Canon Fodder – Sports Blog

By Joe Moskwa

Crown ‘em. That’s it. That should just about wrap it up. Yes, while some of you may say “I coulda told you that eight weeks ago,” I’m officially giving the title to the Pats this year. It’s my opinion the chips fell in such a place that will allow me to be 100% sure of who this year’s Super Bowl winner will be. I’m not just PICKING them, I’m CALLING it. (There’s a difference). And again, most of you are probably wondering why this is such “big news”, but there’s a reason they actually PLAY the game.

So save your thoughts and conversations on the significance of an Eli Manning versus the Manning-shunned draft day Chargers Super Bowl, because it won’t happen.

Because I’m calling it. Ballgame.

Last weeks recap:

Peeeeeyton. Duuuude. Really? One and done? Say it ain’t so. Say you’ll be back next year. And speaking of the loss to the Chargers, if you watched it and paid attention to the biased announcing, would Dan Dierdorf totally have Peyton’s baby or what?

Let’s give the Jacksonville Jaguars a nice round of applause on a very solid season. It’s almost unfair that they have to play in the AFC during the Brady-Manning era. But I think it’ll make them even stronger.

Dallas? Nice job on playing a thirteen-game college season this year. And why is it so satisfying to see a rich old guy look SO pissed off? I think Jerry Jones really WAS about to take the headphones from one of the coaches on Sunday and take over, just like he does in my favorite cola commercial.

Let’s make some picks. (Not that I’d condone taking my advice this season. I really think this season is cursed for me).

Sunday, January 20th, 2008
AFC Championship Game, 3:00 pm
San Diego Chargers at New England Patriots – Bolts getting 14.5
Yeah, like I was saying a minute ago. I expect the Pats to roll. But let me backtrack for a second. I gave coach Turner some flack earlier this season but he gets my game ball from last week. Gates was hurt. Rivers was knocked out. L.T., perhaps the best back in the game? Out. Chargers defensive game plan? Gold. They had the Colts’ number this year, but like I mentioned before, they aren’t the team to knock the Patriots out. New England is on a major mission, and they’ll plow over the Bolts in their last home game of the year. By about 17.
Pick: Give the two TDs and take the Pats (-14.5).

NFC Championship Game, 6:30 pm
New York Giants at Green Bay Packers – G-Men getting 7.5
Last week I jokingly called an All-Manning Super Bowl and I said Eli wasn’t ready. But he’s a GAME away! Coach Coughlin and his heavily motivated team kept Archie Manning’s Sunday from being ruined. Could you imagine watching both your sons being eliminated from the playoffs in the same day? Ouch. The Giants get a gameball as well, but I don’t. I actually broke my Lambeau winter rule and took the Seahawks last week! Am I crazy? Favre is playing like a kid, that O-line is amazing, and Ryan Grant and his long strides can bust an 80-yarder at any moment. The Packers are worthy of a title this year and I fully expect a rematch of Super Bowl XXXII. (Packers 35, Patriots 21, 1997, Louisiana Superdome. Desmond Howard took two kicks back to the house).

You’ll also remember that Favre’s hair was brown back then. (You’ll see the clips soon enough). So I have to go back to my rule. Gotta take the Pack. By about 10.
Pick: Cheeseheads giving a touchdown (-7.5).

Side note: Will I put money on these picks? Probably not because this is the last REAL weekend of football, so I just plan on enjoying it. If I HAD to bet? Patriots by 17.

Enjoy the games.

By Joe Moskwa

I would have to say this is my favorite playoff weekend of the entire NFL season. But before I get to my rambling, let’s recap last week’s games.

It was like the Seahawks were saying to the ‘Skins in the third quarter last week, “Miss this field goal and you’re DONE.”

Props to Eli for winning his first playoff game.

Titans? How did you make the playoffs without moving the ball an INCH all year?

And I heard the LAMEST statistic during the Steelers – Jags game last week. It went something like this: “The Steelers have never lost to the same team twice at home in one season before”. Let’s think about this for a moment. Look at any NFL team’s schedule any given season. Peep their home games. Yup, you guessed it; eight DIFFERENT opponents for eight different games. Great stat, Sherlock. If I hadn’t been pounding beers all day I would tell you who came up with this little nugget of non-wisdom.

Anyway, yes this is my favorite playoff week. We have four games to watch again, and I’d say at least six of these remaining teams are worthy of a title. As for last week? It looked nice on paper, but wasn’t as exciting as I had thought it would be. I did go 3-1 straight up, which I feel is a feat. Before I looked at the spreads for this week, I was pumped up at the thought of some good games. But Vegas says they are ALL going to be blowouts. I hope they’re wrong. I just want to see at least a couple of close games. If I were to wager? I’d probably (maybe) take the points in all games but the Indy game. I’m feeling an Indy POUNDING on the Chargers, but the game I’m most interested in watching is, of course, the Pats-Jags game. Which reminds me, I heard there’s another conference of teams playing some big games this weekend. I’m told they call themselves the “NFC”. (Okay, I made this joke a few days ago and someone said I should put it in the blog. I really don’t mean it, Brett, I swear. Same to you Terrell, I hope we’re still boys).

Onto the picks…

Divisional Playoffs – Saturday, Jan. 12
#3 Seattle Seahawks at #2 Green Bay Packers – Pack by 7.5
Let’s play a game while watching this. Let’s count how many times they show the Matt Hasselbeck “We want the ball and we’re gonna SCORE,” clip during the game. After that, let’s count how many times they mention Holmgren’s return to Lambeau. And that Holmgren was a mentor to Favre, and now a mentor to Hass. Also, I might have to break a Golden Rule of gambling. Pack at home always automatic? Right? Sure, I feel they’ll win. But something about Holmgren’s return says to take the points. Pack by 4-6.
PICK: Take the Waterfowl and the points (+7.5), but the Pack still wins.

#5 Jacksonville Jaguars at #1 New England Patriots – Pats giving 13.5
Well, here it is. Like I said, Jacksonville and Indy are the two teams with a prayer of knocking off the Pats. But what Vegas is saying here is the Pats aren’t going to let ANYONE stop them from finishing what they started. I’m calling a close game with New England making an extra play or two at the end, and winning by about 10.
PICK: Take the black cats and all those points (+13.5), but the Pats prevail.

Divisional Playoffs – Sunday, Jan. 13
#3 San Diego Chargers at #2 Indianapolis Colts – Bolts getting 9.5
It would be a total waste of NFL space if the Chargers were going to New England this weekend. I’m still just not sold on Philip Rivers. He does nothing for me. A total stud TE and the best RB in the game just doesn’t get an AFC team to the Super Bowl. Even with one of the FASTEST defenses in the game. I wonder if they would’ve kept Brees if he didn’t get hurt in his last game out there? I hope the Browns aren’t about to pull a ‘Chargers’ and dump their Brees (Derek Anderson) for their Rivers (Quinn). Anyway, this is the defending champions’ first playoff game of the season. ROLLLL Peyton roll.
PICK: Give the points and take the Colts.

#5 New York Giants at #1 Dallas Cowboys – ‘Boys by 7.5
The Cowboys and Jaguars are my sleepers this playoff season. Well, it’s hard to call the top seed a sleeper, but I don’t think people realize how close Dallas is to winning the Super Bowl this year. Terrell says get the popcorn ready for this one. As for the Giants? I don’t see them laying down. They’re gonna be able to move the ball. If I were to bet on this one, I’d have to take the points. Plus, they’re HOT. My bet is that this will be the best game of the group.
PICK: G-Men and the touchdown, (+7.5).

STRONGEST PICK: Indy –9.5
SECOND STRONGEST PICK: Giants + 7.5
BETTINGTIP: Tell your bookie that you’re staying away from the Pack and Pats this week. Just turn on the tube and enjoy the show.

By Joe Moskwa

The playoffs are here, and from the looks of things, this weekend should be entertaining. I absolutely love these match-ups, and it’s hard to not pull for ALL of the teams involved.

Even though I already talked about how slow it can seem to watch a lone NFL game – due to the endless commercials and how long the red-flag challenges are – I’m really looking forward to it. I won’t even mention this again, but there ARE a couple of things I’m still not sold on. First, division winners; I still stand by the fact I believe winning a division is very overrated. Take Tampa Bay for instance. They’re one of my favorite teams, I’ve been to their stadium, I’m a huge Garcia, Galloway fan, but they finished 9-7. 9-7 is okay, but they are HOSTING a first round game? Hosting a 10-6 team? Just because they won a division? It’s like the Giants are being penalized for being in the same division as the Cowboys. This will happen almost every year when the number of divisions in each conference (4) doubles the number of non-division winning wild card teams (2) every year. The same goes for Jacksonville (11-5) traveling up to play in Pittsburgh (Steelers 10-6) this Sunday. C’mon NFL, it should go by record.

The other thing I’m not sold on? The New England Patriots winning the Super Bowl. Now while I’d LOVE to make a bold prediction and pick a specific team that’s going to knock off the PATS (say the Colts), and then stick by it and see it come true. But I’m not doing that. All I’m really saying is the Pats put a lot of energy into the regular season, and there are going to be two VERY powerful AFC teams GUNNING for them soon. My call is the two Patriots games will be close, and I won’t be surprised if they get knocked off. The Jags are sound, and the Colts are still the champs. I’d mention the Chargers here, but I don’t think they are built correctly to knock off this year’s Patriots. The Colts and/or Jags will come closest, and if one of those two makes the Super Bowl, the Colts take the Cowboys, but the Cowboys take out the Jags. If the Pats make the Super Bowl? Blowout win.

Okay, onto the picks.

Saturday
Washington Redskins (9-7) at Seattle Seahawks (10-6) – Waterfowls by 3.5
Maxim magazine picked Joe Gibbs as one of their top five coaches this year – to get fired. Nice call guys. Others mentioned? Coach Crennel of the Browns, and Coach McCarthy of the Packers. See? I’m not the ONLY one making bad picks! Also, my BIGGEST pet peeve around here in Michigan: All the fans that root for the Patriots just because Tom Brady went to Michigan. Yeah that’s real hard to root for the top team. And most of them are women. Drives me nuts. One woman I know went to Michigan State, and she didn’t believe me when I mentioned Brady went to Michigan. The others? Quick, name the quarterback Brady replaced. Hint: He also took the Pats to a Super Bowl. [dead silence]. Who is the QB for the Redskins? [dead silence]. It’s Todd Collins. What college did he attend? [dead silence]. This is what I have to deal with around here. “Visiting season” just passed (that’s where I get stuck going to gatherings on Sundays, and I have to listen to simple-minded statements while football is on), and when I have to hear someone rooting for the Pats and not the ‘Skins, it’s almost the same as rooting for Bill Gates and the big oil companies. Anyway, my point here is: Go Todd Collins. I hope you have a starting job next year. The rest of you? Your fanhood has been revoked.
PICK: Gibbs and the racial slurs! (+3.5)

Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) – Iron City getting 3
Don’t get me started on how the Jags have to fly up to the Steel City. Oh wait, I already got started. Okay, I called the Jags “boring to watch” this year. I did. Well, that’s probably because they play playoff-style football in the regular season. Run, manage the clock, run, manage the clock, play sound defense, play sound defense. All the little things you’ll NEVER see out of the Detroit Lions. I’m looking forward to the Jags taking this one outright.
PICK: Black Cats giving the figgie. (-3)

Sunday
New York Giants (10-6) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) – Bucs by 3
Another fun game to watch. I still can’t stress how much I love this week’s games. I’d go to this game… if my wife would let me. Odds of that happening? 0%. Not even 0.5 or 0.7. Zero. Thank god there’s this new invention that I just adore. It’s called the television. And mine will be tuned into channel Tampa this Sunday. Pick? Giants. By about 4. Why? Because I’m calling it now! The MANNING-MANNING Super Bowl! (Just kidding). Eli isn’t quite there yet.
PICK: G-Men and the figgie. (+3)

Tennessee Titans (10-6) at San Diego Chargers (11-5) – Bolts by 10
The Titans released Steve McNair last year because he always seemed to be getting hurt. His replacement? Vince Young. This is like the time a buddy of mine got rid of his black Labrador retriever because she sheds too much, but then he goes out and gets a German shepherd. If Vince Young even plays this Sunday, we won’t know for how long. There’s a good chance a Nittany Lion will be taking some Titan snaps on Sunday. PICK? The Chargers are charged, LT is rolling, and I gotta take the Bolts at home. Covering the spread? Probably not. Only because the Titans had them on the ropes a few weeks back, and Jeff Fisher rarely lets his team lay down.
PICK: Take the Thumbtacks and all those points. (+10)

And here’s a little preview for 2008 you can start paying attention to right now. Quarterbacks to watch for next year in regards to them starting or not, and WHERE they’ll be playing: Steve McNair, Todd Collins, Drew Stanton, Chris Redman, Kurt Warner.

Happy New Year.