Monday Morning Football Hangover

One of the following statements is a fact:

- Bill Belichick and the Patriots named Marty Schottenheimer their MVP and gave him a game ball after yesterday's victory.

- Marty Schottenheimer petitioned the league offices to get "bye" weeks counted as post-season victories.

- The Chargers had the better team but poor coaching doomed them to defeat against the Patriots.

I don't think even the staunchest Marty supporter could give him the benefit of the doubt after yesterday's coaching job. There is a reason why Schottenheimer's post season record is 5-13. As Dennis Green would shout, "He is what we thought he was. He is what we thought he was."

Earlier this week when I started hearing that Schottenheimer's job could be in jeopardy if he failed to win yesterday - my original reaction was "you have to be kidding me!" After doing such a bad job yesterday - I don't see how Marty can keep his job.

Let me also say something to LaDainian Tomlinson - if someone "disrespecting" one of your teammate's patented dance moves is what was bothering you most after losing then you need a fresh perspective. The "dance" the Patriots are known for is the act of being introduced as team before Super Bowl games. Acts such as Merriman's "dance" are frowned upon by the Patriots culture because this is a team game and things that are done just to glorify an individual never help out the team as a whole. If you were more ticked off by Merriman's dance being disrespected by a couple of Patriot's players than the fact that you had the better team but will now have to watch the rest of the playoffs on TV - then you need to get your priorities straight.

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations:

- Does anyone think that if Dallas won last week instead of Seattle that the line would have been 9 points against the Bears yesterday? I think it would have been 5 or 6 but no way would it have been 9 points.

- I wonder if the NFC coach at the Pro Bowl will make Tony Romo the holder on field goals and extra points. That would be kinda funny.

- Speaking of the Pro Bowl - Phillip Rivers is going to the Pro Bowl but Tom Brady is not. Besides Rivers parents - is there a single person in the country who would rather have had Rivers instead of Tom Brady in yesterday's game? Anybody?

- Anyone else notice that Matt Hasselbeck was not out at mid-field for the call of the coin flip for overtime in Chicago? I think he said something the last time he was in that position.