Bracing For The End

I wonder if we have seen the last of DT Ron Brace. The 2009 second round draft pick from Boston College has been a disappointment in his four years with the team. He was inactive for the last three games and only had two tackles so far this season.


To release a second round pick says a great deal of the payers in front of him. Apparently, the undrafted Justin Francis is ahead of him on the depth chart.

Brace illustrates the difficulty in draft selection. The Pats drafted 12 players in 2009. Only Sebastian Vollmer and Patrick Chung are still on the roster. It's nothing out of the ordinary. It happens on every team. The draft is very unpredictable.

Black Monday

The NFL likes to control every aspect of its operation. We are seeing that tomorrow with Black Monday. It has become the day for firing coaches. Several will face the axe tomorrow.

The NFL Network will devote special coverage to it. Speculation is rampant over who will be unemployed. For the most part, everyone will have a job if they lose tit tomorrow.

Andy Reid is rumored to land in San Diego. Their current coach, Norv Turner, will end up as a coordinator on another team. The NFL is one big coaching fraternity. They take care of each other. Former coaching opponents will now be working on the same team.

A coaching career in the NFL really means Not For Long.

Taking A Chance On Playing

The NFL tries to convince the public that they have the concussion problem under control. They have a system in place to monitor players. They have done a decent job overall, but some of the responsibility lies with the players.

If a player gets a concussion, they can still hide it from the training and coaching staffs. We saw it the other day with Jets QB Greg McElroy. He was sacked 11 times last week during his first start. He was scheduled to take the ball in the season's finale tomorrow. However, he told the training staff he was having headaches and dizzy spells while lifting weights. He has been ruled out for Sunday. Mark Sanchez will take his place.

It's easy to see why players try to hide concussions. There is no job security in the NFL. McElroy had been given the opportunity that he waited his entire life for. He finally started a game, but got hurt.

Everyone is replaceable. McElroy would have tried to play tomorrow. It wasn't going to be the best decision for his health, but I'm sure he felt pressure to take advantage of his opportunity. He knew he might not get too many more chances.

A Start For Hoyer

Former Pats QB Brian Hoyer came into the NFL in 2009 as an undrafted college player. He was released by the Pats at the end of training camp last September. He was out of the league until the Pittsburgh Steelers signed him as a third stringer when Ben Roethlisberger got hurt. He was later released and claimed three weeks ago by the Arizona Cardinals.

Last week, he appeared in relief during he 28-13 loss to the Chicago Bears. He was 11/19 for 108 yards. Apparently, it was good enough to get a start this Sunday in the season finale against San Francisco 49er's. It will mark the first start of his NFL career.

During his three years with the Pats, he appeared in a mop-up role in 13 games. This might be he break he has been looking for. There was no way he would get playing time for the Pats unless Tom Brady got hurt. He was able to learn from Brady and Coach Belichick during the last three seasons.

This is a huge game for him. He will be a free agent at the end of the season. It's a great chance to audition for other teams. I hope he has a big game.

No Tebow Time On Sunday

The New York Jets continue to implode with the Tim Tebow sideshow being part of it. Coach Rex Ryan announced that Mark Sanchez will start in Buffalo on Sunday. One game wonder Greg McElroy will miss the game with a concussion.

Where does this leave Tim Tebow? The game is meaningless with the Jets 6-9 and Buffalo at 5-10. Why don't they give Tebow a shot? His season has been a complete failure. He needs to get out of New York to save his career. He has been non-stop fodder for sports talk shows.

It's obvious that Ryan has no confidence in him. On the other hand, Ryan needs to win this game to finish at 7-9 and have a shot at saving his job. We have definitely seen the last of Ryan and Tebow together.

Ray Is Back

Ray Lewis was activated to the 53 man roster of the Baltimore Ravens after missing several games from a triceps tear. Lewis is expected to sit during Sunday's game against the Bengals.The goal is to have him available for the playoffs.

This is a miraculous comeback for the 17 year veteran. Many thought they had seen the last of Ray. His status for next year is up in the air, but he will be available for the playoffs. How well he pays remains to be determined.

Lew is definitely going season to season at this point in his career. I hope he is able to play at his former level. The NFL will have a huge void when he plays his last game

Not A Pretty Win

If you watched the post-game press conference yesterday after the Pats 23-17 over the Jacksonville, it's hard to imagine they actually won the game. The played very poorly in the first quarter. The Jaguars got over 200 yards of offense in the first 15 minutes of the game.

The Pats played well enough to have some key plays in the second half that sealed the game. The scary part is that they were playing one of the worst teams in the league, but Jacksonville didn't look the part.

If they beat Miami, they will get a first round bye as the second seed. They should be able to do it, but they need to play better or it will be a quick exist in the playoffs.

Las Vegas bookies must have been scratching their heads as the Pats failed to cover the spread of 12. You never know with the NFL week to week.

Passing On Vick

The Philadelphia Eagles are almost certain to release QB Michael Vick after the end of the season. He is due to make $15.5 million next year of which $3 million becomes guaranteed on Feb 6th. His time may have run out, especially if Coach Andy Reid Gets fired. It would also be difficult to trade him because it could not get done before March 12.

There are rumors that he could end up with the Jets. I think that would be a terrible marriage considering his past. The New York tabloids would be relentless once things go bad. He needs a team in a smaller market.

The future of the Jets for next season is up in the air. Decisions will be made after the season on the coaching staff, GM and quarterback. I don't think Vick is part of the plans.

The Annual Carousal

This time of the year starts the annual coach and executive carousal. There are at least five coaches who won't be around next year with their team. Norv Turner has already been told that his time with the Chargers is up. The same goes for Romeo Cronnel and the Chiefs. His GM, Scott Pioli, will be looking for a job.

The NFL seems to just reshuffle the deck. Coaches move to other teams as either head coaches or coordinators. Executives are wired into their own network and resurface with another team.

There is always some college coach who is the hot item. This year it's Nick Saban of Alabama and Chip Kelly with Oregon. Some team will try to lure them with tons of money and control over personnel.

In the end, teams will realign their staffs. At some point, everyone will have their chance to get fired. There are not many coaches who get to retire on their own. It usually gets forced upon them.

More Time Off

It looks like the Pats will go without Rob Gronkowski again when they travel to Jacksonville. With two games left, there is no point in playing him. They need him at 100% for the playoffs. They don't need a repeat of last year when he was ineffective in the Super Bowl because of his high ankle sprain.

The Pats could still get a first round bye, but there are many scenarios that need to fall in place. They need to play well against Jacksonville and Miami. Once the playoffs start, it's a whole new season. They need everyone healthy. There is no point in rushing Gronk back.

The Storm Begins

The New York Jets have dug themselves into a hole they might never get out of. Last spring, they gave QB Mark Sanchez a contract extension with guaranteed money. They are on the hook for $8.25 million next season. No team will want to trade for him unless the Jets are willing to eat most of his salary. If they cut him, they still owe him the cash. They will also take a huge hit on their salary cap.

QB Tim Tebow is expected to ask for a trade or be released after the season. His experiment has been a total disaster. Meanwhile, Coach Ryan bypassed him and named Greg McElroy as the starter on Sunday against the Chargers.

The New York tabloids have been relentless with their criticism for Ryan and GM Mike Tannenbaum. It's going to interesting to see who is left standing if owner Woody Johnson decides to clean house. Sanchez has not played well, but he is being skewered without mercy by the media. It's going to get worse.

The Hypothetical Game

During Coach Belichick's press conference today a few reporters had to bring up the hypothetical situation of playoff match-ups. It's always a waste of time trying to get the Coach to talk about it. I feel the same way.

The Pats are in the playoffs. They can get a first round bye under a few extraordinary scenarios. Who they play will be determined by the next two weeks. It's the same for all teams.

Reporters and talks shows get into this because it's part of their job. I find it boring at times. There's only so much you can say about it.

Coach Belichick and Tom Brady continue the same mantra of going out and playing the games to win them. There is nothing else anyone can say at this point.

Hearing About It Forever

The worst thing about the loss to the 49er's the other night was the call on 4th down late in the fourth quarter. It didn't work out and the Pats surrendered the ball. One play does not win or lose a game.

Unfortunately, we will now talk about this for years to come. One local sports talk show will not move on from the 4th down play against the Colts in 2009. The Pats didn't convert and lost the game.

If a play works, it's a great decision. When they don't and the team loses, we end up hearing about it forever. There are those who are always trying to find fault with something that Coach Belichick does. They now have another thing to hang onto.

Maybe The Final Night

There is still over 7 minutes remaining in the game with the Jets and Titans. The playoffs are on the line for the Jets. Sanchez has turned the ball over. Tebow came in for a series, but didn't do anything.

The Jets are trailing 7-3. The season is now or never. So much depends on this game for the future of Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez. I have some doubt of their ability to win the game. We shall see.

The College Money Machine

Big time college football lives up to its name because of the money involved. It's a serious business at many schools. The University of Texas had a profit of $71.2 million after expenses. Penn State was 2nd with $53.2 million. The are 42 coaches making over $2 million annually, with Alabama's Nick Saban leading the way with $5.5 million.

It's easy to see why there are violations with recruitment and academics. Alumnae want their schools to do well. There are buckets of money to be had. The student athletes never see any of it unless it's illegal and under the table. Many end up without a degree. Meanwhile, the schools keep making the money.

All-American Hype.

I don't follow college football that much. It's hard enough to keep up with the NFL. When the All-American teams were named this week, I didn't recognize too many players. Alabama had six on the first three teams. They will probably all get drafted in the spring.

The NFL Scouting Combine often gives me the greatest exposure to the college players. Being All-American doesn't guarantee success in the NFL. It might get the players selected earlier, but it doesn't mean that much.

There will be players in the league next year who didn't get drafted or invited to the Scouting Combine. It happens every year.

Bowling In The Future

Tomorrow starts the first of 35 college bowl games and finishing with the BCS Championship on Jan 7th. ESPN owns the entire television schedule except for the Capital One and Cotton Bowls.There is something for everyone who follows the college game, but I don't really follow this.

In the future, my goal is to see UMass in one of these games It might take a few years, but if you can get a 7-5 record, you might get an invitation to some obscure game. I have no problem with that as long as the school gets on the national stage.

More Games For More Money

The NFL is considering expanding the playoff system from the current 12 teams to either 14 or 16. This was discussed at the quarterly owner's meeting this week. The Commissioner addressed the issue publicly.

The league says they want to do it to increase the competitiveness of the season. So many teams still have a shot at a Wild Card spot going into Week 15. More teams in the tournament would keep teams fighting to the very end of the season rather than be out of it earlier.

I don't support it. It's really all about the money with more games on television. I don't want to turn the playoffs into the NHL where almost every team makes it.

Stallworth Stalls Out

It's difficult to understand every roster move made by the Pats. It's always "done in the best interest of the team". Everyone was shocked when they released WR Donte Stallworth after one game.

He had a huge 63 yard TD catch from Tom Brady in the 3rd quarter of the 42-14 win against the Texans. He showed great speed and moves as he ran for the score. Now we hear that he is out for the year with an ankle injury. Is this a phantom injury? It's hard to believe with only Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd and Matthew Slater on the WR depth chart. Reports indicate that the team might sign Deion Branch again.

The release of Stallworth has many wondering what happened. It's one of those things we will never know. Stallworth gets paid for the rest of the regular season. Not bad for one game. Unfortunately, his career has been on the downward side since his arrest and conviction for vehicular homicide. He was cut by the Pats at the end of training camp. He failed to catch on with any other team. It took him until week 14 to get another job. It remains to be seen if this is the end of the line for him.

A Cautious Outlook

The Pats played a great game last night during their 42-14 of the Houston Texans. It was their best game of the year. They did it without Rob Gronkowski and with only three catches by Wes Welker. The defense cam up huge.

Now, it's onto the San Francisco 49er's on Sunday night. Another big game on the national stage. They need to keep their momentum going and not let up with their last two games with Jacksonville and Miami.

It's hard to feel overconfident because of their two losses in their recent Super Bowl appearances. We can't forget the loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the 2009 playoffs and the Jets in 2010. Brady said he played lousy in some of the 2011 playoff games. There is potential for a letdown.

It looks like they have a great chance to go deep into the playoffs. It's a long journey to the Super Bowl. They need to win that game, especially if it's against the New York Giants.Losing to them three times would be devastating to Belichick and Brady's legacy.

No Indication

I always thought the Heisman Trophy was a farce. The award always goes to the best college quarterback or running back. They never consider defensive players. Charles Woodson was the last one to win it in 1997.

QB Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M beat the other finalists including Notre Dame LB Manti Te'o. Manziel is a red-shirted freshman who has three years of eligibility remaining. Will he leave school early for the NFL draft?

Winning the Heisman has proven to be a curse for may recipients. The list is long of those who never had much of a career in the NFL. Meanwhile, Te'o is considered one of the top players in the 2013 NFL draft.

The award is a great honor to win. However, it's not an indicator of future success in the NFL.

It Looks So Cold

The Detroit Lions are playing the Packers tonight in Green Bay with rain and snow. The field is so wet and cold. It must be awful to fall down in that frigid water. The worst part is going in at half time and coming out after. I don't know how they stay warm.

It's even worse for the fans to sit through a rain storm and 40 degrees. They would be much better off if it was 20 degrees colder and snowing. They would all stay warmer.

Naturally, none of the players are wearing long sleeves.

4th & 15

Coach Belichick is on record for saying the NFL wants to eliminate the kickoff play. The issue of player safety has been a big focal point. The kickoff causes many injuries and concussions because of the speed and violent collisions.The Competition Committee has come up with a very radical proposal that would really change the game.

When a team scores on a FG or TD, the offense keeps the ball and it's placed on their own 30 yard line. It's now 4th and 15. You either convert or punt.

It opens a new strategy in the game by giving the offense another chance to score. Failure to convert on 4th and 15 puts your defense in a bind.

I really like this idea. I hope they at least try it during a preseason game. The league seems intent on eliminating the kickoff. I love the play, but too many players get hurt.

Miami Whine

Several players from the Miami Dolphins embarrassed themselves and their team by complaining about the way the Pats played the game in the 4th quarter last Sunday.

Tom Brady lead a drive of 7:18 that resulted in a field goal that put the game out of reach.They complained that the Pats ran the ball ten times with Steven Ridley and once with Shane Vereen. The Dolphins were unable to stop them. Apparently, the Pats were suppose to mix up their offense and not run the same play continuously. Some of the Dolphin players felt disrespected.

It takes a lot of nerve for them to say something like this. Their responsibility was to stop the Pats by having them either turn the ball over or punt. For them to complain is ludicrous and makes them look like poor losers.

On His Mark

Rex Ryan has put all of his chips on Mark Sanchez. He is betting his coaching future on a quarterback that the fans want to run out of town. When the Jets travel to Jacksonville, they know they need to win the game to keep their 5-7 season alive.

If the Jets can run the table and finish 9-7, Ryan will survive to coach for another season. The Jets need to get off to a great start on Sunday. They can't afford to have another week of sluggish offense.

Ryan keeps saying that Mark is his guy. He loyalty is admirable, but when the ship is sinking, everyone needs to take a look at where they are. Ryan is either the ultimate gambler or a total fool that didn't know when to make a change.

Jet fans are holding their breath, but will demand someone's head with another loss.

Not Finishing The Season

The season is over for Julian Edelman after he suffered a broken bone in his foot is last week's game. As usual, someone will take his place and the team will move on.

Edelman was having a breakout season, although he missed several games. Injuries have always been a knock on him. He has been unable to keep himself on the field. He was seen as a possible replacement for Wes Welker after this season.

The Pats can franchise Welker again, but it will cost them $11.5 million. Are they willing to commit that much money to one player? Edleman was seen as a cheaper alternative,although his contract is done after this season.

Where does this leave the Pats with Edeleman? I'm sure they will sign him, but he has never been able to play a full season. Meanwhile, Welker just keeps catching balls thrown to him. He has only missed a few games in his career. They are two different players, each with a unique skill set. The team would be better off with both of them.

Keep Drinking It Up

The New York Jets continue to dominate the tabloids with their inept play and bad decision making by Coach Rex Ryan. During yesterday's press conference, Ryan boasted that he had three quarterbacks that he was confident with. I'm glad he is because the fans don't feel the same way.

A New York Post poll of 38,000 readers gave the nod to McElroy with 57%. Tebow and his broken ribs had 38% and Sanchez got only 5%.

The Jets are on the hook next year for $8.25 million because of Sanchez. Writers are saying that Ryan's QB selection for Sunday is the biggest of his career. Meanwhile, he dithers and tries to convince everyone that he has three NFL starting quarterbacks.

Rex was last seen filling everyone's glass with more Kool-Aid.

Rex and Mark Walk The Line

Tim Tebow fans were waiting all season for Mark Sanchez to get the hook. When it finally happened yesterday, Greg McElroy was the one who got the call because Tebow is still nursing a rib injury.

It was a shock to see Sanchez get pulled with the team losing 6-0 in the third quarter. McElroy brought the team down the field for a touchdown which proved to be the wining score.

The fans went wild in their celebration. Rex Ryan now has a quarterback controversy on his hands. He has refused to name a starter for the game next Sunday. The team is now 4-8 and on life support. There were over 20,000 empty seats in Met Life stadium for the fiasco yesterday. Fans are demanding a change.

Sanchez and Ryan are bound together. One of them won't be there next season.

Taking A Win

The Pats had their hat and t-shirt day in Miami after their 23-16 win. It wasn't a pretty game, but they did enough to beat the Dolphins. Coach Belichick will take any win in the NFL. That has been his mantra when asked by the media.

Winning the Eastern Division has become a forgone conclusion when it comes to goals for the team. It gets them into the playoffs with four weeks to go. They are facing tough national night games with Houston and San Francisco.

They need to keep playing better as the regular season winds down. The young players on the team can't become complacent after clinching a trip to the playoffs.

It's all about getting to the final game.

Bart Being Bart

Fans of the New York Jets have no problem expressing their anger about the team. Thousands of them are boycotting the game against the Arizona Cardinals. They showed no mercy last week when the team was making it's way to the locker room during the halftime of their game with the Pats.

The loud booing caught the attention of  the players, especially LB Bart Scott. He said the fans who booed were probably picked last for dodge ball at recess. He's probably right on that, but also pouring gasoline on the fire.

Jet fans are in a crisis mode. The season is on life support. The coach is still saying things he can't back up. Players seem to have a free reign in saying anything they want, but they are only alienating the fans. Instead of winning or losing together, the team and the fans have split.