Oct

31

NFL Power Rankings Week 9

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Back again with another edition of the NFL Weekly Power rankings. This week the rankings shifted somewhat, with the Broncos and Saints losing in their home games, and some teams got back in the mix with huge wins. With that said, let’s take a look at this weeks rankings. If the team was ranked last week, the number of their ranking appears next to the team name.

NFC Top 5

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1. Chicago (1) - Coming off the bye the Bears barely broke a sweat in an easy 41-10 thrasing of the 49′ers. The team is still in line for hosting the playoffs at Solider Field, which should be their total focus. I can’t see this team losing in the playoffs at home, but then again, I said the same thing last year about the Colts. Should be another rather easy win this week as the Monsters of the Midway host the lackluster Dolphins.

2. New York Giants (2) - Another big win for the Giants at home, and now with a four game winning streak they lead the division by one game over Dallas. The team stepped it up with some pretty big injuries on defense, and with Eli Manning and Plax Burress playing pitch and catch, the offense looked good as well in tough winds. They host the Texans this week, before a huge showdown next Sunday at home vs the Bears.

3. Atlanta (-) - The Falcons jump back in the ranks after impressive wins vs the Steelers and on the road at Cincy. Michael Vick is playing All-Pro ball right now, and the team is tied for first in the NFC South. The running game has done well most of the season, and now that Vick is throwing well, the team is becoming more complete. Games vs the Lions and Browns are up next before a big showdown on the road at the Ravens.

4. New Orleans (3) - The Saints played giveaway on Sunday, and it cost them a home game vs the Ravens. It was their worst outing of the season, and cost them sole possession of first in the division. The biggest concern might be the ankle injury to Reggie Bush, but the team is saying its nothing to be concerned about. The next four games - at Tampa Bay, at Pittsburgh, vs Cincy and at Atlanta will define this teams season.

5. Dallas (-) - All the questions about the QB situation aside now, the Cowboys can focus on getting back to playing football once again. Sunday was a statement game as they did an excellent job taking down the Panthers in a place that it is not easy get a win at. Now with Tony Romo showing the world that he can get it done in a tough enviorment, the pressure will be on again this week as the team plays at rival Washington.

 

NFC Bottom 3

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1. Arizona (1) - So much promise, so little results. That’s about all you can say about the Cardinals, who dropped their 7th straight on Sunday at Green Bay to fall to 1-7. The heat is on Denny Green and the rest of the coaches to at least make the second half of the season look competitive, or else they will all be fishing next season. They simply have to run the ball better if they are going to win some games.

2. Detroit (2) - The Lions at 1-6 got a week to lick their wounds and rest before tackling a tough opponent this Sunday in the Atlanta Falcons. Hopefully this team worked hard over the bye on getting better against both the run and the pass, as right now allowing 350 yards per game and 27 points just plain awful. A rare win could be coming in two weeks at home vs the 49′ers.

3. San Francisco (-) - When playing good teams, you can easily see how far the 9′ers are away from becoming even a medicore team again in the NFC. This past week they were just embaressed in the first half against the Bears, and were down 24-0 then 41-0 before they really knew what hit them. They have some talent in the skill positions in Alex Smith, Frank Gore and Antonio Bryant, but are still easily two years away from even being a .500 team.

 

AFC Top 5

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1. Indianapolis (1) - The win over the Broncos showed some serious spunk, as the team used their “other” wide out in Reggie Wayne to put up huge numbers instead of Marvin Harrison. The Colts are again deep on offense, and the defense has played better since getting DE Anthony McFarland before the trade deadline. A win on the road this week vs the Pats and you can book two playoff games at the RCA Dome in January.

2. New England (3) - Boy was I ever wrong in taking the Vikings at home Monday Night! I don’t think anyone would have guessed that New England would have went to the MetroDome and won by 24, but they did, and made it look easy. They clearly are getting better as the weeks go by, and this weeks showdown vs the Colts is more than just a big game between two good teams - its also a grudge match for last years pounding the Pats took at home on a Monday night. It’ll be tough to bet against Brady and the Pats this time around.

3. San Diego (4) - The Chargers got back to their winning ways at home this past week vs the Rams, and finally got L.T. on track with 183 yards rushing and two TD’s. Shawne Merriman will likely drop his appeal and miss the next four games, but it might be better to get it over with now and have him back for the stretch run. The team has an interesting next four games - vs Cleveland, at Cincy, at Denver and vs Oakland. They have to win 3 of 4 to keep pace in the division.

4. Denver (2) - The Broncos defense finally cracked against the Colts Sunday, and with it went the teams 13-game regular season home winning streak. The offense finally got on track with 396 yards, 136 off the running of Mike Bell. The questions about Jake Plummer will continue, but right now the ship must be righted on both sides of the ball before they are looking up at the Chargers. A classic trap game this week in an AFC Championship Game rematch with the Steelers in Pittsburgh awaits them.

5. Baltimore (-) - How about those Ravens, getting back into the rankings and back into first in the AFC North? 35 points on the road at New Orleans thanks to some generous gifts from the Saints, and the Ravens are right back on track from where they were before the two straight losses before the bye. Steve McNair showed no ill effects from the concussion, and the running game finally showed some life with Jamal Lewis going off for 109 yards. A huge game this week for the Ravens at home vs the rival Bengals.

 

AFC Bottom 3

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1. Miami (3) - The Dolphins have a bye and drop two spots to being the worst team in the Conference? Yep. That’s what happens when the two teams ahead of you score wins, and with a showdown in Chicago this week, you can almost for sure mark the fish at 1-7. It’s amazing to think back to the summer when people were making the Dolphins one of the top 2-3 AFC teams to make it to the Super Bowl. Now all they have to look forward to is trying to finish with 5 or more wins.

2. Oakland (1) - I know Raider Nation - how could the Raiders be the second worst team in the Conference with a win over the Super Bowl Champion Steelers?! Easy - look at the fact the team only managed 98 yards of offense, 17 passing and 9 first downs, and you can see my reasons why. This team is still one of the worst in the league, and I would not be surprised to see them not win another game this season. They should send Ben Roethlisberger a Christmas Card thanking him for the best gift they’ve gotten in a long time.

3. Houston (-) The Texans are back in the fold after a pretty poor showing against the Titans on Sunday. They have now lost 11 in a row on the road, and with road games at the Giants and Jags in the next two weeks, better make that 13. They fell behind 21-3 in Tennessee, before making a game of it late. The defense, one week after shutting down the Jags, still has a long, long way to go.

 

Oct

30

New Play Calling The Key in Falcons Sudden Success

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Two weeks ago Falcons QB Michael Vick came out and protested about the lack of freedom that he had with the Atlanta offense. It was more of a plea than a complaint, as the Falcons were in a situation that they had to rely on their running game so much, that the moment they got behind there was no way they were going to recover. That exact situation took place three weeks ago, when after having an early lead at home, the team was beaten up by the Giants over the last two quarters, and went on to suffer a bad home loss.

The next week, Vick and his mates turned the corner, throwing the ball more, and making big plays to take pressure off the running game. The result - a thrilling 41-38 overtime win over the Steelers. Sunday’s test was not going to be an easy one, as the team traveled to Cincy to take on a Bengals team coming off a big home win the week before against the Panthers. This time Vick would be called on again to make plays, not only with his feet - but with his arm. Again, the play calling allowed Vick to make plays, and again, the Falcons made a huge statement with a gutsy 29-27 win at Paul Brown Stadium.

Even coach Jim Mora admitted that the play calling, which allowed for more throws was a bit different. “We got a bit more aggressive with some of our calls,” Mora said. “We felt, as coaches, it was up to us to help our players make a play.” The player that has benefited the most from those aggressive play calls is Vick, who over the last two games has produced the biggest throwing numbers of his career. Coming off a 232-yard, 4 TD showcase against the Steelers, Vick was even better Sunday, throwing for 291 yards, three TD’s and no interceptions. His QB rating in the win was 140.6, the second highest of his career. The last two games he has thrown for a total of 523 yards and 7 TD’s.

“Just give me the chance to do it,” Vick said. “I’ve felt all along, this is what I could do.”

What the Falcons can do is even more dangerous if Vick stays in the groove that he has been in the last two weeks. Also putting up 55 yards on the ground himself, the team as a whole didn’t exactly forget about the run, still putting up 143 yards on 38 carries, 3.8 yards per rush. With 420 yards of total offense, the Falcons kept the Bengals guessing all day long. “He’s a heck of a player,” Bengals DE Bryan Robinson said. “When your goal is to keep him in the pocket and you do that and he still makes the play - that’s frustrating.”

The Falcons may be one of the more dangerous teams in the NFC. Now at 5-2 and in a tie for the division lead with the Saints, Atlanta’s new aggressive offense may be the key when it comes to trying to wrestle the division title back into the nest at the Georgia Dome. If Vick can continue to play at the level he has the last two weeks, there is no reason not to believe that Atlanta won’t be there come late January.

Oct

30

Losing Ways Continue for Green And The Cardinals

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No one would have thought at seasons start that the Arizona Cardinals would be sitting at a shocking 1-7 at the halfway point of the season. In this dreadful start, the team has had few high points, one of which was two weeks ago when they were within a missed field goal of upsetting the undefeated Bears. Since then, back to back losses to the Raiders and Packers - two of the weaker teams in the league, have begun the rumors swirling about head coach Denny Green’s future as head man in Cardinal land.

Green made a QB change after a slow start, moving number one pick Matt Leinart into the starting lineup for vet Kurt Warner. While Leinart has shown some promise, the move has yet to produce any hard core results. In other words- wins. Free agent running back Edgerrin James, running behind a weak offensive line, has struggled to the tune of just 64.5 yards per game. “I just don’t have anything to say,” said James after the latest Cardinal setback. Injuries have also hampered the Cards, with Larry Fitzgerald out the past few games with a hamstring injury, and 12 players overall showing up on the teams injury report this past week.

So where does the overall blame lie? The Cards were expected to push the Seahawks in the NFC West in search of a playoff birth and a possible division title. They were in a new stadium, had new uni’s, but now, with half the season left, look like one of the 2-3 worst teams in the league. Sunday they allowed over 200 yards rushing to the Packers, getting beat once again 31-14 in true Cardinal fashion. Green Bay didn’t have to punt until the fourth quarter, and had scoring drives of 88, 70, 87 and 74 yards. Ouch.

Green is now 12-28 in 2 plus seasons in Arizona, but after Sunday’s latest setback it was stated by VP of football operations Rod Graves that a move would not be made. Owner Bill Bidwill, who has to be beside himself with the way this year has gone, epically with the new stadium, was not available for comment. Green’s quote about his job - “I’ll be at work (today).” If the beatings for the Cardinals continue like they have been - Green won’t be at work much longer.

Oct

30

Romo Rocks In Cowboys Upset Win In Carolina

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The defining moment in the Dallas Cowboys season took place late in the game Sunday night in Carolina. Already up two scores with little time for the Panthers to come back remaining, a TV camera on the sideline caught head coach Bill Parcells giving a playful punch to new starting QB Tony Romo. The emotion, considering what the Cowboys, Parcells, and Romo had been through since a 36-22 loss to the Giants Monday night at home - spoke volumes. It almost felt like Parcells was giving his seal of approval for Romo, an unknown QB that saved the Cowboys season with a monster road win in Carolina.

Off in the distance there was then a shot of former starter Drew Bledsoe. Gripping his jersey, wearing his usual eye black and visor, Bledsoe showed little emotion throughout the night, and it had to be a mixed bag of emotions watching Romo lead the Cowboys to victory. At one point late in the game, the cameras caught Bledose rubbing his eyes. While the shot was not meant to portray this - one had to think that Bledsoe was wiping away tears, knowing in his heart that he may have started his last game in a Cowboys uniform.

For Dallas, Romo’s stunning 24-for-36 for 270 yard outing with a TD and interception showed that this undrafted QB has what it takes to get it done in a tough spot. The Boys were on the road, national TV, tough pass rush. Despite that, Romo was sacked just twice, and the running game of Julius Jones and Marion Barber combined for 141 yards and three touchdowns. Where Bledose was getting no help against the Giants, the Cowboys as a team stepped it up to help out their new starting QB, playing with fire and determination to help him get the job done.

Season saving? It wasn’t like winning a playoff game or a game for the division title, but Dallas’ win cemented the fact that putting Romo in there was the right decision, and now that he has that all important first win under his belt, the team can now focus on the division once again, and that includes a huge game at Washington this upcoming Sunday. There will be bumps in the road for the new Cowboys QB, but he showed poise and confidence on Sunday night. Something that Bledsoe barley showed the entire season, even when he was not under intense pressure with the hook coming.

 

Oct

29

Cowher’s Selfish Decision Ruins Steelers Chances

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On a day that should have been somewhat of a cakewalk, Steelers head coach Bill Cowher cost the Steelers any chance of a win against an overmatched Raiders team. In a sentement that will be repeated time and time again, Cowher used awful judgement in starting woozy quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, and not backup Charlie Batch, who to date was having an outstanding season. Roethlisberger looked like he did after his first game back after his emergency surgery before the opener, he was not sharp, and threw four interceptions, two of which were brought back for 14 of the Raiders 20 points. The result - the champs are dead - 20-13 losers to a team that they should have beaten with relative ease. The game was highlighted by the stubborn Cowher, not realizing that after Big Ben started with two picks in his first four throws, that he should have lifted his franchise QB for Charlie Batch.

Cowher will face the media and defend his decision to keep Ben in there, but there was no need whatsoever to keep watching Ben miss passes, as well as get sacked time after time against an overmatched offensive line. The final numbers on Ben - 25-of-37 for 301, 1 TD and 4 picks — again two that were brought back for TD’s. Now at 2-5, the Steelers are basically off life support and in the grave. With 10 games to play, they are 2 back of the second place Bengals, who they have already lost to, and 3 back of the Ravens, who came out and played back to their early level of the season with a big win over the Saints.

As stated earlier last week, Batch should have been the answer, not only for this week, but for next week as well. He’s healthy, he has played well, and he likely would have not made the bad errors that in finale cost the Steelers the game. Yes the Raiders played another decent game, but when your offense puts up less than 100 yards, the other team ought to win - with ease. Now with the season lost before Thanksgiving, the Steelers will be forced to basically play the role of spoiler - mostly because Cowher’s poor decision has spoiled the Steelers season already.

Oct

27

Week Eight Predictions

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Week 8 is upon us, and with it comes once again the picks for the week. After a 12-1 week a few weeks ago, I’ve been about as effective as the Browns offense. Last week was another ho-hum week, going 7-7 to bring the years total to 64-34. Another tough week is here, so let’s see some of the breakdowns going in:

Arizona at Green Bay - Let’s start with the worst game of the 1pm slate, as the Cards try and right their 1-6 ship at the Pack. Arizona has never won at Lambeau, and with Matt Leinart playing the role of Daddy this week, I don’t think the Cards turn it around this week either. Arizona has been outscored 75-29 on the road so far this season, and with Brett Favre having some decent numbers, Green Bay should have enough to put up their third win of the season. Green Bay 27 Arizona 17

Tampa Bay at New York Giants - A classic trap game for the Giants as they come off a big Monday night win in Big D. Won’t happen. The Giants learned that lesson a year ago when they were rolling along then hit a speed bump with a home loss to a Vikings team that was struggling. Give the Bucs some credit for not packing it in and coming out with two nice wins vs the Bengals and Eagles. One stat that will speak volumes - Tiki Barber putting up over 100 yards per game, and the Bucs D allowing 152 yards per game. The Giants defense should also have more than enough against Bruce Gradowski and the Bucs offense. New York 28 Tampa Bay 13

San Francisco at Chicago - The Bears are coming off a bye, and before that had that Monday night scare in Arizona, but are still the best team in the league at 6-0. One thing here to watch is how Rex Grossman comes out after awful game two weeks ago. While there is no way the 49′ers have the talent to stay with the Bears, some sloppy play and turnovers could keep this somewhat interesting. The Bears though are just plain scary at home, and have overall this year allowed just five TD’s and have forced 17 turnovers. Chicago 20 San Francisco 6

Seattle at Kansas City - Scary spot here for the defending NFC Champs, who will be without Matt Hasslebeck, Shaun Alexander and Bobby Engram. The Chiefs rebounded from that beating in Pittsburgh two weeks ago with an impressive win at home over the Chargers, and I like this spot for them against an inexperienced QB in Seneca Wallace. KC is 6th in the league, allowing 180 yards per game through the air, and should be able to shut down both Wallace and RB Maurice Morris, who is a far cry from Alexander. Look for a big day from Chiefs RB Larry Johnson and TE Tony Gonzalez, and for KC to go over .500 at 4-3. Kansas City 30 Seattle 17

Jacksonville at Philadelphia - The Eagles may still be in shock mode after losing on a 62-yard field goal on the last play of the game last week, but are playing a wounded J-Ville team that is in deep trouble. The Jags are 3-3 after a 2-0 start, and are really banged up with QB Bryon Leftwich’s ankle hurt and you saw last week the impact of losing LB Mike Peterson and what the Texans were able to do on the Jags D without him in the lineup. This is going to be a close, grind em out affair, and if Leftwich is good enough to start, mark it down - he won’t finish the game. The Eagles need a win after two losses on the last play of the game the last two weeks, and the Jags are just the team right now to cure their ails. Philadelphia 17 Jacksonville 7

Houston at Tennessee - Interesting AFC South matchup between two teams that will make up the basement of the division. Houston is showing signs of life after their impressive 27-7 home win vs the Jags last week, and the Titans are coming off a bye after a nice road win in Washington. David Carr is having a solid season, throwing for 1217 yards and 9 TD’s vs 4 interceptions. He is getting time to throw, and it’s paying off. Texans WR Andre Johnson is finally healthy, and is having a Pro Bowl season as well. The Titans will look to hand the Texans their 11th straight road loss, and will once again use Vince Young’s legs along with RB Travis Henry to grind it out. Houston is allowing too many yards on the ground (138 per game) and the D is still 31st overall in the league. Tennessee 16 Houston 14

Baltimore at New Orleans - The Ravens coming off a bye hope to have a new look on offense as Brian Billick takes over the play calling after firing Jim Fassel two weeks ago. Baltimore is 22nd in the league scoring just 18 points per game, and 29th with 284 total yards. Things will not get much easier here, as the Saints are riding a wave of emotion at 5-1 and their defense is 13th in the league and has played way over its head this season. The two-headed monster in Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush will be hard to stop on the turf at the Dome, and Drew Brees has been careful with the ball to avoid many bad turnovers. Steve McNair expected back for the Ravens, but it won’t matter as the birds drop their 3rd in a row. New Orleans 24 Baltimore 17

Atlanta at Cincinnati - The Bengals got back on track last week as their defense really stepped up against the Panthers. This week may be an even tougher challenge as the Falcons love to run, and Cincy is still allowing 127 yards on the ground, while the ATL is averaging 222 yards per game rushing. The Bengals have to start getting the ball to their playmakers - Chad Johnson and Rudi Johnson more often, and have to play ball control to counter the Falcons run game. This could turn into a wild west shootout between the legs of Vick and co. vs the arm of Palmer and his mates. Cincinnati 34 Atlanta 28

St.Louis at San Diego - Chargers kind of shell shocked after last weeks loss at KC, and the offense has to get back on track at home here. LaDainian Tomlinson has failed to rush for over 100 yards since week one, and last week was held to 66 yards on 15 carries. Look for Marty to get him the ball more than just 15 times on the ground, and his running should take some of the pressure off of Phillip Rivers. The Rams are coming off a bye, are 4-2 but are giving up way to many yards per game (339) and will count on Marc Bulger to keep it within striking distance to sneak out a win. Bulger is having a Pro Bowl season with 1619 yards, 10 TD’s and one INT. This should be another wild game with the Chargers banged up on defense. San Diego 34 St.Louis 31

Pittsburgh at Oakland - An absolute must win for the 2-4 Steelers, who are reeling after a OT 41-38 loss last week in Atlanta. Big Ben may or may not play, but it shouldn’t matter as Charlie Batch has been superb in relief, and last week was within a false start at the end of regulation of giving Jeff Reed a chance to win the game from 51-yards out. The Steelers will look to play it tight, with Willie Parker eating up yards and a controlled passing game wearing down a Raiders defense ranked 5th overall. The Steelers must also avoid silly turnovers, like last week when they had three fumbles lost in their half of the field. Oakland is feeling good after a 22-9 win over the Cards last week, but are still poor on offense, ranked 31st in the league. Joey Porter will be back to harass Raiders QB Andrew Walter, and the Steelers have enough with or without Roethlisberger to win here. Pittsbrugh 27 Oakland 10

NY Jets at Cleveland - The Browns are hoping a change of offensive coordinators will create some yards and energy into the team. 32nd in the league with 245 yards per game, the Browns have too much talent to be that bad moving the football. Last week they put up just seven points, this after promising changes on offense after a bye week. Their highest scoring game this year is a mere 24 points, and that came at Oakland after trailing 21-3. This week the Jets come flying in, looking to win their third straight for the first time since 2004. Chad Pennington has a QB rating of 91.3, and other than one bad game in Jacksonville, the Jets have been competitive. They will look to continue throwing the ball in a cold Cleveland wind, and hand off to unknown 4th round draft choice Leon Washington, who has run for over 100 yards in two of his last three games. The Browns have to open up the offense and get some momentum to have a shot. New York 16 Cleveland 10

Indianapolis at Denver - The Game of the Week, the 6-0 Colts vs the 5-1 Broncos. The Broncos are going to have to find a way to move the ball this week, as the 153 yards passing vs the Colts won’t get it done. Indy is allowing 111 yards on the ground, but if they don’t respect the passing of Jake Plummer, they will put 8-9 men in the box all day to stop the run. Indy came off the bye with an impressive 36-22 home win over Washington. Peyton Manning finally found his groove, throwing for 342 yards and 4 TD’s. The Colts are also starting to run better, as Joseph Addai pounded out 85 yards on 11 carries for Indy. Too much offense for Indy, and they will wear down the Broncos defense late. Indianapolis 24 Denver 14

Dallas at Carolina - The move to put in Tony Romo at QB for Dallas could define their season. Dallas, at 3-3, can either use the move to put together a run, or may turn into another also ran in a league of mediocre teams. The offense is still producing, 5th in the league with 356 yards per game. Julius Jones is going to have to produce to allow Romo some time to throw, and look for the new Cowboys QB to be on the run most of the night. Carolina is 4-3 after winning four in a row, then losing in Cincy last week. The Panthers are putting up just 96 yards on the ground, and have to work on that number to give Jake Delhomme more time to throw. The Panthers defense should be able to get off against the Cowboys weak O-Line, and Romo’s first start will not be one to be remembered. Carolina 21 Dallas 7

New England at Minnesota - Monday night at the Metrodome, the Pats come in at 5-1, winners of three straight, while the 4-2 Vikings are coming off a huge road win in Seattle. Chester Taylor has been the main reason for the success of the Vikings offense, putting up 98 yards per game. They will need that type of performance against a Pats D 6th in the league against the run. Tom Brady’s overall numbers are down, but still has 10 TD’s and just 3 interceptions this season. He also has a solid 1-2 punch at RB in Laurence Maroney and Corey Dillion that have gotten the job done. The Vikings need an inspired effort at home, and after last week I think they do enough and squeak out a close one. Minnesota 20 New England 17

Oct

26

The Best of the Overrated and Underrated Players

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Time for another hotbed topic here on the site…and that is the usual ranking of overrated and underrated players from around the league. You know this one - the guy that plays his heart out on every play every game yet is undervalued in the league and by his team and never makes the headlines. Then there is the guy who goes halfway, only to be the topic of Sportscenter and hailed as a future Hall of Famer. Today we will start with offense, and within a few days will switch to defense. Feel free to write in and give your own thoughts, and I will do a second posting with reader comments.

Overrated - Offense

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1. Byron Leftwich - Jaguars: The fragile Leftwich has been snakbitten over the years with injuries, the latest being an ankle injury. Despite that, he tops the list with a somewhat weak QB Rating of 79, and an average of just 193 yards per game in the air. His game has plenty of lapses, and has never been able to come up with a big game when its crunch time.

2. Ronnie Brown - Dolphins: Brown is one of many reasons why the Dolphins enter the bye week at 1-6. He is putting up just over 66 yards per game, and seems to be missing the holes this year and has not had a run of over 20 yards. The line is partially to blame, but Brown is a better back than just 464 yards in seven games.

3. Michael Vick - Falcons: Yes Vick can still make plays, evident on Sunday in a thrilling win over the Steelers, but does anyone actually think he is getting any better in his sixth season? Plus now his mouth is running about how he’d love to be in the Colts system for one week in his life. Gee, wouldn’t we all. Vick lifetime has thrown just 58 TD’s in 64 career games, and has a lifetime QB rating of 75.5.

4. Mike Vanderjagt - Cowboys: Old Mikey has seem to have fallen on hard times ever since he missed that field goal about 30 yards to the right in the playoff game last year vs Pittsburgh. This year he got a big contract from the Cowboys, yet has been injured and has not gotten all that many chances. His mouth has stayed pretty well shut this year, which is a welcome change, but he’s still not as good as he thinks.

5. Steve McNair - Ravens: McNair really should have considered hanging up the cleats before this season began, as things have started to unravel for him in B-More. With a QB rating of 64.1, his play after the Ravens started 4-0 has gone downhill, just like the Ravens as a whole. He has thrown five TD’s and seven picks this year, and the last two games has thrown for just 158 and 165 yards. His better days are clearly behind him.

6. Clinton Portis - Redskins: His funny costumes aside, Portis to me has not been the same back since leaving the Broncos in a trade three seasons ago. This year with a bum shoulder he is putting up just 69 yards a game, and seems to be very aware of taking a big hit on the shoulder. Seems to get way too much attention for his antics and outfits more than his lackluster play in 06.

7. Joey Galloway - Buccaneers: Joey was at one time one of the best receivers in the game, and now is just another wide out nearing the end of his career. The 34-year old is averaging just about 58 yards per game, and after a big 2005 is struggling to get open and get the ball in 2006.

8. Neil Rackers - Cardinals: Last year Rackers couldn’t miss, and this year it seems at times he can’t find the goal posts. Still 6th in the NFC in kicking, but after going 40-for-42 last year in field goals this year is just 12-of-18, including missed the last two weeks vs Chicago and the Raiders. Maybe its a new stadium, or maybe he’s losing a bit of his leg after a monster 2005.

 

Underrated - Offense

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1. Tiki Barber - Giants: Leads the NFC in rushing (again) and is the only back in the game putting up an average of more than 100 yards per game. Barber has already started getting tons more attention now that he says he’s hanging it up after 2006, but it may take him being away from the game for the Giants and fans to see what he has meant to it.

2. Marc Bulger - Rams: Has quickly adjusted to a new offense, and 3rd in the NFC with 1619 yards in 6 games. Has 10 TD’s and just one pick, and his completion percentage is a solid 61.5 percent. Clearly the Rams made the right choice keeping Bulger and trading Kurt Warner a few years back.

3. Jake Delhomme - Panthers: After a bit of a slow start without Steve Smith, Delhomme’s numbers have improved as have the Panthers. The former backup of the Saints continues to shine and despite an end zone pick on Sunday vs Cincy is still one of the best QB’s in the NFC. Totally overshadowed by players like McNabb, Favre and Manning.

4. Andre Johnson - Texans: After an injury filled 05, Johnson has been the best wide out in the AFC in 2006 - bar none. Putting up just below 100 yards per game, he has been making plays all year long and benefiting from new partner Eric Moulds and the rebirth of David Carr. On pace for 1576 yards this season.

5. Tory Holt - Rams: Just makes play after play, year after year for the Rams. 4th in the NFC in yards, and already with 7 TD’s is on pace for another great season. You never hear Holt complain, and still one of the best in the game at 30. Over 10,000 yards for his career, Holt will likely not get the props he deserves until he is on the steps of Canton.

6. Matt Stover - Ravens: One of the nicest guys in the game, Stover is the last of the old Browns to still be in Ravens purple. Has yet to miss a kick in 2006, made one of the most overlooked kicks of the year, a 52-yard bomb to beat the Browns on the last play in week three. In 245 games has put up 1634 points, and has missed just three extra points in 467 tries.

7. Frank Gore - 49′ers: The 49′ers knew they had a special back in Gore, which made Kelvin Barlow expendable. The chance paid off, as Gore is putting up just below 87 yards per game, and has scored three times. He does have to stop putting the ball on the ground, but the former Miami back is well on his way to being a solid NFL back for many years.

8. Darrell Jackson - Seahawks: With a lot of attention being paid now to overpaid Deion Branch, Jackson is still making plays for the Hawks. Putting up over 87 yards per game, he is often overlooked. Coming back from a injury-filled 05 in which he played just 6 games, Jackson has all the makings of the Comeback Player of the Year.

 

Oct

25

Sitting Big Ben Would Be The Right Decision

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Despite an outing on Sunday that was one of the best of his career, one has to wonder if it is time for the Steelers to think about giving Ben Roethlisberger a break, and sit him for at least the next two weeks. Let’s put it this way, the Steelers clearly are not on the verge of a playoff push at 2-4, and even with two wins over the Raiders on the road, and then at home vs the Broncos, they would still be .500, and then could think about bringing Ben back.

Roethlisberger is just having a very unlucky season. He had the motorcycle accident in June, then when it appeared he would be ready to go full steam ahead for the opener, he was sidelined for the first game of the year with an emergency appendectomy. In his return against the Jags, he looked off target, then it was a turnover filled game vs the Bengals that was a loss, then another poor effort in a loss to the Chargers. Ben finally looked to get on track with a big game vs the Chiefs, and it looked as if all was well in the game vs the Falcons before being slammed and knocked out.

The team was on the verge of getting a huge road win before the injury, and despite the fact that Charlie Batch led the team twice, the team was just not the same without its leader. Now the question facing Bill Cowher and the organization - start Ben and risk another injury and the end of his season. Keep him out, and with another loss vs the Raiders watch the season quickly turn down the drain. Maybe starting Batch against the Raiders is the perfect time to do so. Batch has played well in his two stints, and the Raiders are one of the worst teams in the league. If the Steelers, with or without Ben can’t beat the Raiders, thoughts of playoffs or a defense of the Super Bowl title they won in February is a total mute point anyway.

Start Batch for two weeks. It is not really going to hurt the team all that much to see Ben sit away for the game and get totally 100 percent healthy for the stretch run. If the Steelers can get back to 4-4 and get their leader back 100 pecent, then they can focus on the rest of the season and make a playoff run. Starting Ben now serves no purpose, other than risking not only this season, but the future of one of the brightest QB’s in the league.

Oct

24

Bill’s Big Decision Put Cowboys Season On the Line

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Clearly things are in flux in Dallas today, as Drew Bledsoe finds himself on the outside looking in following Monday nights awful showing as the Cowboys fell to the Giants. Bledsoe was pulled at halftime in favor of Tony Romo, who played OK, but didn’t exactly light the world on fire either. After the game, Bledose was followed out by reporters, and gave just one quote - three words - about getting benched: “A bad decision.”

Those are gutsy words from a guy who is just getting hammered in the pocket when the Boys go up against any team that has any sort of pass rush. The Giants had a decent pass rush, and made the Boys O-line look like swiss cheese on Monday night. They ran around, through, and cricles over the Cowboys, getting to Bledsoe six times in the first half. Romo showed more mobility in the second half, but threw three interceptions and was unable to get the Cowboys in the end zone enough to overcome the deficit.

All this is not to totally blame on Bledsoe. The Boys knew what they were getting when they got him, and that was a QB that was immobile, and needed a decent offensive line in order to be able to make plays. Instead of going out in the offseason and getting linemen, and Boys spent big money on a wide out - Terrell Owens, that right now Bledsoe can’t get the ball too because he does not have enough time. On the other hand, there was a few plays in which Bledose held the ball way too long, and if a decision on where to go with it would have been made sooner, the sack could have been avoided.

Now Bill Parcells has painted himself in a corner, in which he is going to have about 48 hours to decide what QB takes on a not-to-happy Carolina Panthers team Sunday night in Carolina. He could go back to Bledsoe, but the pass rush of the Panthers is even more fierce than the Giants. He could go with Romo, but he might have to absorb mistakes that a guy that has never started an NFL game sometimes makes - picks, fumbles, and other bad decisions.

Whatever decision the Boys make, I personally would go with Romo as things stand right now, its a big decision that Parcells must make and stick with. At 3-3, the season, and the chemistry of the team, what may be left of it, is on the line.

Oct

24

NFL Power Rankings Week 8

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A busy week of football action has now come and gone, and now its time once again to take a look at the best and worst in the league with the weekly power rankings. Teams that were ranked the week before have their ranking next to their team name:

NFC Top 5

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1. Chicago (1) - No reason to move the Bears as they should have been able to work on any problems with their bye week. They will have to adjust without Mike Brown in the back of the defense, as they have not played well in years past without him. The Bears come off the bye with back to back home games vs the 49′ers and Dolphins, two teams with a combined record of 3-10.

2. New Orleans (3) - With the Seahawks stunning home loss to Minnesota, the 2nd spot in the conference has to go to the surprising Saints. Getting rested with a bye week of their own, the Saints are still atop the NFC South. They have been consistent all year with the 7th ranked offense and 9th ranked defense in the league. They come off the bye with a home game vs the Ravens, then road games at Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh.

3. New York Giants (-) - Losses to the other three ranked teams in last weeks ranking in the NFC has opened the door for the Giants, who have reeled off three straight impressive wins. They now have the motivation of playing for team leader Tiki Barber, who has basically said this will be his final year in the league. The defense swarmed the Cowboys Monday night in Big D, gaining six sacks on Drew Bledose and Tony Romo.

4. St.Louis (-) - The Rams reappear on the rankings despite a bye and having a week to lick their wounds from a home loss to the Seahawks. They are still allowing way too many yards (339 per game), but have a solid offense and Marc Bulger is having a Pro Bowl year. They will be tested with their first two games off the bye at San Diego and at home for Kansas City.

5. Minnesota (-) - The Vikings won Sunday in likely the toughest place to win in the league - Qwest Field in Seattle. They did it with a solid outing from their defense, and a running game that has been reborn under Chester Taylor. Brad Johnson has been safe, yet effective, but Taylor’s 98 yards per game on the ground has been the difference. They will come off the Seattle win with a huge test Monday night at home vs New England.

 

NFC Bottom 3

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1. Arizona (1) - Denny Green might want to start looking at his options at the end of the year, since it looks as if he’ll be out of a job with the Cardinals. Arizona lost to the worst team in the league Sunday in Oakland, and the hangover of that bitter loss to the Bears was more clear than ever. Edgerrin James’ 61 yards per game is well below what the team thought it would get when they signed him to a huge off season deal.

2. Detroit (2) - The Lions once again were competitive, but are still giving up 27 points per game and 350 yards of offense per contest. At 1-6, they have some easier games down the stretch (San Fran, at Arizona, Miami, at Green Bay) and maybe can start to build for next season. Roy Williams, one week after a 10 catch game, was held to just two catches Sunday vs the Jets.

3. Washington (-) - A first timer to the bottom 3, the Redskins are just not at the level where they were a season ago. The defense, which was tough a season ago, is getting beat up and down this year, allowing 24.4 points per game. Mark Brunell has had three subpar games in a row, and it may be time to look for Jason Campbell to get some snaps. They get a bye before hosting Dallas and then heading to Philly and Tampa Bay.

 

AFC Top 5

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1. Indianapolis (1) - The Colts looked like they were back in form on offense last week in a 36-22 win at home vs Washington. Peyton Manning had his biggest game of the year with 342 yards and four TD’s, and has thrown 12 TD’s this year and just two interceptions. The Colts biggest test of the 2006 season takes place Sunday when they travel to Denver, then they get a Sunday night game at New England.

2. Denver (2) - With a home showdown Sunday looming against Peyton and the Colts, the Broncos defense once again was strong in a road win vs the Browns Sunday. The offense is going to have to put up more than 13 points, and the defense is going to be tested like no other game this season. Denver will have to use ball control and try and create turnovers at a loud Invesco Field if they want to move to 6-1.

3. New England (4) - The Pats just keep winning, and despite flying pretty much under the radar most of the season are the easy choice to be the champs of the AFC East. They have a solid running attack and Tom Brady, despite a dearth of big name wide outs, is still as dangerous as ever. The next three games at Minnesota, vs Indy and vs the Jets are all nice tests to see how they will fare come January.

4. San Diego (3) - The Chargers take a step back this week after losing 30-27 in KC. The defense is in trouble with Shawne Merriman missing four games due to suspension, and other problems at linebacker with injuries to Shaun Phillips and Steve Foley already out for the year. The offense is going to have to pick up the D while Merriman and Phillips are out, and with back to back home games vs St.Louis and Cleveland, they should be able to put up some points.

5. Cincinnati (-) - The Bengals have clawed their way back into the top 5 with a solid win over the Panthers. Carson Palmer was given time to throw, and the defense finally did a decent job in stopping the run, allowing just 60 to the Panthers. The next four weeks will determine the Bengals season, as they host the run happy Falcons, go to Baltimore, host the Chargers, and then head to New Orleans. The division is a long way from being won, but Sunday’s win has them back in the drivers seat.

 

AFC Bottom 3

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1. Oakland (1) - Sorry Raider Nation, a win over a hung over Cardinals team at home has not changed my mind enough to move you from being the worst team in the conference. They did finally step up on offense, as they got Randy Moss involved and the Andrew Walter looked like an actual NFL QB for one afternoon. Now they have the task of playing the two Super Bowl teams from a year ago back to back in Pittsburgh at home and Seattle on the road.

2. Cleveland (3) - The Browns are a mess, and Monday night started to finally right some of the wrongs by firing offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon. The offense is awful right now, and Sunday after a bye vs the Broncos managed less than 100 yards in the first half and 165 yards overall. At 1-5 this year and 7-15 in a year and a half, Romeo Crennel had better start to right this ship before he’s back to being a coordinator.

3. Miami (2) - The Dolphins are another mess, as Sunday they fell at home to poor Packers 34-24. Jey Harrington showed he could throw the ball, with over 400 yards passing, but had three picks, four sacks and only 67 yards on the ground. With the season clearly over, Harrington might as well stay as the starter. The Dolphins at 1-6 have a bye then get the task of heading to Chicago to play the Bears.

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