Thoughts On Football
Hear it here!
I have thoughts this week on football games, football news, and an admission of being wrong about a football player.
Yes, my thoughts are about football and why wouldn’t they be at this time of year?
What would you like first? I bet it’s what I feel I was wrong about that might be the most interesting.
Okay, here it goes.
I was wrong about Aaron Rodgers. If you’ve been following along, you know my thoughts on the veteran quarterback have not been too kindly.
I have expressed my misgivings on both the Jets and the Steelers throwing their chips in on a guy that is headed for the Hall of Fame one day, is a Super Bowl champion, and has been a franchise quarterback for two decades. But at 39, when he signed with the Jets, and suffered a season-ending injury on the first series of the first game, ultimately was let go and picked up by the Steelers, I felt his age and lack of mobility made him a poor prospect. I may not be wrong about the wisdom of going with Rodgers, but I was off the mark in painting him as a prima donna and making puzzling public comments.
I have seen a far more humble player this year. I think he has seen the plusses of the Steelers history and culture, has been open in his appreciation of his teammates and being grateful for being where he is. Last week after beating the Ravens in their critical division showdown, he sought out losing quarterback Lamar Jackson who was disconsolate after the defeat. Rodgers told him the league needed talented players like Jackson and that his time for ultimate success would come. Perhaps Aaron Rodgers knows this will be his swan song. His and his team’s success is still up in the air, but I have read between the lines and have seen enough to consider Rodgers a better person than I have portrayed.
Talking about old quarterbacks, how about Philip Rivers, who came out of a four year retirement at age 44, started the week he signed with the Indianapolis Colts, and nearly pulled off the victory. Maybe one of the most heartening stories of the year, Rivers showed that desire, spirit, and hard work can achieve almost anything. I realize Tom Brady won a Super Bowl at age 43, but he had never retired and was always in the utmost shape. Rivers was different.
It’s beginning to look like the big winners from a year ago may no longer be the favorites going into the next season in the NFL.
Things do change. Unlikely contenders emerge, and the powers don’t always repeat their success. The biggest one, of course, are the Kansas City Chiefs, who I figured would rebound from their Super Bowl loss to the Eagles and get back to their lofty spot atop the league. Not only did they fail in that quest, their fade came in crushing fashion. The Chiefs are out of playoff contention with three weeks to play, and their nonpareil leader, QB Patrick Mahomes is finished for the year with a torn ACL. It couldn’t get any worse for KC.
Let’s be honest, who thought the Denver Broncos would be the most dominant team in the AFC? Who figured the once-proud New England Patriots would regain their aura and show superiority over the title-contending Buffalo Bills for most of the season?
Just as big, who felt the Chicago Bears would be looking in their rear-view mirror at the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions?
Who had an idea the Lions and the Ravens would be fighting for their playoff lives after 14 games?
Right now, three NFC West teams would be in the post-season dance. The Rams, and Seahawks have been extraordinary with their showdown matchup coming up this week.
And kudos to the 49ers who have had injuries that would strangle most teams getting hot when they need to, poised to possibly vault over LA and Seattle in the final weeks.
With the Chiefs out of the way, the Bills who have been falling behind to good teams only to rally and win all season may be set to finally get over the hurdle. Did anyone forecast the Jacksonville Jaguars as one of the AFC powers when it all began?
Coaching changes can make a difference from one year to the next. Check out the Jags that we just cited, with Liam Coen in his first year at the helm. What about Mike Vrabel in New England, and how about Ben Johnson with the Bears. Vrabel and Johnson have helped youngsters Drake Maye and Caleb Williams emerge as threats at quarterback.
And it’s only been three years since head coach Sean Payton and QB Bo Nix have teamed up to make the Broncos an unmistakable threat to go far, very far.
I’m with you when you vent about inconsistent officials’ calls in so many games. There seems to be several highly questionable calls or missed calls every week. I don’t have an answer to that except that with all the intense replays and declarations for “getting it right”, the human factor will never disappear in all sports. Whether it’s calls by officials, mistakes by players, and bad decisions by coaches on the sideline, the human factor will always be with us.
What I do see is the weekly offering of thrilling games, high scoring battles, and comebacks virtually impossible to fathom as the rule not the exception. They are performed by amazing athletes. There are shocking upsets, and surprising flops punctuating every week. The NFL, on the field, has never been better.
