2008 NFL Football Season: Week 11, Patriots Miscues Lead to Loss Against Jets

Jabbar Gaffney Drops a First Down

New York Jets over New England Patriots, 34-31 (OT)

For much of this game both offenses pretty much moved the ball at will against the opposing team’s defense (third quarter excepted). The key difference in the game was superior special teams play on kickoff returns by the Jets, poor red zone offense by the Patriots, and three miscues on offense by the Patriots in the third quarter that cost them scoring opportunities. Even though the Patriots got down 24-6 late in the first half, they didn’t lay down and made a real game of it. But in the end, the Patriots, as they did against the Colts, lost a game they could have, and should have won. It is very unusual to see the Patriots beat themselves. For Patriots fans used to better, it’s also disheartening.

The first half of the game was a disaster defensively for the Patriots. The Jets scored on every single drive they started: two touchdowns, a field goal, and a kickoff return for a touchdown. Meanwhile the Patriots were in the red zone twice and traded field goals for touchdowns with the Jets until a nice last minute drive to close the half with a touchdown to close the gap 24-13. Matt Cassel seems to have a lot of trouble in the red zone, and in fact has the lowest percentage in the NFL for red zone touchdown passes. He threw a terrible pass to Randy Moss in the end zone that forced us to settle for three instead of six. Cassel had a decent first half but he was often inaccurate with his throws toward the sideline.

The third quarter was one of the most frustrating quarters of football I have watched. The Patriots defense finally stepped up and stopped the Jets and the offense was moving the ball well. But miscues by the Patriots offense turned a quarter that could have been a sterling come back into an embarrassing and uncharacteristic series of mistakes. First, during a nice drive Ben Watson fumbled the ball and he wasn’t even hit! Missed scoring opportunity. On the next drive Dan Koppen snaps the ball in shotgun formation when Cassel wasn’t ready resulting in a 23 yard loss and eventual punt. Missed scoring opportunity. Then, on another nice drive, on third and short, Jabbar Gaffney (maybe he should shorten his name to just GAFF), drops a nicely thrown pass that would have resulted in a first down. Missed scoring opportunity. There are a lot of reasons the Jets won the game, but those three plays really cost us a good chance to pull out a win. We finally scored a touchdown late in the third quarter and a two point conversion turned it into a 24-21 Jets lead. Game on!

The fourth quarter reverted back to pretty much what the first half looked like. The Patriots were able to tie the game at 24-24, but lousy kickoff coverage on a short kick gave the Jets good field position and the defense once again let the Jets march down the field on a long scoring drive that ate up the clock and left us in a 31-24 hole. And what do we do on our possession? End up taking a sack and having to the punt the ball. But miracles of miracles we stopped the Jets and Matt Cassel lead a desperation drive with no timeouts with less than two minutes to go which resulted in an amazing touchdown catch by Randy Moss. After the extra point the game was tied 31-31. OVERTIME.

I knew going into overtime that whoever won the coin toss would win the game barring a turnover. So it was a 50-50 chance. Too bad. The Jets got the toss, ran the ball down our throats, and won on a short field goal. A friend and fellow Patriots fanatic who I was watching the game with suggested we should go for a two point conversion at the end of the game to win it instead of taking the 50-50 chance on the coin toss (we both agreed whoever won the coin toss would win the game). Given the results and the way our offense was playing, I wonder. I wouldn’t have gone for the two-point conversion but what do you think?

Other Observations about the Game

Jets Fans: My “friends” – and I’ll use that term loosely this week – who happen to be Jets fans, were unusually obnoxious leading up to this game. I guess because it has been a long time since they have had something to cheer for. I dread to hear their gloating this week and their praise of Eric “Traitor” Manweenie and Brett Farve, who has made a joke out of his career with the Packers with his actions this year.

Holding Penalty on Mike Vrabel on Jets Last Touchdown Drive: On third and short for the Jets in the fourth quarter the Patriots appeared to stop the Jets and force them to settle for a short field goal. Instead they got first and goal from point blank range. I am not suggesting bad officiating costs us the game, well maybe I am. I saw the replay several times and that was an egregiously horrible call that all but gave the Jets a touchdown instead of a field goal. That could have been the deciding factor in the game. I saw the replay several times and if that was defensive holding then the NFL should just fold and disband all the teams because you would have to call holding on almost every single short passing play. I am sick of seeing refs make such stupid bad calls in critical situations.

Matt Cassel: Matt Cassel has demonstratively improved as the season has progressed and played an excellent ball game for the most part. He did struggle with accuracy at times, especially on sideline passes. And his deep balls were way off target and that really takes away from our advantages on offense with Randy Moss in the mix. He clearly has an NFL caliber arm as his deep balls are mostly overthrown not underthrown. It’s the timing and accuracy that are off. His red zone passes are also a bit problematic and an area the team needs to improve on. Cassel still has a way to go in these areas, but overall I am very impressed with his improvement over the year. He showed a great deal of leadership in the second half and his last touchdown drive was, well, Brady like.

Game Plan: This game, unlike the Colts game, isn’t on Belichick or his coaching staff. They abandoned the running game when they got behind and had a game plan that allowed us to move the ball up and down on the field with ease for much of the game. It was the aforementioned mistakes by players that nixed us in this game.

Defense: If our defense could play like they did in the third quarter all the time we would really have something going. But for the most part they were just eaten up by the Jets offense. I don’t know if it is injuries, our weak defensive backfield, or something else, but we have to do better than we did against the Jets! Jerrod Mayo, our rookie linebacker out of Tennessee was phenomenal. I read an article that said he was overrated. That is laughable. This guy may turn out to be a dominant defense player barring injury.

Special Teams Play: Our kickoff coverage was horrible all game long and constantly gave the Jets good field position and handed them one touchdown. This late in the season I just don’t understand that. That was the one key area were we clearly lost this game. Thus I give you the MVP of the game.

MVP: Leon Washington, KR/RB, New York Jets

Week 11 NFL Picks

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, from Getty Images

I’m coming off my best week yet, 11-3 and had the Packers hit their 52 yard field goal, it’d have been even better.  I think I might be starting to understand this crazy season…which inevitably means I’ll be sub-.500 this week.  Hubris will be punished by the NFL gods!  Well, we’ll give it our best shot anyway.

New England over NY Jets: I’ll be honest, this first pick scares me.  I’m going with NE because they’re at home and Cassel seems to play well there.  The loss of Thomas on defense has me a bit worried, but the Pats usually manage to win despite half their defense qualifying for the AARP.  I’m counting on Favre to throw two killer picks and that to be the deciding factor in the game.

Atlanta over Denver: I truly give up on this Atlanta thing.  I thought I had them figured out, win against crappy teams, lose to decent ones, but then they killed the Saints last week.  Not that the Saints qualify for decent really, but I figured Brees could outgun them.  They’re 4-0 at home and Denver has been pretty bad this season, so I’ll give it to the Falcons.  Matt Ryan, ROY.

Philly over Cincy: Alas, Cincy won’t be able to add to their win total…I heard rumblings that they were hoping to sweep and end up 8-8 on the season.  I can’t even type that without collapsing into fits of giggles.  Oh Bengals, you slay me.  Philly’s coming off a hard loss against the Giants and they will want to make a statement here.

Green Bay over Chicago: Toss up game for me here, the Bears played the Titans tight last week and shut down their running game. GB’s running game has been nothing to speak of so they’ll have to pass here anyway.  I figure that Grossman will be Grossman and thus I’m going for GB.  When in doubt, pick the better QB, that’s my motto.

Indy over Houston: Has the real Peyton Manning reappeared?  Though they should have lost the game against the Steelers (and again, another game I just missed, could have been 13-1, sigh), Peyton looked good pretty much the whole game.  Harrison missed out on some catches that he made in past years, the timing is still a bit off, but the rest of the offense is warming up.  Houston is QBed by the immortal Sage Rosenfels…Manning or Rosenfels?  Tough one!  Manning it is, in a landslide.

New Orleans over Kansas City: Poor KC, two weeks in a row with heartbreaking losses.  Faux MVP Drew Brees should have a field day against that defense so I don’t think this game will be close.  Of course, the Saints D could prove me wrong.  Drew should light it up this week, but he’s out of the MVP race due to his team sucking thoroughly and Kurt Warner forgetting that he’s 8 years older than he was the last time he played this well.

Miami over Oakland: Dear lord, my nearly Ofer team last year is going to be 6-4 after today.  Amazing turnaround.  Sparano should be a big time candidate for coach of the year.  Meanwhile, Al Davis will be scanning the stands for his next head coach.  Get your resumes updated Miami residents, you could be the next Raiders coach!

NY Giants over Baltimore: Ooooooh.  That’s the sound I made when I saw this game.  Hard hitting? Check!  Turnover city?  Probably check!  The return of the Eli Manning face (TM Bill Simmons)?  Check!  Seriously this one will be a slobberknocker of a game, to borrow a phrase from one of those old guys like Madden.  I’m going to go with the Giants D to throw some stuff at Flacco he’s unprepared for and cause turnovers.  Should be close though.

Tampa Bay over Minnesota: Why did I think we played the Lions this week?  Is that next week?  What is going on with me?  Why didn’t anyone tell me?  Sigh.  Anyway, I’ll pick the Bucs over Frerotte any day.  AD scares me a bit but the Bucs D has been mostly effective against the run (minus the KC game) and they had a whole week of rest to rejuvinate.  I’m guessing 3 picks from old Gus in this game.

Carolina over Detroit: Oh, Carolina gets to beat Detroit this week.  Well bully for them.  Jake Delhomme is coming off a terrible showing against Oakland, but a win’s a win.  I don’t imagine this game will be very challenging for him.  Will Culpepper get the start again this week?  Hensen seems to give them a better chance, so of course they’ll go with Dante.  The dream should still be alive!

San Francisco over St. Louis: Alright, San Fran should have beaten Arizona on Monday night and things do seme to be getting better.  If Martz can just figure out how to run the right play at the end of the game, they should win.  The Rams are already studying the tapes of the college players, so winning doesn’t benefit them any at this point.  Singletary gets his first, of hopefully many cause he’s awesome, wins.

Arizona over Seattle: I think I might have seen something about Hasselbeck returning, but I could have made that up just like I made up the Lions playing the Bucs this week.  Nope, I didn’t imagine it.  I think they might get some WR’s back this week too, but it’s too little too late at this point.  I’m starting to believe in Arizona, in the sense that I think they will win their division but nothing else, so they’re my pick this week.

Tennessee over Jacksonville: Hmmm I am very torn on this one, I could see Jax pulling it out, but they’re such a disappointment this year.  Tenn isn’t going to go 16-0 (are they?) but Jax’s offensive line is not good and Tenn’s is.  Should be low scoring but I’ll take the Titans to roll to 10-0.

Pittsburgh over San Diego: This could go either way depending on Ben’s shoulder, but SD has underachieved all year and there’s no reason to think they will get out of their funk at this point in the season.  They could have lost to KC last week, so I don’t give them much of a chance in Pitt, hurt Ben or not.

Dallas over Washington: The return of Romo!!!  Aren’t ya’ll just beside yourselves with excitement?  Aren’t you certain that now Dallas will be in the Super Bowl?  Not so much, eh?  Me either, but the I hear Portis is pretty hurt at this point and without him I don’t see Washington winning.  It’d be nice if they finally showed me a good game again though.  I’m giving the Romo’s this week, but I don’t think the ship is righted.

Cleveland over Buffalo: Let’s face it, the shine is off the Bills at this point.  They’ve lost 3 in a row to division opponents and haven’t looked the same since Edward’s got his concussion.  The Browns have some hope now that Brady Quinn is behind center and they were playing with new life, up until that last Braylon Edwards drop against Denver.  And fantasy football owners everywhere how with rage and shake their fists toward the sky.  Braylon Edwards, this years fantasy killer.

That’s the picks for this week folks, let’s hope we get some more great games, and that Detroit continues to lose.  Give me something!

Last Week:  11-3

Season Record:  88-55

[11/12] The Phillies: The Unexpected Champions

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When this season started, not many people predicted the Philadelphia Phillies to go all the way. Even when they were in the playoffs, they were not a favorite. Even after convincing series wins over Milwaukee and Los Angeles, Philadelphia was still considered an underdog. Who would have guessed this would be the team of destiny?

To be honest, they really are a group of ragtag players, who come from all different places. There’s the 71-year old general manager, who is in his last year with the team. There is the manager, who has been dubbed a “baseball lifer,” who, just a little over a week after his mother died, led his team to the ultimate victory. There is the 45-year old pitcher, who, in his 22nd season, has never won a World Series. Then there is the 2006 NL MVP, and the one day NL MVP, who are in their 1st World Series after growing up in the minor leagues together. There is the Game 2 starter, who earlier this year, was sent back down to the minor leagues because his stuff wasn’t clicking. There is the Game 4 starter, who just a few months ago, was on a team that finished with a record below .500. There is the closer, who was all but exiled from major league baseball. He was perfect in save situations this year, including the playoffs. There is the NLCS MVP, who, on his wife’s birthday, watched his bullpen finish what he started 2 days earlier. There is the 33-year old rookie, who is in the World Series for the first time after spending much of his career in the minor leagues. There are the Phillies fans, who have been waiting 28 years for this moment. Then there is the City of Philadelphia, who has been waiting 23 years, and a combined 100 sports seasons for this day.

The 45-year old
Jamie Moyer was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1984. He pitched with them through the 1988 season. After that, he went on to play for Texas, St. Louis, Baltimore, Boston, Seattle, and now Philadelphia. He had been to a Championship series only once before. He never made it to a World Series. In perhaps his last chance, Moyer pitched 6 innings in a Game 4 victory. Philadelphia pounded the Rays, 10-2. The best thing about Moyer is that if he decides to retire, he can go out on top. He doesn’t have 300 wins, and he might not be a lock for the Hall of Fame, but he does have the coveted ring, after 22 long years.

The MVP’s
Ryan Howard won the award in 2006. Chase Utley seemed to be on a pace to win it in 2007 and 2008, but nevertheless will win one someday. These men are the faces of the Phillies franchise. They rose through the minor league system together. Utley debuted a year before Howard, but have spent the majority of their careers together. They are all-stars. They are award winners. They are the future of baseball. Yet they lacked the thing that mattered most. The ring. After driving in 10 runs together, they continued to play the game well enough to get the victory.

The Closer
Brad Lidge all but lost his credibility following the 2007 season. The team he spent his entire career with let him go. His reputation was diminishing, and he was considered a joke when it came to the postseason. After joining the Phillies, Lidge did what last year was unthinkable for him. He was perfect in save opportunities, converting 41 saves on 41 chances. He kept that up in the postseason, going 8-for-8. He was so lights out, that the Phillies were 89-0 when they were leading after the 8th inning. While he provided some white knuckle moments, Lidge redeemed himself at the grandest of stages. To add to his lore, Lidge bore resemblances to Tug McGraw, the great Phillies closer who ended the 1980 World Series with a strikeout. Lidge did the same thing, 25 years later.

The 33-year old Rookie
Chris Coste entered the baseball spectrum in 1998. He didn’t make his professional debut until 2006, at the age of 33. He wrote a book about his struggles, entitled, “The 33-year old Rookie.” He went to the playoffs last year with Philadelphia, but their season ended shortly after that. This time, he got to stay for the whole show. All though he had only 4 at bats in the World Series, you can’t imagine that he would be disappointed with his 0 hits. His dream was realized just a few years ago, and now his team is the holder of the Commissioner’s Trophy.

The City of Philadelphia
There have been many tragic things to happen to Philadelphia sports teams over the past 23 years. The loss in the 2002 NFC Championship game. The 1993 World Series loss. Reggie White joining the Packers. Charles Barkley getting traded to the Suns. The loss of Allen Iverson. Terrell Owens. Smarty Jones losing the Triple Crown. Larry Brown. Donovan McNabb’s injuries. The Phillies 10,000th loss. I could go on and on. In fact, here is a list of the 100 worst things to happen to Philadelphia sports. Despite all the heartbreak and humiliation, these fans stuck by their teams. I think it says more to the city than just the Phillies fans. They are no longer a joke. They can now point their fingers and laugh at the other unfortunate cities. Why not? 100 seasons is a long time to wait.

Now that is done and over, the Phillies get to take it all in. They ended a historic drought, broke the Curse of Billy Penn, and declared themselves World F***ing Champions. The team might not remain the same next season, but at least the 2008 Phillies will always be in the record books.

2008 NFL Football Season: Week 10

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This was another wild, crazy week in the NFL.

New England Patriots over Buffalo Bills, 20-10
Too bad I didn’t get to see this game but by all accounts Matt Cassel is improving and playing well, the running game is working despite that the Patriots are down to an undrafted rookie free agent, and the defense is finally stopping people. The bright side of this game is that the Patriots are now tied with the Jets for first place in the AFC East and are much improved from the beginning of the season. How Belichick is getting this severely injury depleted team to 6-3 at this point of the season is a testament to the front office and the coach. Had we not bungled the game last week we would be 7-2 and sitting pretty! The Patriots controlled the ball with its running game and short passing attack for most of the second half. Wes Welker had his usual sterling game with 10 catches for 107 yards. Dink and dunk? Who cares? What we care about are wins. And to think pundits said this team would be lucky to finish 6-10 without Tommy Boy!

But once again the Patriots lost another key starter on defense for the season, linebacker Adalius Thomas. How they will overcome such attrition to their players remains to be seen.

MVP: Wes Welker, WR, New England Patriots

GAMES I WATCHED

Minnesota Vikings over Green Bay Packers, 28-27

The Minnesota defense won this game, Adrian Peterson salvaged it. The Vikings overcame three horrible interceptions by Gus Frerotte, one that was returned for a touchdown, to pull out the game 28-27. Adrian Peterson had a phenomenal 29 yard run at the end of the game for a touchdown that all but sealed the deal for the Vikings. Matt Crosby missed a 52 yard field goal at the end of regulation after the Vikings defense held the Packers back after a good kickoff return at the end of the game.

I have a lot of affinity for Gus Frerotte, the 15 year veteran and late round draft pick by the Washington Redskins who supplanted Heath Shuler, the bust of a top draft pick, back in the early 90’s. He has mostly played well this year, if inconsistently, giving the Vikings a much better chance to win than Tarvaris Jackson, who was simply inept. But like his season, Frerotte was very uneven in this game. But when he was terrible, he was very terrible. He was inaccurate with many passes and his interceptions were boneheaded. His three picks directly resulted in 17 points for the Packers and it really cost the Vikings more points given they were in very good field position on two of his miscues. Had it not been for Frerotte’s picks this would have been a blowout. Adrian Peterson was phenomenal with 192 yards rushing and 33 yards receiving. He really put on his Superman cape and willed this team to victory.

And the Vikings defense was just as phenomenal. They scored two safeties in the game and I don’t recall the last time I saw two safeties in one game.

For the Packers, they have a lot to be worried about. Aaron Rodgers has played well but not great since his shoulder injury and he took a real beating in this game. For the most part the offense didn’t do much. Well, they didn’t do anything really. 14 of the Packers 27 points came on an interception return for a touchdown and a punt return for a touchdown. But at least they made the turnovers count for points and very well could have won the game despite their lack of offensive firepower. It’s hard to say whether the lack of offense the last two weeks was great defense by the Titans and the Vikings or just poor offense. From my observation it’s a little of both but I think offensively they will be fine. Their defense, however, can’t stop the run and they rely on turnovers to keep them in the game. And this game they lost linebacker Nick Barnett. It will be a long and interesting stretch for both teams the rest of the season.

MVP: Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings

Indianapolis Colts over Pittsburgh Steelers, 24-20

Two dumb interceptions by Big Ben equals a win for the Colts (his third was a desperation heave so I won’t count that). As usual the Pittsburgh defense was the best unit on the field, although they gave away one touchdown on a tipped ball that Reggie Wayne turned into a long touchdown. But the Colts aren’t dead yet and it’s hard to overcome turnovers against a Manning lead offense. The Colts scored 14 points off turnovers which was the difference in the game. But let’s give a little love to the Colts oft maligned defense as well. Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis played in the Steelers backfield most of the game, putting some pressure and hits on Big Ben. But the Steelers, or Rottenberger, gave this game away.

MVP: Reggie Wayne, WR, Indianapolis Colts

New York Giants over Philadelphia Eagles, 36-31

The Giants are another team that dominated the game but kept it close because of turnovers. The Eagles turned two turnovers in the first half into 14 points while the Giants turned two Eagles turnovers into only six points, which kept the Eagles in the game. In the second half the triple headed monsters of Brandon Jacobs, Derek Ward, and Ahmad Bradshaw ran the ball down the Eagles throats and there wasn’t a heck of a lot they could do about it. While the big three ran, the Eagles failed to make it on fourth and short late in the game. As great as Brian Westbrook is, his forte isn’t short yardage runs. End of story.

The Giants have proven that last years run through the playoffs and their Super Bowl win was no fluke. When Eli isn’t tossing balls to the other team, their punishing running game and stellar defensive line and linebackers can carry the day.

MVP: Brandon Jacobs, RB, New York Giants

Arizona Cardinals over San Francisco 49′ers, 29-24

Wow, I saw some good games this weekend and this was the wildest and most entertaining of the lot. First Kurt Warner played the best game at quarterback I have seen so far this season. He was simply phenomenal. I like Kurt Warner a lot for some reason and I’m glad to seem him out there playing well. He has some ball security issues historically, but the last few weeks he’s gotten good protection and has played lights out. And the Cardinals needed it this day.

This was a game where it was clear the Cardinals were the better team but they just could not put away the suddenly scrappy, hard playing San Francisco 49′ers. Say what you will about Mike Singletary as a coach, and his staff certainly botched the end of this game, but at least the 49′ers played hard and with a lot heart, which is all you can ask for. Several key plays kept the 49′ers in the game, including the opening kickoff, which was run back for a touchdown by Allen Rossum. They also held the Cardinals out of the end zone after long drives that ended up in short field goals in the first half.

The end of the game for the 49′ers was an absolute fiasco. They had a great chance to win the game but with at least 40 seconds on the clock with no timeouts, they were unorganized and let most of the time run off the clock. Then they ran an inexplicable running play with the fullback on the 1 ½ yard line as time ran out. I’d love to see how Mike Singletary and offensive coordinator Mike Martz cozy up this week.

The 49′ers are not a good team. The have one good offensive player, Frank Gore. They have one could be good player but is an asshole, TE Vernon Davis. Their defense isn’t that bad, especially with Patrick Willis in the middle. But they have a lot of work to do. Shaun Hill is not an NFL starting caliber quarterback. He is gritty and tough, but he made some silly mistakes and his mechanics and throwing motion are very odd. It will be interesting to see what decisions this team makes at the end of the season as far as coaches go, but I think they have a long way to go to be a good team.

MVP: Kurt Warner, QB, Arizona Cardinals

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Offensive Player: Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings

Defensive Player: Julius Peppers, DE, Carolina Panthers

Offensive Lineman: Ryan Clady, LT, Denver Broncos (ROOKIE)

Special Teams: Joshua Cribbs, RB/KR, Cleveland Browns

Rookie of the Week: Ryan Clady, LT, Denver Broncos

Week 10 NFL Notes

Indy picks off Big Ben to end the game, photo from The AP

Another wild week in the National Football League folks!  There were so many Douchetard applicants this week that I had to take a poll of people just to select one.  So you know what that means, we had some astoundingly craptastic performances.  Let’s take a look, shall we?

• Last nights Giants/Eagles game was a fun one, full of lots of scoring and lots of turnovers!  One egregious one was Brandon Jacobs attempting to channel Knowshon Moreno and vault over a defender.  Brandon Jacobs probably weighs about 100 lbs more than Knowshon and this did not work, fumble, Philly ball.  Kevin Boss then vaulted someone as well, to show Brandon how you’re supposed to do it, no fumble this time.  The Eagles had a chance on 4th and 1 and Westbrook was unable to get the first down, ending the ball game.  Exciting one, always love Giants/Eagles games.  And the champs continue to look awesome.
• One of my contenders for Douchetard of the Week was Herm Edwards, for going for 2 against San Diego instead of taking the extra point and sending the game to overtime.  Now, I chose not to use him because I applauded Shanahan for doing this against the same Chargers (maybe it’s a Chargers thing?) earlier in the season, so it would have been hypocritical of me not to approve because it didn’t work this time.  I give Herm credit for balls, but they fall to 1-8, so it’s a hollow credit to be sure.  San Diego continues to pretty much disappoint though, they didn’t exactly make a statement in this win.  Lucky for them they’re in the AFC Least, anybody could take it, well, except Oakland and KC.
• Congratulations, Oakland, you managed to score this week!  2 whole field goals!  I mean, you still lost, but that’s a moral victory in and of itself.  I have seen no highlights of this game but I do know Jack Delhomme threw 4 picks and Carolina managed to win 17-6.  That says an awful lot of things about Oakland’s suckitude right there.  How does a team get 4 turnovers and still lose?  Well by having 3 of their own and having Al Davis as an owner I guess.  Buck up Oakland fans, he can’t live that much longer.  Or can he?
• The sports shows would have you believe that Drew Brees is in contention to be league MVP this year.  Ummm…okay…he was also in contention to be my Douchetard this week for a terrible performance against Atlanta.  Oh he threw for 422 yards but he also threw 3 picks, one that went 95 yards for a TD.  Add that to your stat total Drew!  The Saints are quite the disappointment this year, that defense is atrocious.
• In contrast, Matt Ryan continues to exceed expectations.  He looks like a vet back there, not a rookie QB.  Between him and Flacco I don’t know what to make of the world anymore.  Rookie QBs are supposed to suck, but noooo.  They are both 6-3 and looking like they might make the playoffs.  What a strange sport this is.  Kudos to Atlanta though, they deserved something good to happen after the Michael Prick debacle (though if Arthur Blank hadn’t enabled him, they might not have been in this mess in the first place).  I still hate Baltimore for their earlier abuse of my picking this season, as well as ruining Miami’s Ofer last season, but I grudgingly admit that they have a heck of a team going on right now.
• Of course, it helped the Ravens to play the immortal Sage Rosenfels last week, winner of our first DT award and serious contender for it this week as well.  I decided against this only because I didn’t expect him to be any good and he lived up, or down, to my expectations.  Houston never had a chance in this game, although it was semi-close in the 3rd quarter.  Our hero threw 4 picks and 1 TD and the Texan fans who were hating Schaub are crying wanting him back, or they’d probably even take pretty David Carr back at this point.
• The Chicago/Tenn game was quite a slugfest.  Chicago managed to shut down Tenn’s vaunted running game, limiting them to around 20 yards, but Kerry Collins shouldered the load and threw for 289 yards.  Grossman was…Grossman, with 1 TD and 1 pick.  He nearly led the Bears to the tying TD but they failed to convert a 4th down from the Tenn 41, ending the game.  Tenn improves to 9-0 and I can’t be more shocked that we have an undefeated team at this point in this years wacky NFL.
• And, happily, the dream is still alive as Detroit falls to 0-9.  Jacksonville headed my warning and provided a proper beatdown in Detroit, winning 38-14. Culpepper went 5/10 for 104 yards and 1 interception before giving way to Drew Stanton, who managed to lead Detroit to a TD and went 6/8 for 94 yards.  Could we have a QB controversy in Detroit already?  Welcome back to the NFL Dante.  Or NFL Jr, such as it is.  Though I’m thrilled the Lions roll on to infamy, I worry because the Bucs have them next.  We better not gag against them or I will lose my shit in a way none of you have ever seen before.
• Miami continues its unbelievable march to respectability, winning a close one against Seattle but improving to 5-4 on this season.  Who would have thought a 1-15 team last year would look this much better?  Al Davis is spinning in his grave.  Well, he would be if he would just get in there (sorry again Oakland!).  The wildcat offense lives, producing a 51 yard TD for Ricky Williams and Pennington passed for over 200 yards as well.  What a difference a respectable QB makes.
• I was ready to give the DT award to GB’s kicker, for missing a game winning TD, but since it was a 52 yarder I felt that would be unfair.  This game was back and forth the whole time and exciting, with AD Peterson taking over the game (as I believe I mentioned he needed to for a win) and running for nearly 200 yards, 29 coming on his last carry for the go-ahead TD.  GB falls a game behind Chicago and Minny in their division.  You call it, I can’t figure it out!
• Matt Cassel in NE is a different Matt Cassel isn’t he?  He looked like a great game manager yesterday and BenJarvus Green-Ellis kicked in 105 yards and a TD to seal the win for the Pats.  Quite a feat for an undrafted free agent, right?  I love stories like that.  I also love his nickname, Law Firm, which I read in Don Banks’ column at SI.  How perfect is that?
• So much for Jim Haslett making the Rams a feel-good story after firing Linehan.  They got their 2 surprise wins but now they’re back to the Rams we knew and loved early in the season, who looked like they’d go 0-16.  Sigh.  Stupid Redskins.  Anyway, the Jets won 47-13, which made me think that Favre had lit them up, but no, he went 14/19 for 1 TD.  They let the running game carry them to victory (good choice) with Thomas Jones going for 149 yards and 3 TD’s and Washington adding 54 of his own.  The Rams kicked in 5 turnovers and the rout was on.  Fun game!
• Finally we’ve arrived at the long awaited Douchetard of the Week award.  Can you guess who it is?  What’s the one game I didn’t discuss yet?  Indy at Pittsburgh.  Yep, Big Ben Roethlisberger is this weeks winner.  He threw 3 picks, two that directly led to Indy touchdowns.  One was just before the half.  Pitt could have gone into the locker room with a 10 point lead but Indy got the ball around the Pitt 35 and punched it in quickly.  3 point lead at the half.  Later, Pitt was still leading when Ben was picked off again.  Indy took the ball and took the lead.  Ben had a last chance to get the victory but the Hail Mary was picked off in the end zone.  I know he’s hurting but his mistakes cost his team, and me, a victory.  Big Ben, congratulations, you are our Douchetard of the Week.

That’s it for all but the Monday night game.  I only lost 3 games so I’m feeling pretty good yet again.  I might just have figured this crazy year out.  We’ll see.  See you later in the week for this weeks picks!

My long, Penn State, National Nightmare is over

AP

On Saturday, November 1st, I entered into a self-imposed NCAA football exile that lasted until 3:30 pm on Saturday, November 8th.  The crushing FSU defeat was just too much for me.  I couldn’t handle the ESPN coverage, the twelve emails I get from the Official Seminoles website and the Facebook status updates.  It was all too much, so I stopped watching Gameday, didn’t read any sports articles and I had to learn by word of mouth about Phil Fulmer.  Luckily for me, the Election and Susan Lucci getting voted off of Dancing with the Stars proved to be huge distractions.

Of course, the Seminoles were able to pull off a win against Clemson in the first non-Bowden bowl in years.  I’ll be honest: I’ve always hated the Bowden Bowl so I’m not really crying in my pillow at night about the it.  With that being said, I’m extremely happy that the running game has returned, we beat Clemson at home and Bobby pulled out a win on his birthday. 

I thought it was really sweet of Iowa to give Bobby Bowden a one-win advance on Joe Paterno’s lead.  Hopefully Joe Pa will give me a Christmas present and retire in January.

Of course Penn State’s loss is Florida’s gain as the Gators beat up my one time hope, Vandy.  Remember how strong Vandy was out of the gate?  It reminded me of how I was so certain that Rudy Giuliani was going to be the Republican nominee and then he wasted all of his campaign time and money in Florida and we ended up with McCain and a Neiman Marcus shopper who can see Russia from her house.  So now everyone I know is planning SEC Championship tailgates and I’m hoping that we win out and Wake Forest loses again. 

What’s up with USC? How can I continue to make fun of them if they only outscore their opponent by 14 points?  For people living in Los Angeles, they’re not making a very impressive showing for November Sweeps.  Seriously, Pete Carroll’s evil twin should show up or Sanchez should show up on Gameday with Teri Hatcher on his arm.  Something.  Come on guys, you’re losing in ratings to the Big XII.  A conference lacking any kind of discernible defense.  That’s another thing.  I’m getting confused (and a little bored) with all the Texas and Oklahoma teams.  Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, etc.  Since the defenses don’t show up, why don’t they just settle the conference title game by having on of those carnival booths where all the quarterbacks can just throw the football into a hole?  That would be like a good, thirty second clip tailor made for SportsCenter.

Close Calls & Another Top Team Falls

Iowa's kicker brings home the win against PSU, photo from the AP

Another week of college football, another week of excitement and let downs!  We had a few really stellar games yesterday and some unexpected blowouts.  This, of course, is the fun of college football and this year is just as, if not more, wild than all the others.

• Awww the crusty old man isn’t going to get a shot at another national championship!!!  Regular readers might have picked up on the fact that I’m no fan of JoePa, so I’m not going to shed any alligator tears over their last second loss to Iowa.  We needed to see another Big 10 team in the national championship game like we need the Dow Jones to go down another 1000 or so points.  They just can’t hang with the big boys right now.
• LSU, if you actually had a quarterback you would have knocked off Alabama yesterday.  What is up with that Lee kid?  He throws a pick 6 to help Bama tie the game at 14 and then throws an interception in overtime that ices the game.  And he had been saved by LSU special teams blocking a very short field goal by Bama.  I know the kid is a freshman but you just can’t lose a game like that.
• Speaking of Bama, they are going to get their butts handed to them by UF in the SEC championship game.  That is one of the least impressive #1 schools I’ve seen in recent years.  They’re eeking out wins but they’re not looking impressive and against a team that can score?  They’ll be in trouble because their offense isn’t all that.
• Ahhh Florida, just how long do you have to let Tebow stay in the game on a blowout win?  And why are teams not going out of their way to cheap shot him for still being in the game that late?  Why am I not a head coach so that I can order this to happen?  That’s right, I am like the Sensei in Karate Kid, “Sweep the leg!”  Hopefully the UF/FSU game won’t be a blowout this year but if it is, I bet my boys will cheapshot.  They’re coached right!  Yes, I am terrible, I admit it.
• It’s only taken about a decade, or it feels that way, but the Noles have finally found their running game.  It was hiding in the quick feet of a freshman out of Jacksonville named Thomas all of these years.  Who knew?  Seriously, I am in love with that kid.  It feels like every time he touches the ball he rips off 10-20 yards.  Why it’s taken the coaching staff this long to decide to get the kid more heavily involved in the offense is beyond me.  We would have taken Wake if we had, I am quite confident of that.
• The ACC…what do I say about it at this point?  Does anybody want it?  UNC knocks off Ga Tech who knocked off the Noles last week.  The Noles take down Clemson (Hooray!)  Wake takes out UVA who was in position to take their division.   I don’t have a clue but I do know that I need Wake to lose, so someone take care of that.
• While I’m discussing conferences, let’s talk about the Big Least.  Was West Virginia their only ranked team, at #25 no less?  And then they lose in overtime to Cincy, an overtime they had to fight to even get to?  Pathetic conference, seriously.  Their automatic bid in the BCS needs to be revoked.
• The Phil Fulmer Farewell Tour continues its march toward its pathetic end.  Tennessee lost 13-7 to Wyoming.  Yes, that football powerhouse, Wyoming.  Three games in a row Tenn has failed to score in double digits.  I don’t know who will agree to come in and coach that team, but I’ll laugh if Gruden does go for that job.  That team is a long way from competing for the middle of the road in the SEC, let alone contending for a championship.
• What is going on with the Georgia defense?  I understand losing to UF but they nearly lost to KY and gave up 38 points.  And a last minute interception is what kept them from losing the game.  I don’t know what is going on there but they’ve ruined my Knowshon’s Heisman campaign and I am not appreciative.
• No Heisman will be seen at USC this year, but at least they’re comforted by the fact that they get to beat up on Pac-10 teams and wait to see if anybody above them stumbles.  They’ll check in at about #6 this week. Can the media stop building shrines to their supposedly stellar defense?  They’re shutting down Pac-10 teams, not Big 12 ones.  Talk to me when they do, cause I’m sick of USC and their crappy conference.
• Texas Tech/OK State lived up to the hype on one end, because Texas Tech was awesome again last night.  TT blew them out in the second half, winning 56-20, though it was close for awhile.  They really make it look effortless on offense out there, don’t they?  It’s like they get the ball and 5 plays later they’re in the end zone, with only about 2 minutes elapsed.  It’s just beautiful to watch Harrell hook up with my other college boyfriend, Michael Crabtree.  3 TD’s yesterday, fantastic.  Harrell will win the Heisman but Crabtree is the best player in the nation right about now.  He needs to be a Buc!  I’ll say it until it happens and I’ll cry about it if it doesn’t, get used to it!

I think that about covers it for the big happenings of the week.  We’ll see what next week holds, will another big boy get knocked down?  Probably should bet on it the way this year is going!

2008 NFL Football Season: Week 10, Browns Blow it in Quinn’s Debut

Cutler v Browns

Denver Broncos over Cleveland Browns, 34-30

I can’t remember a year where I have seen so many close games with wild plays that determine the final outcome.  For three quarters the Cleveland Browns dominated the Denver Broncos and took a 23-13 lead into the fourth quarter.  There was nothing to indicate that Denver could get back in the game, but I told my wife “it’s not over by a long shot, it’s only a 10 point lead.”  The very next play was a 93-yard touchdown pass from Jay Cutler to Eddie Royal that cut the lead to 23-20.  This was immediately followed by a Kellen Winslow, Jr. fumble on Cleveland’s next possession that Denver turned into another touchdown to take the lead 27-23.  Those were the two pivotal plays of the game as both teams traded touchdowns late in the game. 

Cleveland has now blown two fourth quarter leads in consecutive games, dropping to a 3-6 record that all but ensures they will miss the playoffs this year.  The promise of a breakout year after last year’s surprisingly strong showing is gone, as the Browns now look to salvage their season and pin their hopes on the arm and leadership of Brady Quinn next year. 

The storyline going into this game was obviously the first start of Brady Quinn’s career.  Quinn acquitted himself very well and showed great promise.  He stayed poised throughout the game, threw the ball well for the most part, and played smart.  Most impressively, Quinn stayed cool once Denver took the lead late in the game and calmly drove the Browns for a go ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter on a one yard run by Jamal Lewis.  It was for naught as Denver and Jay Cutler answered with a winning touchdown drive of their own.  But even on the final desperation drive, Quinn played well and his fourth down pass to Winslow was right on the money, Winslow just didn’t make the catch.   

 

Granted Denver has a very weak defense, the Browns established a very productive running game, Quinn had excellent protection in the pocket, and the passing game was mostly a short, controlled variety with no long throws.  He also threw some odd low balls that Kellen Winslow dug off the turf bailing Quinn out.  Nonetheless, for a first start in the NFL, not bad.  Only time will tell what Brady Quinn will ultimately do in this league, but he showed enough last night to think he has a bright future.

And what’s up with Brandon Marshall dropping ball, after ball, after ball?  What happened to him all of a sudden?  

And Kellen Winslow had a great game except he had a silly offensive pass interference penalty that stymied a late drive, fumbled the ball that led to a Denver go ahead score (although it was a great strip by the defense), and he should have caught that last  pass of the game for a first down.  But he seemed to play with a lot of heart and made some nice catches.

Jay Cutler, with NO running game, and hurt tight end, and a receiver dropping balls all over the field still pulled out the win.  It was a very impressive outing by Cutler.  What Denver will do with no running backs the rest of the season is a mystery, but this will keep their playoff hopes alive.

MVP:  Jay Cutler, QB, Denver Broncos

Gators Roundtable: Florida, Tebow Dominate Georgia

Retaliation has never been this classy.

Last season, the Georgia Bulldogs brought the entire team out on the field at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in this contest, a move that shook the world, and had many Gators fans, such as myself, up in arms.

This year, Florida is the only team doing the dancing, following a 49-10 rout of the Georgia Bulldogs.

Penalties, Penalties and more Penalties

Yellow flags aplenty were expected to be thrown in this contest, as Georgia, the most penalized team in college football, faced Florida, who’s the 9th most penalized team in the nation.

And the officials didn’t disappoint, as both teams drew up a total of 16 flags in the game, 8 apiece. Half of Florida’s penalty flags came in the 1st quarter, and Georgia’s were spread out throughout the game.

I’d call Florida’s penalties statement penalties. The first quarter showcased a lot of chatter between players, and Florida certainly had a bitter taste in their mouth from last season.

If Florida’s penalties were statements, than Georgia’s were senseless. A lot of Georgia’s penalties kept drives alive for the Gators, one even gave the ball back to Florida following an interception which was negated. (Which would have been Tebow’s 3rd interception thrown on the year, so he doesn’t make many mistakes)

Officiating Was a Bit Questionable

Although I am a Florida fan, and am very pleased with this victory for the University of Florida football team, I must admit that the officiating in this game was a bit spotty at times, and ultimately had a big impact on how the game ended up.

If you watched the game, you knew Florida’s consistent pressure on Stafford was nagging, and caught up with the Georgia gunslinger. Stafford’s first injury, which caused him to limp off of his left leg somewhat considerably, appeared to have happened from a late hit from a Florida defensive lineman.

That call was missed.

The game-shifting call, though, probably occurred after halftime. The Bulldogs stopped Florida on their first drive, got the football back, and Stafford drove the Dawgs down to Florida’s 30 yard line, looking in control to begin Georgia’s first drive of the second half.

But Florida defensive back Joe Haden didn’t like that thought, as he intercepted Stafford, returning it all the way to the 1 yard line.

Replay evidence firmly shows that Joe Haden held the Georgia wide receiver before making the play, however, no call was made. This was certainly a game changer because if Georgia was to score, it would have been 14-10 Florida, and the momentum would have shifted right into Georgia’s hands.

The call that ended it all, though, was on a 44 yard touchdown pass from Tim Tebow to Louis Murphy. Georgia’s best corner back, Asher Allen, pleaded his case on the sideline after Murphy marched into the endzone, and with good cause, too.

Replay evidence also confirmed this time that Murphy had grabbed Allen’s jersey, throwing him out of position to possibly break up the pass, or maybe even intercept it. The touchdown made the score 28-3 Florida, and it was all downhill from there.

I do give the officials some credit, though, as the plays did seem to happen so fast that they couldn’t have been noticed at first glance. I didn’t see the facts mentioned above until they went to the replay screen and showed all the things Florida had “gotten away with”.

Florida DID Retaliate Part I

Urban Meyer might have told his team not to mention the dance from last season, not to respond to any questions about it, or not to take any anger out from last season against the Bulldogs… but at some point, Florida stopped listening.

There were certainly plenty of cases in which Florida retaliated, although they were small things that many ignored and overlooked.

However, I sat glued to the television, notebook in hand, jotting down all things suggestive done by my Gators to the opposition, and let me tell you, there were several things of relevant note to mention.

There was the play in which Matthew Stafford was knocked down on Georgia’s second drive, and, without looking, Stafford stuck his hand out to the first jersey he saw for some help off the ground.

The nearest jersey wasn’t red, it was an enemy all-white Florida Gator, #92, Terron Sanders. In the average game, Sanders probably would have helped Stafford up off the ground, but it was something in the grass of Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, I’m sure, that possessed Sanders to act in the following way.

Instead of helping Stafford up, Sanders simply gave Stafford a high-five, and trotted right back over to the defensive huddle.

Another thing that was rather obvious to happen in this contest was the constant chatter between both teams, and during the first quarter, as I mentioned previously, it was rather obvious.

However, one player-player duel occurred throughout this game, all 60 minutes of it, in fact. Florida’s middle linebacker, Brandon Spikes, was constantly jawing with Georgia’s running back, Knowshon Moreno.

It started on Georgia’s first drive, where Spikes disrupted an early rushing attempt by Moreno. Spikes palmed both sides of Moreno’s helmet, and sat on Moreno for what probably seemed like an eternity for Knowshon, yelling something towards Knowshon that probably as sportsmanlike as it should’ve been.

Then, late in the 4th quarter, when the game was clearly over, Georgia kicked off to Florida running back Chris Rainey following their first touchdown of the game.

Chris caught the ball and proceeded to walk a couple yards. After Jacksonville Municipal Stadium’s Florida side, which, I must point, was still fully populated and lively, grew so quiet that you could hear a pen drop, Rainey faked a kneel down and took off for a big return.

While the return was negated, it was still an obvious hotdog play to the Georgia Bulldogs. In the words of CBS announcer Gary Danielson, in an array of words that summed up the return in the fullest, Danielson proclaimed “That was pretty cool”.

Indeed it was Gary, indeed it was.

Florida DID Retaliate Part II

As if the list of paybacks against the Georgia team wasn’t long enough, Florida decided not to stop there. Several different gestures and moves were noteworthy to myself, as the Gators decided to move on from bullying the Dawgs, and to get back at the Georgia fans.

Amidst the choreography of last year’s Georgia team, which had a lot of the bigger Georgia players dancing, it’s always been easier to give a few Florida Gator related dance moves, the primary one of course being the Gator chomp. The chomp was certainly on display today, and while it may not have been as flashy as the Georgia dance last year, it was still effective.

It all started on Florida’s first score, a pitch off of the speed option from Tim Tebow to wide receiver Percy Harvin. Harvin had nothing but grass in front of him, and he noticed it, obviously, as he strolled in from about 7 yards out, all the while giving the #1 gesture to the crowd.

As I mentioned above, the chomp was a well sought after taunt towards the crowd by Florida yesterday. You know the Gators are rubbing in a victory when the kicker, Caleb Sturgis, celebrates towards the Georgia side with a Gator chomp following a muffed kickoff.

The chomps didn’t stop there, oh no they didn’t. Offensive lineman Jason Watkins was seen giving the chomp following a Tim Tebow run for a touchdown.

Speaking of Tebow, towards the end of the game, he ran all the way down to the 10 yard line during a commercial break, just to give the Florida fans at the other side of the field a few words of appreciation, and a couple Gator chomps, too.

Florida also had some dance moves of their own, too, but on the sidelines.

The camera caught wide receiver Louis Murphy and Safety Ahmad Black breaking it down over on Florida’s sideline, and then caught a couple Gators defensive backs dancing to Florida’s band rendition of “Dragnet” following a Georgia penalty.

There was also a couple smaller gestures towards fans, too, such as Ahmad Black giving Bulldogs fans a crying gesture, and Cameron Newton, Gators backup quarterback, applauding Georgia after scoring their first, and only, touchdown of the game.

Urban Meyer’s Enthusiasm

If your a firm follower of the Florida Gators, or even a casual fan at that, chances are your aware that Florida head coach Urban Meyer seldom smiles.

Yesterday, however, the camera caught Urban cracking a couple smiles after a few of the gestures his boys made towards the Georgia players and crowd.

It become quite obvious that Urban Meyer was filled with pleasure after Rainey did his hotdogging on the kick return, and came back to the sideline without getting screamed at.

In Urban Meyer’s autobiography, he had this to say about the celebration last season: “It was a bad deal. It will forever be in the mind of Urban Meyer and in the mind of our football team. We’ll handle it, and it’s going to be a big deal.”

It was a big deal.

Florida had the ball with the clock winding down, which would probably have been a time for the clock to wind down. However, after Emmanuel Moody picked up a first down, Meyer decided even the score in the slightest bit, as he called timeout.

Moody then proceeded to pick up 9 more yards, Florida called another timeout.

While it wasn’t the biggest way to pay the Bulldogs back, it was certainly one of the few ways that the Gators bit back at the Bulldogs for last season’s celebration. Without a doubt it was in the back of Urban’s mind, as well as the rest of the Florida players’ minds.

Well worthy of the smack on the behind in the 4th quarter by backup quarterback Cameron Newton, Urban Meyer greeted this game with an enthusiasm we as Florida fans have yet to have seen. He got the team fired up, and that’s without question, and gave Georgia the best payback he could give them, legally, of course.

Georgia’s Miscues and Bad Playcall

With Florida’s special teams being the X-Factor of this victory (Georgia’s kicker missed 2 field goals, Georgia wasn’t able to get anywhere in the first few kick and punt returns) Mark Richt felt that an onside kick in the 2nd quarter was necessary.

It wasn’t.

The onside kick, which gave the Gators great field position as they scored their second points of the game, wasn’t a bad call, it was just played well by the Gators. With the advantage on special teams clearly going to Florida, Richt had to mix it up somehow, and this was his way to do just that in a sense.

An apology to the defense was issued by Richt, and a thank you was issued by many Gators fans and players alike to Mark Richt for the excellent field position. Christmas came early for the Gators on this play!

Matthew Stafford, who was constantly referred to as the “Best Pocket Quarterback in College Football” throughout this game, didn’t look like it at times. Stafford threw 3 interceptions, was under constant pressure from the defensive line, and was also the probable cause of the fumble when the score was 28-3.

The constant pressure and blitzing from Florida, which made me reminiscent of Georgia’s pressure on Tebow last season, had Stafford go down twice, and had him receiving hits on every part of his body, as he was often forced out of the pocket.

Tim Tebow’s Heisman Re-Establishment?

Tim Tebow had a big game when it mattered most. The Florida quarterback accounted for 5 scores, 3 on the ground and 2 through the air, against an exceptionally strong Georgia defense.

Tebow surpassed former Florida leader Emmitt Smith in career rushing touchdowns, and now has 22 total touchdowns on the season, 14 through the air and 8 on the ground. But is the reigning Heisman winner back in the Heisman discussion after a slow start to the 2008 campaign?

I don’t think the numbers are Heisman-esq, but there’s one thing for sure, and that’s the fact that Tebow is fully playing the role of the position he plays, that being quarterback. He’s distributing the ball to the wide receivers, tight ends, running backs and full backs, and is putting Florida in position to win each game.

That, in my opinion, holds a bigger bearing than winning the Heisman. He’s giving it his all to win a National Championship.

Following his exit in this contest to a wonderful standing ovation from Florida, and from some of the Georgia fans still in attendance, Tebow was seen hugging and discussing his performance with several coaches, Dan Mullen and Charlie Strong (Offensive and Defensive Coordinator respectively) were seen on camera.

As Gary Danielson put it “Tebow has no one left to hug. He’s coming up to hug you, Verne”.

Tebow certainly put up a performance worthy of hugging Verne Lundquist.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/76457-gators-roundtable-florida-tebow-dominate-georgia

Week 10 NFL Picks

Kerry Collins Leads The Undefeated Titans, photo from espn.com & Icon SMI

Not a bad week, 10-4 and had I gone with my gut on the Dolphins/Broncos, it’d have been even better.  I think things might be starting to make sense, even if it’s not the sense we thought we’d have this year.  I just had to reset all those expectations and pretend I knew nothing about the way things should be.  It’s easier that way.  On to the picks!

Denver over Cleveland: Again, this game could go either way.  Denver is so hard to pinpoint who can say what they’ll do week in and week out?  The Brady Quinn era begins tomorrow night and who knows what we’re going to see there.  I wasn’t enamored of him in college but who’s to say what the pros will bring?  I’ll give Brady a loss in his first game, but wouldn’t be surprised if they pull it out either.

New Orleans over Atlanta: I know that we’re all supposed to be on the Falcons love train, but the fact is they are beating mostly teams that they should beat and losing to the ones they should lose to.  NO has a terrible defense but their offense should be able to put enough to win this one.

Tennessee over Chicago: The Rex Grossman era begins again.  Or at least for a couple of weeks.  And I am not putting myself in Rex’s hands, not against the #1 defense in the league.  Tenn stays undefeated this week too.

Jacksonville over Detroit: I mentioned this in my NFL wrap up column and I mention it again, if Jax ruins another Ofer dream I will lose my shit, so they best take this one.  They ought to be mad over being humiliated by the winless Bengals, so maybe they’ll remember that they’re supposed to be a playoff contender, if only for one week.  Culpepper may start already, which should be interesting.  Don’t bring them a win Dante!

Miami over Seattle: I give up with Miami, I really do.  I should totally pick Seattle to win this game because Miami loses the ones they should win and wins the ones they should lose.  If they bite me again this week, that’s how we’ll play it from here on out.  This is their chance.

Green Bay over Minnesota: This one could go either way but I think GB has a better quarterback and is a better team.  If Minny gives AD the ball the whole game, they might just take this one, but I’ll take the Pack.

New England over Buffalo: Another one I’m not too confident in, I figure NE will be mad over the Indy loss and play better than they did last week.  Then again, Buffalo should be mad about their own loss, so who knows? They’re in NE so I feel better about Cassel, at home is a much better place for him.  Pats are the pick.

NY Jets over St. Louis: The Rams had their mini hot streak but now they’ve settled back to suckitude.  Favre will probably throw another couple of picks but Leon Washington will carry the Jets to victory.

Baltimore over Houston: Surprise, the Ravens actually did what I expected them to do last week.  They had to mount a second half comeback to do it, but they did actually beat a team they should beat.  This is another week they should win, Schaub is out and the immortal Sage Rosenfels, winner of the inaugeral Douchetard of the Week award, is in.  Maybe he could be our first two time winner?  How awesome would that be?

Carolina over Oakland: And the NFC South rolls on.  Oakland could have their second straight shutout here.  DeAngelo Hall was the first in the Raiders player cuts, we’ll see what each day brings.  At least old Al keeps things interesting.

Pittsburgh over Indy: Pitts convincing win over the Skins makes me feel that they should easily handle Indy, whether Big Ben is at QB or not.  Leftwich actually played well and Manning still doesn’t look like Manning.  Indy’s D gets better with Bob Sanders but I don’t think they’re good enough to shut down Willie Parker and Hines Ward.

San Diego over KC: KC played Tampa much tougher than I would have expected last week but I imagine the gimmick plays aren’t gonna work again two weeks in a row.  San Diego was able to get their offense rolling against the weak NO defense in London, KC’s isn’t any better.

NY Giants over Philly: This should be an awesome matchup and in all reality, Eli didn’t play very well last week.  Dallas’ myriad turnovers were the thing that really sunk the Boys.  If Eli has another subpar game they will lose, but I imagine he’ll get it back together this week.

Arizona over San Fran: Um…can I ask who greenlighted this to be on Monday Night Football?  I admit the Cardinals offense is fun to watch but who thought San Fran would be any good this year?  Anyway, looks like Singletary’s boys will go down again, I hope he does something awesome on the sidelines.

Last Week:  10-4

Season Record:  77-52