I wrote last week that I am learning to reach the point where I long for an NFL post-Brady and Manning. An NFL that isn't governed by the argument created out of comparing these two titans of their sport. An NFL that will probably come close to 2020, when I am not chained by my connection to that tiresome argument. Well, for one Sunday, I got a preview, and I loved it.
Manning was out, injured in more places than one ever should be. Brady was set to play on Monday Night. Therefore, for one Sunday, we were Manning and Brady free. I didn't truly care about the outcomes, at least not in a way that would keep me up at night going over missed opportunities for hours. Instead, I got to just watch a Sunday of football; a novel experience for someone whose sports life has been so dominated by these two players and everything that came with them. And it was amazing; amazing to just sit back and watch, to go through the experience so few get to. I got to watch football without caring too much about any result and enjoy the entertainment aspect, and I loved it.
It definitely helped that the SNF game was one of the most competitive games I've seen in years. It was a beautiful mix of offense and defense, by two teams that are probably in the Top-5 of most entertaining and watchable teams anyway (Arizona is my #1). That game was excellent on all levels. Great players stood out, like Palmer and Fitz, or Geno Atkins having a monster game. There were swings of momentum, nice comebacks, and a nice touch of controversy. It was a great game, one that I didn't care about the outcome. To me, that is a perfect sporting event.
The whole day was something like that. I chose to just watch NFL RedZone for three hours during the early games. I'm not an unabashed fan of RedZone, because I like watching plays that are, you know, within the 20s sometimes. But it was fan to actually just sit back and watch RedZone for once; to experience it in all its magic. Flipping around from game to game, getting used to the beats and rhythms to where you can predict if the cut-away is a big play for hte offense or a turnover.
Now, the 1PM games were not all that good yesterday, but enough were that via RedZone, it was an enjoyable few hours. It was fun watching Cam Newton, and my pet-team Panthers, roll to a 5TD game and a 10-0 start. It was fun watching Chip Kelly's team got roasted at home - this time by a legimiately up-and-coming Bucs team. It was also fun watching Matt Hasselbeck and the Colts somehow overcome a 14-point deficit in Atlanta (speaking of, remember when Atlanta was 5-0?). The 1PM games mixed good play with bad (the end of the Rams vs. Ravens game was particularly troubling), but was merely the appetizer.
I wouldn't call the Packers @ Vikings game the 'entree' (that was so clearly the night game), but it was also a fun, competitive game for three quarters. The Vikings are inexplicably 7-2, and had the chance to get a two game lead in the division. This was the biggest Vikings game since Week 17 in 2012. Sure, they lost, and probably ceded the division, but they showed some signs. They have a great defense, and a few weapons with a QB who will be better with both better protection and more time. They also had a great atmosphere.
I realize TCF Bank Stadium is a stop-gap, but it has been really fun having the Vikings outdoors the past two years. The Vikings, historically, are a defense-first team. The defense was helped by the Met in the 60's-70's, and is helped today. The cold weather, the division rivalry, it all added up to a great spectacle. Yes, through Aaron Rodgers having enough ridiculous 3rd down conversions and the Packers defense having enough pressure, it ended up being not that competitive, but it was still 19-13 game through three quarters.
Finally, let's just get to that game. This might have been the most fun, entertaining and enjoyable game I've seen in many, many years. I can't immediately think of the last game that was this great. Maybe the Saints vs. Panthers game in Week 15 in 2013 - the game that allowed the Panthers to steal the division. Actually, it was probably the NFC Championship in 2013, but this was my favorite regular season in a long, long time.
That game had everything for a neutral observer. It had QBs throwing deep a lot on both sides. It had hte resurgence of an old veteran great in Fitzgerald. It had defensive standout performances, like Geno Atkins dominating the Cardinals, or the whole Patrick Peterson vs. AJ Green matchup. It had some great playcalling and chess-match elements, like Hue Jackson's pandora's box of an offense against the blitzing of Arizona. Finally, it had a nice souissant of controversy with the penalty on Cincinnati for barking out fake snap counts.
What didn't that game have. It even had a jacked-up crowd in Arizona, and two teams with a lot to play for, both wanting to stay in striking distance of the unbeaten leader in their conference. It was the type of game that should have no losers.
And that's why I was so infuriated to see people still questioning the Bengals ability to win big games. The performance the Bengals showed yesterday would have beaten all but like three teams. They just happened to play one of the three that could beat a Bengals team playing close to its best. You can ask how they were playing at their best: both teams turned it over, there were sloppy penalties, but then ask yourself what is a perfect game. Almost all the mistakes were forced errors by great play by the opposition. It was just a really competitive, well-played game.
After the disaster of last weekend, with the simultaneous Patriots Bull-Shit and Manning collapse, I almost thought of just not watching football again, but instead I watched it all but watched unfettered. It was a glimpse to my future as a football fan, and if we can get a handful of games like Bengals @ Cardinals, without the emotional weight of what I've dealt with, I'll gladly take it.
Manning was out, injured in more places than one ever should be. Brady was set to play on Monday Night. Therefore, for one Sunday, we were Manning and Brady free. I didn't truly care about the outcomes, at least not in a way that would keep me up at night going over missed opportunities for hours. Instead, I got to just watch a Sunday of football; a novel experience for someone whose sports life has been so dominated by these two players and everything that came with them. And it was amazing; amazing to just sit back and watch, to go through the experience so few get to. I got to watch football without caring too much about any result and enjoy the entertainment aspect, and I loved it.
It definitely helped that the SNF game was one of the most competitive games I've seen in years. It was a beautiful mix of offense and defense, by two teams that are probably in the Top-5 of most entertaining and watchable teams anyway (Arizona is my #1). That game was excellent on all levels. Great players stood out, like Palmer and Fitz, or Geno Atkins having a monster game. There were swings of momentum, nice comebacks, and a nice touch of controversy. It was a great game, one that I didn't care about the outcome. To me, that is a perfect sporting event.
The whole day was something like that. I chose to just watch NFL RedZone for three hours during the early games. I'm not an unabashed fan of RedZone, because I like watching plays that are, you know, within the 20s sometimes. But it was fan to actually just sit back and watch RedZone for once; to experience it in all its magic. Flipping around from game to game, getting used to the beats and rhythms to where you can predict if the cut-away is a big play for hte offense or a turnover.
Now, the 1PM games were not all that good yesterday, but enough were that via RedZone, it was an enjoyable few hours. It was fun watching Cam Newton, and my pet-team Panthers, roll to a 5TD game and a 10-0 start. It was fun watching Chip Kelly's team got roasted at home - this time by a legimiately up-and-coming Bucs team. It was also fun watching Matt Hasselbeck and the Colts somehow overcome a 14-point deficit in Atlanta (speaking of, remember when Atlanta was 5-0?). The 1PM games mixed good play with bad (the end of the Rams vs. Ravens game was particularly troubling), but was merely the appetizer.
I wouldn't call the Packers @ Vikings game the 'entree' (that was so clearly the night game), but it was also a fun, competitive game for three quarters. The Vikings are inexplicably 7-2, and had the chance to get a two game lead in the division. This was the biggest Vikings game since Week 17 in 2012. Sure, they lost, and probably ceded the division, but they showed some signs. They have a great defense, and a few weapons with a QB who will be better with both better protection and more time. They also had a great atmosphere.
I realize TCF Bank Stadium is a stop-gap, but it has been really fun having the Vikings outdoors the past two years. The Vikings, historically, are a defense-first team. The defense was helped by the Met in the 60's-70's, and is helped today. The cold weather, the division rivalry, it all added up to a great spectacle. Yes, through Aaron Rodgers having enough ridiculous 3rd down conversions and the Packers defense having enough pressure, it ended up being not that competitive, but it was still 19-13 game through three quarters.
Finally, let's just get to that game. This might have been the most fun, entertaining and enjoyable game I've seen in many, many years. I can't immediately think of the last game that was this great. Maybe the Saints vs. Panthers game in Week 15 in 2013 - the game that allowed the Panthers to steal the division. Actually, it was probably the NFC Championship in 2013, but this was my favorite regular season in a long, long time.
That game had everything for a neutral observer. It had QBs throwing deep a lot on both sides. It had hte resurgence of an old veteran great in Fitzgerald. It had defensive standout performances, like Geno Atkins dominating the Cardinals, or the whole Patrick Peterson vs. AJ Green matchup. It had some great playcalling and chess-match elements, like Hue Jackson's pandora's box of an offense against the blitzing of Arizona. Finally, it had a nice souissant of controversy with the penalty on Cincinnati for barking out fake snap counts.
What didn't that game have. It even had a jacked-up crowd in Arizona, and two teams with a lot to play for, both wanting to stay in striking distance of the unbeaten leader in their conference. It was the type of game that should have no losers.
And that's why I was so infuriated to see people still questioning the Bengals ability to win big games. The performance the Bengals showed yesterday would have beaten all but like three teams. They just happened to play one of the three that could beat a Bengals team playing close to its best. You can ask how they were playing at their best: both teams turned it over, there were sloppy penalties, but then ask yourself what is a perfect game. Almost all the mistakes were forced errors by great play by the opposition. It was just a really competitive, well-played game.
After the disaster of last weekend, with the simultaneous Patriots Bull-Shit and Manning collapse, I almost thought of just not watching football again, but instead I watched it all but watched unfettered. It was a glimpse to my future as a football fan, and if we can get a handful of games like Bengals @ Cardinals, without the emotional weight of what I've dealt with, I'll gladly take it.
