Week 7 in the NFL

#NowPlaying "Welcome to the Winner's Circle" @CurrenSy_Spitta as an ode to the fourth quarter winners, Cam Newton getting a monkey off his back, and yes, I sadly have to include the second coming of Christ Tim Tebow here.

Due to the fact that tonight's game is going to be awful, I'll get this out of the way today. This past Sunday was a mess in the NFL. Between quarterback carousels, running back injuries, fourth quarter collapses, and a final score of 6-3 (seriously...) there was a lot that went wrong.

A fair amount of teams had bye weeks this week so match ups were a bit limited. The only games that really interested me was the Detroit Atlanta game and of course the Chargers Jets game.

Atlanta finally found their running back this week! Its been on a bit of a vacation. Michael Turner came out and rushed for 122 yards on 27 touches (no touchdowns) while the Lions without any sort of rushing attack due to their loss of Jahvad Best were forced to throw a lot; and the Falcons' were able to hold Stafford to a relatively human game. *Note* Although he did throw to Calvin Johnson for 115 of his 183 yards and the 1 touchdown he did have. Matty Ice had a typical day in the office with 218 yards and a touchdown without the help of rookie wide receiver Julio Jones. Fortunate for Matt Ryan the two interceptions he threw were only converted to three points by the Lions offense.

This is the second straight loss for the Lions after a tough loss and royal rumble with the San Francisco 49ers. The loss of Jahvad Best is going to be big for the Lions come playoff time. For Stafford, who has yet to play a full season, his arm and football IQ are going to be tested by teams if their running game continues to be this poor.

Now I don't know what the San Diego Chargers are doing anymore. Every season they suck up until say week 5 or 6. This year they were 4-1 through week 6. Here's my logic on this matter. Ok you do good through the portion of your season where you tend to struggle and are entering the period where you usually have a winning record. Winning record + winning record = Win games. So when you have a lead in the fourth quarter you shouldn't be shooting for the end zone right? Well Phillip Rivers decided to throw that strategy out and go for gold against the Jets. Yeah... didn't really work out in his favor as he threw two consecutive interceptions to close out the game.

As I previously stated, I do not understand Norv Turner and the San Diego Chargers. They have great players, big names now on defense after this past offseason, and a fairly easy division. I hear it every year, "I like the Chargers as a Super Bowl Contender". There's a reason this always comes up. Come playoffs though the team always comes up short. They've never actually won a Super Bowl sadly.

So down to the things I learned this week.

1) I don't want to be a running back this season
And now people are wondering why this season is a throwing season. Have you seen the injury list of running backs throughout this season across all teams? I'm surprised Goddell hasn't eliminated the running back position altogether yet. I'm sure this offseason he will try and implement a new league rule to prevent injuries like players must stay 3 yards away from a running back while he is carrying the ball or something stupid like that.

Anyways back to real life.

Through week 7, there are now 18 out of the 32 NFL teams that have lost one of their top two running backs for at least one game. This week alone 6 running backs went down with seemingly serious injuries. Coaches and quarterbacks not being able to trust their running game or not wanting to risk injury to their rushers have caused running backs to get the call only 41.5% of the time, an all-time low.

On a positive note, there were 7 running backs that went north of 100 yards rushing; including rookie DeMarco Murray who had 253 yards on the ground and Arian Foster who put together 115 yards on the ground as well as 119 yards receiving, only the 32nd time in NFL history that a player has put up a 100-100 game. Fantasy owners also got a good taste in their mouth with Shonne Greene of the Jets who put up 112 yards on the ground.

2) And the Wheel Goes Round
This week was a fantasy nightmare personally. In a 12 team, 2 QB league, things can get a bit dicey. Once going from having three quarterbacks to losing two (one to trade one to injury) I got desperate. I'm sure this is how coaches and managers are feeling in real life football too.

Oakland losing Jason Campbell is a huge blow to their playoff chances after seeing the display put on by the tandem of Kyle Boller and Carson Palmer who threw 3 interceptions... each... against the Kansas City Chiefs.... enough said. I didn't see the point in starting Boller though. Granted, Palmer was only with the team for four days before this weeks game. But still, you can't put Boller in ahead of Palmer. It's just common knowledge.

Minnesotta went with their rookie pick Christian Ponder this week against the red hot Packers and I will admit, I was a little impressed. First play from scrimmage he hooks up with Michael Jenkins for a 72 yard bomb that was ruled a touchdown but then was reversed and placed on the 1 yard line. He eventually went on to throw a touchdown to his tight end. Overall Ponder was able to keep the Vikings in the game but they fell in the end by a final of 33-27. Rogers is just too good to stop.

Then there's Tim "Jesus" Tebow. I'm going to get a lot of hate for this one; but I honestly think he didn't play well at all. Granted his stats say he completed almost half of his passes for 161 yards and had 2 touchdowns and added to that 65 yards on the ground which are pretty good stats for a first game. Even in my fantasy league he put up 16 and a half points, which is higher than both of my quarterbacks combined (screw you Whitehurst). People are already calling this a historic game. Slow your roll there.

First off, they were playing the horrible Miami Dolphins (0-6) in Miami. Tebow built the entire state of Florida so throw out the home field advantage.  Then the Terrible Dolphins went ahead the entire game and were leading 15-0 entering the fourth quarter. Being the Terrible Dolphins, they got lazy and figured oh well we can give up a score and still be winning. Come 5:23 left in the fourth quarter until Tebow finally puts together a scoring drive. So now its 15-7. Then Tebow pulls the God card and the Broncos recover an onside kick. Cheapskate. So the Broncos get the ball back with a short field and the Dolphins being as bad as they are let up another touchdown and BY THE GRAE OF GOD... not really I just like these religious associations to Tebow... they convert the two point conversion and oh what do you know, tie ball game. Go into overtime, Broncos win on a 52 yard field goal. Yippie.

Our final stop on this wheel of shittiness... wait what do you mean he wasn't shitty? John Beck actually had a solid game for the Washington Redskins replacing the Rex "I Lost My Sexy" Grossman. Granted his team lost but I would put that on other factors; such as Cam Newton, Mike Shanahan not knowing how to use a running back, and the woes of the Redskins. He put up a solid performance of 22/37 for 279 yards and a touchdown and kept plays alive with his feet even though he hasn't started a game in the past four years. Good signs for the Skins going forward if they decide to keep starting him.

3) Sweet Baby Breesus
So someone forgot to tell Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints that A) they are not a basketball team and B) the Colts don't know how to play football without Peyton Manning so you're supposed to go easy on them. With a 62-7 laugher in the Superdome the Saints were really clicking on all cylinders, which surprised me. My surprise factor for this game was an injury sustained last week to a key member of the team. I'm talking about head coach Sean Peyton of course. Last week he suffered a huge knee injury and underwent surgery this week to repair his meniscus and knee in general. Unable to move along the sideline and not even being able to attend a practice until Thursday this past week I thought that Brees might have been a bit flustered with play calling. Turns out I was dead wrong. Brees tacked up 325 total passing yards along with 5 touchdown tosses. However, he wasn't alone. The entire group of running backs that the Saints have collected racked up 236 yards on the ground; split between Darren Sproles, Pierre Thomas, and Mark Ingram.

The Colts continue their journey towards a new era in Andrew Luck, now sitting at 0-7. If this trend continues this will be an interesting offseason for Peyton Manning. To retire, to be traded somewhere after an entire career spent with this team, or maybe to stay with the Colts and be a mentor for the new young quarterback. Who knows that's way too far away.

Next week will be an interesting one as the Patriots come off their bye to face the Steelers and the Eagles are back in action against the Cowboys. Next week is the halfway point in the season as well. I'll put together my thoughts/predictions on award winners, playoffs/Superbowl, and maybe some offseason moves if I feel ambitions.

Until then keep giving me some feedback here or find me on Twitter at @iedlund.

Chill Bro

All I have to say after this week is "You Mad, Bro?"

Going into and even during some of the games this past weekend there was a lot of frustration, anger, disappointment by both players and coaches alike. First I'll start with Brandon Marshall, who, unfortunately, did not live up to the hype. Claiming to reporters before his game on Monday night that his mission was to be ejected from the game by the second quarter. He was planning on fighting the likes of Bart Scott or cornerback Antonio Cromartie but no such festivities lit up my television :(

Normally not the best plan for an all-pro receiver.

But his passion is understandable. The Miami Dolphins are now 0-6, the team's coach doesn't know what he is doing, their quarterback is some guy named Matt Moore, and the team's in shambles. With the type of talent that Marshall has he expects to win and wants to win every game. So when the team loses he puts it on himself as a leader of this offense. Saying he was going to get ejected or start a fight was his way of telling the Jets that he was taking his game up a notch or six.

Good for him to carry this burden. He knows he is a role model for some of the players on the Dolphins and can really be an impact player to help get their new quarterback comfortable throwing the ball.

Now of course I have to talk about the WWE Raw Sunday Matinée that broke out at the end of the San Francisco 49ers Detroit Lions game (watch the scuffle here). My reaction to it all? Hey Jim Harbaugh, chill bro. Jim Schwartz NAILED IT during his press conference afterwards in saying:

"When you win a game like that you're excited and things like that but I think there is a protocol that goes with this league" 


Exactly. Sure you just had a huge game and a great win and all that. But show some composure. Act like you've done it before. Don't body bump the opposing coach to say good game. And in the turmoil don't be an arrogant shithead and say "I must have shaken his hand too hard." Yeah you did, as well as yell in his face, push him out of the way, and have absolutely no respect in that his team made you earn that win. I am glad to see that no fines were handed out by Communist Commissioner Roger Goodell though. It was a heat of the moment thing, there's no previous incidents between the two, just emotions run high.

Onto what stuck out at me this week around the NFL.

1) The Patriots Defense Does Exist


This is the more aggressive defense that I have been waiting to see from the Patriots. The cover teams are still a bit questionable but they faired well against great receivers in Jason Whitten (4 catches 48 yards and 1 touchdown), Dez Bryant (4 catches 78 yards), and Miles Austin (7 catches 74 yards) and Kyle Arrington had an interception.

However, my focus is on the "should be dominant" Patriots front seven. FINALLY there was some pressure on a quarterback! Andre Carter is slowly making a case for being one of the top defensive ends in the NFL by adding 2 sacks to his total on the season and Wilfork continues to be a turnover machine with a forced fumble on running back Tashard Choice. Tony Romo ended up being hit 4 times through the game which shows some sort of pressure being created by New England's front line.

Overall, the 32nd ranked New England defense was able to hold the 4th ranked Dallas offense to 16 points and even better hold them in the red zone for only a 33% touchdown conversion rate with only goal to go for yards. Certainly a stepping stone for this defense to build on and hopefully can continue to produce this sort of result.

2) One Lucky Winner


I think it's official. The race for Andrew Luck is on. If you look at teams with a very losing record; I'd say Indianapolis, Miami, and Minnesota; the one thing they need desperately is a quarterback. With the Colts, they have officially proven that without Peyton Manthang they cannot win games.

Curtis Painter is a third year backup quarterback and wasn't expected to have to play when the Colts brought in interim quarterback Kerry Collins, who is now out with concussion like symptoms. He's starting to show some poise and starting to build some chemistry with the receivers but he isn't a star and has yet to win a game. I would hope that with the severity of Peyton's injury and how much work he has had on it he would retire. Dude's set for the Hall of Fame, won a Super Bowl, is in the record book, and has plenty of endorsements and money. Surely would make a case for Andrew Luck in the 2012 Draft.

Next we have the Dolphins. They lost the Chad! Chad Henne had season ending surgery a few weeks back on his shoulder and put the Dolphins in a bad spot. They were forced to turn to Matt Moore, their fifth year backup out of Oregon State. Thank god he sucks or else I would have lost my fantasy matchup this week. After watching him this past Monday night he just didn't look comfortable with the receivers and his Football IQ didn't look off the charts. Desperate need to start a new era for this franchise. Maybe with a new head coach and a new all-american quarterback?

And then the Vikings... I feel bad for them. Actually I feel bad for their quarterback Donovan McNabb. Why does absolutely everyone hate this dude? He consistently took the Philadelphia Eagles to the playoffs and won games there, always played hard, never really had media issues (that I recall). What's to hate? Then he gets banished from the Eagles on bad terms and sent to the Washington Redskins where he had a bad season and was sporadically benched throughout the season by coach Mike Shanahan and then desperately shipped off to the Vikings, where he is still struggling. Their number 2 quarterback is Christian Ponder, a rookie out of Florida State. My thought on this one is that he is tradable. Granted he was a first round draft choice and trading him would essentially be a waste of pick from the 2011 Draft. But the prospect of grabbing Andrew Luck off the board could be well worth it.

3) Don't Call It A Comeback


Ok finally. Up is up and down is down again. The Eagles walked into the team friendly FedEx Field where they have won 10 of their past 12 match ups and won their second game on the season against the Redskins. The Redskins have been playing surprisingly well this season at 3-2 and sitting about average across the board in all stats. However, "Sexy Rexy" Rex Grossman decided to try and lose his starting position (see Donovan McNabb) by tossing a total of 4 interceptions before heading to the bench in the fourth quarter.

Andy Reid put together a safe and conservative game plan just to ensure his job at first priority, but the short routes, three step drops, and limiting Vick's need to run produced a win to stop the team's bleeding. The Eagles are going into a bye week sitting at 2-4 and the NFC East is wide-open for the taking. I am looking for them to keep with this three step drop system and maybe start converting to a west-coast style offense.

That's all I really have for this week. I could talk about the Giants going back to their strong running game (finally) and beating the Bills or Jason Campbell breaking his collarbone and the idea of Terrell Pryor starting (won't happen and I'm looking for Carson Palmer to come back). I could also talk about the trade deadline and what happened during it (what did happen...?) or how the Steelers keep hobbling to victories. But I don't feel like it.