Normally, I think saying a team was "reading its own press clippings" as an explanation for a loss is nonsense--its essentially committing the fallacy of post hoc ergo propter hoc reasoning to explain a loss. There are usually many other more valid reasons for why a hot team fell to defeat. However, I was a little concerned the way our players were acting this week. They were way too receptive to the Subway Super Bowl questions (more like "Lincoln Tunnel Bowl"). The media also jumped the gun WAY to quick with this story, but whatever, they can do what they want and our team has to respond properly. Also, Mangini doesn't seem like the greatest motivational guy to counter those feelings. But what really made me believe there could be something to this was when I read the postgame recap on ESPN.com. Leon Washington said "we're not as good as we thought we were." This quote is disturbing on a few levels. First, you shouldn't lose confidence in your team because of one loss. But more importantly, how good did you think you were!? A quote like that shows real overconfidence. Now, there are many other factors as well, but I'm starting to think our team's collective head got a little inflated.
Good it'll knock em back to earth and then they'll play better. This could be another blessing in disguise.
Titans needed it too. Giants got it from the Browns, Pats were raped by the Steelers. This is the NFL, no one is safe.
I thought we'd been knocked down to earth enough times, when is it going to stick? When we get knocked out of the playoffs and spend the rest of it at home? We got blown out by the Chargers earlier in the season, and I figured okay this will wake up the CS. We then lost to the Raiders and barely squeaked by the Chiefs. I figured that'd motivate everyone to really put in the effort to win. So then we beat up on some more bad teams, squeak by the Pats, which should have told us that it's not easy to win, and then beat the Titans. It was a great win, but Favre preached caution in his presser. It's like nobody listened. I hope it sticks this time. Because we don't exactly have much room for error, especially in the playoffs. This team is really talented and has a favorable schedule. Getting a first round bye is HUGE. I still think if we play our best we are the best team in the AFC. But even our best might not be enough to take out the Giants. But if we don't play to win every single week, that won't even matter, because we'll never get the chance to try. We aren't good enough to overcome huge mistakes and bad efforts. Romo can rescue the Cowboys, but Favre is way past that in his career, especially to do it every week.
