TallySaint

Relevant and irrelevant: the Week 16 edition

December 26, 2006

Paul Attner, The Sporting News





What's relevant -- and what's not -- about Week 16 of the NFL season:


# We've been trying for weeks to have the shoe fit: who is the fairest of NFC teams? We tried the Bears but they fumbled it away. We tried the Cowboys but they couldn't tackle it. We tried the Saints but they had their own fairy tale to tell. Now, maybe the Eagles? The Eagles?


# Sean Payton will be coach of the year, but Eric Mangini would have been if this was any other season. But Andy Reid deserves some special mention. When Donovan McNabb went down, we expected the Eagles to follow. Instead, Jeff Garcia has benefited from Reid's ability to keep a team on an even course -- and from Philly's about-time decision to start running more and throwing less. It has been a magnificent coaching job.


# Who is the comeback player of the year? Garcia? Drew Brees? Carson Palmer? Lots of worthy candidates.


# The Jaguars can't be happy with their quarterbacking future. They apparently aren't enamoured of Byron Leftwich, and David Garrard is far too careless with the football. I would require Leftwich to become physically fit and I would work on his fundamentals. I also would not prematurely give up on him.


# The 49ers have $41 million in free salary cap money. Considering how long they were in playoff contention this year, their future seems extremely bright. But if you were an NFC West team, why wouldn't you be optimistic?


# Hard to believe but the Giants -- the awful, uninspired Giants -- are in the best shape of any NFC team to clinch that second wild-card berth. There is even a plausible scenario where they could lose for the seventh time in eight weeks and still get into the playoffs -- with a 7-9 record. That would be so appropriate for the NFC. If there was ever a team in need of a coaching change, this is one.


# Jim Mora is a coach who can relate to his players. But maybe Michael Vick needs another personality either as his head coach or offensive coordinator, someone to demand on-field discipline. And that would take owner Arthur Blank backing off his protection of Vick.


# It was stunning to see how poorly the Cowboys responded to the challenge of the Eagles. Amid all this talk of Bill Parcells returning next season, I wonder if he doesn't wonder how one of his teams could be this flat in a game so meaningful? Could it be they aren't listening to him? With all the talk about Tony Romo and the Cowboys offense, how about a defense that was shredded by an Eagles running game not known for its prowess?


# Despite Daunte Culpepper's denials, the Dolphins have found out what the Vikings already knew -- he is not the hardest-working guy around. But the Dolphins desperately need Culpepper to return at full strength next season. What an awful offense they have right now without him.


# Carolina figured out how to win with Chris Weinke at quarterback. Hardly let him pass.


# The voting for rookie of the year between Vince Young and Reggie Bush is going to be close. Bush is finishing strong but it is hard not to pick Young. His effect on the Titans has been incredible. And yes, Jeff Fisher should be considered for coach of the year, too.



http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn...c.php?t=162135



8)

My Guardian Angel wears a hard hat.

TallySaint

A Few responses from the same site.....



Brees

What exactly is Brees coming back from to earn comeback player of the year, he had a good year last year and a stellar year this year, in my mind that doesn't qualify.



Re:Brees

Same thing that Carson Palmer is coming back from, a devestating injury in each QBs final game of the season last year.


come on...pennington just had his second major surgery...it's gotta be chad.




ROY

The voting for rookie of the year between Vince Young and Reggie Bush is going to be close. Bush is finishing strong but it is hard not to pick Young.

What in the world are you talking about? Attner's writings seem to reflect a shallow perspective and lacks insightfulness as it pertains to the NFL.

This comment is plain silly. Neither Young or Bush is winning the award despite the hype going into the season. Reggie Bush is an irresponsible choice- attach "Jones-Drew" or "Maroney" in place w/ the same team and stats, and they wouldn't even be mentioned as candidates. Yeah, yeah I know about Bush's terrific receiving numbers and he'll get votes from some of the media members who don't study the game & simply refer to stat lines & the hype. But he certainly isn't close to the best rookie at his position or on his own team.

Young will get more votes than he should not only due to the hype, but the fact that he is a QB. The real question is whether Colston's missed games late in the season & recent quiet streak opens the door for Jones-Drew. Again, a bias exists as well as to what is fresh in the mind, rather than weighing the whole season. Young may in fact finish ahead of Colston. But Young or Bush will not finish ahead of Jones-Drew regardless of the plethora of shallow media members who are allowed to vote for these awards.




Re:Brees

What exactly is Brees coming back from to earn comeback player of the year, he had a good year last year and a stellar year this year, in my mind that doesn't qualify.

When Brees came off the field holding his arm in place because his shoulder could not I knew it would probably be the last time I saw him in a Charger uniform, I also thought he would miss a good portion of the pre-season. Brees arm looks to be a little stronger than I remember. The throw to Colston in the end zone got there real Quick and that was the knock on him along with being a little short and getting balls batted down at the line of scrimmage. He looks like he is making all the throws necessary and has a little more zip on the ball. I like Brees as the comeback player of the year , but I would have to go with Tomlinson as M.V.P.



8)

My Guardian Angel wears a hard hat.

papz

Comeback player of the year

I'd probably go with Pennington as Brees did have a good season last year as did Palmer.

Rookie of the Year

I'll go with Jones-Drew. He certainly has the numbers and I don't think the Jags would be in playoff contention w/o him making plays on offense and special teams. I think if he hits 1,000 yards on the season, he's a lock... with Young a close second.

MVP -

I'll have to go with Tomlinson... his numbers and importance to his team speak for itself. I think if our receivers didn't drop so many balls, it would have made it a closer call.

Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.

All little common sense goes a long way.

xan

Pennington is being carried by his defense and running game. He can't make most of the throws and he's still not good at picking up on pressure. The Jets clearly wouldn't be where they are without him, or would they with Ramsey at QB?

It's Brees, and not because I'm biased. It's because he's been the one carrying the team on his surgically repaired shoulders all year.

papz

Ramsey is third on the depth chart up there.

The Jets defense ranks in the bottom half of the league... only 7 teams are worse. The Jets passing offense actually ranks higher than the rushing offense.

spkb25

i thought colston ahd a shot at roy. but that is just me.