NFL Week One - It's Almost in the Books

I'm still pumped up about my hometown Houston Texans manhandling of the Indianapolis Colts defense and pounding Payton Manning into the ground. That's another blog post though.

With two games to go, I decided to get a jump on the weekly NFL blog.

Comedy Central
I'm starting with the Dallas Cowboys 7 Washington Redskins 13. All I can say is what a joke it was for both teams. Jerry Jones self anointed the Cowboys Super Bowl Champs before the season. He wants them to be the first to win on home turf. Somebody for got to tell his team and the Redskins that.

The common saying is preseason doesn't mean anything. For the most part that is true but some things stand out so bad that they do count and should be cause for concern. In case of the Cowboys, failure to run or pass into the endzone continues as well as a subpar offensive line. The trend carried into the regular season with only one TD. The run game was decent with 103 yards. My issue with the run game was the near equal distribution of hand offs to Marion Barber (8), Felix Jones (8) and Tashard Choice (5). Why? Establish a lead back and let him get into a flow. I understand getting playmakers on the field but find a top back and use the others in he is ineffective or gets tired.

The Redskins receivers just cannot catch the ball. Donovan McNabb wasn't on target on a host of throws but the receivers dropped their fair share of catchable balls.

In the end it was the Cowboys lack of discipline and leadership that cost the game. Coach Wade Phillips never should have called a play to go down field to end the first half. Tony Romo never should have to get the ball out to Choice. Choice never should have tried to make a play. They did and Washington took a 10-0 lead into the half.

One last thing I've noticed about the Cowboys. They really don't have a player team leader. No one to step up and kick the team in the ass and tell them to focus. It appears the players go through the motions and play with no sense of urgency.

For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, the start of the season only continued to raise more questions that started in the off season.

The Other Dullards
I didn't get to watch the game but by all indications it was snorefest like the Cowboys vs. Redskins game. I might be wrong and it might have been the defensive battle I adore. Whatever the case, the Steelers survived Fat Ben's suspension for one game on Rashard Mendenhall. With the game in overtime tied at 9, Mendenhall ran over right tackle for game winning 50 yard game winning TD.

The defense held the game in check. The Falcons also have playoff aspirations. RB Michael Turner was held to 42 and quarterback Matt Ryan tossed one INT, no TDs and 252 yards.

ATL needed the game to try and take care of an opponent with a suspended key player. They failed. They also need the game because they believe they can take the divisional crown from New Orleans. Not a good start.

The Trendy Obvious Pick...uh maybe
Kurt Warner left, Matt Leinhart cut and Derek Anderson starts. St. Louis is so devoid of talent that many top picks, including rookie QB Sam Bradford. Seattle is in rebuild mode with a new coaching staff. Seattle his been a constant decline since their 2006 Super Bowl appearance. That all adds up for the 49ers as an obvious choice rather than a trendy pick.

And the 49ers laid an egg in the opener. Seattle blasted the 49ers 31-6. A very auspicious start the season for team that could almost win its division by default. I love the fire and hard nose Mike Singletary brings to the sidelines but something apparently didn't get through in the first week. Maybe he needs to drop his pants or put his foot in someone's ass like he did Vern Davis. Players will eventually tune him out if they don't results on the field.

Dumb and Dumbest
In the past I've never held my disdain for Jack Del Rio. I anointed him with the Herm Edward Lifetime UnAchievement Award. It's the title that goes to the reigning worst coach in the NFL. The criteria is pretty low. Basically you must look clueless on the side line, make questionable personnel and game day mistakes and coach a team with decent talent and still utterly fail. The award is named after the constant recipient of it. On the other sideline facing Del Rio is second year Denver coach Josh McClown. He really is a clown. Nothing he had done on the field warrants the title. McClown earns his status based on three issues: ran off a whiny egotistical quarterback (who bares as much fault), traded away a pouting productive receiver (who learned how to act from the quarterback and teams reaction) and traded a draft bounty to draft Tim Teabow. Add to the fact that McClown started the Broncos off fast and then lead them right of playoff contention.

Add all the Del Rio/McClown ingredients together in a football game and you have a battle between the reigning Herm Edwards Coach and the top contender. After a season of discontent, running off players and a midseason melt down, we only needed to see a game between the idiots. Del Rio's players tried to defend the coach but the Broncos were up to the task and lost the game 24-17 and usurping the Crown of Worst Coach in the NFL for Josh McClown....congrats you idiot.

With two games to go, I won't name my offensive, defensive and lines of the week until tomorrow.