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Posts from the ‘NFL 2006’ Category

Nov 3

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Foreword and Patriots

It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have decided to get back to doing what I love: writing about sports. Even if tragedy makes the concept of sport itself seem trivial and insignificant, I believe that the emotional highs and lows that go hand in hand with being invested in a team are a type of conditioning for the mind and body. Whether you find yourself celebrating a championship for a beloved team, or suffering heartbreak at the hands of an adversary, sport helps to give benign perspective to raw emotion.But, inherent to the idea of sport is the understanding that both the ecstasy of victory and the sorrow of defeat are merely precursors to the trials of life itself. So what’s my antidote? I say maintain that vested emotional interest in sport; allow the emotions, when appropriate, to be real, and unimpeded. Allow those tears of joy or disappointment to flow. Because that visceral emotion ultimately helps bring about the realization that at the end of the day, sport is not about life and death. Only life is.

Fortunately, this weekend features the premier game of the NFL season between the Patriots and Colts. This matchup has come to represent football’s greatest rivalry because it is the NFL’s most appealing dichotomy. Both teams are wildly alluring and successful–in very different ways.

The Colts are celebrity in nature, and gaudy in performance. Peyton Manning is the reason. He is the torchbearer of today’s NFL: consummate talent, ridiculously wealthy, and blatantly in the public eye. He carves up defenses for Sunday brunch, throws on a mustache and films a commercial Monday morning, and is back in time to begin meticulously reviewing tape for his next victim. He represents the new age marketing system of the NFL (and pro sports for that matter), a system that relies on an ongoing interpersonal dialogue between the athlete and the fan.

Peyton Manning is more than just a quarterback. He’s a tourist of the ESPN studio who jaws with his brother. He’s a freaking cable repair guy. He’s an icon. No matter where you’re situated as a viewer or person, long as you have one foot in this quarry that has become the media, Peyton Manning will find a way to reach you. His shtick, coupled with his ability to make such an intricate game seem easy, is what puts him on the verge of superhero status.

However, the reason we’re discussing a dichotomy and not a juggernaut is the Patriots. Across the sidelines from the extravagant Colts stand the esoteric Patriots. New England has become the “model franchise in the league” over the last five years. Thing is, that phrase is nothing more than another faux cliche. In this day of further integrating the media into the on-field action, integrating the fans into daily NFL life, and generally glamorizing the entire business, the Patriots surely are not the model franchise.

They keep to themselves. They handle all but a shred of their business behind closed doors. Their players only do television endorsements as a team. Their injury reports are suspect. Their coach is glum. Their quarterback is crafty and adept, not flashy. But because the Kraft family, Bill Belichick, and Tom Brady have contributed to win three of the last five Super Bowls, they must be, in theory, the “model NFL franchise”.

Trust me, if Brady wasn’t so photogenic, the only time you’d see any of the Pats in the public eye would be during their duck-boat motorcade down Boylston Street after winning it all. Fact is, the Patriots are only the NFL bar-setters in terms of economics and personnel management. Everything else about this team screams contra-status quo. But they win, thus the powers that govern football deem it necessary to label them the “model”, when in reality, it is the team with the glamor, and not the glory, which is the league’s true model.

Either way, at least once a year, we all get to witness firsthand the NFL’s greatest dichotomy, which also happens to be its greatest rivalry. Also includes a couple of teams who suffer from being tagged with cases of mistaken identity. Deciding which “model” fits which franchise is a matter of semantics. What’s determined is this: come Sunday night you will again get to see the iconic Peyton Manning competing against the stoic Tom Brady, so relish it. And know there is more to come…

Oct 8

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Bye Week with Rudi

When I’m not diligently producing points for my reputable readership I’m shifting in and out of various free lance jobs at College Sports Television (CSTV). Lately I have been working as a researcher for the studio crew. On Saturday CSTV was fortunate enough to obtain the analytical expertise of one of the NFL’s more decorated running backs, Rudi Johnson.

I had no idea he was going to be in-studio, and coincidentally was wearing one of those half-turtleneck, NFL-brand, long-sleeve T-shirts. The only insignia is in the form of a small team logo on the left side of the neck. And those who know my local affiliations understand implicitly that the logo was of a little Patriot. Let’s just say that after watching intently four quarters of the Patriots-Bengals game last Sunday I wasn’t exactly flyin’ outta my “And 1’s” to go and introduce myself.

To add a little perspective Rudi is 5-10, 225 pounds. He wore a sleek cream-colored suit, baggy. To the unknowing those 225 pounds may have seemed diminished, possibly even in question. To a perceptive sports-eye who happened to be wearing some adversarial gear, those were 225 pounds of human steel. So yeah, I had a lot of work to do and didn’t have the opportunity to go say whatup…

After Rudi did a taped-bit he gravitated over to the research area to check in on the day’s games. I looked up and he was over my right shoulder. (At least the logo was out of his line of sight.) I stood up, introduced myself, and told him not to pay attention to my shirt. Which drew his attention directly to my shirt. He chuckled, and reflected briefly on the Pats game. Said the Pats got away with one, and his squad will get another shot come playoff time, with a different result. I noted that the venue may be different, come January. He didn’t waver. I didn’t doubt him.

I asked him about the upcoming schedule. He said they’re going down to Tampa after the bye week. I grinned and joked about how that should be a nice bounce back game. “Somebody’s gotta pay,” he asserted. I once again didn’t doubt him. Probably because he’s one of the nastiest running backs for one of the NFL’s most high-powered offenses. Have I mentioned that? He’s also a down to earth guy. Has that unique combination of ego and personality. He’s brash, and in the same breath modest.

And then he took my seat. As a researcher, ninety-five percent of my work involves staring at a computer screen, tracking football statistics via gamecasts. I had gone to grab a bottle of water, and when I returned Rudi was plopped down at my station, reading up on his squad and his competition. So I stood and waited. I had some, not a lot of work to do. But there really wasn’t any question. I just wasn’t going to be the guy who tells Rudi Johnson to get out of his seat in a Pats shirt. No, I’m not that guy.

When Rudi finished, I retook my seat, and before long he was back flanking me watching the games. We got talking again, this time about his division, the AFC North. Agreed that the Steelers would rebound and the Ravens would level off. I asked him what games he had circled on the schedule, and he directed me towards a Monday night game on December 18th in Indianapolis. Talked about how there will definitely be a lotta offense. I added that this rematch of one of the great games from last season will probably have home-field implications as well. I surely wasn’t enlightening him.

If there is one aspect of the NFL that separates professionals from wannabes, it’s the sheer power with which these guys hit each other all over the field. (In the Bengals-Patriots game last week Reche Caldwell was blindsided so hard that I really thought he was knocked out cold.) In that light I asked Rudi if there was one hit he remembers taking that really flattened him. He laughed and responded that he likes to initiate the hitting. I agreed, assuring him that I have seen plenty of instances in which he pancaked, railroaded or simply ran through opposing players. But there must be that one hit, right…

“John Lynch,” he said. “One time he got under my chin, and hit me good, I needed stitches.” I then asked him if there were any singularly memorable blasts that he’s dealt out. The gist of his response was that those kind of memories were plentiful. He does love a good stiff arm though, and he is part of an elite class of backs who employ it frequently. Most relevant, his ex-teammate, Corey Dillon. He said the two still talk, and was in accord with my claim that Corey was more than happy to accept “the 15” for his excessive celebration after earning a hard-fought, late-touchdown against his old mates.

Looking ahead, Rudi exuded nothing but confidence about the 2006 season. “We expect to win every game we play,” he said. If there is one thing the Bengals have to do better, though, it is to more effectively defend against the run.

“Gotta stop the run,” he said.

“One thing’s for sure, Rudi,” I shot back. “Ya’ll can definitely run the ball.”

He grinned and headed over to the set.

Oct 3

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NFL Points: Week 4

The Patriots and Eagles are back in it to win it. Mark it down. While the Bears and Colts are probably the best two teams in the league right now, it is New England and Philly that have rediscovered the winning two-step, and should thus be feared…Donovan McNabb dazzled on Monday night, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another two against unfortunate Brett Favre and Green Bay. McNabb has now thrown nine touchdowns this season against just one interception. Had it not been for his cockiness against the Giants with a humongous lead, the Eagles would be undefeated through four weeks. The Andy Reid/healthy-Donovan McNabb combo has been good enough to appear in four of the last six NFC Championship Games. The defense can still stop the run and Brian Westbrook can still confound opposing coaches and personnel with his multifaceted capabilities. With the Cowboys (and we’d expect T.O.) coming to town on Sunday, Philly is one win away from putting itself in the drivers seat for the NFC East title…

With all the hoopla and verbal jousting in the week preceding Sunday’s game between the Patriots and Bengals, one had wonder if the Cincinnati players were merely trying to fill the time during which they were normally posting bond. Relevant as that may be, the Bengals had a different agenda on their minds. They saw the Pats game as a minor speed bump after which cruising over at fairly high speeds they would be able to proclaim themselves the best team in football. Instead Laurence Maroney decided to stiff-arm that scenario, in addition to the rest of the weak Cincy-run defense, en route to 125 yards on the ground and two touchdowns.

There are very few instances when Bill Belichick gives a sound bite worthy of repeating or attempting to interpret. But when the ever-mum and monotonous-New England coach decided to engage himself in that Bengal-banter during his press conference earlier this week, it was obviously for a reason. Chad Johnson had essentially challenged Belichick to give him one on one coverage to which Belichick responded, “Tell him we’d cover him one one on one all the time but he pushes off more than any receiver in the league. He must be paying off the officials not to call it.” A comment from Belichick involving wit? It can’t be true! Well it was calculated, and while his facial expression won’t change until the tickle of falling confetti forces the issue, we can definitely say that the coach got the last laugh this time…

Sep 26

NFL Points: Week 3

Fans, analysts and pundits alike enjoy over-blowing early season subplots in the NFL. Granted if your star running back goes down and happens to be the reigning NFL MVP, teams like Seattle have legitimate concerns. But after three weeks of football unless your team has ceased to enter the win column, it’s not as bad (or good) as it seems on the surface…The Saints, fresh off road wins in Cleveland and Green Bay, capped by an emotional and thorough domination of the Falcons in the return of the Super Dome, have a tough road ahead. I mean that literally, as the remaining road schedule for New Orleans includes Carolina, Pittsburgh, Dallas, and the New York Giants. Add to that a rematch with Atlanta in the Georgia-Vick-dome, and the Saints are going to truly relish their resuscitated home. Likewise the Super Dome will continue to buzz with that visceral, palpable electricity. With seven more “Super Dome Bowls”, it will be up to seven different adversaries to attempt and match the intensity of a group of Saints inspired by the spirit of a city, a city that was ripped at its seams, but never tore. No small task for an opponent…

The New York teams have reasons for optimism. The Jets appear to be an eight win team with a healthy Chad Pennington at the helm. Jonathan Vilma is the most underrated middle linebacker in the league. He is a monster with the football senses of a player five years his elder. He singlehandedly makes the Jets defense a physical and viable unit. Playing in the suddenly weakened, but ever-hard hitting AFC East, should make for some (gulp) entertaining Jets games…

The Giants are welcoming the early bye week with open arms. There are clearly issues needing to be addressed behind closed doors, as opposed to on the practice field. Notably how to begin games with composure and execution, something that appears to be buried deep within the collective psyche of this football team. To this issue the whole Giants team is culpable. The big, bad defensive front of the G-men has been consistently losing the battle at the line of scrimmage. Eli Manning has come out of the gates erratic and frenetic, and his receivers have certainly not been bailing him out early in games. The Giants are a solid team with a quarterback that has quickly established himself as a prime time performer. Maybe Eli should call his brother and ask how to properly begin games, and in turn he can inform Peyton of how to execute the two minute offense…

Alarm bells are sounding in New England, and throughout the league. Is Tom Brady hurt? Depressed? Has Bill Belichick lost his edge? Is the dynasty dead? The answers are always, at the moment, absolutely not, and only time will tell. Many declared the end of the dynasty in Denver last January, but lest we forget that the Patriots are a Super Bowl XLI-victory away from becoming just the second team in league history to win four out of six Super Bowls (Pittsburgh’s “Steel Curtain” the other). So let’s wait to pass judgment on this team for a few months…

Until then we can address what is relevant and timely. Tom Brady’s shoulder has always been a problem. Coupled with the super-secret fashion in which the Patriots handle issues of injury it is truly impossible to determine definitively if Brady’s shoulder is seriously ailing. Definition won’t come until Matt Cassel starts a football game. As for Brady’s emotional status, it is no secret that he was very close with Deion Branch, and the loss of Branch has hit Brady hard. That being said, it is naive to think that the Patriots will continue to struggle throwing the ball. Doug Gabriel and Reche Caldwell showed glimpses of their respective talent against Denver. Both have the ability to run crisp routes and catch the ball, the two vital requisites of a wide receiver. Chad Jackson, in his one NFL appearance, illustrated his explosive potential; he just needs to get healthy.

The fact is that Brady has been looking primarily to his tight ends, Ben Watson and Daniel Graham, not because his receiving core is inept or unskilled, but rather he has a certain comfort level with the guys he’s played with. The Patriots employ an intricate and comprehensive offensive system; a system that relies on receivers making spot changes in their routes. Simply put, Gabriel and Caldwell are not yet sufficiently schooled in the Patriots passing schemes. That being said, they are wearing the uniform for a reason, namely because Belichick and Scott Pioli believe they have the intellectual capacity to conform to their system. SO PATIENCE…

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