The Bye Week Means Nothing

Another NFL postseason, another year proving that in the modern day league, the first round bye is not a privilege, but just hinders the team's momentum, builds rust, and makes the team look unprepared and ultimately foolish come game day. Assuming the Steelers don't win the Super Bowl, it will now be 4 straight seasons where a 1 or 2 seed will not win the big game. And as of now in this years playoffs, bye week teams are an astounding 0 for 3, and all 3 have looked just downright sloppy.

I am sick to my stomach with the way the Giants offense played in this game, and I think a lot of it rests on rust and game plan. What was the game plan really? Can anyone tell me, because I am still baffled. Pound the ball, be rather successful in the run game, but at the crucial points and downs, abandon the run and go with clogged up pass plays? On 4th downs and short, not have a clue on how to pick up those inches? And welcome back Eli Manning of old. Not the guy who stormed through last year's playoffs, was a rock in the Super Bowl, and quietly led the Giants through a successful 2008 season. No this was the guy we used to know. The guy who threw off his back foot, misread coverages, and missed key throws in key situations. He looked rattled, he looked inexperienced, he looked rusty to say the least. With two weeks a team should be ready right? They should have an extensive, well thought out game plan correct? Everyone should be healthy and ready to roll. No. I don't know exactly why, but this bye week did nothing to help the Giants. It slowed them down, made them look confused, and put way too much pressure on the defense, that might I say played their hearts out most of the game. Thank you Steve Spagnuolo, as I assume, this will be our last game as the Giants' defensive coordinator, you deserve a head coaching gig.

Another sport, another one of my teams losing out to a Philadelphia franchise. This is a blog so I am going to try and keep it clean. But man do I dislike that city. Their fans, their players, their teams. I am nauseated.

So is the bye week really a prize? Should teams really work their asses off all season to earn one? I say no. In the modern day NFL the bye week means nothing, it might even do more bad than good. As the teams without that extra week keep on rolling, the teams who smiled after earning a playoff privilege, were embarrassed in front of their home crowds.