Teams in the Quicksand

Week 8 of the NFL, conducted before the East Coast learned to hate a woman named Sandy, featured a fairly pedestrian fantasy effort by many usual stalwarts.  In addition, a few teams performed poorly, and quickly find their season hurtling through the quicksand as of Monday.  Some are very straightforward, where as others may surprise you.

New York Jets

I’ve always been down on this team, for fairly obvious reasons.  Mark Sanchez has no real help around him, and the front office deserves the blame for fielding a poor team around the maligned quarterback.  But, the Jets have stayed in games using their defense this season, giving them three improbable wins and one close loss to the Patriots.

That all ended Sunday after an embarrassing 30-9 loss to the Miami Dolphins, another team with a shady quarterback situation.  And yet, the Dolphins threw for only 139 yards, a chunk of a fairly measly 236 yards of total offense.  But the Jets, unable to score and unwilling to stop Miami, found themselves losing 20-0 at halftime.  I’m not sure if anyone ever really gave this team any considerable chance, but after last week’s near-miss against New England the Jets looked to have a chance.  I’d put a fork in them…

San Diego Chargers

Last we saw the Chargers, they lost their large lead against the Denver Broncos on the basis of poor turnovers and a studly Peyton Manning.  Well, the team that began the year 3-0 now has no chance at the playoffs unless things really change.  Norv Turner not only has lost control of this team, but will have to worry also about his job security, being pronounced Monday on a “week-to-week” evaluation.

After a 7-6 loss to the Cleveland Browns, San Diego must re-tool and figure out where they got it all wrong.  They’ve lost three in a row, blowing large leads in two of those games against decent teams, and scoring only two field goals against one of the worst teams in the league.  San Diego has very little going for it, especially with the Broncos torching their opponents right now.  The Chargers have almost no chance to reach the playoffs now.  The receivers for Philip Rivers have not held up their end of the bargain, as Antonio Gates cannot get rolling, Robert Meachem drops touchdowns (like he did on Sunday), and Malcolm Floyd disappears often.  The leading receiver on Sunday for San Diego: backup running back Ronnie Brown.  Given the strength of the AFC and offensive woes plaguing San Diego, the Chargers will be out of the picture by December.

Arizona Cardinals

Yeah, I know, the 49ers are a great team.  But, the vaunted Cardinal defense, in the NFL’s top 5, couldn’t stop them on Monday night.  The 49ers walked over Arizona, winning 24-3 with the game never in doubt after the first quarter.  Those looking for a distraction from Sandy should be thankful their power went out, that’s how bad the game was.  Capped by a stellar 47-yard TD to Randy Moss, Alex Smith played a virtually perfect game, with only one incompletion and three touchdowns (QB rating of 157.1).

For Arizona, the issues ensue on the offensive side of the ball.  They managed only 7 rushing yards the whole game and while John Skelton played well last year, the line in front of him has no ability to stop the pass rush (four sacks allowed on Monday night).  With games against Green Bay, Atlanta, Seattle, Chicago, and the Niners again, the Cardinals have no chance to keep their momentum from the beginning of the season. 

Washington Redskins

Sure, nobody may have thought they would necessarily “contend,” but many viewed their early season success as potentially a sign that RGIII would arrive ahead of schedule.  But the Redskins are not competitors for precisely that reason: their quarterback arrived, but the rest of the team did not.  The Steelers implemented a gameplan on Sunday that reduced Robert Griffin to only 185 yards of offense (8 of those on offense).  While Alfred Morris provides a balanced running attack, when teams shut down Robert Griffin like Pittsburgh did, the Redskins have no chance to win.  In effect, they are unable to manufacture wins when things are not going their way.  The defense gives up an astronomical number of passing yards and continues to do nothing to change its ways.  While I’ve enjoyed this season immensely, the Redskins have their bye in two week before running the gauntlet to finish the season.  The schedule doesn’t shake down very well for them, and the strength in the NFC means folks should moderate their 2012 expectations for this team.

Philadelphia Eagles

Another one that might surprise half of you, but the defense played very poorly in its first game without fired defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, meaning Andy Reid has likely lost the ear of his team.  He continues to throw everything at the wall just to see what will stick for the Eagles, but right now no one can take them seriously.  The Falcons ran and passed roughshod over one of the better units in the league this Sunday, relegating the Eagles to 3-4.  I can’t say Michael Vick should be benched in favor of Nick Foles, but Eagles fans may need to understand their season looks to be effectively over.

After all of that, here’s my Top Ten:

1.      Atlanta Falcons (7-0)

After the aforementioned whipping of the Eagles, the Falcons look to not only be firing on all cylinders but also well secure as the top team in the NFC.  The game next week against Dallas will help the Falcons determine if they can play with the higher NFC competition.  Should they win that and November 11^th against the Saints, Atlanta could be 10-0 quickly.

2.      New York Giants (6-2)

The Giants exploded out to a quick 23-0 lead before allowing the Cowboys back into the game.  That kind of defensive performance, even in a win, leads me to downgrade them this week.  The schedule gets tougher, with games against Pittsburgh, Green Bay, and New Orleans in the next month.  But, the Giants have beaten stiff competition already, so don’t expect them to drop too far unless they lose badly.

3.      Houston Texans (6-1)

No stats to give here, since Houston didn’t play a game this week.  But, still the class of the AFC.

4.      San Francisco 49ers (6-2)

A big jump by the Niners this week after thoroughly dominating the Cardinals on Monday night.  This defense still dictates the pace of play and keeps teams to field goals (haven’t given up a touchdown since Week 3).  If Alex Smith can repeat even two thirds of his play in Arizona, the Niners will challenge the top spot on these rankings.

5.      Chicago Bears (6-1)

Might not be a great win, but I give Jay Cutler credit for winning a tough game.  Until now, we’ve seen him wilt at those moments.  For the defense, their torrid pace continues, returning a pick for a touchdown.  With games against Houston, San Fran, and Minnesota in the next four weeks, Chicago will fight to hold a one-loss record, but will still be very high on the list.

6.      Denver Broncos (5-3)

Consecutive wins against New Orleans and San Diego might not be too exciting, but scoring 30 points per game certainly is.  The Broncos look dangerous.  Peyton Manning has returned to form with his timing, finding certain guys every week when needed (Decker scoring a TD the last three weeks).  The defense also looks fantastic, giving up 14 points in the last six quarters.  What’s more…every remaining game on Denver’s schedule is winnable. 

7.      New England Patriots (5-3)

Nothing makes close games better than a 45-7 victory during a London holiday over the St. Louis Rams.  While football might not be immensely popular in the UK, Tom Brady and the Patriots certainly made it seem that way with a dominating performance. 

8.      Green Bay Packers (5-3)

A nine-point win over Jacksonville demands a dip in the rankings.  The offensive line still struggles to protect Aaron Rodgers.  Can they beat the Giants or 49ers?  Not right now.

9.      Baltimore Ravens (5-2)

Another week to get healthy will help this team.  Terrell Suggs officially back and Joe Flacco using the bye week to reset.  The Ravens might be the most volatile team on this list, but also have high upside if they can put it together.

10.  Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3)

Great win over the Redskins this week as they shut down Robert Griffin III.  In addition, the Steelers could be on their way back if the backfield situation continues to work very well.  The defense also boasts Dick LeBeau, who showed again this week why he’s one of the top coordinators in football.

Bit #1: Blockbuster NBA Trade

The basketball world was rocked this weekend by the trade of James Harden from the Thunder to the Houston Rockets.  Harden, the less talented but still All-Star caliber member of the Oklahoma City trio, turned down an extension with Oklahoma City over the summer.  The Thunder, looking to maintain Harden’s value, traded him for Kevin Martin.

Martin is certainly a downgrade overall from Harden, but the trade makes lots of sense for Oklahoma City.  With depth at every position, the team will be able to continue a high level of competition without Harden, albeit perhaps a little lower than last year’s regular season.  Look for Eric Maynor to see lots more time this year as the primary shooting talent off the bench.  The front court rotation will need to increase its offensive output to offset Harden’s departure, and that falls on Serge Ibaka.   He’s arguably the best shot blocker in the game, so an adjustment towards offense might not come too easily.

Still, expect the Thunder to be there at the end this year despite the trade.

Bit #2: Four team playoff two years too late?

Right now in college football, four major BCS threats are unbeaten.  Alabama, Oregon, Notre Dame, and Kansas State all have good chances of reaching the National Championship game.  The current scenario has many people repeating the age-old refrain against the BCS, but thankfully we won’t have to worry about this again after 2014.

Despite the objections of the public, however, even at this late stage of the season unbeaten teams have a one in three chance of remaining unbeaten at the end of the season.  Last year, six teams came into Week 10 unbeaten with only one remaining after this week.  So, all the worriers need not be concerned.  History says we will not be forced to deal with four unbeaten teams at the end of the season.

But, this would be the week to watch college football if you haven’t yet this year.  Alabama-LSU, Oklahoma State-Kansas State, and USC-Oregon highlight top tests for three of the unbeatens.  I do think Kansas State will lose this week, but then again the Wildcats went into Norman and beat Oklahaoma earlier this season.  We may need to face the real possibility of a national championship that includes Notre Dame, since everyone else has at least two tough games left as of now compared to Notre Dame’s one.

Bit #3: World Series

After a surprising sweep, the San Francisco Giants have become the gold standard for franchises in baseball.  Winning their second title in three years, the Giants did so behind fantastic starting pitching in the postseason.  Tim Lincecum found his stuff out of the bullpen, and Ryan Vogelsong pitched gems in the last two rounds of the playoffs.  And how about Barry Zito?  A guy known for his horrible contract won Game 1 of the World Series after a gem in Game 5 of the NLCS.

I definitely underestimated the Giants, as did many.  They reached the postseason after a tough season in the NL West, but ultimately a sweep requires us to praise them for their efforts.

Bit #4: It’s time to fire Deangelo Hall

I’ve used my blog for many things over the past year, but none have been as important to me as this.  The Redskins, again the worst pass defense in the league, should cut Deangelo Hall.  He has shown flashes of brilliance while wearing burgundy and gold, like catching four interceptions in a game two years ago.  He also took home Pro Bowl MVP honors in 2010, a boon for a franchise still reeling from the Champ Bailey-Clinton Portis trade, about which I will mention nothing more in deference to my continued health and goodwill towards those around me.

But, the last two seasons Hall has not played well nor has he shown any interest in improving.  He cares more about bulletin board material, telling Michael Vick to watch his ribs or downplaying Eli Manning’s talent by proclaiming the defense gave Manning a gift two weeks ago.  His ejection on Sunday for removing his helmet and giving a referee a tongue-lashing shouldn’t surprise anyone.  His attitude consistently emphasizes himself, despite being a defensive co-captain.  Lest we forget, the Oakland Raiders released this guy during the Al Davis years for being “regularly beaten by opposition receivers during the opening half of the season.”  Feels a lot like this season doesn’t it?  And, Hall’s a cancer for this team, talking a ton and putting up Lilliputian numbers, not a good combination.  I can’t wait to be rid of him eventually.

Newton Criticism Not Racially Based

Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson fired his general manager this past week after a miserable 1-5 start.  During those games, sensational quarterback Cam Newton has not played in the same ballpark as he did during last season’s record-setting campaign.  As a result, he has come under fire from Carolina and national media outlets, not only for his poor play but his demeanor on the sidelines.  Newton has rarely shown any fire in losses, preferring to sit quietly on the sidelines with a look of frustrated concentration.

Also this week, Warren Moon, a Top 10 quarterback in the history of the game, aired his frustrations about the criticism leveled at Newton, identifying what he thought is a racial undertone.  In Moon’s words, “I heard somebody compare him to Vince Young. It's the same old crap -- it's always a comparison of one black to another black. I get tired of it. I get tired of defending it.”  Moon certainly has made this point many times throughout the years, as black quarterbacks like Tarvaris Jackson and the aforementioned Young came under fire while at the helm of poor offensive teams.  None can deny that quarterbacks of all races have seen their fair share of criticism.

As I heard Moon’s comments this week, I thought deeply about the true nature of criticism in today’s world.  While undoubtedly racism still exists (remember the Tweets following Joel Ward’s goal in the playoffs last year?), the refrain that it might undergird sports criticism in 2012 surprises me and strikes me as incorrect, for a few reasons.

First, Newton runs a 1-5 team.  In the world of the NFL, even with the parity seen this year, that’s bad under any circumstances.  A poor record justifies at least some criticism, especially as the NFL has evolved into a pass-happy league.  The quarterback, long argued as the most important position in sports, can make a greater claim to that title in today’s NFL.  Expectations follow that kind of responsibility.  There is a basis for criticism based purely on record.

But the criticism also comes from unique expectations for Newton.  The guy re-wrote the rookie record books last season, leading a talent-light team to an impressive 8-8 finish in a tough division.  On this, Moon agrees that one poor season does not signify he is a bust, but then said “people are overreacting” as if one good season should excuse Newton’s travails in 2012.  While labeling Newton a “bust” deserves scorn from any rational sports fan, he proved last year he has the talent to go big.  Fans could certainly moderate their standards, as 4,000 yards can’t be expected every year from a sophomore quarterback, but those new standards certainly should not include a 1-5 record.  Heck, even a 3-4 quarterback like Mark Sanchez has his name dragged through the mud every single week.  I hear, if anything, more criticisms of Sanchez than I do Newton on a daily basis. 

Secondly, in Newton’s case, much of the criticism has not really dealt with his on-field performance, but rather with his demeanor during and after tough losses.  A well-publicized dressing-down from Steve Smith earlier in the season drove home that Newton suffers perhaps from a long memory, remembering his mistakes but not taking initiative to fix or address them.  As Moon correctly points out, Jay Cutler’s demeanor could be worse during bad losses, but Moon implies that Cutler received almost no ridicule in comparison.  That could not be further from the truth, as the city of Chicago roundly criticized Cutler’s play after his run-in with an offensive lineman in Week 2.  A city like Chicago, with double the amount of football tradition than Carolina, would not let that stand.  The national media also discussed Cutler’s incident as the leading story the next day, giving Cutler his fair share of scrutiny for an immature action in the huddle. 

As for Moon’s contention that comparisons have been made to Vince Young, I personally have not heard those but can understand them a little bit.  We could easily compare Newton to Ryan Leaf or Ben Roethlisberger, who also had off-field troubles.  But, at this point in time, how can one not deny some similarities between Newton and Young as far as playing style and career progression.  In his rookie season, Vince Young set the rookie record for rushing yards by a quarterback.  His passing proficiency certainly doesn’t come close to Newton’s, but he started 13 games and led the team to an 8-8 record.  While the similarities stop there, Young played very poorly in his second season, throwing only 9 touchdowns to 17 interceptions despite a 10-6 record.  But, keep in mind we are discussing two very mobile quarterbacks in smaller markets who had stellar rookie campaigns and, up to now, struggled afterwards.

Finally, Newton has done a lot to bring this on himself.  Instead of projecting a professional attitude, Newton has often deflected blame away from himself.  In his recent press conference after losing to the Cowboys on Sunday, Newton said, “The past couple of games have been the same script, by the same director…It's kind of getting boring. This taste, this vibe — I'm not buying it, man. And I don't know what it is, but something's going to have to change. Something's going to have to change real fast."  Despite his inaccurate game and bad interception, clearly the play-caller is to blame, a chorus roundly taken up by Moon in his expanded comments.  For his own wide receiver to tell the media that Newton was not taking “mental reps” during losses says a lot about the locker room attitude in Carolina.  Add in his condescending use of the word “sweetheart” in answering a female reporter, and I’d say Newton has not done himself any favors.

So, to recap, Newton deserves criticism in the same way any quarterback does.  He has a poor record and has played badly in a passing league after putting up the greatest rookie quarterback season during 2011.  His demeanor in press conferences and refusal to take personal responsibility has been immature and puerile.  For a man in charge of an NFL team, he needs to stop alienating those around him.  I agree with Moon, however…we should be careful to unnecessarily compare one black quarterback to another.  While I have pointed out a few similarities between Vince Young and Newton at this stage in their careers, those comparisons are by no means on a one-to-one ratio.  And yet, Moon seems to believe we, the culture, are unnecessarily criticizing Newton more than we would a white quarterback.  Given that an NFL stadium cheered an injury to a white quarterback three weeks ago and the continued indifference Newton has shown to standards of professionalism, I must reject Moon’s contention.  While racially-based ridicule is something to guard against in the future, in this case, race plays no role.

Bit #1: World Series Prediction

The Fall Classic is finally on us, and a long season of baseball will be closed within the next ten days.

Between the Tigers and Giants, there are plenty of storylines.  Justin Verlander, the best pitcher on the planet, will pitch at least two games in this series, which the Tigers are sorely tempted to chalk up as automatic wins.  But the Giants, with all their holes, have become the team of fate in this postseason, rallying from two game deficits in both the Divisional and Championship series to reach this height.

I agonized over this pick, mainly because the Tigers look to be humming on all cylinders.  But, the team with the most rest (Detroit) has lost 5 of the past 6 World Series.  I also have a totally unsubstantiated hunch that the Giants, fresh off emotional victories, will come out strong in thise series.  Remember the ’04 Red Sox sweeping the Cardinals after coming back from a 3-0 deficit in the ALCS?  Or the Cardinals winning it last year after a bevy of elimination game victories that postseason?  Baseball lends itself to these moments of divine providence, and the Giants might be caught up in that now.  In addition, the Giants have by far the better bullpen, a fact glossed over by many but well worth your while in attempting to predict a winner.  Middle relief pitching wins games, especially when Giants manager Bruce Bochy has given his starters a short hook this postseason.

But, the Triple Crown winner hits at the heart of the Tigers lineup, so I’m picking Detroit in five.  All will be close games but Detroit will shut down the Giants.  I wouldn’t be shocked to see San Francisco win, but I think the road to glory for them does not look as rosy.  Still, should be a good series with two traditional baseball markets slugging away.

Bit #2: Firing of Ozzie Guillen

The season probably didn’t start well for Ozzie Guillen who made comments in the first week of baseball praising Fidel Castro, offending the huge Cuban-American population in Miami.  A 65-win season later, and Guillen is out as manager of the Marlins.

I don’t think anyone foresaw the Marlins falling like they did in 2012.  The additions of Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, and Heath Bell coupled with a new ballpark looked to spell great fortune for a franchise that, despite winning two World Series, consistently spends on salary as much as you do on groceries in a given year.  The front office broke up both championship squads immediately after the Series wins due to payroll consideration.  Guillen was the final cherry on what was to be a breakout season.

Both Bell and Guillen are now out of town, and the Marlins left without a tailfin.  They have no direction and will be seeking their fifth manager since early 2010.  That a franchise as cognizant of finances would fire Guillen with $7.5 million still owed to him should tell you all you need to know about their unhappiness with his performance.  But, he will land somewhere.  I don’t think the same optimism holds for the Marlins.

Bit #3: Pro Bowl Questions

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said again this week he was leaning towards scrapping the Pro Bowl, the NFL version of an All-Star Game that happens after the season but a week before the Super Bowl.  In a nutshell, Goodell’s reasoning centers on the embarrassing level of play exhibited during the game, where very few on the field seem to play hard.

While I don’t watch the Pro Bowl, Roger Goodell has no ability to tell us he’s so concerned about the “on-field product” after subjecting the world to a month of replacement officials who did more to damage the product than any Pro Bowl one could imagine.  While he could use player safety as a justification, I don’t remember the last major Pro Bowl injury, mainly because nobody plays as hard.  That isn’t too unnatural, as the same thing occurs in the NHL during their midseason All-Star Game.  What’s more, the NFL seems to be contradicting itself.  Institutions like Thursday night games seek to grab money from consumers and advertisers, and the Pro Bowl has been no different.  Broadcast partners aren’t looking to get rid of the game, and more people watched the Pro Bowl in 2011 than they did the MLB All-Star Game (which actually means something for the season).

That said, so many elite players opt out of the game these days.  The players union, a “staunch” defender of the Pro Bowl, also shows a little hypocrisy by sponsoring player safety lawsuits but still upholding a game that has no consequence and presents just one more opportunity to be injured.

Both sides are wrong on this…the Pro Bowl hurts no one but really doesn’t seem to please that many people either.  It’s a tricky situation, but the justifications for each side’s moves make very little sense.  Personally, I think the game should stay, only because that will put a nother stumbling block to the idea of an 18-game season which remains so dear to Goodell’s heart.

Bit #4: My Top Ten of the NFL

1.      New York Giants (5-2)

Despite a tough outing against the Redskins, Eli Manning continued to prove his ability in close games.  The Giants can easily look befuddled on defense, but timely takeaways held the key for New York this past week.  Still the most dangerous team out there.

2.      Atlanta Falcons (6-0)

Of the last 37 teams to go 6-0 and be the last unbeaten in the league, ten have won the Super Bowl.  A big road game against a hungry Eagles team will test their mettle, but Atlanta can still bring it.

3.      Houston Texans (6-1)

Somehow, this team responded from an awful loss to a blowout win of the competition in the AFC.  The Ravens might have missed defensive starters, but the Texans slammed their foot down early, winning by 30 points.  I’m already excited for their Week 10 matchup with the Bears.

4.      Chicago Bears (5-1)

I watched their win against Detroit on Monday night and, while the Bears have a tough offensive road ahead, their defense absolutely sizzles.  Their three slot jump in my rankings this week comes about due to three straight dynamite defensive performances.  Cutler still not reliable in a close game, but who cares if the D plays this well?

5.      Green Bay Packers (4-3)

Again this might shock you, but Aaron Rodgers has 16 touchdown passes and two interceptions in his last four games.  The loss of Charles Woodson will undoubtedly hurt, but the offensive juggernaut looks to be awake.

6.      San Francisco 49ers (6-1)

This team played well in a Thursday night win last week, but it’s tough to rely on Alex Smith.  The 49ers lack the potential for a high-flying passing game, meaning their ability to come back in ballgames looks to be effectively nil.  If they go down by two scores, San Fran will have trouble.  No use worrying yet, but this team can be beat.

7.      New England Patriots (4-3)

A critical but ugly win on Sunday leaves tons of questions.  The defense has given up the second most passing yards this season and had to rely on a monster game by Rob Ninkovich to win the game.  Tom Brady played well and the Pats still needed OT and a late regulation field goal to win.  While the offense remains volatile from week-to-week, I think we should be careful about hyping this team until we see some results.

8.      Denver Broncos (3-3)

It’s still tough to erase the memory of the big comeback last week, but the Broncos will face a stiff test against New Orleans on Sunday.  No other power rankings I’ve seen have this team as high, but the schedule gets noticeably easier from here on out.

9.      Baltimore Ravens (5-2)

After a ghastly performance against Houston, the Ravens certainly could be on the way down the hill.  A team without so much defensive prowess appreciated the return of Terrell Suggs but was still unable to move the Texans offense off the field.  On the other side of the ball, Joe Flacco remains mistake-prone and incapable of creating a rhythm in the offense to get some points on the board.

10.  Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3)

The Steelers could certainly use a set running back in the backfield, but responded nicely after a bad Thursday loss to win a divisional game.  With the Ravens possibly falling, the Steelers have a chance to overtake them.  A game against RGIII and the Redskins this week should do great things for Ben Reothlisberger as he picks apart the worst pass defense in the league.

Tired of the Jets

On Sunday, the Patriots almost blew a 10-point lead to the New York Jets before winning in overtime.  While New England’s travails continue to puzzle most football observers, the Jets persist in rankling this spectator.

My dislike of the Jets reached new heights this week with two statements by Jets personnel:

First, coach Rex Ryan told reporters at a press conference that since Tim Tebow knows the extent of the offense, he could be ”plugged in” at any position and bring value to the team that way.  Nobody denies Tebow’s ability as a football player, but to make the case that a quarterback could play tight end or running back for more than two plays in an NFL game flies in the face of football’s sacrosanct traditions…and common sense.  The Tebow acquisition, a move I impugned mercilessly on Day One, continues as a gimmick.  First he’s a punt blocking specialist, then he comes in as a Wildcat quarterback, then he’s catching a pass, then he’s throwing one…it never stops.  All through it, Tebow continues to be a team player and, overall, a fantastic human being.  But for his head coach, it’s all gimmickry.

This made things so ironic when linebacker Calvin Pace related the Patriots up-tempo offense to a gimmick technically allowed by the rules, calling it “borderline illegal.”

There are multiple issues with this picture, not the least of which being the Jets creating an excuse for their poor defensive play.  The Pats can burn teams on offense, picking up a team record 35 first downs in Week 5 and running almost 100 offensive plays.  In Week 10 last year, the Patriots effectively kept New York from making defensive substitutions en route to a 38-16 victory.  And yet, instead of accepting the need to play better on defense or be quicker with substitutions, the coaching staff lodged a complaint with the NFL in preparation for Sunday’s game.  One of the unit’s defensive captains explained to reporters not that his team needed to play better, but that should the defense do poorly it could all be excused. 

Frankly, this is more of the same from the Jets, who continue to make off-field news without showing any ability or talent on the field.  This same team two seasons ago taught its offensive trainers to impede opposing gunners on punt coverage, eventually causing an injury to an opponent.  Rex Ryan routinely slathers praise on “the best team I’ve ever coached” despite its obvious imperfections, failures, and downright fecal attitude.  From Santonio Holmes sabotaging the locker room last year to Darrelle Revis holding out prior to every season, Gang Green has no central locker room presence to quiet the children.  And, while Jets fans hate to admit it, the whining is nothing new for the organization as a whole.  Remember Spygate?  Remember all the Jets folks who swore their team could have beaten the Pats if not for the videotaped offensive signals?  Every once in a while, fans should accept their team just can’t beat the competition with any consistency, but New York Jets fans and players want to keep excusing poor play.

The biggest man in the room, Ryan, entered New York commenting how his team “didn’t want to be little brother” to their co-tenants at MetLife stadium.  Two Super Bowl wins later, I don’t hear tales of locker room dysfunction from the Giants nor misplaced excuses for poor defensive performance.  And certainly, no one can attest to the New York Giants lining David Carr up as anything but the waterboy.  The championship pedigree of other teams doesn’t rub off on the Jets because New York puts too much time into all the wrong things.  Were Ryan to enact a radio silence order for his team one week, maybe the team would focus on its own weaknesses rather than inspiring bulletin board material in opposing locker rooms.  The Jets arguably outplayed the Patriots on Sunday and still lost the game.  Style points don’t necessarily count for a squad as listless as the Jets…they need Ws, not Ls next to their names.

It comes down to this, dear readers.  Any media statement by the Jets can be likened to a Cars.com commercial (if you don't know what I mean, click the link).  One statement is never good enough, and before you know it the dang thing has three weird heads chattering at you in various languages and brogues.  It couldn’t be more unbecoming to either the organization or the individuals themselves.  But, the likeness doesn’t stop there.  Like the Cars.com commercials, we the public don’t need any more Jet blowhards clogging up our work week.  This organization has doomed itself by focusing too much on the witty saying rather than the big play, the interjection rather than the interception, and the showdown as opposed to the touchdown.  If New York wants to win in the AFC, it’s time to put up or shut up with no exceptions.  Otherwise, expect this team to look and feel radically different next season.

Bit #1: A Go Route Up the Seam??

In the middle of switching domiciles yesterday, I caught one of the most heartbreaking plays I’ve seen in a while.  The Redskins pass defense, heralded by none, gave up a deep ball to Victor Cruz.  Not just a deep ball, but a go route (translation: run straight and fast, and hopefully I’ll find you open), the same thing we do on Turkey Bowl gridirons.  And, the coverage clearly called for safety help over the top but didn’t call for Madieu Williams to ogle the cheerleaders.  His one job was to provide coverage deep, and he failed miserably.

In a loss like this, however, I give the Redskins credit for finding ways to stay competitive.  Alfred Morris turned in a very solid performance, running hard against a Giants defense known for being stout against the run.  While other NFC East fan bases might not appreciate Griffin, he had a passer rating of 108.9 and ran for 89 yards.  His ability to extend plays and gain yardage with his legs puts the offense on another level, as seen by their point totals this year.  The Skins, however, cannot hope to win by putting the ball on the ground five times in the course of a game.  Three of those fumbles were lost to the Giants, with the all-important hot potato pass by Santana Moss robbing the Skins of any comeback opportunity, however unlikely.  The Giants are reigning Super Bowl Champs, so a positive performance on the road should be accepted by Skins fans as a good omen for the future.  I would also point out Eli threw two picks, so turnovers by the pass D helps a little bit.

Bit #2: Scott Pioli Extension?

Last week, CBS Sports reported that the Kansas City Chiefs offered General Manager Scott Pioli a two-year extension.  Pioli, formerly the personnel architect in New England, has not guided the Chiefs to the promised land, posting a 22-32 record since taking the helm.

While reports now debunk the rumors of an extension offer, that the conversation would even be occurring proves the ownership in Kansas City has no interest in winning anytime soon.  Pioli’s signature failures have been at quarterback and in the draft.  Matt Cassel, originally signed to a six-year deal, must now compete with Brady Quinn (off the Cleveland Browns scrap heap, amazingly) for the starting job.  In the draft, Pioli has spent lots of time bolstering a defensive line with top draft picks, none of whom have worked out.  Glenn Dorsey, Tyson Jackson, and Dontari Poe have not as yet justified their high draft selections.  The best draft pick by Pioli likely was kicker Ryan Succop, the final pick from 2009.

In today’s NFL, you can go only as far as the quarterback can take you.  Matt Cassel has not delivered in the last two years, even when he is healthy.  His success filling in for Tom Brady in New England looks to be simultaneous with the Crusades only five years later.  If Pioli wants to keep his job, he will need to hope for a high draft pick and, if that goes begging, trade up for a quarterback.

Bit #3: Game 7 almost a necessity

Every one in a while, sports can create a Homeric lyricism that keeps all of us coming back.  Consider the Greeks, the greatest and unbeatable force in all the world, fighting Troy, a city that had never fallen to any invading horde.

Such has been the Giants-Cardinals NLCS.  The Cardinals, in the drivers’ seat for the series 72 hours ago, must play their third winner-take-all game of the postseason on Monday night.  This same team won a slew of elimination games in last year’s postseason, continuing its cardiac-kids legacy.  For the Giants, they have won five elimination games in the last two weeks, a remarkable feat considering four of those wins came on the road.  Game 6 centered around pitcher Ryan Vogelsong, truly a fantastic story.  A journeyman in every sense of the word, Vogelsong played in Japan, Venezuela, ten minor league cities, four major league organizations, and for the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.  That’s a career, and for him to start in the NLCS deserves praise and recognition. 

The stats coming into Game 7 really are Homeric in historical implications.  The Giants have never won a Game 7 in their history, but 13 of 14 teams to force a Game 7 after winning at home have gone on to win Game 7.  Only two teams have ever lost Game 7s at home after being down 3-1 in a series.  That’s impressive stuff and, given the recent fortitude of the Cardinals in these situations, something will give.  For my money, the numbers point to a psychological advantage for teams like the Giants winning twice to force a Game 7 at home.  They will win Monday night behind a stellar performance by Matt Cain.

One-Third of the Way

We currently stand a little over one-third of the way through the NFL season.  Since the first week of September, we’ve seen a few surprises and a few disappointments.  The fun thing about writing a blog is, when you predict all divisions before the season, you can track your progress.  So, I’m going to delve into the NFL season in full, noting surprising things, predictions I likely missed, and, ironically, more predictions for the next third of the season.

Parity?

How many of you could have picked that almost half the league is tied for first place in their respective divisions right now?  While many of those exist in the AFC East, the parity at the middle levels of the NFL has truly astounded many observers. 

That’s by record, though, so how much parity can we expect as the season progresses.  Based on a cursory glance of the standings, a few 8-8 playoff teams might be possible.  In the AFC West, for example, any team can beat any other team on a given week.  Or, given the typical New York Giants coma midseason, might the NFC East end without a 10-win team for a second season in a row?

Of course, the status quo isn’t mathematically sustainable, but I’m not entirely sure we will see much separation by record as the season continues.  In six weeks, it wouldn’t shock me to see division leaders in the AFC West with 6-6 records.

MVP Frontrunners

Matt Ryan – I don’t know how you can’t give the award to Matt Ryan should the season end today.  He’s thrown for almost 1,800 yards with 14 touchdowns and leads the attack of the last undefeated NFL team.  Sure, the Falcons likely won’t keep that pace up, but nobody has meant more to their team thus far than Ryan.  He has led game-winning drives with the best of them this year and deserves recognition, but don’t be surprised to see him overtaken if he keeps throwing picks against bad teams like Oakland.

Eli Manning – I know a few Patriots fans who will disagree, but Manning has 11 touchdowns and has beaten quality opponents to this point.  He’s also smart with the ball, taking only four sacks the entire year.  His Total QBR is third in the league, another impressive number with the Giants playing the tough defenses in Philly and San Fran already this year.

Peyton Manning – Denver might be underperforming, but Manning certainly made a good case last week leading the team back to a huge victory.  He’s thrown for the second-most passing yards and is tied for second-most touchdowns thrown.  He also has four TDs on passes longer than 20 yards, a marked ability to change dynamics of a game in a hurry.  And, despite many discussions of his softball throws, he’s only got four INTs.

Honorable Mention – Brady, J.J. Watt, Percy Harvin, Aaron Rodgers, Robert Griffin III, A.J. Green

Offensive Player of the Year

Tom Brady – Tough not to give this award to the guy with the most yards thrown and the most prolific offense in the league.  His three interceptions certainly show he can take care of the ball, and Brady continues to do a lot in planning the Pats offense.  While the team is 3-3, he’s been lights out.

Aaron Rodgers – Tough also to contend with a six touchdown games on Sunday, but Rodgers has not performed that way throughout the entire season.  While I blame the Green Bay offensive line for their inability to protect Rodgers, he can be the most dominating QB in the game when given time.  He leads the league in TD passes and, should the Packers season improve, will be in contention for the MVP as well.

A.J. Green – Has anybody been better than this guy as a receiver?  43 catches for 628 yards and six touchdowns on a team where he represents the only real downfield receiving threat.  Averaging 104 yards per game has really helped Cincy keep some momentum in the tough AFC North.

Arian Foster – He might be averaging only 3.8 yards a carry, but Foster has scored 8 total touchdowns for the Texans and, very importantly, has not lost the ball once.  On a team where the running game is key to success, he has not wilted, running the ball almost 150 times.  While Foster might break down in a few years, he sure has been good while a starter in Houston.

Honorable Mention: Eli Manning, Jamaal Charles, Peyton Manning, Marshawn Lynch, Robert Griffin III

Defensive Player of the Year

J.J. Watt – The dude has been a force thus far and is on pace to have 25 sacks this season, which would shatter the regular season record.  In addition to his 9.5 sacks, Watt also has the ability to disrupt an offense, batting down 8 passes, the most by any defensive lineman in the NFL.

Lance Briggs – Briggs might not be getting to the quarterback as much this season, but he’s returned both of his interceptions for touchdowns, forced a fumble, and has 26 solo tackles.  His timely play certainly elevated the Bears the last two weeks.

DRC – In one of the best secondaries in the league, I have to identify with its best player.  DRC has three interceptions, has deflected 8 passes, and has only 13 solo tackles.  Just so I can add context, those numbers tell me no quarterback is throwing in his direction, as he’s an every down defensive back with a pittance of tackles. (Read as: the true stat on this requires a membership fee I won't pay, so a little speculation is in order)

Honorable Mention – Cortland Finnegan, Clay Matthews, Chris Clemons

Rookies of the Year

Offensive – Robert Griffin III – I want this to be homerism, but RGIII arguably has a shot at the MVP the way he’s been playing.  Only two picks thrown, six rushing touchdowns, and a Total QBR of 74.4 definitely puts him at the head of the rookie class.  His real defining factor remains his legwork, being able to run the ball to give the ‘Skins better field position.  While Andrew Luck might be throwing the rock around, RGIII has his team winning more games and averaging over 25 points per game.  Other contenders right now are Luck and ‘Skins running back Alfred Morris.

Defensive – Chandler Jones – This category is very tough, since many rookies on defense don’t have the chance to make an impact in their first season.  But Jones has certainly done so for the Patriots, already recording five sacks and two forced fumbles.  As of now, he has a lock on this award.

Teams To Doubt

While the league has given us some surprises, some of them shouldn’t be trusted:

Cardinals – These guys have an unreal defense that can light it up when necessary, but their offensive line has given up the most sacks this year by far.  As seen last Thursday night against the Rame, when that kind of pressure comes the lack of quarterback options really hurts this team.  Games against San Francisco, Green Bay, and Atlanta in the next five weeks will determine how good this team is, but all of those juggernauts bring the pressure.  Without good protection, the Cards likely will fade.

Chargers – Hopefully no one trusts San Diego after their collapse on Monday night, but the truth remains that San Diego, for its high-flying start to the season, has not won a meaningful game yet.  Wins over Oakland, Tennessee, and Kansas City cannot overshadow losses to Atlanta and Denver at home.  For the Chargers, they have a reprieve in their next three games (Cleveland, KC, Tampa) but don’t expect them to finish any higher than 8-8.

Minnesota – I hate doing this, since the Vikings have made it so much fun for Minnesotans this offseason, but the truth is this team runs on its skill players, not Christian Ponder.  His average yards downfield is currently 6.83, the lowest for any quarterback with four wins.  While Percy Harvin might be good, reasonable expectations should see him taper off a little bit as defenses learn how to better defend him.  Many of his yards, and therefore Ponder’s yards, come after the catch.  The running attack will remains stout of course, but in the league today it’s tough to count on Minnesota if they go down two scores.

Teams to Trust

Certain teams aren’t playing well by record, but still deserve your trust in their hour of need.

New England – Shouldn’t come as any surprise, since the 3-3 record of this team does not reflect how good the team is.  Not only does it rank in the top five of both passing and rushing offense, but New England lost three games by a combined four points.  While the secondary needs to improve (28^th in the NFL), that kind of dominating offense will definitely be better than .500.  Fun fact: Brady has a Total QBR of 15 in the final five minutes of a one possession game since 2009, and has only completed 42% of his passes in that span.  But, no need to panic.,.the team is usually up 20.

Denver – The Broncos present an anomaly to me, since they either show up in big ways or don’t seem to be there at all.  But, given Peyton’s play betting money puts the Broncos with a winning record at the end of the season.  As I said above, Peyton belongs in the MVP category for the time being, but the Broncos will need to take advantage of a straightforward schedule for the rest of the year in order to do so.  Still, the only threats on their schedule going forward are Cincinnati on November 4 and Baltimore on December 16.

Now it’s time to assess my predictions ahead of the season to understand how I’ve done.  Mixed bag of course, but, generally, my predictions have not been borne out thus far.

Definitely Right

While the Cardinals won’t go 5-11 like I thought, I pinpointed how bad the O-line would be.  The Cardinals have allowed 28 sacks thus far, halfway to the total from all of last season.  In the end, that kind of performance will doom the Cardinals to a mediocre finish.  In addition, the “necessary offensive balance” definitely hasn’t been there with such an anemic running game.

I went on a limb and said I thought the Bucs, the worst team against the run last year, would improve dramatically this season.  Well, they are currently fourth in the league against the run, so I’ll count that as a “dramatic improvement.”

Unlike many, I did not pick the Chiefs to be near the top of the division by season’s end.  Everyone else seemed to, but I told you all I didn’t trust Matt Cassel at quarterback.  Thankfully, the group lovefest for KC will not go unpunished, as the Chiefs hold a last second victory over another winless team (at the time) and Cassel, upon his return from injury, will have to compete for his job.  So while I might have overestimated the Lions, as seen below, some of the sting wears off when reading my Chiefs prediction again.

Another offensive line prediction turned true: my chief questions centered on the Chargers’ offensive line.  Using 13 different linemen last year did not inspire me with very much confidence coming into 2012, and the Chargers have not disappointed.  Tied for third in sacks allowed, the Chargers wonder why Philip Rivers has such bad days.  He’s under pressure 24/7, with no help coming.

I will say I saw the secondary problems in DC coming.  Too many questions in the defensive backfield restored “false confidence” in me, and the unit has not disappointed.  Giving up 328 passing yards a game, the Redskins force their offense to score in bunches to have any shot at winning games.  While I think the Redskins will do much better than I expected as a whole, the secondary really, really, stinks.

Likely Right

I said in August picking No. 2 in the AFC East would be difficult.  Don’t look now, but all three teams not from New England stand at 3-3 and don’t pass the eye test for one reason or another.  My phrasing in August was “the generally equal nature” of the three teams, and that’s been borne out thus far.  While I’m not necessarily thinking these teams will continue the drudge, they might.

While the Texans are undefeated, in August I said the game against Green Bay would determine the team’s identity.  Well, we may have that answer, as the Packers trounced Houston at home.  The next key game identified is this week’s test against Baltimore.  The Texans are 5-1 and will be around in January, but the schedule right now doesn’t help them down the stretch.  I do think this team will suffer a bit of human losses as the season goes on.

The Bears O-Line continues to stink, as they’ve allowed 14 sacks thus far.  In August I had identified that as the one weakness for the Bears, which became apparent in the discouraging loss to the Packers in Week 2.  Still on the Bears, I thought Cutler and Marshall would “victimize” opposing secondaries.  And, while the Bears passing attack isn’t great, Marshall has 33 receptions for 472 yards, top 10 numbers in the league.  Since Cutler has completed 90 passes, over a third are going to Marshall.  I would say that tandem has shown fire this year.

One of my bolder predictions saw the Browns losing close games.  Thus far, I’ve been mostly right, with the Browns losing four of five by ten points or less.  The Giants beat them by 14, so not too bad but still outside my predicted range.

This one has aspects of both right and wrong in it, but wanting to be positive I will accentuate the positives.  I had many different thoughts about the trenches in the NFC East, and did well to point out the troubles of the Cowboys (two guards ranked towards the bottom of all starters according to profootballfocus.com) and Philadelphia (tied for sixth in sacks allowed).  Demetress Bell, in particular, drew my ridicule and he has not played well by any metric used to modern man.  But, I also picked the Eagles D-line to play very well, and that front seven has achieved seven sacks total (i.e. less than J.J. Watt by himself).  Another of my predictions put the Giants offensive line as one of the worst in the NFL…before they surrendered only four sacks in six games.

Likely Wrong

I don’t know of anyone who thought Ryan Tannehill would lead his team to three wins this season before Week 6.  But, the rookie from Texas A&M currently averages 254 yards per game, a number very surprising given the preponderance for NFL offenses to ease rookies into the league with short passes.  But, Tannehill is throwing for yardage with a JV receiving corps.  He needs to improve on his interceptions (six already compared with two TDs), but overall the kid gets a gold star.

I wrote in August that “the defense of the Buffalo Bills should carry them to a Wild Card berth.”  Needless to say, Buffalo will need a miracle to make the playoffs and it won’t come through their defense, which has given up the most yards in the league.  The front seven I so valued before the season thus far has conceded over 1000 yards of offense, the worst of any team in the league.  This team has almost no playoff hopes by now.

My post in August said the Green Bay offensive line “increased dramatically” with the addition of Jeff Saturday.  Not exactly, as the Packers have given up the second most sacks in the league.  While many of those came against the fearsome Seattle pass rush, a team with Super Bowl aspirations cannot win with such a poor O-line.  As of now, it looks very porous to me.

Definitely Wrong

I didn’t see the Seahawks coming at all.  In fact, I picked them to be 6-10 with a suspended Marshawn Lynch.  The only thing I wrote about the defense said it would keep the team in games, a minor bright spot in a terribly crystal ball episode.  In a bigger misstep, I said the team would be 1-7 before Week 8…they have a 4-2 record now and could make the playoffs…oops.

I was high on the Rams preseason, which has been tempered a little bit.  While my prediction that the O-line would improve has seen some fruit, the line still isn’t terribly good, giving up the third most sacks in the league.  The defense also has been middling, nothing close to the “leaps and bounds” I predicted.  Still, Chris Long and Cortland Finnegan have changed games this year, so there might be some hope.

I gave six wins to the Jaguars…and they might be the worst team in the league right now.  I thought the passing game would really improve based on Gabbert’s preseason performance, but the Jags average 142.8 yards through the air each game and score only 13 points on average.  Justin Blackmon, a guy I thought would “ease the burden on the running game,” has disappeared, with only 13 receptions all year.  Clearly, the Jags won’t do well aerially this year.

Not even a question I misread the Lions.  As the season unfolded, my prediction of the Lions finishing with twelve wins ate at me.  Looking at my other team previews, I clearly saw a young Lions team and got excited for their season, when truthfully the Lions have no offensive direction (I did say the running game had “no direction,” but that doesn’t count when you predict twelve wins for a two-win team).  Also, Calvin Johnson has not played well at all by his standards, and the defensive line ranks 18^th in sacks and 12^th against the run, a far cry from the smash mouth group I saw in August.

I had the Panthers finishing third in the NFC South behind the Saints, but also said Cam Newton would be somewhere near 4000 yards by the end.  As of right now, he will be short of 3800 yards in the same pace, a quick reversal from the breakout season a year ago.  Unfortunately for him, the Panthers have a tough schedule for wins, but playing the bad secondaries in Washington, Tampa Bay, and Oakland might be big games for Newton.

Top Ten

The record parity this season has led to a lot of questions about who are the top 10 teams in the NFL.  Without looking at any other rankings, I’ll give mine below:

1.      New York Giants (4-2)

Big win against San Francisco this past weekend.  Even without Hakeem Nicks, Eli Manning has found ways to find his receivers.  Also, after the dominating performance by the Giants O-Line against the best defense in football, who wants to face these guys?

2.      Atlanta Falcons (6-0)

They might boast the MVP frontrunner, but Atlanta’s undefeated season rests on their ability to win games when needed.  They have struggled against beatable teams, but Matt Ryan always finds a way to win.  Third ranked defense too.

3.      San Francisco 49ers (5-2)

While this team remains hopeless when down by 10 points, the 49ers continued last season’s success with a tough defense.  Offensively, the new additions have yet to truly make an impact, but the game management of Alex Smith combined with a tight defense will keep their games close.  Though, Smith has equaled his INT total from all of last season already, which is an area of concern.

4.      Green Bay Packers (3-3)

The record bother you?  It should, but when Aaron Rodgers throws six touchdowns against a top 5 defense, you know Green Bay can bring it.  The defense has swarmed opposing quarterbacks and has a winnable next three games.  Put some faith in Rodgers.

5.      Houston Texans (5-1)

Tough to give the Texans anything more after the disappointment on Sunday Night Football to Green Bay.  They have played very well this season but faltered against a truly elite team last weekend.  Still, the rushing attack and defense travel well, so the Texans will be a tough out for anyone.

6.      New England Patriots (3-3)

Even after some tough losses, I still think no one wants to play the Patriots.  Brady looks to be firing on all cylinders, Wes Welker has his groove back, and the running game can churn up yardage.  What’s keeping New England back is their pass defense, one of the worst in the league that will likely be their downfall.

7.      Chicago Bears (4-1)

      There should be an asterisk next to this record, since the one loss for the Bears might be

      the poorest offensive showing we’ve seen all year.  But, the Bears have obliterated teams

      since, despite those teams not being terribly good.  The offensive balance plays well, but

      the defense has stolen the show thus far.

8.      Baltimore Ravens (5-1)

This team would be a lot higher without the injuries to Lardarius Webb and Haloti Ngata.  Those two players have taken the reins of this defense from its elder statesmen, and truthfully Joe Flacco is hard to trust when he needs to score points to win.  If he wants to be an elite quarterback, the rest of this season will give him a forum to prove it.  And he’ll need to, because the Ravens have won their last four by a combined 14 points.

9.      Denver Broncos (3-3)

Again, the comeback this past week cemented the dangerous ability of Peyton Manning.  The defense also chipped in big time on that win, but Manning led long drives to the end zone consistently.  Their three losses are to Atlanta, Houston, and New England…all teams above them in my rankings.  Get used to it, since the Broncos will be around at the end.

10.  Seattle Seahawks (4-2)

All my reservations about the Cardinals do not apply to the ‘Hawks.  They’ve shut down the offenses of Green Bay and New England to give the normally anemic offense a chance to win.  The pounding ground game also forces defenses to respect Marshawn Lynch, to the benefit of Russell Wislon.  Tough loss to San Francisco, but the Seahawks D showed up in a big game.

Bit #1: The final end to Lance

The fall from grace for arguably the most impressive American athlete in the last 50 years could not have come faster.  In August, Lance Armstrong lost his seven Tour de France titles amid doping allegations when he decided the fight to clear his name would waste more time than accomplish a meaningful end.  In the last two weeks, evidence poured in, culminating in a final report from USADA about the prevalence of doping in American cycling and, what’s worse, the line of characters who testified against Armstrong.

But, bureaucracy always leaves us to doubts.  There are still those who doubt the Freeh Report on Penn State, mainly because large undertakings by central organizations always leave you with a case of morning mouth.  Well, to my libertarian friends, the free market definitely spoke on Wednesday, as Nike terminated Lance’s contract and forced him to step down as head of the Livestrong Foundation.  Nike cited “insurmountable evidence” and the fact that Armstrong “misled Nike for years” as justifications for their decision.

Of course, anyone convinced of Armstrong’s guilt should agree with this decision.  Nike will continue to support the foundation’s efforts to fight cancer, as it should, but Armstrong will no longer become one of the faces for the athletic retailer.  Keep in mind…Nike does not drop athletes lightly.  Tiger Woods, for all his personal troubles, kept the unquestioned support of Nike.  Joe Paterno did not lose his name on Nike’s Child Development Center at Penn State until eight months after the allegations broke.  The retail giant operates its own set of standards, but the fact Armstrong lost his endorsement so quickly shocks me. 

Overall, we need to move on from Lance and let him jump back into life the only way he can.  His credibility might be shot, but the man deserves some time to himself.

Bit #2: Castillo Firing

On Tuesday, Eagles head coach Andy Reid fired Juan Castillo, the defensive coordinator.  Attentive folks will remember Castillo’s poor performance at the helm of the defense last year, his first after spending years on the offensive side of the ball.  And, last year, the Eagles D looked abysmal to start the season, but rallied to finish on something of a high note at 8-8.  Reid, coaching for his job this year, brought Castillo back, only to fire him leading into their bye week of 2012.

This decision makes about as much sense as Tyler Perry in action movies.  Castillo might not be the best DC in football, but the problems with the Eagles center on the offense.  Philly is 31^st in scoring offense this year (amazingly, the Jags are a full four points on average behind them…a new meaning of the pits) while being 7^th in points against.  In a nutshell, the defense has played its end of the bargain this season and, for my money, has been the most valuable unit for any team in the NFL.

So, why would he fire Castillo?  The only plausible explanation comes down to urgency.  There’s no better way to galvanize players who might be complacent than to fire the guy who seems to be doing his job.  In essence, Reid is putting his cards on the table, saying “no one on this team is invincible and you might be the next guy to get a pink slip.”  While that makes sense, if he wanted to send that kind of message, firing OC Marty Mornhinweg or benching Michael Vick might also do the trick.  But, looking at this objectively, losing the OC or best quarterback on your roster does nothing to help the team win.  The defense in Philly would probably play well if Paris Hilton coached them, meaning Reid took the least important coach and let him go, using scare tactics while arguably maintain the team’s chances to win.  I’m skeptical, but it’s a gamble.

Bit #3: Who to blame for Yankees?

As I said in a post this week, the Yankees bear an undue amount of attention from the sports world.  After that post, Yanks manager Joe Girardi benched A-Rod for Game 3.  Didn’t pinch hit for him, but summarily sat his butt on the pine.  His lineup card for the postponed Game 4 relegated A-Rod’s derriere back to the wooden confines while also sitting down center fielder Curtis Granderson, also immersed in a slump.

With New York swept out of the playoffs.  That’s part of the sports culture now, but this is arguably the easiest search yet.  Four hitters for the Yankees (Rodriguez, Cano, Granderson, Swisher) couldn’t hit a cantaloupe thrown by Cameron Diaz right now.  Manager Joe Girardi, for all of his mild mannerisms, has done his best to put lineups out there that can execute.  And, finally, he looks to be conceding nobody on his team will execute for him.  While the player additions ultimately track up to GM Brian Cashman, these guys played at least decently this season, so their slump should fall on them and not the higher levels of the organization.

Bit #4: More dumb NBA regulations

Of all the professional leagues, the NFL’s proportion of dumb regulations never ceases to amaze.  Everything from proper practice jerseys to sock color show up in NFL regulatory “statutes.”  Keep in mind, these regulations affect gameplay not at all.

Well, the NBA might be moving that way.  A new rule will put a 90 second time on the clock after the national anthem.  At the end of that ninety seconds, you better be ready for tip-off or else suffer a delay of game technical foul (after a warning, of course).  This new measure, born like Athena from the head of David Stern, seeks to start games on time and limit the amount of pregame rituals and handshakes before a game.

Since it’s a business, let’s consider how much money the NBA stands to gain by enacting this measure.  Anyone?  Seriously, just a dollar figure…oh, wait.  The rule will only anger players since if fans are turning the game on at tip-off they clearly expect to watch it.  So…..what’s the point?  I can’t help you there, but silly regulations like this show misplaced priorities at the Association offices in New York.  Rather than discuss the inconsistent foul calls seen every May and June in the playoffs, the NBA brass would rather go after pregame rituals, which serve to excite the fan base at the arena.

Fairly soon, will you only be able to bounce the ball three times on a foul shot?  

Bit #5: Donald Fehr…SHUT UP!

I will do my best to make this as simple as possible…the NHL offered its players a full 50/50 split of revenues this past week in an effort to have a full 2012 season.  Should the agreement be accepted by October 25 and the season begun by November 2, the NHL can still fit all 82 games.

But, NHLPA director Donald Fehr isn’t so convinced.  In a letter to players, he acknowledged the accommodations made by owners but still wants more.  According to him, the plan would result in a $1.6 billion loss in salaries for players.  While we might want to take him at face value, the truth remains that players cannot continue to expect over 55% of the hockey-related revenue if they want a season.  In addition, many players have expressed recently their concern that the NHL might not be stable from a labor perspective.  While that threat of moving abroad sounds overblown, the fact remains players grow frustrated.  Some might leave the league entirely, depriving the union of some of its more talented members.

This is the third lockout in 20 years for the NHL, so Donald Fehr needs to understand putting his players back to work will ultimately boost their happiness and leverage when the next labor dispute rolls around.  A 50/50 split not only looks fair but also represents a world of difference to previous ownership proposals.