$.01--The Dallas Cowboys traveled to Philadelphia late in the season with the playoffs on the line once again. And as they seemingly always do, America’s Team got humiliated…

Wait. What’s that? Dallas rallied for the win. Really?!?

That’s certainly not on the script.

On this night, Tony Romo was great. Other than one sack where he held the ball about three times too long, Romo avoided mistakes and smartly picked apart Philadelphia’s shaky coverage. Dez Bryant caught six passes for 117 yards, but three of those receptions ended in the end zone.

Seriously, this is not the script I was handed by the national media almost universally predicting gloom and doom for Dallas. Granted it was an easy one to write, as it happens just about every year, but this is why they play the games.

Philly’s defense just could not keep up with the (Jerry) Joneses. Perhaps it has something to do with the double-edged sword that is their go-go offense. The Eagles ran just 53 plays to Dallas’ 76. At one point the margin was 30-6 as Dallas leapt out to a quick 21-0 lead. As Philly followed the script and took the 24-21 lead, the frantic pace left its own underwhelming defense gassed and taxed. Including last week’s home loss to Seattle, the Eagles opponents have run 53 more plays than Philly has. The time of possession differential is nearly 48 minutes in those two weeks. That’s a major stress on the defense, one the Eagles could not handle.

The Cowboys are now 7-0 on the road and hold a one-game lead on the Eagles at 10-4. Their schedule is a little tougher than Philly’s, but with Indy wrapping up the AFC South (more on that below) the Colts have little to play for next week. The Eagles finish at Washington and New York, with the Cowboys ending their season at Washington. Because of NFC tiebreakers, it’s unlikely more than one of these teams gets into the playoffs. If they wind up tied, Philadelphia will win the tiebreaker for the NFC East title.

$.02--Johnny Manziel debuted as the starting QB for the Cleveland Browns with greater fanfare than the Pope coming to America.

The beginning was quite anticlimactic for Cleveland’s latest messiah. Cincinnati held the ball for over half the first quarter on the opening touchdown drive. Manziel responded with a quick 3-and-out…and then another one. That wound up being a recurring theme in Cincinnati’s 30-0 rout in Cleveland.

The Browns offense was abysmal. They managed just five first downs, and two of those came via penalty. They didn’t top 100 yards until the final play of the game, a 9-yard pass to Travis Benjamin. Mr. Football had a terrible line…

Comp.

Att.

Yards

INTs

Sacks

QB Rating

10

18

54

2

3

27.3

…caused in no small part by having a terrible line in front of him. The Bengals often got easy pressure, including a sack where Brandon Thompson got a paw on Manziel on his third step of a 5-step drop. Andrew Hawkins dropped an easy third-down pass on the first drive. The running game was negligible for the most part. Cincinnati’s defense was impressive, to be sure.

Manziel doesn’t play defense, either, and Cleveland’s D was ugly. Rookie RB Jeremy Hill chugged for 148 yards and two TDs, making defenders look silly at times with his slip-step and excellent power behind his pads. Andy Dalton was pretty lousy (14-of-24, 103 yards, QB Rating 53.6) but kept the chains moving and avoided the crippling mistakes. That was more than enough to beat down a poor effort in all phases from the Browns.

It’s important to not read too much into Manziel after just one start against a likely division champ. He was not good but got little help. Next week’s performance, on the road against the first-place (at 5-8-1) Panthers will be more important. He must create some momentum and keep the defense off the field. With the playoffs a pipe dream, it’s all about professional development. 

$.03--The Arizona Cardinals are a league-best 11-3 and blessed with a fiercely aggressive defense, yet they are the one team everyone in the NFC will be lining up to play in the playoffs. The prospect of facing 3rd-string QB Ryan Lindley is a tantalizing development for the likes of Green Bay, Philadelphia or even the sub-.500 NFC South champ.

Lindley took over in the second half when backup Drew Stanton injured his knee, the same way Stanton inherited the gig from Carson Palmer. While Stanton’s wound didn’t appears as serious, his official status of “week-to-week” with a sprained MCL is not encouraging. Somehow the third-year signal caller from San Diego State managed to secure the touchdown-free 12-6 victory over St. Louis on Thursday night, though that was far more about the Rams’ own offensive ineptitude than anything positive for Mr. Lindley.

It was surprising Lindley even got the call over rookie Logan Thomas. You might recall Thomas got the nod when both Stanton and Palmer were hurt earlier in the season. Then again, Thomas’ line against Denver wasn’t exactly inspiring: 1-of-8, 81 yards, one TD. At least he can threaten the defense and get the Cards in the end zone, something Lindley has never done in significantly more playing time.

 

The win over St. Louis in essence clinched a playoff berth, something which was later validated when Dallas and Philly didn’t tie. The Arizona defense will keep them in any game, but it’s real difficult to see the Cardinals offense capitalizing. Remember, they’re also without starting RB Andre Ellington and sport the league’s 26th-best O-line according to Football Outsiders. They finish by hosting Seattle and then visiting San Francisco, not exactly an easy road to building confidence in young Lindley.

$.04--Congrats to the Indianapolis Colts, who clinched the AFC South by holding off Houston 17-10 on a bad day from Andrew Luck. It was Indy’s defense rising to the occasion. Facilitating the Colts defense was Houston losing starting QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to a broken leg, replaced by 4th-round rookie Tom Savage.

Savage started and ended slowly--his final throw was picked off to seal the game--but made some impressive throws and reads in between. He flashed the rocket right arm and the ability to fit the ball into tight windows along the sideline. Savage also had major issues handing the ball off to Arian Foster thanks to improper footwork, which is symptomatic of a player who has been the third-stringer most of the season. He’s going to get two more games to prove his future worth, and with the loss the Texans playoff aspirations are essentially doused.

Indianapolis heads back to the playoffs with a wakeup call from Houston. Luck was consistently off all afternoon, including yet another befuddling pick-six where he predetermined his read but never read the switch in coverage. This remains a big issue for Luck, who has the most turnovers in the last three years of anyone not named Eli Manning. He was terrible on 3rd down, missing six in a row on that fateful down at one stretch.

Then again, with Indy’s defense playing so coordinated and effective, they can survive an off day from their franchise QB. The front consistently bested Houston’s offensive line with quickness and good recognition of what play was coming. The secondary was sharp for the most part, though Houston not having Andre Johnson helped there too. If both units can get hot at the same time, Indy is going to be a dangerous playoff team in an AFC where even the best two teams--Denver and New England--have exploitable flaws. 

$.05--Seattle officially eliminated San Francisco from the playoffs with a 17-7 win. It was a game dominated by hard-hitting, aggressive defenses overwhelming the opposing offenses. Neither team netted even 140 yards passing, thanks in part to 11 combined sacks and several more hits.

The biggest play in this game was a truly atrocious call from celebrated referee Ed Hochuli. “Guns” threw a flag on a sack by 49ers LB Nick Moody, who rocked Russell Wilson with a clean hit to the chest. Hochuli thought he saw the crown of Moody’s helmet strike Wilson, but the replays showed otherwise. FOX officiating guru Mike Pereira, who has nicely transitioned from blind sycophant for his former official mates to open-minded analyst, broke down why it was such a bad call:

 

Instead of getting off the field on 3rd down, San Francisco wound up surrendering a touchdown pass to move the score from 10-7 to 17-7. Given the 49ers dreadful offense and Seattle’s awesome defense, that was essentially the end of the game. It’s a shame such a pivotal game was decided on a bad call. I’ve been a frequent critic of about-to-be-former Niners coach Jim Harbaugh, but he deserves better than to have his fate sealed with a crappy call. With all the injuries the 49ers have endured this year--and add both Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde to the list from this game--the end of the year cannot come soon enough in San Francisco. They put up a game fight against their bitter rivals, but it wasn’t enough. 

$.06--The most surprising result on Sunday was in Buffalo, where the Bills cooled off the red-hot Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Rodgers, still the presumptive MVP, suffered through a miserable day. Several drops helped contribute to a 17-of-42 performance, netting just 175 yards and throwing two INTs with zero INTs. Jordy Nelson dropped a sure touchdown, perhaps returning the favor from when Rodgers threw a pick instead of seeing him streaking down the right sideline uncovered.

Buffalo’s defense is the real story from this game. The Bills front four dominated the Packers line, continually getting pressure by rushing just four while mixing up the safety coverages down the field to thwart the routes Green Bay tried to run. Mario Williams provided the capper by stripping the ball from Rodgers into the end zone inside the final two minutes. When Eddie Lacy--who ran quite well all afternoon, getting 97 yards on just 15 carries--recovered, the dead ball resulted in a safety thanks to the apparently little-known rule that only the player who fumbles can advance a recovery in the final two minutes.

Buffalo’s offense wasn’t pretty, but they benefitted from Bacarri Rambo’s two INTs and a punt return TD from Marcus Thigpen, like Rambo a waiver-wire acquisition during the season. They fed off the defense, and showing the blueprint for beating Rodgers is indeed out there: Don’t blitz! Here’s a screenshot from ESPN which illustrates how it works:

 

Not every team can get away with it. In fact, the three teams there are probably the only ones who can, with the possible exceptions of Philadelphia and Denver. Here’s the problem for Green Bay, and it’s a very real one: Four of those teams are potential playoff foes. With RT Bryan Bulaga suffering a concussion in this game, the protection issues against non-blitzing teams only gets worse if he can’t answer the bell.

Technically the Bills could be a potential foe as well, as this win lifted them to 8-6 and still very much alive. They’re still on the outside looking in, but with that defense playing at this kind of level they have a chance. 

$.07--Adrian Peterson lost his appeal to have his indeterminate suspension overturned, ending his 2014 season. This was widely expected, including from some in Peterson’s own camp based on media interviews.

One of the reasons this was not a surprise is that the man hearing the appeal was a former NFL official appointed by Commissioner Roger Goodell. While Harold Henderson did his best to project blind neutrality, it still raises eyebrows when the man hearing the appeal is a former employee of the opponents of said appeal. Henderson is technically correct when he stated,

“I conclude that the player has not demonstrated that the process and procedures surrounding his discipline were not fair and consistent. He was afforded all the protections and rights to which he is entitled, and I find no basis to vacate or reduce the discipline.”

But it’s the process which upsets so many. It certainly does so for Peterson, who will be a 30-year-old convicted felony child abuser with no guaranteed money going forward. He’s threatened to sue the league. He’s also threatened to retire, and perhaps try his hand in the Olympics.

It’s hard to say what will come of the NFL’s top running back of the last few seasons. The Vikings are not obligated--morally or financially--to keep supporting their former star, though they have indicated a willingness to welcome him back. Peterson’s matter-of-fact non-apology for severely injuring his own child for interrupting a video game makes it hard to get behind him, even if the NFL’s disciplinary process does indeed seem weighed against him. For a man who lost a son to a child abuser less than a year before he savagely attacked a different son, the level of contrition and remorse sure rings hollow. Peterson could do himself a lot of good if he came out and spoke about what he did wrong and why it’s wrong. Even if he doesn’t believe it, and he might not, he still needs to try and fake it. That would make a nice first step toward getting back into the NFL and ameliorating concerns potential employers would have with the public relations travails sure to follow Peterson.

$.08--NFL Quickies

--Denver smartly locked up one of the more underrated players in the entire league in CB Chris Harris. The $42.5M extension features a high amount of guaranteed cash at $24M, which definitely indicates their commitment. Harris has quietly emerged as one of the stickiest, most reliable cover men in the league. For my money, and for Denver’s money too, he’s a better player than Joe Haden.

--Adam Schefter broke the news Sunday morning that the Oakland Raiders will fire GM Reggie McKenzie. I’m not a big fan of McKenzie’s work in Oakland, but there were many forces beyond his control working against him. He’s a natural fit for a director of collegiate scouting for another team to restore his good name before taking a different GM job. His 2014 draft haul is a great ground floor for the Raiders going forward.

--I’m not a big watcher of the Sunday morning yakfests, but I really enjoyed the NFL Network crew breaking down the rub/wheel route. Michael Irvin showed actual insight and presented an erudite point for perhaps the first time in his life. It also brought back fond memories of Kurt Warner throwing to Marshall Faulk. Man that was a fun team to watch!

--Exact quote from the Titans/Jets game when the score was 5-3 late in the 3rd quarter: “You can’t expect Charlie Whitehurst playing behind a tackle signed on Tuesday is going to have a lot of success.” Whitehurst is Tennessee’s 3rd QB, but both ahead of him are china dolls. With Zach Mettenberger already out, Jake Locker got hurt once again. The Titans could very well need three new QBs this offseason, though I’m sure they’ll keep Mettenberger.

--The Kansas City Chiefs have still not thrown a touchdown to a wide receiver all season. At least they tried to attack down the field a little bit in their 31-13 pasting of Oakland. Alex Smith attempted 8 throws longer than 15 yards, which is at least 4 more than he’s tried in any game in two months. Baby steps. 

$.09--College/Draft Quickies

--Not much drama with the Heisman Trophy, as Oregon QB Marcus Mariota was the runaway winner. He won with the second-highest vote total in NFL history, trailing only Troy Smith. If you had any doubts about Mariota’s character, his excellent acceptance speech should dispel those silly notions. His intangibles are through the roof…and his tangibles are pretty darn impressive too.

--Iowa tackle Brandon Scherff won the Outland Trophy as the nation’s top lineman, another well-deserved award for the downright nasty blocker. He’s a good example of a player who could have been a high pick one year but stayed in school and became a better prospect, and his hard work was rewarded with the prestigious honor. I still think he’s a right tackle in the NFL, but he could be a very good one with his improved hand placement and foot frequency while engaged.

--In a bit of a surprise, Arizona sophomore linebacker Scooby Wright won both the Bednarik and Nagurski Awards, both of which honor the best defensive player in the nation. I’m not questioning Wright’s credentials (I voted for him for the Bednarik Award, after all) but it’s hard for an underclassmen to win these types of awards. Wright led the nation in tackles vs. BCS-level opponents with 153, 27 of which were tackles for loss. It often seemed like there were two of him on the field.

--I did little film review this week but I did do some catching up on Ohio State wideout Devin Smith, after his strong performance in the B1G title game rout of Wisconsin. Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network, one of the most respected draftniks in the business from both the inside and out, proclaimed Smith was a top 50 pick after the game. I respectfully disagree with Jeremiah here. Smith has average size at 6’ and 200 lbs, and both his power and playing speed are merely good. Putting him in the top 50 insinuates he’s a better prospect than guys like Sammie Coates, Ty Montgomery, Rashad Greene or Nelson Agholor. I just don’t see it.

--Love the move by Auburn to hire recently deposed Florida coach Will Muschamp as defensive coordinator. His Gator defenses were always the strength of his teams, and he has proven he can develop recruits into NFL talents. That’s a big selling point when competing against Alabama, LSU and Florida State.

--Look for a new mock draft on Friday. Here’s a tease to the top: QBs will go 1-2 but then not again for quite some time, with a preponderance of pass rushers and protectors filling out the top 15.

$.10--I unwittingly ignited a flame war of fairly epic proportions with a simple, honest question this week:

 

Most of the early responses were rational and fairly divided. The general consensus was that it’s easier to win at Wisconsin right now, but Michigan offers greater high-end potential. Then my friends at ESPN 96.1 in Grand Rapids (I’m a guest every Monday and Friday at 3) used it as a topic du jour the next day. To quote Ron Burgundy, that escalated quickly.

The defensive nature of Wolverines fans rivals their surly mascot in the wild protecting its young. It was as if they were being compared to Eastern Michigan, who happened to beat UM in basketball the night before, and not a program with more Rose Bowls, more B1G titles, more NFL draft picks and more bowl wins over the last 20 years.

It’s difficult to have an open conversation with anyone with a closed mind. Many Michigan fans--not the majority but a vociferous band nonetheless--lack a wider perspective. I’ve told the story here before of attending the Michigan-Alabama game in Jerry World in 2012 with my son, who was decked out head to toe in maize and blue. Alabama fans were amused at the notion that anyone actually thought the Wolverines could compete…and they didn’t. My time living in Houston taught me how irrelevant Michigan football has become on a national level. No recruits from that hotbed area even consider Ann Arbor anymore, which is a shame because it’s a fantastic school in a great locale. The vast majority of folks in Texas see Michigan football the way Michiganders see Tennessee football, a former power faded with perennially overrated recruiting classes, ineffective coaching and far behind better conference rivals.

Yet many Michigan fans stubbornly cling to the notion their school is still what it was under Bo Schembechler or even Gary Moeller. That delusion only serves to heighten expectations that the next coach (forget Jim Harbaugh, too) cannot possibly live up to, certainly not with the group he’s inheriting from Brady Hoke. The best NFL prospect among the upperclassmen is corner Blake Countess, who at this point would seem a 4th or 5th round pick in 2016. The QB situation is dire, the offensive line even worse. The student section is more empty than full most weeks, a result of deposed AD David Brandon’s arrogant money grab from the sycophants who continue to foster the unrealistic vision of Michigan football.

My advice to Wolverine faithful: be patient and be humble. Accept the current reality: this program is squarely behind Ohio State, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Michigan State in the B1G pecking order. Just getting bowl-eligible will be a serious uphill task in 2015. Embrace the “fallen hero” role, which can be mighty attractive to legit top recruits and not the ones who pay (or get paid) to get an extra star or two next to their names. The facilities are among the best in the nation. So is the tradition. UM football will be back, but it’s not a quick fix.