Tuesday, January 31, 2012

No Team Wanted Them

The Pats and Giants can only have 53 players on the roster and 45 on the day of the Super Bowl. The final decision on who to play if often difficult. Injuries get factored in.

Tom Brady often talks about how he was a 6th round draft pick, but 18 of the players were never drafted. You can start the list with Wes Welker, BenJarvis Green-Ellis, Danny Woodhead, Brian Waters, Brian Hoyer, Dan Connelly, Nick MacDonald, Lousaka Polite, Ryan Wendell and Danny Aiken

On the defense there is Kyle Love, Gary Guyton, Kyle Arrington, Dane Fletcher, James Ihidigbo, Sterling Moore, Tracy White and Sergio Brown.

The Pats got to the Super Bowl with his team. Coach Belichick has been maligned all season for cutting many of his prior year high round draft picks and going to the "street free agents". They say every player wants to hear their name called on draft day. It didn't happen for these guys.

One name noticeably absent is Julien Edelman. He was a 7th round draft pick in 2008 as a quarterback. That never worker out as a 3rd string QB, but the rest has.

Belichick continues to show that teams don't need to squander their money on over-priced first round picks. Rob Gronkoski and Aaron Hernandez were 2nd and 4th round picks. Not a bad draft.

Monday, January 30, 2012

The Game Plays On

The NFL has played a post season All-Star game since 1938. The latest Pro Bowl version was played yesterday in Hawaii with the AFC beating the NFC 59-41.

The game is always a high scoring affair because of rule changes. They allow intentional grounding and prohibit offensive line motion. Teams cannot put three receivers on one side. Defense must be a 4-3. No blitzes allowed or rushing the kicker at any time.

Critics claim that the game is more like touch football. They might be right, but that is the only way it can be played. There is always a risk of injuries.

There are no incentives to actually play a game. Members of the winning game get $50,000 each ,while the other teams gets$25,000. In recent years, the game has bounced back and forth from Hawaii and other sites.

It's considered a great honor to be selected for this game, but not every player wants to attend after the season is over. Tom Brady has begged out in the past because of injuries. The playing of the Super Bowl eliminates players from the Giants and Pats.

Overall, the game does a reasonable television rating. In spite of its controversy, this game would never be played if the NFL was losing money. They are too good at making it.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Faulk's Last Chance?

Coach Belichick has often said the final 45 man game day roster is determined that day. It's all about selecting the 45 players who give the team the best chance to win that game.

I wonder where this leave RB Kevin Faulk. He gave a heartfelt statement during the public sendoff of the at Gillette Stadium this morning. He said he came back this season for one more chance to get to the Super Bowl and win a championship.

The end of Faulk's career is on the doorstep. The 12 year veteran signed a one year contract for $910,000. He was coming off a devastating ACL injury at 34. He is ancient by NFL standards.

It has been a great ride for him. I wonder what his future is. Will he be on the game day roster? I hope he is for one last time. He played the game with great passion.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Dad Speaks For Gronk

Coach Belichick must be perturbed over the news about Rob Gronkowski's ankle injury. The team has done a good job in maintaining a blackout about any information concerning injuries. Players repeat the company line in their refusal to talk about injuries. That's how they do things. It has worked very well.

It was obvious to anyone that Gronk suffered a severe injury in the AFC Championship game. The replay is tough to watch as Gronk got his ankle badly twisted. He has not practiced, but everyone says he will play in the Super Bowl. How effective he will be is another story.

Everything was going well until Gronk's father decided to speak to a Buffalo area television station. He said Rob had a high ankle sprain, but would be ready by next Sunday.

Although he might have stated the obvious, why did he speak to the media? Did his son authorize him to do so? Rob is now an adult and doesn't need his father speaking for him. Surprisingly, parents of players seem to stay out of the mix. They should refrain from any comments as they are not the ones playing the game. All of these players are adults and don't need anyone to give their opinions, especially if they are not a doctor.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Hard To Compare

I think it's very difficult to compare players from different eras. To say that one particular player is the best ever at his position if often a huge leap. One New York writer has crowned Eli Manning as the best quarterback in New York Giants history.

That is a huge statement because the names include Phil Simms, Fran Tarkenton, Y.A. Tittle and Charlie Conerly. All of these players are from a different era. They all had their own degree of success. They didn't have Sports Center and 24x7 media coverage to highlight their plays.

Manning seems to get this coronation because he could win his second Super Bowl next Sunday. He would be part of an elite group, but I don't feel success can only be defined by wining titles. Some would scoff at this because isn't the game really all about who wins the championship?

It's difficult for fans to go back in time to compare players. I have a point of reference for the Pats as 1966. That was my first year following the team. I didn't see the team in its early years, but there are players from, those teams who were as good as the ones on today's roster. The size of today's players, speed of the game and rule changes have made comparisons a moot point.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

In a Differnet League

The game of football is so violent that you need to play it for more reasons than just the money. The crippling injuries linger throughout their later years. Many players have been inept in building a financial future for after their playing days.

I wonder what motivates WR Terrell Owens to sign a contract to play in a minor league of arena football. It's not even the Arena Football League, but something called the Indoor Football League with a team based in Allen, Texas. He will receive an ownership stake in the team which starts to play on Feb 25th.

Owens will be a star in this league and its marque player. Will it get him a tryout with a NFL team? He sat on the sidelines this year as no team offered him a contract. If he doesn't make it back to the NFL, he can make some money doing this. It just seems like such a small stage for a guy who had 1,078 catches for 15,934 yards and 153 TD's in 15 seasons for five different teams.

Since he is taking a drastic pay cut to play in the IFL, was he willing to play for the veteran's minimum to keep his NFL playing carer alive? No team was about to offer him a ton of money.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Here Comes Spygate Again

It looks like the Pats will always face the issue of whether there was a deliberate problem with the scoreboard at Gillette Stadium in the waning moments of the AFC Championship game.

The Baltimore Ravens are complaining that the correct down was not displayed on the board, causing their kicker Billy Kundiff to rush into the game and push his kick to the left.

There is no disagreement that the down display was incorrect, but some are saying that it was deliberate. They are also bring up Spygate again.

No matter what happens in the Super Bowl, it looks like some will try to taint it again because there is a perception that Belichick cheated again. They blame it all on him. Unfortunately, we will be forced to listen to this stuff all over again.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Bad Place For Peyton

After reading an interview with Peyton Manning, it's sad to see it coming down to this. The coaching staff has been fired, as well as the front office. Manning said he just met Ryan Grigson, the new general manager. Grigson said the final decision on Manning will be made by Colts owner Jim Irsway.

Manning is due a $28 million roster bonus in March. He is still unable to throw the football after neck surgery which sidelined him for the season.

What do you do with a franchise player who gave his heart, body and soul to the team and the community? Manning is not just any player. He has been the face of the franchise since he came on board in 1998. He is everything you could ask for in a player.

The final decision will not be easy because it will not only effect an icon, but it will have a profound impact on the team's salary cap. In the end, I think Manning will either get released or retire. It would be foolish, from a business point, to commit that much money to a player with such a precarious medical history.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Two Different Endings

There were so many great stories from the AFC Championship game yesterday. Some were not so good, especially for Billy Kundif of the Ravens. He missed a 32 yard field goal with 11seconds left which would have tied the game and sent it into overtime. Field goals are usually sure points for the most part, but in the biggest moment of his career, Kundif came up short.

He will be forever maligned by Ravens fans. All of his great career moments will be tarnished by this one play. If made the kick, the story has a different ending. Maybe the Ravens win the game in overtime.

Before this moment for Kundif, there was one for Sterling Moore. He deflected a TD pass to Ravens WR Lee Evans in the end zone which would have won the game. Evans had the ball in his arms and was trying to control it when Moore made a last effort to swat it away. Somehow, the ball fell to the ground and everything was set up for Kundif to tie the game.

Two players with two stories and such different endings. Sterling Moore can live off this play for the rest of his career. Kundif will need to keep a low profile. The game can be very cruel at times.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Some Play For the Last Time

Only four teams are left standing going into today's games. Two will have their seasons end. For some of those players, this will be the last game they ever play.

Coach Belichick always says that this year's team is different from last year's. He is right in so many ways. The 53 man roster of today is not the same as the one last year. The team today will not be the same one that opens the season next September.

This happens to every team around the league. The game is very cyclical. Players come and go because of injuries and expired contracts. Some players will be out of a job next year, in spite of their ability to keep playing.

The game can be very cruel. Many players never even get to play in a Championship game. Some never play for a wining team. The history of the league is filled with sad tales of those who never had the chance.

Life after the NFL can be a real challenge for men who have devoted their life to playing a kid's game. Some won't even realize that today is their last game. If they make it to training camp next summer, there will be some starry-eyed rookie looking to take their job away.

Very few players leave this game on their own terms.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

King of Social Media

WR Chad Ochocinco has been limited in production this season, based on the numbers. He has almost been an after-thought in the offense with 15 receptions for 276 yards and only one TD. More was expected from him after the Pats made a big splash when they traded a 2012 fifth round draft pick for him.

Things have not worked out, but he has been on the team all season. Some joke that maybe Coach Belichick has saved him for this one game or the Super Bowl. He will be their secret weapon then.

It's hard to say what his future is after 11 seasons. His numbers have been decreasing. Will he be around next year? I have my doubts.

No matter what happens, he will have a future in social media. He already has 3,149,934 followers on Twitter, with the number increasing daily.

I subscribe to his Facebook page, along with 1,973,857 others. It's amazing how many comments he gets on his posts. One of them was "hello" which got 2,846 "like" and drew 2,846 comments in a matter of hours.

If he ever had an impact on the game Sunday, he could crash the site.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Championship Weekend

Sometimes it's hard to believe that the Pats have arrived at the AFC Championship game this weekend, considering how the defense was playing earlier in the year.

The magical ride that is the Belichick & Brady Show continues to play on. You only need to see the segment of those two talking about Ed Reed during the NFL Network's "Football Life" episode about Belichick. What a pair they are together.

In 12 years with Belichick and Brady, the team has gone to the AFC Championship game six times with two Super Bowls titles and one loss. The Championship game has four wins, one loss and a game to be determined.

The success continues on. I don't know how it will end this weekend, but it's another "legacy game". One more chance to go to the Super Bowl. How will it end?

Thursday, January 19, 2012

The Impact of Head Injuries

DL Mike Wright has missed the entire season because of concussion related symptoms. His playing future is under a dark cloud. Lost in all of the excitement last week were the concussions suffered by Aaron Hernandez and Nate Solder.

Both were listed as having head injuries. Will they be cleared to play after complying with the new concussion protocols? There must be a certain degree of pressure to get these players back on the field. Both of them are key members of the offense. The role of Hernandez in the win over the Broncos cannot be minimized.

Wright stated off with one concussion and then had another. It mushroomed to a major problem. I hope the same doesn't happen for Hernandez or Solder. I'm sure they have experienced them in the past. It almost seems like it's the price for playing this game.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Not In the Studio

Just when fans thought they had enough of Tim Tebow, there comes a report that CBS offered him a spot as an in-studio analyst before Sunday's AFL Championship game. Tebow declined the offer without comment. It's obvious that CBS was trying to cash in on Tebow's popularity.

I wonder why Tebow turned down the offer. Is is because he realizes that he might have been over-exposed the last several weeks? His record was 1-4, with his only win over the Steelers.

Is he sensing a feeling of backlash from his fellow players around the league? Tom Brady must have had more than his fill of the Tebow hype. Although he never talked about it, I'm sure he had thoughts.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Peyton's Questionable Place

When Jim Caldwell of the Colts got fired today, he completed the elimination of the eight coaches who got jobs back in 2009. Three years seems to be the span of a coach if they don't get to the playoffs. Caldwell was another casualty of the ageing of Peyton Manning.

The window of opportunity is getter smaller for Manning. There is a question of whether he can pass a physical. He might not be ready in March.

Owner Jim Irsway needs to decide what he does with Manning. If he is on the roster in March, the cost will be prohibitive. It could be $28 million for a guy who might never play again.

Manning and the Colts need to come to a negotiated end. I think he should retire. He has a bad injury. He has had a great career, but the desire to play burns in him. So does the money.

The end of Manning's career in Indianapolis will be because of money. Will he end up with the Jets? I think so.

I always wonder if the same will happen to Tom Brady some day. Manning came on with this injury the last few years. It can happen to anyone. Brady wants to play until he is forty. We shall see.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Bring On the Ravens

It was a great weekend for the playoffs. I'm glad that the Baltimore Ravens are coming to Foxborough. They will give the Pats a real battle, but that's ok with me. I want them to beat the Ravens to revenge the loss two years ago at home.

I was at that game. It was over halfway through the first quarter. I'm sure Coach Belichick and Tom Brady want to get back at them for the terrible beating they took.

After that, I want to see them play the Giants in the Super Bowl. Again, it will be about revenge for a horrible loss. The undefeated team of 2007 has always been tarnished by the loss in Super Bowl XLII.

I think it would have been easier for fans if the Pats had not taken the lead in the final minutes, only to lose in a final drive by Eli Manning and great catches by David Tyree and Plaxico Burress.

I still have the lasting image of Tedy Bruschi and Junior Seau smiling on the bench and thinking the Pats would win after the touchdown pass to Randy Moss which took the lead before Eli did his thing.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

No More Tebow Talk

These past few weeks have been crazy with all of the Tim Tebow talk. As a fan, I respect his great athletic skills. I think he is an outstanding runner with the ball in his hands. He can make tacklers miss with his every move.

He seems to be a person of high morals and great character. Unfortunately, too many people and football "experts" made him into a better player than he really is.

The Pats, as a collective team, must have grown weary with hearing all of his accolades. People thought he was one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. That is just incorrect.

I think he has a future in the league. Coach Belichcik thought enough of him two years ago to bring him to Foxborough for a pre-draft meeting. I think he saw him more as a Kordell Stewart type of player.

It must have been tough for Denver fans to accept Tebow without any reservations. I wonder how QB Brady Quinn felt yesterday. During the 3rd quarter, he spent quite a bit of time warming up, but never got into the game.

The Broncos need to do a lot of analysis in the off-season to determine if Tebow is their QB of the future. I don't think he is.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

One Last Game For Blinn

Lost in all of the Tim Tebow talk is the story about a player trying to get one more game out of his career. LS David Blinn was signed by the Broncos yesterday to replace Lonnie Paxton who was ruled out for tonight's game because of a medical situation with his wife.

Blinn has been a free-agent this season after being released by the San Diego Chargers at the end of training camp. Blinn, who went undrafted in college, played 16 seasons with the Chargers. He is their all time leader in regular season games played with 256. He also has 12 playoffs games under his belt. Blinn had a 179 consecutive game streak broken during the first week of the 2010 season when he suffered a hamstring injury.

He knows there might not be a future after tonight. If tonight if the end of his NFL career, he is certainly doing it on a big stage.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Playoff Weekend

It's hard to get a take on tomorrow's Divisional Playoff game against the Broncos. On the one hand, the Pats are favored by 13, but their past playoff history scares everyone. Maybe this is a good thing.

If they lose this game, the storm of criticism and second guessing will never end. Every playoff loss around here become gigantic in scope. That's a good thing because it shows that the team is relevant to its fans, but the negative people on the talk shows will have a feast.

In a way, I think the Pats are destined to go to the Super Bowl, but first they need to put the Tim Tebow issue to bed. If the Broncos win, the Tebow hype will get out of control.

On the other hand, maybe Tebow is destined to take his message to the biggest stage of all.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

43 Years Later

On this day in 1969, QB Joe Namath lead the New York Jets to an upset win over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. Days before, Namath gave a brash prediction to the media guaranteeing a Jets victory. It proved to be very prophetic.

That weekend my have been the biggest of Namath's life. He never won another championship, but he made his way to the Hall of Fame and into history.

His poolside press conference is often viewed as an iconic moment in pre-game talk. He was able to ride that for the rest of his life. He will forever be known for Super Bowl III. Nothing will ever top that for him.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

They Are Calling-out Mark

It's rather disheartening to see the New York Jets implode in the media. Anonymous team sources are slamming QB Mark Sanchez, calling him lazy and a poor leader. Brian Schottenheimer has left. Tony Sporano comes in as Offensive Coordinator.

Having a guy like Tom Brady has spoiled fans around here. Everything goes so well. Success is always around. It wasn't always like that here. The Pats certainly had their QB controversies. Who is best to lead the team? They all went through it; Jim Plunkett, Steve Grogan, Tony Eason, Mark Wilson, Tom Ramsey, Doug Flutie, Hugh Millen, Scott Zolak, Drew Bledsoe and finally Brady. There are others I didn't mention.

In all of my years as a fan, I never saw players slamming their QB like they are with Mark Sanchez. In the past, maybe things were done in the locker room, but the controversy about the Pats QB never got this nasty in public. This is getting crazy.

Is this how they end up with Peyton Manning?

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Who Was That Guy Wearing #14?

Carolina Panther's QB Cam Newton broke the season record for rushing touchdowns by a QB with his total of 14. He broke the mark set by former Pats QB Steve Grogan during the 1976 season. Grogan's record stood for 35 years and was challenged by the likes of Randall Cunningham, Kordell Stewart and Michael Vick.

Newton broke the record during his rookie season. Grogan set his mark during his second year when he also rushed 60 times for 397 yards.

Newton is very typical of today's players. During an interview, he said he had no idea who held the record and was unfamiliar with Steve Grogan. So many players have no clue to the history of the game.

These guys don't realize that the players from the last few decades built the league into what it is today. They provided this generation of players with the ability to make huge amounts of money. It wasn't like that fro Grogan and his teammates back then.

Monday, January 9, 2012

The Last Week?

I think most fans were expecting the Pats to face the Steelers on Saturday night. We were all shocked when Tim Tebow pulled off his magic one more time. The way he did it in overtime was so dramatic.

Talk shows were buzzing how Tebow had written "John 3:16" on his face with his eye-black before the game. He ended up passing for 316 yards. That was rather coincidental.

The Steelers were hurt by Roethslisberger's ankle injury, but both teams had injury issues. Watching Tebow run with the ball makes me thing of two things: he has great skills and he will eventually get hurt real bad.That is one of the many reasons why "the experts" don't think he can be successful in the NFL as a QB.

The Pats beat Denver 41-23 a few weeks ago, but it doesn't mean anything now. The Pats had a very poor start to that game on both sides of the ball.

The team now has a one game season. It doesn't get better than this.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Waiting For Tebow Time

Today's game between the Steelers and Broncos will be the biggest of Tim Tebow's career. Much has been said and written about the comebacks he has lead this year. Many say, he can never be a NFL QB because of his throwing style.

He can put those stories to rest with a win. If he loses, we will hear the same stuff all over again. There is a lot on the line for his future with this game.

I hope the Broncos win today. I would rather see them play the Pats than the Steelers.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

The Final Game For Some

It's playoff time, my favorite time of the season. Every bit of preparation has come down to this game. Four teams will have their seasons ended. From the hot days of summer, we have come down to this.

For some, this will be the last game of their football career. Others will be on some other team next year. It's a chance for players to build a legacy. Who will step up big? Who will get hurt? All of this will be determined tonight and tomorrow night. There are some great match-ups. If the Bengals win, they play the Pats next Saturday night in Foxborough.

You never know how it will end.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Winning One For Tony

TE Tony Gonzalez of the Atlanta Falcons will be trying to achieve one goal which has eluded him throughout his outstanding career when his team plays the New York Giants on Sunday. The future Hall of Famer, who holds a slew of NFL records for tight ends, has never experienced the feeling of a playoff win.

Gonzalez, 36, might have 12 Pro Bowl selections in his 15 year career, but his team has never made it past the first round.

Prior to the 2009 season, he asked the Kansas City Chiefs to trade him. His preference was to the New York Giants where he felt his chances were best to make it to the Super Bowl.

He ended up in Atlanta where he continued his stellar play. In fact, the Falcons, signed him through the 2012 season.

Gonzalez knows that the clock is ticking away. There are not many chances left to get his ring, but first his team needs to win a game.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Making a Decision

Offensive Coordinator Bill O'Brien missed practice today because he was being interviewed for the head coaching job at Penn State. O'Brien has become a hot commodity this post-season. His sideline argument Tom Brady probably helped his standing. He is also in consideration for the job with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Most coaches aspire for the head position. About the only thing certain is that they will get fired at some point. It happened to Coach Belichick in Cleveland. It's happening now to several coaches around the league. The same coaches get recycled somewhere else

Not everyone succeeds as a head coach. Just ask Charlie Weiss, Romeo Crennal and Josh MacDaniels.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

LaDainian

The season ends very abruptly for many teams. It's over before you know it. We all thought the Jets would go to the Super Bowl, at least Rex Ryan was preaching that.

The Jets need to be much different team next year. The whole Santonio Holmes scenario will never go away unless they are prepared to eat his contract.

Lost in all of this is maybe the end of LaDainian Tomlinson's carer at the age of 33. Time has caught up to him. He squeezed out two more years with the Jets where they didn't expect a lot from him.

In the last game of the season, LT carried the rock to pass Jerome Bettis for 5th place on the NFL all time leading rushers. He has 145 TD's.

If it's over, he had a great career and is on his way to Canton, although he never won a championship. They might hold that against him in the first round ballot. It happens to a lot of players.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Forever Jason

It's too bad that the retirement of Jason Taylor went unnoticed. He played 15years in the league and never won a ring. He is the classic "boderline hall of famer" who played so well in this era, but played for lousy teams with the Miami Dolphins.

So many players talk about winning a title with a team. It doesn't happen for so many. The league is very tough to stay around and keep playing. Jason did it for 15 years. He was one of the best.

The fact that he never won a championship should not take away from his legacy, but in the end it does. Fame is defined by winning championships. Brady has done that so far, but he is getting older.

Monday, January 2, 2012

11,000+ and Counting

Offensive Linemen go through their careers with little notoriety. It's not a glamorous position, but it's very critical to the success of every team's offense.

Center Cassey Weigmann leads active OL in consecutive games started with 175. He is truly an iron man as he has not missed an offensive snap since the second game of the 2001 season. It's hard to believe that anyone could play over 11,000 snaps in the NFL without ever coming out of the game.

The 16 year veteran started on the practice squad of the Indianapolis Colts in 1996. He has spent time with five different teams, including two stints with Kansas City. He missed the playoffs again this year, but shows no signs of slowing down.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Brady Owes Them

If Tom Brady reaches the 5,000 yard passing mark he will be forever grateful to his receivers who lead the league in yards after the catch (YAC).

Going into the finale, Brady has 4,897 yards of which 2,483 have come after the reception. This has often resulted in big plays and first downs. The Saints trails the Pats with 2,295 YAC.

The Pats have three receivers among the top twenty leaders with Wes Welker 1st with 736, Rob Gronkowski 2nd (644) and Aaron Hernandez 20th (431).

This statistic can never be underestimated in its importance. Coach Belichick has often cited it as being very crucial to keeping the offense on the field.

Without his three core receivers, Brady never has a chance at 5,000 yards.