NFL, Mostly Semis, Redux Notes

Some football “redux” notes, after so much baseball.

There are five games this week, the first week of the NFL’s second half, aka “week 10,” involving “semis” or higher round reduxes.

Only one, (5-3) Pittsburgh (Steelers) hosting (3-5) Green Bay (Packers is a Supe or final round redux, as the lone Rodgers crown (he is so annoying and trust me will not be back this season but next year and his selfish egotistical views loom, minimum costing as his unwanted presence did this year) was a Packers’ Supe win in the 2010 season vs the Steelers.

One rematch “brings back” two semis clashes between the New England Patriots and their great quarterback, Tom Brady and the Indianapolis Colts, who were “steered,” so often poorly in big games, by the ever present, “aw shucks but a … inside,” Pey Manning.

N.E. shut down Manning and the Colts in the ’03 AFC Title game/”semi” in route to a second Supe triumph in 3 seasons.

Mr. Manning did win twice, neither in a great Supe performance, however, hail his showing when “Indy” on the (21-3) “comeback score,” took New England, in the “Pooh presided,” 2004 AFC Title game.

The Colts then won the Supe in rainy Miami, vs the Chicago Bears.

Another tilt this week, which has a “semis” redux, is the one with both the most years apart and the lone AFL Title game/semi. It matches the (4-4) Jets and (4-5) Raiders.

(’twas a semi as it preceded the third NFL/AFL Championship Game by then aka, The Super Bowl)

On December 29, 1968 (not shown in New York as was the case with (8-1) Philly Eagles (-3) (28-23) vs (5-3) Dallas last week), the New York Jets won (27-23) vs the Oakland Raiders in the penultimate AFL Championship Game.

A Joe Namath to Don Maynard touchdown pass provided the game’s last points (technically was a Jim Turner extra point).

It is noteworthy that the (2-7) Patriots (Belichick should write 500 times, the Colts not the Giants were favored in the famed ’58 title tilt and as for NFL Network Host, Rich Eisen having the job without knowing that invokes “abandon all hope …..— you know the rest–so do not “enter” there)– vs (4-5) Colts clash is in Frankfurt, Germany while the (4-4) Jets are visiting the (4-5) Raiders’ Las Vegas home, pleasing the much criticized Collinsworth and “given it” “Tiriiiiico,” when NBC could have “switched” to another game.

In 2009 the New Orleans Saints, who went on to a Supe win vs favored Indy and Pey, semi’d the Minnesota Vikings, whom they play this week. (Both teams are (5-4).)

In that ’09 season NFC Title game, another ex Packers “Q.B.” who would later play for the Jets, named Brett Favre, threw a key interception, the late key, as the Saints (have) won. (Cue Al Wester, when after Tom Dempsey’s 63 yard game winning field goal, which as it happens, was 53 years ago today on November 8, 1970, Wester’s “The Saints Have Won” resonated, as it still does.

The winners of those past “semis or better” tilts that have reduxes this week, went (5-1) in Supes. One is the “by definition” G.B. Supe triumph vs Pittsburgh. The Pats/Colts semis winner went (2-0) and add the Jets and Saints, each (1-0).

Only the Buffalo Bills, who semi’d/AFC Title Game’d the Denver Broncos in 1991, lost the subsequent “Supe,” doing so to a (17-2) superb (not the best ever, sorry Gill Alexander) Washington football team.

Again this week’s reduxes, none likely to involve even a title game participant, some definitely not to, others one never knows. The Bills (-7 plus) Monday night are (5-4), Denver is (3-5).

Oh well, no Al Wester call of the Dempsey Dramatics, now 53 years ago.