So where do we stand after five weeks of NFL action? In no particular order, we have:
- 2 undefeated teams
- 3 or 4 teams doing better than expected; 3-4 teams doing worse than expected
- The NFC East dominating professional football (of course, the roomofzen.com predicted this domination, so everyone who reads this blog is not surprised, right?)
- Off-the-field trouble in Big D, Cincy, St. Louis, and Oakland
- Al Davis looking like a Zombie from Night of the Living Dead
- Two of last year's best teams returning mediocrity (Pats and Indy)
- The Redskins with a legitimate shot to go 7-1
- TO about to combust
- Plaxico Burress acting like a damn fool
- Chad Johnson dating Pacman Jones' cousin
- Tony Gonzalez complaining about his reception record while his team is losing
Although I follow the NFC East rather closely, I do take notes on the rest of the NFL. Here are some of my notes after five weeks of action:
1) Big Ben is really showing some toughness this year. I know that sounds Madden-esque, but the guy has a sprained shoulder and a crappy offensive line. Instead of taking a few games off, Big Ben has played through the injury, led his team to victories, and not complained once. Furthermore, the guy went from being able to complete only five passes in practice to throwing for 300 yards in their victory over Baltimore. You also have to take into account how badly his offensive line has played. Big Ben gets sacked or hit at least five times a game. That makes Big Ben a badass in my mind.
2) I watched a Raven's press conference yesterday and their new coach, Jim Harbough, is awesome. Anyone who gives the media crap like Jim Harbough has my vote.
3) Miami is still not getting the credit they deserve. They beat the Pats and everyone called it an upset. Most commentators blamed it on Brady being injured. Then they beat the Chargers, and ESPN still calls it an upset. When will people realize that this team is legit, especially with Joey Porter anchoring their defense? He is like Zach Thomas in his prime -- aka nasty. They also have Parcells and we all know he's an evil genius.
4) Is there anyone more predictable than TO? Does it surprise you that he’s talking trash about his team despite being thrown at 18 times? It shouldn’t. The guy is a cancer. What a Bassbowl, as Simmons wrote in his column this week.
5) I said it once, and I'll say it again: what was Brad Childress thinking with Tavaris Jackson and now Gus Frerotte? For those of you who follow the NFL in the off-season, you will remember Childress gushing over Jackson during press-conferences. Childress was adamant about how Jackson would start and would be the player of the future for the Vikings. But anyone with half a brain could tell you otherwise. The guy is not very good. So now they have Frerotte and Childress is saying the same crap about “his confidence in Gus." I know they have AP and that takes stress off their passing game, but Gus Frerotte is not very good. In fact, if you like the Vikings, I promise you he’ll disappoint sooner rather than later; it's only a matter of time, Vikings fans. Take it from someone whose watched him over the years: there is a very good reason Gus is a backup and not a starter (until now). He will start losing games for the Vikings, just like he did for the Redskins.
6) The Titans are a huge surprise, but they have Jeff Fisher, so they'll continue to be consistently good like the Steelers were under Cowher. Again, you can’t underestimate the value of consistently good coaching in the NFL, even with teams that look average on paper. I know this is cliché, but no one seems to give their Coach credit for making a very average team play above their ability level.
7) The Redskins & Giants are playing better than expected. I would actually argue they’re the two best teams in football right now. For example, the Giants lose their best receiver, replace him with an average back-up, and still trounce the Seahawks while making the back-up look like Jerry Rice. The Redskins go on the road twice, handily beat division rivals, and then avoid turnovers for five straight weeks. Translation: I can’t wait until these teams play each other again.
8) Speaking of the Giants, what the heck is wrong with Plaxico Burress? First we go through the drama of Plax not getting his contract during the off-season. Then he gets his contract and gets injured. I know that’s not his fault, but soon after getting his contract, he shows up late to work and we find out that he’s been fined fifty times (!) by the Giants for breaking the rules. Of course you have to ask the question, “why did the Giants give this guy a contract extension?” And of course the answer is, “he is a top-tier, NFL receiver.” But now, according to footballguys.com, we learn about this:
"WR Plaxico Burress (NYG) has apparently been avoiding calls from Khoury Alternative Claims Management, a San Antonio-based third-party administrator trying to catch up with the Giants receiver about some damage he did to a rental car. Burress returned a Suburban on June 2 to Epic Car and Truck Rental in Clifton, N.J., with scratches and dents in the bumper. He paid $996.95 for the rental but owed another $1,759 in damages. Burress dropped the car off after hours and never informed anyone of the damages."
Anyone care to explain this behavior to me? Nick?
9) I know everyone in the media is writing off the Pats, but similar to the Titans, the Patriots will still benefit from world-class coaching. I know this is stating the obvious, but even without Brady, Bill Belichek will make this team competitive week after week. Then again, if they keep losing to the likes of the Dolphins, that theory may have to be modified. Maybe Tom Brady was the next incarnation of Joe Montana? Either way, I still hate the Pats and I'm glad they're back to average...where they belong!
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7 comments:
Here it is man:
Often times players retire, and we learn afterwards that there was all kinds of bizzare stuff happening behind closed doors. Thinking just in terms of the Giants, Lawrence Taylor epitomized this. The most famous story I think is him calling the team to send a car to bring him to practice because he was still handcuffed from a hooker the night before.
I'm happy that this stuff hasn't gone public. Some players are able to keep things more quiet, because they don't actually get in legal trouble.
As for the suspension, here's what I'll say:
it's nothing new. Plax is late for a lot of team things and has missed stuff before. He has been fined often, and Tom Coughlin felt like he needed to send a message and did so by hitting Plax where it really hurt, taking him off the field on game day. Interesting to note here that (as I just said) Coughlin fined him over 50 times before doing this. Obviously, he wasn't going to do it unless he really felt the Giants were in a position to win without Burress.
The nice thing is that Plax doesn't seem to let these things affect the way he conducts himself on the field or with his teammates. Eli Manning loves him, and so do many of his other teammates. He busts his ass on gameday, and he spent a lot of time in the training room getting treatment last year.
In terms of the offseason, I think he was totally justified in seeking the extension. He probably shortened his career significantly last season, and think about how much the owners have profited from him doing so (what I mean is that the Giants wouldn't have won a Super Bowl without him. And, I imagine they are making SHITLOADS more money than they would have if they hadn't won the superbowl. Jerseys, DVDs, commemorative items).
So, I have no problem with him making a scene about the extension, especially since he didn't hold out. The extension didn't come until the afternoon of opening day, and there was never a doubt that he'd be on the field and competing.
I never like to hear these things about pro athletes. I idolize them as if I were still 12 years old. But, in my mind, I just have to go by how they affect my team. Plax might bang up rental cars and come late to meetings. But, as long as he's not being a distraction and the team still wants him there, I'm ok with it.
Ballgame,
I don't know that you can consider the Patriots being mediocre at 3-1. Your logic is confusing at best. You berate the Pats for losing to the Dolphins and yet in the same post you write "when will people realize that they [The Dolphins] are legit". Your words not mine.
I agree that the Redskins play in the toughest division in the NFL...what does this mean? It means that Patriots fans will have the last laugh after they win the AFC east and get a shot in the Playoffs and the Skins finish behind The Giants and Cowboys.
Yes, I am being very defensive here...The Pats have got the Chargers this week and the thought of losing to those douchebags makes me want to induce vomiting.
I give respect for that win over the Niners. As you know from my picks, I think that Niners team is better than people think. Isaac Bruce, Frank Gore, Takeo Spikes, Patrick Willis, Nate Clements, just to name a few. I think that, with the NFC West being as wretched as it is, the Niners will be relevant until the end.
Babcock,
I agree, faulty logic. What I should have said is this: the Dolphins are pretty good this year and because of Bill Parcells, they will not be the worst team in the league. In fact, legit is a horrible word to use for them and I should have used the phrase, "may be legit" instead.
(So when I say the Pats are mediocre, my statements make more sense, right? The lost to a team which has Ronny Brown, Ricky Williams and Chad Pennington taking turn at QB. And the Pats almost went undefeated last year...)
I'm with both of you here....
From an achievement standpoint, the Patriots are not mediocre. They are 3-1 and they lost to a Dolphins team that is better than we expected.
But, from a structural analysis standpoint, I believe they are mediocre. But, let's call it average because it sounds a little better. People were drinking the Cassell kool-aid to make themselves feel better. But, without Tom Brady the Patriots ARE an average team. They're not underachieving. They're right about where they should be.
-----So, yes babcock, it's hard to call the patriots mediocre given what they have done. But, I agree with Ted that, when you break down the team, they are average. If Tom Brady were healthy, they would be very good.
I am honored to call both of you friends...I would only add as a coda that the Patriots defense is above Average, maybe even "good".
My ultimate fantasy is to have the Dolphins knock off all of the other AFC contenders (Jacksonville, Indy, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, etc...) and then the Patriots sneak by to win the AFC East or by some miracle grab the wildcard. No matter what happens, I guarantee you I will eat a lot of chicken wings this fall, and at the end of the day, thats what its all about.
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