Thursday, July 1, 2010

Week 1: Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings

Today is D-day for Wilson

MINNEAPOLIS (Star Tribune; 9.13.1987) - Today is the first day of the rest of Wade Wilson's life. Today, the defensive line gets taller, the cornerbacks quicker and the ball a whole lot heavier. Today - at least for today - Wade Wilson is the Vikings' No. 1 quarterback.

"Everything changes Sunday," said Wilson.

Everything. There is no more popular man in town than the No. 2 quarterback - with the possible exception of the No. 3 quarterback. For seven long years as a Viking, Wilson always has been one or the other. When you're No. 2 - or No. 3 - you're everybody's darling, especially when No. 1 screws up. When you're No. 2, you are the best quarterback in the world because you have done no wrong. Of course, the reason you have done no wrong is because you haven't been on the field much, if at all. No matter.

That is what makes you so attractive. You're unsullied, unspoiled, perfect. No matter what number you wear, you're a 10. And you never get booed. Until you become No. 1 and overthrow a receiver in the end zone by 20 yards.

That is the nature of this game and Wilson knows it. Today, there will be no place to hide.

"Sunday, everything changes because it all goes from expectations to producing," he said. "People have been wanting me to play off and on the last couple years, but they really can't say I do good because I haven't really played that much when it counts. Now it's time to show that I can play."

Wilson knows he played very well during the preseason. He completed 63 percent of his passes, threw for five touchdowns and had a quarterback rating (128.1) that jumps right off the board. In the last game of last season, he passed for 339 yards and three touchdowns. He also knows that the real test starts today in the regular-season opener against the Detroit Lions. The preseason and the last game of the 1986 season, when the Vikings already were eliminated from the playoffs, don't mean a thing. "I look at this as an opportunity," he said.

An opportunity to start a quarterback controversy?

Wilson, a small-town boy from Commerce, Texas (pop. 11,000), son of a high school football coach turned elementary school principal, is too nice a guy to start one with words. In print, he says all the right things, that he knows the injured Tommy Kramer, coming off a Pro Bowl year, is supposed to be No. 1. But make no mistake: On the field, Wilson would like nothing better than to make it excruciatingly hard for coach Jerry Burns to pull the trigger and put Kramer back in the lineup. And if Wilson plays as splendidly as he did in the preseason, I'm not so sure Burns shouldn't leave well enough alone.

"If we were going like gangbusters and the club had a certain chemistry and success, I certainly wouldn't do anything to change it," said Burns. "There is nothing in my contract or Tommy's contract that says when Tommy is ready to go that he automatically steps into the breach."

There is a certain irony to the fact that the man Wilson backs up is named Tommy Kramer. Ten years ago a high school senior named Wade Wilson, looking for a place to go to college, visited Rice University, where a senior quarterback named Tommy Kramer was setting all sorts of passing records. Wilson probably would have loved to succeed Kramer. One problem. Rice never called back.

So Wilson attended tiny East Texas State, an NAIA school in his home town. As a senior, Wilson led the team to a third-place finish in the national playoffs. That was seven years ago. That also was the last time he started in a season opener.

The Vikings selected him in the eighth round of the 1981 draft and by rights, Wilson said, they should have cut him after his first training camp. "The way I was playing, I had no business making the team," he said. "That's the honest truth."

Wilson was smart and had great work habits, but he had the touch of a sumo wrestler. "When a back would come out of the backfield for a pass, he'd damn near knock 'em over," said Burns, who then was the offensive coordinator. Burns thought of Wilson in baseball terms: The kid had a big league arm but needed to learn how to control it.

The thing that may have saved him from the cutting block that first year was that he could punt in emergency situations. So the Vikings, who needed a No. 3 quarterback behind Kramer and Steve Dils, kept him, though for the first three years the coaches considered him very raw.

In time, Wilson developed his touch and impressed the coaches because he never stopped trying to improve, even though he played in only four games in his first three seasons. But once Wilson was ready to show what he could do, he had few opportunities because Kramer was ahead of him.

In six years, Wilson has started only 10 games, always because somebody else was hurt. He is a very young 28. But there have been moments. In 1985, he started against the Philadelphia Eagles. "I was pretty excited because this was my chance to do something," he said. "But I had a terrible first half and we did absolutely nothing. Nothing goes right and I get pulled out of the game. So I'm frustrated and now I'm mad because even though I played bad, this was my first game and I didn't think I deserved to get pulled after just one half.

"So then Steve comes in and he was just as bad and it was in the fourth quarter and kind of cold and raining and I'm sitting on the sidelines, pouting, and Bud (Grant) says, `You're going back in.' And I just looked at him like, I can't believe this. I was mad enough that he pulled me and I was real mad he was going to put me back in and embarrass me more."

Wilson went back in with the Vikings losing 23-0. Final score: Minnesota 28, Philadelphia 23. "That was a lot of fun," Wilson said.

He would like to have more fun today.

Burns has one worry about his No. 1 quarterback for the day. "He has a little bit more of a nervous nature than Tommy," Burns said. "I worry a little bit about that. When Tommy throws an interception, he walks off and says, what the hell? I'll get it next time. He knows the best of them make mistakes. But Wade's not yet buoyed by that kind of confidence. Wade's never had the total fame of a Tommy Kramer. He's never hit the home run."

Then again, he's never had the chance.

At the moment, Wilson can't even enjoy the traditional benefits of being the No. 2 quarterback. In Minnesota, understand, the current No. 3 quarterback may be even more popular than the No. 2 guy. The fact that Rich Gannon has not played one down in an NFL regular-season game doesn't seem to matter. He is shiny and new and the way he runs, he reminds people of Francis Tarkenton. Wilson shrugs. "Sometimes," he said, "you feel caught in a crunch. You've got a Pro Bowler in front of you and a wonder kid behind you."

But for today, and maybe longer, Wade Wilson is the man.# By Dan Barreiro

September 13, 19871234Final
Detroit Lions6103019
Minnesota Vikings01021334

MINNEAPOLIS (AP; 9.13.1987) - Anthony Carter is the Minnesota Vikings' best receiver, even if he tried to prove otherwise during the first 36 1/2 minutes of Minnesota's 1987 season.

"You don't expect an Anthony Carter to drop two passes like that, that's for sure," Vikings quarterback Wade Wilson said Sunday after his 73-yard touchdown pass to Carter sparked a 21-point third quarter that lifted the Vikings to a 34-19 season-opening NFL victory over the Detroit Lions. "But he was the key in us turning the game around. He's a great athlete and he made a great comeback."

Wilson, starting in place of the injured Tommy Kramer, threw three first-half interceptions. But the first two went through Carter's hands before settling in the arms of Detroit defenders.
"It's something that's going to happen in a game," Carter said. "But it happened to me and that's something that doesn't usually happen.

"I just dropped them and Wade got two interceptions real quick. It was my fault."

The miscues helped Detroit build a 16-3 second-quarter lead. Minnesota still trailed 19-10 and had a third-and-18 on its own 27-yard line when Carter beat Duane Galloway _ who had two of Detroit's interceptions _ and Wilson hit Carter in stride.

"It was a blitz and they had man-to-man coverage on Anthony Carter," Wilson said. "You couldn't ask for anything more."

"I didn't play it well," Galloway said. "I should have used my head. I should have gotten a little farther off the ball. That touchdown turned the game around."

Added Lions Coach Darryl Rogers: "We took a chance on blitzing, but we couldn't get to Wilson and Carter beat us."

He said that the Lions played well in the first half, "but ... were unable to sustain it for the full game."

"The fourth-quarter momentum was totally with the Vikings," Rogers said. "It's amazing how well they controlled the ball, expecially after not doing it for 2 1/2 quarters."

Wilson finished with 12 completions in 22 attempts for 248 yards and three touchdowns to overshadow Chuck Long, the Lions' No. 1 draft choice in 1986.

Long was 24-for-38 for 195 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted by Neal Guggemos three plays after Wilson's bomb to Carter. Guggemos' 26-yard return set up D.J. Dozier's 1-yard touchdown run, which put the Vikings ahead for good with 6:30 left in the third.

Detroit failed to advance the football on its next possession and Wilson took advantage with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Leo Lewis, putting the Vikings up 31-19.

Eddie Murray kicked four field goals for Detroit, two of which were set up by interceptions that went through Carter's hands. Detroit's only touchdown, Long's 5-yard pass to Pete Mandley that put Detroit up 16-3 midway through the second quarter, came after Galloway went 30 yards with an interception of a Wilson overthrow.

Minnesota's other points came on field goals of 27 and 22 yards by Chuck Nelson.
In the second half, Wilson completed six of 10 passes for 143 yards. Kramer, who missed the first three weeks of training camp while in treatment for alcohol problems, suffered a pinched nerve in his neck in his first preseason game and is out on a game-to-game basis.

Detroit missed several opportunities to take command of the game in the opening half.

The Lions got inside the Vikings' 10-yard line three times but came up with only Murray field goals of 26, 27 and 24 yards.

After James Griffin's interception, tight end Rob Rubick dropped a pass that would have given the Lions a first down at the 1-yard line. And after Galloway's first interception, Minnesota cornerback Carl Lee wasn't called for interference even though he appeared to have hit Jeff Chadwick in the end zone before the football arrived.

Murray also missed a 54-yard field goal at the end of the first half. In addition, he punted twice, for 46 and 45 yards, after punter Russell Erxleben sustained a groin injury in the second quarter.

Mandley caught seven passes for 79 yards. Detroit fullback James Jones, who terrorized the Vikings for 174 yards in the Lions' season-opening victory last year, led all runners with 58 yards.

Dozier finished with 57 rushing yards and Alfred Anderson 53 for the Vikings.# By Mike Nadel

MINNEAPOLIS (AP; 9.13.1987) - Joey Browner said Monday that he has an agreement with Minnesota Vikings Coach Jerry Burns that he will not play on special teams unless his contract is improved.

Browner, who made the Pro Bowl as a special teams player two years ago and then made the NFL's all-star game again last year as a safety, missed 11 days of training camp in a contract dispute.

Saying he wanted to renegotiate his four-year, $1.375 million contract because it was signed before he became a Pro Bowler at two different spots, Browner threatened to sit out the regular-season opener.

However, Browner did play Sunday in Minnesota's 34-19 victory over the Detroit Lions and earned high marks from defensive coordinator Floyd Peters.

But he didn't play on any of the kicking teams.

"I just played strong safety," Browner said after Monday's practice. "It wasn't a request (not to play on special teams). It was just an understanding I have with Coach Burns. I'm doing what I'm paid to do. And that's play defensive back."

He said he would play on special teams in a crucial situation if Burns asked him to.

"If a game came down to one play and it was a special teams play, I would do it," said Browner, who made a name for himself in the NFL for the aggressive way he covered punts.

He said that contract talks haven't gone well. Vikings General Manager Mike Lynn steadfastly refuses to renegotiate contracts.

Burns didn't want to talk about the situation.

"There's no problem between me and Joey Browner relative to special teams," said the second-year coach, who is popular with most players including Browner. "That's all I'm going to say. Period."

He did add, however, that there are other Vikings who don't play on special teams. He also said that the coaching staff had talked in the offseason about lightening Browner's playing load _ even before the contract dispute began.

"Joey Browner is extremely critical to our defense and I would like to keep him as fresh as I can possibly keep him," Burns said. "If I can keep him fresh and ... keep his involvement in other areas minimal, it would make him a better player. I recognize that he's an excellent special teams player. But you can't take him out there and wear him out."

Neither Burns nor Browner worried about dissension on the team should a punt be returned for a touchdown while Browner was not in the game.

"They're paying other guys just like they're paying me," said Browner, whose spot on the punt coverage team has been taken by rookie Reggie Rutland.

"He's a team player in my book," Burns said. "Maybe we should have (quarterbacks Tommy Kramer and Wade Wilson) cover punts to alleviate any controversy."

Speaking of quarterbacks, Kramer threw lightly during the workout but said he is still far from ready to play unless the Vikings absolutely need him. Kramer, who has a pinched nerve in his neck, watched from the sideline Sunday as Wilson passed for 248 yards and three touchdowns against Detroit.

Kramer said he didn't know if he would feel any better by next Sunday, when the Vikings meet the Los Angeles Rams.

Running back Darrin Nelson, who missed the opener with a knee injury, said he felt better and might be back by Sunday. Cornerback Ike Holt is still doubtful.

Nelson's replacement, top draft choice D.J. Dozier, got a game ball for his performance against the Lions - 12 carries for 57 yards and a touchdown and another touchdown receiving. No. 3 draft choice Henry Thomas, the nose tackle, also received a game ball. Trainer Fred Zamberletti, who has been with the team since its inception in 1961, said he doubted whether two rookies have ever been so honored for one game.# By Mike Nadel

Notes:
Dan Barreiro, and Staff Writer. 1987. Today is D-day for Wilson :[METRO Edition]. Star Tribune, September 13, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed July 1, 2010).

Mike Nadel. 1987. Sunday, AM cycle, Sports News. Associated Press, September 13.

Mike Nadel. 1987. Monday, AM cycle, Sports News. Associated Press, September 14.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Week 12 Picks Revisited

Prediction: Packers 30 Lions 22
Actual: Packers 34 Lions 12
Maybe I came blame this on the fact that Daunte Culpepper didn't start, as I expected he would. And why didn't he? It seems unnecessary to start the injured Matthew Stafford, even if his left shoulder wasn't going to get any worse. The Packers actually have the league's best defense right now (yardage). I, for one, am shocked.

Prediction: Cowboys 16 Raiders 13
Actual: Cowboys 24 Raiders 7
The Raiders didn't carry any momentum over from their upset of the Bengals. The Cowboys just did what they had to, and left with a win and a 10-day layoff.

Prediction: Giants 27 Broncos 23
Actual: Broncos 26 Giants 6
I spent an entire paragraph talking about how the Broncos actually were a good team, and their six-game winning streak wasn't smoke and mirrors. Then predicted they would lose. Oops.

Prediction: Falcons 34 Buccaneers 17
Actual: Falcons 20 Buccaneers 17
The Falcons joined the ranks of teams getting surprised by the pesky Bucs. With Matt Ryan out, can they still push for a wildcard birth?

Prediction: Dolphins 24 Bills 16
Actual: Bills 31 Dolphins 14
The Bills defense played one of their best games of the season, and it wasn't just with turnovers. They shut down the Dolphins air game, and contained Ricky Williams enough to keep him from doing much damage.

Prediction: Bengals 31 Browns 14
Actual: Bengals 16 Browns 7
The Bengals haven't had many 'pretty' wins this year, so I guess this is par for the course. 6-0 against the division looks pretty good after 12 weeks. Unfortunately, that guarantees nothing come January.

Prediction: Seahawks 20 Rams 17
Actual: Seahawks 27 Rams 17

Prediction: Panthers 28 Jets 20
Actual: Jets 17 Panthers 6

Prediction: Eagles 23 Washington 19
Actual: Eagles 27 Washington 24

Prediction: Colts 31 Texans 27
Actual: Colts 35 Texans 27

Prediction: Chargers 27 Chiefs 24
Actual: Chargers 43 Chiefs 14

Prediction: Jaguars 17 49ers 14
Actual: 49ers 20 Jaguars 3

Prediction: Vikings 35 Bears 17
Actual: Vikings 36 Bears 10

Prediction: Cardinals 27 Titans 17
Actual: Titans 20 Cardinals 17

Prediction: Ravens 21 Steelers 20
Actual: Ravens 20 Steelers 17 OT

Prediction: Patriots 38 Saints 34
Actual: Saints 38 Patriots 17

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Week 12 Picks

Green Bay at Detroit
The Packers destroyed the Lions at Lambeau Field earlier this year. The short week will hurt both teams, especially Detriot, since Matthew Stafford likely won't play. Daunte Culpepper has played Green Bay plenty in his career, but that didn't seem to help in Week 6 (6 of 14 with an interception before being replaced by Drew Stanton). The Lions passing game has come alive with Stafford, and the Packers defense is down Al Harris and Aaron Kampman, so maybe there is hope for Culpepper. Still, the Packers should be able to put up a lot of points against the Lions' wreck of a defense. Packers 30 Lions 22

Oakland at Dallas
Now this is nice: The Raiders, who occasionally look like the NFL's version of the Knicks, will pop up now and then and shock decent teams-like when they beat Philadelphia and Cincinnati. Meanwhile, the Cowboys are like their hometown counterparts the Mavericks: Sometimes they are so pretty, you start to think they can finally get over the hump. Then they get dominated by the Packers and barely beat Washington (at home!). So will we see both teams' good sides? Or both teams' bad sides? Or some combination? Anyway you slice it, this probably won't be fun to watch. Cowboys 16 Raiders 13

NY Giants at Denver
The Giants are like a slightly more palatable version of the Cowboys: They tend to shock you with random off days and random dominating performance, but in the end, they seem to come out looking OK. Denver has two streaks this year: six straight wins, four straight losses. Some think that the rest of the league has caught up, and that Denver is basically finished. But it is hard to ignore the fact that when they were winning, it wasn't on smoke and mirrors; they were playing really solid, sound football. With Kyle Orton starting, they at least have a chance. Giants 27 Broncos 23

Tampa Bay at Atlanta
The Falcons need to see Tampa Bay coming to town just like New Orleans needed to see the Buccaneers on their schedule last week. Atlanta has proven that if nothing else, they are not bad. In a lot of ways, they are the most consistent team in the NFL: they never have huge letdown games, and they always bring a dangerous offense and a scrappy defense. It just doesn't always turn into wins. Falcons 34 Buccaneers 17

Miami at Buffalo
For some reason I like the Dolphins. I think Ricky Williams will have success against the Bills defense, and Chad Henne will not be forced to play over his head. I also like Ryan Fitzpatrick's approach this season: he seems to recognize that as the back-up quarterback on a team with little hope in 2009, there is almost no pressure on him. As such, he goes out and plays smart, doesn't try to force anything, and is willing to take a five step drop and chuck the ball long to Terrell Owens or Lee Evans. Sometimes, a team that is struggling on offense needs somebody to step in and just take everything back to basics. It reminds me of when Todd Bouman used to fill in for Daunte Culpepper for the 2001 Vikings: He didn't try to run the offense like he was an all-star. He just came in and threw it up for Randy Moss, and stayed out of the way when he could. Dolphins 24 Bills 16

Cleveland at Cincinnati
The Bengals have lost some head scratchers this year. They started off 0-1 after the Broncos freakish last minute touchdown pass that was actually perfectly defended. Then they somehow lost at home to Houston, and then last week on the road in Oakland. Still, they have won every "big" game on their schedule, that is, they are 5-0 against the AFC North. But, one of their letdowns came in Week 4 against Cleveland. They had to score with 1:55 to tie the game...then missed the extra point that would have put them ahead. Then they came within four seconds (!) of a tie before Shayne Graham hit a 31-yard field goal to seal the victory. The Browns scored more points in Detriot last week than they have in what feels like 10 years, but I think the Bengals will step up this week at home.
Bengals 31 Browns 14

Seattle at St. Louis
The Seahawks are pretty bad, but they do seem to be able to beat teams that are even worse than them--one of their two shut outs this season came against the Rams. Marc Bulger is out, so the Seahawks don't have many excuses if they lose.
Seahawks 20 Rams 17

Carolina at NY Jets
Carolina wins then loses, wins then loses. Mark Sanchez mostly loses. Panthers 28 Jets 20

Washington at Philadelphia
Washington held the Cowboys' offense completely in check, and the Eagles haven't quite been on point the last few weeks. I can't believe how many NFL games Jason Campbell has started. Eagles 23 Washington 19

Indianapolis at Houston
The Colts may not be making it look easy anymore, but they are already closing in on home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Colts 31 Texans 27

Kansas City at San Diego
It is hard not to like the Chiefs after that upset against Pittsburgh. San Diego has been playing very well, and Philip Rivers can avoid the costly turnovers that Ben Roethlisberger didn't. Chargers 27 Chiefs 24

Jacksonville at San Francisco
The 49ers offense does seem to have some life now, but overall they are not able to complete games most of the time. Jacksonville is right in the thick of the playoff race. Jaguars 17 49ers 14

Chicago at Minnesota
If Jay Cutler were going to pick a game to get back on track, this would be the ideal one. The Bears on the verge of seeing their playoff hopes disappear. Vikings 35 Bears 17

Arizona at Tennessee
Once again, I am picking against Vince Young. That seems like a good place to start, I think.Cardinals 27 Titans 17

Pittsburgh at Baltimore
Even though these teams are only two game over .500 combined, this is still a great matchup. The loser of this game is in deep trouble, but still neither team will be out of it. Frankly, without Troy Polamalu the Steelers defense can't win games like they used to. Baltimore just needs to start scoring touchdowns instead of field goals. Ravens 21 Steelers 20

New England at New Orleans
I agree with those who don't trust New England's defense. But, I really don't trust the Saints defense. This game will come down to whether the Saints can keep the Patriots offense at bay long enough. Patriots 38 Saints 34

Monday, November 23, 2009

Week 11 Picks Revisited

Seven green winners, 11 right overall out of 16 games played.

Prediction: Panthers 24 Dolphins 17
Actual: Dolphins 24 Panthers 17
When Ronnie Brown went down, it seemed obvious to some of us that the Dolphins were finished. But, as they showed on Thursday, their defense is solid, and they can run the ball. Ever heard of Ricky Williams?

Prediction: Cowboys 20 Washington 18
Actual: Cowboys 7 Washington 6
I didn't see much of this game, but I can imagine it was beyond ugly. The Cowboys didn't score until late in the 4th quarter, and Shaun Suisham missed two field goals that would have made the difference for Washington.

Prediction: Lions 24 Browns 12
Actual: Lions 38 Browns 37
This was the wildest game of the week, if not technically the 'best.' The Browns bucked all the predictions I made: Their offense dominated the terrible Detriot secondary, and their defense completely laid down against Matthew Stafford.

Prediction: Packers 17 49ers 13
Actual: Packers 30 49ers 24
Green Bay won the game, but might have lost a much larger battle. Aaron Kampman and Al Harris each suffered season (maybe career in the case of Harris) injuries. I agree with those who say that the impact of these injuries is somewhat lessened by the fact that neither was turning out to be a good fit in Dom Capers 3-4 scheme, but losing two veteran standouts can't be underestimated, especially with a defense that has been spotty at times.

Prediction: Steelers 24 Chiefs 14
Actual: Chiefs 27 Steelers 24 OT
"I don't think Kansas City will let them run away with it though"- That was how I summed up my prediction for this game. Well, they sure didn't. When they did get pressure on Ben Roethlisberger, it was big-time pressure. Matt Cassell played a solid game, and in the end, the Steelers defense couldn't make plays when they had to.

Prediction: Giants 29 Falcons 27
Actual: Giants 34 Falcons 31 OT
Maybe my most accurate pick this week.

Prediction: Saints 34 Buccaneers 26
Actual: Saints 38 Buccaneers 7
OK, the Saints did get a breather.

Prediction: Bills 16 Jaguars 13
Actual: Jaguars 18 Bills 15
The spirit of my pick was very correct, but I got the teams wrong. The Bills probably should have won this game, but the mistakes they made in the second half proved critical.

Prediction: Colts 34 Ravens 33
Actual: Colts 17 Ravens 15
It turned out that Ravens did summon that old defensive swagger...too bad they could only score field goals. It's getting to the point for Baltimore where being competitive is no longer cutting it.

Prediction: Vikings 28 Seahawks 17
Actual: Vikings 35 Seahawks 9
Minnesota's defense turned in their best game of the season so far.

Prediction: Cardinals 27 Rams 14
Actual: Cardinals 21 Rams 13
Even without Kurt Warner for a long stretch of the game, the Cardinals were able to hold off the lowly-Rams.

Prediction: Patriots 30 Jets 10
Actual: Patriots 31 Jets 14
This is the other candidate for best pick for Week 11. Not a lot to say about this game; kind of hard to believe that the Jets were once 3-0, with a head-to-head victory over New England in hand.

Prediction: Bengals 20 Raiders 7
Actual: Raiders 20 Bengals 17
It's mostly a fluke the way the game ended, but as we always say, if the Raiders hadn't been in a situation where it was possible to kick the game-winning field goal with 17 seconds left, it wouldn't have mattered if the Bengals dropped a fluky-fumble

Prediction: Chargers 27 Broncos 17
Actual: Chargers 32 Broncos 3
Chris Simms didn't really get a chance. He was yanked to make way for the hobbled Kyle Orton, who sparked the offense for all of 47 seconds. Yikes.

Prediction: Eagles 34 Bears 24
Actual: Eagles 24 Bears 20
Jay Cutler only threw one interception...and it was on the final Bears possession, when they had a chance to drive for a game-winning touchdown. Plus, he over threw three wide open receivers that had nothing between themselves and the end zone. Yuck.

Prediction: Texans 30 Titans 20
Actual: Titans 20 Texans 17
To answer the question about Vince Young being able to play well in four straight games...he played good enough. No turnovers, and the Titans won. Kris Brown and Shaun Suisham should get together this week, and talk missed field goals.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Box Score of The Day: November 19

November 19, 1990

In Week 11 of the 1990 season the 8-1 Miami Dolphins hosted the 6-3 Los Angeles Raiders on Monday Night Football. Both teams started 6-1, but the Raiders came into Miami off a two-game losing streak, having lost on the road in Kansas City, and at home to the Green Bay Packers. The Dolphins meanwhile, had a streak of their own: six wins in a row. With a bye-week sandwiched in that run, the Dolphins had lost since a 20-3 drubbing at the hands of the eventual Super Bowl-champion New York Giants on September 23.

During their six-game winning streak the Dolphins were giving up only 7.5 points a game, and they came into the Week 11 matchup with Los Angeles having not given up an offensive touchdown in 12 quarters—three whole games. Dan Marino was having a somewhat modest season; his rating was just over 79 and he had just 10 touchdowns against eight interceptions through nine games. The Dolphins were running the ball well, mostly thanks to Sammie Smith, who led the team with 501 yards and six touchdowns. Veteran fullback Tony Paige led the team with 30 receptions, and Mark Duper, Mark Clayton, and Jim Jenson all had 20 catches or more.

The Raiders relied on a slightly different approach. Jay Schroeder had almost identical stats to Marino: eight touchdowns and seven interceptions, with a quarterback rating of 78.5. But the Raiders ran the ball a lot. They had run the ball over 260 times, compared to the Dolphins 176 rushing attempts. But in their last two games, both loses, the Raiders had managed a total of only 149 yards on the ground.

That changed on this Monday night. The game started slow, with neither team scoring in the first quarter, before the Raiders scored 10 points in the second quarter, including a 2-yard Marcus Allen touchdown run. The Dolphins got what would be their only touchdown on a 14-yard pass from Dan Marino to Scott Schwedes near the end of the half. The Raiders stubbornly battered away on the ground in the first half, out-rushing the Dolphins 104 yards to 3.

The second half went about the same, with the Raiders defense giving up almost nothing. Los Angeles added a field goal in the third, and the Dolphins Pete Stoyanovich pulled Miami back within three points with a 26-yard field goal four minutes into the 4th quarter. But that is where the scoring ended. The Dolphins finished with only 14 yards on 12 carries, while Allen and Bo Jackson ran 19 and 17 times respectively, and Raiders grinded out a 13-10 victory. Miami had come into the game knowing that the Buffalo Bills were already 9-1, and they finished the night one game back of the eventual AFC champions.

The Dolphins finished the regular season at 12-4, and one a playoff game before losing to the Bills for a third time in 1990 in the AFC Divisional round. The Raiders maintained their lead over the rest of the AFC West, and went on to win that division with a 12-4 record...and then lose to the Bills in the AFC Championship.



Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Box Score of the Day: November 18

November 18, 1996

In Week 12 of the 1996 season, the 6-4 Cowboys hosted the 8-2 Packers on Monday Night Football. The Packers, in the middle of a rare three-game road trip, had just lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, despite coming back from a 27-6 third quarter deficit to pull within a score. Still 8-2, the Packers had a three-game lead over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Central. The Cowboys, meanwhile, came in having won five of their last six games, overcoming a 1-3 start to reassert themselves as an NFC power. The defending Super Bowl champions were still one of the league's best defenses, but were having trouble passing the ball effectively.

This rivalry had been rekindled in the 1990s when the Cowboys rose back to the top of the NFL, and Brett Favre and Reggie White made the Packers relevant for the first time in 20 years. The last time the teams met, the Cowboys beat Green Bay decidedly in the 1995 NFC Championship. In fact, the Cowboys had knocked the Packers out of the playoffs in 1994 and 1993.

The Packers played this Monday night game with out their starting receivers Robert Brooks and Antonio Freeman, and with out starting tight end Mark Chumura. The Packers were unable to move the ball in the first half, and punted on every possession in the first two quarters. The Cowboys were able to move the ball just fine, but couldn't put the ball in the end zone. They led 15-0 on five Chris Boniol field goals, all 45 yards or shorter.

The Packers didn't score until the last two minutes of the game on a touchdown pass from Favre to Derrick Mayes, making the score 18-6. The Packers missed the two-point conversion, and after Boniol put three more points on the board for Dallas, he had made more field goals (7) than the Packers had scored points (6). The 21-6 final was the ugly confirmation of an ugly game between two NFL power houses.

The Cowboys finished the 1996 season 10-6, and won a playoff game for the sixth straight season when they rolled the Vikings 40-15. Their season came to end the following week in Carolina, where they lost to the upstart Panthers. The Packers would not lose another game in 1996. They put together a six-game winning streak to end the season and won three playoff games, including the Super Bowl, by two touchdowns or more.

Week 11 Picks

I've been obsessed with Tecmo Super Bowl and the NFL seasons 1988-1992, so I decided to ponder what each of this week's matchups would have been like if the game had been played in the 1990 season.

Miami at Carolina
This is actually a pretty big game—after each team started 0-3, that probably didn't look likely, but now we have a matchup of two of the better running teams in the league. Carolina actually is playing like a team that could make the playoffs. Panthers 24 Dolphins 17

If they played in 1990: The Panthers didn't exist, so I guess Dan Marino would have a bye week.

Washington at Dallas
Washington came up with a big win for the downtrodden team last week, taking advantage of the Chris Simms-led Broncos. Dallas laid a huge egg in Green Bay. Maybe Washington can make things hard on the Cowboys? I'm scared to actually pick them to win though. Cowboys 20 Washington 18

When they played in 1990: The up-and-coming Cowboys actually split the season series with Washington on their way to a 7-9 record, even though Troy Aikman threw four interceptions in the two games.

Cleveland at Detroit
Epic matchup of one-win teams. Cleveland's defense had a nice game against Baltimore on Monday night. Detriot looked like an awful mess against Minnesota. But, the Browns can't score points, so it will be hard to win any games. Lions 24 Browns 12

If they played in 1990: This actually would have been a similarly ugly matchup 19 years ago. After nine games in 1990, these teams had combined for only five wins. Luckily these two teams didn't play that season. The Browns roster actually still had a lot of the guys that had taken them to a bunch of AFC Championships in the 1980s(including the previous season), but they were not producing similar results. They already had 21 turnovers through nine games, and that number sky rocketed in the final seven games (thanks in large part to a nine-turnover game in Pittsburgh). The Lions, meanwhile, gave up 122 or more yards rushing in 14 of 16 games. Wow. Somehow they weren't even last in the league in run defense, though they were last in total defense.

San Francisco at Green Bay
The Packers bounced back in a big way this week, trouncing the Cowboys to get back over .500. But now they will face a 49ers defense that will give Ryan Grant no room to run. As long as Vernon Davis doesn't score 12 touchdowns, the Packers ought to win another tough home game. Packers 17 49ers 13

If they played in 1990: These teams didn't play in 1990, but if they had, it is safe to assume that the 49ers would have crushed them. The Packers followed a suprising 10-6 1989 season with a 6-10 showing in 1990. The offense, with Anthony Dilweg starting seven games, was not especially good, and the defense wasn't any better. The 49ers were 14-2 behind Joe Montana's last full season as a starter for the 49ers, and Jerry Rice's first 100-reception season.

Pittsburgh at Kansas City
The Steelers are sore from their home loss to the Bengals, and this should be a good chance to bounce back against the two-win Chiefs. I don't think Kansas City will let them run away with it though. Steelers 24 Chiefs 14

If they played in 1990: It's too bad that these two teams didn't meet in 1990. The Chiefs had a huge offense: Christian Okoye ran for 805 yards, and Barry Word had 1,015. Five receivers tallied over 40 catches from Steve DeBerg, who had a stunning 23-4 touchdown-interception ratio. The Steelers had the league's number one defense in terms of yardage, and gave up just nine passing touchdowns...and grabbed 24 interceptions, a pretty nice ratio.

Atlanta at NY Giants
The Giants need to win. They haven't since they beat Oakland on October 11. Atlanta needs to beat a good team. They haven't since they beat the Vikings in Week 16 last year. I like the Giants in this one, but it won't be easy. Giants 29 Falcons 27.

If they played in 1990: Fortunately for the 1990 Falcons, they avoided a game against the eventual Super Bowl Champion Giants. Atlanta threw the ball well, mostly Chris Miller to Andre Rison, but managed to lose seven straight games, none by more than 12 points (though they turned the ball over 20 times during that stretch). The Giants were 13-3, largely thanks to a defense that ranked 4th against the run and 6th against the pass.

New Orleans at Tampa Bay
The Saints could use a breather. They are straping by against teams that they should be beating easily. The Buccaneers have played two good games with Josh Freeman at the helm, and might be able to ride that and their home crowd to an upset...but they won't. Saints 34 Buccaneers 26

When they played in 1990: The 3-5 Saints crushed the 4-5 Buccaneers 35-7. The Bucs actually led 7-0 after a 12-yard Chris Chandler touchdown run. Then the Saints scored 35 unanswered points, with four rushing TDs by Rueben Mayes and Craig Hayward. Neither team finished with a winning record. All very forgettable.

Buffalo at Jacksonville
The Bills made a big move by firing Dick Jauron (the week after their bye for some reason). The move can't hurt them too much, since Jauron wasn't exactly an inspiring force in Buffalo. Hopefully they come out fired up, and not hung over. Bills 16 Jaguars 13

1990: The Jags didn't exist!

Indianapolis at Baltimore
The Colts used to play in Baltimore, and the Ravens used to be the Browns. The Ravens got a week off to stomp on the hapless Browns. Their defense better call back some of that old Ravens-magic, because, as we know, the Colts win a lot. Colts 34 Ravens 33

If they played in 1990: The Colts and Browns didn't play, sadly. Basically read the above about a Browns-Lions matchup, and apply here. The Colts were 27th in offense, 26 in defense, but managed to win seven games, going 5-3 in the second half of the season.

Seattle at Minnesota
The Seahawks are still barely alive in the NFC playoff race (and the NFC West division title race, actually). Unless the Vikings offense completely falls apart, it is hard to see Seattle winning. Vikings 28 Seahawks 17

When they played in 1990: The Vikings beat Seattle 24-21 in Week 11, just before the Seahawks won five of their last six to finish 9-7. Minnesota score the final 10 points in the game, wrapping up the win on a 24-yard Fuad Reveiz field goal. Here is a preview of the game from the Seattle Times, in which Gil Lyons warns the Seahawks to watch out for the Vikings running game and defensive end Chris Doleman. The Vikings ran OK, and neither team threw very well, but the Vikings had only one sack.

Arizona at St. Louis
The Rams nearly upset the Saints, and following that, one might expect them to pull the same trick on the Cardinals. But I think the Cardinals know them well enough not to take this game lightly (they've beaten St. Louis five straight times), plus they need to continue to put distance between themselves and the 49ers and Seahawks. Cardinals 27 Rams 14

If they played in 1990: Back then, the Rams played in Los Angeles and the Cardinals, who had just moved from St. Louis, were called the Phoenix Cardinals. The Cardinals and Rams finished with the same record in 1990: 5-11. Both had very bad defenses, but the Rams and Jim Everett threw the ball pretty well. I think the Rams would have pulled this one out.

NY Jets at New England
The Patriots don't lose two consecutive games. They just don't. What terrible justification. Really, it's because Mark Sanchez is going to implode early. Patriots 30 Jets 10

When they played in 1990: You know you are bad when you finish five games behind a division rival...and that division rival is only 6-10. That's what the 1990 Patriots did, going 1-15 and doing so in style: They fielded the 3rd worst offense in the league, and ranked 27th on defense, with a final point differential of -265. The Jets were major contributors to that differential, winning 37-13 and 42-7 against the Pats.

Cincinnati at Oakland
The Bengals might have a little let down coming off their huge win over Pittsburgh, but that won't be enough for Oakland to win. Bengals 20 Raiders 7

When they played in 1990: The Raiders dominated the Bengals 24-7 to improve to 10-4 and seemingly ending the Bengals playoff hopes, dropping them to 7-7. But, the Bengals won their final two games and beat Houston in the AFC Wildcard round, earning themselves a date in the divisional round with...the Raiders. And, the second time around, the Raiders won again, this time 20-10. The Raiders ran for 480 yards in the two games. Wow.

San Diego at Denver
With Chris Simms at the helm, the Broncos can't win this game. At least, I don't think so. Chargers 27 Broncos 17

When they played in 1990: The Chargers and Broncos split the season series in 1990. Neither made the playoffs.

Philadelphia at Chicago
Jay Cutler can't keep throwing so many interceptions if the Bears hope to win any games. The Bears actually seem to respond OK after big let downs; they'll need to this week. Eagles 34 Bears 24

If they played in 1990: Sadly, no Eagles-Bears game in 1990 took place. Buddy Ryan had left the Bears after the 1985 Super Bowl season, and built the league's best defense in Philadelphia. The Eagles lost in their first playoff game after going 10-6. The Bears were the only NFC Central team not to finish 6-10, and they won a home playoff game agaisnt New Orleans before being crushed by the eventual Super Bowl champion Giants.

Tennessee at Houston
The Texans have a chance to fully assert themselves in the AFC Wildcard race, but the Titans bring in a three-game winning streak. I don't like testing fate; vince Young can't have four straight good games, right? Texans 30 Titans 20

If they played in 1990: Unfortunately, the Texans did not exist. Err...is that unfortunate? Oh, and the Titans were the Oilers, but whatever.