop a Pop Warner team the week before against Pittsburgh. New England held New York, the sixth-best passing team in the NFL, to just 250 yards through the air. Devin McCourty looked MUCH better at corner and Kyle Arrington showed a lot of progress on the other side of the field. That 250 yards could have been less had it not been for a few great passes by Manning. There are still issues at the safety positions. Patrick Chung is a solid tackler, but not great in coverage, and there is no answer for the other safety position. That is the biggest concern right now. The defensive line looked good and for the first time was actually getting a push off the line and in the face of the opposing quarterback. That interception in the end zone by Arrington was about 80 percent because Andre Carter was in Manning's face forcing him to throw the ball off his back foot into a bad area. Carter looked great on Sunday. He is the only one consistently getting to the QB, however. He will need help in the pass rush if this team is to go deep in the playoffs and I'm not sure where it is going to come from. By the way, what ever happened to Jermaine Cunningham? The offense showed signs of greatness, but what is so frustrating this year is the inconsistency. I think they need to stick with the no-huddle like they did on their last full drive and let Brady do all the play calling. Time for some of the offensive coaches to put their egoes aside and let the guy on the field call the shots. That's when the Pats seem to work their best. Lastly, but not least, Chad Ochocinco finally looked good out there on the field. New England got him involved and it wasn't his fault he wasn't more productive, Even though he didn't have a single catch, Ochocinco ran some great routes. He was wide open on a post route in the end zone, but Brady underthrew the ball. He got good seperation on a play in the red zone, but once again Brady missed the target. And he ran a great quick slant and would have made the catch had it not been for a great defensive play.