$.01--For all of the buildup about Brady vs. Manning, the Denver Broncos/New England Patriots game was surprisingly anticlimactic. Manning threw for 400 yards, mixing the ball around to keep the beat-up Patriots defense from keying on any one player. Demaryius Thomas was the primary recipient, but four receivers caught at least four balls and that doesn’t include backup TE Jacob Tamme and his TD reception.

Meanwhile, Brady struggled to find anyone not named Julian Edelman, who had 10 catches but bagged just 89 yards on those catches. The inability of any Patriots target to get open beyond about eight yards down the field was a prevailing theme of the day. Denver’s defense struck with a couple of well-conceived and well-timed blitzes. They broke up or tipped several passes as Brady had major issues finding open lanes ot open receivers.

Manning had no such problems. He was the better quarterback with the better supporting cast in this game. Denver did exactly what they needed to do: they were efficient on offense and converted drives into points. The critical mistakes were avoided, and Denver survived and advanced. Now he gets a chance to match his brother with a second Super Bowl win.

For Brady and the Patriots, the conclusions seem pretty easy to draw. They must improve their offensive weaponry around Brady. On a good offense, Julian Edelman is the fourth receiver, not a No. 1 target. They must solidify the interior offensive line, which could do nothing like a week ago in the roughshod win over the Colts. They must figure out whether oft-injured Danny Amendola and Rob Gronkwoski, the two most talented targets on the team, can be relied upon or merely hoped for.

They face a lot of very difficult decisions like that, and it will be quite interesting to see how they progress. As long as they have Belichick and Brady, it’s hard to bet against them, but there really is not a lot else to like going forward. Maybe that’s the great testament to Brady, that he was able to accomplish so much this year with so little around him.

It will forever be fashionable to compare and contrast Brady and Manning, but given the stark differences in the two teams they play on, it’s really not fair to either man. 

$.02--On the NFC side of the bracket, the Seattle Seahawks prevailed in one of the most physical and intense games in recent memory. It was a game for the ages.

It did not start well for Seattle. Aldon Smith strip-sacked Russell Wilson on the first series, and the Niners seized an early 10-0 lead over the hosts. They held on to lead 10-3 at halftime, thanks to a controversial after-the-whistle penalty on a failed fourth down conversion. There was not much offense throughout the first half, particularly through the air:

 

The second half was all about the strength of the Seahawks. They came out blazing on offense, scoring two touchdowns and a field goal on their first three drives. Russell Wilson was more in control and command of the game. His offensive line held together better, even asserting itself at times against the tough Niners defense. They took advantage of a free play to score a touchdown on an offsides penalty, a play where Wilson and his receivers instinctively attacked down the field when they saw the flag even though that was not the play called. But it was the Seattle defense that really took over.

Everyone in the world, most notably Richard Sherman himself, will point to the star corner having an incredible second half. But the entire defense was stellar. Other than one touchdown drive, the Niners offense ground to a halt. The final four San Francisco drives: 3-and-out, fumble, interception, interception. The last INT came in the end zone courtesy of Sherman breaking up a pass for Michael Crabtree, tipping the ball into the air for an easy grab by Malcolm Smith.

Sherman earned his taunting penalty after the play, and it didn’t matter. Wilson kneeled down a couple of times, and the Seahawks were headed back to the Super Bowl.

The game opened with a pick-‘em line at most sports books, which indicates we all should be in for quite a treat in two long weeks from now.

$.03--With the Detroit Lions hiring Jim Caldwell, the Tennessee Titans tabbing Ken Whisenhunt, and the Minnesota Vikings choosing Mike Zimmer as their respective new head coaches, there is one coaching vacancy left. The Cleveland Browns are having a hard time finding anyone who wants to tackle that job.

They only have themselves to blame. More specifically, the short-sightedness of the new front office, led by Mike Lombardi and Joe Banner. Neither man has done much of anything to engender respect or trust in their first years in Cleveland.

This is what happens when you botch a coaching hire. They opted to go with Rob Chudzinski for their vacancy last year. It was a move many, including myself, openly questioned. Chud had previously been with the Browns as an offensive coach. During that time he did little to impress the rest of the staff, and even less to the ancillary staff. He was not well-liked by those folks, and many of them rued his return.

I still think Mike Lombardi and Joe Banner made the right move to drop the axe quickly, before things spiraled any more out of control. What they failed to comprehend was that the quick churning turned off a lot of potential candidates. If they can fire someone they clearly liked and desired so much after just one season, what makes them have any more commitment to anyone else?

This should be an attractive position. There is Pro Bowl talent at several key spots. Cleveland has two first-round picks to find a quarterback and perhaps a right tackle or cornerback to pair with Joe Haden. The defense is loaded with young talent brimming with potential.

That should tell you just how poorly regarded the Browns organization is by the rest of the league. They are widely viewed as a sad, incompetent joke. The legal issues of owner Jimmy Haslam don’t help matters. This has caused any candidates of even moderate regard to not even answer the phone when they see “216” on the caller ID.

I don’t know who they are going to hire. Broncos Offensive Coordinator Adam Gase is most often mentioned, but there’s no guarantee he’ll take it. Even if he does, his experience is scant; just one season as a coordinator, and that was with Peyton Manning essentially calling the plays himself. For all for Chud’s numerous faults, at least he had a requisite body of experience.

I still hear whispers of placing a blank check in front of Auburn Head coach Gus Malzahn, but those are just unsubstantiated rumors at this point. Good luck Cleveland, you’re going to need it.

$.04--After Senior Bowl week I will update my draft rankings and get back to creating extensive mock drafts. Until then, here’s a quick mock draft of how I think the first 32 picks might go:

1. Houston Texans: Blake Bortles, QB, Central Florida

2. St. Louis Rams (from WAS): Greg Robinson, T, Auburn

3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville

4. Cleveland Browns: Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M

5. Oakland Raiders: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina

6. Atlanta Falcons: Jake Matthews, T, Texas A&M

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Khalil Mack, DE/OLB, Buffalo

8. Minnesota Vikings: Anthony Barr, DE/OLB, UCLA

9. Buffalo Bills: Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson

10.  Detroit Lions: Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina

11.  Tennessee Titans: Zach Martin, T, Notre Dame

12.  New York Giants: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama

13.  St. Louis Rams: Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State

14.  Chicago Bears: RaShede Hageman, DT, Minnesota

15.  Pittsburgh Steelers: Jason Verrett, CB, TCU

16.  Baltimore Ravens: Marqise Lee, WR, USC

17.  Dallas Cowboys: Louis Nix, DT, Notre Dame

18.  New York Jets: Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech

19.  Miami Dolphins: Cyrus Kouandjio, T, Alabama

20.  Arizona Cardinals: Kony Ealy, DL, Missouri

21.  Green Bay Packers: Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State

22.  Philadelphia Eagles: C.J. Mosley, LB, Alabama

23.  Kansas City Chiefs: Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State

24.  Cincinnati Bengals: Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State

25.  San Diego Chargers: Lamarcus Joyner, CB, Florida State

26.  Cleveland Browns (from IND): Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech

27.  New Orleans Saints: Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida State

28.  Carolina Panthers: Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LSU

29.  San Francisco 49ers: Taylor Lewan, T, Michigan

30.  New England Patriots: Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU

31.  Denver Broncos: Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh

32.  Seattle Seahawks: Gabe Jackson, G, Mississippi State

$.05--I spent most of the last week at Shrine Game practices in St. Petersburg. It’s one of the highlights of my working calendar every year. The Shrine Game staff do an excellent job setting up the week, and it’s a more conducive and relaxed working environment than this coming week’s Senior Bowl.

Here are three questions or comments I got a lot during the week, so I’ll respond to them en masse.

What am I looking for when I watch players?

The number one thing I look for is technical proficiency at the position. But that doesn’t mean that lacking it is a death knell, because many of these players have not had the greatest coaching or experience at such a high level.

After the mechanical side, it’s all about athleticism. Size, speed, strength, body control and agility are the five pillars. Most players at the Shrine Game are lacking at least one of those. It’s why they are seen as later-round prospects or priority free agents and not at the Senior Bowl with the better-regarded prospects.

Third, I want to see ability to learn, especially with small schoolers or players who are more of a projection than a proven commodity. Quickly absorbing and incorporating coaching is a very encouraging sign.

How do you view the quarterbacks, notably Jimmy Garoppolo, Jeff Mathews, and Keith Wenning?

Those are the only three draftable commodities from St. Pete, as Jordan Lynch, Tommy Rees and especially Keith Price all looked untouchable as NFL prospects.

Mathews was my clear favorite, though Garoppolo closed the gap as the week progressed. As I noted on Wednesday:

Mathews is from Cornell and did not have much to work with his senior season. As a result, his star dimmed throughout the year. What I saw in St. Pete was incredibly encouraging, however. He’s got a great arm and the best ball placement of any QB there. Mathews also has the cleanest mechanics; he’s ready to go out of the box in terms of fundamentals. He struggled a bit in progressions, and I have a strong sense that he is what he will ever be already. That’s a third round quarterback likely destined to be a career spot starter in the mold of Josh McCown or Brian Hoyer.

Garoppolo is from Eastern Illinois and comes with a pretty significant amount of hype from a lot of folks. Yet he’s not near NFL-ready as a passer. He showed an alarming propensity for throwing off one foot and falling away from his throws instead of squaring up his hips and shoulders and following through towards his target. As a result, his arm faces undue stress and his accuracy can be a little wild. Yet when he was mechanically proper, man he was impressive. While his arm isn’t quite as live as Mathews’, he has enough velocity to make any throws he’ll be asked to make in the NFL. He’s more mobile and keeps his eyes up very adeptly while on the move. I would say his ceiling is higher than Mathews. That’s why he will be drafted earlier and why he’s bound for the Senior Bowl to replace the chicken-shit A.J. McCarron, who backed out because he didn’t think it was important.

Then there’s Wenning, the Ball State gunslinger for the West. He’s got one of the biggest arms I’ve ever seen in terms of velocity out of his hand. The ball has a hum to it when he launches it. He’s bigger, tougher, and more cocksure than his East compatriots. His biggest issues are a befuddling, Jake Locker-esque propensity for crazy inaccuracy; even when his mechanics are clean, there are throws where God only knows where it’s going. He’s not the most agile guy either, though he has a sturdiness to help him break free from rushers. He’s a late-round developmental prospect with just enough talent to believe in.

It must be awesome to go to all these places and watch football, right?!

Well, it beats teaching inner-city seventh graders or helping auto dealers make more money off of you (two prior vocations), but it really is a lot of work. The first practice session starts at 9:40, and I’m there by 9:15. Of course, I’ve spent about 45 minutes already prepping my notes and going over roster changes, background info on players, and stuff like that.

After the first practice ends, I write up a summary piece and grab a quick bite on the run before heading across town to the next practice. During each practice I take about 3 pages of hand-written notes, and a lot of it is in shorthand.

After the next 2-hour practice session, I type up notes again. As I am writing for multiple websites, I wind up writing about 7500 words a day. Avoiding redundancy and offering something unique to the other people in my profession is a challenge. Most days I’m “on the clock” from about 8:30 to about 11 PM, with an hour or so for dinner and a drink or three. There is ample networking, talking to agents, team scouts, as well as my fellow internet scribes.

Yes, folks, it really is work. It’s mentally quite draining. I’m writing this cent on a flight headed to Senior Bowl week to do it all again. I was home for 36 hours, enough time to do laundry and be daddy for a precious little bit.

When I get back next Sat., I’m in full draft prep mode. I watch at least two full college games every day, often double that amount. And when I watch a game, I’m the master of the remote. I rewind and rewatch each play at least once, checking out different players for my notes. When I’m focusing on one particular player, I might head to draftbreakdown.com and watch a handful of their useful game cut-ups.

I’m often texting back and forth with agents, coaches, and scouting eyes I trust. I’m emailing sports information directors and football departments to get coaching tape of games. I do anywhere between three and ten radio interviews and podcasts during a typical week.

So yeah, it really is a lot of work. But I love it, and I thank you for reading it and helping to support my dream!