Looks like since the last time I posted, the Pats went 16-0, the fantasy season wrapped up (finished 1st in one league, 4th in another, tanked it for last in another), Brett Favre was mentioned in MVP voting (2% of the vote is his best in a long time), the wild card weekend finished up and the 49ers destroyed any hope of winning in the next 2 or so years.
Few things on my mind today, first is the 49ers. I’m sure plenty of people have already said how bad the Martz hiring seems. Alex Smith has a questionable arm and decision making ability. The offensive line can’t pass protect. None of the receivers run great routes. They should be a smash-mouth running team with Frank Gore getting close to 400 carries. So instead, we throw Martz in, who will try to make Alex Smith take the most 7+ step drops in the league and air it out to receivers who are probably giving up on routes (but the ball will be under/over thrown anyway) and that young defensive is going to spend way too much time out on the field because of it. I think this is a desperation move by Nolan. He must be in the spot where he feels he has to make a huge splash to save his job. Now, instead of the head coach getting fired, he can blame the woes on Martz and fire the offensive coordinator (and Martz can be what, the 7th offensive coordinator in the past 7 seasons?).
Some good divisional games this weekend. The two teams I care most about are playing some decent matchups. I think things don’t look great for the Packers. Seattle is going to look for interceptions and Favre is going to throw them. Seattle has 4 wideouts that could all be #1 or #2 guys and the Packers have no reliable depth at corner, Al Harris is shaky on deep routes and their safeties are out of position way too often. Even if the Packers get a good pass-rush going, Hasselbeck can just keep making quick throws to underneath guys all day. It will be the same kind of attack the Packers used in the first few weeks. If it was anyone but Seattle coming to town, I could see Green Bay moving on. I’d almost put them as the underdog here. Maybe call it even given home field advantage.
As for New England, they will be tested a bit on defense with the running game that the Jaguars have, but Garrard is no threat in my mind. Plus, Jacksonville doesn’t have a great pass defense. They allow about a 60% completion rate and a lot of yards in the air. None of their corners can cover all that great. Unless they do something really different to pressure Brady and keep it up for four quarters, I don’t see them being too big a threat.
That’s all I’ve got for now. Go Pats!