Random Thoughts - By The King

As if my weekend wasn't enough, I watched the Rangers lose 1-0 to the powerhouse Lightning from a luxury box at MSG. An hour worth of traffic for yet another sports nightmare. I'm a Laker fan as well, so if things come in threes (Lakers lost to Philly on Sunday), I'm now out of the woods.

You know how I feel about Cowher, and if Dungy and Dennis Green can be fired for playoff shortcomings, I see no reason why little Billy can't as well. Losing 3 out of 4 home title games as a heavy favorite is all the proof I need. I would promote Mularky, as I've always wanted a head coach from the offensive side of the ball. I'd rather see Mularky prove that he's as bad, or worse, than Cowher, than go into next season knowing that no matter how good we are, FGB will find a way to underachieve. Billick, Belichick, Holmgren ,Martz, and Shanahan were hot coordinators before they became top flight coaches, I'd rather see if we can find the next one, than go with a proven loser.

I said in October that I had no confidence in Kordell down 7 with 2 minutes left, or when a team stops our run, or gets a lead. It's not always fun being right.

Where was Edwards or Shaw in the gameplan, or what should have been gametime adjustments? The Pats doubled Burress, locked up Ward with Law, and run blitzed every gap. On the second series, we should have gone three or 4 wide, and isolated Troy or Shaw a Pats safety or 3rd or 4th CB. It's not exactly rocket science. Which brings me to...

Adjustments. Bill Cowher's biggest weakness is Xs and Os, and it showed once again. Like I said, spread the field, if you want to stay in base, screen them right out of their run blitzes. When they adjust, run the ball, when they adjust again, spread or screen again. This is the chess match called playoff football. Belichick adjusts on the fly, Cowher's adjustments consist of, "We're down 21- 3, we better throw."

Bettis is getting alot of heat, but Walter Payton in his prime wouldn't have faired better. The run blitzed every hole, we don't have a threat at TE, and we only threw two screens, why should the Pats come out of it and let us run?

Kinger