2011 NFL Playoffs Wild Card Saturday Live Blog

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Philadelphia Eagles Continue To Be A Huge Ratings Draw In 2010

I know that a lot of people get frustrated with the constant attention that the NFC East gets by the national networks in their scheduling. But there is a reason why the networks decide to do it: it gets ratings. Actually, you can get even more specific and say the Philadelphia Eagles. CBS's #1 rated game of the season and Fox's #1 rated game of the season both have one common denominator: The Philadelphia Eagles. From PhiladelphiaEagles.com

The Eagles' 26-24 win on Sunday over the Indianapolis Colts drew a 17.1 national rating which was the highest for a CBS regular season game since the Patriots' win over the Steelers in Week 14 of the 2007 season. The CBS late afternoon slate of games, which featured the Eagles-Colts as the marquee matchup, averaged 27.8 million viewers making it the second-most watched television program since the start of the NFL regular season.

Which program was No. 1? FOX's late afternoon package of games for Week 1, which was highlighted by the Eagles and the Packers, drew an average of 28.0 million viewers making it the most watched television program since the kickoff to the season September.

In the Philadelphia market alone, the Eagles-Colts game drew a 35.7 rating and a 54 share, which means that over half of all the television sets in use were tuned in to the game. That rating is 16 percent higher than the Eagles' Week 9 game from just a year ago when they played the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. The Eagles had five 4 PM games in 2009 and Sunday's game against the Colts generated a rating 14 percent higher than the average of those games last season.

Ah, yes. Remember a year and 3 months ago when nearly half of the fanbase was done with this team and vowed to never watch another Eagles game again? Yeah, those were good times. Like I said when the Eagles first signed Vick, anger boils over. And judging from the increase in television ratings, it appears that whole "how is a convicted dog-fighter going to survive in Philadelphia" story is long gone now.

Michael Vick: A Closer Look At The Improved Passer

Remember when Michael Vick was coming out of college and getting drafted to Atlanta? He was supposed to be the ultimate quarterback. Powerful arm, amazing ability to escape, he was the entire package. However, there was a small problem regarding Vick: accuracy. At Virginia Tech, he had a below 60% passer completion and he never improved on it once he got to the NFL. He always had the lead, but Michael Vick the passer quickly became one of the NFL's most popular punchlines. But not many people are laughing now.

Granted he has only played in 6 games this year so the numbers could change, but as of now, Vick's completion percentage is the highest it has ever been in his NFL career at 60.8% (his career average is 54.2% for some perspective), his quarterback rating is the highest it has ever been in his NFL career at 105.3 (77.9 is the QB rating he has in his career), his touchdown percentage is at a rate higher than at any point in his career, his yards per game is higher than it has ever been in his career, he has not thrown an interception all season, and all of his advanced stats are higher than they have ever been in his career.  And this is on top of the fact that he is still a very elusive quarterback whose running skills is just about back to where they were in his pre-prison days.

But I don't want to focus much more on his running on this post.  Instead, I want to break down 2 pass plays to show you how impressive Michael Vick is today as a quarterback.  Follow the jump for the breakdown!

Eagles Week 9 Recap: Eagles Win Game, Refs Win Money

• The Vegas point spread in the game was Eagles favored by 3.  The Eagles won by 2.  Carl Cheffers has to be absolutely giddy about that, for 2 of his ticky-tack calls wiped out 2 Colt turnovers in drives that would ultimately end with an Indianapolis touchdown.
• Michael Vick certainly adds a dynamic to the Eagles that Kevin Kolb does not.  I like Kolb, but at this point, Michael Vick is the man for the Eagles.  Andy Reid is going with a merit system, and based on that, he is right with going with Vick.  He is in win-now mode, and with the NFC as bad as it is, I can't say that I blame him.  Before, I did.  But this putrid NFC changes everything.  It also helps that Kolb did get to play in a few games after all because of Vick's injury.
• The question of the future now.  You can't keep both QBs next season, so do you work out a new contract with Vick and trade Kolb, or let Vick walk and keep Kolb?  At this point, I would say extend Vick and trade Kolb, but, that is something that could change multiple times as the season nears a conclusion.  
• Coming into this game, the Eagles were 11-0 in the game after the bye week under Andy Reid, while Peyton Manning was 3-0 all time against the Eagles, in games that were not even close.  The more impressive streak held up.  Eagles are now 12-0 after the bye week, the longest such streak in NFL history.
• Before this game, Peyton Manning had been sacked 7 times all season.  The Eagles got him twice tonight.
• Before this game, Peyton Manning threw 2 INTs all season.  The Eagles, more specifically, Asante Samuel, intercepted him twice tonight.
• The Eagles 1st 4 red zone possessions resulted in 1 TD and 3 FGs.  For all the talk about the refs that you will see below, if they lost that game, that would have been the reason.  When facing Peyton Manning, touchdowns are imperative in red zone situations.  The Eagles were seemingly the better team all night long, and it should not have been as close as it was.  After all, the Colts had over 40 seconds at the end of the game to drive into field goal range and kick a game-winning field goal.  Luckily, Manning overthrows and an Asante Samuel interception prevented that.
• Ellis Hobbs was injured this week and did not play.  2 weeks ago, he was the guy who got beat  time and time again by Kenny Britt.  In his plate this week was Dimitri Patterson who had a fantastic game against a fantastic opposition.  Patterson was not beaten for the big play at all, something Ellis Hobbs has not been able to boast.  If Andy Reid makes Patterson a regular starting CB alongside Asante Samuel, I would be quite happy.  From what I've seen, Dimitri Patterson is a better cornerback than Ellis Hobbs.  Sure Patterson allowed lots of underneath completions, but in comparison to the deep completions given up by Ellis Hobbs on an alarmingly consistent basis, I'll take it.
• There were positives and negatives for Sean McDermott tonight.  The positives:  He beat Peyton Manning, something that Jim Johnson never did.  Also, his defense held Manning and the Colts offense to 7 points in the 2nd half, very impressive.  The negatives:  After the Collie hit, Sean McDermott kept calling plays and blitzes that were not working, allowing the Colts 10 easy points in the final 2:23 of the first half. 
• DeSean Jackson played his first game in 3 weeks after suffering a severe concussion.  If he missed a step, it sure as hell did not look it.
• Michael Vick played his first game since the start of the Redskins game 5 weeks ago.  If he missed a step, it sure as hell did not look it.
  
• I will use the next 3 bullets to address 3 things of importance that need to be said.  First of all, what happened to Austin Collie was an extremely scary incident.  Thankfully, reports indicate that Austin Collie is all right.  You never want to hear that a player has a concussion, but in this case, that is sort of good news, as the worst was definitely feared, especially seeing what happened to that Rutgers player a few weeks ago.  However, that hit on Collie was called a penalty, and a penalty it was not.  Before you get up and arms about this, learn the NFL rules.  Because if you think I'm wrong, then you don't know the NFL rules.  Once a player catches and establishes possession of the ball, as Austin Collie clearly did, the receiver can no longer be declared "defenseless."  Here is a description of the play, per Matt Mosley "Eagles safety Quintin Mikell unloaded on Collie after he appeared to make a catch with 2:23 left in the first half. Mikell led with his shoulder and it appeared to be a clean hit as he made contact with Collie, who then pin-balled into Eagles rookie safety Kurt Coleman. After watching several replays, I'm not sure how Coleman could have avoided the helmet-to-helmet contact, which appeared to cause Collie's injury."  Here's the video.  The catch was made and Collie established possession.  The receiver was not defenseless.  Therefore, there is no hit on the defenseless receiver, even though they called the penalty on Mikell, and not Coleman, the guy who administered the concussion-causing blow.  In situations like that, the helmet-to-helmet is not a penalty.  Unfortunate things can happen on perfectly clean plays. This is one of those situations.  Like it or not, Mikell's hit and Coleman's hit were clean football plays.  What has been stated above are not opinions.  They are facts.
• This is the explanation Carl Cheffers gave of his call. "Well, if he is completing the catch, his second foot is not down yet or it's just down, we still give the defenseless receiver protection. So if it is a bang-bang type play, with his second foot coming down, he still gets protection on that play. The fact of the matter is, is that ball was incomplete. So, he has protection throughout that entire process on that play because we don't even have a completion -- at no time did he have possession and become a runner to where he would have transitioned out of being a defenseless receiver."  If the mumbling and the jibbersih seem familiar, well, it should.
• Now whether or not it should or should not be a suspension has no bearing on whether it will be suspended.  Knowing Goddell, it will be suspended.  Les Bowen said it best, "This is Mr. Goodell's NFL: Guy is hurt, so it must be a penalty."  Given all that has happening, Goodell will damn the rules of football straight to hell and fine and/or suspend Quintin Mikell and/or Kurt Coleman for no valid reason.  And that's a shame.
• And lastly, a big hullaballo is being made of Eagles fans booing while Collie was motionless.  Let's set one thing straight.  They were booing the OFFICIAL.  They were not booing Austin Collie.  They were booing one of the WORST CALLS OF THE SEASON.  They were not booing a motionless man.  They were booing an INCOMPETENT OFFICIATING JOB.  They were not booing a guy who needed to be stretchered off the field.  They were booing the fact THE REFEREE COST THE EAGLES A FUMBLE RECOVERY.  They were CHEERING when Austin Collie was being wheeled off the field.  Wait, what?  That doesn't follow the script!  I challenge you to find another crowd in the NFL that would not have reacted in the same way.  Donovan McNabb got a standing ovation 5 weeks ago when he returned to Philly for the first time.  Why is that being forgotten about now?
• And lastly, the win probability chart. (advancednflstats.com)

2010 NFL Season Week 9 Live Blog

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NFL Week 9 Schedule

There are good things and bad things about going to college in rural PA where I get 3 affiliates that carry football games, KYW out of Philadelphia, WYOU out of Scranton, and WOLF out of Wilkes-Barre. There are weeks like last week where the 2 CBS affiliates, KYW and WYOU, show different games and thus I get 4 regional broadcasts instead of the normal 3. Then there are weeks like this where because I don't get WTFX out of Philadelphia, weeks like this week can happen where the only 1:00 ET time game I get is........(wait for it, wait for it)...........Jets vs. Lions. Bleh. At least that game has got Gus Johnson........(games I get are in bold)

Map of who gets what Fox game.

Arizona Cardinals vs. Minnesota Vikings 1:00 (Fox - Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa)
New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers 1:00 (Fox - Dick Stockton and Charles Davis)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons 1:00 (Fox - Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick)
Chicago Bears vs. Buffalo Bills (game to be played in Toronto) 1:00 (Fox - Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan)

New York Giants vs. Seattle Seahawks 4:05 (Fox - Joe Buck and Troy Aikman)

Map of who gets what CBS early game.

Miami Dolphins vs. Baltimore Ravens 1:00 (CBS - Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf)
San Diego Chargers vs. Houston Texans 1:00 (CBS - Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts)
New York Jets vs. Detroit Lions 1:00 (CBS - Gus Johnson and Steve Tasker)
New England Patriots vs. Cleveland Browns 1:00 (CBS - Bill Macatee and Rich Gannon)

Map of who gets what CBS late game.

Indianapolis Colts vs. Philadelphia Eagles 4:15 (CBS - Jim Nantz and Phil Simms)
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Oakland Raiders 4:15 (CBS - Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots)

Sunday Night Football

Dallas Cowboys vs. Green Bay Packers 8:20 (NBC - Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth)

Monday Night Football

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals 8:30 (ESPN - Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden)

The Best Picture In The History Of The Super Bowl

Seriously. It does not get any better than a pic of 2 guys bumping dong with a guy named Gay in the background. It just doesn't. And for the second year in a row, porn has invaded the Super Bowl (at least for the folks in Arizona). Porn at the Super Bowl FTW!

(Hat to tip to Meech on Twitter who hat-tipped UniWatch on Twitter)

Super Bowl XLIV With Screaming Local Radio Announcers

Enjoy as Bob Lamey (Colts) and Jim Henderson (Saints) scream their lungs out as they watch and call the big plays for their respective teams.

The Saints Win The Super Bowl! WHO DAT!

Wow! What a game! An instant classic in Miami has given the New Orleans Saints their first Super Bowl in team history.

Take nothing away from Peyton Manning, he played a solid game, but tonight, solid was not enough for Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints defense who were spectacular and out of this world. The first half definitely favored the Colts. The Saints started slow and the Colts started fast. In their first 2 drives, the Saints could only get 1 first down while the Colts got a field goal and a touchdown. It looked like it would be ugly.

But it wasn't. The Saints were able to go down the field and kick a field goal, bringing them to within 7. The Colts got the ball and back and on a key 3rd down play. Manning threw a perfect ball over the middle to a wide open Garcon. After Garcon dropped that pass, it was all Saints. From that point on, they outscored the
Colts 28-7.

But if that was the moment that stopped the Saints momentum, there would be another play that would really get the Saints believing they can win the game. That moment was the start of the 2nd half when, down 10-6, they did the unthinkable. An onsides kick.



Off the hands of Hank Baskett and recovered by the Saints! I can't help but feel bad for Kendra. Poor smokin' hot babe married a useless receiver. Hank was useless with the Eagles, and he was harmful to the Colts.

The Saints would go on to score a TD on that drive but the Colts would get the ball back and retaliate with a TD of their own, giving them a 17-13 lead.

The Saints got a FG on their next drive, got the ball back and scored what would turn out to be the game-winning TD.



The Saints would go for 2.



But it was not over. Peyton Manning had plenty of time to drive down the field and get a game-tying touchdown. Only Tracy Porter, the man who picked off Favre late in the 4th quarter of the NFC title game, would strike again. Here is the shocking clinching moment of Super Bowl XLIV.



Peyton Manning decided to make it interesting one last time, though. He drove his team inside the 10. On 3rd and goal, they ran a questionable draw that lost a couple of yards, leaving the Colts with 4th and goal from the Saints 5. A TD would force an onside kick to extend the game. A stop would ensure victory for the Saints and no worries about the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history. Here is the 2nd shocking play that clinched the Super Bowl for good and sent the few parts of the city that were not into mass hysteria after the Porter INT, into mass hysteria.



Great call by Nantz and congrats to the Saints on winning the Super Bowl!

The goat, if you are going to name one, is Jim Caldwell. With 4th and 11 at the Saints 34 yard line up by 1, he had a choice to make. He could have chanced 42-year old Matt Stover kicking a 51-yarder field goal in the biggest pressure situation of his life, gone for it (including a possible fake) and if you fail, it saves the additional 7 yards of the missed field goal, or he could have just punted it. Caldwell went with the least wise option and trotted out Stover. He predictably missed. Then, with the Colts driving on their last ditch attempt down by 2 TDs, on 3rd and goal from the 3, he inexplicably calls a draw. Why not throw it with one of the greatest QBs of all time? Instead, he gave it to an awful running back who was having a good game. But Addai was true to his usual form in that situation and lost 2 yards. 4th and goal followed and that was instantly followed by the Saints taking 2 knees to celebrate their first Super Bowl in franchise history.

I'll have the NFL highlight package video with local radio announcers up later tonight or tomorrow.

Congrats to the Saints on winning an instant classic of a Super Bowl and congrats to Jahri Evans for being the first Bloomsburg University student to win a Super Bowl ring!

Super Bowl XLIV Live Blog

is over at Keith's Sports Journal. Don't be a troll!

JFein's Final Super Bowl Prediction

After 2 weeks of Archie Manning, the city of New Orleans, Dwight Freeney's "injury", and other fun stories, it is coming to that time to make any and all final predictions.

So here it is.

Frankly, this game proves a really interesting match-up and I am not sure how it is going to go. The Saints are a completely different team than the Jets, but at the same time, I can sort of see this game going the same way as that game did.

The Colts are mechanical on offense. They can do it against any defense any time. The Saints are explosive on offense. They can do it against any defense any time.

So who has the advantage? The answer will likely come down to which defense steps up and makes the most big plays. The Colts may or may not be with Dwight Freeney and honestly, I see that playing a huge factor. If Freeney is in the game, the Colts will have a lot easier time getting pressure on Drew Brees and forcing him into throws he does not want to make. Even if they are not knocking him around, Drew Brees did not have a great game when facing a tough Minnesota D-Line. It certainly was not the Vikings' secondary stifling Brees as they are an average secondary at best. If the Colts can get pressure on Brees, they will own a huge advantage in this game.

On the other side it is the Saints defense and their knack for forcing turnovers. What is lost about the Vikings 5 turnovers against the Saints is that the Saints were causing those by punching the ball out and being in the right place at the right time to pick off bad passes by a QB. And let's not forget that the Saints were able to cause 3 other fumbles that the Vikings got back on top of. This team is good at forcing turnovers, but the question becomes can the Saints force Peyton Manning into mistakes? If they can pick Manning off and force Addai to fumble the ball, the Saints will own a huge advantage in this game.

Before we get to my final prediction in this game, I'd like to report that Super Bowl XLIV has already had its first wardrobe malfunction. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Merril Hoge in a thong at a celebrity beach volleyball tournament!

Scorched into my retina forever.

And now, moving on back to my final prediction. It will be close through 3, but in the end, I just don't see Peyton Manning losing a Super Bowl. Colts 30-20

A Look At The Super Bowl Today

With all of the hype around the Super Bowl, it always demands a huge pre-game show with lots of coverage and tossing around the same stories and storylines over and over and over again. Well, this year, CBS is making sure to be no different. If you are like me and spend every waking moment of Super Bowl Sunday watching their Super Bowl coverage, this is what you will be in for. They've got stories on New Orleans, an interview with the President, Drew Brees' philanthropy, the required Peyton Manning interview, Daughtry performing, and a whole lot more. How much else more? Here is their full press release on the show.

CBS Sports' coverage of Super Bowl XLIV continues with THE SUPER BOWL TODAY, the Network’s pre-game studio show (2-6 p.m., ET) with host James Brown along with analysts Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and Bill Cowher, as well as NFL TODAY “General Manager” Charley Casserly, reporters Lesley Visser, Sam Ryan, Steve Tasker, Solomon Wilcots and contributor Dick Enberg.

Katie Couric, anchor of THE CBS EVENING NEWS, serves as a special contributor and will also provide a special live interview with President of the United States Barack Obama during the pre-game show.

Sean McManus is President, CBS News and Sports and serves as executive producer for the Network’s coverage of the NFL and Super Bowl XLIV. Harold Bryant is Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

Eric Mann is senior producer and Bob Matina is director of THE SUPER BOWL TODAY.

* * * * *

Following are the scheduled features on THE SUPER BOWL TODAY (subject to change):

♦James Brown, Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and Bill Cowher welcome viewers with some pre-game analysis and highlights from the NFL Tailgate party set, while Lesley Visser and Sam Ryan report on each team.

♦THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS: James Brown; Producer – Joseph E. Zappulla
James Brown takes a look at New Orleans four-and-a-half years after one of the nation's worst natural catastrophes, Hurricane Katrina, devastated the town. Brown looks at how the rise of the beloved Saints has once again given the city of Jazz and Blues hope and a premier spot on the front page of the nation's conscience. The feature also will examine the unique bond between the city's residents and the never-say-die football team with interviews of Saints Head Coach Sean Payton, quarterback Drew Brees, running back Reggie Bush, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, several prominent citizens/advocates of the city, long-time New Orleans area residents (and current Colts) Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne, plus inhabitants of the Lower Ninth Ward, one of the areas hardest hit by the deadly storm.

♦PLAXICO BURRESS: Bill Cowher; Producer – Charlie Bloom
Plaxico Burress sits down for his first interview since being sent to jail in September of 2009. Bill Cowher, his former coach, visits with Burress inside the Oneida Correctional Facility in upstate New York. It was exactly two years ago when Plaxico Burress made the game-winning catch in Super Bowl XLII. On November 28, 2008, Plaxico’s world turned upside down when he accidentally shot himself at a night club in New York. On August 20, 2009, Burress accepted a plea deal that would put him in prison for two years with an additional two years of supervised release. Burress talks openly about his emotions in prison. He talks with Cowher about his daily life, about seeing and holding his newborn daughter for the first time just weeks ago and if his future plans will include a return to the NFL?

♦DREW BREES: Katie Couric; Producer – Charlie Bloom
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees signed as a free agent with the Saints four years ago. Since then, he has led New Orleans to two NFC Championship Game appearances and now the first Super Bowl in franchise history. Brees also has had a major impact in the community. CBS News’ Katie Couric takes a journey with Drew and his wife Brittany through the streets of New Orleans and looks at how these two philanthropists are giving the city much more to cheer about beyond the football field. The couple explains how this city was meant to be their home and why they feel obligated to help New Orleans at the grass-roots level.

♦REGGIE BUSH: Shannon Sharpe; Producer – Deb Gelman
Reggie Bush was the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner and the second overall pick in the 2006 Draft. While his numbers have been up and down, as he’s battled injuries throughout his career, it has been his performance in this year’s postseason that may finally prove his critics and doubters wrong. Shannon Sharpe visits with Bush and finds that he has been very active in the New Orleans community including visiting St. Jude Children's Hospital where he be-friended a 5-year-old leukemia patient who has become an inspiration in his life.

♦NEW ORLEANS DEFENSE: Lesley Visser; Producer – Deb Gelman
First it was Kurt Warner. Then it was Brett Favre. Now it’s Peyton Manning. The Super Bowl will be the third straight game that the New Orleans defense will be going up against a Super Bowl-winning quarterback. Lesley Visser sits down with Darren Sharper, Jonathan Vilma and Will Smith as they prepare to face the Colts high octane offense. Amidst their interesting revelations, they will break down what they must do to achieve winning the Super Bowl.

♦PEYTON MANNING: Dan Marino; Producer – Jeff St. Arromand
Since entering the NFL in 1998, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has never missed a start, won one Super Bowl, and a record four MVPs. Dan Marino visits with him and talks about Manning’s first Super Bowl win three years ago in Miami, the Colts’ decision not to go for a perfect season, and facing the team that his father Archie played for, the New Orleans Saints. Manning also reflects on his hometown of New Orleans.

♦DWIGHT FREENEY AND ROBERT MATHIS: Boomer Esiason; Producer – Jeff St. Arromand
Colts Pro Bowl Defensive Ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are a quarterback’s worst nightmare. With a combined 147 sacks, Freeney (84) and Mathis (63) are the top two sack leaders in Colts history and have combined for 23 sacks this season. Boomer Esiason sits down with Freeney and Mathis as they get ready to take on Drew Brees and the Saints. Will Freeney be ready to play despite an ankle injury?

♦INDIANAPOLIS RECEIVING CORPS: Sam Ryan; Producer – Mark Burghart
Peyton Manning has enjoyed his best statistical season since 2004. The reason: veterans Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, plus the emergence of Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon. During the season, Clark and Wayne each had 100 receptions and Collie and Garcon emerged as key receivers in the offense. All four have been instrumental in the Colts successful season and their run to capture their second Super Bowl title in four years. Sam Ryan visits with the Colts’ receiving corps and discusses the role Peyton Manning has played in the quartet’s success.

♦WYNTON MARSALIS: Producer -- Sarah Rinaldi
Jazz impresario Wynton Marsalis pays a special tribute with music and words to his beloved city of New Orleans. Marsalis, a life-long Saints fan, gathered several jazz musicians and captures the spirit of New Orleans and the true meaning of the Saints to the city.

In addition, live elements of THE SUPER BOWL TODAY will include an interview by CBS News Anchor of THE CBS EVENING NEWS, Katie Couric, with President of the United States Barack Obama.

Live musical performances throughout the day during THE SUPER BOWL TODAY will include Grammy Award-winning recording artist Steve Winwood, as well as Grammy Award-nominated group Daughtry. The Food Network’s Guy Fieri also will prepare the “perfect tailgate food.

Frankly, it does not seem like they are dong anything that original. They are going to shove the big stories down our throat, spend way too much time talking about "the perfect tailgate party" (of which this will be the umpteenth different one), have a band perform, run pieces on the big name players in the game, and the network news anchor is interviewing the President.

But what looks meh on paper can be quite good if executed properly. NBC was (miraculously) able to hold its own last year and CBS will have a difficult task given nothing on paper looks enthralling, but I'll be watching....and I'll be commenting on it.

Indianapolis Has Concerns About Drunken Bus Drivers After The Super Bowl

Apparently 3 years ago when the Colts won the Super Bowl, there was a real problem with not enough school bus drivers to pick up the kids during the Super Bowl. So what have they done this year to alleviate that problem? An Indianapolis school district superintendent has ordered that all schools open 1-hour late that day! From the USA Today

School superintendent Eugene White said, with approval from state overseers, that he's imposing a one-hour delay and a half-hour late dismissal on Monday.

The school department had originally said it would open schools two hours late on Monday to avoid the confusion that occurred three years ago when too many bus drivers called in sick after the Colts' last Super Bowl appearance. But state officials balked at the plan, suggesting it violated standards at how long students must spend in class.

Indianapolis officials then worked out the compromise. Said White to the Indianapolis Star, "I do not want to rehash what happened in the Super Bowl last time. I'm just trying to be proactive."

What? So not only do those lucky bastards get to watch the Super Bowl, but then they get to sleep in an extra hour? How on earth is that fair? We never had that for our Super Bowl! 8 hours after the Eagles lost to the Pats in Super Bowl XXXIX, I was getting my ass up for a normal school day cotdamnit! And if New Orlenas wins a Super Bowl, shouldn't we at Bloom compressed schedule so the campus can celebrate it's first alum to don a Super Bowl ring? It's only fair, right?

And what on earth is an hour going to do to these bus drivers and kids? If the bus drivers (and/or some of the older high school kids) want to live up a Super Bowl and get completely hammered before, during, and after the Super Bowl, they are going to do it no matter what and I doubt that one hour is going to make much of a difference in the grand scheme of things. Then again, I'm not from Indy where apparently drunkenness and hangovers go away all of a sudden at 8 in the morning.

Your Super Bowl XLIV Schedule

I know that everyone reading here knows that the Super Bowl is on CBS and the game is being called by Nantz and Simms, however, I want to get all the pre-game stuff on here as well that day as well as the quirt of a second sideline reporter, and you all need to know the Pro Bowl announcers once they get released, right?

CBS is keeping with the tradition of a 4-hour pre-game show, but they are not going too overboard on their pre pre-game stuff as NBC did last year (2 hours of the Today Show at the Super Bowl starting at 9 AM), instead they are just going to go on the air at noon with The Road to the Super Bowl, followed by Phil Simms' All-Iron Team and then, to the Super Bowl Today and the Super Bowl we will go! (all times PM eastern)

Pro Bowl
NFC vs. AFC 7:30 (ESPN - Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden)

Super Bowl Sunday on CBS

12:00 - 1:00: The Road to the Super Bowl
1:00 - 2:00: Phil Simms All-Iron Team: Super Bowl Edition
2:00 - 6:00: The Super Bowl Today
6:00 - 6:25: Super Bowl Kickoff Show

And once all that is out of the way......

Super Bowl XLIV: New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts 6:25 (CBS - Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, SR: Steve Tasker and Solomon Wilcots)

When CBS starts releasing more about what they are going to do for The Super Bowl Today and who will be involved and what not, I'll be putting up additional posts on it, but for now, here is an early look at what we can expect from CBS during the Super Bowl.

The New York Jets-Indianapolis Colts matchup will serve as an “in-between,” as Barrow calls it, that will allow the CBS Sports team to segue from a typical NFL broadcast into the epic production that will be Super Bowl XLIV. This Sunday, CBS will build on its already heightened coverage of the Divisional Playoffs, which featured 22 cameras, 14 playback devices, and two graphics machines at both games, as well as prep for the Super Bowl grand finale that will feature 50 total cameras, 22 playback devices, and three graphics machines.

However, Barrow warns that an influx of equipment will not change the way he runs the broadcast. “When the game starts, as [director] Mike Arnold will tell you, you’re really waiting for it to come to you,” he says. “You can’t always be trying to invent something by showing this special camera that you added for the Championship game or the Super Bowl, because you might not have anything on that camera to show.”

In addition to more total equipment, the telecast will add Steve Tasker as a sideline reporter, marking the first time all season that a CBS NFL broadcast has featured a reporter on the field. Solomon Wilcots will join Tasker as a sideline reporter for the Super Bowl on Feb. 7.

“During the regular season, we’ve de-emphasized the role [of sideline reporter] and allowed Jim [Nantz] and Phil [Simms] to provide those stories. We still talk to the PR guys, and, if there’s an injury, then we have Jim give updates,” says Harold Bryant, VP of production for CBS. “As the games get bigger, though, we want someone down there in case there’s a big injury or something that happens where we need someone to actually go back into the locker room and be a reporter and get that information.”

When the final second ticks off Sunday, it will be on to Miami, where Barrow will produce his first Super Bowl since 2007, when the Colts defeated the Chicago Bears 29-17 in Super Bowl XLI.

“Everybody in our crew did the Super Bowl three years ago and has done football together for nearly six years,” says Barrow. “So we all know what our tendencies are and the things that we need to get done.”

I make little secret that of the 4 major networks sports brands that, in my opinion, CBS always has the best production, so I certainly look forward to everything they have in store for this in 13 days in Miami.

CBS caught a rough break the last time they did a Super Bowl (coincidentally also featuring the Colts in Miami) in that it poured nonstop all game. However, Dolphin Sun Life Stadium has been a stadium whose lighting has been pleasing to look at, so with the top-notch production that you know you are getting from CBS, if the weather improves in just the slightest than the last go round, it could easily be up there with one of the best produced Super Bowls with several memorable images.

We are 13 days from the Super Bowl. Are you ready?

The Legend Of Brett Favre Drew Brees, Garrett Hartley, And The New Orleans Saints

What. A. Game.

That may have been one of the most thrilling championship games I have ever seen. From the "Legend of Brett Favre" to the Legend of New Orleans and what that city has been through for the past 4 and a half years after Hurricane Katrina, this game had all the drama you could ever ask for. And oh yeah, the game itself was a mistake-laden thriller. My heart was in my throat for a good part of that 4th quarter and all of OT. It was that good.

So what went down? The Vikings had a chance. Brett Favre. The 2-minute drill. He has made his career of being a hero during this part of the game. But in the 2008 NFC title game, he threw an INT that cost himself the game. Surely with this chance, he would get the job done, right?

It started out right. The Vikes got to the Saints 33 with the Saints out of timeouts and a minute on the clock. Inexplicably they called not one but 2 running plays that went absolutely nowhere. Followed that up with a 5-yard, too many men in the huddle penalty, and all of a sudden, they were out of Longwell's range. With no choice but to throw it on 3rd and long just to get back to field goal range and 18 seconds left on the clock, the unthinkable happened.



Picked off! Are you kidding me?? Brett Favre did it again!

But that only sent the game into OT. The Vikings were idiots and called heads, which allowed the Saints to receive the ball and after several somewhat controversial replays and a bad pass interference call, it all came down to Garrett Hartley. Historically snakebitten football team. The Aints. Hurricane Katrina. Here's the payoff:



Right down the middle! The New Orleans Saints are going to Super Bowl XLIV.

And as a result, for the first time ever, a former Bloomsburg University Husky will be playing in the Super Bowl. Congratulations Jahri Evans, Pro Bowl right guard for the New Orleans Saints! I will have a lot more on that tomorrow, as will I also have a breakdown of scheduling for the next couple of weeks.

As far as the Saints opponent goes, it is the Indianapolis Colts who took care of the Jets 30-17 in what was a very good game for 3 quarters. But the loss of Donald Strickland early and Shonn Greene at the start of the 2nd half proved too much for the Jets to overcome and the Colts put the final clamp down in the 4th quarter. The Jets hung in there and gave it a heck of a ride for 45 minutes, but the team that kept it up for 60 minutes, the Colts, earned the trip back to Miami where they will play in their 4th ever Super Bowl, all of which just so happened to be played in Miami (Super Bowls III, V, XLI, and XLIV all in Miami).

My way too early prognostication is the Colts will take it in a high scoring game, but before I make a final prediction I want time for the stories to start unfolding, injuries becoming more clear, and more time for match-ups to develop.

Today proved once again why the Conference Championships are my favorite day of the NFL, now let's hope we cap it off with a fun Super Bowl! Manning vs. Brees. Colts vs. Saints. In Miami, trick.

Conference Championship Games Live Blog

Is over at Keith's Sports Journal. See you there and don't be a troll!

AFC Championship Game Preview

What: Super Bowl III rematch
Who: The New York Jets and the Indianapolis Colts
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium
When: 3:00 PM ET
What Channel: CBS
Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, SR: Steve Tasker

For the first time since Super Bowl III, the Jets are playing the Colts in a championship game, and while Lucas Oil Stadium is now Orange Bowl, it should prove to be a similar game in terms of defense and low-scoring. If you want points, that will be for the NFC game which I will post a little later in the night, but for now, here is my breakdown of what will be the first of two championship games this Sunday.

Did The Colts Put The Jets In This Position? I'll answer that one with a simple no, they did not. Yes, I am aware of what happened on Week 16 with Peyton sitting in the 2nd half, it has been beaten into our heads ad nauseum, but you've got to consider the fact that for starters, the Jets hung in during the first half when Peyton was playing. They may not have had the lead at the end of the half, but the Jets were right in that game, thus they were in a very good position to win that game once Peyton did take a seat. And secondly, the Colts did not beat the Bengals, the Bengals, and the Chargers for the Jets. The Jets did that. Yes, the Bengals put in J.T. O'Sullivan in the 2nd half of that one, but the Jets already had a firm lead, were going to win anyway, and did not need Just Turnovers to give them more points.

Then, it was game on in the playoffs and the Jets took care of the Bengals and then they went on the road in San Diego and became the only road team last week to win. And while it may have been a surprise at the beginning of the year that the Jets are in the AFC title game, it should come as no surprise now. When they survived the AFC clusterfuck and made the playoffs, I said right off the bat that they would be the team to watch out for in my podcast, and what do you know, they are here. Why? Because they are built like the teams that have had success in the last decade. They have a dominant defense and a solid ground game that really pounds the ball. Just look at the 2000 Ravens, the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 2005 Steelers, among others. They all won championships without a big name QB, an incredible defense, and a powerful running game featuring Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene.. That's what the Jets have this year.

Mark Sanchez: The Jets have proven that Mark Sanchez does not need to be great in order to win football games. Sanchez has to do one thing and one thing alone, not make the big mistake. If Sanchez avoids costly mistakes and turnovers, you can bet your bottom dollar that the Jets will be in this game in the 4th quarter.

Peyton Manning And The Colts Offense: Peyton has been in championship games before, but never has he been up against a corner quite like Darrelle Revis. Revis has been a lockdown corner all post-season long and if he continues to be so, Peyton Manning could find himself struggling. That being said, this is Peyton Manning we are talking about. He is a machine and if there is anyone that is capable of solving Revis and finding ways to pick apart a good defense, it is Peyton Manning. Even with mostly young receivers such as Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon, the Colts passing game has not missed a beat, even if the running game has been close to nonexistent from Joseph Addai.

X-Factor: Special teams. In a game expected to be a defensive struggle, the team that can make the plays on special teams will certainly be at a more decisive edge. As far as who that team will be, frankly, I can't tell you, but I'm telling you, special teams will play a major role in this conference championship game.

Prediction This will not be a high-scoring thriller, but in the end, even though I think the Jets will keep it close throughout, Manning will get the job done in the 4th quarter and force Sanchez to make passes in the 4th quarter; passes that he won't be able to make. Colts 21-17.

(Coming up later tonight: NFC Championship Game Preview)

Your Conference Championship Schedule

The NFL's version of the final 4 and my personal favorite day of the NFL. 2 championship games in the amount of time that you can see one two weeks from that day. The drama is always high, the pressure is always on, and memorable moments are bound to happen. So what does the schedule look like? Well, here ya go. (all times eastern)

2010 AFC Championship Game: #5 New York Jets @ #1 Indianapolis Colts 3:00 (CBS - Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, SR: Steve Tasker)

2010 NFC Championship Game: #2 Minnesota Vikings @ #1 New Orleans Saints 6:40 (Fox - Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, SR: Pam Oliver and Chris Myers)

If changes are made, I'll be sure to update them here.

Who will be going to Miami to play for professional football's greatest prize?

I'll have more elaborate previews of these games later in the week.

NFL Playoffs Day 3 Live Blog

No trolling will be tolerated! I don't care if you are CC, someone who likes to taunt us for doing "play by play" or if you have complaints that you have a tiny thingy and want us to make it bigger. If you troll, THE BANHAMMER WILL BE DROPPED!

Now then, here's today's schedule.

#4 Arizona Cardinals @ #1 New Orleans Saints 4:30 (Fox - Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa)

#6 Baltimore Ravens @ #1 Indianapolis Colts 8:15 (CBS - Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf)

Colts-Jags Live Blog