Stronger
Sorry for my lateness, you should just be glad that I showed up for this fake sh–, oh wait. I’m not Kanye West. Anyway, it’s been a hellish week and I had hoped to get out the TALB Wednesday morning. But it didn’t happen. Don’t expect picks before Friday either.
In football news, the Bucs won a game on paper, but not in reality. The Gators figured out how to win a tough SEC game. And the Bulls were not punished too harshly for a loss to an un-ranked team.
Fumbleiah
If you’ve ever doubted the veracity of the old football chestnut about turnovers and victory, look no further than the Bucs’ collision with the Lions. Consider these stats:
(Bucs first, then Lions)
Total Yards: 422, 278
Opp. 3rd Down Conversions: 37%, 57%
Time of Possession: 35:50, 24:10
All of that would lead you to believe that the Bucs had emerged victorious. But the only stat that matters, the final score, was 23-16 in favor of the Lions. The killer turnover being the Garcia fumble at the Detroit 1. A fumble that came after a fifteen play nearly seven-and-a-half minute drive covering 79 yards. A fumble that kept the Bucs from scoring (probably) a touchdown and narrowing the Lions’ lead to 16-14. Instead the ball was taken 93 yards the other way to seal the victory.
On the plus side, if you can call it that, Earnest Graham looked like a suitable replacement for Cadillac and Pittman. Mike Bennett didn’t look too shabby in limited work either. All might not be lost just yet. Of course, Jacksonville and their top-tier defense come to town next week.
The Trophy Game
All week the media billed the Florida-Kentucky collision as a Heisman elimination game. Too bad it wasn’t. Both Tebow and Woodson played like champions. If anything, the head-to-head victory put Tebow just slightly ahead. For whatever that’s worth. I wonder how many Heisman winners have played in the Independence Bowl. We might just get to see one this year.
Unless of course the Gators manage to run the table and bust through the SEC East logjam all the way to the Sugar Bowl. I seriously doubt that will happen though. Georgia might be suspect in places, but South Carolina and Vanderbilt can beat us. The Gators defense just isn’t any good. And they’re not improving. Basically, the Gators only hope is to be involved in shoot-outs for the rest of the season. If we have to rely on the defense to win games the only chance we’ll have to play in Atlanta is in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.
Still In The Game
I could go on about how Ray Rice shredded (for the the third time) the Bulls’ defense. But that’s not productive. What I do want to talk about is the restraint shown by the voters in their treatment of the Bulls. For the first part of the season we kept hearing such feel-good things about the Bulls. Then they cracked the Top 10, and the hyperbole went through the roof. Then the Bulls hit #2. And the world stopped. The Bulls? Number Two? Once the Bulls fell on Thursday night the haters came out of the woodwork. Based on what I read around the ‘Net Friday I expected the Bulls to end up around 15th at best. But they are still within flirting distance of the Top 10. And the way this season has gone, anything is possible.
But at 11 years old, just winning the Big East would be a big enough accomplishment. Getting blown-out by Ohio State or LSU in New Orleans would not have been such a great way to end your season Bulls fans. A competitive Sugar, Fiesta, or Orange Bowl would probably be much more satisfying.
Of course, you now have to root for Rutgers to lose a conference game. It sucks when you’ve lost your control of your own destiny.
Dammit!
One would think that if your fantasy quarterback puts up 43 points you’d be a winner, would you? But not in the BJFL. Nope. Brady’s 43 went along with everyone else’s nothing. Only Marion Barber managed to crack double digits. Including the aforementioned Bucs defense, which managed a paltry 3 points. Compared to the Angry Pirates and the Giants defense’s 24 point outing. I thought that with an 11 point lead going into Monday and Peyton Manning yet to play I’d probably lose. Then I saw that he was having an off (for him) game with around 200 yards and score. But that rushing TD did the trick. Pushing the Pirates to a 90-86 victory. And pushing the ‘Bones into second place.
There’s still a long way to go though. And it’s about getting into the playoffs.
Running Items
Plus One Bowl
LSU vs Arizona State
Super Bowl XLII
New England vs New York Giants
Yeah, I went there. I sure did. Casting the red-hot Giants as the Christians to the Patriots’ lions.
Next Week: Cocktail party? What cocktail party?
