How We Saw Week 3

Cute new star wide receiver alert!  Brian Finneran of the Atlanta Falcons caught my attention in the preseason - and he finally caught a couple touchdowns in the Falcons' big win over the Bengals, which meant a couple very nice close-ups of him on the sidelines (thank you, ESPN).

I made a big deal with my fantasy football buddies that I wanted Randy Moss.  But, by the time I drafted (at position #6), he wasn't available.  So, I picked up Priest Holmes.  Then Ricky Williams (which one of the guys said would be a "bust," as he laughed over the speaker phone); then I drafted Brett Favre.  How LUCKY was I that Randy Moss wasn't available?  I'm not complaining.

If there's one team I just keep waiting and waiting to do something, it's the Arizona Cardinals.  What is wrong with this team?  I'm starting to think it's Jake Plummer.  He threw a costly pick in the fourth quarter that put his team in a 16 point deficit.  But then, he leads them back for a shot at the win in the final seconds.  I'm afraid this is a team that will simply be a wild card every week, which won't build into much this season (for context - I had picked them 2nd in the NFC West).

I loved Cincinnati Bengals coach Dick Lebeau's attitude in the last 20 minutes of the game.  With the victory out of reach, he seemed to be doing everything he could to give his team every chance to win.  What I particularly loved was going for it on fourth down in his own territory with about five minutes left in the third quarter.  Most coaches would have just punted, leaving Jim and me saying, "why the hell don't they just go for it?"  I also loved him taking two time-outs in the final minute, down 27 points.  It sends a message to his team:  "we're not going to quit until there is no time left on the clock."  Loved it.

OK, it's finally time for me to start picking on Peyton Manning again.  Yes, his team won, 23-3.  But, this ESPN headline summed it up for me:  "Manning Steady as Colts Cruise...."  When the Colts again fail to make the Super Bowl this year, I think fingers will finally start pointing to Manning who consistently looks "steady" but rarely looks "fired up."  There's just a fire missing in him that so many other quarterbacks in the League (Favre, Bledsoe, even Carr) have.

My Top Five Teams:
1) New England.  Duh;
2) New Orleans.  They've beaten three of last year's NFC playoff teams - and two on the road;
3) Miami.  Whether they'll fade in December or not is yet to be seen; but, it's September and they're firing on all cylinders;
4) Denver.  They have played three good offenses and have the 10th best pts/game allowed # in the League;
5) San Diego.  They're scoring 11 more points per game than Washington.  Hey Daniel Snyder, still think the problem was Marty Schottenheimer?

--There was a very funny bit on HBO's "Inside the NFL" this weekend when Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre and center Frank Winters talked about their 11-year "relationship" of QB to center.

In a spoof with comedienne Wanda Sykes featuring a therapist analyzing what makes them click, Favre talks about Winter's tight ass that now droops; the therapist speculates about how Frank gets jealous if Brett has another center and "touches another guy's balls." In the closing credits Brett talks about the two of them "spooning together."

It was all tongue-in-cheek but I thought it was cool these two guys were comfortable enough to go along with the gag.

--On the field, Favre was his usual efficient self, throwing for 357 yards and three touchdowns as the Packers held on to beat the lowly Lions, 37-31. The Pack almost blew a 31-17 lead and got lucky when a last-second pass from Detroit QB Joey Harrington to Mychal Ricks just glanced off Rick's fingertips in the end zone. In three games, Green Bay has given up 34, 35 and 31 points.

--Carolina is 3-0 after going 1-15 in 2001. But their three victims--Baltimore, Detroit and Minnesota--are a combined 0-8.

--Don't look now, but the St. Louis Rams are in huge trouble. Not only are the Rams 0-3 after being beaten Monday by Tampa Bay, 26-14, but they look lost and dispirited. I don't think Kurt Warner has smiled all season, Mike Martz is quickly going from genius to just another overhyped coach and the offensive line has more leaks than the Pentagon. The Greatest Show on Turf has scored 51 points in three games, about half of what the 1999-2001 Rams would have. The defense is nothing special and neither are the special teams. Hard to believe this is the same team that went 37-11 the past three seasons.

--Daunte Culpepper throws four interceptions and starts yelling at Randy Moss. The 0-3 Vikings are ready to implode. So much for Moss being the greatest player ever (according to Cyd).

--I picked Miami to miss the playoffs this season, and even though they're 3-0, I'm not yet convinced. Miami always starts strong; let's see how they hold up as the season progresses.

--The Jets look disorganized and QB Vinny Testaverde looks every day of his 38 years. Defensively, New York has given up 31, 44 and 30 points.

--In past years, throwing for 300 yards often meant a team had lost, but that's not the case in the new wide-open NFL, with teams featuring four- and even five-receiver sets. The top three passers in yardage Sunday all won; Tom Brady (410), Brett Favre (357) and Tim Couch (326).

--Priest Holmes of Kansas City is an amazing back. Anyone who can rush for 180 yards against the Patriots has to be special.

--Philadelphia looks like it will run away with the NFC East. They beat Washington and Dallas by a combined 80-20 in a span of six days, and I don't see the 2-1 Giants posing much of a threat.

--The coach getting no credit is San Diego's Marty Schottenheimer. The Bolts are 3-0 and going back to last season with Washington, Schottenheimer is 11-3 in his last 14 games. His teams play smart, disciplined and hard.

--New Orleans was a preseason mystery team, but at 3-0 and with wins over Green Bay, Tampa Bay and Chicago, the Saints look like they're real.

--My Top 3  teams: 1. New England; 2. Denver; 3. New Orleans. Bottom 3: 1. Detroit; 2. Baltimore; 3. Houston.

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