DAL-WAS
A Redskins team that didn’t look ready for game 1 after 5 weeks of preseason took it to Texas’ team today. This is why they don’t give out trophies after 3 weeks. Here’s what we know about the Redskins, they’re rapidly improving, much like their QB Jason Campbell. It looks like Jim Zorn’s tutelage is really beginning to pay off for Campbell. The knock has been that Campbell doesn’t go through his progressions. I really enjoyed watching Troy Aikman (the most football smart commentator I’ve seen/heard) demonstrate how Campbell found his 3rd option on a TD pass. Here’s what we know about the Cowboys. They’re a “play from ahead” team. It’s always funny when the media anoints a SB Champ in week 1. It’s hilarious when they haven’t won a playoff game in 10 years. Dallas is clearly a top team, don’t get me wrong. But yesterday’s game, with a team few thought could keep up with the Starheads, was never really in doubt. Here’s the best part though; Terrell Owens crying to the press that the team lost because he wasn’t getting the ball after 17 passes and two handoffs yesterday. Owens even had the gall after dropping a a potentially game changing TD pass late. So let’s get this straight, Jerry Jones pours a ton of money into malcontents and lawbreakers, then tells good ol’ boy wade Phillips to keep an eye on ‘em. Getchya’ popcorn ready!

BUF-STL
I’m not sure Scott Linehan knows how to spell his last name, much less coach an NFL team. When you consider that the best and worst players in the NFL are separated by fractions, no team is as bad as the Rams play. ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports that the Rams fired Linehan this morning, which (considering Mort’s record for scoops recently) probably means Linehan probably got a 5 year extension. I’m being too harsh though, at least Mort got the Brett Favre trade to Tampa right. On the other hand, it had to be a strange sensation for the usually hapless Jills to know they were just toying with the Rams. If they continue to be unable to score in the 1st half though, times could get tuffalo in Buffalo. Buffalo has two wins that could very well have been losses.

TEN-MIN
Does any team in the NFL hit like the Flaming Thumbtacks? For years, the alleged physical teams go into TEN and get their butts made into hats. Nothing new this week. TEN beat up the 1-3 Vikings and made AP a non-factor. Of the undefeated, only TN looks legit. If the Preseason Champion Cowboys had to go to TN right now . . . . .well, getchya’ stretchers ready. Mike Ditka said about the Titans “until somebody beats them, they’re gonna be undefeated”. Yup, that’s what he said. Move over, John Madden. Even Gus Frerotte knows the Tuxedos are hitters. He had an equipment guy call his wife after a big hit to tell her he was okay. Maybe he should have called a WR to tell them he was going to throw a TD pass instead. Thank goodness the Vikes had Tarvaris Jackson waiting on the sideline when Frerotte cut his hand (probably on the point on top of his head). Having Jackson as a backup is like having someone tell you they’ll jumpstart your car, and then hooking the cables to a pineapple.

TB-GB
This game surprised me, but not really. GB is considerably more talented, and was due for a better game after last week’s dip against Dallas. But never underestimate the motivation a tragedy can bring to a team. Whose heart doesn’t go out to Matt Bryant? If you weren’t cheering for him, you’re not human. I thought it was kinda curious that Aaron Rodgers is giving out his own medical reports, though. He really is trying to fill Favre’s shoes, at least in establishing a personal relationship with the media. He’s not trying to break Favre’s ironman record though. So right now, the Pack is 2-2 and the Jets are 2-2. Ted Thompson and Eric Mangini are in a dead heat.

NYJ-ARI
Once again, alien Curt Warner has been replaced by human Curt Warner. You know, the one whose fumbles and picks got him kicked out of two other cities. Let’s face facts about Warner. He’s still capable of streaks, and when he’s hot, he can light it up. But he’s not a 16 game QB, and hasn’t been for 5 years now. Matt Leinart better start preparing for action. On the other side, who woulda thunk Broadway Brett would have his best game ever in a Bretts uniform? We all expected the Bretts to win, but come on now. I loved the deep ball on fourth and one though. Something told me they’d challenge the field on that one. On a more serious note, what the hell was going on with the hit on Anquan Boldin? I’m stunned (and thrilled) that Boldin is able to move today. The way Boldin fell made me think of Jack Tatum’s kill shot on Darryl Stingley. It’s going to take more than piddly fines to stop the headhunting in the NFL these days. It takes coaching. Coaches need to require and reinforce sound fundamentals. Tackling is a simple job: 1. Hit 2. Wrap 3. Drive. The rule is, hit what you see. With the size, speed and force of players increasing every year, coaches must take a firm stance on this or the ambulance is going to be heading to the morgue instead of the ER very soon.

CAR-ATL
This may have the only game in betting history where no one took the underdog. There are better days ahead for the Falcons, but this was not going to be one. And don’t wonder why John Fox is splitting time between his backs. It’s a two back league now, and Fox wants Stewart when the weather gets cold. With Mushin Muhammad and I’m interested to see how Jake Delhomme’s arm holds up for a full season, but thus far he looks no worse for wear. It’s kind of amazing how far sports medicine has come when you think that both Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana were wrecked by the same injury.

NO-SF
Drew Brees is a premier NFL QB. He’s putting up huge numbers throwing to guys who couldn’t be identified in a police lineup. JT O’Sully, he’s just hoping to become an answer to a trivia question; not just the one about who threw two picks in the end zone Sunday, either. I don’t even know who else SF has at QB, but Mike Nolan is kidding himself if he thinks he’s got a legitimate starter in JT. NO is starting to play well, the Deuce got his motor running today.

SD-OAK
By the way, Philip Rivers is good. Right now, all the hype is on Jay Cutler, and Cutler deserves a lot of it. But is any QB capable of lighting it up better than Rivers right now? Rivers does in one quarter what is a huge game for most QB’s, and he did it again yesterday. Still, it wouldn’t have happened if Raiders hadn’t left the door wide open for the Chargers. Ever since Jar-Jar Russell ascended from the swamps of Naboo (LSU) to play QB for the Faders, FG’s are the order of the day in Oakland. Russell did have a “KStew special” TD pass yesterday. That’s when you hit a guy in the seam for about 12 yards and he breaks lose for the remaining 40. The bad news is that the silver and black invested huge money in marginal position players so it’s likely that they can’t afford a decent backup while someone teaches Russell how to play QB.

DEN-KC
Who didn’t see this coming? Even the best offense has a subpar game. Even the worst D shows up for work, now and then. Denver always struggles in KC. Larry Johnson was way overdue for a big game . . . . . I would have paid a few dollars to hear Herman Edwards open the press conference by saying “We played to win the game”. But it’s one week folks, Denver will be back. KC will not. Bill Cowher is watching closely from the CBS studio every Sunday. Of course he’s keeping his eye on the Browns too.

CIN-CLE
These two teams played yesterday.

 JAX-HOU
The good news for Jax; David Garrard had a sound game yesterday. The bad news; it was versus the Houston Houstonians, or is it the Texas Texans? I have to paraphrase the great John Madden speaking of his legendary man crush Brett Favre; “David Garrard is David Garrard”. Garrard did what he does best yesterday, protected the ball, made a few key running plays and beat a below average team. Wayne Weaver invested a king’s ransom in a guy whose best effort gets a phenomenal rushing attack and dominant defense one week into the postseason. Then again, HOU invested a #### of cash in a guy whose legacy was being the best QB on ATL’s roster. Looking back, Mike Vick didn’t set a high bar over which to jump. After Schaub’s brilliant performance against NE a few years back, I have to admit that I was sold on him. It’s clear now that his team mates are not sold on him. HOU is a much better team with Sage Rosenfels under center. That’s right, the Houstonians best QB is an herb.

PHI-CHI
The Bears could have been 3-0. But no one even gave that a second thought after the Eagles blitzed 17 guys on every play in a win against the Steelers. McNabb was back and the Eagles were #2 to the preseason NFL Champion Cowboys. A funny thing happened last night. An Eagles offense that managed only 13 points against the Steelers (despite the Steelers D being on the field most of the game), managed only 20 against The Bears. The offensively challenged Munchkins of the Midway made the necessary adjustments to expose Jimmy Johnson’s send ‘em till they stop ‘em High School game plan. Give Johnson his due. He saw a Steelers OL that hadn’t played together very long, and wasn’t competent at pass blocking and exploited it. But golly Jim, it’s the NFL. Gimmicks and gambles do not a season make. As for McNabb, he’s hurt again. Westbrook, hurt again. Buckhalter, hurt again.

PIT-BAL
Mike Greenberg (ESPN’s Mike & Mike) says the Steelers will wrap the AFCN in November. From his lips to Pittsburgh’s ears. What I’ve seen is that Mike Tomlin is showing an odd combination of inexperience and wisdom. His inexperience shows in games where the Steelers get punched in the mouth (see Philly 15-6) and can’t recover. His wisdom shows when he drafts skill players when position players are also needed. Tomlin is a big-picture, long-haul guy, without doubt. That said, I question his assistant choices. The whole 52 Okie, ZB scheme played out years ago, yet Tomlin allows #### LeBeau to continue the schemes that beat bad teams, against good teams. On offense, Bruce Arians is showing the same skill that got him fired at perennial college football powerhouse, Temple. At least Arians needs to get better quick, or the big picture will have Big Ben in a Big Body-cast. The Ravens are an enigma. Actually, they’re an enigma, wrapped in a conundrum, sheathed in a mystery. They’re a shell of the defense they were in the early part of the decade, but they still manage to play like there’s blood in the water. They still haven’t fielded a legitimate #1 WR this decade. They have a rookie QB who didn’t even know he’d be starting until a few days before the regular season. Yet they look hard to beat. Tonight’s game is impossible to call.

Kudos to the rushing attack in Jacksonville. Fred Taylor and MJD did exactly what one would expect against an undersized Indy D. As for Indy, it’s clear that a lot of dollars spent in a few positions have speeded the talent cycle along. Indy should rebound from 1-2, but they’re not close to the team that won the SB two seasons ago. The Raiders gave a very Buffalo team all that it could handle. Well, almost all of the Raiders did. No team has any trouble handling JaMarcus Russell. Al Davis could fire Lane Kiffin, Rob Ryan, and Governor Schwarzenegger; it isn’t going to disguise his suddenly ridiculous spending habits. Terry Bradshaw called Tarvaris Jackson a “college QB”, I’m going to do Russell one better. This bozo is a High School QB on his best day. Just like a solid choice at QB can be a foundation for a franchise, a bad choice eats the framework like a giant termite. Russell sure looks like a 270lb termite to me. But here’s a thought. If Davis does fire Kiffin, who wouldn’t love to see Kiffin pull a George Costanza and just keep showing up for work? How long before the certifiably wacked Davis even notices?

 

Matt Ryan is starting to look very much like a solid choice in Atlanta. I’m not picking the Falcons for the postseason, but it is amazing to see how draft day “busts” like Roddy White suddenly become legitimate NFL playmakers when they have a QB to throw to them. How many times have I said; receivers make QB’s, but QB’s also make receivers.

I hope that VY is learning from what happened and will continue to happen in TN while he soothes his sore knee and ego. Here’s what I know about Young, he’s a phenomenal talent who hasn’t dealt with failure up to now. Here’s what I think I know about him. He’s a very bright, probably oversensitive guy. But there’s no one I’m pulling for more to develop the thick skin needed to play QB in the NFL. My intuition is that he’s a good guy, and TN will need him, maybe before the season is over.

Talk about your benchings. Add one journeyman scrub and the Vikings look awesome. Sure it took them a half, but they took one from a Panthers team we’ll probably see in January.

Is Joe Flacco the Big Ben of 2008? No, because the 2008 Ravens are not the 2004 Steelers. Here’s what I like about Flacco though; he appears to have the short memory that QB’s need.

I’m not so sure Big Ben is the Big Ben of 2008 either. The Eagles finally exposed what I’ve been lamenting since preseason, that the Steelers don’t pass block. But B-Ro seems to have regressed to a place I haven’t seen since his post accident, appendicitis, year. He’s holding the ball forever and is easily confused and flustered in the pocket. His footwork and pocket movement is atrocious. It’s not just game 3 I’m talking about. It’s been getting progressively worse since the second half of last season. Sorry Ben, I’d have put Leftwich in to start the 2nd Quarter. All that money they gave him, and his game is the worst it’s been since his rookie year.  Sometimes the game comes so easy, it seems to slow down. Sometimes the QB just slows down, then the game gets much harder.

Dallas is good. TO is playing like a man possessed. Watching him run that DB up after getting shellacked was something I never imagined seeing. Dallas is the best team in the NFL right now. They mentally beat the Packers last night. That said, there’s no week 3 trophy, so the bad news is that the Boys have 13 games to go. Let’s see how they look after week 10.

Denver looks incredible too. Jay Cutler is having the year that Mike Shanahan predicted. Oh wait; they’re a blown call and two missed Figs from 1-2. Oh wait; the defense can’t stop from peeing their pants much less stop an opponent from scoring. Oh wait . . .you get the point. If the Broncs don’t remember to play D by week 6 , this is a 9-7 team.

That would be fine for SD, a super talented squad that Norv Turner is hell bent on driving straight to mediocrity. A lot of folks rushed to praise Norv for taking the Bolts to the AFCC last year. I guess none of the watched Norv Coach the Chargers out of the SB on a day when the unbeaten Pats were eminently beatable. Norv is the Raid of coaches, he kills teams dead. You also have to wonder if LT 2 (Lawrence Taylor is the only LT) has much left in his tank, and if Lights Off for Lights Out will make this year’s D a shell of last year’s D.

Here’s the improbable stat of the week, Brian Griese threw 67, not 6 or 7, times and won. Griese hasn’t tossed that many since he was last seen partying in Denver. Who knows what the season holds for TB, and Bob’s prodigal son. If anyone can rescue the career of a veteran backup, it’s John Gruden. Just ask Rich Gannon.

I’m not the only one who smelled what the Tuna was cookin’ this weekend in NE. (two, count ‘em two, pop culture references there!) I love Tony Sparano pulling a reverse Vick putting his QB at RB (instead of a RB at QB). But seriously folks; NE was sooooooo overdue for a beat down that even Joey Porter could run his mouth and back it up. Times won’t get easier for NE. A defense that played from ahead all of last season will not have that luxury this year. An offense with the game’s best QB now has maybeth best QB.  That’s if you count Tarvaris Jackson, Belichick’s ego, particularly his insane decision to go with Cassel and not seek help, will finally undo this unit. the 30

Guess what KC did last week, they tried to trade for Brady Quinn. So three games into 2008, the Chefs suddenly believe they need a QB? What about 2007? If the Chiefs played the Rams could we arrest the NFL for staging a fake game?

Yeah, the Rams . . . . . I finally have to ask this question. Who interviewed Scott Linehan for the job? I can’t believe someone hired this guy. Maybe the Wal Mart in St. Louis was closing and Linehan was the last coach left on the shelf. That’s the only explanation that comes to mind. Wouldn’t it be better if Scotty came out after each game and just uttered gibberish. I can hear it now: Q: “what happened with the pass protection” A: “Blagoo”. Q: How about Steven Jackson, is he getting in game shape? A: Tibble tibble schmagiggy, zork. Then the white coats cart Linehan away.

Last but never least, I read today that the Saints lost Jeremy Shockey. Well, at least we know which NFC team is going to the SB.

I’m not usually an apologist for QB’s, but Jason Campbell sure makes me look like one. I find myself using the same excuses everyone else uses when discussing this guy’s struggles. But I have one excuse the other’s rarely use, “square peg in a round hole”. Average armed QB’s like Joe Montana and Rich Gannon generally thrive in the WC system. But how many big armed QB’s see success in the dink and dunk attack. I count one, Donovan McNabb. I hate seeing bright, talented guys like Campbell stuck trying to work against their best assets. Look for Campbell to end up elsewhere sooner than later if JZ can get Colt Brennan to set his feet before he throws the ball by season’s end. For his sake, I hope so.

Even McNabb loses it in big games, though. Last week’s stellar start against Texas’ team was seriously deflated by McNabb’s newest choke move, the double-clutch handoff. I consider Westbrook lucky in one respect. At least McNabb didn’t McPuke on him.

Brodie Croyle. Doesn’t that name sound like a gunslinger in a spaghetti western? Here’s what it doesn’t sound like, an NFL QB’s name. But wait, once again, Herman has outdone himself. First Brodie, then Damon, now Tyler . . .wait, this isn’t a western, it’s an adult video.

I thought Duante Culpepper had lost his mind with his conspiracy theory retirement letter. Now I’m starting to believe him. You’re gonna tell me that Tyler Thigpen gives a team a better chance to win than Duante Culpepper (in a wheelchair, even). For me, crippled Culpepper starts over a at least a half dozen of the flunkies calling signals in the NFL right now. Sorry JT O’Sullivan, Brodie Croyle, Jon Kitna, Chad Pennington, Tarvaris Jackson/Gus Frerotte Pod, Kerry Collins. Maybe the rap on Culpepper being a locker room devil is deserved. Collusion is all that makes sense right now.

No, I didn’t include Joe Flacco or Matt Ryan in that group. They’ve proven nothing yet. Sure Ryan came back to earth last week, and Flacco will too. But both have demonstrated enough to inspire some hope.

This just in! In Jacksonville, Wayne Weaver burned a pile of money on a QB dinking and dunking behind the NFL’s best running game last year. Can you say Kordell Stewart? What was Weaver thinking? Even Jerry Jones waited a few games into season two to spend big on Tony Romo, and Romo had proven that he could win games throwing. Garrard has only proven that he can lose games throwing.

Speaking of winning with his arm, Jay Cutler is probably a season away from being a top 3 QB. If he can handle a full season and diabetes, that is. The only thing I see wrong with Cutler’s game this year is the “bowling ball-bomb shelter” phenomena. That’s when QB’s force passes because they think they can throw a bowling ball through a bomb shelter. Cutler’s ability to throw (albeit with a different release) any ball with accuracy reminds me of Joe Namath.

Another guy who really impresses me is Philip Rivers. As LaDainan Tomlinson rides the fast track to obsolescence, the team is Rivers’ now. Well he has his down spots, no QB gets as hot, for as long, as Rivers does. I still hate his delivery. But his delivery can buy and sell me, so that’s that.

This just in! Only Al Davis manages to burn a pile of money on a rookie, after the rookie burns his first season holding out. Now, JaMarcus Russell is burning every offensive series for the Raiders. Did the Raiders not watch a second of film on this guy? He’s neck and neck with Brodie Croyle for the “How the Hell Did I Get Drafted Award”. I’ve never seen a QB less ready to play in the NFL than Russell. I swear, #2 isn’t just staring down his first option, he’s screaming “I’m throwing to him” at the top of his lungs too.

Wait a minute . . .Jeff Garcia still thinks he got shafted? Let me get this straight. He didn’t notice that John Gruden picks a QB to be his whipping boy every year? He didn’t notice that his replacement’s biggest claim to NFL fame is smashing his head on a sidewalk during a bender? He didn’t notice that DETROIT released him? Come on Jeff. Even Steve Bono had a couple good years. Let’s move on.

Speaking of moving on, how many games before the Cleveland Brown (brown is plural) are Brady’s bunch? I’m setting the over under at 4. Why? Because Romeo Crennell has no answers. Cleveland rode an explosive game to ten wins last year. But it had nothing to do with Crennell. I’m not saying Derek Anderson is a year-in, year-out pro bowler. But he’s nowhere near as awful as the Brown (brown is plural) look after two games.

Yes, Matt Cassel won his first game. Let’s hold off on the 2001 reprise for just a bit.

Three plays up close and three handoffs? I’m surprised that Broadway Brett didn’t announce to the media that he needed some time to determine if he was coming back next game. . .  I may not be the biggest Favramaniac, but I still can’t get my arms around that one. There’s no such thing as a $12mm decoy. Still, no matter who was playing QB, Mangina needs his head examined.

Chad Pennington? The other day I said, “My cat Milton’s arm is a bazooka compared to Pennington’s”. My cat walked over, meowed with disgust and slashed me. He had a point. But seriously, watching Pennington’s softballs sail softly is just sad now.

Marc Bulger has to be telling himself “I make $6mm for this” after every play.

No, I haven’t said anything about Eli Manning.

Peyton, on the other hand, he has no fear of the spotlight. For all his puffy stats, though, I never had more respect for him than last week. Watching Manning get pounded and pick himself up after every play without quitting last week was the best performance I’ve ever seen from him. That’s what winners do.

Ben Roethlisberger does that too. Unfortunately, the swinging gate Pittsburgh calls an offensive line doesn’t appear to have hope in sight. Folks were questioning the OL in light of Alan Faneca’s departure this year. They should have been questioning it since 2003. Despite having at least a respectable rushing attack year in and out, the Steelers haven’t been pass-blocking for half a decade now. No one noticed that until this year, evidently. Maybe they should have checked BR’s many trips to the injury list. “Ben” as the talking heads love to call him, has yet to play a full season (he even missed game 16 of his rookie year).

Did I mention Tony Romo? Why yes I did. Here’s what you don’t know. Any QB who bumbles and fumbles like Romo did last Monday and last year against Buffalo, has obviously made a deal with the Devil. Any QB who can’t win a playoff game, hasn’t read the fine print on his contract with Satan though.

Finally, Green Bay is quickly becoming Mr. Rogers neighborhood. I’m very interested to see how Mr. Rogers handles this week’s test in the Tundra, though. I still think, no matter what, that GB made the right call in “moving on”. Now let’s see if they have the right guy with whom to move on.

Until next week!

What’s the over under on David Garrard turning back into the pumpkin that couldn’t win a starting job (for how many seasons)? I’m betting 4 games until it happens and 9 games until the PC avengers admit it. No question, Garrard had a dream season last year, but really now. Funny how talking heads were still calling Tom Brady a game manager after he’d won three SB’s, but they heap praise on a one year wonder with the best 1-2 running punch in the NFL. Now that Jax is missing two guards, MJD is starting slow and Fred Taylor seems to be coping with some issues, we saw what happens when Garrard has to win games by himself. He doesn’t.

One can’t help but feel for Tom Brady, and despise Bill Belichick.  Brady’s never been a bruiser, and I had long sensed he was due for a big hurt. Still, no one wants to see a player hurt. I don’t know if Belichick’s arrogance is tolerable anymore, though. It’s not the “life goes on” act he sells to the press that gets me. It’s the disservice he does to the fans by not looking for some insurance at the QB spot.  Sure Belichick wants to prove that he’s the reason NE has flourished, and to a large degree he is. But how many big winners (see Shula, D, and Noll, C.) floundered for a decade or so after they lost their hall of famers?

Yeah, Broadway Brett’s Jets beat the fish. So? Only the Dolphins lose on a Hail Mary. Besides, am I the only one who’s willing to admit that Pennington’s arm is made of balsa wood and chewing gum?

First Tarvaris Jackson needed to learn the offense, then he needed to get comfortable, now he needs time to recover from the knee sprain. How many FG’s does the best team in the NFL without a QB have to kick before people stop making excuses and just him as the Kordell Stewart II experience? He’s not a QB, he’s a featured back.

But the only thing worse than having a running QB who can’t pass (see Jackson, T.) is a passing QB who can neither run nor pass. Herman Edwards, the sandlot called, they want Brodie Croyle back. How did Croyle get an NFL roster spot, much less a starting job? I wouldn’t want that guy QB’ing a wheelchair team. The wheelchair guys would roll all over him.

Raven ravers are wacko for Flacco. How can you not give it up for this guy? He delivered, and with not much notice. Sure, it gets a lot harder real soon for Joe, and yes it’s only one game. Still, he has a memory that’s hard to top.

Matty Ice announced that the Falcons have a QB for the first time this millennium. Now that Home Depot is a memory, maybe Arthur Blank is doing some critical thinking before he writes checks larger than the GDP of third world countries.  Don’t crown Ryan just yet, but the guy has it. Having Michael Turner as a pair of handcuffs never hurts either. Now if he can just convince the Atlanta wideouts that the ball is not a UFO.

Jeff Garcia’s hurt and out for week 2. He missed almost all of training camp with an injury. He’s 38. He’s undersized. He winds up for three yard outs. He doesn’t understand why the Bucs didn’t give him an extension. Really, I’m not kidding. He doesn’t understand.

Big Ben won big. Big Ben has an injury. Three years ago, I said the biggest challenge with this guy would be keeping him healthy. Bring back Tommy “Gun” Maddox!!!

Finally, write this down: Peyton Manning was not ready to play on Sunday. Somewhere, somehow (Mr. Irsay), the message came in that; if he could crawl, he was starting the first game in the house that Peyton built. Manning gets props for toughing it out, but he was as far off his game as I’ve ever seen. My fear is that he’s having chronic infection issues with that knee. Nothing else explains the lingering problems from a very minor procedure. How many times have we heard of players losing seasons or even careers to staph infections? For Manning’s and the game’s sake, I hope he recovers fully and quickly. I used to detest manning, but that SB win did something for him. Ever since, he’s been humble and self effacing. A few of his commercials are hilarious too.

Give it up to #4, everyone. He's managed to do what few players in the history of the NFL have ever done. Favre is now more of a story off the field than he ever was on the field. While the other 31 teams benefit from the rare pleasure of flying under the radar as Favregate enters its most critical period to date, Brett and his former bosses have woven a tapestry like none other in the history of the NFL.

While I've long been a critic of Favre holding his team mates and employer hostage come the April showers, I find myself in an unusual space for this chapter of the never retiring story. 

Favre's "does he or doesn't he" act wore thin with me the very first time he engaged the media in his musings. I think it's incumbent upon every professional athlete, especially those integral to a team, to manage their communication more considerately than Favre has done. The impact of Favre's off-season vacillations has, and should have worn thin among the Packer brass after the first two spring-flings. Players constantly resort to the tried and true "hey, it's a business" rap in contract negotiations, and they have a right to do so. At the same time, resource management is as critical a part of the NFL business as exists. So why not apply the same ethic to the NFL business as any employee in any other business considering retirement would do. Announce one's retirement when one is retiring, shut up until then. The pitch and yaw of Favre's externalized internal discussion is disservice to every co-worker upon whose future organizational stability is built.

It's been sickening watching the last few offseasons turn into the Wisconson Favre watch. It's clear that throwing season busting picks isn't enough to keep the Bayou baby engaged for the non-football months. Although he could spend his time wondering why he heaves hail marys into DB's hands at the worst possible moment, or why he jams January spirals into the hands of the opponents, sending his 52 team mates to the golf course of their liking.

But aside from John Madden's glee of the extension of his annual man-crush, this offseason has gone from uncertain to gut wrenching in a blink. It's a different sitchoo because Favre and his employer had "crossed the Rubicon". Favre uppped the ante considerably once he announced his spirit was willing, but his body was unwilling although still able.

Then the Packers, maybe more tired (of watching every season of the last ten end in a loss) than they care to admit, held the "get out of Favre free card" Mike McCarthy can't tell the cheeseheads he coveted. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure McCarthy appreciates all that Favre has done to elevate the organization. But there are a lot of very successful coaches who pin their success on caretakers rather than gunslingers at the QB spot. McCarthy, regardless of his positional history, likes to win with defense and strong fundamentals. Now who is Mike Mac more able to mold at the QB spot; a living legend or an unproven commodity? It's this idea that makes me think Favre may have "crossed the Rubicon" (much like Bill Cowher in Pittsburgh) with a gentle shove. It's this idea that makes me think that much more of this year's drama sits in the hands of the Packers FO than #4.

And that's ok. Just like every player has the right to retire or un-retire, every team has the right to move on.

Here's what's not ok. Every NFL team has the right to pay a player as contracted, to play them or not play them. It's not always fair, but it's what both sides agree to when they sign at the bottom line.

The Packers, in their infinite wisdom, have chosen to play the NFL slavery card. They not only want Favre not to play for them, they want him not to play for anyone. Because the Pack own Favre's rights, they're exercising the right to preserve #4's legacy against his wishes. In trying to do so, they have already tarnished their legacy mor than Favre's annual immaturity has tarnished his own.

The Packers have geometrically outFavre'd Favre with this ugly circus, and it's incumbent upon them as a respectable organization to do not what best serves them, but best serves the game. Favre, regardless of his antics is still among the best regular season QB's in the game. He wants to play. The Packers were among the best teams in the NFL last year, in large part due to an excellent young defense and emergent running game. They want to move on with Aaron Rodgers.

It's not the easy thing, it may or not be the best short term answer for the Packers, but the right thing to do is let Favre go to play where he's wanted.

Legendary QB's have finished their careers in different colors before, and franchises lived to tell the tale. No one thinks of Joe Montana as a KC Chief (and he won 4 SB's as a 49er by the way), so the Packers' insistence that they're trying to preserve a legacy doesn't hold much water.

It's become abundantly clear that the Packers FO is trying both to eat their cake and have it too.  Every day that passes only makes them look more piggish.

So please, Packers potentates, let the man go. As John Madden says, two Favres don't make a Favre.

1. An afterthought, maybe. Am I the only one who wonders why there isn't a rookie cap in the NFL? Sure, JLong will probably be good. But I thought Robert Gallery would be crushing DL's too.

2. Unbelievable to hear the talking heads prattle about a ceiling on Chris Long. Short of blazing speed, the guy is a phenom. He's got burst, power and jumps out the room. Sure he got handled by OLiners who had 60-75 lbs. on him, but name one player this side of the real LT who didn't have that problem. Long will be an excellent NFL player and a worthwhile choice at #2.

3. Not just the start of a new era in ATL, but the end of another. Matt Ryan will return respectability to the QB spot for the Falcons. And the fact that they'll have a QB at QB won't hurt either. Don't let the Ryan pick exclude the possibility of Art Blank letting Mike Vick return to ATL, but thankfully it will be at Vick's natural position.

4. Hard to pick apart the Raiders choice of McFadden. Sure they could have used a trench player, but they can use someone at every position. When you suck as much as the Raiders, a good player is a good pick.

8. The Jags purged their DL and then may have reached desperately at #8. Good to see a defensive powerhouse dump a few highly paid, proven performers to overpay one, undersized unproven player in Harvey. Is Jax thinking he's the second coming of Dwight Freeny?

13. Johnathan Stewart will fit in Carolina, and he's a quality choice. But with Brian Brohm, Joe Flacco and Chad Henne on the board, and Jake Delhomme coming off Tommy John Surgery . . .??? Not sure who the Panthers are considering as an insurance policy, may JD Booty or Colt Brennan, but both lack starter size and ability.

18. Speaking of Flacco, I don't love the guy because he went to my alma mater, I just love that arm. Throws the ball like it's on a string, with awesome velocity and accuracy, yet has great touch downfield. Maybe the best physical specimen at QB in the last ten years. The knock on him is his footwork. Well you can teach footwork. You can't teach arm.

21. I like the Matt Ryan pick. Not sure about Baker at 21. The guy is not equipped to be an NFL Tackle. Maybe the Falcons are thinking they have the next Alan Faneca. The bad news is, Faneca thought he was a lot better than the film showed recently and he was getting worked pretty good for the last three years. Still if Baker pans out at guard, assuming the Birds put him there, it might be a good marriage at least for the first two contracts.

23. Mel Kiper, in his infinite wisdom, called this a "luxury pick" for Pittsburgh. The Steelers started 9-3 and finished 1-3. Where's the luxury for a team that collapsed down the Stretch? The Steelers aren't deep anywhere and their best RB broke his leg last year. They took the best player available, by far. Any player to take the heat of Big Sack Taker is a great pick.

26. Another player termed a reach? Depends on what reaching is. I don't think taking a good player (like Duane Brown) who fits what you do, a little early is a reach. I think taking an overrated player at any position is a reach.

Regardless of where one sits on the relevance of the Brett Favre career calculations, his long overdue departure set in motion a series of noteworthy discussions. Among them:

1. Is Favre the best QB ever?

2. Is Favre one of the best QB's ever?

3. Is Favre the best Packer QB ever?

4. Was this year the "right" year for #4 to retire?

They're all great questions, but it merits mention that one must first define "greatness" before even entering the discussion.

1&2.

If you love stats, there's no question Favre is one of the best ever. He stands atop a class including Moon, Marino, Fouts, Kelly and a handful of others who piled up great regular season records/stats in a game more defensively hamstrung with every passing year.

It's kind of ironic for me though, that Favre reminds me of my favorite and the original GOB, Gunslinger QB, Terry Bradshaw though. Actually, it just makes me wonder how Bradshaw would have performed under the same rule set.

But if one cares about winning, the real winning, Brett Favre has more in common with Trent Dilfer than Joe Montana. That's why it's hard for me to even consider him an elite, top ten performer. The rush by the media to anoint Favre as the King of QB's is about as undeserved as as awarding the Nobel Prize in Physics for the Clapper.

Favre Won a SB. He lost a SB.

Terry Bradshaw won four, didn't lose one.

Joe Montana won four, didn't lose one.

Troy Aikman won 3 didn't lose one.

Bart Starr won two, didn't lose one. (and 3 NFL Championships).

Bradshaw even went on record as saying his greatest accomplishment was that her never lost a SB.

But doubtlessly, there are some greats that have lost a championship. The one that most comes to mind is the phenomenal Otto Graham. 10 Championship game appearances in ten years, and seven championships.

No one even mentions Otto Graham. Even though he played in a era where defenders abused receivers and QB's like they were inmates at Alcatraz, and Graham was the poster boy for developing the face mask after a blow to the jaw left him with 15 stitches.

Ten years, 7 Championships, 86.6 passer rating, 105-17-4 record and 88 TD's.

Now tell me that Favre compares to that? Or even try to extrapolate what Graham would have done under the NFL-lite PI, IC and Roughing rules in place today.

When you consider what Graham did, it's hard to imagine that any of the talking heads have even as much of a clue about NFL history. Or even recent history.

Don't even get me started about Johnny U.

Bradshaw is on TV every Sunday. He won 4 SB's in six years. Montana is hardly an afterthought, with the highest QB rating ever in the post season, over 100. Aikman, yeah he shows up every so often.

And what About 3-1 Tom Brady?

So until we have a stats bowl to decide the best of the best every season, Favre is a very good, but not elite QB.

The sad fact is though, we'll never be able to compare these guys side by side. So the question borders on moot.

3. Bart Starr won 5 Championships. Favre won one. So this question is a joke too.

4. No. He didn't pick the right year, he should have retired four or five years ago after that six-pick with a pick-six, meltdown in the post season. The sad fact is, ever since Favre lost his babysitters, Mariucci, Gruden and Holmgren, he's been a pressure point disaster. He's the guy you can count on to make the worst possible play when it's all on the line. Once Holmgren left, and he had left before the Packers even blew that SB to the Ponies, Favre was cursed by his own hoopla. I honestly think he started buying into the hype.

Heck, Bradshaw had Noll, Montana had Walsh, Starr had Lombardi and Graham had Brown, who did Favre end up with? Yes, the Legendary Mike Sherman. What did we expect?

Don't get me wrong kids, I had to love Favre, if only for the literally challenged mis-pronunciation of Farvruh. But include him in the elite, much less anoint him the best? Come on.

All the hoopla tells me is how sorry the state of QB'ing has become since coaches took the game from the QB's hands and the NFL rule softeners made even the Kordell Stewart experience an option.

Favre was clearly an exceptional and durable athlete, and definitely an exceptional talent. But his career numbers, however inflated, do the talking. 17 years, one trophy.

Steve Young is looking awfully good right now.

It's true, if I (instead of Jason Whitlock) had cited black on black crime as evidence of the new ####, I'd be labeled a racist and probably locked out of the site (again).

It's true, if I had reached down deep and called out blacks for being the primary perpretrators of crimes against blacks, I'd be labeled a racist and probably locked out of the site (again).

It's true (even though Whitlock is black) that the instant he chose to stand on an issue and call out blacks for being the most likely to kill other blacks, he invited a firestorm of controversy.

Yes, double standards are alive and well in America. And there not just for white folks either.

Here's what I have to say about what Whitlock had to say:

Thank God.

I didn't like his choice of metaphors, but I understand the use of a literary device as well as anyone. Whitlock pushed your buttons skillfully.

I despise the subject matter, and the ugly reality of Sean Taylor's short life. I knew about Taylor's not so perfect past and regardless of his poor choices, had to root for him. The guy was a phenom. He didn't always behave the way I wish he would have behaved, but Taylor could have played in any era, under any rule set, and been a superstar. He was that good. He played the game the way it's supposed to be played. Somehow, I felt that understanding and respect for the game would keep him safe.

I prayed for his life. I cried at his passing. I thought about the unfairness of how I cried for him and not all the other 24 year-old black men that perish in senseless violence. I'm ashamed of that.

I lost my best friend when he was 22, after he was killed in a head-on collision. I carried him to his grave.

These deaths are a death of hope.

And Jason Whitlock dared to speak about the senselessness, the ugliness, the sickness, and the tragedy. He dared to blame the guilty and call the truth by its right name.

Thank God.

He chose to stand for something, to care enough to tell people what they need to hear instead of what they want to hear.

He chose to be a writer, instead of a journalist.

Here's the news, kids. You don't have to agree with him (I rarely do), you don't have to like his style or the content about which he chooses to opine.

But you should give him your respect. He displayed the character and courage that so many "journalists' have chosen to forgo in favor of a regular paycheck.

He stood on a wall. He called for positive change and he knows that you have be fearless in order to shepherd that change. He put the truth ahead of his popularity.

In essence, Whitlock went on record as being against people killing people, black on black crime is part of that problem. I have no issue with his position.

I choose to praise him. I give him my highest praise. I call him a writer.

You may choose not to praise him. But I think you should respect him. The list of folks who tell us what we need to hear is getting shorter every day.

In what might be one of the most idiotic presentations in sports "journalism" ever, ESPN presented a "town meeting" to discuss the race issue related to Ron Mexico's guilty plea.

Despite the unbelievable cheers and catcalls from the overwhelmingly black audience, I listened in. You're going to have to pardon me for asking these questions.

But did Vick plead gulity because he was black? Did he bankroll the gambling ring because he was black? Did he electrocute and drown dogs because he was black?

Terence Mathis talked about what Vick had done for the city. Mike Vick was their guy. He spoke of how much pride that Vick had brought to their city, but then forgot to mention how Vick had shamed and disgraced his city and the NFL by murdering defenselelss animals. He mentioned how Mike Vick put Atlanta football back on the map, but forgot to mention Vick flipping off those fans twice in his home satdium.

I heard questions about why other NFL players had done much worse and avoided punishment? Who for instance? Rae Carruth? Nate Newton? Bam Morris? Jamal Lewis?

I heard compliants about media overkill, and how Mike Vick has been put through so much. Yet the crowd jeered when an animal rights activist remided them that the victims were dead and buried, killed in fights, electrocuted &/or drowned,not making plea deals.

I saw ESPN cut short Joy Behar's retort to Whoopi Goldberg when Goldberg pulled the "cultural/southern" excuse on "The View". Behar asked her in what part of the country drowning or electrocuting dogs was part of the culture. Whoopi had no answer, but ESPN didn't bother to show that.

All in all I saw, the most racially biased and polarizing events on TV since the civil rights marches/riots on 50 years ago. ESPN worked hard to enrage an overwhelmingly white viewing audience. What a disgrace.

Meanwhile, Deuce McAllister's blocking back, a white guy, breaks down and cries over McAllister's injury, telling a reporter what a great man Deuce is and how "he plays the game for guys like him".

That statement got a few lines in a small article. Why, because it proves that race isn't an issue in an 80% black league. But it doesn;t draw ratings.

Just for the record. Mike Vick ran a dogfighting operation and murdered animals. He plead guilty because he was guilty. It's time to stop buying into the excuses and call a felon a felon. Not black felon, not a white felon, just a felon.

With no Rush Limbaugh lurking in the literary shadows, Dumbavan McChoke has taken the racist burden upon himself and decried that some people don't want blacks to be NFL QB's. So they have to do "a little extra".

Aside from the fact that I'm eagerly awaiting the NAAWP to come out demanding that the Eagles cut McNabb for his racist remarks, these remarks are disturbing for many reasons.

I suppose that Fathead 5 is under the impression that the viewing public is as stupid as he says they think black QB's are. Otherwise he'd know that the savvy fan sees McChoke's rhetoric as the typical blame laying and excuse making we would expect any bitter, overpaid, underproducing veteran QB whose head is on the block.

Anyone who saw McNabb burn down the franchise in 3 NFCC losses, and then physically gag his team out of  SB XXXIX, knows that the McNabb problem is not a skin color issue. It's a cardio-intestinal issue. McNabb simply doesn't have the heart or the guts to finish when it matters most.

So he senses that Eagles fans are gonna start screaming for whitey QB. He's perfectly entitled to lie to himself and say that it's not because he can't win the big one, nor can he even stay healthy anymore. But having lived in Philadelphia for many years of the McNabb era,  I know that had McChoke delivered even one Lombardi they'd rename cheese steaks "McNabb's" and nominate him for Sainthood.

And while we're on the topic, what exactly is the "Little Extra" black QB's have to do to achieve recognition? Is it choking in 3 NFCC games, or puking away a SB? Is it being a barely above average QB who is really an above average RB, like the ex-Falcon turned felon? Because there's no absence of media celebration for those two. Is it being a playoff and SB failure like Steve McNair? Because you can't hear McNair's name mentioned without the obligitory "warrior" reference in the same breath.

The sad truth is, McNabb's salvo is ugly in two hideous ways. One, because it showcases the bitterness of a fading star on the downside. Two, because it's the kind of rhetoric that not only incites racism, but propogates the very venom of which McNabb claims that QB's are victims.

The scorching irony is that McNabb has taken the very tack for which he and the NAACP unjustly accused Limbaugh. A few years back, it was Limbaugh who dared to say that the media "over-celebrates" black QB's, and used McNabb as an example of a black QB who gets a lot of press and simply isn't as good as he's made out to be. It cost Rush the job. So McNabb, as he fades into the NFL dust, decides to champion the poor, beleagured, multi-millionaire, overpaid, under-producing black QB's, who aren't getting the press they deserve. Well, the comments won't cost McNabb his job. His performance will.

Irony can be very irony-y, huh folks? Maybe McNabb thinks we don't know better, but we do. He's a loser, and just like a loser would do, he's chosen racism (or whatever other excuse is handy) over  truth.

NE-SD

 

I certainly took a lot of heat last week for my statements about the Moss acquisition in NE. The temperature seemed to cool tremendously, though with the revelation that the Pats might have had a hint about what the Jersey/B planned to do defensively last week.

 

Don't start writing the Chargers down for the W just yet, though. Sure, it'll get a might bit harder for Tom and Randy to make it into a pitch and catch-a-thon now that they don't have a heads up on what D the opponent will run. But let's not underestimate th NT factor, that Norv Turner for those who haven'[t been singing along.

 

Sure the Chargers pulled a tough one out against a formidable opponent. But that formidable opponent handed them more than the 14 pts SD put on the board. This Chargers team is already looking like the underperforming, undisciplined crews Norv is known to produce.

 

This week's game is too close to call. But neither of these teams will be the juggernauts the anlaysts predicted, going forward. Look for the wheels to start coming off in SD (week 6) before NE though.

 

IND-TN

 

The Colts looked phenomenal against the Aints. Had they played on Sunday, the NE Perps big "win" wouldn't have looked so big. Look for a slight Indy letdown this week, though. Indy doesn't have 15 more opponents waking up from a bad hangover this year, either.

 

TN punches everybody in the mouth defensively, and even though VY is going to continue to look subpar statistically, I get nervous about betting against him. He's still the guy who singlehandedly destroyed a BCS Championship for a vastly more talented USC team. The guy just wins football games. Whether or not he'll be a real NFL QB is still open for discussion. Even though I see the Tacks and VY taking a step back this year, I just love his talent level.

 

CIN-CLE

 

Here's what we know. The Ravens got 8 chances to score last week and couldn't recover from one bad call. The Bengals got one good call and still defended their end 7 times. Are the Bengals overrated? No. They made the plays they had to, even after Ed Reed tried to break their backs with a scintillating TD return.

 

In CLE, the Brady Quinn watch is at two quarters and counting. If we don't see him by the second half of next week's game. I’ll personally drive to Foxboro and kiss Moss' butt. Who are we kidding, no I won't. But Romeo knows what he has in Anderson, and he knew what he had in Frye. So the only hope to keep his salary and avoid becoming a "special assistant to the vidoegrapher" in NE, rides on #10.

 

SF-STL

 

The Niners are bringing sexy back. Is there a sexier pick as a not so dark horse as a Division Champ? Two years ago, I called Alex Smith a total bust. That makes me about as wrong with that call as Erma4USC was in calling Doug Williams a "scab". Smith was phenomenal last week, and the Niners will be the real deal under Nolan.

 

STL, on the other hand is the fake deal. The rumors of the "Greatest Show on Turf" v. 2.0 were as Mark Twain would say, 'greatly exaggerated".  Here are the facts. Holt and Bruce are old and brittle. Mark Bulger is very accurate, but not the alien Kurt Warner. And The STL defense is about 25% as talented as the one that kept giving Kurt and Co. the ball back. The Rams are an 8-9 win team.

 

GB-JERSEY/A

 

Watch that Pack Defense round into the dominant squad everyone says the Ravens still have. Watch Brett Favre fade into the sunset. Watch the Packers contend.

 

I will say this for Favre. He was hilarious, but not mean, in his remarks about the hefty lefty.

 

JERSEY/A

 

I know I'm not the only dying to see an onrushing safety slam into and bounce off of the Hefty Lefty, wondering what kind of truck he ran into. Remember when they used to call Jim Kelly a LB wearing a QB number? What does that make Lorenzen? A  NT under center? Something makes me want to see Lorenzen succeed and create the obvious controversy in NY.

 

BUF-PIT

 

This is the real season opener for Pittsburgh. I love my Steelers, but when a team commits four penalties during a 15 yard punt, they should just call the game right there. Pittsburgh still has some issues on the OL to solve, witnessed by a complete inability to run the ball before the score got out of hand. And B-Ro still forces the issue and needs to learn how to throw to RB's.

 

I still love the dignity and intelligence that Tomlin has restored to the sideline in Pitt. How it took the Rooney's 15 seasons to figure out that grown men tune out temper tantrums is beyond me.

 

As for the Bills, they're going to suffer from the dreaded Jauron curse and the Loseman factor until both are dispatched elsewhere. Jauron turns 13-3 teams into 3-13 teams like hotcakes, and if it wasn't for the deep ball, JP would have no ball at all.

 

What's worse than bringing back a career choker as your HC? Bringing him back as your GM. I have nothing but Pity for Bills fans these days.

 

NO-TB

 

Look for the Saints to pull a complete 180 and show us that they're the slightly above average team we always knew they were. Unless Sean Payton gets it out of his mind that Mr. Bojangles is not feature back, that is.

 

Look for poor, 37 y/o undersized, pop-gun armed Jeff Garcia to finally shatter into pieces in the coming weeks. Jon Gruden, wtf? You won Tony Dungy's SB, and went about dissembling a SB team into a perennial cellar dweller. Sure you're fun to watch, but so was Nick Saban. Hell, Jim Mora Sr. was a press conference circus, before Denny Green even contemplated a meltdown. But you all have something in common. You suck.

 

HOU-CAR

 

I expect the Texans to continue to surprise. I expect the Panthers to continue to be over-rated. I expect Mario Williams to continue to outscore Reggie Bush.

 

ATL-JAX

 

Joseph Harrington has about one more game before the Falcons sign Byron "Club" Sandwich, or maybe even Tommy "Gun" Maddox for that matter. True, ATL and Minnesota set offense back 50 years last week. And Granted, the whole Falcons team ####ed their drawers last week. But how long will Petrino settle for a timid, confused QB who can''t handle game speed defenses? Answer; not long.

 

Does that mean I'm changing course and saying the Falcons were better off with Vick? No. The only difference between Harrington and Vick at QB is that Vick was too stupid to admit he was a RB, and Harrington knows in his heart, that's he's a backup on his best days.

 

David Garrard? Cut that out. No really, get a cardboard cutout, put it behind the center and you'll get the same performance. JAX is dead if Garrard is their guy. They'd probably go 12-4 with Beverly D'Angelo at QB. But I don;t think she'll play for them, and Del Rio doesn't even have her number. (Thanks, Seth).

 

MIN-DET

 

Next Question.

 

DAL-MIA

 

Look for Miami to go six-wide and not even use a QB. Watching the Cowboys get carved up by Eli and company had to be downright frightening to Jerry.  But this is another case of what happens when you hire loser coaches to take over wining teams.

 

As for the Fish, I'm not sold on the "Cam Cameron Experience". That whole, "you guys coach, I gotta look at the players", gig in the last preseason game was bizarre. Don't HC's evaluate players during games anyway?

 

And is his first name Cameron, too? No, it's actually Malcolm. But is that any better? And shouldn't he be "Colm" Cameron, then? I don't know, I smell 6-8 wins wafting in from the sea.

 

SEA-ARI

 

Mike Holmgren went on record as saying it's tough enough to win a game, without an opponent videotaping your calls. At least now he's criticizing other HC's instead of the Zebra's.

 

 

DEN-OAK

 

Jay Cutler is a man. Two fourth and two’s, one stick-throw and one run; both drive savers to win the game at BUF. People say he reminds them of John Elway. I say he reminds me of Jay Cutler. Wishing does not make it so, nor do I wish for Cutler to become better than Big Ben, but there’s something about this guy, and it smells like money.

 

For some reason I think the Raiders have trumped the Akili Smith signing this week. While he has the physical tools a coaches drool over, I just don’t see this guy ever being a franchise QB. I see a more muscular Aaron Brooks coming down the pike. Not a guy who will make a bad team better, but a guy who will make average teams terrible. I don’t know what it is. There’s no good reason to believe Russell won’t be at least very good. Yet I’m not buying. Besides, paying a rookie $60mm is just insane.

 

JERSEY/B-BAL

 

Kellen Clemens to start? Who would have thought the Jets would be looking at a Chad Pennington injury this season. We all did, that’s who. I don’t think JETS fans even bet the games any more, they just bet the over under for when Pennington goes on IR. This is my sleeper pick to sign Byron “The Earl of” Sandwich. I know signing Leftwich  would be a news-making event, but I think Mangina likes QB’s who can throw the long out, or at least the short out, which means Chad is left out.

 

And finally, has Steve McNair (the Warrior) finally lost the tools to go to battle? There have been enough people asking that question recently to at least mention it. But noooooooooo. Here’s what we know about the Alcorn State Ares.

 

One, he will get injured at least six to 8 times this season.

 

Two:  at least one of those injuries will see McNair limp back onto the field with one of limbs duct taped to his body.

 

Three: He will start slowly in the first few games, as he always does.

 

Four: Until January, McNair will find some way, somehow, to rip the hearts out of 10-12 opponents every season. The guy’s just a winner, a regular season winner, that is.

 

Pardon me for being a little bit stunned. But the Commish says so, which means the Pats are perps. What stuns me is not that the cheating claim is true, but that it's the Pats who did it. If it had been a perennial  doormat trying to gain an edge, it would make a little more "sense". But NE, and the genius, against the J E T S, Jets?

If I was a betting man. I'd have bet the house that the Pats wouldn't cheat to beat the Jets, or any other team for that matter. But they did. And now we find that it isn't the first time they've been caught. Turns out the NFL warned them already about using the same tack against the Pack.

Looks like Roger Goodell's legal experience is coming in handy because the NFL has no shortage of miscreants to offer up for ajudication. But this is a whole new ball game, when teams are now on the stand.

So what next? Can Rough-Guy Roger afford to take it light on one of the NFL's showpiece franchises? Or is he compelled to make an example of a team that (evidently) believes that merely raiding the free agent talent pool doesn't get the job done nowadays.

Well, here's what we know. What was once renowned as one of the classiest organizations deserves to be reviled as one of the cheesiest. What on earth were they thinking?

The rumor is that the Pats will be exposed to the loss of multiple draft choices. That's a good idea, it's almost standard fare for teams that violate league rules. But is that enough. I don't think so.

How can a commissioner who suspends players for entire seasons because their conduct gives the league a black eye, afford to be lenient on a team that cheats to win?

Yes, the loss of draft picks is potentially very damaging. But I have to stress the "potentially" aspect. Draft picks go bust too often. And a fine? Fines don't hurt teams like they hurt players. Teams just raise ticket prices. Fans pay fines, not teams.

So what do we do to send the message to the Pats? I say we put 'em on playoff probation. College teams get the postseason "sit-down" for infractions all the time. After all, we hit players where it hurts most, in the game check. If we can suspend Tank Williams and Pac-Man for a season and send Mike Vick to purgatory, we really ought to hit a franchise where it hurts the most too, in the post-season. Because the Pats won't miss a beat if they can't draft WR's, they'll just pour a few million on Randy and Dante and move forward. And the NFL could fine them 50 million dollars, which their loyal fans will beg to pay if they can only get tickets.

But the playoffs? Now that would hurt. And hurt it should.

"No tolerance" means "no tolerance" for everybody.

So I took some heat for saying the