So back in the springtime, one of my fellow gangstas Jim came up with the idea that my fellow Niners fans and I should trek out to Frisco to catch a Niners game. Larry, Vi, and I jumped at the chance, seeing Saturday December 15 as a home night game against Cincy. Catch the Niners during a playoff campaign! Smith and Gore vs. Ocho Cinco! Dreams coming true, as we got tickets and made flight reservations, and after a 2-0 start, we were ready to celebrate an NFC West title live on the Bay.
It'll still be a fun trip. But this has got to be the worst letdown season I've ever been part of as a fan. Of any team. Astros '00? Bucks '01-02? Avs '02-'03? UConn '04-05? Oh I'm used to playoff meltdowns or chokes or name-brand rebuilding seasons. The Niners haven't played one quality game all year. Not one, not even in the two wins. And after tonight's debacle, one thing is clear: we are the worst team in football.
Coach Nolan was doing all the right things, improving the win total each year. Smith and Gore were healthy. The schedule was ridiculously soft. The rest of the division was down. And yet, now, after ten weeks, it's completely over. We're on the clock (for Round 2 of the Draft, remember). I'll stash further ranting until the end of the season, but that's all we Niners fans have right now. Hope for next year.
Hopefully we'll get good seats next year too.
Strange week in the NFL otherwise, as nine road teams won, many of whom had no business winning. One team that did have business winning: the Cowboys, who locked up a division I thought they'd finish third in. Face it, Giants fans, this game proved (a) your six wins are overrated, (b) Eli ain't Romo, and (c) a handful of Osi sacks can't stop good offenses. But a win in Detroit against a Lions team that gave up 31 in Arizona can ease doubts of making the playoffs. And honestly, the team that loses that game still has a good shot to make the playoffs...
...because the Redskins and Saints played absolutely pitiful defense at home against two sub-.500 teams. Now N'Awlens can still win the division, especially because the Panthers have officially started to mail it in (still no home wins). But the 'Skins might have let the Eagles back into the race. Most likely not, because Philly's remaining schedule is extremely tough. Nevertheless, we know my pick of Washington to win the division is looking comical. Hilariously enough, the Bears could creep back in thanks to Rex. I don't buy it though. Gimme the Saints and Giants as the NFC wildcards as of now.
Two games really defined the AFC this week: first, the Steelers showed why they are (a) a huge threat to beat the Pats, and (b) if successful there, as likely a team as any to make a Super Bowl run. You don't just shut down a solid Browns offense in the second half like that. Very gritty, a lot of heart, and all with a first-year coach. The black-and-gold made the Leap onto the Super Bowl contenders list this week. Game #2: the Colts-Bolts game was the stuff of legends. One team with all of its weapons healthy staked out to a 23-0 lead. Another team with half of its roster on the trainer's table and a makeshift offensive line. So what do we see? Despicable coaching by Norv. Horrendous quarterbacking by Rivers. A hero in Peyton Manning. And a dramatically tragic ending with Vinatieri. It was enough to mollify criticism for Turner and Rivers, which may not be such a good thing for San Diego. Other AFC notes: the Jags are certainly capable of a first-round upset on the road, the Ravens and Chiefs proved you can't win without a QB, and something tells me Mangini and Belichick did not get together for cake and coffee during the Bye week.
Last words...Ben Roethlisberger. It's time to give credit where credit is due. This guy was picked after Eli and Phil Rivers in the 2004 draft. If not for the motorcycle accident, his career stats would be tremendous for a quarterback in his fourth season. As it is, Big Ben is known for one thing: winning. In my opinion, he is the #3 QB in the NFL. The third-most trustworthy quarterback in the entire league, behind you-know-whom. Yes, even over Favre, just because age could catch up to Favre at any instant. Even over Romo, who's had some turnover problems this season. Roethlisberger willed the Steelers to a huge comeback this week. When his 10-2 Steelers travel to Foxboro on December 9, not a single Pats fan will be comfortable watching #7 under center for the visitors.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Gut check
Lots to talk about. A real standout week. Good and bad.
As usual I'll start with my team. In a word, horrible. Now there are no good losses, not for a team that's supposed to be a playoff contender. But this was a wretched defeat today at the hands of a terrible team in Georgia. And normally you can just blame the whole team for a poor effort. But today, it was all about one man. The quarterback.
In 2005, we could've drafted Braylon, Ware, or Merriman had we traded down in the first round. Sure we nabbed Gore in Round 3. And in Mr. Smith's defense, the best QB taken that year was...Derek Anderson? But no matter how you slice it, one thing's for sure: thus far, Alex Smith, out of Utah, #1 overall in 2005, has been a bust. An absolute bust. Yes he improved last season after a putrid '05, but the guy is not ready to be an NFL starting QB. Nobody wanted to admit this for the '07 season, but it's true. Sure he matriculated a gutty fourth-quarter comeback against the Cardinals at home, but today's performance was horrendous. 3 picks, no TDs, no ability at the end of the game, even with all the receiving weapons healthy. All this against the Falcons???!!? Yes Gore was out, but Robinson and Hicks did an admirable job filling in. We have no choice but to stick with ASmith, but I for one don't like the way this has turned out at all.
The turnaround has to come now, and in a big way. As usual, I have hope. Thanks to the Browns showing some heart and the Bucs playing some D, both other non-winless NFC West teams fell on the road today. Man am I ever thankful we play in the worst division in football. In fact, all West teams (AFC included) lost today, a nifty 0-7 against seven teams that didn't make the playoffs last year. Perhaps the Oregon Ducks are the best football team on the west side this season. Yikes. Anyways, next week's Monday Night tilt (you can hear ESPN shouting for joy...) between the Niners and Seahawks is a playoff game. If the Niners win, and they did last year in Seattle when no one thought they could, then the division title can still be captured. If not, we're on the clock. And hey, if our first-round pick is a QB, I wouldn't be shocked...but OH SNAP no first-round pick this year (goes to the Pats). Unbelievable.
There's my Niners rant, but a lot of the happenings this week focused on the performances of the quarterbacks. The two best in the game (and the decade) squared off today, and by all accounts, this game was a letdown. Too many turnovers, no clean drives, questionable penalties...just no continuity with the passing game. It even got to a point where I would've switched to the Browns-Seahawks game if possible. But of course, the Pats will go undefeated now, while the Colts will have that injury excuse in their backpockets up until the rematch in Foxboro in late January. I do give a shoutout to both defenses though. That's what made this game so amazing: not only were the two offenses explosive, but the two defenses came in as the best in the league. It's just too bad the QBs didn't live up to the hype. But a win is all that matters, and Brady got it done.
Other notes: how about the NFC North going 3-0 against the AFC West today? Looks like Eric might be correct with regards to the "second-tier" teams. The Packers, now 7-1, just won games in Denver and Kansas City, after beating the Chargers at home earlier in the season. The Lions, now 6-2 (really!?) proved to the NFL they belong after basically ending the Broncos' season. And the Vikes proved that Philip Rivers can't be trusted to lead the Chargers to a Super Bowl. Shoutout to Antonio Cromartie's 109-yard return though. Also coming up big: the Saints, now back in the race, the team no one wants to play, the team likely to win the division. You can see there will be some fantastic finishes in the NFC this year: the Cowboys, Giants, and Redskins still have four games against one another, the Bucs and Saints will play in N'Awlens in a month, and the Pack and Lions have TWO games left, including a tremendous Thanksgiving matchup. And oh yeah, to repeat, the West is a joke.
Two AFC teams made leaps this week: Are the Bills for real? Are the Browns seriously poised to grab a playoff spot? For Buffalo, two games against Miami help, but a tough schedule will likely keep them around 7-9. Still, that's about three times as many wins as I thought they'd have. And hey what can I say, it's just Cleveland's year this year, with the Cavs and Tribe unfurling breakout seasons too. It'll prolly turn out the same way for the Dawgpounders: make the playoffs or come close, but choke at the end. Still, it is nice to see the kids Braylon, Kellen, and Derek Anderson revive Cleveland football. Doesn't hurt to have ex-con Jamal score four. The Chiefs missed a chance to catch up on the Chargers, but that battle isn't over; remember, KC went to SD and won there. Either way, they'll be in a nice race with Jax, Cleveland, and Baltimore at year's end for the last spot.
Last words...all in all, a refreshing Sunday of football with some exciting finishes and stellar play. But it's time to put Adrian Peterson's season into perspective. He's a rookie on a team with no quarterback and a shaky coach. He's on pace for over 2,000 yards. He broke the single-game rushing record in his eighth game as a pro. He's going to lead the league in rushing, earn a trip to Honolulu, and likely finish #2 in the MVP voting to Brady. Who can stop him? The Chargers entered the season with one of the toughest run defenses in the league. Today they looked like a high school team from Kansas (the ones on the other side of 72-0). Bottom line: "Purple Jesus" is now the standard for any RB in the NFL. Not just rookie RBs either. Let's just hope the ride continues on through when the Vikings actually get a productive QB.
As usual I'll start with my team. In a word, horrible. Now there are no good losses, not for a team that's supposed to be a playoff contender. But this was a wretched defeat today at the hands of a terrible team in Georgia. And normally you can just blame the whole team for a poor effort. But today, it was all about one man. The quarterback.
In 2005, we could've drafted Braylon, Ware, or Merriman had we traded down in the first round. Sure we nabbed Gore in Round 3. And in Mr. Smith's defense, the best QB taken that year was...Derek Anderson? But no matter how you slice it, one thing's for sure: thus far, Alex Smith, out of Utah, #1 overall in 2005, has been a bust. An absolute bust. Yes he improved last season after a putrid '05, but the guy is not ready to be an NFL starting QB. Nobody wanted to admit this for the '07 season, but it's true. Sure he matriculated a gutty fourth-quarter comeback against the Cardinals at home, but today's performance was horrendous. 3 picks, no TDs, no ability at the end of the game, even with all the receiving weapons healthy. All this against the Falcons???!!? Yes Gore was out, but Robinson and Hicks did an admirable job filling in. We have no choice but to stick with ASmith, but I for one don't like the way this has turned out at all.
The turnaround has to come now, and in a big way. As usual, I have hope. Thanks to the Browns showing some heart and the Bucs playing some D, both other non-winless NFC West teams fell on the road today. Man am I ever thankful we play in the worst division in football. In fact, all West teams (AFC included) lost today, a nifty 0-7 against seven teams that didn't make the playoffs last year. Perhaps the Oregon Ducks are the best football team on the west side this season. Yikes. Anyways, next week's Monday Night tilt (you can hear ESPN shouting for joy...) between the Niners and Seahawks is a playoff game. If the Niners win, and they did last year in Seattle when no one thought they could, then the division title can still be captured. If not, we're on the clock. And hey, if our first-round pick is a QB, I wouldn't be shocked...but OH SNAP no first-round pick this year (goes to the Pats). Unbelievable.
There's my Niners rant, but a lot of the happenings this week focused on the performances of the quarterbacks. The two best in the game (and the decade) squared off today, and by all accounts, this game was a letdown. Too many turnovers, no clean drives, questionable penalties...just no continuity with the passing game. It even got to a point where I would've switched to the Browns-Seahawks game if possible. But of course, the Pats will go undefeated now, while the Colts will have that injury excuse in their backpockets up until the rematch in Foxboro in late January. I do give a shoutout to both defenses though. That's what made this game so amazing: not only were the two offenses explosive, but the two defenses came in as the best in the league. It's just too bad the QBs didn't live up to the hype. But a win is all that matters, and Brady got it done.
Other notes: how about the NFC North going 3-0 against the AFC West today? Looks like Eric might be correct with regards to the "second-tier" teams. The Packers, now 7-1, just won games in Denver and Kansas City, after beating the Chargers at home earlier in the season. The Lions, now 6-2 (really!?) proved to the NFL they belong after basically ending the Broncos' season. And the Vikes proved that Philip Rivers can't be trusted to lead the Chargers to a Super Bowl. Shoutout to Antonio Cromartie's 109-yard return though. Also coming up big: the Saints, now back in the race, the team no one wants to play, the team likely to win the division. You can see there will be some fantastic finishes in the NFC this year: the Cowboys, Giants, and Redskins still have four games against one another, the Bucs and Saints will play in N'Awlens in a month, and the Pack and Lions have TWO games left, including a tremendous Thanksgiving matchup. And oh yeah, to repeat, the West is a joke.
Two AFC teams made leaps this week: Are the Bills for real? Are the Browns seriously poised to grab a playoff spot? For Buffalo, two games against Miami help, but a tough schedule will likely keep them around 7-9. Still, that's about three times as many wins as I thought they'd have. And hey what can I say, it's just Cleveland's year this year, with the Cavs and Tribe unfurling breakout seasons too. It'll prolly turn out the same way for the Dawgpounders: make the playoffs or come close, but choke at the end. Still, it is nice to see the kids Braylon, Kellen, and Derek Anderson revive Cleveland football. Doesn't hurt to have ex-con Jamal score four. The Chiefs missed a chance to catch up on the Chargers, but that battle isn't over; remember, KC went to SD and won there. Either way, they'll be in a nice race with Jax, Cleveland, and Baltimore at year's end for the last spot.
Last words...all in all, a refreshing Sunday of football with some exciting finishes and stellar play. But it's time to put Adrian Peterson's season into perspective. He's a rookie on a team with no quarterback and a shaky coach. He's on pace for over 2,000 yards. He broke the single-game rushing record in his eighth game as a pro. He's going to lead the league in rushing, earn a trip to Honolulu, and likely finish #2 in the MVP voting to Brady. Who can stop him? The Chargers entered the season with one of the toughest run defenses in the league. Today they looked like a high school team from Kansas (the ones on the other side of 72-0). Bottom line: "Purple Jesus" is now the standard for any RB in the NFL. Not just rookie RBs either. Let's just hope the ride continues on through when the Vikings actually get a productive QB.
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