The NFL playoff match ups are now set. The Patriots, Steelers, Colts, Chiefs, Ravens, and Jets are representing the AFC, while the Falcons, Bears, Eagles, Seahawks, Saints, and Packers are representing the NFC. The Jets will play the Colts on Saturday at 8:00pm in a rematch of last years AFC Championship game, and with the addition of Antonio Cromartie coupled with the injuries to Colt receivers hope that they can produce a different result this time. The Ravens will travel to Kansas City to take on Chiefs who lost to the Raiders on Sunday, most anticipate the Ravens to win that game. In the NFC the Philadelphia Eagles will host the Green Bay Packers, while the New Orleans Saints will travel to Seattle to take on the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs with a losing record. It should be an exciting weekend.
The Pittsburgh Panthers new head coach Mike Haywood was fired this week. Haywood was arrested in South Bend , Indiana on domestic violence charges after he apparently had a dispute with a women that lives there whom he has a child with. The police report says the woman had bruises on her neck and her arms, and stated that Haywood would not let her leave when she wanted too. Pitt released a statement saying that the decision to fire him is not based off of the possible outcome of the legal proceedings, and from the schools perspective they are correct. They can’t have a coach who even has a hint of physical abuse issues leading their program no matter what the circumstances, they have re-opened their search for a new coach.
Randy Edsall, who diligently worked to build the Connecticut football program into a winner, has been hired to pull off a similar feat at Maryland. Edsall was picked Sunday to replace Ralph Friedgen, who was fired after a 10-year run at his alma mater. Edsall spent 12 years at Connecticut. He guided the Huskies out of Division I-AA (now FBS) and into the Big East, where he won a pair of conference titles and earned postseason appearances in each of the last four years. In his final game with the Huskies they were beaten in the Fiesta Bowl by Oklahoma 48 – 20, but Edsall’s team played disciplined football against the more talented Sooners.
The Kansas City Chiefs have confirmed that Charlie Weis will indeed become the new offensive coordinator for the Florida Gators. Weis is expected to get complete control of Florida’s offense and install the kind of pro-style system that helped him win three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. Weis’ offense also was effective during his five-year tenure at Notre Dame. Florida head coach will Muschamp almost has his entire staff hired, and by adding Weis (who was going to leave Kansas City at the end of the season more than likely) it shows that the Gators plan to have a high powered offense which Weis is known for.
The Minnesota Vikings fell to the Detroit Lions on Sunday to end a miserable season. That was not the biggest story because it also marked the end of Brett Favre’s career (we think). The 41-year old Favre sat out the contest dealing with a concussion, and has stated that he has played his last game in the NFL. Many consider Favre to be a first ballot NFL hall of famer as he holds just about every NFL passing record in the book these days, but there will be some voters who will hold the recent situations with Jenn Sterger and his on again off again retirement as reasons to not vote for him. Favre is a hall of famer, and should be voted in the first ballot anything less would be a travesty.
