Yet Another Football Blog

O-ver-rated!

2005-11-20T18:26:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd take the time to relieve some bitterness about the 2005 season by commenting on what an overrated team the New York Giants have. I won't deny I am highly biased, but most of these points are valid.

The Giants strongly remind me of the 2001 Bears team (On that note, the 2005 Bears remind me a lot of the 2001 Bears team too). That Chicago team went 13-3 that season. They beat a slew of crummy teams and eeked out some ridiculous wins against the better teams. Everyone knew this was not a 13-3 team, but somehow they found ways to win. They forced turnovers, the offense wasn't really that spectacular, but they won games on special teams and defense. Then the playoffs came around and the Bears got absolutely trounced in their first game in a 33-19 defeat on their homefield to Philadelphia.

That's what this Giants team seems like to me. They don't feel like a 7-3 team. Every week they look rusty on offense, the defense keeps them in it, and special teams will usually make a few big plays to put it away (with the exception of Week 10).

So what are the major issues that make this such an overrated team? After 10 games, the Giants have defeated just a single team with a winning record which happened to be a game the Broncos absolutely collapsed in after dominating most of the way. Another point worth noting is that 7 of the Giants 10 games played this year have been on their homefield. So after 10 games, only 3 have been played on the road in which the Giants are 1-2 (the lone win coming against the hapless 49ers).

Even more concerning for the Giants is the erratic Eli Manning. Manning is barely completing half of his passes this season. His accuracy has been less than impressive, missing wide open receivers and still making rookie type mistakes resulting in poor interceptions.

The real test for the Giants will come in these final 6 games. Although the rest of the schedule is not brutal, it will be tougher. Obviously a team cannot just go 7-3 without having some kind of winning formula, so if the Giants defense can prove they can play tough in long haul, and Tiki continues to carry much of the load for the offense, the Giants could push deep into the playoffs, I'm just not betting on it.

Yeah, I'm bitter, but I think I'm entitled.

Let's go Seahawks.

Blame Game

2005-11-15T10:59:00.000-05:00

I look forward to every week every season when it comes to football. There are always four or five games each week that can really peak my interest. Hell, I could watch the Texans play the Saints and I would be entertained. Well, maybe that is a little bit of a stretch. The point is, I love watching football every Sunday and Monday no matter who is on the field.

This week was different. I couldn't fully enjoy the tenth week of this season. All I could think about was Monday night. For the first time in years, the Eagles played a regular season game that probably had the season on the line. It felt like the playoffs. It was the playoffs for this team.

Long story short, the Eagles outplayed the Cowboys for 57 minutes of football, then packed up early and went home happy with a 5-4 record, tied for second in the division, and one game back of the suddenly vulnerable Giants.

They woke up this morning to find out that after they left, the improbable had happened. The Cowboys who had been snake bitten twice this year in almost identical fashion, had turned the tables and dashed the hopes of the city of Philadelphia for 2005. I don't know who to blame. Everyone has been second guessing this team all year long. Everyone has looked for someone to be the scapegoat. Is Andy Reid's play calling too predictable? Is McNabb too banged up? Is the T.O fiasco a distraction? Is the defense too inconsistent?

"Who cares?" is probably the better question. It doesn't matter, the Eagles are 4-5 (and possibly without a QB) and only a miracle can save them at this point. This team could have won the division. The chances were there, the talent was there, they even played great football at times. The reality is they just never made THE plays. You know, the plays that a good team makes that you don't even really notice. No silly turnovers or penalties, managing the clock, and playing a good return game on special teams.

There is hope for next season with a healthy McNabb (McNabb elects surgery), happy Brian Westbrook, and an always promising off season by a smart organization. That's all well and good, but what might propel this team in 2006 is the lost season of 2005. Time will tell.

No More T.O.!

2005-11-08T11:32:00.000-05:00

Every sport has athletes that get way too much pub than they really deserve. Some egotistical superstar that steals the spotlight from much more deserving stories and tales of the real heroes of the game. So complaining about how annoying this whole T.O. situation is would just be fueling the fire even more, right? Alright, just one more rant and never again, I swear.

First off, the Eagles are going to be better off without him, period. This is not the Randy Moss situation when the Minnesota offense looked inept with his departure, does not compare. First of all, let's not forget the Eagles went to three straight NFC Championships without Owens. Then last season, they went to the Super Bowl with Owens on injured reserve for the end of the season and the playoffs. They have always won without him. The Eagles have never won an important game that T.O. had a hand in.

This year, the Eagles are not the same team they were in each of the last four years. 4-4 at the halfway mark, a beat up quarterback, and playing in a division that has vastly improved. Philly has been blown out by Dallas and Denver, lost opening night to Atlanta, and just sneaked by Oakland and San Diego. This is not a team that has been playing good football, so how does cutting one of the biggest locker room disasters in the history of professional sports hurt them so much?

The Eagles needed anything to wake them up, whether this does the job or not remains to be seen, but it certainly can't make things worse for a team that has proved time and again they can win without Owens. There was no one left supporting this waste of cap space. He was a wedge driving the entire team apart in a sport where team unity is a must. The T.O. era is over in Philly, and no one is crying about it.

Now let's get back to some of the real stories in 2005, how bout those Browns beating the Titans last week? Now that was something...

Where They Stand

2005-11-01T17:25:00.000-05:00

With eight weeks in the books, the 2005 NFL season has started to take shape. With many teams now halfway through their schedules, the playoff picture is coming into focus.

There are ten teams that have accumulated five or more wins to this point. All but one of them (Tampa Bay) seem to have a good shot at making the playoffs. Of these teams, four of them have made major turn arounds since last year (Giants, Cowboys, Panthers, Bengals). The remaining five were all over .500 in 2004. Because of weak divisions, two teams that currently sit with fewer than five wins (Patriots and Bears) currently sit in automatic playoff spots at this point. Still in the hunt are the Chargers, Chiefs, Jaguars, Eagles, Redskins, and Rams with four wins apiece, and the Lions and Dolphins with three wins apiece. That leaves twelve teams that have slim hopes for the postseason and are already looking ahead to 2006. (View Current Standings)

With all that said, here is a stab at the 2005 playoff outlook.

NFC:
Getting Byes: Seahawks and Falcons
Wild Card Round: Giants, Cowboys, Panthers, Bears
The NFC is still pretty difficult to predict, especially who will be getting the first round byes with the top two records. The Falcons were a popular pick before the season began, and they should still be able to pull it off if the offense stays healthy (that is a big IF however). I'm putting the Seahawks in there for the second spot right now, but not with much confidence. Seattle has a weak schedule and they play at home pretty damn well. The Giants and Cowboys should go one-two in the NFC East. Both teams are very hungry and ready to capitalize and a crumbling Eagles team in that division. The Bears get a spot in a crummy division, and the Panthers should be able to hold off the Rams, Redskins, and Eagles to grab a spot.

AFC:
Getting Byes: Colts and Steelers
Wild Card Round: Patriots, Chargers, Broncos, Bengals
The AFC is a little more clear cut in terms of the haves and have-nots. The Colts should have no trouble snatching up homefield advantage, and the Steelers are just tough enough to grab the number two spot. The Broncos are tough to leave out of the Bye Week, but with five road games remaining for a team that specializes in winning at home, they may find themselves slipping to the three or four seed. The Patriots have fallen off a bit, but there isn't a true threat within their division to knock them off. The Chargers are stuck at .500 right now, but have been the victims of some very tight losses. If they keep playing the way they are playing, but get a few more friendly bounces, they should find themselves among the top six in the conference. Finally, the Bengals might not be as good as that 6-2 record, but Carson Palmer is talented enough to bring at least four more wins this year.

And hey, Congrats to the Texans for snapping any chances of going winless for the entire season with their 19-16 win over the Browns.

Let the Kid Play

2005-10-27T10:59:00.000-04:00

In Green Bay, it has not been a familiar site at the bottom of the standings. Such a historic franchise in a historic venue doesn't deserve such a fate, but that is the reality for the Packers right now. With Brett Favre's slow decline into mediocrity, and the rest of the team succumbing to age and injury, Green Bay has entered the dreaded rebuilding phase.

There are two ways to go about this phase: To deny the decline and stick with the team you have, or to gut the players that got you there and go young. Right now the Packers are struggling to make a decision.

The biggest part of any rebuilding phase is finding a new quarterback to lead the franchise, and that is no easy task. The quarterback is the centerpiece to every great team. Everyone needs one, and there are only so few to go around. The only way to find one is to take a guess and check approach. QB busts are common, so there is never any point in putting too much stock in one individual. The best way to find your new team leader is to let them play and learn.

Aaron Rodgers may or may not be the next big thing in Green Bay, but we will never find out unless he gets on the field. Every quarterback suffers from growing pains, there is no doubt about that. Take a look at the best QBs in the game today and almost all of them had painful rookie seasons. The quarterback position requires a ton of raw talent, but at the same time it requires even more knowledge. Knowledge that can't all be learned from the sideline.

With their season in the dumps, Green Bay needs to swallow it's pride and sit Favre on the bench. Sending Favre out there to throw 4 picks a game does more harm than sending Rodgers out there to do the same. There is no question in my mind that Rodgers will struggle more than Favre has this year, but this isn't about this year. Just look at some of the recent proof. The top three QBs in the league right now (Palmer, Manning, Brees) all struggled in their rookie seasons. Palmer is already settling in after 2 years, it took Manning and Brees longer. Let Rodgers go and make his mistakes now, so this team can be a contender again in a year or two.

You had a nice run Mr. Favre, but please hang them up.

Attack of the Zebras

2005-10-24T18:08:00.000-04:00

Ok, I was watching the games last week and it just hit me. Can we just play some football?

The number of penalties around the league this season is out of control. We see more black and white stripes than team jerseys. We see more yellow flags than endzone colors. I am all for the game being played fairly, but it can barely even be considered a game with the constant fouls. The game slows down, it gets too choppy, and it can just become boring. Fans go to the stadium to watch the athletes, the guys making millions every year, make big plays and battle for sixty minutes. Watching some skinny guys chucking yellow towels up into the air for three hours isn't nearly as exciting.

Some might point to the fact that the rules have been changed and there are just more penalties to be called these days. This is both true and untrue. The rules have been altered over the years for several reasons, ranging from keeping the players safer (the late hit penalties, blows to the head, unnecessary roughness) and then those that are designed to open up the game more (illegal contact and defensive holding have been a focal point over the past few seasons). Even with these rules, the refs need to use better judgement. If the rules are followed to a T, then you could argue there being a penalty on every snap. There is holding and all sorts of illegal play going on every down of every game, but there has to be consistency in the calls.

The rules are fine the way they are, but it is time for the officials to have a looser interpretation of them. Football is football, and that is all anyone shells out all that money for to go to the game.

Now let's play some ball.

Least of the Problems

2005-10-17T17:17:00.000-04:00

Last week's posting was a bit on the negative side, I'll admit. I guess it would only be fair to the NFL as a whole to highlight some GOOD football being played through the first 6 weeks.

And surprisingly, it takes place in the NFC East. A division that has routinely been decided (in favor of the Eagles recent dynasty) before the season even gets under way the past 4 years is now the only division in football where you won't find a losing record going into week 7. The Cowboys sit atop with a 4-2 mark, leaving the Giants, Eagles, and 'Skins all trailing by a thin 1/2 game margin at 3-2.

So what is different in 2005 that is keeping the East from being a one team race? Are the Eagles reaching the end of an era? Or is everyone else finally catching up? A little of both.

The Birds are clearly not the same team they were a season ago. The most obvious answer is the health of Donovan McNabb. With Donovan nursing multiple injuries (which he will be dealing with until surgery in the off-season), the offensive attack loses a few bullets. The injuries that have hindered McNabb seem to be taking their toll. Brian Westbrook and TO are unhappy, and their motivation has come into question in the past week. When your QB, number one running back, and number one receiver are all not on top of their game, the offense is going to struggle.

On the defensive side of the ball, things don't look so spectacular either. One thing that must be noted; 5-peating for the division can be somewhat challenging. This team has a bull’s-eye on its back each week. Everyone wants to knock them off, and the rest of the league is starting to figure out a way to shut down their winning formula. The real test for the Eagles will be to see if they can now change their game plan that may finally be getting stale after 4 years.

On the other hand, the rest of the division is finally living up to some of the hype. The Cowboys have been building a lethal defensive group under the command of Bill Parcells. And with a competent QB finally at the helm, the 'Boys could finally be ready to start a new era of their own.

The Giants are starting to see some flashes of hope from their big investment, Eli Manning. Although he is still rough around the edges, his performance so far is a mile ahead of his disastrous rookie campaign. The real questions for the Giants are about consistency and defense. The consistency should slowly come in time, but without a revamped secondary, they still might be a few steps away from being a true power in the NFC.

Joe Gibbs' is finding his place in Washington once again. The 'Skins will still have doubters with that shaky offense, but the defensive is rock solid. After starting 3-0, they have been the victim of 2 stinging losses in AFC stadiums, but there performance in those games shows that they have definitely made some strides. Mistake-free football will be the key to success the rest of the way for the Skins.

Now if only those guys to the North could take some notes...

NFC North Has Gone South

2005-10-07T10:38:00.000-04:00

After four weeks of football, the NFC North is one of the tightest divisions in the NFL. Four teams, and only one can be the winner. At this point, it is pretty difficult to pick out a team with any kind of clear cut advantage over the other three. Even the Packers, who sit last in the division, are still right in the hunt. One thing though: The Packers have yet to win a game in four tries this year.

So the question isn't which of these teams is the best, it's which of these teams sucks the least. The NFC North reminds me of intramural flag football at school. There was always a league for the guys who were frustrated athletes that couldn't play for the real school team, but were still way too talented for everyone else. A league for the guys who just enjoyed playing football for fun. And then a league where you wonder if those guys playing actually knew what football was. The NFC North is the latter playing against the rest of the league that is just way too talented.

The Bears (1-2) actually possess one of the better chances to take the division. Although it doesn't help to have a first year, fourth round pick leading them at quarterback each week. Kyle Orton may or may not have a future in the NFL, but his time certainly isn't right now. With a defense that plays aggressive and hard every single play, they have a chance to steal enough games to win the chance to get blown out of the playoffs.

The Lions (1-2 as well) have to be the most frustrating team in the NFL. You have to feel for the people of Detroit, and that's saying something. I mean, it's Detroit, come on. But really, for a team to make such an effort to put together an explosive offense, and for it to have 36 points after three games is just laughable. Amazingly talented young receivers, another young talent at running back, and a seasoned vet at tight end. It's all there, waiting take off. I'm not even going to go into a Joey Harrington rant, everybody already knows. A lot of pieces are in place, if they find a way to execute, they could find themselves in an undeserved post-season spot.

At 1-3, the Vikings look simply pathetic. The problems here are too many to list. The Vikes have the most talented passer out of this bunch, but he looks lost with the departure of Randy Moss. Culpepper looks as if he has reverted back to his 2002 form. There is skill on both sides of the ball, but the amount of mistakes made is impossible to overcome. This is vintage Vikings football though. Until Mike Tice is chased out of town, don't expect too many Super Bowl parades in downtown Minnesota.

Finally, the Packers. 0-4 and right in the thick of it. There chances got slimmer however; with a myriad of injuries over the first few weeks, but they still can't be counted out. Weak at skill positions, an undisciplined defense, and absolutely no offensive line spells out a pretty ugly season ahead. But. Favre will single-handedly try to carry this team, but even he seems like he knows his days are numbered. A spirited comeback that fell short on Monday night left a small ray of hope for the coming weeks.

So Wrong, So Right

2005-09-26T18:29:00.000-04:00

Every time you think you know something about the NFL, the Redskins score 14 points in the last 3:46 of the fourth quarter that causes you to lose 200 bucks. I mean, come on! Gibbs' can't figure out how to put a single point on the board against an aggressive Cowboy's defense for 56 minutes, and then he says to Brunell: "Oh what the hell, just chuck it as far as you can to Santana and let's hope for the best"...and it worked it...twice.

Alright, so I am a little bitter about last Monday night, but I can't recall a season where something like that DIDN'T happen about 10 times. Teams in this league will lull you into a sense of security, make you feel like you should be the one up in the analyst booth, and then pull some absolutely unheard of move that makes you shut up in a heartbeat.

There are still, however, a few things we can be certain of.

First off, the Colts are going to win a lot of games. Peyton hasn't even looked like Peyton and this team is still winning games. Just wait until this offense gets clicking; couple that with a defense that FINALLY looks like it has turned the corner and you have one scary football team.

Second, despite being banged up, the Eagles and Patriots have got to still be the favorites to win their respective conferences. Time will have to tell if the injuries become too overbearing for these 2 teams, but they are both extremely well-coached and they have proved they can overcome adversity on and off the field.

Third, the Packers are finished. Brett Favre had a hell of run, but it is time to hang 'em up. The Packers have become that team that will find new ways to lose each week (Ryan Longwell missing an extra point? What?). This team just has too many problems in too many places. That organization owes a lot to Favre, but it is becoming painfully obviously that it would be in both Favre's and the team's best interest to find a new quarterback to groom and start from scratch.

Finally, the Cardinals suck. There, I said it.

Tripping Out of the Gate

2005-09-20T16:33:00.000-04:00

The tough thing about life in the NFL is that you can't run away from your mistakes. Every other sport is a marathon where pacing and longevity will get you everywhere. Miss a game winning jump shot with 2 seconds left? No big deal, you've got 81 more chances to make it up. Strike out with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th? Don't worry, it was only 1 of 162, you can go get 'em tomorrow. That's the problem with football, you can't get 'em again until next week.

That's why each week is so crucial. 2 games into the season shouldn't be a reason to get overjoyed or overanxious, but we are already 1/8 of the way to the finish. There is no time for an adjustment period or learning curve, you have to win, and now. The brightest future of the 0-2's probably belongs to the Chargers, who have lost by only a combined 7 points in those 2 games. But again, every loss hurts, and as a team, you need to take advantage of every shot you get at a W. The chargers still possess a very dangerous offense, but a tough schedule down the road could make those 2 early losses very costly.

A look at the rest of the winless clubs going into week 3:

Houston: David Carr. Poor guy. Sacked 13 times already, it's going to be another long one for the Texans. This team needs a new coach and a new direction. 5 wins is very optismistic.

Minnesota: Apparently Daunte Culpepper was training with Aarron Brooks in the offseason. Way too many mistakes, and losing Moss is showing it's signs very quickly. If Culpepper can regain his form, they could win a weak division with 8 or 9 wins.

Baltimore: Losing Kyle Boller didn't hurt, but it didn't help either. Anyone noticing a trend here? Poor quarterbacks, 0-2 starts...

Arizona: I'm not jumping ship yet, but Marcel Shipp is not going to cut it in the backfield.

Green Bay: A really weak showing from the Packers' D so far. Trent Dilfer may have won a ring, but he can't be putting up 300+ yards and 3TDs on you.

Oakland: OK I think we can abandon the Super Bowl hangover theory now. These guys are just bad. Acquiring Moss is nice, but really, there are much bigger priorities right now for the Raiders.

Til next week...

One down, 16 to go

2005-09-15T18:34:00.000-04:00

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

A lot of people may have looked at the first week of this NFL season and thought there were some big surprises, but let's really think about it. The Steelers and Pats were untouchable while the Browns and Texans were, well, a total joke. The Packers continued their downfall, the Skins and Bears put a combined 16 points on the board, and the Colts offense was too much for the Ravens. I haven't raised an eyebrow yet, how about you?

O.K, so let's get to what some people may be questioning after the opening set of games. The two big losses of the day have to go to the Vikings and Rams. Both teams favored heavily and both fell flat on their faces. But was it really that shocking? The Rams have never been able to play anybody outside of a dome. Did we all forget the Rams went 2-6 on the road last season? That includes beatings from the Cardinals and Dolphins who were a combined 10-22 last year.

So what about the Vikings? Well, for one, Minnesota is about as dependable as your buddy's 89 F-150 sitting out front. This team has been known for dropping the ball (literally and figuratively) in any kind of big game situation. For some reason a lot of folks got it in their head that LOSING the best receiver in the NFL was going to make this team BETTER. Somehow that doesn't sound exactly right to me.

What else...the Giants and Dolphins won their respective games by a combined 47 points; now that seems a little odd. Looking back though, the Giants were outgained 318-275 in their 42-19 rout of the Cards. Let's not diminish the opening day victory, but I'm willing to put some money on the line that the G-men won't put up 2 kick return touchdowns every week. As for the Dophins, if you think Jake Plummer is ever going to lead the Broncos to the promised land, then you are either seriously confused or have a very differing opinion of the football promised land than myself.

The Panthers, Eagles, and Chargers all lost tough games to teams on a mission. That leaves you the Chiefs pounding the Jets 27-7. And when your quarterback averages more than 1 fumble per quarter, that can sometimes happen.

Let's get it started...

2005-09-09T14:44:00.000-04:00

This year it is going to be different. I have a clean slate and I know I can learn from last year's mistakes. I've got all my assignments written down in my organizer. I'm not going to fall behind in my reading. No way am I going to skip classes. And I'm certainly not leaving studying to the last second.

That's the greatest thing about Week 1 in the NFL; everyone starts over with that clean slate. Every year in September I can pretend I'm going to get a 4.0 GPA, and every year in September the Cardinals can pretend they are going to be a contender in the NFC (they really are this year though, I'm telling you). That's why we watch though, because we can hope. Every year we can hope our team goes out there and proves everybody else wrong.

Every year I can say that things will be different. I have watched all off-season as teams signed new players, acquired new coaches, and drafted young studs. I want to believe the Patriots won't win it all. I want to believe that Colts finally won't lose in New England. I want to believe the Cardinals will win more than 8 games. I want to believe the Chargers were a fluke. I want to believe Ben Roethlisberger will be mediocre at best. And most of all, I want to believe the Eagles will be holding the Lombardi Trophy this winter. Maybe they will and maybe they won't, but anything can happen, right? That's why we watch.

Here's to the 2005 season.