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Thoughts And Observations |
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Week Four Review
As I watched the game-by-game match-ups from the weekend games, all I could think about is, "Now I'm convinced...now I'm skeptical...now I'm convinced...now I'm skeptical...convinced...skeptical...". Just when I think a team is on a roll, consistent, or even dominant, something happens, and you just don't know.
Then, there's all these performances. It really appears that wide receivers are stealing a lot of thunder from the backs this year, but each week it appears that a few backs just jump out and have huge games.
While we all know anything can happen in any given week in the NFL, which is what makes it so great, there really is not the consistency we have seen in past years. I'm starting to feel like I'm in a Sprint commercial.
Game Notes
I thought I would start approaching this section with the convinced/skeptical idea in mind.
I'm Convinced...
...that the Rams will not climb up anytime soon.
...the Raiders look a lot like they did in the days of Madden.
...the Chargers are for real.
...Joey Harrington and David Carr have great futures.
...Eddie George is slowing down.
I'm Skeptical...
...Jay Fiedler is a championship caliber quarterback.
...the Patriots can repeat with that run defense.
...Emmitt Smith will play much beyond the season.
...the Saints will stay up if Joe Horn and Donte Stallworth miss much time.
...the Jets will win with Testeverde anymore.
Here's my list for the weekly performances:
Top Five
Chargers - Wanna play smash mouth? Play the Chargers.
Chiefs - As much as Green to Gonzalez worked, the defense had four picks.
Lions - This is Harrington's team. Better days are finally ahead.
Buccaneers - They dominated the Bengals when there could have been a let-down.
Raiders - Just score and don't let up, baby.
Bottom Five
Patriots - They knew the run was coming all second half, and could do nothing.
Jets - It looks like it's Pennington time. The future is finally here.
Vikings - Had a chance to crawl back in, but couldn't with numerous opportunities.
Bengals - Blown out with their best quarterback option. Talk about dark clouds.
Rams - No Warner, no Pace, no Williams, no chance to salvage the year.
A look around...
The Awards
Bonehead of the Week Award: Randy Moss - You're paid a bazillion dollars to catch passes. I guess when you're in the media spotlight all week for using your car as a weapon on a rental cop, you get a little distracted, huh? Or is there another reason you couldn't pull the ball down in the endzone...time after time?
Big Time Loser of the Week Award: Rams - Boy, was this team the big time losers. They lost Pace in practice. Then lost Warner and Aeneas Williams in the game. Then, they lost the game. Another game that was winnable. Okay, maybe I should change this award to "Big Time Loser of the Month". That's a little more fitting to this group.
Bottom of the Barrell Award: Rams - Two weeks of double award winners. It doesn't get any worse for this organization. Where do you go from here? The NFL scheduled you to play your arch rival - the 49ers - after their bye week, and in their stadium. Things are not looking good here. You couldn't beat the Cowboys, so you obviously don't have any easy games.
Cuda, Wuda, Shuda Award: Browns - If not for two stupid rules, this team could be undefeated. We all know about the helmet toss loss, but they block the kick which would give the Steelers the win. They block it! But wait, the ball didn't pass the line of scrimmage, so the Steelers get another shot and make it. I'm not a Browns fan, but I know bad luck when I see it.
Oddities
Kerry Collins
How can one quarterback be so prone to play at such extremes? One week the guy throws multiple TDs and no picks, and the next he throws multiple picks, and then cannot even get the ball close to his receivers. There's no gray area here. It's just black or white. Oh, sorry, I guess the gray area is the problem.
God and Kurt Warner
I guess Warner is receiving his test from above, because it really appears that a higher power does not want him to be successful anymore. That kind of fortune is a thing to tests ones faith. I'm sure Warner is above it, but let's face it, no matter how religious you may be, suffering is suffering, and Warner is just plain suffering.
Pats Against the Run
They got blistered by the Priest Holmes just a week ago, and LaDainian Tomlinson torched them Sunday. Now they're staring a game with Ricky Williams in the eye. Everyone has a weakness. The NFL found the Rams, and now it appears they know the Patriots. What's strange is when they even know it's coming. Drew Brees threw one pass in the third quarter. They knew Tomlinson would keep coming, but still couldn't stop it. Looks like Billichick has some scheming to do.
Back-Up Watch
Marcel Shipp
Shipp got an opportunity and stepped up and took out the Giants. He's got size and speed, and suddenly Thomas Jones doesn't look so good. I can't wait to see where it goes from here. Maybe Michael Pittman wasn't that good. Maybe Thomas Jones is just not very good.
Chad Pennington
He's been hearing he was the future as soon as he was drafted, and it looks like the future was here. Too bad he couldn't do any more than he did, because Jets fans have not been given much hope for the future so far.
Tommy Maddox
He won the Steelers first game of the year. I didn't get to see Kordell Stewart crying, but we may get to see it soon. Of course, Maddox has yet to start for a few weeks and allow some game planning against him, so we'll revisit this when he does.
The Bandwagon
I'll be anxious to see how many Chargers hats show up in the next couple of weeks. This is Marty-ball at its best. Schottenheimer never had a back quite like Tomlinson, so it will be interesting to see just how far he can go in the next couple of years. I know Tomlinson should be up to the task.
Don't be surprised to see sleeveless shirts show up a lot this fall on guys with Raider tatoos on their arms. Let's just hope people don't start showing up on the streets dressed like some of those fans at their games. Creepy.
Show Me Again Next Week
Teams - The Patriots and Dolphins square off after losses, so we'll see how far things will go in this match-up. It should be interesting.
The Chiefs suddenly played like world-beaters on Sunday, even showing an opportunistic defense. Now, I just want to see some consistency in overall team play and I'll believe they're on their way up.
Players - Shaun Alexander finally broke out against the Vikings, but he disappeared with his teammates in the second half. That's fairly understandable given the lead, but he has to continue or the Seahawks will not win a lot more.
For some reason, I think Jamie Martin could be okay for the Rams offense. I'll be anxious to see how he looks with a week in the first unit.
MIKE LIKES
Week Five (Bye: Detroit, Houston, Minnesota, Seattle):
Arizona at Carolina, 1:00 p.m.
Strangely enough, this ought to be a good game. You just don't expect that from these two teams. Better defense from the Panthers.
Pick: Roaring down tobacco road
Cincinnati at Indianapolis, 1:00 p.m.
Can the Bengals beat anybody? Akili Smith will find the going a little easier, but that means little here.
Pick: Peyton's place
New England at Miami, 1:00 p.m.
Suddenly, the Patriots can be run on, and the Dolphins can be thrown on. I like the running team in a game like this.
Pick: Marino's distant past
N.Y. Giants at Dallas, 1:00 p.m.
They both beat the Rams, but the Giants looked better doing it. Still, don't discount a bad game by Collins.
Pick: Also known as Titans
Oakland at Buffalo, 1:00 p.m.
This should be a fun game, and it should have scoring. Only one team has a semblance of defense.
Pick: Black bunch
Pittsburgh at New Orleans, 1:00 p.m.
Saints may be missing receivers. Steelers may be missing quarterbacks. Something's got to give.
Pick: Black and Gold...er, Gold and Black...hmmm...Saints
Tampa Bay at Atlanta, 1:00 p.m.
Don't discount Michael Vick in any game, but one team has momentum, and more talent all around.
Pick: Call them pirates after moving in and pillaging.
Washington at Tennessee, 1:00 p.m.
We'll see if the odd offense can overcome a team that is somewhat shellshocked. Throw either team in on either side of that one.
Pick: Also known as Giants
Kansas City at N.Y. Jets, 4:05 p.m.
The Chiefs play high-scoring, exciting games. The Jets show up and get clobbered.
Pick: Green...as in the last name, not color.
San Diego at Denver, 4:05 p.m.
Oooooooooo. Enticing. Exciting. The Broncos are coming off a Monday nighter, but should be ready to play. Close game, I see.
Pick: Orange, er, Blue Crush
Philadelphia at Jacksonville, 4:15 p.m.
While the Jags come to play each week, the Eagles come to dominate each week. Can be a game, but I've made up my mind.
Pick: Green...as in the color this time.
St. Louis at San Francisco, 4:15 p.m.
The Rams never go softly into that good night, but they do go into the good night. Look for futility...on both sides.
Pick: City by the bay.
Baltimore at Cleveland, 8:30 p.m.
The Ravens will play a little defense. The Browns will play a little bit of offense and don't even need a defense.
Pick: The Butched Bunch
Green Bay at Chicago, 9:00 p.m.
If it's anything like the last few, Chicago gets a lead. Chicago blows lead. I meant the last few against the Packers, but either way works.
Pick: Ahman to that
Moving on...
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THINGS I KNOW OR WONDER:
It's ironic that the two worst teams of the '90's, the Bengals and Rams, are both 0-4.
Does anyone else seem to get a players best performance against them every week in fantasy football?
Watching AFC West match-ups will be fun all year.
Jerry Rice may be old, but he's still got game. What he can no longer do with talent, he does with smarts.
The Vikings deal better with the distractions from Randy Moss better than Randy Moss does.
THINGS I CAN PREDICT:
The Rams not only will miss the play-offs, they will not even make it to 8-8.
Marcel will Shipp Thomas Jones out of the Cardinals starting line-up soon.
No matter how they end up working out the quarterback situation, the Steelers will not regain their edge this season.
The AFC play-offs will be all about the East and West, and at least one team will not make the play-offs with an above .500 record.
The Bengals will sign Jeff George and start him, but they will lose. They will then try re-signing Scott Covington, start him, and lose. Then, they will try...
Mike owns and publishes SkillPositions.Com, along with a big, expensive, and talented staff. Don't use this work without permission in writing. Mike has been known as the world's only living heart donor. He also thinks morals are paintings on walls, and scruples are money in Russia.
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