It's tough writing about football on a day where the Glynn's Gangstas 3-year franchise is now officially retired. The men and women who played on this team were warriors. But the NFL does go on, and with five weeks in the books, it's time to forecast what the rest of the season will look like.
I'll start with the Niners, and I suppose there could be a moral victory here for hanging tough with an '06 division champ, but, no. It's a loss. A bad loss at home to a shaky team. Yes Dilfer got us a TD, but when we absolutely needed ten yards for a manageable FG, he couldn't deliver. So now we're 2-3, limping into a much-needed bye week. The saving grace is that the NFC West is once again proving to be a lousy division, what with the Seahawks getting kicked out of Pittsburgh and the Rams giving up 34 points at home to the Cards. Will any of these teams win a playoff game?
Big comeback by the Giants today. I don't get how they flipped the switch for three straight wins, but I still think the Giants are a last-place team. Are they just on a hot streak, or is this a sign of things to come? I'll go with the former. At least the Bye didn't beat the Eagles this week.
How will the AFC look the rest of the season? Pats and Colts, of course. But gigantic wins today for Pitt and SD; the Steelers proving that they are the third-best team in football (yes, over the Cowboys), and the Chargers quieting pundits who thought there'd be a changing-of-the-guard in the AFC West. Still, don't put it past the Bolts to finish a mediocre 9-7, what with Norv Turner and all. It's time to anoint the Titans as a "lock" for the postseason. Yes they're only 3-1 but VY doesn't know how to lose football games. The race for the sixth AFC spot will come down to the Ravens and Jags. The Broncos can take a hike, while the Bengals and Texans aren't ready to compete with the big boys.
Just when you wanna kick em out, the Bears find a way to save their season. Once again that NFC North takes a big twist and turn, and while the Packers sound like a confident pick, the Sunday Night loss will always keep 'em hearing the Chicago footsteps. Then again, I could see the Bears finishing 7-9. How 'bout that NFC East? I had a feeling the Redskins had it in 'em. Tough game for the Bucs, while the Panthers continue to play their strange brand of football. I think Tampa is the more trustworthy team to take the South, while the 'Skins will battle the Panthers, Bears, Seahawks, and Cards for the wild-card spots (yes I STILL like the Niners to win the West).
Last Words: No no New Orleans, no! 0-4? Really? The 'aints? At this time last year, they were 4-1 and playing like an offensive juggernaut. A good portion of the city was brought to life, and for a perennially awful franchise, it was terrific to see some success. But I suppose this year is the hangover, with the Deuce injury and Brees playing like the young Drew Brees. Tough fall for them; maybe they can play the role of dangerous spoiler down the stretch, but I for one miss last year's Saints.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Monday, October 1, 2007
Bring back the ugly unis!
and while you're at it, get us a new coach. i know this seems like a knee jerk reaction, but i've been thinking this for 3 years now and its time for Andy Cheesesteak to look elsewhere. He has proven time and again that he is incapable of making game time changes. The single biggest error he makes each and every week is that he still refuses to acknowledge the strength of a run game. With the passing game struggling this year, its magnified that much more. Last night Correll Buckhalter of all people led a rushing attack that averaged over 5 yards per carry, while the passing game averaged 2.5 yards per carry. Despite this and a game that was never out of reach until the end of the game, we still did not get to 20 carries. Secondly, anyone watching the game last night could see two things: Justice could not block Osi by himself and McNabb looked scared behind that offensive line. So did Reid adjust, putting in max protection or more run plays to help McNabb get in his rhythm? No, he continued to call 5 and 7 step drop backs, many of which ironically had play-action to give the Giants blitzers more time to get to McNabb before he could even get set. Finally, McNabb just doesn't look right. He is tentative and slow on his feet, and his accuracy is bad even for him. I'm not saying its time for the Kolb era to begin, but at the rate we're going it might be better for McNabb to focus on healing that knee so he's ready for next year. The sad part is the defense is playing amazingly well this year considering half our secondary is hurt and we have a bunch of nobodies or old slow vets in the front 7. Maybe the bye will fix things but right now I'm just ready to have a coach who acknowledges the strength of a run game and Reid just isn't that coach.
Bonus post re: Kris Jenkins rant
Reprinted in its entirey, my favorite part is the line about Tampa Bay:
*****
In perhaps the most emotional locker room outburst in franchise history, Kris Jenkins ripped his teammates. Jenkins wasn’t asked a question to start the outburst and he wouldn’t take questions at the end. But here’s the entire text of what he had to say in between:
"You all ready (clears throat)? All right, I’m going to be honest. I think the players owe the fans an apology. I would be as upset as they are if I had to sit in the stands for four hours and look at that garbage. I’m going to be honest with you. That’s what it was, garbage.
I apologize to you Pat because I didn’t put everything out as far as the issue (in an Observer story last week, where Jenkins challenged his teammates to handle prosperity better). This is our issue as a team. As a team collectively, we have no heart. We have no energy. We have no drive. Football is about pride and passion. I’m going to repeat that again. Football is about pride and passion. The pride and the passion that you have for this game makes you want to win. It’s not about the money. It’s not about looking the part. It’s not about standing on the field so everybody can see you on TV and that you look good. It’s about pride and heart. If you have those two, if you win or lose, you’re going to look like a football team.
That’s why we have issues with prosperity. That’s why we have issues when things look good. That’s why we can’t get enough together to look and act like a football team. This is not a 9-to-5 job. This is a game. It is a street fight. It is a gladiator sport and I apologize that sometimes I don’t look the part for what people want me to be. I’m not the weight that everybody wants me to be. But when I step on that field, what you are going to see is pride and heart because I value this game. I love it and that is what is frustrating me. We don’t have that.
We went out there and I felt embarrassed. I walked out the little line or whatever you come through to go play and I walked out and basically, in certain way, I challenged their team. And I challenged my team, because when you step out there like that and you do something like that, you better back it up and we didn’t. We got broke off. We really got broke off and I’m embarrassed to say so.
Right now, my heart hurts. It really does. It’s hard to sit there week after week and go through this. This is what’s not being addressed. Week in and week out, we might say this and we might say that or we need to change this. It’s not that you can’t pay for pride and heart. It might good when you look at the stats or when you look at someone’s 40 time or you look at everything else. But it doesn’t matter how many skills you have. It doesn’t matter how good you look when you catch a pass or when you run the ball or when you tackle somebody or cover somebody.
It’s not going to matter if you don’t have those two things, because this is the NFL. It is the National Football League. It is a professional sport and you have people out here, such as myself, who love this game enough that they’re going to put it all out on the field.
Tampa Bay came and they did that and they royally broke their foot off in our butt. I have nothing else to say. I’m upset about this, but I wanted to say that."
*****
In perhaps the most emotional locker room outburst in franchise history, Kris Jenkins ripped his teammates. Jenkins wasn’t asked a question to start the outburst and he wouldn’t take questions at the end. But here’s the entire text of what he had to say in between:
"You all ready (clears throat)? All right, I’m going to be honest. I think the players owe the fans an apology. I would be as upset as they are if I had to sit in the stands for four hours and look at that garbage. I’m going to be honest with you. That’s what it was, garbage.
I apologize to you Pat because I didn’t put everything out as far as the issue (in an Observer story last week, where Jenkins challenged his teammates to handle prosperity better). This is our issue as a team. As a team collectively, we have no heart. We have no energy. We have no drive. Football is about pride and passion. I’m going to repeat that again. Football is about pride and passion. The pride and the passion that you have for this game makes you want to win. It’s not about the money. It’s not about looking the part. It’s not about standing on the field so everybody can see you on TV and that you look good. It’s about pride and heart. If you have those two, if you win or lose, you’re going to look like a football team.
That’s why we have issues with prosperity. That’s why we have issues when things look good. That’s why we can’t get enough together to look and act like a football team. This is not a 9-to-5 job. This is a game. It is a street fight. It is a gladiator sport and I apologize that sometimes I don’t look the part for what people want me to be. I’m not the weight that everybody wants me to be. But when I step on that field, what you are going to see is pride and heart because I value this game. I love it and that is what is frustrating me. We don’t have that.
We went out there and I felt embarrassed. I walked out the little line or whatever you come through to go play and I walked out and basically, in certain way, I challenged their team. And I challenged my team, because when you step out there like that and you do something like that, you better back it up and we didn’t. We got broke off. We really got broke off and I’m embarrassed to say so.
Right now, my heart hurts. It really does. It’s hard to sit there week after week and go through this. This is what’s not being addressed. Week in and week out, we might say this and we might say that or we need to change this. It’s not that you can’t pay for pride and heart. It might good when you look at the stats or when you look at someone’s 40 time or you look at everything else. But it doesn’t matter how many skills you have. It doesn’t matter how good you look when you catch a pass or when you run the ball or when you tackle somebody or cover somebody.
It’s not going to matter if you don’t have those two things, because this is the NFL. It is the National Football League. It is a professional sport and you have people out here, such as myself, who love this game enough that they’re going to put it all out on the field.
Tampa Bay came and they did that and they royally broke their foot off in our butt. I have nothing else to say. I’m upset about this, but I wanted to say that."
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Parakeets clipped!
Sure they were missing half their team and got penalized 15 times, but the Eagles were just getting a taste of what the Giants have to deal with on a regular basis. As Bushy feared, it seems the Eagles left everything they had on the field with the Lions, and didn't have much left in the tank (not to mention the super powered Parakeet unis). But, as Deion Sanders noted on the nfl.com recap highlights (available here), Winston Justice is going to be yelling "Osi" in his sleep for a while. Talk about getting schooled. Anyway, the Giants offense and kick game is now struggling (Tynes can't kick worth a crap, how did he win the competition in camp!?!?), but the defense seems to be rounding in to shape. Next up are the Jets, and I salivate to think about what Osi & Co. will do to Pennington. Have a good week!
Maybe we're not ready yet
As I watched the Niners fall to the Seahawks today, I had the same thought Ben Kingsley (playing Gandhi) had in the '82 classic film, after hearing of violent outbreaks in India: Maybe we're not ready yet.
Maybe the Niners aren't ready to compete with the NFL powerhouses. Of course, it makes my stomach turn to think of Seattle as a powerhouse, and we Niners fans can take solace in the fact that the remaining schedule isn't tough. Still, what the heck was that today? No offensive line, absurd penalties, horrible turnovers, and a sudden cry for Alex Smith? But I'm not even sure ASmith could've led a TD drive today. Or Peyton Manning for that matter. The offensive line was THAT bad. Even though Gore did all he could, even though the defense came up with some big stops and stopped Seattle for losses a bunch of times, it just wasn't there.
Nothing sums up the game better than Dilfer throwing a pick right after the Niners recovered an onside kick at the start of the second half. We had better see a much better effort (and a win) against the Ravens next Sunday. Think the NY market will want to put another Niners game on TV any time soon? Good grief.
As for the "big" game, here's all you need to know about the Sunday Night affair: I turned it on with under 3 mins left in the 4th and only then did I realize the game was being played in the Meadowlands, not Philly. From the looks of it, a garbage game. Dunno what was more surprising: the Giants' D or the Eagles' lack of O. In any case, don't expect either team to play in January.
So while the Niners and Eagles join the teams that "are not what we thought they were," they can feel comfortable knowing that that group is a big one. San Diego, Chicago, Baltimore, the Jets, Houston, Carolina, Minnesota...all teams that suffered very disappointing losses today. Could the Chargers miss the playoffs? Would anyone bet against a 9-7 season losing tiebreakers to Jacksonville and/or Cincy? Nice to see the Bills get a win. But don't be fooled by what you saw today from the Chiefs, Browns, or Raiders. All we know is what we've always known: the Colts and Pats own the AFC, no questions asked. Ho-hum.
But crazy is as crazy does in the NFC, where I suppose we can make plans for a good ol'-fashioned Packers-Cowboys NFC title game in Dallas...? Don't miss their Nov. 29 tilt on a Thursday night in Big D. I wouldn't have been shocked had the Cowboys been forced to win a very close game against the Rams, but Romo and co. left no doubt about who's the best team in the conference with that drubbing. It's amazing how well the Bucs played today; given the ineptitude of the rest of the NFC South, they will contend for the remainder of the year. Finally, how the heck is the NFC North completely upside-down? If the Bears can't hold the Lions under 37 points, you know they're not cut out for a return trip to the Supe. For some reason, this Bears team reminds me of the September Mets. All hype. The Lions will at least make things interesting and exciting the rest of the way. And the Cards are no pushover.
Last words: Brett Favre. When I first saw him play in the early 90s, I was in awe of his ability and leadership of a Packers team that hadn't been good since the 60s. Then the Packers got really good and started beating the Niners, so naturally I've disliked Favre since then. But now I can't help but appreciate what he's doing. A Packers team with no running game and supposedly no chance of competing is 4-0 thanks to a graybeard QB showing no signs of slowing down. Congrats on breaking the record.
Maybe the Niners aren't ready to compete with the NFL powerhouses. Of course, it makes my stomach turn to think of Seattle as a powerhouse, and we Niners fans can take solace in the fact that the remaining schedule isn't tough. Still, what the heck was that today? No offensive line, absurd penalties, horrible turnovers, and a sudden cry for Alex Smith? But I'm not even sure ASmith could've led a TD drive today. Or Peyton Manning for that matter. The offensive line was THAT bad. Even though Gore did all he could, even though the defense came up with some big stops and stopped Seattle for losses a bunch of times, it just wasn't there.
Nothing sums up the game better than Dilfer throwing a pick right after the Niners recovered an onside kick at the start of the second half. We had better see a much better effort (and a win) against the Ravens next Sunday. Think the NY market will want to put another Niners game on TV any time soon? Good grief.
As for the "big" game, here's all you need to know about the Sunday Night affair: I turned it on with under 3 mins left in the 4th and only then did I realize the game was being played in the Meadowlands, not Philly. From the looks of it, a garbage game. Dunno what was more surprising: the Giants' D or the Eagles' lack of O. In any case, don't expect either team to play in January.
So while the Niners and Eagles join the teams that "are not what we thought they were," they can feel comfortable knowing that that group is a big one. San Diego, Chicago, Baltimore, the Jets, Houston, Carolina, Minnesota...all teams that suffered very disappointing losses today. Could the Chargers miss the playoffs? Would anyone bet against a 9-7 season losing tiebreakers to Jacksonville and/or Cincy? Nice to see the Bills get a win. But don't be fooled by what you saw today from the Chiefs, Browns, or Raiders. All we know is what we've always known: the Colts and Pats own the AFC, no questions asked. Ho-hum.
But crazy is as crazy does in the NFC, where I suppose we can make plans for a good ol'-fashioned Packers-Cowboys NFC title game in Dallas...? Don't miss their Nov. 29 tilt on a Thursday night in Big D. I wouldn't have been shocked had the Cowboys been forced to win a very close game against the Rams, but Romo and co. left no doubt about who's the best team in the conference with that drubbing. It's amazing how well the Bucs played today; given the ineptitude of the rest of the NFC South, they will contend for the remainder of the year. Finally, how the heck is the NFC North completely upside-down? If the Bears can't hold the Lions under 37 points, you know they're not cut out for a return trip to the Supe. For some reason, this Bears team reminds me of the September Mets. All hype. The Lions will at least make things interesting and exciting the rest of the way. And the Cards are no pushover.
Last words: Brett Favre. When I first saw him play in the early 90s, I was in awe of his ability and leadership of a Packers team that hadn't been good since the 60s. Then the Packers got really good and started beating the Niners, so naturally I've disliked Favre since then. But now I can't help but appreciate what he's doing. A Packers team with no running game and supposedly no chance of competing is 4-0 thanks to a graybeard QB showing no signs of slowing down. Congrats on breaking the record.
Why Jimmy Rollins is Your NL MVP
My friend John Ferrari said it best:
"30 hr, 20 triples, nearly 40 doubles, 200 hits, almost 100 rbi, 40 steals, and great defensive stats to go along, started all 162 games at short stop, on top of carrying the phils to the last day of the regular season and making the playoffs for the first time in 14 years, how can he not be MVP"
If that's not a convincing argument, I don't know what is.
"30 hr, 20 triples, nearly 40 doubles, 200 hits, almost 100 rbi, 40 steals, and great defensive stats to go along, started all 162 games at short stop, on top of carrying the phils to the last day of the regular season and making the playoffs for the first time in 14 years, how can he not be MVP"
If that's not a convincing argument, I don't know what is.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Eagles Learn About Fashion and TDs in Same Week, Prefer the TDs
The only reason I liked the horrible throwbacks (seriously, when did the Eagles ever wear those?) is because I could see them easily from half way across the room in Red Lobster while they were destroying the Lions (for the record Bushy, I hate you for being at this game, what a treat). Of course I'm still concerned that Andy doesn't think a 49-21 lead isn't enough to start running the ball in the 4th quarter more than he passes, but I guess that ship has sailed. And considering we get to play an even easier defense next week, we should be back to "almost legitimate" by next Monday (assuming of course that we don't lose the rest of our secondary by then). In other news, am I the only one who misses Martyball? At least that made the Charger losses interesting, they were kind of like those movies where you know how its going to end, but its still fun to watch simply because its so predictable. I really feel for Tomlinson, I hope he doesn't pull a Barry Sanders on us and quit in frustration. Having said that, I'm glad I took the year off from fantasy football after look at the top rushers in the game after 3 weeks: Parker, Jordan, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry (in only 2 games) and Westbrook. Gosh I love this league (especially after a big win).
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