Wouldn't it be wise for the NFL to begin adjusting late-season schedules to decide playoff participants rather than relying solely upon tie-breakers after contests pitting must-wins against heavily-indifferents?
For example, since neither Indy nor SF had any stake whatsoever in the outcomes of their respective games, while their opponents had their entire seasons in the balance, wouldn't it have made greater theatre, superior ratings, some sense and real ingenuity to pit Cleveland directly against Tennessee (while Indy played the Niners)?
What is being proposed is staging head-to-head encounters featuring post-season candidates otherwise subject to tie-breaking procedures whenever they would otherwise be playing opponents with next-to-nothing on the line. It may not occur with much regularity; but once a decade is enough to institute the policy, in this writer's opinion.
I realize this is a tremendous departure from what has been and what is customary, but it is not as if short-notice wasn't the order of the day anyway. After all, the schedule for this weekend's post-season matchups, including times and places, were only announced Sunday.
The surprise bonus season-ticket holders would experience---exchanging a meaningless contest for a genuinely meaningful, pre-post-season matchup---is another reason to consider the plan. In the event it is not clear which team should host---which was not the case yesterday when Cleve was schedule for a home game and Tenn for a road one---the club with the current edge can entertain.
I'm far from smart enough (as if you need to be told) to anticipate and/or debate all the possible ramifications precluding such adjustments, but the proposal has some merit deciding the post-season fates of teams not otherwise having met head-to-head that season.
Naturally, among the reasons that would be recited for why this proposal should not occur is the reiteration that Cleveland had its opportunity to mute Tenn's hopes, only to surrender it when losing in Cinn.
But that so much could be decided on a woefully wasteful Sunday---one in which Cleveland might've qualified even if it had lost, for example---is too absurd to present a strong argument against my proposal.
In fact, of all the post-season contenders with a chance to gain entry if only they'd win, Cleveland was the only one to taste victory on Sunday but not get in to the post-season anyway.
Furthermore, it is remarkable to have not only won 10 games, but to also have tied for the division's best record while still not getting in.
Ultimately, what did in the Browns was going 3-5 on the road and only 4-4 in a division that was not operating at typical strength this year. Their only loss to an NFC team was the dreadful outcome in Arizona, also decided by a terrible application of NFL rules.
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Lost amid the late-season collapse of what seemed to be a certain post-season campaign is the remarkable improvements made by the Browns' much-maligned defensive unit. Whereas they had been far and away the most liberal when it came to points allowed, the Browns ended up shutting its opponents out for 10 of their final 12 quarters. What is more, both Cinn's short-drive, second-quarter td's last week were set up by Derek Anderson interceptions and Sunday's SF score was staged by a pair of Cleveland penalties---one of which was WR Braylon Edwards' taunting following his Cleveland score.
Eleven NFL teams surrendered more points than Cleveland's yield of 382, six from the AFC. Only seven clubs scored more than Cleveland's 402, four from the AFC. Yesterday's game, however, was just the latest during which the Browns left as many points on the field as they managed to score.
Totally trivial, but Tenn outscored its opponents by only four points this year. For Cleveland, the disparity was +20.
Another interesting detail about the Cleveland D is that its pass defense, which started so horribly in 2007, ended up allowing 29 scoring passes, the identical figure Cleveland qb's (read: Derek Anderson) achieved. Cleveland surrendered 20 scoring passes in 2006.
On the subject of pass defense during yesterday's SF-Cleve game, there was irony in the hometown affiliations of opposing CBs. SF's Nate Clements, of course, is from Shaker Heights and Ohio State, while Browns' rookie Eric Wright hails from the City by the Bay.
Niner fans did not experienced nearly the suspense Browns' fans witnessed this season; their team had been outscored 228-78 in first halves this year, going into yesterday's encounter, which Cleve led 17-7 at the half. Especially bad for SF had been the second quarter, when opponents ruled 148-48. The third quarter turned out to be the only one SF outscored its opponents on the season, whereas Cleve won every quarter but the first.
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MLB is well aware of Birthday Boys experiencing uncharacteristic success when performing on the anniversaries of their births. Former Tiger Kirk Gibson, for example, was notorious for tremendous birthday numbers, especially in slugging percentage.
This is mentioned because Titan QB Kelly Collins, who replaced the injured Vince Young late in last night's game and led his team to three much-needed FGs to seal the Browns' fate, was actually merely celebrating his 35th birthday by coming in cold to go 10-for-13.
December 30 is also Birth Day for Tiger Woods, LeBron James, Mel Renfro (a Dallas Cowboy Hall of Famer) and legendary Dodger lefty Sandy Koufax. December 29, by the way, had Richie Sexson turning 33 and Jaret Wright 32.
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Whodathunk Maurice Carthon would be calling the plays when Brady Quinn finally got into a regular-season NFL contest? How else can one explain FB Lawrence Vickers being on the receiving end of Quinn's first two pass attempts and also the chosen third-down run conversion option?
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Detroit was the only NFL club to allow two 50-point games (56 to Phila and 51 to SD), while Minn achieved the top two games for rushing yards (378 vs. SD and 311 at Chic).
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In case you missed these Cavalier nuggets:
Only two Cleveland players went to the free throw line vs. New Orleans Saturday night, LeBron and Boobie.
And the team's website links to a Chicago newspaper story saying a Hughes and Gooden for Heinrich and Ben Wallace exchange is being discussed.
Happy New Year to All and to all a good nite.