2009 NFL Season – Week 14 Rankings by Lloyd Vance

 

It is time for the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers (backup QB Dennis Dixon pictured) to rise from .500 into the playoff picture or get out of the way

With the third quarter of the 2009 NFL Season completed there is not much time left for teams to either join the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs or step aside.  I love this time of the year as desperation is in the air for everyone in the NFL with jobs and playoff berths both on the line in equal numbers.  After 13 weeks of NFL play, there are still the “Have’s” (10 teams with 8 wins or more including the league’s two undefeated teams — Colts and Saints both 12-0) and the “Have Nots” (8 teams with 4 or less wins, who are now basically spoilers).  But a good portion of the league (14 teams) are still caught in the parity-laden middle with records ranging from 7-5 to 5-7 including former 2008 playoff teams – NY Giants (7-5), Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6), Baltimore Ravens (6-6), Atlanta Falcons (6-6), Tennessee Titans (5-7), and Carolina Panthers (5-7).  So with only four games remaining for teams there is little time left for the “Contenders” and “Pretenders” to sort themselves out — 10 playoff berths remaining.

In looking at the current NFL standings here’s the breakdown: The “Elite” – Saints (12-0), Colts (12-0), Vikings (10-2), Bengals (9-3), Chargers (9-3), and Cardinals (8-4); “Strong Playoff Contenders” — Broncos (8-4), Eagles (8-4), Packers (8-4), Cowboys (8-4), Patriots (7-5), Giants (7-5), and Jaguars (7-5); “Middle of the Road” teams that will soon be either in or out (8 losses or more) of the playoff hunt — Jets (6-6), Ravens (6-6), Steelers (6-6), Falcons (6-6), Dolphins (6-6), Texans (5-7), Titans (5-7), Panthers (5-7), Bears (5-7), Seahawks (5-7) and Niners (5-7); and lastly the “Ugly” (See you at the 2010 NFL Draft) – Bills (4-8), Raiders (4-8), Redskins (3-9), Chiefs (3-9), Lions (2-10), Browns (1-11), Rams (1-11), and Buccaneers (1-11)

Now on to the rankings for this week.

1.  Colts (12-0) – In a dominating win over the upstart Tennessee Titans, Jim Caldwell’s team pulled a hat trick.  The Colts tied the Patriots (2006-2007) NFL record for consecutive regular season wins (21), won their 12^th game for an NFL record 7 seasons in a row, and claimed the AFC South Crown.  You have to wonder if Caldwell will follow in Tony Dungy’s footsteps by resting players rather than go for an undefeated season.  Look for all the Colts to play this week including QB Peyton Manning as potential playoff foe, the Denver Broncos, come to Indy.

2.  Saints (12-0) – Somebody up there likes the Saints as the Washington Redskins were one shanked field goal by now-departed kicker Shaun Suisham from winning in regulation.  However the Saints led by WR Robert Meachem took advantage of Redskins’ mistakes on their way to a thrilling overtime win.  The Saints undefeated express heads south to face the very injured Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome.

3.  Chargers (9-3) – Led by RB LaDainian Tomlinson, who ran into the NFL record books, the Chargers won their 8^th straight game, this time over the tougher than expected 1-win Cleveland Browns.  Very quietly QB Philip Rivers is having a MVP type season and the Chargers are strong playoff contenders again (15-0 in December since 2005).  In a “respect” game, the Chargers will travel to Dallas in hopes of continuing the Cowboys’ December swoon.

4.  Vikings (10-2) – Sunday Night Football was not so magical for Vikings QB Brett Favre (2 INTs) and his crew as the Arizona Cardinals sprinted past Minnesota.  In a great match-up of two potential division winners, the Vikings will host the Cincinnati Bengals who are primed to claim the AFC North crown.

5.  Bengals (9-3) — Marvin Lewis’ team gladly feasted on the haphazard Detroit Lions in a game where Chad Ochocinco’s sideline antics were more entertaining than the game.  In a true test that will show the NFL where the Bengals stand in the league’s pecking order, Cincy will hit the road to Metrodome to face the angry Vikings.

6.  Cardinals (8-4) – With veteran QB Kurt Warner back under center, the Cards offensive firepower was hitting on all cylinders as they rolled over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football.  In a game that will definitely settle the NFC West, the Cardinals will travel to the Bay on Monday Night to face the inconsistent Niners, who are trying to keep their flickering playoff hopes alive.

7.  Eagles (8-4) – The Birds are making their usual December playoff push (3 consecutive wins) despite not having RB Brian Westbrook.  The Eagles had no problems hammering the beat-up Atlanta Falcons in QB Michael Vick’s triumphant return to the Georgia Dome.  In a highly anticipated NFC East black-and-blue game, the Eagles will travel up the turnpike to face the rejuvenated NY Giants on NBC Sunday Night Football.

8. Cowboys (8-4) – You hate to bring it up, but something about the end of the season brings out the worst in the Cowboys.  In a December Swoon Special, bonehead LT Flozell Adams woke-up the sleeping NY Giants in a tough NFC East divisional loss.  The Cowboys’ on the hot seat trio of head coach Wade Phillips, QB Tony Romo, and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett better turn desperation into a win when the surging San Diego Chargers come to town.

9. Packers (8-4) – The penalty flags were flying everywhere at Lambeau Field on Monday Night Football, but the Packers gladly accepted an easier than expect win over the reeling Baltimore Ravens.  The Packers and their highly rated defense cannot rest on their laurels when they travel to Chi-town to face bitter longtime rival, the Chicago Bears.

10.  Broncos (8-4) – In a true laugher, the Broncos led by their new one-two running back tandem thumped the lowly KC Chiefs.  It is time for the Broncos to show if they are truly a playoff contender as they travel to Indy to face the undefeated Colts.

11.  Patriots (7-5) – What the “bleep” is going on with the Patriots (lost two consecutive games for the first time since 2006) as the Miami Dolphins threw ball all over the place in a big AFC East win.  With the Dolphins and Jets getting dangerously close, the Patriots will need to find their playoff pedigree when they host the Carolina Panthers this week.

12.  Jaguars (7-5) – In a physical win that may propel them to a wildcard berth, the Jaguars dug deep for a tough win over desperate division rival, the Houston Texans.  In a “Battle for Florida” special, the Jaguars will host the Dolphins and it should be a good one as both teams are making their playoff push.

13. Giants (7-5) – The G-Men rebounded from being the Denver Broncos’ Thanksgiving turkey by protecting their home turf in a tough win over the Dallas Cowboys.  For the second week in a row, the Meadowlands will be the place to be in the NFC East as the rebounding G-Men host the hard-charging Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football.

14.  Dolphins (6-6) – The ‘Phins decided that going to the air was the best way to beat the Patriots and they were right as QB Chad Henne had a career game in a big AFC East win that kept Miami’s playoff hopes alive.  In a huge game with AFC playoff implications, the Dolphins will travel north to face the tough Jaguars.

15.  Ravens (6-6) – I am sure that Baltimore is still complaining about the officiating in their Monday Night massacre at the hands of the Packers, but where was QB Joe Flacco in the loss.  With basically their season on the line, the Ravens must thump the pathetic two-win Detroit Lions who come to the Charm City this week.

16. Steelers (6-6) – In a game that really showed a ton of cracks in the former Super Bowl Champion’s  armor, the Oakland Raiders continually got off the mat in a huge road win over the Steelers.  On NFL Network Thursday Night Football, it is no excuses time for the Steelers as they dearly need a win over the lagging Cleveland Browns to get back on track.

17. Jets (6-6) – The J-E-T-S continued their inconsistent ways, this time winning over the scrappy Buffalo Bills on Thursday Night football.  With some extra rest this week, everyone is expecting another “W” as the Jets head south to face the young Tampa Bay Bucs.

18.  Falcons (6-6) – Mike Smith’s team is so injured, it looks like the end of the Falcons playoffs hopes is near.  The Philadelphia Eagles took advantage of the Falcons’ depleted roster to cruise to an easy win.  With their season on the line, the Falcons maybe facing “Mission Impossible” when the high-flying undefeated New Orleans Saints come to town for a huge NFC South game.

19. Titans (5-7) – You knew after five straight wins, V.Y and the Titans had a loss coming their way and the undefeated Colts were very glad to put it on them.  After a brief derailment, the Tennessee .500 express should be back on track as the Titans play host to the struggling St. Louis Rams.

20.  Texans (5-7) – How come every year seems to turn-up 8-8 or worse for the Texans?  The Jaguars won a tough AFC South playoff type game and unfortunately for the reeling Texans, injured QB Matt Schaub was on the sidelines once again.  With their season on the line, it may be time for backup QB Rex Grossman to come to the rescue when the desperate Texans host the Seattle Seahawks in a 5-7 team special.

21.  Seahawks (5-7) – The Hawks made it two wins in a row as they pulled off a narrow victory over the Niners.  Veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck hopes to continue the Seahawks tiny resurgence as Seattle travels to Houston, TX play the desperate Texans in a game that will virtually end one team’s season.

22.  49ers (5-7) – Mike Singlegtary’s team showed once again that they are probably a year away from contending as the Seahawks pulled a minor upset to stay even with the Niners.  San Francisco’s season will be on the line as they host the NFC West division leading Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football.

23.  Panthers (5-7) – With head coach John Fox’s future hanging in the balance, the Panthers led by backup QB Matt Moore saved their coach for another week by disposing of the struggling Tampa Bay Bucs.  The Panthers better figure out a way to add some passing to their vaunted running attack when they travel to New England to face a Patriots defense that has allowed a ton of big passing plays.

24.  Bears (5-7) – It wasn’t a masterpiece, but the Bears kept their waning playoff hopes alive by beating the 1-win St. Louis Rams.  It is time for Bears QB Jay Cutler to earn his huge contract and trade promise by stepping up this Sunday when Chicago hosts the wildcard leading Green Bay Packers in a traditional Midwest black-and-blue game.

25.  Bills (4-8) – Not even interim head coach Perry Fewell and scrappy QB Ryan Fitzpatrick could pull the Bills past the NY Jets, who made it a point to shutdown receiver Terrell Owens (see Pro Bowl CB Darrelle Revis) in a big AFC East win on Thursday Night Football.  In Week 14’s “Toilet Bowl”, the Bills will be playing for pride this week when they travel to KC to face the finishing-out-the-string Chiefs.

26.  Raiders (4-8) – What a game for Pittsburgh homeboy and Raiders QB Bruce Gradkowski.  The gritty former Bucs starter willed the Raiders to a tough road win over the Steelers after there were several opportunities for Oakland to quit.  In a game of two of the NFL’s biggest spoilers, the Raiders will attempt to equal their highest season win total in the last 7 years (5 games in ’04 and ’08) when they host the Redskins.

27.  Redskins (3-9) – The ‘Skins deserved a win for their never-say-die effort against the undefeated Saints, but kicker Shaun Suisham –since cut – was their undoing in a tough overtime loss.  With their season basically over an only a matter of time before beleaguered head coach Jim Zorn can hit the unemployment line, the Redskins will travel across the country for a showdown against the tougher than their record Raiders.

28.  Chiefs (3-9) – The Broncos ran up and down the field on the reeling Chiefs and it looks like some big changes to head coach Todd Haley’s team and staff are coming this off-season.  The Chiefs will host the Bills in this week’s Toilet Bowl, but I will be interested in seeing who gets more receiving yards KC’s Chris Chambers or the Bills’ Terrell Owens.

29.  Lions (2-10) – Detroit showed some fight in a loss to the Bengals, but with the losses mounting everyone needs to remember that this team set an NFL-low of going 0-16 in 2008.  Playing without injured starter Matthew Stafford, the Lions led by retread quarterback Daunte Culpepper will hope to spoil the host Baltimore Ravens playoff plans.

30.  Browns (1-11) – Too bad Browns quarterback Brady Quinn waited until the end of the season to look competent as the hapless Dawgs didn’t have enough for the surging San Diego Chargers.  On NFL Network Thursday Night Football, the Browns will hope to end their futility against the hated Pittsburgh Steelers (have lost 12 games in a row to P-Burgh) plus push Big Ben and the rest of the Steelers from the playoff picture.

31.  Rams (1-11) – Another ugly loss for the rebuilding Rams as the Bears found a way to not lose.  Strike-up the band as the Tennessee Titans fresh off a tough loss to the Colts will be looking to barbeque the struggling young Rams.

32.  Buccaneers (1-11) – The Carolina Panthers badly needed a win and the lowly Bucs were more than happy to provide them one.  In a game that could prove to be an upset special, the Bucs will host the inconsistent NY Jets, who will have QB Kellen Clemens under center.

Lloyd Vance is a Sr. NFL Writer for Taking It to the House and an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)

The Michael Vick Experience returns to the ATL in fine fashion by Lloyd Vance

For the first time since 2006, QB Michael Vick had the Georgia Dome rocking with a strong performance

The Philadelphia Eagles 34-7 shellacking of the Atlanta Falcons became a footnote to bigger story.  No it was not the fact that the Eagles (8-4) are now tied for first place in the NFC East with Dallas Cowboys.  The main storyline that dominated Sunday afternoon’s game was the triumphant return of Eagles backup quarterback Michael Vick to the Georgia Dome.  The trip back to Atlanta had been an emotional one for Vick.  He later admitted to tearing up on the bus ride over to the stadium.  This was the city where he first made his mark in the NFL as the Falcons star billboard player only to fall to tragic lows in 2007 due to his involvement in dogfighting. 

Vick’s fall from grace was swift and when he went to prison for a 23-month period, he not only left behind his family and friends, but also the franchise that stood by him since he first entered the NFL in 2001.  The Falcons owner Arthur Blank had given the keys to the franchise to his pseudo son only to have Vick disappoint him and ultimately causing the team to walk away from their former electrifying player.  While Vick was beginning his prison sentence in late 2007, the Falcons were also a shattered mess.  The 2007 season was one of the worst in Falcons’ history as the team finished with a dismal record of 4-12, their head coach Bobby Petrino quit with only a few games left, and many blamed the duo of Blank and Vick for the overall collapse of the former 2004 NFC Championship contender.  Vick finished his 6-year Falcons’ career with passing numbers of 930-1730, 11505 yards, 71 TDs, 52 INTs, and a 75.7 rating plus a record of 38-28-1 as a starter.

Though the Falcons rebounded in 2008 to make the playoffs under rookie of the year quarterback Matt Ryan, the attention of many in Atlanta still remained with Vick.  The journey of Vick from a jailed dogfighter back to the NFL has been well documented and when the Eagles first signed the former Falcons star in mid-August there was a firestorm of activity on message boards, talk radio, and any other medium associated to fan feedback.  To say the least the Vick signing was polarizing across the country sometimes along racial lines – especially in Atlanta and Philadelphia.  One camp had the former 3-time Pro Bowl player designated as persona-non-grata for the heinous nature of his crimes against dogs while others believed he deserved a second chance after serving his time.  However much like any big head line story, the Eagles signing of Michael Vick eventually faded into the back pages of NFL news after a while.  The majority of fans that had threatened to boycott their beloved Eagles due to the signing of Vick still packed the stands and on the field the former first overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft had become a “spare” part in the Eagles’ offense.  Vick would come in for a play here or there out of the Eagles version of the Wildcat formation called the “Spread Eagle”.  But other than a big 34-yard run against the San Diego Chargers, No. 7 was relegated to a designed run every so often while mostly watching starter Donovan McNabb from the sidelines.  Vick’s numbers in 9 games – suspended for the first two games — before Sunday were anything, but electrifying (3 of 9 passing for 7 yards and 0 TDs with 15 rushes for 65 yards and no touchdowns).

Even Vick’s return to Atlanta to face the Falcons was considered non- front page news as many figured the former Falcons’ star would play maybe one or two plays as he had done throughout his stint with the Birds.  But fate and a soft spot for a “comeback” story by Eagles head coach Andy Reid stepped in to bring Vick’s name back into the spotlight.  Playing in the Georgia Dome, which was once dubbed “The House that Michael Vick built”, the former 6-year Falcons player was everywhere.  Vick led the Eagles out of the tunnel to start the game, was a designated team captain for the coin toss, and received probably his most playing time of the season.  However when Vick entered the game on the Eagles fifth and seventh plays of their opening possession, he was showered with boos.   But those boos quickly faded in the 3^rd quarter. With the Eagles leading 13-0, Reid re-inserted Vick in the redzone.  The former Falcons’ starter lined up in shotgun formation and after a direct snap, Vick ran into the endzone for a 5-yard jitter-bugging touchdown.  The play was pure “Vick” as he sprinted to his right then sharply cut back to his left then broke a tackle before finally divining into the endzone.  The play led to a thunderous ovation as many fans wearing No. 7 jerseys stood for their former superstar. 

As good as his first touchdown run since Oct 15, 2006 felt, the NFL’s only 1,000-yard rushing quarterback had to feel even better later on.  With the game well in-hand, Vick showed everyone that he still has plenty of juice left in his rocket left arm as he fired a 43-yard completion to receiver Reggie Brown.  Then in the redzone for the second time, the “Michael Vick Experience” was back as he sprinted out to his left then lobbed a pass back to the right to wide-open TE Brent Celek in the endzone.  The dome’s roof shook again as indeed the prodigal son had returned home.  Vick finished the day with numbers 2 of 2 passing for 48 yards and 1 TD plus 4 rushes for 17 yards with 1 TD.  Not bad for a “spare part” and there were even chants of “We want Vick! We want Vick!” from his former home crowd in the fourth quarter after his satisfying day was done.  Vick said of the fans cheers for him, “It was as loud as it gets in the Dome, I heard the chants all through the stadium and it sent chills down my spine. They were just letting me know that people still appreciate what I’ve done.”

It was easy to see the pure joy that Vick felt playing back in the ATL.  After the game Eagles starter McNabb said of Vick’s fine performance in his return, “You were seeing a guy in his element.  I think he was just relishing the moment.”  After spending a larger amount of time giving on-field interviews and reflecting,   Vick in his post-game press conference said “It couldn’t have happened at a better time, I want to become one of the top quarterbacks in this league again.”

Lloyd Vance is a Sr. NFL Writer for Taking It to the House and an award -winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)

BCS Stands For “Bogus Championship Series” by Lake Lewis

Is it me or does it seems as if we are being taken advantage of with the BCS National Championship game that college football fans are stuck with on January 7th?  I say stuck because only one of the teams playing in the game is deserving of their perch.  I will let you determine whom I speak of by giving you the following clues.

1. The non deserving team narrowly beat an opponent that they were favored to beat in their conference championship game by 2 touchdowns.  They did so by benefiting from some very timely officiating.
2. The non deserving team benefited from playing in a traditionally strong conference that this year was not strong at all.
3. The non deserving team had 3 quality wins over teams that had rankings of 14, 20, and 22.  Not necessary big time teams.

Let us make a case for the obvious deserving team who will play the non deserving team.

1. The deserving team dismantled the consensus #1 ranked team over the last two years in their conference championship game.  They avenged their only regular season loss over two years.
2. The deserving team benefited from playing in a far more superior conference.  They became battle tested from the quality of opponents that they played and beat.
3. The deserving team had quality wins over big time teams with rankings of 1, 7, 9, and quality wins over teams with rankings 20, and 22.

If you do not know by now who the deserving team is?  They are the University of Alabama Crimson Tide.  Going undefeated this year was a daunting task because of the road (SEC) they had to go down.  Top that with a win for the ages over their nemesis Florida there is no denying that they are the best team in the land.

The undeserving team is the Texas Longhorns.  Do they have a great quarterback in Colt McCoy? Yes.  Do they have a great coach in Mack Brown? Yes.  But the fact that the Big 12 was not “big” this year makes this game look like a beating in the making.  As fans and as a journalist I can only hope that we will all be entertained.

I think the best team to not be playing in this game is TCU.  This is a great offensive team averaging over 40 points per game.  They play in the   Mountain what – I mean Mountain West Conference which does not help their cause.  But keep this in mind.  They beat the ACC runner-up in Clemson; beat another ACC school in Virginia.  TCU hung a combined 93 points on the two ranked teams that they beat in Utah and BYU.  Both of those teams entered their games against the Horn Frogs ranked 16^th.  They will have to accept a bowl bid to either the Fiesta Bowl or the Orange Bowl.

Two other deserving teams will also not get their chance at the title.  One team because of their lack of a tough schedule in a mediocre conference.  Yes that would be Boise State who after going undefeated again in the WAC (Western Athletic Conference) is primed to play spoiler in either the Orange Bowl or Fiesta Bowl.

Finally, the Cincinnati Bearcats had a magical season going a perfect 11-0.  They won the Big East Conference championship outright (second straight year) with a come from behind win over Pittsburgh.   Over the next few weeks we will be hearing a lot about their head coach Brain Kelly as his name is sure to come up over and over regarding the open coaching job at Notre Dame.  Kelly’s Bearcats team had quality wins over 3 ranked teams.  They will probably be facing last year’s national champion Florida in the Sugar Bowl. (This article was written 24hrs before the Bowl Selection Committee pairs teams for their respective games).

Imagine if we could have had a playoff.  We would have seen 5 undefeated teams going at it.  But instead we have to wait and see if chaos comes from an undeserving team playing for it all.

Lake Lewis is the President and CEO of the Sports Journey Broadcast Network.  He was a host on ESPN Radio 1060 Orlando, ESPN Radio 1080 Melbourne and the Drive Time host ESPN Radio 1240 Maryland and WMET 1160 in Washington DC

Wake Me Up When December Ends: The Dallas Cowboys end of season blues by Lloyd Vance

 

This December, the pressure will be on the Dallas Cowboys and QB Tony Romo to not go into their usual end of season “Swoon”

When most people think of the month of December, they think of spending the holidays with their friends and family.  But lately in Dallas, the last month of the year has meant that it is time for a “Swoon” by the Cowboys.  Since 2006, when quarterback Tony Romo took over as the Cowboys starter, much to the chagrine of fans and team owner Jerry Jones, Dallas’ record in December is 5-8 in the regular season.  The Cowboys also have been outscored 314 to 239 in those 13 regular games during the month.  To even further shine a spotlight on their end of season futulity, the Cowboys are 0-2 in the playoffs the last three years and have not won a playoff game since 1996.  

I won’t rehash their woes since 1996, but the past 3 years are present a strong case that the Cowboys continually have the holiday blues.  From 2006 to 2008, the Cowboys won three straight Thanksgiving games and came into the month of December with a winning records (8-3 in 2006, 11-1 in 2007, and 8-4 in 2008) only to crush their high expectations.  To say the least, the month of December has been a disaster filled with untimely turnovers and losses to teams out of contention at the time that games were played (Lost to the Detroit Lions, record of 2-13 at the time, by the score 39-31 in Week 17 of 2006 and the Philadelphia Eagles, record of 6-8 at the time, by the score 10-6 in Week 15 of 2007).

In 2006, the Cowboys looked to be a strong contender to win the NFC East, however they finshed December with a record of 2-3 including two straight losses to the Eagles (Week 16 by a score of 23-7) and Lions (Week 17 by a score 39-31) to end the season.  The “swoon” sent Dallas from a potential division winner to a 9-7 wildcard road team.  Of course everyone knows that the Cowboys’ 2006 wildcard playoff game with the Seattle Seahawks ended with Romo fumbling a potential game-winning field goal snap causing the Cowboys to lose 21-20 in a true heartbreaker to then head coach Bill Parcells.

In 2007, the Cowboys were on top of the NFL with a record of 11-1 entering December and many were lauding new head coach Wade Phillips, receiver Terrell Owens, and Romo as a potential Super Bowl contender.  However a 2-2 record in the season’s final month including a Week 15 loss to the Eagles (lost 10-6 to a down Birds squad that finished the year at 8-8) and a Week 17 loss to the Washington Redskins (lost 27-6) that set the stage for playoff disaster.  After a bye week off, the overconfident Cowboys hosted the NY Giants (10-6 record) who snuck into the playoff as a wildcard.  However the eventual Super Bowl champion G-Men pounded the Cowboys (Romo sacked 3 times) on their way to a comeback 21-17 win in Texas Stadium.

The 2008 season’s December swoon may have been the worst yet for the Cowboys.  Entering the last month of the season, Dallas had a record of 8-4 and were in the hunt for the NFC East division title.  However a record of 1-3 in December left no presents under the tree and no playoffs for the Cowboys.  You hate to throw the term “Choke” around in NFL  circles, as there is always the “Any Given Sunday” mentality throughout most of  the league, but plain and simple the Cowboys folded at the end o f the 2008 season.  You cannot blame them for losing a close road game to the eventual Super Bowl champion Steelers in Week 14 by a score 20-13.  However their defeat in Week 17 to the Philadelphia Eagles showed their lack of “urgency” in the month of December. 

After the Tampa Bay Bucs and Chicago Bears both lost earlier in the day to help the Eagles playoff chances, the stage was set for a “Win and Your In” regualr season finale between the Cowboys (then 9-6) and the Eagles (then 8-6-1) at 4:00 PM in Lincoln Financial Field.  Playing with more urgency and purpose, the Eagles fueled by five turnovers pummeled the overrated Cowboys 44-6. The catalyst of the Cowboys demise was Romo as “Mr. September” was harassed into producing two turnovers (1 INT and 1 Fumble) including a fumble that was returned for a touchdown.  The Cowboys finished the season leading the NFL in penalties and finished 30th in turnover margin.   And to make matters even worse, the Cowboys continued to fight amongst themselves on the sidelines in the loss (T.O and the gang).  Plus there was alledgely a skirmish between Cowboys FB Deon Anderson and LT Flozell Adams on the flight home from Philadelphia.

The pressure to win in December and beyond in 2009 will most assuredly be on Romo and head coach Wade Phillips — overall record as Cowboys head coach of 30-13 through the first 12 weeks of the 2009 season.  There is a perception by some that the Cowboys lack of focus at the end of the season is due to Phillips’ “player’s coach” mentality, so you know he is definitely on the hot seat with Cowboys management. 

Romo (signed a six-year, $67.5 million contract extension with $30 million guaranteed in ‘08) is also on the hot seat right along with Phillips and supposed up-and-coming offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.  The Cowboys quarterback has had great success in the earlier months of the season (record of 30-7 as a starter  from September – November since his first start in Week 8 of 2006), but at the end of regular season usually “What can go wrong, Does go wrong” for Romo – record of 5-10 in December and January including an 0-2 record in the playoffs. 

Romo also has been the target of criticism at the end of the year, not just for his well-publicized trip to Cabo, Mexico with then girlfriend Jessica Simpson during the playoff bye week in 2007.  But also for his untimely turnovers in games after November – passing numbers of  297-510, 58.2%, 3385 yards, 15 TDs, 20 INTs in 17 games including the playoffs.  Simpson is long gone, so now Romo should have no excuses and should answer the bell this December

So with Sunday’s game at Meadows versus the NY Giants, it is “See you in December” time for the Cowboys and you know Jerry Jones is hungry for a playoff winner on the field of his new $1. 15 billion dollar stadium.  In the Cowboys remining five games in 2009,  everyone in the team’s organization will be under the gun to win.  Curently the Dallas Cowboys (8-3) have a 1-game lead over the Eagles (7-4) in the race for the NFC East title.  After feasting on the lowly Raiders on Thanksgiving, the Dallas’ next five games should be a lot tougher (@NYG, SD, @NO, @WAS, and PHI) so now the real fun should start in Big D.

Lloyd Vance is a Sr. NFL Writer for Taking It to the House and an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)

The Green Bay Packers are surprisingly the NFL’s Top Defense by Lloyd Vance

 

Led by DB Charles Woodson, the Green Bay Packers’ defense is currently ranked No. 1 in the NFL

Quickly name me the top defense in the NFL after 12 weeks of play…No it is not the Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens, or any other team that you would guess.  Surprisingly, the league’s No. 1 ranked defense, in terms of yardage allowed, is the Green Bay Packers — average of 281.5 yards of offense per game.  That’s right… the team that seemed to be in a shootout every week in 2008 (allowed 380 points with an average of 23.8 point per game) and lost badly twice this season to the Minnesota Vikings led by “You know who”, has now found some teeth on defense. 

No doubt the infusion of new defensive coordinator Dom Capers and his new attacking 3-4 defensive scheme has grown roots with the Packers (7-4).  The Pack now has playmakers on the defensive line (see Cullen Jenkins — 25 TKLs, 4.5 Sacks, 3 FF, and 1 INT) and secondary (see Charles Woodson) with their linebackers also getting better.  Despite losing All-Pro’s CB Al Harris and OLB Aaron Kampman for the season to knee injuries, the Packers have found inventive ways to shutdown opponents.  Since losing to the Bucs 38-28 in Week 9, the Packers have been on a roll and have allowed an average of only 14 points per game in their last 3 games (all wins).

The Packers are getting three-and-outs at a high rate – Opponents’ 3rd down conversion rate of only 33% (successfully converted 48/144 third downs) plus they are getting timely turnovers — 27 takeaways ranking Green Bay second behind New Orleans (32).  Clearly the addition of true nose talk rookie BJ Raji (1st Rd pick – 9th overall) has made the transition to the 3-4 easier with the powerful  rookie from Boston College and veteran Ryan Pickett providing the “fire hydrant” in the middle of the D-line that is essential to others in the front seven making plays. With their stout nose tackles leading the way, the Packers have allowed only two 100-yard rushers through 11 games — Bengals RB Cedric Benson and St. Louis Rams RB Steven Jackson in Weeks 2 and 3 respectively.

For sure the player that has benefited the most from the arrival of Capers has been perennial Pro Bowl player CB/S Charles Woodson.  The former Heisman Trophy winner has turned it up several notches and may very well be playing the best football of his career.  All one has to do is look at his current stats (54 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 4 FF, 1 fumble recovery, and 7 INTs) to see why the 12-year veteran was named the Defensive Player of the Month for November and is a strong contender for NFL Defensive MVP.  Woodson’s seven interceptions are one away from his career best of eight picks in 2006 and his 2 TD returns off turnovers is already a personal best.

The pressure will be on Woodson to continue to make game-changing plays without his partner Harris, but I believe he will be up to the task.  The road to the playoffs won’t be an easy one for the Packers as their five remaining games include 3 road games and features three 2008 playoff teams ( BAL, @CHI, @PIT, SEA, and @ARI).  Other than the Ravens (6-5), who also run the ball too, the four other remaining teams that the Packers will play to end the season like to throw the ball a lot. 

The next big test for the Packers will be this Monday as the nation gets to see their No. 1 ranked defense first-hand against the Ravens.  Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said of his team’s defense, “You want to be ranked No. 1 at the end of the season, but I think our defense is on the right pace to be the championship defense that we anticipate we’d have here”.  McCarthy then added about the challenge of facing the Ravens on Monday Night Football, “Our margin for error is going to be a lot less than it has been in the first 11 games because it’s December football now.  This is the most important football that we’ll play all season.”

 Current NFL Yardage Allowed Stats 

                        Rush         Pass      Total

Green Bay    89.1      192.5   281.5

N.Y. Jets       108.2     175.7   283.9

Pittsburgh    74.9      213.5    288.4

N.Y. Giants   107.8    182.6   290.5

Denver          110.0    185.0    295.0

Lloyd Vance is a Sr. NFL Writer for Taking It to the House and an award -winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)

Not Out Of The Woods by Lake Lewis

Eldrick “Tiger” Woods is the best golfer on the planet.  The most recognizable sports figure of any continent.  Perhaps the most envied person on the planet.  Right?  I am not so sure of the latter after the world has learned of his self professed “transgressions”.  Over the pasts few days we have been transfixed with details that led to his SUV being totaled with the windows broken out by his wife.  All this sounds like a story from All My Children or Days of Our Lives.  The way the media vultures (don’t include me) have salivated over this story has been embarrassing to say the least.  Why is it important for us in today’s society to rake individuals over the coals?  From the moment this story broke no one cared for the safety or well being of Woods but more importantly wanted to know what was he doing out at 2 am in the morning.  You know what none of your damn business.

Before you think I am on the Tiger soap box, think again.  Is he a great champion?  Absolutely!  Is he without fault?  Absolutely!  Is he learning a valuable lesson about being a “family man” and high profile celebrity?  Again, Absolutely!  But this is where I will stray and maybe annoy some of you with my next few sentences.  Several questions will undoubtedly come up in certain circles.  Racism is one that comes mind.  Keep in mind Tiger is married to a white woman who is attractive.  Over the years we have seen the distaste for African American athletes who marry “outside” of their race.  Maybe this is only an issue in small pockets of the community, but this issue carries weight in small pockets of the black community.  Black women have forever wondered how can black male athletes do this to them.  How can these athletes get out of the hood, make it big, and not remember them.  They were the sources that normally raised and took care of them on their way to stardom.  Well, Tiger is not from this tradition laden stereotype that believe it or not, is a small minority of players.  He comes from a structured family like most of my African American friends.    Think Kobe Bryant and his rape/adultery case in Denver.  Think O.J Simpson and his murder case.  Think of Michael Jordan too and his “transgressions”.  These men were raised with fathers in the house.  Conspiracy theorist will note all this leads to the presumption that if you are a black athlete with a white significant other and make a mistake you will be in big trouble.  The problem I have with this way of thinking is all these cases could have easily been avoided.  Not by marrying an African American woman.  That is foolish and without merit.    These situations could have been avoided because of the fame that these athletes already had.  They should have known that they would have been tracked and followed because of their enormous fame.  Does race play a part in it?  I am sure it does as we are still dealing with ignorant people in our world.

I also think that there is another major circumstance that is at heart in these matters.   And that is…get ready… YOU THE FAN drove these guys to do what they have done.  By worshiping athletes to dizzying heights and always wanting a piece of them, a lot of them have believed from the beginning of any success that they are above the law.  In the end there is a level of trust that is ingrained in them.  I just recently told a young NBA player not to get married until he was in his mid 30’s.  I told him enjoy your bachelor days and fame.  Work on your craft and finally or near the end of you’re playing career, focus on love.  The flip side to that ideal solution is that guys do not trust anyhow and now you’re about to date a person who you might think is after your money.  I am not saying that this led to Tigers “transgressions” but come on how many of you at one point thought that his wife could be the big GD?  If we have entertained that thought, then naturally the athlete is going to think that and that leads them to do what comes natural.  Not being able to trust, which leads to stupid acts.  Sure this sounds like a psychiatric session but I am telling you from experience as a former athlete and friend of a lot of today’s athletes.  There are some great family men and athletes out there and I have the privilege of some of working with me.  But, there are some athletes and celebrities out there who will continue to do what Tiger did until they get caught.  Recently late night king David Letterman had to admit his “transgressions” because he was being blackmailed.  In the past athletes such as tennis great Boris Becker, and soccer star David Beckham, have all had to face “transgressions”.  We have even witnessed a US President admit failures.  That is why I am not stung by this latest development.

Tiger Woods threw out everything he was raised to be for a damaging relationship.  Not knowing Tiger I know that I would not like to be in his shows.  Because of his tremendous wealth and stature he is on another planet when it comes to the accolades and groupies.  That is a position I would not trade with him no matter what amount of money could come my way.   That is another life style that could be very taxing, demanding, and tempting, on the weak of mind.  I just hope for the sake of Tigers “transgressions” whatever they maybe we understand that no one is perfect.  No matter the money, fame, or fortune people cannot be placed to a higher moral standard.  After all Eldrick “Tiger” Woods is just a golfer.  A darn good one at that!  And that should be all that we care about.  He has his own cross to bear with his wife, family, and friends, and that should be enough to keep him busy for a very long time.

Lake Lewis is the President and CEO of the Sports Journey Broadcast Network.  He also was a host on ESPN Radio 1060 Orlando, ESPN Radio 1080 Melbourne and the Drive Time host ESPN Radio 1240 Maryland and WMET 1160 in Washington DC.

2009 NFL Season – Week 13 Rankings by Lloyd Vance

 

The New Orleans Saints led by their O-line (pictured OG Jahri Evans) thumped the New England Patriots and now they are No. 1 in this week’s Power Rankings

With their comeback win over the Houston Texans in Week 12, the Indianapolis Colts clinched the AFC South crown so now there are only 11 coveted NFL playoff berths left.  In the next five weeks, we can expect the remaining 25 NFL teams with records ranging from 11-0 to 4-7 to continue to self separate into “Contenders” and “Pretenders”.  The upcoming NFL schedule has some great match-ups that will surely make it easier to see which teams will survive the league’s regular season championship rounds (December and early January) to make the playoffs, so buckle-up as the 2009 NFL regular season is almost ready to land. 

A common trend that I will be interested in, is the number of new teams making the playoffs after missing them the prior year.  In 2008, for the 13th consecutive NFL season, five or more teams qualified for the playoffs that were not in the postseason the year before (Arizona, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Minnesota, Miami and Carolina).  This year the Bengals, Saints, Cowboys, Patriots, Packers, Broncos, and Jaguars are all strong contenders to make the playoffs after missing out on them in 2008.

In looking at the current NFL standings here’s the breakdown: The “Elite” – Saints (11-0), Colts (11-0), Vikings (10-1), Bengals (8-3), Cowboys (8-3), and Chargers (8-3); “Stuck in the Middle” teams, who are caught in the NFL’s parity-filled middle and need to either join the playoff hunt or fall back — Cardinals (7-4), Patriots (7-4), Broncos (7-4), Eagles (7-4), Packers (7-4), Giants (6-5), Steelers (6-5), Jaguars (6-5), Ravens (6-5), Falcons (6-5), Dolphins (5-6), Texans (5-6), Jets (5-6), Titans (5-6), and Niners (5-6); The “Pretenders”, who are trying to avoid their 8^th loss which means they have joined  the league’s bottom rung – Panthers (4-7), Bears (4-7), Bills (4-7), and Seahawks (4-7); and lastly the “Ugly” (See you at the 2010 NFL Draft) – Redskins (3-8), Raiders (3-8), Chiefs (3-8), Lions (2-9), Browns (1-10), Rams (1-10), and Buccaneers (1-10)

Now on to the rankings for this week.

1.  Saints (11-0) – Wow, after their Monday Night football dismantling of the Patriots, there is no denying Sean Payton’s team the top spot any longer.  The Saints are explosive on offense, defense, and special teams plus their quarterback, Drew Brees, is putting up some unbelievable stats.  New Orleans will look to continue their franchise best start and try to avoid a letdown as they travel to the Nation’s Capital for a game against the dangerous Redskins.

2.  Colts (11-0) – Jim Caldwell’s team pulled out another “W” in a very close game against the Texans, but the Saints were more impressive.  The Colts are now AFC South champs and you have to wonder if they lock-up home field in the AFC, will they start “resting” some veterans.  In a clash of two miraculous streaks, the Colts will host the hard-charging Tennessee Titans (winners of 5 straight) and team-first QB Vince Young.

3.  Vikings (10-1) – If the Saints were not around everyone would be talking about comeback QB Brett Favre and the scary good Minnesota Vikings.  It wasn’t even close as Favre almost put up career number in a rout of the Chicago Bears and their inconsistent quarterback Jay Cutler.  Next up is a Sunday Night Football “flexed” game as the Vikes travel to Arizona to face the Cardinals in a potential playoff preview game.

4.  Chargers (8-3) – The Bolts have now won 6 games in a row after throttling the KC Chiefs in Week 12.  Surprisingly, the Chargers continue to fly under the NFL’s mainstream radar despite a MVP type season from QB Philip Rivers.  Head coach Norv Turner’s squad continues their tour of the NFL’s underbelly as they travel to Cleveland to face the 1-win Browns.  

5.  Bengals (8-3) — Marvin Lewis’ team rebounded from a bad road loss to the Oakland Raiders by thumping the Cleveland Browns to finish a perfect 6-0 in AFC North divisional games.  Another NFL cupcake awaits as the Bengals will gladly host the 1-win Detroit Lions.

6. Cowboys (8-3) – As usual the ‘Boys rolled on Thanksgiving, this time beating up the hapless Oakland Raiders on national television.  In an NFC East grudge match, the Meadowlands will be rocking as the struggling New York Giants host the Cowboys with their season on the line.

7.  Eagles (7-4) – The Birds made it two ugly wins in a row as they outlasted the reeling and injured Washington Redskins in a knock-down-drag-out NFC East battle.  Hoping to continue their usual November/December playoff push (2-game winning streak), the Birds will travel to the Georgia Dome to face a very injured Falcons’ squad.

8. Packers (7-4) – While probably trying in vain to catch the red-hot Minnesota Vikings in the standings, the Pack continues to put themselves in playoff contention.  The Packers dominated the terrible Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving.  In a great match-up of two teams looking to stay in the thick of the playoff hunt, the Baltimore Ravens led by future Hall of Famer LB Ray Lewis will look to get a tough road win at Lambeau Field on Monday Night Football.

9.  Broncos (7-4) – It was pass the gravy time as the Broncos feasted on the reeling NY Giants on Thanksgiving.  Denver hopes to stay on the heels of the surging San Diego Chargers, but they cannot look past the host Kansas Chiefs who are playing better since jettisoning malcontent Larry Johnson.

10.  Patriots (7-4) – The Pats looked old and confused as they had no answer for the high octane undefeated Saints on Monday Night Football.  Looking to rebound from an embarrassing national TV loss, the Patriots and QB Tom Brady will look to jump all over the host Miami Dolphins in a key AFC East match-up.

11.  Cardinals (7-4) – Even without starting QB Kurt Warner (concussion), the Cardinals were seconds away from a huge inter-conference win, but it was V.Y to the rescue for the Titans in a thriller.  In a game that was “flexed” by NBC to Sunday Night Football, the Cardinals hope to get Warner back and match the offensive firepower of the visiting Minnesota Vikings.

12. Steelers (6-5) – P-Burgh had another tough loss in Week 12 — their 3^rd in a row — this time to the hated Baltimore Ravens in overtime.  Head coach Mike Tomlin’s team should be prepared this week and you have to feel sorry for the visiting Oakland Raiders, who are looking like a potential homecoming tomato can.

13.  Jaguars (6-5) – Just when you want to move Jack Del Rio’s team higher in the rankings, they lay another stinker. This time it was the San Francisco 49ers who laid the smack down on the up-and-down Jags.  In a game that is sure to have a playoff feel, the Jaguars will travel to Houston for a “Loser leaves town” match with the equally desperate Texans.

14.  Falcons (6-5) – Mike Smith’s team showed their toughness (lost QB Matt Ryan – toe and RB Michael Turner – ankle) in a win over the scrappy Tampa Bay Bucs.  In a huge game that will definitely have NFC playoff implications, the Falcons will take on the Philadelphia Eagles in the Georgia Dome with backup QB Chris Redmon making the start.

15. Giants (6-5) – The G-Men continued to fall further behind the Eagles and Cowboys in the NFC East race as they were soundly thumped by the Denver Broncos on Thanksgiving.  With QB Eli Manning trying to gut it out (foot injury), the Giants will look to save their season as they host the NFC East division leading Dallas Cowboys.

16.  Ravens (6-5) – Baltimore continues to show their toughness as this past week they beat the Steelers in overtime on Sunday Night Football.  With no room for error, the Ravens will travel to Lambeau to face the surging Packers on Monday Night Football.

17. Titans (5-6) – Titans QB Vince Young outdueled Matt Leinart again as he answered his critics with an incredible last second win over the Cardinals.  With their season on the line, the Titans will look to stop record setting QB Peyton Manning and the host Indianapolis Colts in a huge AFC South game.

18.  Texans (5-6) – It looks like the inconsistent Texans are headed toward another 8-8 season which could spell curtains for head coach Gary Kubiak.  The Colts came back from a 17-0 deficit to send the Texans to a tough home defeat.  If the Texans want to save their season and possibly their head coach’s job, they will need to take care of business in Jacksonville in an AFC South survival game against the Jaguars.

19. Jets (5-6) – The J-E-T-S, led by CB Darrell Revis, shutdown the pitiful Carolina Panthers as rookie QB Mark Sanchez outplayed struggling Panthers QB Jake Delhomme.  In an NFL Network Thursday Night special, head coach Rex Ryan will need his team to take care of business against the equally desperate Buffalo Bills.

20.  49ers (5-6) – The Niners continued their climb back to .500 as they beat-up on the inconsistent Jacksonville Jaguars.  If Niners head coach Mike Singletary’s team wants to climb all the way into playoff contention, they will have to avoid a letdown in Seattle against the Seahawks.

21.  Dolphins (5-6) – Buffalo Bills receiver Terrell Owens got his revenge on Miami Dolphins czar Bill Parcells as the Bills led by QB Ryan Fitzpatrick dominated the Dolphins.  If the ‘Phins are going to show the NFL that they belong in the playoffs, they will need to defend their home turf against the angry New England Patriots.

22.  Seahawks (4-7) – The Hawks finally found someone that they could beat-up on and the 1-win Rams were the willing victims.  In an NFC West statement game, the Seahawks will host the Niners in a game that will end someone’s season.

23.  Bills (4-7) – Despite the best efforts of the NFL’s new fantasy football combo, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and  WR Terrell Owens, the Bills came up short to Jacksonville in Perry Fewell’s head coaching debut.  In annual AFC East grudge match, the Bills will host the surging Dolphins and new Wildcat/former Toronto Argonaut RB Ricky Williams.

24.  Panthers (4-7) – It looks like Panthers head coach John Fox is going to go down with struggling QB Jake Delhomme.  The NY Jets capitalized on many Panthers’ mistakes to produce an easy win.  With their season on the line, the Panthers will host the 1-win Bucs in an NFC South basement special.

25.  Bears (4-7) – When the Bears traded for Jay Cutler, they thought they had the missing piece to competing with the Vikings for the top of the NFC North…Man were they wrong.  Cutler struggled again as  Minnesota and 40-year old QB Brett Favre picked the Bears apart.  In a game they have to win to keep their flickering playoff hopes alive, the Bears will host the 1-win St. Louis Rams in a must-win sitiuation.

26.  Chiefs (3-8) – KC had no answer for the surging Chargers, who won going away.  With their season basically over the Chiefs will now try to play spoiler as they host the Denver Broncos who are in the thick of the AFC West race.

27.  Redskins (3-8) – The injured ‘Skins and beleaguered head coach Jim Zorn couldn’t even capitalize on the sloppy Philadelphia Eagles mistakes in a loss that basically ended their season.  After the Saints huge win over the Patriots, could they be primed for a letdown game against the Redskins…probably not.

28.  Raiders (3-8) – Al Davis’ boys served as the turkeys for Dallas Cowboys on  Thanksgiving game.  The season can’t end any faster for embattled head coach Tom Cable’s team and I am sure it will get even worse as the Raiders play the angry Steelers in Pittsburgh.

29.  Lions (2-9) – Once again the Lions were stuffed and cooked on Thanksgiving, this time by the surging Green Bay Packers.  The road to the NFL Draft got even more tougher for the Lions as they face the host Bengals, who want to keep their lead in the AFC North.

30.  Browns (1-10) – QB Brady Quinn struggled badly as the Browns were spanked by the Bengals as they lost “The Battle for Ohio” badly.  Browns head coach Eric Mangini is on the hot seat after only 11 games and it may get even worse as the surging San Diego Chargers come to town.

31.  Rams (1-10) – If nothing else, Steve Spagnuolo’s team will fight till the end.  Unfortunately for the scrappy Rams, the Seahawks had too many offensive weapons in their lopsided win.  Look for the Rams to hand the ball off to powerback Steven Jackson when they travel to Chicago to face the inconsistent Bears.

32.  Buccaneers (1-10) – The Bucs are young, but improving and it showed in their effort against the Atlanta Falcons last week.  In a battle for the NFC South basement, the still hopeful Carolina Panthers will need to keep an eye on emerging rookie QB Josh Freeman.

Lloyd Vance is a Sr. NFL Writer for Taking It to the House and an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)

2009 NFL Season – Week 12 Revew by Lloyd Vance

NFL leading sackman Broncos DE Elvis Dumervil was one of Week 12’s Game Ball winners

Week 12 was Thanksgiving weekend around the NFL and fans were treated to three game days (Thursday, Sunday and Monday) filled with non-stop action.  Unfortunately the games that were played on the actual holiday (Thursday) were some real turkeys – smallest winning margin was 17 points — with the Green Packers (defeated the host Detroit Lions 34-12), Dallas Cowboys (defeated the hapless Oakland Raiders 24-7), and Denver Broncos (feasted on the NY Giants 26-6) all winning handily. 

No disrespect to the league’s schedule makers, but I think it is about time to switch-up the host cities and match-ups on Thanksgiving as it has been too long since America was able feast on turkey while enjoying some quality football.  The main culprit team that probably needs to be removed from the league’s Thanksgiving table is the Detroit Lions.  I know the Lions playing on Thanksgiving — 70 times in the franchise’s history — is part of Americana like the phrase, “Can you pass the gravy”.  But enough already as the Lions have lost six straight games on the holiday, setting a franchise record, by an average of 23.2 points and eight of their last nine.  So for the betterment of everyone’s digestion, the Lions need to go unless the NFL plans on bringing in a semi-pro team to play them.

Luckily for the league, Sunday and Monday brought some much better games that kept people glued to their seats through Monday Night’s much-anticipated battle between the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots.  Putting aside the blowouts, which have become too prevalent throughout the 2009 season (49ers over Jaguars  20-3,  Bills over Dolphins 31-14,  Chargers  over Chiefs, 43-14 and Vikings over Bears, 36-10).  There were storylines and great performances aplenty to keep everyone filled when their turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes ran out.  There were five games that were decided by three points or less including a game-winning touchdown on the last play of the game and an overtime thriller. 

With only five games left to be played for all teams, there is much more separation left to do within the league’s standings before January’s playoffs.  There are still the “Have’s” (6 teams with 8 wins or more including the league’s two undefeated teams — Colts and Saints both 11-0) and the “Have Nots” (7 teams with 3 or less wins, who are now basically spoilers).  But the majority of the league (19 teams) are still caught in the parity-laden middle with records ranging from 7-4 to 4-7 including former 2008 playoff teams – Arizona Cardinals (7-4), Philadelphia Eagles (7-4), NY Giants (6-5), Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5), Baltimore Ravens (6-5), Atlanta Falcons (6-5), Tennessee Titans (5-6), and Carolina Panthers (4-7)  it is time for the “Contenders” and “Pretenders” to pick and choose their status in the league’s last six weeks.  There are 12 covet playoff spots up for grabs and you have to expect that some teams will soon be giving thanks this Thanksgiving holiday for their opportunity for the playoffs.

Some of the other bigger headlines from this week included:

The Quest for Perfection continues – The NFL’s two unbeaten squads (New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts) stayed that way for another week.  The pair made NFL history as for the first  time in league history there are two teams at 11-0.  For the second straight week, the two unbeatens couldn’t have played more desperaging games, but in the end both teams are on the threshold of greatness.  I am not saying that the 1972 Miami Dolphins (perfect 17-0 including a Super Bowl win) or the 2007 New England Patriots (perfect 16-0 in the regular season) need to worry just yet, but both the Saints and Colts are moving close to their neighborhoods. 

The Colts kept their record unblemished and won their 20th straight game despite falling behind by scores 17-0 and 20-7 (halftime) to the upstart Houston Texans – 5th consecutive win when trailing in the fourth quarter.  Led by QB Peyton Manning (27-35, 244 yds, 3 TDs, 2 INTs), who has a passer rating of 113.9 in fourth quarters this season, the Colts went on a 21-0 run and outscored the Texans 28-7 in the second half on their way to a thrilling 35-27 win in Houston — 6^th straight win over the Texans.  Many players contributed to the Colts’ win including rookie starting corner Jerraud Powers (3^rd round pick from Auburn), but no player probably came up bigger than LB Clint Session who had  27-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Session read the eyes of struggling Texans quarterback Matt Schaub  and jumped the route for an easy game-changing pick-6.

The Colts clinched the AFC South with the win combined with the Jaguars’ loss to the Niners — can you believe it in only 11 games.  So now Jim Caldwell’s team may soon be sitting out some veterans so that they can heal-up for the playoffs.  The Colts are also, only one win shy of tying the Patriots’ record of 21 straight regular season wins set in 2006-08.  With 11 wins, Caldwell tied Steve Mariucci for the most consecutive wins by a rookie head coach since 1950. Indianapolis has won 11 games for the seventh straight year, an NFL record and they can also extend their current NFL record of 6 straight seasons with 12 wins or more with one more win.

The Colts win was thrilling, but the Monday Night Football match-up of the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots was much more anticipated.  In a game that some people were calling, “The Battle of the Bayou” or Super Bowl XLIII ¾, many people – including yours truly –  thought that the Saints’ magic carpet ride would end to Bill Belichick’s three-time Super Bowl champion Patriots.  But to the chagrine of Saints’ doubters, Sean Payton’s high octane team quickly made the Patriots look old and confused while turning  this game into a laugher.  The Saints in stunning fashion whipped up on the New England in a 38-17 rout.  Playing without former 2006 first-round pick scatback Reggie Bush, the Saints didn’t miss a beat as they piled up 480 yards of total offense and easily scored 38 points.  Luckily for the Patriots, the Saints were in cruise control for much of the 4th quarter and New England agreed putting in their backups to end the game. 

Though the Saints will try to downplay the significance of the win, there is no doubt that they wanted to prove to the rest of the league that they are the “Real Deal”.  And they did make a statement with the win , because this wasn’t the Bucs, Seahawks, or any other lower level NFL squad that the Saints dismantled.  This was the big bad New England Patriots, who have won over 105 games this decade and recently only lost to the Colts by 1-point just a couple of weeks ago.  To put it plain and simple, the Saints are a scary bunch who jumped all over the Patriots and never let-up.  With 407 points scored through 11 games, they are approaching the the exclusive NFL 500+ point club.  The 1999 St. Louis Rams (529 points scored and Super Bowl champs), 1998 Minnesota Vikings (556 points scored and a record of 15-1), and 2007 New Patriots (NFL record 589 points score and 16-0 AFC Champs) better watchout as the 2009 Saints are a force to be reckoned with. 

I don’t know about you, but from my TV it looked like  the Saints were the best team in the NFL in all three phases of the game.  And of course MVP candidate QB Drew Brees (see Game Balls) led the way as he had a perfect quarterback rating of 158.3 for the contest while averaging an amazing 16.1 yards per pass attempt.  Brees, who was only sacked once, spread the ball around to seven different pass catchers including explosive receivers Marques Colston, Devrey Henderson, and Robert Meachem who each caught a touchdown.  The Saints offense wasn’t the only story of the game as their defense basically shutdown the NFL’s 2nd ranked offense coming into the game.  Using a variety of blitzes and coverages, the Saints made Patriots QB Tom Brady (21 of 36 for 237 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions) look very “average”.  The Patriots were limited to 17 points and only a 3rd down efficiency of 4 for 13 (30%) while turning the ball over 3 times (2 INTs and 1 lost fumble). New Orleans’ defense recorded two sacks and everyone contributed even 33-year-old CB Mike McKenzie (3 tackles and 1 INT), who was signed by the Saints last week.  A very telling stat was that the Saints held Patriots wide receivers Wes Welker and Randy Moss to combined numbers of nine catches for 99 yards and no touchdowns with only one catch going longer than 10 yards.

The Saints have now won 11 games in a season for the first time since 1991 and could be on their way to the No. 1 seed in the NFC.  Though the Vikings are only 1-game behind the Saints in terms of wins, New Orleans could possibly the NFL’s best due to their explosive nature on offense, defense and special teams.  After the game,  Brees talked about how this win means a little more than your average “W”.  “[The win] only counts for one win on the stat sheet,” Brees said. “But emotionally, those types of wins can mean a little bit more. We played a tremendous football team tonight. They know how to win, they do things the right way.”

Though I don’t think the Saints and Colts can do the impossible of reaching the 1972 Dolphins’ perfection – too many teams getting up for a fight with the “Town Bully” – I have listed both teams remaining games below.

Saints:    @WAS    @ATL      DAL         TB     @CAR

Colts:      TEN         DEN         @JAC      NYJ   @BUF

V.Y comes of age — Weeks ago, Titans’ owner Bud Adams made it clear he wanted Vince Young to replace Kerry Collins as the team’s starter and clearly he was right.  Adams received his vindication after V.Y’s breakout career-high 387-yard passing performance in the Tennessee Titans last-second 20-17 win over the Arizona Cardinals including throwing the game-winner with no time left on the clock.  The Titans were down by a score of 17-13 late in the fourth quarter to the NFC West leading Arizona Cardinals and had 99 yards to cover with only 2 minutes, 37 seconds left on the clock.  Young (27/43, 387 YDS, 1 TD, and 0 INTs) capped off an 18-play, 99-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass to leaping rookie receiver Kenny Britt in the back of the end zone as time expired.  The most impressive part of the game-winning drive was the determination of the Titans’ starter.  Young (23-11 as an NFL starter) completed 10 of 16 passes for 94 yards and ran for another five while converting three fourth-downs on the drive, including the winning touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the Cardinals’ 10.

A little while ago, the former 3rd overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft just wanted a chance to show, that he was still a playmaker in the NFL and not the perceived malcontent potential bust that many were painting him out to be… well the past 5 games should have shut-up a lot of people.  Young has had several Steve McNair-type leadership performance making plays with his arm and legs while of course leaning on MVP-candidate RB Chris Johnson (on a pace for over 2,000 yards rushing).   In their 5^th straight win after an 0-6 start, the Titans also snapped Arizona’s five-game winning streak.  It must have been deja-vu all over again for Cardinals starter Matt Leinart, who had lost the 2006 Rose Bowl to Young when they were both college hotshots for USC and Texas respectively, as No. 10 left the field with another comeback victory in his hands. 

Young has won 9-consecutive starts going back to 2007 and he is now a perfect 5-0 as the Titans starter this season.  But the Titans’ new unquestioned leader pointed out after the game, it was a huge “team” win.  “As the Tennessee Titans, I feel we fought to the finish,” Young said.  The Titans are now 5-6 and right in the middle of the AFC’s wildcard hunt — remaining games @IND, STL, MIA, SD, and @SEA — after almost no one, but themselves, thought they were still in the race. 

Winning streaks continuing –  When making a playoff push, the most important thing for NFL teams is stay “hot” i.e produce a winning streak.  Here are some teams on a roll right now — The Indianapolis Colts won their 20^th straight; The New Orleans Saints have strung together a franchise record 11-straight wins; The San Diego Chargers maintained their lead in the AFC West by continuing their win streak (6); The Tennessee Titans have turned everything upside down by winning 5 games in a row and in Week 13, they can stop the Colts’ win streak; Also the Minnesota Vikings currently have a 4-game winning streak and the Green Bay Packers have a 3-game winning streak.  Conversely a few teams can’t seem to buy a win including the Cleveland Brown (lost 6 in a row) and Chicago Bears (lost 4 in a row as their quarterback keeps throwing picks),

Here’s the current division breakdown after Week 12:

NFC East – The Dallas Cowboys (8-3) have a 1-game lead over the Eagles (7-4).  Now is “crunch time” in the NFC East as we will see if the Cowboys will start their December swoon again.  After feasting on the lowly Raiders on Thanksgiving, the Dallas’ next five games should a lot tougher (@NYG, SD, @NO, @WAS, and PHI)

NFC West — The Arizona Cardinals (7-4) have a 2-game lead over the Niners (5-6).  The Cardinals better get QB Kurt Warner (concussion) back fast  for their Week 14 showdown with the Niners.  Arizona’s next five games are a mix of good and bad opponents (MIN, @SF, @DET, STL, and GB)

NFC South — The New Orleans Saints (11-0) have a 5-game lead over the Falcons (6-5).  With a win in Week 13, the Saints can continue their unbeaten ways plus claim the NFC South title.  New Orleans next five games right now make 16-0 look a little more possible (@WAS, @ATL, DAL, TB and @CAR)

NFC North – The Minnesota Vikings (10-1) have a 3-game lead over the Packers (7-4), plus they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker after sweeping Green Bay this season.  QB Brett Favre’s gang will continue to chase the undefeated Saints in hopes they falter, causing the road to the Super Bowl in Miami to go through the Metrodome.  However the Vikings have some tough playoff contenders in their remaining five games (@AR, CIN, @CAR, @CHI, and NYG)

AFC East – The New England Patriots (7-4) still have a 2-game lead over the Miami Dolphins (5-6) after both teams lost in Week 12.  Even though the Patriots lost to the Saints, I still believe they will be a dangerous playoff team.  New England’s last 5 games include a Week 13 showdown with the Dolphins in Miami (@MIA, CAR, @BUF, JAC, and @HOU)

AFC West — The San Diego Chargers (8-3) with their 43-14 pounding of the Kansas City Chiefs maintained their one-game lead over the Denver Broncos (7-4).  I believe this will be one of the few divisional races that goes down to the wire.  San Diego still has some tough games left on their schedule and Broncos are still in fight (@CLE, @DAL, CIN, @TEN, and WAS)

AFC South – The Indianapolis Colts (11-0) won the AFC South title for 2009 as they came back for a 35-27 win over the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars lost 20-3 to the Niners.  With the division sewn up it will be interesting to see if the Colts hold out some of their veteran down the stretch (TEN, DEN, @JAC, NYJ and @BUF)

AFC North — The Cincinnati Bengals (8-3) increased their lead over the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens (both 6-5) to 2-games.  The Bengals are now a perfect 6-0 in the AFC North, but their next 5 games, including 3 road contests, should test their playoff resolve (DET, @MIN, @SD, KC, and @NYJ)

Other Contenders remaining schedules

ATL (6-5)                PHI          NO          @NYJ      BUF         @TB

BAL (6-5)                @GB       DET         CHI          @PIT      @OAK

DEN (7-4)               @KC       @IND     OAK        @PHI      KC

GB (7-4)                 BAL          @CHI      @PIT      SEA          @ARI

HOU (5-6)              @JAC      SEA          @STL      @MIA     NE

JAC (6-5)                HOU        MIA         IND         @NE       @CLE

MIA (5-6)               NE           @JAC      @TEN     HOU        PIT

NYG (6-5)               DAL         PHI          @WAS    CAR         @MIN

NYJ (5-6)                @BUF     @TB        ATL          @IND     CIN

PHI (7-4)                @ATL      @NYG     SF            DEN         @DAL

PIT (6-5)                 OAK        @CLE      GB           BAL          @MIA

SF (5-6)                  @SEA      ARI          @PHI      DET         @STL

TEN (5-6)                @IND     STL          MIA         SD           @SEA

Before we move onto the Game Balls and Lackey’s for this week, here are some Lloyd’s Leftovers.

Concussions and other Injuries – I say it every week, “The NFL Season is a War of Attrition” and Week 12 was another MASH unit special.  Once again concussions  were a huge factor in players leaving the field.  Players suffering concussions were Philadelphia Eagles WR DeSean Jackson, Chicago Bears CB Charles Tillman and NY Giants RB Danny Ware.  The multitude of other frontline injuries included:  Broncos WR/KR Eddie Royal (thigh), Chicago Bears LB Lance Briggs (knee), Chicago Bears OT Orlando Pace (groin), Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan (toe), NY Giants QB Eli Manning (foot), Carolina Panthers QB Jake Delhomme (finger), Atlanta Falcons RB Michael Turner (ankle), Browns DL Shaun (right ankle/Achilles tendon), Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo (back), Washington Redskins CB Fred Smoot (head) and Washington Redskins FB Mike Sellers (hamstring).

Thanksgiving rest – A great thing for teams playing on Thanksgiving  is that they get a nice long 10-day rest before their next game.  “Playing on Thanksgiving is a big plus because it gives those teams extra days off heading into December and that can play a major role in how well a team performs,” said former Cowboys RB and current Fox analyst Darryl “Moose” Johnston, who played in nine Thanksgiving Day games.  “The extra days off will give players more time to get healthy and come out fresh that first Sunday in December.  They need to fight through soreness from the previous week’s games to get ready for Thursday, but it will be well worth it.  Especially if your team is on the winning end.”   I also heard  that Cowboys QB Tony Romo and WR Miles Austin used their time off to go to Vegas, Baby!

Game Balls

New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees – Look out Peyton and Brett as Drew maybe the leader for the 2009 NFL MVP award.  Brees completed 18 of 23 passes for 371 yards with five touchdowns and a perfect 158.3 quarterback rating.  The Saints piled up 480 yards of total offense and they even took it easy on the poor Patriots in the 4th quarter.  Brees now leads the NFL with 27 touchdown passes and has thrown for at least 300 yards in his last five games on Monday Night Football.

Honorable Mention

Minnesota Vikings QB Brett Favre – The 40-year veteran signal caller gets better each week.  Favre tied former Minnesota Vikings DL Jim Marshall’s NFL record for most consecutive games played by a position player (282) in the Vikings dominating  36-10 win over the Chicago Bears.  No. 4 stayed in the MVP race by throwing for 392 yards and three TDs and he  finished just 10 yards short of his career high for passing yards. The Vikings amassed 537 total yards, which was the most yards a team has racked up against Chicago since 1982.

Buffalo Bills Terrell Owens – For the second week in a row T.O came to play and it now looks like he is feeling comfortable in Buffalo.  Owens had his second straight Pro Bowl type game finishing with five catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.  Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick hooked up with Owens on a 51-yard touchdown that gave the Bills a 24-14 lead and basically allowed them to cruise to a 31-14 win over the Dolphins.  For the season T.O’s numbers are 40 receptions for 659 yards, 16.5 ypc, and 3 TDs.

Tennessee Titans RB Chris Johnson – The 2nd year speedster became just the third player to rush for 125 yards in six straight games with 154 yards rushing in the Titans’ 20-17 win. Johnson’s showed his sub 4.3 speed by running for an 85-yard touchdown and he also joined Hall of Famer Earl Campbell as the only players in franchise history with six straight 100-yard rushing games.

Cincinnati Bengals RB Larry Johnson – Welcome Back, Welcome Back. Johnson playing in his first game for the Bengals since the Kansas City Chiefs said take a hike looked like his old 2005 self in his team’s 16-7 win over the Cleveland Browns.  Johnson 22 times for 107 yards in relief of injured starter Cedric Benson.  The 100-yard game was the former Penn State runner’s first since December 21, 2008 versus the Miami Dolphins.  As a team the Bengals produced 210 yards.

Denver Broncos DE Elvis Dumervil – The former Louisvill pass rusher dominated against the NY Giants on Thanksgiving.  Dumervil finished with five tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble in a 26-6 win over the Giants. Dumervil now has 14 sacks on the season, which leads the NFL.

New York Jets CB Darrelle Revis – The former Pitt corner showed why he is one of the NFL’s best cover corners as he held Carolina Panthers RB Steve Smith to one catch for five yards.  Revis also intercepted Carolina Panthers struggling QB Jake Delhomme twice..

Other Honorees: Cleveland Browns WR/KR Josh Cribbs (had 38 kickoff return yards to become the first player in NFL history to amass 1,000 kickoff return yards in each of his first five seasons); Tennessee Titans QB Vince Young (the Titans’ new team-first quarterback almost threw for 400 yards and won his 9th start in a row in a comeback win over the Arizona Cardinals); New York Jets safety Kerry Rhodes (responded from benched by picking off two passes in a 17-6 win against Carolina); Arizona Cardinals DL Darnell Dockett (had 3 sacks and 8 tackles in the Cardinals loss to the Titans); Buffalo Bills interim head coach Perry Fewell (won his first game as an NFL head coach by starting  RB Fred Jackson and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick);  Miami Dolphins OLB Joey Porter (produced 2.5 sacks and 6 tackles in the Bills win over the Dolphins); Minnesota Vikins DE Jared Allen (had 2 sacks in the Vikings win over the Bears); Tennessee Titans WR Kenny Britt (oercame a critical fourth-quarter fumble to make a leaping catch for the game’s winning score. The 2009 first rounder finished with seven catches for a career-high 128 receiving yards and 1 TD); Colts LB Clint Session (had a 27-yard interception for a touchdown and finished with a team-high nine tackles in the Colts win over the Texans); .San Diego Chargers TE Antonio Gates (had seven catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns in the Chargers 43-14 win over the KC Chiefs); Baltimore Ravens WR Mark Clayton (caught a season-high 129 yards on seven receptions in the Ravens win over the Steelers); New Orleans safety Darren Sharper (grabbed his eighth interception of the season – tied for the NFL lead — in the Saints win over the Patriots).

Lloyd’s Lackey

Carolina Panthers QB Jake Delhomme — Another awful performance for the quarterback that the Panthers gave a ton of money to in the offseason.  Delhomme threw four interceptions and had a passer rating of 12.7 in the Panthers 17-6 loss to the NY Jets. The former Super Bowl quarterback now has 18 INTs for the season and now  it look like either backup quarterback A.J. Feeley or Matt Moore  will be starting soon.  Delhomme now has five multi-interception games in his 11 starts this season.

Dishonorable Mention

New York Giants RB Brandon Jacobs – I guess Big Jake’s wallet is weighing him down after his huge offseason extension.  Jacobs only ran for 27 yards on 11 carries — his lowest output this season – in the Broncos win over the NY Giants.  The Giants big back’s numbers for the year now stand at 174 rushes for 683 yards, 3.9 ypr average, and 3 TDs.

The Chicago Bears – The Bears were horrible in their 36-10 loss to the host  Minnesota Vikings.  The Bears defense allow 537 yards — the most by Chicago in 27 years. Matters got even worse when injured linebacker Brian Urlacher questioned the team’s direction in an interview with Yahoo! Sports.  Some memorable things Urlacher said were, “Look, I love Jay, and I understand he’s a great player who can take us a long way, and I still have faith in him, but I hate the way our identity has changed. We used to establish the run and wear teams down and try not to make mistakes, and we’d rely on our defense to keep us in the game and make big plays to put us in position to win. Kyle Orton might not be the flashiest quarterback, but the guy is a winner, and that formula worked for us. I hate to say it, but that’s the truth.”  Under beleaguered and on-the-hot-seat head coach Lovie Smith from a win high of 13 games during the Bears’ 2006 Super Bowl run to only 4 wins this season.

Detroit Lions rookie DB Louis Delmas – Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley claims the Lions rookie laid a dirty play on him in the second quarter of the Packers-Lions Thanksgiving game.  The incident happened when Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers sailed a pass high of Finley over the middle and  Delmas took it out on his chest. The hard hitting safety was penalized, but the Packers were not happy about the dance he did after the hit. Rodgers said he of the play, ‘” (Finley) was unprotected. So don’t go dancing around. You hit a guy who’s unprotected.”

Atlanta Falcons K Jason Elam  – The 40-year old kicker continues to struggle and now the Falcons are auditioning kickers – was 2 of 3 in the Falcons win over the 1-win Bucs.  Despite kicking in a dome, Elam has made  just 10-of-16 on field goal attepts this season and has also a PAT.

Minnesota Vikings RB Adrian Peterson – I know he is the best running back in the NFL, but All-Day needs to hold on to the ball better.  Peterson (85 rushing yards and 2 TDs) fumbled twice (and lost one of them) in the Vikings win over the Bears. The Vikings All-Pro also could have lost a third fumble, but it was overruled on replay.

Miami Dolphins QB Chad Henne – Was awful in the Dolphins loss to the Bills.  Henne never posed a passing threat and the Bills grabbed 3 INTs.

Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Andy Reid – What were you thinking giving the hapless Redskins life by going for an onside kick on the game’s open play.  The onside kick was recoved by Washington’s Quinton Ganther to set up the ‘Skins opening touchdown.

The Jacksonville Jaguars Offense –  In their loss to the Niners, the Jaguars failed to score on four trips inside the 20-yard line.  The Jags’ offensive line also allowed 6 sacks of battered QB David Garrard including two that produced two lost fumbles in the red zone.

Cleveland Browns QB Brady Quinn  – After playing well against the Lions, “Bad Quinn” was back as he threw for just 100 yards on 15 of 34 passes.  Quinn’s effort marked the sixth time this season the Browns’ quarterbacks havent surpassed 100 yards.

Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler – Was awful again and the Bears may want average quarterback Kyle Orton back.  Cutler’s passing numbers were 18-of-23 for 147 yards, 1 TD, and 2 INTs.   The former Bronco leads the NFL  with a career-high 20 interceptions including 15 in the last seven games.

NFL Week 12

THU, NOV 26 

Green Bay (7-4) over Detroit (2-9), 34-12

Dallas (8-3) over Oakland (3-8), 24-7

Denver (7-4) over NY Giants (6-5), 26-6

SUN, NOV 29 

49ers (5-6) over Jaguars (6-5), 20-3

Bengals (8-3) over Browns (1-10), 16-7

Bills (4-7) over Dolphins (5-6), 31-14

Chargers (8-3) over Chiefs (3-8), 43-14

Colts (11-0) over Texans (5-6), 35-27

Eagles (7-4) over Redskins (3-8), 27-24

Falcons (6-5) over Buccaneers (1-10), 20-17

Jets (5-6) over Panthers (4-7), 17-6

Seahawks (4-7) over Rams (1-10), 27-17

Titans (5-6) over Cardinals (7-4), 20-17

Vikings (10-1) over Bears (4-7), 36-10

Ravens (6-5) over Steelers (6-5), 20-17 in OT (SNF)

MON, NOV 30 

Saints (11-0) over Patriots (7-4), 38-17

Lloyd Vance is a Sr. NFL Writer for Taking It to the House and an award -winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)

End to Beginning Answer by Lake Lewis

How can a 10 time NBA All Star, Former league MVP, 4 Time scoring champion, perhaps the best little player, and cultural phenomenon not find a job in the NBA?  If your Allen Iverson you may ponder how these accomplishments mean nothing to the NBA General Managers who have decided he is no longer of value.  Just a few years ago he was being touted as perhaps a 6ft reincarnation of Michael Jordan for his scoring prowess.  He was nearly unstoppable on the court despite usually being the smallest player on the floor.  The defender that is stopping Iverson now is not a defensive stopper the likes of Ron Artest or a team that plays great defense like the San Antonio Spurs.  The defender that has put the clamps on Iverson is his success plus his huge ego.  As this article is being written the breaking news is that Allen Iverson will meet a second time with the Philadelphia 76ers regarding a possible return to the franchise that drafted him as the #1 overall pick in 1996.  If a return is near this could be the proper send off for one of the NBA’s all-time greats.  Or, this could be the continual disintegration of an athlete who has had to overcome many obstacles in his very public, speculative, life.

Iverson has been at the center of media stories since he was a two sport athlete in Virginia.  Public scrutiny would follow him to Georgetown University because he had a past.  He was pardoned by then Virginia Governor Doug Wilder for his involvement in a Hampton, Virginia bowling alley brawl.

As the center piece for the 76ers Iverson was known to dominate the ball and at times be untouchable.  We all remember after the 2002 season concluded for the 76ers following a playoff loss Iverson gave his famous “We talkin bout practice” rant.  A rant that was a meltdown of his relationship with then 76er Head Coach Larry Brown, and to a greater extent, the pressures of being famous for the wrong reasons.  Iverson in my opinion was propped up as the poster child for the NBA’s infusion with hip hop culture.  His cornrows, tattoos, and do-rags, were welcomed in the hardest streets of urban America and were jeered in the suburbs by whites as well as blacks.  In all, Iverson had a cult following for his brashness and unique sense of self.  He never stepped outside of himself to be something that he was not.

Could this have been a curse that is now following him?  I don’t think his past or his “cultural” sensitivities are what are at the root of him not landing with another team.  Teams like the New York Knicks who were once set to sign Iverson after his release from the Memphis Grizzlies, have taken a pass.  This is more so because Iverson suffers from an inflated ego that any Hall of Fame player has.  You can’t be great and not think that you can dominate a game at anytime.  This is Iverson’s downfall now.  He can’t remove himself from wanting to start and from being the #1 or #2 options on the floor.  This is why his stay in Denver and last year in Detroit were short lived.  Memphis chose to go with younger players in a building for the future phase.  Thus making his stay in Graceland short lived.

Should Iverson indeed return to the 76ers this would be a great story for his fans as well as the people of Philadelphia.  He embodies all of the characteristics that Philadelphia sports fans come to love in their athletes.  Both have never been the same since their split in 2007.  Questions that will arise are going to be will Iverson be willing to share the ball with the new A.I. in town Andre Iguodala?  Will he be able to split minutes with exciting, young guard Louis Williams when Williams returns from injury (broken jaw)?  With a career scoring average of 27 points per game and 11 years of service in Philadelphia, it is not hard to see why the 76ers are interested in bringing him back.  He would or should I say “will” be a draw for a team that ranks near the bottom of attendance in the NBA.  With his return imminent.  As a fan of Iverson it would be great to see him play like the Hall of Fame player he is, and embrace the role of a player who can share the ball and court with younger players who need a leader?

Lake Lewis is the President and CEO of the Sports Journey Broadcast Network.  He also was a host on ESPN Radio 1060 Orlando, ESPN Radio 1080 Melbourne and the Drive Time host ESPN Radio 1240 Maryland and WMET 1160 in Washington DC.

Patriots – Saints: The Battle of the Bayou Preview by Lloyd Vance

WR Julian Edleman and the New Patriots travel to New Orleans to face-off against the undefeated Saints on Monday Night Football

Patriots – Saints: The Battle of the Bayou Preview

ESPN Monday Night Football, 8:30 EST

Broadcasting team: Ron Jaworski, Mike Tirico, John Gruden, and Suzy Kolber (sideline reporter)

Week 12 of the 2009 NFL Season has been one of the best for the league that always seems leave their fans wanting more, but without a doubt the Monday Night Football Match-up between the undefeated New Orleans Saints (10-0, the best start in franchise history) and the New England Patriots (7-3) is the cherry on top.  The Super Dome will be rocking as the “New Kids on the Block” (Saints) will take on the “Old Heads” (Patriots) to see who will be “King of the Hill” on the NFL’s playground. 

After many had thought they had seen the precursor to the NFL playoffs in “Super Bowl XLIII ½” where the undefeated Indianapolis Colts led by MVP-candidate Peyton Manning came back to post an amazing 35-34 win over the Patriots, no one thought there could be a better game.  Well, I am not sure if the game that people are calling, “The Battle of the Bayou” or Super Bowl XLIII ¾ will live-up to the inordinate amount of hype generated, but you have to admit this is a fascinating match-up that will have the nation’s attention. Sure a match-up of the undefeated Saints versus the undefeated Colts probably would have created more buzz, but this pairing is just as good, in my opinion.

Even though these two teams’ histories are vastly different — the Saints have never been to the Super Bowl while the Patriots have been to seven Super Bowls, producing three wins all this decade — there is a mutual amount of respect on both sides of the field as two of Bill Parcells’ former disciples will square-off.  Both teams have an embarrassment of offensive weapons and defensively they both can provide pressure that often leads to capitalizing on turnovers and taking them to the house.  Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who throws compliments to upcoming opponents like manhole covers, recently said of the Saints, “I don’t think there’s any better team in football than the New Orleans Saints.  They have no weaknesses that I can see.”  Of the upcoming Monday Night Football showdown, Saints QB Drew Brees (218-320, 2746 yards, 22 TDs and 9 INTs) said, “It’s going to take our best game to beat the Patriots. “We know the type of team they are.  We know the type of team they’ve been for the last decade.  They’re a dynasty.  Obviously, that’s one of the organizations we try to emulate.  We’re trying to be a contender year-in and year-out and we’ve got to take advantage of these opportunities.”

New Orleans head coach Sean Payton was just as complimentary when talking about the Patriots saying, “We know it’s a good team that we’re playing this week.  New England has been a successful franchise and is one of those organizations that has found the right formula.  When you play a team like this, you observe from afar the things that they are able to do and how that relates to winning games.”  Any talk of this Monday Night thriller has to start and end with the two quarterbacks leading their teams and as an old beer commercial used to say, “It doesn’t get any better than this”.  In the year of the quarterback around the NFL, probably the only passers playing better at this point in the season are Manning and Vikings QB Brett Favre, but that is saying something as both those veterans are shooting for their 4^th NFL MVP award.  Payton in talking about Brady and Brees said, “Both of these quarterbacks are accurate”.  The currently undefeated head coach added, “They’re good decision-makers and can decide quickly where they want to go with the ball based on the looks they’re getting.  Those are certainly traits you see with both of them.” Brees is second in the NFL with a 105.8 passer rating while Patriots QB Tom Brady is not far behind with a rating of 100.4, which is good enough for fifth in the NFL.  In the touchdowns department, Brees also has a slight lead as he leads the league with 22 touchdown passes with Brady again not being far behind 20 (ranks 4th in the NFL in this category). 

Like any great heavyweight fight, now that the pleasantries have been dispensed by both sides, let’s break this game down.  First off fans should expect a ton of scoring as this is a match-up of the

 NFL’s No. 1 and 2 offenses — the Saints average a league leading 420.5 yards per game and the Patriots are next with an average of 416.1 ypg, which is first in the AFC — playing on the Super Dome’s fast track.  The Saints have redefined the term “high-octane” this season with an incredible 369 points scored through 10 games including producing over 40 points four times.  Many are comparing New Orleans to 500+ point plus scoring squads the 1999 St. Louis Rams (529 points scored and Super Bowl champs), 1998 Minnesota Vikings (556 points scored and a record of 15-1), and lastly the 2007 New Patriots (NFL record 589 points score and 16-0 AFC Champs) who will have several members from that offense still playing for them on Monday. 

For the Saints offensively, Brees spreads the ball around to former Pro Bowl receiver Marques Colston (44 receptions for 687 yards, 15.6 ypc, and 6 TDs), scatback Reggie Bush, breakout player of the year candidate WR Robert Meachem, RB Pierre Thomas, speedster WR Devrey Henderson and many others (hard to believe former NY Giants’ Pro Bowl TE Jeremy Shockey is an afterthought on the Saints roster) so at times it seems there is no stopping New Orleans.  They have outscored opponents 369-204 so far this season and an amazing 18 players have scored touchdowns this season.  Every week seems to be a track meet for the Saints whether home or away even though at times they have sputtered out of the gate a couple of times – average winning margin of 16.5 points.  The closest any team has come to beating them were the St. Louis Rams, who lost 28-23, but it wasn’t even as close as the score would indicate.

The Saints offense hasn’t been the team’s only story for 2009 as new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has returned some teeth to a defense that allowed 393 points (24.6/g) in 2008.  Williams aggressive unit has generated seven touchdowns and produced a league-high 29 takeaways including 20 INTs.  The Saints defense starts upfront with pass rushers DE Will Smith (8.5 sacks) and DE Charles Grant providing pressure on quarterbacks that has helped MLB Jonathan Vilma, safety Darren Sharper (7 INTs, returning 3 for touchdowns), CB Tracy Porter, and others make the most of their turnover opportunities – Saints are 3rd in the NFL with a +10 turnover ratio.  However even though the Saints have been stellar at getting turnovers, some teams have been able to move the ball on them at times this season – allowed 204 points (20.4/g), which ranks them 15th in the NFL.  Also injuries could be a factor for the Saints’ defense as Porter is listed as “doubtful” with CB Randall Gay (hamstring), CB Jabari Greer (groin), DE Bobby McCray (knee/back), and Vilma (knee) listed as “questionable” for the game.

Not to be outdone the Patriots’ offense is also are one of the NFL’s best at passing the football this season.  The Pats’ offense is also dangerous and the scary part is that QB Tom Brady (261-393, 3049 yards, 20 TDs, and 6 INTs) seems to have finally put his devastating 2008 knee injury behind  – remember his NFL record 6 TD performance in the a 59-0 blowout of Tennessee Titans in Week 6.  Brady will also spread the ball around, but watch for his big play threat WR Randy Moss (63 receptions for 925 yards, 14.7 ypc, and  8 TDs with a long of 71 yards),  his multi-purpose chain mover RB Kevin Faulk (39 rushes for 192 yards and 29 catches for 252 yards w/ 1 TD) and his security blanket WR Wes Welker (79 catches for 854 yards, 10.8 ypc, and 4 TDs plus coming off a career-high 15 catch performance last week) to be much involved in the Patriots game plan.  Last week against the Jets, Welker and Moss combined for 20 catches in a 31-14 win which gave the pair 142 combined receptions through 10 games to surpass an NFL record that was set earlier in the day by Colts Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark.  If the Patriots are smart, they will try to establish their running game (Faulk, Laurence Maroney, and Sammy Morris) against the Saints fast defensive line to wear them down.  The Saints are getting DT Sedrick Ellis back from a knee sprain, but controlling the clock will be key for the Patriots to take the air out of the ball to keep Brees’ offensive weaponry on the sidelines.  The Patriots’ offensive line also will need to step up too in this game as, at times this season, the unit has struggled with speed rushers.

On defense, the Patriots – ranked 3rd in the AFC with 296.7 points allowed per game – are no slouches in the turnover department either as they lead the AFC with a +12 ratio.  But they will surely need to have big games from improving FS Brandon McGowan (good cover guy TEs), cover corner Leigh Bodden (5 INTs including three last week against the Jets), and pass rusher Tully Banta-Cain (5 sacks) to keep Brees foot off the gas.  There is no doubt the Patriots still do have some playmakers on the defensive side, but you have to wonder if the defections of DL Richard Seymour (traded to the Raiders), SS Rodney Harrison (retirement to NBC), LB Tedy Bruschi (retirement to ESPN) and others have caused their unit to be questioned.  We all know head coach Belichick had questions of the unit in their much-publicized Week 9’s loss in Indy.  Protecting a slim 6-point lead, the 3-time Super Bowl winning head coach chose to go for it on 4^th down deep in his own territory rather than punt and let his defense have a chance at stopping Peyton Manning and Colts offense.  As the whole world knows, the Patriots did not convert the infamous play and now many people around NFL circles are wondering if their defense is championship caliber.

LV’s Pick:  These two teams have met 11 times with the Patriots holding a dominating 8-3 edge including winning their last 3 meetings.  The last time was in November of 2005 as the Patriots won 24-17 in Foxborough.  As many are predicting, I believe this game will be a high scoring affair.  But in the end, I believe the team that can establish the run and limit turnovers will be the winner.  Lately the Saints have been a little careless with the football and the Patriots have a strong veteran group that knows how to capitalize on mistakes and win close games.  Plus the Pats are 5-0 all-time at Superdome including a Super Bowl win.  Also with the Colts staying undefeated this week, the chances are pretty strong that the Saints will lose – there has never been two 11-0 teams in NFL history.  New England wins late as Brady hits Moss for a game-winning touchdown.   – Patriots win 31-28

 

Lloyd Vance is a Sr. NFL Writer for Taking It to the House and an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)