The NFL is Poop - Week 10

Head Cases
With all the focus on protecting quarterbacks, particularly from head injury, three big name QBs were concussed this week, and only one on an illegal hit. Jay Cutler was hit under the chin, which drew a flag (but was offset by a penalty on Cutler), but the hits on Michael Vick and Alex Smith were legal.

All three quarterbacks had to leave the game, though Cutler stuck around long enough to throw another interception. I know many people think the pendulum has swung too far and the game has been unnecessarily altered in order to protect star quarterbacks but this is why.
Quarterbacks are so vulnerable, and so important, that they merit this kind of protection. If an offensive lineman gets hurt, even a star one, it is not going to ruin the entire team. But now these three teams, plus the Steelers (with Roethlisberger’s shoulder injury) face uncertain seasons because of injuries to their quarterbacks.

I Hope That Wasn’t a Super Bowl Preview
Everyone was really looking forward to the Bears-Texans game expecting it to be a Super Bowl preview. Let’s hope not. The game was horrible, 6 turnovers, only 19 points. I know both teams have good defense but this was more of a case of bad offense.

A Tie is Like Kissing Your Sister
Another disappointing game was the 49ers and Rams game ending in a tie. In this day and age when 50-yard field goals are routine, it’s hard for a game to end in a tie. Some major ineptitude must take place, and that’s exactly what happened. On the first play of overtime, Sam Bradford threw an 80-yard pass to Danny Amendola, which would have set the Rams up at the 2-yard line. But there was an illegal formation, no one lined up on the line of scrimmage outside the tackler. The Rams didn’t score. Then David Akers missed a field goal for the 49ers. He’s only of the most accurate kickers in NFL history. The Rams got another chance, and Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein nailed a 53-yard field goal…BUT the play clock had run out. He missed the ensuing 58-yarder. But those weren’t the only screw-ups in this game. The referees let the clock run for a 1:12 while doing a measurement, and no one caught the error until it was too late to be corrected.

Popping Bottles
Mercury Morris and the 1972 Dolphins are celebrating another season without an undefeated team with the Atlanta Falcons loss to the Saints. The Falcons never gave off the air of the team that could go through a season unbeaten. They weren’t dominating, they were squeaking out wins against bad teams, and they almost did it again. They were stopped twice from the 1, and once more from the 2 turning it over on downs. Then they got it back again and Matt Ryan flung one deep to Roddy White, who was open, but he turned the wrong way. The more interesting storyline from this game may be whether the Saints can actually emerge from the hole they dug themselves and make the playoffs.

Game of the Week
New England Patriots 37 Buffalo Bills 31
Things always get crazy when these two teams get together. Their first matchup this season the Bills took an early lead, but the Patriots exploded to win 52-28. This time it was the Pats who took the early lead, and the Bills almost came back. Their three drives in the 4th quarter ended with a fumble deep in Patriots territory, a touchdown, and then an interception in the end zone when a touchdown likely would have won the game.

Game of Next Week
Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots
Luck versus Brady. The changing of the guard in the AFC perhaps?

A Brief Rant About the Redskins
No loss this week, which is nice. Hopefully they can get back to the offense they had early in the season when they were actually putting points on the board. This week we face the Eagles who will be starting Nick Foles, and then Thanksgiving Day in Dallas. Picture of the Week
Awesome stiff arm by Chris Ivory on his touchdown run that helped the Saints beat the Falcons.

If the Super Bowl Were Played Today Houston Texans 23 Atlanta Falcons 16 Not as much change here as I thought we might see but the Texans dominated the Bears and the Falcons looked bad.