It’s widely known that I am a Detroit Lions fan. Every year for the past 20 years has ended in disappointment since I have yet to cheer for a Super Bowl champion. Off season after off season has been filled with hopeful draft picks and free agency signings, but usually all of the optimism is lost around the halfway mark of the season. This year is no exception. We have signed multiple former Tampa Bay Buccanear retreads to hopefully improve a lackluster defense. Mike Martz has been replaced as offensive coordinator and we resigned a few decent players. But the most puzzling move in my mind was for them to cut Kevin Jones. Yes, he has had injury issues and yes he hasn’t been as productive as his rookie season, but at least try to trade him or ask him to accept a paycut. In my mind, flat out cutting him was a bad decision. Not because of his role in the new offense, but because he clearly had some value. Philly.com has reported that 12 teams have shown interest in Kevin Jones, including the Eagles. Bad move Matt Millen. I am sure that we can use a late rounder in exchange for a solid running back that has immediately drawn so much attention after his release. Maybe Kevin Jones’ release was a cop out by Matt because getting an extra pick would just force him to make another decision come draft day.

This drama is common for a Detroit Lions fan and sparked me to think about the other teams around the league. Which fans have the most difficult time cheering for their respective team? The Raiders are the first that come to mind, but at least they have recently played in the Super Bowl. Which team do you think gives their fans the toughest job?

Congrats on a fine career. Being a fan of the Detroit Lions for about 20 years, I have watched Brett Favre’s competitive passion for the game on a regular basis. I haven’t been much of a fan because he played for a division foe, but I’ve always respected him. Here is a video of the emotional press conference in which he personally announced his retirement from the NFL.

I think that the Pro Bowl could have a lot more luster if they rotated it amongst the NFL cities just as they do with the Super Bowl. Hawaii is too far away and too expensive to visit for most NFL fans. The NBA All-star game garners a fair amount of appeal from fans throughout the country. I know many people that visit the All-star game city to be a part of the many social festivities of the event. Being that the NFL is the most popular sport in America, it seems like it would generate just as much, if not more interest from fans.

Maybe this could help bring some flare to the Pro Bowl. I know that it would be virtually impossible to conduct this event during the season like the other major American sports leagues, but if you bring the Pro Bowl to the fans “backyard”, then maybe we could be more excited about it.

Last year it was Peyton, this year it’s Eli. What a difference a year makes. This time last year, Eli was a bust and a goat. Fast forward to 2008. Now he is starring in a “League of Clutch”Gatorade commercial. It’s actually, pretty cool. Maybe because he isn’t talking. LOL.

The Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins hired Mike Smith and Jim Zorn respectively to be their new head coaches. Neither is a household name and neither seem to address their teams immediate need from a head coach.

The 2007 season was horrible for both of these franchises. Both were effected by a player and coach. The Falcons star player spent more time in a jail cell than on the football field and their coach gave up on them during the middle of the season. On the other hand, the Redskins banned together due to the loss of Sean Taylor during the season, but their Hall of Fame coach retired after the season.

In my opinion, both of these teams needed an experienced head coach that will be immediately respected by the team. The Falcons have so many issues, that gambling on a coordinator that doesn’t have a captivating personality may set them back even further. According to Marcellus Wiley, a former Jags player and current ESPN analyst, Smith didn’t run the defense, Jack Del Rio was the captain that steered the ship. The Redskins, took even more of a gamble. They hired a quarterback coach. Not even a coordinator. Jim Zorn is going from coaching a handful of people to managing a full roster of players. That will be a challenge to say the least. The Redskins are in a lot better shape than they were in prior to Joe Gibbs returning to the sideline, but if this becomes a botched coaching hire, they could immediately return to being a non-playoff team.

Congrats to the New York Giants for winning a great Super Bowl! Looks like my reverse psychology work.

New England Pick = New York Giants Win.

I was never sold on the Patriots all season. They destroyed the basement teams, struggled badly against the mediocre teams and were really fortunate against the tougher teams (injuries, bad coaching, etc.) I actually believed that the Green Bay Packers could have also pulled off this upset.

Well, I remember a broadcast earlier during this season in which Sean Salisbury claimed that the mantra that “Defense Wins Championships” was hogwash. Of course he was in a segment which deemed the New England Patriots as the best team ever. Well, Mr. Salisbury, defense does with championships. Always has and always will. The New York Giants once again proved this to be true.

As a bonus, here is clip of the great pitch and catch between Eli Manning and David Tyree. True, it’s an offensive play, but if the New England Patriots would have made the defensive stop, maybe they would be celebrating a 4th championship.

Well, after spending several days going back and forth with this pick, I have settled on the NY Giants upsetting the New England Patriots. Even though I, like most Americans, have a insatiable appetite to cheer for the underdog, my head is going to win out. I think that the New England Patriots will complete their historic season and defeat the New York Giants. Although I am surprised by a significant number of the “experts” picking the Patriots to win by a very large margin.

I believed that the Green Bay Packers were the best team in the NFC, but they ran into the buzz saw of the New York Giants. The Giants are playing great on the road and love being the underdog. I think that all of the pressure is on the New England Patriots and they have faced another controversial week with the new Spygate allegations hitting the newswire. Eli Manning has played mistake free and the running game is clicking on all cylinders. Add the surprising play of the Giants secondary and Burress playing lights out football, I believe that this could be one of the better Super Bowls in recent memory. I won’t try to predict a score, but I feel like a 3-4 point win game is about right.

Byes: None.
Last Week: 1-1
Regular Season: 167-89 (.652)
Playoffs: 7-3

I’ve had a blast with my Nostradamus picks. I think I had a pretty decent season for my first time around. Unfortunately, this is the end of another great NFL season. A time of the year that no football fan enjoys. (Thank god for the NFL Network.)

Not even Peyton Manning’s Pep Talk can help you out.

These two games have so many historical similarities. Last year, San Diego was the team to beat, but they lost. The previous two seasons had teams to beat, the Steelers and Colts. They each won the Super Bowl a year later. Is it time for the Chargers?The Giants are attempting to become the second team to win three road games in order to reach the Super Bowl. The first team, the Steelers a couple of years ago.

Also, if Favre can get by the Giants, he will no doubt be a big underdog against a possible matchup against the Patriots. Just like John Elway’s Denver Broncos were a big dog against Brett Favre’s Packers.

The Jags game plan for trying to match the Patriots score for score and hope for the last possession proved to be a horrible plan. The Chargers will have to put pressure on Brady and get at least 3 turnovers to have a chance. The Colts could have easily blown out the Charger had they not shot themselves in the foot with the turnovers.

Chargers vs. Patriots
Pick:Patriots

Eli Manning has played very poised over the past month, but weather will be a factor. He has yet to play well in inclement weather. I believe that the Packers are the most complete team left in the playoffs. Even more complete than the Patriots.

Giants vs. Packers
Pick:Packers

Byes: None.
Last Week: 3-1
Regular Season: 167-89 (.652)
Playoffs: 6-2

ESPN reports that Jason Garrett will decline the head coaching offers from the Baltimore Ravens and the Atlanta Falcons in order to remain as the Offensive Coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys. I believe that this is the correct decision and one Jason should make out of a show of loyalty to Jerry Jones. Obviously, Jerry didn’t want to lose Garrett and was rumored to match any contract offer that Garrett received from Baltimore or Atlanta. I believe that Jason owes Jerry a lot for his success in the NFL and it would be a slap in the face if he left right now, when it is so apparent that Jerry isn’t ready to let him go.
(more…)

(Thanks to my man Rich Eisen for the post title.)

Who would have thought Eli would be playing in the conference championship and not Peyton? I felt pretty good about Eli making it, but a Colts loss wasn’t even imaginable for me. I cannot believe that a veteran team like the Colts played such a bad game. The defense was horrendous and Peyton Manning looked more like a slightly above average QB rather than a future Hall of Famer. Yes, his box score looks great (400 yards, 2 TDs), but two costly interceptions in the redzone doomed the Colts, especially on a night where the defense was subpar to say the least. The Colts beat themselves.

Eli Manning, on the other hand, was very efficient and most importantly, he had 0 turnovers. He carefully orchestrated a methodical offensive approach that made the most of the limited opportunities that the Dallas Cowboys gave them. The Boys managed to keep the ball for almost a whole quarter’s length of time longer than the Giants.

Two critical play calls late in both games seemed to nix the Colts and Cowboys comeback attempts. The Colts had a chance to pickup a first down in their next to last offensive possession, but Peyton chose to go for the win. And shockingly, the chosen one, Jason Garrett, called a play on 4th down that sent all of the WRs into the endzone and no one to the first down marker. Thus, Romo had no choice but to throw the ball into double coverage.

Peyton has been in the spotlight very often during his career. It’ll be interesting to see him being Eli’s biggest cheerleader rather than visa versa. Good Luck Eli.