For the past two weeks, I have stated my love of the NFL playoffs. Both the wild card weekend and the divisional round weekends really get me excited. But conference championship games are a whole new ball game. You can bet I will be glued to the TV from 3p until roughly 10p Sunday (the weather forecast is calling for a lot of rain in Georgia on Sunday, so that enhances my chances of being able to watch more football!) Both of the games should be very entertaining for different reasons, though being more of a fan of great offense than great defense, I am personally looking more forward to the Saints/Vikings game. But as far as what I think would be the ideal matchup for the Super Bowl in two weeks, I think it is a no-brainer that it would involve the Indianapolis Colts and the Minnesota Vikings.
We have done a lot of debates since our inception that have included Brett Favre in some sense. At the end of 2009, Bleacher Fan wrote that the Brett Favre saga was the story of the year. I wrote an argument awhile back about how I was sick and tired of hearing about that Favre guy!!! Months later, I must admit I have changed my tune a bit on number four. I find myself kind of rooting for the guy. Obviously I rooted for him last week against the hated Cowboys. But in general, it has been fascinating to watch a 40-year-old roughneck come back from retirement (AGAIN) and put a team up on his shoulders and lead them to great things. What this guy is doing is amazing! I think the Vikings have a real shot at closing this season out in style in South Florida. The Vikings are obviously a ratings draw with Favre and I do not think the NFL would have any opposition to Favre being in another Super Bowl, even if it still makes me turn my head sometimes to see him in something other than a Packer uniform.
The Colts, meanwhile, have another guy at quarterback that you may have heard of. Peyton Manning, along with Favre and Tom Brady, are in my mind the face of the NFL and have been for the past decade. With all the hoopla surrounding coach Jim Caldwell’s decision to rest his starters at the end of the regular season, I think it is quite awesome for Caldwell – by nature a quiet person – to be able to stick it to all of his critics. Manning, in my opinion, is one of the most likable guys in sports these days, and it is really hard to root against him. You get the feeling that he really needs another Super Bowl to add to his legacy also.
How awesome would it be to see a Favre versus Manning showdown in Super Bowl XLIV in Miami at newly named Sun Life Stadium? I think it would set records as far as ratings go and yeah, I know we would all probably get tired of the hype leading up to the game. But Manning and Favre, two future Hall of Fame gun slinging quarterbacks that would be trying to win their second Super Bowl each, would be a dream matchup. I sincerely hope it happens! You know you want it too!
Read the argument from Loyal Homer about which NFL playoff game is the best of the upcoming weekend.
Rarely in sports does the star power on the field in a game promise quality. Such is the case for the NFL divisional playoff game this Sunday afternoon when the Minnesota Vikings host the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL’s best playoff game, and perhaps its best game all season.
We are all aware of the start power in this game, from both sides. The Vikings have Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson, and Jared Allen along with an entire cast of supporting characters. The Cowboys have Tony Romo, Marion Barber, and DeMarcus Ware along with their entire cast of supporting characters. The talent abounds, and fans are in for a treat.
Usually when analyzing what the best games of the weekend will be I rely heavily on statistics and general game knowledge – football teams have to run the ball well and stop the run to win in the playoffs. The Cowboys have a strong and dynamic running attack and the ability to stop the run. The Vikings have Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor – a dynamic duo in their own right – along with a defense that is excellent against the run. But, these are playoff teams. That is what fans and the media expect. What will make this such a great game is not that raw data, but the immeasurable stuff.
The Cowboys have something in this game coming in the Vikings will fight tooth and nail to take away – momentum. Ever since DeMarcus Ware’s scary head injury in the penultimate game of the season – and his miraculous return a week later – the Cowboys have played with an extra bounce on both sides of the ball. Tony Romo’s passes are sharper, Miles Austin’s routes are a little crisper, Keith Brookings tackles are a little stronger, and even Felix Jones is a little faster (though that is hard to believe). Momentum breeds confidence, confidence wins. The Cowboys have it right now, and the Vikings need it.
Desperation lives in both teams, and both coaches. The coaches from both teams have a tremendous amount of incentive to win.
Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips has his back against the wall. General Manager Jerry Jones has a nice contract extension sitting somewhere in a desk drawer (a desk that is probably made of gold, diamonds, and rare baby seal skin). If Wade Phillips wins this game – and perhaps a conference championship game, Jones will likely offer Phillips a pen and the contract. If Phillips and the Cowboys lose Sunday, Phillips career in Dallas will come to an abrupt end.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress also has his back to the wall. He has been vocally critical of his star quarterback (who may know a thing or two more about the offense than Childress), and entered the season on a hot seat. Thus far the Vikings have played well, especially having started the season so strongly. Lately, however, the Vikings have begun to slip – especially in road games. The Vikings are fortunate to be playing at home Sunday, having lost four of the last five road games. While the team has played strong at home, without a secure return from Favre and the prospect of ending a once promising season on a down note, Childress could find himself unemployed.
Coaches coach, and players play. The difference is players have stronger contracts than coaches. If the players of both teams like and respect their coaches, they best pull out all the stops this weekend. .
This game has the requisite drama every big game needs – plenty of coaches coaching for their jobs, players playing for contracts, players giving it one last shot, players trying to erase a stigma… and that whole “lose and the team’s out of the playoffs” thing. Without a doubt I have had the best track record at picking the must-watch games of the weekends throughout the Fall and Winter. This game is no exception. Grab a six pack (or if you’re like Sports Geek, a smooth bourbon or a delicious scotch) and enjoy what promises to be not only the best game of the weekend and playoffs, but perhaps the entire season.
Read the arguments from Sports Geek and Loyal Homer about which sports story they believe was best in 2009.
“Here we go again.”
NFL fans around the country repeated that phrase many times over when. On August 19th, Brett Favre announced once again that he was not yet ready to retire. After last year’s retirement waffling – where Favre ended up with the New York Jets in an experiment that could hardly be considered successful – many around the country expected him to FINALLY hang it all up. Instead, the waffling began once more, and Favre eventually signed a contract with the Minnesota Vikings for the 2009 season.
There were a lot of questions regarding what Favre would actually be able to accomplish with Minnesota. Last season, he finished the season throwing just as many interceptions as touchdowns (22), and seemed to fade physically as the grueling 17-week season played out. In the final game of 2008, Favre had an opportunity to lead the Jets to the playoffs, but instead threw three interceptions in what ended as a disappointing loss to the Miami Dolphins. Compounding the on-field struggles were rumors of a rift in the locker room between Favre and some of the Jets players. Several reports were released that Jets players resented Favre, who seemed aloof and created resentment as a result of the preferential treatment he received.
So when Favre donned his purple jersey, with all of the baggage from last season hanging like a cloud over his head, there was some trepidation as to just how successful his second non-retirement would be. Those questions did not linger for long, though!
During the first two weeks of the regular season, Favre was clearly settling into his role with Minnesota. While the Vikings looked to running back Adrian Peterson to shoulder the load offensively, Favre was called upon primarily to just manage the game and not make mistakes, and he succeeded. During those two games, Favre completed a combined 37 of 48 passes, and threw for three touchdowns with no interceptions.
It was one week later, as the Vikings hosted the San Francisco 49ers, that the Favre Renaissance officially hit full-steam. After throwing a total of only 48 passes combined in his first two games, Favre fired off 46 passes against the ‘Niners. He completed 24 of them en route to his first 300-yard passing game of the season, including a 32-yard touchdown pass to Greg Lewis with mere seconds left on the clock, snatching victory away from San Francisco in what can only be described as “Favre-ish” fashion.
The excitement did not stop there. Favre went on to lead his Vikings to victory the following weekend against his former team, the Green Bay Packers, making him the only quarterback in NFL history to record a victory against every single team in the league. In all, Favre led the Vikings to a 10-1 record during the first 11 games of the season.
What is most impressive about Favre’s 2009 season, though, is that it is statistically one of the best in his Hall of Fame career. Through 15 games of a 16 game season, Favre is on track to finish with a passer rating of greater than 100 for the first time in his career. That’s right – before 2009, Brett Favre has NEVER finished a season with a passer rating above 100. The closest he ever came to that mark was in 1995 when he closed the season at 99.5. Additionally, he is on track for a career low in interceptions, having only thrown seven so far in 2009. His career best before 2009 was 13. Finally, if Favre can pass for more than 300-yards in his final game of the regular season, it would give him his highest single-season total in passing yards since 1998. Not bad for a guy who most people thought was too old to remain competitive.
Brett Favre, who already holds many of the NFL’s passing records and is already a GUARANTEED first-ballot Hall of Famer, has arguably done better in the 199th season of his legendary career than in any of his previous 18 seasons, and he has had better success at age 40 than many quarterbacks will ever see, even in their prime.
Capping off this remarkable season for Favre is the fact that he was just named to the Pro Bowl for the 11th time, and will lead the Vikings into the postseason as he is striving for another Super Bowl Ring to add to his collection.
I no longer care how many times Brett Favre wavers in his decision to retire. As far as I’m concerned, Brett Favre can retire, then un-retire every preseason for the next 15 years if he wants to. He has proven that he was not yet ready to walk away, and is still one of the best in the game, almost 20 years later!
Read the arguments from Loyal Homer and Bleacher Fan about which league they believe had the best 2009.
Another year, another dominant performance by the NFL. One of the world’s best businesses (even the bad teams make money), it is easy to see why the NFL always captures so many eyeballs nationally (and internationally, if we are counting those games played in Wembley Stadium, London).
The NFL is one of those rare parts of society and life that equally appeals to the brainy and brawny folks. Complex week 15 playoff scenarios, the off-the-field news stories, the draft scenarios per team, and the in-game strategy are all examples of aspects of the NFL that appeal to brainy people (like, say, for example… sports geeks…). “People hit hard, fall down” is an example of why the NFL appeals to brawny folks (uh, not sports geeks).
The NFL has an amazing ability to be in the news – and create positives out of potentially negative news situations. Consider the case of former Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth. He struck and killed a pedestrian while driving intoxicated – a terrible tragedy with the ability to cast a large shadow of negativity over the league. Instead, the NFL’s punishment of Stallworth turns out to be more effective and harsh than the penal system. And, out of the this incident is berthed the official “NFL Conduct Policy” – a legacy of active commission Roger Goodell. The NFL is the first league to put a stake in the ground and muddy the lines between personal and professional lives. If the penal system fails to punish, the NFL will not. Tough.
The NFL is also about brand… about creating and protecting an image. While the Stallworth situation conveyed toughness, the idea of toughness was born and now thrives in the locker rooms of every NFL team. For example, remember all of the hubbub about concussions in the NFL, and how some serious changes were on the way to being made to make the game safer, and force players to sit out extra time to avoid long-term damage? Yea, that noble imperative lasted a week, and now it’s “toughness as usual” in the NFL. No league demonstrates – or values – its tough brand more than the NFL (paying attention, NHL???).
One more example of PR prowess… there is a terrible fight going on between the owners and the players association right now… even to the point that there is legitimate talk of a work stoppage before the 2011 season. But, how much of that story do we find in the mainstream media? A couple of random mentions, at best. The one story I found to support my argument is dated in March.
The NFL had the best 2009 of any league because it has the ability to dominate any sports news cycle any time it wants. From future hall of famers making playing or not playing choices to Tom Brady’s return after a devastating injury to the Saints fast start to the season, to the Colts near perfection, etc., “The League” dominates the news. The NFL is a television ratings draw, an ad space seller for sports websites, and the recipient of more ink in newspapers and online than any other league – no matter what time of year. The NFL has the uncanny knack of making relative non-stories into major stories. For example, it seems only in the NFL are teams achieving (see the Indianapolis Colts, Minnesota Vikings, and New Orleans Saints) as much of a story as teams not achieving (see the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New York Giants, and Carolina Panthers). Heck, Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden was RUMORED to return to coaching and it was a major story that helped him capture a long-term deal with ESPN. Being in an NFL story is neither bad news nor good news – but it is always news.
Whether evaluating business, brand, public relations, or fan enthusiasm, no league demonstrates more of each than the NFL, making it the best league of 2009.
Read the arguments from Babe Ruthless and Loyal Homer about which NFL division has been the most surprising.
As is always the case, there have been many surprises in the NFL in 2009. Teams which were supposed to succeed will fail, and teams which are supposed to fail will succeed. The NFC North, though, went four-for-four in the surprise category this season.
Detroit Lions
On the ‘Surprise-o-Meter’ the Detroit Lions provide the smallest blip of all the teams in the NFC North. But, realistically, would you have picked them to win two games all season? I thought that the only achievement the Lions were going to claim this season was the new record for consecutive losses. Instead, they managed to put together not just one, but TWO wins. Again, this is not an Earth-shattering surprise, but it is a surprise nonetheless.
Green Bay Packers
Coming in next on the scale of surprises from the NFC North is the Green Bay Packers. The Packers, who had been pegged as the likely champions of the division (with some even going so far as to choose the Packers as the NFC representatives in the Super Bowl), have played some of the most inconsistent football in the league. Behind quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the Packers have displayed the potential to put a TON of points on the board, scoring 30 points or more in five games, and being held to less than 20 points only once in the entire season. Those offensive stats should have been enough to lock up a playoff spot by this point in the season.
The reason that the Packers have been unable to seal the deal up to this point in the season is because of an inability to put away the teams that should have been easiest to beat. The Packers, despite offensive prowess, somehow managed to hand the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that team’s only win of the season, and most recently helped Pittsburgh end a five game losing streak which included losses against the Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, and Cleveland Browns.
For a team pegged to make a Super Bowl run this season, that kind of inconsistency has been a surprise!
Chicago Bears
I would like to file a missing persons report – The Chicago Bears offense, which was expected to show up at Lambeau Field in Green Bay on September 13th, 2009, never arrived at their anticipated destination, and has not been seen or heard from since.
No offense in the NFL came into the season with higher expectations, and then failed to meet those expectations, as spectacularly as the Bears. After closing an alleged blockbuster deal that brought quarterback Jay Cutler to the Windy City, folks all over Chi-Town were giddy with anticipation to see what a bona-fide quarterback could actually do for their beloved Bears.
After all the anticipation, how exactly DID the Bears’ offense do behind that bona-fide quarterback? They have played to a record of 5-9, scoring 25 or more points only three times all season (against the Browns, Lions, and Seahawks… not exactly the NFL’s most dominant teams). In terms of season statistics, the team ranks 23rd out of 32 teams with only 18.1 points per game. For his part, Jay Cutler has thrown only 19 touchdowns to 25 interceptions, and has a passer rating of only 71.1.
I would rank the Chicago Bears as being one of the biggest disappointments of the entire season.
Minnesota Vikings
As surprising as the letdown of the Chicago Bears offense might have been, it is actually the Minnesota Vikings who top the surprise charts for 2009.
Brett Favre’s resurgence may not be a surprise any more (15 weeks later), but when you consider the manner in which he entered the season, it has clearly been one of the biggest surprises of 2009. Behind Favre, the Vikings have already clinched the NFC North, and stand poised to claim one of the two postseason byes in the NFC. Not bad for a team who’s coach, Brad Childress, was viewed as being on the hot seat when the season began!
Favre has not been the only surprise for the Vikings, though, and much of his success MUST be credited to his weapons on offense. Adrian Peterson has once again provided very strong numbers at the running back position, but it is the emergence of three receiving threats – Sidney Rice, tight end Visanthe Shiancoe, and NFL Rookie-of-the-Year frontrunner Percy Harvin – that has made the Vikings one of the most dangerous teams in the league.
Good or bad, the NFC North has been the most surprising division in the entire league. From top to bottom, it seems that none of the teams from the division got their respective memos on how to perform in 2009. They have collectively provided some of the biggest headlines of the NFL season, and have added some excitement and drama to a season that has been woefully lacking of both.
After recently pronouncing the San Francisco 49ers visit to the Minnesota Vikings as the best game of a weekend, the 49ers find themselves in another important, sure to be well-contested game – the best game of THIS weekend.
The 49ers have shown tremendous promise this season under flourishing head coach Mike Singletary. If not for last minute heroics from the resurgent Brett Favre in Minnesota, the 49ers would be sitting at 4-0. As of right now, they are completely in control in a weak NFC West. They have already defeated every other team in their conference, and the only thing standing between the team and a 4-1 record heading into the bye week is the Atlanta Falcons.
Both teams share some similar traits. For example, both are struggling to run the football on offense. The 49ers would be fine running the football if not for an injury to star running back Frank Gore. Rookie Glen Coffee has been adequate in a week of service as Gore’s replacement, but the team needs to run the ball better to play the style of football Singletary believes will succeed and results in a playoff appearance – play great defense and run the ball to own the clock. The Falcons have had changes up front to the offensive line and the result is less running room for last season’s break out player, running back Michael Turner. The Falcons average just over 92 yards per game, well off their pace from a year ago.
Another common trait is that both teams also boast stingy defenses. The Falcons are eighth in the league in total defense allowing 17.7 points per game while the 49ers are second allowing just 6.5 points per game. Excellent defense.
The teams also share difficult stretches in their respective schedules. The Falcons are coming out of a bye week off of a stinging 26-10 by the New England Patriots. Now Atlanta travels to San Francisco before returning home to face a tough Chicago Bears team before a two game road trip where the team plays Dallas and New Orleans in back to back weeks. The 49ers will enter the bye week after this weekend’s match up with Atlanta, and emerge on the other side to travel to Houston then Indianapolis, host Tennessee, host Chicago, and then travel to Green Bay.
Each team also has a great deal to prove. Both teams must prove they are effective in the running game, that they can perform consistently week to week, and that they can finish games.
The Falcons may have slightly more to prove in the game, however. Matt Ryan has yet to put up the numbers he did a year ago. Turner is struggling to run the ball, and the defense is still trying to find their identity after losing long time leader linebacker Keith Brooking to free agency. The Falcons must prove they are a contender not only for the playoffs in general, but that they can challenge division favorites New Orleans.
The 49ers, despite the drama the organization could have spiraled into, has largely avoided distraction. Even the prolonged holdout from rookie wide receiver Michael Crabtree did not result in a distraction to the team. The team has played well and competed hard in every game. The 49ers must also prove they can stand up and take a talented, good and desperate team’s best shot. For Singletary, the 49ers must prove they can function in a playoff type atmosphere as excitement returns to the Bay.
Both are talented, tough, well-coached teams – the ingredients necessary for excellent football. The Falcons must avoid .500 while the 49ers must prove they belong in the same category as the league’s better teams. No matter what the outcome is, this game is the cannot miss, must watch, best game of THIS weekend.
Read Bleacher Fan’s argument that the Miami (FL)/Virginia Tech game will be the best of the weekend, and Loyal Homer’s argument that the best is the Atlanta Falcons/New England Patriots game.
It sure took a long time. Relevance eluded the San Francisco 49ers for years since Steve Young and George Seifert left town. Once the picture of NFL dominance, the 49ers have been mired in the NFL cellar for several seasons. Last season management fired former head coach Mike Nolan and promoted assistant and Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary to the position. Congrats, Niners. With a single swift move the organization has again been catapulted to prominence again and have another opportunity to prove it this week when they visit the retooled Minnesota Vikings in the best game of THIS weekend.
Everyone in the world is aware of why the Vikings are a story. Besides that quarterback fellow, the defense is fourth in the league in yards allowed per game and in the top 10 in most categories (though the season is just two weeks old). The defense plays hard and hits tough. They are a good and continuously improving defense thanks to the team’s defensive coordinator – Mike Singletary’s former teammate with the 1985 Chicago Bears, Leslie Frazier.
While Frazier is slowly gaining recognition for the stamp he puts on an NFL defense, Singletary has infused the 49ers with a toughness they have long lacked. His commitment to team unity has renewed the team’s confidence. Some significant changes Singletary has made, though he has not yet completed a full season as head coach, include forcing tight end Vernon Davis into both a good talent and a good teammate, ending the quarterback Alex Smith experiment, renewing a focus on running the ball well and playing good defense.
Singletary has now proved he is a good head coach in the NFL. Now the expectations from fans and media will increase. He is not longer the new kid on the coaching block and no longer a talented player turn coach many just root for.
Coming into this game it is billed as another opportunity for Brett Favre to shed rust, for Adrian Peterson to continue to assert himself as a league MVP candidate, and for the Vikings to potentially take a commanding lead in their division with a win and potential losses by Green Bay and Chicago.
For the life of me, I cannot figure out why the media is not covering the story of the 49ers more thoroughly. If the team wins against Minnesota on the road, however, it will be time to pay close attention to these 49ers. For the 49ers to earn the respect it has craved for so many down seasons a few key events need to take place.
First, Frank Gore has to be solid. Just solid. Twenty-five carries, 90 yards and a touchdown should do it. Also, quarterback Shaun Hill has proven he can take care of the ball, and the defense has proven they can play well when the game is on the line. While the aforementioned Vikings defense has some nice statistics to claim in the first two weeks of the season, the 49ers have the more highly ranked run defense, allowing a stingy 53 yards a game. The team also allows just 13 points per game thus far this season, good enough for fourth across the league. The game against the Vikings is winnable provided the 49ers play up to their potential. It seems likely Singletary is the right coach to ensure that happens.
Both of these teams are 2-0. The 49ers, however, have more to lose – and much more to gain. A motivated San Francisco team may shock the Vikings on Sunday and breathe needed life into a stale, but important, NFL franchise.
I have some advice for Eric Mangini: When you make a decision that almost NOBODY agrees with, it is probably safe to assume that they (not you) are correct.
The victory for this debate goes to Sports Geek.
Sports Geek hits the nail right on the head. Mangini over-thought the situation, and ended up hindering his own team rather than the opposition. When looking at the mistakes that caused the most problems for the Cleveland Browns on offense, every one of them could at least partly be attributed to a lack of comfort or familiarity between quarterback Brady Quinn and his teammates.
When Quinn threw his only interception of the game, it was clearly the result of miscommunication between him and wide receiver Braylon Edwards. Quinn threw the ball believing Edwards would cut left, but Edwards instead cut right believing that Quinn was throwing elsewhere. The result was a ball thrown to a place where no receiver could catch it, and it was easily intercepted by the Vikings. The Browns were also called for four false-start penalties, several of which came at very costly times. Perhaps if the offense had more time to familiarize themselves with Quinn’s cadence, they would have been more prepared during a game situation, and would have jumped less in those critical moments.
Do not get me wrong, Mangini’s decision to keep his starter a secret is not the sole reason why the Browns lost on Sunday, but he did not do the team any favors. His decision to keep his choice a secret actually backfired, because it created AT LEAST as much confusion for his own team than it did the Minnesota Vikings.
Loyal Homer’s argument, in theory, is absolutely correct. Mangini as head coach of a professional football team should be doing everything in his power to give his team every possible advantage that he can gain for them (especially with the 2009 Browns, who will likely need all the help they can get). The problem that I have with Mangini’s decision in this case is that his choice negatively impacted his own team just as much as it did the Vikings. Eric Mangini, in addition to his responsibility of trying to gain every tactical advantage that he can, also has a responsibility to protect the weaknesses of his own organization. The latter was sacrificed last Sunday, and the Browns paid the price.
I have no problems with a coach trying new, innovative, or even unorthodox tactics to gain an edge. But, it is irresponsible to take those measures when it impedes your own team’s ability to develop. Mangini’s FIRST responsibility is to create a cohesive and productive unit that will successfully compete on Sunday afternoons. This was simply a matter of putting the horse before the cart.
Those tactics of gamesmanship and subversive communication are rarely successful when used to mask a team’s deficiencies. Secrecy works for Bill Belichek and the New England Patriots because they function successfully as a team. Fundamentally they are a sound organization, and have consistently proven that they can succeed in almost any situation. For a team like that, the strategies of misinformation and misdirection are successful because they are being used to support strong performances, rather than mask poor ones. Eric Mangini should first focus on developing a fundamentally sound team. Until then, he should forget about the mind-games.
In the most recent and bizarre quarterback controversy to date in the NFL, Cleveland Browns head coach Eric Mangini FINALLY named a starting quarterback. On Wednesday of the week dedicated to preparation for the team’s first game against the Minnesota Vikings. But, he did not tell the media. Nor did he notify the team, deciding instead to let the team figure it out when the first team offense took the field at practice.
It is hard to play Monday morning quarterback to NFL coaches. Fans and media cannot possibly understand all of the factors weighing on a coach making a key decision, even if both pretend as though they do. However, it is fair to analyze what impact Mangini’s quarterback battle – and the circumstances surrounding the announcement of the decision – had on the actual game.
As Bleacher Fan stated in the intro, Mangini believed that he was misdirecting his team’s week one opponent by forcing them to prepare for two quarterbacks. Mangini believed that preparation would waste valuable time in the Vikings’ clubhouse and give his team an advantage. Did that decision have any impact on the game itself?
Uh… no. Looking back, it is rather laughable that Mangini believed it would impact the game at all. First, the two quarterbacks he was deciding between have very similar traits. Both Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson are traditional pocket passers. Both have strong arms (those questioning Brady Quinn’s arm strength clearly have not watched him play). Both make head scratching decisions from time to time (though Anderson has an edge on frequency). Both tap the ball as a timing mechanism when they are preparing to throw. What is the real difference? Potential (Quinn) versus known/frustrating commodity (Anderson). It is not as though Mangini was forcing the Vikings to prepare for either Mike Vick or Dan Marino.
The Mangini decision aside, Minnesota showed no signs of being ill prepared for the quarterback they were facing. Their game plan was to stuff the run (which they always do), and force the quarterback to beat them. They knew if they covered the receivers, both quarterbacks would hit the check down receivers in the tight end and the running backs. Of the nine different Browns that caught passes on Sunday, only three were receivers. Safe to say the Minnesota defense shut the receivers down.
More, leading up the game Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress said he was preparing for a scheme, not for a quarterback. The way the defense played indicates his team did a fine job, giving up only one touchdown on defense in the waning moments of the game.
Plus, Mangini’s decision to not publically announce his quarterback going into week one seems to have been a non-issue for the Patriots while possibly hindering his own team. Rather than concentrating on getting his team focused and prepared – and having all of the team’s leaders empowered and in place – Mangini distracted himself and his team by playing needless head games with the opponent. One of the great values of football I learned early on as a writer was that coaches, more than anything else in the game, loved when they were in an obvious running situations and their team STILL dominated the opposing team. The point is that it should not matter who is under center for the Browns. If the team executes properly it should not matter if they share their entire game plan.
All of the smoke and mirrors served only as a distraction for the Browns, not a disruption for the Vikings. All of the head games and gamesmanship exhibited by Mangini and the team – who Mangini convinced of his genius plan – did not in one way impact the game. Perhaps Mangini should spend more time preparing his team, and less time trying to fool the opposition before the teams even take the field.
Read Sports Geek and Loyal Homer’s argument on whether or not Cleveland Browns head coach Eric Mangini’s decision to keep the starting quarterback a secret was a good one.
For weeks building up to (and through) the preseason, there was much speculation in Cleveland as to who the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns would be. Would it be the 2007 Pro Bowler Derek Anderson, or the highly touted 2007 draft pick Brady Quinn? Last season, it appeared that Quinn had officially claimed the spot when he replaced Anderson mid-season. However, subsequent injuries by both Quinn and Anderson during the 2008 season, along with the announcement that Eric Mangini would replace Romeo Crennel as head coach, threw everything back up in the air.
When Mangini came into the Browns organization, he immediately announced that there would be an open competition for the starting quarterback position. All through training camp, there was speculation around which quarterback actually had the edge. Neither seemed to take the steps necessary to claim the starting position outright, leaving the public with only guesses as to what was going on in the head of Mangini.
Then, in a move that had many people around the league scratching their heads, Mangini publicly stated that he would keep the starting quarterback a secret even after deciding who it would be. His reasoning – to keep the Vikings guessing.
The Minnesota Vikings were scheduled as the Browns’ week one opponents, and Mangini felt that he was gaining a competitive edge over Minnesota with the secret because it forced the Vikings to prepare for defending against two different quarterbacks, instead of just one.
Now that the first week of NFL competition is complete, with the Vikings beating the Browns by a score of 34-20, I am asking my esteemed colleagues at The Sports Debates to evaluate Mangini’s decision.
In hindsight, was it a wise decision by Eric Mangini to keep his choice as starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns a secret until the last possible moment?
Keep in mind that losing the game does not automatically mean that Mangini made a poor choice. If not for running back Adrian Peterson’s impressive performance on offense for the Vikings (180 rushing yards and three touchdowns), the Vikings could have lost on Sunday.
Loyal Homer will argue that this decision, although it did not help change the outcome of the game, was still a wise decision on the part of Eric Mangini because the Vikings had to split their defensive focus and could not prepare for simply one gameplan. Sports Geek will argue that the choice was a bad one.
So which is it? Were these the actions of a mad-man or a Man-genius?!
Posted by Loyal Homer 
