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      The Eagles should be ashamed

      October 18, 2009 /

      I don’t care that the game was in Oakland. I don’t care if it was just an “off day.” I don’t even care that they lost their starting left tackle. The Eagles should be freaking embarrassed that they lost to the Raiders on Sunday.

      Philadelphia found out how important Jason Peters is to its football team in Oakland’s shocking 13-9 win over the Eagles in Week 6. Donovan McNabb was sacked six times and was never allowed to set up and throw. And when he did have time to set his feet, McNabb was either off line or his receivers weren’t open, which is amazing considering the Raiders were without Nnandi Asomugha, who didn’t see the field much after suffering an eye injury.

      I understand this was just one loss and the Eagles will bounce back, but it’s inexcusable to lose to the Raiders when you’re supposed to be a Super Bowl contender. This was the same Oakland team that was accused of going through the motions after the Giants routed them in New York last week. Yet Philadelphia gained just 283 yards of offense and was 2 of 16 on third downs – against the Raiders.

      It’s vital that Peters returns to health for the Eagles because if Oakland can generate a consistent pass rush, then the Giants and Cowboys will too.

      It’s only right to give the Raiders some credit though. They looked like a JV team last week and instead of throwing in the towel they came out this week and fought hard. At times, JaMarcus Russell even looked like a NFL quarterback, which is shocking given just how bad he looked a week ago.

      NFL

      Big Ben shreds the Browns

      October 18, 2009 /

      The Pittsburgh Steelers are far from perfect, in fact, they might be the best imperfect team in the NFL, if that makes any sense. But as long as they have Ben Roethlisberger under center, they’re going to have a chance to win most on most Sundays.

      The Steelers beat the Browns 27-14 on Sunday in a sloppy game that had little to no flow to it. Both teams combined for eight turnovers and Cleveland didn’t even total 200 yards of offense. Yet through all the muck, Big Ben was 23-of-35 for 417 yards and two touchdowns while helping Pittsburgh gain 543 yards of total offense.

      Rothlisberger absolutely shredded the Browns’ secondary, connecting with Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Heath Miller and Mike Wallace with regularity on plays that gained 25-yards or more. He also rushed six times for 11 yards and once again kept plays alive with his mobility in the pocket. I realize shredding a Browns secondary that is susceptible to giving up big plays isn’t a monumental event for a quarterback, but it’s hard not to appreciate how good Big Ben looked on Sunday.

      Tom Brady and Petyon Manning are known for putting their teams on their shoulders and leading them to victory. He’s usually not brought up in the same discussion, but Roethlisberger is definitely on Brady and Manning’s level when it comes to that ability. Granted, he’s often aided by how good Pittsburgh’s defense is, but there’s no denying that he’s an exceptional quarterback. And more times than not, he covers up how flawed the Steelers truly are.

      NFL

      Campbell benched in Redskins’ loss to Chiefs

      October 18, 2009 /

      Things have gone from bad to worse for Jason Campbell and the Washington Redskins, who sunk to a new low on Sunday by losing to the previously winless Chiefs, 14-6.

      Campbell was benched and replaced by backup Todd Collins in the second half on Sunday after throwing for just 89 yards on 9-of-16 passing. He also threw an interception right before halftime and missed Santana Moss on what could have been a big gain. To be fair, Moss also dropped a pass that could have produced a big play.

      After the game, Washington head coach Jim Zorn said that Campbell “was not comfortable” and that wholesale changes might not be coming at the quarterback position. How Campbell wasn’t comfortable facing a defense as brutal as the Chiefs’ is staggering, but I digress.

      Campbell certainly wasn’t good, but he wasn’t bad enough to force Zorn to make a change. Zorn is just clueless and is grasping at straws at this point. His offense is so bad that instead of trying to game plan differently, he makes a half-assed decision to replace his quarterback in the middle of the game and it proved to be unnecessary. He’s not long for Washington and quite frankly, neither is Campbell, who would benefit from a fresh start elsewhere.

      NFL

      Dodgers Assistant GM interviews with Padres

      October 18, 2009 /

      Kim Ng

      Most of us aren’t familiar with Kim Ng, the Assistant General Manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that Ng recently interviewed for the position of San Diego Padres General Manager, now vacant after the firing of Kevin Towers. Although Ng is one of various candidates, that isn’t stopping Dodger enthusiasts from speculating what could happen to their team if Ng were to leave.

      Ng has interviewed for other general manager positions before and isn’t necessarily the favorite to get this one (which incidentally could make her the boss of her former boss at the Dodgers, Padres executive vice president Paul DePodesta, who is not a candidate for the job). But she certainly has a fan club in Los Angeles that holds its breath each time she talks to another team.

      Is there any chance Ng could ascend in Los Angeles? Dodger General Manager Ned Colletti and the Dodgers have a mutual option for 2010, and after winning three division titles and two National League division series in four years, Colletti’s return for 2010 (and perhaps years to come) would seem to be a formality. What could disrupt it?

      Colletti is the general manager, but he doesn’t work alone. He has Ng, he has assistant general manager/scouting Logan White, he has a host of scouts and advisors, and he also no doubt has the McCourts weighing in on the biggest deals. (Manny Ramirez, anyone?) Yes, in most player transactions, the buck has stopped with Colletti since the end of 2005, but we really don’t know how much of the past four years is uniquely Colletti.

      If Ng leaves, I’ll fear the Dodgers have lost a great executive. But I’ll console myself with how well the Dodgers have done under the current regime, and with the knowledge that Ng deserves her moment in the sun, wherever that sun is determined to shine.

      Before joining the Dodgers organization, Ng was the Assistant GM for the Yankees, and worked in the White Sox front office before that. If Ng were to land the coveted position with the Padres, Ng would become the first female General Manager in the history professional sports. Still, her chances are slim as Jed Hoyer, assistant GM of the Red Sox, is viewed as the favorite.

      In the end, Colletti will receive a contract extension next year. While Ng has a positive reputation throughout the MLB, I doubt she’ll get the job in San Diego. Unless the Dodgers completely collapse over the next two seasons, she will remain as their Assistant GM. Unfortunately, if she really wants to become a GM of a big league club, she’ll have take a similar position to the one she already has with another team. There, she’ll have to wait till the front office becomes dissatisfied with their current GM. With Ng’s past experience and determination, she’d naturally get the gig. However, I doubt Ng has the patience for this strategy.

      MLB

      Jekyll and Hyde Texans strike again

      October 18, 2009 /

      If the Houston Texans could ever find some consistency from week-to-week, there’s no doubt they would be a playoff team. But one week they’re losing to the Jaguars at home and the next they’re beating a red-hot Bengals team in Cincinnati.

      Matt Schaub dissected the Bengals for 392 yards and four touchdowns in Houston’s 28-17 victory on Sunday. It might have been the best performance of his career, as he used multiple receivers and was incredibly patient while waiting for receivers to come out of their breaks. He was also extremely accurate, hooking up with Andre Johnson eight times for 135 yards, including once for 59 yards.

      The Texans have a good enough offense to hang with any opponent in the league. But it will be the play of their defense that decides whether or not they’ll make the playoffs. Today their defense was excellent, limiting the Bengals to only 46 yards on the ground and forcing three turnovers. But next week, who knows?

      One factor that could help Houston down the stretch defensively is the emerging play of rookie Brian Cushing. He has shown the ability to shed blockers, hang with backs and receivers in coverage and has displayed a knack for making the big play. He was outstanding on Sunday, intercepting Carson Palmer and forcing two fumbles. Houston has found a special player in this year’s first round pick.

      Cincinnati suffered today when defensive end Antwaan Odom left the game with an injury. The Bengals were also without Domata Peko, who has been their best run-stuffer. Without those two defenders, Schaub, Steve Slaton and Chris Brown were able to move the chains with consistency and the Bengals were in catch up mode the entire game outside of when they added a late field goal to take a 17-14 lead into halftime.

      This loss might wind up being good for the Bengals. They may have started to read their own press clippings after beating the Ravens in Baltimore last week and Marvin Lewis can use this loss to remind his team that there are 16 games in a NFL season.

      NFL

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