Ron's Commentary

BY RON BARR

I wouldn’t have believed the Cardinals’ defense could give up ninety points in two games. They outlasted the Packers, who were even worse on defense, in their wild card game. But, the Saints showed what a first round bye could do for you. They were fresher and the Saints intensity level allowed them to toy with Arizona. Drew Brees picked them apart and Reggie Bush ran around and through the Cardinal defense like a RoadRunner cartoon.

While it’s said that defense wins games, the Colts showed again an offensive maestro like Peyton Manning makes that adage irrelevant. And, you can’t push the clock ahead on experience. Ravens’ quarterback Joe Flacco got Baltimore to the playoffs, but compared to Manning, he’s got a long way to go. And, only time and experience is going to help make up the disparity between the two. Passing for only 109 yards is not going to win you an AFC Divisional playoff game. Manning is now a 4-time NFL MVP and I think the best quarterback to ever play the game. Sorry about that Joe Montana and Brett Favre.

Of all the games in the divisional playoffs, the Dallas-Minnesota game was the one I was most looking forward to. It had the potential for the most drama. The Cowboys seemed to have exercised their December demons and were playing dominating football. I have an admission. After Favre’s last season with Green Bay in which he threw 25 interceptions, I wrote him off. His on again, off again retirement fiasco only added to my desire to see Favre ride quietly off into the sunset and into the Hall of Fame. That wish was only re-enforced by his playoff failing season with the Jets in which he threw 22 interceptions. He had off-season arm surgery and that only heightened my belief the Vikings and Favre would together realize futility. I was wrong. He was the “old” Brett Favre. And, against the Cowboys he showed why they’ll have to tear the uniform off him to get him to retire. Two things has rejuvenated Favre, a running game with Adrian Peterson and a stout Viking defense. Watching the Minnesota defense smother Tony Romo and the Cowboys was only exceeded by watching the 40-year old Favre work his magic. He threw four touchdown passes, three to Sydney Rice. The three to Rice earned my admiration as well as my respect. The NFC showdown with the Saints will be something special.

And, just as I was about to run out of chips, dip and liquid refreshment, my weekend of being a couch hugging, no life sports fan was treated to a defensive struggle between the Chargers and the Jets. A great story line in this one. The Chargers, the hottest team in the playoffs with 11 straight wins to go along with a high powered offense, a record passing quarterback and a smothering defense. The Jets, a team that backed into the playoffs, a rookie quarterback, a bust-you-in-the-mouth defense and a cocky, rookie coach who said his team is the team to win the Super Bowl. It doesn’t get much better than that, and it didn’t. While the other 3 games were blowouts, this one came down to the Jets’ patience and determination. A sub plot was an ongoing belief Charger’s coach Norv Turner couldn’t win the “big one.” Well, he didn’t, again, as the Jets rode the arm of rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez and a run by Shonn Green to 4th quarter touchdowns to defeat San Diego. What makes the loss harder for the Chargers is kicker Nate Kaeding missed 3 makeable field goals that would have won the game.. It’s exactly the way the weekend should have ended. The best was saved for last.

Now I can get back to having a life. Only 51 more weeks before I become a worthless coach potato again.

I’m Ron Barr.

Ron Barr is an Emmy award winning writer and the host of the nationally and internationally syndicated sports talk show, Sports Byline USA.