NFL Week #2

What's the U.S. Post Office's motto? Something about no rain, snow or whatever will stop deliver? Same applies for my weekly ranting. Add Hurricane Ike to the list. I'd throw in some joke about Ike treating Houston like Tina but what's the point?

On with the games.

I know not every team can fix every mistake or fill every personal hole right away but some situations have become down right ridiculous. One is Detroit. Enough already. Fire Matt Millen. The guy is the worse GM in the league. Other than taking WR in the first round he's done nothing to improve the team. The Lions are 31-83 during Millen's tenure. That is the worse mark in the league since Millen took over decision making responsibilities for the Lions. It's disgusting. It's disgraceful. It's Lions football. The weren't any better before Millen. You'd think though that team owner Ford would take Millen out back by now and end it. Then again look at how the Ford family has run their automotive company lately. Terrible management is manifesting in the family legacy business and its football team.

The second glaring need has been the Chicago Bears quarterback situation. They've had a problem ever since Rex Grossman became the starter. Great defense and a Jekyll-Hyde Grossman lead the team to a Super Bowl. Despite Grossman's erratic play the Bears never looked to improve the situation. Instead they turned to Kyle Orton; the former starter three years ago and third stringer for the last two seasons. While NFL caliber QBs don't grow on trees, the Bears have done absolutely nothing to improve the situation. Looks like a great defense will go to waste.

One the field, both Oakland and Tennessee put aside their respective soap operas and went out and won. The Al "Palpatine" Davis vs. Lane Kiffin drama continues. I find it intriguing that Palpatine hasn't used the force to choke Kiffin or blasted him with lightening. Palpatine doesn't want to be on the hook for the money if he fires Kiffin. So he's made his life miserable and has tried to get him to quit. Kiffin won't quit. Davis has taken away his decision making and at one point last year Kiffin wasn't even allowed in team meetings. This all reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where a company tries to get George Costanza to quit his job by blocking off access to his office. He just keeps finding ways in and refuses to quit. That's my new name for Kiffin. This is the grand battle of Emperor Palpatine vs. George Costanza.

In Tennessee, the Vince Young saga continues. The VY apologists like Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle can spin it any way they want but the fact remains that Young has turned into a basket case. The fact is he didn't want to reenter the game last week, coach Jeff Fisher was concerned enough to call the police after talking to Young, his mommy went to the media to plead for Vinny to be left alone and later he didn't want to have the MRI done on his knee. The most telling sign that he's screwed up is that Fisher has stated for the record that Young will not return as the starter when he gets healthy. Fisher has also said that Young needs to buckle down and start to review film and learn the game. Young is such a gifted athlete that he just dominated in high school and college. Now that he's in the league where the talent is so much superior to the previous ranks that he can't get by on talent alone. Until he learns to play the NFL game and listen to his coaches, he will never excel in the league. I also think it's a telling sign that he was at home nursing his mangina instead of with the team for the game.
My player of the week is Jay Cutler: 36/50, 350 yards, 4 TDs.

The Joe Pisarcik Player of the Week is referee Ed Hochuli for his wrong call that ruled a fumble an incomplete pass that allowed Denver to keep the ball and defeat the Chargers.

I have a lot more to say but this is long enough. Obviously nothing about the Texans this week with the game moved to November 9th.

NFL Week 1, Unkle Monkee vs. the Line

All is right in the world, despite the Texans loss, with the opening of 2008 NFL season. Herm Edwards still sucks, Matt Millen is still the worse general manager in football and the Texans fans on the message boards are a bunch of idiots.

First off my player of the week: Michael Turner, RB Atlanta. After being LaDainian Tomlison's back up since 2004, he cashed in big time with a multi year mega contract with the Falcons. I had my doubts if he was going to be the big name back capable of putting up big numbers but I took him in the second round of my fantasy league draft. For one week he paid off: 220 yards on 22 carries with 2 TDs.

Atlanta is trying to put the Michael Vick and Bobby Petrino debacles behind them. Turner will help them forget and it appears so will rookie quarterback Matt Ryan. While Ryan didn't put up eye popping numbers, he did throw for a touchdown on his first ever NFL pass. If Turner keeps running like he started, Ryan won't have to have big numbers. He'll just have to take care of the ball and throw enough to keep defenses honest.

Big rumor out of Tennessee is that Vince Young may have quit on the team in the fourth quarter. Alleged All-Universe (if you talk to UT fans) Young is under huge pressure in Tennessee. For all the local fans still pissed that the Texans passed on Young there just as many Titans fans pissed that the team passed on Jay Cutler. Cutler was a local hero playing at Vanderbilt University like Young was a local high school/UT hero here. The Titan fans have definitely turned on Young. He's been booed through out the preseason and this week when he came back on the field after an injury. I'm definitely of the opinion that Young doesn't have the arm for the NFL. Now I'm starting to think he doesn't have the mental make up to be in the NFL.
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080908/SPORTS01/809080337/1027
Despite Young's lack of NFL success, the Titans find ways to win and that's mostly because of their strong defense. Also despite his lack of NFL success, writers like the Houston Chronicle's Rusty Tromboner (Richard Justice) and Jabba the McClain (John McClain) will continue to ride his jock. Look up "rusty trombone" if you don't know what it is. Justice earned the nickname from one of the UH message boards.

It may turnout to be a long season for the Pats now that Tom Brady is out for the year. I hate that he's out cause I'd like for nothing more than to see him continue to out play Peyton Manning.

It was good to see Donovan McNabb looking healthy again. He had a fantastic game against the St. Louis Cardinals. McNabb is one of my all time favorite players. I really hated watching him struggle the last two seasons. As much as I want fellow Houston Cougar Kevin Kolb to succeed in the NFL, I don't want it at the expense of McNabb.

This week's Joe Pisarcik Player of the Week is Carson Palmer. 10 completions on 25 attempts for 99 yards to go with one interception earns him this dubious distinction. Thanks to Palmer's performance and TJ Houshmenzedah's I lost my opening week in fantasy football by four points.

Finally the depressing thought of the week. The Houston Texans. I expected them to lose to Pittsburgh. I didn't expect them to get manhandled like red headed step children. The overall performance was pretty pathetic. The only player to show up was Mario Williams. He picked up where he left off last year with two sacks, a forced fumble and six solo tackles. My major concern for the Texans is the defense. The first teamers were pushed around all preseason and now in week one. I have a feeling defensive coordinator Richard Smith might not survive the season. Of course, I think he should have been let go during the 2006 season. I think the offense will be fine though.

I think the Texans will have a tough time against the Ravens this week but will somehow pull out a win.

Well, I've put in a solid three day work week. I am out of here until next Monday. Have a good one. It's an all football weekend for me. I'll be out at UH to watch them play Air Force and then to the Texans on Sunday.

Against the Line
I went 10-5 versus the Vegas line this week. I didn't include Thursday's opener since I posted after the fact.

Tom Brady's injury greatly affected the game against KC and the Pats failed to cover for me. Turner's big day against the Lions cost me another game. Seattle's flat out beating, Chicago's upset of Indy and the Begnals going Bungles against the Raven's round out my losses.

On the winning side of the ledger, I went against the line and took the underdogs with the Titans, Saints and Panthers.

I'll post this weeks picks on Friday. I'm just curious on how I'll do against the line for a whole season. I've never measured myself before.