Lets jump right into the Week 4 action:
Baltimore 16, San Diego 13
Well, I lost my first Bullz-Eye.com NFL Game of the Week prediction- thank you very much San Diego.
This was an utter botchery by the Chargers and there isn’t any other way to put it. San Diego led in this contest the whole way, but once again the Ravens keep a game close enough to pull out a win in the end. That defense seems like it can suffocate an offense an time it feels like it doesn’t it? Oh, we’re losing and we need to hold the opponent to one yard the rest of the game? Done deal.
That’s twice in two weeks that QB Steve McNair has looked like utter garbage until the final possession of the game. McNair hooked up with TE Todd Heap on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 34 seconds left in the game after trailing the Chargers 13-7 all day.
Once again, Phillip Rivers wasn’t asked to do too much, which is okay while you’re trying to build experience and confidence for a young quarterback. However, at some point during this season and in the future, the Chargers are going to need Rivers to strap on the big boy pants and win a game for them. Quite frankly, I don’t know if he can put an entire game on his shoulders right now.
Most impressed with: Somehow RB Ladianian Tomlinson managed 98 yards on the ground against the Ravens defense. The guy is amazing and easily the best back in football.
Least impressed with: The Chargers lack of discipline and the ability to not turn the ball over. San Diego was flagged 20 times, fumbled three times and threw one interception.
Chicago 37, Seattle 6
A lot of football media outlets dubbed this contest the game of the week – so much for that. I think it’s time for everybody (myself included) to start believing that this Bears offense is legit. It’s not like the Bears put up 37 points on Green Bay or Detroit’s defense – the Seahawks D is normally pretty stout.
QB Rex Grossman is playing unbelievable football right now and finally got support from a Chicago run game that has been absent for the past three weeks. Grossman finished with 232 yards and two touchdowns – including another long heave to WR Bernard Berrian – while RB Thomas Jones racked up 98 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries.
Most impressed with: Grossman, but you can’t talk about the Bears without mentioning the defense. Without RB Shaun Alexander, the Bears defense straight up harassed QB Matt Hasselback. Hasselback was sacked five times, picked off twice and was continuously pressured all game.
Least impressed with: I thought that something looked funny with Seattle’s defense against the Giants last week and maybe I was on to something (surprised I might have stumbled on to something? Me too…). Coming into the game Seattle had one of the best run defenses in the NFL, but got tore up by Jones and to a lesser extent, Cedric Benson. Chicago racked up 362 yards of total offense and 37 points on what was a top ranked defense. Fluke? I don’t think so after two ugly performances against New York and Chicago.
Quick Shots:
New England is like the NFL equivalent to a freakin’ gnat, aren’t they? The Patriots never die, never go away and are always hanging around when you don’t want them to. There is no excuse in only putting up 13 points on a New England secondary that features a bunch of nobodies and Rodney Harrison. Losing 38-13 on your home field is just embarrassing for a Cincinnati team that just smacked around its arch rivals on the road last week…Don’t look now, but the Washington is starting to hit their groove on offense. WR Santana Moss showed glimpses of what he did in ’05 with four catches for 138 yards and three touchdowns – including the game winner in overtime – as the Redskins knocked off the Jaguars 36-30. What happened to that stellar Jacksonville defense? Washington finished a shade under 500 total yards on offense…Another team that is starting to revive its season is Carolina after the Panthers knocked off the Saints 21-18. Carolina isn’t crushing its competition, but obviously with WR Steve Smith back in the fold (10 catches, 87 yards and one TD), the Panthers must feel unstoppable again. New Orleans keeps proving how tough they are though, and hardly showed a letdown after its emotional Monday night victory…One team that is falling back down to earth in a hurry is Minnesota. With a 17-12 loss in Buffalo Sunday, the Vikings have lost back to back games after starting the season 2-0 and somehow let QB J.P. Losman throw for 222 yards against them. Buffalo has a very underrated defense by the way – as they held RB Chester Taylor to 23 total yards on the ground Sunday…I think the Atlanta Falcons are the No. 1 team in college football right now. About 85% of the Falcons running plays come out of the spread option, which is mainly used on the collegiate level. QB Michael Vick – 11 carries for 101 yards on the ground in Atlanta’s 32-10 win over the Cardinals – but his passing is abysmal. Kurt Warner fumbled twice more on the season and threw a pick that was returned for a touchdown. So, Arizona puts in rookie Matt Leinart who gets sacked on his second career snap and fumbles on his third…Julius Jones and Dallas dismantled Tennessee 45-14 in rookie Vince Young’s first start in the NFL. Young was 14 of 29 for 155 yards and threw a touchdown pass. He was also intercepted twice – one was returned for a Dallas touchdown. Jones finished with 122 yards on the ground and WR Terry Glenn caught two touchdown passes from QB Drew Bledsoe…Speaking of an utter beat down – Kansas City routed San Fran 41-0 at Arrowhead. QB Damon Huard threw two touchdown passes, but the real stud was RB Larry Johnson, who finally got his wheels rolling. Johnson finished with 30 carries for 101 yards and two scores…Close, but no cigar for the NY Jets again this weekend. The Jets battled the Colts all day, but eventually fell victim to Indianapolis 31-28. The best part for the Colts was having success on the ground (160 total yards) – something that has eluded Indianapolis so far for most of this season…Houston beat Miami 17-15 and about the only noteworthy thing from this contest is that Mario Williams finally registered his first sack of the season. Although, seriously, how hard is it to sack Daunte Culpepper? …A whole bunch of things happened in the Cleveland-Oakland game believe it or not. First off, the Browns got their first win – 24-21. QB Charlie Frye threw three touchdown passes, RB Lamont Jordan actually ran the ball hard (20 carries for 128 yards and a touchdown) and Randy Moss scored his first touchdown of the season! Moss – 1 catch, five yards, one touchdown. And that was against the most beat up secondary in the entire NFL. Don’t strain yourself Randy…What a day for the city of Detroit. First, its Tigers blow a 6-0 lead to the Kansas City Royals and lose an extra innings game to give the Minnesota Twins the AL Central division (after having a 10 game lead just a few weeks ago). Then, the Lions blow about 400 leads and fall to St. Louis 41-34. But hey, at least Detroit gets to watch the Tigers in the playoffs – albeit against the New York Yankees – something it will never get to see the Lions do again. Ever. Okay, maybe not ever, but Lions fans have to be wondering if its worth it anymore, right?
Random Thoughts:
– Seriously, if you were a gambler this weekend, was there any more solid lock than the New England Patriots getting points coming off of a loss? I know they were on the road and playing an undefeated Bengals team, but the Patriots haven’t lost back-to-back games now in 53 consecutive contests. That’s unbelievable.
– Statement of the day by an announcer comes from Brian Baldinger, who did the color for the Cardinals-Falcons game. When asked why Atlanta was struggling to score in the red zone, Baldinger dropped this little ditty on America:
“Well, the Falcons are red, the Cardinals are red – and there is a whole lot of red going on down there in the red zone. I’m sure what (Falcons head coach) Jim Mora told his team at halftime was that we have to convert while we’re done there (in the red zone).”
Sweet Brian.
– Runner up statement of the day by an announcer comes from Tim Green who did the color commentary for the Lions-Rams game:
“What the Rams can’t afford to do here Sam (Rosen) is turn the ball over in the red zone, because that would give the Lions possession of the ball.”
Oh, if only FOX could somehow get both Green and Baldinger in the same booth together, they’d have commentary gold for years to come.
– There might not be a team in the NFL that deserves to be 4-0 as much as the New York Jets do. The Jets are 2-2, but New York has battled two superior opponents in New England and Indianapolis to the death. Eric Magini has his team ready to play every single week.
– The leading scorer out of all kickers Sunday was 76-year-old Morten Anderson of the Falcons. Is there anybody in the entire league that is having more fun than that guy?
– The Lions’ Roy Williams may be a big goof with all of his first down celebrations and guarantees, but that guy is a pure playmaker.
– How about the ’06 running back class on Sunday? Laurence Marnoey – 15 carries, 125 yards and two touchdowns. Jerious Norwood – 6 carries, 106 yards and one touchdown. Joseph Addai – 20 carries 84 yards and a touchdown. Maurice Jones-Drew – 3 catches for 53 yards and a touchdown. Reggie Bush – 11 carries for 22 yards and four receptions for 48 yards. Brian Calhon of the Lions – ahh, skip this one.
– I’ve said this before, but I have to say it again: man did Sports Illustrated drink the cool aid on the Miami Dolphins. What a farce that team is.
– Speaking of drinking the cool aid, how many people got fooled in to thinking that Ronnie Brown was going to be a top tier running back by the end of the season? I think WR Chris Chambers has more rushing yards than Brown does this season.
