The St. Louis Rams beat the New Orleans Saints for their first win, so now the Miami Dolphins are the only remaining winless team in the NFL this season. But even they had a chance to win, taking a 10-2 lead into the fourth quarter against the Buffalo Bills. And the Dolphins even showed some resilience after they blew the lead. Ted Ginn returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, but it was called back a penalty, and that killed the Dolphins hopes. The Dolphins play the Jets, Ravens and Bengals at home and if they are going to win a game this season it has to be against one of those teams.
Death by Penalty
For the entire first half the New York Giants hung in against the Dallas Cowboys and fought right back when Dallas took a 24-17 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Ahmad Bradshaw took it back for a touchdown, but the return was called back by a penalty. This was a bad call. The player was falling anyway, before the final push to the ground. Later on that drive Brandon Jacobs scored a 6-yard touchdown, but that was also called back by a penalty. This was a good call, Chris Snee grabbed Roy Williams. Throw in 3 delay of game penalties and the Giants cost themselves this game and a chance to win the division.
Will They Win Another Game?
In addition to the Dolphins, the Detroit Lions are a team that may not win another game all season. Starting off 6-2 as the feel good story of the league was great, but after a miserable loss to the Cardinals, the Lions now face a murderous schedule and would be lucky to get to 9-7 and make the playoffs. Their next 7 games are: New York Giants, Green Bay (Thanksgiving), at Minnesota, Dallas, at San Diego, Kansas City and at Green Bay. Kansas City at home is winnable so is Minnesota on the road but I give them no chance in the other 5 games.
Take It To the Cribbs
In Cleveland's near-win over the Steelers, Browns kick returner Joshua Cribbs had himself one hell of a game.
In the first quarter, Cribbs returned a kick 90 yards to the 3, to set up a Browns touchdown.
During the return, Cribbs tight-roped the sidelines while delivering a vicious stiff arm.
And in the fourth quarter, after the Steelers took a 24-21 lead, Cribbs took the ensuing kickoff back 100 yards for a touchdown to give Cleveland back the lead. Once again Cribbs nimbly avoided stepping out of bounds. That's 190 yards on two kick returns.
The Agony of Defeat
Unfortunuately for Joshua Cribbs and the rest of the Cleveland Browns the Steelers took a 31-28 lead on a great touchdown run by Ben Roethlisberger, and the Browns last effort to tie the game came up just short, as did the Phil Dawson field goal attempt.
Game of the Week
San Diego Chargers 23 Indianapolis Colts 21
Peyton Manning played possibly his worst NFL game, and the Colts almost won anyway.
In the first quarter alone there were 2 kick returns for touchdowns and 4 interceptions (3 by Manning). In the first quarter each team got the ball 4 times, never held onto it for more than 4 minutes. Manning threw three more interceptions (though the last one was irrelevant) but he also led the Colts on 2 touchdown drives and with a defensive touchdown the Colts were only down by 2. But when Adam Vinatieri missed a 29 yard field goal (he'd missed a 42-yarder earlier), the Colts lost their second in a row. And the Chargers, as bad as they've played, are in first place in the AFC West.
Game of Next Week
New York Giants at Detroit Lions
Not a strong slate of games for Week 11. But with these two teams both at 6-3, they are both in second place in their divisions, but they are both two games behind the division leaders. But, they also have better records than the leaders of the other two divisions. The winner will go to 7-3 which especially for Detroit would go a long way to getting them into the playoffs. Both teams have great passing games and we could see a lot of points in this one.
Brief Rant About the Redskins
This is about the third game this season in which Joe Gibbs overly conservative late game management has cost them. The Redskins were cruising early, having finally got some production from their wide receivers. James Thrash and Keenan McCardell caught the first three TD passes thrown to wide receivers this season. The Redskins missed the extra point on the first touchdown, and when they scored again to take a 12-7 lead, Gibbs went for 2. Stupid move. There is no reason to chase points early in the game. It's just as likely that the Eagles would kick two field goals as score one touchdown. That was a bad decision, but it didn't come back to haunt them.
What did haunt the Redskins was when Gibbs started to kill the clock with 8 minutes left from the Philadelphia 24. A touchdown puts the game away but Gibbs went for 7 running plays in row. In fairness, he did call one pass but it was negated by a penalty. With 3rd and goal from the 7, Gibbs didn't even try to win the game (Philly would have had to score twice in 4 minutes), he called a conservative running play to save 30 seconds. A horrible play.
But all the blame isn't on Gibbs. The Redskins defense gave up two huge touchdowns (a 45 yarder to Reggie Brown and a 58 yarder to Westbrook) in the fourth quarter.
All game it seemed like the Redskins should have put one guy on Westbrook and forced the other guys to beat them, but they never did and Westbrook gained 183 total yards.
Cheerleader of the Week
Kate of the St. Louis Rams
Kate is a rookie who hopes to continue her education and someday become the CEO of a company. Like every other cheerleader in the NFL she enjoys dancing, traveling and spending time with family. One of her lifetime goals is to be in a movie or a music video. I can definitely see her in a movie credited as "stripper #2." If she won the lottery the first thing she would do is meet with a financial advisor. I think Master Bates would welcome her business.
If the Super Bowl Were Played Today
New England Patriots 41 Dallas Cowboys 30
I don't see this changing for the rest of the season.
agreed with all (except the cheerleader)
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