NFL Season is Over

The NFL season ended yesterday with as many disappointing performances in week 17 as there was the rest of the season. Numerous teams lost games yesterday that could have put them in the playoffs and a few teams simply continued to underachieve as they had all year. The playoffs are set and it is time to make predictions who will meet in the super bowl. I did not document my preseason playoff picks but I assure you they did not include the Falcons, Ravens or Dolphins but I did expect the Giants, Colts, Titans, Chargers and Panthers. Nothing surprises me in the NFL. Week to week and year to year anything can happen in the salary cap era of the NFL.
A few thoughts on the NFL season and week 17:
* How can the Bears and Bucs both lose to teams with nothing to play for and cost themselves playoff positions? The Bucs lost their last 4 games?!? Yesterday they lost to an awful Raider team…horrendous performance by an old team that should under go wholesale changes. The Bears are a poorly run team as well, especially offensively but I don’t think they need to make as many changes as the Bucs but how about a reasonable game plan on offense? These two teams’ failures allowed the Eagles to sneak into the playoffs.
* I hate all things from Philadelphia and Eagles more than most but I think I can fairly criticize this team. The Eagles are not clutch and not a team to be feared in the playoffs. They were lucky to get in the playoffs at all. The Cowboys are spineless and heartless, the Bears and Bucs choked and even the Redskins or Saints could have pushed the Eagles out of the playoffs. I do expect the Eagles to beat the Vikings but only because I think even less of Minnesota. Childress is even more clueless than his mentor and Jackson is prone to more mistakes than McNabb but that does not make the Eagles a good team. Philly was 3-4-1 on the road and their victory over the Giants was their only quality road win all year and that comes with the disclaimer of it being the first post Plaxico game. The eagles will not play at home again until next year and this team will not duplicate the recent road warrior playoff runs of the Giants and Steelers. Andy Reid is a fat bastard and he can’t even manage his children let alone a football team. He refuses to run the ball and also declines to invest in wide receivers, in spite of passing the ball more than any other team in the league…for a decade! I know I will have to endure listening to Eagle fans for a few more weeks but…
*…Cowboy fans can not say a word! I will not listen to a single word from anyone about the Cowboys or Romo or T.O. or any other over rated players on this horribly coached team. I don’t not want to hear from Jerry Jones or any of the other low-self esteem front running loser Cowboy fans. Just shut up! The Cowboys suck.
* As I mentioned in my last blog, the Jets suck. They fired Mangini today and I think they were right to do so but I have no confidence they will hire a better coach this time. The GM should probably be fired as well, for all the money they spent this past off season the Jets looked very old and slow the last 4 games of the year. They received nothing from the number 6 pick in the draft, nothing at all; I don’t think he even played 10 snaps this year. Tannenbaum hired Mangini, traded for Favre and signed the slow old men in the off season and did anyone notice that the Jets WR’s blow? Why does this guy keep his job?
* The Bronco’s collapsed like they are the Met’s of the NFL. I know the Chargers were robbed in week 2 but it seems unfair that anyone from the west goes to the playoffs while the 11-5 Pats stay home. I would be far more upset if it was any team other than the Pats…fuck ‘em, they have it coming anyway. It is difficult to feel badly for Belichick but New England had an impressive season considering all of the injuries they endured.
* Did anyone do a worse coaching job than Jacksonville’s Jack Del Rio this year? This team under preformed all year and never seemed to recover from Jones’ coke bust or the back up’s shooting incidents. Maybe Del Rio will be fired and he can be the next disappointing Jets coach.
* I know everyone will be talking about the Texan’s all off season, they will be the team to surprise next year after their strong finish this year but I do not buy it. I am going on record right now that they will start 1-4 again next year. They only win games when they do not matter.
* My AFC picks: Colts over Chargers. Ravens over Dolphins. Colts over Steelers. Titans over Ravens. Colts over Titans. I have been high on the Colts the second half and they should be 2 seed but they are in the same division as the Titans so they end up 5 seed. I picked Payton for MVP about 7 weeks ago and I will stick with the Colts in the playoffs even though they will play 3 road games.
* My NFC picks: Eagles over Vikes. Falcons over Cards. Giants over Eagles. Panthers over Falcons. Giants over Panthers. I may be a homer but the Giants will be a tough out in the playoffs. They know how to win close games and they have displayed the “heart of a champion” many times. They should be healthy after taking week 17 off and the bye this week. I can’t wait for the Manning brother super bowl and all of the commercials that will bring.
The playoffs never seem to go as planned and I am not sure I picked enough upsets. I will not be surprised to be wrong on all the games. Anything can happen in the NFL.