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I've got a TON to say so
let's get at it
I can't believe what is going on
with the Bills.
We've all been seduced by the big three of Pittsburgh,
New England and Philly. We're not sure if Indy's
going to score 50 or allow 50 -- or both -- in the
AFC wild-card game. And San Diego is the sexy pick
to make it to Jacksonville on Feb. 6.
But Buffalo has scored 37,
38, 42 and 37 in wins over St. Louis, Seattle, Miami
and Cleveland the past month. Since starting 0-4,
the Bills are 7-2. They're rapidly becoming The
AFC Team No One Wants To See Win The Second Wild
Card.
Buffalo visits dangerous Cincinnati
this week, then at San Francisco the following Sunday.
The Bills then close at home against Pittsburgh
in what's shaping up to be the best game of Week
17.
LSU coach may be considering
Dolphins’, Browns’ jobs
Based on discussions with
agents, personnel directors and confidants familiar
with Nick Saban, we hear there’s a very strong
possibility the highly regarded LSU head coach has
some interest in the head-coaching vacancies in
Cleveland and Miami.
“But it would have to
be a perfect situation,” a source close to
Saban told espn. “Ideally, with his oldest
boy still in high school, he’d probably like
to wait a few more years. But if there’s an
organization willing to spend some money, you never
know. I’m sure Nick’s agent (Jimmy Sexton)
is exploring all the options out there.”
The money factor would be a
key, but not as much as the complete power over
personnel that Saban would insist on.
“He wants to coach at
this level,” a league executive told us, “but
he can afford to be choosy, in more ways than one.”
Random Quotes From Around the
NFL
Broncos DE Trevor Pryce quoted
in the Denver Post defending QB Jake Plummer from
negative comments made by former Bronco Shannon
Sharpe about Plummer last week: “Jake is a
fiery, competitive guy. That’s why he’s
here, because he wants nothing more than to win
football games. I mean, look how he looks. He doesn’t
care about his personal hygiene; he does not care
about his haircut or his face or what any of you
think. Just know that: He does not care. He does
not care what anybody else thinks; he wants to win
football games, and that’s his only motivation.
It’s not money, it’s not girls, not
nothing. It is winning football games. Anybody can
say anything about him they want, Shannon (Sharpe)
can say something, you guys can say something, I
can say something. It does not matter to him, and
that’s why I love him, to tell you the truth.”
Packers head coach Mike Sherman
quoted in the Green Bay Post-Gazette on LB Nick
Barnett’s recent habit of doing a “samurai”
dance after making tackles: “I do want enthusiasm.
I do want emotion. Brett Favre is a perfect example.
He throws a touchdown pass and no one is more enthusiastic
as he runs down the field to celebrate with his
teammates. But it’s a sharing moment. There’s
a certain amount of emotion that can be contagious
to your other teammates. In regards to Nick, it
was over the line to a degree.”
Browns interim head coach Terry
Robiskie quoted in the Cleveland Plain Dealer on
whether he would consider re-signing former Browns
QB Tim Couch now that Jeff Garcia is out for the
season with a knee injury: “I don’t
know. Tim Couch coming in with three weeks left?
I don’t know where Tim is as far as his (elbow)
injury. I don’t know where Tim Couch is as
far as the Browns. I don’t know if Timmy has
thrown a ball in the last month. That would be a
tough question to answer.”
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick
quoted in the Boston Herald on what his team faces
now that offensive coordinator Charlie Weis will
be splitting his work between the Pats and his responsibilities
as the new head coach at Notre Dame: “All
of the Patriots wish him well, but at the same time
we still have a lot of football left and a job to
do. All our energies are going to be focused on
that, and I know he’s going to have to split
some responsibilities. I’ve got some experience
in situations similar to this, and I think we have
a good plan mapped out on how we are going to deal
with it. We have a lot of football left. …
That’s where our focus is.”
My Game
Recaps For Week 14
Houston, TX (Wager On Football
- Sportsbooks Reviewed) - Peyton Manning threw a
pair of touchdown passes in the first quarter, but
the Houston defense kept the Colts out of the end
zone the rest of the way as Indianapolis held on
for a 23-14 victory over the Texans to capture the
AFC South title for the second straight year. Manning
did set an NFL record with multiple touchdown passes
in his 13th straight game, but the two TD throws
were his fewest since an October 3 win at Jacksonville.
He now has 46 touchdown passes this season, two
shy of Dan Marino's single-season mark of 48 set
in 1984. Edgerrin James ran for 104 yards on 28
carries and also caught seven passes for 54 yards
for the Colts (10-3), who have won six straight
and beat Houston for the sixth time in as many all-time
meetings. The Texans (5-8) have lost two in a row
and five of their last six, but vowed that Manning
would not set the touchdown record on their field
after he and the Colts embarrassed them in a 49-14
rout on November 14 in Indianapolis. Manning finished
the contest 26-of-33 for 298 yards and will have
a chance to break Marino's record next week at home
against a tough Baltimore defense.
Final Score: Atlanta 35, Oakland
10
Atlanta, GA (Wager On Football
- Sportsbooks Reviewed) - T.J. Duckett was a load
the Raiders couldn't handle on Sunday, rushing for
a franchise-high four touchdowns in a 35-10 rout
of Oakland at the Georgia Dome. The victory clinched
the NFC South for the Falcons, who rebounded from
last weekend's debacle in Tampa. The Falcons clinched
a division crown for the first time since the 1998
campaign, when they won their last nine games of
the regular season and eventually lost to the Denver
Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII. Duckett ran for 65
yards on 12 carries and Michael Vick ended 13-of-20
for 145 yards, as Atlanta (10-3) bounced back from
a 27-0 drubbing to the Buccaneers.Kerry Collins
threw for 166 yards on 14-of-28 passing with an
interception for the Raiders (4-9), who have lost
three of their last four games.
Final Score: Buffalo 37, Cleveland
7
Orchard Park, NY (Wager On
Football - Sportsbooks Reviewed) - Willis McGahee
ran for 105 yards and two touchdowns to lead Buffalo
over Cleveland, 37-7, at a snowy Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Drew Bledsoe completed 12-of-27 passes for 100 yards
with a touchdown and an interception for the red-hot
Bills (7-6), who have won seven of their last nine
games since an 0-4 start. Luke McCown was 8-of-20
for just 62 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions
for the Browns (3-10), who dropped their seventh
straight. Cleveland tallied only 17 yards of total
net offense and turned the ball over five times.
Even though the two cities are separated by 190
miles of highway along the Lake Erie shoreline,
the Browns played in Buffalo for the first time
since 1986.
Final Score: Jacksonville 22,
Chicago 3
Jacksonville, FL (Wager On
Football - Sportsbooks Reviewed) - Byron Leftwich
threw a pair of touchdown passes to lead the Jacksonville
Jaguars to a 22-3 victory over the Chicago Bears
at Alltel Stadium. Leftwich completed 25-of-45 passes
for 242 yards with an interception, as the Jaguars
(7-6) snapped a three-game losing streak to keep
their AFC playoff hopes alive. Jacksonville must
play for a wild card spot after Indianapolis clinched
the AFC South on Sunday. Fred Taylor ran for 79
yards on 21 carries for the Jaguars, who outgained
the Bears 332-210. Chicago managed just 31 yards
rushing, and the offense couldn't find the end zone
one week after a surprising 24-14 win over Minnesota.
The Bears (5-8) have lost three of their last four.
Chad Hutchinson, who threw for three scores in his
first start for the Bears last week, had just six
yards passing in the first quarter and finished
the contest 17-of-33 for 212 yards with an interception.
Final Score: New England 35,
Cincinnati 28
Foxboro, MA (Wager On Football
- Sportsbooks Reviewed) - Tom Brady went 18-of-26
for 260 yards with two touchdowns to lead New England
to a 35-28 win over Cincinnati at Gillette Stadium.
Corey Dillon, who played against his former team
for the first time, rushed for 88 yards on 22 carries
with a touchdown for the Patriots (12-1), who have
won six straight games since having their NFL-record,
21-game winning streak stopped by Pittsburgh in
Week 8. Dillon played with the Bengals from 1997-2003
and owns or shares 18 team records, including the
club's all-time leading rushing mark (8,061). The
win clinched a playoff spot for the Patriots and
they can win the AFC East with a New York Jets loss
to Pittsburgh. Carson Palmer completed 18-of-24
passes for 202 yards with two touchdowns and an
interception before exiting with an injury for the
Bengals (6-7), who had their two-game winning streak
halted.
Final Score: Baltimore 37,
NY Giants 14
Baltimore, MD (Wager On Football
- Sportsbooks Reviewed) - Kyle Boller passed for
219 yards and threw a career-high four touchdown
passes, while Matt Stover kicked three field- goals
as Baltimore rolled over the New York Giants, 37-14,
at M&T Bank Stadium. Boller completed 18-of-34
passes and threw two touchdown passes to Todd Heap
and another two to wideout Clarence Moore for the
Ravens (8-5), who took out last Sunday's frustrating
27-26 loss to Cincinnati out on a reeling Giants
squad. Baltimore welcomed back running back Jamal
Lewis, who was back in the starting lineup after
missing the last two weeks with a sprained right
ankle. Last year's rushing champion carried the
ball eight times for 32 yards in the win. Eli Manning,
who was under constant pressure all day, completed
just 4- of-18 passing for 27 yards with two interceptions
and a fumble for the struggling Giants, (5-8) who
have dropped six straight after starting the season
5-2.
Final Score: New Orleans 27,
Dallas 13
Irving, TX (Wager On Football
- Sportsbooks Reviewed) - Deuce McAllister delivered
a four-yard touchdown run and Joe Horn added a 31-yard
TD catch late in the fourth quarter to snap a tie
and lead New Orleans to a 27-13 win over Dallas
at Texas Stadium. McAllister, who finished with
83 yards on 30 carries, ran for two scores for the
Saints (5-8), who snapped a three-game losing streak
and won for just the third time in their last 10
games. Aaron Brooks completed 18-of-31 passes for
252 yards and a score. Julius Jones, averaging 143
yards the last three games, was held to only 88
rushing yards on 23 carries in this one for the
Cowboys (5-8), who had won their last two and lost
for the fourth time in their last six games overall.
Vinny Testaverde finished with 167 yards and an
interception on 14-of-35 passes. New Orleans snapped
a 13-13 tie down the stretch and won for the first
time at Dallas after nine straight losses.
Final Score: Seattle 27, Minnesota
23
Minneapolis, MN (Wager On Football
- Sportsbooks Reviewed) - Matt Hasselbeck threw
for 334 yards and three first-half touchdowns and
Seattle forced two Minnesota turnovers in the fourth
quarter to preserve a 27-23 victory between two
struggling playoff contenders at the Metrodome.
Hasselbeck completed 23-of-34 passes and was intercepted
twice, while Darrell Jackson had 10 catches for
135 yards and a score, as Seattle (7-6) snapped
a two-game losing streak and rebounded from Monday's
last-second home defeat to Dallas. Shaun Alexander
ran 27 times for 112 yards and also hauled in a
touchdown for the Seahawks, who began the day tied
with St. Louis for the NFC West lead. Daunte Culpepper
had 270 yards on 21-of-33 attempts along with a
touchdown for the slumping Vikings (7-6), who have
dropped five of seven after a 5-1 start. Randy Moss
had four receptions for 104 yards and a score, but
had a pass picked off by Michael Boulware in the
end zone on a trick play with 2:09 left in the game.
Onterrio Smith rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown
in the loss.
Final Score: Denver 20, Miami
17
Denver, CO (Wager On Football
- Sportsbooks Reviewed) - Jason Elam's 50-yard field
goal with 2:50 left in the game lifted the Denver
Broncos to a 20-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins.
Tatum Bell rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns
for the Broncos (8-5), who wasted several opportunities
for more points in this game but still snapped a
two-game skid to remain in the thick of the AFC
playoff hunt. A.J. Feeley was 17-of-35 passing for
170 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Miami (2-11) has lost two straight and five of six.
Final Score: Pittsburgh 17,
NY Jets 6
Pittsburgh, PA (Wager On Football
- Sportsbooks Reviewed) - Jerome Bettis ran for
a touchdown and threw for another score to lift
Pittsburgh over the New York Jets, 17-6, en route
to capturing the AFC North title at Heinz Field.
Ben Roethlisberger completed 9-of-19 passes for
144 yards with two interceptions for the Steelers
(12-1), who clinched their third division title
in four years. Pittsburgh, which has won 11 straight
games, also kept an edge on the No. 1 seed in the
AFC Playoffs. With the New York loss and a Patriots'
victory earlier in the day, New England won its
division crown. Chad Pennington was 17-of-31 for
189 yards and three interceptions for the Jets (9-4),
who suffered their first defeat in four games. Curtis
Martin ran for 72 yards and was kept out of the
end zone on 24 carries.
Final Score: Green Bay 16,
Detroit 13
Green Bay, WI (Wager On Football
- Sportsbooks Reviewed) - Ryan Longwell booted a
23-yard field goal with two seconds remaining as
Green Bay rallied from a 13-0 halftime deficit to
earn a 16-13 victory over Detroit in an NFC North
battle at Lambeau Field. Brett Favre overcame a
woeful first half to complete 19-of-36 passes for
188 yards and a touchdown as the Packers (8-6) took
sole possession of first place in the division.
Donald Driver caught four passes for 87 yards, including
a 23-yard score in the fourth quarter, for Green
Bay, which has won seven of eight games. Ahman Green
rushed for 78 yards on 23 carries in the triumph.
Kevin Jones recorded 156 yards on 33 attempts and
a touchdown for the Lions (5-8), who fell for the
sixth time in seven outings. Joey Harrington finished
with just 47 yards on 5-of-22 passing in a game
played in freezing temperatures and wind gusts up
to 35 miles per hour.
Final Score: Carolina 20, St.
Louis 7
Charlotte, NC (Wager On Football
- Sportsbooks Reviewed) - Nick Goings ran for 108
yards and a touchdown to lead the Carolina Panthers
to their fifth straight win, 20-7, over a mistake
prone St. Louis Rams squad at Bank of America Stadium.
Ricky Manning and Dan Morgan each had two interceptions
for the Panthers (6-7), who picked off St. Louis
quarterback Chris Chandler a franchise-record six
times. Jake Delhomme, playing with a fracture in
his right thumb, completed 16-of-30 passes for 206
yards with a touchdown and an interception for the
Panthers, who haven't lost since November 7. Mushin
Muhammad added six receptions for 98 yards and a
TD. Goings carried the ball 31 times and tied a
franchise-record with his fourth straight 100-yard
game.
Final Score: San Francisco
31, Arizona 28 (OT)
Tempe, AZ (Wager On Football
- Sportsbooks Reviewed) - Todd Peterson kicked a
31-yard field goal 6:22 into overtime to lift the
San Francisco 49ers over Arizona Cardinals, 31-28,
in a wild affair at Sun Devil Stadium. Ken Dorsey,
who replaced starter Tim Rattay, completed 18-of-34
passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns for San
Francisco (2-11), which blew a 25-point lead before
winning snapping a seven- game losing streak. Maurice
Hicks led the ground attack with 139 yards on 34
carries, including a one-yard TD plunge in the win.
Cedric Wilson hauled in five catches for 83 yards
and two scores, while Brandon Lloyd added a touchdown
reception in the triumph. Josh McCown finished 26-of-44
for 307 yards and an interception for Arizona (4-9),
which has dropped four in a row after a brief two-game
winning streak. Emmitt Smith finished with 53 yards
on the ground with a touchdown, while Obafemi Ayanbadejo
added two short TD runs in the setback.
Final Score: San Diego 31,
Tampa Bay 24
San Diego, CA (Wager On Football
- Sportsbooks Reviewed) - Donnie Edwards had two
interceptions, including one that was returned for
a 30-yard touchdown for the go-ahead score with
4:09 left in the fourth quarter, as San Diego defeated
Tampa Bay, 31-24, at Qualcomm Stadium. LaDainian
Tomlinson rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown on
25 carries for the red-hot Chargers (10-3), who
have won seven straight games. Drew Brees ended
17-of-23 for 220 yards with two touchdowns and two
interceptions for the Chargers, who have won 10
games in a season for the first time since 1994
when they finished 11-5 and reached Super Bowl XXIX.
Eric Parker caught six passes for 118 yards with
a score in the win. Brian Griese ended 36-of-50
for 392 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions
for the Buccaneers (5-8), who have lost two of their
last three games. Mark Clayton had nine receptions
for 145 yards with a touchdown in the loss.
Final Score: Philadelphia 17,
Washington 14
Landover, MD (Wager On Football
- Sportsbooks Reviewed) - Donovan McNabb threw for
260 yards and a touchdown, as the Philadelphia Eagles
held on for a 17-14 victory over the Washington
Redskins. The Eagles (12-1) have won five straight
games. Philadelphia had already claimed the NFC
East title and a first-round playoff bye, and the
Eagles' magic number for clinching home field advantage
throughout the playoffs is now one. Patrick Ramsey
was 29-of-45 for 251 yards, with an interception
for the Redskins (4-9), who were foiled in their
efforts to post their first winning streak of the
season.
Monday Night Thoughts!!!!
It wasn't quite as dramatic
or significant as the Music City Miracle. The Kansas
City Chiefs will take it just the same.
The Chiefs didn't need a long
lateral on a controversial kickoff return like the
Tennessee Titans once used on their way to the Super
Bowl. Other than that, Monday night's 49-38 victory
was as wild as anything Nashville has seen on a
football field.
And it came from two of the
NFL's most disappointing teams.
"It's tough to come in
here anytime, let alone win a football game like
we did tonight," said Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil,
who scowled at his defense for much of the game.
Kansas City (5-8), which won
13 games last season, was helped greatly by a phantom
penalty, then got the winning points on a 9-yard
touchdown catch by Eddie Kennison. Trent Green capped
a 64-yard drive in just over a minute with his third
touchdown pass.
Way to go Kansas City. You're
only sort of a terrible team now.
Late breaking Injury news
Tatum Bell (DEN) - Sprained
shoulder
Jeff Garcia (CLE) - Sprained
knee
Jamal Lewis (BAL) - Reaggravated
ankle sprain
Carson Palmer (CIN) - Sprained
knee
Keenan McCardell (SD) - Hamstring
strain
For the second day in a row
the Atlanta Falcons backfield, and the NFL's top-rated
running offense, has suffered a setback.Backup tailback
T.J. Duckett, who in Sunday's victory over the Oakland
Raiders scored four touchdowns on just 12 carries,
will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery on his left
knee to clean out debris. The surgery, scheduled
for Tuesday, is expected to sideline Duckett for
at least two weeks.
Chicago Bears linebacker Brian
Urlacher is to have an MRI on his left hamstring
this week, and his status for the final three games
is unknown.
Urlacher sustained his third
leg injury of the season in Sunday's 22-3 loss to
the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Reuben Droughns suffered a
pinched nerve in his neck during Week 14. With Tatum
Bell's status for Week 15 uncertain due to a shoulder
injury, the Denver backfield is in question. Monitor
both players' status as the week progresses, since
either would be facing a less-than-stellar Chiefs
defense if healthy.
Maurice Hicks suffered a rib
injury in Week 14, although he was able to continue
playing with it. He doesn't stack up well against
a strong Redskins rush defense in Week 15, and the
fact that he might be listed as questionable makes
him a risky fantasy option.
The Domanick Davis Factor
In fantasy football, you always
want to have the primary back for the NFL team since
he'll get most of the running back action for his
offense. Except in the case of Domanick Davis lately.
The Texans lost to the Colts 23-14 yesterday but
you cannot really fault Davis. You see, the Texans
had 273 net yards of offense and of that, Davis
totaled 211 yards. He had one of the only two touchdowns
in the game (the other going on a pass to the other
running back, Jonathan Wells). In fact, other than
the two passes caught by Wells (in relief of Davis)
it was not until the 10:05 mark in the THIRD QUARTER
that a play happened which was not a run by Davis,
a reception by Davis, an incompletion or a "tuck
it and run" by David Carr. No completions to
any tight ends or wide receivers until Bradford
caught a pass at the 10:05 mark. Against the Indianapolis
secondary. This is absolutly horrible after what
Tennessee did to Indi last week. Brutal.....really.
Ten things that make me sad about
week 14
10) TITANS:
When you have your wide receiver hurling into a
trash can between touchdown catches, because he
is physically sick from running the defense up and
down the field. You have half of the state of Tennessee
in the stands 500 miles from home, yet you still
find a way to lose after scoring 38 points!! Well,
let's just say that sums up the Titans season. Drew
Bennett is no doubt dropping hints to McNair to
go ahead and retire immediately.
9) BRONCOS:
This is a team desperately trying to hold onto a
playoff position, that very nearly let a 2 win team
jack them up in their own house. I'm sorry but I
just can't keep ignoring Jake Plummer's face hedge.
As unpleasant as looking at his shaven face may
be, I feel the pain is even greater with the hedge.
I mean that thing is just all over the place. Grizzly
Adams got nothin' on the Snake. I'm thinking, maybe
Jake is pulling some kind of a stunt. Like, I won't
shave this beard until I am a Superbowl quarterback.
If so that chinstrap is never going to survive the
test. And I'll be rooting for the NFL's first "beard
tackle".
8) RAMS: I
can't remember a more putrid display of quarterback
play since Ryan Leaf was shown the door. Chris Chandler,
well let's face it, is just Chris Chandler. He wasn't
too hot when he was 32 and he's a damn sight worse
at 42. How bad was he? His play actually compelled
Mike Martz to run the ball about 7 times in a row
after I believe his 4th or 5th interception. If
you were wondering what cataclysmic event would
provoke such insanity from Martz as to actually
make him decide to run the ball, the horrific play
of Chris Chandler was the answer. Meanwhile Holt
and Bruce owners watch their playoff hopes take
a swirlie ride down to the consolation bracket.
7) COWBOYS: Vinny
Testaverde looked almost as wretched as Chandler
on Sunday. The Cowboys while blowing their tenuous
playoff chances, managed to perform a miracle, making
the Saints appear efficient on both offense and
defense. The win really perked up a stunned Coach
Haslett who in his press conference sounded like
a man who may actually keep his job for next year.
How 'bout them Cowboys!!
6) VIKINGS:
The Vikes lost the battle of teams fading down the
stretch, allowing Seattle to clip them at home.
In the head to head meeting of two of the leagues
most criticized head coaches, Mike Tice certainly
proved why he deserves to be the lowest paid coach
in the league. The bone-headed Moss pass attempt
late in the game rivals any stupidity performed
by any coach in any league anywhere, in the history
of football. If is wasn't Tice's idea, he certainly
should have had sense enough to realize it was a
boner of John Holmes proportion.
5) LIONS: Here
is the line on Joey Harrington: 5/22 47 yds. Can
you imagine how the average Lion fan, much less
the management feels? It's like you buy a classic
car. You spiff it up, over time you put a bunch
of money in it tweaking this and that. You get it
road worthy, and finally start driving it, and it
turns out to be an absolute turd. It breaks down
constantly, it's not dependable, it is not as joy
to drive, and no matter how much time you put into
it it still let's you down on a consistent basis.
But by then you've got too much money it it to sell
it, and nobody wants a car in that condition for
any price. So you just keep driving it getting deeper
and deeper in the hole.
4) RAIDERS:
I heard Mort reporting that allegedly Al Davis often
times will neglect to enforce fines on players inflicted
by head coach Norv Turner. So in the Raiders "family"
Norv Turner is the stern father figure, sending
the kids to their rooms with no supper, and Al Davis
is the the mama sneaking them up a piece of pie.
That story touches the heart of my cockles.
3) DOLPHINS: A
valiant effort at Denver. This is really sad because
I think I am actually beginning to feel sorry for
this once proud and smug franchise.
2) 49ERS:
A valiant effort at Arizona. This is really sad
because I think I am actually beginning to feel
sorry for this once proud and smug franchise.
1) CARDINALS:
When you come up on the short end to the 49ers twice
this season, you need to take a long hard look at
yourself. And Grimace.
And in other NFL news, what would the NFL Oldtimers
say about the disaster that is looming for the pro
football postseason? See below.
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Stats of the Week
Indianapolis scored 23 points
-- its lowest output of the year.
Stats of the Week No. 2
Pressed into service again
as a nickel back, Troy Brown of New England recorded
his third interception of the season.
Stats of the Week No. 3
Josh McCown started at quarterback
for the Cardinals at Buffalo in October, then Luke
McCown started at quarterback for the Browns at
Buffalo in December: Their teams lost by a combined
75-21, while the McCowns were sacked a combined
11 times.
Stats of the Week No. 4
Arizona and the Giants are
a combined 0-8 since their coaches decided to change
quarterbacks; before that point, they were a combined
9-9.
Stats of the Week No. 5
St. Louis had seven points
and seven turnovers.
Stats of the Week No. 6
Cleveland averaged minus-0.4
yards per pass attempt.
Stats of the Week No. 7
Chris Chandler of St. Louis
has attempted 56 passes this season and eight have
been intercepted.
Stats of the Week No. 8
San Diego, Carolina and Buffalo
are on a combined 16-0 run.
Stats of the Week No. 9
If every pass a quarterback
throws clangs to the ground incomplete, his NFL
passer rating is 40. In the Pittsburgh-Jets game,
both Ben Roethlisberger and Chad Pennington finished
with a 33.6 rating.
Stats of the Week No. 10
Tennessee gained 542 yards,
and lost.
Stats of the Week No. 11
Atlanta is the league's top-ranked
rushing team, yet has no one in the top 10 for rushing.
Great Play of the Week
Tense game tied at 3 in the
fourth quarter, Pittsburgh faced third-and-3 on
the Jersey/B 10. The Steelers lined up with an extra
offensive lineman reporting as a receiver, so it
must be a heavy-package run, right? Jerome Bettis
took the handoff on a sweep; all Pittsburgh linemen
including tight end Jerame Tuman blocked "down"
in his direction; Tuman then slipped straight up
the field to the end zone; Bettis stopped and heaved
the option pass that proved the winning points.
Halfback passes and receiver passes are supposed
to be coached to this rule: throw only if the man
is totally unguarded by anyone, otherwise just run
out of bounds and we don't care if you take a loss.
No one at all covered Tuman, so Bettis did the smart
thing by throwing. Surely if Tuman had been covered,
Bettis would have done the smart thing by running
out of bounds; see below.
Bad Play of the Week
Trailing 27-23 with 2:16 remaining,
Minnesota faced first-and-10 on the Seattle 20.
Playing at home with the crowd roaring at military-afterburner
decibels, the Vikings had just moved smartly down
the field and seemed poised for the go-ahead score.
You would have said the wind was at Minnesota's
back, if the game had not been in a dome. And there
was no hurry; the Hyperboreans had ample time to
score and, ideally, exhaust the clock in the process.
The call was an end-around pass by Randy Moss, who
heave-hoed a crazy toss into double coverage, interception.
Halfback passes and receiver passes are supposed
to be coached to this rule: Throw only if the man
is totally unguarded by anyone, otherwise just run
out of bounds and we don't care if you take a loss.
Instead, Moss threw a silly pass that ended Minnesota's
chances.
Why Certain Teams Are
4-9
Atlanta leading 14-3 with 1:25
remaining in the second quarter, Falcons defensive
tackle Rod Coleman intercepted a deflected pass
on the Oakland 39 and -- well, run isn't the right
word, let's just say began moving toward the Raiders
goal line. Just three of the 11 Oakland players
made any attempt to chase him down, despite the
fact that Coleman was one of the slowest gentlemen
on the field at that moment. Touchdown, and I wrote
the words "game over" in my notebook.
Fantasy Viewpoint Angle
Despite completing just 5-of-22
passes for 47 yards in Week 14, Joey Harrington
will retain the starting job in Detroit. The way
he's struggling, however, you should steer far clear
of him in fantasy leagues.
Eli Manning will remain the
Giants' starting quarterback despite his struggles
in Week 14. That's great news for his development,
but fantasy owners have to be concerned if they
own Giants at this point. The strategy of having
Manning learn on the job is severely hurting New
York's productivity as a team.
Kevin Jones: After a first
half of the year plagued by injuries and inconsistency,
we finally saw more of the best of Jones in Week
14. He proved his Week 13 performance was no fluke,
and that he can be a top NFL RB. With Minnesota
looming on the schedule for Week 15, Jones will
deliver more heroics for another Sunday.
Matt Hasselbeck: For the second
consecutive week, Hasselbeck delivered an admirable
performance under heavy pressure. Yes, he was intercepted
twice, and the Seahawks came within a hair (or knee)
of losing another tight one. Yet statistically,
it's clear Seattle is going to live and die on the
arm of Hasselbeck in these final few weeks, and
he's going to have to throw often to keep the team
in games, because the injury-riddled defense can't
stop anyone. Hasselbeck is a very good team leader
at this point of his career and I’m really
liking what he’s doing at this part of the
season. All things considered Seattle really should
be 8-5 not 7-6. NY Jets, Arizona, and Atlanta all
still remain.
Washington isn’t that
bad…..really
Three things stood out as I
watched the Redskins move the ball, with some regularity,
against a very good, aggressive Eagles defense:
1. RB Clinton Portis is showing
more patience. In Denver, Portis was a cutback runner
in a zone-blocking scheme. But the Redskins run
a lot of counter action that calls for the back
to run through specific holes that sometimes take
time to appear. Portis seems to be catching on,
and San Francisco and Dallas--Washington's next
two opponents--lack adequate run-stopping personnel,
especially against teams that can threaten them
with the pass. Which leads us to ...
2. The Redskins' pass protection. It's getting better.
The matchups haven't offered much breathing room
(Philadelphia twice and Pittsburgh once in three
of the last four weeks), so improvements aren't
always obvious. But the switch from QB Mark Brunell
to the less mobile Ramsey might actually have helped.
The linemen likely have a better idea of where Ramsey
will be, and the game plan seems to have more focus
because of Ramsey's limitations. Which leads us
to ...
3. Washington's change in approach.
Shorter drops, more quick-hitting throws and simpler
reads have made Ramsey's job easier. Did coach Joe
Gibbs recently enroll his staff in a crash course
of Prof. Charlie Weis' Dink and Dunk 101? Past Gibbs
teams stretched the field, but this club doesn't
have that luxury. Fewer risks, more completions,
manageable situations--all have kept the chains
moving and boosted Ramsey's confidence. Way to go
Joe. You’re team isn’t throwing in the
towel just yet. <wink>
Makes You Feel Good Story
Hours after losing his father,
Darrell Jackson was the one lifting spirits, with
that amazing performance during very emotional times
for Seahawks Wide Reciever “DJack”.
Joe’s Jackson’s
lengthy struggle against cancer ended Sunday morning.
Darrell’s phone rang with the news of his
father’s death at 7:10 a.m. local time.
At noon, Darrell was in uniform
inside the Metrodome and about to play one of the
finest games of his career, making 10 catches for
135 yards, a touchdown and a crucial reception in
the Seahawks’ final possession.
Heavily reliant on Jackson’s
receptions, the Seahawks won the kind of close and
contentious game they’ve all too often lost
this season.
To beat Minnesota, 27-23, on
the road, in a building that has been a house of
horrors for Seattle, is to sustain playoff aspirations
and reverse a skein of futility that had created
among the fans an army of doubters.
For a day, at least, the Seahawks
played with admirable emotion and inspiration.
Jackson, of course, being the
rallying point.
Now please do some work and
stop reading football articles all day.
Quick Hit on College Football and The Heisman Trophy
Winner
I wrote this
last week.....
6. Matt Leinart, QB,
USC (Jr.) (12-0)
Season stats: 251-of 377, 2,990 yards, 28 TDs, 6
INTs
With a new offensive line, new receivers and no
Mike Williams, Leinart had every bit as good of
a season as he did a year ago, when he led the Trojans
to three comeback victories and outproduced his
predecessor, 2002 Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer.
Well Now I can say it Congratulations
Matt Leinart. Now lets take USC to the National
Championship over those country bumpkins from Oklahoma.
Final Thoughts......
In NFL scheduling news, next
week's Monday Night Football game pits horrible
Miami against 12-1 New England. Can you spell B-O-R-I-N-G
? With a capitol B.
Again I say to the NFL - make
December Monday night games flexible, okay?
Enjoy Week 17 Folks –
Now Get Back To Work……….
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On Football Writer Ray Monohan is an NFL analyst with
10+ years of experience covering the NFL. He provides
a great perspective on the NFL with player and team insight
unmatched in the NFL football betting industry.
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