NFL division round
Yes, the winners and losers are devoid NFL playoff participants. There was simply too much to get to.
Let's look at big-picture takeaways from the weekend, in no particular order.
First, it dawned on me that playoff football needs quarterbacks with big-time arms. Big-time and strong. Philip Rivers struggled because he's a placement and anticipation thrower. Brees struggled at times because of similar scenarios - but Brees had the blessing of being able to anticipate where Michael Thomas was (more on that in a moment) - and some of the best all-time in the modern version of the game have struggled in the postseason trying to play that game. Brady and Mahomes drilled the ball into tight windows.
Second, coaching matters. Wow, Doug Pederson initial game-plan was great, but how did the Eagles not adjust defensively and give Michael Thomas (more on that in a moment) more attention. The Saints adjusted and are still alive because of that. The Cowboys (more on them in a moment) won a playoff game, and everyone is wondering if they should fire the coach. The Rams' offensive wunderkind was just that and embraced the Spurrier-stylings of "If they can't stop it, keep running it." Andy Reid made sure his best player - and arguably the best player on the planet right now - was in the best place to do whatever needed to be done. And the Chiefs' movement and attack angles had the Colts on skates early and then it was over. The Colts panicked and abandoned the run way too early. The Chargers looked lost and pointed fingers, and the Patriots, well
Third, right behind the dreadful cliches of "arm talent" for a quarterback, "scoring the basketball," "pushing someone under the bus," and "this offense is not designed to have success in third-and-long" (although Michael Thomas and the Saints converted four of five third-and-10-or-longers Sunday; the other teams this weekend were a combined 2-for-23 in similar scenarios, so maybe the Saints are the first team built to have success in third-and-long), we have a new contender for painful hackneyed phrases. "They are playing chess and everyone else is playing checkers." Stop it. That said, the Patriots are playing elite level bridge and everyone else is playing Uno. Buckets. Where do we start with the numbers. How about all-time playoff wins: Belichick-Brady 28, Noll-Bradshaw 14, Landry-Staubach 11. How about the complete and total overhaul defensively to bring the house at Philip Rivers, who had zero completions outside the pocket. How about offensively, and this is important. The Patriots have embraced a Warriors-esque, position-less approach that makes it crazy impossible to stop. Wow. Just wow.
Fourth, there are some Big Decisions in Big D. Dak and Amari and Zeke are all about to need to get paid. As is Dexter Lawrence, the pass rushers. And there are holes. Yes, this was a good year, but man, the questions are everywhere. (And those questions only magnify the excellence long-term of the Patriots.)
Fifth, in the year of the offense, maybe this should not surprise us, but the four highest-scoring teams in the NFL are the last four playing.
Sixth, I'd take Quinnen Williams No. 1 overall. Yes, everyone wants to find the next great edge rusher and that's important. But the every-down defensive tackle who can pressure up the middle was a game-changer this weekend. Aaron Donald was great Saturday night, and he was not as great as Fletcher Cox was Sunday night.
Finally, and we are out of time, but the officiating this weekend was inconsistent and downright puzzling. And did anyone else notice that we now have varying discrepancies about when players are in and out of bounds? Thoughts?
Tennessee forward Kyle Alexander grabs an offensive rebound in front of Florida's Jalen Hudson, left, and KeVaughn Allen during the second half of Saturday's game in Gainesville, Fla.Weekend winners
Tennessee hoops in particular and college hoops in general. Yes, the weather was a bit dreadful Saturday and the NFL games got out of hand - especially in the AFC - but I watched more college basketball this weekend than I have in recent memory. Especially when there was a football alternative. Tennessee gets a huge amount of that. That team is fun and excellent and plays so very well together. Add in our alma mater being good and the Duke storyline, and, well, it's not like we're watching at early 1990s levels, but we are more interested than we can remember in a while.
While we are discussing the ball that bounces true, let's tip the visor to UTC hoops. Not sure if you are aware, and judging by the attendance you probably weren't, the Mocs have put together a couple of wins. That's called a winning streak. (Side note: The announced attendance was 4,173. I was not there. Does that seem accurate? If not, what's your best guess from some of you folks who went.)
Kyler Murray. Play the system my man and get your money. Murray has until midnight tonight to decide to enter the NFL draft, which would void his baseball contract with the Oakland A's. Murray has asked the A's for $15 million guaranteed - a much closer number to what the guaranteed money a first-round NFL pick would get - and now the clock is ticking.
Hockey fans who were listening when Snoop Dogg did some play-by-play during a hockey fight at Staples Center on Sunday. Snoop is an entertaining dude. Period. Has anyone watched his Joker's Wild spin-off? Please share details. Snoop's analysis, "They can't keeping making all these passes, someone has to to take a shot. Who wants that money?" More Snoop is better than less Snoop.
Matt Kuchar won for the second time already this season. That's pretty special. The $1.152 million is also pretty special. (Side note: We like to make sure we mention the Tiger Effect on the money in golf and remind folks that Nicklaus made less than $5 million in golf winnings. Kuchar, who has had a fine career but is still major-less, is 10th all-time in career earnings with more than $46 million after Sunday's victory. Oh my.) Harris English finished tied for 10th and made $153,600. Keith Mitchell cost himself some coin with a 1-over 71 Sunday and finished tied for 26th, which was worth $46,400. Stephan Jaeger made $18,739 with a tie for 45th.
Alabama football coach Nick Saban, right, speaks at a news conference Friday as, from left, left tackle Jonah Williams, running back Josh Jacobs and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams prepare to announce their intentions to turn pro. Tight end Irv Smith Jr. did not attend the conference but said he will enter the draft as well.Weekend losers
All of the knuckleheads bellyaching about UT celebrating and doing the Gator Chomp after winning at Florida. C'mon folks. Yet another example of holding the kids to an impossibly lofty standard. After two hours of mad-house screaming from fans and grown-bleepin' adults, those dudes getting a monster road win and giving a little back is not only fine, it adds to the fun. Quit clutching the pearls people.
Holly Warlick. This is feeling a touch redundant, no? Three straight SEC losses. No es bueno.
Alabama football. This offseason seems like this biggest turnover yet. From TFP SEC ace David Paschall comes news that three more underclassmen have declared for the draft over the weekend. That's seven starters gone. DT Quinnen Williams and OT Jonah Williams are for sure first rounders, Irv Smith is the best tight end in the draft (I don't care what anyone says about that dude from Iowa), RB Josh Jacobs is my favorite running back in the draft and Mack Wilson is the No. 3-ranked inside linebacker. Alabama is stacked in talent, so it's not like anyone is going to be crying for the dudes the Tide will run out there next year. The most painful losses for Johnny Tide Fan have to be S Deionte Thompson and CB Savion Smith, considering the Tide's biggest weakness was in the secondary, and that's two more holes to fill back there.
Glitches in the betting system. We'll get to our picks - we went 2-2; sigh - shortly, but this story is interesting and something that must be fixed as sports gambling goes mainstream. In short, professional bettor Rufus Peabody (and if we were writing a movie script and had a professional bettor in the story, I'm not sure I could come with a better name than Rufus Peabody) was leading the first DraftKings Sports Betting National Championship. The DKSBNC features more than 200 bettors from around the country who put up the $10,000 buy-in for the three-day event over the weekend. The player with the highest bankroll Sunday night would collect $1 million. Peabody had turned his $10K into $82 grand after going all-in on Patriots minus-3.5, but the game ended four minutes before the NFC kickoff and Peabody's account did not update his bankroll until after the Saints-Eagles kick. Peabody told ESPN that he was looking at betting heavily on the under 52 (which hit) and various bets on the Saints depending on the number. Other players had their bankroll credited before Peabody and were able to place bets on the Saints-Eagles game. Unable to play the final game, Peabody finished third.
Hawks. Why? No it's not their awful record. It's the knowledge that Luka Doncic will be a 10-time All-Star (at least) and looks the part of franchise-changing difference maker for the long haul.
Bonus pick: Man, we are so quick to be outraged by everything. Here's the hubbub about a Florida high school hoops team facing a highly ranked foe and winning the game 20-16 by slowing the game down. And people are outraged. Some even telling the coach that the lesson he's teaching the team is that they are not good enough to compete with the other team 'fair and square.' Hogwash. The lesson here is you can beat better and more talented foes with strategy and discipline. (Halftime score was 3-0.)
This and that
- Speaking of NFL happenings, I thought this was a cool gesture from Chiefs DL Jeff Allen, who was caught in the snow before the game and got his car pulled out by some random good Samaritan. His response is trying to find the guy and set him up with some AFC title game tickets.
- We will hold off on the preview stuff, but two quick wild stats from the AFC title game. First, did you know that Patrick Mahomes is the first quarterback from a Big 12 school to win a playoff game. Let that marinate. Finally, Mahomes will be the sixth first-team All-Pro to face a Bill Belichick Patriots team in the playoffs. New England is 4-1 in those games and have allowed six TD passes and collected seven INTs. (And of course, Belichick's Patriots moved to 25-0 all-time against opposing starting QBs under 25 with this season's win over Mahomes and the Chiefs.)
- Our picks were empty Saturday - thanks Dallas for the one-point miss - and perfect Sunday - thanks New Orleans kicker for missing that last FG, which would have covered. We are 16-7-1 on our NFL picks against the number. That's 69.6 percent. That's entertaining.
- We mentioned how the Baylor School golfers fared. But this is an important note: Keith Mitchell finished fifth in putting average. If Mitchell - a monster with the driver in his hands - can stay anywhere close to that place, he will have a monster year.
- We mentioned the 43-yeard-field goal competition held by the Chicago beer maker that happened Saturday. They limited the field to the first 100 who signed up. And those dudes went bagel-for-100, and the video of those who tried - and failed enjoyably - is pretty sweet.
Today's questions
Weekend winners and losers. Go.
As for this day, Jason Bateman is 50 today. Talented dude.
LL Cool J is 51 today. Bigger and Deafer is one of the all-time rap albums.
Carl Weathers is 71 today. Apollo Creed. Respect.
The U.S. Revolution ended today in 1784.
The Today Show debuted on this day in 1952.
OK, put on your thinking caps. Rushmore of all-time famous people who became an adjective. For example, Benedict Arnold, the all-time description for a traitor, would have been 258 today.
Go.