Bah Humbug!
When things go against you, they really go against you. At least that’s how it felt watching the Bucs Saturday. But at least Fox had those neat-o graphics with jingle bells and a little tiny snow plow. College bowl festivities kick-off this evening, but TALB wonders if it should. The NFL playoffs are coming into focus, though most of the teams that were in the hunt last week remain contenders. Oh, and the Colts lost; which is probably the best thing that could happen to them all season.
Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad
Remember the week before this three game swing started? Remember how everyone said we’d be lucky to win 2 games; that we needed to win at least two of these games. Well, we won two. The Bucs are still in control of their playoff destiny. And the Panthers still have to face the Cowboys and Falcons. There is still hope we can win the division.
I don’t think I’ve seen the Bucs play a game where they just couldn’t catch a break in a very long time. Granted, the Bucs played terribly in the first half. But they basically stopped the Patriots in the second half. The offense just could not get moving against the Champs’ swarming defense. The blocking could have been better, but at points the Pats were just shedding the blockers and getting to Simms. Of course, it didn’t help that our normally sure handed receivers were dropping first downs left and right. The bottom line all afternoon was that the Patriots are playing great football again and the Bucs were making too many mistakes to even be competitive.
These sloppy mistakes are going to have to be fixed before the team heads into the playoffs. Otherwise, it could be another one-and-done post season.
Playoff Scenario
The Bucs can officially clinch a playoff spot this week. Presuming we win we only need for two of the following three teams to lose, Minnesota, Washington, or Dallas. Since Dallas plays at Carolina and we would also like the Panthers to lose that leaves us die hard Bucs fans rooting for the Giants (against Washington, Saturday 1 PM) and Baltimore (against the Vikes, Sunday 8:30 PM) to be victorious over the holiday weekend.
Spread Option
This week, the Gators secured one of their first recruits of the season. Jacksonville Nease quarterback Tim Tebow. Tim is a dual threat running quarterback from Jacksonville Nease High. Some would say he’s a lot like Alex Smith who was a star running Urban Meyer’s offense. Expect to see him under center for the 2007 season.
Another top player, WR Percy Harvin, announced his intention to sign with the Gators on Monday. For those that follow these things, the Gators could likely end up with the number one recruiting class in the nation. For whatever that’s worth.
Bowls Given The Business
Just in time for my big piece on the college bowl system, comes a story about how Tampa Bay area hotel operators are not happy about the Gators appearing in the Outback Bowl. That this is even a story is just sad. Yes, bowls are about money. But the big money, and the only money anyone really cares about is what is generated by the game itself. The bowl organizers need to fill the stadium, sell concessions and souvenirs, collect for parking, and get a TV deal. To do all that, they need good teams with big followings. If that means that few less hotel rooms are slept in or that the Fish Tank doesn’t get quite as many visitors so what; at least from the view of the bowl management. In some respects they have to be a little sensitive to the hospitality industry, but their needs are secondary to the needs of the game. Until the game’s bills are paid by hotel associations they need to shut their yaps and be thankful for whatever extra business is sent their way because of the game.
Which leads us to the other problem with college bowls; there are too many. If there were half as many bowls there would be no room for complaining by groups ancillary to the game. But since the Outback is seen as a solid “second tier” bowl people think that it should pick and choose among possible participants. Bowls are no longer rewards for doing well. They are damn near automatic for any team from a major conference who can beat six other Division I-A foes. What’s the point here? That by diluting the reward factor associated with bowls, the games themselves have now become just about the money. They’ve always been about money. But today they are pretty much ONLY about the money. The bowl organizers want to generate revenues for themselves. The teams want a big payday. The TV partners want to be able to charge a higher fee for commercials. And so on. And right here is where the hotel associations and visitors bureaus think they have the right to stick their noses into the discussion. It has become so absurd now. I can barely stand to be a part of it anymore.
I’ll get to a couple of thoughts about this in the King Of Football column in January.
The Bowl season kicks off tonight at 8 as the Southern Miss Golden Eagles take on the Indians of Arkansas State in the New Orleans Bowl.
They’re In A Better Place Now
The Colts lost. And it wasn’t as close as the score would lead to you believe. The Chargers had the Horsies on the ropes from the start and didn’t let up until the outcome was decided. And they did what everyone said had to be done to beat the Colts. They were physical, they harassed Manning, and they kept him off the field. The Chargers ran for 206 yards and held the ball for 9 minutes more than the Colts. Right there, 9 minutes, that’s a scoring drive or two for the Dungys.
But I think that the Colts will be happier now that they’ve lost. Sure it hurts right now. But the monkey is off their back. They can now rest the starters and not feel like they’ve left anything behind. They can get ready for the real reason they all started playing football all those years ago, going to and winning the Super Bowl.
NFL Playoff Outlook
Amazingly enough, only the Seahawks have clinched anything thus far in the NFC. The better teams in the league may be in the AFC, but there is better competition in the NFC.
NFC Locks
Seattle, Chicago, Carolina, New York, Tampa Bay
I think the Bucs’ kind of upset the apple cart a little with that loss to the Patriots, but I can’t see them losing to the Falcons or Saints in the next two weeks. The Seahawks have won ten straight and look strong going into the playoffs. Chicago beat the Falcons and may have just solidified their hold on the 2 seed. The Giants are running away with the East. The South will come down to the wire, but it’s now Carolina’s division to lose. Though TALB thinks that Dallas may rebound and beat the Panthers next week, giving the Bucs hope once again.
NFC Likely
Washington
The Skins are sitting at the 6 spot after the weekend’s action. And they just need to win out to get into the tournament.
NFC Maybe
Dallas, Atlanta, Minnesota
All three of these clubs lost over the weekend, hurting their chances immensely. Atlanta needs to beat the Bucs next week to keep their hopes alive. The Birds and the Vikings both have losses to the Bucs and Dallas, by virtue of Sunday’s drubbing, were swept by the Skins. So all three teams need losses above them in order to advance.
NFC Not So Much
Philadelphia, St. Louis, Arizona, Detroit, Green Bay, New Orleans, San Francisco
TALB’s NFC Projection
1. Seattle
2. Chicago
3. New York
4. Tampa Bay
5. Carolina
6. Washington
AFC Locks
Indianapolis, Denver, Cincinnati, New England, Jacksonville
Denver is likely to wrap up the division this weekend against Oakland. The Jags are entrenched as the top wild card with at least a full game up on everyone behind them and two winnable games to end the season (@HOU, TEN). The Champs sealed up their division by beating the Bucs. And the Colts have been in the playoffs since week eight at least. Then there’s the Bengals, the AFC North Champion Bengals.
AFC Likely
Pittsburgh
The six spot is their’s to lose right now. Just beat the Lions and Browns and it’s off to Cincy for the Wild Card round.
AFC Maybe
San Diego, Kansas City
These two meet this weekend, and the loser is out of the playoffs; even if not mathematically. But if Denver loses and San Diego wins; watch out, the Bolts would be one game back of Denver with a better division record. The two teams meet in week 17, which could be for the division. If Denver wins, then the Chargers have to also win out and hope that Pittsburgh stumbles against either the Lions or Browns.
Kansas City has a tougher road to hoe; as they need to win out (SD, CIN), and also that the Steelers need to lose to either Cleveland or Detroit.
AFC Not So Much
Miami, Cleveland, Baltimore, Buffalo, Oakland, Tennessee, New York, Houston
TALB’s AFC Projection
1. Indianapolis
2. Denver
3. Cincinnati
4. New England
5. Jacksonville
6. Pittsburgh
Slappied
The return of fantasy football to TALB. Though the graphic to the right was much funnier and relevant on Monday when I made it. See at that time the lowly Thunderers had a nice 73-60 lead on the Slappies. Then their only remaining player was Todd Heap of Baltimore, who was expected to notch maybe 3 to 5 points. Well, the kid exploded for 17 and produced a win for the Slapperators; who now enter the playoff tournament as the 3 seed. If I had won tho, our man Aaron (Big Gimmicks) would have slid on in to the bracket. And for that I had a ton of bewbie jokes. But, now, none for you.
Running Items
WTF?
The Cincinnati Bengals are your 2005 AFC North Division Champions. Yeah. The Bengals. What next? Your 2006 NFC Champion Detroit Lions?
Breath Of A Salesman
“The LeBrons”, what a weird set of ads.
Reverse Watch
During the Bucs-Pats collision, the play-by-play man called a couple of end arounds correctly, while the color man called them reverses. The game was called by what TALB thinks might be one of the top three NFL announcing teams, Dick Stockton and Daryl Johnston. Which makes this unexcusable. Even worse, it was the guy who most recently suited up for an NFL game, Johnston, who couldn’t tell the difference between a reverse and an end around.
Grated Cheese
Back in Week 5, the Packers ran up the score against the wayward New Orleans Saints. The Cheesy Ones were passing from the shotgun well after the outcome was decided. After last night’s game, TMQ might say, “The football gods chortled”. The Pack was humiliated 48-3 by the Ravens in front of a (theoretically) national television audience. At least the Beaner allowed the coaching staff to get a look at his potential successor as Aaron Rodgers played QB in the second half.
I bet MNF wishes it had flexible scheduling now eh? I’m sure they would much rather have aired Colts-Chargers, Bucs-Pats, or Giants-Chiefs than this Ravens-Packers woofer.
Rose Bowl
Retired for the season.
Super Bowl
Colts vs. Seahawks
For the first time all season the Colts’ lock on this spot looks a little shaky. For the last few weeks we’ve heard lots of talk about how, in theory, you can beat the Colts. Well, now there’s game film of a team doing everything right. And there are teams like the Patriots and Chargers in the AFC bracket that can play the right kind of game to beat the Horsies. If the Chargers make the tournament, I’ll have to re-evaluate this pick. Or if the Colts manage to lose again. I don’t know that the Chargers could win three road games and make the Bowl, but they could win two and maybe knock off the Colts in the Divisional round should they meet. And then the Patriots are back to their 2003-04 form and with a first round home playoff game could come into the divisional round feeling very confident.
King Of Football
As always, feel free to submit your entry for TALB’s King Of Football 2006. It will appear during the off week between the NFL conference championships and the Super Bowl (January 31).
Next Week: Mike Vick and the Vickettes come to town. And have a happy holiday one and all.
