'85 Bears vs. 2000 Ravens

Starting off the new series of posts are fantasy matchups from the past & present of pro football alongside some college football matchups as well.  Today's matchup is the '85 Chicago Bears vs. the 2000 Ravens.  Here's a breakdown of the matchup & I'll need some responses if your reading this on who would win.

'85 Bears Hall of Famers/Star Players: Walter Payton (RB), Mike Singletary (MLB), Dan Hampton (DT), Richard Dent (DE), Jim McMahon (QB), Willie Gault (WR/Olympic sprinter), Wilber Marshall(OLB), Otis Wilson (OLB), William "The Refrigerator" Perry (DT), Gary Fencik (SS) Head Coach: Mike Ditka. Defensive Coordinator: Buddy Ryan

Regular Seaon Record (1985): 15-1 (only lost came to Miami Dolphins Week 13)
Accomplishments:  Won NFC Central, Won NFC Championship, Won Super Bowl XX (Richard Dent named MVP), shut out two playoff opponents, only allowed 10 points the entire post-season, 4 total shutouts during the 1985 season. Buddy Ryan perfects the 46 Defense. Mike Ditka wins Coach of the Year, Mike Singletary wins Defensive MVP, NFC Defensive Player of the year for the 1985 season.

Road to Super Bowl XX:  def. NY Giants 21-0 Divisional Round), def. L.A. Rams 24-0 (NFC Title Game), def. New England Patriots 46-10 (Super Bowl XX).

2000 Ravens Star Players:  Ray Lewis (MLB), Jamal Lewis (RB), Priest Holmes (RB), Jermaine Lewis (WR/PR/KR), Trent Dilfer(QB), Shannon Sharpe (TE), Jonathan Ogden (OT), Sam Adams (DT), Tony Siragusa (DT), Rob Burnett (DE), Michael McCray(DE), Adalieus Thomas (DE/LB), Jamie Sharper (OLB), Peter Boulware (OLB/DE), Chris McAlister (CB), Duane Starks(CB), Rod Woodson (Safety; in Hall of Fame), Matt Stover (K).

Regular Season Record (2000): 12-4
Accomplishments: 2nd in AFC Central, won AFC Title, won Super Bowl XXXV (Ray Lewis named MVP), won three straight playoff games to reach Super Bowl XXXV, defeated the Tennessee Titans at home twice, Ray Lewis wins NFL Defensive MVP, shut out four opponents during the regular season. Went on a month long touchdown drought where the offense did not score a single touchdown for the month of October.

Road to Super Bowl XXXV: def. Denver Broncos 21-3 (Wild Card ), def. @Tennessee Titans 24-10 (Divisional Round), def. @Oakland Raiders 16-3 (AFC Title Game), def. NY Giants 34-7 (Super Bowl XXXV).

That's the tale of the tape for this matchup.  Comment on who do you think would win in this matchup.

Upcoming Posts for June

Hey everyone, starting next month (tomorrow actually), I will be starting a special series of blogs during the month of June on fantasy football matchups between some of the greatest teams in both college & NFL football.  Each matchup will have in detail the respected teams regardless if they won a championship or not & their influence on the sport.  Here's the 1st matchup to kickoff the new series: the 1985 Chicago Bears vs. the 2000 Baltimore Ravens.  Time to debate & your votes will determine who would win & you will get my take on who wins.

The influence of the 1981 San Diego Chargers

I happened to turn it on NFL Network last night to watch America's Game: The Missing Rings & happen to watch the episode of the 1981 San Diego Chargers. The team was lead by Coach Don Coryell, who developed the "Air Coryell" offense that was light years ahead of its time. Even though their defense wasn't that great, the Chargers were one cold day in Cincinati, Ohio away from Super Bowl XVI. The offense was operated by hall of fame quarterback Dan Fouts, that had a trendsetting tight end in Kellen Winslow, & another hall of fame wide receiver Charlie Joiner. The Chargers played the greatest game in modern football history against the Miami Dolphins in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs. Kellen Winslow played the game of a lifetime: catching the ball, blocking, fighting fatigue & cramps to even blocking the Dolphins' potential game winning field goal that led to overtime. The reason why I wrote about the 1981 Chargers is how their offense gave the blueprint to the modern era of football that people see now. They were able to utilize their skill players in a era of football that was still stuck in the old-school principles of playing ball-control offense & not taking any chances. If you look at the New England Patriots of today or the teams that have hybrid tight ends such as the Chargers (with Antonio Gates), the Packers, and many other teams have copied the "Air Coryell" offense in some way. What I found out interesting is that Joe Gibbs was on the Chargers coaching staff in 1980 before taking the head coaching job with the Redskins. He took the "Air Coryell" offense to the Nation's Capital & had a explosive offense but utilized his strong offensive line, John Riggins, & a strong vertical passing game. Even though the 1981 Chargers didn't win the Super Bowl, their influence on the game of football has lasted just as long as if they had won the Super Bowl.

Does Race still play a factor with Black Quarterbacks?

If you haven't noticed yet, but the NFL Draft is three days away and yet again the same issue is in the forefront of the draft: character. Late last week, an no-named NFL scout reported that potential #2 pick Robert Griffin III/RG3 was a "very selfish" player, with a diva attitude.  What irritates me about the whole story is that it came out with less than a week before the draft.  Where was this during the Combine or during RG3's pro day at Baylor?  The better question is where is the criticisms of Andrew Luck?  If these so-called scouts think that Luck is a sure-fire pick at #1, then they need to look at the two big games he lost the last two season against Oregon.  Not only did Luck lose those games, he was no where to be found when his team fell behind.  In simple terms, when the game was on the line, the game wasn't put in Luck's hands to go win.  Another thing that bothers me is that Todd McShay (yes that guy) was on record saying that RG3 would be a 4th string wide receiver in the NFL; pretty much saying that RG3 wouldn't cut it as a quarterback at the next level. Once again our friend Todd was wrong. RG3 won the Heisman Trophy, resurrected a doormat Baylor program, & willed his team to its first victory over annual National Champion contender Oklahoma.

The story of race and the quarterback position is getting old & tired. It's pathetic that it's 2012 & race is still being brought up when it comes to black quarterbacks.  Throughout the entire draft process of this upcoming season, I personally heard RG3 being compared to Mike Vick just because they are athletes playing quarterback.  The comparison is further from the truth.  At this stage of their respected careers, RG3 is a far better passing coming out of college than Vick was, who almost beat a powerful Florida State team in the National Championship game.  In my opinion, RG3 is in the mold of Aaron Rodgers based off the simple fact that both can beat you from the pocket first, then run as a second option.  

This issue doesn't surprise me at all because the same no-name sources & scouts in the NFL were saying the same thing about Cam Newton last season before he had a record-breaking rookie season. Stereotypes are damaging careers before they even get started.  Not all black quarterbacks are fast, undisciplined,or in RG3's case, selfish.  Before making a final say on who will be a star or bust, cut through the nonsense that the unnamed sources are giving & watch the game tapes before saying somebody is selfish.

The Iron Man: London Fletcher

If you haven't heard by now, the Washington Redskins & middle linebacker London Fletcher agreed to a new two-year contract deal over the weekend.  This ensures that Fletcher will end his career as a Redskin.  Fletcher entered the league as a undrafted free agent from Division III John Carroll University to the St. Louis Rams in 1998. 

What makes Fletcher special is he hasn't missed a game since entering the league in 1998.  He has played in over 224 consecutive games, over 1,782 tackles, 34 career sacks, & 18 career interceptions at a potition where bodies are usually destroyed by the time a player hits his early thirty's.  No, he  doesn't  dance  around like Ray Lewis or make Old Spice commercials like Brian Urlacher. All London Fletcher does is makes plays & shows up to work every day like the blue collar worker.

There's no doubt that London Fletcher is a sure shot hall of famer, with a Super Bowl title on his impressive resume, but the debate will come when he retires.  Will he go in on the first ballot like Ray Lewis will or will he get the run around like another Redskins great, Art Monk got for all those years until 2008?  The best example that comes to mind to great players in sports is Cal Ripken Jr. Cal came to work every day for 2,632 consecutive games in a sport that has over 162 games plus playoffs.  London Fletcher is pro football's Iron Man.

The Legacy of Sean Taylor

Yesterday marked the 29th birthday of the late Redskins safety Sean Taylor.  Even though he has since passed away at the age of 24, his legend has grown into mythical proportions since that dark day on November 27, 2007.  At the time of his untimely & tragic passing, Taylor was on the path to becoming the most feared & dominating safety of his generation and even possibly of all-time.  If anyone can remember the path of devastation he left at The U (in only 3 years might I add), then they knew that the NFL wasn't safe for anyone that crossed his path on the field.  Gregg Williams was once quoted saying that Taylor was the greatest natural athlete he ever had the chance to coach.  Former teammate & current Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark said that Taylor was the best player he ever played along side.

There are many that will argue that Ronnie Lott was the greatest safety in NFL history, some will say Larry Wilson of the St. Louis Cardinals was the greatest or even Paul Krause of the Minnesota Vikings.  In this generation, Ed Reed gets the overall vote along side Troy Polamalu.  What set Sean Taylor apart from the safeties that I mentioned was that he wasn't one dimensional.  Some safeties can only cover, while some can only hit.  Sean was the complete package.  He could hit like a middle linebacker, but could cover a lot of space with the speed & grace of a finesse shutdown cornerback. Ed Reed is known for his play-making ability once he got his hands on the ball, but Sean wasn't far behind in that regard as well.  Whenever Taylor got his hands on the ball, something special was going to happen.  How could people forget the two fumble touchdown returns he had at the end of the '05 season & in the Wild Card playoff game against Tampa Bay? Even though he made his mistakes on & off the field, the "thug" that the media portrayed was far from it.  He was misunderstood if anything.  A reserve, quiet man, all Taylor wanted to do is play football & be a father to his newborn daughter, that's all he wanted to do.  His love for his newborn daughter Jackie changed his life completely & he found a happiness that many might search an entire life for.

What I loved about Sean Taylor's game was how rooted in the old-school it was.  If you didn't wear the same jersey, it was gonna be a long day.  He was a quiet enforcer, who had no mercy for an opponent & would let them know that if they crossed his path, they would know it.  Sean Taylor's legacy is the same as Len Bias in this area. Both were beloved by the DC metro area & their untimely deaths have affected the area in more ways than the casual out of town person sees on ESPN. The question that stays on many people's minds are "What could've been? or Would they both be legendary players in the pros?"  The day that Sean passed, I was in my first year at Frostburg State University & getting the phone call from my older brother before going to class will always stay with me.  My neighbor Marty seen me wear my Sean Taylor jersey that day & gave me a hug when I got off the elevator.  Both of us were in disbelief because the man was loved by every Redskins fan & football fan.  It's 2012 & the Redskins have yet to fill the legendary void that #21 left behind.  Taylor's #21 jersey is the last Redskins jersey that I brought & will probably stay that way for a while now.  How I think Sean Taylor should be honored by the Redskins? Retire his number along side Sammy Baugh's #33.  Its only right.

Is Roger Goodell extorting the NFL?

Recently, Roger Goodell gave the New Orleans Saints the league's version of the "Death Penalty", by suspending head coach Sean Payton (entire season), general manager Mickey Loomis (8 games), & former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams (term not determined) for the bounty program over the last 3 seasons.  Goodell wasn't finished laying down the law, he took over $36 million from the Redskins in salary cap space & took $10 million away from the Cowboys for the next two years.  It's safe to say that the commissioner has no problem laying down the most severe punishment to set a precident, but the important question is Goodell extorting the league in a power trip?

For starters, Goodell suspended Pacman Jones for an entire season as soon as he began his reign as commissioner, then he suspended Mike Vick for his involvement in a illegal dogfighting ring & then suspended him for the first four games when he was released from prison.  Before "Bounty Gate", those were the two most severe punishments Goodell levied.  However, he only suspended Ben Roethlisberger only six games for sexual assualt, which was later reduced to four games.  There's been a lot of inconsistency with Goodell when it comes to player conduct. The case that caught my attention about Goodell's heavy handed ways was with rookie Terrell Pryor.  Goodell suspended the rookie quarterback for the first five games of last season, a punishment that originated from the NCAA the previous season to force Pryor back to Columbus for his senior season.  Goodell made a precident by continuing a punishment that didn't even happen in the NFL the season before.  That shows that Goodell is more worried about abusing his power than doing the right thing. 

Goodell is turning into a dictator than a commissioner now and the evidence is as clear as day.  What I would recommend the NFLPA do is create a commission type panel that would balance some of Goodell's power.  If not, the punishments that's being levied out now will be child's play to what could happen in the future.  "No one man should have all that power..."

The Greatest E-mail of all-time

Last night, one of my friends from college sent me a link to an email that former Redskins long snapper Ethan Albright sent to EA Sports & John Madden. Enjoy this because this is hysterical & historically funny at the same time. Enjoy!! An image of excellence. To: John Madden CC: Electronic Arts Sports From: Ethan Albright Re: Being the worst rated player on Madden ‘07 Hi, John, my name is Ethan Albright. I play line for the Washington Redskins. You probably already knew that, so I’ll continue. I am writing in regards to the overall player rating of 53 that I have received in Madden NFL Football 2007. I feel that this is fucking bullshit and you should kiss my mother-fucking ass. Ahmed Carroll was rated a 78 and the Packers just cut his ass on a Tuesday morning after his performance in a Monday night game. That is pretty terrible. The worst part is that his overall rating was sniffing 80. You know what, John? Two can play this game. I rate you a fucking 12. I rate you a fucking 12 in Ethan Albright Football 2000-ever… except for in the category of ball-licking. That is where I will spot you a 98 rating. You will receive this score because I will never give your blubbery ass a 99 in any category. Take that, pencil-dick. Go do Al Micheals or something. Boom. Score one for Red Beard. It’s also pretty wonderful that my awareness rating was 59. You make it sound like I wake up in the morning, helplessly shit and piss myself, then lose three of my teeth before I discover that I am trying to eat a rock for breakfast. Fuck, John, I understand you saying that I am slow and lacking athleticism, but a rating like this pretty much labels me as retarded. Rod “He Hate Me” Smart has a 52 in this category. Electronic Arts is saying that seven rating points separate me and the breathing embodiment of the perfect oxymoron. Rod Smart struggled to arrange words in sentence form. Cave men had better hold of the English language. The only actions that separate point values of ignorance at this embarrassing level are things like using your own toothbrush to wipe your ass. I basically edged out Rod by my lack of shit teeth. If I take a night school class, could you bump me up to a 60? I guess I just can’t fathom the fact that I am the absolute worst player rated out of the entire NFL. Fuck, man, there are some shitty guys out there. Amongst everyone, I was rated the absolute worst. I have received the impression that you feel that I am lacking in the agility category. I should consider a walk through my living room where I don’t crash trough a wall or kick over furniture a resounding success. My agility rating on your game is 33. It makes it sound like I just topple over if I start walking too fast. Ted Washington is rated a 40 in agility. He is listed at 365 pounds. If Ted Washington tied a white lady up and made her wear a metal bikini, he’d look just like Jabba the Hut. Red Alert! John, you are such a fucking dick. I also noticed that my kick return rating was a 0. I was rated a fucking zero? So you feel that I shouldn’t even receive a 10, or even a 5? You are pretty much saying that I couldn’t even fall forward on a ball kicked in my direction. I would just stand there and let the ball bounce off of my fucking face. Fuck that, John, I returned an onside kick 6 yards in 2002. You should have just slapped a - 4 on me and had the EA staff ambush me with paintball guns. Finally, I would like to comment on an unlikely topic, my pass coverage ratings. I see that I am a better at man-to-man coverage (31) than zone (21). Fuck me sideways with a lunchbox. Where did these scores even come from? How much time is spent coming up with the pass coverage ratings of offensive lineman? Can I have that job? Let’s see here, I think that Orlando Pace would be slightly better at jumping intermediate routes than Larry Allen. While I’m at it, I can assign the passing ratings for offensive lineman as well. I can use mine as a guide. I was rated with a throwing power of 17 and accuracy of 16. Orlando Pace is has a 22 power and 17 accuracy rating. Did someone at EA really put time into figuring out that Orlando Pace edges out Ethan Albright in both throwing power and accuracy? I will challenge him any day. My horrible passer ratings are of greatest misfortune to my son, Red Beard Jr. The poor boy is not only hideously ugly and covered by freakishly large freckles. He also has to suffer through playing catch with me and my senile-elderly-woman-type passer ratings. A session of tossing the pigskin usually consists of me missing my son by thirty yards in sporadic directions. I led him in front of a fire truck once and my wife kicked my ass. This is because of my 76 toughness rating. Yes, a 76 is far better than the other ratings, but I’m a fucking lineman, damn it. NFL Linemen are considered to be synonymous with toughness. According to your game, I am a retarded, uncoordinated, pussy-ass fuckwad that can’t fall on a kickoff, throw, or spell. I am, however, slightly better at manning up on a receiver than dropping into zone coverage. You lose your mind more and more each year, old man. When I'm not snapping balls, I snap necks. Fuck you, John. Please expect to find red pubes in various meals you consume for the rest of your life. If you fuck with Ethan Albright, you call down the thunder. Rot in Hell, Ethan Albright

Trading Places

If you haven't heard by now, the sweepstakes for the services of future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning is all but said and done.  Manning will sign a reported 5 year, $95 million deal this week with the Denver Broncos.  With the impending signing, team president John Elway has said that the team will seek to trade former starting quarterback Tim Tebow.  It has to be a melancholy day in Denver.  In one hand, they're trading away the quarterback won the AFC West division, took them to the playoffs, won a playoff game against the defending AFC Champ Pittsburgh Steelers & started "Tebowmania." In the other hand, Denver is getting possibly the greatest quarterback in NFL history.  With that being said, here's 3 possible teams that could use Tebow's services:

1.) Jacksonville Jaguars:  This team is in need of a jolt to re-start their franchise in the right direction.  Blaine Gabbert had a less than stellar rookie season & the team's only bright spots were Maurice Jones-Drew & their improving defense.  However, the rumors are swirling around that the new owner will attempt to move to Los Angles in the near future.  Bringing in Tebow could be the only way that could keep the Jags in Jacksonville.

2.)  Miami Dolphins:  They lost the bid for Manning & recently lost Matt Flynn to the Seahawks.  There's no secret that they need a quarterback. Chad Henne didn't get it done & Chad Pennington is too injury prone & had only one good season with the Dolphins.  Tebow's skill set could work with the Dolphins only if new head coach Joe Philbin is willing to work with Tebow (and being patient) & get him adjusted to the wide open offense that brought Green Bay their 4th Super Bowl title in 2010.

3.)  Denver Broncos:  If John Elway decides to have a change of heart (I seriously doubt it), he can bring back Tebow as a backup to Manning & he can learn as an apprentice to Manning for the next few years.  Learning behind Manning could benefit Tebow's transition to an everyday NFL quarterback.  

In the end, Elway didn't believe that Tebow could take Denver to the next level on a consistent level.  That's why Tebow will be soon on the trading block but, Elway shouldn't be so quick to let Tebow go because the guy did win him a division title & a playoff game.  As for Manning, I'm still confused on why he chose Denver over San Francisco.  The 49ers have the weapons needed that would get them over the final hurdle & in the Super Bowl.  When the ink dries up on Manning's new contract, all eyes will be on Peyton, not Eli, once again.

A New Hope

It's official: the St. Louis Rams have traded the #2 pick to the Washington Redskins, who held the #6 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft in April. Immediately as the news broke out, the social networks were set on fire with negative & positive comments.  Let's get a few things straight right off the bat.  First, living in the DC area, the 'Skins haven't had a franchise quarterback since Joe Theismann. That means this town has been waiting for a consistent quarterback since Mark Rypien left.  This city has seen more turnover than in Congress when it comes to the quarterback position.  Second, RGIII represents a new hope to an organization that's been in search for consistency & simply a winner.  The days of Daniel Snyder playing fantasy football with Vinny Cerato are a thing of the past & they are building a team the right way; through the draft & smart free agent signings.  What the Redskins did to acquire the #2 pick is what I call the cost of doing business.  Its the Michael Jordan theory in a dumb downed way.  Either you draft him (RGIII) & roll the dice or sit back & watch RGIII be a star with another team.

 In no way am I making RGIII sound like he's Luke Skywalker, because he isn't.  RGIII is gonna have the pressure on him, but it won't be as tremendous as it will be on Andrew Luck.  The position that Luck will be going into will be more scrutiny than any other.  He's replacing arguably the greatest quarterback of the decade in Peyton Manning, who was recently released by the Colts on Tuesday.  Peyton won a Super Bowl, broke many records & elevated a losing team to Super Bowl contender in his 14 years of service. When its all said & done, it was a real bold & risky move by the Redskins to give up a lot for RGIII, but it was a move that has been sitting idle since 1995 (remember Heath Shuler anyone?)

Who's to blame for BountyGate?

The newest scandal that has the football world buzzing is the alleged bounty system that former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams operated during his time in New Orleans.  Williams was recently hired by the St. Louis Rams & reunited him with former Titans head coach Jeff Fisher.  According to some current and former Saints players, Williams offered up to $8,000 for hurting star offensive players.  It was an extra incentive for his defense to improve their play & its been reported that he implemented the program during their Super Bowl season in 2009 as well.  The Saints' defense was ranked in the mid-20s every season when Williams ran the defense so its hard to say how effective the program was, if it existed.  The Saints aren't the only ones being investigated for the program.  The Washington Redskins are being investigated as well.  Williams was the defensive coordinator with the Redskins during the second run of Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs from 2004-2007.  During Williams' tenure with the Redskins, the defense was ranked in the top 10 in three of the four seasons he was there.  The fallout of the investigation could have serious consequences should the allegations are found to be true.

For starters, the Saints & Redskins could lose draft picks in the upcoming draft in April and in future drafts as well.  Now, the NFL's dark secret program is being pushed back into the spotlight again.  This practice is nothing new to football at all.  During the 1985 Super Bowl run of the Chicago Bears, Buddy Ryan implemented the bounty program on every team to ensure their title as the greatest defense of all-time.  He also made it public when he became the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles during the late 1980s and early 1990s. More recently, the Baltimore Ravens defense as a whole, placed a bounty on wide receiver Hines Ward for his dirty hits on Ravens defenders during the height of their heated rivalry.  In that case, the NFL sent a memo stating that if a bounty was real that they would be suspended.  Even though the Ravens didn't get to Ward, they got to Rashad Mendenhall instead during his rookie season.  Ray Lewis broke Mendenhall's shoulder that put him out of the season.

In this case, its clear that somebody in the Saints organization or within the defense had it out for Williams and decided to start talking.  This also brings in the question of dealing with issues within the locker room.  Even from my playing days, anything that occurred within the confines of the team, stayed with the team.  Knowing that, the code of silence has been broken, and now the Saints and Gregg Williams will pay a serious consequence for a practice that's been in existence for decades.  Let the blame game begin.

No "Mania" Needed for "Killa Cam" Newton

Tebow-Mania, Lin-Sanity...words made up by ESPN.  How can people describe what Rookie of the Year Cam Newton has done in his 1st full season in Carolina then?  It's simply nothing short of amazing.  A team that was 2-14 the year before has become one of the must-watch teams in the league outside of Denver, New England, & Green Bay (I know I forgot a few but you get the point).

In probably the greatest one and done in college sports history, Cam won the Heisman Trophy & a National Championship while facing an NCAA investigation about his recruitment to Auburn.  Many analysts, primarliy Todd McShay, said Newton would struggle transitioning to a pro-style offense, he was wrong as usual (that's why I'll listen to Mel Kiper, Jr.) Newton had one of the greatest rookie seasons as a quarterback, breaking Peyton Manning's rookie record for most passing yards in a season opener (400), throwing for 4,000 in a rookie season, and winning the Rookie of the Year award over surprise Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton.

 Unfortunately, ESPN was stuck on Tebow-Mania & forgot about Cam Newton, which leads to the debate: who would want to build a team around: Tebow-Mania or Cam Newton? (or the nickname I gave him "Killa Cam" Newton).  Ok, Tebow led the Broncos to the playoffs & a upset of Pittsburgh, but his flaws are often ignored by the general public, (which got exposed in a brutal playoff loss to New England) while the hype machine known as ESPN glorifies his every move.  On the other hand, Cam has quietly gotten better as the season went along & is becoming the most gifted quarterback in the last few years based off of physical attributes & the "it" gene.  Tebow started ahead of Cam at Florida and forced Cam to transfer after a season filled with off the field troubles.  It's safe to say that Tebow & Urban Meyer knew that Cam was talented enough to win based off of skill alone.  Next season could be career definding for both Tebow & Cam.  Can Tebow live up to the mythical expectations that social media & ESPN put upon him or will Cam continue showing why that there must be substance to balance the hype?  In any way, in a one game, winner take all situation, I'll take "Killa Cam" over Tebow-Mania & here's the reason why: even Hulkamania eventually played itself out too...

The Decision: The Peyton Manning Edition

March 8th is looming & doomsday is coming...for Colts fans that is.  Will Jim Irsay send Peyton packing or keep him on a reduced salary?  Since Lebron's decision, this decision will have a serious ripple effect throughout the league.  Should Peyton leave, one of the teams that want & need his talents is the Washington Redskins.  Here's the Pros & Cons:

Pros:  The 'Skins could be getting the deadliest player in league history.  Manning destroys teams not just with his arm but with his mind.  In some cases, when Manning comes to the line & going through the dummy calls, he's already won the war by thinking 10 steps ahead.  He would instantly make players like Leonard Hankerson & Fred Davis Pro Bowl material & could bring in worthy free agents such as Vincent Jackson, Marques Colston, ReggieWayne, or DeSean Jackson (don't be surprised if D.Jackson hits the market). Also, the offensive line would be held personally held accountable if anyone breathes on Manning.  Here's a big factor: the 'Skins would be a serious contender in the NFC East & with them sweeping the Super Bowl champs Giants this past season & playing the Cowboys tough twice this season, only the Eagles would stand in the way.  Finally, the 'Skins would get 2 or 3 good years out of Manning if he's healthy. RG3 would def. benefit from watching Peyton Manning play a little before he's handed the throne (should he be picked up by the 'Skins that is).

Cons:  Peyton is coming off neck surgery.  He's one bad hit away from being finished for good.  Second, the 'Skins offensive line is suspect (see the 9 times John Beck was sacked against the Bills) & would it be healthy enough to protect Peyton.  The defensive lines of the NFC East are some of the best with the Giants, Eagles & Dallas sending Pro Bowlers every season.

In all, Peyton holds all the cards should he get his walking papers from the Colts. This might be the biggest off-season in sports since Lebron left to take his talents down to South Beach.

P.S.: If Peyton came to the 'Skins, he could make Eli's life a living hell for the next few seasons...twice a season. (For the record, Peyton is 2-0 all-time against Eli).

Which Way is Up?

Despite another losing season under the Shanahan administration, the Redskins showed that their future is very bright within the division & in the league.  One of the biggest surprises was rookie running back Roy Helu from Nebraska.  The young gun showed flashes of what could be a great career with his slept on speed & versatility.  With the return of Tim Hightower in question, Helu will be a key component along side fellow rookie running back Evan Royster in the continued progression of the offense.  Going into his second season, Helu will go through OTAs without any lockout looming & will be able to get to become a major factor going into next season.  The future hasn't looked this bright since the 2005 playoff run.

NFL Draft Preview: The Redskins & RG3

The Washington Redskins currently hold the 6th pick in the upcoming NFL Draft in April. Most mock drafts have the Redskins taking either a cornerback from LSU or Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon.  There's also been rumblings through the blogs and NFL insiders that the 'Skins are going to trade up with the St. Louis Rams for their #2 pick in the 1st round.  Here's a reason why the 'Skins should trade up for RG3.

The first reason is an athlete like RG3 comes around once every 20 or 30 years at the quarterback position.  Cam Newton is the new wave of quarterbacks that are coming into the league & RG3 is the smaller version of Cam. With a deadly accurate deep ball & the speed of a Olympic hurdler, RG3 would bring an added dimension to the Shanahan's offense that's been lacking for years since John Elway & Jake Plummer was leading his teams in Denver on playoff runs.  Second, the clock is ticking on Mike Shanahan's time in DC.  In two seasons, Shanahan has as many wins as former head coach Jim Zorn and the fan base is becoming impatient with the losing.  The team showed last season that they can compete & beat the best teams in the league (sweeping the Giants season series & a narrow loss to the Patriots). However, they also showed that they still aren't able to beat teams that are worse then they are on a consistent basis(Miami & Minnesota).

Third, its been just about 20 years since the last time the Redskins had a franchise quarterback.  Since Mark Rypien left in 1993, the quarterback position in the Nation's Capital has seen more turnover than Congress.  RG3 would provide the team a potential franchise quarterback for the next 10 or 15 years, depending on injuries.  Finally, RG3 has proven to beat the best teams in big time games.  In his last year at Baylor, he defeated TCU, Texas & Oklahoma.  Each team were ranked in the Top 25 & he defeated Oklahoma who was ranked 5th in the nation that was playing its way into the BCS National Championship conversation at the time.  

The best thing for the Redskins is to draft a quarterback & build for the future.  The Redskins fan base is getting tired of the word "rebuilding" and its time to leave that stage & enter the contender area.  It can't be ignored that a certain quarterback in Indianapolis is in a publicized contract situation that also has the 'Skins antenna's up as well.  In a perfect world, the 'Skins would draft RG3 & sign Peyton Manning, but as we all know, nothing or nobody is perfect & its time for the 'Skins to make a decision...

Update

Out of respect to the untimely passing of music legend Whitney Houston, I'll be doing a new post on the upcoming NFL Draft on monday night or tuesday. My condolences go out to Mrs. Houston's family, friends, and fans she left behind.  May she finally find the peace that she deserves.

Keys to Super Bowl XLVI (New England edition)

It's Super Bowl week & there are many computer simulations out there that's trying to predict the winner of the 46th Super Bowl in Indianapolis.  Here are the keys for New England winning their 4th Super Bowl under Tom Brady & Head Coach Bill Belichick.

1.)  Keep Tom Brady on his feet.  The last two meetings between the Giants, Tom Brady was taking a lot of hits & his timing with his receivers was off tremendously.  For New England to have a chance at the win, they must protect Brady.

2.)  Have a balanced attack to keep the Giants' defense off-balanced. This means that New England has to run draw plays & quick passing plays to keep the ball moving & the Giants guessing.  The problem that the Giants give teams as of late is making them one dimensional, which plays right into their hands.  In their 3 playoff wins, the Giants forced their opponents to throw more than normal, that allowed their defense to bring more pressure.

3.)  Get the receivers & the tight ends involved early.  New England has the best receiving corps in recent memory & maybe the best set of tight ends in NFL history.  However, Rob Gronkowski is hurt with a high ankle sprain which will be a factor how much they down play it.  This means that Aaron Hernandez will definitely get more opportunities to make plays.  Hernandez is more of a matchup problem for the Giants because he is more athletic and can move like a running back in a tight end's body.  As for the receivers, Wes Welker will always be a matchup problem, but in this game he'll be tightly covered.  That means Deion Branch will be a reliable target. The wildcard in this key is Chad Ochocinco. Reason being: he hasn't been a huge contributor, but in the biggest game of the season he could be a key contributor (depends on Belichick though).

4.)  New England's defense must get to Eli Manning.  This key for New England is non-negotiable for them to win a 4th championship.  When Eli has time, he has shown time in & time out, he is one of the best quarterbacks that's never in the conversation on who's the best quarterback in the league.  If New England is smart, they'll find ways to hit Eli as much as the 49ers did last week.

5.) Stop the run & hit the Giants' receivers every play.  It's no secret that the Giants want to be the more physical team, but New England as of late has been playing top notch defense regardless of their ranking.  They have to stop Ahmad Bradshaw to make the Giants one-dimensional.  Brandon Jacobs hasn't been running well as of late(see the Redskins game from Dec. 18th), and teams know that Bradshaw is who gets the running game going. As for the passing game, the Patriots have to use the blueprint they used against the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.  In that game, they roughed up the speedy receivers of the Rams & won their 1st Super Bowl.  With players like Victor Cruz & Hakeem Nicks, they have to hit them to let them know that they will get hit whether they get the ball or not.  If they do that, they make Eli Manning look normal.

There you have it for New England's keys to winning Super Bowl XLVI. Hope that this gives anyone reading this an inside look of the battles that must be won for New England to win their 4th Super Bowl.

Flashback: Doug Williams & the 1987 Super Bowl Run

The year is 1987. I'm 4 years old and from my dad's memory I was the biggest Redskins fan, even more a fan of  Journeyman quarterback Doug Williams. He is on the brink of becoming the 1st black quarterback to play in the Super Bowl.  He's been here before though. In 1979, Williams from Grambling, led the surprise Tampa Bay Buccaneers from the worst football team in the history of the game to being a game away from meeting the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XIV. Unfortunately, his team was shut out by then L.A. Rams 9-0, in a game where he tore his right bicep.  Saying that Williams took the road to glory by going through personal & professional hell would be an understatement.

After the loss, Williams led Tampa Bay back to the playoffs twice but taking early exits.  Then, he received a rotten watermelon with a racist note to come along with it. Then, 1983 happened.  First, he got married and had his 1st child, then tragedy struck.  His wife would pass away three months later and then he became embroiled in a heated contract negotiation with then owner Hugh Culverhouse.  He didn't want to pay Williams for his past accomplishments, so Williams decided to sit out and play in the upstart USFL team the Oklahoma Outlaws.  After the league folded in two seasons, Williams was on the market and his former coach in Tampa, Joe Gibbs brought him to the Redskins as a backup to rising star Jay Schroeder who had a strong arm with great accuracy.

 The turning point in Williams' tenure with the 'Skins was the 1986 NFC Championship Game with division rival New York Giants.  The Giants had swept the 'Skins in the regular season & was meeting them for the third time.  Schroeder was taking a beating according to my dad's memory & from film I seen.  At one point, Schroeder was knocked out and Gibbs sent Williams to relieve him. Schroeder waived Williams off in which embarrassed him more than anything & made Williams furious. The 'Skins lost 17-0 & the Giants went on to win Super Bowl XXI. The team had more questions going into the 1987 season & Williams had demanded a trade to Coach Gibbs. He was almost traded to the L.A. Raiders but Coach Gibbs & owner the late Jack Kent Cooke pulled the plug on the trade. Gibbs told Williams he had a feeling that he would win Super Bowl XXII for him. A funny thing happened along the way though. Schroeder got hurt in the season opener & Williams won the game in relief.  Two weeks later, the league went on strike. After the 3 week strike, the 'Skins went on to a 11-4 record, winning the NFC East & the 3rd seed in the NFC Playoffs. Many times, Williams rallied the 'Skins from defeat in relief, winning the support of the team & led them into Chicago to play the Bears who had a great defense & legendary running back the late Walter Payton.

Down 14-0 on the road in freezing Chicago, Williams rallied the team once again & led them to a 21-17 win, earning them a home game against the Minnesota Vikings. The title game was a ugly classic NFC game with both teams playing very physical. Williams threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Gary Clark and the defense held on a classic goal line stand to earn their third appearance to the Super Bowl in the 1980s.

Williams believed that he went through every obstacle in his path to glory but there was one more: Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway & the Denver Broncos. Denver jumped on the 'Skins early 10-0 in the first quarter, then Williams got hurt, twisting his knee.  Williams made a promise to himself that he wasn't gonna let Jay Schroeder play at all in that Super Bowl and he returned in the second quarter. What happened next was Super Bowl history. Williams hooked up with Ricky Sanders for an 80 yard touchdown pass and at the end of the second quarter, he led the 'Skins to 35 unanswered points in one of the greatest moments in football history. A 42-10 victory, giving Joe Gibbs; his second of his three championships Williams' numbers for Super Bowl XXII: 18-29 for 340 yards, 4 touchdowns,1 interception and a Super Bowl MVP. Williams is now on his second stint as head coach for his Alma mater Grambling State. This upcoming Tuesday will mark the 24th anniversary of Williams one shining moment. I was four years old and to this day, Doug Williams is still one of my favorite football players. Not because he was the first black quarterback to win a Super Bowl, but since I got older, I gotten to appreciate his road through hell and have a greater appreciation for what he had to go through to win on and off the field. . If your wondering how I know so much about the 1987 Redskins, its simple. It's when I fell in love with football.

1st blog: Review of Championship Sunday (AFC Edition)

Since this is my 1st ever blog entry, I figure I start it off with a review of yesterday's AFC Championship game.  Yesterday's conference title games included: the New England Patriots vs. the Baltimore Ravens in the 1st game, while the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers in the night cap. Here's a quick run down on why the Patriots & the Giants will face off in Indianapolis Feb. 5th in Super Bowl XLVI.

AFC Championship Game:
1. Special Teams was the major factor:  Since I was a young kid playing park & rec football for the Indian Head Braves & all the way to Lackey High School, I was always told that special teams is always the determining factor in a closely fought game. New England made their mistake when Danny Woodhead fumbled on the kickoff after the Ravens went ahead 17-16 going into the 4th quarter.  However, the New England defense was able to hold off the Ravens best opportunity to put the game away by stopping them on 4th down.  Then, on the game winning drive, Baltimore decided to not go for the win after Lee Evans dropped the ball.  Kicker Billy Cundiff quickly rushed on the field to try to tie the game in the last seconds. Bill Belichick decided to not call a time out to freeze Cundiff.  The kick went wide left, similar to what Florida State had to endure during the height of their rivalry with The U.  New England moves on, Baltimore goes home.

2. Tom Brady didn't have a great day, but he got the job done:  At times, Brady was rushing his passes, sometimes it was due to the great Ravens defense, and sometimes it was due to trying to force the ball to his main targets.  Earlier in the game, Brady's throws were dropped by Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski, the two tight ends who are now considered the best at their position.  After the 2nd pick by Jimmy Smith, Brady rallied the offense to the go ahead score (see picture above) on a classic goal line stand.

3. Flacco played the game of his young career: Regardless what the arm-chair, Monday morning quarterbacks say, Joe Flacco had a great performance considering he has made the playoffs in each season of his career.  In past years, Flacco would've folded his hands and crumbled under the pressure, but he stepped up in ways that could mean the Ravens could be back to being a legit contender in the AFC next season. After throwing a potential devastating pick to Patriots Linebacker Brandon Spikes (a great one-handed pick), he didn't get fluttered, he rallied his team for one last drive.  The type of performance that Flacco had is something that the league needs to take notice of and he is ready to join the elite class of quarterbacks in the NFL.

4. The play that saved New England's season:  Little used Sterling Moore was one on one with Ravens Wide Receiver Lee Evans on the potential game winning drive in the final seconds of the 4th quarter.  It seemed that Lee Evans made the game winning catch, but Moore who never gave up on the play, slapped the ball loose out of Lee Evans' hands in the end zone.  What was crazy was that the play was never reviewed by the booth upstairs. The non-review could be the true reason why the Ravens aren't playing for their 2nd Super Bowl title.

5. Boldin steps up huge in the final drive:  Anquan Boldin, 4 years removed from a Super Bowl appearance with the Arizona Cardinals, showed why he is considered one of the most under appreciated receivers in the league. On the final drive, Boldin was Flacco's main target, making catch after chain-moving catch; putting the Ravens offense on his back.  In the 2008 NFC Championship Game, Boldin was on the sidelines as he argued with then offensive coordinator Todd Haley about not being used on the Cardinals' game winning drive. Its safe to say that he redeemed himself in the biggest way & showed that he shouldn't be taken lightly by the AFC going into the 2012-2013 season.

In all, this had to be one of the classic AFC Championship Games in a long time.  It can be argued that it could be the Cleveland Curse followed the Ravens since they moved to Baltimore in 1996 or just a rushed kick.  With a game like this, it should be held in high regard with the controversial no touchdown call in the 1979 title game with Pittsburgh & Houston, "The Drive" in 1986, The Fumble in 1987 (Denver vs.Cleveland) and the Hail Mary in 1995.