NFL RECAP – WEEK EIGHT
STATE OF THE GAME
I read somewhere that Patriot
owner Robert Kraft has become a voice for the NFL putting a team in
London. For the life of me I don't see
why the NFL keeps trying to go global.
It is enough that we try and force soccer on ourselves, why force the
NFL on Europe and the rest of the world?
OK, I know the answer is
short and easy -- money. The NFL is ever
jealous of the ease with which basketball became a global game. Sure I get it, but the games are different. Basketball is simple. The players are visible. The cost of entry is a ball and some
sneakers. You can hone your skills by
yourself in a driveway or at a playground.
Football is not that easy to
pick up. It can at times move nearly as
slowly as a dull baseball game, and the rules that we know as a second language
are actually kind of absurd if you think about it too hard. Try explaining to a novice why his team got
an illegal formation penalty because "the end was uncovered". Uh huh, that makes sense.
Football is not a beautiful,
fluid game, like basketball, soccer (just kidding) or even hockey. Football is not artsy enough for the Euros to
embrace - -and that is OK -- don't make them.
They just started to like us again after the Bush years. If the NFL is in dire straits (which they
aren't) just extort the networks, they will pay more. I don't know about you, but I don't want to
walk around Berlin, London, or Paris and see dudes and dudettes wearing RG3 and
Manning jerseys. It would make me feel
dirty, like we forced somebody to steal something they didn't want and which we
didn't want to share. Has it come to
this? The NFL is the best export we have
to offer? Sighhhhhhhhhhhh
5-10 MUSINGS FROM THE GAMES
That Should Fix Everything - Part II
So I guess the Brady Quinn
era did not last long in Kansas City.
Quinn played just long enough to take a couple of hard shots and throw a
pick. Matt Cassel stepped in for the
injured Quinn and comfortably guided the Chiefs to another loss. And the Chiefs kept their amazing streak
alive.
What Streak? I am glad you asked. The Chiefs have not led for one second of any
game this year. But they have a win, you
say. True, the Chiefs beat the Saints in
overtime in week three. They rallied
from 18 points down, but never led during the game. They won the game on a last play field goal
in overtime.
Going winless is kind of
yesterday thanks to the Bucs and the Lions.
I am rooting for the Chiefs to go the whole season never knowing what it
means to lead a game. That would be a
streak worthy of DiMaggio.
Defense, Defense -- ughh
OK, last week I implied that
all these efficient offenses were pretty boring and it would be nice to see
some honest defense and a little shifting of power from O to D. Can I take it all back? Cleveland and San Diego gave us a 7-6
thriller yesterday that only a Cleveland Brown fan could love -- maybe. Philip
Rivers throws the ball 34 times for less than 160 yards. Weeden gets less than
130 yards on his 27 throws. Sometimes it
is hard to separate good defense from bad offense. This game had a little of both. The Chargers are fading fast.
Just Say No to Retro
I heard some good jokes
yesterday about the uniforms the Steelers and the Bears wore for their Sunday
games. The Steelers looked like escapees
from a bumblebee prison. The Bears looked
like the Mean Machine from the Longest Yard.
Can somebody remind me again why the teams do this? I say if you want to wear the old uniforms
then wear the leather helmets too. There
is too much fashion clash when you have the modern warrior technology clad in
your grandpa's NFL.
This Could be Really Good
The Denver Broncos crushed
the Saints last night. Peyton Manning
became the first quarterback in history to pass for 300 yards, throw at least
three touchdowns, and complete at least 70% of his passes in four straight
games. He looks like the old Peyton in
an uglier uniform. Better news for the
Broncos is that they shut down the Saint offense. The Saints had only 260 yards of offense and
converted just one of their twelve third downs into first downs. If the Bronco defense can meet the Bronco
offense halfway, the Broncos become a top three contender in the AFC with
Houston and New England.
Tebow, Tebow, Tebow
Sure, I can throw gasoline on
the fire in New York because now he (Tebow) is gone from Denver and is New
York's problem. Imagine this -- there
was a legion of Bronco fans that were distraught that the Broncos pursued
Manning and jettisoned Tim Terrific.
Seven weeks of Peyton Manning creates a lot of "we wish Tim the
best in New York" sentiment.
The Jets have the facade of
being in the playoff hunt as they trail the Patriots and the Dolphins by just a
game in the AFC East. Let's not kid
ourselves though. New York needs to face
three facts: They are not going to make the playoffs. Sanchez is not the guy. Tebow is not the guy. In that case, give the people what they
want. Let Tebow play for a couple of
weeks. He will be awful, the games will
be dull, the fans will satiate their lust for Tebow, and New York will improve
its draft position.
While the fans chanted for
Tebow, wide receiver Chaz Shilens stood by Sanchez. Trust me, a wide receiver knows that while
playing with Sanchez is bad, Tebow is wide receiver kryptonite.
You Need a Good Wing Man
I thought Matt Moore was becoming
a real NFL QB at the end of last year. I
was surprised a little that the Dolphins drafted Tannehill and more or less
(pun intended) gave him Moore's job. To
his credit Tannehill has played well and seems to be getting better
week-to-week. When Tannehill went down
on Sunday Moore stepped in and was solid in leading Miami against the
Jets. Moore may not be a happy camper,
but the Dolphins have a second guy who can get it done in the NFL. That gives them two more (again pun intended)
such guys than the Jets and the Chiefs.
The Eagle has Landed - Hard
The 7-0 Falcons easily
outclassed the Eagles in Philadelphia yesterday in a game the Eagles needed to
win. It would be way too easy to dwell
on Ryan and Vick comparisons. OK - -I
will. One looks like a veteran leader
that his team believes will win every game.
One looks like he doesn't even believe in himself. Personally, I don't see the Eagles salvaging
this season. They have played one solid
game all year - against the Giants. This
is a team with talent but no cohesion.
The Eagles look foolish now for giving Vick the big contract. I don't see Vick or Reid in Philly next year.
WEEKLY AWARDS
MVP
Peyton Manning gets the nod
this week for another masterful game as the Broncos crushed the Saints. When Peyton Manning replaces Tim Tebow as
your QB, the sports gods have smiled on you.
Manning edges out Andrew Luck who made the plays he needed to make as
the Colts beat the Titans in overtime and moved to 4-3.
EL BUSTO
Before all the drama of the
Dez Bryant catch that wasn't the Cowboys were on another drive and faced third
and one on the Giants 18. On consecutive
plays Jason Garrett dials up ill-fated passing calls when it seemed the prudent
thing to do would have been to throw short or run, get the first down, and keep
the momentum going. Jason Garrett and
Tony Romo have no chemistry in close games.
While the Cowboys bumbled through the first half, they still had a
chance to win this game. Jason Garret
exhibited zero "feel for the game" in his play selection. For that he earns the El Busto.
SURPRISE-SURPRISE-SURPRISE
This week's Jim Neighbor's
award goes to my favorite whipping boy, Jags QB Blaine Gabbert. Gabbert threw for 300 yards in a loss to the
Packers. Yes he put the ball up nearly
50 times to get those yards. Still, it
was a respectable performance and anytime Gabbert delivers one of those I am
surprised.
TREASURE OF THE WEEK
The Lions and Seahawks traded
the lead three times in the fourth quarter with the Lions winning on a short
fourth down touchdown pass with 20 seconds remaining. The game featured big plays and solid QB play
on both sides. Lions and Seahawks earn
the treasure.
TRASH OF THE WEEK
Does it get any gloriously
drearier than a rainy day in Cleveland and a 7-6 game? I don't think so. Cleveland and San Diego litter the field and
bring home the trash.
