Thread: NFL Truths: It's all about character

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The lesson from this entire NFL season is embarrassingly obvious and cliche: Good and bad character are difference-makers.
That's the overriding NFL Truth for the 2008 season.


10. Chris Berman summarized the Cowboys' descent into the abyss by wondering aloud whether Jerry Jones had any "foxhole" guys. No.

Oh, once the war was lost, once the Eagles stormed Lincoln Financial Field like the Allies invading Normandy, Terrell Owens tried to play the role of good soldier, smothering himself in postgame humility.


It was comical watching him try to save himself from being prosecuted for war crimes. T.O. is Jerry Jones' main co-conspirator. Owens helped convince Jones that he could fill Dallas' roster with the Pacman Joneses, Tank Johnsons, Roy Williamses of the football world and win big. Owens created the hey-look-at-me Hollywood environment that set the stage for the Tony Romo-Jessica Simpson soap opera.

Just for the record, I'm not bagging on Romo for knocking designer boots, but you don't sport Louis Vuitton Vienna Minimalisas at Texas Stadium. You rock those suckers on a night out on the town or when she shows up at the front door wearing Uggs, a trench and nothing else. You let Jessica run wild at a football stadium and she's a well-built distraction.

I'm sorry. I've lost focus. The 'Boys are a low-character team, and we should not be surprised they imploded.

9. Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb are the Tony Soprano and Paulie Walnuts of the NFL. Yes, they bicker and fight and have good reason to be suspicious of each other, but at the end of the day, you'll always find Andy Soprano and Donnie Walnuts in the same foxhole.

Reid and McNabb drive me crazy. If Reid would just give McNabb his own crew, the Eagles would earn with the best of them. And if McNabb would avoid the boneheaded mistake, Reid would have more incentive to make him the captain of a talented offensive crew.

It's frustrating. It's also inspiring the way these two never abandon each other. They've been through the good times and the bad times. Who will ever forget when they had to whack Terrell "Big Pussy" Owens for turning rat?

McNabb and Reid survive year after year because of their devotion to each other. That devotion is tested each year.

8. A friend called me Sunday afternoon and referred to Brett Favre as the "White T.O."

Whew, it stung. As you know, I've defended Favre all season. I thought the Packers made a mistake letting him go (and they did). I desperately wanted Favre to have a big season in New York.

It didn't happen. He tossed 22 TDs and 22 INTs, and with the season on the line against the Dolphins and Chad Pennington, "White T.O." tossed three picks and one TD. To make matters worse, we learned from Jay Glazer that Favre didn't enjoy playing for Eric Mangini because the Jets coach had the audacity to question Favre's decision-making in front of teammates.

How dare Mangini hold Favre accountable for throwing stupid interceptions? Glazer's report came on the heels of Favre breaking news (or rationalizing a poor season) that his shoulder was dead.

Look, I rode the wrong horse. Favre is as much a drama king as Owens. You can't build a playoff football team around a quarterback who is only half in the game. Your best and highest-profile players have to be all in or it just won't work.

Let's call it the Tiki Barber rule.


7. I am riding the right horse with Peyton Manning and the Colts, my preseason choice to win the Super Bowl.

Manning is all in. He should be the unanimous choice for league MVP. He's had far better stats, but his intangible leadership value has never been more evident than this season. The Colts were ravaged by injuries on both sides of the ball and Marvin Harrison turned into a No. 3 receiver.

Still, the Colts are riding a league-leading, nine-game winning streak. If Reid and McNabb are Soprano and Walnuts then Dungy and Manning are Batman and Robin.

6. Bill Parcells and Tony Sparano dumped dancing star Jason Taylor because they judged that Taylor's lack of interest in football would hurt his effectiveness.

Parcells and Sparano didn't want to be in a football foxhole with a reality TV ballerino.

Let's take a look at the numbers. Taylor took his expensive tap shoes to playoff-contender Washington, recorded 3.5 sacks and helped the Skins to an 8-8, out-of-the-playoffs season. Meanwhile, with a roster full of football players willing to hold off on their acting careers, the Dolphins went from 1-15 to 11-5 and in the playoffs.

Oh, and Daniel Snyder learned yet another $8 million lesson.

5. It's funny that Bill Belichick's finest coaching performance didn't even put the three-time Super Bowl winner in the playoffs.

Getting the Patriots to 11-5 without Tom Brady should get Belichick some serious consideration for coach of the year.

Yes, Belichick has every reason to believe in his system. He can afford to stay the course and not panic. But sticking with Matt Cassel — a nonstarter throughout his collegiate and pro career — is one of the gutsy coaching moves of the season. Halfway through the season, Cassel had thrown seven TDs and eight interceptions. Most other organizations would've made a foolish deal for a veteran QB.

Belichick is likely to get a big laugh this offseason when some team overpays for Cassel during the free-agent season. Cassel is all smoke and mirrors. The Patriots won their last four games, beating Seattle, Oakland, Arizona and Buffalo.

Cassel isn't very good.

4. Two bottom-feeders squared off in Cincy when the Bengals took on the Chiefs. Of course you remember the column I wrote last year about the Brothers Johnson — Larry and Chad — and how they were undermining the Brothers Coaches — Marvin and Herm.



It doesn't pay to build your team around professional assclowns. It works great at the circus. But it will cost you your job in the NFL.

Well, it sounds like Marvin Lewis might survive in Cincinnati. Carson Palmer missed most of the season, giving Marvin an out. Herm Edwards isn't so lucky. He was blessed with a season-ending injury to Brodie Croyle and the Chiefs still finished 2-14.

To his credit, Edwards was never a Larry Johnson fan. He tried to prevent the Chiefs from giving Johnson a big contract. Fired-general manager Carl Peterson ignored the warning.

Whatever, the Brothers Johnson will likely be spreading locker-room cancers to new cities next season.

3. Say what you want about Ray Lewis' character inside a limousine, but there is zero debate about his high character inside a locker room.

Ray Ray and Ed Reed are the real Avon Barksdale and Wee-Bey Brice of Baltimore, old-school, ride-or-die soldiers. Joe "Stringer Bell" Flacco and John "Marlo Stanfield" Harbaugh are likely to receive a lot of hype for the Ravens' surprising season, but Ray Ray and Ed Reed held it down on the streets.

Flacco threw 14 TDs and 12 INTs. He's been OK. He hasn't been asked to do a whole lot because Lewis and Reed own every corner inside M&T Bank Stadium.

This draft season every team is going to be looking for the next Joe Flacco. You better have a Lewis and Reed to go with your shiny new QB.

2. Good news for college football fans tired of reading about my Ball State Cardinals.

I'm so sickened by the athletic incompetence of my school president and athletics director that I'm taking a break from being the school's No. 2 cheerleader (behind David Letterman). It's just too painful and embarrassing.

Now my frustration with Dumb and Dumber will not preclude me from leading quarterback Nate Davis' 2009 Heisman Trophy or NFL rookie of the year campaign. The Nate Show is the equal to Letterman's "The Late Show."

1. The final example that good character counts in the NFL: LaDainian Tomlinson.

After a one-point loss to the Steelers, a three-point loss to the Colts and a six-point loss to the Falcons, L.T.'s Chargers were 4-8 and a laughingstock.

They're coached by Norv Turner and lost their best defensive player (Shawne Merriman) at the beginning of the season. Phillip Rivers and his 34 TD passes will get much of the credit for San Diego's turnaround.

I credit L.T. His numbers are down. He averaged fewer than 4 yards per carry and had the worst season of his stellar career. He was criticized last season for standing too comfortably on the sideline with an injury during a playoff loss.

He responded this season by never leaving the foxhole. In a league filled with 20 too many me-first punks, L.T. is a most loyal soldier.

My biggest concern with Cowher going to the Jets was the Qb question.

I guess that was answered!