Why Must We Place Blame?

I watched (sometimes highlights of) four GREAT NFL Games this weekend.

It started with the HD-Snow Bowl between the Packers and Seahawks. The Seahawks got going early leading 14-0, but then fell apart, allowed Brett Favre, Greg Jennings, and Ryan Grant to take over, losing 42-20. Later that night the Jaguars lost to the Patriots after playing a pretty solid game 31-20. The next morning the Colts lost to the Chargers 28-24, on a late TD by the Chargers (backups) and then the Cowboys lost to the Giants 21-17.

After each game, the personalities who follow sports started BLAMING different people. Actually, because the favorites won both games on Saturday, no one placed blame in those games. But, on Sunday blame took center stage. It ranged from an inept running game of the Colts, to Tony Romo (why do they love to blame him?).

Here is what I heard From the Two Games: Colts/Chargers: -Tony Dungy doesn't know if he will return next season being mentioned two days before the game. -The Colts not being able to win off a bye-week

I'm sorry, these are professional athletes, that didn't affect them. How about this... The Chargers just played well at the end of the game, and were a team that only lost one game after losing to Adrian Peterson in Week 9. Let's also not forget that the Chargers were 14-2 last season, with basically the same team. They only got wiser, and more experienced (and traded for Chris Chambers) and now are ready to hopefully take over the Patriots field after what happened last year.

Cowboys/Giants: -Tony Romo going to Mexico with Jessica Simpson (didn't other Cowboys go?) -Tony Romo not being able to handle big game situations -Tony Romo being 6'0" (Yes I heard that one) -Jerry Jones signing Tony Romo to a contract extension in mid-season -Jerry Jones standing on the field -Changing game-plans and starting Marion Barber -Tony Romo...you get the idea

Nowhere in there did the press blame the Cowboys receivers for dropping potential big play passes or other things that were wrong. I don't feel that Tony Romo going to Mexico had any effect. So he has a girlfriend. So What? He is an adult, and it's not like other players didn't go out of town with them. I also disagree with the theory of Jones signing Romo mid-season being a big thing. He earned it. Starting Barber? A little weird, but he got a lot of carries in the regular season games anyways...Pro Bowler. Let's see TO without the sunglasses...was he being sincere?

Nowhere did anyone blame the Giants winning every road game since their loss in Dallas, Week 1. The Giants, minus Tiki Barber are over Tom Coughlin's rough style, and are now winning for him. This team may not have what it takes to beat the Packers in cold weather but that's another thing that bugs me...I'll write about that later this week.

So now we have one Manning left, one Wild-Card Team, some future Hall-of-Famers and a lot of fun to look forward to.

Here is what I don't like. Why do we have to blame? Maybe, just maybe, the two teams that won on Sunday played better. Let's stop blaming and starting realizing the good that has been done.

Rumor: It will be either Mike Tice or Tony Sparano coaching the Dolphins. It would have helped the other if the others team had won (does that makes sense). Mike Tice deserves a chance...that coming later this week also.

CheezerMajor Leaguer

271 days ago

Score 5

Nice take. It's unfortunate, but many of today's talking heads feel the need to find a scapegoat. I think it ties back to fact that everyone is making predictions. When they're wrong, they feel the need to justify it. It's not that they picked the wrong team, it's because so-and-so blew it.

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AfraidofedhochuliDraft Pick

271 days ago

Score 0

i hadn't heard that before...but I totally agree.

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LASportsblogAAA-er

271 days ago

Score 0

Okay, tell me if you're more likely to tune into this:

"Eli Manning let his team down today with 2 picks. He's throws we're off and his footwork was a little shaky and he cost his team the football game."

Or this

"Although some players didn't play to their full abilities, this loss is really no ones fault. As a matter of fact, it's partly our fault to for pumping up the home team so much. We're sorry they lost, maybe if the scout team prepared the starters better they would of found a better result...."

I'm sorry I feel asleep writing example number 2.

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CharliekkendoSoccer Kid

271 days ago

Score 0

On the Mark, I was going to try to write a similar piece, but you beat me to it. I think you're dead on. I follow the fight game a lot myself, and it always cracks me up how much sports writers can talk about someone's performance. Sure, I think anyone can make some reasonable statements about what they see in the game, but when it comes to saying with any kind of authority what the factors are that throw off an athlete's performance, especially subjective stuff like this Mexico trip - meh, it becomes so much empty rhetoric to me.

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Anonymous Fanatic #1

252 days ago

Score 0

what trips me out is when the teams that aren't suppose to win do win and nobody remembers that they are professionals as well and maybe just maybe they all played together and got the job done.not just anybody can throw on the pads and make the cut in the nfl they are there because they have what it takes and that i feel deserves respect and it should be pointed out more

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