How We Saw Week 13

In ranking Tampa Bay #3 last week, my comment was this:  "Tampa Bay: Possibly the toughest last five games in the League."  Flash back to Gruden's last few games last year, when his team was headed toward the #1 seed in the AFC:  loss to Titans; loss at Denver; loss to Jets.  The Bucs last year, without Gruden, closed the season with a 5-1 run.  The lesson learned here:  Gruden's offensive schemes, producing more 3-7 yard catches than anyone else in the League, doesn't work down the stretch.  Will see Monday night if Bill Callaghan has learned that; we'll see next Sunday if Gruden has.

If Tampa loses to the Falcons this weekend, and the Saints can win their game, the Bucs will have gone from "the most dominant team" and the #1 seed, to the #6 seed, in two short weeks.

I'm still baffled as to how these expert NFL TV commentators get away with keeping their jobs.  Dick Stockton said, during the Bears-Packers game that Ahman Green had carried the ball 14 times for 48 yards - "nearly 5 yards/carry."  When, in actuality, that's barely three yards/carry.  Joe Theisman said Sunday night that the Raiders had the chance to "put distance between themselves and the other teams in their division" with a win over the Jets.  Actually, the best they can do is pull into a tie for first in the division.

Despite losing by 10 points, that was the best coaching job I've seen from Dick Jauron.  He was inventive, took risks, and had the Packers scratching their heads.  If it wasn't for his team's five turnovers, they would have won the game.

The most points any team had scored in our fantasy league this year was 136.  I beat that this week by scoring 143 this week - and lost to Bill Konigsberg, who scored 159.  We're #1 & #2 in the playoffs.  Jim as a great shot at the playoffs, too - if Faulk ever plays a full game again.

The dummest innovation in a while for TV football coverage:  Fox's "Shots of the Game."  They take various pictures of the game and show them in sequence, with the lame 80's song, "Freeze Frame," playing.  If the shots they showed were cool, this might work; instead, they're lame, often non-action, shots of guys on the sidelines or indecipherable photos of someone with a ball getting tackled or something. 

What the hell has happened to Arizona?  They lost David Boston.  In games where he played the entire game, they were 4-3 this season; since, they've gone 0-5.  Who is Jake Plummer left with now?  Jason McAddley was the #3 receiver against the Chiefs; Nate Poole, who had never caught an NFL pass, was #2; their back-up running back from Massachusetts, was #1. 

My Top Five:
1) Atlanta - Won and covered a potential trap game; 
2) Philadelphia - Wow.  They have already over-acheived with their two back-ups; any more wins are gravy;
3) Indianapolis - They are clicking now, headed for another playoff collapse no doubt;
4) Tampa Bay - With two northern city teams, and two dome teams, in the hunt for playoff spots in the NFC, this Falcons game is a must-win for the Bucs;
5) Oakland - The win over the Jets secured their position here; we'll see if they can knock off the Chargers this week.

--The officials played a huge role in Atlanta's overtime win over the Minnesota Vikings. With just seconds left in regulation and the Vikings trailing, 24-21, Minnesota did a trick play. Receiver Randy Moss took a reverse, stopped and threw back to quarterback Daunte Culpepper who dove in for what appeared to be the game-winning score. But the officials ruled that Moss was inside the left tackle when the ball was snapped, leaving no eligible receiver on that side. The penalty forced the Vikes to kick a game-tying field goal, and they went on to lose in overtime. Replays, though, were fairly clear in showing that Moss was outside the tackle and the touchdown should have counted.

--Catch of the day was by Buffalo's Eric Moulds in a Lake Erie snowstorm. Drew Bledsoe launched a long pass down the middle of the field, about a half-yard short. The ball was tipped by a Miami Dolphins defensive back and Moulds reached back and with one hand snagged it. He kept his feet and wound up scoring on a 57-yard play. 

--I'm no Fantasy Football genius. I benched Drew Bledsoe after hearing it was windy and snowy in Buffalo. I replaced him with Jacksonville's Mark Brunell, playing in sunny Florida. Of course, Bledsoe has a great game (35 fantasy points), Brunell a mediocre one (16). If I lose my fantasy contest, it almost certainly knocking me from the playoffs. Call me the Marty Mornhinweg of fantasy coaches. 

--Green Bay finally woke up after a two-week funk. After falling behind 14-3 to the woeful Chicago Bears, the Packers scored 27 straight points for a 30-20 win. The Pack, playing in the weakest division in the league, clinched the NFC North and are guaranteed at least one home playoff game.

--The Cleveland Browns get my vote for most underperforming team. How they lost 13-6 at home to the Carolina Panthers is beyond me. The Panthers had lost eight in a row and had players being kicked off the team left and right. Browns quarterback Tim Couch was awful, throwing for only 130 yards and three interceptions. His inconsistency mirrors his team.

--The Arizona Cardinals started 4-2 and had some talking playoffs. They are now 4-8 and were totally embarrassed, 49-0, by Kansas City. Jake Plummer threw for only 88 yards against one of the league's worst defenses. Expect the Snake to be hissing for another team next year.

--It was great watching the running back duel between San Diego's LaDanian Tomlison and Denver's Clinton Portis. They rushed for a combined 379 yards and five touchdowns in a crucial AFC West game won by San Diego in overtime.

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