The TEN: 1/15/2018

(“The TEN” is not a top ten but ten items worth being included in “The TEN”) LATE EDITION

1. The Minnesota Miracle.

2. The San Francisco Giants acquire five-time All-Star outfielder Andrew McCutchen from the Pittsburgh Pirates for pitcher Ryan Crick and a minor leaguer.

3. The Jacksonville Jaguars upset the Pittsburgh Steelers 45-42 to advance to the AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots who beat the Tennessee Titans 35-14.

4. Tennessee and head coach Mike Mularkey mutually agree to part ways. Mularkey went 20-21 overall in parts of three seasons with the Titans.

5. Former Ram quarterbacks Nick Foles (Philadelphia) and Case Keenum (Minnesota) will face each other in the NFC Championship game Sunday in Philadelphia.

6. The Memphis Grizzlies have eight players in double figures in a 123-114 win over the Lakers on Martin Luther King Day on Monday.

7. The Seattle Seahawks are expected to hire Ken Norton Jr. as their defensive coordinator replacing Kris Richard who isn’t expected to return.

8. Legendary college football announcer Keith Jackson passed away Friday night at the age of 89.

9. Multiple sources say Adrian Gonzalez has agreed to a deal with the New York Mets.

10. “I appreciate my friends, real fans, family, and team for everything they have done for me this season all of the support is highly appreciated! No the season didn’t end as planned but one thing for sure I won’t let one play define the type of MAN or PLAYER that I am or will be!” – New Orleans Saints safety Marcus Williams on Twitter.

10 Comments to "The TEN: 1/15/2018"

  1. Bobby Hosea's Gravatar Bobby Hosea
    January 19, 2018 - 10:43 am | Permalink

    @two cents.

    I’ll put you in the same category as Williams now. Don’t make excuses. He keeps HIS HEAD UP like every coach with some sense of tackling has told him all his playing life! He makes the play! Game over. they win.

  2. My Two Cents's Gravatar My Two Cents
    January 18, 2018 - 9:14 pm | Permalink

    @Bobby H., easier said that done. The offense are paid more to break tackles than the defense are paid to make tackles. If you depend on a safety to make a play on a receiver one on one the last play of the game than the outcome shouldn’t be surprising.

  3. Bobby Hosea's Gravatar Bobby Hosea
    January 18, 2018 - 1:19 pm | Permalink

    #10
    Plain and simple. Make a tackle! Defense didn’t matter! Coverage didn’t matter. Plain an simple make a tackle!
    Heads up tackling

  4. Ron Vrooman, AHS stat man's Gravatar Ron Vrooman, AHS stat man
    January 17, 2018 - 11:24 pm | Permalink

    @ My Two Cents: Yeah, you’re right about the flaw in the Saints’ “prevent defense.” New Orleans ended up with just two guys over on that side of the field, at around the 35-yard line, and there was no one behind them. Your point about that is well-taken.

  5. My Two Cents's Gravatar My Two Cents
    January 17, 2018 - 9:19 pm | Permalink

    @Stat Man, if the Saints have had more players back there, they wouldn’t have live or died with just one player’s tackle/non-tackle. Too much of a risk to leave a rookie on an island when your entire season depended on making that one stop.

  6. Ron Vrooman, AHS stat man's Gravatar Ron Vrooman, AHS stat man
    January 17, 2018 - 8:42 pm | Permalink

    Marcus Williams’ attempt at a flying shoulder tackle of Sheldon Diggs was so bad that it almost looks like he missed Diggs on purpose.
    Williams should have stayed on his feet and waited for Diggs to come down after he made that leaping catch near the sideline. Then, he should’ve had little trouble tackling Diggs or throwing him out of bounds with no time left on the clock.

  7. Tie Game's Gravatar Tie Game
    January 17, 2018 - 6:07 am | Permalink

    Some of them stay with you so much that people forget that the successful play that you didn’t make would not have guaranteed victory. If Buckner had made that out, victory was far certain for the Sox. He cost his team an opportunity for a win, not the win itself.

  8. My Two Cents's Gravatar My Two Cents
    January 16, 2018 - 10:01 pm | Permalink

    #10, I wouldn’t say that was completely his fault. That was a terrible defense that was called, some sort of soft cover two. That reminded me of the defense that was called by La Serna two years ago on the final play that allowed La Mirada the win. I don’t understand why the Saints didn’t just rush three and have the other eight players behind the 30 yard line.

  9. Ron Vrooman, AHS stat man's Gravatar Ron Vrooman, AHS stat man
    January 15, 2018 - 11:28 pm | Permalink

    Yes, those were some memorable NFL division playoff games this past weekend.
    We had “Immaculate Reception II” in the Philadelphia-Atlanta game, and Marcus Williams’ “Phantom Tackle” came on the last play of the Minnesota-New Orleans game.

  10. ?'s Gravatar ?
    January 15, 2018 - 8:54 pm | Permalink

    #10 You and Bill Buckner and high school players that failed to make a play that cost the team a huge win. The down side of sports is those moments do define your career. Weber calling timeout in the NCAA title game, Roberto Duran’s “no mas”, Tyson biting Holyfields ear off, Knight and Hayes punching out players. These blunders stay with you your entire life.

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