"He plays like Brett. He reminds me of Brett Favre; he really does." -Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on upcoming Super Bowl 45 opponent Aaron Rodgers
While of course we know that 'Big Ben' Roethlisberger, the sizable yet mobile man who has led the Steelers to two Super Bowl championships in the last six seasons (2005, 2008) and has them on the doorstep of another, has many a chink in his armor and has a personal record that is not the cleanest, what he just said in a Sportscenter one-on-one interview may to some be the worst yet.
He compared Aaron Rodgers, the super-talented quarterback of Roethlisbergers' Steelers' Super Bowl opponent Green Bay Packers, to Rodgers' predecessor, the legendary Brett Favre. And he wasn't asked "does Rodgers remind you of Favre?" He was asked "Does Rodgers remind you of yourself?"
Well, if you've been around the NFL for a few years, you know the drama and hysteria of the Brett Favre story, and you also know that Rodgers has proven himself a bonafide star and winner, with tools maybe surpassing those of the Great Gray One. I'm sure Roethlisberger didn't mean any harm to Rodgers, but comparing him to his predecessor just when Rodgers has been shutting up the critics and comparisons was way too noticeable for me to not mention. Rodgers is going to hear about Favre for the rest of his life.
Speaking of Roethlisberger, should his Steelers win Super Bowl 45, it would make him the fifth quarterback in NFL history to lead a team to three titles. Three of the others (Joe Montana, Troy Aikman, Terry Bradshaw) are in the Hall of Fame, and the other, some guy named Brady, is still active, even if he didn't play in last night's Pro Bowl game. Unlike those guys, though, Roethlisberger has yet to be MVP of a Super Bowl. The '05 Super Bowl MVP was Heinz Ward, the '08 MVP was Santonio Holmes. Roethlisberger has actually played quite poorly in some of his most important career playoff games; thanks to having a killer defense, Pittsburgh has overcome these struggles. Yet here's hoping The Mobile One has a good game.
He also said about Rodgers: "I hope he doesn't have a good game, for our sake."
Speaking of Pittsburgh, safety Troy Polamalu (he of the current classic Head 'n' Shoulders commercials) just won NFL Defensive Player of the Year, beating Clay Matthews of the Packers 17-15 despite not playing the very beginning of the year.
Pro Bowl
Moving the NFL's All-Star Game to the weekend before the Super Bowl (rather than the week after) paid huge dividends to all involved, snagging over 8 million viewers to bag the 'other Bowl's' highest ratings in 11 years. Yet the eventualy 55-41 NFC victory was an ugly comedy of errors. In the eighteen minutes that I watched, I saw Phillip Rivers, Michael Vick, Matt Ryan and Peyton Manning throw interceptions, saw Wes Welker get a ball ripped out of his hands for a fumble-return-for-touchdown, watched the AFC defense drag their feet in the minutes leading up the 45-0 NFC lead halftime. But, hey, at least I got to see Matty Ice hit teammate Tony Gonzalez for a touchdown bomb.
Australian Open
A man from Europe won the Australian Open two days ago, and his name is not Roger or Rafael. Confused? His name is Novak Djokovic, from Serbia, the number 3 seed (guess who's ranked ahead of him), who humiliated the constantly-underachieving Brit wonder, Andy Murray, in three sets, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3. Murray, the world's fifth-ranked player, has for some time been looked at as the Savior, the man who could finally end England's grand slams drought in the men's bracket. But, alas. After beating Ferrer (who beat Rafael Nadal) in the semifinal, Murray looked frustrated and inconsistent, and, eventually, embarrassed, at the hands of the steamlined, hard-hitting Serb.
Meanwhile, Asia was also denied its long-awaited sweet prize, a grand slam major, when Li Na, the ninth-ranked female player in the world, was beaten in the women's final by Kim Clijsters. For Clijsters, it's her third major title, and will likely give her favorite status in the future for any major in which the Williams sister do not compete.
Exorcising the Blue Devils
While Butler University's Gordon Heyward's Hail Mary half-court shot in last year's NCAA Championship Game nearly brought the kingdom crumbling down, for the past year, Duke University's men's basketball team, led by the indomitable Coach K (Mike Kryzewski), has been ranked number one and has played like it.
Yet they have suddenly lose their divinity. Two weeks ago, they suffered their first fall from grace in a surprising loss to unranked Florida State. Then, three nights ago, they got their butts handed to them in a 93-78 whipping by unranked St. John's, one that left Coach K saying they weren't prepared for the game. Duke is now the fifth-ranked team in the men's bracket, with a 19-2 record.
Taking His Talents
When two-time NBA MVP LeBron James decided to "take his talents to South Beach" at the climax of one of the biggest NBA free agency trials in history and join All-Stars Chris Bosh and homegrown talent Dwayne Wade on the Miami Heat, there was instant uproar about how James was usurping his own crown and joining Wade's team.
Well, during the first 40-odd games of the Heat's season, the team has rebounded from a shaky start and more or less become the dynamite show many thought they could be. James and Wade equally split lead-scorer duties early on, and connected for some highlight-reel alley-oops. Yet the other night against Indiana, when Wade was out with migraines/wrist problems, and Bosh, for that matter, was out with a bad ankle, James led the Heat to a one-point win, dropping 39 in the process.
My dad, at least, thinks that symbolizes something. They can say all they want about whose team it is, but LeBron ain't no second fiddle. As far as I know, there is no competition, and there shouldn't be among teammates, but what we know is that if one of the two ever is injured, or needs a night off, someone's star will shine just a little brighter.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Anyone Feeling Super? January 23, 2010
Yes, it's that time of year. For the first time since August, there will be no football on Sunday next week, because the week after is the biggest game and television event of the year (as it is every year), the Super Bowl. This will be Super Bowl 45. And it's the seventh time (a record shared with the Dallas Cowboys) the Pittsburgh Steelers will be there.
I got off work surprisingly early, so I was able to catch the entire second half of the Steelers-New York Jets matchup. When I showed up, it was 24-3. When the game ended, it was 24-19. The Steelers had two fumbled snaps (one leading to a New York safety), Ben Roethlisberger threw an interception and was sacked three times, and the Pittsburgh secondary dropped a couple shoulda-been-caught passes. And yet...
The key play in the game was in the second quarter, when Jets second-year quarterback Mark Sanchez was popped by Pittsburgh cornerback Ike Taylor and the ball flew out of his moving arm, landing in no-man's land where it was scooped up by corner William Gay and run for a 19-yard pick six. The play gave the Steelers a 24-0 lead that would not relinquish, try as they might.
The other key play in the game came with about one and a half minutes left. On a 3rd & 7, Roethlisberger did what he does best: roll out, run, elude defenders, all while staring downfield waiting for someone to open up. Antonio Brown did, made a mid-air, diving catch for a first-down to set up two kneel-down snaps and causing Jets' talkative head coach Rex Ryan to yank off his headset, slam it down, and yell something that looked like "Duck" to those reading his lips. The Jets, who had scored 19 unanswered points after trailing close to halftime 24-0, were on a roll, and, in the bathroom just moments before, I had said to myself: "If Pittsburgh punts, the Jets will win this game." Pittsburgh didn't punt. Thus, the Jets did not win the game.
This will be the Steelers' seventh overall trip to the Super Bowl, only one of which they've lost. This is their third trip in six years. They beat the Seattle Seahawks in 2005 (Roethlisberger's rookie year) and the Arizona Cardinals in 2008. Two quarterbacks (Roethlisberger and Terry Bradshaw) have been under center for those six title wins.
Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears in frigid Chicago, 21-14, to earn the right to challenge the Steelers on Sunday, February 6. Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler was knocked out of the game with an injury and Aaron Rodgers tackled Bryan Urlacher (yes, you read that right) as part of a full-game effort to capture the win. It was the 182nd meeting all-time between the two clubs, and it may have been the biggest.
It should be an exciting game, one a lot of people are having trouble calling or picking sides for.
I got off work surprisingly early, so I was able to catch the entire second half of the Steelers-New York Jets matchup. When I showed up, it was 24-3. When the game ended, it was 24-19. The Steelers had two fumbled snaps (one leading to a New York safety), Ben Roethlisberger threw an interception and was sacked three times, and the Pittsburgh secondary dropped a couple shoulda-been-caught passes. And yet...
The key play in the game was in the second quarter, when Jets second-year quarterback Mark Sanchez was popped by Pittsburgh cornerback Ike Taylor and the ball flew out of his moving arm, landing in no-man's land where it was scooped up by corner William Gay and run for a 19-yard pick six. The play gave the Steelers a 24-0 lead that would not relinquish, try as they might.
The other key play in the game came with about one and a half minutes left. On a 3rd & 7, Roethlisberger did what he does best: roll out, run, elude defenders, all while staring downfield waiting for someone to open up. Antonio Brown did, made a mid-air, diving catch for a first-down to set up two kneel-down snaps and causing Jets' talkative head coach Rex Ryan to yank off his headset, slam it down, and yell something that looked like "Duck" to those reading his lips. The Jets, who had scored 19 unanswered points after trailing close to halftime 24-0, were on a roll, and, in the bathroom just moments before, I had said to myself: "If Pittsburgh punts, the Jets will win this game." Pittsburgh didn't punt. Thus, the Jets did not win the game.
This will be the Steelers' seventh overall trip to the Super Bowl, only one of which they've lost. This is their third trip in six years. They beat the Seattle Seahawks in 2005 (Roethlisberger's rookie year) and the Arizona Cardinals in 2008. Two quarterbacks (Roethlisberger and Terry Bradshaw) have been under center for those six title wins.
Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears in frigid Chicago, 21-14, to earn the right to challenge the Steelers on Sunday, February 6. Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler was knocked out of the game with an injury and Aaron Rodgers tackled Bryan Urlacher (yes, you read that right) as part of a full-game effort to capture the win. It was the 182nd meeting all-time between the two clubs, and it may have been the biggest.
It should be an exciting game, one a lot of people are having trouble calling or picking sides for.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Looking Ahead, January 16, 2010
Well, I feel a little sheepish.
I had predicted (on this blog) the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints were going to play in the Super Bowl this year. The Saints were stunned by the 7-9 Seahawks in the first round, and the Patriots were upset big-time by the Jets, a team they manhandled five weeks ago.
But now we've got two excellent conference championship matchups, with the New York Jets facing the Pittsburgh Steelers (in Pittsburgh) and the Green Bay Packers visiting their old rivals, the Chicago Bears.
I don't know what to think. I almost feel like it's not worth picking. The Jets have seemed like a team of destiny since last year, when they beat the division-winning Cincinnati Bengals two weeks in a row, stunned the high-powered San Diego Chargers at home in week 2, and took an early lead over the Colts in the AFC Championship game before wearing down (and before Peyton did his Peyton thing). Now they've beaten Peyton and beaten the Patriots twice in one season.
The Steelers won the 2005 Super Bowl over the Seattle Seahawks (remember them?), then they squeaked by the Arizona Cardinals in the classic 2008 Super Bowl on the famous HE-GOT-BOTH-TOES-DOWN...AMAZING catch in the corner of the end zone by Santonio Holmes (who now plays for the Jets). The Steelers have been made a three-point favorite, and I find it hard to pick against them, especially considering the strong defense (Woodley, Harrison, Polamalu, anyone?) and the playmaking ability of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Meanwhile, in the NFC Championship Game, I have too hard a time rooting against the Green Bay Packers to do it, so I won't. They beat the Philadelphia Eagles in Philly decisively, then they emasculated the Falcons on their own turf. And, as good as Jay Cutler is, he's not Aaron Rodgers, and Rodgers has played some of his best career football in the playoffs. He's also proven adept at keeping plays alive under pressure, which he'll probably have to do with Julius Peppers and Brian Urlacher coming for him. The Bears lost the 2006 Super Bowl to the Indianapolis Colts, even after Devin Hester ran back the opening kickoff for a touchdown; that year, they played dream-crushers over the comeback kid New Orleans Saints in the conference title game. The Packers lost the '07 NFC Championship to the then-undefeated New England Patriots (in the last game of Brett Favre's Packers' career, it turned out).
Well, the playoffs have been freakin' amazing so far, and they're not over. I won't be able to watch either conference championship because of my work schedule, but they should be amazing games, and, any way it shakes out, the Super Bowl is going to be a great matchup.
I had predicted (on this blog) the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints were going to play in the Super Bowl this year. The Saints were stunned by the 7-9 Seahawks in the first round, and the Patriots were upset big-time by the Jets, a team they manhandled five weeks ago.
But now we've got two excellent conference championship matchups, with the New York Jets facing the Pittsburgh Steelers (in Pittsburgh) and the Green Bay Packers visiting their old rivals, the Chicago Bears.
I don't know what to think. I almost feel like it's not worth picking. The Jets have seemed like a team of destiny since last year, when they beat the division-winning Cincinnati Bengals two weeks in a row, stunned the high-powered San Diego Chargers at home in week 2, and took an early lead over the Colts in the AFC Championship game before wearing down (and before Peyton did his Peyton thing). Now they've beaten Peyton and beaten the Patriots twice in one season.
The Steelers won the 2005 Super Bowl over the Seattle Seahawks (remember them?), then they squeaked by the Arizona Cardinals in the classic 2008 Super Bowl on the famous HE-GOT-BOTH-TOES-DOWN...AMAZING catch in the corner of the end zone by Santonio Holmes (who now plays for the Jets). The Steelers have been made a three-point favorite, and I find it hard to pick against them, especially considering the strong defense (Woodley, Harrison, Polamalu, anyone?) and the playmaking ability of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Meanwhile, in the NFC Championship Game, I have too hard a time rooting against the Green Bay Packers to do it, so I won't. They beat the Philadelphia Eagles in Philly decisively, then they emasculated the Falcons on their own turf. And, as good as Jay Cutler is, he's not Aaron Rodgers, and Rodgers has played some of his best career football in the playoffs. He's also proven adept at keeping plays alive under pressure, which he'll probably have to do with Julius Peppers and Brian Urlacher coming for him. The Bears lost the 2006 Super Bowl to the Indianapolis Colts, even after Devin Hester ran back the opening kickoff for a touchdown; that year, they played dream-crushers over the comeback kid New Orleans Saints in the conference title game. The Packers lost the '07 NFC Championship to the then-undefeated New England Patriots (in the last game of Brett Favre's Packers' career, it turned out).
Well, the playoffs have been freakin' amazing so far, and they're not over. I won't be able to watch either conference championship because of my work schedule, but they should be amazing games, and, any way it shakes out, the Super Bowl is going to be a great matchup.
Shock'n'Y'all, Part 2, January 16, 2010
"First you gotta win a game!!" -more from the classic sound bite from former Colts' coach Jim Mora--I couldn't resist
Day One of the divisional weekend saw the end of the supposedly-Super-Bowl-bound Baltimore Ravens' season, as well as the most magical season in the history of the Atlanta Falcons, in a humiliating bludgeoning at home by the Packers.
Well, the Falcons weren't alone in humiliations this weekend.
The last time the AFC's #1 seed, the New England Patriots, played the #6 New York Jets, back in December, it was a highly-anticipated matchup of the NFL's top two teams, both 9-2 at the time. The Monday Night Football contest quickly turned into a debacle for the visiting Jets, who were utterly dismembered in a shocking 45-3 defeat. It took them until last week's surprising win over the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the playoffs to recover.
Well, you may have heard that the Jets' loudmouth head coach, Rex Ryan, made it his personal vendetta to beat the Patriots, especially robotic mastermind head coach Bill Belichick, after he completed his other personal vendetta-beating Peyton Manning-last week.
Early in the game, the talky Jets set out to help their coach put another check mark on his bucket list, giving the New England crowd a shock when linebacker David Harris stepped in front of a Tom Brady pass and picked it off. It was a shock mainly because Brady, the long-haired, triple-ringed Patriots' quarterback supereme, finished the regular season with a record streak of 335 consecutive pass attempts without an interception. Harris rumbled 58 yards before being tackled after the pick.
The Patriots managed to get a three-point first quarter lead on a Shayne Graham 34-yard field goal, but the first half ended with the home team in an eleven-point hole, courtesy of two touchdown passes by Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, who has been heavily criticized for the last two months after rocketing through the season's early weeks. The Patriots got back in the game at the end of the third quarter, with Algie Crumpler catching a two-yard scoring pass from Brady to make it 14-11, but the Jets answered less than three minutes later with a 7-yard pass from Sanchez to Santonio Holmes, making it 21-11. Each team would score again (the Patriots, who gained a touchdown and a field goal in the game's remaining moments, scored twice), and the Jets held on for a stunning 28-21 victory.
"Maybe everybody else never believed, but we believed," Ryan said afterwards. "Same old Jets, back to the AFC Championship. The only difference is, this time, we plan on winning."
Part of the key for the Jets was sacking Tom Brady five times, a nearly incredible act considering Brady's usually excellent pass protection.
"We don't care what people say, or whether they like us," star cornerback Darrelle Revis said, commenting on the Jets' unpopular reputation, "We just focus on what we need to do to win games."
The Patriots have now lost three straight postseason games, dating back to the 2007 Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants that ruined the possibility of a perfect 19-0 season. The Jets, meanwhile, are 4-1 under Sanchez, and will play in Pittsburgh next Sunday for the chance to go to the Super Bowl (they lost last year's AFC title game to the Colts, 30-17). For what it's worth, the Steelers have been made three-point favorites.
Important Game Stats:
Tom Brady: 29 of 45, 299 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Mark Sanchez: 16 of 25, 194 yards, 3 TD
Total yards: New England-372, New York-314
Rushing Yards: New York-120, New England-113
Basically, only one game this weekend went the way most people expected (well, the Steelers-Ravens game was expected to be a very close, physical, heated contest, and it was, but most people picked the Ravens to win), and that was thanks to the NFC's #2 seed, the Chicago Bears.
The Bears, playing at home in Soldier Field and amidst beautiful, fast-falling snow, gained 437 yards to the visiting Seattle Seahawks' 276, including a rushing ratio of 176-34, in a strong 35-24 win.
They jumped out to a 28-0 lead, scoring on four of their first five possessions, with two passing touchdowns from quarterback Jay Cutler, and two rushing touchdowns by Cutler. He became the first quarterback since legendary QB Otto Graham to do that two-fer in a playoff game. He ultimately threw for 274 yards, and gave his team enough of an early boost to hold off the Seahawks, who scored three of the game's last four touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter. Thirty-six year old Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, coming of one of the best games of his 12-year career against the New Orleans Saints, threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns, but a late, desperate onside kick by the Seahawks was recovered cleanly by da Bears.
'Dose Bears are led into an NFC Championship showdown with ultra-rival Green Bay (they have played 181 times in 90 years) by their usual rock-solid defensive unit, led by defensive end Julius Peppers and linebacker Brian Urlacher. They are also effective on the ground, with running back Matt Forte (who had 80 yards on 25 carries), and Cutler, who ran for a career-best 43 yards, 9 better than the entire Seahawks team.
Day One of the divisional weekend saw the end of the supposedly-Super-Bowl-bound Baltimore Ravens' season, as well as the most magical season in the history of the Atlanta Falcons, in a humiliating bludgeoning at home by the Packers.
Well, the Falcons weren't alone in humiliations this weekend.
The last time the AFC's #1 seed, the New England Patriots, played the #6 New York Jets, back in December, it was a highly-anticipated matchup of the NFL's top two teams, both 9-2 at the time. The Monday Night Football contest quickly turned into a debacle for the visiting Jets, who were utterly dismembered in a shocking 45-3 defeat. It took them until last week's surprising win over the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the playoffs to recover.
Well, you may have heard that the Jets' loudmouth head coach, Rex Ryan, made it his personal vendetta to beat the Patriots, especially robotic mastermind head coach Bill Belichick, after he completed his other personal vendetta-beating Peyton Manning-last week.
Early in the game, the talky Jets set out to help their coach put another check mark on his bucket list, giving the New England crowd a shock when linebacker David Harris stepped in front of a Tom Brady pass and picked it off. It was a shock mainly because Brady, the long-haired, triple-ringed Patriots' quarterback supereme, finished the regular season with a record streak of 335 consecutive pass attempts without an interception. Harris rumbled 58 yards before being tackled after the pick.
The Patriots managed to get a three-point first quarter lead on a Shayne Graham 34-yard field goal, but the first half ended with the home team in an eleven-point hole, courtesy of two touchdown passes by Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, who has been heavily criticized for the last two months after rocketing through the season's early weeks. The Patriots got back in the game at the end of the third quarter, with Algie Crumpler catching a two-yard scoring pass from Brady to make it 14-11, but the Jets answered less than three minutes later with a 7-yard pass from Sanchez to Santonio Holmes, making it 21-11. Each team would score again (the Patriots, who gained a touchdown and a field goal in the game's remaining moments, scored twice), and the Jets held on for a stunning 28-21 victory.
"Maybe everybody else never believed, but we believed," Ryan said afterwards. "Same old Jets, back to the AFC Championship. The only difference is, this time, we plan on winning."
Part of the key for the Jets was sacking Tom Brady five times, a nearly incredible act considering Brady's usually excellent pass protection.
"We don't care what people say, or whether they like us," star cornerback Darrelle Revis said, commenting on the Jets' unpopular reputation, "We just focus on what we need to do to win games."
The Patriots have now lost three straight postseason games, dating back to the 2007 Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants that ruined the possibility of a perfect 19-0 season. The Jets, meanwhile, are 4-1 under Sanchez, and will play in Pittsburgh next Sunday for the chance to go to the Super Bowl (they lost last year's AFC title game to the Colts, 30-17). For what it's worth, the Steelers have been made three-point favorites.
Important Game Stats:
Tom Brady: 29 of 45, 299 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Mark Sanchez: 16 of 25, 194 yards, 3 TD
Total yards: New England-372, New York-314
Rushing Yards: New York-120, New England-113
Basically, only one game this weekend went the way most people expected (well, the Steelers-Ravens game was expected to be a very close, physical, heated contest, and it was, but most people picked the Ravens to win), and that was thanks to the NFC's #2 seed, the Chicago Bears.
The Bears, playing at home in Soldier Field and amidst beautiful, fast-falling snow, gained 437 yards to the visiting Seattle Seahawks' 276, including a rushing ratio of 176-34, in a strong 35-24 win.
They jumped out to a 28-0 lead, scoring on four of their first five possessions, with two passing touchdowns from quarterback Jay Cutler, and two rushing touchdowns by Cutler. He became the first quarterback since legendary QB Otto Graham to do that two-fer in a playoff game. He ultimately threw for 274 yards, and gave his team enough of an early boost to hold off the Seahawks, who scored three of the game's last four touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter. Thirty-six year old Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, coming of one of the best games of his 12-year career against the New Orleans Saints, threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns, but a late, desperate onside kick by the Seahawks was recovered cleanly by da Bears.
'Dose Bears are led into an NFC Championship showdown with ultra-rival Green Bay (they have played 181 times in 90 years) by their usual rock-solid defensive unit, led by defensive end Julius Peppers and linebacker Brian Urlacher. They are also effective on the ground, with running back Matt Forte (who had 80 yards on 25 carries), and Cutler, who ran for a career-best 43 yards, 9 better than the entire Seahawks team.
Shock'n'Y'all, Part 1, January 16, 2010
"Playoffs!? Playoffs!? You kiddin' me? Playoffs!?!" -famous sound bite from post-game speech by former Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Mora
That seems the appropriate way to start this piece which is, indeed, about the playoffs. The divisional round (second week) of the 2010 NFL Playoffs, that is.
What a show it's been. In the first week, the defending champion New Orleans Saints were ousted by a team with a losing record (the Seattle Seahawks); Peyton and co. were eliminated a year after a Super Bowl berth, ending a season held together by paper clips and chewing gum; the Baltimore Ravens shellacked the bewildered Kansas City Chiefs, and The Michael Vick Traveling Show came to a screeching halt at the hands of Brett Favre's first team.
This week, sound bites of all kinds came from New England, from Atlanta, from Chicago, and from Pittsburgh.
My last post detailed the Steelers' characteristically tough win over the Baltimore Ravens, effectively giving them a leg up in the rivarly, and putting them back in the AFC Championship Game. It also keyed in on what was then breaking news, how the sky appeared to be falling on the #1-team-in-the-NFC Atlanta Falcons at the hands of Aaron Rodgers and some of his Green Bay Packers buddies.
Well, it fell.
Rodgers wracked up a quarterback rating of 136.8 and prompted comparisons to the greatest quarterbacks of this or any era with a sterling performance, going 31 for 36 with 366 passing yards (10.2 completion average), and three touchdowns in a game in which the Packers punted just twice. They scored touchdowns on five consecutive possessions (not including a 70-yard pick six by corner Tramon Williams at the end of the first half), four of those capping off drives of 80+ yards.
Basically, the Packers humiliated the NFC's "best" team, the Atlanta Falcons, in front of some 68,000 of their own fans, pounding them 48-21. Matty Ice threw for just 186 yards and 1 TD (two interceptions), and after the 102-yard kickoff-return-for-touchdown by Eric Weems, Atlanta went 27 minutes of game-time between scores. Their defense looked horrendous, and the Georgia Dome emptied out well before the game ended, and Aaron Rodgers became one of the kings of the world.
If this doesn't help you figure out how one-sided this game was, nothing will: the Packers had 442 yards of total offense, the Falcons had 194. The Packers won the first down battle 28-15, and won the turnover battle 1-4. It was an unexpectedly thorough pounding.
And I thought the FOX pre-game crew, of whom four of five picked the sixth-seeded Packers to win the game over the top-seeds, didn't know what they were doing.
That seems the appropriate way to start this piece which is, indeed, about the playoffs. The divisional round (second week) of the 2010 NFL Playoffs, that is.
What a show it's been. In the first week, the defending champion New Orleans Saints were ousted by a team with a losing record (the Seattle Seahawks); Peyton and co. were eliminated a year after a Super Bowl berth, ending a season held together by paper clips and chewing gum; the Baltimore Ravens shellacked the bewildered Kansas City Chiefs, and The Michael Vick Traveling Show came to a screeching halt at the hands of Brett Favre's first team.
This week, sound bites of all kinds came from New England, from Atlanta, from Chicago, and from Pittsburgh.
My last post detailed the Steelers' characteristically tough win over the Baltimore Ravens, effectively giving them a leg up in the rivarly, and putting them back in the AFC Championship Game. It also keyed in on what was then breaking news, how the sky appeared to be falling on the #1-team-in-the-NFC Atlanta Falcons at the hands of Aaron Rodgers and some of his Green Bay Packers buddies.
Well, it fell.
Rodgers wracked up a quarterback rating of 136.8 and prompted comparisons to the greatest quarterbacks of this or any era with a sterling performance, going 31 for 36 with 366 passing yards (10.2 completion average), and three touchdowns in a game in which the Packers punted just twice. They scored touchdowns on five consecutive possessions (not including a 70-yard pick six by corner Tramon Williams at the end of the first half), four of those capping off drives of 80+ yards.
Basically, the Packers humiliated the NFC's "best" team, the Atlanta Falcons, in front of some 68,000 of their own fans, pounding them 48-21. Matty Ice threw for just 186 yards and 1 TD (two interceptions), and after the 102-yard kickoff-return-for-touchdown by Eric Weems, Atlanta went 27 minutes of game-time between scores. Their defense looked horrendous, and the Georgia Dome emptied out well before the game ended, and Aaron Rodgers became one of the kings of the world.
If this doesn't help you figure out how one-sided this game was, nothing will: the Packers had 442 yards of total offense, the Falcons had 194. The Packers won the first down battle 28-15, and won the turnover battle 1-4. It was an unexpectedly thorough pounding.
And I thought the FOX pre-game crew, of whom four of five picked the sixth-seeded Packers to win the game over the top-seeds, didn't know what they were doing.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Atlanta is Burning, January 15, 2010
It's halftime of the first NFC divisional round game of the weekend, and it's a shocker. It's 28-14 Green Bay, with the Packers scoring 21 unanswered points after a 102-yard kickoff return by Atlanta's Eric Weems made it 14-7 at the beginning of the second quarter. In fact, the sixth-seeded Packers scored all 28 of their points in the second quarter. QB Aaron Rodgers has thrown for 234 yards and two touchdowns while nimbly evading tacklers, and cornerback Tramon Williams, who signed, sealed and delivered Green Bay's close win over the Philadelphia Eagles last week with a long interception against Michael Vick, picked off Matt "Matty Ice" Ryan twice in the second quarter, once in the end zone, and once for a 70-yard pick-six. All three of the Packers' scoring drives have been for more than 60 yards. Ignoring the persistent screaming of the Atlanta fans (which FOX commentator Joe Buck has repeatedly called "deafening"), Rodgers and Williams are combining for a great William Tecumseh Sherman impression, burning up the major city of the south. This would be a huge shocker, despite Green Bay's obvious talent, if #1 seed Atlanta were ousted so early.
Meanwhile, in the Basher's Bowl (i.e. the third matchup of the year between division rivals the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers), there were turnovers aplenty in a wild game that ended with the Steelers entering their third AFC Championship Game in five years.
In the first quarter, it was a Rashard Mendenhall (Pitt) 1-yard run that putt the home-field Steelers up 7-0, but then the Ravens took over. With big bashing defenders like Terrell Suggs, Ray Lewis, Haloti Ngata and Ed Reed pounding Steelers' QB Ben Roethlisberger and the entire Pittsburgh secondary, the Ravens came roaring back, getting a game-tying score on a 14-yard run by Ray Rice, then beginning the Turnover Game of the Century. If this game wasn't defined by its penalties (there were some 110+ penalty yards in the game by the combined ballclubs, the most in a playoff game in 20 years), it was defined by its turnovers.
The kicker came at the end of the first quarter, with the game tied. Roethlisberger pump-faked three times before Terrell Suggs hit him and knocked the ball to the ground. Nobody touched it for about four seconds before Baltimore defensive end Cory Redding realized no whistle had been blowed, swiped the ball off the turf, and hustled 13 yards for a score.
Just minutes later, Mendenhall lost a fumble to the Ravens, and it led directly to a 4-yard touchdown pass from Baltimore QB Joe Flacco to tight end Todd Heap, making it 21-7, which it was at halftime after Pittsburgh kicker Shaun Suisham missed a field goal attempt.
In the second half, a game that had been all about the purple and white swung abruptly in the favor of the home team, as Big Ben Roethlisberger stood up to the mounting physical pressure of guys like Suggs and Ngata and started making plays. I've heard it said no one keeps a play alive like Roethlisberger. Well, I personally think Roethlisberger's in the same sentence as guys like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Michael Vick when it comes to being a flat-out playmaker. The guy is electric. Give him time to make a throw (without somebody big hanging off his leg or arm) and he'll make it happen. He did it over and over in the second half, including touchdown passes of 9 yards (to tight end Heath Miller) and 8 yards (to wide receiver Heinz Ward) in the third quarter, the second of which tied the game at 21 apiece. He also set up the game's final touchdown (see below) by evading tacklers and then heaving a 58-yard bomb down the sideline to Antonio Brown.
The teams traded field goals to make it 24 all, but Mendenhall squeezed through the rugby scrum at the goal line with 1:33 left for the defining score. The final competitive play of the game, Baltimorians will remember for a long time, was a destined-to-be-a-first-down-pass from a pressured Joe Flacco that hit wide receiver T.J. Houshmanzadeh in the numbers and plopped to the turf through his hands.
The Ravens were a popular Super Bowl pick before this season began. Now, they just continue their unenviable streak of three straight (and all-time) postseason losses to the Steelers.
The Steelers await the winner of tomorrow's 4:30 New York Jets/New England Patriots showdown.
Meanwhile, in the Basher's Bowl (i.e. the third matchup of the year between division rivals the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers), there were turnovers aplenty in a wild game that ended with the Steelers entering their third AFC Championship Game in five years.
In the first quarter, it was a Rashard Mendenhall (Pitt) 1-yard run that putt the home-field Steelers up 7-0, but then the Ravens took over. With big bashing defenders like Terrell Suggs, Ray Lewis, Haloti Ngata and Ed Reed pounding Steelers' QB Ben Roethlisberger and the entire Pittsburgh secondary, the Ravens came roaring back, getting a game-tying score on a 14-yard run by Ray Rice, then beginning the Turnover Game of the Century. If this game wasn't defined by its penalties (there were some 110+ penalty yards in the game by the combined ballclubs, the most in a playoff game in 20 years), it was defined by its turnovers.
The kicker came at the end of the first quarter, with the game tied. Roethlisberger pump-faked three times before Terrell Suggs hit him and knocked the ball to the ground. Nobody touched it for about four seconds before Baltimore defensive end Cory Redding realized no whistle had been blowed, swiped the ball off the turf, and hustled 13 yards for a score.
Just minutes later, Mendenhall lost a fumble to the Ravens, and it led directly to a 4-yard touchdown pass from Baltimore QB Joe Flacco to tight end Todd Heap, making it 21-7, which it was at halftime after Pittsburgh kicker Shaun Suisham missed a field goal attempt.
In the second half, a game that had been all about the purple and white swung abruptly in the favor of the home team, as Big Ben Roethlisberger stood up to the mounting physical pressure of guys like Suggs and Ngata and started making plays. I've heard it said no one keeps a play alive like Roethlisberger. Well, I personally think Roethlisberger's in the same sentence as guys like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Michael Vick when it comes to being a flat-out playmaker. The guy is electric. Give him time to make a throw (without somebody big hanging off his leg or arm) and he'll make it happen. He did it over and over in the second half, including touchdown passes of 9 yards (to tight end Heath Miller) and 8 yards (to wide receiver Heinz Ward) in the third quarter, the second of which tied the game at 21 apiece. He also set up the game's final touchdown (see below) by evading tacklers and then heaving a 58-yard bomb down the sideline to Antonio Brown.
The teams traded field goals to make it 24 all, but Mendenhall squeezed through the rugby scrum at the goal line with 1:33 left for the defining score. The final competitive play of the game, Baltimorians will remember for a long time, was a destined-to-be-a-first-down-pass from a pressured Joe Flacco that hit wide receiver T.J. Houshmanzadeh in the numbers and plopped to the turf through his hands.
The Ravens were a popular Super Bowl pick before this season began. Now, they just continue their unenviable streak of three straight (and all-time) postseason losses to the Steelers.
The Steelers await the winner of tomorrow's 4:30 New York Jets/New England Patriots showdown.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Monday Mongering, January 10, 2010
It may be the day after the third and fourth of four Wild Card football games, but this Monday Night is not free of action on the gridiron. Tonight is the long-awaited BCS National Championship Game, which is set to be played between two undefeated teams, the #1 Auburn Tigers, and the #2 Oregon Ducks.
Auburn was ranked #22 at the beginning of the season, but quickly rose through the prominent SEC ranks, making a big statement in their last two games by beating Alabama soundly in the annual Iron Bowl, then crushing South Carolina in the SEC Championship Game. And all their energy and ability is centered around one Cam Newton, a superb dual-threat quarterback with a newly-minted Heisman Trophy on his mantle. Via passing and running, Newton was a part of 48 touchdowns this season, most in the league.
Opposing Auburn are the Ducks, who opened the season with a bang by beating the University of New Mexico 72-0 and two weeks later walloped Portland State 69-0. Including those two monster blowouts, they topped 50 points six times this year, doing so against recent Orange Bowl winner Stanford and against USC. Their super-potent offense is led by sophomore quarterback Darron Thomas and fellow sophomore (and Heisman Trophy candidate) running back LaMichael James.
With the exception of my aunt, who is an all-Sec, all-the-time, voter, everyone I've talked to wants to see Oregon win, thanks to the SEC's recent dominance (this would be the fifth straight national championship out of that hallowed conference). Kickoff is set for just past 8:30.
Well, that was one round of NFL playoffs. There were key turnovers, hero moments, a shocking upset, star turns from guys named Hasselbeck, Flacco, and Lewis and last-minute field goals. Just imagine another week of four playoff games, two on Saturday and two on Sunday, both AFC matchups (Pittsburgh-Baltimore in Pitt and Jets-Patriots in New England) rivalries that were played out twice during the regular season (with 1-1 records), but add to that your Brian Urlacher, Julius Peppers, Jay Cutler and Devin Hester, add Matty Ice and Michael Turner, don't forget two-time recent Super Bowl winners "Big Ben" Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, Heinz Ward and James Harrison. Oh, and some guy named Brady. This week should be fun.
This past week, we had The Upset (7-9 Seahawks over 11-5, defending-Super Bowl champion Saints) with The Big Run (67 yards for TD by Marshawn Lynch) and The Big Stiff-Arm (Lynch, drilling Tracy Porter), The Blowout (Baltimore's 30-7 mauling of the Kansas City Chiefs; they forced five turnovers and scored 23 unanswered points after the first quarter), The Barely-There Win (Jets beating Peyton's Colts 17-16 on a last-second Nick Folk field goal), and The Low Key War of Wills (Packers beating the Philadelphia Phillies and star Michael Vick).
Things you have to know about from week one? Lynch's 67-yard touchdown (breaking six tackles and clocking Porter), Tramon Williams' sensational leaping catch of the final, game-losing interception by Vick, Manning only threw one touchdown, and it was in the first quarter, and the Ravens won while playing under the shadow of safety Ed Reed's brother, who is the current target of a missing-person search and is believed dead.
Saturday at 4:30 is the Ravens-Steelers match-up, which will be much ado about in my house (my entire family lives in Baltimore), at 7:30 is the Falcons-Packers showdown, 1:00 Sunday is the starting time for Chicago-Seattle, and the Patriots look to move toward yet another Super Bowl against the Jets at 4:30 that same Sunday.
Should be fun, but don't overlook tonight's big college game. I've really enjoyed watching college ball this year and I'm sorry to see it go to sleep for the spring and summer.
Auburn was ranked #22 at the beginning of the season, but quickly rose through the prominent SEC ranks, making a big statement in their last two games by beating Alabama soundly in the annual Iron Bowl, then crushing South Carolina in the SEC Championship Game. And all their energy and ability is centered around one Cam Newton, a superb dual-threat quarterback with a newly-minted Heisman Trophy on his mantle. Via passing and running, Newton was a part of 48 touchdowns this season, most in the league.
Opposing Auburn are the Ducks, who opened the season with a bang by beating the University of New Mexico 72-0 and two weeks later walloped Portland State 69-0. Including those two monster blowouts, they topped 50 points six times this year, doing so against recent Orange Bowl winner Stanford and against USC. Their super-potent offense is led by sophomore quarterback Darron Thomas and fellow sophomore (and Heisman Trophy candidate) running back LaMichael James.
With the exception of my aunt, who is an all-Sec, all-the-time, voter, everyone I've talked to wants to see Oregon win, thanks to the SEC's recent dominance (this would be the fifth straight national championship out of that hallowed conference). Kickoff is set for just past 8:30.
Well, that was one round of NFL playoffs. There were key turnovers, hero moments, a shocking upset, star turns from guys named Hasselbeck, Flacco, and Lewis and last-minute field goals. Just imagine another week of four playoff games, two on Saturday and two on Sunday, both AFC matchups (Pittsburgh-Baltimore in Pitt and Jets-Patriots in New England) rivalries that were played out twice during the regular season (with 1-1 records), but add to that your Brian Urlacher, Julius Peppers, Jay Cutler and Devin Hester, add Matty Ice and Michael Turner, don't forget two-time recent Super Bowl winners "Big Ben" Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, Heinz Ward and James Harrison. Oh, and some guy named Brady. This week should be fun.
This past week, we had The Upset (7-9 Seahawks over 11-5, defending-Super Bowl champion Saints) with The Big Run (67 yards for TD by Marshawn Lynch) and The Big Stiff-Arm (Lynch, drilling Tracy Porter), The Blowout (Baltimore's 30-7 mauling of the Kansas City Chiefs; they forced five turnovers and scored 23 unanswered points after the first quarter), The Barely-There Win (Jets beating Peyton's Colts 17-16 on a last-second Nick Folk field goal), and The Low Key War of Wills (Packers beating the Philadelphia Phillies and star Michael Vick).
Things you have to know about from week one? Lynch's 67-yard touchdown (breaking six tackles and clocking Porter), Tramon Williams' sensational leaping catch of the final, game-losing interception by Vick, Manning only threw one touchdown, and it was in the first quarter, and the Ravens won while playing under the shadow of safety Ed Reed's brother, who is the current target of a missing-person search and is believed dead.
Saturday at 4:30 is the Ravens-Steelers match-up, which will be much ado about in my house (my entire family lives in Baltimore), at 7:30 is the Falcons-Packers showdown, 1:00 Sunday is the starting time for Chicago-Seattle, and the Patriots look to move toward yet another Super Bowl against the Jets at 4:30 that same Sunday.
Should be fun, but don't overlook tonight's big college game. I've really enjoyed watching college ball this year and I'm sorry to see it go to sleep for the spring and summer.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Wild Wild Card Weekend, January 9, 2010
By a great stroke of fortune, I worked two mornings this weekend, allowing me to see all of two of the first-round NFL playoff games, and parts of the others. Thus, I got to watch last year's Super Bowl opponents fall (including said Super Bowl's winner in what many are calling one of the great, all-time upsets), saw the AFC's #5 seed rip apart the #4 seed, and watched as The Michael Vick Story hit a series bump in the road.
Who Day Say Gonna Beat Them...Hawks?
The Super Bowl 44 winners, the 11-5 New Orleans Saints, were an eleven-point favorite to beat the Seattle Seahawks in this game, which was played in Seattle in front of a raucous crowd on the merit that the 'Hawks were the winners of the lowly NFC West. Indeed, as was oft-mentioned by the game's commentators, the Seahawks are the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs with a losing record, doing so with a 7-9 mark following a 16-6 win in a winner-take-all game with the division rival St. Louis Rams. They are now the first team with a losing record to win a playoff game.
Thirty-six year old quarterback Matt Hasselbeck threw four touchdown passes (including bombs of 38 and 45 yards), giving the Seahawks a lead that got as large as 11, and allowing them to hang on when the Saints made a late charge (led by Super Bowl 44 MVP Drew Brees, who was 39 of 60 passing for 404 yards and 2 touchdowns). The Saints got within five (36-41) and failed to get a two point conversion after their final score, but, even before that, they were undone by an electrifying 67-yard touchdown run by Seattle's Marshawn Lynch. With 3:22 left in the game and Seattle nursing a 34-30 edge, Lynch took the handoff, broke two tackles at the line of scrimmage, and began racing downfield, breaking four more tackles and delivering the stiff-arm of the century to Saints corner Tracy Porter (best known for a 70+ yard pick-six against Peyton Manning last February), sending him flying and landing on his back. The score sent the crowd into a frenzy and thrust the Saints' backs into the wall.
No, the 41-36 loss does not take away the magic of the 2009 Saints' accomplishments, but, yes, it does end their season. The Seahawks now travel to Chicago to play another team to which they will be massive underdogs, the NFC #2-seeded Bears.
It's Personal
Talkative New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan said just that about wanting to beat Peyton Manning in the playoffs, especially after Manning and his Indianapolis Colts beat the upstart Jets in last year's AFC Championship Game after the Jets led at halftime.
Manning was 18 of 26 for 225 yards, 1 touchdown, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 108.7, but the Jets held the Colts to three field goals after the opening quarter score, and, with QB Mark Sanchez having an off-night (18 of 31 for 189 yards, with 1 interception and a 62.4 rating), they started running. Thus, veteran RB LaDanian Tomlinson scored two touchdowns against a tired and injury-depleted Colts defense, which led up to Nick Folk's game-ending 32-yard field goal, which made it 17-16, in favor of New York, who moves on to play the AFC's #1 team, the New England Patriots.
Seeing Purple
The players of the AFC's #4 seed, the Kansas City Chiefs, may not only be seeing purple in highlights on TV, or memories, of their undoing in a systematic 30-7 beatdown by the #5 Baltimore Ravens; they may see purple in bruises on their bodies. QB Matt Cassel was sacked three times, hit a bunch more, fumbled twice and threw three interceptions, and, but for one 41-yard scoring run in the first quarter by Jamaal Charles, the Ravens and their hallowed defense kept their foot on the Chiefs' collective throat all day, squeezing the life out of a young team.
Just watching it on TV, it was obvious that the Ravens have bigger bodies (Ray Lewis, Haloti Ngata, Terrell Sugs, Michael Oher), and that they were delivering a beating. Yet, surprise surprise, the offense finally showed up, with well-liked but underwhelming QB Joe Flacco delivering his best-ever playoff performance (25 of 34 for 265 yards and 2 touchdowns, plus rushing for nearly 40 yards, a season high). Receiver Anquan Boldin and tight end Todd Heap each made impressive touchdown catches, and the defense hounded and battered Cassel into a miserable performance (9 of 18 for 70 yards, passer rating of 20.4).
The Ravens, who were criticized for under-performing all season (particularly on offense), made a big statement with the win, and now move to face their hated rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the AFC's #2 team, in Pittsburgh next week.
Rodgers Gets His Win
Last year, Green Bay Packers' star quarterback Aaron Rodgers engaged in a war of wills (and passes) with legend Kurt Warner in a Packers-Arizona Cardinals wild-card playoff game that reached video game levels of spectacle (ultimately a 51-45 overtime win by Arizona, with both QBs topping 400 yards passing). Rodgers had more passing yards but lost the game, and did so, Packers fans will be quick to tell you, partially because his game-losing fumble was caused by a facemasking penalty that was not called. But Rodgers, who by now has pretty much shed the shadow of being Brett Favre's successor in Green Bay, still hadn't won a playoff game entering this face-off with the Philadelphia Eagles, and their star quarterback, a guy named Michael Vick.
The Packers' defense kept close coverage on the Eagles most explosive offensive players (Vick, WR DeSean Jackson, RB LeSean McCoy), and Rodgers tossed three touchdown passes as the Packers built a big lead in a tough, physical game that came down to the wire. Vick was hit hard a number of times, but kept his team in it until the very end, when he heaved a 30-plus yard pass toward the end zone and receiver Riley Cooper, but saw it land in the hands of Packers defender Tramon Williams. It came just minutes after the Eagles failed to nail a two-point conversion attempt as they made a move for the Packers, who played well but failed to score in the final quarter of the 21-16 win.
Ultimately, Vick had more explosive stats than Rodgers (292 passing yards to 180), but the Green Bay secondary kept everything in front of them, taking a lot of wind out of the Eagles but cutting off Vick's big-play capability.
The Packers head to Atlanta next week to play the NFC's #1 seed, the Atlanta Falcons.
Who Day Say Gonna Beat Them...Hawks?
The Super Bowl 44 winners, the 11-5 New Orleans Saints, were an eleven-point favorite to beat the Seattle Seahawks in this game, which was played in Seattle in front of a raucous crowd on the merit that the 'Hawks were the winners of the lowly NFC West. Indeed, as was oft-mentioned by the game's commentators, the Seahawks are the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs with a losing record, doing so with a 7-9 mark following a 16-6 win in a winner-take-all game with the division rival St. Louis Rams. They are now the first team with a losing record to win a playoff game.
Thirty-six year old quarterback Matt Hasselbeck threw four touchdown passes (including bombs of 38 and 45 yards), giving the Seahawks a lead that got as large as 11, and allowing them to hang on when the Saints made a late charge (led by Super Bowl 44 MVP Drew Brees, who was 39 of 60 passing for 404 yards and 2 touchdowns). The Saints got within five (36-41) and failed to get a two point conversion after their final score, but, even before that, they were undone by an electrifying 67-yard touchdown run by Seattle's Marshawn Lynch. With 3:22 left in the game and Seattle nursing a 34-30 edge, Lynch took the handoff, broke two tackles at the line of scrimmage, and began racing downfield, breaking four more tackles and delivering the stiff-arm of the century to Saints corner Tracy Porter (best known for a 70+ yard pick-six against Peyton Manning last February), sending him flying and landing on his back. The score sent the crowd into a frenzy and thrust the Saints' backs into the wall.
No, the 41-36 loss does not take away the magic of the 2009 Saints' accomplishments, but, yes, it does end their season. The Seahawks now travel to Chicago to play another team to which they will be massive underdogs, the NFC #2-seeded Bears.
It's Personal
Talkative New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan said just that about wanting to beat Peyton Manning in the playoffs, especially after Manning and his Indianapolis Colts beat the upstart Jets in last year's AFC Championship Game after the Jets led at halftime.
Manning was 18 of 26 for 225 yards, 1 touchdown, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 108.7, but the Jets held the Colts to three field goals after the opening quarter score, and, with QB Mark Sanchez having an off-night (18 of 31 for 189 yards, with 1 interception and a 62.4 rating), they started running. Thus, veteran RB LaDanian Tomlinson scored two touchdowns against a tired and injury-depleted Colts defense, which led up to Nick Folk's game-ending 32-yard field goal, which made it 17-16, in favor of New York, who moves on to play the AFC's #1 team, the New England Patriots.
Seeing Purple
The players of the AFC's #4 seed, the Kansas City Chiefs, may not only be seeing purple in highlights on TV, or memories, of their undoing in a systematic 30-7 beatdown by the #5 Baltimore Ravens; they may see purple in bruises on their bodies. QB Matt Cassel was sacked three times, hit a bunch more, fumbled twice and threw three interceptions, and, but for one 41-yard scoring run in the first quarter by Jamaal Charles, the Ravens and their hallowed defense kept their foot on the Chiefs' collective throat all day, squeezing the life out of a young team.
Just watching it on TV, it was obvious that the Ravens have bigger bodies (Ray Lewis, Haloti Ngata, Terrell Sugs, Michael Oher), and that they were delivering a beating. Yet, surprise surprise, the offense finally showed up, with well-liked but underwhelming QB Joe Flacco delivering his best-ever playoff performance (25 of 34 for 265 yards and 2 touchdowns, plus rushing for nearly 40 yards, a season high). Receiver Anquan Boldin and tight end Todd Heap each made impressive touchdown catches, and the defense hounded and battered Cassel into a miserable performance (9 of 18 for 70 yards, passer rating of 20.4).
The Ravens, who were criticized for under-performing all season (particularly on offense), made a big statement with the win, and now move to face their hated rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the AFC's #2 team, in Pittsburgh next week.
Rodgers Gets His Win
Last year, Green Bay Packers' star quarterback Aaron Rodgers engaged in a war of wills (and passes) with legend Kurt Warner in a Packers-Arizona Cardinals wild-card playoff game that reached video game levels of spectacle (ultimately a 51-45 overtime win by Arizona, with both QBs topping 400 yards passing). Rodgers had more passing yards but lost the game, and did so, Packers fans will be quick to tell you, partially because his game-losing fumble was caused by a facemasking penalty that was not called. But Rodgers, who by now has pretty much shed the shadow of being Brett Favre's successor in Green Bay, still hadn't won a playoff game entering this face-off with the Philadelphia Eagles, and their star quarterback, a guy named Michael Vick.
The Packers' defense kept close coverage on the Eagles most explosive offensive players (Vick, WR DeSean Jackson, RB LeSean McCoy), and Rodgers tossed three touchdown passes as the Packers built a big lead in a tough, physical game that came down to the wire. Vick was hit hard a number of times, but kept his team in it until the very end, when he heaved a 30-plus yard pass toward the end zone and receiver Riley Cooper, but saw it land in the hands of Packers defender Tramon Williams. It came just minutes after the Eagles failed to nail a two-point conversion attempt as they made a move for the Packers, who played well but failed to score in the final quarter of the 21-16 win.
Ultimately, Vick had more explosive stats than Rodgers (292 passing yards to 180), but the Green Bay secondary kept everything in front of them, taking a lot of wind out of the Eagles but cutting off Vick's big-play capability.
The Packers head to Atlanta next week to play the NFC's #1 seed, the Atlanta Falcons.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
The Horned Frogs and the Playoff Picture, January 2, 2011
Happy New Year everyone! If you're still reading this blog, I appreciate it a lot. I know the frequency of my posts has rolled over and died since the baseball season ended (and since I started working five days a week, including Saturday, Sunday and Monday--football days), but there's a lot going on right now.
First off, the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs won one for "little guys everywhere" last night in the Rose Bowl, as the #3 Frogs beat the #5 Wisconsin Badgers, 21-19, in a game that came down to Frogs linebacker Tank Carder deflecting a pass attempt on a Badgers' two point conversion attempt. TCU had only fleeting success stopping Wisconsin's electric running game, and they got some yards through the air, but TCU QB Andy Dalton (who, in four years, had a record of 42-7 as a starter) made sure, with his arms, legs, and directions, that they held on. Last year, a previously undefeated season (12-0) ended in disappointment with a blowout loss to Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. This year, TCU won big, ending 13-0, and establishing itself as a BCS powerhouse.
Other winners in Bowl Games included Mississippi State over Michigan, Alabama clobbering Michigan State 49-7, Florida (and Urban Meyer) beating Penn State (and Joe Paterno), and Oklahoma over Connecticut. Tomorrow night (Monday), the Virginia Tech Hokies take on the Stanford Cardinal (and Heisman runner-up QB Andrew Luck) in the Orange Bowl.
About a minute ago, the Seattle Seahawks sewed up/patched up/eeked out/backed into a playoff berth with a 7-9 record thanks to a 16-6 win over the even more hapless St. Louis Rams. The Seahawks, with former Super Bowl participant quarterback Matt Hasselbeck out with a hip injury, won the lowly NFC West with the victory over rookie QB Sam Bradford and the Rams.
So, here are the playoff matchups:
AFC
New York Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts
Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs
AFC teams with first-round byes: New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers
NFC
New Orleans Saints vs. Seattle Seahawks
Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles
NFC teams with first-round byes: Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears
>>>MY PICKS: Well, in the AFC, it's hard to pick against perennial championship heavyweight the Patriots, especially when Tom Brady is in another zone (which, when it comes to him, means he's playing scary good). They're loaded with talent and have drawn comparisons to the 40-points-a-game, 18-1 2007 team. The Pats lost an error-filled first-round game to the Ravens last year, and famously lost a 2006 AFC Championship game to the Colts that they once led by 18.
This year, there's no San Diego Chargers in the AFC, which is weird, and three of the NFL's best teams (New England, Pittsburgh, New York) and in this conference. It should be fun.
In the NFC, the Chicago Bears gutted it out in a season where Julius Peppers often looked like the best defensive player alive, Brian Urlacher often looked like the second best defensive player alive, and Jay Cutler looked like a pretty decent QB, the kind (dare I say it?) that you'd like to have on your team. And the Falcons, despite a weak showing with division opponents New Orleans last week, rolled this year, and will have key homefield advantage, and a third-year QB (Matt "Matty Ice" Ryan) who is no stranger to pressure situations. But the Saints are hungry and the Eagles have Michael Vick.
My predicted Super Bowl matchup: Patriots vs. Saints
Yes, I'm going on the record. No, I'm not betting money. The Pats (soundly) beat everyone they can play in this year's playoffs, including embarrassments of the Jets and Steelers that I watched. Meanwhile, the Saints are the defending champs, have the experience, have Drew Brees, and I like this matchup better, anyway, than, say, the Pats vs. the Bears, because the Brady Corps smashed the Bears a few weeks ago in Chicago in the snow. 'Nuff said.
First off, the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs won one for "little guys everywhere" last night in the Rose Bowl, as the #3 Frogs beat the #5 Wisconsin Badgers, 21-19, in a game that came down to Frogs linebacker Tank Carder deflecting a pass attempt on a Badgers' two point conversion attempt. TCU had only fleeting success stopping Wisconsin's electric running game, and they got some yards through the air, but TCU QB Andy Dalton (who, in four years, had a record of 42-7 as a starter) made sure, with his arms, legs, and directions, that they held on. Last year, a previously undefeated season (12-0) ended in disappointment with a blowout loss to Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. This year, TCU won big, ending 13-0, and establishing itself as a BCS powerhouse.
Other winners in Bowl Games included Mississippi State over Michigan, Alabama clobbering Michigan State 49-7, Florida (and Urban Meyer) beating Penn State (and Joe Paterno), and Oklahoma over Connecticut. Tomorrow night (Monday), the Virginia Tech Hokies take on the Stanford Cardinal (and Heisman runner-up QB Andrew Luck) in the Orange Bowl.
About a minute ago, the Seattle Seahawks sewed up/patched up/eeked out/backed into a playoff berth with a 7-9 record thanks to a 16-6 win over the even more hapless St. Louis Rams. The Seahawks, with former Super Bowl participant quarterback Matt Hasselbeck out with a hip injury, won the lowly NFC West with the victory over rookie QB Sam Bradford and the Rams.
So, here are the playoff matchups:
AFC
New York Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts
Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs
AFC teams with first-round byes: New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers
NFC
New Orleans Saints vs. Seattle Seahawks
Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles
NFC teams with first-round byes: Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears
>>>MY PICKS: Well, in the AFC, it's hard to pick against perennial championship heavyweight the Patriots, especially when Tom Brady is in another zone (which, when it comes to him, means he's playing scary good). They're loaded with talent and have drawn comparisons to the 40-points-a-game, 18-1 2007 team. The Pats lost an error-filled first-round game to the Ravens last year, and famously lost a 2006 AFC Championship game to the Colts that they once led by 18.
This year, there's no San Diego Chargers in the AFC, which is weird, and three of the NFL's best teams (New England, Pittsburgh, New York) and in this conference. It should be fun.
In the NFC, the Chicago Bears gutted it out in a season where Julius Peppers often looked like the best defensive player alive, Brian Urlacher often looked like the second best defensive player alive, and Jay Cutler looked like a pretty decent QB, the kind (dare I say it?) that you'd like to have on your team. And the Falcons, despite a weak showing with division opponents New Orleans last week, rolled this year, and will have key homefield advantage, and a third-year QB (Matt "Matty Ice" Ryan) who is no stranger to pressure situations. But the Saints are hungry and the Eagles have Michael Vick.
My predicted Super Bowl matchup: Patriots vs. Saints
Yes, I'm going on the record. No, I'm not betting money. The Pats (soundly) beat everyone they can play in this year's playoffs, including embarrassments of the Jets and Steelers that I watched. Meanwhile, the Saints are the defending champs, have the experience, have Drew Brees, and I like this matchup better, anyway, than, say, the Pats vs. the Bears, because the Brady Corps smashed the Bears a few weeks ago in Chicago in the snow. 'Nuff said.
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