What Just Happened?

The NFL’s new overtime rules seem a lot like the old overtime rules.

Second thoughts about the Sunday playoff games…

Atlanta vs. New York

Prediction – Falcons 28, Giants 27

Result – Giants 24, Falcons 2

I was clearly wrong in my assessment that the Falcons were the better team.  No doubt it’s unfair to hang the “Can’t Win the Big One” label on Matt Ryan but that’s still going to happen.  I don’t know if the Falcons need a better offensive line or a better field goal kicker but they should definitely review their approach to 4^th down play selection in the off season. 

The Giants played like a team that could knock off the Packers in the Division round.  Well, after they gave up that safety.  That was stupid ugly. 

Pittsburgh vs. Denver

Prediction – Broncos 3, Steelers 2

Result – Broncos 29, Steelers 23 (OT)

I saw it and I’m not sure I believe it.  After Champ Bailey dropped a certain INT in the end zone that would have sealed the victory and Ben Roethlisberger hooked up with Jericho Cotchery to tie the game at 23-23 I thought for sure the Steelers would win.  Momentum is a surreptitious, vicious and fickle fiend and he was dancing suggestively on the Steelers’ sideline.  I thought, “I’ve seen this movie before.  And it usually ends badly for the plucky team of misfit underdogs.”  And then, it didn’t happen.  Instead, regulation ended in a tie.  There was the toss, the touchback and the touchdown.  (On the winning play, listen for Phil Simms in the background while the pass is in the air.  Got 'em.  Testify, brother.)  The crowd going absolutely insane.  Tebow Tebowing.

The Steelers are out.  The Broncos will play the Patriots next Saturday.

If ever there was a team that could play the “No Respect” card, it’s the Broncos.  Did anyone predict this? 

Show of hands? 

I didn’t think so.

Is it just me or does John Elway look really scary when he’s happy?  Just wondering.  Probably just me.  The big teeth.  It’s a thing for me.

Anyway, I doubt the Broncos will get much respect in the short week leading up to this Saturday's game in Gillette.  Maybe Skip Bayless will give them some love.  

Oh, and in case you haven’t heard (about thousand times already), it was Josh McDaniels that drafted both Tim Tebow and Demaryius Thomas in the first round of the 2010 draft when he was head coach of the Broncos.  The same Josh McDaniels who just rejoined the Patriots coaching staff!  If you wrote this up and made a movie nobody would believe it!  Anyway, Tebow finished 10 of 21 for 316 yards and 2 touchdowns passing and rushed 10 times for 50 yards and a third TD.  Thomas caught 4 passes for 204 yards and the game-winning 6.  He averaged 51 yards a catch.  That is just nuts.

This game was a best-selling novel optioned into a summer tent pole action-adventure movie directed by Joe Johnston and starring Chris Hemsworth as Tim Tebow and surprising Best Supporting Actor nominee Nick Cannon as Demaryius Thomas.