Phil Simms: Sour Grapes for Your Whine?

Edit: Now with excerpts from the ITN transcript.

I just got done watching Inside The NFL, which is a little different this year.  At the end of last season, HBO unceremoniously dumped it after 31 seasons - thankfully, Showtime was smart enough to pick it up.  The new Showtime lineup includes old favorite Cris Collinsworth, and new guys Warren Sapp, James "JB" Brown, and Phil Simms.  JB is always solid - I have no problem with him.  The jury's still out on Sapp, but I generally like his shoot-from-the-hip, fresh-from-the-trenches mentality.  Simms...has rubbed me the wrong way.

Generally, the guy seems pretty knowledgeable.  But he tends to get a little salty when someone disagrees with him - or if he's proven wrong or cast in an unflattering light.  For the last couple weeks, the guys have been saying that the Jets should let Brett Favre air it out - with the exception of Simms, the lone anti-Brett dissenter.  Then, Brett threw a career-high six touchdowns against the Cardinals last week.  So, on Wednesday's broadcast, here's how it went:

James Brown: Now, you know what? Warren and Cris said it earlier to Phil Simms -- Let Brett be Brett. Did you all not?
Warren Sapp: Let's sling that thing around, Brett. Six touchdowns -- [ to Simms ] You ever had six touchdowns before?
Phil Simms: No, but I had five a couple times. [ emphasis mine ]
Warren: Oh, okay, all right, yeah.
Phil: What do you think of that? What do you got to say? Go ahead. Kind of see you smirking. [ Laughter ]
Cris Collinsworth: No, not at all. I just -- I -- I think that you should just look into the camera. Which camera, Phil?
Warren: Yeah, yeah, yeah, right there.
Phil: Oh, yeah, let me look in the camera. You ready? Here's what I'm gonna say.
Cris: Just look into the camera and say, "I'm sorry, Brett. You were right, Cris and Warren.”
Phil: No, let me say this -- Yes, I'm sorry, Brett.
Cris: This guy's pretty good at playing quarterback.
Phil: Was that the '85 Chicago Bears you were playing in that game?
Cris: Oh!

After poring over Simms' actual stats, I can tell you that Phil Simms never even threw ONE touchdown against the '85 Bears, much less five or six.  And he had the opportunity to, unlike Favre.  Simms met the '85 Bears in the divisional playoffs and failed to throw any touchdowns at all - in fact, he got shut out.

But he did throw five touchdowns in a game - once, not twice.  Against the 1980 St. Louis Cardinals, who finished the season at 5-11. 

Favre threw five touchdown passes against the '95 Bears, who ended up 9-7.  And he threw five touchdowns against the '97 Vikings, who also went 9-7.  He threw five touchdown passes against the '98 Panthers too, but they sucked.  And then there was the plethora of teams he threw four TDs against, which I grew tired of counting, to be honest.  And it remains to be seen how the 2008 Cardinals will end up - though they're currently 2-1. 

In conclusion, Mr. Phil Simms should, without qualification, give credit where credit is due.