Week 8 Judgements: Week after week, Jets aren't getting it

1. I'm sorry, I can't take the New York Jets seriously. They would've lost a third consecutive to the AFC West if Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson hadn't dropped an easy interception on a second-half touchdown drive. So they lose to San Diego and Oakland (a combined 5-10) and rally to catch hapless Kansas City. Great. "I see a problem with the overall concept of our team," Joe Namath told CBS' Greg Gumbel at halftime. I'm with you, Joe.

2. I said it before, and I'll say it again: The Jets would be better off with Chad Pennington. I don't care that he doesn't throw the ball downfield; he doesn't make needless interceptions.

3. The next four games will tell us what to make of the Washington Redskins in the NFC East. Yeah, three of them are at home, but look whom they're against: Pittsburgh, Dallas and the New York Giants. And the fourth? It's at Seattle, and I don't care how bad the Seahawks are. That's a tough trip.

4. Look at it this way, San Diego. Wait a year, and you can have your choice of defensive coordinators, with Mike Nolan and Wade Phillips the leading candidates.

5. Let's forget that open window of a defense for a moment, San Diego. What in the world was the problem getting play calls in to quarterback Philip Rivers? The Chargers took two delay-of-game penalties and had to burn a timeout in the last two minutes when a play was late. Inexcusable.

6. And that, folks, is why the San Francisco 49ers should hire Mike Holmgren as their next head coach.

7. Nice win by Dallas, but did anyone notice that the Cowboys had no gain longer than 14 yards? Keep that in mind when you handicap their chances against the Giants -- especially with tight end Jason Witten hurt. The Big Play is dead in Big D until Tony Romo returns.

8. That should give you an idea what Brian Westbrook means to Philadelphia. The Eagles go nowhere if he isn't healthy.

9. So the Rooney Rule prevents the Rams from doing what they want, which is to sign Jim Haslett to an extension. Big deal. Interview candidates after the season, then make Haslett your coach. You can't prevent a club from hiring the guy it wants.

10. The Saints are living dangerously with their kickers. Martin Gramatica cost them two games with missed field goals, and a botched extra point could've flattened them Sunday. They better get that figured out, or they can start taking tee times for early January.

11. The Arizona Cardinals are getting warmer, but until they win a meaningful road game -- and Carolina qualified -- they can't be considered a threat to go deep into the playoffs. Playoffs? You heard me. It's the best team in a bad division.

12. Guaranteed, you see Daunte Culpepper in Kansas City. It makes too much sense not to happen. The Chiefs need a veteran backup, and he becomes that guy.

13. Somebody call that Verizon posse to lead the New York Giants out of dead zones. If the Giants have a problem, it's with their offense inside opponents' 20. In their last 12 trips there they have three TDs, including one in six trips against Pittsburgh. Lucky for the G-Men, their one score against the Steelers was the winning one.

14. Atlanta should be hot. It not only was the victim of a bad call; it was the victim of poor timing. There was no way Adam Jennings muffed that punt at the end of the game, but the Falcons were out of timeouts and couldn't challenge the call. Unfortunately, if the play occurred 23 seconds later it wouldn't have mattered. The decision would have had to have been reviewed upstairs, and it would have been reversed.

15. That was a bad loss for Jacksonville, but look at it this way, Jags fans: Your team is about to get another bye, only this one last two weeks. Jacksonville's next two games are at Cincinnati and Detroit, and last time I checked neither had a win. That should make you feel better, Jack Del Rio.

Just asking but ...

• Philip Rivers or Drew Brees?

• Why in the world did the Saints risk a kickoff return by Darren Sproles with eight seconds left?

• What has gotten into Joey Porter?

• What's up with Jason Campbell, and why doesn't he throw interceptions?

• What should Kansas City do with Larry Johnson?

Five things I like

1. Mewelde Moore's performance as Willie Parker's stand-in. They always say you learn about yourself through injuries, and the Steelers learned they have a tough, reliable and productive option at the position when Parker returns.

2. Tom Coughlin's tough love for Plaxico Burress. The wide receiver is testing his head coach, and credit Coughlin for rewinding Who's the Boss for Plax.

3. The Troy Smith-to-Joe Flacco connection. Smith's pass went for 43 yards, more than any Cowboys receiver produced against Tampa Bay.

4. Tyler Thigpen's future in Kansas City. Watching him dissect the Jets, I'm not sure the Chiefs haven't found their next quarterback.

5. Matt Schaub's last two weeks. Look it up: He completed 85 percent of his passes, had five touchdown passes, no interceptions and two wins.

Five things I don't

1. International games. Clubs lose home-field advantages, players lose home crowds and fans lose one of eight home dates. You want to take the NFL to Europe? Put the Pro Bowl there.

2. That pass-interference penalty in the end zone vs. San Diego's Cletis Gordon. Terrible call, and it cost the Chargers a touchdown.

3. Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison as a long snapper.

4. Stupid penalties, and, yes, I'm talking about the Chargers. They committed a season-high 14 for 134 yards in a salute to Flag Day, which someone should tell the Bolts doesn't come around until next June.

5. Tampa Bay's discipline -- or lack of it -- on Dallas' only touchdown drive. The Bucs committed four penalties to keep the series alive. Worse, they allowed the Cowboys to score with one second left in the first half. They have only themselves to blame for the loss.

Numbers, numbers, numbers

0 -- New England penalties, a franchise first
0 -- San Diego sacks in the past nine quarters
5 -- Second-quarter TDs in San Diego-New Orleans game
11 -- Brett Favre interceptions, most in the NFL
25 -- Consecutive games without a 100-yard rusher vs. Baltimore
10-0 -- Eagles' record under Andy Reid after byes
1-15 -- Kansas City's record in its last 16 games
7-37 -- Oakland on the road since 2003
9-3 -- Philadelphia vs. rookie quarterbacks

Next weekend's three best games

Dallas at N.Y. Giants -- Another week, another week of Wade Phillips speculation.
New England at Indianapolis -- Colts try to get off critical list.
Green Bay at Tennessee -- It only gets tougher for unbeaten Titans.

My top five

1. Tennessee
2. N.Y. Giants
3. Pittsburgh
4. Carolina
5. Washington

My bottom five

32. Detroit
31. Cincinnati
30. Kansas City
29. San Francisco
28. Oakland