I’ve been very fortunate this year to see two of the NFL’s best quarterbacks play live and in person. Seeing Peyton Manning move the ball up and down the field on the Rams was a highlight for me, and Sunday, watching Drew Brees lead the Saints to their 12th win in a row, was sensational. Brees put the Saints on his back, or, more correctly, on his right arm, throwing for 419 yards and making every clutch throw you could possibly make. His leadership on the field was impressive, but his pinpoint accuracy with the football is rarely seen — unless you happen to be watching a Colts game. How good would a Saints-Colts Super Bowl be, watching both these men lead their teams?
After the game, I got to spend a few minutes with Brees and asked him the same question I asked Manning: How do you throw the ball to the covered receiver? Brees was matter-of-fact with his answer. “There’s always a spot I can put the ball that the receiver can catch it and the defender won’t,” he said. And he’s right. Only he and maybe Manning can place the ball with smart-bomb accuracy. Trust me, you don’t want to challenge either man to a game of darts.
The Saints went outdoors, in sub-40-degree weather on a sloppy field that favored both offenses, and played their hearts out. It was not a pretty effort, but it was a testament to their will to win, their spirit and their team unity. They knew beforehand that the Redskins would play them in a physical style. All they had to do was watch the ‘Skins the last three weeks on tape and know they had not quit. Near the end of the game, things looked bleak when ‘Skins kicker Shaun Suisham lined up to kick a 23-yard field goal that would have given them a 10-point lead with less than two minutes to play. But in the year of the Saints, Suisham missed, giving them a renewed hope of sending the game into overtime with a tying touchdown. This situation is one the Saints have practiced many times and performed almost too quickly, tying the score and eventually sending it to OT.
In overtime, the Saints forced another turnover and then marched the ball down the field to finish off the remarkable come-from-behind win. We’ve seen the Saints win games this year playing from behind, playing from in front and playing toe to toe. They can win a game in any style, and to beat them, teams better have the ball last. These kinds of wins let everyone in the locker room know that as long as they keep fighting, as long as they keep playing hard, they can find ways to win. Brees is a great player and he drives this team, but this is a true team with the will to keep on winning.
MORE RANDOM THOUGHTS…
…The Patriots must fix their red-zone troubles on both sides on the ball. This started in Week 1 against the Bills and continues today. Their inability to win on the road is due, in large part, to their red zone problems.
…What more can Tony Romo do to help his team win in December? I mean really, he played as well as he can play, but when your team allows 165 in return yards, it’s difficult. Add the return yards to the stats and the game is not as unbalanced.
…The running back the Seattle Seahawks could use is playing for the Eagles. Former Seahawk Leonard Weaver had only five carries but was a load for the Falcons to tackle. His power and explosive nature give the Eagles another dimension to their offense — something the Seahawks could really use.
…I know the ‘Skins are 3-9, but they’ve played hard the last three weeks and are actually a better team without running back Clinton Portis. I strongly doubt Portis will return this year, or next year for that matter. The ‘Skins have discovered some new, talented skill players in wide receiver Devin Thomas and tight end Fred Davis, who make their offense more effective.
…The ‘Skins just might beat the Giants and Cowboys in the next few weeks, and that’s why I like the Eagles to win the NFC East. The ‘Skins will decide the division winner.
…I know I’m jumping ahead, but how can any NFC team beat the Vikings and Saints on the road in consecutive weeks? That’s what it will take for a team other than the Saints or Vikings to reach the Super Bowl.
…The Jets had better hope the Colts and Bengals clinch and have nothing left to play for because they might help their playoff chances. The Jets’ schedule is very favorable, with the Bucs this week, then the beat-up Falcons, before they travel to Indy and end the year at home against the Bengals. Those remaining two games might be meaningless to the Colts and Bengals but very meaningful to the Jets.
…Can we get the running backs to stop throwing the ball in the red zone? Last week, Ricky Williams hurt his team with his interception, and this week Chris Brown of the Texans did the same thing.
…The Chiefs might not be very good on defense, but Tamba Hali is a great player. He has only 6½ sacks this year but faces constant double-teams and chips on every pass play. Imagine how good he could be if the Chiefs hadn’t traded Jared Allen and had both players racing off the edge.
…Baltimore must be able to generate pressure on Aaron Rodgers tonight and gain extra possessions. They must win this game with their ability to play well in the red zone and keep pace with the Packers.
…I hated seeing the Vikings’ E.J. Henderson injury and wish him the best as he recovers. He was playing great.
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Can we get coaches to stop putting RBs in position to throw the ball in the red zone?
I blame the play caller, not the player.
Mike, why aren't you saying the Cardinals instead of the VIkings in terms of winning road games in back to back weeks in the playoffs? What have the Vikings really done to deserve such a high honor with respect to other teams in the league? I understand they are 10-2, but look who they beat. I will give them the Packer games as good wins, even though GB was having trouble with their Olines (giving Jared Allen his MVP-type numbers). But they barely beat SF at home (Favre last second hail mary), struggled to beat Baltimore at home (and should have lost based on a missed, makable FG at the end). They were dominated by Arizona last night, and lost to a now suspect Pittsburgh (albeit both games were on the road, and Pitt had Polamalu). But their other wins were over decidedly unimpressive teams. Look at what people were saying about the Giants as an example. Everyone, including you, thought they were the class of the league earlier in the year, because they were beating on poor teams and looking very impressive while doing it. They obviously are not regarded as a top 1-2 team in the conference, and rightly so. But once their schedule got a little harder, they starting losing. Minnesota looks very similar to me, with big wins over Detroit (twice), Cleveland, St. Louis, Seattle, and Chicago. Now they are definitely a good team, and they very well may make the NFC Championship game, but I think that speaks more toward how poor the overall NFC is rather than how great Minnesota looks. Based on their performance, I'd be surprised if they can win this weekend against the Bengals. Come playoff time, where the weaker teams will all be watching like the rest of us, what makes you think the Vikings will have a such a good chance to keep winning?
Glad to see you've reversed course on the Jets (No. 1 Defence in the NFL and no.1 rushing Offence), they have a tough road ahead with INDY on their schedule but I think they're better than the Bengals, if they play well. Unfortunately, the Jets do find ways to lose games they should win......we'll see.
Kurt Warner was in the open throw mode on covered players. He and Boldin finally found that groove and they are unstoppable. The Cardinals finally got the offense playing full speed, it could position them to make a run, including their defensive improvement.
The key is protections, Warner is getting time, the line is playing better once the young backs were worked into protecting the passer. Hightower as starter, Wells young and improving, the number three adds some quality situational runs. Now their number four wideout Doucet is making catches as a mismatch.
They took on a very good team, and it was a statement game. Provided the team stays healthy the Cards can gear up for scoring the kind of points you need to keep up with front runners, including the team they beat.
defenSe ... offenSe ... i know you want to make yourself look stOOpid with the idea that the Jets are better than anyone, but you could at least put some work in with the spell check
Hey Mike I listen to ya down in Houston 1560 The Game.....Man I'm sick of the inconsistancy of the Texans ..I'm not a fan of firing coaches so I will not go there...When can we get our D-line and O-line together and I'm glad we did not pay Dunte..we have too many holes
How come everyone on here actually has got good points, mature and unlike other websites know their stuff. Then you get dckheads like lolol who wants to point out spelling errors. What a dck.
"defence US, defense [d??f?ns]
n
1. resistance against danger, attack, or harm; protection
2. a person or thing that provides such resistance
3. a plea, essay, speech, etc., in support of something; vindication; justification
4. (Military)
a. a country's military measures or resources
b. (as modifier) defence spending
5. (Law) Law a defendant's denial of the truth of the allegations or charge against him
6. (Law) Law the defendant and his legal advisers collectively Compare prosecution
7. (General Sporting Terms) Sport
a. the action of protecting oneself, one's goal, or one's allotted part of the playing area against an opponent's attacks
b. the method of doing this
c. (usually preceded by the) the players in a team whose function is to do this
8. (Team Sports / American Football) American football (usually preceded by the)
a. the team that does not have possession of the ball
b. the members of a team that play in such circumstances
9. (Psychoanalysis) Psychoanal See defence mechanism
10. (Military / Fortifications) (plural) fortifications"
lolol, who's "stOOpid"?? who can't read?? " the idea that the Jets are better than anyone"
I never implied what you wrote.
"offence US, offense [??f?ns]
n
1. a violation or breach of a law, custom, rule, etc.
2.
a. any public wrong or crime
b. a nonindictable crime punishable on summary conviction
3. annoyance, displeasure, or resentment
give offence (to) to cause annoyance or displeasure (to)
take offence to feel injured, humiliated, or offended
6. a source of annoyance, displeasure, or anger
7. (Military) attack; assault
8. Archaic injury or harm
9. (Team Sports / American Football) American football (usually preceded by the)
a. the team that has possession of the ball
b. the members of a team that play in such circumstances
offenceless US, offenseless adj
"
Offence, what I take when imbeciles try to correct others when they have NO CLUE themselves.
Forget the will to win - all that needed to be done for the Redskins to win was Kareem Moore falling on the ground with his interception in the first half - that's all. The Redskins "let them off the hook", plain and simple.
And yes, Portis is DONE.
yes, yes, poor romo. sometimes a qb has to actually lift the play of the team when things aren't going well. romo is a choker -- and so are the cowboys. there is a good chance that they will miss the playoffs again this year. the next truly big game that a romo-led cowboys team wins will be the first. i hope jerrah enjoys booking tractor pulls in his new palace, beginning in january.
The Cardinals finally got the offense playing full speed, it could position them to make a run, including their defensive improvement.
asdasdasd
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Dec 07, 2009
05:25 PM
The MVP race is, right now, a two man race between Brees and Manning; Favre had entered the conversation but last night's game bumped him out of it for the time being. I'd go with Brees at the moment, but the race is so fluid that it could come down to the last regular season game.
(And if both teams are undefeated and tempted to rest their starters, maybe the coaches will consider the effect benching their QB could have on their respective players' chances at an MVP trophy.)