Sunday, January 12, 2014

NFL Monday recap - playoffs

NFC - 

Defense - Both sides in the NFC games played defensive games that we haven't seen much in this season of run and gun passers.  The scores were lower, the tackles fierce, the emotions high, and the trash talking nasty. Will only get worse next week in the NFC Championship next week. 

Marshawn Lynch - Take that $50,000 and shove it. Unbelievable game. He came to play whether he talked about it with the press or not.  He was like a little rocket pushing forward on its way to its target, spinning and crushing through obstacles.  He just couldn't be stopped and racked up 140 yards, leading the Seahawks into the NFC Championship game.

End of game one - Poor Marques Colston. When he sees his stupidity of not stepping out of bounds played over and over on all sports networks this week he isn't going to want to leave his house. Total brain freeze there.

Cam Newton - His post conference was heartbreaking. He took the loss hard and put it on himself. Missed fourth downs. Red zone stops. Quarterback sneak stuffs. Kissing the turf. Welcome to the big game. Take it and learn from it. 

Harbaugh on field - Coach Harbaugh is fiercely competitive and when he feels his team has been wronged he has no problem letting people know it. After one missed call that was eventually overturned and ruled a touchdown, Harbaugh came out on the field to set the referee straight. Only problem is stepping on the field is a no no resulting in a fifteen yard penalty. Hey, Harbaugh, at least it isn't a draft pick takeaway. 

AFC -

Andrew Luck - Gotta give it to the guy; he can throw the long pass.  He made some great throws on Saturday.  Unfortunately, he made some bad ones too getting intercepted four times.  The difference in this game compared to last week's game was that the Patriots made sure to score on those turnovers.

T.Y. Hilton - He was mentioned early on by the cute-we-only-allow-women-on-the-field-and-not-in-the-booth sideline reporter.  He wasn't happy with his lack of receptions and then next thing we saw was him making an unbelievable catch from a Luck power pass.  He is a dangerous receiver and the Patriots actually did a fairly decent job of keeping him contained.  He only had four catches, but his 103 yards on those receptions was a main reason the Colts were still in the game.

LaGarrette Blount - 166 yards rushing and four touchdowns.  Four.  The Patriots running back took the heat off of Tom Brady and kept Marshawn Lynch from being the talk of the weekend.

Tom Brady - For years I have not liked him and his attitude, but then sometime last year he started to grow on me.  I've read about how he and Peyton Manning talk, and I liked that he agreed to be interviewed for Manning's Sports Illustrated article.  No doubt about it, the guy can play football and he is definitely one of the good guys when it comes to conducting himself.  He is so focused on the sidelines during a game.  I never doubted him yesterday when the Colts were matching touchdowns.  He is just that good.

Luck's beard - I am so glad the Colts lost so that I don't have to see that thing again on high definition television.  Please, Andrew, shave that hairy growth before it overtakes your face anymore.

Denver's slippery fingers - Can't blame Manning this playoff game for the dropped passes and missed catches. Too many to count in this game and that has to be a main concern this week in practice. I felt like Gisele yelling at the television. Receivers:  You have one main job. Catch and hold on to the damn ball. Manning can't do that too.  

Omaha - It got to be funny as Manning shouted out the word that caused the Chargers to bolt, earning penalties and extra time for the Broncos. It worked once, then twice, and then it became a drinking game. Something tells me the Chargers aren't going to be ordering steaks or heading to Nebraska any time soon. 

Tension - I want Peyton Manning (and Russell Wilson) in the big game so much that this AFC game was like watching the Steelers. I was a nervous wreck and completely worn out at the end. Whew. Talk about the monkey off of Manning's back. I just hope he can put it away next week earlier, but something tells me I'm in for another hard evening. 

Julius Thomas - Huge catches in the end, one at third and seventeen in the last three minutes and one at third and six in the last two minutes that gave the Broncos the chance to sit on the ball until the clock ran out. 

John Fox - How cool is he on the sideline? Like nothing worries him. I wonder if that is due to his recent health scare or the fact that he has Peyton Manning as his quarterback? Or maybe he is trying to channel Bill Bellichick. 

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