Monday, January 14, 2019
The Football Scene in America
The American College
football season wrapped up last Monday night. In the final game, the
Clemson Tigers surprised the Alabama Crimson Tide in convincing
fashion, winning 44-16. It was expected to be a close affair. Both
teams went into the game with 13-0 records. Alabama was the favourite
by a southern country mile.
The Tigers had freshman
Trevor Lawrence at the helm, a gangly six foot six inch kid, not yet
twenty years old. Alabama's quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, had led the
Tide to the championship last year, and was expected to do the same
this year.
Teams traded touchdowns
in the first half, with Clemson scoring first on an interception
which A. J. Terrell ran into the Tide's end zone. Alabama led 16-14.
At that point, Lawrence went to work, putting his team up 31-16 at
the conclusion of the first half.
Alabama attempted a
fake field goal on a fourth down play early in the second half.
Clemson sniffed it out, as did the announcers, prior to the play. The
Tigers went on to add additional points to their total, shutting out
the Crimson Tide with a stingy defense. The Tigers protected
Lawrence well throughout the game, not allowing a sack, giving him
plenty of time to find his receivers.
Meanwhile, at the
professional level, the Philadelphia Eagles squeaked by the vaunted
Chicago Bears 16-15 to move on to face the New Orleans Saints this
coming Sunday. With less than a minute remaining in the game, Eagles'
quarterback Nick Foles hit Golden Tate for a touchdown on a fourth
down play. The Bears moved down the field after receiving the ensuing
kickoff, preparing for a game-winning field goal. Place kicker Cody
Parkey, a former Eagle, lined up to pooch the ball through the
uprights. The ball hit the left pole, fell to the crossbar, then to
the ground. That ended the Bears' hopes for continued play.
Also next Sunday, the
Los Angeles Chargers will play in New England after getting by the
Baltimore Ravens 23-17. At one point in the fourth quarter, the
Ravens trailed 23-3. Lamar Jackson, the Ravens quarterback, then hit
for two touchdowns to narrow the lead. The Chargers relied on kicker
Michael Badgely for most of their points, as he put five field goals
between the posts.
Next Saturday night,
the Dallas Cowboys will face the Rams in California. The Cowboys'
quarterback Zak Prescott won his first playoff game, besting Russell
Wilson and the Seahawks 24-22.
The Indianapolis Colts
defeated the Texans in Houston to earn the right to play the Kansas
City Chiefs in the afternoon next Saturday, final score 21-7. The
Chiefs are led by rookie Patrick Mahomes, who just might lead the
Chiefs to the Super Bowl with a couple of victories.
To conclude, that wraps
up the college season, and leaves us with a few weeks of professional
football. The networks are poking a little fun at the other three
major sports: “One and done”, they say. “Win, and play again”.
“Lose, and go home”.
It is what it is.
Baseball, hockey and basketball have devised playoff schemes that
require several games to determine a winner. Football owners would
like to have it that way, filling their stadia for many more weeks.
Not happening. For many reasons. None of the owners has declared
bankruptcy, rest assured.
January 8, 2019
James Hurst
# posted by James Hurst @ 7:07 AM 
