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.
Everybody's saying how the Raiders should snap up Jamarcus Russell like he's the hottest commodity since fire. Well, not everybody. Read this mock draft, for instance.
But it's something I've been thinking about for a bit. Calvin Johnson by all reports is a physical freak. Supposedly out jumping the machine designed to measure vertical leap among other feats. He's reportedly by far the best player in the Draft and best receiver in years.
If all this is true, and it appears to be, and Johnson is really such a phenom then the Raiders would be stupid to pass on him. They need a top receiver and pairing him with Joey Porter could do wonders.
Then, of course, theres the question of quarterback in Oakland. The Aaron Brooks experiment failed miserably and Andrew Walter appeared lost in that dysfunctional offense. They'll need someone smart and tough; someone who can make the reads quickly and get the ball to Porter and Johnson.
That's why I think the Raiders should trade Randy Moss to Kansas City for Trent Green.
That's right, trade him to division opponents and watch him eat away at their soft core as he did in Oakland. Green's still a good Quarterback and would give Oakland a few years to find that marquee QB.
They've just singed Dominic Rhodes to compliment LaMont Jordan and their one-two punch should give the offense a little more power next season. If they start shoring up their line then they could address their QB situtation and get rid of a cancer at the same time. Maybe even get a draft pick out of it.
If they did this then they would get the best player in the draft, get rid of Moss, get a quality Quarterback (not a franchise QB, they're aiming too high right now), and give teams someone to worry about opening up more room for Porter.
With the Raiders Defense all the offense needs to do is score at least a couple touchdowns a game (something they couldn't do last season) and control the ball. With this running combination, talented receivers, and savy QB they would have a shot at being near .500 next season.
Heading in to last night I wasn't too interested in the actual victor of the game. I was leaning towards the Bears because I like Brian Urlacher but my heart and soul weren't exactly tied to the outcome.
So I went out and was quickly surrounded by the New England faithful. While their team wasn't in it, they still wanted to partake in the Super Bowl festivities. At this point, I was still rooting for the Bears but that began to quickly change. After the Colts scored their first Touchdown out trots Adam Vinatieri to kick the extra point.
For years Vinatieri had been a hero in New England. He who had begun the Patriots' Dynasty by nailing a kick on a snowy New England day against the Oakland Riaders. The man who had come out and capped the Patriots' first Super Bowl after the Rams had battled back. The man who accounted for more clutch kicks then perhaps any other kicker in history.
I had many discussions about how Adam Vinatieri was the heart and soul of the New England Patriots. Then when his contract was up the Patriots showed him how much they valued him by "franchising" him. They signed him to a one year deal and ensured no other team could take him. "Great," I thought, "He deserves to get paid."
Then the next year they did the same thing. Again they signed him to a one-year deal while not allowing other teams to pursue him. Then they did the unthinkable. They failed to franchise him, they failed to sign him to a long term deal (I thought he'd retire a Patriot) and they began playing hard ball with the iconic kicker.
Personally, I was happy when he signed a long term deal with Indianapolis. The Patriots didn't want to pay him that extra money but most especially didn't want to sign him long-term. They signed him to two one year deals and then when they felt he was done, let him go. Gostkowski did well enough, but Vinatieri is an icon.
So Vinatieri did the smart thing. Signed the long-term, high paying contract to kick for the Indianapolis Colts...indoors. He went 25-28 (89.3%) for field goals during the regular season and was 14-15 (93.3%) on field goals in the post season.
When Vinatieri came out one would expect perhaps some light praise. The kind sprinkled onto a player who has meant so much to a franchise and then left to seek greater glory (money) elsewhere. Instead, as the snap was bobbled I hear cries of "TACKLE HIM!" and "HURT HIM" and "BREAK HIS LEG" from the New England faithful.
The drunks shouting this things also cheered vociferously when he pushed a field goal wide left. These same fans, drunk only a few short years before, surely cheered equally loudly when he won New England the Super Bowl and spoke of how he was the greatest kicker to play the game.
In that moment, as I heard those around me calling for physical pain and possible career ending injuries to be inflicted upon Vinatieri, I became a Colts fan. If only for a night, if only to shut up those people I began rooting for Adam Vinatieri. I was hoping the game would come down to a field goal and he'd nail the game winner, just to watch those people's faces.
I'm happy this morning that the Colts won. Brian Urlacher is great, but Vinatieri deserved it. He deserved to pay back all those fans who probably complain about their own wages and are resentful for his departure. All those fans who feel their being disrespected at work, are surprised when he opts to sign a long-term contract instead of another a one-year "wait and see" deal.
And so, to me last night, was a victory for Vinatieri and his revenge on those who felt he was so easily discarded. This was Vinatieri's revenge and I was glad he got it.
In his article Shein talks about Herman Edwards to begin with and how he is a great motivator. His point is that Herm has begun to establish in the player’s minds, that everyone is betting against them. This theme of “no respect” has worked for years and was the anthem of the Patriots’ Dynasty.
Then he moves on to discussing Larry Johnson and Peyton Manning. There’s not question these two players are the faces of their respective teams. There’s also no question the play of these two will determine the outcome. No argument there.
But then he says the fourth key is Dwight Freeney. Right here is where I disagree.
Don’t get me wrong, Freeney is excellent and will cause the Chiefs’ Offense some serious problems. But I think another free-agent Defensive Linemen will cause the Colts bigger issues.
His name is Jared Allen and he has 7.5 sacks this season to go along with 65 tackles and 1 interception. In my Quick Picks I said the Chiefs would beat the Cotls. More over I said Ty Law would intercept Manning and return it for a touchdown.
Why? Why would the greatest Quarter Back in the league throw an interception to Ty Law?
Because the Chiefs will pressure Peyton. This kid Allen will be attacking him all afternoon. They’re already feeling like they’re against the world and the chance to knock off the Colts will fan the flame.
The Colts can’t attack Trent Green like that. Why? Because they’ll have to hang back to watch Larry Johnson. Even if they strike at Green he has one of the best Tight End’s in the game to drop the ball off to. That caution will cost them as the Chiefs eat up yardage and the clock.
The Chiefs will win the game by Allen getting to Manning and putting continual pressure on him. They’ll control the ball and score plenty of touchdowns. Manning will get nervous late, playing catchup, and getting pressured by Allen. He will make a key mistake and lose the game.
And that’s why Jared Allen and not Dwight Freeney will be the fourth key to victory.
So the playoffs are set. There will be some good games in the AFC and some interesting ones in the NFC. I'll be truly shocked if the AFC teams doesn't win the Super Bowl and I think the NFC can only win if there's a perfect storm of poor play on the AFC team's part.
On to the Picks!
Kansas City Chiefs 38
Indianapolis 34
This should be a high scoring bout. Both teams have, shall we say, an emphasis on offense. But I think the determining factor will be Indianapolis' rush defense against Kansas City's rushing offense. I think the Kansas passing offense can stack up against the Colts' Defense. In the end though I think what will seal the game will be a key defensive play. That play will be Ty Law picking off Peyton Manning and returning it for a touchdown.
Seattle Seahawks 34
Dallas Cowboys 17
The Cowboys utter lack o####ame plan plus having absolutely no-desire minus pressure on Matt Hasselback equals a big Seattle win. The Seahawks aren't looking beautiful heading in the playoffs but I don't think anybody's looking worse than the Cowgirls.
The Seahawks are superior to the Cowboys in every aspect of the game and this one's over by halftime.
New England Patriots 14
New York Jets 10
The Patriots and Jets split the season series, winning on the others turf. The Patriots won't lose to the Jets twice at Foxboro. They'll be looking to hurt somebody and their defense will come up big. The Jets surprised everybody this season but the Patriots are still the better team. This one will be close though and should be an intense and fun game to watch.
Philadelphia Eagles 24
New York Giants 14
The Eagles are possibly the hottest team in football right now. The Giants showed some fight against the Redskins and won the game. But there were still several times in the game when it just felt like the Giants were going to lose. I think they've lost confidence in themselves while the Eagles have a new found swagger with Jeff Garcia.
So there's the quick picks so far. No real surprises except for KC over Indy, which I also expect to be the best game to watch. Pats-Jets could be entertaining and you never know if Tiki Barber will show up and pound on the Eagles to avoid retirement.
So, we're a weekend removed from the all-important Thanksgiving Day feast.
And where we are now is a place, I think, few of us thought we'd be in when we were thinking about this season. I bet most people placed the Steelers solidly in the playoff race and some even had them edging 'Natti for division title. Most probably also thought the Dolphins were shoe-in's for the post season. Many, including experts who are paid to do this stuff that us Fox Sports bloggers do for free, granted in the hope that there will be monetray reward should we somehow win the Next Great Sports Writer Contest, but let's face it, for most of us, like me, there's no chance of that happening,,,....
Anyway, many experts even had them leap-frogging the New England Patriots for the AFC East title and becoming the first "home" Super Bowl team. Those same experts, for the second consecutive year, picked the Carolina Panthers to solidly win the NFC as the "most complete" team in the NFL. But, as usual, our expectations were mostly incorrect and now we must deal with the reality of the situation.
Ah, Thanksgiving in the NFL. The smell of turkey drifts to our nostrils from the kitchen. Turkey and stuffing and deviled eggs and pumpkin pie and pumkin role(!!). So many goodies mix in the air to reach our nose and cause a stir in our stomach...
...wait...
That's the smell of renewed hope and crushed dreams! After Thanksgiving is when the picture becomes more clear and the road to the Super Bowl is laid out for some of us while others are forced to look forward to what their team could do next season. This is when you either start counting the minutes till game time, or counting the minutes to the end of the season.
There's just something about this team. I've just got a feeling and one that I've had for a while now. They feel touched by destiny. At this point if you asked me, this is the most complete team in the NFL. They have possibly the best running back of all time (calm down, I'm not annointing him yet but he's certainly making a case), a great Tight End, and Quarter Back who seems poised and can make a play on his own (does anybody in San Diego miss Eli?).
They're going to get Merriman back soon and their offense has proven it can win a shootout. If their defense is able to return to form then I honestly don't see anybody beating them. On a side note, I think we should start a petition to the NFL to require to Chargers to wear their Powder Blue's if they do make the Super Bowl.
2. Baltimore Ravens (9-2)
Scary. Frightening. Terrifying. Ravenous.
These words describe the Ravens defense. They are down right mean. They will crush you. This has been the case for years now. But now they have Steve "Air" McNair managing the offense. While he may not be the MVP he once was he's leading the offense down the field and avoiding turnovers. He's given the team hope and they all have confidence in him (Ray Lewis' locker being next to him speaks volumes).
I wouldn't want to face this team in the playoffs. If they keep this up they'll make some serious noise in the playoffs and I consider them more of a threat against the Chargers than the Colts are.
3. Indianapolis Colts (10-1)
Wha!?! A 10-1 team ranked below not one but two 9-2 teams!?! Is this the BCS or something!?!
Of course not, what a dumb question. You should punch yourself in the face for asking it. Anyway, if the Colts hadn't lost they would have to be number 1. But they did so I can drop them if I feel like it. And I feel like it. As I said, I have a feeling about the Chargers and I think if these two teams met San Diego would come out on top. I also have more faith in the Ravens defense this year than the Colts offense. If the Cowboys can hold them to 14 points than imagine what the Ravens can do.
But the Cotls are still formidable. Their defense is adequate at times and their offense remains prolific. Joseph Addai has shown he may have what it takes to replace The Edge and Peyton remains fantastic. The Colts may get to the AFC Championship game again. But if they do I think they'll run into a Chargers team that's better than them in every aspect except QB play. And when that happens, the Colts will be sitting at home wondering how many more season they have to try this.
4. New England Patriots (8-3)
The Patriots are still the team to beat in the AFC East. The Jets defeated them but the Patriots have a cake schedule for the rest of the season. I mean, if they lost to anybody except maybe the Jaguars they should be embarrassed. They're still one of the elite in the AFC and will charge into the playoffs with a head of steam. Unfortunately, they'll run into one of the above teams and unless a series of unfortunate events occurs, they'll be knocked out early.
5. Cincinnati Bengals (6-5)
I ranked the Bengals here hesitantly. Two other teams (Broncos and Chiefs) have a better record than they do. But I think in the long-run Cincinnati is the horse to bet on (among the three). I think their early-mid season woes were a blip and I expect them to make a strong playoff push. That push may well include beating the Broncos in Denver.
The Chiefs I just don't feel have a strong enough defense to make them a team that will go deep in the playoffs. Meanwhile, I just don't trust Quarter Backs I've never seen play in the NFL. Could Jay Cutler be the next Ryan Leaf? Maybe, I just don't know. So until further notice I believe the Bengals have a place here, and I think if the Pats and Bengals met in the playoffs the outcome could be far different than their first game in New England.
Sleeper: New York Jets (6-5)
I almost picked the Chiefs again but that wouldn't be interesting. Yes, they've been doing well but I foresee at least two losses for them (Baltimore, San Diego) with a possible third (Jacksonville). So instead, I have to go with the Jets. Why? Because they're a fairly good team which under achieves more often than not, and they have an easy schedule.
If the Jets play as well as they did against New England then they can secure a Wild Card spot. Several of their competitors appear to be slipping and if they're lucky they will win out and get themselves into the postseason.
Where Shall We Go?
What do Kerry Collins, Jake Plummer, Damon Huard, Byron Leftwitch, and Daunte Culpepper all have in common? That's right, they were benched by AFC teams looking to move in "a new direction." Actually, a few of them were benched out of need but let's not split hairs.
So where will these players be this time next year? I'll try to answer with my imperfect knowledge of the teams' needs and the Quarter Backs in question:
Kerry Collins: At home, on the couch. Rolling in money and thanking God his jaw still works. He'll relax until another NFL team comes calling looking for a veteran backup or wants to hand him another "grooming assignment." He'll hold out hope to get signed by a contender but in his heart he knows that won't happen.
Jake Plummer: Oakland, Green Bay, Minnesota, or Chicago. But I'm betting on Oakland. Aaron Brooks is a horrible player who should've been thrown out of the league due to his lack of competency (but enough with facts, let's get to my opinion!)
I think Jake has the Raider look and may help that team with his mobility. Not that Aaron Brooks isn't mobile but I think in less than a year, Art Shell has lost him. I think the Snake still believes he can start somewhere and I think one of those teams would be willing to take a chance on him. He'd be perfect in Green Bay if Rodgers isn't the answer as they'd be trading one "gun-slinger" for another but I think the Raiders will try yet another Quarter Back next season.
Damon Huard: In all honesty this is the guy I see going to Green Bay. If Favre retires and the Pack decide Rodgers isn't the answer next season they could get Huard for a couple years and keep rebuilding. He showed he has the stuff when he was in there for Green. If they still want to bring Rodgers along he'd give the organization a few good years to do that.
I could also see him in Detroit. While Kitna's doing fine, the Lions assume all their problems can be fixed by replacing their QB or drafting WR's. So I wouldn't be surprised to see them take a shot at Huard. He's got a few options and I think the last few years of his career are in his hands.
Byron Leftwitch: The NFC North, Jacksonville, or Cleveland. I think the Browns are in serious need of a shot in the arm and what better than a slighted QB to give it to them? I also think he could do wonders for the Bears and would make better decisions than King Gross-man. I would love to see him in a Bears uniform but I'm not sure they'd take a swing at him. I think the Jaguars are making a mistake with Garrard over Leftwitch and could pay for it if they get rid of him. Del Rio favors Garrard, I favor Leftwitch. I wonder which one of us will win?
Daunte Culpepper: Miami. He's not going anywhere. In fact I only included him for consistency. It wouldn't matter if Joey Harrington lead the Dolphins to the Super Bowl, Culpepper's contract is too big to move. Next season there will be an interesting competition in training camp for that starting job. If Culpepper doesn't win it, look for him on the Dolphins bench for the season. Only after next year would the Dolphins consider moving him.
Bench Big Ben
Ben Roethlisberger should've never stayed in that game against the Ravens. The kid's taking a pounding. Batch is a perfectly good QB and the Steelers won't get worse with him in there. This team is only a season removed from winning a title so keep your franchise QB healthy. He fractured his face in the offseason so give him some time to heal. This season is over for Ben and I think the Steelers would be doing him and themselves a favor if they sat him.
Final Thought
The AFC is clearly the superior division. Despite the aberration of the Cowboys win over the Colts, which was a rare case when one team's best game coincided with another team's worst, the AFC has handed this season to the NFC. I alsot think that any of the top five above could beat any team the NFC posted. This year will give us another AFC Super Bowl champ and the NFC's only consolation will be winning another Pro Bowl.
Halfway through the season I was wondering who I thought would make the Superbowl. At this point I think it's still too far out to call favorites but I think the field can certainly be narrowed. Now, a team could pull a U-turn and force their way into the discussion but as of now these are the five teams in the AFC and the NFC (plus sleepers in each) which I think have a shot at going to Miami.
Here's the AFC.
AFC 1. Indianapolis Colts (7-0)
Not original at all, I know. But how can you pick anybody else? The Colts are undefeated and until they get knocked off they must be considered the top choice. Peyton's looking like his old self and the running attack appears to be picking up the pace. The defense is about average but with such an offense they simply have to keep the other team down a little bit.
The Colts are winning games in ways we haven't seen in the past. Last second field goals? What? It's happened before but now its becoming more common. The Colts are finding ways to win the way good teams do and look like they may finally have enough balance to get over the hump. If only their defense can hold it together this may finally be the Colts year (note: don't we say that every year?).
2. New England Patriots (6-1)
They're 6-1 and housed the Vikings in Minnesotta. Tom Brady lit it up and the Patriots got a steal in Maroney. Corey Dillon is still a solid runner and the Patriots offense is very balanced. Their defense is still good and can have amazing games. If the Patriots can beat the Colts this week then they catapult to the top of the list, but unlike years past their ascendency isn't a foregone conclusion. Even after beating the Colts they'll have a tough time in the playoffs and shouldn't overlook any of the other AFC contenders.
3. San Diego Chargers (5-2)
They're doing it all. Their defense is in the top three (top two at times) and their offense can be prolific. In fact, a case could be made: they only have two losses because their offense was capped and they weren't allowed to meet their capabilities. Regardless, they have two losses but they look truly scary. I have this strange feeling in my gut about the Chargers this season (but that might just be hunger I'm not really sure).
If the Chargers are allowed to excel they may well go without another loss this season. But they aren't clearly better than any other AFC teams, and they face stiff competition in their own division. The Chargers also get a one up on the Broncos cause of their Powder Blue uniforms.
4. Denver Broncos (5-2)
It's rare that a 5-2 team is having a QB controversy. The Denver fans seem to be foaming at the mouth when it comes to replacing Jake Plummer. They want Jay Cutler in their so bad they can taste it. But Plummer isn't doing that bad. Granted he's not doing what he did last year but this defense allows him to slip a little more.
The Defense may be propping him up but until Plummer really screws up I think the Broncos will stick with him. A decision should be made soon though. Now that week eight is in the rearview teams are trying to come together for that playoff push. Team's should have their identity now and the Broncos will have to choose soon if they're behind Plummer or Cutler.
5. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)
This team could be truly scary. If their offense finally turns on then who will stop them? Their defense is terrifying. For all the take of Ray Lewis "losing a step" don't tell me opposing QB's don't wet themselves when they look up and see him staring them down.
The Ravens have the weapons they just need to come together. If McNair can minimize mistakes and Billick can get this offense rolling they may not lose another game. I think they'll struggle in the playoffs because I'm not convinced they're better than the other top teams in the AFC, but I think they have serious shot at the title.
Sleeper: Kansas City Chiefs (4-3)
Ok, ok. Stop laughing. I'm serious. The Chiefs haven't looked bad at all. They have backup QB who's one of the top rated in the NFL. They're going to get Green back in the next four weeks or so and they should only improve from there. Their schedule isn't the easiest but it isn't terrible either.
The Chiefs play on-again-off-agian defense. If they can gain some consistency and cap the other teams just a bit they could win all but a couple of their remaining games. The Chiefs offense is clicking as always and Larry Johnson appears to be turning up the heat. If the Broncos faulter then the Chiefs could sneak into the Wild Card. What will they do in the playoffs? That's up to their D. But I wouldn't write the Chiefs off in this very difficult division just yet.
For the past several years we've all heard what a genius Bill Belichick is. We've heard about how great of a mind he has. He's been praised for holding a strong line against players who want to get "too big" of a pay raise. I was watching a local New England sports show last night and one of the sports analysts called the Patriots a "super middle-class." These means, players are paid slightly above the league average for their position even though they play at or near the best at that position.
And that hasn't been a problem. They've let players like Lawyer Milloy and Ty Law leave their defense and yet maintained one of the best defenses in the NFL (except last year, but that had other factors involved). Even though they've let their secondary slip, they've hidden it with an excellent pass rush and four very determined, very aggressive Linebackers. Also, Rodney Harrison is one of the past Strong Safeties out there and adds all kinds of dimensions to the Pat's D.
But the Patriots have determined they will not make anyone the highest paid anything (we'll see what happens when Tom Brady becomes a Free Agent again). So they've decided to not even bother calling some of their key players.
Willie McGuinest is an example. He's one of the four key linebackers and is an explosive pass rusher. He would breakthrough on the corners and always required serious attention from the tackles and sometimes the blocking back. This opened holes for Bruschi and Johnson (or Vrabel) in the middle. But, rather than give him a decent two to three year deal so he could retire a Patriot, the Pats let him walk away.
They also let Christian Fauria, Tyrone Poole, and David Givens get away. But the big one was Adam Vinatieri, whom Bill Belichick #### royally.
It just wasn't this season by not even expressing interest (the Patriots were essentially waiting for Vinatieri to crawl back after no team would meet his demand of $3 million+). With $19 million in cap room it just "wasn't right" to tag Vinatieri for the third year in the row. Or even negotiate a long term deal. And therein lies the rub.
A couple years ago when Vinatieri first became a free agent, the least the Pats could've done is negotiate a three to four year deal for the best kicker in the game. They should've negotiated an incentive ladden deal to keep Vinatieri in New England for the rest of his career (or at least the good part). But they didn't. Instead they tagged him (basically signing him to one year deals) and daring other teams to give up picks for him. This not only kept him from signing a long term deal (in New England or elsewhere) but also expressed the Patriot's lack of confidence in him.
They basically said, "Adam, we want to keep you here for a year. Then we'll assess how we think you're holding up and then go from there." Smart? Maybe, but insulting. This is the guy who won two Super Bowls for you. Without this guy you wouldn't have even been in Super Bowl XXXVI. And you wrote him off like any other kicker. He's one of those Patriots' "replacable parts."
I don't think so. What other kicker puts fear in the other team? What other kicker is known as the "Ice Man?" What other kicker makes defenses think they can't let the Pats much beyond the 40? Those local guys last night said Vinatieri seemed to have "sour grapes" and he should.
When Adam Vinatieri walks on the field for that clutch field goal everyone watching the game KNOWS he's going to make it. No other kicker is like that. Second to Brady, Vinatieri is Mr. Patriot. The Patriots could've signed him to a long term deal. They should've. They made a serious mistake her. And in January, maybe at Gillette, it may well be Vinatieri hitting a field goal with time running out. Lifting the Colts over the hated Patriots, and nailing the Patiots coffin shut.
Yesterday, I was working while the Steelers were handing the Colts a defeat in the dome. When I got home I simply assumed the Colts had won and watched the end of the Bears-Panthers game. Obviously, I wasn't paying much attention because it took me a while to notice the commentators were talking about the Steelers. So I turned on the internet and discovered the Steelers had beaten the glorious Colts. How? Mike Vanderjagt shanked a field goal he would normally make in his sleep. Initially I thought, like everyone else, that he simply missed it. Then I read Fogotten Fan's blog (http://blogs.foxsports.com/Forgotten_Fan/2006/01/ 16/Canadian_Tanker_sinks_Colts). Interesting points.
It certainly got me thinking. I mean why not? It's not like there's any love lost between Mike and Manning. Or the kicker and the coach. Or the rest of that team for that manner. I mean, Vanderjagt runs his mouth and then Peyton Manning calls him the "#### kicker." Then last year Vanderjagt had the audacity to suggest his team would beat the Patriots. Not only did the Patriots take offense but so did his teams mates. The "stars" of the team practically begged forgiveness of Brady and his boys; this fear only helped the Pats sink the most potent offense in the league. Yeah he was running his mouth but if I'm on a team and my teammate says "we're gonna beat you" I'm sticking with him. The Colts simply ignored their kicker, knowing they were so good they wouldn't need him to win an important game for them. Oops. We knew the Colts were staying in Indy througout the playoffs we just thought other teams would be coming there too. Not any more. Vanderjagt got the last laugh on Peyton Manning (who made some unclassy comments after the game) and will move either back to the CFL or to another team in the NFL.
That's the problem the Colts have. They're stars aren't buying into the team mentality. By that I mean they don't respect everyone on their team and try to motivate them. Peyton is raking in the bucks while the Colts front office is trying to figure out how to keep a decent team around him. Now it looks like the new "Triplets" will be parting ways and without a Lombardi Trophy to show for it. Tedy Bruschi, who quite possibly could've become the highest paid linebacker, fired his agent and renegotiated his own contract to allow the Patriots to keep the team together. Manning, Harrison, and James need to remeber their teammates on every level and take some personal responsibility for this loss. Blocking problems? Some of that is on your shoulders Mr. Audible.
The Colts and Patriots lost, I believe, because they expected to win. Just like some of the other "great" teams of the past this expectation lead to disaster. Why? Because they become complacent and fully expected others to make the plays. The other team also knows this and plays even harder to stop the team everybody expects to win. The Pats and Colts were both favored by just about all the "experts" and let it go to their head. Now they'll both be sitting at home on Superbowl Sunday.
Heart and teamwork wins games. That's what the Broncos and Steelers showed. They played well together and fought hard. They capitalized on every mistake the "favorite" made and as a result are moving on. These two teams were the teams who really didn't get respect. They deserve some now. These teams should take nothing for granted and not let their success go to their head. Who's the favorite? The team that knocked off the dynasty? Or the one that beat the number one seed? I don't think these guys care and neither should we.
As of this morning I've decided who will win in their playoffs this weekend. If they don't then there's clearly something wrong with the multiverse (oh yes, there's more than one). In any case here are my prognostications:
Saturday Afternoon:
Washington is marching into Seattle as quite possibly the hottest team in the NFL. Unfortunately, the driving rain of the Great Northwest can put a chill in the bone. And that's exactly what's going to happen on Shabbat. The rain plus a steady diet of Shaun Alexander the Great and a few throws mixed in there. This Seattle team is very different than they were early in the season. Their defense is playing considerably better and their offense can be prolific.
Seattle Seahawks 28 Washington Redskins 17
Saturday Night's Alright:
Tom Brady is like 10-0 in playoffs. Doesn't really matter cause after Saturday he'll be 10-1. The media's boy will finally lose a playoff game and so will the rest of the team. After the game I'm sure we'll get a good dose of "nobody respected us, but we played game by game, one at a time," from Tom Tom then out of no where Matt Leinart will spring into view and say, "The Patriots were still the better team!" As Brady nods his head in approval. It's funny Jake the Mistake Plummer will beat Tom the Second Coming Brady. Though it'll be less about quarterback play and more about the running games and defense.
Denver Broncos 24 New England 21
Sunday High Noon +1:
The Indianapolis Colts will play their first game in like a month. I know, I know they had some games after they got spanked by the Chargas. But they didn't play in them. By "they" I mean pretty much the offense of the Colts. So we'll see if the rest helps or hurts. The Steelers are playing pretty well and their trick plays can exploit an aggressive, young defense. They have one of my favorite players in the league and one of the best safties in the NFL in Troy Polamalu. However, I think the Colts offense is just too overpowering and their defense is good enough to stop the more traditional parts of the Steelers offense. The Steelers will still run fairly successfully but as the Colts rack up the points the Steelers will have to start passing and the Colts defense is pretty good in pass coverage.
Indianapolis Colts 27 Pittsburgh Steelers 17
Sunday Midafternoon (that's 4:30):
The best game of the weekend, in my opinion. But I really like defense so that's probably why. The quetion everyone's asking is can the Panthers offense score on the Bears defense. But that's the wrong question. And the answer is yes by the way. They won't score a lot but they'll get at least one touchdown and two fieldgoals. The REAL question is can the Bears offense score on the Panthers defense? This one I don't know. Rex Grossman has shown some signs but the Panthers D can make even Pro Bowl quarterbacks (see Tom Brady) look like rookies. And since Grossman in many ways is a rookie they should cause him some problems. They know how to slow down players like Muhsin Muhammed plus at times they lockdown on the underneath stuff (but inconsitently). I think the Panthers will go into Chicago and beat the home team.
Carolina Panthers 13 Chicago Bears 10
So there's what's should happen. I'm most uncomfortable with the picks about the Patriots and Bears. Both those teams scare me and I think could win their games. But this post is about picks so I have to go with my gut. I just don't think the Patriots D will stop the dink-and-dunk offense of the Broncos and I don't think the Bears offense is good enough to beat the Panthers D. So we'll see what happens. Your thoughts? Peace.
Today the Colts finally lost a game and the Cowboys crashed back to earth.
Colts: No more disscussions about history or "to rest or not to rest." They got beat today and fall to 13-1. This may or may not matter. If the Colts use this as a learning experience and motivation to fight harder then they'll be fine. If not, then they'll begin doubting themselves and may lose the next game. If they carry that feeling too long they may lose a playoff game and the road will be open for New England to write some history of its own. Granted if the Patriots make it I think the Seahawks or Giants will have real chance of beating them. I think Peyton and Dungy will rally this team, however, and they'll rebound nicely from this next week. I still think Indy's got what it takes to win the Super Bowl and I think they will. I'd like to see the Seahawks win just to thwart East Coast bias. But an Eli vs Peyton Super Bowl would be cool too.
Cowboys: Probably the biggest key to winning and succeeding in sports is intangible. It's what we call "heart." It's that desire to do anything to win a game. The Cowboys simply don't have this. Or if they do they can only turn it on one week at a time and never in succession. The consistently inconsistent team has effectively ended its shot at the playoffs this year. They won't beat the Panthers, who are better than I gave them credit, and they'll probably find a way to lose to the Rams. A few weeks ago I said Tampa Bay was the most likely team currently in the playoff hunt to miss them out right. But boy was I wrong! The Cowboys have rolled over and died. Start resting Bledsoe, Glenn, Crayton, Johnson, and the other starters now for next season cause this one's done! For those who are saying "don't panic yet, we still have a shot, nothing is ####ed." I respond in the words of the Big Lebowski: "Nothing is ####ed!? The G*ddamn plane has crashed into the mountain!"
I am a FOX sports blogger because I like to talk and have opinions about pretty much anything and everything. I like pretty much any sport but I love football (basketball's a close second). The NFL is the only major sport I watch all season but I watch the others sporadically. My favorite teams are the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Detroit Red Wings, Atlanta Braves, and Boston Red Sox.
