Why do we get stuck with chopped liver?
BY SCOTT JACOBS
Chargers, Giants, ruin what could have been an unbelievable championship weekend.
What’d you think of the divisional round of the NFL playoffs? Great stuff ya know? So many close games, and a lot of suspense and surprise. That’s what it takes to formulate an awesome NFL weekend. But long term, as in looking towards this week’s final slate of games, last week’s stunners didn’t bode well for what could of shaped up as an incredible weekend.
Colts-Pats? Instead we get the war-ravaged Chargers who may be forced to start Billy Volek, versus the unbeaten Pats, who had a tough time with Jacksonville, for a few quarters, before eventually wearing out the gutsy Jags. I mean, if the Colts had so much trouble with the much maligned lightning bolts then maybe they weren’t ready for another epic rematch with the soon to be (at least from the looks of it) new champs.Ever since that fateful week eight matchup, in which the Patriots came back from 10 down late in the fourth to knock the Colts out from the ranks of the unbeatens, there has been that aura of, it’s a given these teams are meant to meet again. That game was too good, too close, to not get a sequel. But unfortunatley, no can do. Thank Michael Turner for that. And Norv Turner for turning around a San Diego team that many felt he had no right to be coaching in the first place, into a AFC Title game participant. How long ago was it that the Chargers were 1-3 and people were calling for Turner’s head? Seems like eeons.
No offense to the Chargers, who were lambasted at New England earlier this year, but you replaced what was supposed to be a main entree of filet minon, with roast beef. Yeah, roast beef is good, bit it’s no steak that’s for sure. So instead of Brady-Manning again in the playoffs, Belichek-Dungy, Moss-Wayne, we get rump roast. We get a beat up Chargers team that is undermanned and hurting, going into a hostile Gillette Stadium, where there only challenge is to beat the uh, undefeated Pats. Upsets are fun, but this game is exhibit A of why they’re not always the best for creating the best matchups.
Prove me wrong San Diego.
As for the NFC… we went from the assumed, basically locked down for weeks matchup of Dallas-Green Bay, to New York-Green Bay? Yeah, honestly, I wanted to see if Favre and Co. could respond from their earlier loss to the Cowboys, but I won’t get that chance now. Why? Because Dallas fell off the face of the Earth the last few weeks of the season.
An offense that was rolling, hit a serious snag. And Dallas never recovered. How else do you explain the Giants coming in and outplaying them on their home field? I know the Giants had a lot of confidence coming off their last three games, but if this was the Cowboys team we saw earlier in the season, the game would not have been close. Dallas has lost six playoff games straight now, and there is already talk of Wade Phillips getting canned. Yeesh.
As for this week’s game, Watching Eli Manning versus Brett Favre has never exactly been my dream. Since we’re stuck with it however, I’ll try to pull out a few positives.
-Lambeau in January. Another snowglobe treat would definetley boost intrigue.
-Favre in January. One win from a Super Bowl appearance at the age of 38. Amazing, truly amazing.
-Efficient Eli. Is this the new Manning, or is a reality check on the horizon?
-Ryan Grant. The kid is a manchild. What a find by Green Bay.
That’s all I got for that. I know it ain’t much, certainly not what it could have been. But it’s the hand we’ve been dealt.
It’s like that line in Harold and Kumar go to White Castle, “The world tends to unfold as it should.”
At least if I keep telling myself that, it will take away the pain from watching two less then enticing games this weekend.
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Scott
Tell the story tell it right, I enjoy your column here as most of the time the ideas and opinions are right on i.e. the pete carroll USC story. This was a great weekend for upsets and teams rising to the occasion. The Giants are the comeback kids a cinderalla team if you will. They beat the team most considered a shoe in for the show and great competition for the Mighty Patriots. Only they took the Giants lightly and we got the T.O. Crying game in return. As for the Chargers…they went into Indie and took apart an outstanding Colts team. Norv Turner being the worst HC in football not withstanding. He challenged a call with 10 mins that was a no brainer and lost a timeout…please bring back Schottenheimer. Cmon Scott everybody wants a Giants -Patriots rematch. N.E is the most overated team since the 80’s Bears. And You know if they dont win the S.B, they are the biggest saps in Football…
Steve (and every other sports fan): Just cuz you want New England to suck don’t make it true. No other team has ever gone undefeated in a 16 game season. No one has scored that much ever. Everyone always finds the team that will beat NE and sometimes they stay with them for a while like the Jags, but the Pats always win. They have proven themselves a great team, probably the best ever.
Thanks Steve for enjoying most of my opinions. Of course, most of the are opinions so you have the right to disagree.
Here was what I was trying to say:
Upsets are great, but they sometimes delude the bigger picture, which in this case is the championship games. I mean, I have yet to find a single person who thinks the Chargers have a shot in hell of beating the Pats.
As for the Giants, I think they are a quality team. But, it must be a bitter hatred I have for Eli and no faith in him, that makes me think he can lead this team to a Super Bowl.
I will say this, Giants or Pack, as long as we get New England in the big game, it should be a good one in Arizona.
I meant makes me think Eli can’t lead the Giants to a Super Bowl. I just think Favre is destined for greatness this year, and I think that includes an NFC Title on his home field.
Very insightful! I’m a new Dallas fan, and I’m glad I’ve stumbled upon your blog… Guess you could say I need an education in the “politics” of the NFL =)
Honestly, people have been ragging on the Giants since they drew the Bucs on wildcard weekend. However they have proven to be the best road team in football, winning 9 straight road games. An efficient Eli, taking what the defense gives him, and playing turnover free football, gained confidence along with the rest of his Giants by giving New England the biggest scare so far this season. Since then he has been no less than spectacular, although the frigid weather does frighten me. Favre and the packers are a great story, no doubt, but so are the Giants. Favre, a proven QB destined for greatness once again.. VS. Eli Manning, the inferior little brother of Peyton, and the unproven son of Archie, will have a chance to prove himself this weekend against one of the all time greats. Also Ryan Grant (the manchild..) playing with a chip on his shoulder against the team that cut him just a year ago. Some story if you ask me…
Speaking of the great Peyton.. where is he? Probably in Lambeua this weekend pullin for his brother. Despite the fact that you wanted to see Pats Colts (i think we all did), you must not be ignorant and overlook facts. San Diego has been the best team in football over the past 7 or 8 weeks. Including the Patriots.. who have stumbled to the finish line of their magical season. But then again, SD did give the Pats just what they needed by adding fuel to the fire. Defensive lineman that we have never heard of should not be pissing the patriots off. because thats just what they need. Spy Gate.. that loser in the Steelers secondary … yeah we saw how that worked out for the rest of the league.
should be a fun weekend in football.
Nice post Matt. The Giants are the NFL’s best underdog story since Brady’s own Patriots during his first year. After an 0-2 start and an abysmal first half in week 3, Big Blue has rallied around the surprising play of their defense and find themselves in Green Bay vying for the NFC title. Almost everyone was calling for Coach Coughlin’s head after the disappointing start. He seems to be the right man for the job. With a fierce front four getting to the quarterback often, the G-men have a legit shot in playing for a Super Bowl title if they continue to get to Favre. We all saw the problems they gave the Patriots in Week 17, and to say their playoff success is bad for the game of football is out of line.
I too, just like most of the country wanted to see Peyton-Brady once again with a Super Bowl birth on the line. However, the banged up Chargers outplayed Peyton’s Colts and deserve their shot at the Pats. While I don’t think they have the firepower at this point to knock off New England, this game definitely has the potential of being a close one.