SAT - What a way to start!

[ColtCrazy]

I realize this is not a dynasty, but it was my first attempt at playing SAT (Second and Ten) once I got the past season files to work. I had practiced on a couple of 2007 matchups before this, but this game was so fantastic, it not only sealed the deal that I will buy it next weekend when I get paid, but that I'll be starting a dynasty immdiately afterward.

Anyway, wanted to share the game...then some thoughts on possible dynasties I might do.

The game was the 2007 New England Patriots, the team many believe is the best ever vs. the 1989 San Francisco 49ers, the team I believe is the best ever. I'm the coach of the 49ers. We play the game at a neutral site. I picked the Superdome, home to many Super Bowls, but in hindsight it may have been a poor choice considering the Pats speed.

My philosophy in slowing down the Pats passing attack is to double not only Moss, but Welker as well. My plan was to blitz occasionally, but mostly I would let the 9ers talents D hold its own. If I could keep Moss from making big plays while also slowing Welker down from killing us underneath, I figured I stood a shot at holding them down some. On offense, it's classic 9er football. Short passes to Taylor, Rice, and Jones while mixing in runs with Craig and Rathman. Sustaining long drives would be key in this game. The less chances the Pats had, the better.

I won the toss, and elected to kick. I go away from my original plan on the very first play, and Brady makes me pay by hitting Welker on a 21 yd pass. I go back to doubling Welker while mixing my coverage schemes between backing off and playing things straight up. Brady hits Stallworth on a short pass, and Maroney gets some yards on a draw. On the 4th play, we catch our first break. Brady forces a pass into Moss, who is double covered, and Johnnie Jackson picks it off, giving us good field position at the Pats 46.

The Pats, oddly enough, play us the same way I started with them. They refuse to let Rice beat them, and proceed to spend most of the game doubling him up. Craig runs for 24 yards on our first play, and then, despite double coverage, Rice takes a short pass 22 yards for the score. 6-0 49ers less than 3 minutes into the game. My euphoria was quickly dashed though as Cofer missed the extra point. Not good.

The Pats get the ball back, and Maroney runs it twice to get a quick first down. With a little momentum, Brady starts spreading the ball around, hitting 3 different receivers on 3 straight pass plays. Suddenly they are on the 9er 9 yard line. The Pats only committed 2 penalities the entire game, but the first comes at this crucial time. A false start puts them back, and then after a couple of unsuccessful draws, Brady misfires on a pass to Welker. Gostowski hits a FG, and the Pats are on the board, trailing 3-6.

After the kickoff, we immdiately give the ball back to the Patriots. I call a play action medium long pass to Brent Jones, hoping the Pats had crowded the line since I had called all short passes and runs to start. Samuel picks off the pass, and my defense trots back out on the field...still winded from the last drive.

The Pats had the ball on our 36 and soon were in the red zone again. However, there 2nd, and last, penalty knocked them back and after we stopped a Ben Watson screen 3 yards short of the first down marker, Gostowski hit another FG to make it 6 all.

The kickoff return starts us at our own 21, but 3 passes to Craig, Rice, and Taylor quickly get us to midfield. This time, the officials sabotage our drive with a holding call. It would be the first of 12 penalties in the game. 2 plays later, a sack kills the drive for good and we are forced to punt.

First quarter ends, scored tied at 6.

Brady starts off by hitting Stallworth for a 35 yard gain. As we try to recover, Maroney then slices through on a 27 draw play. 2 plays, and suddenly the Pats are in field goal range again. A couple of plays later, the Pats have first and goal from the 9er 8 yard line. The defense hold again, denying passes to Welker and Moss. The Pats' drive stalls at the 4, and they settle for another Gostowski FG and take a 9-6 lead.

So far, I'm thrilled with the defense, but the offense has done little since the opening drive. Momentum needs to come back our way. It looked to be the case as Taylor takes a short pass from Montana and breaks loose for 31 yards...but after losing 5 yards on the next 3 plays, we punt again. The Pats have the ball, the lead, and they slowly are getting into a rythm.

The Pats drive starts on the 20. Brady opens by hitting Gaffney for 17. Then, the Pats gain 20 yards on the next 5 plays...all runs. I bring the defense up, and make my one mistake, I blitz, leaving Moss and Welker single covered. The Pats pick up the blitz and Brady hits Moss for a 46 yard gain. Lott hustles to push Moss out of bounds at out 2 yard line. If there was a single play that saved the game for us, that might have been it. I immediately call for bump and run coverage and double Moss and Welker again. Brady misses Moss on first and goal from the 2. I gamble on a run key on the 2nd down since I noticed Moss was taken out for a play. I guess right, but Sammy Morris still gains a yard. 3rd down and goal to go from the 1.

I call bump and run again, doubling the 2 receivers. Eckel gets the handoff, but loses a yard. 4th and 2. I stopped them. No, not yet. Brady stays on the field. What a situation. I call, standard D, double Welker, and hope for the best. Brady hands it to Maroney. He gains 1 yard, and that's all. We get the ball on our own 1 yard line. 1st and goal from the 2 and we stop them. The defense got the momentum back, and the offense would thank them.

Starting from his own 1, Montana calmly led a magnificent drive. He goes 8 for 8, hitting 4 different receivers along the way. With a mere 6 seconds left in the half, Montana finds Taylor in the end zone for a 3 yard td pass. After the kick, we head to the locker room, up 13-9 and feeling very confident about how things have gone.

I was hoping to score to open the 3rd and put a little pressure on Brady, allowing me to be more at ease with my doubling of their 2 big WRs. But penalities kill our drive, forcing us to punt after we move 1 yard in 5 plays.

Brady gets the ball back, but on his second pass, Kevin Fagan gets to him and causes a fumble. Suddenly, we have the ball back, at the Patriot 48. A ten yard pass to Jones, and a nice run by Craig get us to the Pat 18, but another penalty, this time illegal forward pass, forces us to settle for a Cofer FG. 16-9. A touchdown up, but not near enough breathing room against this team.

The Pats run the kick back to their 42. Again, the defense works wonders. Twice Brady goes to kick Welker or Moss and is forced to find another receiver or throw it away. After 3 plays, the Pats face 4th and 2 from midfield. Bilicheck decides to go for it, and after Welker is covered, Brady's pass to Watson is knocked away. Whew. Time and again this 49er D amazed me.

I start this drive with the same play that got Montana his interception in the first quarter. Only this time it works. The Pats are playing up, and Taylor gets behind them for a 28 yard gain. I go back to the run, and on 3rd and 4 I hit Rathman, who was open while the Pats doubled Taylor and Rice, on a 18 yard TD. 23-9 with the extra point. With 7 minutes left in the 3rd, there's tons of time left....this lead can't hold, can it? 23-9 against this offense?


The rest of the 3rd quarter is a back and forth affair of Patriot drives stalling at midfield and penalities killing any momentum of the 49er drives.

The 4th quarter starts much like the 3rd ended. We trade stalled drives at midfield. After our 2nd killed drive, the Pats catch a break. A bad punt gives them the ball at their 44. Brady is read for some late magic. Brady hits 5 straight receivers and moves down to the our 19. Then, Brady looks to Moss. Again, Moss is doubled and we get a pick on the 7 by Eric Wright...but wait. Pass Interference...on the defense. Oh no. Man, how I wish their was a replay! Brady hits Welker on the next play for a TD (I blitzed, I was ticked) and suddenly it's 23-16. 2:15 left...Pats have all 3 timeouts.

They kickoff. Knowing the clock will stop anyway, I elect to pass on first down. Bill is smart and knows this too and actually plays pass D on the first play. Sack. I run twice after the 2 minutes warning to make them burn some timeouts. Punt to the Pats. Their ball, their own 30, 1 timeout left.

Brady hits Watson for 12.
1st down.
Brady tries a medium one to Welker...incomplete. But wait again....PASS INTERFERENCE. WTF?
1st down. 49er 44...1:03 left.
After a short pass to Morris, Brady and Welker connect again for another first down. 41 seconds left...at the 34.
Brady hits Watson for 4 yards...and then...yep, another penalty. This time it's a personal foul on us. Half the distance to the goal. 34 seconds left, first and 10 on the 15. Shades of the Ravens game are playing in my head.
But, Brady's magic wears off. Lott dives in front of a pass intended for Moss at the 11. GAME OVER. 2 Montana kneels and we escape with a 23-16 victory. My wife immdiately thinks I'm crazy by throwing my arms up in the air. It was truly an amazing game.

Brady and Montana had an old fasioned duel. Brady ended up 27-43 for 327 yds, but he did have 2 costly Ints. Montana, on the other hand, was even better. 23 for 27 260 yds and 3 Tds. He was MVP of the game. Moss was held to 4 catches...and while Welker ended with 7 catches, he only had an 8 yard per catch average.

If I needed anything as a selling point to this game...I got it. I know see why several people here love it.




So, now, in the next week, I have things to think about. I'm thinking of a couple of dynasties. I'll probably do one of the Colts, starting in 1986..the first year I started really going to games and following them. I may also do a Pats Anti-dynasty and play as all their 2007 opponents just to see if I can fair any better.

Sorry, I know it's a long read for one game...but that's how much this game impressed me. Thanks for reading.