It’s been a long and exciting season guys, and extremely fun analyzing games and then putting my thoughts down for the world to see (ok maybe not the world, but 7 readers in 2 countries is a start)! But even FMQB needs a break now and again. Wonder where I should go for my vacation? Hawaii might be nice, catch the Pro Bowl while I’m at it. Or how about an Italian cruise…Short column this week guys, then back to full strength for the Super Bowl! On a side note, Happy 25th post to everybody! Thanks to my loyal readers!
Speaking of Pro Bowl:
Matthew Stafford became the 5th player in NFL history to throw for 5000 yards in one season, and did not make the Pro Bowl. Not even as an Alternate!!! With Eli busy with something else this week, Cam Newton took his place on the Pro Bowl roster. Newton deserves a Pro Bowl, but wow, talk about talent in the NFC if a 5000 yard passer is the FIFTH best QB in the NFC.
This Breakup is Gonna be Ugly:
You know how people in relationships will pick a fight to finally end things when things aren’t going great? Can everybody see that this is what is going on between Jim Irsay and Peyton Manning right now? Manning spoke early this week about how the Colts’ organization wasn’t a great place to be right now, and he had no clue what the future held for him. Irsay has come back two days in a row now chastising Manning for opening his mouth and not keeping it in house. There is apparently a rift between the Owner and Star QB. Earlier in the year, I was praying that Manning stay in a Colts uniform, but at this point I’m starting to lean towards hoping he goes to another team. I would love to see him in a Jets uniform, both Mannings in the New York market. And then see Peyton stick it to Irsay as he wins a Super Bowl with the Jets. I fully expect Andrew Luck to be the starting QB for the Colts in September.
Stolen Stats: In the spirit of full disclosure, this week’s stats were all stolen from other columns, but very interesting nonetheless.
Stats of the Championship Round #1: Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are the first head coach-quarterback combo to reach the Super Bowl five times.
Stats of the Championship Round #2: Peyton Manning is 9-10 as a playoff starter; his kid brother Eli is 7-3 in the playoffs.
Stats of the Championship Round #3: The Giants are on a postseason streak of 6-0 on the road.
Stats of the Championship Round #4: Neither of the NFC championship teams made the playoffs last year
California Fans must be Blinded by the Sun:
White is the new black, 30 is the new 20, and California Fans are the new Eagles fans. What is up with all the drama with fans from California teams this year? During the baseball season a Giants fan was beaten to near death by a Dodgers fan just for wearing the wrong jersey. 49ers fans have been even worse. Apparently all Saints fans were given phone numbers to call in case 49er fans got to rambunctious. And for the Championship game, with the addition of doubled security, undercover cops dressed up in Giants uniforms to try and catch rowdy fans in the act. Are fans really THAT bad in San Francisco to go to those measures? Apparently. After Williams basically single handedly lost the game for the 49ers by surrendering 10 points due to his fumbles, he got death threats on Twitter…Really people, DEATH threats? He’s a young player, and you can argue that neither fumble was his fault. If this is what California fans are like, no wonder LA hasn’t gotten a team yet.
Quote of the Week:
“Wow they’re actually letting them play in the night?” FFMQB (referring to the NFL giving Candlestick Park the night game after the MNF power outages).
Week 9 Prophecy:
On November 11th, after Week 9, FMQB marveled over the initial meeting between the Giants and the Patriots. I will leave you with part of my column from that week. Read below my post from 3 months ago, and how cool it is that this game actually happened!
Aww Shucks:
Close your eyes and say the words “Manning game winning drive.” I just about guarantee you aren’t picturing the guy in New York, but his brother instead. At the beginning of this season, Eli Manning proclaimed that he should be considered one of the Elite quarterbacks of the league (FMQB had him at #8). I don’t know if it’s his pouting, or his “Aww Shucks” attitude to life, but people don’t seem to take him seriously. Well the league is beginning to take notice at his clutch performances. Los Tramposos have won 6 games this year, and 5 of those wins have been because of Manning’s game winning drives. This is extremely impressive, showing the individual fortitude like that to win when the game is on the line. As most FMQB fans know, that means a lot to me. This past weekend he scored with 15 seconds left in the game, driving against the Super Bowl contending Patriots, in New England, trumping Tom Brady once again. Every other columnist has compared this game to Super Bowl XLII, so I will skip that analysis here. But it was eerie how Eli went to an unknown receiver who wore #85 on the clutch play of the drive. And then a quick drop and throw to the back left corner of the endzone for the game winning TD. More on Eli later…
Patriots vs Giants: Rematch of Super Bowl XLII. These 2 teams always put on great games together for some reason, even though they play once every 4 years.
“I dub thee, Sir Eli-te”
Ok, I’ll admit that I crown people way too fast (Tebow, Cam Newton, etc). But just remember one thing, before the season, Eli Manning said he should be in the conversation of top 5 QB’s in the league and everybody laughed at him. So here comes the “crowning” part. Suppose Eli wins the Super Bowl this year. What happens then? He all of a sudden becomes the better Manning quarterback, has more rings than his dad and older brother, people will view him like Terry Bradshaw (never had great stats but could win in the clutch). I think this would be enough to put him in a top 5 QB list in the league. Only 6 active QB’s have won a Super Bowl (Eli, Peyton, Brees, Rodgers, Roethlisberger, and Brady). Should Eli win, only Brady would have more rings than him. What’s even more surprising is he’s only 30!
FMQB 