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It's playoff week! I'll be hitting you every day of this week with some NFL knowledge (as proven by yesterday's writing, written after I wrote this intro, which I'm gonna keep), whether it be strictly Chiefs related or league-wide (or as Sam Elliott might tell ya....WORLDWIDE!).
Today I'm gonna rank all of the starting quarterbacks lucky enough to still be around for the playoffs. Tomorrow I plan on ranking the teams in order of chances of winning the Super Bowl. Then after that, it should be all CHIEFS!!!
Here goes.....
1. Tom Brady, New England- This wasn't as easy a selection as you might think. If not for his monstrous season this year, I maybe could've justified sliding Brady to #2. This season, Brady broke his own record of best TD/INT ratio of all time. But he didn't just beat it, he CRUSHED it. His first year with Moss and Welker in 2007 netted 50 TD/8 INT (6.25 TD/INT). This year, with some newly sprouted locks of love (I should've seen it coming!), he went off for 36 TD/4 INT. That's a 9.0 TD/INT ratio, BY FAR the best ever. But, since he orchestrated what may have been the best postseason game of all time (vs. Jax: 26-28, 262 yards, 3 TD), Brady has put together three straight mediocre-at-best playoff games, including his worst playoff performance ever against Baltimore last year. It would be interesting to hear the feedback if the Patriots were to get upset again this season. It would greatly damage one of the few perceived absolute truths in the NFL.
2. Drew Brees, New Orleans- Really wanted to put Brees at #1 because he may be only a season away from disrupting the ongoing Brady/Manning greatness debates. Brees threw a lot of picks this year (2nd most in the NFL), but he still has my trust after the Saints run last season. With little else to say about The Mole, check out this video....
3. Ben's Big Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh- The forgotten one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL. He never, ever gets mentioned in the same company as Brady, Manning, Brees, or even Rodgers (with the exception of Mike Wilbon who constantly praises R-Berger). People brush aside his 2 Super Bowl victories because the Steelers are a good running team with a good defense. I'm sorry, how, exactly, was Tom Brady winning his Super Bowls in New England? Were they with, perhaps, the greatest defensive mind in NFL history? He is still 5 years younger than Brady in the chase to see who will end their career with more.
4. Michael Vick, Philadelphia- You may have noticed in my recent Chiefs article talking about Matt Cassel (#3) that I listed Vick as a "maybe" if given the option of taking him over Cassel. The reason why he's so high on this list, and low on that list, is because of health concerns. I don't think Vick will ever be able to stay healthy for an entire season, which is a huge factor for a franchise QB. However, for one game, he remains incredibly dangerous. Plus, there is the chance that this is just Mike Vick's year and nobody's gonna stop him.
5. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis- This may seem low for one of the best quarterbacks of all time, but to be honest, I debated putting him even lower. He has definitely taken a step back this season, which could be attributed to the injuries on offense, but I don't think it all is. If that's the case, then reports of Peyton's longevity may be greatly overstated. Also, I just don't see Peyton as an elite playoff quarterback in the NFL. I think this happens a lot to smart players who are fully aware of what's at stake in these games. You don't want a player, especially a QB, out there overthinking the situation. You want someone who is just seeing and reacting, an ignorance-is-bliss type of player. Ironically, Peyton's best quality (his awareness) is sort of his downfall in the playoffs.
6. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay- The end of the elite QB's in the NFL as far as I am concerned (with the addition of Phlip Rivers). Rodgers has played only one playoff game in his career, and threw for 423 yards and 4 TD on the way to putting up 45 points, none of which was enough. It was a Rodgers' fumble returned for a touchdown in overtime that sent the Pack home. He'll need to put up similar numbers this year for the Packers to succeed, because they have very little running game to speak of. I wouldn't put it past him though. He has the most to gain of any other playoff QB this season.
7. Matt Ryan, Atlanta- I get that ESPN really wanted me to believe in Matty Ice and his trusty baseball cap. Look, they said, he is the clutchest quarterback in the NFL! He got lucky that there was no offensive pass interference call on the Ravens in that comeback. But, he staged a nice comeback against the 49ers, they're good right? Look, he may be good, but before we slobknob Mr. Ice's iciness lets see him do it in a big time game. They were setting him up to fail with all that praise, and the Falcons should feel relieved that he may have gotten it out of his system against the Saints, instead of saving it for the playoffs.
8. Joe Flacco, Baltimore- As much as I wanted to put Cassel ahead of Flacco (because I do believe he is better), I can't do it with Flacco's playoff experience advantage. Despite Flacco's 3-2 career playoff record, he has yet to really play well in a playoff game. He has yet to throw for 200 yards in any of those starts. He went 9-23 in a win at Miami. He threw 3 picks against the Steelers. He went a whopping 4-10, 34 yards, 1 INT, against New England last year. Then he came back with 2 INT's against Indianapolis. His best playoff game to date: 11-22 for 161 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT against Tennessee in his rookie season. After losing this weekend, he will have the same postseason winning % as Rex Grossman.
9. Matt Cassel, Red n' Yellow- You might wander where Icy Matt's head is at after coming off what was truly a horrendous performance (although not all his fault) on Sunday, after avoiding it all season. He was never the same after getting slammed to the turf by John Henderson, which was flagged for a late hit. My only question, is why don't teams commit those acts more often? It's a mere 15 yards, while the effects on the quarterback can last the entire game. Don't be surprised to see more of the same from the salty Balty defense this weekend. I can't wait to see how Cassel responds in his first playoff game of his career, and to see just how much he learned from #1 on this list. He will need to come up huge on Sunday if the Chiefs are able to prevail, but can cement his name in Chiefs lore with a victory.
10. Jay Cutler, Chicago- However much I abhor Jay Cutler (and believe me, I abhor much), I will say that he could succeed more in the playoffs than in the regular season. Everybody tends to get a little conservative come playoff time, and sometimes gunslingers are able to take advantage of this (think Kurt Warner). It's a certain fearlessness that factors into it. Cutler is extremely dumb on the field (while, ironically, very smart off of it), which can serve as a good thing in a one game setting (not good for long-term effectiveness). It's the opposite of what I argued for Peyton Manning at #5.
11. Mark Sanchez, New York Jets- The Sanchize really didn't improve like Jets fans had hoped for this season, despite the upgraded WR corps. In fact, I honestly believe the Jets would be a much more dangerous team if they threw the cagey Mark Brunell out there. Then, maybe the Sanchize could just be moved to WR....
12. Default Quarterback, Seattle- Whether it's The Bearded Clam or The Bald Hawk, the Seahawks will, undoubtedly, trot the worst quarterback on to the field this weekend. It was awesome to see how Seattle's crowd totally won that game for the team on Sunday night, and was very reminiscent of the Monday Night game at Arrowhead earlier this year. The Seahawks' fans are on the top tier along with the Chiefs, Packers, Bears, and Dolphins fan bases.
Go Chiefs,
His Dirkness
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Ravens Better Matchup Than Jets
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His Dirkness figured this week would be filled with discussions of playoff past, the present playoff situation, and what may await the Chiefs in their playoff future. To the contrary, all I have really heard people talk about is Charlie Weis' backstabbing ass. Yes, he was a distraction on Sunday. No, he won't be nearly as big a one next Sunday. The only relevant question I'd like to hear on the situation is if he should've been canned before the playoff game. As much as I would have considered that option, too much time has passed, making it impossible to do so now. So we're stuck with his fat ass for these next 4 games (eh...see what I did there?). But, I don't wanna hear anymore about it this week. We have bigger and better things to focus on. You won't hear another peep from me on the situation.
One more quick note before I explain my Ravens < Jets argument. The new playoff overtime rules are in effect, which I had totally forgotten about until just reminded on NFL Live. Under the new guidelines, an overtime game can only end on the first possession if that team scores a touchdown. If the receiving team kicks a field goal, then the team that began on defense has an opportunity to match that field goal (at which point they would kick off again and the next score would win), or could win the game outright with a touchdown. I'm really hoping one of these games goes into overtime and we get a chance to see this unfold. If it proves effective, I wouldn't be surprised to see the new rules adopted for all NFL games, which would be a step in the right direction in my eyes.
Now, on to why I think the Ravens are a better matchup for the Chiefs than the Jets. As I started doing my research on the Ravens (following the Chiefs loss), I noticed a few stats that degraded the Ravens in my mind. The funny part about this was that as I was developing these beliefs, I was watching the Titans hang around with the Colts, which would've switched our opponent back to the Jets. It was definitely a glass case of emotions. However, I still cheered on the Titans for the benefits that the 3 seed would have over the 4 seed (greater possibility of hosting the AFC Championship). But then I read this article, that so eloquently described why he believed the Ravens to be a more favorable opponent for the Chiefs than the Jets, that I became fully convinced.
The Chiefs offense has encountered their biggest struggles this season against two teams: The Oakland Raiders and the Denver Broncos (no, the Chargers game didn't count because we were starting a girl at QB). These two teams have one defining characteristic in common: Shutdown cornerback (Champ Bailey and Nnamdi Asomugha). When teams are able to shut down D-Bowe with one player, the Chiefs offense becomes very stagnant (yes, we threw for a lot of yards at Denver, but most of it came in garbage time where standard analysis is thrown out the window). With D-Bowe on lockdown, and such little else at the WR position, the rest of the defense can all key on the running game, thus stifling the Chiefs offense. If the opposing defense lacks a CB that can shutdown D-Bowe, this gives the other Chiefs receivers the opportunity to work against straight 1-on-1 coverage, which they are capable of beating. This forces the defense to decide whether to throw an extra defender to the passing game or the rushing game, which gives the Chiefs offense all the power in deciding how to attack them. This is the biggest component in deciphering the Chiefs success on offense this year.
So how does this analysis apply to the Chiefs opponent on Sunday? Well, the Ravens cornerbacks aren't exactly their strength. Neither Chris Carr or Josh Wilson have the ability to handle D-Bowe in 1-on-1 coverage. Who does have that ability? A Mr. Darrelle Revis, who plays for them New Yahk Jets.
But that's not the only reason the Chiefs offense might find it easier to operate on Sunday. Despite the Ravens' reputations on defense, they rank 27th in the NFL in sacks (only 27 on the year). The Jets rank 8th in the league with 40 on the season. That's good news for an offensive line coming off its worst outing of the year on Sunday against the Raiders (who, surprisingly, are tied for 2nd with 47 sacks).
The Ravens' run defense stats are also inferior to those of the Jets. While the difference is only 3rd for the Jets and 5th for the Ravens, a closer look shows a bigger difference than that. The Ravens have faced the third fewest rushing attempts this season, which skews their numbers just a bit. In other words, they rank lower in average yards per carry than they do in rushing yards allowed per game. This tells me it may be a bigger case of teams being afraid to run against the Ravens, instead of not actually being able to. This is very important, because if the #1 rushing team in the NFL can't run the ball on Sunday, they will lose.
One more factor in this debate between the Jets and Ravens before 100% of my attention shifts to the city that's home to one of the best TV shows of all time. The Chiefs defense was gashed with runs up the middle by the Oakland Raiders. This is yet another area where the Jets have been more successful than the Ravens this season. Jets are 4th in the league, while the Ravens are 14th in the NFL.
So, while I can't say I was any different with my preconceived notions about the Ravens being tougher than the New York Jets, my research has all pointed in the opposite direction. If those of you out there who majorly fear the Ravens have any other reasons why they should be feared, I would love to hear them. Maybe it's just a common sense vs. statistical analysis argument, which is one of the funner debates in sports. Way more so than the "is funner a word" debate.
Go Chiefs!
His Dirkness
His Dirkness figured this week would be filled with discussions of playoff past, the present playoff situation, and what may await the Chiefs in their playoff future. To the contrary, all I have really heard people talk about is Charlie Weis' backstabbing ass. Yes, he was a distraction on Sunday. No, he won't be nearly as big a one next Sunday. The only relevant question I'd like to hear on the situation is if he should've been canned before the playoff game. As much as I would have considered that option, too much time has passed, making it impossible to do so now. So we're stuck with his fat ass for these next 4 games (eh...see what I did there?). But, I don't wanna hear anymore about it this week. We have bigger and better things to focus on. You won't hear another peep from me on the situation.
One more quick note before I explain my Ravens < Jets argument. The new playoff overtime rules are in effect, which I had totally forgotten about until just reminded on NFL Live. Under the new guidelines, an overtime game can only end on the first possession if that team scores a touchdown. If the receiving team kicks a field goal, then the team that began on defense has an opportunity to match that field goal (at which point they would kick off again and the next score would win), or could win the game outright with a touchdown. I'm really hoping one of these games goes into overtime and we get a chance to see this unfold. If it proves effective, I wouldn't be surprised to see the new rules adopted for all NFL games, which would be a step in the right direction in my eyes.
Now, on to why I think the Ravens are a better matchup for the Chiefs than the Jets. As I started doing my research on the Ravens (following the Chiefs loss), I noticed a few stats that degraded the Ravens in my mind. The funny part about this was that as I was developing these beliefs, I was watching the Titans hang around with the Colts, which would've switched our opponent back to the Jets. It was definitely a glass case of emotions. However, I still cheered on the Titans for the benefits that the 3 seed would have over the 4 seed (greater possibility of hosting the AFC Championship). But then I read this article, that so eloquently described why he believed the Ravens to be a more favorable opponent for the Chiefs than the Jets, that I became fully convinced.
The Chiefs offense has encountered their biggest struggles this season against two teams: The Oakland Raiders and the Denver Broncos (no, the Chargers game didn't count because we were starting a girl at QB). These two teams have one defining characteristic in common: Shutdown cornerback (Champ Bailey and Nnamdi Asomugha). When teams are able to shut down D-Bowe with one player, the Chiefs offense becomes very stagnant (yes, we threw for a lot of yards at Denver, but most of it came in garbage time where standard analysis is thrown out the window). With D-Bowe on lockdown, and such little else at the WR position, the rest of the defense can all key on the running game, thus stifling the Chiefs offense. If the opposing defense lacks a CB that can shutdown D-Bowe, this gives the other Chiefs receivers the opportunity to work against straight 1-on-1 coverage, which they are capable of beating. This forces the defense to decide whether to throw an extra defender to the passing game or the rushing game, which gives the Chiefs offense all the power in deciding how to attack them. This is the biggest component in deciphering the Chiefs success on offense this year.
So how does this analysis apply to the Chiefs opponent on Sunday? Well, the Ravens cornerbacks aren't exactly their strength. Neither Chris Carr or Josh Wilson have the ability to handle D-Bowe in 1-on-1 coverage. Who does have that ability? A Mr. Darrelle Revis, who plays for them New Yahk Jets.
But that's not the only reason the Chiefs offense might find it easier to operate on Sunday. Despite the Ravens' reputations on defense, they rank 27th in the NFL in sacks (only 27 on the year). The Jets rank 8th in the league with 40 on the season. That's good news for an offensive line coming off its worst outing of the year on Sunday against the Raiders (who, surprisingly, are tied for 2nd with 47 sacks).
The Ravens' run defense stats are also inferior to those of the Jets. While the difference is only 3rd for the Jets and 5th for the Ravens, a closer look shows a bigger difference than that. The Ravens have faced the third fewest rushing attempts this season, which skews their numbers just a bit. In other words, they rank lower in average yards per carry than they do in rushing yards allowed per game. This tells me it may be a bigger case of teams being afraid to run against the Ravens, instead of not actually being able to. This is very important, because if the #1 rushing team in the NFL can't run the ball on Sunday, they will lose.
One more factor in this debate between the Jets and Ravens before 100% of my attention shifts to the city that's home to one of the best TV shows of all time. The Chiefs defense was gashed with runs up the middle by the Oakland Raiders. This is yet another area where the Jets have been more successful than the Ravens this season. Jets are 4th in the league, while the Ravens are 14th in the NFL.
So, while I can't say I was any different with my preconceived notions about the Ravens being tougher than the New York Jets, my research has all pointed in the opposite direction. If those of you out there who majorly fear the Ravens have any other reasons why they should be feared, I would love to hear them. Maybe it's just a common sense vs. statistical analysis argument, which is one of the funner debates in sports. Way more so than the "is funner a word" debate.
Go Chiefs!
His Dirkness
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Chiefs-Raiders is VERY important
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Yes, the Chiefs have secured their birth in the playoffs by wrapping up the AFC West division after the happenings of last week. So why would this week matter? Well.......
So if anybody is thinking that we should maybe rest our starters for this final week of the season, I would reconsider for the previously mentioned rationales. I would play everybody as long as it took to wrap the game up. Sure, there is a chance that somebody gets hurt, which could hurt our playoff chances, but the Chiefs have been taking chances all season. Why stop now?
To remind you of the playoff possibilities, I'll repost what I wrote earlier this week....
If the Chiefs win: They will get the #3 seed in the AFC and would most likely host the New York Jets. Unless the Steelers lose and the Ravens win, at which point we would host the Steelers. That wouldn't be good, although we'd be facing a team fresh off a loss to the Browns, so when in Rome.
If the Chiefs lose: Would be the #4 seed unless the Colts lose to the Titans. But, if the Colts win, we would most likely host the Baltimore Ravens. Unless the Steelers lose and the Ravens win, and then we'd be back on the Jets. UNLESS the Jets lost too, at which point we'd draw the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Go CHIEEEEEFFFFFFSSSSSS!!!!
Take it with you,
His Dirkness
Yes, the Chiefs have secured their birth in the playoffs by wrapping up the AFC West division after the happenings of last week. So why would this week matter? Well.......
- With a win, the Chiefs would most likely tangle with the New Yahk Jets instead of the Baltimore Ravens. Although, I don't fear the Ravens as much as others I've talked to (don't buy Joe Flacco), I would still rather face the Jets, who are in some sort of late season swoon. That's the exact kinda team you'd like to face in the playoffs.
- Momentum is the most important factor you can have on your side going into the playoffs. The NFL is all about peaking at the right time of the season. Any kind of loss, even given the circumstances, can be detrimental towards your playoff success.
- You cannot lose the rhythm of the offense. Icy Matt & Co. may have had their best output of the season last week against the Titans. Combine that with another strong performance this week and the offense may be going into the playoffs the hottest it's been all season. You'll oftentimes see teams that rest their starters at the end of the regular season struggle on offense in the playoffs, especially early on in the game. That's something the Chiefs cannot afford. We'll call this the Colts Always Choke theory.
- There is the possibility that if the Chiefs get the #3 seed that they could host the AFC Championship game. All it would take is for New England to get upset in the Divisional Round (very possible), and obviously for the Chiefs to win their first two playoff games. This was the Arizona Cardinals path to the Super Bowl when they went as a 9-7 team in 2008. This would be the ultimate game to attend in my opinion. The Super Bowl couldn't match the atmosphere of a home crowd with a trip to the big game on the line. I would give away my first (unborn) child to attend this potential game.
- The Chiefs have a chance to finish undefeated at home for the 2010 season. It's almost as if there is an invincibility surrounding the team when you hear that stat, and nothing makes me prouder. It means the crowd is really doing their part for the team. Plus, it is something to fear. The Jets or the Ravens aren't gonna be afraid to come into Arrowhead and steal a win if the Raiders did just that.
So if anybody is thinking that we should maybe rest our starters for this final week of the season, I would reconsider for the previously mentioned rationales. I would play everybody as long as it took to wrap the game up. Sure, there is a chance that somebody gets hurt, which could hurt our playoff chances, but the Chiefs have been taking chances all season. Why stop now?
To remind you of the playoff possibilities, I'll repost what I wrote earlier this week....
If the Chiefs win: They will get the #3 seed in the AFC and would most likely host the New York Jets. Unless the Steelers lose and the Ravens win, at which point we would host the Steelers. That wouldn't be good, although we'd be facing a team fresh off a loss to the Browns, so when in Rome.
If the Chiefs lose: Would be the #4 seed unless the Colts lose to the Titans. But, if the Colts win, we would most likely host the Baltimore Ravens. Unless the Steelers lose and the Ravens win, and then we'd be back on the Jets. UNLESS the Jets lost too, at which point we'd draw the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Go CHIEEEEEFFFFFFSSSSSS!!!!
Take it with you,
His Dirkness
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