Philadelphia QB Donovan McNabb comes to Baltimore trying to earn a little respect after a week of harsh criticism with ugly overtones.
First, let’s talk about an issue leftover from last week, Pittsburgh’s 11 to 10 victory over San Diego. This game will go in the history books as the first time there has ever been an 11 to 10 score in an NFL game, go figure, but as they say, “You do the math!” Figure out what combinations would lead to eleven points…three field goals and a safety, a touchdown with a two point conversion and a field goal…BIG DEAL. The real hoopla is about something else that has become a real big deal, another significant blown call by an official, but this time, the officials conferred to reach their decision. Upon further review of further review, referee, Scott Green, reversed a touchdown call after San Diego’s game ending play attempting a game winning miracle, San Diego QB Phillip Rivers threw a three yard pass to LaDamian Tomlinson who tossed a lateral to WR Chris Chambers who tossed a lateral intercepted by Troy Polamalu who scurried the turnover in for a touchdown. After the game, Green admitted “we should have let the play go through in the end…”
The result really meant nothing. Pittsburgh still won the game and it did not affect the standings at all. The only damage was that with an 11-10 win, Pittsburgh failed to cover the four point spread for the game. Had the touchdown counted, they would have covered the spread. As such, this raised quite an uproar as those having wagers on the game got shafted, and there is a legal betting industry in Nevada and elsewhere. It’s incredible how much of the sports commentators included this betting angle as a big part of their outrage on why this blown call was so serious.
Now hold everything! Betters gamble at their own risk and blown calls are as much a part of the game as touchdowns and field goals. Much has been made of blown calls this year, but while perfection in officiating is impossible, at least the NFL officials behave professionally. Much is made of their part time status, but unlike baseball, basketball, ice hockey, and NASCAR, the NFL plays only one game a week. The NFL game crews behave themselves like gentlemen never getting in arguments with players or coaches. They generally give them a chance to vent and when it gets out-of-hand, out comes the yellow hanky. Compare this to baseball, where umpires have been openly confrontational with players often trying to bait them into arguments so they can be given the heave-ho. In the NBA given their recent history, conspicuously blown calls raise suspicions of officials possibly having ulterior motives.
The NFL should continue to work with their officials to manage the best game possible using all the technology they have available to get accurate calls as promptly and seamlessly as possible. The NFL does take this matter very seriously. Such cannot be said of all sports.
Another gripe, the reaction to Philadelphia playing to a tie versus Cincinnati is way out of line. The NFL adopted a sudden death playoff format which provides for one extra period where the first team to score wins. If after one period during the regular season, no team scores, the game ends in a tie. This is probably, in part, to keep games from running too long to keep the television networks happy. This was the first tie in just over four years, when the Steelers tied the Falcons. Before that, there were two ties within one week in 1997 including the Philadelphia Eagles playing to a 10-10 tie against the Baltimore Ravens in good old Memorial Stadium. Players admitted to some confusion understanding the rule including Donovan McNabb who wondered aloud how this would affect the playoffs or Super Bowl. Post Season has its own rules for overtime, but horrors of horrors, how could Donovan McNabb not know the rules!!!
Characteristically, the same old element in the sports talk scene with many Eagles fans denouncing McNabb screamed their outrage asserting how shameful his apparent lack of intelligence is for an NFL Quarterback. Translation, McNabb is all physique and no brains.
If Payton or Eli Manning were likewise confused, would there have been much outrage? Of course not. Yes, some cities have tougher fans and more egotistical negative sports pundits, however, it is this writer’s opinion that so much of the criticism aimed at Donovan McNabb is racism, pure and simple.
Sadly on any given Sunday, the mixture of testosterone, alcohol and old timey racism and sexism is on display in the stands, at sports bars, and on talk radio way too much. Nowhere is the racial double standard more pronounced than attitudes toward black quarterbacks which should have been put the rest when Doug Williams convincingly led the Redskins to a powerful Super Bowl win. One doesn’t have to dig too deep to see postings and blogs that are obscenely sexist toward female sports journalists too. If they take their job seriously and don’t willingly submit to the “eye candy” roll, they are ridiculed and taunted beyond any acceptable standard of behavior. Sadly, white trash have identified sports as their last refuge. Why does this behavior stir up the image of some beer gutted moron dressed up in a dawg costume throwing dog biscuits on the field and calling himself a good “blue collar” fan?
Now for Week 12, the last week before an NFL team is given the honors to slaughter live turkeys on network television as the Detroit Lions play turkey for the visiting team for which Jeff Fisher’s Titans will be given the honors to start the 13th week. Before we get there, lots is going on this weekend.
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (-10 ½)
The new tradition of NFL network, Thursday night football has Cincinnati visiting Pittsburgh where the Steelers as a 10 ½ point favorite will silence Mr. Cinco-Stinko. Still, give the Bengals a little credit for tying the Philadelphia Eagles, no easy task.
Philadelphia at Baltimore (-1 ½)
The Ravens host the Eagles as a slight favorite. To accomplish this, the Ravens must be on top of their game and shut down Michael Westbrook. Take him out of the game, and the Ravens win.
Houston at Cleveland (-3)
Houston visits Cleveland as a three point underdog. Both teams fell apart against the Ravens recently, but Houston has a little more discipline than the Browns who seem to always find the right way to choke. Give this one to the Texans.
San Francisco at Dallas (-10 ½)
One of the most entertaining games this week should be the San Francisco 49er’s visit to Dallas. Remember when these games were the hottest of the hot the NFL had to offer when it was Steve Young versus Troy Aikman? During that reign, this matchup was for supremacy in the NFC, two model dominant teams built on different models. Since then, both teams have fallen from glory with the Cowboys transforming into a pathetic soap opera for jocks while the 49er’s have turned into a model for pitiful incompetence. The most exciting part of this game will be Mike Singletary’s comments at the end of the game. However, mark this down, the Cowboys with Jessica’s boy back under center in control could easily become overconfident too soon. The Cowboys have as many holes as a slice of Swiss cheese. Yes, it would be foolish to pick an upset here, but this will be the kind of game that will have ‘Boys’ fans throwing projectiles at their televisions on Sunday.
Tampa Bay (-8 ½) at Detroit
Tampa Bay visits Detroit as an 8 ½ point favorite. Any questions? Maybe the Lions will ask for some of the bailout money going to Detroit, eh?
Minnesota at Jacksonville (-2)
Minnesota visits Jacksonville down two points. These are two erratic teams, but both teams playing at their usual strength this year gives Jacksonville the slight edge.
Buffalo (-3) at Kansas City
Here’s a tough one, Buffalo goes to Kansas City as a three point favorite. Buffalo started the season at 5-1 but have now lost four straight, first three divisional losses then a two point loss against Cleveland last weekend. Kansas City is one of those toilet bowl contestants to rival the Detroit Lions for the NFL’s most miserable franchise. While Buffalo needs a good chance to get happy against a struggling foe, things are lining up for Kansas City to pull the upset. It’s been the tale of two seasons, the Cinderella team of the early season and hapless chumps more recently. The Bills collapse seems to be more systemic than circumstantial so a turnaround to glory will be difficult.
New England at Miami (-2)
New England visits Miami as a two point underdog. This game is a toss up, but let’s cheer for the upstart not the old bullies to win this one.
Chicago (-7 ½) at St. Louis
Chicago visits St. Louis as a 7 ½ point favorite to get the goats. Their trip across Illinois should result in a sure victory.
New York Jets at Tennessee (-7 ½)
Ouch! Just as Brett Favre and the Jets could celebrate propelling themselves into sole possession of first place in the AFC East, they must evacuate their lofty perch in the Big Apple for Hee Haw country and do battle with the undefeated Tennessee Titans. How many fans remember the Jets joined the early AFL as the New York Titans? The Jets should be taking a good look at the Tennessee/Baltimore tapes to see what the Ravens did to control the Titans in a game they could have won were it not for a couple of penalties. Granted, it would be hard for the Jets defense to emulate Ray Lewis and team on defense, but in reality the best the Jets can hope for is a game they can spin as a moral victory when they return home after a loss in Nashville.
Washington (-3 ½) at Seattle
Gee whiz, Danny’s boys have to go all the way across the continent for a cup of overpriced coffee whereby they will toss one more shovel of dirt on burying the Seattle Seahawks’ embarrassing 2008 season. Somebody would have to put something really bad in their Lahti’s for the Skins not to enjoy this Danny Snyder priced cup of coffee.
Carolina at Atlanta (-1 ½)
While Atlanta installed as a slight favorite largely as a home field advantage, it’s still hard to imagine them beating their divisional rival from Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers are a decidedly better team at home but two losses is nothing to sneeze at. While the Falcon’s rebirth is one of the happy stories of this year, Carolina has the edge in this one.
Oakland at Denver (-9 ½)
This should be a no brainer and an easy win for the Broncos to smack down the Raiders unfortunately, Denver has been mysteriously absent in effort way too often this year. Denver needs a convincing win to reassert themselves as a possible playoff contender who won’t win the division by default given how terrible the NFC West has been this year with their two top teams, Denver and San Diego looking so pathetic at times.
New York Giants (-3) at Arizona
Here’s a game that could be a preview of future conflicts in January though the next round would likely be in the New Jersey swamp instead of the Arizona desert. Right now, the Giants look like the best team in the NFL.
Indianapolis (-3) at San Diego
While most of the attention of how the mighty have fallen in the AFC focuses on the fate of New England with Tom Brady’s injury, the Colts and the Chargers were both figured on being the leaders of their division who’d be tuning up for January and fighting to secure home field advantage by now. While Indianapolis at four games back is virtually eliminated from winning their division, at 6-4, they are tied with Miami, New England, and Baltimore in the Wild Card fight. San Diego sits at 4-6 two games behind the Broncos who lead the wild and wacky west at 6-4. The Colts are beginning to look more and more like the perennial contender while the Chargers seldom play a full sixty minutes with focus and intensity becoming more and more the kind of team Norv Turner was roundly criticized for producing in his previous two coaching assignments where underachievement prevailed. The Colts should dominate this game.
Green Bay at New Orleans (-2 ½)
Green Bay and New Orleans are two teams that look brilliant at times but have also failed to live up to expectations this year. How’s this for irony, at 5-5, Green Bay sits a top their Northern Division tied with Chicago while New Orleans sits in last place three games behind the Panthers. Playoff prospects are looking unlikely for New Orleans as Tampa Bay has the best Wild Card record at 7-3 while Washington, Dallas, and Atlanta carry 6-4 records. That puts the Saints in a pool with Green Bay, Chicago, Minnesota at 5-5 and Philadelphia at 5-4-1. Monday night’s game will make it clear to the nation that New Orleans will not run the table to win their last six games, what might be their post season threshold.
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