The Crystal Ball 2014 The Divisionals

ESPN broadcaster Stuart Scott passed away this week at age 49. There are many things one can say about Stuart, and ESPN did a masterful job eulogizing their fallen friend. What I will add is this. He was one of the genuinely good people, for whom you root and strive to emulate. Godspeed Mr. Stuart.

Opening Kickoff

Nimrod Raven fans got their panties in a bunch because Eric Wilbur of Boston.com had the audacity to call the Baltimore Ravens the most deplorable organization in American professional sports. Their biggest retort is the Patriots are arrogant (Duh) and they employed a man who is charged with murder. Hello pot, this is kettle, you are black. But is Wilbur right? Are the Ravens the most deplorable organization in American professional sports? Let’s look at the evidence, and I promise not to obstruct any of it:

•  Terrell Suggs, their team leader and defensive captain, who is lionized by the team, in sports media and adored by fans has a very long and disturbing history with domestic violence. Suggs has been the face of the franchise for the last few seasons
• The team claims they cut Ray Rice, their former star running back because of domestic violence issues, even though he had only one incident. If the team cared about violence, Suggs would be unemployed too. They cut Rice because of declining performance and to cover up their lack of concern about this issue.
• The team’s director of security, who was involved in the Rice “investigation” was suspended after being charged with a sex violation
• A former team cheerleader was arrested for having sex with an underage boy.
• Haloti Ngata, another team leader and defensive leader was suspended for PED use, and lauded as a conquering hero upon his return from being caught cheating
• Cornerback Jimmy Smith was arrested for an incident at a Baltimore bar.
• Offensive lineman Jah Reid was arrested for battery at a strip club in Florida.
• Wide receiver Deonte Thompson was arrested for marijuana possession and drug paraphernalia in Florida.
• Running back Lorenzo Taliaferro was arrested for destruction of property and drunk in public in Virginia.
• The team unveiled a new statue of retired middle linebacker Ray Lewis this year, deifying a man once arrested and charged with double murder in a case where he was convicted of obstruction of justice. The case, thanks to Lewis’ actions, has still to be solved to this day.

Seems a very long and compelling list, but is that enough? What’s that? With the exception of Suggs, that’s just the stuff from THIS YEAR? Yup, the jury is in. Congratulations to the Baltimore Ravens, you are the most deplorable organization in American professional sports. I’m sure someone’s getting stabbed, punched or groped in the ensuing celebration.

The Way It Was

So, that Cowboys game was fun, no? Yikes, how do you mess up that call? Nice work there, Pete Morelli.

Other than that terrible call, the game was actually very exciting and fun. It's a shame one bad call soiled what would have been a very exciting conclusion.

I knew the Arizona offense would be anemic, but even I didn’t expect it to be historically bad. Only 77 yards of offense, that was awful.

I’ve always felt bad for Larry Fitzgerald. How transcendent would he be if he had a great quarterback for more than a few of his professional seasons. At this point, I doubt we’ll ever know.

So, is the Panthers defense that good, or was Lindley just that inept. Just in case, I wouldn’t get too excited there Panther fans.

Hey congratulations to the Bengals. They’re learning to lose to teams other than the Texans in the playoffs. That’s a very exciting proposition for the future.

The Steel Pit

Steelers 17 – Ravens 30

Grrrrrrrr.

All I wanted was a Harbaugh free playoffs, and within minutes of tuning in for the game, I found out I had to deal with both. Unbelievable. I should have known right then it was going to be a long night. And boy was it ever.

Team came out flat, looked off their game half the time and out of position the other half. Honestly, they looked unprepared and uninspired.

Consistency has been this team’s problem all season and it was no different Saturday night. The offensive line seemed unable to stop any pass rush. The defensive line exacted zero pressure and the secondary could not stop key third down and long conversions.

Baltimore’s offensive strategy was bolder and did a better job of exploiting Pittsburgh’s defensive weaknesses. Too often they did not attack Baltimore’s weaknesses, or did too many “cute” things like starting Ben Tate at running back. If Josh Harris was as good as he was being touted, then why didn’t we see him from the start and more often? That is Todd Haley’s fault.

Our defensive strategy did nothing to exploit Baltimore’s weaknesses and exposed ours repeatedly. I know Dick LeBeau did wonders with a handful of good players, a pile of scraps and the ghost of Troy Polamalu, but third and long conversions are on him.

Worst of all, we looked like fools at home and I blame Tomlin for that. The team needed to be better prepared and focused, and he was not able to get the team up for this vital game. Harbaugh did for his squad, and they emerged victorious.

And let's be clear. There's no way proper concussion protocol was taken with either Roethlisberger or Heath Miller. There just could not have been time in either case. Shame on the coaching staff and the medical staff for that. If we’re to take seriously the severity of concussions and their long term effects, as well as changing the culture to get players more honest in reporting and responding to proper treatment, then the win at any cost mentality by teams must change.

As for the annoying parts of the game, please include Cris Collinsworth on that list. Good gravy, he spent the better part of the game bowing at the altar of the Ravens greatness. I know he despises Pittsburgh, but his bias was so bad I became embarrassed for him.

The other annoying aspect was the disturbing disparity in penalties called. Pittsburgh had 8 penalties for 114 yards, and earned every single one of them. At times they looked disorganized, infantile, undisciplined and petty. Just an atrocious performance. But Baltimore only managed 2 penalties for a total of 14 yards. I saw holding, illegal contact, pass interference and illegal use of hands calls that were missed or ignored by the officials. And yes I’m a biased homer. But it’s difficult to believe that a team that averaged 7 penalties for 55 yards a game throughout the regular season would suddenly be so efficient against their biggest rival, on the road, in the playoffs, when the last time they played in the very same stadium they had 10 penalties for 108 yards. Seems some very vital calls were omitted from the game. I don’t care if you call everything on Pittsburgh, they committed them. Just call it evenly refs.

With that being said I maintain my longtime stance that a better team should overcome such adversity. However, therein lay the key to my disgruntlement. Pittsburgh right now as its constructed is not a better team. And merely one of the reasons it succumbed to playoff defeat.

I said before the season my prediction for Pittsburgh was 10-6 and to make the playoffs, the team is a year away from competing if current and future draft picks played out efficiently. They did a little better than that, finishing 11-5, making the playoffs and winning the division. At least it wasn't 8-8, and for that, we can all be happy.

That and a Patriot victory today.

Only In Faux NFL Reality…

According to Andrew Luck, his mom and his girlfriend hate his beard. Yeah, but he’s a rock star in the Amish community.

Russell Wilson is about to get paid! If I were Wilson, I’d stipulate in his new contract the team kiss and make up with Marshawn Lynch, because no great quarterback is great without great weapons.

Kurt Warner will be working with 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick to develop his skills. Warner is adamant his efforts will be to develop Kaepernick’s skills, and not “fix” the young QB. But I’ve seen Kaepernick’s subpar play. He needs fixed.

The NFL Hall of Fame Class of 2015 finalists were named this week. Let’s let this year be the Year of the Bus!

Upon Further Review

The Mueller report finally made its long awaited debut, and to the surprise of no one, Roger Goodell and the NFL have been touting their exoneration. According to the report, no one in the NFL had seen the video of Ray Rice coldcocking his then fiancée in a hotel elevator. The report did say that the NFL should have done more to obtain the video, should have punished Rice more harshly initially, and should have a stronger domestic abuse policy. But as far as any cover-up or lying, nope everything is good, nothing to see here.

Except….

The commission had no real power to subpoena or demand answers. If people didn’t want to talk, they could just say no and the commission could do nothing about it. So whenever the commission asked anyone about reports that a video was delivered to NFL headquarters by law enforcement last April, all anyone had to say was, nope, not answering anything, and BOOM, no conclusion to be reached and therefore no wrongdoing to report. Tell me, you think anyone is going to risk their lucrative job to be the whistleblower and say, yeah, Goodell lied. They’d be a pariah and never work again. Ask Mike McQueary how well coming forward works out for you.

Now, the commission did acknowledge that the investigation was limited, because there’s nothing else it could be. The commission was created by the NFL, led from the NFL’s side by two owners who are tight with Goodell and led from the investigative side by a lawyer whose firm is tight with the NFL and used to employ the current president of the Ravens. If anything, limited is a kind description. And the main reason it was limited came directly from Goodell himself.

Per the report itself, all the commission was asked to investigate was:

1)     Whether anyone at the League had received or seen the in elevator video prior to its public release on September 8

2)     What other evidence was obtained by, provided to, or available to the League in the course of its investigation.

And per the parameters at hand, there’s no way to prove the NFL had the video, or what evidence they had if no one wants to talk.

What the commission should have been investigating is what Goodell knew, when he knew it, how much the upper management of the NFL knew and when they knew it, how much the Ravens knew, and when they knew it, and why was the NFL yet again and continues to dismiss and minimize domestic violence.

Remember, Goodell claims he and the league never saw the video before it was released by TMZ and that Ray Rice was ambiguous in his testimony about what happened that fateful night in Atlantic City. Rice's appeal hearing proved that Goodell lied about what he knew and when he knew it. And New Jersey law enforcement has already provided evidence that video of the incident was provided to NFL headquarters.

Goodell is a liar. He doesn’t care about the players despite his ridiculous safety initiative claims. He doesn’t care about the fans, which is obvious based upon the outrageous cost of attending games or purchasing merchandise. He definitely doesn’t care about female fans, since he needs a think tank to come up with half a solution to how to be a bit stronger against domestic violence. But you know, in a way that doesn’t limit favored teams from being hamstrung without a talented player.

Goodell only cares about money, his and the owners. And with this mess, he managed to stack the deck in his own favor to escape blame, and keep making money hand over fist. Well played Goodell, well played.

A Thousand Words Or Less

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

I mean come on, how did we lose? We even had the talented and uber foxy Sofia Vergara on our side! Karma, you owe Steeler Nation big time.

He Said He Said

In honor of a true original…

"Boo-Yah!"

"As cool as the other side of the pillow"

"He must be the bus driver cuz he was takin' him to school."

“They call him the Windex Man cause he’s always cleaning the glass.”

“Just call him butter ’cause he’s on a roll.”

“Like gravy on a biscuit, it’s all good!”

“And the Lord said you’ve got to rise up!”

“When you die, that does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and the manner in which you live”

Idiot of the Week

Oh, was it ever a good week for idiots. Let’s break down the top performers.

3^rd Runner Up – Pittsburgh Steelers – Just such a meh performance when anything but was needed. And the worst part is they had won any of the two games they lost against New Orleans, New York Jets, Tampa Bay or Cleveland, they could have avoided this problem, had another week for Bell to heal and had a better matchup in the Divisional round. Idiots.

2^nd Runner up – San Diego Chargers – I’m still mad at them. You had one job. Bigger idiots.

1^st Runner Up – Pete Morelli and his crew – How do you even justify reversing that call. It was painfully obvious pass interference was committed. Dallas may have won either way, but there’s no real reason to give them a hand.

Winner – Pittsburgh Steeler fans who left Heinz Field – Oh COME ON! Look, no one likes losing to the Ravens, no one. But what the hell was with leaving the game so damned early??? In a nationally televised game, you made the fan base and city look like entitled, fair weather fans. Shame on all of you. I remember seeing the team get pummeled by the Ravens on Christmas Eve one year, and the stadium stayed full almost to the very end, and that was a bad loss. Saturday night the team still had a chance late but half the stadium was empty. And where was the feverous noise during Raven possessions? Just a poor fan base performance. Massive idiots.

On Tap This Week

Thanks to some uninspired play, and a horrible call reversal, my weekend did not go as planned.

Last week: 2-2

Playoffs to Date: 2-2

Stupid Ravens. Stupid Pete Morelli.

Saturday

Baltimore (11-6) at New England (12-4)

I don’t know when we passed into an alternate universe where Joe Flacco is some weird sort of effective playoff quarterback, but I don’t like it. All I heard all week was how great a playoff quarterback Joe Flacco is, and how great he is, and how we’re not recognizing his playoff brilliance. Well I watched the game last week, and I’d say 4 for 11 on third down is not brilliant, it’s barely efficient. All Flacco did last week was not screw up, and it worked.

New England has a better defense than Pittsburgh, and a more opponent targeted offense who will exploit the flaws of an opposing defense. And after hearing all about how great Joe Flacco is all week, with no mention of their 3 time Super Bowl winning quarterback, I’m sure the Patriot defense is thoroughly sick of hearing about it, and ready to lay the smack down.

Plus I think it’s time Karma moved on from punishing New England for the past 7 years and turned her eyes on a much more deserving target.

Patriots over Ravens

Carolina (8-8-1) at Seattle (12-4)

Carolina has a tremendous end of the season, and a solid win over a quarterback depleted Arizona squad. However, Russell Wilson is no Ryan Lindley, and the Legion of Boom is a might bit more playoff experienced than their Cardinal counterparts. The Panthers sweet run will come to a screeching halt and not even Superman can stop it.

Seahawks over Panthers

Sunday

Dallas (13-4) at Green Bay (12-4)

Your big game of the day, and one I can’t wait to see! Tony Romo has seemingly exorcised his December and post season demons. But will it last on the road? Aaron Rodgers is hobbled by his injured calf and hasn’t practiced, will that affect his play? Plus this is the first time Dallas has visited Green Bay in the playoffs since the Ice Bowl. And all of it will be played in the frigid temperatures of Green Bay in January. This is what playoff football is supposed to be!

Packers over Cowboys

Indianapolis (11-5) at Denver (12-4)

Something is wrong with Peyton Manning. Maybe he’s hurt, maybe he’s tired or sick, or maybe he’s just finally wearing down from a long and fruitful career. Either way something’s not right and no one is saying anything. Maybe I’m wrong we’ll find out Sunday afternoon.

I think Indy’s young guns show some talent, but they’re still a bit raw and inconsistent. This game will be won by Denver’s running game mixed with some timely receptions.

Broncos over Colts