https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jan/25/johnny-hekker-rams-pro-bowl-punter-nfl

Sunday’s Pro Bowl will feature dozens of NFL players who stood out from their peers this season – but nobody was as dominant at their position as Los Angeles Rams punter Johnny Hekker.

How dominant? The stats tell the story:

• In 2016, Hekker landed an NFL-record 51 of his punts inside the 20. No other punter even had 40 such kicks.

• He launched 98 punts this season, and only one crossed the goal line for a touchback. None of the 27 other punters with at least 50 punts had fewer than two touchbacks.

• His net average was 46.0 yards. No other punter averaged 45.0 net yards per punt, and only one had an average above 42.7.

• Opponents gained an average of 1.55 yards on returns on all of Hekker’s punts. No other punter had an opponent return average below 1.82.

It was a brilliant campaign even by the high standards of the 26-year-old Hekker, who earned his third Pro Bowl selection in five NFL seasons. Not bad for a former high school quarterback who walked on at Oregon State hoping to compete for a role under center. The coaching staff instead asked Hekker to give punting a shot, promising him a scholarship if he could win the job.

An 18-year-old Hekker spent the summer before his freshman year working with a kicking coach in Alabama. “I was terrible,” he recalled. “But I was never really satisfied and always wanted to find ways to get better.”

Better he got.

Hekker earned the punting gig with the Beavers and saw his average increase from 39.7 in 2008 to 40.1 in 2009 to 41.7 in 2010 to 44.0 in 2011. The Rams – then, of course, in St Louis – took notice and signed him as an undrafted free agent, and his average continued to rise in each of his first four NFL seasons, from 45.8 to 46.3 to 46.5 to 47.9.

Hekker’s average actually dropped this season for the first time in his nine years as a punter (by one tenth of a yard), but he more than made up for that by setting that new record for punts inside the 20.

“His rookie year, maybe five out of 10 punts he hit a really nice ball,” said John Fassel, who has served as Hekker’s special teams coordinator for each of his five NFL seasons. “Then the next year it’d be seven out of 10 punts, and then eight. And now he’s hitting nine out of 10 punts pretty darn good.”

It’s enough to cause you to wonder if Hekker still has room to improve. After all, he still had that one touchback serving as a blemish on his 2016 record. And like any great athlete, he dwelled on it.

“It was my fault,” said Hekker. “We were at the 40, and Coach Fassel asked me if we wanted to take a delay-of-game to give me more room. I said no, and I realize now that I should have taken those yards. I was pretty upset, but the world keeps turning.”

In Hekker’s defence, the tape shows he gave his gunners a chance when the ball landed just inside the five-yard line, but they couldn’t touch it down before it took a hard bounce into the end zone.

That error aside, Hekker has practically mastered the craft. When coming in to punt near midfield in the past few seasons, he’s done something like this almost every single time.

And when he’s forced to go to work from deeper in his own territory, that’s OK, too. Those are the times Hekker gets to unleash. He’s had 30 60-yard punts in his career, including a personal-best 78-yarder this season against the New York Jets.

He practically kicked it the length of the field.

What differentiates Hekker from his fellow punters?According to Fassel, who has spent the majority of his 16-year coaching career running special teams units, Hekker is a rare bird in that he is the clear-cut special teams leader in Los Angeles.

“Punters are usually off to the side and kind of unknown” said Fassel. “But Johnny is the opposite of that. He’s front and center, hard-working, vocal and encouraging. There’s not many guys at his position who are like that.”

That probably stems from Hekker’s days as a quarterback and an elite varsity basketball player. And the very fact he excelled at other sports and in other positions goes to show that he’s not just some guy with a freakish leg. He’s a freakish athlete who has found a niche.

Fassel says one technical thing that makes Hekker special is “his ability as an athlete to get better faster, and to pick up new techniques and implement them into a game. He is as athletic a punter as I’ve seen – I probably shouldn’t say in the history of the NFL – but as far as punters who are athletes, he’s in the 99th percentile.”

Fassel says Hekker has also developed “three or four other special types of punts that have made him unique,” even if they can’t be deciphered by the naked eye.

Hekker explains: “It’s really just about timing [and] how the ball comes out of your hands and how it moves in the air. If it’s not moving at all – a still drop – then you’ve really got a good chance. You really can tell when you connect on a good one. It feels good coming off the foot. You don’t want to peek too early – I’m a guy who keeps my head down through the follow-through – but there are some balls where I just can’t wait to take a look and see how it’s flying.”

Unsurprisingly, he makes a nuanced and difficult task sound simple. It’s clear, though, that acquiring and improving muscle memory is the key to his success.

Hekker found a thing he’s better at doing than anyone else in the world, and then he put in the time – in Alabama, in Oregon, in St Louis and in Los Angeles.

That’s earned him plaudits from some of the most respected men in the game. Sure, Fassel spoke glowingly of him and former Rams head coach Jeff Fisher was semi-ridiculed for heaping praise on his “record-setting” punt team when there wasn’t a lot else to laud, but New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, with no skin in the game, offered up these words:

“This guy is a weapon. “I mean, he’s not a good player. He’s a weapon.”

Hekker admitted: “It’s hard to ignore. I definitely appreciate his kind words and it makes me feel good on some level, but I gotta remain humble because I’m not the whole picture here – I’m a small piece.”

That may be true – no punter is a big piece – but there’s plenty of evidence that Hekker is the biggest small piece in football. And while he never fulfilled his dream of becoming a professional quarterback, Hekker has still thrown 12 passes off fakes and broken plays in his five NFL seasons. That’s twice as many as any active punter in football. He’s completed seven of those throws and if qualified would have the highest passer rating (114.2) in NFL history.

Hekker’s leg got him here, but don’t be surprised if he gets a chance to show off that arm – and that athleticism – on Sunday in Orlando. Small piece Johnny Hekker could become a big piece at the Pro Bowl.

I cant wait for the preseason finally get to see which QB is actually better. Joff or Mannion. They both will be learning a new system they both should have the same amount of time with the 1's Goff probably have more though. But this is going to be the first time they both are on a even playing field so to speak. This battle is going to make our team better. While I hope Mannion win if Joff beats him that just means he is the better QB.. Who do you got??

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000779158/article/carson-wentz-hires-qb-coach-to-fix-mechanics
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000779158/article/carson-wentz-hires-qb-coach-to-fix-mechanics
Carson Wentz has hired a quarterbacks coach to improve his lapsed mechanics.

The Philadelphia Eagles' second-year signal-caller will work with 3DQB's Adam Dedeaux this offseason, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Wednesday.

This is a positive -- and fully expected -- sign for Wentz's future. After roaring out to a 3-0 start with a 5:0 TD-to-INT ratio and 103.8 passer rating in September, the draft's No. 2 overall pick was one of the league's least effective passers over the final three months of the season.

With his offensive line in flux and his running game vanishing for stretches, Wentz fell into bad habits, flashing a long-armed looping windup in which the ball often dropped to his waist level.

"Strictly mechanics," coach Doug Pederson said of Wentz's struggles in early December. "... Young quarterback, missed quite a bit of time in the preseason, but now we have to keep cleaning this thing up."

It's important that Wentz is diligent about his throwing motion, learning from Blake Bortles' precipitous 2016 decline.

Dedeaux, the grandson of legendary USC baseball coach Rod Dedeaux, worked with and for sports biomechanics guru Tom House for 10 years. Those two have trained many veteran quarterbacks, including Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Andy Dalton and Tim Tebow.

Dedeaux and House point to Bortles, though, as the quarterback who improved the most -- from a clueless 2014 rookie to the 2015 breakout quarterback who shattered several franchise records.

It's no coincidence that Bortles regressed in 2016 after neglecting his mechanics in the offseason.

Dedeaux and House often fly into NFL cities to provide tune-ups during the season. House believes quarterbacks typically lose 1 percent of their mechanical efficiency in every game, per The MMQB's Albert Breer. When they fall into bad habits -- as Bortles and Wentz did last season -- that number rises.

Fixing flawed mechanics is an incremental process heavy on deliberate repetition. That's why the legwork must be accomplished during the long offseason, with occasional upkeep and tinkering to remain fundamentally sound once the season starts.

Wentz has all of the physical tools and mental makeup to succeed in the NFL. Once he irons out his mechanics, he'll begin to emerge as a franchise-caliber quarterback.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/25/entertainment/mary-tyler-moore-death/index.html

Mary Tyler Moore, beloved TV actress, dies at 80
By Lisa Respers France, CNN

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(CNN)Actress Mary Tyler Moore, whose eponymous 1970s series helped usher in a new era for women on television, died Wednesday at the age of 80, her longtime representative Mara Buxbaum said.

"Today beloved icon Mary Tyler Moore passed away at the age of 80 in the company of friends and her loving husband of over 33 years, Dr. S. Robert Levine," she said. "A groundbreaking actress, producer, and passionate advocate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Mary will be remembered as a fearless visionary who turned the world on with her smile."

"The Mary Tyler Moore Show" debuted in 1970 and starred the actress as Mary Richards, a single 30-something career woman at a Minneapolis TV station. The series was hailed by feminists and fans alike as the first modern woman's sitcom.

But that wasn't the role which catapulted her into stardom. Moore first found fame playing Laura Petrie, the wife on the "The Dick Van Dyke Show," which ran for five seasons beginning in 1961.

Ranking NFL coaching hires: Anthony Lynn at No. 1

By Gregg Rosenthal

Choosing a great NFL head coach is like handicapping a horse race. The Rooney family is great at it, but it's a crapshoot for everyone else.

This round of NFL hirings officially will be completed after Super Bowl LI, when the 49ers are expected to hire Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan to fill their vacancy. Shanahan will be the fifth first-time head coach in this cycle's six hirings and the third with an offensive background. Jacksonville's Doug Marrone is the only former head coach of this crop, and the only one who didn't spend 2016 as a coordinator.

NFL owners struggling to identify the best coaches won't stop me from trying to do the same. Here's how I'd rank the six new hires based on their likelihood for success in their respective tenures.

1) Anthony Lynn, Los Angeles Chargers: This ranking is not just about Lynn, but the staff that he quickly built. Lynn chose to keep offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, reportedly at the prodding of Chargers management. Lynn also convinced former Seahawks defensive coordinator and Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley to run his defense.

Lynn's inexperience running a team -- he's never been a head coach at any level, though he did serve as the interim head coach in Buffalo after Rex Ryan's firing heading into Week 17 -- will be mitigated by the presence of two former head coaches (Whisenhunt and Bradley) on his staff. Those hires show a self-confidence and lack of ego that will serve him well.

Lynn won the job in large part because he was a "natural-born leader," according to Chargers president John Spanos. It's easy to see why players swear by him after listening to Lynn address the media. He stressed wanting to coach the entire Chargers roster rather than focusing on his specialty, the running game. While he's worked in Ryan's shadow (having served on Ryan's staff with the Jets from 2009 to 2014 and again with the Bills in 2015 and '16), Lynn sounded like a man who has prepared to run a team since he got into coaching. He carries himself like someone who will be doing this a long time.

Lynn's proven track record as a creative, productive run-game schemer (his Bills teams had the NFL's top-ranked rushing attack the past two seasons) puts him over the top as No. 1 for this exercise. If he can meld his ideas with Whisenhunt's offense, the Chargers could take a playoff trip after moving north up the 405.


2) Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams: No one knows if McVay can transform quarterback Jared Goff into a star. Everyone knows Wade Phillips is one of the greatest defensive coordinators of all time. The hiring of a known quantity like Phillips boosts McVay up these rankings, which are inherently stuffed with uncertainty. Worrying about whether defensive tackle Aaron Donald and linebacker Alec Ogletree fit Phillips' system misses the big picture. Give Phillips talented players, and he'll figure out how to make them shine.

McVay, 30, is a far bigger question mark. He's the rare offensive ingenue who is prized for his acumen and known for communicating well with his players. But how much credit do coach Jay Gruden and Washington's deep receiver group get for the well-constructed Redskins offense?

Watching McVay's introductory press conference, it's easy to see why he impressed the Rams' and 49ers' decision-makers in interviews. He rocketed up wish lists in January because he sounds like a head coach, due to his energy and confidence. Gus Bradley was another hot-shot coordinator who impressed at the podium and behind closed doors, but that doesn't necessarily translate into running a team.

3) Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos: John Elway didn't hire Joseph for his defensive game plans. Joseph was only a defensive coordinator for one season in Miami, and the 2016 Dolphins groupdidn't exactly shine. Joseph won the job through his presence and his strong recommendations. Despite mostly being a position coach, he was the right-hand man for Gary Kubiak in Houston, Marvin Lewis in Cincinnati and Adam Gase in Miami. In an interview with KUSA, Elway cited Joseph's "great vision" and his leadership skills.

Joseph is set up to succeed in one of the NFL's strongest organizations, with a top defensive roster and formerChargers head coach Mike McCoy as his offensive coordinator. Promoting secondary coach Joe Woods to defensive coordinator provides continuity on Denver's stronger side of the ball. This ranking partly reflects Denver's track record under Elway. His judgement on these large-scale decisions deserves the benefit of the doubt.

4) Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers: NFL.com's Michael Silver reported that Shanahan is "almost certain" to accept the 49ers head coaching job after the Super Bowl, when it's officially offered to the current Falcons offensive coordinator. He passes one quick test I have for any head coach: Does he bring something tangible to the table? Shanahan's offense makes that answer an unqualified yes.

Despite his age, the 37-year-old Shanahan has vast experience as a top play-caller. He's run offenses for nine NFL seasons, and those teams ranked in the top 10 in yardage six times. He's successfully modernized some of his father Mike's West Coast Offense principles for this pass-wacky era. That's why it was only a matter of time before Shanahan got his own team.

There are red flags, however. Shanahan's previous stop in Cleveland ended bumpily, with Shanahanasking to leave after one season under contentious circumstances. He has successfully leveraged his offensive wizardry into a job that is expected to give him great power within a currently broken franchise. (For one, Shanahan is expected to help pick his general manager.) That power and responsibility is a lot to handle, considering San Francisco's lack of a quarterback and sub-standard roster. Back in Denver, general manager Mike Shanahan essentially got coach Mike Shanahan fired. It doesn't help that the 49ers have proven impatient and are lacking consistent direction.

The delay in Shanahan's hiring will hurt him greatly in terms of putting together a staff. Chip Kelly was sunk in San Francisco partly because he was stuck with a lousy defensive roster and couldn't find a high-quality coordinator to save it. Shanahan is the captain in gym class stuck with the last pick. Getting quality coaches to San Francisco, where he will be the fourth head coach in as many years, won't be easy. Nothing about Shanahan's job will be.

5) Doug Marrone, Jacksonville Jaguars: Marrone's strange departure from Buffalo two years ago didn't reflect well on either side. His track record with the Bills sent similarly mixed signals. While the Bills went 9-7 in Marrone's second season, that was largely due to defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's excellent group. Marrone's offense was below average in both of his seasons in Buffalo, although his quarterbacks were EJ Manuel and Kyle Orton. Even Marrone's tactics were inconsistent. His Bills moved away from an extreme run-heavy approach in his second season.

That's a long-winded way of saying Marrone's first stint as a head coach shouldn't get Jaguars fans excited or scare them away. He'll have the same offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, that he had in Buffalo. The Jaguars will have the same defensive coordinator, Todd Wash, as they did in 2016. (That's likely to the chagrin of cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who said he wanted a "complete change" of the team's scheme and staff.)

Promoting Marrone (who was an assistant in Jacksonville the past two seasons) and retaining Wash supports my theory that the Jaguars didn't want to shake up their current staff. They doubled down on the Blake Bortles era under general manager David Caldwell. Marrone has some talent to work with, but he might not have a long timeline to turn things around before new executive VP Tom Coughlin makes a clean sweep of the organization.

6) Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills: It's unfair to rank McDermott this low, but someone has to bring up the rear. McDermott is well respected throughout the NFL, but he has the fewest tangible assets and perhaps the most difficult job of the new coaches.

The Bills have high expectations and a flawed roster. The organization also has an entrenched GM in Doug Whaley who hasn't shown a great aptitude for finding talent. McDermott made his name as a defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthersunder a defensive-minded head coach in Ron Rivera, so it's difficult to tease out what his impact was. ThePanthers' defense wasn't exactly a shutdown unit in his tenure, despite being well-coached. McDermott has been a defensive coordinator the last eight seasons between his time in Philadelphia and Carolina. Those defenses ranked in the top 10 in points allowed twice.

McDermott's offensive coordinator will be former Broncos OC Rick Dennison, a coach who was attached at the hip to Gary Kubiak for most of the last two decades. The Bills will likely be breaking in a new quarterback, one of many challenges for Dennison in the role. Perhaps McDermott and Dennison are NFL lifers who just needed this chance to show their value. They will have to be exceptional to excel in Buffalo, where they face an uphill task.

[www.nfl.com]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2...get-lucky-white-jerseys-after-falcons-go-red/

The New England Patriots will be in their lucky white uniforms for Super BowlLI after the Atlanta Falcons chose to wear red in Houston.

The NFC team received the choice of uniform colors this year, and Atlanta chose to go with red (Mike Reiss of ESPN spoke to the Pats, who confirmed they would wear white).

The concern for Falcons fans should be the recent success of teams wearing white in the Super Bowl. Eleven of the last 12 winners of the Super Bowl wore white.

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But with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, the Patriots are 2-0 in Super Bowls while wearing white, beating the Seahawks and Eagles in the Super Bowl.

The Pats also beat the Panthers in Houston previously while wearing blue and also beat the Rams while wearing blue. They would likely tell you they are absolutely unconcerned about the color of their jersey.

But some teams appear to be a little superstitious. Because the uniform selection alternates, the Broncos got to choose last year and decided to ditch their traditional orange jerseys for white. Denver was previously 0-4 while wearing orange in the Super Bowl.

The last time the Broncos wore white in the Super Bowl before Super Bowl 50 was actually the last time the Falcons were in the NFL's title game, following the 1998 season. Super Bowl MVP John Elway and the Broncos cruised to a convincing 34-19 win over Dan Reeves' Falcons, who wore black jerseys in their first Super Bowl appearance.

The Falcons will be testing the Football Uniform Gods this year by passing on the white. Then again, they must feel pretty good about the red jerseys after wearing them against the Seahawks and Packers in their first two playoff games of the postseason, both resounding victories.

This is a few days old. ICYMI, here is Robert Kraft accepting the Lamar Hunt trophy.

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It took Skip about 15 seconds to bribe up Elliott :blah:

Why would they do this? lolll

I live down in South Florida, and listen to sports radio all day, well one of the co-hosts of the morning show is our former center Brett Romberg. He frequently tells stories about his times in St Louis and Atlanta. They were talking about Matt Ryan and the whole draft where we took Chris Long #2 overall. He said when Chris Long came into camp he was absolutely horrible, getting manhandled by scout team tackles. One of the worst rookies he had initially seen. Maybe that explains a lot as to why he didn't start most of that first year? ( if I remember correctly) just a quick bit I thought I'd share, I thought it was interesting.

It might be time for Rams to splurge on a No. 1 receiver

Alden Gonzalez

[www.espn.com]

From now until the start of free agency, on March 7, we'll take a position-by-position look at the Los Angeles Rams in eight installments. The Rams -- coming off a 4-12 season that prompted the hiring of rookie head coach Sean McVay -- have about $40 million in cap space but do not have a first-round pick. They also have a lot of needs, all of which can feel a little overwhelming without breaking it down by section. We'll do that here. First up: wide receivers and tight ends.

Key returnees: Tavon Austin, Lance Kendricks, Pharoh Cooper, Tyler Higbee, Bradley Marquez, Temarrick Hemingway, Mike Thomas, Nelson Spruce

Notable free agents: Kenny Britt, Brian Quick

Top free agents available (for now): Alshon Jeffery, DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, Terrelle Pryor, Kenny Stills, Robert Woods, Martellus Bennett

Key stat: Britt had a career-high 1,002 receiving yards in 2016, becoming the Rams' first 1,000-yard receiver since Torry Holt in 2007. The Rams went eight years without producing a 1,000-yard receiver. In that stretch, from 2008 to '15, the NFL produced 174 1,000-yard receivers and every other team had at least one. Twenty-eight of them had two or more.

The Rams won't get the most out of quarterback Jared Goff, the No. 1 overall pick in 2016, until they improve at receiver. It's really that simple. You can blame scheme and you can blame the offensive line, which allowed a staggering 25 sacks over the final six weeks. But Rams receivers dropped a ton of Goff's passes down the stretch, from Britt to Austin to Kendricks to Cooper. From Weeks 11 to 17, the stretch when Goff started, Rams receivers dropped 5.5 percent of their targets, the sixth-highest rate during that time. It will be up to McVay to try to get the most out of Austin, who didn't produce anywhere near the expectations of his $42 million extension.

In last year's fourth round, the Rams selected Cooper, a major threat after the catch, and Higbee, a versatile tight end who can line up on the outside. Neither made much of an impact as rookies, but will surely be counted on more heavily in 2017. The same can probably be said for Thomas, who was considered a draft sleeper but fumbled a kickoff and dropped a long touchdown in limited time. And Spruce, a possession receiver and promising non-drafted free agent who was never healthy enough to play. Regardless, this might be the position the Rams choose to splurge on. They need a clear No. 1. They haven't had one since, well, Holt and Isaac Bruce.

Little help required - not sure if I have posted this in the right place or not so apologies if not.

I have been a manager in a Yahoo based Fantasy Football League for the last two seasons and have, in the main, enjoyed it.

I am now looking to set up a Fantasy League for UK based LA Rams fans and wanted to tap into the experience of other on ROD.

How are Yahoo Fantasy Leagues viewed by others?
Are there any Fantasy Leagues that are easier to run than others?

Any views or recommendations welcome.

Will the NFL (Goodell) allow the Patriots to win the Super Bowl...or is the fix in? Have at it.

To all -

We introduced a few changes over the weekend;

1. New Credit System

• A direct replacement to our old system, the new credit system operates exactly the same... Credits can be used in SportsBook and Betting Exchange.

• The new credit system also has functionality to spend credits in other ways, such as buying "bling" for your profile, among other options which sound fun. We will be exploring these down the road.

• With the new credit system, you will notice a "wallet" on your user profile (see screen grab below). Should we add new functions that use credits, the wallet feature will become more helpful with those.

• Credits are earned in the same manner as before (by participation). The details can be found in our FAQ; http://www.ramsondemand.com/threads/rod-credit.47197/

• Like the credit system before, ROD credits are meant for fun purposes.

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• Donations can be made "the old fashion way" via our normal donation link; http://www.ramsondemand.com/donations/support-rams-on-demand.3/campaign

• Alternatively members who would like something to show for their donation can donate and acquire a "ROD Sponsor" banner here; http://www.ramsondemand.com/pember/membership-new

• Both methods take advantage of PayPal security and are simply a member choice based on which option they prefer.

• A lower value monthly donation option has been added for those that have requested an option like that.

• Rams On Demand is proud to be ad-free and donations help us fund operational costs and improvements. Donations are and remain a member choice. We thank you for your support.

3. Registration

• We are now asking new members to donate $5 to join. With this step, we believe prospective members will take more seriously the step of reading and agreeing to our terms and rules.

• Simply put, we love new members, but too often find they haven't read our terms and conditions and occasionally surprised by our approach to moderation. This should help with that.

• This change does not impact existing members in any way. Only new.

Once again, thank you for your support. Our members make Rams On Demand one of the best communities out there. We are working hard to continually improve!

Cheers!

CGI

Despise the man all you want(and yes there will always be an asterisk by his name due to cheating), but the man knows how to coach a winning team. Here he speaks about how he got his defense to improve.

Since Kroenke and Snead have made mention of how they wanted to follow the Patriots plan for success, McVay and Phillips might want to heed his advice.

It's not enough to have talented players on defense. They also have to be mentally able to carry out the game plan. They then have to be coached to play cohesively together.
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http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...plains-defensive-improvement-in-simple-terms/

Belichick explains defensive improvement in simple terms
Posted by Mike Florio on January 23, 2017

Getty Images

For much of the 2016 season, the defense seemed to be a major weakness for the Patriots. Over time, however, the defense steadily improved.

On Monday, reporters asked coach Bill Belichick to explain the biggest factor for this development.

“Preparation, practice, execution,” Belichick said. “There’s no magic wand. You’ve just got to go out there and, look, there are five eligible receivers. Usually we get at least four of them out running pass patterns. In man-to-man coverage you’ve got to cover them. We’ve got to rush the passer, contain the quarterback, stop the run.

Zone coverage; it’s a short throw. You’ve got to be on the receivers tight or a good quarterback can get the ball into those windows. Again, good execution of zone coverage, getting to the receivers, filling up those spaces so it’s hard to throw the ball in there.

It really just comes down to playing good team defense in both the running game and the passing game and on the goal line, which gets into a whole new set of defensive calls and techniques. We’ve had a couple of big stops down there, too, over the course of the year.”

More specific improvement occurred later in the year, as the stakes of the games increased.

“As the season goes on and you get into games like we’ve had the last few weeks, Miami was a playoff team; that was kind of like a playoff game,” Belichick said. “Baltimore, Denver were those big kind of games at the end of the season.

Then the last two we’ve had — I think that’s where teams, players, units, I mean, that’s where those levels really get identified because you’re playing against the very best teams, the very highest level of competition. Some of that really remains to be determined in this year.”

Part of the challenge for the Patriots defense was to adjust to lineup changes, including most notably the in-season trade of linebacker Jamie Collins.

“We made some changes during the year,” Belichick said. “We always make changes. It’s a process you go through. You put players in certain situations and certain groupings together and some work better than others, or maybe you see more potential in a certain player or group of players or combination of players than others.

And you decide to move forward more with that or maybe you do it less because you don’t feel as good about it or players develop or improve or whatever it is and it’s just an ongoing process. It doesn’t happen overnight.”

It also doesn’t happen automatically.

There’s no switch that you can flip,” he said. “It comes through a lot of hard work, a lot of meetings, a lot of communication on how we’re going to do things and then a lot of on-the-field execution at actually doing them at a good competitive level so that we can gain confidence in each other as a unit as to how that’s going to happen in a live game situation.

Working hard, continuing to improve and guys taking whatever opportunities they get and either moving forward with it or possibly somebody else getting an opportunity and moving ahead of a player at a point in the season. That’s just a competitive situation.

We’re going to play the best players and basically everybody will get a chance to do it somewhere along the line, and the players that play the best will play more and the players that don’t do it as well need to improve and need to change their playing time status or they’ll continue to not get the playing time behind somebody else who is performing better.”

These are simple, obvious concepts, and it’s refreshing to hear one of the most successful coaches in league history underscore the importance of the meat-and-potatoes aspect of playing defense.

The specific schemes and the knowledge regarding what an offense may do are critical to the success of a defense, but Belichick has accurately explained some of the key aspects of building the foundation of a great defense.

I know a full comparison is impossible since Julio is still playing but I'd like to know what y'all think. Both are all-time greats and future hall of famers. So who's better?

Measurables:

Julio Jones:

6'3" 220 pounds
40 time: 4.39 seconds
Bench press: 17 reps
Vertical: 38.5 inches
Broad jump: 135 inches
20 yard shuttle: 4.25 seconds
60 yard shuttle: 11.07 seconds

Calvin Johnson:

6'5" 237 pounds
40 time: 4.35 seconds
Bench press: N/A
Vertical: N/A
Broad jump: N/A
20 yard shuttle: N/A
60 yard shuttle: N/A

Production (first 6 NFL seasons):

Julio:

79 games, 777 targets, 497 receptions, 7610 yards, 15.3 YPR, 40 Touchdowns, 96.3 yards per game.

Megatron:

92 games, 879 targets, 488 receptions, 7836 yards, 16.06 YPR, 54 Touchdowns, 85.17 yards per game.

It's worth noting that Julio missed 11 games in 2013, a year where he was AVERAGING 116 yards per game. He has finished with over 100 YPG in 4 of his 6 seasons. Johnson only managed this feat twice in his first 6 seasons and three times in his career.

So who do y'all think is the better receiver?

So much for all of the people buying in on the sticking with a 4/3 talk. Read on and it shows that he will be eventually converting to a 3/4. It just takes time.

http://theramswire.usatoday.com/201...plement-his-hybrid-3-4-defense-with-the-rams/

The Los Angeles Rams fans have a lot of changes to look forward to in 2017, starting with the excitement surrounding the addition of the almost 31-year-old Sean McVay as their new head coach.

A very similar sentiment is also felt about the arrival of longtime NFL coach Wade Phillips as their new defensive coordinator.
Barry
Phillips has been part of over 20 top-ten defenses and has coached 30 Pro Bowlers across his illustrious career; which most recently includes an uber-successful two-year tenure in Denver where he coached one of the most dominant Super Bowl-winning defenses in history.


And despite the fact that he was already 10 years into his NFL coaching career when McVay was born, Phillips is happy to be working under the young head coach, who worked with his son Wes Phillips during his time as Washington’s OC.

“He just said so many good things about him, and he thought he was going to be really good whenever he got a head-coaching job,” Phillips recently told ESPN. “That was part of what influenced me.

“His age doesn’t bother me,” Phillips continued. “My age didn’t bother him, evidently.”

Needless to say, that respect goes both ways. McVay will be giving Phillips a wide berth to run the defense how he sees fit; and Phillips intends to stick with what has worked,
Phillips told ESPN he will implement “a hybrid 3-4 defense” that incorporates some of the characteristics of the one-gap system of a 4-3 that the Rams have been employing the past couple of years under Gregg Williams.

While it has been noted that this could leave a defensive end like Robert Quinn having to make some positional adjustments, Phillips stated, “Guys who can rush are going to rush.”

Watching the Patriots offense run methodically through and around the Steelers made me wonder if the trajectory Jeff Fisher's improving Rams were on was sabotaged by his impatience surrounding Josh McDaniels.

The Rams looked MUCH better than the team he inherited. The offense was clearly having troubles grasping JMs offense. But...

What if JF didn't punt the idea of an improved, exciting offense, and instead showed the kind of patience shown for, say, Robinson?!

True we had/have no Brady at QB, but in retrospect Keenum looked far better in the offense-from-hell that he seemed to at the time. What might he have done with a better-than-middle-school offense?

So yeah, I wonder what we'd look like if instead of reverting to the "0 yards and a cloud of dust" approach, Fisher had stuck with McDaniels. It may be that we'd now be "stuck" with JF as well, with those extra draft picks shoring up our defense or giving us more solid WRs.

On second thought, in the long run, it may all work out for the best.

These are excerpts. To read the whole article click the link below.
********************************************************************
http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2017/01/23/super-bowl-51-matt-ryan-falcons-tom-brady-patriots-nfl-peter-king

Super Bowl 51: Matt Ryan’s Falcons vs. Tom Brady’s Pats
The Big Game in Houston is set, after Atlanta throttled Green Bay and New England dismissed Pittsburgh. Here’s a look at the Atlanta quarterback’s breakthrough and his counterpart’s continued brilliance. Plus items on a retiring Raven, Johnny Manziel, Ryan Grigson, DeShaun Watson and more
by Peter King


Photo: Tom Pennington/Getty Images

ATLANTA — To appreciate the magnitude of what we saw Sunday in the last football game ever at the Georgia Dome, we must consider what was happening in this city the April day Matt Ryan was drafted in 2008.

I was in Atlanta that weekend. Michael Vick was not. He was in federal prison in Kansas, serving nearly two years for dogfighting and animal cruelty. But the city not only hadn’t forgotten him; many in the city were keeping his seat warm and wanted him as their quarterback when he finished doing his time.

I remember the day before the draft walking through a mall and thinking, All these people with Vick jerseys or T-shirts supporting him … amazing. So when Ryan got picked third overall by new GM Thomas Dimitroff, it was a new start. But some locals seemed unmoved.

An Atlanta TV sports anchor, Gil Tyree, told me on draft day 2008 that Vick “is a messiah here. … No matter what Matt Ryan will do, he’ll never be accepted.”

Yikes.

Now to Sunday, and the 44-21 beatdown of the Packers in the NFC Championship Game, leading to the second Super Bowl appearance for the Falcons in their history. As Ryan compiled a four-touchdown, 392-yard game in the biggest game of his nine-year career, three times the crowd in the Dome rained down chants of “M-V-P! M-V-P! M-V-P!”

Six straight games without an interception … Heavy favorite to win the NFL MVP on Feb. 4 … Crowd screaming for him as he left the field like New York screamed for the Beatles in 1964.

The screams and chants sounded a lot like acceptance to me. This seemed a cruel time to remind Ryan of that day and the words of the sports anchor in 2008, but in a quiet moment at his locker after the game, I did.

This is not a topic Ryan wants to revisit. In his nine years at the helm of this team, nobody’s ever seen Ryan sweat. He says the right things, does the right things, works the right way. But he understood the gravity of this day, and what he’d accomplished under such initial pressure. Vick thrilled this town like few athletes have, but Ryan has taken the franchise further than Vick ever did.

No matter what Matt Ryan will do, he’ll never be accepted.

Ryan said quietly: “Some things you don’t forget.”

That was it. But others took up Ryan’s cause. “Matt’s created great memories in this dome,” said Dimitroff, who made Ryan the first pick of his tenure. “Back then, when Matt was drafted, the doubts were there. But he’s evolved and stayed above it all.”

“That’s a long time ago,’’ said receiver and returned Eric Weems, who was a Falcon when Ryan was drafted and who knew the tenor in the city. “If people are still holding grudges, and I doubt there are, it’s on them. I can tell you Matt’s my quarterback. Matt’s our quarterback. I love him.”

The best teams are often forged through difficult times. Ryan was drafted the year after Bobby Petrino pulled one of the all-time classless coaching moves, quitting with two games left in the 2007 season to take a college job. Ryan had some shaky playoff games, but Dimitroff and Blank were unwavering in their support.

Blank, wisely, held onto Dimitroff—a strong scout—when he fired Mike Smith two years ago and hired Dan Quinn as coach. Ryan has gotten excellent coaching from offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan over the past two years, and Quinn’s definitive demands for every position on the field allowed Dimitroff and key personnel men Scott Pioli and Steve Sabo to know exactly what to scout.

Two excellent drafts and good free-agent finds (Alex Mack, Mohamed Sanu), and here we are—an Atlanta-New England Super Bowl.


Photo: Rob Carr/Getty Images

Two things I notice about Ryan’s game under Shanahan: He’s more comfortable as an athlete—that 14-yard touchdown run against Green Bay, his first TD carry since 2012, showed he’s not a lumberjng runner, but a competent one. “There was nobody to account for the quarterback,” Ryan said. “And everybody's backs are turned playing coverage, playing man‐to‐man coverage. Just saw a lane open up.” In the past, Ryan likely would have stuck in the pocket, looking at his third and fourth targets.

“Matt’s been a grinder, getting his mental right,” is how Weems put it.

Ryan is better at play-action and run fakes, a more complete player who doesn’t think being a pocket quarterback means you actually have to be in the pocket all the time, surveying the field seven steps behind center. I loved his first touchdown pass Sunday, which was a combination of Steve Young and Brett Favre.

On Atlanta’s first drive of the game, from the Green Bay two-yard line, Ryan took off to his left near the goal line, and it looked like he’d run it in. But then he threw a flip pass to Sanu for a touchdown. I just don’t think that’s the kind of thing he’d have been comfortable doing pre-Shanahan.

Against New England, the more multiple a quarterback can be, the better. You saw how Bill Belichick and defensive boss Matt Patricia began to neutralize Le’Veon Bell even before he got hurt in the AFC game by taking away those creases in the defensive front that Bell uses so wisely.

The Patriots take what you do well and find a couple of ways to combat it. No doubt that Shanahan today and tomorrow will be all over New England tape trying to play Spy Vs. Spy, figuring what the Patriots will do if the Falcons do such-and-such.

The last player you’d compare Ryan to is Vick. But in the next two weeks he’d better get ready for it. During the run-ups to Super Bowls, long perspective stories are the order of the day. Vick, 2001: thrills and chills, a roller coaster, but didn’t work overall. Ryan, 2008: by the book, outworking everyone, in the Super Bowl. The Falcons, and Ryan, have been rewarded, and a date with Tom Brady is the result.

* * *

COACH OF THE WEEK

Dan Quinn, head coach, Atlanta. All coaches coming from great programs get pegged as so-and-so’s “guy.” Quinn was Pete Carroll’s “guy.” High energy from day one, like Carroll. And, like Carroll, he was teamed with a personnel guy (Thomas Dimitroff) he really didn’t know. But from the start, Quinn was clear he wanted this team not to be “Seattle East” but rather “Atlanta Now.”

And there are some striking differences. But the important thing is Quinn has the Falcons in the Super Bowl in his second season—a great achievement considering he took over a 6-10 team that was comatose on defense and needed an injection of life. Quinn did that, and he built a very good defense in two years.

* * *

We Could Use a Great Game in No. 267


The Pats and Falcons haven’t played since a Sept. 29, 2013, meeting at the Georgia Dome.
Photo: Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

After 256 regular-season games and 10 in the playoffs, the NFL season comes down to game number 267 in Houston, Super Bowl LI between Atlanta and New England. I love the game, because there’s so much new and interesting about Atlanta (particularly on defense, where seven of the 12 “starters,” including third corner Brian Poole, are first or second-year players), and because there’s so much history on the line for New England.

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick could become the first QB-coach duo in history to win five Super Bowls. Brady could be the first quarterback in history to win five Super Bowls. It could be a momentous night in Houston 13 days from now.

And it’s new for the teams too. Of Atlanta’s 53-man roster, 37 players weren’t Falcons the last time these two teams met, a 30-23 win for New England at the Georgia Dome in 2013. It’s fresh for them, fresh for the players and coaches.

I loved Kyle Shanahan’s reaction when, just before I recorded a podcast conversation with him Sunday night in the Falcons’ equipment office at the Georgia Dome, I told the Falcons’ offensive coordinator it looked like the Super Bowl foe would be New England.

“Good,” he said. Not because he’s a cocky glutton for punishment, but because he wants to play the best. That sounds nuts, but what coach who considers himself really good at his job wouldn’t want to match wits with Bill Belichick and his staff in the game of the year?

By the way: I sure hope it’s the game of the year. We could use one. Average margin of victory in the 10 playoff games: 15.7. Games decided by 13 points or more in the 10 playoff games: eight.

New England (16-2, AFC top seed) versus Atlanta (13-5, NFC second seed), Feb. 5, 6:30 p.m. ET, NRG Stadium, Houston (retractable roof). New England will play in its ninth Super Bowl (a record), Atlanta its second. Tom Brady plays in his seventh, Matt Ryan his first. So clearly, the Patriots have cornered the market on experience. But Atlanta hasn’t shown many signs of being intimidated by the bright lights this postseason, putting up 80 points on Seattle and Green Bay, teams far more playoff-experienced than the Falcons; defensively Atlanta held the Aaron Rodgers-led Packer offense scoreless for the first 35 minutes Sunday.

It’ll be fascinating to see the game plan Josh McDaniels weaves after studying players he’s never faced—rangy and instinctive Falcons rookie middle ’backer Deion Jones, for instance—this week. The bigger New England secondary could be a matchup problem for Atlanta, even thought Julio Jones laughs at matchup problems. One Falcon told me Sunday night, “Julio’s playing with half a toe, and it doesn’t matter,” referring to a nagging turf toe injury that won’t get better until he gets four or five months of rest and rehab.

But if you saw his 73-yard catch-and-run and breaking of two tackles against Green Bay, you’ve got to figure the Patriots are going to try to eliminate him and let someone else beat them. That someone else might be Mohamed Sanu. I was disappointed in Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman (25 carries, 71 yards, long of 14) against Green Bay, and New England’s run defense is better. So that means it’s up to Matt Ryan to justify his MVP-ness and have a big day if Atlanta hopes to keep New England from its fifth Super Bowl win.

* * *

Marveling at Brady


Photo: Jim Rogash/Getty Images

You are living through a remarkable time if you’re a football fan. You’re seeing one of the great athletic careers in history play out, apparently with no sign of diminution.

Tom Brady won his 24th NFL playoff game Sunday. To put that in some perspective—though, obviously, there are more playoff games today than there were for much of the NFL’s history—the Chicago Bears as a franchise have won 17, according to Pro Football Reference.

Considering that the Bears played their first playoff game in 1932 and are a flagship franchise of the league, and considering Brady was born in 1977, that’s quite a feat for the Patriots QB.

One more gem: New England’s total of 24 playoff wins with Brady under center surpasses the all-time postseason win totals of 25 of the remaining 31 NFL franchises.

Rightfully, having Bill Belichick coaching (with Josh McDaniels constructing the offense and Matt Patricia taking on increasing importance as a defensive brain and presence) and Tom Brady playing is just about the perfect formula for success. Brady, as our Jenny Vrentas wrote so smartly last week, is a perfect leader of the franchise because he likes to be coached, and he can take being coached hard, and Belichick has always believed in coaching hard.

I found it interesting last week that the Patriots put pads on before the 18th game of the season, at a time when most teams have put the practice pads away for the year. New England practiced in pads Wednesday. Nobody bitched. If Brady’s not bothered by it, no other player would dare be bothered by it.

The game against Pittsburgh was a good illustration of the Patriots’ intelligence and patience. Against a zone team like Pittsburgh, an offense has to be patient. It’s not likely to yield many over-the-top big plays; the Steelers challenge you to take yards and eventually make a turnover or get greedy and throw risky or incomplete passes downfield.

Now, I didn’t watch a lot of this game, but I did think the mid-second-quarter flea-flicker touchdown from Brady to Chris Hogan was very interesting. On a play like that, with Brady handing it to Dion Lewis, and Lewis shoveling it back to Brady, and Brady looking deep, a young secondary like Pittsburgh’s might be tempted to bite on the run. Well, Brady did catch the Steelers looking run, and slipping past the secondary was Hogan, who caught an easy touchdown from Brady.

One other thing, not to go all hagiography on the Patriots: After the game, the little-used Lewis was near tears in the locker room. Why? Because he finished with 11 yards rushing and was angry at the game plan? No. It’s because he’s going to his first Super Bowl. He never thought his meandering and previously unproductive career would take him this far.

But when you’re with the Patriots, you get the team concept. It’s the way they do business. If you don’t like it, you won’t be around long. If you’re okay with it, the Super Bowl is often at the end of the rainbow. Such as this season.

“Bill [Belichick] showed this pass that was probably the worst pass I’ve ever seen Brady throw. The ball just completely missed the wide receiver and ended up skipping to the ground and falling out of bounds. Bill was saying, ‘What kind of throw is this? I can get Johnny Foxborough from down the street to make a better throw than this.’ … If Brady is getting it, no one is safe. I just immediately fell in line.”

—Former Patriots receiver Donte’ Stallworth, recalling his first New England team meeting to Jenny Vrentas of The MMQB in her excellent story about the hard coaching that Tom Brady takes.

* * *

The Times They Have a-Changed Dept.:

I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a playoff weekend as run-pass unbalanced as this one.

• No running back had a 20-yard run in either championship game.
• Sunday’s four rushing leaders by team gained 46, 42, 34 and 47 yards.
• Sunday’s four passing leaders by team threw for 392, 287, 384 and 314 yards.

* * *

Tweets of the Week

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/daringantt/status/823282372330291203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/JCaldwell92/status/823198977831174145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/LATimesfarmer/status/821736679094374401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

* * *

• Joseph on lessons learned from Wade Phillips when they worked together on the Texans staff: “Wade Phillips is a Hall of Fame coach, but Wade taught me this: Players first, scheme second. Everything Wade did was based on the players. And I never had a bad day with Wade. If it was a win by 50 or a loss by 50, I never had a bad day with Wade.”

• Hawk on Aaron Rodgers: “I sat next to him in our team meetings for nine straight years. He was always the same guy … Now that I am thinking about it, I wish I would have taken some notes, and taken some more time to watch how he did conduct himself. Luckily I still get to talk to him a lot and see him a decent amount. It might be weird if I'm just hanging out with him having dinner and I'm taking notes. Do you think that's weird?

In team meetings you just sit wherever you want, there is no assigned seat. When I got drafted, Aaron reached out to me because he was the first-round pick the year before me, and he just kind of let me know what the process was like and what to expect. I didn't know anything, I was 21, 22 years old. We just started hanging out early on. My wife and I got married shortly after I got there, so my wife was always like a team mom to people, so she would have him over and cook dinner for him.”

* * *

Things I Think I Think

1. I think these are my quick notes of analysis from championship Sunday:

a. For Tom Brady to feel old, here’s a factoid to hit him with: Matt Ryan capped his senior season at Boston College with a 24-21 bowl victory over Michigan State on Dec. 28, 2007 … and on the next night Brady and the Patriots capped their 16-0 regular season with that crazy 38-35 win over the Giants at the Meadowlands.

b. Imagine Ryan in his Chestnut Hill dorm or apartment, watching Brady dissect every defense in football in that perfect season; there’s no way he ever wondered, “Man, I’d love to face him in the Super Bowl sometime.”

c. I loved Atlanta offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s reaction when, just before we taped a podcast conversation Sunday night in the Falcons’ equipment office at the Georgia Dome, I told him it looked like the Super Bowl foe would be New England, and he said: “Good.”

d. Not that Shanahan thinks he can shred Belichick’s defense—far from it—but it’s the kind of bring-it-on attitude Kyle Shanahan has had his entire coaching career.

e. On fourth-and-two with 36 minutes left in the NFC title game, at the Green Bay 37, with the Pack down 17-0, Mike McCarthy punted—and I absolutely would not have.

f. At the conclusion of the final football game that will ever be played at the Georgia Dome, I had this reaction: Meh.

g. Seven Super Bowls for one quarterback (Brady) is just … just … well, it’s like what Elaine said that one time in Seinfeld: “I am speechless—I am without speech.”

h. The Falcons got a gem in Mohamed Sanu, who started to put the game out of reach and then Julio Jones finished it.

i. Classy, apt and loyal move by ESPN, naming their Sunday pregame studio after Chris Berman and Tom Jackson at the close of Berman’s last Sunday studio show in Bristol this weekend.

j. The way to stop childish but significant behavior like that of the person who, at 3 a.m. Sunday, pulled the fire alarm at the Steelers’ Boston hotel and forced its evacuation, is pretty simple: Put the idiot’s name on TV and in the papers, and make the perp serve two months in jail.

k. This Pittsburgh offense, which is supposed to be great with all these unstoppable weapons, managed two touchdowns in eight quarters at Kansas City and New England.

2. I think I’ll wish Johnny Manziel well on his road back to the real world, and I mean that. Anyone who is trying to turn around his life is to be commended. But this one’s going to take some time to believe.

I remember back almost three years, when he was an Eagle Scout at the 2014 combine, and during the pre-draft process, when he played the earnest prospect and very nearly had Mike Zimmer and the Vikings convinced he’d left his partying days back on his college campus in Texas. If I’m a GM, I’m saying to Manziel, even if he’s sober the next six months, “We’ll talk in 2018.”

3. I think I understand why the NFL moved commissioner Roger Goodell’s press conference up two days, from the Friday morning before the Super Bowl to Wednesday afternoon in Houston. (Something that’s gotten surprisingly little attention.) Especially with the Patriots in the game, there was no way the league wanted to have the buildup to the biggest game of the year marred by the wet blanket (apologies to Greg Bedard for stealing his patented phrase, but it applies here) of countless recitations of Deflategate in papers and websites and sportscasts two days before the Super Bowl.

In general, I believe the league did this to try to keep interest building in the game itself as it approaches. One other Goodell note, about him attending the game in Atlanta on Sunday instead of Foxboro: Goodell should have taken his Patriots medicine sometime in the regular season. He should have gone to a game some random Sunday in Foxboro, suffered the venom that would have come, so that this “Roger’s afraid of showing his face in Foxboro” thing (which I do not doubt he is) wouldn’t continue to be such a big story.

A few other notes about Super Bowl week:

a. The Patriots will practice Wednesday through Friday at the University of Houston’s football facility.

b. The Falcons will work out at Rice University.

c. The first media availability will be Monday night at Minute Maid Park. NFC interviews, on the field, will be from 8:10 to 9:10 p.m. ET, with AFC team interviews from 10 to 11 p.m.

d. Goodell and a few select players (not in the game) will have a fan forum event at the House of Blues in downtown Houston on Friday. Fans, mostly of the Texans, will be invited to ask questions.

e. And a most interesting Monday Super Bowl MVP celebration could be at 8:30 a.m. Houston time, if Tom Brady wins it. Goodell would have to be there to say nice things about Brady, and Brady will have to pose for photos with the man who banned him from the NFL for a quarter of this season.

4. I think this qualifies as a terrific waste of opportunity: Quarterback Deshaun Watson is skipping the Senior Bowl this week. Clemson’s Watson would logically have played for the South team, which will be coached by Hue Jackson and his Cleveland Browns’ assistants. If you’ve got faith in your ability, and you want to convince the coach of the team with the first pick in the draft—the team that desperately needs a quarterback and will almost certainly choose one high in the draft if it can’t trade for one or sign one before that—why would you not take the golden opportunity to work with Jackson for a week?

The other two prime quarterbacks in the draft, Mitch Trubisky and DeShone Kizer, were not eligible, either because they weren’t seniors or because they hadn’t graduated. But a couple notes about the Watson miss: The Browns talked to him and asked him to play this week; he declined. Some of the other players who in the past declined a Senior Bowl invitation went much lower in the draft, fairly or unfairly, than they’d hoped—Geno Smith, Brett Hundley, Connor Cook, A.J. McCarron.

I’m not saying the same fate will befall Watson. And I will be clear: If the Browns fall in love with Watson, the fact that he didn’t participate in the Senior Bowl won’t matter. But what if it’s close? What if Jackson’s on the fence about one or more quarterbacks? Just feels like a big miss to me.

5. I think there’s a lesson for all in handling crises, watching the way Steelers cheerleading coach Mike Tomlin handled the Antonio Brown one. Forcefully, with mild and controlled anger, facing it straight on. Textbook crisis management. The most disturbing thing to me, other than Brown putting his me-firstness on display for the world to see, were the players who ignored Tomlin’s post-game message. That has to stop.

6. I think Carl Cheffers, who will ref the Super Bowl, is one of the least-known NFL referees—and the NFL likes it that way. Football Zebrashas been on the Cheffers-as-Super Bowl-ref story for a few weeks now, and Mike Pereira had it last weekend for FOX. I asked Football Zebraseditor-in-chief Ben Austro (yes, there is a site covering NFL officiating, and Austro is really good at it) to give us a scouting report on Cheffers, in his ninth year as NFL referee. Writes Austro:

Carl Cheffers is not the kind of referee who is going to leave his mark on the average fan. He may not have the swagger of some of his contemporaries, but do not confuse his unassuming demeanor with weakness. Cheffers has been a steady hand at the wheel of his crew for some time. Cheffers is also known for an infamous face mask flag in 2015, which gave the opportunity for the Packers to beat the Lions on the resulting untimed down.

It was a call that 100 officials out of 100 would have made, even though slow-motion replay showed otherwise. When asked by a reporter at the Lions training camp about that call, Cheffers responded, “Dude, it's 2016.” Fans will always remember; Cheffers will, too, but his focus always must be on the next snap.

The most controversial call of this year’s playoffs was a flag thrown by Cheffers, a holding penalty on Chiefs tackle Eric Fisher that nullified Kansas City’s two-point conversion that would have tied the playoff game with the Steelers. While Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce leveled heavy criticism at Cheffers’ feet, it was a call he had to make.

No official wants to have the call that ends a team's season. It's not easy, but good officials step up, take control, and make the call in that situation, rather than letting the situation take control of the official. An entire season is made up of a few thousand “microcalls” that are all considered, but it turns out that, essentially, the last call he made exemplifies the fact that Cheffers belongs at the head of the crew on football's biggest stage.

I just have to congratulate two of my all time favourite Rams on Reaching the SuperBowl. Chris Long & Danny Amendola. I'm glad it worked out for Chris, especially as I think there was plenty of tread on the tires of him as a Ram.

Counting the 46 yards that Rodgers got, and he was his teams leading rusher today.

Rushing
GB - 99
ATL - 101

Passing
GB - 287
ATL - 392

Rushing
NE - 57
PITT - 54

Passing
NE - 384
PITT - 314

Each QB passed for almost as much or more yards individually than ALL FOUR teams ran for, and if you take out Rodgers 46 yards it's not even close.

Over a thousand more passing yards than rushing yards in the two conference title games.

1375 to 311.

WOW!!!

Here we go!

Go Steelers!!!

Watching the Falcons I am crying that we didn't wait for Shanahan. Goff is a Matty Ice clone, just imagine what he could have turned this kid into. I pray that I'm wrong about McVay, I like his confidence and he carries himself well but Shanahan is pretty special.

bringing it up now...

We'll see by how the calls start to go in the GB/ATL game...

Atlanta is opening a new $1.7B stadium next year and I really wonder if they're going to try and steer the SB to them in order to maximize the opening of that stadium.

I don't think they gave them this season or anything. I think they are a legit team.

But we all know how games can change drastically on a few calls.

So I'm going to be watching to see how this plays out.