For Carolina Panthers wide-receiver, Steve Smith, the 2005 NFL post season has been much like the 2005 NFL regular season, he has absolutely dominated both his position and the competition.  Though Smith was more than occassionally recognized throughout the regular season for his exemplary performance on the football field, and undeniably merited serious consideration from his fellow players, coaches, fans, and the media to be crowned the NFL's Most Valuable Player, when voting for the award finally did come around, Smith received nary a vote.  However, the MVP candidate to whom voters showed absolutely no love, has easily seen the lowest drop in his offensive production from the regular season into the post season of all the MVP candidates.  In fact, Smith has not only seen his production increase, but has noticeably played at a much higher level than any other MVP candidate, or player period for that  matter, during this 2005 post season.

To establish just how stellar Smith's   season actually was prior to his vaulted level of  play in the post season, let us quickly examine the stellular receiver's regular season numbers and how they rank in comparison to his peers playing the same position.

Smith's 1,563 receiving yards were hands down best in the NFL.  His 103 receptions tied him only with Arizona Cardinals wide-receiver Larry Fitzgerald for the most in the league.  Smith's 12 receiving touchdowns were matched only by Colts WR, Marvin Harrison, while his 13 total TDs were not only more than any other wide-receiver, but only four runningbacks (S.Alexander, L.Johnson, L. Tomlinson, and E.James) totalled more TDs than Smith. 

It is also worth noting that of all the wide-receivers who tallied at least 25 receptions this season in the NFL, Smith led them all in YAC (Yards After Catch) with an average of 7.9, very telling of his big play ability once the ball is in his hands.  70 of Smith's 103 catches resulted in a first down, a number that can only be topped by Bengals WR, Chad Johnson who registered 74 on the year.

With all the success Smith experienced during the regular season, it turns out he was just getting started, and is the only player among this year's pool of MVP candidates to propel his team into their league's Conference Championship game.  Before all of the Seattle faithful point out that their team has advanced to the NFC Championship Game as well, let me remind them that S.Alexander is not the one who got them there this weekend.  After carrying the ball a total of six times for a meager nine yards and then having to leave the game with a concussion, Alexander watched from the sidelines while Matt Hasselbeck proved to the country that perhaps Alexander is not the only reason Seattle secured homefield advantage throughout the playoffs this season. 

Carson Palmer was absolutely brilliant on that 66 yard completion against Pittsburgh, but that was his only play as a vicious injury ended both his season, as wells as his team's hopes of victory at the same time.  Tiki Barber managed to tally an uninspiring 41 yards on 14 carries, and though also registering 28 yards receiving off of three catches, it was a far cry from his 200+ total yards from scrimmage games that catapulted the Giants into the playoffs.  Peyton Manning and Tom Brady each contributed decent enough numbers in their respective efforts to lead their team to the AFC Championship Game, but just an averge completion percentage and turning the ball over more often than you are throwing touchdowns is not going to allow your team to advance in the post-season. 

Smith on the other hand is the only candidate to take a very successful season and build upon it further when the wins are the hardest to come by and count the most, and was unarguably the single player most responsible for his team's advancement in the playoffs.  In Carolina's two playoff victories, both of which came on the road, Smith has averaged 11 receptions, 170 yards from scrimmage, and two touchdowns.  Those numbers are very impressive for a regular season game, but are down right unfathomable to post in two consecutive playoff games on the road! 

The most mind boggling aspect to take into consideration is that the most recent of those road playoff games, and the one that launched Carolina into the NFC Championship game, was played against the Monsters of the Midway on their homefield were the Bears tallied a 7-1 record this season and allowed an average of 7.6 pts in those games, including a victory over Carolina in which the Panthers scored a grand total of three points.  If you told Bears fans that they would score two offensive touchdowns and still lose they would not have believed you.  Had you told them that the Bears would score three and still lose they would have tried to have you committed. 

Yet that is exactly what happened at Soilder Field this Sunday evening as Smith wasted no time to establish his presence and put his team up early with a 58 yard TD reception on which he completely blew by Bears defender Charles Tillman less than a minute into the game.  Tillman, who despite drawing an illegal contact penalty couldn't keep up with Smith on that first big play, surrendered another to Smith on his watch.  This time, it was a 46 yarder that Smith was able to wrestle away from Tillman, setting up a Carolina field goal that put the Panthers up by 10.

Tillman wasn't the only Bear defender to be embarrassed by Smith's blazing speed, as Chris Thompson shared in Tillman's feelings of exploitation after surrendering a 39 yard score later in the third quarter.  Chicago's entire secondary appeared to be at a loss as how they were to contain him.  Though Smith never reached the endzone when the two teams matched up in the regular season, he did drop 14 receptions for 169 yards on them, so the Bears experienced first hand what he is capable of, and as Lovie Smith pointed out, knew what they had to do.  The answer appeared simple enough to Lovie, "Don't give up the big play and try to keep Steve Smith contained by doubling him and playing him deep", obviously Chicago could not figure out how to do that on this day, and Smith went on to register the fourth best playoff performance by a wide-receiver in NFL history, compiling 218 yards on 12 catches for 2 touchdowns, and playing the key role in Carolina's 29-21 win.

Smith will get the opportunity to prove himself further next week in Seattle when his team faces the NFC's top seed and the league's actual MVP recepient, who is expected to be fully recovered from his concussion and back on the field in an effort to grant his team and its city their first Super Bowl berth, is facing him across the sidelines.  For added fuel to the debate, Carolina will be without their top running back DeShaun Foster who broke his ankle in the third quarter of today's playoff victory over Chicago, putting more of the offensive burden and hopes squarely on Steve Smith's shoulders. 

If Smith comes through successful yet another week, and his team marches on to its second Super Bowl appearance in the last three years, Shaun Alexander should do the commendable thing and meet Smith mid-field to surrender the MVP trophy to the player who proved himself more worthy.  Well, not really, but wouldn't that be a shocking spectacle!?  Truth is both guys earned it, but only room for one receipient this year and its too hard not to give it to a guy who led the league in rushing and set the NFL record for the most rushing TDs in a season, but Smith was far more deserving than his voting total reflected. 

That Lambeau Magic Seems To Have Vanished

2005 has definitely been a year that Brett Favre and Packers fans would absolutely love to try and forget, but it certainly will not be easy to do.  Watching the Packers abysmal play this season has been about as enjoyable for Packers fans as being locked in a room while forced to watch the Super Bowl Shuffle as it is replayed over and over on a 24 hour loop.  This year must have been down right depressing, not only because it was the worst season Green Bay has had in quite some time, and the worst of Favre's career, but because Green Bay's Superman himself has to bear the greatest amount of blame for this embarassing and somber season.  A man, who they so regularly saw lead their team to greatness and glory, is now the driving force behind its plunge into the ground.

Brett and Green Bay have heard the criticisms before.  Time and time again over the past few years the questions surrounding Brett's diminishing talents and whispers about whether or not he should retire have been met with strong numbers from Brett and a playoff berth by Green Bay.  This is afterall, a franchise that has never had to endure  a losing season so long as Brett Favre was at the helm.   It was Brett who took them to two Super Bowls, managing to bring home the bling on one of those two trips.  This is a man who helped  rescue and fully restore the mystique of Lambeau Field, vindicating the once battered reputation of one the most storied franchises in the history of the NFL in the process.  Yes indeed, for a brief length of time during the 90's, it seemed as though the dynasty days had returned once more to Green Bay. 

However, this year things have been dramatically different and there will be no impressive final numbers from Favre, and definitely no postseason appearance by Green Bay to save either from facing the truth.  In all honesty this is the best thing that could have happened to this franchise.  The stats and playoff berths were only helping to blind many from accepting the inevitable, Favre's time had finally reached an end.  There was not going to be any dramatic finish to what has been an extremely impressive career like John Elway enjoyed as he rode off into the sunset with two straight Super Bowl victories for his team.  The expectations and the results have been in a steady decline for Green Bay for some time now.  They went from winning the Super Bowl, to just making it, to hoping to make the NFC Championship game, to winning a playoff game, to merely making the playoffs.  When the Eagles converted on fourth and mile against Green Bay two years ago, it was over for them and Favre, neither party just knew it yet.                                              
                                                  
                          

Farve's style of play has just become too much of a liability for today's NFL game.  He is a gun-slinger better suited for a different era of the NFL.  Today's game demands consistency, control, and responsible decision making.  Turnovers are more dangerous and will absolutely destroy your team's chances of victory in the NFL today.  Farve loves to throw the ball up, even if it is into triple coverage and hope that one of his receivers can make a miracle play on the ball.  Sometimes they do.  But more often, the other team jumps in front of it and runs it back the other way.  Interceptions have been a concern for Farve in the past, but this year they have been a downright embarrassment.  Before this season it was hard to remember a time when Favre didn't throw a TD in a game, but now its been more than a month.  Last time he did throw one was on November 21 against Minnesota.  Since that game he has thrown 7 interceptions to zero touchdowns, with four of them coming on Christmas Day to the Chicago Bears.

Realizing this was probably going to be his last season, which would mean his last time on national television in a football uniform, I tuned into the game with an interest level that would usually be reserved by a Chicago or Green Bay fan, I am sure I wasn't alone on this.  Though I was majorly let down on what was most likely Favre's last  Monday night appearance just last week, I told myself that it is Christmas, and Green Bay is facing its most hated rival.  I found myself clinging onto just a little faith, in hopes Farve might just blow us all away one more time, surprise the world, and get the debate started once again on whether its really time to rebuild or if Green Bay should take one more shot at it with Favre at the helm.  Needless to say, the result left no doubt as to whether that debate should even be entertained any longer at this point.  Favre just looked absolutely dreadful once again, and had the undeniable look of  a man who is just tired, beaten, and ready to shut it down.  A story book ending would have been nice, but it has to be obvious to everyone, Farve included, that there is zero possibility of it actually happening.

Favre can retire after this year's final game with dignity.  He is  a three time NFL MVP and a Super Bowl Champion.  He is among the top leaders in virtually every statistical category in the books. A bust in Canton is already assured.  Green Bay owes it to him for him to start this year's final game with Seattle to keep his streak alive, but that is where the guarantee should end.  If Green Bay is honest with itself they will realize that a Super Bowl season is not a reality for the Pack next year, which is the only reason Brett should return, and not to chase down records in the stat book.  It is time to enter the rebuilding years for Green Bay.  If Brett wants to stay around as a mentor for Aaron Rodgers next year that is fine, but Rodgers needs to be your opening day starter in 2006, and he must be assured he will not have to look over his shoulder once all year.  It will be hard for Packer fans and Favre to accept, but that era is over.  Its time for a new one to begin, even if it takes some time to develop.  Farewell Favre, you will be remembered as one of the all-time greats, but it is definitely time to go.