Huddle Up

71 Huddle Up NFL News and Analysis with Andrew Perloff NFL News and Analysis with Andrew Perloff

96741

Andrew Perloff

3992 New York NY

684

http://img.fannation.com/images/layout/profile-headshot.gif NFL Against The Grain -- Super Bowl XLIV Edition Against The Grain -- Super Bowl XLIV Edition <div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/don_banks/02/08/saints.insider/T1_0207_breesdaniel.jpg" alt="Double Click to select a Photo" width="298" height="439" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">QB Drew Brees tied a Super Bowl record for completions (32). Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images</div> </div> Press-box notes and observations from the Saints' 31-17 win over the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV ... 1. It's surprising the most pass-happy Super Bowls of all time could be one of the more boring ones in recent history. Nothing inspires less imagination than a 4-yard pass and 4-yard run after the catch. Bring back the days of Lynn Swann catching long bombs. The 8-yard pass play is just too easy right now. That’s one of the reasons why this Super Bowl would have been more fun with Brett Favre in it. 2. On the surface, Sean Payton's decisions to go for it on fourth down and try an onside kick seemed like two of the gutsiest calls in Super Bowl history. But not for the NFL's No. 1 offense. Payton knew Dwight Freeney was basically done and he'd be able to rack up points against the Colts. Payton's risks were very calculated. He always knew he could score points and didn’t mind playing from behind. 3. Drew Brees ran a clinic in how to neutralize a pass rush with quick passes in the second half -- evidence that quarterbacks are mostly responsible for sacks. Every time you hear an offensive line can't protect a quarterback, that's probably not an accurate statement. Whether it's the David Carr-run Texans or the Steelers' offensive line in front of Ben Roethlisberger. "Brees makes everyone look better by getting rid of it quickly -- receivers, running backs, linemen," Reggie Bush said after the game. "You just know what you have to do and it’s easier." 4. Bush showed he was a nice player this postseason, and had a nice game in the Super Bowl, but the Saints don't need him moving forward. Just like the Colts, they can fill in tons of parts as long as they have Brees. Bush, who is due a lot of money from New Orleans, might be better served in a more featured role in a place like Seattle or San Francisco. He'd have a better chance to be a real star elsewhere. 5. The Colts' Jim Caldwell clearly lost the emotional battle to Sean Payton. This was not a night for Caldwell's unflappable style. Would have been nice to see him kick a speaker or something in the postgame press conference. But he was as steady as always ... and not in a good way. <div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/don_banks/02/08/saints.insider/T1_0207_breesdaniel.jpg" alt="Double Click to select a Photo" width="298" height="439" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">QB Drew Brees tied a Super Bowl record for completions (32). Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images</div> </div> Press-box notes and observations from the Saints' 31-17 win over the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV ... 1. It's surprising one of the most pass-happy Super Bowls of all time could be one of the more boring ones of this past decade. Nothing inspires less imagination than a 4-yard pass and 4-yard run after the catch. Bring back the days of Lynn Swann catching long bombs. The 8-yard pass play is just too easy right now. That’s one of the reasons why this Super Bowl would have been more fun with Brett Favre in it. 2. On the surface, Sean Payton's decisions to go for it on fourth down and try an onside kick seemed like two of the gutsiest calls in Super Bowl history. But not for the NFL's No. 1 offense. Payton knew Dwight Freeney was basically done and he'd be able to rack up points against the Colts. Payton's risks were very calculated. He always knew he could score points and didn’t mind playing from behind. 3. Drew Brees ran a clinic in how to neutralize a pass rush with quick passes in the second half -- evidence that quarterbacks are mostly responsible for sacks. Every time you hear an offensive line can't protect a quarterback, that's probably not an accurate statement. Whether it's the David Carr-run Texans or the Steelers' offensive line in front of Ben Roethlisberger. "Brees makes everyone look better by getting rid of it quickly -- receivers, running backs, linemen," Reggie Bush said after the game. "You just know what you have to do and it’s easier." 4. Bush showed he was a nice player this postseason, and had a nice game in the Super Bowl; but the Saints don't need him moving forward. Just like the Colts, they can fill in tons of parts as long as they have Brees. Bush, who is due a lot of money from New Orleans, might be better served in a more featured role in a place like Seattle or San Francisco. He'd have a better chance to be a real star elsewhere. 5. The Colts' Jim Caldwell clearly lost the emotional battle to Sean Payton. This was not a night for Caldwell's unflappable style. Would have been nice to see him kick a speaker or something in the postgame press conference. But he was as steady as always ... and not in a good way. 6. Before long, a coach will arrive that will go for it on fourth down a considerably higher percentage of the time than anyone else in the NFL. Bill Belichick probably overdid it this year, although his strategy was still valid even if the execution wasn't there consistently enough. Caldwell's decision to have Matt Stover try a 51-year-old field goal was unwise. 7. A first-time Super Bowl-winning coach has captured the last five titles. (In order: Bill Cowher, Tony Dungy, Tom Coughlin, Mike Tomlin and now Payton). No head coach with a Super Bowl ring is a lock to get another one in today's game. Makes me wonder if Washington really struck gold with Mike Shanahan. 8. The Saints' Tracy Porter said he knew exactly what play was coming before he jumped Reggie Wayne's route for a pick-six. The Colts offense seemed surprisingly predictable at times. How can that happen with such a creative coordinator in Tom Moore and the cerebral Peyton Manning? 9. Several reporters asked Brees if the Saints' win paralleled New Orleans' recovery as a city. Brees and the Saints have bought into this emotional wave and it gave them an edge. But to honestly believe a sports team's success can have a sustainable positive effect on a community seems naïve. Not to dampen the party, but Brees efficiently running the Saints' offense has nothing to do with real urban renewal. How many people's lives is this really going to affect in a meaningful way for more than a few weeks? 10. The Saints will not repeat. They won't even get back to the Super Bowl. Disagree? Hit the "Comments" below. drew brees peyton manning joseph addai reggie bush sean payton jim caldwell brett favre colts saints super bowl xliv miami bill belichick ben roethlisberger

2010-02-08T02:21:46-05:00

2010-02-09T13:09:56-05:00

146

94741

Andrew Perloff

3992 New York NY

684

http://img.fannation.com/images/layout/profile-headshot.gif NFL Colts-Saints could be Super Bowl for all time Colts-Saints could be Super Bowl for all time <div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/2010/writers/don_banks/01/24/championship.snaps/T1_0124_breesPRM.jpg" alt="Double Click to select a Photo" width="298" height="451" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">Drew Brees now gets a dream matchup with Peyton Manning.</div> </div> Early thoughts on the Saints-Colts Super Bowl ... 1. From a football standpoint, the Saints and Colts is the best possible matchup for the Super Bowl. At one point, both teams were 13-0 and bona fide challengers to go 16-0; it's also the first matchup of the top conference seeds since 1993. Two great offenses, huge stars like Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, the Saints reaching their first Super Bowl. But the NFL playoffs are definitely less interesting without Rex Ryan and Brett Favre. Jets-Vikings would have been more exciting. 2. Both defenses give up a lot of yards. The Colts’ defense ranked 18th in yards allowed, and the Saints ranked 26th. Indy doesn’t care how many yards you rack up, as long as it surrenders field goals instead of touchdowns. And New Orleans makes up for all the yards by creating turnovers (the Saints ranked second in the NFL in takeaways). These two teams could rack up 1,000 yards in a dizzying Super Bowl. Get ready to hear a lot about the red zone and turnovers over the next two weeks. 3. Both teams’ offensive lines are coming off impressive performances. The Saints allowed just one sack against the Vikings’ fearsome defensive front. The Colts yielded two early sacks against the Jets and then figured out the blitz and kept Manning secure the rest of the afternoon. Even though both teams have effective pass rushers, it’s hard to imagine either getting to the quarterback often in south Florida. 4. The Colts lost only five fumbles in the regular season (tied for first in the NFL). The Saints’ strategy of swiping at the football on every tackle probably won’t work, especially if Indy doesn’t run the ball much. Even with Manning at quarterback, New Orleans has a better chance of getting its turnovers off interceptions. Manning threw 16 picks during the regular season. 5. The Saints had a much harder road to the Super Bowl. Indy had to beat two 9-7 teams (Baltimore and New York) to get here. New Orleans dominated the Cardinals, who were good enough to be a play away from winning last year’s Super Bowl, and the talented Vikings. The Colts haven’t faced a real offense in a while. Will they need time to reacclimate? <div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/2010/writers/don_banks/01/24/championship.snaps/T1_0124_breesPRM.jpg" alt="Double Click to select a Photo" width="298" height="451" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">Drew Brees now gets a dream matchup with Peyton Manning.</div> </div> Early thoughts on the Saints-Colts Super Bowl ... 1. From a football standpoint, the Saints and Colts is the best possible matchup for the Super Bowl. At one point, both teams were 13-0 and bona fide challengers to go 16-0; it's also the first matchup of the top conference seeds since 1993. Two great offenses, huge stars like Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, the Saints reaching their first Super Bowl. But the NFL playoffs are definitely less interesting without Rex Ryan and Brett Favre. Jets-Vikings would have been more exciting. 2. Both defenses give up a lot of yards. The Colts’ defense ranked 18th in yards allowed, and the Saints ranked 26th. Indy doesn’t care how many yards you rack up, as long as it surrenders field goals instead of touchdowns. And New Orleans makes up for all the yards by creating turnovers (the Saints ranked second in the NFL in takeaways). These two teams could rack up 1,000 yards in a dizzying Super Bowl. Get ready to hear a lot about the red zone and turnovers over the next two weeks. 3. Both teams’ offensive lines are coming off impressive performances. The Saints allowed just one sack against the Vikings’ fearsome defensive front. The Colts yielded two early sacks against the Jets and then figured out the blitz and kept Manning secure the rest of the afternoon. Even though both teams have effective pass rushers, it’s hard to imagine either getting to the quarterback often in south Florida. 4. The Colts lost only five fumbles in the regular season (tied for first in the NFL). The Saints’ strategy of swiping at the football on every tackle might not work, especially if Indy doesn’t run the ball much. Even with Manning at quarterback, New Orleans has a better chance of getting its turnovers off interceptions. Manning threw 16 picks during the regular season. 5. The Saints had a much harder road to the Super Bowl. Indy had to beat two 9-7 teams (Baltimore and New York) to get here. New Orleans dominated the Cardinals, who were good enough to be a play away from winning last year’s Super Bowl, and the talented Vikings. The Colts haven’t faced a real offense in a while. Will they need time to reacclimate? 6. Other than the QBs, don’t try to guess who will star in the big game. The Colts barely used their two most consistent playmakers -- Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark -- against the Jets, turning to Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon instead. And the Saints spread the ball around as much as any team in the NFL. 7. This Super Bowl could have a big impact on the legacy of both quarterbacks. With two rings, Manning would strengthen his case to be considered the greatest quarterback in NFL history. Meanwhile, Brees could be headed to Canton with a championship on his résumé. 8. Saints defensive end Bobby McCray punished Kurt Warner and Brett Favre on blindside hits over the last two weeks. This week, the officials flagged McCray after he took out Favre on a running play, but the damage was done and Favre was shaky for some time after the hit. The officials will be watching McCray closely in the Super Bowl because they don’t want a quarterback lying motionless in front of the whole world ... especially Peyton Manning. 9. Can you imagine if two markets the size of Indianapolis and New Orleans made the finals in the other major professional sports? That would be a disaster. For the NFL, no problem. 10. We have time to make predictions ... but if you have a really strong feeling already and want to share it, hit the 'Comments' section. The Colts are reportedly 4-point favorites. drew brees peyton manning reggie bush joseph addai sean payton jim caldwell colts saints super bowl XLIV

2010-01-25T00:17:10-05:00

2010-02-08T09:46:40-05:00

109

93721

Andrew Perloff

3992 New York NY

684

http://img.fannation.com/images/layout/profile-headshot.gif NFL Against The Grain -- Divisional Playoffs Edition Kurt Warner was knocked woozy by Bobby McCray (93). AP 1. With all the rules protecting quarterbacks, can you blame New Orleans' Bobby McRay for unloading on Arizona's Kurt… <div class="photo_container image_right" style="width: 300px;"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://img.fannation.com/upload/si_blog_post_images/50821/atg.warner.getty.jpg" alt="Atg" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">Kurt Warner was knocked woozy by Bobby McCray (93).</div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">AP</div> </div> 1. With all the rules protecting quarterbacks, can you blame New Orleans' Bobby McRay for unloading on Arizona's Kurt Warner on an interception return? Defenders around the league have to be frustrated with how delicate they have to be around the quarterback. Shortly before the big hit, the officials took back a Saints interception on a questionable roughing penalty on Scott Shanle. Officials have to be more consistent on those calls (Packers fans surely agree after the no-call at the end of the Cardinals game), and should have to focus on intent instead of incidental contact. 2. Throw out the Saints' offensive performance against the Cardinals' JV unit. With Arizona's injuries and inability to rush the passer, tackle or cover anyone, that might as well have been an exhibition game in New Orleans on Saturday.  3. Don't pin the Cowboys loss on quarterback Tony Romo. The Cowboys quarterback made this offense and its mediocre set of receivers look a lot better than it was all season. Once Flozell Adams went out and Dallas fell behind, they were in too many must-pass situations and didn't have a chance against Minnesota's pass rush. <div class="photo_container image_right" style="width: 300px;"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://img.fannation.com/upload/si_blog_post_images/50821/atg.warner.getty.jpg" alt="Atg" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">Kurt Warner was knocked woozy by Bobby McCray (93).</div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">AP</div> </div> 1. With all the rules protecting quarterbacks, can you blame New Orleans' Bobby McCray for unloading on Arizona's Kurt Warner on an interception return? Defenders around the league have to be frustrated with how delicate they have to be around the quarterback. Shortly before the big hit, the officials took back a Saints interception on a questionable roughing penalty on Scott Shanle. Officials have to be more consistent on those calls (Packers fans surely agree after the no-call at the end of the Cardinals game), and should have to focus on intent instead of incidental contact. 2. Throw out the Saints' offensive performance against the Cardinals' JV unit. With Arizona's injuries and inability to rush the passer, tackle or cover anyone, that might as well have been an exhibition game in New Orleans on Saturday.  3. Don't pin the Cowboys loss on quarterback Tony Romo. The Cowboys quarterback made this offense and its mediocre set of receivers look a lot better than it was all season. Once Flozell Adams went out and Dallas fell behind, they were in too many must-pass situations and didn't have a chance against Minnesota's pass rush. 4. The Jets should be more nervous about Dwight Freeney than Peyton Manning. Freeney sacked Mark Sanchez twice in limited action during their meaningless Week 16 contest. The Colts' defense is fast enough to blow up some of the Jets' running plays and get New York in third-and-long passing situations, giving Freeney his chance to go after Sanchez. Manning and the Colts passing game looked out of rhythm on downfield attempts against a Ravens defense that is very similar to New York's. Manning may have to settle for underneath stuff again next Sunday. 5. Sanchez is getting too much credit for the Jets' playoff run, just like Joe Flacco did with Baltimore did last season. Sanchez played a smart, efficient game. But its the kind of game dozens of NFL quarterbacks could have played. 6. On a related note, why were the Bills interested in Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer in the first place? They had the 20th-ranked offense during the regular season and the best defense in the league. Why not go after defensive coordinator Mike Pettine? Rex Ryan probably gets most of the credit for the dominant defense, but Pettine is a Ryan clone (mentally, not physically) and will be a head coach some day. Even in the 17-14 win over the Chargers, the Jets' offense barely did anything. 7. What does the divisional round results say about the wild-card losers? If the Eagles got blown out by the Cowboys, how bad would they have fallen to the Vikings? New England allowed 33 points against the Ravens, who couldn't score a touchdown against Indy. And the Packers, who had supposedly fixed their defense, failed to pressure Warner at all, while the Saints were in his face all day. 8. If Warner does retire, quarterbacks around the league should immediately have their agents demand a trade to the desert. Donovan McNabb, who lives in Arizona in the offseason, could put up huge numbers with those receivers in that weak division. That's almost as big a layup as the opportunity Brett Favre saw in Minnesota. 9. How would you rank the four head remaining head coaches? Jim Caldwell is less important than offensive coordinator Tom Moore in Indy. The big difference in New Orleans this season has been defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, not head coach Sean Payton. Minnesota's Brad Childress is all over the map -- why was he talking trash about the Cowboys after the game Sunday? Ryan has done the most with the least. Here's my ranking: 1) Ryan, 2) Payton, 3) Childress, 4) Caldwell. But the Colts need less out of their head coach than any of the other teams, so that might not matter. 10. Cheapest move of the weekend -- Ray Lewis' helmet-to-helmet shot on Austin Collie in the end zone, McRay's hit on Warner or the Vikings' unnecessary late touchdown against Dallas? Or, is all fair in playoff football? Hit the "Comments" below with your opinion. Saints, Vikings, Colts, Jets, Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, Kurt Warner

2010-01-17T23:04:51-05:00

2010-01-21T02:40:11-05:00

111

92881

Andrew Perloff

3992 New York NY

684

http://img.fannation.com/images/layout/profile-headshot.gif NFL Against The Grain -- Wild Card Edition Against The Grain -- Wild Card Edition <div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/don_banks/01/08/Shanaham/T1_0110_mcnabbsquire.jpg" alt="Double Click to select a Photo" width="298" height="402" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">It'd be weird to see Donovan McNabb not in Philly garb in '10.</div> </div> Observations from the press box at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro ... 1. Even though the Las Vegas spread likely won't reflect it, the Jets should be thankful they're playing the Chargers next week -- not the Colts. Here's why: *The Jets defense matches up well against a Chargers offense that can't run the ball (ranked 31st in the NFL this season), since they're more vulnerable against a strong running team. New York had the best passing defense, by far, and just the eighth-best rushing defense. *The Chargers have some issues against the run since Jamal Williams got hurt, so the Jets might be able to hold the ball longer and keep it out of Philip Rivers' hands. *San Diego lost to the Ravens, who are basically a carbon copy of the Jets. *The Chargers could be overconfident against a Jets team they don't know very well. Indy wouldn't have that problem. I'm not making a Namath-like prediction, because if the Jets fall behind at all they don't have a chance, but they're a bad matchup for the Chargers. 2. The Patriots haven't won a Super Bowl in six years and the buzzards are circling. Ravens receiver Kelley Washington ran off the field chanting "The era is over" in the hallways of Gillette Stadium. Washington wasn't alone. Lots of reporters posed the question to both Baltimore and New England players after the game. Dynasties fade ... but this one isn't quite done yet. They overcame a lot this season and still lost a few games they should have won. If the Patriots can go to Indy and outplay the Colts, they're going to be really dangerous after fixing some of their gaping holes. Coach Bill Belichick has some draft picks to play with, and next season, a fully healthy Tom Brady should be more consistent. <div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/don_banks/01/08/Shanaham/T1_0110_mcnabbsquire.jpg" alt="Double Click to select a Photo" width="298" height="402" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">It'd be weird to see Donovan McNabb not in Philly garb in '10.</div> </div> Observations from the press box at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro ... 1. Even though the Las Vegas spread likely won't reflect it, the Jets should be thankful they're playing the Chargers next week -- not the Colts. Here's why: *The Jets defense matches up well against a Chargers offense that can't run the ball (ranked 31st in the NFL this season). New York had the best passing defense, by far, and just the eighth-best rushing defense. *The Chargers have some issues against the run since Jamal Williams got hurt, so the Jets might be able to hold the ball longer and keep it out of Philip Rivers' hands. *San Diego lost to the Ravens, who are basically a carbon copy of the Jets. *The Chargers could be overconfident against a Jets team they don't know very well. Indy wouldn't have that problem. I'm not making a Namath-like prediction, because if the Jets fall behind at all they don't have a chance, but they're a bad matchup for the Chargers. 2. The Patriots haven't won a Super Bowl in six years and the buzzards are circling. Ravens receiver Kelley Washington ran off the field chanting "The era is over" in the hallways of Gillette Stadium. Washington wasn't alone. Lots of reporters posed the question to both Baltimore and New England players after the game. Dynasties fade ... but this one isn't quite done yet. They overcame a lot this season and still lost a few games they should have won. If the Patriots can go to Indy and outplay the Colts, they're going to be really dangerous after fixing some of their gaping holes. Coach Bill Belichick has some draft picks to play with, and next season, a fully healthy Tom Brady should be more consistent. 3. The Donovan McNabb debate has become a cliché. Nationally, people seem to have a hard time understanding why so many Philadelphia fans and columnists want to get rid of a Pro Bowl quarterback when so many other franchises are lost at that position. But if you're a fan of a team that's never won a Super Bowl, you have the right to focus on the negative. Besides, at this point, aren't you curious to what McNabb would look like on another team? He still has a great arm. Could he win a Super Bowl in Carolina or San Francisco? And wouldn't it be great to see how far Andy Reid could go with Kevin Kolb? Regardless, the Eagles organization doesn't seem to care what fans think. And that strategy has worked moderately well -- even if they can't win a ring. Hit the "Comments" below with your thoughts on McNabb's future. 4. Other than Peyton Manning (and maybe Drew Brees), I'd put Tony Romo up against any other QB left in the playoffs. Hit the "Comments" with your QB rankings. 5. You can start printing virtually every 2010 preseason prediction right now -- the Packers will be the most popular Super Bowl pick in the NFC. But right now, they're more aesthetically pleasing than championship-caliber, from top to bottom, and their defense still has a long way to catch up to the offense. 6. Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is getting a lot of credit for the club's wild-card win, along with head-coaching buzz. But if he's so smart, why did he need to have Rex Ryan, a man who doesn't know anything about offense, step in and basically save the season by limiting Mark Sanchez's risky throws? 7. Braylon Edwards is a victim of expectations. If he was a third-round pick, we'd be talking about his outstanding downfield blocking and the big first down he had Saturday. He gets too much heat for the drops -- it's not his fault everyone overrated him. 8. The Vikings should treat Brett Favre like Mark Sanchez. Minnesota doesn't need to throw the ball more than 15 times, because Dallas' pass rush will just cause problems for the Vikings. 9. Does anyone really think Pete Carroll is the man to buck the trend of college coaches flailing in the NFL? Just because he had a little taste of the league in New England and New York? He better hope he brings in the right personnel guru or Seattle can look forward to a Saban-Spurrier-like experience. 10. Cardinals-Packers ... one of the top 10 playoff games of all time? I think so. Weigh in below in the "Comments" section. mark sanchez peyton manning andy reid donovan mcnabb afc playoff nfc playoffs brett favre rex ryan brian schottenheimer eagles joe namath kevin kolb bill belichick patriots colts chargers vikings cowboys tony romo jets

2010-01-10T21:41:28-05:00

2010-01-14T13:39:27-05:00

152

91901

Andrew Perloff

3992 New York NY

684

http://img.fannation.com/images/layout/profile-headshot.gif NFL Against The Grain -- Week 17 Against The Grain -- Week 17 <div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://img.fannation.com/upload/si_blog_post_images/49981/p1.sanchez.jpg" alt="P1" width="300" height="281" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align: left;">Don't expect Mark Sanchez's Jets to make a Super Bowl run. Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images</div> </div> A weekly NFL column that heads in the opposite direction of your average pro football analysis. 1. The Jets probably don't have a chance to win more than one game in the postseason, but they have plenty of reasons to be excited about their future. They have the best defense in the NFL this year and Rex Ryan hasn't been able to truly recreate the unit he had in Baltimore. Wait until he gets his fast outside linebacker type (perhaps Adalius Thomas?) and starts to rush the passer more effectively. With cornerback Darrelle Revis shutting down half the field, they should have one of the better defenses in recent memory next year. 2. Momentum, especially the Week 17 variety, is overrated. After the Cowboys lost to the Giants in Week 13, a defensive Wade Phillips told reporters that December records were overrated because the last couple of seasons saw teams overcome late-season difficulties to reach the Super Bowl. He pointed to the 2008 Cardinals, who were awful in the second half, and the '07 Giants, who lost two of their last three (they did, however, play the then-undefeated Patriots tough). He could have lumped in the '06 Colts, who lost three of their last five with Peyton Manning playing the whole time.  So forget the Cowboys' three-game win streak, the Packers' win over the Cardinals, the Jets' blowout of the Bengals, the Saints' three game-slide and the Colts' two losses. Based on recent history, the hot team doesn't have a significant edge. 3. The Cowboys are the hottest team in the NFC -- and perhaps the most talented -- and embarrassed Philadelphia on Sunday 24-0. But Dallas faces a huge hurdle to start the postseason. Philly's Andy Reid is undefeated in playoff openers and usually has the Eagles fired up after a loss. Wade Phillips has never won a playoff game. The Eagles have some major concerns -- the exchange between Donovan McNabb and backup center Nick Cole and their inability to pressure Tony Romo. But on paper, Philly has the most important edge -- coaching. <div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://img.fannation.com/upload/si_blog_post_images/49981/p1.sanchez.jpg" alt="P1" width="300" height="281" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align: left;">Don't expect Mark Sanchez's Jets to make a Super Bowl run. Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images</div> </div> A weekly NFL column that heads in the opposite direction of your average pro football analysis. 1. The Jets probably don't have a chance to win more than one game in the postseason, but they have plenty of reasons to be excited about their future. They have the best defense in the NFL this year and Rex Ryan hasn't been able to truly recreate the unit he had in Baltimore. Wait until he gets his fast outside linebacker type (perhaps Adalius Thomas?) and starts to rush the passer more effectively. With cornerback Darrelle Revis shutting down half the field, they should have one of the better defenses in recent memory next year. 2. Momentum, especially the Week 17 variety, is overrated. After the Cowboys lost to the Giants in Week 13, a defensive Wade Phillips told reporters that December records were overrated because the last couple of seasons saw teams overcome late-season difficulties to reach the Super Bowl. He pointed to the 2008 Cardinals, who were awful in the second half, and the '07 Giants, who lost two of their last three (they did, however, play the then-undefeated Patriots tough). He could have lumped in the '06 Colts, who lost three of their last five with Peyton Manning playing the whole time.  So forget the Cowboys' three-game win streak, the Packers' win over the Cardinals, the Jets' blowout of the Bengals, the Saints' three game-slide and the Colts' two losses. Based on recent history, the hot team doesn't have a significant edge. 3. The Cowboys are the hottest team in the NFC -- and perhaps the most talented -- and embarrassed Philadelphia on Sunday 24-0. But Dallas faces a huge hurdle to start the postseason. Philly's Andy Reid is undefeated in playoff openers and usually has the Eagles fired up after a loss. Wade Phillips has never won a playoff game. The Eagles have some major concerns -- the exchange between Donovan McNabb and backup center Nick Cole and their inability to pressure Tony Romo. But on paper, Philly has the most important edge -- coaching. 4. Not allowing winning teams to sit their starters is actually anti-competitive, since it's forcing them to do something that's not in their best interest. What is Roger Goodell so upset about anyway? The fans of the clinched team have nothing to complain about. They've been treated to a great season and can look forward to the playoffs. Colts fans are the whiniest bunch in the NFL. They should visit Cleveland or Oakland before having such a public hissy fit over nothing. 5. Josh McDaniels did the right thing sitting Brandon Marshall and should feel free to let Marshall go in the offseason. Jabar Gaffney's 213-yard game against the Chiefs on Sunday was no fluke. Any halfway decent receiver can have a huge season playing against the underdeveloped defenses of the AFC West. Considering Marshall could be a free agent and likely won't get big money from Denver, McDaniels was wise to take this opportunity to make a strong locker room statement. 6.  If Texans QB Matt Schaub can throw for 4,770 yards in a season (the sixth highest total in NFL history), then the integrity of every passing record in the NFL is in jeopardy. The fact Dan Marino has held on to the record since 1984 is incredible, but it can't last much longer. 7. Titans running back Chris Johnson's 2,006 rushing yards were a great accomplishment, but it underscores the incredible feat of the real single-season rushing king -- and I don't mean Eric Dickerson. O.J. Simpson's 2,003 yards in 1973 has to be the benchmark other backs are judged by. Simpson's personal demise is somehow making him underrated among the great players in NFL history. 8. The Steelers showed once again how un-focused they are by almost letting Tyler Thigpen lead the Dolphins back on Sunday in what was a meaningful game at the time. Pittsburgh came away with the win, but it displayed an attitude that they can coast for parts of games and pull wins out. Still, their talent level hasn't dropped off much from last year's Super Bowl-winning team. Pittsburgh linebacker Lamarr Woodley showed he can take over a game Sunday against Miami and will combine with a healthy Troy Polamalu to lead my prohibitive pick in the AFC in 2010. 9. The Who is performing at halftime of the Super Bowl and is reportedly dedicating "Won't Get Fooled Again" to anyone who wants to read into the Texans' strong finish and predict they'll make the playoffs next year. Never again, Gary Kubiak. 10. Tim Tebow likely played his way into the first round of the NFL draft on New Year's Day by throwing so well out of the pocket. But it was against an awful Cincinnati defense and I'm still not sold. Where do you think "The Chosen One" will be picked in the upcoming draft? New York Jets, Rex Ryan, Dallas Cowboys, Peyton Manning, Matt Schaub

2010-01-03T23:34:25-05:00

2010-01-05T21:13:13-05:00