(New England’s Ben Watson kept both feet inbounds on his 2nd TD catch of the day, and the Pats stayed atop the AFC East)

Flipping between the Patriots holding off Gus Frerotte’s 4 chances to tie the game in the final minute in Miami, versus Eli and the Giants’ death-knell comeback against the Vikings (still in progress) has been a little too nerve wracking — every cat and dog in the house has taken shelter in another room, such is the commotion coming from the CSTB lounge.

There’s also the small matter of the LA/New England MLS Cup final, but unless and until ABC decides to a) make such a match available in HD and b) desist from showing ads for Sierra Mist in split-screen (Michael Ian Black sucks, even when he’s only getting half of the TV), I will no longer do my part to put this event’s viewership into the triple digits.

MLS/ABC’s choice of cipher-rockers The Click Five for halftime entertainment was predictably dubious enough, and there’s nothing novel about employing ringers to scream and bounce up and down. But having said paid-cheering section clad in matching Radio Shack t-shirts is tantamount to telling the world “this shitty band has no real fans”.

Though I would ordinarily have no rooting interest in this year’s MLS final, I do find myself pulling for the Galaxy for one simple reason that you should all appreciate : a New England defeat means Robert Kraft won’t be giving a speech.

(UPDATE : Brad Johnson marched Minnesota down field to set up a game winning 48 yard field goal from Doug Edinger. Vikes 24, Giants 21. Eli will pay dearly for his 4 INT’s if Tom Coughlin’s riding crop has anything to say about it.)