by Tom Weppel
Random thoughts from a cluttered mind...
Since the Jaguars beat Buffalo last week, all you hear now is how the boys are so looking forward to playing the Colts and how the Jags want to win the Division. Be very, very careful what you wish for, people!
The Jaguars are certainly looking like they have the talent and the ability to play good football. David Garrard is a very sharp QB, being the only signal-caller who has not thrown an interception this season. He has thrown to a variety of wide receivers, as the Jags don’t have one particular go-to guy. Their passing game is maturing. It now is a nice complement to their running game, which still is productive.
Their Defense is also solid, as they have been able to provide depth for two of their missing starters, LB Mike Peterson, and DT Marcus Stroud. Their secondary has firmed up and as they head into the stretch run, the Jags are looking good for a playoff spot with an 8-3 record.
While the Colts are not as strong as they were last season, due to injury, they still are a formidable ball club. Last week Peyton Manning got both WR Marvin Harrison and TE Dallas Clark back on the field to throw to, and their Defense has done a fairly good job, all things considered.
About a month ago, the Colts came into No-Name Stadium and beat the Jags 29-7. I’m sure all the players have that game fresh in their memory. Jack Del Rio has a lot of respect for Tony Dungy, having played for him when Dungy was a coach with the Vikings. I actually think that still is an element that comes into play when these teams meet. Del Rio needs to tweak his approach, perhaps, to get a win.
Over the last five years the Jaguars are 1-4 playing the Colts in Indy, with their only win coming in 2004. It is not an easy place to win a game, for sure. The Colts want to keep their position solidly entrenched at the top of the AFC South Division. And so we shall see how things turn out in what should be quite an entertaining contest this Sunday afternoon.
The Tennessee Titans have lost their last three games and things aren’t going too well in Nashville these days. After thinking that Jeff Fisher was solidly entrenched as Head Coach for the Titans, it may be possible for the boy to be replaced. Tennessee will host Houston this weekend.
Many people have failed to realize that the Cleveland Browns are actually a pretty good team. At 7-4, they are right on the heels of the Steelers in the Division and have a good shot at a wild card berth in the playoffs. A lot of this can be attributed to Browns QB Derek Anderson, who has emerged as a solid starter. Anderson has made all the preseason talk about Brady Quinn non-existent. Credit must also be given to RB Jamal Lewis, who is running the ball well. Cleveland heads to the desert to play the Cardinals this weekend.
The Green Bay/Dallas game was played for bragging rights and a chance to host the NFC Conference Championship game, as it seems both teams will get there for another showdown in January.
This weekend will feature a number of Conference Championship games. Locally, we will see the ACC come into town, with Boston College facing Virginia Tech. It will be a rematch of their contest played back in October, won by the Eagles. While both teams are certainly strong, as college football is these days, with the unprecedented parity, the game will not attract a strong amount of local interest, in my unbiased opinion. This is still an SEC/Gator town, by and large, and local college football fans feel the SEC is the stronger conference if you were to match them up.
That said, The Hokies come into this game on a roll, being ranked above all other SEC squads, except Georgia. Virginia Tech will also be out for a little vengeance, since their loss to BC was in Blacksburg and their home turf. BC has a strong QB in Matt Ryan. They should be able to give Va. Tech a good run. It should be a good game to watch, even if you don’t care much.
The SEC Championship will be played in Atlanta. This game will almost be a joke, if you want to know the truth. LSU comes in after a devastating loss to Arkansas in Baton Rouge, while the Vols barely got past Kentucky in 4 overtimes. On top of that both teams are ranked below the Georgia Bulldogs! So, tell me how this game has any significant meaning?
Then you have the Big 12 Championship game featuring the #1 ranked Missouri Tigers and the Oklahoma Sooners, a team that beat the Tigers earlier in the season. If Missouri wins, they are in the BCS Championship in New Orleans. If they don’t, then maybe we’ll even see Ohio State sneak in.
Somebody will have to play West Virginia, which will be going to the Bayou after they beat Pittsburgh this weekend to win the Big East.
Tom Weppel talks trash with Greg Larson, Lonnie Marts, Eugene Chung, Artis Gilmore, and Ron Duguay on SportsAvengers.com 24/7.
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