49ers stop Brees; Pats crucify Tebow; Steelers fans confused
by M. Stewart
Saturday's NFL playoff games provided the kind of drama that makes football great. First the 49ers and Saints play a full 60 minutes of great offensive and defensive football, then the Patriots blow out the Broncos. The first was the better game by far, but the New England game was a statement. The Pats are a Super Bowl team if I've ever seen one.
Of course the Tim Tebow story provided the week's pre-game hype, but Tom Brady was the one who showed up to win. The best quote of the day came from Dan Marino, who at halftime said that the only way the Broncos get back into the game is if Tom Brady switches sides.
The New England defense studied last week's Denver-Pittsburgh game and discovered how not to play the Broncos' college-style offense. There are several obvious reasons why the Steelers lost that game--injuries, playing away, poor execution, bad clock management, etc.--but Pittsburgh came into the game ranked as the league's number one defense behind a "genius" hall-of-fame defensive coordinator in Dick LeBeau.
As it turned out, the Steelers' defense made Tim Tebow a star. Yet the New England Patriots' defense, ranked next-to-last in the league, shut Tebow and the Denver offense down completely on Saturday. Remember too that Pittsburgh beat New England decisively earlier this season. So Dick LeBeau's defense could shut down Tom Brady but not Tim Tebow? I don't understand.
Especially in the playoffs, where all the teams are good, football is a psychological game, and it seems there is no more important psychological factor than playing at home. So far, the home team has won every playoff game. (I'm writing this two hours before Sunday's games begin, so that could change.)
Also, playoff games are culminating events. After every game, someone's season is over, and it can be analyzed as a whole. Finishing the regular season at 12-4, the Steelers limped into the playoffs. Early in the Denver game, Pittsburgh lost its two best defensive linemen--Brett Keisel and Casey Hampton--as well as their best offensive lineman, Max Starks. Ben Roethlisberger came in gimpy. Star safety Ryan Clark couldn't play due to altitude sickness. Star linebacker Lamar Woodley was a non-factor with a hamstring injury, and all-pro center Maurkice Pouncey was out with an ankle. Starting running back Rashard Mendehall was out for knee surgery.
Every team has injuries this late in the season, but the Steelers were reeling. Add Denver's home field advantage and the whole Tebowmania thing, and anything could have happened. And it did. Still, the Denver-Pittsburgh game was a great one. Even with all the setbacks, the Steelers could have (and should have) won the game in regulation. Starting with last year's Super Bowl loss, Ben has not shown the ability to win games in final possessions. Despite his two rings and three appearances, Ben is not in the same league as Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers.
Brees is out, but Brady and Rodgers are still in. Wouldn't you just love to see a Patriots-Packers Super Bowl?
Saturday's NFL playoff games provided the kind of drama that makes football great. First the 49ers and Saints play a full 60 minutes of great offensive and defensive football, then the Patriots blow out the Broncos. The first was the better game by far, but the New England game was a statement. The Pats are a Super Bowl team if I've ever seen one.
Of course the Tim Tebow story provided the week's pre-game hype, but Tom Brady was the one who showed up to win. The best quote of the day came from Dan Marino, who at halftime said that the only way the Broncos get back into the game is if Tom Brady switches sides.
The New England defense studied last week's Denver-Pittsburgh game and discovered how not to play the Broncos' college-style offense. There are several obvious reasons why the Steelers lost that game--injuries, playing away, poor execution, bad clock management, etc.--but Pittsburgh came into the game ranked as the league's number one defense behind a "genius" hall-of-fame defensive coordinator in Dick LeBeau.
As it turned out, the Steelers' defense made Tim Tebow a star. Yet the New England Patriots' defense, ranked next-to-last in the league, shut Tebow and the Denver offense down completely on Saturday. Remember too that Pittsburgh beat New England decisively earlier this season. So Dick LeBeau's defense could shut down Tom Brady but not Tim Tebow? I don't understand.
Especially in the playoffs, where all the teams are good, football is a psychological game, and it seems there is no more important psychological factor than playing at home. So far, the home team has won every playoff game. (I'm writing this two hours before Sunday's games begin, so that could change.)
Also, playoff games are culminating events. After every game, someone's season is over, and it can be analyzed as a whole. Finishing the regular season at 12-4, the Steelers limped into the playoffs. Early in the Denver game, Pittsburgh lost its two best defensive linemen--Brett Keisel and Casey Hampton--as well as their best offensive lineman, Max Starks. Ben Roethlisberger came in gimpy. Star safety Ryan Clark couldn't play due to altitude sickness. Star linebacker Lamar Woodley was a non-factor with a hamstring injury, and all-pro center Maurkice Pouncey was out with an ankle. Starting running back Rashard Mendehall was out for knee surgery.
Every team has injuries this late in the season, but the Steelers were reeling. Add Denver's home field advantage and the whole Tebowmania thing, and anything could have happened. And it did. Still, the Denver-Pittsburgh game was a great one. Even with all the setbacks, the Steelers could have (and should have) won the game in regulation. Starting with last year's Super Bowl loss, Ben has not shown the ability to win games in final possessions. Despite his two rings and three appearances, Ben is not in the same league as Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers.
Brees is out, but Brady and Rodgers are still in. Wouldn't you just love to see a Patriots-Packers Super Bowl?
posted by M. | 10:49 AM
4 Comments:
You better start adding Eli Manning to that QB list of yours, Matt. That man is coming into his own. Love the Giants --- mostly because of their passion. Steelers used to have that, but not so much anymore.
As for Tebow, all his fans shouldn't worry their heads too much: God still loves him, and he now has more time to devote to his missionary work, and his mansion.
Eli is earning his stripes. I like him much more than his brother. If the Giants go on to win the Super Bowl, Eli is in the top four. Ben Roethlisberger may have peaked. It's impossible to predict, but I wouldn't be surprised if Ben is on the back end of his career.
I can't help but notice that those who were deifying Tebow last week have gone silent. For new NFL fans who are having trouble dealing with Tebow's humiliation in New England, please understand that the most relevant cliche in sports is "You win some; you lose some." Imagine how fans in New Orleans and Green Bay are feeling.
It's funny to see those hate on Tim when it comes to football. They have no clue the differences between him starting as an NFL QB and other starting QB's. Hint, religion has nothing to do with it.
I don't hate Tebow at all. In fact, now that I've seen him play a bit more, I think he can become a good quarterback. He's nowhere close to that yet. The key is that John Elway is going to teach him how to throw the ball. Take Elway out of the equation, and I wouldn't feel the same way. Accurate passing is a learned skill, and Tebow has the luxury of learning from one of the greatest pure passers of all time. The kid has great raw physical skills, and I believe Elway will turn him into an NFL quarterback within the next few years.
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