Vince Lombardi - "If you can't accept losing, you can't win."
Terrell Owens after the game on Sunday - "It's no secret when I get the ball things move, we move the chains, if not, um, you see the stagnating of our offense. Frustrating when I'm not getting the ball. Um, you know, as I've said you know, when it's, uh, press coverage and they play safety over the top, then pretty much I know the ball's not coming my way."
I mean, they only threw him the ball 18 times and gave him 2 rushing plays. That's 20 out of 58 offensive plays dedicated to Team Obliterator. Marion Barber got EIGHT rushes on Sunday.
Here's a thought, Terrell - catch more than just over a third of the passes that are thrown your direction.
The Redskins ran the ball thirty-seven times. Gee, I wonder why the Cowgals lost?
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Week 3 Monday Night Football Preview
When is the last time there was a Monday Night Football game this early in the season that had so many subplots?
Tomlinson missed a bunch of practice this week.
Darren Sproles is also dinged up with a sore hammy.
And I have both of them on one of my fantasy teams - which one to start?
No Shawne Merriman.
Norv Turner still kind of sucks.
Favre's career numbers vs. the Chargers: 5-0, 62.8% completion percentage, 13 TD, 4 INT
On the positive side for the Chargers, they are only two plays away from being undefeated.
That, however, is also the bad news.
Favre doesn't seem to really have a full grasp of the offense yet.
The Jets D hasn't really shown the ability to shut anybody down. At least not anybody good.
Vegas has the Chargers giving 8.5 points.
So after all of that, what's going to happen?
Brett Favre on Monday Night Football.
Jets win, 27-24.
Tomlinson missed a bunch of practice this week.
Darren Sproles is also dinged up with a sore hammy.
And I have both of them on one of my fantasy teams - which one to start?
No Shawne Merriman.
Norv Turner still kind of sucks.
Favre's career numbers vs. the Chargers: 5-0, 62.8% completion percentage, 13 TD, 4 INT
On the positive side for the Chargers, they are only two plays away from being undefeated.
That, however, is also the bad news.
Favre doesn't seem to really have a full grasp of the offense yet.
The Jets D hasn't really shown the ability to shut anybody down. At least not anybody good.
Vegas has the Chargers giving 8.5 points.
So after all of that, what's going to happen?
Brett Favre on Monday Night Football.
Jets win, 27-24.
How the Dolphins Beat the Patriots (or: The Revenge of the Tuna?)
The Dolphins' QB coach, David Lee, was an assistant at Arkansas last year - those trick plays were all McFadden plays from college. I guess Belicheat doesn't watch Arkansas football. He certainly didn't have anybody there videotaping, that much is obvious.
Makes one wonder if Parcells found a chink in Darth Sweatshirt's armor?
Show the Pats any formations for which they can't prepare, and you've got them where you want 'em. Of course, it could well have been a one game wonder - would those plays have worked against the Cowboys? No. Jerry Jones is a rabid fan, being an Arkansas alum, and rookie RB Felix Jones was in the backfield that ran those plays last year. Which is why those plays wouldn't even have worked against the lowly Raiders, McFadden would have sniffed them out right away.
But they worked against the vaunted Pats defense.
Not to mention Joey Porter putting on a man-sized performance and backing up his mid-week case of diarrhea of the mouth.
"We were competitive in the kicking game, and was about it." - Billy Belichick at his post-game press conference after the Pats got waxed by the 'Fins. Oh, and it was in New England.
Interesting timing for a bye week, too.
Makes one wonder if Parcells found a chink in Darth Sweatshirt's armor?
Show the Pats any formations for which they can't prepare, and you've got them where you want 'em. Of course, it could well have been a one game wonder - would those plays have worked against the Cowboys? No. Jerry Jones is a rabid fan, being an Arkansas alum, and rookie RB Felix Jones was in the backfield that ran those plays last year. Which is why those plays wouldn't even have worked against the lowly Raiders, McFadden would have sniffed them out right away.
But they worked against the vaunted Pats defense.
Not to mention Joey Porter putting on a man-sized performance and backing up his mid-week case of diarrhea of the mouth.
"We were competitive in the kicking game, and was about it." - Billy Belichick at his post-game press conference after the Pats got waxed by the 'Fins. Oh, and it was in New England.
Interesting timing for a bye week, too.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Favre fallout you may not have considered....
The Packers offered Favre $20 million dollars to NOT play football, right? What kind of position does that put them in at the bargaining table when the next Packer wants to re-negotiate his contract this upcoming offseason? I imagine it might go a little something like this:
PLAYER X: Man, did you see how much ___________ just got paid? I can get that, right?
PLAYER X'S AGENT: (eyeballs spinning like cartoon slot-machine wheels $$$$$) You are such a hard worker and a pillar of the community. You know, I want to do that for you. That would be the right thing to do, the Christian thing to do.
the next day, TED THOMPSON's office
TEDDY T: I'm sorry, there's just no way we can afford to pay you that much money. You know that we are a small-market team. The fans own the team, and --
PLAYER X'S AGENT: You had the money to pay Favre twenty million dollars to stay away, but you don't have the money to compensate a player who is here and contributing?
TEDDY T: Um...(frantically poking the underside of his desk, mistakenly believing he had installed an escape chute)...I, er, well.....you see, the thing is that we are a family here and I, uh......what I mean to say is that (TEDDY T implodes, leaving just a small pile of dust on the chair)
(PLAYER X and PLAYER X's AGENT are sitting there, bewildered. PLAYER X looks at his agent and shrugs.)
PLAYER X: Call the Jets.
PLAYER X: Man, did you see how much ___________ just got paid? I can get that, right?
PLAYER X'S AGENT: (eyeballs spinning like cartoon slot-machine wheels $$$$$) You are such a hard worker and a pillar of the community. You know, I want to do that for you. That would be the right thing to do, the Christian thing to do.
the next day, TED THOMPSON's office
TEDDY T: I'm sorry, there's just no way we can afford to pay you that much money. You know that we are a small-market team. The fans own the team, and --
PLAYER X'S AGENT: You had the money to pay Favre twenty million dollars to stay away, but you don't have the money to compensate a player who is here and contributing?
TEDDY T: Um...(frantically poking the underside of his desk, mistakenly believing he had installed an escape chute)...I, er, well.....you see, the thing is that we are a family here and I, uh......what I mean to say is that (TEDDY T implodes, leaving just a small pile of dust on the chair)
(PLAYER X and PLAYER X's AGENT are sitting there, bewildered. PLAYER X looks at his agent and shrugs.)
PLAYER X: Call the Jets.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Week 1 MNF preview
Ok, I'll try and ramp it up next week, but I'll at least get my thoughts out on tonight's double header:
More double headers, please!
Game 1: Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
Tonight won't give any definitive answers as whether or not Aaron Rodgers is going to succeed or fall on his face, but this game should give some answers at least. The national media spotlight on this game is on the two young quarterbacks, as is usually the case - there are some other players who will arguably have a bigger impact on the game.
The Vikings' newly acquired DE Jared Allen is going to have a monster season and it could well begin with a bang at Lambeau Field tonight. Allen is a ferocious rusher and if Rodgers is at all hesitant in his delivery it could get ugly real fast. On the other side of the ball, the biggest problem for Tarvaris Jackson isn't his knee, which he says is fine, rather it is the fact that he is missing his starting left tackle for the first four games of the season.
That, combined with the Pack's bone-crushing defense, is going to make it tough for Adrian Peterson to get going. He did not look good in the preseason and lest you forget, he had a total of 144 rushing yards in Minnesota's final four games last season. But the brightest spotlight of all will doubtless be on Aaron Rodgers and I think that he will ultimately rise to the occasion and lead the Pack to a win, his first as an NFL starter.
Rodgers 21/34 312 yards 2TD 1INT
Grant 23 carries 87 yards 1TD
Driver 8 catches 107 yards 1TD
Jackson 13/22 184 yards 2INT
Peterson 18 carries 83 yards 1 TD
Berrian 4 catches 87 yards
Green Bay 24 Minnesota 16
Game 2
Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders
Another game that is loaded with questions: Is Darren McFadden the real deal? (I still say no - scroll down to my draft review) Is Jay Cutler poised for a breakout year now that his diabetes has been properly diagnosed and under control? (I say yes) Is JaMarcus Russell ready to lead the Raiders out from the recent dark times? (nope) Will the Broncos be able to wave their magic wand and create yet another thousand-yard rusher out of seemingly thin air? (probably)
But not all of those questions will be answered tonight. Darren McFadden could have a big overall game, especially if he gets time returning kickoffs, but he will struggle running the ball between the tackles. JaMarcus Russell is going to continue to struggle as he has a very weak receiving corps and his biggest help may be last year's thousand-yard rusher, Justin Fargas.
Cutler could have a tough start to the season; the Raiders have good cornerbacks and Cutler is missing his #1 receiver Brandon Marshall for the game to a suspension. He could get some long play-action passes to Eddie Royal if the Broncos are able to establish the run in the early part of the game. If.
Cutler 13/28 237 yards 2 TD 1INT
Young 18 carries 131 yards 1TD
Royal 6 catches 92 yards 1 TD
Russell 15/31 212 yards 1 TD 2 INT
McFadden 18 carries 56 yards
Walker 7 catches 91 yards
Broncos 31 Raiders 13
More double headers, please!
Game 1: Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
Tonight won't give any definitive answers as whether or not Aaron Rodgers is going to succeed or fall on his face, but this game should give some answers at least. The national media spotlight on this game is on the two young quarterbacks, as is usually the case - there are some other players who will arguably have a bigger impact on the game.
The Vikings' newly acquired DE Jared Allen is going to have a monster season and it could well begin with a bang at Lambeau Field tonight. Allen is a ferocious rusher and if Rodgers is at all hesitant in his delivery it could get ugly real fast. On the other side of the ball, the biggest problem for Tarvaris Jackson isn't his knee, which he says is fine, rather it is the fact that he is missing his starting left tackle for the first four games of the season.
That, combined with the Pack's bone-crushing defense, is going to make it tough for Adrian Peterson to get going. He did not look good in the preseason and lest you forget, he had a total of 144 rushing yards in Minnesota's final four games last season. But the brightest spotlight of all will doubtless be on Aaron Rodgers and I think that he will ultimately rise to the occasion and lead the Pack to a win, his first as an NFL starter.
Rodgers 21/34 312 yards 2TD 1INT
Grant 23 carries 87 yards 1TD
Driver 8 catches 107 yards 1TD
Jackson 13/22 184 yards 2INT
Peterson 18 carries 83 yards 1 TD
Berrian 4 catches 87 yards
Green Bay 24 Minnesota 16
Game 2
Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders
Another game that is loaded with questions: Is Darren McFadden the real deal? (I still say no - scroll down to my draft review) Is Jay Cutler poised for a breakout year now that his diabetes has been properly diagnosed and under control? (I say yes) Is JaMarcus Russell ready to lead the Raiders out from the recent dark times? (nope) Will the Broncos be able to wave their magic wand and create yet another thousand-yard rusher out of seemingly thin air? (probably)
But not all of those questions will be answered tonight. Darren McFadden could have a big overall game, especially if he gets time returning kickoffs, but he will struggle running the ball between the tackles. JaMarcus Russell is going to continue to struggle as he has a very weak receiving corps and his biggest help may be last year's thousand-yard rusher, Justin Fargas.
Cutler could have a tough start to the season; the Raiders have good cornerbacks and Cutler is missing his #1 receiver Brandon Marshall for the game to a suspension. He could get some long play-action passes to Eddie Royal if the Broncos are able to establish the run in the early part of the game. If.
Cutler 13/28 237 yards 2 TD 1INT
Young 18 carries 131 yards 1TD
Royal 6 catches 92 yards 1 TD
Russell 15/31 212 yards 1 TD 2 INT
McFadden 18 carries 56 yards
Walker 7 catches 91 yards
Broncos 31 Raiders 13
Maybe, just maybe....
Maybe if Belicheat had played Matt Cassel last year when the games were over instead of leaving Brady in and running up the score, then Cassel would be better prepared to play the rest of the year.
Maybe if Cassel had been in more, he would have developed a rapport with Randy Moss, who will now become distracted (see Randy Moss in Oakland), which is what he does when things around him go sour.
Not that I am saying the football gods are a vengeful lot or anything, but...
Poor l'il Billy Belicheat.
Maybe if he hadn't been so hell-bent on proving to the world what a genius he is, then maybe Brady would be perfectly healthy this season; he was already probably nursing a sore knee when he got his knee banged up vs. the Chiefs.
Maybe.
Maybe if Cassel had been in more, he would have developed a rapport with Randy Moss, who will now become distracted (see Randy Moss in Oakland), which is what he does when things around him go sour.
Not that I am saying the football gods are a vengeful lot or anything, but...
Poor l'il Billy Belicheat.
Maybe if he hadn't been so hell-bent on proving to the world what a genius he is, then maybe Brady would be perfectly healthy this season; he was already probably nursing a sore knee when he got his knee banged up vs. the Chiefs.
Maybe.
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