American Football Spectacular: Fleeing Father Time, The Police, And Derrick Burgess
Coming to you from aboard the Golden Gate Transit ferry San Francisco, it's your American Football Spectacular 2006 Week 14 Previews.
* Green Bay vs. San Francisco
Sunday, December 10, 2006. 1:15 PM, PST.
Week 14
The Battle Of Brett's Retirement Tour
It doesn't matter that QB Brett Favre is a hero, plays like he loooves the game, is an uncriticizable Maya Angelou-grade national hero -- choosing not to retire and coming for another season to play quarterback for the Packers stunted the Green Bay franchise's growth by a year.
Of course, Green Bay couldn't say no when Farve said he wanted to come back. By choosing to come back in his waning capacity, Brett specifically made the decision that was against the greater good of the team.
Now he's like a band touring the county fair circuit, trading on the glory of past successes for one last callow swing across the country. Or Cher. Brett Farve is the American football Cher.
By coming back for 2006, Farve knowingly weakened his team's future. First round pick Cal alum Aaron Rodgers could have used 2006 as the year to take his lumps and learn how to be a starting NFL quarterback. The team is undergoing changeover, with former 49er offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy now the Green Bay Head Coach. We have no idea how McCarthy got the job in Green Bay, since he presided over a 2005 49er offense that was utter unadaptive crap. Guess somebody saw something they liked.
Farve stepping aside would have allowed the team to remould its foundation and create a new identity.
Of course, McCarthy couldn't say no to Brett. Brett is a deity in Packerland for his years of fearless play, helping reviving the franchise and having quarterbacking the Pack to an NFL championship.
Now in 2006, Farve is a burden on his team now. A man's got to know his limitations.
The Packer offensive line has a passel of rookies starting, so hopefully even the anemic Niner pass rush can reach Farve. The trick with Brett, as it has always been, is to pressure him into making one of his famously bad decisions. He's always had that "I can make that throw" confidence, and now with his aging body, his ability to make the unmakable has diminished markedly. He's still out there because he believes he can do it. But he can't. And that's what makes it sad.
* Oakland vs. Cincinnati
Sunday, December 10, 2006. 10:00 AM, PST.
Week 14
The Felonious Battle
The Cincinnati Bengals, since Head Coach Marvin Lewis took the helm, have been willing to out-Raider the Raiders when it comes to signing players with histories of problems with the law.
In the 2006 NFL season, eight (eight!) Bengal players have been arrested. Charges include grand theft, drugs, spousal battery, resisting arrest, and the rather patrician/unclassy infraction of boating under the influence.
Excepting Milpitas' own CB Deltha O'Neal, none of the guys arrested have been Pro Bowl performers during their Bengals tenure. Is putting up with these "character issue" guys really worth it?
Anyways, the good news for the Raiders is that the Bengals' offensive line has been dinged up all season. So, that should make it make it easier to... unleash Derrick Burgess!
QB Carson Palmer is the lynchpin of the CIN offense. Cincinnati sets up the pass with RB Rudy Johnson's power running, then fling to the post-modernly ostentatious WR Chad Johnson.
The Bengals maximize their Johnson-ness, with five Johnsons currently on their roster.
Chad has been on fire of late, posting a string of huge games. If Oakland can't reach Palmer (and his surgically-reconstructed knee), and the Bengals post an early lead, then one of the few televised Raider games remaining in 2006 will become real ugly, real fast.
Next up on your American Football Spectacular: Amid the rain, the shopping, the high wave warnings, and the tree-trimming, we bring you the recaps on what happened.