Photo By: David Bergman

By Breanna Jacobs

With the continued  emergence of the ESPN series, “Year of the QB,” we have been made to believe that the 2011 NFL season will be just that; it will be the year that the quarterback continues his climb to the top of the team, the year that all focus will be on the man that leads the offense. However, with this idea being forced down our football-loving throats, it brings to mind one question: Has our infatuation with the QB gone too far?

“Year of the QB” has taken us inside the minds of past and present quarterbacks. We have been given a front row seat in almost every NFL team’s stadium. We have been transported inside the huddle and onto the sidelines, giving us insight into the brain of a QB. We’ve heard Michael Vick claiming he has to “play better,” we’ve seen Brett Favre joking around with the referees, and we’ve heard Jay Cutler trying to pump up a discouraged Chicago Bears offense. While all this is interesting to hear and see, we have begun to completely immortalize the QB, thinking that he is the savior of football as we know it.

Although there is nothing wrong with admiring a QB, it seems that NFL fans have completely lost their focus. While the quarterback is an integral part of any NFL team, he is only one of eleven men on the field. We have begun to act like he is the only person out on that field that matters, the only one that can change the course of the game, and that is completely untrue. While QBs such as Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, and Aaron Rodgers have shown their talent and ability to successfully lead an offense, they would be nowhere without the other ten offensive players on the field, and the team and coaching staff that stands behind them. After all, Tom Brady’s 3,900 passing yards during the 2010 NFL season would not be as remarkable if he didn’t have anyone to pass the pigskin to.

As we hopefully head into the 2011 NFL season, we need to shift our focus from the QB onto those who play alongside the QB. 2011 may be the “year of the QB,” but it will also be the year of the running-back, the year of the tight end, the year of the offensive line, the year of the linebacker, the year of the safety, the year of the head coach, but mostly, it will be the year of the team.

It was another exciting Sunday in the NFL. Two games had to be decided in overtime. Check the scores to see how your team played, and prepare for Monday Night’s contest between the Titans and Jaguars.

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San Diego Not-so-Super Chargers

I bet LaDainian Tomlinson is glad he got out of San Diego when he had the chance. The Chargers are now 2-4 after their second consecutive loss, this time to the Rams. Before the season, if you told me the Chargers would lose to Kansas City, Seattle, Oakland, and St. Louis, I might call you crazy. St. Louis rookie quarterback Sam Bradford found fellow rookie Danario Alexander for a 38-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter to take a 10-0. Steven Jackson topped off a 17 play drive with a seven-yard run, and the Rams led 17-3 going into the half. San Diego running back Mike Tolbert finally reached the end zone in the third quarter on a three-yard run. Still down 17-10 in the fourth quarter, the Chargers and kicker Nate Kaeding attempted a 49-yard field goal, but Kaeding slipped as he kicked the ball. The missed field goal would end up being the difference in the game. Rams’ kicker Josh Brown would successfully connect on another field goal before Philip Rivers found Patrick Crayton on a five-yard score, but Rivers wouldn’t get another chance. St. Louis, who won only one game last year, jumped to 3-3 with the 20-17 win.

Bradford finished with 198 yards and one score with no interceptions. Jackson had 109 yards on the ground, 32 yards short of Eric Dickerson’s franchise record. Alexander, appearing in his first game, had a team high four catches for 72 yards. Defensive ends Chris Long and James Hall, as well as linebacker Larry Grant each had two sacks, and tackle Fred Robbins added a seventh for St. Louis. Rivers threw for 249 yards with a touchdown and a pick. Ryan Mathews ran for 64 yards on 12 carries. Crayton led the Chargers with 117 receiving yards. Antonio Gates had only two catches before leaving with an ankle injury.

Big Ben’s Return

Both quarterbacks in this game were making their first starts this season. Rookie Colt McCoy was thrown it the starting role when both Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace went down with injuries. Ben Roethlisberger returns after his suspension to lead his Steelers to another win. On his first drive, Roethlisberger was picked off by Browns’ first round pick Joe Haden, which led to a Phil Dawson field goal. After that, Big Ben found Mike Wallace and Hines Ward for touchdowns. Pittsburgh didn’t abandon the ground game, which won them three games without Roethlisberger. In the fourth quarter, the Steelers took a 21-3 lead on a Rashard Mendenhall run, his fifth touchdown of the year. McCoy threw his first career touchdown to tight end Benjamin Watson on a 12-yard pass. Roethlisberger capped off the day by hitting tight end Heath Miller for his third score of the day.

Roethlisberger went 16-27 for 257 yards with a 122.7 passer rating. Mendenhall ran for 84 yards. Wallace caught three passes for 90 yards, Ward caught five passes for 54 yards, and Miller had only two catches for 50 yards. Linebacker James Harrison knocked Cleveland receivers Joshua Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi out of the game in the second quarter with blows to the head. McCoy threw for 281 yards in his debut, but replied heavily on his tight ends. Only six of his 23 completions went to wide receivers. Watson had six catches for 88 yards, and fellow tight end Evan Moore caught four passes for 84 yards. Peyton Hillis was third on the team with 49 receiving yards in addition to 41 yards on the ground. McCoy also ran for 22 yards.

Game of the Week Results

This week’s Game of the Week between the Baltimore Ravens and the New England Patriots was one of two games decided in overtime on Sunday. The Patriots came back from being down 10 at the start of the fourth quarter, and scored 13 unanswered points. The Ravens, who had aspirations of repeating last season’s playoff victory, played well most of the game, but couldn’t hold on down the stretch. Tom Brady didn’t miss Randy Moss, as he and Deion Branch continued where they left off before Branch went to Seattle.

The Patriots took a 7-3 lead in the first quarter on a short run by the “Law Firm”, BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Joe Flacco, who played his best game of the year statistically, found Todd Heap and Anquan Boldin for touchdowns in the second and third quarters respectively. Down 20-10 in the fourth quarter, Brady connected with Branch for a score on his only touchdown pass of the night. Stephen Gostkowski connected on a field goal with less than two minutes left in regulation to tie the game at 20. Each team had three possessions in overtime before Gostkowski booted his third field goal of the day, and the Pats won 23-20.

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Brady threw for 292 yards, and doubled his interception total on the year as he was picked off twice. Danny Woodhead lead the team on the ground with 63 yards on 11 attempts, and Green-Ellis added 20 yards on 10 carries. Branch caught nine passes for 98 yards after being virtually ineffective in Seattle. Rookie Aaron Hernandez continued to impress with four catches for 61 yards. Wes Welker added 53 yards through the air, and Woodhead followed up with 52 yards. As I predicted, Flacco had a good game against the New England defense. He completed 77% of his passes for 285 yards with no interceptions. Ray Rice ran for 88 yards on 28 carries. Derrick Mason led the team with 100 yards receiving. Haloti Ngata sacked Brady twice. The Ravens’ defensive backs recorded their first two interceptions on the season as Chris Carr and Ken Hamlin each picked off Brady.

Remaining Scores from Sunday:

Miami 23, Green Bay 20 (OT)

Kansas City 31, Houston 35

Detroit 20, New York Giants 28

Atlanta 17, Philadelphia 31

Seattle 23, Chicago 20

New Orleans 31, Tampa Bay 6

New York Jets 24, Denver 20

Oakland 9, San Francisco 17

Dallas 21, Minnesota 24

Indianapolis 27, Washington 24

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Monday Night Football: Tennessee at Jacksonville

AFC South rivals meet tonight as the Titans and the Jaguars try to keep pace with the Colts and Texans within the division. Currently, both teams are 3-2. The Jaguars are coming off two big wins over the Colts and the Bills, while the Titans loss to Denver in Week 4 before defeating Dallas last week. Both teams have run oriented offenses. Jacksonville is third in the league with 146.8 rushing yards per game, and Tennessee is fifth with 138.2.

The visiting Titans are 2-0 on the road. They are fourth in the NFL in points per game (26.4). Vince Young has a 95.1 passer rating so far this season. He has thrown for 684 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions, and has run for 88 yards. He hasn’t turned the ball over since Week 2 in a loss to the Steelers. Chris Johnson continues his hunt to set the NFL rushing record this week. He was been the key to the Titan’s success again this year. In the three games Tennessee has won, Johnson has at least 125 yards and has scored twice in each game. In the two losses, he averages only 43.5 yards with a 2.5 yard per carry average. The Titan’s leading receivers Kenny Britt and Nate Washington both have three touchdown catches. Defensively the Titans have a NFL best 22 sacks. Defensive end Jason Babin leads the team with five and a half, and end Dave Ball is close behind with four and a half.

The Jaguars have been riding on the tide of quarterback David Garrard’s arm. In their three wins, Garrard averages a 129.7 passer rating, and is completing 78% of his passes. He has 10 touchdowns (one rushing) and only two turnovers (one interception and one fumble lost) in those three games. On the other hand, in his two losses, Garrard has an average 50.8 passer rating with a 53% completion rate. He has only one touchdown pass compared to five interceptions, and was sacked nine times in losses to San Diego and Philadelphia. Maurice Jones-Drew has 406 rushing yards but only one rushing touchdown. Mike Thomas has a team high 21 receptions for 258 yards, and tight end Marcedes Lewis already has a franchise record five touchdown catches. The Jacksonville defense is 29th in points allowed (27.4) and passing yards surrendered (282.2) per game.

Prediction

This will be Tennessee’s first game within the AFC South division. Their two losses have only been by one touchdown each, one coming to a stingy Pittsburgh defense. They average over 33 points a game in their three wins. On the other hand, Jacksonville has played poorly on defense. Although they did defeat Indianapolis, they gave up 352 yards to Peyton Manning. Philip Rivers and a terrible Chargers team scored 38 points against them, and Rivers threw for 334 yards. Even Buffalo was able to score 26 points, and they made Ryan Fitzpatrick look like a Pro Bowler with a 121.5 passer rating. Although both teams have run first offenses, they are both in the top half of the league in run defense. The Titans are 10th with 101.8 yards allowed per game on the ground, and the Jaguars are 12th with 102.8. This game will be decided by the quarterbacks, and I prefer Young over Garrard, especially if the Titans continue to harass opposing QB’s. Tennessee will stay tied with Houston and Indy at 4-2 with a win tonight in Jacksonville.

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By TLarner

We’ve just witnessed the first blockbuster trade of 2010. What impact will that have on the season? Will we have anymore undefeated teams after this week?

Monday’s Results

In case you missed it, the Patriots blew the Dolphins out of the water on Monday. Coach Belichick relied not only on Tom Brady and his offense, but the defense finally showed up, and the special teams unit made many huge plays. Miami entered halftime with a 7-6 lead. Pats receiver Brandon Tate returned the kickoff 103 yards to start the third quarter. Safety Patrick Chung blocked the Dolphins’ punt on the ensuing drive which set up a touchdown run by the “Law Firm”, BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Ricky Williams caught a pass to bring Miami within six. Danny Woodhead extended the New England lead to 27-14 with a touchdown catch from Brady. In the fourth quarter, Chung made yet another outstanding special teams play with a blocked field goal returned for a score by Kyle Arrington. Chung finished with a pick six as Chad Henne threw his third interception of the night.

Former Dolphin and current Patriots’ linebacker Rob Ninkovich recorded his first two career interceptions earlier against Henne. Green-Ellis and Woodhead had 76 and 36 rushing yards respectively. Randy Moss finished with no catches, while Wes Welker caught eight passes for 70 yards. Henne threw for over 300 yards for a second consecutive game for Miami. Ronnie Brown and Williams combined for 83 yards rushing. Brandon Marshall had five catches for 50 yards, and Davone Bess led all receivers with 96 yards and a touchdown. With the victory, Brady becomes the fastest QB to reach 100 wins.

News & Notes

The Buffalo Bills traded running back Marshawn Lynch to the Seattle Seahawks for two draft picks earlier this week. Rumors had been flying around about the Bills receiving offers from teams like Green Bay and Philadelphia. Lynch reunites with another former Cal Bear, running back Justin Forsett, in Seattle’s backfield.

Comcast SportsNet New England has reported that the Chargers and Patriots have had talks about swapping hold outs Vincent Jackson and Logan Mankins. There has been no confirmation from either side.

The Denver Broncos have cut off contract negotiations with Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey. Bailey’s agent Jack Reale was surprised when he got a call saying negotiations would be put off until the end of the season. Bailey, who stated he wants to remain in Denver, is in the last year of his seven-year contract.

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Future Hall of Famer Randy Moss is back in Minnesota. New England sent the seemingly disgruntled receiver back to the Vikings where he played the first seven years of his career. Moss will be catching passes from another guaranteed Hall of Fame star, quarterback Brett Favre. Moss should add the deep threat that the Minnesota passing attack lost when Sidney Rice went down with hip surgery. In four games so far this season, Moss has nine catches for 139 yards and three touchdowns.

After Tennessee defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil was fined $40,000 for an obscene gesture during Sunday’s loss to Denver, corner Cortland Finnegan was hit with a $5,000 fine for allegedly punching Broncos’ offensive lineman Chris Kuper. Denver quarterback Kyle Orton has been very vocal on his view of the Titans being “cheap”. The Titans were penalized 10 times for 111 yards against the Broncos.

The San Francisco 49ers released safety Michael Lewis on Monday. Lewis had requested his release last week, and did not travel to Atlanta with the team for last week’s game. Rookie Taylor Mays will get the starts for the rest of the season.

Injury Report

The Cleveland Browns have yet to pick a starting quarterback for this week. Jake Delhomme is recovering from an ankle injury that has sidelined him for the past three weeks. Coach Eric Mangini told reporters he needs another day to monitor Delhomme’s progress. Seneca Wallace has thrown for 554 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions in Delhomme’s absence. Running back Peyton Hillis is expected to play after injuring his thigh in practice.

Green Bay inside linebacker Nick Barnett will miss the remainder of the season with a wrist injury. The injury will require surgery on Barnett’s right wrist. He was only eight tackles away from breaking the all-time franchise record.

Houston receiver Andre Johnson is expected to play against the New York Giants. He did not play against Oakland last week while recovering from an ankle injury.

Josh McDaniels has ruled out Denver running back Knowshown Moreno and fullback Spencer Larson. Moreno has sat out the last two weeks with a hamstring injury.

Kevin Kolb will resume his role as the Eagles’ starting quarterback while Michael Vick nurses a rib injury. Corner Asante Samuel and receiver Riley Cooper will sit out with concussions. Running back LeSean McCoy is expected to play despite a broken rib.

New York Jets defensive tackle Kris Jenkins underwent surgery on his torn ACL in his left knee last week. This is the third knee injury Jenkins has suffered. He tore the same ACL last season and tore the ACL in his right knee when he was with the Panthers. Jenkins isn’t calling it quits just yet. He plans on returning again next season.

Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden will most likely miss Sunday’s contest against division rival San Diego. He missed his second practice with a sore hamstring. McFadden his tied for third in the league with Adrian Peterson with 392 yards on the ground.

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Game of the Week: Kansas City at Indianapolis

The only undefeated team left in the NFL will be looking for their first 4-0 start since 2003. And the other team is trying to keep its head above water and avoid falling to 2-3. What’s wrong with this picture? The Chiefs are the undefeated team! Yes, Kansas City is 3-0 coming off their bye week. Peyton Manning and his Colts are third in the AFC South after losing to Houston in Week 1 and Jacksonville in Week 4.

The Chiefs have played fundamental football with a good running game and great defense. Jamaal Charles leads the team with 238 yards and a touchdown. He is averaging seven yards per carry. Thomas Jones has provided a perfect compliment for Charles. After rushing for a career high 1,402 yards last season with the Jets, Thomas is off to another good start with 217 yards and a touchdown. The team is 3^rd in the league with 160.7 rushing yards per game. Matt Cassel has thrown for 494 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions. The offensive line has only allowed two sacks. Third round pick Tony Moeaki leads the team in all receiving categories with 12 catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Another rookie, Dexter McCluster, has provided a special teams spark with a 94 yard punt return touchdown. Defensively, Kansas City is second in points allowed per game (12.7) and fifth in rushing yards allowed per game (75). Tamba Hali leads the team with 3.5 sacks, and Brandon Flowers has two interceptions, one going all the way for a score.

The Indianapolis Colts have struggled so far this season, with a disappointing .500 record. Manning has done all he can to help. The Colts are second in points scored (29.2), third in yards per game (411) and second in passing yards per game (335.5). Manning has completed nearly 70% of his passes. He was thrown 11 touchdowns and only one interception. Reggie Wayne and Austin Collie are ranked first and third respectively in receiving yards in the NFL. Collie has a team high five touchdown catches. However, the ground game has been absolutely terrible. Joseph Addai and Donald Brown have combined for 309 yards. The team averages 3.2 yards per carry. The Colts have also been exploited on defense. In Week 1, Houston running back Arian Foster ran for 231 yards and three touchdowns. In Week 3, Broncos’ quarterback Kyle Orton threw for 476 yards. They also gave up 121 total yards and two touchdowns to the Jaguars and running back Maurice Jones-Drew. Safety Bob Sanders may not return this season, and his backup Melvin Bullitt was placed on injured reserve, leaving a void in the defense. If Indianapolis plans on winning their division again, their rushing attack and defense must improve.

Key Matchup: Jamaal Charles & Thomas Jones vs. Indy’s Front Seven

The duo of Charles and Thomas are off to a great start, and the Indianapolis defense has given up big chunks of yards on the ground. The best chance the Chiefs have at winning this game is to copy the game plan the Houston Texans used in Week 1. Texans’ QB Matt Schaub only completed nine passes for 107 yards, not the usual Schaub who threw for nearly 300 yards a game last season. Arian Foster carved up the porous Indy defense by gaining 231 yards on 33 carries and three scores. Out of 23 first downs, the Texans converted 15 on the ground.

While Matt Cassel has done a good job managing the offense, I don’t think he is ready to win a big game like this with his arm. Yes, he did throw for 250 yards and three touchdowns against San Francisco, but the 49ers are playing horribly this season. The infamous pass rush of Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney has seven sacks so far this season, and while Cassel has only been sacked twice, the line hasn’t faced these two.

Prediction

America loves routing for the underdog. Kansas City has surprised all of us this year, and the Colts have disappointed us. I would like to pick the Chiefs, but they haven’t faced a team with as much talent as the Colts. Manning has a chance to tear apart the Kansas City secondary if Addai and Brown continue to struggle on the ground. If Charles and Jones have a big game, and the defense can find a way to shutdown Manning, the Chiefs may prove their 3-0 record isn’t a fluke. However, I’m giving this one to Indianapolis.

Best of the Rest (Home team in italics):

Buffalo over Jacksonville

Houston over New York Giants

Cincinnati over Tampa Bay

Green Bay over Washington

St. Louis over Detroit

Chicago over Carolina

Atlanta over Cleveland

Baltimore over Denver

New Orleans over Arizona

Dallas over Tennessee

San Diego over Oakland

Philadelphia over San Francisco

New York over Minnesota

Last week’s results: 8-6

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A lot happened in Sunday’s grid iron battles. The Colts fell to 2-2 after a 59-yard field goal, Baltimore ended Pittsburgh’s undefeated run, and the Giants’ defense sacked Chicago’s offense. The action continues tonight as AFC East rivals face off in South Beach.

Sunday’s Results

• New York Jets-38
• Buffalo-14

• Cincinnati-20
• Cleveland-23

• Baltimore-17
• Pittsburgh-14

• Denver-26
• Tenessee-20

• Detroit-26
• Green Bay-28

• San Francisco-14
• Atlanta-16

• Carolina-14
• New Orleans-16

• Seattle-3
• St. Louis-20

• Indianapolis-28
• Jacksonville-31

• Houston-31
• Oakland-24

• Arizona-10
• San Diego-41

• Chicago-3
• New York Giants-17

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Game of the Week Results

Call it revenge, or merely a bittersweet victory, but Donovan McNabb found his redemption after defeating his old team, the Philadelphia Eagles, as a Redskin, 17-12. Not only did the Eagles lose, but they lost their newly crowded starting quarterback, Michael Vick. In the NFC East divisional race, Washington prevented Philadelphia from taking a lead as both teams are now tied with the Giants at 2-2.

The night started off with the ‘Skins taking a 14-0 lead. Ryan Torain, who got the bulk of the work on the ground over Clinton Portis, ran over a defender on his way to the end zone on a 12 yard run. McNabb then found tight end Chris Cooley on a 31 yard touchdown pass. However, before the first quarter came to an end, Vick took off on one of his signature scrambles, juking out multiple defenders for a 20 yard run. At the one-yard, Vick was sandwiched between DeAngelo Hall and Kareem Moore. A play that would have ended with a first and goal on the one was not only called back on a penalty, but was Vick’s last play of the game. He was originally thought to have a broken rib, but MRI’s came back negative. Kevin Kolb assumed the role as QB, but only led the Eagles to two field goals until the fourth quarter. Down 17-6 with four minutes left, Kolb hit Brent Celek for a five yard touchdown, but missed the two point conversion. With time running out, down 17-12, the Eagles attempted a Hail Mary, which bounced off receiver Jason Avant’s hands before landing in Hall’s lap.

McNabb only completed eight passes in his return to Philly. He threw for a mere 125 yards, one touchdown, and one pick. Torain lead the team with 70 yards on the ground. Portis had 55 yards, and McNabb added another 39. Cooley caught two passes, one being the long touchdown. Surprisingly, our favorite defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth recorded four tackles. The Eagles finished the game with 353 total yards of offense, 60 more than Washington, but when a team substitutes touchdowns for field goals, their chances of winning are never good. Vick completed five passes in the first quarter before Kolb came was called from the bullpen. Kolb went 22-35 for 201 yards, a touchdown, and the meaningless interception on the Hail Mary attempt. Statistically, he didn’t perform bad, but the offense never found a rhythm. The Eagles’ running backs caught more passes than the receivers, especially Desean Jackson, who had three catches for only 19 yards. Nate Allen intercepted McNabb once, giving the rookie four on the year.

Monday Night Football

The New England Patriots migrate down south to face AFC East Rival Miami on Monday Night Football. Both teams are 2-1, putting the winner in a tie for first with the Jets. Miami hopes they can carve up the New England defense the same way Buffalo did last week. Tom Brady and the Patriots hope to turn around their luck in Sun Life Stadium. Under Brady, the Pats are 3-5 against the Dolphins in Miami.

The Dolphins are coming off a loss to the Jets, and hope to rebound and stay atop the division. Chad Henne threw for a career high 363 yards last week, and Brandon Marshall hauled in 166 of those yards. Their duo of running backs, Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, combined for 319 yards and only one touchdown so far this season. Defensively, the Dolphins are 9th in the league giving up only 17 points a game. Karlos Dansby has recorded 25 tackles and a sack. Cameron Wake leads the team with two sacks.

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New England’s offense is first in points scored and seventh in yards per game. Brady has eight touchdowns and a 109.1 passer rating. “The Law Firm”, BenJarvus Green-Ellis leads the team with 139 yards and one touchdown. Danny Woodhead is also emerging in the absence of Kevin Faulk and Fred Taylor. Wes Welker hasn’t missed a step since receiving major knee surgery. He leads the team with 18 catches. Rookie tight end Aaron Hernandez has a team high 211 receiving yards. Randy Moss has three touchdown, but only nine catches. The New England defense is 29th in points allowed, and 27th in yards allowed.

I predict that Tom Brady and his passing offense will be too much for the Miami secondary to handle. Moss has yet to have an explosive game, and I don’t expect him to wait any longer. The Miami defense just doesn’t have enough to cover Moss, Welker, Hernandez, Brandon Tate, and Julian Edelman. If the Pats defense gets picked apart by Henne, both teams will light up the score board, but give Brady his 100th career victory.

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This week was full of divisional rivalries, and tonight is no different. Check out what happened on Sunday, then sit back and watch two NFC North opponents battle to stay undefeated.

Fly Eagles Fly

Is Michael Vick on fire or what? The seemingly unstoppable quarterback made his second start as an Eagle in Jacksonville. He has proved his old critics from Atlanta wrong, those who said he couldn’t develop into a quality passing QB. Vick hit DeSean Jackson for a 61-yard score in the first quarter. He found Jeremy Maclin in the end zone twice, one of 16 yards and another for 45. While he was hot in the pocket, Vick wasn’t going to end without showing off his wheels. He ran 17 yards through the Jaguars defense for his fourth touchdown.

Vick finished with 291 yards passing and 30 yards rushing. Jackson had 153 yards receiving. The defense sacked Jacksonville quarterback David Garrard six times; two from Pro Bowl end Trent Cole. The Jaguars offense was unable to get anything started. The highlight of the day was Josh Scobee’s lone 51-yard field goal. Garrard threw for 105 yards and a pick. Maurice Jones-Drew ran for 88 yards.

K.C. Masterpiece

The Kansas City Chiefs are arguably the biggest surprise so far in 2010. On Sunday, they crushed the 49ers 31-10. The Chiefs’ offense and defense both contributed to the win. Matt Cassel threw for 250 yards and three touchdowns. Offensive weapon Dexter McCluster began with a 31-yard reception for a score in the second quarter. After a San Francisco field goal, the Chiefs added 24 unanswered points. Dwayne Bowe brought in a 45-yard pass, and Cassel’s favorite target Tony Moeaki caught an 18-yard pass, both for touchdowns. Thomas Jones, who had 95 yards on the ground, punched in another touchdown in the fourth quarter. San Fran QB Alex Smith was able to find Josh Morgan for a score with little over a minute left in the game.

Jamaal Charles of the Chiefs added another 97 yards rushing and 57 yards receiving. Outside linebacker Tamba Hali had a career-high three sacks and a forced fumble. Corner Brandon Flowers picked off Smith once. 49ers’ running back Frank Gore was held to 43 yards rushing, but had over 100 receiving. Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis both had three receptions.

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Patriot Games

The New England Patriots defeated the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Although this isn’t anything new (14^th straight victory over Buffalo), the Bills effort on the road against an AFC East rival was noteworthy. Buffalo almost doubled the amount of points they scored in their first two games as they fell 38-30. After dropping to 0-2, Coach Chan Gailey named Ryan Fitzpatrick the starting quarterback over Trent Edwards. In the second quarter, rookie C.J. Spiller scored the first touchdown of his short NFL career with a five-yard reception from Fitzpatrick. Danny Woodhead added his first career touchdown with a nifty 22-yard run, and the Patriots entered the half with a 17-16 lead. In the third quarter, Tom Brady had all day to find a well covered Randy Moss for his second touchdown of the day. On the ensuing kickoff, Spiller went 95-yards on the return to keep the deficit at one, 24-23. New England followed with 14 unanswered points, including a seven-yard run by BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Steve Johnson hauled in Fitzpatrick’s second TD with just over four minutes remaining. However, on his final drive, Fitzpatrick overthrew his intended receiver and was picked off for the second time.

Brady ended 21-27 for 252 yards and three scores. New England ran for 200 yards, lead by Green-Ellis with 98 yards and Woodhead with 42 yards. Rookie tight end Aaron Hernandez led the team with six catches for 65 yards. Marshawn Lynch had 79 yards rushing for Buffalo. Roscoe Parrish had a team high 83 yards on five catches. Fitzpatrick ended 20-28 for 247 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and apparently the Bills’ starting job for the season. On Monday, Buffalo announced Edwards was released, leaving Brian Brohm as the second team QB.

Charlie’s Angels

Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback Charlie Batch must have someone watching over him. He went from fourth string to starter this week against Tampa Bay because of injuries to Byron Leftwich and Dennis Dixon. While Ben Roethlisberger continued to serve his suspension, Batch made his first start since 2007. He found receiver Mike Wallace for two 40+ yard touchdowns. Wallace was able to beat rookie Cody Grimm (Who replaced Tanard Jackson after he was suspended until next season) for his first touchdown. His second came off what looked like a dropped interception in the end zone off of Tampa Bay corner Aqib Talib. Veteran Hines Ward added a third touchdown from Batch. Rashard Mendenhall ran for 143 yards and a score to take some pressure off of the 35-year old QB. Defensive lineman Brett Keisel returned a Josh Freeman interception 79 yards in the fourth quarter to seal the deal.

The Buccaneers’ only touchdown drive came after backup Josh Johnson replaced Freeman after the pick six. Former Oregon Duck LeGarrette Blount rushed for a touchdown late in the game. Blount had six carries for 27 yards. Freeman finished 20-31 for 184 yards. Rookie receiver Mike Williams had five catches for 55 yards. Batch went 12-17 for 186 yards with two picks in addition to his three touchdowns for Pittsburgh. The Steelers’ defense recorded four sacks.

Remaining Scores from Sunday:

• Tennessee-19
• New York Giants-10

• Cincinnati-20
• Carolina-7

• Baltimore-24
• Cleveland-17

• Dallas-27
• Houston-13

• Detroit-10
• Minnesota-24

• Atlanta-27
• New Orleans-24

• Washington-16
• St. Louis-30

• Indianapolis-27
• Denver-13

• Oakland-23
• Arizona-24

• San Diego-20
• Seattle-27

• New York Jets-31
• Miami Dolphins-23

Game of the Week: Green Bay at Chicago

(From 9/24 article)

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The Week 3 Game of the Week is a battle between two undefeated teams on Monday Night Football. NFC North rivals Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears will fight to for the number one spot in the division. The Packers, led by Aaron Rodgers, have been dominating just as expected. However, the Bears are one of the surprise teams three weeks into the season.

Green Bay was a preseason favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Last week, they dominated the Buffalo Bills in a 34-7 win. Strong defense has been a big reason for the team’s success in the past few years. So far in 2010, the Packers defense ranks third in the league in yards allowed per game (253.0) and first in sacks (10). Outside linebacker Clay Matthews leads the league with six sacks. The offense was dealt a significant blow when starting running back Ryan Grant was placed on injured reserve with an injured right ankle. Grant, who had surgery on Tuesday, had rushed for at least 1,200 yards in each of the past two seasons. Brandon Jackson has stepped in for Grant, while John Kuhn has also earned some time in the backfield.

Chicago’s 2-0 start has shocked many. After finishing last season 7-9, the Bears are off to their best start since 2006 when they went to the Super Bowl. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz has worked wonders with an offense that was little more than horrible in 2009. Quarterback Jay Cutler, who led the NFL in interceptions last season, has completed 68.8% of his passes for 649 yards and five touchdowns in the first two weeks of 2010. His 121.2 passer rating is currently the best in the league. Pro Bowl linebacker Brian Urlacher, who suffered a season ending wrist injury in Week 1 in 2009, appears to be back to full strength. His defense has allowed a mere 28 yards per game on the ground. Defensive end Julius Peppers, Chicago’s big offseason acquisition, recorded his first sack as a Bear in Week 1 against Detroit.

Key Matchup: Aaron Rodgers vs. Jay Cutler

This game is all about the two starting quarterbacks. Neither team has done a great job on the ground, so this game will most likely be decided through the air. Aaron Rodgers has proved he was the right man to replace Brett Favre in Green Bay. In the past two seasons, he has thrown for over 8,400 yards and 58 touchdowns. He is off to another good start in 2010 with 443 yards and four touchdowns. He also has a rushing touchdown. While Chicago is 27th in passing yards allowed, they have only allowed one touchdown compared to three picks.

Jay Cutler struggled mightily in 2009. He led the NFL with 26 interceptions after two good years in Denver. In his second year in Chicago, he looks like a whole new man. His completion percentage is up eight percent, and he has only one interception so far. His 649 yards ranks third in the league. Cutler has spread the ball around well, too. All seven players who have been targeted have at

Courtesy of nfl.com

least five catches. Cutler has a tough challenge ahead of him this week. The Green Bay defense has allowed only 116.5 passing yards per game. Opposing quarterbacks average a 67.9 passer rating.

Prediction

As anticipated, Green Bay has started off the 2010 season on the right foot. The Bears have done a great job exceeding expectations so far. However, their luck runs out this Monday night. The Packers have done a great job getting after the oppositions quarterback. Chicago has questions at left tackle with Chris Williams nursing a hamstring injury. If Clay Mathews can get to Cutler, it will be a long day for the Bears. Aaron Rodgers should have another good game as usual. I don’t expect a high scoring affair as both teams have been playing good defense this year, but Green Bay will leave Chicago 3-0.

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Courtesy of philadelphiaeagles.com

By TLarner

The season keeps on rolling as Week 2 is almost in the books. We saw many stars shine, and many more fade on Sunday. Tonight’s game is sure to keep us on the edge of our couches and recliners.

Quarterback Controversy in Philly

Kevin Kolb was out this weekend while recovering from last week’s concussion. Michael Vick looked great in relief of Kolb last week, and started his first game since 2006 yesterday. And it looked like he hadn’t missed a step. Detroit also had to use their reserves as backup QB Shaun Hill got the start for the injured Matthew Stafford. Vick began an offensive showdown with the Lions by connecting with receiver DeSean Jackson for a 45-yard score. Lions’ rookie running back Jahvid Best answered with a rushing touchdown in the first quarter. Best got the best of the Eagles’ defense by then taking a 75-yard screen pass to the house, making the score 17-7 Detroit. Then, the Eagles took charge with four unanswered touchdowns. Vick showed his elusiveness throughout the game that made him a threat in Atlanta. He was able to shake multiple pass rushes, and found Jeremy Maclin for a score before the half. Eagles’ running back LeSean McCoy had three rushing touchdowns, including a 46-yarder in the fourth quarter. Detroit made it interesting in the end, as Best, who is one letter away from being a “Beast”, found the end zone again. Hill later hit Calvin Johnson for a touchdown, narrowing the deficit to three as the Lions trailed 35-32. Detroit then recovered an onside kick with less than two minutes remaining. Fortunately for Head Coach Andy Reid, the Philadelphia defense shutdown Hill on fourth down to end the threat. Vick finished with 284 yards and the two touchdown passes. Now all the buzz around Philadelphia is who should Coach Reid start next week, Kolb, the future of the franchise, or Vick, who has been on fire in the past two games?

How ’bout Them Cowboys?

The Dallas Cowboys fell to an 0-2 start after their loss to Chicago on Sunday. Quarterback Tony Romo had another disappointing game as the Bears won 27-20. Romo finished with 2 interceptions, while Jay Cutler is looking hot in his second game, going 21-29 with three touchdowns. Also note that neither team was able to effectively run the ball. Chicago’s defense made an early statement when corner Charles Tillman jarred the ball loose from receiver Miles Austin, and D.J. Moore was able to pluck the ball out of the air before it hit the ground. However, Dallas answered with a 62 yard punt return by rookie first round pick Dez Bryant to take a 7-3 lead. After Cutler threw a touchdown to Greg Olsen, Dallas took 14-10 lead when another rookie, Chris Gronkowski, caught a one-yard TD pass from Romo. Devin Hester made a beautiful one-handed grab in the corner of the end zone, and the Bears went up 20-14. Cutler, who ran Mike Martz’s offense to perfection, then found Matt Forte for another touchdown. With a 27-17 lead, the Chicago defense strips Dallas receiver Roy Williams to end a must score drive.

Jets’ Offense Ready for Takeoff

The New York Jets recovered from a one point loss to Baltimore by easily handling their division rival New England. While Mark Sanchez looked rather awful last week, he shined against the Patriots. Sanchez threw for 220 yards and three touchdowns. Braylon Edwards, Dustin Keller, and Jerricho Cotchery each caught a touchdown. Ladainian Tomlinson lead the ground game with 76 yards and Shonn Green added 52 yards. Tom Brady looked good early, hitting Randy Moss and Wes Welker for touchdowns in the first half. Following Moss’s one-handed touchdown catch, Jets’ corner Darrelle Revis left the game with a hamstring injury, and is expected to miss a week or two. In the second half, Brady was picked off by Antonio Cromartie and Brodney Pool. In the fourth quarter, Jason Taylor sacked Brady, forcing a fumble, which was scooped up by linebacker David Harris, sealing the Patriots’ fate. While Sanchez was sharp in Week 2, the New England defense is considerably weaker than that of the Ravens. I’m looking forward to see if he can continue this level of play against a stronger opponent.

Game of the Week Results

Courtesy of colts.com

My Week 2 Game of the Week ended just the way I had expected. There was no looking back for Indianapolis as they defeated the New York Giants 38-14. Did anyone really expect the Colts to fall to 0-2 to start the 2010 season? Not with Peyton Manning calling the shots. Even as adults, little brother Eli is still getting beaten up by his older brother.

In my Key Match-up, I stated the team who ran the ball better would win the game. In their Week 1 meeting with Houston, not only did the Texans gash the Colts’ defense on the ground, Indy couldn’t run the ball. Last night, Joseph Addai and Donald Brown sparked the ground game with a combined 161 yards and a touchdown on 36 carries. Compare those numbers to the loss against Houston, when Addai had only 44 yards on 10 carries. Peyton was his typical self, completing 20 of his 26 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns. He spread the ball around as Austin Collie, Dallas Clark, and Reggie Wayne all caught a touchdown pass.

Eli was smothered by the pass rush of Indianapolis. Star defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis each had two sacks. Each also forced Eli to fumble the ball on a sack. Defensive tackle Fili Moala recovered Freeney’s forced fumble in the end zone for a touchdown. Eli was able to find Mario Manningham in the third quarter and Hakeem Nicks with less than 10 seconds left in the game for touchdowns. Ahmad Bradshaw ran for 89 yards, but Brandon Jacobs only had eight yards on four carries. In his frustration, he threw his helmet, which ended up about 10 rows in the stands. Peyton is now 2-0 against Eli and both teams end Week 2 at 1-1.

Remaining Scores from Sunday

• Buffalo-7
• Green Bay-34

• Miami-14
• Minnesota-10

• Kansas City-16
• Cleveland-14

• Arizona-7
• Atlanta-41

• Tampa Bay-20
• Carolina-7

• Baltimore-10
• Cincinnati-15

• Pittsburgh-19
• Tennessee-11

• Seattle-14
• Denver-31

• St. Louis-14
• Oakland-16

• Houston-30
• Washington-27

• Jacksonville-13
• San Diego-38

Courtesy of neworleanssaints.com

Monday Night Football

Tonight, the New Orleans Saints travel west to face the San Francisco 49ers. The Saints were able to sneak past the Vikings last week in the first game of the 2010 season. The 49ers were preseason favorites to win the NFC West, but were manhandled by the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1. San Fran Coach Mike Singletary has been vocal about his belief that his 49ers can take down the Super Bowl Champions.

Drew Brees and his offense was quiet against Minnesota. If the 49ers’ defense plays like they did last week, expect Brees, Reggie Bush, and Marques Colstonto light up the scoreboard. However, linebacker Patrick Willis of San Francisco is arguably the best defender in the NFL, and he won’t give up without a fight. Running back Frank Gore is looking to get the ground game running on all cylinders.

I expect a rather easy victory for the Saints. Offensively, they have too many weapons for the 49ers’ defense to cover. Bush, Colston, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem, and Jeremy Shockey are all big time threats for Brees to connect with. Pierre Thomas was effective on the ground last week, too. The Saints’ defense, which specializes as causing turnovers, will give opposing quarterback Alex Smith headaches. “Who Dat?”

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By TLarner

Are you ready for some football? After a thrilling Saturday of college ball, the 2010 NFL regular season begins September 12th with a full slate of hard-hitting action.

Ragin’ Cajun

We all got a taste of the grid iron on Thursday with the Saints topping Brett’s Vikings at the Superdome 14-9. Favre went 15-27 for 171 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. I said the Vikings would need a big game from Adrian Peterson if they wanted to win, and while Peterson had a game high 87 yards rushing, he was held out of the end zone. Without his top wide out Sidney Rice, tight end Visanthe Shiancoe stepped up as Favre’s number one target with four grabs for 76 yards and a touchdown. Favre’s pick came on a poor throw while being tackled by Saints’ safety Roman Harper. New Orleans’ defense looks to have improved from last season, as they held Minnesota to only 253 total yards. Jonathan Vilma came away with the interception, and Sedrick Ellis recorded his first sack of the year. Drew Brees threw for 237 yards and a score to Devery Henderson in the first quarter to take an early lead. Pierre Thomas finished with 71 yards and a rushing touchdown after seeing very few carries in the first half. Marques Colston had five catches for 62 yards, and Reggie Bush added 47 total yards. Kicker Garrett Hartley missed two field goals that could have padded the Saints’ lead.

Notes from around the league

Cincinnati defensive end Antwan Odom will play Sunday against the Patriots. Odom tested positive for a banned substance, but says the substance is in a prescription medication. No suspension is expected to be handed down.

After getting in an accident early Thursday morning, Tom Brady will have plenty of extra cash for a fleet of new cars. The New England quarterback just signed a four-year, $72 million extension, making him the highest paid player in the NFL. He was also elected a team captain.

49ers tight end Vernon Davis also signed a contract extension. The Pro Bowler agreed to a five-year deal worth $37 million.

Seattle Seahawk’s sixth overall pick Russell Okung will miss at least the first week with a high ankle sprain he suffered during the preseason.

Offensive lineman Kevin Mawae announced his retirement Friday. The 16-year veteran was unable to find a team to play for after his contract with the Titans ended this offseason. Mawae helped pave the way for Chris Johnson to rush for 2,006 yards in 2009. He also blocked for former Jets star running back Curtis Marin while in New York. Mawae was elected to eight Pro Bowls. He is also the President of the NFL Players Association. He turns 40 in January.

Game of the Week: Dallas at Washington

My Game of the Week for the start of the regular season is the Dallas Cowboys at the Washington Redskins. First off, it’s a game between NFC East division rivals. Washington Head Coach Mike Shanahan makes his return to the NFL. Redskin’s quarterback Donovan McNabb makes his first start since being traded to Washington from division opponent Philadelphia. Dallas wants to make an early statement, proving they are the favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Receiver Miles Austin, who has just given a six-year, $54 million contract extension, looks to build off his breakout season in 2009.

Key Matchup: Andre Carter & Brian Orakpo vs. Alex Barron & Doug Free

Dallas has suffered from some injuries along their offensive line. Left guard Kyle Kosier and right tackle Marc Colombo will both be out on Sunday. Alex Barron will replace Colombo, and Montrae Holland will fill in for Kosier. Barron was signed from St. Louis, and was expected to compete with Free for the starting left tackle job, but quickly proved to be a disappointment at training camp. I’m interested in seeing how Barron and Free can handle the pass rush of Washington’s two outside linebackers, Carter and Orakpo. As the Redskins switch to a 3-4, I expect this duo will cause more havoc for opposing QB’s. Each had 11 sacks last season, Carter as an end and Orakpo at linebacker. Tony Romo may find himself using his feet to escape the pressure, which he has proven he can do.

Best of the Rest

Looking at the rest of this weekend’s games, here is a list of my predictions (team in italics is home):

• Tampa Bay over Cleveland
• Miami over Buffalo
• Cincinnati over New England
• Colts over Houston
• Jacksonville over Denver
• Atlanta over the Steelers
• Titans over Oakland
• NY Giants over Carolina
• Chicago over Detroit
• Arizona over St. Louis
• Philadelphia over Green Bay
• 49ers over Seattle

Monday’s games:

• NY Jets over Baltimore
• San Diego over the Chiefs

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AP Photo/Darron Cummings

By Paul Gotham

Down to the wire

Indianapolis and New Orleans took different paths, but both remain undefeated. The Saints had to “hang on, hang on, hang on,” while Indy was able to “look out, look out, look out.”

Uncharacteristically, the Saints turned over the ball four times to the St. Louis Rams, but as it has been all season, the Saints found a way. Courtney Roby returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown.  From there, the Saints held on for dear life. Fortunately for the denizens of Cajun country,  the Rams forgot to practice clock management prior to the game – squandering a chance to win as time expired.

Saints head coach, Sean Payton, will have to turn his attention to the recent injuries on the defensive side of the ball. Jabari Greer was sidelined with a groin injury, and Tracy Porter limped off with a possible ACL injury.

On the other hand, the Colts woke up the echoes of cliches past and ‘grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat.’   This week’s most debatable coaching call made for great drama as Peyton Manning led the Colts to two touchdowns in the game’s final 3:00 for a 35-34 triumph. Belichick and the Pats went for it on 4th and 2 inside their own 30. The Colts D held, and the rest is highlight material.

The Chinchillas-"anything goes in love and war."

Critics are slamming Belichick for the decision. Yeah, “anything goes in love and war. Yes, anything goes.” When a guy wins three Super Bowl titles in one decade, he earns the benefit of the doubt. Thing is, the game never should have been that close. New England had two turnovers inside the Colt ten yard line. Belichick went for the win, on the road in the tenth week of the season. Something tells me Tom Brady and the Pats will recover.

The Football Night in America crew reported that they timed Randy Moss running 40 yards in less than four seconds. I’m not sure I trust their stop watch. 40 yards in less than four seconds? 10 yards in less than a second?

Ladies and gentlemen – the leaders of the AFC North

No need to adjust your set at home. The Cincinnati Bengals have ascended to heights the Queen City hasn’t known for a couple of decades. With a defense to shake the last drop of ketchup from a bottle of Heinz 57,  the Bengals have swept the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens.  Cincinnati’s D has given up one touchdown in the last two weeks – a span where they downed the Ravens, 17-7 and yesterday, the Steelers, 18-12.  Cincinnati held the Super Bowl Champion’s offense, which was number one in the league, to a third down efficiency of 3 /15.

Street Fighting Man

Could anyone blame Aaron Rodgers if he lobbied for the Green Bay Packers to implement the Wildcat into their offense. After last week’s loss to Tampa Bay, Rodgers had been sacked a total of 37 times for the first half of the season. You read that right. The Packer QB kissed the turf 37 times in the first eight games. Multiply that over a 16-game campaign, and the Packers would have an infamous record.

“And what can a poor boy do?”

Yesterday, Rodgers threw one touchdown and ran for another as the Pack downed the Cowpokes, 17-7. Rodgers completed 25-36 for 189 yards.

Tin men, scare crows, and lions

Any chance of the Buffalo Bills salvaging some semblance of a respectable season ended yesterday. Deadlocked at 17 after three quarters, the Bills looked good. Then, Tennessee scored 24 unanswered. Mount T.O. exploded. And the Bills fans have to be wondering about this organization. Other than Jarius Byrd, who intercepted a pass for the fifth game in a row, the Bills have few positives. The only thing missing from yesterday’s game was the yellow brick road because the Bills had no heart, no courage, and yeah, you guessed it, very little brains.

Tennessee is now 3-0 with Vince Young under center. In the 21st century NFL given to ‘spread’ offenses, the Titans have turned to the ‘option.’  Chris Johnson gained 132 yards on the ground and 100 through the air.

Empire burlesque

NFL fans scratched their heads as the Denver Broncos sprinted to a record of 6-0. Three consecutive losses – including yesterday’s to the Washington Redskins, 27-17 – have fans wondering if we have “seen the real Broncos at last.”  Denver’s losses coupled with San Diego’s four game win streak has knotted the AFC West. Next weekend’s tilt in Denver should be interesting.

Blinded by the light?

What started 3-0 has now turned into 4-5. In September, Rex Ryan looked like a genius, and Mark Sanchez a prodigy. The New York Jets toppled Houston, New England, and Tennessee. The view from above must have been too much because lately the Jets look “cut loose like a deuce.”

Josh Scobee kicked a field goal as time expired, and Jacksonville downed New York, 24-22.

Maurice Jones-Drew took one for the team. Instead of scoring a touchdown, the Jaguar running back opted to kill clock and took a knee. Jones-Drew went to the turf at the two-yard line keeping the clock in motion and the jet offense on the sideline.

MNF

Baltimore at Cleveland. Browns’ coach, Eric Mangini, tapped Brady Quinn for the start tonight. Did I hear someone say lamb to the slaughter? That’s great ‘Mangenius’. Give the kid the ball against Baltimore who is coming off a loss. You couldn’t wait a week when you guys play the Lions?

"I am the nothing man." AP Photo/Darron Cummings

No lead is safe…

At least when New Orleans and Indianapolis is involved, opponents can not score enough.  The Saints and Colts continued walking a thin, thin line en route to their undefeated marks. New Orleans erased an 11-point halftime deficit to defeat the Panthers 30-20. Carolina’s defense held New Orleans to just 84 yards on the ground, but the Saints have been figuring out a way to win all year. Drew Brees completed 24 of 35 for 330 yards. Robert Meachem led the way with 98 receiving yards on 5 catches.

For those keeping track at home, ‘Pomme’ DelHomme forgot to bring the dessert. The Carolina QB went an entire game without any turnovers.

The Chinchillas - "walking on a thin line"

Indy also performed their own escape routine. After Steve Slaton scored on a one-yard run , the Houston Texans led the Colts 17-13 in the fourth. Jospeh Addai answered seven minutes later with his own end zone plunge. Indy needed a little divine intervention. The Texans missed a field goal from 42 yards away as time expired.

Indy head coach, Jim Caldwell, might be considered the nothing man because “around here everybody acts the same; around here everybody acts like nothing’s changed.” Fans would be hard-pressed to remember a coach who has more quietly led his team to an 8-0 start.

Welcome to the working week

Tom ‘Terrific’ and his Pats have had plenty of pictures in the paper ‘being rhythmically admired,’  but Bill Belichick’s crew will need to ‘do it till their through it, so they better get to it.’ New England travels to Indy for a Sunday night show down with the Colts next week. After that those pesky Jets come to town. If that isn’t bad enough, the Pats geaux to N’Awlins for a Monday night soiree with the Saints.

For all those fans keeping track at home

Heisman trophy winner, Matt Leinart got into the game yesterday. He threw one pass. Leinart completed that pass…to THE WRONG TEAM. Yeah, Matt. Life is grand. “And I say this at the risk of falling from favor.”

Spirit in the night

Mark Sanchez and the Jets enjoyed a bye week. It’s been rumored that Mark “picked up Hazy Davy and Killer Joe” and headed out “to where the gypsy angels go.”

Does All State cover Green Bay

Aaron Rodgers might want to consider some insurance. The lowly Tampa Bay Buccaneers sacked the Packer QB six times yesterday. At this rate Rodgers will kiss the turf 74 times this season. Ouch! Tampa Bay in those lovely creamsicle colored jerseys scored 21 fourth quarter points to win 38 -28. Tampa Bay has scored 37 combined points in the fourth quarter this year.

Cincinnati in first

Holy Kenny Anderson is it true? The Bengals clipped the Ravens 17-7 yesterday sweeping the season series from the divisional foe. The Bengals haven’t done that since 1997. Next up – the Steelers. Considering the Steelers have the Monday night game, can the Bengals take advantage?

Free falling G-Men

A clear-thinking Giant fan.

A recent article by Chas sums up my sentiments toward the Giants. In the back of my mind is always the possibility that the Giants could implode at any moment. Yesterday’s debacle could make any clear-thinking Big Blue fan scream. First and goal, and the Giants managed a field goal. Followed by the defense playing matador to Philip Rivers and the Chargers.Not that Rivers had any motivation to beat the Giants or anything.

MNF

Pittsburgh at Denver. Hey Broncos! “Is it you baby, or just a brilliant disguise?”

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AP Photo//Michael Conroy

By Paul Gotham

Tougher than the rest

Indianapolis, Denver, Minnesota, and the New York Giants continue on without defeat (New Orleans enjoyed the bye week also undefeated).

Minnesota’s decision to sign Brett Favre parted the waters. For right now, it looks like those in agreement were right. Of course there is much football to be played yet this season.  It is hard to imagine that Favre has never opened a season 5-0, yet that is the case.  Adrian Peterson scored two touchdowns as the Vikes topped the hapless Rams, 38-10.  Viking DE, Jared Allen recovered two fumbles – one he returned 52 yards for a touchdown.

AP Photo/Chris Schneider

What looked like an impending train wreck has become a runaway train in Denver. Josh McDaniels came to town an quickly showed quarterback, Jay Cutler, the door.  Then a rift with Brandon Marshall appeared to spell doom for the rookie coach. Those are all distant memories as the Broncos outlasted Tom ‘Terrific’ and the New England Patriots in OT, 20-17. Kyle Orton went 35-48 for 330 yards while Brady finished 19-33 for 215. Didn’t Orton struggle in Chicago? After key wins over the Pats and Dallas Cowboys, Denver’s gauntlet of a schedule continues with a Monday night affair at San Diego. After a bye week, the Broncos travel to Baltimore before hosting Pittsburgh.

Another week and another 300 yards for Peyton Manning. Another week and another six receivers pulling in passes. Joseph Addai led the way with 10 catches. Addai also rushed for a touchdown.  Manning joined Steve Young and Kurt Warner as the only quarterbacks to open the season with five consecutive 300 yard games.

The G-Men rolled over Oakland 44-7….yaaawwwwwwnnnnn. The season makes an abrupt shift for Eli and the boys when they travel to N’awlins next week. Philly, San Diego, Atlanta, and Denver loom in the distance.

Ahmad Bradshaw rushed for 110 yards and one touchdown.

Sniffing the scum from the pond

Tennessee, Kansas City, Tampa Bay, and St. Louis have all fallen to 0-5. KC and TB come as no surprise – rebuilding was a pre-season theme for those two organizations.  It seems like just yesterday we were singing the praises of  ”The Greatest Show On Turf.” That is long gone. The Titans just keep adding to Albert Haynesworth’s value.

6-3: Cleveland takes the battle of the inept

If someone were to quickly look at the box score for this game and see that Cleveland completed a mere two passes and was  out gained 288-193, one would have to think the Bills played a good game. Right?  Guess again. There is no way to describe this game other than U-G-L-Y…and there was no alibi.  Not even watching this game in the Anchor Bar on Main Street in Buffalo could make it look better. But the wings sure were good.

Dick Jauron can look on the bright side. If his hands get cold, he can sit on them. He won’t find a warmer seat.

Time to take notice

The Cincinnati Bengals racked up 403 yards of offense en route to a come-from-behind 17-14 victory over Baltimore.  The Ravens committed three penalties on the Bengals’ final drive. With the win, Cincinnati takes the top spot in the AFC North at 4-1. Baltimore falls into a tie with Pittsburgh at 3-2. Carson Palmer threw for 271 yards. Chad Johnson made nine receptions.

Monday Night Fight

If the New York Jets are to stay on top of the AFC East they will have to do it on the sod of Pro Player …errr….Landshark Stadium. Rex Ryan’s defense will need to slow a Miami ground attack that’s getting 183 yards per game. A Miami win will put three teams within one game in the division.

Mark Sanchez won’t need to “drive that dusty road from Monroe to Angilene.” But he will have to “Prove It All Night.”

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