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| Not from this year, but topical |
1. What he hell happened this year, man?
I'll tell you what happened - two or three years of awful personnel decisions coming back to bite the Eagles in the ass, that's what. We should have seen it coming, really. The guys in charge, whether it was Andy Reid, Howie Roseman, or a combination of the two, misfit personnel everywhere and didn't get the right players in the pantry. The offensive line wasn't equipped to pass-protect 60 times a game, especially for a quarterback in Michael Vick who just is not sharp enough to make the kinds of quick reads required in a West Coast-style offense. The linebackers were not able to cover tight ends and running backs. Nnamdi Asomugha was not fit to run in a scheme where he wasn't allowed to play tight man after bumping at the line of scrimmage. It was a lot of buzzwords and coaches with disparate egos coming to work for the ultimate control freak of a head coach. It blew up before it could get started.
It wasn't just one decision that creamed Reid here. It was a confluence of them. But hey, the future's not that dire. Teams can turn around on a dime in the NFL. The Eagles still have a core of players, lots of high draft picks, and cap flexibility that might signal a return to contention quicker than you might think.
2. I know you're a Dallas hater, but does that mean you still don't feel bad for Tony Romo?
No, I don't. Admittedly, a lot of it has to do with his uniform, but then again, I don't dislike people just because they wear the star on their helmets. DeMarcus Ware, Miles Austin, Jason Witten, and Morris Claiborne are all guys I dig as players, even if they play for the wrong team. And yes, it feels like ESPN, among other outlets, likes to pile on when they get a good, frothy narrative going. For any other player, it might be overkill.
However, every time dude throws a pick, he's on the sideline yelling at someone other than himself (Although how funny would it be if he just up and started screaming into the air, cursing his bad play?). He dressed down Witten this past Sunday, a guy who bailed him the fuck out all season and played in the opening game WITH A GODDAMN NEARLY RUPTURED SPLEEN. He seems like he's a petulant baby whose comeuppance is deserved with every interception. Fuck him.
3. Are you ready for at least one week, if not more, of Ray Lewis-as-mythic-leader of the Ravens hagiography as they make one last Super Bowl run with him?
Oh man, news broke at like noon on Wednesday, and by 1:00 PM, I was already sick of it. Mike "Christmas Ape" Tunison covered it better than I could over at KSK, but this kind of shit happens all the time when an aging, underperforming former superstar gets into a playoff run and somehow uses MAGIC LEADERSHIP POWER to soldier forward. Yeah, I'm having none of it.
The fact of the matter is that Lewis hasn't been good for a few years, but he gets voted to Pro Bowls, and everyone knows his name, so we pretend he is. It's the same with his teammate Ed Reed and especially true of Brian Urlacher in Chicago. It's easier to bullshit someone that a defensive guy has impact because the stats are sketchier or more easily manipulated or whatever. Lewis hasn't gotten as many tackles? It's okay, because you can't measure LEADERSHIP. I understand football will never have the statistical width and breadth that baseball has, and in a way, I'm glad for that because of how disparate the games are. However, let's not let that be a disguise for deifying a guy who doesn't deserve the plaudits.
If the Ravens win the Super Bowl, it'll be in spite of their creaky, broken down, old defense and because someone would have programmed cyborg offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell to run heavy doses of Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce to minimize the mistakes their quarterback might make. Ray Lewis is not going to will them to any wins cuz HE PLAYS HARD HRRRRR.
4. Is this the year that the Falcons finally win a playoff game with Matt Ryan?
Well, they won't get the Packers at least. I haven't looked at statistical matchups of their potential opponents. Atlanta's been very skittish this year anyway. One week, they'll come out and mollywomp the Giants, and the next, they'll lay an egg against Carolina. People called them fraudulent this year, and the stats almost seem to bear it out. Football Outsiders' DVOA stat has them as the 10th best team in the league, behind the Giants and Bears, both of whom didn't make the playoffs.
However, things can break well for them, especially if they get Washington or even Minnesota in the second round. This is a team that can put up points in bunches. Those two are running teams primarily, and they won't be able to keep up with Atlanta in a shootout. So the odds might look favorable if they get either of those teams. Then again what about Seattle? Well...
5. The Seahawks have looked like the best team in football in the last three weeks. Is the dream over in DC for this year?
The Seahawks almost looked like lead pipe locks to blow out whomever they were facing in the Wild Card and then to stomp right into Atlanta and take the Falcons' lunch. Even three weeks ago, I felt the same way. However, there are a few things to worry about here. Any team can look good stomping the Cardinals and Bills. Two, they're 8-0 at home, but 3-5 on the road. The only way they get the REAL ULTIMATE POWER of the 12th Man is if they draw Minnesota in the NFC Championship Game. Stranger things have happened, but it's not like they're playing the goddamn Eagles on Sunday.
Washington is a running team with several options that can break a team. Alfred Morris runs between the tackles, and Robert Griffin III runs outside of them. Oh yeah, he can also toss the ball too pretty well. The NFC East Champions are one of the most dynamic offensive teams in football. While the Seahawks have a dominant defense, they ranked in the middle of the pack against the run. Away from home and against a hungry Washington team, they might end up falling face first into a huge trap.
6. What team got boned harder by not winning in Week 17, the Texans or the Packers?
This is tough to say. On principle alone, the Packers got boned hardest because if they didn't get a win stolen from them in Week 3, it really wouldn't matter if they had won or lost Sunday. They'd have had a bye week locked up. That also pretty much flipped the homefield situation for a potential divisional round rematch against the 49ers. Yeah, the Niners beat them at Lambeau in September, but Lambeau in September is not the same field it is in January. Not by a longshot.
Still, I can't help but feel that the Texans are the team that boned themselves harder here. The AFC is top heavy, but man, wouldn't you rather be playing at home rather than in Foxboro or Denver? If I were the Packers, I might feel better about playing at Candlestick because the Niners have shown weakness in the last few weeks. The Pats and Broncos have mostly gotten stronger, and in case you haven't noticed, the Texans have been hit especially hard on defense with the injury bug. They really could have used that Week 17 game back.
7. What's more likely to happen - the Broncos steamrolling through the playoffs and winning the Lombardi easily or the Colts/Ravens/Bengals coming in and shocking them in the divisional round?
Neither is likely to happen - if the Broncos win it all, it won't be through three straight blowouts - but I do think that this team is different than all those Colts teams Peyton Manning helmed that choked hardcore in their first or second playoff games. The difference is that this may be the best defense Manning has played opposite of, or at least the most complete defense anyway. I don't know, I really feel like the only team that's capable of beating Denver right now in the AFC is New England, and they've gotta come into Mile High and do it. I feel like things are breaking for the Broncos very favorably.
8. Is there a single more valuable player to his team right now than Justin Smith is to the 49ers?
The prohibitive answer is no, given how valuable guys like Manning, Adrian Peterson, Aaron Rodgers, and JJ Watt are to their teams. However, there's a lot of merit to arguing that ever since Justin Smith went out, the Niners lost A LOT on defense. A great defense starts at the pass rush. Until J. Smith went out, Aldon Smith was on pace to break Michael Strahan's (sham) sack record. Afterwards, A. Smith got a lot of double teams, quarterbacks were able to get more time in the pocket, and boom, the Patriots and Seahawks were able to hang 73 points on them in five-plus quarters of play.
One player is not going to make or break that unit, but the Niners are going to get the Packers, Seahawks, or Washington on divisional weekend. They may be able to skate without Justin Smith against Washington, and the Seahawks are not as good on the road as they are at home as noted before. However, if they get the Packers, and Aaron Rodgers has time to throw? It's going to get ugly quick.
9. This just feels like one of those seasons... Oh God, the Pats are going to win a Super Bowl, aren't they?
Look, just calm down, alright? Sure, the AFC is wack. Sure, Tom Brady is still throwing the ball with impunity. But remember that the Pats have an awful secondary. Okay, that really hasn't helped assuage any fears given how dominant they've looked at times. However, look at the Niners' game BEFORE Justin Smith got hurt. They got after Brady, and the offense was mostly ineffective. The Texans *might* get after Brady (Watt at least did even if none of his teammates did), and the Broncos definitely could. Still though, it almost feels like one of those years. I don't know, just brace yourself I guess. At least baseball season will be here soon, and the Red Sox still absolutely blow on paper.
10. What are your predictions, tough guy?
Alright, this weekend, after much soul-searching, I've got Washington eking out a win over the Seahawks at home, the Packers getting a bit of revenge against the Vikes, the Ravens bowing out against a red hot Colts team, and the Texans finding enough on defense to stifle the Bengals. Divisional round, give me Broncos over Colts, and Pats over Texans in the AFC, and Falcons over Washington, and Niners over Packers in the NFC.
One thing is for certain in the AFC Championship Game; everyone will be sick to death by the Wednesday prior about the Brady/Manning media blitz, but I see the Broncos' D getting one more stop than the Pats' D will at least. Denver wins. In the NFC, Niners head to the Georgia Dome where the Falcons are very hard to beat. I don't want to get wishy-washy here, but I gotta figure the results are different whether Justin Smith plays or not. I'll flip a coin, say he does play, and that gives the Niners an all-important, minor upset and berth to the Super Bowl.
In the Super Bowl, I see somewhat of a defensive struggle between two stout teams with monster pass rushes. If I had to guess in only a one game sample, I would probably bet on Manning being more up to the challenge than either Colin Kaepernick or Alex Smith. Then again, Manning is also very liable to give you a derpy fart of a game as well. Regardless, gimme the Broncos 21, 49ers 17, with Manning getting the MVP but Von Miller deserving it more.
