Every Monday, our very own DLamp will be taking a look at what just happened the day before in the NFL, and looking ahead to the Monday night game(s).
What a great Sunday of NFL games this week! There were upsets, teams getting their first wins, and last second victories. Sometimes all three in the same game! As I sat on my couch watching the end of the early games, I just kept jumping up and shouting expletives as Fox and CBS kept cutting to different games that were ending in high drama fashion. This is why the NFL kicks the crap out of every other sport on the planet. No one can compete with the ADD-like level of entertainment.
Is Drew Brees a Robot?
Most likely. I had the pleasure of live-blogging the Saints/Raiders game yesterday, and watching Brees throw was like watching a master artisan. Every pass was perfect (nearly), ever decision the right one (totally), and every opportunity taken advantage of (even if the “THIS. IS. NEW ORLEANS!” thing before the game is lame as hell). People forget about Brees a lot with all this Manning and Brady business, but he is still one of the best in the game. And he’s doing all this (including pacing himself to shatter Marino’s most yards in a season record) with two of his best weapons (Colston and Shockey) out with injuries. Incredible.
Are the Patriots Finished?
Never bet against a snake like Belichick. At 3-2 they are only a game behind division leader Buffalo, and it is still very early in the season. But it will be a struggle. Yes, Cassell isn’t nearly as good as Brady, with the biggest drop-off coming from Randy Moss’ production (or lack thereof). Yes, the running game is a mess (wasn’t Maroney a first round pick?). But the real culprit is the defense, which has looked old and slow for a while now. Teams are starting to realize that you can really abuse some of these DBs and LBs that the Pats trot out there week after week. Belichick has always been thought of as a great defensive schemer, but he’d better work up something pretty magical or teams are going to continue to throw all over them.
What Happened to Baltimore?
Looks like they woke up from that dream. We knew this defense wasn’t getting in younger, and that it would start to break down as the season wore on, but already? I thought it would take until at least week 10 before teams started dropping 30-plus points a week on them. This is a team that cannot afford to get behind early, because they don’t have the firepower to compete in a shootout. And with Manning hitting MarHar and Wayne for deep passes early on, you just knew that the Ravens were toast.
Bigger win: St. Louis or Houston?
St. Louis all the way. They were a team people were talking about as “the worst in the league” and “may not win a game” and they stuck to a team that experts were touting as “playoff bound”. The Texans have lost a couple close ones, but you could see that they would be able to turn it around eventually. Although, you really have to give credit to that coaching staff for that QB draw call on the winning TD.
Remember When Seattle Was in the Super Bowl?
Yeah, me neither…
Fantasy Question of the Week
Is Bernard Berrian for real? Like, for really reals?
I’m not entirely sold yet. His two “break-out” games came against two very suspect DEFs (Detroit and NO). I’d like to see him (and all the Vikings offense, for that matter) do well against a good defense before I move Berrian into the ‘must start’ portion of my fantasy database.
Un-Perfect Season Watch ‘08!
Still un-un-beaten: Cincinnati, Detroit
Monday Night Sneak (Preview) Attack
NY Giants @ Cleveland – I need Plaxico Burress to have a big game for me to win my fantasy match-up this weekend (thank you very much, Joe Joe Addai!) so I’m picking his team. Or should I pick against them to not jinx them?! Aw crap I’ve probably already screwed myself (editor’s note: heh!) by thinking about it so much. So since I’ve over thought it, I’m going back to my original prediction of the Giants to win, thereby negating any bad mojo. Right? Crap…
2008 Sneak Attack record: 4-2
Disclosure: I am a ViQueens fan, but Berrian is for real fantasy wise. Vikes offense is not good, but in their minds they need the pass to open up the run – in my mind, they need to abandon the west coast offense and zone blocking and go back to a vertical approach – so he will get a lot of looks and he has the hands and the speed to make enough plays also the so called break out coincides more or less with the QB change. If it is a TD fantasy scoring system, sadly he is not for realz due to the team’s offensive ineptitude.
Nice jab at Toque’s SeaChickens.
Fall apart, might as well.
I hope I beat you this week.
“Why do you close your eyes when we make love!?”