NFL Week 12 - Bite Me It's Late by a Week Edition

One of the big problems of trying to write a weekly NFL column is being in actual attendance of an NFL game. When I'm at a Texans game all else ceases to exist. Top that off with shift work and the week gets away from me and I find myself not caught up on the games of the past week. Factor in that work cut my internet access to sports websites and I'm even more clueless.

Basically I can limit my comments to the games that I watched. And to be honest that would leave me only the Patriots vs. the Saint.

What can I say? As much as I think that Saints fans are unbearable and the biggest douchebags (yes even worse that Cowboy bandwagon fans), the Saints are the real deal. They've always had the offense since Drew Brees arrived from San Diego. Now they have the defense to go with it.

They pretty much manhandled the Patriots. In watching the game though, I think the league is catching up with Bill Belichik and the Patriots. It looks like the Pats have become a bit predictable. The play book can be distilled to about three or four plays: Deep to Randy Moss. Underneath to Wes Welker. Draw play to Laurence Maroney. Pass to Kevin Faulk on 3rd down. Teams seem to know what is coming. Stopping the Pats is a different story. They are still a good team but at 7-4 they aren't the All-Universe World Beaters they used to be. The quality teams of the NFL no longer are intimidated or fear the Pats. The Genius Belichik looks pretty stale as of late.

The Cowher Rumor
According the Houston Chronicle's NFL writer John McClain, someone wrote on a blog that Bill Cowher would be interested in the Texans or Bears job. The national media ran with it. Local fans went bonkers and started clamoring for Gary Kubiak's head and do what it takes to get Cowher.
McClain shot down the rumor in last week's Texans online chat session he does for the Chronicle.

This week Profootball Weekly clarified the rumor. PFW quotes inside sources that Bears representatives talked to someone who knows Cowher and asked him to gauge Cowher's interest and requirements to take the job. Cowher never expressed any interest about the Bears or the Texans job. It was the Bears reaching out to him.

Hot Seat
It's that time of year where coaches seats go from warm to hot to scorched. The Bills axed head man Dick Jauron already. Rumors are swirling that Lovie Smith is in deep trouble in Chicago. Jim Zorn and Eric Mangini are almost as good as gone. Jeff Fisher might leave the Titans. I wonder if Jim Mora is feeling some heat in Seattle especially after the GM step down this week. Gary Kubiak is standing on the ledge with owner Bob McNair deciding whether or not to push him off. Wade Phillips and Tom Cable are on the list too. Several more coaches are borderline including John Fox and Jack Del Rio.

While not in any danger of losing their jobs, Mike Singletary, Rex Ryan and Raheem Morris might get a stern talking to by management. The word on Singletary is his intensity and rhetoric are great but he is getting out coached is some games. That he might be a little to hands on and not a great X's and O's guy. Ryan might be told to tone down his mouth. He started off winning three games in a row but came down to earth real quick. As for Morris, there are multiple reports stating that Morris may be in over his head in Tampa. He is getting overwhelmed by the job.

Of course it doesn't help that Super Bowl winning coaches are working in the television booth and not the sidelines. Cowher, Mike Shanahan, Tony Dungy, Brian Billick and Jon Gruden will be on many short lists this off season. Of those names I see Shanahan as the only sure bet to take a job. It's the worst kept secret in football that Cowher wants the Carolina job. Dungy seems more content with his role as a mentor to players and troubled youth. I don't know anything going on with Billick. Gruden just signed an extension to his TV contract so there might be a buy out clause that may keep teams away.

JeMarcus Russell Player of the Week
I have to give it to home town goat Matt Schaub. Even though the Texans let the Colts back into the game they were still in striking distance. At the most inopportune time he threw a pick for TD and then was stripped of the football allowing the Colts a short field.

Line of the Week
Again I have to give it to Green Bay corner Charles Woodson: 7 tackles, 2 interceptions (one for a 38 yard TD return), 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery. All that and he was upset that he gave up a TD reception to Calvin Johnson. There is no shame in give up a TD to Johnson.

The Texans are on the road this week so I'll be on my usual seat at Buffalo
Wild Wings in Midtown....