I just won the Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs over the San Francisco 49ers on the Nintendo game Tecmo Super Bowl. I got off to a great start in the first quarter and was able to respond to each effort by the 49ers to make a comeback. Great game capping a great season.
The Chiefs got into the Super Bowl with some week 17 magic. A win over the Raiders that week put them at 8-8, good enough for a tie with the Raiders. Luckily, the Chiefs held the tie-breaker and won the AFC West. An improbable run through the playoffs which included handling Peyton Manning and the Colts ensued. That, along with the aforementioned victory over the 49ers, and the team that could barely squeak out a .500 winning percentage in the regular season was your Super Bowl champion.
Was this Chiefs Tecmo Super Bowl squad the worst championship team ever?
The Packers v. Bears game this Sunday pits a team with a premier QB, arguably the NFL's best wide receivers, as well as a solid defense fueled by front-runner for Defensive POY at linebacker versus a team with an inconsistent QB, average skill players, and a solid defense fueled by a great, but aging linebacker. The sentiment shared by many is that the Packers are just playing too well to lose this game and are the favorite to represent the NFC in the upcoming Super Bowl. I personally think that Green Bay is in for a dogfight. An early loss to the Bears as well as the more recent week 17, 10-3 victory over the Bears, who, that latter game had nothing to play for an rested many of their starters, are not facts that scream an easy Packers victory. Other aspects working in Chicago's favor is that Green Bay was not spectacular on the road this season and the sloppy playing surface at Solider Field which may slow down the Packers' receivers. I still am going to pick the Packers in this game but have no expectation that the game will approach anything like unto the blowout in Atlanta last week.
So, what if Chicago wins, are they the worst Super Bowl team ever?
In all actuality, a Chicago win may not even implicate them as the worst Bears team to play in the Super Bowl. The 2006 squad led by Rex Grossman may even be worse than this years. I digress. Regardless, the 2010 Bears would be an underwhelming Super Bowl participant. They lean heavily on their defense and special teams to win games, and just hope their offense will not cough up the ball. Shaky, inconsistent quarterback play, average wide-receivers, an offensive line that has struggled at times to protect Jay Cutler. These are attributes not normally associated with potential Super Bowl teams. Nevertheless, I do not think you can neglect giving Chicago credit for getting where they are, even if it included a win over the only NFL team in history to get into the playoffs with a losing record. They worked within the same system as every other NFL team.
Let us pause for a moment and talk about the playoffs.
This is what you get when you use a playoff system--unpredictable results. Would I rank the Chicago Bears in the top 4 of NFL teams this year? Not even close. If given a vote, my top four would look something like New England, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore. There is not voting in the NFL. Like the Seahawks exhibited so excellently this year, you don't have to win a lot of games, you just have to win enough. There was no computer ranking system that was combined with voter-built polls to determine which two teams would play for the championship and which teams would get the consolation prize. New England v. Atlanta in the Super Bowl Championship Series Championship game presented by Ford Motor Company. Pittsburgh and Baltimore, #3 and #4 respectively, would play in the Heinz Ketchup Bowl. Green Bay would be pitted against New Orleans for the (insert sponsor) Bowl. Can you imagine this happening? Of course not. The idea would be ridiculous beyond all measure. Yet, every year it happens in College Football.
I understand that there are stark differences between College Football and the NFL. The NFL draws from 32 teams, while college draws from 115+. The athletes are different. The game is different. The principle of competition is the same, win. In the NFL, you just need to win enough games. In college football, you have to win all of your games. I am no advocate for opening the flood gates and giving all schools access to the college football championship. I do like the idea of a playoff. For me, eight schools is the most that should be included in a college football playoff. The idea of the "plus one" format intrigues me as well, in which a championship game is played between the top two teams after all of the BCS games have been completed. To me, these ideas make sense. Give all of those teams who, by their record, have shown that they are the best in college football a fair shot at proving it.
Chicago, though underwhelming, is a product of the playoff system. Their fans started this season with low expectations. After winning a few games, the division, and then a playoff game, they are now on the doorstep of the biggest game of the year. They were not voted into this position. They played themselves into it. No 6-5 college football team deserves a shot at the championship. An 11-1 team in the top 5 with something to prove probably does deserve that shot.
Thank you to all who stuck with me through this post. Expect more rants like this, but also, hopefully, more succinct and shorter posts.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Some Quick Hits from the Divisional Round
Packers v. Falcons
I do not think anyone saw that coming. The most logical prediction was a close game decided by 3 or so points, with the victor being the team that committed the fewest mistakes. The Atlanta Falcons were known for taking care of the football. Aaron Rodgers had been pegged to play the role of the one who would make that crucial mistake. That all came crashing down on Saturday with the Falcons committing an astounding 4 turnovers and Rodgers playing, in his words, "the game of [his] life."
This game begs the question: is Rodgers an elite quarterback in the same class as Brady, Manning, Brees, and (I hesitate to write his name) Roethlisberger? When comparing bodies of work, Rodgers does not yet come close to the aforementioned signal callers. Nevertheless, Saturday proved a lot. It was a game on the road, against the best team in the NFC led by a quarterback, Matt Ryan, who has an impressive home record. Rodgers torched the Falcons defense, eluding tacklers, hitting receivers in tight spots and even running for a touchdown. I do not feel that the gravity of this win can be understated. Even though the number-one seed has a history of losing to the number-six seed in the divisional round, the ease with which Rodgers and the Packers accomplished it sets this game apart. This was not mere lack of preparation by the Falcons, this was a game in which one player, Rodgers, owned the stadium. He ran the show with the Packer defense playing back-up. For Rodgers to be in the conversation of the elite quarterbacks of the league, he needs to lead his team to the Super Bowl. Win the Super Bowl, and there is no question where he belongs.
Packers - 21 Bears - 10
Seattle v. Chicago
Seattle's win over New Orleans was fantastic. It had all the drama that NFL Films needed to produce a classic, including the clinching play that came from nowhere, namely Marshawn Lynch's run. Despite this, I found it hard to consider Seattle a "cinderella" team. After that win over the Saints, Seattle still sat at 8-9. The loss to Chicago is only surprising because the Bears managed to put up so many points. I have found it difficult to buy in to the Bears this year and their victory over Seattle did nothing to convince me otherwise. Nevertheless, as long as that defense plays like they have been and the offense does not screw it up, they should have a good chance to get back to the Super Bowl.
In AFC news, after having a day to digest the Patriots/Jets game, a couple of thoughts have been stewing in my brain. First, the Patriots have seemed to become the team of the regular season. It is a shame because during their dynastic reign you could always count on New England being involved in a great playoff game of two each season. Tom Brady still has a few years left of top-tier play and Belichek will not be going anywhere so they have a chance to prove me wrong. Second, I wonder if Mark Sanchez's career is following the Roethlisberger path. Big Ben's success was always perceived (correctly or incorrectly) as the product of a solid running-game and a punishing defense. Eventually, clutch play with the game on the line was added to his perceived resume. Now, he is generally seen as a good QB who can win games on his own. Sanchez, in his second year, has led his team to the AFC championship twice. His success is seen as the product of a good running game and defense. Sanchez will have another chance to prove himself this week against Big Ben and the Steelers.
I do not think anyone saw that coming. The most logical prediction was a close game decided by 3 or so points, with the victor being the team that committed the fewest mistakes. The Atlanta Falcons were known for taking care of the football. Aaron Rodgers had been pegged to play the role of the one who would make that crucial mistake. That all came crashing down on Saturday with the Falcons committing an astounding 4 turnovers and Rodgers playing, in his words, "the game of [his] life."
This game begs the question: is Rodgers an elite quarterback in the same class as Brady, Manning, Brees, and (I hesitate to write his name) Roethlisberger? When comparing bodies of work, Rodgers does not yet come close to the aforementioned signal callers. Nevertheless, Saturday proved a lot. It was a game on the road, against the best team in the NFC led by a quarterback, Matt Ryan, who has an impressive home record. Rodgers torched the Falcons defense, eluding tacklers, hitting receivers in tight spots and even running for a touchdown. I do not feel that the gravity of this win can be understated. Even though the number-one seed has a history of losing to the number-six seed in the divisional round, the ease with which Rodgers and the Packers accomplished it sets this game apart. This was not mere lack of preparation by the Falcons, this was a game in which one player, Rodgers, owned the stadium. He ran the show with the Packer defense playing back-up. For Rodgers to be in the conversation of the elite quarterbacks of the league, he needs to lead his team to the Super Bowl. Win the Super Bowl, and there is no question where he belongs.
Packers - 21 Bears - 10
Seattle v. Chicago
Seattle's win over New Orleans was fantastic. It had all the drama that NFL Films needed to produce a classic, including the clinching play that came from nowhere, namely Marshawn Lynch's run. Despite this, I found it hard to consider Seattle a "cinderella" team. After that win over the Saints, Seattle still sat at 8-9. The loss to Chicago is only surprising because the Bears managed to put up so many points. I have found it difficult to buy in to the Bears this year and their victory over Seattle did nothing to convince me otherwise. Nevertheless, as long as that defense plays like they have been and the offense does not screw it up, they should have a good chance to get back to the Super Bowl.
In AFC news, after having a day to digest the Patriots/Jets game, a couple of thoughts have been stewing in my brain. First, the Patriots have seemed to become the team of the regular season. It is a shame because during their dynastic reign you could always count on New England being involved in a great playoff game of two each season. Tom Brady still has a few years left of top-tier play and Belichek will not be going anywhere so they have a chance to prove me wrong. Second, I wonder if Mark Sanchez's career is following the Roethlisberger path. Big Ben's success was always perceived (correctly or incorrectly) as the product of a solid running-game and a punishing defense. Eventually, clutch play with the game on the line was added to his perceived resume. Now, he is generally seen as a good QB who can win games on his own. Sanchez, in his second year, has led his team to the AFC championship twice. His success is seen as the product of a good running game and defense. Sanchez will have another chance to prove himself this week against Big Ben and the Steelers.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Norm Chow and Tim Davis to Utah
Though not confirmed yet, the rumor, first reported by Tom Dienhart of rivals.com is that Utah is expected to hire Norm Chow and Tim Davis as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, respectively.
When I first heard the rumor by way of a telephone call from my cousin, I did not believe it. Two months ago (probably as we were watching Utah get humiliated by TCU at home) my brother first put the possibility of Norm Chow coming to Utah into my head. Indeed, each time in the next couple of months that we watched Utah's offense sputter we would bring it up again. It seemed like a pipe dream even though, in our minds, it was a move that made sense for both parties. For Utah, they would an experienced and talented offensive mind that in addition to that, understands the PAC-12. Chow would bring knowledge of how to prepare for each PAC-12 team that no one on Utah's staff has. For Chow, it would be a chance to settle a few scores (and I would like to thank my brother for pointing the following out to me). At BYU in the late 90s, it seemed logical that Chow would have some role in BYU's football program after the departure of legendary coach LaVell Edwards. It did not turn out that way and his departure from BYU turned out to be somewhat bitter. While at USC, Chow interviewed for the Stanford head coaching job but was not given the position. A three-year stint with the Tennessee Titans of the NFL followed. In 2008, Chow arrived at UCLA with Rick Neuheisel to be the offensive coordinator. Three years, average to awful offenses, and unmet expectations have been the norm under the Neuheisel regime and Chow has been set up as a scapegoat. With Neuheisel's heart set upon instilling the pistol offense and Chow being in favor of a pro-style, QB-under-center type of system, heads have butted and it just has not worked out. Now, it appears that Chow will be released from that position. Coming to Utah, Chow would have a chance to show at least three schools in the PAC-12 what they missed on. Now, I am hesitant to label Norm Chow as one who is interested in settling scores or getting the last laugh but at Utah he would get this opportunity regardless.
For the most part, I can see nothing negative about this hiring. Any unfounded fear that Chow is washed up is calmed by the fact that a washed up Norm Chow is much better than the offensive staff that Utah currently employs. I would also add that a washed up Norm Chow is better than Utah's previous (and highly underrated and unappreciated in his time here) offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig. Ludwig's last year was 2008, which of course was the year that Utah went undefeated, capping it off with a BCS beatdown of Alabama. In the PAC-12, Utah has attained automatic-qualifying status, which makes the route to returning to that 2008 pinnacle much more clear: be the PAC-12 champion. Chow's experience will help in every regard. I personally do no feel that Chow is washed up. The struggles of UCLA can be attributed at least in part to lack of cohesion on the coaching staff. Add UCLA's goal of implementing the pistol offense as well. Chow has made a living on producing NFL-ready quarterbacks that played from under-center and became proficient in throwing the ball. The pistol offense has the quarterback almost exclusively in a shotgun formation.
In my view the worst case scenario is that Norm Chow throws his weight around too much at Utah, disrupts the coaching chemistry and is fired in a year or two. The most likely scenario is that Chow comes in, provides Utah with invaluable help in adjusting to life in the PAC-12, trains a young offensive staff, presides over some quality offenses and in a few years moves on. The best-case scenario: Chow gets back to his old ways, implements a new offensive system at Utah, and after 2-3 years in the program starts churning out NFL-caliber QBs and high powered offenses and helps vault Utah to the upper-echelon of the PAC-12.
Also, the hiring of Tim Davis cannot be understated. The offensive coordinator will get all the publicity but at the heart of every good offense is a solid offensive line.
When I first heard the rumor by way of a telephone call from my cousin, I did not believe it. Two months ago (probably as we were watching Utah get humiliated by TCU at home) my brother first put the possibility of Norm Chow coming to Utah into my head. Indeed, each time in the next couple of months that we watched Utah's offense sputter we would bring it up again. It seemed like a pipe dream even though, in our minds, it was a move that made sense for both parties. For Utah, they would an experienced and talented offensive mind that in addition to that, understands the PAC-12. Chow would bring knowledge of how to prepare for each PAC-12 team that no one on Utah's staff has. For Chow, it would be a chance to settle a few scores (and I would like to thank my brother for pointing the following out to me). At BYU in the late 90s, it seemed logical that Chow would have some role in BYU's football program after the departure of legendary coach LaVell Edwards. It did not turn out that way and his departure from BYU turned out to be somewhat bitter. While at USC, Chow interviewed for the Stanford head coaching job but was not given the position. A three-year stint with the Tennessee Titans of the NFL followed. In 2008, Chow arrived at UCLA with Rick Neuheisel to be the offensive coordinator. Three years, average to awful offenses, and unmet expectations have been the norm under the Neuheisel regime and Chow has been set up as a scapegoat. With Neuheisel's heart set upon instilling the pistol offense and Chow being in favor of a pro-style, QB-under-center type of system, heads have butted and it just has not worked out. Now, it appears that Chow will be released from that position. Coming to Utah, Chow would have a chance to show at least three schools in the PAC-12 what they missed on. Now, I am hesitant to label Norm Chow as one who is interested in settling scores or getting the last laugh but at Utah he would get this opportunity regardless.
For the most part, I can see nothing negative about this hiring. Any unfounded fear that Chow is washed up is calmed by the fact that a washed up Norm Chow is much better than the offensive staff that Utah currently employs. I would also add that a washed up Norm Chow is better than Utah's previous (and highly underrated and unappreciated in his time here) offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig. Ludwig's last year was 2008, which of course was the year that Utah went undefeated, capping it off with a BCS beatdown of Alabama. In the PAC-12, Utah has attained automatic-qualifying status, which makes the route to returning to that 2008 pinnacle much more clear: be the PAC-12 champion. Chow's experience will help in every regard. I personally do no feel that Chow is washed up. The struggles of UCLA can be attributed at least in part to lack of cohesion on the coaching staff. Add UCLA's goal of implementing the pistol offense as well. Chow has made a living on producing NFL-ready quarterbacks that played from under-center and became proficient in throwing the ball. The pistol offense has the quarterback almost exclusively in a shotgun formation.
In my view the worst case scenario is that Norm Chow throws his weight around too much at Utah, disrupts the coaching chemistry and is fired in a year or two. The most likely scenario is that Chow comes in, provides Utah with invaluable help in adjusting to life in the PAC-12, trains a young offensive staff, presides over some quality offenses and in a few years moves on. The best-case scenario: Chow gets back to his old ways, implements a new offensive system at Utah, and after 2-3 years in the program starts churning out NFL-caliber QBs and high powered offenses and helps vault Utah to the upper-echelon of the PAC-12.
Also, the hiring of Tim Davis cannot be understated. The offensive coordinator will get all the publicity but at the heart of every good offense is a solid offensive line.
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