The NFL knows that the Pro Bowl is broken and they are trying to fix it. I personally like that the NFL is trying to do something about their annual all-star game, but this is not enough incentive for the players or for the owners to care about the game. Relying on the "camaraderie" between current and former players to ignite a competitive flame in the participants is not going to solve the issues regarding the game, but I do know what will... MONEY AND EGO!
Right now, the players are getting contract incentives for their appearances in the Pro Bowl and the owners are not making as much money on the venture as they could be. The television rights for the game are lumped into a pre-existing contract for other NFL programming. But wouldn't the NFL be able to charge even more for their television rights if they offered an all-star game that would guarantee a large audience? The easiest way to do this is for the owners to put up the initial investment into this game and create an egocentric spectacle by putting up their own money in a winner-takes-all football game.
Admittedly, I don't have exact figures, so the rest of this blog post will require an open mind to the hypothetical money being flaunted around. So, let's say that the NFL Owners agree to a AFC-NFC format for the Pro Bowl and each owner agrees to put up $10 Million to create a pool of $320 Million that will go to the winning side. The losing side will get nothing from this pool of money. Now that seems like a raw deal for the losing side, so why would the owners take that risk? Because ads for football games with large audiences will draw huge money! Granted, the article that I linked to is for the Super Bowl and it is a forecast as to what a 30-second ad could cost in the future, but don't you think that an all-star football game where the players are actually trying will garner a solid percentage of the total Super Bowl audience (35-40%)? Using that same hypothetical percentage, that would still bring in around $1.5 Million for a 30 second ad that could plausibly be charged for this game. Depending on the increase in the cost of television rights, the owners could pay for their bets with the increase in revenue.
We now see why the owners would consider this, but why would the players finally decide not to skip the game? Well, the contract incentives will not go away, but how about adding 20% of the Owners' winning share on top of those incentives? If you stick with the 43 players scenario that is being proposed for the 2014 Pro Bowl, then the winning side will pay out $1.488 Million to each player. That is a huge upgrade in Pro Bowl salary than that of 2010. The losing players will still get their contract incentives and a free trip to Hawaii, but they will not see a dime of the winners' share. If there is one thing that will cause the players to get very competitive on the field, it is money. If there is another thing that will get the players to play hard, it is their ego. By offering a chance at that large sum of money and throwing in the bragging rights that this game would provide, the quality of the Pro Bowl will prosper.
Pro Football is the ultimate display of ego and greed. It can be an ugly display at times, but it could also be beneficial in creating a better viewing experience for the fans when it comes to the Pro Bowl. All I know is that nobody cares about the Pro Bowl now and the NFL has nothing to lose... well, except for their hypothetical money.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Saturday, January 19, 2013
2013 Movie Marathon
I've been very busy recently and that has taken away my ability to go see some movies that I've been wanting to see. Also, the Oscars are upcoming and the Golden Globes recently occured, so I knew that I had to take advantage of a Friday night in which I had nothing to do.
After looking at movie times, I saw that Silver Linings Playbook, Lincoln, and Django Unchained lined up perfectly one after the other as far as start times were concerned. So once I clocked out of work, I headed to the movie theater to commence an event that would span 8 hours and 45 minutes, including 7 hours and 16 minutes of actual movie duration time.
The idea of this blog post is to describe my experience and highlight my opinions of the movies by breaking them down into smaller categories/bullet points which will be in bold letters. I don't see myself as a purveyor of a truly insightful opinion of what should be considered "Oscar-Worthy", so I won't delve too deep into my Oscar ideas, but I will describe how the movies affected me personally. So now, my recollection of my own 2013 Movie marathon.
(By the way: shout out to Grantland.com and Robert Mays for providing a blueprint on how to do the all day movie theater excursion)
These actors are great at acting: From Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, to Daniel Day-Lewis and Tommy Lee Jones, to Leonardo DiCaprio and Cristoph Waltz... and Samuel L. Jackson, the performances that these specific actors presented were truly wonderful. I found myself smiling incredulously as I watched these artists fully envelop themselves into these worlds that had been created. Lawrence and Cooper had a chemistry that was palpable and thoroughly enjoyable. Day-Lewis and Jones obviously did their homework on their characters and the period that they found themselves in. DiCaprio, Jackson, and Waltz made incredible choices on their characters and were willing partners for each other to play off of.
Those performances were due to great directing: David O. Russell, Steven Spielberg, and Quentin Tarentino know what the hell they are doing. The willingness to let their players be great in the worlds that they helped create is what separates these men from other renowned directors. The actors can only go as far as the creative environment in which they play, and these directors provided an incredible environment on set and it showed through on screen. Each movie had a confidence and trust in every aspect that they presented and it allowed for the viewing experience to just be enjoyed and felt by the audience.
I love Northeastern Chicks: "Tiffany" in Silver Linings Playbook (played by Lawrence) is the third character that if they were real and I met them in real life, then I'd totally be in love. The other two: Elizabeth Banks' character in Invincible and Amy Adams' character in another Russell movie, The Fighter.
My Oscar vote: I said I wouldn't delve too deep and I won't. Here are my picks with little to no explanation: Best Picture - Lincoln, Best Director - Spielberg, Best Actor - Day-Lewis (Because he is and always will be amazing. He BECAME Lincoln... it was too incredible. Great job by Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook, though), Best Actress - Lawrence (She was in the moment, every moment in that movie. This girl is scary good for how young she is... I think I'm in love...), Best Supporting Actor - Waltz (I liked DiCaprio and Jackson better, but all three of them were wonderful), Best Supporting Actress - Sally Field (Screw Les Miserbles, Field was too good as Lincoln's wife... even if she overacts at times)
My favorite movie of the three: Silver Linings Playbook is a romantic comedy that has a slightly different build up than you would usually see in a RomCom. Plus, I'm a huge fan of stories that focus more on a character's journey toward a realization that relies more on actor performances to properly relay the plot. Overall, my "personal enjoyment" grades are A+ for Silver Linings Playbook, A for Lincoln, and B+ for Django Unchained.
This was really fun: As a society we have started to move toward a higher consumption of shows and movies in a smaller period of time. A lot of people now wait until a television show finishes a season before watching the season in its entirety on Netflix or DVD in the matter of a weekend. I think the same can be done with movies in the movie theater. After waiting for these films to be out for a few weeks and then catching them all in a single night, I feel as if I really enjoyed each movie more because I was more focused on the moment and the experience. I love going to the movie theater to watch a movie on the big screen, I love enjoying a movie for its performances by all involved, and sometimes that experience is greater when I do it alone (I think of the three, only Django Unchained would have been even more enjoyable with friends). Basically, I will do this again when the opportunity presents itself.
After looking at movie times, I saw that Silver Linings Playbook, Lincoln, and Django Unchained lined up perfectly one after the other as far as start times were concerned. So once I clocked out of work, I headed to the movie theater to commence an event that would span 8 hours and 45 minutes, including 7 hours and 16 minutes of actual movie duration time.
The idea of this blog post is to describe my experience and highlight my opinions of the movies by breaking them down into smaller categories/bullet points which will be in bold letters. I don't see myself as a purveyor of a truly insightful opinion of what should be considered "Oscar-Worthy", so I won't delve too deep into my Oscar ideas, but I will describe how the movies affected me personally. So now, my recollection of my own 2013 Movie marathon.
(By the way: shout out to Grantland.com and Robert Mays for providing a blueprint on how to do the all day movie theater excursion)
These actors are great at acting: From Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, to Daniel Day-Lewis and Tommy Lee Jones, to Leonardo DiCaprio and Cristoph Waltz... and Samuel L. Jackson, the performances that these specific actors presented were truly wonderful. I found myself smiling incredulously as I watched these artists fully envelop themselves into these worlds that had been created. Lawrence and Cooper had a chemistry that was palpable and thoroughly enjoyable. Day-Lewis and Jones obviously did their homework on their characters and the period that they found themselves in. DiCaprio, Jackson, and Waltz made incredible choices on their characters and were willing partners for each other to play off of.
Those performances were due to great directing: David O. Russell, Steven Spielberg, and Quentin Tarentino know what the hell they are doing. The willingness to let their players be great in the worlds that they helped create is what separates these men from other renowned directors. The actors can only go as far as the creative environment in which they play, and these directors provided an incredible environment on set and it showed through on screen. Each movie had a confidence and trust in every aspect that they presented and it allowed for the viewing experience to just be enjoyed and felt by the audience.
I love Northeastern Chicks: "Tiffany" in Silver Linings Playbook (played by Lawrence) is the third character that if they were real and I met them in real life, then I'd totally be in love. The other two: Elizabeth Banks' character in Invincible and Amy Adams' character in another Russell movie, The Fighter.
My Oscar vote: I said I wouldn't delve too deep and I won't. Here are my picks with little to no explanation: Best Picture - Lincoln, Best Director - Spielberg, Best Actor - Day-Lewis (Because he is and always will be amazing. He BECAME Lincoln... it was too incredible. Great job by Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook, though), Best Actress - Lawrence (She was in the moment, every moment in that movie. This girl is scary good for how young she is... I think I'm in love...), Best Supporting Actor - Waltz (I liked DiCaprio and Jackson better, but all three of them were wonderful), Best Supporting Actress - Sally Field (Screw Les Miserbles, Field was too good as Lincoln's wife... even if she overacts at times)
My favorite movie of the three: Silver Linings Playbook is a romantic comedy that has a slightly different build up than you would usually see in a RomCom. Plus, I'm a huge fan of stories that focus more on a character's journey toward a realization that relies more on actor performances to properly relay the plot. Overall, my "personal enjoyment" grades are A+ for Silver Linings Playbook, A for Lincoln, and B+ for Django Unchained.
This was really fun: As a society we have started to move toward a higher consumption of shows and movies in a smaller period of time. A lot of people now wait until a television show finishes a season before watching the season in its entirety on Netflix or DVD in the matter of a weekend. I think the same can be done with movies in the movie theater. After waiting for these films to be out for a few weeks and then catching them all in a single night, I feel as if I really enjoyed each movie more because I was more focused on the moment and the experience. I love going to the movie theater to watch a movie on the big screen, I love enjoying a movie for its performances by all involved, and sometimes that experience is greater when I do it alone (I think of the three, only Django Unchained would have been even more enjoyable with friends). Basically, I will do this again when the opportunity presents itself.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
"True Or False": What To Believe After NFL Week 1
The NFL regular season has finally returned and so have my Lazy Sundays (Mr. Pibb + Red Vines = Crazy Delicious). After watching a majority of the games on Sunday (as well as Wednesday and Monday) there have been a lot of abandoned bandwagons and some that are more crowded than usual. This post is intended to decipher which teams and players are for real and which are not. Here are 3 things that are true and 3 things that are false:
True:
There Are 4 Teams That Won't Make the Playoffs in the AFC - How bad did the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Cheifs, and Miami Dolphins look on Sunday?! WOW! You need a competant Quarterback to succeed in this current version of the NFL and none of these teams have one. Sadly, each of these teams owe their QB's a significant amount of money, so these problems may not go away quickly.
The NFC West is the Best Defensive Division - It's a tight race between the AFC North and the NFC West to decide which has the best collection of defenses, but I believe that the St. Louis Rams' defense is better than the Cincinnati Bengals' defense, so right now the West holds this distinction. Each of those defenses just looked impressive at times, especially San Francisco's (although that shouldn't come as a surprise). NFC West games are going to look a lot like the Seattle Seahawks - Arizona Cardinals tilt this year where it will come down to which team reaches 20 points first will get the victory.
Brandon Marshall Will Lead the League in Receptions and Receiving Yards - It looks like Jay Cutler had no problem getting reacquainted with Marshall on Sunday and this will continue throughout the season. People most likely think that Calvin Johnson will lead the NFL in these categories, but I am a fervent believer in the "Madden Curse" and I think that sooner or later something will happen to Johnson's production (Like a Stafford injury?). Marshall will have the ball thrown to him an absurd amount of times this year.
False:
Alex Smith is Not That Good - The fact that Smith outperformed Aaron Rodgers is surprising to say the least. Smith is not a Super Bowl-winning Quarterback. He will not make "the big throw" that other Quarterbacks have that win games (Most Recent Example: Eli Manning's pass in Super Bowl XLVI to Smith's new teammate Mario Manningham on the Game-Winning Drive). Smith can manage a game, but you can't tell me a Super Bowl-Winning Quarterback from the last decade that is not elite and the true offensive weapon of their team. Good luck talking yourselves into Smith leading you to a Super Bowl, 49ers' fans.
The Falcons Will Win Less Than 10 Games This Year - Just read what I wrote about Alex Smith again and infer that about Matt Ryan. Julio Jones is a beast and Roddy White can make some plays, but when defenses stop worrying about a running game that is becoming non-existant in Atlanta, people will see Ryan make silly throw after silly throw. Also, the Falcons' defense allowed 24 points to Matt Cassell... That's bad.
The Lions Will Not Have a Winning Record by Year's End - What was seen from Matthew Stafford in Detroit on Sunday was just the tip of the iceberg. He can be a little erratic and he has already been injured once this year (it was preseason, but it still counts) so it is hard to count on stellar Quarterback play from him. Plus, Kevin Smith is not a quality Running Back and there has to be at least some semblance of a running game in order to free up the passing attack. The Lions just do not seem like a team that can be trusted this year and their close win on Sunday is an example of that.
I feel very confident in this 6 facts and I think that they will come to fruition, but if you disagree, then let me know in the comments or on twitter. My handle is @renesanchez77
True:
There Are 4 Teams That Won't Make the Playoffs in the AFC - How bad did the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Cheifs, and Miami Dolphins look on Sunday?! WOW! You need a competant Quarterback to succeed in this current version of the NFL and none of these teams have one. Sadly, each of these teams owe their QB's a significant amount of money, so these problems may not go away quickly.
The NFC West is the Best Defensive Division - It's a tight race between the AFC North and the NFC West to decide which has the best collection of defenses, but I believe that the St. Louis Rams' defense is better than the Cincinnati Bengals' defense, so right now the West holds this distinction. Each of those defenses just looked impressive at times, especially San Francisco's (although that shouldn't come as a surprise). NFC West games are going to look a lot like the Seattle Seahawks - Arizona Cardinals tilt this year where it will come down to which team reaches 20 points first will get the victory.
Brandon Marshall Will Lead the League in Receptions and Receiving Yards - It looks like Jay Cutler had no problem getting reacquainted with Marshall on Sunday and this will continue throughout the season. People most likely think that Calvin Johnson will lead the NFL in these categories, but I am a fervent believer in the "Madden Curse" and I think that sooner or later something will happen to Johnson's production (Like a Stafford injury?). Marshall will have the ball thrown to him an absurd amount of times this year.
False:
Alex Smith is Not That Good - The fact that Smith outperformed Aaron Rodgers is surprising to say the least. Smith is not a Super Bowl-winning Quarterback. He will not make "the big throw" that other Quarterbacks have that win games (Most Recent Example: Eli Manning's pass in Super Bowl XLVI to Smith's new teammate Mario Manningham on the Game-Winning Drive). Smith can manage a game, but you can't tell me a Super Bowl-Winning Quarterback from the last decade that is not elite and the true offensive weapon of their team. Good luck talking yourselves into Smith leading you to a Super Bowl, 49ers' fans.
The Falcons Will Win Less Than 10 Games This Year - Just read what I wrote about Alex Smith again and infer that about Matt Ryan. Julio Jones is a beast and Roddy White can make some plays, but when defenses stop worrying about a running game that is becoming non-existant in Atlanta, people will see Ryan make silly throw after silly throw. Also, the Falcons' defense allowed 24 points to Matt Cassell... That's bad.
The Lions Will Not Have a Winning Record by Year's End - What was seen from Matthew Stafford in Detroit on Sunday was just the tip of the iceberg. He can be a little erratic and he has already been injured once this year (it was preseason, but it still counts) so it is hard to count on stellar Quarterback play from him. Plus, Kevin Smith is not a quality Running Back and there has to be at least some semblance of a running game in order to free up the passing attack. The Lions just do not seem like a team that can be trusted this year and their close win on Sunday is an example of that.
I feel very confident in this 6 facts and I think that they will come to fruition, but if you disagree, then let me know in the comments or on twitter. My handle is @renesanchez77
Monday, September 3, 2012
Thoughts On Oregon's 57-34 Win Over Arkansas State
It was supposed to go this way in Duck fans' minds. This game was not supposed to be close, Marcus Mariota was supposed to make fans believe that they will be fine without Darron Thomas, and Autzen was supposed to sell out. This was the ultimate dream scenario for Duck fans heading into the first game and lo and behold, it appeared. This game was a true revelation for all those who root for The University of Oregon football team. There are so many things to point out in this game that I have decided to list them in bulletproof form. So my thoughts are as follows:
Mariota is For Real: Of course the detractors are going to bring up the fact that it was only one game and the opponent he faced was The Arkansas State Red Wolves (Did you know that their mascot was the Red Wolves? They changed their name from Indians to Red Wolves in Spring 2008). But can those same detractors see the throws that Mariota made in that game and honestly say that those throws aren't perfect? I never once saw Darron Thomas successfully throw a pass between three defenders which had to include loft and accuracy. The QB that looked more like Darron was Brian Bennett which is a good thing because he may be needed this year, but it also shows how advanced Mariota's game and demeanor is. This kid could be the best QB in the history of the program.
Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas Are Still Good: Those two players are truly transcendent in the Oregon Spread Offensive Attack. Their speed matched with their vision is a dangerous combination for any and all opponents that will face the Ducks this year. Whom do you stop? Whom do you focus on? It's the same dilemma that defenses face when trying to stop USC's two incredible WR's Robert Woods and Marqise Lee. Speaking of them...
Is it November 3rd Yet?: The Alabama-LSU and USC-Oregon games occur on this date. This is the de facto National Semifinals that will be officialy added in 2014. This weekend is going to be incredible and if there is any justice, the Alabama-LSU game will be on at 12:30 PST and the USC-Oregon game will be on at 5:00 PST. But since these two conferences are extremely shrewd and egotistical concerning their television rights, they'll probably compete at the 5:00 PST time slot and piss me and all football fans off.
The Defense is Good, But...: The one thing about the defense is that Nick Alliotti is still the coordinator. No matter how talented his players may be, he continues to stack the box and play a modified prevent defense that sometimes is able to create a turnover. Much has been made about how long the defense
stays out on the field during games. This problem wouldn't exist if they could get a three and out a little more often and if they didn't line up 15 yards off the line of scrimmage on the outside on a 3rd and 5. As Barner stated about the defense after the game: "We gave up a lot of points. Whether it was the starters or not, we have to do better than that."
This Team Needs to Win Three Games for a National Title: All the Ducks have to do is beat USC twice and whomever wins the Alabama-LSU game in the National Championship game to claim the title. That's it. Everything else should fall into place, especially after seeing so many Pac-12 teams falter over the weekend. The only other game that might provide a Duck Fan pause would be the Thursday Night game at Arizona State, but do they really have enough talent on defense to stop Oregon? I don't think so. Duck fans should be really stoked on this team and I totally am.
Mariota is For Real: Of course the detractors are going to bring up the fact that it was only one game and the opponent he faced was The Arkansas State Red Wolves (Did you know that their mascot was the Red Wolves? They changed their name from Indians to Red Wolves in Spring 2008). But can those same detractors see the throws that Mariota made in that game and honestly say that those throws aren't perfect? I never once saw Darron Thomas successfully throw a pass between three defenders which had to include loft and accuracy. The QB that looked more like Darron was Brian Bennett which is a good thing because he may be needed this year, but it also shows how advanced Mariota's game and demeanor is. This kid could be the best QB in the history of the program.
Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas Are Still Good: Those two players are truly transcendent in the Oregon Spread Offensive Attack. Their speed matched with their vision is a dangerous combination for any and all opponents that will face the Ducks this year. Whom do you stop? Whom do you focus on? It's the same dilemma that defenses face when trying to stop USC's two incredible WR's Robert Woods and Marqise Lee. Speaking of them...
Is it November 3rd Yet?: The Alabama-LSU and USC-Oregon games occur on this date. This is the de facto National Semifinals that will be officialy added in 2014. This weekend is going to be incredible and if there is any justice, the Alabama-LSU game will be on at 12:30 PST and the USC-Oregon game will be on at 5:00 PST. But since these two conferences are extremely shrewd and egotistical concerning their television rights, they'll probably compete at the 5:00 PST time slot and piss me and all football fans off.
The Defense is Good, But...: The one thing about the defense is that Nick Alliotti is still the coordinator. No matter how talented his players may be, he continues to stack the box and play a modified prevent defense that sometimes is able to create a turnover. Much has been made about how long the defense
stays out on the field during games. This problem wouldn't exist if they could get a three and out a little more often and if they didn't line up 15 yards off the line of scrimmage on the outside on a 3rd and 5. As Barner stated about the defense after the game: "We gave up a lot of points. Whether it was the starters or not, we have to do better than that."
This Team Needs to Win Three Games for a National Title: All the Ducks have to do is beat USC twice and whomever wins the Alabama-LSU game in the National Championship game to claim the title. That's it. Everything else should fall into place, especially after seeing so many Pac-12 teams falter over the weekend. The only other game that might provide a Duck Fan pause would be the Thursday Night game at Arizona State, but do they really have enough talent on defense to stop Oregon? I don't think so. Duck fans should be really stoked on this team and I totally am.
Friday, January 21, 2011
2011 NFL Championship Round Predictions
The last week of NFL football proved to be unpredictable for me as I went 1-3 in my picks. The only team that was able to make me look like I had some semblance of an idea about the landscape of the NFL were the Green Bay Packers who were also my pre-season pick to win the Super Bowl. Yet what intrigued me the most about the Divisional Round of the Playoffs was not the fact that I absolutely shat the bed on my picks, but rather it was the evident disparity of parity within the conferences.
Over in the NFC, there were two blowouts between teams that obviously were on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to talent and ability. The Packers have always been the most talented team in the NFC, and the Bears paid way too much money in the off-season to their free agent acquisitions to lose at home to the Seattle Seahawks (By the way, what a HORRIBLE time for the Seahawks to remember that they just don't have enough talent to compete with teams this season. Oh well, we'll always have the last two games in Seattle). The Packers and Bears have been proving to their entire conference throughout the season that they have the two largest collections of talent in the NFC and it is not close for third (which would have been shared by Atlanta and New Orleans who have great players, but not enough good players to survive with the Packers and Bears).
The AFC showcased two matchups of division rivals who knew each other well, but also showed that they were very evenly matched with one another. If you took these four teams and had them play each other in a round-robin format for 6 games, I think all the teams would end up with identical 3-3 records. The AFC has truly become an "Any Given Sunday" type of conference where any one of those top teams can beat the other and it showed in those two close games between the Ravens and Steelers, and the Patriots and Jets. Having to choose between Pittsburgh and New York is going to be such a tough task (that also goes for Green Bay and Chicago), so I've decided that the best thing to do is to list these four teams by position group and decide where the biggest deficiencies are so that an intelligent (and correct) decision can be reached. On to the picks!
NFC Championship: #2 Chicago Bears (12-5) vs. #6 Green Bay Packers (12-6)
QB's: Jay Cutler vs. Aaron Rodgers - I think the answer is obvious here, but let's go ahead and give it a little more explanation. In the two playoff games Rodgers has been in this year he has thrown for 6 TD's, run for 1, and thrown 0 INT's. He also has only thrown 14 incompletions in 63 attempts. Cutler, on the other hand, had a good game at home against the very bad Seahawks secondary. The jury is out on Cutler, but the verdict is in for Rodgers and it says Rodgers is really, really good.
Advantage: Green Bay
Running Game: Chicago has Matt Forte and a shaky O-Line that has come together in the second half of the season. Plus, Mike Martz has shown a willingness to run a bit more which has given the running game of the Bears much more confidence. The Packers counter with James Starks, a man that has come out of nowhere to provide two nice games in the playoffs and they also have Jon Kuhn and Brandon Jackson who provide a nice change of pace. Neither team's running attack scares me, so I'm going to go with a push.
Advantage: Neither
Receivers and TE's: The Bears receivers are lead by the speedy combo of Devin Hester and Johnnie Knox with Earl Bennett and Greg Olson providing the possession attack. They can stretch the field and also run the 8 yard curl route on 3rd and 6 that can beat you. The Packers counter with a who's who of receivers in Greg Jennings, James Jones, Donald Driver, and Jordy Nelson. The reason that Jones and Nelson are household names is because of Rodgers, but these men know how to run all the routes, deep and shallow, and they extend plays better than any group of receivers in the NFL.
Advantage: Green Bay
O-Line: Both O-lines have had good days and both have had bad ones. I've seen both teams allow multiple sack in a game and I have also seen those same linemen give the QB's 4 to 5 seconds in the pocket on any single play. It is a matter of which defense can challenge and confuse the O-Line to a greater extent.
Advantage: Neither
D-Line: I really like the duo of Cullen Jenkins and B.J. Raji on the Packers side, but Julius Peppers is an absolute beast and Israel Idonije (sorry, I sneezed) and
Tommie Harris clog the middle up as well as any other DT's in the league. This is an easy one because of the man in Navy Blue wearing #90.
Advantage: Julius Peppers... I mean, Chicago
Linebackers: This is the closest of the groupings for these two teams. The Bears have phenomenal athletes in Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs who can make tackles on any portion of the field. The Packers have possibly the best defensive player in the NFL in Clay Matthews and a couple of stalwarts in the middle of the field with A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop. For both teams, this area is a strength, but I think the Packers' scheme and Clay Matthews make the difference.
Advantage: Green Bay
Secondary: This is the most obvious discrepency between these two teams. The Packers might have the most talented secondary in the league with Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams on either side of the field and Pro Bowler Nick Collins manning the middle of the field. The Bears counter with Charles Tillman, an above-average CB, and not much else.
Advantage: Green Bay
Special Teams: Devin Hester.
Advantage: Chicago
Prediction: This game will be a defensive struggle due to the fact that it is the third game between these two teams and the fact that these two teams have great defenses and bad weather to battle against, it will be the team who scores 20 or more points that wins this game. The Packers proved in Philadelphia that they can win close ones like these and I think they do it again. Packers win 20-10
AFC Championship: #2 Pittsburgh Steelers (13-4) vs. #6 New York Jets (13-5)
QB's: Big Ben vs. Mark Sanchez - All these two men do is win, no matter what. They've got titles on their mind, they can never get enough. And every time they step up on the field, everybody's hands go up... and they stay there Sorry, I had to quote the chorus of the song "All I Do Is Win" for these two men because that is really all they do. These men are leaders and they make a habit of showing up when it matters. The only difference, Big Ben has two Super Bowl titles under his belt.
Advantage: Pittsburgh
Running Game: The Jets have the healthier O-Line and a Hall of Famer in LaDainian Tomlinson. Add Shonn Greene, a man that only shows up in the playoffs, to that attack and that is a fearsome group. The Steelers counter with Rashard Mendenhall and an O-Line that is average when healthy. Mendenhall isn't bad, but his O-Line is.
Advantage: New York
Receivers and TE's: The Steelers have the most underrated Tight Ends in the NFL today because they are asked to block just as well if not better than they catch the ball. They are a huge part of the Steeler offense. Add the speedy abilities of Emmanuel Sanders and Mike Wallace and the reliability of veterans Antwaan Randle El and Hines Ward and it is tough to cover all of those weapons. But the Jets have three bonafide stars at reciver in Jerricho Cotchery, Braylon Edwards, and Santonio Holmes, plus their Tight End Dustin Keller is a reliable option as well. If I need a big play on third down with two minutes left, I'm relying on Holmes to catch the ball more often than Antonio Brown (the Steelers WR who caught the long ball on 3rd and 19 with two minutes left against the Ravens last week... I knew you had already forgotten).
Advantage: New York
O-Line: Last week, the Steelers had to play Dan Legursky, THEIR LAST AVAILABLE LINEMAN OFF OF THE BENCH! The Jets have Nick Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson, two men that are soon-to-be perrenial Pro Bowlers (Mangold is the starter for the AFC this year).
Advantage: New York
D-Line: These two groups are carbon copies of each other. Playing with three down lineman, Casey Hampton, Zigi Hood, and Brett Keisel occupy blockers and bullrush effectively so that the Steeler Linebackers can make plays. The Jets D-Line has Shaun Ellis, Sione Pouha, and Mike DeVito and all three of those men work extremely hard to occupy blockers and bullrush effectively. Yes, I am aware that I described both D-Lines in the same manner.
Advantage: Neither
Linebackers: The Jets do not have slouches in their grouping with guys like Bart Scott, Calvin Pace, Jason Taylor, and David Harris. Yet the Steelers have the greatest collection of Linebackers in their franchise's history (Yes I said it. Have you seen them play? You can't run on them!). James Harrison, James Farrior, LaMarr Woodley, and Lawrence Timmons stuff anything and everything that comes their way. They are four beasts that can't be stopped and they have a fifth LB in Larry Foote that come off of the bench and provides no let down in talent when he is on the field.
Advantage: Steelers
Secondary: The Jets have Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie and those two men are fantastic cornerbacks. The Steelers have Troy Polamalu, the best safety in the NFL. I personally think that's a wash.
Advantage: Neither
Special Teams: Brad Smith will play in this Sunday's game and that provides a huge boost to the return game of the Jets which already wasn't lacking with Antonio Cromartie returning kicks as well. I personally can't think of anyone of note on the Steeler Special Teams.
Advantage: New York
Prediction: These two teams met in Week 15 of the Regular Season with a lot on the line and the New York Jets won that game 22-17. Take into account that the Jets have a healthier O-Line and I have enough evidence in that Week 15 result to convince me that the Jets and Packers will be meeting in the Super Bowl. Jets win 24-19
So if you made it to the end of this long-winded blog post, I'd like to thank you for sticking it out to the end. Have a wonderful weekend!
Over in the NFC, there were two blowouts between teams that obviously were on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to talent and ability. The Packers have always been the most talented team in the NFC, and the Bears paid way too much money in the off-season to their free agent acquisitions to lose at home to the Seattle Seahawks (By the way, what a HORRIBLE time for the Seahawks to remember that they just don't have enough talent to compete with teams this season. Oh well, we'll always have the last two games in Seattle). The Packers and Bears have been proving to their entire conference throughout the season that they have the two largest collections of talent in the NFC and it is not close for third (which would have been shared by Atlanta and New Orleans who have great players, but not enough good players to survive with the Packers and Bears).
The AFC showcased two matchups of division rivals who knew each other well, but also showed that they were very evenly matched with one another. If you took these four teams and had them play each other in a round-robin format for 6 games, I think all the teams would end up with identical 3-3 records. The AFC has truly become an "Any Given Sunday" type of conference where any one of those top teams can beat the other and it showed in those two close games between the Ravens and Steelers, and the Patriots and Jets. Having to choose between Pittsburgh and New York is going to be such a tough task (that also goes for Green Bay and Chicago), so I've decided that the best thing to do is to list these four teams by position group and decide where the biggest deficiencies are so that an intelligent (and correct) decision can be reached. On to the picks!
NFC Championship: #2 Chicago Bears (12-5) vs. #6 Green Bay Packers (12-6)
QB's: Jay Cutler vs. Aaron Rodgers - I think the answer is obvious here, but let's go ahead and give it a little more explanation. In the two playoff games Rodgers has been in this year he has thrown for 6 TD's, run for 1, and thrown 0 INT's. He also has only thrown 14 incompletions in 63 attempts. Cutler, on the other hand, had a good game at home against the very bad Seahawks secondary. The jury is out on Cutler, but the verdict is in for Rodgers and it says Rodgers is really, really good.
Advantage: Green Bay
Running Game: Chicago has Matt Forte and a shaky O-Line that has come together in the second half of the season. Plus, Mike Martz has shown a willingness to run a bit more which has given the running game of the Bears much more confidence. The Packers counter with James Starks, a man that has come out of nowhere to provide two nice games in the playoffs and they also have Jon Kuhn and Brandon Jackson who provide a nice change of pace. Neither team's running attack scares me, so I'm going to go with a push.
Advantage: Neither
Receivers and TE's: The Bears receivers are lead by the speedy combo of Devin Hester and Johnnie Knox with Earl Bennett and Greg Olson providing the possession attack. They can stretch the field and also run the 8 yard curl route on 3rd and 6 that can beat you. The Packers counter with a who's who of receivers in Greg Jennings, James Jones, Donald Driver, and Jordy Nelson. The reason that Jones and Nelson are household names is because of Rodgers, but these men know how to run all the routes, deep and shallow, and they extend plays better than any group of receivers in the NFL.
Advantage: Green Bay
O-Line: Both O-lines have had good days and both have had bad ones. I've seen both teams allow multiple sack in a game and I have also seen those same linemen give the QB's 4 to 5 seconds in the pocket on any single play. It is a matter of which defense can challenge and confuse the O-Line to a greater extent.
Advantage: Neither
D-Line: I really like the duo of Cullen Jenkins and B.J. Raji on the Packers side, but Julius Peppers is an absolute beast and Israel Idonije (sorry, I sneezed) and
Tommie Harris clog the middle up as well as any other DT's in the league. This is an easy one because of the man in Navy Blue wearing #90.
Advantage: Julius Peppers... I mean, Chicago
Linebackers: This is the closest of the groupings for these two teams. The Bears have phenomenal athletes in Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs who can make tackles on any portion of the field. The Packers have possibly the best defensive player in the NFL in Clay Matthews and a couple of stalwarts in the middle of the field with A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop. For both teams, this area is a strength, but I think the Packers' scheme and Clay Matthews make the difference.
Advantage: Green Bay
Secondary: This is the most obvious discrepency between these two teams. The Packers might have the most talented secondary in the league with Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams on either side of the field and Pro Bowler Nick Collins manning the middle of the field. The Bears counter with Charles Tillman, an above-average CB, and not much else.
Advantage: Green Bay
Special Teams: Devin Hester.
Advantage: Chicago
Prediction: This game will be a defensive struggle due to the fact that it is the third game between these two teams and the fact that these two teams have great defenses and bad weather to battle against, it will be the team who scores 20 or more points that wins this game. The Packers proved in Philadelphia that they can win close ones like these and I think they do it again. Packers win 20-10
AFC Championship: #2 Pittsburgh Steelers (13-4) vs. #6 New York Jets (13-5)
QB's: Big Ben vs. Mark Sanchez - All these two men do is win, no matter what. They've got titles on their mind, they can never get enough. And every time they step up on the field, everybody's hands go up... and they stay there Sorry, I had to quote the chorus of the song "All I Do Is Win" for these two men because that is really all they do. These men are leaders and they make a habit of showing up when it matters. The only difference, Big Ben has two Super Bowl titles under his belt.
Advantage: Pittsburgh
Running Game: The Jets have the healthier O-Line and a Hall of Famer in LaDainian Tomlinson. Add Shonn Greene, a man that only shows up in the playoffs, to that attack and that is a fearsome group. The Steelers counter with Rashard Mendenhall and an O-Line that is average when healthy. Mendenhall isn't bad, but his O-Line is.
Advantage: New York
Receivers and TE's: The Steelers have the most underrated Tight Ends in the NFL today because they are asked to block just as well if not better than they catch the ball. They are a huge part of the Steeler offense. Add the speedy abilities of Emmanuel Sanders and Mike Wallace and the reliability of veterans Antwaan Randle El and Hines Ward and it is tough to cover all of those weapons. But the Jets have three bonafide stars at reciver in Jerricho Cotchery, Braylon Edwards, and Santonio Holmes, plus their Tight End Dustin Keller is a reliable option as well. If I need a big play on third down with two minutes left, I'm relying on Holmes to catch the ball more often than Antonio Brown (the Steelers WR who caught the long ball on 3rd and 19 with two minutes left against the Ravens last week... I knew you had already forgotten).
Advantage: New York
O-Line: Last week, the Steelers had to play Dan Legursky, THEIR LAST AVAILABLE LINEMAN OFF OF THE BENCH! The Jets have Nick Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson, two men that are soon-to-be perrenial Pro Bowlers (Mangold is the starter for the AFC this year).
Advantage: New York
D-Line: These two groups are carbon copies of each other. Playing with three down lineman, Casey Hampton, Zigi Hood, and Brett Keisel occupy blockers and bullrush effectively so that the Steeler Linebackers can make plays. The Jets D-Line has Shaun Ellis, Sione Pouha, and Mike DeVito and all three of those men work extremely hard to occupy blockers and bullrush effectively. Yes, I am aware that I described both D-Lines in the same manner.
Advantage: Neither
Linebackers: The Jets do not have slouches in their grouping with guys like Bart Scott, Calvin Pace, Jason Taylor, and David Harris. Yet the Steelers have the greatest collection of Linebackers in their franchise's history (Yes I said it. Have you seen them play? You can't run on them!). James Harrison, James Farrior, LaMarr Woodley, and Lawrence Timmons stuff anything and everything that comes their way. They are four beasts that can't be stopped and they have a fifth LB in Larry Foote that come off of the bench and provides no let down in talent when he is on the field.
Advantage: Steelers
Secondary: The Jets have Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie and those two men are fantastic cornerbacks. The Steelers have Troy Polamalu, the best safety in the NFL. I personally think that's a wash.
Advantage: Neither
Special Teams: Brad Smith will play in this Sunday's game and that provides a huge boost to the return game of the Jets which already wasn't lacking with Antonio Cromartie returning kicks as well. I personally can't think of anyone of note on the Steeler Special Teams.
Advantage: New York
Prediction: These two teams met in Week 15 of the Regular Season with a lot on the line and the New York Jets won that game 22-17. Take into account that the Jets have a healthier O-Line and I have enough evidence in that Week 15 result to convince me that the Jets and Packers will be meeting in the Super Bowl. Jets win 24-19
So if you made it to the end of this long-winded blog post, I'd like to thank you for sticking it out to the end. Have a wonderful weekend!
Friday, January 14, 2011
2011 NFL Divisional Round Predictions
"Beast Mode. Beast Mode! BEAST MODE! BEEEEAAASSSSSTTTT MOOOODDDDEEEEE!!!!! YEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!" Marshawn Lynch is affectionately known as "Beast Mode" when he is running the football and last week during his game-clinching 67 yard touchdown run, Lynch earned that nickname. As a Seahawks fan, I've been yelling "Beast Mode" at the television everytime I see him run the ball for the Seahawks (Much like Patriots Fans yell out "Law Firm" everytime that Benjarvus Green-Ellis runs the football) and the beginning of this blog entry was a manuscript of how I reacted during that magnificent rumble. That run by Lynch brought out true joy from every football fan that doesn't hate the Seahawks or is a Saints' fan. It was truly what makes football great.
Last week I was a last second FG away from going 4-0 on Wild Card Weekend. I also got the point differential correct for the Seahawks-Saints game and I got the Chiefs' score exactly right (and was three points off of the Ravens' final score in the same game). I like to think that is a good omen for this next round of predictions. Without further ado:
AFC Divisional Playoff #1: #2 Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) vs. #5 Baltimore Ravens (13-4) Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Everyone knows that these two teams love to beat up on each other and that neither team will come out of this game unscathed. Regardless of who scores more points in this football game, the real winner will be the victor's opponent next week. They will receive a team that is beat up and will most likely be missing one to two starters which is a lot in the playoffs. But back to this game, it is Big Ben vs. Flacco, Harrison and Polomalu vs. Lewis and Reed, and one underrated D-Line against another. This game is truly a pick 'em and I don't think home-field advantage is going to matter. When in doubt, go with your gut, and my gut is telling me to stick with the team I predicted to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl during the pre-season.
Final Score: Ravens 16 - Steelers 12
NFC Divisional Playoff #1: #1 Atlanta Falcons (13-3) vs. #6 Green Bay Packers (11-6) Location: Atlanta, GA
I watched their regular season match-up from the opening kickoff to the final play and I remember thinking to myself "These two teams are bound to meet again in the playoffs". I also thought that the match-up would occur during the Conference Championship, but it looks like I was a round off. During that regular season game I noticed that the Falcons had trouble moving the ball on the Packers and had to rely on field position to earn all of their 20 points while the Packers left at least 7 points on the field that day if not more. There were a couple of red zone turnovers that were committed by the Packers, but mostly the lasting impression was that the Packers stopped themselves that day and Atlanta was lucky to get a win. I feel like if these two teams played ten times, the Packers would win nine of them and since the Falcons already won once, I'm picking Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.
Final Score: Packers 24 - Falcons 13
NFC Divisional Playoff #2: #2 Chicago Bears (11-5) vs. #4 Seattle Seahawks (8-9)
Location: Chicago, IL
So here is where the ride ends, right? The Seahawks can't beat a team as tough on defense as the Bears twice, especially at Soldier Field, right? It defies logic to think that a team could be 9-9 in the Conference Championship, right? I mean, look at the 2004 St. Louis Rams and the 2008 San Diego Chargers, the other two teams with non-winning records that won a game in the playoffs, but they both lost in the Divisional Playoffs, just like the Seahawks will, right? Honestly, I think the Bears are a good enough team to make the playoffs, and a bad enough team to get upset at home in the playoffs by a team with a losing record. The Seahawks have a QB with 5 postseason victories, a running game that has earned over 100 yards in each of their last two games, and some stability on the O-Line for the first time all year. I'm taking the Seahawks and everyone will have their eyes on Seattle, WA for the NFC Championship!
Final Score: Seahawks 27 - Bears 19
AFC Divisional Playoff #2: #1 New England Patriots (14-2) vs. #6 New York Jets (12-5)
Location: Foxborough, MA
The main event of the weekend is the rubber match between the Jets and the Patriots. I think it is evident which team has been preparing for this match-up strategically and which team believes that talking crap and puffing out their chest will somehow create an advantage on the football field. I'm supposed to believe in Mark Sanchez because he "called his own play" at the end of the Colts-Jets game last week? A game in which the Jets scored only 17 points and won by one?! The Colts were a subpar team with a great QB and the Jets are an average team with a very shaky demeanor. Plus, the Patriots don't lose Divisional Round games at home. If anything, they lose these games on the road. I'm choosing Brady, Belichick, and the smart-asses from Massachusettes to cruise to the AFC Championship.
Final Score: Patriots 38 - Jets 10
So if it all goes the way I see it, we're looking at Patriots-Ravens in the AFC Championship (early game most likely) and then the Seahawks-Packers in the NFC Championship. I'd watch both of those games while on the edge of my seat. I hope my picks pan out.
Last week I was a last second FG away from going 4-0 on Wild Card Weekend. I also got the point differential correct for the Seahawks-Saints game and I got the Chiefs' score exactly right (and was three points off of the Ravens' final score in the same game). I like to think that is a good omen for this next round of predictions. Without further ado:
AFC Divisional Playoff #1: #2 Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) vs. #5 Baltimore Ravens (13-4) Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Everyone knows that these two teams love to beat up on each other and that neither team will come out of this game unscathed. Regardless of who scores more points in this football game, the real winner will be the victor's opponent next week. They will receive a team that is beat up and will most likely be missing one to two starters which is a lot in the playoffs. But back to this game, it is Big Ben vs. Flacco, Harrison and Polomalu vs. Lewis and Reed, and one underrated D-Line against another. This game is truly a pick 'em and I don't think home-field advantage is going to matter. When in doubt, go with your gut, and my gut is telling me to stick with the team I predicted to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl during the pre-season.
Final Score: Ravens 16 - Steelers 12
NFC Divisional Playoff #1: #1 Atlanta Falcons (13-3) vs. #6 Green Bay Packers (11-6) Location: Atlanta, GA
I watched their regular season match-up from the opening kickoff to the final play and I remember thinking to myself "These two teams are bound to meet again in the playoffs". I also thought that the match-up would occur during the Conference Championship, but it looks like I was a round off. During that regular season game I noticed that the Falcons had trouble moving the ball on the Packers and had to rely on field position to earn all of their 20 points while the Packers left at least 7 points on the field that day if not more. There were a couple of red zone turnovers that were committed by the Packers, but mostly the lasting impression was that the Packers stopped themselves that day and Atlanta was lucky to get a win. I feel like if these two teams played ten times, the Packers would win nine of them and since the Falcons already won once, I'm picking Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.
Final Score: Packers 24 - Falcons 13
NFC Divisional Playoff #2: #2 Chicago Bears (11-5) vs. #4 Seattle Seahawks (8-9)
Location: Chicago, IL
So here is where the ride ends, right? The Seahawks can't beat a team as tough on defense as the Bears twice, especially at Soldier Field, right? It defies logic to think that a team could be 9-9 in the Conference Championship, right? I mean, look at the 2004 St. Louis Rams and the 2008 San Diego Chargers, the other two teams with non-winning records that won a game in the playoffs, but they both lost in the Divisional Playoffs, just like the Seahawks will, right? Honestly, I think the Bears are a good enough team to make the playoffs, and a bad enough team to get upset at home in the playoffs by a team with a losing record. The Seahawks have a QB with 5 postseason victories, a running game that has earned over 100 yards in each of their last two games, and some stability on the O-Line for the first time all year. I'm taking the Seahawks and everyone will have their eyes on Seattle, WA for the NFC Championship!
Final Score: Seahawks 27 - Bears 19
AFC Divisional Playoff #2: #1 New England Patriots (14-2) vs. #6 New York Jets (12-5)
Location: Foxborough, MA
The main event of the weekend is the rubber match between the Jets and the Patriots. I think it is evident which team has been preparing for this match-up strategically and which team believes that talking crap and puffing out their chest will somehow create an advantage on the football field. I'm supposed to believe in Mark Sanchez because he "called his own play" at the end of the Colts-Jets game last week? A game in which the Jets scored only 17 points and won by one?! The Colts were a subpar team with a great QB and the Jets are an average team with a very shaky demeanor. Plus, the Patriots don't lose Divisional Round games at home. If anything, they lose these games on the road. I'm choosing Brady, Belichick, and the smart-asses from Massachusettes to cruise to the AFC Championship.
Final Score: Patriots 38 - Jets 10
So if it all goes the way I see it, we're looking at Patriots-Ravens in the AFC Championship (early game most likely) and then the Seahawks-Packers in the NFC Championship. I'd watch both of those games while on the edge of my seat. I hope my picks pan out.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
A Disturbing Trend
In June of 2010, I graduated from the University of Oregon. Before graduating from that place of higher education, I considered myself a big fan of their athletic program, and after my time there, I became an even larger fanatic of Ducks Sports. Last night I watched the Oregon Ducks lose in the BCS National Championship game to the Auburn Tigers 22-19. It was a sad sight to see, but one that I was not totally shocked by after watching the entire game. The Oregon Duck Football Team has achieved unbridled success over the past two years, but they have also suffered painful setbacks in two of the biggest games that they have participated in. In those two games (2010 Rose Bowl and 2011 BCS National Championship) I noticed a disturbing trend in how the Ducks played in each game that can be stated in three simple words: They Got Scared.
It seemed in both the Rose Bowl and the BCS Title Game that the brevity of the moment got in the heads of the team and the coaching staff. In a way that is unique to the Oregon Ducks, they have calmly bullied lesser teams into submission with their pace of play and overall talent as a team. Yet in the bowl games, the inherent talent disparity is closed because both Ohio State and Auburn have the same quality of talent that Oregon does if not more (as far as depth is concerned) and the pace of play is less of a surprise to their opponents because those teams had almost a month to five weeks to condition and learn how to play quickly. With those advantages now negated, it comes down to who wants it more and who plays mistake-free football and that is something that Oregon does not do well.
Something that I have mentioned about the New York Jets in the NFL this year is that they are the biggest bullies in the league, but if you punch them in the mouth and prove you are not scared, then the bully begins to cower away and stray from their strength. This is what has happened to the Ducks, they have been punched in the mouth and instead of sticking to their guns and fighting back, they have cowered and try to beat their opponents with deception. A perfect example of this comes from last night's game when the kick return and punt return teams of Oregon were absolutely stuffed by Auburn. Oregon even twice tried to run kick return reverses, which are slow-developing plays that only work if the opposing team is deceived, which almost never happens anymore. The return teams for Oregon were one of the biggest strengths on the entire team and multiple kickoffs were returned for touchdowns throughout the year when the returner caught the ball and just found a hole and ran. Then in the biggest game of the year the Ducks decide to try and run kick return reverses? Why?
The Oregon coaching staff had a tendency to make certain decisions in certain situations, like go for it on fourth down when the ball is too far to kick a field goal and too short to kick an effective punt. Yet those decisions to be aggresive and earn the name of "Big Balls Chip" (which the students of UO graciously call the head coach Chip Kelly) were suddenly gone. On more than one occasion in both the Rose Bowl and the BCS Title Game, Chip and the Ducks coaching staff decided not to go for it on fourth down on the opponent's side of the 50-yard-line and punted. Granted, the Ducks made a couple of aggresive calls, one that worked and one that did not (the fake punt that resulted in a first down which was followed on the same possession with a fourth down run on the one yard line that was stuffed) but there were multiple opportunities for the Ducks to be aggresive and put the pressure on Auburn and Ohio State and the coaching staff got conservative. Along those lines, it seemed that the coaching staff was a little tight, a little scared, and the players always play in the image of the coaching staff, so if the coaches are playing tight and not to lose, then the players will play tight and not to lose. If you play that way, you end up losing.
I think the Ducks could actually win the National Title next year, but there has to be a change in attitude within the coaching staff and with the players. These men have to believe they can beat any team they play when the Ducks play their game. If you don't believe that you can beat any team when you play your game, then you have already lost. It seems to me that when the Ducks score 36 points in the last two bowl games combined (which is 13 points fewer than what they averaged per game in the 2010 season) that the Ducks didn't play their best. At some point, the finger has to be pointed at the Ducks themselves.
It seemed in both the Rose Bowl and the BCS Title Game that the brevity of the moment got in the heads of the team and the coaching staff. In a way that is unique to the Oregon Ducks, they have calmly bullied lesser teams into submission with their pace of play and overall talent as a team. Yet in the bowl games, the inherent talent disparity is closed because both Ohio State and Auburn have the same quality of talent that Oregon does if not more (as far as depth is concerned) and the pace of play is less of a surprise to their opponents because those teams had almost a month to five weeks to condition and learn how to play quickly. With those advantages now negated, it comes down to who wants it more and who plays mistake-free football and that is something that Oregon does not do well.
Something that I have mentioned about the New York Jets in the NFL this year is that they are the biggest bullies in the league, but if you punch them in the mouth and prove you are not scared, then the bully begins to cower away and stray from their strength. This is what has happened to the Ducks, they have been punched in the mouth and instead of sticking to their guns and fighting back, they have cowered and try to beat their opponents with deception. A perfect example of this comes from last night's game when the kick return and punt return teams of Oregon were absolutely stuffed by Auburn. Oregon even twice tried to run kick return reverses, which are slow-developing plays that only work if the opposing team is deceived, which almost never happens anymore. The return teams for Oregon were one of the biggest strengths on the entire team and multiple kickoffs were returned for touchdowns throughout the year when the returner caught the ball and just found a hole and ran. Then in the biggest game of the year the Ducks decide to try and run kick return reverses? Why?
The Oregon coaching staff had a tendency to make certain decisions in certain situations, like go for it on fourth down when the ball is too far to kick a field goal and too short to kick an effective punt. Yet those decisions to be aggresive and earn the name of "Big Balls Chip" (which the students of UO graciously call the head coach Chip Kelly) were suddenly gone. On more than one occasion in both the Rose Bowl and the BCS Title Game, Chip and the Ducks coaching staff decided not to go for it on fourth down on the opponent's side of the 50-yard-line and punted. Granted, the Ducks made a couple of aggresive calls, one that worked and one that did not (the fake punt that resulted in a first down which was followed on the same possession with a fourth down run on the one yard line that was stuffed) but there were multiple opportunities for the Ducks to be aggresive and put the pressure on Auburn and Ohio State and the coaching staff got conservative. Along those lines, it seemed that the coaching staff was a little tight, a little scared, and the players always play in the image of the coaching staff, so if the coaches are playing tight and not to lose, then the players will play tight and not to lose. If you play that way, you end up losing.
I think the Ducks could actually win the National Title next year, but there has to be a change in attitude within the coaching staff and with the players. These men have to believe they can beat any team they play when the Ducks play their game. If you don't believe that you can beat any team when you play your game, then you have already lost. It seems to me that when the Ducks score 36 points in the last two bowl games combined (which is 13 points fewer than what they averaged per game in the 2010 season) that the Ducks didn't play their best. At some point, the finger has to be pointed at the Ducks themselves.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
