Motown is rockin’!

I’m in Motown!  Monday Night Football has made its way to Detroit for the first time in a decade and the city is hype!  The Detroit Lions are playing the Chicago Bears at home on national TV.  The city is pumped as if it is a NFL playoff game. 

Now the “D” is accustomed to hosting large sporting events.  In the last ten years, they have had Super Bowl, MLB All-Star and a NCAA Men’s Final Four.  It is one of the best sports towns.  Since the last MNF visit, locals have seen the Detroit Pistons, Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings in the playoffs.  Actually, the Red Wings are so good that the playoffs are just considered part of their regular season.  When it comes to professional football the Motor City has  been a little deprived.   So, it isn’t just finally getting MNF.  It is the undefeated Lions hosting a MNF game.

Tonight’s game has the perfect setup for a prime-time battle – rivalry and controversy.  The Lions and Bears are divisional rivals.  The Lions are coming into this game 4 – 0.  They want to prove that they are the real deal and the beginning of their season is not a fluke.  The only other undefeated team in the NFL is the defending Super Bowl Champions, Green Bay Packers.  Coincidentally, the last regular season game Detroit lost was to the Chicago Bears last December.

Chicago won both games last year.  They were close games and had some controversial calls that easily could have given the Lions a victory.  The Bears want to get past their even record (2-2) and sit one game behind second in the NFC North.

To win, both offenses need to focus on what they have done well.  For the Lions, that means QB Matthew Stafford passing to wide receiver Calvin Johnson.  The Bears must keep their running game going and get running back Matt Forte the ball.   On the defense side, Chicago’s secondary has to find an answer for Johnson’s talent and height.   Meanwhile, Detroit will need to slow down Forte. 

I am really impressed with the Lions, but I think that the Bears are going to win.  Their record is not as good, but their two losses were to the teams that won the Super Bowl in 2011 (Packers) and 2010 (New Orleans Saints).  The Lions only beat up on Kansas City.  The other three games against Tampa Bay, Minnesota, and Dallas were all close.  And Minnesota just won their first game yesterday.  Great things to come for Lions fan, but I don’t see a 5 – 0 start.

MNF kicks off at 8:30 pm on ESPN. 

Ciao! 

Heels & Helmets

Plaxico Burress is free and job hunting

Plaxico Burress is a wide receiver from Michigan State University who played in the NFL for nine seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2000-2004) and New York Giants (2005-2008) before serving 20 months of a two-year sentence for a gun-possession charge.  He was released today because of good behavior.  Now the Super Bowl Champion who caught the winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl XLII is unemployed.

Where will Plaxico get a job?

New York Giants – This is the last team that Plaxico played for.  I don’t see this happening because I believe that John Mara (Giants Co-owner) is still upset that “a player could carry a loaded gun into a nightclub, shoot himself and miss the rest of the season but get to keep his entire signing bonus.”

Chicago Bears – Mike Martz’s offense would improve greatly if Jay Cutler had an aggressive quarterback like Plaxico.

St. Louis Rams – The Rams could use a veteran wide receiver to help their young quarterback, Sam Bradford. 

New England Patriots – The Patriots have not replaced Randy Moss, so Tom Brady does not have a deep threat wide receiver.  They survived the season and made it to the playoffs without one, but lost to the New York Jets 28-21 in the divisional round of the playoffs.  A guy like Plaxico could have made the difference.  His catch in Super Bowl XLII ended the Patriots’ perfect season.

Philadelphia Eagles - Coach Any Reid gambled on Michael Vick and it was successful.  Plaxico is talented, but is not an exceptional player like Vick, so the risk may not be worth it to Reid.  However, he also grew up in the Tidewater region of Virginia like Vick.  Maybe this is Reid’s good luck region.

Plaxico is 33 and will be 34 by the time a season starts.  Even if he did a great job staying in shape, he has not played football since the end of 2008.  It will take him some time to get back to competing at a high level.  This doesn’t mean that teams should shy away from him.  I’m sure that he can still play and he can be acquired for a good deal because he has a lot to prove.

Ciao!

Heels & Helmets®

NFL Conference Championships are set!

Next weekend is Conference Championship Sunday.  The Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers are just one game away from playing in Super Bowl XLV.  Chicago will host Green Bay in the NFC Championship Game and Pittsburgh will host New York in the AFC Championship Game.

I am going to recap the Divisional Playoffs to show how each team got there. 

Green Bay traveled to the Georgia Dome and shocked the Atlanta Falcons.  Aaron Rodgers  I was really shocked to see him comfortable moving out of the pocket.  He had 366 passing yards total without any interceptions.  This coupled with a dominating performance from the defense that got 5 sacks and two interceptions (one was a touchdown) resulted in the Packers 48 – 21 victory over Atlanta and a trip to the NFC Championship Game.  This is what happens when you have a hungry offense and experienced defense.  To get to the Super Bowl Rodgers will have to stay focused and accurate. threw 3 touchdown passes and ran for one touchdown.

In the other NFC divisional game, the Seattle Seahawks’ luck ran out in Soldier Field.  Yes, I said luck.  They were lucky to win a division by only winning seven games.  They were lucky to enter the playoffs with home-field advantage.  They were lucky that the Saints did not take them serious.  Yesterday it was clear from the beginning that the Seahawks were just out of their league, or should I say division.  The defense could not stop Jay Cutler who threw two touchdowns and scored two touchdowns running.   Chicago won, 35 – 24.  Now they will stay at home to host their archrival, Packers, in the NCF Championship Game.  To earn a trip to Dallas, Cutler will need to stay on his feet and the Bears will need to protect the football.

In the AFC, Baltimore disappointed their fans and surprised me.  They started the game controlling both sides of the line of scrimmage.  The offense and the defense made big plays.  The funniest touchdown came from Cory Redding returning a fumble that all of the other guys thought was an incomplete pass.  I’m still dumfounded by all of those guys standing around waiting for the whistle to be blown.  Anyway, by halftime the Ravens were up 21 – 7, but after halftime it was the Steelers game.  The Steelers defense only allowed Baltimore to get a field goal, while Ben “Big Ben” Roethlisberger got the offense going enough to get three touchdowns.  They won, 31 – 24 and will host the AFC Championship Game.  To win next week, they will need to do what they did during the second-half the entire game. 

The other AFC matchup featured the team with the league’s best record getting embarrassed at home.  The New England Patriots could not do anything against the New York Jets.  A team that is known for being well-coached looked completely unprepared and made a ton of mistakes.  Tom Brady could not get the offense going, threw his first interception since October and special teams seemed confused.  The Patriot defense could not stop the Jets in the air or on the ground.  The Jets defense really exposed Brady’s weakness.  He is not comfortable leaving the pocket.  When he did not have a passing option, he didn’t move.  That is why he was sacked five times.  Mark Sanchez did a great job leading the offense.  Half of their touchdowns came from rushing and the other half came from passing.  The Jets backed up all of the trash talk that their coach, Rex Ryan, put out and beat the Patriots 28 – 21 on the road.  They are headed to Pittsburgh for the AFC Championship Game.  To compete for the Lombardi Trophy they will have to play just as good against another rival and not get cocky.  They had some bloopers yesterday that could have been costly.  Receivers in the same area and backs bumping into teammates can’t happen next week if they want to be successful.

So who will come out victorious on Conference Championship Sunday?  I say the visiting teams.  Green Bay Packers and the New York Jets.

Green Bay will beat Chicago and become NFC Conference Champions because of their defense.  Jay Cutler will not be able to survive five sacks and score the way he did against Seattle.  Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams will force turnovers that will lead to points.  The Packers will be packing for Dallas.

New York will overcome Pittsburgh to be AFC Conference Champions because of an explosive offense and tough defense.  I know Steelers defense is synonymous with tough, but they are not going to stop Shonn Green, L.T. (LaDainian Tomlinson), Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes.  Jets defense will be able to confuse the Steelers offense like they did against the Patriots.  Big Ben will not go down as easy as Brady did, but he will be forced to throw.  When he does, Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis will be around to intercept.  The Jets are going to the Super Bowl.

The Conference Championships are Sunday on CBS and FOX. 

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears - Sunday, Jan. 23, 3:00 PM ET on FOX

New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers - Sunday, Jan. 23, 6:30 PM ET on CBS

Join us at Ulah Bistro, in Washington, DC for Conference Championship Sunday.  We’ll watch the end of the NFC Game and stay for the entire AFC Game.
Update: 1.20.11 @ 3:15 pm - We are no longer watching the game at Ulah Bistro.  We are going to watch the game with International Lifeline Fund and help them tackle filthy water and poverty in remote areas of Africa.

Are you ready for some football??? 

Ciao! 

Heels & Helmets®