Two instant classics, courtesy of the Manning Bros.

Even a heavy sense of bias can't keep me from calling the Patriots' last two postseason losses two of the greatest games in NFL history. First it was the Colts rallying from 18 points down in the 2006 AFC Championship Game, the largest comeback in championship game history. Then just this past February it was Eli Manning's last-minute touchdown lob to Plaxico Burress to knock off the previously undefeated Patriots.

Part of the reason I believe these were two of the best games ever was my hatred for the New England Patriots. But realistically the scenarios under which the games were played made them that much more memorable. First it was Peyton Manning trying to shed the label of big-game choke artist, especially when it came to playing the Patriots. After throwing an interception returned for a touchdown that put his Colts in a 21-3 hole, Manning and the Colts embarked on a frantic comeback to tie the game at 21-21. The two teams then traded a touchdown and a field goal before New England regained a 34-31 lead. After a huge defensive stand got Manning the ball back, No. 18 drove the Colts almost the length of the field for a game-winning touchdown. A Brady comeback attempt was then thwarted by the Colts defense, which many believed had hindered Manning's ability to lead the Colts to a Super Bowl in years past.

This past Super Bowl was one of the best Super Bowls of all time. After all, how many Super Bowls come down to the final minute? I still think the Rams-Titans classic was the best in Super Bowl history, but this one was a close second. The Patriots were attempting to become just the second team in NFL history to go through an entire season undefeated. The Giants were huge underdogs with a quarterback who also was seen as a big-game choker, if not a draft bust. The vaunted Patriots offense was held to a meager 14 points after shattering the points record in the regular season. David Tyree's incredible catch may go down as the best in history given the circumstances. But the image that will always stand out to me was Tom Brady being lit up for a sack on the final drive by Giants' rookie Jay Alford that all but sealed the deal.

For a team that has caught seemingly every break in the 21st Century thus far, whether legitimately or not, the Patriots have been on the losing end of perhaps two of the best games in recent memory, at least in the playoffs. Mr. Perfect Tom Brady has been picked by the Colts and sacked by the Giants in the final minute, when he is supposedly invincible.

Surely, the NFL has had its share of memorable contests in recent years. Who can forget Dwayne Rudd of the Browns throwing his helmet on the final play to allow the Chiefs the chance to kick the winning field goal? Or the 49ers rallying from 24 points down to shock the Giants in the 2002 Wild Card playoffs? But the Manning brothers' greatest hours, respectively, have not only come at the hands of the Patriots, but have also been as breathtaking as anything we have seen in the NFL.