Super Bowl XLIV was seen by 106 million people, supplanting the final episode of “M*A*S*H” as the most-watched program in the history of television.
It’s a heck of a time to have a bad day. And I’m not just talking about creators of those crappy, $2.7 million-a-pop commercials (OK, the “Casual Friday” commercial did get a giggle).
While much was made about how cool it was for the Saints to win the Super Bowl and all, the other story of the day was much more interesting to the cynical media – tearing down the Peyton Manning idol they had spent two weeks of good ink and megabytes constructing.
You can only spend so much time talking about Dwight Freeney’s ankle ligament, so the other natural storyline as the day leading up to The Big Game (sorry, I only paid the NFL enough right’s fees for one super reference) centered around Peyton Manning’s place on the Mt. Olympus of quarterbacks.
Had Manning passed Johnny Unitas on the list of all-time Colt quarterbacks? (By the way, did anyone notice that David Letterman was rockin’ the Art Donovan No. 70 Colts jersey in his commercial with Oprah Winfrey and Jay Leno? Lesson to the rest of those commercial creator whiz-kids out there: Less is more.)
Would Manning’s second Super Bowl, when added to four, count ‘em, four MVP Award put him above Tom Brady’s three rings at the controls of Bill Belichick’s machine? Given his total command of the Indy offense, would he be on his way to nudging even Joe Montana and his four rings off his perch?
But then a funny thing happened on the way to immortality. Not only did the Saints make the Manning look mortal in rolling to the first title in franchise history, but the man himself made the big boo-boo, turning what appeared to be the game-tying drive into a deciding pick-six with an uncharacteristically poor throw.
Suddenly, the comparisons changed from Joe Montana to Jim Kelly, from Tom Brady to Tony Romo. Monday, the talk was the same as it was before Super Bowl XLI – Peyton can’t win the big one, and only a great defensive effort from the Colts three years ago keeps his ring finger filled.
Tennessee didn’t win a national title until he left. He couldn’t beat the Patriots in the playoffs. A 14-2 season and a conference title ends empty and unfulfilled.
Of course, Manning didn’t give up 24 points. He didn’t botch an on-side kick that turned the momentum of the game. He didn’t drop a touchdown pass or decide to let a 51-year-old kicker try a 51-yard field goal.
He did, however, make the big mistake, the one that put the game out of reach and sent his standing on the all-time list tumbling like the Dow. And the he’s had some of his poorest throws on some of the biggest stages in his career.
But let’s not go too far here. Manning is the Colts. Without him, they don’t get a sniff at a Super Bowl, win or lose. Three years ago, he got there with Marvin Harrison and Edgerrin James. This year, it was Reggie Wayne and Joseph Addai. To watch him come to the line of scrimmage with an open mind and wait for the defense to dictate his course of action is a throwback to the days before quarterbacks were the product of their system and staffs.
Win or lose, he’s fun to watch. Win or lose, he’s the story. And that alone should tell you how good he is.
He had 36 points and 11 rebounds in Houston, and the Suns won.
He had 25 points and 12 rebounds in New Orleans, and the Suns won.
He had 20 points and 17 boards in Denver, and Phoenix won in a boat race.
There is no denying that the Suns are a better basketball team by leaps and bounds when Amar’e Stoudemire leaps and rebounds. But the fact that he doesn’t always feel the need to do either is the reason why a week of stellar performances by Stoudemire and a grand road trip by the Suns shouldn’t sway management in whatever decision will be made by the February 18 trading deadline.
When Amar’e rebounds, the Suns aren’t always starting their offense by taking the ball out of the opposing basket. When Amar’e rebounds, Channing Frye works at center and his 3-point abilities open the floor for Steve Nash and – yes—Amar’e to confound opposing defenses. When Amar’e rebounds, the Suns are the third- or fourth-best team in the West with homecourt in the first round of the playoffs.
But here’s the thing. Amar’e doesn’t always rebounds And now in his eighth season, there is no reason to believe that he will ever do so, or learn to play more than pedestrian defense on a consistent basis.
If Stoudemire’s one-rebound effort against Dallas last week in 27 minutes was an isolated incident, an off-night or just a night when he wasn’t feeling it, the Suns could deal with it. Alvin Gentry never would have sent him to the bench to watch the fourth quarter. Lou Amundson never would have been on the floor instead of a perfectly healthy starter in next week’s All-Star Game.
But it’s not that simple. In each of the previous four games, Stoudemire had exactly five rebounds. Gentry was fed up. Something had to give. And it’s happened before – in November, he went 11 straight games with eight boards or less. And while he’s going to Dallas in the bogus position of starting center for the Western Conference, Stoudemire’s every-day job description – power forward – doesn’t aptly describe him either. He’s a power scorer on offense and a small forward on the other end.
He’s a talent and he should be well-compensated. But after microfracture surgery that is now three years old and major eye surgery on his medical chart, giving Stoudemire a long-term deal and insuring that he’s the fulcrum of your team for another half-decade doesn’t feel right to the Suns, and it shouldn’t.
Stoudemire has made it clear that anything less than maximum money isn’t on his radar. His posturing this week that he’s leaning toward exercising his $17.7 million player option is more fair warning than free speaking. If you trade for me, you’d better be ready to pay me.
It’s too bad. Stoudemire has already proven, time and again, that he’s no shrinking violet when it comes to hard work. He made himself into a top-10 draft pick. He beat out more established players for Rookie of the Year. He played out of position, initially against his wishes, to turn the Suns into a powerhouse. He turned a weak point, his jump shot, into a weapon that still confounds opponents. He had an injury and surgery that has proven to be a death sentence for many across the board in sports, only to come back better than ever.
But for Stoudemire to be truly great, maximum great, investable, take-up-20-million-of-a-53-million-payroll great, he has to rebound consistently and be good enough defensively to (a) stay out of foul trouble and (b) not be a liability in the final minutes of a game.
The Suns probably won’t get equal value. They might sink back into lottery draft position in the embarrassing position of not earning their first-round pick. They might see Stoudemire become the next Pau Gasol – the missing piece to a championship puzzle on a team that doesn’t ask him to do more than one thing well.
But while he’s had a magnificent week, the Stoudemire the Suns need him to be still isn’t here often enough. And seeing him make another cameo visit should only make Phoenix more frustrated – and resolved to do the right thing.
Oh great. Just when it seemed rational people were poised to listen to reason on the topic of burying the Pro Bowl, it sells out in Miami and gets a decent rating on ESPN, insuring that we’re probably stuck with this thing messing up the lead up to the Super Bowl for years to come.
I know some people like the Pro Bowl. Goodness gracious, I know people who bet on the Pro Bowl – granted, they have serious problems and would have been betting each other on Grammys categories if the game hadn’t been on.
The NHL midseason game – cancelled this year due to the Vancouver Olympics, but likely heading to Phoenix in 2011, is a glorified game of shinny. This year’s NBA game would have included Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson and Gilbert Arenas if the fans had their way. Baseball’s Midseason Classic is now defined by two words: Bud Selig. Ugh.
But no All-Star Game is as truly worthless as the Pro Bowl, which really serves no purpose. It’s less popular than the draft, less interesting than a John Madden Ace Hardware commercial and is avoided like the plague by every player with a “legitimate” excuse.
There were 34 players on the field Sunday that weren’t voted onto the original rosters. It was amazing how close we were to having JaMarcus Russell under center for the AFC.
You can’t blitz. You’d better not tackle anyone hard or even think about hitting a quarterback. Any second I was expecting someone from the old “Battle of the Network Stars” show to come running on the field with a tug-o-war rope and two hotties in striped tank tops to settle the game once and for all.
Without even the carrot of an all-expense-paid trip to Hawaii now removed from consideration, Pro Bowl status is now officially something you (1) work hard all year to attain and (2) once named, work hard for three weeks to get out of. I heard one player was actually considering applying for jury duty in order to back out.
Of course, we now know there is another way out, thanks to Vikings offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie. You can just fly down to the game, party all night on South Beach, Twitter about your exploits (the same medium McKinnie regularly uses to speak about frequent trips to gentleman’s clubs) and just plain not show up for practices, team photos or anything else that might get in the way of a good time.
Because McKinnie didn’t get booted until late in the week, it was too late for a replacement to be called in (if there was anyone left to call) and the NFC’s starting tackles, the New York Giants’ Dave Diehl and Philadelphia’s Jason Peters, had to play every single snap.
Think those guys will be back next year?
The NFL will never turn down a chance to jump up and down, scream “Look At Us!” and sell a few more jerseys to the masses. Because, let’s face it, it’s not like they aren’t rich and powerful already.
But if we’re going to have this game, let’s spice things up a little.
Let’s throw a few players from the Lingerie Bowl on each team. Like Peyton Manning, the girls who play on Super Sunday would be excused from playing in the Pro Bowl but would be required to stand on the sidelines as eye candy.
Instead of these dopey red and blue uniforms, let’s have each team dress like a team from a football movie. This year could have been the Burt Reynolds/Mean Machine garb from “The Longest Yard” against the Mac Davis/Nick Nolte North Dallas Bulls from “North Dallas Forty.”
Late hits on punters and kickers are not only allowed, but encouraged. (OK, that one’s just for me.) Employing this rule would help the rampant absenteeism that comes along with the honor of being named a Pro Bowler. I mean, who doesn’t want a free shot at a vulnerable punter?
A few of the XFL rules weren’t half bad. Once a year, let’s bring back the game-opening fight for the ball. And while we’re at it, since it’s a night game let’s bring back the day-glow footballs they used to use under the lights in the 1950s.
Of course, the best idea is to strap dynamite to the Pro Bowl and push down on the plunger. Or actually let JaMarcus Russell play. If that doesn’t kill it, nothing will.
The Coyotes get on national television about as often as they make the playoffs. But Tuesday’s incredible 5-4 comeback win in Detroit shown coast-to-coast on Versus might go a long way toward both happening again in the near future.
Finally, someone outside of the Valley was talking about the Coyotes on the ice instead of their future off of it. Down 4-2 with less than two minutes to play, Phoenix rallied to tie the games on goals by Keith Yandle and Ed Jovanovski before captain Shane Doan capped a four-point night with the game-winner in overtime.
Call it “The Motown Miracle,” but it was the perfect way to show hockey fans far and wide that this team simply doesn’t quit. The Coyotes stay the course, stick to Coach Dave Tippett’s simple but effective system and, for the most part, understand they aren’t talented enough to survive any other way.
The Coyotes backed up the win by beating Calgary — this time in a shootout – and at 31-18-5, reached the 67-point mark in 54 games, the quickest in the 30-year history of the Winnipeg/Phoenix franchise. That’s not a lucky streak. That’s consistency.
There are still 28 games to play – and for Phoenix, 19 of them are on the road. There is still plenty of time for them to implode, and their lack of offensive depth leaves them vulnerable to even a limited bout with the injury bug.
Leading scorer Scottie Upshall was helped off the ice Thursday night with what appeared to be a right knee injury that had team personnel concerned afterward.
But signs persist that this team is for real. The Coyotes are 24-2-2 when they score first – even after blowing a 2-0 lead to the Flames. Yandle, as exciting a young defenseman as this franchise as had in a long time, has three goals in the last two games and the Phoenix defensemen have potted 32 goals – more than any other blueline in the NHL. More than Washington. More than San Jose. More than Chicago. Not bad.
The Coyotes have survived a month-long slump by goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, who carried the team for three months before hitting the wall in January. He’s showing signs of a rebound over the last week and Phoenix can’t afford a relapse.
Of course, it’s a different story up front. Upshall leads the team with 18 goals, but he’s not the kind of offensive force that can be counted on consistently. Radim Vrbata is streaky and Shane Doan is coming on after a miserable first half offensively. After that, the Phoenix forwards are a collection of plumbers with a good work ethic but a limited scoring ceiling.
The trading deadline is just after the Olympic break. If the new owners from Ice Edge are interested in endearing themselves to the fan base, instead of sending out questionnaires on the quality of the parking and restrooms, they should address the glaring weakness of this team and give it a fighting chance down the stretch.
There is plenty of talent on the farm to entice sellers at the trade deadline. And then there is Peter Mueller, who despite his obvious offensive skills has shown no signs of repeating his 22-goal rookie season of 2007-08. How good would a veteran scorer like Carolina’s Ray Whitney or Toronto’s Alexei Ponikarovsky look on a wing or on the power play?
As constructed, the Coyotes have squeezed the maximum out of their abilities and continue to push ahead. Is that enough for the new ownership, or are they ready to offer some assistance?…
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Word is out not only that the Suns are fielding all offers for Amar’e Stoudemire, but the asking price isn’t all that high. Stoudemire isn’t helping matters by tanking his way through the last weeks with no interest whatsoever in improving his market value.
Thursday against Dallas, Stoudemire had exactly one rebound in the first three quarters – a follow of his own missed shot. That’s 27 minutes on the floor without a defensive rebound even bouncing into his hands by mistake. He was rewarded by watching the entire fourth quarter from the bench as the Suns reserves pulled out a win over the Mavericks.
Stoudemire said he was happy for his teammates. Coach Alvin Gentry said nothing should be read into the fact that his All-Star starter was a cheerleader for the final 12 minutes. Umm, OK.
So it’s time to part ways. But in waiting and waiting and waiting to deal Stoudemire, the Suns have painted themselves in the corner. Fingers are crossed that another team looking to dump salary bails them out – a team like Philadelphia, who might part with Andre Igoudala or take another team’s salary headache in return for one or more draft picks to replace the ill-fated Kurt Thomas deal from the summer of 2007.
Much like Shawn Marion, the Suns have determined — and quite correctly — that Stoudemire isn’t worth a max contract. But he won’t be allowed to walk away. Unfortunately, the Marion-Shaquille O’Neal deal might look like a winner compared to what comes back in a deal for Stoudemire.
Even without Stoudemire, the Suns’ goal will be to make the playoffs. The last thing they want is to be in the lottery — without a draft pick. And in five years of covering the Suns on a day-to-day basis, the best Phoenix team I saw was in 2006-07, when Stoudemire sat out all but a few games following mircrofracture surgery while the Suns reached the conference finals. There are those in the front office who think a similar addition by subtraction might help again.
The Suns have already traded away Joe Johnson for nothing (Boris Diaw begat Jason Richardson… I rest my case), Thomas for nothing, Marion for nothing (OK, a few Shaq sound bytes).
A trade might make sense. But can the Suns really afford to send Stoudemire packing in the name of finances and expect the on-court product to survive? Is there a Memphis out there available to fleece, or does Phoenix’s track record of buying high and selling low preclude anything but another backward step?
Of all the wild plays that helped send the New Orleans Saints to the Super Bowl Sunday, it’s the one most likely to slip from memory – but the one that, in the end, was the most costly to the Minnesota Vikings.
With a third-and-10 at the Saints 33-yard line with 19 seconds left in the fourth quarter, all the Vikings had to do was plow a few yards closer with Adrian Peterson, call their final timeout and send dependable veteran kicker Ryan Longwell on the field for a game-winning field goal attempt.
But coming out of a timeout, with plenty of time to prepare, the Vikings were caught with 12 men in their huddle. And because they had just called time, they couldn’t fix the blunder by calling another one. Those five yards moved Longwell out of range and forced Brett Favre into his favorite, but most lethal position – needing to drop back and make a play when the defense knows what’s coming.
You can take it from there. The game is now in Favre’s hands and … ka-boom!
Mr. Hero passes up gaining the yards back by running and, perish the though, sliding before taking yet another hit — for his patented running, across-his-body, fingers-crossed fling into the middle of the field. It pretty much writes itself from there.
The Vikings lose the coin flip, never see the ball again and the ghost of Fran Tarkenton and Bud Grant lives for yet another year.
“We went from our advantage –where we were going to run it and try and stuff it up in there for another two or three yards and then have a timeout and kick the field goal — to we basically almost have to pick up a first down type situation,” Vikings lineman Steve Hutchinson told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. “Mistakes like that on the road will bite you obviously.”
Bite? How about disintegrate? How about annihilate? Player No. 12, welcome to infamy.
“We just had a fullback in there and we changed up and broke the huddle with 12,” coach Brad Childress said. “I thought we slipped up there.” Um, yeah coach. Custer slipped up too.
Of course, even if the penalty hadn’t happened, woebegone Vikings fans will tell you Longwell would have come up short – or wide left or right – just like Gary Anderson missed his chip-shot clincher in the 1998 NFC title game or someone would have pushed off like Drew Pearson in 1975 and ripped out their Nordic hearts anyhow…
And while we’re on the subject, is it really necessary for FOX to pan to the pained, hands-covered face of Deanna Favre every time her husband had to be peeled off the Superdome turf like Silly Putty on Sunday?
“Wow, Brett really got hit on that play … and as you see, his wife is quite concerned.”
I think we’ve had enough of Mrs. Favre. They’ve been married for two decades, and I don’t think it’s just dawning on the better half that, hey, those guys are trying to hurt Brett!
And while we’re at it, we’ve had enough of Brenda Warner – who apparently will decide this week if Kurt’s going to be allowed to play anymore. Why don’t we get a shot of Mrs. Blitzing Linebacker, reveling in the blindside hit that just folded up someone else’s man like a “to-go” box?
Be prepared for two weeks of chatter about how, now that the Colts have reached the Super Bowl, management ruined Indy’s chance at the first perfect 19-0 season in league history by resting players and basically giving away the final two games of the regular season.
Would it have been cool? Sure. But watching the Colts dismantle the Ravens and Jets in the playoffs vindicates the decision. History always remembers the Super Bowl champion, and the Colts were tanned, rested and ready for playoff battle thanks to plenty of rest for the postseason.
Except for champagne dealers in South Florida, the perfect season is so much window dressing. Would the Patriots have traded a regular season loss in 2007 for a win over the Giants in Glendale and another ring? I think all those Colts season ticket holders who howled and moaned when the locals retreated against the Jets in Week 16 now have a handle on the big picture.
As for Jets fans – you know who you are and, since we’re not deaf, so do we – let’s get real here. Did you really think you were going into Indy and win again with Peyton Manning playing the WHOLE game? There was no Norv Turner around to lend a helping hand to Rex Ryan and the boys this time. ..
By the way, don’t buy all this stuff about the NFL rooting for certain teams and certain storylines for the Super Bowl. The NBA and Major League Baseball might fret over having the right cities and stories, but none of that matters in football.
Yesterday, about a third of all televisions in America were tuned into the Minnesota-New Orleans game. Last year, the Arizona-Pittsburgh Super Bowl – a so-so sell from a story standpoint – was the highest-rated Super Bowl ever. This sport is so big and that game is so woven into our DNA that the teams and the tumult hardly matters…
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The Suns made the right call by sending Leandro Barbosa to surgery for the painful cyst on his right wrist. Of course, it would have been an even better idea if he could have taken care of his wrist – which has been bothering him since training camp – during the month he missed with a sprained ankle in December. Barbosa is a notoriously slow healer, and now he’s in the midst of his second extended absence of the season.
Makes you wonder if the Suns aren’t ready give up on more than Barbosa at this point – making the Amar’e Stoudemire trade rumors that are starting to waft to the surface more and more believable. Management has to know the Suns are much closer to the team they’ve seen the last 25 games as opposed to the first 20, and is a lower-tier playoff team in the West. This could be their last chance to get something of value for Stoudemire – since he’s expected to opt out of his contract and the Suns are unlikely to give him a long-term deal anywhere near max money…
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Watching ASU give up 52 points to Arizona in the second half sure puts a hurt on that nationally-ranked Sun Devil defense. But when you miss that many shots, you’re giving the other team so many possessions. It’s too bad – the Devils had people’s attention and a stage to win a big game Saturday, and never gave themselves a chance.
The Cardinals are done for the season after a tough time in the Big Easy. The Suns are losing by 20 to teams that used to beat them once a decade. Ilya Bryzgalov has come back to Earth and the Coyotes are finding it hard to adjust to the atmosphere.
Looking for a team that deserves your respect and attention in this dark patch of Valley sports? Cast your eyes on Tempe, where Herb Sendek’s ASU Sun Devils – a year after losing James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph to the pros and earmarked for a struggle to earn NIT consideration – have won four straight and sit atop the balanced, albeit extremely mediocre, Pac-10 heading into Saturday’s home game with Arizona.
Two weeks ago, the Devils scored only 37 points in a road loss at USC and, at 0-2 in the Pac-10, appeared ready for a long winter after a decent non-conference showing. But a surprising sweep of the Washington schools at home was followed by an impressive road sweep in Oregon.
OK, so, leading this Pac-10 is a little like being valedictorian of summer school – granted. But leading the nation in scoring defense (54.68 points per game) with a group of overachievers is proof that Sendek is coaching his little bald head off and his charges have embraced ugly ball as a pin-up girl beautiful.
That isn’t a fluky stat. Since going 8-22 with Rob Evans’ leftovers in 2006-07, ASU is 60-28 under Sendek and have allowed 60.3 points per game over that two-plus year span.
The Devils rely on the 3-ball too much and the lack of a go-to offensive player will be a problem all season. And the Pac-10 is so tightly bunched that one weird weekend can turn the entire thing upside-down.
But if you are sick and tired of watching the Suns give up one uncontested shot after another, you can count on the Devils bringing the defensive heat every night…
* I see where Dallas linebacker Keith Brooking is pretty upset with those rude, insensitive Minnesota Vikings for running up the score in the final minutes of their NFC Divisional Playoff game Sunday.
He even went so far as to approach the Vikings bench – apparently the only people in purple Brooking could get close enough to speak to – and voice his displeasure over the matter. He sounded off again in the dressing room, questioning the audacity of the Vikings to score an additional touchdown with the game already out of reach.
Brooking found some sympathy for his case from Fox’s Joe Buck, who openly questioned the Vikings for their decision to fake a handoff (!) and score to make it a 34-3 game.
Of course, the Cowboys had scored 34 points and routed the Eagles the week before, but, Dallas didn’t score in the fourth quarter – apparently in an attempt to pay homage to brave souls of Philadelphia, since they represented a fourth of all Dallas wins this season.
“As Lou Holtz used to say,” Vikings coach Brad Childress said, “ ‘It’s our job to score points and it’s their job to stop us from scoring points.’ ”
If the Vikings really wanted to stick it to Dallas, they could have taken a knee, flipped the ball over the line of scrimmage and said “Here you go fellas, we don’t need it.”
* I have to question Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry’s decision to bench starters Channing Frye and Jason Richardson for Monday’s loss to Memphis.
Well, not exactly the decision. No one in the league deserved a brow beating more than these two guys. Their offense has nosedived while their defense, which had nowhere to go but up, has remained consistently absent.
It’s the timing of the move that makes no sense. The Grizzlies are on their best run in years – the win was their ninth straight at home – and Memphis had throttled the Suns by 25 in Phoenix last month. Rearranging the decks chairs on the Titanic wasn’t going to make that much difference.
If you’re a baseball team, you hold a team meeting right before your ace takes the hill. If you’re a football team, you circle the wagons right before the bye week. The Suns have the 3-37 New Jersey Nets waiting for them as they open a three-game homestand on Wednesday. The Nets are 1-20 on the road — that’s the closest thing in the NBA you get to a bye week. What better time to send 40 percent of your starting lineup to the pine?
* What has happened to Bryzgalov. At the end of December, the guy had a 2.01 goals-against average and was looked upon by many as not only a Vezina Trophy candidate, but an MVP candidate around the league. The Coyotes were allowing 2.25 goals a game and frustrating teams into submission.
But Phoenix has allowed at least three goals in nine straight games, four or more in six of them and was all but helpless in a 7-2 loss to Buffalo Monday.
Bryzgalov merely waved at the three goals that fluttered past him before he was pulled after only 24 minutes. The zone pressure and forecheck that coach Dave Tippett hangs his coaching hat on has disappeared, and suddenly the Coyotes are in a scoring contest with opponents.
Phoenix is 3-4-2 over the last nine – and lucky to have been that well off. The only saving grace is that Bryzgalov might yet get some time off during the Olympics if anyone from the Russian Federation is paying attention.
“Let’s not sugarcoat this, it’s troubling,” said Tippett, whose demeanor suggests he must have been a high school assistant principal in another life, said after Monday’s beatdown. “You think you’re pretty good … that was a good wake-up call if we thought we were pretty good.”
I’m not sure if the Cardinals can win Saturday, but here are a few ways to improve their chances:
Sit Anquan Boldin no matter how he says he’s feeling. There is no way Boldin will be anywhere near 100 percent for this game less than two weeks after suffering a high ankle sprain. And if you remember the first few weeks of the season – when he played through injuries and was obviously not himself – the Arizona offense struggled in a few games and did catch fire until Boldin was closer to normal. How much better can the Arizona passing game get than it was last week? I’m not saying Early Doucet is a better that Boldin, but he’s better than a 70 percent Boldin who might be out of the game the first time he really tests the injury or takes a hit. Not having Boldin will also remind the Cardinals that they must run the ball against the Saints defense, which struggles in that area.
Don’t forget about Tim Hightower. Beanie Wells is very talented and a threat when he touches the ball. But Hightower’s straight-ahead, battering ram style of running should also be effective this week. He’s not just a goal line back. He and Wells should get 25-plus carries this week and Hightower should get a third of them.
Another quick start is essential: No one is expecting 17-0 or 31-10, but the Cardinals can’t spot this team 10 points early. The Cardinals have had a lot of good first quarters this season, and if they can do it Saturday the Saints will have to take a step back from the blitzing, aggressive pass defense they like to play and go with something more standard – which plays right into Kurt Warner’s hot hands.
Arizona is playing with house money from here. Anyone who didn’t think the season was a success before last week (and I’m part of that group) can’t deny that label after such an incredible win at home. About as many people expect them to beat the Saints on the road expected them to beat Carolina on the road last January. And you can’t have a better springboard than the Packer game.
Remember, the Saints haven’t been here before: Well, they’ve been here, they just haven’t won. Arizona has more playoff wins in the last 12 months (four) than the Saints have in their entire history (two). And the Sean Payton/Drew Brees version of the Saints has something to prove after slumping in the final month of the season. If the Cardinals can get some early pressure defensively and even force an early turnover, the Saints might start to panic – as might a packed Superdome.
Special teams and special plays: The Cardinals need to control the field position with Ben Graham’s inside-the-15 game, and they need LaRod Stephens-Howling to keep them in decent position with good kickoff returns. Even though Neil Rackers botched the big kick against Green Bay, he has a big leg that is usually accurate and he’s been in pressure spots before. Young Garrett Hartley has a big leg too, but this is his first playoff game in a season that has included a drug suspension and only 11 field goal attempts. And he missed a chip shot of his own against Tampa Bay that would have won a game, so pressure may not be his pal.
OK, enough stalling. Prediction time:
Chargers 27, Jets 13: I thought the Jets were good enough to win one playoff game, but no more. Playing the Chargers at home cinches that. San Diego is primed and ready and they are going to score. The Jets have been a good story this year and they could well be a force down the road with their youth, but the Chargers have been unstoppable since ironing out their early-season troubles.
Colts 21, Ravens 13: The Colts have won seven straight over the Ravens, including two this season, but they have also gagged in their first home playoff game after a bye week three straight times. As good as the Ravens were last week, I don’t see them winning this one. The Colts have a lot to prove to people after tanking the final two games and Peyton Manning always seems to have the tonic for Ray Lewis and his boys.
Cowboys 24, Vikings 21: I keep going back to the Minnesota team we saw here in Glendale in December and the way the Cardinals exposed their defense. I see the Cowboys doing some of the same things and also being able to contain Adrian Peterson. That put the game in the hands of Brett Favre, who had never beaten the Cowboys in the postseason – although the last time they met was during the Clinton Administration.
Let’s see that would put Dallas in the NFC title game against …
Cardinals 33, Saints 31: The Saints are scary good. They are rested, they are playing at home and they watched the Cardinals throw the kitchen sink at the Packers defense last week.
So why am I picking Arizona? I just have a feeling the Saints won’t be able to dial up their best fastball after a month of sputtering, and blitzing Kurt Warner can come back to haunt you. I feel the least confident about this pick, but I do think it’s anyone’s ballgame in the NFC, and last year’s Carolina game earns the Big Red the nod. Anyone for five Drew Brees picks?
Hey, all four mascots of the teams I picked start with the letter “C.” Coincidence?
Well I was right about one thing (although by the looks of my picks over the weekend, not much else).
The Green Bay Packers might well have been the best the NFC had to offer this January. They were all that and a bag of pork rinds – with a block of cheese to boot. And even though I find Aaron Rodgers to be the arrogant equivalent of Philip Rivers, the guy can flat-out sling the pig.
But, even though they will be running the video of Michael Adams grabbing Rodgers’ facemask from now until August, the Packers are dead. The fat lady has sung – although in Wisconsin, you have no problem rounding up an entire choir – and from here, the conference is wide open with four first-rate offenses still in the running for Miami.
And your Arizona Cardinals, despite being the fourth seed and the only team incapable of hosting the NFC title game, have just as good a kick at the can as anyone in the derby.
Well …
So long as Kurt Warner ends the game with more touchdown passes (five) than incomplete passes (four) again.
So long as Anquan Boldin stays off the field, giving the Big Red a change to improve their 6-1 record without him.
So long as Michael Adams builds on the big play he made Sunday and forgets the two dozen he didn’t make over the previous four hours – and as long as Karlos Dansby keeps covering his impish rear end with game-changing plays.
So long as Neil Rackers isn’t put in the position of making a chip-shot field goal to win another game (Why was ol’ No.1 hurrying out as the last guy on the field before he yanked that 34-yarder toward Avondale? What else does he have to do just then other than end the most exciting playoff game in years?)
The Saints are a good team. Their offense is fantastic. However, not only did New Orleans lose its last three games, it didn’t look particularly good winning the two before that. That takes us back to Thanksgiving week to find an effort worthy of winning a playoff game – and the Saints don’t exactly have a long and storied history of playoff success (two wins in franchise history).
They will be favored. They should be favored. But their defense isn’t nearly as good as the Packers, especially against the run. And if the Cardinals can put up another 120-yard-plus effort on the ground, the scoreboards are in for another stress test.
The other NFC game is just as wide open. The Cowboys got the postseason curse off their backs – although a fourth of their wins this season are now against the Eagles – and go to Minnesota with every chance of repeating the Cardinals’ script from last year and hosting an NFC title game – if Arizona cooperates.
What the latest up north? Are Brett Favre and Brad Childress talking this week? Will Brett give the ball to Adrian Peterson now and then? Think Brett was watching the Jets advance in the playoffs Saturday? The Vikings looked great in their season-ending win over the Giants, but the G-Men had packed it in so completely by then, an intrasquad game might have brought more resistance.
We’ll wait a few days for predictions. And after a 1-3 effort last week, I’m sure you can wait too…
—–
Enjoyed watching Charles Barkley read off cue cards on “Saturday Night Live,” but there was no seminal Chuck-Punches-Barney moment like his first go-round. Peyton Manning’s title as best SNL athlete/host seems safe for years.
As it should be, Mark McGwire will get a second chance from the public now that he’s admitted to taking steroids (and from what we’re hearing, HGH, helium and whatever else was out there). But the fact is, McGwire made this admission a few weeks after getting about as many Hall of Fame votes as I got, and a few weeks before starting his new job as hitting coach of the Cardinals – where he would have been hounded daily and in every city until he finally told his story. Give him credit though: At least he doesn’t have a new book coming out.
“I know what you’re thinking. ‘Did he fire six shots or only five?’ Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you’ve got to ask yourself a question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?”
The preceding quotation comes from:
A. A scene from the Clint Eastwood movie “Dirty Harry.” B. A script from the TV series “Law And Order” C. A “players only” meeting in the Washington Wizards locker room.
Some professional sports stars are afforded the luxury of an extra stall in the team locker room. Barry Bonds used it to install a recliner and wide-screen television for his own personal use. Steve Nash uses his to store fan mail, extra shoes, and various awards and citations bestowed upon him.
Gilbert Arenas uses his as a gun rack.
Should we expect anything else from Agent Zero, who has picked up, or is it re-loaded, the torch for Latrell Sprewell as the NBA’s most talented yet mercurial star? (No, I really think he has Ron Artest beat). Should we expect anything less from a franchise that used to be called the Bullets? Did everyone miss “Bring Your Guns To Work Day?” While we all punch the clock, Gilbert is loading his Glock.
Sure enough, a gambling argument ensues with a teammate (wow, a new nominee for “Best Places to Work,” or what?) and before you know it, we’ve got a gun club on our hands.
Arenas, who is the early stages of a $111 million contract for which he’s given the Wizards nothing but DNP’s and headaches, has been playing with guns for years. His first league suspension was for an unregistered weapon way back in 2003 when he was just a second-round pick trying to impress people and, apparently, only had one gun.
But with a new baby at home, Agent Zero correctly deduced that guns weren’t a good mix. So where to put them, where to put them?
A safety deposit box? Can’t play with them there.
A storage facility? Can’t play with them there.
The Wizards locker room – where everyone can see his cool collection?
Bingo! And just like that, a clear leader for this year’s Jayson Williams Award recognizing the combination of gunpowder and stupidity steps forward.
Agent Zero knew he was in trouble with the league and appeared to get it when he apologized for his actions and promised “to do better.” A day later, he was on the court “shooting” his teammates with the international finger signs for loaded weaponry – allowing himself to begin serving his impending suspension, post-haste.
Gilbert, you now have some time on your hands. Instead of blogging and tweeting the first thing that wanders into your head, think about your next move…
—–
I’m getting a lot of emails from Cardinal fans accusing me of jumping off the bandwagon this week. But as much as I’d love to see another Super Bowl run out of the Big Red, I think this playoff push comes to a quick end Sunday.
First, the Packers are good. They are a Hail Mary pass by the Steelers – and some bad coaching by Green Bay – from coming to Arizona with an eight-game winning streak. Aaron Rodgers and his receivers are that good and this team is talented up and down the roster.
And while I think the Cardinals are – player-for-player – even better than last year, the stars that aligned for them last January appear to be conspiring against them:
Taking out Anquan Boldin – who has his annual playoff injury – the Cardinals are much more beat-up this year. And not just the people who were hurt last week (Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie, Calais Campbell, etc.) but the guys who either aren’t coming back (Mike Gandy) or those now back but less than 100 percent (Neil Rackers).
How much would that first-round bye help right now?
Let’s call it Packers 31, Cardinals 20. Elsewhere on Wild Card Weekend:
Eagles 27, Cowboys 24: I should pick Dallas. They will probably win. They are better and they’ve already beaten the Eagles twice. Let’s just call it a macabre wish to keep Jerry Jones’ playoff drought intact – and an interest in seeing how Tony Romo will blow it THIS time.
Patriots 24, Ravens 10: The Pats saw a possible Super Bowl run go down with Wes Welker on Sunday, but the Ravens don’t have the kind of team to take them out.
Jets 20, Bengals 17: Could go either way, and the winner will only play for one more week anyhow. But something tells me the Bengals can’t just turn it on.
Seventeen weeks of rough-and-tumble football – well, to be honest, 15 weeks of football and two weeks of namby-pamby positioning ploys – are now in the books.
Wanna know how gamblers go broke? The Broncos were 6-0 and they didn’t make the playoffs. In fact, the Titans were 0-6 and finished with the same record (8-8) as the Broncos.
The Giants were 5-0 and missed the dance. The Steelers were 5-2 and defending Super Bowl champions, and they are sitting at home watching the Jets play this weekend. (That last one gives me personal satisfaction because I never knew how many Steeler fans there were in Arizona until they started winning again. At ease, frontrunners).
OK, back to the Dirty Dozen. As the Cardinals proved last year, anyone can win this turkey shoot from here, but let’s count down my view of the team from long shots to top dogs:
12. Jets – If this is about getting to the Super Bowl, the Jets come in last. I like their chances to beat the Bengals in the first round, but they don’t have a prayer of beating either the Colts – this time the real Colts – or the Chargers on the road. How funny that Brett Favre faded in December as a Jet last year, while rookie Mark Sanchez surged down the stretch. The Jets play good defense and that’s important in January, and I’m not so sure the Bengals have than much more that what they showed last week in The Meadowlands.
11. Bengals – Cincinnati gets into the playoffs every decade or so and seem pretty content in just being there. The Bengals have home-field advantage over the Jets and they have a good offense, but this isn’t a great matchup for them. I put them ahead of the Jets because if they happen to hold serve at home, they will give the Colts or Chargers more to think about in the second round.
10. Eagles – Losing to the Cowboys was bad in a lot of ways for the Eagles. They needed home field in the first round and they needed a psychological edge over a dysfunctional Cowboys team. But not only did the Eagles lose; they were whipped along the line of scrimmage and lost a key member of their offensive line (Jamaal Jackson) in the process. A week ago, I liked Philly to reach the NFC title game. Now I think they are one and done.
9. Cardinals – I could be dead wrong here and I hope I am because I’d like to see the locals extend the season a few weeks. I totally agree with Ken Whisenhunt’s decision to shut things down against the Packers last week – because his players have a track record of shutting it down themselves in meaningless games anyway. Why not cut out the middle man.?
But this is a bad matchup for the Big Red. And whether it was a preseason game in August or a meaningless one in December, Aaron Rodgers is a red-hot quarterback with tons of confidence playing in Glendale and I think he’ll be as good or better on Sunday. And if that happens and the Packers don’t turn the ball over, nothing Kurt Warner and his offense does will be able to overcome the Pack – my dark horse to reach the Super Bowl.
8. Ravens – I’m not even sure how the Ravens got into the playoffs in the first place. They lost to a Steelers team that was giving away wins as Christmas presents and that vaunted defense isn’t quite as good as days gone by. I know the Ravens won a Super Bowl with Trent Dilfer, but Joe Flacco would have to do a lot more to get this team to the promised land.
7. Patriots – Like the Eagles, I saw the Pats as a team that could have done some damage in the playoffs. But the loss of Wes Welker really limits the options for Tom Brady and this team can’t live by the long ball to Randy Moss alone. New England will win a round because they have been there before and know what to do, but that’s about it.
6. Cowboys – Dallas hasn’t won a playoff game since 1996. That was two years before Jake Plummer, Adrian Murrell and Lomas Brown beat the Cowpokes in Big D. That’s a looooong time, folks.
But the Eagles are hurting both physically and mentally and unless Dallas pulls a complete choke job on their home field – which they are certainly capable of doing – or unless Tony Romo hasn’t got that whole holding-for-the-kicker thing down pat, I think the streak will end. But I don’t see them putting together a playoff run either.
5. Saints – This was once a 13-0 team, but the Saints haven’t played a decent football game in over a month. A week of rest isn’t going to make any difference. If they wind up playing the Packers in the Superdome, someone had better be sitting next to owner Tom Benson to keep him from hugging his wife when they lose their fourth straight game and tank the season.
4. Colts – Indy received a ton of bad press for pulling back on the reins in Week 15 and 16, but they go into the playoffs healthy and are the smartest football team this side of New England. They have home field and they will at least reach the AFC Championship Game. But I think they are the second-most talented team in football – and the better team just happens to be the one that will keep them out of the Super Bowl.
3. Vikings – If you’ve paid attention to this logic, such as it is, Minnesota will host Green Bay in the NFC Championship Game. Oh, my goodness, how can you come up with a better matchup. The boys over at FOX will require drool cups and screens to keep the bugs out of their smiles. The Vikings swept both meetings during the regular season, but you know what they say about beating the same team three times in a row – and despite regrouping a bit against the Giants, the Vikings are still a team whose quarterback and head coach don’t see eye-to-eye.
2. Packers – I like Green Bay to get to the Super Bowl. Aaron Rodgers has 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The offensive line has worked out its early season kinks, and the defense is good enough and opportunistic enough to come up big in January. I’d like to pick them to win the whole deal, but there is one team that makes that impossible.
1. Chargers – Is this it, Bolts fans? Can you really win a Super Bowl with Norv Turner? He’s the only weak link, because on the field this team is really good. The Chargers are healthy, they’ve won 10 in a row they have been getting better as the season wears on. There isn’t another team that has caught the wave just right. I love their passing game. I love how they run the ball. Their defense is solid. If it wasn’t for the fact that (a) the Chargers haven’t ever gotten over the hump and (b) well, you know, Norv – I would crown their ass right now.
Jerry Brown is careening wildly toward his fourth decade covering Arizona sports, including a 19-year stint as beat writer and columnist for the East Valley Tribune. He has won more than a dozen state sportswriting awards that are carefully preserved next to the dog shampoo and extra Weed-eater fishing line in the garage of his smartly appointed Glendale home. His wife and two children correctly restrict his decorating tastes to a small office out of eyesight, and usually, earshot.
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Super Bowl XLIV was seen by 106 million people, supplanting the final episode of “M*A*S*H” as the most-watched program in the history of television.
He had 36 points and 11 rebounds in Houston, and the Suns won.
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