Tackling the issue head on

As a final follow up to the whole issue of dangerous hits in the NFL, it's time to look at tackling in general. If players are to avoid penalties then they must learn to tackle properly. This is something that has actually been a pet annoyance of mine for some years now. Top defensive players earn huge sums of money, therefore it would seem callous of them not to learn how to tackle properly. Seemingly few of them share this point of view. One of the reasons the Colts gave up so many yards to Redskins RB Ryan Torain last week was their inability (and seeming lack of desire) to actually tackle Torain properly. So, just how do we make such tackles? Well there are five major types of tackle: 1) The Head-on tackle 2) Tackling across the ball carrier 3) Tackling the defenseless receiver 4) Tackling from behind 5) The Secondary or "finishing" tackle Before we delve deeper into these, we need to solve a problem of terminology. See, in recent years the terms "tackle" and "hit" have become separated. You now "hit" a player with the full force of your body in a suicidal lunge, usually led with the shoulder. Whereas "tackle" suggests a much slower moving affair, involving grabbing the ball carrier and pulling him down. We first need to address this problem. All tackles are hits. Or should be. It is difficult to do so when tackling from behind, but otherwise, all tackles should be considered hits. The purpose of a tackle is not to softly caress the ball carrier down to the ground with a well placed hug. The purpose of the tackle is to halt the ball carriers momentum in a sudden strike, and then to bring him to the ground. The Head-on tackle is the best example of this: The Head-on tackle: This is the ultimate expression of the tackle in football. The tackler and the ball carrier meet either in a hole between blockers or in the open field. Due to circumstances on the field, the ball carrier has been forced to head "North/South" and the tackler is now in a position to make the play. He must stop the ball carrier, or at the very least significantly impede his forward progress so as to allow pursuing defenders to make the final tackle (you do teach pursuit drills now, don't you?). The key to this tackle is to keep the weight low, but going forward. The back must be kept a few degrees higher than horizontal and the head should be up, eyes on the ball carrier. The knees are bent and the tackler now shortens his step, almost to a forward shuffle. He should be on his toes, ready to explode into the ball carrier at a moments notice. Here is where "hitting" and "tackling" converge. The goal should be to aim the shoulder into the upper thighs/groin area of the ball carrier and deliver a powerful strike that checks the ball carriers forward momentum, before driving him backwards. The hands and arms will then be used to scoop the legs of the ball carrier and ensure that he his brought to the ground. It is important to understand that the tackler must be going forward at the moment of contact. He must not let the ball carrier collide with him and knock him backwards. If this happens, the chances of making a successful tackle drop dramatically and the potential for injury to the tackler goes up. This picture, taken during a Rugby game and found on Google images, demonstrates the point in exemplary fashion: In the correct Head-on tackle, the tackler should be pushing off his toes and firing forwards into the ball carrier. He should place his head to the side and drive the shoulder into the opponent. Ideally the ball carrier should drive at a slightly upward angle, helping to lift the ball carrier from his feet. This approach should be tempered with a warning not to try and lift the ball carrier vertically. This places a lot of strain on the tacklers lower back and is hardly an ideal way to tackle. A slight rise as the ball carrier is forced back is sufficient. The final component is now to wrap the legs, but again this causes problems. "Wrapping up" all too often seems to get translated as "flail ones arms loosely at the opponents legs". That is not tackling. The use of the arms should be considered an aggressive strike. Speed is the key. The hands and forearms should seek out the back of the knees and deliver a sharp, powerful blow that whips the ball carriers feet from the ground and traps his legs against the tacklers body. For the more narcissistic players on a team, they now have a perfect excuse for all those chin ups and bicep curls (though they had better be great tacklers as a result). The end result of all this should see the ball carrier driven backwards forcefully, almost approaching the horizontal as his legs are swept up from beneath him. It's also surprisingly difficult for a ball carrier to actually keep hold of the ball during such a tackle. With the tacklers helmet off set to the side there is an increased risk of head-to-ball contact which will jar it loose, not to mention that when struck and unseated from the ground in such a violent manner, it is only human to flail out the arms and attempt to avoid a serious fall. The two best examples I could find on the web of a perfect looking tackle are now presented for you. It should be noted that not only were these practically the only two examples I could find, but that only one comes from football. I think this is a reflection of the state tackling in the NFL and even many lower leagues today. Tackling across the ball carrier This tackle normally happens in a chase to the sideline. The ball carrier is usually trying to get outside so he may "turn the corner" and sprint up field. The other major example of this is a player running up the sideline as the tackler comes in from midfield; in this case, a safety is the most likely tackler. In both situations the tackler and the ball carrier are closing at an angle to each other, usually headed in roughly the same direction (towards the sideline, towards the endzone). The primary difference between this tackle and the head-on tackle is the difficulty generated by the angle of attack. The tackler cannot afford to aim at his opponents near hip and expect to make a clean tackle. What you will end up with is the tackler coming up short and flailing to try and grasp his opponents ankles. This is due to the same phenomenon seen in both shooting and throwing the football to a receiver on a crossing pattern known as "lead". The potential tackler must "lead" his target. This is one of the biggest mistakes seen in modern football. Tacklers taking good angles at a ball carrier running along the sideline often ultimately fail because they do not properly lead the target. The aiming point is dependent on the speed of the ball carrier, but typically should involve the tackler aiming ahead of the opposite hip of his opponent. The end result should see the tacklers shoulder make contact with the near hip, with his head crossing in front of the ball carrier. Again, the tackler should first break down as he did for the head-on tackle and then drive slightly upwards and through his opponent. The arms should again enclose the ball carriers legs and be brought in sharply, striking a blow at approximately knee height. If the tackler misjudges his tackle or even the angle on approach then he must focus instead on delivering a firm sweeping strike with his arms to the opponents legs. Tackling the defenseless receiver This is the tackle that has drawn the most controversy of late, but is rather simple to execute correctly. The ideal tackle on a defenseless receiver -- who is usually crossing the field -- should be made using the same break down and drive technique as the Head-on tackle. Typically the tackler is now coming "downhill" at a slight angle to the potential receiver. Similar then to the tackle across the ball carrier, the tackle on the defenseless receiver must be "lead" a little. The goal should be to strike the nearest hip of the receiver with the nearest shoulder of the tackler, with the head passing across the front of the receivers body. There is not as much need to drive slightly upwards with this tackle, as the receiver will usually be in the air anyway. The primary goal is to strike a fearsome blow that will a) disrupt the receivers concentration on making the catch, b) effect his body positioning to make the catch and c) dent the confidence of the receiver in making catches over the middle, forcing him to be more hesitant in future to the extent of concentrating more on potential hits than catching the football. Once more, players should also be aware of the need to deliver a sharp, wrapping strike to the legs, in order to better prevent a receiver from making yards after the catch. It is also worth cautioning players against leaving the ground early to make the hit. When jumping to make such a hit, a defender sacrifices much of the stability and leverage gained from his initial low stance; he also expends a large amount of energy leaping almost vertically off the ground. Tacklers should focus more on keeping their shoulders down and driving near laterally behind these. The better balance and body position of the tackler should prevail. Tackling from behind The tackle from behind is vastly more difficult than any of the others. The key problem for a would be tackler is that all notions of delivering a "hit" are now out of the window. The tackle from behind is a matter of judging distance, timing and strong use of the arms. The tackler must know how far he can dive while at top speed, must make sure he does not dive too early, and then he must remove the ball carriers feet from under him. The biggest problem seen at the professional level when tackling from behind, is the obsession with causing fumbles. As a result we often see players who have a great opportunity to make a touchdown saving tackle sacrifice this in favour of trying to cause the fumble; either by striking down from above or patting the ball upwards from below. The point that should be made is that even the worst offenders among those who carry the ball lazily (ahem, Adrian Peterson, I'm looking at you) still only give up about 7-8 fumbles per year. Causing fumbles is something the second tackler does, not the first. The job of the chasing tackler is to save the score. That is the priority. Thus, the most critical part of this tackle becomes the use of the arms to snare the ball carriers legs. As with all the other tackles it should not be approached with the mind set of wrapping the arms around the legs and then squeezing with ever increasing pressure until the ball carrier comes down. It should be seen as an attack, as a strike. The two arms should be seen as delivering simultaneous blows from either side to knock the ball carriers legs from under him, followed by a vice like grip. The secondary or "finishing" tackle Finally we come to the secondary or "finishing" tackle (also referred to as the "follow-up" tackle and a host of other names). The purpose of this tackle is -- surprisingly enough -- to finish off a ball carrier who has already been stopped or partially tackled by a team mate. This can occur when the original tackler has a hold of the ball carrier but is unable to bring him down; either through a deficiency in strength or a deficiency in leverage/technique. Alternatively, the original tackler may have hit the ball carrier and checked his momentum, but subsequently slipped off the tackle, maybe due to a spin move by the ball carrier. Now it is the job of the secondary tacklers to bring the man down. The preferred approach is to use the Head-on tackle method, but this is not always possible. Only when the ball carrier is standing erect and trying to escape can this method be used. When a ball carrier is entangled around the legs by the first tackler he is often ducking, making the head-on method unsuitable due to the risk of helmet-to-helmet contact. The new approach should be to use an upper body tackle. Here we begin to see the introduction of ball stripping techniques. The secondary tackler should break down as normal and the target should now be the torso of the ball carrier, with a view to making chest-to-torso contact. The arms should now encase the upper body and again strike firmly. The tackler should look to pass his head over the opponents back and drive him downwards to the turf, using his weight and forward momentum as a bludgeon. If the ball is being held in the arm nearest to the secondary tackler then the recommended method is to first hit and wrap up the opponent to ensure he will go down. Then the arm that passes across the front of the ball carriers body can be used to violently strip at the ball carrying arm. If the ball is on the opposite side to the secondary tackler then he must try to knock it loose in the process of wrapping up the ball carrier with his arms. The initial blow with the arms should -- as always -- be made firmly; a sudden, sharp strike. The key is that the secondary tackler has the advantage of being able to strike somewhat downwards, knocking the ball carriers arms towards his waist. This opens the angle between the forearm and bicep, increasing the likely hood that the ball will come loose in the process. Well, that's all for now. I'll be back later for the infuriating and largely futile process that is known as my weekly picks. Until then, Have a great day everyone.

An inch is as good as a mile

So, in response to the rising tide of public angst over the tougher enforcement of the rule covering "hitting a defenseless receiver", the league sent out a video to all 32 teams to demonstrate the difference between what is legal and what is illegal. In order to help fans identify these hits, they also posted the video onto NFL.com. Here is the link to video if you fancy a watch. What strikes me immediately is the supreme ridiculousness of what we're watching. The difference between the legal hits and the illegal hits is a matter of about 4 inches. If you have a few seconds, I have designed an interesting exercise for you (providing that -- like me --you find these kind of things interesting): 1. Hold your closed fist up in front of your neck, thumb side towards you. 2. Extend the index finger only and place it on the tip of your chin. 3. Now extend the thumb out to touch your chest. 4. Keeping the head upright, reach down as far as you can with your thumb, without removing the index finger from your chin. 5. Now hold that finger position and hold your hand up to observe the distance. Depending on how tall you are (or flexible) the tip of your thumb and the tip of your index finger should be approximately 4-5 inches apart. This provides you with a great visual representation of how much leeway NFL players have. 4 to 5 inches. We'll forget about players running around at high speed. We'll forget about the size of the pads and helmets being used. Exclude all other factors. That is your basic margin for error. Enjoy that NFL players. How in the name of god is this going to work? If you do the experiment again with your fingers, but now curl your upper body forward, tucking the head and rounding the shoulders, you should find that your thumb now reaches down all the way to your stomach (it helps if you have a reasonably ample mid section like me). See the difference? An offensive player hunches over as he makes the catch and now that shot to the chest is going to strike him dead plumb on the head. Hlemt to helmet contact. How are you supposed to stop that as a defensive player? You follow the leagues advice, you do exactly what they tell you and then boom... fine. All because the offensive guy ducked. Notice as well that during the video the narrator emphasised that it's going to be the responsibility of the defensive players to judge and control where they hit. Basically this is nipping any hint that offensive players should be held culpable in the bud. Now I know that every time the league changes a rule or calls for stricter enforcement of an existing one, that there is always uproar and talk of the game going into decline. The trouble with the league is that they've got so used to hearing this they seem to feel that it is simply hot air. But if I was in the league office I would be distinctly uneasy. When have you ever known the league to respond to public backlash by posting a demonstration video on the web, desperately trying to emphasise that football will retain its tough nature? I for one, am worried. With the culmination of factors building, this one could be the straw that breaks many backs. Have a great day everyone (and mind your head).

"Pick" of the week (chortle, chortle)

My eye lids are hanging, barely open. Just enough time then to point you in the direction of this article on Colts.com. For those who lack the time or the inclination to read it, it is basically an article about the Colts, saying that the leagues renewed offense on defense will not affect them as they always "abide by the rules". If that is the case, then someone needs to show Coach Caldwell and Peyton Manning the section covering the use of illegal "pick" plays. Because there is no worse, repeat offender on this issue than the Colts. Have a great day everyone.

The Packer Sweep

Ok, rant time.

This whole "player safety" issue has gone overboard. The league has announced that it will be sending teams a video of what does and does not constitute a legal hit, along with some corporate message that they want coaches to read out. And it's starting to get ridiculous.

The main points of contention are the hits laid on Mohamed Massaquoi and Josh Cribbs by Steelers LB James Harrison, plus the hit laid by Dunta Robinson on DeSean Jackson. Personally, I don't see it. I don't get it. I've seen the hits and I don't get what all the fuss is about. Maybe on the Robinson hit you could argue "shoulder to the head of a defenseless receiver", but It's questionable how defenseless Jackson is and it's a stupid rule anyway. What are you supposed to do about a "defenseless" receiver who might be about to score a TD or get a first down? You decide, "I'll hit him low, in the chest". Then the guy ducks. Now it's helmet to helmet again.

And now the league is making a big thing out of helmet contact? Well how about you stop offensive players from ducking then? I don't know about you, but I don't think my reactions would be quick enough to avoid hitting a player who ducks at the last minute in the head. And I said helmet contact and not "helmet to helmet" contact because there have been a number of questionable calls -- including one this week in the Chargers/Rams game -- where a pass rusher has incidentally stroked a QB on the head with his forearm and drawn a 15 yard flag.

For me, it's getting close to the "quit point"; that is, the moment in time when you decide it's not worth the hassle of watching. You know you'll only get frustrated and worked up about something that doesn't really matter. So you just tune out. For me the "quit point" in soccer came last year after the world cup. I was sick of watching the England teams millionaire "superstars" (really need to lay off the quotation marks) bottoming out to teams made up of part-time players. The annoyance and frustration was superseding any semblance of fun and ultimately that is why we watch sports.

Someone should really tell Roger Goodell that. I think he believes that if he can just remove all the hitting from the game and any notion of defensive play, then people will come flocking in to watch. I think instead Mr. Goodell should try reading the comments section of a few posts on some of the various news outlets. What he would find is an army of die hard football fans who are approaching their own "quit point".

Football is football. It's a violent game. That's the reality. Boxing is violent to. It's also another big sport. Except in boxing they've already thought about safety. They make amateur boxers wear helmets and the bouts are scored based on clean hits with the glove on the head. If you're a boxing fan it can be ok to watch, to see whose is coming up through the ranks. But nobody is going to pay Pay Per View money for an amateur bout.

It's not the skill factor that's the problem. If anything, amateur boxers tend to be very highly skillful. It has more to do with the same reason people pay more money to watch heavyweights than they do flyweights. It's because they want to watch two grown men punching the living daylights out of each other. That's a fact.

That's also a big reason why people watch football. Now I know there will be coaches reading this who will be jumping out of their chairs to bemoan the fact that they watch football for the tactics and the strategy etc. That's certainly true. But a big reason for that is because you, me and many other people understand a little deeper about the inner workings of a football team and how strategy and tactics operate in relation to football. The average fan whose never been exposed to this has a slightly less well developed understanding, but can still appreciate it.

But let's be real. People watch football because at heart, it is a violent, crunching sport. They -- as do I -- enjoy the collisions. We enjoy watching a good defensive hit as much a beautifully spiralled pass into the end zone. It's one of the key factors in the enjoyment of the game. If you take it out, it ceases to be football. You can market it as some other sport, but it's not football and never will be, no matter how hard you try to call it that.

And as for the players and players safety? Find a different sport.

The main argument I have against the "player safety" crowd (which currently appears to consist of Commissioner Roger Goodell, and Mike Florio from ProFootballTalk.com) is simply that nobody is forcing the players to play. They won't get paid the millions if they leave, but then that's tough. The reality is that NFL players are like strippers (possibly the kind that you would find in a back street of Bangkok).

Like strippers, Players get paid only so long as they continue to do the things that people are willing to pay money to watch. If a stripper came onto the stage one day and announced that she refused to remove her clothes because she felt it was demeaning and degrading to women and that she was making a stand for the equal rights of the feminine half of the human race, that's fine...... but she would be booed of the stage, penniless.

Ergo, if NFL players wish to earn millions of dollars then they must dance to the sound of the public purse strings. If the public wants hits to the head, then they must have hits to the head. If they want to see a reasonably violent sport where players get injured and beaten up on a routine basis, then so be it. Anyone who doesn't want to play, merely has to step down and go and play somewhere else. If Goodell wants to turn football into a non-contact sport then that's fine, but just don't expect the millions of the past to tune in and pay to watch.

The players union and the league are currently locked in a CBA battle over hard dollars. At this rate, the next CBA will be over who gets the leagues sole dime and the remaining contents of the coffee machine.

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Now for something completely different. This will probably appeal more to football coaches and those who take an interest in the deeper workings of football, but basically I stumbled across a video on YouTube of Vince Lombardi doing a bit of coaching. Nothing major. So I contacted the YouTube user who posted the video and with much persuasion managed to convince him to dig out his old VHS tapes and have a go at posting some of the other material. What he came up with is a true historical gem. Vince Lombardi, one of the greatest coaches in the history of professional football, coaching the famous "Packer Sweep". With thanks to LuckyLaRue17, enjoy.








Have a great day everyone.

Week 6 recap

So, eventually it's time to recap some of the action. Only a few days late and a little brief, but then work is -- as always -- the great time consumer;

Miami Dolphins 23 @ Green Bay Packers 20: All that time spent running around trying to avoid defenders last year seems to have set Aaron Rodgers in good stead. His ability to slide around in the pocket and buy time was very impressive. Sadly though he still found himself sacked 5 times, including one for Koa Misi (watch list) and three for the superb Cameron Wake. Again though the Packers had another game where they put up pretty good yardage, but just struggled to consistently find the end zone.

San Diego Chargers 17 @ St. Louis Rams 20: What happened to the Chargers? I mean the real Chargers. 7 sacks conceded? Either the Rams D was digging deep or the Chargers line was just that bad. Patrick Crayton offered hope, confirming my belief that he can be a first team WR. But the day belonged to two Rams. RB Steven Jackson carried 29 times for 109 yards and a TD, including some crucial late game runs. And to kick things off early rookie WR Danario Alexander (undrafted, watch list) came up with a TD on his full debut and finished with 4 catches for 72 yards.

Baltimore Ravens 20 @ New England Patriots 23: This is what happens when I finally put my faith in Baltimore? Nice. Lot of great hits going on in this game so for me it was a doozy to watch. The key story was probably the return of Deion Branch to the Patriots fold, along with the important catches he made along the way, especially in over time. Interesting to see Ray Rice put up 88 yards on 28 carries, with his longest run being 8 yards. More ball control than explosion there, which is a good thing. Ultimately though, that famous Ravens D just couldn't hold up at the end.

Cleveland Browns 10 @ Pittsburgh Steelers 28: "Big" Ben Roethlisberger returned. And showed exactly why Pittsburgh fans are prepared to overlook all his indiscretions and forget about all the talk from earlier this year when many of them were saying that they couldn't trust Ben and didn't want him associated with their team. 16/27 wasn't the most efficient, but 257 yards and 3 TDs, with just one pick is still very good. Critically, Roethlisberger was able to pull out the great passes when they were needed most, such as in the red zone and backed up on his own goal line. Colt McCoy (watch list) also got his debut and did ok. He wont mind the two interceptions so much and threw his first NFL career TD pass to Ben Watson. The five sacks are more of a problem.

I should also point out that the media world and the league has been buzzing after James Harrison laid a big hit on Josh Cribbs that knocked him out. I'll cover this in more detail tomorrow.

Kansas City Chiefs 31 @ Houston Texans 35: What a game! The Chiefs drop two in a row as the Texans continue to astound everyone with a) how good their running game is, and b) how chronically bad their defense is. I mean, puke inducing bad. When Dwayne Bowe caught a quick slant and took it 42 yards for a TD, that pretty much summed up the Texans defense. No awareness, no tackling, just a shambling zombie pretending to play D. Luckily for them though the Chiefs were unable to get first downs late in the game and the Texans came back with 2 Touchdown drives in the final 7 minutes to win it. The Chiefs nearly had two 100 yard rushers, Matt Cassel completed 20/29 for 201 yards and 3 TDs, no INTs, but it just wasn't enough. Still, a lot of positives to take away from that game for Kansas.

Detroit Lions 20 @ New York Giants 28: A few weeks ago I suggested that maybe my picks should carry conditions, that if not met, nullify the pick. Well for this game it would have been "unless Shaun Hill comes out injured". Which he did. Drew Stanton didn't do too bad, but his accuracy (19/34) was never going to cut it. Big games from two Giants tipped the balance in the end; DE Osi Unmenyiora had two sacks on the day and RB Ahmad Bradshaw came up with 133 yards on 19 carries, helping to sustain drives that included two touchdown runs by Brandon Jacobs. I still think the Lions need to do more to get Jahvid Best involved in the game but still, it's been one of those seasons for the Lions where everything seems to go wrong at various critical moments. Chin up Detroit fans.

Atlanta Falcons 17 @ Philadelphia Eagles 31: I believed in Kolb (though not his defense or his left tackle, which is why I took the Falcons). Not many other seemed to have as much faith in the supposed future of the QB position in Philadelphia. Well they should have. 23/29, 326 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT. So why have I been so confident in Kolb? Easy, because we've seen this before from him. In the few times he's played prior to this season, we saw Kolb do exactly what he did on Sunday; sling it downfield with reasonable accuracy. Of course it helps when you have DeSean Jackson to throw to, and then when he goes down after a massive hit from Dunta Robinson, Jeremy Maclin just steps right up and turns seven catches into 159 yards and 2 TDs. It was all too much for a Falcons D that will have to go back to square one, while the Eagles D finally did it's job.

Seattle Seahawks 23 @ Chicago Bears 20: I should have known. I should have thought back to the last time Jay Cutler was quarterbacking the Bears. 17/39, for 290 yards. Oh, and six sacks, including one in the end zone for a safety. The Bears continue to have serious protection issues as well as serious run blocking issues. Not so for the Seahawks who managed to get some good running going, especially in the red zone which allowed newly acquired RB Marshawn Lynch to punch in for a score. Devin Hester also reminded the Bears why he shouldn't be wasted on offense as he came up with an 89 yard punt return for a TD.

New Orleans Saints 31 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6: And normality is restored. The Saints blow the Buccaneers off the face of the Earth. I get a pick right. Drew Brees hits 21/32 with 3 TDs. And the Buccaneers run defense folds like a bad hand, giving up 158 yards to Chris Ivory off 15 carries. Yes, 15.

New York Jets 24 @ Denver Broncos 20: For me, the pass interference call that led to the Jets final TD was a little soft. But then isn't everything in football these days (can you smell the rampage coming tomorrow?). Mark Sanchez looked largely off the pace for most of the game, throwing his first interception of the year, followed by his second later on. Luckily for the Jets, Kyle Orton essentially did worse, completing less than 50% of his passes and scoring just a single TD. Rookie QB Tim Tebow (watch list) got a chance to play a few snaps and carried the ball 6 times for 23 yards and his first NFL career TD.

Which brings me to the reason I was most interested in this result; While it seems my ability to stare into the future and predict what's going on in the mind of some of the NFLs Head Coaches and coordinators is lacking (hence the bad picks) my eye for talent seems to be working quite well this year. LaDanian Tomlinson had another 2 TDs. Rookie Demayrius Thomas (watch list) had a TD catch. Tebow we've already spoken of. Then to round it off corner Perrish Cox (watch list) had seven tackles and a FF, while Syd'Quan Thompson (watch list) got the second pick. Not a bad days work really.

Oakland Raiders 9 @ San Francisco 49ers 17: Finally! A win! I don't care that I lost the pick. To hell with it. The 49ers won a game! It's not all good though. Alex Smith still went about his usual Jekyll and Hyde routine, going 16/33 but somehow producing 2 TDs. Frank Gore did what I've long maintained he could do; convert 25 carries into 149 yards (longest; 64). It's a shame that Gore is often such an after thought (and the Raiders poor rush defense helped). The critical factor in the game however was out of the 49ers hands and is the main reason that 49er fans shouldn't get carried away; Jason Campbell completed just 8/21 for 83 yards and 2 INTs. The fact that the Raiders kept it to within 8 points despite that abysmal showing tells you everything you need to know about San Francisco this season.

Dallas Cowboys 21 @ Minnesota Vikings 24: Lets forget the 24/32, 3 TD, 2 INT performance from Tony Romo for a second. Lets forget Brett Favres 14/19 for a TD performance. Lets forget about Adrian Peterson taking 24 carries for 73 yards and a TD. And let's focus on something that basically sums up the Cowboys season. It is the celebration following Roy Williams's TD catch. Miles Austin leapfrogs a standing Williams in a superb display of athleticism... and gets flagged for excessive celebration. And you have to ask yourself this; Why -- given that a late excessive celebration penalty contributed heavily to your defeat last week -- would you even attempt something like this? Why do it? Why aren't the coaches picking up on this? It just boggles the mind and for some reason it drives me nuts. The discipline on this team is shocking. I'm glad now that the Vikings beat them because the Cowboys refuse to help themselves.

Indianapolis Colts 27 @ Washington Redskins 24: It was close. But it was even closer than the score tells. The Redskins had at least three great opportunities to pick off Manning but came up short. The Colts defense clung on desperately, with corner Jerraud Powers finishing with a game leading 8 tackles (almost all of them important) and an interception, 1.5 sacks from Robert Mathis, and a solid showing from rookie Linebacker Pat Angerer, including a sack. But the game was highlighted by the tale of two running backs; Joseph Addai for the Colts and Ryan Torain for the Redskins. Addai had 17 carries for 128 yards and a TD, which is practically unheard of for the Colts in recent years. The opportunities it created for play action were suitably exploited.

But Torain was not so lucky. He had 20 carries for 100 yards and 2 TDs (a big fan, it would seem, of round numbers). He could of -- however -- had much more. Torain was a beast, running over the slightly under sized Colts defense at will. This was helped by the fact that many of the Colts defenders seemed less than keen to get stuck into the tackles. Yet despite the obvious mismatch, the Redskins leaned on Donovan McNabb who went 29/45 for 246 yards, a TD and 2 INTs. I don't get it. I think pretty much everyone watching the game could see that Torain was having his way with the opposition, so why not let him loose? It wasn't like the Colts jumped out to a 20-point lead at any point. Just stupid.

Tennessee Titans 30 @ Jacksonville Jaguars 3: Can I get a Hallelujah? No. But what I can get is a decent pick and a bit of vindication. The injury to Vince Young brought in Kerry Collins and for a moment I was worried that it was all over. But my god, offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger came up good. He held Collins to just 16 passes of which he completed 11 for 110 yards and a TD. Then they got back to doing what they do best; rushing. Chris Johnson carried 26 times for 111 yards and a TD, with Javon Ringer putting in another 42 yards off 10 carries (longest; 13). Coupled with some good defense which included a red zone (technically end zone) interception and a fortuitous injury to David Garrard that meant Trent Edwards had to step in, and the Titans were home and dry.

That's all the weekends action then and it now leaves me at a woeful 41-49 pick wise on the season. I just don't understand what's happened this year. What's happened to the Packers? Why are the Texans so inconsistent? Where did the 2009 49ers go? Who knows. Anyway, I'll be back tomorrow with a personal rant and a little treat for you all, especially those of you who coach. Till then,

Have a great day everyone.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Unfortunately I don't have time right now to run through the games, so it'll probably be done tomorrow. What I can say it this; finally my 49ers won a game and so far I'm 5-8 pick wise with one game to go. Just ridiculous. Have a great day everyone.

Week 6 NFL picks (part 2)

Time now to finish off my picks for the weekend with the final seven games: Seattle Seahawks @ Chicago Bears: Jesus, what a way to start. I hate both teams in this game. I hope it ends in a scoreless tie and both teams are deducted a win for their poor play. The trouble with both teams is that they are both largely an unknown quantity, even now. The Seahawks play ok at home, usually with a healthy dose of special teams, but away from home they seem to self destruct. The Bears just seem to somehow stumble through games, doing everything in their power to lose them, but still coming away with a W. If it wasn't for the sheer ineptness of the Panthers, the Bears would have been rolled into the turf last week. But this week I'm going to back the Bears, on the principle that they'll be too embarrassed to play in front of the their home fans like they did against Carolina. Bears win. New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Quite an interesting battle in the NFC South. It's kind of the tale of two opposite seasons; the Saints won it all last year and are now struggling to reach those heady heights again, while the Buccaneers bottomed out but are now fighting their way back into contention. The Saints threw away a game last week against Cardinals that they really should have won; the Buccaneers some how found their way back into a game they should have lost. The two teams seem to be converging somewhere in the middle of the good/bad spectrum. But who wins? Hmm. I'm still inclined to believe that the Saints are the better team, but the Bucs' have been quite prolific at forcing turnovers in the passing game (they tie with the Panthers for second in most interceptions; 9). Tough pick, but I'm going to have to back New Orleans this time. Saints win. New York Jets @ Denver Broncos: I still maintain that the Broncos are a good team. But I will concede that they don't exactly help themselves. Guessing what the Broncos will do offensively on the next down is pretty simple. When Kyle Orton leads your team in rushing for a game, then you have issues. I just think that one dimensional attack wont cut it with Rex Ryan and a very good New York Jets defense. On Offense, Mark Sanchez struggled last week against the Vikings, but may have a better day against a Broncos defense that I think is feeling the strain already this year. Jets win. Oakland Raiders @ San Francisco 49ers: Nasty game. Local rivalry between two bad teams. The 49ers (much to my dismay) have been the epitome of a team that kills itself. They just seem to lack that killer edge. On both offense and defense they have the players, but just cant seem to bring it all together. The Raiders aren't up to that level yet, but they've improved from last year. Their problem seems to be that while one piece of their team has a great game, two or three other pieces routinely fall apart. Last week their special teams were enough to do the job. I really badly want to take the 49ers in a game they should win handily, but I just don't trust them. Raiders win. Dallas Cowboys @ Minnesota Vikings: Again, do I really have to pick a winner? Really? Damn it. The Cowboys are like a mirror image of the 49ers (or vice versa.... chortle, chortle). Both teams are pretty well off when it comes to good players, but both seem to be part of a deep conspiracy to defraud their fans of anything to cheer for. Not that the Vikings are any better in this regard. Last years NFC Championship game runners up have delivered very little in what was otherwise an optimistic season. And I think they continue to disappoint. The Cowboys have the pass rush to get to and beat up Brett Favre. I'm not sure if the Vikings pass rush is up to the same level yet. Cowboys win. Indianapolis Colts @ Washington Redskins: I'm very sceptical still of the Redskins. I have no idea how they've won as many games as they have so far. And I have no idea why the Colts are struggling as much as they are. But for some reason people seem to be writing off the Colts now. Maybe I missed something, but I'm pretty sure the Colts beat the only undefeated team in the league last week? The Chiefs defense has played very well, so it was understandable that the Colts found the going a little rougher than usual. But I still have faith. I think Manning might be ready to unleash some frustration on Washington this week. Colts win. Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars: Ah, a battle of inconsistents to finish off. So which Titans team will we see? The Chris Johnson heavy Titans, or the "we think Vince Young can do it Titans"? And which Jacksonville will we see? The balanced, good play calling Jaguars with a good David Garrard? Or the "50 throws a game" bad David Garrard? It almost makes picking the game futile as I have no idea which teams will arrive at the party. That said, I know the Titans D will bring pressure and I'm taking that as the balance tipper. Titans win. So there we have it. Fourteen picks, all waiting to be decimated by uncooperative teams. The inconsiderate gits. Have a great day everyone.

Week 6 NFL picks (part 1)

Right, finally time to pick my week 6 winners. Or -- based on how the season has gone so far regarding picks -- losers. Seven today, seven tomorrow: Miami Dolphins @ Green Bay Packers: Has anyone seen the Packers injury report? It basically covers most of the team, including QB Aaron Rodgers. I'm banking on a banged up Packers struggling to cope with what is a pretty good Dolphins team. And by pretty good I of course mean very good. I'm not sure where things have gone wrong at times for Miami (special teams anyone?), but they are better than their record would suggest. Dolphins win. San Diego Chargers @ St. Louis Rams: Oh what? Do these kind of match ups really have to happen every week? The Chargers are very good on offense. Philip Rivers is currently on course to take Dan Marino's single season passing yards record and Hail Mary it into obscurity. The only trouble with the Chargers is everything else; special teams, defense, rushing. Not that the Rams are in a great position to take advantage. Their offense was doing pretty well.... till it ran into a brick wall against the Lions. Their defense was doing superbly.... till it ran into a brick wall against the Lions. I have to take the Chargers. Chargers win. Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots: Despite my pre-season optimism about the Ravens, I seem to have developed a habit of picking against them, largely because their offense struggles to put points on the board. Luckily for the Ravens (and bad for my picks) their defense has come to the rescue on many occasions now. The Patriots are the polar opposite. Their offense has done well, their special teams have come up big at the right moments, but their young defense has often been exposed. Well this time I'm siding with the Ravens (don't let me down now!). I think they have some players on special teams (safeties Haruki Nakamura and Tom Zbikowski) who can match the Patriots, and their receiving corps is ideally matched to exploit the weak Patriots pass defense. Ravens win. Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers: Seneca Wallace is day to day. Jake Delhomme is not ready to return. That leaves the Browns relying on rookie QB Colt McCoy. Now I like McCoy, but more over the long term than right away. And against the Steelers I can see this getting ugly. Really ugly. Especially when you keep in mind that the big quarterback story this week is the return of "Big" Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger has -- other than an annoyingly difficult to spell name -- a lot of work to do in Pittsburgh to restore the faith, but he has the advantage of being a pretty good quarterback, and it's amazing how much wins can contribute to a quick healing process. I'm going to have to back the yellow and black attack. Steelers win. Kansas City Chiefs @ Houston Texans: Tough, tough picking right here. The Texans are bouncing back off a big loss to the Giants, while Kansas is looking to recover from its first defeat of the season (that still doesn't sound right). The trouble I see is this; you have the excellent Texans offense playing the excellent Chiefs defense, while the terrible Chiefs offense is matched against the terrible Texans defense. Ultimately though, given how few points the Chiefs have conceded so far including in games against the Chargers and the Colts, I think they might edge it. Maybe this is the game where Matt Cassel comes alive? Don't bank on it. Still, Kansas can win this. Chiefs win. Detroit Lions @ New York Giants: Ohhhhh, tough pick. Which Giants team shows up though? Come to think of it, which Lions team shows up? Does Eli Manning light it up or stink it up? Do the Giants O-line man handle Detroit, or get run over by Kyle Vanden Bosch and Ndamukong Suh? And can Shaun Hill and Jahvid Best stand up to the Giants D-line, or will they be run down like their fellow NFC North team the Chicago Bears? All good questions and in the end, I think it's the Lions tight ends who decide it. If Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler can get open short and help alleviate the pressure on Hill, then the Lions have a great chance. I'm thinking Detroit picks up back to back wins. Lions win. Atlanta Falcons @ Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles looked ok last week against the 49ers. Trouble is, I'm not sure as 'ok' can get it done against the Falcons, a team that nearly came up short against the 49ers themselves. See, when the 49ers offense got going last week, the Eagles defense looked incredibly vulnerable, as it has many weeks now. I see the Falcons being able to run with Michael Turner and pass the ball to Roddy White without much difficulty. The Eagles on the other hand could struggle. Ever heard of King Dunlap for example? Neither had I till Sunday night, but basically that's who the Eagles have had to fall back on at Left Tackle. He's the guy who has to contain the excellent Kroy Biermann. I don't see it. Falcons win. That's your first seven and I'll be back tomorrow to finish off the last seven. Till then, Have a great day everyone.

Prime Drama

I'll be back a little later to make the first round of my Week 6 picks, but until then I've got a little something for you. First though we have an article from ProFootballTalk.com on fines that have been dished out following week 5. I understand that the league takes the money from the players and redistributes it to a number of good causes, but it's starting to get out of hand. $5,000 for a Horse Collar tackle? As I understand it, aren't the players already punished with a 15-yard penalty? Aren't their indiscretions accounted for on game day? And now we're taking chunks out of players pockets for them as well? C'mon. This is stupid. I understand that it's fashionable to bash players for being over paid etc, and there would be little argument from me about that, but levying big fines for these fouls seems unnecessary for me. At what point do we reach where players -- most likely those on the short end of the salary scale -- end up pulling up in critical moments because of the fear of a big fine? Something has to be done about this. Now, talking of prima donna players, it's time for the head line act. Or should I say the Prime Time act. Deion Sanders. I've always had mixed feelings about Deion. The guy can be incredibly funny at times, as your about to see. But I've also seen that anytime he gets involved with a player as a "mentor" the poor player usually ends up getting caught in a whirlwind of Prime Time drama. I can also only stomach his self aggrandizement to a certain degree before I just start shaking my head. This is a prime (excuse the pun) example. Deion blowing his lid because a group of NFL Network analysts (the mysterious sounding "Blue ribbon panel") voted him as number 34 in a list of the top 100 players of all time. So where does Sanders think he should be? Number 30? Number 25? No, he wants to be in the top ten. Even more than that. He wants to be in top 5. Not that Deion rates himself that highly of course. I also love the way that he rates himself above Woodson, despite Woodsons superior numbers. I mean some of the things he was saying were funny as hell, but this was also a perfect example of just how bad Sanders can be at his worst. My only hope is that this attitude doesn't rub off on guys like Devon Hester and Michael Crabtree. Have a great day everyone.

Week 5 recap

The last game is done and it's time to look back at the weekends action:

Jaguars 36 @ Bills 26 >>> I'm going to just come out and say it; the Bills offense under Ryan Fitzpatrick is not that bad. I've heard all the hate thrown at them this week. I heard Fitzpatrick described on one site as "mediocre". Really? 20/30 for 220 yards and 3 TDs is mediocre now? It's not Pro Bowl caliber but it's pretty good. RB C.J. Spiller carried just five times for the Bills so nice to see he's still not getting any work.

The Jaguars looked better. Eventually. Garrard threw 16/20 for 178 yards, 3 TDs and an INT. On the ground the Jaguars bagged 210 net rushing yards. And this reveals the real problem with Buffalo. Their defense just can't hold people down to enough points for their offense to catch up. The Bills can put 26 points on the board -- almost as many as the Colts put on Jacksonville last week -- but they just can't keep teams down to managable scores. Dare I say it, but the 0-5 Bills are actually improving in some regards.

Broncos 17 @ Ravens 31 >>> Random irritation in the last two weeks? Hearing about how the Broncos "can't" run the football. Could someone please replace "can't" with "won't". There is a difference. 13 carries is not even trying to run the football. That's more like the Colts idea of a running game. Meanwhile Kyle Orton continues to impress with 23/38 for 314 yards and 2 TDs. Receiver Brandon Llyod made both TD catches and chalked up 135 yards off 5 catches.

Joe Flacco on the other hand went 14/25 for 196 yards. Where are all the "mediocre" comments now? Flacco was officially worse than Ryan Fitzpatrick this week. Luckily for Flacco the true strength of this Ravens team surfaced as RB Ray Rice carried 27 times for 133 yards and 2 TDs. Two more rushing TDs (one by Flacco and one by Willis McGahee) rounded it off for the Ravens.

Chiefs 9 @ Colts 19 >>> What we've learnt from this game is that either a) the Chiefs defense is really good or b) the Colts offense is running out of cyclinders to misfire with. There wasn't a single TD until the 4th quarter, and even then it was just the sole TD from Colts RB Mike Hart. The Chiefs almost made this look even worse for the Colts when WR Dwayne Bowe worked free in the end zone but a big dropped pass meant it wasn't to be for Kansas.

Matt Cassel went 16/29 for 156 yards, failing the Fitzpatrick test of "mediocrity" for week 5. Peyton Manning was 26/44 for 244 yards and an INT, so he also falls below the "mediocrity" level of Fitzpatrick on account of the lack of TDs. Chiefs LB Tamba Hali had a good game, recording another sack and forced fumble. The Chiefs have been odd defensively this year. They bend in the open field but right about in the red zone they start to come up strongly. That's a lot of credit to defensive coordinator Romeo Crennell.

Packers 13 @ Redskin 16 (OT) >>> It must have been like watching a tennis match in FedEx Field as both teams sent the ball sailing up and down on offense. Well, at least a tennis match where not a lot of scoring happens. Aaron Rodgers went 27/46 for 293 yards, a TD and an INT (i'll give him a pass on the Fitzpatrick "mediocrity" test). Donovan McNabb went 26/49 for 357 yards, a TD and an INT. Most surprising on the day was Packers RB Brandon Jackson who took ten carries for 115 yards (longest; 71).

A tough game to call really. The Packers notched up 5 sacks, including 1.5 for Clay Matthews while the Redskins took home 4, including two from LB Brian Orakpo. The star of the day on defense was Redskins safety LaRon Landry, with 10 tackles, a pick and a FF. Overall both steams stunk it up. The Redskins perhaps were the luckier of the two sides to come back into the game in the 4th quarter and then go on to win, but ultimately it's going to be a long season ahead for both Green Bay and Washington on this evidence.

Rams 3 @ Lions 44 >>> Oh my god!! What? I had my bets on Detroit but damn, what happened to St. Louis? Sam Bradford went 23/45 for 215 yards and 2 INTs, badly failing the Fitzpatrick test of "mediocrity". Shaun Hill only just beat Fitzpatrick with 21/32 for 227 yards and 3 TDs. RB Steven Jackson gave a good show on the ground for the Rams with 25 carries for 114 yards, but it was not to be. Stefan Logans kick return for a TD and Alphonso Smiths pick 6 started and ended the TD scoring for the Lions.

This was just utter and pure domination as the Lions converted yards into points time and again. Even rookie DT Ndamukong Suh got in on the act, forcing a turnover with an interception (D-line INT count; 1). The Rams defense just came apart against a Lions offense that has been waiting for an opportunity to bust somebody open. The big question now is whether Hill will continue to start when Stafford recovers from his injury. Because Hill has been good. Very good.

Bears 23 @ Panthers 6 >>> This! This is precisely why I hate picking games. Bears QB Todd Collins was truly awful. 6/16 for 34 yards and 4 INTs!! To quote Mike Mayock of NFL Network "Are you kidding me?!". How then, how, do the Carolina Panthers (who also had 3 sacks) not take advantage of this? How do you not bury Chicago into the floor after a performance that bad? Well it's really easy. You go one worse.

Jimmy Clausen went 9/22 for 61 yards and an INT. When he was hauled off it was the turn of Matt Moore who went 5/10 for 35 yards and 2 INTs. I mean, Jesus f***ing Christ! That is god awful. What makes this worse is that the Bears offense under Mike Martz switched to a rush orientated attack, with Matt Forte rushing 22 times for 166 yards and 2 TDs. Even Chester Taylor got 18 carries. But what about the Panthers? The Carolina Panthers who have probably the best one-two rushing tandem in the league? Did they put up a combined 40 carries? Of course not! That would be too logical and too sensible!

DeAngelo Williams; 12 carries for 51 yards. Jonathan Stewart; 8 carries for 30 yards. Are you serious? What the hell is wrong with Carolina? Why isn't John Fox stamping on his offensive coordinators throat and demanding the extra carries for the running backs? Why does it take a Mike Martz led Bears offense to show you how to run your offense? Why do I even care? I hate the Panthers!!!

Ahem, on a side note, Julius Peppers came up with an INT (D-line INT count; 2). Bears DE Israel Idonije had 3 sacks and a forced fumble. Panthers De Everette Brown also got a pick (D-line INT count; 3) as did DT Ed Johnson (D-line INT count; 4).

Buccaneers 24 @ Bengals 21 >>> Further evidence of the futility of picking game winners. Why? Because I expect the Bengals to beat the Buccaneers, which they were doing handily until the last 2:28 of the game. It's third down and 12, the Bengals have the ball. All you have to do is run it. The clock will run down to the two-minute warning, unless the Buc's use their final time out. If they don't, it's all good. You've just creamed off 28 seconds from the clock. Most importantly, you still have the ball and all you have to do is kick it away. Just punt and ask the the Bucs' to drive all the way back for the tying score.

Not the Bengals though. Oh no. The Bengals have to take a shot and get picked off. This leads the Buccaneers to pick up the game tying TD. I mean seriously, how bad does your game management have to be? How do you let this happen? Was it a joke? Was it part of some cosmic game to screw over my picks? I dunno.

On the enusing Bengals possession they drive down the field looking for a field goal and throw another pick. The Bucs' then come back the other way and an interesting play occurs. Michael Spurlock caught a pass near the sideline and on his way to the ground the ball makes clear contact with the turf.

Now as I understand it, that's an incompleteion. If you hold the ball and press it into the ground it's incomplete. You have to have it off the ground and in your hands. If this one stands, then why not Calvin Johnsons TD catch from the Bears game? Ah well. Bucs' kick the field goal and improve to 3-1.

Josh Freeman finished 20/33 for 280 yards, a TD and an INT. Palmer finished 21/36 for 209 yards, 2 TDs and 3 INTs (failing the Fitzpatrick test of "mediocrity"). Cedric Benson of the Bengals provided the only notable show on the ground with 23 carries for 144 yards (longest; 22). Makes you wonder what would have happened if he'd carried that ball on the 3rd and 12.....

Falcons 20 @ Browns 10 >>> The Browns have looked okay with Seneca Wallace under center. By Ok, I of course mean "not as bad as last year". Wallace went 11/15 for 139 yards and a TD before hobbling off the field with ankle injury prior to half time. I'll give him a pass on the Fitzpatrick "mediocrity" meter. Jake Delhomme gets no such luck. 13/23 for 97 yards and 2 INTs. Nor does Falcons QB Matt Ryan; 16/28 for 187 yards and a TD.

On the ground, Browns FB Peyton Hillis was kept largely quite but he did make a great one handed grab out of the backfield, rolling in for a TD. Falcons RB Michael Turner was the leading ground gainer, with 19 carries for 140 yards (longest; 55). But one of the key plays was made by Falcons DE Kroy Biermann who blocked a pass and came up with an interception (D-line INT count; 5). More impressive was that Biermann got to his feet and ran it in for a 31 yard TD. Biermann has been all kinds of impressive for the Falcons this year.

Giants 34 @ Texans 10 >>> About three minutes into the 2nd quarter and this one was over as a contest. The Giants handed the Texans a beatdown that few would have anticipated (especially those of us who took the Texans. Huh, Houston?). Eli Manning finished the day with 27/42 for 297 yards, 3 TDs and 2 INTs. His leading receiver Hakeem Nicks had 12 catches for 130 yards and 2 TDs. Between them the Giants RBs Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs had 26 carries for 108 yards and a TD.

Such a contrast from the Texans. Matt Schaub went 16/34 for 196 yards and an INT, failing the Fitzpatrick "mediocrity" test. After a great season so far, RB Arian Foster had just 11 carries for 25 yards as the Texans slipped away into obscurity.

The big difference was defense. Once again the Texans crumbled in spectacular fashion. Kareem Jackson may have had a pick, but that was more of a case of trying to make up for lost ground than it was making a game changing play. Compare to the Giants who got their pass rush going again, which saw Osi Umenyiora add another two sacks to his season tally. After a rocky start, the Giants are starting to come good again.

Saints 20 @ Cardinals 30 >>> What? What? Is this a joke? Are you serious? The Cardinals? And it was the defense that did it! The Cardinals D! What? How?

Even more bizarre were the two fumbles by Cardinals rookie QB Max Hall; one that led to a TD when OT Levi Brown scooped and scored, and another that was smothered for a ten yard gain. Hall finished 17/27 for 168 yards and an INT, failing the fitzpatrick "mediocrity" test. Drew Brees came up with 24/39 for 279 yards with 2 TDs, but with 3 INTs he too fails the test. Most surprising for me was Cardinals RB "Beanie" Wells who managed just 35 yards on 20 carries.

Overall the game was bad, then in the 4th quarter the Cardinals D came up big with safety Kerry Rhodes returning a fumble for a TD, followed by a last minute interception for a TD by Corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Titans 34 @ Cowboys 27 >>> Somehow the Cowboys find even more ways to beat themselves. It's laughable really. They're a great team that just refuses to stop shooting themselves in the foot. Tony Romo went 31/46 for 406 yards, 3 TDs and 3 INTs. The Cowboys even remembered that RB Felix Jones exists and let him carry the ball on the ground 15 times for 109 yards. Miles Austin hauled in 9 catches for 166 yards and a TD. But it wasn't enough.

The Titans D came up with 6 sacks and 3 picks. The Cowboys committed 12 penalties for for 133 yards. And then to round it off Chris Johnson had 19 carries for 131 yards and 2 touchdowns. Vince Young was only able to add 12/25 for 173 yards and 2 TDs, so he fails the Fitzpatrick test of "mediocrity".

But it didn't matter, as the Cowboys were flagged for excessive celebration after bringing the game back to 27 a piece. On the enusing kick off, Marc Mariani did what he seems to do best for the Titans, taking the ball back for a huge return. That set up the winning TD for Johnson and once again the Cowboys were sunk.

Chargers 27 @ Raiders 35 >>> Somehow the Chargers once again contrived to lose a game that should have been emminently winnable. Two big punt blocks in the first quarter netted the Raiders a combined 9 points. And even though starting QB Bruce Gradkowski went down, the Raiders hung in there until a forced fumble in the 4th quarter was returned by safety Tyvon Branch for the winning score.

Philip Rivers once again led the Chargers strongly, throwing 27/42 for 431 yards and 2 TDs. FB Mike Tolbert punched in one more. But back up Raiders QB Jason Campbell stepped in and threw 13/18 for 159 yards and a TD. RB Michael Bush also put in a strong showing with 26 carries for 104 yards and another TD. Coupled with their strong defensive and special teams showing, the Raiders finally shook off a losing streak to the Chargers that dates back to 2003.

Eagles 27 @ 49ers 24 >>> My tickets arrived today for the 49ers game against the Broncos at Wembley. I almost wish I hadn't bought them. The 49ers looked awful for much of the game. I have never heard any crowd boo as loudly as the Candlestick crowd. And when the chants of "WE WANT CARR" (meaning back up QB David Carr) kicked off, I was expecting the 49ers to just fall apart. In fact Alex Smith responded rather well.

Thriving in the shotgun with trips to one side and a single receiver to the other, Smith came back with two 4th quarter TD passes to Vernon Davis and Frank Gore (even though their was a suspicion of a pick play on the Gore TD). But by then it was too late. Kevin Kolb had already thrown 21/31 for 253 yards and a TD, putting on a confident display, if not spectacular (i'll give him a pass in the Fitzpatrick "mediocrity" stakes). RB LeSean McCoy overcame his "rib injury" (I'm not sold on that, given how active he looked) to carry the ball 18 times for 92 yards and a TD.

Alex Smith on the other hand didn't finish that badly. 25/39 for 309 yards, 3 TDs and 2 INTs is pretty good. The problem is that after a crisp first drive, Smith struggled until suddenly finding inspiration late in the game. But it was too inconsistent. Smith and the 49ers O went missing for the 2nd and 3rd quarters, which ultimately cost them dearly. The sole bright spot was the catching ability of WR Michael Crabtree (kid has some sick hands) and DE Justin Smith with two sacks.

Vikings 20 @ Jets 29 >>> I was disappointed that Randy Moss's return to New York saw him covered by Antonio Cromartie. I was hoping to see Moss vs. Revis part 2. Still Moss did get himself a TD and Cromartie played well as the battle stayed interesting all night. But with the rain lashing down it was never going to be an offensive firework show. Favre completed just 14/34 passes, but managed to put up 264 yards, 3 TDs and an INT to avoid falling into "mediocrity" with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Adrian Peterson carried 18 times for 88 yards.

Mark Sanchez managed just 21/44 for 191 yards, thus falling below the Fitzpatrick "mediocrity" level. Luckily LaDanian Tomlinson and Shonne Greene were on good form, taking a combined 30 carries for 151 yards and a TD. On defense, Calvin Pace returned to the line up and nabbed himself 1.5 sacks (as did Vikings DE Ray Edwards). And then Corner Dwight Lowery put the icing on the cake with a 26 yard interception return for a TD.

So how did I finish pick wise for the week? Badly. 6-8. Tack on the total score and I'm at 35-41 for the season. It's just stupid. The whole season has been an abberation (of course, picking Buffalo over Green Bay in week 2 didn't help). I'm close to giving up. How do you predict the Bengals play calling stupidity? How can you predict the Chargers, a professional football team, not taking the time to self-scout and fix their god awful special teams? I've concluded that picking football games is like tossing a coin. Pure luck. But without the known odds.

And I've also concluded that Ryan Fitzpatrick was actually one of the better QBs on the day. Shame he plays for the Bills really, because it means people will always look past what is actually happening on the field and just bash him for no good reason.

Have a great day everyone.