AT ISSUE
Zip your lips
What: Guaranteeing victory
Background: The past few years have had several instances of players in the NFL guaranteeing victory. The latest example may be the most notorious. Pittsburgh safety Anthony Smith guaranteed the Steelers would knock off the perfect New England Patriots. But the Patriots used Smith’s words as motivation and crushed the Steelers to improve to 13-0.
Williamson’s take: Players, please take notice of Smith’s mistake. Don’t do it. It doesn’t make any sense. First of all, these stories are overblown by the media. What else is a player supposed to think? The problem is, he shouldn’t say it. There is no reason to poke a bear, and Smith’s words stoked the Patriots. It was a dumb move, and if any other player does it, and someone will, that will be a dumb move, too. There is just no payoff in making these guarantees.
THE HOT SEAT
Lions QB Kitna
Who: Detroit Lions quarterback Jon Kitna
When:The rest of the season
Why: Kitna put himself in a similar situation to Anthony Smith’s. Before the season, Kitna joined Lions wide receiver Mike Furrey in predicting that the Lions would win 10 games this season after winning two the previous season. Kitna, whose words were remembered longer than Furrey’s because he’s the quarterback of the team, initially looked like a genius. After smoking the Broncos on Nov. 3, the Lions were 6-2 and looked like a cinch to reach 10 wins. However, the Lions haven’t won since, losing five straight games against a tough schedule. The best finish the Lions can now manage is 9-7. Kitna will not reach his public goal. He will be reminded of this fact every day for the rest of the season and it will mar the rest of his Detroit career.
ROOKIE WATCH
Best rook on “D”
Who: San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis
When: The rest of the season
Why: He is the best rookie in the NFL this side of Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson. The No. 11 overall pick from Mississippi is a lock to win the NFL’s defensive rookie of the year award. He has been fabulous. No wonder Denver coveted him. The Broncos were working on a deal with Houston to move up to the No. 10 pick in the days before the draft with designs on taking Willis. He’d certainly fit with any defense. He is an instinctive player and has been a tackling machine. Willis is the bright spot in a miserable season in San Francisco with an NFL-high 136 tackles. Yes, a rookie is leading the league in tackles. The rest of the season is merely a celebration of greatness as Willis puts the finishing touches on his rookie of the year campaign.
