Eight in the Box: Let’s do it again next week, shall we?

Like I outlined in my previous column, there was the possibility for four of yesterday’s games to be replayed in the first round of the playoffs and amazingly, three of them will happen. I’m not sure, but I would assume this is the most rematches in back-to-back weeks in NFL history. The Eagles and Packers should have packed more luggage and simply stayed at their hotels because they will be right back in those same venues next week, while the Bengals will travel home to take on the same Jets team that whooped them last night. For the 20 teams not taking part in this year’s postseason, the end of a long season has finally come and now they will turn their attention to their coaching staffs, free agency and the draft. But with 12 teams still battling for the chance to hoist the Lombardi trophy, this season is far from over. Like those lucky dozen I too will soon be focusing entirely on the postseason, just as soon as I go all Kate Gosselin on you and push out these eight embryos of knowledge on you.

1. McNabb still doesn’t get it. Even after all of his trips to the playoffs and his participation into countless big games during the Eagles run this decade, the man still refuses to take blame for a loss. Since when has McNabb ever been John Elway or Joe Montana or even Peyton Manning? These guys not only carried their teams to championships, but when they lost they also took blame for what happened and didn’t throw anyone but themselves under the bus. Yet McNabb, time and time again, still doesn’t care about his teammates and thinks he is infallible and incapable of being at fault. After yesterday’s debacle, McNabb said that it was the youth of the team that did them in and that no one stepped up to make a play when their number was called. Last time I checked, McNabb was no spring chicken so he must have been talking about his young playmakers. But would any self-respecting quarterback actually blame a loss on his receivers and backs? Don’t be surprised, this has become quite routing from the man and former teammates have come out in the past and mentioned his demeanor as a big shortcoming of the supposed leader of a team that supposedly had Super bowl aspirations. It is also this characteristic that leads me to my steadfast belief that the Eagles will never be able to win with him under center.

I know I sound like a pompous ass when I blame everyone else, but smiling makes it all better, right?

2. The difference is clear. There was one huge disparity yesterday between two receivers from rival teams that I found interesting and I wanted to point this out. While the rest of the Giants had quit and mailed it in last week, Steve Smith came out and fought hard on every play. True, he was trying to become the first Giants receiver to record 100 catches (he ended with 107) but he didn’t take a play off and even with the game, and reception mark, in the bag, Smith was still out there fighting. On the Giants last drive of the game, Smith was clearly laboring with his shoulder apparently dinged up and a pained look on his face. Yet he still was out there catching ball in traffic and trying to help his team get on the board to break the shutout and at least minimize the embarrassment as best he could. It was an extremely classy act and the old-timers would have approved. On the other hand is Jeremy Maclin. With the Eagles getting blown out and the game all but over the Eagles were driving and trying to at least get on the board to avoid an embarrassing shutout to their hated division rivals. But when Maclin had a chance to reel in a touchdown pass in the final minute, he instead decided to look at the safety to make sure he wasn’t going to get hit and the ball sailed right by him. He wasn’t even looking at the ball as it came his way because he pulled a Todd Pinkston and curled up. That is ridiculous and I wouldn’t expect McNabb to be looking his way in a crucial moment in next week’s game now either.
3. As much as it sucks, let it go. The NFL has announced that they will now be investigating the practice of teams resting their players when they have the playoffs already locked up. Now look, we as fans know it sucks and takes all of the fun out of the last two weeks of the season, but how can you really investigate this? What stops a team from simply putting a guy on the injury report and then sitting him down? The league has been staunch in its stance that teams have earned the right and they are correct. If a team wants to rest its players then let them. It has already proven to be a flawed strategy in the past and it will probably continue to be flawed, but if that’s the way they want it they should be able to do as they please. I know the league thinks the integrity of the game could be jeopardized but it is not the league’s job to decide who plays in what game. What’s next, what plays are called and schemes run? Where do you draw the line? Instead of wasting time and money investigating this, why doesn’t Roger Goodell sit down and figure out a way to avoid the pending lockout. That’s what’s really important.
4. Listen to Herm. We’ve all heard it a million times, but you play to win the game. But apparently not everyone gets the message. The Giants had nothing to play for but pride and apparently pride isn’t enough motivation as they mailed it in last week and continued their horrific play. But it is a little understandable when your season ended horribly the week before. My big issue is with the team’s who rested players. I am not a proponent of resting guys for the playoffs, at least not the entire game, but I understand where those coaches are coming from. But at least the guys you do put on the field should try to win the game or at least give a decent effort. But the Cardinals, Bengals, Colts and Saints all didn’t even try, instead opting to play an exhibition game a week before the playoffs. How is that a good thing? But while I am baffled by this maneuver, I commend the Chargers and Patriots for putting together worthy attempts at upping their win totals.

Exactly. (AP Photo/Andy King)

5. His one redeeming quality. I know Bill Belichick is not a very popular man outside of Boston and he comes off as arrogant and contrite, but you have to give it up to the man. He coaches the way you’re supposed to coach and he doesn’t let his guys let up, regardless of the score or the situation. Yes, Wes Welker tore his knee in two places and will be out for the playoffs and probably most of next season, but he didn’t get touched on the injury and you simply cannot predict or even prevent injuries like that. Even teams that rest guys don’t do it on the first drive and that’s when he got hurt. But with only the three seed to play for, he kept his guys in the game and called the game as if it was the Super Bowl. Tom Brady suffered broken ribs in the game and came out, but Belichick sent him back in after the Texans climbed back into the game. He sent his banged-up franchise quarterback back into a game that ultimately meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. Crazy, right? Maybe, but regardless of the situation he coaches every game the same. He might be a dick, but he should be applauded for that.
6. Texans deserve better. I think it’s a real shame that the Texans got screwed out of the playoffs. I know they could have done more during the season to secure a berth, but they deserve to be in the field because they are simply better than the Jets. I know the Jets beat them in week one and had the tiebreaker, but these teams are vastly different now. They can hang their hats on their first winning season in franchise history and should be able to build on this for next season, but if they played the Jets tomorrow they would win. Not to mention they would be way more entertaining to watch than Mark Sanchez tossing four picks and scoffing down frankfurters on the sideline.
7. My sincerest apology… Jets fans. I know I mocked you in a previous column and said you had no shot at the playoffs, and for that I apologize because you proved me very wrong. But let’s be honest here, your team is not very good. Your quarterback stinks and I honestly don’t think he’ll ever be all that good. Your defense is legit, but with the Sanchize under center, you stand no chance of winning a Super Bowl, or even getting out of the first round. Please don’t buy too much into their performance last night. The Bengals didn’t even play all of their defensive starters and they quit shortly after kickoff. The Bengals probably quit because they realized that they would much rather play the Jets next week than the Ravens because they know how hard it is to beat a team three times, not to mention that they have a legit starter at quarterback. So be happy now, but don’t expect it to last too long.

Definitely not me. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

8. Hello, Mr. Johnson…and welcome back. Two men named Johnson made pretty big headlines yesterday. Chris became only the sixth back in history to rush for 2,000 yards and for that he should be congratulated. He has now become the best back in the NFL and is the best weapon any team possesses. He also broke the record for yards from scrimmage, seizing it from future Hall-of-Famer Marshall Faulk. But Chad Ochocinco, also made headlines as he will now have to change his name back, as long as he keeps his word. I know he was banged up, but before the game he said Darrelle Revis “couldn’t cover me in a brown paper bag on the corner of a Manhattan street in a phone booth.” And if he got shut down, he would change his name back to Johnson. Well, Chad, you were targeted four times and caught none of them. I’m pretty sure he shut you down, so enough with the antics, let’s get over to the DMV for a new license.

And let’s not leave out the axe has already started dropping. As expected Jim Zorn has been relieved of his duties in Washington and the entire Bills’ coaching staff has reportedly been fired as well. The Giants did the smart thing and fired defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan and ownership says more changes are coming and only Tom and Jerry are safe. This is only the beginning as there should be quite a few more coaching changes before the guillotine blade gets wiped off. But enough of that for now, I’ll be back very soon with rankings for the playoff teams, my year-end awards and a college football post or two as well. My bladder’s full; just not enough time to relieve myself on this blog. But I’ll be trying to shake my stage fright and unload my wisdom as soon as possible. Until then, Happy New Year.