The Week In Football: The Four Team Playoff Is Set, and NFL Power Rankings

The college football playoff committee selected their final top four of the season yesterday, as they announced that Alabama, Oregon, Florida State, and Ohio State would be the teams in the inaugural playoffs. Amazingly enough, they left out TCU, who they had ranked third only a week earlier, and Baylor, the true Big 12 champions, and a team that I personally think is better than Ohio State.

The Big 12 was the only one of the Power 5 conferences that was completely shut out of the playoff, and honestly, they have no one to blame but themselves. Their hypocritical decision to not select one team as their conference champ, despite their “One True Champion” commercials that ran all year, really hurt them. Not having a conference championship game on the final weekend did a lot of damage as well. TCU smashed Iowa State, who might be the worst team in a Power 5 conference, and Baylor beat Kansas State. The K-State victory was an impressive one for the Bears, but it just didn’t quite carry the same weight as Ohio State’s dominant victory over Wisconsin in their conference title game. There’s just something really impressive and noticeable about absolutely shellacking a team for a conference championship that a regular season win over K-State can’t amount to. The Big 12 either needs to find a way add two teams, or petition the NCAA to allow them to have a championship game. 

I think it’s hilarious that there was all this talk this week about how conference title games, in this day and age of college football, were completely obsolete, and were maybe even potentially harmful to teams like Alabama, because if the Tide had lost to Mizzou, they would’ve been left out of the playoff. Interestingly enough, not having a conference championship game was what cost the Big 12 a spot in the playoff, and all the conferences that had a title game got their conference champions in this tournament.

Going to a four team playoff was a great idea, and one that I can’t believe took so long to happen. Did anyone ever feel this way about the BCS? Look at the excitement around college football that this playoff created on the national level. The unveiling of the four teams every single week was an enormous event, and it became a conversation topic on every talking head show, in every work place, and countless other places, including schools, bars, and federal prisons (they have T.V. there correct? If they did, I’m sure it was a conversation topic!). It gave college football an importance in every corner of the country that it had never quite had before, and it even prompted my Angry Old Man to ask me yesterday if this was the greatest season in the history of the sport. I almost had a heart attack when I heard him say that, because he’s the quintessential “back in my day, we used to walk to school, uphill, both ways, fighting through polar bears and driving acid rain” type of guy, someone who gets mad at young people for not appreciating what happened 30 or 40 years ago. If he’s asking that about something that happened in 2014, then you know it’s a really special season.

I’m also glad the committee finally corrected their mistake of having TCU over Baylor, though I wish they would’ve put the Bears in the playoff, instead of Ohio State. I know the Buckeyes looked the best they have all year on Saturday night when they dismantled the Badgers, but I still think, on a neutral field, Baylor would be able to beat an Ohio State team starting their third string quarterback. But it’s a minor point, and one that won’t matter in a few weeks when either one of these teams would’ve been smoked by Alabama. But more on that match up, as well as Oregon-FSU, and every bowl game, later in the month.

Now, onto the NFL…..

I haven’t done power rankings since Week 9, so in celebration of that five week hiatus, with three weeks to go, why not count backwards, from 32 to 1? You’re right, there’s isn’t a reason!

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

31. Oakland Raiders

30. New York Jets

29. Tennessee Titans

28. Jacksonville Jaguars

27. Washington Redskins

Here are all your NFL teams with 3 wins or less. Not a lot of great football to be found in this group. Congrats on virtually ending the Niners season yesterday though Oakland, as well as creating the zillionth conversation centered around, “What’s wrong with Kaepernick” and, “Goodbye Jim Harbaugh”.

One more thought on these bottom six: Four of these teams are completely clueless/lost/we-have-no-idea about their quarterback situation. RG3 is done in D.C., Tampa Bay and Tennessee don’t really have a franchise guy (I don’t get the impression the Titans are all that high on Zach Mettenberger), and I can’t tell if the Jets want to embrace Geno Smith, or beat him over the head with the playbook. The other two teams still have unanswered questions, but they seem to at least think they have the answer at the position. I don’t feel like I have a large enough sample size of Blake Bortles play in Jacksonville to really make a strong judgment on him, but for now, the Jags aren’t looking for other options. That leaves us with the Raiders, who I think, shockingly enough, have the best quarterback situation of the group, by far. Derek Carr has been sneaky good this season, despite the fact that his team is 2-11. He's completing over 60% of his passes, and has thrown 17 TDs and 11 interceptions, which isn’t a bad ratio for a guy that is quarterbacking the most inept franchise in sports. Plus, they’ve been in a ton of close games against a lot of good teams, including two close losses to San Diego, a six point defeat in Seattle, a seven point loss in New England. And don't forget their two victories in the last three weeks against Kansas City and San Francisco. Does Oakland, for the first time in over a decade, have the right guy playing quarterback for them? I think they do. Is this the apocalypse? I can't believe I just spent an entire paragraph being complementary of the Raiders. This doesn’t feel right. Let’s just move on.

26. New York Giants

Go get Jim Harbaugh! Do it! You’ll be (assuming Tom Coughlin is no longer there) the best job opening in the NFL! Do yourselves a favor and trade for the best guy you can!

25. Carolina Panthers

This is how I feel about Carolina still being alive for a playoff spot, despite the fact that they’re 4-8-1. I’ve been trashing Atlanta all season, but seriously, has there ever been a worse team in the history of the NFL still in playoff contention with three weeks to go?

Back to that clip for a second: I love Star Wars, but that acting job by Mark Hamill was just brutal. Has there ever been a worse and groan-worthy display of emotion in cinema than that? The only I can think of that comes close is this masterpiece from Troll 2.

24. Chicago Bears

23. Minnesota Vikings

Every once in a while, it’s good to remind yourself of how much of an idiot you are. I did that this week when I went back and looked at my pre-season predictions, and realized that I had the Bears playing in the NFC Championship Game. Whoops!

On the bright side (not for me), the Vikings seem to have found their quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater. I always thought it was ridiculous that people’s opinion on him nosedived after his pro day, which was, by all accounts, not very impressive. It even led that clown Skip Baseless to question Bridgewater’s “clutch gene”, because apparently, a pro day is exactly like playing in a big game. Except it isn’t, because you’re wearing shorts and no pads, and you don’t have to worry about a 300 pound defensive lineman driving you into the ground. I don’t care about pro days, or what happens in them. What’s the point of even playing college football if a workout in shorts and a T-shirt is ultimately going to completely warp all the pundits and analysts opinions of you? I had his entire college career telling me he was a good player, and someone that could become a really good NFL player.

22. New Orleans Saints

21. Atlanta Falcons

I have Atlanta ranked ahead of New Orleans only because of their Week 1 win against them. I fully expect the Week 16 showdown in the Superdome between these teams to be the game that decides that terrible division. Then, after it’s settled, the NFC South winner can get stomped on in the Wild Card Round, ending everyone’s misery and frustration that they’re in the playoffs despite being among the 12 worst teams in the league.

20. San Francisco 49ers

This is, right now, not a very good team, and one that is absolutely dreadful offensively. They haven’t scored more than 17 points in their last 4 games, and Colin Kaepernick seems to be regressing almost every week. ESPN’s Trent Dilfer (someone I respect as a football thinker and quarterback evaluator) seems to think that the Niners staff has done a poor job developing and managing him, and he also thinks Kaepernick looks like a beaten down, mentally fatigued football player. And all of those things could be true. I have no idea. I hate playing body language doctor, because sometimes it’s deceptive, but it is evident that he clearly doesn’t have the same swagger today that he did two years ago. I think Jim Harbaugh is a great head coach, but he also has a deserved reputation for being a guy that wears people out. Is it possible he’s done that to Kaepernick? I don’t have that answer. All I know is that San Francisco’s great three year run in the playoffs is probably over.

19. St. Louis Rams

The Rams just shut out an NFL team for the second straight week, and I’d hate to see them on the schedule if I was another squad (Watch out Seattle, they’ll be in your backyard in Week 17). This group is literally just an above average quarterback away from being a really competitive team. Even without one, they terrify me. I’m excited to see what happens with them next season.

18. Cleveland Browns

17. Houston Texans

16. Buffalo Bills

15. Kansas City Chiefs

14. Miami Dolphins

I’d hate to be the person in the NFL office that has to figure out all of these playoff tiebreakers, because it seems like so much work to differentiate between all of these 7-6 AFC teams. Houston, for example, is in 8^th place in the AFC, the highest of all these teams, because they have the best win percentage in conference games. I was literally staring at my computer for 5 minutes, trying to make sense of all of this, before I had to stop because it was giving me a head injury. So let’s just do it this way:

1. Cleveland is probably out of the race, because I’m fairly certain they’re just going to throw Johnny Football in there at some point and see what they’ve got. That, to me, doesn’t bode well for their playoff chances. Plus, they literally don’t have any of the tiebreakers in their favor, at least right now.
2. Houston is alive and well, thanks to two straight wins over Jacksonville and Tennessee, but their next two games (at Indy, home against Baltimore) are actually against legitimate competition. I just don’t think the Texans are a good team (who have they beat this year? No one!), and I don’t think they’ll win a game the next two weeks.
3. Buffalo has been a nice story this year, but they have a rough finish to the season. Their game with Oakland is sandwiched between a home date with Green Bay, and their season ending contest in New England. I don’t think they’ll win either of those games, and 8-8 won’t be good enough to make the playoffs in the AFC.
4. Kansas City gets the gift of Oakland this week (though that gift turned out to be a punch to the face the first time around), followed by a game at Pittsburgh, and the Chargers in K.C. in Week 17. Could the Chiefs win out? Sure, and Alex Smith could start scaring teams with his ability to throw the ball down the field. Wait a second, Alex Smith scaring people? That’s about as likely as one of the Jersey Shore cast ever writing a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.
5. Miami has, by far, the easiest schedule of the 7-6 competitors. Granted, they do play at New England this week, but don't forget that they did beat the Pats the first time around…. in Week 1. Still, they do get to end the year with the Vikings and Jets, both at home! So they've got that going for them, which is nice.

Unfortunately, for all these teams, I don’t think any of them are going to sniff a game in January. Pittsburgh, San Diego, and Baltimore are all 8-5, and only need to go 2-1 in their final 3 to be 10-6, which I feel like (though it is arbitrary) is the magic number for the final wild card spot. I think at least two of those three will finish with that magic number, and I don’t think any of the 5 teams stuck at 7-6 will win their last 3, meaning they’ll all be spending the winter at home watching the playoffs.

13. Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore scored their most impressive win since their Week 2 victory against Pittsburgh yesterday, as they knocked off the Dolphins in Miami. They, of all the AFC teams at 8-5, have the easiest road to a 3-0 finish. That schedule isn’t tough at all; home against Jacksonville, at Houston, and home against Cleveland? Not overly difficult. Baltimore, maybe at the expense of Cincinnati, will be in the playoffs.

12. Cincinnati Bengals

11. Detroit Lions

I don’t trust either of these two teams, and honestly, why should I? Cincinnati laid an egg in the second half yesterday against Pittsburgh, and I wouldn’t be completely shocked if they tumbled all the way out of the playoffs before the season was over. I have to bet on Carrot Top look-alike Andy Dalton? No thanks. This team has burned me more times than any this season, and I’m fairly certain I won’t pick them to win another game this season, just out of principle.

And who among us trusts the Lions? I know I don’t. I’m still waiting for that inevitable screw up/choke job game from them, which, to their credit hasn’t happened yet this season. Regardless, both these teams fail the “QB Lombardi Trophy Test”, meaning I couldn’t see either of their starting quarterbacks lifting up the trophy, as Super Bowl Champs, at the end of the season.

10. San Diego Chargers

9. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Bolts just make the top 10, despite their puzzlingly-bad offensive performance against New England yesterday. However, that defense was extremely impressive for most of the night, save one missed tackle on Julian Edelman that led to a 69 yard touchdown in the 4th quarter that pretty much clinched the game. That, and head coach Mike McCoy’s decision to punt the ball near midfield on 4^th and 4 when they were down by 9 late in the game. That was a mind-numbing decision, but what they should really be worried about is the fact that their offensive line is such a mess right now (that’s what happens when you’ve started five different guys, the fifth being a guy that’s a rookie, and never played center until this season), and they won’t have much time to make adjustments or corrections before they play Denver this week, who has equally as many excellent pass rushers as the Pats do. Luckily for San Diego, those games against San Francisco and Kansas City don’t look anywhere near as intimidating as they did two weeks ago. I still think they’ll squeak into the playoffs, even if they lose this week.

Pittsburgh just keeps chugging along, despite losing the occasional head scratching, “We’re idiots” game (at the Jets, home against New Orleans). That pass rush, at times, has been game changing and impossible to deal with, as Carolina, Indianapolis, and Baltimore learned during games this season. That unit could swing a playoff game or two in their favor, assuming they can find it. I know I wouldn’t want to play them in January.

8. Dallas Cowboys

7. Philadelphia Eagles

Will the Cowboys get run over by December again? They beat the Bears in their first game of the month, which is indicative of…. nothing, because Chicago is terrible! Their match up this week on Sunday night in Philadelphia will tell us a lot about Dallas, as will their contest the following week with the Colts. And is Nick Foles ever going to come back for the Eagles? I don’t think he’s great, but he’s got to be an upgrade over Mark Sanchez right? Sanchez isn’t as terrible as everyone thinks, and when he’s playing an average-below average defense, he’s fine. But when he has to play a squad that’s great on that side of the ball (like Seattle), he’s screwed. He was awful yesterday (50% completions, and only 96 passing yards!), and they can’t win the Super Bowl if they go into the playoffs with him starting.

6. Arizona Cardinals

I couldn’t put the first place team in the NFC lower than 6^th, though it’s going to be tough for them to do much in January, or the rest of this month, with Drew Stanton handling the ball on every play. Still though, it was a nice win for them yesterday, a game against Kansas City that pretty much everyone counted them out in, despite the fact that they’ve been dynamite in Glendale all season.

5. Indianapolis Colts

The Neckbeard struck again yesterday, leading the Colts to victory, despite his two turnovers that led to Cleveland touchdowns. Luck has reached a level that not many athletes ever reach, which is, “I don’t care what the score is, or how many times we’ve had self inflicted ice picks right to the temple, this guy is in our huddle, and because of that, I know we aren’t out of it yet”. Seriously, how many times has Stanford/the Colts appeared to be done/just went through like 4 or 5 brain farts that probably should’ve cost them the game, only Luck put together a huge drive/drives that saved his team, the game, or the season? Last year’s AFC Wild Card Game against Kansas City is the most extreme example of this, but there’s been so many, like yesterday, or the USC game his final year of college, where he threw a late, soul-crushing pick six, which he calmly followed up with a game tying touchdown drive like nothing happened. The Cardinal then won in overtime. 

4. Denver Broncos

3. Seattle Seahawks

I have Seattle ranked ahead of Denver, only because Seattle’s sudden defensive resurgence, coupled with Peyton Manning’s sudden inability to consistently drive the ball down the field. While Manning did complete 70% of his passes yesterday, he also threw a ton of wounded and wobbly footballs, one that was picked off in the first half on a throw he wouldn’t have had trouble with 5 years ago. I hate to keep bringing up Manning’s lack of arm strength every time I write about Denver, but to me, that’s the biggest and least talked about story involving the Broncos right now. They aren’t going to win the Super Bowl unless he’s great for them in the playoffs, and he hasn’t been, at least consistently, for a lot of the second half of the season.

Seattle, meanwhile, will finish with three division games, all of which I expect them to win. The return of Bobby Wagner at the linebacker spot really seems to be the spark that their defense needed. Since Wagner got back three weeks ago against Arizona, the ‘Hawks have only allowed 20 points. Is the Legion of Boom back, thanks to Wagner? I think they might be.

2. New England Patriots

1. Green Bay Packers

I rank the Pack ahead of New England solely because of their victory over them in Week 13. These teams though, at least right now, are head and shoulders above the rest of the NFL. The Patriots, in the last four weeks, faced Andrew Luck, Matt Stafford, Aaron Rodgers, and Philip Rivers, all excellent to pretty good starting NFL quarterbacks. Against those four, they allowed 20, 9, 26, and 14 points, respectively. And to be fair, one of those San Diego touchdowns was on a fumble return, meaning they held that offense to just 7 points. Who else in the NFL, outside of Seattle, is capable of doing that to those four offenses? Is this the best Pats’ defense since they won their last Super Bowl? It appears so. I mean, they held Green Bay to THREE second half points. Three!

The Packers, like always, should be thanking the Lord that they were able to transition from Brett Favre, one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the league, to Aaron Rodgers, who is on his way to joining that conversation. What’s amazing about that New England game two weeks ago was how the Pack were virtually unable to complete any passes on those timing, three and five step drop plays, because the Patriots’ secondary was doing such a great job in coverage. Most quarterbacks would struggle if they had those throws taken away from them, but Rodgers was able to calmly reset, step up in that air-tight pocket that the offensive line was able to create for him. He was great in that game, and if he can get some help from his defense in the playoffs (which he’s gotten a lot of recently), Green Bay will win the Super Bowl.

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Now quickly, from my Angry Old Man, who has been riled up for almost a week about a contract extension and raise for Butch Jones. From my Pops:

“Why in the world are we giving Butch a contract extension? Who is he blackmailing in the athletic department into giving him this? Does he have naked pictures of Athletic Director Dave Hart? I think Butch has done a great job embracing the history and traditions of Tennessee, and he’s done an excellent job recruiting, but he’s also 11-13 in two years at the school. What’s the rush? These schools are so dumb, they give coaches these long term extensions, and then fire them a year later. Then they’re stuck with this enormous buyout. What’s the point? Why not wait and see what happens with Butch in year 3?”

I tend to agree. I like Butch as a person, and I think he’s a nice, genuine person, but does that mean he needs an extension and a raise? Of course not. Plus, I’d argue he didn’t do a great job this season. The “redshirt Josh Dobbs” decision got dumber and dumber as the season went along and the fans got to see him do amazing things on the field, and I think he’s made so many terrible decisions on 4^th down, and with clock management. I want Butch to succeed, and I have faith that he will, but two years in, at 11-13, the jury is still out on whether or not he’ll ultimately be a success in Knoxville. Remember, Derek Dooley had the same record through 24 games as Butch does, and we all know how that turned out. Would any Vol fan be all for Dooley getting a raise and extension after his first two years in charge? I don’t think so. Let’s pump the brakes a little bit, Vol Nation.

So, like always, enjoy Monday Night Football, or whatever you choose to do this evening. You deserve it.

Baylor Is Getting Screwed; Plus Conference Championship And Week 14 NFL Picks

The college football regular season comes to a close this Saturday, as there are seven conference championship games, plus the KansasState at Baylor game, which should be really important, but probably won’t be, because the playoff committee is stupid.

I’ll never, for as long as I live, understand the committee’s love for TCU, particularly at the expense of Baylor. The teams, after this weekend, will have virtually played the same schedule, only the Bears won the head-to-head match up between the teams. Remember that game? The one the Horned Frogs led by TWENTY-ONE in the 4^th quarter? Then they started playing tight, stopped tackling, and allowed Baylor receivers to run free in the secondary. They blew the lead and lost the game. Again, it was a TWENTY ONE point lead! To me, that’s a bad loss. You’re supposed to win when you lead by three touchdowns at any point in the game, much less the 4^thquarter. But they didn’t. They blew it. However, apparently the committee doesn’t care about who won the head-to-head match up. From the committee chair Jeff Long on Tuesday:

“Again, that's what this committee, human committee does. It evaluates the teams on their play in the game… Again, I can't say it's one thing. It's a number of things we look at, and we believe TCU is better and deserving of that No. 3 rank over Baylor.”

What?

That makes no sense! They played, and Baylor won! And they have the same record! How is TCU ranked THREE spots ahead of them? What is going on? I’m not even a Baylor fan and I’m riled up about this. I can’t imagine how I’d feel if I was.

And don’t even get me started on how hypocritical the guys running the Big 12 are. All season, those buffoons have been running commercials, talking about how they would have “one true champion”, because every team plays every other team, unlike the rest of the Power 5 conferences. But now, the league office has announced that if both schools finish 11-1, they’ll actually have co-champions, and not one, like they stated in their stupid commercials all season. How gutless, spineless, and dumb is that?

The playoff committee, at least thus far, earns an “F” for their inaugural season. But it’s not too late! They can still fix this! Do the right thing!

Now, onto this weekend’s games. For reasons still unexplained, my Angry Old Man was insistent that I pick EVERY conference championship game, including Conference USA, the MAC and the Mountain West. I’m not sure why he wanted it that way, but when he insisted I do it earlier in the week, he looked at me like he looks at a plateful of Doritos before he devours them (meaning heavy breathing, with his nostrils flared, and a weird angry glare), so instead of incurring his wrath, I’ll just do it.

Without further ado…..

MAC Championship

Northern Illinois over Bowling Green

This is a rematch of last year’s championship game, which Bowling Green won. Northern Illinois is 10-2, and are playing in their 5^thconsecutive MAC Title Game. Bowling Green backed into the championship game, as they finished the season with two straight losses. NIU has been much more impressive lately, as they haven’t lost since October 11^th. Aren’t the Huskies just significantly better? I think so.

Conference USA Championship

Marshall over Louisiana Tech

The original thinking behind this pick was, “Marshall, because Derek Dooley coached at Tech, and I’m not sure they’ve been able to quite get rid of his stink yet”. But then I remembered that Marshall was 11-1, and hadn’t lost a game all year until last Saturday. They’ve been the best team in that conference all season, and will prove as much this weekend.

Mountain West Championship

#22 Boise State over Fresno State

How is Fresno State in this game? They finished the year 6-6! If the SEC West and the Pac 12 South are the Larry Bird and Magic Johnson of college football divisions, then the West Division (which Fresno is in) of the Mountain West is definitely Kwame Brown. Meanwhile, Boise State has had another really good season (they’re 10-2), this time under first year head coach Bryan Harsin. I’m not picking against them. They’ve burned me too many times when I thought I was smart and picked their opponents. Plus, Fresno State lost 6 times this year. So that makes it a whole lot easier.

SEC Championship

#1 Alabama over #16 Missouri

The Tide are the best team in the country. The only thing that concerns me about this pick is the fact that Alabama struggled last week to cover all of Auburn’s big, speedy wideouts, allowing Nick Marshall to have a career day. Missouri has the same type of athletes on the outside. Bud Sasser, Darius White, and Jimmie Hunt (their three leading receivers) are all 6 feet or taller, and are capable of making plays in the passing game. And honestly, I’m not even sure why I used the word “concerned”.I hate Alabama, and nothing would bring me more joy than seeing them lose this game to a clearly inferior Mizzou team, followed by Nick Saban pulling his hair plugs out. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s likely. The Tigers don’t have a superstar player like Nick Marshall back there tossing the ball all over the yard for them; instead, they have Maty Mauk, who’s been vacillating between Alex “Game Manager” Smith and Jamarcus “Please Stop Hurting Us” Russell all year, with almost every in-between quarterback iteration in between (yes, even Rex “What Are You Even Thinking?” Grossman). Why would I have any faith in that guy, playing against one of the nation’s best defenses? I shouldn’t, and I won’t. Either he’s going to have to be great on Saturday, or their defense is going to have to find a way to completely slow down Amari Cooper and that offense. Good luck.

ACC Championship

#4 Florida State over #11 Georgia Tech

I badly wanted to pick the Yellow Jackets. I really did. And I can see plenty of scenarios in which they’d win. But they won’t. FSU always finds a stupid way to win these games against inferior opponents, and they’ll do it again tomorrow. Believe me, I’d love to see just about anybody else in the four team playoff besides the‘Noles. Anybody who has watched football all season couldn’t rationally or logically argue that they’re one of the four best teams. They’ve won all of their games, but so what? Wouldn’t Alabama, Oregon, TCU, Baylor, and a bunch of other teams be undefeated in the ACC this season, and look way more impressive doing it than FSU? Of course they would. Because they’re the defending champs, and haven’t lost in two years, I’m fine with keeping them in the playoff, but that doesn’t mean I have to ignore what I’ve seen all season. I’m not going to be a drone and a fool like Mike Greenberg, and declare that Florida State should be ranked number 1. That’s crazy.

For Tech to win, they’ll need two things to go in their favor:

1. Score touchdowns early with long, physical drives. They can easily do this, because they run the ball more times than Verne Lundquist butchers calls during games. I love you Verne, and you’ll always be the voice of SEC Football for me, but it might be time for you and CBS to move on.
2. Get another “Bad First Half Jameis” game from Winston. He’s done this multiple times this season, most recently last Saturday, when he threw three interceptions in the first 30 minutes.

If both these things happen, and Tech is able to jump out to an early lead, they might be able to kill the clock in the second half with that aforementioned devastating run game. And even that might not be enough. Jameis has been much better in the second half of games this season, and teams just haven’t been able to put them away. It’s weird how FSU can suck until they need to be great; and when they need it, they’ll suddenly morph into the Greatest Show on Turf mixed with the’85 Bears, and begin murdering the other team. I could easily see that happening again this week, and that’s why I’m picking the Seminoles. Then, in a month, when they get blasted in the semifinals by Alabama or someone else, we can finally be rid of college Jameis and slimy,” I’ve-got-to-cover-for-Winston” Jimbo Fisher forever.

Big 10 Championship

#13 Wisconsin over #5 Ohio State

If J.T. Barrett was playing on Saturday, I’d go with the Buckeyes and not think twice about it. But now, with Cardale Jones lining up under center for them, I’m nowhere near as confident. In fact, I’d argue that they’re mostly average around Barrett, only he was so great as the season progressed that he covered up a ton of holes for them. Plus, Wisconsin has one of the few really good defenses left in college football (they only give up an average of 260 yards a game). That doesn’t bode well for a guy making his first career start in an extremely big game. And good luck slowing down the Badgers’ Melvin Gordon with a rush defense that gives up 145.6 yards per game. I expect Gordon, who should win the Heisman, to have a huge day on the ground, and for Wisconsin to win by at least 10 points.

Pac 12 Championship

#2 Oregon over #7 Arizona

A lot has been made over the last week about the fact that Arizona has beaten Oregon two straight times, and that because of this, they might just be the better team. That’s silly. The Ducks are playing great right now, and they’ve been blasting and blowing through the 2^ndbest conference in the country. They’ve won seven straight games by at least 12 points or more, and are getting Marcus Mariota’s best season of his career (Through the air: 3,470 yards, 36 TDs, 2 picks. On the ground: 636 yards, 11 TDs). Plus, if you remember back to that early October Arizona win, Oregon had a ton of injuries on the offensive line, which pretty much killed their chance to run the offense the way they wanted to run it. Those injuries are no longer a factor, and because of that, Oregon will win tonight.

#6 Baylor over #9Kansas State

This is the best Saturday football game. People have forgotten how good K-State is, because they’ve been eliminated from the playoff race since they got thrashed at TCU. No one has really talked about them since then. But this is still a good football team, and one that doesn’t beat themselves (they only have ten turnovers all year). They could easily win on Saturday. Then again, that Baylor offense has been unstoppable, and I’ve watched them torch a ton of teams this season (they absolutely dominated Oklahoma in Norman). The only thing that could trip the Bears up this week would be if Bryce Petty plays poorly because of the concussion he suffered in their last game against Texas Tech. This win, if Baylor can get it, is one that should’ve cemented them in the playoff, because Kansas State is a really good team, and this would be a great victory at this point in the season. But the committee has already shown their hand, and pretty much let us know that Baylor’s only shot at making the playoff is if a bunch of teams above them lose. What a load of crap.

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Now, onto the NFL (home team in CAPS)......

Cowboys over BEARS

This is the first week of December, a month that has been a bigger pain in the neck for Dallas than a noose. So I half-expected for them to go into Chicago yesterday, play terribly, and lose. Shockingly, and amazingly, they played really well, and left the Midwest victorious. Keep an eye on Dallas this month though. It wouldn’t surprise me if they got run over by December, again.

BENGALS over Steelers

I have no idea what to do with this Cincinnati team. They, after struggling mightily during the middle of the season, all of the sudden have turned back into that team we saw in September. They’ve won their last three games, which were, impressively enough, all on the road. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh really hurt themselves last week. That New Orleans loss was a stupid, and there’s no reason they should’ve got completely outplayed by a mediocre Saints team, one that has always struggled outside. I always feel foolish when I shrug my shoulders and pick a team quarterbacked by Andy Dalton, but Cincy is just playing better right now, and they SHOULD win. And when they inevitably lose on Sunday, I’ll frown, sigh, shake my head, and once again remind myself to never pick a team with Dalton at the helm again.

Rams over REDSKINS

St. Louis is the right quarterback away from being a contender. Where are the holes on this team, besides that position? They just shut out the Raiders (yeah, I know, it’s the Raiders, but it’s still an NFL team, probably), winning 52-0, with Shaun Hill starting at quarterback. What if they had someone above average guy like Ryan Tannehill playing that position for them? How good would they be then? Regardless, they won’t need anyone other than Hill to beat a horribly inept Redskins team this week.

Giants over TITANS

The G-Men can’t lose again can they? They’ve now lost seven games in a row after last week’s debacle in Jacksonville. I think Tom Coughlin is a really good head coach, but I also think it’s time for a change in leadership in New York. Including this season, the Giants have made the playoffs one time in the last six seasons. Here’s a potential candidate for their next head coach, a name that I haven’t heard connected with them just yet: Jim Harbaugh. Why not? They play in a big market, with a smart, stable organization, and a two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback in Eli Manning. Wouldn’t that be the best open job in the NFL this off-season? Why would Harbaugh and the Giants not be interested in each other? New York needs to make improvements on the offensive line, and on defense, but besides that, it’s not like this team is THAT far from contending again. Things can flip in the NFL in an instant. Why couldn’t it happen in the Big Apple, with a smart and dedicated guy like Harbaugh, and that front office?

SAINTS over Panthers

Carolina has quietly been one of this season’s biggest disappointments. After starting the year 3-2, they haven’t won a game since October 5^th. I’m not going to pile on Cam Newton too much, like a lot of people have, because I don’t think he’s even close to being 100%, and he has the worst offensive weapons in the league. His best receiver is Kelvin Benjamin, a rookie who isn’t ready to be a franchise, number one wideout quite yet. New Orleans actually showed a pulse last week, the first time they’ve done that since their still-puzzling victory over Green Bay in Week 8. I think the Saints will ultimately win that division, even if they finish 7-9, and it will start this week with their victory at home against Carolina.

VIKINGS over Jets

Every other NFL locker room thanks you, the Jets, for being on their schedule this season. Not only do they love a guaranteed win, but they’re also overjoyed about seeing a team quarterbacked by Geno Smith/Mike Vick. The defense loves when they get to make plays and get stops without even trying.

DOLPHINS over Ravens

The Seahawk-like Adderall suspension for Ravens' defensive lineman Haloti Ngata is a huge blow for this Baltimore team. He was such a huge part of what they did on defense, and without him, they aren’t anywhere near as intimidating or difficult to deal with. Plus, Ryan Tannehill has secretly been really good this season, as he has completed over 70% of his passes in five straight games. The only quarterback over the last decade to have a longer streak than that is Peyton Manning, which is impressive company for the third year starter. Plus, if you just look at Miami’s losses, they’re really not that far from being 9-3 or 10-2, instead of 7-5. They were so close in that Green Bay game, before Aaron Rodgers led that huge, game-winning touchdown drive. Their game in Detroit could’ve gone either way, and they were a bad 4^th quarter away from leaving Denver victorious. This is a really good team, and I expect them to play much better than Baltimore on Sunday.

Colts over BROWNS

Cleveland is the worst 7-5 team in the league, and Brian Hoyer has suddenly turned into a below-average NFL starter. In his last three games, he has one TD and six picks. In other words, he's doing his best Geno Smith impression. If Hoyer isn’t great (and I don’t think he will be) for the rest of the season, this will be his last year in Cleveland. His contract is up after this season, and the Browns drafted Johnny Manziel in the first round so they could play him, not so he could sit on the bench behind a 29 year old with 11 TDs and 10 picks in 2014. Indy has beat up on all the average-to-bad teams they’ve played this year, and I expect that to continue this week. And when Cleveland loses in two days, I think the run for them, at least this season, will be over. They’ll throw Manziel in there, and I think at times, he'll struggle greatly.

LIONS over Bucs

We haven’t seen Detroit since Thanksgiving, but they played their best offensive game since Week 1 that day, as they dismantled the Bears. Then again, how impressive is that really? Everybody has done that to Chicago this season. Regardless, even if the Lions’ offense struggles again, they won’t need them this week to beat the hapless Bucs.

Texans over JAGUARS

Congrats Jacksonville and Blake Bortles on your big win last week against the Giants. This week, prepare to meet and deal with J.J. Watt. He’ll destroy you.

BRONCOS over Bills

Denver seems to have discovered a physical running game (C.J. Anderson had 168 yards on 32 carries on Sunday Night), something they’ll need to win in the playoffs. Denver won’t need Manning to be great to win on Sunday, but keep an eye on how his ball looks on Sunday. He threw 10-12 absolute ducks againstKansas City, a disturbing trend for that team.

CARDINALS over Chiefs

I don’t have a great feel for this one, though many people would argue I don’t have a great feel for any game, because if I did, I wouldn’t consistently whiff on pick after pick after pick. Whoops. Anyway, both these teams are reeling off back-to-back losses, and haven’t looked good in two weeks. I just think Arizona has a better roster, and they have the ability to force turnovers, something Kansas City isn’t great at doing. If they could get a turnover or two that could set them up with a short field, they might be able to score a few points, something that’s been a challenge for the Drew Stanton-led offense. This will be a close, low scoring game, one that the Cards will eek out late.

Seahawks over EAGLES

Mark Sanchez has been fairly impressive this season, but he also hasn’t faced a defense like Seattle’s, one that flies around and is relentless for four quarters. The Legion of Boom has gotten their swagger back, and the pass rush is inching closer to being that unstoppable force they were last year. If Sanchez struggles early, I think this game could get ugly. Seattle is so limited offensively that I’m not sure they’re capable of beating someone 41-10 anymore, but they are definitely capable of physically and mentally overwhelming a team with a 19-3 win, like they have the last two games. I wouldn’t be shocked if we saw a similar type game this week, one that resembles their last two victories.

49ers over RAIDERS

The Harbaugh Bowl, because a Jim-to-Oakland trade has been rumored all week. Here’s my advice to Harbaugh: RUN IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF OAKLAND AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN!!! YOU SHOULD LEAVE SKID MARKS FLEEING FROM THAT HELL HOLE!!! New York is a far superior franchise, and they’d be silly to not want you as their head coach. If given the opportunity, go there.

CHARGERS over Patriots

I know, I know, I probably have a blind spot for the Bolts (actually, there’s no “probably” about it, I definitely do). Though, to be fair, they do seem to be hitting their stride again, which I thought would eventually happen. And here’s the craziest stat of the week: Philip Rivers is 30-6 in his career as a starter in the month of December. Impressive, right? In other words, he’s like the Cowboys in December, except the exact opposite. Two concerns for San Diego: they’ll start their fifth different center of the season on Sunday (uh oh), and New England, instead of flying back to Massachusetts after Sunday’s loss in Green Bay, decided to fly out to Southern California, and spend the entire week preparing on the west coast, eliminating the potential jet lag/traveling-across-the-country advantage for the Chargers. Hmmm…. 30-6! THIS IS PHILIP RIVERS’ MONTH!!!!

PACKERS over Falcons

Finally, the Monday Night game. Why am I even thinking about this one? Atlanta’s terrible! Green Bay’s the best team in the league! Will this one even be close?

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So, like always, enjoy football this weekend. You deserve it.

The Week In Football: The College Football Playoff Heats Up, Manning's Dead Duck, and Tattoos on Santa

On Saturday night, the Tennessee Vols got their 6^th win of the season, making them bowl eligible for the first time since 2010. They also ended Vanderbilt’s embarrassing two game winning streak against them, allowing the Commodores to finish the year 0-8 in the conference. Not a great first year for Derek Mason in Nashville. So much for Vandy “not missing a beat” without James Franklin. That school has a ton of smart fans, but they did their best dumb Alabama fan (Harvey Updyke or Phyllis) impression by blindly declaring that they didn’t need Franklin to continue their level of recent success. Really? Vanderbilt, like I expected, quickly returned to mediocrity and unimportance, just like they’ve been for most of their history. Franklin was a game changer for them, and probably didn’t get enough credit from the rest of the country (or the Vandy fans) for how great he was down there. I mean, he won 9 games in back-to-back years at Vanderbilt. I’ll probably have grandkids or be dead before that happens again.

 

But back to the Vols. Making a bowl game was huge for this team, and for Butch, because there’s no way he could’ve allowed Derek Dooley to have more success in his first two years than he did (Dooley went to a bowl game in year 1). They’ll get some extra practice time, another game on television, and some added momentum to carry into next season. They still have more holes on the offensive line than the plot of the Star Wars prequels, but they showed enough signs at the end of the year to get me excited for next season.

 

Now, onto the rest of the weekend…..

 

Tossed out of the Cornfield

 

Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini got the axe on Sunday morning, as he was fired, despite winning 9 games for the 7^th straight season. He went 67-27 in his seven years in charge of the program, though they never won a conference championship, or played in a BCS Bowl. Athletic Director Shawn Eichorst’s reason for the canning was simple; “We weren't good enough in the games that mattered… I didn't see that changing at the end of the day.”

 

My question is, what are they expecting? They’ve won 9 games every season he’s been in charge, and they’ve been in the conference title race pretty much every year. This isn’t Nebraska of the ‘70s, ‘80s, or ‘90s. The landscape of college football has changed, as it’s really hard to convince kids to come to Lincoln, Nebraska (which is in the middle of nowhere), with it’s bone-chilling winter temperatures. The state produces almost no legitimate Division 1 football players, and neither do any of the states that border them. They’ve got fan support, and an administration that is fully committed to winning, but so does 25 other programs. Honestly, I think Pelini’s done a pretty good job there, considering all the obstacles. Plus, this was probably the worst off-season to make a change, because Nebraska is the 3^rd best job opening. Florida is way better (in state talent, warm weather), as is Michigan, which borders Ohio, only one of the most fertile recruiting areas in the country. Two names stand out to me as potential replacements, at least right now: Mike Gundy and Jerry Kill. Assuming both of those guys get passed over for the Florida and Michigan job openings, I think Nebraska would (and should) be really happy if they got either of those guys.

 

ACC Dominance?

 

It wasn’t a good day for the SEC on Saturday, at least on the surface, as the conference lost all of their in-state rivalry games to schools from the ACC. Never mind that these were the combined records for the teams heading into those games:

 

SEC: 26-17

ACC: 36-8

 

You had the horrible and offensively inept Gators, the “we can’t stop a nosebleed” Gamecocks, Kentucky (they’re so bad they don’t even need a qualifier), and Georgia, who blew their game against Georgia Tech. Besides the Bulldogs, this wasn’t exactly the class of the SEC this year. It’s not like the ACC teams beat Alabama, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss on Saturday. The fact is, their undefeated team, the one that will be favored in this weekend’s conference championship game, FSU, struggled mightily for 4 quarters at home against Florida, a team that plays offense like a bad Pop Warner team. On paper, the ACC had the best team in 3 of these games (FSU-UF, Clemson-South Carolina, and Louisville-UK), and got Georgia’s best Clemson impression in the Tech game that allowed the Yellow Jackets to escape Athens victorious. How in the world do the Dawgs lose that game? You have a three point lead with 18 seconds left! Tech can’t consistently throw the ball down the field. If they kick the ball deep, instead of squib kicking it, they win that game 99 times out of 100. Instead, because they kicked it short, Tech started their possession close to midfield, which allowed Yellow Jacket QB Justin Thomas to get them in field goal range by simply breaking contain and rushing for 21 yards. What a head scratching and game-costing decision.  Again: THIS TEAM STRUGGLES TO CONSISTENTLY THROW THE BALL DOWN THE FIELD. You should know this, because they spent almost the entire game running the ball. Georgia allowed Tech to get into field goal range without even completing a pass. Just boot the ball deep, cover the kick, and make them beat you chucking the ball down the field with the little time they had remaining. I’m frustrated with this game and I’m not even a Georgia fan. I can’t imagine how I’d feel if I rooted for them.

 

My 4 Team Playoff

 

1. Alabama. Despite three interceptions from their quarterback Blake Sims, the Tide were still able to score 55 points. Who else in the country could do that? And what other team could survive Auburn QB Nick Marshall’s best game ever, as he passed for a school record 456 yards? The process for getting into the playoff is simple for the Tide; win Saturday’s SEC Title Game, and they’ll be in. And honestly, I hate that. I don’t think I’ve taken enough time in this space to let everyone know the level of disdain I have for the Crimson Tide. I’ve taken more shots at Clemson and UCLA this season, schools I don’t even hate, than I have at Alabama, a program I wouldn’t root for against the Soviets. The only thing more annoying than the Tide’s recent success is how angry their redneck fans get when their number of claimed national titles is called into question (I’m sorry, but they don’t have 15 legitimate national championships), or when their fans get equally angry when people mention that their head coach, hero, and God, Nick Saban, is a surprisingly short 5’6.
2. Oregon. The Ducks took care of business in the Civil War this weekend against Oregon State, and now face an Arizona team in Pac 12 Championship Game that has beat them two straight times. Just like Alabama, the playoff formula for Oregon is simple; win, and they’ll be in. Also, on a side note, take a look at this Marcus Mariota picture:
   
   That’s the greatest in-game Heisman pose since Desmond Howard's punt return against Ohio State. However, I’m not Alabama (meaning dumb) enough to let a single cool photo change my opinion on the Heisman race. Melvin Gordon is still the best player in college football, and should win the award.
3. Florida State. With Mississippi State’s loss in the Egg Bowl, and Baylor’s narrow victory over Texas Tech, I moved the ‘Noles up a spot this week. Jameis Winston was terrible on Saturday (4 picks), and FSU allowed a bad Gators’ team to hang around for way too long. I’ll be rooting like hell for Georgia Tech to knock them off this weekend in the ACC Championship Game, though I realize it’s probably not going to happen. As bad as the Seminoles have been for long stretches in games, they always seem to find a way to squeak it out at the end, or catch a lucky break. I hate that this team gets to struggle every week in that cupcake conference, and I can’t wait for them to get in the playoff and be blasted by Alabama or Oregon in the semifinals.
4. Baylor. Bryce Petty’s concussion in the 3^rd quarter against the Red Raiders was concerning, though he has vowed to play in next week’s showdown at home against K-State. Assuming he can go, I think the Bears should get into the playoff with a win on Saturday. They’d be conference champions, and they’d have the head-to-head win against TCU. Then again, I’ve been saying this all season, and the committee has still been putting the Horned Frogs ahead of them. So what do I know?

 

I’d rank TCU 5^th, Ohio State 6^th, Arizona 7^th, and Mississippi State 8^th. I don’t think the Bulldogs can’t get back into the playoff race after their loss this weekend. They don’t have any games left on their schedule to impress the committee, and they, unlike everyone ranked ahead of them, cannot win their conference title. So as great and memorable as their season has been, it’s probably over.

 

TCU can get into the playoff if they win, and K-State beats Baylor, or someone else above them loses (like Florida State). They’d have one loss, be conference champions, and have some impressive wins (K-State, West Virginia, Minnesota, Oklahoma, etc.) under their belt. Ohio State will get in if they win the Big 10 Title Game against Wisconsin, and two teams above them lose. I can’t see them, without star QB J.T. Barrett, making a strong case to the committee unless two teams lose. That Barrett injury was as damning as it was disappointing. His rapidly improving play was one of the main reasons people were arguing that they should be in the playoff. Now, without him, they don’t stand a chance without catching a few breaks in the last week of the season. They aren’t going to jump anyone that wins this week.

 

Arizona is an interesting team. If they beat Oregon in the Pac 12 Title Game, they’d have two victories over the Ducks, while also having two losses themselves. They’d also be champions of the second best conference in the country. Could you really justify putting two Big 12 teams in the playoff, or a Big 12 and Big 10 team in, without putting in the Pac 12 champ? That league, particularly the Pac 12 South, has been brutal this season. USC just got done mopping the floor with Notre Dame, and they lost 3 games in conference this year. And what if Baylor, Florida State, and Oregon all lose next week? Would the playoff be Alabama, TCU, Ohio State, and Arizona? How much would the committee penalize FSU for losing? And could Georgia Tech find a way to sneak into the playoff? There are so many unanswered questions going into the final weekend of the season, and ultimate chaos is still a possibility. Regardless, I can’t wait to see what happens this weekend.

 

Now, onto the NFL…..

 

SAN DIEGO SUPER CHARGERS

 

The Bolts, my AFC Super Bowl pick, made me look intelligent for siding with them for only the second time this season (the other time was their Week 2 victory against Seattle), as they played one of their most courageous games of the season, and won at Baltimore. And yes, I really do appreciate when I look smart, because it’s happened so infrequently this season. It was a gritty win for San Diego, and a game they had to have. They’ve still got a brutal schedule remaining (home against New England and Denver, and then at San Fran and Kansas City to finish the season), but they are 8-4, and at least game ahead of all the other AFC Wild Card contenders. The New England and Denver games should be difficult, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect them to win at least one of those games. At San Francisco looked like a tough game a few weeks ago, until you remembered that they’ve been pretty dreadful on offense all year (thank you Kaepernick!), and that the situation between Jim Harbaugh and the front office could implode at any time. And should they really be scared of Kansas City at the end of the year? They can’t complete any throws down the field, they haven’t been able to generate much of a pass rush the last two weeks, and teams have suddenly figured out how to gash them with running game (CJ Anderson had 32 carries for 168 yards yesterday). For the first time since they were 5-1, I feel good about San Diego. And now that I’ve said that, they’ll probably lose the last four. Please don’t.

 

Peyton and the Dead Duck

 

Manning had one of his worst games of the season last night in Kansas City (50% completions, 179 yards), and there were multiple times where his ball failed to cut through the wind and ended up dying in the air. It’s no secret that he doesn’t have the same zip on throws that he did five years ago (and that’s probably the case for every 38 year old), but in terms of arm strength, he’s a whole lot closer to Chad Pennington than he is to Aaron Rodgers. Denver didn’t need Manning to be great to beat K.C., but they’ll need him on his “A” game to win at New England, or a cold weather game in Denver against Indy or whoever they end up playing in the playoffs. It was 23 degrees at kickoff last night. What if it was 15 degrees in Denver or New England, with snow on the ground, or driving wind? How would Manning fair then? He’s never been great in cold weather, even when he was in his athletic and physical prime. Now? It could be disastrous. Thankfully for Denver, the defense seems to be hitting their stride again, and the offensive line has started to open up some holes for the running game. That will be enough for them to make the playoffs, but if they want to accomplish their ultimate goal, winning the Super Bowl, they’ll need Manning to be great. And I’m not sure he can be outside, in cold weather.

 

Green Bay cools off the Pats

 

The Pack handled their business at home against the hottest team in the NFL, New England, who hadn’t lost a game since September. Aaron Rodgers was, like always, great (368 yards, 2 TDs, no picks), and was amazingly able to stay upright for most of the game. It was shocking to watch how much time he had to stand back in the pocket and look down the field. There were multiple instances where Rodgers was able to reset 3 or 4 times in the pocket and continue to search for open receivers, before he was able to either complete a pass to one of them, or take off and run through and enormous hole in the defensive line. I’ll give Green Bay’s O-line a ton of credit for giving him all the time he needed. Basically, they did the exact opposite of what Tennessee’s offensive line has done for the Vols’ quarterbacks this season. Still, I think, at least right now, that these two teams are the NFL’s best, and I wouldn’t be shocked in they met in Arizona for the Super Bowl in February.

 

The Champs back on track, and the end of Niners?

 

Come back with me to Thursday night. The Seahawks have now won back-to-back slugfests against Arizona and San Francisco, and now sit just one game behind the Cardinals for the NFC West lead. They now look like the Legion of Boom, crazy pass rushing, Adderall-fueled (just kidding… hopefully) machine that they were last year. I would not want to play them in the playoffs, particularly if they end up getting a home game. That place is crazy; it literally melts other teams.

 

I stupidly picked the Niners on Thursday, because I keep ignoring the fact that Colin Kaepernick, for all his talents, might be the most inconsistent QB in the league. He was so bad on Thanksgiving (55.2% completions, 121 yards, 2 picks), and really hasn’t been that great all season (15 TDs, 8 picks, only one game in which his team scored more than 30 points). Those two playoff wins against Aaron Rodgers seem like a century ago.

 

Is this the end of the Niners run? They sit at 7-5, out of the playoffs, with games left at Oakland, at Seattle, and home against San Diego and Arizona. They could easily go 1-3 in those games, finish 8-8, and miss the playoffs. And if that happens, then it’s the end for Harbaugh, who hasn’t been able to agree to a new deal with San Fran going into the last year of his contract. He might get fired, or he might take another job, but he won’t be back. And it would be a shame, because as great as they’ve been, I’m not sure there’s a team in sports’ history that’s had a more devastating end to three straight seasons than the Niners. They had the Kyle Williams' fumbles in the 2011 NFC Championship Game against the Giants; 4th and goal stop against the Ravens in the Super Bowl the next season; and then last year's excruciating pick in the end zone that sealed their fate against their heated rivals, Seattle, in the NFC Title Game. Devastating losses to end three straight seasons? Just brutal. The only NFL situation I can compare to this one would be the Buffalo Bills, who did lose in the Super Bowl four straight years, though only one of those games was actually close, the Scott Norwood missed field goal game in Super Bowl XXV. In other sports, the most comparable example would be the Detroit Pistons, who had two straight brutal eliminations, including losing the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals to the Celtics in seven games. In that series, they had the Game 5 choke job by Isiah Thomas, when his inbound pass late in the game was picked off by Larry Bird, who immediately flipped it to Dennis Johnson for for the winning layup. They also lost Game 7 in Boston by three points. They followed it up in 1988 by losing back-to-back heartbreakers (Game 6 by 1 point, and Game 7 by three points) in the Finals, in Los Angeles against the Lakers, including Game 7, in which the fans stormed the court before the game was even over. But their hearts were only broken for two years, as they won the title the next season by getting revenge on the Lakers and sweeping them. San Fran might not get their chance at redemption like the Pistons did, and what a bitter pill that would be for Niner fans to swallow. Heck, I was pretty mad when Tennessee lost to Missouri this season, a game that ultimately doesn’t matter all that much in the long term. I can’t imagine how I’d feel if I went through gut punch losses to end three straight seasons.

 

Finally, my Angry Old Man, who, through his ramblings, has once again forced his way onto this page. He shot me an angry text on Saturday night; “We’ve lost the country! I just saw a commercial with Santa Claus, and this Jolly Old St. Nick had tats! Is nothing sacred! Why do we have to destroy every American icon? The disappointment I felt in that moment reminded me of the disappointment I felt every time you brought your report card home from school!”

 

As you can see, he’s riled up, like always. Personally, I don’t necessarily think there’s a problem Santa having tattoos. I’ll admit that when I saw the commercial later, that was the first thing I noticed, but it wasn’t necessarily a big deal to me. I don’t have any tats, and I don’t really have any interest in getting one, but I also don’t think it’s big deal if a person has one. There is still a certain rebel element associated with them, but I also don’t think that stigma will exist in 15 or 20 years. How many people on TV now feel like they can freely unveil their tats without any consequence. Adam Levine is on “The Voice”, and his arms are covered in them. I haven’t heard any controversy about that, and I think it’s an overall relaxed attitude that our culture has towards them. Society is more casual than ever, and I wouldn’t be shocked if you start to see more and more television reporters and media personnel freely showing off their ink in the next few years.

 

But back to the original question; is it a big deal for Santa to have tats? I guess it depends on how you feel about tattoos, and how passionately you feel about how Santa looks. I don’t necessarily care about either of those things, particularly not how St. Nick looks, because he’s a created character (I’m sorry, but it’s true), and I don’t necessarily think it’s a big deal if a character goes through minor physical changes through time, depending on what the culture and society deems appropriate and acceptable. As long as the characteristics of Santa stay the same (a nice, warm spirit, who chortles, brings presents, etc.), I’m fine with a few physical changes. Plus, it’s not like Santa suddenly becomes a bad guy if you throw a few tats on him right?

 

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Like always, enjoy the Monday Night Game. You deserve it.