Washington Redskins (3-1) @ Philadelphia Eagles (2-2) Lincoln Financial Field - Philadelphia - 1:00 (EST) Philadelphia -5.5
Summary Interestingly, this will be the last game between NFC East teams until November 2nd...a loss by the Eagles would drop them to 2-3 and 0-2 in the division...a win by Washington will put them at 2-1 in the division...most importantly, Washington will have traveled to all their NFC East foes already...that means Cowboys, Eagles, and Giants still have to play in D.C....
As of Friday morning, it is still unclear if running back Brian Westbrook will play for the Eagles...the Redskins defense will be without Shawn Springs and for the second week in a row Jason Taylor...
Washington Redskins Want to hear what another blogger is writing about the Redskins...check out Riggo's Rag - The Best Skins Blog We Could Muster...
Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post writes how Jim Zorn changed his strategy on a key touchdown against Dallas... "Everything about the play ran counter to Jim Zorn's offensive identity. It was based on pre-snap motion -- a diversionary tactic opposite Zorn's preference for a rapid-fire tempo -- and involved a single receiving option in a scheme predicated on diversity." ...
Jason Reid of the Washington Post writes how the Redskins secondary has improved... "The Redskins' victory over their biggest NFC East rival -- a team widely considered to be the NFL's best -- occurred, in large part, because Cowboys star quarterback Tony Romo struggled for long stretches against an underrated secondary. That's nothing new, Washington's players said." ...
Jason Reid of the Washington Post writes about the re-emergence of Washington receiver Santana Moss... "When the quarterback began to work with the receivers in the privacy of a closed practice field at Redskins Park, Campbell quickly became encouraged about the return of a familiar sight. Santana Moss was doing things effortlessly again, Campbell observed, and that could be big for the Redskins." ...
Philadelphia Eagles Want to hear what another blogger is writing about the Eagles...check out Bleeding Green Nation - the unofficial blog of the Eagles...
Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News gives his quarterly report card of the Eagles... "If you're looking for a reason to believe the glass is half-empty, go watch the tape of the Redskins' Sunday win over the Cowboys or imagine Brian Westbrook and Shawn Andrews being out for another couple of weeks." ...
John Smallwood of the Philadelphia Daily News writes how the Eagles are in a must-win situation... "Granted, the NFL season isn't a sprint, but it's not a marathon, either. It's like a 1,600-meter run. You can overcome a slow start, but only if you keep the lead within sight and know you have a strong finishing kick." ...
Les Bowen of the Philadelphia News writes how the Eagles have not done the little things that would help them win in a close game... "A year ago, the Eagles went 8-8, and they were 1-5 in games decided by 4 points or fewer. Sunday's loss was the second four-point-margin game the Birds have played this season, and the second loss." ...
Ohio State @ Wisconsin Camp Randall Stadium - Madison, Wisconsin Saturday, October 4, 2008 - 8:00 (EST) Ohio State -3.5
Summary The loser is out of the national title picture...and if Wisky loses this game, they are also out of the Rose Bowl picture...this also marks the first time Ohio State has played at Camp Randall since their 17-10 defeat there in 2003...that loss snapped Ohio State's 19-game winning streak...
To me, Wisconsin is a one dimensional team - they run the ball...P.J. Hill and John Clay are the workhorses...quarterback Allan Evridge was unimpressive last week against Michigan...his poor play led to the Badgers settling for field goals instead of touchdowns which would have put the Wolverines away by half...tight end Travis Beckum is their supposed weapon in the passing game...interestingly, one Cleveland Glenville player who did not head to Columbus is wide receiver Kyle Jefferson...Jefferson is a tall lanky receiver who has a lot of talent...the one player I like a lot on the Badgers defense is will linebacker Jonathan Casillas...this kid makes plays...
Even after getting a beatdown by USC just three weeks ago, the Buckeyes are already talking about the BCS title game again...sure Terrelle Pryor looked good in his first two starts, but that was against Troy and Minnesota...I suspect the OSU defense will load up to stop the run and force Evridge to beat them...
People expect this to be a "muscle" game in which running the ball will dominate...however, I expect Jim Tressel to throw a different wrinkle in the mix and surprise Wisconsin...OSU has nothing to lose since they already have one defeat...
Ohio State Buckeyes The following is Ohio State's game notes for the Wisconsin game...
Doug Lesmerises of the (Cleveland) Plain Dealer writes about the hostile environment at Camp Randall Stadium... "Scary. Of course, that 27-1 record includes just two games against ranked teams, both wins over Michigan." ...
Tim May and Ken Gordon of the Columbus Dispatch write about the Buckeyes's new Dynamic Duo... "What happens when you put a sore-footed former Heisman Trophy hopeful together with a fleet-footed freshman quarterback? You get 279 yards rushing and a pretty easy romp over Minnesota in your Big Ten opener." ...
Ken Gordon of the Columbus Dispatch writes how Jim Tressel has gone away from playing his seniors after the loss to USC... "Coach Jim Tressel and his staff have made it clear that they are willing to demote and promote, that the depth chart isn't worth the paper on which it's printed, and that underperformers have good reason to look over their shoulders." ...
Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes about freshman running back John Clay and how he needs to be making the right decisions when on the field... "He had exhibited a tendency to bounce too many runs to the outside before allowing his blocking to develop. However, on the touchdown run in particular, Clay made the right decision to head to the outside after seeing no room between the tackles." ...
Jim Polzin of the Madison Capital Times writes about Wisconsin's historic win over Ohio State in 2003 (photo above is the game winning touchdown by Lee Evans)... "Even before the first game," UW radio play-by-play announcer Matt Lepay said, "it was obvious that there was part of that team that had its sights set on that Ohio State game." ...
Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes about the Badgers inconsistency on defense in the second half... "Not only has UW’s defense failed to achieve that goal in each of the last two games, the performance of the unit has dropped significantly after halftime." ...
Tom Mulhern of the Wisconsin State Journal writes how former OSU great Cris Carter has a brother who plays for the Badgers... "Carter had yet to make contact this week with his brother, former Ohio State standout receiver Cris Carter, to talk about Saturday night's game between the Badgers and Buckeyes. "Ultimately, I know he wants to see me have success," Shane Carter said. "But at the same time, his blood, sweat and tears are with the Buckeyes. That's what he always says." ...
There are three big games this weekend, therefore, I asked some friends and fellow bloggers to give their thoughts on the games...
Zach ofThe Big Picture Ohio State 24 Wisconsin 10 - THE Ohio State will show up Saturday... USC 42 Oregon 28 - Quick: when was the last time USC lost back-to-back games?... Eagles 20 Redskins 17 - D-Fense (clap, clap), D-Fense (clap, clap)
Graig ofThe Money Shot Ohio State 27 Wisconsin 10 - There is NO WAY that Wisconsin recovers from the loss last week... USC 34 Oregon 14 - The Trojans get back to business... Redskins 26 Eagles 20 - Westbrook is in doubt, the Skins continue to build...
Triple H - The Hickory Hornet of Hermitage Wisconsin 20 Ohio State 16 - both teams look to be having down years... USC 38 Oregon 30 - Oregon has one of the most explosive offenses in the country...USC will rebound from their ugly loss... Redskins 27 Eagles 24 - improved Redskins are the surprise team in the NFC thus far...DeSean Jackson is the real deal for Philly...
Tbone of Youngstown Ohio State 18 Wisconsin 10 USC 44 Oregon 39 Eagles 27 Redskins 24
rstiles of Stiles Points Ohio State 20 Wisconsin 14 - Tressel will open up the game enough to get the W... USC 36 Oregon 24 - Oregon will give 'em a battle, but the Trojans will always stay 1-2 possessions ahead... Eagles 23 Redskins 21 - the Eagles need this game more...
ESPN's Chris Fowler is warning Auburn fans about a possible upset at Vandy as ESPN College Gameday will be live in Nashville... "If Vandy is ever going to get the bully from the Plains that has smacked the Dores around in 13 straight meetings (going back to 1950!), Saturday sets up as a rare chance." ...
ESPN's Ivan Maisel gives a wrap-around of various conference notes... "When Penn State coach Joe Paterno assessed how his team evaded the upsets that knocked off three of the top four teams in the nation Saturday, he brought up not the resurgent offense led by quarterback Daryll Clark or the offensive line led by senior center A.Q. Shipley. Paterno talked about the team's personality." ...
Zach from The Big Picture has interviewed many of the big time bloggers - from Deadspin to The Big Lead to Awful Announcing...I am grateful that he was able to squeeze in an interview with yours truly - Thank You Zach...to read the interview, click on the link below...
Today is the 30th anniversary of Bucky Dent's famous 3-run homer that gave the New York Yankees a victory over the Boston Red Sox in a one game playoff..
Prelude On July 19th, the defending champion Yankees found themselves 14 games behind Boston...four days later, Billy Martin was fired as manager and replaced by Bob Lemon...soon thereafter, the Yankees got on a hot streak...by Thursday, September 7th, the Yankees trimmed that 14 game deficit to only four games as they headed to Fenway for a four game series against Boston...what occurred over the next four games is known as the Boston Massacre as the Yankees swept all four games and outscored Boston 48-9...
The Yanks built a 3.5 game lead, but Boston won 10 of their last 12 games as both teams finished the season 99-63...that set up a one-game playoff at Fenway Park...the winner of the game would have to fly to Kansas City to take on the Royals in the ALCS the next night...
The Game What makes this game even more brilliant is that it was played in mid-afternoon...in today's time, a game of this magnitude would be played during prime time television at like 9:00...
The Yankees sent Ron Guidry to the mound with a 24-3 mark while Boston had Mike Torrez start...just 1 year earlier, Torrez helped the Yankees win the 1977 World Series...
Going into the top of the 7th, Boston held a 2-0 lead...with two outs and two men on, light hitting Bucky Dent stepped to plate against Torrez...Dent was not known as a home-run hitter — he hit just 40 in 12 years in the major leagues...Dent connected with a badly hanging breaking ball thrown by Torrez and hit a fly ball to left that just cleared Fenway Park's Green Monster...since the event, Red Sox fans have held a great deal of animosity toward Dent, and gave Dent a profane nickname usually printed for public consumption as "Bucky (Fucking) Dent" or reduced to a middle initial as Bucky "F." Dent.
Yankees broadcaster Bill White provided the call of the home run on WPIX-TV: “ Deep to left! Yastrzemski will not get it -- it's a home run! A three-run home run for Bucky Dent and the Yankees now lead it by a score of three to two!
Going into the 9th, with the score 5-4, Boston made one last push...after Dwight Evans flied out, Rick Burleson walked...the most often forgot play of the game took place next...up came Jerry Remy who hit a fly ball to right, but because of the intense late day sunlight, right fielder Lou Piniella lost the ball, but instead of acting like he couldn't see it, Piniella pretended he had a beat of the ball...this duped Rooster Burleson from advancing all the way to third...because of Piniella's smart thinking, the Red Sox did not have the tying run at third with only 1 out...the next batter, Jim Rice flied to right, which would have probably scored Burleson...
The game ended when Carl Yastrzemski popped to Graig Nettles at third to end the game and break the hearts of every Red Sox fan...the Yankees went on to win the World Series with Dent being named the Series MVP...
Oregon @ USC Saturday, October 4 - 8:00 EST Los Angeles Coliseum, Los Angeles, California USC -16.5
Summary All eyes are going to be on The Coliseum to see how (or if) the USC Trojans rebound after their stunning defeat last Thursday at Oregon State...just when it looked like USC was a lock for a trip to Miami, the Trojans once again layed an egg against an inferior ball club...
This week, USC faces the other Oregon team - the Ducks...Oregon is sitting at 4-1 and 2-0 in the PAC 10...their only setback came at home to Boise State 37-32...the Ducks could be 3-2 but they somehow came back from the dead a few weeks back when they played at Purdue...
Oregon has a two-headed running back system with LeGarrette Blount (481 yards) and Jeremiah Johnson (440 yards)...neither back catches the ball out of the backfield...it looks as if quarterback Justin Roper will not be available for this game...so that puts it in the hands of Jeremiah Masoli once again...on defense, the Ducks have a stud at safety named Patrick Chung...
The USC running games needs to step up after last week's disappointing performance at Oregon State...the Trojans had only 88 yards rushing...they will face another stiff test as the Ducks defense only gives up 100.2 yards rushing per game...as a team, the Trojans have only three rushing touchdowns this year compared to 11 receiving TDs...
For some reason, Pete Carroll's teams always play well in the big games, but play down to weaker opponents...they cannot let it happen again...
Oregon Here are the Oregon game notes for the USC game...
Rob Moseley of the Eugene Register-Guard writes about the last time USC lost two in a row... "USC is a wounded animal at present. The question is whether the No. 23 Ducks can come in and finish them off, or if the Trojans will claw themselves back into the chase for the national championship." ...
Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times writes that USC tailback Allen Bradford is not happy with his lack of playing time... "The 5-foot-11, 225-pound Bradford, who starred at running back and linebacker at Colton High, did not rail. He spoke quietly about his situation and acknowledged that fellow junior Stafon Johnson and sophomores C.J. Gable and Joe McKnight also were talented backs." ...
Dan Weber of Riverside Press-Enterpise writes how USC head coach may make some changes with the Trojans... "Carroll was asked if a lack of leadership led to a weaker performance on the field. "A leadership issue?" Carroll said, repeating the question. "Yeah, me -- to put it frankly." ...
Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times writes how a USC loss will relegate them to a minor bowl game... "The six-time defending Pacific 10 Conference champion Trojans, reeling from an upset loss to Oregon State last Thursday, are in danger of not only falling out of the hunt for the national title, but also finding themselves way off the Pac-10 pace in early October." ...
In this segment, Jimmy the Cab Driver explains to a punk rocker about the Smashing Pumpkins video "Today"...that is the video that involves an ice cream truck and paint...sit back and enjoy the wisdom of Jimmy...
The 3:50 video of the Smashing Pumpkins - "Today"...
We are at the quarter post of the NFL season and here are some thoughts about the season so far:
- It is not surprising the Browns are 1-3...we are talking about a Cleveland sports team - and they always underachieve when they are supposed to be good...
- The Patriots game at San Francisco is big...the Pats need another statement game after getting smashed by Miami and coming off a bye week...
- Denver is sitting at 3-1, but that record is very deceiving...I just don't think they are that good of a ball club...the Chargers are right on their back at 2-2...
- Jacksonville is a very fortunate team...they could easily be sitting at 0-4 if not for the solid kicking leg of Josh Scobee...
- Steve Slaton was a great find at running back for the Houston Texans...
After one month of the college season, the Stiles Points Top 16+1 makes its debut...
1. Oklahoma (4-0) - Sooners have looked solid, but their big day is coming against Texas in a couple of weeks... 2. Alabama (5-0) - the Tide is back...they took out Clemson and Georgia - 2 preseason Top 10 teams...Nick Saban was worth every penny... 3. Missouri (4-0) - the Tigers are under the radar so far...they have a tough one this week at Nebraska...beware the children of the corn!... 4. Penn State (5-0) - the Nittany Lions whooped Oregon State a few weeks back...I like Penn State a lot this year... 5. LSU (5-0) - the Tigers had a tough battle with Mississippi State... 6. Texas (4-0) - Colt McCoy (photo), remember him?...he is now a veteran QB who is totally in charge of this team... 7. BYU (4-0) - the Cougars are going to run the table...remember this... 8. Southern Cal (2-1) - despite the disappointing loss at Beaverville, this is still a force of a team... 9. Texas Tech (4-0) - the Red Raiders make it 4 Big 12 teams in the Top 10... 10. Auburn (4-1) - the Tigers offense is hurting big time, but they have a lockdown defense...
11. Georgia (4-1) - yep, they fell down 31-0, but I have to give the Dawgs credit for fighting back...by the way, lose the black jerseys!!!... 12. Florida (3-1) - the Gators have a great offense, but their defense has holes, which Houston Nutt exploited... 13. Ohio State (4-1) - okay, the Buckeyes are 2-0 with Terrelle Pryor...but the wins came agains Troy and Minnesota... 14. South Florida (5-0) - just like last season, the Bulls are slowly moving up... 15. Kansas (3-1) - the Fighting Manginos lost on the last play to S. Florida two weeks ago... 16. Utah (5-0) - Utah keeps chugging away... +1 Michigan (2-2) - an incredible win for Rich Rodriguez and the Wolverines...Steven Threet may not be the perfect QB for the spread offense, but he is one of the toughest SOBs I have seen...
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actress Heather Locklear, who sought medical help for depression this year, was arrested this weekend outside the coastal city of Santa Barbara, the California Highway Patrol said on Sunday.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the 47-year-old star of television shows such as "Melrose Place" was arrested on Saturday night.
Celebrity website TMZ.com said she was booked on suspicion of driving under the influence of prescription drugs, and that she was released without having to post bail.
A California Highway Patrol official confirmed the arrest but gave no details. A spokeswoman for Locklear was not immediately available.
Locklear checked into an Arizona medical facility in June suffering from anxiety and depression.
News reports said on Saturday that a witness saw Locklear driving erratically when leaving a parking lot. A California Highway Patrol officer later found her car parked on a highway and blocking a traffic lane in Montecito, near Santa Barbara, about 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
The officer believed Locklear was under the influence and arrested her, according to reports.
Locklear gained TV stardom on 1980s drama "Dynasty." In the early 1990s, she joined the cast of another nighttime hit drama, "Melrose Place."
Washington @ Dallas Sunday, September 28 - 4:15 (EST) Fox Texas Stadium - Irving, Texas Dallas -12.4
Summary Most people are not surprised that Dallas is 3-0 coming into this game...but some are surprised the Redskins are sitting at 2-1...two weeks ago, Fox studio analyst Jimmy Johnson was dissecting the NFC East...he commented there are three good teams and one bad team - yep, the Redskins were his bad team...in fact, he even took a shot at new head coach Jim Zorn...
The Redskins lack gaudy numbers as they are ranked 14th both offensively and defensively in the league...quarterback Jason Campbell has thrown only 4 touchdowns (3 to Santana Moss) but 0 INTs...
Dallas on the other hand has the number one rated offense and third best scoring offense...defensively, the Cowboys are rated 10th best...Tony Romo has been getting all the press, but he has thrown 5 TDs and 3 INTs - which is just average on paper...what makes the Cowboys tough is the weapons on offense, especially at running back with Marion Barber and the rookie Felix Jones...finally it seems as if T.O. "gets it" as he is sacrificing stats in order to win, which was evident last Sunday against Green Bay...
The teams split their two meetings last season...however, in the game at Dallas, T.O. scored four touchdowns...
Washington Redskins Jason LaCanfora of The Washington Post writes how the Redskins will be facing another 3-4 defense in which they have had problems with... "The last time the Washington Redskins faced a 3-4 defense, Coach Jim Zorn was less than pleased with the results." ...
ESPN NFC East blogger Matt Mosley writes about the impact of Jason Taylor's injury... "The Eagles, Browns and Packers haven't been able to get pressure on Romo, and he's burned them all with long passes. Taylor's absence will force defensive coordinator Greg Blache to blitz more Sunday, and that's not the strength of the Redskins' defense." ...
David Elfin of the Washington Times writes about the match-up between Terrell Owens and Shawn Springs... "Although he yields three inches and 11 pounds to the six-time All-Pro, Springs prefers covering big, strong receivers rather than smaller, quicker wideouts." ...
Dallas Cowboys Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News writes about the impact of rookie running back Felix Jones... "An offense that sent seven Cowboys to the Pro Bowl and returns all of those players in 2008 once again got a huge lift from rookie Felix Jones on Sunday night." ...
Mac Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes how double teaming T.O. does not work... "Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has grown accustomed to seeing Pro Bowl receiver Terrell Owens draw two defenders, but Sunday night he had never seen anything like Green Bay’s sellout coverage. Owens had two shadows on every play — run or pass." ...
Jean Jacques-Taylor of the Dallas Morning News is surprised that Cowboy fans are shocked about T.O.'s hustle... "No one, though, has ever questioned his effort or intensity. Not Jeff Garcia. Not Andy Reid. Not Donovan McNabb. And very unlike Randy Moss, whose inconsistent effort is among the reasons Minnesota and Oakland got rid of the game's best receiver. That's why it's hard to figure out why so many of you seem shocked at T.O.'s hustle in the Cowboys' 27-16 win over Green Bay the other day." ...
ESPN NFC East blogger Matt Mosley writes how Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is building a $1.3 billion legacy... "On that dreary morning, more than 1,600 workers were on the property, which seems like a lot. Jones' football temple -- scheduled to open in 2009 -- appears to be about 70 percent complete. A couple blocks away, the Texas Rangers' Ballpark -- one of several Camden Yards knock-offs that sprang up in the 1990s -- looks like a three-bedroom, two-bath by comparison." ...
Tbone of The Zone Blitz took the time to respond to questions about the NFL, presidential politics, and if Sarah Palin is hot...I want to thank Tbone for his time...
Q1. Who do you think will be the first head coach fired this season? Why? A. This is an interestingly sad question. Because there are so many good candidates (and I mean "good candidates" in a bad way). You have to look at all the coaches who are winless -- Romeo Crennel, Scott Linehan, Rod Marinelli, Herm Edwards, Marvin Lewis and Gary Kubiak. I think most of these guys get most of the season, if not all of the season. The first three (Crennel, Linehan, and Marinelli) are the odds on favorites.
Marinelli probably gets some extra time to see how things go without Matt Millen. But not too much time. They may want to clean house by the end of the year. Linehan could go because the Rams appear to be a mess. Crennel could go because the Browns are not nearly what fans had hope. It comes down to a matchup of Crennel vs. Linehan. It really is a dead heat. Crennel is my choice, but both could be gone within a month. The only thing that can save Crennel is a super hot streak by Brady Quinn, which leads into your second question.
Q2. If you were the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, would you put Brady Quinn in as the starting quarterback against the Bengals? A. Yes. You drafted him to start. Derek Anderson has been terrible this season. Okay, terrible maybe too strong. How about not so good? Anderson needs to return to his 2007 season. Yes, he has played three pretty good defenses -- Dallas, Baltimore and Pittsburgh. But 26 points? Not good enough. Someone gets the blame. It's Anderson. Sorry, Derek. Besides, I have said it before, Quinn can be great. A loss this weekend, and the Browns' playoff hopes are officially over. Anderson had three games. Like I said, you drafted Quinn to start. The time is now.
Q3. Do you think the Dallas Cowboys are for real? What are your thoughts about Tony Romo so far? A. The Cowboys are for real. They are the closest thing we have to the 2007 Patriots. They're not going to go undefeated. But they are a potential 14-win team. Only one team can stop them in the playoffs, and that's the Giants. Romo? It's a love-hate relationship. I think he and the Manning brothers are the best in the league. Peyton is hurting and will get better as the season goes on. Eli is Aikman-like in that all he will do in the future is win. Stats will never be great for Eli, but the wins will continue to come. And by the way, Tom Brady is out of the league, so he doesn't get in my top three.
Back to Romo. He has been compare to Favre many, many times. Favre makes terrible decisions a few times a game. Romo has meltdowns every few games. Like Sunday against the Packers. He was great at times, and he was terrible at times. He's had his bad game against the Packers, so he should be good for a few games. And this is what will happen to Romo in the playoffs. Will he have his lousy game in the Cowboys' first playoff game, second or in the Super Bowl. And will Dallas as a team be able to overcome his bad game? His girlfriend hot. You have to play that one video of her. HOT. And by the way, the next great NFL quarterback is going to be Jay Cutler.
Q4. Real quick - best player in the NFL and why? A. Tom Brady was. I always put him and Peyton at the top. But the way the Patriots are playing without him, you have to wonder whether he isn't the best. With him out, I go with a healthy Peyton Manning, which should be midway through the season. Q5. Obama or McCain? a. Obama. But I was a Hillary backer in the primary. She was the best candidate for the job and still is.
Q6. Sarah Palin - is she a babe? A. She is a 44-year-old babe. She's the kind of woman who would get my attention if I saw her out. The best way to put it is that every guy would wish his wife looked that hot at 44.
Q7. What are your thoughts about Brett Favre with the Jets? Will they make the playoffs? A. Favre is a diva. He loves the attention. What really bothers me about him is that everyone just LOVES him. Madden, Peter King, Kornheiser, and many, many more. Get a room, guys. Jeez. I do not hate Favre. In fact, I like him. But it is hard to root for him when you know the media will fall all over itself if he makes the playoffs. Plus, he makes STUPID mistakes. STUPID. If anyone other than Peyton Manning or Tom Brady (each of whom would get passes because of past greatness) made the mistakes Favre makes, the media would be very unforgiving. Will the Jets make the playoffs? I am not even going to bother quoting Jim Mora. Just know that me and Mora share the same sentiments. Besides, I do not think Man-genuis (Mangini) is all that. Q8. Jim Brown or Walter Payton or Barry Sanders? 1. Jim Brown. 2. Barry Sanders. 3. Walter Payton.
Q9. Your updated Super Bowl teams. A. At the start of the season, I said the Manning brothers. I am sticking with it. Peyton and the Colts may limp into the playoffs at 10-6, but never count Peyton Manning out. Eli will play in a few more Super Bowls. Eli is not stats-great. He is becoming win-great. If I were to make win, place and show picks, they would be: AFC -- 1. Indy; 2. Denver; 3. New England (after Belichick figures things out). NFC -- 1. NY Giants; 2. Dallas; 3. Green Bay (just ahead of New Orleans).
There are four big games this weekend, therefore, I asked some friends and fellow bloggers to give their thoughts on the games...
Zach ofThe Big Picture Wisconsin 34 Michigan 6 - Remember when this would decide the Rose Bowl? Georgia 17 Alabama 14 - Georgia's blacking out Sanford Stadium...will fans need to get blacked out after this one? Penn State 31 Illinois 21 - Juice is gonna be on the run like OJ. Dallas 31 Washington 14 - Cowboys and Indians...very politically correct.
Graig ofThe Money Shot Wisconsin 20 Michigan 6 Georgia 16 Alabama 12 Penn State 38, Illinois 21 Washington 24 Dallas 23
Munch of WKNR Radio - Cleveland Wisconsin Georgia Penn State Dallas
Triple H - The Hickory Hornet of Hermitage Wisconsin 20 Michigan 7 - Wisconsin is always one of the most overlooked teams...hard to imagine a Michigan team 1-3... Alabama 27 Georgia 23 - Both teams look like national title contenders... Penn State 34 Illinois 16 - Penn State looks like the class of a weak Big-10...Illinois has been unimpressive... Dallas 30 Washington 20 - Redskins have improved immensely...still too much talent in Dallas...
G2 of Campbell, Ohio Wisconsin 24 Michigan 14 - Michigan has been off a week, but it is not enough for a victory over the Badgers... Alabama 31 Georgia 28 - this is Alabama's coming out party... Penn State 16 Illinois 10 - It is a "not so Happy" Valley for the Fightin' Illini...Illinois just not as good as advertised... Washington 34 Dallas 24 - it is hard to buck the Cowboys, but Dallas is in for a game...Redskins in an upset...
The Geek of Youngstown Wisconsin BIG 31-17 Georgia 17-14 Take the points but Penn State wins 35-28 Washington 35-34
rstiles of Stiles Points Michigan 23 Wisconsin 21 - Michigan eliminates turnovers and starts the "new" season off with a W... Georgia 31 Alabama 21 - the Bama offense is not clicking on all cylinders... Penn State 31 Illinois 21 - Penn State dominates because Illinois has no running game... Washington 31 Dallas 27 - don't sleep on he Skins...
Illinois @ Penn State Saturday, September 27 - 8:00 (EST) ABC Sports Happy Valley, Pennsylvania - Beaver Stadium Penn State -14.5
Summary Miami may have the oranges, but Illinois has The Juice...junior quarterback Juice Williams has led the Illini to the 17th best offense in football...Juice has thrown seven touchdowns and five interceptions...he has also accounted for two touchdown runs...once again, the knock on him is his inconsistency at throwing the ball...Juice has carried the ball as much as the team's top running back Daniel Dufrene (Juice 46-219 yards; Dufrene 45-300)...the team's dangerous wideout Arrelious Benn has only 15 receptions for 150 yards and zero TDs...the defense is ranked 75th, however, they have two stud linebackers in Brit Miller and Martez Wilson...Miller already has six sacks and Wilson with 4.5...Illinois has a good field goal kicker in Matt Eller who is 4 for 5 with a 51 yarder already this year...
The Penn State defense has not allowed a point in the first quarter this year...nationally, the Nittany Lions have the 7th best defense and the 6th best offense...the offense has averaged 538 yards per game and has scored 28 touchdowns led by Youngstown, Ohio native Daryll Clark at quarterback...Clark has thrown seven touchdowns and only one interception...he has also rushed for two touchdowns...like Illinois, Penn State has a solid place kicker in Kevin Kelly who is 4 for 5 this year including a 52-yard field goal...
Illinois Fighting Illini Here are the Illinois game notes for the Penn State game...
Loren Tate of the Champaign News-Gazette writes about the Illini's rough road ahead... "The Big Ten emerged from the major portion of the nonconference football schedule with a 7-7 record against teams viewed here as "worthy" – it was a mistake to include Syracuse in that grouping – and a 24-1 record against the rest. Indiana's 42-20 loss to Ball State was the only conference loss to what is loosely described as a midmajor." ...
Terry Bannon of the Chicago Tribune writes about the Illinois defense... "It'll be a chance for Illinois' defensive line to show the nation its potential. It is a mixture of late bloomers, a position switcher and, more recently, highly sought after young players who have embellished Ron Zook's reputation as a recruiter." ...
Penn State Nittany Lions Here are the Penn State game notes for the Illinois game...(photo of Youngstown, Ohio native and starting quarterback Daryll Clark)...
Vinny Pezzimenti of the State College Centre Times writes how Joe Paterno will determine when it is time to retire... "I don’t know what makes Joe Paterno tick. I’m not sure if any of us do. But wouldn’t you think this guy would coach in a full body cast if he had to?" ...
Ron Musselman of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes how Penn State must bottle up the Juice... "Williams is a great scrambler -- he already holds the school record for career rushing yards by a quarterback with 1,550 -- but still needs to improve his passing accuracy." ...
Bernard Fernandez of the Philadelphia News writes about the return of two suspended Penn State players... "Evans and Koroma have sat out the last three games since the Sept. 2 raid on their apartment. Police at that time responded to a call about loud noise at their apartment, and investigators said in court papers that a small amount of marijuana was found. The two players were charged Sept. 17 with marijuana possession. Penn State coach Joe Paterno said last week the fate of Evans and Koroma was "out of my hands" and ultimately would be determined by the university's Office of Judicial Affairs." ...
Summary Nick Saban has the Tide rolling again as they enter the Black Out at Sanford Stadium with a 4-0 mark...this will mark only the sixth time that these two teams are meeting as nationally ranked teams...interestingly, Georgia has won all five previous encounters...Bama has the 14th ranked defense in the country as they have allowed only four touchdowns all year...last week against Arkansas, the Tide brought back two interceptions for touchdowns and held the Hogs to only 92 yards rushing...the Alabama offense is ranked 57th nationally...
On the Georgia side, the Bulldogs defense, led by coordinator Willie Martinez, is ranked 24th nationally...the Dawgs offense is a bit better than Alabama as they are ranked 22nd...of course, the offense is led by Heisman candidate, running back, Knowshon Moreno...and what seems like his 8th year at Georgia, wide out Mohammed Massaquoi...
The ESPN College Gameday will be doing their show live from Athens this Saturday at 10:00 a.m.
Alabama Crimson Tide Here are the Alabama game notes for the Georgia game...
Christopher Walsh of the Tuscaloosa News writes how Alabama is getting used to the national attention... "'What's the dude's name, the old dude?' junior cornerback Javier Arenas about who he liked on the show. Um, Lee Corso?" ...
Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News writes in his blog "Solomon's Wisdom" about Bama quarterback John Parker Wilson... "There was an edge to John Parker Wilson's voice this week when a reporter made the premise that Alabama hasn't needed the vertical passing game yet." ...
Chip Towers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that legendary Georgia broadcaster Larry Munson retired on Monday after calling Bulldog football for 43 years... "Due to declining health, Munson gave up traveling to road games last season and worked only Georgia’s two home games this season. According to a statement released by the school Monday evening, Munson decided over the weekend to stay home and watch Saturday’s game between Georgia and Alabama with family and friends." ...
Below is a 4:42 tribute to Larry Munson...the best is his call of Lindsay Scott's touchdown over Florida in 1980...
Chip Towers of the Atlanta Journal Constitution writes how Georgia has had a problem with penalties this season... "The veracity of those penalties aside, the 12 Georgia was flagged for Saturday night were added to the 31 fouls they had already been penalized for this season. So for those keeping count — and the NCAA is — that is 43 penalties for 357 yards this season, which ranks the Bulldogs last among 119 Division I schools." ...
Wisconsin @ Michigan
Saturday, September 27 - 3:30 (EST)
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Wisconsin -7.5
Summary Both teams are coming off a bye week...the Wolverines are coming into the game 1-2 after their agonizing loss in South Bend to Notre Dame 35-17...despite committing six turnovers, Michigan's offense did show some signs of improvement as Sam McGuffie rushed for 131 yards and Steven Threet did a good job managing the game and moving the ball...Michigan held Notre Dame to 260 total yards while racking up 388 of their own...
Wisconsin stands at 3-0 and are ranked 9th in the A.P. and 8th in the USA Today Coaches poll...the Badgers are coming off a "muscle" win at Fresno State 13-10...Wisky had a balanced attack as they passed for 150 yards and rushed for 154...112 of those 154 rushing yards came from P.J. Hill (photo, left)...this is the first of three consecutive big games for Wisky...next week the Badgers head home to play Ohio State then host Penn State the following week...
Wisconsin Badgers Here are the Wisconsin game notes for the Michigan game...
Nate Carey of the Madison Capital writes how the bye week came at the right time for the Badgers... "Wisconsin (3-0), which slipped a spot in The Associated Press poll to No. 9 but remains No. 8 according to the coaches, opens its quest for its first Big Ten championship since 1999 on Saturday at Michigan (1-2). And Bielema believes the week of rest was exactly what the doctor ordered." ...
Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press writes how Michigan will be using starters on the practice squad to prepare for Wisky... "Michigan will work early this week by using some of its regulars to practice against the defensive starters, simulating Wisconsin's physical pounding style." ...
