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Schein's Nine: Cowboys could be last year's Giants
That's right.
The Cowboys, assuming they are done fighting amongst each other, can still go to the Super Bowl because of their defense and star power on offense.
Five goats
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That is, of course, if they make the playoffs.
Dallas' defense is finally clicking. DeMarcus Ware had three of the eight sacks against Eli Manning on Sunday night. Fellow linebackers Greg Ellis, Bradie James and Zach Thomas have been playing great ball. Terrence Newman is back and playing at a Pro Bowl level. Jay Ratliff is the most underrated defensive tackle in the game.
And then there's Wade Phillips, the beaten-down head coach. Cue the Mike Holmgren rumors. Or the Bill Cowher rumors. Jason Garrett, anyone?
But did you think Phillips was distracted by the nonsense this week?
Ellis tells us about a genius coaching move Phillips made for the Giants game.
"DeMarcus and I switched sides for most of the game. We didn't do that any this year. In the playoffs last year, I still remember when the Giants drove down at the end of the first half. I could've kicked myself in the butt. DeMarcus is much better on the left side based upon what kind of rusher he is, plus factoring in the Giants lineman he's facing. I'm better on the right side. When we got the opportunity to make the switch, we embraced it. It made such a difference in getting to the quarterback."
Stop the presses — Phillips actually coaches the team!
The next two games, against the Ravens on Saturday night and in Philly to end the season, aren't easy. But I think Dallas' defense is ready.
2. Dallas drama
I made the point on Sirius NFL Radio last Friday that the T.O.-Romo-Witten drama was overblown. Not that there wasn't a problem, perhaps. But I thought it would have no impact on the actual Cowboys versus Giants game. There was no way to argue the Cowboys defense would be impacted at all.
Ellis totally agreed with that assessment and then explained in his mind what happened last week and how Wade Phillips went out of his way to make sure the 'controversy' didn't effect the defense.
"Wade addressed that," Ellis said. "He had some concern that it was going on at a high level with T.O. supposed to do this and Witten wanting this and Romo thinking this. But I am here to tell you it was never that way. The media is doing its job. Their job is to report. And sometimes it is without all the facts. That's fine. We put it all on the back burner. Everything the media writes about isn't 100 percent accurate. I understand the job to make it hot and juicy to gain attention of the readers. But in this case they over- exaggerated what was going on. What was going on is everyone comes from a different background, the way T.O. talks versus Witten versus Romo versus a Greg Ellis. How we address each other can be misinterpreted."
NFL Week 17
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Week 17 action
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Vikings 20, Giants 19 -- Recap | Box
Panthers 33, Saints 31 -- Recap | Box
Packers 31, Lions 21 -- Recap | Box
Falcons 31, Rams 27 -- Recap | Box
Texans 31, Bears 24 -- Recap | Box
Patriots 13, Bills 0 -- Recap | Box
Colts 23, Titans 0 -- Recap | Box
Steelers 31, Browns 0 -- Recap | Box
Raiders 31, Bucs 24 -- Recap | Box
Bengals 16, Chiefs 6 -- Recap | Box
Eagles 44, Cowboys 6 -- Recap | Box
Dolphins 24, Jets 17 -- Recap | Box
49ers 27, Redskins 24 -- Recap | Box
Ravens 27, Jaguars 7 -- Recap | Box
Cardinals 34, 'Hawks 24 -- Recap | Box
Chargers 52, Broncos 21 -- Recap | Box
Analysis
Video
Photos
3. Giants vs. Panthers: quest for home field
The game at Giants Stadium this Sunday night between the Giants and Panthers is flat- out gigantic. Winner gets the No. 1 seed. It's that cut and dry.
As Panthers star safety Chris Harris pointed out to us on Sirius NFL Radio on Monday, "We are 8-0 in Charlotte. We have a great confidence playing at home. It would be huge for us to have the playoffs go through Carolina." You just don't win in Carolina against the Panthers. Carolina followed up its sensational win against Tampa with an impressive, well-rounded drubbing of Denver.
Meanwhile, Tom Coughlin told reporters after the Giants' loss to Dallas that he was, "very concerned." And he should be with Eli Manning getting sacked eight times. The offense has changed without Plaxico Burress. Teams game plan for the run and stack the box accordingly. The threat of an explosion in the passing attack in nonexistent. Plax's suspension has actually had as big an impact — or even bigger — on the run game than the Brandon Jacobs injury.
But, especially at night, it is going to be very difficult for the Panthers, even as well as they've played in every area, to beat the defending champs in New York.
However, it is more than fair to say the Giants' feel of invincibility has evaporated after getting punched in the mouth in two straight weeks by NFC East foes.
4. One and done for Zorn
You can quote me on this — I will officially be stunned if Jim Zorn keeps his job as Washington's coach.
Let's go in order: Blame Clinton Portis for the verbal spat last week and you'd be partially correct. And certainly, Portis going off on his coach was dead wrong. But Portis was benched against the Ravens. And that's the coach's right! It had nothing to do with practice during the week. But Zorn went into complete spin control and fibbed after the game. A strong coach doesn't do that.
Then there's the matter of losing to the one- win joke that was the Bengals this weekend.
And in the game, Zorn never used Portis in a goal-line sequence that resulted in a turnover. Yet, he featured the fullback, Mike Sellers. Just wretched.
But how about Santana Moss' touchdown celebration and ensuing explanation. Moss took a towel out. He got flagged for it. After the game, Moss said the team needed a spark. Huh?
Ask yourself this — would Moss have done that if Joe Gibbs was still the coach?
This has spiraled out of control on Zorn
5. MVP race
Two more weeks to go in the season and the MVP chase is still very much wide open.
Peyton Manning, by a hair, still tops my list.
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| The MVP race may be wide open, but Colts QB Peyton Manning tops Adam Schein's list of candidates. (Darron Cummings / Associated Press) |
But I asked his coach, Tony Dungy, who the league MVP was and Dungy responded, "James Harrison."
6. Titans falling, Steelers rising
Pittsburgh is the best team in the NFL right now. Walt Coleman aside (we will get to that in a moment), let's not minimize the effort of Ben Roethlisberger and company in Pittsburgh's thrilling comeback against the Ravens defense. Mike Tomlin, his staff, his defense, deserve immense credit for winning the AFC North.
And they now have a realistic chance at the top seed in the AFC.
When the Steelers visit Tennessee this weekend, the Titans won't have injured stars Albert Haynesworth and Kyle VandenBosch.
There was no shame in Tennessee losing to Houston. But it was highly questionable for Jeff Fisher to eschew a 50-yard Rob Bironas field-goal attempt at the end.
7. Controversy
Walt Coleman overturning the eventual Santonio Holmes touchdown was an absolute joke. There was no way there was indisputable visual evidence. The call on the field, which was that Holmes was just short of a score, should have stayed.
8. Dick Jauron/J.P. Losman/Eric Mangini/Tony Sparano
The decision to have Bills quarterback J.P. Losman throw the ball with a 27-24 lead and two minutes to go was the single worst, most illogical coaching decision I've ever seen, especially with the way Marshawn Lynch was carving up the overmatched Jets run defense.
It also might have saved Eric Mangini's job with the Jets. New York, whether it was the quarterback play or the run defense or the pass defense/rush, looked out of it against a Bills team that came in fading.
I still think the supremely coached Dolphins win the division by beating the Chiefs in Kansas City and the Jets in the Week 17 showdown.
For the record, I still would keep Jauron in lovely Western New York. But I might change offensive coordinators.
9. Herm Edwards
I give the Hunt family all the credit in the world for not buying into Carl Peterson's 'rebuilding.'
Now it becomes a formality that the overmatched Edwards will lose his gig, too.
It's amazing how ill-prepared and inept the Chiefs are.
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