Last night's Mid-American Conference Championship was the first conference championship game on tap. Bowling Green thrashed #14 Northern Illinois 47-27.
There are six Conference Championship games being played today.
Conference USA
Marshall vs Rice
SEC
Missouri vs Auburn
Pac-12
Stanford vs Arizona St.
Big Ten
Ohio St. vs Michigan St.
ACC
Duke vs Florida St.
Mountian West
Utah St. vs Fresno St.
The worst thing about having six conference championship games on one day is that it's difficult to watch all six conference championship games on one day. Conference USA kicks it all off. They have the time slot all to themselves. The SEC is up next. That's probably the most anticipated in that we have #5 Missouri facing #3 Auburn. It's simply stunning that the two Tiger teams combined for two conference wins just last season. Everyone expected Alabama to be part of this game but Auburn shocked everyone last Saturday. Fortunately, the SEC has the the second time slot all to themselves. After that, we have problems. The Pac-12, Big Ten, and ACC Championship games all kick off at roughly the same time. The Ohio St.-Michigan St. game could be fantastic. The Buckeyes offense against a brilliant Spartans defense. Oh my. But, the Pac-12 and ACC games are intriguing as well. I haven't seen surprising Duke yet this year. I'd like to. Although this may not be the game to truly appreciate them. Everyone expects #1 Florida St. to take the Blue Devils apart. No matter, David Cutcliffe definitely has Duke people thinking about a sport other than basketball this time of year. Then we have the Mountain West with the last time slot all to themselves.
Today should be a fun day of college football. I just wish that the games were spread out a bit more.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Friday, December 6, 2013
Too Much Football?
I've never been a fan of the Thursday night football games. The NFL thinks that every fan wants more football. I'd rather see more football on Sunday. The NFL says that the Thursday night games are for the fans. The NFL should admit that the Thursday night games are all about the money. Money is what drives, actually flies, the NFL to London. Money is what drives the NFL to Thursday. Most, maybe even all, of the players would prefer to drop the extra night of football. Some of the younger players might not care when they play. They likely will if they last long enough.
Says Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Ryan Pickett: "People don't know; after the game, it's normally Friday and Saturday when your body starts feeling better. I've been around for 13 years, so it takes a little longer to recover."
Playing another game before the body has recovered from a previous game doesn't sound like the right thing to do, ever. Maybe most of the players can recover in time to play a Thursday game early in the season. Doing it in November in December is pretty much impossible. The league stresses to the press and the fans their pursuit of safety in the game. Their actions often contradict that pursuit. Forcing every player in the league to play two football games in five days doesn't show a great concern for safety. Commissioner Roger Goodell has a dream of squeezing an 18-game schedule out of the players. The NFL tried to show their concern for player safety by doing an injury study. The league found that roughly the same number of injuries happened in 2012 Thursday games (5.2 per game) as in games played on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (5.3). There are so many problems with this study. One season is a ludicrously small sample size. It could reveal nothing more than blind luck. What constitutes an injury? Are they only counting the players that are seen on the ground? Are they only counting the players that leave the game? How many players actually exit an NFL feeling excellent? I'd be more curious to see the injury rates of players in the games following a Thursday night game. The safety concern of Thursday games is not necessarily the injuries in that game. It's playing a game after only three days of rest. It's playing a football game before a player has truly recovered. A player's body likely has only so many games in it. Playing two games in five days might be the equivalent of playing four games. Maybe more. Study that. The league should do a study that actually shows something meaningful before they make an NFL playing career even more stressful.
I tend to side with the players on most league matters. Especially on those matters that deal with safety. Most everything that the NFL does is about the money. After all, it's a business. The players only get a few years to make their money in the game. The owners can get a lifetime. Virginia McCaskey has never seen a day that her family hasn't owned the Chicago Bears. She's 90. Right now, the league has their own network televising the Thursday night games. They are looking to put half of the games up to the highest bidder. Turner, Fox, NBC, and ESPN might all jump into the bidding. This potential bidding war could bring in $700 million per year. For eight games! It's getting to the point where TV networks will pay any amount that the NFL fancies. Everybody is watching. The game pairing the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars, five wins between them, was probably one of the most watched shows on TV last night. Everybody is watching. The NFL is a juggernaut and they still want more. At some point, the league has to step back and realize that it's the players that are paying the price. Unfortunately, the league also knows that there's an endless supply of football players. There always has been.
The players aren't innocent little bunnies here. They opened the door for the expansion of the Thursday games when they agreed to the recent Collective Bargaining Agreement. Maybe it was one of the final gives in the extended give-and-take of the ridiculous lockout.
Says Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Ryan Pickett: "People don't know; after the game, it's normally Friday and Saturday when your body starts feeling better. I've been around for 13 years, so it takes a little longer to recover."
Playing another game before the body has recovered from a previous game doesn't sound like the right thing to do, ever. Maybe most of the players can recover in time to play a Thursday game early in the season. Doing it in November in December is pretty much impossible. The league stresses to the press and the fans their pursuit of safety in the game. Their actions often contradict that pursuit. Forcing every player in the league to play two football games in five days doesn't show a great concern for safety. Commissioner Roger Goodell has a dream of squeezing an 18-game schedule out of the players. The NFL tried to show their concern for player safety by doing an injury study. The league found that roughly the same number of injuries happened in 2012 Thursday games (5.2 per game) as in games played on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (5.3). There are so many problems with this study. One season is a ludicrously small sample size. It could reveal nothing more than blind luck. What constitutes an injury? Are they only counting the players that are seen on the ground? Are they only counting the players that leave the game? How many players actually exit an NFL feeling excellent? I'd be more curious to see the injury rates of players in the games following a Thursday night game. The safety concern of Thursday games is not necessarily the injuries in that game. It's playing a game after only three days of rest. It's playing a football game before a player has truly recovered. A player's body likely has only so many games in it. Playing two games in five days might be the equivalent of playing four games. Maybe more. Study that. The league should do a study that actually shows something meaningful before they make an NFL playing career even more stressful.
I tend to side with the players on most league matters. Especially on those matters that deal with safety. Most everything that the NFL does is about the money. After all, it's a business. The players only get a few years to make their money in the game. The owners can get a lifetime. Virginia McCaskey has never seen a day that her family hasn't owned the Chicago Bears. She's 90. Right now, the league has their own network televising the Thursday night games. They are looking to put half of the games up to the highest bidder. Turner, Fox, NBC, and ESPN might all jump into the bidding. This potential bidding war could bring in $700 million per year. For eight games! It's getting to the point where TV networks will pay any amount that the NFL fancies. Everybody is watching. The game pairing the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars, five wins between them, was probably one of the most watched shows on TV last night. Everybody is watching. The NFL is a juggernaut and they still want more. At some point, the league has to step back and realize that it's the players that are paying the price. Unfortunately, the league also knows that there's an endless supply of football players. There always has been.
The players aren't innocent little bunnies here. They opened the door for the expansion of the Thursday games when they agreed to the recent Collective Bargaining Agreement. Maybe it was one of the final gives in the extended give-and-take of the ridiculous lockout.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Throwback Thursday: Who's To Blame For The Option
Option football has popped into the National Football League. The recent addition of elusive quarterbacks like Cam Newton, Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III, and Russell Wilson have made the read option a serious weapon. The read option has flourished in college football for over seven decades. It's never had a sustained life in the NFL for a couple of reasons. Until recently there haven't been too many quarterbacks with the running ability to make it effective. More inportantly, no coach wants to put his quarterback in harms way on a consistent basis. Of the young, mobile quarterbacks in the league today, I think that the Seattle Seahawks' Russell Wilson runs the option the best. He may not win a foot race against Newton, Kaepernick, or Griffin but he always seems to be fast enough on the football field. What truly sets him apart for me is his ball-handling, timing, and vision. He gashed the New Orleans Saints on Monday night whenever he pulled the ball back and ran. When he ran the path was wide open. Most importantly, there was never a risk to his continued health. This season, the Seahawks have risen to Super Bowl favorites. Much of that is due to the magic that Russell Wilson brings to the football field. His ability to run the read option makes the Seahawks a versatile, dangerous offense. Who's to blame for bringing the read option to football?
In 1941, Missouri football coach Don Faurot thought about his basketball past. Specifically, he thought about the 2-on-1 advantages often found on fast breaks. He thought that he could create similar advantages on the football field. His creation was the Split T formation. The T formation was all the rage in the football world at that time. The Chicago Bears had taken apart the Washington Redskins in the 1940 NFL Championship game by the score of 73-0. Eyes were opened and single wing playbooks were scrapped. Faurot added his little twist on the T. The Split T relied on wider line splits between the offensive linemen. This spread out the defense. One or two defensive linemen would be left unblocked. The free rushing linemen would then be used as option keys. Like the fast break in basketball, the quarterback would keep the ball or pitch it depending on the actions of the free rushing lineman. As Russell Wilson found against the Saints, defenders were often helpless trying to deal with two potential ball carriers. It was a numbers game and Faurot had found a way win it. He led Missouri to three Big 6 Conference titles. During World War II, he coached the Iowa Pre-Flight football team. Two of his assistant coaches were Jim Tatum and Bud Wilkinson. Both coaches took the Split T with them after the War. Tatum was hired at Oklahoma with the condition that Wilkinson be his top assistant. Tatum left for Maryland after only one year. Wilkinson took over and created a dynasty at Oklahoma. Wilkinson, with Faurot's Split T, won a record 47 consecutive games, three National titles, and 14 Big 8 Conference titles. Tatum didn't do too badly at Maryland. He also won a National title as well as two ACC Conference titles. Those were the first two coaches to grab hold of Faurot's Split T option offense. So many would do the same. Some of the greatest teams and greatest coaches in college football history have used the option in some form. The veer, wishbone, flexbone, I formation option, the pistol, and the spread option offenses of today have all evolved from Don Faurot's Split T. It's been a staple in college football since Faurot brought a part of basketball onto the football field. Now, it's popping up in the National Football League.
In 1941, Missouri football coach Don Faurot thought about his basketball past. Specifically, he thought about the 2-on-1 advantages often found on fast breaks. He thought that he could create similar advantages on the football field. His creation was the Split T formation. The T formation was all the rage in the football world at that time. The Chicago Bears had taken apart the Washington Redskins in the 1940 NFL Championship game by the score of 73-0. Eyes were opened and single wing playbooks were scrapped. Faurot added his little twist on the T. The Split T relied on wider line splits between the offensive linemen. This spread out the defense. One or two defensive linemen would be left unblocked. The free rushing linemen would then be used as option keys. Like the fast break in basketball, the quarterback would keep the ball or pitch it depending on the actions of the free rushing lineman. As Russell Wilson found against the Saints, defenders were often helpless trying to deal with two potential ball carriers. It was a numbers game and Faurot had found a way win it. He led Missouri to three Big 6 Conference titles. During World War II, he coached the Iowa Pre-Flight football team. Two of his assistant coaches were Jim Tatum and Bud Wilkinson. Both coaches took the Split T with them after the War. Tatum was hired at Oklahoma with the condition that Wilkinson be his top assistant. Tatum left for Maryland after only one year. Wilkinson took over and created a dynasty at Oklahoma. Wilkinson, with Faurot's Split T, won a record 47 consecutive games, three National titles, and 14 Big 8 Conference titles. Tatum didn't do too badly at Maryland. He also won a National title as well as two ACC Conference titles. Those were the first two coaches to grab hold of Faurot's Split T option offense. So many would do the same. Some of the greatest teams and greatest coaches in college football history have used the option in some form. The veer, wishbone, flexbone, I formation option, the pistol, and the spread option offenses of today have all evolved from Don Faurot's Split T. It's been a staple in college football since Faurot brought a part of basketball onto the football field. Now, it's popping up in the National Football League.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Where's Josh?
It's been nearly two months since the Minnesota Vikings signed quarterback Josh Freeman. A couple weeks after his arrival in Minnesota he stumbled through a simply brutal throwing performance against the New York Giants on a forgettable Monday night. Freeman hasn't been seen on a football field since. He's rarely been seen in a football uniform since. He's only been active for one game and that came when the team didn't even have the required number of healthy players for a game. Did the Vikings just toss away $2 million? Fans and media talking heads have asked and wondered, where's Josh?
I think that the Vikings may regret trotting out their new quarterback after about a week of practice but I doubt that they regret their investment. Josh Freeman clearly wasn't ready to play for the Vikings against the Giants. Maybe the addition and elevation to starter, if only for one game, of Freeman was done to light a fire under supposed starter Christian Ponder. If that was the intent, it's been hit and miss. Ponder has had some nice moments since his demotion and promotion but he's also had some of the same issues that has plagued his play the past two years. I think that the Vikings signed Josh Freeman simply to have an extended job interview with him. If he was an immediate hit instead of a train wreck in that first start, great! The job is likely his. Instead, I think that the Vikings had an opportunity to bring in a football player that intrigued them. The Vikings have been looking for a franchise quarterback for years. Freeman has shown the potential to be a franchise quarterback. In essence, the Vikings have him for a redshirt year. They can see him practice and workout with the team. They can see him in meetings. They can see how he interacts with coaches, teammates, trainers, and equipment managers. They can get to know the person behind the football player. From his recent experiences with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Josh Freeman, the person and the quarterback, has been questioned. It's not often that a team has the opportunity to audition a player, let alone a quarterback, in a manner like this. I think that the Vikings are taking advantage of that opportunity. Freeman is only signed through the end of the season. If the Vikings wish to sign him after this season, they have the first shot at doing so. With that Giants game and the mess in Tampa still fresh in everyone's mind, the price tag shouldn't be steep.
The media just wants to draw out the drama of every story. Even if they have to create that drama themselves. The fans just want to know everything that's going on with their team. Both feel like the Vikings are keeping something from them. I don't think that there's any conspiracy. I don't think that the Vikings feel that they stepped in something with the signing of Freeman and that they can't shake it off. I just think that they signed Josh Freeman with the future in mind rather than the present.
I think that the Vikings may regret trotting out their new quarterback after about a week of practice but I doubt that they regret their investment. Josh Freeman clearly wasn't ready to play for the Vikings against the Giants. Maybe the addition and elevation to starter, if only for one game, of Freeman was done to light a fire under supposed starter Christian Ponder. If that was the intent, it's been hit and miss. Ponder has had some nice moments since his demotion and promotion but he's also had some of the same issues that has plagued his play the past two years. I think that the Vikings signed Josh Freeman simply to have an extended job interview with him. If he was an immediate hit instead of a train wreck in that first start, great! The job is likely his. Instead, I think that the Vikings had an opportunity to bring in a football player that intrigued them. The Vikings have been looking for a franchise quarterback for years. Freeman has shown the potential to be a franchise quarterback. In essence, the Vikings have him for a redshirt year. They can see him practice and workout with the team. They can see him in meetings. They can see how he interacts with coaches, teammates, trainers, and equipment managers. They can get to know the person behind the football player. From his recent experiences with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Josh Freeman, the person and the quarterback, has been questioned. It's not often that a team has the opportunity to audition a player, let alone a quarterback, in a manner like this. I think that the Vikings are taking advantage of that opportunity. Freeman is only signed through the end of the season. If the Vikings wish to sign him after this season, they have the first shot at doing so. With that Giants game and the mess in Tampa still fresh in everyone's mind, the price tag shouldn't be steep.
The media just wants to draw out the drama of every story. Even if they have to create that drama themselves. The fans just want to know everything that's going on with their team. Both feel like the Vikings are keeping something from them. I don't think that there's any conspiracy. I don't think that the Vikings feel that they stepped in something with the signing of Freeman and that they can't shake it off. I just think that they signed Josh Freeman with the future in mind rather than the present.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Breaking Ground
Ground will be broken in Minneapolis today. The Minnesota Vikings have two more home games in this disappointing football season. While those games are played inside, construction on a new stadium will be taking place outside the Metrodome. It's still a little stunning that this new stadium is really happening. It's been a long, long road. It took more than a decade to gain any sort of traction with the state and local governments. The last few years have been downright painful. Watching the legislative process in the spring of 2012 was mind-numbing. Even the past few months, when everything was thought to be good to go, have been rocky.
First, Vikings owners, Zygi Wilf and his family were found guilty of some shaky business deals that they had made over twenty years ago. That prompted Minnesota governor Mark Dayton to re-open the Wilf's financial books to make sure that they can actually pay their share of the new stadium. They can. After that was settled, the bids for pretty much everything started coming in quite a bit higher than expected. Some of nifty stuff that everyone wanted in the new stadium was in jeopardy of getting cut before construction even started. The Vikings had been scheduled to to pay $477 million of the stadium's nearly billion-dollar cost. Through various means the Wilf family committed an additional private contribution of up to $41.4 million. Now, everything seems good to go for today's groundbreaking. If everything proceeds as planned, the Minnesota Vikings will open the 2016 NFL season in their new home.
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome opened September 12, 1982. The fact that this lump of concrete and fabric lasted thirty-two years is a miracle. It was made on the cheap. Even with the dollars of the late 1970s and early '80s, $55 million wasn't much for a stadium. It seems downright puny next to the billion dollars being piled up over the next few years. The Metrodome roof famously fell when a bunch of snow fell in 2010. Imagine that, snow in Minnesota. The roof fell twice before a game was even played. As a naive, young kid from California, I assumed that the Metrodome sailed through the decision-making and construction process. I was surprised to discover that the process was every bit as frustrating and long as that of this new stadium. I was never quite sure what to make of the Metrodome. Domed stadiums were still somewhat unique at the time. At least, they were to me. Houston's Astrodome, Detroit's Silver Dome, New Orlean's Superdome, and Seattle's King Dome were the few that provided the sterile, indoor presence in the league. I loved Vikings football in little Metropolitan Stadium. December and January in Minnesota looked incredible. For a team named for Vikings, frozen football seemed perfect. It was certainly easy for me to think that while watching games on TV in California. No heaters for the Vikings, both teams on the same sideline. Metropolitan Stadium was a throwback to another era of professional football. The Metrodome brought the Minnesota Vikings a little closer to the rest of the league but they didn't do it right. In terms of their home, the Vikings always seem to be a few decades behind their rivals. Today, they start the process to change that.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Week 13 Thoughts
Strange end to the Chicago Bears-Minnesota Vikings game. Blair Walsh hit the game-winning field goal in overtime. Hold on. A facemask penalty against the Vikings negated the kick. The longer attempt was no good. Bears turn. Robbie Gould missed a 47-yard attempt. Vikings turn. Adrian Peterson took over. Blair Walsh got his third shot at the game winner. 34 yards. Good! Vikings win, 23-20.
Adrian Peterson was a beast! Again. 211 yards on 35 carries. He went over 10,000 rushing yards for his career. It has been an absolute honor to see every single one of those yards. I look forward to the next 10,000. Congratulations Adrian Peterson.
Only Jim Brown and Eric Dickerson hit 10,000 yards faster than Peterson.
Peterson also went over 1,000 yards on the season for the sixth time. He missed the milestone once. In 2011 he shredded his knee and ended with 970.
In the past two weeks the Vikings have seen six two-minute warnings.
The Vikings ended their first three possessions of the game with third down sacks. I know that quarterback Chrisian Ponder wants to avoid stupid interceptions but he has to get rid of the ball. The offensive line also has to give the quarterback more time.
In Ponder's three seasons, I find two quarterbacks. There's the quarterback that simply plays football. Then there's the one that's trying to avoid mistakes. The latter played yesterday.
Ponder suffered an apparent concussion at the end of the first half. That brought Matt Cassell in for the second half.
Cassell moved the team. Instead of 28 second half points the Vikings scored 13. He had two touchdown passes that weren't. Tight end Rhett Ellison bobbled a pass into the hands of Bears linebacker Khaseem Greene for an interception. Jerome Simpson dropped a potential game-winning touchdown. The Vikings had to settle for a game-tying field goal. And overtime.
4th and 11 from their own eight-yard line with under two minutes. Cassell hits Simpson for twenty. Nice.
One thing that I can certainly say for Cassell is that he makes terrific use of the skills of receiver Greg Jennings. Getting the ball into the hands of Jennings shouldn't be a struggle.
The Bears safeties, Cal's Chris Conte and Craig Steltz, made many, too many, saving, diving, grasping tackles on Peterson. Those were the desperation tackles that kept Peterson under 300 yards.
The Vikings scored one rushing touchdown. It wasn't Peterson or Toby Gerhart. Rookie receiver Cordarrelle Patterson lined up in the backfield, Gerhart split wide, and had a nifty 33-yard touchdown run. It was a formation and play from the Percy Harvin days. Patterson can make an offensive impact similar to that of Harvin.
I'm getting a little tired of Brian Billick and Thom Brennaman being assigned to announce Vikings games. Once is more than enough. I actually like Billick when he pops up on NFL Network for commentary but he leaves a lot to be desired in the broadcast booth. It always seems like he'd prefer to be somewhere else. He hacks up player names and game situations regularly. Jared Allen was Gerald Allen for a few years.
Brennaman brought a lot of love for Bears kicker Robbie Gould to the game. At one point, he said that one can make the case that Gould is the greatest kicker to ever play the game. He added that would surprise some people. Well, it surprised me.
Gould saw the birth of his baby early in the morning and then raced to the game.
Watching Matt Forte run the football is a real treat. I'm surprised that his 120-yard game was the first career 100-yard game against the Vikings.
I was immediately concerned when the Bears traded up in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft to select South Carolina receiver Alshon Jeffery. Pairing a big, talented receiver opposite the big, talented Brandon Marshall was and is a very scary prospect. Jeffery had an up and down rookie season due to injuries. He's stayed on the field and been an impact player this season. He and Marshall will both haul in over 100 catches this season. Jeffery nearly had that many in the first half yesterday. Tight end Martellus Bennett was a nice addition last offseason. If quarterback Jay Cutler can stay on the field and stays in Chicago, the Bears have an extremely potent passing attack. Actually, they have a potent passing attack with Josh McCown.
The stats show that Vikings corner Chris Cook gave up an 80-yard touchdown to Jeffery to start the second half. Cook was right there in coverage. His reach to deflect the ball was better measured with the metric system. Jeffery scored a 46-yard touchdown against Cook later in the third quarter. Again, his coverage was right there. Jeffery simply made a great play on the ball. Cook has to get better at making plays on the ball. His coverage is routinely right there. Whether it's timing his jump or his reach, he's got to make it more difficult for the receiver when his coverage is perfect.
Cook made matters worse when he grabbed the officials shirt and was ejected. Little Marcus Sherels, more suited to the slot, was tasked with covering receivers about a foot taller than him.
Cook is a free agent after this season. I really hope that he and the Vikings can agree on a contract extension this offseason. Injuries have been his biggest problem so an extension is a bit of a gamble. I think that it's a gamble worth taking. I really like the Vikings corner duo of Cook and rookie Xavier Rhodes.
For some reason, the Bears got a little conservative after Cook was ejected. Most teams would have gone after Sherels for the rest of the game.
The Indianapolis Colts are sure in a funk. They have got to get out of it quick. With their win against the Tennessee Titans they have a big lead in their division. They have to play a lot better if they expect to do anything in the playoffs. The team that defeated the 49ers, Broncos, and Seahawks is way too talented to be playing like this.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles has been playing great. His team is getting hot and he's the main reason. The Arizona Cardinals came into their game against the Eagles as hot. This was a huge win for the Eagles. The NFC East race between the Eagles and Dallas Cowboys will likely come down to their game on the last weekend of the season.
Before the season, Houston and Atlanta were considered Super Bowl contenders. Now, they are contenders for the first pick of the 2014 NFL Draft. Despite their difficulties this season, these are teams with a lot of talented football players. At the top of the draft, they'll be adding some elite talent. Both should be the contenders next year that they were supposed to be this year.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan missed receiver Roddy White at the start of the season. As White was starting to return to form receiver Julio Jones was lost for the season. That was a lot of offense to lose. The Falcons offensive line hasn't made things easy for Ryan. The Falcons should be in position to select the top lineman in the draft.
The Buffalo Bills had two turnovers in their game against Atlanta. The first came on their last possession of regulation. The second came on their first and only possession of overtime. Each came at the end of big plays. Each ended chances to win the game.
The Denver Broncos have defeated the Kansas City Chiefs twice in the last three weeks. Now, the AFC playoffs likely go through Denver. The most significant thing to come out of the two games is that the Chiefs were able to hang with the high-scoring Broncos. The Chiefs have been tagged with the great defense, game-managing offense label. They've actually proven that they can keep up with the Broncos on the scoreboard.
The officiating screw-up at the end of the New York Giants-Washington Redskins game was one of the worst that I've ever seen.
I was saddened to hear that Jerry Seeman passed away last Sunday. I remember well his on field officiating of the '70s and '80s. He was the Senior Director of Officiating from 1991-2001. Hugh "Shorty" Ray is the only official honored in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I can see Seeman being the second.
RIP Jerry Seeman
Adrian Peterson was a beast! Again. 211 yards on 35 carries. He went over 10,000 rushing yards for his career. It has been an absolute honor to see every single one of those yards. I look forward to the next 10,000. Congratulations Adrian Peterson.
Only Jim Brown and Eric Dickerson hit 10,000 yards faster than Peterson.
Peterson also went over 1,000 yards on the season for the sixth time. He missed the milestone once. In 2011 he shredded his knee and ended with 970.
In the past two weeks the Vikings have seen six two-minute warnings.
The Vikings ended their first three possessions of the game with third down sacks. I know that quarterback Chrisian Ponder wants to avoid stupid interceptions but he has to get rid of the ball. The offensive line also has to give the quarterback more time.
In Ponder's three seasons, I find two quarterbacks. There's the quarterback that simply plays football. Then there's the one that's trying to avoid mistakes. The latter played yesterday.
Ponder suffered an apparent concussion at the end of the first half. That brought Matt Cassell in for the second half.
Cassell moved the team. Instead of 28 second half points the Vikings scored 13. He had two touchdown passes that weren't. Tight end Rhett Ellison bobbled a pass into the hands of Bears linebacker Khaseem Greene for an interception. Jerome Simpson dropped a potential game-winning touchdown. The Vikings had to settle for a game-tying field goal. And overtime.
4th and 11 from their own eight-yard line with under two minutes. Cassell hits Simpson for twenty. Nice.
One thing that I can certainly say for Cassell is that he makes terrific use of the skills of receiver Greg Jennings. Getting the ball into the hands of Jennings shouldn't be a struggle.
The Bears safeties, Cal's Chris Conte and Craig Steltz, made many, too many, saving, diving, grasping tackles on Peterson. Those were the desperation tackles that kept Peterson under 300 yards.
The Vikings scored one rushing touchdown. It wasn't Peterson or Toby Gerhart. Rookie receiver Cordarrelle Patterson lined up in the backfield, Gerhart split wide, and had a nifty 33-yard touchdown run. It was a formation and play from the Percy Harvin days. Patterson can make an offensive impact similar to that of Harvin.
I'm getting a little tired of Brian Billick and Thom Brennaman being assigned to announce Vikings games. Once is more than enough. I actually like Billick when he pops up on NFL Network for commentary but he leaves a lot to be desired in the broadcast booth. It always seems like he'd prefer to be somewhere else. He hacks up player names and game situations regularly. Jared Allen was Gerald Allen for a few years.
Brennaman brought a lot of love for Bears kicker Robbie Gould to the game. At one point, he said that one can make the case that Gould is the greatest kicker to ever play the game. He added that would surprise some people. Well, it surprised me.
Gould saw the birth of his baby early in the morning and then raced to the game.
Watching Matt Forte run the football is a real treat. I'm surprised that his 120-yard game was the first career 100-yard game against the Vikings.
I was immediately concerned when the Bears traded up in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft to select South Carolina receiver Alshon Jeffery. Pairing a big, talented receiver opposite the big, talented Brandon Marshall was and is a very scary prospect. Jeffery had an up and down rookie season due to injuries. He's stayed on the field and been an impact player this season. He and Marshall will both haul in over 100 catches this season. Jeffery nearly had that many in the first half yesterday. Tight end Martellus Bennett was a nice addition last offseason. If quarterback Jay Cutler can stay on the field and stays in Chicago, the Bears have an extremely potent passing attack. Actually, they have a potent passing attack with Josh McCown.
The stats show that Vikings corner Chris Cook gave up an 80-yard touchdown to Jeffery to start the second half. Cook was right there in coverage. His reach to deflect the ball was better measured with the metric system. Jeffery scored a 46-yard touchdown against Cook later in the third quarter. Again, his coverage was right there. Jeffery simply made a great play on the ball. Cook has to get better at making plays on the ball. His coverage is routinely right there. Whether it's timing his jump or his reach, he's got to make it more difficult for the receiver when his coverage is perfect.
Cook made matters worse when he grabbed the officials shirt and was ejected. Little Marcus Sherels, more suited to the slot, was tasked with covering receivers about a foot taller than him.
Cook is a free agent after this season. I really hope that he and the Vikings can agree on a contract extension this offseason. Injuries have been his biggest problem so an extension is a bit of a gamble. I think that it's a gamble worth taking. I really like the Vikings corner duo of Cook and rookie Xavier Rhodes.
For some reason, the Bears got a little conservative after Cook was ejected. Most teams would have gone after Sherels for the rest of the game.
The Indianapolis Colts are sure in a funk. They have got to get out of it quick. With their win against the Tennessee Titans they have a big lead in their division. They have to play a lot better if they expect to do anything in the playoffs. The team that defeated the 49ers, Broncos, and Seahawks is way too talented to be playing like this.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles has been playing great. His team is getting hot and he's the main reason. The Arizona Cardinals came into their game against the Eagles as hot. This was a huge win for the Eagles. The NFC East race between the Eagles and Dallas Cowboys will likely come down to their game on the last weekend of the season.
Before the season, Houston and Atlanta were considered Super Bowl contenders. Now, they are contenders for the first pick of the 2014 NFL Draft. Despite their difficulties this season, these are teams with a lot of talented football players. At the top of the draft, they'll be adding some elite talent. Both should be the contenders next year that they were supposed to be this year.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan missed receiver Roddy White at the start of the season. As White was starting to return to form receiver Julio Jones was lost for the season. That was a lot of offense to lose. The Falcons offensive line hasn't made things easy for Ryan. The Falcons should be in position to select the top lineman in the draft.
The Buffalo Bills had two turnovers in their game against Atlanta. The first came on their last possession of regulation. The second came on their first and only possession of overtime. Each came at the end of big plays. Each ended chances to win the game.
The Denver Broncos have defeated the Kansas City Chiefs twice in the last three weeks. Now, the AFC playoffs likely go through Denver. The most significant thing to come out of the two games is that the Chiefs were able to hang with the high-scoring Broncos. The Chiefs have been tagged with the great defense, game-managing offense label. They've actually proven that they can keep up with the Broncos on the scoreboard.
The officiating screw-up at the end of the New York Giants-Washington Redskins game was one of the worst that I've ever seen.
I was saddened to hear that Jerry Seeman passed away last Sunday. I remember well his on field officiating of the '70s and '80s. He was the Senior Director of Officiating from 1991-2001. Hugh "Shorty" Ray is the only official honored in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I can see Seeman being the second.
RIP Jerry Seeman
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Game Day Thoughts
This week's games include some super games. Of course, there's the Chicago Bears final visit to the Metrodome to face the Minnesota Vikings. That's a big one. Denver Broncos-Kansas City Chiefs and Arizona Cardinals-Philadelphia Eagles are terrific. All four teams are in the thick of the playoff chase. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Carolina Panthers has become an intriguing game. The Buccaneers were at the bottom of the league only a month ago. Now, they are surging with nothing to lose. Tennessee Titans-Indianapolis Colts, Cincinnati Bengals-San Diego Chargers, and St. Louis Rams-San Francisco 49ers are nice games on a day filled with them. The New Orleans-Seattle Seahawks on Monday is a fantastic cap to great weekend of football.
While the Vikings Metrodome home is a structural piece of shit, it has often been a pretty nice home field advantage. Today's opponent, the Bears, are 12-19 since the Metrodome opened in 1982. It will be blown up two months.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune ran an article about Vikings defensive end Jared Allen's final season of his current contract. All year, the media has focused on the possible end of Allen's Vikings career. He's tried to deflect it saying simply that both parties have honored the terms of the monster contract signed in 2008. The decision will be made in the offseason, not now. That's not enough for the media as they always chase the drama. I hate the thought of Jared Allen playing football for another team. Maybe that's why I try to avoid it. Still, I agree with Allen that it's a topic more deserving of attention in February and March.
Seahawks receiver Percy Harvin missed some practice time this week. He's listed as doubtful for the Saints game. Coach Pete Carroll mentioned that he was sore from the previous game. A game that was two weeks ago as the Seahawks had their bye last week. The team is obviously going to be very careful with Harvin and his return from hip surgery. The amount of practice that he's missed this week has to be a concern for the Seahawks. Much has been made of Harvin's inability to stay healthy before and after his trade from the Vikings. The ankle injury that closed out his time in Minnesota and this hip injury are the only injuries that have forced him to miss any game time. From his college days to his four years with the Vikings before the ankle injury, Harvin was nearly always there on game day. The unbelievable, physical manner in which he plays football may finally be catching up with him. He would always play hurt because he was always hurt. With Harvin, it's always been the hurt vs. injured scenario. He was always hurt so he played. Recently, he's been injured so he hasn't played. If Percy Harvin can ever get and stay healthy, the Seahawks offense could become a monster. Harvin is one of the most explosive football players in the entire league.
Great NFL games today and tomorrow. There were great college games yesterday. It was rivalry week. I wish that I could see every minute of every game. It's amazing how records often mean little when rivals meet. Too bad that wasn't the case in Palo Alto last week.
Ohio State vs. Michigan.
A great first half was marred a bit by a ridiculous skirmish following an Ohio St. kick return. Three players were ejected. Linebacker Royce Jenkins-Stone of Michigan. Running back Dontre Wilson and lineman Marcus Hall of Ohio St. Hall left the sideline to join the fight. He made a bad situation even worse with his tantrum on the sideline and eventual exit with a couple of middle finger held high. Apparently the fact that the skirmish took place in the first half means that the Ohio St. players will be available for the Big-10 Championship game next week. I wouldn't be surprised if an exception is made for Hall after his idiotic exit from the field.
The Wolverines and Buckeyes traded scores early. Almost to the point that you wondered if either team brought their defense. Really, it was each team's offense coming out hot. After the game was tied 21-21, it felt like Ohio St. was always on the verge of exploding but Michigan wouldn't go away.
It was a bold move by Michigan coach Brady Hoke to go for two and the win at the end of the game. The players love that decision. Everyone else second-guesses it with the benefit of hindsight. I would love to play football for Hoke. Even now, when I'm old and broken.
I always enjoy the AFLAC trivia question during college football broadcasts. Yesterday's question during the Ohio St.-Michigan was a real keeper. Ohio St. coach Urban Meyer has yet to lose as the Buckeye's coach. 23 straight wins entering this game. That perfect start prompted the question: Who has most consecutive wins to start tenure at a school?
1. 30 Pop Warner, Pitt, 1915-18
2. 29 Fielding Yost, Michigan, 1901-03
3. 28 Walter Camp, Yale, 1888-89
4. 24 Larry Coker, Miami, 2001-02
5. 23 Urban Meyer, Ohio St., 2012-13
Any list of college coaches that includes Warner, Yost, and Camp is a special list. Camp is, literally, the father of the game that we love. Seeing Coker among the likes of the other four is a little shocking but he's got the win streak to belong.
I always wince when I see or hear mention of Meyer's win streak. I don't think that he should have made it past game #3. Cal hasn't done much the past two seasons but they should have beaten Ohio St. last year. The scoreboard showed 35-28 Ohio St. but Cal had control of that game late but let it slip away. That game, a loss, is the highlight of Cal's past two seasons.
Alabama-Auburn.
A missed field goal return decides the game. A play like this might make teams think again about the players that coaches put on place-kicking units. Especially for long field goal attempts.
I've never seen a sewing machine pop up on the sideline of a football. An Auburn jersey had to be mended.
I'm pretty sure that Nick Saban regrets getting that second put back on the clock.
On paper and computer, it looks like Florida St.-Ohio St. for the national title. I still think that Florida St. and Alabama are the two best teams in the nation. If Alabama lost their shot with the loss to Auburn, I prefer Florida St.-Auburn over Florida St.-Ohio St. Maybe it's that Cal game from a year ago that lightens my opinions of the Buckeyes.
While the Vikings Metrodome home is a structural piece of shit, it has often been a pretty nice home field advantage. Today's opponent, the Bears, are 12-19 since the Metrodome opened in 1982. It will be blown up two months.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune ran an article about Vikings defensive end Jared Allen's final season of his current contract. All year, the media has focused on the possible end of Allen's Vikings career. He's tried to deflect it saying simply that both parties have honored the terms of the monster contract signed in 2008. The decision will be made in the offseason, not now. That's not enough for the media as they always chase the drama. I hate the thought of Jared Allen playing football for another team. Maybe that's why I try to avoid it. Still, I agree with Allen that it's a topic more deserving of attention in February and March.
Seahawks receiver Percy Harvin missed some practice time this week. He's listed as doubtful for the Saints game. Coach Pete Carroll mentioned that he was sore from the previous game. A game that was two weeks ago as the Seahawks had their bye last week. The team is obviously going to be very careful with Harvin and his return from hip surgery. The amount of practice that he's missed this week has to be a concern for the Seahawks. Much has been made of Harvin's inability to stay healthy before and after his trade from the Vikings. The ankle injury that closed out his time in Minnesota and this hip injury are the only injuries that have forced him to miss any game time. From his college days to his four years with the Vikings before the ankle injury, Harvin was nearly always there on game day. The unbelievable, physical manner in which he plays football may finally be catching up with him. He would always play hurt because he was always hurt. With Harvin, it's always been the hurt vs. injured scenario. He was always hurt so he played. Recently, he's been injured so he hasn't played. If Percy Harvin can ever get and stay healthy, the Seahawks offense could become a monster. Harvin is one of the most explosive football players in the entire league.
Great NFL games today and tomorrow. There were great college games yesterday. It was rivalry week. I wish that I could see every minute of every game. It's amazing how records often mean little when rivals meet. Too bad that wasn't the case in Palo Alto last week.
Ohio State vs. Michigan.
A great first half was marred a bit by a ridiculous skirmish following an Ohio St. kick return. Three players were ejected. Linebacker Royce Jenkins-Stone of Michigan. Running back Dontre Wilson and lineman Marcus Hall of Ohio St. Hall left the sideline to join the fight. He made a bad situation even worse with his tantrum on the sideline and eventual exit with a couple of middle finger held high. Apparently the fact that the skirmish took place in the first half means that the Ohio St. players will be available for the Big-10 Championship game next week. I wouldn't be surprised if an exception is made for Hall after his idiotic exit from the field.
The Wolverines and Buckeyes traded scores early. Almost to the point that you wondered if either team brought their defense. Really, it was each team's offense coming out hot. After the game was tied 21-21, it felt like Ohio St. was always on the verge of exploding but Michigan wouldn't go away.
It was a bold move by Michigan coach Brady Hoke to go for two and the win at the end of the game. The players love that decision. Everyone else second-guesses it with the benefit of hindsight. I would love to play football for Hoke. Even now, when I'm old and broken.
I always enjoy the AFLAC trivia question during college football broadcasts. Yesterday's question during the Ohio St.-Michigan was a real keeper. Ohio St. coach Urban Meyer has yet to lose as the Buckeye's coach. 23 straight wins entering this game. That perfect start prompted the question: Who has most consecutive wins to start tenure at a school?
1. 30 Pop Warner, Pitt, 1915-18
2. 29 Fielding Yost, Michigan, 1901-03
3. 28 Walter Camp, Yale, 1888-89
4. 24 Larry Coker, Miami, 2001-02
5. 23 Urban Meyer, Ohio St., 2012-13
Any list of college coaches that includes Warner, Yost, and Camp is a special list. Camp is, literally, the father of the game that we love. Seeing Coker among the likes of the other four is a little shocking but he's got the win streak to belong.
I always wince when I see or hear mention of Meyer's win streak. I don't think that he should have made it past game #3. Cal hasn't done much the past two seasons but they should have beaten Ohio St. last year. The scoreboard showed 35-28 Ohio St. but Cal had control of that game late but let it slip away. That game, a loss, is the highlight of Cal's past two seasons.
Alabama-Auburn.
A missed field goal return decides the game. A play like this might make teams think again about the players that coaches put on place-kicking units. Especially for long field goal attempts.
I've never seen a sewing machine pop up on the sideline of a football. An Auburn jersey had to be mended.
I'm pretty sure that Nick Saban regrets getting that second put back on the clock.
On paper and computer, it looks like Florida St.-Ohio St. for the national title. I still think that Florida St. and Alabama are the two best teams in the nation. If Alabama lost their shot with the loss to Auburn, I prefer Florida St.-Auburn over Florida St.-Ohio St. Maybe it's that Cal game from a year ago that lightens my opinions of the Buckeyes.
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