Four Downs with Dang & Doc
by Brian Davis and Paul Hopkins
14/11/2009
This week Dang and Doc consider the possibility for the NFL’s two undefeated teams to make it all the way through to 3rd January without defeat. And behind the usual two candidates who is the next best QB in the NFL, with some interesting ideas being forwarded. In the college ranks, the same three teams continue their road to the National Championship game (after the SEC Championship eliminates one), but who’s primed to take one of those spots if someone slips up. And has this all added up to this season being a bit boring?
 After improving to 8-0 both the Saints and the Colts will still fail to go undefeated.
DANG – FACT !. There’s only so long that the Saints can let teams build a lead before pulling it back, it’s a bit like watching my cat after it’s caught a bird, toys with it for so long, lets the bird think it’s got the best of him and then chomp, Cat wins.
Sooner or later my cat, and also the New Orleans Saints will pick on something that won’t be quite so easy prey and they’ll get a shock and come off second best.
As for the Colts, they were what, 3 foot away from losing this weekend just gone, so I expect somebody to push them and defeat them this year, especially with some tough divisional games left in front of them. Psychologically for the Colts, this week is a must win against the Patriots. They won’t want to hit any playoff matchup with a previous defeat looming over them.
Losing in the season, won’t be a bad thing for either team because it will show how well they can overcome that and deal with it and I’m convinced, absolutely, 110% stonewall convinced that Peyton Manning won’t be letting ANY playoff game go to overtime this year, even if it’s level and he has 2 seconds left and he’s on his own 20, he’ll be dialling up the Hail Mary, he won’t let what happened in San Diego last year happen again.
DOC – FACT ! – We talk about going undefeated like its possible now, just because two years ago the New England Patriots managed it. But let’s not forget just how hard this has all been of late. Going undefeated in the regular season has only happened twice in the modern history of the NFL. It should be as rare as a well-thrown JaMarcus Russell pass. Neither of these two teams need to go undefeated and indeed, such is the likelihood of them winning their divisions at a canter, I suspect we’ll see an easing off of the accelerator in around week 13. And looking at both teams schedule I can see it coming. Indy first – I mean, this weekend they could easily lose their undefeated record. They’ve not been clicking in the last couple of weeks and the Patriots could turn them over. Week 12, they go to Houston who pushed them all the way last weekend. Granted, after that Tennessee, Denver, Jacksonville (a), the Jets and Buffalo (a) don’t look the hardest but I don’t see them rolling to the end without a loss. Same with the Saints. And again, New England is rolling to town – week 12 could be a time to get the first loss as I can’t believe they will lose before then. Week 14 in Atlanta could be tough if the Birds are still aiming for a wildcard, then in week 15, the Cowboys roll in likely facing a similar situation in the East of going for the playoffs. And then week 17 in Carolina, after being pushed hard last weekend, the Panthers are a decent outside bet to topple the Saints. Just like having our first 0-16 team last year, everyone presumes there’s a good chance of a repeat, but we’re not going to have one again this year despite all the predictions (including here a few weeks back!)
 Behind Brady and Manning, who is the next best QB in the NFL?
DANG – BEN ROETHLISBERGER – I honestly don’t think there is much in it. I can argue the case for 3 or 4 names in this slot, but I’m going to go with Championships over Stats and plump for a personal favourite of mine, a real gamer; Ben Roethlisberger.
With two Super Bowl rings already in his first five seasons he’s on pace to become one of the greatest Quarterbacks of all time and is already in pretty good company as a multiple winner.
He’s got great pocket presence, escapability, a huge arm, is accurate (despite owning the record as the Quarterback to win a Super Bowl with the lowest passer rating), can make plays in the clutch and can make plays with his feet when he needs to and won’t shirk a tackle, something you can’t say of Brady and Manning.
Big Ben is a future hall of famer – mark it down.
I could also argue a case here for Brees or Rivers. Brees I think is slightly head of Rivers, who loses points for personality disorder and not taking a leaf out of the others’ books, but Brees gets inflated stats from a lot of dink and dunk passes to the likes of Reggie Bush. Once either of these have won a Super Bowl ring then they can start to get up to the same level as Big Ben, but until then, Big Ben remains locked into the place behind, or even alongside Brady and Peyton Manning.
DOC – PHILIP RIVERS – Controversial pick in many peoples eyes, and probably with some good reason. But I think he is simply sensational. True, his character appears to be a bit of a jackass on occasion but I think it’s necessary to have an edge and determination to win no matter what. I’m not sure enough QBs in this league have that anymore. Everyone had a go at him when he continued to punk out Jay Cutler, but does anyone criticise that now, given his prima-donna antics of late? No, and a prima donna is certainly something that you could never call Rivers. He plays through injuries, and plays well through injuries to boot. He can make any throw you want and in the inconsistency that has been the Chargers over the past year he is the one constantly high performer. And he is still young enough to continue to develop. He is in that bracket of proven superb QB’s a step down from those HoF calibre golden boys (incidentally – why is Roethlisberger not in that bracket? He should be), with the likes of Drew Brees ahead of those still developing into that – like Matt Ryan. And I guess I may as well address this given he’s flavour of the month and probably going to be league MVP (although I think Darren Sharper has a right to that title); to the Drew Brees fan base, all I say is wouldn’t Rivers be doing the same if he had the situation in New Orleans? I think so.
 After Alabama, Florida and Texas who seem comfortably ahead of the rest, the number 4 team in the country is:
DANG – TCU. After a strong finish to last season including a cracking Poinsietta Bowl game victory over Boise State, TCU have continued where they left off and are set to go even better this year.
People will say that they have a cup cake of a schedule, but take a look at what Texas have played this year and they’re ranked #3!
TCU have gone on the road this year to beat very good teams in Clemson, BYU and Virginia (who then beat North Carolina). The real test comes this week as they face off at home to ranked Utah. If they win that then it pretty much cements their place in a BCS Bowl.
TCU has a mean, rebuilt Defense that lost 7 players after last year and an offense that’s good enough to compete with most. I’m not sure they have the trenches o go toe to toe with Florida or Bama but everywhere else they’ll matchup well enough. Whilst they may not have that X factor of a Tebow, McCoy or Ingram it’s got players that can compete as a team. I don’t see any of the top 3 slipping now, so TCU will be #4 if it can win this weekend and then stay unbeaten.
DOC – TCU – They came on strong last season and sent out warning signs that they were going to be a force to be contended with. And so it has proved to be the case. Gary Patterson has done a sterling job there and built a strong team on both sides of the ball. There is even talk that should the Longhorns slip up, TCU could pip them into a top 2 position and into the National Championship which would be truly remarkable. Of course, before all that comes to fruition they face a big test on Saturday at home to Utah, a team they lost to last season. And like every good team they learn from tough losses, and I firmly believe this Frogs team is showing the maturity to handle the national eyes that will be upon them against their more experienced counterparts from Utah on Saturday night. A win would cement their status at #4 in the rankings and it is a spot well earned in my mind, not just for their record but for their play. If you lined them up against the likes of Cincinnati, Boise State, Ohio State and even USC, yes sycophants for Pete Carroll’s team – even USC, they’d beat them. This defence is ferocious and second to none. I just find it a pity we’ve not had much coverage of them here in the UK to give them a wider audience they deserve. Even with College Gameday from TCU on Saturday we’re being left with ice hockey and no as-live coverage of this game.
 The 2009 college football season has been the most predictable in recent years.
DANG – FICTION !. I don’t think anything is predictable in College Football. Sure, the top 3 are who we thought they were (and somebody is going to be very upset at the end of the year if they all go unbeaten), maybe with the exception of Oklahoma not being around, (in hindsight, replacing 4 starters on any O line was going to be massively tough to overcome) but somebody usually fails to live up to expectations that once was thought of in high regard for the season.
Even those top 3 though have had their wobbles this season, Bama were a Mount Cody blocked Field Goal from losing to Tennessee, Florida lost Tebow to injury and have hardly been wiping the floor with their SEC opponents. If anything, then Texas has had the easiest time of it, other than the Sooners game they’ve not really faced up to anyone of any note, Oklahoma State were missing Dez Bryant too when they played each other. This may well hinder them and may well spark the re-match debate between ‘Bama and Florida after they play for the SEC title.
Under those three, it’s a free for all with the BCS Busters TCU and Boise State nicely placed and Cincinnati, Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh all in contention for a BCS bowl place, but none will gatecrash the NCS game, not unless the unthinkable happens, but even if it does, would the voters be brave enough to pick a non BCS team over a one loss Florida, Alabama or Texas?
DOC – FICTION ! – Of course it hasn’t. College football is probably one of the most unpredictable things out there. You only have to look at our weekly predictions pieces to see that! Granted, many of the games are foregone conclusions such is the nature of the sport. BUT and it’s a Beyonce sized but – there are always every week a selection of games where form and expectation gets flung out of the window, and it is this which captivates you as well as the high-point shootouts. Here’s just a selection; think of a few more of your own because they exist. Who foresaw what happened to Oregon this season? Losing to Boise, losing Blount then roaring back and in the process dismantling USC only then to come crashing down to earth by losing at Stanford of all places? Who, in the process ended up being ranked? Who predicted Boise being in and around the top 5 much of the season? Look at some of the teams ranked, and how they have fallen. Did anyone think Iowa would last out to 8-0? When watching their games – particularly entering the 4th quarter – did anyone think they would pull the results out like they have? Did anyone think TCU would blow aside BYU like they did on their way to #4? Did anyone foresee the shambles that became the Oklahoma Sooners this year? Granted, the top three getting all the way to this point pretty much untouchable (with a bit of help from the SEC officials along the way) is quite predictable and not like previous years where #1 and #2 have seemingly changed weekly, but still, as usual the 2009 CFB season has had its share of twists and turns no-one could see coming. And I am sure there are more to come.
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