- Joined
- Oct 16, 2007
- Messages
- 1,819
- Reaction score
- 2,007
1. Blowhard - Rex Ryan and his players spent all of last week calling out the New England Patriots and got *****-slapped for their trouble. Rex’s bluster turned his team into an unfocused, overwrought emotional powder keg that was ill-prepared and ill-equipped to deal with Tom Brady and the Patriots. The Sporting Press loves Rex because he is highly entertaining and easy to write about. What he is not right now is a good head football coach. His postgame presser yesterday painted a portrait of guy who was just realizing that he had very publicly made a huge buffoon of himself. But who cares what the press thinks? It’s the players that matter and one thing players absolutely hate is being embarrassed in front of 70,000 people. After his team got curb-stomped by New England, Rex had to have lost a bit of credibility in the Bills locker room on Sunday. Watch this space.
2. Leader - While Rex was coming unhinged, Bill Belichick was being asked whether he bought into the notion (suggested by Rex himself) that Bill had outcoached his Buffalo counterpart. “No, it’s our players. Our players went out there and played. They made the plays to win the game and I’d say they overcame some not so great coaching on my part ….” All too often, the press gets caught up in Belichick’s gruff demeanor and misses the greater, far more important truth that BB’s understanding of and commitment to real leadership is one of the things that sets him apart from other coaches. It’s not just the x’s and o’s that make him great.
3. Superstar I - Never mind the stats. What was really impressive was what Tom Brady did operating without a huddle on Sunday. Brady had the offense up on the ball with plenty of time to look over the defense and make necessary adjustments. This is yet another reason why the Patriot offense is the very best in football. Much of the team’s unpredictability, their ability to game plan and to adapt on the fly is predicated on Brady’s experience, knowledge and instincts. Those who think Brady is “in decline” are not only indulging in wishful thinking, they are ignoring just how much Brady’s mental approach brings to the NE offense. The Patriots do things other teams can’t even think of doing. That’s what makes them so hard to defend.
4. Not So Fast - With the Bills games against Indianapolis and New England in the rear view mirror, I’m waiting to hear whether certain NFL execs still think Andrew Luck is a better QB right now than Tom Brady. Maybe they should ask the Bills what they think. And I know that everyone believes that Aaron Rodgers is the league’s best. Let’s not forget that Brady did what Rodgers could not – beat the Seahawks in the postseason with everything on the line. No knock intended on Rodgers (who is a great player) or Luck (who someday will be). Brady is truly the best and he’s the only one with the pelts hanging on the wall to prove it.
5. Pin the Tail on the Coordinator - I certainly understand why people would take issue with some of Josh McDaniels’ play-calling yesterday. But let’s face it – the game plan itself was masterful. There can be little doubt that throughout the course of last season, including (and especially) the playoffs, McDaniels has cemented himself as one of the top offensive minds in the game.
6. Playoff Wreckage - So far in 2015, New England’s playoff opponents from last year are 0-5. Yikes! That would have been kind of hard to imagine going into the season. If the Colts lose to the jets tonight, I’ll be legitimately weirded out.
7. Superstar II - Remember when people around the league thought that Jimmy Graham was better than Gronk? One of the PFT guys today suggested that Gronk will take a run at Randy Moss’ TD record. Which he could, provided overmatched defensive backs stop diving at his knees. Rooting interests aside, you can’t consider yourself a football fan and not like Rob Gronkowski. No, this is not up for discussion.
8. Mr Bad Example - Depending on who is telling the story, Ndamukong Suh either is or is not guilty of “freelancing” during the Dolphins loss to the Jags. (For the record, I’m having a hard time believing Joe Philbin’s assertion that Suh isn’t freelancing, not because Joe is lying but because I’m not confident he would know the difference.) Suh pogoes between being an awesome physical talent and an out-of-control train wreck, so it would come a little surprise to anyone that he would wander away from the game plan whenever it suits his peculiar purposes. My take is that huge contracts are almost always mistakes and this one will ultimately prove to be problematic for Miami. Mr. Suh has never believed that the rules actually apply to him and the $114 million contract has given him no reason to think otherwise. It’s only a matter of time before this goes spectacularly off the rails.
9. Sometime You Kick, Sometimes You Get Kicked - Bengals kicker Mike Nugent thinks that the new and improved point after rules were adopted to be mean to the poor kickers and make them feel bad. Yo Mike! Talk to your agent! This is not about your self-esteem. Extra points are harder to make now so good kickers are even more valuable than they used to be. The good kickers should like this change.
10. We’re on to Jacksonville, who is coming off a victory against the Dolphins. No doubt Coach Bill is already harping on this. They can throw it, they can run it, they can kick it, they can defend it, they have great coaches and great players in all 22 positions and on special teams (etc., etc., etc. ...). Just can’t afford to take the Jags lightly.
2. Leader - While Rex was coming unhinged, Bill Belichick was being asked whether he bought into the notion (suggested by Rex himself) that Bill had outcoached his Buffalo counterpart. “No, it’s our players. Our players went out there and played. They made the plays to win the game and I’d say they overcame some not so great coaching on my part ….” All too often, the press gets caught up in Belichick’s gruff demeanor and misses the greater, far more important truth that BB’s understanding of and commitment to real leadership is one of the things that sets him apart from other coaches. It’s not just the x’s and o’s that make him great.
3. Superstar I - Never mind the stats. What was really impressive was what Tom Brady did operating without a huddle on Sunday. Brady had the offense up on the ball with plenty of time to look over the defense and make necessary adjustments. This is yet another reason why the Patriot offense is the very best in football. Much of the team’s unpredictability, their ability to game plan and to adapt on the fly is predicated on Brady’s experience, knowledge and instincts. Those who think Brady is “in decline” are not only indulging in wishful thinking, they are ignoring just how much Brady’s mental approach brings to the NE offense. The Patriots do things other teams can’t even think of doing. That’s what makes them so hard to defend.
4. Not So Fast - With the Bills games against Indianapolis and New England in the rear view mirror, I’m waiting to hear whether certain NFL execs still think Andrew Luck is a better QB right now than Tom Brady. Maybe they should ask the Bills what they think. And I know that everyone believes that Aaron Rodgers is the league’s best. Let’s not forget that Brady did what Rodgers could not – beat the Seahawks in the postseason with everything on the line. No knock intended on Rodgers (who is a great player) or Luck (who someday will be). Brady is truly the best and he’s the only one with the pelts hanging on the wall to prove it.
5. Pin the Tail on the Coordinator - I certainly understand why people would take issue with some of Josh McDaniels’ play-calling yesterday. But let’s face it – the game plan itself was masterful. There can be little doubt that throughout the course of last season, including (and especially) the playoffs, McDaniels has cemented himself as one of the top offensive minds in the game.
6. Playoff Wreckage - So far in 2015, New England’s playoff opponents from last year are 0-5. Yikes! That would have been kind of hard to imagine going into the season. If the Colts lose to the jets tonight, I’ll be legitimately weirded out.
7. Superstar II - Remember when people around the league thought that Jimmy Graham was better than Gronk? One of the PFT guys today suggested that Gronk will take a run at Randy Moss’ TD record. Which he could, provided overmatched defensive backs stop diving at his knees. Rooting interests aside, you can’t consider yourself a football fan and not like Rob Gronkowski. No, this is not up for discussion.
8. Mr Bad Example - Depending on who is telling the story, Ndamukong Suh either is or is not guilty of “freelancing” during the Dolphins loss to the Jags. (For the record, I’m having a hard time believing Joe Philbin’s assertion that Suh isn’t freelancing, not because Joe is lying but because I’m not confident he would know the difference.) Suh pogoes between being an awesome physical talent and an out-of-control train wreck, so it would come a little surprise to anyone that he would wander away from the game plan whenever it suits his peculiar purposes. My take is that huge contracts are almost always mistakes and this one will ultimately prove to be problematic for Miami. Mr. Suh has never believed that the rules actually apply to him and the $114 million contract has given him no reason to think otherwise. It’s only a matter of time before this goes spectacularly off the rails.
9. Sometime You Kick, Sometimes You Get Kicked - Bengals kicker Mike Nugent thinks that the new and improved point after rules were adopted to be mean to the poor kickers and make them feel bad. Yo Mike! Talk to your agent! This is not about your self-esteem. Extra points are harder to make now so good kickers are even more valuable than they used to be. The good kickers should like this change.
10. We’re on to Jacksonville, who is coming off a victory against the Dolphins. No doubt Coach Bill is already harping on this. They can throw it, they can run it, they can kick it, they can defend it, they have great coaches and great players in all 22 positions and on special teams (etc., etc., etc. ...). Just can’t afford to take the Jags lightly.
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