...Now everybody's buddy JokersWild is no longer eligible to appear on the most commented blog section? This is absolutely absurd! What is the criteria for this? I mean, I got a blog taken down, I didn't even #### about it...in fact, it was other bloggers who made the point that it was a #### move by Fox, but to ban a guy who is one of the few who tries to keep these blogs civil...the lovable voice of reason, JokersWild from the most commented section is #### ####.

As much as I try to get on that list to get my stuff read, I say DO NOT PUT MY BLOG THERE ANYMORE, unless you reinstate Jokerswild and Gambitxxx, and anyone else whom has been a regular, productive contributor in this community as being eligible to be on that list if they meet the criteria.

To be in the most commented is SUPPOSED to have your blog displayed amongst the best bloggers in the community. I find it asinine and ridiculous that without a direct warning or explanation, this privilege is taken from bloggers. If you feel the need to gag someone, by all means, go ahead...but if someone's account is active, they should have all teh rights and abilities every other #### blogger in this community has.

I don't know if anyone else would join me in this sentiment, and surprise surprise, I DONT GIVE A DAMN! Whoever the policing blogger around here is, I say take away my privilege to be on the most popular section and reinstate theirs.

            My boys are back! Aqua and Orange are once again fashionable, though I’ve worn my colors proud all along. Now understandably, after going 7-27 over the 34 games preceding this little spurt of success, there is a little skepticism amongst football fans—heck even some Dolphins fans. Well I am here to tell you that this team is for real, and will be a legitimate contender for the remainder of the season.

            First off I want to point out that I have not been biased in my analysis of the Phins since the beginning. I said they would lose to the Jets, I said we didn’t match up well against Arizona, and I also said we’d beat New England and San Diego (Bolt Backer among others said there was no chance). Now, let’s get to the task at hand, showing you why this team is no farce.

 

 

 

Reason 1: Playing intelligent, disciplined football. An unfortunate characteristic of Dolphins football over the past few years has been a severe lack of discipline, a plethora of asinine decisions, and an overall lack of awareness on the field. The Sparano coached version has shown a drastic improvement in every facet relating to discipline and awareness. Consider the following…in weeks 1 and 2, we committed 10 penalties for a total of 101 yards, and over the last two weeks there were only 6 penalties for 40 yards. Even further, the timing and significance of the penalties should be noted. During the first two weeks there were penalties that directly led to either the negation o####reat play by the Phins, or the negation of a poor play by the opposition. One in particular that comes to mind was against the Cardinals when we negated a missed FG that eventually became a touchdown.

 

 

 

Reason 2: Better in the trenches. I have always said, the trenches is where football games are won. Both the offensive and defensive lines are playing outstanding football right now. In games one and two, the offensive line allowed 6 sacks, while only allowing 1 over the past two games. As for the defensive line, Joey Porter is tied for 3rd in the NFL in sacks with 5.5—and altogether the defensive line has collected 12 sacks through 4 games (9th in the NFL).

 

 

 

Reason 3: Numbers Don't Lie. For those yelling ‘Pretender’ at my Phins, consider that Miami is the only AFC team that ranks in the top-10 in both total offense (10th) AND total defense (8th). Even further, they are just one of 3 teams who could make that claim with the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles being the others. If you also take into consideration that they climbed to these rankings after a mediocre week 1, and an abysmal week 3, the Phins have clearly been one of the best teams of the past couple of weeks.

 

 

 

Reason 4: Chad Pennington. Yes, that  is right, the same reason that most people are citing as the Dolphins’ weakest link, is the reason I think the Phins are a contender. His arm may be weak, but he IS the most accurate QB of all time, and he is a superb game manager. If you have followed his career, the amount of ‘dumb’ throws is so miniscule. His interceptions ARE usually an issue of his throwing arm, but the current offense seems to be molded around him. Miami has not tried anything he cannot do, and that has allowed him to play with confidence. So far he has the second highest passer rating of his career (93.5) and has only thrown 1 INT, which was a desperation throw in the back of the endzone in week 1. Additionally, over the past two games, Chad has hit 8 and 7 different receivers respectively. When you establish all of your weapons, regardless of how good they are...it keeps a defense honest, Chad has done that. Just for fun, consider the following fun observation—even years have been Chad’s best…huh? Yes, Chad Pennington led the Jets to the playoffs 3 times during his time as the starting QB there—2002, 2004, and 2006. Those three years also coincide with his best statistical years in terms of yards, completion %, touchdowns, and passer rating. It’s 2008, and he’s on a similar pace…

 

 Reason 5: Ronnie Brown. He may have gotten off to a rather slow start, but since being inserted in the starting lineup, he has been outstanding. The guy has every tool you look for in a running back; speed, burst, patience, balance, and vision. Not to mention he protects the football, Brown has lost just 6 fumbles in 625 career carries, thats 1 every 104 carries. He also has a career yards per carry of 4.5 yards.  On top of it all, he is a leader and a great teammate. He has handled the incorporation of Ricky Williams, and even him being the starter initially, with great class and dignity. Also, for those who failed to notice it...Cromartie had a borderlin dirty hit early in the game on our TE Martin, and even threw him back after hitting him. Well late in the game, Ronnie got to the edge and it was him and Cromartie alone in the open field...Ronnie pointed at him, called him out, and instead of running out of bounds, lowered the absolute BOOM on him. Now that is a teammate...I nearly jumped through the roof.

 

Reason 6: Schedule. Looking down the line, I want to address both the short and long terms. First, in the short term, Miami gets to travel to Houston to play a shell-shocked Houston Texans team. Now the Phins cannot be fooled by the record, and normally I’d be concerned with it being a trap game, but everything about this new regime gives me confidence that a let-down will be avoided. Then, Miami gets to play host to two big time AFC opponents. If Miami takes care of business in Houston, you can bet on the fact that the next two weeks will feature Miami crowds pushing 80,000, and Dolphin Stadium will once again be a home-field advantage. Now considering the long term, 3 of Miami’s 6 road games are against teams that currently have only 1 win between them (KC, St. Louis, and Houston). Additionally, 3 of their 6 home games are against the likes of San Francisco, Seattle, and Oakland. Now when you take into account that these past two wins came against the two participants from last year’s AFC Championship game, you have to consider a 7-5 or 8-4 finish as plausible. I say they could very well go 3-3 in their remaining road games, and 5-1 at home. If they can do that, they will be a playoff team. At the very least you’d have to admit they will be in contention.

 

            Really, I can go on for days with reasons, like how the coaching staff has made adjustments and improved game planning from week to week, or how we may have earned a critical head-to-head tiebreaker against the Chargers who may very well be a team the Phins battle with for a wild card spot. Most of all though, I just want to say, the attitude and demeanor is different—as a fan, you just know. As a fan you can put your finger on the moment when your team turned around, and my finger is pointing to these past 3 weeks. I have waited patiently and loyally for signs of life in this franchise, and the latest EKG checked out clean. As years of futility accumulate, so do the skeptics…as for you Phin ‘fan’ skeptics…there’s no room on the bandwagon for you…you called me names, and overly optimistic before the season, so I tell you, go root for the Bungles.

            I must apologize profusely to any and everyone who wasted any time watching the charade that was put on by EliteXC on CBS Saturday night. I have not read other editorials on the event, but if nobody else wants to say it, I will—the Kimbo fight was a blatant fix. Look, I’ve seen too many ‘Behind the WWF’ shows to be fooled, so for those who may have overlooked the obvious signs, let me break it down.

            First, let’s start with the WHY? As many of you know, I have participated in the past two media conference calls meant to promote Kimbo’s fights. The biggest observation I made was that Kimbo is not very skilled at self-promotion. Even as a street fighter, it was not him who posted the videos up on YouTube, he has always just gone out and fought. So you see, the heads of EliteXC promotions (Gary Shaw and co.) realized that Kimbo would not exactly embrace the role of #### self-promoter—most of his answers during conference calls were one liners, usually consisting of 5-8 words max. In fact, when I asked him how he addressed issues of conditioning in training for this fight, he replied simply with “Stopped eatin’ Snickers.” The fact was that Kimbo was not at all comfortable in the spotlight; every time asked about an opponent he responded with the utmost respect, and that was not what they wanted.

            Next, let’s think about how they set it up. This one’s no mystery; the card was originally supposed to be a fight between Kimbo and Ken Shamrock. As expected, in leading up to this fight, Shamrock was a hype machine, straight from his days in the WWF. During the conference call he did everything from tell me to shut my mouth to saying he trained to fight Kimbo by beating up ‘thugs’ from the ‘corner store.’ Of course, the intention was never for Shamrock to fight Kimbo—Ken was simply paid to play the role Kimbo has not been able to fill. Then, on fight night, Ken is a sudden late scratch from the bout, REALLY?!

            Now, to the fight. So suddenly we have Kimbo facing some mystery fighter…the Karate Kid. The first thing I have to say about this is, even if all of this was legit, what kind of organization forces a fighter to fight someone they didn’t even have a chance to train for? That alone erases any semblance of credibility that EliteXC may have had, in my opinion. That aside, the actual ‘fight’ was the worst display of acting I have ever seen.

            To begin with, let’s consider the punch that rendered Kimbo concussed and disoriented…are you kidding me? Take a look at the YouTube videos and tell me if that was conceivable. I have seen Kimbo take direct punches to the jaw…even in the famous fight he lost to Sean Gannon he ate some punches that would knock most guys out. Even further, the cut was a farce—either there was a pre-existing slice done with a razor blade (a-la-WWF[E]) or there was something on the glove. In all of his fights, Kimbo has never displayed proneness to being cut. Watch the replay closely, it was more of a push punch than anything else—as the replay continues, notice how half the punches thrown either do not land, or graze the top of Kimbo’s head. Also notice how Kimbo stayed on his hands and knees while this guys throws wild, useless punches…PLEASE.

            Look, EliteXC is just cuttin’ checks left and right. They cut a check to Shamrock for lending his name and jerk-off-edness to the promotion of this sham...they cut a check to Kimbo for lending his popularity to the establishment of this travesty (EliteXC)…and they cut a check to Peter Petrelli, or whatever his name is, for painting his hair and helping execute the mockery that took place Saturday. I say, they should cut all the viewers and media a check for feeding us the traveshamockery they presented as legitimate. I personally refuse to ever promote, preview, or review another EliteXC Production. You know, at first I thought Dana White was the jerk off, but in reality it was Gary Shaw and his boys all along. In all of it I have only one major regret…that I didn’t tell Ken Shamrock everything I wanted to tell him…hey Ken…KISS MY ####!

...Now ya know! Do not get it confused...make sure your remember the 'N'...EvaN may soon be the most famous Longoria on the scene. The kid became the first rookie EVER to homer in his first two playoff at-bats, as he accomplished the feat en route to a 3 for 3, 3 RBI night.

If the feat itself were not enough, consider that BOTH homeruns broke ties, and the second one put the Rays ahead for good--not to mention his RBI single was a nice insurance run for the young bullpen.

You just have to love the way these youngsters simply do not back down. How about that huge strikeout by Balfour after the #### kicked dirt his way--absolutely loved that he struck him out and told him to sit down. That atmosphere at the Trop was absolutely electric--it rivals the playoff atmospheres of the Rally #### Angels of a few years ago, and every time the MInnesota Twins play a home playoff game.

Back to baseball's newest superstar; for those who do not closely follow baseball except for the playoffs, I urge you to watch this kid play. He is an all-around player. He has a cannon arm at third base, and he may very well be a career gold-glover. He made countless outstanding plays on defense throughout the season, and personally I am a defense guy. Of course we like to see homeruns, but diving catches and triple plays...I live for that.

Ladies and Gents, the Rays are the real deal. Boston has a legitimate pitching staff which will be tough for anyone to beat, but if anyone thinks the baby Rays will choke under the pressure, you can forget about it. If anyone beats them this post season it will be because they played excellent baseball--and that's how it should be come playoff time. Perhaps the Cubs should watch the game tonight on their day off, they might learn a few things from the youngsters.

        The field is set; and if the way the regular season ended, with the White Sox having to essentially play two elimination games while the world watched, and more specifically on a diving catch that was a direct product of great managing--we're in for a treat.

       Call me crazy, but before a single pitch is thrown, I must say this could very well be the best post season in recent Major League history--probably since 1980. If not the best, certainly the most intriguing. Even the casual observer would have to admit, there is plenty to watch for. In case you haven't really put it into perspective, consider all of these things:

No New York--the Mets and Yankees both missed out on the post season. More importantly though is the Yankees' absence, simply because now fans will not have to be force-fed the saturation of media coverage that surrounds their progress. Did anyone really look forward to a play by play of every A-Rod at-bat? Now, the spotlight is out there for anyone to take it.

50% Chance Of A Surprise Champ--that is correct, 4 of the 8 playoff teams have been a complete surprise (with the Brewers being the least). The White Sox were supposed to finish behind the Tigers, Indians, AND Twins; the Brewers should have never supplanted the Mets; the Dodgers were not supposed to beat out the Rockies or Diamondbacks; and the Rays were supposed to finish behind everyone. On top of it all, there is guaranteed to be a surprise team in the ALCS as the Rays and White Sox face off in the ALDS.

Cubs Finish A Regular Season--After many a late season collapse, the Cubbies finally followed through to the end. The story of stories, of course, is the 100-year drought that the franchise and its fans have endured. Whether you root against them or for them, their attempt to break 'the curse' is always entertaining. I heard Wrigley is checking ID's at the gate to make sure Bartman doesn't get in.

Races Down to the Wire--The fate of 4 teams were decided as late as possible. The Mets had a chance to clinch, and blew it on the final day against the Marlins...again. The White Sox stopped their back peddle in time to earn two must-wins and sneak back by the surging Twins to earn a spot. I have seen a 1-game playoff before, but I personally had never seen a game have to be made up so a team would have to win it and earn the right to a 1-game playoff, let alone having that team win both the make up game and the 1-game playoff! Man if I had to say all that out loud I woulda lost my breath.

Story Lines

Can Jim Thome and Ken Griffey Jr. finally get a ring? These guys have 1,152 home runs between them; they have fought through injury plagued seasons, heartbreaking post seasons, and each have played on two previous teams. Still, between them they have zero championships. Both are consummate pros, and them getting a ring is certainly something to root for.

From Curse to Dynasty? For decades upon decades, the Red Sox were the butt of many a joke--they were cursed. The most popular post season image was that of Bill Buckner letting the series roll through his legs. Now they have a chance to become the first repeat champions since the Yankees, ironic?

AL Imports, Can they keep it up? There were three major moves during the season that shaped the post season in the National League. Rich Harden to the Cubs, C.C. Sabathia to the Brewers, and Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers. I find it absurd, by the way, that none of these men will be given fair consideration for league superlatives, however I think a Series would be adequate consolation for any of them--who will it be?

What if the Brewers win without Yost? Would an email suffice? Should they give him a ring? I think it would be in poor taste if he does not receive adequate recognition, or compensation.

Possible LCS Match Ups

Brewers-Cubs: C.C. vs. Harden, wouldn't that be a nice Game 7 pitching matchup?! These two teams are division rivals, and any series between division rivals is typically as good as it gets (Sox-Yanks, Dodgers-Giants, etc.) Plus, either of these teams in the Series would be a good story.

Rays-Red Sox: Anyone remember the Coco Crisp, James Shields brawl? If there is one thing I have learned in my years of watching baseball, it is that those things do not just disappear. Now you put these two teams in a 7 game series, with a World Series berth on the line....talk about intense.

White Sox-Red Sox: Well, for one, it'd be exciting to keep Ozzie Guillen around as long as possible as that would increase the likelihood of an entertaining sound byte. Also, if you have had any conflicts about what color socks to wear each day, this series can solve that problem forever.

Possible World Series Match Ups

Rays-Brewers: What would you have said to someone who insisted that the Rays and Brewers would face off in the World Series? Well I would have probably laughed as that person would have obviously been trying to make a joke--then when I realized he was serious I would have been consumed with awkward embarrassment, only to talk about his lack of sanity with someone else.

Cubs-White Sox (The Windy Series [copyrighted]) Ozzie Guillen suffered from a mild case of #### envy a few months back when he complained about how the Cubs were always getting attention despite the fact that his team brought a title to Chicago more recently. This could make for one of the most intense atmospheres ever--yes even more than the Subway Series.

Red Sox-Dodgers (Manny Mania) How interesting would this be? Would Francona have him beaned? After the way he quit on the Sox, I wouldn't blame them--but I would still root for L.A. If Manny get the Dodgers to the Series, and doesn't win some kind of award....um....I will...blog about it!

Angels-Dodgers (Hollywood Series) People on the East Coast would probably hate this since the games would probably all start at 9 or 10 pm. Broadcasting corruption of sports aside, this would be a flashy match up. This would probably be the first time in World Series history that more stars would be in the stands than on the field.

Angels-Phillies (Blah) Spurs-Pistons anyone? Who would care outside of Philly and Anaheim?

So you see, this post season, there is no shortage of causes to pick and root for. As of now, there seems to be more uncertainty about how this playoffs will play out than I have ever seen--every team has its strengths, weaknesses, and feel-good stories...but who's will we still know about 20 years from now? Tune in to find out!

 

 

What a weekend that awaits us for college football. In case you have not looked ahead to this weekend's slate of games, this could be the best so far. As we dip into conference play, there are some games with serious implications. The volume of games with serious intrigue, and ones with potential for upsets is exciting. Just to give you an idea I am going to list them out for you.

#23 Oregon @ #9 USC(REALLY? USF Beats a Kansas team that is still ranked, and SC stays ahead of them after losing to a 1-2 team) This game has HUGE conference implications, and perhaps even National Championship influences. Right now the Duck sit 2-0 in the Pac-10, while USC is 0-1. If Oregon wins, they could seize early control of the conference, and put USC in the position where they'd have to pick up 3 games on the Ducks to even earn a BCS berth. I don't see it happening, but this would really shake up the college football world if it did. USC wins by 17

#4 Missouri @ Nebraska-After the Cornhusker defense gave up 35 points to a Virginia Tech Offense that has struggled all season, it would logically follow that the Tigers should drop 70 points. However, Mizzou has not won in Lincoln since 1978! Nebraska fans are some of the most loyal in the country, and they have been looking at this game on the schedule since last spring...resting up their voices and souls to will their Huskers to victory. Do not make the mistake of thinking Mizzou will walk over. Sure they scored over 40 again last week, but they were in a dogfight with BUFFALO...no not the Bills...for 3 quarters. Nebraska wins by 4

#14 Ohio State @ #18 Wisconsin-These are two teams who not only were popular picks to win the Big 10, but to contend for a championship as well. Both have lost a game already, and neither wants to drop a second. This game is beyond critical for the Badgers--after losing to Michigan, they can forget about a Big-10 title with a loss to the Buckeyes. Ohio State looked like a better team with the freshman Pryor at QB, and although the first part of the season was ugly, they are still very much alive in the race to a BCS berth. That being said, Wisconsin is a better team, and the home team, and we know how that recipe turned out for the Buckeyes last time. Wisconsin wins by 6

#5 Texas @ Colorado-Let's be frank, the Longhorns are overrated. They have done little to warrant being mentioned amongst the best in the nation, but this will be their chance to earn my respect (as if that matters to them, HA). Seriously though, Colorado is a very good, well-coached football team. Playing a primetime game in Boulder is not something any visiting team looks forward to, just ask West Virginia. Texas' Colt McCoy has been Heisman-like so far, but Colorado boasts the 21st best pass defense in the country--that's lightyears better than anthing Texas has seen so far. This game will be very close, but Colorado let Florida State score 39 points...Texas by 8

#13 Auburn @ #19 Vanderbilt-The Cardiac Commodores have sole possession of first place in the SEC East...crickets chirping....Yes, they are 4-0 including 2-0 in conference play. After the Gators and Bulldogs lost, and Kentucky also sits at 4-0, the standings are officially upside down. Now, as for this game--Vanderbilt is a mirage. Look, all that matters is winning, and to their credit, they have found a way to do that so far. However, if you look closer at their two SEC victories, they were outgained by 100+ yards in both contests. Their saving grace was the absurd +6 turnover margin in those two games. They forced a total of 9 turnovers, including a fumble by Ole Miss at the inch-line that would have beat them in the waning minutes. Auburn wins by 13

#7 Texas Tech @ Kansas State-Tech SHOULD win this game. These two teams have only met twice in the past 6 years, and Tech won them both. The last time they played in Manhattan the Raiders won 35-25. Now, on paper there is no reason to believe the Wildcats will beat the Raiders. However, last year Tech lost in Stillwater, and at home against Colorado, two games they should have won--then they turned around and played Texas well, and beat Oklahoma in Lubbock. If they want to win the Big 12, they need to stay focused on the 'easy ones.' There is a recipe for success there for the Wildcats though--they can score especially against a questionable defense, and their defense will have the crowd behind them. K-State wins by 7

Kentucky @ #2 Alabama-This will be the first meeting between these schools since 2004. It can very well be argued that Bama has been the best football team in the country so far, but we always hear about let downs. Kentucky is a team that may be flying under the radar at 4-0. They opened the season in Louisville and trounced them. They have the 4th best total defense in the country. Their offense has been mediocre at best, but Alabama is only 53rd in total offense, and 18th in total defense. So really, on paper this game is much closer than I imagine the line will be. Bama wins by 3 in 2OTs

#1 Oklahoma @ Baylor-The nation will learn a new name this week, Robert Griffin. The kid is a true freshman quarterback for Baylor, and he is special. I watched him play against UConn in a loss, and he is a gamebreaker, a (collegiate) Vince Young-type. The Sooners absolutely own the Bears, they hardly ever even play a close game. These are not your uncle's Bears though, my Sooner friends, this team is better, and I expect them to be competitive. Ultimately they won't have enough defense to beat the steam-rolling Sooners, but Griffin will put up some stats and highlights, and Baylor will compete early. Sooners break it open late, win by 20

#6 Penn State @ Purdue-The Boilermakers have already lost 2, but they were non-conference games. They should have won at home against the Oregon Ducks, but they blew it. Penn State has been destroying opponents and has emerged as a favorite in the Big 10, only problem is, the Nittany Lions have lost 4 of their last 5 Big 10 road openers. In fact the only one they won was when they played their first in-conference road game against Northwestern. Ultimately though, the only stats that matter to me are Penn State, 9th in total offense; Purdue, 107th in total defense. The crowd level keeps it reasonable, but Penn State wins by 11

 

Arizona Cardinals Profile:

Strength: Passing Game—The Cardinals have the 4th best passing offense in the NFL right now, and are 5th in overall total yards per game. There is a good recipe for success in intradivisional play considering the 49ers, Seahawks, and Rams have the 19th, 25th, and 27th ranked pass defenses respectively.

 

 

 

Weakness: Run Game—Arizona is 25th in the NFL in rushing yards gained per game, averaging less than 100 yards per game (87.0 ypg). Considering their biggest competition, the Seattle Seahawks, have the 9th best rush defense in the NFL, Seattle can have the advantage of game-planning toward a one-dimensional team—that could pose serious problems down the road. Teams will begin to tee off on the pass, and the Cards could end up like the Lions of last year.

 

 

 

Schedule: The Cardinals have the most favorable of the three NFC West contenders, with the benefit of hosting most of its toughest opponents. Last year the Cardinals were 6-2 in front of their home crowd, and they have 7 games still remaining there. Looking ahead, there are only two road games that look extremely tough, and those are @ Car, and @ Phi. Conversely, they get the G-Men, Cowboys, Bills, and Vikings at home. Worthy of note—the Cards have lost 2 straight, and now face a three game stretch of vs. Buf, vs. Dal, and @ Car, so if they don’t right the ship, they could fall into a hole at just about the midway point of the season.

 

 

 

Additional Notes: The newest version of the NFC West has been around since 2002; since then, in the Cardinals-Niners series, the two teams have never split the season series with the road team winning each time. Arizona beat the Niners in San Fran in week 1. Also, Arizona has never swept the season series with the Seahawks; in fact, the two teams have split the series in 4 of the 6 seasons since they became division foes. Lastly, Anquan Boldin was hurt pretty badly this past Sunday—the biggest reason why the Cards’ passing game is so scary is the presence of BOTH Boldin and Fitzgerald, both all-pro caliber wide receivers. It will be interesting to see how this affects their offense.

 

 

 

San Francisco 49ers’ Profile:

Strength: Running Game—The Niners average 118.5 yards per game on the ground. Frank Gore has looked great thus far, and with Deshaun Foster as a backup, San Fran has a solid backfield. The establishment of the run game has been pivotal to their early season success. With an inconsistent defense and a first-year starting quarterback, this will have to continue to be their biggest point of emphasis—control the ball and the clock.

 

 

 

Weakness: Trenches—The 49ers offensive line has allowed 19 sacks already this season; that’s an average of almost 5 sacks a game. Additionally, the front line on defense is part of the 21st ranked run defense in the NFL. Looming on their schedule is a slate of games that feature opponents with pretty stout lines, and with an inexperienced QB, J.T. O’Sullivan trying to get settled at his position, the poor protection increases the probability that he will make mistakes.

 

 

 

Schedule: Of the three contenders in the NFC West, the Niners may have the toughest remaining schedule; they have 4 very tough road games, @ Dal, @ Buf, @ Ari, and @ NYG. They also play host to the likes of Phi, NYJ, and Was. Also, it is yet to be determined, but even the road game @ Mia could turn out to be more of a challenge than the Niners originally thought. Worthy of note, they play host to the New England Patriots who will be coming off of a bye and an embarrassing loss to the Dolphins on their own field. The Niners should expect an extremely tough game, but with Philly coming after, it is an important game for San Fran to win.

 

 

 

Additional Notes: San Francisco and Seattle have never split the season series, and the 49ers won their first matchup so far this season. That being said, the Seahawks have owned the series, sweeping the Niners 4 out of 6 years as division rivals. Also, last year San Francisco also started the season 2-2 before losing 6 straight and 9 of their last 12 games of the season. Lastly, after Frank Gore cracked the century mark 9 times in 2006, he has only achieved that feat 3 times in his last 19 games. Not to say he has not been solid thus far this season, but if the Niners want to win this division, he will need to match the production, or at least approach the production of 2006.

 

 

 

Seattle Seahawks’ Profile:

Strength: Rushing Offense and Defense—The Seahawks rank 3rd in the NFL in rush yards gained per game (166.3 ypg) as Julius Jones has been phenomenal. In week 1 he got limited carries, but after an injury to Maurice Morris, Jones started and made the most of them, totaling 267 yards in those two games. On the other side of the ball, the Seahawks have the 9th ranked run defense in the NFL. Considering they’ve kept Marshawn ####, Steven Jackson, and Frank Gore, all under 100 yards, one must consider them a legitimate run stopping unit.

 

 

 

Weakness: Health—obviously this is one of those aspects that is out of a team’s control, but the injury bug has bitten the Seahawks in the worst way. Their top receivers all got hurt—Branch, Engram, and Koren Robinson. Their defensive leader, Tatupu was ####ed up, as were Baraka Atkins and Marcus Trufant on the defensive side of the ball. Without the injuries, the Seahawks were a clear cut favorite to win this division, but because of them, they have stumbled out of the gate, experiencing a terrible loss to the Niners at home.

 

 

 

Schedule: Seattle’s remaining schedule can certainly top the Niners’ schedule as far as difficulty goes. The Seahawks play @ NYG, vs. GB, @ TB, @ SF, and vs. Phi in their next 5 games. The positive thing to note is that they got a much needed bye week to get healthy and prepare for this grueling stretch. In addition to that gauntlet of games, they host the Skins, travel to Dallas, and end the season on the road against Arizona. Also take into consideration that they have a big uncertainty game @ Miami, and they also host the Jets late in the season, which after this past week looks much tougher than before.

 

 

 

Additional Notes: The only team that the Seattle Seahawks have been swept by in the NFC West since the NFL was realigned, is the St. Louis Rams—they only did it once, when they beat Seattle thrice in 2004. Since then, however, the Seahawks have won 6 straight against them, and they are clearly one of the worst teams in the NFL. The Seahawks have won the NFC West 4 years in a row; the last team to win it was the Rams in 2003. During their run of division crowns, however, the Seahawks never started out 1-2, let alone losing their first two games; in fact they’ve only lost one opener since 2004, and zero home openers since 2002. All of that changed early this season, so it will be interesting to see how they respond in uncharted territory.

 

 

 

Verdict: For me, the 49ers are out. Sure they started 2-2, but they capitalized on an ailing Seahawks team, and an abysmal Detroit Lions team. On top of that, I can never go with a team whose weakness is along the line; especially with a young quarterback. The future is bright for the 49ers, but the future is not now.

 

 

 

The division will be won by the Arizona Cardinals. Yes they looked horrible against the Jets, but I still like their talent. Boldin may be out for a while, but Steve Breaston stepped in and showed that he is quite a player himself, tallying 122 receiving yards on Sunday. The biggest thing I am looking at though, is schedule. With the Seahawks as ####ed up as they are I just can’t see them overcoming that schedule of theirs.

 

 

 

What I foresee is a situation where it comes down to the final week, with the matchup between Seattle and Arizona in week 17. I see the Niners entering the week at 7-8, the Cards entering 8-7, and the Seahawks at 7-8. Plenty of drama, and discussion of tiebreakers, but I see the Cardinals capitalizing on the favorable scheduling, playing host to the Seahawks and taking the division outright, at 9-7. Ultimately it will not matter because any of the aforementioned teams will be hammered in the Wild Card game by an NFC East foe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here you go guys...have at it. But by the way, all you morons who will look to this as a reason why the SEC is NOT superior to the Pac-10...Ole Miss lost to Wake on a last second FG, and to Vandy after fumbling away the game winning TD , so they could have easily been a ranked, 4-0 team. So shut the #### up.

Unlike the USC fans who disappear for days every time something opens them up to criticisms, I am writing this with the INTENTION of letting you cowards take your cheap shots....have at it.

 

Hey guys, I don't ever have much time to write on the weekends, but I wanted to point out a few games that I think have great potential to be upsets.

First, in College FB:

NC State hosting South Florida. Now the Bulls have looked very good, probably the best team in the Big East right now. That being said, NC State is playing at home, and looked pretty darn good against a very solid football team in East Carolina last week.

Michigan hosting Wisconsin. I don't care what the state of things are in Ann Arbor, you better believe they will play their best game of the year today--especially after the Notre Dame debacle. I expect Michigan's defense to dig in and keep the game close enough for the offense a little lee-way.

Troy at Oklahoma State. This Troy program is one that has been on a quiet rise over the last few years. They have had some very good 3/4 games against some very good programs. Oklahoma State can score, but their defense is weak enough to allow just about anyone with respectable talent to stay in the game. Also, don't expect another 50-point day for the Cowboy offense against Troy.

Tennessee at Auburn. Statistically, these teams are about even, I can't imagine that the mindless mistakes will be as prevalent for the Vols today. Plus, Fulmer has an uncanny ability to bounce back after tough losses--maybe theres rubber in that belly.

In NFL

Raiders hosting the Chargers. My buddy BoltBacker may not like this, but I think with all of the buzz surrounding Lane Kiffin, it is lost on people that the Raiders run game is legit, and their defense has looked considerably better after that embarassment at home against the Broncos. You better believe the Black Hole will be in full effect this week, and it will be a better game than people think.

KC hosting Denver. The Denver defense is horrendous. I think they may have a humbling experience, losing to the lowly Chiefs at Arrowhead. Damon Huard will be back at QB, and I think he gives them the best chance to get a first down, lol. In all seriousness, the Chiefs D has been pretty stingy against the pass so far this season; their weakness has been the run, and the Broncos have yet to show they have a solid running game. Should be interesting.

Obviously some of these teams may not pull it out, but there is definitely groundwork for them to surprise the sports world. I expect all of these games to be at the very least closer than everyone expects.

Now, as far as one's I will go out on the limb for? Tennessee over Auburn (24-13), and Oakland over SD (27-23).

Until later friends, enjoy another great weekend of the greatest sport on Earth! 

Tonight's game between #### (excuse my selective dyslexia) and Oregon State will be closer than 'the experts' or cocky SoCal-ers may think. Consider the last two games in Corvalis:

In 2004, the Beavers also started 1-2, and entered the game against USC with 4 losses. The final was a 28-20 win by SC, but the Beavers jumped out to an early 13-0 lead and hung tough until about 7 minutes left in the game.

In 2006, the Beavers entered the game with 3 losses. The Beavers forced 4 turnovers, and led by as many as 23, though SC stormed back and had the chance to tie it on a 2-pt conversion. The final score was 33-31.

Last I heard, the line for this game was SC by 24....not a chance. This game will be close, and the Beavers may very well have a chance to pull of a monumental upset yet again. In order for them to pull it off, there are a few things that have to happen:

1-Win the turnover battle. They cannot settle for even, as the 2004 game (which featured an SC team that is comparable to this year's version)--in that game both teams turned it over 3 times. In 2006, the Beavers forced 4 turnovers, and did not return the favor--that was the difference in that game.

2-Take an early lead. One thing both of the aforementioned contests had in common was that the Beavers looked impressive early, and forced the Trojans to play catch-up. This does a couple of things...it takes away the dimension of the run game since they will have to throw a lot more, especially if they take a two-score lead early. It also gets the crowd into it, and the Beavers have a great home-crowd.

3-Keep everything in front of them on defense. You know the cliches..."bend but don't break" and "You can't stop them, you can only hope to contain them." That should be the attitude of the defensive coaching staff. Force them to throw WR screens and make the tackles. Do not leave your corners on an island with any of SC's receivers. Play the deep ball and tackle.

4-Pressure the QB. Credit has to be given to the SC O-Line, Sanchez has been able to skate by without much contact. It is yet to be seen if he can maintain his composure when he'#### in the mouth a couple of times. I say blitz early, especially with a lead. Take a chance to lay a good hit on him, then mess with his head the rest of the night.

5-Just don't be intimidated. Ohio State looked downright cowardly against SC. In fact there aren't many Pac-10 teams that show that swagger that the Trojans show. Get right in their faces, don't back down, hit them with ill-intentions, and watch the shock in their eyes.

Overall, I think SC will probably pull it out with a late touchdown or two, but the game will be a good one. Still, I am gonna go out on a limb here and say Oregon State wins 38-34 with a late game-winning drive bid ended on an INT by Sanchez.

"Defense wins championships." That's the oldest cliche in the world of football, yet defense is regaining its novelty. Does anyone else feel like the NFL is turning into the Arena Football League? Last night made it three Monday Night Football games in a row in which the winning team scored more than 40 points. This is primetime football? This is what the NFL is all about now? Terrible coverage, no blitzing, poor tackling? It used to be that rookies, especially on the offensive side of the ball, needed a year or two of getting acclimated to the speed of NFL defenses before they can contribute significantly. It used to be that first year starting quarterbacks would look like amateurs on the field for the first few starts, until they got used to the speed of the game.

       In an era when players are supposed to be bigger, stronger, faster than ever before, how can defenses be so bad? Right now there are 9 teams allowing over 350 yards of total offense against, per game. Of those 9, there are five teams (Broncos, Chargers, Packers, Saints, Bucs) that have serious playoff aspirations--one of them is undefeated, and two of them are 2-1.

       As for this rookie class, consider the following: Matt Ryan is 2-1 as a starter, and threw a TD pass on the first pass of his first start. Joe Flacco is 2-0 as a starter, his numbers are not stellar, but he has been solid enough. Then there are the running backs: there are 3 rookie running backs in the top 10 in rushing yards--Matt Forte (4th), Chris Johnson (7th) and Darren McFadden (9th). Additionally, Kevin Smith scored a TD in his first game with the Lions; Steve Slaton went for 116 and a TD last Sunday in his first significant playing time; Felix Jones has not gotten significant carries, yet he has averaged over 8 yards per carry and scored 2 TDs, not to mention his stellar play as a return man, where he returned one for a TD last Monday night. Then there is Jonathan Stewart who already has 3 TDs despite splitting carries with DeAngelo Williams, and is averaging 4.7 yards per carry.

       So the question becomes...are we entering an era of bad defense, or great offense? Will the old NFL mantra of defense winning championships be rendered antiquated in the near future? Can a team like the Denver Broncos win it all? Most of all, what is the cause of this surge in offense/lull in defense? I will tell you that one--coaching and player intelligence. Let's face it, the players of today lack the instincts and general knowledge of football that the pioneers of the game had. This is why we see defensive backs being paid so much when they have even the slightest semblance of competence. Now, defenses are loaded with uber-athletes with zero awareness. Quarterbacks and offensive coordinators around the league are simply outsmarting defensive units--the gap in athletic ability is not as vast as play would imply.

       I cannot speak for anyone but myself, but something tells me there are legions of fans out there who share my sentiment. I know I can put Rams fans down for a side of defense, and Lions fans would take a full serving of it. Personally I think poor defense takes away from the intensity of the game, the novelty of a touchdown, and it renders the crowd a virtual non-factor. I would like to see a return to the Golden Age of Football, when a safety or middle linebacker was just as aware and intelligent as the QB, and the offensive and defensive coaches engaged in a proverbial chess match.

        Thus far this season, defense has been downright offensive; to those teams who have no trouble scoring, but always seem to neglect defense, look at Tennessee, Baltimore, and Carolina. Imagine if you put the Saints or Broncos offenses with one of the aforementioned defenses...case and point--play better defense! It'll win you some games, and perhaps even a championship (see G-Men of '07). Over and out.

       Here, have a sip of some Gator Grape; how about some  LSU Lemonade? I heard the 'Bama Berry Punch is berry berry good...Commodore Cherry taste a bit like Nyquil, but it has its fans...Well, the nice folks out in Arizona got a good sample taste of Bulldog Boysenberry, so tell me folks....how does it taste?

       With it's only strong team resting up and applying cream to their jock-itch, the Pac-10 was looking a little like sugar water. You see, despite the rudeness of our western neighbors, us kind people from the South decided to be hospitable and make ya'll a nice batch of Kool-Aid since ya'll were curious about its taste--hope it had enough sugar.

       Does USC really deserve a number 1 ranking? Probably not. Either way, I am sure glad they got to see what awaits them in January. I hope they were watching how real football is played. Better yet, I hope they saw how their one "formidable" foe and crown jewel of the young season, Ohio State struggled mightily yet again against the Trojans of Troy.

       All of the smack talk was centered and focused around how the Sun Devils would show the nation what Pac-10 football was all about--thanks to Arizona State for clarifying. Did you ACTUALLY think your arrogance and ignorance would go unaddressed?

       Last week there was a whole lot of griping about the SEC having 5 teams in the top-10, and that they did not belong. Well 4 of those 5 scored impressive victories on Saturday, and the only reason one lost was because someone out of LSU and Auburn had to lose. Meanwhile, USC's trusty buddies have abandoned them in the AP poll altogether...no Pac-1 huh?

       Now tell me please, what is the excuse now? East coast bias? Did Georgia and Az State play too late? Or was it too early? Were there too many people watching? PLEASE tell me...oh I know...you "never cared about conferences, USC is still #1." Typical...

       Everyone knows what the truth is here, and I have never been happier to slam a bunch a garbage talking back in the faces of such smug, arrogant fans--you know who you are. There are definitely some Pac-10 fans who provide a level, respectful point fo view on things, this is not a message to you....but to the rest of you (Lisa Horne, Alex Rogan, Norcal), How does the Kool-Aid taste?

I don't want to waste too much of your time, I am sure everyone needs to go find a Josh Howard blog to rant about politics and Hoo-Rah Red, White, and Blue stuff, but there is much to talk about around the sports world right now. I want to share my thoughts on them:

NBA

Michael Beasley was fined $50,000 after coming forward and admitting that he was somehow involved in the incident that got his teammate, Mario Chalmers, and Chalmers' former teammate Darrell Arthur, each fined $20,000 and dismissed from the rookie symposium. It is not yet clear what his involvement was, or so they say. Well I will tell you; HE WAS DUMPING THE POT IN THE TOILET GUYS, DUH! Have you not been in the situation where you and your cousins, brothers, sisters, or friends are doing something you know is wrong, and you hear a knock at the room door, or the door handle turn? I bet you've never moved faster! In the original report, they said they heard noise from the restroom, and that the toilet was flushing. Obviously Beasley wasn't in sight, and now it turns out he was involved, so you do the math. The fact that he took so long to admit it puts me off very much about what kind of teammate he will be, ESPECIALLY since one of thosae who were punished IS his teammate. This is a time for D-Wade to be a vocal leader--I hope to hear a nice story about how he invited the two rooks over for dinner and laid into them. On a positive note, Chalmers didn't snitch...at least he has some semblance of loyalty.

NFL

LaDanian Tomlinson missed another practice. I am growing increasingly irritated by the mystery surrounding player injuries in the NFL..I mean...I have a damn Fantasy team to run! I feel like when you draft a player #1, you should get direct reports from the coach! In all seriousness though, from me to you, don't start him OR Sproles this week. The Jets run defense has been stellar, currently 6th in the NFL in that department. Toe injuries have ruined many a fantasy season...Marshall Faulk anyone? ::Sigh:: I have to say, LT is either feeling the wear and tear of being a work horse, or he is coming across as very soft.

MLB

FISH ON! My Marlins are absolutely on FIRE! The Florida Marlins are suddenly putting more than 600 butts in the seats as they have ripped off 8 straight, including a HUGE 3-game sweep of the Houston Astros. In baseball they always talk about getting hot at the right time, well the Marlins are doing that. While a 5 game deficit in the playoff chase seems insurmountable with 10 games to go, if you look again at the schedule, they very much have a chance. Tonight, they start a 3 game set with the Phillies at home, and the Marlins have owned that series so far this season 9-6. In fact, last time the Marlins made a late season run, and took it all the way to the Series in 2003, it was a huge sweep of the Phillies late in teh season that catapulted the Marlins. Also, they close the season out with a 3 game set against the New York Mess. With the Brewers back-peddling, and the Astros and Cards no longer in the way...we may have a repeat of last year's Rockies team who won 14 of 15 to sneak by the Padres.

College FB

Karma is a B.... huh Mountaineers fans? You treat a guy who restored respectability to a struggling program like trash, and now I bet you wish you had him back. Last night was COMPLETELY blown by Coach Stewart and his staff. That was the absolute worst clock management I have EVER seen. By the same token, Pat White just dropped to damn near a 7th round pick on my draft board. As a QB, you HAVE to know time and situation. You are the leader of the team, and if the coach is displaying such incompetence, it is your job to be a leader and call a damn timeout. You fans can blame the kicker, you can blame the defense, blame whoever you want, but that game was blown by the coaching staff and the QB, period. Also, how does Noel Devine not see the field on that pivotal 3rd and 1 in OT?! I don't care what the hell is wrong with his helmet, ask a DB to lend him theirs! Man, last night was a train wreck, a far cry from beating Oklahoma in a BCS bowl last January. With the way some of the other teams in the Big East have looked over the last week, WVU better do some serious re-evaluating.

Hello everyone, and welcome to the first ever edition of Hungry Hungry Hypocrites. The design of the game is similar to 'Who Am I?' I will give clues as to each person, or group of people's hypocritical behavior, and you, the intelligent FoxBloggers, will try and guess who that person/people may be.

1. Clue 1: On the one hand, I say that I do not care about conference debates because it is merely a group of teams. On the other hand, at least once a week I unleash a direct attack on the SEC or Big 10.

Clue 2: I do not give any merit to those who have been gagged and forced to change their handles, yet my current FoxBlogs handle is not the one I started with here.

Clue 3: On the one hand, I knew Ohio State was overrated, and that the Trojans would destroy them, on the other hand I believe beating them should be worth more than a number 1 ranking, in fact, I believe they should earn all top-5 spots in the rankings so SEC teams don't hog them up....

Who Am I?

2. Clue 1: On one hand, we sit on our couches saying "Man if that call woulda been against us, I'd be PISSED!" On the other hand, I antagonize members of the opposing fan base for expressing their negative emotions.

Clue 2: If our coaches choice would have failed, we were prepared to demand his firing, yet when it succeeded, we recalled all that he has done for our team.

Clue 3: Do you really need a third?

Who Are We?

 3. Clue 1: I stomp around these boards like a 15-year-old who can't go to the movies with friends when someone opposes my opinion, yet I play the victim when certain bloggers antagonize me because they're tired of my childish ways.

Clue 2: I rip an entire article about two particular basketball players, quote the authors opinions and say "Yea!" yet I call someone a plagiarist for touching on the same issue and opposing my view.

Clue 3: I bash on certain players for being poor teammates and the like...yet my favorite playe...I mean my GOD cleaned out his locker a year ago cuz his teammates sucked.

Who Am I?

1. Dallas Cowboys: If they want to keep this ranking, they had better find a way to put the D back in the Big D. They pulled out a huge primetime victory against one of the top teams in the league, so they leapfrog Pitt this week.


2. Pittsburgh Steelers: First they put up 38, then they win a defensive battle on the road in a primetime game against a division rival…it’s hard to drop them, but Philly is better than Cleveland and Houston combined.


3. Carolina Panthers: Sure, this may seem a little high, but they beat two good football teams to earn this 2-0 record, and now they welcome back their all-pro wide receiver…things are looking up, and so is everyone else in the NFC South.


4. Green Bay Packers: Well, they kept most of their roster from last year’s NFC Championship game run, and their biggest question was QB…well Lambeau is quickly becoming Mr. Rodgers’ Neighborhood, and the Pack are looking like a division front-runner early.


5. Buffalo Bills: Like the Steelers, the Bills showed versatility as a team in their first two games. Winning in Jacksonville despite trailing in the 4th quarter was a very impressive feat. Trent Edwards has made some huge throws already in this young season, and the Bills have an underrated defense.


6. Denver Broncos: Their defense was suspect, but Jay Cutler (incomplete fumble excluded) has looked like an all-pro QB so far. The kid can make all the throws. As far as defense, they have some great talent on that side of the ball, and I think they are good enough to make this a playoff team.


7. New York Giants: I’ll boost them a few spots, but it was the St. Louis Rams they dropped 41 on…with the opening schedule they have, I will refuse to boost them into the top-5 unless they survive the 3 game stretch of @ Pit, vs. Dal, and @ Phi.


8. Philadelphia Eagles: The Iggles gave a valiant effort on Monday night against the Cowboys. They will have a great opportunity to climb back up, starting with a Pennsylvania showdown with the Steelers this week. I can’t wait to see that one.


9. Arizona Cardinals: Arizona looks like they might run away from the pack in the NFC West like they ran away from Miami DBs on Sunday. Their offense is legit, especially when a coach knows how to use its weapons—something that was quite evident last week.


10. New England Patriots: Sure, they’re 2-0, but they are 15th in the league in rushing, they give up 4.3 yards per carry, and Randy Moss came away from last week with 2 catches for 22 yards…also, win 1 was a 17-10 win over the Chiefs…who lost to the Raiders…vastly unimpressive.


11. Chicago Bears: Da Bears lost to a very good Carolina team, and just barely. They showed that week 1 was no fluke, and Forte looks like he could be the best RB they’ve had there since…


12. Indianapolis Colts: After falling into a 15-0 deficit, and looking like we may need to summon Jim Mora Sr. and ask him about their playoff chances (“PLAYOFFS?!”) they snapped out of the spell that hypnotist Bill Belichick hired from Foxboro had cast over them.


13. New Orleans Saints: New Orleans blew a real chance at starting 2-0, and more importantly, keeping pace with the Carolina Panthers. Without a better established run game, and some better defensive coaching, the Saints could wind up a big waste of talent.


14. New York Jets: I expect a gradual descent from the Jets. Let’s face it, in week one they played my Phins, who showed in week 2 that they are not yet rebuilt—not exactly the best metric for Favre. Either way, he is yet to crack 200 passing yards in a game this season. “PLAYOFFS?!”


15. Tennessee Titans: Yes, they’re 2-0, but come on guys…I refuse to give them respect. What I will do is give a standing ovation to Jeff Fisher, one of the more underrated coaches in NFL history. The guys does more with less than anyone in this generation.


16. San Diego Chargers: The Chargers got a tough draw to open the season; most likely both of their opponents so far will be playoff contenders. They very well should be 1-1, which is why they are ranked accordingly. Hey Bolt backers…the Phins are on the horizon, there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.


17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: BO-RING. So what? They beat the Falcons. When someone is benched in favor of Brian Griese…that does not bode well for your team’s future.


18. Washington Redskins: Impressive comeback for the ‘Skins at home. Jason Campbell is going to have to bottle that up and try to be consistent if they hope to make another playoff appearance (unlikely).


19. Baltimore Ravens: They didn’t play, but I doubt they would have done much to impress.


20. San Francisco 49ers: I must say, the Niners looked pretty impressive in this game. J.T. O’Sullivan may very well be a serviceable NFL QB…or the next Tim Rattay…jury’s out.


21. Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings could turn out like the Dolphins of 2002…top rusher and sack-getter in the league, but no playoffs. Vikes fans should start a website…SaveTheSeasonStartFrerotte.com


22. Jacksonville Jaguars: Injury bug has rendered this season virtually unsalvageable…oh, and they made the mistake of buying what Garrard was selling…and Jerry Porter too. Hey Matt Jones, “Cocaine’s a helluva drug.” –Rick James


23. Cleveland Browns: I can make so many feces-related analogies, but just re-watch their first two games, that should say it all…at this point they have two options…call on Dr. Quinn Medicine woman to heal them, or put Brady Quinn in at QB.


24. Houston Texans: Best wishes to the players and their families. Who knows, this may light a fire under their butts like it did for the Saints a few years back, the talent is there.


25. Oakland Raiders: Maybe we spoke too soon…NAAAAAHHHH. Seriously though, McFadden looked great. Their defense looked much better, but it was the Chiefs people…the Chiefs


26. Atlanta Falcons: I bet when Matt Ryan heard that there might be “growing pains” associated with his rookie year as a starter he didn’t expect that to be literal. I think he missed on his first 12 passes Sunday…ouch.


27. Seattle Seahawks: Speaking of injury bugs, poor Seattle…or not. Perhaps it is the dwindling of Starbucks…I told my fiancée there was HGH in those things…nobody listens.


28. Miami Dolphins: Can somebody lend us a DB…and a game plan?


29. Cincinnati Bengals: One step closer…no…officially returned to BUNGLE status.


30. Detroit Lions: If a Lion and a Dolphin mated, they’d give birth to a terrible defense.


31. Kansas City Chiefs: Someone take them to the mountains to meet Chief RunTheBall. “We play to win the game…we just don’t do a good job of it.”


32. St. Louis Rams: Perhaps they should ship them back to L.A.