There's a couple things on the docket tonight, and they both require me to educate the masses.
ISSUE NO.1: The Cincinnati Bengals are for real.
The Pittsburgh Steelers 24-13 win over the Bengals on Sunday should serve to curb everyone's enthusiasm slightly over the NFL's sexiest team of late.
I'm not even sure where to begin. Through six weeks of the NFL season, all so-called experts had been falling all over themselves to proclaim the Bengals the new up-and-comer in the league. Talking heads sounded off on Chad Johnson as the league's huge play maker, Rudi Johnson was being proclaimed as a dynamic and versatile back and, let's not forget, Carson Palmer who was certifiably the best "new" quarterback of the league because he had managed a +100 QB rating in the Bengals five wins.
Ok, well to paraphrase a great Pulp Fiction character, let's not start sucking each other's popsicles yet.
Sunday the Steelers defence, which struggled mightily on its first two possessions, buckled down and made life hell for Palmer as it has for many QBs. The offence of the Steelers was hit and miss at best, but it got it done and put 27 on a defence that was the trendy pick for all the bandwagon experts to rally behind. Final verdict? The DB's are suspect and the front seven, even though they KNEW, the Steelers were running 70 per cent of the time, still couldn't stop the run game sufficiently.
I'm not sure if the NFL wants it's network experts to verbally rally behind certain teams, but it sure sounded like it through six weeks. After all, everyone and I mean EVERYONE who had a public voice seemed to gloss over the fact that the Bengals only losses had come to the only plus-.500 teams they've faced all season. Five wins over five teams that will be nowhere near the playoffs and suddenly this is the favourite in the AFC? Please.
2. Carson Palmer is the next Joe Montana.
He finally found a defence that shifts things up and gives different looks, a defence that has multiple Pro-Bowlers and a defence that quietly goes about and gives up very little and frustrates opponents, and he crumbled. He threw two crunch-time picks which led to scores and couldn't maintain momentum or sustain drives when his team desperately needed it.
As for Chad Johnson who I actually don't mind, he can officially mark a check under "YES" in the "Who Covered No.85 in 2005" for Deshea Townsend or, more accurately, Bryant McFadden, Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor and Willie Williams. He should remember those names: One of the great playmakers in the game right now was held silent by Pittsburgh. Perhaps he can compare notes with Terrell Owens.
• One other note: ESPN.com's post-game analysis stated "When the Steelers are healthy and able to run the ball, there isn't a more dominant team in the NFL. Ask the Bengals this morning.
"With Ben Roethlisberger back, Pittsburgh went into Cincinnati and took back its title as the AFC North's "team to beat." In what was billed as Week 7's "Game of the Week," the Bengals just looked weak, as the Steelers rolled 27-13."
Really? We needed to do that? Let's be honest here. First off, don't go telling us that we're the team to beat when we're healthy when members of your own network before the Monday game against San Diego had a unanimous pick for the Chargers to win. Fact is, the Steelers are rarely spoken about as being a team to beat and that's fine.
Come to think of it these are the same experts who said the Baltimore Ravens were going to be the odds-on fave for the North. Now it's Cincy? But never Pittsburgh? Ridiculous. Just make sure you get off our bandwagon now. We don't need you.
A few other notes:
• The Willie Parker jersey was in full effect on Sunday and shame on anyone who jumped on his bandwagon and then ditched him because he didn't put up plus-100 games in two starts. You're idiots.
• Hines Ward's TD celebration, mocking Chad Johnson's Riverdance effort from last season, was another in a line of gems from the most underrated WR in the league. Flat out, these guys talk the biggest games but Ward quietly goes out and is one of the most dominant and effective receivers the league has. If you doubt that, check how many big plays he makes and then watch him when he's NOT being thrown to; He's a flat out animal when blocking for other teammates.
• Good to see Minny win one and they're still my pick to win that division.
• Baltimore, Jacksonville, Cleveland, Tennessee, San Francisco, St. Louis, Houston.
The seven teams the Indy Colts have beaten this season. Combined record of said teams? 14-26.
• A poll on CBS on Sunday asked what quarterback you would want to lead your team in a two-minute drill and the selections were "Donovan McNabb, Carson Palmer, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre and Drew Bledsoe".
Bledsoe, you will note, threw an atrocious interception with his team tied with Seattle and 30 seconds left on the clock which set up the game-winning field goal by former Husker Josh Brown.
Again, don't at least mention Ben? Dude has one interception in five games this season and the league's highest QB rating. But what does that mean after all?
The lyric of the day is the first non-hip hop lyric and it's by punk band Face to Face. I think it applies in my rants somewhat.
Lyric of the Day:
What if I’m right and you are wrong?
What if you knew it all along?
What if I figured out that I did not belong?
What if it always bothered me?
What if I never did believe?
Would it be wrong if I decided I should leave?
If I pretended I was blind
And struck it from my mind
Would it still be there?
What if I’d do anything to make it seem all right
It’s all right
What if it’s all inside my head?
What if those words were never said?
Would it be easier if I could just forget?
What if I didn’t run away?
Could it be any other way?
Would it be wrong if I decided I should stay?
Face to Face Blind
Monday, October 24, 2005
Let's clear some things up
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7 comments:
Let me say right off the bat that I only follow the NFL by periodically glancing at the standings every couple of weeks, or so. I'm a baseball man so you can understand why no other sport, and only the occasional hurricane coverage, has received any attention from me the past couple of months.
That qualifier out of the way ... I can understand your rant. It bespeaks of the "we get no respect" variety ie: no one talks about our players even though they're statistically tops, our record is good (against decent teams, too), etc. But, with all due respect, no one is talking about the Steelers because they've blown it the past two playoffs (at least). Last year was the year they were going to knock off the Pats. Yet, at home, they were dominiated by the eventual champions. (A team, incidentally, that also doesn't receive the individual air time one would normally expect players to get after winning 3 championships in 4 years. Case in point: Tom Brady, being hailed as the next Montana, isn't mentioned in that QB list you mentioned. One would think he at least deserves a mention?) But back to the Steelers. Pundits are fickle. They give you your shot to win it and if you blow it, it's on to the next one. And let's be honest: they were the darlings of last years' playoffs. Even a veritable neophyte football watcher like myself was absolutely sick of hearing "The wheels of the Bus go round and round" tune to honour Jerome Bettis that I almost wished he went down with an injury to stop the madness. Not a serious injury, of course. But an injury nonetheless. And let's not forget the hoopla surrounding "Big Ben". Many of the things they're saying about Carson Palmer were surely accolades they were lobbing Ben's way last playoff year.
And I don't like to be the harbinger of doom but even IF the Steelers were to win it all this year, they wouldn't be favoured next year nor even talked out in any serious measure as a contender. It's unfortunate but true. Like I said, pundits are fickle and if they can latch onto another good "story", they'll go with it. I mean, be honest. What's not to like about a perennial loser like the "Bungles" who all of a sudden have won more games this year than they have in the last 5 (or something like that). It's a feel good story and it'll be played to no end. I mean, it's certainly a better story than a 4-time Champion team who are usually one of the better teams in the league being - surprise! - one of the better teams in the league again. That's not to say there are no advantages to this. Teams sometimes use the anonymity to smite opponents and then, while chomping on the victory cigar at the last press conference of the year, can rip into all the pundits and naysayers (or 'non-sayers') and tell the world ... ok, the minority of the US and Canadian population that even pays a passing interest ... that they knew it all along. It worked for the Pats their first time out ... and their second for that matter.
All this to say, keep the faith DL. Not that you wouldn't. I mean, you probably thought the Friars deserved to be in the post season as well (they did, by the way, but only because them's the rules).
Oh ... and kudos for your self deprication on the length of time it took to update the blog. I never saw it coming. Very entertaining.
Question: are the '05 White Sox a reincarnation of the '96 Yankees? A collection of cast-offs and youngsters with a tough pitching staff and a mix of small-ball and power. Joe Crede is having a coming out party this post-season, much like a 20 year old Derek Jeter did in '96. I'm not counting Houston out just yet. They haven't been blown out or anything but for the moment, Chicago can't do much wrong.
Hey I make no quams about the fact the Steelers lost to NE last year. That game, going in, scared me to death and it was because New England is a championship team that gets it done when it matters.
Still, the Steelers' success (or lack of) in the post-season should have no bearing on the respect they get the following year. After all, as this particular issue dealt with, it was the Bengals of all teams that were getting more respect than Pittsburgh, a team that is perennially a challenger for at least a playoff spot.
Incidentally, I still feel like New England is the team to beat in the AFC and, should Indy get unlucky and have to go to Foxboro (or even Pittsburgh) at some point in the post-season, the Colts are in big-time trouble. The Patriots are the only other "scary" team in the AFC if you ask me, the rest still have a lot to prove.
And yes, I'm in complete agreement over the "pundits are fickel" point. But let's not avoid facts while we're stepping over each other to find the new feel-good story.
To use a favourite quote of mine: Your arms are too short to box with God.
As for the White Sox, I picked them in six games, but boy they might sweep this thing. I know how premature and rash that sounds and I'm not entirely sure I believe my own statement, but boy they're tough and playing great ball too. They still have Garcia of all people as their No. 4 (!!) starter.
With all the hype that the Red Sox got in shedding their "curse", I find it disappointing that the White Sox aren't getting the same kind of love. They're victims of being in the same city as the lovable losers, to be sure, and if you're from Chicago it's endearing to be known as a Cubs fan but almost dirty to be a White Sox fan.
I'm pulling for them.
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