Week 5 Monday Night round up

Bears @ Lions

God. I'm now going to have to have to listen to talk about the Lions going to the Super Bowl for at least another week. In fact the Lions have three weeks till their bye, and each of those games has the potential for the opposition to slip up and fuel the Lions hype fire.

Because let's face it, that's what it is. I don't care about the Lions record. I'm not a huge stats fan anyway. I include numbers on this blog for the sole purpose of giving people a guide and because I know a lot of people care more about Fantasy football than actual football.

Me personally, I'm interested in what happens on the field. I'm interested only in whether I think a team can win the Super Bowl, because what you do in the regular season means nothing once you reach the playoffs. And the only team anyone ever remembers is the team that lifts the Lombardi trophy.

And I'm saying now, I don't think the Lions will.

It happens every year in the NFL. There's always at least one team, sometimes two that enter the playoffs with grossly inflated opinions of themselves. Last year it was two teams; the Falcons and the Bears. By any reasonable stretch of the imagination, neither team should really have been there. How the Bears made it as far as they did says more about their opponents than it does them.

This year it's the Lions, and as much as I hate to admit it, my own 49ers. Both teams are doing well... on paper. On the field it's a different story. Anyone who watches a 49ers game this season and thinks that team could win the Super Bowl this year is dreaming. The same applies to the Lions.

Detroit got mauled in the first half of both the Vikings and Cowboys games. If the Vikings had applied the same winning game plan from week 5 to week 3 (hammering the ball on the ground in the second half), then the Lions would have gone in to the Cowboys game at 2-1 having been trashed the week before. Then if only, if only the Cowboys (re: Romo and Garrett) hadn't blown the massive lead they built up, then the Lions would have come into this game 2-2, having been blown off the field in back to back games.

But sadly the footballing gods have deemed that Detroit came into this one 4-0, with all the hype that entails. They set about proving that they were the real deal and not just the all hype team by having a terrible first quarter, followed by a terrible second quarter, with the bomb to Calvin Johnson being the exception to their play, not the rule.

At least things got a bit better in the third. They put together a much better drive that ended with the Pettigrew TD. Then they ripped off an 88 yard touchdown run by Best, which basically ended the game. From that point onwards the Bears pretty much stuck their heads in the sand and tried to just avoid being beaten any further. They certainly didn't look like they were fighting to get back in it.

And that's what frustrates me. For the next week the media and the Lions fans will be going ape shit over this win and the Lions 5-0 record. The stupid thing is, last season I was saying that this season might be the year Detroit pulled it all together! Now they're 5-0, which in a way proves my point, but actually watching them play I think I might have been wrong. If you follow me.

I just look at it this way. If a) Johnson doesn't get such a massive free release on his touchdown and b) someone actually plugs that run gap on Best's 88 yard scamper, then the Lions probably don't win this. And that fact they struggled so much in such a scrappy game against the Bears of all people doesn't bode well.

The Bears have absolutely got more to worry about than the Lions though. One of the reasons I don't like statistics is because the official records will say that the Lions only had 3 sacks, which doesn't tell the story of just how chronically bad the Bears O-line were. They were even back to their old tricks of putting Cutler under center despite an empty backfield, an issue I've moaned about at length before.

The Bears just can't protect Cutler. Each pass play seems to consist of him either panicking, getting hit, or running for his life. It's an old complaint about Mike Martz and his system. Just ask Alex Smith how it worked out for him. I don't think Bears fans care how they do it, but somebody needs to step in and find a way to keep him clean. Maybe a little more play action, maybe some more eight man protections. But something has to be done.

The sole glimmer of hope for the Bears was Matt Forte, who carried 22 times for 116 yards (longest; 23). Though considering the game was never really out of sight until perhaps the Best TD went in, I'm surprised that Forte didn't carry more. It's the old cliche about putting the ball in the hands of your best players, playing to your strengths etc.

It took the Vikings five weeks to learn how to do it properly, that is to close out the win by sticking with the hot hand that you put you so far out in front. I presumed foolishly that the Bears had learnt from their 34 point offensive show against the Panthers, but apparently not. And I except that under normal circumstances, when you're behind you throw a lot to get yourself back in the game, taking the gamble because if you don't then you lose anyway.

But that's the sad thing about the Bears. Their O-line is so horrible in pass protection and Cutler is so nervous now behind that shaky line that running the football is literally the Bears best chance of picking up any significant yardage and scoring.

Of course we can't blame it all on the offense. The defense is not what it was in 2010. The pass rush is steadily going flat, the coverage has wide open holes in it and the run defense - as evidenced by the 163 yards that Jahvid Best put up on just 12 carries - needs some serious attention.

It's going to take more than a few Devin Hester kick and punt returns to fix the Bears woes. At least their bye is only three weeks away, after entertaining the Vikings next week and then playing in a half empty stadium against Tampa in week 7 (I got a phone call today from the official ticket agents for the Wembley game, who are trying desperately to flog off cut price tickets. Oh dear).

The Lions - the jammy bastards that they are - have a nice schedule ahead. They have two more home games against the 49ers and Falcons, who are apt to piss games away. Then the Lions travel to Denver and we'll know more in the coming week about whether Tebow starts in week 6, which will have a significant impact on the potential for the Lions to go 8-0 into their bye.

The second half of the season looks much tougher for the Lions, with two games against the Packers, a trip to Oakland, a visit from Adrian Peterson and the Vikings, and a trip to the Saints. We'll see how long that -0 lasts...

Right, that's your lot for today. I'm off to write a complaint letter to ESPN, kindly requesting that they gag Jon Gruden in future so we don't have to listen to him giving effusive praise to everyone on the field, regardless of how good or bad they may be.

Tomorrow... I had something planned, but I can't remember what it was now. I'll probably just end up drawing a random diagram of something as a result. Also, if the site appearance changes over the coming days don't be alarmed, I'm just trying to figure out ways of squeezing more money out of you.

Did I say that out loud? I meant to say, enhancing your reading experience.

To help with this, I highly recommend you click that Facebook like button thing at the bottom of this post. Go on, you know you want to find out what it does.

Monday Night Football recap

New Orleans Saints 17 @ Atlanta Falcons 14: Honestly, if this is the best the NFC has to offer then I suspect the AFC teams heading into the playoffs are going to be licking their chops. With the win the Saints bagged a playoff spot, but to win the division they'll need some help from Carolina next week which is unlikely. Their more immediate concern might be their offense. Drew Brees was 35/49, which looks good on paper, but for just 302 yards leaves them with an average of just over 8 yards per pass. Brees also bagged 1 TD, but also 2 INT's, one of which was an absolute shocker that was returned for a touchdown. This was simply not good enough from either team. While some mistakes were punished, others went penalty free and that simply isn't going to happen in the playoffs. Both teams really need to knuckle down and focus this week. That also cost me another pick, taking me to 8-7 for the week. Now, before I head off to go and stab my voodoo doll of Sean Payton, I have two things to bring to your attention. The first is this article regarding some of the fines that were levied after week 15, including a $7,500 fine for a horse collar tackle. What I want you to take note of is the 341 comments. Juts read some of them. If the NFL has any questions about where the fans stand in regards to all these junk fines, I think they can find the answers there among the overwhelming hoard of negative comments. Which leads me to another article that has me questioning my most improved analyst blah, blah award. This article by Pat Kirwan makes him a strong contender as it vastly overshadows some of the shoddy work he put up earlier this year. In particular I'd like to point you towards the last point he makes (emphasis added by the way): "I don't care what teams publish as attendance at NFL games, there were way too many empty seats this weekend. The average fan simply can't afford to go to a game and I'm starting to think the clubs must get into the reality business and lower ticket prices -- or be prepared to play to half-filled stadiums." "I'm not here to name names, but it was embarrassing to see upper decks half-empty and even seats on the 50-yard line unused. The players need to look at the stadiums they play in and also realize that, unless there is a radical change, they too will suffer financially." "People can't afford to go to games, can't appreciate all the talk about how much money the players want, or see any logic in owners wanting to expand to 18 games. Let's stop thinking about the NFL machine and look at the empty seats and find a solution." As if by magic, Mr. Kirwan has been transformed from corporate spokesperson (like earlier in the season) to the voice of reason that echo's what the vast majority of NFL fans think. It's a miracle worthy of any Christmas tale and it needed to be said by someone in Kirwan's position. With any luck the rest of the mainstream media will catch on soon. I never thought I'd say this but; God bless you Pat Kirwan.

Monday Night Footballl

Philadelphia Eagles 59 @ Washington Redskins 28: Well, at least I got one pick nailed down tight this week. The Eagles absolutely creamed the Redskins, putting up four TDs in the first quarter and another in the early stages of the second before the Redskins even seemed to wake up. Michael Vick dominated the show. 20/28 for 333 yards and 4 TDs, plus another 80 yards and 2 TDs on 8 rushes. Tack on an eleven carry, 109 yard and 1 TD performance from running back Jerome Harrison and it's all over. The Redskins tried to fight back. Donovan McNabb went 17/31 for 295 yards, 2 TDs and 3 INTs. RB Kelland Williams managed to put up 89 yards and 2 TDs off 16 carries (Williams also caught one of McNabbs two TD passes). But it was all too little, too late. The Redskins struggles on third down (0/10) didn't help either. Vick though was the master puppeteer of this one, pulling all the strings and making everyone dance to his tune. He combined superb speed & agility to dance past tacklers when he scrambled. Through the air he showed poise, accuracy and a cannon of an arm. It was -- quite simply -- the most awesome display of individual brilliance I've ever seen on a football field. Makes you wonder what could have been really, when you think back to March/April time that the Eagles were looking to trade Vick for a mere 2nd round pick. Like I said here and here, I would have taken the bait on Vick and right now I'd be laughing. Heartily. So, picks. You don't really want to see them do you? You don't want to see how I got on? Oh well, here we are: 5-9. Five and bloody nine! That takes me back to a season tally of.... 72-72. Dead perfect, middle of the pack. Ah, at least it's easy to remember. Now before I disappear for the moment, just time to point you in the direction of an article on NFL.com by Michael Lombardi. But shock, horror, it's not a bad one. I actually really enjoyed this article, which means either Michael Lombardi has been supplanted by a ghost writer or he just genuinely is a lot better when he writes articles from the perspective of a former executive talking as if he were still an executive, as opposed to trying to be a broadcast journalist. Let it not be said that I don't give credit where it's due. Have a great day everyone.

Monday Night Football

Just enough time before I jump in the shower and head off to work to take a quick look and the Monday Night match up between the Steelers and Bengals: -- What is it with the Bengals and the first half? They always seem to come out and limp along slowly, ending up trailing as they go into the break, only to turn up the heat in the second half and start making things happen. By that point however -- as in this game -- it's usually too little, too late. -- The roughing the passer penalty called against Casey Hampton was utter nonsense. This is a perfect example of a rule designed to protect the knees of quarterbacks being completely misapplied. It's stuff like this that gets fans really riled up. -- Terrell Owens; 10 catches, 141 yards, 2 TDs and a security guard knocked to the ground like a pin in a bowling alley. I did say at the start of the season there was still life left in this dog.... -- Ben Roethlisberger; 17/27, 163 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. After a solid start in his first game back, Roethlisberger is gradually slipping off. Last time the Steelers won a Super Bowl it was Roethlisberger leading the charge with his downfield passes. Now? Not so much. The Steelers offense looks confused at times as to what they're trying to do. Luckily the Steelers defense is as strong as ever (4 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble). -- And could someone please explain to me what has happened to special teams protection units this year? The number of blocked punts and kicks is rising at what appears to be an abnormal rate compared to seasons past. Mainly thanks to the Chargers, but others as well. -- With the Steelers victory over the Bengals, I'm now 9-4 pick wise this week, which puts me at 67-63 for the season, finally pushing past .500. It's been a weird year for picks, but at least now we're starting to get a good idea of where the various teams stand. Have a great day everyone.

Monday Night Football

Monday Night Football is done and dusted (obviously, being that it's now Tuesday Night). So, how did I do pick wise? 9-4 for Week 8 which isn't bad at all. That then leaves me at 58-59 for the season. One of those 4 misses was due to the Texans sinking to the Colts and I have to reiterate my hatred of the Texans this year. You have Arian Foster; who tore the Colts to pieces in week 1. In week 8 he took 15 carries for 102 yards and a TD (longest; 33 yards). Why just 15 carries? The Colts didn't take a 14 point lead until the second quarter and that's still a catchable score. This kind of thing just bugs me to no end. Other things that caught my eye were:

• Peyton Manning only completing 26/45, many of which were just screens.
• Andre Johnson putting up another 100+ yard game.
• The shocking state of the Texans defense, in particular their tackling.
• The shocking state of the Texans O-line, who were getting run down by Freeney and co.
• The Colts unusually taking 36 minutes, 25 seconds of the time of possession.

Have a great day everyone.

Giants @ Cowboys, Monday Night Football

Just a few quick notes on the Monday Night game:

• I finished the week 8-6 for picks, which makes a change this season.
• Having shot off to a great start, the injury to Tony Romo just seem to sap the life right out of the Cowboys.
• Despite leading the game 20-7 at one point, the Cowboys ran the ball just 13 times.
• Ahmad Bradshaw put up another 100 yard rushing game.
• The big winner from this game might be Dez Bryant; 3 TDs in total.
• DT Barry Cofield put in a good shift with a sack and 2 forced fumbles.
• The Cowboys were 0/10 on 3rd down. That's a 0% efficiency rating. How do you not manage to convert even just one of those?
• For once the Cowboys only gave up 5 penalties, which was less than their opponents.

Have a great day everyone.

Monday Night Football

Patriots 41 @ Dolphins 14 -- What's worse than a pick gone wrong? A pick gone wrong largely because of special teams? What's worse than that? Typing up a recap and then having Internet Explorer eat it like the bag of s**t that it is. I'm pretty stunned at how bad this went. It went so badly that Dolphins special teams coach John Bonamego got the boot today. After a first half that was kept close thanks to two picks by Patriots LB Rob Ninkovich (who also finished the game with a sack), the second half went down the toilet for Miami real quick. First Brandon Tate took a kick off back 103 yards for the score, then Patriots safety Pat Chung took advantage of a numbers mismatch on the left side of the Dolphins protection to block a punt that led to a short field and the Patriots first offensive TD. An exchange of TDs finished off the 3rd quarter, then in the 4th the meltdown was complete as Chung came free on a field goal rush and blocked a kick that was scooped and returned for a TD by Kyle Arrington. Not satisfied that he'd caused Miami enough misery, Chung then came up with an interception which he returned 51 yards for another score. And that my friends is a Bill Belichick second round pick all over; looking for guys who can contribute on special teams as well as at their normal positions. On offense Brady was clinically efficient completing 19 of his 24 passes for 153 yards and a TD. LB Jerod Mayo gets a nod as well for his game leading 14 tackles (eat your heart out Patrick Willis). It shouldn't be overlooked that despite a crappy special teams show and the four interceptions, the Dolphins did collect 23 first downs, went 10/15 on third downs and gained 400 net yards on a Pats defense that still looks like it's about to implode at any minute. But then with special teams play like this I doubt Bill Belichick cares much.... I'll round off today with some extra points: -- The Patriots were the latest team to bust out the old "fake spike". In the end the throw was poor and Moss was unable to corral it (he had zero catches on the night). But still, I have to complain because I hate this play. You might be wondering why I frown on this type of deception given that teams routinely fake run plays and then pass. The reason is simple; on a play-pass the defense understands that the ball is live. On a fake spike they're being fooled into thinking the play is dead. That means everyone on defense stops. It's a breach of the good faith that exists on such plays and it stinks. Might as well run the "Coach, wrong ball" play (look it up on YouTube). -- Nice to see Peyton Manning and the Colts are still getting away with running pick plays in the red zone to get some of their TDs. If the league thinks it's not a big deal then that's fine... but remove the rule banning them. Otherwise just enforce the damn thing already! Oh wait, I forgot. Colts GM Bill Polian is on the competition committee. -- The assault on Kevin Kolb (classic idea to put the "publish" button next to the "save draft" button) continues in earnest. This week he is being bashed from all corners for checking down too much in the game against Washington. If you don't like check downs then that's ok, but almost every commentator/analyst/expert is basically following the line "If you keep passing short you'll never win games".

I think some people need to go back and watch some film on Joe Montana. In any given game you can count the number of passes he throws beyond the 20 yard line ('air yards') on two hands. You can count the number of completions involving 20 or more 'air yards' on one hand. Scratch that. Often on one finger.

It's not ideal so far, but Kolb can and most probably will get better. His receivers will start making up the yards after the catch. And the longer, ball control type drives might be just the remedy that the Eagles defense needs. Take the fingers off the panic buttons Eagles offense. For now at least.

Have a great day everyone.

Monday Night Round Up

One game left, let's have a look: Saints 25 @ 49ers 22 -- I'm always a little mixed when it comes to the 49ers. Yeah I got the pick but.... damn it!! Classic 49ers though, doing everything possible to prevent themselves from winning. If it's not interceptions then it's botched snaps, and if it's not either of those then it's muffed punts - or in this case - all three. Alex Smith finished 23/32 for 275 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs. A better day at the office than usual from Smith and he led the 49ers final scoring drive well. Frank Gore had 20 carries in the end, for 112 yards and a TD. I still think if you gave him the carries that Gore would produce the goods, but then I'm not the 49ers Head Coach or Offensive Coordinator (which in the long run is probably a good thing). Drew Brees was 28/38 for 254 yards and 2 TDs, but there was something amiss with the Saints offense. Maybe it's just because we're used to them putting 30+ points a game on people that anything below 28 somehow seems like a let down. Still, four touchdowns in two games is not a huge amount of offense. Defensively the Saints were led by safety Roman Harper (6 tackles, 1 INT, 1 FF) and LB Jonathan Vilma (7 tackles and a FF). Guess who led the 49ers in tackles? No go on, guess. Give up? Ok, it was Patrick Willis. Again. 8 tackles and a sack for Willis. Also of note was the sole other sack from LB Ahmad Brooks, who has seen his playing time reduced this season for some reason. Well then, 8-8 for my picks this week. It's on the increase and I have a feeling next week will be much better. We now have a better idea of where everybody stands and as long as there are no difficult clashes like the Falcons @ Saints then...... ah f**k it. Have a great day everyone.

Monday Night Football recap

Just to start off I want to draw your attention to an article from the Associated Press that was posted on NFL.com. It's about female reporter Ines Sainz, who during a visit to the Jets facility - including their locker room - alleges that she was the recipient of various whistles and cat calls, and that when she was out observing practice on the field both coaches and players made an undue effort to throw the ball so that it would be caught near to where she was standing. Overall she is said to have felt "uncomfortable". Apparently the NFL is looking into it, but I really think someone should be looking into the Associated Press. As I read the article I encountered numerous instances of what I would consider to be selective reporting, designed to make Sainz appear as the type of lady who would encourage inappropriate attention. References are made to photos posted of her in swim wear on her Networks website and they make a point of ignoring any good/well known work she may have done with regards to football journalism in favour of mentioning the time she measured Steve Breastons bicep at the Super Bowl and the fact that she once mistakenly referred to the Giants as the Jets. If mistaking a teams name innocently - just a slip of the tongue/mind etc - is a sin, then every reporter who has ever worked in sports and every writer who has ever written about football is in the same boat. In my opinion - for what it's worth - the article was written in such a way as to portray Sainz in a bad light. And I'd expect much better from the Associated Press. And the NFL. Now, time to recap Monday nights games and see if I've recovered a morsel of hope in my picks: Ravens 10 @ Jets 9 -- Hmm, high scorer this one. And so much for the Jets Super Bowl bid. One loss doesn't preclude a team from winning the big one, but that offense sure does look shaky. In fact shaky is not the right word. Terrible would be the right word. They made the Browns look productive. Sanchez finished 10/21 for 74 yards. Jerricho Cotchery was their leading receiver with 18 yards from 2 catches. On the ground it was slightly more impressive. LaDanian Tomlinson carried 11 times for 62 yards, which is more than Ray Rice achieved for the Ravens with 21 carries (for 43 yards). Flacco in the end proved the difference, bouncing back from early mishaps to register 20/38 for 248 yards and an INT. Willis McGahee finally punched in the games only TD. Defense seemed to rule, mainly the Jets, as they struggled to keep "Air Flacco" grounded (Anquan Boldin finished with 7 catches for 110 yards). Leading the Jets was LB Bryan Thomas with 7 tackles, 2 assists and 1.5 sacks. DE Shaun Ellis came up with 5 tackles, 2 assists, a half sack and a forced fumble. Bart Scott (6 tackles, 3 assists, 1 forced fumble), Eric Smith (6 tackles, 3 assists) and Jim Leonhard (6 tackles) also did well.

For the Ravens the stats are low, but in a sense that's a good thing. It means they did the job effectively and didn't allow the Jets to put on many sustained drives. Terrell Suggs (4 tackles, 2 assists, a half sack and a forced fumble) and Haloti Ngata (3 tackles, 1 assist and a sack) are notable.

Chargers 14 @ Chiefs 21 -- I had some faith in the Chiefs. But after beating the Chargers, I now have less faith in them. This is caused by watching their defense play and realising that at times the Chargers receivers could have stood downfield swinging a ball and chain around their heads without any fear of ever hitting a Chiefs defender. Couple that with the Chiefs meagre tackling and it's nothing short of a miracle that they came away from this one with a win. Well, a miracle plus the longest punt return for a TD in team history. Plus triple covering Antonio Gates on the final play of the game. And that's the trouble with the Chargers. At times they breezed through the Chiefs defense like... me going through coffee. But then they got to the moment when it really counts with just 20 yards between them and a score and they bottled it. Philip Rivers ended the game with 22/39 for 298 yards and 2 TDs. Rookie running back Ryan Matthews (watch list) carried the ball 19 times for 75 yards, but it would appear the Chargers are still not prepared to let go of their passing game, even in the red zone. Legedu Naanee led all receivers with 5 catches for 110 yards and a TD. Chiefs QB Matt Cassel had a relatively dismal outing, ending 10/22 for 68 yards and a TD. Jamaal Charles demonstrated his burst in the open field, rushing for 92 yards and a TD off 11 carries, including a 56 yard scoot for the score. Defensively Chargers Safety Steve Gregory led his team in tackles with 7 and LB Shaun Phillips pitched in well with 5 tackles and a sack. For the Chiefs it was LB Derrick Johnson who stood out, with 11 tackles, an assist and a forced fumble. That then wraps up week 1 in the NFL, leaving me a craptacular 6/10 for my picks. Never fear, the season is young. And we've learnt... stuff. And this is the big problem with week 1. Do we really believe the Texans are going to spend the rest of the season as a rush first offense? Actually they probably will, just to spite me. I hate the Texans. Have a great day everyone.

Monday Night Football round up

Monday night has been and gone, kind of, so it's time to recap the Monday night game and check my last pick of Week 14: Cardinals 9 @ 49ers 24 -- Well I'll be damned. You have to love the Arizona Cardinals. One week they basically dominate the Vikings, shutting down Adrian Peterson on the ground and making life a nightmare for QB Brett Favre. Then they come back next week and let Frank Gore tear them apart while Alex Smith picks some holes through the air! For weeks I've been bemoaning the need for Gore to get more action. Well, the call has been answered my friends! 25 carries for 167 yards and a TD is just what the doctor ordered. Tack on 144 yards through the air plus 2 more TD's and we have us a ball game. Of course, the real victors here are the 49ers defense. 2 interceptions and 6 forced fumbles (5 recovered by the 49ers) is quite the tally. Patrick Willis especially stood up to be counted by his team, leading the unit confidently with 9 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. If the 49ers can keep this up they still have an outside shot at making the playoffs (probably through a wildcard). It's unlikely, but not impossible. The question is can they keep this up each week, especially with Philadelphia next on the schedule (!!). As for the Cards, they can probably recover from this and go on to take the division, but Head Coach Ken Wisenhunt must be mad as hell!!! So with that pick gone, it leaves me 11-5 for the week, which I think is my best so far. There were some fundamentally stupid picks this week (Seahawks, Broncos) but you can't argue. If they'd gone right I wouldn't be bitching so hey, ho, and away we go. That now leaves me 78-41 since starting in Week 7. That leaves me with a win percentage of just over 65%. Ok, but must try harder I think. Need to make less stupid picks.