NFL Championship Weekend

AFC Championship

New England Patriots at Denver Broncos

Sunday January 24 at 1:05pm (MT)

East Coast vs West Coast. Left Coast vs Right Coast. bEAST Coast vs Best Coast. Beantown vs The Mile High City. Legend vs Legend. Tom Brady vs Peyton Manning. #1 vs #2. This game has the feel of the Super Bowl…except all you win is a trip to the actual Super Bowl. The culmination of the AFC season comes down to the two teams who have been the best two teams all season. Parts of the season looked shaky for both before making the playoffs, but now that we are here, we shouldn’t be surprised. The last few weeks of the regular season both teams were dealing with injuries to key players that affected game plans. But after each earned a bye week in the first round of the playoffs, they’re healthy. After Wednesday’s injury report it looks like we will have a full go for both teams, which is good, because I don’t know if I could handle another “excuses” battle between the fans on social media. The Broncos reported a full practice for every player, which is a good sign heading into this game. The Patriots…well they listed 15 players as “limited”, which is a typical Belichick mind game, expect everyone healthy and ready to rock come Sunday afternoon.

New England Patriots

Tom Brady is 2-6 in Denver all time, which includes 0-2 in playoffs, 1-2 against Peyton Manning in conference championships, blah blah blah. What an annoying and pointless stats for fans or analysts to toss out. Any Given Sunday isn’t just the name of a football movie, it was and still is a phrase that echoes around fans and analysts EVERY single year. Rant over. Back to the team...
         As I mentioned above, the Patriots are healthy this time around. I know Broncos fans like to point out that they weren’t healthy when these two teams played in week 12 as well, but if they really looked at it, it wasn’t the same. Denver’s injuries were spread out a bit more, whereas the Patriots injuries were almost solely on offense, specifically the receiving corps. Getting Julian Edelman back is the biggest key for this team. Everyone focuses on what Gronk’s impact is to the offense, and while it is extremely important, it’s Edelman’s presence that opens up the lanes and routes for Gronkowski to get open. In addition, it’s the attention on Gronk that opens up everything for Edelman as well. New England has an almost non-existent rushing attack since Dion Lewis’s injury back in week 8, but that doesn’t really matter. The Patriots have proven year in and year out that they can use the passing game as its running game through bubble screens and quick out routes from receivers.
          Tom Brady is by and far one of the most competitive players we have ever seen play the QB position. He wants to win this game because of the historical value as much as possibly cementing himself higher than Peyton Manning on the greatest all-time list. Brady was once asked which Super Bowl win was his favorite, his answer was “the next one”. However, there may be one person who wants to win this game more than anyone in the Patriots organization; Joshua Thomas McDaniels. He has coached against Denver multiple times since he was fired, but this game has the feel of him validating himself against the #1 defense in all the land and to quiet the haters who trash him all the time in Denver. You think he doesn’t want this game? Watch out.

Denver Broncos

Who wants to hear another dumb stat people are throwing out? Peyton Manning is 0-5 in playoff games when the temperature is below 40 degrees. Just wanted to throw that out there for you blowhards who think that’s important. The Denver offense looked anything but efficient last weekend against the Steelers, however I think this had less to do with Manning and more to do with the Steelers defense. When the two teams met in week 15, the Pittsburgh secondary made some halftime adjustments that changed the coverage and prevented the Broncos from moving the ball consistently, they continued that in the divisional playoff game. So coming into the battle against the Patriots will prove to be a little bit different.
            Is Gary Kubiak going to loosen the reins a little it? There is no better man on the planet better suited to play against a Bill Belichick defense then Peyton Manning. Peyton has seen every defense known to man, including the looks he is going to see this Sunday. Kubiak for heaven’s sake, let the man be the man this weekend. He isn’t going to go crazy and throw the ball 45 times, he is going to check into runs, change the directions of a run, and help this offensive line look better. Before Peyton took to the sidelines, we knew the line play was iffy at best, but nobody was really calling out individuals. Once Brock Osweiler became the starter, all I read and heard out of Bronco Country was how terrible Michael Schofield was. I’ll admit, he isn’t the best right tackle in football, but he sure as hell didn’t get help from Brock at all. Notice last week that Schofield played the entire game, and was rarely mentioned. Peyton makes everyone around him better. If this offense is going to win the game, they are going to have to trust Peyton’s judgement and run the ball well.

X-Factor

Both teams have the same x-factor and nobody is talking about it. Defense. Everyone knows Denver is the number one defense, but what may surprise most of you is New England’s defense is stout themselves, ranked 9^th overall. I am a firm believer that defense wins championships, and that will be proven here again. Patriots are going to need Dont’a Hightower to step up. In the first meeting, before Hightower was injured, the Broncos had 16 carries for 46 yards. After the injury, Denver had 16 carries for 133 yards. For the Broncos it’s all about two key factors; the pass rush and health of DB Chris Harris Jr. If there is one thing that has consistently bothered the hell out of Tom Brady his entire career, its pressure. Of course, if there is not a lot of pressure, Denver is going to need Harris to effectively cover Edelman.

I had to sleep on this decision, still not sure I got it right: New England- 24 Denver- 13

NFC Championship

Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers

Sunday January 24, 2016 4:40pm (MT)

Last year the Arizona Cardinals were decimated by injuries that took a team that looked like a juggernaut and turned them into a baby wipe. This year the Cardinals came back strong and healthy, and look the part of the best team from top to bottom. The Carolina Panthers currently hold that top spot after finishing with the best record in the land at 15-1. Unlike the AFC, these two teams never really looked that shaky and were clearly the top two teams in the conference all season. Whereas the AFC game comes with all the history and drama, this game comes with the feel of a heavy weight bout. Both have strong offenses lead by QB’s who are out to prove everyone wrong about them, both have top 10 defenses actually finishing 5^th (Cardinals) and 6^th (Panthers), and both come in with strong wins over tough opponents. I can see this feeling like whoever survives will be the Super Bowl champ.

Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Head Coach Bruce Arians could not have picked a team better suited for his talents. The Cardinals personnel on offense matches exactly what Arians style was in Pittsburgh and Indianapolis as an offense coordinator; crafty with a strong vertical game. Carson Palmer throws one of the most beautiful deep balls the league has ever seen, and Arians lets it fly early and often in his games plans. Larry Fitzgerald had a career renaissance of sorts, playing like he is ten years younger. Arians masterfully puts together an offensive game plan that attacks the weakness of a defense, but it’s his ability to make a what a defense thinks is its strength and turns it into weakness, with just one weeks prep time.
            In addition to the top NFL offense, Arizona flashes the NFL’s 5^th rated defense. For the past few seasons Arizona has been home to one of the league’s best defenses, and this year was no different, even with the departure of defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. Patrick Peterson and the honey badger himself, Tyrann Mathieu (before the injury), were the names everyone talked about, but it’s the big defensive line that allows the secondary to shine. A solid mix of veteran leadership mixed with youth among the front seven give this team the chance to win every game. Let’s not forget about the special teams unit for this team either. Of all the teams left, Arizona has the strongest special teams, which seems like a menial part of the game to bring up, but is a major factor. Patrick Peterson elevates this unit to levels none of the other teams left can match.

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers are right where we expected them to be, right? Finished the season with the best record in the league, bright and shiny young QB with the rocket arm and 4.5 speed (not to mention front runner for MVP), and the 6^th rated defense led by the defending NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Oh and by the way, they don’t have a wide receiver that strikes fear into any defense. Time after time throughout this season people questioned whether this team was for real, and time after time, they stepped up and beat everybody. The offense is led by Cam Newton, who for all the smiles and flashiness, is one hell of a quarterback. He seemingly finds a way to just get the job done, no matter what. As long as Greg Olsen is healthy and running routes, it doesn’t matter who the Panthers wide receivers are. Cam’s size and speed are already an unfair advantage, but then add his crazy arm that has a great mix of both power and finesse and all of sudden we are describing a super hero in athlete form. Arizona’s front seven are quick and shifty to get to the QB, Cam is an elusive runner who senses pressure quickly, and I expect this to be a fun battle to watch. We should keep an eye on Greg Olsen’s late injury last week, it’s being downplayed, but could become a factor if aggravated again.
            On the other side of the ball, all-world linebacker Luke Kuechly leads a defense that has been nothing short of incredible throughout the season. And make no mistake about it, this is his defense. The strength of this defense resides in the unit Kuechly is on, the linebackers. It’s their ability to cover large amounts of space in pass coverage and against the run. All three have sideline to sideline speed, and can cover tight ends on their own. This allows the DB’s and defensive linemen the ability to just go out and focus on their one job.

X-Factor

Which of these teams is going to exploit the others weakness. As I stated above, Arizona does that and then some, creating a weakness that maybe nobody saw before. Look for Arizona to attack right where the Carolina defense is strongest, the middle of the field. Multiple routes coming across the field will pull Kuechly in a direction, leaving Carson Palmer to find the open man in a different area. Vice versa I see Arizona’s quick and shifty defensive line becoming more assignment heavy, holding their landmarks keeping Cam Newton in the pocket, giving the secondary time to blanket Greg Olsen. Double teams will be all over the Carolina tight end, because they corners for the Cardinals should have no trouble in single coverage on the Panthers receivers.

The Cardinals are the most complete team in the league: Arizona 28 Carolina 18

These games are going to be wildly entertaining. How many of you can remember the last time we were privy to watching 4 teams all in the top 10 of defenses? For fans of defensive football this weekend should be a grand display. Or maybe we are all excited to watch 4 extremely talented quarterbacks dissect these tough defenses, who knows. All I know is its going to be a great day of football Sunday, look forward to watching Bronco fans go on the emotional roller coaster, Patriot fans defending their legacy over and over again, Panther fans and their “us against the world” mentality, and Cardinal fans cheering the high flying offense. Happy Championship Sunday folks.

Hockey? Yeah, hockey!

As you read this today you are probably sick and tired of hearing me blab weekly about the NFL. So I will hold off on the Conference Championship post until this coming Friday. Today, let’s talk about my adventure into a sport I know little about, but respect greatly: Hockey.

Hockey is a sport that we all know, but don’t all pay attention to. It really shouldn’t be an afterthought for sports fans, it has nuances that contribute to an artistic flow on the ice. If that last bit of sentence seems too delicate to you, just remember it is the only sport that allows you to put fist to face for a couple of minutes. I am what you call a casual fan of hockey, and by casual I mean I check the standings so I know at least who is winning and losing. I lightly follow the Detroit Red Wings mostly just to talk trash to Colorado Avalanche fans, being the antagonist that I love to be. A few months back I met up with some friends who were headed to an Avs game, and as I sat back and listened to them talk, I realized how very little I actually know about hockey. As Caitlin, Gordon, and Jason were discussing the greatest Russian NHL player ever, I just soaked it all in. The wealth of information they were tossing around was tremendous and reminded me that even though it’s considered the red-headed stepchild of American sports, its fans have a very cult like obsession. And I don’t mean cult in a bad way, I mean cult in the sense of “It’s OUR sport” type of vibe.

Many people say one of the biggest issues with hockey is it being hard to follow because the puck is too small, or the game flow is so fast. Listen folks, those are excuses, it’s not that difficult at all. If you have trouble keeping up with the puck, watch the players without it. Like any other sport, watching the players without ball/puck is poetry in motion. Watching the players without the puck helps you and I understand the little things the game offers up. There are so many things to watch that it’s impossible to get bored watching, line changes, coaches, fast breaks, penalties, and the way plays set up.

I know many of you watch hockey, it’s very surprising to me that I didn’t get more into it. I have many friends who are deeply rooted in the cult of hockey. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t excited about learning more about this mysterious sport, so I hope you guys can come along on this journey with me. Yes to this point the dominate sport on the blog has been football, specifically the NFL, but it is time to really start writing about all the sports, because they are all important. But I have to put in a lot more work for hockey, and if watching a sport is any kind of work, than it’s the best work out there. Gordon, Jason, and any of you other hockey fans, be prepared and expect tons of questions as I learn more and more. If you are a reader that doesn’t really know hockey yourself…let’s make this transition as smooth as the Zamboni leaves the ice!