DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING…

- “If only the Rams could now somehow beat the Saints on Sunday, this would be the greatest sports weekend EVER,” uttered the random St. Louis fan on Friday night after the Cardinals defeated the Rangers in Game 7 of the World Series. How do the previously winless Rams defeat a team in the Saints that just racked up 62 points on the Colts? Well, that’s pretty easy. When you can’t stop Steven Jackson even though you know he’s going to get the ball every down, you lose two turnovers over on your side of the field, and you don’t protect your quarterback, you’re going to lose to most opponents regardless of whether or not they have any wins. The Rams won this game because of Jackson and their defense, which sacked Drew Brees six times and returned one of his passes for a game-clinching touchdown in the fourth quarter. Chris Long absolutely abused Charles Brown, who should have been given more help because he clearly needed it. The Rams clearly haven’t checked out and they’ll continue to fight every Sunday. That was apparent for anyone who saw Jackson flip out on his offensive line late in the second half following yet another false start penalty. What a sweet first win this was for a city that is on cloud nine right now.

- It’s not really shocking that the 2-6 Panthers lost another game. But considering whom they were playing and given that they were 3.5-point home favorites, it was a little surprising to see Carolina go down in flames to Minnesota on Sunday. Christian Ponder’s 102.7 passer rating and 8.4 yards per attempt were both season-highs for the Vikings, who apparently just should have started the kid from Week 1 and bypassed acquiring Donovan McNabb altogether. Ponder threw for 236 yards and a touchdown on 18-of-28 passing while earning his first career win thanks in large part to Olindo Mare’s inability to hit a 31-yard chip shot. The miss, which came with under a minute left to play, cost the Panthers an opportunity to force overtime. Good thing Carolina GM Marty Hurney spent so much money on Mare this offseason. Dude was totally worth it.

AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM…

- Tebowmania was rather short lived. One week after fueling a fourth-quarter comeback in an 18-15 win over the Dolphins, Tebow and the Broncos were absolutely embarrassed by the Lions in a 45-10 rout at Sports Authority Champs Dick’s Sporting Goods Field at Mile High. Tebow did nothing to silence the nearly 4 billion people who think he can’t throw, can’t be a NFL-caliber quarterback, and can’t buckle his chinstrap without having assistance. Thanks to his longer-than-necessary windup, he was sacked seven times and single-handedly accounted for 14 Detroit points off turnovers. He fumbled three times on the day and was intercepted once, which was returned 100 yards by Chris Houston for a Lions’ touchdown. Thanks to Eric Decker (six receptions, 72 yards, 1 TD), who is used to saving quarterbacks coming from the University of Minnesota, Tebow’s stat line was much better than his performance on the field. While he did throw for one touchdown and rushed for 63 yards on 10 carries, he was simply brutal.

- The blueprint to beating the Saints is still pretty clear: Generate pressure on Drew Brees using four down linemen and create turnovers. The Cowboys accomplished this when they ruined the Saints’ perfect season in Week 15 of 2009, and the Browns also did it last year when they forced four turnovers and produced three sacks in a 30-17 Week 7 shocker at the Superdome. It’s easier said than done to bring the heat with only four linemen and force the Saints to turn the ball over. But the Rams once again proved today that limiting Brees’ effectiveness isn’t rocket science.

- The Patriots may have cost themselves home field advantage in the playoffs. While the Steelers played inspired football, New England was flat from the start. Bill Belichick has to do something about his secondary, which is incredibly thin and hemorrhaging yards at the moment. It’s hard for Tom Brady and the explosive Pats’ offense to score when they don’t have the ball. The defense couldn’t get off the field as the New England offense only held the ball for three plays in the first quarter. While they certainly didn’t get blown out, there weren’t a lot of positives to be taken from this game for Belichick and Co. They’ll just have to regroup and start fresh on Monday, especially considering they’re now tied with the Bills again in the AFC East.

– Once again Pete Carroll has me completely befuddled. Tarvaris Jackson was healthy enough to start today against Cincinnati. In fact, he was even named the starter in the pre-game. But who trots onto the field for Seattle’s first possession? Well Charlie Whitehurst, of course. Why announce that Jackson is starting and then play Whitehurst instead? Who did Carroll think he was fooling? The Bengals don’t care if they’re going up against Jackson or Whitehurst. First of all, both quarterbacks are pretty brutal so it’s not like Cincinnati is going to be thrown for a loop if one is announced as the starter and the other one winds up playing. Secondly, the Bengals likely prepared for both quarterbacks during the week so Pistol Pete fooled nobody with his little switch-a-roo (if that was his intention, to deceive, that is). Either way, Carroll continues to pay for his decision to not bring back Matt Hasselbeck this offseason. Why anyone would think Jackson is a starter or Whitehurst was worth a third-round pick is beyond me. (Not that Carroll had anything to do with acquiring Whitehurst.) The Jets didn’t even have to give up a third-rounder for Santonio Holmes and he was a former Super Bowl MVP for cribb’s sake.

- As much as I hate to say it because I’ve rooted for the kid since he was a freshman at Texas, I don’t think Colt McCoy is the long-term answer for the Browns. That might be an overreaction on my part, but he continues to struggle with downfield throws and passes outside the numbers. He was 22-of-34 for 241 yards with one touchdown and one interception against the Niners today, which certainly isn’t bad. Not when you consider the Browns didn’t have a running game because of injuries and considering San Francisco’s defense has played exceptionally well all season. But what happens when the Browns get deeper into November and December and they have to trust that McCoy will beat the Steelers and Ravens in nasty weather with limited arm-strength? As I’ve written many times on this site, McCoy is the prototypical West Coast Offense quarterback in that he’s accurate and makes good decisions with the football (for the most part). But as Phil Simms has lamented over the course of his broadcast career, Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks can make all of the throws. I realize that doesn’t fit Trent Dilfer but Trent Dilfer also played for a team whose defense was one of the best the NFL has ever seen. The last time I checked, Cleveland’s defense isn’t exactly on the same level as the 2000 Baltimore Ravens. Thus, at some point Mike Holmgren will have to make a decision about whether or not McCoy is the franchise’s best option under center.

- The Dolphins, who were winless coming into the day, mind you, held a 17-10 lead after three quarters and decided to get conservative in the fourth. Why? They’re winless. They had nothing to lose and everything to gain by pressing their foot firmly to the floor and staying aggressive. Instead, the Miami coaching staff decided to play soft in coverage in hopes of avoiding the big play and the Giants scored 10 unanswered points in the final quarter to win the game. This game affirms what everyone already knew: That the Dolphins don’t have the right men in place to lead this team on the field.

- It’s pretty telling that Javon Ringer received almost all of the Titans’ fourth-quarter snaps today against the Colts. Maybe that’s because Ringer fought for his 60 yards on 14 carries while Chris Johnson often gave up on half of his 14 runs when he knew he wasn’t going to break a big one. Sunday marked the fourth time in seven weeks that Johnson failed to rush for at least 50 yards and the sixth time in seven weeks that he failed to rush for even 55 yards. Mike Munchak said in his post-game presser that the Titans would use a backfield committee going forward, which is smart. If Johnson isn’t going to raise his level of production, then he shouldn’t play over more-willing runners like Ringer. Johnson and the Titans have seemingly flipped roles. Now it’s the team that isn’t getting what they deserve.

- With their 30-27 loss to the Ravens on Sunday, the Cardinals have now blown second-half leads in losses to the Redskins, Seahawks, Giants, and now Baltimore. Kevin Kolb did some good things despite being constantly under pressure today. He hit Larry Fitzgerald on a 66-yard competition and scrambled to find Early Doucet for a touchdown to give Arizona a 24-3 lead late in the second quarter. But Kolb remains awfully inconsistent – too inconsistent for a quarterback that the Cardinals surrendered draft picks and a ton of money in order to acquire from Philadelphia. Arizona paid too big of a price for him to play like Rex Grossman.

- Cam Newton completes 22 of 35 pass attempts for 290 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions, runs for a team-high 53 yards and the Panthers still find a way to lose. Thanks, defense!

- The Redskins were extremely banged up offensively coming into their game with the Bills on Sunday. But it takes some effort not to score a single point against Buffalo’s suspect defense. The Skins had a field goal blocked in the second quarter and despite marching into Buffalo territory twice in the fourth quarter, they didn’t produce a score. John Beck completed 20 of his 33 pass attempts for 208 yards but his day was marred by several poor underthrows and interceptions on back-to-back possessions in the fourth quarter. Suddenly Mike Shanahan’s coveted running game has disappeared as well. The Skins amassed just 26 yards on 12 carries. Yikes.

“CHAMPIONSHIP”…

- The Steelers’ 25-17 win over the Patriots on Sunday doesn’t mean that Pittsburgh is now on a crash course for the Super Bowl again. It does not mean that they’re the best team in their conference or even in their own division. But given their struggles over the years with spread teams like New England and Green Bay, this was a signature win for the Steelers and one that could propel them to big things in the second half. Make no mistake: they dominated the Patriots in all facets today. Ben Roethlisberger (365 yards, 2 TDs) absolutely shredded New England’s secondary and while Tom Brady did complete 69% of his passes and threw for two scores, Pittsburgh’s defense held him to under 200 yards passing. Given the Ravens’ struggles the past two weeks, the Steelers suddenly look very powerful again in the AFC North.

- Think the Lions were a little steamed coming into day? My God, man. Forty-five points, 376 total yards, two defensive touchdowns, seven sacks and a cure for Athlete’s Foot later and suddenly Detroit has everyone’s attention again. Granted, Tim Tebow did hand them the game on a silver platter but the ’85 Bears weren’t beating the Lions on this day. Jim Schwartz still has to figure out how to plug his leaky run defense but there’s really nothing for him or any Lion fan to complain about right now. It had to be a great sight watching Matthew Stafford throw for three touchdowns after he hobbled off the field at the end of the game last week. What a day for the silver and Honolulu blue.

- For my weekly filling of crow I’d like a serving of Andy Dalton and a side of humiliation, please. This morning I wrote that the rookie would struggle in a rough Seattle environment (rough, ha!) and all he did was throw for two touchdowns in a 34-12 rout of the hapless Seahawks. The Bengals, who once again played well defensively and on special teams, are now 5-2 and 3-1 on the road. That’s impressive considering many people felt they wouldn’t win five games all year and seeing as how a rookie quarterback has already led them to three wins on the road. It’ll be interesting to see how Cincy plays in back-to-back games against the Steelers and Ravens next month.

- In less than a week the Ravens have gone from being Super Bowl contenders to a team that couldn’t beat the Jaguars and had to mount a massive comeback in order to beat the one-win Cardinals. But at least a) they did win the game today and b) Joe Flacco rebounded from a brutal start to finish 31-of-51 for 336 yards. It was also good to see Ray Rice (three touchdowns) receive 25 touches, although the Ravens could certainly still boost his opportunities. Baltimore needs to cut down on the mistakes (the Ravens were flagged 11 times for 99 yards on Sunday) but at least it didn’t suffer back-to-back losses against two teams that will probably be picking in the top 10 next April.

- The Niners’ plan for victory is pretty simple these days, isn’t it? Put the game on the defense’s shoulders, give the ball to Frank Gore 25-plus times and don’t let Alex Smith do anything to ruin the game. That approach will work for the regular season but it’ll be interesting to see how the Niners fare when they reach the postseason and Smith has to throw the ball to beat teams.

- It wasn’t all good for the Texans on Sunday but they did what they had to do against an inferior Jacksonville team. They only allowed rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert to complete 33 percent of his passes and held Maurice Jones-Drew (18 carries, 63 yards) in check. They also rode Arian Foster (33 carries, 112 yards, 1 TD) to another victory without much need for Andre Johnson, who should be back next week. With Cleveland and another match with Jacksonville coming up, Houston is in a good spot to increase its lead over Tennessee in the AFC South.

- What in God’s name can you say about the Giants at this point? Everyone left them for dead at the start of the year because of the amount of injuries they had on both sides of the ball. Then they beat the Eagles on the road as a 9-point underdog and jumped out to a small lead in the NFC East. Then they needed a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Cardinals, they lost to the Seahawks at home, needed a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Bills, and then needed yet another fourth-quarter rally to beat winless Miami on Sunday. Do you laud them for their resiliency or hammer them for constantly playing down to their competition? I want to say the Patriots will crush them next Sunday but knowing the Giants they’ll probably win a nail-bitter. I just can’t figure them out.

- With the Patriots having a tough go of things in Pittsburgh, the Bills did exactly what they needed to today: Beat a bad Washington team in order to keep the heat on New England in the AFC East. The Bills out-gained the Redskins 390-178 in total yards, forced two turnovers and rushed for 138 yards as a team. Ryan Fitzpatrick also completed 21-of-27 passes for 262 yards while Fred Jackson rushed for 120 yards on 26 carries. Outside of their two turnovers on the day, this was win was about as perfect as they come for Buffalo, which finally showed up defensively.

DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING…

- The Giants and Eli Manning had the game I thought they would last week in Arizona. Manning threw three touchdown passes but he was also picked off three times as the Giants started slow and finished poorly. Of course, Eli wasn’t the only reason the G-Men dropped a game they simply had no business losing. Their defense couldn’t stop a Seattle offense that has suddenly started to hit their stride after staging a dramatic comeback in the second half last week against Atlanta. Tarvaris Jackson, Charlie Whitehurst and Marshawn Lynch tuned up New York’s defense for 424 total yards. What’s most remarkable about the Seahawks’ 36-25 win is that the Hawks fumbled twice in New York territory. This could have been an even bigger blow out.

- The Steelers winning a home game against the Titans hardly constitutes a “Didn’t see that coming” moment. That said, this was a Pittsburgh team that didn’t have Casey Hampton, James Harrison, Aaron Smith, Chris Kemoeatu, or a fully healthy Ben Roethlisberger. Considering how good Tennessee’s defense has been this season, it was rather surprising to see Big Ben (who threw five touchdown passes) and Pittsburgh bully the Titans for four quarters. It appears those claims about the Steelers being finished were greatly exaggerated.

- Much like the Steelers’ win over the Titans, it’s hardly surprising that the Raiders traveled to Houston and beat the Texans. This isn’t the same Oakland team that was pathetic four or five years ago. That said, Al Davis just passed away yesterday and the Raiders took on a solid Texans team that just bullied Pittsburgh a week ago. Nobody would have been surprised if the Raiders’ hearts weren’t in it and left Houston without a win. But they played hard for four quarters, shut down Arian Foster, and won a huge road game to get to 3-2 on the season. Granted, Matt Schaub did throw an inexcusable interception at the end of the game and the Texans were without Andre Johnson. But “Just win baby?” Absolutely.

AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM…

- Hey Andy Reid, this is why you don’t hire your offensive line coach as your defensive coordinator. I realize that’s kind of harsh because it’s not like Juan Castillo is the only reason the Eagles are now 1-4 after losing today in Buffalo. (After all, it’s not Castillo’s fault that Michael Vick is careless with the football or can’t manage a clock near halftime.) But there’s no way the Eagles’ defense should be this bad. I don’t want to take anything away from Buffalo because its offense can score on anyone. But Reid’s decision to hire Castillo looks like a massive miscalculation. MASSIVE.

- Mark Sanchez has to raise the level of his play if the Jets are going to succeed this season. For the past two years the Jets have relied on their rushing game and defense to make the playoffs, where Sanchez has been very good. But this year has had a different feel to it for New York. The defense hasn’t been as good and the ground game has been non-existent. Thus, 166 yards against one of the lowest ranked defenses in the league just isn’t going to cut it. He was very good on the 85-yard drive in the second half to cut New England’s lead to 27-21, but that was the only time he looked sharp all day. If Sanchez doesn’t start playing as well in the regular season as he does in the postseason, the Jets won’t make the playoffs this year. That’s just the bottom line for Rex Ryan‘s struggling team, which has lost three in a row after starting the year 2-0.

- What in God’s name was Matt Schaub thinking on the Texans’ final play? He could have waltzed into the end zone from inside the Raiders’ 5-yard line but he gave the game away instead by throwing an interception to Michael Huff. Schaub is going to think about that pass all week.

- Nobody saw them being blown out 48-3 but the Bucs’ loss to the 49ers was hardly surprising. Tampa certainly had some built in excuses coming into Sunday’s action (i.e. a short week, a cross-country trip), but I don’t think the Bucs were as good as their 3-1 record indicated. Their offense lacks explosion, their run blocking hasn’t been good, and opponents can take advantage of their pass defense just like Alex Smith (three touchdowns) and San Francisco did today. The Bucs’ run defense apparently wasn’t up to snuff either, as Frank Gore rushed for 125 yards on 6.3 yards per carry. At 3-2 Tampa is still in good shape but I don’t think this was a loss that Raheem Morris can just chalk up to a bad day. The Bucs have issues that need to be corrected if they want to keep pace with the Saints in the NFC South.

- The Panthers deserve more praise than criticism for hanging with the Saints today, but what was Ron Rivera and his coaching staff thinking when they took a timeout with two seconds remaining in the first half? The Saints were trying frantically to get their field goal team on the field and Carolina saved them the trouble by calling a time out. Naturally, John Kasay made the kick to give New Orleans a 20-13 halftime lead in a game they eventually rallied to win by? You guessed it: Three points.

- Considering how many issues the Vikings have had in the second half of games this year, one would have thought Leslie Frazier would have kept his foot on the gas towards the conclusion of the first half today against Arizona. But instead of trying to increase their lead by pushing the ball up field, Frazier and the Vikings were content with a 28-3 lead. They were promptly booed by the home crowd, which chanted Christian Ponder’s name heading into the locker room. Only the Vikings could make fans uneasy with a sizable lead.

- Peter King speculated on “Football Night in America” that Mario Williams “probably” tore his pectoral muscle in the Texans’ loss to the Raiders on Sunday. That would be a massive blow to a team that lost its best offensive player a week ago when Andre Johnson hurt his hamstring against the Steelers. Suddenly the AFC South looks like a crapshoot.

“CHAMPIONSHIP”…

- All week I wrote about how the Bills’ loss to the Bengals last Sunday was an aberration. They got caught with their pants down but they obviously learned from it. The Eagles made a ton of mistakes today but let’s not take credit away from a Buffalo team that everyone completely overlooked coming into the season. It wasn’t hard to figure that Fred Jackson would have a big day against Philadelphia’s pathetic run defense and that he did, rushing for 111 yards with a couple of good-sized runs. I’ll be honest, part of me has been waiting for the Bills’ play to fall off but I’m over that notion. This Buffalo team isn’t going anywhere.

- Bill Belichick works in mysterious ways doesn’t he? For weeks the Patriots have kept the ball in the air against opponents while BenJarvus Green-Ellis has largely been an afterthought in the offense. In fact, Stevan Ridley was starting to garner some attention has a better option than Green-Ellis in the ground game. Yet with the Jets in town today, Green-Ellis rushes for a career-high 136 yards and two touchdowns as the Patriots defeated their AFC East rivals, 30-21. Granted, Tom Brady (24-of-33 for 321 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) and the passing game was still highly active but the game was clearly on Green-Ellis’ shoulders. This is one of the many reasons why Belichick is so good. He doesn’t forget about any of his weapons and if he sees a weakness that he can exploit, he attacks it. He also knows how to feed the hot hand and he doesn’t over think the game as it plays out. Some may disagree but he has the best mind in football in my eyes.

- It’s not like I’m drinking the Kool-Aid, but I’ve been really impressed with the Bengals. Yeah, beating the Jaguars and their rookie starting quarterback isn’t earth-shattering news. But who does Cincinnati have starting under center? Andy Dalton, a rookie quarterback, whose main playmaker is a rookie receiver in A.J. Green who has received less attention than Julio Jones and yet is producing week in and week out. The Bengals showed a lot of poise down 20-16 in the fourth quarter on Sunday and rallying to beat the Jaguars. Who would have thought that Cincinnati would be 3-2 with the mess of an offseason they had?

- Championship? Not quite, but the Chiefs do have a pulse after winning their second straight game. Matt Cassel was outstanding in Kansas City’s comeback over Indianapolis, completing 21-of-29 passes for 257 yards and four touchdowns. I don’t want to get carried away after one game but this is the type of performance out of Cassel that shows people that he can be a serviceable starter.

- There’s no need to overreact to his performance today because he’ll probably go back to his inconsistent ways next week, but Alex Smith was very efficient in the Niners’ 48-3 win over the Bucs. It was nice to see him react to the pressure instead of lo0king for it and then making mistakes. He kept his eyes downfield, didn’t stare down receivers and finally played with a sense of purpose. It helped that Tampa’s pass rush is weak and Frank Gore was gashing the Bucs on the ground, but let’s give credit were credit is due. Smith was very good.

- The Giants deserve to be ridiculed for their embarrassing loss to the Seahawks but Victor Cruz was nearly unstoppable today. He turned his 11 targets into eight receptions for 161 yards and one touchdown, and made one of the best catches I’ve ever seen. Just think, we may have never seen what this kid could do had the Giants not suffered as many injuries to their receiving corps. Not that I want to see anyone get hurt but Cruz has been really fun to watch the past couple weeks.

DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING…

- There were certainly plenty of people who saw the Lions going down to Dallas and beating a sub par Cowboys team. But did anyone seem them getting down by 24 points and having to rally for the second straight week on the road? This team is legit and I can’t wait to see how they’ll fare in a couple weeks when they play the Packers. The best part about seeing the Lions go 4-0 is that I know Tom “Killer” Kowalski is watching somewhere. Killer had been the Lions beat writer for MLive.com over the last two decades before abruptly passing away in his home before the season started. Him and I worked together at WDFN in Detroit and while he’s greatly missed, there’s no way he’s missing Lions mania right now. They’re finally doing it, Killer…

- When I previewed Week 4 on Thursday I wrote about how Sunday’s trip to Cincinnati was going to be a good test for the Bills, even though they were playing a 1-2 Bengals team. I wrote that because the Bills were coming off an emotional win against the Patriots and now had to travel to play a team they were expected to beat. I even told my father that this was the day the Bills lose their first game. When they took a 17-3 lead I was ready to eat my words but in a blink of an eye, the Bengals were kicking a game-winning field goal to improve to 2-2 on the season. The Bills are a good young team but they’re not good enough to overlook any opponent.

- You know, it’s rather amazing. The lockout was supposed to hurt teams with new coaching staffs and yet the 49ers are 3-1 under Jim Harbaugh and could have very easily been 4-0 had they not collapsed against Dallas in Week 2. It’s a long season but what a great job he’s done so far making the transition from Stanford to the pros. When they were down 23-3 today in Philadelphia, the Niners could have easily packed it in. But they didn’t and I think that’s a testament to Harbaugh. What a great day for comebacks and what a great win for San Fran.

- Cam Newton almost threw for 400 yards again – and against Chicago, no less. I thought he would struggle against the Bears’ Tampa 2 and he did throw a pick-six early in the game. But man-oh-man is he an athletic marvel. At this point I guess I should stop including him in the “Didn’t See that Coming” section, but I continue to be amazed at what this kid can do so early in his career.

AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM…

- Hey Rex Ryan, your old defense is a lot better than your current one right now. That’s back-to-back weeks your team has lost by double-digits and you haven’t even played the Patriots yet. Not good.

- For as much respect as he deserved playing in the second half of that San Francisco game two weeks ago despite suffering broken ribs and a punctured lung, Tony Romo equally deserves to be vilified today. There’s no reason why Dallas didn’t beat Detroit but 30 points after building a 27-3 lead. But Romo virtually gave the game away on his own. Those interceptions he threw were pathetic. PATHETIC. All of Canada can smell his wretchedness today.

- Hey Rob Ryan, what do you think of Calvin Johnson now? When asked about trying to defend Megatron earlier this week, Ryan said: “We work against better receivers with Miles Austin and Dez Bryant. They are probably two of the premier receivers in football, but this guy is right there. He’s almost that good. He’s excellent.” He’s almost that good? No, he’s in the top 5 – if not the top 2. For those wondering, Johnson finished with eight catches for 96 yards and two touchdowns in the Lions’ come-from-behind victory today in Dallas. He also caught the game-winner in the closing minutes. Pfff, almost that good. Please…

- Kevin Kolb needs to start earning that five-year, $63 million contract he signed in the offseason. The Cardinals have lost their last three games despite having the ball in the closing minutes with a chance to win in all three. That reflects poorly on the quarterback. Kolb took four sacks (including an inexcusable one on the Cards’ last possession), threw more interceptions (1) than touchdowns (0), and lost a fumble in Arizona’s loss to New York on Sunday. Derek Anderson could have done that.

- How the hell was that Victor Cruz play not a fumble? He may have given himself up but he didn’t slide feet-first or kneel on the ball, thus prompting an end-of-the-play whistle. He stumbled, wasn’t touched by a defender, and then flipped the ball forward as the Cardinals jumped on it. That was a fumble and it proved the difference in the game. That said, I liked what Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt said following the loss. In a nutshell, he said that the game should have never came down to that play and he was right. The Cards were up by 10 with just over five minutes remaining in the game. They should have won without needing that play to be ruled a fumble.

- The Broncos lost 49-23 today and neither Tim Tebow nor Brady Quinn took a snap. Kyle Orton may have thrown three touchdown passes but he also tossed a very Tony Romo-like three interceptions as well. He was brutal and the Broncos weren’t going to mount some massive comeback, so why didn’t John Fox take a look at Tebow or Quinn? If he’s not going to play either of them in a rout, when is he going to play them? It’s mind-boggling.

- How much more of a beating can Ben Roethlisberger continue to take? Last year he played through a broken foot and now he may have broken the other one. He’s a tough dude but the guy can’t play with two bad wheels. Pittsburgh has got to fix its offensive line.

- Hello David Garrard? This is the Miami Dolphins…

- I’m sorry but Michael Vick seems like the same arrogant, immature person to me. Did you hear his comments to the media following the Eagles’ inexcusable choke-job to the 49ers today? “Do I really have to answer that question?” Yeah Mike, you do. And drop the attitude while you’re at it.

- The Eagles are example No. 501 that stockpiling a bunch of free agents in the offseason doesn’t always lead to cohesion and victories. And don’t expect this team to figure things out soon. Andy Reid has a real mess on his hands.

- A tale of two NFC teams: The Packers take a 28-17 lead at halftime, score a touchdown midway through the third quarter to make the game 35-17, and then keep their foot on the pedal. Final score? Packers 49, Broncos 23. The Falcons build a 27-7 lead early in the third quarter, largely using the hurry up offense with Matt Ryan and by staying balanced offensively. But almost immediately after Matt Bryant’s 50-yard field goal with 13:40 left in the third, the Falcons go into prevent mode defensively and try to run the clock out offensively. In other words, they not only take their foot off the pedal but they completely get off the highway and take the scenic route home. Final score? Falcons 30, Seahawks 28. And if Pete Carroll doesn’t foolishly attempt a 61-yard filed goal in the closing seconds, Atlanta is 1-3 on the year instead of 2-2.

- Speaking of Pete Carroll: What on earth was he thinking attempting a 61-yarder with 13 seconds remaining instead of going for it on 4th and 8 from Atlanta’s 43-yard-line? I realize that converting a 4th and 8 isn’t easy. But I like my odds of getting a first down better than I do of Steven Hauschka kicking a freaking 61-yarder. I don’t care if he was booting them from that range in warm ups: All kickers hit from that range in warm ups. It’s no surprise the kick wasn’t even close to going through the uprights.

- I don’t know what offense was more inept this weekend: the Browns or Ohio State’s.

- So much for the Rams winning the NFC West. They’ll be lucky to win four games at this rate.

CHAMPIONSHIP…

- Aaron Rodgers looks like he’s playing against a bunch of Pop Warner kids every Sunday. Several times today I said to myself, “Shame on that Aaron Rodgers. Look at him throwing all of those touchdown passes on that poor Pop Warner team. He ought to be embarrassed.” It’s amazing that Green Bay can go from Brett Favre to this guy and other franchises go decades without finding one decent quarterback.

- Call it lucky, controversial or whatever, but give Eli Manning and the Giants credit for mounting that fourth quarter comeback in Arizona today. It’s not easy to play a physical divisional game on the road last week and then turn around and fly cross-country seven days later. But the G-Men did. They’re certainly tougher than their NFC East rivals, the Eagles.

- Do you think the Ravens’ defense was fired up to play their former coordinator Rex Ryan tonight? And follow up question: Do you think the Ravens took their wake up call against the Titans two weeks ago seriously? Destroying an 0-4 Rams team is one thing. Destroying a good Jets team is quite another. Baltimore looks goooood.

- Granted, Tarvaris Jackson actually played well on Sunday but tell me why again the Seahawks didn’t need Matt Hasselbeck? The 36-year-old is on pace for 4,608 yards, 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Clearly the man still has plenty left in the tank.

- What are the Patriots now, 687-0 after a loss? They were impressive today. The Raiders are competitive and it’s never easy for any team to fly cross-country and win. (And not only look good doing it.) But that’s what the Pats did. They always take losses seriously and it shows when they win the following week.

- That, right there, is the signature win that the Texans have been searching for. No, the Steelers haven’t looked great this season but they’re still the Steelers. Losing Andre Johnson was a killer but guys like Arian Foster stepped up. This is the Texans year to finally claim the AFC South, but they need to keep playing hard for 16 weeks. Hopefully for they’re sake Tennessee continues to play well so that Houston is pushed from here on out. This isn’t a team that needs to cruise into the playoffs and then go one-and-down because they weren’t challenged. Keep them focused, Gary Kubiak.

- Bengal fans had to have appreciated what Andy Dalton did in the second half today. After a rough first half, the rookie completed 11 of 16 passes for 182 yards in the second. On the Bengals’ game-winning drive, he connected on 3 of 4 passes for 46 yards and converted a third down by using his legs. Big win for the young pup.

DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING…

- Raise your hand if you had the Bills sitting atop the AFC East standings alone after Week 3. I can hear someone right now: “Actually, I did call the Bills being 3-0.” LIAR! Nobody had the Bills at 3-0 because that would mean they would have had to beat the Patriots at home in Week 3 and pfff, like that was going to happen. Well, it did happen. Not unlike last Sunday against the Raiders, the Bill spotted the Patriots a 21-0 lead and then proceeded to storm back, intercepting Tom Brady four times as Ryan Fitzpatrick led the comeback of all comebacks. And what a great decision by Chan Gailey at the end. He knew with the score tied 31-31 and the Bills well within field goal range that he could bleed the clock, kick the field goal and leave Brady with no time to respond. Outstanding coaching move. Outstanding game. Outstanding win.

- I definitely thought the Giants would keep things closer than the 9-points that Vegas gave them heading into Philly, but wow. Didn’t see an outright win coming. With most of his receivers out due to various injuries, Eli Manning had one of the better games of his career. You really have to hand it to the Giants, who were playing on a short week and who have been banged up all year. Instead of lying down like many expected, they took the fight to the Eagles’ front doorsteps and then delivered a knockout in the fourth quarter. I don’t care if Michael Vick stays in this game or not: The Eagles weren’t winning it.

- What do you mean Cam Newton didn’t throw for 400 yards? See, total bust. Just like everyone predicted…

AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM…

- Funny how Bart Scott once said that the Patriots “couldn’t stop a nose bleed,” because the same thing could be said about the Jets’ defense today. What a horrendous display of tackling by Rex Ryan’s veteran-laden squad. Hey Rex, did you not think that the Raiders would feature Darren McFadden? As if they were going to dress him and have him just hang out on the sidelines? Horrible effort by the J.E.T.S today, who got beat by a better-than-average Oakland team and, quite frankly, by themselves. Antonio Cromartie will love watching himself on film tomorrow: the corner was flagged four times for 46 yards on the day.

- The Patriots had a 21-0 lead, Tom Brady threw four touchdowns and Wes Welker caught 16 freaking passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns. And New England still lost. In a weird way, this defeat will probably serve Bill Belichick and his team well down the road, but man this one is going to sting all week.

- Sounds like Mikey Vick is a little frustrated these days. He should be. After boastfully saying in preseason that, “You can’t design a defense to stop me,” he’s gotten his ass handed to him in back-to-back weeks and has had to watch from the sidelines (or locker room) as his team loses. Last week he suffered a concussion versus his former team, the Falcons, and in the Eagles’ loss to the Giants on Sunday, he broke his non-throwing hand. Following the loss, Vick spouted off about how the refs “have got to do their jobs,” which was in reference to him getting hit all the time. He also said, “I don’t know why I don’t get the 15-yard flags like everybody else does.” Sorry, but I have zero sympathy for Vick. I watched both of the Eagles’ games the last two weeks and I didn’t see anything that wasn’t flagged that should have been. I understand his frustration but he’s not struggling because of the refs. The Eagles aren’t 1-2 because of the refs. Everyone knew the Eagles’ offensive line was a major question mark heading into the season and their defense is being exploited on the ground. The “Dream Team” was ready to hold up the Lombardi Trophy before it even took the field and now that things haven’t started the way they wanted, they just have to man up and stop beating themselves. That includes Vick, who has played sloppy football the last two weeks.

- My best friend Doug (a huge Bears fan), sent me this text during the second half of the Green Bay-Chicago game: “Here’s the offensive approach for the Bears: First down, sack for negative 5-8 yards. Second down, run for 0-to-negative-3 yards. Third down, incomplete pass with Jay Cutler head shake.” Fantastic. Lovie Smith had a chat with Mike Martz last year about incorporating the run more into his game plan and it looks like Smith might have to have that little sit-down again. How can Matt Forte only finish with nine carries? Blasphemy.

- News Flash: The Atlanta Falcons aren’t very good. That’s not to say they won’t figure it out eventually, but right now they’re getting completely exposed. The defense actually played well today in Tampa, but Matt Ryan took another massive beating thanks to an offensive line that has resembled one of those big revolving doors that you see at the front of nice hotels. They’re horrible right now, particularly left tackle Sam Baker. Ryan turned the ball over 67 times today but it’s the Jay Cutler affect: If a quarterback only has a millisecond to throw, he’s going to make mistakes. Of course, for the second week in a row the only time the Falcons moved the ball was when they went with the no huddle in the fourth quarter. Maybe it’s time to take the controls out of Mike Mularkey’s hands and put them into Matt Ryan’s. Just a thought.

- The Chargers, a 14.5-point home favorite, barely squeaked by a Kansas City Chiefs team that had been outscored 89-6 in their first two games. Philip Rivers has now thrown two interceptions in all three of San Diego’s games this season, which is noteworthy when you consider his highest interception total for a season is 15. Honestly, if the Raiders and Chargers were to play tomorrow at a neutral site, I wouldn’t hesitate to predict an Oakland victory. Even though they’re 2-1, the Bolts are off to a rather Bolt-like slow start to the season.

- Poor Rams. A lot of people were predicting them to win the NFC West this year but thanks to poor play and a brutal schedule, they’re 0-3 and look lost. For the third straight week, an opponent has returned a Sam Bradford fumble for a touchdown. How does that happen three times in a year, nevertheless in three straight weeks?

- Look, playing in Seattle is like playing on another planet: I don’t care how bad the Seahawks are. But how do the Cardinals lose to a team whose head coach is playing for a top-5 pick next season? (Oh, he’s not? Then you tell me why Pete Carroll is sticking with Tarvaris Jackson.) The NFC West is ripe for the taking and if the Cardinals can avoid beating themselves like they did today, they have a good shot to make the playoffs. But if Kevin Kolb (who threw two costly interceptions) can’t take over games like this, then Arizona will have a golden opportunity slip through its fingers.

- The Dolphins’ red zone woes continued in another ugly loss for Tony Sparano. It’s not his fault that his team absolutely loses its mind when it gets inside the 20, or that Reggie Bush can’t hang onto the ball, or that Chad Henne is his quarterback because the front office failed to land Kyle Orton in the offseason. But somebody has to pay in Miami and it’s going to be the head coach. The only question now is when Sparano is going to get the axe.

- Hey Chris Johnson, can the Titans demand a portion of your contract back if you continue to play like crap because you held out the entire preseason? No? Okay, just checking. I know you were criminally underpaid in your first three seasons but the Titans did pay you. You can start playing again.

- Sunday marked the third time in as many weeks that the Vikings thoroughly outplayed their opponent in the first half only come out after halftime and choke on applesauce. Word to the wise, Bill Musgrave: If you’re going to go for it on fourth-and-1 instead of taking a chip shot field goal, then at least hand the ball off to Adrian Peterson. I know Toby Gerhart is a big boy but you’ve got to dance with the partner that took you.

- What a frustrating loss for the Texans, who once again failed to drive the final nail in the coffin when it had an opponent on the ropes. Houston looked so good in the first half and well into the third quarter, but it allowed Drew Brees to take over in the second half. The Texans will certainly take a 2-1 start and I’m not going to suggest that they had this game in the bag. No way. Still, they at least had a great chance of pulling off the upset and just like many times before, they failed to come up big in the end.

“CHAMPIONSHIP…”

- It’s amazing. The Bears’ defense usually does a fantastic job taking away the big play, as it did again today versus the Packers. But Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay still managed to score 27 points despite not taking many chances downfield. That’s the difference between teams like the Packers, whom beat the Bears 27-17 on Sunday, and the Falcons, who wilted in Chicago during an ugly Week 1 loss. I point that out because a lot of people were high on the Falcons’ offense coming into the season and yet, games like this prove that no team in the NFC is in Green Bay’s class yet outside of maybe New Orleans. The Packers still have some issues to iron out on defense but their offense has been in midseason form since its first possession of Week 1.

- I know the Bucs just got a huge monkey off their backs today, but nobody is beating the Saints in that division this year. New Orleans has issues on defense but when Drew Brees and that offense gets revved up, it’s like watching someone paint a masterpiece. For those scoring at home, the Saints have now scored 30 points or more in each of their first two games. As I predicted at the start of the season, I like the chances of their being a repeat of opening night in the NFC Championship Game.

- The Raiders are one lousy half in Buffalo from being 3-0 on the season. Any offense that can do that to Rex Ryan’s defense deserves big-time respect and as long as Darren McFadden can stay healthy, don’t think for a second he couldn’t contend for the MVP award. (I would have put the Raiders in the “Didn’t See that Coming” section but I actually predicted them to at least cover the spread today.)

- Anyone think the Ravens were pissed off about their effort last week in Tennessee? Holy domination, Batman. Torrey Smith became the first rookie to score three touchdowns in the same quarter, Joe Flacco threw for a career-high 389 yards, and the defense racked up 11 quarterback hits and five sacks on Sam Bradford. Unfortunately for them they won’t get to play a banged up St. Louis team every week but imagine if Baltimore would at least give that kind of effort every Sunday.

- What a game by Bucs’ middle linebacker Mason Foster, who started and called the defensive plays today while Quincy Black was out with an ankle injury. Foster was a man-child against the run and took down Matt Ryan on a huge sack in the third quarter. Might want to keep the kid on the field, Raheem Morris.

- Nice finish for Colt McCoy. He didn’t have a great game but he was nine of 13 for 80 yards on the Browns’ final drive, which concluded with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Mohamed Massquoi (who made an excellent leaping catch) with 43 seconds remaining. The West Coast Kid continues to make strides.

- Today was an important win for the Lions and not just because it got them to 3-0 on the season. They played awful in the first half against the Vikings but they showed a little character in bouncing back and earning a hard-fought 26-23 win. This is the type of victory that will serve a young team like Detroit all season. Because they believe they can win now, no matter what the circumstance. The Vikings aren’t world-beaters by any means but still, it was a great win for the Lions. And by the way, that Calvin Johnson guy is pretty s.i.c.k.

DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING…

- Who knew that with the Bears in New Orleans to take on the Saints and Cam Newton hosting the defending champs that Raiders-Bills would be the most entertaining early game on Sunday? I’m pretty sure neither defense dressed for the second half but this game had it all: a major come-from-behind victory, plenty of big plays (that TD Denarius Moore caught from Jason Campbell was siiiick), and a last-minute touchdown pass on fourth down (see the photo above as Scott Chandler scores the game-winner). It’s actually fun to watch Ryan Fitzpatrick run Buffalo’s dare-I-say-high-powered offense.

- I was impressed by Cam Newton in his pro debut (how could you not be?), but I fully admit that I expected him to fall flat on his face against the Packers. Naturally he comes out and throws for over 400 yards again and is now on pace to pass for 6,832 yards this season. He’s also completing over 60% of his passes and had he not turned the ball over three times, I’m not so sure the Panthers don’t beat the Packers today. I don’t know if this is beginner’s luck or we’re seeing the next great thing at quarterback but I shudder to think what he’ll do once the game actually starts slowing down for him.

- Let me get this straight: the Ravens rack up 35 points on the Steelers’ defense but couldn’t muster more than a touchdown and two field goals against the Titans? Some were concerned that the Ravens would come out flat after their impressive win over the Steelers last Sunday and “some” were right. Matt Hasselbeck took advantage of a depleted Baltimore secondary all afternoon, completing 30 of his 42 pass attempts for 358 yards and a touchdown. Hasselbeck was helped by the fact that the Ravens wanted nothing to do with pressuring him as they finished with zero sacks.

- Jaguars win a gutsy 16-14 game over the Titans in their season opener, then fail to show up today and are blasted by the Jets, 32-3. Titans look hapless in Jacksonville last week, then came out on Sunday and romp a Raven team that destroyed the Steelers last week. The NFL is screwy, I tell ya.

AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM…

- Somebody inform the Vikings that there are two halves in a football game because I’m not sure they’re aware. In its first two games, Minnesota has outscored its opponents 34-7 in the first half and has been outscored 41-3 in the second. Too many missed tackles and broken coverage for the Vikes’ defense again this week.

- The Answer: Protecting Joe Flacco, covering Kenny Britt and pressuring Matt Hasselbeck. The Question: Name three things the Baltimore Ravens had no interest in doing on Sunday.

- Football games are never decided by one play but if Chris Johnson intercepts that Ryan Fitzpatrick pass in the end zone with under a minute to play, the Raiders are heading back to Oakland with a 2-0 record to start the season.

- It’s going to be “one of those years” for the Chiefs. I don’t know what looked worse: Jamaal Charles’ injury or Kansas City’s defense for the second straight week. (Update: It has been confirmed that Charles is done for the year. What a horrible start to the Chiefs’ season after such a great 2010.)

- I don’t care how thick your blinders are when it comes to the Falcons: They were lucky tonight. And you must know I absolutely hate it when anyone says a team got lucky. Winning in the NFL has nothing to do with luck, but I don’t know how else to describe the Falcons’ first win of the 2011 season. I don’t classify turnovers as one team being lucky or unlucky. They’re part of the game – period. But the Eagles dominated the first half and yet the Falcons still led 14-10 at halftime. The Eagles dominated defensively (for the most part) and yet the Falcons still scored 35 points. If Michael Vick doesn’t exit the game in the third quarter, I don’t know if the Falcons win. In fact, they probably don’t. That said, a win is a win is a win is a…

- When can we start with the Andrew Luck-to-Indianapolis talk? Oh, we already have?

- I don’t want to hear any media members criticizing Jay Cutler this week. He looked jittery at times but anyone would look jittery if they had defenders draped all over them the second they took the snap. If it weren’t for Matt Forte the Bears wouldn’t have scored today thanks to shoddy play by their offensive line. (By the way, what are you waiting for, Jerry Angelo? Give Forte a new contact already – clearly he’s worth every penny.)

- Ladies and gentlemen, Luke McCown.

- I suppose that 20-for-29, 159-yard passing performance by Tarvaris Jackson buys him another shot to start next week, huh Pete Carroll? (Jackson was the Seahawks’ leading rusher today with 12 yards, so maybe I should cut him some slack.)

- Good tweet by Cardinals beat writer Kent Somers today: Panthers proved you can pass against Arizona. Washington proved you can run. Cardinals have proven they have problems on defense.

- Is it just me or does the Packers defense suddenly have an issue limiting the big play? It was another lackluster day for Dom Capers’ defense, this time against a rookie quarterback, no less.

- I’m not going to bemoan the Chargers for not winning in New England but at some point the Bolts are going to have to have that marquee win to give them the confidence heading into the postseason (if they make the postseason, that is). It seems like every year this team is a Super Bowl contender on paper, but it plays second-fiddle to the elite teams in the AFC.

“CHAMPIONSHIP…”

- I knew the Lions were going to be competitive this year. I even figured they would spend most of the season challenging for a playoff berth before finishing somewhere around .500. What I didn’t know was that they had already made plans to become an unstoppable rebel force poised to leave a path of destruction on their way to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in February…

- Seriously, the Lions were unbelievable today. Every time I looked up they were in the red zone one minute and scoring the next. I’ll probably write this every week but if Matthew Stafford can stay healthy there’s no telling how far Detroit can go this season.

- Why were the Seahawks so willing to let Matt Hasselbeck walk this offseason? It’s befuddling. He’ll only take a team so far but he lit up a pretty solid Baltimore defense today for 358 yards and a touchdown. Even at his age, he’s five-times the quarterback Tarvaris Jackson is.

- Colt McCoy’s stat line: 22-of-32 for 211 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs. He also spread the ball around to eight different receivers and only took one sack. He may not light it up on a weekly basis but the kid is going to be an efficient quarterback in Pat Schmur’s West Coast offense.

- I think LeGarrette Blount needs a small attitude adjustment but after voicing his disappointment with his limited role in the Bucs’ loss to the Lions last week, he made the most of his opportunities today. He carried the ball 13 times for 71 yards at a 5.5 yards-per-carry clip, and scored the game-winning touchdown (his second on the day) with 31 seconds remaining in the game. If he’s patient, he’s going to see his carries increase throughout the year and has a bright future in Tampa Bay’s offense.

- Mark Ingram only gained 3.6 yards per rush (14 carries, 51 yards) against the Bears, but those numbers aren’t indicative of how hard the rookie ran today. He’s going to allow Sean Payton to stay balanced with his playcalling and keep opponents on their heels, especially if Drew Brees (26-of-37, 270 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs) continues to light up defensive backfields.

- Unlike the Ravens, the Jets didn’t allow their emotional Week 1 victory stop them from coming out and crushing an inferior opponent on Sunday. Rex Ryan’s defense looked like it was in midseason form, forcing four turnovers and two sacks while making Luke McCown’s life a living nightmare.

- That was a gritty performance by the Redskins in the fourth quarter. They weren’t overly impressive by any means but this is a game the Skins have found a way to lose in the past. They outscored Arizona 12-7 in the fourth quarter and produced a huge turnover late in the game to seal the win. (They actually forced two turnovers on the Cardinals’ final offensive possession but one play was reversed.

- Say what you want about Tony Romo but any man who fractures a rib and comes back into a game earns my respect.

- Speaking of the Cowboys, they may have won the battle but they suffered a ton of injuries. Along with Romo’s injury, Miles Austin may be out until the team’s Week 5 bye after re-pulling his hamstring, while Felix Jones has a separated right shoulder. Oh, and Dez Bryant didn’t even play because of a quadriceps injury. This is the same nightmare Dallas just woke up from last year…

- The Texans are 2-0 but there’s no doubt that Arian Foster’s hamstring is going to be a problem for a while. I’m not a doctor and thankfully I don’t have to worry about making personnel decisions for a NFL team, but if I were the Texans I’d seriously consider allowing Foster to fully heal up for a couple of weeks. If they can manage without him while he recoveries, maybe he returns in the second half and has a monster rest of the season.

It’s pretty funny to watch commentators and writers overreact to week one of the NFL. It happens every year, and this year we had Warren Sapp calling the Steelers “old and slow” after they got whipped on opening day by the Baltimore Ravens.

I guess Sapp can ask Pete Carroll what he thinks of the Steelers after they handled his Seahawks 24-0 today in Pittsburgh.

Beating on the hapless Seahawks doesn’t make the Steelers a lock to repeat as AFC champs, but I think they’re still a team to be reckoned with.

Meanwhile, what the hell is Pete Carroll doing in Seattle? Tarvaris Jackson? Really? They’re paying you almost $7 million per season for that?

To the 12 people that watched the Vikings-Giants game on Monday night, it was apparent that Tarvaris Jackson hasn’t grown as a quarterback. Granted, he hasn’t had much time to grow while watching Brett Favre play over the last two years, but he’s been in the league since 2006 and yet you would swear he’s still a rookie.

The Vikings placed quarterback Jackson on injured reserve Thursday with turf toe, effectively ending his season and most likely his tenure in Minnesota. Brad Childress wanted a “diamond in the rough” when he selected Jackson with the last pick in the second round of the ‘06 NFL Draft and he got one in Jackson, although he never wound up polishing it.

Part of the blame for that falls on Childress, who was too busy chasing Brett Favre on his ranch in Mississippi to develop the former small school product. Or maybe Childress knew that Jackson was a mistake and that’s why he took painstaking measures to ensure Lord Fave would grace Minnesota with his presence. Either way, somebody failed Jackson along the way.

The former Alabama State product was projected to go in the later rounds of the ’06 draft but as we all know, projections mean very little. The truth is that other teams wanted Jackson that year too but the Vikings were the ones who got aggressive in the end. Hindsight is always 20/20 and while many people thought it was a reach to take Jackson in the second round, the bottom line is that Childress wasn’t the only one who saw a raw but talented athlete.

The draft is littered with success stories about quarterbacks who weren’t taken in the top 10. Tom Brady is one – Drew Brees is another. Jackson didn’t play against top competition while at Alabama State but that’s not the only mark of a college quarterback. Given the right amount of time and coaching, there were plenty of people who thought they could turn Jackson into a bona fide NFL starter and Childress was one of them.

Alas, it didn’t happen. Maybe Jackson just needs a change of scenery and a coach who won’t spend all of his time sucking face with a future Hall of Fame quarterback. Some players take a long time to develop and maybe that fits Jackson.

Or maybe he’ll never develop. After all, the draft is littered with plenty of those cases, too.