I feel as if a Scott van Pelt type of post is needed this Monday evening following those two epic games yesterday which now set up our Super Bowl matchup of New England vs. Seattle in northern California. I can’t just merge into the Super Bowl without commenting on two very stupid plays yesterday though.
One gaffe almost cost Seattle a trip to their fourth Super Bowl in franchise history. And the other…an eggregious error by Bronco coach Sean Payton, in not kicking that second period field goal from the fifteen yardline which would have staked Denver to a 10-0 lead in a game we all saw as a grind it out defensive knife fight.
10-7 in the blowing snow is a knife fight. The only Patriot touchdown came as a result of a panic lateral pass by Jarrett Stidham which wouldn’t have even been called if Denver was leading 10-0 at that point.
With Riq Woolen it was sheer stupidity which crossed the line of obsessive selfishness. I mean…this wasn’t Crazy Riq’s first brush with taunting misconduct. He was just recently fined by the NFL at the tailend of the regular season for a taunting episode against the Redskins.
This is bullshit at the highest level in team sports. If you want to act like a spoiled brat go get a tennis racket and do your John McEnroe act on the ATP Tour. But why is it at this same time I could envision Riq Woolen at some point down the road being named Donald Trump’s head of Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, or the CIA. Why doesn’t that seem ludicrous to Mike J?
Add to the fact…after taking that penalty, Woolen got burned on a flag route for a touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Pacua which closed the score to 31-27 in favor of Seattle.
Matthew Stafford is my NFL-MVP for the season, but on this night it was Sam Darnold who was just about perfect in steering his team to a turnover free game and close to 350 passing yards with 3 TD passes.
I would hope the elephant has now been removed from Sam Darnold’s back. Minnesota didn’t go 14-3 this season. Seattle with Darnold is now 16-3 with Sam and heading to Super Bowl 60 as a three point favorite by my evaluation.
So which was the dumber play?
This is a actually a tough decision for me even though I really like Sean Payton as a coach. Yeah…I would go for it with Bo Nix maybe. But no way with Jarrett Stidham at that point. Coach Payton’s job was to nuture Stidham’s confidence and put the game in the hands of the Denver defense.
But…I mean—Crazy Riq Woolen was over on that Seattle sideline for what seemed like an eternity.
So my Scott van Pelt Most Stupid Things I Saw on Conference Championship Weekend list goes in this order:
1 Crazy Riq Woolen’s taunting penalty which almost cost Seattle a Super Bowl bid.
2 Coach Sean Payton eschewing the second period chipshot field-goal before the blizzrd arrived at Empower Stadium.
3 The Pittsburgh Steelers hiring Mike McCarthy as their next head coach.
That’s it for MJ being Scott van Pelt for an evening as the sun sets to the west at the mini-ranch in Deer Creek, Oklahoma.
Be well and safe, SVP.
Mike J
I agree about Woolen, he needs to go the NFL re-education camp. I am an unabashed Hawks fan after living the in the Emerald city for 18 yrs.
So happy they overcame his penalty and came back to win it.
I was a Patriots fan in the 90’s when I lived in Boston but it is all Seahawks now!!
I’m for Seattle in the Super Bowl as well. The Patriots are a nice story, but Sam Darnold’s redemption is a nicer story. You know, about hanging in there and not givng up and overcoming adversity and doubt. I love Rhamondre Stevenson. He’s probably my favorite OU running back since either DeMarco Murray or Adrian Peterson. I know his game well. I’m happy he’s having this success, but I just feel this should be Sam Darold’s moment and the Seahawks second Super Bowl championship should be the Hawks’ because they had to overcome Matthew Stafford twice to get to this game.