I think Andy Reid misunderstood Donovan McNabb after the loss to the Giants a week ago. McNabb had stated in a post game press conference that he “wants the ball”. What McNabb meant to say was he wants the ball on key plays, not 58 passing plays per game. It was not McNabb’s best game by any means; he was out of sync, throwing 3 int’s and losing a fumble in a 13-13 tie with the Cincinnati Bengals. To add to an ugly and extremely boring game, Donovan made the mistake of saying he didn’t know that a NFL regular season game could end in a tie. People have been very vocal of Donovan’s ignorance to a rule of a game that he’s been playing for over 10 years, including bitter ex New York Giant Tiki Barber . I almost wonder if McNabb purposely made this stupid comment to divert attention away from the fact they tied the 1-8 Bengals, mainly due to the poor play of the offense.

The “what have you done for me lately” Philadelphia Eagle fans are gruesome when it comes to supporting their team. There’s no doubt the “boo birds” will be hating on every little thing their team did wrong this weekend, feeding on bad play calls along with McNabb’s post game overtime comment. Either this team hangs its head and calls it a season, or they use the media backlash as a kick in the butt to go on a winning streak. Most people would predict the Eagles are as good as done, but history has shown that this team usually goes into a mini slump in late November. While some teams start strong and burn out in the later half of the season, the Eagles actually play hard down the stretch, usually after a punch in face by the Philadelphia media.

Fat Tony Wants His Money
With the NFL being one of the most popular forms of sports gambling, a last second touchdown is a big deal, even if the game is over. On Sunday the Pittsburgh Steelers kicked a field goal to beat the San Diego Chargers 11-10. After the kick was made, the game clock read 11 seconds; the Chargers best chance would’ve been a kick return. After gaining no yards from the kick return, San Diego tried their luck at the lateral goof play. The play resulted in a fumble that Troy Polamalu recovered and ran into the endzone. To the average fan, it was just a great way to end a close game, but to a gambler it was the difference between winning or losing money. The Pittsburgh Steelers were favored by 3, and the Polamalu TD on the last play of the game would have covered the spread. The play was actually reviewed, and the refs said the play involved an illegal forward pass. After a closer look, there was no illegal forward pass, making the people who had the Steelers to cover the spread groan even louder for what could have been.

Most Underrated RBs of the Season written by Ben Hoyt

There are many big name superstar running backs in the league today. There is LaDainian Tomlinson, Clinton Portis, Adrian Peterson, and the list goes on and on. But what about the little named guys, the underrated running backs. Most of these players, who you probably never have heard of, may become the next big thing. Here is a list some of the 2008 season most underrated running backs:

Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mewelde Moore came into the spotlight after starter Willie Parker missed several games with a shoulder injury and rookie Rashard Mendenhall went out for the season after fracturing his shoulder. Moore has created a dominate run game for the Steelers. Moore has played in all nine games this season, starting four. He has rushed for 377 yards on 93 carries with 5 touchdowns.

Arizona Cardinals’ Tim Hightower is rookie running back out of the University of Richmond. A fifth-round pick in the 2008 draft, Hightower has taken the starting job from veteran Edgerrin James. Hightower has played in all 9 games this season starting two. He has rushed for 264 yards on 84 carries with an amazing 7 touchdowns.

Tennessee Titans’ LenDale White has become one of the league’s toughest running backs. White, who shares snaps with rookie Chris Johnson, is a hard nose runner. He is used a lot in the red zone and goal line plays. White has rushed for 418 yards on 108 carries with a league high 11 touchdowns.

Houston Texans’ Steve Slaton is another rookie running back making a big name for himself. Slaton was a huge college football star when he was at West Virginia and has brought his skills into the NFL. Slaton, a third-round pick, was named the starter in Week 2 and has never looked back. Slaton has rushed for 545 yards on 124 carries and 5 touchdowns.

New York Giants’ Derrick Ward is another tough running back. Ward is part of the Giants’ triple threat running back core. The core is often called Earth, Wind, and Fire. Starter Brandon Jacobs is Earth, Ward is Wind, and third-string running back Admad Bradshaw is Fire. Ward has averaged 5.5 yards per carry through nine games this season. Ward has rushed for 490 yards on 89 carries and one touchdown.

Atlanta Falcons’ Jerious Norwood is one of the league top backup running backs. Norwood is the backup to starter Michael Turner, who come to Atlanta from San Diego in the offseason. He could probably be a starter on most teams in the league with his excellent skills. Norwood has rushed for 365 yards on 64 carries with 2 touchdowns in 9 games this season.

New England Patriots’ BenJarvus Green-Ellis is a rookie who has really made a name for himself in the last few weeks. Green-Ellis got his chance after starter Laurence Maroney went on injured reserve in Week 6. Backups Sammy Morris and Kevin Faulk were hurt in the Week 6 game against the San Diego Chargers paving the way for him to get in the game. In Weeks 8 and 9, the Patriots named him the starter. Green-Ellis has rushed for 243 yards on 63 carries with 4 touchdowns in 5 games.
Write these players’ names down and remember them because one or all these players may be a future MVP or a superstar in the league.

Monster Thursday Showdown

6-3 New York Jets at 6-3 New England Patriots

(Previous meeting: NE 19-10)

The AFC East hasn’t been a strong division for quite some time. With teams like Miami and Buffalo in rebuilding modes, and the Jets never staying consistent, the Patriots have never needed to worry about making the playoffs. This is a completely different year; even with Tom Brady going down in week one, there’s no doubt that drastic improvements have been made in this division. Miami was projected to win just four games, but they have shocked the NFL with their ablility to win on the road, as well as how creative they can be with their offensive play calling. The Bills have struggled lately, but they started the season 5-1. At one point they seemed strong on all levels, getting big plays from their offense, defense and special teams. The Jets have made the most improvement, gaining confidence each week in their new (old) quarterback Brett Favre, and also by making huge strides on defense. New York has cut their defensive points allowed per game average down nearly in half since their bye week. Add a legend at quarterback, and winning isn’t a fringe benefit, it’s expected.

We all know what the New England Patriots are capable of, and most of the players don’t need an introduction, but Matt Cassel is a new face, one that wasn’t part of the 16-0 ass kicking the Patriots laid on the league last season. Who is this guy, and can he win a big game? Statistically (oh here we go again) his career is similar to the start Tom Brady had when he came off the bench. Tom Brady’s dominance in the NFL was not a common occurrence; his accomplishments have a made for TV movie written all over it. Realistically, Brady could quit now and still make the Hall of Fame. Matt Cassel, despite a solid start, won’t be able to put up Brady type numbers, but he has proven he can win games. On Thursday we will see a kid trying to prove he’s got some kind of skill, while an old vet will show all the doubters that he’s not over the hill.

“Its a walk off” -Zoolander

Gridiron Experts Pick
These two teams have very similar numbers, and any extra fire power that people might think the New York Jets have will be matched, as the Patriots will have a strong prime time home field advantage. The first time these two teams met, the Jets were trying to tolerate the learning curve that Brett Favre was under with a new offense. Meanwhile, the Patriots were giving Matt Cassel his first shaky start after Brady went down. Both of these quarterbacks have improved immensely since then. This game will be close, but I like the Jets with Favre in the cold.   NYJ 31-26

You’re Killing Me Coach!

There was no shortage of excitement this weekend in the NFL! Week 10 had a handful of games ending within 7 points or less, and many were decided in the final seconds of regulation. There were definitely fans wondering why certain plays were called, making everyone a “Monday Morning Quarterback”. Sometimes a play called by the head coach can backfire through no fault of his own; sometimes the play called is so questionable, it can get the coach fired.

ARZ 29 SF 24
Last night the San Francisco 49er’s had a chance to take down their divisional rivals, the Arizona Cardinals, in a game filled with more flags and penalties than running plays. In the dying seconds, rookie head coach Mike Singletary called a running play up the gut on 3rd down with Michael Robinson. He got stuffed with 3 ticks left on the clock, and with all of their timeouts gone, the game was over. Leading up to this questionable play call, the 49er’s had wasted up to 30 seconds before calling their last timeout, after getting the first down on the 15 yard line. The idea was to not score too quickly by taking down the clock before burning their last timeout. The problem, as everyone who watched this game found out, was that running out of time before scoring is even worse than leaving too much time on the clock for a comeback. Maybe the ref’s shouldn’t have blown a Frank Gore running play that got into the endzone which caused all of this confusion.

MIN 28 GB 27
This was a game where both teams had all three elements of their team playing well and putting points on the board. There were of course offensive touchdowns, but it was the defense and special teams that made the difference in this game. Green Bay was struggling and looked doomed until Nick Collins took back a 59 yard INT followed by a Will Blackmon 65 yard punt return for a score to take the lead. This game went back and forth, but was decided by kicker Mason Crosby missing a 52 yard FG. The game may be put on the kicker’s shoulders, but what people are not looking at are the 4 points scored from 2 safeties the Vikings defense made. One safety is bad, but two is the difference between needing a FG to win a game and milking the clock for a win.

NYG 36 PHI 31
The city of brotherly love did not love the play calls that Andy Reid made on the final drive against the Super Bowl Champs. Statistically, the Eagles had no business winning this game in the fourth quarter, with the time of possession and total yards greatly in the Giants favor. However, stats aren’t everything; 14 points off turnovers had Donovan McNabb (who needs a least a quarter to warm up these days) and his Birds hot. They were moving the ball well, down by 5 points in the fourth quarter. For years, the knock on Andy Reid was that the Eagles threw the ball too much, but lately it’s been the running game that has cost Philadelphia wins. With no time outs left, and a commercial break to think it over at the two minute warning, the Eagles were stuffed on runs on 3rd and 3 and then 4th and 1. The crowd was horrified; in a post game press conference McNabb was asked what he thought of the play calls to run, and he answered by saying “I want the ball”….drama.

SD 20 KC19
This game was a heart breaker for Chiefs fans, as a missed extra point made the difference between a win or a tie after Tony Gonzalez caught a TD pass with 29 seconds to go in the fourth quarter. Kicker Connor Barth for the Kansas City Chiefs didn’t feel bad about an earlier missed kick for too long, because coach Herm Edwards bailed him out with the terrible idea of going for two to win the game instead of playing for overtime.

IND 24 PIT 20
Where was the Steelers two minute offense that we’re used to seeing Ben Roethlisberger lead down the field? Being on their own 44 yard line and having two time outs left, fans seemed nervous but confident that their Steelers could get into scoring range. Each team exchanged penalties all game, but a crucial holding call on Matt Starks was the difference in this game; it killed a drive that wasn’t moving, resulting in a hail mary attempt to end the game. Ben Roethlisberger threw an INT leading up to the Steelers failed 2 minute drive that was intended to gain the first down on 3rd and 6. That play might have swung the momentum too far in the Colts favor to come back from, but it will sit with Steeler fans for days.  Why throw the ball with the lead when you have a great defense?

MIA 21 SEA 19
Short and sweet: coach Mike Holmgren knew he needed 8 points to tie the game, so he might want to have a play ready. Even with another drive that could have won the game for the Seahawks, the two-point conversion was the play of the game. If there’s ever a time to use a trick play or do your best “wildcat” impersonation, this would have been it.

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Raiders Waive DeAngelo Hall?

The Raiders aren’t content with just making bad plays on the field, they want to screw up throughout the week. In another crazy move from the worst team in football, the Oakland Raiders have waived DeAngelo Hall, a player they traded a 2nd round pick for just months ago. This 7 year 70 million dollar CB only played 8 games before the Raiders waived him Wednesday, and he is in high demand in the NFL right now.

Who’s next…our guess is Tommy Kelly

Gridiron Experts Scores Free Tickets to PHI/SEA

 Taking a break from the regular grind, the Grid-X crew drove up to Seattle to watch a pretty good game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Philadelphia Eagles. After what looked like a blown play by the Eagles secondary, Koren Robinson caught a 90 yard touchdown to set the Seahawks record for longest passing play on the opening drive. The crowd was loud and geared up, talking trash to the hundreds of cocky Eagles fans that flew in for the game. With the “12th man” energy high, the Eagles looked shaky with three 3-and-outs and an interception in the first quarter. After the energy of the big bomb pass had faded, the Boo-Birds took control, scoring 26 unanswered points and looking confident in their big road win. Donovan McNabb looked calm and cool throughout the game, even with the offensive problems he had early on. The Seahawks were very banged up, and it showed as their offense had 11 consecutive punts after the opening drive.

The Draft of the Decade. written by Ben Hoyt
 
The 2004 NFL Draft is arguably the greatest draft class in the last decade.  It has been four and a half years since the draft, and the 2004 draft class has changed the NFL into a top notch league. There are many stars in the league today, but rarely have so many come out of a single draft class. No other draft class in the past several years even comes close. This class is full of depth from offense to defense. It produced probably the best quarterbacks since the 1983 draft, when hall fame players like John Elway, Dan Marino, and Jim Kelley were drafted. In the class there are many big-name superstars, Pro Bowlers, award winners, and Super Bowl champions. The 2004 draft class is full of outstanding and future hall of fame players. Here are some players that make this class one of the best draft classes of the last decade:
 
(Statistics as of October 28, 2008)
 
Round 1

#1 - QB Eli Manning (Mississippi) - San Diego Chargers

Current Team: New York Giants. Eli Manning was the number one pick in the draft by the Chargers, and was later traded on draft day to the Giants for Philip Rivers. In his first three seasons, he did not perform as expected and had some rough games. But then last season in 2007, Manning finally became what everyone expected and helped guide the Giants to a Super Bowl title. Career Stats: Has thrown for 12,973 yards with 86 touchdowns and 68 interceptions.

#3 - WR Larry Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh) - Arizona Cardinals

Larry Fitzgerald is one of the most talented wide receivers currently in the NFL.  Fitzgerald is a 2-time Pro Bowler with lightning fast speed and great hands. Career Stats: Has 330 receptions for 4,544 yards and 34 touchdowns.

#4 - QB Philip Rivers (North Carolina State)  - New York Giants

Current Team: San Diego Chargers. Philip Rivers has been successful since becoming a starter in 2006. Rivers was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2006 and has taken the Chargers to the playoffs in back-to-back years (2006 & 2007). Career Stats: Has thrown for 8,726 yards with 63 touchdowns and 31 interceptions.

#5 - FS Sean Taylor (Miami, FL) - Washington Redskins

Sean Taylor had great talent and could have been one of the best safeties to ever play in the NFL. Taylor’s career was tragically cut short when he was murdered in November 2007, at the age of 24. Taylor was a 2-time Pro Bowler in his 3.5 seasons in the NFL. Career Stats: Had 299 total tackles, 2 sacks, and 12 interceptions.

#6 - TE Kellen Winslow (Miami, FL) - Cleveland Browns

Kellen Winslow’s career started off with injury after injury. He broke his leg in his rookie season, and the next season he got into a motorcycle accident where he tore his ACL. Winslow has become a great tight end like the Browns expected in the last couple seasons. Winslow was named to the Pro Bowl in 2007.
Career Stats: Has 197 receptions for 2,218 yards and 9 touchdowns.

#7 - WR Roy Williams (Texas) - Detroit Lions

Current Team: Dallas Cowboys. Roy Williams is one of the league’s best playmakers. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2006. He was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in October 2008 for 3 draft picks. Career Stats: Has 264 receptions for 3,894 yards and 30 touchdowns.

#8 - CB DeAngelo Hall (Virginia Tech) - Atlanta Falcons

Current Team: Oakland Raiders. DeAngelo Hall is a very talented cornerback with good playmaking ability. Hall is a 2-time Pro-Bowler and is arguably one of league’s the best defenders. He was traded to the Oakland Raiders in March 2008 for 2 draft picks. Career Stats: Has 268 total tackles, one sack, and 20 interceptions.

#11 - QB Ben Roethlisberger (Miami, OH) - Pittsburgh Steelers

Ben Roethlisberger started his great young career by being named Rookie of the Year. The next season in 2006, Roethlisberger helped guide the Steelers to a Super Bowl title. He was named to the Pro Bowl last season in 2007. Career Stats: Has thrown for 13,025 yards, 94 touchdowns and 61 interceptions.

#13 - WR Lee Evans (Wisconsin) - Buffalo Bills

Lee Evans is a great threat in the Bills offense, with great playmaking ability that can strike at any moment in a game. He is one of the league’s top wide receivers and will probably be named to several Pro Bowls in his career. Career Stats: Has 264 receptions for 4,364 yards and 32 touchdowns.

#14 - DT Tommie Harris (Oklahoma) - Chicago Bears

Tommie Harris is one of the league’s dominating defensive players. He has the ability to cause problems for the other team, especially in the backfield with his great playmaking ability. Career Stats: Has 145 total tackles and 20.5 sacks.

#16 - OT Shawn Andrews (Arkansas) - Philadelphia Eagles

Shaun Andrews is one of the league’s top offensive guards. He has helped the Eagles become one of the best rushing offenses in the league. Andrews is a 2-time Pro Bowler (2006 & 2007).
         
#18 - DE Will Smith (Ohio State) - New Orleans Saints

Will Smith is one of the most dominating defensive ends in the league. He has great on-field presence with great speed and is an amazing defensive playmaker. Smith was named to the Pro Bowl in 2006. Career Stats: Has 238 total tackles and 35.5 sacks and one safety.

#21 - NT Vince Wilfork (Miami, FL) - New England Patriots

Vince Wilfork is one of the great run stuffers in the NFL. He is a tough tackle that can disrupt the flow in the backfield of the other team. Wilfork won a Super Bowl in 2005 and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2007. Career Stats: Has 219 total tackles and 5.5 sacks.

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Recently, the 49er’s interim head coach Mike Singletary and TE Vernon Davis got into a screaming match on the sideline during a home game vs. the Seattle Seahawks. Following the argument, coach Singletary sent Davis to the locker room, benching him for the remainder of the game; they have since patched things up. This is not a great start for Davis, as I’m sure new head coach Mike Singletary didn’t plan on getting into a brawl in his first game after taking over for Mike Nolan. New coaches don’t need distractions, it just makes the job that much more stressful.

Vernon Davis has not been the weapon that the San Francisco 49er’s had thought he would be when they drafted him. Davis was the 6th overall pick in the 2006 draft and was the top tight end prospect, partially due to a strong performance at the scouting combine after running the 40 yard dash in 4.38 seconds, which was faster than most WR’s and RB’s. Being nicknamed “Cyborg” by his college teammates on the Maryland Terrapins only made 49er fans that much more excited to see such a weapon added to a lackluster offense. However, injuries plagued his first few seasons, and even now that he is healthy, his hands and route running haven’t been that great. Vernon Davis only has 196 yards receiving this season, and zero touchdowns.
You would think that a guy who is 6′3″, 250 lbs with 4.38 speed, and who was the DCIAA champion in the high jump with record of 6′5″ at his high school, Vernon Daivs would be a touchdown machine in the red zone.

In Vernon’s defense, it might not the player, it could be the system. Mike Nolan (ex-coach) was also the General Manager in 2006 when he drafted the TE prospect. Nolan seemed thrilled at the idea of having an Antonio Gates type player in his offense. At first, there was a learning curve to allow Davis to pick up the offense, but add in his inability to stay healthy, and it became very hard for him to remain a regular in the offense. The 49er’s have used him in motion to try to get mis-matches against defenses. Fans have been surprised that even with offensive cooridator Mike Martz calling the plays this season, he’s still struggling to find the big yards, and we’re wondering if the infamous “bust” tag might be attached to his name soon.

In our opinion, Vernon Davis is too good to be kept in a tight end position. With his size and speed, he should be converted to a wide receiver; Davis would be hell to cover on deep patterns, and making him a regular target would fix his butterfingers. There have been many successful converted players in the NFL, although he might not have the finesse it takes to become a consistent NFL WR.

 Going into what should be a great Monday night game, we bring you an interview with Jimmy Morris of the Music City Miracles blog. His site is devoted to the Tennessee Titans, and he offers great insight to the team on his blog daily.

Question 1: First off, how does it feel to be a fan of the only undefeated team of the season thus far? What little things do you think the Titans are doing that is getting the job done?

It feels great to be a fan of the last undefeated team.The Titans run the ball and play defense. I am not sure if those count as little things, but that is what they pride themselves on. They have also taken very good care of the ball this season (+6 in turnover ratio).

Question 2: The Tennessee Titans are 6-0 with Kerry Collins; at this point does it matter who your QB is, or is it Collins who’s making the difference ?

Kerry Collins makes the difference because he takes care of the ball. The real problem with Vince Young was his turnovers. Their passing numbers have been pretty similar, but Collins isn’t putting the Titans into tight spots like VY was with turnovers.

Question 3: Most people, including Gridiron Experts, were surprised with the pick of RB Chris Johnson in the first round. Be honest, did you really think he would become the multi-threat that he has been this season?

No. I was really mad when they drafted him because the Titans needed a receiver, and they had drafted a running back in the first round in 2006 and the second round in 2007. The front office believed that Johnson could make an impact quicker than a receiver. They were right.

I started to believe in him in the preseason when I saw that he had the vision and burst that he needed to play in this league. He has been a very pleasant surprise.

Question 4: Who’s the one player that drives you crazy each week, the one guy that you wouldn’t be sad if they were gone?

Justin McCareins. He drops a lot of passes and seems to quit on his deep routes from time to time.

Question 5: Which upcoming game is going to be the toughest?

The game tonight will be tough because it is the Colts, but I think the game in Chicago in a couple of weeks will be really tough. The Bears are really good on D, improving on offense, and Soldier Field is a tough place to play anytime, but especially in November.

Question 6: If you had a time machine and could go back to any previous Titans season, who would you steal away to add to this team to make a playoff push?

Steve McNair hands down. If you could add McNair’s playmaking ability to this running game they would be unstoppable on offense. Throw in this defense and it would be a Super Bowl winner for sure.

Question 7: How concerned are you about the receiving core on this team? Do you think if it came down to it would the Titans be able to keep up in a shoot out type game?

The receiving core on this team is bad.

I am not as worried about a shoot out as I am a game where they are down a couple of touchdowns in the 4th quarter. This team isn’t built to come from behind like that.

Thanks again to Music City Miracles  and Jimmy Morris for his thoughts on the Titans