Monday, January 21, 2008

Live by the Favre...


There is a saying I have used for quite a while in speaking of my favorite football player of all time, Brett Favre. It is this:

“You live by the Favre and you die by the Favre”.

Not the most original thought in the world, but I started using it in 2001, when Favre demonstrated his genius by leading the team to a phenomenal 12-4 and a brilliant opener in the playoffs against SF, only to turn around at St Louis and throw SIX interceptions. This cycle has repeated itself quite a bit in the post-Reggie White era. Many moments of brilliance, followed by a thud as he is shot down in a blaze of glory at the end of each season.

But, I say this time and time again, as painful as it is, if you are going to celebrate the good, you must live with the bad. Because the good is dependent on the bad. That is why I have patience for Tony Romo, who I believe is cut from the same cloth. You cannot be a gunslinger who never throws a bad interception. That is the whole point. If you want a singles hitter, you can get a guy who doesn’t strike out. But, if you want a home run hitter, understand that he is going to strike out quite a bit. Give me Favre and Romo over Eli any day of the week. However, It should be noted that they are both home, and Eli is going to the Super Bowl.

And last night, when Favre and the Packers needed it most….Favre struck out. And the season, that was thought to have fairy tale qualities, went quietly into the night. He has won more games than any QB in history. He has thrown more Touchdowns than any QB in history. And, he has thrown more interceptions than any QB in history.

So, with your Cowboys and my Packers gone, here are the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. They will be 2 Touchdown under-dogs to the New England Patriots. Not quite the matchup I had projected, but for the 3rd playoff week in a row, the Giants did not luck, fluke, or fall into a playoff win. They went on the road and took it. They are red-hot. And they are not making mistakes. If somehow the Packers would have won that game, you would have felt that the Giants were unlucky. The Giants had the better of Green Bay on both sides of the ball. They just flat out tanned their hides, and earned the win, just like they did the week before in Irving.

The following are all of the notes I could muster from the Championship Weekend:

• Eli is unstoppable. All jokes aside, I would have never imagined he would walk in to Dallas and then in to Lambeau and play two flawless games. I am not even sure he was close to interceptions. He methodically marched the Giants down the field last night with great routine, and made solid throw after solid throw. I just cannot explain this, because I am not sure I recall a QB looking more clueless during the season, but then for the first time in his career, he plays perfect football under the most pressure. I would always take Romo over Eli, and then Favre over Eli, but he gets the last laugh on both of them. This, ladies and gentlemen, is why we play the games. You cannot predict nor write this stuff.

• Despite watching the Patriots all season long, I guess it hasn’t occurred to me that Chris Hansen, of Dateline NBC, actually punts for New England. Nice.

• Football is pretty easy to understand. Score Touchdowns and you win. Kick Field Goals, and you likely lose. Yards, first downs, and QB Ratings don't mean too much. Did you get 7 or 3? That is what matters.

• Antonio Pierce blowing up the screen pass when he was the only Giants player taking on 3 GB linemen was amazing. And game changing?

• Laurence Maroney and Marion Barber shared the same backfield in Minnesota. In 2004, the Gophers lost 5 of their last 7 games, and finished 7-5. How was that even possible? They are both machines! Maroney had 1413 and Barber had 1344 yards. I am guessing that team didn’t have too much at other spots on the field. I am impressed at how hard they both run. Maroney runs with that same reckless abandon and tries to run you over. What a weapon.

• Speaking of trying to run you over, Brandon Jacobs dominated. He ran over Charles Woodsen in the first half, but since he is a DB, I was more impressed when he took MLB Nick Barnett for a 9 yard ride. What a beast.

• Mark Tauscher did about as good as anyone could be expected to do against Michael Strahan. One week after totally shutting down Patrick Kerney, he kept Strahan off Favre for most of the night. And, then he recovered that fumble off the Interception on a play that made you think the football gods wanted Green Bay to win. That, and the Sam Madison penalty, and the Tynes shank, the missed KGB offside penalty, and about 4 other plays. Despite everything bouncing the Packers way, they still lost. Vomit.

• I personally thought the CBS guys were being awful tough on Phillip Rivers. He stood in there and tried to make some throws under pressure. If Chris Chambers fights for the ball a little harder, Rivers might have had better numbers. I don’t think too much of Rivers, but I thought he played his butt off yesterday standing in there and showing courage.

• Quinten Jammer has really developed into a nice CB, eh? Wasn’t sure his rookie year, but I like his game.

• Junior Seau made some huge plays yesterday. I know it will be easy to say he piggybacked the team for a ring, but he made two of the bigger defensive plays for New England yesterday.

• After the first game of the season I wrote this about Plaxico: Why isn’t Plaxico Burress one of the best WR’s in the game? He has every ability. He is fast, he is huge, he has good hands. Does he always play hard? Does he have a QB that knows how to use him? Not sure about those questions, but I just don’t think he has lived up to his potential. He is truly one of those players that can be as good as he wants to be because he has all the tools. What a stud. Credit to Jacques Reeves for fighting his tail off last night, but it was a man versus a boy...Looking back, I think he has shown so much in 2007. Burress is a stud. Al Harris was no match for him, and he has proven what he is all about this year fighting through his injuries. Last night, he was so impressive.

• That yawning Cowboys commercial, where the Giants cream Romo after a yawn in the huddle, is tough to watch these days.

• What was Favre looking at on that last interception? What a rookie throw.

• I guess the Ryan Grant story had an odd ending in 2007. Pretty much an anonymous championship game.

• Perhaps as odd an ending as Ladanian Tomlinson. I just don’t understand his role in the game. If he wasn’t right, why start him? If he was right, why not try him more? He didn’t look like he was enjoying himself at all.

• The New York Giants are the only thing to stand between the Patriots bid for football immortality. I know nobody will give the Giants a chance (including me), but how many weeks in a row are the Giants going to make everyone look stupid?

Giants Triumph Packers



I know I should write more today, but with this aching groin, I need to find some ice.

11 comments:

Unknown said...

Sorry Bob.

2 weeks of Strahan's Gap. /sigh

Go Sidekicks!

David C Rice said...

Aching groin!! Nice Bob! At least you're not Butchie from The Wire. Omar is gonna opn up a real Can on Snoop and Chris. Cant wait for that

Brad C said...

It's a tough thing.

Flaco said...

Sorry Bob. It is truly, a tough thing.

p.s. I miss you on the Dallas Stars post game show. Dan doesn't know anything about hockey, and who was that other spare?

Bitterwhiteguy said...

3.2 ypc = dominated? Really? If he was so dominant, why did Bradshaw get the crunch time carries?

As for LT and why he sat, let's remember who his head coach is.

Jay Beerley said...

To me, the KGB non-call was the right one. Just like it should have been for Ware. Those guys just take off at exactly the same moment as the ball.

bentrider said...

To think that you would still take Romo over Eli. Romo has been in the league longer than Eli and still chokes in the big games. Eli has been a starter for 3 years and been to the playoffs every year. Has he looked lost in some games? Yes, but he has grown and learned. I do recall seeing several long passes down the field yesterday from Eli so you cannot use that excuse that he was dumping it off. A good team and quarterback will take what the defense gives them. You should know by now that the only stat that matters is what is on the scoreboard. If you guys had looked at the Cowboy season as a sports station instead of the Cowboy Station maybe the fans would have been better prepared to get beat last week. What were the indicators leading up to the game that would lead you to think the Cowboys could win. They were not exactly playing their best ball. Maybe next year you guys will not let Wade tiptoe thru interviews and newsconferences with his quote "Hey we won 13 games" Maybe he needs to be told that the season is longer than 13 games. Bent Bill

cracker1743 said...

Bob, I feel your pain. I'm not a big Packers fan, but I despise those effing Giants. The biggest kick in the nuts is now a bunch of New Yorkers are going to think that widdle Ewi Manning, who peed his pants evey time he got rushed this season, is now a Super Bowl caliber quarterback. They, and Bentrider, need to get bent.

Dammit. Now I'm going to have to root for New England blowout. Gag.

Jake said...

I have to agree with cracker (sign of the apocalypse?) re: Eli. He's been a good quarterback the past few weeks but a spare the majority of his career, if not the majority of THIS season.

Eli > Romo??? Can I have some of what Bent's smokin'?

The Boys and the Pack didn't execute when they had to, bottom line.

Maybe Brady's head will explode as he completes the game winning td pass. Win, win and onto latter day '08.

bomberman said...

This whole 'Romo chokes in big games' comment that has been going around this town is one of the most idiotic, stupid, sports ignorant opinions I have ever heard. Good God people. The QB doesn't even have 2 full seasons under his belt and he already a 'choker'. The sports idiocy in this town is just off the charts. Thank God that we have people like Bob and the rest of the little Ticket as the voice of reason. And if you think Romo choked the Giants game, you either didn't watch the game or you know zero about football. The only int he had was on a throw that would have been thrown into the 3rd row had it not been 4th down with :15 left. I saw a guy who was playing his ass off trying to get his team the win last week. He did not play a great game obviously, but to call him a choker is moronic at best.

mayhew said...

jake- the majority of his career? the guy has been starting 3 seasons. he's probably not going to win you many fantasy games, but the guy wins - he has been in the playoffs every season. (he too lost his first 2 playoff games much like romo has) but he has shown improvement this season. he did have the one melt down against minnesota, but besides that he's played well. the last 4 games, against widely respected defenses and in pressure situations nonetheless, he has looked flat out great. i think romo will be fine in the long run, but you cowboys fans might not wanna think about what may be brewing up in ny. the defense is solid and the offense is looking to be something special w/ eli, jacobs, bradshaw, burress, smith and maybe this boss kid. fear the giants, and appreciate eli's awesomeness!