So what did we learn this week in the NFL?
– The Philadelphia Eagles showed exactly how to beat the Dallas Cowboys offense on Sunday: blitz the living hell out of Drew Bledsoe and let him self-destruct.
– The NFC East picture looks as hazy as it did in the preseason. However, the Eagles are obviously the class of the division again after a one-year hiatus.
– Sorry Houston fans, but not drafting Reggie Bush still looks like a colossal mistake.
– Two young quarterbacks showed that they have a future in the NFL Sunday. But both Matt Leinart and Bruce Gradkowski also showed how hard it is to be a winning quarterback in the NFL.
– The Rams are for real. I still don’t know if they can compete for an entire season, but nonetheless, they are for real.
– The Colts are human after all and they better learn how to stop the run or else it’s going to be another one and done situation in the playoffs this year.
– Apparently the New York Giants figured how to cover somebody during their bye week.
– Chicago has a running game again and that isn’t good news for the rest of the league.
– There is no quit in Herm Edwards’ Chiefs.
– There is a lot of quit in Rod Marinelli’s Lions and Nick Saban’s Dolphins.
Big games up first, followed by the Quick Shots:
Philadelphia 38, Dallas 24
This was a tale of two different quarterbacks. Donovan McNabb continues to put the Eagles division title hopes on his back and carry his team to win after win. Bledsoe on the other hand, continues to put the Cowboys division title hopes on his back and sink them like the Titanic.
Will this guy every get that he can’t stand in the pocket for three minutes before he gets rid of the ball? Look, Drew – the defense is going to blitz you every down for the rest of your life, so do yourself a favor and use the little protection the line gives you and find one of your many receiving threats in one on one coverage.
Terrell Owens played his old team on Sunday. I just thought I would let everybody know that in case FOX didn’t jam that little factoid far enough down your throat. Was it necessary to highlight Owens on every play before the snap of the ball?
Most impressed with: McNabb and Jim Johnson (the Eagles defensive coordinator). Dallas stuffed Philadelphia’s rushing attack today, which left McNabb in a familiar position – to have to win a game on his own. McNabb went 18 of 33 for 354 yards, threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score (his third rushing TD of the season). Marvelous job by McNabb in getting all of his targets involved in the game for the fifth straight week.
Johnson did what every coach should do, but doesn’t. Johnson saw what was working and put his foot down on the accelerator. He knew that Bledsoe had no time to throw and if he kept sending his men that eventually Bledsoe would crack – which he did. Some coordinators drop what’s working for some cute scheme midway through a game. Not Johnson – at least not on Sunday.
Least impressed with: In case I haven’t been obvious so far in this recap – Bledsoe. He stood in the pocket long enough to make a turkey dinner on every passing play and forced too many balls to Owens. Bledsoe under threw Owens terribly in the fourth quarter and then after being saved by a huge pass interference call on 4th and 17, Bledsoe decided to throw a touchdown pass to Eagles CB Lito Shepard to end the game.
Chargers 23, Steelers 13
I’ll tell you what, give me Chargers-Steelers over Cowboys-Eagles any day of the week. I say that because San Diego and Pittsburgh are two great organizations that are going to lineup and battle for 60 minutes. No fuss, no muss, no T.O. or added hoopla for the game.
Just football.
And speaking of football – outstanding game by QB Philip Rivers tonight. Rivers hasn’t been asked to do too much in the Chargers first three games and I wrote last week that I thought it could eventually hurt San Diego in the long run. Pittsburgh took away the Chargers rushing attack besides a few hard runs by Michael Turner and put the onus on having Rivers beat them. The first year starter did exactly that in going 24 of 37 for 242 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran well (six carries for 24 yards) and converted on a third and nine on San Diego’s last offensive possession by scrambling15 yards for a first down. The Chargers then drove all the way down to Pittsburgh’s four-yard line before kicking the game clinching field goal.
Most impressed with: Rivers, for all the reasons mentioned above.
Least impressed with: Ben Roethlisberger – again. He just doesn’t have it right now and it should almost be to the point for Bill Cowher that he has to think about playing Charlie Batch. Roethlisberger is still diving out throws in the pocket, being indecisive and throwing inexcusable interceptions in key situations during the game. He didn’t have bad overall numbers – 20 of 31 for 220 yards – but mentally he isn’t there yet. Now, maybe Roethlisberger needs to play himself back into his groove, but for right now, the defending champs are burning at the stakes and their division is brutal.
LaDainian Tomlinson didn’t do anything tonight either – but that has a lot to do with how good Pittsburgh is at stuffing the run, so I’ll lay off of LT for one week.
Quick Shots:
So the Colts almost blow a game at home to the winless Titans only to be saved by another Peyton Manning comeback in an uninspiring 14-13 victory. Anybody get the feeling that Indianapolis can totally be had after they squeaked by the Jets last Sunday and almost give Tennessee its first win of the year?…The Bears-Bills game was over at halftime when Chicago took a 27-0 lead into the locker room. Chicago luckily held on to a 40-7 win as Thomas Jones ran for his first 100-yard game of ’06. I can’t pinpoint one team that can go into Chicago right now and beat that Bears team, not one…The Rams beat the Packers 23-20 in a very entertaining back and forth battle at Lambeau. I never thought I’d see the day that Brett Favre started off a season 0-3 at home…The Lions had a 17-3 lead and their first win in their back pockets before the Detroit defense gave up another victory. The Lions fall to 0-5 with a 26-17 defeat at the hands of the Vikings, but at least the Tigers have given reason for hope in Detroit this past weekend…Speaking of Detroit, how did it feel for Lions fans to watch QB Joey Harrington look somewhat decent for Miami on Sunday? True the Dolphins lost 20-10 to the Patriots and Harrington did throw two interceptions, but he also out threw Tom Brady and showed he isn’t totally inept in the right offense…The New Orleans Saints are now 4-1 after beating the Bucs 24-21 as Bush scores his first career touchdown on a dazzling punt return. Good for rookie coach Sean Payton for finding a way for both Bush and veteran Duce McAllister (123 yards and a touchdown) to coexist in the same backfield. The rookie QB Gradkowski threw for 225 yards for Jon Gruden and two touchdowns, but made some mistakes down the stretch of the contest that cost Tampa its first shot at a win this season…The Washington Redskins are now the most confusing team in the NFL. They look terrible in the preseason and for the first two games of the regular season. Then the Skins get back on track the past two weeks only to look horrible again in New York on Sunday. The Giants get a much-needed 19-3 win and get RB Tiki Barber back on track (123 rushing yards) in the offense…. Carolina topped Cleveland 20-12 and held the Brownies to all field goals. DeShaun Foster (24 carries for 106 yards) is starting to find running lanes again in this Panthers offense and Carolina is finally reaping the benefits of having both Keyshawn Johnson and Steve Smith on the same field…It’s obvious that Leinart is the future for Arizona, but the rookie just couldn’t do enough at the end the game to give the Cards a win. Arizona fell to Kansas City 23-20 after being up 14-0 early in the contest. Leinart threw a key interception late in the fourth quarter to Ty Law, which set up a Lawrence Tynes field goal to tie the game at 20. However, Leinart did put the Cardinals in field goal range to possibly send the contest into OT, but kicker Neil Rackers missed a 51 yarder with seven seconds left on the game clock…Alex Smith threw three touchdown passes and Frank Gore rushed for 134 yards in the 49ers 34-20 win over Oakland. Randy Moss caught his 100th touchdown reception, celebrated, but then remembered he still plays for the Raiders…The Jaguars are obviously angry with me after calling them just an average team in my First Quarter Power Rankings last week after they lost back-to-back games to the Colts and Redskins. Jacksonville smoked the Jets 41-0 at Alltel Stadium and sent me hate mail with language in it that would make Larry Flint blush…
Random Thoughts:
– The Browns have a hell of a kick returner in rookie Josh Cribbs. Cribbs had two nice returns against the Panthers that could have led to a Cleveland victory if he was able to break one of them. He finished with 119 punt return yards and a 29.8 average.
– It was an encouraging sight to see Chiefs RB Larry Johnson walk off the field under his own power after getting his neck twisted on a tackle by CB Antrel Rolle. Johnson lay motionless on the ground for a few minutes as trainers tended to him, but then started moving his legs before being escorted off the field.
– I noticed something while watching some of the Saints-Bucs game. WR Joe Horn just isn’t that good anymore. He dropped two easy passes (one that should have been a touchdown) and the only way he could get separation from defensive backs was to push off of them. That guy is finally starting to show his age.
– Miami is ruining Chris Chambers.
– How in the hell does Green Bay find these running backs? First it was Samkon Gado last year and now Noah Herron? Herron rushed 20 times for 106 yards against the Rams after previously rushing four times for a total of five yards in the Packers first four games.
– Speaking of running backs – the Jaguars have a nice 1-2 combo in Fred Taylor (21 carries, 111 yards and one score) and rookie Maurice Jones-Drew (13 carries, 59 yards and two scores).
– This should sum up Owens’ homecoming in Philadelphia Sunday: Owens: 3 catches for 45 yards and no touchdowns. Hank Baskett: 3 catches for 112 yards and one score.
