Don't Underestimate the Underdog...

Remember this?

How about this?

Then why can't Northern Illinois defeat Florida State in the Discover Orange Bowl?

I'm not going to sit here and try to explain how Huskies is going to beat the Seminoles, but I will tell you that if you think FSU is going to walk all over them, you don't know sports.

This is a bowl game. And while many of you can't stand bowl season, think it's pointless, or absolutely despise it, it means something to these kids. For Northern Illinois' seniors, this will likely be the final game of their careers. Why would they let it be a blow out?

Everything is stacked up against Northern Illinois. They are 13 point underdogs, the game is basically in FSU's backyard, and the college football world isn't giving them a chance. I believe, that that is Northern Illinois biggest strength.

Nobody is giving them a chance. So, what do they got to lose? If Florida State wins the game, it's expected and nobody thinks twice about it. If Northern Illinois wins, it goes down as one of the greatest upsets in NCAA history and FSU gets treated like Goliath (after he fell, of course).

If you think NIU is going to let FSU roll them over, you've got another thing coming. This is a bowl game...a BCS bowl game. Northern Illinois will be ready and will give Florida State a tough test.

If there's one thing I've learned throughout my years of sports study and experience it's this...

Go Huskies.

Looks Can Be Deceiving...

While the records set by Calvin "Megatron" Johnson, Andrew Luck, and Jason Witten were impressive, they're not as impressive as their predecessors.

Before I dive in and ruin the glory of setting records, let's first go over what record each player broke.

On Saturday night, Megatron broke Jerry Rice's record for most receiving yards in a single season. The record currently sits just under 1,900 yards at 1,892. Andrew Luck broke the rookie single season passing record today against the Chiefs. He threw for 205 yards while surpassing Cam Newtons record of 4,051. Jason Witten broke Tony Gonzalez' record for single season receptions by a tight end with his 103rd receptions of 2012 today against the Saints.

But, while all these records and stats are great...they're not THAT great.

More and more each day, the NFL is becoming a passing league. That means, records like these that were impressive 10-15 years ago, are expected numbers in the modern football era.

When Jerry Rice roamed the football fields, having nearly 2,000 yards receiving in a single season was absolutely biblical. This season, that is a goal for Calvin Johnson. In my opinion, that shouldn't even be his goal...his goal should be more.

In the fourth quarter alone last night, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford threw 27 passes. 27!!...??? His arm must have been like Jello this morning! No wonder Johnson has that many receiving yards.

Andrew Luck and Jason Witten have been the two steady points for their highly combustible teams. Without Luck, the Colts are winless. Without Witten, the Cowboys have no one to match up against linebackers. Simply put, Witten is the Cowboys only weapon.

Don't get me wrong, anytime a player breaks the record of a current/future Hall of Famer it's a big deal. However, with the way the NFL runs, or passes, now-a-days these numbers should be expected...not awed at.

Times have changed. 10-15 years ago, people oohed and awed when receivers broke records...because it was rare for receivers to have big numbers. I propose that, after Adrian Peterson breaks Eric Dickersons record this season, people will get all googly eyed when a running back breaks an all-time record.

Running backs are obsolete. If you can't catch, you can't play in the world of professional football.

What are some thoughts that come to mind after reading my post? Start the discussion by posting your reaction below!