Gosh, Josh was right: Broncos are for real
McDaniels beats Belichick, Patriots in benchmark game for new coach
Re-think the MVP
Do me a favor. Start considering Carson Palmer for MVP. It doesn’t just have to go to the guy with the best passing stats or rushing numbers. Give it to the guy who makes the biggest difference to his team like Chad Pennington did for the Dolphins last year.
And we’re not just talking about the lasered TD throw to Andre Caldwell. The play that made that play possible came with 1:47 left and the Bengals facing fourth-and-1. That’s when Palmer scrambled for a first down just as he did two weeks ago in the comeback win over Pittsburgh. The Bengals are now 8 of 9 on fourth down this season.
And while we’re talking up Carson Palmer for MVP, let’s throw some early support behind Jared Allen for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Six days after bringing the Packers offensive line to the verge of tears with 4.5 sacks, the Vikings defensive end recovered a pair of fumbles, returning one for a touchdown in the Vikings beatdown of St. Louis.
Is it hot in here?
If you have any large-sized boxes, go ahead and send them to Jim Zorn and Dick Jauron. Both men’s coaching fates were likely sealed by their team’s performances on Sunday.
Buffalo followed up last week’s 38-10 loss to the previously winless Dolphins with a 6-3 home loss to the previously winless Browns. They committed 13 penalties, nine in the first half. And they lost to a Browns team which saw quarterback Derek Anderson go 2 for 17 for 23 yards with an interception. Mind-bogglin gly bad statistics. The Browns special teams coverage groups were amazing, pinning the Bills on their 1-yard line twice and also the 4, the 13 and the 17.
Yes, that Cedric Benson
The Reinvention of Cedric Benson continues. He carried 27 times for 120 yards becoming the first back to go over 100 yards rushing against Baltimore in more than 20 games. But the running back play of the day went to Baltimore’s Ray Rice.
He took a short swing pass, got spun to the ground but did the tripod move and stayed up before accelerating for a 48-yard score. Rice reminds me a ton of Maurice Jones-Drew. Kinda like MJD Lite.
The Russell ship is still sinking
You could build pull a battleship up alongside JaMarcus Russell as he stands in the pocket and he wouldn’t notice it. He’s got the pocket presence of a lamp post.
It was 21-0, Giants, when Russell got strip-sacked for a touchdown with 12:37 remaining in the half. As CBS analyst Dan Dierdorf said, “You think, ‘Can it possibly get worse for the Raiders?’ And apparently it can!” Nadir? Hardly. Not while the chance that Tom Cable’s very large head will fill up the back window of a Napa Valley Police Department squad car still out there.
Steeler stress
Pittsburgh got to 3-2 but it’s hard to imagine Mike Tomlin’s going to be close to satisfied with the 28-20 win at Detroit. The Steelers’ inability to close out games against Chicago, Cincinnati and San Diego came back again against the Lions.
After going up 28-13 halfway through the third quarter, the Steelers picked up two first downs the rest of the way. Which meant the Lions had chance after chance to get back into it, which they did, drawing within eight with five minutes left then penetrating as deep as the Pittsburgh 21 in the final minute before coming up short.
Re-do in Oakland? Anyone?
Daunte Culpepper went 23 for 37 for 282 yards with a touchdown and a pick. Wonder if the Raiders could use a quarterback like him?
Three favorite analyst observations…
1. CBS’ Don Criqui proclaiming Josh Cribbs as “the greatest Brown of this era.” That and two bucks will get you a cup of coffee.
2. FOX’s Troy Aikman wondering how Ron Winter missed Kansas City’s John McGraw bonking Tony Romo in his head with his helmet. “I don’t know how Ron Winters missed that. It was not only helmet-to-helmet but he lowered his head. That’s a pretty easy call especially when that’s all the referee does is watch the quarterback. There’s no excuse for missing that one.” (And Winters was the ref last week in New England).
3. “Mike Sellers is just skating along the goal line. You can’t move laterally on the goal line!” said FOX analyst Brian Billick when Sellers, the Redskins fullback, failed to get any upfield push and Clinton Portis got swarmed under for a safety. Wonder how Sellers and Portis will get along this week.
 | Quick look at Week 9 games |
Byes: Bills, Browns, Raiders, Rams, Vikings, Jets |
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