Classless Coach Belichick

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'SKINS, GIBBS HAVE WON BIG, BUT HAVE CALLED OFF THE DOGS

It's a testament to the greatness of the New England Patriots that the dominant topic in the wake of their games is whether they left their starters on the field for too long while blowing out the competition.

Still, Patriot Nation is up in arms over the notion that anyone would dare to suggest that their team or its head coach needs a lesson or two in sportsmanship -- reflecting to a certain degree the attitude projected by said team and said coach.

Only a day after being flooded with e-mails from Colts fans accusing me of having a bias in favor of the Pats for criticizing Gregg Easterbrook's "Colts are good, Pats are evil" essay from last Tuesday, I'm now being flooded with e-mails from Pats fans accusing me of having a bias against them.

Sheesh.

My take on whether I think the Pats went too far on Sunday -- and, more importantly, why I think they're doing it -- is summed up at the top of the Ten-Pack posted at SportingNews.com. Check it out, and then come back for more.

Folks defending the Pats' 52-7 victory have been attempting to turn the tables on their most recent victims, pointing to a couple of past Joe Gibbs romps, in which the 'Skins scalped the opponents for more than 50 points. Specifically, the Redskins rattled the Rams, 51-7, during a 1983 playoff game, and they fricasseed the 49ers by the score of 52-17 little more than two years ago.

But there's a difference. A big difference. In both of those games, the 'Skins apparently called off the dogs well before the fourth quarter. For example, the Redskins led the Rams 38-7 at halftime in the 1983, and scored only six points in the third quarter on two field goals and seven in the fourth quarter on an interception return for a touchdown. In 2005, the Redskins didn't throw a single pass after the 3:30 mark in the third quarter, and Clinton Portis didn't get another carry.

On Sunday, the Pats led 38-0 with 11:02 to play in the game and converted a fourth-and-one from the D.C. seven en route to yet another touchdown pass from Tom Brady.

And that's the broader point here. It's not about scoring a lot of points early in the game. It's about when it's appropriate to pull back. For the 1983 Redskins, they apparently pulled back in the entire second half against the Rams. In 2005, the 'Skins coasted for more than a full quarter.

But the Patriots haven't eased up on offense until the final few -- and likely won't. On defense, starters will still on the field in the final minute on Sunday.

The criticism will only embolden Belichick, and it will make him even more determined to win every game by the biggest margin that he can muster. The only risk? Some crazy-ass defensive lineman eventually might decide he's had enough of it, deciding to gladly take the penalty, the fine, and the suspension for taking a free shot at the starting quarterback's knees.