A Clean Slate

Oakland Raiders head coach Hue Jackson was fired.

At the conclusion of the 2011 NFL regular season, there were several coaches who jobs were definitely on the line. Initially, it didn't appear Hue Jackson of the Oakland Raiders was one of them. After the Raiders hired Reggie McKenzie to be their new general manager, he immediately went to work, firing Jackson after just one season. While the Raiders finished at 8-8, they were very undisciplined, setting an NFL record for most penalties in an NFL season.

Jackson took over a team that finished 8-8, largely due to the addition of Jason Campbell at quarterback. He did split time with Bruce Gradkowski because of inconsistent play, as they succeeded in getting their first .500 or better record since 2002. Jackson was hired as the offensive coordinator that season, and when Tom Cable was let go in the offseason, Jackson was promoted to head coach.

The Raiders looked good early, jumping out to a 4-2 record and looking as if they were going to compete with the San Diego Chargers for the AFC West crown. However, once Jason Campbell got hurt against the Cleveland Browns, it sort of went south from there. Shortly after, the Raiders acquired Carson Palmer from the Cincinnati Bengals for a number of draft picks. Jackson showed a ton of confidence in Palmer, especially since they were together in Cincinnati and at USC, where Palmer went to college.

All of a sudden, Campbell was thrown to the side while Palmer was getting a lot of praise from Jackson. People questioned Jackson's thinking, and rightfully so. Palmer did not turn out to improve the Raiders, and he threw a number of interceptions in a brief season. With a chance to win the division during the last game of the season, the Raiders didn't play with the energy needed in order to win the game, a home game against the Chargers. The Denver Broncos ended up losing to the Kansas City Chiefs, so if the Raiders had beat the Chargers, the Raiders would've been division winners.

Ultimately, the decision to give up so many draft picks to the Bengals to acquire Palmer may have been the reason McKenzie decided to rid the team of Jackson. This was a huge gamble, and it's safe to say it doesn't look like it will pay off. Other than that move, Jackson had this team headed in the right direction. Jackson should not have been fired because the players were certainly responding to him, especially during the tough times during the season.

Owner and general manager Al Davis died during the season, and then Campbell ended up breaking his collarbone not too long after. Had Campbell been the starter for the entire season, the Raiders most likely would've won the division. Darren McFadden also battled through injuries all season, and that was at a point where he was the leading rusher in the league. Despite all of that, the Raiders were still a team capable of beating most teams on any given Sunday.

It'll be interesting to see who McKenzie replaces Jackson with. The Raiders also informed the rest of the coaches left over that they will not be retained, essentially starting anew. McKenzie, formerly of the Green Bay Packers, may bring pieces from them over to the Black Hole to get the team on a winning track. Only time will tell how successful this move turns out to be.

Family Matters

Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin

Green Bay Packers' offensive coordinator Joe Philbin has a big issue, a week before the Packers face the New York Giants next week in the Divisional Round. Philbin's 21-year-old son Michael was reported missing Sunday evening. The Associated Press say that Michael Philbin was last seen at 2am Sunday morning, when he was visiting friends in Oshkosh, WI, about 50 miles south of Green Bay. Michael Philbin was sentenced to six months in jail in 2009 for sexual assault and battery.

Last season, Baltimore Ravens' safety Ed Reed had a family issue to deal with as well, when his brother Brian Reed jumped into the Mississippi River and disappeared after he was running from police. Authorities called off the search after a couple of days, never finding his body. Reed still played the Wild Card Game against the Kansas City Chiefs, a game they eventually won on the road.

While many people applauded Reed for playing the game with a heavy heart, I think it's absurd to do something of that nature. In what universe do you still report to work after your brother dies, and has the entire family grieving and in an emotional state? Reed should not have cared about the fact that it was the playoffs. He owes the Baltimore Ravens nothing at this point. He has given his time and a high level of production throughout his long career.

I know the Ravens did not pressure Reed into playing, but Reed played only because it was the playoffs. It does not matter the magnitude of the game, because you will never get your brother back. Football will still be around if you're healthy enough to continue playing. Time and time again, people say that family comes before anything and everything. Reed did not exemplify that belief.

If Reed were a television anchor, would Reed take time off to be with his family? Absolutely, no question about it. Being a television anchor is an occupation most people love, but it doesn't come with the millions that a football player receives. Ed Reed gave the speech most athletes give when dealt with this kind of situation. He told reporters he knows his brother would've wanted him to play. Now if I were to die, I would want ALL of my loved ones to be mourning together.

This is obviously a tough situation for Joe Philbin because it's his son. Everyone who knows Joe and Michael are praying for his safe return. God forbid, if the end result isn't good, I certainly hope Joe Philbin will make the right decision for not only himself and the Packers organization, but his family.

Patriots To Hire McDaniels

Former St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is heading back to New England.

Josh McDaniels was the offensive coordinator for the Patriots in 2007 and 2008. In 2007, the Patriots put up ridiculous offensive numbers, led by future Hall of Famer Tom Brady. That season, Brady threw an NFL record 50 touchdown passes, and Randy Moss caught an NFL record 23 touchdown passes. The Patriots were constantly putting up 40+ points every game, usually in a blowout effort. This all culminated in the Patriots being the first team to go the entire regular season undefeated since the 1972 Dolphins.

That season did not end all too well, as the Patriots lost to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII. However, that season with McDaniels leading the offense was record-breaking and simply fun to watch. Unfortunately, Brady was lost to a torn ACL for the whole season during their home opener against the Chiefs. Although the Patriots went 11-5, they failed to make the playoffs. McDaniels left the following offseason to take the head coaching position with the Broncos, one that did not work out so well.

McDaniels was fired in the middle of the 2010 season, struggling mightily after getting off to a hot start in his first several games as the coach. This past season, McDaniels was the offensive coordinator for the Rams, and that did not work out so well either. However, McDaniels is being hired by the Patriots again, after current offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien took the head coaching position at Penn State. Even better for McDaniels, he is allowed to start contributing as an offensive assistant right away.

This essentially means McDaniels went from the worst situation and the worst team in football with the Rams, to the best team in the AFC with the Patriots, in the same season. I don't know if McDaniels can ask for more. The real problem for the rest of the league is that McDaniels is back with Brady. The Patriots offense was clicking at the beginning of the year, especially against the Dolphins in the season opener.

With McDaniels in the fold, the Patriots could be approaching another one of those 2007 record-breaking seasons again. The only thing holding them back right now is their defense. It is very young right now, but it has been ranked near the bottom in most defensive categories. Maybe that will change next season. No one really knows, but we can expect the offense to be firing passes all over the field again next season.

Plaxico And The Other NY Team



New York Jets WR Plaxico Burress.



Immediately following Plaxico Burress' release from prison, he was seen embracing agent Drew Rosenhaus in a Philadelphia Phillies hat. Many Eagles' fans saw that as a sign that Burress may potentially sign with the Eagles. They had all the reason to believe so. Burress and Michael Vick grew up in Virginia playing against each other in high school. Burress eventually signed with the New York Jets, after coach Rex Ryan did everything possible to get him there.

Once he was able to start meeting with teams, Burress met with his two former teams in the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants. Signing with the Steelers would've been a great idea. They get consistent quarterback play from Ben Roethlisberger. While they do have younger and faster receivers in Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown and Mike Wallace, Burress and Hines Ward are guys who can work with Roethlisberger when things break down in the pocket.

During Roethlisberger's rookie season, Burress was his favorite receiver. Time and time again, when Roethlisberger needed a guy to make a play, it wasn't Hines Ward, it was Burress. That was short-lived however because Burress got injured and some questioned his toughness late in a season where the Steelers went 15-1. Burress would sign with the Giants afterward, and Roethlisberger would go on to complain about the lack of a big receiver on the team.

Burress then proceeded to help another young quarterback in Eli Manning. Manning and Roethlisberger were drafted in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft. Manning's first full season as a starter was the 2005 season, and the Giants getting Burress via free agency helped the Giants to an 11-5 record and a NFC East title. All four of Burress' seasons with the Giants resulted in a playoff birth, and he was the recipient of the game-winning pass in Super Bowl XLII.

After Burress shot himself and knocked himself out for the rest of the season, the Giants sputtered down the stretch. They eventually lost to the Eagles at home in the Divisional Round after having home-field advantage throughout. Then Burress was cut in the offseason and the Giants didn't make the playoffs the next two seasons.

With that being said, a ton of people believed Manning needed Burress. That was no longer the case. During the 2009 season, Manning had the best year of his career to date, throwing over 4,000 yards with close to 30 touchdowns and only 14 interceptions. The following season, Manning threw over 4,000 yards again, but threw a career-high 25 interceptions. That number was misleading because the Giants' receivers were terrible at moments in hauling in passes. A lot of passes through the hands of the receivers ended up in the hands of the defense.

When Burress was sifting through his options, it was a no-brainer for me. The Giants should not entertain the thought of signing this guy. The Giants' offense had already evolved to the point where it's become kind of a home-run hitter offense. The Giants were attacking defenses more, throwing down the field to the young receivers. Burress would not have fit in at all. That decision turned out to be the best for the Giants.

The Giants didn't make the playoffs in 2009 because their defense allowed the opponents at least 40 points in five different games. In the 2010 season, the Giants had a chance to win the division. Up 31-10 in the fourth quarter, the Giants' defense blew the game agains the Eagles and it cost them a playoff spot. Both of those aren't Eli Manning's fault at all. As a matter of fact, Manning never has had a losing record in any season as the full-time starter of the Giants.

Burress signs with the Jets and that didn't turn out so well. Surprisingly, Burress kept himself composed. Santonio Holmes certainly didn't. Mark Sanchez was awful at certain stretches, including that final game against the Dolphins. Meanwhile, Manning was carving up the league to almost 5,000 yards passing and a NFL record 15 touchdown passes in the fourth quarter. Six of the nine Giants' wins this year were come-from-behind victories.

Manning doesn't get the respect he deserves as an elite quarterback in this league. He's the guy directly responsible for the Giants success since he became the starter, not Burress. With his heroic performance this season after stating on radio that he considers himself an elite quarterback, Giants' fans are glad to have this guy on board, and glad to see Burress and the Jets fail.

Manning's Injury Indeed Costs Polian Job

Former Colts vice chairman Bill Polian.

The Indianapolis Colts decided to fire general manager Chris Polian and his father, vice chairman Bill Polian after a 2-14 season that was marred by Peyton Manning's season-long neck injury. Polian said in an interview with the Associated Press that he believes Manning's injury ultimately cost him his job. He went on to say that he failed at coming up with an adequate solution at the quarterback position in the event Manning were to be missing for a substantial amount of time.

Polian is certainly correct in his assertion. To put things into perspective, there has been talk that Jim Caldwell's job is on the line. Would his job be on the line if Manning played the entire season and won the AFC South with an 11-5 record? Most likely not, but his job is on the line now because he was put in a position where the leader of the team on the playing field was injured. The Colts didn't have a backup quarterback capable of keeping them in contention, and the season turned into an embarrassment.

What team actually has a backup quarterback capable of doing what Kerry Collins, Curtis Painter and Dan Orlovsky were asked to do? If you took a look at every playoff team, the only quarterback you could say keep their team in contention is Matt Flynn with the Packers. Of course, all of that talk is premature because we've only seen him in two games. However, in those two games, he was absolutely stellar.

Obviously, Manning proved how valuable he is and proved those four MVP's were well deserved. However, if Jim Irsay is going to let a season like this cloud his mind into making these kind of decisions, then he's making a big mistake. Bill Polian was successful in building a Buffalo Bills team that made four consecutive appearances in the Super Bowl, and were a missed field goal away from winning the first one. He built a losing team in the Colts into a decade-long contender, winning the Super Bowl in 2006.

If Irsay can't see that the Polians are best for the team going forward, then I hope Irsay has someone better in mind. Bill Polian can still contribute a great deal on another NFL franchise. For all of the teams who need a general manager or an executive to make great football moves, contact Bill Polian.

Norv Turner, Andy Reid Keep Jobs

San Diego Chargers head coach Norv Turner.

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid.

The San Diego Chargers and the Philadelphia Eagles have announced that Norv Turner and Andy Reid will respectively keep their jobs as head coach. Turner and Reid were both put on the hot seat after their respective teams failed to live up to expectations that were placed on them going into the season. Reid will continue to be the longest tenured head coach in the league, starting in 1999.

The Chargers were expected to win the AFC West this season after finishing 8-8 last season. The Chiefs surprised everyone by winning the division, while the Chargers were unable to fully recover from yet another slow start. This year, it was the complete opposite. The Chargers headed into their Week 7 matchup with the Jets at 4-1 and leading the division. It appeared as if they would run away with the division. However, the Chargers lost six straight and fell out of contention for the AFC West crown. It was widely expected that Turner would be fired for greatly underachieving with this team, but luckily for him, he was given another chance.

The Eagles came into this season after having the best offseason of any team in the league. They were able to sign Nnamdi Asomugha, Jason Babin, Cullen Jenkins, and Vince Young. They also acquired Dominic Rodgers-Cromartie from the Cardinals via trade. While everything was looking great in the City of Brotherly Love, they got off to a 1-4 start after losing to the Bills. The "Dream Team" label that was started by Young was quickly pushed away by Michael Vick and the players. The Eagles had a chance to turn things around after their victory in Maryland against the Redskins.

The Eagles had three straight home games, against the Cowboys, Bears and Cardinals. Instead, after easily dominating the Cowboys, they lost to the Bears and Cardinals and it was widely believed that it was over at that point. Many fans began calling for Reid's head, and Juan Castillo was in trouble as well. The Eagles were still in it up until Christmas Eve, but were eliminated once the Giants beat the Jets.

When firing someone, the question becomes; who will become the new head coach and are they better than the previous one? I definitely believed Norv Turner was on his way out, and there are definitely better coaches out there to replace him with. As for Andy Reid, he's been the one constant in possibly the best stretch of Eagle football in franchise history. I am not sure they are able to replace him with a better coach. Andy Reid deserves to be the coach of the Eagles for as long as possible because he will keep the Eagles in playoff contention or close to it every year.

Expectations will be great again for the Chargers and the Eagles. If they don't deliver again, both coaches will be sure to be on their way out. This is Turner's second chance, while Reid has had plenty of close calls.

NFL Playoffs Preview

Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson

New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees

New York Giants QB Eli Manning

Denver Broncos QB Tim Tebow

Cincinnati vs. Houston

This is one of the most unpredictable games in recent memory for the NFL playoffs. The Bengals are coming into this game with a rookie quarterback and a rookie wide receiver, which seems almost impossible. Before the regular season started, some people had this team as the worst team in the league. Many had them finishing last in the division, below the Browns, Ravens and Steelers. It is clear to say the Bengals were the surprise of the NFL, and if it wasn't for Jim Harbaugh's great coaching job with the 49ers this year, Marvin Lewis is probably a front-runner to win the Coach of the Year.

The Texans are also coming into this game with a rookie quarterback, but with experienced receivers in Jacoby Jones and All-Pro Andre Johnson. The Texans are also playing well defensively under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. However, the Texans have lost their last three games, including to the Colts who only had one win at that point. T.J. Yates injured his shoulder in the final game against the Titans, and he'll most likely have to play nursing that shoulder injury.

The Bengals are probably happy to get the Texans, since they're one of the teams struggling heading into the playoffs. However, this may be a blessing for the Texans as well, since the Bengals aren't that dangerous of a team to begin with. Yates loves to go with play-action roll outs, and the Texans should continue to utilize that since it's such a safe play. This isn't a good way for either team to be going into the playoffs, but the Texans are the home team, so they get the edge.

Cincinnati 20 Houston 23

Detroit vs. New Orleans

These two teams played in the Mercedes Benz Superdome back on December 4, and Drew Brees threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns in the 31-17 victory. The week before, the Saints completely dominated the Giants and the Saints ended the regular season a perfect 8-0 at the Superdome. While the Lions have had a very good season, this Lions season almost reminds me of the 2010 season the Buccaneers had.

The Buccaneers finished 10-6 last year as well, and didn't make the playoffs along with the 10-6 Giants because the Packers overtook both of them for the final playoff spot. With that 10-6 season, there were high expectations coming into this season for the Buccaneers, and with a harder schedule, they failed. The Lions benefited from an easy schedule en route to a 5-0 start, but then proceeded to lose six of their last 11 games, mostly to good teams.

While the Lions story may be heartwarming, I believe the Saints will be even better than the first matchup a month earlier. Simply put, the Saints cannot be stopped when playing on their home turf.

Detroit 10 New Orleans 38

Atlanta vs. New York Giants

This is an interesting matchup of teams who play a similar style of offense. While the Falcons have thrown the ball with Matt Ryan more this year than ever before, they still like to rely on their run game to keep the offense moving. The Giants have been that way throughout Eli Manning's tenure as quarterback, but it hasn't quite worked out the way they wanted it to work out this year. The Giants were dead last in rushing yards as a team this year, which meant Eli Manning had to carry a heavier load.

Boy did Manning do a great job of doing so. Manning almost threw for 5,000 yards, and has led the Giants to multiple comeback victories through the air. Manning also set an NFL record with 15 4th quarter touchdowns this season, eclipsing his brother Peyton. The Giants are riding high heading into the playoffs with victories over their city rivals and their division rivals in consecutive weeks to win the division. The Falcons easily dispatched the Buccaneers the final game of the season, but was easily dispatched a week before in New Orleans.

The Giants should be thrilled to get the Falcons at home instead of getting the Lions. While the Falcons have been explosive, the Falcons haven't been anything special. The Falcons play indoors, and Matt Ryan's two playoff games have been indoors. Now he gets the windy Meadowlands, which Eli Manning continues to struggle with himself. Familiarity with the wintry conditions will favor the Giants.

Atlanta 17 New York Giants 30

Pittsburgh vs. Denver

This game looks so easy to predict, but not so fast. The Broncos are probably the worst team in the playoffs, backing their way into the playoffs with some bad losses. The Steelers are the defending AFC champion, but aren't necessarily heading into the playoffs on a good note either. It was just revealed that Rashard Mendenhall tore his ACL in the final game against the Browns, eliminating him from the playoffs. Ben Roethlisberger also had a gruesome-looking ankle injury a month earlier against the Browns, and he has not quite bounced back from that yet.

For the Broncos to do anything offensively, they have to figure out a way to get the receivers open. Tim Tebow isn't your average quarterback. Simply put, he will not throw the ball to a receiver unless he is wide open. Tebow's accuracy is probably the worst in the league, so any throw into traffic is in danger of being picked off. Teams are starting to play the read-option schemes much better now, so Tebow will have to throw like he's never done before in order to win the game.

The Steelers will most likely not have Ryan Clark play, as his sickle cell trait almost cost him his life years ago in the high altitude in Denver. In the last two games in Denver, Clark did not play. While Clark is an important part of the defense, he isn't the most important. The defensive line and the linebackers will get after Tebow, and any throws Tebow makes will be in danger of being intercepted by Troy Polamalu or Ike Taylor.

Pittsburgh 17 Denver 10