Thursday, December 31, 2015

Why Leave Alabama?



Coach Nick Saban of Alabama has a chance to get to the BCS finals if his team beats Michigan State tonight in the Cotton Bowl. Another national championship would be his fourth in nine years with the Crimson Tide.

He has the perfect deal with Alabama. He gets paid a ton of money with many side benefits and is almost king in his state. Why would he leave to go back to the NFL where he got fired by the Miami Dolphins?

Last night, a talk show host insisted that Saban will test the waters. He might do that, but at this point in his career, it would be pointless to leave this gig unless he became totally bored.

It's not a crime that he didn't succeed in the NFL. He found his niche at the college level. I can't imagine Bill Belichick coaching a college team.

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Injuries Could Rule


I think it's important for the Pats to have home filed advantage throughout the playoffs. They can ensure it with a victory in Miami on Sunday. Many fans are already giving the team a win over the Dolphins. This is the worst thing they could do.

The Pats will have a bye, but they are limping into the playoffs with all of their injuries. They can't lose too many more players without it having an impact on how the season ends.

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Some Are Out


As the season winds down, some players don't even know that they will be playing the last game of their career. For whatever reason, they will not be on a team next season. They will have some time to think about their future before they realize it's over.

At this time next week, there will be several head coaches without a job. It will also impact their staffs. Some will never get a head coaching job again. Others will get recycled to other teams.

This happens every year at this time.

Monday, December 28, 2015

Peyton's Allegations


It looks like Peyton Manning will be the latest victim of allegations that can't be substantiated in light of the recent Al Jazeera story about his use of HGH back in 2011.

Sources for the story are already backing off on their comments. It doesn't matter at this point. It's out there for people to make their own judgment about it.

This will follow him for the rest of his life, just like Deflategate with Tom Brady.

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Decided To Kick


The Pats and Jets went into overtime tied at 20. They won the coin toss and elected to kick. The Jets drove the field, scoring a touchdown and winning the game 26-20.

We will now be forced to listen to the second-guessers who will beat this into the ground over the next week.

The decision was made by Coach Belichick. The defense didn't get the job done. The team lost the game. There is nothing else to say, but many won't give it up.

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Someone Needs To Play


With a win over the Jets tomorrow, the Pats can clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs. They already have a first round bye.

If they accomplish this feat, what will they do next week against the Dolphins? Fans talk about players getting rested and not playing. They could sit Brady and Gronk, but how many can they really spare?

Someone needs to play on special teams and serve as a backup. Other players are injured. They could use the time to recuperate.

It's all about managing the roster according to Coach Belichick.

Friday, December 25, 2015

Jackson's Last Ride


It remains to be seen what type of impact Steven Jackson will have on the Pats. He has not played in over a year and was out of the game until this opportunity.

If he never plays after this year, this final run should be a magical ride. During his stellar twelve year career, he only appeared in one playoff game.

It would be awesome if he could cap it off with a Super Bowl ring.

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Odell's Woe


It would have been outrageous if the NFL overturned the one game suspension of Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. His behavior was bad for the image of NFL.

He issued an apology that covered all the bases. It was probably written by his agent, but sounded so meaningless.

Will this be the last we hear about Beckham's diva style behavior? He will return for one more game in the season finale.

Meanwhile, his team is putting their playoff hopes on the line Sunday night against the Vikings. He picked a good time to engage in selfish behavior. He will be no help to his team when it really matters.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Some Get Bypassed


Every year at this time, we see the controversy of the selections to the NFL Pro Bowl. The Pats placed seven on the team. It's a great honor for anyone.

Many worthy players were bypassed. It's like that all the time. The teams with the best records have the most players selected.

I don't know how they should be chosen. Unfortunately, it might hurt some of them down the road when their name is given consideration for enshrinement into the Hall of Fame.

Super Bowl wins matter, but Pro Bowl and individual honors make a difference for some.

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

The Last Stand of Steven Jackson


The Pats finally got another running back when they signed Steven Jackson to a minimum salary contract for the rest of the season. Jackson has been without a team this year, in spite of a stellar career.

At the age of 32, he had been tossed aside until this opportunity came by. It remains to be seen how much he has left in the tank. Why wasn't he signed previously? His connection to Josh MacDaniels certainly helped.

He was the 24th pick by the St Louis Rams in the 2004 draft. He had eight consecutive seasons where he rushed for over 1,000 years before the team cut ties with him at the end of 2012. He hung on with the Atlanta Falcons during the last two years.

Jackson ranks 17th on the all-time rushing list with 11,388 yards. He is just another example of what happens in the NFL when a player gets older. Jackson was pushed to the curbside before the Pats gave him one final chance.

Monday, December 21, 2015

Beckham At His Worst


Odell Beckham Jr disgraced himself yesterday during the Giants loss to Carolina. His selfish behavior put his team on the brink of elimination from the playoffs.

His three offensive pass interference penalties against CB Josh Norman should have resulted his ejection. He was given a one game suspension, but the NFL must take a hard look at this game. The referees let it get out of control. Their conduct should also be examined.

Norman and Beckham went beyond the point of competition. They made the league look out of control in a nationally televised game.

Beckham is a young and brilliant talent, but his selfish behavior after plays has hurt his team on numerous occasions.

Coach Tom Coughlin did nothing to stop this. Beckham won't be his problem next season as he will probably get fired.

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Wrong Again Rex


Barring a miracle, the Buffalo Bills will miss the playoffs for the 16th consecutive season after their 35-25 loss to the Washington Redskins. The Bills need to win their final two and have a host of miracles from other teams.

DE Mario Williams missed a team meeting this week and voiced his concern about how he was being used in Rex Ryan's defense. His future with the team is in doubt.

Rex should survive this train wreck and be around in 2016, but the team needs to win to secure his future in Buffalo.

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Monday Afternoon Football


ESPN is broadcasting almost all of the college bowl games. They know better than to go up against the NFL on Sundays or Mondays. For the rest of the schedule, they avoid them. The only Monday games are in the afternoon.

The Miami Beach Bowl features Western Kentucky and Air Force on Monday at 2:30pm. Their competition will be game shows and soap operas. They must draw enough viewers to justify doing it.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Trumping Brady


Tom Brady abruptly ended his press conference the other day when a reporter asked him about his friendship with Donald Trump. Why did he feel the need to bring this up? It has nothing to do with football. Brady is entitled to his own opinion on anything.

This was not the first time for this question. It didn't surprise me. Some of them ask the most ridiculous questions. It never changes.

Thursday, December 17, 2015

They Want You To Build It


While I was watching Tampa Bay and St Louis on TNF, the announcer mentioned that it might be the last home game for the Rams. They will probably be one of three teams requesting a relocation to the Los Angeles area.

The only option for the city of St Louis is to publicly fund a $400 million stadium. That would be the worst thing they could ever do. I am strongly opposed to using taxpayer dollars to build stadiums for professional sports teams.

It would be horrible for the fans if they lose their team. The same could happen to Charger and Raider fans if they move.

The NFL wants at least one team in the LA area because they are the second largest television market in America. It's always about the money.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

The NFL Covers


The NFL is always ahead of the curve when it comes to squeezing the last dollar. There are five college bowl games on Saturday, Dec 19th, but only one in prime time.

As a result, they will broadcast Tampa Bay at St Louis on the NFL Network during the evening.

On Christmas Eve, their only competition is the Hawaii Bowl at 8pm. Again, the NFL Network will have the Chargers and the Raiders at 8:25pm. Fans on the west coast will get home at a reasonable time.

It might inconvenience fans, but it's a few more dollars in the coffers.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

More on IR


It seems like the Pats lose a player every week to injury. This week, RB LeGarette Blount and DL Dominic Easley were put on season-ending IR after being injured in the team's win over Houston.

Coach Belichick always talks about the next man up and creating specific game plans weekly. This will be tested for the rest of the season.

Monday, December 14, 2015

Brian's Head


Last week at one of his press conferences, Tom Brady was asked if he had ever suffered a concussion. He paused for a long moment and said that he didn't want to get into a discussion about it.

During yesterday's game against the Texans, QB Brian Hoyer left the game after hanging his head very hard on the ground during a sack. He had another concussion earlier this season.

A good concussion safety program needs the help of the players through self-reporting. With jobs one the line, many players are reluctant to admit to having one

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Andy's Time


Rob Gronkowski will play tonight against the Texans. Gronk and the medical staff must be on the same page. I hope things work out. Any loss of Gronk in the playoffs would dim their chances of advancement.

The playoff hopes of the Bengals took a hit today when QB Andy Dalton suffered a broken thumb. In all likelihood, he will be placed on IR.

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Time For Bowling


Fans of college bowl games will get their fill over the next few weeks when the first of 40 BCS contests kicks off December 19th. It will culminate with the BCS Championship game on January 11th.

Many of the games won't look pretty. Of the 128 teams playing Division 1A, 80 will be in the post-season. As a result, there will be many teams with 7-5 and 6-6 records. They are needed to fill the schedule.

In spite of all the criticism, it comes to money for the schools. ESPN will broadcast all but five of the games. They wouldn't be doing it if they were losing money. The schools like the paycheck too.

It's a win for all.

Friday, December 11, 2015

Gronk Can Watch


There is talk about a possible third consecutive loss for the Pats when they play the Houston Texans on Sunday night.

The Pats need the best effort from those who get on the field. The team would be foolish to put Gronk on the game day roster. They need him too much in the playoffs.

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Days of Ryan


Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is looking for his first playoff game in his 11 year career. It has been an improbable journey for a player from Harvard.

He was drafted in 2005 by the Rams in the 7th round, the 250th player selected. He made stops with the Bengals, Bills, Titans and Texans before he was traded to the Jets.

No matter what happens, he should stick around in the league for a few more years barring injuries. He is just one of so many players who have great careers, but never make it to the playoffs.

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

The Call That Ended It


The buzzards are circling over the career of Coach Tom Coughlin. The Giants coach of 12 seasons, with two Super Bowl wins over the Pats, is fighting for survival as his team is on the brink of missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

The New York Post ran a feature story about his possible replacements. It's never good when the media does that because they are usually correct.

Many things have gone wrong for Coughlin in recent years. If he gets fired, he should look back to his game last Sunday against the Jets when he decided to go on a fourth-and two at the Jets 4-yard line, with a 20-10 lead and 8:50 left in the game.

His decision resulted in Eli Manning throwing an interception, leading to a score and the eventual 23-20 loss in overtime.

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Witten's Head


Last night, TE Jason Witten of the Dallas Cowboys had his 1,000th career reception. He became the 16th player to do this, but only the second TE.

He is never referred to as a future Hall of Famer. This is probably because he has never played in the NFC Championship game during his 13 year career. Winning titles makes a big difference when it comes to entry into Canton.

Witten's 999th reception resulted in a huge shot to his head. He went to the sidelines where he brushed off the training staff who wanted to examine him for a concussion.

He went back into the game and got his milestone catch. Did he suffer a concussion?

Monday, December 7, 2015

Down To Four


Fans of the Pats woke up today and saw their team as the #3 seed in the AFC. To make it worse, they wouldn't get a bye if the season ended today.

A lot can happen over the next four games. They need to go at least 3-1. None of the games will be easy. Fans and the experts need to realize that.

Sunday, December 6, 2015

People Will Always Panic


So much has changed in one week for Pats fans. They went from an undefeated 10-0 team to one that is 10-2, with a two game losing streak.

This will set Boston sports talk radio into a frenzy this week. The Doomsday people are ready to stir the cauldron.

There is no doubt that Tom Brady makes bad decisions at times. He admits it, but his overall performance makes that stuff go away.

They are the #3 seed after tonight in the AFC. There are four games left in the season. A lot can happen.

Saturday, December 5, 2015

All In New York


Fans of the New York Jets and Giants don't get to see their team face each other very often during the regular season. Tomorrow will be their 13th game since 1970, with the Giants holding an 8-4 advantage.

The game will be huge for the playoff hopes for both teams. The 5-6 Giants share the lead in the dreadful NFC East, while the 6-5 Jets are looking for a Wild Card.

Coach Tom Coughlin needs to win this game to keep his job. Since beating the Pats in Super Bowl XLVI, his record is 27-32. Missing the playoffs four straight years would seal his fate.

The Jets continue to be the "No Ring Circus", but are better this year.

Friday, December 4, 2015

Playoff Hopes


Some of the experts don't realize that the 5-7 Philadelphia Eagles must win this weekend or their playoff hopes are over. On the other hand, maybe 8-8 can win the NFC East title.

The Pats are favored by 9 1/2, with an over/under of 49. I don't think it will be an easy game. Key players are missing.

So many teams have a make or break game this weekend.

Thursday, December 3, 2015

The Annual Firing



It looks like the fans of the 5-6 New York Giants will be forced to watch the 4th annual possible firing of Coach Tom Coughlin. This time, co-owner Steve Tisch has put GM Jerry Reese and Coughlin on a very short leash. It's either make the playoffs or get fired.

The Giants have floundered over the last four seasons since beating the Pats in Super Bowl XLVI. Missing the playoffs after the last three seasons isn't good for job security.

Coughlin is always mentioned as a Hall of Fame coach because he won two Super Bowls by beating Bill Belichick. He always seems to be one step away form getting fired. It was like that in 2007 when they spoiled the Pats unbeaten season by winning Super Bowl XLII.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Harper's Ending


We heard great things about WR Chris Harper during the preseason. He got the call to the 53 man roster for the Denver game.

His muffed punt the other night, which lead to a score by the Broncos, sealed his fate with the team. He was released by the Pats the next day.

Coach Belichick has always preached about doing your job. Harper failed to do his. Belichick has also said that whoever carries the ball has the fate of the team in their hands.

It didn't work out for Harper.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Resting Gronk


The Pats have a wall of silence when it comes to injuries. Fans never know the extent of any.

It was different today when the team and the family of Rob Gronkowski issued a joint statement about his recent knee injury.

There is no timetable for his return. They want to avoid the fiasco when he broke his arm. He returned too soon, only to get hurt again.

If the Pats don't have Gronk for the playoffs, they are in deep trouble. They can get by without him for the rest of the regular season, if necessary.