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In a recent ad campaign, Green Bay Packers star Brett Favre pokes fun at "Monday-morning quarterbacks" who second-guess decisions after the results are known. The spot shows Favre walking through the city, questioning decisions made by people he comes in contact with.
"I would have double-bagged it," he says with a smirk as groceries
spill out of the bottom of a paper sack.
Monday, callers flooded sports-talk radio in Green Bay, Kansas City, St. Louis and Nashville. Many questioned why their teams played close to the vest, while others wondered why their defenses suddenly turned to Swiss cheese. Tickets
The weekend's divisional playoffs provided some of the most compelling postseason
NFL games in recent years. But they also brought out the coach in every fan.
NO EXCUSES
In St. Louis, Rams coach Mike Martz is under fire for playing for a tying field
goal near the end of regulation instead of trying to put away the visiting Carolina
Panthers, who went on to score on a long pass on the first play of the second
overtime Saturday.
"I just felt like the risk wasn't necessary," Martz said. "We
just didn't get it done."
Sometimes, even the players look back.
"I was surprised that we didn't take a shot at the end zone," Rams
wide receiver Torry Holt told The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 'I would've liked
to. I thought about it. I'm looking up at the scoreboard, and I'm like, `OK,
maybe we'll take a shot.' But it's the head coach's call. We have to go with
it."
MISSED OPPORTUNITY
In Wisconsin, Packers coach Mike Sherman is getting the Martz treatment. In
the first half of Sunday's game at Philadelphia, Green Bay went for it on fourth-and-goal
from the 1-yard line -- and was stuffed.
Late in the game, the Packers could have put the Eagles away by converting on
fourth-and-1. But Favre tried to coax the Eagles offside before settling for
a delay-of-game penalty. The Packers punted, and Philadelphia drove downfield
for a field goal that forced overtime, where the Eagles won it on another kick.
"We have been aggressive in the past," Sherman said.
Winning, as coaches often say, cures all ills. Fans are more likely to forgive
a bad decision if the scoreboard ultimately favors their team.
PARITY PREVAILS
One thing is certain: The NFL's push for parity appears to be a success. The
Panthers went from 1-15 in 2001 to Sunday's NFC title game at Philadelphia.
St. Louis and Kansas City had not lost on their home fields since last season,
yet both trends ended during the weekend.
The league is more unpredictable than ever, but the pressure is no less intense
for coaches of favored teams.
Kansas City's Dick Vermeil has been lambasted for kicking off to Indianapolis
with 4:22 left in Sunday's game instead of trying an onside kick. The Chiefs
were trailing by a touchdown and had been unable to stop Colts all game.
The Colts had the ball until eight seconds remained -- too little time for Kansas
City to salvage a season in which it won its first nine games.
"I did what I thought was right at the time," Vermeil said.
Sounds familiar.