For the vast majority of NFL fans, the December 29th historic NFL simulcast of the Patriots-Giants season finale should have been the very last game of the season. Highly entertaining, a close game, high-level of play, and both teams played their starters until the end. The fans definitely got their money's worth, especially fans like me who paid $0 to watch it.

The fans responded: the game was the most watched broadcast in U.S. TV history. 53.2 million households watched. That beats the final episode of M*A*S*H (the fact that that show was in the #1 slot still amazes me). For those who like numbers, 53.2 million households represents, an 83% share of the total viewing audience. Wow!!!!

For many of us, it was also our first chance to hear Bryant Gumbel do the play-by-play. His color guy was Chris Collinsworth.

Here are some quotes and then thoughts about them:

Situation: pre-game and through the beginning of the first quarter

Collinsworth: "this is a meaningless game, and I just don't understand why the Giants would play their starters."

Analysis: I expected more from a former player. Am I the only one who thought it really strange that in a game of such importance from the perspective of NFL Network, you have one of your own announcers calling it a "meaningless game"?  Maybe the NFL Network has more liberal policies about what its announcers can and cannot say.

Situation: Randy Moss scored his acrobatic TD in the first quarter

Gumbel: "How often do you see multiple records fall on one play?" 

Analysis: Uh Bryan, only one record (most points) was broken on that play. Most TD passes thrown and most TD receptions were tied on that play.

Situation: during a stoppage in play, Vince Wilfork was caught trying to poke his finger into Brandon Jacobs's eye. A cowardly act that should be fined.

Commentary:

Collinsworth:       "It's unfortunate that the officials didn't see that, but the NFL will be reviewing that play and there will be some disciplinary action."

Gumbel:            "Well, that was a little Mo, Larry, and Curley. I think he was trying to annoy him, not injure him. Don't you think so?"

Collinsworth:    "No, I think he was just trying to put his finger in Jacobs' eye.

Analysis:  there are just certain things that are cowardly in the NFL: spitting, poking a guy's eye out, trying to break his fingers at the bottom of the pile, and trying to piss in someone's Gatorade cup. I think Wilfork's a great player, but he needs to be fined for that. There's just no place for that ridiculous type of behavior.

Final Analysis of the Annnouncing:   Gumbel wasn't great, but he wasn't terrible. Collinsworth was just being Collinsworth

Here are some interesting moments from the game:

Stupidest referee moment: giving a penalty to Moss and the Patriots for excessive celebration. That was "excessive"?

Exciting Play I: Domenik Hixon's return after the Moss penalty pushed the ball back to the 15 yard line.

Exciting Play II: in the 3rd Quarter Brandon Jacobs literally ran over Rodney Harrison on his way to a 16-yard run. Not many people run over Harrison

Stupid Play I: in the 2nd quarter during a stoppage in play, Pats Vince Wilfork tried to poke Brandon Jacobs in the eye through Jacobs' facemask

Stupid Play II: Rodney Harrison with 4:20 to go in a critical part of the game gets an unsportsmanlinke penalty

Stupid Play III: with 1:35 left to go, the clock running, and the ball on the Pats 4-yard line, a Giant player inadvertently kicks the ball sitting on the line of scrimmage into the Pats endzone which causes precious seconds to tick off the clock. Wow, just when you think you've seen it all...

Greatest positive surprise:   Eli Manning actually looked like a high-draft pick in the first half of the game and much of the 2nd half. That boost to his confidence alone makes the Giants starters playing the game worthwhile.

Most Amazing Take 2: in the 4th quarter Moss drops a long throw from Brady and then on the very next play (a 3rd and 10), they connect for a 65-yard TD.

Strangest commercial: the motorola cellphone commercial with Mangini has Belichick doing the voice over at the end. kind of bizarre.