48 posts tagged “nfl”
A team that wins a lot of games, that is relevant year-in-and-year-out, that consistently makes the playoffs and contends for, but never wins a championship – rightfully said to underachieve on the biggest stages.
or
A team that has been generally irrelevant except for one season in which enough things came together for them to squeak into the playoffs and pull off (an over-achieving) Championship, only to return to irrelevance?
Following up yesterday’s look at the NFC, I wanted to take a look at the AFC, where I think the picture is much more wide open. With Atlanta being taken out by-and-large by injuries, the NFC is really about 7 teams trying to fill 6 spots – the AFC, by contrast has 10 legit teams and even a couple at 5-7 that aren’t mathematically eliminated just yet.
AFC East
New England (7-5) – a couple of weeks ago, the Patriots annihilated the Titans 59-0 and seemed to be on cruise control in their division and ready to make a serious playoff run, but after dropping 3 of 4, they suddenly find themselves in a dogfight for their division. I still think they’re the best team in the east having quality wins (QW, win against a team currently 0.500 or better) against ATL, BAL, MIA and NYJ. Fairly easy schedule remains – only JAX is a quality opponent – suggesting that they’ll make it in barring a big collapse, but they certainly don’t have the aura of danger of previous Pats teams.
Miami (6-6) – the big turnaround team from last year got out to a terrible start, going 0-3, and still being stuck at 3-5 a month ago. They’ve gotten some QWs – NYJ (2x) and NE last week. Big game with JAX this week and a finale versus the teetering Steelers will likely tell the tale. Still, I don't think this team can go very far.
NYJ (6-6) – sort of the anti-Dolphins. Rex Reed’s team race out to a 3-0 start, but have been scuffling for wins ever since. Their only QW was an age ago (September) against NE. They have a couple of winnable games (TB and ATL) and then two against IND and CIN, who may not be playing for much. That bodes fairly well, but I think these guys are done.
AFC North
Cincinnati (9-3) Consider that they lost their 1st game on that crazy deflection play against DEN and you can argue that they should be the 2nd best team in the conference. QWs versus GB and season sweeps of division rivals PIT and BAL (and CLE, but those don’t count). Like the Eagles, inexplicably lost at OAK and that may keep them from getting a 1st round bye. Still, they’re the Bengals, so how much can you believe? I’ll believe a lot more (or not) after their next two games MIN and SD.
Baltimore (6-6) Nobody really seems all that Wacko for Flacco anymore as the sophomore QB has had all sorts of issues. Like the Jets, they got out to a hot start (3-0) and then dropped three in a row – granted, it was to NE, CIN, and MIN – but aren’t those the caliber of teams they’re going to have to beat in the playoffs? (Their QWs are against SD, DEN, and PIT) They have a pretty good chance of making if they can sweep against PIT, which is the last decent team on their schedule, but they're not playing like contenders.
Steelers (6-6) Like NE, the mighty have fallen in recent weeks. The Men of Steel seemed to shake off a sluggish start and were cruising a month ago at 6-2 after cranking out QWs vs. SD, MIN and DEN. Now having dropped four in a row (including head-scratchers to KC and OAK), the Champs will be lucky to get a chance to defend with GB, BAL, and MIA to close after a gimme at CLE this week. Is it really all Troy Polamalu and his hair?
AFC South
Colts (12-0) The mirror of the Saints in the NFC, the Colts have won every week this season – sometimes not so pretty, but Peyton Manning has gotten it done (QWs = JAX, MIA, ARI, NE, BAL) while taking time off from his full-time job as a product spokesperson. With a 3-game lead on home field advantage, they’re almost assured of playing at home through the AFC Championship. The whole “resting for the playoffs” hasn’t worked so well for the Colts in the past. It’ll be curious to see what they do differently, if anything, this year.
Jacksonville (7-5) Who invited these guys to the playoff race? Probably the most under-the-radar decent team in the league, the Jags only QW is a win against the NYJ. They’ve beaten a bunch of mediocre teams but will have to earn their playoff spot with games against MIA, IND, and NE coming up. I don't see that happening.
AFC West
Chargers (9-3) This was supposed to be a cakewalk year for the Bolts, but DEN’s 6-0 blitzkrieg at the beginning of the season derailed that parade. After struggling to 2-3, SD has rolled off a league-best 7 straight wins (QWs = MIA, NYG, PHL, DEN). Tough games against DAL and CIN will determine if they are legitimate contenders to take out the Colts, or another good-but-not-quite-good-enough Norv Turner team.
Denver (8-4) After blazing out to six straight wins, the Broncos came back to earth with four straight losses. They got off the schnide with a good win against NYG and have a slew of other QWs (CIN, DAL, NE, SD). Two tough games (IND and PHL) will tell us if they’re more like the early-season winners or mid-season losers but two should-be wins (OAK, KC) suggest that the Broncos will get a WC and maybe even the division if the Chargers falter down the stretch.
All-in-all, I’m not sure that there’s anyone that will be able to contend with the Colts at home in the playoffs. I think the Pats are starting to show their age, and the Bengals – well, they’re the Bengals. The only real possibility is the Chargers if they can improve their defense for the stretch run. For what it’s worth, I think the Ravens will be the last WC team (after DEN).
The NFL season has reached its ¾ mark and is heading down the homestretch for the playoffs. So, this seems like as good as time as any to review the teams that look to have a shot at the playoffs. For this analysis, I didn’t only look at the record, but also tried to assess the “Have they beaten anyone any good?” question, because let’s face it, there are a lot of bad teams in the NFL this season.
In baseball parlance, I’m calling a “quality win” a win against a team that is currently playing 0.500 or better. We’ll also look at the remaining schedule to see how many “quality” teams are left to play.
NFC East
Dallas – currently 8-4, owns tie-breaker with Eagles due to their win in November. Actually, when you look at the Cowboys, the only other QW they have is against ATL. Their remaining schedule is brutal with SD, NO, and PHL. Another December swoon (which started yesterday in their loss to NYG) and I think Wade Philips is toast.
Eagles – as much as I love them (and hate them), they are also at 8-4, but the only QWs they have are NYG and yesterday’s demolition of the injury-depleted Falcons – so I’m not even sure how to count that one. Tough games against NYG, DAL and DEN remain, with only a home game against the almost-eliminated Niners as one that “ought” to be a win. Have I mentioned how that other-universe-ish loss to the Raiders in October is gonna bite them?
Giants – at 7-5, they might have saved their season with a good win vs DAL yesterday. They have another make or break against the Eagles this week, a couple of winnable games and then a finale against the may-not-be-playing-for-anything Vikings. In addition to the ‘Boys, they have 3 total QWs (the most in the division) due to beating DAL twice and ATL. With the tough PHL and DAL games ahead, I can totally see them grabbing a playoff spot, with one of the other two teams shut-out.
NFC Central
Minnesota – so, Vikings fans, did last night’s clunker against the Cardinals make you worry? The Vikes have 3 QWs (GB twice and BAL) but haven’t had one since Nov 1st. At 10-2, they’ve got an easy enough schedule after a tough game with CIN this weekend and making the playoffs – and even getting a bye shouldn’t be a big deal. After that?!?
Packers – At 7-4, the Packers have shown that if they can keep Aaron Rogers on his feet, they’re pretty good – though their only QW is against DAL a couple of weeks ago. Their position relative to the Giants will be determined with their game against BAL tonight – though they have a tough schedule remaining. They’re going to need help I think to make the playoffs. Man, that inexplicable loss to TB may haunt them.
NFC South
Saints – is there anyone in this division except the Saints? We all watched with horror as the Redskins found a truly I-wouldn't-believe-it-if-I-hadn't-just-seen-it way to crap away a game they’d won, but I’m not worried about the Saints. They have more QWs than anyone in the NFL – MIA, ATL, NE, PHL, NYJ and NYG, which is pretty remarkable. I actually wonder if the loss might have done them well, since they wouldn’t have any “undefeated” distractions. With homefield almost certainly going through the Superdome, these guys are gonna be tough to beat if they stay healthy.
Atlanta – at 6-6 they’re still a viable playoff team, but with their injuries, they’re done. Their only QW is against the also 6-6 Dolphins, and after yesterday's wipeout, they’re going nowhere.
NFC West
Cardinals – another 1-team division, with the Cardinals cruising at 8-4. They have QWs against JAX, NYG and MN and are starting to look more like the Superbowl team they were in January and less like the mess that started this season. The win vs the Vikes may play out for a bye if the Vikings stumble as the only game they have left against a team with a winning record is a final week match-up with the Packers. Would the Packers throw a game (if they were already eliminated) to screw Brett and Vikings --- oh, you know it!
To me, I think the playoff picture will pan out with the Saints as #1 seed, and the Vikings will hold onto #2 (I think they’ll win a game or two and the Cardinals won’t win out even when they should). I have a weird feeling that the winner of next week’s Eagles-Giants game will win the NFC East. I think that Dallas’ schedule will sink them, though if the Pack loses to the Ravens tonight, they should be able to squeak in as a WC. If the Pack wins, I think that last spot is a toss-up.
AFC musings tomorrow!
There’s a point in a football game when you sense that it’s over. And after staking the home-team Chargers to a 14-point lead, the Eagles were looking to get back in the game after a very good drive that had them 1st and goal from the 1 yard line. Yep – 3 feet away. Naturally, Andy Reid outsmarted himself and the Chargers D by calling play action passes and fade routes – eschewing the run as always --- and after three plays, the Eagles found themselves --- you guessed it, 3 feet from the endzone. David Akers kicks a field goal and a good 80 yard drive feels like a failure.
If this tune sounds familiar, it is. Much like in their loss to Dallas at home the week before, the Eagles squandered opportunity after opportunity by being unable to convert short yardage situations. Overall, the game was one that had to please fans of wide open offenses – each team scored five times, and after the first quarter both defenses seemed to be hanging on by a thread. With their Red Zone woes, the Eagles scored 2 TDs and 3 FGs (all the field goals being the dreaded you-can’t-score-a-TD 25 yd or less variety). The Chargers (who were outgained 462-331) were more efficient with their chances getting 4 TDs and 1 FG.
So, once again, another chance slips by and the Eagles sit a game behind the Cowboys (who were humbled in Green Bay and missed THEIR chance to take a hold on the NFC East) and tied with the reeling Giants had a bye. Clearly, this is a division that might be won by default.
On the upside, the loss was made a little more bearable by making some pretzels that The Beloved and I shared in the second half. Not surprisingly, after a few of these guys, there was little need for dinner.
Coming out of the fog of the flu this week (the reason for a lapse in posting – so much for NaNoBloMo), I was excited about the Big Halloween Sports weekend that was happening in Philadelphia with both the Phillies and the Eagles against rivals from New York.
The Phillies had left Yankee Stadium with a 1-1 split, which was really good. They had a masterful performance from Cliff Lee in Game 1 (a fairly easy 6-1 victory) and ended up on the wrong side of a pitchers’ duel between AJ Burnett and Pedro Martinez, losing 3-1. Games 3 and 4 would be this weekend.
The Eagles were facing their first tough game since a Week 2 McNabb-less slaughter at the feet of the Saints in facing the division leading NY Giants. Philadephians can sometimes be a little insecure when it comes to being compared to New Yorkers and their city -- and here were 3 huge make-or-break games in barely 24 hours.
The narrative for the World Series had been two heavy hitting line-ups against good starters and questionable bullpens. The first two games certainly didn’t fit that bill with dominating pitching, but Game 3 saw last year’s WS MVP Cole Hamels become unglued (as he did against the Dodgers) by questionable calls and bad breaks. He was cruising when Alex Rodriguez’ long fly down the right field plunked off a FOX TV camera that was inconceivably placed IN THE FIELD OF PLAY. After a short review, umpires decided hey-it-probably-would’ve-been-a-homer-so-lets-give-it-to-him. Uhhh—sure, okay. Regardless, Hamels never recovered, coughing up five excruciating runs over two innings, including an unacceptable inning extending hit to an AL pitcher. The Phils bats kept adding runs (including a mammoth shot by Jason Werth), but each relief pitcher Cholly trotted out kept the Yankees comfortably ahead.
And if you’d have told me that Joe Blanton and CC Sebathia would pitch about 6 innings and the score would be 4-2, I’d have taken it in a heartbeat. The Phils were en route to a storybook finish – scoring a run in the 7th and 8th each to tie the game at 4. In the 9th, closer Brad Lidge got two quick outs and the Phils were primed to go into the bottom of the inning with all the momentum – and last year, that’s would have happened. But like Hamels, this isn’t your 2008 vintage Lidge. He gave up a hard-fought single to Johnny Damon – who promptly stole 2nd and 3rd – and then hit Mark Teixeira and then gave up a career-highlight double to Alex Rodriguez to seal the game and take what could have been an anyone’s series 2-2 tie to a every-game is elimination 3-1 deficit.
World Series games like this are won on intagibles – the 10 pitch AB for hit, the diving catch made or not made, the perfect pitch made in a jam, the clutch two-out RBI double. Give the Yankees credit – they’re doing them all right now.
Perhaps as a little silver lining, the Eagles and Giants played the early card to Game 4 yesterday – and the Eagles came out slapped two 2 TDs on the board and never really looked back. McNabb was sharp and the offense moved, even with the absence of all-everything Brian Westbrook.
Personally, I’m glad to be feeling better and really glad that I can recoup from a tough 24 hours before World Series game tomorrow night.
So, growing up in the Ancestral Betz home autumn Sundays meant going to church and watching the Eagles. Except there was an important stop in between -- and that was to get soft-pretzels.
We would go to a place called "Cass's Mart Pretzels" -- a fresh pretzel bakery that operated in an absolute dump called the Pennsauken Mart. The mart was thankfully demolished several years ago, and the pretzel folks moved to a strip mall up the road. We always try to swing by when we're back in The Garden State.
Anyway, that doesn't help me much in California -- as there really aren't good places to get pretzels and no, Auntie Anne's doesn't count. And I'd tried the frozen SuperPretzel thing -- blah. So, this weekend, I decided to take matters (and matter) into my own hands and track down a recipe for soft pretzels that I thought I'd give a try.
The recipe was pretty straightforward. You first make a yeast-dough of flour (4c) salt (2 tsp), and activated yeast (1 packet in 1 1/4 c warm water). That dough came together pretty well.
I covered it and allowed the dough to rise (it didn't rise as much as I'd liked it to have -- I think I didn't leave the yeast in the warm-ish water long enough, or maybe the water wasn't warm enough -- or both, I don't know...). After that, small balls of dough are pulled out and made into 15-20" ropes.
Those are made into pretzel shapes -- or a reasonable facsimile thereof.
Those are then dropped individually into boiling water that has baking powder in it. They were removed when the buoyed to the top and allowed to dry off on a rack. They were then salted with coarse salt and popped into a 475 degree oven.
By the time that the first batch had come out of the oven (and cooled on a rack for a bit) NBC had chosen to switch from the Eagles game to one that was more "competitive". And while it was a bummer not to see the Birdz beat up on the Chiefs -- which they were supposed to -- so good going in getting the job done -- I was very excited to sit down with a pretzel, mustard and a beer.
How were they? I didn't think they browned up as much as I would have thought -- so either the oven was too low, or there's something else to do to evoke that good brown color. Otherwise, they had a good crispy outside, light and tasty inside.
Can't wait to tweak the recipe for future weekends!
I keep trying to come up with a positive spin on the Eagles thrashing at the hands of the New Orleans Saints (48-22) this afternoon -- their home opener no less. The game marked the first* start by one-time heir-apparent Kevin Kolb, who started for a banged up Donovan McNabb.
Let's see:
Kolb throws for almost 400 yards!
Kolb tosses 2 TD passes in first start!
Jackson and Celek each have 100+ receiving games!
Well -- truth be told, those leave you pretty empty when you head into halftime trailing 17-13, but thinking -- we've done some good things, we can hang with these guys.
And then you open up the 3rd quarter with two turnovers in three plays that led to 14 Saint points. At that point, it was 31-13 and pretty much done. Sure, both team moved the ball up and down the field like it was a scrimmage in the 2nd half, but NO was essentially playing keep-away, never letting the Birdz close the gap to less than two TDs.
And so, what of Kevin Kolb? He most certainly had his best game as a pro (mostly because his others have been unmitigated disasters). He made some good throws, hung in under duress, and made some bad mistakes. He was what he is -- and untested young QB that might be pretty good someday -- maybe even good enough to lead a team to the playoffs. I doubt he'll get the chance in an Eagles uniform.
Well -- the Eagles get a bit of a break -- the KC Chiefs come to town for what better be a wipeout and then they get a bye which gives the Andy Reid brain trust plenty of time to figure out the McNabb-Vick-Kolb-Garcia QB situation. Good times.
*only?
Well -- here it is, the beginning of another NFL season. Last night's Steelers-Titans game was pretty entertaining to watch, though certain of the Steelers faithful must have had their hearts in their throats at certain points, I imagine.
Going into the last several seasons, I used to think I knew where the Eagles would be. Whether they'd rightfully be the best team in their division and legitimate Super Bowl contender, or whether they'd be scrapping for a playoff spot.
This year -- I have no clue. Everyone of course is talking about the surprise addition of Michael Vick -- and I'm sure there will be a lot of words spent on Vick's impact (or lack of one) -- but let's face it, in absence of an injury to starting QB Donovan McNabb, this offense will rely on McNabb, Westbrook, Jackson, and perhaps newcomer WR Jeremy Maclin. More than what Vick will do, I really want to know that they'll be able convert 3rd-and-1 with some consistency.
Some in the media are saying this team will be an offensive juggernaut, and I fully expect they'll tag a few teams with 30+... but I've watched enough Reid-McNabb teams to know there will be baffling inconsistency and play calling and an inability to move the ball.
And I fear that they're going to need to move it, because while there have been improvements on offense, the defense has taken some hits. Most notably, the death of defensive coordinator Jim Johnson (who's replaced by disciple Sean McDermott) and the departure of longtime stalwart Brian Dawkins -- a free agent the Reid brain trust no longer thought was worth the money. There have been LB injuries in camp that makes me fear they won't be able to stop the run much better than last year.
The schedule is a mixed bag --- the NFC East will continue to feast on its own and there are tough games against Panthers, Saints, Chargers, and revitalized Bears. A blessing is the rest of the AFC West -- giving games against Chiefs, Broncos, Raiders in addition to a depleted Bucs.
I think they will likely go anywhere from 9-7 to 11-5 -- though if there's a defensive implosion it's not impossible to see 0.500 or worse. We'll just have to see as we get there!
One of the other things I missed getting to post about while I was on vacation occurred on the day we flew to the east coast. In a move shocking to many, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Michael Vick as their back-up QB. Certainly, I was surprised and the headlines were in a pretty large font as we disembarked at Philadelphia International Airport. And the following day, this shirt was already making its debut on the local scene.
Vick is due to play in his first pre-season game tonight in what I can only assume will be a media free-for-all. Several folks have asked me over the last couple of weeks how I feel about Vick playing on “my” team. From a team perspective, this is a lot more about Donovan McNabb (who wants a back-up that doesn’t want his job just yet) more than Vick. And I’m sure Andy Reid has all kinds of crazy formations in mind with them both on the field.
Anyway – that doesn’t really answer the question of should they have hired him…. well --- as sort of a law and order type of guy, I believe that Vick in pleading guilty and serving his time has every right to seek employment in the NFL now that his sentence is complete. In some ways, you can argue that his slate’s clean and there’s no reason not to root for him. And in others, you can say the guys a dirtball felon that willfully killed dogs and should never ever be able to bring in the big bucks from the NFL—and that hiring him somehow condones his crime.
In the end, I feel like he paid a fair price and should be allowed to play. He’s said and done all the right things with animal protection services since his release and so on the surface, I say give him a chance. Think of it like parole -- as long as he’s on the straight and narrow, he’s on the right track. I just don’t think I’ll be buying and wearing his jersey anytime soon.
Oh, and Penny says she respectfully disagrees and may have to root for the Redskins this year.
- Donovan McNabb's regurgitations in 3-D
- TO's unedited driveway press conference, complete with abdominal workout
- A primer on Andy Reid's famous one-liners after yet another devastating big-game loss
- Lorenzo Booker - Brian Westbrook's Heir Apparent
- Time management
- The 2-minute drill
- Winning the big game
- What to do 10 years into a 5 year plan
- How to run a balanced offense
- "Where Are They Now?" - Reno Mahe, Todd Pinkston, and Freddie Mitchell discuss why no other team but the Eagles would have them
- Tales From the Turnstile: The Winston Justice Story
- Three Yards and a Cloud of Dust: A Short History of Kick Returner Jeremy Bloom
My Groups
-
Booking Through Thursday Updated: 2 days ago
-
Sci Fi Media Updated: 4 days ago
-
San Diego Updated: 5 days ago
Neighborhood
Explore friends, family, friends & family, or entire neighborhood.
