The Crystal Ball Week 11

Originally Posted on Quick Thoughts on November 17, 2006.


I feel very strange this week. I am not sure what is going on with me. I feel as though a wave of euphoria has encompassed me. I feel as light as a feather and as strong as an ox. I feel like I could take on the world, and have time and energy remaining for dinner and dancing with my lady afterwards. There must be a reason for it. Oh, yes, I do know what it is; Pittsburgh has finally won another game! Yes, they finally won their third game of the season. Not only did they win, but they beat a quality opponent and they won in shoot out fashion to boot. I am so glad to see them not only win a game, but one that was more than a run and stuff. It makes me feel good to see them win one through the air as well as the ground. They finally played like the Super Bowl champions they are, and it was stellar. It was not all peaches and cream from start to finish, but they stood up and played tough and showed everyone that while they may be down, they are still tough, still the champs and still a force to be reckoned with, and that is more than enough for me.

Now, I have a few unseemly things about the game. First, the roughing the passer call in the second quarter was complete bull. I know it is illegal, and it was interpreted correctly, but come on. And the non call on the obvious pass interference on the Saints against Heath Miller in the third quarter was another blown call. He had his hands on Heath and when he tripped, he pulled Heath down. With all the favoritism on receivers nowadays, how can you not call that one? The Saints in the fourth quarter commit a false start and Pittsburgh is called for defensive offside. And that one was pretty blatant. Once again, I will say it; the NFL needs full time referees. Plus, Jeff Reed missed a field goal. Jeff, you always get the job done, what was that?

Now for some positives about it, other than the fact that for once my boys came through and I can finally wear my hat without getting a ton of static. Fast Willie Parker had a great performance, racking up 213 yards rushing, including two eye popping runs. Ben threw for three touchdowns and zero, count em, zero interceptions. The defense, despite going through secondary players like toilet paper, held on, especially when it counted most, forced turnovers and even sacked Brees, who had only been sacked 8 times thus far this season before this game. It must feel good for the defense to get turnovers instead of having to react to them, as per usual.

However, there were more injuries this week, which have been killing us, this time with Townsend and, more frightening, Polamalu, going down. I hope they are good for next week, because we need to keep the good things happening. I do not think I can bear another stretch of three losses. Polamalu has been practicing this week, but has yet to be medically cleared. It is a bit concerning, since he does have a history of concussions, mainly back when he played at USC. Since he arrived in the NFL, he has been good at avoiding such injuries until now. Hopefully this is not the start of a trend.

I know this is only one win, and as I acknowledged last week the season is probably in the crapper anyway, but it does feel really good to win again. And you never know. Of the remaining 7 games, 5 are division games, including two against division leader Baltimore. I know at this point, they need help other than to just win out, but hey, there is always hope. There are many different parts to being successful including going on a well timed run, having some luck, good preparation and peaking at just the right time, much like they did last year. As I said last week, the hope is pretty faint, but it just got a slight bit brighter this week. Maybe by week 16 it will be a raging inferno.

Joe Buck is an idiot. Buck actually said during the Saints/Steelers broadcast that New Orleans and their team this year has been somewhat overlooked. Is he nuts? Now, I know I immerse myself into the season, so it may seem to me that nothing is overlooked or under reported. But even I know that one of the biggest, if not biggest, stories this year has been the Saints. Their great off season acquisitions and draft, their explosive start, their powerful return to New Orleans and the Superdome, the city and state stepping up to insure they remain in Louisiana, their owner finally stating publicly that the Saints will stay in New Orleans and every other little thing about the team. I know almost as much about the Saints as I do about Pittsburgh! How in the hell could they possibly be an overlooked team? Buck more often than not blurts out a few asinine comments during a broadcast, but that is one of the dumber ones I have heard recently. I really cannot believe this twit is Fox’s number one broadcaster and that they completely revamped their pregame show around him.

Ok, time to take a breath. Much happened this week, so let’s take a look at a few of the high and low lights. Check out these bits of news lately out of the NFL. Some are great, some are sad, and some are just weird. Draw your own conclusions to what they mean.

- The defending champs are a sub .500 team.
- Atlanta cannot score more than 13 points on lowly Cleveland.
- New England loses to a division rival and drops two games in a row for the first time since 2002.
- Jacksonville drops two games this season to the Texans (although, that is not that weird, since lifetime versus the Texans, the Jaguars suck, hard. Wish I had known that one before I picked. Shame on me for poor research.)
- Denver barely squeaks past Oakland for the second time this season.
- Vinnie Testaverde makes yet another comeback, this time with the Patriots. Good for you Vinnie. I still remember Penn State beating Vinnie and his Hurricanes in the Fiesta Bowl many moons ago for the national championship. But Vinnie persevered and has had an NFL career like no other. Good to see him back, even if it’s only as a number 3 backup.
- Da Bears have yet another 100 + yard return for a touchdown for the second year in a row.
- Thanks to some crafty Reebok licensing, the well dressed coach will return to the sidelines this week, harkening images of Lombardi, Landry and Stram.
- Matt Millen and Denny Green are still employed.

What a barn burner in Cincinnati. I knew as soon as it was exploding that it would land on NFL Replay this week. I watched part of the game before I had to run a few quick errands, and listened to the rest on the radio. What a fantastic game, unless you like defense, because there was little defense to be had. Back and forth these competitors went, and both showing their mettle until the very end. Cincinnati still, in the waning moments, almost came through big until Chris Henry choked on that last potential touchdown pass. Even if you did not care about either team, it was still a great game to watch. I was almost regretful to turn it off in order to watch Pittsburgh, and even then I waited so long, I almost missed the Saints/Steelers kickoff. Absolutely riveting, and that is one of the reasons why this sport is so very popular, quality match ups that provide great drama.

Stupid Brady, I give him a complement, even after his crappy game against Indianapolis, and then he goes and does his best Aaron Brooks impression against the Jets, closing up the race for the division in the AFC East and looking rather mortal. Is it perhaps that he is not a god among men, or is it perhaps, finally, too many personnel changes are catching up with the team? I bet he really, really misses Deion Branch right now. Of course, it all means nothing and what do I really know? I will look at them this week, on their first two game skid in years, and figure them for another crappy performance. And knowing them they will go out and blow the doors off of Green Bay. Stupid Patriots.

Da Bears loss to Miami may just have been that cosmic fluke. Nice job in Giants Stadium this week by Da Bears. My apologies go out to Da Bears and Ditka for ever doubting them.

Remember last season when Miami started to come together under Saban and rolled off 6 straight wins to finish the season? Everyone was touting how they were back, and with some of their off season acquisitions, they led everyone to believe, based partially upon that performance, that they were a front runner for the Super Bowl. And then, with their current aging personnel and what was revealed to be horrible off season decisions on quarterbacks, they crapped the bed to start this season. Well, now we are near the end of the season again, and Miami is playing well. Are they priming themselves for another late season tear, so everyone thinks Saban has righted the ship and they will be right in the thick of things next year? Is this the only way Saban can successfully coach, when there is absolutely zero pressure left for even a smidgen of hope of post season glory? If he wins more, and they finish at or above 500 for the season, but safely out of any post season discussion the entire time, then I will know my answer.

Randy Moss is an idiot. He says he is not playing well because he is unhappy. Boo hoo. He admits that he plays poorly because he does not like being on a losing team and not being the focus of said team, and because of that, he feels there is no reason why he should put out the effort. BECAUSE YOU ARE AN OVERLY PAID PROFESSIONAL, YOU DOLT. Did no one teach you how to be a grown up? You are unhappy you are on a crappy team? That’s just too damn bad. SI.com had a list of people in the NFL that needed to go, and listed Moss as one of them, stating that he would never help the Raiders reach the post season. Post season? I will go so far as to say he will never help them reach .500. You want to know something Randy? You did this to yourself. You had everything you could ever want in Minnesota, but you dogged it there and played basically when the muse struck you right, admitting that you took plays off when you did not feel like putting forth the effort or when you felt that you were being underutilized. To the other 10 guys out on the field, that is something they do not want to hear. Why should they bust their ass when you cannot be bothered to? So you force a trade and get out of Minnesota, and go to the worst franchise in the league, which only seems to be getting worse and worse, and then you find out how unhappy you can be. You used to be one of the big name stars in the league, but your hubris and ego has landed you, literally, in the black hole. And now you are merely an afterthought and have lost any relevancy you once had in the league. And with your admission that you are not a professional and nothing more than a highly paid child prone to hissy fits, who will want you now? Who would possibly take the chance of having your laziness, attitude, poor work ethic and lack of professionalism infect their team? Only the most desperate and irrelevant and those teams suck. Welcome to the world of your own creation Randy, I hope it is all you dreamed of and more.

Ok, so once again the mid season report is, well, missing in action. Hey, it takes some time to come up with something that good! Ok, that is bull as well. It does take time, which I usually do not have a surplus of, plus this week there were so many other fascinating things that went on in the NFL, that I did not have time to devote to it. However, I still really like the idea, so I have decided to save it for the week between the championship games and the Super Bowl. That would be a good week for it, since there will only be three games to talk about then and how much can you really speak about with only four teams in action, and two remaining for the ultimate prize? Don’t answer that, it might give you a headache. For those of you who are impatient, like me, and cannot wait that long to find out the topic, I will happily reveal it. I will do my version of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and look back at the season, and what I said about it, and evaluate my performance. We are all so quick to evaluate those on the field; I think we should be big enough to turn those powerful observations on ourselves. Plus, it will give me a chance to review how I did, and you a chance to laugh at how stupid some of the things that came out of my head really were. See, we all win. Plus, it will save me from writing two articles in a row about the Super Bowl, which really can only be covered in so many ways. So, if you have stuck around this long, heck, why not go the distance? Self effacing humor is straight ahead down the road, and good times will result.

Two other notes to those who love football, its history and some of the great stories of past players, coaches and those who have helped bring and make this the great game we know and love today. First, the NFL is starting to broadcast their much touted new show America’s Game this week. The show is a 40 part series designed to try to do the impossible, answer the question of who is the greatest Super Bowl team of all time. Now, this is a question that will always be debated, no matter who they ultimately choose, because it is hard to compare teams from one era to another. Can you really compare Lombardi’s Packers who lived and died on the power sweep to the Vermeil’s greatest show on turf Rams? No way, two completely different teams, but a great argument nonetheless. What makes this more interesting is each show is an hour long documentary on the winner, with interviews and stories from former players, coaches and executives as they tell the stories of how their team went to the top. This looks to be a great series, and it will be interesting to see who they select as the top team. I feel good because I have 5 chances in 40, and I like those odds. Of course, so does Dallas and San Francisco. Hmmm, that is sub optimal. Nonetheless, it should be great viewing no matter who your favorite team happens to be. For more information, check out this fantastic website they created to support the program. I know I will be tuning in for sure. Might be hard to catch all 40, though, I might have to order the DVDs.

And second, well wishes go out to Bill Walsh, former coach and architect of the 49er’s dynasty of the 80s who is currently battling leukemia. Walsh has apparently responded well to the first round of chemotherapy and will soon begin a second round. We hope the Genius responds well to the treatment and is back to full health soon.

So, this week I could have went 1-15 and been happy because Pittsburgh was that one win. But I did a bit better than that.

Last Week: 9-7
Season to Date: 81-63

Not too shabby, and I even managed to take a few spots on the overall lead. I find it hard to find something to be unhappy about with those results. Although there are a few teams out there that keep burning me, and its driving me nuts and I have no idea what to do with them this week, although I will give it a shot. I would like to collect a few double digit win weeks, since they help my overall standings. Let’s try this week.


Atlanta at Baltimore

Yikes. Atlanta is suddenly letting their season slide away. They were running up a storm, Vick started making passes by running the option and they were looking rather dominant. Now, they slowed their running, are back to trying to turn Vick into a pocket passer, and they can barely score 13 points against Cleveland. Oh, sure, they can light Pittsburgh up for 41, but Cleveland? No way, they are way too tough. And Baltimore, yet again, finds a way to win. I am still not convinced they are good, but merely lucky. I mean come on, if they were really that good, they would not have had that much trouble with an also ran like the Titans. Although they may have a bit of trouble this week, since Ray Lewis is out after having a pocket of blood drained from his back. What a frightening thought. I cannot stand Lewis, but even I hope he recovers and that it is not a sign of a more serious problem. Since Lewis’s impact on the field, in my opinion, is far less than most believe, the defense will probably be just fine. I am going with Baltimore, that way if they win, I win, and if Atlanta pulls one off, well, then I feel really good about taking the loss.

Baltimore over Atlanta


Buffalo at Houston

Do I really have to say something about this game? I do? Oh, man. Ok, fine. It will be played in Reliant Stadium in Houston, which hosted Super Bowl 38. Houston is also the home of the NASA Space program, where mission control is located. Ummm, I think that is the most interesting thing you can say about this game. Oh, it will be slightly more fun than watching paint dry. Ok, in all seriousness, you got me. Both have won only three games thus far, and two of Houston’s wins have been against Jacksonville. However, they have been on the road for the past three straight games, so that might have contributed to the losses. Buffalo has at least won against three different opponents, and played it really tough against Indianapolis, but they also lost on the road to Detroit. I got nothing, so I am going home team.

Houston over Buffalo


Chicago at N.Y. Jets

This is the second week on the road for Chicago and the second week in a row in this stadium too. How did that work out? I hope they got a discount extended stay rate on their hotel accommodations. Both teams won last week, with Chicago winning big over the Giants and the Jets pulling one out in Foxboro. The Jets are playing tough, and Mangini is showing he knows how to get the most out of that roster far better than Herm Edwards did. It seems odd that Herm was more than happy to leave that sinking ship, and then Mangini strolls in, plugs a bunch of leaks and starts steering it in the right direction all while keeping expectations low and packing on the pounds like he is trying to audition as a stunt double for Kevin James. But this week, while I know the home team should be the favorite, but I gotta go Bears. Now, you watch, this week Da Bears will do what I figured they would do last week and drop one they should not while Mangini gets another stellar performance out of Pennington and company. Or perhaps Ditka just wants me to think that. He’s so sly. And yes, before anyone says it, I know Lovie Smith is really the coach. It’s just more fun to say Ditka than Smith, although Lovie is pretty fun to say too.

Chicago over N.Y. Jets


Cincinnati at New Orleans

This should be an interesting game. We have two teams coming off really tough losses last week in explosive games that were scoring fests, with both games going down to the very end. Each team made a few critical errors that ended up costing them a win. And no, I did not mean not playing defense. The question is who will rebound? New Orleans seems the more logical choice. While their defense put up its worst effort of the season last week, their offense kept them in the game and almost pulled their bacon out of the fire. Cincinnati’s offense did the same thing, but their defense is in worse shape by the looks of things. Also, Cincy lost a starter on their offensive line this week, and the spot will be going to a gentleman who will be making his first NFL start. That does not bode well for either the Bungle running game or for their pass protection, and if the Saints have any stones, they will try to exploit it as early and as often as possible. I see the Superdome edge playing a role here as well.

New Orleans over Cincinnati


Minnesota at Miami

Well, the Vikings cannot score a point to save their lives. They had a mediocre team at home last week, and could not get anything going. Now, Miami is a sub mediocre team, but they are playing at home, and as I said above, seem to be getting hot again. Plus, the curse of those crappy new uniforms is coming back to haunt the Vikings. I hate to say this, mainly because they stink, but I have to go with the Dolphins. At least they have been winning lately. One other question, though, about this game. Will Daunte even be on the Miami sidelines for the game? So much for the ballyhooed showdown against his former team.

Miami over Minnesota


New England at Green Bay

Ok, so this is an interesting one to call. Green Bay seems to be having a respectable, if mediocre, season thus far. They currently sit at 4-5, but they really have not beaten anyone of consequence except for Minnesota last week, and whether or not Minnesota is a team of consequence is questionable at best. New England, however, is suffering their first two game losing streak since 2002, and look to have lost that swagger they were developing. Plus, Belichick was clearly out coached in the Indianapolis game. Whether that is a sign of things to come or just a clever ruse, I do not know. But, is it possible they could lose three games in a row? Are all the personnel loses now coming back to haunt them? Can the Old Brett Favre hope to beat the New Joe Montana? Both QBs, and a bunch of other players on both sides of the ball, are a bit banged up. Brett, however, has to contend with a rookie at right tackle, which is very tough. I just do not know about this one. I am really trying to talk myself into the Pack, and they do have a chance since they have been playing somewhat well as of late and are at home in Lambeau. On top of that, Brady, because of his lack of receivers and big playmakers, keeps pressing and trying too hard, much like Favre has over the past few years. And with the way they have been playing, it is painfully obvious that they need a dedicated, and talented, offensive coordinator. If they keep up their penny pinching ways, they may end up wasting some of Brady’s prime years. But, it is the Patriots, and I think the world would stop turning if they actually lost three straight games. I am going with New England, for the same reasons I went with Baltimore. At least I get something out of it no matter who wins.

New England over Green Bay


Oakland at Kansas City

Trent Green, who nearly had his head removed in the first game of the season, is now fully recovered from his severe concussion and will make the start this week versus Oakland. Perfect game to come back to, since Oakland is not that scary, unless you are a team that got shell shocked the week before or a team that cannot hold onto the ball. This will help him get his legs under him in game time action and allow the offense to get acclimated with him again. Good job by Damon Huard to hold the fort and keep the Chiefs in contention during Green’s absence. Good luck Trent. Oh, the game. Hmmm, let’s see, go with the home team whose QB is coming off a 10 week layoff due to injury, or the road team that can barely win a game. It seems like a pretty simple call, especially since even good teams have trouble winning in Arrowhead.

Kansas City over Oakland


Pittsburgh at Cleveland

So, a Cleveland receiver has started some smack talk this week, saying how they were going to chase Pittsburgh’s tail and get back at Pittsburgh for embarrassing the Browns last year at home 41-0 on Christmas Eve. Ok, I can believe that. Cleveland, despite their record, is a tougher team this year with more weapons than last year. Plus, they have pride to play for, and knocking off the champs is always a nice feather in one’s cap. The problem, as I see it, is they are still the Browns, and they are playing the Steelers. So, yeah, looks to me like this one is pretty clear cut. Like it was ever anything but clear cut. Plus, it would seem that my quixotic quest paid off last week, so I best stick with what works.

Pittsburgh over Cleveland


St. Louis at Carolina

St. Louis suffered its second last moment loss to the Seahawks in the last four games last week. And of those four games, they won a total of zero. Now, they have to travel to Carolina, where they meet up with the tough Carolina defense and an offense that struggled through the first three quarters of last week’s game to suddenly turn it on at the end. I know the Rams have a tougher defense than last year, but they still have not been able to beat anyone of consequence, other than Denver in the first week of the season and I think that was more of a fluke for both teams than anything. Yeah, I am not feeling very confident about that Rams bandwagon.

Carolina over St. Louis


Tennessee at Philadelphia

Tennessee almost pulled off the upset last week and vanquished the mighty Ravens. I would have happily taken that loss, but they had their last second field goal blocked. Now, they have to travel to Philadelphia, who found their mojo during their week off and pasted division rival Washington last week. Mind you, Vince Young is far more mobile than Mark Brunell, so he could give the Philly defense some fits. But I doubt enough that they should blow this game. Philly will use this as a nice tune up for next week’s big showdown versus Indianapolis. They should win this handily, as long as they do not get distracted by looking ahead on the schedule.

Philadelphia over Tennessee


Washington at Tampa Bay

So Gibbs has finally acquiesced and will be starting the much heralded Jason Campbell over Brunell this week. I think we can officially say now that the Redskins season is over. If they are taking the time to look at the youngster behind the controls, then they are expecting to go nowhere this season. This is one of those tough games to call, because normally, I would just say, oh, the Bucs are at home, and the Skins are in the toilet so it’s a pretty easy call. But sometimes teams get a jump with new blood in the lineup, so this could be a trap. It worked briefly for Tampa Bay with their rookie QB, why cannot it work with Washington and Campbell? It could happen. Although, without Portis for the rest of the season, it is highly doubtful. However, last year, Washington beat Tampa at home on their field in the playoffs. Wait, these two teams were in the playoffs last year? Amazing what you do not notice when you are busy watching a historic Super Bowl run. Anyway, in a season lost, I am sure the Bucs would like some revenge and to earn, at least for one game, a modicum of respect.

Tampa Bay over Washington


Detroit at Arizona

Are you serious? These two? I really have to pick one to win? Oh come on! Fine. Ok, let’s see here. Arizona sucks, and bad. I said earlier that I doubt they would win another game this season. Detroit sucks almost as bad and has barely won two games this season. We have three wins between the participants in this game. Woo hoo. In recent years, about the only team that Detroit could beat is Arizona. And honestly, after their collapse against Da Bears, I cannot, in good conscience, pick the Cardinals. They are even more of a mess right now than the Lions, and that is saying something. At least the Lions beat one team with a winning record this season.

Detroit over Arizona


Seattle at San Francisco

This game could mark the possible return of Hasselbeck and Alexander to the Seahawks lineup. Although at this is what the Seahawks are hoping for, either or both may be a game time decision as of right now. It is a good return game for both, since the Hawks have owned the 49ers as of late, winning the last six games they have played against them. However, the Santa Clara 49ers, sorry I could not resist, are looking for their first three game winning streak since the 2002 season. This would be a better game for Hasselbeck and Alexander to return if it was in the confines of Qwest field, but I guess you cannot have everything. The 49ers have history on their side, with coach Mike Nolan sporting the suit this week on the sidelines, bringing back the well dressed coach in charge look. While that does bode well for the 49ers, I think the Seahawks will take care of business.

Seattle over San Francisco


Indianapolis at Dallas

Ok, now we have two potential games of the week, this being Potential game of the week one. Indy, still undefeated, traveling to Big D to take on the Cowboys, who have been performing better with new QB Tony Romo. This is Indy’s third NFC East opponent so far this year, with the last being Philly next week. Will Dallas end their run? Doubtful. They have not beaten anyone of consequence and Indianapolis, while not blowing people away; have always managed to get the job done. I am sure at some point they will stumble, but I do not see it this week in Dallas.

Indianapolis over Dallas


San Diego at Denver

Here is potential game of the week number two, and this one is a doozy. They moved this one to Sunday night with the new flex scheduling, and for good reason. Both teams are tied atop the AFC West, and the winner of this game will give themselves a huge advantage toward claiming the division. Denver has history on its side, winning 10 of the last 11 games against the Chargers at Invesco Field, with the Chargers having an all time record in Denver of 11-34-1. But, these are not your average Chargers, they are the Super Chargers. They blew up Cincinnati last week, crunching them with 42 second half points in a thrilling 49-41 victory. However, the Denver defense is more than a hair better than the Bengals D, and they might play a role in making this one a bit closer. Their defense will need to, since their offense seems to have trouble making things happen, only posting up 17 points on lowly Oakland. But were they doing just enough to win, keeping their cards close to their vest in anticipation of this week’s game? The Chargers, on defense, are hurting, with their linebacking corps decimated from injury and suspensions. That could play a big role in Denver’s passing and rushing attacks. This will be a good one, with Denver putting a stop to all this Charger nonsense.

Denver over San Diego


N.Y. Giants at Jacksonville

Hmmm, interesting a match up on Monday Night that is at least somewhat intriguing, although compared to the Sunday night game, it pales in comparison. Tom Coughlin returns to Jacksonville, where he was the first coach in team history, in hopes of beating his old charge. The Giants let me down big time last week, but that may have been in part to the ridiculous number of injuries they have, and very key ones to boot. Jacksonville has one as well, with Leftwich looking at having season ending surgery on his ankle. But Garrard is at least a capable backup. I really don’t know, Jacksonville is a tough team, but then again they lost twice to Houston. Go figure. The Giants are as well, but they have lost a primary target in Toomer, and their defense is reeling. Either way, the game will be overshadowed by the annoyance of the announcers, the ridiculous guests during the second and now third quarters, and the sub par production values. Monday night letdown indeed.

Jacksonville over N.Y. Giants