Source: Former New York Giants Coordinator Bill Sheridan Flees Country

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ—According to an Associated Press report, former New York Giants Coordinator Bill Sheridan boarded a flight to an unnamed nation on Monday.

 

The embattled coach was fired Monday, less than 12 months after he was promoted from linebackers coach to replace former coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. The Giants were expected to compete for the Super Bowl in 2009, but missed the playoffs after going 3-8 in their final 11 games. The Sheridan-led defense amassed only 32 sacks in 2009 while posting the league’s 30th ranked scoring defense.

 

According to a source familiar with the situation, Sheridan was met by an angry mob upon exiting the team’s facility at 5:30 PM. Witnesses say that the unemployed coach dropped his belongings and sprinted to his nearby car as the mob, uniformly clad in Giants blue, followed him. What ensued was an hour-long attempt by Sheridan to exit the team facility. Members of the crowd wielded Giants helmets and other Big Blue regalia as they vandalized Sheridan’s 2006 Toyota Prius. 

 

“We couldn’t take it any more,” yelled Giants fan Tony Russo as he jammed a CC Brown jersey into the Prius’ transmission, “The man just couldn’t call a successful blitz.” 

 

As Sheridan finally managed to escape the parking lot, he sped in the direction of nearby Newark International Airport. Upon arriving, he was escorted by several armed security guards to the ticket counter. A witness was able to narrow down Sheridan’s possible destinations to Andorra, Angola or Anguilla, but Giants officials refused to verify the coordinator’s destination.

 

“As far as we know, Bill is going on a family vacation,” said Giants co-owner John Mara, “I hear Andorra is very nice this time of year.”

 

It is unknown whether or not Sheridan will return to the US, but the League of Giants Fans has proclaimed that measures will be taken to ensure Sheridan stays away from the Meadowlands.

 

“We’re considering all our options. But rest assured Bill Sheridan will never again set foot in the Meadowlands,” stated LOGF Chairman Phillip Francis. He then added, “The man is to Giants’ box scores what Michael Vick was to dogs. We will not allow him to physically abuse the stadium’s scoreboards any longer.”

 

Sheridan could not be reached for comment.

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Welcome to January: Predictions for the 2009 NFL Playoffs (Part Two-AFC)

(To see Part One of this article, click here )

And now, for the AFC. 

AFC

Indianapolis Colts

Heading into Week 15, it appeared as if two NFL teams would finish the 2009 season with an undefeated record. The Saints and the Colts were red-hot and had soft schedules in the final few weeks of the ’09 campaign.

Neither team managed to accomplish the feat.

But while the Saints fell victim to poor play down the stretch, the Indianapolis Colts were defeated due to a controversial decision in their Week 16 game versus the New York Jets. First year Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell benched MVP quarterback Peyton Manning and a large majority of their starters for the second half, and the Colts dropped their first game of the 2009 season.

But while the Colts have played a curious number of close games this season, Indy has managed to squeak out every single one of them that Manning has been apart of.

The pinpoint accuracy and uncanny instincts of the veteran quarterback strike fear into opposing defenses across the league, and as long as the Colts have Peyton they will always be dangerous. Combine the stellar play of Manning with a seventh ranked scoring defense and an offensive line that allowed just 13 sacks in 2009, and the Colts are the clear AFC Favorites.

New England Patriots

It seems like it was decades ago when a Tom Brady-led team was not the AFC favorite. The former MVP quarterback has come back strong after his 2008 campaign was destroyed by a knee injury, but this is clearly not your older brother’s Patriots.        

Even as Tom Brady was torching opposing secondaries, the core of the New England dynasty was an outstanding defense. But most of the names that filled the top of the Patriots’ defensive depth-chart have departed in the past 24 months.  Dynasty staples such as Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Rodney Harrison, and Richard Seymour have either been traded or have since retired. Replacing them is a bevy of young talent.

The influx of youth has filled in very nicely, posting the league’s 11th ranked rushing defense and seventh ranked pass defense. But they are not the dominant force that they were just a few years ago. Combine the depleted defense with a devastating injury to superstar slot receiver Wes Welker, and the Patriots may struggle to make it deep into the postseason—even with Brady at the helm.

Cincinnati Bengals

Every Cincinnati Bengals game seems like a struggle to the finish. Although the surprising Bengals finished the season 10-6, they failed to win a single game by more than 10 points, even as they played five games against teams that were a combined 19-44.

The fact is that Cincy does not have one “signature” win this entire year. On paper, they have beaten playoff teams like Baltimore and Green Bay. But neither team was playing their best football when they went up against the Bengals. Their only two games against hot teams, Week 14 at Minnesota and Week 15 at San Diego, have resulted in losses.

That’s why, that despite a fifth ranked defense and the salvation of Cedric Benson, it’s difficult to see them advancing far into the postseason. When a team plays the Raiders, Browns, Chiefs, and Lions closely, how can they expect to beat the Patriots, Colts, and Chargers?

San Diego Chargers

Under Norv Turner, the San Diego Chargers have been a notoriously slow-starting team. In both 2007 and 2008, the much-maligned head coach led his team to a 2-3 record in the first five weeks of the season. This year was no different.

In ’09 the Chargers stumbled out of the gate, losing three out of their first five games. But since then, the Bolts have been on a ferocious tear, winning 11 straight games to close out the season.

The turn around can surely be attributed to MVP candidate Philip Rivers and his plethora of offensive weapons, but can also be traced to a revitalized defense that has not allowed more than 25 points in a game since Week six.

The red-hot Chargers have the ability to make some serious noise in the 2009 postseason, but in the AFC, all roads lead through Indianapolis.

Baltimore Ravens

  It has been thought that in recent years, the Ravens reputation has surpassed them. Supposedly, their aging defense is not the same dominant unit that it was when Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Chris McCallister, and Adalius Thomas were all four years younger and in their primes.

Yet upon closer look, this is not the case. Baltimore posted the leagues third ranked scoring defense in 2009. Even their much-maligned secondary netted 21 interceptions.

So, it probably won’t be the Ravens defense that brings them down in January. It will almost certainly be the streaky play of second-year quarterback Joe Flacco, who has come back down to earth from a stellar rookie campaign.

While the Ravens defense is still great, it is unclear if it is “our-QB-throws-three-picks-and-we-still-win” great. The Ravens are going to need extreme consistency out of their quarterback to make a run at the Super Bowl, something that has been out of reach this season.

New York Jets

The Jets are in the postseason with Mark Sanchez and his nearly 1:2 touchdown-interception ratio.

Surprising, huh?

But when one takes a closer look at the stats, Sanchez is really the only reason the Jets shouldn’t be in the playoffs—besides the fact that they needed four teams to lose and two teams to bench their starters to get there.

But, as I said earlier, a explosive running game and a potent defense are what ultimately wins in January. And the Jets do have the top-ranked scoring defense and top-ranked rushing attack.

The way the Jets have won this year is to take the ball out of Mark Sanchez’s hand and put it in the arms of running backs Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene. But in January, you can’t be one-dimensional. Opposing teams are going to stack the box against the Jets and throw relentless blitzes at the rookie quarterback. The Jets will be forced to throw, and that hasn’t worked in their favor (against a full strength team) since early on in the season.

AFC Predictions

Wild-Card Round

Cincinnati Bengals defeat New York Jets

Gang Green rushes for 150 yards but Mark Sanchez throws two picks, including one that Leon Hall takes back for six points. Cincy takes it 21-17.

New England Patriots defeat Baltimore Ravens

Even without Wes Welker, Tom Brady passes for 300 yards and three scores, while Joe Flacco throws a key interception late in the game. The Pats beat Baltimore 33-17.

Divisional Round

San Diego Chargers defeat New England Patriots

Philip Rivers and company stay red-hot, with the loss of Wes Welker really coming back to hurt the Pats. Bolts win 27-17.

Indianapolis Colts defeat Cincinnati Bengals

Peyton Manning sits in the pocket all day and passes for over 300 yards on the Bengals’ defense. Indy blows out Cincy 38-17.

Conference Round

Indianapolis Colts defeat San Diego Chargers

The prowess of the Colts’ offensive line keeps jumping out at me. In their first loss in over three months, Peyton torches the San Diego secondary. Rivers doesn’t have a bad day either. Colts win 33-30.

SUPER BOWL

Indianapolis Colts defeat Philadelphia Eagles

If any team has the secondary and blitzing schemes to beat Peyton Manning and his line, it’s the Eagles. In yet another classic Super Bowl, the Colts get a late field goal from Adam Vinatieri. Crown ‘em. Colts receive the Lombardi Trophy for the second time in four seasons with a 30-27 victory.

 

(To see Part One of this article, click here )

 

 

 

 

 

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Welcome to January: Predictions for the 2009 NFL Playoffs (Part One-NFC)

(To see Part Two of this article, click here )

The 2009 NFL season started with a bang.

The Denver Broncos trailed the Cincinnati Bengals with just a few seconds remaining. In what could only be labeled as a miracle, newly acquired Denver quarterback Kyle Orton heaved a pass down the left sideline. Enveloped in a sea of orange jerseys, Cincinnati cornerback Leon Hall deflected the pass up in the air, and the game appeared to be over. Millions of fans awaited the final whistle.

It never came.

The ball landed into the welcoming arms of Denver slot receiver Brandon Stokley who proceeded to giddily race towards the endzone for a touchdown that would result in one of the most unexpected endings to a game in NFL history

With such an incredible moment so early in the season, it was only fitting that Stokley’s touchdown would prove to be the peak moment of a relatively mundane season.

After a season devoid of a large number of classic games, awe-inspiring plays, or eye-drawing playoff races, one can only hope that the 2009 Playoffs will prove to be much more exciting.   

While it may be hard to top Super Bowls 42 and 43, two of the greatest in history, a plethora of championship-worthy teams may provide one of the best all-around playoffs in recent history. But before the action begins with the Wild Card round on Saturday, January 9, let us examine all 12 contenders.

NFC 

New Orleans Saints

Just five weeks ago the Saints would have been the clear, odds-on favorite to win the NFC. But following a near-loss to the lowly Redskins and consecutive defeats at the hands of Dallas, Tampa Bay, and Carolina; New Orleans no longer appears to be invincible.

While the offense is still explosive, the once dominant-defense has come back down to earth. Susceptible to the big play, New Orleans gave up 30 points to Jason Campbell and Washington, followed by 24 to Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys. A group that was praised earlier in the season is now the NFL’s 19th ranked scoring defense. 

While this team may be the best NFC team on paper, their weaknesses at defensive and offensive tackle have been exposed. Left tackle Jamal Bushrod has been a liability in recent weeks, and could be torched in the playoffs by top pass-rushers such as Philadelphia’s Trent Cole and Minnesota’s Jared Allen. 

If the New Orleans team from the first 13 weeks of the season shows up in the playoffs, the Saints could be headed to their first ever Super Bowl victory. If not, it could be an early exit for Drew Brees and his fellow teammates.

Minnesota Vikings

It has been said that a stifling defense and a strong running game are the best building blocks for a championship team. If it was Week 10, no team may have fit this mold more perfectly than the Minnesota Vikings.

Following a tumultuous summer in which the team did not know its starting quarterback until the beginning of preseason play, the Vikings posted a 10-1 record through the first 11 weeks of the season.                                         

However, the Vikings quickly unraveled. A tenuous relationship between 40-year-old quarterback Brett Favre and Head Coach Brad Childress, as well as, poor play from Adrian Peterson led to the Vikings losing three games down the stretch.

One constant for the Vikings, however, has been their outstanding defense. Led by Pro Bowl defensive end Jared Allen and defensive tackles Pat and Kevin Williams, the Vikings amassed 48 sacks, first in the NFL, while posting the league’s fourth ranked rushing defense.

But for the Vikings to make some noise in the playoffs, they will need superstar running back Adrian Peterson to return to top-form. The once prolific rusher failed to reach 100 yards rushing or 4.0 yards-per-carry in the final seven weeks of the season.  

With a suffocating defense and strong play from Adrian Peterson, the Vikings may be well on their way to the NFC title game and a potential Super Bowl appearance. But even with their torching of the Giants in Week 17, the reemergence of Peterson is far from guaranteed. 

Philadelphia Eagles

Going ino Week 17, the Eagles may have been the hottest team in football. Winners of six straight, the Eagles were on a collision course towards a game with the Dallas Cowboys that would decide the NFC East champion.

Too bad the Eagles came out flat.

In what was easily their worst game of the season, Philadelphia was massacred by rival Dallas 24-0. But I’m convinced the Eagles’ best football may still be ahead of them. Right now, they are a team with out a glaring weakness. Armed with a surplus of weapons, Donovan McNabb has posted a stellar 2009 campaign. Despite missing three games, the veteran QB had 22 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions, while accruing the third best passer rating of career.

The loss of former Pro Bowl running back Brian Westbrook has done little to slow down the Eagles, as rookie running back LeSean McCoy and fullback Leonard Weaver have combined to form one of the league’s premier rushing attacks.

The other side of the ball has been impressive as well. The Eagles’ ball-hawking secondary, led by Pro Bowlers Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown, is fourth in the league in interceptions. More importantly, the additions of linebackers Will Witherspoon and Jeremiah Trotter have solidified the once porous run defense.

The Eagles have all the tools to survive into February. If they can put the loss at Dallas behind them, I believe they will do just that. 

Dallas Cowboys

Anyone who has even a passing interest in the NFL knows of Dallas’ well-documented struggles in December and January. And when Tony Romo and the Cowboys lost to the rival New York Giants at the Meadowlands in early December, it appeared that the team would be playing golf come playoff time.

There’s no doubt that Dallas is an extremely talented team. Combining a top-ranked rushing attack with the progression of quarterback Tony Romo, Dallas is as capable a team as any on paper. But this group of Dallas players— and coaches— has not yet been able to string together wins at the end of the season.

But in many people’s eyes, the Cowboys have turned it around. Following victories versus the Saints, Redskins, and Eagles; Dallas’ late-season struggles seem like they may be a thing of the past.

I’ll believe it when I see it.

The Cowboys stunning upset of undefeated New Orleans in Week 15 is not nearly impressive as it was just a few weeks ago. New Orleans, who has since lost to lowly Tampa Bay, has played poorly in five straight games and seems to be vulnerable.

The Cowboys also smothered the rival Redskins in Week 16. But let’s face it: Washington sucks.

However, Dallas’ recent win against the Eagles was a most impressive affair. The ‘Boys thoroughly dominated both sides of the ball en route to a 24-0 victory.

Ultimately, whether these wins are impressive or not may not matter. Late-season struggles are usually psychological, and if Dallas believes they can win in January, they just might be able to do it.

But for the Cowboys to execute in the postseason, I believe it to be absolutely necessary that Dallas gets off to a hot start early in their first playoff game. If their opponent marches down the field on their opening drive, or if Dallas goes three-and-out early on, they will assuredly be reminded of past struggles.  It might serve Offensive Coordinator Jason Garret to take some shots down the field early on the Philly defense, to try and fire up his players and eliminate the threat of psychological collapse.

The Dallas Cowboys have not won a playoff game since 1995. I’m going to bet that the streak lasts one more year. 

Green Bay Packers 

Perhaps no NFL team is as well-rounded as the Green Bay Packers.

Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers boast a top-ranked passing attack, two standout receivers, and a young running back in Ryan Grant who has been hot in the final four weeks of the season.

On the other side of the ball , they are the owners of one of the favorites for the Defensive Player of the Year Award (Charles Woodson), and one of the favorites for the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award (Clay Matthews).

Even their special teams have been solid.

The bottom line is that Green Bay is an extremely talented football team. But with their low seed, they may struggle the make it deep into the postseason.

Arizona Cardinals

Just like last year, the Arizona Cardinals are an extremely difficult team to assess.

They allow around 19 points per game, but give up nearly 350 yards. Their quarterback, Kurt Warner, has had eight games with a QB rating of 100.0 or more,  and six games where hes been under 80.0. And while their running game has been much improved over last season, they are still not a threat in that category.     

And while the Cardinals obviously have two Pro Bowl caliber receivers in Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, one wonders whether their passing attack, running game, and defense will all come together at once to make a push towards a second straight Super Bowl appearance.

I’m not betting on it.  

NFC PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS 

Wild Card Round 

Philadelphia Eagles defeat Dallas Cowboys

I honestly believe Philadelphia is a much better football team than Dallas, and I think that they will turn it around with an impressive performance in the first round. Philly wins 24-20.

Green Bay Packers  defeat Arizona Cardinals I think this one will be a romp. The Pack takes it 31-10.

Divisional Round 

Philadelphia Eagles defeat New Orleans Saints 3 losses in a row + Week off = Rust and an early playoff exit. Philly beats slumping N’awlins 28-21.

Minnesota Vikings defeat Green Bay Packers Vikings defense proves too much for Aaron Rodgers, sacking him at least 4 times. The Vikes win 24-14.

Conference Round

Philadelphia Eagles defeat Minnesota Vikings

In what will be a classic Conference Championship Game, Asante Samuel picks off Favre late in the game. The Birds win 23-20.

(To see the AFC Predictions, as well as the Super Bowl pick, click here )

 

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New York Giants Face Daunting Offseason Following Week 16 Collapse

Perhaps more than any professional sports season in recent memory, the Giants’ 2009 campaign has been a roller-coaster ride for the ages.

Starting the season 5-0 with impressive wins over Washington, Dallas, Oakland, Kansas City, and Tampa Bay, the Giants seemed to be destined for their second Super Bowl appearance in three years. 

New York’s upcoming Week 6 matchup at the Superdome in New Orleans was viewed by many as a preview to the NFC Championship game, and widely considered a game-of-the-year candidate. Surely the two powerhouses, with potent offenses and stifling defenses, would provide a down-to-the-wire matchup that fans would remember for years to come.

It didn’t quite turn out that way.

Feeding off of the energy of the hometown fans, New Orleans rode the coattails of Drew Brees and his 369 passing yards and four touchdowns to a blowout 48-27 win that would come to define the seasons of both franchises. The Saints posted an undefeated record through Week 14, while the Giants went on to lose four games in a row.

All hope was not lost, however. While four of Big Blue’s five wins were against teams that had a combined 15 wins through Week 16, all four losses were against playoff contenders.

And when a crucial Week 11 matchup versus Atlanta resulted in a Giants victory, the season seemed headed back in the right direction. The spirits of Giants fans were lifted.

Not too fast, Giants faithful.

A theme throughout the entire season had been the Giants inability to get pressure on the quarterback. On Thanksgiving night, the problem once again reared its ugly head as the Giants plummeted back to earth with an embarrassing 26-6 loss to Denver.

The rest of the season continued to be a tease for Giants fans, as they alternated wins and losses for six weeks. Uplifting victories versus Dallas and Washington were followed by deflating losses to Philadelphia and Carolina.

In Week 16, with a humiliating 41-9 defeat at the hands of the Carolina Panthers and with the Cowboys’ drubbing of the Redskins, the Giants were officially eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since Eli Manning’s rookie season in 2004.

And as Giants fans and Giants management look towards the offseason, change is definitely coming. It seems difficult, however, to pinpoint which areas of change to prioritize. It even is difficult to wonder if some areas even should be changed.

The top of the ladder is the coaching staff, and that is where one must start when evaluating a team. And while Head Coach Tom Coughlin deserves a few years of leniency following his Super Bowl Victory, and Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride did a serviceable job, the performance by first-year Defensive Coordinator Bill Sheridan has been far less than impressive. 

The same defense that had been known for harassing quarterbacks and running backs alike was seen missing tackles and assignments on a regular basis. A team that had been ranked fifth in the NFL in scoring defense in 2008 found itself ranked twenty-eighth in 2009, despite the return of former Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora.

But can such a precipitous drop be purely attributed to one person? Such a claim seems far-fetched, and under further examination, there are many people to blame for the failure of the 2009 New York Giants. But nearly all of those in question have done things right in the past, and one wonders whether one season of failure means the doom of their careers.

General Manager Jerry Reese had a horrendous offseason in free agency, with all four of his major offseason acquisitions (Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard, CC Brown, and Michael Boley) failing in their first season in New York. But Reese is the same man who had one of the best drafts in the history of the NFL leading up to New York’s Super Bowl XLII victory. He is also the same man who made the astute decision to not pursue wideout Braylon Edwards, who has faltered with the Jets.

Can you really fire a man who led your team to a Super Bowl victory just two years ago?

Then, there is the story of the Giants’ two starting defensive ends, Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck. Tuck, who was a Pro Bowler in 2008, has amassed just six sacks in 2009. Has the league caught up to Tuck? Or is he just a victim of several nagging injuries that have plagued him since the first few weeks of the season?

Umenyiora was a Pro Bowler in 2007, but missed the entire ’08 campaign with a knee injury. Are his seven sacks and inability to defend against the run a direct result of the knee injury? Or will he recover and revert to his pre-injury, All-Pro form?

What about the offensive line? The same five lineman that set a record for consecutive starts and led the Giants to a top ranked running game in 2008 has been a liability most weeks for the ’09 Giants. Are they over the hill? Or is poor performance a result of injury and poor coaching?

Then there is the perplexing case of second-year safety Kenny Phillips. Phillips seemed headed towards a Pro Bowl season in 2009, but developed arthritis in his knee and missed the rest of the season. The injury completely compromised the Giants’ secondary, as well as their defense. A lack of depth at the safety position meant blitzing was a risky proposition, adding to the Giants difficulty of applying pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Is the promising young safety’s career over? Or can he recover from this horrible injury and continue to progress towards Pro Bowl status?

These are the real question marks heading into the offseason. And while the obvious problems of a lack of talent at the defensive tackle and linebacker positions will surely be addressed, how GM Jerry Reese tackles these issues will define the success of future Giants teams.

My guesses are that Sheridan is mostly to blame, while injuries have led to the decline in production from the defensive ends. 

However, Phillips’ injury may prove to be the most crucial predicament of the offseason. Because the Giants were so severely exploited by the deep pass in 2009, improving the safety positions is vital to success next year. 

If Phillips can come back healthy, the Giants secondary will be solidified and they will be able to shift their focus towards improving the interior of their defensive line and their linebacking corps. Without Phillips, the Giants offseason will likely prove to be a chaotic, and perhaps franchise-disintegrating affair.

New York would need to devote a high draft pick or a large sum of money towards acquiring a top-flight safety. If that acquisition failed, then the outlook for the 2010 season would not be promising.

The one thing that we do know however, is that change is coming. Jerry Reese is the same man who controversially cut veterans Carlos Emmons, LaVar Arrington and Luke Pettigout following his hiring in 2007. Eight months later, the Giants were riding down the Canyon of Heroes on parade floats.

Reese will not hesitate to institute change, and might do so in ways that are completely unforeseen. This offseason may prove to be one of the most important in Giants history, and if Jerry Reese is able to rectify the situation than he will truly show his worth.

So get to work, Jerry. Your future is on the line.

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