NFL Week 8-9

Hard to imagine the New England Patriots having a better week than this one...not only do they get a W (at home where Tom Brady stacks W's...more on that in a moment) but the hated Jets and the Steelers each lose putting the Pats as the current #1 seed in the AFC...this seems huge to me as the Jets/Steel Curtain/Ravens all have D's that will be able to travel well if need be come playoff time...the Pats D is not as strong so I don't really like them on the road, but who cares about the road if you are the #1 seed...plus Randy Moss continues to expose himself as a jackass which has me thinking it was a good move for the Pats to jettison him out of town...even Barry Bonds - the sports asshole - was never kicked out of one, let alone 2 cities for being a jerk...


Let's move away from jerk talk and look at one of the true sports heroes around - Tom Brady...Tom Terrific has a career 66-11 record at Foxboro...an 18 game, and currently 24 game home winning streak...unreal...with Tom as the King of his Castle the Pats average a 7-1 home record each year...that is WOW...a 6-2 home record would be a disappointment for Brady...think about your team and think about how much you would love a 6-2 home record (Miami 0-3...Jets 2-2...Tenn 2-2...Hou 2-2...Philly 1-2...Da Bears 2-2...TB 2-2...all of the above are playoff contenders) where as in New England a 6-2 home record under Brady is cause for concern!!!  Have we mentioned before that this guy is good?!?! 

The good news continued for Pats fans as 2-time Pro Bowl Guard Logan Mankins back from his holdout...Mankins has started all 80 games he has played in and at 6'4" 310 lbs dude is good...



Merriman was cleared on charges that he assaulted Tila Tequila


Lights Out Shawne Merriman gets waived by the Chargers and gets claimed by the Buffalo Bills...good life lesson there kids...if you (allegedly) assault a female bad things can happen...for example you could be tossed out of a climate like San Diego and forced to go to Buffalo...

RUN DMC

Another big winner this week was the Raiders...seems odd to suggest that they are playing amazing but as the kids say the proof is in the pudding (do the kids say that actually?!?! Doubt it)...the pass-rush is suddenly vaunted, and the D is flying to the ball in attack mode like they are the Ravens or Steel Curtain...RUN DMC aka Darren McFadden is running with skill and purpose...at 4-4 they are in the middle of the pack but Raiders fans will tell you it has been forever since this franchise was not a punch line so things are looking up in Jokeland...sorry, now I guess I can only say Oakland...


 Another "don't look now" pleasant surprise are the 5-2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers...2nd year Head Coach Raheem Morris has this squad humming...only Seattle, Houston, and Miami join TB as teams that have winning records despite having been outscored on the season...the 4th Q road comeback wins being orchestrated by QB Josh Freeman have been very very impressive...Freeman has only thrown 3 INT's in 2010, while throwing 18 INT's last season is just 2 more starts (9) than his 7 starts this year...that is an amazing improvement and accomplishment for Josh

Dallas...1-6...0-4 at home...the billion+ $$$ home that owner Jerry Jones built with the specific timetable of having his 'Boys host this seasons Super Bowl...yikes...the last 2 weeks Eli Manning and David Garrard have each tossed 4 TD's in beat downs vs Dallas (David Garrard?!?!  and in the same Garrard game Cowboys QB Jon Kitna at 58 years old throws for 379 yards?!?!  the 2010 NFL season is n-u-t-s)...Jerry Jones is as down as we have ever seen him...this has been a nightmare for fans/players/owners etc...I think Jones realizing that Wade Phillips is a brutal Head Coach falls under the ol' We Told You So category...

The J-E-T-S JETSJETSJETS get shut-out at home?!?!  Did not see that coming...

Another good news story is the St Louis Rams...the Rams have won 6 games combined the previous 3 seasons, but are at 4 already this year...take heed Bills fans...the Rams have rebounded with #1 overall draft pick QB Sam Bradford...something tells me the Bills will have the #1 overall pick in next years NFL Entry draft so go get a winner to turn things around Buffalo

 Minny 2-5...Favre gets knocked out...waive Randy Moss...owner Zygi Wilf not at all pleased with the handling of the Moss situation, especially Head Coach Brad Childress' part in it all...does your team need a good Offensive Coordinator?!?!  If so Childress will surely be available at seasons end...

 The stunner of the week for me was the Saints running for just a pathetic 30 yards vs the Steelers, yet they win by 10 points?!?!  Big Ben Roethlisberger should have had a much better game in the Dome on National TV...to be honest shame on you Ben...brutal game Pitt...

Hey Miami - you get 6 points, plus an opportunity for an extra point to bring the value of a TD to 7 points...the rest of the NFL loves it, and you should try it...K Dan Carpenter is 10-10 the last 2 weeks on Field Goal attempts...that is a great job by Carpenter, but come on guys - its called a goaline package and when in the Red Zone teams go to that package to punch the ball into the End Zone...gees


Did you see all the injuries on O that the Colts had to deal with this week...I have to check the stats as I think I may have caught a pass this week for Indy...they were on 3rd and 4th stringers everywhere, but Peyton Manning is so damn good that they still get a big W

How bad have things got in Washington?!?!  Down 6 points vs Detroit with 2 minutes to go Head Coach Mike Shanahan replaces QB Donovan McNabb with back-up Rex Grossman...Shanahan gave numerous different explanations for the move which is troubling...heck the whole idea of pulling anyone for Rex Grossman is troubling...this week the 'Skins held a workout with several players, including former Oakland #1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell who was recently cleared in a felony drug case where police found a drink at Russell's house containing a controlled substance - codeine syrup...his Defense team said the drink belonged to someone else living with JaMarcus...



Is it me or does JaMarcus Russell look like The Game and Big Tigger had a baby?!?!



WEEK 9



Miami @ Baltimore...when your O is struggling to score TD's the Ravens D is not usually the cure for what ails you...the 'Phins can go to 5-3 with a W, and crazily enough that would mean they are 5-0 on the road and 0-3 at home (?!?!)



TB 3-0 on the road and 5-2 overall @ Hotlanta 3-0 at home and 5-2 on the road...massive game in the NFC South...can TB show they are legit contenders, or will ATL bring them back down to earth and expose them as pretenders?!?!

San Diego @ Houston...big game folks...the winner is right back in the thick of things and the loser is in major trouble...believe it or not San Diego is at the top in the NFL on O, on D, passing O, vs the pass...but turnovers have them at 3-5 overall and 0-4 on the road...

KC @ Oakland...the combined record of these 2 teams is 9-6...how that makes sense is any one's guess...a Raiders W will have them 1 game out of first place going into week 10...the Raiders are usually 3 games out of first place going into week 2...and KC in first place?!?!  wow

INDY @ Philly...too much going on in either teams Division to be able to absorb a loss here

craig.ballard@hotmail.com