Who The Colts Really Owed It To In Their Attempt At Perfection

There is a scene near the end of the movie Good Will Hunting, where Will Hunting (Matt Damon) is talking with Chucky, (Ben Affleck) and they are on a construction site discussing their future paths. Will is the gifted one who could be making tons of money doing advanced mathematics, but instead he would rather hang out with his friends who are not as educated and do not have his talents. Will says to Chucky that he wants to stay in South Boston for the rest of his life and continue working in construction. Chucky stops him and tells him this: 

“No, no no no. You don’t owe it to yourself man, you owe it to me. Cuz tomorrow I’m gonna wake up and I’ll be 50, and I’ll still be doin’ this. And that’s all right. That’s fine. I mean, you’re sittin’ on a winnin’ lottery ticket. And you’re too much of a wimp to cash it in, and that’s garbage. ‘Cause I’d do anything to have what you got. So would any of these guys. It’d be an insult to us if you’re still here in 20 years. Hangin’ around here is a waste of your time.”

 

The Indianapolis Colts owed it to no team; they did not owe it to the league, the owners, the coaches, the fans, etc. They certainly did not owe to anyone who has a Colt player on their fantasy team. They owed it to each other and to every player who played the game. Millions of people played organized football and hardly any were ever on a team that had a shot to be perfect.

The Colts owed it to those who came oh-so-close to perfection and those who never even came close. What would the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the 2008 Detroit Lions give to be in that situation? What would the three NFL teams that went 18-1 give to replay the game that they lost?

I did not agree with the way the Colts handled their players on Sunday. If your first-string players are going to play into the second half of a game, they should be allowed to win it.

Caldwell’s decision was equal to saying you can be a little bit pregnant. Peyton Manning and the Colts offensive starters were officially benched with 5:36 left in the third quarter against the New York Jets. There was just 20 minutes to play in the game. I know that injuries happen and you certainly do not want to lose anyone in any game, but if Manning and company were okay to play for 40 minutes, why not have them finish the deal?

The Colts are taking the company line when talking about this. They are saying the right things and have followed their rookie coach’s orders. But you cannot tell me that there are not some players who are thinking, “We could have won that game and we could still be undefeated.”

Yes, it is about winning the Super Bowl, but it is also about making your own history if you have the opportunity to do such a thing.

The Colts did not have the constant media pressures that the 2007 New England Patriots had. First, for the first 13 weeks of the season, the Colts were not the only undefeated team. Second, two years ago we were bombarded with the coverage of the 2007 Patriots. NFL Films had more video on the 2007 than they do on any other team that they have ever covered.

Third, none of the Colts games were switched to Sunday Night Football, like two of the Patriots games were in 2007. The Colts meaningless regular season finale against the Buffalo Bills was not going to be on three networks like the Patriots finale against the Giants was.

I think the biggest detriment to the Patriots 2007 season was that they had to play the Giants in that final regular season game. The Patriots had to go for the 16-0 season and play some of their trump cards during that contest. While, they probably did not figure the Giants to win three road playoff games, the Giants clearly had confidence in that they recently saw the Patriots at their best and could play with them and if they got a break or two in the game they could be Super Bowl Champions.

The Colts would not have to do any of that.

In the NFL and most sports, the margin for error is microscopic. While you need to be a great team to be perfect, you also need a little bit of luck. A missed field goal, a strange 4^th -and-2 call that falls a foot short are the things that fall your way in an unbeaten season.

Football is not like baseball where fans can remember some of the great numbers in the game that made history like Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak, Ted Williams hitting .406, Cal Ripken’s 2,131 consecutive game, Pete Rose’s 4,192^nd hit, etc. Most football fans could not tell you the record for most touchdowns, sacks, interceptions, QB rating, etc. But, they do know what comes to mind when they hear 17-0 or perfect season in the NFL. That team was the 1972 Miami Dolphins.

Although, you could make a definitive argument that the 1973 Miami Dolphins were a better team than the 1972 Miami Dolphins who were a perfect 17-0. The 1972 Dolphins won their three-playoff games by a combined 17 points. The 1973 Dolphins won Super Bowl VIII by 17 points, and won their two AFC playoff games by a combined 35 points. The 1973 Dolphins were likely the better team, but they hardly get talked about because all you hear from Miami is about the 1972 team that won every game.

Personally, I have never played on a team that went perfect. The closest I came to perfection was in Madden 95 on the Sega Genesis. I was in college and the guys in my dorm set up a league where half the weeks we would play each other and the other half we would play against the computer.

It was a week three contest against the Cincinnati Bengals, a computer opponent, one of the lower ranked teams in the game. The Bengals hung around, and I held a 17-14 lead late in the fourth quarter. My defense stopped the Bengals with fewer than two minutes to play and the Bengals punted. The punt came to my return man who dropped the football and before the ball hit the ground it landed in the arms of a Bengal player who ran in to the end zone for the game-winning score. This was a fairly common glitch in the game and the game actually would call that play an interception. In the NFL, that would have been a muff, and a muff could not have been advanced.

I did not lose another game that season and managed to steamroll over one of my friends to take the championship. I do not remember the score of that game, but I never forgot that 24-21 loss to the Bengals. I did not have control over a glitch in the system, but the Colts had a chance to do it without any glitches, but on their own merit and chose not to do so.

If the Colts do win the Super Bowl with an 18-1 record, don’t you think one of the first questions will be, “Do you regret not going for the win against the Jets?” It will always be a question mark on a great season.

Many years from now, there may be some members of the Colts sitting in their trophy room and could be looking at a plaque that says, Indianapolis Colts, Super Bowl XLIV Champions, 18-1 record, and say, “Man, if we only played that second half against the Jets.” 

Michael Irvin recently said that it would be worth trading in all three rings for one undefeated season. For once, I believe him. He knows that a 19-0 record puts your team into the stratosphere of the immortals. It is a record that can only be equaled, never overtaken, unless the NFL adds more regular season games.

There are three teams in NFL history that won 18 games and lost only one. Everyone knows about the 2007 Patriots. The 1985 Bears were 12-0 when they traveled to Miami for a Monday night showdown with the Dolphins. On a hot night in Miami, the Dolphins went out and ended the Bears run at perfection 38-24. It was a game the Bears never led.

In the 1984 season, the San Francisco 49ers came just as close to perfection as the 2007 Patriots. In week seven, the 49ers hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers in a game that the 6-0 49ers were clear favorites to win. The 49ers held a 17-10 lead with just a few minutes left in the contest, but the Steelers would rally to tie the game and later take a 20-17 lead with just 1:42 to play. The 49ers would attempt a late field goal but it would hit the uprights and the 49ers would not lose for the rest of that season.

Those other teams, the Bears, the 49ers, the Patriots, myself, etc., got their perfect seasons taken away not because they laid down to rest, but because they gave it everything they had and someone else was just a little better that game.

Let’s say for example, that there is a baseball team that has clinched the best record in baseball with a week left to play. That teams has their number one starting pitcher pitching a perfect game through eight innings. The team is winning by three runs. If the manager even thought about taking him out of the game, the media would have slammed him like there was no tomorrow. Pitching a perfect game through eight innings may happen once in a career for a pitcher, if he gets to be that fortunate. You would never want that chance taken away because of fear.

In another Matt Damon movie, Rounders , Damon’s character, Mike McDermott quotes from a poker book by Jack King who said, “Few players recall big pots they have won, strange as it seems, but every player can remember with remarkable accuracy the outstanding tough beats of his career.” It seems true to me, cause walking in here, I can hardly remember how I built my bankroll, but I can’t stop thinking of how I lost it.”

On Sunday, December 27, 2009, the Colts sat at the table, played a few hands and then folded up and went home. They never went all-in and that is what you have to do truly reach the ultimate football achievement.

Man, I feel like visiting my parents’ house and finding my Genesis.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

If You Want to be a Sports Owner, Try Not to be in a Rush to Judge

I will start by saying this, unlike many of the columns you have read online, I actually listen to the Rush Limbaugh show. Am I a fan of everything says? No, and I do not really like it when he brings up race. Do I agree with some of the things he says? Yes, and I would wager that some of you who do not like him would agree to some of his comments if it came from someone not named Rush.

The group that was led by Dave Checketts, whom by the way is the one of the people who started the downfall of the events that have taken place at Madison Square Garden over the last decade, made two mistakes. The first mistake was making it public that Rush Limbaugh was one of the investors interested in buying the Rams. Checketts should have insisted that Limbaugh and everyone stay quiet. The second mistake was not letting this play out to conclusion.

My disappointment is that Rush did not even get a chance to get voted down by the NFL owners.

Limbaugh was not going to be the majority owner of the St. Louis Rams. He was never going to have ultimate control over the team and its decisions. I also doubt that the Rams would have a tough time attracting the best talent in the NFL to play for the team. By the looks of the Rams in their present state they are having enough trouble in that area.

Has Limbaugh ever said that he hates a certain race? Do you think if Rush had complete control of the Rams’ personnel that he would want his team to look like Nazi Germany instead of the best available talent that you could find regardless of race?

I would think Rush would want to be part of the Rams because he would want a team that would be a winner financially and on the playing field. If Limbaugh played fantasy football do you think his starting running backs would be Heath Evans and Brian Leonard?

The beauty of sports is that you cheer for a color, not black or white, but what color your team is wearing. When your team wins you high-five everybody, and when you lose, you console each other.

It does not matter who produced you, it matters what you produce.

People like Joe Louis and Jackie Robinson were accepted in American society before even the Civil Rights Act was enacted in 1964.

When someone is about to hand you a check that can change your entire family’s life for the better, it is tough to say no thank you. Limbaugh would not even be signing those checks.

Meanwhile, you have many owners in the NFL who run their teams cheaply and use the excuse, “well the city did not want to fork over the money so either I am going to move my team or you are going to have raise every citizen’s taxes to get me a new stadium.”

Classic examples of owner frugality are the Irsays, the Modells, the Bidwills, the Brown family, etc.

In the NBA, my home state team, the New Jersey Nets are co-owned by rap artist Jay-Z. There is no way I could ever get an article published if I wrote some of Jay-Z’s lyrics .

I like some of Jay-Z’s music and I am totally content with him living out one of his dreams and being a partial owner of the Nets. My question is what if Jay-Z’s real name was not Shawn Carter, but Rush Limbaugh? Would he have any chance at all?

In baseball, you had Marge Schott using about every racial epithet in the book. She would use some of those terms on her own players. Yet, she was able to keep her team and was only suspended years later for her words. 

Look at the NHL, with the case of Jim Balsillie wanting to completely overpay for the Phoenix Coyotes. Balsillie lost in court and lost to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman whose destiny to keep Balsillie from moving a floundering team to a more prosperous area will never happen under his watch. 

The NFL and all other major sports want owners who will not be a public spectacle. Why do you think baseball rejected Mark Cuban’s bid for the Cubs? The problem is in the publicity. The professional sports leagues do not want people like Al Czervik in their club. They fear people like that will expose the league for some its hypocrisies. In the NBA, I am sure if David Stern had it to do over again he would have tried to stop Cuban from buying the Mavericks. 

These leagues want their owners to trust them implicitly in the same way some brokers told investors to hold on their shares of Lehman Brothers or Washington Mutual. The code is keep your mouth shut as long as the checks are still clearing.

NBC Sports hires someone to do their NFL television program that has called the president a fascist, and accused him of war crimes. His name is Keith Theodore Olbermann. Should Olbermann not be allowed to broadcast highlights of the NFL because of what he has said on his other television show? 

I tend to think Limbaugh would have passed a background check. I also tend to think that some of the owners in sports belong to country clubs where minorities are not allowed.

The NFL can use that same privilege. The league has that luxury of excluding anyone the other owners deem inappropriate. The NFL was fortunate that this time they could use some of Rush’s comments against him and come up with a decision as to why his group should be denied a chance at ownership of the Rams.

If you purchase shares of stock in a company, does that company care about what you say on the radio?

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also made a mistake. 

“We’re all held to a high standard here and divisive comments are not what the NFL’s all about. I would not want to see those kind of comments from people who are in a responsible position in the NFL, no. Absolutely not.”

Why say anything at all? It is not him who gets to vote on this. Goodell is an awful public speaker. He never seems sure of what he is saying. He should really attend a Toastmasters’ meeting. Goodell could have easily passed the buck and said, well when their bid comes up to vote, the owners will take an honest look at the bid and the people involved and make their decision accordingly. 

Another person who should know better than to say anything is Colts owner Jim Irsay. Irsay said, “I can’t vote for that, [His] comments are insensitive and inappropriate. I wouldn’t feel comfortable in voting for him.”

This coming from a man whose father once made a complete drunken fool of himself on television using foul language and lying to the people of Baltimore about the Colts staying in the city. I know it has been 25 years, and people in Baltimore like the Ravens, but they loved their Colts. 

Limbaugh already paid the price for making an obtuse comment about Donovan McNabb when he worked as a commentator for ESPN. He should know that as an NFL owner, he would be held to an even higher standard than he was as a commentator.

My only question is this, if the NFL is going to hold every single man or woman who would like to be a partial or full owner of a franchise to the same high moral standards?

Everyone else should be as well, and I highly doubt that will be the case.

Personally, I just do not think Limbaugh is that much different than everyone else when it comes down to being qualified to be an NFL owner. He has the money, but Judge Smails and the rest of Bushwood do not want his kind at Bushwood or Park Avenue in New York City.

The real reason that the Checketts group backed down was due to pressure from the league not wanting to have a blowhard like Limbaugh represent their image on a day-to-day basis. 

The lead financier in the Checketts group is allegedly George Soros. Mr. Soros is one of the richest people in the world, but he may be best known for once comparing the Bush Administration to the Nazis. He did later retract his comment, but is it any different than what Limbaugh has said in the past?

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Head Coaches Power Rankings Through Week 4

We have hit the first-quarter pole. Week Four is when the coaches can really jump into new categories. Jeff Fisher had the largest decline due to his team’s embarrassing effort against the Jaguars. Lovie Smith and Marvin Lewis keep rising while Tom Cable and Dick Jauron fall directly to the bottom.

Remember, just because a coach has one or two good weeks, it does not mean that he gets catapulted to the top. This is a marathon not a sprint.

 

ALREADY OWN KEYS TO THE CITY

1. Tom Coughlin – GIANTS (Last Week: 1)

The Giants did a nice job of repeating their Week Three effort by beating up a lesser team on the road. My girlfriend has been suffering with plantar fasciitis for almost two years; it is not a fun injury. If the Giants go up big on the Raiders on Sunday, Coughlin should have David Carr in there as soon as it is safe.

 

2. Bill Belichick – PATRIOTS (Last Week: 2)

The Patriots seemed to have an answer for most of what of the Ravens defense presented. A dropped ball saved the defense, and there was a little bit of help from the zebras. At the end of the day, the Pats are 3-1 and meet up with an old friend in Josh McDaniels in Denver, whose defense is playing better than Baltimore’s at this juncture.

 

3. Mike Tomlin – STEELERS (Last Week: 3)

The Steelers wanted no business of being 1-3. The Steelers held the ball for 40 minutes and while they let the Chargers back into the game, they still had enough in the tank to get the win. Now, that was the Rashard Mendhenhall we thought the Steelers had drafted two years ago. The Steelers should be 4-2 in two weeks as they play at Detroit on Sunday and then host Cleveland.

 

OWNERS, NOT RENTERS

4. John Harbaugh – RAVENS (Last Week: 5)

The Ravens were hosed on the roughing the passer penalty on Suggs, but they still had chances to win the game and just fell short. The opening kickoff fumble and Flacco’s interception cost them at least six points. Six points was the margin of victory for the Patriots. The Ravens host a battle for first place in the AFC North against the Steelers, whoops, I mean the Bengals.

 

5. Andy Reid – EAGLES (Last Week: 6)

BYE WEEK – Home to Tampa Bay on Sunday. No real bye week controversies.

6. Mike Smith – FALCONS (Last Week: 7)

BYE WEEK – Home to Chicago on Sunday.

 

7. Ken Whisenhunt – CARDINALS (Last Week: 8)

BYE WEEK – Home to Houston on Sunday.

 

8. Sean Payton – SAINTS (Last Week: 9)

Wait a second, you mean, they have a good defense, too? The Saints defense gave rookie Mark Sanchez a game he won’t soon forget, Darren Sharper has been rejuvenated and already has five interceptions, which equals the total of picks he had in his last two seasons with the Vikings. The Saints have a bye this week, but they will need the extra time to prepare for the Giants at home in a game that could mean a lot in terms of home-field advantage.

 

9. Brad Childress – VIKINGS (Last Week: 10)

I really did not like that late bomb that the Vikings threw with under three minutes to go and a 10-point lead. But, there is no denying that this team has serious playmakers in Adrian Peterson, Jared Allen, Antoine Winfield, oh, and some Brett Favre guy. There is not much of a reason why this team cannot be 5-0 as the travel to St. Louis to take on the winless Rams.

 

THAT NEW COACH SMELL IS MIGHTY FINE

10. Jim Caldwell – COLTS (Last Week: 14)

One day this team’s defense may get a little bit of credit as well. If you take away the Seahawks two late garbage-time touchdowns, this team has only given up 48 points this season. Peyton Manning has been nothing short of a Metropolitan Opera maestro so far this year.

 

11. Rex Ryan – JETS (Last Week: 11)

Mark Sanchez is going to make mistakes. He just cannot make them of that magnitude again. It is one thing to give the defense one touchdown, but two touchdowns just put his team into a hole that it could not escape. The Jets defense continued to play very good and on Monday they get a chance to take on the Wildcat.

 

I AM REALLY WARMING UP TO THAT GUY

12. Mike Singletary – 49ERS (Last Week: 15)

The 49ers defense has looked like one of the NFL’s best over the first four weeks. They are 3-0 in the NFC West, and have a big NFC clash at home against the Falcons on Sunday. The Falcons are not a great road team and the 49ers need to continue to show that strong defense to move their way up into the conversion of the elite NFC teams.

 

13. Josh McDaniels – BRONCOS (Last Week: 16)

His version of “Reunited” with Brandon Marshall has been just as good as the one Peaches & Herb did back in the 1970s. I cannot remember the Broncos having a defense that has won them games like this one is turning out to do. In the first hoodie bowl, McDaniels reunites with his former mentor Bill Belichick on Sunday. I would not expect to see any wardrobe malfunctions.

 

JUST LIKE ALICIA KEYS HE KEEPS ON FALLIN’

14. Jeff Fisher – TITANS (Last Week: 4)

In a must-win game, this team could not have played any worse. Jacksonville scored on five possessions in the first half and put the game out of reach and the Titans out of their misery. I like Jeff Fisher a lot and think he is one of the best coaches, but that effort on Sunday was worthless. With an 0-4 start in the AFC, the Titans role may be reduced to spoiler. It may be time to see what Vince Young can still do for this team, as it really needs to start preparing for the future. 

 

SOMEONE JUST HIT DOWN ON THE ELEVATOR

15. Mike McCarthy – PACKERS (Last Week: 13)

Oh no, the loss to Favre. The Packers played well in spurts, but the time that their old quarterback got to throw compared to the time their current quarterback got to throw was far from even. It is good for Aaron Rodgers that the Packers are on a bye. He could use the rest and the offensive line could use more instruction on how to protect their current quarterback.

 

THIS DOG/FISH/MAMMAL STILL HAS PLENTY OF FIGHT

16. Tony Sparano – DOLPHINS (Last Week: 14)

A really impressive victory for the Dolphins came last Sunday. Sshh, the Wildcat still works well and the Dolphins still have Ronnie Brown who runs it better than anyone in the NFL. Can it work against the Jets mean green defense? If it does, there is a chance the Dolphins can still make things interesting.

 

HE TOOK DOWN THE FOR SALE SIGN

17. Lovie Smith – BEARS (Last Week: 20)

Lovie should thank his special teams the most for keeping him off the hot seat. Johnny Knox is making some forget that Devin Hester used to return kickoffs. Robbie Gould has been as good as gold when it comes to kicking. The Bears have hit their bye at 3-1.

 

18. Marvin Lewis – BENGALS (Last Week: 19)

The coaching decision of the week goes to Carson Palmer. Maybe, Marvin was playing for double overtime? Please tell your kicker, Shayne Graham that he needs to get under the ball better on his extra points and short field goals. Those should never be blocked. If not, maybe Chad Ochocinco is available to kick. The Bengals snuck out of Cleveland alive, and more importantly with a game they could not afford to lose.

 

HOLD OFF ON THE PARADE

19. Jim Schwartz – LIONS (Last Week: 17)

Well, that was fun wasn’t it? The Lions offense can certainly move the ball, but the poor tackling on this team is why this team is not going to win many games. The Titans defense misses Schwartz as their coordinator and Schwartz misses having the players on the Titan defense.

 

BARELY HANGING ON TO THE NEW COACH SMELL

20. Jim Mora, Jr. – SEAHAWKS (Last Week: 18)

I hope the Seahawks enjoyed their bye week. Oh wait, they actually played last Sunday. Wow, did they look lost against the Colts! While Mora is not fighting for his job, his team is in a must-win situation on Sunday at home against the Jaguars. A loss and there is no way the Seahawks have a chance at the playoffs with a 1-4 record.  

 

I STILL HAVE AS MANY NFL WINS AS THIS GUY

21. Steve Spagnuolo – RAMS (Last Week: 21)

Sunday against the 49ers marked the second shutout of the year for Rams. They are averaging six points per game and are actually on pace to score under a hundred points for the season. On a positive note, the defense did not let up a score until midway through the third quarter. Unfortunately, special teams and the offense were responsible for giving up 21 points. Do not expect the Rams to break into the win column on Sunday as they host the Vikings.

 

22. Todd Haley – CHIEFS (Last Week: 22)

This offense has to find ways to move the ball. These four-yards-per-pass attempt, two-yards-per carry games from Matt Cassel and Larry Johnson will not come close to getting a win in this league. Todd Haley was brought to Kansas City for his offensive game planning. I think the fans need to see something more.

 

23. Raheem Morris – BUCCANEERS (Last Week: 23)

Your team is 0-3, you are down six and have the ball on the Redskins four-yard line with just over four minutes to play. How do you not take a chance and try to win the game? The Bucs kicked a field goal and never got any closer than their own 28-yard line. I still think Josh Freeman should start, not Josh Johnson who did not play very well as once again the Bucs struggled on third down going 2-for-13. 

 

DO YOU HAVE THAT REAL ESTATE AGENT’S NUMBER HANDY?

24. Norv Turner – CHARGERS (Last Week: 26)

Dear Norv, the Sunday Night games start at 8:20 p.m. Eastern Time. The Chargers showed up to the game, they just picked the wrong time to arrive. The team did not quit, but the last thing you want to be is down 28-0, especially to the defending champions on the road. The Charger offense figured out way too late that Troy Polamalu was not playing for the Steelers and Antonio Gates could have a field day on that defense.  

25. John Fox – PANTHERS (Last Week: 25)

BYE WEEK – The Panthers could not lose this week. The have a must-win game at home against the Redskins this Sunday.

26. Wade Phillips – COWBOYS (Last Week: 25)

This team has struggled in the clutch on both offense and defense and is the big reason why the Cowboys are 2-2. If Dallas is to win on Sunday against the Chiefs, they should go up early and not have to worry about having to tackle a receiver or having Tony Romo try to lead the team for the game-winning score. Allegedly, Wade Phillips is on Twitter where you can follow his tweets and twitter.com/sonofbum. There are some great typos on there.

27. Gary Kubiak – TEXANS (Last Week: 30)

It was a very good win for the Texans. They did not let the Raiders hang around and make it close. Steve Slaton had his first big game for the Texans this season. At 2-2, the next four games will really determine what happens to Kubiak. They start the next four-game stretch starts at Arizona.

 

IT IS STILL GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN THAT TO GET YOU OFF OF THE HOT SEAT

28. Jack Del Rio – JAGUARS (Last week: 31)

That was a definitive win for the Jags. The team came out with a purpose and did just about everything right. The offense bullied the Titans and the defense suffocated them. Del Rio is pulling himself off seat but he needs to have the Jags continue their strong efforts at Qwest Field Seattle on Sunday, which unlike Jacksonville Municipal Stadium will have more than 20,000 in the seats.

 

MR. SNYDER STILL HAS YOU ON SPEED DIAL 

29. Jim Zorn – REDSKINS (Last Week: 32)

Safe for this week, not much else to say other than the ‘Skins won a game they could not afford to lose. The defense played better, but the offense should have been able to do more. Jason Campbell added three interceptions to almost give this one away. The Redskins could be 4-2 if they are able to win at the winless Panthers and at home against the winless Chiefs. Those are big ifs.

 

YEP, THAT COACH STILL SMELLS LIKE LAKE ERIE

30. Eric Mangini – BROWNS (Last Week: 27)

It was a better performance this week than in any other Browns game this season, but the win column is still bare. Give the Browns credit for not falling apart when down 20-0 and for blocking an extra point that forced the game into overtime. But, this team did not do enough to win. Allowing Carson Palmer to run for a first down on 4th-and-11 in the last minute of overtime was typical of a Mangini-style defense. Jet fans should thank LeBron for getting Edwards out of Cleveland and thank Mangini for providing them with another gift.

 

WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU

31. Tom Cable – RAIDERS (Last Week: 24)

Yahoo listed Oakland’s top performer as Darrius Heyward-Bey with one reception for 18 yards. What a waste of a pretty good defensive unit. If the offensive could only muster six points against the Texans, how many will it have at Giants Stadium on Sunday?

 

32. Dick Jauron – BILLS (Last Week: 29)

Flat out embarrassing. It was tough to tell who was starting their first NFL game Chad Henne or Trent Edwards. Edwards threw three interceptions and had a rating of 51. While Henne, did not have a turnover and a rating of 92. The Bills got run over and lost by 28 to a team that was 0-3. The Bills had 10 first downs, none of them via the run. They were 1-for-11 on third down. A loss to Mangni and the Browns on Sunday would certainly seal his fate, despite his contract extension.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Head Coaches Power Rankings For Week Two

Week two of the coaches ranking brought us some surprises, a new number one, a new man at the bottom and some small changes in between.

Remember, just because a coach has one or two good weeks, it does not mean that he gets catapulted to the top. This is a marathon not a sprint. Although, for some coaches in 2009, the season is getting away much faster than they thought.

 

ALREADY OWN KEYS TO THE CITY

1. Tom Coughlin—GIANTS (Last Week: 2)

Tom Coughlin’s players not only make plays, but they make smart plays. Kenny Phillips instinctively knowing that the ball that hit Jason Witten’s foot was a live football was the kind of thing that you can teach, but you do not always see it come to fruition.

How many times do you fail to see that play made?

The run defense was abysmal as the Cowboys had 251 rushing yards good for an average of 8.7 yards per carry. The Giants secondary was playing short, but you would have never known that. The Giants intercepted Tony Romo three times, but did not record a sack.

The way Eli Manning is finding receivers this year all of that, “Where have you gone Plaxico Burress?” talk will vanish.

 

2. Bill Belichick—PATRIOTS (Last Week: 1)

The offense looked stale. The Jets defense was giving the Patriots a million different looks, yet the Patriots seemed to be giving the same shotgun formation on a majority of the plays on offense.

While not having Wes Welker and Jerod Mayo hurt, there are no excuses. The Patriots had ample opportunities to win this game. Three trips to the red zone in the first half only got them three field goals.

You do that you normally do not win.

 

3. Mike Tomlin—STEELERS (Last Week: 3)

The usually reliable Jeff Reed could not make anything in the fourth quarter. His misses were as bad as can be.

While the Steelers defense was good, it was not great on Sunday in Chicago. The run defense did not allow much, but the pass defense made the day a little too easy for Jay Cutler.

Cutler was only sacked once and did not turn the ball over. The Steelers will need to do better than that as they head to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals, who are also 1-1.

 

4. Jeff Fisher—TITANS (Last Week: 4)

An 0-2 start was not in the plans for Fisher and the Titans. His normally solid defensive unit was torched for 357 passing yards and four touchdowns.

The key stats in this game were that the Titans could not get a sack against a normally porous offensive line, and that while Andre Johnson had 149 yards, the Texans other receivers complied 208 more yards.

Fisher and his Titans will have their hands full on Sunday at the Jets against the defensive coordinator whose old team ended their season last year.

OWNERS, NOT RENTERS

5. Mike Smith—FALCONS (Last Week: 6)

They should wear buttons in Atlanta that says, “Everybody Likes Mike.” His Falcons just keep winning and Matt Ryan looks better each week.

Their defense struggled against the pass as they gave up 308 yards passing to Jake Delhomme and the Panthers. The Falcons are 2-0 and both wins have come at the Georgia Dome.

The Falcons struggled on the road, going 4-5 in 2008. While they travel to New England on Sunday, some would have written this one off as a probable loss before the season started, but I think this team has a very good opportunity to be 3-0.

 

6. Andy Reid—EAGLES (Last Week: 5)

After last week’s pounding by the Saints, it seems that maybe this team has a little bit more than a quarterback issue. Quintin Mikell led the team with 11 tackles on Sunday.

When your safety is making the most tackles on defense that usually means players are moving down the field and your defense is usually getting shredded. The Eagles have the Chiefs at home on Sunday, and if they can do a better a job on defense they should be 2-1 no matter who starts at quarterback.

 

7. John Harbaugh—RAVENS (Last Week: 7)

The Ravens escaped from San Diego with a last second defensive stand. It also helped that they were playing against a coach who let the game get away (see Turner, Norv way down below).

The Ravens have allowed 50 points in two weeks. Last season, the Ravens gave up 50 points in four weeks. Was it all Rex Ryan or is this defense getting older?

The defense should look better on Sunday against the Browns at home. Barring a huge upset they should be 3-0 heading into New England in week four.

 

8. Ken Whisenhunt—CARDINALS (Last Week: 8)

The Cardinals must have thought it was a throwback game as they played in a half-empty stadium in Jacksonville and not Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe.

Usually, teams from the west coast do not fair well during 1 p.m. kickoffs on the east coast, but the Cardinals blew that theory away by putting up a 24-3 halftime lead.

Kurt Warner was as close to perfect as you get, and the Cardinals looked good on defense and special teams as well. They have the Colts at home who will be coming off of short rest and have to travel to the desert.

ON THE ELEVATOR UP WITH GEORGE AND WEEZY

9. Sean Payton—SAINTS (Last Week: 12)

The talk of the league right now is Payton’s Saints. The offense is firing on all cylinders.

The defense did snag four turnovers on Sunday, but still gave up 391 passing yards to an inexperienced quarterback. I am not sure why Payton kept Brees in the game with the Saints up by 21 and just five minutes to play.

The Saints will be seeing plenty of New York as they travel to Buffalo on Sunday, followed by home games with the Jets and Giants.

 

10. Brad Childress—VIKINGS (Last Week: 10)

This week did not start off well for Minnesota as they fell behind 10-0 to the Lions. But, the Vikings regrouped and went on a 27-3 run to close out the game.

It is kind of funny that with all the media attention that Brett Favre gets, no one really reported that he went 23-for-27 with no interceptions. Three fewer incompletions and he would have had the record that Kurt Warner set against Jacksonville on Sunday.

The Vikings better not be looking past the 49ers at home this Sunday before their showdown with the Packers on Monday, October 5.

SOMEONE JUST HIT DOWN ON THE ELEVATOR

11. Tony Sparano—DOLPHINS (Last Week: 11)

Usually on the television show the Sopranos, when Tony Soprano gave an order for a hit, the hit got delivered. Last night, Tony Sparano’s orders to tackle went unnoticed.

It appeared that Arena Football made a comeback in Miami on Monday as the Colts had drives of 12 and 26 seconds. The Dolphins had the football for over 45 minutes and lost.

Sometimes too much time of possession means your defense is not doing a very good job. One thing will be for certain, the Dolphins defense will be pretty well rested as they travel to San Diego and look to avoid starting 0-3.

 

12. Mike McCarthy—PACKERS (Last Week: 9)

Gulp. This was not a bad loss. It was a brutal loss.

Was this a classic trap game or are the Packers really this mediocre? At what point do you say, hey, we might want to block Antwan Odom before he breaks the NFL sack record.

The sacks were bad enough, but the defense did not do its part either. The Bengals were 9-for-14 on third down.

The Packers travel to St. Louis where they will try not to kill the other half of the Survivor Leagues that they busted up last week.

 

THAT NEW COACH SMELL HAS A PLEASANT AROMA

13. Rex Ryan—JETS (Last Week: 14)

The Jets look more like the Ravens than the Ravens. Baltimore used to make their living on scores of 16-9. The defense has not allowed one touchdown in eight quarters.

It is easy to be pumped up when you are playing your most hated rival. Can the Jets bring that intensity back on Sunday at home against the Titans?

Last Sunday made Rex Ryan a star in New York, but this Sunday will determine how bright it shines.

 

14. Jim Caldwell—COLTS (Last Week: 13)

When the plane home from Miami landed in Indianapolis on Tuesday morning, I am going to wager that many of the Colts defenders were still asleep. The defense was on the field for just over 45 minutes and 84 Dolphin snaps.

The offense just made scoring too easy as the Peyton Manning show averaged 10.2 yards per play on Monday night in South Florida.

Caldwell’s 2-0 Colts travel to Arizona on Sunday Night against another offense that will be difficult to remove from the field.

 

15. Mike Singletary—49ERS (Last Week: 15)

This is becoming one of the NFL’s premier defensive units. Patrick Willis has 15 solo tackles in two weeks.

Frank Gore had two massive touchdown runs. But, if you take out those two large runs, he is only averaging two yards per carry on the season. That will have to improve if the 49ers want to be a contending team.

The 49ers tackle the Vikings in Minnesota on Sunday, and you do not want that defense to be on the field for that long against one of the NFC’s better offensive units.

 

16. Josh McDaniels—BRONCOS (Last Week: 19)

Your leaders in the AFC West are the Denver Broncos. Yes, they played Cincinnati and Cleveland, so curb your enthusiasm for now. The win over the Bengals was a fluke, but last Sunday’s win over the Browns was dominant.

It is tough to judge where this team really stands until it faces a bigger opponent, but 2-0 sure sounds nice in the Mile High City.

Can McDaniels’ Broncos beat the Raiders on Sunday and possibly grab a two game lead in the division (if San Diego loses vs Miami)?

Their schedule will get dicey after that.

THEY ARE STILL HANGING ON TO THAT NEW COACH SMELL

17. Jim Schwartz—LIONS (Last Week: 21)

I think the decision to have Stafford play from the start will pay off eventually for the Lions. It sure started well with Stafford throwing his first NFL touchdown pass to Calvin Johnson in the second quarter giving the Lions a 10-0 lead.

Rookie tight end Brandon Pettigrew had four catches. If this team can cut down on their turnovers then four wins may not be out of the question. The Lions have a winnable game at home against the Redskins on Sunday.

 

18. Steve Spagnuolo—RAMS (Last Week: 20)

The defense showed some improvement and kept the Redskins out of the end zone the entire game. The offense found the end zone for the first time this season. That was the good news.

The bad news is that the Rams have scored a grand total of seven points in two games and that one of the best players for the Rams on offense, Donnie Avery, has fumbled in both games.

I was disappointed in Spagnuolo at the end of the first half. The Rams had the ball on their own 35 with 1:12 on the clock and all three timeouts. They chose a running play that picked up five yards, but then a holding penalty negated the run and ended the half.

When you are coaching a team that is having trouble scoring you need to stay aggressive and try not to waste any possessions.

 

19. Jim Mora, Jr.—SEAHAWKS (Last Week: 16)

The Seahawks stacked the box to try to stop Frank Gore. Gore ignored the stop sign and went plowing through.

One thing that most kids learn while playing high school football is that while the majority of teams will run the ball either with the option or some other version, you better hope those last two in the backfield can make the saving tackles.

They could not, and Frank Gore ran like he was being filmed for a re-make of Forrest Gump. One run of over 70 yards is embarrassing, but two?

It is unknown as to the state of Matt Hasselbeck for Sunday against the Bears, but Seneca Wallace did start eight games last year, so the cupboard is not bare.

 

20. Todd Haley—CHIEFS (Last Week: 17)

Do not look at the statistics from this game. Oh, ok, let’s take a peek. The Chiefs had 409 yards of total offense. That was 243 yards more than the Raiders gained.

The Chiefs had the ball for over 38 minutes and held JaMarcus Russell to three completions late in the fourth quarter. You would have thought the Chiefs won by 21. Instead, they lost 13-10.

Haley said after the game, “When we had the personal foul penalty we kind of were in a position to put them in a bit of a difficult position, and we let them off the hook.”

We let them off the hook? Oh my goodness, those are Denny Green’s words!

Somehow the schedule makers have the Chiefs playing all four of the teams in the NFC East in a row. It starts in Philly on Sunday.

If the Chiefs could somehow split the four games, their season could still have hope. But I can totally see this team winning one or none of those games and starting 1-5 or 0-6, which makes the loss to the Raiders even more painful.

 

21. Raheem Morris—BUCCANEERS (Last Week: 18)

Last week, the Bucs had their problems stopping the long pass. This week it was their run defense that was their Achilles heel.

The Bills ran for over 200 yards as a team and averaged 6.2 yards per carry. It will get no easier for the Bucs in week three as they host the Giants, a team that runs and passes the ball very well.

HE TOOK HIS RESUME OFF OF MONSTER

22. Tom Cable—RAIDERS (Last Week: 25)

The Raiders produced a grand total of 166 yards of offense. JaMarcus Russell completed seven total passes for the game, and four of those completions came on the final drive.

The Raider defense is good enough to win games, but if the offense cannot produce, it will be a wasted effort.

This is a make-or-break week for the Oakland Raiders as they host the Denver Broncos. A win would put them tied for first in the AFC West, a loss puts them two games behind with two of those losses coming within the division.

 

I THINK I SAW HIS RESUME ON MONSTER

23. Jim Zorn—REDSKINS (Last Week: 27)

I am all for aggressive play calling, and I did not mind that the Redskins went for it on fourth-and-one from the Rams two-yard line. At the worst, if you fail to make it the other team has to go 60 yards to win the game with a field goal.

But, the play that was called was a bust. I cannot understand why on fourth down and short you would try a run to the far left, where your running back (in this case Clinton Portis) has to run six or seven yards to get one.

This offense tries to be too creative at times, when I think it would be better off playing more a smashmouth style of football. This team heads to Detroit on Sunday, and I think there is a good chance that they might not walk out of Ford Field victorious.

 

24. Wade Phillips—COWBOYS (Last Week: 23)

We all know that Tony Romo was T.O.’s quarterback and teammate. But, is he still Wade Phillips’?

Romo once again could not deliver in a big game. This time he threw three costly interceptions and ended up with a QB rating of an anemic 29.6. It was a shame for Dallas, because the Cowboys ran the ball for an amazing 251 yards against one of the better defenses in the league.

The Cowboys seemed to be able to keep the Giants rushing game in check, but the Cowboy pass defense made Steve Smith and Mario Manningham look like the second coming of Lynn Swann and John Stallworth.

 

25. John Fox—PANTHERS (Last Week: 26)

Fox was right to trust his gut and start Jake Delhomme. Delhomme only had one interception.

He and Steve Smith hooked up like it was old times as Smith had eight catches for 135 yards.

The Panther defense does not look like its old self. Matt Ryan had a field day throwing the ball against them.

Julius Peppers had just two tackles and Ryan was not sacked. The Panthers head to Dallas where this team will be in S.O.S. mode as they try not to fall to 0-3.

THAT NEW COACH SMELL NOW SMELLS LIKE LAKE ERIE

26. Eric Mangini—BROWNS (Last Week: 22)

Are there any Fan-gini’s left in the world? Here is one thing the Browns cannot do for you: Tackle. My goodness, in two weeks the Browns had more whiffs than the Indians.

If there has been one positive it’s that Braylon Edwards had six catches for 92 yards. And if there is any sign that the Browns could be turned around that is a start. The Browns are 0-2, and it will not get any easier as they travel to Baltimore in week three.

 

FOR AT LEAST ONE WEEK THEY ARE OFF THE HOT SEAT

27. Lovie Smith—BEARS (Last Week: 28)

Jay Cutler played much better and did not give the ball away this week. But, the player that Smith has the most confidence in on the Bears is Robbie Gould.

After watching Pittsburgh’s kicker Jeff Reed badly miss two field goals earlier in the fourth quarter from shorter distances, Smith’s Bears team got to the Steelers 34 with 1:16 to play, and Gould hit from 44 yards to win the game.

It would have been interesting to see what would have happened had Gould missed the kick and the Bears lost the game in overtime. But, a win against the defending champions is still a very good win that takes you out of the doghouse, for at least one week.

 

28. Gary Kubiak—TEXANS (Last Week: 30)

What a nice surprise this was for Houston. The Texans unleashed the beast that is Andre Johnson, they had no turnovers, went two-for-two on fourth down conversions, and most importantly did not give up when down 21-7 early in the second quarter.

All were great signs, but seeing Steve Slaton average just two yards per carry, while the Titans averaged a massive 9.2 yards per carry is a sure sign of where the Texans need improvement.

This team can still make the playoffs. They have a very favorable schedule that begins at home on Sunday against Jacksonville.

 

29. Dick Jauron—BILLS (Last Week: 31)

In another good job of recovering from a bad loss the Bills opened up a 17-0 lead after the first quarter and did not really look back.

The defense controlled a good Buccaneer run attack. The Bills get Marshawn Lynch back from suspension after week three, but how can you sit Fred Jackson after the two weeks he has played.

Jackson has run for 220 yards and has 108 receiving yards. The Bills have a two-headed monster in the backfield.

Trent Edwards does need to do a better job of getting the ball to his wide receivers. Lee Evans only had one catch.

 

30. Marvin Lewis—BENGALS (Last Week: 32)

We were all wondering how the Bengals would respond after such a devastating loss in week one. Turns out, it was a lot better than most would have thought.

Thirteen penalties for 100 yards and not falling on the onside kick still does not make me feel that this team is very disciplined. But, for one Sunday, let’s give Marvin his props as his team pulled off the upset of the week.

The Bengals defense was a menace to Aaron Rodgers all day, and Antwan Odom had five sacks on the day. Odom had only 17-and-a-half career sacks in 117 prior games.

On the offense, Cedric Benson carried the way with 29 carries for 141 yards and Chad Ochocinco scored the game-winning touchdown.

Enjoy your week off the hot seat, Marvin. You have the Steelers at home this Sunday.

 

DO YOU HAVE THAT REAL ESTATE AGENT’S NUMBER HANDY?

31. Norv Turner—CHARGERS (Last Week: 24)

Easily, the worst coaching I saw over the weekend. Late in the first half, the Chargers complete a pass that goes down to the Ravens one-yard line. There is a penalty against Baltimore than pins the football at the one-foot line.

The video replay booth challenges the ruling and proves that it was a catch, and the referee whistles the ball ready for play.

Turner is blaming the officials for not resetting the play clock back to 25. They had two minutes thanks to the review to get to the line and call a play! The Chargers still had at least 12 seconds to get the play off, and they did not. The five-yard penalty moved the ball back to the six-yard line.

If the team was not ready to get a play in they could have spiked the ball and went back to the huddle, it was only first down. The Chargers settled for an incomplete pass and a field goal to end the half.

That indecision probably cost the Chargers four points. Had they had those four points, they would only have needed a field goal instead of a touchdown at the end.

The Chargers hopes ended as a fourth-and-2 play from the Ravens 15-yard line was stuffed as no one on the Charger offensive line remembered to account for Ray Lewis.

I probably couldn’t block Ray Lewis either, but at least I would have laid a finger on him before letting him tackle my running back.

 

HIS SEAT FELL INTO A BURNING RING OF FIRE

32. Jack Del Rio – JAGUARS (Last week: 29)

In 2007, the Jaguars played the Patriots in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Tom Brady went 26-of-28 and set the NFL record for completion percentage in a playoff game. On Sunday, Kurt Warner went 24-of-26 and set the regular-season completion percentage record.

It is quite possible that Warner could have broken Brady’s record, except for one small issue. The Cardinals were winning 31-3 and his services were no longer needed in the contest.

The Jaguars looked like the team from the west coast playing a 1 p.m. game, not the Cardinals. Del Rio has his work cut out for him if he wants to stay with this team. A half-empty stadium does not help his cause.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

New York Jets Attempt to Fly in Preseason

On Monday night, the New York Jets passed the halfway mark of the preseason. The Jets are 1-1 in the preseason. The Lions went undefeated in the 2008 preseason, so that tells what a preseason record means.

Today, in a surprise to almost no one, Rex Ryan named Mark Sanchez as the opening day starter for the Jets.

Sanchez did not show much to win the job, it was more that Kellen Clemens did not show enough to make anyone say that he deserves to still compete for the starting quarterback spot.

Ready or not, Sanchez is under center for the first snap in Houston.

The biggest fear for any franchise is to see its star player, especially a quarterback, go down. If Sanchez should miss time, he will most likely be missed as much as any superstar quarterback in the league. The depth of the roster is at a kiddie pool level.

Sanchez had 16 career starts at USC. He will need to equal that number in one season in the NFL.

Kellen Clemens is not showing much. Clemens is in his fourth season and should be showing more rhythm than blues, but it just is not there for him and it makes one wonder what the Jets really saw in him.

The real quarterback battle is for the number two spot. Erik Ainge, in his second year, has looked slightly better than Clemens. It is tough to truly judge Ainge’s performances because they have come against some players who will not be collecting full NFL paychecks this fall. But, I think he could at least equal Clemens’ performance on the field. 

The Jets should look to grab any veteran backup they can find. Does Vinny Testaverde still have another year left in him? 

Leon Washington should never leave the field. I think Washington would even contribute on defense if you put him in the secondary. He is that much of a playmaker.

He is in a contract dispute with the Jets, but the more I see his effort, the more I want the Jets to become Teddy KGB from Rounders and say, “pay that man his money.”

David Clowney is averaging 27 yards per reception in the two preseason games. He needs to see action with the first team against the Giants on Sunday. Clowney has great speed, but I really want to see it in action against a first team defense. 

The number-two wide receiver position still appears open. Chansi Stuckey has it presently and Brad Smith is right behind him, but Clowney should see more time and should be the home run threat in this offense.

Dustin Keller will be the primary target. Many rookie quarterbacks tend to find their tight end to save them as the pocket shrinks and the time they used to have in college to throw the ball elapses.

I think we can expect around five catches per game in the 2009 season for Keller. He can get open and take a 10-yard pass and turn it into a 20-yard pass.

The Ghost has been precisely that. Linebacker Vernon Gholston has one solo tackle and two assisted tackles in two games.

With Calvin Pace missing the first four games of the season due to suspension, you would think that Gholston has a great opportunity to shake the bust label. From what we have seen in the preseason, Gholston has looked a little slow and a little bit lost. His ability to shed blocks must improve for him to be an integral player on defense. 

The undrafted rookie from Rutgers, Jamaal Westerman, is having a very nice training camp. He should not only make this team, but should contribute down the road.

The Jets currently have three players from Rutgers. They are Westerman, linebacker Brandon Renkart, and tight end Kevin Brock. Rutgers ranks tied for tenth in the number of players from one college playing in the NFL. That says quite a bit for a team that only eight years ago lost three games to West Virginia, Miami and Virginia Tech by a combined 184 points.

On special teams, Jay Feely has been 3-for-3 in his field goal attempts. Reggie Hodges has done well punting the ball and should be the starting punter.

The Jets do not have their full lineup like most teams because of some nagging injuries. Kris Jenkins, Shonn Greene, Darrelle Revis, and a few others have missed either a preseason game or some practice time.

And that is your in-flight entertainment for August on New York Jets Flight Number 2009. Currently, this plane has just left the hangar.

 

Which New Jets Player Jersey Will You Own?

I put together a little synopsis of the seven new, New York Jets that will put on the green and white in 2009.

The Jets made it easy with only three picks on draft day, all three of those picks should be on the 2009 opening day roster.

The other four new Jets, are veterans who came either via free agency or through a trade.

I did not include any undrafted Jet at this point. If someone should step up; I can always add to this list.

I also added a little feature about what jersey number the player will wear and the odds of a Jet fan wearing one during the season.

My Top 10 Super Bowl Coaching Decisions

I know it is only June, but I still have Super Bowl fever. Going through some of my collection of Super Bowl memories I have created a Top 10 list of great coaching decisions that took place during the game.

Some of these examples are just one play and some is the game plan as a whole. The criteria I used was how did it change the game and that the coach’s team did not necessarily have to win the game.

Two that did not make the cut came from the same game. Super Bowl XXXII between the Broncos and Packers had two very good coaching decisions.

First, was Mike Shanahan’s decision to use Terrell Davis as a decoy on a play where he was suffering from a migraine and had virtually no sight. The Packers went after Davis, but the ball went to the right and into the end zone for a Bronco touchdown.

Second, was Mike Holmgren’s decision to let Denver score a touchdown to take the 31-24 in the game so the Packers could get one last shot at tying the game. The Packers could not stop Denver’s running game and this was their only shot.

The reason Holmgren does not make my list is because he made the decision on second down. He thought it was first down at the time.

I am sure I missed a few and would love to hear your feedback on what I left out or what I rated too high or low.

I will be back next week to write about ten coaching decisions that were not so great.

Five Issues That Will Not Be Seen On the 2009 New York Jets

Here is a list of five items that were a part of the 2008 New York Jets football season that I believe will not be a story in 2009.

Two will be personnel related, one is scheme related and final two deal mainly with the New York media.

The Jets have two major changes in 2009. One at quarterback and the other at head coach. Both Brett Favre and Eric Mangini left the Jets with issues that may or may not carry over to the new regime of Mark Sanchez and Rex Ryan.

History may not repeat itself, but if it looks similar to the 2008 Jets, that would be a surprise.

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