The Crystal Ball 2010 Week 16

This week, the Crystal Ball is taking a bit of time off to enjoy Christmas with family, recuperate after a very long month and recover from an unexpected roll. So please enjoy this truncated version with your sugar plums and egg nog, and look for our usual cornucopia of nonsense next week.

The Way It Was

Saints receiver Lance Moore may have the catch of the year. His heads up play, grabbing the tipped ball in the end zone and getting possession while keeping his feet in bounds was nothing short of outstanding.

Philadelphia performed a new Meadowlands Miracle, closing a 21 point deficit in the last 8 minutes of the football game to tie the score, and capping the game with a scintillating punt return from DeSean Jackson to win the game as time expired. Those 8 minutes may have destroyed the Giants playoff hopes and vaulted Michael Vick into the league MVP.

Ok, for all you seeded playoff supporters, do you really want to improve the NFC and AFC West divisions? Then realign the divisions and put a good team in each division. Bad divisions with one good team always seem to improve over time because all the bad teams work hard to chase down that one good team. What team in either the AFC or NFC West is so good the other teams feel the need to work extra hard to chase down? That's right, no one.

Well, color me surprised by Rex Grossman who torched the Dallas defense for 322 yards and 4 touchdowns. But in true Rex fashion, he showed his full gambit of skills by throwing a killer interception at the end to thwart a possible win. I’m surprised Shanahan didn’t find a way to blame that one on McNabb.

Congratulations to the Detroit Lions who won their first road game since October 2007, which is around the same time Miami last won a home game

Brett Favre made a surprise start last week against Chicago in the freezing cold. I figured the temperature was keeping the swelling of his terribly beat up body down. Unfortunately for Brett, the Chicago defense decided to use him as a rag doll and he left the game with a concussion. Brett, I beg you, stop. It’s over. Please do not try to come back again unless you are attempting to be the first player ever killed on national television.

The Steel Pit

Steelers 17 – Jets 22

Steelers 27 – Panthers 3

As Bill Cowher once said, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. And Pittsburgh managed to do each in a four day span. Hey, the playoffs are assured, just against who and where is up in the air. I’ll take that for now.

Only In Faux NFL Reality…

Apparently, the 9 yard first down Pittsburgh obtained during the loss to the Jets has come under some scrutiny and was called a cheap first down. How about we just refer to it as an initial down payment from the officials for blowing the pass interference call on Sanders, as well as all the cheap shots Big Schnozz has taken to the head this season.

If this happens, I swear I will cry.

It would seem Donovan McNabb is feeling dissed by his benching, rightfully so I believe. I cannot think of anything more humiliating for a heathly player pulled from the starting lineup than to be a ceremonial captain.

He Said He Said

“People can say what they want, that I'm arrogant, that I'm a showboat ... but I was just trying to get to the double-zeroes [on the clock]." – Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson on his move of running along the goal line before scoring the game winning touchdown against the Giants

Personally, I think if you do something no one has ever done in the NFL before, end a game on a punt returned for a touchdown in this case, a bit of showboating is warranted.

"I picked a bad time to punt a straight line drive.'' - Giants punter Matt Dodge

Yeah, maybe.

"I would never blame Matt (Spaeth). I thought he made a great effort. He played a great game today. He made a lot of big-time catches, big-time plays. He did a great job of stepping up, not knowing especially if Heath is going to play. I'll take this one on me because I need to make more big plays. Never blame those guys or anybody else. It's on me." – Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger after Pittsburgh’s loss to the Jets

Way to be a leader Big Schnozz. Perhaps he has changed.

"That's about as empty a feeling as you get to have in this business.'' - Giants head coach Tom Coughlin after their loss to the Eagles

Do you mean the loss Tom or watching your defense self destruct in the 4th quarter? I think it should be the latter.

“On the dumbest play of a mind-bending loss, Dodge, with 14 seconds left in a 31-31 tie, punted the ball to the best return man in the game (sorry, Devin Hester, but DeSean Jackson's taken over) instead of angling the ball out of bounds. Jackson ran it back for that touchdown. Now, instead of being in the driver's seat for a first-round bye and playing the divisional round game at home, the Giants will have to struggle to be the sixth seed, which will necessitate an all-road journey to the Super Bowl ... if they even make the playoffs. An inexcusable mistake by the rookie punter.” – SI.com’s Peter King

Inexcusable? Geez Peter, get some perspective. How about instead of heaping the entirety of the loss on this poor kids’ head, which I suspect will soon explode due to constant criticism, how about we remember to blame the Giants defense which gave up 21 points in less than 8 minutes. Perhaps if they had made just one tiny stop anywhere during the end of the 4th quarter, we would not be tearing apart Matt Dodge today. let’s remember he 's a rookie and he's got much to learn much like everyone else who seems to be comfortable putting all the blame on the Giants loss on the kid instead of the defense.

Idiot of the week

This week the theme of the award is bad coaching and without a doubt the worst coaching over the weekend belonged to Giants head coach Tom Coughlin. After building a substantial lead over division rival Philadelphia in a game that would decide effectively who would emerge as NFC East champions, Coughlin watched seemingly helplessly as his defense gave up 21 unanswered points in the game’s final 8 minutes. Coughlin did not change tactics when the defense started faltering, nor did he tell his defensive coordinator to try something different. They kept coming at Philadelphia with the same looks and blitzes, and the Eagles just exploited each one of them repeatedly.

To add stupidity to idiocy, when the Giants punt unit failed and allowed the winning touchdown, Coughlin ran onto the field to publically berate his rookie punter for kicking the ball to Jackson, a noted return threat. Never mind that his defense wilted under Philadelphia’s offensive pressure. Also ignore the fact that the Giants kick receiving unit was completely unprepared for an onside kick, even though the score, time remaining and game situation obviously called for Philadelphia to attempt an onside kick. And never mind that Jackson initially muffed the punt and the Giants unit had him hemmed in and pinned back.

No, in Coughlin’s mind, and for the benefit of the viewing public, the person who needed to shoulder the blame for this epic collapse was the rookie punter who did the best he could with a bad snap. So Coughlin, for letting your defense fail without changing tactics, not having your special teams units properly prepared for any contingency and laying the blame for the loss at the feet of a rookie instead of on your own deserving head, you are an idiot.

The runner up this week is Packers head coach Mike McCarthy for what may be the worst end of game clock management I have seen in some time, even though I have watched a few Eagles games this season. Yes, I know Matt Flynn was the starter for Green Bay, and not necessarily as skilled at running a two minute drill as Aaron Rodgers, but Flynn’s preparation for such situations lies on the head of McCarthy. He knew he had a young quarterback under center, and should have taken that into account as he sent in plays with time expiring and time outs being wasted.

On Tap This Week

Just because I am resting up and recuperating while downing bowl after bowl of Figgie pudding doesn’t mean I’m not picking games. After all, we’re at crunch time now.

Last week: 8-7
Thursday: 1-0
Saturday: 0-1
Season to date: 141-84

And dang it, I’m getting crunched. But I still have two weeks left, time for a final push.

Sunday

Baltimore (10-4) at Cleveland (5-9)

Oh, I think Baltimore will work to keep pace with Pittsburgh. But I’m rooting for Cleveland, at least this week.

Ravens over Browns

San Francisco (5-9) at St. Louis (6-8)

One team rising, one team sinking. Take a guess which is which?

Rams over 49ers

New England (12-2) at Buffalo (4-10)

Tom Brady is too big of a world famous super duper star to be forced to play in some backwater like Buffalo. The NFL should change all Bills games against New England to Yankee Stadium or some other large, famous and more appropriate venue for Tom’s Q rating.

Patriots over Bills

Washington (5-9) at Jacksonville (8-6)

I would love if Donovan McNabb gives Shanahan the finger from the bench when it’s time for the captains to go out for the coin toss.

Jaguars over Redskins

Detroit (4-10) at Miami (7-7)

Ok, Miami, can you at least beat Detroit at home? The only thing lower I can think of is the Panthers or maybe a Division III college.

Dolphins over Lions

New York Jets (10-4) at Chicago (10-4)

Let’s see Chicago at home against an AFC East team again. Nah, nothing can go bad this time can it?

Bears over Jets

Tennessee (6-8) at Kansas City (9-5)

Ok, did we all see how KC’s offense performed last week with Matt Cassel versus the week before without him? Can you really tell me with a straight face that he should not be a serious MVP candidate?

Chiefs over Titans

Indianapolis (8-6) at Oakland (7-7)

Oh, wow, who is surprised Indianapolis is suddenly reasserting themselves? Not me. But I must say, it may be time for Austin Collie to consider a new career. Two serious concussions in one year does not portend a healthy future.

Colts over Raiders

Houston (5-9) at Denver (3-11)

I must say, I enjoyed Tim Tebow’s debut at quarterback. Shame he cannot play defense too.

Texans over Broncos

San Diego (8-6) at Cincinnati (3-11)

How many references will we have of the infamous Freezer Bowl? I’m thinking about 8 and I’m taking the over just in case.

Chargers over Bungles

New York Giants (9-5) at Green Bay (8-6)

What an epic 4th quarter collapse last week. No, I do not blame that loss on Matt Dodge, as Tom Coughlin seemed to be attempting to do after the game ended. The fault of that loss is on a defense that gave up 21 points in less than 8 minutes. And something tells me that stink is going to still be all over New York’s defense.

Packers over Giants

Seattle (6-8) at Tampa Bay (8-6)

Tampa Bay, you’re so close. Just keep plugging away.

Buccaneers over Seahawks

Monday

New Orleans (10-4) at Atlanta (12-2)

Atlanta got the best of New Orleans in the first matchup in the Big Easy. But Falcon receiver Roddy White has been talking smack at the Saints on Twitter. This takes the rather foolish act of trash talking to a dumb new level and I think creates a very bad vibe for his team and gives New Orleans, who has definitely got their groove back, a bit of extra motivation.

Saints over Falcons

Tuesday

Minnesota (5-9) at Philadelphia (10-4)

Threat of a blizzard has pushed this game from Sunday Night to Tuesday Night. Personally, I think it’s the Threat of another Brett Favre start and he just needs two extra days to feel better is the true reason. Unbelievable.

Eagles over Vikings