The Morning After

 
1.      Mike Singletary tenure was painful to watch…

As I see it, three main things an NFL coach needs to be proficient at: game-planning week in and week out, formulating an identity and building the team around it, and effectively getting along with/managing players. Considering the 49ers record under Singeltary this year he may not be an efficient game planner. You can’t use his talent base as an excuse…many predicted that the 49ers would run away with the west. Considering how Coach Singletary can’t seem to stick with the same starting quarterback for more than thirty minutes at a time he seems unable to form an identity with his offense. Lastly-and most obviously Sunday-he seems incapable of getting along with his players.

Who knows what was said between the two (Singletary and Troy Smith) during Troy’s sideline outburst but that stuff can’t happen. It’s pretty clear that Singletary has lost all respect from his players; much like Brad Childress did in Minnesota. I like Singletary’s intensity but for whatever reason he is unable to get through to his team…just because he was a hall of fame player and yells a lot does not mean he is a good leader. And back to his inability to find an identity on offense. By my unofficial count, Singletary made his 739th quarterback change of the season, going from Troy to Alex Smith a couple plays after Troy’s bad interception. If you’re looking for a way to build confidence and continuity…don’t follow the 49er model…



2. Green Bay’s thrashing of New York was the Giants in a nutshell…

Not to toot my horn, but to toot my horn I had the G-men pretty well figured out prior to their Sunday afternoon meltdown at the hands of the Green Bay Packers. They’re a talented team with a frightening defensive line, pro-bowl quarterback, 2,000 yard backfield, stable of skilled receivers, and solid offensive line. But they’ve turned the ball over 40 times through 15 games…nearly three a game. Pretty incredible for a team that set the NFL record for fewest turnovers during a season with 13 in 2008. Ahmad Bradshaw is a large part of the problem with seven fumbles lost as is the receiving core that has repeatedly dropped balls that have led to interceptions. Turnover differential is one of the clearest indications of winning we have so it’s no surprise New York’s sloppiness has come back to bite them…hard. I have no idea what the root of the problem is, but I’m sure the Giants could have contended for a championship if they weren’t so sloppy.



3. After Houston’s big win over Indy who thought they would be 5-10 heading into week 17?

Come back to week one with me, where the Houston Texans had just crushed the Indianapolis Colts…seemingly getting the monkey off their back. Everyone thought they had arrived (including this guy) with the missing piece being running back Arian Foster. What could stop them now? They had a pro bowl quarterback, the best receiver in football, an explosive ground game, and some nice young talent on defense…the new darlings of the NFL. But no one counted on an offense that refused to come alive until it was down by double digits and a defense that made the likes of Tim Tebow and Mark Sanchez look like MVP candidates.

The problem is Gary Kubiak, who has failed to instill a sense of toughness and accountability throughout the roster. That failure has led to numerous lifeless performances and a sense that once the team accomplishes one goal they’re content to sit on their high horse and not move on to the next one. The team needs a tough, hard-nosed head coach that will instill toughness throughout the roster and a skilled defensive coordinator to get that side of the ball back to respectability. Do those two things and I really believe the Houston Texans are talented enough to contend for a playoff spot.



4. The San Diego Debacle…

With the Chargers absolutely needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, a trip to Cincinnati seemed like the perfect Christmas gift…not so fast. San Diego committed an epic choke job getting pummeled 34-20 by the 4-10 Cincinnati Bengals. What’s even worse than their flat performance Sunday was another awful start to the season. It had never mattered much as they were playing in the worst division in football, but with the rise of the Chiefs they had to actually fight for the division title this year…8-8 wasn’t gonna’ do it. Losing to the Chiefs, Rams, Seahawks, and getting swept by the Raiders earlier in the year is inexcusable. Injuries played a part in the season, sure, but the real failures lie in the reliance on quarterback Philip Rivers. He’s one of the best, but no quarterback can function without a running game as Rivers has done all season. General Manager A.J Smith traded up 16 spots to nab running back Ryan Mathews but he managed only 558 rushing yards for a 4 yard average this season, even falling behind fullback Michael Tolbert on the depth chart. If they are to make a successful run next year they will need to strike a greater offensive balance.

Unlike the other top teams in the league the Chargers lack attention to detail and the ability to play in cold weather. When San Diego tried a wide receiver reverse with Vincent Jackson on the first play from scrimmage he dropped the ice-cold ball which resulted in a 19 yard loss that brought them back to the one yard line. And then, two drives later fullback Michael Tolbert fumbled the ball which landed in Cincinnati hands. It’s obvious the California boys weren’t ready for the biting cold and swirling snow, and thus, not ready for postseason football. Norv Turner should have realized his team’s incapability to play in inclement weather (they also lost to the Chiefs week one, in a torrential downpour) and fought all the harder for home field advantage…



5. The Jet’s defense is no longer elite…

The Jets have continued to receive the benefit of the doubt thanks to their terrific defensive performance last year, but that needs to end. The root of the problem? New York isn’t getting any pressure on the quarterback. They registered only five sacks against the Steelers and Bears combined, two of the worst offensive lines in the league. Rex Ryan continues to send the house but it rarely arrives at its destination. As good as their secondary can be, a severe lack of a pass rush puts too much pressure on the back end. Mark Sanchez played well enough to beat Chicago, but once again the defense let the team now. Based on that performance it’s clear the Jets are incapable of beating the elite offensive teams in the league.



6. Chad Henne sure has made it easy for Dolphins management…

Remember when Miami was a trendy pick to win the AFC East and possibly make a run at the Super Bowl? Chad Henne put that hope to bed. He’s entered the Derek Anderson zone of bad quarterbacking now, throwing two abominable interceptions to lose to the visiting Detroit Lions. The first pick was just our boy Henne firing the pass wide left…a very makeable throw. The second was another atrocious pass into double coverage that led to a pick six to seal the game for the Lions…and a stunning three game winning streak. Once again, Henne has no excuses…the Dolphins surrounded him with all the weapons, signing all-pro wideout Brandon Marshall to a mammoth contract. I would be shocked if Chad Henne was back under center again next year…



7. Peyton Manning is such a fag…

Just kidding, just kidding (as far as you know…). But that naked bootleg call against Oakland to seal the win was absolutely brilliant. Who would imagine Manning would ever run a bootleg? He probably hasn’t run one since….since…since pop warner football. As Peyton turned left and sprinted towards the end zone there wasn’t anyone in front of him, the whole defense crashed right as Manning ran left. How was this possible?

The Colts lined up in a “12” personnel grouping meaning one halfback in the backfield with two tight-ends aligned on either side of the line of scrimmage. Both wideouts were also positioned on the right side of the field forcing the defensive backs to that side…away from where Peyton was going to run. Manning then faked the handoff to the half back perfectly, further pulling the defense in. At this point only two things could have crossed the mind of the defenders: This is play action or a run up the middle and they probably thought run considering there was only 1:30 left in the game with the Colts up five. Then Manning did what he’s never done before and chugged it all the way to the five, choosing to slide so he could run out the clock. Peyton Manning, the next Michael Vick?



8. Scared by what I saw from Atlanta…

It was by no means a must win for the dirty birds, but don’t think for a minute they didn’t want that victory more than anything all season. It was their much deserved national spotlight, something they haven’t gotten in a long time. It was against their division rivals, a chance for Atlanta to burst onto the national scene and be recognized as the best team in the NFL. A thorough win over the defending champs would mark the Falcons as the best squad in the NFC, and possibly the whole league. It was Atlanta’s final exam and they flunked. The defense had a monster game with two interceptions-one returned for a touchdown, and about 39 missed sacks. They did their part holding one of the best offenses in football to only 17 points.

The offense, however, looked anything but Super Bowl worthy. Can we stop calling quarterback Matt Ryan “Matty Ice” now? He had a chance to really earn that moniker by driving the Falcons to a go ahead score in the closing minutes of the game but like the rest of the team, failed his final test. They will earn their number one seed for the postseason after beating Carolina next week but they had a chance introduce themselves to the world in a big way against the Saints…and they flunked. Horrible play calling on the offensive side coupled with no balls. The decision to punt on fourth down with two minutes ago turned out to be a killer mistake…

9. Strange tidings from Cincinnati…

I’ve been critical of Carson Palmer all season, as he seemed to have really lost his quarterbacking prowess. But with wideouts Terrell Owens and Chad OchoCinco sitting out the San Diego game Palmer had an opportunity to work with his young receivers…an opportunity he seemed to relish. As Bill Cowher aptly put, Carson Palmer was finally smiling again. So what could it be? My theory is Palmer doesn’t have the disposition to handle the diva personalities of Owens and Chad. The need to constantly throw them the ball wore down Carson’s resolve and killed his enjoyment of the quarterback position.

Just like in any walk of life, it’s tough to excel at your job when you have to work with people who are difficult. Suppose you’re assigned a project at a work, forced to partner with someone who’s known to be tough to work with. They’re bossy, vindictive, want to do everything, and shoot down every idea that isn’t theirs. We’ve ALL worked with people like this. Why is football any different? Palmer was forced to coincide with two VERY difficult people, and midway through the season he was ready to give up. When Carson was given the opportunity to spread the ball around to young, hungry, and hardworking receivers he seemed to enjoy himself again. Instead of demanding the football they cherished even being on the gridiron. And look what happened…