Week 15 Judgements: Broncos, not Texans, clearly team to beat in AFC

1. The Houston Texans aren't the best team in the AFC. Denver is. The Broncos are on a nine-game roll, have an underrated defense, a Super Bowl quarterback and a schedule that should make them 13-3 by season's end. Nevertheless, it's Houston that probably gains home-field advantage -- not only because it has a better record but because it holds the tiebreaker with Denver. But don't be fooled. The Texans may get the No. 1 seed, but they're no favorite to win the AFC.

2. The Texans aren't even the second-best team in the AFC; New England is, and there's a 42-14 rout of the Texans to prove it. But Denver and New England probably lock down the second and third seeds, and that's good for Houston ... because it means it only has to face one of them. The good news for Denver is that if all stays the same the next two weeks, it gains the second first-round bye and, if it plays New England, would draw the Patriots at home.

3. San Francisco can exhale. Had the 49ers lost they would've had to go to Seattle to lock down the NFC West, and, no, I don't like anyone's chances there -- especially the way Seattle is playing now. The Seahawks outscored their last two opponents, 108-17, the first time since the 1950 New York Giants anyone scored 50 or more in successive weeks.

4. Consider that a big break Seattle just gained from the league's schedule maker. The Seahawks are notoriously poor on the road when that road takes them anywhere but Soldier Field, and it took them to Buffalo Sunday. Only it didn't. The game was played in Toronto, and it was played indoors ... with predictable results.

5. In case you're wondering, yes, Russell Wilson definitely is a player in the league's Rookie of the Year race. He has as many victories as Andrew Luck and more touchdown passes (21) than either Luck or Robert Griffin III. Plus, he has the Seahawks this close to a division title. "You can see it now," said coach Pete Carroll, "we're really playing offense with Russell."

6. Carroll must be warming up for Jim Harbaugh. That's the only explanation I have for a fourth-quarter fake punt with a 30-point lead.

7. I'll tell you what that Washington victory tells me: That Cleveland chose the wrong quarterback, that's what. The Browns should've taken Kirk Cousins, not Brandon Weeden.

8. OK, so the New York Giants can beat anyone when they dial up their "A game." Only one problem: They've been on call waiting far too often this season.

9. For the record, that's the Cowboys' fourth consecutive victory by five or fewer points, and, yes, I'd say that makes them a tough out for Washington on Dec. 30.

10. Say goodnight to Green Bay's Mason Crosby. The Packers have lost faith in the guy, and it's easy to see why: He's missed field goals in eight straight games, including two Sunday, and coach Mike McCarthy seems finished with him. The proof? Instead of trying a 44-yard field goal with fourth-and-6 at the Chicago 26, he went for it ... and made it. That tells you something, and what it tells you is that McCarthy no longer trusts his kicker.

11. The more Minnesota wins, the more Adrian Peterson becomes a legitimate factor in the MVP race. That happens when you have two 200-yard games and approach Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record. Peterson, 293 yards shy of the mark, finishes vs. Houston and Green Bay, and, entering Sunday, they ranked 30th and 18th vs. the run.

12. It's not just Buffalo's eighth straight losing season that's so troubling; it's how the Bills got there -- without defense. That wasn't supposed to happen after the Bills invested heavily on that side of the ball, but the numbers don't lie ... and what they tell us is that four times this season the Bills surrendered 45 or more points.

13. The 49ers' Jim Harbaugh should feel a lot better about his quarterback after Sunday night. Colin Kaepernick not only ended New England's 13-game winning streak in December; he beat the game's best quarterback where Tom Brady seldom loses and held together after New England tied the game midway through the fourth quarter. That was impressive. I never liked the move when Harbaugh sat down Alex Smith, but he looks a lot better now than he did after losing to St. Louis a couple of weeks ago. Nevertheless, I still say he must get to the conference championship game to prove he was right.

14. People tell me the Atlanta Falcons made a statement by hammering the defending Super Bowl champions, and that's great. Good for them. But the only statement anyone cares about must come in January, not December. It doesn't matter what they do now or how they do it; I care what happens in the playoffs where Matt Ryan hasn't won.

15. Shame on the Detroit Lions. A 24-point loss to Arizona? You must be kidding. Since starting 5-0 last season, the Lions are 9-17, including the playoffs. Steve Young and Jerry Rice may have taught quarterback Matthew Stafford "how to dress in style," as that Van Heusen commercial says, but they should teach him how to win, too.

16. The 49ers' Ted Ginn Jr. got lucky when he barely missed that bouncing punt at the end of the first half against the Patriots. It was two muffed punt returns by Kyle Williams that kept San Francisco out of Super Bowl XLVI, and you'd think these guys would learn to get out of the way of a bouncing ball.

17. I'm with NBC's Tony Dungy. If I were Washington's Mike Shanahan I'd play Cousins another week. The reason: 1) They play Philadelphia, which lost nine of its last 10; 2) they give RG3 another week to get healthy and 3) they can win with him.

18. Just a hunch, but somewhere Cam Cameron is smiling.

19. When you wonder what went wrong with the Philadelphia Eagles consider this: In their last 30 games they committed 72 turnovers.

20. Yep, the Pittsburgh Steelers see the season slipping away, but take heart, Pittsburgh fans. It's not over. The Steelers must make up a game with Cincinnati, and they can do just that next week when they play the Bengals at home. Cincinnati hasn't beaten Pittsburgh in its last five games, including once this year.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell last week reiterated the league's intention to look into expanding the playoffs by two or four teams. The league believes it's what the public wants, but I'm not so sure. So I asked my Twitter followers what they think, and the response was unanimous ... as in LEAVE IT ALONE, ROGER!!! Here are some of your responses:

1. Julianne Ture@churchyfur: "Keep the playoffs the way they are. Just because the NHL is dead is no reason to adopt their playoff format."

2. Jake Stevens@ThereItIsJake. "Leave it. Split into eight divisions already allows bad teams to qualify. Of course more teams=more money for owners so will expand.

3. Brian Hendrich@Brian Hendrich. "Terrible idea. Making the playoffs should be hard. Expanding the playoffs just rewards mediocrity."

4. Matt@moosamatt: "Leave it. Bad enough 8-8 teams can make it."

5. Tim Valenzuela@TimValenzuela: "Leave it. Keep it at 12. Fewer teams the better."

6. Mike Spahos@tomike: "Keep it just the way it is. Rewards top seeds, and it is a privilege to make the playoffs. Don't like seeing 8-8 teams in."

7. Jim Benham@ruffbizness: "Horrible idea. Keep it at 12. Don't need #TNF-quality playoff games and a cheapened regular season.

8. Red Gold Bleeder@Red Gold Bleeder: "LEAVE IT. What is the point of a playoff system that allows half the league to compete in January? Playoff headcount fine as it is."

9. Nicholas Brown@Nick the Titan: "If it ain't broke ... don't fix it!"

10. David Gillette@ Dave Gillette: "Diminishes regular season and is pure money grab that insults fans. This isn't 4-year-old tball. Must have winners and losers."

1. The NFL having a moment of silence for the victims of the Newtown, Conn., tragedy. There is nothing more to say about an unthinkable crime, so the NFL said nothing ... and it was the right touch.

2. The Giants' Victor Cruz playing for Jack Pinto, one of the 20 children killed in Newtown, Conn. I don't care that the Giants didn't win or didn't score. I care that Cruz did the right thing by dedicating Sunday's game to the 6-year-old by wearing Pinto's name on his gloves and his cleats. Classy. The Giants wore helmet decals to honor the dead, and the Jets will do it Monday, too. Nice.

3. Washington's playoff chances. All the Redskins must do is beat Philadelphia in Philadelphia and Dallas at home, and they're in. They win with RG3. They win with Cousins. And they're the team you want to be. Some teams can't find one good quarterback. The Redskins have two. And they're both rookies.

4. Peyton Manning vs. Baltimore. He's 9-2 vs. the Ravens, winning his last nine. The last time he lost? Try 2001. "All of them were really team wins," said Manning.

5. Everything about Tom Brady. So he lost. He was nothing short of sensational in the second half, throwing for over 300 yards as New England pulled the improbable, rallying from a 31-3 hole vs. the league's best defense. There are more complete teams than New England; there is no more complete quarterback anywhere. If I had my way, Brady would be the league MVP every season.

1. Baltimore coach John Harbaugh not going for the two-point conversion. It's the same question asked of Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin a week ago: Why, when the Ravens scored on a 61-yard TD to narrow the gap to 34-17, didn't he go for a two-point conversion? If you make it, it's a two-score game. Granted, the chances are slim, but at least it keeps you on life support. But by kicking the extra point, he made it a three-score game, and I don't understand.

2. Kansas City's offense. The Chiefs didn't get a first down until the third quarter -- against the Raiders, no less -- and then on fourth-and-goal at the 4 they take a delay-of-game penalty. You gotta be kidding me. Nope, and why aren't we surprised. This whole season has been a delay-of-game for these guys.

3. Colin Kaepernick on snaps under center. I never thought of this as all that difficult ... until I watched Kaepernick struggle with it again and again Sunday, botching a fourth-and-inches sneak when he fumbled the snap. I always said the danger with making the switch from Alex Smith to Kaepernick in midseason is that you risk more mistakes ... and Kaepernick just proved it. Of course, he also proved he could beat Tom Brady in New England. You take the good with the bad, and the 49ers just got a lot of good.

4. Pittsburgh's pass protection. Talk about horrendous. That last series of the fourth quarter was awful, with the offensive line failing to protect Ben Roethlisberger when Pittsburgh had a chance to close out the Cowboys. Right guard David DeCastro, who was making his first start, was in the middle of both of them, and his timing couldn't have been worse.

5. David Akers' future. The 49ers' kicker has too many missed field goals lately, and he missed another Sunday night -- this time a 39-yarder that could've pushed the 49ers to a 10-0 cushion. Akers has 10 misses this season; he had eight in 52 tries last season. That's an issue that better be fixed by the playoffs.

1. Pittsburgh wide receiver Antonio Brown. He fumbles a punt return. He runs out of bounds when he shouldn't. He stands so far back for a punt return he lets it roll for a 59-yard kick without a return. Horrible. Pittsburgh had no business blowing this game, and Brown was a big reason it did.

2. Baltimore offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell. I know Baltimore's offensive coordinator hasn't called plays since he was at Wake Forest in 1999, but that's no excuse for that dreadful decision at the end of the first half that resulted in a 98-yard interception return. The Ravens had three timeouts. So why were they rushing to throw at the Denver 4? They could've run once, twice, it didn't matter. Asked to assess the call, intended receiver Anquan Boldin hesitated before saying, "It ain't really about the play-calling. It's about the players on the field." Not there it wasn't. It was all about the play-calling, and that one stunk.

3. Tampa Bay linebacker Adam Hayward. So you're upset. You should be. Your team stunk. But don't try pushing around assistant coaches ... and especially don't try pushing around Bryan Cox. You won't win that one, Adam.

4. Kansas City coach Romeo Crennel. He had one of his players standing under the goal post in case Sebastian Janikowski's 57-yard field goal fell short. Naturally, of course, it didn't. Nobody in the league has a stronger leg than Janikowski. So how come Crennel didn't get the memo?

5. Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy. He has an 11-point lead with eight minutes to play. If he makes no mistakes, he's home free. Only he does make one ... by trying a Music City Miracle reprise on a punt return. Huh? The ball is fumbled, Chicago recovers and, lucky for McCarthy, the Packers hold the Bears to a field goal. It was a risk not worth taking. So why take it? Someone? Anyone?

• Who wins the NFC East?

• Who's worse, Jacksonville or Kansas City?

• What's happened to Chicago?

• Do the Giants make the playoffs?

• San Francisco or Seattle?

0 -- Kansas City first-half first downs
5 -- Career Asante Samuel interceptions of Eli Manning
6 -- Straight weeks with a Dez Bryant TD
7 -- Washington touchdown passes of 50 or more yards this season
7 -- Straight 100-yard games for Calvin Johnson
12 -- Mason Crosby missed field goals
20 -- First-half first downs by Carolina
42 -- Straight games with Jacksonville allowing a sack
2002 -- Last time Atlanta shut out anyone

1. Denver
2. Atlanta
3. San Francisco
4. New England
5. Green Bay

32. Kansas City
31. Jacksonville
30. Oakland
29. Philadelphia
28. Detroit

Cincinnati at Pittsburgh ... AFC's sixth seed at stake.

N.Y. Giants at Baltimore ... Now, more than ever, Giants must win.

San Francisco at Seattle ... 49ers try to become first team to win in Seattle.

View the original article here

Week 3 Judgements: Time for winless Saints to start panicking

OK, New Orleans, it's time to panic. Not only are the Saints winless; they lost to three opponents who haven't beaten anyone else. You can look it up: Washington, Carolina and Kansas City are a combined 3-6 ... but 3-0 vs. the Saints and 0-6 vs. the rest of the league.

2. Yeah, I know, it's bad enough that New Orleans allowed the Chiefs to score 21 unanswered points ... at the Superdome, no less ... but what in the name of Drew Brees happened to that offense? I mean, the Saints paid Brees a zillion bucks ... but not for this. The Saints didn't score a friggin' point in their last six series Sunday, and they not only had zero first downs in their last five; they produced a grand total of -- 16 yards.

3. A torn ACL for Darrelle Revis? Say goodnight, Rex.

4. This is why you should pay attention to Arizona: Defense, particularly its pass defense. Sunday's game marks the 10th time in the past 12 games the Cards allowed no more than 20 points, and they won all 10. Moreover, look what they're pass defense is doing this season -- namely, holding opponents to a completion percentage of 53.8 percent, with 12 sacks of opposing quarterbacks and only two TDs allowed all year.

5. I'm not sure what's more astonishing: Tennessee hanging on to upset Detroit or Lions' backup quarterback Shaun Hill producing 172 yards passing after entering the game with 1:16 left in the fourth quarter. OK, I lied: Shaun Hill, please step forward.

6. Just a hunch, but I bet the NFL wants to hear what Washington offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has to say about that Washington radio report -- ESPN 980, to be exact -- alleging that Shanahan berated an official at Sunday's game with the Bengals. Remember, it was the NFL office that last week warned coaches again not to bully replacement refs, which means it probably wants something other than a "no comment" from Shanahan and the Redskins.

7. And I bet it wants to hear what New England coach Bill Belichick has to say, too. It was Belichick who tried to grab an official by the arm after Sunday night's game, with the official escaping the arm tackle, and, no, that's not what the NFL had in mind when it issued last week's memo.

8. For the life of me, I don't know how Baltimore's Torrey Smith played Sunday night not after his brother dies earlier that day. But he did, and he caught 127 yards in passes and scored two of the Ravens' touchdown, with teammates mobbing him afterward. I know, it happens. I remember Brett Favre excelling on Monday night after his father passed away, too, but that doesn't make it any easier. I don't see how these guys do it.

9. I'm probably in the minority here, but I have no problem with Jim Schwartz going for it on fourth-and-1 in overtime ... even when he had a sure field goal to tie the game. Schwartz went for the kill shot on the road, and that's OK by me. But here's my question: If you're going to roll the dice, why do it on a quarterback sneak with a backup quarterback?

10. Now, more than ever, I believe Chicago ... not Detroit ... is the team to push Green Bay in the NFC North.

11. Good thing nobody excused Santonio Holmes from the huddle this time in Miami. The Jets wouldn't have had a chance. I don't care what you think of Mark Sanchez; that was one helluva throw to Holmes in overtime to set up the game-winning field goal.

12. For the record, that's five straight games for Kevin Kolb without an interception. I know a lot of coaches who subscribe to the philosophy that you don't lose your job by injury ... except it sure looks like John Skelton just did.

13. Congratulations, Chris Johnson. Only 55 more yards rushing, and you hit 100.

14. Call off the Mario Williams Watch. He had his first sack of the season; in fact, he had a sack-and-a-half. Better yet, the Buffalo Bills have nine sacks in their last two starts, which was the idea when they signed Williams and defensive end Mark Anderson, who also had his first sack of the year.

15. OK, I'll lay off Blaine Gabbert. That's two come-from-behind touchdown passes in the last minute of this year's games. One he lost; the other he won.

16. Nick Foles, please stand by. I just don't see how Michael Vick lasts given the punishment he's taking. The poor guy's been sacked nine times and absorbed a spate of vicious hits -- with none worse than that shot he took in the back from blitzing safety Kerry Rhodes at the end of the first half. Vick fumbled, the Cards returned it for a touchdown and you know the rest of the story.

17. Please, don't start cranking on Miami coach Joe Philbin for calling that timeout to ice Jets kicker Nick Folk. I know it cost the Dolphins a game-saving block, but it happens. A year ago, the Cards called a timeout to ice Dallas kicker Dan Bailey, and he nailed the field goal. So he tried it again and missed, and Arizona won in OT. Like I said: It happens.

18. I swear, I'm backing Matt Schaub on the road from now on. Reason: In his last seven road games he has 14 touchdowns and two interceptions. Plus, he just beat Peyton Manning at home -- and, yes, that's the same Peyton Manning who entered the game 16-2 vs. Houston.

19. Credit Minnesota's Leslie Frazier for making the tough call early. I'm talking about his decision to go for it on fourth-and-goal at the 1 on the Vikings' opening series. Frazier could've settled for the field goal, especially after Adrian Peterson had been stuffed for no gain on third, but he didn't ... and let's hear it for him. His decision sent a message to his offense that he believes in it, even when it's vs. the league's best run defense.

20. Maybe what we're seeing in Carolina is just Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation at work.

FIVE THINGS I LIKE

1. Arizona in any uniform. Those black tops Sunday were the third different wardrobe for the Cards this season, proving that it doesn't matter what they look like. They win.

2. Mike Nolan's defense. Matt Ryan draws most of the attention in Atlanta, and I get that. But what about Nolan? The Falcons' defensive coordinator shut down Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers in successive weeks, and he kept the Chargers out of the end zone after a short week and a cross-country trip.

3. Romeo Crennel going for it on fourth-and-1 in overtime. The ball was on the New Orleans 44, and Crennel didn't flinch. He kept his offense on the field, and his players responded -- with Jamaal Charles running for three yards to keep the game-winning drive alive. Hey, why not?

4. Larry Fitzgerald vs. Philadelphia. In five career games vs. the Eagles, including the playoffs, Fitzgerald has 33 catches for 570 yards and nine TDs -- including 23 catches and six TDs in his last three. I don't know, but if I'm Philadelphia, I think the one guy I don't let beat me is Larry Fitzgerald.

5. Sebastian Janikowski from any distance. The guy's virtually automatic from 60 yards on in, so that 43-yarder to beat Pittsburgh? Little more than a wedge shot.

FIVE THINGS I DON'T

1. Greg Williams' chances of coaching again in this league. That sworn affidavit pointing a guilty finger at Jonathan Vilma clinches it. There's not a player out there who will trust Williams to cover their backs. Not after this.

2. The Cincinnati defense. A week ago, coordinator Mike Zimmer admitted he was so disappointed with his unit that "every aspect of it surprises me." I can't imagine he feels much better today, though the Bengals just held off Washington. Through three games Cincinnati has hemorrhaged 102 points, and that's not good for any coordinator's resume. But give the Bengals this: They produced six sacks and stiffened when they had to on Washington's last drive. What's more, look at their next three games: They play Jacksonville, Miami and Cleveland, and that's guaranteed to help.

3. Replacement officials. There were 24 penalties for 218 yards called in Sunday's Baltimore-New England game, and please don't ask Belichick what he thought of the crew. If you can lip read, you could figure out what he was saying on the sidelines.

4. RG3's chances to make it through 16 games. I watch hits like the one the Redskins' quarterback took from Manny Lawson and wonder how long before the guy bows out. Either that, or how long the Redskins keep him running that quarterback option.

5. Philadelphia's ball security. What ball security? The Eagles have a league-high 12 turnovers, which translates to 64 for a season. No, they're not going to reach that, and, yes, they're getting better. They had five in the season opener, four last week and three Sunday. Nevertheless, it's way too much if these guys are serious about winning their division.

FIVE GUYS WHO HAVE SOME 'SPLAINING TO DO

1. Cincinnati cornerback Terence Newman. It was his late shot on Washington's RG3 that provoked a 15-yard penalty and put the Redskins in business on that last drive. Newman nailed Griffin with a blow to the shoulders as the quarterback was running out of bounds, and it could've cost Cincinnati dearly ... only it didn't. Live and learn, Terence.

2. Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. His unit allowed Oakland to score the last 13 points, and, OK, so Antonio Brown fumbled, and the Steelers' offense didn't score a fourth-period point. But these are the Steelers. Moreover, these are the Oakland Raiders, a club that couldn't put up more than 14 in any game this season. The Raiders scored 27 vs. San Diego and Miami; they scored 34 on Pittsburgh. Huh? "Their defense made the stops when they needed to," said Pittsburgh safety Ryan Clark, "and we didn't."

3. Washington coach Mike Shanahan. He called for an onside kick trailing by seven in the fourth quarter, and that's fine ... except there was 3:35 left. I don't care that Washington had no timeouts left. Drill the ball deep, bottle up the Bengals and take your chances. Sorry, but I don't like the decision. Too early.

4. Miami kicker Dan Carpenter. Bad enough that he hooked one field goal wide. But he hooked two, with the second a 48-yarder in overtime, opening the door to a Jets' victory. "I let the team down," Carpentersaid later. I'd say that about sums things up.

5. Detroit linebacker Bill Bentley. It was his holding penalty that kept Tennessee's game-winning drive in OT going, and it happened after the Titans failed to convert a third-and-16. I dunno, maybe Bentley's still feeling the effects from that concussion in the season opener, but you have to be smarter than that, Bill.

JUST ASKING BUT...

• How long before Arizona defensive coordinator Ray Horton starts getting national attention?

• What in the name of Tony Romo is wrong with the Cowboys' offense?

• Is Minnesota for real?

• Who's the favorite in the AFC West?

• What do you think of Kevin Kolb now?

NUMBERS TO REMEMBER

0 -- Touchdowns allowed by Philadelphia's defense in the second this year
3 -- Randy Moss catches in his return to the Metrodome
5 -- Tennessee TDs of 60 or more yards Sunday
6 -- Plays of 46 yards or longer in the Tennessee-Detroit game
10 -- Touchdown passes allowed by Washington this season
13 -- New England first-quarter points, the most vs. Baltimore at home under John Harbaugh
64 -- Peyton Manning 300-yard games, an NFL record
510 -- Yards Kansas City put up on New Orleans
1974 -- Last time the Cards started 3-0

MY TOP FIVE

1. Houston
2. Atlanta
3. Arizona
4. Green Bay
5. Baltimore

MY BOTTOM FIVE

32. Cleveland
31. New Orleans
30. Indianapolis
29. Miami
28. Kansas City

NEXT WEEKEND'S THREE BEST GAMES

Giants at Eagles ... Now, more than ever, the Eagles need to hold on.

New England at Buffalo ... Now we find out what Mario Williams does for Buffalo.

Chicago at Dallas ... It's Jay Cutler's chance to make up on national TV.

View the original article here

Week 2 Judgements: Cardinals aren't who we thought they are

Maybe, just maybe, the Arizona Cardinals found a quarterback after all. Kevin Kolb didn't just beat Tom Brady. He beat history, becoming the first quarterback to beat Brady and the Patriots in a home opener at Gillette Stadium. Yep, the Patriots were 10-0 before Sunday, and Brady was 35-1 there in his last 36 regular-season starts. Oh, well. Now, Kolb goes home where the Cards have won six straight and gears up for his own personal Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles.

2. Guess there goes the quarterback controversy in Arizona. John Skelton, please take a seat.

3. With the victory, Arizona has nine wins in its last 11 starts. Nobody is better. Yes, there are teams as good -- with New England one of them -- but, as I said, nobody is better.

4. Don't tell me the NFC West is a joke. Not anymore it isn't. Not only is San Francisco the best team in football, but the rest of the division ... well, it went undefeated Sunday. That's right, the NFC West was 4-0 vs. New England, Detroit, Washington and Dallas.

5. Welcome back, Greg Schiano. Now go home.

6. No question about it, that was a cheap shot on quarterback Eli Manning on the game's last play, a kneeldown. Schiano later said his teams "won't quit," and that's fine. But it was a kneeldown, for crying out loud. Get a clue, Greg. There's a time and place to take a shot at the quarterback, and that wasn't it. Coach Tom Coughlin let him know it, and good for him. He should.

7. It's not Blaine Gabbert's hamstring that bothers me. It's his right arm. Or maybe his head. He flat out stunk in that blowout by Houston, a game that was far too reminiscent of Gabbert's play last season.

8. Guess that Seattle loss to Arizona doesn't look so bad now, does it.

9. Yes, Robert Griffin III is a talent, but, no, no, no, Indianapolis should not have drafted him first ... and Andrew Luck just showed you why.

10. Sorry, but I have no idea why Washington coach Mike Shanahan had Billy Cundiff try a 62-yard field goal, either. I'd play the percentages, and, in my book, the percentages of RG3 converting a fourth-and-16 are greater than Cundiff nailing a 62-yard field goal.

11. I don't fault Cundiff for missing the kick. His career best is 56 yards. But I do know that Baltimore's Justin Tucker -- the guy who replaced Cundiff -- might've made it. He nailed a 56-yarder outdoors vs. Philadelphia that would've been good from 62.

12. Sam Bradford bashers said St. Louis was wrong to make a commitment to the guy after last season and to trade away the second pick of the draft (which Washington turned into Griffin). I want to hear them say that now. No question, RG3 could be sensational, but Bradford looks like the quarterback who nearly took the Rams to a division title in 2010 -- and that is nothing but good for a team that is tougher, more physical and more competitive under Jeff Fisher. Trust me, the Rams will be a tough out this season.

13. Early candidate for Coach of the Year: Sean Payton. Without him, the Saints just lost consecutive games to a pair of doormats that were a combined 11-21 last season.

14. Here's what I like most about San Diego's 2-0 start: Defense. The Chargers allowed only three touchdowns and 24 points. We all know the Bolts can score (they produced 38 Sunday without Ryan Mathews and Antonio Gates). What they couldn't do is stop anyone ... until now. Their first two opponents converted 25 percent of their third downs; last year's converted 49.2 percent. Advantage, John Pagano.

15. Include me among those who think that Aaron Hernandez's ankle injury is a big deal. A really big deal.

16. Buffalo fans waiting for a pass rush finally got their wish. The Bills had five sacks vs. Kansas City, with four by defensive tackles. That means that ... yep, we're still waiting for our first sacks by Mario Williams and Mark Anderson.

17. I'm not one to complain about replacement refs, but they were gawd awful in the Baltimore-Philadelphia game. They blew spots. They blew timeouts. They couldn't remember what down it was. In short, they were dreadful. Overall, I think replacement officials haven't been all that bad ... but these guys were, and you'd think a marquee game like Baltimore-Philadelphia would demand a marquee crew. Guess not.

18. One word for those holding stock in USC quarterback Matt Barkley: Sell!

19. Buffalo just found out how to minimize Ryan Fitzpatrick's mistakes. Run more and have him throw less. Fitzpatrick threw just 19 passes vs. Kansas City but was more effective ... far more effective ... than he was when he put the ball up 32 times vs. the Jets a week earlier.

20. The race is on for last in the AFC West, with Kansas City making an early push to beat out Oakland. But the Chiefs started 0-2 a year ago and were outscored 89-10. They're 0-2 again, this time by a combined score of 75-41, and here's the question: Is that progress? I think you know the answer.

FIVE THINGS I LIKE

1. Baltimore coach John Harbaugh's use of timeouts at the end of the first half. First his punt coverage team bottled up Philadelphia at its 6. Then Harbaugh used his second and third timeouts to stop the clock with 18 seconds left. That shouldn't have been a problem ... but it was after punter Chas Henry had a 38-yard kick returned 10 yards. Result: Baltimore gains three points it shouldn't via Justin Tucker's 56-yard field goal.

2. Detroit's Jim Schwartz shaking hands with Jim Harbaugh before Sunday's game. Everyone was waiting to see what happened when these two met again, and credit Schwartz for making the first move. He ran over to Harbaugh in pre-game warm-ups, extended his hand and left with a smile. Hallelujah.

3. Cincinnati's Marvin Lewis vs. Cleveland. He's 14-5 in the series, with his first victory as a head coach over the Browns. He also won seven of the last eight times they met. What's supposed to be "The Battle of Ohio" is more like a game of solitaire.

4. Pittsburgh in home openers. That was the Steelers' 10th straight, and it's no coincidence it happened with Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis at home. What little chance the Jets had for the upset disappeared when Revis disappeared. "We aren't scared of anybody," Pittsburgh wide receiver Mike Wallace proclaimed last week. Then the Steelers proved it.

5. Michael Vick on last-gasp drives. The Eagles are 2-0 because Vick is slick when it matters most. You can look it up: On fourth-quarter, game-winning drives vs. Cleveland and Baltimore, Vick was 10 for 16 for 125 yards and one touchdown. He also ran four times for 20 yards and another TD.

FIVE THINGS I DON'T

1. Side judge Brian Stropolo's common sense. He doesn't have any. The guy was supposed to officiate the Saints-Panthers game but was removed after ESPN discovered a photo of him on his Facebook page with his Saints gear on and with Stropolo identified as a New Orleans fan. Swell. One question: How in the world could Stropolo ever have thought that posting a photo of himself in anyone's gear was a smart idea?

2. Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson throwing a punch at Baltimore's Cary Williams and not getting tossed. That's not how it's supposed to go, people.

3. The New York Giants' defense. It was the reason Big Blue won two Super Bowls in five years, including 2011, but so far it looks downright ordinary -- with Tampa Bay putting up 34 on it one week after the Cowboys struck for 24. I know the Giants have cornerback issues, but get over it already. The Giants had to have 510 yards passing from Eli Manning to pull off a come-from-behind victory, and, no, don't get used to it.

4. Golden Tate's wipeout of Sean Lee on a Russell Wilson scramble. It wasn't a block; it was a demolition of a defenseless player. This is precisely the kind of shot to the head and shoulders the NFL is trying to eliminate. There should've been a flag. There wasn't.

5. The Cowboys' special teams. What is it about Dallas special teams in Seattle? They self-destruct. They fumbled a kickoff. They had a punt blocked. Their mistakes led to 10 Seattle points and helped sink Dallas.

FIVE GUYS WHO HAVE SOME 'SPLAINING TO DO

1. Baltimore offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. Here we go again. Someone remind him that Ray Rice is in the huddle and that it's OK to give him the ball on third-and-fourth-and short. In the second half the Ravens had two third-and-2s, two third-and-ones and one fourth-and-1, and they never, ever gave the ball to Rice. Instead, they threw, with four incompletions and one interception. Please.

2. Washington WR Aldrick Robinson. He dropped a perfectly thrown fourth-quarter bomb that would have set up a sure Washington score. It was an easy body catch, but Robinson blew it. C'mon, Aldrick, you got to be better than that. I know Pierre Garcon would've made the catch, only he wasn't playing. Robinson took his place.

3. Washington WR Josh Morgan. First of all, he runs backward after making what could've been a first-down catch with just over a minute left. Then, after he's tackled, he goes stupid, stupid, stupid -- throwing the football at cornerback Cortland Finnegan while teammate Brian Orakpo holds his head in disbelief. Caution, Josh: It's mistakes like that that get guys cut.

4. Arizona RB Ryan Williams. When you're carrying the ball late, and your team is protecting a two-point lead, there are two things you never do: 1) Run out of bounds and 2) fumble. Williams didn't run out of bounds, but he did fumble, and he can thank Stephen Gostkowski it didn't cost Arizona an upset.

5. New England TE Rob Gronkowski. It was his holding penalty that wiped out a 30-yard touchdown run by Danny Woodhead that would've clinched a come-from-behind victory. OK, so it was a dicey call, but it was the right one.

JUST ASKING BUT ...

• If Rex Ryan is the best defensive coach in the game, what does that make Dick LeBeau?

• Why did ESPN discover a side judge for the Saints-Panthers game was a New Orleans fan before the NFL did? I mean, whatever happened to vetting?

•  Hakeem Nicks or Victor Cruz?

• What is going on with Wes Welker?

• Why is Reggie Bush so much more effective now?

NUMBERS TO REMEMBER

3 -- Tim Tebow snaps vs. Pittsburgh
4 -- Eli Manning touchdown passes of 60 or more yards during the last three regular seasons, tying Aaron Rodgers for league high
6-0 -- Philip Rivers record vs. Tennessee
9 -- Philadelphia turnovers this season
13 -- Blaine Gabbert passing yards in the first half
15 -- Danny Amendola catches
23 -- Yards rushing for Oakland
604 -- Yards in New York Giants' offense, the second most in club history

MY TOP FIVE

1. San Francisco
2. Houston
3. Atlanta
4. Green Bay
5. Denver

MY BOTTOM FIVE

32. Cleveland
31. Kansas City
30. Jacksonville
29. Oakland
28. Tennessee

NEXT WEEKEND'S THREE BEST GAMES

•  Philadelphia at Arizona ... Finally, it's Kevin Kolb vs. the QB who displaced him.

• Houston at Denver ... You make the call: Peyton or Wade Phillips' defense?

• New England at Baltimore ... Hard to believe: One of these two will be 1-2.

View the original article here

Week 1 Judgements: Eagles bring old sloppy ways into new season

1. Admit it, Philadelphia got lucky. The Eagles couldn't have beaten anyone but Cleveland playing as they did Sunday, and they better clean up their act presto. Turnovers killed them last year (they had 38), and turnovers should've killed them again Sunday. They had five ... and nearly a sixth before Michael Vick recovered his own fumble -- and, sorry, Cleveland, but officials got the call right.

2. Guess that quiets the Tebow/Jets critics for a couple of days. OK, maybe it quiets them for a couple of hours.

3. One of these days Pittsburgh will keep Denver's Demaryius Thomas from gashing its secondary. Just don't ask me which one.

4. Maybe Rex Ryan is right when he says he's "a great coach." All I know is he didn't just beat an opponent some ticketed for the playoffs; he pulverized it. "We knew what we were capable of," said wide receiver Jeremy Kerley. "We just showed the world." If that's sounds like boasting, it should. The Jets earned it.

5. I don't know what happened to New Orleans, either, but Drew Brees demands an explanation.

6. Just my opinion, but Ryan Longwell couldn't have made that game-tying 55-yard field goal with no time left in the fourth quarter.

7. Yep, Mike Shanahan and the Redskins look like geniuses, but keep this in mind: Shanahan's teams have a history of starting fast and wind down down as they finish. He won his last four season openers prior to Sunday and didn't finish with a winning record in any of those seasons.

8. Relax, Chiefs' fans. Your club surrendered 41 in its season opener at Arrowhead last year and almost recovered without Jamaal Charles.

9. Best move of the weekend was by the Modell family, sparing the Cleveland Browns a difficult decision by asking them not to honor Art Modell. The Browns did what they should, which was agree to have a moment of silence for the former owner, but fans weren't going to be so compliant ... and the Modells knew it. So they cut the Browns a break and asked them not to hold the ceremony, which took everyone off the hook.

10. I told you Colt McCoy wasn't the problem in Cleveland. These guys can't find the end zone with a diving rod. They needed playmakers, not another quarterback. So they start Brandon Weeden, and he throws four picks. Don't say you weren't warned.

11. That's 12 interceptions for Ryan Fitzpatrick in his last five starts, four of which Buffalo lost, and the question must be asked: Did the Bills sink millions in the wrong quarterback? They believed in Fitzpatrick so much they passed on Andy Dalton in the 2011 draft, and that doesn't look like such a smart move now. Oh, and just in case you're wondering, Buffalo lost its last eight when Fitzpatrick throws two or more interceptions in a game.

12. The worst call of the weekend had nothing to do with replacements refs. It was in the Orioles-Yanks game, and it was first base ump Jerry Meals with the blinders on again. It's time for baseball to wake up to what the NFL did years ago ... expanded instant replay. Either that or send Meals to the next team of replacement refs.

13. The New York Jets scored more points on Sunday (48) than they did in the entire preseason (31). Just another reason NOT to pay attention to what happens in preseason.

14. So Andrew Luck lost his career opener. Big deal. So did Peyton Manning in 1998. As a matter of fact, so did the last seven quarterbacks chosen with the first pick of the NFL Draft. The last one to win was David Carr in 2002.

15. Get used to it, Chicago. Jay Cutler threw to Brandon Marshall 15 times Sunday, completing nine. He threw no more than six times to anyone else, and, yeah, I make Marshall an early favorite to lead the league in catches.

16. No quarterback in NFL history made it to 125 wins faster than Tom Brady, who got there with Sunday's defeat of Tennessee. Brady is 125-35 in regular-season starts, the best winning percentage of any quarterback in the Super Bowl era with at least 100 starts. Just another reason he's the best quarterback of his generation.

17. Yes, the Broncos escaped Pittsburgh, and, yes, Peyton Manning looks like himself again. Now the fine print: Five of Denver's next seven games are against playoff teams, starting with Atlanta next weekend and Houston after that.

18. The more I see David Akers kick for San Francisco the more I wonder why the Eagles let him go. Not only doesn't he miss; he just tied a league record with a 63-yard field goal. "Honestly," he said, "it's a little bit of a miracle." Hey, whatever works.

19. ESPN on Sunday asked if there will be a "hangover" with this year's Green Bay Packers. Somebody cue Jim Mora. Hangover? Hangover? The Packers lost their only playoff game last year. That question must've been left over from the 2011 season-opening script.

20. Got to hand it to Mike Tice. The Bears' offensive coordinator opened with a flourish, piling up 428 yards in his debut, the fifth highest total for Chicago under Lovie Smith. Those are numbers you expect from Mike Martz, not Mad Mike Tice.

FIVE THINGS I LIKE

1. Kevin Kolb to the rescue. The Cardinals invested heavily in the guy, paying him a $7 million roster bonus in March that kept them from pursuing Peyton Manning. So they believed in him, and he let them down in training camp. But he didn't Sunday, coming off the bench to throw the winning touchdown pass and look like the quarterback they thought they were getting when they acquired him from Philadelphia. Good for Kevin Kolb. It's time he catches a break.

2. Randy Moss vs. Green Bay. The guy's played 15 career games against the Packers, with 14 touchdowns. He was wide open for Sunday's score, and, yeah, I think it's not a bad idea to cover him.

3. New England's schedule. Between now and Dec. 10, the Patriots face one opponent (Baltimore in two weeks) with a winning record in 2011.

4. Washington at the Superdome. The Redskins are now 7-1 there.

5. Green Bay's Randall Cobb in season openers. He had a 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in 2011 and a 75-yard punt return for a score Sunday.

FIVE THINGS I DON'T

1. Dick LeBeau vs. Peyton Manning. LeBeau is one of the best defensive coordinators ever ... but not against Manning. With Sunday's loss he's 1-7 vs. Peyton.

2. Philadelphia's ball security. What ball security? The Eagles had five turnovers and nearly a sixth. That was an area they were supposed to clean up, but they had turnovers on three of four consecutive second-half series.

3. Officials calling no penalty on Cobb's 75-yard punt return. There was a flag thrown, but officials later said there was no foul. Uh, correction, yes, there was. Terrell Manning clearly hit Anthony Dixon from behind, which is -- as officials first noticed -- an infraction. My question: Why did the official who threw the flag change his mind? "I'll let you guys write that story," said 49ers' coach Jim Harbaugh. "I had a good look at that play [but] I don't know what I'm supposed to say and not supposed to say."

4. Green Bay's running game. What running game? The 49ers dropped a lot of guys into coverage, daring Green Bay to beat them with the run ... and the Packers tried. But they failed, with Rodgers their leading rusher. Cedric Benson had 18 yards, and the club had 45. Ryan Grant, where are you?

5. Receivers calling for flags with each incompletion. This trend is worse than soccer players bellyflopping. Enough is enough, guys. Let officials do their jobs, and you do yours.

FIVE GUYS WHO HAVE SOME 'SPLAINING TO DO

1. Cleveland coach Pat Shurmur -- Why after two seasons is your offense still stuck in neutral? The Browns fired Eric Mangini because they wanted more fireworks on offense, and I get that. But Shurmur's teams have been so underwhelming they make Mangini's teams look like the 1989 Niners -- especially at home where they have exactly one offensive touchdown in their last 14 quarters.

2. Carolina quarterback Cam Newton -- He's supposed to be better than he was a year ago when he was the league's Offensive Rookie of the Year. And maybe he will be. But he wasn't all that effective against a Tampa Bay team he was supposed to beat, and this just in: That's not how "icons" are made, Cam.

3. Minnesota defensive coordinator Alan Williams -- Earlier this summer, Williams said he believed his unit could be a top-10 defense, and he might be right ... but not if he keeps hanging out his defensive backs. I mean, what in the world were you doing, Alan, leaving Chris Cook in single coverage at the end of the fourth quarter? It nearly cost you a ballgame.

4. New Orleans interim coach-for-interim coach Aaron Kromer -- One question: What happened to that "flawless transition?"

5. Referee Bruce Hermansen -- Sooner or later, replacement refs were going to screw up, and Hermansen's crew did. It gave Seattle a fourth time out that could've jobbed Arizona. Fortunately for Arizona, it didn't, and Hermansen later accepted blame for blowing the call.

THE FAD FIVE

It seems as if virtually everyone but Denver is starting a young quarterback. There were nine starters this weekend with no more than two years' experience in the NFL, including five rookies. It's the first time there have been that many freshmen quarterbacks to open the season, and let's see how they played:

Player/ ATT/COMP/TD/INT/YDS/W-L

Brandon Weeden , Cle/35/12/118/0/4/0-1
Robert Griffin III , Was/26/19/320/2/0/1-0
Andrew Luck , Ind/45/23/309/1/3/0-1
Russell Wilson , Sea/34/18/153/1/1/0-1
Ryan Tannehill , Mia/36/20/219/0/3/0-1

JUST ASKING BUT ...

• Who winds up with more wins -- Peyton or Eli Manning?

• In which month does Cleveland score an offensive touchdown?

• If the Jets are a circus, what does that make Buffalo?

• Bigger upset -- Washington over New Orleans or Louisiana-Monroe over Arkansas?

• Who quarterbacks Seattle in Week 9 -- Russell Wilson or Matt Flynn?

NUMBERS TO REMEMBER

4 -- Will Smith tackles vs. Washington
5.1 -- Brandon Weeden passer rating
6-0 -- John Skelton's record at home as a starter
8 -- Interceptions in the Philadelphia-Cleveland game
8 -- QB pressures by New England
9 -- Consecutive season-opening victories for New England, the longest current streak in the NFL
10 -- Yards rushing for Carolina
36 -- Seconds, as in the time of Denver's third-quarter possession
139.9 -- RG3 passer rating

MY TOP FIVE

1. New England
2. San Francisco
3. Houston
4. Atlanta
5. Chicago

MY BOTTOM FIVE

32. Cleveland
31. Indianapolis
30. Miami
29. Jacksonville
28. Buffalo

NEXT WEEKEND'S THREE BEST GAMES

Baltimore at Philadelphia ... last time these two met, Donovan McNabb was benched.

Detroit at San Francisco ... never has a postgame handshake meant so much.

Denver at Atlanta ... now we find out about the Falcons.

View the original article here

Week 13 Judgements: Cowboys need to be wary of Giants in NFC East

1. Dallas may be the best team in the NFC East, but that doesn't mean the Cowboys shouldn't be concerned. They should. In the last three weeks, they escaped Washington and Miami before bowing to Arizona -- all also-rans with losing records. But that's not the worst of it: Their secondary surrendered 14 passes of 20 or more yards to Rex Grossman, Matt Moore and Kevin Kolb. In the next month, they face Eli Manning (twice) and, presumably, Michael Vick, and you tell me what happens. Bottom line: Your team might be 6-6, Giants' fans, but it's not out of the playoff picture.

2. OK, so the Giants just dropped their fourth straight. I'm not sure why, but their loss to Green Bay reminded me of another 38-35 defeat that pushed New York forward. That was the last game of the 2007 season, and it launched the Giants to the Super Bowl. I can't believe this one will, but it could stop the bleeding. In fact, it may convince Big Blue it can play with the league's best -- which is always helpful considering that it plays Dallas twice in the next month.

3. Baltimore-San Diego is the scheduled Dec. 18 night game, but there's no way the NFL doesn't flex in something better. Consider New England at Denver that something. First of all, the most viewed game of the year -- and the second-most viewed program, period -- was Dallas-New England. Second, there's Tebowmania. Third, San Diego is in the jar. Add them up, and I guarantee the NFL makes the switch to New England-Denver.

4. I'm not sure who should feel worse: Chicago or its star running back, Matt Forte. With Forte's knee injury, the Bears are cooked. They must make a stretch run not only without starting quarterback Jay Cutler, but now without their MVP ... and good luck. Forte could've been -- no, should've been -- in line for a huge pay hike. Now he could have a season-ending injury. Yeah, I know, he could also return after two weeks, but why play hurt? He played when the Bears wouldn't pay. And this is his reward? Life is not fair.

5. It's time the NFL addresses the competitive disadvantage of teams making cross-country trips on short weeks. In the last 15 years there have been 13 instances where clubs that played Sunday traveled 1,500 miles or more for a Thursday night game. All 13 lost. That's not a coincidence. It's a trend. This year that group includes San Francisco, the Jets and Philadelphia, and enough's enough. Level the playing field and stop this stupid practice.

6. People kept telling me Tim Tebow isn't behind Denver's resurgence; that it's really the Broncos' defense, that Tebow was along for the rid and he'd be exposed if/when the Broncos' defense sprung a leak. Except it just did ... and Tebow responded, three times leading Denver from eight-point deficits and scoring a game-tying two-point conversion. That makes five fourth-quarter comebacks for Tebow in 10 career starts, and, yeah, I'd say that says something about the guy. So does this: The defense that was 1-4 with Kyle Orton is the same defense that's 6-1 with Tebow.

7. So now I want to hear from Boomer Esiason. No, I want to hear from Merril Hoge, too. Those two torched Tebow this summer, with Esiason saying "[Tebow] can't play. He can't throw," and Hoge going one step farther with, "It's embarrassing to think the Broncos could win with Tebow!" Maybe that makes for good sound bites, but here's what we know, fellas: Tebow is 6-1, the Broncos are tied for first in the AFC West and the quarterback who can't play and can't throw has 10 touchdown passes and one interception in seven starts. Project that over 16 games, and you have 13.76 wins, 22.4 touchdown passes and 2.3 interceptions. I think someone needs to admit he was wrong.

8. New England will wind up with one of the AFC's two first-round byes and may gain the home-field advantage, but I continue to insist that it can't make it to a Super Bowl with a pass defense that can make Dan Orlovsky look like Dan Fouts. So that's a stretch. But he only missed on seven of 37 passes while the Colts tied their season high with 24 points. Of course, New England having to play a second wide receiver (Matthew Slater) at defensive back doesn't help, but that's how desperate its secondary is.

9. Yes, that was a significant win for Baltimore, and I'll tell you why: Because the Ravens didn't blow a gimme on the road. This is the club that lost at Tennessee, at Jacksonville and at Seattle. So it should've won at Cleveland ... and it did. Hallelujah.

10. Someone tell me how Cleveland has improved over last year ... or the year before that ... or the year before that ... or ...

11. Tony Sparano won't save his job in Miami, but you'd never know it watching his Dolphins now. Not only have they won four of their last five; they outscored opponents 139-54 in that time ... and that's with Matt Moore at quarterback. It's always nice to try to save the season, but there is a catch, Dolfans: Your club is blowing its chance for one of the top quarterbacks in the draft. Remember, it was owner Stephen Ross who reportedly wanted Andrew Luck "in the worst way." Well, that's what it took to get one of the draft's marquee passers: The worst way. The Dolphins were there once. Not anymore.

12. The New Orleans Saints continue to play like the second-best team in football. One problem: The best team is in Green Bay, which means New Orleans might have to go to Lambeau Field for the NFC championship -- and that's as good as a death sentence. Dome teams don't win championship games outdoors. It just doesn't happen.

13. No matter what happens to Andy Reid, look for him to make a play for Steve Spagnuolo as his next defensive coordinator.

14. Make that the third 100-yard rushing performance by Tennessee's Chris Johnson in the last four games, which is terrific ... except can you imagine what would've happened if it hadn't taken him half a season to get started?

15. For the record, since Rex Ryan shook up Mark Sanchez by practicing Mark Brunell with the first-team offense, Sanchez has five touchdowns, one interception and a 2-0 record. The Jets don't have a winning opponent on the schedule that's left, but appearances are deceiving: They finish the year at Philadelphia, home to the Giants and at Miami. There's not a slam dunk in there.

FIVE THINGS I LIKE

1. Gary Kubiak's faith in his running game. It's fourth-and-1 at the Atlanta 9, with the score tied and 7:30 to play. Time for a field goal, right? Nope, Kubiak leaves his offense on the field, dials Arian Foster, who responds with a 7-yard run. Two plays later he scores the game-winning touchdown. A gamble? You bet. But the Texans practiced Foster's run all week against multiple fronts and had it set to go sooner when an illegal procedure took Houston out of the call. "They're just too good on offense," Kubiak said of the Falcons, "and I think right there we needed to make a statement that we can get a yard. It was going to take more than three [points] to win that game."

2. Cam Newton's versatility. He can run. He can throw. He can catch. You heard me. On an afternoon where he threw for one touchdown, ran for three more, he also caught a 27-yard pass.

3. Aaron Maybin's renaissance. The linebacker/defensive end was a first-round bust with Buffalo, so they canned him. Now, he's "Mayhem" once again with the Jets, leading the team with six sacks and four forced fumbles. I think I speak for all of Jets' Nation when I say, "Thank you, Buffalo."

4. Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris' quick hook. After defensive lineman Brian Price drew a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct in the third quarter, he was removed from the game. But not by officials. By Morris. "Yes, I sent him to the locker room," he said. "I told him to go home ... because it's foolish, it's selfish to your teammates, to everybody in your organization, to your fans. It's terrible."

5. Willis McGahee's rebirth. File this one along with Maybin. McGahee was supposed to be finished, winding down a career that promised more than it delivered. At the age of 30 he's having one of his best seasons ever, with six 100-yard performances, a rushing average of 4.9 yards per carry and five TDs. The more you see the Broncos, the more you marvel at the job John Fox is doing.

FIVE THINGS I DON'T

1. Atlanta's play calling. For some reason, the Falcons kept ignoring running back Michael Turner when they had one yard to gain. On third-and-1 in the second quarter they passed. Incomplete. On third-and-1, again in the second quarter, they passed. Incomplete. On third-and-1 in the fourth quarter, they passed again. And again it was incomplete. Once, on a second-quarter drive they wised up and gave him the ball, and Turner responded with a 16-yard gain. What part of this is so difficult to understand?

2. The Raiders playing linebacker Rolando McClain. Yeah, I know, he's not guilty of anything ... not yet ... but the guy got arrested, and the circumstances are disturbing. The Raiders indicated that things may not be what they seem, but I don't care. McClain put himself in a situation he shouldn't have. He's not a child. He's someone who should know better. If he doesn't get it, make him understand. Sit him down.

3. That thumb injury to Denver linebacker Von Miller. The Broncos need the rookie linebacker like Proctor needs Gamble. Miller will have surgery Tuesday, and I don't know what his status is for next weekend's game vs. Chicago. What I do know is that the Broncos just hemorrhaged 489 yards to Minnesota and came this close to losing without him.

4. The Giants' defense. Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell lit up his unit last week after it was buried by New Orleans, with Fewell questioning the effort of some of his players. So what happens? What happens is that the Giants throw a scare into Green Bay but fall when they can't stop Aaron Rodgers in the last minute. I know that happens. But it shouldn't happen like this: With two passes, Rodgers gained 51 yards, and with a third another 18. That's 69 yards on three last-minute snaps, a meltdown that was supposed to stop. Only it didn't.

5. The passing of Allen Wilson. Wilson was a beat writer and columnist for the Buffalo News and one of the best in the business. He died this weekend at the age of 49 after battling leukemia. His death is a loss to everyone who knew the guy, and if you didn't you will after reading Jerry Sullivan's poignant story.

FIVE GUYS WHO HAVE SOME 'SPLAINING TO DO

1. Dallas coach Jason Garrett. He calls a timeout just before a last-second field goal, which is not unusual -- except it was his own kicker. Huh? Don't ask me, either. Dan Bailey's first kick was good ... only it didn't count because of Garrett's time out. And the second? I think you know what happened. It was wide left. "I was glad they iced the kicker," said winning coach Ken Whisenhunt, "so I didn't have to do it."

2. Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall. If Mark Sanchez is a "middle-of-the-pack quarterback" who stares down receivers, why couldn't the Redskins figure him out? Yeah, I know, Shonn Greene had three touchdowns, but Sanchez was efficient with his passing and produced the go-ahead touchdown with a strike to Santonio Holmes.

3. Oakland coach Hue Jackson. The Raiders are on schedule to set a league record for penalties, with 10 more vs. Miami, and at some point Jackson has to stop blaming officials and start taking responsibility for a team beating itself.

4. Atlanta cornerback Dunta Robinson. Someone tell him he's not with Houston anymore. It was hard to remember after Robinson helped propel the Texans to victory. It was his holding penalty that erased a Mike Peterson interception return for a touchdown that would've put Atlanta ahead in the fourth period. Instead, the Texans kept the ball and turned the series into a 19-play game-winning drive. Welcome back, Dunta.

5. Atlanta coach Mike Smith. He has a fourth-and-1 at the Houston 20 with 2:35 left when his offense takes a delay-of-game penalty. Bad, huh? Well, then he takes one of his two timeouts, which was worse. Had he saved it he could have saved himself another 40 seconds, and that might've come in handy on the Falcons' last series when they drove to the Houston 30.

JUST ASKING BUT ...

• Who has the more unstoppable offense -- Green Bay or New Orleans?

• Do all Florida teams change head coaches?

• What's with Detroit and stupid penalties?

• Where next for Donovan McNabb?

• Why can't anyone cover Rob Gronkowski?

NUMBERS ON THE WALL

3 -- Nate Burleson offensive pass-interference penalties
7 -- Arian Foster touchdowns last six games
8-11 -- Tony Romo on or after Dec. 1
14 -- Rob Gronkowski TDs
20.2 -- Average yards per completion by Tim Tebow
28 -- Second-quarter Pittsburgh points, tying a franchise record
34 -- Games without an opponent running for 100 yards on San Francisco
149.3 -- Tebow's passer rating vs. Minnesota
290 -- Yards rushing for Baltimore

MY TOP FIVE

1. Green Bay
2. New Orleans
3. Baltimore
4. San Francisco
5. Pittsburgh

MY BOTTOM FIVE

32. Indianapolis
31. St. Louis
30. Jacksonville
29. Minnesota
28. Cleveland

NEXT WEEKEND'S THREE BEST GAMES

Houston at Cincinnati ... T.J. is A-OK.

Chicago at Denver ... Play it again, Tim.

N.Y. Giants at Dallas ... NFC East at stake.

View the original article here

Week 9 Judgements: 49ers QB Smith silencing bust talk in 2011

1. Jim Harbaugh's biggest achievement is finding something in Alex Smith nobody else could. Don't tell me the49ers knew what was coming. They traded up in the second round to draft Colin Kaepernick. But this just in: Smith is 8-1 in his last nine starts, with only two interceptions this season. Better yet, he just led the 49ers to their fourth straight road victory.

2. Me? I'm all for an Alex Smith-Aaron Rodgers NFC Championship Game so we can relive that 2005 draft all over again.

3. Time to start the countdown on San Francisco clinching the NFC West. The 49ers are five games up with eight to play. That's just another reason why Harbaugh is the frontrunner for Coach of the Year.

4. Tom Brady is right. You're going to see what the Patriots are made of this week when they play the Jets. New York hasn't lost at home and is coming off its best and most intimidating defensive performance of the year. Plus, New England is in a funk. Bad enough that it lost its last two and that its defense stinks; but Brady isn't himself. In his last four games the league's reigning MVP has seven TD passes and five interceptions. In his first four he was 13 and 5. Maybe Brady can't rescue these guys after all. I guess we're about to find out.

5. This is what I like most about what Eli Manning did: He not only beat New England where Brady almost never loses -- at home -- but he did it without his best two offensive weapons, wide receiver Hakeem Nicks and running back Ahmad Bradshaw. Aaron Rodgers will be everyone's mid-season MVP, but Manning deserves consideration for the silver.

6. Looks like Buffalo's Stevie Johnson is the next guy out of our Experts Pool. Sorry, Stevie, it's not Buffalo's time.

7. For all the talk about San Diego being explosive on offense that marked the first time this year the Bolts reached 30. Prior to Sunday there were four teams that averaged 30 or more and nine that averaged 25. San Diego was in neither group.

8. Sure glad I listened to all those people telling me that Tim Tebow can't play and should sit down. Yeah, sure, he's 2-1, just beat Oakland in Oakland, and he needs to sit down.

9. Uh, for those interested, Denver is a game out of first place in the AFC West. That tells you more about the division than it does the Broncos.

10. Please tell me that the bellyaching over Joe Flacco in Baltimore has ceased. That wasn't just a game-winning drive. It was a magnificent series reminiscent of a 12-play, 92-yard drive Ben Roethlisberger launched vs. Baltimore in 2008 ... in Baltimore no less. With the victory, his second straight over Pittsburgh, Flacco proved he's the quarterback who can take Baltimore to the top.

11. And this season's Cliff Klavan Award goes to ... the Indianapolis Colts. Talk about mailing it in. Their last three games the Colts have been outscored 120-24. "We will never accept this kind of chronic losing," said owner Jim Irsay in a Sunday tweet. "It's an unwelcome visitor that we will not tolerate." Maybe, but when it comes with Andrew Luck it's a lot easier to swallow.

12. Memo to Mike McCarthy: Next time you win the coin toss, take the kickoff. The last three times the Packers won they deferred, and all three times their opponent scored a first-series TD.

13. I saw a story that said Miami owner Stephen Ross wants Stanford's Andrew Luck "in the worst way." And this is news?

14. You never like to lose someone of Mario Williams' caliber. But look what his injury has done for Houston: Forced the Texans to play rookie Brooks Reed. So what? So Reed has sacks in each of his last three games (including two Sunday) and is getting invaluable experience that will make Houston a deeper and better defense in the future.

15. The more I see Julio Jones, the more I wonder if Cleveland should have made that Draft Day deal. The Browns need nothing more than playmakers, and Jones would've been a nice start for Colt McCoy.

FIVE THINGS I LIKE

1. Andy Dalton and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals were supposed to be one of the league's bottom feeders, but they're not. Instead, they're tied for first in the AFC North, and I can tell you why: Andy Dalton. He doesn't play like a rookie quarterback. I understand the attention Cam Newton's getting in Carolina and how he's energized the Panthers, but I also understand this: Dalton has more touchdown passes, a higher completion percentage and a 6-2 record.

2. The Giants hoisting coach Tom Coughlin to their shoulders in the locker room after Sunday's win. Yes, that was Coughlin laughing with his players -- a signal how much he treasured the come-from-behind win. People used to say Coughlin was too tough, too stiff, too player-unfriendly to last in New York. Uh-huh, and Joe Flacco can't beat Pittsburgh, either. Puh-leeze.

3. San Diego's pass rush. The Bolts struggled all season to get to the quarterback, averaging fewer than two a game prior to Sunday. Then they dropped Aaron Rodgers four times -- all in the first half -- and pulled him down within a yard or two of the line of scrimmage on at least three other occasions. At least they got something out of their third straight defeat.

4. Torrey Smith's touchdown catch with eight seconds left to shock Pittsburgh. Smith is the guy who dropped the game-winning TD 30 seconds earlier and committed a brutal holding call that cost the Ravens a game-opening TD. "All you need is one play," said Flacco, "and that's what we got."

5. Dallas' upcoming schedule. I know, the Cowboys draw Buffalo next weekend, but it's in Dallas where they're 3-1. Then it's Washington, Miami and Arizona. That will take the heat off Tony Romo in a hurry.

FIVE THINGS I DON'T

1. What is going on with San Diego's Philip Rivers, and, honestly, I wish I knew. I bet the Chargers do, too. Rivers already has more interceptions (14) through eight games than he had all of last season (13). But his worst gaffe Sunday might have been an intentional grounding call that sabotaged the Chargers' next-to-last drive. "It was either that or the sack," Rivers said. I tell you, it's always something with him this season. Too bad, too. He's been one of the league's best and most efficient quarterbacks, but not this season.

2. Cleveland's run defense. Yeah, the Browns miss Eric Mangini, and Sunday's game will tell you why: Houston ran for a season-best 261 yards, including 132 in the first half on just 15 carries. Oh, yeah, all three of the Texans' touchdowns were runs, too.

3. Those stories about why Miami cornerback Vontae Davis didn't make the Kansas City trip. Hungover and late for work? You gotta be kidding me. Now I know why the Dolphins stink. Hey, wasn't this the guy who said he was part of the best cornerback tandem in the NFL? Maybe we should have administered a sobriety test then.

4. Carson Palmer trying to pick up the NFL in mid-season. I don't care how good you are, when you miss training camp and preseason there are repercussions -- and Palmer is finding out the hard way. Make that six interceptions in one-and-a-half games. Now he goes home to San Diego (he lives in Del Mar) for a Thursday night game with San Diego, with the winner taking sole possession of first in the AFC West.

5. Clay Matthews' performance. He was opposite right tackle Jeromey Clary, which should've been a mismatch. But it wasn't. Clary neutralized last year's runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year, holding him to one tackle, in what one Green Bay observer called Matthews' worst performance of the season.

FIVE GUYS WHO HAVE SOME 'SPLAINING TO DO

1. Referee Ron Winters -- His crew marked off a 5-yard penalty as 6 and a 15-yard penalty as 16. This is not rocket science, Ron. If you need help, that's why we invented math.

2. Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau -- I'm with NBC's Tony Dungy, a guy who knows something about defense. I don't get what Pittsburgh was doing on the Ravens' last series, particularly those last two plays. Bump and run? Sorry, I don't get it, not with speed like Torrey Smith on the outside.

3. Giants wide receiver Mario Manningham -- He scores the go-ahead touchdown, then draws a personal foul for taunting an opponent. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. That moves the Giants' kickoff from the 35 to the 20. You don't give Tom Brady an advantage like that and expect to escape ... and the Giants didn't. Brady led the Patriots to a go-ahead touchdown.

4. New England coach Bill Belichick -- The Patriots defense stinks, and I'd have some sympathy except ... he's the guy who drafted the guys that comprise the league's worst unit. Bad enough what we saw a week ago in Pittsburgh; Sunday was worse. The Patriots couldn't stop the Giants from sailing 80 yards in the last 1:21.

5. Washington coach Mike Shanahan -- He sat down Rex Grossman after his four interceptions vs. Philadelphia, replacing him with a quarterback (John Beck) who hadn't started since 2007. So what happens? Washington not only loses three straight with Beck; it has one touchdown in its last 25 possessions. Time to face facts, Mike: The quarterback who can win for you isn't on the roster.

JUST ASKING BUT ...

• What's happened to the Oakland Raiders?

• Do the Bengals make the playoffs?

• What lasts longer ... Washington's allegiance to John Beck or Kim Kardashian's marriage?

• Who wins the AFC East?

• What's going on with Tom Brady?

NUMBERS ON THE WALL

0 -- Tim Tebow fourth-quarter passes

2 -- Arizona safeties this year on intentional grounding

3 -- Straight games with Cleveland's Phil Dawson hitting a field goal from 50 yards and beyond

6-0 -- New Orleans when it runs for 100 yards

10 -- Punts in the first half of New York Giants-New England game

13-3 -- Combined records of Jim and John Harbaugh

20 -- Career 100-yard receiving games by Wes Welker

36 -- Straight games with a Drew Brees touchdown pass

MY TOP FIVE

1. Green Bay

2. San Francisco

3. Baltimore

4. Pittsburgh

5. Detroit

MY BOTTOM FIVE

32. Indianapolis

31. Miami

30. St. Louis

29. Seattle

28. Arizona

NEXT WEEKEND'S THREE BEST GAMES

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati ... Time to find out about the Bengals.

New York Giants at San Francisco ... It's best of NFC East vs. best in NFC West.

New England at N.Y. Jets ... Get ready for another week of Great Rex-pectations.

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