Quarterback Quandary

Of all the positions on the field, the most important position is the quarterback. Whether pop warner, high school, college, NFL, everyone knows that the quarterback is the field general. The one that the team in particular the offense turns to for leadership. So what do you do when your field general is bad? Not just bad, but downright awful? Worse, what if you bring in a back-up and he continues to stink it up to? Well that is the fate of several teams in the NFL this year. Let's run through them real quick, shall we?

Cleveland Browns

Starting Quarterback- Derek Anderson
Back-Up Quarterback- Brady Quinn

Now when the season started Brady Quinn was the starter for the Browns. After throwing 3 INTs in the first 3 weeks of the season, the Browns pulled Quinn during the Ravens game in week 3 and put in Derek Anderson who immediately came in and threw 3 INTs of his own. However Mangini said he showed "promise" and therefore kept him as the starter. The result? The Browns are a division worst 1-7 and Anderson has thrown an INT in every game he's started. His QB rating of 36.2 is the lowest in the entire league. He's thrown 9 INTs compared to just 2 TDs all season so far. As far as what will happen with Brady Quinn... well the Browns seem to not have a straight answer for that. Latest word is that they may start him when they return from their bye..we shall see. In the meantime the Browns did fire their general manager George Kokinis. Dont think that bodes well for Mangini this coming off-season.

Carolina Panthers

Starting Quarterback- Jake Delhomme
Back-up Quarterbacks- Matt Moore & A.J. Feeley

Jake Delhomme is having the absolute worst season of his entire career. 8 games into the season and he has already thrown 13 INTs and only 5 TDs. His passer rating is 59.3 which ranks 32nd in the league. The Panthers are 3-4 and in 3rd in their division. Wide receiver Steve Smith caught his 1st (and so far only) TD of the season last week against the Cardinals. Despite his poor performance, John Fox refuses to switch to Moore or Feeley. Are they waiting to see what kind of improvement he will make? Are they thinking they will make the playoffs like they did last year? Umm...let's be realistic people. Be happy if you get to 8-8 by season's end. Dont know about the future beyond this season for either Delhomme or John Fox.

Oakland Raiders

Starting Quarterback: JaMarcus Russell
Back up Quarterback: Charlie Frye

The Raiders are an awful team on every side of the ball. JaMarcus is the center of an offense that has struggled this season to score TDs. His quarterback rating is a pitiful 48.3. He has thrown 9 INTs to just 2 TDs so far this season and the Raiders are a miserable 2-6. Russell's arm strength is phenemonal but his fundamentals are terrible. His footwork is terrible. His work ethic is terrible (he is notorious for missing mandatory team meetings). His young receivers are in desperate need of leadership from their quarterback, but rather than provide it, JaMarcus throws his team under the bus claiming that it isnt his fault they are losing games. Despite this, Tom Cable refuses to switch to the veteran Charlie Frye. JaMarcus has never been properly developed nor brought in behind a veteran QB who could teach him proper techniques and fundamentals. Sadly, because they havent allowed this to happen JaMarcus may never develop fully into the quarterback that he could become. Who knows how long this experiment in disaster will continue. Al Davis seems to love JaMarcus (which unfortunately has contributed to a spoiled attitude) despite his poor play. If something doesnt happen, they will continue on this losing track they have been on since 2003.

Buffalo Bills

Starting Quarterback (for now): Ryan Fitzpatrick
Back-up Quarterback (for now): Trent Edwards

Back in week 6 Trent Edwards was knocked out the game with a concussion. Since such time Ryan Fitzpatrick has been the starter. How has that worked out for the Bills? They are 3-5 and in last place in the AFC East. Fitzpatrick's QB rating is 57.8 & he has thrown a total of 2 TDs while throwing 3 INTs. The Bills are expecting to have Edwards back in Week 10 (they are on bye this week). Does this mean wins? Not necessarily. Edwards QB rating is only 73.0 and he has thrown only 5 TDs while throwing 6 INTs. Neither quarterback is great so the Bills will need to do something to improve their lot if they ever want to be competitive again in the the AFC East division.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Starting Quarterback (beginning this week): Josh Freeman
Back-up Quarterbacks: Josh Johnson & Byron Leftwich

What an awful terrible dismal season the Bucs are having. No matter what they do they cannot seem to muster up a single win. Not to say that they wont luck up and win one this season, but the Bucs look pathetic and it starts at the quarterback position. The season began with Byron Leftwich at quarterback. After a pathetic start going 0-3 and Leftwich throwing 4 TDs & 3 INTs the Bucs decided to switch to Josh Johnson in the middle of the Giants game in week 3 (after Leftwich threw an INT). Johnson showed some promise in the Giants game late, but it quickly evaporated. His QB rating now is 50.9 and he has thrown twice as many INTs (8) as he has TDs (4). Now the Bucs are returning from bye this week and have decided to start the rookie Josh Freeman. He came in at the end of the New England game and completed 2 passes for a total of 16 yards and 0 TDs. Will the rookie be able to turn things around for the Bucs? Time will tell but things arent looking good for them.

St. Louis Rams

Starting Quarterback: Mark Bulger
Back-up Quarterback: Kyle Boller

The Rams FINALLY won their first game of the season. Of course it came against the Lions who only have 1 win so I dont know how significant you can make that win. Despite the win they are a horrendous team. Mark Bulger is injury prone (already been out 3 weeks this season) which hurts them every year. His quarterback rating is 68.2 and he has thrown 3 TDs and 4 INTs all season so far. Should they switch to the back-up Kyle Boller? Well let's examine that..during the 3 weeks he was the starter while Bulger was out he finished with a dismal 0-3 record, a 66.1 QB rating and threw 2 TDs and 3 INTs. In other words switching to Boller may not make any more of a difference than keeping Bulger as the starter. The lone bright spot in this sad offense is Steven Jackson but without help around him they are not going to muster up any more wins this season. This team MUST address their offensive line problem to keep their quarterback healthy and to help Jackson get more first downs on run plays.


At this juncture I could put in the Tennessee Titans, but since Vince Young came in last week and played well and got them their first win of the season, I'll let them slide for now, depending on how well Young continues to play. It was clearly time to make a change for them. Same thing can be said with the 49ers. The return of Alex Smith who showed great potential in the loss to Houston in week 7 may be the spark needed to get them back on track. Last week he struggled against the Colts, but the Colts are undefeated so have to give him some credit for only throwing 1 INT in the game.

Some would want me to mention the Washington Redskins, but despite the fact that they are only 2-5 Jason Campbell's quarterback rating is 85.8. In this situation the problem is not the QB it is his offensive line which has been plagued by injuries (Chris Samuels is on IR) and breaking down on every play. How well can you complete passes when you are constantly having to scramble for your life or getting sacked? This issue is the same one that Seattle is going through. Matt Hasselback is a good quarterback, but his offensive line stinks. Hasselback ends up injured every year due to the lack of a proper o-line in front of him protecting him. After Shaun Alexander's stand out year in Seattle, teams raided the Seahawks of their offensive linemen. Now years later, they have yet to replenish the line and the Seahawks have been playing poorly ever since. The Kansas City Chiefs are struggling due to a bad offensive line too. They have good receivers, a decent running game and a good newly starting quarterback in Matt Cassel. He has the same problem as Campbell and Hasselback where his line is leaving him open & getting him sacked alot. If they shore up his line maybe we would see better production out of the Chiefs, but..well let's wait and see on this one.

The Lions have a rookie quarterback who has shown great promise and potential but his o-line stinks and his defensive is atrocious. The Lions have been blown out in several games this season and last season. Since this is Matt Stafford's first season, all of their woes cannot be blamed on him. Blame alot of it on Matt Millen constanly drafting wide receivers instead of offensive or defensive linemen. This team is going to be bad for several more years as they look to rebuild and hopefully fill in the necessary offensive and defensive players. Once that happens maybe we will see better play out of Stafford.

-NFL Girl

Week 7 Predictions

Ok so I was only so-so last week finishing just 7-7. This week I will try to redeem myself with my picks. Here we go:

Green Bay Packers (3-2) vs. Cleveland Browns (1-5)

At 3-2 the Pack is looking real good this season. Aaron Rodgers overall QB rating so far this season is 104.1 proving he is both accurate and smart with the ball. Last week he completed 29 of 37 for 358 yards and 2 TDs (1 INT) against the lowly Lions. Their running game with Ryan Grant has looked good and they are bringing back Ahman Green to add depth in the backfield. Greg Jennings & Donald Driver are always reliable receivers. The defense has been playing well despite some injuries. The Cleveland Browns managed their first win of the season in week 5 but dropped another game last week against the Steelers. Derek Anderson finished last week completing 9 of 24 for 122 yards 1 TD & 1 INT. His QB rating for the season so far is a paltry 41.7. Jamal Lewis was stuffed for just 21 yards on 11 carries. Mohamed Massaquoi had only 5 receptions for 83 yards. Brodney Pool had his 2nd interception of the season last week but the Browns have continued to struggle on defense. I think the Pack is just too tough for them. I'm picking the Packers.

San Francisco 49ers (3-2) vs. Houston Texans (3-3)

The 49ers were on bye last week. Week 5 they were demolished in an embarassing loss to the Falcons 45-10. Shaun Hill completed just 15 of 38 for 198 yards 0 TDs and 1 INT. Vernon Davis had only 5 catches for 51 yards and Glen Coffee was held to just 45 yards though he did score the only TD the 49ers scored. Despite this loss the 49ers are 3-2 and tied for 1st in the NFC West division. Houston pulled a shocker last week by beating the Bengals in Cincinnati 28-17. Matt Schaub completed 28 of 40 for 392 yards and 4 TDs (1 INT). Andre Johnson made 8 receptions for 135 yards. The defense has been plagued by injuries so they are inconsistent. Schaub runs hot & cold sometimes playing phenemonal sometimes poorly. Michael Crabtree will make his debut this week against the Texans. The 49ers will be rested and ready to make up for the week 5 loss. I'm picking the 49ers.

San Diego Chargers (2-3) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (1-5)

The Chargers were embarassed at home last week by their division rival the Denver Broncos 23-34. Phillip Rivers completed 20 of 33 for 274 yards and 1 TD. LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for just 70 yards on 18 carries. Vincent Jackson had 4 receptions for 46 yards and 1 TD while Darren Sproles broke a kickoff for a TD in the 2nd half. The defense has struggled without big Jamal Williams at tackle (gone for the season) but should recover as the season progresses. The Chiefs got their 1st win last week against the the badly playing Redskins. Despite this the Chiefs are still a terrible team. Last week they scored ZERO touchdowns. Matt Cassell completed just 16 of 31 for 186 yards. Dwayne Bowe had 6 receptions for 109 yards. Larry Johnson had 23 rushes for 83 yards. The game was painful to watch since both teams stink. The Chiefs defense have played decent in the last 2 weeks, but I dont think they have a shot against the Chargers who are looking to redeem themselves and get themselves within 3 games of the division leading Broncos. This win against the division's worst team should help. I'm picking the Chargers.

Minnesota Vikings (6-0) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)

Last week Brett Favre looked fabulous in a win against the Ravens. Despite Adrian Peterson being held to just 143 yards on 22 rushes and 0 TDs, Favre completed 21 of 29 for 278 yards and 3 TDs. Sidney Rice had 6 receptions for 176 yards. Jared Allen is just scary on that defense which has played solid & consistent through the first part of the season. The Steelers beat their division rival Browns last week. Ben Roethlisberger completed 23 of 35 for 417 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT. Hines Ward had 8 receptions for 159 yards and 1 TD while Heath Miller had 5 receptions for 80 yards and a TD as well. Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 62 yards on 17 carries and 1 TD. The return of Troy Polamalu last week fired up the defense who picked off Derek Anderson. I expect the Steelers to be ready to play, but I know the Vikes are trying to keep their undefeated streak going as long as possible. Hard to pick against the Steelers at home but I like the way the Vikings look right now. I'm picking the Vikings.

Indianapolis Colts (5-0) vs. St. Louis Rams (0-6)

I wont linger long on this game. The Colts are coming in fresh off a bye. In Week 5 the Colts dismantled the poor Titans in Tennessee 31-9. Peyton's QB rating for the year so far is an incredible 114.1. His receivers are playing well and his running game is great. The defense has been without Bob Sanders who is set to make his season debut this week but has been playing fantastic without him. The St. Louis Rams are awful. The offense can barely score and the defense hemorrages yardage to opponents. It is not going to be pretty. I'm picking the Colts.

New Englad Patriots (4-2) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-6)

Another game I wont linger on long. The Patriots completely demolished destroyed and decimated the Titans last week in what can only be called an embarassment. Tom Brady threw for 6 TDs total, 5 in the 2nd quarter alone (a NFL record) before being pulled in the 3rd quarter. Wes Welker & Randy Moss are a dynamic receiving combo. Laurence Maroney showed that even without Fred Taylor the running game will be fine. Patriots have a stingy defense. They do not give up many yards. The Buccaneers are a terrible team stuck in a rebuilding year where little progress is being made (though Josh Johnson seems to improve some each week). I dont think the Bucs will remain winless but there is no hope for them in this game. I'm picking the Patriots.

Buffalo Bills (2-4) vs. Carolina Panthers (2-3)

The Bills shocked the Jets last week by beating them 16-13 in overtime in New York. Trent Edwards went down with a concussion and Ryan Fitzpatrick rallied them from a 10 point deficit to take them into overtime. He completed 10 of 25 for 116 yards 1 TD & 1 INT. Lee Evans may have only had 68 yards receiving on 4 receptions but 1 was for a TD. Their defense is mediocre and with their offense unable to close out games they are going to struggle this season. The Panthers fought an ugly battle against the winless Buccaneers. Jake Delhomme threw another 2 picks last week taking his season total up to 10 already! Steve Smith is miserable and unhappy as his production numbers have been poor (he has only a total of 21 receptions for 259 yards and 0 TDs for the season so far). Muhsin Muhammad isnt complaining, but he also is without a TD so far this season. Only DeAngelo Williams is producing; last week he rushed for 152 yards on 30 carries and 2 TDs. Their defense isnt playing up to their full potential and each week seems to let them down at the end of games. These are 2 bad teams and it's hard to pick which one of them will stink less this week. But with Delhomme consistently throwing picks it's hard to pick them any week. I'm picking the Bills.

New York Jets (3-3) vs. Oakland Raiders (2-4)

The New York Jets got off to a fast start this season going 3-0. Since then they have dropped their last 3 games and are now 3-3 and only 1/2 game up on the Dolphins. The rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez looked like a veteran in the first 3 weeks and now has been showing his rookie roots with last week being his worst so far. He threw 5 INTs and 0 TDs in a loss to the division rival Bills. Only the Jets defense (and the fact that the Bills stink) kept the Bills from fully capitalizing on the turnovers. Despite the bad game Sanchez had Thomas Jones still rushed for 210 yards on 22 carries and 1 TD. The division leading Patriots are only 1 game up on them, so they will be fine so long as Sanchez improves each week. The Raiders pulled the upset of the week last week. They beat the Eagles 13-9 at home in a game where they held Donovan McNabb to 0 TDs. JaMarcus Russell threw for only his 2nd TD of the season so far, but he also threw for another 2 INTs taking his total to 6 already for the season. Despite the win, the Raiders are still a terrible team. JaMarcus still needs desperately to work on his fundamentals and passing skills. He has 2 very young receivers who are in need of leadership from their quarterback (his touchdown last week was to his veteran tight end). Richard Seymour has brought leadership on that defense which is strong, but cannot make up for the lack of a good offense. I think Sanchez will recover from last week's disaster and get back on the winning track. I'm picking the Jets.

Chicago Bears (3-2) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)

The Bears lost a tough one last week against the Falcons in Atlanta. Jay Cutler had a rough game where he completed 27 of 43 for 300 yards and 2 TDs but also 2 INTs. Matt Forte was held to just 23 yards of rushing on 15 carries and Devin Hester only made 6 receptions for 83 yards. Their defense has been playing well without Urlacher but still a bit inconsistent. Bengals lost a shocker to the Texans at home 28-17. Carson Palmer completed 23 of 35 for 259 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. Cedric Benson was held to just 44 yards rushing but did score 1 TD. He will be fired up this week facing his former team who he claims tried to blackball him. This is going to be a really good game. Hard for me to pick one. The "Cardiac Cats" play their games close but the Bears have a stingy defense and should be able to shut down the Bengals running game. Johnny Knox is always a threat to run one back on special teams. I'm picking the Bears.

Atlanta Falcons (4-1) vs. Dallas Cowboys (3-2)

The Falcons beat the Bears at home last week in a tough battle. Matt Ryan had his worse game so far this season going just 19 of 33 for 185 yards 2 TDs and 2 INTs. Michael Turner was stuffed for just 30 yards rushing on 13 carries but did score 1 TD. Roddy White only had 4 receptions for 56 yards but did score a TD as well. Their defense is stellar and playing very competitively each week keeping them just 1 game back of the division leading Saints. The Cowboys are having a rocky season. They are coming in this week off a bye. They last faced the awful Chiefs in Week 5 where they struggled to win in overtime. Tony Romo had a good game though completing 20 of 34 for 351 yards and 2 TDs. Miles Austin had 10 receptions for 250 yards and both of Romo's TDs. The running game struggled with Barber playing hurt & Felix Jones out but both backs should be playing healthy this week. The defense hasnt been playing great. Blame some of that on injuries, blame some of that on poor execution. Their 3 wins have come against 3 terrible teams with losing records. They have lost their only 2 battles against teams with winning records. Make this the 3rd. I'm picking the Falcons.

New Orleans Saints (5-0) vs. Miami Dolphins (2-3)

The Saints seem to be on a roll and look to only get better each week. Last week they faced their toughest opponent so far in the previously unbeaten Giants and won soundly 48-27. After disappearing for 2 games, Drew Brees had an amazing game completing 23 of 30 for 369 yards and 4 TDs taking his total to 13 through the first 6 weeks of the season. Marques Colston had 8 receptions for 166 yards and 1 TD. Reggie Bush only rushed for 17 yards but 1 TD. Gregg Williams has this defense playing solid and competitve each week. The Dolphins have become the true masters of the Wildcat offense. No team runs it better or more efficiently than them. They are coming in off their bye last week ready to face the high scoring offense of the Saints. Chade Henne had his highest QB rating in week 5 at 130.4 by completing 20 of 26 for 241 yards and 2 TDs. Ronnie Brown rushed for 74 yards on 21 carries and an additional 2 TDs as the Dolphins surprised the Jets in a 31-27 win. Their defense is suspect though which has kept them from winning many games (that and many teams know how to defend against the Wildcat now). Much as I love the Wildcat and the way the Dolphins play it, I cant pick them against such an aggressive opponent. I'm picking the Saints.

Arizona Cardinals (3-2) vs. New York Giants (5-1)

The Cardinals beat the Seahawks silly in a 27-3 whipping in Seattle. Kurt Warner completed 32 of 41 for 276 yards and 2 TDs (1 INT). Larry Fitzgerald had 13 receptions for 100 yards and 1 TD. Tim Hightower was held to just 32 yards rushing on 13 carries but also scored a TD. The defense kept the Seahawks out of the endzone and held Matt Hasselback to just 112 yards in the air. They cannot win week to week which will be tough as the season progresses. The Giants lost their first game of the season last week against the Saints getting beat down 48-27 in New Orleans. Eli had a terrible game completing just 14 of 31 for 178 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs were held to a combined 81 yards rushing & Steve Smith and Mario Manningham were held under 100 yards receiving combined and just 1 TD between the 2 of them. The defense had an off game last week but has been playing efficiently and getting the job done. I think they will bounce back after last week's debacle and get back on the winning track. I'm picking the Giants.

Philadelphia Eagles (3-2) vs. Washington Redskins (2-4)

The Eagles lost a shocker in Oakland last week against the Raiders where they were held to 0 TDs. Donovan McNabb completed 22 of 46 for 269 yards but didnt get the ball into the endzone. Brian Westbrook managed only 50 yards on 6 carries and the defense struggled allowing JaMarcus Russell to get just his 2nd TD of the season in a game where the Eagles played sloppy. The Washington Redskins are a terrible team. Their only 2 wins have come against winless opponents and the 4 losses have come against teams who were winless at the time the Skins faced them (3 of whom still have losing records). Jason Campbell was pulled in the 2nd half of the loss last week and Todd Collins didnt play any better getting sacked in the endzone for a safety. The defense has been banged up and played downright awful. Play calling has been stripped from their head coach Jim Zorn and given to recently hired offensive consultant Sherman Lewis. Even with this move I think the Redskins are going to have a terrible season. I'm picking the Eagles.

The Sorrows of the Washington Redskins

Once upon a time the Washington Redskins were a glorious team with Superbowl trophies, a Hall of Fame coach and an owner who loved his franchise enough to hire the right kind of personnel around him to run his team efficiently. He built a great and glorious stadium to them and then sadly he passed away and in his will he sold his beloved Redskins...

Now more than a decade later the sad reality of what is happening to the Redskins comes to light. Gone are the glory days of the making a run in the playoffs. The Skins have been twice in the last decade and been beaten twice in the 1st round. Many years they have finished last in the NFC East division and well out of the playoffs. Gone is Jack Kent Cooke Stadium in Raljon, Maryland (named for JKC's 2 sons)...the naming rights were sold and the stadium became FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland. Gone is the hall of fame coach..Joe Gibbs came back for a few years but burned out after the death of Sean Taylor and the stress it takes to run a NFL franchise. What is left is a sad mess. The Redskins are bad..very bad, but the problem isnt from the bottom up..it is from the top down. You cant just blame bad players, personnel and coaches, but bad management and ownership.

Daniel Synder is a very wealthy and successful businessman. When he bought the team from the Cooke estate and promised to bring winning back to DC, folks rejoiced. He brought training camp back to the DC area into Ashburn VA (it had been in PA for several years) and opened it to the public (for a nominal charge for parking). Running the Redskins like any one of his successful businesses, he has made the Redskins the 2nd most profitable franchise in the NFL (behind the Dallas Cowboys) and 3rd in all of sports (behind the Manchester United of the English Premier League & the Cowboys of course). However, seeing the Redskins as a business means not seeing it as a team. Not seeing it as one that needs people who know the sport not the business in order to run it as a team. He brought in coach after coach and went after free agent after free agent. Cerrato brought in aging veterans like Bruce Smith, Deion Sanders and Irving Fryar who were all well past their prime and beyond the ability to play at the speed of today's game and numerous coaches not prepared to run the Redskins in Snyder's system. Synder brought in Vinny Cerrato as his executive vice president of football operations and general manager and Synder & Cerrato get the final say in drafting and scouting decisions, many times overriding their own coaches' suggestions. Snyder & Cerrato attend the NFL draft in April. Snyder & Cerrato go to the combine. Cerrato's background as a college scout should have had a good impact on the Redskins, but it has not. The Skins have consistently drafted poorly with this past year drafting 3 offensive players in the 2nd round when the defense is where players were despearately needed. Because Snyder sees only the profit that the Skins generate instead of the atrocious play of the actual team, an uproar has began in the nation's capital. There are those not only asking for the removal of Cerrato as the GM, but Synder as the owner (not going to happen folks..let that dream go).

When Gibbs left after the 2007/2008 season he left behind an heir apparent in Gregg Williams. Gregg Williams is a defensive coach with a nack for bringing in the right players and making the defense competitive (look at the Saints now if you doubt me). Rather than give the job to Williams as Gibbs had thought, Synder & Cerrato put Williams through several grueling interviews, 1 interview lasting more than 3 hours. Why were they interviewing a man Gibbs himself had endorsed? Because Cerrato didnt like Williams. Yes Williams can be arrogant but above his arrogance is his ability to coach and do it damn well. It didnt matter, Cerrato & Snyder decided against hiring him. Williams was gone and they went off to find another coach. While searching for a head coach they decided to go ahead and hire an offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator. WTF? Ok problem.. what head coach wants to come in and be told "Ok here you go..here's the staff we hired. Make it work." NO, a head coach wants to hire his own personnel. He wants to go out and look at who's available and decide who will fit best into the way he wants to run the system. By hiring a staff you are trying to tie the hands of a head coach and force him to work with people he may not be comfortable with or who he feels will fit into his playing style. On top of that with Cerrato as the GM, whatever coach that comes in will have to deal with Cerrato overriding their choices in players both on free agency and in the draft. A long time coach in this league is not going to tolerate it. Needless to say several of the big names that were available (Cowher who cant stand Snyder, Fossell, etc) turned down the job. So the Skins decided to take their brand new offensive coordinator Jim Zorn, who just the year prior had only been a quarterback's coach in Seattle, and made him the head coach. Now when the Skins started out 6-2 last year, it seemed like they had made a genius move. But the Skins ended up completing the season going 2-6 and finishing with a division worst 8-8 and out of the playoffs. Rather than think it was the coach they blamed it on the quarterback. Now admittedly Jason Campbell is not a great quarterback, but he's not terrible. If he had a better offensive line and wasnt always having to scramble for his life, maybe we could get a better idea of how good he really is, but the issues on the offensive line have never been properly addressed. So we may never really know for sure. Instead in the off-season the Skins tried to trade Campbell to try and get Matt Cassell from New England (who ultimately went to the Kansas City Chiefs instead) and then to trade up in the draft to get Mark Sanchez out of USC (who was drafted by the New York Jets), neither of which worked. Once it was clear they werent going to be able to trade him, the Skins tried to make things work with Campbell at quarterback (who now carried a chip on his shoulder) and Zorn as head coach for another year.

2009/2010 season has been a terrible one for the Skins. They are a pathetic 2-4 and dead last in the NFC East division. Their only wins have come against the sad and lowly winless Rams & Bucs. They have dropped 4 games to the Giants, and the previously winless Lions, Panthers & Chiefs. The solution that Cerrato and Synder crafted to deal with this? To strip Zorn of his play calling duties and hand them over to Sherman Lewis, an offensive consultant hired just 2 weeks ago who had retired 5 years ago and was calling bingo at a retirement home instead of calling plays for a NFL franchise. Now admittedly Zorn may have been overwhelmed with taking over as head coach of a NFL team having never even been an offensive coordinator, but stripping him of his play calling duties in a sad attempt to get the man to quit is deplorable. If you dont want the man, fire him and pay him the money you owe him for the remainder of his contract. At this juncture though, Redskins would be hard pressed to find a coach willing to take over at the mid way point of the season. They would either have to keep Zorn or fire him and promote the offensive coordinator Sherman Smith, neither option likely to turn this season around. According to Fanhouse.com the Redskins tried to hire Mike Shanahan but he turned down the offer to take over midseason. Whether or not they will offer it to him after the season is over remains to be seen. Regardless until some serious changes are made at the top of the organization in particular hiring a separate general manager instead of having Vinny Cerrato run operations and work as the GM, the Skins will continue to struggle.

Doing a search of ticket broker sites for Redskins tickets the other day yielded hundreds if not thousands of tickets available online. Tickets to every single game at FedEx Field even rivalry games like the Eagles, Giants & Cowboys. Fans are disheartened and disgusted by what is happening with this team. I have had conversations with many longtime season ticket holders who have told me that unless something significant happens, they will not renew their season tickets next year. That they cannot continue to watch the sad showcase each season. Each year getting their hopes up only to be disappointed by the end of the season. The complacency to mediocrity by ownership and management have worn loyal fans thin. Attendance at home games continues to decline. This is a historic franchise spiraling downwards and in desperate need of some changes fast to save them from becoming one of the worst teams in the entire league.

The Drudgery of the NFL

I have been watching this season with a certain level of disdain and disappointment. I mean the NFL is typically filled with parity..from week to week you can never be sure who is going to win and because the NFL season is so much shorter than the basketball season (82 games over 6 mos) or baseball season (162 games over 6 1/2 mos) if you fall too far behind other teams in your division it is hard to make a substantial run at the end to make it into the playoffs. This season has been one of the worse I can ever remember. The difference between the haves (those with few to no losses) and the have nots (those with several to all losses) is disheartening. Currently there are 3 no win teams-the Titans, the Buccaneers & the Rams. I will give the Bucs a pass because they are in a rebuilding year. The Rams..ugh..they are just a terrible team every year. I have no clue exactly where the failings lie..it cant just be the players or the coaches..somewhere something is fundamentally lacking with this team. Every year they manage a few wins but they always finish dead last in their division and far out of the playoffs. Where did the team that won the superbowl in 2000 go? Are we just a decade removed? Wow... that's unbelieveable. Even still the Rams have been bad for several years now. The most surprising of the 3 no win teams is the Titans. Oh how the mighty have fallen. Is this the same team that went 13-3 last year? Though they did lose a couple of players in the off-season with the biggest loss being that of Albert Haynesworth on the defense, nothing should have made them go from starting 10-0 last year to starting 0-6 this year. No wins? Not one? Wow..I dont think anyone saw that coming, not even the Titans themselves. Now admittedly they've been injury plagued , but still..I'm at a loss to put a finger on what the heck has caused this complete implosion. Last week in New England they were completely and utterly dismantled and embarassed in a debacle against the Pats where they were spanked 59-0 and where Collins finished the day 2 of 12 completions for -7 yards. NEGATIVE SEVEN. WTH? They even brought Vince Young in on a series who immediately came in a threw an interception. Wow. It boggles the mind. They are on a bye this week..I only hope they can turn the tide before the fans start calling for the head of Jeff Fisher.

Now if it were just the no wins that were bad, I wouldnt mind so much, but alas this is not the case. There a bunch of 1 win and 2 win teams that are just awful. The 1 win teams are the Browns, Chiefs & Lions and the 2 win teams are the Dolphins, Bills, Chargers, Raiders, Redskins, Panthers & Seahawks. That means there are 13 teams with a combined record of 17-55. That's just pathetic. Some teams like the Chiefs, Lions, Bills & Raiders are just gawd awful. Not just this year but every year consistently. The Chiefs and Raiders have for the last 6 years fought it out on which will finish last in the AFC West division. The Browns, Bills, & Panthers have some serious quarterback issues that they will need to address soon if they have any hopes of salvaging the wreckage that is their season so far. The Dolphins, Seahawks & Chargers will get better as the season progresses (Chargers always start off slow). The Lions like the Bucs are in a rebuilding phase after FINALLY getting ride of Matt Millen. It will take at least a few years to undo the damage left behind. The Redskins..wow..what a hot bunch of mess there (I will address this in a separate blog since there is just too much to cover in 1 blog).

Now dont get me wrong I appreciate the no loss teams- the Saints, Vikings, Colts & Broncos and the 1 loss teams- the Giants & Falcons, but with so many teams doing so poorly it gets harder each week when making predictions to pick an upset. I mean yes they happen- who knew the Eagles would lose to the Raiders- but more often than not the teams that stink each week continue to stink. Some games are nearly unwatchable as 2 atrocious teams face off to see which one is worse. As we are fast approaching the midway point of the season I hope that something positive happens to turn some of these teams around and bring back the missing elements in this game right now- parity and unpredictability and fair and competitive games. Believe me, it is desperately needed.

Week 6 Predictions...

I was on travel last week and didnt get my predictions in on time, but never fear I'm here this week to give my picks. Let's go


Houston Texans (2-3) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (4-1)


I want to root for the Texans..I really do. Every year it seems they get close to having it all together and somewhere it falls all apart. When Houston drafted Mario Williams everyone laughed at the pick yet he has turned into a helluva DE. Matt Schaub plays inconsistent.. 1 week he'll be good the next week terrible. Bengals in the meantime have been on a roll since the week 1 debacle. They have gone on to win the last 4 in a row including a tough battle against division rivals Browns & Ravens. Bengals have a top 10 D & Palmer has been playing very consistent. I'm picking the Bengals.


Detroit Lions (1-4) vs. Green Bay Packers (2-2)


OK so they were able to break their losing streak and finally win a game 2 weeks ago, but the Lions still dont have enough of a D to be able to stop their opponents from scoring on them. I mean I really do like Stafford to Calvin Johnson, but if your D is getting scored on at will, what chance do you have? Stafford is questionable this week after the injury to his knee and they are not the same team w/o him. Packers last faced the Vikings who took it to them. Aaron Rodgers had a good game but couldnt keep pace with the Vikes. I think they rebound this week after their bye and take it took the Lions. I'm picking the Packers.


St. Louis Rams (0-5) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-3)


The Rams are awful. I'm sorry I want to say something good about them but they are just a hot mess. Bulger is questionable again this week and last week Boller threw for 209 yards 0 TDs and 1 INT. Steven Jackson only managed 84 yards on 21 carries and 0 TDs. Their O line cannot keep the opposing D out the backfield and the Rams D cannot stop their opponents at all. The Jags last week were not only blown out and shut out but completely embarassed in a sad pathetic loss to the Seahawks. Garrard was held to just 188 yards passing and Jones-Drew was held to just 34 yards on the ground. After such an embarrasment I expect the Jags to come back ready to whip up on the pathetic Rams. I'm picking the Jaguars.


Baltimore Ravens (3-2) vs. Minnesota Vikings (5-0)


The Ravens lost a shocker last week at home to their division rival Bengals. I mean honestly who would pick against the Ravens at home? But Flacco threw 2 picks and Ray Rice was held to just 69 yards on the ground. They will be looking to recover from last week's lost. The Vikings have looked more and more remarkable each week. Whether it is Adrian Peterson running all over the place or Brett Favre throwing game winners it has been exciting to watch them week to week. Last week against the bumbling Rams Brett only threw for 232 yards 1 TD and 1 INT but Peterson ran for 2 more bringing them to a remarkable 5-0. I think Ravens D will play very tough this week but I still think that high powered offense of the Vikes will get it done. I'm taking the Vikings.


New York Giants (5-0) vs. New Orlean Saints (4-0)


The battle of the unbeatens. Giants have been racking up wins on the strength of their passing game and that crushing D which has kept teams from running up the score on them. However, Manning is questionable this week after injurying his foot early in last week's game against the Raiders. The ground game is still stable though with Ahmad Bradshaw rushing for 11o yards on 11 carries and 2 TDs. It is their defense that has been incredible. New Orleans has been playing high scoring games. Even when Brees hasnt been playing up to the same speed as week 1 and 2, the ground game has stepped up and kept them on the winning track. The team is coming back refreshed after a week 5 bye and should be ready to play in front of their home crowd. However the Giants stingy D is not going to let Brees throw all over them nor let Reggie Bush and company run all over them. I think Eli will get a good welcome home. I'm picking the Giants.


Cleveland Browns (1-4) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)


The Browns dumped veteran receiver Edwards and got their 1st win but looked awful in the process. They won the first game so far this season in a stinky 6-3 field goal battle with the Bills where Anderson only threw for 23 yards. It was an awful game almost that was almost unwatchable. Jamal Lewis ran for 117 yards on 31 carries. Steelers last week beat the awful Lions in a game that was surprisingly closer than many thought it should've been. The D has really been struggling w/o Polamalu which is why they are only 3-2. Roethlisberger threw for 277 yards and 3 TDs w/ 1 INT (almost a given w/ a gunslinger). Mendenhall ran for 1 more. I think while the D has struggled a bit the offense has continued to play their game even w/o the often injured Willie Parker. This is a good divison match up but the Browns offense is terrible and defense is worse. I'm taking the Steelers


Carolina Panthers (1-3) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-5)


The battle for worst in the NFC South. Panthers managed to scrape out a win against the tumbling Redskins. Delhomme has been playing consistently terrible throwing for another INT last week for a total of 8 already this season. Not much can be said about the D that is positive so we'll just move on. The Bucs are in a rebuilding year. Sadly so far there really hasnt been much positive to build on. Josh Johnson threw for 240 yards and 2 TDs last week, but also 3 INTs. Nothing can be said about the running game because they really dont have one. Their defense is struggling and cannot stop the run of the opposing offense. I would like to go out on a limb on this pick but not a limb to go out on since they are both playing bad. I'm picking the Panthers.


Kansas City Chiefs (0-5) vs. Washington Redskins (2-3)


The Chiefs ALMOST pulled up a serious upset last week facing the Cowboys at home, but alas they lost in overtime. *sigh* The team is better than their record indicates, they have lost some close games, but somehow all the parts arent gelling and getting them the Ws they desperately need. Cassell threw for 253 yards and 2 TDs last wee, showing that he may be the QB that they have so desperately needed for years. If they can just get that defense to step up for them a little more and stop losing it for them at the end of games they'd be ok. Washington has turned into a major disappointment. So far they are 2-2 against teams coming in with no wins (not counting the Giants since that was the season opener). Campbell only threw for 145 yards and 1 TD last week and Clinton Portis only rushed for 57 yards and 1 TD. Their offensive line is horrendous forcing Campbell to run for his life every week. Haynesworth seems to stay injured each week as the defense seems to not be turning into the powerhouse everyone seemed to think they were. Neither team is that good but I'll throw the Redskins a bone on this one. I'm picking the Redskins.


Philadelphia Eagles (3-1) vs. Oakland Raiders (1-4)


Donovan McNabb came back last week to put the smack down on the Bucs. He threw for 264 yards and 3 TDs. Their defense has been playing solid which has resulted in some really exciting (and sometimes blowout) games for them. Their only loss was to the Saints who are still undefeated. The Raiders are awful terrible sad and pathetic. The offense is horrendous and the defense is atrocious. I cannot say anything positive about this team so I'll make this real simple: I'm picking the Eagles.


Arizona Cardinals (2-2) vs. Seattle Seahawks (2-3)


The NFC West seems to be mired in mediocrity. The Cardinals started fast out the gate and faded back to so-so. Last week Warner completed 26 of 38 for 308 yards and 2 TDs & Larry Fitzgerald had 5 receptions for 79 yards and 2 TDs. It was a good game against a struggling Texans team. The Seahawks lost 2 weeks in a row while Hasselback was out due to a rib injury. Last week he returned and completed 18 of 30 for 241 yards and 4 TDs & Nate Burleson has 6 receptions for 98 yards and 2 TDs in a blowout win against the Jaguars. But let's be honest, the Cards arent the Jags and Seahawks arent the Texans. This should be an interesting divisional match up. Seahawks are at home where they always play better. I'm picking the Seahawks.


Tennessee Titans (0-5) vs. New England Patriots (3-2)

Poor Titans. After going 13-3 last season, this season has started off terrible for them. They cannot get a win for trying. Kerry Collins has been playing awful in the last 3 weeks, so bad in fact that last week they finally pulled him and started Vince Young at the end of the game (though he couldnt do enough to salvage a win for them). Collins has thrown 7 INTs in the first 5 weeks of the season. Last week he threw for 164 yards 0 TDs and 1 INT. Titans offense are struggling but their defense isnt helping them either giving up more than 200 yards of offense each week. They will win this season, but at the rate they are playing right now, who knows for sure when that will be. Maybe starting Vince Young this week will give them a new spark to play better. The Patriots lost a close on in overtime last week against the Broncos in Denver. But the Pats are 3-2 and playing pretty well with a healthy Tom Brady. Last week Brady threw for 215 yards and 2 TDs and while Randy Moss was held to just 1 reception for 36 yards last week, his career against the Titans is solid with 215 yards and 2 TDs. Fred Taylor will be out this week but even without Taylor they still have Lawrence Maroney and their passing game. Patriots always play on a higher level when they are at home in Gillette Stadium. This will not be the week that the Titans get their first win. I'm picking the Patriots.


Buffalo Bills (1-4) vs. New York Jets (3-2)

The Bills have had another terrible start to their season. It seems even the addition of Terrell Owens in the off-season couldnt help the Bills to play better. They have only 1 win so far this season against the rebuilding and equally awful Bucs. Last week Edwards threw for 152 yards 0 TDs and 1 INT. His career against the Jets is 2 TDs but also 4 INTs which doesnt seem promising for them. Fred Jackson still has 0 TDs so far this season so their running game really needs to get it going. The defense is not playing well giving up yards both on the ground and through the air. This will not be a good week. Jets have lost the last 2 weeks in a row so will be looking to redeem themselves at home. After an awful week against the Saints is week 4 w here he threw 3 INTs, Sanchez recovered last week to throw for 172 yards and 1 TD, 0 INTs. Against the weak Bills D the Jets offense will play great. I'm picking the Jets.


Chicago Bears (3-1) vs. Atlanta Falcons (3-1)

Cutler had a fantastic game against the horrible Lions in week 4 in Chicago completing 18 of 28 for 141 yards and 2 TDs. Matt Forte rushed 12 times for 121 yards & 1 TD. The defense has played very well even without Urlacher. They are fresh off a bye and rested so should do well. Falcons came into last week's game against the 49ers fresh off a week 4 bye and smashed San Fran at Candlestick Park 45-10. Matt Ryan threw for 329 yards and 2 TDs (1 INT). Michael Turner rushed for only 97 yards but 3 TDs. It is going to be a great match up. Bears are coming to Atlanta and playing in a dome. Hester is supposedly playing hurt. I'm picking the Falcons.


Denver Broncos (5-0) vs. San Diego Chargers (2-2)

Broncos have gotten off to a phenomenal start racking up 5 straight wins. Last week they won a shocker at home against the Pats in overtime 20-17. Kyle Orton completed 35 of 48 for 330 yards and 2 TDs & his 1st INT of the season (at the end of the 1st half as time expired). Brandon Marshall caught both of those TDs. Moreno rushed for 88 yards on 21 carries but also had his 2nd fumble so far this season. Despite this the offense has played well and kept them in games. But the biggest shocker has been the superb play of their D. The offseason acquistion of Dawkins and other free agency pickups has turned this defense around a complete 180. Chargers have played inconsistent which has left them with a modest 2-2 record. They lost to the Steelers in week 4 38-28. Despite this Rivers completed 21 of 36 for 254 yards and 3 TDs. Ladainian Tomlison was held to just 15 yards of rushing. The defense for the Chargers has been playing hurt and poorly but are supposedly coming back healthy. Chargers always play better at home, are fresh and rested off a week 5 bye and always bring their A game against division foes especially the Broncos. They will need to win this game to keep the Broncos from taking a full 3 game lead in the division (they are up 2.5 games right now). I'm picking the Chargers.

Edwards & Crabtree..A Big Day for WRs

Before I could make my picks for this week I had to jump on the big news for this week..the movement of 2 wide receivers. So here were go:



Braylon Edwards Traded to Jets



I like Braylon. He can be your go to guy. He's 6'3"/215 so he's a tall strong receiver. Now here is the downside of Braylon..he is inconsistent. Dont get me wrong, he can catch some good deep balls and get you the first down you need, but he may just as well get the ball in his hands & drop it. Last week was a prime example. He had 5 balls thrown to him & didnt catch a single one. I'm not gonna say that he's the reason the Browns lost last week, clearly their quarterback problem is much more pressing, but it doesnt help when the qb gets the ball to his #1 wideout & he drops it. Now if his inconsistency was his only problem, well clearly that is something that could be worked on, however, Braylon is another one of these players with on and off the field issues. He can be a diva with a massive ego (which seems to be a common trait among receivers) that is far beyond his actual talent. Off the field..well if the allegation of last weekend's altercation with a friend of Lebron James is true then he is another in a long line of players who just cant seem to get it through their heads that this league is not playing with them anymore. Either way I think Mangini had about as much as he could take of Braylon and decided to ship him off to the Jets. The Jets meantime have been in search of a good #1 wideout. Will this be a match made in heaven? I cant say for sure. Sanchez has needed a good receiver which was part of their problems which was exposed last week against the Saints. Since Braylon has problem hands I dont know that he will be the key. I guess if he makes just enough of them to keep them marching down the field then that's all that matters. Let's just hope he can. The Jets face Miami this weekend. This will be an interesting development to watch.





Michael Crabtree Signs With the 49ers



First words I wanna say are ABOUT FRICKIN TIME!! I have my own theories as to what was the final push to get him to sign (momma got sick of him sitting at home on the couch not making any $$) but they are theories so who knows for sure. The fact that M.C. Hammer had to get involved still kinda confuses me but hey whatever gets the job done, I'm all for it. Word is he signed a 6 year deal with $17Mil in guaranteed money. No one can say what the exact amount is but I'm sure it was rather lucrative and whatever it is it was enough to finally get him to agree to the deal. Now mind you we are already 5 games into the season and he has missed training camp, preseason and weekly workouts. He hasnt seen the playbook nor knows a thing about the offensive scheme the 49ers run. Word is he has started practicing with the Niners, but it will take him weeks to get on par with the rest of his teammates. Since the 49ers have been winning, he may actually get the chance to be developed slowly and learn the plays as opposed to being thrown to the wolves. I truly hope after holding out this whole time that he turns into something in San Francisco.

Ok that's my 2 cents on those 2 issues. I wish both receivers luck at their new homes.

-NFL Girl

Week 4 Predictions...

ok so NFL Girl went 12-4 last week. Not bad. Shoulda picked the Pats at home, but oh well. So here we go for week 4.



Detroit Lions (1-2) vs. Chicago Bears (2-1)



Kudos to the Lions for breaking their losing streak at 19 games & beating the Redskins at home. Matthew Stafford & his duo of receivers Johnson & Johnson (Calvin & Bryant) finally delievered on their potential. While Calvin was held to just 5 catches for 49 yards, Bryant caught 4 passes for 73 yards and a touchdown. Kevin Smith ran for an impressive 101 yards on 16 carries. Matthew Stafford threw for 241 yards and a touchdown. While the win wasnt too impressive it did give the Lions a much needed boost in confidence. They definitely have some great possibility in the future. The Chicago Bears in the meantime have won 2 straight after the debacle in week 1. Last week against the Seahawks they looked superb. Jay Cutler completed on 21/27 passes for 247 yards and 3 TDs w/ only 1 pick. Devin Hester is turning into a great #1 receiver last week catching 5 passes for 76 yards and a TD. The Urlacher-less D has stepped up in the last 2 weeks and kept them on the winnning track. While I'm happy for the Lions to have gotten their 1st win since 2007, I dont think they have a chance against the Bears in this game. I'm picking the Bears.



Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) vs. Cleveland Browns (0-3)



The Bengals pulled out a very impressive win last week against the Steelers in the closing minutes of the game. Carson Palmer may have only thrown for 183 yards and 1 TD, but more importantly he didnt throw a single pick (he threw 4 picks in the first 2 weeks). Cedric Benson ran for 76 yards on 16 carries for 1 TD. While Chad Ochocinco and Andre Caldwell didnt put up impressive numbers last week (neither caught a TD) they did consistently keep the ball moving down the field. The Browns meanwhile have looked downright atrocious. It isnt just that they are 0-3, it is how bad they have looked while losing. Brady Quinn was pulled during last week's game after throwing an interception (his 3rd in 3 weeks) and Derek Anderson was brought in who immediately threw 3 interceptions of his own. To top off the horrendous offense, the defense has done nothing to stop their opponents from scoring. Mangini may be able to work some magic on the Browns this season, but the Bengals have looked good in their 2 wins and their D is tough. I'm taking the Bengals.



Oakland Raiders (1-2) vs. Houston Texans (1-2)



Ahh the Raiders. How 1 team can have such a great defense and such a gawd awful offense at the same time boggles the mind. Last week JaMarcus Russell's QB rating dropped to an all time low of 22.6% as he went 12 of 21 for only 61 yards 0 TDs and 2 INTs. Darren McFadden was held to 45 yards on 12 carries as the Raiders went on to get blown out at home against the Broncos 23-3. Unless the issue at quarterback is addressed immediately this season is going to be a lost cause for the Raiders. The Texans in the meantime looked good up til the very end when a final drive by the Jags cost the Texans the win. Matt Schaub completed 26/35 for 300 yards and 3 TDs (but also 1 INT). Texans D has been impressive even in their losses keeping them close in games. Raiders are on a downward spiral with little chance of pulling out much of a mediocre season. Texans are at home this week and the D with Mario Williams have been looking good. I'm picking the Texans.



Seattle Seahawks (1-2) vs. Indianapolis Colts (3-0)



With Hasselback being doubtful for this game, it is most likely that Seneca Wallace will once again start for the Seahawks. Last week he threw for 261 yards and a TD but also 1 INT. With T.J. Houshmandzadeh & Deion Branch probable for the game, it will open up the passing game more this week (though Nate Burleson did catch 9 passes for 109 yards last week). Julius Jones was held to 98 yards on 19 rushes with 0 TDs. The defense has played inconsistent. However I still believe they will have a so-so season. The Colts have started out quick jumping out to a 3-0 start. Last week the always impressive Peyton Manning threw for 379 yards and 4 TDs w/ 1 INT in a crushing win against the Cardinals in Arizona. Reggie Wayne caught 7 passes for 126 yards and a TD. The D has been very impressive in their wins with Antoine Bethea having another INT last week. The Colts are at home where they always play on a higher level. I'm picking the Colts.



Tennessee Titans (0-3) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2)



Who knew the Titans who looked so great last season would start out 0-3 this season. Last week Kerry Collins looked terrible against the Jets finishing with a 41.5 QB rating throwing for 170 yards 1 TD and 2 INTs. Chris Johnson only managed 97 yards and 0 TDs. The special teams looked bad last week as Ryan Mouton fumbled a kickoff and lost a punt which contributed to 14 of the Jets points. Only their D kept the game close as the O & special teams struggled. The Titans have a tough schedule and are going to really have to work to get wins. The Jaguars scored their first win of the season last week against the Texans in Houston. David Garrard completed 18 of 30 passes for 214 yards with Mike Sims-Walker catching 6 of those passes for 81 yards. Maurcie Jones-Drew had a blowout game rushing for 119 yards on 23 carries and 3 TDs. Neither team actually has been playing that impressive with both Garrard and Collins playing poorly. That being said I want to believe that the Titans will get their 1st win of the season. My upset pick of the week- I'm taking the Titans.



New York Giants (3-0) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (0-3)



Last week the Giants looked incredible as they shut out the lowly Buccaneers in Tampa Bay. Eli Manning completed 14 of 24 for 161 yards and 2 TDs. Ahmad Bradshaw rushed on 14 carries for 104 yards while Brandon Jacobs rushed 26 times for 92 yards and a TD. Steve Smith had 7 receptions for 63 yards and 1 TD. The D has been tough through all 3 games and last week was no exception keeping the Bucs scoreless. The Kansas City Chiefs are in a rebuilding year with rookie head coach Todd Haley & 1st time starting QB Matt Cassell. Last week Cassell completed 14 of 18 for 90 yards and 2 TDs in a losing effort to the Eagles. Larry Johnson was held to just 38 yards on 19 rushes and 0 TDs while receiver Mark Bradley caught just 4 passes for 28 yards and 1 TD. Kansas City is not going to have a good season unfortunately but are always play tougher at home. That being said I'm still taking the Giants.



Baltimore Ravens (3-0) vs. New England Patriots (2-1)



The Baltimore Ravens are an amazing team to watch. While the D has always been good, it is their offense behind 2nd year QB Joe Flacco that has become a force to be reckoned with. Last week at home he completed 25 of 35 for 342 yards and 1 TD as the Ravens blew out the Browns 34-3. Wide receiver Derrick Mason caught 5 passes for 118 yards and 1 TD & running back Willis McGahee rushed for 67 yards on 7 carries and 2 TDs and Ray Rice rushed for another. There is nothing that ever needs to be said about Ray Lewis & the Ravens D. Last week against the Browns they interecepted the ball 4 times. The Patriots meanwhile havent looked like the same squad from the 18-1 season of 2007. They eeked out a win against the Bills, got beat by the Jets and then beat the Falcons at home. Tom Brady completed 25 of 42 for 277 yards and 1 TD last week against the Falcons. After being held to just for 4 catches for 24 yards against the Jets, wide receiver Randy Moss caught 10 passes for 116 yards. The defense looked good last week against the then undefeated Falcons, but the Ravens arent the Falcons. I know I shouldnt have picked against the Pats at home last week but the Ravens are a much tougher team. I'm picking the Ravens.



Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3) vs. Washington Redskins (1-2)

The Bucs are in a rebuilding year after firing head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen and his successor Mark Dominik in the offseason. Rookie head coach Raheem Morris then fired his newly hired offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski just a week and a half before the beginning of the season, promoting his quarterback's coach Greg Olson to offensive coordinator. The Bucs are going to struggle this year. Quarterback Byron Leftwich has looked awful in the team's first 3 losses so last week Morris brought in 2nd year quarterback Josh Johnson at the end of the game. After putting together an impressive drive at the end of the game, Johnson was named the starter for this week (Leftwich was moved to 3rd string behind rookie qb Josh Freeman). We'll see if this move will help their struggling offense. Last week they were shut out and the D looked downright pitiful as the Giants scored on them at will. This will be another issue that will have to be addressed if the Bucs have any hope of having even a modest season. The Redskins are sitting ugly at the bottom of the NFC East division after starting the season 1-2. They suffered an ugly loss against the Giants to start the season, beat the pathetic Rams in week 2 and then suffered an embarassing loss to the Lions last week. The Redskins offense has been anemic, having scored only 40 points total for their season so far. But there are some sparks of hope on this team. Last week Jason Campbell completed 27 of 40 for 340 yards and 2 TDs & 1 INT and wide receiver Santana Moss caught 10 passes for 178 yards and 1 TD. Their D has kept them in games, keeping them from getting blown out, but with the offense struggling they are on the field way too much. The Skins have potential, it is whether they can put all the pieces together and start winning games that remains to be seen. Redskins are home this week against the struggling Bucs. Neither team is doing well but I suspect after that embarassing loss last week, the Skins will be looking for redemption. I'm picking the Redskins.

Buffalo Bills (1-2) vs. Miami Dolphins (0-3)

The Bills started the season looking good in a loss to the Pats, looked great in a win against the Bucs and looked bad in a loss to the Saints (but hey the Saints make everyone look bad). This week they have a match up against their divisional foe the Dolphins. Last week Trent Edwards had an awful game against the Saints completing just 20 of 35 passes for 156 yards, 0 TDs & 1 INT. Fred Jackson rushed for only 71 yards on 18 carries and Lee Evans only made 4 receptions for 31 yards while Terrell Owens was shut out. The D allowed New Orleans to run all over them as they got blown out 27-7. Despite this the potential is still there for the Bills to have a good season. The Dolphins last season made the playoffs after finishing 1-15 in 2007. This season they have stumbled out the gate starting 0-3. They were blown out in week 1 against the Falcons, lost a close one against the Colts in week 2, and lost by 10 to the Chargers last week. Last week Chad Pennington completed just 8 of 12 for 54 yards before injuring his right shoulder. His back-up Chad Henne came in and completed 10 0f 19 for 92 yards and an INT. Ronnie Brown rushed for only 75 yards on 18 carries and Ricky Williams had only 8 rushes for 55 yards but 1 TD. I suspect Coach Sparano will turn this team around and maybe the loss of Pennington will spark some new life in them. However, the Bills just look better all around and their D has been playing much stronger. I'm picking the Bills.

New York Jets (3-0) vs. New Orleans Saints (3-0)

Another battle of the unbeatens. This is going to be a good match up. The Jets came storming out the gate this season beating up 3 AFC teams. This will be their first battle against a NFC opponent. Last week Mark Sanchez threw for 171 yards and 2 TDs w/ just 1 INT. Jerricho Cotchery caught 8 of those passes for 108 yards and 1 TD. More impressive has been the Jets D which has held opponents to 17 points and under. They are leading the AFC East division and look to be able to sustain this momentum. New Orleans Saints are a beast. A force of nature that seems nearly unstoppable. Even with Drew Brees playing subpar last week completing only 16 of 29 for 152 yards and 0 TDs, the team rolled up another win behind their running game (Mike Bell had 17 rushes for 86 yards and 1 TD) and tough D. Jets are going to have a great season but the Saints have a high powered offense with a bruising D. I'm taking the Saints.

Dallas Cowboys (2-1) vs. Denver Broncos (3-0)

Cowboys have looked good this season. Even in defeat they kept themselves in the game losing by only 2 points in week 2. They recovered last week as they beat the lowly Panthers at home 21-7. Tony Romo completed 22 of 33 for 255 yards. Running back Tashard Choice had 18 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown after Felix Jones left in the 3rd quarter on a knee injury. Even the defense scored as cornerback Terence Newman intercepted Jake Delhomme and returned the ball 27 yards for a touchdown. Cowboys have a high powered offense & a crushing D. They will have a great season in the tough NFC East division. Broncos have gotten off to a great start this season by going 3-0. So far however they've only faced weak opponents as they beat the Bengals on a fluke and defeated the sorry Browns & Raiders. Kyle Orton is a conservative quarterback. Last week he completed 13 of 23 for 157 yards and 1 TD. Correll Buckhalter rushed for 108 yards on 18 carries and Knowshon Moreno rushed for 90 yards on 21 carries & 1 TD. Brandon Marshall finally scored his 1st TD of the season last week against the Raiders. While the offense has been consistent but conservative the defense has played outstanding. Elvis Dumervil scored another 2 sacks last week giving him 6 so far this season. This will be the first time that Brian Dawkins has faced his former divisional foe and he is ready to play. I believe the 2 defenses cancel each other out, but the Cowboys have a high powered high scoring offense having scored no less than 21 points while the Broncos have scored no more than 27. Felix Jones is out this game but Marion Barber will be back though playing hurt. Tony Romo has played up and down from week to week but he has great receivers and their running game is reliable. I expect the Broncos to play well but playing conservative will not get the job done against the Cowboys. I'm picking the Cowboys.

St. Louis Rams (0-3) vs. San Francisco 49ers (2-1)

Not a whole lot positive can be said about the Rams. The injury prone Mark Bulger injured his right shoulder early in the game last week and is questionable this week. The defense has played (I use that term loosely) poorly. If this team has any hope of finishing better than last year's 3-13 they will have to put together some type of consistency on the field. San Francisco meanwhile has looked marvelous. Shaun Hill put together another impressive game last week finishing 15 of 25 for 195 yards and 2 TDs (1 INT) in a heartbreaking last second lost against the Vikings. Unfortunately they lost Frank Gore on a foot/ankle injury during the game. Rookie Glen Coffee will start this game. Even with the rookie at running back, the offense is going to be too much for the Rams pathetic defense. I'm picking the 49ers.

San Diego Chargers (2-1) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2)

After losing to the Ravens in Baltimore in week 2, the Chargers bounced back last week to beat the Dolphins at home. Philip Rivers looked good completing 18 of 33 for 303 yards. Vincent Jackson had 5 catches for 120 yards. The always tough D held the Dolphins to just 13 points. They are in 2nd in the AFC West divison but they have the potential to tie the Broncos this week with a win (and Broncos loss of course). The Steelers lost a last minute shocker against the Bengals in Cincinnati last week. Ben Roethlisberger completed 22 of 31 for 276 yards and 1 TD but also 1 INT (the difference of the game). Willie Parker is doubtful this week with a toe injury. Troy Polamalu is still out with a knee injury and the defense has struggled without him. Despite the fact that the Steelers are playing at home the key losses on the D and the running game will make this game nearly impossible for them to win. I'm picking the Chargers.

Green Bay Packers (2-1) vs. Minnesota Vikings (3-0)

Talk about a highly anticipated match-up. Ever since the Vikings signed Brett Favre during preseason this game has been circled on many people's calendar. I mean "The Legend" facing his former team and heir apparent Aaron Rodgers at the home of his new team. Wow. Last week against the sad Rams Aaron Rodgers completed 13 of 23 passes for 269 yards and 2 TDs. Donald Driver caught 4 of those passes for 95 yards and 1 TD. Ryan Grant rushed for 99 yards on 26 attempts. The Packs D is always remarkable. They face a tough challenge this week in their divisional foe the Vikings. Last week the Vikes looked like they were going to have their 1st loss of the season against the 49ers, but never count Brett Favre out as he put together a phenemenol drive at the end of the game to maintain their undefeated record. Even with Adrian Peterson held to just 85 yards on 19 rushes, Favre finished the game 24 of 46 for 301 yards and 2 TDs (1 INT). The Packers D is susceptible to big plays giving up 117 yards last week to running back Steven Jackson and after being held under 100 yards last week, Peterson is ready to break loose on them. I'm picking the Vikings.