Ron Glover’s NFL Recap: Week 10
Thomas Jones has been a huge reason for the resurrection of Gotham’s ”other team.” Jones’ day consisted of 26 carries for 149 yards and three touchdowns as the 6-3 Jets pounded the Rams 47-3.
Giants 36 – Eagles 31: The Giants put the Eagles in their rear-view mirror in terms of the division title.
Chargers 20 – Chiefs 19: I admire Herm Edwards going for the win on the road. I would’ve taken my chances in overtime. And maybe that’s why I’m not a head coach.
Colts 24 - Steelers 20: I didn’t think the Colts had it in them. First win in Pittsburgh in 40 years.
Panthers 17 - Raiders 6: It wasn’t pretty at all. Jake Delhomme was intercepted four times. Huge day for DeAngelo Williams 19/140/1.
Ravens 41 – Texans 13: The Ravens are tied with the Steelers for the AFC North lead. With a rookie coach and rookie quarterback who woulda thunk it?
Vikings 28 – Packers 27: Games like this need to be played in outdoors in 32 degrees or less. It will be interesting to see how this division pans out.
Jets 47 – Rams 3: Offseason acquisitions Calvin Pace and Kris Jenkins have given the Jets a defense that can stop the run and get to the QB. Couple that with the backfield of Thomas Jones and Leon Washington and life is alot easier for Brett Favre.
Patriots 20 - Bills 10: The Bills blew a golden opportunity to run away with the division, instead they’ve coughed it up at the worst time.
Dolphins 21 – Seahawks 19: The Dolphins held on to win a nail-biter. Can’t look past Oakland as they face the Pats in two weeks.
Jaguars 38 – Lions 14: Hey, I thought the Lions were due for a win, I forgot that the Jags were too.
Titans 21 – Bears 14: Vince Young has got to be wondering where his future is with this team. Otherwise a big win in a hostile enviroment.
Falcons 34 – Saints 20: I guess the Falcons are pretty good.
Thursday Night: Broncos 34 – Browns 30: The Broncos won a shootout on the road, Brady Quinn may be the shot in the arm the Browns need.
TBR:
New York Football – Giants – 8-1, Jets 6-3. Wow!!!
The Steelers have to get their offense fixed in a hurry. They’ve allowed 140 points. Tennessee has only allowed 117, but they’ve only just begun to play teams with fire power – and only the Packers were at full strength. Pittsburgh has scored 198 points. The Giants? 262. The Jets? 255. The Chargers? – 244.
The die-hard cats I know have been calling for Bruce Arians’ head. The team comes out on fire. They opened the games against the Texans, Giants, Colts, and Browns with touchdowns. In all of those games (except the Texans), the offense bogged down. Folks seem to think it’s because they don’t mix up their play calling enough and adjust to changes that the defenses make.
Whatever the cause, it must get rectified or their going to lose another close game to San Diego, beat the Bengals handily, then lose another close game to New England. There is no margin for error for a defense that is playing as well as I’ve ever seen.
BTW -
The Bills are very banged up at the critical positions that define their team. The offense is decent, but the team is defined by the defense and special teams. Roscoe Parrish was the first to go down several weeks ago. That deeply impacted field position for the offense. He’s back now, but then Terrence McGee went down. He’s their best corner. Then Aaron Schobel (DE) and Donte Whitner (SS) went down. Those are their 3 best defensive players. It’s not surprising they’ve been losing because the Bills don’t have sufficient depth at those positions.
If they get healthy, they could go on a little run, but the play of the Pats and Jets will make it nearly impossible to get 3 teams from any division in the playoffs.
The Colts are back in it. Tony Dungy hates premature autopsies.
Andy Reid, I don’t even know who you are anymore…
Yeah I’m surprised that Cassell/Moss/Welker didn’t do more damage. Pittsburgh will pull it together I believe that. I agree on the Colts.
Barring a collapse from the first tier of the NFC the Eagles will need 11 wins to get in.
Given the look of the Eagles schedule (where they could actually LOSE every single game), I don’t see it. If the Eagles make the playoffs, it would be a tremendous accomplishment. I expect you to beat Cincinnati, but if you look past them to sneak a peek at Baltimore, they’re gonna bite that ass the same way they did to the Jags.
I suppose they should beat Arizona at home…hopefully the weather cooperates. If it’s balmy, look out. Giants, Browns, Redskins, Cowboys – and away for NY and Wash. That’s not looking too good.
The good news is that the offense put up 30 points against a stout defense. You all know the bad news.
Mizzo — that’s too funny.
Mizzo – Reid is who we thought he was!
I think the Steelers are in trouble too which bodes well for my Ravens. Big Ben is telegraphing his passes way too much and not checking off his recievers. That OL is just too suspect.
Reid needs to go and take care of home. I’m sorry, but if my 2 sons were bonked out like his, football would be the last thing on my mind.
Who do y’all see as a sleeper team though? I’m looking at the Bears for the NFC and the Dolphins for the AFC.
I like what the Ravens have done this season (Although I don’t believe in having two teams I’ve always admired them from afar)
They’re more of a dark horse than a sleeper. The ‘Phins aren’t gonna sneak up on anyone now, they’re in the same category as the Ravens.
In the NFC I’m gonna go with the Panthers.
The Steelers are not finishing off teams and nor are they taking advantage possible turnovers to put teams away early. That first Colts TD should’ve been a pick. Also, Polamalu should’ve had a “pick 6″ but he couldn’t hold on to it. He’s usually makes opposing QBs pay for those type of mistakes.
But the problem is not the Steelers’ “D”…..the offense just cannot find a rhythm and consistently put points on the board. Ben is playing like ‘crap’ and making some dumb-ass throws, especially the one right before half-time with less then 1:30 remaining. I couldn’t believe they even called a pass play. I said the week they loss to the Eagles that their O-Coordinator needs to be fired. They just can’t keep counting on their defense to bail them out of games.
The Steelers aren’t finishing off teams because they cannot run for first downs on 3rd and short. Ben’s pick before the half was a 3rd and 3. Moore is very good, but he’s not effective in 3rd and short as a runner. He’s much more effective as a receiver on 3rd down.
GN: The Steelers started the Eagle game with a long drive, but only got 3 points…and then the roof fell in. They’re simply not going to beat San Diego and New England playing this way.
I’ve given myself time to cool down after last night’s outcome so I can give a sober assessment of which way the team I root for, the Eagles, is going. It’s gonna be tough for the Eagles to make the playoffs but they can do it because there’s enough talent on both sides of the ball for this team to win the games they’re supposed to win and a few they’re not supposed to. That being said regardless if the team makes it or not, the current construction needs to be blown up. It’s too far into his tenure for Reid to call or ok calls like their last two offensive plays last night. McNabb is too much of a veteran not to have the wherewithal to audible out of such asinine plays because he should know the rhythm of the game enough to know what will work and what will not work. Westbrook is an electrifying player but he’s Reggie Bush at USC without Lendale White to get the hard yards when the defense knows you’re the one who’s getting the ball. As far as the defense, the money spent on Samuel should have been spent on a lane-clogging DT and as much as it pains me, BDawk has lost a step and is being exposed much too much now. Also, a nasty attitude a la the Buddy Ryan Gang Green days wouldn’t hurt.
It pains me to take players like McNabb and Dawkins to task but this team is becoming like a pair of comfortable shoes. Nice and comfy but nothing exciting like a $200 pair of Jordans purchased before everybody else has them. McNabb is still a top line QB but the fire isn’t there in Philly anymore and while there is something to be said for continuity, it and familiarity do breed contempt. Dawkins, his day is done and hopefully he’ll realize that. Westbrook, you can have him for a bag of footballs. Reid, who knows what he’s trying to do now.
Forgive me, if I sound like the usual critical Eagles fan but it needed to be said. It’s not my place to take shots at what people only do that I can only dream about but I have eyes and I know what I see and I don’t like it.
Any other Eagles fans on the board wanna tell me I’m wrong?
For all of the comments that I’ve heard regarding McNabb the past 2-3 years, I don’t believe I’ve ever heard one that may suggest that his fire here has gone out.
HD, I feel your pain and you may be on to something. He’s known for sometime now that management is going to reach but so far. When he made the comment that the Eagles were better than the ‘Skins it was the first time I’ve seen him like that after a game. He knows that this is it in terms of opportunity here and the guys that he has.
The front office has screwd this entire thing up royally. To not get Tony Gonzalez let me know where their heads were.
They laughed when they got Carolina’s first round pick last April thinking that the Panthers were a shot team, how’s that working out? I would’ve dealt Lito Sheppard for a bag of smelling salts on draft day now you won’t be able to get rock salt for him. Chad Johnson with a bum shoulder and gimpy knee beats two Reggie Browns.
Finally, I’m still waiting to see what pictures Greg Lewis has of Andy Reid that’s allowing him to take up space on this team.
What in the hell was that play the Niners tried to run near the goaline with 8 seconds left? I know Singletary wants to toughen this team up (and it’s needed) but you do that in the NFL draft not in the 10 week of the season and you are auditioning for said job. The Niners should have thrown the ball and it was bad clock managment by the QB on the field. The Cards will win the division title because every other team is so inept.
I am very much surprised that the Jets are 6-3. Brett Favre has made a big difference, and has an opportunity for ‘payback’ versuses the Patriots. And it seems the Packers are on the proverbial ropes in regards to their playoff chances and Aaron Rodgers is feeling the pressure again as Favre is shining right now.
**************
I guess the Cardinals got the NFC West on lockdown.. A four game lead on the other three teams. I am happy to see Anquan Boldin coming back strong with a good game after his serious injury… And now there is talk of Kurt Warner receiving MVP consideration..if he wins it, would that make him a Hall of Famer?
****************
Damn the Colts, they find a way to win another game..However, the Titans still are able to maintain a four game lead with seven to play…
****************
I have to give Matt Ryan some credit against the defensively challenged, but offensively formidable Saints. The Falcons were winless versus the NFC South until this past Sunday, but if the playoffs were today, they would still be on the outside looking in. Ryan has garnered some consideration by national and local analysts as a Rookie of the Year Candidate. However, I am going to withhold my judgment until Mr. Ryan and the Falcons play Carolina and Tampa. These two teams have historically given the Falcons the most trouble and hung two losses on Matt Ryan and kept Michael Turner in check.
6-3 sounds good, but there are a few more obtacles to go…Detroit was 6-2 at one point LAST YEAR, and stumbled.. I don’t think the Falcons will have a historic stumble, but Ryan will be tested by Julisus Peppers and Derrick Brooks…
If Ryan and the Falcons get past their NFC South rivals, they will likely make the playoffs..if not, they will fall short–again..
You can see the tension between Mike and Mike on the sideline. Of course, since Big Mike is the head coach, he’s likely to win the war. I wonder if Singletary wanted a run, but Martz chose the play. Gore was split out wide and they handed off to a former QB, albeit a tough one in Robinson. It was one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen. I wonder if it was a sabotage job by Martz.
Given how the game played out, the rookie Hill from Washington State should have been option 1 or 1A. Isaac Bruce lives for precision routes near the goal line. And, Vernon Davis probably wins a jumping contest as long as you avoid Antrel Rolle and Adrian Wilson.
I’d be curious to hear an interview with QB Sean Hill.