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Pats vs Ravens
Man if you would have told me that the Pats would have gone down without barely a fight, I wouldn't have believed you. I really wouldn't have believed you if you said that Brady wouldn't show up and would have betted you on that. But it is true. The Baltimore Ravens started out this decade with a stunning, start-to-finish beating. Brady had been 7-0 in postseason games at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots were 8-0 there during the regular season. None of that matter on Sunday as Brady threw three interceptions and gained less than 200 yards passing for the fourth time in his last five games. I mean if we were playing Madden, it would have been a skunk after the score was 24-0 in the 1st. The Ravens were led by Baltimore's running trio of Rice, Willis McGahee and Le'Ron McClain who overpowered defenders for 234 yards. Of that, 159 of it was by Rice. That sad because he almost out-gained Patriots 196 yards of total offense. Randy Moss was nowhere to be found but the only good thing that came out of the game was Wes Welker's replacement, rookie Julian Edelman, who caught two touchdown passes. Next week the Ravens will line up against the ''undefeated'' Colts. Should make for an interesting game.
Packers vs Cards
This was by FAR the best of game of wildcard weekend. First off I want to give Kurt Warner some credit. He doesn't get enough because he isn't Favre but this man went 29 of 33 for 379 and five touchdowns, without a single turnover. It was one of the wildest playoff games the NFL has seen - there were more than 1,000 yards of offense and just two punts It started as if it would be a blow out as the Cards went up 17-0 but it turned out to be a good game. It even went into overtime and I knew for sure that the Packers would pull it out but Rodgers got sacked, lost the ball and watched helplessly as linebacker Karlos Dansby returned it. Nobody will remember how he led them back though after they were down 31-10. Nobody will remember his 422 yards and the four touchdowns he threw. But everybody will remember the fumble and the lost 51-45 in overtime. I hope this doesn't hurt his rep because obviously the Packers have something good going on over there if they can keep building around him. It was just one of those wildest playoff games the NFL has seen. There were more than 1,000 yards of offense and just two punts between the two teams. What is funny is the Cards ran that same blitz earlier in the game but Rogers avoided it but he wasn't so lucky this time. Some fans wanted a face-mask penalty on thee play which clearly it was but the Packers aren't going to do that. They will just wonder how they let one get away. I was upset that Woodson didn't step up though. He was having a good season and to let it end on that note. Next up for the Cards will be the ''N'orleans''.
Playoff Matchup #1
I am surprised at the first game. Not at the lost but at how the Bengals lost.For the second straight week, Darrelle Revis and the Jets silenced Ochocinco. He had two catches for 28 yards in the Bengals’ 24-14 loss. Ochocinco did not record his first catch the fourth quarter. Revis said he saw Ochocinco getting frustrated as the game went on. Except for Cedric Benson (who rushed for 160+), the Bengals’ offense sputtered all day. Palmer looked awful, overthrowing and underthrowing receivers. I mean he was missing wide-open receivers and then they want to drop passes when he did get it to them. Then you have kicker who wants to miss two field goals. But the game wasn't lost by the Bengals the Jets just played equal as good. Mark Sanchez played nothing like a rookie. He played way beyond his 23 years. Then on top of that, rookie Shonn Greene,had a dynamic 21 carries for 135 yards. Yeah the Jets looked good but the choice next week is either the Chargers, who have won 11 in a row, or the Colts, who have won the last 23 of the last 24 games they’ve played in which they actually tried to win. Should be interesting though. If Sanchez keep playing mistake free, the defense will come to play.
Playoff Game #2
Who would have ever thought that Felix Jones would come on strong at the right time. Jones ran for 148 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown. Jones' 148 yards were the third most for a playoff game in team history. Even if you would have told me that the Cowboys would have dominated I wouldn't believe you. I mean I thought the Eagles were coming to play. At least McNabb and his dancing during pregame. But fact there is no NFC team looking more dangerous than the Cowboys right now. Four consecutive wins. Three over playoff teams. And most impressive, they seem to be getting better. For the Eagles, it’s another painful way to end a season in which many NFL experts had them going to and winning the Super Bowl. The Eagles were pounded by the Cowboys defense. The only bright moment of the game was when Michael Vick threw a perfect strike to Jeremy Maclin where he broke free for a 76-yard score to tie the game at 7. Other than that it was all she wrote. Now the Eagles have to figure out if they want to bring Vick back now.
Tim Tebow will not shun the Senior Bowl like many high-profile quarterbacks, according to an ESPN.com report. ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports that Tebow will play in this year’s Under Armour Senior Bowl in the last week of January in Mobile, Ala. Tebow is expected to play quarterback for the South team, according to the report. Of course this is a good move for him beacuse why else would he turn down an opportunity to show the NFL he can become a QB. Tebow has received a wide range of evaluations for his potential as an NFL quarterback. Even though many personnel men have told ESPN he will struggle in the league if he plays quarterback, at least a half-dozen general managers or coaches say he not only will be successful as a pro quarterback, but also likely to be chosen in the first round. We will see but I do not seeing a lot of teams needing a quarterback in the first round. And if they do the there is only 2 or 3 teams.
Texas All-America safety Earl Thomas is leaving school after his sophomore season to enter the NFL Draft. Thomas announced his decision Friday night, nearly 24 hours after Texas lost to Alabama 37-21 in the BCS championship game. Thomas, a Thorpe Award finalist, set a Texas record with eight interceptions this season. Some people felt he was the best defensive backs in the nation. Not to me though. I feel that Thomas isn't as physically gifted as either Eric Berry of Tennessee or USC’s Taylor Mays. Both figure to be picked ahead of Thomas . So him leaving to me is a shocker but I guess a lot of people are going to the draft not just juniors. "It was a tough decision because we’re like brothers here," Thomas said in a statement released by Texas. "The last two years the team has done great. We got to play in a lot of big-time games, won a Big 12 championship and just got done playing for the national championship. I think all of those experiences have helped prepare me for the next level." Thomas is coming off one of the best seasons for a Texas defensive back.
Former Auburn coach and one that I respect, Tommy Tuberville has been named head coach of Texas Tech (from a source of course). Tuberville will be introduced in a press conference on Sunday. It is reported that he will receive a five-year contract for just less than $2 million a year. Leach was scheduled to make $2.5 million next season before being fired a week ago. Texas Tech interviewed only Tuberville and Tech defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill and had phone interviews with Arizona offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes and Baylor head coach Art Briles. There’s no word on whether Tuberville will keep McNeill or retain anyone else from Leach’s staff. I wanted good ol Ruffin McNeill to be the head coach, sorta like what West Virginia did for Bill Stewart. I still think it is a good pick up though don't get me wrong. It will be interesting to see what offense they will run in the Big 12 now. If he will bring his running attack to a throwing conference and how it will translate.
I can't argue with who is the MVP just thought it would be somebody different (Chris Johnson). Peyton Manning added to his growing and historic resume today by claiming a record-setting fourth NFL Most Valuable Player Award.Only one other player, Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre, has been honored three times by the AP. He led the Colts to an undefeated season (at 14-0, and no I do not count those last two). Manning finished the season with 4,500 yards and 33 touchdowns, the second-highest totals in his 12-year career, and broke his own club records with 393 completions and a 68.8 completion percentage. Manning received 39 1/2 of 50 votes and Saints quarterback Drew Brees was second with 7 1/2 votes. I just can't believe that the fact that CJ didn't receive one single vote blows my mind. Maybe when the Offensive Player of the Year which is named next week comes out he will get that. Never the less, congrats to Peyton Manning.
We all know I am not a big fan of Brandon Jennings like that but he has discovered the same thing Derrick Rose did last season - start fast as a rookie and opponents will quickly turn up the defense. Jennings was sensational in November, averaging 22.1 points and shooting 42 percent from the field. He exploded for 55 points against Golden State in his seventh NBA game. December was a different story, as Jennings' scoring dropped to 16.7 points and he shot 37.6 percent. "I think a lot of people expect me to score a lot now, but that's not really my game," Jennings said recently in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Actually, I'm a better passer than I am a scorer, and a lot of people don't know that yet. I'm not going to be able to put up big numbers every night. I've got to find another way to help the team win."
T-Mac is another week closer to returning to the floor but not for the Rockets but as a starter in the All-Star Game. In the latest voting update, McGrady remained second among Western Conference guards behind only the Lakers' Kobe Bryant. McGrady said last month that he would not participate unless he was playing at an All-Star level at the time of the Feb 14 game. Some people aren't feeling the whole thing but I am. I mean the Rockets are doing this guy wrong. If I was Tracy I would soak every bit of this up and go out there and put on a show just for next season. Obviously, the Rockets aren't going to play you. I mean even if they were in Game 7 of the NBA Finals he wouldn't play. That is how bad they have gotten towards him. So Tracy from a supporter of you man, it might not be right but last time I check the fans vote and the what the fans want, they get.
I feel bad for Darko. I think everything is finally hitting him and it sucks. I mean to the everyday NBA observer, we all know that Darko Milicic was a terrible pick but now even he is admitting it. The Pistons took Milicic second overall in 2003 -- after LeBron James -- and missed the opportunity to take Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh or Dwyane Wade (who are all superstars and doing quite well. Milicic was asked by SLAM magazine if he gets upset when it is suggested the Pistons wasted their No. 2 pick on him. "They did," Milicic told the magazine. "They did waste a pick. Why did they take me? Who knows if I really had a chance to play like these players that play like Dwyane Wade or Carmelo. Those guys are incredible players." "For me, being a second pick, I don't get why they didn't play me at all," Milicic told SLAM. "Why did they take me? You should take someone that they really think was gonna play right away because just taking someone to sit on the bench, you waste a pick and you waste the guy's time. "You wasted my time for three years not playing so you (explicit) up a player and you (explicit) up yourself, and I just didn't get it. I guess they thought they were gonna be champions forever."
Wow some very strong words from this guy. I mean he even dropped the F-bomb but that is what frustration can do to you. Nobody will never know what the Pistons were thinking when they drafted him. I mean at worse if they didn't want a player for the future they could have traded down for something but to get Darko. Wow! Milicic was on the bench in Detroit for three seasons before Joe Dumars gave up on his failed pick and traded Milicic to Orlando. Milicic also has been with Memphis and the Knicks, and recently said this season would be his last in the NBA.
I think Pete knows that USC is about to get into some legit trouble so he is doing like former coaches and players have done and is leaving. Coach Pete Carroll was close to reaching an agreement with the Seattle Seahawks. That would deliver yet another blow to the university's besieged athletic program. Carroll has been offered the job of both coach and president at an annual salary of $7 million for five years, according to a source close to the negotiations. Some people are like Pete wouldn't leave but why not? He has dominated the college football scene for a minute now and USC is down a little bit. Coaches have a sense of how teams are looking for the future and evidently the Trojans are not going to be close to winning the BCS Championship anytime soon. Seattle announced early Friday it had fired Coach Jim Mora. Team President and General Manager Tim Ruskell was forced to resign early last month. The control Carroll would have as Seattle's president is important because he thought he had too little say about drafting and signing players in his previous NFL jobs. The man is smart though. Carroll's reputation during all the crazy stuff with Bush and McKnight has remained largely untouched during all of this, the investigations have sparked some grumbling that he plays loosely with NCAA rules though. But even if he did do something, the athletic department wouldn't do anything. Why? Because the football team generated $35 million in revenue between July 1, 2008, and June 30, 2009. If Carroll were to leave USC now, it could badly damage a team that fell to 9-4 this season, missing a Bowl Championship Series postseason game for the first time in seven years. The search for a coach would harm the Trojans' ability to restock with new talent.
