Tag Archives: John Fox

Ten for Tuesday: Week 8 NFL Football

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It is nice to see Eli Manning switch back to the pouty-faced Ellie that I’ve known and loved for so long. Ellie is back to his inaccurate throws, shame-faced box crab looks, and more importantly, the Giants losing games. Not only did they lose on Sunday, but the Eagles just absolutely destroyed them. The Giants have fallen in love with this Eli guy, the guy they gave more money too than any other team pays any other quarterback, but with Eli you get Ellie, and that’s the guys playing right now…..   I had forgotten, but Steven Jackson is one of the best players in football. How do I know that? Well, while everyone else in America was watching a good football game, I was viewing the car-wreck that was Detroit hosting St. Louis. There’s something about it, I just couldn’t keep my eyes off of this game. Nobody should have to see something like that, but here I was, in awe. Steven Jackson was straight beasting everybody on the Lions team. I think he even had time to boo Matthew Stafford. While watching the game I learned a couple more things…    Marc Bulger is a terrible quarterback. Despite not getting much offensive line help, it’s hard for me not to tear into this guy. He steps backward every time he throws, setting his receivers up to get blasted, he’s gun shy, he’s basically the opposite of everything good. His best day isn’t close to Ellie’s saddest tear-filled outing….    And once again, the all stars from these two teams couldn’t get together to win more than 5 games. Steven Jackson would still be trying to carry the team on his back while a poor quarterback option failed to get the ball to Calvin Johnson. The offensive line would be a little better, but still not good. The Defensive line would have a couple players to rush the pass, but still get eaten up on the ground, and the Ramlion secondary would still get eaten up by opposing quarterbacks. All that and they would not get to play each other, what car-wreck of a game would I watch then?

It’s hard for me to say that Shawn Merriman is back, but at least he’s got a couple sacks to his name. The “Lights Out” dance artist himself was back in action. It seems like playing against the Raiders shouldn’t even count for season stat totals, but the bottom line is that the NFL still recognizes the Raiders as a team, and Merriman’s two sacks against “NFL Starting QB” Jamarcus Russell were his first sacks of the season…..     Speaking of JaMarcus Russell, I can’t even stand behind this kid anymore, it’s not his poor ability to see the field (see tunnel vision), or his consistent practice of overthrowing receivers, it’s not even his lack of mobility and terrible footwork, I don’t even think it’s his hideous work ethic and carelessness, but his absolute lack of reality kills me. After the game this guy had the mental clown work to claim that he played well. If you play crappy, at the very least you can keep your mouth shut and just try harder. JaMarcus obviously has problems keeping his mouth shut…..

Marques Colston is borderline unguardable. Drew Brees likes to get everyone involved, hitting open receivers all over the field, but when things get tight and Drew needs that 15 free yards, he just throws a ball about 12 feet in the air in the direction of Colston. Colston has great jumps for a big guy, and even more impressive are his ball skills. He always grabs the ball at the height of his jump, and his timing is perfect….   The Titans finally got a win, and I have to be honest, Vince Young had something to do with that. He may have looked uncomfortable at times, and his 15 for 18 passing performance may look better than it actually was, but his 12 rushes for 30 yards were bigger than they looked. Defenses have to pay attention to him. But even more important than anything Vince did was how the Titans called plays with Vince in there. They went back to being a run-centric team, throwing just 18 times while rocking 49 attempts on the ground. If it takes Vince to get that coaching staff to commit to what makes this offense good, then Young’s presence is more important than anyone gives him credit for……

I really appreciate John Fox pulling his own head out of his tail pipe just in time to eliminate me from a survivor pool, but what took so long? You have an overpaid game-managing quarterback with two great running backs and an offensive line that consistently mauls opposing defensive lines. Yet this guy fell in love with throwing the ball when he was down a few points. Maybe it was his offensive coordinator, but that is the head coach’s fault too. If I have Jake Delhomme at QB, and DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart running the ball, I’m running the ball 70% of the time at the very least….  Speaking of offenses that don’t know who they are, how long can Bills coaches have jobs in Buffalo? Their game against Houston was a situation where their run game was working. They were up for 3 quarters, have two very good running backs, have no good quarterbacks, and yet you have Lynch and Jackson getting just 9 rushes each. Ridiculous. It makes me sick.

Ten for Tuesday: Week 7 Fantasy Football Analysis

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“JaMarcus Russell, thank you for making an appearance on my fantasy team this week. I thought I was being a good owner, finding the only quarterback on the waiver wire that was starting, and giving Week 7 my best shot despite some tough bye weeks for my squad. But when it comes right down to it, my team had a better chance if I had not picked you up at all. Your stay will be brief, in fact I’ll cut you right now. Be gone!” Red Red Ryan couldn’t find a stop gap, he found a grenade…. 

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 Paul Simon may have diamonds on the soles of his shoes, but Adrian Peterson has William Gay’s pride on the soles of his shoes. If you haven’t seen it, and you like football at all, (or if you just like to see what happens when you mess with the bull) check this out! AP Gives William Gay the Horns! The kid truly is special, if the Vikings weren’t so worried about AP’s physical running style and the way it effects his health, he’d touch the ball 40 times a game. And that wouldn’t be enough…..

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Chad Henne threw a dime to Ted Ginn Jr. that was going to go for about 35 yards, and put the Fins that much closer to a kill shot on the Saints this week. But wait, Ted Ginn Jr. decided to tap the ball up into the air instead of just catching it, then he fell down, the ball just happened to go right into Darren Sharper’s hands, and he did what he does, scoring a touchdown, getting the Saints back in it, and highlighting that one thing that Ted Ginn Jr. just can’t seem to figure out – catch the damn ball. I can see Henne losing some confidence in Ginn, and then, that elite speed and Henne’s big arm will see fewer and fewer long distance get-togethers. Oh Ted, stick-em man, stick-em….   

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I have something to say about Vernon Davis, WOW! That guy is really, really talented. He took a shot near the goal line this Sunday that would put almost every single skill player right on their aces, but not Vernon, he kept his balance and walked into the end zone. Everybody, and probably rightfully so, labeled Mr. Davis a bum, err, a bust after his first couple seasons in the league, but I hope everyone realizes what Mike Singletary’s leadership has done to this kid’s game. He’s always had the ability, and he’s always worked hard, but he’s focused every snap on Sunday’s and he could be something special for a long time…..  

Speaking of amazing plays by a tight end, has anyone seen somebody hold onto a ball after a hit better than Kevin Boss? If you missed it, Boss grabbed a ball with his finger tips then got absolutely obliterated by the Cardinals’ safety. He flipped all the way around and landed in a fashion that should have jarred the ball loose. But he’s tough. As nails. And he held on. Ted Ginn Jr., TO, go ahead and take a note or two on Boss’s catch….. 

Can somebody please tell me how John Fox, or his offensive coordinator, at the very least, still has a job? Down 7-2 at half, the Panthers come out throwing the damn ball. Why? Well, despite running effectively throughout the first half, they wanted to go back to their strength, interceptions. The Panthers are a running team, even Fox will tell you that, but somehow they always end up relying on the pass. Last time I checked, 7-2 to start the 3rd doesn’t eliminate the run from the playbook….. 

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Don’t look now, but the Packers might actually pull their heads out and start handing Ryan Grant the ball 20+ times a game. I know it was Cleveland, a runner’s dream, but 27 carries for the big guy turned into 147 yards, and the Packers’ second blowout of the season (both 20+ carry games for Grant). Even against St. Louis, they didn’t start pulling away until they started feeding Grant the rock in the 2nd half. Grant runs really hard, straight down hill, and he could open a lot of play action for Jennings and Driver if they commit, this game might allow them to realize what that means….  

I wonder if, when the Bears dropped Cedric Benson, they ever thought he’d come back in a couple years, go up against them, and basically beast them all day long. Hmmm. I wonder if they thought Benson would be the best player on the field after they signed Jay Cutler to a big contract 2 year extension earlier in the week. Hmmm. I’m going to go on ahead and guess no on both accounts. Ced went balls out on Sunday, turning Chicago into a sieved. He wanted the ball, and he got it, 37 times. Nasty…..  

Yes, you can go ahead and mark it down, Shonn Greene and Miles Austin are both for real. Now Miles is going to be the sure thing heading forward, he’s going to start, and I don’t care how much money Roy Williams Jr. is getting paid, Austin is going to be the #1 in Dallas, and you all saw what Tony Romo can do when he has a sure thing guy out wide. But Greene, he’s a guy that many people might see as a one-game fixer. Listen, the Jets are going to run the ball early and often from here on out. Thomas Jones is a good back, yes, but he can’t carry the ball 25-30 times a game and stay healthy, not even with those huge freaking arms – so Green will get touches, and he’ll continue to show his worth. He was a beast in college, and he’ll be a beast for the Jets….. 

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Nobody can stop Vincent Jackson! It’s not like the Chiefs were a ferocious foe, but it needs to be said. This guy doesn’t get the kind of credit he deserves, but he’s in that Top 10 group of receivers. He has elite speed, elite size, good jumps, and his hands have turned into sure things. He does it all, truly, and Phillip Rivers will continue to aim his marshmallows in Vincent’s general direction. If you can, get him quick!!!

Sunday Observations: Week 6 NFL Football

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My buddy Josh had this great idea, take some of our best comments to each other from Sunday’s action, the group’s best and worst textual masterpieces, and put them together in one article for all to see. Sometimes our day-time observations can be priceless, other times hilarious, and every once in a while even useful. You need to know, I have Sunday ticket, Josh is braving the darkness of Alaska and whichever games they show up there, Papa never leaves his dungeon, and Red Red Ryan couldn’t take part in this week’s texting session because his red hair (and female partner) wouldn’t allow him to do so. The bottom line is, we all watch football in different places, so we keep our texting handy to pretend we’re watching the games together. So, Red was out this week but still, Papa, Josh, and I sent texts to and fro. Here’s the Top 15, compiled by yours truly…

Josh Arsenault

1. Percy Harvin is a speed guy that loves to hit people… Watch him block from the slot and it’s easy to see why the Vikings love him.

2. Ray Rice’s game reminds me of MJD…. He and Flacco have a chance to be special for a long time.

3. John Fox makes coaching look hard… Here’s a tip, Foxy: D-Will, D-Will, J-Stew, D-Will, J-Stew, J-Stew, D-Will… Somebody get this guy a Tecmo Bowl playbook.

4. There is nobody in the NFL I enjoy watching lose more than Jay Cutler… Except maybe Al Davis… Here’s hoping Culter winds up with the Raiders at some point.

5. No team is more bi-polar than the Seattle Seahawks… Their two wins were shutouts (28-0 and 41-0) and their four losses have been by an average margin of 15 points. Which one will it be coming off their bye?

Lucky Lester

1. Rummaging through the games I think I’ve watched five offensive plays by the Bills, and I’m pretty damn sure Terrell Owens has three drops. If the average team has 60 offensive plays, TO is on pace to drop 36 balls based on my numbers – that has to be a record.

2. Joshua Cribbs is unreal, but unless he returns 5 kickoffs and punts for touchdowns, the Browns aren’t going to have a chance to win this game.

3. How do nine football games manage to all be on commercial at the same time, and not one has reached half time? On the bright side, the Tampa game is showing their cheerleaders, and I’m pretty sure they are only wearing jerseys – there might be black panties under there, but I’m not sure.

4. The Jaguars must really stink, because Maurice Jones Drew is really freaking good and they still suck.

5. I hate watching Jake Delhomme, he’s like a Ben Stiller movie, I feel embarrassed for the guy. He tries so hard but he just keeps zipping his junk up in his zipper. The guy can dig himself a hole with the best of them.

Papa Weimer

1. I hope Jim Zorn realizes that it’s not the quarterback, it’s him. Jason Campbell is better than Todd Collins, that’s why he’s started over the past 2 seasons. It’s the play calling, the dead end coaching spot, and the general broke down feeling of the Skins franchise.

2. I feel bad for Todd Haley, his offense plays like the last 3 eight grade teams I coached. They jump off-sides like it’s their job, they miss assignments all day long, and they do just enough to give you a glimmer of hope before they rip it away with a holding penalty and two jumps off-sides on back2back2back plays.

3. If you got paid a million dollars to get knocked out, and you got to pick one guy to make sure the job got done right, which player in the league would you choose to rock your world? I got Ray Lewis. (Josh replies, Brian Dawkins) (Lucky replies, Aaron Curry)

4. Hahahaha… The Rams are going to win, the Rams are going to win! Leonard Little, pick 6, the worst team in the league won’t tie the Lions for the worst record ever!

5. The Rams lose. Figures. If the Rams and Bucs gave all their best players to fight for a singular cause, they’d still get beat 12 times a year.