NFL Week #12 - Coach Death Watch Week!

No Shakespeare this week. I almost had a "O Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou" turned into a "O playoffs, playoffs wherefore art thou" but didn't feel up to the task of being creative.

Anyway onto week 12. I hate the Dallas Cowboys. I hate the New Orleans Saints.

I'll start off with the losers and my usual Joe Pisarcik/Carson Palmer Player of the Week. There was a four way tie. So I morphed the players to make two players. The first morphed player of the week is Cleveland Browns quarterback Derek Anderquinn. Anderquinn was 13 of 32 passing for 145 yards and 3 INTs. The next one pains me. This player is a merging of one of my all time favorite players and a fellow Houston Cougar. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McKolb passed for an unremarkable 18 of 41 for120 yards and 4 INTs. And in grand Cougar style, one of McKolb's INTs was returned for a record 108 yard TD. I'd say both QBs had JaMarcus Russell like numbers but he's not allowed to throw the ball more than 15 times a game.

Like the JP/CP Player of the Week, the real Player of the Week it was a tie. Matt Cassel and Michael Turner both earn that honor. I picked them not only for their outstanding numbers this week but also because they are exceeding expectations for the season. Cassel only had to step into All-Universe quarterback Tom Brady's spot twelve minutes into the season. He's proven not to be just a caretaker but actually has kept the Patriots in playoff contention. I didn't believe in all the hype surrounding Turner. I definitely thought he was nuts in going to Atlanta when he pretty could have gone any place he wanted based on hype. Instead he's helped the Falcons forget the disaster that was Michael Vick and Bobby Petrino.

Coach Death Watch Week!

It's kind of obvious who is out as head coaches. Some with merit and some without. At the top of the list of coaches that should get fired are Rod Marinelli, Herm Edwards and Jack Del Rio. Marinelli is just in a no win situation. Literally he is. Lions go 0-16. Edwards is just the worst coach in the NFL. Jack Del Rio is a close second to Edwards for worst coach. Del Rio couldn't coach his way out of a wet paper bag. Coaches that get fired but probably shouldn't are Marv Lewis, Romeo Crennel and Andy Reid. Lewis should get a mulligan for Carson Palmer being hurt for
most of the year. It's not his fault. Crennel had been building a winner until this season. Derek Anderson reverted to being David Anderson. Give Crennel one more year with Brady Quinn at the helm. Reid is just in a bad place. He's had a great quarterback in Donovan McNabb and a great running back in Brian Westbrook. What he hasn't had and management has given him is a great wide receiver. The one year they had Terrell Owens they got to the Super Bowl.

Of the three interim head coaches, none of them should keep their job. Mike Singletary isn't ready for prime time yet. He needs more time as an assistant but I think he will be okay in a few years. Jim Haslett got the Rams off to a hot start but they've cratered back to earth. Tom (I think that's his name) Cable in Oakland is gone too. Al Davis needs to fire someone in the off season.

As usual, the Texans for last. Great. Monday Night Football featuring two 4-7 teams. I bet it's a while before the Texans get a MNF game again. At least they won this week. Of course, who knew the Browns were more inept than the Texans....

Good night and Happy Thanksgiving.