Ranking the Playoff Quarterbacks

Since every kind of success is based on the quarterback of the team, we might as well take a look at each playoff team from this year and rank the quarterbacks.

There is more to ranking the quarterbacks than just looking at the passer ratings. The pass rating is the dumbest thing the league has ever seen.

There are certain intangibles that go into account when making these rankings. Some teams rely more heavily on the quarterback than others, simply because of the difference in each team’s running game, defense, or gameplan.

Not everyone is going to agree with these rankings, but I want to know why. Don’t just tell me I am dumb for putting someone ahead of someone else, give me some facts to back up your statements. Your comments are greatly appreciated though.

Begin Slideshow

Indianapolis Colts: Individual Achievements Greater Than Team Goals

Another week, another controversial topic for a 14-win NFL team.

The Colts are in Buffalo at this moment, taking on the Bills in what is basically a pre-season game.

After last week’s decision to rest the starters late in the third quarter, the Colts organization has set themselves up for another interesting week of fan criticism.

With Wes Welker going down with a serious injury in a meaningless game in Houston, fans and teams are on high alert. Not Bill Polian.

With the snow pouring down on top of them in Buffalo, the Colts starters took to the field. The goal was obvious from the start; get Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne the ball, so they can get their 100 catches for the season. Mr. Polian, (which he insists on being referred to) may I ask, why?

The only thing this did was prove that the individual statistics are worth the risk of injury, but going for NFL history is not. This city would have imploded had Peyton slipped on the grass, or Reggie taken a slide and turned an ankle.

Not only did they play to get those statistics, but they would do whatever it took to get it done. Both Wayne and Clark’s final catches were for losses.

Even if you are making it obvious to the defense of what you are going to do, at least put Painter into the game. What difference does it make if the passes come from Peyton or Curtis?

The starters ended up playing into the second quarter before they took to the sidelines.

There is no doubt that Polian is the best in the business when it comes to evaluating talent for the draft, but these last two weeks have brought more questions and concern to the forefront than anything else.

Now it truly is Super Bowl or bust.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Indianapolis Colts: Individual Achievements Greater Than Team Goals

Another week, another controversial topic for a 14-win NFL team.

The Colts are in Buffalo at this moment, taking on the Bills in what is basically a pre-season game.

After last week’s decision to rest the starters late in the third quarter, the Colts organization has set themselves up for another interesting week of fan criticism.

With Wes Welker going down with a serious injury in a meaningless game in Houston, fans and teams are on high alert. Not Bill Polian.

With the snow pouring down on top of them in Buffalo, the Colts starters took to the field. The goal was obvious from the start; get Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne the ball, so they can get their 100 catches for the season. Mr. Polian, (which he insists on being referred to) may I ask, why?

The only thing this did was prove that the individual statistics are worth the risk of injury, but going for NFL history is not. This city would have imploded had Peyton slipped on the grass, or Reggie taken a slide and turned an ankle.

Not only did they play to get those statistics, but they would do whatever it took to get it done. Both Wayne and Clark’s final catches were for losses.

Even if you are making it obvious to the defense of what you are going to do, at least put Painter into the game. What difference does it make if the passes come from Peyton or Curtis?

The starters ended up playing into the second quarter before they took to the sidelines.

There is no doubt that Polian is the best in the business when it comes to evaluating talent for the draft, but these last two weeks have brought more questions and concern to the forefront than anything else.

Now it truly is Super Bowl or bust.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Relocation is Not the Answer for NFL Teams

Most educated NFL fans remember what took place under the darkness in Baltimore on March 29, 1984. The Colts were on their way out of Baltimore and headed to Indianapolis, their new home. Ask any Baltimore fan how they felt about that, and I’m sure you will understand where this is going.

With the recent troubles affecting the Jacksonville Jaguars franchise, as well as a few others (Detroit, St. Louis, Buffalo) there have been many rumors of sending a franchise to Los Angeles. The ticket sales have been dramatically low, and the franchises are finding it hard to survive in this economy. While the economy isn’t the only thing to blame, moving to L.A. is not always the answer.

There have been many re-locations in the league, as well as other leagues, most recently the Seattle Sonics moving to Oklahoma City. There have been eleven football re-locations since 1921, with Baltimore being the main city in the two most controversial moves.

The first move is the well-documented escape of the Colts to Indianapolis, the second was after they received the Cleveland Browns’ franchise in 1996. This team changed their name to the now Baltimore Ravens. Three years later, the NFL made another franchise and gave it back to Cleveland.

Once the Houston Oilers made the move to Tennessee and became the “Titans” the city of Houston was awarded another franchise five years later, now known as the Texans. Two teams lose their franchise, only to gain another one a few years later?

Obviously the problem in Baltimore was the city did not want to fund the team with a new stadium, but the situation in Jacksonville is quite different. The attendance and money being taken in is not significant enough for the franchise, and they think that by moving to L.A. things will be resolved. The constant moving of football franchises is beginning to wear on the fans, as well as the cities.

Think about how you would feel if your NFL team decided to up and move the franchise overnight without telling anyone. The fans of Baltimore have experienced a great loss with the relocation of the Colts.

As a Colts fan here in Indianapolis, I particularly feel bad for the fans of Baltimore. Not only did they lose their team, but even 25 years later, the Indianapolis Colts are still using the same logo and colors.

At least when Baltimore got the Ravens, Tennessee got the Titans, and Houston got the Texans, they were able to change the team names, colors, and logo.

If the Jaguars, or any other franchise plans a move in the near future, for whatever reason, they should consider the consequences before making such a big decision. The fans in Baltimore will never forget what happened that night, and to this day, they still hold a giant grudge when playing the Indianapolis Colts, and I don’t blame them one bit.

When the Indianapolis Colts visit Baltimore, the scoreboard will always read “Indianapolis” instead of “Colts.” When the Ravens fans come here to Indianapolis for a game, you can see the hatred and disgust on their faces during the game. Although we as fans here didn’t steal the team from them, I can sympathize with them because of what the franchise did to them.

To the Baltimore fans, I understand your anger, especially when you see people in this town (Indianapolis) wearing their Johnny Unitas jerseys. What the Baltimore Colts did during their time in Baltimore will always stay in their record books, and should be counted towards the Ravens’ achievements.

When the Colts left town on that snowy, early March morning, they not only took the furniture and equipment, they took the spirit of the NFL away from the city of Baltimore. When will the owners learn that moving the team is not the answer.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Indiana Pro Sports: Polar Opposites

Who is to say whether a college or university is a “football school” or a “basketball school”? When you say North Carolina you think basketball, and when you say Alabama you think football. Then there are those that could be considered both, such as Texas, Florida, and Tennessee.

The same holds true for some cities and their professional sports teams. Detroit loves their football, but they follow their Pistons more than the Lions. Philadelphia is closer to their Eagles than the 76ers. Fans in St. Louis obviously follow their Cardinals more than they do the Rams.

Perhaps there is no greater gap between successful professional franchises as the one that lies in the city of Indianapolis. The Pacers and Colts play their home games less than a mile from each other, but one is considered the top team in their league, while the other is towards the bottom. The funny thing is, not long ago, it was the other way around.

As the new decade begins tomorrow, it is easy to realize that this decade was owned by the Colts. The decade before this one (1990-1999) was easily dominated by the Pacers.

The common theme with each franchise during their dominant years is the star “franchise” player for each. The Pacers were led by Reggie Miller, and now the Colts have been on Peyton Manning’s shoulders this entire decade.

During the Pacers’ best years, they got to the NBA Finals once where they eventually fell to Kobe, Shaq, and the Lakers. Who knows how many more Finals appearances they might have had, had it not been for some guy in Chicago that wore #23. It seemed that the Pacers were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Playoffs every year by MJ.

Some would argue the biggest fight in sports history (Brawl at The Palace) was the point where the Pacers began their great fall. Ever since Ron Ron went into the stands to punch the wrong person in the face, the Pacers have never sniffed the playoffs. Look at their roster today, and all you can really do is shake your head.

Peyton Manning’s first year in Indianapolis ended with a 3-13 season, but entering his third season with the Colts, they have been arguably one of the best three teams in the NFL every single year. The Colts have a Super Bowl win this decade and are looking for their second this year, which is more success than the Pacers can claim.

When most people think about sports in Indiana, basketball is usually what comes to mind. Now thanks to Ron Artest, Jamaal Tinsley, and Kelvin Sampson, basketball is usually over before the season is officially finished.

While the city is split 99% Colts and 1% Pacers, there is nothing I would rather see than for the Pacers and Indiana Hoosiers to get back to the top of the basketball world.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Forget Perfection, Colts’ Rhythm Now The Main Focus

It is a good thing you are reading this instead of trying to listen to my voice from here in Indy. You probably wouldn’t be able to hear me over the boos that are still echoing in the downtown streets of Indianapolis.

While Curtis Painter is not to blame for this loss, the fans still have a good reason to be upset, although they just have it wrong. While 95 percent of the fans in Lucas Oil Stadium were upset because the Colts the “Pursuit of Perfection” ended Sunday, there really is a greater concern to be worried about.

A perfect season would be nice, but now that Coach Caldwell has pushed the button that shows his plan to rest the starters, the Colts face many more questions. While the Colts rested mostly everyone in the second half tonight’s game, they will also most likely be resting everyone next week as they face the Bills on the road.

Nobody really knows how the weather will play out in Buffalo, but it will be January, so take that for what it’s worth. The last thing the Colts need is to have their players playing in a snowy game that really means nothing for both teams.

The problem now is if you rest the players next week, they will also have a first round bye in the playoffs, which if my math is correct, would be a very long time between important games.

The Colts’ Thursday night game against the Jaguars took place on December 17th, and the next full meaningful game (first playoff game) the Colts play takes place on January 17th. Can a team like the Indianapolis Colts, who rely on timing and rhythm, really take off an entire month off, then try to flip the switch back on?

The Colts have one of the most injury plagued rosters in the NFL again this year, so the players will be able to use the rest, but will the rest hurt them more than help them? Peyton Manning and the offense rely so much on timing and precision, that having such a long time off the field could really effect them.

The defense will greatly benefit from this time off, because they can rest their guys and not have to worry about it messing up their timing.

No matter which way you look at it, there will be people on both sides telling you why it was the wrong move, or why it was the right move. There is no way to please everyone with your decision, but if the Colts have shown everyone one thing over the past decade, it is that they know what they are doing.

This will become a huge deal over the next few days on the four letter network and locally here in Indy, but just remember who we are talking about here.

The Colts will be fine.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

The 2009 NFL All-Disappointment Team

Remember to pre-rank your players before your fantasy football draft!

Those were the words every fantasy football player read before they started their fantasy football seasons. Looking back at those rankings now, what would you change? Better yet, what would you NOT change?

Obviously injuries play a significant part in this subject, but then there are those players that just did not perform as well as they should have this season, and the same can be said for their team’s as well.

Looking at the three main positions on offense (QB, RB, WR) I take a look around the league today, with just 2 weeks remaining in the season and determine who has failed to live up to expectations.

I did not want to include players that were injured and out for the season, it’s a performance thing.

If I missed some guys (which I am sure I did), add them to the list through a comment.

Begin Slideshow

Bad Weather Does Not Mean Bad Games

The Saints don’t like it. My Colts probably don’t prefer it either. The Packers and Bills invite it. Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, and Miami never really see it.

Normally there aren’t that many NFL games played in the snow during the regular season, but already this year we have had “The Blowout” in the snow, where the Patriots seemed like the Patriots of old and crushed the then once horrible Tennessee Titans, 59-0. While this game was clearly one-sided, the game was quite entertaining to watch, especially during the first half.

Most passing teams don’t like to play in the snow because of the cold it brings, and the slippery hands the receivers have to deal with. Teams like Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Denver are all teams that prefer the classic pound the football game plan and they enjoy playing in the snow, in part because they feel they have an advantage over their opponents.

While some teams might not like the weather conditions, and while some of the fans would prefer watching the game in their nice warm homes on their big screen HDTVs, the games are still entertaining, and even more so in my opinion.

There really aren’t many stadiums left in the NFL where these type of games can take place, which makes snow games even more entertaining. When players must deal with the unique conditions on the field, it creates blooper reel after blooper reel. There are also more great plays made on the field, which, in my opinion, makes the game even better.

With the blizzard-like conditions in Philadelphia and Baltimore this weekend, the games that are going to be played will be even more interesting than what they were before.

I can’t wait to watch.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Why the Baltimore Ravens Will Defeat the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLIV

Sunday February 7 is a long way away, but suggesting the Ravens and Packers will meet at Dolphin Stadium on this day isn’t that much of a stretch.

There are about four or five power teams in the AFC, but the NFC is a little harder to figure out. The NFC may not be as strong at the top of the conference, but they are much more deep. The AFC has the struggling teams like the Chiefs, Raiders, Broncos, Jaguars and Browns. The NFC has the Rams, Lions, and Buccs.

To pick from the rest of the NFC is like picking a needle in a stack of needles. There are many teams that are all about equal, unlike the Pats, Colts, Steelers, and Ravens in the AFC.

To look at this potential Super Bowl match up, let’s explore the skill position match ups.

In the battle of the quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers wins this rather easily. While Flacco was a hit last year, he rarely threw for big yards, just short slants and screen passes, often dumping it off to the running back. Rodgers has proven that he is more than capable of leading the Packers to where they want to go.

In the battle of the running backs, the Ravens get the slight edge. With Willis McGahee (if healthy) and emerging back Ray Rice, the Ravens have always been able to establish a pretty good ground attack. The Packers have Ryan Grant, who has shown great flashes, but there really isn’t much help behind him.

In the wide receiver category, it could be considered a draw. Both teams have proven big play receivers, but the Packers have the younger core group. Greg Jennings is a very underrated player, but one of the best in the game today. Speaking of underrated, that is the middle name of Derrick Mason. Mason’s entire career has been virtually overlooked as he has been consistently great for the Ravens every year.

In the Defensive matchups, look for the Ravens to blow the Packers out of the water here, right? Not exactly. The Packers have a pretty good defense, and a secondary that can contend with anyone else in the league. While the secondary may be older, the linebackers have established themselves as one of the best young linebackers in the NFL.

The Ravens defense is still the Ravens defense, and they will get the edge in this category as well. There is no greater ball hawk in the NFL than Ed Reed, and he showed that late in the season last year. Ray Lewis may not be the Ray Lewis we all remember, but he is still a thunderous bolt of talent. The corners for Baltimore have grown up, and the speed should keep them from giving up big plays.

In the special teams category, the Ravens have a big edge. While Mason Crosby is one of the best kickers in the game, the return game and kick-blocking ability of the Ravens wins out.

If Ray Rice can emerge as a solid dual threat to a healthy Willis McGahee, the Ravens should be able to win this game. The big key will be the play of Joe Flacco. If he can become more than just a managing quarterback, the Ravens will lock up the Super Bowl.

Of course this extremely gut-feeling prediction is sure to go wrong, and with all the injuries and surprises the NFL has to offer, neither of these teams will probably make the playoffs. Although if the Super Bowl does come down to these two teams, I can go back to this article and gloat more than T.O. after catching a touchdown.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

So Long, Farewell B/R

In what seemed like a long friendship between b/r and myself, I now must cut short.

I joined b/r a few months ago and really enjoyed all it had to offer. My first few articles were simple slide shows, but as time went on, I really developed a new type of writing. I didn’t know I had it in me, and I really enjoyed the writing, as well as the research.

After I reached my 50th article, I decided to apply for an opening for a Featured Columnist on the NASCAR page. After a few days, I received an e-mail stating that I was not going to get the position.

I kept my head up, and a couple of weeks later, I saw there was another Featured Columnist opening for the Indianapolis Colts, a team in which I cover in depth, and my hometown NFL team.

After applying for that position and receiving the same response, I have finally decided to call it quits on b/r.

I may be throwing in the towel, raising the white flag, or whatever, but I have some other things lined up that will actually pay me for my writing.

I will continue to write regularly on the Colts’ blog, and I will begin covering the Pacers in depth on a different website as well.

It was great getting to know everyone, and there are some really talented people on this website, and I encourage you all to explore your options, and do what is best for yourself.

If you ever feel your writing isn’t getting enough recognition, or it could be better served on another site, go for it!

I will be closing my account shortly after this final post, but I want to thank everyone who helped get me started on this website, as well as those who were able to guide me through other doors to get to where I am now.

If you ever need to get in touch with me about some work or whatever, you can reach me at: chadsmith5@yahoo.com

Thanks again to all of you that helped me in my short time here at b/r and with my writing in general.

Take care, and goodnight.

Next Page »

NFL Sport Channel Latest

• Just How Far Would You Go?
• Sorry Rex, But It Isn’t Happening
• Super Bowl Predictions: Five Stat-Free Reasons Why the Eagles Will Reach The Super Bowl
• Seahawks Attempt to Turn Corner With Heavy Pursuit of Pete Carroll
• Bill Cowher Unlikely to Coach in 2010