Bernard Pollard has no interest in playing for a team that was eliminated by the eventual Super Bowl champions. Oftentimes when a team is knocked out of the playoffs in any sport, they root for the team that ousted them so that they know they were beaten by the best. When you lose a game on a missed 32-yard field goal, it becomes more difficult to think that way. Pollard is the man who was responsible for Brady’s torn ACL in 2008. He also was a member of the Texans defense when Wes Welker blew out his knee during the playoffs two years ago. And on Sunday, Pollard was the one who made the tackle that resulted in Rob Gronkowski injuring his ankle. He’s hurt many a Patriot, and he wants the Giants to do the same.
“I just hope (the Giants) just put a thrashing on the Patriots,” Pollard said during an interview with KILT in Houston. “I really do. To lose to a team like that the way we played. We played a good game. You gotta look at the experience of the team. You gotta look at what do the Giants have? They got a front four that is relentless. They got a secondary that is really, really good. They got a linebacking core that has been with them.
“The dinking and the dunking man? It’s just not going to happen. (The Patriots) are going to have to take shots down the field. I think the Giants watch our film and watch the film of the season. They gotta take away their big time players. (Rob) Gronkowski I think he is coming off that ankle, so I don’t know if he will be 100%.”
I guess that means Pollard feels the same way teammate Brendon Ayanbadejo feels about the loss on Sunday. As far as the dinking and dunking is concerned, it has worked well for the Patriots all season long. Don’t expect them to have some sort of huge change in philosophy. Pollard is right about the Giants front four, and the Patriots will certainly focus on stopping that over the next two weeks. Expect the talking to continue until the batch of sour grapes in the Ravens’ locker room becomes stale.
