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      Bears’ offense starting to take shape

      October 4, 2009 /

      The Chicago Bears have problems in their secondary and can’t keep any of their linebackers healthy.

      But their offense is starting to take shape with Jay Cutler under center.

      Albeit it was against the Lions, but the Bears finally got their running game going as Matt Forte rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries in Chicago’s 48-24 victory. Cutler didn’t have to do much in the passing game, but he was clutch in the red zone, completing a 2-yard touchdown pass to Kellen Davis in the second quarter, then Greg Olsen on a 1-yard TD pass on a fourth and 1 from the goal line after a Detroit penalty negated a field goal. Cutler also rushed for a 5-yard touchdown in the first quarter to tie the game 7-7.

      Rookie Johnny Knox once again proved his worth, returning the second half kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown. He also hauled in five passes for 31 yards.

      The Bears are far from perfect, but if they can run the ball like they did on Sunday, they’re going to be potent. Their opening week loss to the Packers is nothing but a distant memory and with the bye week coming up, Lovie Smith’s team is sitting pretty at 3-1.

      As for the Lions, Matthew Stafford looked great early on, but he left the game with a twisted knee and his availability for next week is uncertain.

      NFL

      Are the Colts the team to beat in the AFC?

      October 4, 2009 /

      Quick, name the best team in the AFC.

      The Patriots? Too many flaws, especially on defense.

      The Ravens? Maybe now that they have an offense to match their defense, but their loss in New England on Sunday raised more concerns about their receiving corps.

      The Jets? As of this writing, the Saints are making Mark Sanchez look an awfully lot like a rookie starting in his first season. But if they come back and earn a win in New Orleans, then Rex Ryan’s team certainly makes a case that they’re the best in the conference.

      The answer to the proposed question, my friends, may very well be the Indianapolis Colts. I understand that this might not be a fair time to ask a question like this given that they had a free win against the banged up Seahawks on Sunday, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that Peyton Manning and his offense looks unstoppable, or that Indy’s defense is faster and more aggressive under new coordinator Larry Coyer.

      One could certainly make the argument that the Colts haven’t faced anyone this season with wins over the Jaguars, Dolphins, Cardinals and Seahawks. But in each of their wins, Manning has thrown for over 300 yards and has run Tom Moore’s version of the no-huddle offense to near perfection.

      There is some concern that the defense will wear down because of the offense’s quick-hit approach, and the running game has almost been non-existent. But as long as the Colts stay close, Manning is going to give them an opportunity to win in the fourth quarter.

      The schedule is incredibly favorable for Indianapolis over the next couple weeks. They’re at Tennessee next week, have a bye in Week 6 and then play the Rams in Week 7. Their first true challenge of the year might not come until Week 8 when they host the ever-improving 49ers.

      Things are set up for the Colts to streak to the playoffs again this year. And with an improved defense, the sky appears to be the limit for this team.

      NFL

      Browns drop to 0-4 under Mangini

      October 4, 2009 /

      The Browns’ 23-20 overtime loss to instate rival Cincinnati on Sunday really summed up Eric Mangini’s start in Cleveland.

      Carson PalmerThe Browns did the improbable in the fourth quarter by blocking an extra point following a Chad Ochocinco 2-yard touchdown pass to force overtime. Then they really did the improbable by allowing a gimpy Carson Palmer to scramble 15 yards in the extra period to set up Shayne Graham’s game-winning 31-yard field goal with four seconds remaining.

      Did I mention that Palmer’s scramble was on fourth down? Had they stopped the Bengals on that play, Mangini and the Browns were looking at a tie at the very least, which certainly would have been better than suffering their fourth consecutive loss.

      The good thing for Cleveland is that they fought hard after trailing Cincinnati 14-7 early in the first half. They also forced two key turnovers and the offense looked more efficient with Anderson under center than they did with Brady Quinn in previous weeks. Jerome Harrison rushed for 121 yards on 29 carries, while rookie receiver Mohamed Massaquoi caught eight passes for 148 yards.

      But moral victories don’t really count when you’re 0-4. Mangini deserves time to build the roster he wants, but in the meantime he still needs to produce a victory or two because the Cleveland faithful has suffered enough. A win today would have given Mangini a little support.

      Hell, a tie would have done the same thing.

      NFL

      Receivers doom Ravens in loss to Patriots

      October 4, 2009 /

      If Ozzie Newsome doesn’t get Joe Flacco some receivers, he’s going to wind up wasting his young quarterback’s talents.

      Baltimore receivers dropped two passes inside the Patriots’ 20-yard line at the end of New England’s 27-21 win on Sunday, which cost the Ravens an opportunity to stay undefeated.

      Derrick Mason’s drop on 3rd and 4 from the 14-yard line with 35 seconds left was bad, but also forgivable considering the defender bumped him from behind right as the pass hit his chest. But Mark Clayton’s drop on the very next play was inexcusable because Flacco hit him right in the numbers and it served as the death nail for the Ravens.

      But let’s give credit where credit is due – this was an impressive victory by the Patriots, although not so much defensively. Baltimore racked up 363 total yards and moved the ball at will, but Tom Brady found a way to move the ball against a good Ravens defense despite not having a running game.

      One thing New England did do well defensively was confuse Flacco with various blitzes, which often caused him to throw off his back foot and not set his feet. Leigh Bodden produced a big interception in the red zone at the end of the first half because Flacco couldn’t set his feet while rushing to get the ball out of his hands. That’s just a case of Bill Belichick’s front seven getting the job done.

      The Pats still have plenty of flaws, but they’ve beaten two playoff teams in the Falcons and Ravens the past two weeks and face the winless Titans and Bucs in two of their next three games. If they can beat the Broncos in Denver next week and pick up wins over Tennessee and Tampa before their bye, they’ll be 6-1 and filled with confidence heading into the second half of the year.

      NFL

      Is it time for the Titans to go back to Young?

      October 4, 2009 /

      If the Tennessee Titans were to make a list of the problems they’ve had this year, Kerry Collins wouldn’t be in the top 5. A horrid pass defense, the inability to convert third downs, and turnovers would be near the top. (All three were on full display on Sunday as the Jaguars crushed the Titans 37-17.)

      But the Titans need a spark and at 0-4, it might be time for Jeff Fisher to go back to Vince Young, who played himself out of the starting lineup following a mental breakdown in the opening week of 2008.

      Young won’t solve all of the Titans’ issues, if any of them. Even if he did play well, the secondary still has massive issues and Tennessee would have to cut down on the turnovers. But he might be able to keep the chains moving with his legs and give the Titans an opportunity to sustain drives.

      Collins has proven in the early going that he can’t keep the offense on the field, particularly in the first half. That has allowed opponents to get their offenses on the field and take advantage of Tennessee’s problems in the secondary. In the last two weeks, the Titans have found themselves down by 10 or more points in the first quarter because of turnovers or the offense’s inability to pick up first downs.

      Again, Young won’t be a cure-all, but Fisher has to do something because the players look like they’re quitting on the season. And for a team that started ’08 10-0, there’s just no excuse for that.

      NFL

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