The Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers currently have NBA fans and the media on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. The 2013 NBA Eastern Conference Finals is knotted at 3 games a piece with Game 7 looming in South Beach. Neither team has won consecutive games yet which has helped fuel the immediate momentum swings. Interested spectators are on the edge of their seats not knowing exactly which way this ride is going to go but still not hesitating to make "written in stone" predictions.
Far too many times in this series I've read and heard people make quick, hard line predictions based upon just one game's final result. After the Pacers lost a heartbreaker in Game 1, a game they probably should have won, I heard a lot of Miami "sweep" talk. Indy bounced back and won Game 2 and many put them in the driver's seat "tied" but going back to Indianapolis. The Heat responded with a dominate Game 3 victory and folks spouted "oh it's over now". Of course the Pacers rebounded again Game 4 and suddenly the Heat was going to be upset. Some of these rollercoaster feelings and emotions have even taken place within five to ten minute stretches within a game. How could you declare a game over when a team merely has a ten point lead in the 2nd quarter (as I observed some announce)?
This Eastern Conference Finals is the epitome of a "series". You don't win a best of seven series in a quarter or a game or even a couple of games. Best of seven series are won by winning four games and in the course of trying to grab those victories sometimes a team is going to look their worst and their best. The San Antonio Spurs, who is waiting for the winner of this series to meet in The Finals, won the Western Conference Finals in just four games. Even though they swept the Memphis Grizzlies, a couple of those games could have gone the other way. Though sweeps do occur, they a rare. Most series have momemtum swings back forth and some point and that's why it is a "series". We are now just about at the end of the Eastern Conference Finals "ride" with just one more game to play. I'm sure Game 7 will have a few more steep dips and hard turns before we all unbuckle are seat belts.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Baltimore Ravens - Super Bowl XLVII Champions - 2012 NFL Playoffs
Congratulations to the Baltimore Ravens, winners of Super Bowl XLVII!! The Ravens have continued in the pattern of recent Super Bowl winners: they got hot late, navigated the playoffs out of the Wild Card Weekend round, and won multiple games on the road. Having one of the top two seeds in the conferences seems to be a disadvantage now as the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers found out. The Ravens defeated three of those four bye week teams, including the 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII.
The Ravens came out of the gate hard and fast; they definitely appeared to be the hungrier team. I would have to think that the 49ers were expecting that with the Ravens being the underdog, emotional team trying to seal LB Ray Lewis' retirement party with a championship ring. All San Fran had to do was withstand the storm, something they had just done in their previous game. Ravens' QB and Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco came out on fire, ready to zip the lips of all of his doubters. Flacco had not thrown an interception in the Ravens' playoff run and continued his pick-free ways in the Super Bowl. On his first drive of the game, Flacco hit Anquan Boldin for a 13 yd touchdown pass to start off the scoring in the game. Flacco tossed two more TD passes in the second quarter including a 56 yarder to Jacoby Jones who arguably could have been the Super Bowl MVP himself. Jones made a nice adjustment on the under thrown pass that took him to the ground and then had the mind to get up and out "juke" the secondary to the end zone. That touchdown and following extra point gave the Ravens a 21 - 3 lead.
The Niners stumbled in the first half, but they still did some positive things. Two turnovers and a couple of penalties impeded their efforts. Their first play from scrimmage was erased on an illegal formation penalty - a mistake that wiped out a 20 yard pass play. In the second quarter a fumble by LaMichael James on the Ravens 25 yd line killed a good drive by the Niners when they were only down 7 - 3. The Ravens cashed in on that turnover with a drive of their own to make the score 14 - 3. 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick's only interception of the game (an overthrow to WR Randy Moss who appeared to not even attempt to corral or deflect the ball) did not lead directly to a Ravens score (a fake FG was thwarted by SF) but it ultimately put them in bad field position for their next possession. A shaky throw by Kaepernick on that drive led SF head coach Jim Harbaugh to get conservative which resulted in a punt. The Ravens scored a TD 3 plays later. Down 18, Kaepernick engineered another good drive that marched the 49ers inside the Ravens' 10 yd line but they had to settle for a FG. Baltimore took a 21 - 6 lead into the half.
I could not believe my eyes and ears during the second quarter and halftime. On my timeline on Twitter many people had called the game over. Many folks had trashed Kaepernick and a few even suggested the Niners go to backup QB Alex Smith. Even more surprising was the analyst on the broadcast saying the same things. The Niners were only down 2 scores...just TWO. How could the game be over?? Plus Kaepernick and the offense showed they could move the ball and they have had spectacular second halves throughout the playoffs. I thought the suggestions to replace him was crazy and the notion that the game was over equally as crazy. Then the worst possible thing that could have happened to the Niners happened. It was the play of the game in my eyes, which was set up by the call of the game. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh elected to defer and receive the ball at the start of the second half after Baltimore won the coin toss. The Ravens held the 49ers to a three and out on the opening drive, got the ball back and scored a TD on their opening drive and they was about to score the trifecta. Jacoby Jones took the second half kick off 108 yards for a touchdown. That play ultimately was the back breaker and put the cream on top of the call to defer receiving the ball to start the second half. Now down 28 - 6, the Niners were indeed in trouble. Though they had enough time for a comeback, what ever momentum they looked to gain early in the 3rd quarter was gone in 11 seconds. And then IT happened.
One of the most bizarre things ever to happen at a Super Bowl occurred right after Jones' kickoff TD return. The power in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans was disrupted. It knocked out lights beaming onto the field momentarily and then they came back slowly to full power. Both teams lost the ability to communicate from the sidelines to the coaches boxes. Even the main announcers for the game had their power source disrupted as the images of the half lit Superdome was accompanied by silence initially. The delay of play from the power disruption took 34 minutes. Some believe the power surge that caused the disruption also sucked momentum from the Ravens. I believe that the 49ers would have come back regardless but many folks felt the Niners benefited from the hiatus. San Fran went on to score 17 unanswered points in the 3rd quarter to close the gap to 5. Kaepernick had his offense clicking again and this time they were finishing.
The Ravens had a couple of great drives in the 4th quarter. They clearly had lost all of the momentum but hung in there. An early 19 yd FG by K Justin Tucker stemmed the tide briefly. The Niners offense answered that score with a 76 yd drive capped by a 15 yd TD run by Kaepernick. Now down 31 - 29, the 49ers went for the two point conversion. The Ravens squashed that attempt with strong pressure by Ed Reed on Kaepernick, though it did appear that Reed was off sides. Baltimore then went on a 5:34 drive that culminated in a 38 yd FG by Tucker. With the score now 34 - 29 the stage was set. Could the Niners go on a four minute drive and finish it off with a TD, leaving the Ravens barely any time to retaliate? Boy did they come close! Starting at their own 20, the Niners drove the ball down to the Ravens 7 yd line. First and goal from the 7 with 2:39 left. On first down James ran for two yards. Then for some reason the Niners tried to pass on their next 3 plays, all to WR Michael Crabtree. I thought they should have run the ball, especially on 3rd and 4th downs. All three passes fell incomplete and on the fourth down, I felt Baltimore got away with a hold and/or pass interference on Crabtree. No flag was thrown though and the Ravens took over on downs. They killed the clock all the way down to 4 seconds, taking a safety to improve P Sam Koch chances of a better punt (and decreasing the odds of a good return) making the score 34 - 31. The subsequent punt could not be returned for a TD by the 49ers as time expired and the Ravens became the new champs!
This Super Bowl will be remembered for the Harbaugh brothers coaching against each other, the power outage and what effect it may or may not of had on the game and the Ravens last "goal line" stance. But mostly I think it will be remembered for the beginning and the end of a Ravens' story. The beginning is the emergence of Super Bowl MVP Flacco. He now has that ring and that SB MVP trophy so a lot of the noise about his ability will now have to quell some. Will this be the first of multiple Lombardi trophies Flacco will bring back to Baltimore? Will he also now emerge as the new leader of the Ravens? Lewis, the now former leader of the Ravens represents the end. What more can be said? The heart and soul of the team who was an original Raven retires on top after 17 years (and two championships). Obviously his Canton call will only be five years away.
The Ravens came out of the gate hard and fast; they definitely appeared to be the hungrier team. I would have to think that the 49ers were expecting that with the Ravens being the underdog, emotional team trying to seal LB Ray Lewis' retirement party with a championship ring. All San Fran had to do was withstand the storm, something they had just done in their previous game. Ravens' QB and Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco came out on fire, ready to zip the lips of all of his doubters. Flacco had not thrown an interception in the Ravens' playoff run and continued his pick-free ways in the Super Bowl. On his first drive of the game, Flacco hit Anquan Boldin for a 13 yd touchdown pass to start off the scoring in the game. Flacco tossed two more TD passes in the second quarter including a 56 yarder to Jacoby Jones who arguably could have been the Super Bowl MVP himself. Jones made a nice adjustment on the under thrown pass that took him to the ground and then had the mind to get up and out "juke" the secondary to the end zone. That touchdown and following extra point gave the Ravens a 21 - 3 lead.
The Niners stumbled in the first half, but they still did some positive things. Two turnovers and a couple of penalties impeded their efforts. Their first play from scrimmage was erased on an illegal formation penalty - a mistake that wiped out a 20 yard pass play. In the second quarter a fumble by LaMichael James on the Ravens 25 yd line killed a good drive by the Niners when they were only down 7 - 3. The Ravens cashed in on that turnover with a drive of their own to make the score 14 - 3. 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick's only interception of the game (an overthrow to WR Randy Moss who appeared to not even attempt to corral or deflect the ball) did not lead directly to a Ravens score (a fake FG was thwarted by SF) but it ultimately put them in bad field position for their next possession. A shaky throw by Kaepernick on that drive led SF head coach Jim Harbaugh to get conservative which resulted in a punt. The Ravens scored a TD 3 plays later. Down 18, Kaepernick engineered another good drive that marched the 49ers inside the Ravens' 10 yd line but they had to settle for a FG. Baltimore took a 21 - 6 lead into the half.
I could not believe my eyes and ears during the second quarter and halftime. On my timeline on Twitter many people had called the game over. Many folks had trashed Kaepernick and a few even suggested the Niners go to backup QB Alex Smith. Even more surprising was the analyst on the broadcast saying the same things. The Niners were only down 2 scores...just TWO. How could the game be over?? Plus Kaepernick and the offense showed they could move the ball and they have had spectacular second halves throughout the playoffs. I thought the suggestions to replace him was crazy and the notion that the game was over equally as crazy. Then the worst possible thing that could have happened to the Niners happened. It was the play of the game in my eyes, which was set up by the call of the game. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh elected to defer and receive the ball at the start of the second half after Baltimore won the coin toss. The Ravens held the 49ers to a three and out on the opening drive, got the ball back and scored a TD on their opening drive and they was about to score the trifecta. Jacoby Jones took the second half kick off 108 yards for a touchdown. That play ultimately was the back breaker and put the cream on top of the call to defer receiving the ball to start the second half. Now down 28 - 6, the Niners were indeed in trouble. Though they had enough time for a comeback, what ever momentum they looked to gain early in the 3rd quarter was gone in 11 seconds. And then IT happened.
One of the most bizarre things ever to happen at a Super Bowl occurred right after Jones' kickoff TD return. The power in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans was disrupted. It knocked out lights beaming onto the field momentarily and then they came back slowly to full power. Both teams lost the ability to communicate from the sidelines to the coaches boxes. Even the main announcers for the game had their power source disrupted as the images of the half lit Superdome was accompanied by silence initially. The delay of play from the power disruption took 34 minutes. Some believe the power surge that caused the disruption also sucked momentum from the Ravens. I believe that the 49ers would have come back regardless but many folks felt the Niners benefited from the hiatus. San Fran went on to score 17 unanswered points in the 3rd quarter to close the gap to 5. Kaepernick had his offense clicking again and this time they were finishing.
The Ravens had a couple of great drives in the 4th quarter. They clearly had lost all of the momentum but hung in there. An early 19 yd FG by K Justin Tucker stemmed the tide briefly. The Niners offense answered that score with a 76 yd drive capped by a 15 yd TD run by Kaepernick. Now down 31 - 29, the 49ers went for the two point conversion. The Ravens squashed that attempt with strong pressure by Ed Reed on Kaepernick, though it did appear that Reed was off sides. Baltimore then went on a 5:34 drive that culminated in a 38 yd FG by Tucker. With the score now 34 - 29 the stage was set. Could the Niners go on a four minute drive and finish it off with a TD, leaving the Ravens barely any time to retaliate? Boy did they come close! Starting at their own 20, the Niners drove the ball down to the Ravens 7 yd line. First and goal from the 7 with 2:39 left. On first down James ran for two yards. Then for some reason the Niners tried to pass on their next 3 plays, all to WR Michael Crabtree. I thought they should have run the ball, especially on 3rd and 4th downs. All three passes fell incomplete and on the fourth down, I felt Baltimore got away with a hold and/or pass interference on Crabtree. No flag was thrown though and the Ravens took over on downs. They killed the clock all the way down to 4 seconds, taking a safety to improve P Sam Koch chances of a better punt (and decreasing the odds of a good return) making the score 34 - 31. The subsequent punt could not be returned for a TD by the 49ers as time expired and the Ravens became the new champs!
This Super Bowl will be remembered for the Harbaugh brothers coaching against each other, the power outage and what effect it may or may not of had on the game and the Ravens last "goal line" stance. But mostly I think it will be remembered for the beginning and the end of a Ravens' story. The beginning is the emergence of Super Bowl MVP Flacco. He now has that ring and that SB MVP trophy so a lot of the noise about his ability will now have to quell some. Will this be the first of multiple Lombardi trophies Flacco will bring back to Baltimore? Will he also now emerge as the new leader of the Ravens? Lewis, the now former leader of the Ravens represents the end. What more can be said? The heart and soul of the team who was an original Raven retires on top after 17 years (and two championships). Obviously his Canton call will only be five years away.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
2012 NFL Playoffs - Super Bowl XLVII - Baltimore Ravens vs. San Francisco 49ers
And then there were two............ the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers have survived their OTA's, training camp, pre-season, regular season and conference playoffs. Now they square off in New Orleans for all the marbles, the Lombardi trophy and the right to be called "Super Bowl Champs"!
SUPER BOWL XLVII
Baltimore Ravens vs. San Francisco 49ers (-3.5)
The Ravens ride into New Orleans as the number four AFC seed with playoff victories over the Colts, Broncos and Patriots. To some people, their wins in Denver and New England were improbable and impressive. But the truth about Baltimore is the core of this team has been battle tested and quite frankly, it is their time to be in the big game. For the number two NFC seed 49ers, their road was a little shorter. Playoff wins over the Packers and Falcons propelled San Fran into the Super Bowl. Both the Ravens and the 49ers have a lot in common starting with the sibling relationship between their head coaches John and Jim Harbaugh. Both teams knocked on the Super Bowl door last year only to be denied access in their respective conference championships. Both teams have strong playmakers on both sides of the ball. Both have the capability of lighting up the scoreboard as well as shutting the opposing team down. I honestly think either team can win this game but I have a feeling the 49ers will prevail. On defense the Niners should "contain" the Ravens run game but I think they will bend a little with the pass game. Joe Flacco should have some success passing to his talented receiving tandem as well as to Ray Rice out of the backfield. Anquan Boldin or Torrey Smith are capable of torching the 49ers secondary like the Falcons' WR Julio Jones did in the NFC Championship game but I think SF will prevent the deep ball. In order to do so they must get real pressure up front on Flacco, which I think they will. If they don't and give him any kind of time, it could be a long day for them. The Ravens defense has been inspired in the playoffs by the return of their leader Ray Lewis. They have played light years better in the playoffs than they did during several stretches in the season. But this defense can give up yards and can be scored upon. I still think the Broncos let them off the hook by not going "no huddle" late in the game. If a team "fast breaks" the Ravens defense I think they can be cracked. No better weapon to do that than 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick's ability to run and pass could cause headaches for the Ravens. He is quick as a cat when he's on the run in the "pistol" and when he gives the ball away, RB Frank Gore can do some damage. Also RB LaMichael James can cause issues when he's in the "pistol" due to his amazing speed. When Kaepernick passes (and does he have a strong arm!) he can count on Michael Crabtree, Delanie Walker, Vernon Davis and the veteran Randy Moss to make some plays for him. I think the Ravens will attempt to shut the run game down to put it all on young Kaepernick's arm. I don't think they will be successful though. The 49ers will wear out the Ravens defense - they will go uptempo on Baltimore and the game will get away. I'm taking San Francisco to stay undefeated as an organization in the Super Bowl and they will cover the points. For the 49ers sake they better hope it doesn't come down to them kicking a field goal though. K David Akers doesn't look healthy at all.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
2012 NFL Playoffs - Road to Super Bowl XLVII - Conference Championships
WOW!! Now that was some "good football"!!!! Last weekend's exciting Divisional Round more than made up for the boring slate of Wild Card Weekend games. High drama in the Seahawks vs. Falcons game kept us on our seats until the very last second. And the Ravens vs. Broncos game had so many twists and turns that it took two overtimes to settle. We are now down to the Final Four: Conference Championship Weekend. Three of the four teams return to the conference finals from last year (Patriots, Ravens, 49ers). The winners will head to New Orleans to play for the coveted Lombardi trophy.
AFC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
Baltimore Ravens vs. New England Patriots (- 8)
The AFC Conference Championship game is a rematch from last year's matchup. The Ravens return to the scene of where their season came to a very disappointing end last year, Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. On their final drive in that game, Baltimore had a chance to beat, and then at the very least, tie the Patriots but a dropped TD pass and a missed chippy field goal sent them home. The Ravens did beat the Patriots earlier this season 31 - 30 at home, but this is definitely the game that they want as their "revenge game". The Patriots are cruising into this matchup after soundly defeating the Texans last week. Although they lost their dynamic TE Rob Gronkowski early in the game (and for the rest of the playoffs), the Pats offense still clicked pretty well. With a good balance of run and pass it is expected that New England will take advantage of a "tired" Ravens defense. I've been hearing all week about how many snaps the Ravens' defense has taken, particularly in the double OT game that they won over the Broncos last week. Baltimore showed a lot of heart in that game and although their defense wasn't stellar, they made plays when they had to. The Ravens' D only gave up 3 of the 5 touchdowns scored by the Broncos (2 of them were made on special teams). The defense also intercepted Peyton Manning twice: one for a "Pick 6" in the first half and one in double OT that set up the game winning field goal. One thing that Denver did offensively that was positive against the Ravens was the "no huddle" offense. For some reason the Broncos went away from it late in the game after having a lot of success with it. I expect QB Tom Brady and the Patriots to do a lot of "no huddle" and even without Gronkowski, they still have a lot of other weapons who can execute. Baltimore's offense must be feeling pretty confident too after having success on the ground and in the air last week. I think another game plan of feeding Ray Rice the ball and Joe Flacco going deep to Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin on play action will serve Baltimore well. They certainly can take advantage of the Pats defense. I think this game is going to be high scoring and close. The Ravens exact AFC Championship revenge on the Patriots and take the Mr. Ray Lewis retirement tour to the Super Bowl. They will obviously cover the points with the win.
NFC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
San Francisco 49ers vs. Atlanta Falcons (+4)
The Falcons finally "got the monkey off of their back" when they defeated the Seahawks in the Divisional Round. They were a determined unit and I think it showed by their play on the field. Despite that, they still almost lost the game and they probably would have if it were not for some rare coaching errors by Seattle. As a matter of fact, the Seahawks took the lead with less than a minute to go in the game. But the Falcons did an excellent job led by QB Matt Ryan to get the ball, drive down the field and get into field goal range. K Matt Bryant connected on a 49 yard FG to seal the comeback victory for Atlanta and save them from what would have been increased media scrutiny about their playoff failures. The 49ers had a little drama of their own in the Divisional Round but it was early in the game. A "Pick 6" thrown by QB Colin Kaepernick on the team's opening drive made some folks wonder whether he would be able to handle the playoff pressure. Kaepernick quickly responded by taking the 49ers on their following possession straight down the field on a drive that was capped by a 20 yd touchdown run by the QB. Though Aaron Rodgers and the Packers tangled with San Fran through the first two quarters (they were only down 3 at halftime), Kaepernick and the 49ers imposed their will on them in the second half. The Niners pulled away by scoring 21 unanswered points. Even though the Packers scored a late TD to make it a little close, the game was essentially a blow out. Kaepernick was outstanding, passing for 263 yards (2 TDs) and rushing for 181 yards (2 TDs). When he travels east to face the Falcons, he'll need to bring a little of that great balance with him. Atlanta's defense is good and opportunistic but I feel the 49ers will have the ability to move the ball on them. The Falcons must really feel disrespected being that they are the number 1 seed in the NFC, hosting this championship game but are still underdogs. Ryan & the offense I think will be able to make some plays but not enough against the 49ers stingy D. I don't think Atlanta will be able to run the ball on the 49ers the way they did against Seattle last week. I think the 49ers pass rush will be more effective as well. San Francisco, like Baltimore, had the conference championship slip through their hands last year. This year they will not let that happen. Niners beat the Falcons for the right to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl and they will cover the points.
Well the way I see it, Super Bowl XLVII will be a "family affair". Brothers John Harbaugh (Head Coach of the Ravens) and Jim Harbaugh (Head Coach of the 49ers) will bring pride to their family name and garner a ton of attention on the fact that they are siblings. It should make for a great Super Bowl matchup - but the Patriots and Falcons will be in no mood to help facilitate a Harbaugh family reunion in New Orleans.
Well the way I see it, Super Bowl XLVII will be a "family affair". Brothers John Harbaugh (Head Coach of the Ravens) and Jim Harbaugh (Head Coach of the 49ers) will bring pride to their family name and garner a ton of attention on the fact that they are siblings. It should make for a great Super Bowl matchup - but the Patriots and Falcons will be in no mood to help facilitate a Harbaugh family reunion in New Orleans.
Friday, January 11, 2013
2012 NFL Playoffs - Road to Super Bowl XLVII - Divisional Round
We are now down to the Elite Eight (the Divisional Round) in the NFL Playoffs and let us all hope that the games are better this weekend than they were last weekend. Outside of the Seattle Seahawks vs Washington Redskins game, Wild Card Weekend was a bit of a "Bore Fest". With a trip to the Conference Championships on the line and the inclusion of the top seeded teams, I think we will see more competitive and exciting games.
AFC DIVISIONAL MATCHUPS
Baltimore Ravens vs. Denver Broncos (- 9.5)
The Ravens (#4 seed) are riding into Denver high off of their emotional victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Though they didn't look their best, the Ravens still kept the Colts in check. Ravens RB Ray Rice uncharacteristically fumbled twice, something he just can not afford to do against the Broncos (#1 seed). Denver, who has been riding high in the "Mile High" themselves, come off of a bye and 11 straight victories. During that streak, led by MVP candidate QB Peyton Manning, the Broncos have won by at least a touchdown in each contest and has scored an average of 31 points a game. That spells trouble for the Ravens' defense which has been porous this season. Cold temperatures and an emotional lift surrounding the impending retirement of LB Ray Lewis may help the Ravens' defense but I think that Baltimore will need to run the ball a lot (and execute their short passing game) to limit Mr. Manning's touches. QB Joe Flacco & Co. had better take their sweet time out there on offense, unless of course, they are down quickly. When the Ravens' offense is right, it can have explosive games with Flacco. Also, this squad is a road playoff, battle tested team. But I don't think it's wise for them to get into a shootout with Denver. Besides, the Broncos defense is one of the most underrated in the NFL. The divisional round is hard to predict at times because of the teams coming off a bye and it's possible the week off my derail the Broncos stride. But I don't think the bye, the Lewis factor or anything else will get in Denver's way. The Broncos end the Ravens' season and Ray Lewis' career but they will not cover the 9.5.
Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots (-9.5)
The Texans (#3 seed) roll into Foxboro off of their Wild Card Round win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The Texans did what they had to do to win that game but they weren't impressive at all. Houston is a talented team but something has gone awry with them starting with the Week 14 beatdown they endured at the hands of the Patriots (#2 seed). The Pats undressed the Texans on Monday Night Football, yet another high stakes nationally televised game that they wilted. That game prompted me to give them the nickname "SNL" for Saturday Night Live. SNL's original cast members were once known to be the "Not Ready For Primetime Players". SNL has a chance to begin to ditch that nickname with a "revenge" win against the Patriots. Like Baltimore, Houston should rely on their run and short pass game to eat clock on offense. The less time New England QB Tom Brady has with the ball, the better for the Texans. Also I thought the Bengals ran successfully against Houston but didn't stick with it for some reason. I doubt Patriots' head coach Bill Belichick will let that opportunity/advantage slip away. Like the Ravens, when the Texans offense is clicking they can be very dangerous. But their switch seems to be "off" and I can't see how they will flip it "on" in New England. The Patriots have been vulnerable at home in the playoffs in recent years but I don't see them losing this week. "Live from New England, it's Saturday Night!" and the Not Ready For Primetime Players will hit the stage (even though it's actually Sunday). The Patriots will run RB Stevan Ridley wild and open up the play action to hit their talented receiving/tight end ensemble down field. Patriots win and cover.
NFC DIVISIONAL MATCHUPS
Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers (-3)
The Packers (#3 seed) come into this game against the 49ers (#2 seed) after dusting off the Minnesota Vikings (who played their 2nd string QB due to Christian Ponder's injured arm) last week. The "backup" quarterback they will be facing this week though will be a little more prepared than Vikings QB Joe Webb was last week. Unlike Webb, 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick has taken several snaps this season. In fact Kaepernick isn't really the backup QB anymore; he has started the last eight games of the season for San Fran. Though he has had some struggles, Kaepernick has also looked quite dynamic at times. The 49ers have averaged 26 points a game since Kaepernick replaced Alex Smith behind center. The offense still relies on a steady run game with RB Frank Gore but has now opened up the downfield threat with WR Michael Crabtree. The Packers pass offense is as dangerous as ever with QB Aaron Rodgers leading the way. But the name of this game I think will be defense and the 49ers have one of the best units in the NFL. San Francisco's defense is stout; they play mean and they tackle well. If they get the Packers into a one dimensional passing offense, Green Bay could be in for a long day. Ultimately, I do think the 49ers defense will neutralize the Packers offense. The Packers defense will have to deal with that balanced Niners offense and I think San Fran will have some opportunities to score some points against them. This game could be close but it has the makings of getting ugly too. Niners rush into the NFC Championship game by sending home the Pack and they cover too.
Seatlle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons (-2.5)
The Seahawks (#5 seed) fly into Atlanta soaring after their defeat of RGIII and the Washington Redskins in the Wild Card Round. Seattle has become the so called "sexy pick" of a lot of prognosticators to win the Super Bowl because of their tough defense, excellent run game and the unflinching leadership of rookie QB Russell Wilson. Wilson was the only rookie QB to survive Wild Card Weekend. But he and the "Hawks will face a Falcons (#1 seed) team who has a LOT to prove. Atlanta's quick exits out of the playoffs the last 3 years has placed doubts in the minds of scores of folks outside of the 404/770 area code. Despite their 13 - 3 record and home field advantage, many people expect the Falcons to nose dive again in these playoffs. I have to admit that I am one of those people. I took a chance on the Falcons last year and picked them to win Wild Card Weekend even though they had to go on the road to play the New York Giants. They flew north and laid an egg. I'm not jumping with them this time around. This team has good talent on both sides of the ball. Roddy White and Julio Jones are arguably the best wide receiver duo in the NFL. Out on routes with them is future Hall of Fame TE Tony Gonzalez. RB Michael Turner has seen his touches drop over the last couple of years but is still capable of getting the job done. QB Matt Ryan is a good quarterback but is he your championship QB? You rarely hear his nickname "Matty Ice" any more....... On defense, the Falcons also have some really good players like Sean Weatherspoon, John Abraham, Asante Samuel and Thomas DeCoud. But for some reason come playoff time, it doesn't happen for the "Dirty Birds". After seeing how the Carolina Panthers handled the Falcons this year, (they split games but the Panthers should have won the game in Atlanta early in the season) I think the Seahawks can beat them. Although Wilson is not exactly like Cam Newton, their attributes are similar. With the help of RB Marshawn Lynch, Wilson should be able to find some holes in the Atlanta D on play action. This game I think will be close. Boy, Atlanta has a lot of pride on the line and a huge monkey on their back. That monkey will get even bigger when the Seahawks win the "Battle of the Birds". Seattle wins outright and have the spread to spare.
The playoff intensity should really pick up this weekend as these matches will determine the Final Four. Will we see another Brady vs. Manning playoff matchup? Will the Seahawks and 49ers meet for the third time this season, with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line? We shall indeed see but you better believe the Ravens, Texans, Packers and Falcons all have different ideas about the Conference Championships! Let's just hope these games truly are more entertaining than last week's set.
Friday, January 4, 2013
2012 NFL Playoffs - Road to Super Bowl XLVII - Wild Card Round
The NFL playoffs for the 2012 season ramps up this weekend. As normal under the current playoff format, twenty teams did not qualify for the post season and have been sent home to watch with the rest of us. The Atlanta Falcons (#1 NFC seed), San Francisco 49ers (#2 NFC seed), Denver Broncos (#1 AFC seed) and New England Patriots (#2 AFC seed) all have received byes for Wild Card weekend and we will see them compete next week. That leaves us with eight remaining squads, ready to battle it out for the right to move on to the divisional round.
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Houston Texans (-4.5)
Classic matchup of teams heading in opposite directions. The Bengals (#6 AFC seed) come into the game winning 7 of their last 8 games. The Texans (#3 AFC seed) have lost 3 of their last four games and have looked pretty bad in a couple of those defeats. Worse for the Texans is that they lost the firm grip that they had on the AFC #1 seed; sliding to the #3 seed and forcing them to play Wild Card weekend. These teams faced off in the playoffs just last year and I picked the young upstart Cincy team to upset the Texans. This year, despite how poorly they have looked recently, I think the Texans will regroup and rebound to defeat the Bengals. The Bengals defense may be the most underrated in the NFL but the Texans should have enough offensive fire power and pride to put some points up. JJ Watt is a stud on defense for Houston but their backend could be vulnerable to Andy Dalton hooking up with AJ Green & Co. I still think the Texans will find a way at home to get some momentum and cover.
Indianapolis Colts vs. Baltimore Ravens (-7)
This is a very compelling matchup for varies reasons but most notably it could be the last game or the start of the last charge for the Ravens (#4 AFC seed) future Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis. All eyes will be on the Ravens to see what emotional impact Lewis' retirement announcement will have on the team. The Ravens, who came "oh so close" to going to the Super Bowl last year will have some pressure on them to get back to the AFC Championship game. The Colts (#5 AFC seed) who had the worst record in the league last year and started a rookie QB this year (Andrew Luck) wasn't expected to win but a handful of games this season. But to most of our surprise, the Colts banged out 11 wins with Luck running the offense and their head coach Chuck Pagano away from the team battling cancer most of the season. Pagano is now back and Indy can be a very dangerous team because they truly have nothing to lose. Outside of their locker room there is not much expectation on the Colts. Their offense can be hot and cold but the Ravens defense, even with Lewis, is "torchable". I could see the Colts pulling off an upset but I don't think they will. I will give this game to the Ravens because of their talent, experience and emotions for their undisputed leader (Lewis). But if Baltimore's offense doesn't click, which has occured too often, it could be a disappointing day for them. Ravens QB Joe Flacco's performance will be under scrutiny. Ray Rice and Ravens send a message at home and cover.
AFC WILD CARD MATCHUPS
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Houston Texans (-4.5)
Classic matchup of teams heading in opposite directions. The Bengals (#6 AFC seed) come into the game winning 7 of their last 8 games. The Texans (#3 AFC seed) have lost 3 of their last four games and have looked pretty bad in a couple of those defeats. Worse for the Texans is that they lost the firm grip that they had on the AFC #1 seed; sliding to the #3 seed and forcing them to play Wild Card weekend. These teams faced off in the playoffs just last year and I picked the young upstart Cincy team to upset the Texans. This year, despite how poorly they have looked recently, I think the Texans will regroup and rebound to defeat the Bengals. The Bengals defense may be the most underrated in the NFL but the Texans should have enough offensive fire power and pride to put some points up. JJ Watt is a stud on defense for Houston but their backend could be vulnerable to Andy Dalton hooking up with AJ Green & Co. I still think the Texans will find a way at home to get some momentum and cover.
Indianapolis Colts vs. Baltimore Ravens (-7)
This is a very compelling matchup for varies reasons but most notably it could be the last game or the start of the last charge for the Ravens (#4 AFC seed) future Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis. All eyes will be on the Ravens to see what emotional impact Lewis' retirement announcement will have on the team. The Ravens, who came "oh so close" to going to the Super Bowl last year will have some pressure on them to get back to the AFC Championship game. The Colts (#5 AFC seed) who had the worst record in the league last year and started a rookie QB this year (Andrew Luck) wasn't expected to win but a handful of games this season. But to most of our surprise, the Colts banged out 11 wins with Luck running the offense and their head coach Chuck Pagano away from the team battling cancer most of the season. Pagano is now back and Indy can be a very dangerous team because they truly have nothing to lose. Outside of their locker room there is not much expectation on the Colts. Their offense can be hot and cold but the Ravens defense, even with Lewis, is "torchable". I could see the Colts pulling off an upset but I don't think they will. I will give this game to the Ravens because of their talent, experience and emotions for their undisputed leader (Lewis). But if Baltimore's offense doesn't click, which has occured too often, it could be a disappointing day for them. Ravens QB Joe Flacco's performance will be under scrutiny. Ray Rice and Ravens send a message at home and cover.
NFC WILD CARD MATCHUPS
Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers (-7.5)
One of the teams I'm most interested to see play these playoffs are the Packers (#3 NFC seed). The last three years they have been "miss, hit & miss". Knocked out in the 1st round three years ago, ran the table to the title as a wild card two years ago and last year was one and done again after just losing one game in the regular season. Green Bay has looked sharp at times and vulnerable at other times this season. Unfortunately for them, an early exit from the playoffs will start some louder talk about the validity of the current Packers teams. The whispers are already there about them getting "lucky" & "hot at the right time" during their Super Bowl run a couple of seasons ago. The Packers just lost last week to their opponent and division rival Vikings (#6 NFC seed) but I think it will be different this week. The Vikings beat the Packers in the comfort of their home dome with a playoff spot on the line. This week they play at frigid Lambeau Field and I have a feeling the Packers are ready to light it up. Minnesota is led by superhuman, and in my opinion league MVP, Adrian Peterson. The Vikings will be looking to kill the clock with Peterson and keep the ball out of Packers QB Aaron Rodgers' hands. But if the Pack jump on the Vikings early and often, Minny doesn't have the passing game to come back. Green Bay makes a statement and covers.
Seattle Seahawks vs. Washington Redskins (+3)
RGIII vs. Russell Wilson - a dream matchup of rookie QBs who have absolutely dazzled this season. The Redskins (#4 NFC seed) come into this game riding high after defeating the Dallas Cowboys last week to clinch a playoff spot and the NFC East crown. That win also was their sixth straight, an improbable run after starting the season 3 - 6. The NFL overall #2 draft pick and Redskins QB Robert Griffin III has shown tremendous leadership as a rookie and has really shined on the field. His read option and play fake skills are magical to the eye and weary on the defenders knees and egos. The Seahawks (#5 NFC seed) have their own dynamo rookie QB in Wilson who was picked 75th overall in the NFL draft. Like RGIII, Wilson has shown tremendous leadership as a rookie and his play on the field has become more and more impressive with each passing game. But this game will come down to the biggest strength of the Seahawks which is their defense. Can the Hawks defense contain the Redskins #1 ranked rushing offense featuring rookie RB Alfred Morris? If they do, Wilson & Company on offense should do enough to win the game. Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch is a stud himself and should be able to do some damage against the Redskins defense and open up the play action for Wilson. Seattle travels across the country to FedEx Field, beats the Redskins and covers.
The "wild card" for this Wild Card playoff weekend are the number of rookie and 2nd year players in key positions. As great as the trio of rookie QBs who made the playoffs have played this year, would it be unrealistic to think that one, two or all three of them can bomb? Not really. And lets not forget that Dalton (and Green) for Cincy and Christian Ponder for Minny are just 2nd year players. How will they hold under the pressure? Soon enough we will see but one thing is for sure: something that we all will predict will certainly and unquestionably not come to fruition. That's the NFL.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Child Sex Abuse Victims, Penn State, Joe Paterno & Jerry Sandusky
Recently the NCAA handed down an extremely harsh penalty on the Penn State football program due to the absolute abhorrent handling by university officials of child sex crimes committed by former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. Caught in the fray of this disaster is the late legendary Penn State football head coach Joe Paterno. Many have debated whether the NCAA's punishment was too harsh and also many have debated what will become of Paterno's legacy. One thing that should not be in debate is the seriousness of child sex abuse and the damage it can cause its victims.
No doubt the $60 million fine, reductions in scholarships, four year ban from post season play and now sullied reputation will hurt Penn State football for some years to come. Unfortunately there will be a lot of innocent people directly and indirectly involved with the program that will be negatively affected. There are scores of people who have jobs and businesses who count on the success of Penn State football. I can only hope that their negative impact will be limited. At least for the current PSU football players, the NCAA is giving them a free pass to leave for another program if they choose to do so without having to lose any time or eligibility.
Paterno's legacy, built on decades of numerous positive contributions such as raising the visibility of Penn State, teaching countless boys how to be men, and bringing in millions (if not billions) of dollars to the university, in an instant has been wiped away. Though "Joe Pa" was not the man committing these heinous crimes, at one point he did know about Sandusky's behavior and he (along with other university officials) all but looked away seemly to protect the stout and profitable football program. Paterno (and others) tried to prevent the football program from getting a black eye; instead his actions (or lack thereof) has placed the program on life support. And much worse, Paterno's "actions" potentially placed many more children in harm's way.
I am no psychiatrist and I haven't conducted any scientific studies but sexual child abuse is a VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM; it happens way more often than we think and the effect that it has on its victims is immeasurable. It makes my stomach literally turn when I think about what happens to these innocent kids and makes my blood boil when I think of the predators/perpetrators. As an adult male I cannot tell you the amount of adult female friends and acquaintances that have shared their painful stories of being sexually abused as children. Every kind of sexual abuse from having someone exposing themselves to them, to touching their private parts to actual sexual intercourse. The abusers are generally from a wide range of folks within these victim's inner circle: biological fathers, stepdads, mother's boyfriends, uncles, cousins, neighbors, family friends and more. They all "abused" their authority over the children. Almost every single one of them threatened the child, usually by telling them their mother and other loved ones would be harmed if they spoke about what was happening. And yes I say "happening" because most was being abused on a consistent basis.
These selfish despicable predators don't comprehend the sometimes lifelong damage they create for their victims. Most victims I know never told anyone. The guilt and shame of being abused prevents a lot of them from having healthy relationships with other people. As kids, most blamed themselves somehow for it all happening. A couple of them even thought it was normal behavior and that everyone was doing those acts. But once the victim gets older and they understand more fully what has happened to them, how they were abused and taken advantage of, how do they reconcile that alone? Depression, confusion and lack of trust are just a few things victims may wrestle with as adults. And what compounds the issue is when an enabler is involved. A couple of victims I know, in the situation where it was the mother's boyfriend who was the abuser, did tell their mother what was going on, AND THE MOTHER DIDN'T WANT TO BELIEVE THEM. These mothers, apparently so worried they would lose their "man", made a "business/emotional" decision to look the other way. As a victim, how do you reconcile that? Paterno and other university officials essentially became these type of "mothers"; sacrificing the health and safety of children to protect something they valued. The enabler is ALWAYS A LOSER too because they contribute to the destruction of lives and that is never worth what it is they try to protect.
In the Penn State scandal, all of the victims I heard about were boys. I personally can't say that I know any males that were abused but today I am convinced that I actually do know some, they just haven't spoken up about it. The stigma of being abused and raped is harsh and for a male that has been abused by another male....well lets say that more likely than not those actions are never ever discussed. We have had some celebrity men discuss their ordeals in recent years, notably former NFL wide receiver Laveranues Coles and R&B singer Rahsaan Patterson, but many males have and will continue to remain silent. They will never tell a soul, not even their spouses. But this silence and these stigmas are part of the problem. The silence of the victims and the silence about the victims is no match for the deafening and piercing internal torture that they face.
The truth is as vile as Sandusky's actions were (and as irresponsible as the university's response was) it is just a mere drop of what goes on daily in the lives of children across the world. Again, I have not conducted a scientific study but if you are reading this more than likely you may have been abused yourself or you know someone that has. That is shameful. We have to be better. We have to do better. Silence has created an environment for these predators to roam. Maybe if we spoke up more about these tragedies, less of them would occur. If we spoke more about them, other victims who feel shame and guilt may feel more comfortable to speak up. Maybe they will feel some alleviation knowing that they are not alone. We have to teach our kids to speak up and let them know we will be there for them. As I mentioned, an overwhelming amount of these predators are people that victims know and trust. Sandusky had a foundation for underprivileged kids; it appears he used it as his personal playground. Those vulnerable kids needed his help not his abuse. And while he pays for his crimes in jail for the rest of his life, what type of "payment" will his victims make for the rest of their lives? I don't know what lasting effects this situation will have on the Penn State football program or on Paterno's legacy but I don't think it will be as harsh as it will be on Sandusky's victims.
No doubt the $60 million fine, reductions in scholarships, four year ban from post season play and now sullied reputation will hurt Penn State football for some years to come. Unfortunately there will be a lot of innocent people directly and indirectly involved with the program that will be negatively affected. There are scores of people who have jobs and businesses who count on the success of Penn State football. I can only hope that their negative impact will be limited. At least for the current PSU football players, the NCAA is giving them a free pass to leave for another program if they choose to do so without having to lose any time or eligibility.
Paterno's legacy, built on decades of numerous positive contributions such as raising the visibility of Penn State, teaching countless boys how to be men, and bringing in millions (if not billions) of dollars to the university, in an instant has been wiped away. Though "Joe Pa" was not the man committing these heinous crimes, at one point he did know about Sandusky's behavior and he (along with other university officials) all but looked away seemly to protect the stout and profitable football program. Paterno (and others) tried to prevent the football program from getting a black eye; instead his actions (or lack thereof) has placed the program on life support. And much worse, Paterno's "actions" potentially placed many more children in harm's way.
I am no psychiatrist and I haven't conducted any scientific studies but sexual child abuse is a VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM; it happens way more often than we think and the effect that it has on its victims is immeasurable. It makes my stomach literally turn when I think about what happens to these innocent kids and makes my blood boil when I think of the predators/perpetrators. As an adult male I cannot tell you the amount of adult female friends and acquaintances that have shared their painful stories of being sexually abused as children. Every kind of sexual abuse from having someone exposing themselves to them, to touching their private parts to actual sexual intercourse. The abusers are generally from a wide range of folks within these victim's inner circle: biological fathers, stepdads, mother's boyfriends, uncles, cousins, neighbors, family friends and more. They all "abused" their authority over the children. Almost every single one of them threatened the child, usually by telling them their mother and other loved ones would be harmed if they spoke about what was happening. And yes I say "happening" because most was being abused on a consistent basis.
These selfish despicable predators don't comprehend the sometimes lifelong damage they create for their victims. Most victims I know never told anyone. The guilt and shame of being abused prevents a lot of them from having healthy relationships with other people. As kids, most blamed themselves somehow for it all happening. A couple of them even thought it was normal behavior and that everyone was doing those acts. But once the victim gets older and they understand more fully what has happened to them, how they were abused and taken advantage of, how do they reconcile that alone? Depression, confusion and lack of trust are just a few things victims may wrestle with as adults. And what compounds the issue is when an enabler is involved. A couple of victims I know, in the situation where it was the mother's boyfriend who was the abuser, did tell their mother what was going on, AND THE MOTHER DIDN'T WANT TO BELIEVE THEM. These mothers, apparently so worried they would lose their "man", made a "business/emotional" decision to look the other way. As a victim, how do you reconcile that? Paterno and other university officials essentially became these type of "mothers"; sacrificing the health and safety of children to protect something they valued. The enabler is ALWAYS A LOSER too because they contribute to the destruction of lives and that is never worth what it is they try to protect.
In the Penn State scandal, all of the victims I heard about were boys. I personally can't say that I know any males that were abused but today I am convinced that I actually do know some, they just haven't spoken up about it. The stigma of being abused and raped is harsh and for a male that has been abused by another male....well lets say that more likely than not those actions are never ever discussed. We have had some celebrity men discuss their ordeals in recent years, notably former NFL wide receiver Laveranues Coles and R&B singer Rahsaan Patterson, but many males have and will continue to remain silent. They will never tell a soul, not even their spouses. But this silence and these stigmas are part of the problem. The silence of the victims and the silence about the victims is no match for the deafening and piercing internal torture that they face.
The truth is as vile as Sandusky's actions were (and as irresponsible as the university's response was) it is just a mere drop of what goes on daily in the lives of children across the world. Again, I have not conducted a scientific study but if you are reading this more than likely you may have been abused yourself or you know someone that has. That is shameful. We have to be better. We have to do better. Silence has created an environment for these predators to roam. Maybe if we spoke up more about these tragedies, less of them would occur. If we spoke more about them, other victims who feel shame and guilt may feel more comfortable to speak up. Maybe they will feel some alleviation knowing that they are not alone. We have to teach our kids to speak up and let them know we will be there for them. As I mentioned, an overwhelming amount of these predators are people that victims know and trust. Sandusky had a foundation for underprivileged kids; it appears he used it as his personal playground. Those vulnerable kids needed his help not his abuse. And while he pays for his crimes in jail for the rest of his life, what type of "payment" will his victims make for the rest of their lives? I don't know what lasting effects this situation will have on the Penn State football program or on Paterno's legacy but I don't think it will be as harsh as it will be on Sandusky's victims.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Jeremy Lin Leaves the Knicks for the Rockets: Don't Believe The Hype
Jeremy Lin, who was a restricted free agent of the New York Knicks, signed a 3 year $25 million offer sheet with the Houston Rockets. The Knicks brass decided not to match this offer sheet and consequently, Lin is now a very rich man and projected starting point guard for the Rockets. This recent series of events is just the latest chapter in one the greatest sports stories I have ever witnessed. I just wish the media and other folks just let it naturally be what it is and stop trying to create more of a story.
Lin burst into the media spotlight earlier in 2012 when due to an abundance of key Knicks injuries, he was given an opportunity to play and he made the most of it. It was truly a sports magical moment. He sparkled on court, giving opponents fits, the Knicks a needed boost and the fans something great to cheer about. And not only did he play great, he was helping the Knicks win games.
What really made Lin's story amazing was his background. He was the ultimate underdog story, making it big against all odds. It wasn't just that he was an unknown bench player who capitalized on his opportunity, Lin is of Asian decent and played college basketball at Harvard. Bottom line is you just don't have many Asian or Ivy League players making it in the NBA. It was refreshing to see and couldn't have been written any better if it was a fictional tale.
The problem is people are trying to rewrite this story. No one enjoyed Lin's rise to fame more than I did, but the truth is Lin is not a superstar player. I predicted in a previous post that Lin would not even be starting for the Knicks at the end of last season and he wasn't - it was really due to injury but his "pixie dust" was fading too. It's amazing how your fortune can change when you've now been scouted and analyzed by other teams. I think Lin is a good player, a role player that can contribute and he can have a decent NBA career. But that doesn't fit the fairy tale most are setting out for him, which created all the hype around whether the Knicks should have matched the Rockets' offer sheet.
I believe the Knicks not matching the Rockets offer was the right move. New York went in another direction and traded for point guard Raymond Felton, who recently had success in the the Big Apple. Felton is a better player than Lin. Felton is totally an upgrade at that position. And for Lin, he was able to parlay his "moment" into a nice healthy contract - I can't blame him at all for signing it. So it really was a win-win for the Knicks and Lin. The Knicks should not be trashed for allowing Lin to leave; they will always have the most exciting chapter in this story. Unfortunately for those that believe the hype, the best part of this tale is probably already over.
Lin burst into the media spotlight earlier in 2012 when due to an abundance of key Knicks injuries, he was given an opportunity to play and he made the most of it. It was truly a sports magical moment. He sparkled on court, giving opponents fits, the Knicks a needed boost and the fans something great to cheer about. And not only did he play great, he was helping the Knicks win games.
What really made Lin's story amazing was his background. He was the ultimate underdog story, making it big against all odds. It wasn't just that he was an unknown bench player who capitalized on his opportunity, Lin is of Asian decent and played college basketball at Harvard. Bottom line is you just don't have many Asian or Ivy League players making it in the NBA. It was refreshing to see and couldn't have been written any better if it was a fictional tale.
The problem is people are trying to rewrite this story. No one enjoyed Lin's rise to fame more than I did, but the truth is Lin is not a superstar player. I predicted in a previous post that Lin would not even be starting for the Knicks at the end of last season and he wasn't - it was really due to injury but his "pixie dust" was fading too. It's amazing how your fortune can change when you've now been scouted and analyzed by other teams. I think Lin is a good player, a role player that can contribute and he can have a decent NBA career. But that doesn't fit the fairy tale most are setting out for him, which created all the hype around whether the Knicks should have matched the Rockets' offer sheet.
I believe the Knicks not matching the Rockets offer was the right move. New York went in another direction and traded for point guard Raymond Felton, who recently had success in the the Big Apple. Felton is a better player than Lin. Felton is totally an upgrade at that position. And for Lin, he was able to parlay his "moment" into a nice healthy contract - I can't blame him at all for signing it. So it really was a win-win for the Knicks and Lin. The Knicks should not be trashed for allowing Lin to leave; they will always have the most exciting chapter in this story. Unfortunately for those that believe the hype, the best part of this tale is probably already over.
Friday, June 22, 2012
2011 - 2012 NBA Champions: Miami Heat
The Miami Heat soundly defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 121 - 106 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to win the franchise's second NBA Championship. LeBron James recorded a triple double (26 points, 11 rebounds, 13 assists) in the game and snatched NBA Finals MVP. The proverbial monkey is now off of James' back. He has his ring and he was a critical contributor to the championship.
The Heat started off the series dropping Game 1 in OKC, but grabbed home court advantage by stealing Game 2. When the series switched to Miami I don't think there were many people who thought the series wouldn't make it back to OKC. After taking Game 3, Miami had a 2 - 1 series lead and a little momentum. Game 4 was the pivotal game in the series. The Thunder, who started off each game very slowly offensively, finally came out the gate hot. They did a lot of great things during the course of the game but was frustrated by the officiating. Their frustration grew bigger and bigger as they seemly was not getting the proper calls. Miami made adjustments and went on a run between the 2nd & 3rd quarters. The home town crowd began to get extremely loud just the way that they do in OKC. The Thunder was losing control and broke; they became rattled. The moment suddenly seemed too big for them. They started turning the ball over and making bad decisions on the court. Kevin Durant, the league's leading scorer, was starting to not look like himself. James Harden, who was the Sixth Man of the Year and was an assertive player suddenly became tentative. Russell Westbrook was the only player who seemed unfazed; he almost single-handedly won the game for them. But OKC fell short and suddenly found themselves in a 3 -1 series hole when they should have tied the series up and guaranteed another game back in OKC. Their season then came to a "thunderous" end as the Heat torched them in Game 5.
Ultimately, I feel the Heat won this series because they executed on offense better than the Thunder did. Aside from Game 1, the Heat didn't have the scoring droughts that plagued them throughout the playoffs. They moved the ball beautifully on offense, playing unselfish team basketball. The Thunder on the other hand had their offensive struggles. They relied too heavily on their perimeter game and at times didn't even appear to run any offensive sets. Also, the Heat role players were fabulous; Shane Battier, Mario Chalmers, Udonis Haslem, Norris Cole and Mike Miller all had big moments in this series that significantly contributed to the Heat's championship. It didn't take long for the big three, James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to bring the championship to South Beach. Like it or not, these fellas got it done this year after coming just 2 wins away from almost doing it last season (their first together). They were heavy favorites at the start of this season, had their struggles throughout the regular season and playoffs but eventually still came out on top. The Thunder took a nice step in the championship direction this year. They had a nice playoff run but just couldn't quite leap over the last hurdle. James' destiny with the Larry O'Brien trophy was standing awfully tall.
The Heat started off the series dropping Game 1 in OKC, but grabbed home court advantage by stealing Game 2. When the series switched to Miami I don't think there were many people who thought the series wouldn't make it back to OKC. After taking Game 3, Miami had a 2 - 1 series lead and a little momentum. Game 4 was the pivotal game in the series. The Thunder, who started off each game very slowly offensively, finally came out the gate hot. They did a lot of great things during the course of the game but was frustrated by the officiating. Their frustration grew bigger and bigger as they seemly was not getting the proper calls. Miami made adjustments and went on a run between the 2nd & 3rd quarters. The home town crowd began to get extremely loud just the way that they do in OKC. The Thunder was losing control and broke; they became rattled. The moment suddenly seemed too big for them. They started turning the ball over and making bad decisions on the court. Kevin Durant, the league's leading scorer, was starting to not look like himself. James Harden, who was the Sixth Man of the Year and was an assertive player suddenly became tentative. Russell Westbrook was the only player who seemed unfazed; he almost single-handedly won the game for them. But OKC fell short and suddenly found themselves in a 3 -1 series hole when they should have tied the series up and guaranteed another game back in OKC. Their season then came to a "thunderous" end as the Heat torched them in Game 5.
Ultimately, I feel the Heat won this series because they executed on offense better than the Thunder did. Aside from Game 1, the Heat didn't have the scoring droughts that plagued them throughout the playoffs. They moved the ball beautifully on offense, playing unselfish team basketball. The Thunder on the other hand had their offensive struggles. They relied too heavily on their perimeter game and at times didn't even appear to run any offensive sets. Also, the Heat role players were fabulous; Shane Battier, Mario Chalmers, Udonis Haslem, Norris Cole and Mike Miller all had big moments in this series that significantly contributed to the Heat's championship. It didn't take long for the big three, James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to bring the championship to South Beach. Like it or not, these fellas got it done this year after coming just 2 wins away from almost doing it last season (their first together). They were heavy favorites at the start of this season, had their struggles throughout the regular season and playoffs but eventually still came out on top. The Thunder took a nice step in the championship direction this year. They had a nice playoff run but just couldn't quite leap over the last hurdle. James' destiny with the Larry O'Brien trophy was standing awfully tall.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
2012 NBA Finals: Miami Heat vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
The 2012 NBA Finals will feature the Miami Heat vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder. There are several storylines that we will not be able to escape over the next few days and a good number of them will surround the current NBA MVP LeBron James. You know it, you've heard it a million times: will James finally get the monkey off of his back and win his first championship? And if he does is he still worthy of being an all time great? Right now all of that really doesn't matter. As much as we'd like to make it all about LeBron, this series will be more about the teams.
For the Heat, the wait is finally over. After losing last year in the NBA Finals to the Dallas Mavericks, nothing short of returning to the Finals would have been acceptable in many critics' eyes. The "heat" has been on the Heat ever since James & Chris Bosh decided to join forces with Dwyane Wade to win a championship. Their collaboration, along with some antics by the trio has rubbed many people the wrong way. Powerhouses will naturally attract haters and the Heat have more than their fair share of them. But the hate has clouded many folks of their good judgement. Say what you want about Miami but they have done great things as a unit since the stars have banded together. Last year, their first season together, they were merely two wins away from winning the whole thing. This year, on paper, they had a clear lane to the Finals with first round injuries (particularly the Chicago Bulls Derrick Rose) inflicting would be challengers, but they still did what they had to do on the floor. They easily disposed of the New York Knicks, and their talent overcame challenging series against the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics. I was astonished to hear the professional basketball analyst put verbal toe tags on the Heat after they went down 3 - 2 in the Eastern Conference Finals vs. the Celtics. As if the Heat couldn't muster up winning two games in a row against an inconsistent and aging Celtic squad. To their amazement (certainly not mines) Miami did just that, winning both in Boston and the back at home in convincing fashion. Miami has its flaws but don't let the hate freeze your brain, this team is very good and capable of winning it all.
You down with OKC? Yeah you know me! You down with OKC?.......The Thunder is a young and exciting team that has captured the imagination of many fans around the country, sans the greater Seattle area. Led by their superstar Kevin Durant and emerging stars Russell Westbrook and James Harden, OKC can run the floor with the best of them. Their road to the Finals increasingly became tougher with each series: it started with a sweep of the defending champion Mavs, then a 4 - 1 series win over the Los Angeles Lakers and then a 4 - 2 series win in the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. The next series will probably be their toughest. The Thunder have opened up a few eyes with their Finals appearance. I think a lot of people knew they were coming but not many thought their time would be this year when the season started. But the Thunder battled for a good portion of the season for the league's best record and gained the confidence and respect of fans and the media along the way. Though you have to feel bad for the fans that the Thunder left behind in Seattle when they were formerly the Supersonics, it is refreshing to see the home town support that the team receives in Oklahoma City. They are loud, enthusiastic and could become a factor in this series as the Thunder will enjoy home court advantage.
This is series should be fun to watch. Both teams are talented and skilled; I wouldn't be shocked at all if either team won. This current Heat team obviously have a lot riding on this Finals. A loss by them in this series will prove to be two straight years of failing in the Finals and the critics will only get louder. They will have to wait yet another year to try to get in the Finals to prove themselves again. I believe they can taste it and they could shut a lot of people up by sealing the deal. The Thunder on the other hand doesn't have that kind of pressure. If they lose this series it'll be viewed as a nice natural progression for the team and they will be favored to come back to the Finals in the near future. Realistically though OKC can't count on that. A team is never guaranteed a return trip to the Finals no matter how much potential they have. I don't think the Heat will fold to the outside pressure but I do think the Thunder will take this series. OKC will have to stay away from trying win every game with jumpers and establish some post and penetration half court offense. I think the Thunder have the offensive players to exploit the Heat defense. Westbrook is quick and can create his own shot though I echo those who say Durant must touch the ball more. Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins should have an offensive advantage over the bigs of the Heat. The Thunder also will have to buckle down on defense, something they showed us when they played the Spurs late in that series. As explosive as Miami's offense can be, they have shown stretches of stagnation that will hurt them in this series. The Thunder have had those bouts too but I believe they'll overcome that in the Finals. Also the Heat have been awful from the free throw line in these playoffs and that will cause them to lose a game or two in this series which should feature close games. So I'll take the Thunder to win their first championship in Oklahoma City and the Heat to take the wrath of the haters for yet another season.
For the Heat, the wait is finally over. After losing last year in the NBA Finals to the Dallas Mavericks, nothing short of returning to the Finals would have been acceptable in many critics' eyes. The "heat" has been on the Heat ever since James & Chris Bosh decided to join forces with Dwyane Wade to win a championship. Their collaboration, along with some antics by the trio has rubbed many people the wrong way. Powerhouses will naturally attract haters and the Heat have more than their fair share of them. But the hate has clouded many folks of their good judgement. Say what you want about Miami but they have done great things as a unit since the stars have banded together. Last year, their first season together, they were merely two wins away from winning the whole thing. This year, on paper, they had a clear lane to the Finals with first round injuries (particularly the Chicago Bulls Derrick Rose) inflicting would be challengers, but they still did what they had to do on the floor. They easily disposed of the New York Knicks, and their talent overcame challenging series against the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics. I was astonished to hear the professional basketball analyst put verbal toe tags on the Heat after they went down 3 - 2 in the Eastern Conference Finals vs. the Celtics. As if the Heat couldn't muster up winning two games in a row against an inconsistent and aging Celtic squad. To their amazement (certainly not mines) Miami did just that, winning both in Boston and the back at home in convincing fashion. Miami has its flaws but don't let the hate freeze your brain, this team is very good and capable of winning it all.
You down with OKC? Yeah you know me! You down with OKC?.......The Thunder is a young and exciting team that has captured the imagination of many fans around the country, sans the greater Seattle area. Led by their superstar Kevin Durant and emerging stars Russell Westbrook and James Harden, OKC can run the floor with the best of them. Their road to the Finals increasingly became tougher with each series: it started with a sweep of the defending champion Mavs, then a 4 - 1 series win over the Los Angeles Lakers and then a 4 - 2 series win in the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. The next series will probably be their toughest. The Thunder have opened up a few eyes with their Finals appearance. I think a lot of people knew they were coming but not many thought their time would be this year when the season started. But the Thunder battled for a good portion of the season for the league's best record and gained the confidence and respect of fans and the media along the way. Though you have to feel bad for the fans that the Thunder left behind in Seattle when they were formerly the Supersonics, it is refreshing to see the home town support that the team receives in Oklahoma City. They are loud, enthusiastic and could become a factor in this series as the Thunder will enjoy home court advantage.
This is series should be fun to watch. Both teams are talented and skilled; I wouldn't be shocked at all if either team won. This current Heat team obviously have a lot riding on this Finals. A loss by them in this series will prove to be two straight years of failing in the Finals and the critics will only get louder. They will have to wait yet another year to try to get in the Finals to prove themselves again. I believe they can taste it and they could shut a lot of people up by sealing the deal. The Thunder on the other hand doesn't have that kind of pressure. If they lose this series it'll be viewed as a nice natural progression for the team and they will be favored to come back to the Finals in the near future. Realistically though OKC can't count on that. A team is never guaranteed a return trip to the Finals no matter how much potential they have. I don't think the Heat will fold to the outside pressure but I do think the Thunder will take this series. OKC will have to stay away from trying win every game with jumpers and establish some post and penetration half court offense. I think the Thunder have the offensive players to exploit the Heat defense. Westbrook is quick and can create his own shot though I echo those who say Durant must touch the ball more. Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins should have an offensive advantage over the bigs of the Heat. The Thunder also will have to buckle down on defense, something they showed us when they played the Spurs late in that series. As explosive as Miami's offense can be, they have shown stretches of stagnation that will hurt them in this series. The Thunder have had those bouts too but I believe they'll overcome that in the Finals. Also the Heat have been awful from the free throw line in these playoffs and that will cause them to lose a game or two in this series which should feature close games. So I'll take the Thunder to win their first championship in Oklahoma City and the Heat to take the wrath of the haters for yet another season.
Monday, June 11, 2012
2011 - 2012 Stanley Cup Champions: Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings, who was the #8 and last seed in the Western Conference playoffs, slammed the New Jersey Devils 6 - 1 in Game 6 to become the 2011 - 2012 Stanley Cup Champs!!!!!!! Los Angeles met the challenge of facing their first game in playoffs in which they had pressure directly on their shoulders to win. A Game 6 loss would have been the Kings 3rd in a row and would have sent the series back to Newark with the Devils having all of the momentum. They played with urgency in the first period and capitalized on a five minute major penalty on the Devils Steve Bernier. Three goals was scored on that major PP and it sealed the fate of the series. The Game 6 win gave the Kings their first championship in franchise history and their run to the Cup was quite historic:
- The Kings went 10 - 1 on the road in the playoffs (amazing!).
- They jumped out to a 3 - 0 lead in all four of their playoff series (really amazing!).
- Only once did they lose consecutive games (Games 4 & 5 Stanley Cup Final).
- First #8 seed to win the Stanley Cup.
The Kings were desinted to win the Cup this year and their playoff fate started on the last day of the regular season. A loss by LA to the San Jose Sharks coupled with a Phoenix Coyotes win over the Minnesota Wild on April 7th sent the Kings to the 8th seed in the West. No one could have ever imagined that they would go on to knock off the top three seeds in the West and then go on to win the Stanley Cup. The man that led the charge for the Kings was their goalie and Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Quick who despite having two bad games in the Stanley Cup Final (both Kings loses), was stellar throughout the playoffs.
Congratulations to the Kings organization and their fans. Their playoff run was amazing to watch. I have never seen anything quite like it. Can they do it again next season?? Who cares, let the City of Angels enjoy this for now!!!!
- The Kings went 10 - 1 on the road in the playoffs (amazing!).
- They jumped out to a 3 - 0 lead in all four of their playoff series (really amazing!).
- Only once did they lose consecutive games (Games 4 & 5 Stanley Cup Final).
- First #8 seed to win the Stanley Cup.
The Kings were desinted to win the Cup this year and their playoff fate started on the last day of the regular season. A loss by LA to the San Jose Sharks coupled with a Phoenix Coyotes win over the Minnesota Wild on April 7th sent the Kings to the 8th seed in the West. No one could have ever imagined that they would go on to knock off the top three seeds in the West and then go on to win the Stanley Cup. The man that led the charge for the Kings was their goalie and Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Quick who despite having two bad games in the Stanley Cup Final (both Kings loses), was stellar throughout the playoffs.
Congratulations to the Kings organization and their fans. Their playoff run was amazing to watch. I have never seen anything quite like it. Can they do it again next season?? Who cares, let the City of Angels enjoy this for now!!!!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
2012 NHL Stanley Cup Finals: New Jersey Devils vs. Los Angeles Kings
The New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings are ready to square off for the right to raise the Lord Stanley's Cup. The Devils and Kings are the last two teams standing after neither received a lot of attention when the playoffs started as potential Cup winners.
The Devils are the #6 seed out of the Eastern Conference and defeated the Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers on their way to the Cup finals. Led by their captain Zach Parise and future Hall of Fame goalie Marty Brodeur, New Jersey struggled at times in the playoffs. They almost didn't even get out of the first round against the Panthers who took them to a Game 7. And the #1 Eastern Conference seed Rangers had a 2 -1 series lead against them before they ripped off 3 straight wins. But the Devils "even keel" approach kept them on track to the Finals.
On the other hand the Western Conference #8 seed Los Angeles Kings has made their run look a bit easier. The Kings are 12 - 2 in the playoffs and in each of their series against the Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues and Phoenix Coyotes (seeds 1, 2 & 3 respectively) they jumped out to a 3 games to none lead. Los Angeles has yet to lose a road game in these playoffs. They are led by goalie Jonathan Quick, who by far has been the best keeper in the playoffs.
The Kings will start the Stanley Cup Finals on the road again, a familiar pattern that has been successful for them. But this time they have to travel all the way to the east coast. Will the long trek east have negative effects on their road dominance? Or will their seemly destined journey to have their names engraved on the Cup come to fruition? The Devils are a sneaky team; they look bad at times but have a knack for getting victories despite that. As much as I respect New Jersey and Brodeur, I'm picking the Kings to win. I just would be shocked if they don't continue on the roll that they are on.
The Devils are the #6 seed out of the Eastern Conference and defeated the Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers on their way to the Cup finals. Led by their captain Zach Parise and future Hall of Fame goalie Marty Brodeur, New Jersey struggled at times in the playoffs. They almost didn't even get out of the first round against the Panthers who took them to a Game 7. And the #1 Eastern Conference seed Rangers had a 2 -1 series lead against them before they ripped off 3 straight wins. But the Devils "even keel" approach kept them on track to the Finals.
On the other hand the Western Conference #8 seed Los Angeles Kings has made their run look a bit easier. The Kings are 12 - 2 in the playoffs and in each of their series against the Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues and Phoenix Coyotes (seeds 1, 2 & 3 respectively) they jumped out to a 3 games to none lead. Los Angeles has yet to lose a road game in these playoffs. They are led by goalie Jonathan Quick, who by far has been the best keeper in the playoffs.
The Kings will start the Stanley Cup Finals on the road again, a familiar pattern that has been successful for them. But this time they have to travel all the way to the east coast. Will the long trek east have negative effects on their road dominance? Or will their seemly destined journey to have their names engraved on the Cup come to fruition? The Devils are a sneaky team; they look bad at times but have a knack for getting victories despite that. As much as I respect New Jersey and Brodeur, I'm picking the Kings to win. I just would be shocked if they don't continue on the roll that they are on.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Absurdity about Linsanity: State of the New York Knicks Today
New York Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni resigned today. The fact that he eventually separated from the team is not really a surprise. Knicks management didn't really seem to have his back completely, as they didn't extended his contract (which was due to expire at the end of the season). There was definitely a "wait and see" approach and unfortunately what we've seen has not been good.
The Knicks have looked pretty bad lately and it has frustrated throngs of fans who was hopeful during the "Linsanity" period of the season. Jeremy Lin was an unexpected spark for the team when superstars Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire suddenly were absent from the lineup. Lin plays with energy, passion and desire; attributes that are very much appreciated by New York fans. But while Linsanity took over the world, insanity has taken over a lot of fans. Jeremy Lin is a good second year player, he is not an all-pro. No one liked his story more than I did but too many fans believed the hype. Thankfully Lin didn't. He is one of the most grounded young players in the league which is definitely going to help his growth and longevity in the NBA.
Some fans are blaming Carmelo Anthony for the Knicks failures. On the surface, it may look that way. When Anthony was out, the Knicks were winning; since he has returned they have been losing. But it isn't that simple. Part of the Lin's success was due to the league not being familiar to his game. Adjustments have since been made. Drives, passes & shots have not come as easy as they once did (for Lin). Funny how the NBA works that way.
To suggest that Lin should be on the team and Anthony should not is absurd. Lin is NOT better for the Knicks than Anthony. With that being said, the Knicks will have to find the right mix of players on the floor. I happen to think that Baron Davis is a better fit as a starter and Lin would be great providing energy off the bench. With no training camp this year due to the NBA lockout and the Knicks trading half the team away for Anthony last season, this team needs more time to meld. Knicks fans are going to have to be a tad more patient and stop thinking with such absurdity.
The Knicks have looked pretty bad lately and it has frustrated throngs of fans who was hopeful during the "Linsanity" period of the season. Jeremy Lin was an unexpected spark for the team when superstars Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire suddenly were absent from the lineup. Lin plays with energy, passion and desire; attributes that are very much appreciated by New York fans. But while Linsanity took over the world, insanity has taken over a lot of fans. Jeremy Lin is a good second year player, he is not an all-pro. No one liked his story more than I did but too many fans believed the hype. Thankfully Lin didn't. He is one of the most grounded young players in the league which is definitely going to help his growth and longevity in the NBA.
Some fans are blaming Carmelo Anthony for the Knicks failures. On the surface, it may look that way. When Anthony was out, the Knicks were winning; since he has returned they have been losing. But it isn't that simple. Part of the Lin's success was due to the league not being familiar to his game. Adjustments have since been made. Drives, passes & shots have not come as easy as they once did (for Lin). Funny how the NBA works that way.
To suggest that Lin should be on the team and Anthony should not is absurd. Lin is NOT better for the Knicks than Anthony. With that being said, the Knicks will have to find the right mix of players on the floor. I happen to think that Baron Davis is a better fit as a starter and Lin would be great providing energy off the bench. With no training camp this year due to the NBA lockout and the Knicks trading half the team away for Anthony last season, this team needs more time to meld. Knicks fans are going to have to be a tad more patient and stop thinking with such absurdity.
Monday, February 6, 2012
New York Giants - Super Bowl XLVI Champs!!!!
Well they did it! The 9 - 7 New York Giants ran the table and won Super Bowl XLVI by defeating the New England Patriots 21 - 17 at Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis. Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw scored the game winning touchdown with just about 1 minute left in the game, leaving the Patriots with not enough time to come back and win. The Super Bowl MVP was awarded to Giants QB Eli Manning who was 30 - 40 for 296 yds and 1 TD.
The Giants played "their game" in this Super Bowl; which is they do what they need to do, when they need to do it. They outplayed the Patriots in the first half but they didn't reflect the dominance on the scoreboard. On the first play from scrimmage for the Patriots, the defense for New York forced Patriots QB Tom Brady into a hurried throw from his own endzone which resulted in an intentional grounding penalty and a safety. After the free kick to the G-Men, they drove down and scored on a Victor Cruz 2 yd touchdown catch. Suddenly the Giants were up 9 - 0 and it started to look a bit grim for the Pats. New England hung in there though as their defense played "bend but don't break" not allowing the Giants another point until the second half. Brady & the offense struggled and scrapped out a FG in the 2nd qtr then finally put together a great touchdown drive right at the end of the half to give the Patriots a 10 - 9 halftime lead.
The Pats opened the second half with another impressive drive culminating with an Aaron Hernandez 12 yd touchdown catch. They would not score another point for the rest of the game. At that point, the Giants were down 17 - 9 and as well as they moved the ball, they were only able to a score a couple of FG's before the game winning TD. New York fumbled the ball on a couple of occasions but had the ball bounce back to them both times. The Patriots offense outside of their two TD drives never looked in sync. As a matter of fact, they reminded me a lot of how the Packers looked against the Giants back in the NFC Divisional Round. Dropped passes, missed throws, untimely penalties and one turnover. On what looked like what could have been a Patriots time consuming, game clinching drive, Brady misfired on two consecutive passes. The most crucial one was a 25 yd throw he made off stride to Wes Welker that Welker could not corral with about 4 minutes left in the game; that would have given the Pats a first down and a great chance of putting the game away. It was not to be. After the next Brady misfire, New England punted the ball back to New York. Manning then drove the Giants down the field for the game winning TD, starting with a great (throw and) 38 yd catch by WR Mario Manningham, which pulled them up to midfield. Manning proceeded to make clutch throws to get the Giants down to where Bradshaw could score his TD. On that play, the Patriots allowed him to score and Bradshaw, aware that the clock was his friend tried to stop his momentum at the last moment but he fell into the endzone. With just under a minute and down by 4 points, the Patriots tried in desperation to get downfield for a game winning TD but some dropped passes impeded their progress and on the final play of the game, a Brady "hail mary" pass was deflected to the ground.
I take my hat off to the New York Giants. They have had the right attitude all along throughout their incredible run. Many folks saw the similiarity of this team to the 2007 team that made a similiar run. I didn't see it. I expected to Giants to fold up every round in the playoffs and they didn't. They beat two number one seeded teams and a number two seed team on their way to hoist the Lombardi trophy I salute the New York Giants and respect their accomplishment this season. Congrats G-Men!!
The Giants played "their game" in this Super Bowl; which is they do what they need to do, when they need to do it. They outplayed the Patriots in the first half but they didn't reflect the dominance on the scoreboard. On the first play from scrimmage for the Patriots, the defense for New York forced Patriots QB Tom Brady into a hurried throw from his own endzone which resulted in an intentional grounding penalty and a safety. After the free kick to the G-Men, they drove down and scored on a Victor Cruz 2 yd touchdown catch. Suddenly the Giants were up 9 - 0 and it started to look a bit grim for the Pats. New England hung in there though as their defense played "bend but don't break" not allowing the Giants another point until the second half. Brady & the offense struggled and scrapped out a FG in the 2nd qtr then finally put together a great touchdown drive right at the end of the half to give the Patriots a 10 - 9 halftime lead.
The Pats opened the second half with another impressive drive culminating with an Aaron Hernandez 12 yd touchdown catch. They would not score another point for the rest of the game. At that point, the Giants were down 17 - 9 and as well as they moved the ball, they were only able to a score a couple of FG's before the game winning TD. New York fumbled the ball on a couple of occasions but had the ball bounce back to them both times. The Patriots offense outside of their two TD drives never looked in sync. As a matter of fact, they reminded me a lot of how the Packers looked against the Giants back in the NFC Divisional Round. Dropped passes, missed throws, untimely penalties and one turnover. On what looked like what could have been a Patriots time consuming, game clinching drive, Brady misfired on two consecutive passes. The most crucial one was a 25 yd throw he made off stride to Wes Welker that Welker could not corral with about 4 minutes left in the game; that would have given the Pats a first down and a great chance of putting the game away. It was not to be. After the next Brady misfire, New England punted the ball back to New York. Manning then drove the Giants down the field for the game winning TD, starting with a great (throw and) 38 yd catch by WR Mario Manningham, which pulled them up to midfield. Manning proceeded to make clutch throws to get the Giants down to where Bradshaw could score his TD. On that play, the Patriots allowed him to score and Bradshaw, aware that the clock was his friend tried to stop his momentum at the last moment but he fell into the endzone. With just under a minute and down by 4 points, the Patriots tried in desperation to get downfield for a game winning TD but some dropped passes impeded their progress and on the final play of the game, a Brady "hail mary" pass was deflected to the ground.
I take my hat off to the New York Giants. They have had the right attitude all along throughout their incredible run. Many folks saw the similiarity of this team to the 2007 team that made a similiar run. I didn't see it. I expected to Giants to fold up every round in the playoffs and they didn't. They beat two number one seeded teams and a number two seed team on their way to hoist the Lombardi trophy I salute the New York Giants and respect their accomplishment this season. Congrats G-Men!!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Super Bowl XLVI: New York Giants vs. New England Patriots
The moment is finally near; the New York Giants and the New England Patriots are about to square off in Super Bowl XLVI. The NFC champion Giants qualified for this Super Bowl matchup by disposing of the San Francisco 49ers in overtime two weeks ago. Earlier that same day, the AFC champion Patriots squeaked by the Baltimore Ravens to earn the right to play the Giants. Since then there has been a lot of talk and hype but now it's time to get to the action.
The Giants are 2.5 point underdogs but you wouldn't know it based on all of the talk for the past two weeks. A lot of people have bought in on the Giants who have been red hot, knocking out the top two seeds in the NFC on its way to the Super Bowl. Based on what we have seen over the last month, the Giants definitely look better on the field than the Patriots. The Giants also had a gutsy win against the Patriots this season in Foxboro. Everyone's favorite quarterback for the moment Eli Manning made some timely completions in that game (and in the playoffs) and some wonder if he's even better than Tom Brady. The Patriots' defense has not been that good this season and most expect the Giants talented passing game to take advantage. As I've mentioned before, the key to disrupting the Giants offense is getting in Eli's face and getting him to the ground. I fully expect Bill Belichick to come up with all kinds of blitzes that the Giants have not seen on film. But will they get to him in time? A good running game by the more than capable Giants backfield could be key to offsetting constant pressure. On the other side of the ball, the Patriots offense must exploit the weakness of the Giants team: its secondary. I could be wrong but I don't expect much out of the Patriots run game. Brady is going to have to shoulder the load and make plays. Obviously plays will be there for Brady if he has time to throw. Creative screen plays and some quick passes can frustrate the Giants rush and help to expose the secondary to bigger plays down the line. I think some people have forgotten that the Patriots offense can be explosive; they will need to open it up and get that Giants secondary involved.
I am going against the grain and picking the Patriots to "upset" the Giants. Belichick & company will come up with the schemes on offense and defense to win their fourth championship. The Giants have made me look awful throughout the whole playoffs as I have repeatedly discussed the "stinker" (game) they still have in their back pocket. They have one more chance to shut me up again.
The Giants are 2.5 point underdogs but you wouldn't know it based on all of the talk for the past two weeks. A lot of people have bought in on the Giants who have been red hot, knocking out the top two seeds in the NFC on its way to the Super Bowl. Based on what we have seen over the last month, the Giants definitely look better on the field than the Patriots. The Giants also had a gutsy win against the Patriots this season in Foxboro. Everyone's favorite quarterback for the moment Eli Manning made some timely completions in that game (and in the playoffs) and some wonder if he's even better than Tom Brady. The Patriots' defense has not been that good this season and most expect the Giants talented passing game to take advantage. As I've mentioned before, the key to disrupting the Giants offense is getting in Eli's face and getting him to the ground. I fully expect Bill Belichick to come up with all kinds of blitzes that the Giants have not seen on film. But will they get to him in time? A good running game by the more than capable Giants backfield could be key to offsetting constant pressure. On the other side of the ball, the Patriots offense must exploit the weakness of the Giants team: its secondary. I could be wrong but I don't expect much out of the Patriots run game. Brady is going to have to shoulder the load and make plays. Obviously plays will be there for Brady if he has time to throw. Creative screen plays and some quick passes can frustrate the Giants rush and help to expose the secondary to bigger plays down the line. I think some people have forgotten that the Patriots offense can be explosive; they will need to open it up and get that Giants secondary involved.
I am going against the grain and picking the Patriots to "upset" the Giants. Belichick & company will come up with the schemes on offense and defense to win their fourth championship. The Giants have made me look awful throughout the whole playoffs as I have repeatedly discussed the "stinker" (game) they still have in their back pocket. They have one more chance to shut me up again.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
NFL Final Four - AFC/NFC Championship - Road To Super Bowl XLVI
After the first seven games of the NFL playoffs, the seeding for the teams remained in order. Every home team won their games, even the San Francisco 49ers who was a rare home underdog. But in the eighth game, there was a bit of a shocker. The defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers were upset by the New York Giants. The number one seed in the NFC and the best team in the NFL was suddenly "one and done". That loss obviously guarantees that we will have a new Super Bowl champ. Lets take a look at AFC and NFC Championship games which will determine the two teams who will fight to claim the Lombardi Trophy.
Baltimore Ravens vs. New England Patriots:
This should be a good game. You have the Ravens with a prolific defense and inconsistent offense matched up with the Patriots with a prolific offense and a suspect defense. I think a big factor here will be whether the Ravens will be able to exploit the weakness of the Patriots defense. As much as I respect Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Ed Reed and company on defense, I think the Patriots will score against them. The Patriots will try to light the scoreboard up just like last week but for different reasons. Last week it was to foil a Denver Broncos offense which would have an issue trying to overcome a large deficit. This week, it will be to take the game out of its defense's hands. Even with that thought, I still expect to see Bill Belichick come up with a scheme to rattle Joe Flacco. A couple of seasons ago the Ravens went up to Foxboro and spanked the Pats in the playoffs. I think New England will get their revenge this year and make it back to the Super Bowl.
New York Giants vs. San Francisco 49ers:
The Giants have truly made me look bad in these playoffs. I have been their harshest critic. Even though the Packers last week played a tremendously sloppy game with turnovers, dropped passes & missed throws, I still give credit to the Giants for going into Green Bay and taking that game. When the 49ers beat the Saints last week, I automatically thought of this NFC Championship game. My first thoughts was the the winner of the Packers vs. Giants would beat the 49ers. The Giants almost pulled off a victory in San Francisco earlier in the year and I like their confidence as a team. As the days of this week started passing by, my thoughts started to change. I like what the 49ers do on defense. If they are smart and have learned anything about the Giants, they will pressure Eli Manning to the hilt. On offense, though I don't trust Alex Smith as much as Aaron Rodgers, I think the 49ers philosophy may be the right approach against the Giants defense. The Giants defensive strength is their pass rush. The 49ers can mitigate any damage by the Giants pass rush by running the ball, which they do well. Smith is going to have to abuse that Giants secondary though. Play action will be key for Smith but he's going to have to connect with his guys. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Giants won this game but I still think they have that stinker in their back pocket. I want to see if the Giants can make me look bad once again. The 49ers miraculously makes it to the Super Bowl in Jim Harbaugh's first season as head coach.
Baltimore Ravens vs. New England Patriots:
This should be a good game. You have the Ravens with a prolific defense and inconsistent offense matched up with the Patriots with a prolific offense and a suspect defense. I think a big factor here will be whether the Ravens will be able to exploit the weakness of the Patriots defense. As much as I respect Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Ed Reed and company on defense, I think the Patriots will score against them. The Patriots will try to light the scoreboard up just like last week but for different reasons. Last week it was to foil a Denver Broncos offense which would have an issue trying to overcome a large deficit. This week, it will be to take the game out of its defense's hands. Even with that thought, I still expect to see Bill Belichick come up with a scheme to rattle Joe Flacco. A couple of seasons ago the Ravens went up to Foxboro and spanked the Pats in the playoffs. I think New England will get their revenge this year and make it back to the Super Bowl.
New York Giants vs. San Francisco 49ers:
The Giants have truly made me look bad in these playoffs. I have been their harshest critic. Even though the Packers last week played a tremendously sloppy game with turnovers, dropped passes & missed throws, I still give credit to the Giants for going into Green Bay and taking that game. When the 49ers beat the Saints last week, I automatically thought of this NFC Championship game. My first thoughts was the the winner of the Packers vs. Giants would beat the 49ers. The Giants almost pulled off a victory in San Francisco earlier in the year and I like their confidence as a team. As the days of this week started passing by, my thoughts started to change. I like what the 49ers do on defense. If they are smart and have learned anything about the Giants, they will pressure Eli Manning to the hilt. On offense, though I don't trust Alex Smith as much as Aaron Rodgers, I think the 49ers philosophy may be the right approach against the Giants defense. The Giants defensive strength is their pass rush. The 49ers can mitigate any damage by the Giants pass rush by running the ball, which they do well. Smith is going to have to abuse that Giants secondary though. Play action will be key for Smith but he's going to have to connect with his guys. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Giants won this game but I still think they have that stinker in their back pocket. I want to see if the Giants can make me look bad once again. The 49ers miraculously makes it to the Super Bowl in Jim Harbaugh's first season as head coach.
Friday, January 13, 2012
NFL Divisional Round - Road to Super Bowl XLVI
NFL Wild Card weekend showcased wins by all four of the home teams. The Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints and New York Giants all advanced to this weekend's NFL Divisional Round. All of these teams must hit road in hopes of crashing the now pristine playoff seed order. Lets take a look at the games.
Denver Broncos vs. New England Patriots:
The Broncos shocked the world last weekend with their upset overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Broncos QB Tim Tebow completed less than half of his passes but made the ones he did connect on count. I think Patriots' Head Coach Bill Belichick will feel his best defense in this game will be his offense. I expect to see Tom Brady and crew to try blitz the scoreboard and force the Broncos to attempt to play catch up. This strategy should work and the Patriots will go on to the AFC Championship game. I wouldn't give the Broncos 13.5 points though.
Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens:
Texans come into this game riding high after winning their first playoff game in franchise history over the Cincinnati Bengals last week. The Bengals offense moved the ball early but the Texans defense never gave up the big play. The big question for this matchup is: can the Ravens make big plays against this Texans defense? They certainly have some weapons to do so, mainly RB Ray Rice. But on a few occasions this year, the Ravens offense has disappeared and Rice doesn't seem to get the touches he deserves. Though I am not thoroughly confident in this Ravens offense, I will give them the edge to win this game since they are at home and their defense is playing against a third string QB. Go with the Ravens but don't be shocked if the Texans somehow find a way.
New Orleans Saints vs. San Francisco 49ers:
After defeating the Detriot Lions, a team who featured a potent offense, the Saints play a 49ers team who's strength lies in its defense. The 49ers also feature a good running game, which I expect to see a lot of to try to keep Saints QB Drew Brees off of the field. Although the Saints offense may not run as smooth outdoors on the road as it does at home, I still expect them to put some points up. I think their defense will "bend but not break" against 49ers which will give the Saints the right to move on to the NFC Championship game.
New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers:
The Giants had an impressive home win last week against the Atlanta Falcons, not allowing their offense to score any points. That won't happen this weekend. The Packers do have a few things to worry about like the potential of being rusty after having had the bye and several of their star players missing the regular season finale as well. Also their defense has been porous at times and their offensive line is banged up. But on a good note, WR Greg Jennings is reportedly looking healthy and is ready to return from his leg injury that has sidelined him for a few weeks. The Giants cleared a big hurdle by winning last week, albeit to a suspect Falcons team. As I mentioned last week, the Giants have a history of dropping stinkers late in the season (and post season) and this might just be the week we see it. I won't say the Giants have no chance because they have nothing to lose and played the Packers tough earlier this season, but if the Packers are clicking, forget it. I expect Aaron Rodgers to "discount double-check" the G-Men to death. Packers roll.
Denver Broncos vs. New England Patriots:
The Broncos shocked the world last weekend with their upset overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Broncos QB Tim Tebow completed less than half of his passes but made the ones he did connect on count. I think Patriots' Head Coach Bill Belichick will feel his best defense in this game will be his offense. I expect to see Tom Brady and crew to try blitz the scoreboard and force the Broncos to attempt to play catch up. This strategy should work and the Patriots will go on to the AFC Championship game. I wouldn't give the Broncos 13.5 points though.
Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens:
Texans come into this game riding high after winning their first playoff game in franchise history over the Cincinnati Bengals last week. The Bengals offense moved the ball early but the Texans defense never gave up the big play. The big question for this matchup is: can the Ravens make big plays against this Texans defense? They certainly have some weapons to do so, mainly RB Ray Rice. But on a few occasions this year, the Ravens offense has disappeared and Rice doesn't seem to get the touches he deserves. Though I am not thoroughly confident in this Ravens offense, I will give them the edge to win this game since they are at home and their defense is playing against a third string QB. Go with the Ravens but don't be shocked if the Texans somehow find a way.
New Orleans Saints vs. San Francisco 49ers:
After defeating the Detriot Lions, a team who featured a potent offense, the Saints play a 49ers team who's strength lies in its defense. The 49ers also feature a good running game, which I expect to see a lot of to try to keep Saints QB Drew Brees off of the field. Although the Saints offense may not run as smooth outdoors on the road as it does at home, I still expect them to put some points up. I think their defense will "bend but not break" against 49ers which will give the Saints the right to move on to the NFC Championship game.
New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers:
The Giants had an impressive home win last week against the Atlanta Falcons, not allowing their offense to score any points. That won't happen this weekend. The Packers do have a few things to worry about like the potential of being rusty after having had the bye and several of their star players missing the regular season finale as well. Also their defense has been porous at times and their offensive line is banged up. But on a good note, WR Greg Jennings is reportedly looking healthy and is ready to return from his leg injury that has sidelined him for a few weeks. The Giants cleared a big hurdle by winning last week, albeit to a suspect Falcons team. As I mentioned last week, the Giants have a history of dropping stinkers late in the season (and post season) and this might just be the week we see it. I won't say the Giants have no chance because they have nothing to lose and played the Packers tough earlier this season, but if the Packers are clicking, forget it. I expect Aaron Rodgers to "discount double-check" the G-Men to death. Packers roll.
Friday, January 6, 2012
M-E-S-S, MESS MESS MESS!!! - 2011 New York Jets Miss The Playoffs
The New York Jets 2011 season ended in a thud in Miami on the last Sunday of the season. They lost to the Dolphins 19 - 17 which eliminated any chance they had to make the playoffs. The Jets seemed to play in a haze the whole season but was able to get into great position to make the playoffs after a big win at home against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 14. That win placed the Jets at 8 - 5 and in the driver's seat for an AFC Wild Card spot with three games to go. They didn't win another game.
In many ways the Jets had already failed by Week 14. After losing in the AFC Championship on the road the last two years it was clear that the Jets goal for the 2011 season was to win the AFC East and possibly even take the #1 seed in the conference. They needed to get some of these playoff games in their own building and perhaps with a bye, play one less playoff game. But they sustained early losses to the Raiders and Ravens which knocked the Jets off balance. Even more devastating than those losses were the two they gave up to the Patriots, the team they needed to dethrone to win the division. Instead of battling the Pats as though they were their equals, the Jets seemed to regress back to "little brother" status after those two losses. Mix in a nationally televised disastrous loss to the Broncos (which really had critics coming after Mark Sanchez) and the Jets still found themselves a few weeks later angled for a Wild Card spot. But then came those three season ending games.
Rex Ryan will only look as good as his team will make him look. His bravado attitude about his team is unwelcomed in a lot of corners but I don't see him changing - and he shouldn't. He looks bad now only because the team couldn't cash the check his mouth has been writing. His team, as it stands now, is in somewhat of a mess. Many are questioning whether Sanchez can cut it as a winning QB. The Jets running game and defense, the staples of this organization, took a big step back. And we are now finding out that there was some disruptive in fighting within the Jets locker room. I think the Jets mess is very "cleanable". The process of the clean up though will be very intriguing. The Jets will go through what many other NFL teams will go through. They must decide which veterans to keep and which youngsters to bring along; all with the salary cap looming over their heads. Veterans will cost any team some money but their value in the locker room and their leadership on the field is "invaluable". As of now, the team looks to be standing behind Sanchez but for how much longer? If we are to believe the "whispers" some of his teammates have lost faith in him. The "powers that be" cannot ignore that and it will be interesting to see where they go from here on that front. Will Rex ultimately abandon the "ground and pound" mantra? The NFL rule book and stat sheets reveal that passing the ball wins games in this league in 2011. Where does that leave the Jets in 2012? Somebody grab some mops and some disinfectant - this clean up going to take some work - but it can be done.
In many ways the Jets had already failed by Week 14. After losing in the AFC Championship on the road the last two years it was clear that the Jets goal for the 2011 season was to win the AFC East and possibly even take the #1 seed in the conference. They needed to get some of these playoff games in their own building and perhaps with a bye, play one less playoff game. But they sustained early losses to the Raiders and Ravens which knocked the Jets off balance. Even more devastating than those losses were the two they gave up to the Patriots, the team they needed to dethrone to win the division. Instead of battling the Pats as though they were their equals, the Jets seemed to regress back to "little brother" status after those two losses. Mix in a nationally televised disastrous loss to the Broncos (which really had critics coming after Mark Sanchez) and the Jets still found themselves a few weeks later angled for a Wild Card spot. But then came those three season ending games.
Rex Ryan will only look as good as his team will make him look. His bravado attitude about his team is unwelcomed in a lot of corners but I don't see him changing - and he shouldn't. He looks bad now only because the team couldn't cash the check his mouth has been writing. His team, as it stands now, is in somewhat of a mess. Many are questioning whether Sanchez can cut it as a winning QB. The Jets running game and defense, the staples of this organization, took a big step back. And we are now finding out that there was some disruptive in fighting within the Jets locker room. I think the Jets mess is very "cleanable". The process of the clean up though will be very intriguing. The Jets will go through what many other NFL teams will go through. They must decide which veterans to keep and which youngsters to bring along; all with the salary cap looming over their heads. Veterans will cost any team some money but their value in the locker room and their leadership on the field is "invaluable". As of now, the team looks to be standing behind Sanchez but for how much longer? If we are to believe the "whispers" some of his teammates have lost faith in him. The "powers that be" cannot ignore that and it will be interesting to see where they go from here on that front. Will Rex ultimately abandon the "ground and pound" mantra? The NFL rule book and stat sheets reveal that passing the ball wins games in this league in 2011. Where does that leave the Jets in 2012? Somebody grab some mops and some disinfectant - this clean up going to take some work - but it can be done.
NFL Wild Card Weekend - Road to Super Bowl XLVI Begins
While some people believe "the most wonderful time of the year" is in December, a lot of other people beg to differ and think it is January. That is because the NFL playoff season kicks off in the first month of the year and it is the start of the "elimination dance" to see who will play in the Super Bowl. This year, the Super Bowl is in Indianapolis and the home team Colts were bitten by the Super Bowl host team jinx (maybe it was more due to Peyton Manning missing the season) missing the playoffs and finishing the regular season with the league's worst record. Let's take a look at this weekend's Wild Card matchups between the "bottom eight" of the twelve playoff teams (the Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens all have byes this weekend).
Cincinnati Bengals (Wild Card) vs. Houston Texans (AFC South Champs):
Congratulations to the Texans for making it to their first playoff foray. Their first trip will be a quick one. The Texans have one of the best offenses in the league and their defense vastly improved this season. But with Matt Schaub out and the Bengals coming into town with a balanced team themselves (and no pressure/expectations), I think the Texans will get upset at home. I'm not sure if Texans' RB Arian Foster and WR Andre Johnson can show off their healthy talented skills. And Texans rookie 3rd string QB T.J. Yates has done well but the Bengals QB Rookie of the Year candidate Andy Dalton will outshine him. The Bengals minus (the ghosts of) Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco and T.O. move on to the next round
Pittsburgh Steelers (Wild Card) vs. Denver Broncos (AFC West Champs):
The Steelers are coming into this matchup banged up. They will miss RB Rashard Mendenhall who is out for the post season with a knee injury and S Ryan Clark who is being benched in this game for precautionary health purposes. Big Ben (Roethlisberger) will be "toughing it out" at QB Sunday with a high ankle sprain. Pittsburgh will still prevail. I don't see the Broncos offense led by Tim Tebow scoring many points on (Steelers Defensive Coordinator) Dick LeBeau's defense. The Steelers themselves may not score many points but their skill and playoff experience should overcome being on the road and any Tebow "magic" that may be left. For those who like dealing with spreads, I wouldn't bite on the Steelers giving 8.5 points though.
Detroit Lions (Wild Card) vs. New Orleans Saints (NFC South Champs):
From my subjective point of view, I'm unhappy that these two teams face off against each other in the first round. I think they are both fun to watch! Both teams are somewhat similiar: high powered offenses and defenses that are not horrible but can be scored upon. But as you take a closer look the Saints have a few more weapons on offense, particularly at RB (what's up there Darren Sproles). If the Lions have trouble running the ball, they may have big trouble in this game. Don't get me wrong; Lions QB Matthew Stafford can sling it with the best of them, especially when hooking up with WR Calvin "Megatron" Johnson. But Saints QB extraordinaire Drew Brees is the "Top Gun" this year and I'm sure last year's first round playoff exit is still fresh in his and his teammates minds. I pick the Saints to win this game which may break all kind of offensive playoff records on both sides. And as for the 59 point over/under, I'd say over might be a lock.
Atlanta Falcons (Wild Card) vs. New York Giants (NFC East Champs):
This is an interesting game. The Falcons is a dome team coming north in January to play the Giants. That usually spells trouble. I also often question the Falcons philosophy when it comes to their offense. They should get back to running the ball a little more. Overall, I really don't trust the Falcons. But I think they are going to lay it on the Giants. The Giants ended the season with two impressive victories over the Jets and Cowboys to win the NFC East. Everybody is back on the bandwagon. Truth is, the Giants are inconsistent in December and January. Yes they made a great run in 2007 to win the Super Bowl, but take that one season away and what do you have? Falcons will exploit the Giants defense and if they're smart, stop the Victor Cruz salsa express. Atlanta, also reminded by their early playoff exit last year, upsets the NFC East champs.
Cincinnati Bengals (Wild Card) vs. Houston Texans (AFC South Champs):
Congratulations to the Texans for making it to their first playoff foray. Their first trip will be a quick one. The Texans have one of the best offenses in the league and their defense vastly improved this season. But with Matt Schaub out and the Bengals coming into town with a balanced team themselves (and no pressure/expectations), I think the Texans will get upset at home. I'm not sure if Texans' RB Arian Foster and WR Andre Johnson can show off their healthy talented skills. And Texans rookie 3rd string QB T.J. Yates has done well but the Bengals QB Rookie of the Year candidate Andy Dalton will outshine him. The Bengals minus (the ghosts of) Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco and T.O. move on to the next round
Pittsburgh Steelers (Wild Card) vs. Denver Broncos (AFC West Champs):
The Steelers are coming into this matchup banged up. They will miss RB Rashard Mendenhall who is out for the post season with a knee injury and S Ryan Clark who is being benched in this game for precautionary health purposes. Big Ben (Roethlisberger) will be "toughing it out" at QB Sunday with a high ankle sprain. Pittsburgh will still prevail. I don't see the Broncos offense led by Tim Tebow scoring many points on (Steelers Defensive Coordinator) Dick LeBeau's defense. The Steelers themselves may not score many points but their skill and playoff experience should overcome being on the road and any Tebow "magic" that may be left. For those who like dealing with spreads, I wouldn't bite on the Steelers giving 8.5 points though.
Detroit Lions (Wild Card) vs. New Orleans Saints (NFC South Champs):
From my subjective point of view, I'm unhappy that these two teams face off against each other in the first round. I think they are both fun to watch! Both teams are somewhat similiar: high powered offenses and defenses that are not horrible but can be scored upon. But as you take a closer look the Saints have a few more weapons on offense, particularly at RB (what's up there Darren Sproles). If the Lions have trouble running the ball, they may have big trouble in this game. Don't get me wrong; Lions QB Matthew Stafford can sling it with the best of them, especially when hooking up with WR Calvin "Megatron" Johnson. But Saints QB extraordinaire Drew Brees is the "Top Gun" this year and I'm sure last year's first round playoff exit is still fresh in his and his teammates minds. I pick the Saints to win this game which may break all kind of offensive playoff records on both sides. And as for the 59 point over/under, I'd say over might be a lock.
Atlanta Falcons (Wild Card) vs. New York Giants (NFC East Champs):
This is an interesting game. The Falcons is a dome team coming north in January to play the Giants. That usually spells trouble. I also often question the Falcons philosophy when it comes to their offense. They should get back to running the ball a little more. Overall, I really don't trust the Falcons. But I think they are going to lay it on the Giants. The Giants ended the season with two impressive victories over the Jets and Cowboys to win the NFC East. Everybody is back on the bandwagon. Truth is, the Giants are inconsistent in December and January. Yes they made a great run in 2007 to win the Super Bowl, but take that one season away and what do you have? Falcons will exploit the Giants defense and if they're smart, stop the Victor Cruz salsa express. Atlanta, also reminded by their early playoff exit last year, upsets the NFC East champs.
Monday, January 2, 2012
2011 Dallas Cowboys: Another Disappointing Ending
The Dallas Cowboys rang in 2012 with a disappointing loss to the New York Giants 31- 14, which immediately ended their postseason chances. The loss sent the Cowboys to an 8 – 8 record, resulting in third place finish in the NFC East.
Dallas dug a hole that was too big for them to climb out of, going down 21 – 0 at the half. It was a total team effort in the first half as the offense couldn’t get anything going, the defense couldn’t make key third down stops and the special teams failed to recover a muffed punt by the Giants that would have given Dallas great field position and an opportunity to tie the game at 7. The offense and defense picked it up in the second half but ultimately just didn’t have enough to beat the Giants, who looked a bit more inspired to win this elimination game.
I’ve heard many people try to lay blame at an individual or two but you really can’t fairly do that. I do wonder why they didn’t start the game with the same urgency that they started the second half with. The Cowboys knew the Giants would have a strong pass rush and that their offensive line was banged up. The three step drops and the no huddle offense should have started from the opening whistle. The defense had some issues all over as they didn’t put enough pressure on Eli Manning, linebackers looked often out of place and the defensive backs failed to play the ball.
In the end, this team didn’t really deserve to make the post season. The pass that sailed over Miles Austin’s head late in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys – Giants first matchup was actually the wind coming out of the sails of the season. If Tony Romo and Austin would have connected on that play, Dallas would have effectively won the NFC East. But the team melted down and really didn’t recover from it the rest of the season. You also certainly could argue that just a week earlier that the door came of the hinges during “ice my kicker gate” in Arizona. But I tend to put more emphasis on the division games and the Cowboys were 2 – 4 (beat Redskins twice, lost all four against Eagles & Giants) in the NFC East; just not good enough.
Dallas will continue to get criticized in the media for their lack of toughness, leadership etc and some of it is deserved. I don't think it is as cut and dry as critics make it but there is something intangible missing here!!! There have been coaching changes and players moved with basically the same results, so some believe it is one of two constants: Jerry Jones or Romo. I don't think it is either. Whatever it is, the team needs to make it a priority to figure it out. If they don't, America's Team will continue to mire in mediocrity.
Dallas dug a hole that was too big for them to climb out of, going down 21 – 0 at the half. It was a total team effort in the first half as the offense couldn’t get anything going, the defense couldn’t make key third down stops and the special teams failed to recover a muffed punt by the Giants that would have given Dallas great field position and an opportunity to tie the game at 7. The offense and defense picked it up in the second half but ultimately just didn’t have enough to beat the Giants, who looked a bit more inspired to win this elimination game.
I’ve heard many people try to lay blame at an individual or two but you really can’t fairly do that. I do wonder why they didn’t start the game with the same urgency that they started the second half with. The Cowboys knew the Giants would have a strong pass rush and that their offensive line was banged up. The three step drops and the no huddle offense should have started from the opening whistle. The defense had some issues all over as they didn’t put enough pressure on Eli Manning, linebackers looked often out of place and the defensive backs failed to play the ball.
In the end, this team didn’t really deserve to make the post season. The pass that sailed over Miles Austin’s head late in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys – Giants first matchup was actually the wind coming out of the sails of the season. If Tony Romo and Austin would have connected on that play, Dallas would have effectively won the NFC East. But the team melted down and really didn’t recover from it the rest of the season. You also certainly could argue that just a week earlier that the door came of the hinges during “ice my kicker gate” in Arizona. But I tend to put more emphasis on the division games and the Cowboys were 2 – 4 (beat Redskins twice, lost all four against Eagles & Giants) in the NFC East; just not good enough.
Dallas will continue to get criticized in the media for their lack of toughness, leadership etc and some of it is deserved. I don't think it is as cut and dry as critics make it but there is something intangible missing here!!! There have been coaching changes and players moved with basically the same results, so some believe it is one of two constants: Jerry Jones or Romo. I don't think it is either. Whatever it is, the team needs to make it a priority to figure it out. If they don't, America's Team will continue to mire in mediocrity.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)