The Crystal Ball Week 2

Brady injured in the 1st quarter, and now will be out for the season with a severe knee injury. September 7th officially to be known as Black Sunday. Peter King is inconsolable and Bill Simmons placed on suicide watch.


Opening Kickoff

What is the only story that could happen big enough to divert attention from BRETT FAVRE’S FIRST START AS A NEW YORK JET? (Yes, officially such Brett related milestones must be screamed from now on.) Tom Brady gets his knee wrecked and is on the shelf for the season. That’s it, that’s the only thing bigger.

My initial reaction? I won’t lie, I giggled like a school girl. Finally that arrogant jerk got some karmic payback, and more importantly, so did that cheating nimrod Belichick. Oh, I savored it for about two days, and laughed when they replayed the hit and got all fired up when you started seeing Patriot players alluding that the hit might have been dirty. I mean, can Rodney Harrison really sit on a soap box and comment on the dirtiness of any player? That man has more dirty hits in his past than a mob enforcer.

Plus I got to be driven to distraction by the Chicken Little screaming from sportswriters coast to coast, some who reacted in such a way you’d think Armageddon had hit. Take Peter King, for instance, in his Monday column.


Brady is everything you'd want in a football player. The work ethic, the leadership, greatness under pressure, focus on team before anything else, the poster-boy aspect ... And to have that snuffed out takes away so much of what everyone looks forward to all offseason.


Yes Peter we know Tom is the ONLY player that embodies those qualities. You did forget a few qualities though. The arrogance, the attitude, the smirking, smarmy comments regarding his opponents, you know the other men who constitute the National Football League. And you know what comments I am referring to, like for instance the comments scoffing the Giants and how many points they would allow the Patriots, the ones that got the Giants oh so fired up before the Super Bowl. But Peter went on, and I started to agree.


The entire AFC was looking forward to knocking the Patriots off, the TV networks had the usual number of big New England appearances, and the Patriots were a great draw, love 'em or hate 'em. Now, poof. It's gone.


No way could I argue with that. I personally was looking forward to a little payback from the drubbing Brady and Company laid on us last year.

But then as I learned more about his injury, and what’s to come, a tiny little flicker of pity started to form. I mean, he tore both his ACL and MCL. He has to wait until next month for surgery and after that he has 6-9 months of rehabilitation to go. It will be some time before he’s right enough to even walk normally again. That’s a tough road to hoe.

But then I saw the one thing, and only thing, that could actually make me feel bad for Tom Brady. Watching one replay of the hit, they showed footage of Tom lying on the turf with trainers hovering around him and checking his injury. The shot was a long body shot, with Brady’s feet at the bottom of the screen and his head at the top. I’m sure you have seen it. Well, as the trainers are looking at his knee, Brady’s head is raised up from the turf and watching the proceedings, and I saw something in his eyes I’ve never seen before. I saw fear.

For the first time since he exploded onto the NFL landscape, I saw fear in the eyes of Tom Brady. He had the look of a man who, for the first time ever, realized he’s human, with human frailties, and that he can be stopped. And it looked like that realization scared the tar out of him. That realization may be far more damaging than a knee injury. He now will face something he has never had to when it comes to his body, talent and abilities, the unknown. At that moment, I had sympathy for Tom Brady, and still do.

As for Belichick and those insufferable Patriots fans, they can cram it with walnuts.

But in the first day or two afterwards, I wondered as well could all this possibly be a sham? Hang with me for a minute and let’s look at things like conspiracy theorist numero uno Dale Gribble.

Commissioner Goodell finds evidence after Week 1 last season that the Patriots did cheat in their first Super Bowl. This information would obviously be devastating to the league. It would change the face of 3 seasons of the NFL, and put a permanent stain on pro football, one worse than Black Sox 8 scandal. There’s no way to change history without permanently destroying what football built. Goodell needs a way out.

So he, with the NFL brain trust, concocts a plan to create the ultimate football villains, the New England Patriots. By creating this “villain” the league can get all fans, diehard and casual, onto the side of the NFL and against the Patriots, creating a target for each team to hit, driving up ratings as everyone wants to see the Patriots get their comeuppance, and providing a nice distraction as to what exactly was on those quickly destroyed tapes.

So each week the Patriots get fed information on their opponent, what they do and don’t do who is healthy and who is not and the best ways to defeat them. They go on an historic winning streak, all the way to the Super Bowl. There, they are instructed to “lose”. Not outright, make it a game, but they must ultimately “lose” for the good of the NFL. Suddenly in the biggest game of the season every previously noted strength the Patriots touted became their weakness. Offensive line, quarterback and running game look rather pedestrian. Their all pro defensive backs “miss” interceptions and tackles. The Giants prevail, to much rejoicing as casual fans, die hards and the anti-Patriot base had been rooting for good to triumph “evil”

The new season looms, and the Patriots are ready to get back on track, but Goodell knows it is not over and one more punishment is needed. The Patriots must struggle this season to put the entire mess in the rear view mirror. So Brady is instructed to “go down” with an injury. If the Pats want to get back, they need to do it without Tom Terrific. They need to do it as a true underdog, in such a way that even the most vehement of haters could respect. This move creates much rejoicing once again, and the fans strongly bond with the NFL knowing karma has come back to bite those who embody bad sportsmanship. Now Goodell knows its risky putting the league’s biggest star on the bench, especially in a league based on the East Coast, but he took care of any potential media fall off already by “approving” the trade of the league’s greatest active quarterback to a New York based team. Everyone wins, and now Goodell only has to worry about is a new collective bargaining agreement and what to do about the Raider problem.

Too far fetched? I thought so too once I saw how Brady’s knee bent. But stranger things have happened…..


Recap

Wow, what a rough week to start the season. How many devastating injuries were there other than Brady? Nary had a team escaped week 1 without some major injury issue. Injury reports this week read like a Pro Bowl roster. Fantasy teams scrambled to regroup.

I just knew I’d pick the Cincy/Baltimore game wrong no matter who I went with. But the Ravens might actually have a decent quarterback for a change. The only thing I’d change is letting him run. I’ve seen defensive linemen run faster than Flacco. I haven’t seen a quarterback run that slow and awkward since Roethlisberger’s last scramble.

But disaster did not limit itself to players, teams felt it. Potential favorites fell by the way side in batches. The Colts, Jaguars and Chargers all lost in games they were favored.

Did I not tell you the neck beard rules all? Even I doubted its power by siding with the Colts in week 1. But the proof is obviously in the pudding. Nice game Orton.

I know Shanahan takes personal pleasure in sticking it to Al Davis and the Raiders, but did anyone else think he was being ridiculously foolish playing Jay Cutler in the 4th quarter? Did he see the Patriots game Sunday?

San Diego at home, crowd roaring, time waning and the Panthers march down the field to score the winning touchdown as the clock ticks to zero. Yup, Norv Turner is a brilliant coach. I know that failure falls to the players and defensive coordinator, but the team always is an imprint of their head coach. And their head coach does not know how to go for the kill.

I’ll give Shawne Merriman this much. He went out there for one week and realized he’s not the player he is healthy, wised up fast and opted for the surgery before doing irreparable damage. Now I’m behind his decision making. Here’s to a speedy, and roid free, recovery.

Jeff Saturday, on the other hand, may be playing with fire. I’m a big fan of Saturday, as I always have a soft spot for offensive linemen. And the Colts line needs some serious help right now. But I hope Jeff’s not rushing things by attempting to play this week. Think it through Jeff, for your sake.

Seeing Brett Favre in action for the Jets was not as weird as I thought. The strange part was watching him jump into the arms of Alan Faneca in celebration of a touchdown.

Hmmm, that Aaron Rodgers kid might do alright. Shaky start, but I figured once he had some early success, he’d feel his oats, the defense would take over and Ryan Grant would add the finishing touches. I must be Nostradamus.

Eddie Royal had a spectacular coming out party and a fabulous performance that no one but prisons and Bronco fans saw. Speaking of fantasy football, how many waiver wires lit up this week to grab this season’s Marques Colston?


The Steel Pit

I thought the Texans were going to surprise us. I read they were going to run all over our defense. I heard they were going to beat Pittsburgh 27-17. Did I miss the game? Cause that ain’t what I saw!

Pittsburgh engaged a football clinic Sunday, putting forth a thoroughly dominating performance in all facets of the game. The offense looked sharp from the beginning, and even with Ben jumping up gimpy at one point, he looked strong in going 13-14 for 137 yards throwing 1 touchdown and running for a second. Thanks to a stellar performance, Willie Parker now has 50% more touchdowns this season than last season. And Hines Ward, well, he was Hines Ward. That’s all you really need to say.

The maligned offensive line looked strong, giving up only 2 sacks all game in the face of fierce Mario Williams. Not too shabby when you consider this particular unit has only been playing together for a few weeks. Imagine what they could do once they gel and get to know each other better.

The defense was nothing but a force of nature. Multiple sacks, quarterback pressures and passes defended mixed in with a ferocious run defense that shut down Houston while they harassed Matt Schaub all afternoon. Troy Polamalu nabbed his first interception in far too long, and LaMarr Woodley grabbed his first of his career. I saw his potential last year, now everyone will see it this year.

My dad tried to convince me last year after the Steelers hired Tomlin that Pittsburgh would shift from the 3-4 defensive scheme to the 4-3 in a few years. Tomlin has worked with the 4-3 his entire career and obviously is a fan of that setup. My opinion was that while that may happen one day, it would be a ways off, since they have the personnel now for the 3-4 and the best coach in the league to run it. I am more convinced than ever after Sunday that any shift in scheme will not happen for a long time, especially when you have linebackers like Woodley and Timmons tearing through opposing offenses.

Even special teams chipped in nicely. Jeff Reed as typical got the job done on extra points and added a field goal, only missing a crazy 60 yard attempt at halftime. He kept the kickoffs away from their speedy return specialist, and our new punter Mitch Berger kept pinning the Texan offense deep all day and allowing the pursuit units time to get downfield and stop any potential returns.

I thought the game was a completely dominating performance, and many initial questions about this year’s squad were answered early and emphatically. If I had one complaint, it would be letting off the gas at the end. Yeah, the game was never in question, and no there is no need for humiliation of an opponent. That’s why we went to Leftwich time in the 4th quarter. Hmmm, it's still not as fun to say as we are on Charlie Batch time. But letting Houston score twice in the fourth quarter just did not feel right. Come on second team defense, I know you can shut teams down.


NFL The Alternative Universe

Like many, I was so excited to see Ocho Cinco stroll onto the field Sunday, and like many I was so disappointed to see him wearing C. Johnson. Per the NFL and Reebok, 85 cannot wear a new jersey until who pays for the production costs for the old C. Johnson jerseys have been determined. In the past, this cost has been passed on to the player, and for Chad, this could mean around $500,000.

What a crock. You know as well as I do they could just replace the name plate on many of them. This is just a stall tactic to avoid what no one in league offices wants to see. Chad walking out on Sunday with Ocho Cinco on his jersey and the first step toward XFL-ization of the league is underway. Free Ocho Cinco!

According to a U.S. appeals court, the family of legendary NFL announcer John Facenda can sue NFL films for misuse of Mr. Facenda’s voice. NFL films used a small snippet of the late Facenda’s voice for a show about Madden Football, and Facenda’s contract had specifically stated no use of his voice for commercial endorsements. Frozen tundra indeed.

How about the strange trip this week of Vince Young? So Young goes to the bench after a pick and stays there. Later he returns to the game but leaves again shortly thereafter. We find out afterward he’s hurt and will be out. He has an MRI scheduled, but never shows up. The Titans can’t find him, and call the cops. Turns out, he’s at a friends eating wings and watching MNF. Ok, strange. But then his mom speaks up to say he doesn’t want to play football, there’s too much negativity and he’s hurting inside and out. Later in the week, Vince say’s he’s ok, was never depressed and just needed to regroup. I think Titan fans are douche bags for booing Young, I mean he’s not doing stellar right now but he’s better than Brodie Croyle. And he’s much better for the future of Tennessee football than Kerry Collins. But come on Vince, man up. You work in a profession where you are in the public eye and thus face public scrutiny. Negativity comes with the territory. You don’t like what people say? Take that chip, put it firmly on your shoulder and hit the field. You are a professional, nut up. Life is hard, no matter what you do.

And Mrs. Johnson, Larry is not misunderstood. He’s an idiot. How else can you explain the actions of a man who acts as though he’s some bad ass who grew up in State College Pennsylvania? Maybe this is what’s wrong with our country. When we face adversity, we run home to mama. Why didn’t I think of that solution years ago?

You know the commercial on the NFL Network for the DVDs of America’s game? You know the one with Singletary, Elway, Cowher and Namath? Sure you do, they run it about 10,000 times a week. I’ve gotten to the point where I can recite it, word for word, with my eyes closed only going by the music cues to know when to start each speech. Either NFLN needs a new commercial, or I need to get out of the house more. I fear it’s both.


Upon Further Review

You can tell everything you need to know about the remaining NFL season just from what you saw in week 1. Seriously, it’s true. If you believe all the talking heads dissecting last week’s action, you need not watch the remaining 15 games. But before Colts, Pats and Jax fans cancel February travel plans, and way before Bills and Saints fans begin booking them let’s all take a deep breath and relax. The season is full of highs and lows, and the fortunes of every team ebb and flow from September to January. Except for the Raiders, those fortunes are on permanent ebb. And while we’re at it why don’t we debunk a few things that have been yakked about since the final snap of week 1. And remember, my one caveat for everything that follows is this: It’s only week 1.

Shift in balance of power between AFC and NFC – This might have some validity. There were 4 AFC/NFC matchups last weekend and the NFC took 3 of 4 with none of them close including the Bears wrecking AFC favorite Indianapolis. If there is a shift in power, most of it has landed in the NFC East.

New power balance in AFC – Ok, I love this one, because everyone is pointing their finger at the new proposed king of the hill, Pittsburgh. But honestly, let’s take a breath first. The Colts had a rough start, but they’re still the Colts. San Diego allowed a last second touchdown, it happens. And despite the loss of Brady, the Pats still won.

Philly back – Maybe, kinda, possibly. McNabb was on fire, even without Kevin Curtis in the line up. They looked strong and ready to reclaim their division. But come on, they beat up on the rapidly sinking Rams. They would have had better competition if they played the East Carolina Pirates.

San Diego done – No more than they were before week 1. Sure Merriman’s out and Tomlinson’s dinged up, but they’ll still be competitive. How can you not be in a division with the Chiefs and Raiders? Will they go to the Super Bowl? No, but they weren’t before. Everyone thought they might but kept ignoring one important fact: Head Coach Norv Turner.

Patriots done – Possibly, but not because they lost Tom. Look, we’ve all seen Belichick scheme and plan, and don’t you think he has worked on contingency plans in case he loses his meal ticket? I do. No, what will really kill the Patriots is the combination platter of disasters. Losing Brady is bad, but not insurmountable. Losing Brady and combining it with an aging linebacking corps, a patchwork secondary and a shaky offensive line that seems to have lost all confidence since being overrun in February will be too much to handle. The Patriots may end their season with no playoffs, but all blame will not fall on Brady’s knee.

Jaguars done – Oh, this might be the truth. They lost their best defensive lineman to Buffalo in the offseason. Then after the first week of the season they find themselves short up front on both sides of the ball, especially offense with 4 of their top 9 offensive linemen now on injured reserve. If they have no one to protect Garrard or plow the lane for Taylor and Jones-Drew, they’re screwed.

Seahawks done – not necessarily. Yes, they looked horrible against the Bills. But two things to remember: 1) they still have to figure out how to get the running game going. If they can jump start their backs it will help the offense go. 2) Their top 4 receivers are hurt right now, and Hasselbeck’s banged up. Once they heal, the offense will too. And in the NFC West, 8-8 could take it.

Jets the new AFC East powerhouse – Yes they looked good, and Favre was just MAGICAL. But remember two things. 1, they beat the Dolphins who lit nothing on fire last year. And 2, they needed an end of the game end zone interception to finish off Miami. Does not sound like world beaters to me.

Football is a violent game – duh. Brady and Vince Young go down. Roethlisberger and Romo get nicked up. Garcia is out this week. Nate Burleson and Jax guard Vince Manuwai tore their ACLs. Marques Colston is out 4-6 weeks after having a ligament in his thumb reattached. I’m debunking nothing here, just pointing out a sobering fact.

Broncos back – Quite literally, hold your horses. Yes I agree they looked sharp and prepared, and Eddie Royal looks like the real deal. But come on, they beat the Raiders. I know a few sandlot teams that could do that.

Titans back – I’m keeping the jury out until I see Vince Young back and doing something good. But Chris Johnson sure lit the world on fire. Boy, Kerry Collins is like a bad penny, he just keeps turning up. I wonder if he’s inspired by Nittany Lions resurgence.

Browns in trouble – Could be. Their defensive line could not get the kind of pressure on Romo the team had hoped, their secondary looks paper thin and Derek Anderson could get nothing going. And it never helps give your team confidence when they allowed Tony Romo enough time in the pocket to text Jessica all afternoon about their dinner plans this week. Depending on what they do Sunday night, it could be a very long season for the Browns.

Bears back – its one game. But the neck beard did rule all. And stop calling Kyle Orton a game manager. Why is that such a derogatory statement? If a game manager is all he is, then all he managed to do was win the game, on the road, against the Colts, in their new stadium. I’ll take that kind of game management any day of the week.


Football 101

This week we briefly explain and illuminate something not often seen but something that showed up in the Packers versus Vikings tilt. During an extra point, the referees called a leverage penalty. So what exactly is leverage?

The NFL rulebook, 2006 version as that is the most recent I could grab I’m not very connected, defines leverage as follows:

Jumping or standing on a teammate or opponent to block or attempt to block an opponent’s kick.

Placing a hand or hands on a teammate or opponent to gain additional height in the block or attempt to block an opponent’s kick.

Being picked up by a teammate in a block or an attempt to block an opponent’s kick.

When does this happen? On field goal and extra point attempts.

Who gets this penalty? The defending team, while they work to find a way to curtail the efforts of the offensive, or kicking, team.

What does this rule mean? Basically it boils down to this, if you want to block a kick, go for it. But do not use your teammates or opponents as risers or get someone to help you into the path of the ball. If this rule were not in place, we’d see 6’ 7” or taller guys jumping on the backs of down linemen in order to block kicks every week. It does not often happen, but the next time you hear a penalty called for leverage, you’ll know what it means and why. Save this nugget to impress friends and wow relatives.


Idiot of the week

This week we dishonor multiple 2007 winner Joe Buck. Mind you I am far from surprised he showed up, but I am surprised he grabbed the mantle so early. During the Cowboys/Browns affair, Buck early on went into a story regarding new Cowboy Adam Jones and his desire to no longer be referred to by his nickname Pacman. After this interesting, and already long over reported story, Joe continued calling him Adam Pacman Jones or sometimes just Pacman Jones. I know announcers have trouble with the curve balls certain players throw at them and lately that statement refers to one Chad Ocho Cinco. But it takes more time and trouble to go out of your way to call the man Pacman than not. Buck, once again you are an idiot. Welcome to 2008.

The runner up was Peter King. Sure, you could say it would be for his fawning of Brady, but I found this nugget tucked into his Monday column that drove me bonkers.


Enjoyable/Aggravating Travel Note of the Week - Sometimes I forget the things that annoy me on the road, and Saturday, at an NBC rehearsal for the 2008 TV season, Bob Costas reminded me of one.

At hotels now -- and this has been happening for four or five years -- when you order room service, the male or female waiter who comes to the door always asks: "May I come in?''

Which prompted Costas, coming off a month in a hotel in Beijing, to say: "May I come in?! No! I'll eat the meal in the hallway! What do you mean, 'May I come in?' ''

Good point, Bobby.

Wow Peter that is good point. How awful and annoying it is to have hotel staff act polite and courteous to their guests. How terrible it is that said staff be respectful enough to ask hotel patrons for permission before entering their room, making sure they are ready to receive guests instead of just barging right in. Wow that really sucks.

This man needs some real problems about which to complain.


On Tap This Week

We sullied our pristine record from week one.

Last week 10-6
Season to date 10-6

Not too bad, a fairly solid start for the opening of the season. But much more than solid will be needed for week two, as there are some great matchups already and some tough calls to be made. Without further ado…


Sunday

Green Bay (1-0) at Detroit (0-1)

Let’s see, Aaron Rodgers got to feel the joy of a Lambeau Leap, while Kitna and crew lost to a rookie coach starting a rookie left tackle and a rookie quarterback in week one. I had a Lion fan tell me last week, in the middle of their debacle, that he would never pick the Lions to win, he’s a realist. Now doesn’t that tell you everything you need to know?

Packers over Lions


Oakland (0-1) at Kansas City (0-1)

Wow, Javon Walker really made a difference in that offense. I feel bad for JaMarcus Russell. He really could be a good quarterback. But by the time anyone comes along to save him, he’ll have become so acclimated to losing he will not know anything else in life. The only people watching will be KC fans excited about one of their 4 wins this year.

Chiefs over Raiders


New York Giants (1-0) at St. Louis (0-1)

Be prepared for the Giants to put forth another snoozer. 10 bucks says they’re sleepwalking through this one, much like they did against Washington, by halftime. Linehan spends the second half working on his resume. It’s never too early to start.

Giants over Rams


Indianapolis (0-1) at Minnesota (0-1)

The Colts did not look good at all. Obviously, Peyton needs 4 weeks of preseason to get his timing down. And their lines looked bad as well. Still, I’d take Peyton over Tarvaris Jackson any day. Adrian Peterson could have a huge day, and if it’s big enough, never mind anything I said.

Colts over Vikings


Tennessee (1-0) at Cincinnati (0-1)

The Bungles will not win a game until the NFL and Reebok relent and allow 85 to wear his Ocho Cinco jersey. Or until they get better protection, Palmer plays better, Chad’s ouchy shoulder heals and they actually get a real defense. Whichever comes first.

Titans over Bengals


New Orleans (1-0) at Washington (1-0)

Ok, maybe the Saints got something going on. I’m still not buying it, and I do not see a real test this week. Woof.

Saints over Redskins


Chicago (1-0) at Carolina (1-0)

Nope. Not again. I doubted the Neck Beard once, and I will not make the same mistake again. Plus, Carolina would be opening at home 0-1 if it weren’t for some crappy coaching on San Diego’s part.

Bears over Panthers


Buffalo (1-0) at Jacksonville (0-1)

Oooooh, our first real question mark and our first really tough pick. Is Buffalo that good? Are the Jaguars that bad? I have no idea, but I know they are that banged up. Inspired to win at home will mean nothing.

Bills over Jaguars


San Francisco (0-1) at Seattle (0-1)

Yikes, this is a tough call too, but only because you have to wonder who’s the worse team. Hmmm, I guess we could say the noise at Qwest Field rattles J.T. O’Sullivan. Sure, why not.

Seahawks over 49ers


Atlanta (1-0) at Tampa Bay (0-1)

Matt Ryan did a nice job last week. But now the real test, how does he respond to a hostile crowd? I say not as nice. If the Bucs lose this, though, no more benefits of the doubt.

Buccaneers over Falcons


New England (1-0) at New York Jets (1-0)

I’ve heard the angle that this week the Jets will be able to exact their revenge for Spygate. Yeah, except that a significant portion of their team (read starters) played elsewhere last season and could give two snots about the Mangini/Belichick rivalry. But I’m a sucker for such things, and the Jets owe me for going with them in week 1 last season.

Jets over Patriots


Miami (0-1) at Arizona (1-0)

Ok, Miami has a bit of moxie for a change. But I still like Whisenhunt to harass Pennington all day long. Either with his defense or by himself, he seems intense enough that he’d find a way to get after Chad.

Whis – “Hey Chad, MAC quarterbacks suck, trust me I almost lost a Super Bowl because of one!”

Whis – “Hey Chad, Leftwich is playing mop up duty in Pittsburgh, and he’s still the better quarterback to come out of Marshall!”

Whis – “Hey Chad, is that your passing arm or a wet noodle?”

Chad – quietly sobs

Cardinals over Dolphins


San Diego (0-1) at Denver (1-0)

Ok, now we’ll get a real idea of how good the Broncos may be. Sure, a win here does not a season make, but it certainly puts them off to a good start. And we’ve all seen how the Norv Turner-led Bolts do not excel in September.

Broncos over Chargers


Pittsburgh (1-0) at Cleveland (0-1)

Hang on to your hats kids, a big prime time game with division and conference ramifications all over it! Can the Browns defensive line get through the rebuilt Steelers offensive line and harangue Roethlisberger? Will Big Ben be able to pick apart their secondary? Can Derek Anderson do anything against a resurgent and stifling Pittsburgh defense? The winner gets early dibs on the AFC North. If Pittsburgh is for real, this will go a long way toward starting talk about AFC domination, and backing up that chatter.

Steelers over Browns


Monday

Philadelphia (1-0) at Dallas (1-0)

Hang on to your hats kids, a big prime time game with division and conference ramifications all over it! Wait, didn’t we just have that last night? Oooooh, a prime time double dip of goodness two nights in a row, how'd we as fans get so lucky? Now we’ll see how good Philly really is. Beating up on the lowly Rams at home is one thing. Beating the Boys in their house is something completely different.

Cowboys over Eagles


Baltimore (1-0) at Houston (0-1)

Due to the impending Hurricane Ike, the NFL moved this game to Monday night. Good luck to all of you in the Houston area, and stay safe. Hopefully Ike will be a tike and not a tiger. As for the game, as I’m sure many Houstonians will need the distraction, eh, I cannot say I feel good about their chances. I mean, Baltimore knows how to beat up crappy teams, and I think many players might be a tad distracted, for obvious reasons.

Ravens over Texans