These are the picks for the 2003 season. The bold represents the team selected to win. Games in red represent the Upset of the Week. At the bottom, The weekly and overall records for the season appear at the bottom. These picks are based purely on winners and losers with no consideration from the spread. The spread is only used to determine upsets for the Upset of the Week.
After a 3-6 start, the coaches for the 1994 New England Patriots had the team focus on a shovel. For every game, it was stood up into the turf near the bench. The message: Dig in. They finished the season 10-6 and made the playoffs. Five years later, a different Pats team, under the direction of a different coach, buried a game ball from an embarrassing loss, telling the team the game was in the past and it was time to move on. This team lost one more regular season game and rode the momentum to a Super Bowl XXXVI win.
The Pittsburgh Steelers reached the AFC Championship in 1995, only to be upset by San Diego by a margin of a few yards. For the next season, the team kept that loss fresh in their minds, employing the phrase, "Three More Yards," as their inspiration. This time, the Steelers did not come up three yards short and won the AFC Championship.
Motivation. Finding a theme that the whole team can rally around and focus on sometimes is the difference between success and failure. There's hundreds of ploys used by coaches to bring the team together to work towards a goal. When it works, they become stories of legend.
The year before the Denver Broncos won their first Super Bowl, they were upset by Jacksonville, a second-year expansion team that entered Mile High Stadium and upset the AFC favorite. Understanding quarterback John Elway wasn't going to play for much longer, the team was driven to, "Win One for John." In other words, they would win a Super Bowl for the veteran quarterback that had meant so much to the franchise. Running back Terrell Davis put on an MVP performance and the defense did what it had to, rewarding Elway with his first Super Bowl after three? failed attempts before.
St. Louis head coach Mike Martz was in his second year of leading the Rams after Dick Vermeil led the franchise to it's very first championship. After a letdown year, Martz introduced the term Max-Q to the team. It is a phrase used by NASA to describe the moment the space shuttle reached enough power and momentum to break the earth's gravity. The team bounced back and won the NFC Championship for a second trip to the Super Bowl in three years.
Jim Fassell's New York Giants were off to a bad start in 2000. Facing the media following another bad loss, he made an association with poker to show his support for his team. He called a bluff, saying he was going all in, and that his team would reach the playoffs. Fassell and his Giants remained cool and didn't blink all the way to the Super Bowl.
Most recently, new head coach Jack Del Rio had a large tree stump with an ax set up in the locker room for his Jacksonville players, telling them to "Keep chopping wood," or, keep playing hard. The stunt resulted in the team's first win of the season and another one for a two-game winning streak.
There's a number of elements that make a motivational plan work. First off, it's calculated, never spontaneous. Timing is important. And it must be something the team can rally around. But those coaches must be careful how they motivate.
One old but favorite tactic is posting a quote from an opposing player. Whether the quote insults the quality of the team or a arrogantly predicts a win, it fires up an opponent. But complementary words or statements reaching an analysis that the opponent isn't that good are avoided because it could make a team overconfident and overlook their opponent.
There's a list of physical gimmicks that worked over the years, but some that backfire. Fassell repeated his guarantee the following season, predicting another playoff appearance. But the team came up short miserably. Fassell went to the well too often. And Del Rio's tree stump prop chopped the team down a notch in morale when punter Chris Hanson attempted to take a few hacks at the stump with the ax but gave himself a laceration that will keep him sidelined for weeks. The Jags lost the next game and the stump is likely on it's way out.
With six weeks completed this season, it might be a good time to conjure up a source of motivation for a underachieving team or for a team not heading in the right direction. Just don't be stupid about it, coaches. It won't happen this year, but when two winless teams that play each other late in the season, the game is labeled the Toilet Bowl. Having a great opportunity to gain their first win is inspirational enough. But don't play on the Toilet Bowl metaphor. Placing a toilet in the middle of the locker with a plunger sticking out of the bowl to tell the team, "It's time to push a little harder," is the wrong way to inspire your team.
Sometimes motivational speeches deliver the message better than any inanimate object ever could. But choose wisely. To Oakland coach Bill Callahan, don't invite former boxing heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield to speak to your veteran Raiders team. While it's honorable for Holyfield to not give up his quest to become heavyweight champion again, his recollection of failure after failure after failure after failure as a past-his-prime-pugilist won't raise spirits within the Oakland locker room.
Nor would an invitation for adult film star Houston addressing a team down on it's luck be a keen idea. While she may encourage the team to get up on their feet and fight, in the back of the players' minds, they know she does her best work on her back. Is the coach telling the team to lay down for the rest of the season? It's a mixed signal.
And it's best not to feed a team's superstitions. Last year, Jacksonville wore an all black uniform for a home game. It was a loss simply because the players thought, "We're the Jaguars. We are wearing all black today. So we're black cats." The receivers never ran the crossing patterns scripted in the playbook because they believed they would deliver bad luck to each other. Need more proof? Carolina hasn't worn their black jersey all season and they are undefeated.
Going into week 7, it might be the right time to drop a plan to focus the team for the important stretch of the season that makes the difference between being in or out of the playoffs. We'll know if it's working very quickly within the next few weeks.
I'm sitting at .500 now, thanks to a 10-4 week. I don't have problems with motivation, just with my logic.
New England at Miami - L
If the Patriots team was to get dressed for Halloween, they would go as a mummy. With all the injuries either knocking players out of play or others hobbled by various nicks, bruises, and sprains, there's more than enough tape used to cover at least the starters from head to toe. Slowed down, the Dolphins wrap up another win.
Dallas at Detroit - W
I'm still scratching my head about this Dallas team. Are they really this good? As long as they keep on winning, I'll keep on riding them. Tack on another W for the Cowboys.
New Orleans at Atlanta - W
Falcons head coach Dan Reeves made a switch at quarterback. He gave quarterback Doug Johnson five weeks to keep Atlanta above water, but Johnson and the Falcons kept sinking to 1-4. Kurt Kitner takes his turn under center. If he plays well and leads the Falcons to victory, he should expect a generous contract from Buffalo. Envisioning dollar signs, the Saints make Kittner and the Falcons see stars in a knockout.
Green Bay at St. Louis - W
Packers punter Josh Bidwell deserved the game ball last week for the touchdown-saving plays he made against Kansas City's Dante Hall. The coaching staff wishes Josh Bidwell could play corner back or safety because the regular group won't be enough to slow down the Greatest Show on Turf. The lights on the scoreboard light up as the Rams bring the curtain down on the Pack.
Tennessee at Carolina - W
The view at the top is a sight 'Lina rarely enjoyed in the brief lifespan of this franchise. But the higher you go, the bigger the fall. Thanks to the feet of quarterback Steve McNair, the Titans knock the Panthers off their perch for the Upset of the Week.
Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants - L
Normally seeing one of the worst pass defenses lined up opposite a quarterback would be a welcomed sight. But not for Philly's Donovan McNabb. He hasn't hit his receivers even when they were open. The way he's been throwing, he's bound to connect with defenders frequently. The gracious Giants make use of any gifts and pluck the Eagles.
Baltimore at Cincinnati - W
B-more head coach Brian Billick is using the same formula that won the Ravens the Super Bowl and so far, the results add up to a 3-2 record. There is an element missing from that team. A quarterback that makes plays when needed. So far, QB Kyle Boller barely does that. It will come back to haunt Baltimore this week as the Bengals edge the Ravens.
Denver at Minnesota - W
Mike Shannahan can't hide this injury. In the black and white injury report, Denver quarterback Jake Plummer has a fractured bone in his foot. Broncos head coahc Shannahan can't call it a concussion, the flu, or Men in Black using their neural atomizer. Plummer isn't playing and won't for at least three weeks. In Minnesota, Daunte Culpepper returns from his injury and he keeps the Vikings rolling.
San Diego at Cleveland - L
S.D. head coach Marty Schottenheimer told his team to get away and forget about football over the bye week and to come back refreshed and ready to practice and play. The Chargers listened to instructions too well. Half the players can't understand the playbook anymore. By staying on the same page, the Browns crumple up San Diego.
N.Y. Jets at Houston - W
The best news for New York was quarterback Chad Pennington finally practiced for the first time since fracturing a bone in his wrist. Now look closely and notice the perspiration forming under Vinny Testaverde's helmet. That's right, he feels Pennington breathing down his back. Vinny's a little sweaty, but he won't lose his grip as the Jets slip by the Texans.
Chicago at Seattle - W
Why spend the off-season feeling down? A handful of Chicago Cub players signed contracts with the Bears for the rest of the season to take their minds off of squandering a 3-1 series lead in the National League Championship Series. Fielding errors did in the Cubs. It's the same story as a sure interception goes through the hands of a Cub and the Seahawks get away with a win.
Washington at Buffalo - L
Now would be a good time for Bills running back Travis Henry to get back into rhythm. First round draft pick and potential replacement running back Willis McGahee practiced for the first time. How long before he's on the heels of Henry? Worried, Henry trips over his own feet a few times, and his slips cost Buffalo. The Bills fall to the Redskins.
Tampa Bay at San Francisco - L
It was said before the Sunday night game that San Fran wide out Terrell Owens had something planned if he scored a touchdown. He originally threw out the script for his celebration, but recovered it, brushed the leftovers off of it and updated it for his 49ers fans. It would be a good idea to file away the newest rough draft. Finding something to celebrate will be tough for Owens and the Niners as the Buccaneers spoil the party.
Kansas City at Oakland - Monday Night - W
Though widely hated, it's hard to not be waiting for word from Raiders linebacker Bill Romanowski as he ponders retirement due to post-concussion syndrome. He was arguably the heart of the defense for Oakland. Now the unit plays hollow, proven by the fact they are the worst run defense in the league. K.C. exploits the hole and the Chiefs run roughshod over the Raiders.
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