Cardinals discover running game, advance to NFC Championship game

by | Jan 11, 2009 | NFL News, NFL Random Thoughts

A funny thing happened when the NFL playoffs began. The Arizona Cardinals, most people’s pick as the worst of eight division champions, discovered a rushing attack they’d been missing most of the season. In doing so, they’ve taken an already explosive offense and turned it dominant.

The Cardinals benefited throughout the season from playing in a weak NFC West division, sweeping six games against those foes. They struggled outside the division, especially in games on the east coast.

That’s why, heading into the playoffs, many figured Arizona would lose the first home playoff game the organization had hosted since the Cardinals were in Chicago in 1947.

Even those who thought they’d get past Atlanta in the first round had to be shocked by their dominance in dismantling Carolina Saturday night.

So let’s take a look at some numbers.

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Inevitable Favre talk starting already

by | Jan 3, 2009 | NFL Media, NFL News

There was no question that it was going to happen but did it have to start already?

We managed to watch one solid playoff game this afternoon during which Arizona upset Atlanta without a mention of New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre. But at halftime of the second game – which is shaping up to be another barnburner between Indianapolis and San Diego – Peter King of CNNSI.com was asked by the NBC Football halftime crew about Brett Favre’s future.

King had spoken with Favre and Jets General Manager Mike Tannenbaum and come to the conclusion that he believes Favre will hang up his cleats during the offseason, this time for good.

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Fixing Detroit: Lions must start in the trenches

by | Dec 30, 2008 | NFL News, NFL Random Thoughts

While the Detroit Lions will never completely live down the infamy of a 0-16 season the team must put the just-completed season behind them if they are going to begin turning five decades of putridity around.

Promoting Tom Lewand to president and Martin Meyhew to general manager aren’t the moves I would have made to start the process, but it’s the players, not the front office types that are going to be most key in any turnaround.

I’m no general manager and I didn’t stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. But I do have some thoughts on what the team needs to do to start what will be a multi-year process.

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Cadillac needs another new tire

by | Dec 28, 2008 | NFL News

One of the more heartwarming stories of the final one-third of the 2008 regular season was the return of Carnell “Cadillac” Williams from the torn right patellar tendon he suffered early last season.

It appears as though he might have to go through the same process again this offseason after he apparently tore the left one during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to Oakland.

After missing the first half of 2008, he returned for the last several games to rush 63 times for 233 yards and four touchdowns, including 78 yards and two touchdowns today, before suffering the injury.

Williams, according to multiple media reports, was writhing in pain and visibly frustrated by the injury. It’s hard not to pull for a guy like Cadillac, who has kept himself out of trouble since going pro and who worked so hard to get back from the first injury.

Word from the Bucs Beat at the St. Petersburg Times is that the patellar injury isn’t as serious this year. Good luck to the Cadillac for getting back in time for next season.

Slingin’ Sammy dies at 94

by | Dec 18, 2008 | NFL News

The year was 1940. The Washington Redskins had just lost to Chicago in the championship game by the score of 73-0. Looking for some deep musings on momentum swings or some other brilliant quote, a reporter asked Redskins quarterback Sammy Baugh if the outcome would have changed if an end hadn’t dropped an early touchdown pass.

Baugh, many media accounts are reporting, was known for being blunt and witty. He replied to the scribe: “Yeah, it would have been 73-7.”

That’s one of the popular Baugh stories. Another had to do with comments he made to two teammates who were on the ground after having collided. “One of you put your arm up so the buzzards won’t think you’re dead,” he told them.

The 94-year-old Baugh died yesterday from a number of health issues reportedly due to dementia and old age, media reports indicate. While he apparently was reserved, witty and somewhat of a recluse, he remains one of the key characters in the growth and history of the NFL.

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NFL Fines Absurdity Continues

by | Dec 14, 2008 | Business of Football, NFL News, NFL Random Thoughts

The NFL continues to amaze me in their ability to find ridiculous actions to fine players for.  And while I’m not ready to go down the path of claiming vindictiveness yet, at least some Viking fans are thinking the NFL has it in for the team, possibly due to the Kevin & Pat Williams lawsuit.

The latest fined Viking?  DT Fred Evans, who was fined $5k for grabbing the face mask of RB Kevin Smith.  And my problem with the fine this time isn’t just the face that fining players for actions like a face mask, which is an unfortunate but common part of the game, is ridiculous (Vikings LB Chad Greenway was fined $15k earlier this year for a face mask that wasn’t called against the Saints, the first time I’d ever heard of such a fine).

My problem with this fine is that replays seemed to show (rather clearly, in my eyes) that Evans didn’t even grab the face mask on the play.  It appeared that Evans merely tackled Smith by the shoulder pads–essentially grabbing him by the front collar and pulling him down in a way that maybe appeared to be the result of a face mask, but on replay did not look like it.

So now it appears that Evans was penalized AND fined unfairly for the play.  Fortunately, unlike the Saints, who lost to the Vikings when Greenway’s penalty wasn’t called (on a play that may have impacted the outcome of the game), the Vikings didn’t lose to the 0-12 Lions last week.

I still have to wonder, though–with all of the poor officiating going on this year–are any moves being made to make NFL referees full time?  And hold them accoutable with something other than losing out on the opportunity to work playoff games?