Tag Archives: nfl football

What Would Bill Walsh Say??

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In Dcecember of 2016 NFL Films presented “A Letter to Bill Walsh” by Professor Harry Edwards… What would he say to the Colin Kaepernick protest?? Before spouting nonsense…watch the vid of one of his best friends and confidant who organized the boycott of the Olympic Games of 1968 in Mexico City. Edwards still works for the 49ers and u can see him on the sidelines and in the locker room of every San Francisco 49er Super Bowl win. Then it got me to thinking “What would my Hall of Fame trip in August been like had he been there?” Sharing his connections of each inductee

It would have been great had he been alive for the last Hall of Fame ceremony and to have met him. He had links to so many who were enshrined. The 1st being Eddie Debartolo, former owner of the San Francisco 49ers, who gave him the coaching job he deserved.

hofticketHe would have mingled with all the former 49ers who were in attendance and partied all week. He would have obviously shared stories with his former offensive coordinator Mike Holmgren, whom I did meet right after his QB Brett Favre had just given his induction speech. What stories would they have shared?? I saw Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Roger Craig, and bumped into Brent Jones as I entered the Hall of Fame ceremony walking and joking with SS Carlton Williamson off his 1st 2 49er championship teams.

He would have had a blast talking to friend and fellow Northern Californian Dick Vermeil. Of course he was in town for the enshrinement of T Orlando Pace of his Greatest Show on Turf Rams. They were coaching confidants for decades. When Walsh first struggled with the 49ers, Dick was one of the coaches he leaned on. Who kept telling him to “hang in there” as revealed in a 2000 interview with NFL Films. Vermeil, I got the chance to share a laugh and a joke with in the Atlanta airport waiting for our connecting flight to Canton.

Had he been there with me at the time… he could have shared that laugh as Vermeil introduced me to Kevin Greene’s father sitting next to him. It was Walsh’s failure to block Greene when he had that 4 1/2 sack performance on a Sunday Night to put him on the NFL map in Walsh’s last Super Bowl season in 1988.

Had Bill Walsh been there it would be great to wish Dick Stanfel had been as well. Remember “The Fridge” when Mike Ditka put a defensive tackle in at running back to pay back San Francisco in the 80s?? Well it was Stanfel’s defensive line of the Chicago Bears that watched in the 1984 NFC Championship Game where Walsh put Guard Guy McIntyre in the backfield as an additional blocker. I got to share a couple stories with Bears DT Tyrone Keyes about those glory days hanging in the Canton airport with Hall of Fame LB Ricky “Dome Patrol” Jackson. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall to hear all those great stories they would have told had he been there.

stabler-crestI know he would have definitely had a lot to share with all the former Raiders in town for Ken Stabler’s enshrinement. Walsh, Madden, and Stabler were all Bay area legends. It was the Raiders legacy he was chasing all those years in San Francisco. Working to make the 49ers a perennial winner. Fighting for respect from the Bay area press..

Then you have Tony Dungy…one of the first coaches to have come up through the Minority Coaching Fellowship program he founded. Now here he was…the 1st black head coach to win a Super Bowl who was going into the Hall of Fame having coached in much the same temperament as Walsh.

hofdungyspeechCould you imagine the stories he could have shared with all those former LA Rams in attendance?? Certain elements of game plans of what to do against specific Rams they had to game plan for. All those 49ers and Rams were sitting not too far from one another…

Had Bill Walsh been there and broken away from the week long 49er party ( I still haven’t seen Gary Plummer since the Gold Jacket night…lol) could u imagine the game plan stories he could have shared at Gervasi Vineyard as everyone had wine at Kevin’s post enshrinement with all those former Rams?? What questions would they have had for Walsh?? What stories would he have shared??

Bill Walsh had links to everyone who was enshrined this year off the top of my head except Marvin Harrison. There has to be a link there somewhere…just hadn’t thought of it yet..

Joe Montana and Bill Walsh are linked forever in football lore.

Joe Montana and Bill Walsh are linked forever in football lore.

Could you imagine the fun had he been there for Canton this last August?? I definitely would have found him and shook his hand… however Walsh, Stanfel, Al Davis and Snake were up there looking down…smiling…and sharing stories of their own.

What would they have been sharing???

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2016 NFC Championship Preview: Green Bay Packers v. Atlanta Falcons

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Well if there are two tickets to paradise, one of them will get punched down in Atlanta today after the Packers take on the Falcons. We will know who will make it to Super Bowl LI from the NFC side of the ledger. Who will win??

This year's George Halas NFC Championship Trophy just arrived today in Atlanta.

This year’s George Halas NFC Championship Trophy just arrived today in Atlanta.

When it comes to championship football you always start with who will control the line of scrimmage?? Who is coming in with the best defense?? However with the Packers ranked 22nd and the Falcons 26th..what defense??

The Falcons are 28th against the pass and the Packers are 31st… well let the scoring begin.

Julio JonesAaron Rodgers has been the toast of the town since his last second throw to beat the Cowboys last week. Upon further review it’s the Falcons that are coming in with the league’s #2 ranked offense and their 540 points is the 6th highest in NFL history. Did you know when the Falcons and Packers faced each other in 2014, Julio Jones caught 11 passes for 259 yards and 1 score?? Yes that is the most yards by a Falcon receiver in their history.

When the two teams played earlier this season, Jones was held to 3 rec for 29 yards in a 33-32 win. Mohamad Sanu caught 9 for 84 yards and the game winner. Which shows Matt Ryan can score even when Dom Capers takes Jones away schematically. However lost in the euphoria of last week’s win in Dallas is Dez Bryant went off for 9 receptions 132 yards and 2 scores. If Julio goes off today…it could be a long day for Green Bay.

Oct 20, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) hands off the ball to wide receiver Ty Montgomery (88) in the first quarter against the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Dan Powers/The Post-Crescent via USA TODAY SportsThe Packers have won 8 in a row and they have scored over 30 in the last 6 straight. Rodgers has covered team deficiencies and led them to victory in more ways than any QB in football. Right here is where a Ty Montgomery and Aaron Ripkowski can help by sustaining a running game and keep the ball out of Ryan’s hands.

Green Bay is 6-2 this season when they can generate 100 yards in the running game. One of those losses was in Atlanta but they forced Matty Ice to win with a TD throw to Sanu with :31 left in the game. If they can sustain the run at the proper time and rob Atlanta of a couple possessions they can steal this game.

However the game will be decided by the OLine and running game that can impose their will on their opponent. In their matchup earlier this season Tevin Coleman (520 yds 8TDs) missed the game and Davonta Freeman (1,079 yds 11TDs) was held to 35 yards. They are both healthy and this team is 8-2 in games they rushed for over 100 yards.

The team that commits to the run will win this game…and that will be the Atlanta Falcons 38-30. One wildcard no one is talking about is the NFL’s sack leader Vic Beasley (15.5 sacks) and Dwight Freeney will be chasing Aaron Rodgers today. The Falcons need to establish the run and lean on it in the middle of the game where Matt Ryan falls into lulls which necessitate he scramble to win it in the end.

Establish the run and the Atlanta Falcons will be going to Houston to play for this trophy.

The Chancellor & Super Bowl LI Trophy at the Hall of Fame.

The Chancellor & Super Bowl LI Trophy at the Hall of Fame.

2016 NFC Divisional Playoff: Green Bay Packers @ Dallas Cowboys

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One of the biggest misnomers NFL brass has told the public is the phrase “It’s a quarterback driven league.” To that avail The Chancellor of Football has always countered “the game is won on the line of scrimmage.” Well today those axioms collide when the streaking Packers take a trip to Jerry World for today’s divisional match-up.

mccarthy-rodgersTruth be told one of the best things to happen for Aaron Rodgers in this year’s playoffs is to get away from Lambeau Field and into these temperature controlled domes where his play can flourish.  Close your eyes and think of Rodgers greatest playoff games…they’ve all come in domes.

In 2009 he threw for 423 yards and 4 TDs in a 51-45 overtime loss in the desert of Arizona. He followed that up on the march to Super Bowl XLV when he torched Atlanta in the Georgia Dome 48-21. In that one he was 31 of 36 for 366 yards throwing for 3 scores. Two weeks later he lit up the Steelers for 304 yards and 3 TDs in Jerry World to bring home the Lombardi. Rodgers game is never going to go 3 straight cold weather playoff games to the Super Bowl and he has to get out of Lambeau Field in January to get the Packers there.

Before last week, even all his Hail Mary’s had taken place in domes on the road and make no mistake he is the only way Green Bay wins this football game.

elliottWhen it comes to winning the game on the line of scrimmage, no one has illustrated this better than the Cowboys offensive line. In October 2014 The Chancellor of Football christened this group The Great Wall II as they have now paved the way for a 2nd rushing champion in Ezekiel Elliott. His 1,631 yards were buoyed by a 28 carry 157 yard performance at Lambeau that shapes the heart of this game.

Back in October C Travis Frederick, G Zack Martin, Ronald Leary, T Doug Free & Tyron Smith paved the way for 33 attempts and 191 yards rushing. This was also the game where Dak Prescott (18 of 27 for 247 yds 3TDs & 1 ints) proved he was no fluke out playing Rodgers (31 of 42 294 yds 1 TD & 1 ints) while only being sacked twice. When they line up with 2 backs and especially 2 TEs, Dallas wins on early downs. They wear out the defense and keep Prescott in manageable 2nd and 3rd down situations.

matthewsThis is where the game boils down to is Aaron Rodgers has to start hot and establish an early lead and force Prescott to throw. If they can do this and effectively take the ball out of Elliott’s hands they can control the tempo and make the Cowboys press on offense. Then Dom Capers can unleash Clay Matthews and show the exotic packages that have doomed young quarterbacks at this juncture of the playoffs.

This is where the rubber meets the road.

Not only is Green Bay 20th against the rush but they are 0-2 this season when facing a top 10 rushing attack. Who are those two teams?? Dallas ranked 2nd and Atlanta ranked 5th. In the NFL its hard to repeat an earlier performance however when you can knock your opponent back, that gameplan can travel.

Much like Emmitt Smith and the first Great Wall, we’ll have to go with Ezekiel Elliott and this one in this matchup. Dallas will win 37-24.

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Responding to Terry Bradshaw’s Criticism of Steeler Coach Mike Tomlin

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If there is one thing I have come to know and understand over the last few years covering the NFL is its a brotherhood. Sure some former players have issues with others who had been with rival teams but normally there is a public face masking any contempt. That has been blurred in recent years when former colleagues have become a part of the media covering the league.

tomlinNow come on Terry…keep it above board. In all honesty we should have seen this coming from Bradshaw. He was critiqued very harshly as a QB in a time where you didn’t have the 24 hour scrutiny we have now. Not tabloid garbage mind you. People forget he was called dumb by the media. “‘Lil Abner in cleats”…etc… etc Millions upon millions of people reading you’re dumb for years. He’s never recovered from it.

How do we know this?

Consider the fact Terry Bradshaw left the Steeler organization following the 1983 season yet didn’t return to Pittsburgh until 2002 for an onfield tribute. He didn’t attend the funeral of former Coach Chuck Noll in 2014 and had a strained relationship with the organization and the fans of Pittsburgh for decades. Not only has time not healed all wounds but the preferential treatment afforded many high profile quarterbacks such as John Elway and Peyton Manning have drawn the Hall of Famers ire.

bradshawDo you remember following Peyton Manning’s loss in Super Bowl XLVIII to Seattle he scoffed “If you like winning good during the season and losing Super Bowls, that’s your guy?”

Do you remember right before Super Bowl XXIV when Bradshaw was quoted “John’s problem is he’s been babied. You know, babied by the city until this year and babied by the coach (Dan Reeves) a little bit. It’s just too easy. And you know what I went through in Pittsburgh a little bit. There’s nothing worse than just getting hammered. You fight that stuff. I think John’s got to get tougher.”  National pundits, who treated Elway as a media darling, shot back their criticism of Bradshaw’s comments and were silenced by his next bombshell.

The weekend of Super Bowl XXIV, Bradshaw as a part of CBS coverage, sat in a round table discussion on the game. When it came time to give their predictions Terry offered “I don’t see how Denver can win this game. This sucker could get as bad as 55-3.” Not backing from his criticisms of Elway.  What was the final score? Try 55-10! How off was he??

Let’s face it Terry Bradshaw is the opinionated uncle you pre-warn guests coming to your family’s Thanksgiving Dinner about. Yet his Hall of Fame status and career achievement winning 4 Super Bowl titles lend him that license. What he had to endure at the hands of the press and even NFL Films before their triumph in Super Bowl X, has left him scarred. If he had to overcome harsh criticism why can’t others?? Therefore he subjects others to it even though he still rails against his treatment in Pittsburgh.

Even filming Chuck Noll- A Football Life Bradshaw said on camera he wished Noll had dealt him away and didn’t like playing for him. So now he says Mike Tomlin is a cheerleader as a coach which begs to question which is it? Should the coach be driving and demanding like Chuck Noll as he had instead?? The same coach he didn’t attend his funeral and still speaks ill of their professional time together?? Does he feel as though Tomlin isn’t authoritative enough as a disciplinarian in his tenure in Pittsburgh? What fuels the criticism??

When Tomlin fired back “But what do I know? I grew up a Dallas fan. Particularly a ‘Hollywood’ Henderson fan.” A complete dig at Bradshaw in a tongue in cheek way. You’ll remember right before Super Bowl XIII Henderson was quoted “Bradshaw is so dumb he couldn’t spell cat if you spotted him the “c” and the “a”… prompting a funny response from Henderson: hollywood

The entire episode really illustrates what is before Coach Tomlin. I agree with Bradshaw in the fact that he is not a great head coach at this point. However 1 more Super Bowl appearance and he’ll become the 13th coach to have his team play for it all 3 times dating back to 1950. A 2nd Super Bowl win and he’ll become the 11th coach in the last 50 years to do so. Seven of which are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Bill Belichick will be the instant he is eligible. Not to mention the first black coach to do so.

Much like Bradshaw in his day he needs that 2nd championship to make the sporting press and critics cite him as great. His teams have evolved from the run first, defensive stalwart he inherited from Bill Cowher to a team that relies on its flamboyant passing attack with dynamic receivers and timely defense.

Hmmmm… isn’t that what happened with Bradshaw’s first two championship teams which leaned on Franco Harris & Rocky Bleier and one of the greatest defenses ever?? Bradshaw matured & had 300 yard passing games as the Steelers won Super Bowls XIII & XIV?? He ironically was the NFL’s MVP in ’78 and MVP of both those Super Bowls. Yet he emerged from being the Trent Dilfer of his day when he stood in and threw the 64 yard clinching score to Lynn Swann cementing his 2nd championship back in Super Bowl X.

The more you study the situation there is more to parallel their marches than meets the eye. Is a Super Bowl between Pittsburgh and Dallas looming in a little over a month?? Coach Mike Tomlin, the playoffs start in 2 weeks…. your mission should you choose to accept it…

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The 2016 Taylor Blitz Times Defensive Player of the Year: Khalil Mack

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As the end of the NFL season draws near its time to talk about the awards for the 2016 campaign. Here at Taylor Blitz Times we’re about defense and it’s the most prestigious award The Chancellor doles out. Its been a banner year as we have recognized two defensive giants who made 2 different Hall of Fames. Our words were read to introduce Robert Brazile into the Gridiron Greats Hall of Fame in June, then our invite to Kevin Greene’s induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August. So this 6th time offering the Taylor Blitz Times Defensive Player of the Year will be a special one. Especially now that alumnus from here have made their way to football immortality.

Before we get started on this year’s Taylor Blitz Times Defensive Player of the Year, lets take a look back at past winners:

  1. D'Qwell Jackson leads a new pack of Dawgs in Cleveland.

    D’Qwell Jackson leads a new pack of Dawgs in Cleveland.

    2011 -D’Qwell Jackson: Cleveland Browns – Recorded 158 total tackles (115 solo) 3.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble with 2 recoveries and garnered 1 interception as the only light on a 4-12 team. The Browns were in the top ten defensively all year and finished 10th.

  2. 2012 –Navorro Bowman: San Francisco 49ers – Garnered 148 total tackles (98 solo) 2 sacks, 6 passes defensed, and 1 interception with a fumble forced. Was an All Pro force who outperformed his more celebrated All Pro teammate Patrick Willis. Starred on the NFL’s #3 defense and made the play of the year knocking down a 4th down pass to Roddy White on the last play of the NFC Championship Game. Sent the Niners to the Super Bowl.
  3. 2013 – Richard Sherman: Seattle Seahawks – He led the NFL with 8 interceptions, returning them for 158 yards and a week 4 TD against Houston that turned their season around. He also had 48 tackles, defensed 17 passes, recovered 2 fumbles and tipped Colin Kaepernick’s desperation throw into the game clinching interception in the NFC Championship Game.
  4. watt2014 – J.J. Watt: Houston Texans – One of the greatest defensive performances ever with 78 tackles, led the league with 20.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 5 recoveries returning 1 for a touchdown. Then had 1 interception returned 80 yards for his 2nd defensive touchdown. He drug a rebuilding Texan team to within a game of making the  playoffs with a 9-7 record in Bill O’Brien’s rookie season. May have been the greatest season by a defender in NFL history.
  5. 2015 – Thomas Davis: Carolina Panthers – The 6th best defense in 2015 & made it to Super Bowl L where Davis played with a plate in his broken arm just 2 weeks after the original injury. Toughness aside he garnered 105 total tackles (75 solo) 5.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 4 interceptions, and 2 fumble recoveries. Although his teammate Luke Kuechly garnered national media attention, the 4 additional sacks and 2 more forced fumble won Davis the last Taylor Blitz Times Defensive Player of the Year Award.

When gauging a defender’s impact the first thing you have to remember is at what point of the game does the defender make plays. When it comes to Khalil Mack he just had an 8 game streak snapped where he garnered at least 1 sack. The longest streak in the NFL in the last 7 years.

Mack terrorized Cam Newton in Oakland a few weeks back.

Mack terrorized Cam Newton in Oakland a few weeks back.

However a closer look and you’ll see his forcing a fumble in overtime to short-circuit a Tampa drive in a 30-24 win in week 8. Another flash came late in the 4th quarter in week 13 when a gassed Raider defense was hanging on by a thread as Buffalo drove to the Oakland 17. A touchdown seemed imminent as momentum was teetering in the Bills direction. Well until this generation’s Derrick Thomas dipped his shoulder, came around the corner sacking Tyrod Taylor forcing and recovering the fumble preserving a 38-24 win.

Not bad until you realize the week before saw the Raiders clinging to a 35-32 lead with 1:00 to go and the NFL’s reigning MVP Cam Newton had the Panthers in Oakland territory at the 44. One more completion and Carolina, clinging to fading playoff hopes, could attempt a game winning field goal. On cue Mack burst into the backfield steamrolling Newton for a sack forcing a fumble and recovering it preserving another victory. These points are the difference between an 11-3 Raider team in line for homefield advantage, and Tampa 1 game out of the NFC wildcard, Carolina & Buffalo 1 loss from playoff elimination.

Mack forcing the game winning fumble. All but eliminating the defending NFC Champions from postseason play in 2016.

Mack’s season has been transcendent as he has collected 55 tackles (46 solo) 11 sacks with 5 forced fumbles. He’s recovered 3, returning 1 for a touchdown before we remind you he has 1 pick for another touchdown that also came in the win over Carolina. These are huge impact plays that decide contests not innocuous stats in the middle of a game without meaning or context. In the last 2 seasons he has 14 sacks that have come in the 3rd & 4th quarter of games. What happens if he carries that type of presence into the postseason??

Sure there are 2 games left in the season but no defender has meant more or produced more during the 2016 campaign.  Khalil Mack is the 2016 Taylor Blitz Times Defensive Player of the Year.

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Thanksgiving Day 2016: Washington Redskins v. Dallas Cowboys Preview

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When the Dallas Cowboys sprinted out to a 9-1 record, deep in the heart of Texas, fans were ready to anoint this the NFC’s best team. Its a legitimate argument as they have the NFL’s best record. However a closer look shows a series of teams separating from the pack along with The Boys from Jerry World.

Cousins is killing it in a contract year.

Cousins is killing it in a contract year.

Do you realize the Washington Redskins are 6-1-1 in their last 8 games? They come into this turkey shoot with the NFL’s 2nd ranked offense (3rd in passing/10th in rushing) as Kirk Cousins has dazzled in a contract year. All of this is happening under the radar thanks to the large shadow cast by the Cowboys.

What the Cowboys have feasted on has been coming out, establishing the lead and lean on their running game. Ezekiel Elliott is just ahead of former Cowboy DeMarco Murray for the NFL rushing lead 1,102 to 1,000. This masks their deficiencies as a defense. Sure Dallas’ D is 3rd in rushing yards allowed, however a closer look reveals a 17th ranking allowing 4.2 yards per rush. Did you know the Redskins 10th ranked running game is 5th in the league averaging 4.6 yards per rush?? So what happens if they establish a lead in Dallas??

The saving grace for the Cowboys and The Great Wall II is the Redskins are terrible against the run allowing 4.6 yards per carry. The 2nd worst in the league… yup 31 out of 32 teams.

While Dak Prescott has played tremendous and has shown to be the future in Dallas, Cousins has become that in Washington. He has 3,091 yards while passing for 17 touchdowns which equals Prescott’s TD total.

The Garcon Crowder, Jackson combination has been lethal in the nation's capitol.

The Garcon Crowder, Jackson combination has been lethal in the nation’s capitol.

  1. Jamison Crowder 47 rec. 637 yards 6 TDs
  2. Jordan Reed 49 rec. 535 yards 3 TDs
  3. Pierre Garcon 48 rec. 593 yards 2 TDs

Once you realize each of these Redskin receivers is in reach of having 1,000 yard seasons it hits you: Where is DeSean Jackson?? Right behind them with 34 receptions for another 467 yards and 2 touchdowns. Keep in mind this team is 4-2 against opponents with a .500 record or better. It would be 5-2 if the Green Bay Packers weren’t falling into the abyss.

While it’s true the Cowboys are building a legitimate Super Bowl contender, they have to get out of their own division first. This is the best race the NFC East has seen since the 90’s with both the Giants and Redskins coming on as the season’s progressed. No one is talking about this Washington Redskins team…

The Chancellor’s choice in a rousing game is Washington winning a high scoring affair 36-24.

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