The problem was that Flynn clearly didn’t have enough experience to run a two-minute offense. They were still huddling up inside of two minutes with the clock running. You need to be going no huddle at that point unless you’re inside the 20. They probably burned an extra 30-40 seconds in the last two minutes.
You can’t put that on Flynn. He played well. My guess is the Packers didn’t even practice their two minute offense last week.
Lorini
4082
The Packer coaches just did not come through when he needed them. To me, it was already risky to not just go for the TD and worry about the time later. When they ran plays to bring the game so close and then didn’t have a play for Flynn, that was just like throwing in the towel.
Well folks, if Vick gets MVP, it’s going to be a whole new thing. A convicted dog killing felon as the face of the NFL? Are we going there? It’s going to be quite a ride.
I’d prefer he get the Pro Bowl starting nod perhaps but not the MVP due to not playing the full season. I’d go with Brady.
We get it, you don’t like Mike Vick. You don’t need to remind us every few days. We promise not to forget.
While this has been an excellent season in Kansas City so far, if things don’t change soon I’m going to be calling for Todd Haley’s head.
There is no reason – NO REASON – that Thomas Jones should have nine more carries than Jamaal Charles on the season. None at all.
Follow that up with a lock-out year and that will be the peak of Roger Goodell’s rule as NFL commissioner.
Why, gods of football, why? Why do you make it so bloody hard to be a Cleveland sports fan! How do we go from soundly beating the Saints and the Patriots in consecutive games to loosing to Bills and Bengals in consecutive games?
Lorini
4088
Huh? I love watching Vick. Love it!!! Geezus either I think he’s the worst or best thing on the planet!!! Which is it folks? It must be one or the other because you know, black and white is where it’s at!
Yeah, I can get behind that interpretation of events. My comment about Flynn’s inexperience was more a note that I don’t see him having this kind of problem in the future. Coaching angle makes sense.
Wut? Lorini has pretty consistently been behind Michael Vick.
Lorini
4090
I’m listening to 2liveStews this morning. They are pretty funny because they can’t decide to who to root for if the Eagles come to Atlanta to play the Falcons in the playoffs. Doug is rooting for Vick AND the Falcons. Ryan can’t stand the thought of this. If the two meet in the playoffs, I bet those tickets will go for $2K each minimum.
Sarkus
4091
Hasselbeck got benched during yesterday’s Seahawk loss to the Falcon’s and much to most peoples surprise, Whitehurst actually did some things. Not a lot of things, but he didn’t throw any picks or have any fumbles. Which at this point is an improvement given that Hasselbeck hasn’t had a good game in four weeks and has 13 turnovers in that stretch.
So now we have an interesting QB debate with a lot of people wanting to see Whitehurst start the rest of the way even if it costs the “playoff run” of winning the NFC West. In some ways it’s actually a good sign that fans understand that winning the division this year is really not going to mean much.
My wife absolutely despises Hasselbeck so I often find myself in the unfortunate position of Hasselbeck apologist in my home, just because I don’t think he’s a complete disaster. Or at least I didn’t until yesterday. I don’t think it matters too much what the Seahawks end up doing for the rest of the season – let’s face it, no matter which NFC West team makes it to the playoffs, they’re not going any further. But I’d like to see the Seahawks look seriously at a new QB in the offseason.
sluggo
4093
For people watching if someone might win the NFC West with a losing record, it’s now mathematically split 50-50 between 8 or 7 wins taking the division. Realistically, it’s probably tilted towards 7 wins, as Seattle is a 6-point underdog at Tampa this week. The best chance of someone getting 8 wins is if St Louis wins out.
My suggestion: have the NFC West put together an all-star team and send that to the playoffs instead. Maybe they could give New Orleans a solid game in the first round.
And if Whitehurst is going to be that guy, you have to find out sooner rather than later. I say play him.
I’ll echo the play of Flynn. The two minute offense problems are to be expected with an experienced QB. He played a very good game against a very tough opponent. Couple of rolls the Packers way instead of the Pats, we’d be talking about how he beat a stellar team today.
Hasselbeck…man, that’s a tough call. I’d say play Whitehurst for the upcoming game. You gotta know what you got with him. Then, if you lose this week (which you most likely will…going to do that no matter what QB start), put Hasselbeck back in for the game with the Rams for your best shot at the playoffs.
Then for the off-season, you’ll know if Hasselbeck has anything left in the tank based on the last game and Whitehurst’s potential based on the game before. shrugs It’s not really enough for either, but it’s what you’ve got. Then most likely you try to convince Matt to play the back up and mentor role to either Whitehurst or <insert draft choice here>.
Pete will definitely be making some moves come the off season, that’s almost guaranteed.
Sarkus
4096
There have been two 8-8 teams that have made the playoffs since the current divisional format was put into place. They are 1-1 in their first round games. My point being that just because a division sucks doesn’t mean that the team that comes out with a marginal record has no chance of winning their playoff game. I don’t think that the difference between 7-9 and 8-8 is that big, but I’m not going to lie - I’d rather see somebody win the NFC West with an 8-8 record then a 7-9 record, even if that other team is the Rams.
Sarkus
4097
So Carroll has announced that Hasselbeck will start the next game.
Like you note, Bucs game could end up being irrelevant. If the Rams beat the 49ers, then that eliminates San Francisco and means that no matter what, the Seahawks/Rams game at the end of the season will decide who wins the division. Because if Seattle wins that game both teams will be 7-9 but Seattle will have the better divisional record.
sluggo
4098
I think parity has reached a point where the difference between the “good” and “bad” teams is so small that no upset is ever that shocking. Could the Rams give the Saints a run for their money in a first-round game? Absolutely.
But I think I’m just tickled by the whole idea of an entire division where no one might win 8 games. Almost half the wins of NFC West teams have come from playing each other – they’re collectively a comical 12-26 against the rest of the league. Watching them fight it out for a division title is like watching a spectacular car wreck in action.
Sarkus
4099
As I noted earlier, though, a big part of that unbalanced record outside the division is due to playing (and mostly losing) to the strong NFC South. The NFC West is 3-11 against those guys. Take that out and the resulting 9-15 record is not that embarrassing.
Lorini
4100
The 15th week last year the Colts and other teams (I don’t recall though) were resting their starters. This year’s 15th week, no one rested their starters. The two SB opponents will not be resting their starters for the rest of the season in fact. No team has clinched anything except a playoff spot, no division clinchers or wild card clinchers. So while it would be really unexpected to have a Niners Raiders SB, it’s not impossible yet, something you would not have ever predicted at the beginning of the season.
