NFL Week 7: How Many Blowouts?… The Cream Begins to Rise
October 26, 2009 by dwil
This was quite the week in the NFL. Then again, every week in the league is an adventure, complete with brilliant comebacks, inexplicable collapses, and games that come down the the final drive. This week was no different.
Down and Dirty in the Meadowlands
Arizona (4-2) 24, New York Giants (5-2) 17. The way Chris Collinsworth told the viewing audience Carlos Dansby drove Eli Mannng into the ground I though I was watching Tom Hammond and Pat Hayden doing a Notre Dame broadcast. As it was, it was apparent that when Dansby hit Manning and let him go in mid-air after initially tackling him and the head referee still called roughing the passer on a crucial third-and 14 pass play that come up short, it was apparent the officials were not going to let the Cardinals just walk away from Giants Stadium without a fight, and Al Michaels and Collinsworth were going to cheer the proceedings.
Fortunately with 1:08 remaining Antrel Rolle took a pass from Steve Smith – why Manning threw into what amounted to triple coverage, I do not know – to end the official’s bid to aid the Giants into overtime. By the way Rolle even played QB in the Wildcat for Arizona
After fattening their record on Washington Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Oakland, the Giants got smoked by New Orleans on the road and then got manhandled by the “finesse” Cardinals. In his first five games Mainning stats looked like this: completion % 64.4; Pass Yards Per Game 242.4; TD-INT – 10-2; Passer Rating – 111.7. In the last two against New Orleans and Arizona things look much different: Completion % – 48.5; Pass ypg – 210.5; TD-INT 2-4 (3 against ‘Zona) Passer Rating – 53.6. And next they go to Philadelphia, San Diego, Atlanta, at Denver, Dallas, and Philadelphia.
Is there an explanation for Mario Manningham dropping seven catchable passes in the last few games or Manning’s brutal drop off against quality opposition? Manningham had better get a can of “Act Right,” or at least a dose of concentration, lest he be mired in head coach Tom Coughlin’s doghouse. As far as Manning goes, the Giants need to get beck to pounding the rock with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. When New York has been successful in the last two years, the key was their ability to bludgeon opponents with their run game, which allowed Manning, who sets up play-action passes with excellent ball fakes, clear passing lanes as a safety had to commit to stopping the rush attack. Without that, New York will sink more than they swim.
The Giants defense has been the best in the NFL but missing Kenny Phillips and Aaron Ross in the secondary ruins their depth, and is beginning to show on the field. This upcoming stretch of games might just leave New York too battered to make any kind of meaningful playoff run – if they can survive that long.
For Arizona the Sunday night win could well be the game that propels them through their season. Now they get Carolina, at Chicago, Seattle, at St. Louis, and at Tennessee in succession. A 4-1 or 5-0 stretch, with a road game against Detroit and a home game with St. Louis remaining, will be enough to allow the Cardinals to walk away with the NFL West.
Congratulations to Ken Whisenhunt and the Arizona Cardinals for winning their third straight game on the road.
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These will be quick…
Green Bay (4-2) 31, Cleveland (1-6) 3. The Browns got wiped out, what’s new?
San Diego (3-3) 37, Kansas City (1-6) 7. KC got a “W” last week and fet they could take this week off.
Indianapolis (6-0) 42, St. Louis 6 (0-7). The Rams put up a fight – to be known as the prize of worst team in the league.
New England (5-2) 35, Tampa Bay (0-7) 7. And the Bucs are right there with the Rams.
New York Jets (4-3) 38, Oakland (2-5) 0. At least the Raiders aren’t 1-6.
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Cincinnati (5-2) 45, Chicago (3-3) 10. Jay Cutler? Really? After the much-ballyhooed Denver Broncos transfer had yet another putrid multi-interception (three) game, Bob Costas said that to see what’s wrong with the Bears play-calling visit resident NFL Internet racist, Mike Florio at his White supracist website, Pro Klan Talk.
What’s wrong with the Bears play-calling? Jay Cutler’s decision-making is what’s wrong with the play-calling. Good decisions by a quarterback who has had the offense tailored to his strengths makes for effective called plays.
Meantime the Bears defense was outclassed and embarrassed by the Bengals. Cinci scored on their first seven possessions – five TDs and a field goal. Carson Palmer and his receivers were excellent. Palmer went 20-24 for 233 yards, 5 TDs and no INTs (146.7 passer rating). Chad Ochocinco led the way in receiving with 10 catches for 118 yards and two TDs.
But the man of the day was Cedric Benson. The running back was excommunicated from Chicago for reasons unknown reasons – the charges levied against him by Austin, Texas police was the excuse given (the charges were later dropped). But even Benson will admit he needed to be released from the Bears, as it served as a wake-up call for him to become mature and play the game as a professional, on and off the field. Chicago got a chance to see the reworked Cedric Benson as he ran up the backs of the Bears defenders all day long. Then he ran back down them just for good measure. Benson gained 189 yards on 37 carries and scored one touchdown. Benson’ rushing total was the most ever for a running back playing against his former team. The Bengals running back rushed for 154 more yards than did the Bears entire team (35).
This game might be the one that propels the Bengals to the playoffs, while it might be the game that effectively spells the end of the Chicago Bears’ hopes for their 2009 campaign.
Over at Pro Klan Talk Florio was careful to blame Ron Turner for Cutler’s inability to read defenses, his stubborn want to stick the ball between two defenders 20 yards downfield rather than hitting the open with a step on his defender six yards downfield. And we all know Turner remains hired because ———— Lovie Smith has kept him around.
If Chicago doesn’t get it together soon Cutler’s foibles might just also spell the end of Smith’s tenure in the Windy City. We all know cutler wasn’t given a huge extension just to be termed an abject failure and jettisoned from Chicago. Unless Cutler turns snarky on the press, they will make sure that Smith takes the fall for Cutler
Money talks ——— and coaches walk.
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Dallas 34, Atlanta 21. The Dallas Cowboys have found their deep threat and he is not Roy Williams. Miles Austin has 16 catches for 421 yards and four TDs in his last two games for Dallas. Patrick Crayton has hit the bench, while money bags Williams had five passes thrown to him (on, admittedly, was low and behind him) and caught only one pass. Crayton had two catches on the two passes thrown his way.
Still, Dallas is confounding. This week they played well on both sides of the ball – but who knows next week?
All “Matty Ice” and Atlanta’s offense proved is that when they face quality defenses, they fold. A New England defense that had yet to begin to find itself thumped them, now the Cowboys throttled the Falcons. They still must face New Orleans twice (their first meeting will be next Sunday night at New Orleans), the Giants Philadelphia and the Jets. If Atlanta’s offense does not improve quickly, they could lose each of those games (the Saints, Giants, and Jets are on the road) – and miss the playoffs.
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Houston (4-3) 24, San Francisco (3-3) 21. Darius Heyward-Bey was drafted number seven by the Oakland Raiders, three positions ahead of Michael Crabtree. Crabtreee held out, in large part, because he and his agent Eugene Parker, felt he should be paid as much or more than Heyward-Bey. After seven weeks of the 2009 NFL season Heyward-Bey has four receptions for 64 yards after seven games. After two weeks practice with the Niners team and one game, Crabtree has five receptions for 56 yards.
And people wonder why Crabtree maintained he was the number one receiver in the draft.
Shaun Hill was finally removed as the Niners QB and replaced by Alex Smith (it has forever been the perception here at SOMM that Smith can. in fact, play quarterback in the NFL). Down 21-0, Smith led the Niners on a furious second half comeback only to be stopped Houston on the final San Francisco drive.
With Hill, 49ers head coach Mike Singletary felt his team should be dependent on the run with Hill taking selective shots downfield when opposing defenses were effectively sucked in close to the line of scrimmage. However, down three TDs to the Texans, Singletary allowed the offense to be opened to the passing game. Smith, Crabtree, and tight end Vernon Davis flourished. Davis caught all three of Smith’s TD passes and Crabtree and Crabtree and Smith appeared to have a close connection, as the second-string QB was charged with the task of readying Crabtree for inclusion into the San Francisco starting lineup.
While most teams figure out what their identity is by the end of the first four weeks of the season (five weeks for those teams with a bye the fourth week), it might take San Francisco until the season’s halfway point to understand itself. Singletary can only hope it is not too late for a playoff run.
Houston, like their Texas cousin, Dallas, looks like a world-beaters one week and just beat the next week. Though they have won consecutive games now, Houston must travel to play a hot Buffalo team that has won consecutive road games. Then the Texans face Indianapolis, Tennessee, Jacksonville, and Indianapolis again. If they do not want to potentially face another season hovering around the .500 mark, the Texans must exit this stretch at least 3-2. They have the potential to do well and even come out 4-1. This is the time to keep a close eye out on the proceedings down in Houston.
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Pittsburgh (5-2) 27, Minnesota (6-1) 17. The Steelers defense came through with two touchdowns to turn what could have been a 27-13 defeat into a 10-point win. If there is such a good thing as a good loss, this was it for Minnesota. Now, they can concentrate on what it is they must do on the road to defeat a quality opponent — just in time to travel to Green Bay for Brett Favre’s return to his prior NFL home.
For the Steelers, if there is such thing as a bad win, this is it. The victory masks the fact that the Steelers pass-happy offense is not going to be successful as the season wear on without a consistent rushing attack as a compliment to Ben Roethlisberger slinging the ball around Heinz Field.
Deep in Steelers territory backup tight end Jeff Dugan was whistled for a cut block that took a touchdown from Minnesota. Three plays later Favre was stripped and LaMarr Woodley returned the loose ball for a TD. On Minnesota’s final meaningful drive, after Adrian Peterson caught a screen pass and literally ran over Williams Gay, Steelers linebacker Keyaron Fox intercepted a Favre scree pass that slipped through Chester Taylor’s hands and returned it for the game-sealing TD.
The win, though masks the fact that Pittsburgh amassed only 259 total yards while their defense was strafed for 386 yards. Fortunately for Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin, his team now enters a bye week before traveling to play undefeated Denver before returning home for a rematch against Cincinnati. This must be the time when Pittsburgh irons out its problems.
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Buffalo (3-4) 20, Carolina (2-5) 9. Maybe Terrell Owens was right when he said the Bills were only a few plays away from being undefeated? Naw, no way! This week they got a flagging Carolina Panthers team that is on the verge of collapse. Trent Edwards is still a mediocre QB – at least, now he is – and they still cannot run the ball consistently. Though the Bills looked great against the sorry Panthers, they have a ways to go before proving they can play with the leagues best offense.
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New Orleans (6-0) 46, Miami (2-4) 34. After Miami looked like they had the game in the bag, the Saints offense scored 22 fourth quarter points while shutting out the Dolphins. the final 15 minutes illustrated the disparity between the teams. Rather than continue to attack the Saints through the Wildcat offense and play-action passes, first year head coach Tony Sparano largely abandonded the successful ploy – and lost control of the game for his team.
There is no way Miami should have lost a game where they intercepted Drew Brees three times and got four turnovers altogether and sacked Brees five times. But Miami did.
Now the Saints must play their third tough game in a row against Atlanta. Fortunately the game is at home where the crowd should help Brees and company overwhelm the Falcons and their wunderkind QB, Matt Ryan.
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Monday Night:
Philadelphia (3-2) at Washington (2-4). Do or die? Aren’t the Redskins beyond that point? After six games against winless teams Washington now must play in succession: Philly, Atlanta, Denver, Dallas, and Philly. Then they get what might at one point have been a relatively easy week against Oakland before finishing their season with games against the Giants, Dallas, and San Diego.
Yikes.
If Dan Snyder has one ounce of humility in him, the day following the 17th week of the season he will fire Vinnie Cerrato and Jim Zorn, along with the coaching staff, and begin his search for a general manager and a head coach, or a head coach who wants to perform both duties with an assistant who is an expert with whatever the salary cap looke like after the next collective bargaining agreement.
Philadelphia must win this game to redeem itself for last week’s no-show against Oakland.
Come to think of it, if the Eagles lose this game, it might just put them in the same position as is Washington.
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Injuries
New York Jets running back broke his leg and is out for the season. Jets LB Bart Scott left the game with what looked like a severe knee injury.
The blowouts were ridiculous, I don’t recall seeing that many blowout scores in a week. It has been mentioned before how there are so many bad teams in the league this year. And all those bad teams (except the Raiders) ran into good offenses and got thrashed. I don’t know how they did it, but the Raiders even allowed the Jets to score a ton. The Raider D isn’t that bad to allow 300 yards rushing on them. They’re not great on D, but they are 300 yds rushing bad.
Miami may not win, but they’re definitely not an easy out. They pushed both Indy and the Saints all the way. I almost feel bad for them.
Eli is overated, and I’ll always contend he’s been banking on his family name his whole career. He got picked #1 on the strength of his name, and he he got paid 90 million on his name. His stats definitely don’t warrant that dough.
Ron Turner has always been a sub-par coordinater, so if he’s being blamed I can understand it. Not that I would ever defend Cutler, I enjoy watching Cutler lose, it amuses me.
Trent Edwards isn’t a mediocre quarterback yet. He’s still lousy. That was Ryan Fitzpatrick under center for the Bills yesterday, because Edwards was injured.
As a Broncos fan who knows plenty of Bears fans somehow, many of the ones I know are blaming Cutler whole-heartedly, while giving verbal jabs to Lovie Smith for that defensive display.
No Leon Washington for the Jets will hurt in the special teams game and change-ups on offense, but this is probably why they drafted Shonn Greene (RB depth) — let’s see what he does against a real defense.
Da F@#n’ Bears. I knew their secondary was suspect, but they got torched w/ Benson laughing all the way…
I figured Miami would pull it out. Kudos to the Saints…
The Steelers took that game from the Vikes…
Tha Ray-Daz! SMH!
Not exactly looking forward to MNF this week…
Cutler ain’t shit………………….that is all.
“The Steelers took that game from the Vikes”
The ref who called that b.s. tripping penalty took that game from the Vikes.
Actually origin…….that’s really exactly what he is.
This is why I am not a Bruce Arians fan. Mendenhall only got 10 carries in the game. He averaged 6.9 yards a carry. (He was pulled after he fumbled, early in the fourth quarter.) Still, with a ypc average that good, the Steelers should have ran him more earlier in the game, until the Vikings could prove that they could stop them. Instead, Arians calls a bunch of pass plays, even though Roethlisberger continually had his passes knocked down. Obviously, the Vikings defensive coordinator saw something about when Ben throws the ball and relayed it to the defense.
Listening to the commentary of the game made me nauseous. It seemed as if the commentators went out of their way to tell us why Brett Favre deserved to come into Minnesota and take the starting spot away from two younger QB’s battling it out. The only thing I needed to hear, was that Minnesota’s Offensive Coordinator is Favre’s old QB coach from Green Bay. That explains why Favre didn’t have trouble coming into Minnesota and running the offense.
“The ref who called that b.s. tripping penalty took that game from the Vikes.”
What about the ref who called that b.s. pass interference call on Heath Miller, which negated a TD from Santonio Holmes?
Can’t stand Favre and the announcer blow jobs on him. It has been this way since he stole the MVP from Barry in 97. I’m no Detroit fan, but I loved watching Barry, and I’ve disliked Favre since then. They actually split the MVP, but still. Yeah, I hold grudges.
On a completely different note, what about Sharper? Between him and Williams coming in to be the D coordinator, that Saints D has gotten a lot better. Dude has 3 picks returned for TD’s. How deflating is that for a team? Saints offense is ridiculous, and if that isn’t bad enough, the D is scoring as well?
Oh, and if you want to bitch about BS penalties, be a Charger fan. You’ll see so many you’ll want to cry.
“If Chicago doesn’t get it together soon Cutler’s foibles might just also spell the end of Smith’s tenure in the Windy City.”
Mike Shanahan drafted and groomed Cutler in Denver, and is a Chicago native. Let the rumors begin. However, its possible that Cutler is the next Jeff George, not the next John Elway. I mean, he’s never been to the playoffs, and Tony Dungy stated that Cutler’s immature. This about his pupil’s own starting QB. Makes you wonder if Jerry Angelo just shoved Cutler down Lovie’s throat. What do you think, Dwil?
@McValdez,
If Cutler is the next Jeff George, then Jason Whitlock’s back in business to have his tonsils tickled by an NFL QB’s man-meat, right?
Lovie Smith’s problem is that the Rex Grossman experiment never really worked out. And then Benson was scapegoated. The Bears had the right formula with Thomas Jones, who was more economical, and obviously had some tread left on the tires. You aren’t in a pass-happy division AND a home play-off game at Soldier Field requires that you run the football effectively. Benson was in an impossible situation walking in the door. And then the team, in typical bitch-ass fashion, let Jones go via free agency AND burnt Benson at the stake. Essentially, that’s the GM cutting off his nose to spite his face. And ownership bought it hook, line and sinker.
Meanwhile, Cutler’s in town now and there’s no playmakers in the receiver corps to make those short passes into big-gainers after the catch.
Also, I’m VERY happy for Cedric Benson. Good for him. Keep it up and make the Pro Bowl, young man.
@gmp
“On a completely different note, what about Sharper? Between him and Williams coming in to be the D coordinator, that Saints D has gotten a lot better. Dude has 3 picks returned for TD’s. How deflating is that for a team? Saints offense is ridiculous, and if that isn’t bad enough, the D is scoring as well?”
Darren Sharper has definitely been the difference on the Saints “D” this year. However, I think that pick 6 he had yesterday wasn’t legit. He clearly fumbled the ball before it crossed the plane and it should’ve been a touchback (Miami’s ball). I don’t know if it would’ve made a difference though. I think the Saints still would’ve won the game.
GrandNubian,
Beware of anointing Greggg Williams as a savior. He went from the handpicked replacement for Joe Gibbs (by Gibbs himself) with a dollar figure attached if he wasn’t the next coach in DC and he alienated enough guys to make that an impossibility, took his buy-out and bonus and then moved on. But I’d give Sharper a nod for veterans’ savvy.
As long as Williams earns his defensive teams’ loyalty by not scapegoating and badmouthing players on the record? He’ll be fine. But his career arc has proved that he wears out his welcome and that hurts the reputation of who is one of the best D-coordinators in the league.
@PhilDeeze
I didn’t annoint Williams as a savior. My reply was speaking more in terms of how Darren Sharper is the difference on defense for the Saints.
Look at the reply again. I only used gmp’s quote to make a point about Sharper.
I”m aware of Williams history. But I think if you’re the Saints, you are happy to have him this year. Generally it seems he starts wearing on his players in the 2nd/3rd years. But he’s always come in and made the D’s better in his first year.
I’d chance the ‘Wiliams issues’ if I were the Saints too. NO is looking like the total package right now and he deserves some credit for that.
I also think Sharper does as well, which was my original point. With the way the Saints put up points, forces teams to keep up with them. That means more passes, and Sharper is taking full advantage of that so far this season.
I’m just glad my team isn’t in the NFC or plays the Saints this year.
Williams was great in TN. I didn’t know he had a rep for being difficult or a glory hog though. Maybe because Fisher is known as a defensive head coach, that was allowed to happen. Who knows.
“What about the ref who called that b.s. pass interference call on Heath Miller, which negated a TD from Santonio Holmes?”
Doesn’t count ’cause I had the Vikes and the points. I only see the bad calls that cost me $$$.
It wasn’t that long ago that folks were saying that Darren Sharper was pretty much done. From what I’ve seen, dude must have hit the rejuvenation machine.
Big Man-
Sharper hit the IG-f button.
Grand Nubian-
I’m going to start banning Steelers fans each Monday (lol)… I saw the penalty on NFLN later in the evening and it was a trip. The TE got juked, dove to the right on the fake and kicked his legs up.
Call a trip, leg whip, trip whip, whatever. It mos’ def was a penalty. (that explanation was for “newbie”).
mcaldez-
Interesting thought on Shannie. Maybe I should start a rumor a la Pro Klan Talk.
TO ALL-
Stop bitching about Brett Favre, okay? The dude is, at age 40, playing like, well, Warren Moon, damnit! (lmao).
@GN and gmp,
Point taken. Greggg Williams was a tyrant when he was here in DC. I’m not a ‘Skins fans, but I hear the sports radio chatter as well as the local beat reporters’ take. He made a LOT of enemies and those were the guys there to help him. If the entire D was a bunch of knuckleheads? I’d say Williams was justified. But, for the most part, that was a pretty respectable group of lockerroom guys (like Shawn Springs) that didn’t deserve the shell-game with the starting line-up and playing time.
That said, I’ll bet the ‘Skins wish he’d gotten the head coaching job. But the owner and front office’s mismanagement AND Williams’ ego made that an impossibility. I think that the anti-Williams faction tried to get “the next Joe Gibbs” and they got a box full of rocks.
Watching Favray play this year, only one thing stands out for me – he has all day to stand back there and throw. That O-line is beastly and should be getting the credit for much of the Vikings success this season. You could drag old man Vinny Testaverde out of the retirement home and put him behind that O-line and i’m sure he’d have better numbers than say Jay Cutler.
Eli has always been overrated. Once you put pressure on him he gets rattled quite easily. They are doing well the last few seasons because of their versatile running game.
I don’t know why but this season has been really quiet for some reason. There have been a lot of bad games, blowouts, and just uninteresting matchups on the whole.
i didn’t mean to encourage the rumors, but yes, keep going after PKT (er, PFT) and Costas’ constant reference to it. Quick question, though. Have you Florio’s racism to Costas’ attention? Of all NFL rumor mill sites he has to reference, why Florio’s? Why not Pro Football Weekly?
Sorry Dwil……………….but Fuck Farve.
I am going to be just like those rednecks who claim that they can’t watch the NFL cause MJ destroyed the NBA. With his dunking and going one on one and that “ghetto ball”.
Well I blame Farve for the reason I have to watch guys like Romo, Jake Del, Jay Cutler and kats in college like Jeavon Sneed (spelling) throwing 5 and 6 picks in a game and giving that ahh shucks……….I’m just a silly country boy look.
Then the bitch ass media rides their jock cause Farve is their idle and they want to be a gun slinger just like him.
If MJ supposedly destroyed the NBA. Well maybe Farve destroyed the QB position.
Sorry guys
This should say.
I am going to be just like those rednecks who claim that they can’t watch the NBA cause MJ destroyed the NBA. With his dunking and going one on one and that “ghetto ball”.
“I am going to be just like those rednecks who claim that they can’t watch the NBA cause MJ destroyed the NBA. With his dunking and going one on one and that “ghetto ball”.”
Like the Saturday Night Live skit when MJ was the first black Harlem Globetrotter?
The way that Vikings-Steelers ended was ‘Classic Favre’. Favre had a “fumble-6 and a pick-6″, but the media have excuses already prepared. Many predicted that King Favre will want to take over and when that happens, things don’t turn out the way the mainstream media had planned. The Vikings is Adrian Peterson’s team and I wish he would have stood up for Tavaris in the media and to management. Now Adrian and others will see what the Jets experienced last year, when the Jets began the season 8-3 and then missed out on the playoffs.
Tavaris Jackson got the Vikings to the playoffs last year, but can Favre even win one playoff game at 40? What will be the excuse when he throws a pick-6 at a critical juncture in the game…again..
I am not ready to say the Dallas Cowboys are back, but it seems Romo has found a new go-to WR in Miles Austin.
Matt Ryan is looking a little more like Kyle Boller than Peyton Manning as the season progresses. Ryan was sacked four times, intercepted twice and knocked down several times. The lofty comparisons by many in the Atlanta media that he is better than Vick and will have more success needs to be tempered with a few reality checks. If Michael Turner can not find room to run and put up 100 yard games, MATT RYAN is in a lot of trouble. Now they have to face a New Orleans team that came back from a 3 TD deficit to beat Miami. It is conceivable Drew Brees and that Saints offense could put 40 points on the board.
A Saints win would make it almost impossible for the Falcons to catch, and another Atlanta loss will threaten their wild card chances going forward.
Dwil
Rejuvenation is my new code for PEDs. I brought the PED possibility up to a few Saints fans, and got called a negative hater. Kind of redundant if you ask me.