It'll be Jags-Cowboys in Super Bowl XLIII
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Monday, February 4th 2008, 3:15 PM
GLENDALE, Ariz. - Roger Goodell doesn't have to worry about SpyGate hanging over next year's Super Bowl in Tampa - because Bill Belichick and the Patriots won't be in it.
It had to be humiliating for the commissioner that the focus in the days leading up to the Patriots' pursuit of perfection against the Giants turned from one of the most anticipated matchups in Super Bowl history to SpyGate
Sen. Arlen Specter questioned why Goodell destroyed the tapes and notes from the scandal and whether Belichick cheated in winning his first Super Bowl six years ago by having a member of his staff videotape the Rams walkthough the day before the game.
The 2007 season was dominated by Patriot news from the first day to the last. But now that the Super Bowl is over and the other 30 teams are back in play, the Daily News takes it annual day-after-the-game look into what will happen next season.
So here are a few predictions for 2008:
1. It will be the Jaguars and the Cowboys in the Super Bowl in Tampa. The biggest negative is we won't get to watch T.O. cry again about Tony Romo after losing an early-round game. That was one of the highlights of the season. T.O. should win best supporting actor in a comedy because the free-flowing tears were simply hysterical. And after a Super Bowl with so much Gisele talk, it will be Jessica Simpson's turn next year, providing of course she and Romo are still together.
Jacksonville supposedly was the team nobody wanted to play in the playoffs, but then the Patriots eliminated them in the divisional round. David Garrard will benefit from the experience he had in his first year as the full-time starter. Here's the key for the Jags: They must beat the Colts in the AFC South so they can get some home games in the playoffs.
Super Bowl XLIII prediction: Jaguars 28, Cowboys 21
2. Were the Giants built to last? They may be one-year wonders getting to the Super Bowl, but they will get back into the playoffs next year as a wild-card again with an 11-5 record. Can they beat out the Cowboys? It's all up to Eli. One of the Giants eight road games next year is right back here at the University of Phoenix Stadium.
3. The Jets? Eric Mangini followed up his 10-6 record in his first season by going 4-12. Making Belichick sweat through SpyGate was Mangini's best coaching move of the season. If Mangini has another 4-12 season, Woody Johnson may be looking for the next Mangenius. The Jets have a brutal travel schedule next year, with road games in San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego and Seattle. Kellen Clemens did not show enough last season to allow the Jets to trade Chad Pennington. So, it will be another season of Chad vs. Kellen, which isn't exactly Montana vs. Young.
Samuel to Jets?
It's a pretty strong free-agent class and early speculation says the Jets will make a strong attempt to sign Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel.
Samuel was designated with the franchise tag last year, but by agreement when he signed the one-year tender, he can't be franchised again. Samuel and Darrelle Revis would give the Jets the best pair of corners in the NFL.
Here's an interesting name to consider: Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss. When he was traded to the Patriots, his deal was restructured to a one-year, $3 million contract with $2 million in incentives. It's hard to imagine the Patriots won't do everything they can to bring him back and just as hard to think Moss would want to leave Tom Brady.
Moss resurrected his image this season, but that was because he was playing with Brady.
Teams could still be wary of him, especially if they are not Super Bowl contenders. Will he lose interest like he did in Oakland?
There are some other interesting names on the free-agent list distributed by the NFLPA last week.
San Diego's Michael Turner, the best backup running back in the league, will become one of the 10 best starters next season. He earned himself a nice payday stepping in for LaDainian Tomlinson in the playoffs. Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs also will be a hot commodity if he is not franchised. Same for Titans DT Albert Haynesworth and Steelers guard Alan Faneca. Bears linebacker Lance Briggs, who, like Samuel, was the franchise player for the 2007 season, can't be franchised again.
Coaches on hot seat
Last year at this time, Tom Coughlin was No. 1 on the hot seat. Now he's about to get a new four-year, $20 million contract extension. But there are still plenty of candidates to get fired next year:
Wade Phillips, Cowboys: Jerry Jones made sure offensive coordinator Jason Garrett turned down the Ravens and Falcons by giving him $3 million to stay. It's a record for an assistant coach and in the same salary range as Phillips. If the Cowboys don't win the Super Bowl next year, Garrett will be the coach in 2009 when Jones moves the team into the new palace he's building in Arlington.
Herm Edwards, Chiefs: He just better play to win some more games, but how can he do that with Brodie Croyle at QB?
Eric Mangini, Jets: Nobody calls him Mangenius anymore. Bill Belichick may have some more colorful nicknames. He may not survive another 4-12 season.
Lane Kiffin, Raiders: There were reports that Al Davis wanted him to resign, but he wasn't about to leave millions on the table. Kiffin, a promising young coach under Pete Carroll at Southern Cal, put his career at risk by working for Davis.
John Fox, Panthers: In his first four years, he made it to the Super Bowl and the NFC Championship Game. But he can't afford a third straight losing season.
Mike Nolan, 49ers: He lost his final-say responsibilities after a 5-11 year. Next year he could lose his job.
Marvin Lewis, Bengals: The victories have finally exceeded the arrests in Cincinnati, but 7-9 still isn't good enough.
FASSEL THE FAVE: Former Giants coach Jim Fassel remains the favorite to be hired by Daniel Snyder in Washington. Snyder was expected to meet at the Super Bowl with former 49ers and Lions coach Steve Mariucci and in the next day or so with Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Colts defensive coordinator Ron Meeks is also a candidate. After getting fired by the Giants following their 2003 season, Fassel has been unable to get another head coaching job and coaches with far less of a resume have been given second chances.
He has interviewed with the Redskins (2004, 2008), Bills (2004), Cardinals (2004), Rams (2006) and Chiefs (2006). He did work as a consultant for the Ravens in 2004 and then in 2005 and the first part of '06 as the Ravens offensive coordinator before his was fired by Brian Billick, who is now his former best friend. . . . Bill Parcells has inherited the first pick in the draft for the third time. In 1993, he selected Drew Bledsoe over Rick Mirer for the Pats. In 1997, when Peyton Manning elected to stay for his senior year at Tennessee, he traded down twice and picked LB James Farrior for the Jets. Now it seems like Parcells will hope that Arkansas RB Darren McFadden is good enough to create a market for the Dolphins to pick up several picks. If Parcells keeps the pick, then LSU DT Glenn Dorsey is the most likely selection.
Monday, February 4th 2008, 3:15 PM
GLENDALE, Ariz. - Roger Goodell doesn't have to worry about SpyGate hanging over next year's Super Bowl in Tampa - because Bill Belichick and the Patriots won't be in it.
It had to be humiliating for the commissioner that the focus in the days leading up to the Patriots' pursuit of perfection against the Giants turned from one of the most anticipated matchups in Super Bowl history to SpyGate
Sen. Arlen Specter questioned why Goodell destroyed the tapes and notes from the scandal and whether Belichick cheated in winning his first Super Bowl six years ago by having a member of his staff videotape the Rams walkthough the day before the game.
The 2007 season was dominated by Patriot news from the first day to the last. But now that the Super Bowl is over and the other 30 teams are back in play, the Daily News takes it annual day-after-the-game look into what will happen next season.
So here are a few predictions for 2008:
1. It will be the Jaguars and the Cowboys in the Super Bowl in Tampa. The biggest negative is we won't get to watch T.O. cry again about Tony Romo after losing an early-round game. That was one of the highlights of the season. T.O. should win best supporting actor in a comedy because the free-flowing tears were simply hysterical. And after a Super Bowl with so much Gisele talk, it will be Jessica Simpson's turn next year, providing of course she and Romo are still together.
Jacksonville supposedly was the team nobody wanted to play in the playoffs, but then the Patriots eliminated them in the divisional round. David Garrard will benefit from the experience he had in his first year as the full-time starter. Here's the key for the Jags: They must beat the Colts in the AFC South so they can get some home games in the playoffs.
Super Bowl XLIII prediction: Jaguars 28, Cowboys 21
2. Were the Giants built to last? They may be one-year wonders getting to the Super Bowl, but they will get back into the playoffs next year as a wild-card again with an 11-5 record. Can they beat out the Cowboys? It's all up to Eli. One of the Giants eight road games next year is right back here at the University of Phoenix Stadium.
3. The Jets? Eric Mangini followed up his 10-6 record in his first season by going 4-12. Making Belichick sweat through SpyGate was Mangini's best coaching move of the season. If Mangini has another 4-12 season, Woody Johnson may be looking for the next Mangenius. The Jets have a brutal travel schedule next year, with road games in San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego and Seattle. Kellen Clemens did not show enough last season to allow the Jets to trade Chad Pennington. So, it will be another season of Chad vs. Kellen, which isn't exactly Montana vs. Young.
Samuel to Jets?
It's a pretty strong free-agent class and early speculation says the Jets will make a strong attempt to sign Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel.
Samuel was designated with the franchise tag last year, but by agreement when he signed the one-year tender, he can't be franchised again. Samuel and Darrelle Revis would give the Jets the best pair of corners in the NFL.
Here's an interesting name to consider: Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss. When he was traded to the Patriots, his deal was restructured to a one-year, $3 million contract with $2 million in incentives. It's hard to imagine the Patriots won't do everything they can to bring him back and just as hard to think Moss would want to leave Tom Brady.
Moss resurrected his image this season, but that was because he was playing with Brady.
Teams could still be wary of him, especially if they are not Super Bowl contenders. Will he lose interest like he did in Oakland?
There are some other interesting names on the free-agent list distributed by the NFLPA last week.
San Diego's Michael Turner, the best backup running back in the league, will become one of the 10 best starters next season. He earned himself a nice payday stepping in for LaDainian Tomlinson in the playoffs. Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs also will be a hot commodity if he is not franchised. Same for Titans DT Albert Haynesworth and Steelers guard Alan Faneca. Bears linebacker Lance Briggs, who, like Samuel, was the franchise player for the 2007 season, can't be franchised again.
Coaches on hot seat
Last year at this time, Tom Coughlin was No. 1 on the hot seat. Now he's about to get a new four-year, $20 million contract extension. But there are still plenty of candidates to get fired next year:
Wade Phillips, Cowboys: Jerry Jones made sure offensive coordinator Jason Garrett turned down the Ravens and Falcons by giving him $3 million to stay. It's a record for an assistant coach and in the same salary range as Phillips. If the Cowboys don't win the Super Bowl next year, Garrett will be the coach in 2009 when Jones moves the team into the new palace he's building in Arlington.
Herm Edwards, Chiefs: He just better play to win some more games, but how can he do that with Brodie Croyle at QB?
Eric Mangini, Jets: Nobody calls him Mangenius anymore. Bill Belichick may have some more colorful nicknames. He may not survive another 4-12 season.
Lane Kiffin, Raiders: There were reports that Al Davis wanted him to resign, but he wasn't about to leave millions on the table. Kiffin, a promising young coach under Pete Carroll at Southern Cal, put his career at risk by working for Davis.
John Fox, Panthers: In his first four years, he made it to the Super Bowl and the NFC Championship Game. But he can't afford a third straight losing season.
Mike Nolan, 49ers: He lost his final-say responsibilities after a 5-11 year. Next year he could lose his job.
Marvin Lewis, Bengals: The victories have finally exceeded the arrests in Cincinnati, but 7-9 still isn't good enough.
FASSEL THE FAVE: Former Giants coach Jim Fassel remains the favorite to be hired by Daniel Snyder in Washington. Snyder was expected to meet at the Super Bowl with former 49ers and Lions coach Steve Mariucci and in the next day or so with Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Colts defensive coordinator Ron Meeks is also a candidate. After getting fired by the Giants following their 2003 season, Fassel has been unable to get another head coaching job and coaches with far less of a resume have been given second chances.
He has interviewed with the Redskins (2004, 2008), Bills (2004), Cardinals (2004), Rams (2006) and Chiefs (2006). He did work as a consultant for the Ravens in 2004 and then in 2005 and the first part of '06 as the Ravens offensive coordinator before his was fired by Brian Billick, who is now his former best friend. . . . Bill Parcells has inherited the first pick in the draft for the third time. In 1993, he selected Drew Bledsoe over Rick Mirer for the Pats. In 1997, when Peyton Manning elected to stay for his senior year at Tennessee, he traded down twice and picked LB James Farrior for the Jets. Now it seems like Parcells will hope that Arkansas RB Darren McFadden is good enough to create a market for the Dolphins to pick up several picks. If Parcells keeps the pick, then LSU DT Glenn Dorsey is the most likely selection.
posted by The Gryphon at 6:47 PM
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