Adam’s Two Cents

Jim Zorn needs to be let go in Washington as the head coach. Some people might think that Zorn isn’t the only problem with the Redskins. While that might be some of the case, the biggest problem with the Redskins is Zorn himself, more than anyone else.

The Redskins have not scored over 30 since Zorn took over, and this season they haven’t scored more than 17 points, and they are 2-4 with the NFL’s easiest schedule. That ineption has fallen on Zorn, because up until this week he had been the play caller on offense.

Sunday against the Chiefs, the Redskins showed no intensity, no spark whatsoever. That, too, is the responsibility of the head coach to fire his troops up, and if he is unable to do so, then not only will the team likely lose, but then it shows the lack of tangibles that are a subtle requirement to be a head coach in any level of sport.

Zorn was brought in because of the job he did in Seattle as the offensive coordinator. Instead of installing an offense that produces, he has installed the prevent offense, where the offense does what it can to not score. That, and the inability to motivate his players are the two top reasons as to why Zorn needs to be ousted.

Ok, I know that alot of fans, and experts think that the Cleveland Browns have a long way to go, but take what we learned from Sunday, the Browns aren’t that far off only if they implement what they learned. We learned easily that Jerome Harrison can be used as the number one back in Cleveland over Jamal Lewis, we also learned that Derek Anderson is the better quarterback, and lastly that there is someone other than Braylon Edwards that can catch a football.

The Browns first need to come to the realization that Jamal Lewis is just not a number one back anymore. He needs to be used much like the Steelers used Jerome Bettis late in his career. You can lean on him a little, but don’t expect too much from him. Jerome Harrison is Cleveland’s “Willie Parker” sort of speak. The Steelers used Parker to carry much of the load, while relying on Bettis for short yardage situations. The Browns need to have Jerome Harrison carry much of the load, while relying on Lewis in short yardage, and other plays in which he could be used to exploit the defense, not on every down however. Harrison’s 121-yard performance has proven that he is ready to take over the top back position.

Derek Anderson came through, again. He went 10-5 as a starter his rookie season, to me, that was justification enough to dump Brady Quinn and build around Anderson. Instead the Browns were so ponderous of what Quinn could bring to them that they gave him a shot and the plan blew up in their face. Now, Anderson proved himself again on Sunday, leading the Browns to four scoring drives, four, Brady Quinn in the three previous games delivered five scoring drives. Anderson almost accomlished that in one game. Anderson looked sharp as well, he did not drop snaps, and looked to more than Braylon Edwards as a target in the passing game. The Browns need to trade Quinn plain and simple. Another thing that’s plain and simple, Derek Anderson has earned the number one spot again.

Finally we learned there is someone else whom the Browns can rely on in the passing game besides Braylon Edwards, enter Mohamed Massaquoi. Anderson targeted Massaquoi 13 times in Sunday’s game, and connecting with him eight times for 148 yards. They do, however, need to get Edwards the ball. Figure it out, run a reverse, do something to keep him involved in the offense, so that both Edwards and Massaquoi become headaches for the defense, who right now are just worrying about Edwards. Massaquoi showed his worth without a doubt on Sunday, and could very well become a great second receiver for the Browns.

So ultimately the Browns offense is not as inept as first thought. Alot of detractors will say it was just one game, but every team’s rebuilding effort has to start somewhere, for the Browns that started with Sunday’s game, let’s just see if the people in charge learned that as well, and continue with what worked on Sunday.

A couple of months ago I proclaimed Gary Bettman as the biggest idiot in sports. Well he’s been replaced almost as fast as he got the title. His successor is none other than Michael Crabtree. I never thought I’d say that, but if it’s true that Crabtree is willing to sit out the 2009 NFL season and re-enter the 2010 NFL Draft, then he might be the biggest idiot since the Portland Trailblazers of 1983. The past has already taught us that sitting out a year hurts more than it helps. Two come to mind when looking back at the past, and they came into the NFL in the same year, USC’s Mike Williams, and Ohio State’s Maurice Clarett.

Now, Williams and Clarett’s situation was different in that they were trying to test the NFL’s eligibility rule, not trying to get more money out of a team. However, both Williams and Clarett, whom were studs in college, had to sit out a year and enter the draft the following year. Subsequentially both turned out to be busts and never became the players they were in college, with Clarett of course having bigger issues than just football.

Crabtree is an idiot for wanting more money. Whatever happened to earning your paycheck. I’m sorry but you didn’t earn it in college, because the NFL is a whole different ball game. You think sitting out is going to help you? HA! You’ll become the laughing stock of the NFL, and on top of that you’ll end up losing more money than the 49ers are probably offering you.

Not to mention a year away from the game would mean that Crabtree would not see game conditions for almost a year and a half. All the way from January 2nd, 2009 to whoever takes him in the 2010 draft first preseason game. A year and a half sitting out means you get slower, reactions fall off, and so does skill. Sitting a year doesn’t help in the NFL.

Plus challenging an NFL team to pay you a grip load of money before your career has even began is ludacris. Yes I know the Raiders gave Heyward-Bey 38-mill, but it’s the Raiders, the same team who allowed JaMarcus Russell sit until he got his 65-million that he has yet to earn even a quarter of that. It’s the Raiders, there’s a reason they continue to struggle.

But go ahead sit out the 2009 NFL season, you’ll turn into a nobody faster than Clarett, Williams, and Sam Bowie.

NFL fans beware of this season. The 2009 season might be remembered as the “blackout” season. With the economy where it is at both the NFL and they’re teams are worried that ticket sales will be down this year, so in order to get the fans out to the games Fox/CBS might choose to blackout games in game areas to get fans to go to the game.

Also adding fuel to the fire is the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. Teams expect to make way less that what they made before. For example, a source with the Packers said they project only making a little over two million after all the bills and salaries are paid. That coming after a season in which the team made a little over 20-million dollars after bills.

Now don’t get me wrong, two million a year is nothing to shake a stick at. However, when most NFL owners and franchises get used to making 20+ million a year they don’t want to quit making that much money.

So with the lower amount of money that teams project to make and the current ecomony worrying NFL officials the blackouts in NFL cities and surrounding areas are expected if not inevitable. So you might want to call your local station or Fox/CBS and start complaining now before it’s too late.

The Vikings are certainly looking like the latest moronic team in the NFL. I read that the Vikes are changing their playbook, and that 40% of it involves plays that one Brett Favre would run.

Are you kidding me? Now, I knew as soon as the talks began it was only a matter of time before the Vikes signed Favre to a contract. But one question I had was, did the Vikings learn from the Jets expirement? Guess not was the answer. This is a team, that even though won the division last season, will unlikely do the same this season. The Packers are better, the Bears I consider are the team to beat in the NFC North, and who knows what the Lions are going to bring to the table.

Yet again everyone will get excited as Favre signs that contract, but at the same time Head Coach Brad Childress should sign his pink slip, because once the year is over he’ll be looking for a new job.

This isn’t the answer for Minnesota. Favre cannot play defense, and he isn’t very good on offense. There’s a reason why he led the league in interceptions last season, and no it’s not his shoulder, it’s bad decision making. He may have gotten away with alot of bad throws early in his career, but he’s not anymore. The Vikings are no where near contending for a Super Bowl, so why not build your team up? With Adrian Peterson as the centerpiece the Vikes should be looking to improve their quarterback situation for the future. Favre is not the answer and neither is Tavarus Jackson, nor Sage Rosenfels. They need to figure out a way to trade up to get a Sam Bradford or Colt McCoy. That would be the logical choice.

Instead the Vikes will make the unlogical choice, and sign Favre. From there it’ll be a disappointing season, and they will have to start over again next season with a new coach, a new GM, and an unclarity once again at the quaterback decision. The old saying is if no one learns history they are doomed to repeat it. Well the Jets 2008 season is going to repeat in Minnesota not to the delight of many Favre, and Viking fans.

Super Bowl 43 was great, but where does it rank all-time according to Adam? Here’s the list from worse to best of all-time.

43) Super Bowl 24- The 49ers pasted the Broncos 55-10. The Niners put up the most points in a Super Bowl, and not only that it was over at halftime when the Niners led 27-3.

42) Super Bowl 29- This one was over at halftime with the Niners leading 28-10, then blowing it open to a 49-26 lead.

41) Super Bowl 22- An historic day as Doug Williams became the first black quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl wasn’t much for the way of excitement. The Bronocs did start off by building a 10-0 first quarter lead, but then Williams came back in the second quarter after an injury and lit up the Broncos for 35 second quarter points as the Skins cruised 42-10.

40) Super Bowl 27- Cowboys led the Bills 28-10 at the half then poured it on 52-17.

39) Super Bowl 35- The Ravens won on defense, defense, and more defense. Baltimore allowed only 152 total yards of offense for the Giants in a 34-7 win, and didn’t allow the Giants to score an offensive touchdown. If not for Ron Dixon’s 97 yard kickoff return, the Ravens might have had the only Super Bowl shutout.

38) Super Bowl 6- Embarrasing might be the understatement for the losing team in this one. The Dolphins set a couple of records that no one wants to hold. First, quarterback Bob Griese was sacked for a loss of 29 yards which still stands as the most yards lost on one play in a Super Bowl. Then they were only able to score 3 points, which also stands as the fewest points scored in a Super Bowl as the Cowboys rolled 24-3.

37) Super Bowl 18- Alot happened for the Raiders at the expense of the Redskins. First, the Raiders blocked a punt for a touchdown. Then Marcus Allen set a Super Bowl record with a 74-yard touchdown run in the third quarter as the Raiders dominated 38-9.

36) Super Bowl 20- The Bears dominated in this game both on offense and defense. After New England took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter the Bears took over, allowing just 7 rushing yards, and 123 total yards of offense for the Pats. The Bears defense also scored twice, once on an interception return and once on a safety. The offense scored on four rushing TD’s as the Bears rolled 46-10.

35) Super Bowl 37- Tampa Bay trailed early to Oakland 3-0, then blew it open scoring 34 unanswered points by the middle of the third quarter. The Bucs defense returned three interceptions for touchdowns, including two by Dwight Smith as the Bucs won 48-21.

34) Super Bowl 4- The Vikings 5 turnovers helped the Chiefs as KC built a 16-0 halftime lead, and cruised the rest of the way to a boring 23-7 win.

33) Super Bowl 9- By the way of excitement, this didn’t produce. The Vikings and Steelers ended 16-6 Steelers, but worse was the fact that it was 2-0 at half, and the Vikes only gained 119 total yards of offense.

32) Super Bowl 2- A decent first half gave way to a Packers explosin in the second half, as the Pack built a 33-7 lead in the fourth quarter that ended in a 33-14 win for Green Bay.

31) Super Bowl 31- New England stayed with the Packers in the first quarter, but Green Bay threw out any chance of a New England win with a 17-point second quarter en route to a 35-21 win that had zero points in the fourth quarter.

30) Super Bowl 19- The 49ers took over this one in the second quarter building a 28-16 halftime lead, and shutting out Miami in the second half on the way to a 38-16 win.

29) Super Bowl 11- This one was over mid-way through the third quarter, as the Raiders built a 23-0 lead over the Vikings and won 32-14.

28) Super Bowl 15- This one might have been good if not for Ron Jaworski’s 3 interceptions. Those mistakes helped a mistake free Raider team to move up and down the field with ease for a 27-10 win.

27) Super Bowl 8- The Dolphins pounded the Vikings. At one point Miami led 24-0 before Minnesota scored a late touchdown after the game had been decided.

26) Super Bowl 7- The Dolphins undefeated season ended with a win in a mistake rittled game. The Redskins turned the ball over three times, and Garo Yepremian’s pass went down as a Super Bowl follie. Fins won 14-7.

25) Super Bowl 28- A game that was close at halftime was over by the end of the third quarter. The Bills had not turned the ball over in the first half did so twice in the third quarter as the Cowboys led 20-13 at the end of three, and went onto win 30-13.

24) Super Bowl 3- More remembered for Broadway Joe’s garuantee. The Jets defense forced 5 Colt turnovers and led 16-0 until late in the fourth when the Colts finally got on the board.

23) Super Bowl 1- This didn’t build much excitement as just under 62,000 tickets were sold, but it looked like even less showed up to the game. An evenly played game was blown open by two Packer touchdowns in the third quarter on the way to a 35-10 Packer win.

22) Super Bowl 26- The Redskins put this game away by halftime with a 17-0 lead. The Skins even led 24-0 mid-way through the third quarter.

21) Super Bowl 12- The Broncos fell victim in a Super Bowl once again as Dallas put it away by the middle of the third by leading 24-3.

20) Super Bowl 33- In John Elway’s final game he unloaded on the Falcons as the Broncos dominated for a 34-19 win that wasn’t as close as the score indicated.

19) Super Bowl 21- The Broncos were at it again in this one. Playing a great first half then letting slip away in the third as the Giants scored 26 unanswered points and pulled away to a 39-20 win.

18) Super Bowl 30- An Emmitt Smith touchdown late sealed the deal for the Cowboys. A game that was good until Neil O’Donnell found Larry Brown twice, and Brown played for Dallas.

17) Super Bowl 17- This Super Bowl was decent. And wasn’t decided until early in the fourth quarter when John Riggins had his memorable fourth down touchdown run.

16) Super Bowl 14- A good game until two fourth quarter Steeler touchdowns put it out of reach as Pittsburgh beat the LA Rams 31-19.

15) Super Bowl 40- A game more remembered for bad officiating was pretty decent. And wasn’t decided until mid-way through the fourth quarter when Hines Ward caught a touchdown pass on a trick play.

14) Super Bowl 41- This game was alot closer than it was supposed to be. The Colts had close to 40 minutes time of posession, but still only led 22-17 with 4 minutes left to play.

13) Super Bowl 39- This game was close, 24-21 in favor of New England. But the Patriots defense relaxed a little after building a 24-14 lead with 8 minutes to go.

12) Super Bowl 10- The Steelers took over this game in the fourth quarter and survived a late Cowboy surge to win 21-17.

11) Super Bowl 32- This is where the ending of the Super Bowl got really exciting. This game was tied until Terrell Davis got into the endzone with 1:45 left to play and gave Denver a 31-24 lead.

10) Super Bowl 13- Dallas made this one more exciting than it needed to be. Pittsburgh led 35-17 late in the fourth, before Dallas scored tow late touchdowns and nearly recovered an onside kick with 20 seconds left.

9) Super Bowl 43- Two lead changes in the final 2 minutes, definite excitement.

#8 Super Bowl 16- The Bengals rebounded from a 20-0 halftime deficit only to fall short at 26-21. This game saw a great 49er defensive stand with 2:38 left as the Niners held the Bengals out of the endzone on four straight plays from the one.

7) Super Bowl 42- It was tough putting many ahead of this, but I did. What can you say about the Giants game winning drive other than pure amazing.

6) Super Bowl 36- More of an exciting fourth quarter than an overall game. Still the upstart Patriots didn’t want to go to overtime and used just over a minute to drive into field goal range, and had Adam Vinatieri boot through the last second field goal to win.

5) Super Bowl 23- One year before the offensive explosion against the Broncos, the 49ers needed an amazing drive to turn away the Bengals again. 90 yards in just over a minute with John Taylor catching the game winner with 34 seconds left left everyone speechless including Bengal coach Sam Wyche.

4) Super Bowl 5- After this Super Bowl it was a long time before we got another one that compared. The Colts rallied late in the fourth quarter scoring the game-tying touchdown with 8 minutes to go. Then kicker Jim O’Brien booted through a 32 yard field goal with five seconds left to give the Colts the thrilling win.

3) Super Bowl 38- An already great game got even better in the fourth quarter, as the Pats and Panthers combined for 37 points. 24 of which came in the last 7 minutes, including Adam Vinatieri’s second Super Bowl game winner with four seconds left.

2) Super Bowl 34- Tied with just under two minutes to go, Kurt Warner connected with Issac Bruce from 73 yards out. Then Mike Jones tackled Kevin Dyson at the one yard line as time expired to preserve the win.

1) Super Bowl 25- Two words that will be instilled in every Bills fan’s memory until they win a Super Bowl will be WIDE RIGHT. An amazing game that saw no turnovers and both teams top rushers go for over 100 yards. A hard fought game came down to the last play where Bills kicker Scott Norwood pushed the game winning field goal off to the….well you know.

The Cardinals might be in the Super Bowl, but it will be a distracting two weeks with many questions about Anquan Boldin. Let me set this up for you if you do not know. Now, alot of people saw the blow up that Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin had late in Sunday’s win over the Eagles with offensive coordinator Todd Haley. This, however, was a long time coming. Earlier this season Boldin had complained to Haley about his declining of passes being thrown to him, and now with Sunday’s incident it’s obvious that the Super Bowl will be the last for Boldin in a Cardinals uniform.

This is going to snowball into an avalanche for the Cardinals, who have a big task at handling the pressure from their franchise’s first Super Bowl. Right now you don’t hear alot of it, but with two weeks before the game, and day in and day out break down of the game, many sports analysts and newspapers are going to get into this and have plenty of time to ask the Cardinal players and cause what will be another distraction to the Cardinals.

This is setting up perfectly for several teams. First the Steelers, who know that if Boldin doesn’t get involved early in the game, it will start to cause a distraction during the game by Boldin’s actions that could ultimately bring down the morale of the team. For the Giants, they’re looking intently into this situation, knowing that than can get Boldin away from Arizona in the offseason to be the replacement to Plaxico Burress.

For the Cardinals, win or lose, they’re going to be in the news more than the result of the Super Bowl.

Here it is folks my Championship Games prediction. We’ll start first in Arizona where the Cardinals have put up a good run to date in the NFC, as they have taken out two red hot teams in Atlanta and Carolina. But, the Eagles have done just as good, taking down the Vikings, and the Giants, both on the road. Last season saw the NFC’s six seed go to the Super Bowl, and I think we’ll see it again this year, Eagles 24 Cardinals 13.

In Pittsburgh, the Steelers saw an offensive explosion in the second half. I doubt they’ll get much of the same here today. The Ravens have slowed down two offenses in a row by handing Miami a shocking first round loss, and then playing good defense and just enough offense to get by Tennessee. Both of the two regular season games were tight one’s and I think this one will be as well. Expect a low scoring matchup, expect a hard hitting game, and expect two six seeds in the Super Bowl, Ravens 17 Steelers 9.

Jason Garrett needs to get out of Dallas, and fast. I mean as soon as someone offers him a coaching job he needs to leave. The once “future head coach” of the Cowboys is being all but run out of town, and the offseason is not even a week old.

Early in the season it was Terrell Owens dishing out the criticism towards Garrett’s offense. Then Ray Lewis knocked Garrett’s offense by calling it one of the most simplistic offenses in the NFL, that came after the Ravens beat the Cowboys 33-24 in week 16. Following that same game Tony Romo also blasted the offense, in saying that it took over three quarters for Garrett to figure out the Ravens defense.

Soon following, wide receiver Roy Williams sounded out his frustration by saying he wanted to be more of a contributor to the Cowboys offense. Then, following a 44-6 blowout loss to the Eagles, a loss that knocked Dallas out of the playoff race, Romo once again blasted the offense stating that the Eagles exploited a weakness in the Cowboys offense and that Jason Garrett made no attempt to adjust the offense.

Then earlier this week it was the Dallas Morning News’ turn to blast Garrett. For Garrett, it is setting up to be bad news in “Big D”. Your key players are blasting your offense, opponents defensive players are calling your offense simple, and exploitations of that offense are resulting in turnovers for your offense, and big wins by the opposition, there is no way to win this fight. You can claim that you’ll make changes for next season, but that’ll be difficult to institute because your key players are already questioning your abilities as a coordinator. Also, what if you do implement changes and they don’t work, then you’re right back where you are right now.

For Jason Garrett, the time to leave Dallas is now.