You would think NFL coaches would like nothing more than to sit back and watch their teams win rout after rout, all the way through the Super Bowl. But apart from the 1972 Dolphins, that just isn’t going to happen. Besides, the truth is that without the occasional struggle for victory, there wouldn’t be anything to whine to the media about, or more important, hold over the players’ heads as they prepared for the next game.
Coaches also know that overcoming adversity en route to a stirring victory is an excellent way to sell their programs as well as serving as a galvanizing force, providing a benefit that, if they’re lucky, can be ridden all the way through the presentation of the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Two years ago, the Philadelphia Eagles were in the midst of a disappointing 2-3 start and looking to go 2-4 when Brian Westbrook salvaged a victory over the New York Giants, scoring on an 84-yard punt return with 1:16 to play. The Eagles went 9-1 over the rest of the year and reached the NFC championship game.
That could be why on Sunday, after beating San Diego in a game in which his team struggled for fewer than 300 yards total offense and failed to make a first down in the final 19 minutes of play, coach Andy Reid was smiling as if someone told him he no longer had to stick to his diet.
“It was one of those games,” he said. “We shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times. They don’t always work out, but this one did, so it was a great win.”
There were any number of seasons that may have been saved, no shortage of teams deriving boosts from comebacks Sunday. Like the Eagles, the Giants maintained a share of first place in the NFC East with their last-second rally against the Broncos. The Rams and Vikings overcame a great deal of adversity to win their games. Even the undefeated Indianapolis Colts needed a rally of sorts when they found themselves tied at halftime against the winless Houston Texans.
Of the 12 games played Sunday, there were only two, the Redskins over San Francisco and Chicago over Baltimore, in which the team that scored first maintained its advantage for the rest of the day. And the Bears, who squeaked past the Ravens 10-6, were only a play away from their own little agony.
On the flip side of the comeback win, of course, is a disappointing loss, with the question of how long a loser’s hangover will last. The Packers, victim to a final-play, 56-yard field goal by Minnesota’s Paul Edinger, are now 1-5, but still remain a win or two away from contending in the NFC North. The Saints, meanwhile, can’t seem to help running head-on into misery – the bad call that helped seal their loss to St. Louis being the latest example.
Somewhere in between those teams lie the Chargers. Now 3-4, the Bolts have as many losses as they did in all of last season’s magical worst-to-first run.
Repeating as AFC West champs isn’t out of the question – they still have four division games remaining, including Sunday vs. the 4-2 Chiefs. The challenge facing Marty Schottenheimer and his staff however, is getting the players to realize that and strive toward it, rather than wallowing in self-pity over losing four games by a combined 12 points, with the Chargers losing a fourth-quarter lead in each.
“The thing that I told our football team, and I don’t think anybody would disagree, is that we’re a good football team,” Schottenheimer said after Sunday’s game. “As long as we continue to play with the effort and energy we’re playing with, we’re going to be able to do the things we’ve set out to do.”
Fountain of youth
Last season seemed to be the end of the line for Redskins quarterback Mark Brunell. He started this season on the bench, but now it looks as if the 35-year-old may finish it in Hawaii at the Pro Bowl. Brunell has thrown for almost 1,500 yards, with 12 touchdowns against only two interceptions, and has played much better than usual all-star suspects such as Daunte Culpepper, Brett Favre and Michael Vick.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Taking a decidedly non-parochial view, the choice is Buffalo at New England. The AFC East is up for grabs. The Bills could move into first with a win. Meanwhile, the Patriots not only could take control of the race with a victory, but are also eager to show they still can be a player in this year’s playoff race. There’s also the probable return of linebacker Tedy Bruschi.
TRENDING
The Eagles are 7-0 in games after a bye under Andy Reid. The Broncos are 7-3 in games preceding a bye under Mike Shanahan. … NFC East teams had lost 12 of 14 games to the AFC before the Giants and Eagles won on Sunday. Philadelphia had the only two victories in that span, beating the Chiefs and Raiders this season. … Two NFC North teams, Detroit and Chicago, are at .500 for the first time since Week 2 of the season. Those same teams were 1-1 at that point.
Anthony Cotton can be reached at 303-820-1292 or acotton@denverpost.com.
