Joe Tiller, Game Changer?

Was this man partially responsible for changing the game?

This is a bit off the current topics of the season, but since it's Super Bowl week, I thought it might be appropriate. I was listening to the radio today and every radio show in America is being done from "radio row" at the Super Bowl and Tiki Barber was on. He was discussing the current state of the game and, of course, the upcoming game this weekend. And a point he made really resonated with me and made me wonder if it was possible that Joe Tiller had some hand in changing the way the game of football is played....nationwide.

Tiki was discussing the Super Bowl combatants and he commented on how Indy's rushing offense is 29th in the league -- and how that doesn't matter at all, because of how surgical Peyton Manning is. Fair point. He went on to talk about how the position of running back is quickly becoming less relevant to the point where he expects it to soon be less relevant than ever. This is because everyone runs some variation of the spread offense and bubble screens and quick outs and slants -- when done precisely -- are just as effective as a first down run play that used to be the bread-and-butter of every offense out there. You always ran on first down unless you were some wild-ass, Bill Walsh offense. And he was considered kind of kooky when he first ran it in the NFL.

So yes, the West Coast offense existed -- and succeeded -- for a number years, starting with those '80s Forty-Niners teams. But it's safe to say everyone else mainly relied on the tried and true method of success (and the "conventional wisdom" of many football lifers): run on first down, run on second down, maybe pass on third down. Oh, and the quarterback spent almost all of his time under center. The shotgun was a gimmick, sort of, and something that good defenses felt they could use to their advantage because it was almost always a sign of a sure passing down.

Then something funny happened over the past ten years or so. Spread offenses took over. They say football is a "copycat" sport (see the ridiculous proliferation of the dumb-ass, 1940s Wildcat offense) and so as spread offenses began to succeed more, more teams began to institute them. This spread (no pun intended) like wildfire, burning through the college ranks and down to high school, to the point where the guy currently referred to as maybe the best college football player ever can't get comfortable taking a snap from center. Crazy.

Joe Tiller came to Purdue in 1997 and immediately implemented a spread offense, infamously called "basketball on grass," a term that is still used by know-nothing commentators today, even when Purdue is running more plays on the ground than in the air. But think back -- Cowboy Joe's system in 1997 was a lot more revolutionary than it would be in 2010. Now, everybody runs a version of the spread. In 1997, approximately zero Big Ten teams ran such an offense. For years (up until his retirement, in fact), Tiller was cited as the reason that the Big Ten's offensive statistics and approach changed. Tiller began passing on first down and frequently "using the pass to set up the pass." We all loved it, of course, because it completely baffled Big Ten defenses (remember, that 1997 team was coming off a 3-8 1996 and didn't even really have the personnel for such an offense) and allowed the Boilers to race to a 9-win season. It was amazing.

Before long, more offenses in the Big Ten opened it up, as did many offenses around the country at that time. Just prior to that, what kinds of teams won national titles in college football? Teams like Nebraska, running the effing OPTION. Now what kinds of teams win it? Teams like Florida and Alabama and USC. Sure, they're not all overly pass-happy teams, but the threat of their passing attack is one of the keys to making them successful. Nebraska used to win titles with quarterbacks who had no business even being referred to as quarterbacks.

Whereas winning Super Bowls at the NFL level used to be done with running game and crushing defense, the St. Louis Rams of '99-'01 showed that you could be very successful (and win a Super Bowl) by passing the sh-t out of the ball and playing defense once in a while. The Rams did what nobody had ever been able to do -- outscore everyone.

So the question I ask you is this: Did Joe Tiller play some significant role in changing the way the game is played? Clearly, I'm not silly enough to think he was the cause, but is it fair to say that what he brought to the Big Ten helped make the pass-happy, spread approach more mainstream?

Well, the 29th-best rushing team in the NFL is playing against Joe Tiller's first big recruit and the man who ran his offense better than anyone.

Uh-Oh: Could the Golden Boys Have Cheated, Too?

Looks like the Pats aren't the only ones who might be cheaters in the NFL. The feel-good Colts might also be to blame.

Just like in baseball and auto racing, where the old adage goes, "If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'," it looks like the Colts are the latest to get called out for trying something that's a bit below-board.

Whether or not there's truth to it remains to be seen, but the Colts right now stand accused of piping in extra crowd noise for Sunday's showdown with the Patriots.

What's interesting to me is why a team would think this would really help. This is what makes me think this is either unlikely to be true or, if it is true, is the product of someone aside from the football operations (i.e., the sound team at the Hoosier/RCA/Whatever Dome). I mean, isn't it likely the Pats have played in pretty loud places before?

Apparently, league officials were tipped off when the crowd noise got very loud in the dome.

"This game took place in Indianapolis," said Roger Godell in a prepared statement, "and everybody knows the Indiana crowds never really get loud so we knew something was amiss."*

Seriously, though, I think this is pretty funny and just adds to the brewing hate between these teams and fan bases.

*Statement may be fabricated -- please don't have me kneecapped, Commissioner Goodell.

Who Ya Got?

If you haven't heard, the Colts and Patriots are playing on Sunday in what might be the most hyped regular season game ever. And there's a fair amount of backlash from people who are sick of hearing about these teams (Sox-Yanks of the NFL?) and their golden boy quarterbacks.

However, this game actually is worth the hype. At least, in my opinion, and really, whose opinion matters here? Yours?

I recall back in the 1990 season, both the Giants and Niners had started the season 10-0 and were supposed to play one another in Week 12 -- on Monday night, no less. Everybody was talking about it weeks in advance and, predictably, both teams lost focus and lost in Week 11. So it was a Monday night matchup of 10-1 teams, which was still awesome. The Niners won the game 7-3, in the most entertaining game that could ever be that low-scoring.

This matchup, however, will supercede it, I think. For one thing, both teams are methodically mowing down their opponents and are both simply amazing at staying focused. Peyton's focus and single-mindedness about winning and working hard to get better is legendary. Brady's ability to carry out an expertly-crafted (if sometimes illegally crafted with videos) game plan is also impressive. And both are in the absolute primes of their careers.

Some things to think about as we head towards NFL Armageddon in Indy this weekend:

• Think about the 21-3 lead that the Pats had on the Colts in the AFC title game last January. If Tom Brady had guys like Moss, Welker and Stallworth to throw to, is there any doubt the Pats hold onto that game? What becomes of Peyton's reputation if that happens and he comes up short again? And for all those who think Belichick's a genius for cutting loose guys they don't need (like Deion Branch), was that perhaps his most terrible coaching move, since it obviously cost them a potential title?
  
• These two guys are like Magic and Bird, only with what appears to be even more parity between them. Seriously, if you had to choose a quarterback to start your team right now, who would you choose? It's not an easy question to answer and no matter which way you start leaning, you can see reasons to go the other way (like heterosexuality for some of our readers).
  
• The Colts are a home underdog. I am willing to bet there's never been a Super Bowl champ who started the following season 7-0 and then was an underdog at home. And I believe the line is at 5.5, which means it's more than a field goal! Amazing. This is the team that beat the Pats the last time they played. Has to be motivation for Indy, right?
  
• People talk about how the Pats are simply crushing their opposition this season -- and it's true -- but it's not like the Colts aren't taking care of business convincingly. They've scored 41, 22, 30, 38, 33, 29 and 31 points in their seven wins, averaging a 17-point margin of victory.
  
• Of course, the Pats have been ludicrous, putting up 38, 38, 38, 34, 34, 48, 49, 52, with an average margin of victory of almost 27 points! They're actually scoring like a top-ranked college team toying with I-AA opponents (or Division II opponents, in the case of the Redskins). They're averaging 50 points a game over the past three weeks. It's like they've been warming up for this game.
  
• No matter what Belichick, Brady and the rest of them say, this is not just any other game. I'm sure they'll play it off that way, especially if they win, but there's no way this isn't the one Belichick wants more than any other regular season game. Sure, beating Manboobies Mangini is fun, but it's just recreational at this point. Beating the Colts -- the team that took him down -- is what Belichick wants to do. And you know he'd love to hang 52 on the Colts in the Dome.
  

So who is going to win this thing?

Boilerdowd lives outside Indy and is a homer for the Colts, despite his other allegiances to Boston-area sports teams. ;-)

Tim is outside Cleveland and I believe he dislikes both teams. I imagine he's rooting for a tie.

And me -- I'm in Jersey and truly rooting for a good game. Despite the hate a lot of people have for these two teams (and I am seeing them compared more and more to the Sox-Yankees of football), I really enjoy watching them both play. They're machine-like, methodical teams, and I wish I had teams to watch that were simply this good. It's the game everybody wants to see if they love football and it's just the right time -- halfway through the season, early November, baseball is over... it's just right.

In my weekly pool that I play in, I picked the Patriots, simply because one of my rules is not to pick against the Pats until they show me the have a weakness. Isn't that scary? Looking at a team halfway through the season and thinking they truly have no weakness?

Usually in my pool, which is run with confidence picks (you pick all the games and then assign a confidence number to each game), I simply check off the Pats and Colts and then give them each the highest number of confidence points I can. Well, this week was obviously different. Like everyone else, a Colts win wouldn't suprise me at all -- they are the undefeated, defending champs and they're at home, after all -- but I have to go with the Patriots. It's kind of dumb to pick the road team in such a clash, but I think the Patriots are viewing this game as their season and that's going to be the difference. When they meet again in January, though, things might be different.

Pretty Fricking Super

The Indianapolis Colts are World Champs...and from the perspective of a guy who lives just outside of Indianapolis, it's pretty great. The build-up to the game was fun, and the celebrations after have been tame. I am happy for Manning and Dungy both who have constantly been told that they just can't win the big game.

So, Peyton Manning won't have to answer anymore questions about his legacy now that he's won a Super Bowl...or will he? No joke- At 11:45 pm Eastern, on ESPN, the smart guys on ESPN asked the question- "Does Peyton need to win two to cement his legacy as one of the greats?" Seriously, that has to be the most stupid question ever asked. I think his legacy is just fine- he's got some individual records, his team won 13 in a row in 2005, he was part of one of the biggest comebacks in playoff history and his team is now the World Champion. I am pretty sure it's OK to say he's a great quarterback. Further, he now can win the big game; I'd argue he won the last two big games...so shut it, ESPN. He's jumped through plenty of hoops.

Does anyone else think the Colts might win another now?

Super Bowl Extra Large Eye (tm, Tim)

You know, it really doesn't matter what I write here after posting that picture to the right. Yes, that's the best...jersey...ever.

Well, this weekend is the Super Bowl and just to refresh you on our picks to this point...

Tim is 5-5, I am 5-5 and boilerdowd is 7-3 and whupping our behinds. So this weekend's game is a moot point, except for second place in our little game.

In the first round, we examined the quarterbacks for each team. In the second round, it was the coaches that were analyzed. And in the conference title games, it was the logos we looked at. So here, for the Super Bowl, I'll allow Bear vs. Colt to be the thing we look to. Kind of amusing.

Picks for this weekend:

Tim: Bears (In true, SNL tradition, he adds the following line: "My prediction: Chicago Bears 94 - Indianapolis Colts 20")

boilerdowd: Colts (I don't even need to ask him.)

J Money: Colts (I don't trust wonder Rex.)

Colts 38 Patriots 34

Ding Dong, the witch is dead!





I know, I know, the Colts haven't won a Super Bowl yet, but all of the whispers that have followed Peyton Manning & Tony Dungy alike have been silenced. They really needed to play the Patriots to stop people (like me) from doubting that they were even capable of winning the "big game" let alone beating teams from the Boston area during the month of January.

Here's the thing- I find Manning, Dungy, Wayne, Addai, Irsay and many others in the Colts organization likable. It's nice, for me at least, to see "the good guy" win. Conversely, I find Belicheck unlikable...even moreso, I find Mark Hurley and Chris Bois & most other chowdah heads detestable...So it couldn't have happened to a better group of guys.


For those of you who didn't catch this- the Colts had Jim Harbaugh out at midfield for the coin toss...Right away, I was pretty angry. Real great, I thought, Harbaugh, the patron saint of the almost-win in the AFC championship is representing the Colts. That mentality reminds me of another team that I root passionately for. Unlike the Boilers, I don't think the Colts will have the Lombardi trophy on their helmet going through the horseshoe. (ref. the Rose through the "P" during Purdue's Rose Bowl appearance of 2001).

In fact, the whole game reminded me of a Purdue bowl game...with the exception of the fact that the team that I was rooting for actually won the contest.

In other news, another "good guy", Drew Brees was battered, beaten and made to look pretty lousy by the over-rated Bears defense. I really believe that the Saints offensive line played as poorly as any offensive line at that level that I have seen in a while; let alone a Championship-caliber team...Much of the credit should go to the Bears defense, but come on now. I'm pretty excited for Brees & company's future. Oh yeah, and Bush is pretty OK, if you're into that sort of thing.