Historic Championship Sunday for NFL misses opportunity

A historic championship Sunday for the NFL could have even been more epic and legendary than it was. How much did the NFL miss on their chance? I believe they missed out severely. The Saints got the really bad end of officiating in their game and the AFC Championship was so great, but it could have even been better!!

The AFC and NFC championship games both were historic in their own right. Overtime games that had clutch coaching, plays, and performances. Unfortunately, both games could have been more special and epic. There is little argument that NFL is king when it comes to playoff games and its product. Personally, I cannot shake the feeling that it fell short despite nail-biting dramatic finishes. The fans and audience were given legendary plays and performances that will be talked about for years to come. Stories that will be discussed with parents down to their children and the upcoming generations that did NJ of witness the historic Sunday.

It goes without saying the Saints and Rams game left many with a sinking feeling about what was missed and really would have clinched a Super Bowl berth for the Saints. This was a call to all watching that was obvious and even the head of NFL officiating admitted such to the Saints coach, Sean Payton after the game. It would have allowed the Saints to kick a field-goal with very little time on the clock for the Rams to tie the game and go into overtime. Yes, like all games, there are other chances or plays to be made, but in the playoffs, it is usually one play or one missed play that makes the difference in winning and losing.

Yeah. That was pass interference. pic.twitter.com/niV9z2rnJi

— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) January 20, 2019

"A tough pill to swallow," Drew Bress described afterward. One can only imagine the Saints had this game taken from them to a certain degree. The Rams won in overtime 23-20.

The Patriots and Chiefs game easily described as unbelievable. The game gained momentum as less time remained on the game clock and turned into heavyweights exchanging blow after blow. It was really remarkable to watch. Sadly, we witnessed a game that left one wanting for more and wondering was that the right way for such an epic ending to conclude? I was personally disappointed. The Patriots won 37-31.

The star in the NFL this season and throughout the sports world was not even given a chance to respond to the great Tom Brady. Patrick Mahomes is no doubt a superstar in the making and has done things we have not seen at the quarterback position. Especially so early in a career. He set records, is the likely league MVP for an outstanding jaw-dropping season for the Chiefs. Sadly, the potential for maybe the greatest playoff finish to ever go down was not realized.

From where I am looking, a huge opportunity for the league was missed because the NFL has applied a pretty short-sighted overtime rule. It took years for them to change the rule and when they finally did, they misapplied it to only allow the opponent to match an FG and not a touchdown. With the way the league favors offense due to its rules currently, it is naive to think the team winning the coin toss could very well end the game without the opponent getting to touch the ball. How come college has applied their overtime rules accordingly since the inception of overtime in their sport?

Not to take anything from the road performance by the Patriots and what they accomplished. They did what they need to do to pull out a very tough win on the road. Just as the Rams did what they needed to do to win in as tough of an environment for a road team as well. The Rams coach pulled the string on a 57-yard field-goal that I do not believe many other coaches would have attempted. If that kick was missed by arguably the most clutch player of the day, Greg Zuerlein, the Saints essentially have to complete one or two throws and they likely win with a field goal. It was gutsy and credit goes to McVay.

Sadly I will always remember this great championship Sunday as bittersweet in many ways because it could have been better. A missed call like that is unforgettable and how I feel for Saints fans. I cannot imagine the grief, anger, and hard to accept emotions they are experiencing. I said all year the Chiefs will get stung by their defense if they cannot blow teams out and that is what happened on Sunday. It will be interesting how the Chiefs approach one more season before some serious paydays for some of their roster come around and the reality of having to replace some talent setsin. That said, they have the most crucial piece in football to win championships and that is an amazing talent at the quarterback position.

.@robertmays explains how the missed Nickell Robey-Coleman call—which swung the NFC championship game—means the league has no choice but to make pass interference reviewablehttps://t.co/aDSkmhelTw

— The Ringer (@ringer) January 22, 2019

We now will hope that the Super Bowl is just as close as the Rams square off against the Patriots. A lot of storylines come to mind. The young budding Rams squad versus the dynasty and experience of the Patriots. It will be fun to analyze and drum up a preduiction over the next two weeks.

NFL Conference Championship Round Preview

This Sunday pits the top two seeds from the NFC and AFC against one another. It is an ideal circumstance for the NFL as it really leaves the four most dominant and consistent clubs throughout the season. An added bonus, the games are rematches of regular season matchups that were two of the more memorable games of the season.

The New Orleans Saints carry the number one seed and bragging rights a they host the Los Angeles Rams at 3 p.m. EST. In their first meeting of the season in New Orleans, the Saints won 45-35 against the Rams. The Saints won with defense to advance to this week and the Rams won with their running game and run defense to get here. Both teams have prolific offenses that scored a lot of points this season. There are so many variables that this mathchup can come down to. One major difference is that the Rams have an All-Pro cornerback that is playing this time around in Aqib Talib. The Rams are minus some of their offensive lineman and budding star, slot receiver Cooper Kupp.

On the other side, the Saints are without one of their biggest defensive lineman contributors Sheldon Rankins who went down in the diviisional round last week. The Saints have speedy WR Ted Ginn Jr. back into the fold after missing much of the season. He may not dominate but he does have to be accounted for because of the one of two potential deep shots that Brees will hit opponent with.

The Rams ran all over the Cowboys defense last week, a reinactment of when the Colts shutout the Cowboys in the regular season and ran the ball to dominate the game. It should be noted that the Rams are different animal in Los Angeles. They struggled on the road this year at times. Marcus Peters was beat several times last week and is known for playing out of position trying to make a big play. Emotions will hurt players in games like this and I believe the cool-headed Drew Brees will take full advantage if Peters tries to jump a route or read his eyes. 

The Mercedez-Benz Superdome will be rocking for the home team. This game comes down to which team has more success in the run game. That can be interpreted two ways and it means both of them in reality. Which team has more success stopping the run and running the ball? Special teams will be fun to watch in this game and potential trick plays. Also fourth down conversions will be the most important factor in the outcome, is my prediction. 

This game pivots two teams that are very hungry after disappointing losses in the divisional round in last years playoffs. Ultimately being at home for the Saints will give them just enough to win this game. Although I would not be surprised if the Rams are able to control the line of scrimmage and pull this game out. We know what we will see from Aaron Donald, but if Ndomukon Suh can reek havoc in the run game like he did against the Cowboys. If this were in Los Angeles, this game would go to the Rams.

The Kansas City Chiefs host the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game at 6:40 p.m. EST. The two clubs earlier matchup was your prototypical PAc-12 late night college shootout with the Patriots prevailing 43-40 in what basically came down to whomever had the last possession was going to win. The Patriots wisely used the last precious moments on the clock in their final drive to not allow the Chiefs a realistic chance to score afterwards.

The biggest caveat in this game is that it is in Kansas City and in much colder temperatures that is expeted to be around 20 degrees. The Patriots have their worst road record since 2009. Many pundits have dismissed the Patriots this year which is a surprise considering they have five championships under Bill Belichick and Tom Brady to go with eight Super Bowl appearances. The times they have failed to advance though have been on the road in the playoffs.

Andy Reid, the Chiefs head coach is notorious for being highly successful in the regular season but coming up short in the playoffs. He hosted four straight conference title games while the coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and he did not win until the fourth one. Eventually losing to Belichick and Brady in the Super Bowl. The Eagles had a chance to win at the end but came up short as the Patriots brought home their third Lombardi in four years.

The Chiefs have the season's likely MVP in Patrick Mahomes who threw for 50 touchdowns this season to lead the NFL. In what has not been a flashy passing season for Brady and Patriots, they have shifted back to a run-heavy time of possession offense while the majority of the NFL offenses have shifted to the new spread RPO (run-pass option) college prototype schemes. It is the blueprint that Mahomes played to perfection in college and in his first year as the Chiefs starting QB.

The Chiefs weakness has been their defense all season as they have relied on having the lead and allowing their edge rushers to just worry about rushing the opposing QB to create turnovers and sacks. The Chiefs have not been forced to slow down the run in a tight game really all season.

The more things change and alter in NFL offenses with the spread, three wideout sets and nickel defenses all the field about 70 percent of the time, the more things stay the same. Defense, running the ball, and controlling the line of scrimmage win the games that matter late in the season. 

It is almost as if Bill Belichick knew this after their win against the Chiefs as he has relied heavily on controlling games with the run and shortening the games. The Patriots defense is not loaded with speed or really playmakers aside from Trey Flowers and Stephon Gilmore. Belichick is masterful at putting his players attributes in the right scheme and in a position to do what is expected of them. Mahomes can make plays that amaze but he also can force the ball into bad spots if the game is tight. Tom Brady looked right last week in a drubbing of the Los Angeles Chargers and to those close to the team said that he was quietly dealing with a bad knee and last week he ran across the field for the first time in more than a month in warm ups.

Julian Edelman looked like the Edelman that was so dominant two years ago in the Super Bowl comeback win for the Patriots over the Falcons. Health is a big factor and home field advantage is also one. This game is tough to call but I will give the nod to experience and how fresh an older club in the Patriots looked after the bye week. They will run the ball on the Chiefs and control just enough of this game.

Big Foe turns 21 and is still going at the Australian Open

Frances Tiafoe, repping the United States and Maryland, kept up his winning ways by ousting Grigor Dimitrov, the 20th seed, to earn his first ever quarterfinal berth at a grand slam. Tiafoe battled fatigue and cramping to pull the biggest win of his young career out. He outlasted Dimitrov 7-5, 7-6 (6), 6-7 (1), 7-5.

His emotions were very apparent after the match as Tiafoe stayed quiet initially in his post-match interview. Tiafoe signed the camera lens after the match, "Be the example." He was able to hold the raw emotions in check. After all, it was after all his 21st birthday coinciding with the biggest accomplishment of his life. And for "Big Foe" this is just signs of things to come. He has been on the big stage before, but this is when he has shined brightest. I would describe this run as a coming of age for Tiafoe.

He took Roger Federer, to five set in the 2017 U.S. Open in the first round as he was acclimating himself to becoming a professional tennis player and learning against the best in the world. Tiafoe has competed in two Laver Cups with a very competitive showing. All of these moments, including his first ATP title last year in Del Ray, have led to this.

Tiafoe joked that he would, under any other circumstance, be having a very good time tonight because of turning 21 followed by laughter from the crowd. Instead, he said, he would be going right to bed to rest. He looked like he was on his way to a straight-set victory even though the match was pretty competitive throughout.

He was up 4-2 in the third set and appeared to be serving for a 5-2 lead when he called in for the medical staff to take a look at his right leg which was cramping. He then got broke and lost eventually in a tiebreaker 7-1. He bounced back to close out the match in the fourth set. Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the match was the seven break points that Tiafoe fought off in the first set and also the three set points that Dimitrov has in the second set tiebreak that he failed to convert on. Tiafoe has been clutch at key moments throughout this tournament. His next opponent is viewed by many as possibly the most clutch player in the sport.

Tiafoe faces a rolling Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals and as everyone knows, Nadal in a best of five sets grand slam match is as tall of a task for any player on tour. Regardless of that, Tiafoe has shown the resiliency and ability to prove doubters wrong and that he is ready for the moment. As of now, his name will be known for the casual observer for a long time to come.

Frances Tiafoe, Amanda Anisimova advance to Round of 16 in Austalian Open

The feats keep on coming for the young American tennis stars (soon to be known for the casual tennis fan). For those that have followed the sport, many saw this happening a couple years ago as they were coming out of the junior ranks and turning professional.

Tiafoe, won a tightly contested five-set match against Andreas Seppi, an experienced Italian, that is no easy out. Despite only dropping one service game the whole match it was not easy for Tiafoe. He won 6-7(3), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. He now faces Grigor Dimitrov, the 20th seed, in the Round of 16. Dimitrove is interestingly coached by American legend, Andre Agassi.

The surging Amanda Animisova is making waves with her latest win. She handled Aryna Sabalenka, the 11 seed on the womens draw, in straight sets. For those observing, Animisova looked like the 11 seed and Sabalenka looked like the inexperienced 17 year-old. Animisova has really taken her serve to another level which makes her very tough. She could rally amongst the tour's best already and now has a consistent serve to lean on. She dispatched of Sabalenka 6-3, 6-2.

She has game!

Though at just 17, she is still growing and getting stronger physically along with her mental game. Which should make the top players wonder just what Animisova's ceiling will be once she has four-to-five years under her.

HOW GOOD IS THIS 17-YEAR-OLD?!

Amanda Anisimova enters her own shot of the year contender with this...

WATCH LIVE: @9Gem
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— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) January 18, 2019

Anisimova takes on a very tough opponent, the eight seed, Petra Kvitova , and a grand slam champion in her own right. She has looked great this tournament. It will be a great test and gauge to see how Anisimova handles her first match in the second week of a major against someone that will come out and not let up. Regardless, it will be a valuable experience for this young American as she continues to play for her own titles and achievements.

2019 Australian Open signals bright future for American tennis

If 2018 was any indication of promising up-and-comers from the American side, then that has built on itself with 2019 just beginning. Thus far in Melbourne, Australia. We just witnessed Frances Tiafoe (21 on Monday) grab the biggest victory of his young career by dispatching the No. 5 seed, South African Kevin Anderson in four sets to advance to the third round of the Australian Open (AO). 

A couple hours later Taylor Fritz, 21, beat Frenchman and the 30th seed Gael Monfils in four sets to get to the third round. 

Amanda Animisova, born in New Jersey, raised by Russian immigrant parents has arguably looked the most impressive of the three without dropping a set in her first two matches. She won her first match in a major draw in the first round of the AO.

Both Tiafoe and Fritz had successful enough seasons to be involved in the 2018 ATP NextGen Finals in Rome.

Tiafoe reached a career-high ranking of 38 last year and is currently ranked 39th on the ATP. This is before placing this far in the AO after not getting past the first round in 2018's AO. Rankings are points based. Points are rewarded for a 12-month duration. The tournament and round they get to determine the points awarded and it is not based on beating the fifth seed or a much tougher opponent. Hence, some quirky draws and points are lost/rewarded in tournaments. Tiafoe had lost all three of his previous matches against Anderson, who was runner-up at the U.S. Open in 2017 and Wimbledon in 2018. Reaching the third round of a major tournament for a second time.

Taylor Fritz also reached a career-high ranking in November 2018 of 47. He is currently ranked 50th. Fritz gets the greatest ever, next round, Roger Federer, whom he did go to the third set in a three-set match last year and had legitimate chances to pull a match out he ultimately lost.

Amanda Anisimova, born in 2001, cruised to the third round in straight sets 6-0, 6-2 against the 24th seed Lesia Tsurenko. Anisimova won the Junior US Open title in 2015 and had some results last year that looked like she could be ready to become a top 30 player in 2019. In my opinion, this young woman has grand slam titles awaiting her. She hits huge, covers ground, and has great length to go with the power she possesses. She is the youngest player at only 17 years of age and born in this century ranked in the top 100. Makes a few of us feel a little 'experienced?' Joking aside, others are taking note. She is currently ranked 87th after being 95th in 2018.

Anisimova faces a lofty opponent in Aryna Sabalenka who had a meteoric rise at the tail end of 2018 and is considered a sleeper to challenge for the Australian Open title by some. Sabalenka is the 11 seed this year. Sabalenka has the fifth highest odds of winning the AO.

All three Tiafoe, Fritz, and Anisim8ova reached career highs in rankings in 2018 and already project set personal highs after this tournament in 2019. The experiences with bigger matches, higher rankings, and tougher opponents bode well for their careers. Fritz and Tiafoe have been in five-set matches against the world's top players. Anisimova shares her own wins against top 20 players accrued at the BNP Paribas Open in 2018. She dealt with a foot injury much of last Summer but came on strong at the end of 2019 to crack into the top 100.

US Tennis has taken its lumps on the men's side for the most part since Andy Roddick retired in 2009. The women have carried their fair share solely with Serena. Controversy aside, you know it is a pretty legendary player when they are known by just one name. Not to mention Venus. Women's tennis has seen the emergence of Sloane Stephens in the last 18 months, and right behind is Madison Keys reaching career bests and more consistency. With these three adding to the current established American players, the future is bright on the men's and women's sides.