Action-Reaction: January 6, 2008

Well it's the first Action-Reaction segment of 2008, so I hope you all enjoy. Sorry I skipped out last week. Just wasn't that much news going on. However, this week is different:

Action: Brian Billick was fired as coach of the Baltimore Ravens.
Reaction: All I have to say (and I've said it many times) is "It took them long enough." I have never seen anyone ride the Super Bowl gravy train for so long. How can an "offensive genius" get by for so long on his defense? All I heard during Billick's term was about how much of an offensive genius he was. Where was the offense? Nowhere. I have to think that Billick benefits more from the people around him than the people benefit from Billick. The Ravens haven't won in the playoffs since 2001, yet people talk about how much of a winner he is. Sure, they were 13-3 last year, but they didn't win in the playoffs. Isn't that where it counts? Sorry for the rant-yness. Even when I was a Ravens fan, I never liked Billick. Just comes off arrogant to me. Not my type of person.

Action: Cam Cameron was fired as coach of the Miami Dolphins.
Reaction: One way to look at this is the fact that he went 1-15 this year. The other way to look at this is to look at the fact that the team was horrible. The offense was bad, the defense was bad, and the special teams were bad. I don't think anyone could have done much with the personnel he had down there. Not to mention the fact we all knew he was doomed as soon as Bill Parcells took over. It'll be interesting to see how Parcells does after taking over.

Action: The Seattle Seahawks defeated the Washington Redskins 35-14 in the Wild-Card round of the NFL Playoffs yesterday.
Reaction: Well first of all, my heart goes out to the Redskins and all they've gone through this year. Everyone said they were the team you didn't want to face in the playoffs, and for a while it looked as if that was true after they took a 14-13 lead in the fourth cover and recovered the botched kickoff. However, the missed field goal by Shaun Suisham really turned the momentum in Seattle's favor as they returned Todd Collins' first two interceptions of the season back for touchdowns, blowing the game wide open. The Seahawks travel to Green Bay for the divisional playoffs next weekend.

Action: The Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-29 last night.
Reaction: The Steelers blew it. Weren't they 9-2 at one point? I know the loss of Parker hurt down the stretch, but the defense looked bad, getting beat twice, at home, in bad weather, in conditions they are supposed to thrive in by a team from Florida. That's just pathetic. Props to the Jags.

Action: The Tennessee Titans travel to San Diego to play the Chargers in the Wild-Card round. This is a rematch of a Week 14 showdown where San Diego came back from a 17-3 deficit to win the game in overtime. Vince Young is a game-time decision.
Reaction: If Young's legs are rendered useless it will be interesting to see how the Titans fair on his arm or the arm of Kerry Collins. Probably not that good as they are missing their top two wide receivers and their top tight end. The defense has been playing well as of late, but the key to the defense, Albert Haynesworth has been nagged by injuries recently. All in all, things are not looking up for the Titans. Maybe they should have thrown the Indy game after Young went down to let Cleveland in. Then on the other hand, we've got all the drama queens in San Diego, and I won't even get into them.

Action: The New York Giants travel to Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers.
Reaction: With the Redskins out, the Giants are now the team you do not want to face in the playoffs. I can't think of that much to write about this game, other than it will be a good one.

Action: Bill Belichick wins Coach of the Year.
Reaction: I agree, this is a great choice, while Packers coach Mike McCarthy is a close second. No one expected McCarthy and the Packers to do what they did, but no one thought a team could go undefeated either. Belichick wins, SpyGate aside, because, he won. Period.

Action: Tom Brady wins NFL MVP Award.
Reaction: Brady ran away with the award, earning 49 of the 50 votes. He deserves it. Fifty (50) touchdown passes really does that for you. And he performed rather consistently throughout the whole season while leading his team through the controversy of SpyGate. Second-place, in my world, would be a tie between Brett Favre and Tony Romo (even though I can't stand him). We have seen three great performances from great quarterbacks this year.

Action: JP Losman has demanded a trade out of Buffalo.
Reaction: Well if I were him I'd stick around. They didn't stick with him. What makes you think they'll stick with Trent Edwards?

Action: Hawaii coach June Jones as flown to Texas to meet with SMU.
Reaction: Hahahahahaha. If Jones takes that job, no matter how much money he gets, he's no longer an offensive genius. He's an idiot. June, do yourself a favor: stay at Hawaii where you can win consistently. Don't throw it away at a has-been powerhouse. Thanks.

I appreciate your readership deeply.