Before the Week 16 games, the Panthers were still mathematically alive for the final NFC wild card spot. The requirements to make the playoffs were thus: The Panthers needed to win out (to get to 8-8), the Saints needed to drop at least one game, the Redskins had to defeat the Vikings and then lose their final game. Unusually enough, everything lined up perfectly for the Panthers on Sunday. The only problem was that the Panthers' game was on Saturday, on NFL Network, no less. After some finagling and debate, we managed to find the game, though in low-definition.
As predicted, Matt Moore started as quarterback. The offense played conservatively, but Dallas' high-octane seemed restrained. Moore did a fair job in the passing game, throwing one TD to Steve Smith and only one interception. DeAngelo Williams carried 10 times for 60 yards, though most of it came on a 39-yard run, which he finished by flattening Terrence Newman before going out of bounds. DeShaun Foster ran an ineffective four times for nine yards.
The defense held up reasonably well, led by Richard Marshall's 10 solo tackles (Jon Beason had 8). Unfortunately, Marshall also missed a crucial open-field tackle that allowed Terrel Owens to score the game's first points. The defensive line was on the field far too long, and it showed. They held the running game in check for as long as they could, but in the fourth quarter, Marion Barber III simply ran all over them to finish the game, much as he has done too teams all year. One of my friends remarked that Tony Romo's jersey was immaculately clean towards the end of the fourth quarter. Indeed, his white looked like it was fresh from the laundry, with no sacks or knockdowns to Carolina's credit. Part of this was due to Julius Peppers' absence, without him, the Cowboys freely double-teamed Kris Jenkins, snuffing out any pocket pressure the Panthers might have applied. The depth that Peppers provided was gone, and frankly, Al Wallace, who left the team before the season, was also missed. The Panthers are not wont to blitz often, so Tony Romo probably did not even need to shower after the game. Thomas Davis was busy, with one forced fumble, one interception and six tackles.
Despite mediocrity on both sides of the ball, what really killed Carolina was the officiating. Three calls at critical junctures doomed the team to the top half of the draft. Two of the calls were actually non-calls, as Mike Carey and his crew missed a Dallas defensive back pulling on the arm of Jeff King, preventing him from making a catch for a first down. They also missed Drew Carter being rapped on the head and then tackled before attempting to make a huge catch on third down. The third and most obviously incorrect call was on a long catch by Steve Smith. Moore heaved the ball down the right sideline and Smith, streaking in double coverage, leaped for the ball, and then came down with it, and then fumbled it out of bounds. The official who was standing at the sideline where the catch occurred paused for a moment and then signaled a catch, causing the stadium to erupt into cheers. Mike Carey then came over and ruled the pass incomplete, turning the fans' cheers into a hail of boos. After some contemplation and much shouting at the television, Coach John Fox threw out the red flag to challenge. The replays that scrolled during the review clearly told the story: Smith caught the ball, and then touched down with both feet. However, due to the height and angle of his jump (or perhaps his thighs are made out of springs), he immediately bounced and became airborne once more, finally landing on his back and only then (after he should have been ruled down) did he fumble. Unfortunately, Mike Carey did not see it this way. He ruled the pass incomplete, to a chorus of boos and maledictions from the fans. I could have understood if had had ruled down by contact, or even caught and then fumbled out. But he did neither. Mike Carey suddenly went from one of the three NFL referees I could name (the other two being he-man Ed Hochuli and the venerable Gerry Austin) to the most despised man in sports.
Of course, the Panthers lost the game 20-13 (frankly they should have been blown out, but that is a rant for a Texan writer).
Now the Panthers are eliminated from playoff contention, and most likely, the season will end in such a fashion that had they won this game, they would have slipped into the playoffs as the sixth team.
I'm looking into patenting Haterade.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Week 14
Unfortunately, this post a continuation of the last one. Last week (12/2) the Panthers had the good fortune to play a team as feeble as themselves, the San Francisco 49ers. They ran trick plays with success, had 6 takeaways and generally dominated their former NFC West foes. This week, they played the Jacksonville Jaguars, their "expansion twins" with dissimilar results.
The Jaguar are everything the Panthers aspire to be. They have a powerful running game, a hard-hitting defense designed to stop the run and a QB who rarely makes mistakes. The Jaguars even have Jack del Rio, the former Panthers defensive coordinator, as their well-dressed head coach.
They Panthers hung tough for the first half, but the Jaguars poured on 27 points in the second to make the game a snoozer. Vinny Testaverde was unusually inaccurate, with diminished power on many of his passes. Steve Smith was limited to a few harmless catches, the running game was ineffective and the Panthers' could not score a touchdown, the hallmark of their continually abysmal offense. Jon Beason once again shone in a losing effort, with 12 tackles, 10 of them solo.
If Vinny continues to act his age, Matt Moore may see more reps and more snaps, if nothing else to prepare him to be an adequate backup to Jake Delhomme next year. Though David Carr was signed to be a Plan B at QB, he has now been relegated to 3rd string for the past two games and it remains to be seen if he will fulfill both years of his contract with the Panthers. The Panthers would have to win their remaining three games and receive substantial help to reach the playoffs.
The Patriots and the Colts both heaped on the points, but it was the Cowboys who caught my eye this week, with yet another magical win. They have also had close wins over Buffalo and Washington, and their only loss is to the 13-0 Patriots.
The Jaguar are everything the Panthers aspire to be. They have a powerful running game, a hard-hitting defense designed to stop the run and a QB who rarely makes mistakes. The Jaguars even have Jack del Rio, the former Panthers defensive coordinator, as their well-dressed head coach.
They Panthers hung tough for the first half, but the Jaguars poured on 27 points in the second to make the game a snoozer. Vinny Testaverde was unusually inaccurate, with diminished power on many of his passes. Steve Smith was limited to a few harmless catches, the running game was ineffective and the Panthers' could not score a touchdown, the hallmark of their continually abysmal offense. Jon Beason once again shone in a losing effort, with 12 tackles, 10 of them solo.
If Vinny continues to act his age, Matt Moore may see more reps and more snaps, if nothing else to prepare him to be an adequate backup to Jake Delhomme next year. Though David Carr was signed to be a Plan B at QB, he has now been relegated to 3rd string for the past two games and it remains to be seen if he will fulfill both years of his contract with the Panthers. The Panthers would have to win their remaining three games and receive substantial help to reach the playoffs.
The Patriots and the Colts both heaped on the points, but it was the Cowboys who caught my eye this week, with yet another magical win. They have also had close wins over Buffalo and Washington, and their only loss is to the 13-0 Patriots.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
What in the name of Rae Carruth is Wrong with the Panthers?
Really, there is no reason that the Carolina Panthers should be this bad. Today I watched the first half of their game against the Packers before conceding defeat and going out.
Their defensive line, so vaunted in previous years, could barely lay a hand on Brett Favre. This gave Favre roughly three minutes to throw the ball every time he dropped back. Carolina has three good cornerbacks in Ken Lucas, Chris Gamble and Richard Marshall, but no corner can cover forever. The Packers' tendency towards four and five receiver sets usually meant at least one safety was matched up on a wide receiver or tight end. This led to play-action, which led to big runs and the Packers running over the Panthers.
Front Four: Kris Jenkins keeps jumping offsides. Peppers seems to be playing with less energy than in previous years. Rucker is aging. Kemo keeps stuffing the run, but cannot penetrate the pocket.
Linebackers: While Dan Morgan is an excellent MLB, he is injured again. His absence led to a reshuffling of the linebackers, Thomas Davis staying on the strong side, Na'il Diggs being promoted from special teams the weak side and the rookie Jon Beason coming out in the middle. If there is one bright spot on this team, it is the play of Jon Beason. He has shouldered the load as a rookie, makes tackles all over the field and seems to be a solution for Dan Morgan's consistent injuries. If Beason continues to play at a high level, it seems likely that Dan Morgan will be let go or retire.
Secondary: Chris Harris is a good safety and replacement for the venerated Mike Minter, but he needs more help from the other safety. Nate Salley was slated to play free safety, but was injured in the preseason and Deke Cooper has taken his place. Cooper has not been horrible, but hopes were high for Salley.
Backfield: Foster and Williams are good, but what about Hoover? He is primarily a blocker, but when he carries or catches he seems to do well for himself. The quarterback is a question mark. Testaverde can't hold onto the ball and will not last beyond one more season, if that. David Carr has played quite poorly, no better than he did in Houston. Matt Moore has been given very limited reps in practice, and even fewer in-game snaps. Carolina cannot wait for Jake Delhomme's return next year and they need to get real backup.
Receivers: Jeff King is developing and Drew Carter seems more at ease. Dwayne Jarret has yet to contribute significantly, mostly because he gets so little playing time. In the unfortunate but possible scenario that Steve Smith is not re-signed when his contract expires (2012), he will go elsewhere for large heaps of money. There are just not enough snaps in a game to get him involved at the level that he should be. The receivers have underperformed as a result of the turnstile at the quarterback position.
The Line: For the first time in recent memory, the offensive line has started the same five people(with the exception of Jeremy Bridges' two-game suspension) for the first 10 games of the season. They have allowed for some time for each quarterback to throw, but operating under four different leaders has made things difficult.
Special teams: Kasay is good and Baker is good. They are on the field far too often. Ryne Robinson needs to learn how to return punts for more than four yards. The coverage unit needs work, as evidenced by Tramon Williams' 94 yard touchdown return of a pooch punt.
Their defensive line, so vaunted in previous years, could barely lay a hand on Brett Favre. This gave Favre roughly three minutes to throw the ball every time he dropped back. Carolina has three good cornerbacks in Ken Lucas, Chris Gamble and Richard Marshall, but no corner can cover forever. The Packers' tendency towards four and five receiver sets usually meant at least one safety was matched up on a wide receiver or tight end. This led to play-action, which led to big runs and the Packers running over the Panthers.
Front Four: Kris Jenkins keeps jumping offsides. Peppers seems to be playing with less energy than in previous years. Rucker is aging. Kemo keeps stuffing the run, but cannot penetrate the pocket.
Linebackers: While Dan Morgan is an excellent MLB, he is injured again. His absence led to a reshuffling of the linebackers, Thomas Davis staying on the strong side, Na'il Diggs being promoted from special teams the weak side and the rookie Jon Beason coming out in the middle. If there is one bright spot on this team, it is the play of Jon Beason. He has shouldered the load as a rookie, makes tackles all over the field and seems to be a solution for Dan Morgan's consistent injuries. If Beason continues to play at a high level, it seems likely that Dan Morgan will be let go or retire.
Secondary: Chris Harris is a good safety and replacement for the venerated Mike Minter, but he needs more help from the other safety. Nate Salley was slated to play free safety, but was injured in the preseason and Deke Cooper has taken his place. Cooper has not been horrible, but hopes were high for Salley.
Backfield: Foster and Williams are good, but what about Hoover? He is primarily a blocker, but when he carries or catches he seems to do well for himself. The quarterback is a question mark. Testaverde can't hold onto the ball and will not last beyond one more season, if that. David Carr has played quite poorly, no better than he did in Houston. Matt Moore has been given very limited reps in practice, and even fewer in-game snaps. Carolina cannot wait for Jake Delhomme's return next year and they need to get real backup.
Receivers: Jeff King is developing and Drew Carter seems more at ease. Dwayne Jarret has yet to contribute significantly, mostly because he gets so little playing time. In the unfortunate but possible scenario that Steve Smith is not re-signed when his contract expires (2012), he will go elsewhere for large heaps of money. There are just not enough snaps in a game to get him involved at the level that he should be. The receivers have underperformed as a result of the turnstile at the quarterback position.
The Line: For the first time in recent memory, the offensive line has started the same five people(with the exception of Jeremy Bridges' two-game suspension) for the first 10 games of the season. They have allowed for some time for each quarterback to throw, but operating under four different leaders has made things difficult.
Special teams: Kasay is good and Baker is good. They are on the field far too often. Ryne Robinson needs to learn how to return punts for more than four yards. The coverage unit needs work, as evidenced by Tramon Williams' 94 yard touchdown return of a pooch punt.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Divisonal Realigments
Time for a little mid-season divisional review.
AFC
North
The Steelers are one of the best teams in the NFL, behind only the Colts and the Patriots, but the surprise of the year, the Cleveland Browns are riding Derek Anderson's hot arm and though they have lost once already to the division leading Steelers, they are a single game out of the divisional lead. The Ravens continue to age on both sides of the ball and their offense is stagnant as always. The Bengals are disappointing, but at least they are staying our of jail this year.
South
This is a good division, at the top of which sits Indy, smarting from their loss to New England, they are looking for someone to take it out on. Tennessee and Jacksonville are both good too, but they will need to excel during the second half of the season if they want to make the post-season. The Texans are in bad shape with QB Schaub, WR Johnson and CB Robinson all hurting.
East
The Patriots rule this division. Buffalo is on up-and-coming, but have no chance. The Jets and the Fins have a single win between them.
West
An unusually mediocre division that has historically produced at least one outstanding team. The Chargers have all the potential but they keep losing games they should not and Norv Turner's doubters increase in number and volume.
NFC
North
This division has been turned on its head. Old Man Time is on vacation and Brett Favre is playing like a 25-year old and is thoroughly enjoying his young receiving corps. The Lions are experiencing unheralded success with Kitna playing well and Kevin Jones finally healthy and making an impact. Their 10-win season is a very reachable goal, and a playoff berth should come with it. The Bears' switch the Greise was the right move, but it is not helping their season. The Vikings have a fantastic RB in Adrian Peterson and a stingy defense, but they lack a QB, and no one on their roster is the answer.
South
In what was once a competitive division, they have fallen past mediocrity. The Bucs lead, but they are only one game above .500 and the division is up for grabs. They have no RBs, the Panthers have no QBs, and the Falcons have no heart. The Saints are on a four game win streak, which is bad news for everyone else in this division.
East
After starting cold, the Giants are red hot, winning six straight, but even this is not enough, as the Cowboys lead the division, with their only loss to undefeated New England. The Skins defense is good, but their offense lacks octane, and the Eagles will need a magical run like last year's if they want to reach the playoffs.
West
For the time being, this is the worst division in football. No one has a winning record, and St. Louis has no wins at all. Seattle leads for now, but outside of the Rams, it will be a free for all for the right to get eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
AFC
North
The Steelers are one of the best teams in the NFL, behind only the Colts and the Patriots, but the surprise of the year, the Cleveland Browns are riding Derek Anderson's hot arm and though they have lost once already to the division leading Steelers, they are a single game out of the divisional lead. The Ravens continue to age on both sides of the ball and their offense is stagnant as always. The Bengals are disappointing, but at least they are staying our of jail this year.
South
This is a good division, at the top of which sits Indy, smarting from their loss to New England, they are looking for someone to take it out on. Tennessee and Jacksonville are both good too, but they will need to excel during the second half of the season if they want to make the post-season. The Texans are in bad shape with QB Schaub, WR Johnson and CB Robinson all hurting.
East
The Patriots rule this division. Buffalo is on up-and-coming, but have no chance. The Jets and the Fins have a single win between them.
West
An unusually mediocre division that has historically produced at least one outstanding team. The Chargers have all the potential but they keep losing games they should not and Norv Turner's doubters increase in number and volume.
NFC
North
This division has been turned on its head. Old Man Time is on vacation and Brett Favre is playing like a 25-year old and is thoroughly enjoying his young receiving corps. The Lions are experiencing unheralded success with Kitna playing well and Kevin Jones finally healthy and making an impact. Their 10-win season is a very reachable goal, and a playoff berth should come with it. The Bears' switch the Greise was the right move, but it is not helping their season. The Vikings have a fantastic RB in Adrian Peterson and a stingy defense, but they lack a QB, and no one on their roster is the answer.
South
In what was once a competitive division, they have fallen past mediocrity. The Bucs lead, but they are only one game above .500 and the division is up for grabs. They have no RBs, the Panthers have no QBs, and the Falcons have no heart. The Saints are on a four game win streak, which is bad news for everyone else in this division.
East
After starting cold, the Giants are red hot, winning six straight, but even this is not enough, as the Cowboys lead the division, with their only loss to undefeated New England. The Skins defense is good, but their offense lacks octane, and the Eagles will need a magical run like last year's if they want to reach the playoffs.
West
For the time being, this is the worst division in football. No one has a winning record, and St. Louis has no wins at all. Seattle leads for now, but outside of the Rams, it will be a free for all for the right to get eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
Monday, October 15, 2007
The Good, the Bad and the Sometimes Ugly
Maybe this will be a nice format for a rundown of the weekend. Each team gets a plus, a minus, and an occasional quirk. Arranged by division, or just press Ctrl + F to search for whatever I am calling your team this week.
AFC
North
Cincy:
The Good: The Bungles are inching closer to Chris Henry's return.
The Bad: The can't play defense, as shown by being the first team this year to allow LJ to be a factor.
The Ugly: Unless they get hot right now, the playoffs are an impossibility, as 9-7 won't cut it in the AFC.
Cleveland
The Good: Derek Anderson is delaying Brady Quinn's appearance long enough to let him learn the pro game, much as Jon Kitna did for Carson Palmer.
The Bad: The defense let Cleo Lemon score four TDs, two in the air and two on the
The Burgh
The Good: A bye lets their receiving corps heal. Plus, Big Ben stays healthy while not actually on the field.
The Bad: They might forget all the great defense they have been playing.
Baltimore
The Good: The defense is back to its old ways, holding opponents to 10 points total in the last two weeks.
The Bad: The offense is once again stagnant, Kyle Boller has yet to truly emerge or bomb out.
South
Indy
The Good: A bye weeks lets some of their injured starters heal.
The Bad: Their starters' return might actually bring down their level of play.
The Ugly: The Colts do not have an easy game until November 22 (@JAX, @CAR, NE, @SD, KC) when they play the Falcon on a short week.
Tennessee
The Good: Kerry Collins is an experienced veteran who can direct the offense and the defense is stingy.
The Bad: Vince Young is hurt, and the offense revolves around him.
The Pretty: The modern-day Titans have much better uniforms than the NY Titans did.
Jack-a-lax
The Good: The know how to run the football, and they do it well.
The Bad: They play Indy and then have a three-game road trip to TB, NO and TEN.
Houston
The Good: Kevin Walter is emerging as a legitimate second WR to complement Andre Johnson
The Bad: Andre Johnson is still injured.
East
Patriots
The Good: Football in New England has rarely been better.
The Bad: As October races into November, temperature will plummet, making it harder to catch the football. It might be the only thing that can stop this team.
The Ugly: Laurence Maroney is out and Sammy Morris is the ground attack, and it still looks fantastic.
Miami
The Good: Cleo Lemon scored four TDs in a loss.
The Bad: The loss was to the Cleveland Browns, and the Miami D allowed Derek Anderson to throw 3 TDs
Buffalo
The Good: Bye Week! Not a heartbreaking loss!
The Bad: Their only win is against the Jets.
The Ugly: They have the second fewest points scored, 65 (SF has 63).
J-E-T-S
The Good: Thomas Jones loves to run.
The Bad: Thomas Jones has to run, because the Jets are afraid of Pennington's throwing.
West
San Diego
The Good: Helloooo LDT! Good to have you back, unless you are playing me in fantasy (crud).
The Bad: The pass game is still struggling to support the run.
Oakland
The Good: Scoring a defensive TD is good for this team.
The Bad: You can't pick off LDT, and it's pretty hard to make him fumble, too.
The Ugly: The Black Hole is just waiting for Culpepper to fail miserably (which he has amazingly yet to do) so they can start chanting JaMarcus Russell's name.
KC
The Good: Damon had a nice game and LJ finally got it in gear. Jared Allen also went off.
The Bad: The defense can't count on the offense just yet and they can't control the game on their own.
Good Job: Tony Gonzales deserves the TE TD record. But don't think that people are not already calculating how long it is before Antonio Gates breaks it.
Denver Broncos
The Good: Javon Walker's Knee gets an extra week to heal.
The Bad: The pass offense stinks. Come to think of it, so does the run game. They need to pull it together if they want their wildcard.
NFC
North
Da Bears
The Good: Griese had two picks and a lost fumble, and still played better football than Rex Grossman
The Bad: The once-powerful defense lets in 34 points - to the Vikes
The Hester: By far the most valuable, dazzling and versatile player on the team. If only he played QB.
Vikes
The Good: Adrian Peterson is looking like the next great back.
The Bad: They need a QB. Jackson is not the answer until his football skills can mature.
Pack
The Good: Brett Favre carries this team, and sometimes they can carry him.
The Bad: Aaron Rodgers is stewing.
Detwa
The Good: Jon Kitna is putting up big numbers and Matt Millen's insistence on drafting WRs has finally paid off.
The Bad: The defense is still not good enough to challenge for a divisional title.
10-Win watch: They are on pace, assuming they win Week 17 at Green Bay.
South
Carolina Panthers
The Good: Julius Peppers shows up, DeAngelo Hall breaks off a big one and the defense plays well in support of a precise Vinny Testaverde.
The Bad: Kris Jenkins is sill jumping offsides. Drew Carter absolutely refuses to catch the ball.
Tampa Bay
The Good: The prove they can win an ugly slugfest.
The Bad: they need a running back something awful. Might we see a trade for Michael Turner?
Atlanta
The Good: Playing on MNF, the stands still look fairly full.
The Bad: The defense consistently underachieves, and Joey Harrington and Byron Leftwich simply will not get you deep into the playoffs.
New Orleans
The Good: A win, finally. Reggie Bush is starting to become an every-down back, so the running game will not suffer from the loss of Deuce.
The Bad: They only have one win on the season, and Drew Brees is not connecting deep down the field as often as he did last season.
East
Philly
The Good: They get another win, staying viable in the duke-it-out division.
The Bad: Their run game needs work, again.
Skins
The Good: Jason Campbell continues to mature in the offense and Chris Cooley is a dependable utility player.
The Bad: Injuries continue to hurt this team and their offense is sputtering as a result.
Giants
The Good: When he stays healthy, Amani Toomer is a great complement to Plax (leads the NFL in TD receptions) and Shockey.
The Bad: They are still chasing the 5-1 Cowboys for the division crown.
Cowboys
The Good: Even against the might Pats, they can put up points.
The Bad: The pass defense can't keep up with true firepower. I want them to make Marion Barber III their primary back and only use Julius Jones as a change of pace.
West
San Fran
The Good: A week off to regroup from all the blows delivered by the Ravens' defense.
The Bad: Trent Dilfer cannot, will not get it done. They are kicking themselves for not grabbing Vinny Testaverde to tutor the young Alex Smith. Smith needs to get good or else he will be the next Kyle Boller.
St. Louis
The Good: Torry Holt is healthy. So is Will Witherspoon.
The Bad: The only winless team in the NFC. Gus Ferrote inspires neither fear nor awe.
Seattle
The Good: Hass is playing well. A weak division keeps then in hunt.
The Bad: Shaun Alexander looks like Tiki Barber. Neither is playing much football.
Arizona
The Good: They have a cast of recognizable names, including starter turned backup turned starter turned injured Kurt Warner, and standout safety Adrian Wilson.
The Bad: Tim Rattay is now the starting QB, he joined the team midweek.
Overview
LDT finally gives fantasy owners and San Diego faithful something to cheer about. The Patriots appear dominant once again, an absolutely abysmal division is not helping the rest of the league. Panthers maintain pace with Tampa Bay each with a 4-2 record to lead the NFC South.
AFC
North
Cincy:
The Good: The Bungles are inching closer to Chris Henry's return.
The Bad: The can't play defense, as shown by being the first team this year to allow LJ to be a factor.
The Ugly: Unless they get hot right now, the playoffs are an impossibility, as 9-7 won't cut it in the AFC.
Cleveland
The Good: Derek Anderson is delaying Brady Quinn's appearance long enough to let him learn the pro game, much as Jon Kitna did for Carson Palmer.
The Bad: The defense let Cleo Lemon score four TDs, two in the air and two on the
The Burgh
The Good: A bye lets their receiving corps heal. Plus, Big Ben stays healthy while not actually on the field.
The Bad: They might forget all the great defense they have been playing.
Baltimore
The Good: The defense is back to its old ways, holding opponents to 10 points total in the last two weeks.
The Bad: The offense is once again stagnant, Kyle Boller has yet to truly emerge or bomb out.
South
Indy
The Good: A bye weeks lets some of their injured starters heal.
The Bad: Their starters' return might actually bring down their level of play.
The Ugly: The Colts do not have an easy game until November 22 (@JAX, @CAR, NE, @SD, KC) when they play the Falcon on a short week.
Tennessee
The Good: Kerry Collins is an experienced veteran who can direct the offense and the defense is stingy.
The Bad: Vince Young is hurt, and the offense revolves around him.
The Pretty: The modern-day Titans have much better uniforms than the NY Titans did.
Jack-a-lax
The Good: The know how to run the football, and they do it well.
The Bad: They play Indy and then have a three-game road trip to TB, NO and TEN.
Houston
The Good: Kevin Walter is emerging as a legitimate second WR to complement Andre Johnson
The Bad: Andre Johnson is still injured.
East
Patriots
The Good: Football in New England has rarely been better.
The Bad: As October races into November, temperature will plummet, making it harder to catch the football. It might be the only thing that can stop this team.
The Ugly: Laurence Maroney is out and Sammy Morris is the ground attack, and it still looks fantastic.
Miami
The Good: Cleo Lemon scored four TDs in a loss.
The Bad: The loss was to the Cleveland Browns, and the Miami D allowed Derek Anderson to throw 3 TDs
Buffalo
The Good: Bye Week! Not a heartbreaking loss!
The Bad: Their only win is against the Jets.
The Ugly: They have the second fewest points scored, 65 (SF has 63).
J-E-T-S
The Good: Thomas Jones loves to run.
The Bad: Thomas Jones has to run, because the Jets are afraid of Pennington's throwing.
West
San Diego
The Good: Helloooo LDT! Good to have you back, unless you are playing me in fantasy (crud).
The Bad: The pass game is still struggling to support the run.
Oakland
The Good: Scoring a defensive TD is good for this team.
The Bad: You can't pick off LDT, and it's pretty hard to make him fumble, too.
The Ugly: The Black Hole is just waiting for Culpepper to fail miserably (which he has amazingly yet to do) so they can start chanting JaMarcus Russell's name.
KC
The Good: Damon had a nice game and LJ finally got it in gear. Jared Allen also went off.
The Bad: The defense can't count on the offense just yet and they can't control the game on their own.
Good Job: Tony Gonzales deserves the TE TD record. But don't think that people are not already calculating how long it is before Antonio Gates breaks it.
Denver Broncos
The Good: Javon Walker's Knee gets an extra week to heal.
The Bad: The pass offense stinks. Come to think of it, so does the run game. They need to pull it together if they want their wildcard.
NFC
North
Da Bears
The Good: Griese had two picks and a lost fumble, and still played better football than Rex Grossman
The Bad: The once-powerful defense lets in 34 points - to the Vikes
The Hester: By far the most valuable, dazzling and versatile player on the team. If only he played QB.
Vikes
The Good: Adrian Peterson is looking like the next great back.
The Bad: They need a QB. Jackson is not the answer until his football skills can mature.
Pack
The Good: Brett Favre carries this team, and sometimes they can carry him.
The Bad: Aaron Rodgers is stewing.
Detwa
The Good: Jon Kitna is putting up big numbers and Matt Millen's insistence on drafting WRs has finally paid off.
The Bad: The defense is still not good enough to challenge for a divisional title.
10-Win watch: They are on pace, assuming they win Week 17 at Green Bay.
South
Carolina Panthers
The Good: Julius Peppers shows up, DeAngelo Hall breaks off a big one and the defense plays well in support of a precise Vinny Testaverde.
The Bad: Kris Jenkins is sill jumping offsides. Drew Carter absolutely refuses to catch the ball.
Tampa Bay
The Good: The prove they can win an ugly slugfest.
The Bad: they need a running back something awful. Might we see a trade for Michael Turner?
Atlanta
The Good: Playing on MNF, the stands still look fairly full.
The Bad: The defense consistently underachieves, and Joey Harrington and Byron Leftwich simply will not get you deep into the playoffs.
New Orleans
The Good: A win, finally. Reggie Bush is starting to become an every-down back, so the running game will not suffer from the loss of Deuce.
The Bad: They only have one win on the season, and Drew Brees is not connecting deep down the field as often as he did last season.
East
Philly
The Good: They get another win, staying viable in the duke-it-out division.
The Bad: Their run game needs work, again.
Skins
The Good: Jason Campbell continues to mature in the offense and Chris Cooley is a dependable utility player.
The Bad: Injuries continue to hurt this team and their offense is sputtering as a result.
Giants
The Good: When he stays healthy, Amani Toomer is a great complement to Plax (leads the NFL in TD receptions) and Shockey.
The Bad: They are still chasing the 5-1 Cowboys for the division crown.
Cowboys
The Good: Even against the might Pats, they can put up points.
The Bad: The pass defense can't keep up with true firepower. I want them to make Marion Barber III their primary back and only use Julius Jones as a change of pace.
West
San Fran
The Good: A week off to regroup from all the blows delivered by the Ravens' defense.
The Bad: Trent Dilfer cannot, will not get it done. They are kicking themselves for not grabbing Vinny Testaverde to tutor the young Alex Smith. Smith needs to get good or else he will be the next Kyle Boller.
St. Louis
The Good: Torry Holt is healthy. So is Will Witherspoon.
The Bad: The only winless team in the NFC. Gus Ferrote inspires neither fear nor awe.
Seattle
The Good: Hass is playing well. A weak division keeps then in hunt.
The Bad: Shaun Alexander looks like Tiki Barber. Neither is playing much football.
Arizona
The Good: They have a cast of recognizable names, including starter turned backup turned starter turned injured Kurt Warner, and standout safety Adrian Wilson.
The Bad: Tim Rattay is now the starting QB, he joined the team midweek.
Overview
LDT finally gives fantasy owners and San Diego faithful something to cheer about. The Patriots appear dominant once again, an absolutely abysmal division is not helping the rest of the league. Panthers maintain pace with Tampa Bay each with a 4-2 record to lead the NFC South.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Bucs 20, Panthers 7
Another joyless performance by the Carolina offense in Charlotte. The Panthers continue to struggle in Bank of America Stadium, losing both their home games thus far this season.
The Panthers lone TD came late in the fourth quarter on a screen pass to DeAngelo Williams. If nothing else, it saved the Panthers of the ignominious honor of being shut out by the Bucs.
The Panthers have yet to find any rhythm on offense, looking less predictable but just as ineffective as they did last year. The defense is better, though the blitzes are few and weak, and opposing quarterbacks have time to wait for their receivers to get open down field.
The Panthers travel to New Orleans next week to play the 0-3 Saints.
The Panthers lone TD came late in the fourth quarter on a screen pass to DeAngelo Williams. If nothing else, it saved the Panthers of the ignominious honor of being shut out by the Bucs.
The Panthers have yet to find any rhythm on offense, looking less predictable but just as ineffective as they did last year. The defense is better, though the blitzes are few and weak, and opposing quarterbacks have time to wait for their receivers to get open down field.
The Panthers travel to New Orleans next week to play the 0-3 Saints.
Halftime: Bucs 17, Panthers 0
A dismal showing for the Panthers, no points and many punts. The passing game is running to the sidelines, Steve Smith and Jeff King are being mostly ignored, but DeShaun Foster is getting a healthy dose of carries. On defense, the Panthers are mostly unable to pressure Jeff Garcia, despite the injuries to veteran OL Luke Petitgout, and star RB Carnell Williams. The Bucs are not playing lights out, but are advancing down the field and scoring on every other possession. The Panthers are going to have to attack the middle of Tampa Bay's Cover Two more and create more pressure on defense if they are going to get back into this divisional matchup.
Week 4
Good afternoon, football fans!
Today's featured game is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visiting the Carolina Panthers. Both teams are 2-1 and appear to be the only two contenders in the formerly competitive NFC South. The Saints, after their amazing, unexpected and heartwarming run to the NFC championship last year, have fallen on hard times, sporting an 0-3 record and failing to score more than 14 points in any of their games. The Falcons', also 0-3, have troubles of their own, having traded away their valuable backup QB Matt Schaub and Michael Vick being indicted on federal charges.
The Panther have their own problems as well. Panthers starting QB Jake Delhomme is out with an elbow injury and David Carr will start in his stead. On the other side of the ball, their vaunted defense has recorded 2 sacks, one by starting tackle Kris Jenkins, the other by backup Kindal Moorehead.
The Bucs have won two games in a row after dropping their season opener to Seattle, and have explicitly said they will not provoke Steve Smith, who likes to retaliate to criticism by scoring touchdowns in bunches. Jon Gruden's defense is key as it has been since the Buccaneer's run to Super Bowl XXXVII. Their offense has been solid, if not stellar thus far this season, with unknown Earnest Graham scoring almost half their running touchdowns and the aging but mobile Jeff Garcia at the helm. Let's play some football!
Today's featured game is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visiting the Carolina Panthers. Both teams are 2-1 and appear to be the only two contenders in the formerly competitive NFC South. The Saints, after their amazing, unexpected and heartwarming run to the NFC championship last year, have fallen on hard times, sporting an 0-3 record and failing to score more than 14 points in any of their games. The Falcons', also 0-3, have troubles of their own, having traded away their valuable backup QB Matt Schaub and Michael Vick being indicted on federal charges.
The Panther have their own problems as well. Panthers starting QB Jake Delhomme is out with an elbow injury and David Carr will start in his stead. On the other side of the ball, their vaunted defense has recorded 2 sacks, one by starting tackle Kris Jenkins, the other by backup Kindal Moorehead.
The Bucs have won two games in a row after dropping their season opener to Seattle, and have explicitly said they will not provoke Steve Smith, who likes to retaliate to criticism by scoring touchdowns in bunches. Jon Gruden's defense is key as it has been since the Buccaneer's run to Super Bowl XXXVII. Their offense has been solid, if not stellar thus far this season, with unknown Earnest Graham scoring almost half their running touchdowns and the aging but mobile Jeff Garcia at the helm. Let's play some football!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Second Half Summary
Well that is the final bell from Chicago! After a grindingly slow first half which featured a 3-3 stalemate, Dallas opened the offensive fireworks in the second half. They outscored the Bears 31-7 and left no question about who is the biggest threat to the AFC's supremacy.
Grossman threw another pair of interceptions and no touchdowns, the lone Bears score coming on the ground from RB Cedric Benson. Devin Hester continued to be a non-factor, almost becoming a liability as he fumbled kicks and muffed punts. As Chicago fell further behind, they abandoned the pass game allowing the Dallas front seven to pressure Grossman and force him into bad throws, as well as drop more players into pass coverage. As the game wore on, Romo became more adept at dodging Bears rushers and finding his receivers, particularly Owens, as he was scrambling. Marion Barber III also built up momentum, finding larger holes in the line and frequently breaking into the Chicago secondary. The final score : Vaqueros 34, Osos 10. See you tomorrow night!
Grossman threw another pair of interceptions and no touchdowns, the lone Bears score coming on the ground from RB Cedric Benson. Devin Hester continued to be a non-factor, almost becoming a liability as he fumbled kicks and muffed punts. As Chicago fell further behind, they abandoned the pass game allowing the Dallas front seven to pressure Grossman and force him into bad throws, as well as drop more players into pass coverage. As the game wore on, Romo became more adept at dodging Bears rushers and finding his receivers, particularly Owens, as he was scrambling. Marion Barber III also built up momentum, finding larger holes in the line and frequently breaking into the Chicago secondary. The final score : Vaqueros 34, Osos 10. See you tomorrow night!
Another Bears defensive injury, Nathan Vasher goes down with a groin pull. Ricky Manning Jr. the former Carolina Panther, comes in for him.
Sam Hurd throws a great block that gains T.O. part of his 35 yard gain on Third and 11. Hurd then proceeds to catch a pass on the next play for another first down.
Sam Hurd throws a great block that gains T.O. part of his 35 yard gain on Third and 11. Hurd then proceeds to catch a pass on the next play for another first down.
Hester catches the kickoff and drops it for the second time tonight! He picks it up and scrambles around the end zone and manages to get out to the 13 before he is forced out. Hester has been a complete nonfactor tonight, with the Cowboys unafraid of kicking to him and providing excellent coverage when they do.
Rex Grossman turns on the jets and goes up the middle for a first down. He then makes a great pass to TE Desmond Clark and Roy Williams inexplicably tries to bump him down instead of wrapping up. Roy Williams may set too much store by his reputation of being a hard hitter.
Another pass to a TE this time Greg Olsen who is tackled inside the 3 and on the next play Benson takes into the end zone easily. Touchdown, Chicago 10-10
Suddenly the offenses of both teams churn to life!
Rex Grossman turns on the jets and goes up the middle for a first down. He then makes a great pass to TE Desmond Clark and Roy Williams inexplicably tries to bump him down instead of wrapping up. Roy Williams may set too much store by his reputation of being a hard hitter.
Another pass to a TE this time Greg Olsen who is tackled inside the 3 and on the next play Benson takes into the end zone easily. Touchdown, Chicago 10-10
Suddenly the offenses of both teams churn to life!
First Half Summary
A low-scoring affair thus far in Chicago, 3-3. Both teams drop passes in their opponent's red zone, and end zone, so thankfully the offense is not as stagnant as the score suggests. Grossman throws a pick but does not fumble once, a minor victory for Bears fans. Romo also gave one away. Here comes the second half. Al Michaels seems to have put in a call to Mike Pereira, NFL VP of Officiating as he notes that the referee signaled to wind the clock at the end of the half when they should have stopped it.
Third and 20 for Dallas deep in their own territory and its a handoff to Barber, who gets a few. Dallas to punt away, so Chicago will get one more possession before halftime.
Away, and Hester signal for a fair catch. He has been rendered mostly ineffective in the first half, kudos to the Dallas coverage unit.
Roy Williams, Dallas safety and popularizer of the Horse-Collar tackle, gets flagged for just that, so another 15 yards and a first down for Chicago to tack on to the end of the reception.
Away, and Hester signal for a fair catch. He has been rendered mostly ineffective in the first half, kudos to the Dallas coverage unit.
Roy Williams, Dallas safety and popularizer of the Horse-Collar tackle, gets flagged for just that, so another 15 yards and a first down for Chicago to tack on to the end of the reception.
Dallas has drafted for defense in early rounds in the last two years, most notably picking up Anthony Spencer this year and Demarcus Ware last year, but the Benson seems to gain five yards at will against them (remember the Giants put up 35 points on them in a loss). This also begs the question why Chicago does not run the ball more, but no doubt Lovie Smith is committed to balancing the offense.
I was watching when Crayton broke his pinky last week, it was not pretty. The top portion of the finger was nearly perpendicular at the joint, while still remaining inside his receiver's glove.
End of the First Quarter
Fairly tame so far, but we know this game can explode at any moment.
Jugate! Jugate! Jugate! Another commercial in Spanish, with subtitles this time.
Grossman picked off by Anthony Henry.
Barber rotates in for Jones for a play but Jones comes right back in making Urlacher miss a tackle - a rare occurrence. Jones' gain is nullified by a Witten Block in the Back.
End of the First Quarter
Fairly tame so far, but we know this game can explode at any moment.
Jugate! Jugate! Jugate! Another commercial in Spanish, with subtitles this time.
Grossman picked off by Anthony Henry.
Barber rotates in for Jones for a play but Jones comes right back in making Urlacher miss a tackle - a rare occurrence. Jones' gain is nullified by a Witten Block in the Back.
Let's see what the Cowboys offense can do. A good run for Julius Jones. He is in a contract year, but his number have not reflected it. He has no TDs on the season and Marion Barber III also enjoys the majority of the carries. At one point last week Barber was also returning kick for the Cowboys.
Two false start penalties, one on Terrel Owens and the other on Flozell Adams.
An ineffective run, Third a 15 and Archuleta intercepts!
Crayton was the intended receiver, he is playing with a broken pinky that he sustained while dropping a pass in last week's game.
Two false start penalties, one on Terrel Owens and the other on Flozell Adams.
An ineffective run, Third a 15 and Archuleta intercepts!
Crayton was the intended receiver, he is playing with a broken pinky that he sustained while dropping a pass in last week's game.
Kickoff!
Dallas kicks off short to avoid dangerous return man Devin Hester, the ball rolls out of bounds so by rule the ball is spotted at the Chicago 40.
NFL Hispanic Heritage Month
Gloria Estefan sings the National Anthem. A Shot of a fan wearing a Cubs uniform. Welcome to Chicago!
Tonight's game will feature arguably the two best teams in the NFC with Lovie Smith's 1-1 Bears' stifling defense and outstanding special teams matching up against Wade Phillips' 2-0 Cowboys' high-powered offense. At this point in the season both teams are considered playoff contenders, though the surprising resurgence of the Green Bay Packers may loosen the Bears' iron grip on the NFC North.
Tonight's game will feature arguably the two best teams in the NFC with Lovie Smith's 1-1 Bears' stifling defense and outstanding special teams matching up against Wade Phillips' 2-0 Cowboys' high-powered offense. At this point in the season both teams are considered playoff contenders, though the surprising resurgence of the Green Bay Packers may loosen the Bears' iron grip on the NFC North.
What is this?
First and foremost this is a blog about professional football. College football may be referenced occasionally. After January, it may morph into a college basketball blog or hockey, if it becomes interesting. Please feel free to comment on what I write, how I write and what I leave out.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)