Gil Brandt for the Hall of Fame

Well, that was depressing... On the one hand, I'm glad that when Peter King invited his readers to submit their 250-word essays on why their candidate should be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, two people saw fit to write essays about the great Gil Brandt.

The MMQB published the best essays here, and one of the Brandt essays made the cut. Sadly, and shamefully, it wasn't mine.

Yup, I took the time to submit an essay. Brandt may never make it to the Hall -- as an inductee, at least -- but he deserves to be recognized for his tremendous achievements and contributions. Not only to the Dallas Cowboys but to the National Football League as a whole.

So anyway, nothing against Henry Martinez of Ennis, Texas (I'm glad he and I share our affinity for Gil), but I'm just a little bummed MMQB didn't run my essay.

So, of course, I'm happy to share it with you here...

The case for Gil Brandt

Die-hard Dallas Cowboys fans know and appreciate Gil Brandt for his role as the architect of what became known as America’s Team. But Brandt did more than just scout and draft the likes of Roger Staubach and Bob Hayes and Randy White. As a nominee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame under the “Contributor” category, Brandt fits that description better than anyone.

Owners and GMs “contribute” to the game in fairly specific ways, but Brandt blazed a path that did not exist before he joined the Cowboys in 1960. The scouting methods and strategies that he implemented have become commonplace throughout the NFL.

Whether it was paying closer attention to the small schools and historically black colleges, recognizing that track stars and basketball players might succeed playing football, projecting the ability of a player to switch positions, or being the first NFL organization to incorporate the use of computers into its scouting process, Brandt was ahead of his time.

Brandt was an important part of the triumvirate, along with Tom Landry and Tex Schramm, that made the Cowboys what they were. Landry and Schramm are both in the Hall. Brandt’s relevancy cannot be denied. Even after his days with the Cowboys, the NFL has employed him to identify the college prospects they invite to New York for the draft every year.

Can the history of the NFL be written without Gil Brandt? Probably, but it would be very different, in many ways.

This week's ultimate fantasy sleeper

How's this for a ballsy pick in daily fantasy football: Seahawks backup RB Robert Turbin gets the start!

Why not? In my weekly "Value Picks" article for DFSEdge.com, I undertake the following exercise: Build a roster each week that includes the most expensive QB, RB, WR and TE ... and then try to fill in the rest of my roster with underpriced guys so I'm still under the salary cap.

Of course, that means my lineup includes Adrian Peterson, Calvin Johnson, Jimmy Graham and either Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers or Peyton Manning every single week. I can live with that.

Depending on the daily site being used, there are different combinations of rosters. I prefer sites like FantasyAces.com, since they have spots for two quarterbacks. So after you splurge on the highest-priced guy, you can still find a nice value pick to select.

Anyway, after doing pretty well last week by picking Dolphins RB Lamar Miller (who had 10 carries for 3 yards the previous week), I decided to really push the envelope in Week 3 -- taking a chance that Seattle will give backup RB Robert Turbin a good chunk of action this week against the woeful Jacksonville Jaguars.

Here's the line of thinking: Marshawn Lynch was a true beast last week, carrying the ball 28 times against the physical 49ers defense in a divisional grudge match on national TV. Next week, the Seahawks travel to Houston for a marquee matchup -- Super Bowl preview? -- against the Texans.

So a home game against the worst team in the NFL is a perfect opportunity to give Lynch a breather and let Turbin -- who had six carries for 30 yards himself last week -- have a chance to shine.

Makes perfect sense, doesn't it? Sure, it's a little risky, but I love the potential here.

For all my value picks this week, check out my DFSEdge.com article.

Countdown to Kaepernick injury

Peter King had a note in MMQB a few weeks ago about how Colin Kaepernick was working with a speed trainer during the offseason. This was supposed to strike fear into the hearts of NFL defenses. More likely, defensive coordinators are saying to themselves, “Bring it on.”

Speed wasn’t exactly a weakness for Kaepernick, already one of the fastest quarterbacks in the NFL. He took over the starting gig for the San Francisco 49ers midway through the 2012 season and led them to the Super Bowl by making big plays with both his arm and his feet. He earned a place among the league’s exciting new breed of QB, alongside Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson, running the read option and pistol, and whatever else you want to call it.

Problem is, Kaepernick's time would have been better spent studying opposing defenses or working out with his receivers. I’m not saying he didn’t do that, but it should have been a much greater focus than speed training.

Because unless Kaepernick runs out of bounds or scores a touchdown every time he ventures out of the pocket, he will certainly get hit more than the average NFL quarterback. And he WILL get injured this season.

For all of Robert Griffin III’s exciting play as a rookie last season, he didn’t make it all the way through. Close, but not close enough. Kaepernick made it, but he didn’t become the starter in San Francisco until Week 11.

In his seven regular-season starts last year, Kaepernick averaged six rushing attempts per game and overall for the season he finished with 31.9 rushing yards per game. That was good for fourth among quarterbacks. Two of the three QBs who rushed for more yards per game – RGIII and Michael Vick – missed some playing time due to injury. The third was Cam Newton, who’s got 15 pounds on Kaepernick.

Maybe Kaepernick would have been better served building muscle mass during the offseason as opposed to working on his speed.

It will certainly be interesting to see how offenses evolve this season after last year’s success with the read option and pistol. No doubt, defensive coordinators have been working hard throughout the offseason to devise a plan to stop the spread of the passing attacks that have moved rapidly from the college landscape to the pros.

The one thing they know they can do: When the QB is out of the pocket, hit him. New rules that protect ball carriers will not prevent running quarterbacks from being hit hard by linebackers who smell blood.

Will the extra speed make a difference for Kaepernick? At times, absolutely. There will be occasions when his added speed and quickness helps him buy more time – in or out of the pocket – to find an open receiver and make a big play. There will be times when he is forced to scramble and that extra burst helps him elude a defender and make a big run.

Kaepernick is certainly a rising star in the league. And he is a strong passer. The concern isn’t his skill set – it’s his mind set. Great quarterbacks – all great players, for that matter – constantly strive to get better.

Kaepernick is already good but there’s always room for improvement. Alas, speed was not an area he needed to improve upon.

Deacon Jones was a force of nature on and off the field

Deacon Jones passed away Monday night. The NFL has lost a legendary player and a legendary character.

I remember the first time I spoke to Deacon Jones. As a fanatical fan of “The Odd Couple” – every sportswriter’s favorite TV show – I was compelled to tell Jones how much I enjoyed the episode in which he played himself and helped Oscar and Felix film a TV commercial.

“Goddammit!” Jones shouted through the phone. “I’m in the goddam Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the only thing people want to talk about is 'The Odd Couple' and 'The Brady Bunch!'”

Of course, that’s not entirely true. The reason I was talking to him in the first place was for a story about the Hall of Fame. Plus, I really didn't care about his turn on "The Brady Bunch."

The irony of Jones’ stellar appearance on “The Odd Couple” is that he was portrayed as a stoic figure, a man of very few words. And as everyone who knew Deacon Jones could attest, the Hall of Fame defensive end was anything but stoic.

After Jones takes control of the Multiblade commercial that Felix is directing in the show, Felix congratulates him on his performance by exclaiming, “That’s speakin’, Deacon!”

When it came to “speakin’,” Jones was an all-star. In fact, the only thing he was better at doing was terrorizing NFL quarterbacks as a member of the Los Angeles Rams' "Fearsome Foursome." In addition to coining the term “sack,” he remains the unofficial career leader in that category – a stat that was not kept when he played. The bottom line: Few defensive players could disrupt an opposing offense like Deacon Jones.

What made Jones so great? He certainly had the skill and the physical ability. I once got to see Deacon personally demonstrate his patented head slap – a move so devastating it became illegal in today’s NFL.

But probably what made Jones a dominant force on the football field, more than physical talent and technique, was what made him such a dominant force in life: his passion. Listening to Jones speak, it was easy to understand what drove him in everything he did.

It’s that passion that made him a fixture in Canton, Ohio, when Hall of Famers gathered every summer to welcome a new class of enshrinees. Along with the late Ray Nitschke – another fiery defensive stalwart whose character led him to be a hit in TV and movie cameos – Jones was among the most vocal Hall of Famers. Nitschke and Jones were the driving forces of the Friday luncheon during Enshrinement Weekend, where they would hammer home to the new HOF class what it meant to be part of the Hall.

According to Hall of Famer Willie Lanier, it was Jones who first talked to his fellow members about how being a part of the Hall of Fame meant you were now a member of the only team from which you can never be cut – even when you die.

Indeed, Deacon Jones will be missed… but he can rest in peace knowing that he will always be a member of the greatest football team of all-time.

The Curious Case of Rams WR Chris Givens

St. Louis Rams wide receiver Chris Givens turned in one heck of a bizarre statistical anomaly last season.

While doing some research for a stat-based feature in the 2013 Lindy’s Fantasy Football preview magazine, I came across the record-tying stretch that Givens enjoyed during his rookie season in the NFL. The record is impressive enough. Upon further review, however, it’s remarkable because of what he did the rest of the season.

After being drafted in the fourth round last year out of Wake Forest, Givens began his rookie season quietly, catching two passes for nine yards in his first three games. Then, in Week 4, he caught a 52-yard pass in the Rams’ upset win over the Seahawks.

That long haul was the first of a five-week run in which he caught a pass of at least 50 yards in each game. The five straight games with a 50-yard catch tied a record that had been set by one-time Olympics sprinter Willie Gault with the Bears.

Here’s the anomaly: If a receiver has one catch for 50 yards or more, you’d think that’s a good foundation to produce a 100-yard game. And yet, Givens did not have a single 100-yard game in this stretch. The most yards he had in any of those five games was 85, in a Week 6 loss at Miami. Givens had a 65-yard catch in that game, but only had two other receptions for a total of 20 yards.

Over that five-game stretch, Givens caught 11 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns. While five of those catches accounted for 274 yards, the other six receptions produced a paltry 50 yards.

Adding to the question over whether Givens is a budding big-play star or a flash in the pan: After that wacky five-game stretch, he fell off the map.

Givens had amassed 324 yards in that five-game run. After the bye week, he missed the next game with a toe injury, then started the last seven games of the season. But he only had 29 catches for 365 yards in those seven contests.

From Weeks 4-8, Givens averaged 29.5 yards per catch.

From Weeks 11-17, he averaged 12.6 yards per catch.

So which Chris Givens will we see in 2013?

Richard Sherman is an expert on ADHD (not)

It’s one thing to take a professional athlete’s quotes out of context. That’s unfortunate. It’s another thing to take what a professional athlete says about, oh, science, and assume without question said athlete knows what he’s talking about.

We are alluding to the curious case of Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman – and it’s curious for many reasons.

It started last season when Sherman was suspended for allegedly taking Adderall – a drug used for ADD and ADHD patients that is banned by the NFL without a doctor’s prescription. Sherman’s suspension was overturned upon appeal. Sherman adamantly denies ever taking Adderall. And since he obviously doesn’t know why NFL players might use Adderall as a “performance enhancer,” I tend to believe him.

Sherman appeared on NFL Network’s “NFL AM” Thursday morning to explain that a Vancouver newspaper had taken his quotes out of context when he said “half the league” takes Adderall.

That’s fine. We get that he was exaggerating. Problem is, he went on to explain to “NFL AM” that the reason players take Adderall is because it helps them get ultra-focused, thus enhancing their performance. This is wrong on two levels.

For starters, people with ADD and ADHD do not take Adderall to get ultra-focused. For these patients, Adderall is not a “performance enhancer,” but rather a performance enabler. I know this because my 12-year-old son has a severe case of ADHD. He takes a different drug, but it’s in the same family as Adderall. It helps him stay focused enough to get by. It doesn’t give him an advantage over his peers. It merely gives him a chance.

But here’s the real issue: Adderall has a different effect on people who don’t have ADD or ADHD. Adderall is a stimulant. Instead of asking Richard Sherman about it, maybe ask a doctor… like the psychologist who’s been treating my son for years:

“When people without ADD or ADHD take these meds, they act as a stimulant, like speed.”

Speed. Yeah, that’s always been a popular performance-enhancing drug for professional athletes, right? That would make it easier to understand why many players might want to find a way to have Adderall prescribed.

There’s no simple medical test for ADD and ADHD, so it’s conceivable an athlete can talk his way into an Adderall prescription. The resulting perception is not that it’s a growing epidemic; the perception is that many ADD and ADHD patients don’t really need medicine but use it to get an edge. That’s a terribly unfair depiction for someone like my son, who would not be able to keep up in middle school without the drug, let alone play organized sports at any serious level.

But go ahead, sports media, let the athletes have their say and take what is said as gospel. That’s good for business.

Rutgers' most famous alum chimes in

What would the school’s most famous alum say about the current Rutgers scandal?

“Oh, Rutgers, you’ve done it again!”

Okay, well that’s a reference to Rutgers’ most famous fictional alum – Mr. Magoo.

You remember, Magoo, right? One of the early stars of animation. One of Magoo’s traits was that he was blind as a bat, even with those giant spectacles. Had he been shown the videotape of Rutgers basketball coach Mike Rice physically and verbally abusing his players, Magoo probably would have reacted the same way school president Robert Barchi did – ignorantly.

Another black eye for college athletics. More importantly, though, any big news about Rutgers is an opportunity for me to fondly recall my experience with the Rutgers/Mr. Magoo connection:

Back in the summer of 1985, I was an intern at SPORT Magazine (like Magoo, a classic that’s no longer around). Working in the research department, I was enlisted to help writer David Whitford with a story he was doing on the seemingly perennial woes of Rutgers athletics. Whitford wanted to reference Magoo, who was often pictured in the cartoons sitting alone in the bleachers, waving a pennant and chanting “Rah, rah, rah for Rutgers!”

My mission: Find out why Mr. Magoo was a Rutgers fan.

Funny thing is, this was long before the internet made such research easier – yet the information I got cannot be found in a cursory web search today.

I started making calls to anyone associated with United Pictures of America, the company that produced and distributed Magoo. It was going nowhere. Then, out of the blue, I found myself talking to a man named Millard Kaufman – the creator of Mr. Magoo. Paydirt!

Why is Mr. Magoo a Rutgers’ fan? I asked. “Because he’s an alum, of course,” was the reply. Which led to my next question: Why did he go to Rutgers?

Kaufman explained that it made sense that a lovable loser like Magoo would be from New Jersey, and he would surely stay close to home for college.

“And,” Kaufman explained matter-of-factly, “Magoo wasn’t smart enough to go to Princeton.”

Five final thoughts, including a Super Bowl prediction

Five thoughts as we close out Super Bowl week and get set for the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens to square off in Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans on Sunday (and yes, we have a prediction):

1) The brother of all press conferences. Did you catch the presser Friday morning with Jim Harbaugh and John Harbaugh? Great move by the NFL to switch up the traditional Friday plan in which the two Super Bowl head coaches hold their final media availabilities in separate pressers at the media center.

Pretty cool, eh? But here’s the thing: Why can’t they do that every year? Think about how cool it would have been last year if Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin were sitting next to each other as they faced the media together. (Or next year, when it will be John Fox and Pete Carroll.) C’mon, NFL, let’s make this happen.

2) Moss ado about nothing. It doesn’t take much to throw NFL writers, bloggers and talking heads into a frenzy. That was never in question, but Randy Moss just hammered it home.

It’s one thing to report on the fact that Moss declared himself the best wide receiver of all-time at Media Day. And it’s okay to take him seriously. But it’s ludicrous to take Moss’ comment and use it to launch into a lengthy statistic and analytical breakdown on the subject.

While Moss might very well be the second-best receiver of all time (because he is), he’s not worthy of Jerry Rice. Simple. Done. So many great stories and angles were either overshadowed or just ignored in favor of piling on the Moss remarks. What a waste.

3) Social misfits. I’ve always enjoyed following my old friends from the NFL media world on Twitter, but this week has been tough. More than gaining solid insight into the game, this week’s Twitter experience has been all about seeing and hearing who is dining at what famous N’Awlins establishment or gallivanting down Bourbon Street. Am I jealous? Yes, I am. I’m also intrigued about what Twitter will have in store for us next year, when the Super Bowl comes to the New York area. With so many varied opportunities in Manhattan, I fully expect more interesting food choices, celebrity sightings and questionable nightlife decisions to be broadcast via Twiiter next year.

4) Most underplayed stat. Between the Harbaughs, Ray Lewis, Colin Kaepernick and Joe Flacco, there wasn’t much room to focus on lower-profile players who could make a big impact in this game, but the one player we oughta keep an eye on Sunday is Jacoby Jones. The Ravens led the NFL with an average of 27.3 yards per kickoff return. Jones averaged 30.7 yards per return and scored twice. And considering the fact that John Harbaugh was a special teams coordinator before taking the job as Ravens head coach, it’s fair to think this game could be decided on special teams.

5) And the winner is… When the Super Bowl matchup was set two weeks ago, I felt the 49ers would be solid pick. I started to hedge earlier this week and now I’m solidly picking the Ravens. Here are the reasons why:

• Colin Kaepernick is and will continue to be an exciting and successful NFL quarterback. But still, this is just his 10^th career start – and the first time anyone has had two weeks to prepare for him. The Ravens defense is not the dominant force it once was, but I expect them to capitalize on facing a relatively inexperienced QB. There will be turnovers, and I anticipate at least one defensive touchdown for Baltimore.

• It’s not so much that the Ravens are a team of destiny; it’s that the Ravens players believe they are a team of destiny.

• Groan if you want about this one, but it’s legit: The 49ers are 5-0 in the Super Bowl. Simply put: They are due for a loss.

The pick: Ravens 24, 49ers 14

Super Bowl memories: Phil Simms, Janet Jackson and the streaker

Am I the only one who feels old when I hear that Phil Simms will be calling his seventh Super Bowl this Sunday? Wasn’t it just yesterday that Simms was pitching his perfect game masterpiece for the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXI?

Okay, well I guess that was 26 years ago. And now, perhaps, there are young fans who don’t even think of Simms as a former NFL quarterback, the same fans who didn’t realize that John Madden used to be a coach. After all, when Simms broadcasts Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans Sunday between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens, only Madden (with eight) will have been the color man for more Super Bowls than Simms.

“I can’t believe I’ve done seven,” Simms said at a recent CBS Sports press event. “Of course I’m proud of it. And I’ve always said, ‘Sooner or later I wanna come out of one and be happy.’ … Broadcasting is a lot like playing in those terms. You go to bed and all you think about is the things you wish you’d have done.”

For the record, Simms called Super Bowls XXX and XXXII for NBC, then XXXV, XXXVIII, XLI and XLIV for CBS. Plenty of big moments from those games – John Elway’s first title, Tom Brady’s second, Peyton Manning, the Saints’ onside kick – but what’s the first thing Simms thinks about when he looks back at the big games he’s called?

“My most memorable moment probably is a bad one,” Simms said. “It’s the Janet Jackson thing.”

Ah, yes, Nipple-gate. Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime. Simms explained that he didn’t see it when it happened. But as he and Greg Gumbel made their way back to the booth before the start of the second half, he knew something was up.

“Before halftime was over, we had tons of executives running into our booth yelling, ‘Give us a replay!’ We had no idea.”

When Simms learned what the fuss was about, he shook his head in disbelief – not so much about what had happened as for the frenzy that followed. Simms had a job to do – call the second half of the Super Bowl. The Patriots held a 14-10 halftime lead over the Panthers, and a wild finish was about to ensue.

However, there was one more memorable Super Bowl moment that was unfolding. Players and coaches were pouring back onto the field for the second half when Simms noticed something odd.

“I just remember seeing the guy in the officials uniform. I saw him on the far sideline and wondered what he was doing there… because he looked funny.”

Indeed, it wasn’t an official. It was an imposter.

“He was the guy that got naked and ran onto the field,” Simms laughed.

Mark Roberts, a British streaker who has crashed several major events, probably would have received more notoriety for his Super Bowl stunt if not for the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction. Still, it was a big deal.

“So I spotted him first," Simms said. "I’m not proud of that, but I saw him.”

So Simms missed the nipple during halftime, but he got the Full Monty just a few minutes later.

NFL Conference Title Games: Cream Rises To The Top

Russell Baxter – a.k.a. @BaxFootballGuru – tweeted this NFL stat last night:

Best regular season W-L record, 2010-12:

New England Patriots        39-9

Atlanta Falcons                   36-12

Green Bay Packers            36-12

Baltimore Ravens               34-14

Pittsburgh Steelers             32-16

New Orleans Saints           31-17

San Francisco 49ers          30-17-1

Interesting. So of the seven teams with the best overall regular-season record over the last three seasons, four of them are playing this weekend in the conference championship games, one lost in the divisional round… and two – the Saints and the Steelers – missed the playoffs entirely.

What does this mean? It indicates the Saints and Steelers had pretty significant dropoffs this season. Neither was a huge surprise, however, seeing as the Saints faced the distraction of Bounty-gate and the Steelers dealt with heavy doses of injury and aging.

The Packers, at least, have a Lombardi Trophy to show for this three-year success. That leaves the four teams playing this Sunday. The Patriots are no strangers to the Super Bowl and were there just a year ago. The Ravens haven’t been there since 2000 and the Falcons and 49ers must go back to the ‘90s for their last trips to the big game.

Which of these four will get to New Orleans for Super Bowl XLVII? Here’s how it will go down:

49ers at Falcons:

While not spectacular, the Falcons defense has been every bit as solid as the 49ers defense this season. Atlanta has only allowed more than 28 points twice this season and did not allow more than 31 at all. San Francisco allowed more than 31 twice. The star of this game will be Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, who will find a way to keep his defense disciplined enough to not get beat by Colin Kaepernick. And if Kaepernick is in check, then Matt Ryan will have little trouble scoring enough points to send the Falcons to the Super Bowl.

The pick: Falcons 23, 49ers 17

Ravens at Patriots:

Is it crazy to think that New England – a team that gave up a gazillion yards a game earlier this season – could actually be the best defense still alive in the postseason? Maybe, but there’s something to it. The midseason acquisition of cornerback Aqib Talib has something to do with that; the maturation of young players with talent has something to do with that. And oh, yeah, there’s that Vince Wilfork guy up front. Even if you don’t buy into the improvement of the Patriots defense, you know that Bill Belichick will find a way to neutralize the Ravens’ most dangerous weapon, receiver Torrey Smith. That being the case, and considering you know Tom Brady and the offense will get their share of points, then Ray Rice must have a monster game to keep the Ravens in this thing. Won’t happen.

The pick: Patriots 27, Ravens 20

Predicting the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2013

The 17 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Classof 2013 are, as they say, all worthy. Of course, at least 10 of them will come away disappointed when the class is announced in New Orleans one day before Super Bowl XLVII.

  

Unlike the Baseball Hall of Fame, whose voting process allows for a class of none, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is guaranteed to induct between four and seven new members. There are several angles to follow this year, leading with the always-popular debate over Cris Carter (in his sixth year as a finalist). Others:

* Will former Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens owner Art Modell get a little extra love/sympathy from his vehement detractors now that he’s dead.

* Will the presence of three dominant offensive linemen on the ballot dilute the chances of all three getting in?

 * Will first-year eligibles Michael Strahan and Warren Sapp cancel each other out?

* Will one or both of the Seniors Committee nominees – Curley Culp and Dave Robinson – keep up a trend in which the voters continue to reward guys who couldn’t get elected the first time around?

Clearly, the Seniors Committee wields considerable authority. At least one Seniors nominee has been inducted each of the last 15 years. In the nine years since the committee has been nominating two candidates, they’ve gone 2-for-2 five times.

For the sake of predictions, I’ll stick with the trend – but I’ll say only one of the seniors gets in.

Here are my picks for the Class of 2013:

LARRY ALLEN: As dominant an offensive lineman as there has been, Allen deserves to be in Canton every bit as much as his Dallas Cowboy teammates Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin.

CURLEY CULP: Why does Culp get the nod here over fellow Seniors nominee Dave Robinson? The last Seniors candidate who failed to get elected was Jerry Kramer in 1997. While there is a passionate group still pushing for Kramer, the fact of the matter is that there might be more than enough Hall of Famers from those great 1960s Green Bay Packers teams. Thus, Robinson endures the same fate. Culp, meanwhile, helped the Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl IV and then became a stalwart for a Houston Oilers defense that played in back-to-back AFC title games.

CHARLES HALEY: A four-time finalist, momentum has been building for Haley, who has won more Super Bowls (5) than any other in NFL history.

JONATHAN OGDEN: The former Baltimore Ravens tackle is almost as much a sure thing as Larry Allen, which would make four offensive linemen elected in the last two years (joining Class of 2012’s Dermontti Dawson and Willie Roaf). That’s not too many… but it does kill the chances this year for fellow finalist Will Shields.

BILL PARCELLS: The difference for the Tuna in his fourth year as a finalist? The voters might finally be convinced that he is not going to unretire. And that paves the way to elect a coach who has taken two different teams to the Super Bowl and reached the playoffs with two others.

MICHAEL STRAHAN: Like it or not, let’s not forget that popularity does come into play when the 46 media members vote on this thing. And Strahan was a hell of a lot more popular with the media than Warren Sapp. Regardless of that angle, it may be unfair to compares these two players straight up, as we’re dealing with an interior defensive lineman (Sapp) vs. a defensive end (Strahan). Strahan is supposed to be the more productive pass rusher, and he was, but he was also a complete player.

There you have it. No Carter (or Tim Brown or Andre Reed). No Modell. Oh, and one more prediction: To capitalize on the inductions of Ogden, Parcells and Strahan, the 2013 Hall of Fame Game will feature the Ravens and Giants.

NFL Divisional Playoff Predictions

Here are my can’t-miss predictions for the NFL’s divisional playoffs this weekend:

RAVENS AT BRONCOS:

* The Ravens’ big celebration was last week -- didn’t you see it? Ray Lewis and company had a big party in Baltimore after knocking off a team that finished 2-14 last season and had the most rookie starters of any team in the NFL. Can you say, “Letdown?” Sure, there’s enough veteran leadership on the Ravens to avoid a letdown. Mentally. Physically is another story. Don’t expect Lewis and Ed Reed to make a difference here.

* You know how Denver has gone to great lengths the second half of the season to prove to the world that Knowshon Moreno gives the Broncos a viable running attack? The Ravens will be ready for it… which is why the Broncos’ first offensive play Saturday will be a play-action – the Ravens will bite – and Peyton Manning will throw an 80-yard TD pass to Demaryius Thomas.

Final Score: Broncos 27, Ravens 13

PACKERS AT 49ERS:

* Green Bay hasn’t really had a super-dominant roll this season. Now is a pretty good time to get on it. Aaron Rodgers will have this team in the Super Bowl. Mark it down.

* The Packers defense will surprise everyone and upstage the 49ers defense. (Oh, wait… that’s just crazy wishful thinking on my part because I started the Packers defense last week in the NFL.com Fantasy Playoff Challenge and I’ll get double points from them this week.)

Final Score: Packers 38, 49ers 21

SEAHAWKS AT FALCONS:

* Okay, the Seahawks didn’t falter last week when they made the dreaded coast-to-coast road trip. Of course, they did get off to a slow start. And it was against the Redskins, a team that was grossly overrated regardless of RGIII’s health status. Now they have a second straight long road trip against an underrated team that has a pretty solid home-field advantage.

* Tony Gonzalez is on a mission, and he will have a monster game.

Final Score: Falcons 24, Seahawks 17

TEXANS AT PATRIOTS:

* I believe in Arian Foster. I don’t believe the Patriots’ run defense will stop him this time.

* The Patriots have been perhaps the ultimate example of “team” over the last 12 years, but look at this game on paper: The Texans have the best running back in this game, the best receiver, the best impact defensive player. Bill Belichick and Tom Brady count for an awful lot, but the Texans won’t be pushovers here.

Final score: Texans 23, Patriots 21

Bill Cowher talks return to coaching, tattoos

Before the 2012 NFL season began, it was a safe bet that Bill Cowher would be one of the first names mentioned for most any prominent head coaching vacancy. Yet by the time Black Monday rolled around and seven teams had openings, Cowher suddenly seemed like an afterthought.

How’d that happen?

Perhaps, as some have suggested, Cowher is looking for more money and more power than teams are willing to give. Or maybe he’s just not ready.

“No, no, no,” was Cowher’s response Tuesday when asked if he planned to seek any of the jobs sill out there. The occasion was a CBS press event touting the network’s blanket coverage of Super Bowl XLVII, so the former Steelers coach turned CBS Sports analyst used that as an opportunity to plug his current employer.

“We have the Super Bowl this year,” he said. “All the coaches want to get to the Super Bowl, I already know I’m going to be there.”

Assuming Cowher waits another year to get serious about a return to the sidelines, that would be seven years away from the coaching business. Not a problem, said the 55-year-old Cowher, who coached the Steelers from 1992-2006 and got them to two Super Bowls, winning one.

“I think it’s a non-issue,” he said. “I did it for 27 years. You don’t just forget it overnight. The one thing about this job is that it’s been really good because it allows me to study the game, do features on the game. I watch tape. It’s not like you’re out of it. I know how the game is changing.”

Cowher’s hard-nosed style must come to terms with the changes that have taken place regarding player safety and limits on hitting, but he’s prepared for that.

“Some of the hits that are now illegal are hits I was showing the night before the game. But that’s the way the game is evolving. You just have to teach the right thing.”

Cowher doesn’t think the changes will make it too difficult for him to get back into coaching, though he admits it won’t be easy.

“It would be a challenge,” Cowher said “But that’s probably why I’d get back in – because of the challenge.”

Cowher’s name was mentioned often in New York before the Jets hired Rex Ryan in 2009. With Ryan firmly on the hot seat in 2013, don’t be surprised to see his name come up again. And given the hubbub over Ryan’s Mark Sanchez tattoo last week, someone asked Cowher if he’d ever consider getting a Ben Roethlisberger tattoo.

“I’ll tell you what,” he said, tongue in cheek, “at least he won me a Super Bowl.”