The Crystal Ball 2012 Week 4

FINALLY! The replacement referees blew a call that decided a game! I'm sorry it came at the expense of Green Bay, but someone had to be the catalyst for change. With the public in an uproar, Roger Goodell came to his senses, the NFL capitulated and the real referees have returned to professional football. Now we can get back to our normal regimen, watching NFL games and complaining about the bad calls made by capable officials.

Opening Kickoff

The NHL players and owners had best get their act together and settle their lockout now. Because in case they haven't noticed, people cared much more about NFL referees being locked out than an entire sports league.

The Way It Was

Green Bay got robbed! Ok, that was obvious. But if everyone was paying attention, there were two things that could have avoided the entire fiasco, other than you know competent officiating. One, Green Bay's offensive line got schooled, and if they had only given up half the sacks they did, the Pack might have been far enough ahead to negate the final finish. And two, what did you learn M.D. Jennings? that's right, just knock the ball away.

Good for the regular referees for sticking to their guns and banking on the replacements screwing up royally. Now the regular referees have what is no doubt the best part time job anywhere. Well, except for maybe summertime ride tester for amusement parks.

Ok, Seattle fans you won a game on a call far more egregious and wrong than all the questionable calls in Super Bowl XL combined. Will you now shut up about getting "jobbed" in the Super Bowl?

The Jets lost Darrelle Revis for the season. Well, now Rex Ryan has his excuse for when things fall apart.

The walking wounded did not stop at Revis. Chiefs running back Dexter McCluster left the game against the Saints after bending his elbow backward in a gruesome injury. Texans quarterback got hit so hard, it tore off a chunk of his ear. And then there's Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Heyward-Bey got leveled by Steelers safety Ryan Mundy on a helmet to helmet collision that left Heyward-Bey unconscious and carted off the field. Mundy was fined for the hit, but not flagged, and Heyward-Bey is now just trying to put the pieces back together in his brain.

With the Raiders so short at wide receiver now, how long do you think it will be until the return of Ochocinco?

For those who missed it the first time, the Titans put on a reenactment of the Music City Miracle.

Unsurprisingly, the Buccaneers pulled the same stupid victory formation stunt. Hey guys, have you ever wondered why you don't have a victory formation?

Wait, did I really see that? The Kevin Kolb led Arizona Cardinals are undefeated and leading the NFC West? I wonder if that's a sign of the apocalypse.

Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin took a shot at icing the kicker, except his charges blocked the kick. On the redo, the kick was true and the Jets walked away with the victory. Sometimes you win sometimes you lose.

Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith took the field Sunday night with a heavy heart, having lost his younger brother in a motorcycle accident not 24 hours before. I know it's human nature to immerse yourself in routine when trying to cope with tragedy. But I'm still amazed at what Smith did, especially since before the game, he looked as though we were going to completely fall apart.

The Steel Pit

Steelers 31 - Raiders 34

What just happened?

You know that moment in every game where you realize that no matter what may happen from this point out, the conclusion is inevitable? Yeah, I got that feeling at halftime when Pittsburgh was only leading by 3 after dominating the first half.

Darren McFadden had a field day against the Steeler defense, just tearing right through them. He picked up chunks of yardage on the ground in large swaths, while Carson Palmer did the same through the air. At the end of the 3rd quarter and into the 4th, the raiders cruised down the field and picked up almost 60 yards in 4 plays.

Oakland converted every 3rd down conversion in the second half, after going 1-16 on third down conversions stretching from the Dolphins game through the first two quarters against Pittsburgh.

The Steeler offense did a great job, but when the defense gives up points on every single second half drive, how much more can the offense do? Roethlisberger can't play linebacker, Mike Wallace can't play cornerback. Although I'd prefer if Antonio Brown would leave those last few yards on the table and perhaps just concentrate on ball security.

Every concern I had going into the game, the questionable run defense, suspect secondary lack of quarterback pressure, was on display for the entire world to see. It didn't help that the offense blew a few timeouts in the first half with some confusion. Timeouts that could have been used on defense when Oakland was running a no huddle offense and strafing Pittsburgh and Casey Hampton's fat can was stuck on the field and getting manhandled.

The game reminded me of last year's debacle in Houston, when Arian Foster tore through the Steeler defense. In that game, Houston's offensive line pushed around Aaron Smith, humiliating the once great defensive stalwart. Smith was eventually injured in that game and never played again. In the Raiders game, the Oakland offensive line manhandled Casey Hampton, exposing him as one of the weakest links on defense. In his glory days, Hampton could tie up two blockers himself and still not be moved. Now, it only takes one lineman to push Casey around. I hope LeBeau noticed this, and starts giving more playing time to Steve McClendon, otherwise the defense will not improve.

I was lamenting the fact that Pittsburgh's bye week came so early in the season. Now I'm thinking it could not have come soon enough. We desperately need to regroup and fast, or this season will hit the skids before Halloween.

Well, at least I can take comfort in two things. The Ravens defense looks as suspect as Pittsburgh's and the Patriots are 1-2 as well. Nope, no comfort there.

Only In Faux NFL Reality…

Brett Favre opened the door to a possible reconciliation with the Packers. I hope he knows they're not in the market for a quarterback.

Randy Moss is now questioning how much playing time he's getting with San Francisco. Ok, who had Week 3 for when Moss would start sowing discord and discontent?

Titans running back Chris Johnson feels his very poor start to the season is due to poor blocking. Chris, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders often played on poor teams, yet they managed to be two of the best runners in NFL history. I think the real problem is a talent deficiency.

The NFL warned coaches about intimidating the replacement officials before the debacle of Week 3. I guess they had to end the lockout, there's a good chance if it lasted the NFL might have had to start it's own anti-bullying campaign.

Replacement referee Craig Ochoa now has the distinction of being let go by both the Lingerie Football League and the NFL. And what have you done with your life you lazy slacker?

Upon Further Review

When Seattle walked off the field Monday night as winners after a heavily disputed contest, the public outcry for the return of the regular referees reached critical mass. Social media exploded into a rage fueled tidal wave bent on sweeping Roger Goodell and the NFL deep out to sea. Fans, players, team personnel, heck everybody became incensed over the controversial ending of the game. The resulting backlash left the NFL with no choice but to settle with the NFLRA and bring a return of the regular officials.

With so many fans in such an uproar, there has been some questioning and commentary regarding the public reaction. It has been openly wondered how people can get so passionate and worked up regarding the labor strife of an entertainment organization when we should have that same kind of reaction and passion applied to issues and subjects of far more importance, such as war, the current presidential race, joblessness and poverty. But I say the reaction was correct and warranted.

I do not believe people care more about an entertainment venture such as football and less about politics or world issues. Nor do I believe people give a real damn regarding the monetary demands of some part time workers. What they do care about is that a few stubborn fools were screwing around with their escapism.

Everyday life is tough. Just looking after the concerns of finding and keeping a job, providing food and shelter for your family, making sure your loved ones are healthy and a thousand other little things that pass through our radar everyday takes a toll on our minds, souls, patience and sanity. Add in the stressors of the world at large, and there are a multitude of those, well then you begin to see how an escape is needed.

For many, football is their escape, just as television, film, theater, activities, reading or many other forms of pleasure are to other people. Football allows fans to watch controlled violence wrapped in a chess match as a way to let off steam and forget their worries and problems for three hours.

Fans enjoy football, and sports in general, because they're unscripted, unpredictable and undecided. Each team has a chance to win no matter the circumstances. But the officiating quagmire created by the lockout added a level of unpredictability. No matter how well your team may have played, one incompetent official could blow the whole thing. The replacement referees and their inability to perform even adequately shattered the illusion of any given Sunday.

Life is tough and we need an escape every now an again. As fans we love the sport and all the side action of pools, fantasy, gambling and even just playing armchair quarterback. When someone screws with the ability to enjoy some entertainment without having to worry about everyday problems of course people lost their minds. And when Goodell realized he might be facing a country wide riot, he put down his pride, picked up the phone and in two days knocked out a deal.

Yes it may seem ridiculous to put so much stock in one entertainment venue, and yes it may seem ludicrous to take a form of escapism so seriously as to voraciously complain when a few people have what amounts to a bad day at the office. But when you look at all the other troubles we face thanks to a few people having bad days at the office, such as the recession, the collapse of the financial sector and the automotive industry, political infighting and worldwide strife of which we have no control over no matter how hard we protest, it's nice that for once we have a say in something and have a modicum of power and control. Even if it's just helping some part time employees getting a pay raise.

He Said He Said

"You know what we're here for! Revenge! It's a meal best served cold!'' - Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis before their game against the Patriots

Actually Ray Ray, its a dish, and unless you now go directly to the Super Bowl, it's not really revenge.

"Bullshit!" - Ravens fans chant heard on the television broadcast during a particularly egregious set of bad calls during the Patriots/Ravens collision

You stay classy, Baltimore

"Insecurity drives me. I don't want to go back to Needham. I don't want to be the man in the frozen-foods section of the grocery store, the guy who, 10 seconds after I pass by with my peas, people whisper, 'That guy used to be the GM of the New York Jets.' '' - Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum

Mike, memorize this phrase. Do you want fries with that.

"I don't remember any of it." - Raiders wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey on the vicious hit that left him severely concussed

I'm just glad Heyward-Bey is up and talking. After watching that hit, I thought he might be dead.

“Any player/coach in Seattle that really thinks they won that game has zero integrity as a man and should be embarrassed.” - Packers guard T.J. Lang in a series of Tweets following the Packers loss to the Seahawks

T.J., if you really think you provided Rodgers proper protection and a legitimate chance to win the game, then you have zero clue and had better be embarrassed.

"I intended to go all along. I wasn't going to punt the football to them. We hadn't stopped them enough in the second half to do that. It was inside of one. If you can't get inside of one you deserve to lose games. I won't hesitate to do that." - Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin when asked about going for it on 4th down in the 4th quarter deep within the team's territory

Thankfully, Tomlin at least recognizes his defense is for crap.

"Our sport is generated, the multi-billion dollar machine is generated, by people coming to watch us play. And the product that is on the field is not being complemented by an appropriate set of officials. The games are getting out of control.'' - Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers

Finally someone said it!

Idiot of the Week

Of course the obvious winner is Roger Goodell, for letting the referee situation get to the point where incompetent officiating decided a game. But with bestowing of this award, I would like to take a moment to point out how Goodell is no run of the mill idiot, but an evil genius to boot.

First, by allowing the referee situation to spiral to the edge of no return, Goodell has managed to take focus and pressure off of every other issue facing the NFL. Concussions? When's the last time you heard anyone banging that drum? Darius Heyward-Bey had to be carted off the field in Oakland because of a helmet to helmet hit. No one talked about the concussion, just that the referees missed the obvious penalty.

Everyone has completely ignored the concussion issue, the lawsuits against the NFL by former players, the dangerous hits and Goodell's shocking lack of mandates for better equipment. The sole focus of the public was placed on the return of the referees. Now that they have returned, everyone will spend the first few weeks in such a state of bliss, the concussion issue may be ignored completely through Thanksgiving.

Hell Baltimore fans, who were chanting bullshit on Sunday night, were so happy the real referees had returned on Thursday night gave the real referees a standing ovation. And the real referees hadn't even looked the other way as Ngata punched Roethlisberger in the face. You think they were thinking about concussions?

Goodell also made the real referees jobs so much easier. Every game, every week of every season, everyone always gripes about a few bad calls. But now, after fans have seen a staggering level of incompetence, most people will let the usual bad call or missed call slide. The real referees now have a built in mulligan for the remainder of the season.

And perhaps most importantly for all fans, now every fan base has an excuse if their team sucks. Did your team finish terribly? It must have been because they got jobbed the first three weeks of the season. Did your team miss the playoffs? Well they would have made it, and probably won the Super Bowl, if the replacement referees hadn't stolen games from them at the beginning of the season.

Roger Goodell may be an idiot, and of that I have no doubt, but he's also a diabolically evil genius.

On Tap This Week

Wha, bah, da, ca...

Last week: 3-12

Thursday: 1-0

Season to Date: 22-27

By Monday night I was openly rooting for Green Bay to lose just so the week would crater epically. Thankfully, they did, and in such a way that everyone got their panties in such a bunch about the replacement referees that Goodell finally got off his duff and did something about the situation. I was hoping for that level of furor after Week 1, but I'll take it.

At least there's not too much further I can sink at this point. Nowhere to go but up. Right? Yeesh, let's just get through this and see what happens.

Sitting at home dreaming of the glory days….

Indianapolis, Pittsburgh

Sunday

San Diego (2-1) at Kansas City (1-2)

Consider me less than thrilled at the concept of picking either of these teams. Home team wins the stinker picker.

Chiefs over Chargers

San Francisco (2-1) at New York Jets (2-1)

I have more confidence in San Francisco traveling across the country and winning than Mark Sanchez lighting it up against the 49er defense. Plus, Randy Moss hasn't raised a big enough stink yet to become a team distraction. But it's coming.

49ers over Jets

Carolina (1-2) at Atlanta (3-0)

Cam Newton has returned to earth and Atlanta has shown that it's the regular season, so their world beaters.

Falcons over Panthers

Tennessee (1-2) at Houston (3-0)

Ooooh, old Houston versus new Houston grudge match. Yes, let's not get too worked up just because Tennessee beat the vaunted Lions last week. But do you think they're going to get 12 free yards on a penalty call and three return touchdowns again this week? I don't.

Texans over Titans

Seattle (2-1) at St. Louis (1-2)

Seattle has a darned good defense going on. But their offense is limited due to their rookie quarterback. And karma will eventually get them back for their "win" last week. But not this week.

Seahawks over Rams

New England (1-2) at Buffalo (2-1)

Wait, Buffalo is 2-1 and New England is only 1-2? Huh. I bet this doesn't last.

Patriots over Bills

Minnesota (2-1) at Detroit (1-2)

I'm gonna go with the ticked off Detroit team playing at home.

Lions over Vikings

Miami (1-2) at Arizona (3-0)

Wow, you think people will start calling Arizona a juggernaut after this game?

Cardinals over Dolphins

Oakland (1-2) at Denver (1-2)

I think Peyton Manning finds a way to not be embarrassed by losing to an Oakland team short on cornerbacks and wide receivers. Grrrrr.

Broncos over Raiders

Cincinnati (2-1) at Jacksonville (1-2)

This week's winner for the just slightly more entertaining than watching paint dry.

Bengals over Jaguars

New Orleans (0-3) at Green Bay (1-2)

Can you believe these teams are a combined 1-5? You think Green Bay will be ticked off?

Packers over Saints

Washington (1-2) at Tampa Bay (1-2)

Considering Washington's pass defense, Tampa Bay's offense may finally take off.

Buccaneers over Redskins

New York Giants (2-1) at Philadelphia (2-1)

The common thought is that Andy Reid gave Michael Vick a chance and an opportunity to pull his life together. After watching the first few weeks of this season, I'm now convinced that was a sham and Andy Reid is trying injure Vick on a weekly basis considering his offensive protection schemes.

Giants over Eagles

Monday

Chicago (2-1) at Dallas (2-1)

It's high time Dallas had that breakout game that got people talking about their playoff chances. You know before their inevitable December collapse.

Cowboys over Bears

Thursday

Arizona at St. Louis

Oh man, you got me. How about we just say, it's time for the Arizona bubble to burst. Sure, that sounds good.

Rams over Cardinals

The Crystal Ball 2012 Week 3

Just about every team slated to be fitted for Super Bowl rings after Week 1 lost in Week 2. Conversely, almost every team left for dead after Week 1 kicked butt in Week 2. What have we learned? The first month of every NFL season is rife with overreaction. Just wait until after this weekend.

Opening Kickoff

If Warren Sapp can have a segment on NFL Total Access called Sapp's Dapp (you got me what that means), then shouldn't Dennis Green get one called Denny's Crowning Moment?

The Way It Was

The Chargers honored the late Junior Seau before their home opener last week. It was a nice, touching and bittersweet ceremony. I hope we don't see more like his in the future.

RGIII lost his first game as a professional, and the Redskin defense lost Brian Orakpo and Adam Carriker for the season. Does this mean I won't be subjected to anymore of Brian's lame Geico commercials?

Tampa Bay had the champs on the ropes several times, but couldn't seal the deal. Of course then they showed bad sportsmanship by going full speed during New York's end of game kneel down. Yes, I know there's no rule against it, but it's disrespectful. And more importantly, show me once instance of a turnover occurring by blasting a team in victory formation. Just show me one then I'll buy Schiano's lame explanation.

Hey, Philadelphia, thank you! I mean that sincerely. Two weeks, two wins by 1 point over two AFC North teams. Call me pleased.

Wow, the Browns showed some life. I guess not getting caught under the flag helps Weeden's concentration.

Looks like we're in store for another season of trying to figure out which Bills team will show up each week.

I amend what I said last week. Bills fans, you have a shot. Chiefs fans, go ahead and schedule vacation plans for early February.

What did Miami just do? Oh wait, I keep forgetting Oakland is awful. Sorry, I got confused.

I wonder if Tom Brady was distracted by his injured nose. Although you couldn't tell he was even injured. He must have gone home everyday last week and just slathered on the handsome sauce.

Fun fact, the last time the Patriots lost a home opener was 2001, in the same game that ended the Drew Bledsoe era and ushered in the Tom Brady era. Could this mark an official changing of the guard in AFC powerhouse teams? If the Pats keep losing to the likes of Kevin Kolb it will.

The Steel Pit

Steelers 27 - Jets 10

Well, so much for that juggernaut Jet offense. Not even Tebow could save them this time. Although I'm pleased the Steelers sent New York fans on the path to demanding Tebow be named the starter. This should be fun.

It does not need to be said, but the officials were awful in this game. Pittsburgh got away with a Redman fumble, even though he was down by contact 8 yards earlier. And the Jets got away with a pass interference call on Ike Taylor when Taylor never even touched the receiver. Plus, for a stretch at the beginning of the 4th quarter there was a flag on almost every single play. And on each flag, we had to have a full on conference to discuss the infraction. The pace of the game just dragged on. I'd be willing to accept this slow pace if they got the calls right, but most of the time they were far off the mark.

Despite the win, more than a few things bothered me. The run defense is lacking, the corner play can be exploited and the running game is atrocious. I for one think it's time to give Jonathan Dwyer a crack at starting. Isaac Redman, while excellent in short yardage, goal line and pass blocking, is not a starting running back. Dwyer at least hits the hole, give him a shot.

Ok, enough complaining a win is good no matter how it comes. And a win means.....

Win Watch: Ok, not terribly creative, cut me some slack. With the Steelers victory, the team's overall total victory total stands at 592, 8 shy of 600. I say we're there by Thanksgiving, although I may be biased. But hey, we have another record to track.

Ben Bonus: Better? Eh. Let's move on. Roethlisberger currently has 27,099 career passing yards He needs only 800 yards to pass Terry Bradshaw for the all time team record. He could play 5 years more after this at an elite level. I can't imagine what the record will be when he retires. At the moment, we'll concentrate on this record, which should be surpassed in 2-3 games realistically.

Only In Faux NFL Reality…

Falcons running back Michael Turner was arrested hours after the team's victory over Denver for DUI. Seriously? Come on guys, quit acting like morons. Call a cab!

Charlie Daniels tweeted criticism of the referees over the weekend Two questions come to mind. One, will he get fired from the opening of MNF for his comments like Hank Williams Jr, and who knew Charlie Daniels even knew how to use Twitter?

The Patriots became the latest team to install Wi-Fi in their stadium. Yep, that's just what we need something to give fans in attendance another reason to not pay attention and instantly complain. What happened to just watching the game?

DJ Moore called out teammate Jay Cutler for his ridiculous antics and crappy play. Guys, settle down; it's a little early in the season for team in fighting. Save that for November.

Chad Johnson has been put on probation for his domestic battery case involving his soon to be ex-wife. Chad, I'm urging you, go back to being Ochocinco. This stuff never happened when you were Ochocinco.

ESPN ranked the best athletes to appear on Dancing With The Stars. And no, I'm not surprised that Hines Ward was ranked number one.

Vince Young is out of work. No NFL team has called him for a job since he was cut in the preseason by the Buffalo Bills. And now, he's broke. Young is suing his former financial handlers for bilking him out of money. Young, in his short NFL career, has managed to make and lose $26 million.

I have to ask, does this sound like a case of athletics over academics? Because it sure seems that way to me. Sadly, Young's story is not new or unique, for an example see JaMarcus Russell. This is the unfortunate result of giving young men too much money, fame, responsibility and expectations at too young an age with not enough guidance and support behind them.

I wonder if of all the people who made money off of Vince Young's athletic gifts, The University of Texas, The Tennessee Titans, The Rose Bowl, the NCAA, the BCS and the NFL, one of those organizations or individuals involved with them will step in and help Young pull his life together. They happily were there when he could help them. Will any of them be there when he could use their help? Something tells me Vince will become yet another sad statistic.

Upon Further Review

NFL Films president Steve Sabol died last week at the age of 69 of brain cancer. Sabol's passing casts a shadow over the NFL this weekend as Sabol's death marks the passing of a true giant of the NFL.

When Steve's father Ed created NFL Films in 1962 and hired Steve, professional football was still trailing baseball as America's favorite past time. However, before the small company father and son built was 20 years old, the NFL passed MLB and has never looked back. The Sabols are directly responsible for this.

Steve used his endless energy and overwhelming creativity to craft films that showed the splendor, drama and grandeur of football. Steve's innovations, such as an orchestral score, dramatic voice over, slow motion filming, rapid paced cuts, elements of sports videography we take for granted today, completely changed peoples perceptions of the NFL and professional football. He turned men playing a game for a living into larger than life athletes locked in epic battles of survival. He created a mythology around great players, portraying them with the proper filmic elements as gods amongst mortals. He showed fans new ways to look at a simple game and new perspectives of how to view the participants.

Sabol did not just film football games or edit together a montage of plays or game summaries. He created grand short films, applying the type of cinematic treatment reserved for the epic stories found in the legends of mythology and Greek and Roman immortals. Every element of his films were crafted with the care and passion of a man who loved his profession and subject matter with incredible zest.

I cannot put too fine a point on it. If it weren't for Steve Sabol and his creativity and innovations, the NFL would never have enjoyed the success and popularity it now takes for granted. Steve's contributions to growing the popularity and mythology of football are immeasurable.

Most fans owe their love of football and of the NFL to Steve Sabol, myself included. I remember being young and loving to watch NFL Films specials, everything from weekly highlights and team specials to the goofy and funny blooper episodes. I loved hearing the booming voice of John Facenda and hearing the orchestral strains of the music that accompanied each piece. To this day before and during each season, I immerse myself with the strains of Autumn Thunder, the Music of NFL Films. Actually I listen to it all year round, whenever I feel the desire to be inspired and driven toward accomplishing something great. The music, just one element of Steve's work, holds such a lasting impact upon me that I think it shows the far reaching effects of Steve's amazing work. That is a true legacy.

Last year Ed Sabol was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I believe Steve will be there one day too and we can immerse ourselves once again in the wonders of his work. Until then, rest in peace Steve, I'll play "Drive to Glory" just for you.

Personal Foul, Excessive Stupidity

Players got into scrums during the Ravens/Eagles game and the Broncos/Falcons game. A side judge was pulled from the Saints/Panthers game for being a Saints fan. An official told Eagle LeSean McCoy he needed him for his fantasy football team. Defensive backs are openly holding and interfering with receivers and linemen are scuffling with each other to see how much they can get away with. NFL games are turning into Thunderdome.

The replacement officials have lost control.

Now, the replacement officials did make a few correct calls last week and still took heat. Jim Harbaugh berated an official when Harbaugh didn't know the proper down. Harbaugh was wrong. John Fox screamed at an official for a 12 men on the field penalty. Fox was wrong. Unfortunately, these examples are few and far between.

Mind you, I do not blame the replacement officials; it's not their fault. They're doing the best they can in an unwinnable situation. The problem is, their best is not Pro Football quality, and in some cases they may never be.

Now, I'm not looking at this through rose colored glasses. The real officials miss stuff all the time. That's a favorite past time of armchair quarterbacks during every NFL season, complaining about officiating errors. However, the real officials have earned the respect of the players and coaches. They carry the gravitas to maintain control of the focused violence of an NFL game.

Right now, the NFL is like a well behaved class of 5th graders turning into a wild animal park when the substitute teacher comes in. They know they can get away with something, so they're gonna do it. Welcome to the 2012 NFL.

Roger Goodell and his cohorts felt good after Week 1 when nothing catastrophic occurred. But he can't feel good now. Public ire has grown exponentially. It's only a matter of time before a blown call decides a game.

More importantly, the longer Goodell remains a stubborn fool, the less traction and believability his "player safety" initiative gets. Already I've seen players laying questionable hits knowing the referees will probably miss it. Hey Roger, are you waiting for someone to get seriously hurt before you back down?

if I were real referees, I'd keep standing firm. With each week this continues to be a growing embarrassment to the NFL and Goodell personally, and eventually he's going to have to accept defeat at the hands of the NFLRA, or the public and the former players suing the league. My guess is Goodell is smart enough to pick which battle to lose in order to win a war. Come on Roger, it's time to reinstate the regular teachers, before the classroom is trashed beyond repair.

He Said He Said

“It would affect me if a guy came in and lowered the boom on me like that. I think when quarterbacks start getting hit, they’re different people. That’s why they play quarterback.” - Steelers safety Ryan Clark on teammate Lawrence Timmons' hit on Mark Sanchez

Was that a dig on quarterbacks? I think so.

"I feel the legitimacy of the NFL is at stake." - Si.com's Peter King on the NFL officiating situation

I couldn't agree more. I just wish Heir Goodell saw it the same way.

“When we’re not doing the little things or things the right way consistently, I’m going to say something. If they want a quarterback that doesn’t care, they can get someone else.” - Bears quarterback Jay Cutler

From his actions it appears to me like Cutler is the one who doesn't care. Hey Jay, how's the knee?

"They talk about the integrity of the game, and I think this is along those lines. The fact that we don't have the normal guys out there is pretty crazy.'' - Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco on the replacement officials

Yikes, that's the second Raven I've agreed with this season. What is going on around here?

''I think us not converting on third down was a big hit today. We weren't our best. The throws weren't there at times. The catches weren't there at times, so we just need to be on the same page with that." - Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez

I can't wait to hear what he has to say when the season starts going into the tank and he's holding off Tebow for his job

"I bought a pair of Uggs, to be just like him." -- Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, on Tom Brady

(sung) I want to be like Tom!

"I don't know if that's not something that's done in the National Football League, but what I do with our football team is we fight until they tell us the game is over. .....We're not going to quit. That's just the way I coach and teach our players. Some people were upset about it. I don't have any hesitation. That's the way we play: clean, hard football until they tell us the game is over."

-- Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano, on his players crashing the Giants victory formation

Greg, I have one word for you. Karma. Remember that word and your little speech when a superior team later this season does not play as sportsmen and mercilessly runs up the score on you. Because I guarantee after your little performance, it will happen.

"I said as I walked up, 'Hey we're taking a knee' but obviously they were down and ready and had a feeling they were about to fire off. There's nothing I can really do about it. I have to make sure I get the snap and the only thing I'm worried about right there is securing the ball and making sure we get the win." - Giants quarterback Eli Manning

See kids, it's called sportsmanship.

"We are not journalists but romanticists. Renoir would never have painted an execution. He left that to Goya." - NFL films president Steve Sabol

That says it all. Thank you Steve.

Idiot of the Week

My goodness, I love it when people just line up to be crowned idiot. It's like it's my birthday or Christmas!

Well this week our nominees include:

Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano and his "play to the whistle" mentality which means go full speed on a victory formation. Bad sportsmanship for sure, but too easy.

The replacement referees: Way too easy

Warren Sapp: For the second week in a row, Sapp made a ridiculous prediction that failed miserably. This week, he predicted Tom Brady would throw for over 500 yards against the Cardinals defense. Wrong. I'd love to give him the award, but I may just start a new segment called Sapp's Derp for his horrible predictions.

This week, we give the award to Redskins wide receiver Josh Morgan. Morgan, with his team down by 3 points holding no timeouts in the waning seconds of the 4th quarter, turned a 4th and 1 situation within field goal territory into a 4th and 16 by drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for throwing the ball at Rams defensive back Cortland Finnegan. Morgan's boneheaded move turned a 47 yard field goal attempt, long but possible, into a 62 yard desperation attempt that predictably missed badly. This cost the Redskins a chance to tie the game and sent the team home with their first loss.

I can understand that Morgan was frustrated with Finnegan. Finnegan has made a career out of frustrating wide receivers. However, you have to maintain your composure no matter the situation. Defensive players are paid well to frustrate offensive players, that's their job. If Morgan wants to become a top flight performer at his chosen profession, he must learn to do a better job at harnessing his emotions.

This week he didn't. And for that, drawing a dumb penalty and costing his team a chance to win the game, I dub him Idiot.

An alternate idiot award goes to the terrible people who call themselves fans who have been threatening Morgan and his family because of his gaffe. Look people, Morgan made a mistake and hopefully he will learn from it. Yes, I'm poking some fun at him because of it, but I wish him no ill will. If anything, I hope the strife he faces from this situation helps him grow as a professional. The world of sports is rife with stories of athletes facing adversity on the field of play only to grow from the experience and emerge later as a champion. That's the prototypical feel good sports story. We as the viewing public eat that up. I hope Morgan becomes one of those stories. But to threaten him because he made a bad mistake? You are far more than an idiot. You are a dangerous individual who should seek therapy. Shame on you.

On Tap This Week

Full disclosure. I got suckered into the "a third of the Giant offense is out for the game" and changed my pick to Carolina on Thursday night. That didn't work out so well.

Last week: 8-7

Thursday: 0-1

Season to Date: 18-15

It would seem I made a critical error to start this week. It's cool, I can still go 15-1, right? Right, so enough goofing around. Let's get on the winning track.

Sunday

St. Louis (1-1) at Chicago (1-1)

I'm very impressed by St. Louis' performance last week. I was not impressed, or surprised, by Chicago's melt down. However, I have a slight bit more faith in the home team. I don't know why, but I suppose it's just old habits dying hard.

Bears over Rams

Buffalo (1-1) at Cleveland (0-2)

Well, both teams showed some life and fight last week. This week, I think the aging rookie gets his first win.

Browns over Bills

Tampa Bay (1-1) at Dallas (1-1)

One team will find their way, and one will pay for their hubris. Yes, that could go either way, but this week I believe it will be....

Cowboys over Buccaneers

Detroit (1-1) at Tennessee (0-2)

Yes, I was disappointed there were no fireworks after the Lions/49ers game last week. Come on Schwartz and Harbaugh, no one likes either of you unless there's drama.

Lions over Titans

Kansas City (0-2) at New Orleans (0-2)

New Orleans is desperately missing the leadership of Sean Payton. However Kansas City is just desperately missing leadership. Apparently, Scott Pioli didn't look at Romeo Crennel's Cleveland record before appointing him head coach.

Saints over Chiefs

San Francisco (2-0) at Minnesota (1-1)

Barring an officiating gaffe of epic proportions, or some sort of cosmic luck, I think San Francisco has this one in the bag.

49ers over Vikings

New York Jets (1-1) at Miami (1-1)

Not that I'm convinced of anything I saw from Miami last week, but New York has often in recent years found a way to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Dolphins over Jets

Jacksonville (0-2) at Indianapolis (1-1)

Fortunately for Andrew Luck's burgeoning career, Jacksonville is a hot mess.

Colts over Jaguars

Cincinnati (1-1) at Washington (1-1)

Despite the loss of key defensive personnel, I think RGIII will not let another winnable game slip away. This week, he finds a way to overcome a hamstrung defense, subpar skill position players and overrated coaches.

Redskins over Bengals

Atlanta (2-0) at San Diego (2-0)

Odd, yet unsurprising, fun fact: San Diego has never started a season at 2-0 under Norv Turner before this year. I imagine it's because they always had the pressure of expectation until this season. Atlanta after a big home win and Turner's bogus journey are primed for a letdown. But San Diego will not go far past this weekend.

Chargers over Falcons

Philadelphia (2-0) at Arizona (2-0)

The last time the Cardinals started the season 2-0, they were based in St. Louis and Dan Dierdorf was in the third year of his Hall of Fame career. I find Philadelphia shaky at best, but far less questionable than Kevin Kolb, starting quarterback.

Eagles over Cardinals

Pittsburgh (1-1) at Oakland (0-2)

Marcus Allen will light a ceremonial flame in honor of the late Al Davis before Oakland faces long time nemesis Pittsburgh on Sunday afternoon. Excellent. In honor of Al, Pittsburgh will once again, as they have so often in the past, kick Oakland's butt. It'll make Al feel right at home.

Steelers over Raiders

Houston (2-0) at Denver (1-1)

The question of the day, can the Denver brain trust come up with a game plan in time to cover up Manning's diminished arm strength? If not, at least we still have some funny commercials. More on that coming soon.

Texans over Broncos

New England (1-1) at Baltimore (1-1)

Yes, this may seem foolish. But I trust a diminished Tom Brady to not lose two games in a row more than I do the idea of Joe Flacco, elite quarterback.

Patriots over Ravens

Monday

Green Bay (1-1) at Seattle (1-1)

Nice win last week by Seattle over Dallas. However, I think Green Bay is starting to feel its oats.

Packers over Seahawks

Thursday

Cleveland at Baltimore

Unfortunately, even without the results of Sunday this is a pretty clear pick.

Ravens over Browns

The Crystal Ball 2012 Week 2

To all the fan bases whose teams lost last week, settle down. Championships are not won or lost in September. But a few of you could probably feel comfortable making alternate plans for February. Buffalo fans, I'm looking in your direction.

Opening Kickoff

Select Bronco fans, NFL fans, players and media reactions to:

The 2011 Denver Broncos - Tim Tebow gets too much attention and too much credit.

The 2012 Denver Broncos - PEYTON MANNING PEYTON MANNING PEYTON MANNING PEYTON MANNING PEYTON MANNING PEYTON MANNING PEYTON MANNING PEYTON MANNING PEYTON MANNING PEYTON MANNING PEYTON MANNING PEYTON MANNING PEYTON MANNING PEYTON MANNING PEYTON MANNING PEYTON MANNING

The Way It Was

Well, I guess Roger Goodell is the happiest man in the NFL after Week 1, since the replacement referees, who made more than a few mistakes did not do anything egregious to decide the outcome of a game. How does he keep winning? I want to see his contract, because if it's signed in blood, then I know the Devil is involved.

I'm sorry, but while he may have the physical gifts to play quarterback, there's nothing you can say or show me from his performances that will convince me that Jay Cutler is a leader. And the play of his teammates when the chips are down only confirms my beliefs.

I was not convinced of the supposedly overpowering Bear offense, and Thursday night confirmed my suspicions. Sunday afternoon will confirm the same said suspicions regarding the Jet offense.

So much for that revamped Bills defense. Can I change my Buffalo prediction?

It looks like Mark Sanchez gets to keep his job for another week. Sorry Tebow fans.

Wow, what a sensational debut for RGIII. You think Cam Newton was jealous?

It's gonna be a long season in Minnesota.

I thought Steve Spagnuolo was supposed to improve the Saints defense.

Why didn't the Saints attempt an onside kick after getting within 8 points? I know they still had 2 timeouts left and the 2 minute warning to stop the clock, but the Saints defense had shown all day they had no ability to stop RGIII and the Washington offense. If there was ever a time to take a chance, it was then. New Orleans played it safe, and lost. This is what happens with no clear head coach.

What a rough start for the Eagles dynasty.

Can we just say it; Jim Harbaugh is a raging douchebag? He was literally foaming at the mouth and bitching about the picked up flag for a block in the back during a punt return. Yet I counted at least 3 plays during the 49ers tilt in Green Bay in which his defensive secondary committed obvious pass interference and were not flagged for those infractions. Harbaugh, don't complain about getting jobbed by bad calls if you are also benefitting from them.

Easily the play of Week 1, David Akers tied the NFL record for longest field goal with a cool rebound off the cross bar at 63 yards. What I loved most was his expression as he realized the kick was good.

Kudos to the Cardinals for screwing things up for everybody. The replacement referees gave the Seahawks an extra time out. Why didn't you let Seattle score the winning touchdown? The Cardinals could have lead the charge for the return of the real referees. Another opportunity wasted.

So do I have to actually acknowledge, Kevin Kolb, Cardinal savior?

How many Browns fans were checking their Smartphone sports status updates from the Redskins/Saints game and trying to calculate exactly what draft pick position was more valuable than moving up and living in RGIII world?

Vernon Davis failed spike over crossbar. Hey, I get celebrations and wanting to shove your superiority down the opposing team's throat. But you have to stick the landing otherwise you just look like a fool.

The four years without football, and that the Browns haven't built a consistent winner since that fateful weekend in 1995, led to the Modell family, wisely, asking the Browns to have no tribute for Art Modell inside Cleveland Browns Stadium prior to the season-opener against Philadelphia. That was probably for the best since it had the potential to be a debacle. I give the Modell family credit and showing class for respecting the Browns fans this much and wanting to avoid a potentially embarrassing scene.

Tom Brady got so sick of Peyton Manning stealing all his attention, he went out and got his nose broken. That ought to bring all the media wags running back to Tom Terrific's camp.

The Ravens eventually rolled all over the overwhelmed Bungles, but I must ask. Why was Joe Flacco still in the game throwing deep passes midway through the 4th quarter of a blowout? Yes Flacco was eventually lifted in favor of his backup, but it still showed poor sportsmanship, although that comes as no surprise considering its the Ravens. Baltimore shouldn't feel too great about its new high powered offense. If Bungle defenders had more sure hands, Flacco would have been picked off 3 times, minimum. My guess is by showing bad sportsmanship, the next time Flacco throws a questionable pass, it will be caught by a defender.

The Steel Pit

Steelers 19 - Broncos 31

Eleven of the past 14 Steelers-Broncos pairings have been in Colorado. Now, how is that fair, NFL scheduling department?

I'm not sure if you heard, it certainly was a surprise to me, but Peyton Manning returned to football and now plays for Denver! What a shock! You would think NBC and the NFL would have made a big deal about this.

The theme of the night, at least from my perspective, was one big let down. NBC's constant fawning over Manning's return was completely shameless and transparently biased. I'm not busting on Manning, heck I like the guy despite his past tendency to throw his offensive line under the bus. Nor do I necessarily blame him for the hurricane of adulation that enveloped the football world caused by his return. I am also thrilled he's back in football. He's a great ambassador to the game and an exciting player to watch. But unless you were a Bronco or Manning fan, it approached nauseating levels of exaltation before kickoff commenced.

I might have enjoyed the game more, no matter the outcome, if Al and Cris had dropped all pretense and just came out wearing their I heart Peyton t-shirts right from the start. What an over the top love fest. Look, the fact is two quarterbacks played in Sunday night's game. One has won multiple Super Bowls, and one has a playoff record of 9-10. Try to guess who is who based solely on the media coverage before, during and after the game.

Unfortunately, the media coverage wasn't the only thing that let me down. Bronco fans showed some surprising ignorance by booing after the hit on Emmanuel Sanders. I get they thought it was pass interference, but they should have got a clue once they saw Sanders roiling on the ground and again after the referee made the call. Continuing to boo once you know it was for an illegal hit was incredibly disrespectful. I typically hold Bronco fans in a higher regard but I lost a bit of respect for them after that.

I also lost some respect for the team itself, who by the end of the game were celebrating every stop and sack they made on the Pittsburgh offense. After every play there was ridiculous preening, posturing and even a mocking Tebowing. I certainly hope this is not a sign of the direction this franchise is going, and if it is, perhaps Manning and Elway need to instruct their teammates/players how to behave with a little class.

But most of all, the Steelers let me down. Yes, I know, Pittsburgh played without several key people, and it was an away game to start the season, and the home team and crowd were amped beyond belief, especially considering their new quarterback acquisition, and almost half the offensive line went down with injury before halftime. That's a tremendous mountain of adversity to scale. But I'm not thrilled by the results, or how they were achieved.

First up, defense - There were way too many running plays and running yardage given up. Denver showed every Steeler opponent how to beat them; run the no huddle offense. Until LeBeau can devise a way to counter this, we're gonna be in trouble. By the end of Denver's first scoring drive, the defense looked gassed and were not getting off the ball with any explosiveness or drive. Denver's offensive line was getting 3-4 yards of penetration on every play. Not a very good present to defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau on his 75th birthday.

And how can I say this delicately, how about enough of Casey Hampton? Big Snack was a big marshmallow. He can now be handled man to man with ease. Many of the large gashes of runs were right at Hampton, and he did nothing to jam the line or disrupt the play. He should have been part of the veteran purge in the offseason. It's Steve McClendon's time. Although with that being said, I'm not thrilled with the overall performance of the supposedly hungry, young and stout defensive front. Where was the pass rush after the first quarter?

Next, offense - Remember way back in January, when Bruce Arians "retired" and the Steelers decided they needed a new offensive philosophy due to several key deficiencies in offensive performance? Well, lets see how they fared with their checklist.

·         Better offensive line play - two starters left early hurt and the backups could not clear lanes for the running game or keep Ben clean

·         Keep Ben from getting hit as much - 5 sacks allowed

·         Stronger commitment to the running game - 47 passing plays called and 24 rushes called. Although I believe that's the ratio we should see out of this. When you have a quarterback like Roethlisberger you should use his talents for something more than handing off the ball.

·         Improved running ability over short distances - 1st and goal from the Denver 3, series resulted in a field goal

I'm so glad we got a new coordinator! In fairness, the offense did look strong and they played tremendous ball control. Unfortunately, they missed several key opportunities to build a substantial lead and made some bone headed mistakes, Big Ben's interception just the most glaring of them all. And for you Willie Colon lovers out there, who for years would scoff as I questioned his ability and worth and consistently tell me he's their best lineman, remember this. He false started on two consecutive plays. Although he's still better than Chris Kemoeatu.

Regardless, it's the first game of the season. It's way too early to get this worked up about the little things.

Only In Faux NFL Reality…

Browns fans saw the perfect symbolic start to their season when rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden became trapped underneath the field size American flag before the start of the game. You think they knew Weeden was going to stink at that moment?

Apparently Ice Cube did not just create an anthem for the Raiders, he also declared himself the president of Raider Nation. Is Coors Light the official beverage of Raider Nation?

Here's a great story about Steelers linebacker James Harrison donating $100,000 to his alma mater Kent State. Two things that stuck out for me in this story. One, James worked his butt off just to get into college and play football, showing a level of determination few people have. And two, Josh Cribbs has pledged to also donate to Kent State, when he had his jersey retired two years ago. Come on Kent State, why isn't Harrison's jersey retired? Have you not seen Super Bowl XLIII?

Are you looking for something to jazz up your man cave for the NFL season? Looking for something unique and original that shows off your team pride? How about Print Map Art?

Ok, everyone can calm down and relax, apparently Gisele likes Tom Brady's scarred nose so crisis averted. Hey maybe she'll like him more with more scars. Quick, someone punch Tom in the face a few times!

Upon Further Review

I try to be a respectful sports fan. No really I do. I don't gloat, too much, when my team wins nor do I twist the knife on others when their favorite team loses, even if it's one of my more despised teams. I abstain, for the most part, from trash talking before, during and after games and refrain from anything but a few light hearted jabs, win or lose. Sure there's always a bit of good natured ribbing that occurs, but that's natural.

Like every fan, I know how much losing stinks, so I try to karmically pay it forward. I'm not going to rub someone else's nose in it, because if I should partake in that sort of childish behavior I know I'll receive it back ten fold. Now, with that established, can someone please tell me why every time the Steelers lose, I have to endure an avalanche of derisive mockery and ridicule?

Allow me to illustrate my point with a personal example. I have a friend who's a huge Ravens fan. I consider him a good friend, yet come football season we seem to be mortal adversaries. If the Steelers lose, his antics get under my skin so much that whenever I see or hear his gleeful joyous dancing and proclamations after a Steeler loss, I want to smack him upside the head with a steel beam. Mind you, his rancor is never directed at me. But he takes as much joy in a Steelers loss as a Ravens victory.

You would have thought he won the lottery after Pittsburgh got Tebowed last season, and he picked up where he left off Sunday night. I usually do not partake in this nonsense, but after his team got Brady-ed in the AFC championship game last season, I finally fed it right back to him. It felt good in the moment, but it never felt satisfying sticking it to him. I wasn't happy for the Pats, or even happy the Ravens lost. I was more excited to throw it in his face because he was so insulting to the Steelers and by extension me. And to be honest, after the initial satisfaction waned, I just felt bad for acting so foolish and making him feel worse. I don't want to be like that; that's no way to be a sports fan.

Yes, I know like many fans I can take these things too personally. And yes I know I'm too close to the situation. And unfortunately I have the same capacity to take the same enjoyment in the schadenfreude of others as they do me, but I try to keep it to myself because I know it hurts my friends. So I cheer to myself and leave it at that. Why is there no seemingly mutual respect or reciprocation anymore?

I know we live in a reactionary society now. From entertainment to politics to lifestyles, we live in a world where if you're for a chosen side, you're automatically against it's opposition. But should it be that way? Did we not at one point recognize differing opinions and respect the strength and courage it took to form a differing opinion and support another person despite their contrary beliefs? Did we not at one point use those differences to learn and grow as individuals and a society?

Like most other subjects open to public debate, the world of sports fandom has seemingly left the world of respectful difference and moved on to antagonistic division. I am openly wondering now, what has happened to civility in the world of sports fans, and is it possible to ever get back there again?

He Said He Said

"How can you not love that Kuhn? You kidding me?" - NFL Network announcer Mike Maylock after a great tackle by Green Bay fullback John Kuhn during the Bears-Packers tilt

I know it wasn't intended to be, but did anyone else think that sounded either a touch racist or like something Forrest Gump would say?

"Obviously he gets banged up. He’s probably the toughest metrosexual I’ve ever come across." - Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker on Tom Brady's broken nose

Too many jokes, brain hurting....

"There's no one to blame but myself. I hate to let my teammates down, the coaches, the fans. The loss is squarely on my shoulders. I'll take that and get better and learn from it." - Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger

You think he'll sing that same tune in November if he has to keep covering up for the defense? I hope not.

"He is Peyton." - Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin when asked about Manning's performance

Succinct and to the point. Much like Peyton's performance.

“Women are more honest and fair than men and they know how to catch a man cheating.” –- Steelers linebacker Larry Foote on Shannon Eastin, the first female official in an NFL regular-season game

Not sure if that's an honest answer or a bit sexist.

"I'll take you through the stories of an eventful Week 1 of the NFL season, but shouldn't that be singular? As in, "story?" Peyton Manning turned the clock back Sunday night, and he got the Super Bowl express rolling in Denver." - Si.com's Peter King

Wow, how incredibly disrespectful to the other 31 teams in the league that laid it out on the line in Week 1 and began their own stories for the 2012 season. And actually, it's rather disrespectful to the entire Bronco team. Wasn't it this kind of attention paid to the Denver quarterback position that hacked off a boatload of people last season?

"I think every guy in this locker room is disgusted with how we played." - Giants defensive end Justin Tuck

I'm guessing a few fans were disgusted as well.

Idiot of the Week

I really wanted to give this award to Warren Sapp for his ridiculous prediction that the Chiefs would beat the Falcons 41-0. It wasn't just his prediction, it was the conviction with which he gave it. Come on Sapp, how dumb are you?

But after watching the season opening game of Thursday Night Football on the NFL Network, the easy winner turned out to be Ceelo Green. Now I get it, the NFL Network paid Green a ton of money to be their version of Faith Hill and open up Thursday Night Football. It's a big honor plus a tremendous opportunity for exposure to a potential fan base unfamiliar with his work. Hey, cross promotion is always a good thing, especially when you're trying to build a brand name. And taking into account his musical work, the 7UP sponsorship and the television program The Voice, obviously Ceelo is building a brand.

But when you have the opportunity to open up to a brand new audience, why would your first impression to said audience be a horrific cover/remix of The Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop"? Within 30 seconds, my brain was short circuiting trying to keep my gag reflex from kicking into high gear. And then when they kept playing snippets of that awful song into and out of commercial breaks, I started going into Pokémon-level seizures from the audio assault. I remember when Nike used The Beatles' "Revolution" for a shoe commercial and people lost their minds. Looking back after listening to that pile of sonic vomit Green inflicted upon the populous Thursday night, I give Nike credit; at least they didn't pervert a classic song.

"Blitzkrieg Bop" is a seminal song and a classic anthem of the Punk movement. To distort the song so and then warble over top of a memorable music track with lyrics that sounded like they were written by a 5th grader is not just disrespectful to the original musicians, most of who are dead, but just plain moronic. Come on Ceelo, be free to express yourself; write something original. So Ceelo Green, for tarnishing a classic Punk Rock song just to make a buck and get some network face time, you are an idiot. And Ceelo, one more thing. From an aesthetics standpoint, lose the ridiculous outfit. It makes you look like Casey Hampton, and that is not a compliment.

Plus I'll give an honorary idiot award to the NFL Network executives that green lit this aberration, no pun intended. You would have made a stronger statement, and a more entertaining opening, if you would have just played the original song over a montage of big plays and hard hits. You shouldn't need me to tell you that.

On Tap This Week

Ok, so from Thursday through Sunday...Pitt and Penn State lost, the Pirates were swept, the Steelers lost, my old high school team lost and my fantasy football team lost. As the theme of losing continued, I fully expected Matthew Fox to show up at my door. Regardless, each week is a chance at redemption, one of NFL Films most favorite story lines.

Last week: 9-6

Thursday: 1-0

Season to Date: 10-7

Just to point out a fact, before we get back to some significant winning. Peyton Manning is 3-2 lifetime against Pittsburgh, including Sunday night's win. The two previous times Peyton faced, and defeated, Pittsburgh the Steelers went on to win the Super Bowl. Is that an omen? I don't know. But I suddenly feel a whole bunch better about this season.

Sunday

Kansas City (0-1) at Buffalo (0-1)

Considering what I saw last week....

Chiefs over Bills

New Orleans (0-1) at Carolina (0-1)

No way does Drew Brees lose two weeks in a row. I hope.

Saints over Panthers

Cleveland (0-1) at Cincinnati (0-1)

There's no way Weeden can be that bad two weeks in a row, right? Wait, don't answer that.

Bengals over Browns

Minnesota (1-0) at Indianapolis (0-1)

I think its time for a little Luck. Yay for cheesy puns!

Colts over Vikings

Houston (1-0) at Jacksonville (0-1)

I love the fight in Jacksonville last week. It won't be enough though.

Texans over Jaguars

Oakland (0-1) at Miami (0-1)

Ok, pop quiz Ryan Tannehill. What division does Oakland play in? WRONG. They play in the We-also-beat-you division.

Raiders over Dolphins

Arizona (1-0) at New England (1-0)

The only question I have is will Tom Brady actually play the entire game or will the lead be so large Belichick will pull him?

Patriots over Cardinals

Tampa Bay (1-0) at New York Giants (0-1)

Something tells me Tom Coughlin spent 10 days pounding a new game plan into his charges.

Giants over Buccaneers

Baltimore (1-0) at Philadelphia (1-0)

I'm rooting for Philadelphia. But I think the winner will be...

Ravens over Eagles

Dallas (1-0) at Seattle (0-1)

The last time Dallas played in Seattle, a botched snap cost Tony Romo a playoff win. This time, the results will be slightly different.

Cowboys over Seahawks

Washington (1-0) at St. Louis (0-1)

Until I see different, I'm on board with RGIII.

Redskins over Rams

New York Jets (1-0) at Pittsburgh (0-1)

Wow the Jets certainly have a potent offense this season. Oh wait, no, Buffalo just has a horrible defense. Remember, the Jets gave up 28 points to a crappy team at home. How many will they give up on the road?

Steelers over Jets

Tennessee (0-1) at San Diego (1-0)

An injured Jake Locker, a trip across the country, a hungry home crowd. Seems fairly straightforward.

Chargers over Titans

Detroit (1-0) at San Francisco (1-0)

Be honest, which do you think will trend as more important: The final outcome, or the post game handshake? I'll admit, I'm waiting until the post game show for the true entertainment.

49ers over Lions

Monday

Denver (1-0) at Atlanta (1-0)

Peyton is back, and he loves domes. But I'll go with Atlanta's stellar regular season dome performances as my guide this week.

Falcons over Broncos

Thursday

New York Giants at Carolina

Ok, this picking Thursday games ahead of time is harder than I thought. It really is a shot in the dark. Well, I guess that's how we're gonna have to roll this season. Bang goes the boom stick.

Giants over Panthers