Checking Down:
-The Raiders went 6-0 in their division, the Chargers were the 2nd and 1st ranked offense and defense respectively, and the Broncos have one of the most explosive passing games in the league from a no one QB and no really good WRs. The Chiefs make the playoffs.
-Yeah, Carolina needs Andrew Luck. Clausen cannot do this. I’m not even sure he’s a backup at this point. Brady Quinn part two.
-Baltimore should have won more convincingly than that, but they knew Pittsburgh had clinched so it really doesn’t matter.
-Detroit is one team to watch for next year, as long as Stafford is healthy. Vikings will fall, and the Bears will not replicate this season. The Packers will rise back to the top, but the Lions will be feisty for a playoff spot.
-KC’s offensive line could be trouble. Great story, but between the weak line play, an unproven playoff QB, and Charlie Weis with his foot out the door, they are the easy pick to go out first round.
-New England rolls into the post season, and Miami is going completely in the other direction. Time to clear house on all skill positions on offense and defense, excepting some of the WRs.
-The Pats took care of business and set a records for most 14 win seasons by a coach, most games with 2 TD+ and no INTs by a QB in a row, most wins at home consecutive by QB, most passes in a row by QB with no INT, least turnovers in a season, and now have 7 straight 30+ point performances. You know, nothing major.
-Saints lost because they knew ATL was rolling. Saints will roll their opponent next week.
-Brian Brohm isn’t even a backup. Let Ryan Fitzpatrick play next year, and for goodness’ sake Bills, draft some lineman.
-That Jets win was a mirage because of circumstances. But things to take out of it: Joe McKnight deserves a turn. I think you might see LT gone next year, and McKnight getting those touches.
-Green Bay should have dominated more than that, but they got their win. I think they take down Vick next week.
-Indy got it, and I think they knock off the Jets next week. But, they are supposed to be much better than the Titans.
-Speaking of, if they had a QB, and better line play, and some good secondary receivers, and some heart, and a coach they cared about, those Titans might be good.
-Of course you get up for this game Houston, of course.
-Colt McCoy, that was terrible.
-Giants just need to retool, get their receivers healthy, eliminate half the picks, and get some depth in the defensive middle. They’ll be fine next year.
-Washington needs to clear it out. QBs, RBs (maybe Torain stays), WRs excepting Moss, and most OL.
-SD lights it up again. And Tebow completes 45% of his passes. He’s not it people.
-SF ends the season how they started it, a complete unknown. Arizona just needs a QB. McNabb would fit well here, even if he is kind of washed up. Indoor stadium, and with the warm air, McNabb could connect with Larry Fitzgerald. He’ll be at least 30% better than he was this year.
Going Deep:
-Today it was announced Leslie Frazier, Jason Garrett, Gary Kubiak, and Tom Coughlin would likely all return. At first this is stunning (you have to think normally at least two would be gone or reshuffled). However, in light of the upcoming CBA talks, continuity makes sense (never mind financial concerns). Expect more coaches on edge to get retained (though Cable might still get fired because Al Davis mistakenly thinks he’s the devil). I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mangini or Sparano retained for just that reason. Let’s just hope the NFL doesn’t go all stupid and make Dallas fire Garrett, interview a minority candidate, and then rehire Jason Garrett. They will of course.
-The Jacksonville Jaguars gave up. Okay, so it is not that bad, but that is basically what happened. One of the most overplayed and unrealistic things that was talked about this week was the “division race” in the AFC South. We all knew the Colts were winning this. Not only did most of the scenarios point that way, but even Vegas knew it. The Jags were 17 to 1 odds to win the South this week.
The Jags could technically have played Maurice Jones Drew in this, their most important game of the year. But they didn’t put him out there. Garrard was put on IR this week, but no one talked about it. We knew they were done. And during their game, even the most dedicated Jags players knew it. And they gave up, getting routed by a Houston team without their best player. And for some reason, no announcers talked about this. Baffling. Mercifully, the 2010 Jaguars are now done.
There will be posts this week on my early season predictions, playoff preview, and some other topics. Enjoy
BLISS
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