Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
HOU 27 OAK 14
* Sad to see the Raiders so flat after such a spirited season with Derek Carr at QB and Jack "Riverboat Gambler" Del Rio rolling the dice.
* Good strategy to blitz Brock Osweiler---but Bill O'Brien manifested the Patriots' philosophy of throwing quick passes to the TEs and to WR DeAndre Hopkins to the point where they got the DBs to bite and then Osweiler made a good throw on the fade to Hopkins which Hopkins caught and adroitly managed to scrape his toes in bounds.
* Jadeveon Clowney has arrived in a big way. Of course it helped that LT Donald Penn was out.
* When one thinks back 4 years and where the Raiders were having traded Carson Palmer and not re-signing Jared Veldheer, what GM Reggie McKenzie has done drafting QB Derek Carr and assembling on o-line of Penn---Osemelo---Hudson---Jackson---Howard and adding WRs Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree---that offense is better equipped to win now and the next few years than the Cardinals'...unless Steve Keim can find a way top revitalize the offensive line, add a QBOF and find upgrades at WR.
* Was very impressed with the Raiders' SS Brynden Trawick---who made a number of superb tackles for loss. He's a UFA this year, a promising, aggressive young SS (6-2, 220) and STs ace.
* Mike Vrable, the Texans' LB coach is on the verge of coaching stardom. He will soon be a defensive coordinator and quite likely a head coach within the next 3-4 years.
* Romeo Crennel has to be one of the most under-rated defensive coordinators of all time. The man has 5 Super Bowl rings as a defensive coach.
* Boy those Texans tackle with authority---all of them---no weak links.
* Funny to think that there was speculation about Bill O'Brien's immediate future with the Texans. Much of this has to do with an all too common occurrence in the NFL when a GM (Rick Smith) and HC cannot agree on key personnel. Brock Osweiler was Smith's choice, not O'Brien's.
* This got me thinking about BA&SK's relationship. Yes, on the outside they appear united---but it wouldn't bee too much of a stretch to imagine that there could be a growing acrimony between the two...starting with BA's insistence on running a wide array of zero backfield sets (regardless of who the linemen are). In the games this year where Palmer was sacked and hit the most, the Cardinals were 1-8-1. BA has openly slammed the last two 1st round picks---which makes SK look like a fool. It's to the point now where BA has declared that he no longer expects rookies to make any immediate impact their first year. To that i say, "C'mon, man."
SEA 26 DET 6
* First of all---as crazy as this might sound---the longer the Seahawks' season goes, the more there is a chance of them experiencing the letdown that the Cardinals experienced this year coming off a bitter loss in the NFC Championship game. Last year it was the Seahawks who served the Cardinals notice in Week 17 not to feel too confident about the division and the NFC. Well, this year the Cardinals returned the favor beating the Seahawks in Week 16. Teams have a very hard time recovering from extended playoff game seasons. See Carolina and Denver, as well.
* The Lions' defense was a sieve. They got shredded by what had been a struggling makeshift o-line and a RB who had been averaging 1.5 ypc the past couple games. Rawls runs hard---but he can't hold up physically the way Marshawn Lynch did.
* The Lions' offense looked intimidated all night---so many drops on easy catches, false starts, etc.. Anquan Boldin, who really helped the Lions get over the hump in close games, had an atrocious performance---2 stupid PF flags one off a bad drop on 3rd down. Stafford looked a little wild early but even when he settled down the drops and costly penalties did them in. But, credit the Lions for winning the close games they were losing last year---which is why they got into the playoffs. Too bad they peaked 3-4 weeks ago, however.
* Richard Sherman is right about the Seahawks' play calling. It's just plain stupid at times---and of course they get bailed out on 4th and goal at the 1 by the Richardson TD (amazing catch) where clearly Richardson was grasping the CB's facemask. Seeing as there is supposed to be a review of all scoring plays---can't the NFL finally get the calls right? If everyone in the USA can see it---then get the thing right.
* Sherman, for all his arrogance, puts his body on the line to win and is one of the major reasons why teams are still intimidated by the Seahawks. For those who feel Patrick Peterson was snubbed in not making the 1st or 2nd All-Pro team, tackling and doing all one can to help the team win are considerations.
* Sad to see the Raiders so flat after such a spirited season with Derek Carr at QB and Jack "Riverboat Gambler" Del Rio rolling the dice.
* Good strategy to blitz Brock Osweiler---but Bill O'Brien manifested the Patriots' philosophy of throwing quick passes to the TEs and to WR DeAndre Hopkins to the point where they got the DBs to bite and then Osweiler made a good throw on the fade to Hopkins which Hopkins caught and adroitly managed to scrape his toes in bounds.
* Jadeveon Clowney has arrived in a big way. Of course it helped that LT Donald Penn was out.
* When one thinks back 4 years and where the Raiders were having traded Carson Palmer and not re-signing Jared Veldheer, what GM Reggie McKenzie has done drafting QB Derek Carr and assembling on o-line of Penn---Osemelo---Hudson---Jackson---Howard and adding WRs Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree---that offense is better equipped to win now and the next few years than the Cardinals'...unless Steve Keim can find a way top revitalize the offensive line, add a QBOF and find upgrades at WR.
* Was very impressed with the Raiders' SS Brynden Trawick---who made a number of superb tackles for loss. He's a UFA this year, a promising, aggressive young SS (6-2, 220) and STs ace.
* Mike Vrable, the Texans' LB coach is on the verge of coaching stardom. He will soon be a defensive coordinator and quite likely a head coach within the next 3-4 years.
* Romeo Crennel has to be one of the most under-rated defensive coordinators of all time. The man has 5 Super Bowl rings as a defensive coach.
* Boy those Texans tackle with authority---all of them---no weak links.
* Funny to think that there was speculation about Bill O'Brien's immediate future with the Texans. Much of this has to do with an all too common occurrence in the NFL when a GM (Rick Smith) and HC cannot agree on key personnel. Brock Osweiler was Smith's choice, not O'Brien's.
* This got me thinking about BA&SK's relationship. Yes, on the outside they appear united---but it wouldn't bee too much of a stretch to imagine that there could be a growing acrimony between the two...starting with BA's insistence on running a wide array of zero backfield sets (regardless of who the linemen are). In the games this year where Palmer was sacked and hit the most, the Cardinals were 1-8-1. BA has openly slammed the last two 1st round picks---which makes SK look like a fool. It's to the point now where BA has declared that he no longer expects rookies to make any immediate impact their first year. To that i say, "C'mon, man."
SEA 26 DET 6
* First of all---as crazy as this might sound---the longer the Seahawks' season goes, the more there is a chance of them experiencing the letdown that the Cardinals experienced this year coming off a bitter loss in the NFC Championship game. Last year it was the Seahawks who served the Cardinals notice in Week 17 not to feel too confident about the division and the NFC. Well, this year the Cardinals returned the favor beating the Seahawks in Week 16. Teams have a very hard time recovering from extended playoff game seasons. See Carolina and Denver, as well.
* The Lions' defense was a sieve. They got shredded by what had been a struggling makeshift o-line and a RB who had been averaging 1.5 ypc the past couple games. Rawls runs hard---but he can't hold up physically the way Marshawn Lynch did.
* The Lions' offense looked intimidated all night---so many drops on easy catches, false starts, etc.. Anquan Boldin, who really helped the Lions get over the hump in close games, had an atrocious performance---2 stupid PF flags one off a bad drop on 3rd down. Stafford looked a little wild early but even when he settled down the drops and costly penalties did them in. But, credit the Lions for winning the close games they were losing last year---which is why they got into the playoffs. Too bad they peaked 3-4 weeks ago, however.
* Richard Sherman is right about the Seahawks' play calling. It's just plain stupid at times---and of course they get bailed out on 4th and goal at the 1 by the Richardson TD (amazing catch) where clearly Richardson was grasping the CB's facemask. Seeing as there is supposed to be a review of all scoring plays---can't the NFL finally get the calls right? If everyone in the USA can see it---then get the thing right.
* Sherman, for all his arrogance, puts his body on the line to win and is one of the major reasons why teams are still intimidated by the Seahawks. For those who feel Patrick Peterson was snubbed in not making the 1st or 2nd All-Pro team, tackling and doing all one can to help the team win are considerations.
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