Week 3 Thoughts

 

  1. I listened to T.O. in the press conference after the Cowboys-Bears game, and he actually sounded…likable.  I had to pick my jaw up off the ground.  Now, I understand things are good, and he’s getting lots of passes and yards and all, but damn.  He complimented his offensive coordinator, his QB, his defense.  He didn’t complain about anything, he was cracking jokes.  I dunno what they’ve done with the old T.O., but please keep this one.

 

  1. The Chargers lost again, and I am happy.  To the Packers, who are very likable.  So I was happy twice. 

 

  1. I really admire Lovey Smith for sticking with Rex Grossman as long as he has.  I really think it’s important for a QB, a coach, etc. to know his job is secure.  While competition is good, most great players like Manning and Brady work their asses off even though they know they will QB until the end of time if they want.  The media and fans are, of course, ridiculously quick to jump on a player who has a bad game, and call for him to be replaced.  It’s frequently unfair, because not all interceptions and/or incompletions are the QB’s fault.  Receivers blow routes.  Throws have to be redirected and/or rushed because the line doesn’t block well.  I have this feeling that the Bears are doing the right thing.  Their backup is Brian Griese, and I think he’s proved plenty of times in his career that he just doesn’t have what it takes.  Grossman at least has had flashes of being a competent NFL quarterback.  Why replace someone who might become good enough with someone who has proven he’s not?

 

  1. I wonder what the record is for most consecutive games where a team scored the same number of points.  Forget New England’s defense, if their offense puts up 38 a game, it’s going to be a looooong season for everyone else.  Take a minute to digest these numbers – Brady is 70/88 for 887 yards and 10 TDs with only 1 INT.  Randy Moss has 22 receptions for 403 yards and 5 TDs.  For reference, Peyton is 66/101 for 873 and 5 TDs/1 INT and Harrison and Wayne between them only have 492 receiving yards and 3 TDs.  Wow.

 

  1. On Sportscenter, when it was asked what the Chargers’ coaches were doing wrong this season, their expert said they weren’t running LT enough.  Uhhh, he’s only getting 2.3 yards per carry.  Running more doesn’t increase your rushing average - it just results in more 2.3 yard gains.  That sounds like you should be passing more because 2.3 yards per play ain’t gonna cut it.  Granted a lot of yards happen at the end of the game when you’re running because you’re ahead (which they haven’t been), but even then, 2.3 yards per carry doesn’t cut it either. 

 

  1. At least once a week, somebody completely bones clock management late in a game.  Normally it’s for some shmuck fighting for an extra .5 yard and going down in play instead of getting out of bounds when he should.  This week’s award goes to the Skins for a different type of bonehead call.  Spiking the ball is a great way to stop the clock… if you don’t have enough time.  When you end the game with 25 seconds left and no downs, it means you shouldn’t have spiked it.  With 51 seconds and 1st and goal on the 2 yard line, they spiked it, which trades a down for time.  51 seconds is an eternity when you’re on the 2.  Pass plays take essentially no time that close to the endzone.  And then, the Skins call a pass on 2nd down (fine), then call two slow, off tackle running plays, instead of straight bashing it up the middle.  This is what we call deserving to lose. 

 

  1. I’m getting tired of this whole wait-so-long-to-call-timeout-before-their-field-goal-that-the-play-actually-happens shit at the end of games.  It’s happened twice in the last two weeks and it’s worked both times, which is just dumb luck.  Common sense would tell you that the kicker is more likely to make the 2nd try than the first.  Honestly, I think this practice should be disallowed, because it’s silly, but fortunately that won’t be necessary.  I’m sure this will be all the rage until some kicker misses on the first try, but gets a 2nd try by virtue of their calling timeout, and then nails it.  And boy will they feel dumb.