WEEKEND QUICK HITS, PART 2
Two things that bothered me about yesterday's Chiefs' game, actually it was two additional things. Number one is how does the #31 ranked rush defense so completely shut down the #1 ranked rushing offense? Hold them to 2.3 yards per carry, how does that happen? Secondly, what will happen if the replay system is "inoperable" during the playoffs? Will the league just shrug their shoulders & say "sorry, it's not working right now" like they did yesterday when Todd Haley threw the challenge flag. This is the second time this has occurred in Denver. I'm not a conspiracy guy, I just want to know what the contingency plan might involve, is there one?
Todd Haley issued an apology for his snub of Josh McDaniels after yesterday's drubbing in Denver. He doesn't plan to speak to McDaniels personally but said he was apologizing to the Broncos, their fans & McDaniels in public. He ought to say he's sorry to KC fans for not only his team's performance but his "spoiled brat" attitude afterwords.
San Francisco left tackle Joe Staley suffered a broken fibula in his left leg & will be sidelined a minimum of 4 weeks. This is a huge blow to a team clinging to playoff hopes by their fingernails.
Near the end of the Carolina-Tampa Bay game, Bucs cornerback Aqib Talib nailed Panther QB Jimmy Clausen with a head-first hit. Clausen sustained a concussion. The action didn't stop there, Panthers all-pro receiver Steve Smith laid into Talib. Both Talib & Smith will be fined, but I can see Smith's reaction to Talib's hit, which was unquestionably meant to inflict as much pain as possible.
The Washington Redskins have signed QB Donovan McNabb to a 5-year $78 million contract extension. The deal includes $40 million in guaranteed dollars. So much for the benching two weeks ago, Daniel Snyder & Mike Shanahan appear to be in agreement regarding their franchise quarterback.
I questioned the Big-12 writers who selected A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson as the conference's first team quarterback before the season began. Six games into the season, Johnson was benched after a complete meltdown vs. Mizzou at College Station. Mike Sherman promoted Ryan Tannehill & since then the Aggies have run off 4-straight wins, including victories over Oklahoma, Texas Tech & Baylor. Now, if 7-3 A&M can defeat Nebraska this Saturday & Texas on Thanksgiving night, the Aggies can get a great bowl bid. This will mark Nebraska's toughest road test of the season.
Texas running back Tre' Newton has decided to withdraw from the Longhorn football program, he no longer feels it's safe for him to play. Newton has suffered several concussions & his family wanted him to stop playing football. His father, Nate Newton, former Dallas Cowboy all-pro offensive guard, was behind the decision 100%. Tre' had almost 800 rushing yards & 9 touchdowns in his 2-year Longhorn career. Texas coach Mack Brown said Newton would remain on scholarship & would be welcomed as a graduate assistant down the road. Brown is a class act even in difficult times like the 'Horns are experiencing this season. Texas runs the risk of becoming the 1st team to play for the BCS title & then fail to make a bowl the following season. They need wins over Florida Atlantic & A&M to become bowl eligible, it looks to be a very tall order.
The 2010 season will mark the first time all three service academies will be bowl eligible. If 6-4 Army can defeat either Notre Dame this Saturday or navy on December 11th, it will also mark the first time all three academies have a winning record in the same season. Good for them.
A few thoughts about the Cam Newton situation & Auburn. Is it possible the Rev. Cecil Newton, Cam's father who has admitted asking for a 6-figure stipend for his son's signing with Mississippi State, didn't get what he asked for & just told Cam to sign with Auburn? I think Auburn might be totally clean in this mess, now the question is did Cam Newton do anything that could make him ineligible? The fact that Auburn has retained Gene Marsh, University of Alabama law professor & former Chairman of infractions for NCAA to make certain the university has dotted all the i's & crossed all the t's. Cecil Newton might be the only bad guy in this controversy. The fact that Auburn waited until game time to announce if Newton would start tells me they were burning the midnight oil to make certain they had no compliance issues.
Does it bother anybody Auburn has the 99th ranked pass defense in the nation & the Tigers are just 51st in overall defense? Is this the team you want playing for the national championship? Is a 49-47 title game with Oregon what people want? I still believe Alabama will defeat the Tigers in the Iron Bowl Thanksgiving weekend & this will be a moot point. Speaking of the Iron Bowl, defensive end Micheal Goggins & defensive tackle Mike Blanc will both be suspended for the 1st half of that game. The SEC requires such action when players are ejected from a game for fighting. Both were throwing punches late in the Georgia game after fellow DT Nick Fairley speared Georgia QB Aaron Murray after he threw the ball. It was a vicious hit & Fairley should have been the one suspended. His hit & one earlier in the game triggered the punches thrown by both sides.
Losing both lineman for even a half puts an already shaky defense in jeopardy.
Todd Haley issued an apology for his snub of Josh McDaniels after yesterday's drubbing in Denver. He doesn't plan to speak to McDaniels personally but said he was apologizing to the Broncos, their fans & McDaniels in public. He ought to say he's sorry to KC fans for not only his team's performance but his "spoiled brat" attitude afterwords.
San Francisco left tackle Joe Staley suffered a broken fibula in his left leg & will be sidelined a minimum of 4 weeks. This is a huge blow to a team clinging to playoff hopes by their fingernails.
Near the end of the Carolina-Tampa Bay game, Bucs cornerback Aqib Talib nailed Panther QB Jimmy Clausen with a head-first hit. Clausen sustained a concussion. The action didn't stop there, Panthers all-pro receiver Steve Smith laid into Talib. Both Talib & Smith will be fined, but I can see Smith's reaction to Talib's hit, which was unquestionably meant to inflict as much pain as possible.
The Washington Redskins have signed QB Donovan McNabb to a 5-year $78 million contract extension. The deal includes $40 million in guaranteed dollars. So much for the benching two weeks ago, Daniel Snyder & Mike Shanahan appear to be in agreement regarding their franchise quarterback.
I questioned the Big-12 writers who selected A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson as the conference's first team quarterback before the season began. Six games into the season, Johnson was benched after a complete meltdown vs. Mizzou at College Station. Mike Sherman promoted Ryan Tannehill & since then the Aggies have run off 4-straight wins, including victories over Oklahoma, Texas Tech & Baylor. Now, if 7-3 A&M can defeat Nebraska this Saturday & Texas on Thanksgiving night, the Aggies can get a great bowl bid. This will mark Nebraska's toughest road test of the season.
Texas running back Tre' Newton has decided to withdraw from the Longhorn football program, he no longer feels it's safe for him to play. Newton has suffered several concussions & his family wanted him to stop playing football. His father, Nate Newton, former Dallas Cowboy all-pro offensive guard, was behind the decision 100%. Tre' had almost 800 rushing yards & 9 touchdowns in his 2-year Longhorn career. Texas coach Mack Brown said Newton would remain on scholarship & would be welcomed as a graduate assistant down the road. Brown is a class act even in difficult times like the 'Horns are experiencing this season. Texas runs the risk of becoming the 1st team to play for the BCS title & then fail to make a bowl the following season. They need wins over Florida Atlantic & A&M to become bowl eligible, it looks to be a very tall order.
The 2010 season will mark the first time all three service academies will be bowl eligible. If 6-4 Army can defeat either Notre Dame this Saturday or navy on December 11th, it will also mark the first time all three academies have a winning record in the same season. Good for them.
A few thoughts about the Cam Newton situation & Auburn. Is it possible the Rev. Cecil Newton, Cam's father who has admitted asking for a 6-figure stipend for his son's signing with Mississippi State, didn't get what he asked for & just told Cam to sign with Auburn? I think Auburn might be totally clean in this mess, now the question is did Cam Newton do anything that could make him ineligible? The fact that Auburn has retained Gene Marsh, University of Alabama law professor & former Chairman of infractions for NCAA to make certain the university has dotted all the i's & crossed all the t's. Cecil Newton might be the only bad guy in this controversy. The fact that Auburn waited until game time to announce if Newton would start tells me they were burning the midnight oil to make certain they had no compliance issues.
Does it bother anybody Auburn has the 99th ranked pass defense in the nation & the Tigers are just 51st in overall defense? Is this the team you want playing for the national championship? Is a 49-47 title game with Oregon what people want? I still believe Alabama will defeat the Tigers in the Iron Bowl Thanksgiving weekend & this will be a moot point. Speaking of the Iron Bowl, defensive end Micheal Goggins & defensive tackle Mike Blanc will both be suspended for the 1st half of that game. The SEC requires such action when players are ejected from a game for fighting. Both were throwing punches late in the Georgia game after fellow DT Nick Fairley speared Georgia QB Aaron Murray after he threw the ball. It was a vicious hit & Fairley should have been the one suspended. His hit & one earlier in the game triggered the punches thrown by both sides.
Losing both lineman for even a half puts an already shaky defense in jeopardy.
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