Why's everyone Blaming T.O.? or: What's Really Wrong in Dallas

I'm the last person in the world to defend T.O. I think his me-first attitude is detrimental to team chemistry. Placating his demands for more touches is detrimental to offensive balance. I think that he was a talented player, but his skills are on the decline and he's not willing to realize it.

T.O. was also instrumental in Jerry Jones running Parcells out of town. The Big Tuna wanted nothing to do with a selfish egotistical player with waning skills and basically gave Jones the "it's either him or me" ultimatum. JJ went with T.O. Big mistake.

That being said, I want to know why everyone is jumping on T.O.'s case all of a sudden. Everyone seems willing to blame the Cowboy's collapse on T.O. Let's not forget that he was the only player who decided to show up against Philly. He ended the game with 6 catches for 100+ yards. Granted they were 6 meaningless catches for 100+ meaningless yards, but everyone else posted the kind of stats you'd expect a peewee team to have against the Eagles.

If you want to point the finger you have to start at the top and work your way down. Jerry Jones is the number one problem with this franchise. He went into this season thinking that his team was infallible. He made umpteen boneheaded moves these last few years (signing T.O., Tank Johnson, Pacman Jones, etc. etc.) He turned his franchise into a circus. He put this team together. He encourages the media frenzy that has surrounded this franchise these last two decades. He hired the coaches and the players, it all comes back to him.

After that you have the coaches. Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett are taking a lot of the heat, but let's not forget the amazing choke job by D-coordinator Brian Stewart. The Cowboys were terrible on defense in weeks 16 and 17. All three of these guys should be in hot water.

There's no way that I can see Phillips keeping his job. At one point in the second half Sunday he tried to send the punt team in after the 'boys were stopped on a 3rd and short. Romo waved them off and went for it on 4th down. He converted and kept the drive alive, but that's not the point. Phillips stood on the sideline completely bewildered as his Quarterback overruled him. If Parcells were still coaching you know that that would never have happened. If Parcells were still coaching Romo probably would have collapsed on the sidelines from a severe beating, as opposed to later, in the lockerroom from a rib injury.

Then you can trickle the rest of the blame down onto the players. They don't play like a team. There's a lot of infighting and suspicion. Players are shooting their mouths off the the press. They're fighting each other on the team plane. Everyone's pointing fingers at one another trying to deflect the blame. Hell, some players are even trying to distance themselves from the franchise entirely. When confronted about their team's poor play Tank Johnson said something to the tune of "What do I care, I'm a free agent." The stituation in Big D is shameful right now.

Jerry Jones is preaching consistency, claiming that all the players and coaches will remain in place for next season. If Jones wants his team to contend he needs to shake things up and build a talented team, not just a talented roster.

Most Underrated Players: NFC East

The NFL announced the 2008/2009 Pro Bowl rosters earlier this week, heralding some of the league's Most Valuable Players (and a few underachieving fan favorites). It got me thinking about all the solid players that were left off the list. So here's my list of the most underrated players from each NFL team.

This list is subjective, but I do have a few rules:
1. No one who made the Pro Bowl will be considered.
2. Stats aren't everything. Consistency is key.
3. Most of these players aren't nationally known. Some of them are only familiar to die-hard fans.

So let's get started with the NFC East:

Dallas Cowboys – The Cowboys were far-and-away the most over-hyped team heading into this season. Nearly everyone was willing to write them a free pass to the Super Bowl, allowing them to forgo those pesky regular season games. Well, nearly one season later and they’re on the verge of missing out on the playoffs entirely. You can make as many excuses as you want, but this team just isn’t that good. So how do you choose an underrated player from such an overrated team?

The easy answer would be Tashard Choice. A 4th round draft pick forced into a starting role because of injuries to Marion Barber and Felix ones. He has played very well, but with all the praise and coverage he’s been getting these last few weeks you’d think he was a perennial all-pro. Ultimately, Choice is the closes thing to an unheralded player the league’s most overexposed team has, so I have to give him the nod.

New York Giants – The Giants were the hottest team in the NFC through the first 12 weeks, but they’ve been stumbling towards the playoffs since. The Giants boast one of the league’s strongest ground games, so it would be easy to nominate an offensive lineman, but two of their linemen were selected to the Pro Bowl. That’s hardly underrated. Ultimately, I’m going with Steve Smith.

Smith has flown under the radar, letting receivers like Burress, Toomer and Hixon dominate the headlines, but Smith has been steady all season long. He leads the team in receptions with 52 and is second with 530 yards. He isn’t flashy – his longest reception is only 30 yards – but he has good hands and he knows how to move the chains. Every catch he makes seems to go for a first down.

Philadelphia Eagles – If you look at the statistics (ranked in the top 5 in almost every offensive and defensive category) you’d think the Eagles should be closer to 14-0 at this point in the season, but they have struggled at times on both sides of the ball.

Brian Dawkins and Asante Samuel were given Pro Bowl love this season, but the most consistent Eagle on defense has been Quintin Mikell. He’s second on the team with 82 tackles, second with 3 interceptions and has 2 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. He’s been one of the most consistent performers on an up-and-down team. This guy deserved a Pro Bowl nod this season.

Washington Redskins – There’s no question who the most unheralded player on this team is: Rookie Strong Safety Chris Horton. It’s rare to see a 7th rounder latch on with any team, let alone contribute, especially as a rookie.

Horton is third on the team in tackles with 65, and leads the ‘Skins with 3 interceptions to go along with a sack. If this kid keeps up this pace he’ll be a future all-pro.

Reid Is Still Retarded

Andy Reid has suffered my ire this season, but his effective coaching the last two weeks has given me hope that he's changed. I was willing to give him a second chance. Well, he blew it.

I don't know if it was Andy Reid or Marty Mornhinweg who called the DeSean Jackson pass from the "Wildcat" formation, but it was incredibly stupid.

Jackson is a rookie Wide Receiver, not a veteran Quarterback. He shouldn't be throwing the ball. If you ask me, he shouldn't be lining up under center either, I'm not a big fan of the Wildcat formation.

Boneheaded move, no matter how you look at it.

Steelers/Ravens: Was it a Touchdown?

Each week the NFL sees at least one highly contested call that decides the outcome of the game. This week it was a late Santonio Holmes touchdown that helped the Steelers stun the Ravens in Baltimore.

Late in the fourth quarter Holmes caught a pass right at the goal line and was tackled. He was ruled down at the one-yard line, the referees claiming that the ball never broke the plane of the end zone. The booth called for a replay and after taking a look at it Walt Coleman ruled that the ball had broken the plane and the play was overturned: Touchdown.

Needless to say, this was a highly contested call as it handed the Steelers the win. I’m going to have to say that there was no clear evidence that the ball crossed the goal line. The replays showed the ball near the area, but there was no definitive angle that showed the ball touch the end of the white line, that’s why I’m so shocked that the play was overturned. I’m not arguing that the play wasn’t a touchdown; I’m arguing that there wasn’t enough evidence to overturn the call on the field.

Which leads directly into my next point: I’ve been saying for years – pretty much since I started watching the NFL – that they should put computer chips in the footballs and sensors in the field, that way it would take the guesswork out of touchdowns. Finally someone in the realm of legitimate sports media agrees with me.

Here’s my proposal:

Put a microchip in each nose of the football and eight chips in a ring around the fattest part of the football. The sensor technology might be a little trickier to figure out. It might be possible to put some sort of proximity sensor under the turf, or maybe place beams on the sidelines. I’m not sure how that would work – I’m no engineer – but if they have sensors to stop you from shoplifting at Sears the NFL should be able to figure something out.

The replay system would remain intact, but it would not be relied upon to determine something as inexact as whether the ball reached the end zone or not.

The system wouldn’t be foolproof. There are plenty of instances where the ball crosses the goal line and it doesn’t result in a touchdown, like incomplete passes or situations where a player’s knee goes down before the ball breaks the plane, but it would take the guesswork out of the was-he-in-or-not situations like a running back leaping and extending over the pile.

If the ball breaks the plane the sensor will be tripped and a red light or a siren or something like that will be activated, like in hockey. It’s then up to the referees to determine if the player was down before the ball crossed the plane, or if they retained possession, etc.

This isn’t a cure-all plan that would end reffing mistakes, all it would do is prove definitively whether the ball crossed the goal line or not.


Update:
There are plenty of other people out there proposing solutions to this problem.

This person proposes that you use GPS to track the football on the field for scoring and first-down purposes, although I don't think that would be exact enough. I'm pretty sure GPS is accurate to about 10 feet, not the 10 millimeters we'd need.

This person brings up an interesting point. We can make invisible fences and shock collars for dogs, why can't we just adapt that technology and give the refs buzzing pagers that would activate if the ball crosses the line. And on an interesting note, one of the commentors recommends putting light-up sensors in player's shoes, to determine if their feet are inbounds for catches, etc.

Doug Marrone Hired as Syracuse Head Coach

New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Marrone has been officially hired as the Syracuse University Head Football Coach.

I'm not terribly surprised by the hire, although I am a little bit disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I think Marrone is going to be great for the program, but I was really hoping Turner Gill would get the position.

Darryl Gross - the Syracuse University Athletic Director - was quoted as saying: "We've hired a guy that is a Syracuse graduate, who bleeds orange, who brings in tremendous, tremendous knowledge of football from his college and especially his pro experience," said Gross. "He's someone that we can look forward to exciting offenses, seeing a lot of snaps per game. Better than that, he's somebody that brings leadership, who comes from the Bronx. When you talk about New York's College team, he fits the profile perfectly. He will be a tremendous recruiter in the Northeast, who knows the coaches. He's somebody that we believe will win at Syracuse."

Marrone does have the benefit of being a Syracuse Alumni, and has helped put together the second coming for the "Greatest Show on Turf" this year in New Orleans, but unlike Gross, I'm suspicious of his ability to recruit in the Northeast. He has spent a large part of his career here in the northeast, but hasn't coached at the college level in this area since 1994. He's been away for nearly a decade-and-a-half, I'm afraid most of his connections aren't of much use anymore.

Poor recruiting killed Greg Robinson. He actually overachieved as a coach with the talent he brought in. I don't want to watch Syracuse go down the same road with another out-of-town hire. For years Syracuse has harvested talent from nearby states like New Jersey and Connecticut, but in recent years both Rutgers and UConn have experienced a resurgance and those recruiting wells have dried up. That is one of the reasons I was backing Buffalo Head Coach Turner Gill. He's proven that he can recruit well in the Northeast. He's familiar with the area and has the connections neccesary to bring the talent back to Syracuse.

I'm eager to see what Marrone can do, though. Syracuse has several really talented running backs, but their offensive line has been the epitome of terrible for years now, limiting the effectiveness of their offense. Marrone has a strong history as an O-line coach, and he should be able to come in and whip that unit into shape. Even though I wasn't pulling for him, I'm going to root for Marrone to help turn this disappointing Orange team around.

I Feel Bad for Jason Taylor

Jason Taylor must be kicking himself right about now. Taylor was traded to Washington from Miami after a well publicized falling out with new Dolphins management this past off season.

I don't fault Taylor for wanting to leave the foundering 1-15 'Fins and go somewhere with championship aspirations, but with the Dolphins sitting at 8-5 and in a good position to win the AFC East and the 'Skins all but eliminated from the playoffs he might be regretting running himself out of dodge.

Sorry Jason, but it looks like a Super Bowl isn't in your future.

Westbrook Finally Happy With Eagles Gameplan

Brian Westbrook heaped praise on Andy Reid for sticking with the run game Sunday, when the Eagles defeated the Giants 20-14 in New York. But as Matt Mosley pointed out in his NFC East blog, you gotta love the backhanded compliments that he is delivering:

"We were able to run the ball successfully early, and Coach stayed with it," Westbrook said. "He was very committed to it, and I give a lot of credit to him because usually we're not that committed to it. He saw that we were getting it done.

"We always try to tell him 2 or 3 yards is not that bad, and we had a couple of carries where it was just 2 or 3 yards. But he stayed committed to it, and sooner or later, that turned into 5 or 6 yards, then we had the big run down the middle."

Yes Westbrook is complimenting Reid for sticking with the successful gameplan this week, but hidden in these remarks is a little bit of "I told you so." You can sense the "if this team had been more committed to the run earlier in the season we might be closer to 10-3 or 11-2." subtext.

I'm a big fan of what Andy Reid has done in Philly. He turned the franchise into perennial contenders. But NFL coaches - just like NFL players - have a finite shelf life. They can only be effective in one place for so long. I credit Reid for reverting back to the basics and sticking with what this team can do well: Control the line of scrimmage on offense and defense, mix in short, high percentage passes and take occasional shots down field. But if your players are constantly trying to convince you to stick with the ground game it might be time to take a step back for a little while.

I like Reid and I like his playcalling decisions over the last two weeks, but unless he can keep it up for the rest of the season I'm still in favor of a coaching change at the end of the season.

Reserve Carolina Guard Arrested

Reserve Carolina Panthers Guard Jeremy Bridges was arrested late Sunday evening on assault charges.

Apparently he ordered a bottle of Dom Perignon at a North Carolina restaurant and then proceeded to shake it up and spray it all over the place. He was asked to leave by the management and agreed, but a female patron who took exception to her unwanted champagne shower followed him "complaining loudly."

Bridges took offense and was restrained by the bouncer. He then shoved the bouncer, but did not strike anyone else. Bridges was expected to be released after posting $2,500 bail. His attorney, George Laughrun, expects him to plead not guilty.

It is unclear what disciplinary action - if any - Carolina is likely to take before their Monday Night game against Tampa Bay.

If this were an isolated incident it wouldn't be anything to worry about, but Bridges was also arrested about a year-and-a-half ago for pulling a gun on a woman outside of a strip club. This is the beginning of a disturbing pattern of violence against women.

I'm sick of the growing prevalence of "thug culture" in professional sports, whether it's Bridges hosing a restaurant full of people with champagne, Plaxico carrying an unlicensed firearm in a club, Michael Vick dogfighting or the myriad of strip club shootings (or weapon brandishings) we've witnessed the last two or three years. I sense an upcoming article.

Some Props To My Old High School

Congratulations to the Fayetteville-Manlius High School girls cross country team for winning the National Title for the 3rd year in a row! The boys cross country team finished 16th nationally.

And also, congratulations to coach Bill Aris for whipping together such perennially successful teams. It's very difficult to remain competitive as a public high school, since you don't have the recruiting ability of prep schools, universities or pro teams. It all comes down to good coaching, great training and a little bit of luck. Aris might be lucky, but he's also pretty damn good.

Congrats ladies and gentlemen!

Speaking of Upstate NY Football Coaches...

Turner Gill coached his University of Buffalo team to a 42-24 win over 12th ranked Ball State, clinching the Mid-American Conference title and a bowl bid. Gill has done a great job bringing a perennial NCAA doormat to prominence. Is it possible he could do the same for SU?

Well, SU Athletic Director Darryl Gross is searching for Greg Robinson's successor and has brought Gill - amongst others - in to interview for the position. Several names have been thrown into the ring for the Syracuse post, including at one time Lane Kiffin, but the one name that always seems to make the most sense is Turner Gill. He has the upstate New York ties in terms of recruiting and he's obviously successful at building a team from the ground up.

The SU job is an improvement over Gill's post at Buffalo, but you have to wonder if he'd be willing to leave a successful team for a fixer-upper. Ultimately, I think it would be a good move for him. If he succeeds then everyone will see him as a savior and he'll cement his position as a coaching star. If he fails then most of the blame is going to be deflected to the Syracuse program. "First Robinson, the Gill...This program is unfixable!" Sounds like a win/win to me!

Coach Gill looks great in Buffalo Blue, but I think he'd look even better in Syracuse Orange!

Greg Robinson to LSU?

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Does Sean Taylor deserve Ring of Fame Honors?

Sean Taylor was officially inducted into the Washington Redskins Ring of Fame today (November 30, 2008.) Taylor was a very good player in his three-and-a-half year NFL career with the Redskins, but had he not been tragically murdered – had he instead retired or suffered a career ending injury – would he have a Ring of Fame caliber resume?

Sean Taylor recorded 299 tackles, 2 sacks, 8 forced fumbles and 12 interceptions in 55 games from ’04-‘07. Those are good stats for a starting NFL safety, but how good?

Let’s look at how some other noteworthy safeties played during that span of time:

Brian Dawkins played in 57 games from ’04-’07. He recorded 276 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 11 forced fumbles and 12 interceptions in that span.

Ed Reed had 211 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and 22 interceptions in 58 games during that span of time.

John Lynch had 271 tackles, 7 sacks, 9 forced fumbles and 3 interceptions in 60 games from ’04-’07.

Bob Sanders has only played in 43 career games, but he already has 279 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 5 interceptions.

Darren Sharper played in 61 games from ’04-’07, recording 254 tackles, 1 sack, 5 forced fumbles and 21 interceptions.

Ed Reed and Darren Sharper are running away with the interception category. Dawkins and Lynch have a substantial lead in sacks. The only stats that Taylor matches up well in are tackles - which may be inflated due to the fact that he spent the first two or three seasons playing on a poor defense – and forced fumbles.

It should also be noted that Dawkins, Lynch and Sharper all recorded better stretches of play than from’04 through ’07. If you take their best 4 consecutive seasons they look more like this:

Brian Dawkins ’99-’02: 315 tackles, 8 sacks, 14 forced fumbles and 12 interceptions.

John Lynch ’96-’99: 420 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles and 9 interceptions.

Darren Sharper ’00-’03: 339 tackles, 5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 27 interceptions.

I would take all three of those guys over Taylor during their prime. Ultimately, the ‘Skins organization can induct anyone they want into their Ring of Fame, and Taylor may be one of the best safeties to play in Washington, but if he had not been killed he would not have been honored in this way.

Sadly, we’ll never really know what Taylor was truly capable of. He was a very talented player and finally seemed to be putting everything together. Not just on the field, but in his personal life as well. Teammates credited the birth of his daughter with turning his life around. Suddenly he had something in his life that forced him to be responsible.

Taylor had the tools and potential to put together a Hall of Fame career, but thanks to a senseless act of violence fans will never get a chance to see that, friends will never get a chance to enjoy his company, and a young girl will grow up without her father. Sad.

Burress Shoots Self in Leg

Giants WR Plaxico Burress has committed the gaffe of all gaffes in his tumultuous career, accidentally shooting himself in the leg on Friday night. He spent the night in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Burress was ruled out of this Sunday's game with a hamstring injury anyway, but he's in danger of missing several more games. Apparently the gun accidentally discharged when he was in the midtown nightclub the Latin Quarter. Is it legal to take a gun into a nightclub? I know everyone in the NFL seems to do it, I'm just wondering if it's legal. Or is it possible that there are going to be charges in the future?

I'm sick of the thug culture in professional sports. If you really think you need protection as a high profile athlete, and the fact that you're 6'5" and 200+ pounds isn't imposing enough, then just hire a bodyguard to stand around and look tough. That way if a gun ends up accidentally discharging the chances of it hitting you are limited. This guy's a moron.

Honestly, the Giants aren't going to miss him. They use their powerful three-man rushing attack to take a lot of pressure of Manning and the wide receivers, and I think this team is better off without Burress. He may be a talented player, but his selfish, me-first attitude drags everyone down, and when he does stupid things like berate refs and throw footballs into the stand he harms your team way more than he helps. I think the Giants should part ways with him the way they did with Shockey last season. Addition by subtraction.

Burress is on my short list of players that have worn out their welcome in the league. He's one notch below Pacman Jones and Michael Vick - neither of which should play another down in the NFL. Ever. Burress, on the other hand, deserves a suspension. The Giants should be proactive and tell him he's not welcome until he cleans up his act, and I half expect Tom Coughlin to do it.

Scapegoating McNabb was Shameful

I reread the text message my father had sent me, but I still didn’t understand. “Kolb is starting 2nd Half. As faras I can tell McNabb is healthy – just benched.” It read. Even after forgiving the typo I couldn’t understand the reason Andy Reid would bench McNabb in favor of second year man Kolb, who has done absolutely nothing positive in his pro career to this point. I just couldn’t believe it.

I wasn’t watching the game because it wasn’t televised out here in Los Angeles, but my father was watching it back home in Syracuse. The thought crossed my mind that he might be playing a trick on me. We had been exchanging frustrated text messages throughout the first half, and neither of us liked the way the offense was looking. I checked the NFL Gamecast and, sure enough, Kolb was starting the second half.

I couldn’t believe my eyes. That’s it. That’s the straw that broke the camel’s back. Andy Reid is inventing amazing new ways to lose football games. Why on Earth would you bench your five-time pro bowl quarterback in a three point game? Even if he had committed three turnovers in the first half. What Andy Reid did was shameful, embarrassing and cowardly.

I can’t begin to explain how misguided the decision to bench Donovan McNabb is. The turnovers aren't an excuse to pull him, considering Donovan McNabb has spent his whole career flirting with Neil O’Donnell for lowest interception percentage in NFL history. Not to mention the fact that the Baltimore Ravens have an outstanding defense that ranks near the top of the league in forcing turnovers.

Then there was the unbalanced playcalling. Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg called another pass-happy game this Sunday. The Eagles attempted 41 passes, versus 21 rushes. Four of those rushes were by a quarterback, which means they likely started as pass plays. If you add in the two Baltimore sacks you have roughly 47 pass plays versus 17 run plays for the game. That’s nearly three-to-one!

The Eagles ground game has been nonexistent all season long. A team can’t win if they can’t run the ball. For some reason Reid continues to lean on an unhealthy Brian Westbrook instead of giving carries to a capable reserve in Buckhalter. In the NFL a strong running attack is used to set up the passing game. You get guys creeping up to the line of scrimmage and then you can hit them with play action and go over the top. If teams aren’t respecting the Eagles’ rush then they’re going to play the pass and four interception games will occur.

As far as I’m concerned, Donovan McNabb was the only player on this offense that was actually going out there and doing his job. He is the only player that has played well week in and week out. The offensive line has been offensive. They’ve been terrible in run blocking all season. The wide receivers have been erratic catching the football; the Eagles’ led the league in dropped passes going into Baltimore. That’s dropped passes, not incompletions. That means the ball was on target and hit the receiver’s hands, but they didn’t haul it in. The running backs have ripped off a lot of two-yard gains and not much else. McNabb was the lone bright spot on this team, even after committing seven turnovers in two weeks.

Reid should have benched every other offensive starter except for McNabb. But in the bizarro world Andy inhabits the onus was on McNabb and McNabb alone. When are you going to take some of the blame Andy? Your playcalling is hanging McNabb out to dry. He’s bound to throw a few interceptions when he averages 40 passes a game and he’s up against the league’s number two defense. When is it time to bench your gameplan? Reid can’t commit to a balanced attack or surrounding McNabb with reliable veteran receivers, but he has no problem committing to crapulence.

Let’s face it; Reid was outcoached by Jim Harbaugh in this game. Harbaugh had been with the Eagles for the last decade as an assistant and he knew Andy Reid’s gameplan inside and out. He coached his team to perfection to take advantage of all of Philly’s flaws. Andy Reid is getting too predictable. The only unpredictable thing that he manages to do is find mind-blowing new ways to lose games.

And for the coup de grace, Reid didn’t even inform McNabb of the benching; he had his quarterback coach do it. Andy, scapegoating your star quarterback instead of accepting responsibility for your failures as a coach was shameful. If McNabb weren’t such a class act you would have alienated your only chance at playoff salvation this season. Bottom line: This team’s failings are your fault, Andy.

Syracuse DT Arthur Jones will be a Stud NFL Defender

Syracuse University Defensive Tackle Arthur Jones is a stud defender. He's one of the few bright spots on a miserable defense.

This guy's NFL draft stock is probably going to be hurt because of the terrible play of his teammates, but he's going to be a game-changing NFL player. Think Albert Haynesworth - except better. He's a classic 3 down line player. He's strong against the pass, absolutely dominant against the run. I expect to see him go to the 1st team that needs interior line help.

If Jones lasts until the second round then someone's going to get the steal of the draft.

Dallas Places Rookie RB Felix Jones on Injured Reserve

The Dallas Cowboys placed first round pick Felix Jones on injured reserve. Jones suffered a season ending toe injury while rehabbing an early season hamstring injury.

This is a big blow to the Cowboy's playoff hopes. I have said repeatedly I don't think the Cowboys are going to make the playoffs this year. If they do manage to pull it off they'll certainly be the 6th seed in the NFC. Felix Jones wasn't their primary rusher, but he was the lightning to Marion Barber's thunder.

Jones was also an excellent kick returner with gamechanging ability. He had a 98 yard touchdown in week two against the Eagles.

The only shot the Cowboys had at making the playoffs was bringing Felix Jones back to improve the offense and special teams, because Lord knows their defense isn't going to get them into the post season. Now that shot is dead. Sorry Cowboys fans.

Jason Whitlock is the Smartest Working Sportswriter

Jason Whitlock is the smartest working sportswriter. This guy just has a solid, intelligent head on his shoulder.

When everyone else in the sports media community is exaggerating (Don Imus) or outright manufacturing controversy (Donovan McNabb) he constantly steps in to be the level-headed voice of reason. Jason Whitlock can write engaging and memorable articles without creating a false brouhaha.

Whitlock wrote an article this week partially defending Donovan McNabb for not knowing the overtime rules. Let's be honest, the outcome of this game was no different than if McNabb had known that the game ends after one overtime. It's not like McNabb squandered the clock on a last-second scoring drive. The defense was not able to get the ball back, Cincinnati missed a field goal, and the Eagles had just enough time for a Hail Mary. If McNabb had scrambled on several plays in a row, or not played with urgency it may have been a different matter.

While we're on the topic of "not knowing the rule book." Let's throw some pressure on Al Michaels and John Madden, for not knowing the illegal forward pass rule during the Eagles game against the Giants. Madden was once an NFL head coach and these guys have been calling football games as long as I have been alive! Neither of them knew that the quarterback's entire body had to be past the line of scrimmage for a penalty? Really? I knew that that was the rule. And I would argue that broadcasters need to know the rules more than players.

Are there any other players in the NFL that have to deal with the scrutiny Donovan McNabb does? Any other players in American sports? I don't think so. T.O. and Joey Porter create the controversy on purpose. Pacman also brings it on himself because he can't help from breaking the law. There really isn't a professional athlete that takes more flak over nothing than Donovan McNabb. And all he does is go out every week, and perform at an elite level at one of the toughest positions in any sport.

Jason Whitlock is like the Donovan McNabb of writers. He does nothing but go out and write intelligent social commentary in his sports articles and somehow seems to find himself in controversy once-in-a-while. (Check out the Playboy article he wrote that editorial director Chris Napolitano retitled "The Black KKK," amongst others.) Keep on doin' what you're doin' Whitlock. You're my favorite writer and I'll stick by you through thick and thin.

Countdown to Pacman's Next Arrest

Pacman Jones was reinstated by the NFL again today, though he's not going to play this Sunday for the Cowboys.

The NFL is being very generous, giving Pacman another chance. Mark my words, he's going to screw it up. This guy hasn't changed. He has no interest in cleaning up his act. He couldn't even keep his nose clean when he had a team bodyguards who were hired specifically to keep it clean for him. If the NFL (and the Cowboys) keep giving this guy chances he has no incentive to straighten up and fly right.

Well, Pacman's back and without the bodyguards. We all know he's going to relapse. The question is: "When?" I'm putting my money on the week after the regular season ends. If the Cowboys somehow manage to make the playoffs they're going to be without his services at the most critical point of the year.

There is no doubt in my mind that Pacman Jones will not get the chance to retire voluntarily. He is going to get kicked out of this league. I just hope that this is his last go-around, because he's never going to change his act, no matter what he or Jerry Jones might say.

Goodell, grow some balls and take a stand. Send Pacman packing for good next time! Lord knows he's earned it.

Bucs Earnest Graham Out For Season

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost their leading rusher to an ankle injury the same week they welcomed back former star Cadillac Williams.

Earnest Graham limped off the field after his first carry against the Vikings and never returned. The Buccaneers placed him in Injured Reserve this week.

Graham was the team's leading rusher, but he was by no means their featured back. He had 563 yards and 4 TDs to this point in the season. Warrick Dunn is expected to assume a larger role, Cadillac might see 10 or 12 carries a game, and recently signed 4th-year man Noah Herron might work into the action a bit too.

The Bucs have employed the running back by committee strategy so far this season, so it's not like they're losing their only offensive weapon. The team should be able to cope for the loss by spreading carries out amongst a different cadre of backs. Look for them to stay strong in the playoff hunt.

I wonder if the Bucs regret releasing Michael Bennet?

NFL Doesn't Owe Gamblers Anything

Everyone in the sports media is making a big deal about the blown call at the end of the Chargers/Steelers game. Some people are claiming the NFL should allowed to revisit and reverse inappropriate calls, but I don't agree.

If the NFL were to start reviewing and altering games after the fact where do they draw the line? Can you only review the last play of the game? Or the last two minutes? Or can you look back at any blown call. What if they start looking at every play, and they determine that a player from team A failed to get into the end zone for a touchdown in the third quarter? Team A went on to win the game. Do they overturn that call? That wouldn't be fair, because Team A may have only played the rest of the game the way they did because they thought they had a lead.

Peter Schrager recently wrote an article titled "NFL needs to come to terms with gambling." I couldn't disagree more. The NFL has no obligations to gambling. If you're willing to put money on a football game you have to be willing to lose that money, whether the officials call a perfect game or not. The NFL - as well as most states - do not condone gambling.

If you want to stake your money on a game - legally or illegally - you do it at your own risk. If the officials make a mistake or two along the way - whether it comes at the beginning of the game, or the end - the NFL is in no way responsible. Your money. Your bet. Your problem. The NFL should keep pretending to be blissfully unaware of the money changing hands every Sunday, Monday and sometimes Thursday.

Easier to Bleed SU Orange than Philly Green

It has been a tough few years for me as a football fan. My two favorite teams are the Syracuse Orange and the Philadelphia Eagles. And you know what? It’s a whole lot easier to be a fan when your team is non-competitive than it is when they consistently fall shy of victory.

Every Saturday when the Orange play I know what to expect. They’re going to lose. Big. I never get my hopes up for a victory. I never confidently bet my friends that they’re going to win. I just sit back and watch them surrender touchdown after touchdown. If the Orange do manage to pull out a victory – like against Louisville in ’07 and ’08 – then I am pleasantly surprised. I can run through the house cheering, waving my shirt above my head. But I always know it was a fluke. It won’t happen again.

At least I know where SU stands. Which is why it’s so much easier to by an Orange fan than an Eagles fan. The Philadelphia Eagles have the talent to compete in the NFL. They have the ability to be a playoff, even Super Bowl team. But why must they consistently disappoint me? The Eagles don’t make any sense; they can win against Pittsburgh, but can’t manage to eek out a victory against Cincinnati? Really?

The Eagles have been in every game this season until the very end. They’ve been competitive. But they somehow managed to find a way to come up just short of victory. They seem to underachieve in the most critical games: against NFC East opponents.

It’s a frustrating time to be an Eagles fan. It’s frustrating to know that we’ve lost at least five or six games these last two seasons because of one play in each. Imagine if we could change the Greg Lewis muffed punt against Green Bay last season. We would have been 9-7 and made the playoffs. If Andy Reid had called pass plays instead of runs on 4th and 1 against the Bears and Giants this year we might be 7-2-1 instead of 5-4-1. And tying the Bengals? Thar was supposed to be a blowout win, a win that was going to give the team confidence and help spur a second half run. Tying the previously 1-8 Bengals is tantamount to a crushing defeat at their hands.

The worst part is that I still have hope for this team. I can still see them running the table and making the playoffs. I can’t discount the Eagles until they’re officially, mathematically eliminated. Which means I’m likely going to be in for more heartache when our team registers 8 sacks against a pitiful squad and still can’t pull out a victory.

It’s harder to be a fan when you know your team can succeed but they keep disappointing you by finding new and interesting ways to blow it at the last minute. At least I know Syracuse is going to lose every game before it even starts. And with Syracuse I know that there’s nowhere to go but up. Any win is a positive win. With Philly, they have the ability to win at least 10 games a season, so falling short of that goal is a disappointment. And, unfortunately, it appears as if they’re heading down that road again.

So here’s a plea to the Eagles. Stop disappointing your fans! Learn from your mistakes (I’m looking at you, Andy) and stop repeating them. Dig deep down inside and find what it takes to get that one extra play that you need to finally win a game. You have the talent to win the Super Bowl. Now it’s time to live up to that. Please!

Czar: Andy Reid's Formula No Longer Working

I wonder if John Czarnecki reads my blog, because he took the words right out of my mouth. In a Week 11 "Second Guesses" article on Foxsports.com he wrote "Reid remains a solid coach, but his formula is no longer working."

I've been saying this for weeks. Andy Reid is still a great coach, but he has just grown stagnant in Philly. Everyone's figured out his tricks and he's not willing (or able) to adapt. The league is becoming more and more a young man's game, with several young, first time coaches having so much success recently. Jim Zorn, Tony Sparano, Jim Harbaugh and Mike Smith are all having great success in their first year with their teams. Sean Payton and Jon Gruden have had great success as first year coaches this decade. Even Lane Kiffin was showing promise with the Raiders before he got canned. Honestly, any wins the Raiders get is massive improvement.

I like Andy Reid, a lot, but it's time for him to move on. Bring in some young, fresh blood. Someone to reinvigorate this team and have them playing inspired ball again. It's frustrating because this team is right on the verge. They could very easily be 10-0 right now, but have dropped so many winnable contests. That's just not going to cut it. Something's gotta give.

Robinson Out as Syracuse Coach

Syracuse University has officially fired Head Coach Greg Robinson. In a move that was a long-time coming and a surprise to no one Robinson was canned after Saturday's 39-14 loss to Connecticut.

Robinson came to SU four years ago after coaching together one of the league's best defensive units as d-coordinator at Texas. There were high hopes that Robinson would come to the school, recruit and coach a tough defense and propel this team over the edge into annual bowl contention - a feat that Paul Pasqualoni had trouble managing in his last few seasons with the team. Paul Pasqualoni, meanwhile, has secured a job as Miami's defensive coordinator this season and is partially responsible for their huge turn around.

Instead, Robinson has gone 9-36 overall and has only managed to beat one decent opponent in his tenure: Louisville in '07 and '08. Everyone, including Robinson, knew that this would be his final season with the team. "I don't think it really comes as a surprise to anyone. It doesn't come as a surprise to me," Robinson said at a news conference Sunday. "I ran out of time. I still see improvement. As always, I'm optimistic, I think with more time I could do better. Obviously, I didn't get it done. That's the bottom line. I understand why the decision was made, so I go from there"

There have been several names batted about amongst the media and fans about who might replace Robinson. Some people think Lane Kiffin would be a good fit for the Orange. He was making strides with the Raiders before he was canned by the maniacal Al Davis. University of Buffalo head coach Turner Gill is another option to take over for Robinson. He's coached an underprivileged, underfunded Buffalo team to bowl contention this season and he's a really good recruiter with ties in the area. Either would be a good candidate in my book.

I really wish Robinson had been more successful, because he was a really nice, down to earth guy, but he just couldn't get the job done. I hope he goes back to his D-coordinator roots and has a good career.

Andy Reid's Seat is So Hot Hos Ass is ON FIRE!

The Philadelphia Eagles tied the hapless Cincinnati Bengals 13-13 today, ending any delusions I had about this team making a Super Bowl run – or even reaching the playoffs.

But what can you expect from a team that has been underachieving for at least two seasons now?

And Reid has made coaching decisions that have led directly to losses to the Giants and Bears, and indirectly to a loss to the Redskins this season. Reid – also the Executive Vice President of Football Operations in Philly – has exhibited a pattern of stubborn behavior the last couple season that has harmed the Eagles franchise more than helped.

Reid gets fixated on players to the point of ineffectiveness. During the beginning of Reid’s head coaching career he leaned heavily on McNabb and the all-pro caliber QB carried the team to 4 consecutive NFC championship games and a Super Bowl.

Recently Reid has been fixated on Brian Westbrook, to the detriment of the team. Westbrook had two excellent seasons in ‘06 and ’07, but he has struggled through injuries and ineffectiveness this season.

Reid gets into stubborn ruts, where he keeps pounding away at a play or tactic that is clearly not working. It’s admirable to be dedicated, but an NFL head coach has to be able to adapt in order to survive. Reid’s motto: “If at first I don’t succeed, try, try again until I guide my team to last in the division two years in a row and get canned”

Reid has also made some interesting personnel decisions in the last two or three seasons. In 2007 he thought it was appropriate to start the season without a punt returner. Two costly specials teams’ fumbles lead directly to a Green Bay victory in week one. Had the Eagles won they would have made the playoffs.

Reid began this season without a true fullback, which has to be a contributing factor to our inability to gain yards on the ground. Dan Kleco – yes, the D-lineman – is currently playing fullback for the Eagles. He helped them this week with a costly false start in OT.

Andy Reid has also drafter two college Defensive Ends for the purpose of moving them to Linebacker: Chris Gocong and Andy Studebaker. Gocong has played okay as a SAM Linebacker, but you have to wonder if the Eagles would be better off having a true ‘backer at the position. Stewart Bradley played SAM at Nebraska, he’d be a natural fit. And the Eagles are high on rookie Joe Mays, who is a natural – if undersized – middle linebacker. And that would allow Gocong, and NCAA Sack Record-holding player to move back to End and rush the passer. I’m not the only person who thinks that makes sense.

Andy Reid was a great coach for this team, but he needs to learn to adapt. For a long time he was at the top of the NFC, but every team has become wise to his tricks. They’ve built their teams and schemes to stop what the Eagles were doing. Reid is standing still while the rest of the league is moving forward. Some of the blame has to go to the players for not executing well, but this team has the talent to win. Ultimately the blame has to fall on the coaching staff at some point.

Andy, I love you, I respect you, I thank you for what you’ve done for this franchise, but it’s time to shape up or ship out, before the rest of the league leaves us in the dust. Play to your strengths, play to the team’s strengths and don’t be afraid to throw the gameplan out the window if it isn’t working.

Matt Ryan is a Top-tier NFL QB

Earlier I wrote about how Joe Flacco was a legitimate NFL starter. I'd like to sing Matt Ryan's praises as well. This kid can ball. If you watch him play he just hangs in the pocket, looks downfield, steps up and delivers the ball with speed and accuracy, right on his man.

Ryan doesn't get rattled. He keeps his eyes downfield all game long, but he does a great job reading the pass rush with his peripheral vision. The Denver Broncos aren't exactly top-tier defensive talent this season, but Ryan has shown excellent poise and skill all season long.

NFC rookie of the year? Absolutely Matt Ryan.

AFC? Joe Flacco.

Eagles Losing to Bengals at Half

The Eagles are losing to a Ryan Fitzpatrick led Cincinnati team at halftime.

Some good teams have struggled with the Bengals this season, but for a team that put up 31 on the Giants last week, 3 points in the first half is unacceptable.

This Eagles team is looking completely ineffective. McNabb has thrown 2 interceptions in the game, his only multi-interception game of the season so far. Westbrook has 6 yards on 4 carries!

If the Eagles lose this game they can kiss their playoff hopes goodbye and Andy Reid should take some time this week to update his Resume. Let's face it, everyone knows his tricks. This teams has gotten stagnant, and if Andy Reid can't change things up then the Eagles might need to bring in another coach who could.

Flacco is a legit NFL QB

Joe Flacco is primed for greatness as an NFL Quarterback.

You can tell as you watch him play against the Giants. He is making some big time throws. He had a beautiful pass to Derek Mason down the seam, threading three (maybe even four) Giants' defenders and hitting Mason on the hands in the end zone. Unfortunately Mason couldn't hold on to the pass, but it was a beautiful throw.

Flacco might be playing well, but the Giants are dominating. Brandon Jacobs ran for more yards in the first quarter than the Ravens allow on average this season.

These Giants look more and more dangerous every week.

Update: Flacco's going to be a good QB in this league. He's still a rookie, and he proved it with a late 1st half interception.

Although, Ben Roethlisberger has as many interceptions in his last 3 games (8) as Flacco has on the season now. If Roethlisberger can still be considered a solid QB you can make an argument for Flacco too.

Updated Update: Manning throws a late 1st half INT too. When you take into account all factors of the game. Strength of the run game, offensive line, defenses and receiving corps I'm going to say that Flacco is having a better game than Manning so far. They're at least tied.

Week 11 NFL Predictions Part 2

St. Louis (2-7) at San Francisco (2-7)
The good news: these teams are tied for second place in their division. The bad news: They’re both stuck at 2-7 and way out of the playoff picture. Steven Jackson’s out, Frank Gore’s in. That’s the difference maker in this one.
Winner: San Francisco 49ers

Arizona (6-3) at Seattle (2-7)
Matt Hasselbeck and Deion Branch are both returning to the lineup for Seattle. Arizona has a commanding lead in the NFC West and it would take an outright, catastrophic collapse for them to blow it this time. Warner, Boldin and Fitzgerald are going to spoil Hasselbeck’s return.
Winner: Arizona Cardinals

Tennessee (9-0) at Jacksonville (4-5)
Frustration is setting in in Jacksonville. The team is underachieving and they’re turning on themselves. Any semblance of chemistry is long gone, as evidenced by Mike Peterson’s insubordination. The Tennessee Titans are absolutely going undefeated this season. In the division, that is.
Winner: Tennessee Titans

San Diego (4-5) at Pittsburgh (6-3)
This is a tough game to call. Under normal circumstances Pittsburgh would be an easy choice here, but Roethlisberger has been battling an injured shoulder the last several weeks, causing him to be quite ineffective. He’s thrown eight interceptions in his last three games! Phillip Rivers has 21 passing touchdowns and he can make the Steelers pay by converting turnovers into points. Ultimately, though, good defense beats good offense.
Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers

Dallas (5-4) at Washington (6-3)
Romo’s back, Portis and Springs are out. Dallas has some gaping holes that need to be addressed, and they’re not going to make the playoffs this season, but they do have enough to take care of the hobbled Redskins. Portis is the engine that makes this offense run, and the team will be crippled without him. At the end of the day there will be a three-way tie for second place in the NFC East, with the Cowboys, Eagles and Skins all sitting at 6-4.
Winner: Dallas Cowboys

Cleveland (3-6) at Buffalo (5-4)
This is a lackluster Monday Night game. The Browns aren’t living up to most people’s expectations. For the record, I thought they were over-hyped. Brady Quinn is going to be a legitimate Quarterback in this league, but he’s unfortunately going to fall to 0-2 as a starter.
Winner: Buffalo Bills

Click here to see part 1

Knicks, Marbury Meet to Discuss Buyout

In a move that has been a long time coming, Stephon Marbury and the New York Knicks have met to discuss a contract buyout. Marbury is a very talented but very selfish player, which does not mesh well with new coach Mike D'Antoni's coaching or personality styles. Marbury and D'Antoni have been butting heads since the beginning.

Stephon claims he wants "every penny" of is $21.9 million contract.

Once the buyout is complete Marbury would be allowed to sign with another team. Some teams reportedly in the mix include Boston, San Antonio, Miami, and the LA Clippers.

Good riddance. New York will be better off without him.

Safety John Lynch to Officially Retire

9-time Pro Bowl safety John Lynch, who was released by the Denver Broncos earlier this year, has decided to end his long NFL career instead of signing with another ball club. Lynch spent the first 11 years of his career with the Buccaneers.

Lynch will hold a press conference in Tampa Bay on Monday to announce his official retirement.

Nash, Barnes, Alston Suspended for Roles in Fight

This just in: The NBA has suspended Matt Barnes and Rafer Alston for two games each for their roles in a confrontation in Wednesday night's game. Steve Nash was also suspended for one game. Tracy McGrady was fined $25K and Shaquille O'Neal was fined $35K.

The fight happened late in the third quarter, when Barnes reacted to a Rafer Alston screen by throwing an elbow. Alston took acception and got in Barnes' face. The shoving started. Nash ran in, McGrady pushed him down and Shaq jumped in pushing everybody. The Refs handed out 7 technicals. Alston and Barnes were ejected from the game. The Rockets went on to win.

The penalties are about what I suspected. I'm a little bit surprised Nash was suspended, but he did escalate the problem.

Check out video of the fight here.

Lebron James Likes Barry Manilow?

ESPN's SportsCenter is making a big deal about LeBron James admitting to having Barry Manilow on his iPod. Apparently Carmello Anthony is a big fan, too.

Is it finally cool to like Barry Manilow? Can I stop hiding my shame? Can I finally sing "Mandy" without the fear of wedgies? Free at last!

"Oh Mandy,
Well you came and you gave without taking
but I sent you away.
Oh Mandy,
Well you kissed me and stopped me from shaking
And I need you today. Oh Mandy"

Week 11 NFL Predictions Part 1

Denver (5-4) at Atlanta (6-3)
Denver has a strong air attack. Atlanta has a strong ground attack. Neither team has a strong defense; so expect a lot of scoring. In the end the Broncos pass attack is too much for Atlanta to keep up with.
Winner: Denver Broncos


Detroit (0-9) at Carolina (7-2)
The Panthers have the second-best record in the NFC. The Lions have the worst. Daunte Culpepper is going to make the lions more competitive if he ever gets back on track, but it’s not going to be this week. Carolina’s defense is just too tough. Delhomme can’t afford to throw 4 interceptions and expect this team to keep winning, though.
Winner: Carolina Panthers


Philadelphia (5-4) at Cincinnati (1-8)
The Bengals are barely competitive with Carson Palmer behind center – they’re downright chumps with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Donovan McNabb has a solid game; Brian Westbrook finally gets back on track. The Eagles D dominates, even if Asante Samuel misses the game with a hip injury. Eagles win by a landslide, taking some heat of Andy Reid for last week’s loss to the Giants.
Winner: Philadelphia Eagles


New Orleans (4-5) at Kansas City (1-8)
The Saints have an unstoppable pass attack and is sure to put up easy points against a vulnerable Chiefs’ defense. But Tyler Thigpen has been playing excellent football these last few weeks and Larry Johnson’s return is only going to help this offense out. The Chiefs have home field advantage in this game and that puts them over the edge. I’m calling it here, Upset Special!
Winner: Kansas City Chiefs


Baltimore (6-3) at New York Giants (8-1)
The New York Giants are the hottest team in the NFC, but the Baltimore Ravens are no slouches. The Ravens have the league’s best run defense, allowing a measly 65.4 yards a game. They have the personnel to slow down Jacobs, Ward and Bradshaw. Ultimately, the Giants pass rush gets to Flacco for at least three sacks is a surprisingly defensive game.
Winner: New York Giants


Minnesota (5-4) at Tampa Bay (6-3)
Tampa Bay is a tough team. They’re rolling on offense and defense and are a serious playoff threat. But Minnesota is coming into the game hot and hungry as well. Adrian Peterson is a once-in-a-generation running back, and the Vikings tough defense spoils Cadillac’s return.
Winner: Minnesota Vikings


Oakland (2-7) at Miami (5-4)
Oakland is a mess. The whole franchise is falling apart. Al Davis loves collecting “athletes” but has no interest in collecting football players. He’s rendered this team non-competitive. You’d like to think this is rock bottom, but I fear it’s going to get worse before it gets better. On the flip side, the Dolphins have turned things around quickly in Miami. Everyone’s giving credit to Parcells, Ireland and Sparano, but let’s give some credit to first year defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni. He was a great head coach at Syracuse and has helped turn this defense from chumps to champs. The defense is keeping the Fins in every game.
Winner: Miami Dolphins


Chicago (5-4) at Green Bay (4-5)
No one in Green Bay is missing Brett Favre, but the Packers run defense has to step up if they want to make a playoff push. Chicago has a rookie of the year candidate in running back Matt Forte. Forte is going to be too much for Green Bay to handle, and Aaron Rodgers is going to come up just short of leading this team to a victory.
Winner: Chicago Bears


Houston (3-6) at Indianapolis (5-4)
Andre Johnson is the best wide receiver in the NFL. Hands down. But with Matt Schaub out with a knee injury this team is going to struggle. Indianapolis isn’t used to trailing in the division, but these guys are winners. They’ll overcome a slow start and make the playoffs. The Colts are just too good to lose a division game to a Sage Rosenfels led team.
Winner: Indianapolis Colts

Rams Jackson Unlikely to Play Sunday

St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson is most likely going to miss this Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers. This will be his third absence in four weeks.

Jackson has struggled mightily along with the rest of his team this season. His only solid game came in a week seven upset of the Dallas Cowboys. Jackson ran like a man possessed in the game, going for 160 yards and 3 TDs on only 25 carries.

The Rams are in rough shape this season, but let's look at the bright side. They're tied for second place in their division and a win this weekend coupled with a Seattle loss will put them in sole possession behind the Cardinals. The flip side is they're also tied for last place in the division and are flounder at 2-7, way out of the playoff picture.

Back to the bright side, this is the only team the Rams can compete with on a personnel level. These are two evenly matched teams and the Rams could easily claim a W, but it's going to be a much tougher fight without Jackson in the backfield.

Jets Beat Pats in OT, Take Control of Division

The New York Jets squeaked by the New England Patriots Thursday night, winning 34-31 after a 34-yard Jay Feely field goal in OT. The Jets avenged a week 2 loss, and are now in sole possession of first place in the AFC East.

Brett Favre managed to avoid throwing in interception for only the third time this season, and Thomas Jones continued working running hard, going for 104 yards and a TD.

Several Patriots had big nights in the loss. Matt Cassel played the game of his life, passing for 400 yards and 3 TDs, while adding 62 yards on the ground! If he keeps this up Brady might have to fight to get his job back (not really - geeze, haven't you ever heard of a hyperbole?) Rookie linebacker Jerod Mayo added 16 tackles to his team-leading 65 on the season. Mayo is having an outstanding season, and the future of this defense is in excellent hands.

The Jets take sole possession of first place in the AFC East tonight, but they'll be looking over their shoulder every week, because the Patriots are looming. One misstep (or untimely Favre "jump-bal"l interception) and the Jets might be right back in a tie. Two missteps and they could tumble all the way to the AFC basement.

Chad Ocho Cinco Credits McNabb for Attitude Adjustment

Cincinnati WR Chad Ocho Cinco (nee Johnson) credits Philly QB Donovan McNabb with helping him change his disgruntled ways.

Ocho Cinco was growing uncomfortable with the direction the Bengals seemed to be heading and his role with the team. He was very vocal during the offseason about his desire to be released or traded. But that all changed near the beginning of the season, after McNabb urged him to put the team first.

“Donovan was a big influence. [He] really is one of the reasons why I really turned myself around and looked at my situation as more of a positive outlook and just thinking about all the people that would love to play this game, you know?” Ocho Cinco said. "He took me in that direction, instead of thinking about, 'Oh, I'm tired of losing and I don't want to be here anymore,' but just thinking about, 'Man, a lot of people wish they were in your shoes just to have the ability to play in the NFL.' That kind of turned me around, and that's why I've been as positive as I have been this year, and even though we're losing, man, I've just been plugging away."

Donovan McNabb is one of the league’s classiest – and most talented - players and he deserves some credit. I don’t understand why the media is always scrutinizing what he does and sensationalizing what he says. The fact is he's a solid top-5 quarterback when healthy, and he's handled scrutiny by the media, fans and even other players with nothing but class.

Can you imagine Peyton Manning or Tom Brady putting up with McNabb-level scrutiny? It would never happen. McNabb is a consummate professional. I wish some of his charm and good cheer could rub off on all of the league’s players.

Cowboys Will "Absolutely" Make Playoffs...Not So Fast Jerry Jones

First it was T.O. who is confident that the Cowboys would make the Playoffs. Then it was Tony Romo claiming his team "has got a great second-half run in it." Now Jerry Jones is jumping into the game too, claiming he believes the Cowboys were "absolutely" going to make the playoffs.

I admire this team's confidence, I really do. But they've been talking a big game for years. It's very clear by now that this team's bark is bigger than it's bite.

Let's face it; the team only has two decent wins on the schedule, against Philadelphia and Tampa Bay. And it's not like the Philly game was a decisive victory. It’s more like they caught a lucky break.

The team lost to Washington, struggled with the Bengals and lost to Arizona, all with Romo in the lineup. Then they dropped a game to the St. Louis Rams. If this team were a real contender they would have won that game, even without Romo.

The second half schedule only gets tougher. They have road games against Washington, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia coming up, and they have the seemingly unstoppable Giants and a very tough Ravens team at home. Don’t be shocked it the Cowboys lose all of those games.

The offense will certainly improve with Romo back from his pinky injury, but last time I checked Romo didn’t play defense, too. This team can score as many points as they want, but if they can’t stop the other team it doesn’t really matter.

Add in the fact that T.O. and Roy Williams have each complained about the number of balls coming their way and you’ve got yourself a disaster brewing. There aren’t enough balls in the world that could satisfy Owens, and eventually both these guys have to realize that the key to victory for this team is a healthy dose of Marion “the Barbarian”, with a little Felix Jones mixed in. That is assuming Jones ever gets healthy.

This team can talk a big game, but everyone’s going to be pointing fingers and asking questions when they finish the season 8-8.

Who Will Win Thursday Night?

New York Jets (6-3) at New England Patriots (6-3):

The Jets and Patriots are currently tied atop the AFC East. Things are going to change this evening, as the Jets head to New England to take on the Patriots. The winner gets sole possession of first place in the division. These two teams met in Week 2 this season, with the Patriots claiming a 19-10 victory.

Things have changed since then. The Jets have rediscovered how to play defense and Thomas Jones is running like a beast, with seven touchdowns in his last five games!

The Pats are no slouches, though. Matt Cassel is playing effective – albeit plain – football. He’s not lighting up the scoreboards, but he’s playing well enough to keep the Patriots competitive. It helps that they’ve discovered a decent running back named BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Green-Ellis has scored once in each of his four starts this season.

The Patriots are playing without one of their top defensive player this week, after Adalius Thomas broke his arm last week. Add that to their weak secondary and nagging injuries to other players and it could be a recipe for a Jets victory.

The Jets defense has all the tools to keep the Patriots offense in check. Thomas Jones is going to have another big day on the ground. The key is Brett Favre. Favre has two throws in his arsenal: the quick slant, and the chuck-it-up-and-hope-a-player-in-a-green-jersey-comes-down-with-it. When they work, they work. When they don’t his team loses. If Favre can protect the ball the Jets will win. If he has another three-interception performance the Jets will lose.

Prediction: Jones goes for two scores, Favre only turns the ball over once. Jets win, 24-17.

Chargers Claim Bennett Off Waivers

The San Diego Chargers claimed ex-Tampa Bay running back Michael Bennett off waivers. Bennett was released by the Buccaneers yesterday, to clear a roster spot for Cadillac Williams.

The biggest killer is that the Chargers stole Bennett right from under the desperate, division leading Denver Broncos nose. Denver - who has had to place their top 4 running backs on IR - was the only other team to put in a claim for the back.

L.T. has been unimpressive this season, but I didn't think the Chargers were in need of help. I'm wondering if they didn't claim Bennett just to spit their AFC West rivals.

Larry Johnson Returns to Field

Larry Johnson has returned to practice for the Kansas City Chiefs. Johnson has missed the last four games, three because he was benched by the team and one because he was suspended by the league for violating the personal conduct policy.

The Chiefs changed their gameplan in L.J.'s absence, opening up the air attack and allowing Thigpen to hurl the ball - which he did quite well.

The offense may look different, but it can only help having the team's top back return to the field. If anything, the emergence of a decent air attack is going to force teams to back off the line and give L.J. some extra running room, allowing him the chance to match his ridiculous '05 and '06 stats.

As for Johnson's continuing legal problems. He is being sued by a woman named Ashley Stewart for allegedly spitting a drink in her face at a club. I once had a law professor tell me that "you can't sue for hurt feelings." And since I doubt she has extensive medical bills from that liquid to the face I hope to God that she gets what she deserves: Nothing. Unfortunately this is America, where people love to punish the wealthy and successful. Johnson's probably going to end up "settling" out of court. Which is just code for hush money.

Fight, Fight, Fight!

The Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns got into a shoving match last night on the way to a 12-point Rockets victory. The melee ended with two players getting ejected. Seven technicals were also handed out. Take a look:



Everyone gets down on sports-related fights and say things like "The win was marred by a fight..." or use words like "Disgraceful" or "Shameful." Get real people! Skirmishes like this are nothing but good for the league, the teams and the players.

I love fights like this! Listen, this isn't the Malice in the Palace, okay. That brawl was disgraceful because the fans got involved. The fans threw things at the players, the players ran into the stands, the fans flooded the court. That was chaos - but great TV*. This was a shoving match - at worst.

No matter what people might think, basketball absolutely is a contact sport. Bodies are bumping and banging into each other. It's a physical game riddled with adrenaline and testosterone. Not only am I not surprised when I see players get into it, I expect players to get into it. It proves they're playing with heart. They're playing with fire. And I'm not surprised when teammates jump in if two players are going to it. You protect your guys.

Shaq summed it up pretty well after the game. "Somebody pushed Steve so I had to take care of my little man," O'Neal said. "It wasn't nothing serious, though, just a push and shoving match."

There's nothing wrong with a little bit of shoving in any team sport. It gets everyone's ire up. Gets them competitive. Helps with team camaraderie. And it's free advertising for the league, when non-sports related news outlets pick up on the story. As long as the fans stay out of it and no one ends up throwing punches or worse, stomping players and using their helmets as weapons, then everything is fine.


*My favorite part of the whole video is about 7:00 in the video, when a short, pudgy fan runs out onto the court to fight the 6'7", 270-pound Ron Artest - a professional athlete in peak physical condition. Then about 15 seconds later Jermain O'Neal runs in and tries to nail the guy's buddy. If O'Neal hadn't slipped I bet that man's head would have exploded.

Hawk to Migrate to Mike

The Packers lost middle linebacker Nick Barnett to a season ending knee injury last week against the Vikings, leaving a gaping hole in the center of their defense. Their solution is to move former number five pick A.J. Hawk inside from his Will spot and insert Brandon Chillar to replace Hawk.

The middle backer position is one of the most important positions for a defense, considering their generally called upon in most defensive schemes to provide a majority of the tackles in run support. The job of an outside linebackers is to seal off the edge of an outside run to either make the tackle themselves, or funnel the runners back towards the middle. Obviously you need a large, physical, sure-tackler in the middle of your defense. Barnett led the team with 49 tackles, but Hawk was a close second with 41.

Hawk has spent his entire Collegiate and Professional career playing the weak side, but he has the size and physical skills to perform well at the position. What I would be most concerned about is the mental aspect. While some people might think "linebackers are linebackers" there is a big difference in responsibilities depending on which of the three spots you play. If Hawk doesn't keep his head in the game he might find himself accidentally reverting back to Will assignments the first week or two he's in there. To complicate matters Hawk is also taking over the role of defensive playcaller, meaning he gets to wear the radio helmet.

While it might not be a flawless transition, from what I hear Hawk's a pretty bright guy and I think he'll pick it up quickly. The Packers are in a tough spot, trailing Minnesota and Chicago by one game in the NFC North. With a record of 4-5 it's more likely they'll get into the playoffs as division champions than as an NFC wildcard team, so every remaining division game is vital.

Roethlisberger Practices with Steelers

Ben Roethlisberger was initially expected to miss this Sunday's contest against the Chargers with a sore throwing shoulder, but he has somehow manaaged to find his way back onto the practice field. He participated in a full practice on Wednesday and is expected to start on Sunday.

Roethlisberger has thrown eight interceptions in the last three weeks and his team lost two of those contests. The game they won was against Washington; the game Byron Leftwich finished.

Roethlisberger has been battling minor injuries all season, but there's a point where you have to let a guy sit if he's not 100-percent. Roethlisberger has been more of a detriment to this team recently, rather than a help.

Byron Leftwich has been successful in his limited role as a reserve. I think Leftwich should get the start this week. Big Ben can dress for the game and be available if the team absolutely needs him, but if Leftwich is plays well and the team is wins then having an extra week to heal will really help them out.

The Steelers have a championship caliber defense, but they need a healthy Roethlisberger to make a serious run in the playoffs. If he isn't given the time to rest and heal properly then this team isn't going to live up to expectations.

Defending Del Rio

Some people are criticizing Del Rio for the controversy that has been simmering the last couple weeks between him and starting linebacker/team captain Mike Peterson. Del Rio sent Peterson home from practice twice last week for insubordination and has fined the linebacker a total of 10 grand.

Peterson admitted to the media today that he is unsure whether or not he's going to be allowed to take the field at all this week against the unbeaten Titans. Peterson conjectured that Del Rio was trying to "move him out of the way and get ready for next year."

Things haven't been going well for the Jags so far this season. They're trailing the division-leading Titans by five games, and have underachieved, losing games to the Bills, Browns and Bengals. Games the most figured to be easy wins before the season began. All five of their losses have come by seven points or less.

The key to the Jaguars' success over the last few seasons has been discipline, and discipline is exactly what they need to get back on top. Del Rio is a no-nonsense coach. He took an opportunity to ream his team for their many faults following a loss to the previously winless Bungles. He warned his players ahead that he didn't want anyone to speak - he didn't want any excuses. Del Rio ripped into Peterson for celebrating a meaningless sack with the Jags trailing big in a game they should have been winning big. Peterson sassed back. He and Del Rio got into a shouting match which resulted with Peterson getting sent home.

I don't fault Del Rio. I support Del Rio. He's the boss and he's in the right here. Tensions are high in Jacksonville, and frustration is setting in amongst the coaches and players, but everyone needs to know Del Rio is in charge. Peterson was insubordinate and now he's being held accountable.

Peterson's contract is up at the end of the season and he's not going to be back. The real question is whether or not he's going to see the field the rest of this season. If he doesn't humble himself and fall in line he's going to be watching the rest of the season from the sideline.