This is my new all-time favorite commercial on so many levels. You have Joe acting like a goofball, you have a dumb premise, you have free pizza, and you have an unintentional look into the souls of 2 hall of fame quarterbacks. What could be better? Peyton Manning places himself in the dustbin of playoff football history with his line, “Isn’t it funny that Joe only shows up for the playoffs?”
Yes, it is funny, Peyton. And it is entirely true as well. Joe shows up and wins in the playoffs. You are left holding a slice . . .
Other than that, the 49er coaching search slogs on with nary a signing. AZ DC Todd Bowles warrants another interview for some reason. What I don’t get is if they were going to give the job to Fangio, they’d have done it already. If they are looking at a DC to fill the spot, there isn’t a better candidate than Fangio. He isn’t interviewing anywhere else for any HC spots either, so the vacancy remains. My thought is they are taking their time just to see if anything shakes out while they go with Fangio in the end.
Other than that, Dallas was hoisted onto its own petard as a 4th and 2 Romo to Dez Bryant completion to the 6″ line was overturned by replay. Loved the tweet from the Deetroit Lions: #We know how you feel. How much do you want to bet that Jerry screams to the competition committee to revise that rule. As the rule is written, the call was right. But the rule is stupid beyond belief. Dez takes 3 steps with the ball in his possession, and stretches for the goal line on his way to the ground. The ground, which can’t cause a fumble, can apparently cause an incomplete pass, despite said the 3 steps and reach for the end zone. Great game, however, as a hobbled Aaron Rodgers still managed to make killer plays and win in the end.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing I like better than seeing the Cowboys losing, especially after the gift they received last week, but the Megatron rule should be changed back to what it was before. Anyone can plainly see what the right call is. Yes, there are bang-bang plays where the ball comes out quickly on a hit, but Dez’s play wasn’t due to a hit. It was due to his action to stretch for the goal line after he caught the ball. Two feet down with control of the ball used to constitute a completion. This talk of commonly perceived motions and football moves after the catch are pretty ridiculous. The NFL seems hell-bent on enforcing rules that make the game entirely more subjective.
Still and all, a great game. The amazing play of the day was Julius Peppers desperate reach to cause a fumble from DeMarco Murray as he turned the corner on a sweep. He had clear sailing for at least 40 yards, but for the strip by Peppers. A game-saving play for GB.
Forty Niners Forever 
Elway owes Peyton something like $19Mil this coming year Chuck.
If he torches the entire Coaching Staff, what’s the incentive to retain Manning?
Like Harbaugh, Fox had a winning record yet, couldn’t win the big ones.
Spare me the records.
Show me results when it counts.
Our hurdle is within the Division.
If we can’t land an Offensive innovator, stick to the Defense and hire Fangio/Tomsula.
I’d be more interested in Gase as an OC.
He’s available now.
Give him a shot at OC, with the idea of a future HC position, once Fangio/Tomsula can show what they can do at HC perhaps?
NJ..
I like your thinking!
Offer Gase the OC job first, with Fangio the Coach. But if Gase balks at that maybe why not Co- Head Coaches? Gase/Fangio cause I don’t think Fangio wants to leave the 49er’s anyway, and just promote Tomsula to DC under the watchful eye of Fangio on the sidelines😁
Thanks Alleykat, we need Offense.
Now that Elway torched his Staff, see whether you can get some help from Gase?
I’m not convinced he’s ready to be a HC just yet?
It does open up some options for Jed and Baalke hopefully.
Well ,they haven’t torched the Denver staff yet, Shit, I don’t know. There’s about a million scenarios that could happen.
I think our imperative should be to keep the defense intact. Ergo Fangio. But if it takes hiring an offensive coach and somehow convincing Fangio and Co to stay, go for it.
Fangio is under contract so unless he gets a HC job he should be back at OC if we want him.
Forgot Fangio had another year. I thought Harbaugh and Fangio were on the same timeline. The Skins tried to talk to him for DC but we said no. No one seems to be clamoring for Fangio as a HC though, which is a bit surprising to me, so sure, if I was Jed I’d think about keeping him happy whichever way possible. Offer a nice extension.
Just like Pete Carroll was Jim Harbaugh’s daddy, Urban Meyer will now be Jim Harbaugh’s daddy.
Ohio St again proved my point I always try to make. Championships are won by defensive lines. Ohio St’s D-line played very well while Oregon’s disappeared.
Depending on how Peyton’s Contract is structured, Denver could have some major hurdles coming in terms of how to salvage their FAs.
If Peyton walks, there’s little incentive for the Thomas’ to stick around.
Elway sold out to win this year. Mission FAIL.
They’re in worse shape going forward than several other teams looking to re-tool the Coaching Staffs now.
Drafting low, potentially losing Peyton, new Offense possibly.
Fox tanks another big stage venue. Oh well…….
Here’s an interesting POV from Sando regarding Dallas –
The Dallas Cowboys were so much smarter this season, until it mattered most.
Less Tony Romo meant a better Romo for the Cowboys this season. By reducing the quarterback’s dropback rate as part of a shift toward a balanced offense, the Cowboys maximized Romo’s efficiency. It was a big reason why Romo led the NFL in Total QBR as Dallas exceeded expectations by posting a 12-4 record in the regular season.
A recommitment to playing smart situational football should stand as a leading priority after Dallas blew a prime opportunity to upset Green Bay in the divisional round Sunday. The controversial officiating decision to disallow Dez Bryant’s leaping catch near the goal line along the left sideline with 4:42 remaining overshadowed two key points surrounding the play:
• Bad risk-reward ratio: Romo threw the ball 26 yards past the line of scrimmage on fourth-and-2. This was a long-shot play at a time when the Cowboys needed a sure bet. Romo had previously thrown 12 career passes to Bryant traveling 25-30 yards past the line of scrimmage and outside the painted yard-line numbers near the left sideline; Bryant caught four of those passes.
• No need to stretch: Bryant caught the ball initially, only to lose control when he extended toward the goal line. The team needed a first down before it needed a touchdown. “When you have fourth-and-2, why are you struggling for inches?” a coach asked. First-and-goal from inside the Green Bay 5-yard line would have allowed the Cowboys to work time off the clock while giving them four chances to score the go-ahead touchdown.
Good points.
I thought it was a gutsy call at the time too 12th, risky but totally unexpected.
They got a favorable matchup on that play.
The sad reality is, Dez made a ‘football move’ IMO, by stretching for the goal line.
Problem is, the Refs didn’t see it that way.
Instead, they imposed that stupid rule involving ‘completing the catch’.
No love lost for Jerruh of course.
Eff him, and his Lucky Big Orange NJ Mojo-Julius 😀
You keep getting hung up this “football move” term. If the player is going toward the ground there is no such thing as a “football move”. The “football move” is for when the player is in control of his balance. There was no controversy, that was by rule an incomplete pass. It’s not even debatable. There was never a football move as he was always going to the ground.
That’s the rub Berger.
Had he simply hit the ground after the catch it’s a catch.
There was no visible evidence that he didn’t control the ball as part of the catch.
I agree, as written, the rule was properly enforced.
Had McCarthy not challenged, it was going to be a catch, regardless.
The rule itself is subjective.
Ruling was a catch as it stood before the challenge.
Trust me, I’m not making excuses for the Cowboys, they shot themselves in the face on Defense for the most part.
Just like the reason for the rule in the 1st place, Calvin Johnson caught the ball vs the Bears too.
He lost it after attempting to stand up after hitting the ground in the End Zone.
Dumb rule.
Rex inherits one of the very top defenses in the league. With a power running game (Frank Gore, anyone?), they could have the best Bills team in a long while. Don’t underestimate ol’ T-Rex. With Mark Sanchez as his QB, he took the Jets to the AFCCG. Twice. No doofus could do that.
Let’s not overlook the point that Sanchez will be a FA too RT.
A very Rexy Buffalo reunion with the San-Chize perhaps?
He’s probably better than EJ at this point.
Now THAT would be funny!
Seeing as Buffalo is missing a 1st RD pick this year, why not?
Rex ain’t bashful, that’s for sure.
If they plan on running a similar Offense, San-Chize would make perfect sense.
We know Roman doesn’t do much in terms of passing wizardry anyway.
Old Mother Hubbard could hand the ball off.
I’d take a shot at a QB with their second rounder, mebbe. Then again, the Bills don’t have Scotty (who “found” RW and had Seattle being able to get him with #75).
Coaches keep getting fired. Will it really make any difference? It’s smoke and mirrors and you the public buy into it.
BLEEP!
The coach I’ve been wanting to hire the most is Urban Meyer. That isn’t going to happen because he has more control and gets more money at Ohio St.
New thread is up . . . . . . . .. . . . .