SUNDAY'S WINNERS & LOSERS
THE WINNERS:
Kansas City
I pounded out 920-words last night about the Chiefs, but since this is my site, I'm gonna gloat a little more about the 2010 AFC Western Division Champions. Once again, Kansas City will get another chance to win a playoff game, something they haven't done since 1994. Can the Chiefs' mistake-free style of football be enough to overcome a more experienced playoff team? I believe they can, but it might only last one game. Going to Pittsburgh or New England is normally a losing proposition. But it's a start, something to build on for next season, playoff experience is invaluable.
Green Bay
The Packers responded to their do-or-die playoff hopes with a 45-17 blowout of the New York Giants. The most important stat from this virtual "playoff eliminator" was Aaron Rodgers 4 touchdown passes, Eli Manning 4 interceptions. Rodgers returned from a week off due to a concussion & he completed 25 of 37 for 404-yards & no turnovers. Manning's nightmare season continued at Lambeau yesterday. He now has 24 interceptions & 5 lost fumbles. Running backs Brandon Jacobs & Ahmad Bradshaw lost fumbles to give the Giants 6 turnovers on the day. If Green Bay can beat Chicago next Sunday, they're in the playoffs as the 6th seed. For the Giants to get in, they will needs losses by the Packers & Tampa Bay plus a win over Washington. Don't see the latter as a realistic possibility. New York has too often given a Jekyll & Hyde effort. In a must-win situation yesterday, the Giants turned into Mr. Hyde. It might have cost Tom Coughlin his job.
Chicago
The Bears roughed up the vaunted Jet defense with 38 points. Jay Cutler, tho throwing another Pick-6, tossed three touchdown passes leading Chicago to their 11th win. A victory in Green Bay next Sunday or a Philly loss, will give the Bears the #2 seed & a bye week in the NFC playoffs. Mother Nature gave the Bears some hope for that bye with a blizzard on the East Coast, postponing the Minnesota-Philadelphia game last night. The game will now be played Tuesday night. That will only give the Eagles 5 days to get ready for their season finale with Dallas. Chicago has easily been the biggest surprise team in the NFC.
Indianapolis
Playing in Oakland yesterday, the Colts needed a win & a Jacksonville loss to firm up their playoff future. Peyton Manning threw three touchdowns in a very un-Manning-like performance complete with 2 interceptions. What the Colts did well was running the ball, they totaled 191-yards rushing while halting the Raiders' ground game, ranked second in the league. Oakland could only manage 80-yards, less than half of their season average. The Colts aren't the juggernaut they once were but as long as #18 is taking snaps, Indy has a shot.
Detroit
The Lions won their 2nd road game this season after failing to win one for nearly 4 years. Watching this team, you can see the building blocks of a competitive team. If they can keep QB Matthew Stafford in the lineup, the Lions could very well be the turnaround team of 2011. Detroit has won 3 straight with wins over Green Bay,Tampa Bay & Miami. If they can win like this without Stafford, what could they do with him in the lineup for 16 games?
Tampa Bay
Josh Freeman threw 5 touchdown passes in Tampa's 38-15 win over Seattle. The Bucs are still in the playoff hunt but need a win & scoreboard help. Freeman, a graduate of Grandview High School in Kansas City, was the 3rd quarterback selected in the 2009 draft behind Matthew Stafford & Mark Sanchez but he's having a better year than either of his higher rated competitors. He was light's out on Sunday, completing 21 of 26. Rookie RB Legarrette Blount added 164-yards rushing & WR Mike Williams continued his excellent rookie season catching his 9th & 10th touchdown passes. Coach Raheem Morris has a solid foundation to build on, look out for the Bucs in 2011.
New England
To no one's surprise, they battered the Buffalo Bills 34-3, clinching home field advantage thruout the playoffs. What New England did that should impress you is their ability to protect the football. Tom Brady hasn't thrown an interception in his last 319 passing attempts. The Patriots haven't committed a turnover in their last 400 snaps. Also impressive is their 7-game run scoring 31 or more points. This will be a home team that will be very, very difficult to beat next month.
St. Louis
Like fellow Missourians, the Chiefs, the Rams can go from "worst to first" with a win next Sunday night vs. the Seahawks. Yes, I said Sunday night, NBC will show this game live & in living color. The Rams played just well enough to defeat the imploding Forty-Niners 25-17. St. Louis isn't as advanced on the turnaround trail as the Lions, Bucs & Chiefs, but they're heading in the right direction. With a Mizzou victory in Tuesday's Insight Bowl, football fans in the Show-Me State will have had one helluva week.
Denver
Let Tebow-Mania officially begin now that the rookie QB has led the Broncos to a win. The pitiful Houston Texans, leading 17-0, allowed the former Heisman Trophy winner to lead the Broncos back in the 2nd half. Tebow threw a touchdown pass & ran for another in Denver's 24-23 comeback win.
THE LOSERS:
San Diego
Despite every national scribe touting the Chargers overtaking the Chiefs for the AFC West, Phillip Rivers & company didn't get the job done. They nearly buried themselves early on with a 2-5 mark. But in December, when they have played their most inspired football, they lost twice. Oakland pounded them in San Diego & three weeks later, they were hammered in Cincinnati. Carson Palmer threw 4 touchdown passes as the 3-11 Bungles won 34-20. Norv Turner could be on the hot seat as is GM A.J. Smith for the protracted holdouts of OT Marcus McNeill & WR Vincent Jackson.
NY Giants
After their humiliating collapse last week versus the Eagles, the Giants had to have this game in Green Bay. Quickly down 14-0, the G-Men righted the ship, tying it with 5-minutes to play in the 1st half. That marked the end of the end for New York. The turnover began & their playoff hopes started circling the drain. Tom Couglin should also be on the hot seat. Eli Manning needs to recommit himself to his profession, he doesn't look anything like the QB who won the Super Bowl just 3 years ago, beating an undefeated Patriot squad with a 4th quarter comeback.
San Francisco
Could the erratic Niners go into St Louis & take control of the very sad NFC West? No they could not & it cost Mike Singletary his job, as it should have. As great a player as he was, he has no clue how to manage his players. Too many sideline meltdowns, arguments & distractions. Too often Sungletary didn't know where he was in the game, down & distances, timeouts, clock management & his quarterbacks never knew either. Mike had to go.
Miami
Any team that is touted as a playoff contender & that team records a 1-7 home record, their coach isn't coming back. Tony Sporano should get the boot within ten days. Chad Henne doesn't look to be a quality NFL QB & the Dolphins appear to be going in reverse.
Minnesota
As if all the Brett Favre drama wasn't enough, Mother Nature dealt a terrible blow to the Vikings & their fans. In the last three weeks, the roof of the Metrodome collapsed moving a Sunday home game to Monday night on a neutral field in Detroit. They were pounded by the Giants. The next week, unable to repair the roof, their game with Chicago was moved outdoors to the University of Minnesota, the club spent a small fortune getting TCF Bank Stadium ready to play in after it had been moth-balled for the winter. Once again the Vikings got pounded, Bears, 40-14. Now the Vikings have been stranded in a Philadelphia hotel since Saturday by another blizzard which postponed their game until Tuesday night. I'm looking for another severe ass-whippin' for the hapless Vikes.
Jacksonville
The Jags lost their opportunity to erase Indy's dominance of the AFC South last week, losing 34-24. With dimmed playoff hopes, they faced off with the Redskins led by Rex Grossman. The Maurice Jones-Drew less Jags became a one dimensional team & tho they extended the game into overtime, they couldn't muster enough to get by Washington. Jack Del Rio could be on the hot seat.
Tennessee
Losing 7 of their last 8, the Titans will be a candidate to dump their coach, dump their troubled quarterback Vince Young & retool. Tennessee has enough usable talent to return to a competitive level, but the QB situation is first & foremost with coach Jeff Fisher or whoever replaces him.
Houston
If coach Gary Kubiak survives this season I'll be shocked. Losing 4-straight & giving up 123-points in those losses will, at the absolute least, call for a new defensive coordinator. This team has folded in the 4th quarter time after time this season & that reflects on the coaching staff. Kubiak is gone in about 8-days.
NY Jets
They've made "The Losers" too often for a team predicted by many to be a Super Bowl front runner. I was never sold on this team & as they get exposed a little more every week. They've lost 3 of the last 4 & backed into the playoffs with Jacksonvile's loss yesterday. The highly touted Jet defense is anything but. They stink right now, just 14 days before they go on the road in the Wildcard Round of the playoffs. They just don't strike fear into teams like they used to. They could very well be "one & done."
All other "Hot Seat" coaches
That would include Carolina's John Fox, Dallas' Jason Garrett, Minnesota's Leslie Frazier & Cleveland's Eric Mangini, who could all be looking for new employment within ten days.
Comments