Let’s not get too carried away, now. Though Tim Tebow makes an inspirational, follow-that-star, keep-football-in-Christmas story, he did not win Sunday’s game against the Bears.
Neither did Matt Prater’s 59-yard field goal to send it to overtime. And the failure of Chicago running back Marion Barber to stay in bounds with the Bears up and Denver out of timeouts didn’t do it, either. Sure, all three of those fellows helped.
But as a practical matter, the Bears lost this game when, winning 10-0 with 4:34 left, they were ordered into a “prevent defense,” a strategy that has been preventing victories almost as long as Leviticus has been followed by Numbers in The First Playbook.
In fact, with 3:50 left, FOX’s Tony Siragusa (Tony 3:50, as a Biblical reference), after Denver had moved 16 yards and into Chicago’s side on two “underneath” pass plays, said it without knowing it:
“You might be wondering if Tim Tebow is looking down field, trying to get that big play. But those safeties are playing 25 yards deep and letting everything happen in front of them so they don’t give up the big play.”
Exactly. So Denver, which had little sustained offense until then, suddenly went zip, zip, zip down the field. Here comes Santa, here comes Santa, here comes Santa Claus! An 8-yard completion on the next play, a 19-yarder two plays later, next a 7-yarder, to the 11, then a touchdown pass.
Denver, which hadn’t been able to move much all game, had, with no timeouts left, just moved 63 yards in seven plays and 2:26. How’s that for a prevent defense? For Denver, Chicago had parted the Red Sea.
And you know the rest. God helps those who help themselves.
Gruden making stuff up
Does it matter to ESPN that on its biggest-ticket, biggest-audience telecasts — Monday night NFL games — analyst Jon Gruden, able to continue talking even while breathing in, continues to make stuff up?
Ix-nay.
Early in the third quarter of Rams-Seahawks, Seattle cornerback Brandon Browner intercepted a short pass that was pretty much thrown right to him. That threw Gruden into a heightened state of bunkum delirium:
“Brandon Browner, he might go to the Pro Bowl, before this season’s over. Just a poor throw by Sam Bradford … and Browner does a nice job out of transition, but that’s a poor throw …
“This cornerback, Brandon Browner, played four years in Canada [actually, five], had six NFL tryouts! … That’s his fifth interception! He has been dominant at times!”
Gee, that’s a lot of praise for a fellow who intercepted what Gruden just twice described as a bad pass.
Minutes later, after Seattle’s other corner, Richard Sherman, was flagged for interference, Gruden suggested the officials were picking on Seattle’s cornerbacks: “You know, Brandon Browner’s had 14 or 15 penalties this year …”
Mike Tirico: “Thirteen.”
Gruden: “Thirteen. And these young corners playing press coverage.”
Wait a second! First he told us that Browner spent four years in the CFL — it was five — now he’s a “young corner”? Next, he’s Pro Bowl material, yet has been called for 14 or 15 — it was 13 — penalties? He must be so good he’s vulnerable!
In the fourth quarter, after Browner was called for interference, his 14th penalty, ESPN posted a graphic — Browner leads the NFL in penalties. Nurse!
Boy, oh, Boys! NBC Cruz’s over brutal hit
Cowboys safety Abram Elam, Sunday night, made no effort to tackle Giants receiver Victor Cruz. Instead, he laid out Cruz with a brutal helmet-to-helmet hit. You could even hear it.
Yet, on NBC, live and then during two replays — and as Cruz lie stunned — Cris Collinsworth just kept talking over it all, not a word about what was impossible to miss.
But strict attention was given to Brandon Jacobs’ extended and vulgar post-touchdown crotch dance. Although Al Michaels and Collinsworth silently indulged his pathetic behavior, NBC edited it for inclusion in a taped come-on for the second half.
* It’s doubtful Wayne Hagin will be back for a fifth year as Howie Rose’s partner in the Mets radio booth. Hagin’s contract has expired and WFAN has been interviewing possible replacements. Hagin previously called Rockies, Cardinals, Giants and A’s games.
With Lou Piniella expected be added to YES’s Yankees booth, YES is moving toward one different ex-Yankee each of the first eight innings, followed by a closer. Michael Kay had better start stocking up on questions.
* David Findel, the Jets’ inside mortgage man who was chosen as the team’s PSL Poster Boy after claiming to have purchased two for $415,000 (although he was broke), has been sentenced to 24 months for bankruptcy fraud. Two months ago he got five years for bank fraud. Apparently, though, the PSL-pitching NFL feels that’s none of its business.
* Reader Joe Hansell is flabbergasted that ESPN’s Michael Wilbon, referencing Xavier guard Tu Holloway’s loving, postgame characterization of his teammates as “a bunch of gangstas,” would explain that, “The word doesn’t mean what it used to mean.” Agreed. If Wilbon’s correct, then Xavier’s brawl with Cincinnati — stomping included — reflected what the word used to mean.
* TV’s follow-the-flock fixation on Rob Ryan remains absurd. Throughout Giants-Cowboys, NBC tracked him as if he were holding the queen of spades in a hearts game. Not that he’s easy to miss. If Ryan gets any bigger he’ll have to coach in a moo-moo.
* Just Say No: So how much is DirecTV reducing the cost of its NBA package for a reduced season? Not a dime. Say, where do commissioner David Stern and Billy Hunter stand on this one?
* This holiday season let us all take a moment to be grateful for the things that really count. Imagine, for example, had Mike Francesa guaranteed that the sun would rise this morning.