We will obviously spend tons and tons of time looking at the Super Bowl from every different angle over the next two weeks, but before we get into the nitty gritty of it let’s look at the first thoughts that came from watching the two games today:
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North Carolina Tar Heels: As I write this, the team that so many thought would be number one in the nation, is 1- 2 in the ACC and 15- 2 overall. Thus far the #6 Heels have lost to unranked Boston College and #3 Wake Forrest. Both of which are division opponents. Their lone ACC victory came last night as they beat the unranked Virginia Cavaliers 83- 61. How good is North Carolina? Time will tell but my feeling is that they are not as good as many of us thought they were.
I know which way I think I am leaning in both of the NFL conference championships, but there is still a long time before the games kickoff, and that means I have lots of time to drive my self crazy with speculation and analysis. Before I can be totally comfortable with my picks, there are several questions I have to wrestle with. Among them:
Before we get to the games, I want to look at the reports out of Denver for a second. Word is that Josh McDaniels, the 32 year old offensive coordinator of the Patriots, is going to be named the new head coach. I have mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, I like that Denver wants to break into new blood to get some new ideas. I wish Cleveland had done the same thing. They also got a guy who is hot after turning a raw QB into a budding star. On the other hand, though, Bill Belichick has yet to really prove himself as a breeder of strong coaches. Far from it, in fact. Romeo Crennel got fired after creating a mess. Eric Mangini takes over that messing after failing in his first try. You can throw in the disaster that is Charlie Weis, too. The first coach after a legend like Shanahan is going to have it tough at the best of times, so I am not convinced that a young coach with a bad pedigree is a great gamble. A more established assistant might have been a better risk – especially since they are in a very winnable division.
I’m watching Canada attempt to win its fifth consecutive World Junior Hockey Championship gold medal right now. They are playing Sweden. Canada is obviously hockey-crazy, and this tournament is massively important. Beyond the Olympics, no hockey event matters to the whole country more than this. Canada is fairly heavily favored (-180 at Pinnacle, or -0.5, -115). This plus the Fiesta Bowl ensures that this will be a good night. Unless we lose, of course.
1. Joe Flacco was 9/23 for 135 yards. Eery isn’t it just how good Baltimore is at looking good in the playoffs with barely adequate quarterbacking?
2. I’m not sure that I have ever seen a defense more in the head of a decent quarterback than the Ravens were in Chad Pennington’s. It’s like Ed Reed was in the Miami huddle.
Continue reading “10 Quick Thoughts on the Playoffs – Day Two”
1. Larry Fitzgerald is a freak. He changed that game several times over.
2. Kurt Warner – he may be old and all, but it’s hard to count him out when the chips are down. It’s not impossible to imagine him taking them a long way. Not likely, but possible.
Continue reading “10 Quick Thoughts on the Playoffs – Day One”
If you’re looking for something or someone that might tip the scale this week in the playoffs, I’ve got a few ideas.
Matt Leinart: Remember him? He was supposed to start for the Arizona Cardinals at quarterback this season but a funny thing happened on the way to his being named the first-string QB. Leinart played poorly in the pre-season and vet Kurt Warner looked great. Warner has had a fantastic season. But what if Warner goes down when the Cards meet the Atlanta Falcons? It’s possible. Warner is old and prone to injury and the Atlanta “D” is extremely brutal. Leinart certainly knows the scheme but can he pull it off? I say “no.”
Brett Favre should retire tomorrow. Actually, he should have retired a year ago, but it’s too late for that. He was pathetic today. Not at all good.
His coach should retire, too.
The Browns didn’t waste any time. GM Phil Savage is out the door already, and coach Romeo Crennel is rumored to be right behind him. It’s a miracle that it took this long. The way the Browns played today, it looked as if Crennel had already packed it in.
Giants’ head coach Tom Coughlin seems to have figured it out—how to win. Run the ball as much as possible while asking quarterback Eli Manning to do enough but not too much to win. If winning in the NFL is about balance, then Coughlin may very well be a high wire walker and a successful one at that.
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