SB Nation - Randy Moss

My man, Randy Moss

MaPatsFan — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:56:27 -0000

After a tough few weeks, Randy Moss is getting slammed for perceived poor play, for quitting on his team, teammates, and fans. Moss has carried around this albatross for many years; as soon as production drops, he's labeled a malcontent. The problem with this is that Moss is already so far above most receivers that a drop to merely above average is viewed with disdain, kind of like superman in the presence of kryptonite.

The recent spat of invective started when losing Panthers CB Chris Gamble said Moss gave up:

"Some of his body language let me know it was a run, and that’s how I got a feel on when to help out on the run," Gamble said. "I think if he came off the ball and had a little Wes Welker in him, you wouldn’t know what was coming. That’s what I think Moss needs to do -- be like Wes and go hard every play. I’m going to respect him, and every other [defensive back] is going to respect him if he comes off the ball hard."

To which the often stoic and reserved Belichick replied:

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- In distinct Bill Belichick style, the Patriots coach defended receiver Randy Moss on Monday when asked about critical comments made by Panthers defenders Chris Gamble and Chris Harris that Moss didn't give an all-out effort in Sunday's game.

"My response would be that's a lot of conversation coming from a team that just lost another game," Belichick said.

A few minutes later in his press conference, Belichick added another dig.

"I have a lot of respect for Randy, I think he's one of our best players and I think if you watch other teams defend him and watch other teams play against him, they think the same way -- other than these two guys from Carolina after they lost another game. I guess they don't think that way. They haven't won a lot of games now."

Ouch...

Two of the mediums used to watch a matchup, television and actually attending the game, are probably the absolute WORST ways to analyze a game and garner any kind of an informed opinion about the on field play. Hence why I dismiss, with absolute disdain, the talking heads who are proclaiming Randy Moss a quitter. It got so bad on WEEI's Felger and Mazz show that I had to turn it off. Any caller defending Moss was labeled an idiot and a massive homer by Felger. I guess that's why I dismiss Felger. Granted he's nothing like "Joe Longneck" wearing a stained beater watching the game on his mother's 19" Magnavox because he's too cheap to buy a real TV yet he'll spring thousands on rims for his 1998 F150 because it's a "classic". No, he's nothing like Joe Longneck. He's worse. He actually has a microphone, hence the ability to spew the kind of garbage he so often does to thousands. A microphone and credentials does not a sports analyst make. To be a sports analyst you have to, you know, analyze.

I wish us little people had access to game film. Then we could see what the coaches see, not what the broadcasters want us to see. Such is the case with ESPN analyst Merril Hoge. Hoge actually watched the game film and had this to say:

"When you get caught up watching TV, you might think you know things," he said. "But when you put on [coaches] tape, that's the real story."

Regarding Moss quitting and what opposing players had to say, Hoge said:

"I didn't see one play where he was sitting around, quit, or was 'useless.' If you're going to use the words 'useless' and 'quit', I'd need to see some stronger evidence than words that come out of a losing locker room," Hoge said. "After I looked at the tape, based on the things I had heard, I expected to see the dog days of Randy Moss. But there was nothing of the sort. He played his tail off.

And to show what a class act Randy Moss is, he kept his mouth shut when he had every right to be furious:

"This one was wrong. He needed a voice. I was a player, and if I went in to watch tape of myself, saw what I saw, and then read the things that were out there, I would be so furious and upset, asking 'Are you kidding me?'"

Yup, he kept his mouth shut and carried himself like the leader he is. While every player around him, every player that matters stood up for him. Class act. However, aside from the above statements, the most interesting thing that came out of Hoge's analysis was a description of what was going on OFF CAMERA during the game, angles that were only visible in the game film:

"They would ride up a corner and press him at the line of scrimmage and then play a safety to that side anywhere from 20-25 yards over the top, which is a pre-snap indicator that you can forget the long ball, don’t even think about it. Give or take a little, I would say about 60 percent of the time, Tom Brady didn’t work to his side because of that. You can start there, because the coverage dictated not to throw there.

And the interception?

"The interception that so many people are talking about, it looks like he didn’t run a very good route. It wasn’t spectacular. He could have come out of his break sharper. But when you start watching coaching tape, two things pop out over the bad route. First, you look at where the corner is playing. He’s already playing outside technique, sitting where the route is going. So you could argue that you don’t want to make the throw because of how the corner is playing.

"On top of that, when you look at the end zone angle, Julius Peppers gets inside pressure right away and is getting his hands near the face of Brady when he’s about to step into his throw. Brady pulls his left leg and wheels on the throw. When you wheel on that, the ball sails and you can’t be accurate and decisive like that.

You can argue all you want with Hoge's interpretation, but at least his opinion is based on actually watching the only source that matters - the game film. Until Felger has access to the game film, his opinion means little more than our opinion as fans. Until then, he's just another talking head with a microphone, credentials and an opinion. The most dangerous kind of talking head, I might add.

Major props to Merril Hoge for coming out in defense of Moss. When he felt something was wrong, he had the gumption to stand up and say so.

Jets Flight Connections 121609

dvdvil — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:00:41 -0000

Jets great Joe Klecko says CB Darrelle Revis is the Jets' MVP this year.

He is probably better than Charles Woodson.

He is so good that he's still affecting Randy Moss.

As expected, fantasy footballers are not recommending Falcons WR Roddy White this week.

Darrelle and the defense are the best in the league.

Theweekender.com says good things about Revis and RB Thomas Jones.

Against the next three teams with high scoring ability, running the ball may not be enough.

The Jets are favored by six against Atlanta, who is dealing with injuries and police trouble.

CBSsports.com debates whether the Jets will make the playoffs.

More connections after the jump.

If you still don't know, here are the teams vying for post-season berths in the AFC.

I know we started 4-6, but in 2002, the Jets went from 2-5 to winning in the playoffs.

There is some talk about our need to get younger guys on the O-line for the future. Here is another one who got away.

Speaking of young O-linemen, Ryan McKee was signed by the Rams, just in case you were wondering.

Speaking of signings, the Jets added RB Chauncey Washington yesterday.

He and The Sanchize were on the same team in college.

He will wear #32.

He will be active for three weeks.

He might see action in special teams.

Or, his acquisition may simply be a message to RB Shonn Greene, who did some good off the field yesterday.

C Nick Mangold was at a charity event for Montefiore Medical Center.

WR Jerricho Cotchery helped with a project for teenagers, along with Giants WR Steve Smith.

QB Mark Sanchez is also promoting a good cause.

And the Jets have a benefit for Jersey Cares this Sunday at the Meadowlands.

Your daily Pro Bowl reminder: you can vote as many times as you want for Revis, Jones, Mangold, LB David Harris, K Jay Feely and other deserving Jets. You have until Dec. 21.

Lastly, Darrelle Revis talks about how practicing against WR Braylon Edwards helps his game:

The Pro (Popularity) Bowl voting silliness

MaPatsFan — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:12:31 -0000

More photos » by Gretchen Ertl - AP

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It's a good thing NFL Pro Bowl participation isn't determined solely on the voting intelligence of fans. I consider "us" to be intelligent fans, but those other idiots... It's a good thing players and coaches make up the other two thirds. There are a few obvious ones, like Peyton Manning topping the list for AFC quarterbacks. Ok, I can go with that one. His team is having a stellar season so far. Vince Wilfork tops the list for defensive lineman which makes perfect sense. Hoodie has moved him around so much this year that it truly shows his value to the team. I certainly hope they pay the man.

Now let's get into a little silliness. In particular the guy in the picture at..wait for it...fifth. Sure, if you go by touchdowns Wes doesn't deliver. But that's not his job. Yards per game: 105.3, receptions: 105, receptions per game: 9.5. And he did all of this while MISSING 2 GAMES!! The other bit of silliness, I'm sorry to say, is to put Randy Moss ahead of Wes Welker. It's clear the voters are going for "sensational" - big yards and touchdowns. Andre Johnson deserves the number one spot; he's blowing up the field. For receivers, the list should be ordered as such: Andre Johnson, Wes Welker OR Reggie Wayne at 2nd or 3rd; I think a case could be made for either.

It'll be interesting to see where the coaches and players go with this. Hopefully they think about which players give them the most trouble on the field. Just who might that be, pray tell?

New England Patriots Links 12/15/09 - Patriots Have Randy's Back; Adalius Thomas Ratted Out The Story

Marima — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:54:31 -0000

Don't worry man, we've got your back.

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Matt Bowen (Nat'l Football Post) Defends Randy Moss' character.

So, yes, the Panthers did take Moss out of the game. And, yes, he did look lethargic on a certain number of plays. But to say that he quit on his teammates? No, I’m not buying that.

Did he play poorly? Sure he did, and just like the other members of that team, he will be corrected when they turn on the film today in their meeting rooms—but that is all that I see in play after this story has come out. And, I am going to listen to Brady and Belichick when it comes to judging his character as a teammate because, like you, I am not in those meetings, on the practice field or in the locker room with a player that still demands respect from a defensive standpoint—and causes opposing players to mouth off to the media even after a loss. Because we can’t pretend to know what is being called in that huddle, just as we can’t pretend to know what route is supposed to be run as told on the chalkboard in the Patriots meeting rooms.

Ty Warren was asked by WEEI's Michael Holley how the news about the discipline got out, and Warren replied that Adalius put it out there himself (at the 6.35 min. mark). Warren also mentioned that fellow-late-comer Gary Guyton returned to Gillette Stadium that night to watch film.

Bill Belichick talked about what happens when a guy like Sam Aiken is out of the lineup.

If you lose a core player in the kicking game, like Sam was inactive yesterday - he’s really a starter on four teams. It isn’t always the same person that replaces him on each team, it can be a combination of different things and that was the case yesterday. That’s always a challenge on special teams; if you take one guy out, you’ve lost him on at least four teams. Sometimes if he’s involved in the field goal and field goal rush situations, it could be more than that.

It’s a lot different than on offense or defense where it’s just that position on offense or that position on defense. It rolls into multiple positions in the kicking game and then you usually don’t have the same person where you just can’t do it, you don’t have enough people. It’s just like offense: you can’t have a backup right tackle, a backup right guard, a backup center. You’ve got to have one guy that backs up multiple positions and that’s true in the kicking game, too. One guy is out, that means 'you’re in on this team’, 'he’s in on that team’, 'you’re in on another team’ and it really challenges your depth.

That’s one of the real challenging parts of being the special teams coach and even as a head coach - trying to put the roster together when you have a player like that who has a role on offense and is a core player in the kicking game. That’s a lot of jobs.

TEAM TALK

Erik Scalavino says Wes Welker was the spark plug in Sunday's win, plus Monday notes from Gillette.
Monday Presser: Bill Belichick (22:18 min. video)
WEEI Patriots Monday: Tom Brady (24:15 min.), Chris Baker (6:30 min.), Sammy Morris (9:20 min.), Ty Warren (13:35 min.), Bill Belichick (11:10 min.) Q&A Transcripts: Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
Patriots Today: Overcoming Carolina, highlights and analysis. (13:05 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

Karen Guregian writes Randy-bashing was all the rage yesterday, but his coach and his team are staunchly in his corner.
Mike Reiss reports a feisty Bill Belichick came out swinging at his press conference Monday morning. It's memorable because Belichick is the anti-Ryan 99.9% of the time, either showering praise on the opposition or simply taking the football high road.
Mike Reiss points out how Tom Brady and Kevin Faulk both defend Randy Moss and deflect criticism of effort.
Christopher Price reports the consistant locker room support for Randy Moss, his character and his effort.
Bill Reynolds says Moss can answer critics with a return to All-Pro form.
Gerry Callahan feels Bill Belichick gave Randy a pass because he has no other choice besides hoping the real Randy Moss shows up for the last three games of the season.
Ian Rapoport notes ESPN analyst and former Minnesota WR Cris Carter feels something happened to Randy Moss mentally to be on the field in that state.
Ian Rapoport notes WR Jerry Rice rips Randy Moss. What a surprise.
Robert Lee reports rookie Sebastian Vollmer has improved to where he is already arguably just as good, if not better, than veteran tackles Matt Light and Nick Kaczur.
Ian Rapoport says LB Pierre Woods is happy with his role on special teams, but enjoyed getting the start on defense Sunday against the Panthers.
Mike Reiss looks at the snaps played by offensive skill position players and the positional groupings utilized by the Patriots in their 20-10 win over the Panthers.
Mike Reiss looks at and analyzes the snaps played by Patriots defenders in the Panthers win, noting Banta-Cain, Meriweather and Mayo played every one.
Mike Reiss breaks down the three-man rotation at OT in Sunday's win.
Boston Herald Patriots Notebook: Adalius Thomas ready to move on from a bad week; Belichick admitted Brady’s availability really was a gametime decision; Rob Ninkovich filled in for Thomas on passing downs against the Panthers and was rewarded with a contract extension; Matt Light will only play Left Tackle, Sebastian Vollmer can rotate; Patriots gained 185 yards on the ground Sunday with Baker and Watson blocking.

NATIONAL NEWS

Eric Edholm (Pro Football Weekly) Brady, Belichick appear firmly in Moss's corner.
John Czarnecki (Fox Sports) The day after: What's eating Randy Moss?
Charles Chandler (Charlotte Observer) Patriots question Panthers, not Moss.
Scott Fowler (Charlotte Observer) Belichick can't handle the truth.
Tim Graham (ESPN) Big move: Belichick stands up for his boys.
Charles Robinson (Yahoo! Sports) 'Fragile' Moss threatens to set back Patriots.
Tim Graham (ESPN) Jerry Rice rips Randy Moss for zero effort. (26 second video clip)
Michael Silver (Yahoo! Sports) Thanks to New England's run at perfection two years ago, we're no longer bombarded by the '72 Dolphins.
Dennis Dillon (Sporting News) Super Bowls don't matter, Colts are team of the decade. Ask any Colts' player if he'd trade a few of those regular-season victories for another SB win and you'll have your real answer.
Judy Battista (NY Times) With a chance at undefeated records, the Saints and Colts must weigh the value of perfection against resting for the playoffs.
Pro Football Weekly Steelers in midst of Super collapse.

Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations

Ted Bartlett — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:30:13 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

4 days ago: Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall, left, avoids the tackle of Indianapolis Colts linebacker Gary Brackett in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009. Marshall had 21 receptions for 200 yards in the game. The Colts defeated the Broncos 28-16. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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Happy Tuesday, friends, and welcome to another edition of Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations. Christmas is coming - and I, for one, am hoping for a much more joyous holiday season than I experienced last December. All I got for Christmas last year was the Broncos' historic collapse, and all I had to give was the one scenario that could possibly be worse than the season-ending Chargers game (it involved hypothetically cutting an apple, slipping, and stabbing myself in the groin WHILE watching that game).

I'm not much for moral victories, but today in Donny Deutschland, I will talk about why I feel better about Sunday's loss than I have about any Broncos loss in years. There's no time to waste, so let's not waste any time. Out of the echo chamber, and into the fire, y'all. Ready..... BEGIN!!!

1. I learned on Sunday that what I suspected was the case, was in fact, the case. That is, the Broncos can play with Indianapolis, at Indianapolis. It happened a little differently than I thought it would, but the Broncos competed, and got back in the game after getting down in really ugly fashion. Consider these statistics, as I pretend that I care about statistics for a moment. The Broncos outgained Indianapolis 357-312. They held the ball for 31:27, versus the Colts' 28:33. They won the turnover battle 3-1. The Broncos advanced into Colts territory on 8 of 12 posessions. These measures would tend to indicate victory, but in this case, the Broncos fell a little short.

For next time, we can internalize a few thoughts:

a. The Broncos have the players and schemes to cover the Colts receivers, pressure Peyton Manning, and generally disrupt their offense.

b. The Broncos have the players and schemes to move the ball at will against the Colts defense.

c. As a fan base, we all mistakenly thought to ourselves "Here we go again" when the Colts got up 21-0 after four possessions. We can take this game as a lesson that the past doesn't indicate the future. Those Broncos teams which got their doors blown off by the Colts passing game are definitely not these Broncos.

One general concern is that the Broncos could have run the ball better, and will need to next time. I felt the run scheme was too zone-heavy and horizontal, and it played into the Colts' plan to run-blitz the gaps. A smaller, faster team needs to be man-blocked with a vertical scheme. Those are guys you don't necessarily want moving laterally, because they're comfortable doing so.

The other concern is that at money time, Dallas Clark needed more and better attention. Josh Barrett needed to be on the field manning him up, because he's the best guy in the NFL at covering TEs man-to-man.

All in all, I am proud of the way the Broncos stayed in the game, despite some reasons that lesser men would take to quit. This was really a game which turned on a few plays, and I am pleased to know that the Broncos can compete with Indianapolis, unlike in past years. This week, it's the Raiders, and luckily, JaMarcus Russell will be under center again. Expect Elvis Dumervil to get some shots at him. The Broncos can take care of business at home, and position themselves well to make the postseason. Happy Raiders Week, friends.

2. Information From My Eyes, Broncos at Colts:

a. Andre' Goodman got beat on a crossing route by Pierre Garcon on the first offensive play of the game, and in the moment, I wondered if there was a major speed mismatch. Goodman settled down to play Garcon spectacularly the rest of the game, breaking up four well-thrown balls. Goodman has been terrific all year, but I'd call this his best game as a Bronco.

b. When the Broncos drafted Darcel McBath, I'd never heard of him. I'm very impressed with his play as a rookie, though, and he had a fantastic game Sunday. He separated Dallas Clark from the ball on a 3rd down, and also baited Peyton Manning into his third interception. It's a real bummer that he broke his forearm and is gone for the season, but he showed well when he got the opportunities. I look for him to make a serious run at Renaldo Hill's starting job next season.

c. I really "misunderestimated" the Colts' DTs, Daniel Muir and Antonio Johnson. They both played fantastic, and drove the Broncos' interior players backward consistently.

d. Ryan Clady didn't play very well in the running game, which was a departure from what we've been seeing lately. He got pushed backward several times when he lost leverage, and he misread a few run blitzes, and didn't hit the right guy. He's young and growing, and we can only hope he learns from this game.

e. Brandon Marshall was spectacular, of course. It's obvious that Kyle Orton really trusts him to make plays at this point. I wish he trusted Eddie Royal a little more, though. The truth is, though, Royal hasn't come up with some plays when he's had chances to do so.

f. I was happy to see Jabar Gaffney back in the mix this week. He's a pro's pro, and the Broncos offense is better when he is involved.

g. I was pleased with what I saw from Robert Ayers and Elvis Dumervil, despite the Broncos' lack of sacks. Both played well against the run, and generated pressure against Manning.

h. Peyton Hillis isn't a very good lead blocker, and I think a key part of the trouble the running game had was with the loss of Spencer Larsen. Larsen has been knocking heads the last two weeks, and he wasn't there this time, obviously.

Hillis is a good RB, but he's a true HB, not a FB. The truth is, he is where he should be on the depth chart; the third RB for the Broncos. Zappa said that some DP posters were calling for Knowshon Moreno to be benched, and Hillis to get the starting job. That's not going to happen, and frankly, it's asinine. Hillis could get more opportunity to make plays, but he deserves to be behind Moreno and Correll Buckhalter. There's no question in my mind of that.

i. The Colts' last drive was enabled by missed tackles by Vonnie Holliday (first play of the series) and Mario Haggan (3rd down inside the Broncos 10).

j. Oh, Dallas Clark. Ty Law did a good job on him, but he often was assigned to cover Austin Collie. Wesley Woodyard is a good zone player, but he can't cover a Clark in man-to-man. That 4th-and-4 was badly schemed, because Brian Dawkins shouldn't be manned up on Clark, either.

Finally, at the end of the game, the approach should have been to look at the formation. The power was left, and the only receiving threat was Clark, playing with his hand down on the right side. You need somebody to drive him straight into the ground, so he can't get out in the pattern. That's how I would coach that situation, anyway. Tackle him when he pretends to block, without getting called for holding.

k. D.J. Williams had a very good game, except for the one stupid penalty. Darrell Reid got (another) one of those too, while we're at it.

3. Information From My Eyes, Other Games

a. I thought Thursday's Browns-Steelers game was pretty riveting, and I almost wish I went (but not quite). Several of my friends tried to get me to go, because everybody in the world was trying to dump their tickets. It was 12 degrees, with 50 mph winds, and felt negative-7 in Cleveland that night. That's a recipe for freezing your hind-parts off, as Omar would say.

The Browns are changing for the better, and I wonder if it saves Eric Mangini's job. They're doing some very interesting things, like using Mike Furrey at FS. He's played both ways in his career, but has been more of a WR in the NFL, and caught 98 passes for the Lions in 2006, which was second in the NFL.

He did some nice things at Safety in the game, and it reminded me of Troy Brown playing defense for the Patriots, though, as I mentioned, Furrey has played defense at the professional level. You have to be impressed with a player doing what it takes to help his team win.

b. A guy who I have always liked, who the Browns found for free is Matt Roth. He got on the wrong side of Bill Parcells and Tony Sparano in Miami, and they put him on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list, and then waived him in November. The Browns smartly claimed him, and he's played very well for the Browns thus far. The Sam position in a 3-4 is pretty hard to fill, because it's a unique skill set. Lamarr Woodley and Mario Haggan are both very good at it, and Adalius Thomas used to be, but like RT on offense, there are a lot more average 3-4 Sams than there are good ones. Roth is a good one, because he sets the edge well, and generates a good pass rush when he's called upon to do so. Finding a guy like him in-season is what a bad team has to do.

c. Two unheralded guys who the Browns have discovered on offense are RB Chris Jennings and TE Evan Moore. Jennings won a Grey Cup recently with the Montreal Alouettes, and looked like the best back on the Browns roster last Thursday. He ran with power and explosion against an excellent run defense.

I meant to mention Moore last week and forgot; but I know a football player when I see one, and he's a player. He was a big WR at Stanford for 4 years, and also played basketball for his first 2 years. His fluidity, body control, and overall athleticism jump off the screen, and really remind me of Antonio Gates. I don't know if he's as fast as Gates, but he looks to me like he could definitely be a Brent Celek-caliber receiving TE. He's been key to Brady Quinn's recent improvement, because Quinn does his best throwing work inside the numbers.

Jennings and Moore are two players who the Browns can be very excited about, as they figure out what their program is during the offseason. Like Roth, they came with no significant cost. Now the Browns just need to nail their offseason.

d. I had a friend who is a Steelers fan ask me what was wrong with his team, and I think I may have disappointed him by not having a real definitive answer ready. It's kind of a tough question to answer, really, because Mike Tomlin had it exactly right when he said it was a function of struggles in all three phases of the game.

The defense really misses Troy Polamalu, who I think might be the most irreplaceable defensive player in the NFL. No safety plays with the speed of Polamalu, and the Steelers are much more conservative in their blitz packages without him. Their CBs are also playing pretty poorly over the last five games. On offense, I think the Steelers play-calling has been suspect. Rashard Mendenhall has emerged as a good RB, and the Steelers seem reluctant to commit to letting him run. I'm not surprised at the rumblings Sunday that some offensive coaches are likely going to get whacked after the season.

e. Now, on to why the Browns won Thursday. There were two reasons. One reason is that Joshua Cribbs is a great football player, and he carried his team on offense and special teams. The other is that the Browns covered the Steelers' receivers at a shockingly high level. ST&NO Favorite Brandon McDonald was fantastic. He might have had the best coverage game I have seen from a CB this year (although Andre' Goodman was awesome on Sunday, too). Eric Wright was strong on the other side too, though he gave up a few completions to Santonio Holmes. As has often been the case with the Broncos this season, the coverage allowed the pressure to get to Ben Roethlisberger, who was sacked 8 times.

f. It was another annoying weekend when almost every game was early, including the Broncos. I had the Chicago-Green Bay game on at the same time as the Broncos game,. and as I watched some of it, I was struck by the fact that neither team showed me anything that I didn't already know about them. Aaron Rodgers continued his recent run of getting sacked less, and the Packers defense was strong again. The Bears had some flashes, but self-destructed at key times.

The only real takeaway from this, to me, is another reminder why I don't really like fantasy football. The number one player in the Official MHR League this year has been my QB, Rodgers. In real football terms, he played fine on Sunday. He completed 16 of 24 throws for 180 yards, and lost a fumble on a blind-side sack. His team won the game, so no worries, right? Well, in fantasy terms, he tanked. Not only that, I am playing Zappa in the playoffs this week, and he has Ryan Grant, who had a monster game with 137 yards and 2 TDs, because the Bears were playing coverage to prevent big plays in the passing game.

g. Speaking of guys who tanked on my fantasy team, Randy Moss, this skunky, warm Miller High Life is for you. One catch for 16 yards, and a lost fumble? Really? He really looked like he wasn't trying hard, too; it was a total flashback to the Oakland days. Good thing I had Brandon Marshall and the Eagles (TD scoring) defense.

h. I think the Patriots are in trouble, and that their culture needs an adjustment. I read Bill Belichick's sending tardy players home as a clear indication of that. Adalius Thomas lipped off in the media, and got benched for it, and Randy Moss did it with his play somewhat on Sunday. I wouldn't be shocked if both are gone after this season. Thomas is gone for sure, and Moss is a possibility. The Patriots have a lot of draft assets with which to restock the WR position, and they're pretty solid at LB anyway, with guys like Tully Banta-Cain and Rob Ninkovich making positive contributions.

It was pretty interesting how Tom Brady and Bill Belichick came to Moss's aid on Monday, after he clearly was dogging some pass routes. Michael Lombardi had a good point on NFL Network that Moss has done that his whole career, and that the Patriots probably weren't too alarmed by it. I think it's pretty bad, personally.

i. Scary moment in Arlington, Texas, when DeMarcus Ware was carted off the field with a neck injury. The Chargers had a false start, and then went right down the field in two plays to score the deciding TD afterward. Reports on Monday were that Ware would miss the next two weeks, which would really handicap the Dallas defense. Most casual fans think of Ware as just a pass rusher, but he is a rare player who stars against the run, and in zone coverage too.

j. I alluded to this thought last week, but it was well-articulated by Michael Lombardi last night; Dallas's struggles have nothing to do with what month it is. The same can be said of the Chargers and their success in the month of December. If you're playing in a lot of places where there's bad weather, then maybe the month is a semi-meaningful data point, but neither Dallas nor San Diego particularly qualifies. I know somebody is going to say that a game in December is a pressure game, but even that's not true a lot of times. San Diego has tended to be healthy in December, and Dallas has tended to be banged up. San Diego has tended to play weak late-season schedules, and Dallas has tended to play difficult ones. Don't get caught up in things which Peter King would incorrectly call a factoid.

k. That Radio Shack commercial with the sleeping scruffy dude saying "Dance, Sugar Plum Fairies" is bizarre. It makes no sense at all to me, and I can't imagine how it would make anybody want to shop at Radio Shack, or buy that craptastic phone from Sprint.

l. NBC lucked out with a great game on Sunday night between the Eagles and Giants. Neither defense looked particularly good, but both offenses lit it up. The difference in the game was a defensive TD from Sheldon Brown, and a punt-return TD from DeSean Jackson. Those plays also provided the difference in the Shallow Thoughts team beating Zappa's Sactown Beavers in the playoffs.

m. I would never let Jackson get off the line of scrimmage without getting hit. Teams just insist on letting this guy run free through their secondary, and he kills them. Little, fast guys like him must be re-routed off the line, and then you want over/under coverage on him after that. He's not the typical big, physical number-1 WR like Brandon Marshall, but he does need double-team attention, or at least Cover-3 behind him, so he can be hit at the line with confidence.

n. Brandon Jacobs, to me, is like a 98-mph fastball that's a little too straight, and rarely misses bats. Jacobs has been running harder lately than he was early in the season, but he doesn't make anybody miss. He takes so many hits, and this year, he's going down more easily than he used to. I think the Giants offense is better when Ahmad Bradshaw is getting more carries than Jacobs at this point, even as Jacobs has been better lately.

o. Speaking of the Giants, I want to share some ST&NO light with a Giants fan, because I've coincidentally been listening to his music as I wrote this part of the column. If you like hip hop, you ought to check out Nickel at his website www.SpotMeANickel.com. He's got a couple albums worth of MP3s available for free download there. I went to high school with the guy at Norwich Free Academy in Norwich, CT, and it's cool to see him doing well, and making good music.

p. As always, I watched 5 games on Monday night, and the one I learned the most from was the New Orleans-Atlanta game. Very simply, New Orleans deserved to lose the game, and I haven't seen or heard anybody acknowledge that. I take that as a reaffirmation that my effort is worth the time.

Brent Grimes got called for two horrible pass-interference penalties, on plays where he reached around his man to play the ball. Those two plays directly led to 14 points being scored, and the Saints won by 3. The officials bogusly penalized ST&NO Favorite Thomas DeCoud on an even better play in the fourth quarter too, but Garrett Hartley subsequently missed a Field Goal, so it didn't affect the scoreboard. The Saints are a very good team, and they don't need any bonus help, but apparently you can't breathe on their receivers. It reminded me of the 2006 NBA Finals, when Dwyane Wade got "fouled" practically every time he touched the ball, and it disgusted me just as much to watch.

q. Jonathan Vilma deserves credit for sealing the win for New Orleans. He intercepted Chris Redman with 3 minutes to go in the game. Then, after the Saints arrogantly tried a fake field goal, rather than taking the points and going up 6, Vilma tackled the formidable Jason Snelling cold in the open field, a yard short of the first down on 4th and 2. He made the plays that were there to be made.

r. While I'm on the topic of the Saints, here's an E! True Hollywood Story for you. Or maybe it's a Letterman-style Top 2 list. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Top 2 Things Ted Bartlett Currently Doesn't Give A Damn About (And Al Roker's Forecast Calls For No Change:)

1. Whether or not the Colts or Saints go 16-0, and on a related note, whether or not they rest their starters.

2. Who wins the NFL MVP Award.

Going 16-0 doesn't matter to anything. All it would do is create something which Peter King would someday mistakenly call a factoid (even though it's actually a fact). The only thing that matters is going 3-0 (or 4-0) in the Playoffs. Plus, the whole thing puts Mercury Morris back in the spotlight, and he's a jerk who doesn't deserve it.

As for the MVP Award, really, who cares? I may start caring if somebody other than a QB or RB can win, other than the rare Lawrence Taylor in 1986. (Since the AP award began in 1957, only DT Alan Page, K Mark Moseley, and Taylor have won the award from positions other than QB or RB. Taylor is the only winner for the Pro Football Writers Association award, which began in 1975. This is an absolute farce.)

Remember ST&NO Rule #1: If reporters vote for it, and decide it, it's usually not particularly worth paying attention to. That includes any and all power rankings, the NFL All-Pro team, all season-ending awards in all sports, and membership in all Halls of Fame. Reporters often mean well, and they add some value to the overall football discourse, but the value they add ends when they're not asking questions, finding things out, and reporting those things. When you ask them to judge something, most can't get past the very obvious, or what other people tell them, and nearly all are biased by what they consider to be the most interesting story. While that's understandable, given the fact that they're in the interesting story business, it's also self-serving, and represents noise rather than a reflection of truth.

s. The more I watch Chad Henne, the more I like his mechanics, all the way through the process of playing QB. I most especially like the way he carries out his fakes after he hands off the ball. You can tell that he's very well coached, both at the collegiate level and the professional level.

t. Speaking of good coaching, if Head Coaching jobs were being handed out based only upon excellence as a coordinator, Mike Mularkey would be looking pretty good for a shot at another job. People who know things about offense, and pay attention, know that Mularkey has been getting a lot of production out of some pretty marginal talent the last two seasons. It's equal parts scheme, knowing the capabilities of his players, and getting his guys to execute, but Atlanta's offense overachieves. Remember - Mularkey didn't get fired in Buffalo; he resigned in 2006 because he didn't see eye-to-eye with the recently hired Marv Levy. He's up there with Houston's Kyle Shanahan on offense, and the Broncos' Mike Nolan, Cincinnati's Mike Zimmer, and Arizona's Bill Davis on defense as guys who I think are adding a great deal of value to their sides of the ball.

u. I tend to dislike University of Texas players, because they have a well-known reputation for being coddled in Austin, and often coming into the NFL as soft players. A limitation of making evaluations from a distance is that you sometimes have to rely on information which may or may not be meaningful, such as the fact that coaches are prohibited from cursing at players at UT. That's pretty absurd in my opinion, like the urban legend about stress cards in basic training.

I didn't take to Brian Orakpo much coming out of college, partially due to the UT factor. Turns out, he's very good, and he's brought a lot to the table for Oakland. He has had a very good rookie season, but he was dominant on Sunday against the Raiders' bad offensive line and indecisive JaMarcus Russell. I still prefer Knowshon Moreno to Orakpo for the long haul, and I still think the Redskins should have taken Michael Oher (after the Packers should have taken Michael Oher). Orakpo was a good choice though, and is a good player, so I missed on that one.

v. I said a couple weeks ago that I was pretty sure that the Chiefs didn't regret acquiring Matt Cassel, and he's proceeded to have the two worst games of his career the last two weeks. His ability is very clear, so I still don't think they regret it, but he needs to step it up, and buy Todd Haley and Scott Pioli some cover. Kansas City has an aggressive local sports media, led by Adam Teicher and Jason Whitlock. Whitlock has already renamed Pioli as Scott Egoli, so it would be mighty helpful to this regime if they and Cassel could finish the season stronger than they've been showing, and feel like there's something to build on.

w. A vital part of a 3-step drop passing play is that the outside blocker on the throw side (usually the Tackle) needs to cut the Defensive End and get him on the ground. The 49ers RT, Adam Snyder, failed to cut Darnell Dockett twice in the first half Monday night, resulting in an Interception by Dockett, and another deflection by Dockett, which Alex Smith caught himself, and promptly was tackled for a 6-yard loss. Neither play was Smith's fault; his job is to get to the top of his drop, and let the ball go. Snyder's job is to clear the throwing lane.

x. Speaking of guys clearly not doing their jobs (and jumping back to the Dallas game because of the topic), Tony Dungy was right on when he was asked if coaching was the problem in Dallas. He said that he knows Terence Newman has been coached to jam a WR and re-route him in Cover-2, and that coaching definitely wasn't the problem on the big Vincent Jackson 39-yard catch on 3rd and 12 (right after the aforementioned Ware injury).

That was the key play of the game, and Newman didn't make it. As the play happened live, I yelled out "Where's the f$%^&* jam, 41?" I was glad Dungy called him out, although I bet he wasn't moved to profanity like I was. I've always thought Newman was highly overrated, by virtue of being a Cowboy. It comes with wearing the blue star, I am afraid.

y. Usually, when a defensive lineman is drafted highly, you expect him to be a big sack guy. The Bengals once drafted Justin Smith fourth overall, in 2001. His career high in sacks, mostly as a Right DE in a 40-front, was 8.5 in his rookie season. He had 6.5, 5, 8, 6, 7.5, and 2 in his next five seasons, which are respectable numbers, but not for an open-side DE drafted that highly.

Smith signed a 6-year $45 million deal with San Francisco in 2008, and moved to 5-technique in a 30-front. It's the role he should have been playing all along, because he's always been a physical, block-defeating player more than a speed-rushing player. It's not too different than the highly drafted Derrick Harvey from the Jaguars, or Jamaal Anderson for the Falcons (who moved to DT eventually). Their skill sets are just better suited to playing with physicality than with speed. (Harvey got only his second sack of the year Sunday, and Anderson has 0.5).

Anyway, Smith was dominant on Monday night, and consistently held the point of attack, while often penetrating and disrupting the Cardinals offense. It sure seemed like he is earning his money. I was also very impressed with the pass-rushing skills of Ahmad Brooks, who used to be just a MLB.

z. Another rookie I criticized for seeming to be soft was Beanie Wells, and he continues to play like he isn't. His TD run early in the 4th quarter Monday night was a man's TD run, all second effort. He did fumble later in the 4th quarter, but it was on a kill-shot by Dashon Goldson, who had a couple of those in Monday night's game.

aa. Genetics are a funny thing. In my family, we have something called the Bartlett Calves. My dad and all his siblings have them, and all my siblings and I have them, even my 8-year old half-sister Abby. The Bartlett Calves are notable for being disproportionately muscular and large, compared to the rest of our bodies. I am 6 feet tall and weigh 235 pounds, and when flexed, my calves are 18 inches around, which is 3-4 inches bigger than the average man's calf, and an inch bigger than the average man's neck.

I bring up this genetic oddity, because it makes me feel a certain kinship with Frank Gore, who has thunder thighs like whoa. He's found out a way to make good professional use of his thighs, because they're what give him such impressive power in traffic. Mine don't really come in too useful as an accounting manager and blogger.

ab. The jury is in as far as I am concerned for San Francisco. The 49ers are on the right track, and ST&NO Favorite Alex Smith has definitely emerged as their long-term QB. They have 2 first-round picks this season, which are both going to be in the 10-15 area. They need a CB and an offensive lineman with those picks, or maybe even two offensive linemen. This team is not far at all from the playoffs, and they're not even going to miss by much this season.

ac. The Cardinals are still legitimate championship contenders, but they got their hind parts kicked Monday night. The result of the game was more a reflection of good play by the Niners than it was of bad play by the Cardinals. The bright spot for Arizona was the excellent Adrian Wilson, who baited Smith into a dumb INT, and was around the ball constantly, the whole game.

4. I couldn't agree more with TJ Johnson's piece about deferring the option yesterday, and a smart analyst got out ahead of me before I wrote about it, which happens once in awhile with a Tuesday slot. I'm always glad to see an in-house MHR guy do it. Big up TJ! If you haven't read his article, you should. So should Don Banks (and Dan Fouts.)

From Banks:

• Did I hear that right, the Broncos won the coin toss to start their game at Indy and deferred to the Colts? And Peyton Manning? Why exactly would you give Manning the chance to get the ball in his hands any more than you absolutely have to? What were you thinking, Josh McDaniels? That's a dubious, rookie-like call for the Broncos new head coach. I do believe McDaniels was guilty of overconfidence in his defense.

My two cents was going to be that each team gets the ball kicked to them to start one half, and there's no way around that fact, so if you consider just this fact, it's utterly meaningless which half a particular team gets their opportunity to receive. TJ goes much further, and finds that there is actually evidence that teams who get the ball to start the second half tend to experience more success. Very interesting stuff.

5. That first-rounder from the Bears is looking really good right now. Chicago fell to 5-8 Sunday, and I like them to finish 6-10. They play at Baltimore and home against Minnesota before finishing at Detroit. For the Broncos' playoff chances, I'd like to see the Bears beat the Ravens, but I doubt it happens. A 6-10 record is probably good for a pick in the neighborhood of 9th or 10th overall. I gave a cursory look at the remaining schedules of every team with a losing record, and this is what I came up with for season-ending records, and way-too-early possible picks.

1. St. Louis 1-15 Sam Bradford QB Oklahoma

2. Tampa Bay 1-15 Ndamukong Suh DT Nebraska

3. Detroit 2-14 Gerald McCoy DT Oklahoma

4. Kansas City 3-13 Eric Berry S Tennessee

5. Cleveland 4-12 Russell Okung T Oklahoma State

6. Oakland 4-12 Carlos Dunlap DE Florida

7. Buffalo 5-11 Jimmy Clausen QB Notre Dame

8. Washington 5-11 Trent Williams T Oklahoma

9. San Francisco ~~Carolina~~ 5-11 Joe Haden CB Florida

10. Seattle 6-10 Anthony Davis T Rutgers

11. Denver ~~Chicago~~ 6-10

12. San Francisco 7-9

13. Pittsburgh 7-9

14. Houston 8-8

15. Tennessee 8-8

With a 10th or 11th pick, you can get yourself a difference-making defensive player like a Terrence Cody, Rolando McClain, or Brandon Spikes. You could also go outside the box, and draft a guy like C.J. Spiller from Clemson, who projects as a major home-run threat, a la Chris Johnson, at the NFL level. You have to admit, he'd make a nice tandem with Knowshon Moreno. My move, though, might be to try to trade down, and enjoy some of the depth of this Draft. (I say try, because you can't always do it.) I am treading kind of lightly with this line of thinking, because I am a well-known believer that players are better than draft picks. (A player is a real asset, and a draft pick is a derivative asset; when you're needing to operate now, it's better to have a barrel of oil than a contract guaranteeing the delivery of a barrel of oil at a future date and price.)

To me, the Broncos could get back once or twice to #20 or so, and take someone like either Mike or Maurkice Pouncey from Florida, if they elect to enter the draft. (Incidentally, I think Florida is going to lose a bunch of underclassmen.) Both are 6-5 320-pound interior offensive linemen, and would fill what I think is the Broncos' biggest roster need. The overall point, though, is that it's good to be in the position the Broncos are in right now, with this pick coming in higher than their record would earn. For those who were sure the Broncos erred in trading their own pick rather than Chicago's, I'd hope they remember that you don't know how things are going to play out until they play out.

6. Bad news emerged for QB-needy teams yesterday that Washington junior Jake Locker will return for his senior season. It was not altogether unexpected, but I believe that Locker would have been the first QB selected, and maybe the number-1 overall pick. His talent as a thrower and runner is way ahead of the other guys in this class. The guy who benefits is Sam Bradford, because if he checks out healthy, his size and arm are both a bit better than Jimmy Clausen's. I, personally, am not in love with either guy. Bradford looks like a young Matt Hasselbeck to me, while a comparison for Clausen doesn't come to me so easily. Clausen is short, average athletically, looks like he needs to get a lot stronger, and has an average arm. He looks a bit like a young Drew Brees, before Drew worked so hard to become what he became. I am reluctant to make that comparison, but it's the best one I can come up with.

7. Retired for John Elway.

That's all I have for this week. We'll be back next Tuesday with more Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations. Until then, have a fantastic Raiders Week, and Go Broncos!

12/14/09 - Randy Being Randy

GrantC — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:31:49 -0000

More photos » by Lynne Sladky - AP

Randy's trying to decide if he wants to play or pack it in...

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Randy Moss - Sure we love having him on our fantasy team and he's not quite TO, but his time in New England is getting dangerously close to looking like his last season in Minnesota and that disaster in Oakland. While this may all blow over and be a couple of "misunderstandings", its a bit suspicious, especially for a guy with Randy's rep. The first issue where he was late to a team meeting and go sent home by Darth Hoodie, seemed like it actually could have been the result of a wicked NorEaster and not his fault - but to follow that up with a half-ass performance against a not-very-good Panthers team just seems a bit sketchy. Now the Pats version of Randy Moss should go out there and light it up the last few weeks of the season, get New England into the playoffs and be the hero (and probably carry quite a few fantasy owners to fantasy playoff bliss), but for right now he seems to be reverting to the same old Randy, and thats not a guy we want dragging our bench down.

Inside Key Penalties -- and Plays -- in Panthers loss to New England

Ryan Basen — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 04:01:25 -0000

More photos » by Charles Krupa - AP

Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith, here hauling in a touchdown pass in the first half, was flagged for two of nine Panthers penalties in Sunday's loss to New England. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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A Panthers team that had been one of the worst in the NFL in turnover differential (and the worst in giveaways) forced three Patriots turnovers without giving one back Sunday. Carolina also averaged 5.3 yards per rush and shut down Patriots star receiver Randy Moss.

Yet the Panthers lost, by 10, at New England. The main culprits, besides a stout New England running game: Nine Carolina penalties, including several at crucial times, and a couple key plays. Here is an inside look at the swing penalties and plays that cost the Panthers the game, and a chance to inch back into the NFC playoff race:

Situation: Second-and-10 Panthers, ball on Carolina 21. 7-0 Panthers lead. 14:47 to play in second quarter.

Formations: Carolina lined up with one back, a fullback right, a receiver wide left, a receiver in the right slot and a tight end wide right. New England used three linemen with two linebackers in the box, a defender showing blitz over left tackle and two corners in press coverage.

What happened: Tailback Jonathan Stewart ran up the middle for a loss of 1 yard. Receiver Steve Smith was called for holding and the Patriots accepted the penalty.

How it happened: The tight end, Jeff King, went in motion left and set in the right slot. Stewart took the handoff and had little running room, never making it back to the line of scrimmage. Smith was locked up on corner Leigh Bodden on the edge, away from the ball. He grabbed, held and tackled Bodden.

The result: The Panthers faced a second-and-20, a lot for their conservative offense to overcome. Two plays later they punted.

Situation: Third-and-3 Panthers, New England 35. 7-0 Panthers. 3:39 to play in second.

Formations: Carolina lined up with one back, a fullback left, two receivers in the right slot and a tight end left. New England used three linemen with two linebackers in the box, two linebackers showing blitz off the edge and two corners a few yards off the receivers.

What happened: Quarterback Matt Moore threw incomplete for the fullback, Brad Hoover.

How it happened: Smith, lined up in the slot, went in motion left and set in the left slot. A corner followed him. Moore faked a handoff to tailback DeAngelo Williams, who picked up a blitz from linebacker Tully Banta-Cain. But Banta-Cain got close to Moore, who threw low and behind Hoover in the left flat.

The result: Faced with a fourth-and-3 on the fringe of kicker John Kasay's range on a cold, wet day; Panthers coach John Fox could have attempted a 53-yard field goal, tried to pin New England on a punt or gone for the first down. The Panthers still had the lead. The Patriots offense had little life.

Fox called for the field goal, Kasay missed short and the Patriots took over at the Panthers 43. New England promptly scored the tying touchdown before halftime, in part because of the following play...

Situation: Second-and-4 Patriots, New England 48, 7-0 Panthers, 2:50 to play in second.

Formations: New England lined up with four receivers and one back. Carolina used four linemen, four defenders in press coverage on the receivers and one linebacker in the box.

What happened: Quarterback Tom Brady threw deep, incomplete for tight end Ben Watson. But Panthers linebacker James Anderson was called for pass interference, moving the Patriots 30 yards downfield.

How it happened: Watson lined up wide right and ran a streak down the right sideline. Anderson single-covered Watson and was in stride with him when the ball arrived. Both players dove and the ball fell incomplete. Television replays did not show if Anderson had interfered, but Fox's analysts did not agree with the call.

The result: New England had a first down at the Carolina 21. The Patriots scored on a Kevin Falk run five plays later.

Situation: Third-and-7 Panthers, New England 45, 7-7 tie, 10:08 to play in third quarter.

Formations: Carolina lined up with four receivers and one back. New England used four linemen with two linebackers in the box and five defensive backs off in zone coverage.

What happened: Moore connected with Smith for a 15-yard gain, but the Panthers were called for a 5-yard illegal shift penalty that negated the pass.

How it happened: Smith started wide right and went in motion towards the right slot. He settled behind the slot receiver but did not set before the snap.

The result: Instead of a first down at the 30 -- within Kasay's range -- the Panthers faced a third-and-12 at midfield. Following another illegal shift penalty and a third third-down play, the Panthers punted from the Patriots 42.

Situation: Second-and-1 New England, Carolina 36, 14-10 Patriots, 8:38 to play in fourth.

Formations: New England lined up with one back, and one receiver and one tight end on each side. Carolina used four linemen with three linebackers in the box and a corner in press coverage on receiver Wes Welker in the right slot.

What happened: Tailback Laurence Maroney ran right for 2 yards and a first down. The Panthers were also penalized 5 yards for illegal use of hands.

How it happened: Defensive tackle Nick Hayden got his hand in the face of a Patriots offensive lineman, drawing the penalty.

The result: New England had a first down at the Panthers 29, within field goal range. Four plays later the Patriots kicked a field goal to go ahead by 7.

Situation: Fourth-and-13 New England, Carolina 45, 17-10 Patriots, 4:30 to play in fourth.

Formations: Both teams lined up expecting a punt.

What happened: The Patriots punted the ball into the end zone for a touchback, but the Panthers were called for roughing the punter.

How it happened: Panthers defensive end Everette Brown rushed up the middle and attempted to block the punt. Brown missed the ball and rolled over the left leg of Patriots punter Chris Hanson.

The result: Instead of having the ball 80 yards away from the tying score, the Panthers had to send their defense back onto the field. To compound matters, New England was now in field goal range. Four plays later the Patriots kicked a field goal to go up by 10, with less than 4 minutes to play.

Game Recap: Patriots defeat Panthers, 20-10 and find new identity

MaPatsFan — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:57:10 -0000

More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP

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"We knew he was going to shut it down," Panthers cornerback Chris Gamble told me after the game. "That's what we wanted to do him. That's what we did. ... He'd just give up a lot ... Slow down, he's not going deep, not trying to run a route. You can tell, his body language." Gamble continued ... "I know everyone who plays against him, they can sense that. Once you get into him in the beginning of the game, he shuts it down a little bit."

Uhmm... Didn't Chris Gamble's team, like, LOSE?!? These are very tall words from a guy who contributed yet another L to his team's record. When he's watching the Patriots in January, maybe he can take solace in Randy Moss' bad day against the Panthers. Yeah, that's the ticket. Until then...SHUT.YOUR.PIE.HOLE!! My personal opinion? Moss doesn't dog it so much as change his speed and rhythm to throw DB's off. Did he have a rough day against the Panthers? Yep. How about Miami? Sure. But when you're the ONLY deep ball threat on a team, the opposition comes gunning for you. That's a lot of weight to carry on your shoulders. Doggin' it? Please...

It was an ugly win but a win none the less. Would I have preferred stellar, blowout, 2007-type play? You betcha. Would I have loved to see Moss connecting with Wonderboy on a long bomb or two? Sure. Is it going to happen this year? I don't think it will. So what do we have? What's going on that leads us to a glimmer of hope for the current incarnation of the New England Patriots?

I wrote at the beginning of training camp that I was so tired of all the hoopla surrounding Tom Brady's return. I was so sick of the ESPN/SI/Whatever... lovefest that I wanted to vomit. Every rival blogger I corresponded with would ask me what I thought and my catch phrase was, "Cautiously optimistic." The media billed the return of Tom Brady as the Return of the King (my guess is the Hobbits were named Wes and Julian, but I digress). Bleh. In reality, this is a team that for the first 2/3 of the season struggled to be a 2007 incarnation of itself. The difference? There were many, but I'll give you 2: Jabbar Gaffney and Donte Stallworth.

Neither of them is a stellar receiver, but they were lethal as #3 and #4 guys. Put Moss, Welker, Gaffney, and Stallworth on the field and you likely witnessed grown men on the opposition soiling themselves. Technically, it's called "spreading the field". I called it a freakin' JSF aerial assault. The biggest threat today? Well, other than Wes Welker, who's making a case for the best wide receiver of 2009, you have ~~special teamer~~ Sam Aiken and rookie Julian "Broken Forearm" Edelman. Hmm... What could be wrong, what could be wrong?

I had every intention of writing a full fledged game recap with stats and play-by-play analysis and things and stuff, but my ADHD brain got in the way (did you know the third of an Aminor is a C?). Where was I... Recap, things, stuff... Oh Yeah! This is a team that has struggled all year to find its identity. The absolute "broadside of a barn" misses with Greg Lewis and Joey Galloway cost us dearly. The loss of veteran RB Fred Taylor cost us dearly. Playcalling lost its creativity. I truly felt like this team was a ship without a rudder. Until this past Sunday, that is. No, I'm not delusional enough think the ship has been righted, but I do think they're beginning to find their way. Why? Read on, my captivated friends.

For most of the season, we have complained this team can't finish a game. They wrack up a crapload of points in the first half and then fizzle out in the second. We've seen it time and time again in big games against the Colts and Dolphins, to name a few. And it was true. Our New England Patriots seemed to have ZERO staying power. This past Sunday, however, I saw something that gave me hope. It was a running game. Bill Belichick has finally realized that his passing attack is not what it used to be, that Tom Brady bombs to Randy Moss are not going to work. So he put Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, and Kevin Faulk to work. They ate turf, they fought, they grinded to the tune of 187 yards and 1 TD. Finally, coach Belichick didn't abandon the running game. Oh, and did I mention TE Benjamin Watson scored the other TD? I have been whining that Brady needs to find Watson more often and gets the ball to him for 6. Coach? Call me anytime. Keep it coming, would be my advice.

Only time will tell, but I think they're finally finding their identity. They're abandoning 2007 and facing the cold, hard reality of what they have to work with. Let's hear it for the 2009 Patriots!!!

Recap Week Fourteen: Colts 28 - Broncos 16

BigBlueShoe — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:14:13 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

4 days ago: Indianapolis Colts offensive tackle Ryan Diem (71) celebrates with a fan after Indianapolis defeated the Denver Broncos, 28-16 in an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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When the game was over, after the players exchanged pleasantries, the coaches shook hands at midfield, and the media did their round of post-game interviews and pontifications, Colts owner Jim Irsay gathered the team in the locket room and asked them to do something they probably hadn't done all season: Reflect.

Sunday's win over the very resilient Denver Broncos was the Indianapolis Colts 22nd straight regular season win, breaking a record held by the arch-nemesis of this franchise: The New England Patriots. The win also gave the Colts more victories in one decade than any other team in NFL history. Consider these outstanding, absolutely mind-boggling accomplishments, and then recall (or reflect, if you will) in your own minds the days of Jeff George, Eric Dickerson, Mike Pagel, George Wonsley, and Art Schlichter. Recall the 1-15 team from 1991, which scored a total (A TOTAL!) of 13 touchdowns for the entire season. Recall the 3-13 1997 team, which saw the Colts start the season 0-10. For all you old-time Colts fans, I know these names and these years are still pretty sharp in that noddle upstairs. So, when you look back on those years, and then look at what these Colts this decade have accomplished...

... yeah, I get why Jimmy Irsay wanted his guys to reflect a bit. Colts head coach Jim Caldwell summed it up well:

When you can go 22 straight in this league, that’s an accomplishment. That’s difficult to do. Obviously, it’s built on the shoulders of several guys who aren’t even in that locker room. There were some guys last year who were on the team that weren’t part of it this year. But, never the less, they built a cornerstone. [Former Colts head coach] Tony [Dungy] included in that group. When you look at the 113, now 114 victories in a decade, that’s a lot of wins, and a lot of guys took part in that.

For such a key, historical victory to come at home against a worthy opponent like the Broncos makes the win all the more special. Yes, many people will talk more about Brandon Marshall's historic day catching the football (21 catches, 200 yards, 2 TDs). People will talk about Peyton Manning throwing 3 INTs. It's how things go. Press and other media enjoy focusing more on individual accomplishments than on what a team does collectively.

For us, we will look at this win from the historical perspective. We will look at this win and how it will define this team, and this franchise moving forward. For while it did place the Colts into the upper pantheon of great NFL franchises of all time, more critical for the here-and-now is that the win locked up homefield throughout the AFC Playoffs. It created a first round bye, which is so very critical now that the Colts are injured and need some guys to get back healthy.

It also pushed the Colts record to 13-0 (same record as the currently undefeated Saints), making this the first time in 89 years of the NFL that two teams have entered the mid-December point of the season undefeated.

(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

The game itself was like so many Colts games this season: A tale of two different sets of quarters. In the first and fourth quarters, the Colts dominated the Broncos. In the second and third, its was the other way around.

However, consistently throughout the entire game, the Colts defense was there making big plays to secure the victory. During a post-game recap will Colts radio announcer Bob Lamey, Colts President Bill Polian likened this game's defensive effort, intensity, and execution to the Baltimore Ravens playoff game the Colts won back in the 2006 playoffs. Jim Caldwell, who was with the Colts during that playoff game as an assistant coach, took it one step further:

"I'm not certain I've seen a better defensive effort than what our guys put forth today," Colts coach Jim Caldwell said. "They were very, very tough."

One of the key areas of weakness for this Colts team over the years was not red zone defense or limiting big plays, which is what Indy did to Denver's offense all afternoon. The weakness was short yardage, and allowing the opponent to convert on critical third and fourth down plays. In 2009, this new Colts defense, coached by former-Broncos assistant Larry Coyer, seems to excel when a critical stop is needed.

Despite Brandon Marshall's near-Herculean effort to catch anything and everything thrown at him, the Broncos never led in this game. The closest they ever got was five points, and that was in the fourth quarter. On two drives in the first half, the Colts defense stoned the Broncos on fourth down, including a very key fourth down stuff of Knowshon Moreno on the Colts 41 yard line. The Broncos went for it early on fourth down because the score was 14-0 Colts, and Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels didn't seem to have a lot of early faith in his defense.

(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

The Broncos would go for it again on fourth down; this time in the second quarter in Colts territory at the 45 yard line. Once again, they were stuffed.

In the second half, the Broncos clawed their way back into the game due in part to three second half INTs thrown by Peyton Manning. Granted, two of the INTs were off deflections. So, killing Manning for those seems a bit excessive. Regardless, prior to today, the Colts were 0-11 when Peyton Manning throw three or more INTs in a game.

The Broncos, however, were unable to capitalize fully on the Mannng INTs. One amazing stat that rarely gets discussed: The Colts have yet to surrender a TD off a turnover all season long. That stat alone is likely why this Colts team is 13-0.

Josh McDaniels maximized his team's offensive sets by isolating Brandon Marshall on the Colts new fan whipping boy, Tim Jennings. Jennings was playing because of a hamstring injury Jerraud Powers sustained earlier in the game. To Jennings' credit, he played and fought hard. He even got the better of the Denver offense by snagging an INT off Kyle Orton, who was clearly picking on him all game long. But, the reality is the Broncos wanted to isolate the 6'2 Marshall on the 5'8 Jennings, and it worked (somewhat) for them.

Tim Jennings (23) struggled against Brandon Marshall

(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

However, while a lot of people want to bash Jennings, the reality is for a player of his talent, he played very well. Marshall grabbed 21 footballs out of the sky, but not one reception was what is often called a "big gain." Sure, some were for key first downs. Two were for short touchdowns. But, none were for 50-yard TD strikes, which is what Denver needed if they were to have any hope of taking the lead in that game.

Down 21-0, playing a methodical, move-the-chains kind of game is not going to help you gain the lead. You need to score, and score quickly. Obviously, you don't want to panic, but taking nearly two and a half quarters to score 16 points is not going to help you beat a team like the Colts. By keeping all of the Broncos offense "in front of them," so to speak, the Colts defense was able to provide the offense a cushion of recovery, as they seemed to have fallen asleep during the third quarter.

When the fourth quarter rolled around, after the defense had contained Denver much of the day, Indy's offense woke up. They went on their seemingly patented, opponent throttling drives: 14 plays, 80 yards, consuming 7:19 of clock, culminating in a one-yard TD pass from Manning to Dallas Clark, who had three TDs on the day. The final drive iced the game, which concluded with yet another fourth down stop by the Colts defense.

(AP Photo/AJ Mast)

This game, probably more so than any other this season, summed up well these "new Colts." Teams in the past, perhaps even the stellar championship team of 2006, likely could not overcome a 3 INT performance by Manning, who also had 4 touchdowns on the day, I might add. These "new Colts" absolutely stoned the Broncos rushing attack, limiting them to 3.2 yards rushing for the game. Meanwhile, Joseph Addai continued to impress, averaging 4.2 a rush, while Mike Hart showed why he will likely get more playing time as this team moves closer to post-season play. On the foot-to-the-throat drive to ice the game, Hart made several key runs to move the chains and gain first downs. This kind of running was hard, physical, punishing running; the kind of stuff we don't often see from Donald Brown or Joseph Addai.

Credit goes out to the Denver Broncos, who never quit despite being down 21-0 early. We've seen a lot of teams quit this season. Heck, we likely saw Randy Moss quit on his team just yesterday. The Broncos didn't quit. Moocho respect for that. Hats off to their fan community at Mile High Report.

The Colts now enter the silly time, where the next three game have absolutely no meaning whatsoever. With so many players likely injured, and with the next opponent, the Jacksonville Jaguars, scheduled for this Thursday night, it might not be possible for the Colts to "rest starters" as they prepare for post-season play.

But, there is plenty of time to discuss options on what they should do moving forward. Right now, we savor the win. We savor the history. We savor the greatness that is Indianapolis Colts football. Colts owner Jim Irsay says it best:

"The way we are around here, we love to win," Colts owner Jim Irsay said. "To have that type of greatness, it's something that's unprecedented. When you think about 20, 30, 80 years from now, people will be referring back to you, it's really special."

Go Colts!

Quick Recap: Patriots defeat Panthers, 20-10

MaPatsFan — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:09:18 -0000

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A W is a W, however ugly it is. Randy Moss was essentially non-existant with drops more often than not. Maybe we can count him as productive as a blocker or decoy - who knows. All I know is Wes Welker is an absolute rock star. 10 receptions for 105 yards puts him over 100 receptions for the year...and he missed 2 games this season.

Offensively, I was happy to see us mix the run and the pass. Laurence Maroney with 94 yards and Kevin Faulk with 58 simply chewed up the clock and kept Carolina off balance. Defensively, things look a bit better. The defensive backfield had some nice blocked passes.

This game, overall, was too close. We needed some key Carolina penalties to keep the game going. Against a team with better fundamentals, it would've been a different story.