The debate is over. The mighty Patriots have fallen and Tom Brady no longer is perfect in the Super Bowl.The only quarterback that even remotely resembled our legendary Joe was Eli Manning and his Montana-like drive to win the Super Bowl. That clinching drive reminded some of the final minutes of Super Bowl XXIII as Manning threw the game winning touchdown with 35 seconds left. Montana to Taylor happened at 34 seconds to go.With the Giant upset, the Patriots can no longer be considered a powerhouse dynasty when compared to our 80's and 90's 49ers during their two decade run of dominance.
These teams not only won, they took opponents out in convincing fashion. The Patriots were expected to win and they choked under the pressure of the Giant defensive line.In Montana's fourth Super Bowl, he set records and led the 49ers to a 55-10 victory over John Elway and the Denver Broncos. The 49ers were expected to win and they did so in record breaking fashion over a tough team and a future Hall of Famer. In Brady's fourth Super Bowl appearance, he resembled a young Dan Marino in Super Bowl XIX as he was constantly hit and beat up throughout the game. The Montana to Brady comparison is no longer even remotely close.
Montana's 49ers were perfect during their run, including Steve Young's title in Super Bowl XXIX. The Brady and Belichick era Patriots now have one of the most disappointing losses in NFL history to deal with. Most championship teams are best known for winning the Super Bowl, but the contrary is true here. The 2007 New England Patriots and their perfect 16-0 regular season was still a great accomplishment, but great teams are remembered for winning titles. Despite the many great successes of this season, this team is now infamous for losing to the underdog New York Giants right on history's doorstep..Not the kind of legacy you are looking to have when history was right on their doorstep. So as 49er fans, all we have left at the moment is our rich history. Although our current 49ers are still a huge question mark, we can all rest easy now.The latest threat to Joe Montana's championship legacy is now over.
Even if the Patriots go on to win their fourth Super Bowl in the future, last night's loss tarnished their dynasty while the 49er accomplishments continue to sparkle in history's eyes as being truly extraordinary.The 1984 18-1 49ers were far superior teams to this year's Patriot team. Although, the 2007 Patriots share the same record as these two great teams, they simply didn't close the deal in the Super Bowl. The Patriot offense was stifled and their defense showed their age when Manning made play after play on the final drive. The 49er defenses during their championship runs were far better than the Patriots' current unit. I'll even take a rookie Ronnie Lott over a seasoned Asante Samuel.Offensively, the Patriots may have set multiple records, but the 49ers revolutionized offensive football when Bill Walsh implemented the West Coast Offense that sprung up so many copycats throughout the league in recent years. Now 49er fans can rejoice as our legacy lives on. Tom "Golden Boy" Brady is no doubt a great quarterback, but now he will never leave the shadow of true Super Bowl perfection that is Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers.
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Just a site note. With the next major events on the NFL schedule being the Pro Bowl in Hawaii and the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, I will continue my hiatis, but return on March 1st, in anticipation of the March 2nd start of free-agency, leading up to the draft in April.
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