Patriots.

Superbowl. Period.

For all of you who can't wait to tell me how 'insufferable' I have been for tooting our horn almost not at all this season, I can't stop you. Go ahead. But please, let's get three things down:

1. This team is the most well-balanced, well tempered team most of us have ever seen. Multiple receivers thrown to in every game; a Randy Moss who understands that he is just a part of the marvelous machine; a late-budding running game; an aging-nay veteran-defense that shows up every single week and does not relent; a special teams squad that just executes over and over again; and a QB who is smart and has great vision. It is a supreme mix.

2. This coaching, spy-gate notwithstanding, has made this season. Why? Two things. Making it a "team" and making that team play 60 minutes every. single. game. If you can make Randy, Seau, and Brady mesh on this team, you have some serious talent. And if you can make them play all sixty minutes every week, you are a god. How many times did people get down on WR for dropping off their routes when they knew they would not be thrown to? It's hasn't been an issue this year, so the Pats always drew defenders. etc. etc. etc. Eventually, you can't compete with it.

3. This team is relatively humble. There is very, very little grandstanding. I didn't like spy-gate and it will forever be attached to this team. But this team has not touted its greatness - yet. If it wins two weeks from now, it will simply revel in being the best ever -- for a long, long time.

p.s. Eli, I am revising my opinion of you. You are a clutch quarterback. You made some great throws. To mature, you just have to do that more consistently. I know you want back to back Manning superbowls. More than that, we all know your daddy wants it. And what Marty wants, Marty gets.

p.p.s. I said it before the game, it was Favre's risky tosses that would determine the game, and they did. He is really great. It just hurts that much more when he throws it away.