Fourth & Forever: Best Read-Option Teams
The read-option is the new wildcat and the newly found play-action remix. Times have changed in the NFL. Pocket quarterbacks are too one-dimensional. Teams are looking for mobile quarterbacks, who can be a good pocket quarterback and a good running quarterback. Plug that into the offensive schemes and the defenses have to prepare for both situations. Add in a good running back and this team has just become more dynamic. To run the read-option to perfection, you need a good duo; running back and quarterback. To keep defenses unbalanced, the read-option shouldn't be used excessively, but moderately. Plus no one wants to have their quarterback repeatedly in harms way. I'm going to be taking a look at the top read-option teams based on what they will do this season.
Chip N Dales Rescue Rangers have landed in the city of "Brotherly Love". Last season, the Eagles didn't get any love. The offensive line was terrible, giving up an average of seven sacks a game. Starting quarterback Michael Vick missed six games because of injury. Starting running back LeSean McCoy missed four games because of a concussion. The line couldn't stop a bowl of cereal from hitting the ground. I explained it to the Pillsbury Doughboy and he couldn't stop laughing. Vick kept getting pressured out the pocket. Andy Reid had fans standing outside the Eagles facility protesting his release, and eventually it happened after a 4-12 season. But with former Oregon coach Chip Kelly uptempo offense, this team is going to be explosive, coming in at number three. The offensive line is better, they drafted offensive tackle Lane Johnson with the fourth pick in this Aprils draft The 6 ft 7 tackle will definitely help. I was reading an article on Bleacher Report about Kelly's Eagles. They ran 86 plays in their first pre-season game against the New England Patriots, while not winning the time of possession advantage. 86 plays in under 29 minutes compared to the Patriots who ran a total of 72 plays. With Kelly its all about running as many plays as possible and scoring in bunches. Wearing down defenses and making them pay for it. He uses a different type of read-option that can limit the quarterback from running down-field. Don't be surprised to see receivers in the back-field, this is a running team. He uses mis-directions with the running back and different formations with the offensive line to keep the defense guessing. Pulling line-men around to double team defensive line-men and getting to the second level at linebackers. With McCoy and Vick being able to run and make cuts in fashion, this could be the best rushing team in the league. Kelly's inside and outside zone read-option scheme is going to help them win, especially when the defense can't figure out if its a running or passing play.
The Seattle Seahawks come in at number two. This team runs the read-option like its no ones business. They are a running team with work-horse Marshawn Lynch leading the pack. The former Golden Bear has been on a tare with quarterback Russell Wilson running the team. Lynch ran for over 1700 yards last season, averaging 5.0 yards per carry and totaling 14 touchdowns. 13 on the ground and one from the air. The Seahawks are a running team. Last year they ran the ball 54 percent of the time. Wilson, who was a rookie last season ran for five touchdowns and threw for 29. Having a quarterback rating of 100.3 in his first year makes him a big time threat moving forward. The more he develops, the better his team will become better. This Batman and Robin duo run Emerald city. Either one of them can be Batman, therefore teams just cant focus on one. Trying to plug the running lanes, leaves man to man coverage down-field. Faking the hand off to Lynch gets the defense leaning toward one side and Wilson lets it fly to receivers Sidney Rice or Golden Tate on the other side. Option two is Wilson him keeping the ball, going one way while Lynch has the defense chasing him. This team is unpredictable when it comes to scoring points. They averaged 25.8 ppg and 360.1 ypg. Feed the beast indeed!
Staying in the NFC West, the San Francisco 49ers come in at number one. The combination of quarterback Colin Kaepernick, running back Frank Gore and that pistol formation offense are lethal. The Packers are still trying to figure out who had the ball, from that 45-31 NFC Divisional game. The reason why they run this offense to perfection is because of the playmakers on the team. A good quarterback, to go along with a good running back, with the addition of two full-backs or tight-end in the backfield in unheard of. When the play starts, one full-back block the defensive end, while the guard will pull leading the way, followed by the other full-back and Gore. In order to get to the running back, the defender has to get through the guard and full-back. Then Gore is not an easy target, he is big back, who can break tackles. If Kaepernick keeps the ball, he wants to get to the outside running lanes. For this to work the outside defender isn't blocked, in hopes of the defender biting the fake hand-off to Gore. The person who was suppose to block the end defender is blocking up-field. The defensive end or linebacker comes in and Kaepernick keeps it and has a ton of running room because the other defenders are drawn down-field to the decoy receivers. The formation gets defenders to check for the run and when they realize its a pass their man is open down-field. For instance tight-end Vernon Davis is a mismatch. His man doesn't commit to him and he's left open. Plus he ran a 4.3 at the Combine. He can run right past most linebackers. There is a ton of things that can be done to produce yards out of that formation. Kaepernick averaged 7.7 yards a carry and Gore averaged 4.8. Combined they ran for 20 touchdowns. Just imagine if Kaepernick played the whole season. If I was coach Jim Harbaugh I personally would have bought former quarterback Alex Smith a Christmas gift for getting hurt, but I guess giving him the boot works as well.
The reason why I didn't pick the Redskins in because I think Robert Griffin lll, is going to be used a different way this season. Coming off a ligaments injury, the Redskins are not going to let him loose. He might now run with the ball for awhile. Of course it will intimidate defenses, although I still see the Redskins easing him in slowly. This offense is good, but won't be as explosive. The teams I discussed earlier are going to be the most effective running the read-option. The Eagles are the firecracker team to keep an eye on in the NFC EAST. Kelly is going to have defenses sucking air in, trying to catch their breath. Michael Vick is going to reinvent himself in this offense. McCoy, who I picked in my fantasy league 10th overall is going to get me a ton of points. The more plays that are ran, increases my point value. "Rescue Rangers!" Russell Wilson has another year of training camp under his belt. He reads the defense well, scrambling moving the chains. Marshawn Lynch, will do what he does and that is moving the pile and eating Skittles on the sideline. This offensive is going to be that much better, when receiver Percy Harvin comes back from injury. The 49ers are the team to beat. Kaepernick had a full training camp with the number one offense and Vernon Davis is going to be used more, due to injuries to the receivers. That pistol just became modified. There ranked number one on power rankings for a reason, its not just because of the defense, although it helps.
Showing posts with label Robert Griffin III. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robert Griffin III. Show all posts
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
FOURTH & FOREVER: PREVIEWING THE NFC EAST
Johnny J
The NFC East use to be a dominant division in the 90's and early 2000's, with the Dallas Cowboys being "America's Team" and the Philadelphia Eagles actually played well under former head coach, Andy Reid. Since then, the Cowboys haven't been in many playoff appearances under quarterback Tony Romo. The funny thing is, they just gave him a fat contract, ($108 million) for someone who has only one playoff win under his cleats and hasn't been to a Pro Bowl since 2009. This brings us to the New York Giants who have been the more aggressive team in this division. The Giants don't catch people's eyes, but they sneak into the playoffs and even have two Super Bowls--XL11 and XVl. The Washington Redskins are the team to keep your third eye on. They made the playoffs for the first time since 2007 and won the division for the first time since 1999. The Redskins have young talent with a veterans' coach presence in Mike Shanahan.
With training camp approaching, the NFC East will finally get to answer questions that's been looming all off-season:
Griffin III was the most exciting, mobile quarterback to watch in football last year. Winning NFL offensive rookie for the month of September in 2012. In week six, he scrambled for a 76 yard touchdown run. The first quarterback to play that was born in the 90's. The Redskins go as Griffin goes. The team was 10-6 last season and I believe they can win 11 this year with a healthy Griffin. He is the future, he shouldn't be rushed back if hes not ready. Besides second year quarterback Kirk Cousins needs to show he can be more than a back-up on another team. He threw a 77 yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss in his first appearence in a loss. He brought the Redskins back in week 14 win against the Baltimore Ravens, scoring a touch-down in 29 seconds and converting on a quarterback sneak for the two-point conversion. He's good under pressure. They also have a young reliable back in Doug Martin. He rushed for almost 1,400 yards in his rookie year. I expect more from the Boise State back. Even without a first round pick in this past draft, the Redskins should be playoff bound. The defense was solid, ranked ninth in stopping the run. They should be better with linebacker Brian Orakpo.
The Eagle hasn't landed because it hasn't taken off yet. I expect the Eagles to be much better on offense. They drafted a reliable left tackle in Oklahoma's Lane Johnson. That should help the sack and scrambling problem. They gave up a total of 118 sacks to oppossing teams. No quarterback is going to survive that. New head coach, Chip Kelly, hasn't decided on who the quarterback will be, but we all know its going to be Michael Vick. In Kelly's run happy scheme offense at Oregon, the Eagles will run the ball and that benefits Vick. He is a decent passer, but is more lethal in the open-field with the ball tucked in. Especially when you have a running back in LeSean McCoy, who is also a great runner in the open-field. Now include the option and the play-option...shaking my head. They will be a dangerous offensive team. Now on the other side of the ball. The Eagles released overpaid cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, who didn't look like he knew his defensive assignments. Defensive end Jason Babin was another overpaid pick-up. He was released after 11 games as he only produced 5.5 sacks. The defense is now starting over, changing from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense. They ranked 30th last season in stopping the run, so they brought in Isaac Soporga from the 49ers. He stands at 6-2 330 pounds. That should help plug the middle of the line.
Romo has to live up to his contract, simply by staying healthy and winning playoff games. I would say he is under pressure to win, but he has a $50 million gurantee contract. He is tied to the Cowboys for years to come. LOL! Sorry, I was just imaging him as the face of the Cowboys for the next several years. Romo has the weapons around him. He has good receivers in Dez Bryant and Miles Austin as well. Romo has 10 team records including nine games with 300 passing yards and the most touchdowns in a season at 36. It makes me think, what the heck did Troy Aikman do? Oh wait, he had Emmitt Smith. He has no pressure, but maybe the Cowboys should have waited on that contract so he can improve his game and prove himself. Running back DeMarco Murray, is a fanstay owner's dream--when healthy. That's his problem right there. He is injury prone and they won't win without a balanced offense. He has the record for a 10.1 average yard per carry, with more than 20 attempts for the Cowboys. This guy is so good finding holes. The key is how head coach Jason Garrett will manage this team in 2013 as he might be the only coach on the hot seat in this division before the season even starts. Once the highest paid offensive coordinator in football, he is now on the verge of losing his job. Nice promotion right? Oh, but wait: the Cowboys have come in third place in the NFC East three years straight under him. I think this fourth year has to tell Jerry Jones if this is the right guy or not. The Cowboys are switching to a 4-3 defense. Did I mention they brought in Monte Kiffin as the defensive coordinator? The "Tampa 2," man! He uses speed over size and strength and he focuses on creating turnovers. I'm looking forward to see how he uses linebacker Sean Lee and pass rusher DeMarcus Ware. Will he still be the same dynamic player? Only time will tell.
The Giants are not a team that have heavy hitters, but they have good players that like to throw haymakers. The name Eli Manning doesn't blow you away, simply because hes not a top tier quarterback, but he somehow finds away to get the job done. His two Super-Bowl MVPs can vouch for him. Manning is the key to the Giants' offense, with an unknown running back in David Wilson, he will have to make this offense turn the corner. The Giants have a solid offensive line as Manning was only sacked 3.58 percent of the time. It ranked number one last season. With a good line comes good blocking and good running. Wilson looked good behind Bradshaw, but now he is the main carrier. He just needs to hold on to the ball because he does put the ball on the ground. Happy receivers are happy pass-catchers. It means when a receiver is happy, it shows in his production. Nicks didn't look happy last season. In 13 games, he had three touchdowns on 53 receptions. That is terrible numbers for a starter. Maybe he needs a bigger contract or a new team, but this year we will find out. I say the injury-prone receiver needs a change of scenery. On the other side of the ball, the defense will struggle simply because they will miss Jason Pierre-Paul who just had back surgery and will miss majority of the season. Also the line lost Osi Umenyiora to the Falcons. The defense starts up-front and without pressure, the opposing quarterback has time in the pocket. The defense will take a step back this season. The G-Men can't just rely on Subway Justin Tuck.
Who will win the NFC East? My gut says the Philadelphia Eagles, even though my gut isn't as big as it use to be. I just think Chip Kelly and that offense are going to be over-powering for teams. It's going to be hard to stop the run with McCoy and Vick. The defense is going to be better as well. They got rid of some under-performing players and are trying a new defensive scheme. The defense may be in a rebuilding state, but that offense is going to be really good.
The Redskins are going to be right there with the Eagles. A healthy dynamic duo in RGIII and Doug Martin are going to make defenses tired. If the defense can hold up, the Redskins are going to win a lot of close games. RGlll just has to find away to avoid a lot of big hits. If the quarterback goes down, so does moving the offense.
The Cowboys are going to come in third place, again. They spent too much on a quarterback who I believe has reached his peak. A good regular season quarterback, but under the bright lights hes trying to cover the lights with his hands instead of reaching for shades. I also don't know if I like DeMarcus Ware as a defensive end. It may take time to adjust in a stance with a great jump.
The Giants defense is missing key players and I have not seen suitable replacements. Unless someone steps up, they will be vulnerable and that will add to the list of Eli Manning having more fourth quarter comebacks. The Giants will be in shootouts the whole season. If you're not first you're last. Last sounds about right.
More NFL content is available here.
The NFC East use to be a dominant division in the 90's and early 2000's, with the Dallas Cowboys being "America's Team" and the Philadelphia Eagles actually played well under former head coach, Andy Reid. Since then, the Cowboys haven't been in many playoff appearances under quarterback Tony Romo. The funny thing is, they just gave him a fat contract, ($108 million) for someone who has only one playoff win under his cleats and hasn't been to a Pro Bowl since 2009. This brings us to the New York Giants who have been the more aggressive team in this division. The Giants don't catch people's eyes, but they sneak into the playoffs and even have two Super Bowls--XL11 and XVl. The Washington Redskins are the team to keep your third eye on. They made the playoffs for the first time since 2007 and won the division for the first time since 1999. The Redskins have young talent with a veterans' coach presence in Mike Shanahan.
With training camp approaching, the NFC East will finally get to answer questions that's been looming all off-season:
- Will quarterback Robert Griffin lll be healthy enough to participate in camp and be ready for the season after coming off of a LCL and ACL injury?
- Who will be the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles? Michael Vick or Nick Foles, or long-shot rookie Matt Barkley?
- With receiver Victor Cruz finally happy with his $45 million contract, will receiver Hakeem Nicks make a statement for his big payday?
- Is second year running back David Wilson going to be the man in the back-field now that Ahmad Bradshaw is gone?
- Will Romo live up to that contract?
- Is this it for head coach Jason Garrett if the team doesn't make it deep into the playoffs?
Griffin III was the most exciting, mobile quarterback to watch in football last year. Winning NFL offensive rookie for the month of September in 2012. In week six, he scrambled for a 76 yard touchdown run. The first quarterback to play that was born in the 90's. The Redskins go as Griffin goes. The team was 10-6 last season and I believe they can win 11 this year with a healthy Griffin. He is the future, he shouldn't be rushed back if hes not ready. Besides second year quarterback Kirk Cousins needs to show he can be more than a back-up on another team. He threw a 77 yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss in his first appearence in a loss. He brought the Redskins back in week 14 win against the Baltimore Ravens, scoring a touch-down in 29 seconds and converting on a quarterback sneak for the two-point conversion. He's good under pressure. They also have a young reliable back in Doug Martin. He rushed for almost 1,400 yards in his rookie year. I expect more from the Boise State back. Even without a first round pick in this past draft, the Redskins should be playoff bound. The defense was solid, ranked ninth in stopping the run. They should be better with linebacker Brian Orakpo.
The Eagle hasn't landed because it hasn't taken off yet. I expect the Eagles to be much better on offense. They drafted a reliable left tackle in Oklahoma's Lane Johnson. That should help the sack and scrambling problem. They gave up a total of 118 sacks to oppossing teams. No quarterback is going to survive that. New head coach, Chip Kelly, hasn't decided on who the quarterback will be, but we all know its going to be Michael Vick. In Kelly's run happy scheme offense at Oregon, the Eagles will run the ball and that benefits Vick. He is a decent passer, but is more lethal in the open-field with the ball tucked in. Especially when you have a running back in LeSean McCoy, who is also a great runner in the open-field. Now include the option and the play-option...shaking my head. They will be a dangerous offensive team. Now on the other side of the ball. The Eagles released overpaid cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, who didn't look like he knew his defensive assignments. Defensive end Jason Babin was another overpaid pick-up. He was released after 11 games as he only produced 5.5 sacks. The defense is now starting over, changing from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense. They ranked 30th last season in stopping the run, so they brought in Isaac Soporga from the 49ers. He stands at 6-2 330 pounds. That should help plug the middle of the line.
Romo has to live up to his contract, simply by staying healthy and winning playoff games. I would say he is under pressure to win, but he has a $50 million gurantee contract. He is tied to the Cowboys for years to come. LOL! Sorry, I was just imaging him as the face of the Cowboys for the next several years. Romo has the weapons around him. He has good receivers in Dez Bryant and Miles Austin as well. Romo has 10 team records including nine games with 300 passing yards and the most touchdowns in a season at 36. It makes me think, what the heck did Troy Aikman do? Oh wait, he had Emmitt Smith. He has no pressure, but maybe the Cowboys should have waited on that contract so he can improve his game and prove himself. Running back DeMarco Murray, is a fanstay owner's dream--when healthy. That's his problem right there. He is injury prone and they won't win without a balanced offense. He has the record for a 10.1 average yard per carry, with more than 20 attempts for the Cowboys. This guy is so good finding holes. The key is how head coach Jason Garrett will manage this team in 2013 as he might be the only coach on the hot seat in this division before the season even starts. Once the highest paid offensive coordinator in football, he is now on the verge of losing his job. Nice promotion right? Oh, but wait: the Cowboys have come in third place in the NFC East three years straight under him. I think this fourth year has to tell Jerry Jones if this is the right guy or not. The Cowboys are switching to a 4-3 defense. Did I mention they brought in Monte Kiffin as the defensive coordinator? The "Tampa 2," man! He uses speed over size and strength and he focuses on creating turnovers. I'm looking forward to see how he uses linebacker Sean Lee and pass rusher DeMarcus Ware. Will he still be the same dynamic player? Only time will tell.
The Giants are not a team that have heavy hitters, but they have good players that like to throw haymakers. The name Eli Manning doesn't blow you away, simply because hes not a top tier quarterback, but he somehow finds away to get the job done. His two Super-Bowl MVPs can vouch for him. Manning is the key to the Giants' offense, with an unknown running back in David Wilson, he will have to make this offense turn the corner. The Giants have a solid offensive line as Manning was only sacked 3.58 percent of the time. It ranked number one last season. With a good line comes good blocking and good running. Wilson looked good behind Bradshaw, but now he is the main carrier. He just needs to hold on to the ball because he does put the ball on the ground. Happy receivers are happy pass-catchers. It means when a receiver is happy, it shows in his production. Nicks didn't look happy last season. In 13 games, he had three touchdowns on 53 receptions. That is terrible numbers for a starter. Maybe he needs a bigger contract or a new team, but this year we will find out. I say the injury-prone receiver needs a change of scenery. On the other side of the ball, the defense will struggle simply because they will miss Jason Pierre-Paul who just had back surgery and will miss majority of the season. Also the line lost Osi Umenyiora to the Falcons. The defense starts up-front and without pressure, the opposing quarterback has time in the pocket. The defense will take a step back this season. The G-Men can't just rely on Subway Justin Tuck.
Who will win the NFC East? My gut says the Philadelphia Eagles, even though my gut isn't as big as it use to be. I just think Chip Kelly and that offense are going to be over-powering for teams. It's going to be hard to stop the run with McCoy and Vick. The defense is going to be better as well. They got rid of some under-performing players and are trying a new defensive scheme. The defense may be in a rebuilding state, but that offense is going to be really good.
The Redskins are going to be right there with the Eagles. A healthy dynamic duo in RGIII and Doug Martin are going to make defenses tired. If the defense can hold up, the Redskins are going to win a lot of close games. RGlll just has to find away to avoid a lot of big hits. If the quarterback goes down, so does moving the offense.
The Cowboys are going to come in third place, again. They spent too much on a quarterback who I believe has reached his peak. A good regular season quarterback, but under the bright lights hes trying to cover the lights with his hands instead of reaching for shades. I also don't know if I like DeMarcus Ware as a defensive end. It may take time to adjust in a stance with a great jump.
The Giants defense is missing key players and I have not seen suitable replacements. Unless someone steps up, they will be vulnerable and that will add to the list of Eli Manning having more fourth quarter comebacks. The Giants will be in shootouts the whole season. If you're not first you're last. Last sounds about right.
More NFL content is available here.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
BUCKET BRACKETS 103: Best Defense Ever?
Johnny J
The Syracuse Orange were the first team to punch their ticket to the Final Four next weekend in Atlanta by beating Marquette 55-39. The Golden Eagles defeated the Orange back in February 74 -71, but Saturday was all Syracuse. The 2-3 zone swarmed all over Marquette as they coughed up the ball 13 times. Both teams shot poorly from the field: Syracuse just 38% and Marquette a measly 23%. They shot 12%from behind the arc going 3-25.
"They cover ground really good. You've got to get the ball in the middle, you've got to play inside out, you've got to get to the free-throw line and wear them down with the 3-pointer when you can,"said Marquette's junior guard, Vander Blue. "They're really good at what they do in that zone." Blue went 3-15 from the floor.
Syracuse makes their fourth Final Four appearance, the last time was in 2003, when they won the National Champion. Led by a guy you may know, by the name of Carmelo Anthony. So what's better than having Anthony's jersey retired this year? Wait, wait--what's better than saying good bye to the Big East Conference and saying hello to the Atlantic Coast Conference? I'l tell you what; it's bringing home a Championship trophy and switching conferences at the same time. Hello ACC! Welcome the University of Syracuse, 2013 Champions!
"You want to go out with a win," said junior forward C.J. Fair.
Barack Obama was in attendance as well as Washington Redskins quarterback, Robert Griffin III. I guess Obama had to see the team that beat his team up-close in person (he had Indiana winning it all). Not a bad way to leave the nation's capital, brushing off your shoulders.
Syracuse played an up and down season all year long. The first part of the season they went 18-1. They looked like a dominant Big East team that couldn't be slowed down. They finally did in the second half, going 5-7 against teams in the Big East. They played so bad down the stretch, that they had to open the Big East tournament against Seton Hall. Usually a good team in the conference gets a first round bye to let the weaker teams battle it out. Yes, Syracuse was considered a weak team late in the season. They overcame adversity by making it past three teams to reach the Big East Championship. They lost it by 17 to Louisville.
I have no idea how you lose 7 out of 12 games and still be a ranked team. Syracuse were ranked 19th at the end of the season, which helped them secure a four seed in the NCAA Tournament. Somebody must have known something I didn't because they turned it on after that loss to Louisville, winning three straight to reach the Final Four.
The Orange are making more rounds than the Blue Man Group!
Also reaching the Final Four is Wichita St. A team that has reached the Final Four for the first time since 1956. Since my bracket is totally ruined, I wouldn't mind seeing Syracuse and Louisville in the Championship game. A rematch and a farewell gift. The battle of the Big East for one last time! With Louisville all ready punching their ticket to the Final Four, that scenario is one step closer to becoming a reality.
More NCAA content is available here.
The Syracuse Orange were the first team to punch their ticket to the Final Four next weekend in Atlanta by beating Marquette 55-39. The Golden Eagles defeated the Orange back in February 74 -71, but Saturday was all Syracuse. The 2-3 zone swarmed all over Marquette as they coughed up the ball 13 times. Both teams shot poorly from the field: Syracuse just 38% and Marquette a measly 23%. They shot 12%from behind the arc going 3-25.
"They cover ground really good. You've got to get the ball in the middle, you've got to play inside out, you've got to get to the free-throw line and wear them down with the 3-pointer when you can,"said Marquette's junior guard, Vander Blue. "They're really good at what they do in that zone." Blue went 3-15 from the floor.
Syracuse makes their fourth Final Four appearance, the last time was in 2003, when they won the National Champion. Led by a guy you may know, by the name of Carmelo Anthony. So what's better than having Anthony's jersey retired this year? Wait, wait--what's better than saying good bye to the Big East Conference and saying hello to the Atlantic Coast Conference? I'l tell you what; it's bringing home a Championship trophy and switching conferences at the same time. Hello ACC! Welcome the University of Syracuse, 2013 Champions!
"You want to go out with a win," said junior forward C.J. Fair.
Barack Obama was in attendance as well as Washington Redskins quarterback, Robert Griffin III. I guess Obama had to see the team that beat his team up-close in person (he had Indiana winning it all). Not a bad way to leave the nation's capital, brushing off your shoulders.
Syracuse played an up and down season all year long. The first part of the season they went 18-1. They looked like a dominant Big East team that couldn't be slowed down. They finally did in the second half, going 5-7 against teams in the Big East. They played so bad down the stretch, that they had to open the Big East tournament against Seton Hall. Usually a good team in the conference gets a first round bye to let the weaker teams battle it out. Yes, Syracuse was considered a weak team late in the season. They overcame adversity by making it past three teams to reach the Big East Championship. They lost it by 17 to Louisville.
I have no idea how you lose 7 out of 12 games and still be a ranked team. Syracuse were ranked 19th at the end of the season, which helped them secure a four seed in the NCAA Tournament. Somebody must have known something I didn't because they turned it on after that loss to Louisville, winning three straight to reach the Final Four.
The Orange are making more rounds than the Blue Man Group!
Also reaching the Final Four is Wichita St. A team that has reached the Final Four for the first time since 1956. Since my bracket is totally ruined, I wouldn't mind seeing Syracuse and Louisville in the Championship game. A rematch and a farewell gift. The battle of the Big East for one last time! With Louisville all ready punching their ticket to the Final Four, that scenario is one step closer to becoming a reality.
More NCAA content is available here.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
SO LONG 2012 NFL SEASON!
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| Seahawks at Bears Kickoff (photo courtesy of Ed Mancia) |
Felipe M
With
the Super Bowl behind us, we asked
our sports’ panel to list three things they will mis about the 2012 NFL Season.
Johnny
J wrote:
- I will miss the excitement of the game. Waking up on Monday morning just to think about Monday night--Monday Night Football that is. Not just for the 2012 season, but every season!
- I will miss playing Fantasy Football every week. I was projected in 2012 to win the whole thing and with my top three picks hurt in the playoffs, I fell apart. I miss seeing my players get hurt; it was like a routine every week: Rob Gronkowski, LeSean McCoy and Jordy Nelson. I miss seeing them on the sideline a lot. I'm already thinking about whom I can select with the 10th pick in my fantasy league next season. This sucks...football don't leave me!
- I'm going to miss the excitement about the rookie quarterbacks. This was the best bunch of rookie quarterbacks in awhile. It was just amazing to see them develop so quickly and they all fitted perfectly in their respective teams’ system. Pocket quarterback or mobile quarterback? Either way Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, and Russell Wilson were playoff bound.
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| Bears at Cowboys where Jon Gruden must have used the word "gunslinger" a million times in this telecast. (photo courtesy of Ed Mancia) |
- The “C’mon Man” segment seen on Monday Night Countdown.
- Five of the NFL’s finest football analysts’ favorite words: “Hit him in the mouth!”
- And last but not least... Football! Let’s be honest: it’s one of the, if not the, best sport to watch.
Didn't realize that people are that devoted to Monday Night Football. Josh C,on the other hand, is all about TNF: Thursday Night Football:
- I am going to miss the Thursday night games. Thursday night is the night of our bowling league. The Thursday games gave us a reason to gather early at the sports’ bar adjacent to the bowling alley. At least one of us would usually start a player from the Thursday night game in the fantasy league that we are in together. We then have bragging rights and fuel to be able to shove in the faces of our teammates. Outside of football, we have the Sacramento Kings (for now) and San Jose Sharks (when the NHL is not undergoing a work-stoppage) games, but they're just not the same.
- I will miss my fantasy teams and having something to look forward to on Sundays. My fantasy teams were mostly dominant this year and watching the players that I pegged as "sleepers" and seeing if they panned out on Sundays. Watching my "one-week flier" go off against a predicted, favorable opponent is always an exhilarating experience.
- I'm going to miss highlights of the "Young Running QBs.” From RGIII, to Russell Wilson, to Colin Kaepernick, these guys were exciting to watch and gave us a reason to tune in not only to the games themselves, but to NFL Red Zone and highlights’ shows to see what spectacular feats they were able to pull off on any given week. In addition to the rookies, I saw the writing on the wall for quite a few NFL records to be broken this season earlier in the year. Checking on those records and tracking the progress/pace of a record breaking season was an enjoyable task for me (from Drew Brees, to Calvin Johnson a.k.a. “Megatron,” to Adrian Peterson, etc....).
(Peterson, reportedly, was playing with a sports hernia along with a rehabbed knee. Ouch! I definitely appreciate his effort this season--Ed).
What am I going to miss the most about the 2012 NFL season? Well....
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| I don't know, without the ability to watch all the NFL games, this is basically an over-glorified dinner plate. (photo courtesy of Felipe M) |
- For the first time in my life, I had (free) access to NFL Sunday Ticket as well as NFL Red Zone. It was everything I have ever dreamed of! Being able to watch whatever football game you want is a luxury that every hardcore, NFL fan should have access to. It is definitely beyond celestial.
- Watching Peyton Manning play after being out for the entire 2011 season. Watching him orchestrate an offense never gets old.
- Joe Flacco finally establishing himself as one of the game's "elite."
- Watching the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys self-destruct in 2012. I could watch those two teams continue to muck it up every year.
- And no Tim Tebow phenomenon? Imagine that!
- Miami Dolphins on HBO's Hard Knocks to kick off training camp and watching a promising young QB in Ryan Tannehill take over that position (I swear, he reminds me of Ben Roethlisberger when he was a rookie).
- Watching Russell Wilson after I had picked him up in my fantasy football league, en route to a championship.
- Eating all the pizza, wings, eggrolls, etc. and drinking all the beer and shots I could handle every Sunday!
- Most importantly, watching the Bears' first 8-9 games of the season. Everything seemed to be clicking on all cylinders this year, especially that defense. The signature game came against the Tennessee Titans where they put up 50+ points and forced--like--20 turnovers, mostly by Charles Tillman's "Peanut Punch" maneuver.
- Tillman also had a great game against Calvin Johnson, making him a non-factor in the Week 7 match-up against the Detroit Lions. He pretty much guaranteed himself a spot in the Pro Bowl after that game.
Monday, January 7, 2013
2012 NFL PLAYOFFS: Random Wildcard Thoughts
Felipe M
The following are just some quick thoughts about the 2012 NFL Playoffs. Nothing too fancy:
Deja Vu?: The Cincinnati Bengals vs the Houston Texans. They played against each other last season as well. The Bengals have scored a combined 23 points. However, the Bengals' defense did make a case for being one of the game's elite as they proved why they finished the season as the #3 best defense team in terms of "weighted defense" in 2012. Unfortunately for them, Houston proved why their defense finished 5th in that same category and were able to shut the Bengals offense to 10 points.
Like a Cincinnati Ignition: This is two years straight that the Bengals made it to the playoffs, but experienced a first-year exit. But it's really hard to comprehend what's going on in Cincinnati. Growing up in the 1990s, the Bengals were a joke of a franchise that were being driven to the ground by owner Mike Brown. The 1st round busts that have been produced by the Bengals is very comical (David Klingler, Dan Wilkinson, Ki-Jana Carter anybody?). It was just expected that the "Bungles" would permanently be the worst team in the NFL!
The Curious Case of Marvin Lewis: Despite head coach Marvin Lewis constantly being on the hot seat (he is one game under .500 in Cincy), he somehow finds a way to get his team to rally. Lewis was facing death's door last year when the Bengals traded former QB starter, Carson Palmer and went ahead and inserted, then rookie, Andy Dalton. And let's not forget that defensive coordinator, Mike Zimmer is one of the best in the business and credit goes to him for creating one of the best defenses in the NFL. It's very hard not to imagine the Bengals taking another step forward next season.
Thoughts Send me on a Carousel: Speaking of Lewis, he is a former defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. Last season, that spot was filled in by Chuck Pagano who is now the current Indianapolis Colts' head coach. That spot was filled by Jim Caldwell in 2011 who was inserted as the offensive coordinator in Baltimore very late in the 2012 season as he replaced Cam Cameron where he coached future NFL player, Antwaan Randle El at Indiana University. The speedy receiver played for the Pittsburgh Steelers where Bruce Arians was his Wide Receivers' coach. Bruce Arians was the Colts' interim head coach this past season while Pagano was treated for Leukemia.
You want more?
Bruce Arians was the offensive coordinator under Butch Davis and the Cleveland Browns. Davis was the Defensive Coordinator in Dallas under Barry Switzer. Mike Zimmer was a fellow coach of Davis' under Switzer and eventually became the Cowboys' D-coordinator. Currently, Zimmer holds that same position in Cincinnati....under current head coach Marvin Lewis. How you like that?
Joe Webb still sucks: That is all.
Unintentional Play off the Night: This goes to Packers' LB Clay Matthews who was making his turn against the Vikings' left tackle, Matt Kalil as he was trying to chase down Webb. Kalil did a good job of keeping Matthews off Webb, but as it was a running theme all night long, Webb was holding on to the ball for too long and eventually would try to make plays with his legs. In this instance, Webb tried to do the same thing and run away from the pressure, but he still ended up tripping over Clay Matthews. Even Matthews was surprised to see that he got credit for an "accidental" sack against the overmatched QB. He was so surprised that he didn't even bother doing his sack dance.
To Play or Not to Play: As much as I criticize Jay Cutler's performance in 2012, I will not deny his toughness. Unlike many fans in Chicago and around the nation, I thought he was wise to sit out in the 2010 NFC Championship game against the Packers. But I have seen Cutler refuse to sit out with concussion symptoms, I have seen him take a beating against defenses who look at the Bears' offensive line like it was lunch meat, and I have seen Cutler continue to get up and run the next play (assuming that the play got to him on time before having to burn another timeout). So this past weekend, we saw two Quarterbacks come into these playoffs with injuries that were severe enough to justify a move by their respective head coaches in the lineup.
One Christian Ponder was sat out at the last minute with an elbow injury. In came Joe Webb. The Packers scored 24 points against the Vikings and they never had a chance. The other was Robert Griffin III who had been dealing with an injured knee for the last few weeks or so. He wanted to play in the playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks and went on to re-injure his right knee, not just once, but twice in one game. Results of an MRI today showed that Griffin has partial tears in knee ligaments and possible surgery is being discussed.
I'm not going to delve too much into this topic, but it's funny how fans all over the NFL have mixed views on Griffin's situation, although most think that coach Mike Shanahan should have taken him out of the game, but we all know fans would've second-guessed Shanahan for taking him out after the first time his knee buckled. Tough situation either way.
The fact is, however, that the onus is and should be on the players to know if they are healthy enough to play and be man enough to say "no" when they can't. Post game on the NFL NETWORK showed Deion Sanders, Marshall Faulk, and Michael Irvin all agreeing with Griffin's decision to stay in the game. It was HIS choice. He was the one that got the Redskins INTO the playoffs. Finally, Griffin is the team's BEST chance to win the game. In the post-game interview, Griffin repeated the sentiments of the three Hall-of-Famers. He wanted the challenge to play on one leg and he understood the consequences if he continued to play.
Lesson learned.
And finally, we bring it back to Ray Lewis' final home game in Baltimore. Enjoy!
You want more?
Bruce Arians was the offensive coordinator under Butch Davis and the Cleveland Browns. Davis was the Defensive Coordinator in Dallas under Barry Switzer. Mike Zimmer was a fellow coach of Davis' under Switzer and eventually became the Cowboys' D-coordinator. Currently, Zimmer holds that same position in Cincinnati....under current head coach Marvin Lewis. How you like that?
Joe Webb still sucks: That is all.
To Play or Not to Play: As much as I criticize Jay Cutler's performance in 2012, I will not deny his toughness. Unlike many fans in Chicago and around the nation, I thought he was wise to sit out in the 2010 NFC Championship game against the Packers. But I have seen Cutler refuse to sit out with concussion symptoms, I have seen him take a beating against defenses who look at the Bears' offensive line like it was lunch meat, and I have seen Cutler continue to get up and run the next play (assuming that the play got to him on time before having to burn another timeout). So this past weekend, we saw two Quarterbacks come into these playoffs with injuries that were severe enough to justify a move by their respective head coaches in the lineup.
I'm not going to delve too much into this topic, but it's funny how fans all over the NFL have mixed views on Griffin's situation, although most think that coach Mike Shanahan should have taken him out of the game, but we all know fans would've second-guessed Shanahan for taking him out after the first time his knee buckled. Tough situation either way.
The fact is, however, that the onus is and should be on the players to know if they are healthy enough to play and be man enough to say "no" when they can't. Post game on the NFL NETWORK showed Deion Sanders, Marshall Faulk, and Michael Irvin all agreeing with Griffin's decision to stay in the game. It was HIS choice. He was the one that got the Redskins INTO the playoffs. Finally, Griffin is the team's BEST chance to win the game. In the post-game interview, Griffin repeated the sentiments of the three Hall-of-Famers. He wanted the challenge to play on one leg and he understood the consequences if he continued to play.
Lesson learned.
And finally, we bring it back to Ray Lewis' final home game in Baltimore. Enjoy!
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