Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Fumbling for answers.

Having watched a lot more film of the Saints/Vikings game I've now made a decision. I've decided not to continue to harp on about how the Saints were the fortunate recipients of multiple turnovers. I've decided I'm not going to mention the fact that like so many teams this season, the Vikings basically gifted the game to the Saints by messing up their last possession, pushing themselves to the brink of field goal range before finally deciding that it wasn't enough, and instead turned the ball over to the Saints, just to make sure they didn't do something silly like kick a game winning field goal. I've decided I'm not going to bang on about the Saints repeated late hits on QB Bret Favre, which a more cynical person than myself might think were a deliberate and unsporting attempt to injure him and force him out of the game. I'm not even going to bring up the overtime pass intereference call that never was or the incompletion that was somehow ruled a catch, even after booth review. No, I'm going to take this opportunity to pounce on Adrian Peterson. For long enough I've listened to the claim that Peterson is the greatest natural football player in the league etc, etc. Two things strike me. a) Last season he had more carries than any other back in the league and so surprise, surprise, he topped the league in rushing yards. This year he had the fourth most attempts and finished fifth in total yards. He had more carries last year than Chris Johnson did this year, yet Johnson came up over 200 yards better. His average yards per carry this year was well short of many of the other top notch Running backs in the league. And of course b) he fumbles the ball like it was going out of fashion, leading the league among running backs. Just like he did the previous year (we'll ignore the fact that Frank Gore came second in 2008, because he's a 49er, and therefore above all criticism). And not only does he have problems holding onto the ball, it always seems to crop up at the most crucial moments, or what's otherwise know around where I live as 'a bottle job'. When the big stage comes calling and it's do or die time, Peterson dies like a Salmon flailing in the jaws of a big Grizzly Bear. That's why I have a hard time digesting him as the greatest back in the league and 'the most naturally gifted football player in the NFL'. (I'm not really sure who does qualify for that title, but Chris Johnson is certainly up there as is, bizzarely, Browns NT Shaun Rogers). Ahhhh, that's better. Rant over.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Who cares?

Having just watched the Saints/Vikings highlights, I now don't care who wins the Superbowl, providing it's a good game. The Saints got probably the most suspicious pass interference call of all time in Overtime and that helped set up the field goal. Couple that with the Vikings outstanding ability to fumble the football on mulitple occassions and you've basically given the Saints a bye to their first ever Superbowl. Jesus.

The NFL is dead. Long live the National Flag League.

Ohhhhh woe is me! I don't even know what that means but it sounds suitably dramatic, much like the problems I've had getting my computer, my Internet and then Blogger to try and work in harmony lately. Finally the planets have aligned and I'm back. For now. I've also given up the ridiculous notion of trying to pick winners in football games, as my Divisional round picks went 0-4 and my Championship picks stumbled abruptly at 0-2. There are several reasons for this, chief among them being the lack of coaching consistency when it comes to planning and calling games (Ravens; threw just 10 passes against the Patriots then went on a pass frenzy versus the Colts) and the suspicious state of NFL officiating in Colts games (someone should really point out that 'rub' plays count as an 'illegal pick', which constitutes offensive pass interference). And so we skip forward to the present and the Colts will now take on the Saints in the Superbowl. It's a shame, I had hoped Rex Ryan and co would pull off the fairy tale story, but sadly they forgot that while Mark Sanchez is pretty good, he's still not as good as his hype, therefore asking him to throw 30 times a game is a little ambitious at this stage. I've not had the chance to check the highlights of the Saints/Vikings game so I can't really comment on that, except that is disappointing not to see old man Christmas, a.k.a Brett Favre, in the 'Bowl one last time. So who do I want to win the big one? Well, despite a season of moaning and complaining about their hype, I would actually like to see the Saints win. Why? Basically because I don't want the Colts to. Why? Because that's who the NFL wants to win, presumably so they can flog more tickets etc and proclaim the NFL as the greatest sports spectacle on earth. How do we know the NFL is backing the Colts? Well we don't, not for certain. But I must admit they have a mighty impressive record of charming officials to their cause. Their receivers get tapped, it's defensive pass interference. Their receivers bundle people off the ball and obstruct the coverage guys and that seems to be fine. All this leads me to believe that strings are being pulled somewhere. If one group of officials let it go, I could just about handle that. You could argue that they have a higher tolerance than others for it and that they'll call it right next time. But week after week? It just seems that anytime the Colts are stumbling, usually against a well organised and orchestrated D like the Jets, they just dial up the 'pick' play or else chuck the ball long, make a bit of contact with a defender and then hit the turf and wait knowingly for the the yellow flag. (and for god sake don't e-mail me moaning about Screen plays, I can tell the difference thank you). The reality is the Colts don't deserve their spot, in the same way that the Cardinals didn't deserve to beat the Packers after manipulating the rules and officials to their advantage (points the finger at Larry Fitzgerald). It's a sham. And that's why I hope to god the Saints roll the Colts over in Miami, and why I'm almost certain that the Colts will win. The NFL is dead. Long live the National Flag League.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Divisional Round picks

Saturday: NFC - Cardinals @ Saints -- Honestly speaking, I don't care who wins this one. The Saints are over rated and the Card's basically cheated their way to the play offs. I'd rather see the Saints win, but given their losing streak at the end of the season, their extended time since last playing a competitive game and the Cardinals momentum coming into this game, I think Arizona has the edge. Cardinals win. AFC - Ravens @ Colts -- Much has been made of the fact that the Ravens only attempted 10 passes last week and even then only completed 4, as well as throwing a pick. The theory is that you can't do that to an explosive team like the Colts. The theory is that they will run up so many early points you won't be able to take such a controlled and hard nosed approach. The theory is that defense alone cannot contain the Colts. Maybe in the wild card round you can get away with it, but not against a run away offense like the Colts. The theory is that maybe you can get away with it against lower, slower opposition like last week when the Ravens played, uhm, the Patriots? Yeah. The Patriots. Only the team that put 59 points up against the Titans. The same team that has Brady at QB and Moss at WR. And this is what I love about NFL analysis on TV. To use a slightly more bizarre and food based analogy what you're basically saying is that if I put butter (the Ravens rush heavy attack) on a piece of sliced bread (the Patriots) then that's fine, but it won't taste anywhere near as good if I put it on a piece of Baguette (the Colts). It's just another day in the life of the TV analyst I guess. Don't look at what's happening on the ground, just think back to the lines you've heard a thousand times before and then re-spout them as you're own knowledge. Fact 1. The Ravens tore Brady and his offense a new one. Fact 2. The Ravens D forced multiple turnovers from Brady whereas Flacco only threw 1 pick. Fact 3. The highly touted Patriots "... explosive aerial offense..." notched just 14 points last week. Fact 4. The Ravens "... slow.." rushing attack, that "... lacks explosive potential..." and desperately needs to "... throw more than just 10 times a game..." just happened to score 27 of the Ravens 33 points last week. That includes an 83-yard dash by Ray Rice as the team ended up totalling 234 yards rushing. So at what point is this offense incapable of matching the Colts? Not to mention the increased caliber of the Ravens D of late. They've played with a purpose and are finally starting to click once more. They got great pressure on Brady, especially up the middle, and according to a snippet of an interview of Ray Lewis (by Deion Sanders), Peyton Manning can expect the same treatment. Simply put, the Ravens know there is little threat of a big rush from the Colts. That means it's all on Manning and they have his number already. I think the Colts will take longer to get into the feel and rhythm of the game, and this a lot of people will be upset and shocked when the Ravens run out of town with a victory. Ravens win. Sunday: NFC - Cowboys @ Vikings -- Oh boy, this one is going to make or break Tony Romo. Yeah, make or break. Beat Brett Favre and everyone will be wetting their pants at how the old has been brushed aside by the new etc. Lose and the criticism will come flying in about how Favre has more bottle and Romo isn't in the same league as Brett when it comes to crunch time etc. Comparing them offensively, I think the Vikings have a slight edge. I think their potential to do damage is much greater. And herein lies the problem. Potential. Adrian Peterson is dangerous. He can turn a simple run into a big gain with one cut. And when a defense becomes fixated by him, play action will rip you up. But then the Vikings this season don't like running..... They become one dimensional. The TV pundits often repeated line is that defenses force them to become one dimensional by stopping the run. But then that's the whole point of having Favre, to throw against an 8-man box. Defense's don't force the Vikings to be one dimensional, they bring it on themselves. They don't even try and run it. That's the whole point with AP. You'll run the ball 20-25 times and 15 or more you might get stopped for just 2 or 3 yards. But then some runs he will just bust right through the defense and go on a mad charge down the field, knocking people out of the way and carrying defenders into the endzone. You just have to persevere. Honestly, I don't think they will. I think Ratliff up the middle will shut down some runs and suddenly they'll get pass happy. The Cowboys secondary isn't great, but with the pressure they're generating up front, I like their chances. Their offense can handle the Vikings D and their D can handle the Vikings offense. This might just be the game that convinces them they can win the Superbowl. Either that or they'll be convinced they can't win one with Tony and go hunting elsewhere (McNabb?). Cowboys win. AFC - Jets @ Chargers -- Hand on heart, I don't care who wins. Why? Because I like both teams. I like Rex Ryan and I like what he's doing with the Jets. I like their pressure based D. I like the way they've clearly laid out for Sanchez what he can and can't do in the passing game. I like the way they have become progressively more confident in their rushing attack, while setting up play action for Sanchez to make his life easier. I like the way they stick with the run. And I like the way they've pushed Shonne Greene to take more and more carries as his career blossoms before our very eyes. You can just tell that the quality of the coaching is superb for the Jets and they give their guys all the chances and help they need to succeed. On the opposite sideline, the Chargers have Norv Turner at the helm. Despite everything he has done as a coach, despite all the success that he has had in various places over the years, he still doesn't get anywhere near the respect he deserves. Norv keeps his schemes simple, but open to adaptation as the season progresses. It's intuitive and not over bearing. And most importantly, it's successful, as the Chargers have proven with another great year that sees them back in the playoffs. While LT has hardly been lighting up defenses on the ground, he does still get the job done efficiently on short yardage and especially around the goal line. Meanwhile Philip Rivers is making connections downfield to drive the ball inexorably closer to pay dirt. But defense will win the day. Both teams have shown they can produce offensively, albeit in a markedly different manner to each other. But whose defense will hold up best? Who can bust the other team down? And I think the choice is obvious don't you? Of course. The Chargers. Yep. See the Jets succeed by shutting down the oppositions number one guy. With his best target covered the QB pulls the ball down and goes looking for number 2, which is about the same time that he gets hit in the face by the pass rush. With the Chargers however, it's going to be tougher. Firstly, their backs have proven repeatedly that they are some of the best in the league when it comes to pass protection (with the Giants probably at the opposite end of the scale). Next we have to consider the receivers. There is little doubt that Vincent Jackson will be getting to know Darrelle Revis rather intimately on Sunday, as Revis attempts to insert himself permanently into Jacksons pocket. TE Antonio Gates will probably find himself doubled all game with a linebacker underneath and a safety over the top. Enter Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee. Rivers trusts both receivers. Both have shown they can play with the big boys. This week, their job is to step up and play instead of the big boys. They will need to make catches and turn them into big gains. The more they do that, the more coverage they can draw away, mainly from Gates. If Rivers is smart (which he is) he probably won't even throw in the direction of Revis all game. He'll be looking out for and locking in on his best match up. I think the Jets have a great D, but maybe not enough to handle everything the Chargers can through at them. Chargers win. So that's me done picking for another week. All that remains to say is enjoy your weekend and thank you to God as my beloved 49ers are rolling into town this October as they come across the Atlantic to enjoy the delights of a British Autumn (fall). All I need now is some tickets.......

Monday, January 11, 2010

Wildcard weekend Sunday round up

NFC - Packers 45 @ Cardinals 51 -- Let's get two things straight right off the bat. #1, the Packers have only themselves to blame for their turnovers, one of which ultimately cost them the game. #2 This was probably one of the most exciting games of football in recent memory. And now the rant can begin. 'Cos this was also the biggest joke in footballing history, an abomination that brings the otherwise excellent reputation (deserved) of the NFL officiating into disrepute. Simply put, the Packers were robbed. On both TD passes to Larry Fitzgerald, Packers CB Charles Woodson was unceremoniously knocked to the ground. This was more than interference, it was downright blatant cheating. It's surely no coincidence that the twice victim of this tactic is also considered (and rightly so) to be the Packers best defensive back. Then just to add insult to injury, on the second TD there was a call for roughing the passer.... despite the contact beginning prior to the release of the ball This just shocked me when I saw it. The NFL has a reputation for being a pass friendly/offense friendly league. But this took it to far. If a defensive player makes contact with a receiver beyond 5 yards from the LOS then they get called for illegal contact downfield. So how in the hell can they compete when receivers are slamming them to the ground? Honestly, this is just disgusting. I've ranted before about how 'pick' or 'rub' plays are supposed to be illegal and yet go completely unnoticed (Colts, Cardinals, in particular), but this truly was the icing on the cake. I'd like to talk about the Cardinals QB Kurt Warner and his amazing achievement of going 29/33 for 379 yards and 5 TDs. But I can't. To do so would dishonour the Packers defense who were robbed on two plays that resulted in 14 points. Without them, the Cardinals would be going home. I'm just still in shock. To give you an idea of how annoyed I am, think about this. All season long I've had it in for the Saints. They're over rated and make a living off of hype. But next weekend, I hope they pound the Cardinals into the floor. That's how badly I want the Cardinals to lose now. If Arizona makes the Superbowl, it'll be nothing more than a sick joke. On a more positive note, if Green Bay can keep their players and coaches in place for next season, they're going to be a seriously dangerous team. AFC - Ravens 33 @ Patriots 14 -- 10 passes. That's all Joe Flacco threw. Yet contrary to popular opinion (in the NFL & among 'spread' lovers) throwing that little doesn't mean you're guaranteed to lose. In fact, that probably guaranteed the Ravens victory. Rice and McGahee shared no less than 42 carries between them, chalking a combined 221 yards and 3 TDs. Compare that to Tom Brady's stats; 23/42, 154 yards, 2 TDs & 3 INTs. The fact is, the Patriots got taken apart. Even though Flacco threw a pick (yeah, on only 10 passes!), by keeping the ball out of his hands the Ravens reduced turnovers and controlled the ball, keeping it away from the potentially explosive Pats. And with the Ravens scoring three TDs and a FG in the 1st quarter, the Patriots were doomed to try and pass to catch up, along with the turnovers that normally go hand in hand with such a prolonged endeavour. Ah well, at least I got my pick right! So that's 3/4 pick wise this week. If it wasn't for some appalling refereeing, I'd be 4/4 so I'm happy. And now we have the fixtures set for the divisional round, as the Cardinals travel to the Saints (NFC) and the Ravens travel to the Colts (AFC) on Saturday, and on Sunday, the Vikings play host to the Cowboys (NFC) and the Chargers welcome the Jets (AFC). Should be four pretty good games. Later in the week I'll talk about momentum and on Friday I'll share my picks for the weekends action.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Wildcard weekend Saturday round up

NFC - Eagles 14 @ Cowboys 34 -- It's been 14 years but it was worth the wait. The Cowboys finally break their miserable streak and win a post season game. And what a win. The score looks impressive, but even that doesn't do it justice. The Cowboys chalked up 10 more first downs than the Eagles and given the explosiveness of the Cowboys in this game, that's saying something. They executed in all facets of the game and the Eagles didn't. Compare the 3rd down totals for example. Eagles 2/11 (18%), Cowboys 9/16 (56%). As predicted, the Eagles abandoned the run. McCoy and Weaver shared the prize for most carries on their team with 5 each. That's pathetic. The end result is a one dimensional offense that modern defensive co-ordinators have little trouble dealing with. They can dial up the pressure and let their pass rush loose, safe in the knowledge that gap soundness can be relaxed just a touch. The result was four sacks and not a lot of offense from Philadelphia. Their best play was when Michael Vick entered the game and on his first throw he sent a laser pass to Jeremy Maclin, who took it 76 yards for a TD and the longest play in Eagles post season history. And it was a laser. Whatever Vick lost while he was incarcerated, he's gradually getting it back. Next year is going to be a good year for him. Meanwhile, Tony Romo was going wild with 23/35 for 244 yards and 2 TDs. But the real star was Felix Jones. 16 carries for 148 yards and a TD, including a 73 yard dash that is now the longest run in Cowboys post season history. He also made one catch, for 30 yards, which involved tearing off down the sideline at break neck speed before vaulting a poor excuse for a tackle and then tippy toeing a few more yards until he finally went out of bounds. It was, as Sterling Sharpe is fond of saying, 'a thing of beauty'. And so was my pick! AFC - Jets 24 @ Bengals 14 -- Ask yourself a question. Knowing that your opposition for the next game a) has the best (and the only true shutdown) cornerback in the league & b) is very fond of exotic blitzes, and bearing in mind that you have three very good running backs and an O-line that is pretty dominant, would you prefer to run the ball a lot or pass it a lot? If you said pass then you can read the mind of the Bengals coaching staff. And you're also an idiot. The Bengals went 18/36 for 146 yards, 1 TD and 1 Int. They have a perfectly good (possibly even exceptional) 3 man rushing attack and their O-line has man handled people in the run game all year. Yet they are now out of the post season due to their inexplicable desire to be ranked among the more pass happy teams of the pass happy NFL. The Jets are the opposite. You get the feeling that their Head Coach Rex Ryan doesn't care whether it's pretty or not, a win is a win. And that's what they got. It was ugly, brutal, down in the trenches football (love it!) and it did indeed get them a win. Sanchez attempted just 15 passes (less than half as many as Palmer), but he completed 12 and clocked 182 yards (36 more than Palmer) for a TD and crucially, no INT. And as the Bengals stuck doggedly to one back, despite having two others to spare, the Jets shared the wealth between Shonne Greene (21 carries, 135 yards, 1 TD) and Thomas Jones (15 carries, 34 yards, 1 TD). The result was a bruising ground game that went hard for 60 minutes and set up some great play action for Sanchez to exploit. Throw in three sacks for the Jets (to the Bengals 0) plus a forced fumble and an interception for Darrelle Revis, who held Chad Ochocinco to just 2 catches for 28 yards, and you have yourself a recipe for a playoff win. The Jets advance and rightly so. They were the better team, with the better gameplan, and they've earned every last bit of praise that they'll receive in the run up to their next game. Including my thanks for making it 2 out of 2 for my Saturday picks!

Saturday, January 09, 2010

Wildcard weekend picks

The time is nearly upon us. The Great prize of the NFL, the SuperBowl, looms ever closer. But even getting there is a challenge in its own right. This week we see 8 teams do battle in the wildcard round and here's my picks: Saturday: NFC - Eagles @ Cowboys -- It's been tough for the Eagles lately, especially against the Cowboys. Their perennial problem of throwing too much reared its ugly head again last week. They just don't seem to have any confidence in the running backs to earn them solid gains on a consistent basis. Which is a shame, because they have Brian Westbrook, LeSean McCoy, and fullback Leonard Weaver. And that's pretty much a perfect 'West Coast Offense' backfield. Weaver has already shown he can run and pass, so the fact that they under utilize him always seems very odd. Conversely the Cowboys have had a pretty good season. They've banished their December winning woes (at least for one season) and have the luxury of both a versatile attack and a dogged defense. DeMarcus Ware and Jay Ratliff spearhead an awesome unit that seems to get stronger every week. Meanwhile Tony Romo is finding his groove with number one wideout Miles Austin, and he still has Jason Witten and Patrick Crayton as two very reliable second editions. Throw in the three headed rushing monster (Barber, Choice, Jones) and the Cowboys have a huge shout of winning their first post season game since 1996. Given the balance of tools and talent, I think the Cowboys have the edge. Cowboys win. AFC - Jets @ Bengals -- Last Sunday was a massacre. Watching it on TV, I cringed everytime the Bengals offense stepped out onto the field. It was poor. The Receivers couldn't catch, the QB had no time to throw and the O-line was generating zero pressure in the run game. The Jets were a complete contrast. When they took shots down the field, Sanchez had plenty of time. Ok, so the receiving corps didn't exactly cover itself in glory. But the O-line certainly did. They man handled the Bengals D like they were little schoolgirls, chucking them aside at will. If that had been a boxing match, it would have been over by half time. Even if the Bengals hadn't gone down, the ref would have called it. There are only two possible explanations. 1) The Bengals were being cunning, playing poorly to give the opposition a false sense of security and saving their strength and killer tactics for this match, in the knowledge it would be likely to happen, or 2) they just weren't as good as the Jets. I'm pretty much leaning towards 2. It was truly horrific. If the Bengals play like that again this week then they're done. I think it might be a tighter game, but not tight enough for Cincinnati. Jets win. Sunday: NFC - Packers @ Cardinals -- Coming into the playoffs last year, nobody was backing Arizona. Everyone (except maybe Rod Woodson) thought that Arizona were going to be one and done. In the end they went to the Superbowl and only narrowly missed taking home the Lombardi Trophy. So, are they being taken more seriously this year? Erm, actually no. Why? Maybe because their first game this year is against the Packers, who just happen to be on a fantastic run of form and are hotly tipped by some (including me) to make it to the big game themselves. It's a teaser this one. The Cardinals can be a great team both passing and rushing, and their defense is pretty darn good as well. They have playmakers all over the place. But they'll be missing Anquan Boldin and that's a big blow for them offensively. The Packers meanwhile have just as many tools on both sides of the ball. They have arguably the best complete receiving corps in the NFL, their run game has flourished of late, and their defense has settled into the 3-4 scheme. Charles Woodson in particular is a highly capable player who somehow finds himself all over the field making tackles, breaking up passes and forcing turnovers. This game should be a real classic and the winner will have to be taken seriously as a Superbowl contender. And I think that's going to be the Packers. Packers win. AFC - Ravens @ Patriots -- Ugh. With the Colts and the Chargers lying in wait and the winner of the Jets/Bengals game having to pull out all the stops to win, this match has all the makings of a sideshow, just a warm up for football fans. Neither of these teams has excelled this season and few people expect the winner of this one to change that mindset. They just both lack consistency. The Patriots have it worse, as their Mr. Consistency this year, Wes Welker, is now injured. For the Ravens, it's been Ray Rice. What's probably more surprising though is that both teams would normally be much vaunted for their respective defenses. This year, they're laughed at in this area. Some would say that even the Patriots Head Coach doesn't trust his D. And he has a reasonable cause not to. On the opposite side of the field, the once feared Ravens D has shown little of the toughness and ball hawking ability that made it so fearsome. It's been more like a sedate pussy cat than some raging lion this year. And honestly, I don't know where to go with my pick. I like the match up of the Pats O versus the Ravens secondary, but I also like the Ravens rushing attack against the Pats anaemic run defense. Ultimately I think the Pats will struggle more than the Ravens to make crucial first downs. I'm going with the Ravens. Ravens win.

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Back once again...

Just when you thought it was all over, I'm back. Apologys for the lack of activity, but I've been separated from the internet since December 24th thanks to the wonders of modern technology, especially when it refuses to work. Since I've been gone, the regular season has ended and all manner of exiciting and controversial stuff has happened. I'm not gonna trawl back through all of it but just some things that interested me. -- The Saints blew out at the end didn't they? The official "Best team in the NFL" had its posterior handed to it by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Now that is bad. Even though the Bucs' in all actuality just barely scraped the win, the fact that they are so poor and the Saints are supposedly so good made all the difference. One and out anyone? -- The Colts took the road of resting starters to save them. The injury to Patriots WR Wes Welker makes everyone think it was the right choice, but what you perenially find is that teams that rest their starters lose some of that slick team work and competative spirit while they're away. They relax, unwind, and then come back to work finding it hard to gear up to the same level again. I think the Colts might just have hamstrung themselves. -- The Bengals failed to get a single pro bowl selection. Proof then that Pro Bowl voting shouldn't be left to the fans. -- And speaking of the Bengals, they have a repeat of their Sunday night clash against the Jets coming up. And they need to find some offense quickly. It was brutal on Sunday. If that was a Boxing match, it probably would have been stopped before the second half. The combination of a strong run game on offense (including Brad Smith) and some suffocating coverage on defense by Darelle Revis just blew the Bengals away. Further proof was also generated that the option is just as viable in the NFL as it is in college. -- The Cowboys have made a surprising resurgance of late. Miles Austin has taken over as the number 1 guy downfield and the D is rolling along nicely. Can they sustain it though? -- If they overcome the Cardinals on Sunday, I think the Packers might just have a very good shout at going to Miami and possibly meeting the Chargers. These two teams have certainly been the most consistent and determined recently, showing a class that could serve them very well in the post season. But even now it's a bit early for predictions. -- Jim Zorn is gone and Mike Shanahan has now been confirmed as the new Head Coach of the Redskins. A few choice picks on offense in the next draft (and they'll be picking quite high) and that is a team that can do some damage. Big time. Well, that's all I have time for/can be arsed to write tonight. But at least I'm back in the saddle again.