SportsNetUSA Blogs

Well, so much for Peyton Manning being called the greatest ever.  I hope you were not near that bandwagon when people began leaping off with three minutes to go in the game.  Tracy Porter picked off Manning and sealed the victory and maybe two quarterback’s legacies.  You all know that Porter picked off Brett Favre in the NFC Championship and got a pick six against Manning.  The talk is that Manning is a great regular season quarterback but his record is only 9-9 in postseason play.  I do not know nor care what others try to make his legacy stand as a quarterback.  I do know that he will always be the all time favorite son in New Orleans.  Peyton was born there and went to high school there and there will be Saints fans always grateful that he helped deliver a Super Bowl victory to the former Aints.  There is already talk that this young Saints team could be on its way to a mini dynasty.  Drew Brees may play another five years or more. 

According to some you may as well find a spot in Canton for Sean Payton as he becomes the latest genius head coach.  It is too early for that but let’s give Sean his due, he coached a heck of a game and it was obvious he came to win.  So much for the Colts staying in the same hotel and all of that they have been there before advantage.  Payton was aggressive and Coach Caldwell too conservative for my taste.  The Colts will deny but the two games they gave away instead of trying to go undefeated sent a bad precedent.

I thought the turning point came in the first half when the Colts held on fourth down on their goal line.  Instead of picking up a first down and running out the clock they turned the ball back to the Saints which led to a field goal and cut the lead to 10-6 at halftime.  In the first half Garrett Hartley was huge in keeping New Orleans in the game.  Marques Colston could not be covered in the first half either.  Pierre Thomas definitely made a name for himself and demonstrated why Reggie Bush is mostly a special teams player and situational back

So at halftime the Colts had to believe they would go in and make adjustments and take control in the second half. There is not much to say about the halftime fireworks show.  I am racking my brain trying to figure out which rock act from the sixties or seventies is still left out there. Back to the game; Sean Payton stunned the world with his successful onside kick and then I think we knew we were in for a game.  I did not understand the field goal attempt by the Colts and Matt Stover.  Stover had not had a field goal over fifty yards since, well since he was well under the forty-two plus years he is now.  He did get a Super Bowl record being the oldest player to ever play in a Super Bowl.  This was the point where I felt the Saints were going to win the game.  Congratulations to the Saints and their fans.  This is another thing I never thought I would live long enough to see.  My whole life I only remember one person ever admitting he was a Saints fan.  So Justin, if you are out there somewhere, enjoy.

What a playoff run for the Saints.  They beat three Super Bowl winning quarterbacks in a row, Warner, Favre and Manning.  Drew Brees completed an astounding 72% of his passes with eight touchdowns and zero interceptions while racking up 732 yards.  Brees won the Super Bowl MVP award and gave himself a huge boost towards a Hall of Fame career if he continues for three or four years at this pace.  He already has 30,646 passing yards, 202-110 touchdowns to interceptions. He came to the Saints in 2006 and his lowest touchdown total is 26.  Funny how life works out sometime.  It seems like the Chargers had decided Drew was not their quarterback of the future and he basically held the job until Phillip Rivers was ready to go.  In the past a top quarterback would not pick New Orleans as the place to go as a free agent.  Yet, Brees does and has the good fortune to hook up with Sean Payton and also the good fortune to not play for Norv Turner.  The Chargers are set to sink with Norv.  He has a 90-98-1 record in 12 years as a head coach and has four teams in the playoffs in those twelve years.  The Chargers fired Marty Schottenheimer because he could not win in the playoffs.  Norv Turner is 3-3 in the playoffs and is rewarded with a contract extension.  Yes sir, life can be interesting.  Have fun Drew and no one would blame you if you were to say, I told you so.

To be honest I was waiting for some of my fellow friends on SportsNetUSA.net to blog first.  I was hoping that someone would write in and smash Brett Favre and then I could respond.  So far it has not happened.  The week after the NFL championships is usually a slow sports week.  This week has been no exception and already I want to scream.  It has me thinking I want to find a classical music station and stop listening to so much sports talk.  I would like to take a look back and a quick look forward to the Super Bowl.  Somewhere another tradition has bit the dust with the Super Bowl now in February instead of January.  Just think if they go to an eighteen game schedule maybe we can get the Super Bowl pushed to March and keep the draft in April and cut down the months in which there is no NFL.

Did you ever really worry when the Colts fell behind the Jets?  I never once believed in that game that the Jets were going to win.  The Jets are what they are, an up and coming team.  The Colts are already there.  The Colts have become the model organization in football.  It helps when you have guys like Dungy, Manning and Polian.  I am happy they are in and I believe they will beat the Saints.  I just want to see a good game because like last week I have no hatred for either team.  Normally I like to be really for or really against a team but not in this one.

I was very happy for the Saints and the city of New Orleans to beat the Vikings.  It is nice to see long suffering franchises win sometimes.  The Saints defense was something to watch and what a whipping they put on Favre.  Turnovers were the difference.  I do not see them getting to Peyton like they did Brett.  If the Saints win the Super Bowl that would be fine with me too.

I have no interest in the Pro Bowl at all.  Do not care when they play it or where they play it.  It is a useless exhibition and a waste of time.  Of course I believe every professional All Star game in any sport is a waste.  I have some ideas on what would make the game more interesting but don’t want to go into that now.

This brings me to the past week and all of the nonsense about legacy and who is the greatest.  I must learn to change the channel when this kind of talk comes up.  Where does Peyton Manning rank with the all time greatest quarterbacks?  What will Peyton’s legacy be if he wins or if he loses?  Brett Favre has all kinds of records but he is not among the all time quarterbacks because he has only one ring and he always throws an interception in the crucial moment of a game. Give me some Bach or Beethoven right about now.

Remember when the standard was if you won a Super Bowl?  Well now a quarterback or coach has to win more than one or they cannot be called great.  That is garbage.  Where did all of this legacy stuff come from?  The greatest of all time talk is comparable to me to which came first the chicken or the egg?  It is useless and yet I cannot stop listening or getting ticked off.  Peyton Manning will, if he stays healthy, pass most of Favre’s records.  He is and has been a great quarterback for some time now.  He will be a great quarterback if the Colts lose.  Favre is a great quarterback despite the interception and the Vikings loss.  Did I mention the greatest back in the league kept putting the ball on the carpet in that game?  Remember in the NBA playoffs last year and I railed against the “what is Kobe’s legacy if he loses?”  Kobe haters were chomping at the bit to say, see he never won one without Shaq.  I heard a guy say that he was not sure how to rate Montana because Joe had Jerry Rice and great players around him!  What!  Shut off your mike since I can’t seem to change the station.

That is what we have to look forward to now.  Grainy films of Joe in the Super Bowl and HD pictures of the current greatest of all time, Manning.  You know if Peyton wasn’t tall, athletic, blessed with a strong throwing arm, a dad named Archie, football smart, had great coaching, have a great offensive line, have a great game plan, play in today’s pass happy game, never have a major injury, get to run the no-huddle, play in an indoor stadium and have great receivers….if he didn’t have all of that, I am not sure I could call him great.  I know this is not grammatically correct but I hope the point is made.  Chicken or the egg, Manning or Montana, enough, stop it.  Now, how about some music!

This is a great weekend for the NFL.  I really like all four teams that are left with three teams I expected and one surprise.  Last week I admitted I was a lifelong Cowboy fan and I still am.  They stunk and were defeated by a superior Viking team.  Usually as a fan I personally like to cheer against teams as well as for teams.  In these two championship games there is not a team I dislike.  The Washington Redskins are a team that I will usually root against.  I used to root against the Raiders but they have been so bad that I actually feel sorry for the team and their fans.  It is bad when at the end of the season your most hyped player is your punter Shane Lechler!  This year I like all four teams so I am having trouble deciding which match up I would like to see in the Super Bowl.
 
Let’s start with the AFC first.  I am on record as I said when the season began that I like Rex Ryan as a coach.  He has breathed some fresh air into the league and does not always resort to using pat coaching answers.  Coaches usually say how good the opposition is and boy we are lucky to be on the same field with them.  We have a lot of things to work on and, well you know how they talk.  How many coaches have you heard say, I think we should be favored to win the Super Bowl!  Rex said it even though his team was lucky to make the playoffs.  I also like Mark Sanchez and I normally like to root for a California connection.  You had to love the dig he threw at Pete Carroll and Pete’s choice to go back to the NFL.  That was classic and I am happy that it has worked out for him.  I did not expect the Jets to be here.  Did the Chargers really give Norv Turner a contract extension?
 
I like the Colts and love Peyton Manning.  I was for him a few years back when they won the Super Bowl, as he and Tony Dungy both were able to shed the “Can’t win the Big One” label.  There was so much uncertainty coming into this season and then Peyton wins his fourth MVP.  I love Dallas Clark who is from Iowa and amazing.  Dallas may be headed to the Hall of Fame.  I will root for a player like Pierre Garcon from Division III Mount Union College.  Finally there is Austin Collie, a rookie from BYU and Oak Ridge High School in Northern California.  I have to root for this player and he even took two years off to go on a mission!  How many players are there that would take two years off and maybe lose a shot to play in the NFL?  I like both teams but I will be going for the Colts in this one.  The great thing is that if the Jets got in that makes for great story lines as well.
 
Over in the NFC we have the two best teams in the conference meeting up.  I have supported Brett Favre before the season began.  I have been amused this week in the way the talk has changed.  The Favre only came back to stick it to the Packers has given way to he came back to win the Super Bowl.  Do you wish sportscasters would admit when they were wrong?  I know that I do.  No big deal, if you were wrong so what.  Most of these guys now are raving about what a season Brett has had.  I have not heard that he will throw a pick and lose the game.  I have not heard that he cannot make it a full season.  He has had a memorable season and who knows about next year.  The Vikings have never won a Super Bowl and they have great fans that deserve one.
 
What is not to like about the Saints?  This franchise has never even been to the Super Bowl even though they have hosted it numerous times.  The Super Dome has been home to some of the biggest sporting events of all time.  These fans are hungry and they deserve to have their team as in the Super Bowl as well.  I loved Drew Brees at Purdue and with the Chargers.  What he has done in New Orleans is stunning.  Sean Payton was an assistant with the Dallas Cowboys and it was my hope that he would be the head coach there.  The timing was not quite right.  So I guess I do not have to say how much I like Payton.  If Reggie Bush has another game this week like last the Saints will win.  Where has that Reggie Bush been?  I thought that Reggie would be an all time great running back.  Is last week the game that maybe brings him back?  This one is tough but I will be pulling a little bit more for the Saints.  Enjoy this weekend because sometimes one or both of these games are better than the Super Bowl.

Ok…so Wild Card Weekend didn’t quite go a s I thought. Out of four games, yours truly corrected predicted one. How bout them Cowboys? Anyway, let’s give the Divisional Round a try. And remember, what I say, definitely does NOT go…right?

AFC Divisional Playoff #1
Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts
Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis, IN (Saturday January 16, 2010 5:15PM PT)

So the Ravens destroyed the Patriots last week. DESTROYED them. This week, the Ravens go into Indy to face a Colts team who finished the season 14-2. The two came in weeks 16 and 17. Baltimore’s defense and offense rode high in New England, but now they move to Peyton’s place for a Saturday night brawl. If the Baltimore defense can hold Peyton Manning’s offense in check and Ray Rice runs like he did last week, the Ravens will cruise to the AFC Championship Game. If not, the Colts will continue their postseason success. Look for the Colts to wake up after resting their starters for two weeks and put together an almost-complete game. Should be a good one though.

Prediction: Indianapolis 27, Baltimore 24
Key Factor: Any and all Indianapolis Receivers- Last week, the Ravens completely held the Patriots’ receivers in check, taking away a big key to the New England offense. The passing game is what wins for Jim Caldwell’s team, so if Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie, Pierre Garcon, Dallas Clark or any of their running backs can’t get open to catch a pass, Baltimore will run them over.

AFC Divisional Playoff #2
New York Jets at San Diego Chargers
Qualcomm Stadium San Diego, CA (Sunday January 17, 2010 1:40PM PT)

Wow…where did the Jets come from? Two consecutive dominating performances over the Bengals in two weeks (one in the Meadowlands, one in Cincinnati) and they are showing no signs of stopping. Mark Sanchez wasn’t at his absolute best, but the league’s number one ranked defense kept the Bengals tame. Cornerback Derelle Revis of the Jets had the Cincinnati receivers on lockdown and he may just be the second-best corner in football behind Charles Woodson. Revis will be needed to contain the NFL’s best receiving core in San Diego and keep L.T. from “Electric Gliding” into the end zone on Sunday afternoon (SEE: L.T.’s Video on YouTube). The Chargers are the hottest team in football, bringing an 11-game winning streak into this game. With home-field advantage and a rockin’ Southern California crowd, the Chargers should be able to handle the Jets and Mark Sanchez in his homecoming game. NOTE: These two teams have met once in the playoffs. In 2004, the Jets won in San Diego after Nate Kaeding missed a potential game-winning field goal as time expired. The Jets eventually won the game in overtime, courtesy of a Mike Nugent field goal.

Prediction: San Diego 31, New York Jets 21
Key Factor: San Diego Defense- Take the ball away from New York, win the game. No other words are needed here.

NFC Divisional Playoff #1
Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints
Louisiana Superdome New Orleans, LA (Saturday January 16, 2010 1:30PM PT)

I bet the Cardinals wish they had saved 51 points for a game in the Dome with the Saints. After winning the highest-scoring playoff game in NFL history and almost becoming victim to the third-biggest playoff comeback in NFL history, Arizona should be counting their lucky stars they’re still alive. They couldn’t stop Green Bay on Sunday, but they had better stop the Saints’ offense on Saturday if they have any plans of back-to-back Super Bowl appearances. New Orleans won’t need to play defense if the Cardinals can’t stop them from scoring. Regardless of the Saints’ performance over the final couple of weeks of the season, Drew Brees and the boys should be ready to go.

Prediction: New Orleans 35, Arizona 17
Key Factor: Devery Henderson (WR-NO)- It seems as though every time the Saints need a big play to break a game wide open, Devery is there. If he scores a touchdown from 50 yards or more, New Orleans will win easy in the Big Easy.

NFC Divisional Playoff #2
Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings
Mall of America Field at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Minneapolis, MN (Sunday January 17, 2010 1PM PT)

The Chargers may be the hottest team in the league, but the Cowboys are the hottest team in the NFC. They, like the Jets, picked apart their Week 17 opponent in Wild Card Weekend. The difference was the Cowboys got both games at home. They won’t be home this time as they travel to the frigid temperatures of Minneapolis…to play in a dome. Brett Favre is back in the playoffs and wants another shot at glory. Whether or not they beat the Cowboys this week, I don’t see it in his cards. He’ll play well and possibly lead a comeback in the end just like Brett Favre always does. But the front four for Dallas will get to him, and the ‘Boys will continue to ride high. They were my only win last week, why give up on them now?

Prediction: Dallas 26, Minnesota 21
Key Factor: Jay Ratliff (DL-DAL)- Big Jay has been a monter the last few weeks. He had two big games against the Eagles and is finding more of a knack to get to opposing QB’s. If he pressures Brett to throw more than he wants and makes some key stops on Adrian Peterson, Dallas wins.

So there you go. Divisional Round predictions. Hopefully, we’ll do better this week. By the way, three of the four games this week will be indoors. The only one outside? The one in sunny Southern California. Go figure. And now for a revised “Quick Pick” version of the rest of the playoffs:

AFC Championship Game
Chargers over Colts

NFC Championship Game
Cowboys over Saints

Super Bowl XLIV
Chargers over Cowboys

Champion remains the same, opponent had to change. Thanks Green Bay. Thanks a lot.

Until next time…