Three Technique- Week 8

(3-4) SAINTS 31, (2-5) NINERS 10

1. I was as quick as anyone to write them off after the 1-3 start, but guess what, the Saints are going to win the NFC South, and they are going to win it comfortably, and they are going to be a team nobody in the NFC wants to see in the playoffs.

2. Niners kicker Joe Nedney got booed by the home fans after booting a kickoff out of bounds, and he answered by giving them the finger. Very niiiice. How many fantasy points is that worth?

3. Since they started 2-0, the Niners haven't scored more than 16 points in a game, and have been outscored 154-51. Now Frank Gore is injured and probably won't play in Week 9. I remind you at this point that ESPN the magazine was beating off all over this team back in August. Oh yeah, I think I also said something in that time period about Mike Nolan being one of the great NFL coaches of the 2010's. Boo ya!





(5-2) LIONS 16, (3-5) BEARS 7

1. A huge, huge win for the Lions. They needed to show they could win away from Ford Field, and this one gave them a season sweep over the two time defending NFC North champs. We can all take them seriously now.

2. As for the Bears, their goose is cooked. They are virtually 4 games behind 2 teams in their own division, with only 1 game remaining against those teams, and their ain't gonna be 3 teams from the NFC North getting into the playoffs. This post Super Bowl faceplant couldn't have happened to an organization more full of hubris and self-satisfaction.

3. It also came out this week that Brian Urlacher has an arthritic back. That's not a condition that gets better by playing professional tackle football. It's really sad, but it's conceivable that this could be his last season.







(3-4) EAGLES 23, (2-5) VIKINGS 16

1. Good thing the Eagles won this game. If they fell to 2-5 there would have been a very good chance that he would be free to run his "drug emporium" fulltime very soon.

2. You can't run on the Vikes, so you have to throw on them to beat them, and the Eagles did. Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis combined for 11 catches and 181 yards against the Vikings 32nd ranked pass defense.

3. Kelly Holcomb started this game for the Vikings, but left after taking a pile driver into the Metrodome floor, giving way to Brooks Bollinger. The Vikings QB situation is so dire that this week Jeff George was offering them his services. Brad Childress said thanks but no thanks.





(4-3) CHARGERS 35, (3-5) TEXANS 10

1. A tip o' the cap to the Chargers, who spent the week practicing in Arizona after being displaced by the SoCal wildfires. They came out, dominated, and gave everyone in Diego some much needed respite from a terrible week.

2. Speaking of terrible, I give you the Texans. Just when you thought they were making progress, they look spookier than ever. In the last 3 games they've given up 37, 38, and 35 points. They are the reverse Patriots. And remember, this is a team that keeps drafting defensive players in the top 10 every year, and they are still getting torched for 5 TDs a game. Meanwhile, on offense the magical, enchanted Matt Schaub is on the cusp of losing his job to Sage Rosenfels. That's what he gets for picking jersey #8. It's like "Hey look at me I suck, it's like David Carr never left, I'm just wearing his jersey and sucking just as bad.".


3. The story of this game was that Antonio Gates came in, gave everyone Stone Cold Stunners, and left. He caught 3 passes for 92 yards and 2 TDs, all in the first half. CB Antonio Cromartie also had a big day, getting a fumble recovery for a TD and taking a pick back 70 yards for a second score.




(5-2) JAGUARS 24, (4-4) BUCS 23

1. It took 8 weeks, but Jeff Garcia finally threw an INT. It went back for a TD. Then he threw three more. I think I hear the wheels coming off of Tampa Bay's wagon.

2. Up until this game, Jags WR Matt Jones had pretty much been a wasted first round draft choice. He may very well still be one. However, nobody can take away the acrobatic catch he made in the end zone in the 4th quarter to win this game for the Jaguars. They needed this one badly too. They're going to struggle until Garrard comes back, and now it looks like DT Marcus Stroud is going to face a steroid suspension on top of that.

3. Garcia had Ike Hilliard WIIIIIDE open on a bomb with 30 seconds left that would have won the game for the Bucs. His pass was overthrown though, or Hilliard was too slow to catch up to it, it looked like a little of both. On the next play, Hilliard had a ball that he should have caught get knocked out of his hands and into the air for an INT. If he would have held on, the Bucs could have lined up for a game winning 47 yard FG. It could be those 2 plays that makes the difference between the Bucs making the playoffs and not making the playoffs.




(5-2) TITANS 13, (2-5) RAIDERS 9

1. Let the record show that Vince Young was 6 of 14 for 42 yards in this game.There are days he makes Michael Vick look like Dan Fouts.VY also fumbled a snap on his own 10 yard line with just over ten minutes left that could have been disastrous if he wasn't able to fall on it.

2. This is probably the last game you'll see Daunte Culpepper starting at QB for the Raiders. Lane Kiffin's named Josh McCown the starter for this weekend's game, and with #1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell finally in uniform, it's only a matter of time before he gets a look.

3. LenDale White was awesome in this game, carrying 25 times for 133 yards, but let's all keep in mind that the Raiders D is giving up over 5 yards a carry this year.




(7-0) COLTS 31, (4-3) PANTHERS 7

1. Has anyone noticed that after the Colts play New England this week, they go on the road to face the red hot Chargers next week? That's a rough little stretch of road there.

2. The Colts romped, but Peyton Manning struggled a little without Marvin Harrison in the lineup, before Reggie Wayne decided to go bonkers and made everything OK. Manning completed only 14 of 30, and was only 1 of 6 late in the 2nd quarter. Harrison sat out practice on Thursday. If he doesn't play, I don't like the Colts chances in this week's November Bowl against New England.

3. Funny story about Panthers' rookie WR Dwayne Jarrett, who was a highly touted 2nd round pick out of USC but has been a colossal bust this year. Apparently he was talking to a reporter at his locker after the game, and Steve Smith butts in and tells Jarrett something to the effect, "Why don't you stop talking to reporters and start watching some film?" Jarrett then tries to laugh it off like aww stop bustin my chops, and Smith just stares at him and says "Seriously." Oh snap.




(4-3) BROWNS 27, (0-8) RAMS 20

1. I never hear this guy's name mentioned anywhere, so let me jump all over giving some kudos to Browns OC Rob Chudzinski. This is his first year with the Browns, and their offense has never looked better. Before this gig, he was tight ends coach for the Chargers and Browns, and helped developed a couple of really good ones in Antonio Gates and Kellen Winslow. Romeo Crennel better send him a nice fruit basket this Christmas, because Chudzinski's saved his job.

2. Braylon Edwards has been the breakout star of this offense. He's third in the league in receiving yards with 669, and tied for second with 9 TDs. He had 114 yards and 2 scores in this game.

3. Back in 2006, when the Rams were looking for a head coach to replace Mike Martz, their finalists were Scott Linehan and Cam Cameron. Now, Martz has had a huge hand in turning the Lions around, and Linehan and Cameron are both head coaches and are both 0-8.




(5-2) STEELERS 24, (2-5) BENGALS 13

1. So here's a question. If Marvin Lewis gets fired, would anyone want him at his old profession of defensive coordinator? I mean, the Bengals defense is terrible, and the Ravens defense hasn't really gotten any worse since he left. It seems like he's only successful when he's in the right place at the right time.

2. Like, for example, there was a play the Steelers scored a TD on in this game where the Bengals only had 10 guys on the field. How does that happen?

3. The Steelers are going to pretty much lock down the AFC North title in the next two weeks if they can ice the Ravens and Browns, with both games in Pittsburgh. You can pin the success of this team on the play of 3 offensive players. Willie Parker, who is breathing down Adrian Peterson's neck for the league lead in rushing; Ben Roethlisberger, who has rebounded from a bad 2006 to post a 102.2 passer rating, which is only 0.7 behind Peyton Manning for 2nd in the league; and Santonio Holmes, who is on pace to have 1000 receiving yards in his second NFL season.




(6-2) GIANTS 13, (0-8) DOLPHINS 10

1. So now there's a rumor that Bill Parcells could be taking over as Dolphins' GM this offseason. I don't like this idea. They should just bring back Wannstedt. He's doing such an awesome job at Pitt.

2. That could be a wrap for Cleo Lemon as the Dolphins' starting QB. The Rotting Fish have a bye this week and Cameron Cameron has indicated that we might be seeing rookie John Beck in Week 10.

3. Eli Manning was awful in this game, completing 8 off 22 for 59 yards. But it was England and it was wet and they were playing on a surface that everyone kept falling down on so he gets a pass. On the other hand, Brandon Jacobs has been a straight up beast since he has returned from the injury he had at the start of the season. He's averaging 5.6 yards per on 80 carries. LT averaged 5.2 in his MVP season last year.




(3-4) BILLS 13, (1-7) JETS 3

1. This Jets team is so bad, it's only a matter of time before Rich Kotite materializes out of the ether on the Jets' sideline.

2. Just in time for Halloween, JP Losman returns from the dead. He came on in the 4th quarter to hook up with Lee Evans for the games only TD, and 85 yard score that looked like a play on Madden where someone takes control of his defensive back instead of just letting the computer control it like you are supposed to. Trent Edwards is injured or something and Losman is going to start this weekend for the Bills.

3. Kellen Clemens is finally officially the Jets starting quarterback now. The Jets have had enough of Chad Pennington and his 67% completion rate and his making Jerricho Cotchery and Lavaerneus Coles play like 1000 yard receivers. They are much better off with the guy who has set the world on fire with his 46.0 passer rating in 3 games this year. This will fix everything.




(8-0) PATRIOTS 52, (4-3) REDSKINS 7

1. I guess one of the Redskins' players said something to Belichick after this game, something along the lines of "Waaaaaaaaaaah why you run up the score on us?? Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!"

2. Is it just me or is Belichick morphing more and more into Gollum from Lord of the Rings with each passing victory?

3. I seem to remember on New Years Day in 1984, Joe Gibbs' Redskins "ran up the score" in a playoff game against the Rams, winning by the ironic score of 51-7. See, it may take 23 1/2 years sometimes but NFL karma is always reapportioned. Don't worry Pats haters, Belichick will get his in 2030.






(6-1) PACKERS 19, (3-4) BRONCOS 13 OT

1. Yarrr...Capt. Dre Bly will have to walk the plank after getting scorched by Greg Jennings for an 85 yard TD on the first play of overtime.

2. No sacks and no turnovers in the entire game for the Broncos defense. Way to make things happen, fellas.

3. The Packers won because they had so many players step up and have huge games. Of course, Brett Favre throwing for 331 yards, 2 TDs, and no INTs qualifies, but Jennings had 6 catches for 141 yards, and rookie James Jones went over 100 yards thanks to a 79 yard scoring play. Aaron Kampman had 3 sacks, and rookie RB Ryan Grant had over 100 yards rushing and gave the Packers a running game for the first time this year.