Week 11 Judgements: Time to stow AFC North's anointing oil
1. Maybe the AFC North isn't the strongest division after all. For those keeping score at home, the division was 0-4, with the worst saved for last -- and, yes, I'm talking about the Bengals' loss to Oakland. Now you know why no one trusts Cincinnati.
2. What does Mike Tomlin mean by saying Ben Roethlisberger sat down with "a concussion-oriented" injury. Huh? That sounds like a concussion-oriented explanation. Let's just call as it is. The poor guy didn't know where he was.
3. Another evening, another loss for Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears, and it's time the club takes the hint. Cutler is about as effective at night as World Series umpires, and the envelope, please. He has four touchdown passes, 12 interceptions and an 0-4 record. So he ended Sunday's loss with another interception. What's new? Three of his four evening performances finished that way. If I'm the Bears I petition the NFL to be left out of next season's prime time broadcasts.
4. Congratulations, Aaron Rodgers. When the 49ers snubbed him in the 2005 draft he promised to make them -- and others -- pay for not choosing him. It took five seasons, but he lived up to his word.
5. The only thing that impresses me about Seattle these days is what its coach, Jim Mora, had to say about Minnesota after losing to the Vikings: "That is the most complete team we've faced, by far." So what? So Seattle has faced Indianapolis, Arizona and Dallas.
6. I'm sorry, I can't trust the Giants to go anywhere, and their defense is the reason. When you blow a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter at home it's bad news. The Giants can't rely on Eli Manning to keep bailing them out with 384 yards passing. Nope, they're in deep kimchi unless they plug that leaking defense and fast.
7. Atlanta's Mike Smith should've considered a two-point conversion after scoring with 28 seconds left in the fourth quarter. I mean, you're on the road where you can't win, and you have the Giants defense on its heels. So take the chance.
8. Appearing next on pay-per-view: Dave Campo vs. Terence Newman
9. And appearing on the undercard: Brandon Marshall vs. Knowshon Moreno.
10. Uh-oh. Looks like Tony Romo is getting an early tune-up for another cold December. In two weeks the Cowboys have 14 points and would've suffered their second straight loss if Shaun Suisham could aim straight.
11. I'm with Rex Ryan. The more I watch Mark Sanchez struggle the more I want to reach for a Kleenex. Over his last seven starts, Sanchez has six touchdown passes, 14 interceptions and three passer ratings of 37.1 or less. Oh, yeah, he's also 1-6.
12. Twenty-five years later, Baltimore is not over the Colts. On the M&T Bank Stadium scoreboard visitors are listed by their nicknames -- that is, all but one visitor. That would be "Indy," as the scoreboard referred to the Colts. It's still too hard to put "Colts" up there.
13. I see where the Saints' ' Jeremy Shockey doesn't think LeBron James could make an NFL practice squad. Apparently, Shockey hasn't seen the Browns play.
14. The Arizona Cardinals were 7-3 at this time last year, too, but there's a big difference this time around: It can win on the road. More to the point, it can't lose. The Cards are 5-0, and when I look at what's left -- at Tennessee, at San Francisco and at Detroit -- I can't find a defeat.
15. Here's hoping Baltimore's John Harbaugh didn't start a trend when he threw a flag to challenge a sideline reception, then picked it up after talking the play over with officials. You throw the flag, you must challenge. Period. Harbaugh caught a mulligan, and he shouldn't have. When he challenged a catch late in the fourth quarter, Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning spoke to Harbaugh and referee John Parry and later said he told Parry not to talk Harbaugh out of a challenge. We get the message, Peyton, and the NFL should, too.
Sez them ... or Rapid Reporters' Rewind
From Eric Gilmore in Oakland ... Cincinnati aimed just five passes at Chad Ochocinco, and No. 85 isn't sure why. One reason might have to do with Oakland cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. Whenever Ochocinco lined up to the left side, Asomugha was on him ... and I mean all over him. "Nnamdi's the best in the game, hands down," said Ochocinco. "He will always be until someone goes at him on a consistent basis. It seems no one tries. Not even us.
From Gerrard Diaz in Green Bay ... First, the good news for the Packers: They've averaged 144 yards rushing per game over their last two starts. Now, the bad: They may have lost starters Al Harris and Aaron Kampman for the season with knee injuries.
From William Bendetson in New England ... Don't be fooled by Thomas Jones' 100-yard performance. New England defensive tackle Vince Wilfork was effective in stopping Jones from damaging the Patriots up the middle.
From Darren Wolfson in Minnesota ... The chants of "MVP! MVP! MVP!" have started in the Metrodome, and for good reason: Brett Favre is hot, hot, hot, setting a Vikings' record for accuracy by completing 88 percent of his passes against Seattle. But the most impressive Favre stat of all? He has three interceptions all season.
More from Wolfson ... One overlooked reason why Minnesota is 9-1 -- the Vikings' underrated offensive line, with new center John Sullivan routinely praised by Favre and rookie tackle Phil Loadholt rarely beaten by opponents.
From Carter Gaddis in Tampa ... It was inevitable that Josh Freeman would have an off-afternoon, but not like this: Most of his throwing mistakes were committed without much pressure.
From Alex Raskin in New York ... Atlanta may have lost four of its last five starts, but its season is far from over. Its next three games are home, where the Falcons are 4-1.
Five things I like
1. Marc Trestman's name in the list of head-coaching candidates for Buffalo. It's about time someone wakes up to this guy. The Bills need someone who can school a quarterback and perk up an offense. Trestman can. Ask anyone who watched the Montreal Alouettes the past two years.
|
|
| Props to Matthew Stafford for playing and winning in pain. (US Presswire) |
3. Brandon Marshall's honesty. Asked to explain what's wrong with the Broncos' offense, Marshall shrugged. "One thing I do know is that I don't know," he said. Perfect.
4. Bill Belichick's Patriots after a loss. Since 2002, they've lost back-to-back games once.
5. Ryan Fitzpatrick putting that Harvard education to use. It was Fitzpatrick who noticed Terrell Owens drawing single coverage, so he checked out of a call to one that had Owens streak down the field. Result: A 98-yard TD pass.
Five things I don't
1. Baltimore's John Harbaugh challenging the spot on Reggie Wayne's first-down catch with 2:19 left. Harbaugh never should have thrown the flag. He had only one time out left, and he lost it when he lost the challenge. But that's not the point. This is: He never, ever, ever should have taken the chance because replays showed there was no way he was going to win. In fact, if there was an error it was that officials marked the ball short of where Wayne reached. You heard me. Anyway, by losing his last timeout, Harbaugh basically took care of any comeback. Forget that Ed Reed fumbled away a punt return in the dying seconds; the Ravens had no time to do much of anything.
2. Pittsburgh special teams. They've given up four kickoff returns for touchdowns the past five games. A year ago, the Steelers were the top coverage team in the NFL. Now they stink. Maybe that helps to explain what's wrong with the defending Super Bowl champs.
3. Josh McDaniels calling an onside kick after narrowing San Diego's lead to 13-3. For once, he had momentum ... only to give it back with a bad decision. This is how you lose four in a row, Josh.
4. The Giants on opening drives. Look at their last three: All ended with turnovers.
5. The Baltimore Ravens calling on Willis McGahee for two straight carries at the Indianapolis 1. Pardon me, but isn't that why they have
Just asking but ...
• Shouldn't Jared Gaither have been whistled for a false start prior to Baltimore's fatal interception?
• If Kyle Orton could play why didn't he start?
• Patriots' MVP -- Tom Brady or
• Think Eric Mangini would like to rethink that last timeout?
• What do you think Donovan McNabb said to Jay Cutler?
Significant numbers
• 4 -- Yards rushing by Seattle, a franchise low
• 6 -- Atlanta points on 10 opening drives this season
• 7 -- Consecutive defeats of Baltimore by the Colts
• 8 -- Straight games with returns for touchdowns vs. Pittsburgh
• 9 -- Combined touchdown passes Sunday by Matthew Stafford and Brady Quinn
• 10 -- Visanthe Shiancoe TDs in his last 14 games
• 19 -- Plays of 10 or more yards surrendered Sunday by St. Louis
• 22 -- Games with four touchdown passes by Brett Favre
• 2-0 -- Bruce Gradkowski vs. Cincinnati
• 0-6 -- Seattle when trailing after three quarters
• 111-37 -- Score vs. Denver in its last four games
My top five
1. Indianapolis
2. New Orleans
3. Minnesota
4. New England
5. San Diego
My bottom five
1. Cleveland
2. Tampa Bay
3. St. Louis
4. Detroit
5. Washington
Next weekend's three best games
Indianapolis at Houston ... Colts' 19-game win streak in jeopardy?
Pittsburgh at Baltimore ... Loser goes home for the winter.
New England at New Orleans ... Another chance for the Pats to beat the unbeaten.
