On Fourth Down

Sorry guys, there will be no rush to judgment this week because I had to work for most of the football afternoon and therefore saw very little game action. I thought about writing it solely based on the highlights,but figured my readers

Not Bill's finest hour.

deserve better than a half-baked article based on replays.

That said, I wouldn’t be much of a writer if I didn’t write about the biggest call of the season, and if your reading this blog you know what call I’m talking about. It’s easy to say in hindsight that the call was atrocious, that he should have punted, made Manning execute the game-winning drive etc. But you have to judge calls based on when they happen, not the result. If you were one of the people shouting “go for it!” after the Pats were stuffed on third down, you have absolutely no right to complain about the loss.

Whether or not the call was a good decision depends on what you think the chances of the Colts driving about  70 yards in two minutes with one timeout, vs the chances of picking up the fourth down OR stopping the Colts from the 28 yard line. neither option is very appealing, but you can make a legitimate debate for either side.Everyone will reach a different conclusion because there aren’t exact percentages (for reference an “average” chance of picking up that first down was 53%, the odds are probably better for the Pats offense of course.)

What is being overlooked by many pundits and talking heads is was the terrible management on the prior play of third-and-2.  running the ball, which  either picking the first down, makes it a shorter conversion or brings the clock to the two minute warning. they throw a flats pass that is nearly a pick-six. That and the fact they wasted their final timeout for no real reason making a challenge impossible and you have god-awful management all around.

Back to the fourth-and-2, the other mistake (IMO) that Belichick made was not running deep enough routes, why not run six yard routes so a slight error or bobble doesn’t cost you the game? (if your answer is they couldn’t protect Brady that long, then they should’ve just f***ing punted). that seemed like such a dinky flat pattern and the Colts were obviously defending the sticks.  A double move, (say a wheel route) was almost definitely going to be open.

A bunch of former Patriots players like Tedy Bruschi and Rodney Harrison claimed the call showed a total lack of faith in his defense. Maybe so, but after the Colts raced down the field on the previous drive, Belichick had some clear cause for concern. That and the Colts defense isn’t exactly an imposing unit, so it’s not nearly as unreasonable a call as it seemed at first glance. Although lets face facts, 31 out of 32 coaches don’t even consider other options, they punt the ball, that doesn’t make it the correct move, it’s just a fact.

I will give Belichick credit for this, by making that call he took all the pressure off his team and put it on himself. If he does the conventional choice decides to punt and Manning does drive for the winning score, all the stories are about Manning being captain clutch, the Patriots defense breaking down etc. Instead all anyone can talk about is how Belichick blew the game while his players receive virtually no criticism. It does bug me that about 90% of the people who complained about the call would be slurping Belichick’s nuts and lauding his “bold decision” if the play succeeds.

Maybe I’m giving Bill too much credit based on past successes like everyone else (if Norv Turner makes the same call he is burned in effigy). But as much as I despise the man personally as cocky, overbearing douchebag, this was not nearly as indefensible a decision as it looks.

 

 

The Rush to Judgment: Week Nine

This segment is a compilation of my initial reactions, thoughts and feelings right after the games. If you’re looking for heavily researched content go somewhere else, I’m shooting straight from the hip.

A quick note before we dive in, The length of each game’s entry will vary based on how much of the game I saw, my level of interest, and a game’s importance. Not every game will necessarily be included.

Arizona Cardinals 41, Chicago Bears 21:

- Such sad timing for Bears fans. After over 50 years the team finally acquires a competent, playmaking quarterback only to watch the rest of the team disintegrate around him.

If he only arrived three years earlier...

- I know the Bears were in catch-up mode for most of the game, but calling only seven hand-offs to running backs against 47 pass attempts is going to get Jay Cutler killed.

- Kurt Warner continues to be one of the most frustratingly amazing quarterback ever. Any given Sunday he has the ability to make his entire team’s performance irrelevant. Some days he is so precise and efficient his team can’t lose, other times he’s so scatter-shot and flummoxed that his turnovers make winning impossible.

- The Bears are probably the worst 4-4 team in the league right now. Too many injuries and age have made the once vaunted Bears defense a league-wide joke.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38, Green Bay Packers 28:

- Congratulations to the pirates, they may have crossed the finish line last, but at least they got there, beating a pretty decent team to boot.

- That said, The Bucs really had no business winning this game. Packers caught bad break after bad break from a blocked punt for a touchdown, to a game-sealing interception being overturned by a penalty, to Josh Freeman’s deep ball to Michael Clayton getting a fortunate gust of wind, The Packers were snake-bitten.

- It’s the right call to start Josh Freeman, it’s not like the Bucs have anything to lose, but I wasn’t that impressed by his accuracy at all. He almost never hit a receiver in stride. Even on his big plays the Bucs receivers had to make some impressive adjustments to get a hand on the ball.

- Tampa Bay defensive back Tanard Jackson made a nice play to bring his int back for a touchdown. But he absolutely should have fallen down or batted the ball away. The game was over if Jackson fell down, why risk a possible game-changing fumble?

New Orleans Saints 30, Carolina Panthers 20:

- The Saints remind me a lot of the 2002-2006 Colts. They have incredible offensive firepower at every skill position and literally every receiver is capable of scoring a touchdown on any given play. Unfortunately, the also have the Colts run defense and seem like a team that thrives in a dome, but if the weather gets ugly…

- DeAngelo Williams is awesome, it’s not his fault the play calling in the second half was atrocious especially in the red zone.

- Jake Delhomme: 17-for-30, 201 yards, no touchdowns, no picks, one lost fumble. his might be Delhomme’s best performance all year. I don’t even have a joke.

New England Patriots 27, Miami Dolphins 17:

- Every Dolphins game I watch has the same recurring theme. A few cute plays, some good rushing offense, just enough

Raiders fans will never forgive this man. Patriots fans don't give a sh**

defense to keep things close, then a total inability to run a hurry-up offense.

- This problem is directly related to Miami’s massive weakness: A complete lack of talent at wide receiver. Sure they can catch 12 yard curl patterns and a few smoke routes on second down, and the Wildcat is cool in the first three quarters, but they have no go-to playmaker when it’s third-and-long and the game is on the line.

- Randy Moss’ one-handed catch was awesome, but the reason he only used one hand is because he was pushing off Dolphins corner Vontae Davis with the other hand. When Davis got injured, the Pats offense and Randy Moss looked a lot better.

- For almost the entire game whenever the Dolphins ran the Wildcat, quarterback Chad Henne could be found standing on the sidelines, except for one time when he lined up at receiver. Can you guess the play? If you said attempted reverse pass by Chad Henne resulting in a sack cause nobody was fooled, you win a cookie.

- Tom Brady’s offseason knee surgery hardly ever comes up anymore does it? That’s why the Pats will win the Super Bowl.

Dallas Cowboys 20, Philadelphia Eagles 16:

- Andy Reid overall is a good coach, he has consistently fielded winning teams that can contend for championships despite playing in a very tough division. Yet somehow he has worse clock management skills than Art Shell. Everyone else laughed a little when he kicked a field goal on fourth down trailing by seven with four minutes left right?

- The same clock bungling happened in the Super Bowl against the Patriots and it’s happened countless times since. Reid desperately needs to explain to him that the amount of time left on the clock should matter in your play-calling choices.

- Tony Romo has looked great for the last four games and lead the Cowboys to four straight wins. Yet if he throws three picks next week, I guarentee Cowboys fans will want him replaced. Why do people hate on him so much?

Indianapolis Colts 20, Houston Texans 17:

- I didn’t see much of this game, but I will note this. Kris Brown missed a 56 yard field goal at the end of halftime, but got a chance to kick it again because Colts coach Jim Caldwell called a timeout just before. Brown drilled it the second time. So what happens when Brown is lining up for a game tying field goal? Caldwell decides NOT to ice the kicker, wide right, Colts improve to 8-0. Icing the kicker is a waste of time.

The Rush to Judgment: Week Eight

This segment is a compilation of my initial reactions, thoughts and feelings right after the games. If you’re looking for heavily researched content go somewhere else, I’m shooting straight from the hip.

A quick note before we dive in, The length of each game’s entry will vary based on how much of the game I saw, mylevel of interest, and a game’s importance. Not every game will necessarily be included.

Indianapolis Colts 18, San Francisco 49ers 14:

- What’s more devastating to a team’s morale? Getting whipped in a blowout where everyone played poorly or finding

Nice to see a ghost of draft busts past.

out your best isn’t good enough. There is a great deal of debate on the subject, but I feel the latter is worse. At least in a blowout players can point to a dozen things they could have done better. Not so for the 49ers, who played as well as anyone can realistically imagine and fell short. This could have been a career defining win for Niners coach Mike Singletary, instead the Niners drop their fourth game in a row.

- Normally whether a running is left-handed or right-handed is irrelevant, but not in this game.  Instead of Addai having to set his feet and reset or throw across his body while running left, he could simply flick the ball with dominant hand. Because most people including NFL running back’s are righties nearly all Halfback pass plays come on a play going right. The fact the run started going left made the safety’s commit hard to the run and thus left Wayne wide open.

-  Still praying that first overall draft pick Alex Smith can somehow salvage his career, I always love to see a good comeback story especially after how badly he was treated by former coach Mike Nolan.

Miami Dolphins 30, New York Jets 25:

- There’s a good chance both coaches will feel sick reviewing this game tape. For losing coach Rex Ryan, his team outplayed Miami in just about every facet of the game except special teams. The Jets probably win this game hands down if they squib kick after Ginn’s first runback. Meanwhile, Dolphins coach Tony Sparano has to watch footage of Miami’s offense this week. That’s enough to make anyone feel nauseous

- Speaking of tape, check out the dramatic difference in the Wildcat offense for Miami three weeks ago (an unstoppable force)  and on Sunday (a crappy gimmick offense) That’s a credit to good defensive adjustments by the Jets. The jury is out on Ryan as a head coach, but the man can run a defense.

- Doesn’t it seem impossible that the same team could beat New England and Houston, Yet lose three games behind to Miami and Buffalo?

St Louis Rams 17, Detroit Lions 10:

- The Rams emerged victorious in the toilet bowl! Seriously I pity anyone from either city who had watch this mess of a game, How many guys from either team could start on Florida or Alabama right now?

- Rams tailback Steven Jackson is inhuman, he tied for second in the league in rushing yardage despite having absolutely no other help on offense. There isn’t one other player a defensive coordinator should bother to gameplan for on St. Louis, but he still stays productive. What a waste of talent.

- Never has an in-game score so perfect encapsulated a game than “St. Louis 3, Detroit 2.”

Chicago Bears 30, Cleveland Browns 6:

- Midway through the third quarter Browns QB Derek Anderson was 3-for-12 for 13 yards and interception. The rivalry between Raiders QB Jamarcus Russell and Anderson for worst starting quarterback is thrilling.

- Bears O-line incompetence still the most under-reported story in the NFL. The freaking Browns sacked Bears quarterback Jay Cutler four times and hit him (officially) seven times. Meanwhile Matt Forte managed only 3.5 yards per carry. It’s a miracle the Bears have a winning record.

- there have been rumors that the real reason Quinn is still sitting despite Anderson’s incompetence is because Quinn gets paid an extra 4.5 million if he plays 70% of the teams snaps at quarterback. Not sure if it’s true or not, but the impression of Cleveland as a cheapskate organization will seriously come back to haunt them come free agent time.

Philadelphia Eagles 40, New York Giants 19:

- This win is little comfort to Phillies fans who are rooting hard against the Yankees, but still nice to be better than

Best receiver? not even close. Best big play receiver? Might be Jackson.

New York at one sport.

- Remember when everyone thought the Saints were frauds at 4-0 and that the Giants should expose them? Whoops, missed that one hard.

- Who is the best big-play receiver in the league? It might be DeSean Jackson who has six touchdowns this year, not one has been scored from inside the 50-yard line. Note the words “Big play” are very important to the previous sentence.

- I Know the New England defense has been excellent, but they have to miss Asante Samuel. Sure he gets burned on gambles occasionally, but he might the best corner in the league at jumping on a short route.

Minnesota Vikings 38, Green bay Packers 26:

- Green Bay fans : “Sure Brett you rebuilt this franchise single-handedly, won us a Super Bowl, set numerous records and helped make Lambeau Field an icon, but what have you done for us lately?”

- I will go to my grave believing there is no single play in football worse than a fumbled kickoff. That game turns into a complete blowout if the return man simply fell down on the play.

- Did anyone else see the Favrecam? It was on nfl.com and literally was a camera that did nothing, but follow Brett Favre’s every move on the sidelines. I swear this isn’t a Favre joke, this really happened. Depending on your viewpoint, it’s unparalleled immersion in the game, or an example of voyeurism gone horribly wrong.

Caroline Panthers 31, Arizona Cardinals 21:

- Evidently Kurt Warner dressed up as Jake Delhomme for Halloween. I liked the costume.

Rush to Judgment: Week Seven

This segment is a compilation of my initial reactions, thoughts and feelings right after the games. If you’re looking for heavily researched content go somewhere else, I’m shooting straight from the hip.

A quick note before we dive in, The length of each game’s entry will vary based on how much of the game I saw, mylevel of interest, and a game’s importance. Not every game will necessarily be included.

Nice try, thanks for playing, but we've seen enough.

New England Patriots 35, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7

- I agree with the decision by Bucs coach Raheem Morris to give Josh Johnson a shot, but it’s seems pretty clear he’s not going to be going to be the future in Tampa Bay. He makes every mistake on the bad quarterback checklist. Does he bail out of the pocket at the first sign of trouble? Check. Does he stare down his primary receive? Check. Is he unable to complete an accurate crossing route? Check. Does almost every pass, even the completed one’s require a receiver to reach back or jump and catch it? Check. Sorry Josh it’s just not gonna happen.

-  I know the major hype is all about how Tom Brady is back to his 2007 form, but these blowouts have just as much to do with the Patriots defense as quarterback play. They forced something like six three-and-outs against the Bucs, and held the Titans to minus seven passing yards. Not only does it give Brady more chances, it allows him to work against an exhausted defense.

- Anybody remember last week’s Laurence Maroney resurgence? Ya that died down in a hurry, 13 carries for 43 yards and a garbage touchdown.

Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Minnesota Vikings 17

- This game was bittersweet for me, matching my favorite team (Steelers) against my favorite quarterback and player in the league (Brett Favre). I’m glad the Steelers won, but it’s a shame Favre is taking blame for a loss that isn’t entirely his fault.

- Steelers linebacker James Harrison’s slump is over. After not having a sack the first two weeks, he has eight in the last five weeks, and leads the league in forced fumbles (four).

- Chester Taylor should really feel like a bum after the Steelers game cliching 82 yard touchdown interception return bounced right off his hands into the Steelers lap.

- The Vikings defense played exceptionally well, holding Big Ben, who led the league in passing yards going into this game to just 174 yards. He now is in second place with 2062 (Matt Schaub of the Texans is first)

- Big Ben and Brett Favre are currently second and third respectively in completion percentage. That seemed as likely as Bruce Gradkowski playing quarterback for the Raiders. Oh wait.

Houston Texans 24, San Francisco 49ers 21

- Points scored in the half: Texans 21, Niners 0, Points scored in the second half, Niners 21, Texans 3. I would kill to have seen what San Francisco  Singletary did during his halftime speech.

- Count me among the dozen people praying Alex Smith actually learned how to play quarterback.The Smith to Vernon Davis combo resulted in 93 yards and three touchdowns. Seeing Two players who were both considered busts both play great together gave me a fuzzy feeling.

- 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree caught five passes for 55 yards in his first game since ending his holdout. Oakland receiver Darius Heyward-Bey ,who was picked three spots ahead of crabtree, had four catches for 64 yards This Year.

New York Jets 38, Oakland Raiders 0

- It finally happened, After two more interceptions and a fumble in the first half, the new poster boy for busts

Jamarcus warming the bench will be a common sight.

JaMarcus Russell was benched. Bruce Gradkowski managed to only turn the ball over once. A significant improvement.

- Big blow for the Jets on an otherwise flawless day. Leon Washington broke his Fibula, which not only knocks out their number two running back, it also eliminates arguably their best healthy receiver.

- The Raiders defense quit. There is no other excuse for allowing over 300 yards rushing when you know the other team has a rookie quarterback and is trying to burn out the clock.

Cincinatti Bengals 45, Chicago Bears 10

- How big was the loss of Brian Urlacher for the Bears? And why was Cincinatti the only teams that could really exploit it? prior to this loss the most points the Bears allowed all year was 24. They trailed by 31 at halftime.

- Every year there is one consensus top ten pick who turns into a complete bust. This years it’s officially Matt Forte. one touchdown and one 100 yards day all year. Both coming in the same day against the Lions. Shoot me in the throat now.

- Cedric Benson did everything but burn down soldier field in his return matchup against the Bears. More and more I’m starting to think the Bears were treating Benson bad than vice-versa.

- Glad to see Chad Ochocinco’s play is starting to catch up to his mouth. Although he’d need 3,000 yards and 34 touchdowns for it be an even race.

New Orleans Saints 46, Miami Dolphins 34

- Miami has the worst two minute offense in the league. That’s twice in their last three games they had three minutes to drive for a game-winning td and completely butchered the drive.

- Darren Sharpers half of fame push continues, he has five interceptions on the year, three of which came back for touchdowns.

- Tony Sparano caught a lot of flack for calling a timeout, at the end of the half. But honestly it’s coaching instinct to want the right personnel on the field. Easy to criticize in hindsight, but in the heat of the moment a very easy mistake to make. And full credit to quarterback Drew Brees for not allowing his coach to play like a wuss at the six-inch line.

- Bush has just two more yards rushing and receiving combined (319) than Sharper’s interception yardage (319), he didn’t even look that bad when he plays, I just don’t think the coaches trust him.

Arizona Cardinals 24, New York Giants 17

- With the Yankees game going head-to-head with this game, did anyone else actually watch this game? More importantly did anyone from New York give a shit about this game?

 

The Rush to Judgment: Week Six

This segment is a compilation of my initial reactions, thoughts and feelings right after the games. If you’re looking for heavily researched content go somewhere else, I’m shooting straight from the hip.

A quick note before we dive in, The length of each game’s entry will vary based on how much of the game I saw, my

Admit it haters, you were way off.

level of interest, and a game’s importance. Not every game will necessarily be included.

Minnesota Vikings 33, Baltimore Ravens 31:

- How many people would have believed you if had said the Vikings first loss was more likely to come from a defensive breakdown than any Brett Favre errors? let’s face it the Vikings deserved to lose this game, in spite of Favre not because of him.

- Raven’s rookie left tackle looked very solid going one-on-one with Vikings star Jared Allen. he rode him right out of the running lane on Ray Rice’s go-ahead run in the fourth quarter.

- Lost in all of the talk about how close the Ravens came to winning this game is how badly the Ravens defense has fallen off. At the moment the Ravens are 21st in the league in points allowed per game, which was unthinkable over the past five seasons. It’s as if as soon as they got some actual playmakers on offense, the defense just stopped trying so hard.

Buffalo Bills 16, New York Jets 13:

- Welcome back to earth Mark Sanchez. I feel somewhat vindicated after his five interception day after football announcers were declaring him the next Matt Ryan after two weeks.

- This game had a great deal of similarities to the Cleveland-Cincinatti game a couple weeks back. Two teams doing everything they possibly could to screw themselves over. It’s a damn shame neither game ended in a tie because neither side deserves a win.

- Three of Sanchez five picks came on passes targeting Braylon Edwards. Not sure if this is because Edwards couldn’t get open, or because Sanchez kept locking in on him because his other top two receivers jerricho Cotchery and Brad Smith were both hurt. Still, I feel Edwards is closer to the bum who played for the Browns then the star of last week’s MNF.

New England Patriots 59, Tennessee Titans 0:

- Did anyone else get flashbacks to last seasons Patriots blowout of the Cardinals the second they saw the weather?

Free Vince Young! Free Vince Young!

Not only did it look the same, it played out exactly the same way, with the warm weather team looking like they’ve never seen snow in their lifetime.

- Tennessee was missing two of it’s top players in the secondary, but this loss should be pinned on the Titans defensive line. Brady looks shaky whenever he’s harassed, but he never came close to being touched on nearly every snap. Any quarterback not named “JaMarcus” will shred a defense given that much time.

- Allow me to repeat what every fan watching this game was thinking midway through the second quarter — “Why isn’t Vince Young playing!?” Give the guy a chance to show whether or not he can actually play quarterback. Even when they finally put him in they called two passing plays for him. Exactly what will that accomplish? Kerry Collins finished with -7 passing yards and a pick on 12 attempts. How could Young possibly have done worse.

- The Titans finished with 193 rushing yards, same as the Patriots. Doesn’t that stat seem bizarre?

Atlanta Falcons 21, Chicago Bears 14:

- If the Bears still had Kyle Orton at quarterback I’m confident they’d be 0-5. They might have the league’s worst offensive line since the expansion Texans. How many passes did you see Cutlet have to throw of his back foot? And how many times was Matt Forte (my biggest fantasy football bust) hit by four guys before reaching the line of

Well, he definately ate a lot in Chicago.

scrimmage?

- The epitome of pathetic run blocking came on Forte’s back-to-back fumbles on the Falcons inch yard line. The halfback dive at the one yard line has something like a 90% success rate. How could the Bears be this bad at punching the ball in the endzone. Is Orlando Pace telling his opponents the snap count?

- I’m surprised the Falcons moved away from the no huddle after how much success they had in the second quarter. The Bears had no idea who was covering what zone the entire drive.

- Noted by the commentators during this game was that Johnny Knox, the Bears breakout rookie receiver. Was the player chosen with the fifth round pick the Broncos gave up in the Jay Cutler trade. Sure it was expensive, but picking up a quarterback receiver combo is always advisable if it can be done.

New Orleans Saints 48, New York Giants 27:

- Drew Brees is just as good as Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, no more “almost” required.

- I defy anyone to find me any visual evidence that any sort of holding occurred on Eli Manning’s touchdown pass to Brandon Jacobs on fourth down that was called back. That was just a bullshit “he had so much time someone must have held” call.

- Even after the holding penalty I think Coughlin made an error by kicking the field goal. So what it’s 20 yards to the goal line on fourth down? Your down by 20 points, you need a miracle to happen, a field goal is equivalent to waving a white flag.

- Saints safety Darren Sharper should have had his third touchdown if not for the most bogus call in pro football. A lame roughing the passer call.  A lame slap on the head that wouldn’t hurt a schoolgirl shouldn’t be a roughing call.

Carolina Panthers 28, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21:

- Want to see a hit that deserves a roughing call and a serious fine? Check this clip out. Dante Wesley nearly incites a riot with the cheap shot on Tampa Bay’s Clifton Smith. And people call quarterback vulnerable? Nothing is more dangerous than being the punt returner, where every tackler is coming at you doing a dead sprint.

- Last year on Monday night football the Panthers ran for over 300 yards against Tampa Bay, and sent them into a four game losing streak.  This time they “only” ran for 267. Carolina’s offensive line must get giddy when they see the Bucs on the schedule.

Oakland Raiders 13, Philadelphia Eagles 9:

- Does Andy Reid know it’s ok to run the ball when your behind? Reid called 48 passes and handed off to his running backs just 11 times. I understand airing it out when you are down by 17. But the Raiders never led by more than a touchdown. He calls plays like a drunk frat boy playing Madden.

- Raiders rookie receiver Louis Murphy is already a better player than first round bust Darrius Heyward-Bey. Murphy didn’t catch any passes, but he threw two blocks that directly led to Zach Millers 86 yard td reception.

- It’s possible this might be the final game for coach Tom Cable before charges are pressed for assault. A game tape of will be a nice souvenir when he goes into the pen.

Rush to Judgment: Week Five

This week’s rush to judgment coming to you live (sorta) from the middle of central Florida. Sorry it’s a little late in coming, had some travel issues, also I didn’t catch much of the Broncos vs. Pats due to local restrictions so I only can write that from highlight packages. I did get to watch a sweet Seahawks-Jaguars blowout (this is sarcasm). Anyways onto the usual business.

This segment is a compilation of my initial reactions, thoughts and feelings right after the games. If you’re looking for heavily researched content go somewhere else, I’m shooting straight from the hip.

A quick note before we dive in, The length of each game’s entry will vary based on how much of the game I saw, my level of interest, and a game’s importance. Not every game will necessarily be included.

Pittsburgh Steelers 28, Detroit Lions 20

- Actually got to see this game as it was an early local broadcast (for some reason) and though it favored the Steelers heavily, that roughing the passer call was as bad as the one’s on Brady last week. either stop this nonsense or play two hand touch rules for quarterbacks.

New Lions coach Jim Schwartz has the Lions looking competent.

- For team playing without it’s starting quarterback, lost it’s top wide receiver, and went 0-16 last year, the Lions showed a surprising amount of fight against the Super Bowl champs.

- That said, after scoring a touchdown to make it 28-20 in the fourth quarter, the Lions had a first-and-10 at the Steelers 21 yard line. They play-by-play went like this:

1st and 10 at PIT 21	(Shotgun) D.Culpepper sacked at PIT 27 for -6 yards (sack split by L.Woodley and W.Gay).
2nd and 16 at PIT 27	(No Huddle, Shotgun) D.Culpepper sacked at PIT 32 for -5 yards (W.Gay).
	Timeout #2 by DET at 01:23.
3rd and 21 at PIT 32	(Shotgun) D.Culpepper sacked at PIT 45 for -13 yards (L.Timmons).
	Timeout #3 by DET at 01:18.
4th and 34 at PIT 45	(Shotgun) D.Culpepper pass incomplete deep middle to D.Northcutt (I.Taylor).

That was ripped right from the play-by-play book, so the Lions still have some work to do.

- Good news for Steeler fans: Big Ben has thrown only two picks in his last three games. Bad news for Steelers fans: They were both returned for touchdowns.

Philadelphia Eagles 33, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14

- I’m not sure Kevin Curtis ever gets his job back. Mcnabb to Maclin looks like a fantastic quarterback to receiver connection.

- Fat man running with football might be my favorite part of the game. Thank you Donald Penn for a glimmer of light in a dreary Tampa Bay offense.

- Josh Johnson is better than I ever would have guessed. At the worst he’s a lateral movement from Byron Leftwich and Johnson has some upside, Leftwich isalways going to be the same player.

- Exactly what was all that preseason hoopla about Michael Vick? Is he still on the Eagles by Week 10? Someone get Al Davis on the phone.

Cleveland Browns 6, Buffalo Bills 3

- This game was actually worse than people expected. No easy feat when look at the teams involved. I thought 7-for-24 was bad. Derek Anderson just raised the stakes on Jamarcus Russell with an inspired 2-for-17 and an interception.

- Will the Bills please end this ridiculous no-huddle offense experiment? You know, the one they installed in the preseason but decided to keep after firing their offensive coordinator before the season. Great move Dick Jauron.

Cincinatti Bengals 17, Baltimore Ravens 14- It took long enough, but Bengals coach Marvin Lewis finally put together a competent defense.

- Cedric Benson became the first running back to eclipse 100 yards against the Ravens in the last 40 games. I wonder what Bears fans think of Benson’s and Kyle Orton’s shocking success es (I’m talking to you Methot).

- The final pass interference call against the Ravens looked shaky especially since the pass was short of the first down yardage, but Ray Lewis deserved the flag for nearly maiming Chad Ochocinco.

- It’s been a good start to the season, but at some point the Bengals have to stop being in situations where they need a game-winning score on their final drive. At some point the odds will catch up to them, and it will be ugly.

Atlanta Falcons 45, San Francisco 49ers 10

- Dre Bly’s career was summed up on his interception, taunt, fumble sequence in this game. He creates a ton of big plays, but just as many for the opponent as for his own team. I’m surprised coach Mike Singletary didn’t rip his head off hen he reached the sidelines after that moronic play.

- Looks like people who said the Falcons were overrated (yes that’s me) may have spoken too soon. WR Roddy White looked unstoppable with over 200 yards two touchdowns and a forced fumble on the aforementioned Bly. 

- Singletary took some heat for the way he screamed at his players theensity that sometimes boils overn  burned timeouts late, just so his guys had to play a few more snaps, but that’s who he is. He’s a hot tempered coach with white-hot intensity that sometimes boils over. Still so far his overall body of work outweighs the negatives.

Dallas Cowboys 26, Kansas City Chiefs 20 (OT)

- I get so sick of hearing about Mike Vrabels “ability” to catch touchdowns at the goal line. I maintain there are at least 45 linebackers in the league who could do the same if given the same opportunities. What makes him better than a second string tight end?

- Miles Austin was owned, not started, owned in  2.1% of fantasy leagues on ESPN. The will be carnage in the stampede to the waiver wire after this week’s production. He had 250 yards and two touchdowns after DROPPING two other would-be touchdown passes. An all-time “how did that happen?” performance.

Seattle Seahawks 41, Jacksonville Jaguars 0

- Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck played well. That didn’t stop me from falling asleep in the third quarter.

Denver Broncos 20, New England Patriots 17 (OT)

- Heard plenty of jokes today that they might change the overtime policy because Tom Brady lost without touching the ball. I’m sure whether I’d be thrilled or furious if it actually did happen.

- All this time I thought Broncos coach McDaniels was a crappy clone of Bill Belichick. I still don’t like the guy, but it was nice to see someone who coached with Belichick show actual human emotion after a big win. I hate Belichick’s robo-coach approach, yes it works, it’s still boring as hell.

- Not sure how much they mentioned it during the live roadcast, but I didn’t hear enough on the highlights about how well cornerback champ Bailey played. Holding Randy Moss to one catch is an achievement that’s tough to duplicate.

- I give up. Kyle Orton is a man who just wins. But you will get some great laughs if you google “Kyle Orton Drunk.”

Kyle Orton is Joe Namath and John Elway rolled into one

-I highly doubt refs hate the Patriots as much as New England fans think. But that taunting call was either amazing foresight or an accidental flag throw where the ref said “I might as well call the penalty.”

- That clutch overtime run by Knowshon Moreno was a spectacular example of how simply running forward is often the best option. When Pat’s safety Brandon Meriweather got in front of him. he didn’t try to juke, spin, switch directions or stop like many other running backs would have. He just charged looking to pick up a couple yards, he got lucky that Meriweather missed the tackle and wound up with a huge play.

Well guys that’s all for today. I’m off to try to find a bar out here to watch some Dolphins Wildcat action.

This man was unemployed last October. Now he leads the NFL in rushing.

The Rush To Judgment: Week Four

This segment is a compilation of my initial reactions, thoughts and feelings right after the games. If you’re looking for heavily researched content go somewhere else, I’m shooting straight from the hip.

A quick note before we dive in, The length of each game’s entry will vary based on how much of the game I saw,  my level of interest, and a game’s importance. Not every game will necessarily be included.

New England Patriots 27, Baltimore Ravens 21

- It’s time for all Pats fans to stop claiming their team is falling of a cliff. Just because they aren’t undefeated and Tom Brady isnt’ averaging five touchdowns a game does not mean they are a failure.

Touching this man is a 15 yard penalty and an automatic first down.

- The Patriots did catch some breaks to win the game, like Raven’s receiver Mark Clayton’s drop on fourth down or the Ravens fumbling the opening kickoff. But that’s not news, the Ravens have NEVER beaten the Patriots (unless you count when they were the Browns). Anyone else remember the Ravens losing to the Pats during their undefeated season where they got three chances to convert on fourth down then had a hail mary fall two yards short?

- Shouldn’t “roughing the passer” require a defense player to actually hurt or attempt to hurt the quarterback? High school quarterback’s have brushed off harder hits than what Brady took. I hate referees who enforce the letter (tapped helmet = 15 yard penalty) rather than the spirit of a rule (no punching the quarterback in the head).

Bengals 23, Browns 20 (ot)

- I’m so sad this game didn’t end in a tie. It felt like a fitting end to a sloppy game.

- Browns defensive tackle Shaun Rogers has blocked 15 kicks in his career, however he spent his career with the Lions and the Browns, so it’s like those plays happened in a black hole.

- Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco might be crazy, but that one-handed touchdown catch reminded me why he’s worth the occasional migraine.

- Is Browns receiver Braylon Edwards is actually on the field or are they digitally inserting him onto the T.V. screen?

New York Giants 27, Kansas City Chiefs 16

- The difference between this game and the Patriots game was staggering. One network featured two top teams that are

Did anyone think Steve Smith was an elite receiver four weeks ago?

going to be fighting for a playoff spot, the other featuring the Giants sleepwalking to a victory while Kansas City played as if all the players met each other last week.

- Everytime I flipped to this game, the Chiefs were getting sacked (five sacks) fumbling the ball (five fumbles) or commuting a penalty. It;s hard to believe the Chiefs scored 16 points.

- I know this comparison feels weird, but Matt Cassel plays almost exactly like Daunte Culpepper did after Randy Moss left. They both wander around in the pocket, then either get sacked, dump the ball to a tight end or receiver on a crossing route or bail out and run for a few yards. And both look terrible without Randy Moss demanding double coverage.

- I grabbed Giants wide receiver Steve Smith in the 13th round in one fantasy league and off the waiver wire in another. Now he’s the leading receiver in the NFL in yards (411), receptions (34) and touchdowns (four). Draft day research is a waste of time.

Washington Redskins 16, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13

-  Buc’s cornerback Aqib Talib (three interceptions) caught more passes from Redskin’s Quarterback Jason Campbell than any Washington receiver.

- Tampa Bay kicker Mike Nugent missed two field goals in a three point loss. Notice how coach Raheem Morris realized a post-game tirade does not improve a kicker’s accuracy.

- The Redskins have beaten the Bucs and Rams by a combined five points. Head coach Jim Zorn’s seat isn’t just hot, it’s already melted.

Denver Broncos 17, Dalla Cowboys 10

- The best way for a team to improve its defense is to make Kyle Orton the starting quarterback. I don’t know how it works, I don’t know why and the very idea makes me question all football logic, but it can’t be denied any longer.

- The Cowboys had two chances to score a touchdown from the two yard line with no timeouts, so what did they do? They threw to fourth string receiver Sam Hurd twice while Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey was on him. It’s not just Tony Romo, that’s a terrible play call by the coaching staff.

- Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall whipped the Cowboys secondary worse than his ex girlfriend. Don’t be fooled by his “father-son” hug of Josh McDaniels, he’s as violent off the field as on it.

Chicago Bears 48, Detroit Lions 24

The Lions looked good early, but hit the deck when the Bears punched back.

- Two weeks in a row, the Bears have faced fourth and inches on the goal line. Both times they scored a touchdown with a play action pass to the tight end. Coaches will be aware of this the next time they face Chicago.

- As soon as Johnny Knox returned the second half opening kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown to make the score 28-21, the Lions wilted. The entire team had the same look that Mike Tyson had when Buster Douglas took his best punch then knocked him out. A mixture of confusion, disbelief and helplessness.

- Sorry Detroit, the glimmer of competence is over. It was a nice game-and-a-half though.

New Orleans Saints 24, New York Jets 10

- I’m so happy one of my preseason predictions might actually come true. The Saints look like a legitimate Super Bowl contender now that they have a solid defense to go with a top tier quarterback.

- Saints safety Darren Sharper should get serious hall of fame consideration if he plays for a couple more years. He’s ninth all time in interceptions (59) second all time in interceptions returned for a touchdown (10) and third in interception return yardage (1,311 yards). He’s 33 right now so two more years isn’t out of the question. He’s not a special athlete or a fierce hitter, but he an amazing knack for understanding quarterback’s tendency’s.

- Mark Sanchez finally played like the rookie he is. The Jets can still make the playoffs, but it will be because of the defense. Sanchez just has to be a game manager, not a playmaker.

- Reggie Bush has fumbled three times in four games. If he continues that pace he’s be out of the league by next season.

Pittsburgh Steelers 38, San Diego Chargers 28

- The Steelers would go 19-0 if football games lasted 30 minutes instead of 60.

- Before everyone heads to the waiver wire to pick up Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall please note that the Chargers are 29th in the league in rushing defense. I think he’s better than the shadow of Willie Parker, but he’s not an elite back because of one game.

- Troy Polamalu’s return can’t come soon enough after the abuse that Chargers tight end Antonio Gates heaped on Pittsburgh.

- I wish I could’ve heard Chargers coach Norv Turner’s halftime speech. I have no idea what a lame duck coach whise team is down 21-0 at halftime can possibly say to inspire his team. Even more bizarre is that it seemed to work, the Chargers were a late Jeff Reed field goal from having the chance to tie the game.

The Rush to Judgment: Week Three

This segment is a compilation of my initial reactions, thoughts and feelings right after the games. If you’re looking for heavily researched content go somewhere else, I’m shooting straight from the hip.

A quick note before we dive in, The length of each game’s entry will vary based on how much of the game I saw,  my level of interest, and a game’s importance. Not every game will necessarily be included.

We are not worthy of basking the glow that is Favre's aura.

.

Minnesota Vikings 27, San Francisco 49ers 24

- Brett Favre! Brett Favre! Brett Favre! In all seriousness can anyone imagine Sage Rosenfels or Tavaris Jackson coming through in that situation?

-49ers coach Mike Singletary has nothing to be ashamed of. His team played its guts out without it’s best offensive weapon (running back Frank Gore) and was seconds away from remaining unbeaten.

- I guarantee nobody outside Philadelphia ever heard the name Greg Lewis before yesterday; what an incredible catch.

- The Vikings have given up two special teams touchdowns in three games this season. It’s been hidden by their success, but it’s an achilles heel that could kill them later on.

New England Patriots 26, Atlanta Falcons 10:

- Tom Brady might not be back to 2007 levels yet, but the offensive line sure is. Brady could’ve set up a picnic in the time it took the Falcons defensive line to reach him. Every quarterback in the league not named “JaMarcus Russell” would have looked great against the Falcons.

- I will be shocked if Joey Galloway sees the field by Week 8, he was the Falcons best defender.

- I implored Belichick last week. PLEASE PLEASE just stick with Fred Taylor!! fantasy players across America implore you to give up on Laurence Maroney.

- Michael Turner through three games : 226 yards, two touchdowns, 3.5 yards per carry. How was he the consensus second overall pick again?

Denver Broncos 23, Oakland Raiders 3

- Statisically, the Broncos have the best defense in the NFL having allowed just 16 points over three games. I cannot believe I’m writing those words. If coach Josh McDaniels keeps this up, he gets a pass on the Jay Cutler trade.

- Then again, They faced the Bengals, Browns, and Raiders. They beat the Bengals on a miracle touchdown, and the Raiders and Browns have the worst quarterback situations in the league.

I don’t know if everyone has a complete polar opposite, but JaMarcus Russell is the antithesis to Chad Pennington.

New York Giants 24, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0

- Byron Leftwich went 7-16 for 22 yards and an interception. How do you complete seven passes without gaining 40 yards? Was he throwing backwards? Maybe he was blindfolded?

Detroit Lions 19, Washington Redskins 14

-I keep hearing people second-guess Redskins coach Jim Zorn for going for it on fourth-and-inches on the Lions goal line. Easy to say in hindsight, but no one at the time could’ve imagined the Lions putting a 99 yard touchdown drive together. Zorn probably deserves to get fired, but not for that call.

- Want some actual evidence that Zorn needs to be fired? Jason Campbell threw the ball 41 times while the Redskins rushed 14 times total. I know they were down early, but a 13-0 deficit against the Lions is not the time to panic and go pass wacky.

- Good for the Lions, it was a joke that just wasn’t funny anymore.

Chicago Bears 25, Seattle Seahawks 19

- Seahawks coach Jim Mora Jr. absolutely torched his kicker Olindo Mare in the postgame press conference. Mare missed two field goals, one from 43 yards the other from 35, those kicks proved to be the difference in the game. “Gotta’ make those kicks,” Mora said. “Especially in a game like this where you’re kicking and scratching and fighting and playing your tail off, and you miss those kicks, “Not acceptable. Not acceptable. Absolutely not acceptable.”

- Mora statements while totally true do portray him as a hothead. Mike Tomlin didn’t throw Jeff Reed under the bus  when he missed two kicks against the Bears last week. Jeff Fisher, the Titans coach ,didn’t castrate his kick returner Ryan Mouton who fumbled two kicks in a seven point loss. Let the press criticize the guy for you, Mora won’t make friends in the locker room by burying his own players, even a kicker.

- The Seahawks also made the worst tackle of the year on Devin Hester’s touchdown catch. watch it again — the cornerback has tight coverage on Hester and is in position to make the tackle after the catch, except his own safety blasts him out of the way leaving Hester to waltz into the endzone.

- Jay Cutler might not have great stats, but watch how little protection he gets on a regular basis. Despite this, he still manages to make the Bears passing attack effective for the first time in ages. Regardless of how well this season goes, I don’t think Bears general manager Jerry Angelo will second guess the trade he made.

Cincinatti Bengals 23, Pittsburgh Steelers 20

- Can someone please tell me what happened in the fourth quarter!? I remember going to the bathroom and the Steelers holding a 20-9 lead. I stop to grab a drink, and when I get back suddenly the Bengals are driving for a game-winning touchdown.  Huh?

- This is ripped straight from footballoutsiders.com, it’s the Steelers playcalls on first down in the second half. And it’s

The typical outcome of a Willie Parker run.

why I hate Willie Parker.

• Five-yard pass to Heath Miller
• Willie Parker rush for no gain
• Willie Parker rush for one yard
• Willie Parker rush for two yards
• Willie Parker rush for a two yard loss
• Nine-yard pass to Willie Parker
• Willie Parker rush for three yards
• Willie Parker rush for three yards
• Willie Parker rush for no gain
• Willie Parker rush for three yards
• Incomplete pass (final play of the game)

- The Steelers have lost two very winnable games by a combined six points in the last two weeks. The glass half full outlook says they are just a few plays away and will even out. Glass half empty says they just won’t catch any breaks after winning the Super Bowl last year. I’m still a believer in the Steelers, but I’ve been wrong plenty of times before.

The Timeshare Nightmare

It’s a question that has haunted fantasy football players every week of the season for the past decade. Guess correctly and and you’re on your way to an easy win. Guess wrong and you spend the next three hours cursing at the television. This is the great question — do you start the running back with the most talent and best matchup who is in a timeshare (I.E. shares carries with another player), or a running back with a worse matchup who gets all the carries?

It has become frustrating for games to be decided on virtual coin flip decisions. The player who benched Willis McGahee (89 total yards, two touchdowns) and started Matt Forte (62, 0) feels like an idiot. The guy who started Cedric Benson (141, 0) and benched Steve Slaton (59, 0) looks like a genius. In Week Three, the situation could be completely reversed, even though both choices are quite reasonable.

How many people regret benching Willis McGahee just because he shares carries with Ray Rice?

So much of what makes a good decision in fantasy football is based on the whims of coaches. If 49ers coach Mike Singletary randomly decides one day to give Glen Coffee all carries inside the five yard line, Frank Gore becomes a much worse start, even if his real life value is virtually the same. Or lets say Panthers coach John Fox thinks Jonathan Stewart look better in practice and should get 75% of the carries for the rest of the year. Now people who drafted DeAngelo Williams in the first round are shit outta luck.

It’s crept into all levels of analysis. Prognosticators like Matthew Berry of ESPN used to spend most of their time discussing why a player should sit or start based on the particular team he’s facing. They provided statistical evidence that a certain team was really good at stopping the run, or had a great deal of trouble stopping pass-catching backs.

Today they waste time giving advice like “we hear that Knowshon Moreno has impressed the Denver coaches and is the unquestioned starter” or “Earnest Graham and Derrick Ward will split carries for Tampa Bay with Cadillac Williams getting a few carries.” The major problem with this information is there is no factual basis for it other than a coaches word, which is as reliable as an Iranian dictator’s. Every year, it feels like fantasy football is becoming less based on solid research and matchups advantage and more on guessing the whims of a coach.

Drafting used to be about getting the most talented player as early as possible, now it’s about getting the best player with the most chances. Players like Michael Turner (Falcons), Maurice Jones-Drew (Jaguars) and Matt Forte (Bears) aren’t significantly better then guys like Ronnie Brown (Dolphins), Chris Johnson (Titans) or Marion Barber (Cowboys), but they were drafted far higher because they don’t have anyone stealing their carries.

People have consistently floated ideas about how to create a system that is less dependent on coaches game-day decisions. One idea was to replace individual players with a teams entire rushing attack. Nobody drafted a Patriots tailback because they use so many, but imagine how high “Patriots running backs” goes in a draft.  The plus side is it simplifies drafting and makes sure everyone can draft a viable ground game. The downside is it makes receivers and quarterbacks too valuable because it waters down the importance of running backs. Plus it’s not nearly as much to root for “Vikings running backs” as it is to cheer for Adrian Peterson.

We beg you Bill, just pick a tailback and stick with him!

Another pseudo solution, the one endorsed by most fantasy “experts” is not a tweak of the rules, but a strategy tweak known as “handcuffing” your running back. That means if you draft a running back who you think will be the starter, you also draft his backup or teammate. If you take Barber draft Felix Jones, if you have Ronnie Brown take Ricky Williams, etc. This is great for when your perceived starter goes down with an injury, but less so when carries are split. You do have the option of starting both running backs at once (if you did this last week with Jones and Barber, I bow to your brilliance), but it does create an over-reliance on one team, and can be a waste of a roster spot if only one back is productive.

My personal favorite idea is to allow one substitution at halftime per week. Real coaches can make a substitution if somebody is terrible, so why can’t we? If you see that Fox gave Stewart one carry and Williams 15, you could bench Stewart and bring in someone like Jamal Lewis if he’s having a good game. It doesn’t change the results of a blowout, but it prevents a single injury or spot of bad luck from killing you. It also allows more management of your team and who doesn’t want that? The downside is, that (to my knowledge) there is no software on most sites that allows mid-game substitutions.

I don’t think there is a perfect solution to the problem outside of brainwashing coaches, but there has to be a way to improve the situation right? If anyone reading this has any ideas, please comment, so that one day I won’t slam my head against the wall when Tom Coughlin (Giants coach) decides to only use Ahmad Bradshaw for the rest of the game.

The Rush To Judgment: Week 2

This segment is a compilation of my initial reactions, thoughts and feelings right after the games. If you’re looking for heavily researched content go somewhere else, I’m shooting straight from the hip.

A quick note before we dive in, The length of each game’s entry will vary based on how much of the game I saw,  my level of interest, and a game’s importance. Not every game will necessarily be included.

New York Jets 16, New England Patriots 9

- So many people I talked to thought the Jets were crazy for talking smack prior to the game. I loved it. Not only did Rex Ryan show confidence in their team, it sent a message that they were sick of being second class in the AFC East. I don’t think they won BECAUSE they talked trash, that’s ridiculous, but I don’t believe that trashing an opponent makes the opponent play better.

- Is Darrelle Revis really that good a cornerback? Or is Randy Moss slowing down just a tad?

- Mark Sanchez is still overrated. When the Patriots got pressure in the first half he couldn’t do anything. Only when the Jets started dominating the Patriots pass rush did Sanchez play well.

-  Ryan really is a standout defensive mind. Look at how badly the Texans played against his defense compared to how well they did against the Titans. And the Ravens defense looks much more vulnerable  without him as coordinator.

Cincinatti Bengals 31, Green Bay Packers 24

- Bengals defensive end Antwan Odom had five sacks against the Packers. I know the Packers left tackle got injured. I don’t care. The guy should have been getting tripled teamed or something after sack number four. Thanks to McCarthy’s inability to adjust his blocking Odom is now leading the league in sacks. Way to go.

Denver Broncos 27, Cleveland Browns 6

- This game exemplifies why it is so difficult to judge a team’s ability early in the season. Denver might have made the greatest defensive turnaround in history from one season to the next. Or it could a mirage because they got to play the two teams from Ohio. I think mirage, but I’ve been wrong before.

Chicago Bears 17, Pittsburgh Steelers 14

- Old Wisdom: Jay Cutler is an undisciplined crybaby who only played well behind an amazing Denver offense. Look how many picks he threw against the Packers! He sucks!

- New Wisdom: Cutler is exactly the kind of playmaking quarterback the Bears have always lacked.  Look at him complete a game-winning drive against last years top rated defense! With no turnovers or sacks!

- I can’t remember ever seeing a player look more heartbroken then Jeff Reed after Robbie Gould made the winning field goal.

- Hunter Hillenmeyer got pancaked quite a few times against the Pittsburgh O-line. Brian Urlacher will be sorely missed by the Bears against a really good running team.

- I’m still wondering what happened to Big Ben after the first quarter. Is he allergic to rain? The Steelers should invest in a hybrid football uniform/wetsuit.

Buffalo Bills 33, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20

- The Bills may be beaten down, but they have some of nicest fans ever. I can’t imagine fans in 90% of cities being so forgiving of Leodis McKelvin. I hope they never move.

- Tampa Bay’s once vaunted defense is completely gutted. They have allowed over 800 yards of offense and 60 points in the last two games. The days of Warren Sapp assaulting quarterbacks, Derrick Brooks flying sideline to sideline John Lynch laying out receivers who dared cross the middle seems like a lifetime ago.

- Terrell Owens is still an egomaniac who needs to be placated. They repeatedly cut to the sidelines showing him sulking despite holding a commanding lead. The guy is not ok with being a decoy and doesn’t care about the Bills at all.

Baltimore Ravens 31, San Diego Chargers 26:

- Watching the Ravens put up 30+ points in a row is completely disorienting. Imagine watching the Orioles pitch back-to-back shutouts, and you get an idea of how improbable this seemed two weeks ago.

- You be the coach. You are down 31-26 at your opponents 15 yard line, it’s fourth-and-2 and you are holding one timeout. At this point in the game your quarterback has thrown for 438 yards, your top two running backs combined for 50 yards. What is your play call? If you said run up the middle you have the same mindset as actual NFL head coach Norv Turner. The play lost five yards as Ray Lewis blew it up.

- One of the talking heads on CBS (I think it was Rodney Harrison) after game said with no hint of doubt that “this was the greatest play of Ray Lewis’ career!” Really? The best play ever by a surefire hall of fame linebacker came in week 2 against the Chargers? I guess his 50 yard interception touchdown return against the Titans in the 2000 Playoffs was a figment of my imagination.

Oakland Raiders 13, Kansas City Chiefs 10

- The Raiders are becoming the broke man’s version of the 2008 Vikings. solid defense and talented running game destined to rendered irrelevant by an utterly incompetent quarterback. What’s the point of having a bazooka for an arm if you can’t aim it?

- Incompetent might not be strong enough. I imagine there are 70 quarterbacks in the league, and maybe a dozen more in college who could go 7-for-24 against the Chiefs defense. This is example #4,569 why measuring a quarterback by wins and losses is utterly idiotic.

New York Giants 33, Dallas Cowboys 31

- Lost in all the hoopla about the wacky bounces, Jerry Jones monument to money and the Romo bashing is how badly the Cowboys  offensive line mauled the Giants defense. The Giants got zero sacks and allowed 254 yards between three running backs. If the Cowboys line play this well every game, they are front-runners for the Super Bowl.

- As a Brandon Jacobs fantasy owner I am terrified by how tentative and slow he looked at the line. What happened to the guy who rushed for 15 touchdowns last year? I’m begging Giants coach Tom Coughlin to let us know if Jacobs is injured.

- Does anyone remember how good Mario Manningham was at Michigan and why he slipped to the third round? He tested positive for Marijuana and lied about it. First of all I wouldn’t trust any wide receiver who never smoked weed in college. Second, I know lying looks bad, but what 21-year-old wouldn’t lie in that situation? The fault is on his agents for not coaching him properly. Now it looks like the Giants got an absolute steal.