That was a Super Bowl for the ages as I had hoped! I don’t think I can remember any more interesting and exciting Super Bowl than the one last night and I have seen the vast majority of them. The Giants and the Patriots certainly held up their end of the bargain.

I must also admit that I was rather happy to see the Patriots bid for perfection spoiled. It’s not that I am anti Patriots, but that I vividly recall the wonderful 1972 Dolphins perfect season and frankly didn’t want the Patriots to out do the Dolphins. Don’t get me wrong, the Patriots had a great season, perhaps the best ever. The only downside of the Patriots losing for me was watching the anguish of my son as the game came to a conclusion.

It was very gratifying to watch a well played game and one that defense had a key role. While I agree with Eli Manning getting the MVP award, the real key to the win for the Giants was the play of their front 7. They controlled the line of scrimmage and were able to put pressure on Tom Brady like he hasn’t seen before. I love how at the end of the game, they rotated in backup Alford on the defensive line to get some fresh legs and he promptly delivered another sack of Brady. New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo called a great game. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him land a head coaching job next year. Reportedly, the Washington Redskins plan to interview him.

I also liked the fact that in this game, there were many key plays that helped shape the outcome and no one person was dominant. Both teams made it to the Super Bowl based on teamwork and both utilized the same to give us a game to remember. Wes Welker of the Patriots tied the NFL Super Bowl record for receptions will 11. I still don’t know how Manning eluded that sack with time winding down in the fourth quarter on the winning TD drive. I don’t know why he just chucked the ball downfield either. And then to see David Tyree pluck that ball out of the air and hold it against his helmet as he fell to the ground - perhaps the best catch in Super Bowl history. I am sure there are a lot of folks who wanted to give him the MVP.

And who can forget the now famous, and very expensive, Super Bowl ads. If interested, you can read my take on the Super Bowl ads on my personal blog.

I can’t help but fear that next years game will be a letdown after this one. Still, I look forward to that journey next year.

The Lions concluded this football season on a sour note. In the final game of the season, they lost to the Green Bay Packers 34 -13. The worst part of the loss was that for half the game or so, the Packers played a lot of second and third stringers and the Lions continued to play the starters and yet we could do absolutely nothing.

Our vaunted offense continued to sputter against the Packer backups - very sad indeed. While prior to the game their was much speculation and rumor about Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz being fired or let go, there still has not been a formal announcement to that effect. I think the Lions need it though to move forward. Its obvious that the Martz show in Detroit was not a success. Personally, I feel that Kitna needs to leave town with him in order for this team to continue to build on the improvements made this year. I would be surprised, however, if Kitna is not back next year.

What bothers me the most about this season and the way it played out is that if you had asked me before the season what I thought about a season where the Lions would go 7 and 9, I would have called it a success and definite progress. However, with the 6 - 2 start, and then to close the last have at 1 - 7, it leaves a very sour taste in your mouth. I cannot call it a successful season because of that finish. There are probably more questions to be answered this off season than there was last season. Still, I am hopeful.

The Lions made a definite statement at home this year. They made Ford Field a true home field advantage. Now, we need to figure out how to play some football on the road. If we can make similar road progress as we did at home this year, we might have a season.

Some key players stepped up and made themselves known this year. Ernie Sims was stellar at linebacker. Kevin Jones and TJ Duckett showed a solid one two punch at RB when they were healthy. Calvin Johnson, though he faded like many rookies late in the season, showed some brilliance at WR. Damien Woody looked pretty good when he moved over to right tackle - too bad it was so late in the season.

Other players showed themselves to be a problem for the future. Jeff Backus gave up the most sacks in the NFL. Jon Kitna had more interceptions than touchdowns. None of our cornerbacks can cover worth a damn. Kalimba Edwards got his big salary during the offseason and disappeared - so much so you may never see him in a Lions uniform again. Shaun Rogers is in poor shape and not capable of dominating a game anymore.

This should be an interesting off season! Happy New Years!