SBNation.com: All Posts by Bomani Jones

Monday Morning Jones: Pete Carroll's regret, John Elway's worst nightmare

2013-01-14T14:42:32Z

Of all these columns that I've done, this was the hardest. Seriously, how was I supposed to decide where to focus my second guessing of the Seahawks? That was a lot harder than you'd think. To the weekend ...

Apologies in advance for everything I leave out from Falcons-Seahawks. It's hard to imagine a game with more shining stars and would-be goats -- in Matt Ryan's case, he was both -- boneheaded decisions overcome by spectacular play, and so unforgettable moments than the Falcons' thrilling, monkey-shaking 30-28 win over the Seahawks Sunday. So many things happened that it's almost impossible to focus on any one focal point or play. Almost.

Say what you want about Pete Carroll's decision to go for it down 13-0 in the second quarter, but there's no telling what would have happened had the Seahawks attempted a field goal. Same goes for the clock management disaster at the end of the first half. But we know, had Carroll not called timeout before Matt Bryant's attempted a field goal with 13 seconds left, Seattle would have won. We saw Bryant miss that first kick, and we saw that he figured out exactly what he did wrong. There was no doubt about Bryant's game-winning 49-yarder from the moment his toe hit the ball.

Sure, there was plenty to second-guess from both coaches, and the Falcons' collapse would have been one for the ages. But there's only one thing that could have gone differently that absolutely would have changed the outcome, and that falls directly on the shoulders of Seattle's head coach.

More: Gonzo gets a win | NFL playoffs 2013

No, really, he did it. Last year Joe Flacco, in a losing performance, outplayed Tom Brady in the AFC Championship game. Saturday, he did the same to Peyton Manning, but he and the Ravens came out with a 38-35 double-overtime win over the Broncos. Flacco wasn't put the best positions by Jim Caldwell's seemingly immutable run-run-pass playcalling strategy, but he made every big throw the Ravens needed him to make. He challenged Denver deep early, making life much easier for Ray Rice. Fourteen of his 18 completions went for first downs. A lost fumble notwithstanding, he dug his offense out of the holes Ravens special teams put them in. He, more than anyone else, was responsible for Baltimore's trip to Foxboro Sunday.

On the other side, it's fair to pin most of the blame on Manning. He's the guy who committed three turnovers. He's the one who seems unable to challenge teams downfield, a flaw big enough to get Alex Smith benched in San Francisco. And while many have questioned John Fox for not trying to mount a drive with 31 second left in regulation, it's safe to wonder if Fox just didn't think his guy had enough of an arm to get the Broncos that far, that fast (not that Fox ever needs to be convinced to play it safe). Manning is a Hall of Famer, and he had a season better than anyone could have expected. But it's safe to wonder if, at this point in his career, he is capable of leading a team to the Super Bowl.

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Speaking of Alex Smith.

That's all I have to say about Niners-Packers.

So can the Ravens take New England down? The Broncos couldn't throw downfield because of their quarterback's limitations. But do the Patriots have the receivers to do so? New England had no problem stretching the field against the Texans, but their last two postseason games against Baltimore have been dreadful for Tom Brady. He averaged 3.7 yards per attempt and threw three interceptions in a 2009 Divisional Playoffs loss, and the Ravens took away the deep ball and coaxed him into two more picks (and no touchdowns). Those games were with Randy Moss and Rob Gronkowski, respectively, as vertical threats. Gronkowski, after breaking his left forearm again, won't be there.

The Patriots will have to run to win, but that's nothing new. They were seventh in the league in rushing and ran the ball more times than every team in the regular season but the Seahawks, a total padded by quarterback runs. Most importantly -- they only had four games when they gained less than 100 rushing yards, and they lost them all. And that includes Week 3 against the Ravens.

Can the Falcons do it? The Falcons' magical 1998 season was marked by two wins over the 49ers, the franchise's long-time tormentor. The first, in Week 11, signaled to the city that this team was for real. The second, the Falcons' first home playoff game in 18 years, started a run that didn't end until the Man of the Year got busted picking up a vice cop the night before the Super Bowl. Anyway, the point there was that it's kinda neat that the Niners are all that stand between Atlanta and a trip to the Super Bowl.

The problem, of course, is that San Francisco seems perfectly built to beat them. They have a rushing attack that can punish Atlanta's poor run defense, and a mobile quarterback who could give the Falcons the same fits Russell Wilson and Cam Newton did this season. But sure to be lost in Sunday's madness at the Georgia Dome was the fact the Falcons ran effectively and did a great job stopping Marshawn Lynch.

After not doing so in their previous three trips to the playoffs, the Falcons met the magnitude of the moment Sunday, even if it nearly consumed them. Now they'll have to do it again, and they'll have to do it the same way -- with their weakness emerging as a strength.

Where do the Texans go from here? The Texans were outclassed by the Patriots, beaten so soundly that most of the particulars seem irrelevant in the aftermath of New England's 41-28 win. What can't be ignored, however, is the middling play the Texans got from Matt Schaub. Of the eight quarterbacks who started this weekend, Schaub put in the weakest performance. Past that, is there any quarterback of those eight over whom you would take Schaub?

Schaub has demonstrated himself to be more than capable of holding a lead. But he simply isn't dynamic enough to make things happen himself. In Houston's last five games, with weapons like Arian Foster and Andre Johnson, they scored five offensive touchdowns. Only twice in that stretch did Houston come from behind to take a lead. Not to win, but just to take a lead.

Houston has a good quarterback. But today, they needed a quarterback capable of greatness. After six seasons as a starter, it's safe to say Schaub isn't that guy. He is, however, the Texans quarterback for the foreseeable future. For better or worse.

Was this John Elway's worst nightmare? When Elway signed Peyton Manning, he got a quarterback who was unequivocally superior to the starter he had, Tim Tebow. He also got a quarterback with a sub-.500 postseason record. Not all of those fell on Manning, but that spoke to the fact that a Hall of Fame quarterback didn't guarantee postseason success.

And just because the universe refuses to rid us of Tebow, Denver's season ended without a playoff win. Last season ended with a miraculous win, and this year's finished with one of the biggest upsets in postseason history. Tebow threw a game-winning touchdown on the first play of overtime against Pittsburgh, and Manning threw a crippling interception in the second overtime period. Worst of all, Manning gave reason to question if he can get his team to the promised land at this point in his career, which would make him, effectively, no different than Tim Tebow.

Nope, Elway will never hear the end of this one, no matter how ridiculous it is to blame a man for jettisoning a player no one else seems to want for one of the two best quarterbacks of his generation.

You sure you don't care about Lance Armstrong anymore? Many claim to not care about Lance Armstrong, but that seems impossible. Because of his spectacular stardom, his alleged deceit would be the greatest fraud perpetrated in the history of American sports. No one can take Armstrong's defeat of cancer from him, but he coupled that story with athletic dominance fueled by illicit drugs to make himself an icon. A filthy, stinking rich icon.

Now, he's going to do an interview Oprah Winfrey, and he promises to be candid. That's a hilariously ironic statement from a man who seems to have furiously lied to the world for over a decade. There's hardly a way anyone could believe Armstrong was telling the truth, unless they had an overwhelming desire to do so.

Sure, Armstrong's done plenty to fight cancer's ills, but he's spent most of the last decade doing what was best for himself. He's sitting with Oprah for the same reason. Small problem for Armstrong -- Winfrey's in it for herself, too. Just as easily as Armstrong could start on the path of redemption, Oprah can blow that road to smithereens. There's no way I'll miss that.

In case you have a problem the Rooney Rule. Word broke Sunday that the Eagles interviewed former Ravens coach Brian Billick for their head coaching vacancy, and they'll interview Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden on Monday. Pretty good work by these guys' agents. Only once in nine seasons in Baltimore did Billick's teams finish in the top 10 in scoring offense. Gruden's been an offensive coordinator for two seasons, and his teams have been ranked 20th and 22nd in total offense. Yet, no one had to force Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie to call Billick, nor did any team require institutional prodding to call the surprisingly in-demand Gruden.

So, when teams are calling guys like these of their free will, how could anyone have a problem with the requirement that they interview at least one non-white candidate? The fact black candidates are almost always referred to in the context of the Rooney Rule -- as if there would be reason to interview them otherwise -- speaks to the discrimination present in coaching hires, as does the fact the NFL only adopted the rule to avoid a lawsuit from the late Johnnie Cochran.

But seeing these guys get calls while non-white candidates can't even get a sniff at coordinator positions should tell you how unlevel the playing field is in coaching. Sitting idly without trying to rectify that means one of two things -- the status quo is based on merit, or fairness isn't a goal worth pursuing, even if that pursuit is costless. Good luck arguing either point without sounding worse than you'd prefer.

The best image to come from the weekend.

(via the official Baltimore Ravens website)

The next time we'll see them together in suits, chances are they'll be wearing beautiful(ly ugly) yellow blazers.

Monday Morning Jones: No defense for Mike Shanahan

2013-01-07T14:37:27Z

Ready to talk about how well Russell Wilson played in his first playoff start? Too bad. You know where we're going off the top. To the weekend...

There is no defense for Mike Shanahan. Unless they're carted off, football players will try to play. They'll try to play with concussions, and they'll try to play with torn knee ligaments. When they play with torn knee ligaments, they'll run the read options and naked bootlegs sent in from the sideline. If they can't plant to throw, they'll try to plant and throw anyway. The only way to stop them is to take them out of games.

That was what Shanahan should have done with Robert Griffin III at halftime, at the latest. Griffin threw for 84 yards in Sunday's 24-14 loss to the Seahawks, but only 16 after the first quarter. He was clearly hobbled -- though Shanahan said he saw otherwise -- but the Redskins ran a gameplan unbecoming of a man playing on such a bulky knee brace. His starting quarterback, the quarterback Washington traded three first-round picks for the privilege of selection, was on one leg, and Shanahan rode him until he could no longer stand.

If the NFL is going to masquerade as if player safety is one of its biggest concerns, the league is going to have to realize concussions aren't the only injuries players shouldn't play through. And head-hunting defenders aren't the only ones who show blatant disrespect for the health of players.

Do the Ravens have a chance in Denver? The knock on the Broncos is that, since losing to New England and rattling off 11 wins in a row, they didn't play anyone. The knock on the Ravens is that they did play Denver in Week 15, lost 34-17, and looked like just another of the nobodies the Broncos knocked off. Denver's defense, perhaps the league's best and definitely the best since Week 6, handled the Ravens like they were a team in the AFC West. Worse for Baltimore, the Broncos' mediocre running game had its way with the Ravens.

But they do get to face Peyton Manning. His teams were 2-0 in the postseason against the Ravens, but Manning has lost more games in the postseason than he's won. He hasn't had a passer rating below 87.9 in any postseason game since winning Super Bowl XLI, but the Colts were 2-4 in that stretch. And in the postseason, when there's the most pressure and opponents are more motivated, Manning is asked to carry more responsibility for his offense than any quarterback ever has. All that thinking is a for-better-or-worse proposition.

The Ravens probably don't have the personnel to win this one on the road, and Manning never had a defense that put up the statistics of these Broncos (tops in yards allowed per pass, second in yards allowed per carry). But, just like the Texans and Packers, they have a chance to avenge a regular season loss.

Aaron Rodgers vs. Colin Kaepernick, in the Battle of Alex Smith. Rodgers is 6-2, but sensitive about his height. Imagine the grudge he must hold against the 49ers, the team right down the road from his hometown of Chico, for selecting Smith over him. Of course, Rodgers has proven he was the quarterback San Francisco should have taken in 2005, as evidenced by the fact Smith won't even be starting Sunday. But this is his first start at Candlestick Park, and it's the most intriguing matchup of the divisional playoffs.

So can Kaepernick lead the Niners to victory over Smith's nemesis? Kaepernick was elevated, in large part, for games like these. If San Francisco's defense, which slipped after Justin Smith got hurt, continues to struggle, can the offense outscore Green Bay? The defense looked better with Charles Woodson back, but Joe Webb is no Kaepernick. That said, the Niners will want to run the ball. They did so at will in their Week 1 win at Lambeau Field, but the only other times the Green Bay run defense faltered involved Adrian Peterson.

The quarterbacks will be on full display. And each will be out to prove, once and for all, he is better than ... Alex Smith.

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Are we supposed to believe in the Texans now? The good news for the Texans, which will be repeated all week, is that the Jets recovered from a 45-3 late 2010 shellacking in Foxboro to win there in the division round that year. Better news is that, since losing to New England, their secondary hasn't given up more than 205 passing yards to any quarterback. The only thing is none of those quarterbacks -- Andrew Luck, Christian Ponder and Andy Dalton -- averaged 200 passing yards per game over the last month of the season. Needless to say, those guys can't hold a candle to Tom Brady.

So, after a 19-13 win over Cincinnati, how will Houston fare against the Patriots? The Pats have Rob Gronkowski back, which is crucial for a team that's lacked dangerous vertical receivers since trading Randy Moss. They have their best running game in years. The Texans will probably have to be able to put up points to win, but they have scored five offensive touchdowns in their last five games. And they're facing a Pats defense that was sixth in the league in yards allowed per carry. Meaning Matt Schaub may have to win the game for Houston.

Yeah. But hey, the Jets pulled it off two years ago. That's really the best I've got.

Weren't we laughing at Andy Reid just last week? After we spent the last year ridiculing Reid, reminiscing on 14 years of success, maddening play calls and inexplicable replay challenges, the new Chiefs coach became the hottest candidate on the NFL market. So hot, in fact, that he was the first coach hired after Black Monday and he found a gig where he got to pick his boss. A boss he doesn't really report to. This after going 12-20 over the last two seasons.

Is there really no one better for the Chiefs than Reid? It's impossible to believe a man who has only been even moderately successful with elite quarterback play -- and when Reid won in Philadelphia, he got that from Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick -- and loaded defenses is the man for a 2-14 team. With so many minds working around the NFL, teams are still so willing to pick up someone who, very recently, failed miserably?

John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

The Chip Kelly scenario I'd love to see. Guys who know the X's and O's of football say Kelly will be able to adapt his offense to the NFL. At the very least, I know the people who think he'll try to run the offense exactly as he ran it with quarterbacks like Dennis Dixon, Darron Thomas and Marcus Mariota aren't giving the man enough credit. If Kelly was smart enough to go from the University of New Hampshire to the NFL in six years, all while leaving Oregon before he has to talk to the NCAA, he's smart enough to adjust to the personnel on his roster.

That said, the great "what if?" of this offseason may involve one job Kelly didn't interview for -- the Panthers. Kelly would almost certainly be too rich for Panthers owner Jerry Richardson's blood, but how could the idea of pairing Kelly's mind with Cam Newton's once-a-generation combination of talents not make Richardson think about splurging this one time? In a league where dynasties are marked by their pairings of coaches and quarterbacks, Kelly and Newton could be revolutionary. Instead, it will be another year of Ron Rivera and offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, under whom the results were often revolting. It would certainly be a risk, but what exactly would the Panthers have to lose?

The real Johnny Football. After Johnny Manziel's first media appearance, Joe Posnanski wrote a gushing essay on the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner, dripping with the nostalgia evoked by a nickname like "Johnny Football." After he talked about how refreshing it was that Manziel's long media silence spared him from overexposure, you couldn't tell if Posnanski was talking about Manziel or Mickey Mantle. He lamented how they don't make ‘em like they used to -- even placing scrambling quarterbacks in that category, as if no one's told him about MACtion -- before becoming enthralled by the "aww shucks" aesthetic accompanied by things like Manziel's modest statement that he didn't "see [himself] as Johnny Football."

Well, here's the other thing about that media silence -- it allowed people like Posnanski to create the "Johnny Football" of their dreams. Truth is, the real Johnny Manziel is out here flashing the money he won at a casino on Twitter. He might sip champagne here and there. He sits courtside at NBA games, and when people have a problem with any of it, he either tells them to keep hating or stop. He doesn't seem to give a damn either way, but he's not stopping because they don't like it. Johnny Manziel wants to ball. Not just on the field, but in his life. He retweets 50 Cent lyrics to reinforce this. Oh, and he goes back and forth with Larry Fitzgerald, Bubba Watson and some guys I'm told I should be aware of.

That, Mr. Posnanski, is Johnny Football. That is how he sounds. And no matter what anyone thinks, things aren't the way people wanted them to be. And I love it. He's living it up while he's got the chance. That guy sounds like a lot more fun than this figment of the media's collective imagination.

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The NHL Lockout is over. The particulars aren't that important, unless you own a hockey team or play for one. What's worth noting, as all four North American sports leagues will have labor deals running into the next decade, is what each players association had to go through to get there. The NFL, NBA and NHL lockouts were money grabs by the leagues, each base of owners trying to guarantee their profits (as if business was ever intended to work like that). And then there's Major League Baseball, the only union whose league is deathly afraid of it ... and the only one that didn't go through a work stoppage at the end of its most recent collective bargaining agreement. Owners all over sports spent 2011 and 2012 trying to establish their dominion over their players.

Everywhere but baseball, where owners have been forced by the union's resolve to respect the men they employ. The next time you hear someone chastise players for not bowing to the whims of owners, remember that the union that has fought the hardest in the past is the one that's had to fight the least in the last 20 years, and the one that hasn't lost a preseason, regular season or postseason game since 1995. Fighting players are good for fans, assuming fans want leagues that don't miss games.

Dwight Howard, saying all the wrong things. There's nothing wrong with what Howard said, per se. There's something to be said for people enjoying their work, and there can certainly be benefits from that. It doesn't have to be all fun and games, but there's something to be said for building personal bonds with the folks you work with. In hockey, Mark Messier has been lionized for going the extra mile to do just that.

But until Kobe Bryant decides to move on from the Lakers, none of that matters. Kobe's a made man. He does what he wants, and his team will be the way he wants it. He wants to "snarl," as Howard put it, and everyone else will simply have to deal with it. He doesn't want to hang out with his teammates. He never did before, and he won't anytime soon. Howard might not like that, and he may have a point. That and a plane ticket will get him to another city, where he might find a team where someone cares about his idea of how a team should function.

I usually don't make picks, but ... Rarely does this column run the same day as an event as big as the BCS Championship. First things first -- though they're often treated as such, Alabama isn't unbeatable, as clearly evidenced by the "-1" on their record. Dropback passers Zach Mettenberger and Aaron Murray gave Alabama fits, but it was the mobile Johnny Manziel who took down the Crimson Tide. In fact, the common thread of every Alabama loss since the start of the 2008 season is a mobile quarterback (including the only two-time winner, Jordan Jefferson). Notre Dame has a guy like that in Everett Golson. He doesn't have to be Michael Vick. Just fast enough that Saban must account for him, which cuts down on how much the Tide can throw at the redshirt freshman.

Whether Notre Dame can win will depend on how long they can withstand the physicality of Alabama's running backs and offensive line. The Fighting Irish's front seven is its calling card, and the Tide can say the same for its line. Notre Dame yielded two touchdowns. Alabama pounded every team it played all season ... except Texas A&M.

But the line of scrimmage is where the SEC has separated itself from the rest of the country. And it's where, in a close one, the Tide will win its third BCS Championship in four years.

Monday Morning Jones: Tony Romo, the Falcons and the NFL MVP

2012-12-31T14:01:11Z

Why waste time with chatter when we could hurry up and start bagging on Tony Romo? To the weekend, tout de suite!

Never change, Tony. How many quarterbacks in the NFL are truly better than Tony Romo? Probably five, definitely less than 10. But how many are worse when it matters than Romo? Who, at this point, doesn't feel confident Romo will find a way to blow a game, like Sunday's 28-18 loss to the Redskins?

Credit Romo for how well he played this December. Acknowledge his role in keeping the Cowboys in the playoff chase until the very end. Give him and his team their due for surging in spite of injuries, Jerry Brown's death and the loss of Josh Brent (who, it should be noted, is a pretty good football player). But it's impossible to deny that big moments seem to overwhelm Romo, and no level of talent will overcome that gaping, intangible flaw. The Cowboys may not find a better quarterback, but you can't fault anyone who thinks they need a new one.

Believe in the Falcons if you want. I'm currently in Atlanta, where my father told me he was "all-in" with the Falcons. I tried to warn him many times, but he said this time it's different. Guess it's good for him he was watching "Django Unchained" while Atlanta lost 22-17 at home to the Buccaneers. Of course, it seems like nitpicking when pointing out the flaws of a 13-win team. Except it doesn't when the team's flaws are "can't stop the run" and "can't establish the run." The Falcons failed to gain 100 yards on the ground 10 times, including each of their losses. They are 29th in yards per attempt on both sides of the ball. That's bad, and it would be bad if the Falcons were 16-0 or 3-13.

Now, take a look at who's in the NFC playoffs. Name one team that shouldn't feel good about its chances against a team who can't stop the run. The Packers are the only other team without a great running game, but I don't think they needed one the last time they played the Falcons in the postseason. The Falcons may have the best record in their conference, but they'll need more than homefield advantage to make it to the Super Bowl.

Speaking of not nitpicking a team with a lot of wins ... After another loss in Indianapolis, this time by a score of 28-16, the Texans have scored four offensive touchdowns in their last four games, and two of them came when they were four and five touchdowns, respectively, behind the Patriots. Three of those games were against teams who entered Week 17 ranked 26th (Indy) and 27th (New England) in total defense. The Texans defense was great early this season, but can that battered unit prop up Houston's star-studded-but-sputtering offense? And can they do it on the road at least once? This, ladies is gentlemen, is why people were reluctant to give the Texans too much credit earlier this season.

Your NFL MVP. Adrian Peterson ran for nearly 2,100 yards while carrying Christian Ponder's keister to the postseason. If that's not enough for you, nothing else I say will matter. Much respect to Peyton Manning and everyone else, but Peterson gave us a season for the ages. There's no shame in second place, but there's been no one better this season than A.D.

Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

And the Packers get to play him a third time! The Vikings pulled out a 37-34 classic against Green Bay, setting up their rubber match at Lambeau Field next weekend. So far, the Packers have given up 403 rushing yards to Peterson. But 199 yards from Peterson and three touchdown passes from Christian Ponder meant a three-point win at home. Next game will be Ponder's first playoff start, and it'll come at a stadium where the home team has lost four times ever in the postseason. Maybe Peterson can do something superhuman, but not even that will be enough.

And the Rookie of the Year ... Opinions are like orifices, I know, but it's mindblowing that Robert Griffin III isn't projected as a landslide winner of the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year. Never mind that Griffin leads the NFL in yards per rushing attempt and passing attempt, or the stunning turnaround of the Redskins offense after they built everything around Griffin. Or that he's only the third quarterback in NFL history with 3,000 yards passing and 700 yards rushing (the first was Randall Cunningham in 1990, one of the great seasons of all-time, and the other Cam Newton).

How about the fact Griffin has had one bad game all year? Or that Griffin hasn't had a single game where he threw more interceptions than touchdowns? While Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck needed time to get their legs under them, Griffin hit the ground running and was only slowed by injury. Griffin is fifth in the league in completion percentage while Luck hasn't completed more than half his passes in over a month. No matter the reasons why Griffin is outperforming the rest of the rookie class, whether they be the perceived rigor of his offense or the quality of his teammates, he is outperforming his class. Hell, he outperformed two two-time Super Bowl winning quarterbacks this year.

Don't work so hard to figure out who should win Rookie of the Year. The answer is as obvious as it seems, no matter how far someone goes to tell you otherwise.

Kids, did you know the Colts used to play in Baltimore? Mayflower will get a surge in exposure this week, for those pictures of the trucks moving the Colts to Indianapolis will be all over the place in advance of Ravens-Colts. Far more compelling than that story -- beaten into the ground long ago -- is how scary this matchup must be for the Ravens. Baltimore hasn't beaten a team in this year's postseason since Week 3, and they backed into the playoffs with four losses in five games. They held on through injuries and major changes to the coaching staff, but they look to be at their end.

But they're also going to face a rookie quarterback in his first playoff game, playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in captivity. They'll face the same Colts defense that gave up over 500 total yards to the Chiefs, including 352 on the ground. The Ravens should give the ball to Ray Rice until Indianapolis makes them stop. Should. But given that Rice is the only player they have one could truly call "dependable," he could be the only man who can stop the Ravens' epic freefall.

P.J. Carlesimo? Of course, the Nets can change their minds whenever they want, but did they really fire Avery Johnson because they thought Carlesimo was a better option for the rest of the season? Nets GM Billy King said he liked that Carlesimo had NBA coaching experience, but so do Sidney Lowe, Quinn Buckner and a bunch of other guys no one will ever hire again. Maybe the Nets have something up their sleeves, but if firing Johnson meant nothing more than Carlesimo sliding down one chair, it makes you wonder if Brooklyn made a really big decision with no idea of what to do next.

Rob Foldy-USA TODAY Sports

You sure Tim Tebow will play for the Jags in 2013? We all know the arguments for why the Jaguars would make a run at Tim Tebow in the offseason. But if it's true Jags GM Gene Smith will be fired soon, then someone's got to explain why his successor would want to take a job where he's required to take on the Tebow circus. The Broncos got to the playoffs with Tebow, and John Elway still seemed relieved it was all over, and that season was the textbook definition of "best-case scenario."

The Jaguars don't need a novelty act at quarterback. They need a quarterback. And the last time Tebow was available, only one team tried to acquire him for largely football reasons, and they didn't play him. The Jags don't need another guy under center no one else wants. They've got that covered, and that's something anyone worth hiring as an executive will see. So why would anyone take a job when the boss requires you do something to make things worse?

(Yes, I am saying I agree with everything Merril Hoge had to say.)

A lot of coaches will be fired Monday. And there will be an argument for firing each one. Seriously, who would have to get fired on "Black Monday" for you to be surprised? And really, is that guy going to get fired?

The answer to the first question, after all these years, is still Norv Turner. And the second is ... I mean, it looks like it. But they'll have to put him in the ground before I believe he's dead. And I'll have to see it with my own lyin' eyes.

Bomani & Jones says goodbye to 2012

2012-12-28T16:20:38Z

Throw on "Auld Lang Syne" or blow the dust off that R.E.M. record, for 2012 is coming to a close. But don't worry if you missed anything. Chances are, we'll be talking about the same stuff in 2013, too.

We can't help ourselves. Some of these stories just won't die. And when someone does try to move on and talk about something else, good folks in the media business will breathe new life into something everyone else would rather bury.

Tired of Tim Tebow? Too bad. Love Johnny Football? You'll be tired of him soon. And Dwight Howard's pending free agency? Yeah, still pending.

So join "Bomani & Jones" as we say goodbye to 2012, even though 2013 will look awfully familiar.

Monday Morning Jones: 49ers' Super Bowl odds, DeMarcus Cousins' reputation and Tim Tebow's future

2012-12-24T14:02:05Z

I thought about telling my bosses that, since I won't be doing an episode of "Bomani & Jones" on Monday, then don't ask me to do anything else. Then I remembered how much I like getting paid. And just like that, my dreams of being like Tim Tebow were dashed. On to the weekend ...

Are the 49ers gonna be OK? A bit of a letdown after last week's win at New England was expected -- that game seemed to stick with the Patriots, too -- and Justin Smith missing Sunday's game against Seattle was a big deal for the Niners. But the Seahawks destroyed San Francisco, 42-13, emphatically stating its case as the best team in the NFC. San Francisco, however, looks vulnerable.

An MRI will tell the story, but everything about Mario Manningham's knee injury screamed out "major." Colin Kaepernick, in the league's most hostile environment through a storm, suffered for his inexperience. And the defense many think is the best in the league was, again, taken to the woodshed (73 points allowed in the past six quarters). Some of that will be fixed when Justin Smith returns (his presence helps make Aldon Smith the force he is), but so much about the Niners looks questionable. That seems strange to say about the one team that seemed the steadiest for most of the season, but what will they be over the next month? They need to get better, because the team we've seen for the last six quarters won't be long for January.

The bubble burst for the ‘Boys. It's hard to figure out how the Cowboys managed to pull out its last three wins, and it looked late as if they'd find a way to do it again. But their defense ran out of gas, allowing the Saints to pull out a 34-31 overtime win at Cowboys Stadium. Even while winning, the Cowboys defense was gashed in one way or another. The Bengals and Eagles -- yes, the Eagles -- ran for more than 140 yards against Dallas, and the Steelers threw for over 300. Drew Brees torched the Cowboys secondary for 446 yards and three touchdowns. Next week? A newly-flexed Sunday Night matchup against Robert Griffin III and Washington, who did whatever they wanted to Rob Ryan's defense on Thanksgiving. If Dallas' defense doesn't stand up, this season marked by both magic and tragedy will end with disappointment.

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Of course Tim Tebow felt entitled to tell Rex Ryan he wouldn't run the Wildcat. While Cam Newton was at Florida, Tebow wasn't the most talented quarterback on campus. After winning the Heisman Trophy, according to sources, he was outperformed by Newton in practice, yet Tebow (understandably) remained the starter. Newton was promised an opportunity to start in ‘08, but he never had a real chance given Urban Meyer's affection and preference for Tebow. At Senior Bowl practices in 2010, Tebow was so bad at taking snaps that shotgun elements from the Florida offense were added for him. That's right -- his college offense was incorporated at the NFL's biggest job fair, one at which Tebow needed to show he could play a more conventional style of football.

Tebow was then drafted in the first round, in spite of the fact he simply cannot throw the football. In 2011, he went from third-string to starter, leapfrogging backup Brady Quinn. And he became a phenomenon as Denver approached the playoffs. His obvious shortcomings were replaced by euphemisms masked as "intangibles," even though multiple opponents privately referred to him, unequivocally, as the worst quarterback they'd ever seen. He arrived in New York with much fanfare, but proved himself incapable of displacing Mark Sanchez or holding off Greg McElroy. But, apparently, he thought he should have been the starter anyway.

Why? We won't know for sure unless Tebow discusses this on the record (ha!). But given the way Tebow has been treated by his teams and even the NFL, why wouldn't he think he was entitled to a chance to start? He's supposed to be beneficiary of broken promises and depth-chart gymnastics. He's been coddled since he got to Florida, and he expected that coddling to continue forever. If things don't go Tim Tebow's way, apparently, he won't go at all. Based on what's happened the last five years, there was no reason for him to think anything else.

(Oh, and in spite of all of this, there might be a job waiting on him next season.)

So you still think the Giants will find a way to pull it out? Life is typically hard for defending Super Bowl Champions, but the Giants' collapse was staggering. At a point in the schedule when conventional wisdom says "champions" show their mettle, New York lost five out of seven games. After losing 33-14 at Baltimore in a must-win game, they've been outscored, 67-14, in their last two games. And Eli Manning, whose Hall of Fame ticket many were punching before the season, arguably hasn't played as well this season as the pilloried Cam Newton.

Congratulations to the Giants for winning two Super Bowls in five years, but they haven't won a playoff game in any other season of the Manning-Coughlin era. This isn't a dynasty or a team with some gene that makes it champions. Twice, the Giants got hot and healthy at the right time and rode it to glory, not terribly unlike the Marlins in baseball. Now, they need a win and a lot of help just to make the postseason. They may do it again, but this team looks nothing like the Big Blue we saw last year at this time.

The Vikings are almost in the playoffs, but ... The Texans looked done while losing 23-6 to Minnesota. With their running game shut down, Matt Schaub put up a nearly identical line as Christian Ponder ... except Ponder threw a touchdown pass, and the Texans offense scored none.

Houston's defense did the Lord's work against Adrian Peterson, holding him to 86 yards on 25 carries, but allowed Minnesota to convert half of its 18 third downs. They couldn't get off the field, allowing the Vikings to hold the ball for just under 35 minutes, and the offense couldn't find a way to stick around. Had Houston won Sunday, they would have locked up homefield advantage in the AFC for the playoffs. Now, with a loss next week, the battered Texans will be playing on Wild Card Weekend with a defense that barely resembles its statistical profile, and a quarterback who still might not be ready for prime time.

Thanks for playing, Pittsburgh. When Ben Roethlisberger was out, I said the Steelers defense had to do more than just be its impenetrable self. It also had to force turnovers to give its offense a hand. Sunday, they intercepted Andy Dalton twice and held Cincinnati to six offensive points, but still lost 13-10 to the Bengals. Their playoff hopes were dashed, not because Roethlisberger was out, but because he couldn't get it done when he was there. The Steelers haven't won since he returned. Two weeks in a row he's thrown a pick-six, and those miscues proved more important than any disagreement the quarterback has with offensive coordinator Todd Haley. And nothing between the two of them matters as much as the Steelers' inability to run the ball -- they haven't run for 100 yards since Nov. 18. Now, it looks like they might not do so again until September 2013, while the Bengals will be in the postseason for the second straight season.

Oh, and kicking a 53-yard field goal into the open end of Heinz Field, which would have been the longest in the stadium's history? Not Mike Tomlin's best decision.

Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

The incomparable Class of 2012. You know you've got a helluva rookie class when Doug Martin will probably finish with over 1,300 yards rushing, and he'll still be lucky to finish fourth in the Rookie of the Year balloting. There will be time to definitively name a pick after all the games have been played, but now's a great time to marvel at Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson.

Griffin returned to the lineup after missing a week with a sprained knee ligament and, even without his customary mobility, was accurate and threw two touchdown passes in a 27-20 win at Philadelphia. Luck, though still struggling with accuracy, led his seventh game-winning drive and put the Colts back in the playoffs (the franchise's 12th postseason appearance in 14 years). And Wilson, perhaps the biggest surprise of the bunch, led Seattle to its third straight game with more than 40 points, and their sixth win in seven games.

There's a good chance one quarter of the quarterbacks in the postseason will be rookies. And each of their teams will be there because of their signal callers, not in spite of them. None are in offenses designed to protect them. They're all being asked to win games, and all of them have. The quarterback class of 1983 produced three Hall of Famers, but only Dan Marino walked in ready to win games. When all is said and done, 2012's class could prove to be one for the ages.

Time for DeMarcus Cousins to wake up. The bottom line is, even with his defenders, Cousins is losing the little benefit of the benefit of the doubt he has. The suspension for whatever happened with Sean Elliott still seems bogus, but Cousins' shouting match with Kings coach Keith Smart -- one of Cousins' allies -- was indefensible. And given that Sacramento fired the last coach after he overreacted and suspended Cousins, it's safe to say he went pretty damn far to get grounded indefinitely.

I've long cautioned against drawing too many conclusions about what kind of person Cousins is because of his immature actions, because a 22-year-old still has plenty of time to grow up. But no one will care how good or bad of a person Cousins is if he doesn't get his act together and, more importantly, few teams will be willing to commit big money to him by way of a contract extension or free-agent deal. It's not yet make-or-break for Cousins, but it could be make-or-Michael Beasley if he isn't careful. And if he doesn't get that now, it will be too late by the time he does. I'm not writing Cousins off, but I'm also not the guy he has to worry about doing so.

Steve Nash came back so Kobe Bryant could shoot 41 shots? At last, we no longer have to wait ‘til Nash comes back to save the Lakers. But, at the risk of overreacting to a small sample, was Saturday's 118-115 overtime win over the Warriors a sign of things to come? The Lakers didn't need him for Kobe to put up 41 shots, and they surely weren't happy to see him get torched by Jarrett Jack and Stephen Curry. Yes, Los Angeles won, but it didn't take long to see Nash won't be the panacea for all that ails Los Angeles. The closest thing to that will be something whose arrival few of us can predict -- Dwight Howard's return to health. Until his back is strong enough for him to regain something close to full mobility, the Lakers' utter lack of defensive ... everything will sink their ship. And, as we all know, Steve Nash can't do a thing to make that better.

Why couldn't Steve Kerr question how Johnny Manziel got courtside NBA seats? Both media and fans instantly threw their antennae up when Marvin Austin tweeted about partying in Miami, a harbinger of the scandal that took down the North Carolina football program. But now, it's unfair to ask how a college freshman turned up at two NBA games and an NFL game in one week? Of course, it's absurd the NCAA should care about something like tickets to pro sports games, but imagine what people would say if Shabazz Muhammad turned up in a box at Cowboys Stadium. How long would it take before someone loudly asked how he got there?

Everyone loves Johnny Football right now, but he's still as constrained by phony amateurism as any other NCAA athlete. And when athletes show money, people ask questions. If his presence was on the up and up, fine. But for as long as I can remember, college athletes who show money get questioned. If all these tickets come from his (very, very generous) parents, then that's the explanation. If Manziel shouldn't be questioned, than no one should. There can be no in between.

Bomani & Jones: The Jets need a little Kwanzaa

2012-12-20T17:08:43Z

In the latest episode of Bomani & Jones, Bomani bestows a little Kwanzaa spirit on the team that needs it the most.

Bomani & Jones: Which teammates do we want to see fight?

2012-12-17T15:02:07Z

The college football world was stunned to see two Arizona teammates throwing punches on the sidelines. That got us thinking: which two teammates in sports would we want to se fight?

Monday Morning Jones: Patriots and 49ers both exposed on Sunday night

2012-12-17T14:01:08Z

Before starting the column, it seems appropriate to mention what happened in Newtown on Friday morning. The obvious things to say have all been taken, but count me among those optimistic that this is a time that will bring out the best in us. After such a horrifying glimpse at our worst, what other option do we have?

Now, to much lighter events from the weekend ...

Great game, but bad news for the Patriots and 49ers. As good as the Pats were during their seven-game winning streak, the fact that their receivers don't scare anyone remained an issue. And in Sunday's wild 41-34 loss at home to the 49ers, it came up again. Sure, Brady racked up 443 yards (on 65 attempts), but they couldn't challenge San Francisco down the field while they were falling into a 31-3 hole. That wasn't just a result of the weather. It's been that way for the Patriots since Randy Moss was traded, and the problem has been exacerbated by Rob Gronkowski's absence. The couple of times Brady caught the Niners secondary slipping were exceptions.

As for San Francisco, a sweet victory didn't mask their own major weakness -- they aren't built to put their foot on the gas. Yes, they had three one-play touchdown drives, but they could do nothing as New England built steam to close the third quarter and start the fourth. The Niners weathered the storm, but one would have expected a 28-point lead to be safer in their hands.

Are the Cowboys becoming ... likable? That's right -- the same team that turned it over six times against the Giants seven weeks ago is tied for the lead in the NFC East. The particulars of their 27-24 overtime win over the Steelers seem far less important than the realization that the Cowboys, as Hollywood as an NFL franchise can be, have proven to be pretty tough. Each of their last four wins have been by five points or less, none of which seemed secure until the final gun. They've struggled with injuries, overcome a 3-5 start, and continue to deal with the tragic death of Jerry Brown. And if they win Sunday against New Orleans, they're guaranteed to have at least a chance to make the postseason on December 30 against Washington. If you saw that coming, you're probably lying.

The fascinating part -- who's to credit for Dallas' resurgence? Were they just lucky wins, or will a few of us (okay, me) have to back off declarations we made about the reliability of Tony Romo and Jason Garrett? Not yet. Maybe in a week or two, though.

Josh Brent, with teammate Sean Lissemore. Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images.

Here's why I'm OK with Josh Brent being on the sideline. It was shocking to see Josh Brent on the Cowboys sideline Sunday, and it understandably created a stir on social media. Many feel Brent, because of the crime he's accused of committing, shouldn't be allowed anywhere near an NFL team. Many, however, doesn't include Stacey Jackson, mother of the late Jerry Brown, who encouraged the team to embrace the man responsible for her son's death.

While her ability to forgive is staggering, it's fair to ask how far the Cowboys should go to follow her example. But if she could open her heart that much, could we possibly stop wagging out fingers long enough to consider the complexity of the situation? Brent is still a member of the Cowboys. Those guys are still his teammates. And after the death of his best friend, how much else could he possibly have?

If someone as PR-conscious as Jerry Jones signed off on something he had to know would offend many, there must be something powerfully human behind it. While we're watching all this unfold, the Cowboys are healing. Given the positive spirit behind their decision to have Brent on the sideline, I won't judge the team or Ms. Jackson's desire to grieve in this way.

You sure the Giants will be OK? It doesn't matter what the Giants did last year, the year before, or in 1986. After 14 games, it's pretty clear what they are -- a team that can win if it takes care of the ball and forces turnovers. In six of their wins, the Giants have been plus-two or better in turnover margin. But as long as their defense continues to be gashed by land and by air -- 4.7 yards per carry (29th in the NFL on Sunday morning) and 8.1 yards per pass attempt (29th) -- they'll have to lean on Eli Manning and trust he can take care of the ball. The Giants were minus-three in Sunday's 34-0 shellacking at the hands of the Falcons, with Manning throwing two picks. In the Giants last eight games, in which they've been a pedestrian 4-4, Manning's turned it over 11 times.

Now, they're tied with Washington and Dallas atop the NFC East. Based on what's happened already this season, the Giants won't win a tied division unless it gets to at least the third tiebreaker. The team so many assume will "just put it all together" needs to do so against the Ravens next week. Otherwise, it might be too late.

Hail to the Shanahans! Mike Shanahan didn't do much for his reputation in his first two years in Washington, and his son/offensive coordinator Kyle didn't help. But after making the right call by letting Robert Griffin III rest his sprained lateral collateral ligament, and trusting Kirk Cousins to mind the shop against the Browns, Mike Shanahan managed to protect both his team's future, while Kyle called a game that protected its present. Regardless of what Cousins' short-term success says about Griffin's value to the team, any coach with the guts to go with his rookie-backup quarterback with a playoff berth still up for grabs deserves a helluva lot of credit. Even though they were playing the Browns.

In one season, Washington has gone from the bottom quartile of the league in scoring to the top one. Nobody told the Shanahans going with Rex Grossman was a good idea, but they quickly figured out what to do once they had a good quarterback. Now, it looks like they have two, and they may be two games from a postseason with their MVP candidate ready to come back.

Robert Griffin III watches against the Cleveland Browns. David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

You better believe Ray Lewis will be playing next week. They'll have to tie Lewis down to keep him off the field as the Ravens look to be in a full-on freefall, especially after being smashed 34-17 by the Broncos. Given all the injuries they've suffered, including Lewis to a torn triceps, it's amazing to think they've won nine games. But even their last two wins -- against the Byron Leftwich-led Steelers and the 4th-and-29 game against the Chargers -- weren't world-beating performances. They've now lost three-straight games since those unimpressive victories, fired their offensive coordinator and still have a game at home against the Giants that may as well be called the Backslide Bowl. The Ravens have already clinched a spot in the postseason, but who in the world can they beat right now?

Definitely not the Broncos ... but who can they beat? Denver's two wins away from a first-round bye, and still in the running for homefield throughout the playoffs (unless you're positive the Texans will win out against Minnesota and at Indianapolis). But those losses that seem oh-so-long ago still matter a lot. The Broncos will be on the short end of any tie with Houston and New England, thanks to losses in September and October, respectively.

Speaking of that loss to the Patriots, it's entirely possible that will go down as the Broncos last game against a team that will play in the postseason. Not win. Game. The Broncos can only beat the teams they're asked to play, but there's still reason to question how good they really are.

It's probably this simple for the Bears. The Bears have lost five of their past six games, but they survived that meat grinder -- perhaps the toughest stretch any team in the NFL will play this season -- with a chance to make the playoffs. But after another loss to the Packers where Green Bay turned Jay Cutler into "same ol' Jay," it must be make-or-break for 8-6 Chicago in a big way. Either win next week against Arizona, or the team misses the postseason and Lovie Smith gets fired at the end of the season. And, at this point, there should be no other response to a loss to the Cardinals.

The bright side for the Bears? The Cards and Lions are an easy path to the postseason. The problem: those two wins still might not be enough to get Chicago into the playoffs, or to get Smith into 2013.

Time for Andrew Luck to step up. Luck threw two touchdowns, and he had his first interception-free game in a month and a half in Sunday's 29-17 loss to the Texans. But this was the third straight game where Luck completed less than half his passes. That might cut it against Buffalo, Tennessee and Denver, but Luck's going to have to pick it up if Indianapolis wants to make any noise the postseason.

So many have lauded Luck for how well he's handling a demanding offense. Those demands may explain some of his shortcomings, but they don't mean his weaknesses don't exist. An offense that struggles to run -- though it did quite well Sunday -- can't stay on the field with a 50-50 quarterback. Unless Luck becomes more accurate and does a better job protecting the ball than he has the last four weeks, the Colts might miss the playoffs, or be there just long enough to say they went.

Yes, there's room for baseball this week! The Blue Jays seem to be trying to go back to 1993 in one offseason, the latest step being a tentative deal to acquire National League Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey from the Mets. Reportedly, Dickey wanted a two-year extension for between $26 and 28 million from New York ... after he plays out 2013 for $5 million. Forget about what's down the line. Next season, the Blue Jays -- not the Red Sox or Yankees -- can acquire a reigning Cy Young winner. And they can do it for the cheap? Unless Dickey suddenly jacks up his asking price to an astronomical level, the Blue Jays better jump on the possibility of getting three years of Dickey's unhittable stuff -- imagine his first trip through a new league -- for roughly $11 million per year. That's less than half what the Dodgers will pay Zack Greinke through 2018. Right, no-brainer.