Reid Fischer's World of Rants

Looking at the sports world through orange colored glasses

Schottenheimer anyone?

Posted by mizzou1028 on January 21, 2008

I never thought I would utter the following phrase as a die hard Broncos fan, but I am livid that the San Diego Chargers didn’t win today (which says how much I can’t stand the Patriots but that’s another matter).   They literally handed the AFC Championship Game to New England on a silver platter.  For starters, they ended up with field goals on three seperate trips inside the 10 yard line, which is unacceptable in any game let alone on the road against the best team in the league.  On the last of those drives they wasted a valuable second half timeout to come up with a draw play on 3rd & 1.  It seemed as though the Chargers suddenly went tentative once they got inside the red zone.  That’s 12 points they left on the board right there.  Conversely, the Patriots coverted three of their four red zone opportunities for touchdowns, rather than having to settle for field goals.  Then, their kickoffs and punts were terrible all game long.  What is the one thing you don’t want to give Tom Brady especially on the road?  That would be excellent starting field position.  Routinely, the Patriots fielded kickoffs that didn’t even reach the 20 yard line, resulting in terrific field position.  Conversely, the Patriots kickoffs were much better, and didn’t give San Diego great field position to begin drives.  In spite of all that, the Chargers still were within striking distance, down 21-12 with just under 10 minutes to go.  Facing a 4th & 10 at the New England 35, they could have chosen to try a long field goal or even go for it to try and stay in the game.  No, instead the coaching “genius” Norv Turner (insert your own sarcasm comment here) elects to punt the ball, and the game, away.  The Chargers only “gained” roughly 20 yards on the punt, and they never saw the ball again, as the Patriots enegineered an impressive drive to put the game away.  What would the Chargers have lost really by going for it instead of punting?  At worst New England would have had the ball at the 35, but did Turner really believe his defense had much a shot to come up with a quick stop?  I realize they had intercepted Brady three times already in the game, but how many lives did they expect against New England? 

That’s not to say the Patriots don’t deserve credit for winning the game.  The final drive was certainly impressive, as was the Patriots defense for holding the Chargers down once they got inside the red zone.  New England also is to be commended for their offensive execution the red zone, particularly the play of Wes Welker.  That being said, how would the Patriots have fared against the Colts today?  Better yet, how would they have fared against a more intelligent coach, one who’s play calling would have been more savvy in the red zone and who would have shown more guts when it counted in the fourth quarter?  I certainly find it ironic that the Chargers playoff collapse of a year ago was blamed strictly on Marty Schottenheimer (for the record I too was among the blamers).  Now, it is clear that Turner at the very least contributed to this year’s defeat.  The bottom line is the Chargers played hard especially on defense, actually intercepting Brady three times, and also did a good job moving the ball offensively.  It was little things that cost them the game, and that can only be blamed on coaching. 

The bright side, getting back to me being a Broncos fan, is that Turner figures to be in control of a prime division rival for years to come.  I can’t wait until the Broncos win a close game against the Chargers becuase of dumb coaching by Turner.  The Chargers are scary on paper because they have tremendous young talent at every position, but as long as Turner is in charge, it will give the rest of the division a fighting chance. 

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Play your starters!

Posted by mizzou1028 on January 15, 2008

This note is for Tony Dungy, Wade Phillips and Jon Gruden.  I’m sure there are a couple of others coaches I could include here to whom this would apply, and I don’t necessarily mean just this season.  It seems to me a clear pattern has been established that it’s a bad idea to rest your starters for the final regular season game or two if you’ve got a playoff spot locked up.  Past seasons have shown that the teams that play all the way through generally carry momentum into the playoffs, while those that rest starters for fear of injury often end up tanking in the postseason.  This shouldn’t be rocket science, yet coaches keep tempting fate anyway. 

 This postseason alone three teams were adversely affected by not taking their final “meaningless” regular season game seriously.  The Colts had the two seed in the AFC locked up heading into their final game against Tennessee, and while they played their starters for a half, there never was any real effort to win the game.  Lo and behold they struggled in their playoff loss to San Diego, which happened to follow a bye week.  This meant it had been three weeks since the Colts gave full effort to win a game, not a good plan in terms of keeping momentum.  This marked the second time in three years this happened to Indianapolis.  In 2005 the Colts started 13-0, rested starters the final two games, and lost to Pittsburgh in the divisional round of the playoffs.  So what happened last year when the Colts won the Super Bowl?  They were 12-4, but were forced to play their starters in the final regular season game to preserve their playoff position, and they actually had momentum leading to a Super Bowl title!  This really shouldn’t be rocket science.

Not to say that Indianapolis was alone.  The Cowboys started out great this year, going 12-1 before finishing 13-3.  Dallas, with the number one seed in the NFC locked in, basically went through the motions in the final game against Washington leading into the bye week.  They got clocked in the game, then gave a listless performance in the playoffs against the Giants following the bye week.  How about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?  They locked up their division title with two games remaining, and elected to rest their starters for the final TWO games of the regular season!  Needless to say, it was not a shock when they were no match against the Giants in the first round of the playoffs, even though they were at home.

 Speaking of the Giants, it really shouldn’t be that much of a surprise they’re still playing.  Even though they had nothing to play for in their final regular season game with their playoff spot secure, they went all out to beat the Patriots in the final game.  While they didn’t win the game, they gained confidence and momentum, and they have carried that into the playoffs.  How about the team they’re going to play Sunday, Green Bay?  The Packers took their final game against Detroit seriously, even though their playoff spot was locked in.  Thus, they looked fresh and rolled to victory in their playoff opener against Seattle.  As for New England, they too gave full effort to the end in the regular season, and they certainly didn’t skip a beat in their playoff win against Jacksonville.

 It’s amazing to me that coaches haven’t seemed to be able to figure this out.  If you’re a hot team you want to keep your momentum going.  Not to say that this is the only factor in determining the outcome of a playoff game, but there is no question it does seem to be a big factor.  It will be interesting to see if coaches keep this in mind in the future. 

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Don’t be so quick to hand Pats the trophy

Posted by mizzou1028 on January 7, 2008

I don’t know about you, but I am getting very tired of hearing how the Patriots are the so called “greatest team ever” after finishing the regular season 16-0.  No question that’s a tremendous accomplishment, after all no one else has managed to go undefeated through a 16 game regular season.  With a win Saturday night against Jacksonville in the divisonal playoff round, the Patriots would tie the 1972 Dolphins at 17-0.  I’m certainly not denying their accomplishment, but let’s at least wait until the playoffs are over before we crown someone the best to ever play the game.  It seems to me that a prerequisite to being the “greatest team ever” is that you need to win a Super Bowl.  If the Patriots go on to win their next three games and win a championship, then I’ll admit that it would be next to impossible not to give them their due.  That being said, if you think it’s automatic they’ll win the title, then you’ve got another thing coming. 

There have been plenty of teams in history, especially recently, that have had great regular seasons but have not won the Super Bowl.  The 1998 Vikings went 15-1, had one of the best offenses ever, and lost to Atlanta in the NFC Championship Game.  The 2001 Rams went 15-1, had one of the greatest offenses ever and lost the Super Bowl (ironically to New England, who was a huge underdog).  The 2005 Colts started 13-0, were figured to be a shoo in for a title, and got surprised at home by a red hot Pittsburgh team.    So just because a team has a great regular season, it doesn’t mean things will go the same way in the playoffs. 

For starters, the playoffs are quite a bit different than the regular season.  New England won’t have any games against 1-15 Miami or the no talent Jets.  New England is going to have a difficult matchup every week from here on out.  Saturday night’s game against Jacksonville can’t be considered a cakewalk by any means because the Jaguars are a team that can run the ball with Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew, and can control the clock with that running game.  They also have a very physical defense that can shut down the running game and put pressure on Tom Brady.  The Patriots have shown during the season to be a pass first team, and certainly they’ve been excellent throwing the ball, but history has proven you need to be able to run to have success in the playoffs.   While the Pats have a talented back in Laurence Maroney, they haven’t really been in a position where they need to run the ball in the fourth quarter to seal a game, and it will be interesting to see how they handle that situation.   Should the Patriots get by Jacksonville, they would be looking at a rematch with either the Colts or Chargers.  If it’s Indianapolis, I’m not so quick to bet against Peyton Manning, not am I quick to discount the fact the Colts are the reigning champs.  When the Patriots and Colts squared off in November, the Colts had a 10 point lead with 9 minutes to go that they let slip away, so they will want revenge.  Indianapolis believe it or not also has a stingier defense than New England (I’m not making this up, check it out for yourself at nfl.com).  The Colts have also debunked the myth over the past few years that they can’t play in bad weather.  If New England has to play the Chargers, keep in mind San Diego is quite a bit better now than when New England beat them in week two.  The Chargers want revenge for last year’s loss to New England in the playoffs, and they have enough offensive skill talent to keep up with the Patriots.  Should New England get by these games to get to the Super Bowl, they could face a rematch with Dallas.  The Cowboys, like the Chargers, are much better now than when they played the Patriots in October.  The Cowboys had a fourth quarter lead in the previous meeting, and have enough offensive talent to keep up.  Or, the Patriots could be looking at a game against Green Bay, in what could be Brett Favre’s final game.  Would you one to discount Favre in that scenerio?  Me neither. 

In my mind, the greatest team that I’ve ever seen is the 1989 49ers, who actually finished the regular season 14-2.  What made them great was the way the steamrolled through the playoffs; a 41-13 win over Minnesota in the divisional round, a 30-3 victory over a very talented Rams team in the NFC Championship Game, and (it really pains me to say this) a 55-10 pasting of my Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV.  That 49ers team had Hall of Fame talent at every position, names like Montana, Rice, Craig and Lott.  Or you can look at the 85 Bears, who posted two playoff shutouts before steamrolling New England 46-10 in the Super Bowl.  The point is that the best teams play their best in the playoffs, and what made those two teams truly great was they way they dominated three good teams in the playoffs.  If the Patriots can post three convincing wins over the excellent competition that awaits them, then they will get their well deserved due.  But let’s wait to see how they handle the pressure of the playoffs before we anoint them with the crown of the best ever. 

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Blueprint for fixing the Broncos

Posted by mizzou1028 on December 25, 2007

Tonight’s Monday Night Football game was supposed to be a monster contest when the schedule came out in April; Broncos-Chargers for the AFC West title on Christmas Eve, in the spotlight to itself on a night when there are no other sporting events taking place.  The teams finished 1-2 in the division last year, and both were expected to be as good or better than last season.    Unfortunately for my Broncos, they haven’t lived up to expectations, and their 6-8 record means tonight is about as meaningful for them as the preseason.  It hasn’t been this depressing around here football wise since the Wade Phillips era.  The Broncos certainly have their problems, but there is a lot to be excited about for the future.  The truth is, there isn’t that much difference between the top of the league and the bottom, but the Broncos can take steps to ensure the medicority displayed this season is not repeated.

1. Keep the young offensive nucleus intact

The offensive skill guys have a lot of potential.  QB Jay Cutler is only in his second season, and has shown at times that he has the skills necessary to be a leader.  He’s got the arm strength, the ability to make plays out of the pocket, and at times has shown great leadership capability.  Considering the injuries around him he has had to deal with this season, he has posted great numbers and has been very productive for a second year signal caller.  Add in the pressure of playing in John Elway’s shadow, and you have to be impressed with what he has accomplished.  Keep in mind too that Cutler will only get better as the players around him get better.  Two of his best weapons to throw to, Brandon Marshall and Tony Scheffler, are also only in their second year.  Marshall has shown the ability to be a number one receiver, while Scheffler has proven to be a great red zone target.  It’s easy to forget that Cutler, Marshall and Scheffler were all selected in the same draft in 2006.  With all three showing star potential, perhaps Mike Shanahan does know what he’s doing in terms of personnel.  With a healthy Javon Walker back next year, along with Brandon Stokley and Daniel Graham, the passing game could be special next season.  Selvin Young has shown promise in the running game, and if Travis Henry gets his act together on and off the field, the running game should be back on track next season as well.

2. Get better on defense

Certainly this easier said than done, and may seem overly simplistic.  The Broncos’ biggest problem this year has been a complete inability to stop the run.  This has gone all the way back to week two against the Raiders when they allowed 159 yards to the mighty Lamont Jordan, who for many weeks has no longer been the starter at running back for the Raiders.  Much of the blame has been placed on defensive coordinator Jim Bates, who brought in a new scheme that the players had trouble adjusting to.  Many changes have been made along the defensive front seven during the course of the season, with Sam Adams and Gerard Warren among those being released.  Thing is, Bates has had tremendous success at each of his other stops, so perhaps he should be given another shot after this season.  Let’s not forget what this defense has been through since last season: the tragic death of Darrent Williams and leader Al Wilson’s departure because of a neck injury.  Not only were both guys key on the field the past few seasons, but both guys were tremendous influences in the locker room.  Players like that are not easily replaced.  D.J. Williams has done an admirable job replacing Wilson at middle linebacker and Dre’ Bly is certainly a talented corner filling Williams’ void on the field, but things have not been the same in terms of team chemistry.  Even Champ Bailey has not had the season he’s had the past few years, although he still was the only Bronco to receive a nod to the Pro Bowl.  The Broncos have also been decimated with injuries on the defensive line, losing Ebenezer Ekuban and rookie Jarvis Moss.  Another offseason to get more comfortable with Bates’ scheme and a chance to get healthy will help, but the Broncos would be well advised to look for help on the defensive front seven in the draft and free agency.  Potential free agents include Jared Allen of the Chiefs, Takeo Spikes of the Bills and Justin Smith of the Bengals, any of which would be a significant upgrade for the Broncos if they can afford it.  The Broncos might also have to make a decision on John Lynch, who is 36, has battled neck problems  and due $3.5 million next season. 

 3. Stay healthy

There isn’t anything that can actually be done about this expect hope for dumb luck, but injuries have certainly been a factor in the Broncos’ stuggles this season, particularly along the offensive line.  A draft choice in this area would probably be a good idea for depth, and to make sure Jay Cutler gets protection and doesn’t get knocked out. 

4. Get better on special teams

This one is a biggie.  The Broncos have struggled all season long in this area.  With Todd Sauerbrun released, the Broncos will need to find a punter who can be more consistent, and as well as someone who can boom kickoffs out of the back of the end zone.  The Broncos have allowed good starting field position for the opponent too many times, and we won’t mention a certain number 23 for the Bears that ripped them to shreds.  Speaking of which, they need to find themselves a consistent returner who can be a threat.  Glenn Martinez has shown promise returning kicks and punts but has yet to show consistency.  The good news is Jason Elam remains one of the most accurate field goal kickers in the league.

As with any season, luck can be as much of a factor as anything.  Luck can often mean the difference between a 12-4 season and a 8-8 campaign.  The Broncos have good young talent, but there are several areas they need to shore up to compete next season.  The good news is the schedule is shaping up to be very friendly in 08, with Miami, Atlanta, Carolina and the New York Jets on the schedule in addition to the fact the Chiefs and Raiders don’t figure to improve any time soon.  Just don’t get me started on the coaching staff.  Mike Shanahan has turned this around once and he can do it again.  He can start by paying attention to who plays hard tonight and who doesn’t in what has become a meaningless game on paper. 

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