We had some very enjoyable games this week. Let’s take a look at them.
CLEV 6 – BUF 3
This was not one of them. Less hard hitting than a slap fight between two little girls, this might go down as the battle for the first pick in the draft. Both teams stink out loud and these two once proud franchises should hide their logos in shame. Neither has a chance for the rest of the season, and when the winter comes, don’t expect too many people in the seats in either stadium. Trent Edwards is running for his life, and on the other side Derek Anderson is wildly inconsistent and was quite pedestrian this game. Neither team seems to have a QB, though they seem to think they do. Plus, the coaching here was really awful.
DAL 26 – KC 20
WR Patrick Crayton and OT Flozell Adams did their best to blow the game for Dallas, but strong performances by Tashard Choice and Tony Romo coupled with an unearthly day from WR Miles Austin saved Dallas’s season, and kept them from dropping into the bottom five teams in the NFL. The Cowboys were outcoached almost the whole game by a rookie staff, but KC just didn’t have the man power to take the win. It is hard to tell if KC might be headed in the right direction over the next few years, but Dallas is in a lot of trouble. Wade Phillips looks like the Campbell Soup Kid after a bad night. Since he has taken the reins of the team, each year they have gotten worse. Plus the Dallas D collapses at the worst possible times. KC head man Todd Haley also seems to be out of his league, but let’s at least give him a season or two. KC isn’t getting worse, but Dallas sure is.
MIN 28 – STL 10
Could have been billed as the best versus the worst in the NFC. Jared Allen is the best defensive player in the NFL right now, and the Vikes are legit Super Bowl threats. As I have said before, the only weakness they have is age. Although he did fine this game, Adrian Peterson must secure the ball better when the second season rolls around. As for St. Louis, the only reason they were not completely roasted was the breaking story that an amorphous, hateful, admitted drug addict who was fired by ESPN for making racist comments is trying to form a coalition to buy the team. Ladies and gentlemen, it will never happen.
NYG 44 – OAK 7
The best versus the worst? New York is a machine and their upcoming game with the Saints should be a barn burner. I don’t know if there is a better coaching staff than the one the Giants have. Funny, a few years ago the fans wanted them gone. Speaking of what should be gone for Oakland, the following: the coaching staff, the offensive backfield, most of the other players, the owner. If that happens, then there is a possibility that the team will be competitive around the next presidential election. It was apparent the coaching staff didn’t even want QB JaMarcus Russell passing despite the points piling up against them. Note to Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford – try to get another year of eligibility.
PHIL 33 – TB 14
Philly is still hard to gauge. They have pounded on the bottom feeders, but the Saints busted them to pieces. It will take a few more tough games to see where they really are. As for Tampa, we know where they are: the bottom. TB vs STL should take place just to see who the worst team in the NFC really is. NFL guy predicted they would be the worst team in the league. They’ve got some tough competition, but they are trying their best to prove me right.
PIT 28 – DET 20
You know what? Detroit is coming along. They just do not have the man power to win against top teams, but the coaching is really helping them. Hmmm, the first staff not hired by Matt Millen and they are improving. Seems to me maybe he wasn’t that good of a GM. The Lions still stink up front on the O-line and cannot stop the pass, but they seem like they are playing football now. Pit is not playing like defending champs, and I don’t see them as a top AFC team. Plus, let’s face facts, Rothlisberger is a really hard guy to like and root for. After next week we will have a better idea about all the teams, but the Steelers remain an enigma.
CAR 20 – WASH 17
There is more than panic in beltway over this team than anything coming before congress right now. Poor Jim Zorn, hired by an awful, witless owner as the offensive coordinator without any experience and then finds himself as the head coach. He is in way over his head, and probably will embrace the axe. Of course the front office bringing in over rated and over paid talent, plus dropping the ball on draft day, sure doesn’t help. The Panthers struggled mightily in this game, but overcame the Skins defense – which was suppose to be really good this year – to pull out a victory. Despite the W, they are really bad as well. Just not Washington bad.
CIN 17 – BAL 14
The feel good story of the week when the Bengals pull one out for D-coordinator Mike Zimmer whose wife unexpectedly passed away last week. Zimmer had a brilliant game plan, and they made Joe Flacco look really mediocre, (186 yards and 2 ints). Marvin Lewis must be incredibly grateful his pro bowl QB is back and playing well once again. Cedric Benson might become the comeback player of the year. Baltimore is taking on the personality of its coach: whiny and unable to move pass the odd errant call against them. Harbaugh did such a good job last year, but he seems to have regressed. There is no team in the NFL that makes more excuses than the Ravens. Two weeks ago I ranked them as the best. Now they are in a full force tail spin.
ATL 45 – SF 10
Hey, wha’ happened? This was supposed to be a top defense here? Mike Singletary looked as crazy eyed as I’d ever seen him in the post game conference. He lost his composure a lot in this game, and has a ways to go to become a top head man – but I bet he does it. Atlanta got the ship back on course, and Roddy White is really showing what many of us thought he could always do. Mike Smith is a silent, underrated coach, who is turning this once traumatized franchise into a contender for seasons to come. How long Michael Turner can withstand the punishment is not known, but the man gives it up on every play.
SEA 41 – JAX 0
Wow. When healthy, Seattle can play some football. They are not a top-tier team, but they are one capable of winning on any given Sunday. As for Jacksonville, they are proving this team is a bigger mess than most of us thought, and they seem to be getting worse. Seattle has an above average to good D, but to be completely blanked here is shameful. Seahawks LB Aaron Curry from Wake Forest is a force, and might end up as the Defensive Rookie of the Year.
ARZ 28 – HOU 21
Arizona still is yet to recapture the magic they had last year. This game showcased receivers Andre Johnson vs. Larry Fitzgerald – pretty much a draw. Both are tops in the NFL for talent, and this was a game for those who love the long scores and deep balls. Houston needs to win these type of games to take the next step, but so far this year they have fallen short week after week. Arizona should have walked away with this game, but Houston wouldn’t die. It was a battle between two teams that should be doing better than they are.
DEN 20 – NE 17
NFL Guy’s football confidant Big Mac gives all the praise to Kyle Orton for the win. Kyle Orton! NFL Guy thinks the protégé out coached his mentor, and Denver is now the team to beat in the AFC. I thought these guys would win 4 games this year. The Denver D is for real now, and they were able to disrupt the Pats’ receivers all games, making it a long day for Brady. Denver might also have the best offensive line in the game today, with the best tandem of O tackles going. When you can protect with only five men, there are five more you can send out to run routes. This team is a nightmare to defend against on both sides of the ball. The only problem I could see were the impossible to look at throw-back leggings they wore. At the end of the game Belichick walked off the field stunned, summing up the look on the faces of most Patriots’ fans.
IND 31 – TEN 9
We thought The Titans were slipping, but this was bad even for them. They lost another player in the back four, and Manning just picked them apart like they were a high school team. Indy is silently becoming one of the top 2 or 3 teams in the AFC, maybe the NFL. I think the Broncos might have what it takes to beat them, and their run D is weak. However, they can sure put up points, and have the personnel to harass the QB. Does anyone want to see Peyton in the Super Bowl and on every other commercial on TV? The only shill more annoying than him is the awful Dennis Leary. Hey Leary, maybe if you were funny you wouldn’t have to do commercials all the time.
MIA 31 – NYJ 27
Best game of the week. This looked like a game played in 1936 with the formations and type of plays run on Miami’s side of the ball. There is a lot of film out on NY and QB Mark Sanchez now, and teams are learning how to beat them. The mauling O line of the ‘Fins were great fun to watch, outdone only by the long ball between Sanchez and new Jets WR Braylon Edwards. We have had some dreadful games this week, but this one was fantastic fun in a great atmosphere, to remind us why we love the NFL.
