Welcome to the most boring sports week of them all.
No football for Sunday, unless you count the Pro Bowl (I’m not), and baseball confined to those last few weeks of wringing hands in anxiety and pocketbooks in desperation as agents haggle with GM’s to find that elusive hostess with the mostest, so to speak.
I’ve been making a whole-hearted attempt to boycott pro and college basketball this winter. It’s so incredibly boring. Maybe it’s just the Nets but I don’t think so. It’s the whole star system which will only be exacerbated by the 2010 free agency chase of skatey-eight teams for the same ten or so players, which makes an almost obscene sense in the NBA, as they get no fouls called on them while at the same time capturing all the ink.
That situation combined with the home team bias makes pro basketball totally unwatchable.
I’m boycotting college ball too, as it is just the fodder for the pros. Do any of those guys study? Do any of them belong in college? But, geez, what would happen to the tattoo and gun industries if it weren’t for organized basketball?
I’m actually beginning to think my boycott will be easily do-able. The Super Bowl and the attendant brouhaha should take me into the middle of February, at least, and then MLB spring training starts the first week in March.
I’ll be spending a week in Port Lucie and Jupiter watching the Mets, Marlins and Cards, which, for me, will really kick off the baseball season. There’s nothing quite like spring training…baseball at its finest…where you can watch the best players in the world just play the game in a relaxed atmosphere…no pressure to win and not even that much pressure to even play well.
So, anyway, I’ll just have to get through the last half of February. And that I can do by just taking a couple of day trips to the Poconos or upstate New York for some Alpine fun. And, yes, there will be all that prelude to March Madness and that ridiculously large 65 team NCAA tourney, in which no more than 50 have even a prayer of winning….and all in the name of killing the NIT.
Enough negativity for you? (I’ve got plenty).
Okay, there’s tennis and hockey and ice-skating with big TV contracts, which puts them ahead of, for example, soccer and even more obscure American sports such as weightlifting, for example. But I think I’ll pass on paying attention. While I do enjoy tennis, I don’t really see myself getting inspired, y’know?
So, for now, it’s New Orleans and Indianapolis, unless you’re into who’s hiring what coaches around the NFL, or who’s having what surgery. Worthy of mention, I suppose, is Sanchez’s recommended knee procedures and the Giants hiring of the old Buffalo coach as their defensive coordinator. But there’s really not that much to say.
It’s a guessing game as to whether the Colts Dwight Freeney is really hurt, an injury that would surely affect the outcome of the game. Shockey’s still hurt too, but it looks as if he’ll be even healthier for the Colts than he was for the Vikings game.
The Saints have come out saying they’re going to be going after Peyton Manning, much as they sent Favre to the sidelines gimping a few times. Now, while that’s not really news, going into Super Bowl week, it’ll be a huge deal. The Colts can use it as motivation, much as they allegedly felt insulted by the Jets thinking they could win.
I for one would love seeing Manning on his back a few times. More than that, though, I’d like to see some receivers knocked off their routes, thereby messing up the timing that’s so important to Manning and all his receivers. If the Saints can do those two things and nothing else, it’ll be quite a game.
I’ll be looking at the point-spread next week, but whatever it winds up being, it’ll be difficult to forecast. The Colts are the better team overall. They have a better offense and defense. They arguably could have gone unbeaten this season.
But, while you may think it’ll an aberration for the Saints to get a few more turnovers than the Colts, it really won’t be. If a team does the same thing over and over all year long, it really can’t be considered an aberration. As all it takes is one more turnover to win the game, you have to take the Saints chances very seriously.
And, if Freeney’s really hurt, that’ll be another justifiable bump to the spread. As big as Manning is to the offense, I’d say Freeney’s worth about half as much, which is saying more than you might think. With Manning, the Colts are 4 ½ point favorites. Without him they’d be dogs by at least twice as much. That would be a swing of about 13 or 14. So I’m saying that Freeney’s absence would be about a touchdown difference in the Saints favor. More on that next week.
I suppose the biggest hot-stove personality right now is Johnny Damon. He won’t be back with the Yanks, which is a real shame for Yankees fans. But what’s about 15 million dollars between friends? I think the Yanks blew the negotiation. If they think Randy Winn and Nick Johnson make up the difference, they’re sadly mistaken.
My Mets really haven’t done much lately, unless you count their losing out on available players. But, I have to say, the later they wait, the better deal they’ll get. And I can’t be too terribly upset they didn’t get Molina or some of those available pitchers for that kind of money.
I could actually live with the starting rotation as it looks right now. I really feel Ollie Perez will be better. I think John Maine and Pelfrey will only improve too. Johan Santana is looking good after his minor surgery as well.
But stay tuned, Mets fans.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Ridiculous to Absurd to Tawdry
Well, those Divisional Championships came out more or less as I had expected, in result if not in content. The Jets lost but didn’t really stay as close as I had thought. The Vikings, although they lost, did manage to cover the 3 ½ point spread.
That the way the Jets lost it was really painful is beside the point. I’d never have expected either a 45-yarder out of the wildcat or an 80-yard Sanchez to Edwards bomb. Neither did the Colts, for sure. I hadn’t expected a Jets lead at all, at any point in the game. But then I didn’t expect the Jets secondary to look like the Giants for long stretches.
Jets fans are filled with hope now for next year, and everywhere it seems there is already talk of how great Sanchez will be next year. Although I’d have to agree that he’ll be better, I don’t think he’ll ever be much better than he was down the stretch this year. He looked good and played about as well as a quarterback could play….including yesterday. He’s got great feet, a good brain, and an accurate arm.
Remember Dwight Gooden? He was absolutely great early on, and everybody drooled about how much better he’d become. It never happened. Drugs happened. Same thing with Strawberry. My only point with this is to be happy with what you have. Don’t expect much more. If every Jet had played like Mark Sanchez yesterday, they’d have come out on top.
The same optimism is being shown for the Jets in general….how a pass rusher would obviate the need to blitz so much, how another cover guy like Revis would shore up that unit, how a healthy Kris Chambers would solidify the run defense, how another wide-out would provide some better targets for the rookie.
Well, the game is football. Anybody can get hurt and they usually do. Shonn Greene is a perfect example. Joe Namath is another. He was way better as a young QB than he was later on as his knees got taken out in Detroit, I think it was. Then he became rather stationary.
I’m just saying that what makes Sanchez so exciting is his feet, which are attached to his legs, and he already sports a brace on one knee. I’m certainly not wishing him ill but unless he has the luck of Brett Favre or Fran Tarkenton, or even Peyton Manning for that matter, he really can’t be much better than he was in the playoffs this season. He could certainly get more opportunities to shine. That wouldn’t be hard, but I won’t count on him getting much better in absolute terms. He’s been great.
When I heard that Lito Sheppard wasn’t starting yesterday, I cringed. I gave up hope that the Jets could win. The Colts had Lowery for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Pierre friggin’ Garcon made him look very bad. I can’t stomach corners who don’t look for the ball. That’s Lowery. I know the Jets were concerned about Sheppard against Manning, but give me a break….Lowery’s better?
The Saints-Vikings game was just ridiculous. The Vikings were better in every respect except for the turnovers. But you really can’t say that…turnovers are the biggest part of the game. So now we get to see the Saints play the Colts in the Super Bowl, the second-best NFC team for sure.
The only solace I can take from this game is that Favre got hit about a million times and looked bad in the game, especially down the stretch. I loved his cross-the-field INT to put an end to the regulation game. And I loved seeing him talk about retirement again…and his allusion to talking it over with his family. When you’ve already gone from ridiculous to absurd, what’s left…tawdry?
Let’s look at the game itself and Favre’s part in it. Favre blew a hand-off to Peterson from the ten-yard line that would have just about destroyed the Saints after Reggie Bush’s fumbled punt. Favre must’ve sensed Adrian may have scored on the play, meaning somebody besides him may have become the star. As it was, Peterson got three scores. Favre’s 2nd INT, as I’ve mentioned, closed any chance Minnesota may have had in regulation to win the game. His first INT was also in New Orleans territory just outside their 30-yard line. His QB rating for the day was 70.
Brad Childress deserved no better fate either as he managed to get too many men on the field at the critical juncture of the game, when the Vikings were in field goal range, only to be pushed out again, shortly followed by Favre’s INT. Furthermore, he never was able to control Favre.
New Orleans took the day and nobody was ever happier for that result than I was. But they didn’t do much against that great purple defense. They did take advantage of every opportunity though, or so it seemed. They won the turnover battle; they gave Brees time to throw; they played better than the Vikings on special teams overall, and they definitely held together as a team, something the Vikings can only wish for this Monday.
The Colts are currently 4 ½ point favorites to beat the Saints in the Bowl and I suspect that spread will only increase, especially if people start really analyzing these games. The Colts have everything, although you may say they have no running game. I think they elect to have no running game. They run only well enough to enable Manning’s play action passes. They have a terrific offensive line, a very good defensive line, and fast linebackers and secondary. All those assets are in addition to some very fine wide receivers, Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon. The Colts are very similar to the Vikings in that they have all that versatility.
What the Colts don’t have, though, is personality. And, if I see any more colorless quotes from that coach of theirs…..UGH!!
That the way the Jets lost it was really painful is beside the point. I’d never have expected either a 45-yarder out of the wildcat or an 80-yard Sanchez to Edwards bomb. Neither did the Colts, for sure. I hadn’t expected a Jets lead at all, at any point in the game. But then I didn’t expect the Jets secondary to look like the Giants for long stretches.
Jets fans are filled with hope now for next year, and everywhere it seems there is already talk of how great Sanchez will be next year. Although I’d have to agree that he’ll be better, I don’t think he’ll ever be much better than he was down the stretch this year. He looked good and played about as well as a quarterback could play….including yesterday. He’s got great feet, a good brain, and an accurate arm.
Remember Dwight Gooden? He was absolutely great early on, and everybody drooled about how much better he’d become. It never happened. Drugs happened. Same thing with Strawberry. My only point with this is to be happy with what you have. Don’t expect much more. If every Jet had played like Mark Sanchez yesterday, they’d have come out on top.
The same optimism is being shown for the Jets in general….how a pass rusher would obviate the need to blitz so much, how another cover guy like Revis would shore up that unit, how a healthy Kris Chambers would solidify the run defense, how another wide-out would provide some better targets for the rookie.
Well, the game is football. Anybody can get hurt and they usually do. Shonn Greene is a perfect example. Joe Namath is another. He was way better as a young QB than he was later on as his knees got taken out in Detroit, I think it was. Then he became rather stationary.
I’m just saying that what makes Sanchez so exciting is his feet, which are attached to his legs, and he already sports a brace on one knee. I’m certainly not wishing him ill but unless he has the luck of Brett Favre or Fran Tarkenton, or even Peyton Manning for that matter, he really can’t be much better than he was in the playoffs this season. He could certainly get more opportunities to shine. That wouldn’t be hard, but I won’t count on him getting much better in absolute terms. He’s been great.
When I heard that Lito Sheppard wasn’t starting yesterday, I cringed. I gave up hope that the Jets could win. The Colts had Lowery for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Pierre friggin’ Garcon made him look very bad. I can’t stomach corners who don’t look for the ball. That’s Lowery. I know the Jets were concerned about Sheppard against Manning, but give me a break….Lowery’s better?
The Saints-Vikings game was just ridiculous. The Vikings were better in every respect except for the turnovers. But you really can’t say that…turnovers are the biggest part of the game. So now we get to see the Saints play the Colts in the Super Bowl, the second-best NFC team for sure.
The only solace I can take from this game is that Favre got hit about a million times and looked bad in the game, especially down the stretch. I loved his cross-the-field INT to put an end to the regulation game. And I loved seeing him talk about retirement again…and his allusion to talking it over with his family. When you’ve already gone from ridiculous to absurd, what’s left…tawdry?
Let’s look at the game itself and Favre’s part in it. Favre blew a hand-off to Peterson from the ten-yard line that would have just about destroyed the Saints after Reggie Bush’s fumbled punt. Favre must’ve sensed Adrian may have scored on the play, meaning somebody besides him may have become the star. As it was, Peterson got three scores. Favre’s 2nd INT, as I’ve mentioned, closed any chance Minnesota may have had in regulation to win the game. His first INT was also in New Orleans territory just outside their 30-yard line. His QB rating for the day was 70.
Brad Childress deserved no better fate either as he managed to get too many men on the field at the critical juncture of the game, when the Vikings were in field goal range, only to be pushed out again, shortly followed by Favre’s INT. Furthermore, he never was able to control Favre.
New Orleans took the day and nobody was ever happier for that result than I was. But they didn’t do much against that great purple defense. They did take advantage of every opportunity though, or so it seemed. They won the turnover battle; they gave Brees time to throw; they played better than the Vikings on special teams overall, and they definitely held together as a team, something the Vikings can only wish for this Monday.
The Colts are currently 4 ½ point favorites to beat the Saints in the Bowl and I suspect that spread will only increase, especially if people start really analyzing these games. The Colts have everything, although you may say they have no running game. I think they elect to have no running game. They run only well enough to enable Manning’s play action passes. They have a terrific offensive line, a very good defensive line, and fast linebackers and secondary. All those assets are in addition to some very fine wide receivers, Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon. The Colts are very similar to the Vikings in that they have all that versatility.
What the Colts don’t have, though, is personality. And, if I see any more colorless quotes from that coach of theirs…..UGH!!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Ground and Pound or Lost and Found
Well, these 2010 playoffs continue Sunday afternoon with Jets-Colts at 3 PM followed by the Vikings-Saints at 6:40 PM. I've been doing better than okay with these playoff picks so far, at 5-3 for the two weeks, but that doesn't minimize the effect on me of the surprising nature of some of these games.
Last week I had the Saints and my score prediction was even pretty close but, even though I had joked that it was possible, I didn't expect the enormity of the Saints rout of the Cardinals. I had the Jets to cover but certainly not to win and, of course, they pulled it out. I had the Cowboys and Ravens too and both teams were awful, more awful than I thought possible., the biggest surprises being the ferocity of the Vikings and Colts defenses, against both run and pass.
So here they come again....those very tough defenses facing off against very different teams and very different circumstances too. The Colts were home against the Ravens and they'll still be home for the Jets. The Vikings have to travel to New Orleans to face the Saints.
Sat 6:40PM – New Orleans Superdome
SAINTS -3 1/2 Vikings
The Saints will be at home again but can be had, especially if Darren Sharper is limited. If the Vikings can run the ball all day, the game will be over. If that Saints offense is on the sidelines for long stretches and then, when they do take the field, they find the likes of the Vikings defense facing them, it'll be a very tough day, home or away.
So, for the Saints, they'll need big days from Jonathan Vilma, and no-names Sedrick Ellis and (a real tongue-twister now) and Remi Ayodele in the middle. Somehow, I don't get an extraordinary boost from that lineup, especially if Sharper is limited. (Who knows really with these injury reports)?
I'm pretty sure Reggie Bush won't have quite the success he had last week (vs the Cards) against the Vikings. Brees will do the best he can without a running game, but the pressure from the Vikings, not to mention the situation, will wear on him. And my least favorite quarterback, Brett Favre, won't find the pass rush from the Saints any more troublesome than was that of the Cowboys. He may even have time to throw some kisses to his fans in the stands, yes, even in New Orleans.
The Vikings can run the ball too, bigtime, with a big, strong, fast fellow named Adrian Peterson.
Percy Harvin's supposed to be sick. I believe it but how sick can he really be? Sharper will probably be his old self too, but Favre won't have to throw. Third and three, he can still give it to Adrian. (as in yo). Can we say the same thing for Reggie Bush? I don't think so.
The over-under is at 53, with a 3 1/2 spread, so the great betting populace is saying the score will be around 28-25 in favor of the Saints. I say, "Nah."
The Vikes run and run and run some more. Favre will pass off the run, of course, if just to bolster his stats, and get a couple of TD's. Figure Peterson for two and they might even get a field goal here and there. I'm figuring the Vikes can score 31.
The Saints will have big trouble on the ground, and then there'll be all those big and fast Vikes defensive linemen in his face. I figure they can score 3 TD's tops and a field goal or two. That's 27.
I hope I'm wrong but logic says the Vikings take this game. I hate logic too. I'd love to pick the Saints. But all those Saints I mentioned will have to play better than I give them credit for right now. So, sadly.....it'll be:
Vikings 31-27
Sunday 3PM – Mall of America Field, Minneapolis
COLTS -8 Jets
I saved the best for last. I can't even call them "my Jets" although I would like to. My sorry-ass team is the Giants.
The Jets played their best game of the season Sunday to overtake the Chargers, who couldn't stop the run at all. I'd expect the Colts to do a better job. The pressure will then be on the rook to produce in the face of some very mean defensive linemen that even those big and talented Jets offensive linemen will have trouble handling.
Peyton Manning will be looking at the same situation (trouble running the ball) but he's been through it before. He'll be careful with the ball more often than not, and he may even throw it to some Jets once, but if he limits the INT's to 1, I figure he'll be able to put two in the endzone (to any of his receivers) at least and add a couple of field goals. That'd make 20.
Not that the Jets won't make a lot of stops. They'll have to. I'm expecting a lot of Jets punts because they'll need to pass more than run against these Colts, especially towards the end of the game. They'll run with some success and will most likely get a TD or even two, but only because they are pretty tough in the red zone. I just don't expect that many drives to take them into Colts territory.
I'd figure the Jets to get in scoring position a maximum of five times. But I'd be guilty of over-optimism if I didn't expect either a fumble or INT on one or two of those drives. Shonn Greene hasn't fumbled recently but that could easily change. And Sanchez had just the one pick against the Chargers but these are the Colts.
I figure the Jets for 2 or 3 field goals and 2 or just 1 touchdown. It'll be that kind of day. Figure the Jets to get 20 points tops. That result would take the game into an overtime period. More likely than not, though, there'll be some "lost and found" to go with that "ground and pound." And the Jets will get around 16.
But the game still has to be played and this game is almost eerily similar to the last two playoff games these Jets have played. They were about the same class of dog against the Chargers away and a lesser dog vs. the Bengals away but a dog nonetheless.
But they didn't play like dogs. They just played relentlessly. Ground and pound indeed. The Colts are a little undersized, they say. And I guess they could get ground down by this Jets running game too. But I just think the Colts won't fold. They faced a pretty tough Ravens running game and came out on top.
And then there's the outrageous fortune the Jets have experienced, with the ball bouncing crazily and the field goals going hither and yon. And there's crazy Rex Ryan to turn up the Jets. And I think he's just lucky too.
But, if I had to pick just one team, it'd be the Colts in a close one. Logic says the Jets will cover, as I picked them to cover and not win versus the Bengals and to cover but not win versus the Chargers. Geez, how many times can you roll seven? (And I sure hope they can do it one more time). But my brain says:
Colts 20 - 16
But if it can stay "ground and pound" rather than "lost and found" for the Jets, they'll do it one more laughingly ridiculous time.
Last week I had the Saints and my score prediction was even pretty close but, even though I had joked that it was possible, I didn't expect the enormity of the Saints rout of the Cardinals. I had the Jets to cover but certainly not to win and, of course, they pulled it out. I had the Cowboys and Ravens too and both teams were awful, more awful than I thought possible., the biggest surprises being the ferocity of the Vikings and Colts defenses, against both run and pass.
So here they come again....those very tough defenses facing off against very different teams and very different circumstances too. The Colts were home against the Ravens and they'll still be home for the Jets. The Vikings have to travel to New Orleans to face the Saints.
Sat 6:40PM – New Orleans Superdome
SAINTS -3 1/2 Vikings
The Saints will be at home again but can be had, especially if Darren Sharper is limited. If the Vikings can run the ball all day, the game will be over. If that Saints offense is on the sidelines for long stretches and then, when they do take the field, they find the likes of the Vikings defense facing them, it'll be a very tough day, home or away.
So, for the Saints, they'll need big days from Jonathan Vilma, and no-names Sedrick Ellis and (a real tongue-twister now) and Remi Ayodele in the middle. Somehow, I don't get an extraordinary boost from that lineup, especially if Sharper is limited. (Who knows really with these injury reports)?
I'm pretty sure Reggie Bush won't have quite the success he had last week (vs the Cards) against the Vikings. Brees will do the best he can without a running game, but the pressure from the Vikings, not to mention the situation, will wear on him. And my least favorite quarterback, Brett Favre, won't find the pass rush from the Saints any more troublesome than was that of the Cowboys. He may even have time to throw some kisses to his fans in the stands, yes, even in New Orleans.
The Vikings can run the ball too, bigtime, with a big, strong, fast fellow named Adrian Peterson.
Percy Harvin's supposed to be sick. I believe it but how sick can he really be? Sharper will probably be his old self too, but Favre won't have to throw. Third and three, he can still give it to Adrian. (as in yo). Can we say the same thing for Reggie Bush? I don't think so.
The over-under is at 53, with a 3 1/2 spread, so the great betting populace is saying the score will be around 28-25 in favor of the Saints. I say, "Nah."
The Vikes run and run and run some more. Favre will pass off the run, of course, if just to bolster his stats, and get a couple of TD's. Figure Peterson for two and they might even get a field goal here and there. I'm figuring the Vikes can score 31.
The Saints will have big trouble on the ground, and then there'll be all those big and fast Vikes defensive linemen in his face. I figure they can score 3 TD's tops and a field goal or two. That's 27.
I hope I'm wrong but logic says the Vikings take this game. I hate logic too. I'd love to pick the Saints. But all those Saints I mentioned will have to play better than I give them credit for right now. So, sadly.....it'll be:
Vikings 31-27
Sunday 3PM – Mall of America Field, Minneapolis
COLTS -8 Jets
I saved the best for last. I can't even call them "my Jets" although I would like to. My sorry-ass team is the Giants.
The Jets played their best game of the season Sunday to overtake the Chargers, who couldn't stop the run at all. I'd expect the Colts to do a better job. The pressure will then be on the rook to produce in the face of some very mean defensive linemen that even those big and talented Jets offensive linemen will have trouble handling.
Peyton Manning will be looking at the same situation (trouble running the ball) but he's been through it before. He'll be careful with the ball more often than not, and he may even throw it to some Jets once, but if he limits the INT's to 1, I figure he'll be able to put two in the endzone (to any of his receivers) at least and add a couple of field goals. That'd make 20.
Not that the Jets won't make a lot of stops. They'll have to. I'm expecting a lot of Jets punts because they'll need to pass more than run against these Colts, especially towards the end of the game. They'll run with some success and will most likely get a TD or even two, but only because they are pretty tough in the red zone. I just don't expect that many drives to take them into Colts territory.
I'd figure the Jets to get in scoring position a maximum of five times. But I'd be guilty of over-optimism if I didn't expect either a fumble or INT on one or two of those drives. Shonn Greene hasn't fumbled recently but that could easily change. And Sanchez had just the one pick against the Chargers but these are the Colts.
I figure the Jets for 2 or 3 field goals and 2 or just 1 touchdown. It'll be that kind of day. Figure the Jets to get 20 points tops. That result would take the game into an overtime period. More likely than not, though, there'll be some "lost and found" to go with that "ground and pound." And the Jets will get around 16.
But the game still has to be played and this game is almost eerily similar to the last two playoff games these Jets have played. They were about the same class of dog against the Chargers away and a lesser dog vs. the Bengals away but a dog nonetheless.
But they didn't play like dogs. They just played relentlessly. Ground and pound indeed. The Colts are a little undersized, they say. And I guess they could get ground down by this Jets running game too. But I just think the Colts won't fold. They faced a pretty tough Ravens running game and came out on top.
And then there's the outrageous fortune the Jets have experienced, with the ball bouncing crazily and the field goals going hither and yon. And there's crazy Rex Ryan to turn up the Jets. And I think he's just lucky too.
But, if I had to pick just one team, it'd be the Colts in a close one. Logic says the Jets will cover, as I picked them to cover and not win versus the Bengals and to cover but not win versus the Chargers. Geez, how many times can you roll seven? (And I sure hope they can do it one more time). But my brain says:
Colts 20 - 16
But if it can stay "ground and pound" rather than "lost and found" for the Jets, they'll do it one more laughingly ridiculous time.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
On Football, Radio and Refs
I have to be honest. After visiting my Dad down in Toms River and having watched a particularly uninspiring first half of Jets-Chargers action, if you want to call it that, I got in my car for the long ride home. But for about the first agonizing 25 minutes of my ride home, in a driving rainstorm, mind you, I had station 1050 on my dial blasting so as to hear the game thru the static.
The next hour or so, though, was terrific. You should really try it sometime. Once the signal came in clearly, there’s nothing like a car radio and a slightly-crazed announcer in a playoff game to shorten a ride home (except perhaps for windshield wipers….well, maybe the defroster too). By the time I hit the bridge, the Jets were ahead on an agonizingly drawn out call of Sanchez’s rollout and zing to Dustin Keller in the right corner of the endzone.
Of course it got even better from there as the Jets held and then extended the lead. And the call on Shonn Greene’s blast through the Chargers line and safety for the TD making it 17-7 was outstanding. But I was still in the car for Jackson’s catch down the right sideline and by the time that dust settled, I was all the way to Morris Avenue, thrilled that the Chargers gave the Jets 15 yards back on one of the stupidest, most selfish emotional displays ever.
Well, I won’t replay the entire game. We all know what happened. By the time the much-maligned Kerry Rhodes snatched the onside kick, I was in my driveway and I actually got to watch the 4th down burst by Thomas Jones to ensure a Jets berth in the AFC Championship Game. (I can scarcely believe I get the chance to compose that sentence).
The post-game show was just gravy, marred only by the extraordinary analyses of Norv Turner’s decision to go for the onsides kick and Rex Ryan’s decision to go for the first down on 4th and 1. Although both decisions were similar in kind to me, i.e. making a rather bold move to win the game, Ryan’s decision was lauded and Turner’s was panned, over and over and over….
While I had picked the Jets to cover, I never expected them to win. In fact, if they played that same zone garbage in the second half, they would have lost. But Ryan’s instincts are good. Hell, they’ve been impeccable, which, of course, has been the difference between winning and losing, his handling of Rhodes, his handling of Sanchez, his handling of the media….
I must say, though, Ryan’s instincts notwithstanding, that the Jets have had some incredibly good luck as well. First there were the Colts and Bengals not giving a damn for their last two games, and then they got missed field goals in key situations from two pretty good kickers in both the Bengals and Chargers playoff games.
I’m not even a Jets fan, really, although I used to be, before having to witness Stalag Mangini. While I hate to change allegiances from the Giants, it’s not as if I’d have no justification for it. After all, it took Coughlin forever to drop that automaton of a defensive coordinator, which only served to lose the Giants any chance of a playoffs berth. But it may not have been his call. When have the Giants ever dropped a coach mid-season? I’ll give them one more year.
Besides, who would I root for if not the Jets…Favre and Childress and the Vikings? I don’t think so. I’m firmly on the Saints this weekend, hoping against hope the home field noise at the SuperDome and resultant hard counts from Brees will effectively slow that Vikings defensive line. That alone would boost both the Saints’ running and passing games, both of which would come in handy, to say the very least.
While Favre got all the applause Sunday, it was Sidney Rice who was the real star to me, along with a totally clueless Dallas secondary. The first touchdown was absolutely ridiculous. The corner had his back turned. Any play on the ball whatsoever and that catch isn’t made. On another TD, Rice made a nice block, got up, and still Favre had enough time to deliver the ball to him.
The Saints were awesome versus the sorry Cards, a result I did foresee, what with Shockey’s return along with the rest of their defense. They pressured Warner all day. He never had a chance, much as that sorry Cards defense had no shot against either the running of Reggie Bush or the downfield shots from Brees to Colston and company.
I was wrong on the Ravens , I guess, even though I still feel the refs did them in. The calls went the Colts way all game, huge calls, season-altering calls for both teams. The call against Ray Lewis was the only big call that I gave any credence too. The pass interference call on Reed’s interception was horrible. I hate to say it, but these calls seem like “Manning calls.”
I thought I was watching the NBA. If you’re a star, you’re untouchable. If you’re on the stars team, you have an edge. If your name is Manning (or Jordan or LeBron James, etc.), you are the closest thing to God on earth. The Jets will have no chance if he and his team get the same preferential treatment this Sunday, especially with respect to pass interference and hits on the quarterback.
Even give the horrible calls, the Ravens still might have won if not for some extremely questionable play-calling by the Ravens right before the half. They ran almost no time off the clock, giving Manning all the time he needed to break their backs. That game was virtually over at the half.
I’ll be picking the Saints and Jets, hoping the Jets can get a fair shake from the refs.
The next hour or so, though, was terrific. You should really try it sometime. Once the signal came in clearly, there’s nothing like a car radio and a slightly-crazed announcer in a playoff game to shorten a ride home (except perhaps for windshield wipers….well, maybe the defroster too). By the time I hit the bridge, the Jets were ahead on an agonizingly drawn out call of Sanchez’s rollout and zing to Dustin Keller in the right corner of the endzone.
Of course it got even better from there as the Jets held and then extended the lead. And the call on Shonn Greene’s blast through the Chargers line and safety for the TD making it 17-7 was outstanding. But I was still in the car for Jackson’s catch down the right sideline and by the time that dust settled, I was all the way to Morris Avenue, thrilled that the Chargers gave the Jets 15 yards back on one of the stupidest, most selfish emotional displays ever.
Well, I won’t replay the entire game. We all know what happened. By the time the much-maligned Kerry Rhodes snatched the onside kick, I was in my driveway and I actually got to watch the 4th down burst by Thomas Jones to ensure a Jets berth in the AFC Championship Game. (I can scarcely believe I get the chance to compose that sentence).
The post-game show was just gravy, marred only by the extraordinary analyses of Norv Turner’s decision to go for the onsides kick and Rex Ryan’s decision to go for the first down on 4th and 1. Although both decisions were similar in kind to me, i.e. making a rather bold move to win the game, Ryan’s decision was lauded and Turner’s was panned, over and over and over….
While I had picked the Jets to cover, I never expected them to win. In fact, if they played that same zone garbage in the second half, they would have lost. But Ryan’s instincts are good. Hell, they’ve been impeccable, which, of course, has been the difference between winning and losing, his handling of Rhodes, his handling of Sanchez, his handling of the media….
I must say, though, Ryan’s instincts notwithstanding, that the Jets have had some incredibly good luck as well. First there were the Colts and Bengals not giving a damn for their last two games, and then they got missed field goals in key situations from two pretty good kickers in both the Bengals and Chargers playoff games.
I’m not even a Jets fan, really, although I used to be, before having to witness Stalag Mangini. While I hate to change allegiances from the Giants, it’s not as if I’d have no justification for it. After all, it took Coughlin forever to drop that automaton of a defensive coordinator, which only served to lose the Giants any chance of a playoffs berth. But it may not have been his call. When have the Giants ever dropped a coach mid-season? I’ll give them one more year.
Besides, who would I root for if not the Jets…Favre and Childress and the Vikings? I don’t think so. I’m firmly on the Saints this weekend, hoping against hope the home field noise at the SuperDome and resultant hard counts from Brees will effectively slow that Vikings defensive line. That alone would boost both the Saints’ running and passing games, both of which would come in handy, to say the very least.
While Favre got all the applause Sunday, it was Sidney Rice who was the real star to me, along with a totally clueless Dallas secondary. The first touchdown was absolutely ridiculous. The corner had his back turned. Any play on the ball whatsoever and that catch isn’t made. On another TD, Rice made a nice block, got up, and still Favre had enough time to deliver the ball to him.
The Saints were awesome versus the sorry Cards, a result I did foresee, what with Shockey’s return along with the rest of their defense. They pressured Warner all day. He never had a chance, much as that sorry Cards defense had no shot against either the running of Reggie Bush or the downfield shots from Brees to Colston and company.
I was wrong on the Ravens , I guess, even though I still feel the refs did them in. The calls went the Colts way all game, huge calls, season-altering calls for both teams. The call against Ray Lewis was the only big call that I gave any credence too. The pass interference call on Reed’s interception was horrible. I hate to say it, but these calls seem like “Manning calls.”
I thought I was watching the NBA. If you’re a star, you’re untouchable. If you’re on the stars team, you have an edge. If your name is Manning (or Jordan or LeBron James, etc.), you are the closest thing to God on earth. The Jets will have no chance if he and his team get the same preferential treatment this Sunday, especially with respect to pass interference and hits on the quarterback.
Even give the horrible calls, the Ravens still might have won if not for some extremely questionable play-calling by the Ravens right before the half. They ran almost no time off the clock, giving Manning all the time he needed to break their backs. That game was virtually over at the half.
I’ll be picking the Saints and Jets, hoping the Jets can get a fair shake from the refs.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Out With the Old...Within Limits
Playoffs week 1 went as well as could be expected. The Jets won and I went 3 and 1 on my picks against the spread. What could be better? Not even if Carlos Beltran were to come back in April from his latest surprise surgery and just start acting as a member of the team again, not even that would make me happier than that the Jets actually won a playoff game.
Can the Jets beat San Diego? Of course they can. Anything can happen in the NFL. If Rivers goes down, if LaDainian goes down, if Gates and Jackson and Sproles all turn in clunkers, the Jets can win again. But I don’t expect it. They’ll cover the spread though, which is currently at 7 ½ but had been even higher. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Taking things in order:
Sat 4:30 – New Orleans Superdome
SAINTS -7 Cardinals
I’m still mad. That the Cardinals beat the Packers at all is still killing me. The Packers played a stupid defense and stayed in it. It had to be heartbreaking for the Pack. I say it’s time to sweep out the old and bring in the new blood. Kurt Warner had his day. Saturday won’t be another for him.
When the Saints come marching in, they’ll be doing so at full strength. The Saints are back. Their defense will be intact for the first time in a long time. Jeremy Shockey will be back too. Shockey of the big mouth, big biceps, big tattoos and more important, big blocking ability and big receiving threat, will be on the field. Shockey makes a difference on that offensive line.
Drew Brees will finally get the time he needs to look downfield, the running game should get a boost, and the Cardinals will have every reason to quit, something they’ve shown themselves only too willing to do at times in the past.
A 7-point spread is big though and the over/under of 57 is huge. If the whistles stay quiet, this could be quite a different game. I look for the Saints to play a keep-away game, something they should be able to re-establish on Saturday. Look for the Saints to establish Pierre Thomas in the running game, something they haven’t been able to do since Week 13.
Since Week 13, the Saints haven’t run the ball. Their points scored suffered dramatically as a result. An offense that had been scoring in the 30’s and 40’s scored 17, 17 and 10 points respectively in Weeks 15 through 17. They managed to win against Atlanta in Week 14 with Shockey in the lineup. The Saints are undefeated with Shockey and 0-3 without him.
The Dome will be rockin’……Saints 30-17.
Sat 8:15 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
COLTS -6 ½ Ravens
The Colts are tough and they may win this one but it won’t be a romp for sure. The Colts took their first contest by a score of 17-15. They’re rested but have absolutely no momentum going into this game. But guess what? The Colts have an offensive line second to none. They’ll protect Manning, who, by the way, has never lost to the Ravens.
But the Ravens are playing better than ever. Both Ray Rice and Willis McGahee are pounding that rock and everybody’s playing inspired behind gimpy-hipped Joe Flacco. They have all the momentum in the world going into this one.
But Flacco made the big mistake in their first contest. He was intercepted in the final minutes after having negotiated a long drive to the Colts 12-yard line.
This will be a war……..Ravens 24-22
Sunday 1PM – Mall of America Field, Minneapolis
VIKINGS -2 ½ Cowboys
Out with the old, in with the new. Favre will find he’s got Boyz in his face. There’ll be none of the pump-fake nonsense he’s perpetrated against a lot of teams. Before pounding the hapless Giants, who could never defend anything, the Vikes had lost to the Panthers and Bears. The Panthers held the Vikes to 7 total points while the Bears simply outscored them 36-30.
Wade Phillips knows defense. Tony Romo knows offense. It’s Romo’s time. Favre has had his moments and Sunday looks to not be one of them. Look for the Boyz to stop Adrian Peterson, take an early lead, and then take a few INT’s from a desperate Favre down the stretch.
Look for the Vikes to put 20 on the board. Look for the Boyz to get a few more.
Cowboys 27-20
Sunday, 4:40 PM – Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego
CHARGERS -7 ½ Jets
While I’d love to say “out with the old, in with the new” once again, we have Phillip Rivers, who isn’t that old, going against Mark Sanchez, who’s a little too young. As well as the Jets have been playing, the Chargers have been doing it better and longer. The Chargers have just the type of versatile offense to give the Jets fits.
The Bengals didn’t have enough weapons. Carson Palmer had no time and Ochocinco was blanketed by Revis. Their second wide-out was Laverneus Coles. There were no other targets to speak of and the Bengals missed two field goals. The Jets running backs ran wild and a great offensive game plan worked to perfection but under no real duress.
I’m expecting a great deal of duress Sunday afternoon. Although the Chargers haven’t been able to get their running game going, their passing offense hasn’t been stopped. The Chargers are for real with Vincent Jackson on one side and Malcolm Floyd on the other. Then there is Antonio Gates. They’re all tall and can catch the ball, unlike one Braylon Edwards, who’ll drop anything he has to think about.
All that being said, the Chargers will be facing a fired-up young squad that won’t quit. The Jets will undoubtedly have some success on the ground, but unless they can take and hold the lead against one of the NFL’s finest offenses, they’ll have to throw. It won’t work.
Chargers 24-20, Jets cover
Can the Jets beat San Diego? Of course they can. Anything can happen in the NFL. If Rivers goes down, if LaDainian goes down, if Gates and Jackson and Sproles all turn in clunkers, the Jets can win again. But I don’t expect it. They’ll cover the spread though, which is currently at 7 ½ but had been even higher. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Taking things in order:
Sat 4:30 – New Orleans Superdome
SAINTS -7 Cardinals
I’m still mad. That the Cardinals beat the Packers at all is still killing me. The Packers played a stupid defense and stayed in it. It had to be heartbreaking for the Pack. I say it’s time to sweep out the old and bring in the new blood. Kurt Warner had his day. Saturday won’t be another for him.
When the Saints come marching in, they’ll be doing so at full strength. The Saints are back. Their defense will be intact for the first time in a long time. Jeremy Shockey will be back too. Shockey of the big mouth, big biceps, big tattoos and more important, big blocking ability and big receiving threat, will be on the field. Shockey makes a difference on that offensive line.
Drew Brees will finally get the time he needs to look downfield, the running game should get a boost, and the Cardinals will have every reason to quit, something they’ve shown themselves only too willing to do at times in the past.
A 7-point spread is big though and the over/under of 57 is huge. If the whistles stay quiet, this could be quite a different game. I look for the Saints to play a keep-away game, something they should be able to re-establish on Saturday. Look for the Saints to establish Pierre Thomas in the running game, something they haven’t been able to do since Week 13.
Since Week 13, the Saints haven’t run the ball. Their points scored suffered dramatically as a result. An offense that had been scoring in the 30’s and 40’s scored 17, 17 and 10 points respectively in Weeks 15 through 17. They managed to win against Atlanta in Week 14 with Shockey in the lineup. The Saints are undefeated with Shockey and 0-3 without him.
The Dome will be rockin’……Saints 30-17.
Sat 8:15 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
COLTS -6 ½ Ravens
The Colts are tough and they may win this one but it won’t be a romp for sure. The Colts took their first contest by a score of 17-15. They’re rested but have absolutely no momentum going into this game. But guess what? The Colts have an offensive line second to none. They’ll protect Manning, who, by the way, has never lost to the Ravens.
But the Ravens are playing better than ever. Both Ray Rice and Willis McGahee are pounding that rock and everybody’s playing inspired behind gimpy-hipped Joe Flacco. They have all the momentum in the world going into this one.
But Flacco made the big mistake in their first contest. He was intercepted in the final minutes after having negotiated a long drive to the Colts 12-yard line.
This will be a war……..Ravens 24-22
Sunday 1PM – Mall of America Field, Minneapolis
VIKINGS -2 ½ Cowboys
Out with the old, in with the new. Favre will find he’s got Boyz in his face. There’ll be none of the pump-fake nonsense he’s perpetrated against a lot of teams. Before pounding the hapless Giants, who could never defend anything, the Vikes had lost to the Panthers and Bears. The Panthers held the Vikes to 7 total points while the Bears simply outscored them 36-30.
Wade Phillips knows defense. Tony Romo knows offense. It’s Romo’s time. Favre has had his moments and Sunday looks to not be one of them. Look for the Boyz to stop Adrian Peterson, take an early lead, and then take a few INT’s from a desperate Favre down the stretch.
Look for the Vikes to put 20 on the board. Look for the Boyz to get a few more.
Cowboys 27-20
Sunday, 4:40 PM – Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego
CHARGERS -7 ½ Jets
While I’d love to say “out with the old, in with the new” once again, we have Phillip Rivers, who isn’t that old, going against Mark Sanchez, who’s a little too young. As well as the Jets have been playing, the Chargers have been doing it better and longer. The Chargers have just the type of versatile offense to give the Jets fits.
The Bengals didn’t have enough weapons. Carson Palmer had no time and Ochocinco was blanketed by Revis. Their second wide-out was Laverneus Coles. There were no other targets to speak of and the Bengals missed two field goals. The Jets running backs ran wild and a great offensive game plan worked to perfection but under no real duress.
I’m expecting a great deal of duress Sunday afternoon. Although the Chargers haven’t been able to get their running game going, their passing offense hasn’t been stopped. The Chargers are for real with Vincent Jackson on one side and Malcolm Floyd on the other. Then there is Antonio Gates. They’re all tall and can catch the ball, unlike one Braylon Edwards, who’ll drop anything he has to think about.
All that being said, the Chargers will be facing a fired-up young squad that won’t quit. The Jets will undoubtedly have some success on the ground, but unless they can take and hold the lead against one of the NFL’s finest offenses, they’ll have to throw. It won’t work.
Chargers 24-20, Jets cover
Monday, January 11, 2010
On Good and Bad Coaches
I kept wondering yesterday as I watched the Arizona-Green Bay match, “how many times could I hit Mike McCarthy in the head with a 2x4 before he covered up”? After Warner’s first TD pass, I would have been thinking, “maybe I should rush this guy”. After the second, it would have been, “ok, the very next TD he throws, I’m going to start putting the heat on this sonova gun”.
And then I would have really started bringing linebackers, safeties, corners at Warner…..and you know what? Maybe he beats the blitz a couple of times but maybe he doesn’t finish the game either. In no event does he continue carving up my defense with absolutely no ramifications.
If I knew McCarthy was going to sit back, rush three and play a friggin’ zone, there is absolutely no way I would have picked Green Bay to win that game. You couldn’t have given me enough points. The NFL makes teams divulge injuries but not gameplans. There is no reporting requirement for stupidity.
It was painful for me to watch the heroic effort of Aaron Rodgers in the face of a rush, scrambling around, making impossible throws to an almost equally adept group of receivers. That Jennings catch on the sidelines was one of the best I’ve ever seen. Green Bay did not deserve to lose. Only McCarthy did.
So Mike McCarthy joins my list of bad coaches, along with the memorable Herm Edwards, Rich Kotite and other numbskulls from the past. Thankfully for me, he was not on the Jets sideline. We had a guy who isn’t a real deep thinker. He’s just a guy who reacts to what’s right there in front of him.
And what was in front of Rex Ryan Saturday were the Cincinnati Bengals….those poor bastards. They didn’t stand a chance. Ryan’s pound-the-rock offense and his grinding defense made the Bengals paper tigers. And, while I had picked the Jets to cover, I thought that they’d lose in the end; I thought they’d lose to a veteran quarterback, Carson Palmer, while their rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez would finally succumb to the gravity of the moment and throw a pick or two.
But it wasn’t just pounding that ground down the Bengals. It was misdirection. The Jets watched the films, DVD’s probably….whatever. They saw a pursuing defense, some might have said an over-pursuing defense, and they took advantage. They took the lead and held it. But you can’t misdirect without the threat of pounding. And that threat was taken very seriously by the Cincinnati Bengals.
Of course, much of that strategy went unreported. That telecast was one of the worst ever on television. Joe Gibbs is a color guy? I still can’t remember anything the play-by-play fella said; in fact, I still can’t remember his name. (I looked it up..Tom Hammond?) The color guy was Joe Theisman. To most football fans, I’ll have to say no more. Somebody called him the human filibuster. He was being kind. Theisman didn’t even know the rules for a catch. It was either that or his mouth was moving waay faster than his brain could kick in.
Of course, none of that’s important. The Jets won. They romped. And they talked. Then they talked some more. But that’s okay. Rex is strong on visualization. What the hell, it seems to be working. I can see him at work behind the scenes, “Now, Mark, I want you to picture Dustin Keller all alone behind the defense, you’re running right with nobody in your face and all you have to do is throw the ball to him.” If anything like that did in fact happen, I wouldn’t be surprised.
The Pats lost, of course, to a Ravens team that used a lot of the same Jets tactics to overwhelm their opponent. This was another game that I picked for the Ravens to cover but not win. I gave too much credit to Brady and Belichick and the Pats being home and all that meant absolutely nothing, nada, zilch to the Ravens. They just kicked butt. And it surely was a sweet thing to see.
Those Ravens were ready and the readiest Raven was Ray Rice. (Say that 5 times fast). Ray just started off by scooting through an opening and then turning on the jets for an 83-yard touchdown. Then their defensive end on just a 3-man front gets around his blocker and swipes the ball out of Brady’s hand resulting in another touchdown. And that was pretty much all she wrote.
I must say though that I’m somewhat surprised that some people are thinking that that game might mark the end of the Patriots dominance. That’s pretty crazy. Belichick will analyze and measure to the nth degree, make the changes he must, and the Pats will be back. Then the Pats fans will say, “Geez, it’s so nice not to have Vrabel and Seau and……”.
I’m working backwards here somewhat as the game I cared about most, except for the Jets game, is the one I’m covering last. It wasn’t much of a game though. McNabb had no time to throw and his fleet of fleet receivers never got open. DeSean Jackson…erased, Jeremy Maclin…who?, Brent Celek….huh? The Cowboys made them disappear.
I have to admit that Wade Phillips used to be on my list of horrible coaches, stemming mostly from his alleged contention that he could devise a defense that could consist of nobodies….that his brilliant strategy of spacing and discipline could totally frustrate any opponent. No stars would be required. I guess years of failure at Denver may have changed his mind. His defense now seems to have been adapted so that his stars are used in his defense to fully showcase their abilities…..but within the scheme of his overall strategy. It was his defense that beat Philadelphia. And it was his defense that got the Cowboys into the game at all.
J-E-T-S….Jets…..Jets….JETS!! Next stop San Diego and more later on that.
And then I would have really started bringing linebackers, safeties, corners at Warner…..and you know what? Maybe he beats the blitz a couple of times but maybe he doesn’t finish the game either. In no event does he continue carving up my defense with absolutely no ramifications.
If I knew McCarthy was going to sit back, rush three and play a friggin’ zone, there is absolutely no way I would have picked Green Bay to win that game. You couldn’t have given me enough points. The NFL makes teams divulge injuries but not gameplans. There is no reporting requirement for stupidity.
It was painful for me to watch the heroic effort of Aaron Rodgers in the face of a rush, scrambling around, making impossible throws to an almost equally adept group of receivers. That Jennings catch on the sidelines was one of the best I’ve ever seen. Green Bay did not deserve to lose. Only McCarthy did.
So Mike McCarthy joins my list of bad coaches, along with the memorable Herm Edwards, Rich Kotite and other numbskulls from the past. Thankfully for me, he was not on the Jets sideline. We had a guy who isn’t a real deep thinker. He’s just a guy who reacts to what’s right there in front of him.
And what was in front of Rex Ryan Saturday were the Cincinnati Bengals….those poor bastards. They didn’t stand a chance. Ryan’s pound-the-rock offense and his grinding defense made the Bengals paper tigers. And, while I had picked the Jets to cover, I thought that they’d lose in the end; I thought they’d lose to a veteran quarterback, Carson Palmer, while their rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez would finally succumb to the gravity of the moment and throw a pick or two.
But it wasn’t just pounding that ground down the Bengals. It was misdirection. The Jets watched the films, DVD’s probably….whatever. They saw a pursuing defense, some might have said an over-pursuing defense, and they took advantage. They took the lead and held it. But you can’t misdirect without the threat of pounding. And that threat was taken very seriously by the Cincinnati Bengals.
Of course, much of that strategy went unreported. That telecast was one of the worst ever on television. Joe Gibbs is a color guy? I still can’t remember anything the play-by-play fella said; in fact, I still can’t remember his name. (I looked it up..Tom Hammond?) The color guy was Joe Theisman. To most football fans, I’ll have to say no more. Somebody called him the human filibuster. He was being kind. Theisman didn’t even know the rules for a catch. It was either that or his mouth was moving waay faster than his brain could kick in.
Of course, none of that’s important. The Jets won. They romped. And they talked. Then they talked some more. But that’s okay. Rex is strong on visualization. What the hell, it seems to be working. I can see him at work behind the scenes, “Now, Mark, I want you to picture Dustin Keller all alone behind the defense, you’re running right with nobody in your face and all you have to do is throw the ball to him.” If anything like that did in fact happen, I wouldn’t be surprised.
The Pats lost, of course, to a Ravens team that used a lot of the same Jets tactics to overwhelm their opponent. This was another game that I picked for the Ravens to cover but not win. I gave too much credit to Brady and Belichick and the Pats being home and all that meant absolutely nothing, nada, zilch to the Ravens. They just kicked butt. And it surely was a sweet thing to see.
Those Ravens were ready and the readiest Raven was Ray Rice. (Say that 5 times fast). Ray just started off by scooting through an opening and then turning on the jets for an 83-yard touchdown. Then their defensive end on just a 3-man front gets around his blocker and swipes the ball out of Brady’s hand resulting in another touchdown. And that was pretty much all she wrote.
I must say though that I’m somewhat surprised that some people are thinking that that game might mark the end of the Patriots dominance. That’s pretty crazy. Belichick will analyze and measure to the nth degree, make the changes he must, and the Pats will be back. Then the Pats fans will say, “Geez, it’s so nice not to have Vrabel and Seau and……”.
I’m working backwards here somewhat as the game I cared about most, except for the Jets game, is the one I’m covering last. It wasn’t much of a game though. McNabb had no time to throw and his fleet of fleet receivers never got open. DeSean Jackson…erased, Jeremy Maclin…who?, Brent Celek….huh? The Cowboys made them disappear.
I have to admit that Wade Phillips used to be on my list of horrible coaches, stemming mostly from his alleged contention that he could devise a defense that could consist of nobodies….that his brilliant strategy of spacing and discipline could totally frustrate any opponent. No stars would be required. I guess years of failure at Denver may have changed his mind. His defense now seems to have been adapted so that his stars are used in his defense to fully showcase their abilities…..but within the scheme of his overall strategy. It was his defense that beat Philadelphia. And it was his defense that got the Cowboys into the game at all.
J-E-T-S….Jets…..Jets….JETS!! Next stop San Diego and more later on that.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Three Yards and a Cloud of Dust
Week 17 was another one of those monkey weeks for me as I finished 8-7 for the week to finish the regular season with a not quite heroic 101-86-4 record for the year. I won’t even look at what percentage of wins that is but it’s a hell of a lot better than .500. And hey! We are using point spreads here. None of that ESPN-ish winners picks on this site. We’re all grown up now.
Anyway, as for last week, there is an excuse or two to offer. I would have sworn the Bengals would have tried a little harder last week. And that goes for Indianapolis too. I was really disappointed in both teams really, Indianapolis because it was bad enough they had already thrown the towel in on an undefeated season and the Bengals because they had been one of my feel-good teams this year along with the Niners. I expected more from them.
Then the Eagles threw in a real dud against the Cowboys. I still can’t figure out whether the NFC East title meant anything at all to them. But did they really figure the Giants had any chance whatever against the Vikings? I don’t think so. So they had no real shot at the 2 seed and, as far as I know, the NFL isn’t handing out championship belts to just any old division winner. So the Eagles had nothing to gain and everything to lose by throwing all their cards on the table. As Romo had a lot of time to throw, I have to think they were just dogging it. Even Romo was surprised.
But that doesn’t mean I think they’ll beat Dallas. I think they’ll lose by around six. Sometimes you can do all your shrewd little ruses and outsmart yourself. I think that’s what will happen to the Eagles. They’ll come out with fire but they’ll be in the Cowboys gigantic home, and there’ll be cheerleaders and that low scoreboard and Jerry Jones….the first bad thing that happens to the Eagles will just incite that crowd and before you know it, things will start turning bad.
The Eagles are pretty young too. It’s usually experience that pulls teams through these postseason wars and the Eagles just don’t have that much of it. So they’ll bring the heat and maybe get burned and then there’ll be Marion Barber bein’ pesky and Demarcus Ware making things tough on Donovan and maybe some of these young Eagles guns will get the dropsies or fumble or just not be as good as they usually are.
The Cowboys have had enough bad things happen to them. They’ll play a conservative game for them but they’ll frustrate that Philly offense and hang around till the pressure gets to those Birds, whose offense just isn’t that versatile. I figure there’ll be a turnover or two at just the wrong time and the Boyz will prevail.
The over-under’s at 45 and the Eagles get 3 ½ but it won’t be enough. I think it’ll be 26-20, Cowboys.
But the game most New Yorkers (and Jerseyans) care about is the Jets game. It’s difficult to say what will happen under these peculiar circumstances, playing the same team again, one that you beat handily but they didn’t give it their best. They didn’t start their Cedric Benson. They gave 3 of their defensive injured another week off.
Interestingly enough, these 3 injured defensemen ain’t just chopped liver. I know. The Bengals were my fantasy defense. They lost Geathers first as I recall, then the other two shortly thereafter. Robert Geathers is their best defensive lineman. When they lost the defensive tackle as well, Domata Peko, the whole left side of their defense was decimated. (They play a 4-3). Peka is 6-3 and 325 and is key to the Bengals run defense. The other injured Bengal was Chris Crocker, their free safety, and we all saw what happened to the Giants when they lost their safety. All three are returning. They’ll be full-strength for the first time in weeks. They’ll be psyched in Cincinnati. Count on it.
So count on the Jets not having quite as much success on the ground. They’ll get some yards but it won’t even approach what they had last week. There could be a lot of three and outs. And then Sanchez will throw. He’ll throw some safe stuff and he’ll be careful with the ball. And sooner or later he’ll find Braylon Edwards, who might even make a catch.
Speaking of versatile offenses, the Jets don’t have one. They’ve been running their way to mini-celebrity in the City and that’ll continue but they just won’t be very good at it tomorrow. Cotchery, Dustin Keller, Braylon Edwards, they just aren’t that formidable.
Speaking of formidable, though, that would be their defense. They won’t go away. And Cedric Benson may be their #1 running back but I just don’t think he’ll make that much of a difference. They’ll fare better than last week, probably running at the middle of the Jets defense, hoping to take advantage of good ol’ Sione Pouha. (I love that name).
So what we’ll see tomorrow is the same kind of offense from both sides. It’ll be one of those battles for field position, 3 yards and a cloud of dust….stuff like that.
The over-under is 34. The Jets are getting 2 ½. I figure that’ll be just about right. The Jets will cover but they may not win. That’s the bad news. Carson Palmer being who he is and Mark Sanchez being who he is, you have to like the Bengals chances late in the game.
The most likely scenario is another Falcons affair, a late Bengals touchdown to put them ahead by one. The good news, besides covering the spread, is that they’ll look pretty good and won’t totally embarrass themselves. Hell, they might even win.
But I don’t expect it.
Other games:
Pats 27-24 over Baltimore. Ravens cover
Packers 30-27 over Cards in a pickem game.
Anyway, as for last week, there is an excuse or two to offer. I would have sworn the Bengals would have tried a little harder last week. And that goes for Indianapolis too. I was really disappointed in both teams really, Indianapolis because it was bad enough they had already thrown the towel in on an undefeated season and the Bengals because they had been one of my feel-good teams this year along with the Niners. I expected more from them.
Then the Eagles threw in a real dud against the Cowboys. I still can’t figure out whether the NFC East title meant anything at all to them. But did they really figure the Giants had any chance whatever against the Vikings? I don’t think so. So they had no real shot at the 2 seed and, as far as I know, the NFL isn’t handing out championship belts to just any old division winner. So the Eagles had nothing to gain and everything to lose by throwing all their cards on the table. As Romo had a lot of time to throw, I have to think they were just dogging it. Even Romo was surprised.
But that doesn’t mean I think they’ll beat Dallas. I think they’ll lose by around six. Sometimes you can do all your shrewd little ruses and outsmart yourself. I think that’s what will happen to the Eagles. They’ll come out with fire but they’ll be in the Cowboys gigantic home, and there’ll be cheerleaders and that low scoreboard and Jerry Jones….the first bad thing that happens to the Eagles will just incite that crowd and before you know it, things will start turning bad.
The Eagles are pretty young too. It’s usually experience that pulls teams through these postseason wars and the Eagles just don’t have that much of it. So they’ll bring the heat and maybe get burned and then there’ll be Marion Barber bein’ pesky and Demarcus Ware making things tough on Donovan and maybe some of these young Eagles guns will get the dropsies or fumble or just not be as good as they usually are.
The Cowboys have had enough bad things happen to them. They’ll play a conservative game for them but they’ll frustrate that Philly offense and hang around till the pressure gets to those Birds, whose offense just isn’t that versatile. I figure there’ll be a turnover or two at just the wrong time and the Boyz will prevail.
The over-under’s at 45 and the Eagles get 3 ½ but it won’t be enough. I think it’ll be 26-20, Cowboys.
But the game most New Yorkers (and Jerseyans) care about is the Jets game. It’s difficult to say what will happen under these peculiar circumstances, playing the same team again, one that you beat handily but they didn’t give it their best. They didn’t start their Cedric Benson. They gave 3 of their defensive injured another week off.
Interestingly enough, these 3 injured defensemen ain’t just chopped liver. I know. The Bengals were my fantasy defense. They lost Geathers first as I recall, then the other two shortly thereafter. Robert Geathers is their best defensive lineman. When they lost the defensive tackle as well, Domata Peko, the whole left side of their defense was decimated. (They play a 4-3). Peka is 6-3 and 325 and is key to the Bengals run defense. The other injured Bengal was Chris Crocker, their free safety, and we all saw what happened to the Giants when they lost their safety. All three are returning. They’ll be full-strength for the first time in weeks. They’ll be psyched in Cincinnati. Count on it.
So count on the Jets not having quite as much success on the ground. They’ll get some yards but it won’t even approach what they had last week. There could be a lot of three and outs. And then Sanchez will throw. He’ll throw some safe stuff and he’ll be careful with the ball. And sooner or later he’ll find Braylon Edwards, who might even make a catch.
Speaking of versatile offenses, the Jets don’t have one. They’ve been running their way to mini-celebrity in the City and that’ll continue but they just won’t be very good at it tomorrow. Cotchery, Dustin Keller, Braylon Edwards, they just aren’t that formidable.
Speaking of formidable, though, that would be their defense. They won’t go away. And Cedric Benson may be their #1 running back but I just don’t think he’ll make that much of a difference. They’ll fare better than last week, probably running at the middle of the Jets defense, hoping to take advantage of good ol’ Sione Pouha. (I love that name).
So what we’ll see tomorrow is the same kind of offense from both sides. It’ll be one of those battles for field position, 3 yards and a cloud of dust….stuff like that.
The over-under is 34. The Jets are getting 2 ½. I figure that’ll be just about right. The Jets will cover but they may not win. That’s the bad news. Carson Palmer being who he is and Mark Sanchez being who he is, you have to like the Bengals chances late in the game.
The most likely scenario is another Falcons affair, a late Bengals touchdown to put them ahead by one. The good news, besides covering the spread, is that they’ll look pretty good and won’t totally embarrass themselves. Hell, they might even win.
But I don’t expect it.
Other games:
Pats 27-24 over Baltimore. Ravens cover
Packers 30-27 over Cards in a pickem game.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Results Beat Process Anytime
Thank God for John Mara. The Giants boss was just as fed up as I was with the horrid pass defense, finally pulling the plug on the defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan . Judging by his rather harsh (but then it had to be) words, he must have been remarkably patient all year.
While I’m happy that the Giants finally made a move in that direction (I’ve been calling for Sheridan’s ouster for quite some time now), I think there’s certainly more that could be done. The secondary coach, the linebacker coach, and even the GM could also be considered for the boot.
Even considering the injuries and lack of pressure on the passer, the Giants corners and safeties were deplorable. If they weren’t totally out of position, they just stood by while the receiver made the catch. I’ve blamed the coordinator all year because nothing seemed coordinated. But surely the GM bears responsibility for the talent he brought in. And surely the secondary coach could have imparted some useful information as to how to cover people.
What saves the GM, Jerry Reese, in my eyes is the fact that he had that fantastic draft class of a few years ago. And the Giants certainly have plenty of talent on offense. Except for the front four though, there isn’t really much talent on defense at all. His very few high draft choices in the secondary, Kenny Phillips and Aaron Ross, were both hurt this year. Safety Michael Johnson was the 224th pick in 2007. Corner Terrell Thomas was pick 63 in 2008 but was only marginally competent. The rest of the acquisitions (free agents) were awful all year…CC Brown, any of the multitude of Johnsons, Aaron Rouse….if he played the secondary, he was incompetent.
The head coach, Tom Coughlin, also gets a mulligan, but only for now. His retention should definitely be considered temporary. He’s been the Giants head coach for a long time. Maybe the players have had it with him. They certainly haven’t responded to his pleas for playing hard.
All that being said, I really think the problems are fixable. With a good defensive scheme (what was wrong with Spagnuolo’s?), and Phillips and Ross returning in good health, half the secondary problems go away. The rest of the secondary roster, except perhaps for Terrell Thomas, have to go. A change in scheme should go a long way towards fixing any pass rush problems.
It’s to be hoped the new defensive coordinator will pay more attention to the effects of his teaching on a week-to-week basis than his predecessor, who was proudest of his consistency in his teaching method without regard to the results. (This last is almost too preposterous a position on which to comment).
Process is great. You will hear a lot about process from guys like Eric Mangini, whose Cleveland team finished strongly but still wound up with 4 or 5 wins (who’s counting?). Process gets you a situation such as the one that totally shut down Newark Airport yesterday. Process gets you the New Orleans situation after Katrina. And I’m sure process has a lot to do with the ridiculous war in Afghanistan.
Give me Rex Ryan anytime. Rex had a huge problem, quite literally, when his defensive tackle, Kris Jenkins, went down. He brought somebody in, coached him up, and the Jets soon resumed their proficiency in defending the run. When Mark Sanchez, his rookie QB, started turning the ball over, he initiated a simple color-coded sideline communications system to keep the QB on track.
When the Giants run into problems, they try to hide them. Actually, the hiding comes only after the denial that there is a problem at all. When Coughlin was forced into a corner to comment on his defense, he first obfuscated the problem by shunting some of the difficulty over to his offense. Then he said he wasn’t making excuses.
Keep it simple, make it work. Forget process. And, if we have one more year of uninspired play from the Giants, I’d say forget Coughlin too. And maybe Jerry Reese isn’t quite as brilliant as I had originally thought. He seems a lot better at the draft than he is at picking up replacement players in a pinch. No doubt he has a process for the draft. Heh-heh.
Well, that’s quite enough about those disappointing Giants, especially when we have a playoff contender in the New York Jets. Their impressive win over the Bengals on Sunday was a really good sign. I don’t care that neither the Bengals nor the Colts before them had anything to gain from the game. The Jets could have still lost. They could have assumed an easy contest and mailed it in. They didn’t. They played 120 minutes over two games of playoff football. Kudos to the Jets.
While I don’t think their rematch with the Bengals next Sunday will go nearly as well as the first game, I do think the Jets will win it. The injury to David Harris will definitely hurt though. He’s been the leading tackler for the Green and White for quite some time now. And while the Bengals will run more effectively with Cedric Benson rather than Larry Johnson, I can’t imagine it making a huge difference in the final result.
Meanwhile, speaking of management, kudos to Mets GM Omar Minaya for finally locking up Jason Bay, filling that left field slot with a pretty terrific hitter. If he can indeed get Molina to catch, the Mets will have a pretty awesome lineup as Beltran, Delgado and Wright all return. And Jeff Francoeur should be ok after his thumb problem.
The pitching is a different story. Kelvim Escobar is a good pitcher if he can get healthy but it seems like a shot in the dark. I would hope they still try to get a better arm for that up and down starting rotation. It’d be a big shot in the arm for a young and erratic staff.
While I’m happy that the Giants finally made a move in that direction (I’ve been calling for Sheridan’s ouster for quite some time now), I think there’s certainly more that could be done. The secondary coach, the linebacker coach, and even the GM could also be considered for the boot.
Even considering the injuries and lack of pressure on the passer, the Giants corners and safeties were deplorable. If they weren’t totally out of position, they just stood by while the receiver made the catch. I’ve blamed the coordinator all year because nothing seemed coordinated. But surely the GM bears responsibility for the talent he brought in. And surely the secondary coach could have imparted some useful information as to how to cover people.
What saves the GM, Jerry Reese, in my eyes is the fact that he had that fantastic draft class of a few years ago. And the Giants certainly have plenty of talent on offense. Except for the front four though, there isn’t really much talent on defense at all. His very few high draft choices in the secondary, Kenny Phillips and Aaron Ross, were both hurt this year. Safety Michael Johnson was the 224th pick in 2007. Corner Terrell Thomas was pick 63 in 2008 but was only marginally competent. The rest of the acquisitions (free agents) were awful all year…CC Brown, any of the multitude of Johnsons, Aaron Rouse….if he played the secondary, he was incompetent.
The head coach, Tom Coughlin, also gets a mulligan, but only for now. His retention should definitely be considered temporary. He’s been the Giants head coach for a long time. Maybe the players have had it with him. They certainly haven’t responded to his pleas for playing hard.
All that being said, I really think the problems are fixable. With a good defensive scheme (what was wrong with Spagnuolo’s?), and Phillips and Ross returning in good health, half the secondary problems go away. The rest of the secondary roster, except perhaps for Terrell Thomas, have to go. A change in scheme should go a long way towards fixing any pass rush problems.
It’s to be hoped the new defensive coordinator will pay more attention to the effects of his teaching on a week-to-week basis than his predecessor, who was proudest of his consistency in his teaching method without regard to the results. (This last is almost too preposterous a position on which to comment).
Process is great. You will hear a lot about process from guys like Eric Mangini, whose Cleveland team finished strongly but still wound up with 4 or 5 wins (who’s counting?). Process gets you a situation such as the one that totally shut down Newark Airport yesterday. Process gets you the New Orleans situation after Katrina. And I’m sure process has a lot to do with the ridiculous war in Afghanistan.
Give me Rex Ryan anytime. Rex had a huge problem, quite literally, when his defensive tackle, Kris Jenkins, went down. He brought somebody in, coached him up, and the Jets soon resumed their proficiency in defending the run. When Mark Sanchez, his rookie QB, started turning the ball over, he initiated a simple color-coded sideline communications system to keep the QB on track.
When the Giants run into problems, they try to hide them. Actually, the hiding comes only after the denial that there is a problem at all. When Coughlin was forced into a corner to comment on his defense, he first obfuscated the problem by shunting some of the difficulty over to his offense. Then he said he wasn’t making excuses.
Keep it simple, make it work. Forget process. And, if we have one more year of uninspired play from the Giants, I’d say forget Coughlin too. And maybe Jerry Reese isn’t quite as brilliant as I had originally thought. He seems a lot better at the draft than he is at picking up replacement players in a pinch. No doubt he has a process for the draft. Heh-heh.
Well, that’s quite enough about those disappointing Giants, especially when we have a playoff contender in the New York Jets. Their impressive win over the Bengals on Sunday was a really good sign. I don’t care that neither the Bengals nor the Colts before them had anything to gain from the game. The Jets could have still lost. They could have assumed an easy contest and mailed it in. They didn’t. They played 120 minutes over two games of playoff football. Kudos to the Jets.
While I don’t think their rematch with the Bengals next Sunday will go nearly as well as the first game, I do think the Jets will win it. The injury to David Harris will definitely hurt though. He’s been the leading tackler for the Green and White for quite some time now. And while the Bengals will run more effectively with Cedric Benson rather than Larry Johnson, I can’t imagine it making a huge difference in the final result.
Meanwhile, speaking of management, kudos to Mets GM Omar Minaya for finally locking up Jason Bay, filling that left field slot with a pretty terrific hitter. If he can indeed get Molina to catch, the Mets will have a pretty awesome lineup as Beltran, Delgado and Wright all return. And Jeff Francoeur should be ok after his thumb problem.
The pitching is a different story. Kelvim Escobar is a good pitcher if he can get healthy but it seems like a shot in the dark. I would hope they still try to get a better arm for that up and down starting rotation. It’d be a big shot in the arm for a young and erratic staff.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
On Bad Coaches and Players and Good Games
As I finally get to watch a college bowl game that I’ve heard of, the Cotton Bowl, my thoughts turn to some of the crazy happenings this week in sports.
Giants defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan’s responses to questions regarding his job status, Broncos’ head coach Josh McDaniel’s decision to bench Brandon Marshall for the finale and Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni’s decision to take Nate Robinson off the bench against the Hawks, come immediately to mind.
First there is the remarkable story of Bill Sheridan, Giants defensive coordinator.
He benched Osi Umenyiora, arguably the best defensive player on the team. He never rushed the passer despite having the worst secondary in the league. His players never showed any heart despite having shown pretty unequivocally two years ago that they had huge heart when playing for Steve Spagnuolo. He’s big on losing the forest for the trees.
But Sheridan thinks he should be retained. He actually said the following earlier this week:
“One thing at least we will get credit for is we stuck to our plan of how we’re going to coach and how we’re going to teach and gameplan….We’ve done that every single week and, like they say, the proof will be in hindsight.”
Excuse me, Bill, but……this year’s Giants defense has performed worse than just about any Giants defense in the long and mostly illustrious history of that great franchise. They have allowed 49 touchdowns in 15 forgettable contests, 20 on the ground, 27 through the air and 2 special teams TD’s.
The best defensive team also resides in New York, or actually New Jersey, if you want to be technical. That would be the New York Jets. They actually have a meaningful game tomorrow. Anyway, they have allowed just 26 (vs. 49) touchdowns, 11 rushing (vs. 20), just 8 (vs. 27) through the air, and a comparatively bad 7 on special teams. Compare….8 receiving touchdowns to the Giants 27!
Sheridan is a man who tried to get himself situated in the booth rather than the sidelines for games. His responses the other day to questions as to his job status tell you why. They are suggestive as to his personality. He is an automaton.
Football is an emotional game. Maybe Sheridan would fit better at Toyota.
I’ll breathe a huge sigh of relief when he is gone.
I actually have mixed feelings on the Josh McDaniels/Brandon Marshall showdown number 2. On Marshall’s side is the fact that an injury is an injury. On the coach’s side is the fact that an MRI showed nothing wrong. Coach also is sitting Tony Scheffler, his tight end, who has grumbled about game plans. Good for him. They should take the measure of Kansas City without those two malcontents.
Then there’s the curious case of Nate Robinson, the nutcase Knicks guard with a lot of talent and…..well, that’s all. He scored 41 last night to beat the Hawks but the Knicks record without Robinson in the lineup was 9-6. Nate doesn’t defend, doesn’t listen to his coach… or anybody for that matter, and doesn’t seem to really care who wins the game.
I’m almost sorry Robinson impressed last night. The Knicks are better without him. Good for Mike D’Antoni for having the guts to sit him, and the guts to play him as a last resort. But Robinson won’t change. In the long run, he’ll be a detriment to winning. Bring him in when you need some scoring and then sit him along with his other clueless friend Mr. Curry.
I’ve pretty much had it with selfish players. And clueless coaches too.
In this same vein, in a new book by Bob McGinn, “The Ultimate Super Bowl Book”, there are some real gems, including stats from the games and other things you’d expect, but also some interviews and quotes from coaches and players in hindsight on the games. I highly recommend it.
For Giants fans, there are several tidbits of “inside the game” type material, such as Bill Belichick’s take on the game, details as to the defensive calls and big plays, and a re-hash of the big catch by Tyree and the double-move and fade by Plaxico for the game-winner.
There are also quotes from Spagnuolo, such as his recollection of the long Patriots drive that preceded the winning Giants drive…..”It was max-protection, they kept the tight end in. They were in a pressure situation needing to score and they executed their offense…..We should have pressured more.”
It’s also worth noting that Rex Ryan’s Dad Buddy coached the defensive line for the Jets in Super Bowl III, and that Don Maynard was hurt pretty badly, which was why George Sauer caught all the passes that day from Broadway Joe. I was also reminded that, after the AFL Kansas City Chiefs whipped the NFL’s Vikings the very next year, 1970, there was the merger.
Each one of those first four NFL-AFL games was truly more than a game. Ever since, each Super Bowl has pretty much just been another game.
Not that each game doesn’t have its own excitement though; tomorrow’s Jets game will certainly go a long way towards defining the Jets stature in New York, along with that of Rex Ryan and those defensive stars, Revis and Scott and Harris, and whether Ochocinco will make good on his web-site promises.
There’s the Cowboys-Eagles game too. Will McNabb and that wondrous group of wide-outs dictate against a Cowboys defense that sparkles, especially against the run. (When I was foaming at the mouth about the Eagles earlier, I hadn’t considered that the Boyz defense had only allowed 7 rushing touchdowns all year and just 19 through the air….the Eagles numbers are 10 and 25…quite a difference).
The Pats – Texans will also be a big one. The Texans have a decent shot at the playoffs still, and the 1 PM start guarantees they won’t know in advance how the Ravens and Broncos and Jets are doing.
The Steelers have about the same shot. Stay tuned.
Giants defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan’s responses to questions regarding his job status, Broncos’ head coach Josh McDaniel’s decision to bench Brandon Marshall for the finale and Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni’s decision to take Nate Robinson off the bench against the Hawks, come immediately to mind.
First there is the remarkable story of Bill Sheridan, Giants defensive coordinator.
He benched Osi Umenyiora, arguably the best defensive player on the team. He never rushed the passer despite having the worst secondary in the league. His players never showed any heart despite having shown pretty unequivocally two years ago that they had huge heart when playing for Steve Spagnuolo. He’s big on losing the forest for the trees.
But Sheridan thinks he should be retained. He actually said the following earlier this week:
“One thing at least we will get credit for is we stuck to our plan of how we’re going to coach and how we’re going to teach and gameplan….We’ve done that every single week and, like they say, the proof will be in hindsight.”
Excuse me, Bill, but……this year’s Giants defense has performed worse than just about any Giants defense in the long and mostly illustrious history of that great franchise. They have allowed 49 touchdowns in 15 forgettable contests, 20 on the ground, 27 through the air and 2 special teams TD’s.
The best defensive team also resides in New York, or actually New Jersey, if you want to be technical. That would be the New York Jets. They actually have a meaningful game tomorrow. Anyway, they have allowed just 26 (vs. 49) touchdowns, 11 rushing (vs. 20), just 8 (vs. 27) through the air, and a comparatively bad 7 on special teams. Compare….8 receiving touchdowns to the Giants 27!
Sheridan is a man who tried to get himself situated in the booth rather than the sidelines for games. His responses the other day to questions as to his job status tell you why. They are suggestive as to his personality. He is an automaton.
Football is an emotional game. Maybe Sheridan would fit better at Toyota.
I’ll breathe a huge sigh of relief when he is gone.
I actually have mixed feelings on the Josh McDaniels/Brandon Marshall showdown number 2. On Marshall’s side is the fact that an injury is an injury. On the coach’s side is the fact that an MRI showed nothing wrong. Coach also is sitting Tony Scheffler, his tight end, who has grumbled about game plans. Good for him. They should take the measure of Kansas City without those two malcontents.
Then there’s the curious case of Nate Robinson, the nutcase Knicks guard with a lot of talent and…..well, that’s all. He scored 41 last night to beat the Hawks but the Knicks record without Robinson in the lineup was 9-6. Nate doesn’t defend, doesn’t listen to his coach… or anybody for that matter, and doesn’t seem to really care who wins the game.
I’m almost sorry Robinson impressed last night. The Knicks are better without him. Good for Mike D’Antoni for having the guts to sit him, and the guts to play him as a last resort. But Robinson won’t change. In the long run, he’ll be a detriment to winning. Bring him in when you need some scoring and then sit him along with his other clueless friend Mr. Curry.
I’ve pretty much had it with selfish players. And clueless coaches too.
In this same vein, in a new book by Bob McGinn, “The Ultimate Super Bowl Book”, there are some real gems, including stats from the games and other things you’d expect, but also some interviews and quotes from coaches and players in hindsight on the games. I highly recommend it.
For Giants fans, there are several tidbits of “inside the game” type material, such as Bill Belichick’s take on the game, details as to the defensive calls and big plays, and a re-hash of the big catch by Tyree and the double-move and fade by Plaxico for the game-winner.
There are also quotes from Spagnuolo, such as his recollection of the long Patriots drive that preceded the winning Giants drive…..”It was max-protection, they kept the tight end in. They were in a pressure situation needing to score and they executed their offense…..We should have pressured more.”
It’s also worth noting that Rex Ryan’s Dad Buddy coached the defensive line for the Jets in Super Bowl III, and that Don Maynard was hurt pretty badly, which was why George Sauer caught all the passes that day from Broadway Joe. I was also reminded that, after the AFL Kansas City Chiefs whipped the NFL’s Vikings the very next year, 1970, there was the merger.
Each one of those first four NFL-AFL games was truly more than a game. Ever since, each Super Bowl has pretty much just been another game.
Not that each game doesn’t have its own excitement though; tomorrow’s Jets game will certainly go a long way towards defining the Jets stature in New York, along with that of Rex Ryan and those defensive stars, Revis and Scott and Harris, and whether Ochocinco will make good on his web-site promises.
There’s the Cowboys-Eagles game too. Will McNabb and that wondrous group of wide-outs dictate against a Cowboys defense that sparkles, especially against the run. (When I was foaming at the mouth about the Eagles earlier, I hadn’t considered that the Boyz defense had only allowed 7 rushing touchdowns all year and just 19 through the air….the Eagles numbers are 10 and 25…quite a difference).
The Pats – Texans will also be a big one. The Texans have a decent shot at the playoffs still, and the 1 PM start guarantees they won’t know in advance how the Ravens and Broncos and Jets are doing.
The Steelers have about the same shot. Stay tuned.
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