On Thursday Night Football, it looked early on like the Colts were well on their way to not only a second straight defeat, but to a second straight blowout loss, as well. This one was going to be especially costly, since they would then find themselves tied with the team that beat them, the Tennessee Titans.
But the Colts came alive and pulled off a huge, come from behind, 30-27 win in the second half, overcoming a 14 point deficit to get the huge victory which all but seals the deal in the AFC South. They now own a two game lead in the divisional race, as well as the tiebreaker (so far). Stick a fork in the Titans, I think.
So, we all know that this weekend's Sunday Night Football showdown between the red-hot Broncos and the undefeated Chiefs was going to be huge, but perhaps we didn't know just how huge! Apparently, it is a historically big match, as it ranks as the top game since the 1970 merger for winning percentage between the two opponents this late into the season.
Here is a part from an article, "Game of the Week: Chiefs can show they’re for real against Peyton Manning’s Broncos" by Frank Schwab, which illustrates just how big the game is going to be (see link below):
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/game-week-chiefs-show-real-against-peyton-manning-155158787--nfl.html
Not only is Chiefs-Broncos the game of the week, it's arguably the game of the year, and statistically speaking, it's one of the biggest NFL regular-season games in decades.
Since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger, the combined winning percentage of the 9-0 Chiefs and 8-1 Broncos is the highest for a game this late in the season. The last time there was a higher combined winning percentage for an NFL game this late in the season was Dec. 7, 1969 when the 10-1 Vikings faced the 11-0 Rams. Here's the list of the top five combined winning percentages since the merger, among games this late in the season (courtesy the Denver Broncos):
1. Kansas City (9-0) at Denver (8-1), 2013 (.944 win percentage).
2 (tie). Green Bay (10-1) at Dallas (10-1), 2007 (.909)
2 (tie). N.Y. Giants (10-1) at San Francisco (10-1), 1990 (.909)
4. Baltimore (9-1) at Denver (9-1), 1977 (.900)
5. Indianapolis (13-1) at Seattle (12-2), 2005 (.893)
So, now you know just how important a showdown this one is going to be. Especially since it has been determined that Peyton Manning is going to play.
I remember some of those big games. The one that I remember the best was in 1990, when the Giants and 49ers met in what was billed as the "Clash of the Titans". Both teams started off 10-0, then lost their games the week before the big Monday Night showdown, which was the second most viewed MNF game in history, at least a the time (behind Chicago's only loss, to Miami, in their historic 1985 season). I could remember the Packers and Cowboys game in 2007, but somehow, don't remember it - probably because the undefeated Patriots were hogging all the attention with an unbeaten season and all the records, so perhaps not as many people noticed either Dallas or Green Bay. And as for Indy and Seattle back in 2005, the Colts pretty much had clinched everything, while Seattle was fighting to clinch still, so it wound up being a rather boring game that Seattle won easily.
This game features a contrast in styles. The Kansas City Chiefs are playing like an old school team. They have a very tough defense that sometimes may bend, but never seems to break. And they rely on a solid running game. They would not have seemed out of place in an earlier era, including the one when I first started to get into the NFL. At that time, teams with tough defenses and offenses centered around an efficient running attack were the norm, and regularly won championships. Think of the 1985 Bears, or the Giants during the Parcells era, or Washington under Joe Gibbs. Those were conservative, ground it out kinds of teams. Hell, even the Dallas Cowboys of the nineties were more or less like that. Their defense regularly ranked among the very top units in the league, and specifically, they outright did rank as the top defense a couple of years. Then, however spectacular their passing attack could be, the main thrust of their offense was behind that huge offensive line, with Emmitt Smith crushing opponents with not only some dazzling moves, but with power and efficiency. Even teams that did not win championships, like the Eagles of the late 80's and early 90's, or like the Kansas City Chiefs themselves back then, enjoyed considerable and consistent success with this general formula.
Yes, that is where the Chiefs are. And Denver, by contrast, is very much a modern day team, with a video game style offense that is putting up record numbers left and right. Sure, their defense is not like championship defenses of old. They have their good days, but they also can be a reliability, like they were on one January afternoon earlier this year against the eventual Super Bowl champion Ravens. But their offense is so good, that they generally win anyway, even if the games are record setting shootouts. Hell, the Cowboys put up 48 points against them, and they still lost. So, you know how Denver is likely to approach this, or any, game. Behind Manning, their offense will always set the tone.
If you follow my blogs, then you have likely seen my predictions on this one. I like the Broncos, because they are at home, and because I don't believe (yet) that the Chiefs really are as good as their 9-0 record suggests. Don't get me wrong -I have long had a healthy respect for Andy Reid, being a fan of a team that he burned time and time again, since he was coaching a team in the same division. He gave the Philadelphia Eagles some great years, and they accomplished a lot. Now, he is doing that same for KC.
But, let's face it: this is a team that was 2-14 last season, tied with Jacksonville for the very worst record in the league. I have never seen such a quick, immediate turnaround, literally from ranking among the two worst teams last year, to the team with the best record, the only remaining undefeated team, in mid-November the next. Going to Denver represents not only the first really big test that they have had thus far, but also, one of the biggest tests for any team in the league. And I just don't think they are quite that good.
Now, if they prove me wrong, then they would not only have gained my unconditional respect, but likely the respect of skeptical fans all over.
"Football Thursday: David Tyree can't escape his famous Super Bowl catch, even at his job" by Les Carpenter, Special to Yahoo! Sports, November 13, 2013:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl--football-thursday--david-tyree-can-t-escape-his-famous-super-bowl-catch--even-at-his-job-031742896.html?vp=1
Tennis
So, how much did Rafael Nadal have to overcome to reach his current number one status? Here is an article that elaborates on that:
The incredible comeback to No. 1 for Rafael Nadal By Shane Bacon November 7, 2013 11:42 AM Busted Racquet
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/tennis-busted-racquet/incredible-comeback-no-1-rafael-nadal-164239067--ten.html
Here's an article that suggests that men's tennis really could use a bad boy again these days.
I'm not sure. I mean, whatever happened to class, which these three guys generally and genuinely seem to represent? Have we really reached a point where we cannot even appreciate it anymore? What does that say about us?
No, I can't say that bringing another Jimmy Connors into the sport would be beneficial. Or, perhaps, John McEnroe at his worst. How would that enhance the sport? It might rake in ratings for a while, but would that truly improve the game?
What are your thoughts on the subject?
"Djokovic, Nadal and Federer Are Great, but Tennis Could Sure Use Some Bad Boys" by Yahoo Contributor Network By Ted Williams, November 14, 2013:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/djokovic-nadal-federer-great-tennis-could-sure-bad-232400348--ten.html;_ylt=A2KJ3CVc.4VSol4AA.1NbK5_
Football/Soccer
MLS Playoffs
The first participant for the championship final will be determined later today, when Sporting Kansas City play Houston. After a scoreless tie in the first game, Sporting KC and the Houston Dynamo play their second, and final, game at 7:30pm tonight.
The winner will face either the Portland Timbers or Real Salt Lake, who play the second game of their series tomorrow. Real Salt Lake won the first meeting, 4-2.
French Ligue 1
Standings
| Rank | GP | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PSG | 13 | 19 | 31 |
| 2 | Lille | 13 | 11 | 27 |
| 3 | Monaco | 13 | 10 | 26 |
| 4 | Nantes | 13 | 9 | 23 |
| 5 | Marseille | 13 | 5 | 21 |
| 6 | Reims | 13 | 3 | 19 |
| 7 | Lyon | 13 | 3 | 18 |
| 8 | Guingamp | 13 | 2 | 18 |
| 9 | St. Etienne | 13 | 1 | 18 |
| 10 | Bastia | 13 | -4 | 18 |
| 11 | Rennes | 13 | 3 | 17 |
| 12 | Bordeaux | 13 | -1 | 17 |
| 13 | Nice | 13 | -2 | 17 |
| 14 | Evian | 13 | -6 | 16 |
| 15 | Toulouse | 13 | -8 | 16 |
| 16 | Montpellier | 13 | -1 | 14 |
| 17 | Lorient | 13 | -12 | 11 |
| 18 | Valenciennes | 13 | -9 | 9 |
| 19 | AC Ajaccio | 13 | -10 | 8 |
| 20 | Sochaux | 13 | -13 | 7 |
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