NFL Daily Presents: Analytical Assault Week 5

Lots of great games, key injuries, and a modern mystery. A 6 turnover QB who wins? Only in the NFL. Matt Williamson, Ken Moll, and Jeremy Green of Scouts' INC chime in.


- Joey Harrington, welcome back to being you. You got benched for Byron Leftwich and you returned as everyone favorite football failure since Leaf. This was actually a pretty porrly played game. VY threw 3 picks, nobody was able to get into a rhythem, there were defensive TD's on each side. The one positive that I could get is that the Titans defense looks good, and they came out with a win over a bad team. Just take the win and get back to work.
- If I had ties to the mafia and rooted for the Chiefs, I would arrange the death of Herm Edwards. Let's do some elementary football math: Croyle + LJ= pounding the football down the throats of the J-Ville D right? Not to Herm. They rushed the ball 10 times! 10 TIMES! They threw 43 times, and it was no wonder that they had to score their only points on the last play of the game. Gonzalez and Bowe had nice games, but that doesn't solve the problem of a more than 4:1 ratio with one of the best backs in the game. You have to use LJ as much as OJ uses alibis. The Jags know how to use their running game, with Freddy T and MJD and controlled the ball for over 36 minutes. Garrard played nicely and Dennis Northcut caught a 40 yard bomb to seal the deal.
- Props to the Rams for putting up 31 points with Gus Ferrotte and Brian Leonard. Holt had a nice game, but the defense didn't hold up their end of the bargain. Kurt Warner will be the QB of this team, now that Matt Leinart's hurt. And it serves him right too, don't whine about PT when you're winning. Karma 1 Whineart 0. Edge James had a servicable performance, and Fitzgerald blew up as per usual. The Cards defense scored twice, and could be an NFC West dark horse. Arizona is believing in Ken Whisenhunt.
- Give the Patriots an opportunity, and they'll take advantage of it faster than you could say "Anucha Browne Sanders". Derek Anderson threw 3 first half picks, and New England led 20-0 at the half. Game, set, match. Take note Tony Romo, the Pats 'aint Buffalo. Sammy Morris is looking like an all-pro with his 2nd week above the century mark. The Browns couldn't stop Ben Watson, who's quickly emerging as a stud TE. I knew they let Dan Graham go for a reason. Braylon Edwards was a bright spot for Cleveland, but that may be it.
- Jeremy Green (who will be quoted later) had a fantastic line about the Saints: They're this year's Vanilla Ice, one hit wonders. I hate having to say the same thing every single week! Reggie Bush isn't a durable back, and you can't win when Drew Brees throws it 47 times. And the Panthers weren't a well oiled machine either. They're gonna have David Carr for the rest of the year, and that's not very good. Matt Moore impressed me. When Carolina plays to their potentials, call me. Until then, the NFC South is just plain awful.
- I'm not a Jets fan, but Chad Pennington had me screaming at the TV like some middle aged housewife at a soap opera. I said last week that he should've been yanked, and now Gang Green fans are looking at painfully early mock drafts. 2 days and 4 Advil later, I asked Matt Williamson how Pennington is still starting over Kellen Clemens?
"It is hard to believe. The Jets are horrible and are not going anywhere this year. Get the kid in there. Not to mention, Clemens might be the better guy to win now with anyways."
Please read this Mangini, for the sake of thousands of Jets fans ready to puke every time they play. The Jets secondary would be quite good at flag football, but unfortunately people have to tackle. That means YOU Andre Dyson, who decided to let Plaxico Burress make you look like a mime with an invisible door in front of the wideout. The Giants defense didn't really impress me that much, but their upcoming schedule is so easy, that they'll have a fairly gaudy first half record. Brandon Jacobs finally lived up to his potential of breaking defenses down in the 4th quarter, but he needs to cure his fumblitis.
- A championship caliber team ratchets it up against a quality opponent, and the Steelers defense was dominant without Polamalu, and the o was very good without Hines Ward. Parker and Davenport were perfect compliments to each other, and Big Ben threw 22 times, which is optimal for the type of player he is. One stat tells it all, the Steelers had the ball for 40 minutes and 45 seconds. That's sickdiculous! I asked Ken Moll if Seattle could regroup after this loss, and about their chances in a battle with Arizona for the division crown:
"Sprung, They can regroup but they need to get more consistent on both sides of the ball. The Steelers put it too them but they should get right when back in the NFC. Yes it will be a dog fight with the Cards as Whisenhunt has his team believing. "
- I'll admit when I'm wrong, and on the Redskins-Lions game, I was more wrong than Iranian Nuclear policy and the Eagles Parakeet jerseys combined. I said that Washington would have no chance against the Air Martz offense, and it could not have been more 180 degree opposite. They pressured Jon Kitna and sacked him 5 times, and completely stymied both the air and ground attack. Jason Campbell ate up the poor Detroit defense, and Antwaan Randle El may end up living up to his ludicrous contract after all. Even the reincarnated Keenan McCardell had a couple of catches, and the Lions have to regroup. I asked Jeremy Green about the real scoop on Detroit:
"(The) Lions are overrated. They play better at home because the offense is better in the dome and the D feeds off the fans. They are a bad defensive football team."
In past games, the offense made up for their D's shortcomings. Not yesterday, they ran into a buzzsaw.
-What will happen first, a New England loss or a Miami win?? The hapless Phins not only lost on a game winning 57 yard field goal, they lost Trent Green possibly forever. Neither tean played particluarly well, but Matt Schaub hooked up with Owen Daniels consistently and they were able to win a close game. Ronnie Brown continues to be a stud this season, but that's it. The Texans are clearly improved.
-No Harrison? No Addai? No problem for a team that can run well with numerous interchangable parts. Canadian Football League import Kenton Keith tore up what was a stout Tampa defense, and Gonzalez, Wayne, and Clark each had 7 catches. The Colts are slowly turning into more of a ball control offense, as they held it for more than 38 minutes. Jeff Garcia played OK, but they need an answer at RB. Caddy Williams is out for the year, Michael Pittman is out 6-8 weeks, and they have everyone's favorite Ganga Guru Ricky Williams on speed dial live from drug laced yoga and pilates (that's 2 CFL players in one game recap). And it may be time for some new tools in the shed at WR when your leading receivers are Joey Galloway and Ike Hilliard. But on the bright side, they play in the NFC South!
- Denver resident Mark Schlereth pointed out that when people bring up the Broncos, all people can say is "go Rockies". Um, that's not good, especially after you got slaughtered 41-3 at home against the rival Chargers. Whatever Denver had on defense in the past, they dont have it, and need to find it quick or the season will be over faster than you could say "he killed Kenny". Young QB trend alert! Phil Rivers threw it 18 times, and San Diego won by 38. And this may be the only time where Norv Turner doesn't get destroyed. You're a loser, Norv! Damn, so close. Turner and Tomlinson were trouble for the terrible defense, and Antonio Gates just quietly puts out another monster effort. And Travis Henry could join the Ricky Williams year suspension club soon. It doesn't look good for Shanny and the Mile Highs.
-Too believe that a 9-7 game wasn't the ugliest game of the week is pretty amazing. The Niners offense just doesn't have enough weapons to succeed, and the Baltimore defense took it throwback style and the offense did enough to record the dubya. I don't know who gave Steve McNair permission to throw the ball 43 times, but whoever it was should be tasered (a study finally showed that cops do it too often. really??). McGahee pounded the rock well, and Mason had a nice day. It was refreshing to see the B'More defense take it old school, but it was unfortunate that the old school offense came with it.
-I don't know if it was season changing, but Chicago really needed that win over Green Bay. A big reason for the Packers success was their ability to take care of the ball. 5 turnovers isn't doing the job, and they paid for it with the loss. Greise played well for the Bears, and he had to considering that Cedric Benson is running like similarly surnamed Anna would. And she's much better looking than Ceddy is. Chicago did a good job getting the ball to the tight ends, and got a much needed win over the gunslingers.
-Imagine Comic Book Guy saying the following statement: Worst winning performance ever. I don't know how many more ways the Cowboys could've gave the Bills to win. Romo turned the ball over 6 times, but the offense couldn't do jack. They had the game in the bank in the 4th quarter with 3rd and goal up 8. But Dick Jaraun decided to pass instead of run and take the game sealing points, and young Trent Edwards got picked. To the Dallas' credit, they came up big at the end of the game, especially Nick Folk who not only executed a perfect onsides kick, but launched two great game winning 53 yard field goals for the win. Folk was iced with a time out right before the first kick, something that has become a hot button issue across league circles this season. What's Matt Williamson's take on the issue?
"Against how it is being used this year. Just seems in poor taste to me. Not the nature of the rule."
Agreed, the Cowboys need to regroup for their epic showdown with New England. Until then, bench Chad, fire Herm, and enjoy the assault.