Recapping the week that was in the NFL:
Baltimore 35, New Orleans 22 - New Orleans finally fell back to Earth. The Ravens defense has a tendency to do that to opposing teams. The Saints couldn't do anything offensively, Reggie Bush injured his ankle, and the Ravens used two defensive touchdowns to jump out to a 35-7 lead over the now 5-2 Saints.
Kansas City 35, Seattle 28 - With the Seahawks playing without Matt Hasselbeck, Shaun Alexander, Sean Locklear and Bobby Engram on offense, they needed the defense to step up yesterday in Kansas City. As they did, the Chiefs offense just ran right by them. Actually, they ran through them, throw over them and generally spent 42 minutes abusing the "talented" Seahawks defense.
Green Bay 31, Arizona 14 - At 1-7, and on a bye week, the fate of Denny Green may well be determined this week. That Arizona lost isn't a surprise (the Cardinals haven't won in Green Bay since 1948, when the team played in Chicago), but with the way the Cardinals are playing, a change is necessary. It'll be interesting to see if ownership wants to still pay Denny Green not to coach the team. They're notoriously cheap, so don't be stunned to see Green coaching out the string.
Atlanta 29, Cincinnati 27 - What has gotten into Michael Vick? The usually "run first/pass second" QB has tossed 7 TD passes in the last two games, guiding Atlanta to two wins over AFC North teams. If Vick keeps playing like this, it just might justify his salary and drown out all those people calling for Matt Schaub. For the Bengals, Chad "Ocho-Cinco" Johnson got into the end zone, which preserved his Golden Mohawk. I'm not sure if that's a good thing.
Chicago 41, San Francisco 10 - I don't care if it was against the lowly 49ers, the Chicago Bears are 100% for real. They are definitely the best team in the NFC, and the margin isn't even close.
Tennessee 28, Houston 22 - The Titans did it with defense, forcing 5 Texans turnovers, knocking David Carr from the game, and scoring two defensive scores. Wasted was the 3-TD effort from back-up Texans QB Sage Rosenfels. Oh, and where did Owen Daniels come from??
Jacksonville 13, Philadelphia 6 - Got to hand it to the Jaguars defense. They didn't give up the big play, held the Eagles to just 6 points (half of which came on a harmless FG with 30 seconds left in the game) and escaped Philadelphia with a "W". David Garrard wasn't spectacular, but he kept some drives alive (and Philly off the field) with some runs. That's an element that Byron Leftwich simply doesn't provide.
NY Giants 17, Tampa Bay 3 - With the windy conditions at the Meadowlands, the last thing a team wants to do is throw the ball a lot. The Giants stacked up Cadillac Williams and made rookie Bruce Gradkowski throw the ball 48 times. He completed slightly more than 40% of those throws. Little more needs to be said...
San Diego 38, St. Louis 24 - Too much LaDainian Tomlinson for the Rams to handle. "LT" touched the ball 28 times, racked up 240 yards of offense and crossed the end line 3 times. No amount of production from Marc Bulger (who was excellent) can overcome that.
Oakland 20, Pittsburgh 13 - We know about the curse where Super Bowl losers don't make the playoffs the following season, right? Well, maybe the "Creative Officiating" from Bill Leavy's crew last February means that the curse is hitting the team that probably deserved to lose that game. Just a theory I have. Whoever watched this game should know that Ben Roethlisberger is not himself.
Indianapolis 34, Denver 31 - This was one of those games where even people who are not fans of either team enjoyed watching it. Back-and forth, all afternoon long, and you just knew that whoever had the ball last, was going to win. That's especially true now that the Colts have the best clutch kicker in the history of the NFL on their sidelines. That kick would've been good with Arena Football League goalposts.
Cleveland 20, NY Jets 13 - Call me crazy, but you can't convince me that Chris Baker wouldn't have come down inbounds on that 4th-and-4 play. His right foot was nearly on the turf, and he had plenty of room to get the other one down, before Brodney Pool asserted himself. Good play by Pool (it was a ferocious hit), but I think the Jets got hosed on that one. Tough break, Coach Mangini. Tough break.
Dallas 35, Carolina 14 - Did anyone see this one coming? What has happened to the Carolina Panthers? What was the girl who broke up with Tony Romo 7 days ago thinking? Wasn't the worst Brett Favre impersonation? Why would Tony Romo ever agree to do that on camera?
Questions are all I have after last night's game. I don't think Dallas is that good, nor do I think Carolina is that bad.
Mac's Game Balls
Offense: (tie) Larry Johnson, RB, Kansas City and LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego: Two of the best running backs in the NFL showed why on Sunday, as both torched the top two teams in the NFC West.
Defense: Shawne Merriman, LB, San Diego: Since he'll likely be taking November off, Merriman went out with a bang on Sunday. "Lights Out" only had 5 tackles, but 3 of them were sacks. The guy, steroids or not, is a beast.
Special Teams: Adam Vinatieri, K, Indianapolis: Yesterdays game-winning FG is why I couldn't understand why New England would ever let him go. 4-4 on FGs, on the road, and one near the final gun is why Vinatieri will one day be enshrined in Canton.
MNF Prediction
I'm not faring too well in the predictions department, so take this for what it's worth:
Patriots 27, Vikings 20
MSRP: $0
Monday, October 30, 2006
Friday, October 27, 2006
Mac's Picks - Week 8
The day after the Seahawks acquired Deion Branch from the New England Patriots I was running some errands at the mall near my office. Outside two of the athletic apparel stores, there were advertisements featuring Branch. This didn’t surprise me, because living 40 minutes from Foxborough I knew how popular Branch was with Patriot fans. That’s why the whole “We robbed the Seahawks” talk coming from Patriot fans was nonsense. Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt, you know.
Two days before the Seahawks played the St. Louis Rams, I got a call from my brother asking what Branch’s stats were. In the background, I could hear one of his friends saying “Branch hasn’t done ---- since going to Seattle.” Two days later, Branch scored two touchdowns in the 30-28 win.
Earlier this week, exactly six weeks after the trade, I was in a local grocery store when I came across a cardboard cutout of Branch, in his Patriots uniform, pitching some product in the dairy section. Someone had decided to “black out” a few of his teeth. But the Patriots fans aren’t bitter about this. Nope, they’re glad he’s gone. Suuuuure they are.
Time to make like Drew Bledsoe, and toss some picks!
Last Week: 6-7
2006 Season: 42-54-4
Arizona at Green Bay (-3 ½) – The Matt Leinart Era hasn’t gotten off to a good start. As much as the Cardinals fans would like to believe their team has hit rock bottom, which losing to the then-winless Oakland Raiders would indicate, as long as Denny Green is openly trying to get fired (so he’ll keep getting paid), the potential is there for this team to reach a new level of futility. On the bright side, the Cardinals appear to be heading for another Top 10 pick in next April’s draft, which means they’ll get to be everyone’s “sleeper” pick next year, too! Pick: Packers -3 ½
Atlanta at Cincinnati (-4 ½) – It was “Bizzaro Week” in Atlanta and Cincinnati. The Bengals won with defense, and the Falcons win came courtesy of Michael Vick’s arm. Things have quickly returned to normal, though, as Chad Johnson has called out Falcons CB DeAngelo Hall. #85 has promised to shave off his blond Mohawk if the Bengals lose this Sunday. Since I think that divot on the top of his head looks ridiculous, I’m taking the Falcons +4 ½
Baltimore at New Orleans (-2) – I’m interested to see if the Ravens offense improves now that Brian Billick is taking a more active role with that unit. I’ve always felt that Billick was a vastly overrated head coach, and if the Ravens still struggle after the dismissal of Jim Fassel, Billick won’t have any scapegoats.
New Orleans has played tough teams this year (Carolina, Philadelphia), but the Ravens defense is the biggest challenge Drew Brees and the Saints offense have faced thus far. The Saints will want to get to 6-1 now, before they hit the gravel for a few weeks. Pick: Saints -2
Houston at Tennessee (-3) – Houston has won two of three for the first time since 2004, and the Titans are looking for consecutive wins for the first time since 2003! With stats like that, you don’t need Scooby Doo and the rest of “Mystery, Inc.” to get to the bottom of the “How the Colts Have Owned the AFC South” mystery. Pick: Texans +3
Jacksonville at Philadelphia (-6 ½) – After losing to the Texans last week, do we still take Jacksonville seriously as a playoff contender? I don’t care if it was on the road, no team with playoff aspirations should lose by 20 points to the Houston Texans. Now the Jags are turning to David Garrard at quarterback (Byron Leftwich has an ankle injury), and with Marcus Stroud still ailing, this team doesn’t seem equipped to beat the Eagles in Philadelphia.
The good news for Donovan McNabb is that he won’t have to worry about “reproducing his Campbell’s Chunky” on the field this week. Temps in Philadelphia this Sunday will be comfortable (upper 50s), so McNabb can leave the vomiting to the less-than-sober Eagles fans. Pick: Eagles -6
Seattle at Kansas City (-6) – I’m nowhere near convinced that Kansas City wins this game just by showing up. In the last 3 weeks, Kansas City has:
- Narrowly avoided being the 1st team to lose to Matt Leinart, who was making his 1st NFL start. Leinart looked brilliant against the Chiefs defense, right up until he failed to realize Ty Law doesn’t play for his team.
- The next week, the Chiefs were trounced in Pittsburgh, 45-7. The lone Chiefs highlight for Kansas City was Larry Johnson dragging Troy Polamalu down by his hair.
- Last week, KC jumped out to a huge lead, and in the second half, they gave it right back to a team coached by Marty Schottenheimer. The only head coach worse than Herm Edwards in close games is Marty Schottenheimer.
It won’t be easy, and there are sure to be some awkward moments, but even without Shaun Alexander and Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle does have a chance to win this game. Pick: Seahawks +6
(And after I wrote this, word has come out that Damon Huard is “probable” after turning his ankle in practice. How does this game look if Brodie Croyle is playing QB for the Chiefs? If you answered “like a pre-season game”, you’ve just won a few of the expired movie passes I’ve got laying around the Mac Mansion)
San Francisco at Chicago (-16 ½) – You’d have to an ignoramus, or Denny Green, to not realize by now that the 2006 Chicago Bears are a very good football team. But wasn’t it a bit too early for ESPN to compare this Chicago Bears team to the vaunted 1985 Bears in their intro on Monday Night Football two weeks ago? The Bears team from 1985 was one of the most dominant teams in NFL history. The current Bears? They’re 6-0 in a 16-game season, so let’s not “crown their ass” just yet, ok? Pick: 49ers +16 ½ (Too many points for any team coming off a bye week to be laying)
Tampa Bay at NY Giants (-9 ½) – The Bucs have won two in a row, but how many times can they expect Ronde Barber to return two interceptions for touchdowns and a 62-yard field goal from Matt Bryant as time expires?
It’ll never happen, but wouldn’t it be horrible if Tiki Barber suffered a season-ending injury after being tackled by his brother? Pick: Giants -9 ½
St. Louis at San Diego (-8 ½) – Between Luis Castillo and Shawne Merriman (steroids), Terrence Kiel being investigated by the DEA after shipping prescription cough medicine to his native Texas, and Steve “Holy” Foley being shot up by an off-duty cop, the Chargers have been openly auditioning for PlayMakers 2: Electric Bugaloo.
In all honesty, Shawne Merriman probably isn’t a bad guy. ESPN did a piece on him earlier this season, and I came away very impressed the guy. He appears to know how lucky he is to be in the NFL, and he personally gets involved in helping his community. He doesn’t deserve the “turd” moniker, just like he didn’t deserve the Defensive Rookie of the Year award last year. (Couldn’t resist. I’m still irked by that)
Pick: Rams +8 ½ (To clarify, the Rams won’t win, but they’ll cover)
Indianapolis at Denver (-2 ½) – Every major media outlet is calling this game a preview of the AFC Championship game. Apparently, every major media outlet is willing to overlook the struggles that Jake Plummer and Peyton Manning tend to have in January. It’s a good match-up, though, so you can’t really blame them.
I’ve gone back and forth on this one all week. I know that Denver’s offense is so stagnant the fans have been calling for Jay Cutler to replace the erratic Jake Plummer. I also know that the Colts defense has been banged up, and that’s affected their performance. So to me, this game comes down to what’s worse: The Colts defense or the Broncos offense? Right now, it’s the Broncos offense. Pick: Colts +2 ½
NY Jets at Cleveland (-2) – When the Jets named Eric Mangini their new head coach, Romeo Crennel was probably happy for the guy who was his defensive backs coach in Crennel’s last season as Patriots defensive coordinator. In the back of his mind, though, he had to be wondering why it took him so long to get a top gig after spending several years coordinating top-notch defenses, and it only took Mangini one year as a coordinator to land a much higher profile coaching job.
I don’t know if Mangini is the better head coach or not, but the proof is in the pudding (and Mangini’s man-boobs indicate he likes pudding). The Jets are 4-3, and have been of the AFC’s biggest surprises. The Browns are 1-5 and are averaging about 4 torn ligaments per week. Pick: Jets +2
Pittsburgh (-9) at Oakland – After suffering yet another concussion, Ben Roethlisberger still has no plans to switch to one of the newer helmets that are designed to protect against head injuries. Doesn’t that show that the cumulative effects from his concussions are beginning to take hold? This week, Big Ben came out and said that Falcons players were taunting him regarding his head injuries. Whining like that will not only prompt more taunting from opponents, but it also puts him on the short-list of babies waiting to be adopted by Madonna. Pick: Steelers -9
(Speaking of head injuries, ESPN’s Merril Hoge just reported that Pittsburgh is a city in western Pennsylvania)
Dallas at Carolina (-4 ½) – Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has come out and said that the decision to insert Tony Romo as the starting QB isn’t a sign that the Cowboys “were junking this season”. I’m not so sure I trust the words of a man who has undergone so much plastic surgery he’s lost the ability to blink. Pick: Panthers -4 ½
Word of warning to Tony Romo: You probably think you’ve developed a good relationship with Terrell Owens. You threw to him after practice during training camp, have stood by him on the sidelines, and he’s said a few things to the media that could be construed as an endorsement. But be careful, Mr. Romo. Owens has a history of throwing his quarterback under the bus, even resorting to questioning the sexuality of one of them. With a name that can be easily manipulated to fit Owens’ modus operandi, you’d be wise to watch your back, kid.
New England (-2) at Minnesota – Tom Brady has never lost in a domed stadium. Seriously, look it up. He’s 9-0. Those nine wins include two Super Bowl wins, as well as two Super Bowl MVP trophies. I usually take this kind of stat with a grain of salt, but under Bill Belichick, they seem to care about keeping streaks like this alive. Pick: Patriots -2
Two days before the Seahawks played the St. Louis Rams, I got a call from my brother asking what Branch’s stats were. In the background, I could hear one of his friends saying “Branch hasn’t done ---- since going to Seattle.” Two days later, Branch scored two touchdowns in the 30-28 win.
Earlier this week, exactly six weeks after the trade, I was in a local grocery store when I came across a cardboard cutout of Branch, in his Patriots uniform, pitching some product in the dairy section. Someone had decided to “black out” a few of his teeth. But the Patriots fans aren’t bitter about this. Nope, they’re glad he’s gone. Suuuuure they are.
Time to make like Drew Bledsoe, and toss some picks!
Last Week: 6-7
2006 Season: 42-54-4
Arizona at Green Bay (-3 ½) – The Matt Leinart Era hasn’t gotten off to a good start. As much as the Cardinals fans would like to believe their team has hit rock bottom, which losing to the then-winless Oakland Raiders would indicate, as long as Denny Green is openly trying to get fired (so he’ll keep getting paid), the potential is there for this team to reach a new level of futility. On the bright side, the Cardinals appear to be heading for another Top 10 pick in next April’s draft, which means they’ll get to be everyone’s “sleeper” pick next year, too! Pick: Packers -3 ½
Atlanta at Cincinnati (-4 ½) – It was “Bizzaro Week” in Atlanta and Cincinnati. The Bengals won with defense, and the Falcons win came courtesy of Michael Vick’s arm. Things have quickly returned to normal, though, as Chad Johnson has called out Falcons CB DeAngelo Hall. #85 has promised to shave off his blond Mohawk if the Bengals lose this Sunday. Since I think that divot on the top of his head looks ridiculous, I’m taking the Falcons +4 ½
Baltimore at New Orleans (-2) – I’m interested to see if the Ravens offense improves now that Brian Billick is taking a more active role with that unit. I’ve always felt that Billick was a vastly overrated head coach, and if the Ravens still struggle after the dismissal of Jim Fassel, Billick won’t have any scapegoats.
New Orleans has played tough teams this year (Carolina, Philadelphia), but the Ravens defense is the biggest challenge Drew Brees and the Saints offense have faced thus far. The Saints will want to get to 6-1 now, before they hit the gravel for a few weeks. Pick: Saints -2
Houston at Tennessee (-3) – Houston has won two of three for the first time since 2004, and the Titans are looking for consecutive wins for the first time since 2003! With stats like that, you don’t need Scooby Doo and the rest of “Mystery, Inc.” to get to the bottom of the “How the Colts Have Owned the AFC South” mystery. Pick: Texans +3
Jacksonville at Philadelphia (-6 ½) – After losing to the Texans last week, do we still take Jacksonville seriously as a playoff contender? I don’t care if it was on the road, no team with playoff aspirations should lose by 20 points to the Houston Texans. Now the Jags are turning to David Garrard at quarterback (Byron Leftwich has an ankle injury), and with Marcus Stroud still ailing, this team doesn’t seem equipped to beat the Eagles in Philadelphia.
The good news for Donovan McNabb is that he won’t have to worry about “reproducing his Campbell’s Chunky” on the field this week. Temps in Philadelphia this Sunday will be comfortable (upper 50s), so McNabb can leave the vomiting to the less-than-sober Eagles fans. Pick: Eagles -6
Seattle at Kansas City (-6) – I’m nowhere near convinced that Kansas City wins this game just by showing up. In the last 3 weeks, Kansas City has:
- Narrowly avoided being the 1st team to lose to Matt Leinart, who was making his 1st NFL start. Leinart looked brilliant against the Chiefs defense, right up until he failed to realize Ty Law doesn’t play for his team.
- The next week, the Chiefs were trounced in Pittsburgh, 45-7. The lone Chiefs highlight for Kansas City was Larry Johnson dragging Troy Polamalu down by his hair.
- Last week, KC jumped out to a huge lead, and in the second half, they gave it right back to a team coached by Marty Schottenheimer. The only head coach worse than Herm Edwards in close games is Marty Schottenheimer.
It won’t be easy, and there are sure to be some awkward moments, but even without Shaun Alexander and Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle does have a chance to win this game. Pick: Seahawks +6
(And after I wrote this, word has come out that Damon Huard is “probable” after turning his ankle in practice. How does this game look if Brodie Croyle is playing QB for the Chiefs? If you answered “like a pre-season game”, you’ve just won a few of the expired movie passes I’ve got laying around the Mac Mansion)
San Francisco at Chicago (-16 ½) – You’d have to an ignoramus, or Denny Green, to not realize by now that the 2006 Chicago Bears are a very good football team. But wasn’t it a bit too early for ESPN to compare this Chicago Bears team to the vaunted 1985 Bears in their intro on Monday Night Football two weeks ago? The Bears team from 1985 was one of the most dominant teams in NFL history. The current Bears? They’re 6-0 in a 16-game season, so let’s not “crown their ass” just yet, ok? Pick: 49ers +16 ½ (Too many points for any team coming off a bye week to be laying)
Tampa Bay at NY Giants (-9 ½) – The Bucs have won two in a row, but how many times can they expect Ronde Barber to return two interceptions for touchdowns and a 62-yard field goal from Matt Bryant as time expires?
It’ll never happen, but wouldn’t it be horrible if Tiki Barber suffered a season-ending injury after being tackled by his brother? Pick: Giants -9 ½
St. Louis at San Diego (-8 ½) – Between Luis Castillo and Shawne Merriman (steroids), Terrence Kiel being investigated by the DEA after shipping prescription cough medicine to his native Texas, and Steve “Holy” Foley being shot up by an off-duty cop, the Chargers have been openly auditioning for PlayMakers 2: Electric Bugaloo.
In all honesty, Shawne Merriman probably isn’t a bad guy. ESPN did a piece on him earlier this season, and I came away very impressed the guy. He appears to know how lucky he is to be in the NFL, and he personally gets involved in helping his community. He doesn’t deserve the “turd” moniker, just like he didn’t deserve the Defensive Rookie of the Year award last year. (Couldn’t resist. I’m still irked by that)
Pick: Rams +8 ½ (To clarify, the Rams won’t win, but they’ll cover)
Indianapolis at Denver (-2 ½) – Every major media outlet is calling this game a preview of the AFC Championship game. Apparently, every major media outlet is willing to overlook the struggles that Jake Plummer and Peyton Manning tend to have in January. It’s a good match-up, though, so you can’t really blame them.
I’ve gone back and forth on this one all week. I know that Denver’s offense is so stagnant the fans have been calling for Jay Cutler to replace the erratic Jake Plummer. I also know that the Colts defense has been banged up, and that’s affected their performance. So to me, this game comes down to what’s worse: The Colts defense or the Broncos offense? Right now, it’s the Broncos offense. Pick: Colts +2 ½
NY Jets at Cleveland (-2) – When the Jets named Eric Mangini their new head coach, Romeo Crennel was probably happy for the guy who was his defensive backs coach in Crennel’s last season as Patriots defensive coordinator. In the back of his mind, though, he had to be wondering why it took him so long to get a top gig after spending several years coordinating top-notch defenses, and it only took Mangini one year as a coordinator to land a much higher profile coaching job.
I don’t know if Mangini is the better head coach or not, but the proof is in the pudding (and Mangini’s man-boobs indicate he likes pudding). The Jets are 4-3, and have been of the AFC’s biggest surprises. The Browns are 1-5 and are averaging about 4 torn ligaments per week. Pick: Jets +2
Pittsburgh (-9) at Oakland – After suffering yet another concussion, Ben Roethlisberger still has no plans to switch to one of the newer helmets that are designed to protect against head injuries. Doesn’t that show that the cumulative effects from his concussions are beginning to take hold? This week, Big Ben came out and said that Falcons players were taunting him regarding his head injuries. Whining like that will not only prompt more taunting from opponents, but it also puts him on the short-list of babies waiting to be adopted by Madonna. Pick: Steelers -9
(Speaking of head injuries, ESPN’s Merril Hoge just reported that Pittsburgh is a city in western Pennsylvania)
Dallas at Carolina (-4 ½) – Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has come out and said that the decision to insert Tony Romo as the starting QB isn’t a sign that the Cowboys “were junking this season”. I’m not so sure I trust the words of a man who has undergone so much plastic surgery he’s lost the ability to blink. Pick: Panthers -4 ½
Word of warning to Tony Romo: You probably think you’ve developed a good relationship with Terrell Owens. You threw to him after practice during training camp, have stood by him on the sidelines, and he’s said a few things to the media that could be construed as an endorsement. But be careful, Mr. Romo. Owens has a history of throwing his quarterback under the bus, even resorting to questioning the sexuality of one of them. With a name that can be easily manipulated to fit Owens’ modus operandi, you’d be wise to watch your back, kid.
New England (-2) at Minnesota – Tom Brady has never lost in a domed stadium. Seriously, look it up. He’s 9-0. Those nine wins include two Super Bowl wins, as well as two Super Bowl MVP trophies. I usually take this kind of stat with a grain of salt, but under Bill Belichick, they seem to care about keeping streaks like this alive. Pick: Patriots -2
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
NFL Starts to Flex
Heading into 2006, the most interesting aspect of the schedule was how the NFL would handle the "flexible" schedule that starts in Week 10. The idea of flexible scheduling was to make sure that NBC would have an appealing game to broadcast each and every Sunday night, since many times in the last few years, the prime-time games have left something to be desired.
Today the NFL announced that the New York Giants-Chicago Bears game, originally scheduled for a 415pm start time at the Meadowlands in New Jersey, will now be played at 830pm on Sunday night.
The Saints-Steelers game, originally scheduled for a 1pm EST start, has been moved to give FOX another late game.
Today the NFL announced that the New York Giants-Chicago Bears game, originally scheduled for a 415pm start time at the Meadowlands in New Jersey, will now be played at 830pm on Sunday night.
The Saints-Steelers game, originally scheduled for a 1pm EST start, has been moved to give FOX another late game.
Monday Night Blog
After getting trounced by the New York Giants, at home and in front of a national audience, Bill Parcells offered up an apology for the Cowboys performance tonight. He mentioned that the Cowboys were outplayed, and out-everythinged tonight, including outcoached. (No truth the rumor Jeremy Shockey has been honing his vantriliquism skills)
The Giants appeared to be a team that refused to be beaten tonight. They outhit, outhustled, and were the more physical team from start to finish. Anytime a team does that, it's awfully hard to beat them.
The degree of difficulty increases when you put in a 4th year rookie QB at halftime...and he throws 3 interceptions in his one half of duty. Pulling Bledsoe is a sign that the QB controversy in Dallas is over. Barring an injury, and with an offensive line like that one is bound to happen, Tony Romo is officially a starting quarterback in the National Football League.
How does Michael Irvin feel about his team's playoff chances now?
What Do LaVar Arrington and I Have in Common?
Answer: Neither one of us will play in an NFL football for the rest of the year.
Arrington, who was having a solid first half, ruptured his Achilles on a rather innocuous running play in the first half.
In 2005, the Giants' linebacking corps were so beseiged by injury, they were reduced to picking up street free agents just to honestly say that they had linebackers on their roster. Losing Arrington may give the Giants a "oh no, not again" feeling.
At least it won't cost them much. Arrington signed an incentive-laden contract with the Giants in the off-season, so maybe it's the Postons who are thinking "oh s--t" right about now.
Early Tuesday Ramblings
- Is it just me, or is Rachel Nichols kind of cute?
- I didn't hear Kornheiser mention his fantasy team once during the MNF broadcast, but he did keep his streak alive by mentioning that he has Alge Crumpler on his team during PTI.
- I'm 83% certain Michele Tafoya wears a wig.
- Before anyone wonders why so much time was devoted to Emmitt Smith, let me clarify that it has nothing to do with him being a former Dallas Cowboy. What did they spend most of the time talking about? Dancing, as in ABC's "Dancing With the Stars", which stars...Emmitt Smith. ABC is owned by Disney, which also owns ESPN.
- According to Joe Theismann, Drew Bledsoe shouldn't have been yanked from the game, but going to Tony Romo was absolutely the right move? Just checking...
- If ESPN spent more than a nickel on the horrible introduction to MNF, they spent too much. I don't know why they pick the celebrities, but I'm guessing they're involved in some Disney/ABC/ESPN vehicle. The whole futuristic thing is just silly (same goes to you, FOX). I'm trying to watch the NFL, not the Transformers. NFL players are not robots. If they were, they wouldn't commit so many damn penalties...and felonies.
The Giants appeared to be a team that refused to be beaten tonight. They outhit, outhustled, and were the more physical team from start to finish. Anytime a team does that, it's awfully hard to beat them.
The degree of difficulty increases when you put in a 4th year rookie QB at halftime...and he throws 3 interceptions in his one half of duty. Pulling Bledsoe is a sign that the QB controversy in Dallas is over. Barring an injury, and with an offensive line like that one is bound to happen, Tony Romo is officially a starting quarterback in the National Football League.
How does Michael Irvin feel about his team's playoff chances now?
What Do LaVar Arrington and I Have in Common?
Answer: Neither one of us will play in an NFL football for the rest of the year.
Arrington, who was having a solid first half, ruptured his Achilles on a rather innocuous running play in the first half.
In 2005, the Giants' linebacking corps were so beseiged by injury, they were reduced to picking up street free agents just to honestly say that they had linebackers on their roster. Losing Arrington may give the Giants a "oh no, not again" feeling.
At least it won't cost them much. Arrington signed an incentive-laden contract with the Giants in the off-season, so maybe it's the Postons who are thinking "oh s--t" right about now.
Early Tuesday Ramblings
- Is it just me, or is Rachel Nichols kind of cute?
- I didn't hear Kornheiser mention his fantasy team once during the MNF broadcast, but he did keep his streak alive by mentioning that he has Alge Crumpler on his team during PTI.
- I'm 83% certain Michele Tafoya wears a wig.
- Before anyone wonders why so much time was devoted to Emmitt Smith, let me clarify that it has nothing to do with him being a former Dallas Cowboy. What did they spend most of the time talking about? Dancing, as in ABC's "Dancing With the Stars", which stars...Emmitt Smith. ABC is owned by Disney, which also owns ESPN.
- According to Joe Theismann, Drew Bledsoe shouldn't have been yanked from the game, but going to Tony Romo was absolutely the right move? Just checking...
- If ESPN spent more than a nickel on the horrible introduction to MNF, they spent too much. I don't know why they pick the celebrities, but I'm guessing they're involved in some Disney/ABC/ESPN vehicle. The whole futuristic thing is just silly (same goes to you, FOX). I'm trying to watch the NFL, not the Transformers. NFL players are not robots. If they were, they wouldn't commit so many damn penalties...and felonies.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Costly Sunday
Updating the Matt Hasselbeck situation, Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren has confirmed that Hasselbeck sustained a "Grade 2" sprain of his MCL in his right knee. Hasselbeck is expected to miss the next 3 games (@ KC, vs. Oakland, vs. St. Louis), but is expected back this season. Seneca Wallace will be the team's starting quarterback while Hasselbeck is on the mend.
Staying in Seattle, running back Shaun Alexander is expected back for the Oakland game.
In other injury news:
Broncos left tackle Matt Lepsis will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. Colts safety Mike Doss also has a torn ACL, and will miss the rest of the year. According to ESPN's Merrill Hoge, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger reportedly sustained a concussion.
Hey Merrill, ya think? The guy was knocked unconscious on a helmet-to-helmet hit yesterday. Anyone who doesn't have a history of concussions (hint: not you) would deduce that Big Ben saw some stars or thought he was Batman after the Steelers training staff broke into Jim Mora Jr.'s supply of ammonia capsules.
In Cleveland, cornerback Gary Baxter has torn the patellar tendon in both of his knees, an injury that could end Baxter's playing career. In this day and age, the normal recovery for a torn patellar tendon is one year. Okay, now double it. That's what Baxter is looking at.
Tearing a patellar tendon is not a common injury in the NFL, so it comes as a surprise that Baxter is not even the first Cleveland Brown to sustain this injury. Center LeCharles Bentley tore a patellar tendon on the first day of training camp.
It was reported on another football site that Baxter has a history of injuries, and was considered an "injury risk". Before signing with Cleveland, Baxter had missed only 1 game due to injury in his entire career, and had played 3 straight seasons with Baltimore before signing with the Browns.
Last year, his first in Cleveland, Baxter missed 11 games with a torn chest muscle. A similar injury kept him out 3 of the Browns games this season.
Staying in Seattle, running back Shaun Alexander is expected back for the Oakland game.
In other injury news:
Broncos left tackle Matt Lepsis will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. Colts safety Mike Doss also has a torn ACL, and will miss the rest of the year. According to ESPN's Merrill Hoge, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger reportedly sustained a concussion.
Hey Merrill, ya think? The guy was knocked unconscious on a helmet-to-helmet hit yesterday. Anyone who doesn't have a history of concussions (hint: not you) would deduce that Big Ben saw some stars or thought he was Batman after the Steelers training staff broke into Jim Mora Jr.'s supply of ammonia capsules.
In Cleveland, cornerback Gary Baxter has torn the patellar tendon in both of his knees, an injury that could end Baxter's playing career. In this day and age, the normal recovery for a torn patellar tendon is one year. Okay, now double it. That's what Baxter is looking at.
Tearing a patellar tendon is not a common injury in the NFL, so it comes as a surprise that Baxter is not even the first Cleveland Brown to sustain this injury. Center LeCharles Bentley tore a patellar tendon on the first day of training camp.
It was reported on another football site that Baxter has a history of injuries, and was considered an "injury risk". Before signing with Cleveland, Baxter had missed only 1 game due to injury in his entire career, and had played 3 straight seasons with Baltimore before signing with the Browns.
Last year, his first in Cleveland, Baxter missed 11 games with a torn chest muscle. A similar injury kept him out 3 of the Browns games this season.
Hasselbeck To Miss 2-4 Weeks
The Tacoma News Tribune's Mike Sando is reporting that the NFL Network is reporting that today's MRI confirmed that Matt Hasselbeck has a grade 2 MCL sprain, and will likely miss 2-4 weeks. More information will be known later on this afternoon, during Mike Holmgren's Monday press conference.
I'm sure this topic will come up.
I'm sure this topic will come up.
Hasselbeck Has MRI
According to KJR-AM 950 in Seattle, Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has undergone an MRI on his injured right knee this morning. The results of the MRI are expected to be announced during Mike Holmgren's press conference at 2:15pm (PDT).
On former NFL quarterback Hugh Millen's regular Monday morning segment on KJR, I found the glimmer of hope I had been searching for. According to Millen, this injury appears to be a "grade 2" sprain of the MCL. The recovery time is anywhere from 1-3 weeks. Millen suffered a similar injury in his playing career, and missed one game. It should be noted that Hugh Millen is not a doctor, nor does he play one on TV or radio. The fate of the Seahawks season still rides on the results from the MRI.
In 2005, Matt Hasselbeck was sacked just 24 times all season long. This year, in just 5.5 games, Hasselbeck has been dropped 19 times. The problem isn't limited to the loss of Steve Hutchinson. It's true that his replacements, Floyd Womack and Chris Spencer, haven't played very well. To be blunt, they've stunk.
Womack and Spencer are just part of the problem. Center Robbie Tobeck, right guard Chris Gray and fullback Mack Strong are over 35, and the evidence that their better days are behind them can be seen by Shaun Alexander's broken left foot and Matt Hasselbeck's sprained right knee. If that's not enough evidence, take a look at the 3.5 yards per carry average from 2006.
Aside from Walter Jones (who isn't as dominant as he's been in recent years) and Sean Locklear, the blocking on this team simply hasn't been good enough to get back to where they were a year ago, even if Shaun Alexander and Matt Hasselbeck are playing in December (and beyond).
On former NFL quarterback Hugh Millen's regular Monday morning segment on KJR, I found the glimmer of hope I had been searching for. According to Millen, this injury appears to be a "grade 2" sprain of the MCL. The recovery time is anywhere from 1-3 weeks. Millen suffered a similar injury in his playing career, and missed one game. It should be noted that Hugh Millen is not a doctor, nor does he play one on TV or radio. The fate of the Seahawks season still rides on the results from the MRI.
In 2005, Matt Hasselbeck was sacked just 24 times all season long. This year, in just 5.5 games, Hasselbeck has been dropped 19 times. The problem isn't limited to the loss of Steve Hutchinson. It's true that his replacements, Floyd Womack and Chris Spencer, haven't played very well. To be blunt, they've stunk.
Womack and Spencer are just part of the problem. Center Robbie Tobeck, right guard Chris Gray and fullback Mack Strong are over 35, and the evidence that their better days are behind them can be seen by Shaun Alexander's broken left foot and Matt Hasselbeck's sprained right knee. If that's not enough evidence, take a look at the 3.5 yards per carry average from 2006.
Aside from Walter Jones (who isn't as dominant as he's been in recent years) and Sean Locklear, the blocking on this team simply hasn't been good enough to get back to where they were a year ago, even if Shaun Alexander and Matt Hasselbeck are playing in December (and beyond).
Sunday, October 22, 2006
NFL Week 7 Review
It was another wild and whacky week in the NFL. Let's review it all (or at least as much as I can remember):
Houston 27, Jacksonville 7 - This may have been the best 4 quarters of football the Houston Texans have ever played. From start to finish, they were an inspired group, outplaying the Jaguars every step of the way. Even in a season where they won't sniff the playoffs, this was the type of performance that should remind everyone of three things:
1. David Carr is a pretty good quarterback when you give him protection. He's mobil, he's an accurate passer and he's learning to not force things into tight coverage.
2. Andre Johnson is, once again, playing at a Pro Bowl level. He has the talent to make annual trips to Hawaii. Now that Carr has time to throw, the production is going to back that up.
3. Six games into his head coaching career, Gary Kubiak is way better than Dom Capers.
Ok, we already knew that last one before Sunday's game.
Kansas City 30, San Diego 27 - For the first time in 3 weeks, it was the Chiefs who were out in front early. Tony Gonzalez (6-138) finally showed up, and Larry Johnson has another huge day (28-132-2), but the real story is how well the Chiefs protected Damon Huard. The Chiefs nearly gave the game away, but they managed to overcome the late rally from San Diego, and earned themselves a huge divisional win.
Cincinnati 17, Carolina 14 - On Cincinnati's first touchdown drive, Ken Lucas intercepted a Carson Palmer pass, only to have it negated by an illegal contact penalty. A few plays later, Lucas let a sure interception slip through his hands. That was the story of the day. This was a must-win game for the Bengals, and Cincinnati played like it. They dominated the time of possession, played great 3rd down defense, and took advantage of the Panthers missed opportunities.
New England 28, Cincinnati 6 - Who didn't see this romp coming a mile away? JP Losman turned the ball over 3 times, and New England rolls to an easy 28-6 win. The Patriots didn't do anything flashy, but they never needed to. Quietly, the Patriots are 5-1. But they're not running away with the division because...
NY Jets 31, Detroit 24 - The Jets two-headed rushing attack of Leon Washington and Kevan Barlow controlled the game with 178 yards and a trifecta of touchdown. The Jets shut down Roy Williams (2-29-1), and intercepted Jon Kitna twice. Since it came at the expense of the Detroit Lions, I really shouldn't get too ahead of myself, but Johnathan Vilma is starting to regain his rookie form.
Atlanta 41, Pittsburgh 38 (OT) - How do you briefly recap this one? Let's see, Mike Vick throws 4 touchdown passes, Alge Crumpler and Hines Ward each catch 3 TD passes (though you can give Ward extra credit for scoring one despite not having one cleat for nearly half the play. After throwing 3 TD passes, Big Ben is knocked unconscious, but Chaz Batch comes in and goes 8-13 for 195 yards with 2 TD passes of his own. And the game ends when 46-year old Morten Anderson drills a 32-yard field goal on overtime.
The Steelers are now 2-4, couldn't run the ball against the Falcons, and will spend another week wondering about the health status of Roethlisberger.
Tampa Bay 23, Philadelphia 21 - Donovan McNabb left everything on the field. And if you watched this game, you'd know I mean that literally. With temps in the 90s, McNabb "deposited his groceries" while reading the defense on a key 4th quarter play. Denver's Patrick Chukwaruh has nothing on him. Unlike the last time the McNabb vomited on a Floridian football field, he kept it together and engineered a 4th quarterback comeback for the ages. And then the Eagles lost when Matt Bryant, who hadn't hit a field goal longer than 28 yards heading into Sunday, booted a prayer of a 62-yard field goal as time expired.
Green Bay 34, Miami 24 - Towards the end of the game, the fans in Miami were chanting "Here we go, Packers, here we go". 'Nuff said. It was nice seeing Brett Favre having fun again, though.
Denver 17, Cleveland 7 - I just hope that whoever was watching this game wasn't operating heavy machinery. Denver has the ball for nearly 40 minutes, and got a huge day out of rookie DE Elvis Dumervil (3 sacks, which I refer to as a "Sack Trick"). The last time Dumervil received notice on the gridiron was when Marcus Vick stomped on his leg.
Oakland 22, Arizona 9 - It's easy to pile on, but when is someone going to say to Dennis Green, "Hey Dennis. You are what we thought you were". In the last 6 days, Edgerrin James has carried the ball 49 times...and gained 90 yards. The national media may have been ready to crown the Bears, but we got another hat for you, Coach Green. A dunce cap.
Indianapolis 36, Washington 22 - In the first half, the Redskins were bending Peyton Manning like a pretzel. In the second half, it was Manning twisting the Redskins secondary. Three third quarter touchdown passes, two to Marvin Harrison, gave the Colts the convincing win we've been waiting for, and extending the Colts to a perfect 6-0 in '06.
I'm gonig to appeal to Tony Dungy and Joe Gibbs for a moment:
Coach Gibbs: As much as I admire Mark Brunell's grit, your team is 2-5. It's time to see what Jason Campbell can do. I know that thanks to a spendthrift owner, you're expected to be in the playoffs every year. I know that 90,000 people aren't going to pour into FedEx Field to see a rookie take his lumps, but this isn't your year.
Coach Dungy: Dominic Rhodes had 26 yards on 13 carries. Joseph Addai had 85 yards on 11 carries. I think the boys have made your decision rather easy.
Minnesota 31, Seattle 13 - On the Seahawks first drive of the game, Matt Hasselbeck called an audible to beat the blitz. He threw a quick strike to Darrell Jackson, who took the ball 72 yards to the house, giving the Seahawks a 7-3 lead. And that's all I have to say about this game...
Or is it?
Black Sunday
Every Seattle Seahawks fan will be saying a prayer tonight that Matthew Hasselbeck's MRI shows no tearing of a ligament in Hasselbeck's right knee. It's not so much that they don't "have faith" in Seneca Wallace, it's just that they know who this team's MVP really is. And team's don't go very far in January without their best, and most important, player.
More on this story tomorrow.
Lights Out for "Lights Out"
Chris Mortensen at ESPN.com has broken the news that the NFL's reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year, Shawne Merriman, will be suspended for steroids.
With Shaun Phillips hurt in Sunday's game in Kansas City, and Steve Foley already out for the year after being shot 3 times before the season (The NFL...it's FAN-TASTIC!), the Chargers defense will be seriously depleted. Couldn't have at a worse time for the Chargers. The 4 games Merriman will miss include dates with a frisky Rams team, and road games against Cincinnati and Denver, who they'll be battling with for playoff spots.
Sappy Note of the Day
It seems as though not a week can go by without an NFL player (or coach) isn't involved in some off-field incident that requires the involvement of the authorities. The story usually grabs front-page headlines, and millions flock to websites and tune into ESPN to read all the sordid details of how so-and-so is the most vile individual on the planet.
What gets very little publicity is how there are some NFL players whose involvement in their communities are not done so by court order. In fact, the majority of NFL players take an active role in the cities they play in, whether it's by setting up charitable foundations or simply getting involved in locally run programs.
Kudos to ESPN for showing this side of the league. In case you missed ESPN's pre-game show, they had the story of Andrew Geracoulis, who through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, got to spend some time with New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi.
Mac's Game Balls
Offense: Peyton Manning, Indianapolis. Manning will definitely be sore tomorrow, but 342 yards and 4 touchdowns are worth it.
Defense: Ronde Barber, Tampa Bay. Barber had two interceptions, returned them both for touchdowns, and the Bucs still nearly lost. Fortunately, Matt Bryant came to the rescue, but none of it would've happened without Barber.
Special Teams: Matt Bryant, Tampa Bay. When you kick a 62-yard game-winning field goal, you've just earned yourself a game ball.
Monday Night Prediction
I just have a feeling that the Giants are going to struggle offensively, and I see Drew Bledsoe hitting Terry Glenn for a few scores. How does Cowboys 21, Giants 14 sound?
Houston 27, Jacksonville 7 - This may have been the best 4 quarters of football the Houston Texans have ever played. From start to finish, they were an inspired group, outplaying the Jaguars every step of the way. Even in a season where they won't sniff the playoffs, this was the type of performance that should remind everyone of three things:
1. David Carr is a pretty good quarterback when you give him protection. He's mobil, he's an accurate passer and he's learning to not force things into tight coverage.
2. Andre Johnson is, once again, playing at a Pro Bowl level. He has the talent to make annual trips to Hawaii. Now that Carr has time to throw, the production is going to back that up.
3. Six games into his head coaching career, Gary Kubiak is way better than Dom Capers.
Ok, we already knew that last one before Sunday's game.
Kansas City 30, San Diego 27 - For the first time in 3 weeks, it was the Chiefs who were out in front early. Tony Gonzalez (6-138) finally showed up, and Larry Johnson has another huge day (28-132-2), but the real story is how well the Chiefs protected Damon Huard. The Chiefs nearly gave the game away, but they managed to overcome the late rally from San Diego, and earned themselves a huge divisional win.
Cincinnati 17, Carolina 14 - On Cincinnati's first touchdown drive, Ken Lucas intercepted a Carson Palmer pass, only to have it negated by an illegal contact penalty. A few plays later, Lucas let a sure interception slip through his hands. That was the story of the day. This was a must-win game for the Bengals, and Cincinnati played like it. They dominated the time of possession, played great 3rd down defense, and took advantage of the Panthers missed opportunities.
New England 28, Cincinnati 6 - Who didn't see this romp coming a mile away? JP Losman turned the ball over 3 times, and New England rolls to an easy 28-6 win. The Patriots didn't do anything flashy, but they never needed to. Quietly, the Patriots are 5-1. But they're not running away with the division because...
NY Jets 31, Detroit 24 - The Jets two-headed rushing attack of Leon Washington and Kevan Barlow controlled the game with 178 yards and a trifecta of touchdown. The Jets shut down Roy Williams (2-29-1), and intercepted Jon Kitna twice. Since it came at the expense of the Detroit Lions, I really shouldn't get too ahead of myself, but Johnathan Vilma is starting to regain his rookie form.
Atlanta 41, Pittsburgh 38 (OT) - How do you briefly recap this one? Let's see, Mike Vick throws 4 touchdown passes, Alge Crumpler and Hines Ward each catch 3 TD passes (though you can give Ward extra credit for scoring one despite not having one cleat for nearly half the play. After throwing 3 TD passes, Big Ben is knocked unconscious, but Chaz Batch comes in and goes 8-13 for 195 yards with 2 TD passes of his own. And the game ends when 46-year old Morten Anderson drills a 32-yard field goal on overtime.
The Steelers are now 2-4, couldn't run the ball against the Falcons, and will spend another week wondering about the health status of Roethlisberger.
Tampa Bay 23, Philadelphia 21 - Donovan McNabb left everything on the field. And if you watched this game, you'd know I mean that literally. With temps in the 90s, McNabb "deposited his groceries" while reading the defense on a key 4th quarter play. Denver's Patrick Chukwaruh has nothing on him. Unlike the last time the McNabb vomited on a Floridian football field, he kept it together and engineered a 4th quarterback comeback for the ages. And then the Eagles lost when Matt Bryant, who hadn't hit a field goal longer than 28 yards heading into Sunday, booted a prayer of a 62-yard field goal as time expired.
Green Bay 34, Miami 24 - Towards the end of the game, the fans in Miami were chanting "Here we go, Packers, here we go". 'Nuff said. It was nice seeing Brett Favre having fun again, though.
Denver 17, Cleveland 7 - I just hope that whoever was watching this game wasn't operating heavy machinery. Denver has the ball for nearly 40 minutes, and got a huge day out of rookie DE Elvis Dumervil (3 sacks, which I refer to as a "Sack Trick"). The last time Dumervil received notice on the gridiron was when Marcus Vick stomped on his leg.
Oakland 22, Arizona 9 - It's easy to pile on, but when is someone going to say to Dennis Green, "Hey Dennis. You are what we thought you were". In the last 6 days, Edgerrin James has carried the ball 49 times...and gained 90 yards. The national media may have been ready to crown the Bears, but we got another hat for you, Coach Green. A dunce cap.
Indianapolis 36, Washington 22 - In the first half, the Redskins were bending Peyton Manning like a pretzel. In the second half, it was Manning twisting the Redskins secondary. Three third quarter touchdown passes, two to Marvin Harrison, gave the Colts the convincing win we've been waiting for, and extending the Colts to a perfect 6-0 in '06.
I'm gonig to appeal to Tony Dungy and Joe Gibbs for a moment:
Coach Gibbs: As much as I admire Mark Brunell's grit, your team is 2-5. It's time to see what Jason Campbell can do. I know that thanks to a spendthrift owner, you're expected to be in the playoffs every year. I know that 90,000 people aren't going to pour into FedEx Field to see a rookie take his lumps, but this isn't your year.
Coach Dungy: Dominic Rhodes had 26 yards on 13 carries. Joseph Addai had 85 yards on 11 carries. I think the boys have made your decision rather easy.
Minnesota 31, Seattle 13 - On the Seahawks first drive of the game, Matt Hasselbeck called an audible to beat the blitz. He threw a quick strike to Darrell Jackson, who took the ball 72 yards to the house, giving the Seahawks a 7-3 lead. And that's all I have to say about this game...
Or is it?
Black Sunday
Every Seattle Seahawks fan will be saying a prayer tonight that Matthew Hasselbeck's MRI shows no tearing of a ligament in Hasselbeck's right knee. It's not so much that they don't "have faith" in Seneca Wallace, it's just that they know who this team's MVP really is. And team's don't go very far in January without their best, and most important, player.
More on this story tomorrow.
Lights Out for "Lights Out"
Chris Mortensen at ESPN.com has broken the news that the NFL's reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year, Shawne Merriman, will be suspended for steroids.
With Shaun Phillips hurt in Sunday's game in Kansas City, and Steve Foley already out for the year after being shot 3 times before the season (The NFL...it's FAN-TASTIC!), the Chargers defense will be seriously depleted. Couldn't have at a worse time for the Chargers. The 4 games Merriman will miss include dates with a frisky Rams team, and road games against Cincinnati and Denver, who they'll be battling with for playoff spots.
Sappy Note of the Day
It seems as though not a week can go by without an NFL player (or coach) isn't involved in some off-field incident that requires the involvement of the authorities. The story usually grabs front-page headlines, and millions flock to websites and tune into ESPN to read all the sordid details of how so-and-so is the most vile individual on the planet.
What gets very little publicity is how there are some NFL players whose involvement in their communities are not done so by court order. In fact, the majority of NFL players take an active role in the cities they play in, whether it's by setting up charitable foundations or simply getting involved in locally run programs.
Kudos to ESPN for showing this side of the league. In case you missed ESPN's pre-game show, they had the story of Andrew Geracoulis, who through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, got to spend some time with New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi.
Mac's Game Balls
Offense: Peyton Manning, Indianapolis. Manning will definitely be sore tomorrow, but 342 yards and 4 touchdowns are worth it.
Defense: Ronde Barber, Tampa Bay. Barber had two interceptions, returned them both for touchdowns, and the Bucs still nearly lost. Fortunately, Matt Bryant came to the rescue, but none of it would've happened without Barber.
Special Teams: Matt Bryant, Tampa Bay. When you kick a 62-yard game-winning field goal, you've just earned yourself a game ball.
Monday Night Prediction
I just have a feeling that the Giants are going to struggle offensively, and I see Drew Bledsoe hitting Terry Glenn for a few scores. How does Cowboys 21, Giants 14 sound?
Friday, October 20, 2006
NFL Week 7 - Mac's Picks
In a few years, I’ll look back on my Dom Capers-like predictions record in 2006 and I’ll point to the events of October 15-16, 2006 as an example on how whacky and unpredictable this NFL season was.
The winless Tennessee Titans go into Washington (one of the hardest places for visiting teams to play) and beat the heavily favored Redskins. The winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers holds Cincinnati, an AFC powerhouse, to 13 points and wins in an upset 14-13. (Though I’d say Mike Carey, one of the league’s best officials, generously extended the Bucs touchdown drive with a bogus roughing-the-passer penalty)
The steady play of Drew Brees, and smart play-calling by Sean Payton, keeps Donovan McNabb, the early favorite for NFL MVP, on the sidelines for the game’s final 8 minutes and 26 seconds, as they march down the field to kick the game-winning field goal as time expires. Everyone knows about the 2-minute offense, and most people know about the 4-minute offense. Thanks to Sean Payton, we know have the 8-minute offense.
St. Louis appeared to have stuck the dagger in the hearts of the Seahawks with Torry Holt’s miraculous 67-yard touchdown catch that gave the Rams the 28-27 lead with less than 2 minutes to go in the game. Game over, right? Nope. Seattle easily drives the ball into Josh Brown’s field goal range, and Brown drills a 54-yarder to win the game.
In Dallas, the Cowboys trail the Houston Texans 6-3 at the half, which leads to a Terrell Owens explosion. Only Owens doesn’t erupt on his usual victims (Todd Haley, Drew Bledsoe, pill bottles), he takes his frustrations out on the Texans secondary, torching them for 3 second-half touchdowns in a 34-6 blowout.
And then on Monday night, the Arizona Cardinals lead 20-0 at the half, force six Rex Grossman turnovers and don’t allow the Bears offense into the end zone…and Chicago wins, 24-23.
What set of stars had to align for the events of last week to unfold the way they did? Should we be stocking up on canned goods and bottled water?
Last Week: 4-9
Season: 36-47-4
Carolina at Cincinnati (-3 ½) – With the Pittsburgh Steelers suddenly breathing down their necks, this is pretty much a must-win game for the Bengals. Ever since the offensive line was hit with a rash of injuries, and Chris Henry was suspended, the offense hasn’t been able to do much of anything. Going up against Carolina, particularly Julius Peppers, it won’t get any easier.
Will the Panthers 4-0 record since Steve Smith returned from a hamstring injury vault him into the MVP discussion? It should. Pick: Panthers +3 ½
Detroit at NY Jets (-3 ½) – Does anyone realize that if the Jets beat Detroit this week and Cleveland next week, New York will be 5-3 when they head into the bye week? If you look at their schedule, the Jets could win 9 games this year. Hey, I’m just saying it’s possible.
Detroit has won a whopping 5 road games this decade, and with their best player (Shaun Rogers) serving a 4-game suspension, I think that number will remain unchanged. Pick: Jets -3 ½
Green Bay at Miami (-4) – Since Chicago is off this week, Kyle Orton will able to attend the reunion of the 2005 NFC North Starting Quarterbacks this Sunday. I heard there’s going to be a seminar on clipboard carrying, and afterwards, a meet-and-great with Eric Hipple, Lynn Dickey and Shane Matthews! Pick: Packers +4 (I still refuse to take Miami in any game for the rest of 2006)
Jacksonville (-9 ½) at Houston – You don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to see that when David Carr struggles, the Texans go nowhere. Hell, even when he excels, the Texans go nowhere. This week, Carr & Co. get to face a Jaguars team that is pretty good (9th) against the pass, so I think this will be more of the “Carr struggles, Texans lose” variety.
Now, if we can just find out who that mystery man is that has been wearing Rashean Mathis’ jersey this year…Pick: Jaguars –9 ½
New England (-5 ½) at Buffalo – The Bills may be a scrappy bunch, but they’re a very young team that’ll be matching up against an older, more experienced New England Patriots. With two weeks to prepare, and Tom Brady going up against a pair of rookie safeties, how can you not like the Pats this week? Pick: Patriots –5 ½
Philadelphia (-5) at Tampa Bay – The Eagles strike me as the type of team that know how to respond to a loss. Going up against a Buccaneers team that was waving a white flag at the 2006 season earlier in the week, this one has all the making of a blowout. Pick: Eagles -5
Pittsburgh (-1 ½) at Atlanta – Beating Kansas City, at home, by a score of 45-7 doesn’t prove to me that Pittsburgh is suddenly “back”. I think it just shows that they’re capable of pummeling an inferior, mistake-prone team that was playing with a journeyman quarterback, by a very wide margin.
I snuck some glances at the Falcons-Giants game last week, and I wonder if any team does less with the talent they have than the Atlanta Falcons? They have talent all over the place, but for some reason, they can’t seem to put it all together. At this point, shouldn’t Jim Mora be sensing an increase in the temperature of his seat? Pick: Steelers -1 ½
San Diego (-5 ½) at Kansas City – Arrowhead Stadium is a notoriously tough place to play in, especially if you’re an AFC West rival. Kansas City Chiefs fans are loyal, loud and clad in red. They’ll be ready for this game. The bigger question is will the Chiefs players be ready for this game? They were just embarrassed a week ago, and the struggling offense has shown no signs of life. After ranking 1st in the NFL in total offense during the 2004 and 2005 seasons, the absence of Trent Green, Willie Roaf and Al Saunders has dropped the Chiefs to 26th.
I wasn’t sold on the Chargers before the season, but the more I see, the more I like. The defense is nasty, and while “Martyball” isn’t aesthetically pleasing, it’s getting the job done. Pick: Chargers -5 ½
Denver (-4 ½) at Cleveland – I’ll make 3 guarantees about this game:
- CBS will show plenty of clips from “The Drive”
- CBS will show plenty of clips of Ernest Byner’s fumble during the 1987 AFC Championship game
- Everyone in Cleveland will hate CBS
Pick: Broncos -4 ½
Arizona (-2 ½) at Oakland – The one bright spot in Arizona this year has been Matt Leinart. I’ve got to admit that I didn’t expect much from Leinart. I, too, thought he had a “Hollywood” mentality and wouldn’t be too concerned with putting in the work necessary for him to become a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback. After watching both of his starts, I’ve come to realize that Leinart’s talent has him closer to that level than most quarterbacks are when they’re coming out of college.
Few people outside of Arizona and the Bay Area will be watching this, but there are some things worth tuning in for:
- Oakland is one of the teams that probably should’ve drafted a quarterback last April, but they passed on Matt Leinart. Don’t think Leinart isn’t aware of that.
- How do the Cardinals respond after being the unwitting recipient of the stomach punch to end all stomach punches?
- How many times will FOX show a split-screen of Art Shell and Dennis Green? When they are in a split-screen, how many times will both coaches have a stunned look on their face?
- When Anquan Boldin makes his 1st catch of the day, he’ll be the fastest player in NFL history to reach 300 catches in his career. Since we know he won’t be shut out on Sunday, he’ll reach that milestone in just 46 games.
To top it all off, FOX is going to defy every law of physics, and will somehow cram Tony Siragusa into the booth for this game. Pick: Cardinals -2 ½
(Waking up Tuesday morning and seeing “at Oakland” on the schedule had to take some of the sting out of blowing that Monday night game, right? Um…right?)
Minnesota at Seattle (-6 ½) – Steve Hutchinson is a left guard who went out got the best deal he possibly could. There is a business side to the NFL, and while it’s not pretty, I can’t hold it against him for doing what he needed to do. As a Seahawks fan, it would’ve been nice if Hutchinson had stayed in Seattle. The again, if he was here would the Seahawks have Julian Peterson and Deion Branch? Probably not, and I think it’s harder to find impact players like that than it is to find an interior offensive lineman, even one as great as Hutchinson.
I’m still not sold on the Vikings. Offensively, they’ve struggled, and while the defense is good (5th in the NFL), have they played any team with a decent offense? Sure, they played Carolina in Week 2, but the Panthers were without Steve Smith (and gave that game away with poor special teams play). Pick: Seahawks -6 ½
Ten Second Runoff Rule (-10) over Scott Linehan – I have to mention this, and since the Rams have a bye week, I’m stealing a long-running gag from Bill Simmons to do so.
After Mike Martz was fired, I was worried that I wouldn’t have another coach in the NFC West to re-direct the hatred I felt towards Captain Tinfoil. My dislike of Martz began the day the Seahawks choked away a 17-point lead in the 4th quarter against St. Louis, and I had to watch Martz jubilantly celebrating on the field. That image drove me nuts, and when he was fired, I wondered if I could ever feel the same way about his replacement, Scott Linehan.
The torch was officially passed with Linehan’s on-field display in the game’s final 4 seconds, as well as his complaining about the “integrity of the 10-second runoff” rule in his post-game press conference.
Thanks, Scott!
Washington at Indianapolis (-9 ½) – Is it possible that the Colts have been playing possum this year? After years of dominating during the regular season, and checking out early in January, could the Colts have decided to hold back a bit during the early part of the year to avoid peaking too early or to decrease the pressure put on them when they head into the playoffs? Pick: Colts -9 ½
NY Giants at Dallas (-3) – Monday Night Football is the ideal platform for two of the NFL’s biggest drama queens to do battle.
The challenger, the New York Giants, have seem players complain to union officials about Tom Coughlin’s off-season regiment. One of their star players, Jeremy Shockey, recently called out the coaching staff, claiming they were “out-coached” against Seattle. And this week, Tiki Barber has been anything but subtle about this year possibly being his last in the NFL.
No team has more drama than the Dallas Cowboys. Between Jerry Jones’ bizarre facelifts, Bill Parcells ever-expanding ego (and bra size), and Terrell Owens’ “25 million reasons to live”, the ‘Boys are filled to the brim with the stuff.
Both teams will give ESPN’s MNF crew plenty to talk about. So much, in fact, that maybe we’ll go a week without hearing about Kornheiser’s fantasy football team. Pick: Cowboys –3
The winless Tennessee Titans go into Washington (one of the hardest places for visiting teams to play) and beat the heavily favored Redskins. The winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers holds Cincinnati, an AFC powerhouse, to 13 points and wins in an upset 14-13. (Though I’d say Mike Carey, one of the league’s best officials, generously extended the Bucs touchdown drive with a bogus roughing-the-passer penalty)
The steady play of Drew Brees, and smart play-calling by Sean Payton, keeps Donovan McNabb, the early favorite for NFL MVP, on the sidelines for the game’s final 8 minutes and 26 seconds, as they march down the field to kick the game-winning field goal as time expires. Everyone knows about the 2-minute offense, and most people know about the 4-minute offense. Thanks to Sean Payton, we know have the 8-minute offense.
St. Louis appeared to have stuck the dagger in the hearts of the Seahawks with Torry Holt’s miraculous 67-yard touchdown catch that gave the Rams the 28-27 lead with less than 2 minutes to go in the game. Game over, right? Nope. Seattle easily drives the ball into Josh Brown’s field goal range, and Brown drills a 54-yarder to win the game.
In Dallas, the Cowboys trail the Houston Texans 6-3 at the half, which leads to a Terrell Owens explosion. Only Owens doesn’t erupt on his usual victims (Todd Haley, Drew Bledsoe, pill bottles), he takes his frustrations out on the Texans secondary, torching them for 3 second-half touchdowns in a 34-6 blowout.
And then on Monday night, the Arizona Cardinals lead 20-0 at the half, force six Rex Grossman turnovers and don’t allow the Bears offense into the end zone…and Chicago wins, 24-23.
What set of stars had to align for the events of last week to unfold the way they did? Should we be stocking up on canned goods and bottled water?
Last Week: 4-9
Season: 36-47-4
Carolina at Cincinnati (-3 ½) – With the Pittsburgh Steelers suddenly breathing down their necks, this is pretty much a must-win game for the Bengals. Ever since the offensive line was hit with a rash of injuries, and Chris Henry was suspended, the offense hasn’t been able to do much of anything. Going up against Carolina, particularly Julius Peppers, it won’t get any easier.
Will the Panthers 4-0 record since Steve Smith returned from a hamstring injury vault him into the MVP discussion? It should. Pick: Panthers +3 ½
Detroit at NY Jets (-3 ½) – Does anyone realize that if the Jets beat Detroit this week and Cleveland next week, New York will be 5-3 when they head into the bye week? If you look at their schedule, the Jets could win 9 games this year. Hey, I’m just saying it’s possible.
Detroit has won a whopping 5 road games this decade, and with their best player (Shaun Rogers) serving a 4-game suspension, I think that number will remain unchanged. Pick: Jets -3 ½
Green Bay at Miami (-4) – Since Chicago is off this week, Kyle Orton will able to attend the reunion of the 2005 NFC North Starting Quarterbacks this Sunday. I heard there’s going to be a seminar on clipboard carrying, and afterwards, a meet-and-great with Eric Hipple, Lynn Dickey and Shane Matthews! Pick: Packers +4 (I still refuse to take Miami in any game for the rest of 2006)
Jacksonville (-9 ½) at Houston – You don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to see that when David Carr struggles, the Texans go nowhere. Hell, even when he excels, the Texans go nowhere. This week, Carr & Co. get to face a Jaguars team that is pretty good (9th) against the pass, so I think this will be more of the “Carr struggles, Texans lose” variety.
Now, if we can just find out who that mystery man is that has been wearing Rashean Mathis’ jersey this year…Pick: Jaguars –9 ½
New England (-5 ½) at Buffalo – The Bills may be a scrappy bunch, but they’re a very young team that’ll be matching up against an older, more experienced New England Patriots. With two weeks to prepare, and Tom Brady going up against a pair of rookie safeties, how can you not like the Pats this week? Pick: Patriots –5 ½
Philadelphia (-5) at Tampa Bay – The Eagles strike me as the type of team that know how to respond to a loss. Going up against a Buccaneers team that was waving a white flag at the 2006 season earlier in the week, this one has all the making of a blowout. Pick: Eagles -5
Pittsburgh (-1 ½) at Atlanta – Beating Kansas City, at home, by a score of 45-7 doesn’t prove to me that Pittsburgh is suddenly “back”. I think it just shows that they’re capable of pummeling an inferior, mistake-prone team that was playing with a journeyman quarterback, by a very wide margin.
I snuck some glances at the Falcons-Giants game last week, and I wonder if any team does less with the talent they have than the Atlanta Falcons? They have talent all over the place, but for some reason, they can’t seem to put it all together. At this point, shouldn’t Jim Mora be sensing an increase in the temperature of his seat? Pick: Steelers -1 ½
San Diego (-5 ½) at Kansas City – Arrowhead Stadium is a notoriously tough place to play in, especially if you’re an AFC West rival. Kansas City Chiefs fans are loyal, loud and clad in red. They’ll be ready for this game. The bigger question is will the Chiefs players be ready for this game? They were just embarrassed a week ago, and the struggling offense has shown no signs of life. After ranking 1st in the NFL in total offense during the 2004 and 2005 seasons, the absence of Trent Green, Willie Roaf and Al Saunders has dropped the Chiefs to 26th.
I wasn’t sold on the Chargers before the season, but the more I see, the more I like. The defense is nasty, and while “Martyball” isn’t aesthetically pleasing, it’s getting the job done. Pick: Chargers -5 ½
Denver (-4 ½) at Cleveland – I’ll make 3 guarantees about this game:
- CBS will show plenty of clips from “The Drive”
- CBS will show plenty of clips of Ernest Byner’s fumble during the 1987 AFC Championship game
- Everyone in Cleveland will hate CBS
Pick: Broncos -4 ½
Arizona (-2 ½) at Oakland – The one bright spot in Arizona this year has been Matt Leinart. I’ve got to admit that I didn’t expect much from Leinart. I, too, thought he had a “Hollywood” mentality and wouldn’t be too concerned with putting in the work necessary for him to become a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback. After watching both of his starts, I’ve come to realize that Leinart’s talent has him closer to that level than most quarterbacks are when they’re coming out of college.
Few people outside of Arizona and the Bay Area will be watching this, but there are some things worth tuning in for:
- Oakland is one of the teams that probably should’ve drafted a quarterback last April, but they passed on Matt Leinart. Don’t think Leinart isn’t aware of that.
- How do the Cardinals respond after being the unwitting recipient of the stomach punch to end all stomach punches?
- How many times will FOX show a split-screen of Art Shell and Dennis Green? When they are in a split-screen, how many times will both coaches have a stunned look on their face?
- When Anquan Boldin makes his 1st catch of the day, he’ll be the fastest player in NFL history to reach 300 catches in his career. Since we know he won’t be shut out on Sunday, he’ll reach that milestone in just 46 games.
To top it all off, FOX is going to defy every law of physics, and will somehow cram Tony Siragusa into the booth for this game. Pick: Cardinals -2 ½
(Waking up Tuesday morning and seeing “at Oakland” on the schedule had to take some of the sting out of blowing that Monday night game, right? Um…right?)
Minnesota at Seattle (-6 ½) – Steve Hutchinson is a left guard who went out got the best deal he possibly could. There is a business side to the NFL, and while it’s not pretty, I can’t hold it against him for doing what he needed to do. As a Seahawks fan, it would’ve been nice if Hutchinson had stayed in Seattle. The again, if he was here would the Seahawks have Julian Peterson and Deion Branch? Probably not, and I think it’s harder to find impact players like that than it is to find an interior offensive lineman, even one as great as Hutchinson.
I’m still not sold on the Vikings. Offensively, they’ve struggled, and while the defense is good (5th in the NFL), have they played any team with a decent offense? Sure, they played Carolina in Week 2, but the Panthers were without Steve Smith (and gave that game away with poor special teams play). Pick: Seahawks -6 ½
Ten Second Runoff Rule (-10) over Scott Linehan – I have to mention this, and since the Rams have a bye week, I’m stealing a long-running gag from Bill Simmons to do so.
After Mike Martz was fired, I was worried that I wouldn’t have another coach in the NFC West to re-direct the hatred I felt towards Captain Tinfoil. My dislike of Martz began the day the Seahawks choked away a 17-point lead in the 4th quarter against St. Louis, and I had to watch Martz jubilantly celebrating on the field. That image drove me nuts, and when he was fired, I wondered if I could ever feel the same way about his replacement, Scott Linehan.
The torch was officially passed with Linehan’s on-field display in the game’s final 4 seconds, as well as his complaining about the “integrity of the 10-second runoff” rule in his post-game press conference.
Thanks, Scott!
Washington at Indianapolis (-9 ½) – Is it possible that the Colts have been playing possum this year? After years of dominating during the regular season, and checking out early in January, could the Colts have decided to hold back a bit during the early part of the year to avoid peaking too early or to decrease the pressure put on them when they head into the playoffs? Pick: Colts -9 ½
NY Giants at Dallas (-3) – Monday Night Football is the ideal platform for two of the NFL’s biggest drama queens to do battle.
The challenger, the New York Giants, have seem players complain to union officials about Tom Coughlin’s off-season regiment. One of their star players, Jeremy Shockey, recently called out the coaching staff, claiming they were “out-coached” against Seattle. And this week, Tiki Barber has been anything but subtle about this year possibly being his last in the NFL.
No team has more drama than the Dallas Cowboys. Between Jerry Jones’ bizarre facelifts, Bill Parcells ever-expanding ego (and bra size), and Terrell Owens’ “25 million reasons to live”, the ‘Boys are filled to the brim with the stuff.
Both teams will give ESPN’s MNF crew plenty to talk about. So much, in fact, that maybe we’ll go a week without hearing about Kornheiser’s fantasy football team. Pick: Cowboys –3
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
NFL Goes on Su-spending Spree
Below, I mentioned that the NFL had suspended Packers WR Koren Robinson for 1-year after repeatedly violating the NFL's Substance Abuse Policy.
Also on Tuesday, the NFL gave 4-game "timeouts" to a pair of lineman.
Atlanta Falcons guard Matt Lehr was suspended for 4 games for violating the league's steroid policy. He's eligible to return on November 13th. In the meantime, little used Tyson Clabo should start in his place.
Detroit Lions DT Shaun Rogers, a Pro Bowl talent and one of the league's highest paid defensive lineman, was given a 4-game suspension of his own for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.
Also on Tuesday, the NFL gave 4-game "timeouts" to a pair of lineman.
Atlanta Falcons guard Matt Lehr was suspended for 4 games for violating the league's steroid policy. He's eligible to return on November 13th. In the meantime, little used Tyson Clabo should start in his place.
Detroit Lions DT Shaun Rogers, a Pro Bowl talent and one of the league's highest paid defensive lineman, was given a 4-game suspension of his own for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.
Patriots to Fake It (in 2007)
It should come as no surprise that the NFL actually has a rule prohibiting teams from changing playing surfaces during the season, so the shift from natural grass to not-so-natural grass at Gillette Stadium will have to wait until 2007.
According to NFL.com, once filming for The Game Plan, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Kyra Sedgwick, wraps up on October 25th, the grounds crew can go ahead and lay some new sod down the middle of the field.
NFL.com has all the details here.
Koren Robinson Suspended...Again
According to the crawl on the NFL Network, Koren Robinson has been suspended by the NFL for one year. The earliest date Robinson can apply for reinstatement is September 18th, 2007.
Robinson's suspension is the result of his more recent run-in with Johnny Law. While at training camp with the Minnesota Vikings, Robinson tried to evade police officers in a high-speed pursuit. When finally apprehended, the smell of alcohol was emanating from the talented, but troubled, wide receiver. A breathalyzer test confirmed that Robinson was operating his motor vehicle above the .08 limit.
Robinson was sentenced to 90 days in a Washington state jail for violating the terms of his probation (failure to notify the court of a change in employment). Robinson has until February 28th, 2007 to report to jail to serve his time.
While it's debatable as to whether or not it's a good idea to give more free time to individuals who clearly don't know how to lawfully spend it, it's hard to argue from the position that Robinson does not deserve to be suspended. While I'm certain Robinson isn't a bad person, he isn't one that makes the right choices. Usually, those bad choices have culminated in criminal charges, therefore, the NFL is not the best place for him to be right now.
Here's hoping K-Rob (finally) gets his life in order.
According to NFL.com, once filming for The Game Plan, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Kyra Sedgwick, wraps up on October 25th, the grounds crew can go ahead and lay some new sod down the middle of the field.
NFL.com has all the details here.
Koren Robinson Suspended...Again
According to the crawl on the NFL Network, Koren Robinson has been suspended by the NFL for one year. The earliest date Robinson can apply for reinstatement is September 18th, 2007.
Robinson's suspension is the result of his more recent run-in with Johnny Law. While at training camp with the Minnesota Vikings, Robinson tried to evade police officers in a high-speed pursuit. When finally apprehended, the smell of alcohol was emanating from the talented, but troubled, wide receiver. A breathalyzer test confirmed that Robinson was operating his motor vehicle above the .08 limit.
Robinson was sentenced to 90 days in a Washington state jail for violating the terms of his probation (failure to notify the court of a change in employment). Robinson has until February 28th, 2007 to report to jail to serve his time.
While it's debatable as to whether or not it's a good idea to give more free time to individuals who clearly don't know how to lawfully spend it, it's hard to argue from the position that Robinson does not deserve to be suspended. While I'm certain Robinson isn't a bad person, he isn't one that makes the right choices. Usually, those bad choices have culminated in criminal charges, therefore, the NFL is not the best place for him to be right now.
Here's hoping K-Rob (finally) gets his life in order.
Patriots To Fake It
The surface at Gillette Stadium, home to the New England Patriots, is about to undergo some plastic surgery.
Even though Bill Belichick likely prefers the muddy track that the sod turf becomes late in the season, the bottom line is the playing surface at Gillette Stadium has been an embarassment to the team, and subsequently, the league. The NFL reportedly has ordered the Patriots to clean up their act, and the easiest way to do so is by installing a synthetic surface.
Contrary to what Joe Theismann stated on Monday Night Football 3 weeks ago, FieldTurf does not require a "breaking in" period. It does require getting some used to, but the surface installed (according to the article, it will be in place before the 11/26 home game against Chicago) does not get "matted down" like natural grass. It also isn't affected by other stadium events, like soccer games, rock concerts, etc...
In all, this is a good move by the NFL, and in the end, it'll be a good move for the Patriots. Bob Kraft's team is looked upon as a model franchise, now their field will have model looks.
Fassel Out As Ravens' Offensive Coordinator
WBAL in Baltimore is reporting that the Baltimore Ravens will announce that current offensive coordinator Jim Fassel is about to be named "former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Fassel".
Not a surprising manuever, considering that the Baltimore Ravens haven't improved as they hoped offensively, after acquiring an actual NFL quarterback (Steve McNair).
What is surprising is that Fassel, one of head coach Brian Billick's best friends, is the one on the chopping block for this. Billick is allegedly an "offensive genius", but look at his team's offensive ranks since he's been in Baltimore:
1999 - 14th
2000 - 14th
2001- 18th
2002 - 24th
2003 - 8th
2004 - 20th
2005 - 24th
Thus far in 2006, Baltimore ranks 21st. So while Fassel hasn't made much of a difference (he was hired as a consultant in 2004), he hasn't really hurt the cause, either.
Linehan Still Upset Over 10 Second Runoff Rules
St. Louis Rams head coach Scott Linehan is still expressing his displeasure that Ed Hochuli's officiating crew interpreted the 10 second runoff rule correctly.
From the AP article:
"If you have a long play now, what I would say is I think Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce should run up and snap the ball to each other," Linehan said. "Everybody stand still. It's an illegal formation -- there's only one guy on the ball and an ineligible taking the snap. Snap the ball and clock it. It's only a five-yard penalty, right?"
This isn't pick-up football, and the sight of two wide receivers attempting to complete a snap forty yards downfield, with no one around them, is likely going to mistaken as a bizarre public display of affection.
Rams defensive end Leonard Little continues to assert that he heard two fouls being called on the play, and that someone on the Seahawks committed a false start penalty. A false start penalty would've resulted in a 10-second runoff, but after reviewing the video of this game, no infraction of this nature exists, thus, no flag was thrown.
Even though Bill Belichick likely prefers the muddy track that the sod turf becomes late in the season, the bottom line is the playing surface at Gillette Stadium has been an embarassment to the team, and subsequently, the league. The NFL reportedly has ordered the Patriots to clean up their act, and the easiest way to do so is by installing a synthetic surface.
Contrary to what Joe Theismann stated on Monday Night Football 3 weeks ago, FieldTurf does not require a "breaking in" period. It does require getting some used to, but the surface installed (according to the article, it will be in place before the 11/26 home game against Chicago) does not get "matted down" like natural grass. It also isn't affected by other stadium events, like soccer games, rock concerts, etc...
In all, this is a good move by the NFL, and in the end, it'll be a good move for the Patriots. Bob Kraft's team is looked upon as a model franchise, now their field will have model looks.
Fassel Out As Ravens' Offensive Coordinator
WBAL in Baltimore is reporting that the Baltimore Ravens will announce that current offensive coordinator Jim Fassel is about to be named "former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Fassel".
Not a surprising manuever, considering that the Baltimore Ravens haven't improved as they hoped offensively, after acquiring an actual NFL quarterback (Steve McNair).
What is surprising is that Fassel, one of head coach Brian Billick's best friends, is the one on the chopping block for this. Billick is allegedly an "offensive genius", but look at his team's offensive ranks since he's been in Baltimore:
1999 - 14th
2000 - 14th
2001- 18th
2002 - 24th
2003 - 8th
2004 - 20th
2005 - 24th
Thus far in 2006, Baltimore ranks 21st. So while Fassel hasn't made much of a difference (he was hired as a consultant in 2004), he hasn't really hurt the cause, either.
Linehan Still Upset Over 10 Second Runoff Rules
St. Louis Rams head coach Scott Linehan is still expressing his displeasure that Ed Hochuli's officiating crew interpreted the 10 second runoff rule correctly.
From the AP article:
"If you have a long play now, what I would say is I think Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce should run up and snap the ball to each other," Linehan said. "Everybody stand still. It's an illegal formation -- there's only one guy on the ball and an ineligible taking the snap. Snap the ball and clock it. It's only a five-yard penalty, right?"
Linehan admitted the scenario isn't likely to play out often, but if it does, "you save approximately 10 to 15 seconds.
"I promise you they're going to have to figure out a way [to look at the rule] because that's what we're going to do," he said.
That's all well and good Scott, but are you really expecting the officials, who are anywhere from 10-40 years older than the players, to be in place to spot the ball and allow a snap to take place after a long completion?This isn't pick-up football, and the sight of two wide receivers attempting to complete a snap forty yards downfield, with no one around them, is likely going to mistaken as a bizarre public display of affection.
Rams defensive end Leonard Little continues to assert that he heard two fouls being called on the play, and that someone on the Seahawks committed a false start penalty. A false start penalty would've resulted in a 10-second runoff, but after reviewing the video of this game, no infraction of this nature exists, thus, no flag was thrown.
Dennis Green Tirade
Dennis Green goes nuts in his press conference.
A meltdown like this shows that maybe, just maybe, Green knows his job is on the line. Even with a Bidwell signing the paychecks, a 12-26 record since taking over the head coaching job doesn't bode well for Green.
The best part of that link is that at the end, there's a link to the video of Jim Mora's legendary tirade, which is much more entertaining than Green's outburst. Dennis appears as if he was going to cry a little.
A meltdown like this shows that maybe, just maybe, Green knows his job is on the line. Even with a Bidwell signing the paychecks, a 12-26 record since taking over the head coaching job doesn't bode well for Green.
The best part of that link is that at the end, there's a link to the video of Jim Mora's legendary tirade, which is much more entertaining than Green's outburst. Dennis appears as if he was going to cry a little.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Arizona Cardinals
They can spend $40 million dollars on a running back, draft the best QB prospect in the draft, and open up a new spaceship/football stadium, but none of that is enough to change the undeniable fact that the Arizona Cardinals are an abysmal franchise.
To have the Chicago Bears, who ESPN and other national media outlets are already having sized for Super Bowl rings, on the ropes with 23-3 lead with less than 10 seconds remaining in the 3rd quarter, and somehow manage to blow the game, is downright inexcusable.
You can't ask anything more from Matt Leinart. You can't ask for anything more from the defense, which forced SIX Rex Grossman turnovers and kept the "high-powered" Bears offense out of the end zone.
What it comes down to is poor coaching. Why, on planet Earth, would any team with a 6-point lead late in the 4th quarter throw passes on 2nd and 3rd-and-12, when the opportunity is there to force the Bears to use all their timeouts? Sure, James likely wouldn't have gained any yardage, and the Bears still would've gotten the ball back with plenty of time to score the go-ahead touchdown, but you accomplish nothing when you stop the clock for the other team and allow them to conserve timeouts. Running the ball, even if for minimal gains, is the standard operating procedure in that scenario.
What would compel a special teams coach to neglect to inform his punter that he needs to kick the ball away from the dangerous Devin Hester, the Bears return man?
The way the Cardinals lost this game is a clear sign that the captain steering the ship is grossly incompetent. This is the second season in a row where the Cardinals have entered the regular season with enough talent on both sides of the ball to warrant lofty expectations, and this will be the second season in a row where, for some reason, the Cardinals will fail to live up to them.
Towards the end of the broadcast, after Neil Rackers missed what is, for him, a chip-shot field goal and Rex Grossman was taking a knee to run out the clock, one of the talking heads on ESPN mentioned that the Cardinals felt heading into the MNF game that they should've been 3-2, and now they'll feel like they should be 4-2. Guess what, Cardinals? You're 1-5, and you can go ahead and make vacation plans in early January.
To have the Chicago Bears, who ESPN and other national media outlets are already having sized for Super Bowl rings, on the ropes with 23-3 lead with less than 10 seconds remaining in the 3rd quarter, and somehow manage to blow the game, is downright inexcusable.
You can't ask anything more from Matt Leinart. You can't ask for anything more from the defense, which forced SIX Rex Grossman turnovers and kept the "high-powered" Bears offense out of the end zone.
What it comes down to is poor coaching. Why, on planet Earth, would any team with a 6-point lead late in the 4th quarter throw passes on 2nd and 3rd-and-12, when the opportunity is there to force the Bears to use all their timeouts? Sure, James likely wouldn't have gained any yardage, and the Bears still would've gotten the ball back with plenty of time to score the go-ahead touchdown, but you accomplish nothing when you stop the clock for the other team and allow them to conserve timeouts. Running the ball, even if for minimal gains, is the standard operating procedure in that scenario.
What would compel a special teams coach to neglect to inform his punter that he needs to kick the ball away from the dangerous Devin Hester, the Bears return man?
The way the Cardinals lost this game is a clear sign that the captain steering the ship is grossly incompetent. This is the second season in a row where the Cardinals have entered the regular season with enough talent on both sides of the ball to warrant lofty expectations, and this will be the second season in a row where, for some reason, the Cardinals will fail to live up to them.
Towards the end of the broadcast, after Neil Rackers missed what is, for him, a chip-shot field goal and Rex Grossman was taking a knee to run out the clock, one of the talking heads on ESPN mentioned that the Cardinals felt heading into the MNF game that they should've been 3-2, and now they'll feel like they should be 4-2. Guess what, Cardinals? You're 1-5, and you can go ahead and make vacation plans in early January.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Rams Send Hargrove to Buffalo
After going AWOL earlier this season, the St. Louis Rams have traded DE Anthony Hargrove to the Buffalo Bills for a 5th round draft choice.
It wasn't a trade, but recently released veteran Troy Vincent has signed with the Washington Redskins. I'm not surprised that Vincent signed somewhere, I'm just a bit stunned that he signed with the 2-4 Redskins. Usually, guys in their 15th season want to go someplace where they have a chance to, you know, win.
Putting the "U" in UGLY
I'm sure we've all had a chance to see the footage from the brawl between the University of Miami and Florida International University last Saturday night, and some of the punishments have been handed down.
And FIU wins, 18-13! FIU will be without 18 players when they play Alabama, while the "U" will be without a baker's dozen of their student/athletes when they play Duke. Not that it matters, as anyone could beat Duke. Heck, Larry Coker should send Nick Saban and the Dolphins to that one, just to make it a close game.
As troubling as this brawl was, the most disappointing aspect of the incident were the comments made on-air by CSS broadcaster Lamar Thomas (Univ. of Miami class of '93). Thomas will likely be disciplined, if not terminated, by his employer for his stoopid comments on Saturday night. And the more I think about it, the more I agree with that Thomas absolutely needs to go.
Lamar Thomas graduated from the University of Miami nearly 15 years ago. He's 36 years old, is a former NFL football player and he should be at the point in his life where he understands that swinging your helmet and stomping on players with your cleats is the wrong choice.
Thomas likely didn't say anything that other former Hurricanes were thinking, and that's the downside of the suspended adolenscence so many of their former players live in. At some point, you have to grow up. And while it's all well and good to go back and support your alma mater, it's another thing to foster the turd-like behavior that program is more well known for.
It wasn't a trade, but recently released veteran Troy Vincent has signed with the Washington Redskins. I'm not surprised that Vincent signed somewhere, I'm just a bit stunned that he signed with the 2-4 Redskins. Usually, guys in their 15th season want to go someplace where they have a chance to, you know, win.
Putting the "U" in UGLY
I'm sure we've all had a chance to see the footage from the brawl between the University of Miami and Florida International University last Saturday night, and some of the punishments have been handed down.
And FIU wins, 18-13! FIU will be without 18 players when they play Alabama, while the "U" will be without a baker's dozen of their student/athletes when they play Duke. Not that it matters, as anyone could beat Duke. Heck, Larry Coker should send Nick Saban and the Dolphins to that one, just to make it a close game.
As troubling as this brawl was, the most disappointing aspect of the incident were the comments made on-air by CSS broadcaster Lamar Thomas (Univ. of Miami class of '93). Thomas will likely be disciplined, if not terminated, by his employer for his stoopid comments on Saturday night. And the more I think about it, the more I agree with that Thomas absolutely needs to go.
Lamar Thomas graduated from the University of Miami nearly 15 years ago. He's 36 years old, is a former NFL football player and he should be at the point in his life where he understands that swinging your helmet and stomping on players with your cleats is the wrong choice.
Thomas likely didn't say anything that other former Hurricanes were thinking, and that's the downside of the suspended adolenscence so many of their former players live in. At some point, you have to grow up. And while it's all well and good to go back and support your alma mater, it's another thing to foster the turd-like behavior that program is more well known for.
NFL Week 6 Review
Tennessee, Tampa Bay, Detroit and Oakland entered Sunday's action without the only statistic that ultimately matters. With all the day's activities complete, only Art Shell and the Oakland Raiders remain in search of their first win in 2006.
Quick recap of the day's events:
Detroit 20, Buffalo 17 - Though it's not likely going to end the "Fire Millen" chants, the Lion rode monster performances from Jon Kitna, Kevin Jones and Roy Williams in a 20-17 win over the Buffalo Bills. Unheralded defensive end James Hall was the real star of the game for the Lions, though. Hall registered 7 tackles, 3.5 sacks and forced a fumble. Detroit hasn't had this good of a weekend since Eminem's 8 Mile opened up.
New Orleans 27, Philadelphia 24 - The New Orleans Saints improbable 5-1 start can no longer be chalked up to a weak schedule or merely riding a wave of emotion. With Drew Brees at the helm, this team really is this good. Keeping McNabb on the field, milking the clock and putting themselves in position to win the game with a field goal is downright Belichick-esque. With a few more "W's", Sean Payton will be a unanimous "Coach of the Year" award winner.
Dallas 34, Houston 6 - A "Tale of Two Halves" in Big D on Sunday. Down 6-3 at the half, the Cowboys put 31 on the Texans in the game's final 30 minutes, including 3 touchdown receptions for that Owens guy. If you're looking for a positive note in Houston, the offensive line didn't yield a sack on Sunday, and...nope, that was it.
Carolina 23, Baltimore 21 - If you had "Week 6" in the Steve McNair Injury Pool, you were chanting "Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!" in the 1st quarter. Kyle Boller didn't play poorly, but his stats were aided by Michael Clayton, who obviously received an "A" in Tip Drill 101. Carolina has to be elated that Steve Smith is back, which is something the rest of the NFC isn't too thrilled about. 189 yards and a touchdown for the league's most explosive wideout.
NY Giants 27, Atlanta 14 - With a combined 482 yards on the ground, the Giants and Falcons stole a page from "A Flock of Seagulls" and "ran all night and day". The most eye-popping stat was that although Tiki Barber ran for 185 yards, not once did one of his runs result in him spiking the ball and doing one of those horrible dances from the Dish Network commercial.
Tennessee 25, Washington 22 - Wait a minute: Travis Henry is still in the league?? Henry's 32 carries for 178 yards and a touchdown get the Titans their first win in '06, and Vince Young's 1st win as an NFL starter. Losing at home, to the winless Titans, is probably a sure sign that you can go ahead and stick a fork in Washington.
Tampa Bay 14, Cincinnati 13 - Jay Glazer reported on the FOX pregame show that there could be a Buccaneers fire sale before Tuesday's trade deadline. I'm not sure if the last minute win will result in many of the veteran Bucs remaining in Tampa, but it couldn't have hurt the cause.
Seattle 30, St. Louis 28 - I mentioned on Friday that this game had a chance to be a statement game for the Seahawks. After trailing 21-7 at the half, a lesser team would've gone through the motions in the 2nd half, before going home to lick their wounds and lament that they were without Shaun Alexander, Jerramy Stevens and Bobby Engram. Seattle came out of the locker room and took control of the game. They obviously liked that feeling, because they gave it back to the Rams, and took it back again.
San Diego 48, San Francisco 19 - LaDainian Tomlinson may not have had a play go for more than 16 yards, but he did put up 135 total yards and made 4 trips into the end zone. The Chargers may not be the best team in the AFC, but they're getting there.
Pittsburgh 45, Kansas City 7 - You can spot teams like the Arizona Cardinals 14 points in the 1st quarter and win, but as the Chiefs learned Sunday, it's unwise to make a habit of doing that. Ben Roethlisberger played extremely well, and the Steelers ran all over the Chiefs. This game was over well before halftime, but if happened to be watching in the 3rd quarter, someone, namely Larry Johnson, finally tackled Troy Polamalu by the hair. It was bound to happen sometime. Not just because his hair extends to the middle of his back, but because Polamalu always seems to have the ball in his hand.
NY Jets 20, Miami 17 - Whoever picked the Dolphins to represent the AFC in Super Bowl XLI is probably feeling the person who camped out overnight to be the first person to see "Gigli".
Denver 13, Oakland 3 - It's been 4,318 days since Art Shell last won an NFL game. The worst part? I can't seen when that dry spell is going to end.
The Ilegal Formation Controversey
With the Seahawks facing a 3rd and 9 from the Rams 31-yard line, Matt Hasselbeck took the snap from center and spiked the ball with :04 remaining on the game clock to set up the potential game-winning field goal. The ball wasn't the only object that hit the ground, as a flag was thrown on the play.
With no timeouts remaining, and the infraction against the offense, the prevailing thought would be that the officials would run ten seconds off the clock, ending the game.
Fortunately for Seattle, there was a lawyer in the house. The game's referee, Ed Hochuli, practices law in San Diego when he's not officiating NFL games in his skin-tight uniform. As a lawyer, and one of the NFL's best officials, Hochuli knew that not all offensive penalties in that situation result in a ten second runoff.
Seahawks wide receiver Nate Burleson was not lined up on the line of scrimmage, which results in a 5-yard penalty, but it does not make the snap illegal. Therefore, the officiating crew could not enforce the 10-second runoff of the game clock.
This will surely be discussed on the NFL Network's weekly discussion with NFL Director of Officiating Mike Pereira, but look, there is no controversy here. Hochuli's crew got the call right, took the time to explain during and after the game, and only speculation from Rams defensive end Leonard Little (who claims he heard Hochuli say there was a false start penalty on the play) is going to keep this "controversy" alive.
It should be pointed out that Burleson was lined up 1.5 yards behind the line of scrimmage, which doesn't appear to be an egregious infraction when you consider that offensive tackles line up that deep in the backfield on obvious passing downs. I watched enough plays today to see wide receivers line up in similar positions as Burleson, and no flags were thrown. Furthermore, it should be pointed out that Burleson was lined up where Seahawks fullback Mack Strong appeared to be down on the 2nd down run. The umpire spotted the ball rather generously, placing the football at least a full yard ahead of where Strong had been tackled.
Mac's Game Balls
Offense: Torry Holt, St. Louis Rams - 8 receptions, 154 yards and 3 TDs are impressive enough, but it's the way Holt got that 8th reception, those final 67 yards for that 3rd touchdown that really stand out. I was asked the other night who I thought the best WR in the NFL is, and it didn't take me long to come with an answer: Torry "Big Game" Holt. (That's right, Brian Baldinger, it's "Big Game" Holt, not "Big Play" Holt, though the latter is equally applicable.)
Holt may not be the most dynamic WR after the catch, and he certainly isn't the biggest or fastest WR in the NFL, but Holt has the best combination of all the skills you want in a go-to wideout. His hands, his concentration and precise routes, combined with his preparation make Holt the best WR, pound-for-pound, in the game today.
Defense: James Hall, Detroit Lions - Anyone who completes the "Sack Trick" (3 sacks in one game) automatically earns a mention in this space.
Special Teams: Josh Brown, Seattle Seahawks - Three field goals in the 4th quarter, all 49 yards or longer, including the 54-yard game-winner, earns Brown a game ball. Not to mention that Brown had better depth on his kickoffs, and his one missed field goal was clearly not his fault. Laces out, Ryan!
Quote of the Week: "Branch has done nothing in Seattle" - Unnamed friend of my brother on Friday night. All Deion Branch did in his 1st start with the Seahawks was haul in 6 passes for 76 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Branch also carried the ball once for 19 yards.
Monday Night Prediction
I can't possibly envision a scenario that has Arizona winning this game, or even keeping it close.
Chicago 34, Arizona 9
Quick recap of the day's events:
Detroit 20, Buffalo 17 - Though it's not likely going to end the "Fire Millen" chants, the Lion rode monster performances from Jon Kitna, Kevin Jones and Roy Williams in a 20-17 win over the Buffalo Bills. Unheralded defensive end James Hall was the real star of the game for the Lions, though. Hall registered 7 tackles, 3.5 sacks and forced a fumble. Detroit hasn't had this good of a weekend since Eminem's 8 Mile opened up.
New Orleans 27, Philadelphia 24 - The New Orleans Saints improbable 5-1 start can no longer be chalked up to a weak schedule or merely riding a wave of emotion. With Drew Brees at the helm, this team really is this good. Keeping McNabb on the field, milking the clock and putting themselves in position to win the game with a field goal is downright Belichick-esque. With a few more "W's", Sean Payton will be a unanimous "Coach of the Year" award winner.
Dallas 34, Houston 6 - A "Tale of Two Halves" in Big D on Sunday. Down 6-3 at the half, the Cowboys put 31 on the Texans in the game's final 30 minutes, including 3 touchdown receptions for that Owens guy. If you're looking for a positive note in Houston, the offensive line didn't yield a sack on Sunday, and...nope, that was it.
Carolina 23, Baltimore 21 - If you had "Week 6" in the Steve McNair Injury Pool, you were chanting "Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!" in the 1st quarter. Kyle Boller didn't play poorly, but his stats were aided by Michael Clayton, who obviously received an "A" in Tip Drill 101. Carolina has to be elated that Steve Smith is back, which is something the rest of the NFC isn't too thrilled about. 189 yards and a touchdown for the league's most explosive wideout.
NY Giants 27, Atlanta 14 - With a combined 482 yards on the ground, the Giants and Falcons stole a page from "A Flock of Seagulls" and "ran all night and day". The most eye-popping stat was that although Tiki Barber ran for 185 yards, not once did one of his runs result in him spiking the ball and doing one of those horrible dances from the Dish Network commercial.
Tennessee 25, Washington 22 - Wait a minute: Travis Henry is still in the league?? Henry's 32 carries for 178 yards and a touchdown get the Titans their first win in '06, and Vince Young's 1st win as an NFL starter. Losing at home, to the winless Titans, is probably a sure sign that you can go ahead and stick a fork in Washington.
Tampa Bay 14, Cincinnati 13 - Jay Glazer reported on the FOX pregame show that there could be a Buccaneers fire sale before Tuesday's trade deadline. I'm not sure if the last minute win will result in many of the veteran Bucs remaining in Tampa, but it couldn't have hurt the cause.
Seattle 30, St. Louis 28 - I mentioned on Friday that this game had a chance to be a statement game for the Seahawks. After trailing 21-7 at the half, a lesser team would've gone through the motions in the 2nd half, before going home to lick their wounds and lament that they were without Shaun Alexander, Jerramy Stevens and Bobby Engram. Seattle came out of the locker room and took control of the game. They obviously liked that feeling, because they gave it back to the Rams, and took it back again.
San Diego 48, San Francisco 19 - LaDainian Tomlinson may not have had a play go for more than 16 yards, but he did put up 135 total yards and made 4 trips into the end zone. The Chargers may not be the best team in the AFC, but they're getting there.
Pittsburgh 45, Kansas City 7 - You can spot teams like the Arizona Cardinals 14 points in the 1st quarter and win, but as the Chiefs learned Sunday, it's unwise to make a habit of doing that. Ben Roethlisberger played extremely well, and the Steelers ran all over the Chiefs. This game was over well before halftime, but if happened to be watching in the 3rd quarter, someone, namely Larry Johnson, finally tackled Troy Polamalu by the hair. It was bound to happen sometime. Not just because his hair extends to the middle of his back, but because Polamalu always seems to have the ball in his hand.
NY Jets 20, Miami 17 - Whoever picked the Dolphins to represent the AFC in Super Bowl XLI is probably feeling the person who camped out overnight to be the first person to see "Gigli".
Denver 13, Oakland 3 - It's been 4,318 days since Art Shell last won an NFL game. The worst part? I can't seen when that dry spell is going to end.
The Ilegal Formation Controversey
With the Seahawks facing a 3rd and 9 from the Rams 31-yard line, Matt Hasselbeck took the snap from center and spiked the ball with :04 remaining on the game clock to set up the potential game-winning field goal. The ball wasn't the only object that hit the ground, as a flag was thrown on the play.
With no timeouts remaining, and the infraction against the offense, the prevailing thought would be that the officials would run ten seconds off the clock, ending the game.
Fortunately for Seattle, there was a lawyer in the house. The game's referee, Ed Hochuli, practices law in San Diego when he's not officiating NFL games in his skin-tight uniform. As a lawyer, and one of the NFL's best officials, Hochuli knew that not all offensive penalties in that situation result in a ten second runoff.
Seahawks wide receiver Nate Burleson was not lined up on the line of scrimmage, which results in a 5-yard penalty, but it does not make the snap illegal. Therefore, the officiating crew could not enforce the 10-second runoff of the game clock.
This will surely be discussed on the NFL Network's weekly discussion with NFL Director of Officiating Mike Pereira, but look, there is no controversy here. Hochuli's crew got the call right, took the time to explain during and after the game, and only speculation from Rams defensive end Leonard Little (who claims he heard Hochuli say there was a false start penalty on the play) is going to keep this "controversy" alive.
It should be pointed out that Burleson was lined up 1.5 yards behind the line of scrimmage, which doesn't appear to be an egregious infraction when you consider that offensive tackles line up that deep in the backfield on obvious passing downs. I watched enough plays today to see wide receivers line up in similar positions as Burleson, and no flags were thrown. Furthermore, it should be pointed out that Burleson was lined up where Seahawks fullback Mack Strong appeared to be down on the 2nd down run. The umpire spotted the ball rather generously, placing the football at least a full yard ahead of where Strong had been tackled.
Mac's Game Balls
Offense: Torry Holt, St. Louis Rams - 8 receptions, 154 yards and 3 TDs are impressive enough, but it's the way Holt got that 8th reception, those final 67 yards for that 3rd touchdown that really stand out. I was asked the other night who I thought the best WR in the NFL is, and it didn't take me long to come with an answer: Torry "Big Game" Holt. (That's right, Brian Baldinger, it's "Big Game" Holt, not "Big Play" Holt, though the latter is equally applicable.)
Holt may not be the most dynamic WR after the catch, and he certainly isn't the biggest or fastest WR in the NFL, but Holt has the best combination of all the skills you want in a go-to wideout. His hands, his concentration and precise routes, combined with his preparation make Holt the best WR, pound-for-pound, in the game today.
Defense: James Hall, Detroit Lions - Anyone who completes the "Sack Trick" (3 sacks in one game) automatically earns a mention in this space.
Special Teams: Josh Brown, Seattle Seahawks - Three field goals in the 4th quarter, all 49 yards or longer, including the 54-yard game-winner, earns Brown a game ball. Not to mention that Brown had better depth on his kickoffs, and his one missed field goal was clearly not his fault. Laces out, Ryan!
Quote of the Week: "Branch has done nothing in Seattle" - Unnamed friend of my brother on Friday night. All Deion Branch did in his 1st start with the Seahawks was haul in 6 passes for 76 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Branch also carried the ball once for 19 yards.
Monday Night Prediction
I can't possibly envision a scenario that has Arizona winning this game, or even keeping it close.
Chicago 34, Arizona 9
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Random NFL Thoughts - October 14th, 2006
Some ramblings to help get you through your Saturday.
NFL Jockocracy
There’s no getting around the fact that the most qualified people to analyze and breakdown NFL teams, players and games are former players. They’ve lived it, so naturally they’ve got a point of view that somebody who has never played the game at the professional could ever dream of having.
Hiring these former NFL players isn’t without some drawbacks. For example, some of the more recent analysts seem utterly incapable of detaching themselves from the teams they played for. ESPN’s Michael Irvin rarely has a disparaging word for the Cowboys, and his colleague Tom Jackson has an Elway in his pocket for the Broncos. The most egregious example of this built-in bias exists in the NFL Network’s newest analyst, Marshall Faulk. In case you didn’t know, Faulk is on the St. Louis Rams’ “physically unable to perform” list. This means he’s still drawing a paycheck from an NFL team. How can he possibly remain objective when discussing them?
Some players are capable of separating themselves. The best two analysts in the business, Chris Collinsworth (NBC/HBO) and Troy Aikman (FOX), rarely pull punches when discussing their former teams. This isn’t to say that deep down they’re pulling for their former clubs, but they understand what their current job is, and strive to do an excellent job. Unfortunately, not all analysts have figured that out.
Perhaps the problem lies in the short amount of time a guy goes from suiting up on Sunday, to wearing a suit on Sunday. I’ve already mentioned Marshall Faulk, but can we reasonably expect a guy like Jerome Bettis to criticize the Pittsburgh Steelers 1-4 start this year, after he helped them win the Super Bowl less than a year ago?
I’d never suggest that these guys shouldn’t be on television, I’d just to remind people that you need to take what the guys who just left the league (or in Faulk’s case, are technically still in the league) with a grain or two of salt. They haven’t fully adjusted to life after football, and until they do, their analysis will be tainted.
Adam Schefter’s Fantasy World
After reading Adam Schefter’s October 11th column, it became clear to me that Schefter lives in a fantasy world.
During the salary cap age, mid-season trades are extremely rare. So why would Schefter even waste five minutes writing down a few trades that he thinks make sense for the teams involved?
He suggests that Oakland should sent Randy Moss to the Patriots for a 1st round pick, and Jerry Porter to the Vikings for a conditional 3rd round pick. Why? Because New England and Minnesota could use some wide receiving help and have additional draft picks in those rounds? So that automatically means that the Raiders should absorb the salary cap hit and go through the NFL season without a decent wide receiver on their roster? That’ll really help improve Andrew Walter’s 38.6 QB rating. Not to mention that trading your best two wide receivers, even if one of them has been inactive all season, sends up a white flag that the rest of the NFL, and your fans, can see from miles away. The Raiders may not be going anywhere, but there are ticket sales and stadium revenue to think about. Closing up shop in early mid-October is not a good way to run an NFL team, even if it makes sense to Schefter.
According to Schefter, Seattle should send their best wide receiver to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 2nd round pick. He’s right, though. The future of the Seahawks receiving corps will be based around Deion Branch and Nate Burleson, but last time I checked, the Seahawks are 3-1 and play the Chiefs twelve days after the trade deadline. That’s probably not the wisest time to send your most productive wide receiver packing.
San Diego trades back-up running back Michael Turner to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2nd round pick. Again, why would either team do this? Philadelphia has Brian Westbrook, who may not be the bruising runner that Turner is, but those screen passes that Andy Reid always calls function as an extension of the running game. Meanwhile, Turner is the Chargers kick returner, and is a perfect compliment to LaDainian Tomlinson. In fact, his emergence as a solid runner is probably going to keep LT, the game’s best running back, healthy for the entire Chargers season, which is likely going to extend deep into January.
Green Bay sends Brett Favre to the Packers for Tony Romo and a 3rd round pick? Dallas already has a QB with an approaching expiration date, so why would they trade a legitimate prospect for another QB with limited life left remaining in his battery?
Nice try, Adam (who is normally very good), but this isn’t Madden 07 or Biff’s Fantasy Football league. Trades are rare in the NFL for a reason. Every team’s system is different, which is why teams prefer to wait until the off-season to make dramatic personnel changes.
How I’d Fix the NFL Sunday Ticket
For NFL fans, this is the best invention the NFL has seen since the forward pass. Still, there are some features/aspects that need to be re-thought.
Player Tracker – On the surface, this is a solid idea. What this does is allows the user to enter up to nine players on his/her fantasy football team, and the system will display an alert whenever your players do something worth noting.
I’m not a fantasy geek, so I haven’t used it. The only reason it irks me is that whenever you turn to an NFL Sunday Ticket channel, a menu bar pops up, blocking the bottom third of the screen. Usually, this bar interferes with a graphic on the broadcast, and quite frankly, it annoys the hell out of me. The worst part is there doesn’t appear to be any way to disable this feature.
Blacked Out Channels – I know that there are contractual obligations behind this, but I do not understand why I’m forced to watch games that are being broadcasted locally on my local channels.
The NFL Sunday Ticket neatly arranges games on channels 704-718, but if that game is being shown locally, the Sunday Ticket channel gets blacked out. This is another nuisance, especially when you want to watch a 4pm on your local channel, but the 1pm goes long. Sometimes, the Sunday Ticket channel keeps the 4pm game blacked out, causing you to miss a portion of the game you’ve been waiting all day to watch.
So here’s my suggestion for DirecTV:
Wick’s Picks
I loved reading this today. From Seth Wickersham’s ESPN blog (ESPN Insider required):
“Rams 33, Seahawks 20: If you could hire a Harvard grad who has just spent six years with your chief division rival, you'd sign him, right? The Rams did. Smartly. LB Isaiah Kacyvenski helps the Rams to a big win.”
If only it were that simple, Seth. Obviously, Kacyvenski’s time with the Seahawks will help the Rams, but let’s not get carried away here. Players switch teams all the time and it doesn’t necessarily translate into wins over the former team. Seattle signed former Ram Grant Wistrom after the 2003 season, and if I’m not mistaken, the Rams still beat the Seahawks three times in 2004.
It’s worth noting that Kacyvenski, a Harvard grad, fell victim to the Seahawks annual “Free Turkey Giveaway” not once, but twice. The prank involves rookies receiving coupons for a free turkey at a local grocery store. The player shows up, presents the coupon expecting a free turkey, and the oblivious store clerk explains to them that no such promotion exists. The whole thing is videotaped and the players have a good-natured laugh at the rookie’s expense. “Kaz” feel for this prank two years in a row.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Isaiah Kacyvenski, and still wish he was a Seahawk, but I don’t think his intimate knowledge of the Seahawks is going to be much of a factor in Sunday’s game.
NFL Jockocracy
There’s no getting around the fact that the most qualified people to analyze and breakdown NFL teams, players and games are former players. They’ve lived it, so naturally they’ve got a point of view that somebody who has never played the game at the professional could ever dream of having.
Hiring these former NFL players isn’t without some drawbacks. For example, some of the more recent analysts seem utterly incapable of detaching themselves from the teams they played for. ESPN’s Michael Irvin rarely has a disparaging word for the Cowboys, and his colleague Tom Jackson has an Elway in his pocket for the Broncos. The most egregious example of this built-in bias exists in the NFL Network’s newest analyst, Marshall Faulk. In case you didn’t know, Faulk is on the St. Louis Rams’ “physically unable to perform” list. This means he’s still drawing a paycheck from an NFL team. How can he possibly remain objective when discussing them?
Some players are capable of separating themselves. The best two analysts in the business, Chris Collinsworth (NBC/HBO) and Troy Aikman (FOX), rarely pull punches when discussing their former teams. This isn’t to say that deep down they’re pulling for their former clubs, but they understand what their current job is, and strive to do an excellent job. Unfortunately, not all analysts have figured that out.
Perhaps the problem lies in the short amount of time a guy goes from suiting up on Sunday, to wearing a suit on Sunday. I’ve already mentioned Marshall Faulk, but can we reasonably expect a guy like Jerome Bettis to criticize the Pittsburgh Steelers 1-4 start this year, after he helped them win the Super Bowl less than a year ago?
I’d never suggest that these guys shouldn’t be on television, I’d just to remind people that you need to take what the guys who just left the league (or in Faulk’s case, are technically still in the league) with a grain or two of salt. They haven’t fully adjusted to life after football, and until they do, their analysis will be tainted.
Adam Schefter’s Fantasy World
After reading Adam Schefter’s October 11th column, it became clear to me that Schefter lives in a fantasy world.
During the salary cap age, mid-season trades are extremely rare. So why would Schefter even waste five minutes writing down a few trades that he thinks make sense for the teams involved?
He suggests that Oakland should sent Randy Moss to the Patriots for a 1st round pick, and Jerry Porter to the Vikings for a conditional 3rd round pick. Why? Because New England and Minnesota could use some wide receiving help and have additional draft picks in those rounds? So that automatically means that the Raiders should absorb the salary cap hit and go through the NFL season without a decent wide receiver on their roster? That’ll really help improve Andrew Walter’s 38.6 QB rating. Not to mention that trading your best two wide receivers, even if one of them has been inactive all season, sends up a white flag that the rest of the NFL, and your fans, can see from miles away. The Raiders may not be going anywhere, but there are ticket sales and stadium revenue to think about. Closing up shop in early mid-October is not a good way to run an NFL team, even if it makes sense to Schefter.
According to Schefter, Seattle should send their best wide receiver to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 2nd round pick. He’s right, though. The future of the Seahawks receiving corps will be based around Deion Branch and Nate Burleson, but last time I checked, the Seahawks are 3-1 and play the Chiefs twelve days after the trade deadline. That’s probably not the wisest time to send your most productive wide receiver packing.
San Diego trades back-up running back Michael Turner to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2nd round pick. Again, why would either team do this? Philadelphia has Brian Westbrook, who may not be the bruising runner that Turner is, but those screen passes that Andy Reid always calls function as an extension of the running game. Meanwhile, Turner is the Chargers kick returner, and is a perfect compliment to LaDainian Tomlinson. In fact, his emergence as a solid runner is probably going to keep LT, the game’s best running back, healthy for the entire Chargers season, which is likely going to extend deep into January.
Green Bay sends Brett Favre to the Packers for Tony Romo and a 3rd round pick? Dallas already has a QB with an approaching expiration date, so why would they trade a legitimate prospect for another QB with limited life left remaining in his battery?
Nice try, Adam (who is normally very good), but this isn’t Madden 07 or Biff’s Fantasy Football league. Trades are rare in the NFL for a reason. Every team’s system is different, which is why teams prefer to wait until the off-season to make dramatic personnel changes.
How I’d Fix the NFL Sunday Ticket
For NFL fans, this is the best invention the NFL has seen since the forward pass. Still, there are some features/aspects that need to be re-thought.
Player Tracker – On the surface, this is a solid idea. What this does is allows the user to enter up to nine players on his/her fantasy football team, and the system will display an alert whenever your players do something worth noting.
I’m not a fantasy geek, so I haven’t used it. The only reason it irks me is that whenever you turn to an NFL Sunday Ticket channel, a menu bar pops up, blocking the bottom third of the screen. Usually, this bar interferes with a graphic on the broadcast, and quite frankly, it annoys the hell out of me. The worst part is there doesn’t appear to be any way to disable this feature.
Blacked Out Channels – I know that there are contractual obligations behind this, but I do not understand why I’m forced to watch games that are being broadcasted locally on my local channels.
The NFL Sunday Ticket neatly arranges games on channels 704-718, but if that game is being shown locally, the Sunday Ticket channel gets blacked out. This is another nuisance, especially when you want to watch a 4pm on your local channel, but the 1pm goes long. Sometimes, the Sunday Ticket channel keeps the 4pm game blacked out, causing you to miss a portion of the game you’ve been waiting all day to watch.
So here’s my suggestion for DirecTV:
- Figure out a way to disable the Player Tracker feature. If a person is that obsessive about their fantasy team, they can watch the watch the games their players are involved in.
- Keep all Sunday Ticket channels active at all times.
Wick’s Picks
I loved reading this today. From Seth Wickersham’s ESPN blog (ESPN Insider required):
“Rams 33, Seahawks 20: If you could hire a Harvard grad who has just spent six years with your chief division rival, you'd sign him, right? The Rams did. Smartly. LB Isaiah Kacyvenski helps the Rams to a big win.”
If only it were that simple, Seth. Obviously, Kacyvenski’s time with the Seahawks will help the Rams, but let’s not get carried away here. Players switch teams all the time and it doesn’t necessarily translate into wins over the former team. Seattle signed former Ram Grant Wistrom after the 2003 season, and if I’m not mistaken, the Rams still beat the Seahawks three times in 2004.
It’s worth noting that Kacyvenski, a Harvard grad, fell victim to the Seahawks annual “Free Turkey Giveaway” not once, but twice. The prank involves rookies receiving coupons for a free turkey at a local grocery store. The player shows up, presents the coupon expecting a free turkey, and the oblivious store clerk explains to them that no such promotion exists. The whole thing is videotaped and the players have a good-natured laugh at the rookie’s expense. “Kaz” feel for this prank two years in a row.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Isaiah Kacyvenski, and still wish he was a Seahawk, but I don’t think his intimate knowledge of the Seahawks is going to be much of a factor in Sunday’s game.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
NFL Week 6 - Mac's Picks
This is normally the space where I’ll draw attention to my lousy record this year, make up a lame excuse (Matt Millen is my new GM) and make an empty promise about feeling a hot streak coming on like I’m John Anthony from “Two For the Money” and I’ve got Al Pacino breathing down my neck.
Using the spread makes it much more challenging to pick the winners. You think you have a win in the bag, and Jon “bleepin” Kitna hands the Vikings 14 points in the 4th quarter. Or Romeo Crennel decides to kick a meaningless field goal with 12 seconds remaining, and you lose that game by a measly ½ point.
Out of curiosity, I took at look at how USA Today’s Sports Weekly has done against the spread, and they’ve gone 28-42-4. Bill Simmons from ESPN.com is 34-36-4. Simmons’ wife is 41-29-4. Proof that sometimes the more you think you know, the worse off you are.
As “Smooth” Jimmy Apollo said on the Simpsons, “When you’re right 52% of the time, you’re wrong 48% of the time”. In my case, it’s more like 46% of the time, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun.
Last Week: 5-8-1
2006: 32-38-4
Buffalo (-1) at Detroit – Everyone’s “sleeper” in the NFC is 0-5 and the “Fire Millen” chants are once again emanating through the Motor City. On the bright side, as soon as the fans exit Ford Field on Sunday, they can remove their paper bags and head on over to Comerica Park. Pick: Bills -1
Carolina at Baltimore (-3) – Am I the only one who thinks the Steve McNair we’ve seen this year is actually Kyle Boller borrowing an idea from C. Thomas Howell’s character in Soul Man? Pick: Panthers +3
Cincinnati (-5 ½) at Tampa Bay – Congratulations are in order for both teams. Cincinnati managed to get through the bye week without having a player arrested, and the Buccaneers got through a game without their quarterback needing an organ removed. Pick: Bengals –5 ½
Houston at Dallas (-13 ½) – Now that Dom Capers is gone, I can actually pick the Texans when they’re getting a boatload of points from a team that is inches away from brawling on the sidelines. I will say this about the Cowboys: Nobody throws a better punt than Drew Bledsoe. Not even Eli Manning. As for Terrell Owens, doesn’t he know that he has 25 million reasons to be in Dallas? Pick: Texans +13 ½
NY Giants at Atlanta (-2 ½) – The answer to the question “Why is Peyton Manning featured in every commercial involving an NFL player” can be found by watching Tiki Barber’s painful Dish Network ad.
Why is Tiki wearing his own jersey? Were the producers concerned everyone would think it was his twin brother, Ronde?
Aside from Chris Henry, who would wear his own jersey in public, or in the case of Tiki Barber, when the Dish Network installer knocks on his door? Isn’t that worse than wearing the t-shirt of the band you’re going to see? Don’t be that guy, Tiki. Don’t be that guy. Pick: Falcons –2 ½
Philadelphia (-3 ½) at New Orleans – The resurgent New Orleans Saints are 4-1 and are the “feel good” story of the NFL this year. Over the next month, New Orleans has Philadelphia, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. If they can survive that stretch, they’re a true playoff contender. Pick: Eagles –3 ½
Seattle (-3) at St. Louis – Last year, the Seahawks went in to St. Louis with a 2-2 record, without both of their starting wide receivers, and the belief that although they won the division in 2004, the St. Louis Rams were still the team to beat in the NFC West. As we all know, Seattle won that game, then the 10 that followed it and the NFC Championship, but on October 9th, 2005, nobody really knew who the Seahawks were heading into that game.
Fast forward one year, and the Seahawks are 3-1 as they head into the Edward Jones Dome. They’re playing without the NFL’s reigning MVP, Shaun Alexander, and after getting blown out on national television by the Chicago Bears, nobody really knows how good this Seahawks team is, either.
This game, much like last year, finds the Seahawks at a crossroads. We know what direction last year’s team went in, and I think that by 4pm this Sunday, we’ll see that the 2006 Seahawks are heading in that very same direction. Pick: Seahawks -3
Tennessee at Washington (-10) – Who knows what Redskins team is going to show up this week. The team they’re playing is terrible, especially when it comes to stopping the run, so I’m guessing that Clinton Portis (or Dolemite Jenkins) will have a monster day on the ground and the Redskins get an easy win at home. Or I could be completely wrong. You just never know with this team. Pick: Redskins -10
Kansas City at Pittsburgh (-7) – I want to pick the Chiefs. Trust me, nothing would make me happier than the Chiefs winning this Sunday. Starting 1-5 would be absolutely disasterous for the Steelers, and since I picked them to miss the playoffs, I’d be looking pretty smart if the Chiefs won this Sunday. Unfortunately, I don’t see it happening.
For starters, the Chiefs weren’t that impressive last week in Arizona. Secondly, Larry Johnson’s neck can’t be 100%. There are already question marks regarding LJ’s toughness, so how will he be a week after nearly having his head ripped off by Antrel Rolle? Finally, Damon Huard is the starting quarterback, in Pittsburgh, against an angry and frustrated team that desperately needs to win. Pick: Steelers –7
Miami at NY Jets (-1) – Who advised Dolphins quarterback Joey Harrington to go by the name “Joey”? Would you trust any adult that went by that name? “Thanks for the heart transplant, Dr. Joey” doesn’t sound like something any reasonable person would ever feel comfortable saying.
If Harrington ever managed to lead a team to the Super Bowl (when pigs fly), he would’ve been right there with the other famous quarterbacks named “Joe” to hoist a Lombardi Trophy. Namath, Montana, Theismann. But no, he chooses to answer to “Joey”, which seals his fate as this decade’s answer to Rick Mirer. Pick: Jets -1
San Diego (-10) at San Francisco – Everyone else has said it some point, so I will, too. Why don’t the Chargers use the powder blue uniforms every week? Hands down, they are the best uniforms in the history of the NFL. The same could be said for the New England Patriots, as well. “Pat Patriot” was a very cool logo, but they opted to swap it for this monstrosity. If the Giants and Jets can revert back to old-school style logos and uniforms, what’s stopping the Chargers and Patriots from doing the same?
The Chargers have a shot at pitching two shutouts in the Bay Area this year, and that’s about the only interesting thing you can say about this game. Pick: Chargers -10
Oakland at Denver (-15) – The first 5 weeks of the NFL season has produced one undeniable fact: Oakland is, by far, the worst team in the NFL. Al Davis is either senile, insane, or a colorful combination of the two, to have re-hired Art Shell, who hasn’t coached in the NFL for 12 years. Shell tabbed a guy running a bed & breakfast in Idaho and Aaron Brooks to run the offense. If that weren’t enough to make a delicious “Disaster Stew”, Randy Moss, the team’s best player, openly admitted to not being too concerned about football.
As a lifelong Seahawks fan (and Raider Hater), I just wish Seattle was still in the AFC West so I could fully enjoy the train wreck that the Oakland Raiders have become. Pick: Broncos –15
(The quote of the year came courtesy of FOX analyst Troy Aikman. When FOX went to a game-break to show the highlight of Randy Moss catching his 100th touchdown reception, Aikman quipped, “Randy Moss is still in the league?” Just another example for why Aikman is the best analyst in football.)
Chicago (-11) at Arizona – I got an advanced script for the upcoming Bears-Cardinals game on ESPN. And it goes a little something like this:
Joe Theismann: “When we sat down with Matt Leinart last night, I was really impressed with how unflappable this kid is. When I asked him if he was nervous about facing the Bears defense, he just shrugged and continued typing a text message to Nick Lachey.”
Tony Kornheiser: “I can’t believe Dennis Green made a quarterback change this early in the season. I have Kurt Warner on my fantasy team!”
Mike Tirico: “3rd and 15 for the Cardinals. Leinart takes the snap and Tommie Harris busts through the line and drops Leinart for an 8-yard loss. The Cardinals go 3-and-out again.”
Theismann: “I know it was an 8-yard loss, and another 3-and-out for the Cardinals, but I want to show you why I’m so impressed with this young man. Look at this, he’s got Tommie Harris barreling down on him and Matt Leinart notices it immediately. Despite visibly soiling himself, he makes the effort to avoid the sack. This kid is going to be special.”
Kornheiser: “Leinart looks like he wishes he had another year of eligibility remaining.”
Pick: My prediction? Pain…and the Bears -11
Using the spread makes it much more challenging to pick the winners. You think you have a win in the bag, and Jon “bleepin” Kitna hands the Vikings 14 points in the 4th quarter. Or Romeo Crennel decides to kick a meaningless field goal with 12 seconds remaining, and you lose that game by a measly ½ point.
Out of curiosity, I took at look at how USA Today’s Sports Weekly has done against the spread, and they’ve gone 28-42-4. Bill Simmons from ESPN.com is 34-36-4. Simmons’ wife is 41-29-4. Proof that sometimes the more you think you know, the worse off you are.
As “Smooth” Jimmy Apollo said on the Simpsons, “When you’re right 52% of the time, you’re wrong 48% of the time”. In my case, it’s more like 46% of the time, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun.
Last Week: 5-8-1
2006: 32-38-4
Buffalo (-1) at Detroit – Everyone’s “sleeper” in the NFC is 0-5 and the “Fire Millen” chants are once again emanating through the Motor City. On the bright side, as soon as the fans exit Ford Field on Sunday, they can remove their paper bags and head on over to Comerica Park. Pick: Bills -1
Carolina at Baltimore (-3) – Am I the only one who thinks the Steve McNair we’ve seen this year is actually Kyle Boller borrowing an idea from C. Thomas Howell’s character in Soul Man? Pick: Panthers +3
Cincinnati (-5 ½) at Tampa Bay – Congratulations are in order for both teams. Cincinnati managed to get through the bye week without having a player arrested, and the Buccaneers got through a game without their quarterback needing an organ removed. Pick: Bengals –5 ½
Houston at Dallas (-13 ½) – Now that Dom Capers is gone, I can actually pick the Texans when they’re getting a boatload of points from a team that is inches away from brawling on the sidelines. I will say this about the Cowboys: Nobody throws a better punt than Drew Bledsoe. Not even Eli Manning. As for Terrell Owens, doesn’t he know that he has 25 million reasons to be in Dallas? Pick: Texans +13 ½
NY Giants at Atlanta (-2 ½) – The answer to the question “Why is Peyton Manning featured in every commercial involving an NFL player” can be found by watching Tiki Barber’s painful Dish Network ad.
Why is Tiki wearing his own jersey? Were the producers concerned everyone would think it was his twin brother, Ronde?
Aside from Chris Henry, who would wear his own jersey in public, or in the case of Tiki Barber, when the Dish Network installer knocks on his door? Isn’t that worse than wearing the t-shirt of the band you’re going to see? Don’t be that guy, Tiki. Don’t be that guy. Pick: Falcons –2 ½
Philadelphia (-3 ½) at New Orleans – The resurgent New Orleans Saints are 4-1 and are the “feel good” story of the NFL this year. Over the next month, New Orleans has Philadelphia, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. If they can survive that stretch, they’re a true playoff contender. Pick: Eagles –3 ½
Seattle (-3) at St. Louis – Last year, the Seahawks went in to St. Louis with a 2-2 record, without both of their starting wide receivers, and the belief that although they won the division in 2004, the St. Louis Rams were still the team to beat in the NFC West. As we all know, Seattle won that game, then the 10 that followed it and the NFC Championship, but on October 9th, 2005, nobody really knew who the Seahawks were heading into that game.
Fast forward one year, and the Seahawks are 3-1 as they head into the Edward Jones Dome. They’re playing without the NFL’s reigning MVP, Shaun Alexander, and after getting blown out on national television by the Chicago Bears, nobody really knows how good this Seahawks team is, either.
This game, much like last year, finds the Seahawks at a crossroads. We know what direction last year’s team went in, and I think that by 4pm this Sunday, we’ll see that the 2006 Seahawks are heading in that very same direction. Pick: Seahawks -3
Tennessee at Washington (-10) – Who knows what Redskins team is going to show up this week. The team they’re playing is terrible, especially when it comes to stopping the run, so I’m guessing that Clinton Portis (or Dolemite Jenkins) will have a monster day on the ground and the Redskins get an easy win at home. Or I could be completely wrong. You just never know with this team. Pick: Redskins -10
Kansas City at Pittsburgh (-7) – I want to pick the Chiefs. Trust me, nothing would make me happier than the Chiefs winning this Sunday. Starting 1-5 would be absolutely disasterous for the Steelers, and since I picked them to miss the playoffs, I’d be looking pretty smart if the Chiefs won this Sunday. Unfortunately, I don’t see it happening.
For starters, the Chiefs weren’t that impressive last week in Arizona. Secondly, Larry Johnson’s neck can’t be 100%. There are already question marks regarding LJ’s toughness, so how will he be a week after nearly having his head ripped off by Antrel Rolle? Finally, Damon Huard is the starting quarterback, in Pittsburgh, against an angry and frustrated team that desperately needs to win. Pick: Steelers –7
Miami at NY Jets (-1) – Who advised Dolphins quarterback Joey Harrington to go by the name “Joey”? Would you trust any adult that went by that name? “Thanks for the heart transplant, Dr. Joey” doesn’t sound like something any reasonable person would ever feel comfortable saying.
If Harrington ever managed to lead a team to the Super Bowl (when pigs fly), he would’ve been right there with the other famous quarterbacks named “Joe” to hoist a Lombardi Trophy. Namath, Montana, Theismann. But no, he chooses to answer to “Joey”, which seals his fate as this decade’s answer to Rick Mirer. Pick: Jets -1
San Diego (-10) at San Francisco – Everyone else has said it some point, so I will, too. Why don’t the Chargers use the powder blue uniforms every week? Hands down, they are the best uniforms in the history of the NFL. The same could be said for the New England Patriots, as well. “Pat Patriot” was a very cool logo, but they opted to swap it for this monstrosity. If the Giants and Jets can revert back to old-school style logos and uniforms, what’s stopping the Chargers and Patriots from doing the same?
The Chargers have a shot at pitching two shutouts in the Bay Area this year, and that’s about the only interesting thing you can say about this game. Pick: Chargers -10
Oakland at Denver (-15) – The first 5 weeks of the NFL season has produced one undeniable fact: Oakland is, by far, the worst team in the NFL. Al Davis is either senile, insane, or a colorful combination of the two, to have re-hired Art Shell, who hasn’t coached in the NFL for 12 years. Shell tabbed a guy running a bed & breakfast in Idaho and Aaron Brooks to run the offense. If that weren’t enough to make a delicious “Disaster Stew”, Randy Moss, the team’s best player, openly admitted to not being too concerned about football.
As a lifelong Seahawks fan (and Raider Hater), I just wish Seattle was still in the AFC West so I could fully enjoy the train wreck that the Oakland Raiders have become. Pick: Broncos –15
(The quote of the year came courtesy of FOX analyst Troy Aikman. When FOX went to a game-break to show the highlight of Randy Moss catching his 100th touchdown reception, Aikman quipped, “Randy Moss is still in the league?” Just another example for why Aikman is the best analyst in football.)
Chicago (-11) at Arizona – I got an advanced script for the upcoming Bears-Cardinals game on ESPN. And it goes a little something like this:
Joe Theismann: “When we sat down with Matt Leinart last night, I was really impressed with how unflappable this kid is. When I asked him if he was nervous about facing the Bears defense, he just shrugged and continued typing a text message to Nick Lachey.”
Tony Kornheiser: “I can’t believe Dennis Green made a quarterback change this early in the season. I have Kurt Warner on my fantasy team!”
Mike Tirico: “3rd and 15 for the Cardinals. Leinart takes the snap and Tommie Harris busts through the line and drops Leinart for an 8-yard loss. The Cardinals go 3-and-out again.”
Theismann: “I know it was an 8-yard loss, and another 3-and-out for the Cardinals, but I want to show you why I’m so impressed with this young man. Look at this, he’s got Tommie Harris barreling down on him and Matt Leinart notices it immediately. Despite visibly soiling himself, he makes the effort to avoid the sack. This kid is going to be special.”
Kornheiser: “Leinart looks like he wishes he had another year of eligibility remaining.”
Pick: My prediction? Pain…and the Bears -11
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