NFL Week 2 - Crybaby Week

Dallas Bandwagon Unloads

Last week, I called out the Dull-ass Crygirl bandwagon.  Why?  Cause everybody was climbing aboard for the next Super Bowl Champions.  Yeah baby, the Cowboys were back.

Uh, yeah whatever.  27-7 loss to Seattle.  

Dallas fans are a fickle funny lot. 

Also they are a sad group of people who make me laugh.  They remind me of that old aging high school football player who tries to relive his glory years to anyone who will listen.  People just roll their eyes, shake their heads and laugh to themselves.  

My favorite fans this wee was some Crygirl fan boy at the sports bar.  He starts off the game by yelling for Cowboys to stomp Seahawks and break a players neck.  Not even five minutes later he's yelling that Tony Romo and the Cowboys suck.  Classy guy.

Now I'll review some real games and teams.

Crybaby Week

In case some players and coaches forgot, football in general is a violent sport.  Even more so in the NFL.

Of all people, Tom Coughlin should know this fact.  Yet he cried unfair, unsportsmanship when the Buccaneers tried to knock the ball loose when the Giants were trying to kneel the ball and run the clock out.

Look Coughlin, the Bucs were only down a point.  If they were down two scores then maybe you'd have a case.  You can't expect a team to roll over and die because you want them to.  The Bucs didn't surrender and lay down cause of the "victory" formation lined up.  They wanted one last shot to win.  Don't cry that it's not right.  Don't cry that a player might get hurt on that final play.  Your players should be ready for anything.  It's not the Bucs fault that the Giants thought they weren't going to fight to the last second.

The other crybaby of the week was Robert Griffin III.  RG3 cried after a loss to the Rams that they were taking cheap shots.  Well baby RG3, it happens.  Is it right?  No but it happens.  Welcome to the NFL, rookie.  

What's more troublesome is that Griffin cried about it after a loss and only after his second NFL game.  You might want to get some more experience before you cry foul.  You also might want to win a few more games before you cry.  What you are going to find is that many cheap shots will come your way.  

Griffin go back and review that commercial where that one player sees you everywhere he goes.  You're in his head.  Congratulations.  You just gave defensive players a way to get into your head.  Don't think for a second that defenses won't knock you around a bit more than usual.  Why?  Because you cried publicly about it.  Now they will try to use that to their advantage and rattle your cage.

Finally, the other crybaby of the week is Jay Cutler.  I've called Cutler a lot worse than a crybaby.  He's done nothing to dispel my opinion otherwise.  His latest incident includes shoving an offensive lineman during a game on national TV.  If there is a way to lose what respect the team has for him any quicker, it's by being an ass and humiliating a fellow player like that.  He's lucky the lineman didn't knock his head off on the spot.

Line of the Week

Eli Manning 

31/51 passing for 510 yards, 3 TD, 3 INTs

The Giants scored 3 TDs in the 4th quarter to come from behind and upend the Bucs.  Despite throwing 3 interceptions, Manning overcame that troubled start and lead the Giants to victory avoiding a 0-2 start.

Joe Pisarcik/Vince Young Line of the Week

I named this weekly award after the erratic play of Vince Young and Joe Pisarcik's brilliant fumble many seasons ago.

VY isn't in the NFL anymore and yet he still manages to win the award with the following stat line:

6 years, $58 million contract with $26 million guaranteed is ow broke.

I don't know what went wrong.  There are all kinds of stories circulating that VY squandered his fortune on lackeys, hanger ons and ill advise deals.  VY blames his agent and uncle for robbing him blind.  

 

Ultimately, VY is responsible for his money.  He should have kept a better eye on things.  He should have known his monthly cash flows.  He also should have socked some away somewhere that no one but he had access to.  He was set for life but is now looking for work.

It's a sad cautionary tale that all NFL players would be wise to not. 

Weeks 1 & 2 results, Week 3 Picks vs. Spread

I'm short on time to explain my results.  So I'm just posting them for the record.

Week one I went grand total 3-10 on my picks vs the spread.

Week two I did a game better going 4-9-2 (two pushes).

For the season, I'm at 7-19-2....that sucks in ways I can't imagine.

Again, I'm doing the cut and past from NFL Locks.

There are some tough picks this week based on two weeks play.

NFL Lines For Week 3 - NFL Football Line Week Three NFL Line 9/23 - 9/24, 2012 Date & Time Favorite Line Underdog Total 9/23 1:00 ET At Chicago -7 St. Louis 43 9/23 1:00 ET At Dallas -8 Tampa Bay 46 9/23 1:00 ET San Francisco -7 At Minnesota 43 9/23 1:00 ET Detroit -3.5 At Tennessee 47.5 9/23 1:00 ET At Washington -3 Cincinnati 50 9/23 1:00 ET NY Jets -1 At Miami 41 9/23 1:00 ET At New Orleans -8.5 Kansas City 53 9/23 1:00 ET Buffalo -3 At Cleveland 44.5 9/23 1:00 ET At Indianapolis -3 Jacksonville 43 9/23 4:05 ET Philadelphia -3 At Arizona 42.5 9/23 4:05 ET At San Diego -3 Atlanta 47.5 9/23 4:25 ET Houston -1.5 At Denver 44.5 9/23 4:25 ET Pittsburgh -3.5 At Oakland 45 9/23 8:25 ET At Baltimore -2.5 New England 50 Monday Night Football Line 9/24 8:35 ET Green Bay -3 At Seattle 45

Week 2 Picks vs The Line

I haven't tallied week one results yet.  60 hour work week will do that.  I still wanted to get in the week two picks before the games start. 

To save time, because I need to head to sports bar in an hour, I'm just cutting & pasting the lines and making my picks.  My picks in bold.

Date & Time	Favorite	Line	Underdog	Total
9/16 1:00 ET	At NY Giants	-7	Tampa Bay	43.5
9/16 1:00 ET	At New England	-13.5	Arizona	47.5
9/16 1:00 ET	Minnesota	-3	At Indianapolis	45.5
9/16 1:00 ET	New Orleans	-2.5	At Carolina	52.5
9/16 1:00 ET	At Buffalo	-3	Kansas City	45
9/16 1:00 ET	At Philadelphia	-2.5	Baltimore	46.5
9/16 1:00 ET	Oakland	-2	At Miami	41
9/16 1:00 ET	At Cincinnati	-7	Cleveland	39
9/16 1:00 ET	Houston	-7	At Jacksonville	41
9/16 4:05 ET	Dallas	-3	At Seattle	42
9/16 4:05 ET	Washington	-3.5	At St. Louis	42.5
9/16 4:25 ET	At Pittsburgh	-5.5	NY Jets	43
9/16 4:25 ET	At San Diego	-6.5	Tennessee	43.5
9/16 8:25 ET	At San Francisco	-7	Detroit	46

Monday Night Football Line

9/17 8:35 ET	At Atlanta	-3	Denver	52

NFL Week 1

It's been a busy week and I haven't had much time to digest NFL play on the field.

I'm a season ticket holder to the Texans.  I live for those eight Sundays a year. I go to Reliant Stadium and unleash the anger and frustration that builds up over the off season.  By anger and frustration, I mean other stuff outside of football....like work, family and relationships.  Those eight Sundays are my escape from reality.

The disadvantage of those eight home games?  Trying to write a weekly NFL column without actually witnessing the games at a sports bar.  Which is what I do when the Texans are on the road.

So with that disclaimer in mind, I attempt to write an NFL blog about week one with only witnessing three games first hand...the Wednesday opener of Giants vs. Cowboys, 49ers vs Packers and of course Texans vs. Miami.  I do a weekly Texans blog during the season called 100% Texans Bull Site.

Dallas Bandwagon Filling Up Again

All of a sudden the Dallas Cowboy bandwagon is full after one game.  Before the game against the Giants, I read takes on how Jason Garrett is on the hot seat.  I also saw an article on asking how much longer Darth Jerrah Jones will stick with Tony Romo as his quarterback.  (Note:  I believe there is a Sith presence in the NFL.  Darth Raidah was Al Davis and Darth Jerrah was his apprentice.  With Raidah's death, Jerrah assumed title of Dark Lord of the NFL Sith.  His apprentice, I believe, is Darth Snydah, owner of the Redskins).

Dallas won 24-17.  After the game there is much celebration in Cowboy Land because they beat the defending Super Bowl champions.  To quote my cousin,"Cowboys won.  Now Giants fans can shut up."  No, dear cousin, one win doesn't change history.  Last time I checked, Giants is still engraved on the Lombardi Trophy.  In fact the Giants own two more titles than the Cowboys in this century and millennium.

Dallas fan is like former baseball stud playing softball.  They cling to those old high school glory years.  They lust longingly at pictures of the five titles the team has like a former stud high school QB remembers all the babes he bagged back then.  Now he's clinging to his state title trophy and leering hatefully at his fat wife.  Dallas fan likes to say how many titles has your team won?  A few teams can reply, hey Dallas fan, how many titles has your team won recently?

Dallas wants to be America's Team.  They can claim the title.  I don't want the Texans to be America's Team.  I don't even want them to be Texas' team.  I want them to be my team and Houston's team.

Memo to Dallas Fan:  Giants, Steelers and Patriots have won two titles since the Cowboys "glory hole" years (Darth Jerrah's words).  Steelers have exceed the number of Cowboy titles and 49ers have tied them.  The Packers and Giants, both contenders, have a shot at tying the Cowboys in number of Super Bowls won.  In other words, no one outside of Dallas Fan cares how many titles they've won.  What other fans care about is how many have they won recently.

ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly and Dallas Cowboy fans have jumped on the bandwagon after one win.  How many will jump off the bandwagon after the next Romo three pick game?  I really don't care how the Cowboys do...I just want to laugh at the fans I know as the Crygirls.

49ers vs Packers

I pretty much agree with every assessment that after week one the 49ers are the team to beat in the NFC.  

I'll give some  first hand anecdotal evidence.  The only Texans preseason game I went to was when they played the 49ers.  The group of fans behind me were 49er fans.  They were in complete meltdown mode about Alex Smith's play.  They immediately determined that Smith sucked and the Niners season was lost.  Then the back up QBs came in and played with the 2nd & 3rd teams.  The Apocalypse happened.   There was no capable QB to replace Smith.

Can you say overreaction? Oh-ver-ree-ak-shun.

In a possible NFC title game preview, the Niners went into hallowed ground at Lambeau Field and knocked the Packers around. 

When you think of elite defenses, the Giants and Bears in NFC.  In the AFC, the Steelers and Ravens come to mind.  Congratulations to the 49ers, you are now not only mentioned with the Giants and Bears but have surpassed them as the class of the NFC.  

The fact that the 49ers went to Lambeau Field and pretty much dominated both sides of the ball shows how far the team has come from the Mike Singletary regime. 

One last comment I have on the 49ers is concerning Alex Smith.  Smith was the number one overall pick in the 2005 draft.  He had a mostly miss (out of hit and miss) career.  A few times the 49ers seemed like they were ready to move on from Smith.  Before the 2011 season, Smith had been subjected to multiple offensive coordinators, offensive systems and benchings.  I was there at Reliant Stadium in 2009 when Singletary bench John Sullivan (if I recall correctly) and Smith started the 2nd half.  

For whatever reason, Smith took less money to stay in San Francisco.  Smith hung in there.  He had every reason to go into a shell and give up.  He manned up, he practiced, he learned to be a leader.  His perversity paid off.  He may not be mentioned in the elite category of Brady, Brees, Rodgers or either Manning but he commands just as much respect from defensive coordinators.

Now for my weekly awards.  I have two awards.  Line of the Week goes to outstanding statistical line of the week.  The Joe Pisarcik/Vince Young Weekly Award goes to someone who is a goat or just posts an unbelievably bad stat line of the week.  I may make up other awards as warranted.

Line of the Week  

Robert Griffin III aka RB3 or RBIII

In a duel with one of the best in the game, Griffin went 19 of 26 (73.1%) passing for 320 yards and 2 TDs in his debut against Brees.  

Joe Pisarcik/Vince Young Player of the Week

Mario Williams signed a six year deal with the Buffalo Bills for $100 million with half of that guaranteed.  In his debut for the Bills, Williams posted a stat line of one tackle.  No sacks, no fumbles forced, no fumbles recovered, no tipped passes, no quarterback hurries.  Just one tackle.  So far it's the most expensive tackle in NFL history.  Better yet, Williams cried after the game that he had hands in his face all game long.  Whatever, you baby.  Thanks, Bills.  He's your problem now.  Thanks from Houston fans.

One last note.  Bills Mafia are a bunch of homos.

Week 1 NFL Picks vs. The Spread

Out of sheer laziness, I stopped making picks last season.  I plan to do it weekly again.  This is just for entertainment purposes and to see how good or bad I'd do if I lived in Vegas.

For this week, I'm using the lines posted at Football Locks. 

I'll comment on some games but not all.  Yeah I'm that lazy.

Colts (+10) at Bears - Andrew Luck's debut in the Windy City against a solid Bears defense.  Jay Cutler also reunited with Brandon Marshall.  Bears

Eagles (-9) at Browns - Eagles

Bills (-3) at Jets - I have no faith in any of the quarterbacks in this game: Sanchez, Tebow or Fitzpatrick.  Bills

Redskins (+7.5) at Saints - I like the Saints but I think game might play out closer than the line.  Saints

Patriots (-5.5) at Titans - this spread is to close.  The Pats will win by more.  Patriots

Jaguars (+3.5) at Vikings - I'll skip this one.  The goal is simple in my little game here.  Bet as if I were in Vegas.  I wouldn't touch this one with a ten foot pole.

Dolphins (+12) at Texans - Miami has never beaten Texans.  Arian Foster and Brooks Reed are game time decisions.  I don't think any of that matters versus rookie QB Tannenhill.  Texans

Rams (+7) at Lions - Lions

Falcons (-3) at Chiefs - Chiefs keep it close.  Chiefs

49ers (+5) at Packers - NFC title game preview?  Niners boast great defense but will Alex Smith play up to last year's standards?  Packers have great offense but will defense play down to last year's level? Packers

Panthers (-2.5) at Buccaneers - Newton torches Bucs defense.  Panthers

Seahawks (-2.5) at Cardinals - Seahawks

Steelers (+1.5) at Broncos - Steelers pull this one off late.  Steelers

Bengals (+6.5) at Ravens - Green and Dalton a year more mature.  Ravens defense might regress this year.  Bengals lose but keep it close.  Bengals

Chargers (+1) at Raiders - I'll put the over/under stabbings at 5.5.  I'll pass on this game too.

Nesbitt Firing/Resignation

This is an email I sent my friends earlier in the week about Houston's offensive coordinator's "resignation."

 

First off, what I know from media and verified sources.

Coach Levine was angry after the game over the play calling.  Specifically he was upset that Sims, the best offensive weapon, wasn't featured more.  Also he was upset about the deep passing game.  He called it the worse he's seen in the five years he's been here.  Lack of creativity and adjustments are other reasons for the anger.  Radio sideline reporter Chuck Brown, during the game, reported that the sideline was utter chaos.   

Now for the stories floating around from sources that have been right in the past but sometimes wrong.  

There are stories out that Dr. Khator herself ordered the firing of Nesbitt.  I put no credibility to that rumor.  Yes she was upset at half time...she tweeted that she "was trying to stay calm."  I some how find it hard to believe that Khator has time to micromanage a football team.  

Another tale in cyberspace is Nesbitt deviated from the game plan and Levine was livid.  I think there is some truth to this.  As I mentioned, Levine was upset Sims didn't get more touches.  Also missing were two back sets, draw plays, short passing game, RB screens and WR bubble screens.  All those plays were staples of the Air Raid Sumlin brought to UH.  Levine stated that the offense would stay the same for continuity's sake.  That those players were missing tells me the script was thrown out the window by Nesbitt.  Some say Levine ordered Nesbitt to get back to the plan but Nesbitt continued calling the plays he wanted.  If that is true then Levine had no choice but to demand Nesbitt's resignation.  Short of ordering him off the field, I can see nothing else that could be done during the game.

Another inside source, alleged to be a player's father but this is unverified, shed some more light on what may have happened.  He states that Nesbitt seemed in over his head from the moment he stepped on campus.  I'm not so sure about that.  If that were the case, he wouldn't have made it through spring ball.  The other thing he points out is that Nesbitt's practices were very intense.  Where as most practices by previous regimes for the offense were about 40 walk through plays game week.  Nesbitt instead ran through about 80 plays at full speed.  That isn't good for starter WRs legs and the QB's arm. He goes on to say that is the reason the #2 QB, Bram Kohlhausen wasn't available.  I know post game that Kohlhausen was unavailable due to injury and may not be ready next week.  This maybe why Levine didn't pull Piland and is sticking to his QB for now.

A common thread emerging from different sources is something went wrong at the start of fall practice.  Nesbitt did something that pissed Levine off.  What that is no one is saying.  Levine was big on keeping the offense the same including terminology used in play calling.  My guess is Nesbitt started to stray but not enough to reprimand or fire.

One other story out there is Levine was going to take play calling duties away from Nesbitt and he refused the reassignment.  I'm saying its 50-50 on the truth to this rumor. Nesbitt may have resigned rather than face the prospect of relegated coaching duties.  

So putting it all together I can take an educated guess on what happened.  I think it basically came down to a difference in coaching styles and philosophy.  Levine and Nesbitt didn't see eye to eye on how to run the offense.  Nesbitt probably said all the right things in the interview to get the job.  He stuck to the script with maybe a few new wrinkles in spring ball.  However, for whatever reason, Nesbitt decided to put his own stamp on the offense in the fall.  That's probably where the things went awry a few weeks ago that many allude to.  Nesbitt probably drew up a game plan that satisfied Levine's requirements.  During the game, Nesbitt's ego showed up and he decided to show Levine how he would run the offense.  Levine probably thought it over on Sunday and decided to demote Nesbitt but instead Nesbitt resigned.  Or Levine flat out threatened to fire him if he didn't resign.  

Levine promoted running backs coach Travis Bush to offensive coordinator.  Levine though will be the de facto offensive coordinator.  Levine called the plays for the Penn St. game.  He is going to assume the play calling for the rest of the season.  

While the Texas St. game was a disaster, it was only one game.  There are 11 games to go.  The true test of Levine and the team will be how they rebound from the embarrassing loss.