Week 8
10/28/05
- Word came out this week that Lions general manager Matt Millen's
five-year contract extension signed this off-season was not
fully guaranteed. In fact, it wasn't guaranteed at all, proving
that the contracts Millen signs are just as dubious as the one
he hands out to his players. All that being said, Millen's 3-3
Lions most the 3-3 Bears this week with the winner staking a
claim to first place in the NFC North.
- Was there a worse call this year than the Ernie Conwell non-catch/Mike
Furrey interception return for a game clinching touchdown from
this week's Saints-Rams match-up? With the Saints marching for
a go ahead touchdown, officials ruled Conwell was juggling the
ball when he came to the ground with a defender underneath him,
allowing Furrey to grab the ball from his hands for an interception.
Replays clearly showed Conwell had complete control of the ball
but the Saints were not able to use a replay challenge because
they were out of timeouts and the play began prior to the two-minute
warning. Officials huddle up numerous times during a game to
ensure the correct call was made, yet the game officials failed
to discuss this play at all. Here's hoping we don't see this
crew in the playoffs.
- Perhaps Bills running back Willis McGahee can let us know
how his crow tasted. After proclaiming himself the best running
back in the league, McGahee laid an egg in Oakland, posting
50 yards against the Raiders 28th-ranked rushing defense. To
make matters worse, McGahee was stuffed on a crucial 3rd down
from the Oakland two-yard line midway through the 2nd quarter.
McGahee's definitely one of the top five backs in the league
but there aren't many people ready to proclaim him the best
just yet.
- With a 2-4 record, the Ravens have clearly not met expectations
thus far in 2005. In these situations, hope may spring eternal
given the parity in the league. However, a closer look reveals
that probably shouldn't apply to the Ravens. Of the team's four
losses, three have come against the Lions, Titans and Bears,
teams not exactly considered league powerhouses. The Ravens
still have to play the Steelers and Bengals twice plus make
trips to Jacksonville and Denver. Given the strength of the
team's in the AFC this season, the team is fighting an uphill
battle to make the playoffs. If they don't get there, this will
be the third time in the past four seasons they have failed
to qualify for the playoffs.
- With the Texans finally cracking the 20-point barrier this
week against the Colts (thanks to Jerome Mathis' touchdown on
a kick return), the Ravens are now the only team in the league
that has not scored at least 20 points in a single game this
season. Wonder how that sits with head coach Brian Billick.
- Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin failed to make a reception
during his team's game this week against the Titans, marking
the first time in his 31-game career that he failed to record
a catch in a game.
- With Packers running back Ahman Green going on injured reserve
this week thanks to a torn quadriceps tendon, speculation began
as to whether he had played his last game with the team. The
team may want Green back in a reserve role but here's why you
can bank on him not being a starter for the Pack in 2005: he
hasn't had a 100-yard game for 14 straight games, the team is
clearly in a rebuilding mode, he won't be fully recovered from
his injury until training camp and Green's backup entering the
season, Najeh Davenport (also on injured reserve with a broken
ankle) is also a free agent at season's end. Plus, the team
did not make signing him to a contract extension a priority.
Look for the Packers to use a first day pick in the 2006 draft
on a running back.
- If he hasn't already decided to bench the aging and decrepit
Vinny Testaverde, here's a couple of reasons why Jets coach
Herm Edwards should give Brooks Bollinger a shot at the job.
One, Bollinger can take a snap from center. Two, he's got two
good legs that will help him avoid the inevitable pass rush
that results because of the team's struggles along the offensive
line. It was painful to watch Vinny attempt to avoid the Atlanta
pass rush. Three, he's got two full weeks to get Bollinger ready
for the team's next game, at home against the Chargers. Four,
you guessed it, he simply can't be any worse.
- The Steelers brought the Bengals back down to earth this
week and the outcome of this game shouldn't have been such a
big surprise. Cincinnati is clearly a team on the rise but had
yet to play a truly meaningful game prior to the Steelers match-up
and all of their wins this season had been over teams with losing
records (Browns, Vikings, Bears, Texans, Titans). The Steelers
knew a Cincinnati win would virtually clinch the division title
for the Bengals because a win would have given them a 3.5 game
lead and their veteran savvy won out over a much younger Bengals
team.
- The Josh McCown made-for-TV movie looks like it's headed
for the dumpster. After throwing for more than 380 yards in
each of the past two games, McCown threw for only 140 yards
in this week's game against the Titans. With the Cardinals ahead
by three points in the fourth quarter, McCown threw a pass straight
at Titans middle linebacker Brad Kassell that would have been
returned for a touchdown had Kassell not dropped the ball. It
says here that McCown will be headed to the bench after this
week's game against the Cowboys.
- Eagles coach Andy Reid got to hear running back Brian Westbrook
gripe last week about his lack of rushing attempts and this
week he got to hear wide receiver Terrell Owens complain about
a lack of passes being thrown his way. Westbrook's got plenty
to complain about because it's obvious to everybody but Reid
that the Eagles need to run the ball more to be successful on
offence. The Eagles are last in the league in rushing attempts
per game at 21, four less than the next lowest team which is
the Browns. Considering the Browns offence spends most of the
game on the sideline, this statistic is all the evidence anyone
needs that Reid is not committed to the ground game. As for
Owens complaints, well, he noticed the publicity Westbrook got
from his rant so he thought he'd get in on the action.
- Keeping with Westbrook, when is he or his agent going to
wake up and smell the coffee over his contract issue? If top
five running backs like Shaun Alexander and Edgerrin James can't
get long term extensions from their teams and can't find any
teams willing to trade a 2nd round pick for their services,
then how does Westbrook figure he's worth $5-million a season?
Westbrook definitely gets maximum production out of his talents
but there isn't a general manager in the league that views him
as anything other than a second tier running back that puts
up big numbers because he's in a system that perfectly matches
his skills.
- Broncos coach Mike Shanahan sent a message to 2004 2nd round
pick Darius Watts in the pre-season when he moved him down the
depth chart in favor of Jerry Rice. When Rice retired, Shanahan
sent Watts another message by moving Charlie Adams into the
third receiver role behind starters Rod Smith and Ashley Lelie.
Now, Shanahan has sent Watts another message after making Watts
inactive for last week's game against the Giants. With Watts
having only contributed two receptions in six games, Shanahan
dressed Todd Devoe to take advantage of his special teams abilities.
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