I've been inexcusably sidetracked by the day job to comment on the doings in the National Football League, so let's catch up.
Tuna Retires
When all signs, and media reports, were pointing to Parcells returning to the Dallas Cowboys sidelines in 2007, the Tuna threw a curve-ball and abruptly retired as an NFL head coach...again. This is hardly the first time Parcells has retired, and once again, he did so with one season remaining on his contract.
Parcells took the Cowboys to the playoffs twice in his four years as head coach, with both trips ending in road losses.
Mac's Take: This isn't a surprise to me. When Jerry Jones signed enigmatic WR Terrell Owens in the off-season, without Parcells' input, he inadvertently created a situation that could've prompted Parcells to "retire". Owens and Parcells never saw eye to eye, and his one season of dealing with the circus that is Terrell Owens was enough to leave Parcells longing towards spending his days at the track up in Saratoga Springs, New York.
No candidates have been named, but the Tennessee Titans reportedly refused to grant permission for Dallas to talk to their head coach, Jeff Fisher. Rumors have linked New England head coach Bill Belichick to the post, but there's little chance Bob Kraft will allow him to permission to speak to Jerry Jones. It's also unlikely that Lord Belichick will be interested in riding Parcells' coat-tails, though many in the media still perceive that's the nature of Parcells and Belichick's relationship.
Pittsburgh Hires Mike Tomlin
In 1969, the Pittsburgh Steelers hired 37-year old Chuck Noll to be their head coach. Four Lombardi trophies, and 23 seasons later, Noll retired and was replaced by 34-year old Bill Cowher. One Lombardi trophy and 15 seasons later, Cowher retired.
Enter Mike Tomlin, the 34-year old defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings.
Mac's Take: This was a solid, and slightly curious, hire by the Steelers. The top two candidates were thought to be Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm, two in-house candidates from the Cowher regime. When Whisenhunt accepted the head coaching job in Arizona, Grimm appeared to be the top candidate.
On Sunday, the Steelers made it official and announced that Mike Tomlin was their guy. Tomlin ran a 4-3 defense in Minnesota, but the retention of defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau indicates that dramatic changes aren't likely to occur in '07.
Hope in the Desert?
As mentioned above, the Arizona Cardinals hired Ken Whisenhunt to a 4-year contract to be their head coach. Today, Whisenhunt made a huge hire when he added Russ Grimm to be the Cardinals offensive line coach.
The main problem in Arizona hasn't been a lack of offensive talent, it's been the offensive line. Russ Grimm is the caliber of coach that can make an immediate impact on his charges. If Arizona can protect Matt Leinart and open holes for Edgerrin James, the notion that the Arizona Cardinals can win the NFC West isn't so far-fetched.
Another Bengal Earns His Stripes
Rookie cornerback Johnathan Joseph has finally showed his teammates that he's one of them. Joseph was arrested for possession of marijuana, making him the 9th Cincinnati Bengal to ride in a cop car in the last 9 months.
And Carson Palmer isn't happy about it.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Mora Joins Seahawks Staff
Former Atlanta Falcons head coach Jim Mora, Jr. has joined the staff of the Seattle Seahawks. Mora's official title will be Assistant Head Coach/Secondary, and he immediately vaults to the top of the in-house list of candidates to replace Mike Holmgren, either when Holmgren retires or his contract expires (after the '08 season).
Mora interviewed for the head coaching position in Miami, and the New York Giants were rumored to be interested in Mora for their defensive coordinator position. More was fired earlier this month by the Atlanta Falcons after two non-playoff seasons, and after Mora made comments on a Seattle sports radio station that his "dream job" would be the head coaching position at the University of Washington, his alma mater.
As a former player at the University of Washington, Mora has obvious ties to the area. Mora also has ties to Seahawks second-year president Tim Ruskell, who previously worked in Atlanta under Ricky McKay.
Mora interviewed for the head coaching position in Miami, and the New York Giants were rumored to be interested in Mora for their defensive coordinator position. More was fired earlier this month by the Atlanta Falcons after two non-playoff seasons, and after Mora made comments on a Seattle sports radio station that his "dream job" would be the head coaching position at the University of Washington, his alma mater.
As a former player at the University of Washington, Mora has obvious ties to the area. Mora also has ties to Seahawks second-year president Tim Ruskell, who previously worked in Atlanta under Ricky McKay.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Dolphins Have a New Head Coach
At 7pm tonight, the Miami Dolphins will announce that they have signed former San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator Cam Cameron to be their head coach.
Cameron has been the Chargers offensive coordinator for the last 5 years, and his name was mentioned as a possible replacement if San Diego decided to fire Marty Schottenheimer after another early exit in the playoffs. Schottenheimer was retained, so Cameron has bolted.
Cameron had assumed play-calling duties this season for the Chargers, whose offense is sending 5 players to Honolulu for the Pro Bowl next month. The bad news for San Diego may be that "Martyball" will come back in full force in '07.
Samardzija Chooses Baseball
Former Golden Domer Jeff Samardzija has chosen to sign a 5-year, $10M deal with the Chicago Cubs, which essentially removes him from 32 NFL draft boards.
Samardzija had been projected to be chosen in the 1st round in April's NFL draft.
Cameron has been the Chargers offensive coordinator for the last 5 years, and his name was mentioned as a possible replacement if San Diego decided to fire Marty Schottenheimer after another early exit in the playoffs. Schottenheimer was retained, so Cameron has bolted.
Cameron had assumed play-calling duties this season for the Chargers, whose offense is sending 5 players to Honolulu for the Pro Bowl next month. The bad news for San Diego may be that "Martyball" will come back in full force in '07.
Samardzija Chooses Baseball
Former Golden Domer Jeff Samardzija has chosen to sign a 5-year, $10M deal with the Chicago Cubs, which essentially removes him from 32 NFL draft boards.
Samardzija had been projected to be chosen in the 1st round in April's NFL draft.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Mac's Picks - AFC/NFC Championship Weekend
So I missed a few last week. I didn't think Baltimore would lose to Indianapolis, and of course, I didn't really think the Bears would beat Seattle.
Oh well, it happens. I'm 6-2 so far in the playoffs, which is a major improvement over my dismal prognosticating display in the regular season.
NFC Championship Game
New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears
It's still a bit surreal that the New Orleans Saints are in the NFC Championship game. This was a team that was appeared destined for Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, San Antonio, or even Houston, who could probably use a football team these days.
Despite Hurricane Katrina, Tom Benson and going at it with a rookie head coach, a surgically-repaired quarterback and what was thought to be a horrendous defense, the Saints are 60 minutes away from playing in a Super Bowl. And I think they're going to get there.
New Orleans beat the Eagles by pounding them up the middle with Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush, who combined for nearly 200 yards on rushing. If they can control the clock and avoid yielding big plays to Rex Grossman, the Saints can, and will, win this game.
Mac's Pick: New Orleans 24, Chicago 20 (I'm nowhere near ready to see Rex Grossman in the Super Bowl)
AFC Championship Game
New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts
Did you know that the Indianapolis Colts hang banners in the RCA Dome that say "AFC Finalists"? It's true. They're so desperate for validation, they hang up banners letting everyone know that they came within 60 minutes of a Super Bowl, but failed.
So Indianapolis gets another shot, and it's sort of fitting that the hurdle they'll have to climb comes in the form of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. New England has ended a few seasons for the Colts, and if they really want to have some fun with Manning, they should put Ellis Hobbs in Ty Law's old #24 jersey and watch the interceptions roll in.
As I attempt to pick this game, I'm not going to look at regular season stats or previous meetings in the post-season. All those playoff games were in Foxborough, and the Colts get to play this one in the dome. In the regular season, the Colts were by far the worst run defense in the NFL. The last two weeks, the run defense has kept two pretty good running backs from reaching the 60-yard mark.
My point: This isn't the same Colts team from recent years. I'm not saying they're not capable of reverting back to their old form, I just don't expect it to happen this week. New England didn't play very well last week, and narrowly avoided a loss to the Chargers a week ago. Yes, they won, but they got away from their gameplan far too early, Brady looked awful through 3 quarters, and if San Diego had someone better than Marty Schottenheimer on the sidelines, they probably would've won that game.
Mac's Pick: Indianapolis 27, New England 24
Oh well, it happens. I'm 6-2 so far in the playoffs, which is a major improvement over my dismal prognosticating display in the regular season.
NFC Championship Game
New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears
It's still a bit surreal that the New Orleans Saints are in the NFC Championship game. This was a team that was appeared destined for Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, San Antonio, or even Houston, who could probably use a football team these days.
Despite Hurricane Katrina, Tom Benson and going at it with a rookie head coach, a surgically-repaired quarterback and what was thought to be a horrendous defense, the Saints are 60 minutes away from playing in a Super Bowl. And I think they're going to get there.
New Orleans beat the Eagles by pounding them up the middle with Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush, who combined for nearly 200 yards on rushing. If they can control the clock and avoid yielding big plays to Rex Grossman, the Saints can, and will, win this game.
Mac's Pick: New Orleans 24, Chicago 20 (I'm nowhere near ready to see Rex Grossman in the Super Bowl)
AFC Championship Game
New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts
Did you know that the Indianapolis Colts hang banners in the RCA Dome that say "AFC Finalists"? It's true. They're so desperate for validation, they hang up banners letting everyone know that they came within 60 minutes of a Super Bowl, but failed.
So Indianapolis gets another shot, and it's sort of fitting that the hurdle they'll have to climb comes in the form of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. New England has ended a few seasons for the Colts, and if they really want to have some fun with Manning, they should put Ellis Hobbs in Ty Law's old #24 jersey and watch the interceptions roll in.
As I attempt to pick this game, I'm not going to look at regular season stats or previous meetings in the post-season. All those playoff games were in Foxborough, and the Colts get to play this one in the dome. In the regular season, the Colts were by far the worst run defense in the NFL. The last two weeks, the run defense has kept two pretty good running backs from reaching the 60-yard mark.
My point: This isn't the same Colts team from recent years. I'm not saying they're not capable of reverting back to their old form, I just don't expect it to happen this week. New England didn't play very well last week, and narrowly avoided a loss to the Chargers a week ago. Yes, they won, but they got away from their gameplan far too early, Brady looked awful through 3 quarters, and if San Diego had someone better than Marty Schottenheimer on the sidelines, they probably would've won that game.
Mac's Pick: Indianapolis 27, New England 24
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Vick's Water Bottle
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick has been called many things in his NFL career. Vick has been called a "Pro Bowl QB", Jim Mora, Sr. called him a "coach killer", and to pharmacists in the Atlanta know him as "Ron Mexico".
Well, add another moniker to the list: "Idiot"
Why?
Vick "was found Wednesday at Miami International Airport allegedly carrying a water bottle with a hidden compartment".
What was in that compartment? Residue that officials described as having a pungent aroma closely associated with marijuana.
Welcome to the NFL, Bobby Petrino.
It should be noted that Vick has not been charged with a crime, and the substance is in the process of being analyzed. But still, you'd have to "less than smart" to even attempt to bring a bottle water through a security checkpoint.
The only action Michael Vick needed to take to avoid what will assuredly be a media frenzy was toss the bottle of water into the many trashcans located at or near the security gates. After all, the guy has a 9-figure contract, and bottled water sells for $5 once you're inside the terminal.
Which is why I'm inclined to believe that Vick was attempting to conceal the tricked out bottle of Aquafina. Why else would he have such an attachment to that particular bottle of water, if he wasn't using it to hide something?
Well, add another moniker to the list: "Idiot"
Why?
Vick "was found Wednesday at Miami International Airport allegedly carrying a water bottle with a hidden compartment".
What was in that compartment? Residue that officials described as having a pungent aroma closely associated with marijuana.
Welcome to the NFL, Bobby Petrino.
It should be noted that Vick has not been charged with a crime, and the substance is in the process of being analyzed. But still, you'd have to "less than smart" to even attempt to bring a bottle water through a security checkpoint.
The only action Michael Vick needed to take to avoid what will assuredly be a media frenzy was toss the bottle of water into the many trashcans located at or near the security gates. After all, the guy has a 9-figure contract, and bottled water sells for $5 once you're inside the terminal.
Which is why I'm inclined to believe that Vick was attempting to conceal the tricked out bottle of Aquafina. Why else would he have such an attachment to that particular bottle of water, if he wasn't using it to hide something?
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Update on Matt Hasselbeck
Adam Schefter has added a column on the NFL's official website about Matt Hasselbeck, where he reiterates that Hasselbeck has been playing with a torn labrum in his left shoulder, and that it's inevitable that Hasselbeck will have surgery that will require him to miss 6 months.
Mike Sando of the Tacoma News Tribune states that Hasselbeck's shoulder has a been a problem over the years, and that Hasselbeck will likely seek a second opinion before having surgery.
Mike Sando of the Tacoma News Tribune states that Hasselbeck's shoulder has a been a problem over the years, and that Hasselbeck will likely seek a second opinion before having surgery.
Hasselbeck Going Under the Knife?
The most popular man in the Oakland Raiders front office and former Mike Shanahan mouthpiece, Adam Schefter, is reporting tonight on the NFL Network's Total Access program that Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will require surgery to repair a "significant left shoulder injury".
It's Hasselbeck's non-throwing shoulder, but Hasselbeck will miss 6 months and valuable time in passing camps and mini-camps, where he was expected to develop the timing with WRs Deion Branch and Nate Burleson that Mike Holmgren's West Coast offense requires.
Schefter has been wrong many, many times before, so stay tuned on this one.
It's Hasselbeck's non-throwing shoulder, but Hasselbeck will miss 6 months and valuable time in passing camps and mini-camps, where he was expected to develop the timing with WRs Deion Branch and Nate Burleson that Mike Holmgren's West Coast offense requires.
Schefter has been wrong many, many times before, so stay tuned on this one.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Divisional Playoffs Recap
Two "upsets" this weekend, and we're down to a 4-team race. Let's take a look and see how it happened.
Indianapolis 15, Baltimore 6 - I'm not surprised that the Colts are in the AFC Championship game. They were, after all, my pre-season pick to be the AFC representative in the Super Bowl. But I have to admit that I'm stunned that the group most responsible for their wins over Kansas City and Baltimore...is the defense.
The same defense that ranked 21st in the NFL this year, and 32nd against the run, has stymied Larry Johnson and Jamal Lewis en route to allowing just 14 total points, and one touchdown, in 120 minutes of playoff football.
Peyton Manning throwing 2-3 interceptions in a playoff game is nothing new. In fact, that's been the norm. In previous years, his poor performances have led to losses. For some reason, that's not happening this year.
Will that trend continue? They've got the ultimate psychological hurdle to clear next Sunday. Indianapolis has shown that they can beat the Patriots. They've blown them out twice, in Foxborough, in the last two years. Those games were in October and November, though, and January is a completely different animal.
New Orleans 27, Philadelphia 24 - Everyone will certainly question Andy Reid's decision to punt the ball away when Philadelphia faced a 4th and 15 with less than two minutes remaining in the game. I understand his thinking: With two timeouts, if they can stop the Saints ground game, they'll get the ball back, perhaps with better field position.
That's all well and good, but the trouble with that is this: Philadelphia hadn't stopped Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush all day long.
New Orleans ran the ball 33 times for 195 yards (I'm not counting the Drew Brees kneel downs or Steve Weatherford's impromptu 19-yard fake punt run) against that Eagles defense, and it was clear that the Eagles defensive line was not going to hold the Saints for a three and out.
The annual problem with Andy Reid's teams showed itself once again. Even when playing the NFL's 23rd-ranked run defense, Reid treats running plays like their the salad portion of the menu. Only 40% of the plays Reid called were runs, so it's not surprising that New Orleans held the ball for nearly 36 minutes of the game. New Orleans stayed committed to the ground game, which wore down the Eagles defense, thus making Reid's decision to punt the ball away in the final two minutes even more questionable.
Chicago 27, Seattle 24 (OT) - Somewhere in Dallas, an offensive coach was sitting at home, watching the Seahawks-Bears game and was muttering "THAT'S what we should've done!".
Someone finally took advantage of the Seahawks' patchwork secondary yesterday, and his name is Ron Turner. The Bears offensive coordinator dialed up some deep passes, and Rex Grossman, Bernard Berrian and Rashied Davis torched the 'Hawks for a trio of passes that covered 30+ yards.
First, Grossman hit Davis down the seam for a 37-yard pass on a 3rd and 10 play that set up the Bears first touchdown of the game.
Second, Grossman hit Bernard Berrian on a deep pass for a 68-yard touchdown.
Third, Grossman finds Davis again for 30 yards on a 3rd and 10 play in overtime that set up Robbie Gould's game-winning 49-yard field goal.
And that was that. On two separate occasions in the games final 4 minutes, the Seahawks had the ball 9-10 yards outside of Josh Brown's field goal range. And on both times, Seattle shot themselves in the foot, or were knocked back by the Chicago Bears defense.
As it's been for most of the games this season, Seattle played well enough to win...and poorly enough to lose.
New England 24, San Diego 21 - Why are the Patriots going to the AFC Championship game next week? Well, they are the better team, but that's besides the point. The real reason: San Diego miscues and "Martyball".
San Diego spent much of the afternoon dominating the Patriots. (It's okay to admit this New England fans. Your team won.) New England struggled to stop LaDainian Tomlinson and Philip Rivers would have an unbelievable playoff debut had his receivers been able to hang onto the football. Despite the drops, fumbles, and poor decisions by Schottenheimer, San Diego led by 8 points with less than 5 minutes to go in the game.
And then the perfect storm hit. A boneheaded play by Marlon McCree, and Marty Schottenheimer right there to make an idiotic mistake to compound the problem.
On a 4th and 5 from the Chargers 41-yard line, Tom Brady inexplicably threw the ball towards a well covered Troy Brown 10 yards downfield. Marlon McCree jumped up and caught the ball, then begun his glorious return. Trouble was, Troy Brown stripped the ball free from McCree's hands and former Charger Reche Caldwell recovered it for a Patriots 1st down at the Chargers 32.
If McCree does the smart thing and knock the ball down, the game is likely over. But he didn't, and New England had new life. Not only that, but Schottenheimer made the situation worse by actually challenging the ruling on the field. A blind monkey could see that it was an interception and a fumble, but Marty pressed on and cost his team a timeout.
You know the rest. 5 plays later, Brady finds the aforementioned Caldwell for a touchdown, and New England jams the 2-point conversion home with remarkable ease. Tie ball game.
San Diego gets the ball back, does nothing and punts.
On New England's next possession, Caldwell, a Chargers reject, then burns San Diego's best cornerback, Quentin Jammer, for a 49-yard reception on 3rd and 10 that sets up the chip-shot game-winning field goal.
San Diego gets the ball back, clumsily drives down to the Chargers 36-yard line, but because they don't have any timeouts remaining (Hello Marty!), they're forced to attempt a field goal to force overtime. Nate Kaeding, who Schottenheimer didn't trust from 47 yards out heading in the same direction, is called upon to hit a 54-yard field goal, and his kick is wide right and short.
Game. Over.
Mac's Game Balls
Offense: Deuce McAllister, RB, New Orleans - McAllister was a beast that Philadelphia could not stop on Saturday night. 21 carries for 143 yards, most of them right up the gut. McAllister's best play? The juke he made on Philadelphia's Jeremiah Trotter on an 11-yard screen pass. McAllister nearly broke Trotter's ankles with his head fake, and once he was behind Trotter, his path to the end zone was clear.
Defense: Nick Harper and Antoine Bethea, DBs, Indianapolis - Bethea thwarted a Ravens drive early in the 2nd quarter, and Harper added an INT at his own 23-yard line in the 4th quarter. Harper earlier forced a fumble by Todd Heap that set up an Adam Vinatieri field goal. Turnovers are key in the post-season, and these two produced three of them in a defensive battle.
Special Teams - Adam Vinatieri, K, New..er, Indianapolis Colts - What more can you say about a 5 for 5 day kicking field goals on the road? This is exactly why the Colts signed him.
News and Notes
The Arizona Cardinals have a new head coach. Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt signs a deal to coach the Cardinals, who recently canned Dennis Green. The Steelers offense has been solid the few seasons with Whisenhunt at the helm, and the Cardinals have a plethora of weapons on that side of the ball.
Whisenhunt going to the Cardinals likely means that Russ Grimm will be the new head coach in Pittsburgh. The Steelers brass were thought to be deciding between the two Pittsburgh assistants, and now that one isn't available, the other seems to be the logical choice.
There are still openings in Miami, Oakland, and perhaps San Diego. Chargers GM AJ Smith stated before the season that the Chargers needed to go deep into the playoffs to avoid a shakeup on the sidelines. Could a 14-2 regular season save Marty's Schottenheimer? Possibly. But I wouldn't be surprised to see him replaced with offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, who is one the league's "hot" candidates for the few remaining vacancies.
Seattle Seahawks center Robbie Tobeck is calling it a career. We'll miss you, Robbie.
Indianapolis 15, Baltimore 6 - I'm not surprised that the Colts are in the AFC Championship game. They were, after all, my pre-season pick to be the AFC representative in the Super Bowl. But I have to admit that I'm stunned that the group most responsible for their wins over Kansas City and Baltimore...is the defense.
The same defense that ranked 21st in the NFL this year, and 32nd against the run, has stymied Larry Johnson and Jamal Lewis en route to allowing just 14 total points, and one touchdown, in 120 minutes of playoff football.
Peyton Manning throwing 2-3 interceptions in a playoff game is nothing new. In fact, that's been the norm. In previous years, his poor performances have led to losses. For some reason, that's not happening this year.
Will that trend continue? They've got the ultimate psychological hurdle to clear next Sunday. Indianapolis has shown that they can beat the Patriots. They've blown them out twice, in Foxborough, in the last two years. Those games were in October and November, though, and January is a completely different animal.
New Orleans 27, Philadelphia 24 - Everyone will certainly question Andy Reid's decision to punt the ball away when Philadelphia faced a 4th and 15 with less than two minutes remaining in the game. I understand his thinking: With two timeouts, if they can stop the Saints ground game, they'll get the ball back, perhaps with better field position.
That's all well and good, but the trouble with that is this: Philadelphia hadn't stopped Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush all day long.
New Orleans ran the ball 33 times for 195 yards (I'm not counting the Drew Brees kneel downs or Steve Weatherford's impromptu 19-yard fake punt run) against that Eagles defense, and it was clear that the Eagles defensive line was not going to hold the Saints for a three and out.
The annual problem with Andy Reid's teams showed itself once again. Even when playing the NFL's 23rd-ranked run defense, Reid treats running plays like their the salad portion of the menu. Only 40% of the plays Reid called were runs, so it's not surprising that New Orleans held the ball for nearly 36 minutes of the game. New Orleans stayed committed to the ground game, which wore down the Eagles defense, thus making Reid's decision to punt the ball away in the final two minutes even more questionable.
Chicago 27, Seattle 24 (OT) - Somewhere in Dallas, an offensive coach was sitting at home, watching the Seahawks-Bears game and was muttering "THAT'S what we should've done!".
Someone finally took advantage of the Seahawks' patchwork secondary yesterday, and his name is Ron Turner. The Bears offensive coordinator dialed up some deep passes, and Rex Grossman, Bernard Berrian and Rashied Davis torched the 'Hawks for a trio of passes that covered 30+ yards.
First, Grossman hit Davis down the seam for a 37-yard pass on a 3rd and 10 play that set up the Bears first touchdown of the game.
Second, Grossman hit Bernard Berrian on a deep pass for a 68-yard touchdown.
Third, Grossman finds Davis again for 30 yards on a 3rd and 10 play in overtime that set up Robbie Gould's game-winning 49-yard field goal.
And that was that. On two separate occasions in the games final 4 minutes, the Seahawks had the ball 9-10 yards outside of Josh Brown's field goal range. And on both times, Seattle shot themselves in the foot, or were knocked back by the Chicago Bears defense.
As it's been for most of the games this season, Seattle played well enough to win...and poorly enough to lose.
New England 24, San Diego 21 - Why are the Patriots going to the AFC Championship game next week? Well, they are the better team, but that's besides the point. The real reason: San Diego miscues and "Martyball".
San Diego spent much of the afternoon dominating the Patriots. (It's okay to admit this New England fans. Your team won.) New England struggled to stop LaDainian Tomlinson and Philip Rivers would have an unbelievable playoff debut had his receivers been able to hang onto the football. Despite the drops, fumbles, and poor decisions by Schottenheimer, San Diego led by 8 points with less than 5 minutes to go in the game.
And then the perfect storm hit. A boneheaded play by Marlon McCree, and Marty Schottenheimer right there to make an idiotic mistake to compound the problem.
On a 4th and 5 from the Chargers 41-yard line, Tom Brady inexplicably threw the ball towards a well covered Troy Brown 10 yards downfield. Marlon McCree jumped up and caught the ball, then begun his glorious return. Trouble was, Troy Brown stripped the ball free from McCree's hands and former Charger Reche Caldwell recovered it for a Patriots 1st down at the Chargers 32.
If McCree does the smart thing and knock the ball down, the game is likely over. But he didn't, and New England had new life. Not only that, but Schottenheimer made the situation worse by actually challenging the ruling on the field. A blind monkey could see that it was an interception and a fumble, but Marty pressed on and cost his team a timeout.
You know the rest. 5 plays later, Brady finds the aforementioned Caldwell for a touchdown, and New England jams the 2-point conversion home with remarkable ease. Tie ball game.
San Diego gets the ball back, does nothing and punts.
On New England's next possession, Caldwell, a Chargers reject, then burns San Diego's best cornerback, Quentin Jammer, for a 49-yard reception on 3rd and 10 that sets up the chip-shot game-winning field goal.
San Diego gets the ball back, clumsily drives down to the Chargers 36-yard line, but because they don't have any timeouts remaining (Hello Marty!), they're forced to attempt a field goal to force overtime. Nate Kaeding, who Schottenheimer didn't trust from 47 yards out heading in the same direction, is called upon to hit a 54-yard field goal, and his kick is wide right and short.
Game. Over.
Mac's Game Balls
Offense: Deuce McAllister, RB, New Orleans - McAllister was a beast that Philadelphia could not stop on Saturday night. 21 carries for 143 yards, most of them right up the gut. McAllister's best play? The juke he made on Philadelphia's Jeremiah Trotter on an 11-yard screen pass. McAllister nearly broke Trotter's ankles with his head fake, and once he was behind Trotter, his path to the end zone was clear.
Defense: Nick Harper and Antoine Bethea, DBs, Indianapolis - Bethea thwarted a Ravens drive early in the 2nd quarter, and Harper added an INT at his own 23-yard line in the 4th quarter. Harper earlier forced a fumble by Todd Heap that set up an Adam Vinatieri field goal. Turnovers are key in the post-season, and these two produced three of them in a defensive battle.
Special Teams - Adam Vinatieri, K, New..er, Indianapolis Colts - What more can you say about a 5 for 5 day kicking field goals on the road? This is exactly why the Colts signed him.
News and Notes
The Arizona Cardinals have a new head coach. Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt signs a deal to coach the Cardinals, who recently canned Dennis Green. The Steelers offense has been solid the few seasons with Whisenhunt at the helm, and the Cardinals have a plethora of weapons on that side of the ball.
Whisenhunt going to the Cardinals likely means that Russ Grimm will be the new head coach in Pittsburgh. The Steelers brass were thought to be deciding between the two Pittsburgh assistants, and now that one isn't available, the other seems to be the logical choice.
There are still openings in Miami, Oakland, and perhaps San Diego. Chargers GM AJ Smith stated before the season that the Chargers needed to go deep into the playoffs to avoid a shakeup on the sidelines. Could a 14-2 regular season save Marty's Schottenheimer? Possibly. But I wouldn't be surprised to see him replaced with offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, who is one the league's "hot" candidates for the few remaining vacancies.
Seattle Seahawks center Robbie Tobeck is calling it a career. We'll miss you, Robbie.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Chiefs Agree in Principle with TE Gonzalez
One of the few marquee names in this year's free agent crop, is off the market.
The Chiefs official website (kcchiefs.com) is reporting that the Kansas City Chiefs and their 8-time Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez have agreed in principle on a 5-year contract extension.
The Chiefs official website (kcchiefs.com) is reporting that the Kansas City Chiefs and their 8-time Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez have agreed in principle on a 5-year contract extension.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Mac's Picks - Divisional Playoffs
I managed to go 4-0 in my predictions in the Wild Card round. This week, I'm going to make like Vince Wilfork, and pick some more winners.
Saturday, January 13th, 2007
Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens
I'm just thinking out loud here, but why do the people of Baltimore still harbor resentment for the Colts moving to Indianapolis in 1982? Seems to me, that deal worked out pretty good for them. Baltimore has won a Super Bowl trophy since then, and if my understanding of NFL history is accurate, the city of Baltimore got their current team the same way Indianapolis got theirs.
Plus, it's not things are going swimmingly in Indianapolis. Last week, Manning won the 4th playoff game in his 9-year career. That's right, he's 4-6 all-time in the post-season, and nobody carries the "Can he win the big one" tag like Manning.
This week, the Colts are facing the sort of defense that could give them a lot more trouble than the Chiefs defense did a week ago. Baltimore is the #1 scoring defense in the league, and oh yeah, nobody gave up fewer yards in the NFL than the Ravens.
Who Will Win and Why?
It's January, i.e., "Peyton Manning's Least Favorite Month". I know that's a joke repeated by everyone this time of year, but Manning will always be associated with post-season failure until he either stops filming so many commercials or actually wins some tough playoffs games. Hey, I don't make the rules...
As for the game, I think this is a game that the Baltimore Ravens defense just dominates, which will lead to a week of the talking heads asking "Can Peyton Manning the big one?". The answer to that question may be "Yes", just not this week.
Mac's Pick: Baltimore 30, Indianapolis 21
Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints
What's more surprising? That the New Orleans Saints, who had a nomadic 3-13 season a year ago and are led by rookie head coach Sean Payton, finished the regular season with the league's #1 offense, or that the league's #2 offense was the Philadelphia Eagles, who played half the season without Donovan McNabb?
I'd say it's a toss up. While it is impressive that the Eagles managed to go 6-1 down the stretch and win the NFC East without their marquee player, I can't ignore what the Saints have done this year. Playing with a rookie head coach (Payton), a QB who was cast away by the Chargers after having shoulder surgery (Drew Brees), and a pair of rookies at the skill positions (Reggie Bush, Marques Colston), the Saints are still the story of 2006.
Who Will Win and Why?
If playoff experience was the determining factor in this game, the Eagles would win this game easily. Philadelphia has spent much of this decade in the playoffs, and only Matt Hasselbeck was more accomplished than Jeff Garcia in post-season play among NFC quarterbacks. New Orleans, on the other hand, doesn't exactly have a post-season history worth bragging about. This is their first trip since 2000, when Az-Zahir Hakim fumbled his way into the hearts of Saints fans.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, what happened earlier this decade has little bearing on this game. New Orleans will be playing in what will most assuredly be a rabid crowd, and I don't think the Eagles have the defense that can take away all the weapons the Saints have on offense. This game is going to be won by touchdowns, not field goals, and right now, if your team needs a touchdown, wouldn't you rather have Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, Marques Colston, Joe Horn and Deuce McAllister than Jeff Garcia and Brian Westbrook? I know I would.
Mac's Pick: New Orleans Saints 31, Philadelphia 27
Sunday, January 14th, 2007
Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears
When the Seahawks traveled to Chicago in October, they were still getting Deion Branch acclimated to the offense and were about to be without Shaun Alexander, who was going to miss a game for the 1st time in his NFL career. Not surprisingly, Chicago dominated the Seahawks offense, and a red-hot Rex Grossman torched the Seahawks as the Bears romped Seattle, 37-6. Well, things have changed since then, for both teams.
For Chicago, people are no longer eager to "crown their ass". Rex Grossman has gone from Golden Boy to God Awful, and their most disruptive defensive lineman, Tommie Harris, is on IR after pulling a hamstring.
In Seattle, the Bears exposed the Seahawks a bit, and that game back in October sent Seattle on a downward spiral that, in many ways, Seattle hasn't fully recovered from. Injuries have led to inconsistent play in all three areas of the game, and the Seahawks lack the swagger that their 2005 NFC Championship team had in abundance.
Who Will Win and Why?
Pressure. That's the keyword in this game. Who can bring it, and who can withstand it.
All the pressure is on the Chicago Bears this week. Seattle was a botched snap away from going home a week ago, and the Bears went 13-3 in the regular season, are the #1-seed in the conference, and twice this decade have squandered this exact same situation. Philadelphia came into Soldier Field in 2001 and beat the 13-3 Bears. The Carolina Panthers mirrored that feat a year ago. (It's also important to note that the Bears beat the Panthers earlier in the 2005 season)
Pressure is also on Rex Grossman, who is coming off a game where his QB rating was 0.0 and he publicly admitted that he wasn't prepared to play and wasn't focused because it was New Year's Eve. I'm sure that wasn't what his fans (or teammates) wanted to hear.
Seattle may not be the better team, and all the odds are stacked against them, but I think the Seahawks win.
Mac's Pick: Seattle 24, Chicago 19
New England Patriots at San Diego Chargers
There was a minor brouhaha here in New England about the San Diego Chargers restricting ticket sales to people in the Southern California area. Uh, what do you expect? The Chargers don't want thousands of Patriots fans in the stands on Sunday afternoon, and since they're a private entity, and there are no rules prohibiting that practice, why wouldn't they do whatever they can to make sure Chargers fans are filling those seats?
San Diego is coming off its best season in franchise history. Despite players getting shot (Steve Foley), suspended (Shawne Merriman) and arrested, the Chargers rolled through the NFL like a hot knife through warm butter. They've won 10 games in a row, were very much in every game this season (both losses were by 3 points) and are widely acknowledged as the best team in the NFL.
So why is everyone nervous? Because the New England Patriots are coming town (how will they get by without all the Murphs and Sullys???), that's why. No teams are better prepared for the post-season than a Bill Belichick-coached team, and there simply is no quarterback better built for the post-season than Tom Brady.
Who Will Win and Why?
Even in a stadium full of San Diego Chargers fans, it's awfully hard to go against the New England Patriots. Sure, I did a year ago in this round of the playoffs, but that Patriots team wasn't as good as this one. New England is healthy, focused and has embraced the underdog, "Us against the world" mentality that can fuel them for a playoff run.
Mac's Pick: New England 27, San Diego 24
Saturday, January 13th, 2007
Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens
I'm just thinking out loud here, but why do the people of Baltimore still harbor resentment for the Colts moving to Indianapolis in 1982? Seems to me, that deal worked out pretty good for them. Baltimore has won a Super Bowl trophy since then, and if my understanding of NFL history is accurate, the city of Baltimore got their current team the same way Indianapolis got theirs.
Plus, it's not things are going swimmingly in Indianapolis. Last week, Manning won the 4th playoff game in his 9-year career. That's right, he's 4-6 all-time in the post-season, and nobody carries the "Can he win the big one" tag like Manning.
This week, the Colts are facing the sort of defense that could give them a lot more trouble than the Chiefs defense did a week ago. Baltimore is the #1 scoring defense in the league, and oh yeah, nobody gave up fewer yards in the NFL than the Ravens.
Who Will Win and Why?
It's January, i.e., "Peyton Manning's Least Favorite Month". I know that's a joke repeated by everyone this time of year, but Manning will always be associated with post-season failure until he either stops filming so many commercials or actually wins some tough playoffs games. Hey, I don't make the rules...
As for the game, I think this is a game that the Baltimore Ravens defense just dominates, which will lead to a week of the talking heads asking "Can Peyton Manning the big one?". The answer to that question may be "Yes", just not this week.
Mac's Pick: Baltimore 30, Indianapolis 21
Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints
What's more surprising? That the New Orleans Saints, who had a nomadic 3-13 season a year ago and are led by rookie head coach Sean Payton, finished the regular season with the league's #1 offense, or that the league's #2 offense was the Philadelphia Eagles, who played half the season without Donovan McNabb?
I'd say it's a toss up. While it is impressive that the Eagles managed to go 6-1 down the stretch and win the NFC East without their marquee player, I can't ignore what the Saints have done this year. Playing with a rookie head coach (Payton), a QB who was cast away by the Chargers after having shoulder surgery (Drew Brees), and a pair of rookies at the skill positions (Reggie Bush, Marques Colston), the Saints are still the story of 2006.
Who Will Win and Why?
If playoff experience was the determining factor in this game, the Eagles would win this game easily. Philadelphia has spent much of this decade in the playoffs, and only Matt Hasselbeck was more accomplished than Jeff Garcia in post-season play among NFC quarterbacks. New Orleans, on the other hand, doesn't exactly have a post-season history worth bragging about. This is their first trip since 2000, when Az-Zahir Hakim fumbled his way into the hearts of Saints fans.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, what happened earlier this decade has little bearing on this game. New Orleans will be playing in what will most assuredly be a rabid crowd, and I don't think the Eagles have the defense that can take away all the weapons the Saints have on offense. This game is going to be won by touchdowns, not field goals, and right now, if your team needs a touchdown, wouldn't you rather have Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, Marques Colston, Joe Horn and Deuce McAllister than Jeff Garcia and Brian Westbrook? I know I would.
Mac's Pick: New Orleans Saints 31, Philadelphia 27
Sunday, January 14th, 2007
Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears
When the Seahawks traveled to Chicago in October, they were still getting Deion Branch acclimated to the offense and were about to be without Shaun Alexander, who was going to miss a game for the 1st time in his NFL career. Not surprisingly, Chicago dominated the Seahawks offense, and a red-hot Rex Grossman torched the Seahawks as the Bears romped Seattle, 37-6. Well, things have changed since then, for both teams.
For Chicago, people are no longer eager to "crown their ass". Rex Grossman has gone from Golden Boy to God Awful, and their most disruptive defensive lineman, Tommie Harris, is on IR after pulling a hamstring.
In Seattle, the Bears exposed the Seahawks a bit, and that game back in October sent Seattle on a downward spiral that, in many ways, Seattle hasn't fully recovered from. Injuries have led to inconsistent play in all three areas of the game, and the Seahawks lack the swagger that their 2005 NFC Championship team had in abundance.
Who Will Win and Why?
Pressure. That's the keyword in this game. Who can bring it, and who can withstand it.
All the pressure is on the Chicago Bears this week. Seattle was a botched snap away from going home a week ago, and the Bears went 13-3 in the regular season, are the #1-seed in the conference, and twice this decade have squandered this exact same situation. Philadelphia came into Soldier Field in 2001 and beat the 13-3 Bears. The Carolina Panthers mirrored that feat a year ago. (It's also important to note that the Bears beat the Panthers earlier in the 2005 season)
Pressure is also on Rex Grossman, who is coming off a game where his QB rating was 0.0 and he publicly admitted that he wasn't prepared to play and wasn't focused because it was New Year's Eve. I'm sure that wasn't what his fans (or teammates) wanted to hear.
Seattle may not be the better team, and all the odds are stacked against them, but I think the Seahawks win.
Mac's Pick: Seattle 24, Chicago 19
New England Patriots at San Diego Chargers
There was a minor brouhaha here in New England about the San Diego Chargers restricting ticket sales to people in the Southern California area. Uh, what do you expect? The Chargers don't want thousands of Patriots fans in the stands on Sunday afternoon, and since they're a private entity, and there are no rules prohibiting that practice, why wouldn't they do whatever they can to make sure Chargers fans are filling those seats?
San Diego is coming off its best season in franchise history. Despite players getting shot (Steve Foley), suspended (Shawne Merriman) and arrested, the Chargers rolled through the NFL like a hot knife through warm butter. They've won 10 games in a row, were very much in every game this season (both losses were by 3 points) and are widely acknowledged as the best team in the NFL.
So why is everyone nervous? Because the New England Patriots are coming town (how will they get by without all the Murphs and Sullys???), that's why. No teams are better prepared for the post-season than a Bill Belichick-coached team, and there simply is no quarterback better built for the post-season than Tom Brady.
Who Will Win and Why?
Even in a stadium full of San Diego Chargers fans, it's awfully hard to go against the New England Patriots. Sure, I did a year ago in this round of the playoffs, but that Patriots team wasn't as good as this one. New England is healthy, focused and has embraced the underdog, "Us against the world" mentality that can fuel them for a playoff run.
Mac's Pick: New England 27, San Diego 24
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
NFL News & Notes
Giants To Give Coughlin Another Chance
For some reason, the Giants are giving head coach Tom Coughlin another chance to wear his sleeveless sweater while his team goes 8-8 and his quarterback continues to regress.
It's a bit curious to me why ownership would give Coughlin a repreive this soon into the off-season, especially since they'll soon be hiring another general manager to replace the retiring Ernie Accorsi.
The natural train of thought would be that the new GM would like to bring in his "own guy" to help right the ship.
Harrison To Miss (Another) Playoff Game
The Patriots will be without Rodney Harrison again this week. Harrison injured his knee during the season finale in Tennessee, and certainly would've liked the chance to play the Chargers, his former team, in the playoffs.
New England could certainly use his veteran presence in the secondary when the team attempts to tame NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson.
Coming Soon to a Police Blotter Near You
The Bengals have rewarded Trent Green's least favorite player with a 6-year contract with a maximum value of $33.7 million dollars.
Robert Geathers, who is known mostly for his knockout hit of Kansas City's Trent Green, has parlayed his 10.5 sack season into megabucks.
MNF Crew to Return
ESPN would like to have Tony Kornheiser back in the booth for Monday Night Football in 2007, and Kornheiser is all for it. (Provided it doesn't include a return trip to Seattle)
I've stated my opinion of ESPN's Monday Night Football broadcasts, so you already know that I think ESPN's eagerness to continue with this crew is a mistake. Aside from occasionally ripping into Joe Theismann, Kornheiser brings nothing to the table.
I don't know why ESPN wants him back, or why the Newsday article linked above labels Kornheiser as an "analyst". Does mentioning who is or isn't on your fantasy team and telling everyone when they can turn the channel or go to bed qualify as analysis?
For some reason, the Giants are giving head coach Tom Coughlin another chance to wear his sleeveless sweater while his team goes 8-8 and his quarterback continues to regress.
It's a bit curious to me why ownership would give Coughlin a repreive this soon into the off-season, especially since they'll soon be hiring another general manager to replace the retiring Ernie Accorsi.
The natural train of thought would be that the new GM would like to bring in his "own guy" to help right the ship.
Harrison To Miss (Another) Playoff Game
The Patriots will be without Rodney Harrison again this week. Harrison injured his knee during the season finale in Tennessee, and certainly would've liked the chance to play the Chargers, his former team, in the playoffs.
New England could certainly use his veteran presence in the secondary when the team attempts to tame NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson.
Coming Soon to a Police Blotter Near You
The Bengals have rewarded Trent Green's least favorite player with a 6-year contract with a maximum value of $33.7 million dollars.
Robert Geathers, who is known mostly for his knockout hit of Kansas City's Trent Green, has parlayed his 10.5 sack season into megabucks.
MNF Crew to Return
ESPN would like to have Tony Kornheiser back in the booth for Monday Night Football in 2007, and Kornheiser is all for it. (Provided it doesn't include a return trip to Seattle)
I've stated my opinion of ESPN's Monday Night Football broadcasts, so you already know that I think ESPN's eagerness to continue with this crew is a mistake. Aside from occasionally ripping into Joe Theismann, Kornheiser brings nothing to the table.
I don't know why ESPN wants him back, or why the Newsday article linked above labels Kornheiser as an "analyst". Does mentioning who is or isn't on your fantasy team and telling everyone when they can turn the channel or go to bed qualify as analysis?
Monday, January 08, 2007
"K" Ball "K"ontroversy
Mike Florio at www.profootballtalk.com reports this morning that there is talk in "league circles" that the Seahawks' ball boys selected the slickest of the "K" balls the NFL uses during games for the game's most crucial moment.
From his site:
The rumor/innuendo/scuttlebutt is that the slipperiest of the "K" balls was first put into play when the Cowboys lined up for a potential game-winning field goal late in the fourth quarter. Holder Tony Romo caught the snap but lost control of it as he was trying to get it in place for the kick.
My take? It's pure nonsense.
Chris Mortensen explained on ESPN yesterday (and Florio repeats it in his column) on how the "K" balls are delivered, hermetically-sealed in a special box, to the officials locker room 2 hour before kickoff. While teams are allowed to use their own footballs during the game, the league does not allow them to use their own balls for kicking. Mort mentioned that nothing would stop a team from filling a ball with helium and using it to kick a 70-yard field goal.
But here are three reasons why I think this rumor is nonsense:
1. A minimum of two officials touched that ball and noticed nothing out of the ordinary with it. In fact, the side judge tosses the ball from the sidelines to umpire at the hash marks to spot the ball. The umpire caught the ball.
2. Neither LP Ladoucer nor Tony Romo has indicated that the ball was slicker than any of the other footballs they've handled this year. No players touched that particular ball more than they did.
3. And most importantly to remember: Tony Romo was 6 days removed from a game where he fumbled the ball 4 times, and had fumbled earlier in Saturday night's game.
To me, the more likely scenario is that Romo, who is essentially a rookie QB, had a lapse in concentration at the most critical moment of the game. He isn't the first quarterback to ever do that, and he won't be the last.
From his site:
The rumor/innuendo/scuttlebutt is that the slipperiest of the "K" balls was first put into play when the Cowboys lined up for a potential game-winning field goal late in the fourth quarter. Holder Tony Romo caught the snap but lost control of it as he was trying to get it in place for the kick.
My take? It's pure nonsense.
Chris Mortensen explained on ESPN yesterday (and Florio repeats it in his column) on how the "K" balls are delivered, hermetically-sealed in a special box, to the officials locker room 2 hour before kickoff. While teams are allowed to use their own footballs during the game, the league does not allow them to use their own balls for kicking. Mort mentioned that nothing would stop a team from filling a ball with helium and using it to kick a 70-yard field goal.
But here are three reasons why I think this rumor is nonsense:
1. A minimum of two officials touched that ball and noticed nothing out of the ordinary with it. In fact, the side judge tosses the ball from the sidelines to umpire at the hash marks to spot the ball. The umpire caught the ball.
2. Neither LP Ladoucer nor Tony Romo has indicated that the ball was slicker than any of the other footballs they've handled this year. No players touched that particular ball more than they did.
3. And most importantly to remember: Tony Romo was 6 days removed from a game where he fumbled the ball 4 times, and had fumbled earlier in Saturday night's game.
To me, the more likely scenario is that Romo, who is essentially a rookie QB, had a lapse in concentration at the most critical moment of the game. He isn't the first quarterback to ever do that, and he won't be the last.
Wild Card Sunday Recap
A quick recap of Sunday's action:
New England 37, New York Jets 16 - Teacher vs. Student. Mentor vs. Protege. All of that stuff is fine, but the bottom line was this was the playoff-savvy New England Patriots going up against a fairly young and inexperienced team. New England had the benefit of playing at home, and this was a game that New England should've won by 21 points.
And they did.
The Patriots used a balance attack on offense (34 passes, 36 runs) and the front seven of the defense kept Jets quarterback Chad Pennington off-balance through blitzes and pushing the pocket, forcing Pennington to move outside of the pocket, and outside of his comfort zone.
Overall, it was a good, confidence-building game for the Patriots as they are about to take on the team widely recognized as being the best in the NFL, the San Diego Chargers.
Philadelphia 23, New York Giants 20 - I'll give the Giants credit: They made this game much closer than I thought it would be.
Tiki Barber and Plaxico Burress played well, and even Eli Manning didn't play horrendously. What ultimately did the Giants in were the mental mistakes (9 penalties for 55 yards) and burning two of their timeouts on one 4th quarter drive.
Without a full complement of timeouts, the Giants had no way of stopping the Eagles from milking the clock on their ensuing possession, and the Eagles kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired.
The Eagles move on to play the Saints next week, and for the Giants, well, several key figures will be moving on, as well.
General Manager Ernie Accorsi and running back Tiki Barber are retiring, and it's likely that head coach Tom Coughlin could be fired after once again failing to meet high expectations.
Mac's Game Balls (Part 2)
Offense: Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots - Brady was his playoff self on Sunday. 22-34 for 212 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Brady moved well in the pocket, rarely put the ball in harms way, and delivered passes to 7 different receivers in the Patriots 37-16 win.
Defense: Asante Samuel, CB, New England Patriots - Samuel's interception return for a touchdown iced the game for New England. Samuel had 10 INT's in the regular season, which certainly will drive up his asking price when he hits free agency in March. Adding a game-clinching interception for a touchdown probably adds a few Benjamins to that figure.
Special Teams: Koy Detmer, QB/Holder, Philadelphia Eagles - Andy Reid must be a clairvoyant. This week, David Akers came to him and said he wasn't entirely comfortable with his holder, so Reid quickly signed Detmer, who previously held for Akers in his last stint with Philly. Nobody paid much attention to this until the ball slipped through Tony Romo's hands in Seattle on Saturday night.
Having a comfortable relationship between the snapper, holder and kicker can sometimes be the difference between winning and going home. Reid recognized this, made the move, and it paid off on Sunday night.
The Shove Drowned Out the Flashbulbs
I'm not going to go all Ron Borges here, but there's something about Bill Belichick's post-game shove of Boston Globe cameraman Jim Davis that irks me.
In case you missed it, while Belichick made his way to mid-field for the much-anticipated handshake between He and Jets coach Eric Mangini, Belichick did his best Patrick Swayze in "Road House" impression by shoving Boston Globe photographer Jim Davis' camera back into his face. He gave Mangini a quick hug before shoving his way through more photographers to get to get as far away from the field as possible.
I know, Bill. It must be tough dealing with a situation that you yourself created.
YOU were the one who got angry with Eric Mangini for doing his job by attempting to improve his football team by signing Matt Chatham. YOU got even angrier when Mangini expressed an interest in Deion Branch. After all, it was YOU who allowed Branch to seek a trade and a new contract right before the season after Branch wouldn't fire his agent in order to get the mega-millions contract the Patriots were more than willing to give him.
The irony is delicious.
The New England Patriots consider themselves the NFL's "model franchise" in that they win with high-character players who check their egos at the door and buy into a superior system. Yet that system is designed and overseen by a man who rarely demonstrates, on or off the field, the sort of character the team demands of its players.
Look, Bill Belichick is a great coach. He may even be, in fact, a genius. But he doesn't have the first clue on how to be a person.
Dealing with the media may be viewed upon as a mind-numbing chore for Belichick, but he has to realize that it comes with the territory. If he doesn't like it, quit or go back to coordinating defenses. Nobody is saying that Belichick has to feign like he enjoys it, but he doesn't need to physically abuse a photographer who is just doing his job.
New England 37, New York Jets 16 - Teacher vs. Student. Mentor vs. Protege. All of that stuff is fine, but the bottom line was this was the playoff-savvy New England Patriots going up against a fairly young and inexperienced team. New England had the benefit of playing at home, and this was a game that New England should've won by 21 points.
And they did.
The Patriots used a balance attack on offense (34 passes, 36 runs) and the front seven of the defense kept Jets quarterback Chad Pennington off-balance through blitzes and pushing the pocket, forcing Pennington to move outside of the pocket, and outside of his comfort zone.
Overall, it was a good, confidence-building game for the Patriots as they are about to take on the team widely recognized as being the best in the NFL, the San Diego Chargers.
Philadelphia 23, New York Giants 20 - I'll give the Giants credit: They made this game much closer than I thought it would be.
Tiki Barber and Plaxico Burress played well, and even Eli Manning didn't play horrendously. What ultimately did the Giants in were the mental mistakes (9 penalties for 55 yards) and burning two of their timeouts on one 4th quarter drive.
Without a full complement of timeouts, the Giants had no way of stopping the Eagles from milking the clock on their ensuing possession, and the Eagles kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired.
The Eagles move on to play the Saints next week, and for the Giants, well, several key figures will be moving on, as well.
General Manager Ernie Accorsi and running back Tiki Barber are retiring, and it's likely that head coach Tom Coughlin could be fired after once again failing to meet high expectations.
Mac's Game Balls (Part 2)
Offense: Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots - Brady was his playoff self on Sunday. 22-34 for 212 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Brady moved well in the pocket, rarely put the ball in harms way, and delivered passes to 7 different receivers in the Patriots 37-16 win.
Defense: Asante Samuel, CB, New England Patriots - Samuel's interception return for a touchdown iced the game for New England. Samuel had 10 INT's in the regular season, which certainly will drive up his asking price when he hits free agency in March. Adding a game-clinching interception for a touchdown probably adds a few Benjamins to that figure.
Special Teams: Koy Detmer, QB/Holder, Philadelphia Eagles - Andy Reid must be a clairvoyant. This week, David Akers came to him and said he wasn't entirely comfortable with his holder, so Reid quickly signed Detmer, who previously held for Akers in his last stint with Philly. Nobody paid much attention to this until the ball slipped through Tony Romo's hands in Seattle on Saturday night.
Having a comfortable relationship between the snapper, holder and kicker can sometimes be the difference between winning and going home. Reid recognized this, made the move, and it paid off on Sunday night.
The Shove Drowned Out the Flashbulbs
I'm not going to go all Ron Borges here, but there's something about Bill Belichick's post-game shove of Boston Globe cameraman Jim Davis that irks me.
In case you missed it, while Belichick made his way to mid-field for the much-anticipated handshake between He and Jets coach Eric Mangini, Belichick did his best Patrick Swayze in "Road House" impression by shoving Boston Globe photographer Jim Davis' camera back into his face. He gave Mangini a quick hug before shoving his way through more photographers to get to get as far away from the field as possible.
I know, Bill. It must be tough dealing with a situation that you yourself created.
YOU were the one who got angry with Eric Mangini for doing his job by attempting to improve his football team by signing Matt Chatham. YOU got even angrier when Mangini expressed an interest in Deion Branch. After all, it was YOU who allowed Branch to seek a trade and a new contract right before the season after Branch wouldn't fire his agent in order to get the mega-millions contract the Patriots were more than willing to give him.
The irony is delicious.
The New England Patriots consider themselves the NFL's "model franchise" in that they win with high-character players who check their egos at the door and buy into a superior system. Yet that system is designed and overseen by a man who rarely demonstrates, on or off the field, the sort of character the team demands of its players.
Look, Bill Belichick is a great coach. He may even be, in fact, a genius. But he doesn't have the first clue on how to be a person.
Dealing with the media may be viewed upon as a mind-numbing chore for Belichick, but he has to realize that it comes with the territory. If he doesn't like it, quit or go back to coordinating defenses. Nobody is saying that Belichick has to feign like he enjoys it, but he doesn't need to physically abuse a photographer who is just doing his job.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Wild Card Saturday Recap
Where to begin??
Indianapolis 23, Kansas City 8 - It was assumed that the Chiefs would hand the ball to Larry Johnson 30-35 times, which against the Colts run defense would surely equate to 175 yards, and LJ and the Chiefs would keep Peyton Manning on the sidelines.
Yeah, that didn't happen. The Colts stuffed the box with 8 and 9 defenders, and held the Chiefs ground game to a measly 44 yards rushing, and 126 yards overall. Kansas City was held without a 1st down until midway through the 3rd quarter, but by that time, the Chiefs trailed the Colts 16-0.
Despite throwing three interceptions, Peyton Manning was accurate (30-38) and wisely hit the targets underneath the Chiefs defense. Tight end Dallas Clark and running back Joseph Addai combined for 16 of Manning's 30 completions for 129 yards. Addai, the only rookie RB to go over 1,000 yards in '06, added 122 yards and a touchdown on the ground as the Colts controlled the clock for nearly 40 minutes.
Defensively, the Colts stopped Johnson, and Dwight Freeney abused Jordan Black on several occasions, sacking Green twice and forcing a fumble. Once the Colts had a comfortable lead, and the Chiefs had to throw if they were to come back, Colts safeties Bob Sanders and Antoine Bethea both baited Green into throwing interceptions that sealed the Colts victory.
Seattle 21, Dallas 20 - Heading into last night's game without 3 of their top 4 cornerbacks, the Seahawks had a daunting task ahead of them. How do you stop Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn, Jason Witten and Pro Bowl QB Tony Romo with a rookie CB (Kelly Jennings), a undrafted converted safety playing CB (Jordan Babineaux), and two street free agents (Pete Hunter and Rich Gardner)?
A few days before his Cowboys left for Seattle, Terrell Owens was asked about the patchwork Seahawks secondary. His response? That Seattle would be better off if they had some of the assembled media covering him during the game.
Owens production on Saturday night: 2 receptions, 26 yards and a key drop on a 3rd down.
During last year's NFC Championship game, the talking heads questioned whether or not the Seahawks could stop the NFL's most dangerous wide receiver, Steve Smith. Seattle effectively shut him down and Seattle won thanks in large part to the absence of another weapon on Carolina's offense.
This time around, Seattle's defensive coordinator John Marshall needed to devise a similar plan, with inferior talent, against a more dynamic offense that has many weapons.
And the "Marshall Plan" worked. In the 1st half, Seattle was able to stop the run with just 7 guys in the box. Dallas never tried a deep pass, mainly because Seattle was committed to preventing it. Both of Seattle's sacks (both by Bryce Fisher) were coverage sacks, as Seattle dropped 8 guys into coverage on most downs.
In the end, Seattle needed a bit of luck to pull this one out. With 1:19 remaining, and Dallas lined up to kick the go-ahead field goal, Tony Romo bobbled the snap from LP Ladouceur. Romo still had an opportunity to pick up the 1st down, if not score a dagger-in-the-heart touchdown, but he was run down by Jordan "Big Play" Babineaux from behind, and Dallas turned the ball over on downs.
Mac's Game Balls (Part 1)
It's the playoffs, so I'm going to be extra generous with my game balls.
Offense: Joseph Addai, RB, Indianapolis Colts and Jerramy Stevens, TE, Seattle Seahawks - The rookie from LSU had 25 carries for 122 yards and a touchdown, but he also added 7 receptions for 26 yards in the passing game, many times bailing out Peyton Manning...Stevens, a much-maligned figure on Seattle's sports scene dating back to his days at U-Dub, had 5 receptions for 77 yards and a pair of 2nd half touchdowns to that gave the Seahawks a 21-20 win.
Defense: Jordan Babineaux, CB/S, Seattle Seahawks - He covered Terrell Owens for much of Saturday night's game, and Owens did nothing against him. Babineaux also tackled Tony Romo from behind, preserving the 21-20 Seahawks win.
Special Teams - Miles Austin, KR, Dallas Cowboys - After Seattle took a 13-10 lead, Austin responded by taking the ensuing kickoff 93 yards for a Cowboys touchdown.
Fact That Only Interests Me: With his pair of touchdowns last night, Jerramy Stevens is tied with Hall of Fame WR Steve Largent for 1st place in franchise history with 4 post-season touchdowns in his career.
Indianapolis 23, Kansas City 8 - It was assumed that the Chiefs would hand the ball to Larry Johnson 30-35 times, which against the Colts run defense would surely equate to 175 yards, and LJ and the Chiefs would keep Peyton Manning on the sidelines.
Yeah, that didn't happen. The Colts stuffed the box with 8 and 9 defenders, and held the Chiefs ground game to a measly 44 yards rushing, and 126 yards overall. Kansas City was held without a 1st down until midway through the 3rd quarter, but by that time, the Chiefs trailed the Colts 16-0.
Despite throwing three interceptions, Peyton Manning was accurate (30-38) and wisely hit the targets underneath the Chiefs defense. Tight end Dallas Clark and running back Joseph Addai combined for 16 of Manning's 30 completions for 129 yards. Addai, the only rookie RB to go over 1,000 yards in '06, added 122 yards and a touchdown on the ground as the Colts controlled the clock for nearly 40 minutes.
Defensively, the Colts stopped Johnson, and Dwight Freeney abused Jordan Black on several occasions, sacking Green twice and forcing a fumble. Once the Colts had a comfortable lead, and the Chiefs had to throw if they were to come back, Colts safeties Bob Sanders and Antoine Bethea both baited Green into throwing interceptions that sealed the Colts victory.
Seattle 21, Dallas 20 - Heading into last night's game without 3 of their top 4 cornerbacks, the Seahawks had a daunting task ahead of them. How do you stop Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn, Jason Witten and Pro Bowl QB Tony Romo with a rookie CB (Kelly Jennings), a undrafted converted safety playing CB (Jordan Babineaux), and two street free agents (Pete Hunter and Rich Gardner)?
A few days before his Cowboys left for Seattle, Terrell Owens was asked about the patchwork Seahawks secondary. His response? That Seattle would be better off if they had some of the assembled media covering him during the game.
Owens production on Saturday night: 2 receptions, 26 yards and a key drop on a 3rd down.
During last year's NFC Championship game, the talking heads questioned whether or not the Seahawks could stop the NFL's most dangerous wide receiver, Steve Smith. Seattle effectively shut him down and Seattle won thanks in large part to the absence of another weapon on Carolina's offense.
This time around, Seattle's defensive coordinator John Marshall needed to devise a similar plan, with inferior talent, against a more dynamic offense that has many weapons.
And the "Marshall Plan" worked. In the 1st half, Seattle was able to stop the run with just 7 guys in the box. Dallas never tried a deep pass, mainly because Seattle was committed to preventing it. Both of Seattle's sacks (both by Bryce Fisher) were coverage sacks, as Seattle dropped 8 guys into coverage on most downs.
In the end, Seattle needed a bit of luck to pull this one out. With 1:19 remaining, and Dallas lined up to kick the go-ahead field goal, Tony Romo bobbled the snap from LP Ladouceur. Romo still had an opportunity to pick up the 1st down, if not score a dagger-in-the-heart touchdown, but he was run down by Jordan "Big Play" Babineaux from behind, and Dallas turned the ball over on downs.
Mac's Game Balls (Part 1)
It's the playoffs, so I'm going to be extra generous with my game balls.
Offense: Joseph Addai, RB, Indianapolis Colts and Jerramy Stevens, TE, Seattle Seahawks - The rookie from LSU had 25 carries for 122 yards and a touchdown, but he also added 7 receptions for 26 yards in the passing game, many times bailing out Peyton Manning...Stevens, a much-maligned figure on Seattle's sports scene dating back to his days at U-Dub, had 5 receptions for 77 yards and a pair of 2nd half touchdowns to that gave the Seahawks a 21-20 win.
Defense: Jordan Babineaux, CB/S, Seattle Seahawks - He covered Terrell Owens for much of Saturday night's game, and Owens did nothing against him. Babineaux also tackled Tony Romo from behind, preserving the 21-20 Seahawks win.
Special Teams - Miles Austin, KR, Dallas Cowboys - After Seattle took a 13-10 lead, Austin responded by taking the ensuing kickoff 93 yards for a Cowboys touchdown.
Fact That Only Interests Me: With his pair of touchdowns last night, Jerramy Stevens is tied with Hall of Fame WR Steve Largent for 1st place in franchise history with 4 post-season touchdowns in his career.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Jason Taylor NFL's Top Defensive Player
A panel of 50 sportswriters have voted, and after getting 22 first place votes, Jason Taylor of the Miami Dolphins is the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Denver's Champ Bailey received 16 votes, and supplement enthusiast Shawne Merriman finished in 3rd place in voting with 6.
That Merriman received such few votes is an indication that the writers were not buying the excuse that he accidentally took the tainted supplement. Even after several prominent NFL writers (SI's Peter King and ESPN's Len Pasquarelli) said they would (and should) disregard the suspension when voting, the majority of their colleagues simply could not overlook the fact that while Merriman probably is the best defensive player in the NFL, the facts are he was caught cheating this year.
The official vote went like this:
Jason Taylor (22)
Champ Bailey (16)
Shawne Merriman (6)
Brian Urlacher (4)
Ray Lewis (1)
Trevor Pryce (1)
Denver's Champ Bailey received 16 votes, and supplement enthusiast Shawne Merriman finished in 3rd place in voting with 6.
That Merriman received such few votes is an indication that the writers were not buying the excuse that he accidentally took the tainted supplement. Even after several prominent NFL writers (SI's Peter King and ESPN's Len Pasquarelli) said they would (and should) disregard the suspension when voting, the majority of their colleagues simply could not overlook the fact that while Merriman probably is the best defensive player in the NFL, the facts are he was caught cheating this year.
The official vote went like this:
Jason Taylor (22)
Champ Bailey (16)
Shawne Merriman (6)
Brian Urlacher (4)
Ray Lewis (1)
Trevor Pryce (1)
Mac's Picks - Wild Card Weekend
After a dismal 120-131-5 record in the regular season, my 7-4 record in the post-season last year has prompted me to post some playoff predictions.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Cowher To Step Down
ESPN's John Clayton is reporting that Bill Cowhere has informed his assistant coaches that he will step down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
We all know that Cowher spent 15 years in Pittsburgh, and he "won" a Super Bowl last February.
So that means that there are now coaching vacancies in Arizona, Atlanta, Miami, Pittsburgh, and as soon as Al Davis decides that proving Adam Schefter wrong shouldn't come at the expense of Raiders fans, Oakland.
We all know that Cowher spent 15 years in Pittsburgh, and he "won" a Super Bowl last February.
So that means that there are now coaching vacancies in Arizona, Atlanta, Miami, Pittsburgh, and as soon as Al Davis decides that proving Adam Schefter wrong shouldn't come at the expense of Raiders fans, Oakland.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Saban Going Back to School
When Nick Saban said "I'm not going to Alabama" on December 21st, nobody was buying it. The players weren't, Miami Dolphins owner Wayne Huzienga wasn't, and neither were the powers that be at the University of Alabama.
So it shouldn't be much of a surprise this morning that Saban is currently aboard a private jet hurtling towards Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he'll put his Herbie Hancock on a long-term contract to coach the Crimson Tide. The deal is believed to be for 8 years, and worth between $35-40 million dollars.
After spending a few years as a hot NFL Head Coach candidate, Saban left LSU to take the head coaching job with the Miami Dolphins. Under Saban, the Dolphins went 15-17 and failed to make the post-season.
I hope Saban enjoyed his stay in the NFL, because I can't see another team making the same mistake with him again.
So it shouldn't be much of a surprise this morning that Saban is currently aboard a private jet hurtling towards Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he'll put his Herbie Hancock on a long-term contract to coach the Crimson Tide. The deal is believed to be for 8 years, and worth between $35-40 million dollars.
After spending a few years as a hot NFL Head Coach candidate, Saban left LSU to take the head coaching job with the Miami Dolphins. Under Saban, the Dolphins went 15-17 and failed to make the post-season.
I hope Saban enjoyed his stay in the NFL, because I can't see another team making the same mistake with him again.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Patriots Accuse Titans of Dirty Tactics
Word out of New England is that veteran safety Rodney Harrison will be sidelined 2-4 weeks with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee. The injury occurred on a low block by Tennessee Titans wide receiver Bobby Wade, whose helmet appeared to come in contact with Harrison's knee.
Harrison has accused Wade of intentionally trying to injure him.
"He dove at my knees intentionally. He was trying to hurt me. The whole play was dirty."
I'm inclined to agree with Harrison on this one. After all, if anyone in the NFL knows a dirty play when it happens, it's Rodney Harrison. Who can forget Harrison launching himself into the knees of Trent Green in an exhibition game in 1999? Personally, I remember him rolling like a crocodile into Matt Hasselbeck's knees in a 2004 game, as well.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to search the NFL for someone who actually sympathizes with Harrison. Should take me awhile.
Harrison has accused Wade of intentionally trying to injure him.
"He dove at my knees intentionally. He was trying to hurt me. The whole play was dirty."
I'm inclined to agree with Harrison on this one. After all, if anyone in the NFL knows a dirty play when it happens, it's Rodney Harrison. Who can forget Harrison launching himself into the knees of Trent Green in an exhibition game in 1999? Personally, I remember him rolling like a crocodile into Matt Hasselbeck's knees in a 2004 game, as well.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to search the NFL for someone who actually sympathizes with Harrison. Should take me awhile.
Greatest. Bowl Game. Ever.
I've rarely mentioned college football in this space, but I have to alert you to this. Tonight's Fiesta Bowl was the greatest bowl game I've ever witnessed. This game will immediately be on ESPN's Instant Classics, provided FOX allows it.
Even though I have to trek back to work for the first time in nearly two weeks, I'm glad I stayed up until nearly 1am (EST) to watch the conclusion of this game. What a great game.
Even though I have to trek back to work for the first time in nearly two weeks, I'm glad I stayed up until nearly 1am (EST) to watch the conclusion of this game. What a great game.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Domanick Williams?
I always find these items somewhat bizarre, so I thought I'd pass it along to you. Houston Texans running back Domanick Davis has changed his number...and his last name.
(Insert Lt. Frank Drebin's "I sometimes go by my maiden name" joke here)
The "Running Back Formerly Known as Domanick Davis" is now Domanick Williams. He'll also be wearing #31 when 2007 rolls around. Whether or not that's in a Texans uniform is unknown.
As someone who had not one, but two fantasy football seasons submarined by Domanick Davis, I won't be mistaking him on draft day.
(Insert Lt. Frank Drebin's "I sometimes go by my maiden name" joke here)
The "Running Back Formerly Known as Domanick Davis" is now Domanick Williams. He'll also be wearing #31 when 2007 rolls around. Whether or not that's in a Texans uniform is unknown.
As someone who had not one, but two fantasy football seasons submarined by Domanick Davis, I won't be mistaking him on draft day.
Favre's Farewell & Post-Season Hardware
If last night was the last time we'll ever see Brett Favre at QB for the Green Bay Packers, he went out with a bang. The Packers dominated the Chicago Bears from start to finish, creating 5 Chicago Bears turnovers, leading many to believe that while the road to the Super Bowl in the NFC goes through Chicago, it's not as treacherous as once thought.
Favre was tearful after the game, but the Packers are steadfast in their belief that his tears do not indicate that Favre is going to hang 'em up.
Mac's Game Balls
Offense: Tiki Barber, NY Giants - In his last regular season game in the NFL, Tiki broke off for 234 yards and three touchdown runs, two going for more than 50 yards. Great way to prematurely end a career.
Defense: Walt Harris, San Francisco - Harris notched a pair of interceptions against the Denver Broncos, and returned one 28 yards for a touchdown that gave the 49ers a 17-13 lead in the 3rd quarter of the 49ers 26-23 overtime win that eliminated the Broncos from the post-season.
Special Teams: Bernard Pollard, Kansas City - Pollard, a rookie defensive back from Purdue, blocked a punt which he recovered in the end zone for a touchdown in the Chiefs 35-30 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Kansas City qualified for the playoffs when the 49ers upset the Broncos. (But don't tell Herm Edwards that KC backed into the playoffs, ok?)
Mac's All-Pros & Awards (Why not?)
All-Pros
Offense
LT - Walter Jones, Seattle
LG - Steve Hutchinson, Minnesota
OC - Olin Kruetz, Chicago
RG - Will Shields, Kansas City
RT - Jamaal Brown, New Orleans
TE - Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City
WR - Chad Johnson, Cincinnati
WR - Marvin Harrison, Indianapolis
FB - Mike Karney, New Orleans
RB - LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego
QB - Peyton Manning, Indianapolis
Defense
DE - Jason Taylor, Miami
DT - Jamal Williams, San Diego
DT - Tommie Harris, Chicago
DE - Aaron Kampman, Green Bay
OLB - DeMarcus Ware, Dallas
MLB - Brian Urlacher, Chicago
OLB - Julian Peterson, Seattle
CB - Champ Bailey, Denver
FS - Kerry Rhodes, NY Jets
SS - Adrian Wilson, Arizona
CB - Asante Samuel, New England
NFL MVP - LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego Chargers
Offensive Player of the Year - LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego Chargers
Defensive Player of the Year - Champ Bailey, CB, Denver Broncos
NFL Head Coach of the Year - Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year - Marcus McNeill, LT, San Diego Chargers
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year - Demeco Ryans, LB, Houston Texans
Favre was tearful after the game, but the Packers are steadfast in their belief that his tears do not indicate that Favre is going to hang 'em up.
Mac's Game Balls
Offense: Tiki Barber, NY Giants - In his last regular season game in the NFL, Tiki broke off for 234 yards and three touchdown runs, two going for more than 50 yards. Great way to prematurely end a career.
Defense: Walt Harris, San Francisco - Harris notched a pair of interceptions against the Denver Broncos, and returned one 28 yards for a touchdown that gave the 49ers a 17-13 lead in the 3rd quarter of the 49ers 26-23 overtime win that eliminated the Broncos from the post-season.
Special Teams: Bernard Pollard, Kansas City - Pollard, a rookie defensive back from Purdue, blocked a punt which he recovered in the end zone for a touchdown in the Chiefs 35-30 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Kansas City qualified for the playoffs when the 49ers upset the Broncos. (But don't tell Herm Edwards that KC backed into the playoffs, ok?)
Mac's All-Pros & Awards (Why not?)
All-Pros
Offense
LT - Walter Jones, Seattle
LG - Steve Hutchinson, Minnesota
OC - Olin Kruetz, Chicago
RG - Will Shields, Kansas City
RT - Jamaal Brown, New Orleans
TE - Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City
WR - Chad Johnson, Cincinnati
WR - Marvin Harrison, Indianapolis
FB - Mike Karney, New Orleans
RB - LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego
QB - Peyton Manning, Indianapolis
Defense
DE - Jason Taylor, Miami
DT - Jamal Williams, San Diego
DT - Tommie Harris, Chicago
DE - Aaron Kampman, Green Bay
OLB - DeMarcus Ware, Dallas
MLB - Brian Urlacher, Chicago
OLB - Julian Peterson, Seattle
CB - Champ Bailey, Denver
FS - Kerry Rhodes, NY Jets
SS - Adrian Wilson, Arizona
CB - Asante Samuel, New England
NFL MVP - LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego Chargers
Offensive Player of the Year - LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego Chargers
Defensive Player of the Year - Champ Bailey, CB, Denver Broncos
NFL Head Coach of the Year - Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year - Marcus McNeill, LT, San Diego Chargers
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year - Demeco Ryans, LB, Houston Texans
Falcons Fire Mora
After a 7-9 season, and a lack of an endorsement from franchise QB Michael Vick, Falcons owner Arthur Blank has fired Jim Mora, Jr.
In three seasons as a head coach in Atlanta, Mora went 26-22, but after winning the NFC South and leading the Falcons to the NFC Championship game in his inaugural season, the Falcons have gone 15-17 and missed the playoffs two straight seasons.
Also aiding Mora's departure have been the lack of development from Michael Vick, but more damning were statements Mora made on the "Softy Mahler Show" on Seattle sports radio station KJR (950 AM), where Mora "jokingly" stated to hosts Dave "Softy" Mahler and co-host Hugh "Breedlove" Millen (Mora's college roommate) that he'd leave the Falcons in the middle of a playoff run to take the top job at his alma mater, the University of Washington.
Those comments can be found here.
In three seasons as a head coach in Atlanta, Mora went 26-22, but after winning the NFC South and leading the Falcons to the NFC Championship game in his inaugural season, the Falcons have gone 15-17 and missed the playoffs two straight seasons.
Also aiding Mora's departure have been the lack of development from Michael Vick, but more damning were statements Mora made on the "Softy Mahler Show" on Seattle sports radio station KJR (950 AM), where Mora "jokingly" stated to hosts Dave "Softy" Mahler and co-host Hugh "Breedlove" Millen (Mora's college roommate) that he'd leave the Falcons in the middle of a playoff run to take the top job at his alma mater, the University of Washington.
Those comments can be found here.
Black Monday
Darrent Williams, a 2nd-year cornerback for the Denver Broncos, was shot and killed while sitting in a limousine that was parked on a main street (Speer Boulevard) in downtown Denver last night.
The day after the conclusion of the NFL's regular season is called "Black Monday" because it's usually the day NFL head coaches end up in the unemployment line. The news of Williams' death gives the term "Black Monday" a whole new meaning.
A subplot of the NFL season has been the rate in which NFL players ran afoul of the law. From Chris Henry's multiple arrests, Sean Taylor's gun waving and Tank Johnson's weapons charges, one problem facing the NFL this off-season was how to deal with players who force the NFL's public relations department to work overtime.
Williams wasn't one of those players.
By all accounts, Williams was a polite, thoughtful, well-spoken young man who had grown up considerably from the time he entered Oklahoma State to the time that the Denver Broncos chose him in the 2nd round of the 2005 NFL Draft. Williams earned the starting job opposite Champ Bailey, was selfless enough to play special teams (he was the Broncos punt returner) and was well on his way to a successful NFL career.
Williams life has been cut short by the type of senseless, and apparently random, violence that plagues every inner city in the United States. The "wrong place, wrong time" phrase has been bandied about this morning, but looking at what little information is known at this time, I don't see anything "wrong" about the situation Williams was in.
Last night, tens of thousands of 24-year old men (and women) were out celebrating the New Year. How many of them procured a limousine to make sure they were not behind the wheel of an automobile after a night of partying?
Williams did. Perhaps it was the gutless cowards that sprayed the limousine with a dozen bullets that were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and not Darrent Williams.
Cardinals Fire Dennis Green
In a move that surprises no one, the first NFL head coach to be fired on "Black Monday" is Dennis Green, who was fired by the Arizona Cardinals earlier today.
In 3 seasons in the desert, Green's Cardinals were a combined 16-32. They entered 2006 as a trendy "sleeper" pick in the NFC West, but went 5-11 and finished last in that division. Ironically, 4 of the Cardinals 5 wins came against NFC West opponents.
The day after the conclusion of the NFL's regular season is called "Black Monday" because it's usually the day NFL head coaches end up in the unemployment line. The news of Williams' death gives the term "Black Monday" a whole new meaning.
A subplot of the NFL season has been the rate in which NFL players ran afoul of the law. From Chris Henry's multiple arrests, Sean Taylor's gun waving and Tank Johnson's weapons charges, one problem facing the NFL this off-season was how to deal with players who force the NFL's public relations department to work overtime.
Williams wasn't one of those players.
By all accounts, Williams was a polite, thoughtful, well-spoken young man who had grown up considerably from the time he entered Oklahoma State to the time that the Denver Broncos chose him in the 2nd round of the 2005 NFL Draft. Williams earned the starting job opposite Champ Bailey, was selfless enough to play special teams (he was the Broncos punt returner) and was well on his way to a successful NFL career.
Williams life has been cut short by the type of senseless, and apparently random, violence that plagues every inner city in the United States. The "wrong place, wrong time" phrase has been bandied about this morning, but looking at what little information is known at this time, I don't see anything "wrong" about the situation Williams was in.
Last night, tens of thousands of 24-year old men (and women) were out celebrating the New Year. How many of them procured a limousine to make sure they were not behind the wheel of an automobile after a night of partying?
Williams did. Perhaps it was the gutless cowards that sprayed the limousine with a dozen bullets that were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and not Darrent Williams.
Cardinals Fire Dennis Green
In a move that surprises no one, the first NFL head coach to be fired on "Black Monday" is Dennis Green, who was fired by the Arizona Cardinals earlier today.
In 3 seasons in the desert, Green's Cardinals were a combined 16-32. They entered 2006 as a trendy "sleeper" pick in the NFC West, but went 5-11 and finished last in that division. Ironically, 4 of the Cardinals 5 wins came against NFC West opponents.
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