Eli the Great

Another week will pass where I have to listen to how clutch Eli Manning is for that debacle of a game against the Panthers last night. I’ll give it to the Giants for coming back and wearing down Carolina, they looked absolutely gassed in overtime. But Carolina just did not get the job done, that’s the sort of thing that worries me about the Panthers. They’ve been a team flying under the radar all season that I’ve been picking to come out of the NFC, but they just didn’t seem to have that killer instinct last night. They never landed a knock-out punch on New York, instead they let the Giants hang around until the very end and paid for it. A championship caliber team always puts down their opposition, never lets them believe they can come back. And that is exactly what Carolina failed to do.

Will I take the extra 10 million to rot in Washington??

I just can’t continue to listen to how great of a quarterback Eli is, it just isn’t true. The guy is an average quarterback in the NFL, nothing more, nothing less. He plays great in the games where his team is dominating with the run and the defense usually applies consistent pressure. But as soon as that dominant run game isn’t churning out 300 yards a game, he immediately starts to struggle, throwing the ducks, forcing passes where they shouldn’t go, just bad decisions all around. Sure they’re (12-3) but in those three losses only once did they have a player rush for 100 yards and the other two games no one cracked 65 yards. Eli leans on this running game more than anyone realizes and once a team shuts down their ability to run in the playoffs; watch out for ducks galore. It happened twice last night in overtime; Eli gave the game to the Panthers throwing two terrible passes that should have been easily intercepted. He’s throwing these should be pick sixes to the Panthers in overtime. Luckily for the Giants none of the Panthers defenders could actually hold on to them. Same thing happened in the Superbowl last year, Eli threw the Lombardi trophy to Asante Samuel on a platter, who let it bounce off his hands. I’m just sick of hearing the mass praise given to Eli for being so cool under pressure, last night during OT I was basically waiting for the announcers to start screaming “THE GREATEST CLUTCH PLAYER IN THE HISTORY OF ORGANIZED SPORTS.” Then again maybe it’s just my experience with every announcer absolutely dumping on the Patriots every single week. Hey all I’m asking for is a little un-biased professionalism, come on just pretend.

Looks like Week 17 is going to be a scoreboard watching day for everyone in New England. If the Pats take care of business against the Bills, they’d finish (11-5) but then would need the Jets to beat the Dolphins or the Jags to beat the Ravens. I can’t remember ever rooting for the Jets, but this week will be one to remember. The AFC East is a tight race, much tighter than anyone expected, three of the four teams could finish with ten or more wins. That’s especially impressive for the Dolphins who just barely avoided the anti-undefeated season. I for one will be cursing at the television set if the Dolphins, Ravens and Pats win because that’d leave the Pats at home to watch the playoffs. Not since John Elway’s 1985 Broncos has a team with 11 wins not made the playoffs. And they’re the only team to have that distinction since the AFL NFL merger. And then we have the AFC Worst, sorry I mean West, with the Chargers and Broncos battling it out for the division crown and a totally respectable final record of 8-8… Not to mention Matt Cassel and company just destroyed the NFC West champion Arizona Cardinals. So I like to complain about the terrible playoff format, sue me.

Just some parting thoughts…

Anyone seen that commercial for Monday Night Football with everyone gearing up for Monday, some guy is wearing a Vikings helmet on his motorcycle, another couple are playing paper football and stuff like that. And then there’s the chick that bends over and has the Cardinals logo tattooed on her lower back. Is it just me or does that seem hilariously out of place. Nothing says MNF like a good tramp stamp.

Detroit Lions inch closer and closer to the first anti-undefeated season in over 30 years, and the first (0-16) season ever. This is just bad for football. I’d love to see Goodell give a speech on NFL parity after this game. Say all you want about Matt Millen destroying the team with poor decisions, but to not win a single game? Come on, have some self-respect and bust out one W. And yes I am growing increasingly more concerned that Detroit could whisk away half of the Patriots organization. Cassel is gone, that’s a foregone conclusion for me, but they’re going to need a new head coach and Josh McDaniels looks like a better candidate every week. And they definitely need a new face in the front office and Scott Pioli has been rumored for that job. Did you know that Pioli, the guy making these incredibly astute draft picks and free agent signing for the Pats year after year, is only making something like 700 k a year? This guy’s going to get some serious pocket change and a significant raise if he decides to leave Foxboro. I just pray that day doesn’t come for a long long time.

Mark Texeira just make a decision. I do realize Scott Boras is a scumbag and likes to just draw these decisions out for as long as possible. But, come on enough is enough just make a decision before John Henry jumps the table and stabs Boras in the neck with a pen while negotiating. You’re not getting a 10 year deal….from anyone; not even the Yankees. By the way if the Yankees sign Tex and fail to make the playoffs or even if they get knocked out in the first round then I am personally making t-shirts to celebrate/mock them. Hell, even if they don’t sign Tex I’ll still do it.

Mr. April: 28 million per year

Two top-line starting pitchers: a quarter of a billion dollars

Another year without a World Series title: priceless

Just an idea, even though I’d probably get assassinated walking around campus with a shirt like that. Screw it, totally worth it. It’s going to be a long winter break of my trash talk and observations in the sporting world so check back frequently for updates.

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