Skip to main content

Thoughts on the playoffs' first day

1. Tony Romo just ended the game with the worst body language I've ever seen from a quarterback. Check that-I've seen Peyton hang his head just as low before. That's bad company. Well, I don't know if it's fair to read too much into something in the heat of the moment. But did Romo think they were going to win the Super Bowl this year or something?

It's not today's game, but the offseason that will make or break Romo. The fumble on the field goal snap-it's no good for the Cowboys, sure, but it happens. How will Romo respond? I don't know. He's seemed a little too eager to embrace his newfound celebrity status, but this could be a wake-up call, and he could be even better next season. Personally, I'm not betting on it, but I'm very intrigued to see what's up.

2. That was a manly, heads-up play on the tackle by Lofa Tatupu. Made up for that bizarre prevent "defense" Seattle was playing. I have never seen a team try to give up a playoff game faster.

3. I like Matt Hasselbeck's chances in any playoff game, even though he was hardly on fire today.

4. Shaun Alexander made some nice runs in key situations, and was clutch to a degree I hadn't seen before.

5. On to the AFC. Nice work on Ty Law's part. I bet he misses Tom Brady. And Damon Huard.

6. The blocking wasn't hot, but Larry Johnson looked less eager than usual to run aggresively today. Was that because he's worn down, or did he just relax and count on getting 30-plus carries? It's worth pointing out that Johnson had his worst games in college against good teams, too (though I still think he should have a Heisman).

7. Peyton Manning is a freaking weirdo. Three picks, but 30 of 35 on his other passes? I don't think I've ever seen anything like it.

8. The Colts looked only okay today even with a nearly 2:1 time of possession edge. They're done next week.

Comments

Mike said…
Peyton, probably. Eli did lead a drive in the fourth quarter to tie it up. Yes, Eli doesn't choke. He can't play worse in the playoffs, because he'd be shaky in an exhibition game against ninth-graders. As a Broncos fan, I have seen Peyton light it up in the playoffs.

Carrie's loooong gone.

Yeah, I am starting to think the Patriots could be taking it. Chargers-Pats may well be the real Super Bowl.

Ty Law is the man.
Mike said…
Smith is still the best sub-five-foot quarterback I've ever seen.

Popular posts from this blog

National Basketball Association Finals Preview Blowout!

If you're looking for a stereotypical matchup breakdown for the NBA Finals between the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs, (Game One is tonight, 7 o'clock Mountain, ABC), you've come to the right place! Center: Ben Wallace, Pistons vs. Nazr Mohammed, Spurs Wallace might be the league's top defender, winning his third Defensive Player of the Year award this season and leading the Pistons in both blocks and steals. It's said he's an improved offensive player, but he still scores primarily on tips and wide-open dunks. "Big Ben" is horrific from the foul line, connecting on 42.8% this season. Also, his brother has taken on NBA players and can probably beat up Mohammed's brother. Mohammed has been a good fit for the Spurs since being traded from the Knicks. It appears Isiah Thomas may have finally made his first mistake as general manager in New York, as Mohammed has started every Spurs' playoff game, averaging 8.1 points to go with a solid seven...

Forget Brett Favre (*)

From my 2007 NFL season preview : Favre's not as good as he once was-who is?-but he's not the disgrace people make him out to be...I don't think he "deserves" to go out with another Lombardi or anything, but I hope he gets to leave on a good note. Oops. What a mistake. And I even knew this day was coming. Let me say that Brett Favre deserves to go down in history with whatever records he earns, so long as a giant asterisk is placed by each and every one of them. As you may have heard, Sunday's victory over the New York Giants made Favre the winningest quarterback in NFL history. I don't know what ESPN did on TV, but this record practically went unnoticed in the places I follow sports. But it's of crucial importance to me. Why? "Maybe someday down the road it will mean a lot," a typically humble Favre said after the 149th win of his career, moving past Hall of Famer [and indisputable greatest quarterback of all time] John Elway. Humble...

Did CU ever win the Pac-12?

In 2010, I bet a college buddy of mine (who longtime readers may remember as the only other contributor to Hole Punch Sports) that CU’s football team would not win the Pac-12 in the next 15 years. Guess what? It’s time for me to gloat, because I was right. Why we were doomed Back in the day, a lot of people made the argument that CU should join the Pac-12 because we’d get so much more TV money there. Of course, given college football is the answer to the question, “what if you had a sport where multiple teams were like the Yankees, and you created a whole universe of haves and have-nots?”, then yeah, you want to be aligned with some of the haves. But the question in my mind wasn’t, “will CU be better off with more money?” That’s an obvious yes. The question I asked was, will CU be any more competitive in their own conference if they’re competing against teams who are also getting more money? I couldn’t see why they would be. The mathematical angle Legend has it that Cowboys runn...