The Breakfast Blend...the best part of waking up

By Willie Mullen

The NFL Playoffs & Pete Carroll

Here's my take on this morning's headlines:

• The NFL gods did us fans a solid with yesterday's Packers-Cardinals game.  Preceded by three blow-out duds, the last of the wildcard games proved to be the best and has to rank among the best first round playoff games ever.  Go figure: in a game that featured the highest point total in NFL playoff history, it was a defensive play that won the game for the Cardinals.  So much happened in this game:
• Nerves had to have been a factor early on for the Packers, especially Aaron Rodgers, whose first pass was uncharacteristically intercepted.  After that first attempt, Rodgers produced these numbers: 28/41, 422 yards, 4 tds, 0 ints, 1 rush td.  If there was ever a doubt Rodgers is a big-time franchise quarterback (and there shouldn't have been), it was completely annihilated yesterday.  He was incredible.
• While Rodgers is the best young quarterback in the league, his performance was overshadowed by 38-year-old signal-caller Kurt Warner.  Warner said after the game that he felt "on" and knew he was going to have a good day.  Then he went out and did this: 29/33, 379 yards, 5tds, 0 ints.  Uh, you think he felt good?  More touchdowns than incompletions?  I don't think I have ever seen that before.  Many questioned Kurt Warner's place in NFL history prior to last season's run to the Super Bowl.  Now, there is no question: Warner is one of the great passers of all-time and will be a Hall-of-Famer.
• I loved the way the Cardinals game-planned without their #2 receiver, Anquan Boldin.  Instead of looking to one guy to fill his shoes, Arizona used multiple guys to replace one and it worked.  Be it Steve Breaston, Early Doucet or LaRod Stephens-Howling, Warner found open players all over the field and that was the difference in the game.
• Speaking of pass-catchers, let's give some love to Breaston, Greg Jennings, Larry Fitzgerald and Jermichael Finley.  All four put up great numbers and each had a few catches that made you say "wow".  The quarterbacks were red-hot but they got a lot of help from these four.
• In the end, this game falls on the Packers defense in my opinion.  That unit played too well all season long to lay an egg like they did yesterday.  Give Arizona's offense a lot of credit, particularly the offensive line which did a great job allowing Kurt Warner time to throw.  But Green Bay could not handle Arizona's speed, could not cover the middle of the field and could not make a stop when they had to have one.  This was a bad game at the worst possible time.


• Prior to the game of the year (so far), the Baltimore Ravens handled the New England Patriots from beginning to end in their 33-14 win on Sunday.  From the first play of the game, an 83-yard touchdown run by Ray Rice, the Ravens were the faster, more physical team.  Their offensive line is big and nasty, paving the way for a power running game featuring three legitimate ball-carriers and the defense is hard-hitting, emphasis on hard.  Joe Flacco will have to make some plays next weekend in Indianapolis but if they can control time of possession and force Peyton Manning into a few mistakes, Baltimore could be headed to their second straight AFC Championship game.  As for New England, all season long they looked like a team without an identity and the house of cards came crumbling down yesterday.  The Patriots defense could not stop the run, Tom Brady was not anywhere near 100% healthy and Randy Moss might as well have been sitting next to Wes Welker in owner Robert Kraft's suite.  But don't mistake this loss for the end of an era: Tom Brady will be back to form next season, the young defense got a ton of experience and the Patriots have a boatload of draft picks to resupply their roster with front-end talent and depth.


• The Dallas Cowboys finally won a playoff game and continued to play great football in their 34-14 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.  After Michael Vick hit Jeremy Maclin for a 76-yard touchdown to tie the game at seven, the Cowboys went on a 27-0 run to turn this game into a blowout.  What impresses me about Dallas is the number of ways they can beat you.  Great quarterback play?  Check.  Play-makers on the ground and at wide receiver?  Check.  A defense that pressures the quarterback, stops the run and forces turnovers?  Check, check, check.  All-in-all Dallas is a dangerous team and looks like a serious contender.  Next week's matchup at Minnesota should be the divisional rounds' best game and the Cowboys can advance if they continue to execute at such a high level.  For Eagles' fans, this season was more of the same that has plagued them throughout the Donovan McNabb-Andy Reid era.  High expectations, great play and, in the end, just not enough to get over the hump.  Following another heart-breaking season, you have to wonder if this combination will be back together next season.


• The New York J-E-T-S move-on to the second round after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 24-14 on Saturday, thanks in large part to three rookies.  Quarterback Mark Sanchez (182 yards, 1td, 80%cmp) proved he can be an efficient quarterback under pressure, running back Shonn Greene (135 yards, 1td) was stellar in place of Thomas Jones and head coach Rex Ryan drew up a great gameplan to maximize his teams' success.  Kudos to kicker Jay Feely as well for taking on punting duties after regular punter Steve Weatherford was unable to play.  Feely did not boom any punts but he did not screw any up either, allowing just one punt to be returned, in addition to connecting on one field goal and all three point after attempts.  In today's pass-happy NFL, the Jets are a throwback of sorts and they rely on a formula that looked to be past its prime: run the ball, play great defense and do not turn the ball over.  They executed all three to perfection on Saturday and will need much more of the same if they have any chance of defeating the San Diego Chargers next week.  The Bengals season ended because of their inability to make plays in the passing game.  This was Cincy's Achilles' heel all season and proved to be too much to overcome.  And while Cedric Benson continues to develop into a premier back and the defense is getting better every week, Bengals fans have to wonder if Carson Palmer will ever return to the form that made him a Pro-Bowler in 2005 and 2006.


• In other NFL news, Pete Carroll has accepted an offer to become the next head coach of the Seattle Seahawks.  It's only natural to wonder why Carroll would leave such a great situation at USC to once again try his hand at the NFL level.  After going just 33-31 on Sunday's, Carroll was 97-19 with two national titles at USC.  Perhaps Carroll, like most coaches, is always up for a challenge and believes he will succeed  despite his previous struggles.  But its hard not too look at this move and consider other factors, most notably potential NCAA sanctions resulting from several situations currently under investigation.  Carroll has constantly had to answer questions about Reggie Bush, Joe McKnight and other alleged violations of NCAA rules and it is fair to speculate that USC is about to be disciplined.  So Carroll may have jumped ship, knowing sometime soon USC will lose scholarships, vacate wins and be placed on probation.  Again, this is all speculation and personal opinion.  But if that is the case, Carroll has effectively removed himself from personal and professional damage, albeit damage he himself caused.  Only time will tell and, for now, Carroll looks like a man ready to roam an NFL sideline and Seahawks fans should be excited about their future with Pete Carroll, the coach.