Last week I wrote a couple of posts about how Congress was banning the Patriots from the Super Bowl because they cheated and then that the President was going to support the move in his State of the Union.
Some people took it the wrong way, as Patriot basing, which I freely
admit I am guilty of. However, my point was criticizing Congress and
their meddling in sports. There are more important things for Congress
to be worrying about than cheating in sports: a chaotic war, a sluggish
economy, a declining dollar, and many more.
I was being tongue-in-cheek last week; then I wake up today and find
out that Senator Arlen Specter (R - PA) is calling NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell before him to explain why they destroyed the Patriots’ tapes of the Jets’ signals.
Integrity of the Game
It all started with Congress taking baseball to task over steroids.
That was a move applauded by many observers. They were sick of
suspected cheaters succeeding and claiming for themselves some of the
most sacred titles in the game. When baseball did nothing, the
government stepped in and spent millions of taxpayer dollars
investigating the state of Major League Baseball.
Most supporters were simply glad that these players weren’t going to
get away with cheating. But Congress had a grander vision, they would
ensure that cheaters wouldn’t succeed so that children wouldn’t grow up
thinking cheating is the key to success.
When discussing the matter with the New York Times Senator Spector
said, “The American people are entitled to be sure about the integrity
of the game. It’s analogous to the CIA destruction of tapes. Or any
time you have records destroyed.”
Congress and the Constitution
I would love for anyone to point out where exactly in the
Constitution it outlines Congress’ role in protecting the “integrity of
the game?” Is this really what we want our government doing? They are
all ready discussing making it a requirement that public highschool
athletes be subject to random drug tests, maybe next they will have a
government representative on the sidelines, in the meetings, and in NFL
board rooms to make sure they are doing things with “integrity.” Sounds
almost like what the Soviet Union used to do. Correction, it’s exactly
what the Soviet Union used to do.
This is no place for government. When Congress began investigating
steroids many people, myself included, said this set a dangerous
precedent. Those who wanted to see those mighty and corrupt baseball
players brought low said we were making a ridiculous “slippery slope”
argument.
It appears, that we were all too right. What’s next? What sport will
be left untouched? There will always be accusations of (and actually
instances of) cheating in pro sports so where does Congress stop?
The Bed We Made
As much as I blame Congress for this horrible misuse of my tax
money, I also blame all of those who cheered their actions in the
steroids issue. There is an old saying that I always apply to any new
power we grant to our government officials, “give ‘em an inch, and
they’ll take a mile.”
Now, they are taking the first step of that mile. Who knows what new
regulations they will impose on the NFL but I’m sure some will be
coming. Perhaps there will be a new integrity clause or maybe teams
will have to report to a new government bureau to ensure they are doing
things “the right way.”
Conclusion
I was joking last week, but now, I’m really not surprised. Once we
gave to Congress the responsibility of monitoring pro sports it was
only a matter of time before they stepped in to the NFL. Now, we just
have to hope the damage is limited. That the cost of Congress’ new
venture isn’t too great; that the regulations they hope to impose won’t
impact the game too much.
This is our bed, though, and now we’ve got to lie in it.
January 28, 2008 - Washington, DC - In light of Congress's actions against the Patriots, the President has felt compelled to devote a portion of his final State of the Union to the situation. The crisis began after Congress decided to remove the New England Patriots from Super Bowl XLII and allow the Chargers to advance instead.
The action, which was approved by the President, was in light of the Patriots being caught cheating. Congress has recently mounted a crusade to teach children that cheating is wrong, highlighted by their investigation of steroids in baseball, and felt this action was necessary. Removing cheating from sports has been a major goal of the Federal government over the last several years and Congress has begun acting vigorously to meet this goal.
The press has been asking questions of the administration since the controversial act but the President has remained silent on the issue. The President has decided instead to make the issue the cornerstone of his address and use the speech to highlight the need for the government to help parents raise there children with what President Bush calls, “good values.”
Washington insiders believe that new legislation could be introduced shortly which would create a Presidential Commission to Combat Cheating (PCCC). This new commission is envisioned to someday become a cabinet level position akin to the Department of Homeland Security and will be responsible for regulating professional and collegiate sports.
According to sources, Secretary of State Condelezza Rice has expressed interest in heading up the commission; this would trump her desire to become NFL commissioner and the role of pro sports commissioners would be left in doubt.
Many believe this move would be unpopular but suggest that the commission establish a play off system in college football to gain approval. However, the exact desires of the President and plans to combat cheating will be left until after his State of the Union address.
January 22, 2008 - Washington, DC - In a shocking move
Congress has acted to prevent the New England Patriots from competing
in the Super Bowl this season; the possibility that they may rescind
their previous Super Bowl titles is “on the table” according to several
sources on Capitol Hill.
The move comes after recent moves by
Congress to eliminate steroids in baseball and sports in general. The
Congressional rationale for intervening in baseball is to prevent young
athletes from using steroids. They believe that if baseball players are
allowed to get away with it then kids will learn that you can cheat and
succeed; or worse, that cheating is the key to success.
After the Patriots defeated the Chargers a meeting of the House
Committee on Government Reform (the same committee that lead the charge
on steroids) was held and it was decided action must be taken. The
House of Representatives had passed a resolution condemning the
Patriots early Monday morning and the “True Patriots Don’t Cheat Act”
was passed by mid-day. The Senate quickly passed mirror legislation and
with the President’s approval the New England Patriots have been
removed from the February 3rd game and the San Diego Chargers put in
their place.
“The Chargers represent what’s right about America,” Representative
Duncan Hunter (R-CA) said, “LT, Philip Rivers, and Antonio Gates were
all out there injured and playing their hearts out… well LT was a
little too hurt but you know what I mean. They went out there and
played with their hearts. Those so-called ‘Patriots’ a pack of hoodlums
and cheaters. We did this today so that the children of this country
don’t get the wrong message; we want kids to know cheating doesn’t pay.”
Massachusetts Senator John Kerry (D) rebutted Hunter’s statement,
“The New England Patriots are an iconic franchise and I don’t believe
they should be prevented from playing in this game. They got caught
cheating. So what? I always say if you’re not cheating, you’re not
trying.”
Congress agreed with Representative Hunter and sent an official
reprimand to Senator Kerry before breaking for their six-week vacation
this evening. The Patriots “Spy Gate” scandal was an issue Congress
simply couldn’t ignore.
“We would be absolute hypocrites not to do this,” Illinois Senator
and Presidential Candidate Barrack Obama (D) said, “How can we as a
nation, as a people, and as a Congress attack cheating on the one hand
and reward it on the other? In the end, we can’t. It’s time to take a
stand and show our children that if you cheat you will get caught and
you will get punished.”
When asked for his feelings on the matter Presidential Candidate and
former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (R) smiled into the camera
and after a few seconds said, “Optimism.”
Fred Thompson’s (R) office said he was “taking a nap” when called for comment.
Thus far there’s been no official reaction for the NFL but Patriots
Coach Bill Belichick launched into an uncharacteristic and intelligible
tirade when asked for comment. The question now is how will fans react
to this move? Congress is betting they will applaud it, “the country is
committed to stopping cheaters from succeeding” Senator and
Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton (D-NY) said, “and so are we.”
It's very appropriate now that Tom Brady was photographed wearing
that New York Yankees hat. The New England Patriots are to football
what the Yankees once were to baseball. The most dominant team whom
every one expected to win; most despising them, many embracing them.
The Patriots are the modern day dynasty in the NFL. They have Super
Stars like Randy Moss who exemplify the so-called "Patriot Way." They
have a head coach who despises his peers and thumbs his nose at the NFL
establishment. Their cockiness and arrogance is loved by their fans and
hated by their detractors.
America's Team
I've been a Cowboys fan since I was a young kid. Back then, I
couldn't understand why so many people hated them. Now, having lived in
New England since the late 90's, I understand. It' fun to hate
dynasties. I understand why so many people hated the Cowboys back then
and how that hatred resonates to today.
The hatred for the Patriots by most football fans is now at least as
strong as hatred for the Cowboys ever was. For that, I thank the
Patriots. Now, I and the fans of other teams have a common enemy. For
years, Bills fans and Steelers fans would come together against me and
my Dallas Cowboys... but no more. Now, we all three can unite against
the Patriots' fans who surround us. Finally, I can have a civil
discussion with many of my fellow NFL viewers.
Unstoppable Patriots
The New England Patriots haven't been simply winning games, they've
been dominating them. I've never liked Bill Belichick but this season
has really taken the cake. Not only did he get a slap on the wrist for
cheating, he decided to punish the rest of the league for getting
caught.
I'm all for trying to score. I'm all for trying to win. But there is
no honor in what Belichick was doing. I didn't really believe it when
people said they were running up the score, even against the Cowboys.
After all, it's professional sports. All the Patriots were doing was
moving down the field and scoring.
Then, ironically, it was what they did to the Washington Redskins
that moved me to hatred. The Patriots had been moving the ball down the
field but were stopped at the Washington 7. The Patriots were up 38-0
and it was time for them to simply kick a field goal.
Instead, Tom Brady scrambled for a the first down and later fired a
touchdown moving the score to 45-0. Later, the Patriots were again
stopped on third down. Again they went for it on fourth down and later
Matt Cassel did the same thing. That's when I bought in to the Patriots
running up the score and finally began to legitimately hate the Patriots.
Their Luck Just Doesn't Change
Not
only are the Patriots undefeated, it seems like the forces of the world
are helping them out. They seemingly get every call and almost every
bad play some how turns itself around for them.
That being
said, I feel that the Eagles, Ravens, and Colts all have themselves to
blame for their losses. Their respective defenses held the Patriots
vaunted offense down, for a while anyway. But their offenses just
couldn't capitalize on opportunities. The Patriots defense did little
to shut any of them down and they basically stopped themselves.
For
instance, this past weekend the Ravens were pretty much dominating the
Patriots. Willis McGahee just ran all over the Pats. Even when he
wasn't running, Boller often simply dumped the ball off to him and let
him use his feet to gain yards. However, when the Patriots finally started to stack the box the Ravens kept running.
Boller
wasn't doing that bad and the Patriots have trouble covering the middle
of the field. Tight Ends and slot receivers do fairly well against them
so there's no reason why the Ravens couldn't have started to gain 5-7
yards through the air. Then when the Patriots started to cover that
additional receiver/tight end again that's when you start to run again.
Instead,
the Ravens defense would hold the Patriots to have their offense do
absolutely nothing. When are teams going to learn, no lead is safe
against the Patriots? If you give Tom Brady the chance he will lead
them on a game winning drive. In order to beat the Pats teams have to
do what the Patriots were doing earlier in the year: run up the score.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The
Steelers still appear to be in the best position to hand the Patriots a
loss. The Ravens and Eagles have carved up the defense the past couple
of weeks but have failed to punch it in when it counts. The Steelers
have the weapons to do that.
Willie Parker will have a good day
against the Pats and if they start to load the box early Hines Ward and
Heath Ward can cut them up in the middle while Santonio Holmes keeps
them honest deep.
Meanwhile, on defense the Steelers are experts
at getting pressure on the quarterback. They may have to rush 4 or 5 to
do it but they certainly can. Troy Polamalu is, as always, the X-Factor
on defense and will be pivotal to the Steelers defensive plan.
The
problem is, the Patriots haven't preformed well in two straight weeks.
The chances of it happening a third consecutive week are very slim.
Another issue is that they're going to New England and that's always a
tough place to play.
Jets and Dolphins
I'm just
going to combine these two. The only way they win is if Tom Brady,
Randy Moss, Wes Welker, and Laurance Maroney sit. Even then the games
will be close. I can guarantee that the starters won't sit against the
Jets as Belichick wants revenge on Mangenius for revealing that he was
cheating. Against the Dolphins I bet they don't sit either just because
Bill wants them to blow out two teams consecutively again.
New York Giants
I've
never believed in Eli Manning and until further notice I will continue
not to. However, at this point the first seed should be locked up for
the Pats and they just would be down right stupid to play their
starters.
Meanwhile, the Giants will be gunning for a playoff
spot and playing their New York hearts out. I think the Giants win this
game in a close one and the Patriots finish the season with one or two
losses.
Playoffs
Once the playoffs start it's really
any body's game. A healthy Colts team could defeat the Patriots but the
Patriots will be at the top of their game come playoff time. Besides
that, there are serious questions as to whether the Colts will be healthy.
The
Steelers could also beat them again but beating the Pats twice in New
England will be hard. To beat them in New England during the playoffs
will be almost impossible.
If we assume the Patriots make it to the Super Bowl then it's up to the NFC team to beat them.
It increasingly looks like either the Packers or Cowboys will be that team.
Conclusion
And
this is where my story comes full circle. In a fantastic irony America
could be relying on the once hated Dallas Cowboys to defeat the new
Goliath of the NFL. Whether or not the Cowboys can do it is a different
story.
DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis know how to put pressure on
the QB and Dallas D has tightened up since they played the Pats.
However, their coverage is still spotty and the Patriots look fully
capable of scoring at will against them. Things could be a little
different with a healthy Anthony Henry and Wade Phillips scheming to
take Williams out of coverage and have him attacking the line of
scrimmage.
Also, an important aspect could be a healthy Terry
Glenn. If Glenn can come back close to 100% and play against the
Patriots he could be a force. He'll stretch the field and open up
options for Owens, Witten, and Crayton.
Is there hope for the
good guys? A little bit. But the evil empire that is the New England
Patriots appeared unbeatable and they seem more and more like a team of
destiny.
We’re halfway through the season and I felt compelled to try my hand
again at a weekly piece. What I plan to do here is to list off my top
five NFL teams heading into this weekend. I’ll give you my reasoning
and my general feeling about the team’s.
Then I’ll list off the top five NFL teams from the following sources:
Peter Schrager, Foxsports.com; Mike McAllister, ESPN.com; Jonathan Comey, ColdHardFootballFacts.com; and Dr. Z, SI.com.
Then I’ll combine all our rankings and develop consensus rankings.
After that I’ll probably tack on some notes with additional thoughts.
Hope you enjoy and feel free to comment.
1. New England Patriots (9-0)
The reason should be obvious. Not only are they sole remaining
undefeated team in the league they have simply been dominating in their
victories. Besides the Colts game the Patriots haven’t faced a
challenge all season. Even in Dallas once they got halfway through the
third quarter the game was over.
The Patriots have a cake schedule the rest of the way and run the
risk of going undefeated. Based on Bill Belichick’s tactics late in
games that have already be won, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Brady,
Moss, Welker, etc. playing extensively in the last several games of the
season. While that may be the right way to go undefeated if Tom Brady
gets hurt in one of those unnecessary games then the Patriots historic
season will be brought to an abrupt halt.
2. Indianapolis Colts (7-1)
The Colts had the game against the Patriots. Even without Marvin
Harrison, the Colts’ offense put up enough points to over come the
league’s highest scoring team. However, Marvin Harrison’s absence ended
up costing the Colts the game. Several times the Colts came within
striking distance but could not score a TD. On play in particular, a
Gonzalez dropped ended a promising drive.
The next time these two teams meet Peyton Manning should have his
favorite weapon. If that’s the case then the Colts could easily win
that game. But they didn’t win this past Sunday and that drops them to
a very solid number 2 (really, more like 1.b.).
3. Dallas Cowboys (7-1)
The Cowboys crushed the Eagles this weekend to assert their
dominance in the NFC East. Of course, they’ve got a far greater
challenge when they travel to Giants stadium to take on the resurgent
New York Giants. This will be the battle for number one and could have
implications of home field advantage in the playoffs.
Dallas is cruising. They seem to be curing their first quarter
scoring woes and that does not bode well for opponents. Their defense
is also coming on and it appears they will finally have both starting
corners in the lineup soon. The Cowboys seem to be improving
week-to-week and they will be awfully hard to beat.
4. Green Bay Packers (7-1)
The Pack have a tough match up this week against the Vikings. Adrian
Peterson is simply ripping the league a new one and will test the young
Packers defense. On the other side of the ball the Pack are running
more but nothing that you could call a legit run game has developed.
That’s going to be a problem (or so they’ve been saying for about 5
weeks now).
As much as I love Brett Favre it seems that he’s a ticking time
bomb. As the level of competition increases the Pack will have to
answer with a running game. If they can’t then Brett could easily slip
into “Bad Favre” and the Packers season might end before the playoffs
begin. However, they certainly seem on track for the playoffs and have
a stellar defense. If they can get their run game going then they could
beat the Cowboys later this month and supplant them as the NFC’s team
to beat.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
Ben Roethlisberger threw for 5 touchdowns in the first half of last
weeks game against the Baltimore Ravens. The Pittsburgh Steelers
defense is still one of the toughest in the league. The combination of
a much stronger offense and an ever powerful defense will spell trouble
for Steelers opponents.
The Steelers appear to be the only legitimate threat left against
the Patriots in the regular season. Ben Roethlisberger is playing at
high level right now and has opened up this offense. If the defense can
attack Brady I believe that the Steelers offense can score on the Pats.
I also trust AFC teams much more than NFC teams so the Steelers get the
nod over the Giants.
- This discussion of the asterisks to be placed next to the Patriots
record if they go undefeated is ridiculous. It should be a foregone
conclusion. If we’re going to consider placing an asterisks next to
Barry Bonds’ record because we think he cheated then we must place an asterisks next to the Patriots’ (read Belichick’s) record because we know they (he) cheated.
- The best way for NBC to go green is to eliminate all the extras
around their football broadcasts. I mean, have Al Michaels do
play-by-play alone. John Madden produces enough Carbon Dioxide by
himself to melt a small ice berg, he will not be missed. Bob Costas is
an embarrassment to studio hosts everywhere and Cris Collinsworth has
to be one of the worst analysts/commentators I’ve ever heard. If NBC
just got rid of all these extras, they would reduce NBC’s carbon
footprint significantly.
In my humble opinion there are currently
three truly major sports leagues in America: Major League Baseball, the
National Football League, and the National Baseball Association. Other
organizations like the National Hockey League and NASCAR are certainly
popular but they can't lay claim on the prestige of those three.
Winning
the championship in any of those three leagues is a point of pride for
the city and region whose team does so. Usually, cities have to wait
years even decades for one of their teams to capture the ultimate
prize. Every once in a great while two teams from the same region will
win their respective league's title.
This year, rather, season
of 2007-2008 there is unique chance that three teams from the same town
will be crowned world chances. The town is, of course, Boston and the
teams are the Red Sox (MLB), the Patriots (NFL), and the Celtics (NBA).
Boston Red Sox
In
2004 the Red Sox were truly a miracle team. They came from a 3-0
deficit against the Yankees in the American League Championship Series
to win the World Series. Now, a few seasons later they are the favorite
to win another World Series.
The Colorado Rockies were on a roll
coming into this series. They had won 21 of 22 games including a one
game playoff against the San Diego Padres and consecutive sweeps of the
Phillies and the Diamondbacks. Then they ran into the jugornaut that is
the Boston Red Sox.
The chances of the Red Sox winning the series
look good. They won Game 1 handily behind excellent pitching by Josh
Becket and a high powered offense. The Red Sox scored a total of 13
runs after a lead off homer by Dustin Pedroia.
In game two the
Rockies put up a serious fight. They scored first and held the Sox
offense in check. However, Curt Schilling did his job and the early
score was the only Rockies score of the game. The Red Sox won again by
a score of 2-1.
Now, the series shifts to Colorado where the
Rockies have excelled. The Red Sox are dominant and seem to simply be
too overpowering for the upstart Rockies. However, there are plenty of
obstacles still standing in the Sox way of victory.
First, Dice-K
has been a rather shaky pitcher. Some games he pitches the way the Sox
expected when they shelled out his massive contract. Other games, he
appears no better than an average pitcher. If Dice-K pitches the way
he's capable of then the Red Sox could win easily. However, if he
doesn't pitch at the top of his game then the Rockies will quickly
regain the momentum.
Second, who is their guy for game 4?
Jonathan Lester? Does that name really inspire confidence? Sure he's a
great story, and yes he was 4-0 this season, but is he seasoned enough
to face a World Series caliber team? I have my doubts.
The Red
Sox could easily lose the next two games behind weak pitching. Not that
the Rockies pitching will be that much better (Josh Fogg, Aaron Cook)
but they're playing in Denver and they're offense can heat up at home.
Also, their team defense is excellent and if they can keep the ball in
the park they will have a great chance to win.
So, as favored as
the Red Sox are and as good as they've been playing they are in no way
guaranteed to win. Even with a 2-0 lead there is a long way to go
before the Red Sox win their second World Series title in 4 years.
New England Patriots
The
Patriots have emerged from the controversy of "Spygate" to become one
of the best offensive teams in history. Last season the Pats tried to
win another ttle using their theory that any player would excel in
their system. With no legitimate wide receiving threat the Patriots
were dismissed from the playoffs by the eventual Super Bowl champion
Indianapolis Colts.
This past off season they decided not to make
that mistake again. They traded for Wes Walker (one of the must under
rated, till now, players in the game), signed Donte Stallworth
(Philadelphia's number one receiver last season), and traded for Randy
Moss.
These three pieces have melded beautifully for the Patriots
and given their offense a spark unlike any other team in history. Tom
Brady is having a historic season with a 137.9 passer rating and has
thrown for 27 touchdowns and 2 picks.
The Patriots are lighting
up the score board (and maybe running up the score) by averaging 39.9
points per game. They are currently 7-0 and appear unstoppable.
However, they too have plenty of road blocks in their way.
First,
they must play the Indianapolis Colts. In a unique role reversal the
Patriots have been the toast of the town, crushing opponents and
looking like an offensive power house. Meanwhile, the Colts have been
quietly winning games and playing efficiently. Their defense has
silently become the best against the pass in the league and third best
overall.
These two collide on November 4th but I almost guarantee
his won't be their only meeting this year. Regardless of who wins
November 4th there's a good chance they will play again in the AFC
Championship game and the Colts could easily win that. As overpowering
as the Patriots have been, we learned from those old Patriots-Colts
games that a great defense can contain an explosive offense. That
leaves it up to the Patriot's defense to stop the Colts offense and,
unlike in years past, I'm not convinced they're up to the task.
Besides
the Colts, they also face the Pittsburgh Steelers who have also been
putting together a nice season. They are currently 4-2, scoring 26.7
points per game and have the top rated defense in the league. They are
known for creating unique blitz packages and are fully capable of
getting to Tom Brady. Again, I believe the Pittsburgh defense is
capable of slowing down the tide of the Patriots' offense but am unsure
if the Patriots' defense can do the same to the Steelers.
While
there are discussions of the Patriots going 16-0 and winning the title
that is easier said than done. As good as they've looked the Patriots
have a long way to go before they bring home another Lombardi trophy
(their 4th in 6 years). While I wouldn't bet against them I'm again not
quite ready to crown them (though every week makes that tougher).
Boston Celtics
This
is the team we know the least about. For twenty some years the Celtics
haven't had a title and haven't made a serious run for several seasons.
Then, this past offseason, the Celts traded for sharp shooter Ray Allen
and power forward Kevin Garnett. This has lead to a feeling of a return
to prominence despite the regular season not yet starting.
Paul
Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett certainly look formidable on paper
but we won't really know how good they are until they play the game.
They added a few other pieces here and there but there remains serious
questions about this team.
Even though the East is weak and a one
man show in Cleveland made it all the way to the Finals last year, the
Boston Celtics have a hard season ahead. Rajon Rondo must be an
efficient point guard and play within himself this season. The Celtics
also don't have a true center with Scot Pollard backing up Kendrick
Perkins. Recent history has shown that shoring up those two positions
may be the keys to post-season success.
If the Celtics escape the
East, and with the new "Big Three" it's almost certain they will, there
are major questions of how they would matchup against the Western
Conference Champion.
The Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, and San
Antonio Spurs are all easily better than the Celtics (again, on paper).
Teams like the Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, and Utah Jazz could
surprise everybody and get themselves in the Finals. Once there, a case
could be made that they too are better than the Boston Celtics.
Of
all the Boston teams, the Celtics have the longest road to victory. Not
only because the season has yet to begin, but also because they have
the most equal competition. We shall see if the Celtics play as good as
they appear on paper and I have the hardest time believing they will
win it all.
Conclusion
I am far from convinced the
Boston teams will sweep the Big Three Leagues. But I could easily see
the Red Sox and Patriots winning their titles. That, in and of itself,
would be a feat and something that Boston fans would revel in for years
to come. If the Celtics won too, the city of Boston would have bragging
rights it might never lose.
Whatever the case, I feel Boston has a unique opportunity this "season" and may be hence forth known as "Title Town."
Well, the Cowboys have finally lost a game. Beyond that, they
actually played a good opponent in the New England Patriots. But in
that loss, there was a lot of good to be taken from it. The defense did
an excellent job early in the game against Tom Brady.
Meanwhile, the offense moved the ball fairly well against a top-five
defense. Tony Romo also seemed to rebound from his 6-turnover
performance against the Bills and only threw a interception in the
desperate closing moments of the game.
The important question, for me, is what can I take away from this
game as a Cowboys fan? Despite being a loss I saw a lot of things I
liked but plenty of room for improvement and I'm still excited about
the Cowboys' chances.
Cowboys Offense
I have two primary complaints with the Cowboys offense.
First, they start way to slow. The Cowboys are like an old Diesel
engine; they take a long time to start up but then can run for a very
long time. The Cowboys have yet to manage a touchdown in the opening
quarter and scored only a field goal this past Sunday.
They need to change that, obviously, but first we've got to identify why they start so slow.
It could simply be a characteristic of this team (a fatal one if so)
that they need to "warm up" every game. It could also be due to play
calling, perhaps the Cowboys are less aggressive early (but I seriously
doubt that's the case). What I think the real problem is, they have no
down field threat and opponents are stacking against the run.
I've noticed the Cowboys like to come out and run it early and
often. This would be nice except that their running game is rather
anemic until late in the game. The Cowboys have no down field threat so
teams stack the box and receive Julius Jones with open arms.
There are a couple remedies to this. First, Terry Glenn's return
will help by default. His speed is a threat and teams will respect it.
I guarantee if they don't respect him in the first game he's back
(testing his surgically repaired knee) they will get burned. Glenn will
help open things up for the running backs.
Second, the Cowboys could try a little "West-Coast" variety in the
opening minutes. Maybe role the backs out into the flats or have them
barely cross the line of scrimmage and toss them the ball for 3-4 yard
completions. This will advance the ball and force defenses to spread
out. It should also help them get their offensive charge going sooner.
Finally, they could obviously come out throwing and throwing deep.
While they don't have a deep threat that makes safeties sit back on
their heels they have enough speed and fire power to get down field
quickly. A flea-flicker on the second or third play of the game could
really open up a chance for Terrell Owens or Sam Hurd to get down field
and come up with a long completion. This would at least stoke the fires
early.
Cowboys Defense
The more and more I watch the Cowboys' Defense the more I like it. They seem to be really
getting what Wade Phillips is preaching and acting upon it. They got to
Brady multiple times on Sunday and their pass rush is really picking
up. Greg Ellis' return has played a huge part in that and he's gotten
to the quarterback in every game he's played.
DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer are also attacking from the edges
and adding pressure to opposing offenses. The defense is also covering
fairly well downfield with Anthony Henry out and Terrence Newman still
not at 100%. However, this shows that once their two starting corner's
are back to full health they can have confidence in Jacques Reeves to
be tough to throw against.
They also have Tank Johnson on the way. While he is undersized for a
traditional nose tackle in a 3-4, his aggressiveness will help him in
Phillips' system. More importantly, he'll be able to give Jay Ratliff
some rest and keep him fresher as the game wears on. If Tank can flash
even some of his promise then the Cowboys pass rush could be excellent.
DeMarcus Ware
DeMarcus Ware's maturation is also a huge plus. While some
criticized the Cowboys for taking Ware over Merriman I believe Ware is
the more complete player. For instance, after sacking Brady the
Patriots tried to use Ware's aggressiveness against him.
They ran a play they love, a screen pass, which entailed the
offensive line basically abandoning Brady on one side. Brady then drops
back, drawing the defense with him, and then dumps the ball off at the
last second. They did this and DeMarcus Ware had a clear avenue to
Brady.
Rather than take it, however, Ware smelled out the play and stayed
with (I believe) Kevin Faulk. As defenders closed on him and Faulk
struggled to get free, Brady was forced to attempt a pass to him.
However, Ware's presence ruined what is often a huge play for the
Patriots and forced them to punt the ball away.
Tony Romo
Say what you will about Romo, I believe in him. He showed poise in
this game and kept his head (answering critics after his terrible
performance against the Bills). He managed the game when the Cowboys
had the ball and still showed he can make plays.
Romo has the arm, has the legs, and more importantly (I think) has
the heart. He has absolute confidence in himself and isn't afraid to
keep throwing. He believes in his team and in Jason Garrett's offense.
Romo has shown that he has "it" and I believe he can truly lead this
team. With his continued development and all the weapons the Cowboys
have I see good things in the Cowboys (and Romo's) future.
Jason Witten
The best tight end nobody knows about is having a great season. He
has 32 receptions for 454 yards and 4 touchdowns. He's an effective
weapon for the Cowboys across the middle and displays great hands and
toughness.
More importantly, he has filled the voided left by Terry Glenn.
While he obviously doesn't stretch the field like Glenn he has become a
legitimate threat and defenses have to scheme against him. Along side
Terrell Owens he gives defenses fits and has proven to be one of the
Cowboys' most consistent players.
Coming Improvement
On offense the Cowboys promise to improve. As stated, they haven't
been striking early and I'm sure the coaching staff is hard at work on
correcting that. But they also have Terry Glenn's impending return.
Glenn has been out with a knee injury but had some cartelidge
removed so he could come back this season. Once he is healthy, his
speed will add another threat to the Cowboys arsenal. Terry Glenn could
stretch the field while Terrell Owens, Jason Witten, and Patrick
Crayton have proven they can make plays on a short field. Lining up
Glenn and Owens on one side and then Witten and Crayton on the other
could pose serious problems for defenses.
On the defensive side of the ball the Cowboys also stand to improve.
For one thing, Terrence Newman (regarded as their number one corner)
isn't at full strength. He's still getting himself back into shape and
working himself into Wade Phillips' version of the 3-4. Once he gets to
full strength and confidence he has shown he can shut down some of the
best receivers in the league and will force opposing QB's to throw
elsewhere.
Anthony Henry will be patrolling that "elsewhere" and could cause
offense's to turn to option number three. Before going out with an
ankle injury, he was leading the league with 4 interceptions. He also
had a high number of pass deflections and was making a serious case for
why he should be called the Cowboys' true number one CB. With a healthy
Newman on one side and a healthy Henry on the other offenses will have
difficulties getting the ball to their receivers.
Finally, Tank Johnsons' presence I don't think can be emphasized
enough. If for no other reason than the fact that he will give Jay
Ratliff some rest. But I think he'll have a bigger impact than that.
His aggressiveness will benefit from Phillips' style and allow him
to get into the backfield and make plays. He's also going to have a
chip on his shoulder and be looking to prove the Bears wrong for giving
up on him. This motivation should not be underestimated.
If the Cowboys pass rush continues to improve and they can settle
into a strong rotation on the defensive line and the D-B's return to
full health the Cowboys defense will be a tough one to play against.
Conclusion
While the Cowboys lost a game there was a lot of promise in that
game. There is also some comfort to be taken in knowing that they're
going to be getting more talent as the season wears on. If the Cowboys
can maintain their advantages and improve on their deficiencies then I
wouldn't hand the Lombardi Trophy over to the AFC quite yet.
After failing to even post the second edition of The Morning After, I’ve gotten the crazy idea that I should try another weekly piece.
This time, I think I’ll try to rank the top five teams as of this
week. While early in the season this is an easier task, I hope to have
more controversial picks as time goes on.
Hopefully, I’ll find time this weekend to actually watch the Sunday Night game and complete a post for Monday morning.
I don’t care about any of this, “you gotta beat the champs,” none
sense. Do you really believe the Patriots aren’t the best team in the
league? I mean, the Patriots have been clicking on both sides of the
ball and have man handled their opponents almost effortlessly.
While their opponents do have a combined record of 4-12 the Patriots
performance can not be denied. The defense is as stingy as ever and the
offense is more prolific than it every has been. Statistically, this team is second in total offense (having been supplanted by Dallas only this week) and first in total defense.
The Patriots are dominating and could make a serious run at 19-0.
However, that’s highly improbable and I expect they’ll have at least
one bump along the road. That being said, until I see otherwise, the
Patriots are the team to beat.
The defending champs are undefeated and, yet, are still playing
second fiddle to the Patriots. A drubbing of the Patriots (or a grind
out win for that matter) on November 4th would go a long way to putting
them back on top. In fact, if they remain unbeaten through that game
then they’d obviously be the top team in the NFL.
But the Colts aren’t exactly dominating teams like they have in the
past. Their games are tight and they’ve had to come from behind a
couple times this season. In fact, they appear more like the Patriots a
couple years ago in their attempt to control the ball and beat the
team’s with stoic defense.
The Colts are still one of the best teams in the NFL but I can’t
deny what I see when I watch the Patriots. Until I see a chink in the
Pats’ armor, the Colts are still in their shadow.
The Cowboys have been downright prolific. Their offense is the best
in the league and Tony Romo looks like he’s been playing in the league
for years. Terrell Owens is quiet after the game but makes plenty of
noise during it. Jason Witten is also making his way back into the NFL
limelight and Marion Barber is a stud.
The defense, meanwhile, is getting better each week. In fact, they
held the Rams without a touchdown (St. Louis’ lone score coming on a
kick return). While that’s not a great feat the little things the
defense is doing are improving. Greg Ellis is back on the field, as is
Terence Newman, in a reduced role and defensive line is upping its
tempo.
The scary part about the Cowboys is they only promise to get better.
Terry Glenn is aiming for a mid season return and would add a whole new
dimension to the Cowboys stellar offense. Tank Johnson is preparing to
join the defense, with a major chip on his shoulder, and hopefully
provide some help on that d-line.
The Cowboys opponents are a combined 3-13 but they, like the Pats,
have been playing some simply outstanding football. They have the Bills
this week and once they get through that we’ll have a clash of titans
on October 14 when the Pats come to town.
Brett Favre looks like Brett Farve circa 1996. The guy has been
making plays and his young receivers haven’t let him down. He’s now the
touchdown king and more importantly the Packers are 4-0. What’s truly
impressive is that the Packers are the youngest team in the league and
they are winning with virtually no running game.
The Packers defense is proving itself as the new cornerstone of this
team. They stuff the run and play the pass well. They put plenty of
pressure on the QB and play with the fire of youth and smarts of
experience.
The Packers first real test won’t come until October 29 when they
play the Broncos and I wouldn’t be surprised if they go the longest
without a loss. The Packers are much better than we thought and now the
only question is how good are they? The sky appears to be the limit but
I really think their ceiling is lower than the Cowboys’.
Afraid I have to agree with the consensus, the Steelers are one of
the best teams in the league. They lost to Arizona in, what I consider,
a fluke game (they were without Hines Ward) and I think it was one of
the Steelers bumps this year.
Big Ben’s been looking good this year. He’s spreading the ball
around and moving like he did in their Super Bowl year. The offense has
been opened up and Roethlisberger appears to be up for the task. The
defense is still preforming well and are statistically the second best
total defense in the league.
As time goes on, they’ll still be a team to beat. Unless the injury
bug plagues them again they’ll be in this thing near the end. They
still have Seattle, New England, Baltimore, and (dare I say it)
Cleveland on the slate. If they can get by all those opponents, or at
least put on a good showing, they’ll be in this thing deep into the
post-season.
There is pretty strong consensus among the top five. The only real
dissension is whether the Colts or Pats are number one and whether the
Seahawks or Steelers belong in the fifth slot.
Well, there’s always room for debate and I’m hoping that space gets
bigger after next week. Several upsets this past weekend shook things
up some but given time and the disagreements should grow. Thanks for
checking it out and please feel free to leave your own top five.
This was going to go into the “Bad” section until I read that a “minor miracle” appears to have occurred.
In case you haven’t quite heard the story, during the kickoff
following the halftime of the Bills-Broncos game last weekend, Tight
End Kevin Everett lowered his head to make a tackle. That tackle turned
into a helmet-to-helmet collision with Domenick Hixon.
Besides twitched Kevin Everett remained mostly motionless for about
15 minutes and was loaded, immobilized, into an ambulance. Unlike so
many similar scenes, Everett did not give the customary thumbs up.
As of Monday, the outlook on his situation was bleak. A surgeon even
said he felt that the Tight End would probably never walk again. He
said the injury was potentially life threatening and was at best
“catastrophic.”
However, as of Tuesday evening the outlook had changed completely.
Apparently, Everett has regained voluntary movement in his arms and
legs.
The reversal has been dramatic. When I first read about this story I
thought this was a horrible situation. Now, it appears this may be a
miracle. Kevin Everett, if he has indeed regained motion in his arms
and legs could literally be walking in a matter of months. Will he ever
play in the league again? Absolutely not.
The injury will be a weak spot for him the rest of his life. I
wouldn’t be surprised if he has to walk with a cane the rest of his
life. That, however, is far better than what they were suggesting on
Monday.
I heard a report about some kind of special gel being applied to him
soon after the injury. Upon searching the Internet I haven’t found any
mention of it, so if someone finds a link please leave it.
Whatever the case if Kevin Everett is able to walk again then it will be good for him and his family.
The Bad
The Browns, the Browns, the Browns. We all knew they were bad heading into the season but did we really think they would be thisbad?
After getting simply smacked by the Steelers, the Browns traded their starting Quarter Back. Two questions:
1. Does anybody really think Romeo Crennel will be coaching this team next season?
2. What are the odds on the Browns going 0-16?
Officially, Derek Andersen was the number two QB and it can be
assumed is the starter for next week. However, there are rumors that
Brady Quinn could be preparing to make his Browns debut.
Personally, I’m not sure it will really matter. The Browns look so
bad on both sides of the ball they should be bumped back down to NCAA
Division I-AA (or whatever the hell they call it now).
The Browns epitomize “bad” and every coach on that team should be
looking for a new job. I wouldn’t be surprised if Romeo Crennel is gone
by week 6. The Browns should be looking at Bill Cowher, Marty
Schottenheimer, Jon Gruden, Denny Green, or even Bill Parcells and
preparing to make the first pick in the 2008 draft…wait…never mind, the
Cowboys should be preparing for that.
The Ugly
A couple weeks back I commented on how the “Patriot Way” was a bunch of garbage.
Now, the Patriots have proven that you can pretty much take what
little belief remained in the Patriot Way and flush it down the toilet.
Turns out, not only are Patriots’ players cheaters, so is the entire organization.
Now, I think Rodney Harrison’s infraction was fairly minor but a
serious blow to a team and organization that claims itself righteous.
The bigger blow, by far, has to be allegations that the NFL believes
the New England Patriots videotaped the Jets sidelines in an attempt to steal signals.
This isn’t the first time the Patriots have faced these kinds of
accusations. Last season Packers officials made a Patriots employee who
didn’t have the proper credentials put away his video camera. This
incident has done nothing but fuel the fire of LaDanian Tomlinson’s
hatred fro the Patriots as he said the following, “I think the Patriots
actually live by the saying, ‘If you’re not cheating, you’re not
trying.’”
And apparently there’s been worry of the Patriot Way for a while now. In this
article from Boston.com, the Packers had received the heads up before
hand, “‘From what I can remember, he had quite a fit when we took him
out,’ Packers president Bob Harlan told Mortensen. ‘We had gotten word
before the game that they did this sort of thing, so we were looking
for it.’”
The popular theory in New England is that a vast right-wing
conspiracy has been launched by the “Man-Genius.” Another popular
excuse is that “lot’s of other teams are doing it” and a fan
interviewed during the Fox 25 News at 10 on Tuesday night uttered the
exact phrase LT mentioned: “If you’re not cheating you’re not trying.
Go Pats!” Needless to say, Patriots’ fans appear to be shrugging off
the mantle of class that they had placed on their team and smiling with
that “whatever” look on their faces.
The Patriots have been heralded by fans and commentators alike for
“doing it the right way.” Now, it appears not only are they like every
other team, maybe they're even worse. The Patriot Way may be the way of
cheaters everywhere and prove that the best way to the top is to screw
everyone else in your way.
Their titles can not be taken away, neither can the fact that
they’re a great team. But all the success has a taint now and in the
history books many asterisks’ will appear next to their victories.
Well, well, well. Turns out American players may actually grasp the
game of basketball. After watching the NBA I seriously doubted it as
the best team is also one of the most international.
However, it seems that Team USA has been dominating competition in the FIBA Tournament of the Americas.
The United States is forced to qualify for the Olympics in Beijing next
near (something that should embarrass ever sports loving American) and
appear to be well on their way to doing so. The only legitimate
competition appears to be coming from Argentina who is currently also
undefeated.
The Argentine squad is not all it could be. When looking over their roster, only two names pop out (because only two of them play in the NBA): Carlos Delfino and Luis Scola.
And to say that Luis Scola has “played” in the NBA is a misnomer. He
was drafted but spent time in Spain because of his commitments there,
he’ll be playing this season for Houston but, to the best of my
knowledge, that will be his NBA debut.
The US should still roll this team. While they’ll be tougher than
the likes of Puerto Rico and even Brazil (not exactly pushovers) they
will be nothing like their final makeup. Manu Ginobili and Adres Nocioni highlight those missing from this Argentine roster but there’s also someone like Fabricio Oberto
to consider. In probably the greatest sign of how far we have fallen,
Argentina has no need to include their top talent because they’ve
already qualified for the Olympics and we have not.
While some people look at the additions that will come in the
Olympics and laugh but that’s the exact attitude that has landed us in
this situation. Role players like Oberto are terribly underrated in the
NBA and American basketball. David Stern’s offense happy policy is a
big reason for it and yet ever year the team with the best role players
wins the big one. That’s a lesson we’ve got to learn if we’re going to
win in the real dance.
We have the talent, obviously. There aren’t players any where in the
world as good as ours. That’s why I’m glad our All-Stars are playing
this tournament. To compete in the real tournament they need to learn
to play like a team and learn to be role players. They seem to be
learning that lesson and our chances of reclaiming our honor are very
good.
The Bad: Patriot Way
For a long time we’ve been talking about the so-called “Patriot Way.”
From sportscasters to fans everyone’s been talking about how the Pat’s
do thing the “right way” and how “different” they are from all the
other teams in the league. Of course, it was garbage then and is
garbage now.
Asante Samuel has ended his holdout
and will return to the Patriots. Samuel has skipped both the offseason
workouts and training camp but will no doubt be placed in the starting
lineup for this week’s preseason finale.
But the Patriots don’t operate like that right? I mean, they traded Terry Glenn because of his off-the-field issues. Then they cut Lawyer Milloy after he demanded more money and did the same with Ty Law. Finally, when Deion Branch
demanded a new, more lucrative contract the Patriots refused to talk to
him. Then they dared him to negotiate terms with other teams and
grudgingly traded him to the Seattle Seahawks for a first-round pick
(after demanding two first-rounders).
The Patriots demanded loyalty to the point of sacrifice. Personal
finances were a small matter when considering what they owed the team.
Only classy, selfless players were welcomed onto the roster and the
genius Bill Belichick could turn any player into a great one. With Tom
Brady on the offense and a mix of talented players on the D the
Patriots didn’t need any big-headed “superstars.”
All that has been proven wrong recently. The Patriots did well without any big name receivers but even Tom Brady voiced his displeasure with the situation. The Patriots tried to correct that by signing Wes Welker, Donte Stallworth, and trading for Randy Moss. They also sought to beef up their defense by signing the biggest name on the market in linebacker Adalius Thomas.
This represents a huge departure from the “Patriot Way.” While Wes
Welker’s quiet but effective style fits in perfectly with the way the
Patriots supposedly do things, Donte Stallworth and Randy Moss
certainly do not. Both have had their share of issues off-the-field and
both have cried boo on their team more than once. Randy Moss,
especially, is an interesting case.
Moss is notorious for being all about Randy Moss and quiting on his
team when it suited him. He has stated that he only plays when he wants
to and that doesn’t seem like an attitude that fits on the
business-like Patriots. Finally, he’s skipped most of training camp and
the preseason but no doubt will start the first game of the season,
throwing out that whole “if you don’t practice you don’t play” none
sense I’ve been hearing from the New England talk shows.
While these same sportscasters and fans will try to rewrite history
and say the Patriots have to get talent I have listened to them for
years talking about how different the Patriots are. Now, all that’s
been thrown out the window as the Patriots are showing they are just
like every other team in the NFL. They do business but when the chips
are down, they’ll cave to players they need.
The Patriot Way is a myth that should be buried once and for all.
The Pats are like any other team, if not more selfish. Use a player
until they’re no longer useful then cut them loose. There’s an uproar
when a player demands more money as he nears or hit his peak and
reports of him being “selfish” and “un-Patriotic” for demanding more
money. However, once a player has played for the Pats for 7 or more
years and starts slumping there is no anger when the Belichick bunch
shove him out the door.
The Patriots are just another NFL team. They are good, no doubt, but
this illusion that they do things so differently for everyone else
needs to be forgotten. They do business just like everyone else,
signing players they think will help them and cutting players they
think won’t. They want to win a Super Bowl and they’ll put up with the
likes of Moss to do so…just like everybody else.
The Ugly: Lance Briggs
Unlike virtually everybody else, I supported Lance Briggs‘ attempts to fight the Franchise Tag. Lance Briggs
was viewed as arguably the top linebacker available. He was slapped
with the Franchise Tag, which would give him about $7 million for one
year. Meanwhile, Adalius Thomas signed a deal with the Pats for about
$70 million for several years. Briggs wanted job security and more
money and felt he was robbed of that by the Tag.
He felt he wasn’t being allowed to capitalize on a great season and
that if he slumped this season (or even worse suffered a career ending
injury) he would be left out in the cold. So, he held out, threatening
to do so until the tenth game of the season, and the war with the Bears
began.
Ultimately, he signed that one-year deal
after he realized he couldn’t beat the man and will be on the field for
the Bears this year (assuming that career ending injury doesn’t
happen). Then the other night he wreaked his car, which could have
resulted in that career ending injury (if not life ending).
It didn’t and Lance Briggs walked away ok. While I think this is a
good demonstration of why he was so mad about getting the tag most
would see this as making him more appreciative. Had Briggs been
seriously hurt he would’ve received all $7 million of his deal. That’s
nothing to the roughly $20 million he could’ve gotten on the market but
I digress.
The real issue is why did he lie about it? After wreaking the car
Briggs says he called a tow truck then called the cops. What he told
the cops is what’s confusing, he reported his car stolen. While he
quickly rescinded that claim it still begs the question of why? He had
committed no crime by simply wreaking his car. Maybe he was driving too
fast but the cops couldn’t prove it and give him a ticket. His
insurance premiums would go up and there would be some questions but
most people were just happy he was ok.
So why tell they cops your car was stolen? Nerves? If I got into a
wreak I would probably call my family first, then a tow truck, and
maybe an ambulance depending on how bad the wreak was. I would probably
be shaken up but that wouldn’t cause me to lie to the 911 operator, I
would just admit to the wreak.
Briggs didn’t hit anyone and was luck to get away unharmed so why lie? That’s where this gets interesting. Now he has
committed a crime and raised some eyebrows. In the wake of the Vick and
Pacman Jones’ cases Briggs will be scrutinized. One can only assume
Goodell has launched his sent his crack team of investigators to the
scene and the cops are probably taking a closer look at things.
If it turns out Briggs was drunk or had drugs in the car or something else this situation could blow up fast. Briggs explanation was very confusing and it seemed like he was simply rambling his way through it and simply raises more questions.
Had this happened any other year it wouldn’t be as big a story. This
year, however, with every NFL player being under the microscope things
could go south fast. The NFL is, no doubt, already looking at this
closely and I assume the cops are too. For Briggs’ and the Bears and,
quite frankly, us I hope nothing sinister is going on. Briggs’ actions,
however, make me su####ious and have me preparing for yet another
scandal.
So according to ESPN Daunte Culpepper was released today.
The question now is, who will sign him?
Most
of the speculation focuses on Jacksonville. Coach Jake Del Rio isn't
exactly enamored with either Leftwitch or Gerrard so there's been a
lot of talk about them. St. Louis and Baltimore have both been
mentioned but I'm pretty sure they'll both pass (Culpepper's going to
want to start and have starting money).
If it were anybody else I
would say that Minnesota was a possibility but not for Culpepper, he
couldn't get away fast enough. But there are two teams that I think
should be very interested.
Probably the two most talked about disgruntled players in the NFL lately are Daunte Culpepper and Lance Briggs. Both players feel like the teams they are with have treated them unfairly. One suffered a career threatening injury and was looking forward to a new start on South Beach. The other vastly outperformed his rookie contract and was hoping to get a long term contract as a reward.
Instead Daunte Culpepper was rushed back onto the field and struggled through the four games he played and had many doubting if he'd ever be back to his old self. He got into arguments with the head coach as was forced to watch as former competitor Joey Harrington lead his team.
Meanwhile, Lance Briggs came within sixty minutes of a championship. After the Bears lost Briggs was ready to sign his deal and move along with the Bears. They were within striking distance of a title and Briggs wanted to help lead them to it. When he was slapped with the franchise tag most football fans felt he was getting what he deserved, the title of the "Franchise" and a salary of $7.2 million. He only got the contract for one year, however, and Briggs felt his value was far greater.
Daunte Culpepper
There once was a time when the name Daunte Culpepper stirred up anger and respect in the hearts of Chicago Bears fans. Shortly after the turn of the century, Culpepper displayed the type of play that merited a first round selection. He combined his rocket arm with a dynamic rushing ability. In that first season (as a starter) he threw for almost 4,000 yards, passed for 33 touchdowns, rushed for 4 more, and only threw 16 interceptions.
Culpepper's career has ebbed and flowed since then. He struggled the next two seasons and had an epic season in 2004. Culpepper threw for 4,717 yards, 39 touchdowns, and only 11 interceptions. He also set a new NFL record of combined yards rushing and passing at 5,123 yards. Then the bottom fell out.
The 2005 season was a disaster for Culpepper. Before sustaining a season ending knee injury in the fourth game of the season Culpepper had thrown 6 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and 5 fumbles. Some believed he could rebound from his struggles and this included the Miami Dolphins.
Having a solid defense they believed they were only a Quarterback away from a title run. When they picked up Culpepper some experts stated they would be the first team to play a home Super Bowl. Of course, things didn't work out that way. He struggled, rushing back from his injury, and was yanked from the starting lineup. Then, after the season concluded, the Dolphins traded for Trent Green to be their new starting Quarterback.
Lance Briggs
Lance Briggs has become one of the best Linebackers in the league. Though most people would be over shadowed by the prolific Brian Urlacher he has thrived. Besides leading the team in tackles in his first season, he has helped the Bears come within sight of their ultimate goal.
He also served as an emotional leader for the Bears. Next to Brian Urlacher he was one of the leaders of the defense and the team. Only a few years into his career and many believe he is among the elite in the league. His friend Brian Urlacher agreed and made it clear he would take a pay cut to keep Briggs on the team.
The Bears appeared poised to lock up Briggs and keep their dynamic Linebacker duo together for years to come. Then, they slapped him with the franchise tag. Rather than negotiate based on his season, which would've resulted in a huge contract for several years, the Bears bet that his up coming season wouldn't be as fruitful. The Bears wanted to tag him and wait until negotiating conditions were better for them.
That's allowed but what recourse do the players have? Amid cries of outrage from Americans who would love to get paid that money for a year Briggs has announced he will sit out 10 games if necessary. Apparently, the blood between the two sides is so bad that the situation is unsalvagable. In that case the Bears own the rights to an outstanding player who will walk away next year.
Killing Two Birds with One Stone
My solution for these two teams is to swap their malcontents. The Chicago Bears still have huge questions about Rex Grossman. Given his performance in the Super Bowl and much of last season I wouldn't bet the franchise on him. The Bears still have Kyle Orton (who showed some promise) and Brian Griese (who is a proven backup) so adding Culpepper doesn't bet the franchise on him either.
If they got Culpepper they start Rex and see how he performed during the beginning of the season. This would give Culpepper additional time to rehab his various injuries while keeping him engaged in the normal activities of the team. Then if Grossman struggles, insert Culpepper and see if he can resurrect his 2004 self. Plus, it will give them negotiating leverage against Grossman when his contract expires after this season.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins would unload a headache and gain a great team player and a stellar Linebacker. They run a 4-3, like most teams, and could have a starting lineup of Lance Briggs, Zach Thomas, and Joey Porter. Combined with the rest of their existing defense Briggs would be near unstoppable. Plus, he could assume control of this team once Thomas and Jason Taylor pack it up.
To sweeten the deal the Dolphins could throw in promising young line backer Channing Crowder (who they selected with a draft pick they, ironically, got from the Bears).
Conclusion
I believe these moves would improve both teams and eliminate their current issues. Culpepper will never play for the Dolphins again as he feels used and then tossed aside. Briggs has said he will never play for the Bears again and the relationship appears irreparable.
The Dolphins would get a veteran Linebacker with a huge chip on his shoulder; the Bears would get a real contingency to Grossman. I personally feel that Grossman is notan elite Quarterback while Culpepper has the potential to be. If Culpepper returns to form imagine what the Bears could be.
I think the relevant GM's should be considering this move. It would certainly help them both sleep better at night and might calm down the ever stressed fans of their respective franchises. If this went through I feel it would help make a possible match-up between the Bears and Dolphins in the Super Bowl.
really
getting what Wade Phillips is preaching and acting upon it. They got to
Brady multiple times on Sunday and their pass rush is really picking
up. Greg Ellis' return has played a huge part in that and he's gotten
to the quarterback in every game he's played.
