I’m just saying…the Browns selected Braylon Edwards the same year Aaron Rodgers was drafted.
I haven’t done this column in a couple of weeks but after this weekend’s games, I thought it was an appropriate time to bring it back.
So here’s the latest installment of “I’m just saying…,” NFL Divisional Round-style.
– Colts fans after Nick Folk missed that chip shot field goal in the first quarter of the Jets-Patriots game on Sunday: “Oh come on!”
– After the Packers-Falcons game, I took a quick look at the stats sheet and saw that Aaron Rodgers was 31-of-36 passing for 366 yards and accounted for four touchdowns. My first reaction was: He had five incompletions?!
– Hey, when your team is up 25 points late in the third quarter and all you need to do is run some clock, why wouldn’t you call a halfback pass with Matt Forte and risk turning the ball over? You keep doing your thing, Mike Martz.
– Rex Ryan just beat Peyton Manning and Tom Brady (two of the best quarterbacks in NFL history) in back-to-back weeks using two different game plans. Say what you want about his mouth, but the guy knows defense.
– If I’m a team that needs a defensive coordinator, I’m on the phone right now with Rob Ryan. I want that gene pool designing my defenses.
– Most defenders would sacrifice one of their limbs to have a free shot at Jay Cutler when he’s running with the ball towards the end zone. But instead of delivering a punishing blow, Seattle safety Earl Thomas tried to bring the quarterback down by osmosis on Cutler’s touchdown run in the second quarter on Sunday. Somewhere, Ndamukong Suh is weeping.
– Matt Ryan after the game on why he threw the sideline pass that Tramon Williams intercepted and returned for a touchdown instead of throwing the ball away: “Well, I thought if Williams was anything like our corners, he would be playing 10 yards off the ball and I’d be able to pick up an easy seven yards.”
– I know where I’ve seen Bears’ O-lineman Frank Omiyale before: he doubles as a turnstile at Halas Hall during the weekdays.
– Hey Bill Belichick, great game plan. You were successful all season using your tight ends and you decide to mix things up and challenge Darrelle Revis (the best cornerback in the league) in the biggest game of the year. Talk about one of your all-time backfires.
– That was a bad time for a rare fumble, Ray Rice.
– Since the Giants shocked the Patriots in the Super Bowl, New England is 0-2 in the postseason and was knocked out in the first game both times. There’s no reason to doubt the combination of Belichick and Brady but even they have to be saying to themselves, “What the f*&k just happened here?”
– It may not have looked like it to the causal fan, but Atlanta’s defensive game plan actually worked against Green Bay. The Falcons wanted to limit the big play, which is exactly what they did. The Packers’ offensive touchdowns only came from 6 yards, 1 yard, 20 yards, 7 yards and 7 yards out. See, no big plays.
– I hope Mike Williams didn’t forget his purse before leaving Solider Field on Sunday. The guy may have caught two touchdown passes in garbage time, but for the most part he wanted nothing to do with running routes, catching passes or generally trying to help his team win. A stiff breeze could have knocked him off his route.
– Hey Housh, you can’t complain about your role in the Ravens’ offense and then have a perfectly thrown Joe Flacco pass go off your facemask on a pivotal fourth down in crunch time.
– Aaron Rodgers shredded the Falcons in Week 12 when they only rushed three down linemen and sat back in zone. So it made perfect sense that Atlanta defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder would use that same approach for most of the first half as Rodgers picked apart his defense again. You can’t pay enough for that type of game planning.
– Hey Wes Welker, this is why Bill Belichick wanted you to shut your mouth and not respond to any of the Jets’ antics. There was no need to encourage the Jets to back their coach even more than they already do.
– Anquan Boldin did everything right this year for the Ravens except catch that pass at the goal line late in the fourth quarter on Saturday. Talk about a momentum swing.
– Hey Mike Smith, you might want to look up the term “MartyBall” before your next postseason game.
– Lawyer Milloy reminded everyone on that Greg Olsen touchdown pass in the first quarter that he’ll never be remembered for his coverage skills.
– You stay classy Braylon Edwards. Here’s hoping you don’t snap your femur trying to land one of those back flips.
– Speaking of Braylon Edwards, the Browns selected him third overall in the 2005 draft instead of Aaron Rodgers. Good call.
– Of course, the Browns weren’t the only team to pass on Rodgers in that draft. Think the Titans would have selected Rodgers over Pacman Jones if they were given a re-do? Or how about the Vikings: they had two chances to draft Rodgers at No. 7 and No. 18 and instead selected Troy Williamson and Erasmus James. Those two turned out well.
I’m just saying…
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Posted in: NFL
Tags: 2011 NFL Divisional Round Playoffs, 2011 NFL Playoffs, Aaron Rodgers, Anquan Boldin, Anthony Stalter, Bill Belichick, Brian Van Gorder, Darrelle Revis, Earl Thomas, Frank Omiyale, Lawyer Milloy, Matt Forte, Matt Ryan, Mike Martz, Mike Williams, New York Jets, Rex Ryan, Rob Ryan, T.J. Houshmandzadeh drop, Tom Brady, Tramon Williams