TMQ: You'll Never Guess Who Gregg Writes About This Week

I started a Yahoo college bowl pick 'em league and didn't know if anyone wanted to join. You don't have to go against the spread, just pick the winners and then use confidence points to determine how confident you are about the outcome. That determines how many points you get. I know I am one of the few that likes leagues like this, but if anyone wants to join the ID is 15214 and the password is "eckstein."

Gregg Easterbrook has written about Tim Tebow or the Broncos three times in TMQ this year. This week we can add one more to make it four times. Last week Gregg talked a lot about undrafted free agents and credited the Packers' success with their use of undrafted free agents and the fact they have five tight ends on the roster. Logic would dictate because the Colts have five tight ends on their roster and quite a few undrafted free agents, they would be 13-0 as well. I guess it doesn't work that way. Logic would also dictate the first round draft picks on the Green Bay roster have a lot to do with the Packers' success, but Gregg neglects to mention draft position when it comes time to compliment a player if that player was drafted in the 1st or 2nd round.

So let's talk more Tebow with Gregg. I am sure no one is sick of it by now.

The New York Giants looked finished when they took possession with 5:41 remaining on the road at Dallas, trailing by 12. But never underestimate the ability of the Dallas Cowboys to display low football IQ! Last week, Boys coach Jason Garrett cost his team a game by icing his own kicker. This week Dallas shifted to a two-man rush on the final Jersey/A drive, giving Eli Manning ample time to scan the field.

We all know if the Cowboys had blitzed, then Gregg would have criticized the Cowboys for blitzing and leaving receivers open. But no, since the Cowboys didn't blitz, well perhaps that is what they should have done. No NFL team can win with Gregg. He criticizes a team no matter, as long as the outcome of the game was a loss he will feel free to criticize. A team blitzes, well that team should have just rushed four. A team doesn't blitz, well they gave the quarterback all day and should have put more pressure on the quarterback. If life could be lived in reverse and we know exactly what the outcome of a football game would be, Gregg would be a genius because he could tell us all after the game is over what a team should have done.

Dallas showed the infamous prevent defense, which prevents only punts. Texas is the center of football culture: Why is the Cowboys' football IQ so low?

You write a football column every single week for the largest sports entertainment site in the United States: Why is your football IQ so low?

Despite having the league's No. 1 rushing offense, Denver coaches ordered punts on fourth-and-1, fourth-and-1 and fourth-and-2.

One of John Fox's favorite mantras is "a punt isn't a bad play." He would punt on third-and-ten sometimes, I firmly believe this. So this punt shouldn't shock Gregg.

But look up into the stands -- nobody has left the stadium.

Thanks Bill "I use italics to emphasize an important point" Simmons. It is probably because there was still four minutes left in the game and the Broncos were only down 10 points.

Then Bears tailback Marion Barber casually ran out of bounds, stopping the clock. Perhaps they don't teach football IQ in Illinois, either.

Or Barber made a mistake and low football IQ isn't an epidemic throughout the state of Illinois.

Obviously one aspect of the string of Denver fourth-quarter comebacks is that Tebow is a special player.

Gregg only mentions the prevent-style defense the Bears were playing late in this game only briefly, preferring to focus on the special player that Tim Tebow is. Notice how when the Cowboys lose a game due to playing a prevent-style defense, Gregg takes the time to thrash the Cowboys defense for this, saying this defensive strategy lost them the game. Then when Gregg talks about the Broncos winning a game, possibly due to the Bears backing off a bit on defense, he mentions what a special player Tim Tebow is. It is interesting how he attributes the Cowboys loss to their defensive game plan against the Giants, but partially credits Tebow with the win against the Bears prevent-style defense. Gregg attributes a loss to the defensive being played when it is convenient for the point he wants to make and attributes a win to the quarterback when it is convenient for the point he wants to make.

Denver has become the NFL's top rushing team, and the running game often starts slowly. In the first half the defense is fresh, and may stop the run.

It is very important to understand the Broncos defense is able to keep the Broncos in the game so the offense can start slowly. So the whole idea of starting slowly and running later isn't exactly a winning idea all the time. A team needs a defense that allows this strategy to succeed.

Denver is hammering opponents with rush after rush in the early part of the game, and seeming not to accomplish much. Then the Broncos switch to attack mode in the fourth quarter, when the defense is tired.

Again, very conveniently the Broncos defense still has them in the game so the Broncos can switch to attack mode. It's hard for a rushing-based team to go into attack mode if they are down 28-7 in the fourth quarter.

Usually in the NFL, on a rush down the defense defends only 10 players. Against the Broncos, all 11 offensive players must be defended. By the fourth quarter, defenders are more winded than they would be against a standard offense.

There's not really any proof for this. A standard offense probably passes the ball more than the Broncos offense does. The secondary of a defense could be just as tired against a team that passes the ball often as they would be against a team that runs the ball a lot with a running back or quarterback. The front four may be more tired late in a game against a running team, but the secondary could be more tired late in a game against a passing team.

It's tactics. Denver is using tactics that are likely to result in an explosion of yardage late in the game. Opponents need to realize this, and "roll" their defenses -- bringing personnel out to rest -- from the first quarter on.

Or Broncos opponents could score 17-20 points by halftime and then not play a prevent-style defense against the Broncos in the second half.

Why has sports mania helped American higher education? By raising enthusiasm about college. Big-deal football and basketball cause colleges to be seen by young people as exciting institutions to attend.

This is true because EVERY SINGLE COLLEGE in the United States has full sports programs under Title IX. Not to mention big-deal football and basketball is also at EVERY SINGLE COLLEGE in the United States. So that's why colleges like Harvard, Cal Tech, or Yale are so popular. College students want to be a part of the big-time athletics at these schools, so they can experience BCS and NCAA Tournament games on a yearly basis.

The enthusiasm generated by sports events on campus surely is one reason 50 percent of American 18- and 19-year-olds are enrolled in college.

The need to get an education is also a reason 50% of American 18 and 19 year olds are enrolled in college as well. Simply because athletics are a part of the reason, doesn't mean athletics are necessarily the majority of the reason.

European universities are seen as preserves of learning, and nothing more. Maybe that view is philosophically correct, but inevitability limits general enthusiasm for college.

Of course Gregg will just ignore the cultural, financial and economic differences and impact in having a college education for young adults in Europe and the United States. Gregg assumes there's probably no cultural, financial or economic differences between different continents when it comes to the impact for those who attend college and those who don't attend college. It's all the same.

According to this 2010 study by the College Board, 40 percent of American citizens hold at least an associate degree, compared to 32 percent of citizens of the United Kingdom -- the nation most similar to the United States.

I am sure all those people getting associate degrees are doing so to participate in the big-time football and basketball programs at the local community college.

Broadly across the European Union, college achievement is lower than in the United States. Some 32 percent of Danes hold at least an associate degree, 27 percent of French citizens and 24 percent of German citizens.

Gregg, being the brilliant man he isn't, doesn't attribute this statistic about persons holding associate degrees as a result of the vast associate degree-granting community college network the United States has set up compared to the network of community colleges in other countries. It's not possible more United States citizens hold associate degrees because there is better access to community colleges in the United States. Nope, I'm sure it is all about the elite basketball and football programs at your local community college that causes all those associate degrees to be pursued.

Yet very large numbers of Americans are inspired to attend. The campus excitement generated by sports is among the reasons.

The need to get away from their parents and go get drunk with their friends is another reason Americans attend college. There are tons of reasons American attend college. I think Gregg is attributing sports to the cause a little bit too closely in many cases. Many schools don't have big-deal football and basketball programs.

Time the play -- Grossman was starting his throwing motion at three seconds. The problem was not that he held the ball too long. The problem was that undrafted free agent emergency left tackle Willie Smith, filling in for the megabucks Trent Williams (suspended for failing drug tests), did an "olé" block, all but stepping out of Carter's way.

So is Gregg blaming an undrafted free agent for screwing up? Of course not. You will see here in a minute. This sack was actually Trent Williams' fault and not Willie Smith's fault at all. One would think the players on the field playing could be blamed for a bad play, but not when it comes to megabucks players. They are at fault no matter whether they are involved in the play first-hand or not.

Also, notice how Gregg mentions Smith and Williams' draft position, but he neglects to mention the guy causing the safety, Andre Carter, was a megabucks first round draft pick. Conveniently, Gregg leaves this point out in an effort to deceive his audience and leave out important details when it comes to evaluating highly drafted players versus undrafted players.

If the offensive line can't give the quarterback three seconds, don't blame the quarterback. And don't blame the undrafted emergency left tackle.

Since he's the one who missed the block, why would we blame him?

Blame Williams, who took $11 million from the Skins for this season, then seriously messed up.

Of course. Williams got suspended for using banned substances, so this sack should really go against him, not the player who is getting paid to be Williams' backup and was failing at blocking. Don't blame the backup for taking the Redskins money and not performing well. It's not his fault he didn't perform well on this play. It was the fault of the guy not on the field.

Across from the huge Gronkowski was the inexperienced, 5-foot-11 DaJon Gomes.

Or if you want to use the name his parents game him, we will call him DeJon Gomes. Also, Gomes was a fifth round draft pick. If he had made a good play, Gregg would have been sure to bring this up.

Houston lines up empty with two wide receivers on each side and a tight end right; twice-waived Kevin Walter is farthest outside on the right.

Walter has started 71 games over the last five seasons and has 3332 yards receiving, but Gregg still clings tightly to Walter's "twice-waived" label.

On that side, the tight end and slot man run "drive" routes to the right of the end zone, dragging defensive backs with them. Walter hesitates, then simply cuts underneath. Backup linebacker Brandon Johnson moves to guard Walter, but falls down; touchdown. An uncovered receiver scoring as the clock expires to put Houston into the postseason for the first time: sweet.

Gregg fails to notice three things:

1. This was a well-designed play.

2. Walter wasn't exactly uncovered, the person defending him fell down. There is a difference.

3. Brandon Johnson was a 5th round draft pick. Again, Gregg would have brought this up if Johnson had made a great play.

Megan Lorenz Heller of Cincinnati reports, "Last week I got an email allowing me to preview the Target 'Almost Last Minute' Christmas sales, which were good till Dec. 10. Now Dec. 10 is 'last minute' for Christmas shopping."

No Megan, Dec. 10 is "ALMOST" last minute for Christmas shopping.

Weasel Coach Watch: Kevin Sumlin joins Randy Edsall, Rich Rodriquez, Nick Saban, Bobby Petrino and other recent weasel coaches who walked out on their promises.

Two of these coaches are in BCS bowls this year. (I woke up at 4:32 this morning and realized Petrino's Arkansas team did not make a BCS bowl game...so one of these coaches made a BCS bowl) Gregg likes to pretend "weasel" coaches have bad karma come back on them for being weasels. This isn't always true, but this is another false fact Gregg likes to share with his audience.

TMQ's immutable Law of Weasel Coaches holds: When you hire a coach who's only in it for himself, you get a coach who's only in it for himself. If a weasel coach shafted his last employer and last group of players, why won't he shaft you too?

Alabama has been in the National Championship Game two of the last three years. I wonder if the University of Alabama feels shafted by Nick Saban?

In the run-up to the game, Sumlin's agent was negotiating with schools who were offering more money -- though Sumlin had only recently signed a contract extension with Houston till 2015, and had been telling recruits that he would not leave.

Does Gregg have any proof Kevin Sumlin was telling recruits he wasn't leaving? Of course not. Gregg is just making shit up and ESPN allows it because they only are concerned with the audience reaction from their posted columns and not overly concerned with the accuracy of the column's information. Gregg did this a couple of months ago when he called Julio Jones "a diva" though there was no proof this statement was true.

I did a Google search on Kevin Sumlin and whether he told recruits he was staying. I couldn't find any proof he had told University of Houston recruits this. It seems Gregg and his false facts have struck again.

Reaching fourth-and-goal on the Pittsburgh 2 on the first possession of the game, Cleveland kicked a field goal, and TMQ wrote the words "game over" in his notebook. It was Browns 3, Steelers 0 early in the first quarter yet the game was so totally over! Cleveland went on to lose 14-3.

Gregg continues to believe he proved something by writing "game over" in his notebook and seems to believe, despite the fact the Browns scored 0 points for the rest of the game, the Browns would have won the game if they had gone for it on fourth down here. Even if the Browns had scored a touchdown they still would have lost the game.

When Pittsburgh faced fourth-and-goal on the Cleveland 1 in the same contest, the Steelers went for it. They were denied, but so what?

So it proves it doesn't always work when a team goes for it on fourth down. I love it when a team employs an Easterbrookian strategy that fails. Gregg's attitude always is, "so what," when confronted with proof his ideas don't always work. Yet, when a team uses a strategy Gregg doesn't like, he uses this strategy's one-time failure as proof this strategy never works.

In the Atlanta-at-Carolina contest, Panthers coach Ron Rivera wore a heavy parka and ski cap -- for a kickoff temperature of 43. He violated the TMQ immutable law, Cold Coach = Victory. And yea, verily, it came to pass that the Panthers lost.

The Falcons defensive coordinator was equally as bundled up, yet verily, the Falcons won. So does this rule only go for the head coach of a team?

Lend Me a Tight End! Four NFL teams -- Green Bay, Houston, New England and New Orleans -- routinely use multiple tight end sets. Their combined record is 43-9. Why does the rest of the league not notice? P.S.: It's working for Stanford, too.

What else do these four teams have in common? Anyone, want to take a guess?

Great quarterbacks is the answer. Think maybe the fact these four teams all have (had for Houston) great quarterbacks affects their success as much as multiple tight end sets do? My favorite team uses multiple tight end sets all the time and they are 4-9. Maybe they just don't go for it on fourth down enough.

It took the Packers just five snaps to go 84 yards on one touchdown drive versus Oakland, the defense looking confused by Green Bay's rapid no-huddle pace although every citizen of Wisconsin knew it was coming.

Knowing something is coming and being able to stop it are two completely different things.

Last week I noted that if the Packers beat Oakland, they would advance to a 19-0 streak;

Last week I noted this was a stupid way to calculate the Packers 19-0 record.

The Packers' 2011 streak began in 2010. Dan Magazu of Somerville, Mass., writes, "If you're going to count wins from a previous season, the Patriots went 21-0 from 2003 to 2004, so the Pack still has a few wins to go to reach uncharted territory."

Gregg titles this section, "TMQ readers know too much." I like to label it, "TMQ readers call Gregg on his bullshit and Gregg only briefly mentions he was wrong."

Detroit leading 34-28, Minnesota had the ball on the Lions' 1 yard line with 9 seconds remaining, out of timeouts. Backup quarterback Joe Webb executed a zany rollout play that ended up losing 42 yards as the clock expired.

But why were the Vikings trying to execute a zany rollout in the first place? Webb was already all the way back to the 12 when facemasked. On the day, Minnesota rushed for 269 yards. Detroit had two defensive linemen on the field at the snap. Why sprint backward instead of a little misdirection, then a power rush?

Because the Vikings know Joe Webb is a mobile quarterback and putting him on the move would put pressure on the defense to guard him and any possible receivers? Doesn't Gregg remember his discussion of Tim Tebow and the Broncos offense earlier in TMQ? Gregg gave a whole lecture on how the Broncos offense makes the defense account for the quarterback on a running play. Well that's what the Vikings were doing here, making the Lions account for a mobile quarterback on a rollout play. It's almost like Gregg can't remember what he writes.

Here is exactly what Gregg wrote earlier:

Denver's use of the high-school-style zone-read option also forces defenses to defend all 11 Broncos players on rushing downs. Usually in the NFL, on a rush down the defense defends only 10 players. Against the Broncos, all 11 offensive players must be defended. By the fourth quarter, defenders are more winded than they would be against a standard offense.

Granted, this wasn't a rush, but this seems to be sort of what the Vikings were trying to do on this play.

Philip Rivers, who leads the NFL in turnovers with 22, nevertheless is 24-2 on his career from Dec. 1 on.

Gregg has just mentioned a statistics exclusive to the 2011 season for Rivers and then says "nevertheless" by stating Rivers' record from Dec. 1 on for his career. Again, Gregg is attempting to state how many turnovers Rivers has this year and act like it is shocking Rivers' career record from Dec. 1 on is 24-2. Maybe if Rivers had 22 turnovers for his career from Dec. 1 on, this comment would mean something. Otherwise, the amount of turnovers Rivers has for 2011 has no impact on his career record from Dec. 1 on during Rivers' career. They are two separate issues.

This is like saying Tom Brady lost two straight games in October for the first time in three years this year, but nevertheless has three Super Bowl victories.

When Buffalo was hot early, Bills management rewarded Fitzpatrick with a lucrative contract extension. Before the new contract, Fitzpatrick had 12 touchdown passes versus six turnovers, and the team was 4-2. Since the new contract, he had eight touchdown passes versus 12 turnovers, and the team is 1-6.

So I guess Gregg isn't going to be talking about how great the Bills undrafted and unwanted players are now that the team is losing? Of course, Gregg would never attribute the Bills losing to the undrafted and unwanted players. I am sure megabucks, highly drafted players are completely at fault for the Bills' struggles.

Mount Union 28, Wesley 21 (Division III semifinal). Located in Dover, Del., Wesley College offers a major in "drama and theater." They're different?

Yes, they are.

Next Week: Weasels object to being compared to Rich Rodriguez and Kevin Sumlin.

I'm pretty sure Gregg has used this joke before.