Zachary GirsbergerWeek Ten Early Game Quick Notes
November 14th 2010 21:53
Category: No Category
Rather than focus on one game, I took advantage of the brilliantly conceived NFL RedZone Channel and figured some notes were in order.
First of all I have to turn to the Texans at Jaguars (Jags win 31-24) and have to give some props to one of my favorite columnists, ESPN’s Bill Simmons, calling the way the game would go (see here) As soon as Gerrard lined up to throw the Hail Mary I thought, “Didn’t we learn early in the year that it is better just to move on to the next half or overtime?” Well the answer to that is obviously not. The Texan’s Quin did exactly what he was supposed to do, knock the ball down, but the Jag’s Thomas was right there to catch the deflected pass. Gus Johnson declared it the play of the year and I can’t say I disagree.
Speaking of great finishes, we almost had another in Indianapolis after Cincinnati’s brilliant call on the change of direction onside kick. Nugent executed it perfectly, Cincy recovered, and got bonus yards as Indy’s Garcon took off his helmet in frustration in the ensuing scrum. Unfortunately, Nugent got literally carried off the field by two teammates with an injury (a comical scene injury notwithstanding) and on the drive Cincy lost the ball on a fumble, leading to a 23-17 win for the Colts.
The Bills got their first win (14-12), a well-deserved win after playing so well the past few weeks, and thus the Lions have broken their own record for road-futility. I still think the Lions are better than their record, and with the way the Vikings played today (see next paragraph), the Lions have a shot at third place in their division.
Can you explain how the Bears have the same record as the Ravens, Colts, and either the Steelers or the Pats? Not to knock Chicago, but their play this season has been less-than-inspired, and the additions this offseason. Favre threw his fifteenth interception and the Bears capitalized on some favorable field position and won 27-13, leading to what could be the end of the line for Chilly in Minnesota.
Tampa also improved to 6-3 after their 31-16 win against the Panthers thanks to their youth movement. With a young future star in Josh Freeman and a set of rookies in Benn, Williams, and Blount, the Bucs have been another pleasant surprise this season. I am not sold on their playoff aspirations as of yet because of the parity in the NFC and the nature of their division (well, save the Panthers), but if they don’t make a run, this season thus far has been nothing to be ashamed of.
In the uninspired debut of Moss as a Titan, the Dolphins took the game 29-17 and Moss had only one catch late in the game for twenty-six yards. The Dolphins managed to win with four different players taking snaps at QB (both Chads, Brown, and Thigpen) and Marshall also throwing a pass on a reverse. I think the Dolphins look like an 8-8 team and unless the Titans get their kinks worked out at QB, they will suffer a similar fate.
In the last game to finish, the Jets at Browns, we had our first real shot at a tie, yet the Jets won in the last twenty seconds (26-20) with a TD pass to Holmes. I was impressed by both quarterbacks in the game, but more so with Colt McCoy. McCoy went to Cleveland after drafted below where he was expected, thrust into the starting lineup with injuries to Wallace and Delhomme, and over the past four games have led the Browns to a 2-2 record against top ten teams in the league, with today’s game going to the final seconds. Sanchez also impressed me with his leadership, not only in leading the game-winning drive (of one play) but also in the first quarter when he restrained Braylon Edwards in a fight.
First of all I have to turn to the Texans at Jaguars (Jags win 31-24) and have to give some props to one of my favorite columnists, ESPN’s Bill Simmons, calling the way the game would go (see here) As soon as Gerrard lined up to throw the Hail Mary I thought, “Didn’t we learn early in the year that it is better just to move on to the next half or overtime?” Well the answer to that is obviously not. The Texan’s Quin did exactly what he was supposed to do, knock the ball down, but the Jag’s Thomas was right there to catch the deflected pass. Gus Johnson declared it the play of the year and I can’t say I disagree.
Speaking of great finishes, we almost had another in Indianapolis after Cincinnati’s brilliant call on the change of direction onside kick. Nugent executed it perfectly, Cincy recovered, and got bonus yards as Indy’s Garcon took off his helmet in frustration in the ensuing scrum. Unfortunately, Nugent got literally carried off the field by two teammates with an injury (a comical scene injury notwithstanding) and on the drive Cincy lost the ball on a fumble, leading to a 23-17 win for the Colts.
The Bills got their first win (14-12), a well-deserved win after playing so well the past few weeks, and thus the Lions have broken their own record for road-futility. I still think the Lions are better than their record, and with the way the Vikings played today (see next paragraph), the Lions have a shot at third place in their division.
Can you explain how the Bears have the same record as the Ravens, Colts, and either the Steelers or the Pats? Not to knock Chicago, but their play this season has been less-than-inspired, and the additions this offseason. Favre threw his fifteenth interception and the Bears capitalized on some favorable field position and won 27-13, leading to what could be the end of the line for Chilly in Minnesota.
Tampa also improved to 6-3 after their 31-16 win against the Panthers thanks to their youth movement. With a young future star in Josh Freeman and a set of rookies in Benn, Williams, and Blount, the Bucs have been another pleasant surprise this season. I am not sold on their playoff aspirations as of yet because of the parity in the NFC and the nature of their division (well, save the Panthers), but if they don’t make a run, this season thus far has been nothing to be ashamed of.
In the uninspired debut of Moss as a Titan, the Dolphins took the game 29-17 and Moss had only one catch late in the game for twenty-six yards. The Dolphins managed to win with four different players taking snaps at QB (both Chads, Brown, and Thigpen) and Marshall also throwing a pass on a reverse. I think the Dolphins look like an 8-8 team and unless the Titans get their kinks worked out at QB, they will suffer a similar fate.
In the last game to finish, the Jets at Browns, we had our first real shot at a tie, yet the Jets won in the last twenty seconds (26-20) with a TD pass to Holmes. I was impressed by both quarterbacks in the game, but more so with Colt McCoy. McCoy went to Cleveland after drafted below where he was expected, thrust into the starting lineup with injuries to Wallace and Delhomme, and over the past four games have led the Browns to a 2-2 record against top ten teams in the league, with today’s game going to the final seconds. Sanchez also impressed me with his leadership, not only in leading the game-winning drive (of one play) but also in the first quarter when he restrained Braylon Edwards in a fight.
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