NFL Week #4

What was that in week four that seemed so different than previous weeks or seasons? It's the first week in the NFL with out the stench and smell of Matt Millen polluting the NFL. Unfortunately his taint is still all over the Detroit franchise and will be for a few more years. But here's a big middle finger to Millen and a bigger middle finger to Old Man Ford for taking so long to fire Millen.

Another big middle finger goes out to, who else, but Worst Coach in the NFL Herm Edwards. To quote Edward from Sport Illustrated's Peter King,"I told Mike Shanahan,'You've got a hell of a football team. But we were better today..." The last person in the league that should be talking any smack is Edwards. This the Chiefs first win since October of last season. Edwards instead should be looking over his shoulder for Owner Hunt sneaking around Arrowhead Stadium with a gun looking to pop one through Edward's eye. It happened down the road to Scott Linehan in St. Louis. Edwards should be next.

While I'm passing out middle fingers, I'll throw one at Terrell Owens. The Owens Waahmbulance is in full force. After the Cowboys were upset by the Redskins, TO cried that not enough plays were called for him. Here's an interesting stat: Tony Romo threw the ball towards TO 17 times and he had one end around. Now a baffling stat: the Cowboys only rushed 11 carries with 8 going to Marion Barber. Even more baffling was not getting Felix Jones more involved. He was limited to kick returns only.

Sadly, the George Costanza vs. Emperor Palpatine sitcom has been cancelled. Palpatine finally used force lightening on Costanza. Lane Kiffin joins the ranks of Art Shell, Norv Turner and Mike Callahan as a short term head coach in Oakland. Ever since Chucky left and Callahan accidentally took the Raiduhs to the Super Bowl, it's been down hill. It is my opinion that Al Davis is just growing senile by the day. Of course he has a colossal ego. The best thing, short of selling the franchise, Palpatine can do is hire a GM and let him run the show. It won't happen.

The Toilet Bowl game between Cincy and Cleveland gets Carson Palmer another middle finger from me. So far Palmer leads the league in middle fingers from me this season. Despite a win, Marv Lewis remains on the hot seat in Cincy. I figure though that Lewis resigns before he gets fired. I think he gets fed up with GM Mike Brown and quits. The beginning of the end was probably when Brown overruled Lewis in bringing back problem child Chris Henry.

Things are no better for Romeo Crennell in Cleveland. I'm guessing that we see Brady Quinn pretty soon. Starting QB Dave Anderson isn't producing and Quinn is a first rounder sitting on the bench. At this point he's got nothing to lose.

Player of the week: Brett Farve? Larry Johnson? No, it's Matt Bryant the kicker from Tampa Bay. His three month old son died last week and buried him on Saturday. Everyone mourns differently and it would have been perfectly understandable if he chose not to play. Instead he does play, saving a player from getting cut for one week to replace Bryant on the roster and had three field goals including the game winner with 2:56 left to play. After the kick he wiped his eyes and looked to the sky.

FoxSports.com's John Czarnecki makes an interesting point in his column. He asks why doesn't the NFL grant a one game exemption to allow a team sign a player in extraordinary situations. Like in Bryant's case, a player would have to be cut in order for the Bucs to sign a kicker. Why not allow him time off and not have to cut a player to sign a one game replacement?
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8619724

Now this week's Joe Pisarcik/Carson Palmer Player of the Week. There's a reason Palmer shares the title with Pisarcik on this dubious distinction and that's because Palmer has just been a dud this year. Palmer earns the award this week for not playing. He's hurt but it wasn't announced until game time. Thanks @$$h0le. Cost me my fantasy game this week. Just a step below Palmer as a dud has been Pittsburgh Steelers TE Heath Miller. All I needed from him was four more lousy points I'd have won despite Palmer's goose egg. I dangle my genitals in their general direction.

Speaking of the Steelers, that was a hell of a game Monday night. They were just flat out beat in the first half and they looked deflated. Quarterback Brent Musburger rallied the troops after convincing coach Mike Tomlin to let him call the plays. It was a costly game though with rookie running back Rashard Mendenhall and starting right guard Kendall Simmons are out for the season. Watch out if there are anymore Steellers with two "Ls" in their name. It might be a season ender.

And finally the Texans. Please owner Bob McNair, GM Rich Smith or coach Gary Kubiak, please fire defensive coordinator Richard Smith. The defensive effort was pathetic Sunday. With the game on the line, David Garrard was able to scramble for a crucial first down and then for the go ahead touchdown. On the TD run, no one was spying the QB. He could have crawled into the endzone. After that first down run, someone should have stayed home to watch Garrard.

The special teams were equally inept. How the hell does no one call timeout when it's obvious the Jaguars are going for it on fourth? Instead the Texans scrambled around like a Chinese fire drill. Hell I was screaming timeout at the TV. A really good clue is when the Jaguars lined up in punt formation with no punter. It was pretty disgusting.

I don't think Kubiak's job is on the line yet but inept plays that cost games if not corrected will add up. Kubiak is in his third year. Plays like those, especially the special teams debacles, shouldn't be happening. If things continue like that for the season, I will have to question Kubiak's already shaky game time decisions. I'm not calling for his head by any means but I am starting to really question his game day choices. Some of them are bothersome and a troubling trend is starting to show. Some things a third year coach shouldn't be doing anymore.

Regardless I'll be a season ticket holder until the day I'm called to the great football stadium in the beyond.

Fuck Baseball.