Week 8 Judgements: Why wait? Let's award the Lombardi next Sunday
1. If the NFL can move the regular season to London, it can move the Super Bowl to November. And it just did. Because that's what next Sunday's Patriots-Colts game is. Forget about the NFC. It doesn't matter, and New England and Indianapolis just reminded us. They just torched two of the conference's top clubs by a combined score of 83-14. Uh-huh, the Colts and Pats are that much better than everyone.
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| Who can possibly stop New England's offense? Believe it or not, it could be Indianapolis. (Getty Images) |
3. Pardon me, but there's something you should remember about the Colts. While they have Peyton Manning, they also have a defense that surrendered 14 points in two weeks against teams that were 8-3 ... and 28 points the past three games to teams that were a combined 11-4. I never thought I would say this, but if there's something that impresses me about these Colts season, it's how physical they've become.
4. That, folks, is not how you create interest in the NFL overseas.
5. Brady is the midseason MVP. Peyton Manning is second. So who's third? Give me Cleveland's Derek Anderson. All the guy has done is throw 17 TD passes and lead the Browns to as many wins this season (four) as they had last.
6. This is why passer ratings are overrated: The Tennessee Titans' Vince Young ranks among the league's bottom feeders when it comes to quarterback numbers. Except this one: Wins. All Young has done is win 10 of his past 13 starts. I keep saying it, and I'll say it again: Not a great quarterback; a great leader.
7. New England's Mike Vrabel scores a touchdown, has three sacks and forces three fumbles. Any chance he can be the AFC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week?
8. When Chicago wonders why it didn't repeat as division champion remember this: Of Brian Griese's seven interceptions in two losses to Detroit, three were in the end zone, a fourth was at the Lions 1-yard line, a fifth was at Detroit's 4 and a sixth was returned for a touchdown. Yeah, I would say it's time for Chicago to look for another quarterback in the 2008 draft.
9. There is nobody worse than St. Louis, and I'm not talking about the Rams' winless record. I'm talking about their record of guarantees. The way I see it, Randy McMichael, Steven Jackson and Isaac Bruce are forbidden from dressing as Nostradamus on Halloween. Oh, and remind me not to consult them for predictions on Indy-New England.
  Who will win Nov. 4 in Indy? Colts Patriots Total Votes: 86,691 |
10. Hard to believe, but Cincinnati's Carson Palmer is third in touchdown passes in the AFC North. Anderson and Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger each have more.
11. No, I don't think the Eagles will press Dallas or the Giants in the NFC East, but this is why I would be careful before burying them: There is no one better at overcoming adversity. They won two division titles without Donovan McNabb. They won the NFC Championship Game without Terrell Owens. They were 5-6 a year ago and went on to win the division. It's always something with these guys, and as long as Brian Westbrook is in there with McNabb, they should not be undersold.
12. Al Davis, move over. If New England wins another Super Bowl, the Dolphins' Randy Mueller can be measured for a ring, too. He's the genius who traded Wes Welker to New England. It's bad enough to deal him within the division, but to deal him to the division champ? I would like an explanation.
13. Memo to Dan Snyder: Find a wide receiver by next year. Buy him. Draft him. Rent him. I don't care. Just find him. In case you haven't noticed, the Redskins' wide receivers haven't scored this year.
