yahoo article
But again, this is not about numbers. It's about form. It's the age-old question about what is right or wrong in sports.
When it comes to pro sports, it's not an easy debate. This is not the local YMCA league where feelings can matter. This is the league for big boys, big money and big egos.
Still, there seemed to be the seeds of hard feelings after the game when Belichick and Redskins coach Joe Gibbs exchanged the briefest of handshakes. By the time Gibbs got to the post-game press conference, he was effusive with praise and pointed no fingers at the Pats.
"I don't think you could say enough good things about (the Patriots)," Gibbs said. "They've got great talent, great coaching ? It will take a lot to stop them."
But then Gibbs was asked if the Pats should perhaps have stopped themselves.
"No, I have no problem with anything that they did," he said. "Nothing, no problems from me."
For his part, Belichick shrugged off questions about the issue. Of course, he was the one who put Brady back in the game in the fourth quarter with New England leading 42-21 after backup Matt Cassel threw an interception for a score against the Dolphins last week.
"What do you want us to do? Kick a field goal?" Belichick said when asked about going for it on fourth down. "It's 38-0. It's fourth down. (We're) just out there playing."
A number of Washington players echoed Gibbs' sentiment, even while saying New England was going for the score.
"Sure, they were running up the score," Redskins offensive tackle Todd Wade said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Every coach is different in how they do it. ? They were a machine all day and were as good as advertised."
The next question is what will anybody do about it?
At this rate, not much.
"If they keep scoring the way they are, it won't happen," Wade said.
But the NFL is a funny collection of runaway egos. Will somebody take a cheap shot at Brady or Moss or somebody else because they're getting tired of getting beaten down?
Former Washington quarterback and current radio voice Sonny Jurgensen, a Hall of Famer, smiled and paused long when asked about the nature of revenge in this sport. He then said that there's really nothing that can be done.
"What are they supposed to be doing, kneeling down in the third quarter?" Jurgensen said.
Again, that's a fair point considering the level of the competition. If teams don't like getting beaten so bad, they probably should do something productive about it, like play better. Also, it would be perceived as whining if the Redskins did complain.
Furthermore, the approach right now with the Patriots should be gentle. That's become obvious as they play like a team determined to shove criticism back into the face of anyone who dares to utter it.
From criticism of Moss during the offseason to the hue and cry over Belichick being caught in the midst of Spygate, New England is playing with an edge that borders on disdain for any creature.
Or as wide receiver Donte' Stallworth put it after the game: "We don't care what other people say about stuff like that. Those people aren't in this locker room, aren't in this organization. We don't care. We've been accused of some stuff earlier this season ? it doesn't matter."