The 15-Play Drive

15 thoughts on week-7 in the NFL...

1. No need to call him "Captain Cool", but the last QB opposing defenses want to see with the ball in his hands when the game's on the line is Eli Manning. Sunday marked the 22nd time in his career that Manning's led a game winning drive in the 4th quarter or overtime. Although I'm still having trouble grasping how Redskins' safety Madieu Williams and cornerback Josh Wilson allowed Victor Cruz to get behind them for a 77-yard TD reception with 1:13 to go.

2. Speaking of Cruz, he had a unique way of determining how much distance he'd put between himself and the Redskins' secondary on what proved to be the game winning TD. Following the victory, Cruz told me and Steve Torre on The Sunday Drive, he took a peek at the video board: "I caught it, looked up at the jumbo-tron, saw nobody behind me, and I did the rest."

3. Texans' quarterback Matt Schaub found it odd to be facing a Ravens' defense without Ray Lewis Sunday. Schaub joined The Sunday Drive after Houston's blowout win against Baltimore, and said: "It was weird not seeing him (Lewis)."

4. While Lewis and cornerback Lardarius Webb are gone, it was a triumphant return for Ravens' linebacker Terrell Suggs. The reigning defensive player of the year looked no worse for the wear in registering 4-tackles, a sack, and a deflected pass in his season debut.

5. On the subject of pass deflections, Texans' defensive end J.J. Watt is clearly the master. Watt tipped two more footballs Sunday, with one resulting in an interception. That's the 4th time this season Houston has picked off an opposing QB after Watt deflected a ball into the air. At this point, I'm waiting for Watt to start going Dikembe Mutombo and begin wagging his finger every time he gets his hand on a pass attempt.

6. How conservative was Tony Sparano's play calling late in the 4th quarter of Sunday's game against the Patriots....he made Mitt Romney look like a liberal. Tied at 23, and with the ball at the New England 18-yard line with 2:01 remaining, Sparano called back to back runs before allowing Mark Sanchez to actually attempt a pass on 3rd and 7. Sanchez was sacked, leading to a Nick Folk field goal. The entire drive took just 24-seconds off the clock, and left Tom Brady plenty of time to lead the Patriots on a game tying drive that forced overtime. On a day when Sanchez was feasting on the Patriots' secondary, it didn't make sense to pull the reins in when the Jets had the chance to go for the kill.

7. First the snow plow, then the tuck rule, now this...No guarantee it would have changed the outcome, but the Patriots absolutely got an extra second or two on Devin McCourty's fumbled kick return late in the 4th quarter. The clock started late, and stopped quickly. Instead of reaching the 2-minute warning, the Jets took possession with 2:01 to go, and the Patriots essentially got an extra timeout.

8. Not exactly a productive week-7 for two of the league's elite receivers, and no coincidence that neither of their teams scored more than 14-points. Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald was limited to 4-receptions for 29-yards by the Vikings, while the Bears held the Lions' Calvin Johnson to just 3-catches for 34-yards.

9. How can anyone tell if the Chargers' receivers are using Stickum when Philip Rivers is throwing the ball to the other team as much as his own?

10. In a game New Orleans won by just a touchdown, don't undervalue the play made by Malcolm Jenkins in the 3rd quarter against Tampa Bay. The Saints' safety ran down Buccaneers receiver Vincent Jackson at the 1-yard line after a 95-yard reception. New Orleans then stopped Tampa's offense on the next 4-plays to maintain a 28-21 lead.

11. The Todd Collins award of the week goes to Vikings' QB Christian Ponder. While Minnesota beat Arizona, Ponder took a step back in completing just 8 of 17-passes for 58-yards with a touchdown and 2-interceptions.

12. No need to air dirty laundry, but you're right Cam Newton...The Panthers have totally abandoned their running game. DeAngelo Williams has 50-carries in 6-games, or to put it another way, just 4-more rushing attempts than Newton. In a season where their second year QB is struggling, it would make sense for Carolina to lean on their rushing attack a little more. Instead, the Panthers are 25th in rushing attempts.

13. Leave it to the Bills underachieving defense to get Chris Johnson on track. Prior to Sunday's game in Buffalo, the Titans' running back had rushed for over 100-yards only once this season, and he'd been held under 25-yards 2-times. However, against the Bills, Johnson met little resistance on his way to 195-yards and 2-TD's on 19-carries. Not only was it his best game of the season, it was the most yards Johnson had run for in a single game since 2009.

14. This isn't how you get into the new owner's good graces. Browns' receiver Josh Gordon dropped what would've been an easy go ahead touchdown in the 4th quarter against the Colts Sunday, much to the dismay of Jimmy Haslam, who made no attempt to hide his displeasure.

15. Not sure he ever really lost it, but Aaron Rodgers definitely has his mojo back. The Packers' QB has thrown for 9-TD's and 0-INT's in Green Bay's last 2-games, both wins. In their first 5-games, Rodgers had 10-touchdown passes to go along with 4-interceptions, as part of a 2-3 start for the Packers.

The 15-Play Drive

15 thoughts on week-5 in the NFL...

1. Never underestimate the power of emotion. Case in point...the Indianapolis Colts. No team pulled off a bigger upset Sunday. With head coach Chuck Pagano hospitalized after being diagnosed with a form of Leukemia, the Colts overcame a 21-3 halftime deficit to stun the Packers 30-27. Afterwards, veteran linebacker Dwight Freeney told me and Steve Torre on the The Sunday Drive, Pagano's medical condition had become a rallying point for the team: "Absolutely. That's some of the things he preaches. Stay together...Stay tight...Do what Chuck would want us to do."

2. Reggie Wayne was hauling in passes from future hall of famer Peyton Manning for 10-years, but it took rookie quarterback Andrew Luck for Wayne to post his career high in receiving yards. Wearing orange gloves in support of Pagano, Wayne finished with 13-receptions for 212-yards and a TD against Green Bay. What's more impressive is he played his best when it mattered most. On what proved to be the game winning drive, Wayne had 5-catches for 64-yards and the go ahead touchdown.

3. I don't think 70, 000 or even 7, 000 Chiefs' fans were cheering the injury to QB Matt Cassel. However, for those who were, it's time to get some life perspective. Right tackle Eric Winston hit the nail on the head when he called the reaction: "100 percent sickening."

4. How impressive was Chiefs' running back Jamaal Charles against the Ravens? To put his 125-yard first half in perspective, Charles had more yards on the ground in two quarters than all but three running backs finished with for the entire game in week-5.

5. Kansas City has too many issues to count, but if you're looking to pin-point why they've started the season a disappointing 1-4, look no further than turnovers. The Chiefs have given the ball away 19-times. That's the most turnovers through 5-games since the Saints had 21 in 1997.

6. Games like Sunday are why I still don't buy Joe Flacco as a big time quarterback. 13 of 27-passing for 187-yards with an interception against the Chiefs doesn't cut it. Only the Bills Ryan Fitzpatrick had thrown for fewer yards versus Kansas City this season, but that game was over in the 3rd quarter, and Fitzpatrick only had 19-attempts.

7. Speaking of QB's: The Todd Collins award of the week goes to Blaine Gabbert. The Jaguars' quarterback has reverted back to his rookie form of late. Gabbert completed just 17 of 33-passes against the Bears for 142-yards with 0-TD's and 2-INT's. Do I hear Chad Henne warming up?

8. Cam Newton's awful performance Sunday certainly had him in the running for the Todd Collins award. However, if Carolina's coaching staff used a little common sense, Newton and the Panthers may have beaten the Seahawks anyway. Trailing 16-10 with just under 4-minutes remaining, Carolina faced 4th and goal at the Seattle 1-yard line. Maybe I'm taking crazy pills, but with a guy who's listed at 6'5 245 lbs, a QB sneak would seem to make sense. Instead, Newton rolled out right and totally missed an open Ben Hartsock in the end-zone. Use a little logic next time Ron Rivera...You're out-thinking yourself.

9. Location, location, location. It's not just that the Eagles have a turnover problem this season, it's where they're giving it away. Philadelphia's 4 red zone turnovers are the most in the NFL. The latest came midway through the 1st quarter Sunday, when Michael Vick lost a fumble on 1st and goal at the Pittsburgh 3-yard line. In a game they lost by just 2-points, Vick's latest case of butter fingers loomed large.

10. The Redskins weren't able to knock off the Falcons, but that didn't diminish the outstanding play made by Washington linebacker Ryan Kerrigan. In the 2nd quarter of a scoreless game. Kerrigan leaped into the air to pick off a Matt Ryan attempted screen pass, then returned it 26-yards for a touchdown. Kerrigan's a combination of good instincts, and pure athleticism.

11. Does anyone think Tony Gonzalez is over the hill? The Falcons' veteran tight end had a monster game in the nation's capital with 13-catches for 123-yards and a touchdown. Gonzalez actually finished with only one fewer reception than Roddy White and Julio Jones combined. When I told him on The Sunday Drive he's supposed to be an old man, Gonzalez responded with this: "I am an old man...there's not doubt about that. But I try to keep it like a wine, and get better with age."

12. J.J. Watt is a game wrecker. The Texans' defensive end had a sack, and three more deflected passes Monday night versus the Jets, two of which came in critical situations. With the Jets driving for a potential game tying touchdown late in the 1st half, Watt tipped a pass that Brice McCain intercepted at the 5-yard line. McCain's 86-yard return set up a Houston field goal to make it 17-7. Then early in the 4th quarter, Watt got his hands on another Mark Sanchez pass on 2nd and goal at the Texans 3. New York eventually had to settle for a field goal to make it 23-17, which was the final score. Now that we're past the quarter pole of this season, it's safe to say Watt is the absolute leader for defensive player of the year.

13. I'm not sure who to blame more...the Chargers coaching staff, or Jared Gaither. San Diego's left tackle was clearly hurt, and unable to really move on the final drive Sunday night in New Orleans. He was beaten cleanly by Martez Wilson on back to back plays, the second of which resulted in a Philip Rivers' fumble that essentially ended the game. Gaither should have known he was hurting the team, but wasn't there anyone on the Chargers' sideline who saw what was going on?

14. There's only one division in which all four teams are over .500 through 5-weeks, and believe it or not it's the NFC West. Gone are the days when this was a finesse division. San Francisco, Arizona, St. Louis and Seattle are all tough defensively, and capable of playing physical nasty football.

15. Just in case they didn't have their hands full already, the Patriots' offense has given the opposition yet another thing to worry about...its rushing attack. Stevan Ridley has agone over the 100-yard mark three times this year, and Brandon Bolden has done it once. New England had just one 100-yard rushing day all of last season. Just what Tom Brady needs...more help.

The 15-Play Drive

15 thoughts on week-3 in the NFL...

1. No need to mince words. The Packers got screwed by the replacement refs Monday night, and left Seattle without the win they had rightfully earned. Not only did officials miss Golden Tate's blatant shove of Sam Shields on the game's final play, but they called simultaneous possession on a ball that was clearly grabbed by M.D. Jennings with both hands, while Tate tried to wrestle it away. At this point I think Lindsay Lohan has a better shot at staying out of jail than the replacement refs do of calling a competent game. Pathetic.

2. Your move Roger Goodell. Monday night's debacle shifts the leverage back to the locked out officials. If an embarrassment of this magnitude doesn't lead to a deal, nothing will.

3. What got lost amidst the controversy was the fact that the Seahawks defense once again showed it's one of the league's best. Limiting the Green Bay offense to 268-total yards is no easy feat. They may not be household names yet, but Seattle's defensive line and secondary are playing at an elite level.

4. I know you technically won the game Pete Carroll, but considering the circumstances, acting like you just captured the Lombardi trophy afterwards came off as minor league. You got a gift. Calm down. You can thank Santa Claus later.

5. The 49ers showed a stunning lack of maturity Sunday against the Vikings. This was a trap game all the way, and San Francisco fell right into it. In other words, Jim Harbaugh didn't have his team ready to play.

6. Minnesota made an early statement against the Niners vaunted defense with a 16-play 82-yard opening drive for a touchdown that took 7:40 off the clock. Following their upset victory, Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder joined me and Steve Torre on The Sunday Drive, and emphasized the importance of that TD: "It was big...We talked all week about starting fast, and keeping the pressure on them. For us to punch it in with a touchdown set the tone for that whole game."

7. The Dolphins offensive play calling was downright Tony Sparano-esque in overtime against the Jets Sunday. Choosing to run the ball with Daniel Thomas on 3rd and 7 at the New York 32-yard line wasn't nearly aggressive enough, especially when you consider the fact that kicker Dan Carpenter had already failed to connect on a 47-yard field goal attempt in the 4th quarter. Carpenter's 48-yard miss in OT set up the Jets game winning drive.

8. Have the Jets unveiled their top secret Tim Tebow ultimate weapon package yet, or did I miss something? In 16-quarters, Tebow has yet to attempt a pass, and has run for 33-yards on 8-carries.

9. I'd hate to see what Jamaal Charles would do to opposing defenses if he was totally healthy. The Chiefs running back tore through the Saints for 233-yards rushing and a touchdown Sunday. Afterwards, Charles told me and Steve Torre that he's still not 100%: "I'm just out there playing through pain, and grinding it out like a warrior."

10. The Todd Collins award of the week goes to Josh Freeman. The Buccaneers QB completed just 10 of 28-passes against the Cowboys for 110-yards with a TD and an INT. I'm not big on quarterback rating, but it's worth noting that Freeman's was 5.3.

11. I realize the officiating is a joke, but you can't try to grab the ref Bill Belichick. Your team lost, because they couldn't run out the clock on offense, or make a stop on defense in the game's final minutes.

12. The Eagles have been playing with fire, and they finally got burned. 3-more turnovers Sunday increased their total to 12 for the season. That means they're on pace for 64 over 16-games. In case you're wondering, the NFL record for turnovers is 63, set by the 1978 49ers.

13. How does the ball get snapped on 4th and 1 when you're trying to draw the other team off-sides? That's exactly what happened to the Lions in overtime against the Titans. I guess it was fitting that a crazy game had a crazy ending. Detroit head coach Jim Schwartz called it a "miscommunication"...I call it unforgivable.

14. Only Evander Holyfield knows Matt Schaub's pain.

15. Grow up Cam Newton. The Panthers QB needs to quit the poor me act when things aren't going his way. For all his physical talents, Newton's sulking routine has become a red flag.

The 15-Play Drive

15 thoughts on week-2 in the NFL...

1. Welcome to the pro game Greg Schiano. The Buccaneers head coach learned Sunday that what works in the Big East doesn't work in the NFL...ever. I had no issue with Schiano calling for the Buccaneers defense to attempt to create a turnover on the final kneel down of the game. However, Schiano's explanation of the play was disingenuous at best. If it's about playing hard for 60-minutes, why didn't Tampa Bay try the same thing when Eli Manning took a knee at the end of the 1st half?

2. Instead of his kneel down defense, what Schiano should be more concerned with in practice this week is tightening up a secondary that blew a 27-16 4th quarter lead. By my count, Eli Manning completed 8 of 13-passes in those final 15-minutes for 243-yards and 2-touchdowns. To put it in perspective, Manning had as many yards passing in that 4th quarter as Buccaneers QB Josh Freeman had in the entire game.

3. Whatever leverage week-1 gave Roger Goodell in his negotiations with the locked out officials, it's now gone. The replacement refs didn't get better in week-2...they were completely exposed.

4. Despite the inept officiating, there's no excuse for what Redskins receiver Josh Morgan pulled Sunday in the 4th quarter. With less than 1:30-remaining, and his team trailing 31-28, Morgan's 7-yard catch set up 4th and 1 at the Rams 29-yard line. Only one problem...Morgan lost his composure when St. Louis cornerback Cortland Finnegan shoved him after the play, and proceeded to pick up a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for throwing the ball at Finnegan. Morgan's temper tantrum turned a makeable 46-yard field goal into an impossible 62-yard attempt for Billy Cundiff, who couldn't reach from that distance if he had gale force winds behind him, let alone in the climate controlled dome.

5. No team pulled off a bigger upset Sunday than the Cardinals, but their 20 to 18 victory over the Patriots almost didn't happen after Ryan Williams lost a fumble at his own 30-yard line with 1:01-remaining. Only a missed Stephen Gostkowski 42-yard field goal saved Williams from total misery. Afterwards, I told Arizona safety Kerry Rhodes that Williams must be the happiest man in America, and he responded with this: "I talked to him...I went over and told him it would be OK...We just got to have his back like we did."

6. Speaking of New England, I still don't understand their lack of aggressiveness before Gostkowski shanked the potential game winning FG. Instead of trying to get any closer, the Patriots ran a quarterback sneak, followed by a kneel down, and a spike to stop the clock. I understand 42-yards is well within Gostkowski's range, but when Tom Brady's your QB, why not see if you can get a few more yards and shorten the distance?

7. The Jets clearly have no faith in Mark Sanchez. They made that statement loud and clear at the end of the 1st half in Pittsburgh. Trailing 13-10 with 1:03 to go and the ball at their own 31-yard line, New York choose to run twice with Bilal Powell, and head for the locker room. This despite the fact that they had 2-timeouts remaining. That's conservative to the extreme.

8. There's not a ton to cheer about in Cleveland these days, but the Browns are all set at the running back position, because Trent Richardson is a beast! Richardson had 109-yards rushing and a touchdown against the Bengals, but his most impressive moment to me was his 23-yard TD reception. On the play, Richardson broke 4-tackles inside the 10-yard line. In a season that will be short on victories, Richardson makes the Browns offense worth watching.

9. The Todd Collins award of the week goes to Blaine Gabbert. The Jaguars QB reverted to his rookie form in week-2 versus the Texans completing just 7 of 19-passes for 53-yards and a touchdown before leaving in the 4th quarter with a hamstring injury.

10. This is what you call a head coach/offensive coordinator over-thinking. With the Panthers trailing the Saints 10-7 in the 2nd quarter Sunday, Carolina faced 4th and short at the New Orleans 4-yard line. The easy, and right call for that matter, would have been to use 6'5 245-pound Cam Newton to run a QB sneak. Instead, the Panthers tried to get cute and run outside on a pitch, which was fumbled. It happens all the time. NFL decision makers need to realize, just because the other team knows what's coming doesn't mean they can stop it.

11. How do you lose Steve Smith? Only the Saints know the answer to that question, because that's exactly what they did in a critical sequence against the Panthers. Following a New Orleans TD that pulled them within 28-20 early in the 4th quarter, Carolina's offense took the field from its own 20-yard line. On its first play, Cam Newton found Smith wide open for a 66-yard reception. 5-plays later, Newton ran for a 5-yard score. Following their 35-27 win, Smith joined me and Steve Torre on the Sunday Drive, and I asked how he shook loose for that big catch: "They jumped the route, and nobody actually covered me." Now that's pathetic defense.

12. When Joe Flacco shows me he's an elite quarterback, then I'll believe it. With the Ravens down 24-23 at Philadelphia Sunday with 1:55-remaining, Flacco didn't look the part of a top-10 QB, let alone top-5. He completed exactly 2-passes for 21-yards on Baltimore's final drive, which stalled at their own 46-yard line. Not exactly the stuff legends are made of.

13. I know tackling is a lost art, but really Oakland? On his 23-yard touchdown run again the Raiders in the 3rd quarter, Dolphins running back Reggie Bush fought off four would be tacklers on his way to the end zone. Bush is shifty, and he's got speed, but at 6'0 203 it's not like your trying to bring down John Riggins.

14. Forget comparing Andrew Luck to Peyton Manning this week, how about comparing Peyton Manning to Peyton Manning. His second career start for the Broncos looked an awful lot like his second career start for the Colts.
1998 Manning: 21-33 188-yards 1-TD 3-INT
2012 Manning: 24-37 241-yards 1-TD 3-INT

15. Jay Cutler isn't the first quarterback to rip into some of his teammates in the heat of the moment, but it's hard to take the Bears QB seriously when he makes some of the worst decisions known to man. When you get picked off 4-times, you might want to look in the mirror before pointing the finger.

The 15-Play Drive

15 thoughts on week-1 in the NFL

1. Clearly the reports of Peyton Manning's demise were greatly exaggerated. The Steelers learned that the hard way Sunday night. Manning showed arm strength, accuracy, touch, intelligence, and more importantly, proved he could take a hit against Pittsburgh's blitzing defense. This was vintage Manning, especially in the 2nd half, and the rest of the league is officially on notice.

2. Believe it or not, Tim Tebow had just 8-more yards rushing in week-1 than Peyton Manning. In his Jets debut, Tebow carried the ball 5-times for 11-yards. Manning finished with 3-yards on 4-carries. See...they do still have a QB with the ability to scramble in Denver.

3. Don't feel bad Andrew Luck. Your introduction to the NFL regular season went according to script. What do I mean by that? Luck's first game was eerily similar to Peyton Manning's with the Colts back in 1998. Feel free to cue the Twilight Zone music.
Luck: 23 of 45-passing, 309-yards, 1-TD, 3-INT
Manning: 21-37-passing, 302-yards, 1-TD, 3-INT

4. There aren't enough adjectives to describe how well Redskins rookie QB Robert Griffin III played in a very tough environment. The Saints were undefeated in the Superdome last season, and 19-5 at home over the last three years. All Griffin did was waltz into the place, throw for 320-yards with 2-TD's, and run for another 42-yards in Washington's 40-32 victory over New Orleans. What stood out most to me though, beyond his athletic ability and rocket arm, was his poise. Griffin never committed the big mistake, even when the Saints made it a game in the 4th quarter. That was impressive.

5. If Andy Reid's trying to ensure Michael Vick won't make it through 16-games, he's doing a good job of it. Vick threw a career high 56-passes in the Eagles season opening win against the Browns. Afterwards, Reid claimed Vick looked "rusty." Better rusty than incapacitated. We all know Vick's not the most durable of QB's. Reid would do well to remember that going forward.

6. Vick wasn't the only QB airing it out in week-1. A total of 12-quarterbacks had 35 or more pass attempts. 7 of them threw at least 40-times. To say this is a passing league isn't a cliche...it's a fact.

7. I understand the replacement officials are far from perfect, but I don't want to hear guys like Giants linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka and Bills defensive end Mario Williams crying about it. The Giants and Bills lost their season openers because they were outplayed by the Cowboys and Jets. The refs had nothing to do with it.

8. Speaking of the Bills, they should be very concerned about QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. He threw 16-INT's in Buffalo's final 9-games last season, and that trend continued Sunday. Fitzpatrick was picked off 3-times against the Jets, including one that was returned for a touchdown. That 6-year 59-million dollar extension doesn't look like such a bargain anymore.

9. Say this for Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan...he's honest. Ryan joined me and Steve Torre on the Sunday Drive following Atlanta's convincing win in Kansas City. When I asked if he was trying to get veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez a touchdown in Gonzalez's return to KC, Ryan said: "Yeah...Luckily they finally gave him some one on one coverage on the play he scored on."

10. If the Seahawks are looking for another wide-receiver, they might want to turn to starting cornerback Richard Sherman. His ability to hang onto the ball and keep both feet in bounds during a 3rd quarter interception of John Skelton Sunday was a thing of beauty.

11. The Todd Collins award of the week goes to Brandon Weeden. In his pro debut, the Browns QB completed just 12 of 35-passes for 118-yards with 0-TD's and 4-INT's. Forget NFL ready, Weeden didn't look CFL ready.

12. Vikings kicker Blair Walsh's first NFL game couldn't have gone any better. Walsh hit all 4 of his field goal attempts, including a 55-yarder to force overtime. Then he nailed a 38-yard field goal in the extra session, which proved to be the margin of victory. However, Walsh did admit to me he wasn't quite sure about the new overtime rules: "I kind of had an inclination it wasn't the game winner, but it took me a minute or two to realize the rules had changed."

13. Anybody still believe the Jets have a quarterback controversy? I didn't think so.

14. The Raiders Travis Goethel should have back up long snapper removed from his job title immediately. Goethel rolled more gutter balls back to punter Shane Lechler than my 8-year old son does in the bowling alley.

15. The two most impressive teams I saw in week-1 were coached by John and Jim Harbaugh. What's scary for the rest of the league is the Ravens and 49ers, who should both have outstanding defenses again, looked more than capable offensively. Quarterbacks Joe Flacco and Alex Smith looked as comfortable and confident as I've ever seen them. Combined they completed 41 of 55-passes for 510-yards with 4-TD's and 0-INT's.

The Roy Hobbs Effect

"You've made a great contribution. The stands have been constantly filled. Financial fortunes have been radically reversed since you joined the ball club." -The Judge in The Natural

The Judge was speaking to Roy Hobbs when he uttered those words, but that might as well have been a real conversation between Knicks owner James Dolan and point guard Jeremy Lin. Since "Linsanity" began sweeping the nation, New York has won five in a row, the stock price of Madison Square Garden Co. has never been higher, the Knicks are a red hot ticket again, TV ratings are up, and Lin jersey sales are number-1 in the NBA.

Pop Fisher: "Batting practice tomorrow, be there!"

Roy Hobbs: "I have been. Every day."

Like the fictional Hobbs character, Lin was collecting dust on the bench. In 13 of his first 22-games with the Knicks, he didn't play a minute. Lin was a 4th string point guard on a team going nowhere...An afterthought behind Iman Shumpert, Toney Douglas and Mike Bibby. It took injuries, nobody died like Bump Bailey, and ineffective play for Lin to get an opportunity. And he's done everything but knock the cover off the ball since then. Lin's 109-points scored are the most by any player in their first 4-starts in NBA history. He's outplayed Deron Williams, John Wall and Ricky Rubio during the Knicks 5-game winning streak, and outscored Kobe Bryant 38 to 34 in New York's victory over the Lakers.

Pop Fisher: "All these years and you never played organized baseball?"

Roy Hobbs: "Well, I sort of got sidetracked."

There was no woman in black to sidetrack Lin's NBA career...It was more or less the league's decision makers. Harvard develops the intellectual elite, not professional basketball players. And with only Ivy League competition to judge him by, Lin went undrafted. He spent time with the Warriors, playing in 29-games before being released, and was also later cut by the Rockets. Even the Knicks didn't know what they had. The team sent him to the D-League earlier this year, and had Baron Davis gotten healthy, it's likely Lin would've been waived.

Dr. Knobb: "Losing is a disease."

The psychologist brought into help the New York Knights uses this line over and over again. And if the Knicks were infected, Lin has been the cure. Similar to Hobbs in the movie, he's gotten a team that was one of the league's biggest disappointments to believe they're going to win. His performance has elevated the play of those around him. He doesn't need lightning to strike the court or to fire a shot into the arena lights, Lin has become the real "Wonderboy." Now cue the theme music.

The 15 Play Drive

15 thoughts on Super Bowl 46...

1. Choose your nickname...I'm going with "The Iceman Cometh." Eli Manning is one cool customer, and once again delivered in the 4th quarter on the NFL's biggest stage. Manning completed 5 of 6 passes for 74-yards on what proved to be the game winning drive. If you don't consider him an elite quarterback now, you never will.

2. Manning to Mario Manningham wasn't Manning to David Tyree part II, and Chris Collinsworth never should have made that comparison. There's always been a flukey element to the Tyree catch in Super Bowl 42. That wasn't the case with Manningham's 38-yard reception on the first play of the Giants final drive. It was simply a great throw and catch...Tremendous execution on both ends.

3. You hesitated Bill Belichick, and it cost you. Why waste a timeout on 1st and goal when you're going to allow the Giants to score on the next play anyway? That wasn't trigonometry...It was elementary math, and the genius got stumped.

4. It's a footnote now since the Vince Lombardi trophy belongs to the Giants, but had Tom Brady led the Patriots to a game winning touchdown, Ahmad Bradshaw would have been public enemy number-1 in New York. If the plan was to stay out of the end zone and run down the clock, how do you forget to put on the brakes at the 1-yard line?

5. Call it the one that got away...Patriots sure handed wide receiver Wes Welker was targeted 8-times Sunday and had 7-receptions. It's the one he didn't catch that's going to keep him up at night this off season. Welker dropped a ball inside the Giants 25-yard line that could have easily sealed the game late in the 4th quarter. Brady's throw was behind him, but Welker got both hands on it and absolutely should've made the play.

6. Tom Brady doesn't get a pass either after making a couple of uncharacteristic mistakes. The safety on the Patriots first offensive play was entirely his fault. With the amount of time he had in the pocket, Brady could've re-watched the pregame show. He's got to know better. The interception also falls on his shoulders. That was shades of Rex Grossman. Brady did a nice job avoiding the sack, but his deep ball intended for Rob Gronkowski was completely underthrown.

7. Speaking of Gronkowski, the high ankle sprain made him a total non factor. Bear Pascoe had double the receptions of the Patriots tight end. Need I say more?

8. I'm still waiting for Ochocinco's touchdown dance.

9. Start preparing your Hall of Fame speech Tom Coughlin...They've already reserved a place for you in Canton. Although judging by the shaft they gave to Bill Parcells, it may take a few years of eligibility before they unlock the door.

10. Hard to find many defensive ends who've had more Super Bowl success than Justin Tuck. That's 4-sacks in 2-games for the Giants DE. Tuck is now only a half sack behind Charles Haley who appeared in five Super Bowls.

11. He'll be forgotten by the end of the victory parade, but don't overlook the impact Steve Weatherford made on the game. The Giants punter was outstanding. He put 2-punts inside the 5-yard line, with the first leading to their safety of Tom Brady.

12. If you think another Super Bowl loss means the end of an era for the Patriots, you're sadly mistaken. They have two 1st round draft picks in April and approximately 20-million dollars in cap space to play with. Their run of success won't end until Belichick and Brady call it quits.

13. Nice job with the national anthem Kelly Clarkson. She didn't try to overdo it. Just kept it simple.

14. Madonna is still attractive, but also looked pretty stiff during the halftime show. As I tweeted Sunday night...If that was the combine, NFL scouts would have said she was lacking in hip snap.

15. There were a few funny/creative commercials, but nothing was better than Clint Eastwood and "It's halftime in America." Gave me chills.