Monday Mania - NFL News and Discussion
I’ve decided that there needs to be some “regular” columns around here (think Metamucil) so I will be writing a weekly “Monday Mania” column that is all about the NFL, its games, players, coaches, and anything else that I feel like throwing into the wind. This week I will do some brief summaries of the Cardinals triumph over the Eagles and the Steelers pounding of the Ravens followed with a series of musical compositions performed by Clint Eastwood (http://www.spike.com/blog/ten-things-you-didnt/72769). Well, maybe, maybe not. Why “Monday Mania?” Well, Monday Morning QB was taken (si.com), Manic Monday is poor chorus, and Monday Munchausen’s was just a mouthful, er, wait, too much House.
MMmmm, time for the beef in this meaty Monday sandwich.
Eagles vs Cardinals
“Just make it the Eagles and Steelers,” “The Cardinals don’t deserve to be there,” and even articles dedicated to bashing the NFL’s playoff system were how this week was preluded. I’m just not sure that I get this an apparently the Cardinals didn’t buy it either. Kurt Warner and the Cardinals were trying to defeat the favored Philadelphia Eagles in their own house to get their first Super Bowl win since 1947. I really think it would be interesting to keep a database of all these “analysts” predictions and gaurantee’s to go back and laugh at it. Being wrong is one thing but to be so one sided is crazy.
By far the best playoff game I’ve seen all year started off very hot scoring on a lively drive finished off with a Larry Fitzgerald touchdown. A big highlight in the first half was the perfectly executed toss/QB throw back by the Cardinals. JJ Arrington took a toss to the right and threw back to the left to Kurt Warner who was setup with two blockers and launched one deep to a single (barely) covered Fitzgerald for another TD catch. Jim Johnson, the Eagles defensive coordinator, was sitting in the booth all game but was too blind to see that Fitzgerald should have had at least two guys on him all game.
Philadelphia rallys in the second half and even takes a 1 point lead to make it 25 to 24. McNabb connected to DeSean Jackson on a deep pass that was tipped by a Cardinals defender but ultimately bobbled and caught for an Eagles touchdown. That would be it for birds of the East though as Arizona set the sun with another touchdown pass on their next drive via a screen to Tim Hightower and allowed their defense to finish out the game with a 4 and out series.
There were a couple of iffy calls (or non calls) by the refs but they ultimately balanced each other out to make this game a lot more about who was better than the other. Arizona simply outplayed and outsmarted the Eagles at nearly every level. Todd Haley might have been reamed out by Anquan Boldin for taking him out in a certain formation but Haley ran a ridiculously good offense that was executed perfectly by Kurt Warner. I’m going to just say it now, Kurt Warner is a Hall of Famer. If he isn’t a Hall of Fame player then I don’t know who is. Warner’s ability to be patient in the pocket and his consistency to lead receivers that allows for big plays is only comparable to Montana and Brady. Warner gets a bad rap for his years with a broken hand but he certainly has had the last laugh.
Ravens vs Steelers
Holy crap! I’m not sure if this was more of a football game or a demolition derby. I’m leaning towards derby. Either way, the Steelers made more big plays to finish out the day with another Super Bowl trip.
This was the second best playoff game of this year’s tourney only because the defenses were very good but the offenses left a lot to be desired. It was easy to see from the start how this game was going to go with Pittsburgh getting in position to score with a big play to Hines Ward but ultimately settling for a field goal. The Ravens soon made their first mistake with a Joe Flacco interception a couple of possessions later. This really bugged me since Baltimore had only run the ball ONCE to that point. Flacco has been playing well but give the ball to the running backs.
Flacco and company would get another chance to move the ball in the first quarter after a Ray Lewis forced fumble with Jim Leonhard recovering. It finally looked like the Ravens were gonna get smart setting up 3rd and 1 after a couple of McGahee runs. However, Baltimore would turn the ball over on downs after getting stuffed on 3rd and 4th down. Crushing! No points when you get into your enemy’s territory during a playoff game is Bad News Bears. It got even worse when, three plays later, Big Ben would connect with Santonio Holmes on a sandlot pass for a 65 yard touchdown and the play of the game.
The rest of the game was a brutal battle highlighted with 3 players being knocked un-freaking-conscious and a huge interception return by Troy Palomalu for a 40 yard touchdown return. Baltimore simply fell to far behind and was forced to put Joe Flacco into a bad spot. Flacco wasn’t ready to try to win this big of a game against such a fierce defense and finished with 3 interceptions. The finishing touch and mark of the game was Willis McGahee carted off the field with a little over 3 minutes to play after a helmet to helmet hit. McGahee is reportedly able to move his fingers and toes today and retains “full nerological function.”
Steelers vs Cardinals in Tampa. Both teams playing for history with Pittsburgh trying to become the first team to win 6 Super Bowls and Arizona trying to just get one. Check back later for analysis.
Coaching Merry-go Round Continues
Rex Ryan will be leaving the Ravens after their loss and moving on to the head coaching position in New York with the Jets. Rex Ryan has been the guru behind the Ravens fantastic defense but let’s see what he does as the head of a franchise that just fired a coach that was only there for 3 seasons.
Steve Spagnulo has accepted the head coaching job in St. Louis and will be raking in the $14 million to go with it. I would imagine that he will clear house of players and coaches very, very shortly.
Jon “Chuckie” Gruden has be ousted in Tampa Bay along with GM Bruce Allen. I’m on the ropes about this move but if the reports that the players didn’t want him there anymore are true then I can’t really fault it. I think it was a huge mistake to start Brian Griese over Jeff “My Wife is a Supermodel” Garcia but it doesn’t really matter at this point. Chuckie is toast. The Bucs have already replaced Gruden with their young (32) defensive coordinator, Raheem Morris.
I still say there will be at least one more firing but lets just go along for the ride.
Off-Season Moves I’d Like to See
- Matt Cassell to Kansas City
- Brett Favre to Minnesota
- Zach Thomas resigned in Dallas
- Anquan Boldin to Miami
- Julius Peppers to Miami
- Tomlinson resigned in San Diego
- Detroit get some offensive linemen
- Dallas cut TO
Hyper’s Thoughts and Notes
- Joe Flacco performed like a Rookie with a weak recieving core which has somehow been hidden to this point in the playoffs
- Kurt Warner is a Hall of Famer — Did I mention that?
- Larry Fitzgerald is the most complete receiver in the NFL … no one is more skilled or goes more all out like that guy
- LaRon McClain.. where was he? 1 carry? I’m not sure what was up there
- Good work Rothelisberger to keep the plays alive
- Limas Sweed has to mature
- McNabb just isn’t an accurate passer. Quit talking this guy up like he’s been a great QB when he simply hasn’t been
That wraps it up for this week. Next week when I’m done being sick there will be more. Thoughts or comments please feel free to share!
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Tags: NFL, Sports, Super Bowl
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One Response to “Monday Mania - NFL News and Discussion”
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January 20th, 2009 at 12:07 am
If the Cards can pull this out, I think Warner retires and ends up being a first ballot Hall of Famer in a few years. Maybe first ballot is a pretty heavy prediction, but he just simply tore it up in St. Louis for so long. I think that people have the tendency to downplay the QB position when you’ve got a solid O line and superstar receivers like they did, but I’m not sure there was any offense as prolific as the the Rams during Warner’s two superbowl years. Toiling on past your prime for a couple of seasons always seems to leave a bit of a sour taste for some people (like Montana), but he manages to take one of the most unlikely teams in years to the Superbowl in a season where no one really expected to see him start.
The injuries really did screw with him. Not too many QBs have a chance like he does now. Sometimes people forget that Favre only has one ring. I may not put Warner up in Favre’s class all time, but if I was putting together a list of QBs that make the smartest decisions on the field and are least likely to make boneheaded plays, I rank Warner higher. People (like Madden) sometimes forget that for every incredible highlight reel play Favre makes he makes two lunkheaded INTs downfield or with some desperate underneath pitch because he refuses to acknowledge when the play is over and he’s lost the down.