I'm always amazed by the number of NFL coaches that are fired each year. I think that the annual average is right around seven. With that number in mind there should be a fairly complete coaching turnover of all the teams in the league every four to five years. There isn't so a few of the teams are doing a lot of the firings. Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has now fired two coaches. He bought the team in October of 2012. After firing his most recent coach, a local reporter asked Haslam about the appearances that the Browns front office was run by the "Three Stooges." Excellent. Six coaches have been fired this season. Four of those were fired yesterday, a day often called "Black Monday." Here's what we have so far:
Houston Texans fired Gary Kubiak during the season.
Cleveland Browns fired Rob Chudzinski before Sunday was complete.
Minnesota Vikings fired Leslie Frazier.
Washington Redskins fired Mike Shanahan.
Detroit Lions fired Jim Schwartz.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired Rob Chudzinski.
The Houston Texans have been on the verge of great things for a couple of years now. The fact that they couldn't seem to break through probably hurt Gary Kubiak more than the disaster that this season became. Like the Kansas City Chiefs last year, the Texans this year were a very talented team that simply couldn't get out of their own way. Kubiak had been the Texans coach for eight seasons.
Despite being the most accomplished coach on the list, Mike Shanahan has now been fired three times. Shanahan and Redskins owner Daniel Snyder was probably a poor pairing from the start. It was actually a surprise that the relationship lasted four seasons. Snyder might be a poor pairing with any coach. The Redskins were a mess this year. It's no surprise that Shanahan ended up paying for that mess but he's probably much more relaxed because of the firing.
The Cleveland Browns fired Rob Chudzinski after only one season. That seems a bit severe. They ended with only four wins. Considering the incredible string of injuries to any quarterback that they put on the field, getting to four wins was quite remarkable. Something must have gone on that couldn't be viewed on a football field. The quick trigger of the Browns owner can't be appealing to potential coaches.
After watching the Detroit Lions play the Minnesota Vikings yesterday, I'm not surprised at all that Jim Schwartz was fired. That team had tapped out. The Lions had the NFC North title handed to them about a month ago. They were in complete control of the division. Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler were injured. The Lions collapse in the final weeks was total. They have also been one of the most undisciplined teams in the league for all five years that Schwartz has been on the Lions sideline.
I was surprised that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired Greg Schiano after only two seasons. His job security was clearly shaky early in the season but I thought that the Buccaneers had turned their season around enough that Schiano's job was safe. They were a tough team to beat every week. That was the case until their sad performance Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. Maybe that game cost Schiano his job.
The Minnesota Vikings firing of Leslie Frazier was rough. He might be the most kind man in football. The players and everyone in the organization loved him. The decision to fire him must have been tremendously difficult for the Wilf family and general manager Rick Spielman. From a personal standpoint, I hate the decision to fire Frazier. From a football standpoint, which is the only one that matters, it was probably the right thing to do. I don't think that three years is enough time for any coach. That's all that Frazier was given. You just can't overlook 3-13 and 4-10-1 seasons in two of those three seasons. Frazier's downfall really came from the great lack of anything close to decent play at quarterback. That isn't really on him as he can only coach the players that he's given but he certainly paid for it. The future of the Vikings is now on Spielman. His job is now riding on the decisions that he makes in the coming months.
A Detroit Lions representative said yesterday that his team provides the most attractive head coaching opportunity. He's wrong. I think that the most attractive opportunity is with the Houston Texans. That team is a move or two from being a Super Bowl contender. The Lions opportunity might be slightly more attractive than that in Cleveland but that's it. One thing that the coaching vacancies in Tampa and Minnesota have in common is quarterback Josh Freeman. Is he a coach-killer? Who knows? What is known is that the weeks leading up to Freeman's departure from the Buccaneers was circus. His arrival in Minnesota moved that circus north.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Monday, December 30, 2013
Week 17 Thoughts
Goodbye Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.
The Minnesota Vikings have always had one of the worst stadiums in the league. Metropolitan Stadium was a stadium from another era of football. Now, it's a great big mall. The Metrodome was cheaply made and it often showed. What takes place in a football stadium is always the most important thing. 32 years of memories makes it sad to say good-bye to the dump. I'll miss that place just like I've always missed itty-bitty Metropolitan Stadium.
The new stadium is going to be fantastic.
The Metrodome was closed with a Vikings win. They defeated the Detroit Lions 14-13. The Lions played the first half as if they had already left for an offseason vacation. They played like they have since nearly everyone had given them the NFC North title a few weeks ago. The Vikings started the second half as if they had already left for an offseason vacation. Rookie receiver Cordarrelle Patterson was the difference for the Vikings in scoring both touchdowns. The Vikings defense made some plays in the fourth quarter to end any chance for a Lions comeback. Vikings close the 2013 NFL season and the last season at the Metrodome at 5-10-1.
Patterson scored on a 50-yard run and an 8-yard reception. He showed what he can do with the ball in his hands on the long run. He showed the matchup problems that he brings in the pass game with his size. He may have shown the most on a short run in the fourth quarter. He was rocked by 300+-pound defensive tackle Nick Fairly short of the first down. Patterson didn't really seem too fazed by the hit. There might not be another receiver in the league that would still be on his feet after that hit. Patterson not only stayed on his feet he got the first down. It was one of the most impressive plays by the rookie in a season filled with impressive plays. He's going to be a nightmare for opponents for the rest of his, hopefully long, Vikings career.
As the '90s came to a close, the Vikings had one of the best trio of receivers in league history. Cris Carter is in the Hall of Fame. Randy Moss will be. Jake Reed had a string of 1000-yard seasons. He was in the shadow of his teammates but was one of the best deep threats in the league. Since those days, the Vikings have struggled to maintain anything close to a consistent receiving threat. Three of their most promising receivers didn't stay long in Minnesota. For whatever reason those promising receivers ended up in Seattle. Nate Burleson showed potential. He left for Seattle as a restricted free agent. Sidney Rice was dynamite while catching passes from Bret Favre. He left for Seattle as an unrestricted free agent. Percy Harvin was one of the most explosive football players in the game. He was traded to Seattle this past offseason. The Vikings have had some difficulties at the receiver position since the days of Carter, Moss, and Reed. The long, sad receiver may be at an end.
The Vikings top returning receivers are Greg Jennings, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Jarius Wright. Jennings is still a very good-to-great receiver. He was extremely productive when the Vikings finally settled on Matt Cassel at quarterback. He's a leader and an extremely productive receiver. Patterson has shown that he has everything necessary to be a superstar. His future is very bright. Wright is an underrated, talented pass catcher. He made Richard Sherman look foolish on a long touchdown reception against the Seahawks. The wildcard in the Vikings receiver group is Greg Childs. He hasn't played since he tore the patellar tendon in both knees during a scrimmage in his first training camp in 2012. No one has ever been able to return to the field from such an injury. Childs has busted his ass to be the first. He should be cleared for all football activities this offseason. He has the size and skills to provide the sort of deep threat that the Vikings have missed since Sidney Rice. Receiver has been a weakness for a while in Minnesota. It's a strength now.
It was a real disappointment to not see Adrian Peterson run once more on the Metrodome turf. Backup Toby Gerhart was also out for the game. That led to the second start for Matt Asiata. He scored three touchdowns in his first start. He didn't get in the endzone this time but he got a lot more yards. 115 yards on 14 carries. Outside of Patterson, Asiata was the offensive star of the game for the Vikings.
Vikings defensive end Jared Allen has two receiving touchdowns in his career. He scored both while he was with the Kansas City Chiefs. He should have had the third receiving touchdown of his career yesterday. He was wide open in the end zone. Cassel missed him wide right.
Speaking of big guys scoring touchdowns, New York Jets rookie defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson scored his second rushing touchdown of the season. Most impressive.
Injuries to the Vikings secondary forced defensive back Robert Blanton into the nickel spot. For the past few weeks that's been, at best, a disaster. I thought that Blanton played a nice game yesterday. He played corner at Notre Dame. The Vikings moved him to safety. Hopefully, that position movement was the reason for his struggles the past few weeks. Hopefully, his play yesterday was a better indication of his abilities.
If the Vikings defense had handled Lions running back Reggie Bush in week one more like they did in week 17, this season might have been very different. Maybe. Maybe not. Anyway, except for a missed tackle on a touchdown reception, the Vikings defense did a terrific job against Bush. Without all-world receiver Calvin Johnson, the Lions only real threat on offense was Bush. The Vikings did a nice job of taking him out of the game.
The Lions have one of the best defensive lines in the league. The Vikings offensive line did pretty well against them. The Lions sacked Cassel three times but he had nice time in the pocket. Vikings left tackle Matt Kalil had a pretty rough sophomore season. I thought that he was great yesterday. The Lions line did most of it's damage knocking down passes.
The Lions really did look like a team that's finishing out a disappointing season. The Vikings weren't much better but they showed much more life. More energy. The play of Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford down the stretch this season has to be a concern. Maybe a new coaching staff will give him a spark. I've often seen him look great. He looked very disinterested yesterday. No matter the situation, you never want to see that sort of thing from a team leader.
The Minnesota Vikings will have the eighth pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. #8 feels very late for a five-win-one-tie team. It's far too early for any valid thoughts on the draft but I like the linebackers Khalil Mack of Buffalo and C.J. Mosley of Alabama, Notre Dame defensive tackle Louis Nix III, or Michigan St. corner Darqueze Denard with that first pick. The Vikings need a quarterback but I think that the Vikings go defense with, at least, their first pick. Unless, they really fall for Johnny Manziel between now and May.
The Houston Texans lost themselves into the first pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. This is the second year in a row that a very talented team stumbled through a season to "earn" the first pick. The Kansas City Chiefs had more Pro Bowl players than wins last year. The Texans only have two Pro Bowl players this year but they entered the season as a serious Super Bowl contender. The influx of elite talent could allow the Texans to rebound much like the Chiefs.
In my lifetime, I've seen the Vikings play in January far more often than not. It's always sad to see a season end without the Vikings being part of the postseason party. This season might be more difficult than most. Most indications are that head coach Leslie Frazier will be fired. Defensive linemen Jared Allen and Kevin Williams are free agents. It's just difficult to imagine the Vikings defensive front without Allen and Williams. It's difficult to imagine Allen and Williams on another team.
For some reason, Deion Sanders seems to have some animosity towards the San Francisco 49ers. He played one season in San Francisco but was the defensive player of the year and won a Super Bowl. Maybe all those years with the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys wiped out the fond feelings of that one season by the bay. Both the Falcons and Cowboys had fierce battles with the 49ers. Maybe I'm hearing something that's really not there but whenever Sanders mentions the 49ers there's something negative in the tone.
It's great to see Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers back on the football field.
Rodgers threw an interception in the end zone to end an early Packers scoring threat. Rodgers threw that interception to fellow Cal Golden Bear Chris Conte.
The Packers first touchdown was pretty squirrely. Just shows that you play until there's a whistle. Packers kept playing. Bears stopped playing. Packers scored a touchdown.
A couple weeks ago, it was reported by some NFL "insider" that New York Jets coach Rex Ryan informed his team that he wouldn't be back next season. Now, it appears that Ryan will be back. Too often the race to break news leads to wrong news being reported.
The Cleveland Browns didn't even wait a day to fire Rob Chudzinski after only one season. Jimmy Haslam has owned the Browns for about one year and a couple of months and has fired two coaches. The Browns are spinning their wheels. Even though there are only 32 NFL head coaching jobs on the planet I can't imagine many coaches jumping in line for a shot at the Browns.
Matt Forte is a really good running back.
Congratulations, again, to Peyton Manning on breaking the single-season touchdown record that he broke last week. He also broke the single-season passing yards record held by Drew Brees. Manning had more touchdown passes than incompletions against the Oakland Raiders yesterday. Four touchdowns to only three incompletions. Amazing.
The Packers welcomed receiver Randall Cobb back from the injured list as well as Rodgers. That's a big boost. I don't care if Cobb just returned from the injured list. There's no way that the Bears can let him run alone like that. They can't can't do it in the middle of the game. They definitely can't do it with about forty seconds to play. That blown coverage gave the Packers the NFC North.
Rodgers, with a game under him, makes the Packers a tough out in the playoffs. The 49ers have their work cut out for them next week.
The work that the New England Patriots put in this season was simply amazing. The injuries, on both sides of the ball, should bury a team. Somehow, they earned one of the first round byes. The Patriots kept finding a way to win. I don't know how far they go in the playoffs but I don't think any team is too thrilled about playing them.
I think that the better team won but it sure feels like the Philadelphia Eagles got lucky against the Dallas Cowboys.
Congratulations to all the teams moving on to the playoffs.
The Minnesota Vikings have always had one of the worst stadiums in the league. Metropolitan Stadium was a stadium from another era of football. Now, it's a great big mall. The Metrodome was cheaply made and it often showed. What takes place in a football stadium is always the most important thing. 32 years of memories makes it sad to say good-bye to the dump. I'll miss that place just like I've always missed itty-bitty Metropolitan Stadium.
The new stadium is going to be fantastic.
The Metrodome was closed with a Vikings win. They defeated the Detroit Lions 14-13. The Lions played the first half as if they had already left for an offseason vacation. They played like they have since nearly everyone had given them the NFC North title a few weeks ago. The Vikings started the second half as if they had already left for an offseason vacation. Rookie receiver Cordarrelle Patterson was the difference for the Vikings in scoring both touchdowns. The Vikings defense made some plays in the fourth quarter to end any chance for a Lions comeback. Vikings close the 2013 NFL season and the last season at the Metrodome at 5-10-1.
Patterson scored on a 50-yard run and an 8-yard reception. He showed what he can do with the ball in his hands on the long run. He showed the matchup problems that he brings in the pass game with his size. He may have shown the most on a short run in the fourth quarter. He was rocked by 300+-pound defensive tackle Nick Fairly short of the first down. Patterson didn't really seem too fazed by the hit. There might not be another receiver in the league that would still be on his feet after that hit. Patterson not only stayed on his feet he got the first down. It was one of the most impressive plays by the rookie in a season filled with impressive plays. He's going to be a nightmare for opponents for the rest of his, hopefully long, Vikings career.
As the '90s came to a close, the Vikings had one of the best trio of receivers in league history. Cris Carter is in the Hall of Fame. Randy Moss will be. Jake Reed had a string of 1000-yard seasons. He was in the shadow of his teammates but was one of the best deep threats in the league. Since those days, the Vikings have struggled to maintain anything close to a consistent receiving threat. Three of their most promising receivers didn't stay long in Minnesota. For whatever reason those promising receivers ended up in Seattle. Nate Burleson showed potential. He left for Seattle as a restricted free agent. Sidney Rice was dynamite while catching passes from Bret Favre. He left for Seattle as an unrestricted free agent. Percy Harvin was one of the most explosive football players in the game. He was traded to Seattle this past offseason. The Vikings have had some difficulties at the receiver position since the days of Carter, Moss, and Reed. The long, sad receiver may be at an end.
The Vikings top returning receivers are Greg Jennings, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Jarius Wright. Jennings is still a very good-to-great receiver. He was extremely productive when the Vikings finally settled on Matt Cassel at quarterback. He's a leader and an extremely productive receiver. Patterson has shown that he has everything necessary to be a superstar. His future is very bright. Wright is an underrated, talented pass catcher. He made Richard Sherman look foolish on a long touchdown reception against the Seahawks. The wildcard in the Vikings receiver group is Greg Childs. He hasn't played since he tore the patellar tendon in both knees during a scrimmage in his first training camp in 2012. No one has ever been able to return to the field from such an injury. Childs has busted his ass to be the first. He should be cleared for all football activities this offseason. He has the size and skills to provide the sort of deep threat that the Vikings have missed since Sidney Rice. Receiver has been a weakness for a while in Minnesota. It's a strength now.
It was a real disappointment to not see Adrian Peterson run once more on the Metrodome turf. Backup Toby Gerhart was also out for the game. That led to the second start for Matt Asiata. He scored three touchdowns in his first start. He didn't get in the endzone this time but he got a lot more yards. 115 yards on 14 carries. Outside of Patterson, Asiata was the offensive star of the game for the Vikings.
Vikings defensive end Jared Allen has two receiving touchdowns in his career. He scored both while he was with the Kansas City Chiefs. He should have had the third receiving touchdown of his career yesterday. He was wide open in the end zone. Cassel missed him wide right.
Speaking of big guys scoring touchdowns, New York Jets rookie defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson scored his second rushing touchdown of the season. Most impressive.
Injuries to the Vikings secondary forced defensive back Robert Blanton into the nickel spot. For the past few weeks that's been, at best, a disaster. I thought that Blanton played a nice game yesterday. He played corner at Notre Dame. The Vikings moved him to safety. Hopefully, that position movement was the reason for his struggles the past few weeks. Hopefully, his play yesterday was a better indication of his abilities.
If the Vikings defense had handled Lions running back Reggie Bush in week one more like they did in week 17, this season might have been very different. Maybe. Maybe not. Anyway, except for a missed tackle on a touchdown reception, the Vikings defense did a terrific job against Bush. Without all-world receiver Calvin Johnson, the Lions only real threat on offense was Bush. The Vikings did a nice job of taking him out of the game.
The Lions have one of the best defensive lines in the league. The Vikings offensive line did pretty well against them. The Lions sacked Cassel three times but he had nice time in the pocket. Vikings left tackle Matt Kalil had a pretty rough sophomore season. I thought that he was great yesterday. The Lions line did most of it's damage knocking down passes.
The Lions really did look like a team that's finishing out a disappointing season. The Vikings weren't much better but they showed much more life. More energy. The play of Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford down the stretch this season has to be a concern. Maybe a new coaching staff will give him a spark. I've often seen him look great. He looked very disinterested yesterday. No matter the situation, you never want to see that sort of thing from a team leader.
The Minnesota Vikings will have the eighth pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. #8 feels very late for a five-win-one-tie team. It's far too early for any valid thoughts on the draft but I like the linebackers Khalil Mack of Buffalo and C.J. Mosley of Alabama, Notre Dame defensive tackle Louis Nix III, or Michigan St. corner Darqueze Denard with that first pick. The Vikings need a quarterback but I think that the Vikings go defense with, at least, their first pick. Unless, they really fall for Johnny Manziel between now and May.
The Houston Texans lost themselves into the first pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. This is the second year in a row that a very talented team stumbled through a season to "earn" the first pick. The Kansas City Chiefs had more Pro Bowl players than wins last year. The Texans only have two Pro Bowl players this year but they entered the season as a serious Super Bowl contender. The influx of elite talent could allow the Texans to rebound much like the Chiefs.
In my lifetime, I've seen the Vikings play in January far more often than not. It's always sad to see a season end without the Vikings being part of the postseason party. This season might be more difficult than most. Most indications are that head coach Leslie Frazier will be fired. Defensive linemen Jared Allen and Kevin Williams are free agents. It's just difficult to imagine the Vikings defensive front without Allen and Williams. It's difficult to imagine Allen and Williams on another team.
For some reason, Deion Sanders seems to have some animosity towards the San Francisco 49ers. He played one season in San Francisco but was the defensive player of the year and won a Super Bowl. Maybe all those years with the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys wiped out the fond feelings of that one season by the bay. Both the Falcons and Cowboys had fierce battles with the 49ers. Maybe I'm hearing something that's really not there but whenever Sanders mentions the 49ers there's something negative in the tone.
It's great to see Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers back on the football field.
Rodgers threw an interception in the end zone to end an early Packers scoring threat. Rodgers threw that interception to fellow Cal Golden Bear Chris Conte.
The Packers first touchdown was pretty squirrely. Just shows that you play until there's a whistle. Packers kept playing. Bears stopped playing. Packers scored a touchdown.
A couple weeks ago, it was reported by some NFL "insider" that New York Jets coach Rex Ryan informed his team that he wouldn't be back next season. Now, it appears that Ryan will be back. Too often the race to break news leads to wrong news being reported.
The Cleveland Browns didn't even wait a day to fire Rob Chudzinski after only one season. Jimmy Haslam has owned the Browns for about one year and a couple of months and has fired two coaches. The Browns are spinning their wheels. Even though there are only 32 NFL head coaching jobs on the planet I can't imagine many coaches jumping in line for a shot at the Browns.
Matt Forte is a really good running back.
Congratulations, again, to Peyton Manning on breaking the single-season touchdown record that he broke last week. He also broke the single-season passing yards record held by Drew Brees. Manning had more touchdown passes than incompletions against the Oakland Raiders yesterday. Four touchdowns to only three incompletions. Amazing.
The Packers welcomed receiver Randall Cobb back from the injured list as well as Rodgers. That's a big boost. I don't care if Cobb just returned from the injured list. There's no way that the Bears can let him run alone like that. They can't can't do it in the middle of the game. They definitely can't do it with about forty seconds to play. That blown coverage gave the Packers the NFC North.
Rodgers, with a game under him, makes the Packers a tough out in the playoffs. The 49ers have their work cut out for them next week.
The work that the New England Patriots put in this season was simply amazing. The injuries, on both sides of the ball, should bury a team. Somehow, they earned one of the first round byes. The Patriots kept finding a way to win. I don't know how far they go in the playoffs but I don't think any team is too thrilled about playing them.
I think that the better team won but it sure feels like the Philadelphia Eagles got lucky against the Dallas Cowboys.
Congratulations to all the teams moving on to the playoffs.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Game Day Thoughts
The Minnesota Vikings host the Detroit Lions today in the last game at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. The roof will be deflated soon and the structure will come down in February. The Vikings will play the 2014 and 2015 NFL seasons at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium. A stadium with no roof will be the Vikings home for the first time since 1981. If all goes as planned the Minnesota Vikings will open the new stadium in time to kick off the 2016 NFL season.
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson will miss the Lions game due to ankle and groin injuries. Closing the Metrodome without Peterson doesn't feel right. He's brought to much excitement to that stadium to be on the sidelines for the last game.
Calvin Johnson is also out for this game. Two of the best players in the game will be on the sideline.
There are only three games today that have no playoff implications. Detroit Lions-Minnesota Vikings. Washington Redskins-New York Giants. Houston Texans-Tennessee Titans.
It's amazing that 13 games today have playoff implications.
It's very amazing that every NFC division is up for grabs entering the final week of the season. The Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys will fight it out for the NFC East title. The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears will do the same for the NFC North title. The other two divisions won't be decided on the same field but will be decided today. The last day.
The Arizona Cardinals could finish the regular season with an 11-5 record and not make the playoffs. That doesn't seem right. It really doesn't seem right when the Green Bay Packers could take the NFC North with a 8-7-1 record.
The AFC playoff picture is much more clear but still quite complicated. There is one spot remaining. The Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and San Diego Chargers all have a shot. The guess here is that the Chargers grab that spot.
Tomorrow is not a fun day for some coaches. Black Monday. The Houston Texans got a jump on the head coach firing when they cut Gary Kubiak loose a few weeks ago. The tension in Washington between coach Mike Shanahan and owner Daniel Snyder is such that a change is inevitable. Many expect Vikings coach Leslie Frazier and Lions coach Jim Schwartz to without jobs by Monday. Dennis Allen in Oakland and Mike Munchak in Tennessee could be gone as well. Tampa Bay Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano was on the hot seat earlier this season. That seat has cooled. I see Shanahan and Schwartz as the most likely to be fired. Washington is a mess mostly because owner and coach aren't even close to being on the same page. That can't happen. The Lions have fallen apart in too many seasons. The players are undisciplined. Schwartz brought a spark when he was first hired. That spark is real cold now. As for Allen, two years doesn't seem like much time to give a coach but it's hard to ignore two four-win seasons. I think that Frazier and Munchak deserve a little more time but I doubt that either will get that time. It's a win now league. NFL owners don't have much patience with potential.
ESPN's reporting that Penn St. coach Bill O'Brien is in the negotiating stage to be the next coach of the Texans. I have a hunch that those reports are premature. Just a hunch that he stays at Penn St. for at least one more year. He's an excellent football coach.
I liked what I saw of Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater against Miami in the Russell Athletic Bowl. All season, I've been impressed with his ability to hit his receivers in stride. Bridgewater is a real good friend to his receivers. I can see why many have kept him at the top of the 2014 NFL Draft all season.
The Dallas Cowboys signed 41-year old quarterback Jon Kitna this week. They needed a warm arm after Tony Romo had back surgery. Kitna's story is a great one. He's teaching math and coaching football at Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington. He's on Christmas break so he has time to do some football work in Dallas. He's also donating his first-week salary to Lincoln High. Very nice Jon Kitna.
The Vikings opened the Metrodome with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They close it today with the Detroit Lions. 32 years of indoor Vikings fun.
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson will miss the Lions game due to ankle and groin injuries. Closing the Metrodome without Peterson doesn't feel right. He's brought to much excitement to that stadium to be on the sidelines for the last game.
Calvin Johnson is also out for this game. Two of the best players in the game will be on the sideline.
There are only three games today that have no playoff implications. Detroit Lions-Minnesota Vikings. Washington Redskins-New York Giants. Houston Texans-Tennessee Titans.
It's amazing that 13 games today have playoff implications.
It's very amazing that every NFC division is up for grabs entering the final week of the season. The Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys will fight it out for the NFC East title. The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears will do the same for the NFC North title. The other two divisions won't be decided on the same field but will be decided today. The last day.
The Arizona Cardinals could finish the regular season with an 11-5 record and not make the playoffs. That doesn't seem right. It really doesn't seem right when the Green Bay Packers could take the NFC North with a 8-7-1 record.
The AFC playoff picture is much more clear but still quite complicated. There is one spot remaining. The Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and San Diego Chargers all have a shot. The guess here is that the Chargers grab that spot.
Tomorrow is not a fun day for some coaches. Black Monday. The Houston Texans got a jump on the head coach firing when they cut Gary Kubiak loose a few weeks ago. The tension in Washington between coach Mike Shanahan and owner Daniel Snyder is such that a change is inevitable. Many expect Vikings coach Leslie Frazier and Lions coach Jim Schwartz to without jobs by Monday. Dennis Allen in Oakland and Mike Munchak in Tennessee could be gone as well. Tampa Bay Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano was on the hot seat earlier this season. That seat has cooled. I see Shanahan and Schwartz as the most likely to be fired. Washington is a mess mostly because owner and coach aren't even close to being on the same page. That can't happen. The Lions have fallen apart in too many seasons. The players are undisciplined. Schwartz brought a spark when he was first hired. That spark is real cold now. As for Allen, two years doesn't seem like much time to give a coach but it's hard to ignore two four-win seasons. I think that Frazier and Munchak deserve a little more time but I doubt that either will get that time. It's a win now league. NFL owners don't have much patience with potential.
ESPN's reporting that Penn St. coach Bill O'Brien is in the negotiating stage to be the next coach of the Texans. I have a hunch that those reports are premature. Just a hunch that he stays at Penn St. for at least one more year. He's an excellent football coach.
I liked what I saw of Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater against Miami in the Russell Athletic Bowl. All season, I've been impressed with his ability to hit his receivers in stride. Bridgewater is a real good friend to his receivers. I can see why many have kept him at the top of the 2014 NFL Draft all season.
The Dallas Cowboys signed 41-year old quarterback Jon Kitna this week. They needed a warm arm after Tony Romo had back surgery. Kitna's story is a great one. He's teaching math and coaching football at Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington. He's on Christmas break so he has time to do some football work in Dallas. He's also donating his first-week salary to Lincoln High. Very nice Jon Kitna.
The Vikings opened the Metrodome with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They close it today with the Detroit Lions. 32 years of indoor Vikings fun.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
2014 Pro Bowlers Here
The NFL is doing something different with the Pro Bowl this year. The changes forced the NFL to come up with a new word. Unconferenced is trending now. I might be one of the few that didn't think that the Pro Bowl needed some changing. It's an all-star game and a football all-star will always be, at best, a scrimmage. The NFL viewed things differently. They decided to shake things up a bit. The new word, unconferenced, comes from the conferences no longer being relevant. There's no more NFC and AFC. All the selected players are tossed into a pot. From that pot, team captains Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders will select the all-star teams. There might be actual teammates across the line from each other with the new Pro Bowl format. We might be seeing Patrick Willis hitting Frank Gore in the hole. Maybe these changes will result in some amped up enthusiasm. I'm skeptical. It's not that I don't like the changes. I just don't think that the changes were necessary. But, that's just me.
NFL Network unveiled the selected players last night. Here they are:
QB
Peyton Manning Denver Broncos
Tom Brady New England Patriots
Russell Wilson Seattle Seahawks
Philip Rivers San Diego Chargers
Cam Newton Carolina Panthers
Drew Brees New Orleans Saints
RB
Adrian Peterson Minnesota Vikings
LeSean McCoy Philadelphia Eagles
Jamaal Charles Kansas City Chiefs
Marshawn Lynch Seattle Seahawks
Matt Forte Chicago Bears
Frank Gore San Francisco 49ers
FB
Marcel Reece Oakland Raiders
Mike Tolbert Carolina Panthers
WR
Calvin Johnson Detroit Lions
Josh Gordon Cleveland Browns
AJ Green Cincinnati Bengals
Dez Bryant Dallas Cowboys
Antonio Brown Pittsburgh Steelers
Andre Johnson Houston Texans
Brandon Marshall Chicago Bears
Demaryius Thomas Denver Broncos
TE
Jimmy Graham New Orleans Saints
Jordan Cameron Cleveland Browns
Vernon Davis San Francisco 49ers
Julius Thomas Denver Broncos
T
Joe Thomas Cleveland Browns
Joe Staley San Francisco 49ers
Trent Williams Washington Redskins
Branden Albert Kansas City Chiefs
Jason Peters Philadelphia Eagles
Tyron Smith Dallas Cowboys
G
Jahri Evans New Orleans Saints
Ben Grubbs New Orleans Saints
Mike Iupati San Francisco 49ers
Louis Vasquez Denver Broncos
Marshall Yanda Baltimore Ravens
Logan Mankins New England Patriots
C
Ryan Kalil Carolina Panthers
Alex Mack Cleveland Browns
Mike Puncey Miami Dolphins
Max Unger Seattle Seahawks
DE
Robert Quinn St. Louis Rams
J.J. Watt Houston Texans
Cameron Jordan New Orleans Saints
Cameron Wake Miami Dolphins
Greg Hardy Carolina Panthers
Mario Williams Buffalo Bills
DT
Gerald McCoy Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Haloti Ngata Baltimore Ravens
Dontari Poe Kansas City Chiefs
Justin Smith San Francisco 49ers
Ndamukong Suh Detroit Lions
Kyle Williams Buffalo Bills
OLB
John Abraham Arizona Cardinals
Ahmad Brooks San Francisco 49ers
Tamba Hali Kansas City Chiefs
Justin Houston Kansas City Chiefs
Robert Mathis Indianapolis Colts
Terrell Suggs Baltimore Ravens
CB
Richard Sherman Seattle Seahawks
Darrelle Revis Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Aqib Talib New England Patriots
Alterraun Verner Tennessee Titans
Brent Grimes Miami Dolphins
Brandon Flowers Kansas City Chiefs
Joe Haden Cleveland Browns
Patrick Peterson Arizona Cardinals
S
Earl Thomas Seattle Seahawks
Troy Polamalu Pittsburgh Steelers
Jairus Byrd Buffalo Bills
Eric Weddle San Diego Chargers
Eric Berry Kansas City Chiefs
Kam Chancellor Seattle Seahawks
K
Matt Prater Denver Broncos
Justin Tucker Baltimore Ravens
P
Johnny Hekker St. Louis Rams
Brandon Fields Miami Dolphins
KR
Antonio Brown Pittsburgh Steelers
Dexter McCluster Kansas City Chiefs
ST
Justin Bethel Arizona Cardinals
Matthew Slater New England Patriots
The draft will be held January 21-22. I'm not sure why it's taking Sanders and Rice two days to draft the teams.
The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs lead the way with eight players selected to the team.
The one problem that I have with the Pro Bowl, before and after the changes, is the outside linebacker position. The 3-4 rush linebackers are dominating the Pro Bowl. Sacks seem to be the only responsibility that matters for an outside linebackers. Some of those linebackers have to do so much more than rush the passer. Some have a role to play in pass defense. Some even have to defend against the run. Heaven forbid that a linebacker has to deviate from his path to the quarterback. The 4-3 linebackers are routinely and unfairly shut out of the game. The greatest injustice this year is the omission of Lavonte David of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Pro Bowl teams have to play the 4-3 in the game so all these pass rushers are playing out of position. You might as well have a player or two, or four, that actually plays the position that is played in the game.
Some people were bitching about some quarterbacks that were snubbed. Nick Foles, Andrew Luck, etc. There's no doubt that there are other terrific quarterbacks in the league but there is no criticizing the six that made it.
There is room for the criticism of Mike Tolbert being selected as one of the fullbacks. I don't think that I've seen Tolbert line up at fullback all season. He's a big running back.
I don't see how any kick returner could be selected over Minnesota Vikings rookie Cordarrelle Patterson.
I really hope that Jordan Cameron and Cameron Jordan end up on the same all-star team.
Many congratulations to Justin Bethel of the Arizona Cardinals. I saw this kid out of tiny Presbyterian College play against Cal. He was the best football player on the field that day.
NFL Network unveiled the selected players last night. Here they are:
QB
Peyton Manning Denver Broncos
Tom Brady New England Patriots
Russell Wilson Seattle Seahawks
Philip Rivers San Diego Chargers
Cam Newton Carolina Panthers
Drew Brees New Orleans Saints
RB
Adrian Peterson Minnesota Vikings
LeSean McCoy Philadelphia Eagles
Jamaal Charles Kansas City Chiefs
Marshawn Lynch Seattle Seahawks
Matt Forte Chicago Bears
Frank Gore San Francisco 49ers
FB
Marcel Reece Oakland Raiders
Mike Tolbert Carolina Panthers
WR
Calvin Johnson Detroit Lions
Josh Gordon Cleveland Browns
AJ Green Cincinnati Bengals
Dez Bryant Dallas Cowboys
Antonio Brown Pittsburgh Steelers
Andre Johnson Houston Texans
Brandon Marshall Chicago Bears
Demaryius Thomas Denver Broncos
TE
Jimmy Graham New Orleans Saints
Jordan Cameron Cleveland Browns
Vernon Davis San Francisco 49ers
Julius Thomas Denver Broncos
T
Joe Thomas Cleveland Browns
Joe Staley San Francisco 49ers
Trent Williams Washington Redskins
Branden Albert Kansas City Chiefs
Jason Peters Philadelphia Eagles
Tyron Smith Dallas Cowboys
G
Jahri Evans New Orleans Saints
Ben Grubbs New Orleans Saints
Mike Iupati San Francisco 49ers
Louis Vasquez Denver Broncos
Marshall Yanda Baltimore Ravens
Logan Mankins New England Patriots
C
Ryan Kalil Carolina Panthers
Alex Mack Cleveland Browns
Mike Puncey Miami Dolphins
Max Unger Seattle Seahawks
DE
Robert Quinn St. Louis Rams
J.J. Watt Houston Texans
Cameron Jordan New Orleans Saints
Cameron Wake Miami Dolphins
Greg Hardy Carolina Panthers
Mario Williams Buffalo Bills
DT
Gerald McCoy Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Haloti Ngata Baltimore Ravens
Dontari Poe Kansas City Chiefs
Justin Smith San Francisco 49ers
Ndamukong Suh Detroit Lions
Kyle Williams Buffalo Bills
OLB
John Abraham Arizona Cardinals
Ahmad Brooks San Francisco 49ers
Tamba Hali Kansas City Chiefs
Justin Houston Kansas City Chiefs
Robert Mathis Indianapolis Colts
Terrell Suggs Baltimore Ravens
CB
Richard Sherman Seattle Seahawks
Darrelle Revis Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Aqib Talib New England Patriots
Alterraun Verner Tennessee Titans
Brent Grimes Miami Dolphins
Brandon Flowers Kansas City Chiefs
Joe Haden Cleveland Browns
Patrick Peterson Arizona Cardinals
S
Earl Thomas Seattle Seahawks
Troy Polamalu Pittsburgh Steelers
Jairus Byrd Buffalo Bills
Eric Weddle San Diego Chargers
Eric Berry Kansas City Chiefs
Kam Chancellor Seattle Seahawks
K
Matt Prater Denver Broncos
Justin Tucker Baltimore Ravens
P
Johnny Hekker St. Louis Rams
Brandon Fields Miami Dolphins
KR
Antonio Brown Pittsburgh Steelers
Dexter McCluster Kansas City Chiefs
ST
Justin Bethel Arizona Cardinals
Matthew Slater New England Patriots
The draft will be held January 21-22. I'm not sure why it's taking Sanders and Rice two days to draft the teams.
The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs lead the way with eight players selected to the team.
The one problem that I have with the Pro Bowl, before and after the changes, is the outside linebacker position. The 3-4 rush linebackers are dominating the Pro Bowl. Sacks seem to be the only responsibility that matters for an outside linebackers. Some of those linebackers have to do so much more than rush the passer. Some have a role to play in pass defense. Some even have to defend against the run. Heaven forbid that a linebacker has to deviate from his path to the quarterback. The 4-3 linebackers are routinely and unfairly shut out of the game. The greatest injustice this year is the omission of Lavonte David of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Pro Bowl teams have to play the 4-3 in the game so all these pass rushers are playing out of position. You might as well have a player or two, or four, that actually plays the position that is played in the game.
Some people were bitching about some quarterbacks that were snubbed. Nick Foles, Andrew Luck, etc. There's no doubt that there are other terrific quarterbacks in the league but there is no criticizing the six that made it.
There is room for the criticism of Mike Tolbert being selected as one of the fullbacks. I don't think that I've seen Tolbert line up at fullback all season. He's a big running back.
I don't see how any kick returner could be selected over Minnesota Vikings rookie Cordarrelle Patterson.
I really hope that Jordan Cameron and Cameron Jordan end up on the same all-star team.
Many congratulations to Justin Bethel of the Arizona Cardinals. I saw this kid out of tiny Presbyterian College play against Cal. He was the best football player on the field that day.
Friday, December 27, 2013
What a Difference a Quarterback Makes
The Green Bay Packers have been without quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the last seven weeks. The Packers season looked to be in jeopardy when Chicago Bears defensive end Shea McClellin sacked Rodgers on the Monday night game of week nine. It didn't look like much but the combination of McClellin and the ground of Lambeau Field broke the quarterback's collar bone. With Rodgers, the Packers were sitting at 5-2 and riding a four-game win streak. Without Rodgers, the Packers lost or tied their next five games. The season was slipping away. Fortunately for the Packers, no one really seemed much interested in winning the NFC North. Despite not winning any games, the Packers were still in the race. Two wins and a loss later, the Packers are playing the Bears again. The division title goes to the winner of the game. The Packers might also have Aaron Rodgers back on the field. The Bears defense gave up 54 points to the Philadelphia Eagles last week. This Bears defense hasn't really stopped many teams lately. I'm not sure that they can keep a healthy Aaron Rodgers out of the end zone. As with any team that is led by an elite quarterback, the Packers are a very different team without their elite quarterback. Sometimes, a backup can come in and be effective for a game or two. It's rare for a team to get sustained, effective play when their elite quarterback is on ice for several games. The New England Patriots got better, at least more efficient, when Tom Brady replaced an injured Drew Bledsoe about a decade ago. The 1972 Miami Dolphins lost Bob Griese to a broken ankle in week five. Earl Morrall was terrific in his place. He led the Dolphins to an undefeated regular season and into the playoffs until Griese returned in the AFC Championship game. As for the 2013 Green Bay Packers, Seneca Wallace, Scott Tolzien and Matt Flynn have been far from stellar. They've been scrappy as has their team. They got the team to a playoff-deciding regular season finale. That's all that Aaron Rodgers needs.
"We're preparing for the Chicago Bears with Aaron Rodgers as our starting quarterback."
-Packers coach Mike McCartthy
The Green Bay Packers are a completely different football team with Aaron Rodgers on the field. He's one of the best to ever play the position. While the Packers, if they get past the Bears, might be sneaking into the playoffs at only a half game over .500, they will be in the playoffs. That's really all that matters. A top seed is nice. Home field advantage for any playoff game is nice. All that really matters is that a team is one of the twelve to be involved in the playoffs. The Packers should be one of those twelve teams. With Rodgers throwing the ball, the Packers will be a tough matchup for any of the teams in the playoffs. The offensive line has to keep Rodgers healthy and clean.
The Packers might be getting receiver Randall Cobb back this week. That can't hurt.
"We're preparing for the Chicago Bears with Aaron Rodgers as our starting quarterback."
-Packers coach Mike McCartthy
The Green Bay Packers are a completely different football team with Aaron Rodgers on the field. He's one of the best to ever play the position. While the Packers, if they get past the Bears, might be sneaking into the playoffs at only a half game over .500, they will be in the playoffs. That's really all that matters. A top seed is nice. Home field advantage for any playoff game is nice. All that really matters is that a team is one of the twelve to be involved in the playoffs. The Packers should be one of those twelve teams. With Rodgers throwing the ball, the Packers will be a tough matchup for any of the teams in the playoffs. The offensive line has to keep Rodgers healthy and clean.
The Packers might be getting receiver Randall Cobb back this week. That can't hurt.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Throwback Thursday: The Metrodome
This Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings host the Detroit Lions in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. It will be the last time that the Vikings play football there. The Metrodome will cease to be in a couple of months. Construction on a new stadium started a couple of weeks ago. When the Metrodome comes down only memories will remain.
The Vikings held a fan vote to determine the best Vikings players to play in the Metrodome.
The All-Metrodome team:
QB Daunte Culpepper
RB Adrian Peterson
RB Robert Smith
WR Cris Carter
WR Randy Moss
WR Anthony Carter
TE Steve Jordan
T Gary Zimmerman
T Tim Irwin
G Randall McDaniel
G Steve Hutchinson
C Matt Birk
DE Chris Doleman
DE Jared Allen
DT John Randle
DT Kevin Williams
LB Chad Greenway
LB Scott Studwell
LB Ed McDaniel
CB Antoine Winfield
CB Carl Lee
S Joey Browner
S Robert Griffith
Ret Percy Harvin
P Chris Kluwe
K Ryan Longwell
ST Chris Walsh
The Vikings experienced their "glory days" from 1969-76. They reached four Super Bowls. Three in a four-year span from 1973-76. While the Vikings never made it to the Super Bowl during their time indoors at the Metrodome, they had some great teams. 1998 and 2009, in particular. The Vikings had some fantastic football players take the field in the dome. This All-Metrodome team is a great team. Cris Carter, Gary Zimmerman, Randall McDaniel, Chris Doleman, and John Randle have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Adrian Peterson, Steve Hutchinson, and Jared Allen will be. Kevin Williams might be. Joey Browner should be.
The Merodome was a dump but it was home. Many of the best memories probably came form that magical 1998 season. 15-1. Rookie receiver Randy Moss made an already explosive offense nearly unstoppable. The Vikings scored more points during that season than any team in NFL history. That season had many of the best memories. It also had the single worst memory. Kicker Gary Anderson's missed field goal in the NFC Championship game was his only miss of the season. Adrian Peterson gained an NFL record 296 yards against the San Diego Chargers in 2007. That was in the dome. Peterson and Moss were instant highlights. Every catch by Cris Carter was art. There were two plays of 99 yards from scrimmage in the dome. One for the Vikings and one against. Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett ran through 99 yards of Vikings defenders on a Monday Night in 1983. That was the Metrodome's inaugural season. A quarter century later the Vikings had one of their own. Gus Frerotte and Bernard Berrian combined for a 99 yard catch and run against the Chicago Bears in 2008. Great players. Great times. Only a Super Bowl was missing from the Metrodome years.
I was only in the Metrodome once. It was in 2001. It wasn't for a Vikings game. It wasn't even for a football game. I was at the 2001 NCAA Final Four. I saw Duke, Arizona, Michigan St., and Maryland play basketball in the place that the Vikings called home. I watched basketball but imagined football. I was in the home of the Minnesota Vikings. I also visited the site of their previous home. The Mall of America is on the land that once held Metropolitan Stadium. Both places hold memories. I hope to finally see a Vikings game in Minnesota when their new home is finished. I've put it off for far too long.
The Vikings held a fan vote to determine the best Vikings players to play in the Metrodome.
The All-Metrodome team:
QB Daunte Culpepper
RB Adrian Peterson
RB Robert Smith
WR Cris Carter
WR Randy Moss
WR Anthony Carter
TE Steve Jordan
T Gary Zimmerman
T Tim Irwin
G Randall McDaniel
G Steve Hutchinson
C Matt Birk
DE Chris Doleman
DE Jared Allen
DT John Randle
DT Kevin Williams
LB Chad Greenway
LB Scott Studwell
LB Ed McDaniel
CB Antoine Winfield
CB Carl Lee
S Joey Browner
S Robert Griffith
Ret Percy Harvin
P Chris Kluwe
K Ryan Longwell
ST Chris Walsh
The Vikings experienced their "glory days" from 1969-76. They reached four Super Bowls. Three in a four-year span from 1973-76. While the Vikings never made it to the Super Bowl during their time indoors at the Metrodome, they had some great teams. 1998 and 2009, in particular. The Vikings had some fantastic football players take the field in the dome. This All-Metrodome team is a great team. Cris Carter, Gary Zimmerman, Randall McDaniel, Chris Doleman, and John Randle have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Adrian Peterson, Steve Hutchinson, and Jared Allen will be. Kevin Williams might be. Joey Browner should be.
The Merodome was a dump but it was home. Many of the best memories probably came form that magical 1998 season. 15-1. Rookie receiver Randy Moss made an already explosive offense nearly unstoppable. The Vikings scored more points during that season than any team in NFL history. That season had many of the best memories. It also had the single worst memory. Kicker Gary Anderson's missed field goal in the NFC Championship game was his only miss of the season. Adrian Peterson gained an NFL record 296 yards against the San Diego Chargers in 2007. That was in the dome. Peterson and Moss were instant highlights. Every catch by Cris Carter was art. There were two plays of 99 yards from scrimmage in the dome. One for the Vikings and one against. Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett ran through 99 yards of Vikings defenders on a Monday Night in 1983. That was the Metrodome's inaugural season. A quarter century later the Vikings had one of their own. Gus Frerotte and Bernard Berrian combined for a 99 yard catch and run against the Chicago Bears in 2008. Great players. Great times. Only a Super Bowl was missing from the Metrodome years.
I was only in the Metrodome once. It was in 2001. It wasn't for a Vikings game. It wasn't even for a football game. I was at the 2001 NCAA Final Four. I saw Duke, Arizona, Michigan St., and Maryland play basketball in the place that the Vikings called home. I watched basketball but imagined football. I was in the home of the Minnesota Vikings. I also visited the site of their previous home. The Mall of America is on the land that once held Metropolitan Stadium. Both places hold memories. I hope to finally see a Vikings game in Minnesota when their new home is finished. I've put it off for far too long.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Season of Giving
In the spirit of Christmas and the season of giving it just feels right to look back at the trade that sent receiver Percy Harvin from the Minnesota Vikings to the Seattle Seahawks. As it stands right now, the Seahawks were especially giving.
On March 11, the Vikings and Seahawks agreed on a trade for Percy Harvin. The two teams have been doing fairly regular business since Seattle got themselves a team in 1976. It kicked off with the incredibly one-sided trade that netted the Vikings receiver Ahmad Rashad for a fourth round pick. Thirty-seven years later the Vikings sent Harvin to Seattle for a first and seventh round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft and a third round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. With the two picks last spring, the Vikings selected Florida St. corner Xavier Rhodes in the first round and North Carolina offensive lineman Travis Bond in the seventh. Rhodes has steadily improved all season. An ankle injury against Baltimore in week 14 might have ended his season. Before that, his play had improved to the point that it could easily be described as outstanding. Rhodes has a very bright future in the NFL. Bond was drafted as a project. You can't teach size and Bond has that in abundance, 6'7" 330 lbs. The Vikings signed him to their practice squad at the end of training camp. Unfortunately for the team that drafted him, the Carolina Panthers plucked Bond from the Vikings practice squad during the season. The Vikings still have that third round pick next spring to complete the Seahawks generosity.
As for the Seahawks' end of the transaction, they got Percy Harvin. They also gave Harvin a huge contract extension. So, the Seahawks paid in draft picks, the cash of the NFL, and actual cash. Harvin has played all of one game this season due to an offseason hip injury. That game just happened to be against the Minnesota Vikings. He had only two touches in that game. He had a reception that converted a key first down on a drive that netted a touchdown. He had a terrific kick return that positioned the Seahawks for a touchdown right before the half. That touchdown was devastating in a game that the Vikings kept close for three quarters. Two touches. Two impact plays. For people familiar with the Minnesota Vikings of the last four years, Harvin's impact was no surprise. His Seahawks debut against the Vikings caused a setback with his hip. He hasn't played since and might be headed to injured reserve as his team heads to the playoffs.
A side to the Harvin trade was the Vikings drafting of receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. The Vikings likely drafted the versatile and explosive Patterson because they no longer had the versatile and explosive Harvin. The trade also freed up cash and a receiver spot that was filled by the free agent signing of Greg Jennings. Patterson, like Rhodes, has had a tremendous rookie season. In a season that has been bleak, at best, for the Vikings, Rhodes and Patterson have been bright spots. The Seahawks generosity last March has resulted in a real nice haul for the Vikings.
Seahawks people shouldn't fret or frown. Harvin has been a no-how this season but the team is really doing pretty well without him. Harvin will get healthy. He will be back. When that happens, the Seahawks will have one of the most explosive, maybe the most explosive, offensive football player in the league.
For now, the Vikings and Vikings fans thank the Seahawks for their incredible generosity in 2013. Thank you very much.
Merry Christmas, Everyone.
On March 11, the Vikings and Seahawks agreed on a trade for Percy Harvin. The two teams have been doing fairly regular business since Seattle got themselves a team in 1976. It kicked off with the incredibly one-sided trade that netted the Vikings receiver Ahmad Rashad for a fourth round pick. Thirty-seven years later the Vikings sent Harvin to Seattle for a first and seventh round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft and a third round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. With the two picks last spring, the Vikings selected Florida St. corner Xavier Rhodes in the first round and North Carolina offensive lineman Travis Bond in the seventh. Rhodes has steadily improved all season. An ankle injury against Baltimore in week 14 might have ended his season. Before that, his play had improved to the point that it could easily be described as outstanding. Rhodes has a very bright future in the NFL. Bond was drafted as a project. You can't teach size and Bond has that in abundance, 6'7" 330 lbs. The Vikings signed him to their practice squad at the end of training camp. Unfortunately for the team that drafted him, the Carolina Panthers plucked Bond from the Vikings practice squad during the season. The Vikings still have that third round pick next spring to complete the Seahawks generosity.
As for the Seahawks' end of the transaction, they got Percy Harvin. They also gave Harvin a huge contract extension. So, the Seahawks paid in draft picks, the cash of the NFL, and actual cash. Harvin has played all of one game this season due to an offseason hip injury. That game just happened to be against the Minnesota Vikings. He had only two touches in that game. He had a reception that converted a key first down on a drive that netted a touchdown. He had a terrific kick return that positioned the Seahawks for a touchdown right before the half. That touchdown was devastating in a game that the Vikings kept close for three quarters. Two touches. Two impact plays. For people familiar with the Minnesota Vikings of the last four years, Harvin's impact was no surprise. His Seahawks debut against the Vikings caused a setback with his hip. He hasn't played since and might be headed to injured reserve as his team heads to the playoffs.
A side to the Harvin trade was the Vikings drafting of receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. The Vikings likely drafted the versatile and explosive Patterson because they no longer had the versatile and explosive Harvin. The trade also freed up cash and a receiver spot that was filled by the free agent signing of Greg Jennings. Patterson, like Rhodes, has had a tremendous rookie season. In a season that has been bleak, at best, for the Vikings, Rhodes and Patterson have been bright spots. The Seahawks generosity last March has resulted in a real nice haul for the Vikings.
Seahawks people shouldn't fret or frown. Harvin has been a no-how this season but the team is really doing pretty well without him. Harvin will get healthy. He will be back. When that happens, the Seahawks will have one of the most explosive, maybe the most explosive, offensive football player in the league.
For now, the Vikings and Vikings fans thank the Seahawks for their incredible generosity in 2013. Thank you very much.
Merry Christmas, Everyone.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Best Ever?
Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez expected better things when he came back for his 17th season. The Falcons entered the 2013 NFL season as Super Bowl contenders. They had been a play or two from the Super Bowl last year. Nothing much went right for the Falcons this season. Instead of contending for a championship the Falcons are at the top of the 2014 NFL Draft. The Atlanta Falcons play the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. It's likely the last football game in Tony Gonzalez's incredible NFL career. He joins all-time greats like Ollie Matson, Gale Sayers, Dick Butkus, and Barry Sanders that saw little to no postseason action and never really came close to a championship. Gonzalez is one of the best to ever play the position of tight end. He stepped up the evolution of the position. He paved the path now walked by the likes of Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham.
The first time that I heard mention of Tony Gonzalez was in the fall of 1993. Seated in Cal's Memorial Stadium, I heard that a terrific tight end from Huntington Beach was coming to Berkeley. That tight end was also going to play basketball for Cal. Tony Gonzalez was coming to Berkeley partly because he could play both sports. He made an impact in both sports. The only thing that disappointed in Gonzalez's Cal career is that he left a year early. He was ready for the NFL and I don't think too many opponents in basketball wanted him anywhere near college basketball courts. It was actually kinda funny to watch little basketball players bouncing off of Gonzalez. Opponents didn't know what to do with him. If he had position, there was nothing that anyone could do. He helped lead Cal to the Sweet Sixteen of the 1997 NCAA Tournament. Gonzalez and Cal even threw a scare into #1 seed North Carolina. That game would be the last time that Tony Gonzalez competed for Cal.
In the 17 years that I watched Tony Gonzalez play football in the NFL, I was always reminded of the way that he made football look so easy in Memorial Stadium. I never thought that he was used enough. He only had 37 catches for 541 yards and 2 touchdowns in his sophomore season. He only had 44 catches for 699 yards and five touchdowns in his junior and final season. Defenses couldn't stop him. He was too fast for linebackers and too big for safeties. He could have easily doubled those numbers. The NFL certainly knew what Gonzalez could do. The Kansas City Chiefs trade up to the 13th pick in the first round of the 1997 NFL Draft to select Gonzalez. The Chiefs were going to get the ball to their new tight end. They did. So did Atlanta when he was eventually traded there. His career receiving stats are incredible. They stack up with some of the best receivers to ever play the game. Let alone tight ends.
1,313 receptions
15,008 yards
110 touchdowns
-only Jerry Rice caught more passes
-his 15,008 yards is nearly 5,000 more than second place Shannon Sharpe among tight ends
-only five players caught more touchdowns. All five were receivers.
Tony Gonzalez changed the way a tight end can be used in an offense. I wish that he could have gotten a championship. I really wish that he could have gotten a Rose Bowl while he was at Cal. He was one of the best to ever play football.
The first time that I heard mention of Tony Gonzalez was in the fall of 1993. Seated in Cal's Memorial Stadium, I heard that a terrific tight end from Huntington Beach was coming to Berkeley. That tight end was also going to play basketball for Cal. Tony Gonzalez was coming to Berkeley partly because he could play both sports. He made an impact in both sports. The only thing that disappointed in Gonzalez's Cal career is that he left a year early. He was ready for the NFL and I don't think too many opponents in basketball wanted him anywhere near college basketball courts. It was actually kinda funny to watch little basketball players bouncing off of Gonzalez. Opponents didn't know what to do with him. If he had position, there was nothing that anyone could do. He helped lead Cal to the Sweet Sixteen of the 1997 NCAA Tournament. Gonzalez and Cal even threw a scare into #1 seed North Carolina. That game would be the last time that Tony Gonzalez competed for Cal.
In the 17 years that I watched Tony Gonzalez play football in the NFL, I was always reminded of the way that he made football look so easy in Memorial Stadium. I never thought that he was used enough. He only had 37 catches for 541 yards and 2 touchdowns in his sophomore season. He only had 44 catches for 699 yards and five touchdowns in his junior and final season. Defenses couldn't stop him. He was too fast for linebackers and too big for safeties. He could have easily doubled those numbers. The NFL certainly knew what Gonzalez could do. The Kansas City Chiefs trade up to the 13th pick in the first round of the 1997 NFL Draft to select Gonzalez. The Chiefs were going to get the ball to their new tight end. They did. So did Atlanta when he was eventually traded there. His career receiving stats are incredible. They stack up with some of the best receivers to ever play the game. Let alone tight ends.
1,313 receptions
15,008 yards
110 touchdowns
-only Jerry Rice caught more passes
-his 15,008 yards is nearly 5,000 more than second place Shannon Sharpe among tight ends
-only five players caught more touchdowns. All five were receivers.
Tony Gonzalez changed the way a tight end can be used in an offense. I wish that he could have gotten a championship. I really wish that he could have gotten a Rose Bowl while he was at Cal. He was one of the best to ever play football.
Monday, December 23, 2013
Week 16 Thoughts
The Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals were tied 7-7 at one point yesterday. That close game didn't last. The Bengals outscored the Vikings 35-7 the rest of the way.
The Vikings are now 4-10-1. Except for a three week stretch against the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, and Green Bay Packers to kick off October, the Vikings haven't really played like a 4-10-1 team. Yesterday was the fourth game that they played like the team that their record says that they are.
Adrian Peterson's 11-yard run in the third quarter was his longest of the game. It was also his last run of the game.
Returner/receiver/runner Cordarrelle Patterson was the sole offensive highlight for the Vikings. He's been fantastic all season on returns. As his role in the offense has grown his impact on the offense has grown. I've never seen a football player his size make the cuts that he can easily make. Great vision. Great acceleration. His 35-yard touchdown run showed a blast of that acceleration. He'll be a huge part of the Vikings offense for years.
It's kinda funny, actually kinda scary, to see Vikings itty-bitty corner Marcus Sherels lined up opposite Bengals receiver A.J. Green. Sherels made a real nice play on a deep pass to Green. He prevented a likely touchdown on that play. Sherels is a scrappy, little football player.
A.J. Green gets a lot of deserved attention. Marvin Jones has really come on as an excellent compliment to Green. Jones is another example of the poor scouting of Cal football players. Drafted in the fifth round of the 2012 Draft, Jones joins Aaron Rodgers, Thomas DeCoud, and Keenan Allen as players that somehow eluded scouts in Berkeley. Each played college football at a level that far exceeded where they were drafted. NFL scouts need a new map.
If quarterback Andy Dalton can avoid mistakes, the Bengals should be a serious threat in the AFC. Dalton has dangerous offensive weapons around him. A.J. Green, Marvin Jones, Jermaine Gresham, Tyler Eifert, Giovani Bernard, BenJarvus Green-Ellis. The offensive line needs to get healthy but they did a very good job yesterday keeping the Vikings pass rush off of their quarterback. The Bengals defense surely misses Geno Atkins and Leon Hall but they are still solid from front to back. The Bengals can do some damage in the playoffs but Dalton has to avoid mistakes. And, they have to find a way to win on the road.
Bernard gives the Bengals a unique running back. His 40-yard catch and run against the Vikings was dazzling. I think that safety Jamarca Sanford missed him at least three times on that one play. Bernard is a threat as a runner and as a receiver.
Apparently, New York Jets coach Rex Ryan told his players that he will be fired at the end of the season.
Washington Redskins linebacker London Fletcher is about 99% certain that he's retiring at the end of the season. Fletcher is one of the most remarkable football players in NFL history. The St. Louis Rams signed him as an undrafted free agent out of John Carroll University in 1998. I suppose that it's easy to overlook a 5'10" linebacker out of John Carroll University. Deserving of Pro Bowl recognition almost immediately, Fletcher didn't actually get that recognition until 2009 at the age of 34. He's been selected to the Pro Bowl every year since. Supposedly too small and too slow, London Fletcher has been huge on the football field for a long time. He'll be missed.
Congratulations to Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning on passing Tom Brady for the most touchdown passes in a season. His four touchdowns against the Houston Texans gives him 51. One more than the 50 that Brady threw in 2007.Manning still has another game to add to his record total but with the AFC West division title clinched his workload next week could be light.
According to Broncos quarterback coach Greg Knapp, Manning forced one throw in the first half of this season. I don't think that any of the Vikings three quarterbacks have gone a single possession without forcing a throw.
The Broncos might have lost linebacker Von Miller to a knee injury. That's quite a blow for a team with the Super Bowl in it's sites. At least the Broncos defense learned how to play without Miller for most of the first half of the season.
Maybe, the Indianapolis Colts have gotten out of the funk that has plagued them for weeks. They took down the Kansas City Chiefs 23-7. The Colts defeated the Broncos, 49ers, and Seahawks and then couldn't get out of their own way. Maybe they were trying to figure out how to play without Reggie Wayne. Maybe, this win has them on the right track. Maybe it was the Xbox One's that owner Jim Irsay got the players got them for Christmas. Who knows? Beating the Chiefs was a nice tuneup before the playoffs.
Wow! Tony Romo came through for the Dallas Cowboys at the end of a game.
A Matt Flynn fumble and two offside penalties in the last two minutes killed any chance that the Green Bay Packers had of defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Fortunately for the Packers, no one from the NFC North wants to win the division. The Detroit Lions had another late season collapse. The Chicago Bears were rolled over by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Some people are really slobbering all over the Eagles right now. I guess that they forgot all about this same Eagles team getting thrashed by a 3-9-1 Vikings team just last week. The players have to have a short memory in the NFL. The media always has a very selective memory. It's kinda pathetic.
About a month ago, everyone was handing the NFC North title to the Lions. They were eliminated from that title yesterday by the New York Giants. The Giants! This late season Lions collapse might cost head coach Jim Schwartz his job.
Excellent win by the Arizona Cardinals in their take down of the Seattle Seahawks. In Seattle! The Cardinals have a tough climb for a playoff spot despite a terrific season. The need a lot of things to go their way. I think that the Cardinals should get the NFC North spot in the playoffs.
Seahawks corner Richard Sherman always has some excuse when things don't go his way. I wonder what it is this time.
It's been over three years since Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson last lost a home game as the starting quarterback. He was playing college ball for North Carolina St. then.
Tonight is the last time that the San Francisco 49ers play at Candlestick Park. They move to a whole other county next year. Santa Clara.
Next week, the Vikings will play in the Metrodome for the last time. The Detroit Lions will be the victims.
The Vikings are now 4-10-1. Except for a three week stretch against the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, and Green Bay Packers to kick off October, the Vikings haven't really played like a 4-10-1 team. Yesterday was the fourth game that they played like the team that their record says that they are.
Adrian Peterson's 11-yard run in the third quarter was his longest of the game. It was also his last run of the game.
Returner/receiver/runner Cordarrelle Patterson was the sole offensive highlight for the Vikings. He's been fantastic all season on returns. As his role in the offense has grown his impact on the offense has grown. I've never seen a football player his size make the cuts that he can easily make. Great vision. Great acceleration. His 35-yard touchdown run showed a blast of that acceleration. He'll be a huge part of the Vikings offense for years.
It's kinda funny, actually kinda scary, to see Vikings itty-bitty corner Marcus Sherels lined up opposite Bengals receiver A.J. Green. Sherels made a real nice play on a deep pass to Green. He prevented a likely touchdown on that play. Sherels is a scrappy, little football player.
A.J. Green gets a lot of deserved attention. Marvin Jones has really come on as an excellent compliment to Green. Jones is another example of the poor scouting of Cal football players. Drafted in the fifth round of the 2012 Draft, Jones joins Aaron Rodgers, Thomas DeCoud, and Keenan Allen as players that somehow eluded scouts in Berkeley. Each played college football at a level that far exceeded where they were drafted. NFL scouts need a new map.
If quarterback Andy Dalton can avoid mistakes, the Bengals should be a serious threat in the AFC. Dalton has dangerous offensive weapons around him. A.J. Green, Marvin Jones, Jermaine Gresham, Tyler Eifert, Giovani Bernard, BenJarvus Green-Ellis. The offensive line needs to get healthy but they did a very good job yesterday keeping the Vikings pass rush off of their quarterback. The Bengals defense surely misses Geno Atkins and Leon Hall but they are still solid from front to back. The Bengals can do some damage in the playoffs but Dalton has to avoid mistakes. And, they have to find a way to win on the road.
Bernard gives the Bengals a unique running back. His 40-yard catch and run against the Vikings was dazzling. I think that safety Jamarca Sanford missed him at least three times on that one play. Bernard is a threat as a runner and as a receiver.
Apparently, New York Jets coach Rex Ryan told his players that he will be fired at the end of the season.
Washington Redskins linebacker London Fletcher is about 99% certain that he's retiring at the end of the season. Fletcher is one of the most remarkable football players in NFL history. The St. Louis Rams signed him as an undrafted free agent out of John Carroll University in 1998. I suppose that it's easy to overlook a 5'10" linebacker out of John Carroll University. Deserving of Pro Bowl recognition almost immediately, Fletcher didn't actually get that recognition until 2009 at the age of 34. He's been selected to the Pro Bowl every year since. Supposedly too small and too slow, London Fletcher has been huge on the football field for a long time. He'll be missed.
Congratulations to Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning on passing Tom Brady for the most touchdown passes in a season. His four touchdowns against the Houston Texans gives him 51. One more than the 50 that Brady threw in 2007.Manning still has another game to add to his record total but with the AFC West division title clinched his workload next week could be light.
According to Broncos quarterback coach Greg Knapp, Manning forced one throw in the first half of this season. I don't think that any of the Vikings three quarterbacks have gone a single possession without forcing a throw.
The Broncos might have lost linebacker Von Miller to a knee injury. That's quite a blow for a team with the Super Bowl in it's sites. At least the Broncos defense learned how to play without Miller for most of the first half of the season.
Maybe, the Indianapolis Colts have gotten out of the funk that has plagued them for weeks. They took down the Kansas City Chiefs 23-7. The Colts defeated the Broncos, 49ers, and Seahawks and then couldn't get out of their own way. Maybe they were trying to figure out how to play without Reggie Wayne. Maybe, this win has them on the right track. Maybe it was the Xbox One's that owner Jim Irsay got the players got them for Christmas. Who knows? Beating the Chiefs was a nice tuneup before the playoffs.
Wow! Tony Romo came through for the Dallas Cowboys at the end of a game.
A Matt Flynn fumble and two offside penalties in the last two minutes killed any chance that the Green Bay Packers had of defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Fortunately for the Packers, no one from the NFC North wants to win the division. The Detroit Lions had another late season collapse. The Chicago Bears were rolled over by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Some people are really slobbering all over the Eagles right now. I guess that they forgot all about this same Eagles team getting thrashed by a 3-9-1 Vikings team just last week. The players have to have a short memory in the NFL. The media always has a very selective memory. It's kinda pathetic.
About a month ago, everyone was handing the NFC North title to the Lions. They were eliminated from that title yesterday by the New York Giants. The Giants! This late season Lions collapse might cost head coach Jim Schwartz his job.
Excellent win by the Arizona Cardinals in their take down of the Seattle Seahawks. In Seattle! The Cardinals have a tough climb for a playoff spot despite a terrific season. The need a lot of things to go their way. I think that the Cardinals should get the NFC North spot in the playoffs.
Seahawks corner Richard Sherman always has some excuse when things don't go his way. I wonder what it is this time.
It's been over three years since Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson last lost a home game as the starting quarterback. He was playing college ball for North Carolina St. then.
Tonight is the last time that the San Francisco 49ers play at Candlestick Park. They move to a whole other county next year. Santa Clara.
Next week, the Vikings will play in the Metrodome for the last time. The Detroit Lions will be the victims.
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Game Day Thoughts
The Minnesota Vikings messed with the playoff plans of the Philadelphia Eagles last week. They look to do the same today when they visit the Cincinnati Bengals. At 4-9-1, the Vikings are closing the 2013 NFL season as spoilers. They are also trying to save the head coaching job of Leslie Frazier. The Vikings have closed nicely in their three seasons under Frazier. They wouldn't be fighting for the job of their coach if they played as well in the first twelve games of each of those seasons as they did in the last four.
Two weeks to play and only four of twelve playoff spots are taken. The Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts, and Seattle Seahawks are the only teams to secure a spot in the postseason. The Colts are the only one of those to have won their division.
The Arizona Cardinals could end the end the season with eleven wins and not be a part of the playoffs. They could be stuck at home while two NFC division champs move on with single digit wins.
There's some excellent matchups today. New Orleans-Carolina, Indianapolis-Kansas City, Arizona-Seattle, Pittsburgh-Green Bay, New England-Baltimore, and Chicago-Philadelphia all involve teams with playoff dreams. Just as the NFL hoped with their late season games.
After missing nearly two games, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is 122 yards behind Philadelphia Eagles' LeSean McCoy for the rushing lead.
It will be great to have Peterson back on the football field. Every carry is a football treat.
I'm a little surprised by the nice statistical season that Washington Redskins receiver Pierre Garcon is having. I've always liked him from his days with the Colts and his two years with the Redskins. His pass catching can get shaky but he's a tough, physical receiver that can put some stress on a defense. For some reason, I've always seen him as a complimentary receiver. His 96 catches for 1146 yards, with two games remaining, say otherwise.
If I had a vote for defensive player of the year, and I should, it might go to New York Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson.
The Vikings placed tight end John Carlson on injured reserve. He missed the Eagles game last week due to a concussion. He had a setback this week that led to the season-ending move. This concussion was at least the third of Carlson's career. He's going into the offseason with the possibility that he might not return to football.
Unlike the rest of the league, The Vikings were pretty much injury-free through training camp. Their injury luck has completely turned the last few weeks. Injuries are always an unfortunate given in football. No team is immune. Good teams. Shitty teams. They all get the bug at some point.
At least, safety Harrison Smith returns to the Vikings starting secondary today. He's a good one.
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay gave all of his players an Xbox One. From what I understand these gaming systems are difficult to find. They are probably even more difficult to find in the Indianapolis area.
Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt has been turned into a superhero. DC Comics and Gatorade have joined forces to create "Megewatt." The digital comic tells the story of a kid from Pewaukee, Wisconsin becoming one of the best players in the NFL. The comic can be found on Gatorade's website.
The San Francisco 49ers say buh-bye to Candlestick Park today. It has been the team's home since 1970. The 49ers have certainly seen incredible success in that structure teetering on the edge of the Bay. 5 Super Bowl wins. They'll be moving south to Santa Clara next season.
I sure wish that there was some way to make college coaching changes less disruptive. USC players had to adjust to three head coaches this year. Lane Kiffin, Ed Orgeron, and now Clay Helton. The last change was due to the Trojans hiring of Washington coach Steve Sarkisian to be their coach going forward. Now, Washington is without a coach. They hire Boise St. coach Chris Petersen. Now, Boise St. is without a coach. They hire Arkansas St. coach Bryan Harsin. Now, Arkansas St. is without a coach. USC, Washington, Boise St., and Arkansas St. are playing in bowl games with interim coaches that are coaching their only games with that school. These coaching changes tear up everything that a team has built through the season. The bowl games lose. Most importantly, the players lose. I know that the coaches have to jump into the recruiting at their new school but it's not right for the players at the old school. Maybe the letter-of-intent day can be moved to the end of February or early March so that the coaching changes can take place after the bowl games.
Congratulations to Northwest Missouri State University on their 43-21 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne for the NCAA Division II Championship.
I hate that blue field at Boise St. I always have. Always will.
I really like Buffalo linebacker Kahlil Mack. He had to play a football game on that horrid blue field. I'd love to see the Vikings draft him in May. They can have a Kahlil Mack on defense and a Matt Kalil on offense. Nice.
Buffalo attempted the worst onside kick I have ever seen. I don't think that it went a foot. It must have been that stupid blue field.
There are always surprising statistics in football. San Diego St. not making a field goal since September 28 of this year is surprising.
Colorado St.'s furious comeback to win the Gildan New Mexico Bowl was, well, stunning.
I like the trophy given to the winner of the Gildan New Mexico Bowl.
I also like former Vikings running back Robert Smith as a college football analyst for ESPN. He retired early from football after the 2000 season. I guess that he dabbled in his always varied off-field hobbies for a while before he turned his attention to TV work. He's a bright guy and presents his thoughts well.
Congratulations to the California State Football Champions
Open Division: St. John Bosco, Bellflower
Division I: Bakersfield
Division II: Chaminade, West Hills
Division III: Corona Del Mar, Newport Beach
Division IV: Central Catholic, Modesto
The southern California teams dominated in winning four of the five title games. Central Catholic was the only northern team to take home the trophy.
Many states have had state title games for decades. California didn't jump into the game until 2006. Seven of the ten teams playing in the championship games this year were making their first appearances. It's not a perfect playoff format as north and south representatives are chosen from the various section champions. Whenever teams are selected rather deciding things on the field there's going to be controversy. It's still better than nothing. I really like these state championship games.
Two weeks to play and only four of twelve playoff spots are taken. The Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts, and Seattle Seahawks are the only teams to secure a spot in the postseason. The Colts are the only one of those to have won their division.
The Arizona Cardinals could end the end the season with eleven wins and not be a part of the playoffs. They could be stuck at home while two NFC division champs move on with single digit wins.
There's some excellent matchups today. New Orleans-Carolina, Indianapolis-Kansas City, Arizona-Seattle, Pittsburgh-Green Bay, New England-Baltimore, and Chicago-Philadelphia all involve teams with playoff dreams. Just as the NFL hoped with their late season games.
After missing nearly two games, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is 122 yards behind Philadelphia Eagles' LeSean McCoy for the rushing lead.
It will be great to have Peterson back on the football field. Every carry is a football treat.
I'm a little surprised by the nice statistical season that Washington Redskins receiver Pierre Garcon is having. I've always liked him from his days with the Colts and his two years with the Redskins. His pass catching can get shaky but he's a tough, physical receiver that can put some stress on a defense. For some reason, I've always seen him as a complimentary receiver. His 96 catches for 1146 yards, with two games remaining, say otherwise.
If I had a vote for defensive player of the year, and I should, it might go to New York Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson.
The Vikings placed tight end John Carlson on injured reserve. He missed the Eagles game last week due to a concussion. He had a setback this week that led to the season-ending move. This concussion was at least the third of Carlson's career. He's going into the offseason with the possibility that he might not return to football.
Unlike the rest of the league, The Vikings were pretty much injury-free through training camp. Their injury luck has completely turned the last few weeks. Injuries are always an unfortunate given in football. No team is immune. Good teams. Shitty teams. They all get the bug at some point.
At least, safety Harrison Smith returns to the Vikings starting secondary today. He's a good one.
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay gave all of his players an Xbox One. From what I understand these gaming systems are difficult to find. They are probably even more difficult to find in the Indianapolis area.
Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt has been turned into a superhero. DC Comics and Gatorade have joined forces to create "Megewatt." The digital comic tells the story of a kid from Pewaukee, Wisconsin becoming one of the best players in the NFL. The comic can be found on Gatorade's website.
The San Francisco 49ers say buh-bye to Candlestick Park today. It has been the team's home since 1970. The 49ers have certainly seen incredible success in that structure teetering on the edge of the Bay. 5 Super Bowl wins. They'll be moving south to Santa Clara next season.
I sure wish that there was some way to make college coaching changes less disruptive. USC players had to adjust to three head coaches this year. Lane Kiffin, Ed Orgeron, and now Clay Helton. The last change was due to the Trojans hiring of Washington coach Steve Sarkisian to be their coach going forward. Now, Washington is without a coach. They hire Boise St. coach Chris Petersen. Now, Boise St. is without a coach. They hire Arkansas St. coach Bryan Harsin. Now, Arkansas St. is without a coach. USC, Washington, Boise St., and Arkansas St. are playing in bowl games with interim coaches that are coaching their only games with that school. These coaching changes tear up everything that a team has built through the season. The bowl games lose. Most importantly, the players lose. I know that the coaches have to jump into the recruiting at their new school but it's not right for the players at the old school. Maybe the letter-of-intent day can be moved to the end of February or early March so that the coaching changes can take place after the bowl games.
Congratulations to Northwest Missouri State University on their 43-21 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne for the NCAA Division II Championship.
I hate that blue field at Boise St. I always have. Always will.
I really like Buffalo linebacker Kahlil Mack. He had to play a football game on that horrid blue field. I'd love to see the Vikings draft him in May. They can have a Kahlil Mack on defense and a Matt Kalil on offense. Nice.
Buffalo attempted the worst onside kick I have ever seen. I don't think that it went a foot. It must have been that stupid blue field.
There are always surprising statistics in football. San Diego St. not making a field goal since September 28 of this year is surprising.
Colorado St.'s furious comeback to win the Gildan New Mexico Bowl was, well, stunning.
I like the trophy given to the winner of the Gildan New Mexico Bowl.
I also like former Vikings running back Robert Smith as a college football analyst for ESPN. He retired early from football after the 2000 season. I guess that he dabbled in his always varied off-field hobbies for a while before he turned his attention to TV work. He's a bright guy and presents his thoughts well.
Congratulations to the California State Football Champions
Open Division: St. John Bosco, Bellflower
Division I: Bakersfield
Division II: Chaminade, West Hills
Division III: Corona Del Mar, Newport Beach
Division IV: Central Catholic, Modesto
The southern California teams dominated in winning four of the five title games. Central Catholic was the only northern team to take home the trophy.
Many states have had state title games for decades. California didn't jump into the game until 2006. Seven of the ten teams playing in the championship games this year were making their first appearances. It's not a perfect playoff format as north and south representatives are chosen from the various section champions. Whenever teams are selected rather deciding things on the field there's going to be controversy. It's still better than nothing. I really like these state championship games.
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Gone Bowling
Here a Bowl. There a Bowl. Everywhere a Bowl, Bowl. The first of about a hundred bowl games start today. Actually, last count had it at 35 bowl games. The opening day of Bowl season kicks off with four. The New Mexico Bowl with Colorado St. and Washington St. The Las Vegas Bowl with Fresno St. and USC. That bowl probably attracts the most attention today. Quarterback Derek Carr leads the Bulldogs against a Trojans team that has really taken off since Lane Kiffin was kicked off of the plane. Fresno St.'s loss to San Jose St. at the end of the season cost them a BCS bowl and about $17,000,000. Then we have the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl with San Diego St. and Buffalo. When Buffalo stepped out of their comfort zone to play Ohio St. earlier this season, linebacker Khalil Mack might have been the best football player on the field that day. I'm watching the Tater Bowl just to see more of Mack. Late tonight, we have the New Orleans Bowl with Louisiana-Lafayette and Tulane. Two Lousiana schools in a Louisiana bowl game. Interesting.
It's fun that the majority of college football players get to enjoy the excitement of a bowl game. Even if it's the AdvoCare V100 Bowl, playing in these games is a thrill. It's big for the city that hosts the game. It's big for the players. It's a terrific way to cap a season for all involved. Winning a bowl game is like winning a little championship. The bigger the bowl, the bigger the championship.
The SEC led the way with ten teams in bowl games. That's really no surprise. A team from that conference has won the national title for so long that the BCS Championship feels like the SEC championship. Another can win it this year with Auburn playing Florida St in the big game. It's stunning that $22,000,000 will go to those two schools. Bowl games are big money. It's no wonder that those that run the bowls haven't been in a rush to a playoff system. The GoDaddy.com Bowl is played the day before the championship. Arkansas St. and Ball St. will each leave that game with $750,000. A nice little payday but quite a drop from the big boys.
The Pac-12 is sending a conference record nine teams to bowl games. Stanford, Oregon, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona St., Oregon St., Washington, Washington St., and USC get to take part in the fun. The interesting thing about that list is that Cal isn't on it. Cal is the only team from the Pac-10 days with no invite. 1-11 seasons will do that to a team. The Big-10 and Big-12 are frequently considered the best conferences outside of the SEC. The grip on that belief is getting pretty weak. I think that it's a little funny that the Big-10 has twelve teams and the Big-12 has ten teams. But, that's just me. The Pac-12 has jumped both of those conferences and is fast approaching the SEC. The recent coaching hires, from Stanford's David Shaw to Washington's hiring of Chris Petersen last week, have really strengthened the conference. Cal's Sonny Dykes and Colorado's Mike MacIntyre had rough rookie seasons in their new conference but they have shown in the past that they can win. The problem that both of those coaches have is that the nine Pac-12 teams in bowl games are showing no signs of fading. If anything, most are just hitting their stride. Cal, Colorado, and Utah (the uninvited) have to get better fast.
Here are some of the bowl games that most intrigue me:
Las Vegas Bowl: Fresno St. vs USC
Fight Hunger Bow: Washington vs BYU
Russell Athletic Bowl: Louisville vs Maimi
Holiday Bowl: Texas Tech vs Arizona St.
Sun Bowl: Virginia Tech vs UCLA
Chick-fil-A Bowl: Duke vs Texas A&M
Capital One Bowl: Wisconsin vs South Carolina
Rose Bowl: Michigan St. vs Stanford
Fiesta Bowl: UCF vs Baylor
Then, of course, there is the BCS Championship: Florida St. vs Auburn. It will be nice to see the end of the BCS as we have loathed it.
It's fun that the majority of college football players get to enjoy the excitement of a bowl game. Even if it's the AdvoCare V100 Bowl, playing in these games is a thrill. It's big for the city that hosts the game. It's big for the players. It's a terrific way to cap a season for all involved. Winning a bowl game is like winning a little championship. The bigger the bowl, the bigger the championship.
The SEC led the way with ten teams in bowl games. That's really no surprise. A team from that conference has won the national title for so long that the BCS Championship feels like the SEC championship. Another can win it this year with Auburn playing Florida St in the big game. It's stunning that $22,000,000 will go to those two schools. Bowl games are big money. It's no wonder that those that run the bowls haven't been in a rush to a playoff system. The GoDaddy.com Bowl is played the day before the championship. Arkansas St. and Ball St. will each leave that game with $750,000. A nice little payday but quite a drop from the big boys.
The Pac-12 is sending a conference record nine teams to bowl games. Stanford, Oregon, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona St., Oregon St., Washington, Washington St., and USC get to take part in the fun. The interesting thing about that list is that Cal isn't on it. Cal is the only team from the Pac-10 days with no invite. 1-11 seasons will do that to a team. The Big-10 and Big-12 are frequently considered the best conferences outside of the SEC. The grip on that belief is getting pretty weak. I think that it's a little funny that the Big-10 has twelve teams and the Big-12 has ten teams. But, that's just me. The Pac-12 has jumped both of those conferences and is fast approaching the SEC. The recent coaching hires, from Stanford's David Shaw to Washington's hiring of Chris Petersen last week, have really strengthened the conference. Cal's Sonny Dykes and Colorado's Mike MacIntyre had rough rookie seasons in their new conference but they have shown in the past that they can win. The problem that both of those coaches have is that the nine Pac-12 teams in bowl games are showing no signs of fading. If anything, most are just hitting their stride. Cal, Colorado, and Utah (the uninvited) have to get better fast.
Here are some of the bowl games that most intrigue me:
Las Vegas Bowl: Fresno St. vs USC
Fight Hunger Bow: Washington vs BYU
Russell Athletic Bowl: Louisville vs Maimi
Holiday Bowl: Texas Tech vs Arizona St.
Sun Bowl: Virginia Tech vs UCLA
Chick-fil-A Bowl: Duke vs Texas A&M
Capital One Bowl: Wisconsin vs South Carolina
Rose Bowl: Michigan St. vs Stanford
Fiesta Bowl: UCF vs Baylor
Then, of course, there is the BCS Championship: Florida St. vs Auburn. It will be nice to see the end of the BCS as we have loathed it.
Friday, December 20, 2013
High Drama
The media is ridiculous. The Minnesota Vikings visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. You'd think that the media would be asking Vikings coach Leslie Frazier about the football game. He's a football coach. You'd think that the questions would be about the injuries to running backs Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart. Maybe even a question or two about the ankle of rookie cornerback Xavier Rhodes. The Bengals have a terrific receiver in A.J. Green that could shred the Vikings secondary. Rhodes is one of the few Vikings corners that can physically match up with Green. The media has been asking about the quarterback situation all year. Nope. Not now. The Twin Cities media peppered Frazier on his two-year coaching stint in Cincinnati. In particular, they wanted to know all about the circumstances that led Bengals coach Marvin Lewis to fire Leslie Frazier in 2005. The media just wants drama. They'd rather fan the flames of drama than ask a football coach about a football game. All year, I've grown sick of the weekly flood of questions about the Vikings quarterback rotation. I'd rather hear more about that rotation than a coaching change that took place nearly a decade ago. At least the quarterback questions concern the upcoming game. Not all coaching relationships work. Frazier and Lewis have moved on with their careers. Frazier has won a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts and become the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. Lewis is one of the most tenured coaches in the entire league. Nothing that took place in 2005 has anything to do with the Vikings-Bengals game on Sunday. Frickin' drama. The media supposedly reports to the public. Here's one part of that public that is much more interested in a football game than the media's pathetic thirst for drama.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Throwback Thursday: This Day in 1948
On December 19, 1948, the Chicago Cardinals played the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFL Championship. It was a rematch of the previous year's championship game. That game was won by the Cardinals 28-21. This game was played in a snowstorm at Philadelphia's Shibe Park. It was played in such a storm that NFL commissioner Bert Bell considered postponing the game. He relented when players from both teams insisted on playing the game. A fourth quarter fumble by the Cardinals, at their end of the field, set the Eagles up for the only score of the game. Steve Van Buren's five-yard touchdown run gave the Eagles a 7-0 win and the 1948 NFL title. This championship game was significant for a couple of reasons other than it being a championship game. It was the first NFL Championship game to be televised. That's pretty significant. It was also the last time that the Cardinals had any championship game relevance for a very long time.
The Cardinals have called a few cities home. Chicago, St. Louis, and now the entire state of Arizona. The Cardinals are also the oldest team in the NFL. The Cardinals, Chicago Bears, and Green Bay Packers are the only franchises that are older than the league in which they play. Both the Bears and Packers were founded in 1919. The Cardinals were founded in 1898. The Bears and Packers each have a bunch of titles. The Cardinals have two. Even when they were crowned the best in 1925 and 1947, they were still the "other" team in their own town. The Bears owned Chicago, always. It's really no surprise that the Cardinals could never really gain or sustain success when they barely got any notice at home. The glory days for the Cardinals were 1947 and 1948. It all came together when Paul Christman, Pat Harder, Marshall Goldberg, Elmer Angsman, and the great Charley Trippi formed the "Dream Backfield." The glory days seemed to end as suddenly as they began. This day in 1948 marked the end of the good stuff and the start of the bad. The 1950s were just sad. The Cardinals totaled more than five wins in a season only once during the decade. The team moved to St. Louis before the next decade began. The St. Louis Cardinals found a little bit of winning with head coach Don Coryell in the 1970s. They just couldn't get past dominant NFC teams like the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings. By 1988 the Cardinals packed their bags again and moved to Arizona. Sixty years after nearly winning a second straight NFL title, the Cardinals came close. With quarterback Kurt Warner throwing all over the field and receiver Larry Fitzgerald playing out of his mind, the Arizona Cardinals nearly shocked the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII. A fourth quarter score kept the Cardinals from winning a title on February 1, 2009 just like it did on December 19, 1948.
The Cardinals have called a few cities home. Chicago, St. Louis, and now the entire state of Arizona. The Cardinals are also the oldest team in the NFL. The Cardinals, Chicago Bears, and Green Bay Packers are the only franchises that are older than the league in which they play. Both the Bears and Packers were founded in 1919. The Cardinals were founded in 1898. The Bears and Packers each have a bunch of titles. The Cardinals have two. Even when they were crowned the best in 1925 and 1947, they were still the "other" team in their own town. The Bears owned Chicago, always. It's really no surprise that the Cardinals could never really gain or sustain success when they barely got any notice at home. The glory days for the Cardinals were 1947 and 1948. It all came together when Paul Christman, Pat Harder, Marshall Goldberg, Elmer Angsman, and the great Charley Trippi formed the "Dream Backfield." The glory days seemed to end as suddenly as they began. This day in 1948 marked the end of the good stuff and the start of the bad. The 1950s were just sad. The Cardinals totaled more than five wins in a season only once during the decade. The team moved to St. Louis before the next decade began. The St. Louis Cardinals found a little bit of winning with head coach Don Coryell in the 1970s. They just couldn't get past dominant NFC teams like the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings. By 1988 the Cardinals packed their bags again and moved to Arizona. Sixty years after nearly winning a second straight NFL title, the Cardinals came close. With quarterback Kurt Warner throwing all over the field and receiver Larry Fitzgerald playing out of his mind, the Arizona Cardinals nearly shocked the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII. A fourth quarter score kept the Cardinals from winning a title on February 1, 2009 just like it did on December 19, 1948.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Season Records
Last year, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson made a serious run at Eric Dickerson's single season rushing record of 2,105 yards. Peterson finished with 2,097 yards and was likely a missed quarter against the Houston Texans in week 16 from breaking the record. This year, there are several individual records being threatened. Mostly by Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning.
The website Pro Football Talk listed the following records that might fall in the next two weeks:
Passing yards: Drew Brees 5,476 yards set in 2011
Manning is currently at 4,811 yards. This is certainly within in reach but the Broncos playoff status might play a role.
Touchdown passes: Tom Brady 50 touchdowns set in 2007
Manning, again, has 47. With the rate that Manning was throwing touchdowns I thought that he'd hit 50 by week 12. I think that he breaks this one. This week.
Most 400-yard passing games: Dan Marino has the record with four set in 1984.
One of the few records that remain from Marino's incredible 1984 season. Manning, again, has three with two to play.
Most 300-yard passing games: Brees has the record of 13 set in 2011.
Manning, again, has 11 so he can, at best, tie.
Most games, four or more touchdown passes: Manning, again, has already broken this record with seven such games this season.
Marino had the previous record with six in 1984. Manning had tied that record in 2004.
Highest passer rating: Aaron Rodgers 122.5 set in 2011.
Nick Foles leads the league with a passer rating of 117.0. Foles has been fantastic since he wrestled the Philadelphia Eagles starting gig from Michael Vick. He was even fantastic in a tragic defeat to the Vikings last Sunday. I don't see him gaining on this record in the next two weeks.
Most games, 200 or more yards receiving: Charley Hennigan of the Houston Oilers had three in 1961. This is actually a record from the rival American Football League. The NFL has included those records as if they were never at war with these guys.
Josh Gordon and Alshon Jeffery have bulldozed their way into the receiving elite in the past month. Each has two so far this season.
Highest net average, punting: Andy Lee set the record of 43.99 in 2011.
Johnny Hekker is currently averaging 43.81 net yards per punt.
Most kicking points after touchdowns: Stephen Gostkowski went 74-for-74 in 2007.
Matt Prater is 67-for-67 so far this season.
I found watching Peterson tear up the NFL last season far more thrilling than any of these record-chasers. But, that's just me.
The website Pro Football Talk listed the following records that might fall in the next two weeks:
Passing yards: Drew Brees 5,476 yards set in 2011
Manning is currently at 4,811 yards. This is certainly within in reach but the Broncos playoff status might play a role.
Touchdown passes: Tom Brady 50 touchdowns set in 2007
Manning, again, has 47. With the rate that Manning was throwing touchdowns I thought that he'd hit 50 by week 12. I think that he breaks this one. This week.
Most 400-yard passing games: Dan Marino has the record with four set in 1984.
One of the few records that remain from Marino's incredible 1984 season. Manning, again, has three with two to play.
Most 300-yard passing games: Brees has the record of 13 set in 2011.
Manning, again, has 11 so he can, at best, tie.
Most games, four or more touchdown passes: Manning, again, has already broken this record with seven such games this season.
Marino had the previous record with six in 1984. Manning had tied that record in 2004.
Highest passer rating: Aaron Rodgers 122.5 set in 2011.
Nick Foles leads the league with a passer rating of 117.0. Foles has been fantastic since he wrestled the Philadelphia Eagles starting gig from Michael Vick. He was even fantastic in a tragic defeat to the Vikings last Sunday. I don't see him gaining on this record in the next two weeks.
Most games, 200 or more yards receiving: Charley Hennigan of the Houston Oilers had three in 1961. This is actually a record from the rival American Football League. The NFL has included those records as if they were never at war with these guys.
Josh Gordon and Alshon Jeffery have bulldozed their way into the receiving elite in the past month. Each has two so far this season.
Highest net average, punting: Andy Lee set the record of 43.99 in 2011.
Johnny Hekker is currently averaging 43.81 net yards per punt.
Most kicking points after touchdowns: Stephen Gostkowski went 74-for-74 in 2007.
Matt Prater is 67-for-67 so far this season.
I found watching Peterson tear up the NFL last season far more thrilling than any of these record-chasers. But, that's just me.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Changes
NFL Insiders Jason La Canfora and Ian Rapoport filed separate and different reports that Leslie Frazier's days as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings are coming to an end. CBS Insider Jason La Canfora reported that the Vikings have contacted Penn St. head coach Bill O'Brien. La Canfora also reported that the Houston Texans have reached out to O'Brien as well. One can only assume that this contact was to gauge his interest in returning to the NFL. O'Brien was an assistant coach with the New England Patriots from 2007-11. NFL Media Insider Rapoport reported Sunday on "NFL GameDay Morning" that the prospects of Frazier returning in 2014 are said to be "grim," according to team sources and sources familiar with the thinking of Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf. Rapoport went on to report that he was told that the Vikings will target a young coach-likely a current NFL assistant-with "star power." This last part tends to run against La Canfora's report that the Vikings are interested in O'Brien. All indications are that Vikings general manager Rick Spielman will return next year. If the reports are true and Frazier is looking at his last two weeks as the Vikings coach, Spielman's own future with the team will be determined by the success of the coach that he selects.
It's pretty easy to see the reasoning in the rumors that Leslie Frazier's Vikings coaching career is coming to a close. In three seasons, he's posted records of 3-13, 10-6 and, so far, 4-9-1. Not many coaches last long with season win totals of 3 and 4. Frazier is well-liked by everyone. Players and ownership. If he's to be fired, I can that imagine the Wilfs and Spielman are dreading the task of giving the bad news to their coach. Two poor seasons out of three are difficult to overcome. The Vikings were in a complete rebuild mode in 2011. That rebuild was made even more difficult by the ridiculous lockout. None of that was helped by the disastrous trade for Donovan McNabb. The 3-13 season was really no surprise. The 10-6 season last year was a miracle made possible by running back Adrian Peterson playing out of his mind and putting the team on his back. Peterson's play covered up a lot of flaws. The inability to close out games, poor defense, and a circus at quarterback torpedoed this season. The inability to find stability at quarterback plagued Frazier's three years as the Vikings coach. In his favor and the one thing that could save his job is that his team has absolutely not quit on him. Not in 2011. Not when they needed four consecutive wins to make the playoffs in 2012. Not this season. No matter how bad things got the team kept fighting. They players continue to fight for their coach.
I can see both sides to this decision of whether to make a coaching change. The NFL has become a "you have to win now" league. There's no patience anymore. I think that some things take a while to develop. Some patience might be rewarded. Not every team lucks into a quarterback like Andrew Luck at the same time that Peyton Manning is, supposedly, winding down. There's often a lot of luck in finding that franchise quarterback. The Green Bay Packers got lucky when Aaron Rodgers slid in the draft. The New England Patriots got lucky when they took a shot with Tom Brady in the sixth round. The New Orleans Saints, much like the Denver Broncos, got lucky when another team gave up on a quarterback with a pretty serious injury. The Saints lucked into Drew Brees. The Denver Broncos lucked into Manning. The Vikings have had no such luck with quarterbacks. If Christian Ponder had played like a quarterback that deserved to be selected with the 12th pick, Leslie Frazier is likely coaching a team that is headed to the 2013 NFL Playoffs. He would likely be looking at a contract extension. The difference between the Vikings and the teams looking toward the playoffs is a quarterback. The 48 points scored against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday is an indication of what the Vikings can do with solid quarterback play. Matt Cassel was great. The team has some weapons that will make a quarterback very happy. I feel like Frazier deserves a shot with a dependable quarterback. The defense also has some holes that need to be filled but quarterback has long been the most pressing need. As Peterson showed last year, one player, more often a quarterback, can cover for some blemishes. I feel like Frazier hasn't been given a decent shot because he hasn't been given a decent quarterback. Sometimes, even in the NFL, showing some patience can be a good thing. I just think that he deserves a chance to coach a team with a better plan at quarterback. It appears that Ponder was the wrong choice but was he Frazier's choice? If the Vikings show Frazier the door, I will understand that decision. It's tough to accept two sad seasons out of three. When Rick Spielman was promoted to general manager, he inherited Frazier. A general manager should be given the opportunity to select his head coach.
It's unfortunate situation as I don't think that Frazier was given the best opportunity to succeed.
It's pretty easy to see the reasoning in the rumors that Leslie Frazier's Vikings coaching career is coming to a close. In three seasons, he's posted records of 3-13, 10-6 and, so far, 4-9-1. Not many coaches last long with season win totals of 3 and 4. Frazier is well-liked by everyone. Players and ownership. If he's to be fired, I can that imagine the Wilfs and Spielman are dreading the task of giving the bad news to their coach. Two poor seasons out of three are difficult to overcome. The Vikings were in a complete rebuild mode in 2011. That rebuild was made even more difficult by the ridiculous lockout. None of that was helped by the disastrous trade for Donovan McNabb. The 3-13 season was really no surprise. The 10-6 season last year was a miracle made possible by running back Adrian Peterson playing out of his mind and putting the team on his back. Peterson's play covered up a lot of flaws. The inability to close out games, poor defense, and a circus at quarterback torpedoed this season. The inability to find stability at quarterback plagued Frazier's three years as the Vikings coach. In his favor and the one thing that could save his job is that his team has absolutely not quit on him. Not in 2011. Not when they needed four consecutive wins to make the playoffs in 2012. Not this season. No matter how bad things got the team kept fighting. They players continue to fight for their coach.
I can see both sides to this decision of whether to make a coaching change. The NFL has become a "you have to win now" league. There's no patience anymore. I think that some things take a while to develop. Some patience might be rewarded. Not every team lucks into a quarterback like Andrew Luck at the same time that Peyton Manning is, supposedly, winding down. There's often a lot of luck in finding that franchise quarterback. The Green Bay Packers got lucky when Aaron Rodgers slid in the draft. The New England Patriots got lucky when they took a shot with Tom Brady in the sixth round. The New Orleans Saints, much like the Denver Broncos, got lucky when another team gave up on a quarterback with a pretty serious injury. The Saints lucked into Drew Brees. The Denver Broncos lucked into Manning. The Vikings have had no such luck with quarterbacks. If Christian Ponder had played like a quarterback that deserved to be selected with the 12th pick, Leslie Frazier is likely coaching a team that is headed to the 2013 NFL Playoffs. He would likely be looking at a contract extension. The difference between the Vikings and the teams looking toward the playoffs is a quarterback. The 48 points scored against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday is an indication of what the Vikings can do with solid quarterback play. Matt Cassel was great. The team has some weapons that will make a quarterback very happy. I feel like Frazier deserves a shot with a dependable quarterback. The defense also has some holes that need to be filled but quarterback has long been the most pressing need. As Peterson showed last year, one player, more often a quarterback, can cover for some blemishes. I feel like Frazier hasn't been given a decent shot because he hasn't been given a decent quarterback. Sometimes, even in the NFL, showing some patience can be a good thing. I just think that he deserves a chance to coach a team with a better plan at quarterback. It appears that Ponder was the wrong choice but was he Frazier's choice? If the Vikings show Frazier the door, I will understand that decision. It's tough to accept two sad seasons out of three. When Rick Spielman was promoted to general manager, he inherited Frazier. A general manager should be given the opportunity to select his head coach.
It's unfortunate situation as I don't think that Frazier was given the best opportunity to succeed.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Week 15 Thoughts
Well, how about that? An over-matched Minnesota Vikings slapped down the high-flying Philadelphia Eagles 48-30.
Of the Vikings list of seven inactive player for the Eagles game, Adrian Peterson, John Carlson, Brandon Fusco, Xavier Rhodes, and Chris Cook are starters. A sixth was Peterson's backup Toby Gerhart. I can't recall an inactive list made up of so many impact players.
The Vikings starting running back: Matt Asiata
The Vikings starting corners: Marcus Sherels and Shaun Prater
The Vikings have been a run-first team since they drafted Peterson in 2007. With Asiata replacing Peterson and Gerhart, and the injuries to the secondary, the Vikings might have become a mystery for the Eagles. Injuries are difficult for a team but they can also be difficult for an opponent. The Eagles seemed to be off-balance all game.
Vikings offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave did a nice job of keeping the running game with Asiata a factor. His 30 carries for 51 yards doesn't do much on paper but it was enough to keep it the ground game in the mind of the Eagles defense. About a third of his carries moved the chains or scored touchdowns. Asiata was terrific in short yardage and at the goal line. Three short touchdown runs. He also had some targets in the pass game when split wide. Asiata also did a decent job at picking up the Eagles blitz. The only miss I can recall is when two linebackers were sent through the same gap. It's a tough task to slow both.
This was the third straight game that a Vikings back had 30 carries.
The Vikings controlled the ball and the clock. They had a 13-minute edge in time of possession. Every first half possession ended with a scoring opportunity. A missed 55-yard field goal was the only drive that failed to end with a score.
All season, the Vikings have struggled on third down. Repeatedly, the offense has failed to stay on the field and the defense has failed to get off of the field. The Vikings kept moving the chains. The Eagles first possession of each half was a three and out.
There's little doubt that the Vikings offense has been much more productive with Matt Cassel at quarterback. 26 completions in 35 attempts for 382 yards and two touchdowns yesterday. Very unusual offensive numbers for the Vikings this year. He's more decisive than Christian Ponder and the offense responds well to him. Cassel is also better at getting the ball to his receivers in stride. The yards after the catch soar with Cassel.
Cassel under center has always provided a boost in the offensive involvement of recevier Greg Jennings. No matter the quarterback, there should never be an issue with getting the ball into the hands of Jennings. He was excellent yesterday. 11 catches for 163 yards including a 57-yard touchdown.
On the second play of the Vikings second offensive possession, Eagles linebacker Trent Cole was lined up across from receiver Jarius Wright. I suspect that Cassel knew exactly where he was going with the ball before it was even in his hands. After a 26-yard catch and run, Wright had the Vikings on the way to their first touchdown of the game.
I like Trent Cole but it's a mistake to put him out wide on a receiver.
The Eagles have a real nice set of linebackers. Cole is and has been a fantastic pass rusher. Connor Barwin was a very good addition in free agency. Mychal Kendricks and DeMeco Ryans are excellent in the middle.
Kendricks is well on his way to being one of the better inside linebackers in the game. I'm a little biased as he's one of my favorite Cal players. He was a nuisance for the Vikings all day. A sack, interception off of a tipped pass, and eight tackles. He has a way of mucking up the intentions of an offense.
The Vikings got a touchdown at the end of the first half that probably should have been a field goal. Eagles corner Bradley Fletcher was called for pass interference on Jerome Simpson on third down. A penalty that was, at best, shaky. It gave the Vikings a first-and-goal at the one-yard line. On the next play, Asiata had his first touchdown.
Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson had one of his best days in the league. 10 catches for 195 yards and a 30-yard touchdown. His 51-yard catch and mostly run in the fourth quarter was just sick.
Vikings rookie receiver Cordarrelle Patterson has the attention of the league. He's already the most dangerous kick returner in the game. He's gaining the attention of defensive coordinators with his skills on offense. Eagles coach Chip Kelly said that they had to keep the ball out of Patterson's hands. The Eagles never did kick to him. Most teams don't.
The Vikings have greatly improved their receiving corps in a hurry. It wasn't long ago that they could best be described as horrid. Jennings, Patterson, Simpson, and Wright can do some damage to a defense. If Greg Childs can come back from a very serious injury, the Vikings have a very talented receiving group going forward. Simpson's place in that future is far from sure.
This win over the Eagles rivals a similar stunner over the Eagles at the end of the 2010 season as one of the Vikings biggest regular season upset.
I don't understand how the Miami Dolphins give Tom Brady and the New England Patriots so much trouble. I remember the dominant San Francisco 49ers of the early '80s always having difficulties with the Atlanta Falcons. In college football at the same time, sad Cal teams gave excellent Arizona and Arizona St. teams fits. It's just strange how some teams get some extra fuel against certain teams.
I always like it when a team goes for two points and the win at the end of a game. It just makes sense to keep control of the game when the chance is there rather than take it to a coin toss and overtime. Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan made that choice yesterday against the Atlanta Falcons. A losing season also helps give a coach some extra freedom to make that decision. It's easy to question that decision when the attempt fails as the Redskins did yesterday. I applaud the decision.
Fox sure went out of their way to advertise the Green Bay Packers-Dallas Cowboys as the Game of the Week. The Packers defense made the game look like a disaster early. The second half was a completely different ball game. Something closer to something that might be called Game of the Week. Great comeback for a team with their best player on the sideline.
Two games to go for most of the teams in the league.
Of the Vikings list of seven inactive player for the Eagles game, Adrian Peterson, John Carlson, Brandon Fusco, Xavier Rhodes, and Chris Cook are starters. A sixth was Peterson's backup Toby Gerhart. I can't recall an inactive list made up of so many impact players.
The Vikings starting running back: Matt Asiata
The Vikings starting corners: Marcus Sherels and Shaun Prater
The Vikings have been a run-first team since they drafted Peterson in 2007. With Asiata replacing Peterson and Gerhart, and the injuries to the secondary, the Vikings might have become a mystery for the Eagles. Injuries are difficult for a team but they can also be difficult for an opponent. The Eagles seemed to be off-balance all game.
Vikings offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave did a nice job of keeping the running game with Asiata a factor. His 30 carries for 51 yards doesn't do much on paper but it was enough to keep it the ground game in the mind of the Eagles defense. About a third of his carries moved the chains or scored touchdowns. Asiata was terrific in short yardage and at the goal line. Three short touchdown runs. He also had some targets in the pass game when split wide. Asiata also did a decent job at picking up the Eagles blitz. The only miss I can recall is when two linebackers were sent through the same gap. It's a tough task to slow both.
This was the third straight game that a Vikings back had 30 carries.
The Vikings controlled the ball and the clock. They had a 13-minute edge in time of possession. Every first half possession ended with a scoring opportunity. A missed 55-yard field goal was the only drive that failed to end with a score.
All season, the Vikings have struggled on third down. Repeatedly, the offense has failed to stay on the field and the defense has failed to get off of the field. The Vikings kept moving the chains. The Eagles first possession of each half was a three and out.
There's little doubt that the Vikings offense has been much more productive with Matt Cassel at quarterback. 26 completions in 35 attempts for 382 yards and two touchdowns yesterday. Very unusual offensive numbers for the Vikings this year. He's more decisive than Christian Ponder and the offense responds well to him. Cassel is also better at getting the ball to his receivers in stride. The yards after the catch soar with Cassel.
Cassel under center has always provided a boost in the offensive involvement of recevier Greg Jennings. No matter the quarterback, there should never be an issue with getting the ball into the hands of Jennings. He was excellent yesterday. 11 catches for 163 yards including a 57-yard touchdown.
On the second play of the Vikings second offensive possession, Eagles linebacker Trent Cole was lined up across from receiver Jarius Wright. I suspect that Cassel knew exactly where he was going with the ball before it was even in his hands. After a 26-yard catch and run, Wright had the Vikings on the way to their first touchdown of the game.
I like Trent Cole but it's a mistake to put him out wide on a receiver.
The Eagles have a real nice set of linebackers. Cole is and has been a fantastic pass rusher. Connor Barwin was a very good addition in free agency. Mychal Kendricks and DeMeco Ryans are excellent in the middle.
Kendricks is well on his way to being one of the better inside linebackers in the game. I'm a little biased as he's one of my favorite Cal players. He was a nuisance for the Vikings all day. A sack, interception off of a tipped pass, and eight tackles. He has a way of mucking up the intentions of an offense.
The Vikings got a touchdown at the end of the first half that probably should have been a field goal. Eagles corner Bradley Fletcher was called for pass interference on Jerome Simpson on third down. A penalty that was, at best, shaky. It gave the Vikings a first-and-goal at the one-yard line. On the next play, Asiata had his first touchdown.
Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson had one of his best days in the league. 10 catches for 195 yards and a 30-yard touchdown. His 51-yard catch and mostly run in the fourth quarter was just sick.
Vikings rookie receiver Cordarrelle Patterson has the attention of the league. He's already the most dangerous kick returner in the game. He's gaining the attention of defensive coordinators with his skills on offense. Eagles coach Chip Kelly said that they had to keep the ball out of Patterson's hands. The Eagles never did kick to him. Most teams don't.
The Vikings have greatly improved their receiving corps in a hurry. It wasn't long ago that they could best be described as horrid. Jennings, Patterson, Simpson, and Wright can do some damage to a defense. If Greg Childs can come back from a very serious injury, the Vikings have a very talented receiving group going forward. Simpson's place in that future is far from sure.
This win over the Eagles rivals a similar stunner over the Eagles at the end of the 2010 season as one of the Vikings biggest regular season upset.
I don't understand how the Miami Dolphins give Tom Brady and the New England Patriots so much trouble. I remember the dominant San Francisco 49ers of the early '80s always having difficulties with the Atlanta Falcons. In college football at the same time, sad Cal teams gave excellent Arizona and Arizona St. teams fits. It's just strange how some teams get some extra fuel against certain teams.
I always like it when a team goes for two points and the win at the end of a game. It just makes sense to keep control of the game when the chance is there rather than take it to a coin toss and overtime. Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan made that choice yesterday against the Atlanta Falcons. A losing season also helps give a coach some extra freedom to make that decision. It's easy to question that decision when the attempt fails as the Redskins did yesterday. I applaud the decision.
Fox sure went out of their way to advertise the Green Bay Packers-Dallas Cowboys as the Game of the Week. The Packers defense made the game look like a disaster early. The second half was a completely different ball game. Something closer to something that might be called Game of the Week. Great comeback for a team with their best player on the sideline.
Two games to go for most of the teams in the league.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Game Day Thoughts
The Philadelphia Eagles visit the Minnesota Vikings today. The Eagles are starting to soar. The Vikings are limping to the offseason. There was a terrible run of injuries throughout the league during training camps. The Vikings were lucky as they saw few players fall. That luck has ended. The heart of the offense, running back Adrian Peterson, is out for this game. Toby Gerhart is a terrific backup. He's out too. The respective fortunes of the Eagles and Vikings is a poor combination. There was a similar combination in 2010. Everything screamed blowout then. Michael Vick had his team rolling. The Vikings were a disaster. Brad Childress had been fired earlier in the season. Rookie quarterback, and current receiver, Joe Webb replaced Brett Favre. A blizzard moved the game to Tuesday. Nothing looked pretty going into this game. Webb and the Vikings defense were brilliant. The Vikings stunned the Eagles 24-14.
Maybe, a sad Vikings season gets happy for a day. This day.
Eagles quarterback Nick Foles has been fantastic since he secured the starting job. He may not be the mobile quarterback that everyone assumes Chip Kelly's offense needs but he can throw the ball. I never understood why so many assumed that Kelly would carry every part of his Oregon offense to Philadelphia. Kelly is a football scientist. He's always tinkering. He had an offense that works in college. He would certainly bring aspects of that offense to the NFL but he's smart enough to know that not all of it will work. He'll adjust to the defenses that he faces. He'll adjust to the talent that he has. Chip Kelly and Nick Foles have found some common ground.
I was never sold on Nick Foles while in college at Arizona. When I think of Foles, I'll always think of the kid that attempted two forward passes on a single play against Cal. I was shocked that he'd even try such a thing. Foles threw about two passes that traveled more than eight yards that entire game. They weren't on the same play. It's easy to have a completion percentage over 70% when nearly every throw is really an extended handoff. Foles has shown in a handful of professional starts that he can stretch the field.
Congratulations Jameis Winston on winning the 2013 Heisman Trophy. The voting wasn't even close. 19-year old Heisman Trophy-winner.
Congratulations to Navy on their 34-7 win over Army. It was the twelfth consecutive victory in this outstanding rivalry for Navy. They also won the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, awarded to the service academy with the most victories in games between Army, Navy, and Air Force, for the second consecutive season. Ninth in the last eleven seasons. Head coach Ken Niumatalolo has Navy rolling. They will play Middle Tennessee in the Armed Forces Bowl.
While watching Towson-Eastern Illinois in the FCS quarterfinals, I can't help but think of the possibilities of a playoffs with the football big boys. The bowl games have provided a lifetime of thrills. It's hard to ditch that past but I think that the need for a clear-cut champion trumps the tradition. The four game playoff coming next year is an improvement but I'd rather see something like the FCS.
I would love to see Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in the Vikings training camp next summer. I'd heard about his quick release but seeing a live game is the best view. His recognition to throw reaction reminds me of Jeff George. It's immediate. Almost shocking with the ease at which the ball is gone. George may have had his issues but he had one of the best releases and throws that I've ever seen. Garoppolo's release is NFL-ready.
Towson running back Terrance West yanked the spotlight away from Jimmy Garoppolo. 39 carries for 354 yards and five touchdowns. My goodness.
Nick Saban is going to coach at Alabama for a little longer. I'm not sure why anyone thought that Saban would jump to Texas. Alabama is at the top of the NCAA food chain. Everyone assumes that Nick Saban is a football-coaching nomad. He's never been in one place too long. If he wants to stay in college, Alabama is the place to be. Or, Cal.
Former Vikings head coach Mike Tice has been keeping busy. He hasn't been coaching for about a year but he's seen success at the race track. He walked away with $100,000 when he scored on a Pick Six this past summer. Tice and Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville are among the owners of two-year old colt Midnight Hawk. On Friday, their horse won a race at Hollywood Park and a $27,000 purse. Tice has longer dabbled in horses and horse racing. It was the jet of a horse racing friend that whisked free agent cornerback Antoine Winfield away from the New York Jets and to Minnesota in 2004.
There are several games today that looked much better a few months ago. They don't look as great today. It's amazing what injuries can do to a team and a season. Green Bay Packers-Dallas Cowboys usually grabs headlines. An injured Aaron Rodgers changes his team and this game. Washington Redskins-Atlanta Falcons now appeals more to tabloids and the top of the draft order than to those interested in football. Seattle Seahawks-New York Giants feels like a slaughter. One of the great things about the NFL is that the least appealing games can easily become very entertaining. The Houston Texans-Jacksonville Jaguars game a couple of weeks ago was great. Go Football!!
Maybe, a sad Vikings season gets happy for a day. This day.
Eagles quarterback Nick Foles has been fantastic since he secured the starting job. He may not be the mobile quarterback that everyone assumes Chip Kelly's offense needs but he can throw the ball. I never understood why so many assumed that Kelly would carry every part of his Oregon offense to Philadelphia. Kelly is a football scientist. He's always tinkering. He had an offense that works in college. He would certainly bring aspects of that offense to the NFL but he's smart enough to know that not all of it will work. He'll adjust to the defenses that he faces. He'll adjust to the talent that he has. Chip Kelly and Nick Foles have found some common ground.
I was never sold on Nick Foles while in college at Arizona. When I think of Foles, I'll always think of the kid that attempted two forward passes on a single play against Cal. I was shocked that he'd even try such a thing. Foles threw about two passes that traveled more than eight yards that entire game. They weren't on the same play. It's easy to have a completion percentage over 70% when nearly every throw is really an extended handoff. Foles has shown in a handful of professional starts that he can stretch the field.
Congratulations Jameis Winston on winning the 2013 Heisman Trophy. The voting wasn't even close. 19-year old Heisman Trophy-winner.
Congratulations to Navy on their 34-7 win over Army. It was the twelfth consecutive victory in this outstanding rivalry for Navy. They also won the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, awarded to the service academy with the most victories in games between Army, Navy, and Air Force, for the second consecutive season. Ninth in the last eleven seasons. Head coach Ken Niumatalolo has Navy rolling. They will play Middle Tennessee in the Armed Forces Bowl.
While watching Towson-Eastern Illinois in the FCS quarterfinals, I can't help but think of the possibilities of a playoffs with the football big boys. The bowl games have provided a lifetime of thrills. It's hard to ditch that past but I think that the need for a clear-cut champion trumps the tradition. The four game playoff coming next year is an improvement but I'd rather see something like the FCS.
I would love to see Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in the Vikings training camp next summer. I'd heard about his quick release but seeing a live game is the best view. His recognition to throw reaction reminds me of Jeff George. It's immediate. Almost shocking with the ease at which the ball is gone. George may have had his issues but he had one of the best releases and throws that I've ever seen. Garoppolo's release is NFL-ready.
Towson running back Terrance West yanked the spotlight away from Jimmy Garoppolo. 39 carries for 354 yards and five touchdowns. My goodness.
Nick Saban is going to coach at Alabama for a little longer. I'm not sure why anyone thought that Saban would jump to Texas. Alabama is at the top of the NCAA food chain. Everyone assumes that Nick Saban is a football-coaching nomad. He's never been in one place too long. If he wants to stay in college, Alabama is the place to be. Or, Cal.
Former Vikings head coach Mike Tice has been keeping busy. He hasn't been coaching for about a year but he's seen success at the race track. He walked away with $100,000 when he scored on a Pick Six this past summer. Tice and Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville are among the owners of two-year old colt Midnight Hawk. On Friday, their horse won a race at Hollywood Park and a $27,000 purse. Tice has longer dabbled in horses and horse racing. It was the jet of a horse racing friend that whisked free agent cornerback Antoine Winfield away from the New York Jets and to Minnesota in 2004.
There are several games today that looked much better a few months ago. They don't look as great today. It's amazing what injuries can do to a team and a season. Green Bay Packers-Dallas Cowboys usually grabs headlines. An injured Aaron Rodgers changes his team and this game. Washington Redskins-Atlanta Falcons now appeals more to tabloids and the top of the draft order than to those interested in football. Seattle Seahawks-New York Giants feels like a slaughter. One of the great things about the NFL is that the least appealing games can easily become very entertaining. The Houston Texans-Jacksonville Jaguars game a couple of weeks ago was great. Go Football!!
Saturday, December 14, 2013
College Close
Today will mark the end of the 2013 college football season. The bowl season kicks off next Saturday with the New Mexico Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl, Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, and New Orleans Bowl. Until then, it's awards season. This week, we saw the following players honored:
Walter Camp(player of the year): Jameis Winston, QB, Florida St.
Maxwell(most outstanding player): A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama
Dave O'Brien(top quarterback): Jameis Winston, QB, Florida St.
Doak Walker(top running back): Andre Williams, RB, Boston College
Bednarik(defensive player of the year): Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt
Outland(outstanding interior lineman): Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt
Lombardi(outstanding interior lineman): Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt
Nagurski(defensive player of the year): Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt
Thorpe(top defensive back): Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan St.
Biletnikoff(top receiver): Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon St.
Groza(top kicker): Roberto Aguayo, K, Florida St.
Guy(top punter): Tom Hornsey, P, Memphis
Home Depot Coach of the Year: Gus Malzahn, Auburn
Aaron Donald needs a house just to store his hardware. At about 6' zero and 285 lbs, Donald will surely draw comparisons to Cincinnati Bengals terror Geno Atkins and Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame defensive tackle John Randle. Many pro people will say that he's too small to man the middle of an NFL defensive line. That's likely a mistake. Atkins dropped to the fourth round but he wasn't nearly as accomplished as Donald entering the draft. Randle wasn't drafted at all.
"Aaron Donald is a one-man wrecking crew."
-Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly
The above awards always take a back seat to the one given out today. The Heisman. This gets a day, time and show all to itself. The contenders:
Jameis Winston, QB, Florida St.
AJ McCarron, QB, Alabama
Tre Mason, RB, Auburn
Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M
Jordan Lynch, QB, Northern Illinois
Andre Williams, RB, Boston College
If the award went to the player that meant the most to his team, the 2013 Heisman Trophy might very well go to Jordan Lynch. Northern Illinois isn't 12-1 without him. Not even close. The Heisman had never gone to a first-year player until Johnny Manziel won it last year. It seems like a foregone conclusion that it will go to another first-year player this year. Jameis Winston is one of the best college quarterbacks that I've ever seen. It's difficult to believe that he's a redshirt freshman. There were moments when Andrew Luck looked like a redshirt freshman quarterback. His interception that sealed the 2009 Big Game for Cal was one of those. I saw no such freshman moments from Winston. E.J. Manuel was Florida St.'s quarterback last year. He led them to a 12-2 season and a victory in the Orange Bowl. A very nice season that got him selected in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Florida St. returned nearly all of the offense that Manuel led. Winston took that offense to a whole other orbit. Florida St. finished the regular season 13-0. The games weren't even close. The Seminoles' average margin of victory was 42.3 points. Winston should be holding a big ol' trophy tonight. If the voters waited until this week to vote, Tre Mason might make a run at the trophy. His performance in the SEC Championship, 45 carries for 303 yards and four touchdowns, was insane. Andre Williams made a late season run as well but he's hurt by Boston College's five losses. Johnny Manziel was dazzling last year. Even though his statistics were better this year, I think that many raised his bar so high that nothing short of weekly miracles would bring home a second Heisman. AJ McCarron doesn't get enough credit for Alabama's incredible success. There's Nick Saban and a team filled with NFL players. McCarron would have to be as electric as Joe Namath or Manziel to get any attention or a Heisman.
There's a game today!
Army-Navy
There was a time when this was one of the marquee sporting events of the year. It's been a while since the two service academies have had anything to say about the landscape of college football. For most of the first ninety years of college football, they had a lot to say. Army-Navy is a special rivalry. No other game has emotions run from hate to love so quickly and easily. The very best of college athletics will be on display today at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Walter Camp(player of the year): Jameis Winston, QB, Florida St.
Maxwell(most outstanding player): A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama
Dave O'Brien(top quarterback): Jameis Winston, QB, Florida St.
Doak Walker(top running back): Andre Williams, RB, Boston College
Bednarik(defensive player of the year): Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt
Outland(outstanding interior lineman): Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt
Lombardi(outstanding interior lineman): Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt
Nagurski(defensive player of the year): Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt
Thorpe(top defensive back): Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan St.
Biletnikoff(top receiver): Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon St.
Groza(top kicker): Roberto Aguayo, K, Florida St.
Guy(top punter): Tom Hornsey, P, Memphis
Home Depot Coach of the Year: Gus Malzahn, Auburn
Aaron Donald needs a house just to store his hardware. At about 6' zero and 285 lbs, Donald will surely draw comparisons to Cincinnati Bengals terror Geno Atkins and Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame defensive tackle John Randle. Many pro people will say that he's too small to man the middle of an NFL defensive line. That's likely a mistake. Atkins dropped to the fourth round but he wasn't nearly as accomplished as Donald entering the draft. Randle wasn't drafted at all.
"Aaron Donald is a one-man wrecking crew."
-Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly
The above awards always take a back seat to the one given out today. The Heisman. This gets a day, time and show all to itself. The contenders:
Jameis Winston, QB, Florida St.
AJ McCarron, QB, Alabama
Tre Mason, RB, Auburn
Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M
Jordan Lynch, QB, Northern Illinois
Andre Williams, RB, Boston College
If the award went to the player that meant the most to his team, the 2013 Heisman Trophy might very well go to Jordan Lynch. Northern Illinois isn't 12-1 without him. Not even close. The Heisman had never gone to a first-year player until Johnny Manziel won it last year. It seems like a foregone conclusion that it will go to another first-year player this year. Jameis Winston is one of the best college quarterbacks that I've ever seen. It's difficult to believe that he's a redshirt freshman. There were moments when Andrew Luck looked like a redshirt freshman quarterback. His interception that sealed the 2009 Big Game for Cal was one of those. I saw no such freshman moments from Winston. E.J. Manuel was Florida St.'s quarterback last year. He led them to a 12-2 season and a victory in the Orange Bowl. A very nice season that got him selected in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Florida St. returned nearly all of the offense that Manuel led. Winston took that offense to a whole other orbit. Florida St. finished the regular season 13-0. The games weren't even close. The Seminoles' average margin of victory was 42.3 points. Winston should be holding a big ol' trophy tonight. If the voters waited until this week to vote, Tre Mason might make a run at the trophy. His performance in the SEC Championship, 45 carries for 303 yards and four touchdowns, was insane. Andre Williams made a late season run as well but he's hurt by Boston College's five losses. Johnny Manziel was dazzling last year. Even though his statistics were better this year, I think that many raised his bar so high that nothing short of weekly miracles would bring home a second Heisman. AJ McCarron doesn't get enough credit for Alabama's incredible success. There's Nick Saban and a team filled with NFL players. McCarron would have to be as electric as Joe Namath or Manziel to get any attention or a Heisman.
There's a game today!
Army-Navy
There was a time when this was one of the marquee sporting events of the year. It's been a while since the two service academies have had anything to say about the landscape of college football. For most of the first ninety years of college football, they had a lot to say. Army-Navy is a special rivalry. No other game has emotions run from hate to love so quickly and easily. The very best of college athletics will be on display today at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Friday, December 13, 2013
He's Back
Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith has fast become the team's best defensive player. The Vikings traded up to draft Smith out of Notre Dame in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He was an immediate starter and an impact player as a rookie last year. A playmaking safety has been missing from the back of the Vikings defense since the days of Joey Browner over twenty years ago. Darren Sharper brought a couple of years of big plays but that vanished too quickly. Smith's rookie season brought hope that the days of tight ends running free through the Vikings defense were at an end. While the 2013 season has been something of a disaster in Minnesota it wasn't helped when Smith hurt his foot in week 6 against the Carolina Panthers. Not much had gone right even before the injury. Even less has gone right since the injury. The Vikings are at the bottom of nearly every defensive statistic. Harrison Smith has been missed.
Turf toe. I've always found turf toe to be a strange injury. It doesn't really sound like much. Too often we take the "little piggies" for granted. If one's not well, it's really tough to be mobile. From what I hear, turf toe injuries are pretty painful injuries. It's kept Harrison Smith out of action for about eight weeks. Fortunately, the NFL has a new rule that allows a team to put an injured player on an injured reserve list that allows for him to return before the season is done. Players placed on the list can return to practice after six weeks. They are eligible to return to the active roster after eight weeks. The Vikings can activate Smith after today's practice. Unless something goes awry, that will happen. He'll be able to play in Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Chasing LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson and Nick Foles passes around the field all afternoon might not be the best thing for a player returning from a turf toe injury. Smith's full return to the playing field may be a gradual process. There's only three games left. Each is a game that poses a serious challenge to the health and stamina of a safety. The Eagles players and their up-tempo offensive style. The Cincinnati Bengals next week with A.J. Green, Marvin Jones, Tyler Eifert, and Jermaine Gresham. To close the 2013 season, the Vikings face the Detroit Lions and their defensive delight, Calvin Johnson. Fun stuff.
Harrison Smith has become a fan-favorite as quickly as he's become an impact player on defense. The two are often connected. Smith's energy and love of football are obvious. It's infectious for his defense and for the fans. It's a joy to watch Harrison Smith play football. Even for three games, it's great to have him back.
Turf toe. I've always found turf toe to be a strange injury. It doesn't really sound like much. Too often we take the "little piggies" for granted. If one's not well, it's really tough to be mobile. From what I hear, turf toe injuries are pretty painful injuries. It's kept Harrison Smith out of action for about eight weeks. Fortunately, the NFL has a new rule that allows a team to put an injured player on an injured reserve list that allows for him to return before the season is done. Players placed on the list can return to practice after six weeks. They are eligible to return to the active roster after eight weeks. The Vikings can activate Smith after today's practice. Unless something goes awry, that will happen. He'll be able to play in Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Chasing LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson and Nick Foles passes around the field all afternoon might not be the best thing for a player returning from a turf toe injury. Smith's full return to the playing field may be a gradual process. There's only three games left. Each is a game that poses a serious challenge to the health and stamina of a safety. The Eagles players and their up-tempo offensive style. The Cincinnati Bengals next week with A.J. Green, Marvin Jones, Tyler Eifert, and Jermaine Gresham. To close the 2013 season, the Vikings face the Detroit Lions and their defensive delight, Calvin Johnson. Fun stuff.
Harrison Smith has become a fan-favorite as quickly as he's become an impact player on defense. The two are often connected. Smith's energy and love of football are obvious. It's infectious for his defense and for the fans. It's a joy to watch Harrison Smith play football. Even for three games, it's great to have him back.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Throwback Thursday: There's Snowing In Football!
The NFL had their first snow days of the 2013 season this past week. The snow looked deepest in Philadelphia as the Eagles and Detroit Lions frolicked. I worried that a loose ball might be lost for a while. Pittsburgh had snow for the game between the Steelers and the warm-weather Miami Dolphins. The officials had more difficulties than the players in the snow of Baltimore. Washington D.C. presented the Redskins and Kansas City Chiefs with a mix of snow, ice, and rain. This snowy, wintry weather has been the talk of the league since the games. Some saw the fun of football in the snow. Most saw it as an acceptable way to play week 14 regular season games. None seem to think that it is an acceptable way to play a Super Bowl. This year's Super Bowl will be the first to be played outdoors at a potentially cold-weather site. MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will be the site of Super Bowl XLVIII. Many people are starting to fret over the weather at an event that is about two months away. There's about as much chance now for a snowy Super Bowl in February as there was last week. The only thing that's changed in the past week is that we saw a few games played in the snow. What happened last Sunday has nothing to do with what might happen in New Jersey in February. Everyone wants a clean playing field for a game as big as the Super Bowl but it's never a guarantee. We can pick all the warm weather cities that we want but that doesn't mean that the weather will cooperate. We've had rainy Super Bowls. We've had some cold Super Bowls. We've even lost power at a Super Bowl. There's always the potential for something to alter the dynamics of the game. One of the greatest things about football is the strategic aspect of the game. The team that best prepares and/or responds to a certain set of events is often the one that wins. Sometimes it's the weather.
Adverse weather conditions haven't ruined football games. One of the greatest, most iconic games in football history was played in possibly the most brutal conditions. The Ice Bowl. Dallas Cowboys-Green Bay Packers in Green Bay. Packers quarterback Bart Starr snuck in from one yard for Vince Lombardi's last NFL Championship. The weather impacted the game but didn't keep it from being great. A referee had a whistle stick to his lips. The same two teams played another terrific cold-weather Championship game the year before in Dallas. When the NFL started playing Championship games in 1933, all the teams played in the Midwest or the Northeast. Nearly every Championship game was played in a cold weather site. It wasn't until the AFL-NFL merger and the resulting Super Bowl that championships were decided on a hopefully bright and sunny day at a neutral site. No one complained during those four decades because football was supposed to be played in any kind of weather that presented itself. Teams just dealt with the conditions. Those that dealt with it the best were usually crowned champions. In the 1934 NFL Championship game the New York Giants went and found themselves some sneakers to gain better traction on the frozen field of the Polo Grounds. With sneakers on their feet they ran around and past the heavily favored but slipping Chicago Bears in the fourth quarter and won their second NFL title. Every football game is a challenge. Sometimes the weather is part of that challenge. It's part of the game and it always has been.
Adverse weather conditions haven't ruined football games. One of the greatest, most iconic games in football history was played in possibly the most brutal conditions. The Ice Bowl. Dallas Cowboys-Green Bay Packers in Green Bay. Packers quarterback Bart Starr snuck in from one yard for Vince Lombardi's last NFL Championship. The weather impacted the game but didn't keep it from being great. A referee had a whistle stick to his lips. The same two teams played another terrific cold-weather Championship game the year before in Dallas. When the NFL started playing Championship games in 1933, all the teams played in the Midwest or the Northeast. Nearly every Championship game was played in a cold weather site. It wasn't until the AFL-NFL merger and the resulting Super Bowl that championships were decided on a hopefully bright and sunny day at a neutral site. No one complained during those four decades because football was supposed to be played in any kind of weather that presented itself. Teams just dealt with the conditions. Those that dealt with it the best were usually crowned champions. In the 1934 NFL Championship game the New York Giants went and found themselves some sneakers to gain better traction on the frozen field of the Polo Grounds. With sneakers on their feet they ran around and past the heavily favored but slipping Chicago Bears in the fourth quarter and won their second NFL title. Every football game is a challenge. Sometimes the weather is part of that challenge. It's part of the game and it always has been.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
New Records!
In this dismal football season for the Minnesota Vikings there is some joy to learn that the team was part of new NFL records. New records that are mostly positive. The NFL record for least time to score five touchdowns in a game was five minutes, 40 seconds. Records are kept for pretty much everything on a football field. I was still a little surprised that someone bothered to keep track of the least time to score five touchdowns. The Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens shattered that record on Sunday. The two teams combined to score five touchdowns in two minutes, five seconds. The Ravens started those rapid fire touchdowns when Joe Flacco took the snap with 2:09 on the clock. He connected with tight end Dennis Pitta for a 1-yard touchdown pass. The Vikings got a 41-yard touchdown run from Toby Gerhart. The Ravens got a 77-yard kickoff return from Jacoby Jones. The Vikings answered with a 79-yard catch and run from Cordarrelle Patterson. Flacco found enough time to complete the scoring with the winning 9-yard touchdown pass to Marlon Brown. A play that ended with 4 seconds remaining on the clock. Two minutes and five seconds of furious football excitement. The negative for the Vikings in all of that scoring was that they had only two of the five touchdowns.
The quick touchdown record wasn't the only NFL record set by the Vikings and Ravens that day. They also broke the record for lead changes in the fourth quarter. They combined for six lead changes in the final quarter. All but one of those lead changes took place in the final two minutes, five seconds of the game. I believe that the game would have had a much better ending if there was one fewer lead change.
The quick touchdown record wasn't the only NFL record set by the Vikings and Ravens that day. They also broke the record for lead changes in the fourth quarter. They combined for six lead changes in the final quarter. All but one of those lead changes took place in the final two minutes, five seconds of the game. I believe that the game would have had a much better ending if there was one fewer lead change.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
"Houston '93"
NFL Network continues it's excellent "A Football Life" series tonight with "Houston '93." With the creative genius of NFL Films, every episode of this series is a keeper. This one, in particular, intrigues me as the 1993 Houston Oilers were one of those football teams that makes you wonder what might have been. After a shaky start, losing four of their first five games, the Oilers dominated. They won their next eleven games and most of the games weren't even close. Then Cleveland Browns head coach Bill Belichick said that this Oilers team was "one of the best, most talented teams I've ever faced in the National Football League." Despite being the hottest team in the league, the Oilers were stunned by the Joe Montana-led Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional round of the playoffs. Warren Moon was fantastic his entire career in Houston. The team peaked around him in 1993. Unfortunately for Oilers fans, the team was pretty much dismantled the following offseason. Moon was traded to Minnesota and the 1994 Oilers finished 2-14.
As a fan of the Minnesota Vikings, I am far too familiar with great football teams that couldn't quite finish the deal. Four Super Bowls. Three of those in the span of four years. No Super Bowl wins. The 1998 Vikings were one of the most explosive teams in league history. That team lost in the NFC Championship game. Personally, I think that the Brett Favre-led Vikings of 2009 was a better all-around team than the 1998 team. That team also couldn't make it to the Super Bowl. There are so many teams like the Vikings and the '93 Oilers. Great teams that are sometimes forgotten because they didn't win it all. The Detroit Lions of the early 1960s couldn't get through Lombardi's Packers. The New York Giants of the same era went to three straight NFL title games and lost all three. The Cleveland Browns of the late 1980s couldn't get past John Elway. Much like the Giants of the '60s, the Buffalo Bills of the early 1990s went to four straight Super Bowls without a single win. Some of these teams are among the best in league history but couldn't find a way to win a game when it was win or go home. Some didn't even make it to the biggest game.
The 1993 Houston Oilers are a very memorable team. I'm glad that NFL Films is putting their art to that legacy.
As a fan of the Minnesota Vikings, I am far too familiar with great football teams that couldn't quite finish the deal. Four Super Bowls. Three of those in the span of four years. No Super Bowl wins. The 1998 Vikings were one of the most explosive teams in league history. That team lost in the NFC Championship game. Personally, I think that the Brett Favre-led Vikings of 2009 was a better all-around team than the 1998 team. That team also couldn't make it to the Super Bowl. There are so many teams like the Vikings and the '93 Oilers. Great teams that are sometimes forgotten because they didn't win it all. The Detroit Lions of the early 1960s couldn't get through Lombardi's Packers. The New York Giants of the same era went to three straight NFL title games and lost all three. The Cleveland Browns of the late 1980s couldn't get past John Elway. Much like the Giants of the '60s, the Buffalo Bills of the early 1990s went to four straight Super Bowls without a single win. Some of these teams are among the best in league history but couldn't find a way to win a game when it was win or go home. Some didn't even make it to the biggest game.
The 1993 Houston Oilers are a very memorable team. I'm glad that NFL Films is putting their art to that legacy.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Week 14 Thoughts
That was nuts. The Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens battled in the snow in Baltimore. It was 12-7 Vikings with just over two minutes to play. The Ravens won 29-26. There were five touchdowns scored in the final 125 seconds. The Vikings thought that they had scored the winning touchdown twice. The Ravens thought that they had scored the winning touchdown twice before their third actually did win the game.
Dennis Pitta catches a 1-yard touchdown pass with 2:05 left. 15-12 Ravens.
Toby Gerhart runs 41 yards for a touchdown. 1:27 left. 19-15 Vikings
Jacoby Jones returns the short kickoff 77 yards for a touchdown. 1:16 left. 22-19 Ravens.
Cordarrelle Patterson takes a short pass 79 yards for a touchdown. 0:31 left. 26-22 Vikings.
Marlon Brown catches a 9-yard touchdown pass. 0:04 left. 29-26 Ravens.
It was nuts.
The Vikings have lost four games in the final seconds this year. A fifth saw a score in the final seconds to force overtime. The Vikings are about a minute or two from an 8-5 record and a game lead in the NFC North. Instead, they are 3-9-1.
There were a few snow games around the league. The snow was even deeper in Philadelphia.
"It's like falling on pillows."
-Eagles back LeSean McCoy on playing in snow
"It's like falling on pillows."
-Eagles back LeSean McCoy on playing in snow
Vikings running back Adrian Peterson left the game in the second quarter. It looked like an ankle injury. Hopefully, it was only an ankle injury and minor at that. Some may bitch that Peterson shouldn't have been playing in the snowy conditions. He's been battling groin and hamstring issues for a few weeks. Adrian Peterson is a football player. If he's cleared to play, he plays. There's really no question or argument.
Peterson's appearance on the Vikings bench in the second half was a great relief.
In Peterson's place, Toby Gerhart ran well, ran tough.. He always does. His 41-yard touchdown was beautiful. Great play call. He wasn't touched for about the first fifteen yards then it was all power.
Vikings quarterback Matt Cassel played pretty well considering the conditions. Completing 17 of 38 passes isn't terribly efficient. His passes were more accurate than his completion percentage would indicate. 265 yards and two touchdowns are nice numbers. No interceptions was huge. The Vikings only turnover shouldn't have been a turnover.
The Vikings offense seems to have more of a spark when Cassel is playing. They didn't start scoring touchdowns until the fourth quarter but the offense threatened the Ravens defense throughout the game.
The Vikings offense seems to have more of a spark when Cassel is playing. They didn't start scoring touchdowns until the fourth quarter but the offense threatened the Ravens defense throughout the game.
After reading Peter King's excellent series on a week in the life of an officiating crew, my respect was on the rise for the officials. That respect dropped quickly in the Vikings-Ravens game. I have no idea how the fumble by Gerhart was not overturned on review. Gerhart was clearly kneeling on the ground when the ball came loose. It wasn't even close to a fumble. An absolutely ridiculous call. Four plays later the Ravens had a 7-0 lead.
Maybe the snow confused the officials. They couldn't quite see things clearly on the field or on replay. The officials gave the Ravens three first downs when they looked clearly short to me. The Vikings challenged the middle one and had it reversed. I kinda wish that they had challenged the other two. The third led to one of the go-ahead touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
If the officials weren't the most hampered by the snow, it was probably the Vikings defensive line. All the players were playing on the same surface but the Vikings defensive line seemed to be more unsure of their footing. They had two sacks but they should have had many more. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco had way too much time to throw.
Fortunately, the Vikings secondary played well. Perhaps their best game. Rookie corner Xavier Rhodes has been terrific the last few weeks. He continued that level of play yesterday. He left the game in the fourth quarter with an injury. It looked like the trainers were checking his leg on the sideline. Hopefully, he won't miss any games.
Little Marcus Sherels replaced Rhodes. He has a size disadvantage against pretty much every receiver in the league. He did get an interception. It was only the second interception by a Vikings corner this season.
This might have been the Vikings best defensive game. I'm sure that the snowy conditions helped keep offensive production down but the Vikings defense played a nice game. They could have used a couple of stops at the very end but they played well. Three interceptions. A fourth was negated by a mysterious pass interference penalty.
I would love for the Vikings to find a big guy like Ravens nose tackle Haloti Ngata. The Vikings have never replaced big Pat Williams. Three years and counting.
With the snow, Vikings receiver Greg Jennings looked right at home. He only had five catches for 53 yards but they were five big catches and 53 big yards. One was a terrific one-handed grab. Cassel seems to have a nice connection with Jennings.
Jerome Simpson scored his first touchdown with the Vikings. It took about two dozen games but he got one.
Vikings rookie receiver Cordarrelle Patterson is a beast with the football in the hands. He's tough to tackle. He's tough to catch. He's a threat to run a long way on every kick return. His 79 yard touchdown to take that late, unfortunately fleeting lead, was a beauty. He's a dangerous football player with an incredible future. Percy who?
It's a little strange to watch the Ravens without Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.
Ravens running back Ray Rice has been one of my favorites. He's a treat to watch run with the football.
There were a lot of punts in the snow of Baltimore. The Vikings Jeff Locke punted nine times. Sam Koch punted six times for Baltimore.
Undrafted out of Georgia, Ravens rookie receiver Marlon Brown looks like a nice find. At 6'4", he has excellent size. He made a terrific, toe-tapping catch for the winning touchdown yesterday. 7 catches for 92 yards, he made some plays, broke some tackles. Playing opposite Torrey Smith, the Ravens may have a nice receiving combo going forward.
The Vikings departure from Baltimore was delayed for a few hours after their plane was struck by the catering truck.
The Vikings departure from Baltimore was delayed for a few hours after their plane was struck by the catering truck.
It doesn't get any easier. The Vikings host the surging Philadelphia Eagles next week.
Also playing in the snow, the Eagles cut loose running back LeSean McCoy for 217 yards on 29 carries. 97 of those yards came on touchdown runs (40,57).
I haven't seen the Indianapolis Colts play for a while. I'd like to see them play because I'd like to know what is wrong with the team. Their prolonged funk is mystifying. Andrew Luck seems to be pedestrian. The Cincinnati Bengals were all over them 42-28.
The scoring excitement at the end of the Vikings-Ravens game kept me glued to my seat. It kept me from seeing how in the hell the New England Patriots came back against the Cleveland Browns. 27-26 Patriots. An onside kick recovery allowed Tom Brady the opportunity to throw two touchdowns in the final 61 seconds.
Huge loss for the Patriots if tight end Rob Gronkowski does, in fact, have a torn ACL.
Huge loss for the Patriots if tight end Rob Gronkowski does, in fact, have a torn ACL.
Browns receiver Josh Gordon has been playing out of his mind in recent weeks. 498 receiving yards in the last two weeks. He had seven catches for 151 yards against the Patriots. One of those catches was an 80-yard touchdown. He also added another 34 yards on a run.
Congratulations to Denver Broncos kick Matt Prater on his NFL record 64-yard field goal. Tom Dempsey kicked a 63-yard field goal for the New Orleans Saints in 1970. That stood by itself until 1998. Jason Elam of the Denver Broncos equaled that distance. It was matched by Sebastian Janikowski of the Oakland Raiders in 2011 and David Akers of the San Francisco 49ers in 2012. Elam, Janikowksi, and now Prater all made their kicks in Denver.
The Denver Broncos had some early difficulties with the Tennessee Titans. Considering that, it's surprising that the Broncos ended up with 51 points. Peyton Manning can score a lot of points. The 51-28 win got them a spot in the playoffs.
The Washington Redskins looked great in the first half of their game against the Vikings in week 10. They've been a mess ever since.
Congratulations to Denver Broncos kick Matt Prater on his NFL record 64-yard field goal. Tom Dempsey kicked a 63-yard field goal for the New Orleans Saints in 1970. That stood by itself until 1998. Jason Elam of the Denver Broncos equaled that distance. It was matched by Sebastian Janikowski of the Oakland Raiders in 2011 and David Akers of the San Francisco 49ers in 2012. Elam, Janikowksi, and now Prater all made their kicks in Denver.
The Denver Broncos had some early difficulties with the Tennessee Titans. Considering that, it's surprising that the Broncos ended up with 51 points. Peyton Manning can score a lot of points. The 51-28 win got them a spot in the playoffs.
The Washington Redskins looked great in the first half of their game against the Vikings in week 10. They've been a mess ever since.
I find it very entertaining when Seattle Seahawks corner Richard Sherman questions the sportsmanship of another. Sherman's never-ending antics shows that he has none. He's a fantastic football player. He's also an ass.
I didn't know that Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett and Chicago Bears tight end Martellus Bennett were brothers. They just seemed to be so different that I never would have guessed a relation.
Sports Illustrated had an eye-opening article about Martellus Bennett. I've known for a while that he wasn't much like most football players. I didn't realize that he was so....interesting.
The San Francisco 49ers are a very different team with Michael Crabtree on the field.
Good game in San Francisco. The 49ers defeated the Seahawks 19-17. If the 49ers could have scored touchdowns rather that field goals, this game isn't close. Four Phil Dawson field goals. Two were reasonably long kicks. Two were snapped from inside the ten-yard line. Those short ones should be touchdowns.
Heated rivalries are usually the best rivalries. 49ers-Seahawks is a heated rivalry. These teams really don't like each other. Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll have had issues since their Stanford and USC days.
The Carolina Panthers and New Orleans have a battle going for the NFC South title. They may not have the venom of the 49ers and Seahawks but they are very talented teams eyeing the same thing.
The field goal thing plagued the Panthers as well. They opened the game with two effective drives. They settled for field goals on both drives. The Panthers didn't get a touchdown until 5:15 was left in the game.
The Saints controlled this game after those quick Panthers field goals. 31-13.
The Saints and Panthers meet again in Carolina in two weeks. It's great that the schedule-makers have division games at the end of the season but I don't like having both games so close together.
Others have said it and I agree. This was a pretty wild day of football. There was fun in the snow. There were some big plays. There was another great Patriots comeback. The furious ending to the Vikings-Ravens was the wildest action of all.
Good game in San Francisco. The 49ers defeated the Seahawks 19-17. If the 49ers could have scored touchdowns rather that field goals, this game isn't close. Four Phil Dawson field goals. Two were reasonably long kicks. Two were snapped from inside the ten-yard line. Those short ones should be touchdowns.
Heated rivalries are usually the best rivalries. 49ers-Seahawks is a heated rivalry. These teams really don't like each other. Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll have had issues since their Stanford and USC days.
The Carolina Panthers and New Orleans have a battle going for the NFC South title. They may not have the venom of the 49ers and Seahawks but they are very talented teams eyeing the same thing.
The field goal thing plagued the Panthers as well. They opened the game with two effective drives. They settled for field goals on both drives. The Panthers didn't get a touchdown until 5:15 was left in the game.
The Saints controlled this game after those quick Panthers field goals. 31-13.
The Saints and Panthers meet again in Carolina in two weeks. It's great that the schedule-makers have division games at the end of the season but I don't like having both games so close together.
Others have said it and I agree. This was a pretty wild day of football. There was fun in the snow. There were some big plays. There was another great Patriots comeback. The furious ending to the Vikings-Ravens was the wildest action of all.
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