Redundant Is As Redundant Does

As another Sunday approaches for the NFL, one cannot help but recall certain themes that have transpired thus far. The days of parity appear to not be in play this season. With the Rams, Lions, Chiefs, Redskins, Browns, Raiders, Titans, and Buccaneers all struggling, as well as the Dolphins, Seahawks, and Panthers all with just two wins as well, it has become a case of the have and have-nots. The list of have-nots may be the deepest in recent memory for the league. Will things change after the new collective bargaining agreement on the horizon? That is one tune waiting to be composed.

Was anyone really shocked to see Brett Favre fumble then throw away the game for the Vikings last week? It was about time if you ask me. We are talking about the NFL's All-Time Turnover King. No player has thrown away the ball more in history than Favre, and he is just three fumbles away from tying Warren Moon for the record of most fumbles ever. With 313 interceptions and 158 fumbles, and counting, the Steelers decided to just let Brett be Brett last week. When you do that, you will win more than lose to him. Just be ready for the inevitable mistake. With a career average of 1.7 turnovers for every game he has played, it is a sound strategy.

Watching Larry Johnson bubble over with frustration, you have to wonder what is the biggest deal is. Is it his homophobic remarks, his rant on his new head coach, or his bemoaning the loss of cash? Johnson, some may say, had his mind destroyed along with his body with all those carries several years ago. Some may recall former Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil calling his character into question once. Johnson, a coaches son, realizes his career is coming to an end and that he will never again command the salary he current makes. He stands to lose $600,000 this week, not exactly chump change. Though his comments were not politically correct, this still is America. Freedom of speech and expression is a right. Taking his money hurts, but watching his career end has to gouge him deeper. If he does latch on with another team next year, he will be a part time back with a pay rate showing such a role.

On with the picks. I am now sporting an unimpressive 60-27 record after going 9-4 last week. Let us see if I can do better.





Denver Broncos @ Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens are approaching this game as a must win. They are at full health again with their offensive line, which will be critical in this match up. The Broncos have been, and is the surprise of the league so far with a perfect record. Both teams have had two weeks to prepare for this, so expect a hard hitting game.

Ravens 27 Broncos 21




Houston Texans @ Buffalo Bills

Houston is a team who appears to have found their groove on both sides of the ball, and could go on a winning streak if they are not sidetracked by injuries. Buffalo is a team still trying to find their identity.

Texans 34 Bills 17




Cleveland Browns @ Chicago Bears

Cleveland heads into the Windy City at a tumultuous time. Bears fans are unhappy with their teams inconsistent play on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Chicago expects a win over the lowly Browns, and Cleveland seems to have already packed it in for the season.

Bears 31 Browns 27






Seattle Seahawks @ Dallas Cowboys

Dallas came away with an impressive victory last week that was a much needed statement game as well. This game is critical in keeping the momentum going. Seattle is missing their best linebacker, and their best running back is dinged up. They will need to pass to win, which isn't easy against the Cowboys cornerbacks.

Cowboys 38 Seahawks 27





Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets

Miami stopped the Jets winning ways just three weeks ago. After dropping another two games, the Jets won big last week. Miami came off their bye week by blowing a big lead to the Saints last week, Miami needs to run well to win, while the Jets are hurting in the middle of their defense especially. It should be another close game between these two rivals.

Jets 24 Miami 21






San Francisco 49ers @ Indianapolis Colts

The 49ers lost last week, but quarterback Alex Smith may have won the confidence of his teammates. The Colts are undefeated and getting healthy. Even if Smith repeats last week performance, it will be hard for the 49ers secondary to stop the Colts passing attack all game.

Colts 34 49ers 23






New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles

Though the Eagles won last week, they did not look much sharper than the team that lost to Oakland two weeks ago. The lack of running game has proven to be this teams Achilles heel for years, and it has been in the spotlight even more this year. The Giants realize they need to get back on track after two weeks of consecutive losses. Expect the Giants to pound the ball on the ground, while Philly tries to exploit a suspect Giants secondary.

Giants 23 Eagles 21






Saint Louis Rams @ Detroit Lions

It is too bad these teams cannot face each other more this season. They would win more if they did. Detroit appears ready to go with Culpepper at quarterback this week, and possibly the entire season. Though both teams have veteran quarterbacks, I expect this game to be won on the ground. Steven Jackson will carry the Rams to one of their few victories this week.

Rams 28 Lions 24





Oakland Raiders @ San Diego Chargers

The Raiders have been as inconsistent as their young quarterback JaMarcus Russell. After controlling the Eagles two weeks ago, they were pulverized by the Jets last week. The Chargers are as inconsistent, mostly due to an underachieving defense and banged up offensive line. If the Bolts do not get it going this week, they may never get anywhere this year.

Chargers 48 Raiders 24





Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans

The Titans are still without a win, and owner Bud Adams has ordered coach Jeff Fisher to start Vince Young at quarterback over veteran Kerry Collins. Though Fisher realizes the problem isn't just at quarterback, expect him to comply. The Jaguars handed the Titans a 20 point loss a month ago. They did it by pounding the ball down the Titan's throats all game. Expect a similar strategy, but something tells me Fisher has a plan this time.

Titans 23 Jaguars 17





Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers

Game Of The Week

As I told you the first time these teams met a few weeks ago, this is the game to watch. Not only is it the return of a certain Hyckocrite to Lambeau Field for the first time as a visiting player, but both teams have developed their personalities more since the first meeting. The Packers have had trouble running the ball this year, even with Ryan Grant's 148 yards versus Cleveland last week. The Vikings are excellent at stopping the run as well.

Expect the Packers to air it out against a depleted Vikings secondary, while the Vikings attack them with a balanced attack. Though the focus seems to be on quarterback in Minnesota, the main reason they win is by running the ball, controlling the clock and field position. This game will be a prime example of that, assuming their quarterback doesn't cough up the ball and victory as he did last week.

Vikings 34 Packers 31




Carolina Panthers @ Arizona Cardinals

The Panthers have been a disappointment so far. Their passing attack is nearly non existent, and their running game is not at full strength with Jon Stewart battling injuries. The Cardinals are trying to find their running game still, but they realize how good their passing game is. If the Panthers do not get to Kurt Warner, the Cardinals may score often.

Cardinals 38 Panthers 17





Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints

The Falcons are just not running the ball as well this season as opposed to last year. This causes their defense to stay on the field longer that they would like, and for their secondary to be exploited. The Saints are also trying to get their running game more consistent so they do not have to rely on Drew Brees arm so much. This is a game Brees can air it out to multiple receivers, while Atlanta will need to control the clock to keep that from happening.

Saints 41 Falcons 30





NFL Power Rankings


1. New Orleans Saints

2. Indianapolis Colts

3. Minnesota Vikings

4. Denver Broncos

5. New England Patriots

6. New York Giants

7. Cincinnati Bengals

8. Pittsburgh Steelers

9. Baltimore Ravens

10. Atlanta Falcons

11. Philadelphia Eagles

12. Houston Texans

13. Green Bay Packers

14. Dallas Cowboys

15. San Diego Chargers

16. Chicago Bears

17. Miami Dolphins

18. New York Jets

19. Arizona Cardinals

20. Jacksonville Jaguars

21. San Francisco 49ers

22. Seattle Seahawks

23. Buffalo Bills

24. Oakland Raiders

25. Carolina Panthers

26. Detroit Lions

27. Kansas City Chiefs

28. Washington Redskins

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

30. Cleveland Browns

31. Tennessee Titans

32. Saint Louis Rams

Vinny Cerrato Is Selling A Steaming Load

Is anyone buying the pile of manure Vinny Cerrato is shoveling out of Washington DC? No respectable Redskins fan is, especially those who live in the nations capitol and are used to politicians lies.

Cerrato uses his radio show (why he even has one is beyond comprehension) as a platform to explain his incompetencies. He used it this week to make a few statements that need to be broken down.


"Jim Zorn is the head coach of the Washington Redskins and will be for the rest of this season, and hopefully into the future."

This is clearly Vinny saying he hopes he himself has a future with the club. Though many Redskins fans have scratched their heads for years trying to figure out why Cerrato maintains a job in the NFL, Dan Snyder keeps surprising them by bringing him back yearly.



"The frustration is very high, everywhere around here, but the relationships internally within this organization, quite frankly, remain the same."

That means it is business as usual for the clueless ones. Though everything crumble around Cerrato, he remains the same obtuse dolt he always has been. This was shown by his recent roster move of acquiring Levi Jones. Jones, whose best days were done in 2006, was a free agent all year. They pick up this has been while having dumped promising rookies from the roster the past few years. Clearly another example of Cerrato's inability to judge talent.



"I'm in the locker room and the owners come up to me and they ask me, 'How do we score more points?' "We're coming off of — against the 32nd-ranked defense — we score two field goals and have seven first downs. So I tell them, I recommended to them that Jim's plate is too full. He's the head coach, he's the offensive coordinator, he's the quarterbacks coach, let's take something off the plate to help him. So they said 'OK, go talk to him.' "

Cerrato said he met one on one with Zorn at the stadium and suggested the switch. Zorn asked for time to think about it. When they spoke later on the phone, Cerrato said Zorn accepted. "He says 'I'm in."


HUH? This is the guy who hired Zorn and told Snyder that Zorn could wear all of those hats. Never mind it is the second season Zorn has held all of these jobs. The amazing part of this b.s. fest is that Cerrato is trying to claim he JUST recognized Zorn could not cut it. Where has he been the past two seasons? Siberia? Another reason for Snyder to fire Cerrato, IF Snyder can read through that quote.




The last part of Cerrato's load was on Hall Of Fame wide receiver Steve Largent. Largent, now a congressman, was a teammate with Zorn for the Seattle Seahawks in the 1970's to the 80's. Many of the receptions Largent got came from Zorn's arm.

Largent came to his friends defense, and said things for Zorn as an obvious mouthpiece. Zorn has a contract that extends into next year, and rather be fired for bad coaching so he can get paid. Zorn stated some obvious facts about the poor leadership at the top of the Redskins organization, something that has long been stated by several Redskins legends like Sonny Jurgensen, John Riggins, Joe Theisman, and Brian Mitchell.

Largent was critical of how the Redskins hired Sherm Lewis from a bingo hall to call the plays. Cerrato labelled the comments as "off-the-wall", and then noted how Lewis had four Super Bowl rings, while as an assistant with the 49ers, while Largent had none.

Lewis retired after 2004, but Cerrato said, "You don't forget how to ride a bike if you hadn't rode your bike in four years."

Taking swipes at Largent not only shows what a bush league punk Cerrato is, but it also shows how much the man understands the game. Is Cerrato, who has Super Bowl rings as a member of the 49ers front office in the 1990's, saying he is above the Hall Of Famer receiver just because Largent wasn't as lucky as Cerrato or Lewis to play on good teams?

Shows Cerrato's ego and I.Q., if you ask me, as well as a blatant disregard to the legacy of the game. Considering on how Cerrato had to try to put a muzzle on Jurgensen recently, as well as the way he has run the club, this type of blather from Cerrato in regards to Largent comes as no surprise.

Redskins owner Dan Snyder likes to regard himself as a marketing genius. If this thought is even close to true, then Snyder must have a clue that his team is on the brink of falling from the lofty financial status he has worked so hard to build over the years. It was done in a way that Riggins has called Snyder the "Bernie Madoff of the NFL".

Well, Snyder has made off with millions of dollars from the loyal Redskins fans over the years. Certainly it is time for this life long Redskins fan to give back to Redskins Nation. The very first move is to realize Cerrato has destroyed his team. Perhaps the theory that Cerrato did it on purpose to repay Snyder for firing him in 2001 is possible.

Even if that is untrue, and Cerrato is doing his very best, Snyder needs to realize that he is the only owner in the NFL who would employ Cerrato. No one came knocking on Vinny's door the year he was out of a job until Snyder rehired him in 2002. There is a reason for this.

It is time for Snyder to cut the chord with his racquetball buddy Cerrato. It is time for Snyder to get a competent general manager to blow up the current roster and rebuild from scratch. It is time to stop signing has-beens, trading for has-beens, and gambling on uncertain talents. These are the moves that has destroyed the Redskins yearly from the time Snyder bought the club.

Snyder obviously is a fan of Redskins Hall Of Fame coach George Allen. This can be seen by his propensity of signing aging players. The difference is that Allen was a superior evaluator of talent, and knew which players could help the team and how. Snyder and Cerrato do not have this ability, and neither will ever enter Canton unless they pay for a ticket like the rest of the general public.

Now is the time for Snyder to find someone with the ability to discern NFL talent. He had that with Charley Casserly once, but fired Charley to try to make is own mark on the franchise. Much like he did by renaming the stadium Jack Kent Cooke built, and the land that surrounds it. Snyder is intent on building his own legacy so much, he has eschewed the legacy of a proud franchise he grew up admiring.

Perhaps Snyder should swallow some ego and lean on that tradition he claims to respect so much by admitting to the fans he tried and failed his way. Now he needs to lean on the way of tradition and bring back the people who also care about the team. Especially people who care about the teams success ahead of themselves, something Cerrato will never be willing to do.



Now on with this weeks predictions :


Green Bay Packers @ Cleveland Browns

The Browns are spiraling out of control, and seem to have no clear direction. The Packers are a team who need to win. It should be a victory in the Dawg Pound for the Pack.

Packers 31 Browns 17







San Francisco 49ers @ Houston Texans

The news for the Niners is that first round draft pick Michael Crabtree will get his first NFL action in front of his hometown Houston. He will leave town with a loss against a Texans team that is jelling.

Texans 34 49ers 28





San Diego Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs

Bolts backers are fired up with anger with their underachieving team. The Chiefs are fresh off their first victory. I'm not saying this is an upset primed to happen, but it could be close.

Chargers 41 Chiefs 21





Indianapolis Colts @ Saint Louis Rams

The Rams were within minutes of procuring their first win in 16 games last year. Their reward is they now get to face a hot Colts team who will be experiencing the return of safety Bob Sanders for the first time this year.

Colts 45 Rams 24





New England Patriots @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

You have to feel sorry for the Bucs. Their home game will be played in England instead of Florida. Tampa Bay is not going to be very competitive this year, so they best pray for jet lag to hit the Patriots hard. New England is coming off an explosive victory last week, and will look to keep their motors running.

Patriots 35 Buccaneers 20





Minnesota Vikings @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Brett Favre might be getting all of the press ESPN can muster, but Ben Roethlisberger is having a fantastic season thus far. The Steelers running game has been inconsistent, so Big Ben is on a pace to throw for over 5,000 yards currently. The Vikings are hoping All-Pro cornerback Antoine Winfield will be healthy enough to play, but it looks unlikely. Factor in the Vikes having two safeties hurting as well. After watching Baltimore rack up yards last week, Roethlisberger has to be smiling.

Steelers 31 Vikings 30






Buffalo Bills @ Carolina Panthers

The Bills head into this game with their backup QB. The Panthers have gotten little production from their QB. This should be a smash mouth game, where it is won in the trenches. Special teams will be a big wild card in this one.

Panthers 24 Bills 21






New York Jets @ Oakland Raiders

The Raiders are a week removed from an impressive defensive effort. The Jets are losing key defenders while going through the growing pains of their starting rookie quarterback. If the Raiders can establish their running game again this week, they could win another in front of their loyal fans.

Raiders 24 Jets 17







Chicago Bears @ Cincinnati Bengals

Da Bears and Bengals head into this game in need of a win. The key to this game will be who runs the ball best. Cedric Benson has something to prove to Chicago. The difference might come down to the Bengals ability to exploit an erratic Bears secondary.

Bengals 35 Bears 31





Atlanta Falcons @ Dallas Cowboys

Game Of The Week

It might not even be halfway into the season, but Dallas needs this game in the worst way. They have yet to establish themselves with a statement game, and this one may determine the futures of Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett in Dallas with the Mike Shanahan rumors getting louder. The Falcons are hurting in their secondary, so they will need to run the ball and control the clock. With the Cowboys suspect run defense, this could be the game Mike "Burner" Turner has been looking to break out in.

Falcons 38 Cowboys 34







New Orleans Saints @ Miami Dolphins

The Saints appear to finally have a team with the ability to win it all. This is the first time in the franchises beleaguered history, so trepidation is certainly factored in. They face a Miami team that is fresh off a bye week after winning two straight games. Miami has a young quarterback, and they love to run the football. This will be a good test for the Saints defense, and a good measurement on how much ability the Saints have.

Saints 34 Dolphins 24






Arizona Cardinals @ New York Giants

The Cardinals are a team who needs the game bad. They have yet to really established themselves as a team who is to be reckoned with. This game is a must-win for them. The Giants are coming off a game where they were easily handled by the Saints, and need to bounce back. This could be decided in the final minutes off the foot of a placekicker.

Giants 31 Cardinals 27






Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Redskins

The Eagles are coming off a horrible loss where their offensive line was destroyed by the Raiders last week. This can not sit well with head coach Andy Reid, a former offensive line coach. Expect some improvement, because it will be needed against an excellent Redskins defense. Washington has an issue moving the ball offensively, and are in disarray. Jim Zorn will no longer calling the plays, so there is hope for some improvement in offensive proficiency. Still, the Redskins defense will have to win this one. Considering they don't turn the ball over much, it seems a daunting task.

Eagles 27 Redskins 14





NFL Power Rankings


1. New Orleans Saints

2. Indianapolis Colts

3. Minnesota Vikings

4. Denver Broncos

5. New England Patriots

6. New York Giants

7. Cincinnati Bengals

8. Atlanta Falcons

9. Baltimore Ravens

10. Philadelphia Eagles

11. Pittsburgh Steelers

12. Green Bay Packers

13. Houston Texans

14. San Diego Chargers

15. Chicago Bears

16. Dallas Cowboys

17. Miami Dolphins

18. New York Jets

19. Arizona Cardinals

20. Jacksonville Jaguars

21. San Francisco 49ers

22. Seattle Seahawks

23. Oakland Raiders

24. Carolina Panthers

25. Buffalo Bills

26. Detroit Lions

27. Kansas City Chiefs

28. Washington Redskins

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

30. Cleveland Browns

31. Tennessee Titans

32. Saint Louis Rams

Let The Mutiny Begin

When the Washington Redskins skulked off the field after being defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs 14-6 yesterday, they faced a half empty home stadium filled with rage and dismay.

Head coach Jim Zorn went into the game with the wrath of Redskins Nation on his shoulders. Many legends of the team have been critical of Zorn's coaching ability. Even Hall Of Fame quarterback Sonny Jurgensen faced a possible ban from the broadcasting booth due to his questioning the teams game plans week to week.

Zorn's inept play calling was on full display versus the winless Chiefs. It got so bad that Zorn benched starting quarterback Jason Campbell in favor of veteran reserve Todd Collins. Collins played worse than Campbell did, but he did lead the Redskins to their only points of the game.

Due to the Redskins inability to sustain any semblance of an offensive threat, the Redskins will be replacing Zorn with veteran offensive coordinator Sherm Lewis as the play caller. Lewis joined the team a week ago, yet the immediate move seems necessary to all observers.

Washington became the first team in NFL history to start a season by facing six winless opponents. Many of the games were deemed cupcake matches before the season began, and would help the team get off to a fast start before the hard part of their 2009 schedule faced them. Now the Redskins face the Philadelphia Eagles before heading into their bye week. The Eagles are coming off an embarrassing loss of their own, and should be expected to be fired up facing their divisional rival.

Though many of the Redskins players showed vocal support for Zorn this week, their play on the field has stated otherwise. Many are frustrated, and trying to circle their wagons to show unity. Some players, like Albert Haynesworth and Andre Carter, played an excellent game versus the Chiefs. Many of the rest of the team played uninspired and seemed to belie the statements they wanted Zorn to stay on board.

The defense has been excellent all year, even despite the fact cornerback DeAngelo Hall tends to give opposing receivers a ten yard cushion on virtually every passing play. The unit has kept the team in every game, only to be disappointed by the lack of offense created by their teammates.

What can be seen on the offense is a unit in shambles. The offensive line has suffered two key injuries, and has been shuffled virtually every week the past month. The wide receivers have given little production, causing the Redskins opponents to crowd the line of scrimmage and stop the run with relative ease. Clinton Portis, the starting running back, has obviously lost a step and is becoming more fragile and injury prone with each time he totes the ball.

The only consistent weapon Campbell has had to rely on is All Pro tight end Chris Cooley. Due to Zorn's play calling, Cooley went without a reception versus the Carolina Panthers two Sunday's ago. It was the first time Cooley had gone a game without a reception since his rookie season in 2004. With teams focusing on Cooley, his opportunities will be fewer unless one of his teammates steps up and provides help.

The team has yet to show a fire in their belly overall as a team, despite the fact they state they support their head coach. Some asked the front office for a vote of confidence for Zorn, but none was forthcoming. After another lackluster game, none should be expected.

Zorn looked like a beaten man at his press conference after the game. He had the look of a man who knows his days in Washington are coming to an end, and quite possibly his last days of holding a significant job in football. It seems doubtful Zorn will ever again assume the duties of a head coach or even offensive coordinator at the professional level. He has appeared to have been over matched and out of his league since day one on the job.

With the Redskins days away from their bye week, the possibility of Zorn being fired looms much larger. The game against the Eagles will be played in front of a nationally televised audience on Monday. The spotlight of the teams dysfunctions will be on full display, and may be even harped on if the Eagles handle the Redskins with ease.

Zorn himself is not the sole blame for perhaps fielding the worst Redskin team since 1960-61. Washington won just two total games over those two seasons in a time that is generally considered to be the low point of the franchises long history. Though the Redskins won just three games in 1994, this team might have a hard time exceeding that win total despite having two victories already this year.

Vinny Cerrato is the teams general manager, and the man most responsible for assembling this underwhelming bunch of players. It is a team built through poor drafts and bad free agent signings, which has been a signature of the Cerrato era in Washington. Though Cerrato should hang onto his job for now, mostly due to his friendship with team owner Dan Snyder, it would be virtually astounding to see him hold any type of position with the club, or anywhere in the NFL again, after this season concludes.

If Zorn remains the head coach for the entire season, he should be viewed as a figurehead image only. With Greg Blatche handling the defense and now Smith handling the offense, Zorn's duties should mostly involve him standing on the sideline as a spectator with a very good view he doesn't deserve.

There are a gaggle of ex-head coaches available for hire in 2010. Names like Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden, Mike Holmgren, and Bill Cowher have been bandied about. Only Shanahan and Holmgren have experience as a general manager, and would most likely want to hold that role as well as coach if they were interested in coaching again.

One problem is that Shanahan has been strongly linked to the Dallas Cowboys next season if Wade Phillips, the current head coach, fails to get Dallas into the playoffs next year. Holmgren stepped down from his job in Seattle after last season to spend more time with his family, and would seem to be even less interested. Yet, with the fact the Redskins took a chance on Zorn and even Steve Spurrier in 2002, it seems unlikely they will gamble with an unknown entity again in the near future. This means Russ Grimm, an Redskins legend, will probably not get a chance despite having many of the teams alumni having stated he would be a good option.

Another issue will be trying to get an established entity to want to work under Snyder, an owner who gets too heavily involved with the teams operations despite admittedly knowing little about football. Snyder grew up a fan of the team and wants to win. Unfortunately he has a tendency of not being content with just marketing the team, which is his area of expertise.

If Snyder is as miffed as the rest of Redskins Nation, then he will clean house upon the completion of the season by starting with Cerrato and Zorn. Then he will have to commit to respected and able personnel and step back and let those hired try to build the team up with the many able parts already in place. The talent is there on the roster, for the most part, but it will require sound, able, expert coaching and leadership to bring it out.

NFL Week Six Pix

Back with my NFL pix after a week of not being able to post.

I went 11 - 3 on week four, thus bumping my record up to 43 - 18 overall.

Houston Texans @ Cincinnati Bengals

This game will be fun. Houston needs to pass to win, while the Bengals key to victory will be running the ball effectively. I can't see this being a high scoring affair, because both teams need this, but it could be.

Texans 27 Bengals 24





Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers

If Detroit is smart, they will sit Stafford this week. With their bye week approaching the following week, they can rely on Culpepper. Green Bay will be hungry, so no reason to risk the future.

Packers 34 Lions 17





Saint Louis Rams @ Jacksonville Jaguars

The Rams need some good news, but maybe the exclusion of Rush Limbaugh from prospective ownership may be about it right now. The Jaguars are at a crossroads right now, so Del Rio needs them ready.

Jaguars 34 Rams 14





Baltimore Ravens @ Minnesota Vikings

The Ravens can stop the run, but can they run it against the Vikes? I like the Minnesota secondary a little better at the end of the day.

Vikings 21 Ravens 17





New York Giants @ New Orleans Saints


Game Of The Week

This match up has a little of everything. The Jints keep winning despite a beat up secondary. The Saints have won despite an inconsistent running attack. Both teams are a bit healthier, and seeking balance on Sunday. Jeremy Shockey will be looking to beat his former team, and the Saints hope Pierre Thomas is ready to carry the load. The Giants have a balanced offensive attack that could give New Orleans fits. It will be fun to watch.

Saints 45 Giants 41





Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Well, Derek Anderson is the better quarterback as I had stated long ago. The problem with Anderson finally getting Cleveland a win is that he now has to face a Steelers team trying to stay in the upper echelon in the league. Pittsburgh wants this one bad.

Steelers 31 Browns 10





Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay has an exciting young quarterback named Josh with a bright future. Too bad they wasted their pick on Freeman, because I am referring to Johnson. JJ likes throwing to the tight end, especially Winslow. I don't like what the Panthers have trying to stop this connection.

Buccaneers 24 Panthers 21





Kansas City Chiefs @ Washington Redskins

The battle for the first pick in the draft. Who quits first? It won't be Washington for once.

Redskins 24 Chiefs 17





Philadelphia Eagles @ Oakland Raiders

JaMarcus Russell has more flashes of incompetence than ability. I'm not quite ready to label him a bust, but he might be called damaged goods by seasons end.

Eagles 45 Raiders 17





Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks

Seattle has had two weeks where their defense has been excellent, but they are far from consistent. Arizona needs to treat this like a playoff game.

Cardinals 31 Seahawks 27





Tennessee Titans @ New England Patriots

Times are tough for the Titans. Looks like my predicting them last place in their division is looking more solid. The Patriots are still looking for their stride, but the talent still carries them to victory.

Patriots 27 Titans 16





Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets

Buffalo's no huddle offense is a flop. They need to ditch it. The Jets are seeing blood after being embarrassed last week on national television.

Jets 30 Bills 13





Chicago Bears @ Atlanta Falcons

The Bears have a real chance to explore a suspect Falcons secondary. The team that runs the ball will win this game.

Bears 34 Falcons 28





Denver Broncos @ San Diego Chargers

Denver was 4-1 last year when they faced a 2-3 Chargers team. San Diego won that game. History will repeat.

Chargers 34 Broncos 20




NFL Lucubrations


The mess in Washington has gotten a lot of publicity lately. Talking heads are now trying to goad the gullible Redskins owner, Dan Snyder, into a retread hire like Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden, Bill Cowher, and even Mike Holmgren.


The issue is compounded by the fact the team just probably lost All Pro offensive tackle Chris Samuels forever because of a spine issue. Things will get so ugly this year that Snyder will finally be forced to fire Vinny Cerrato. Out of the ambers of hell a miracle can occur.



There are a few teams at their lowest right now. The Redskins, Bills, Raiders, Rams, and Titans are certainly in that group, but perhaps no team has looked as lost as the Cleveland Browns. The Browns ownership seems to be taking a tremendous gamble on coach Eric Mangini. Mangini quickly pulled the hook on quarterback Brady Quinn after a few weeks, even though Cleveland traded up to get the crying kid in the green room in 2007.


Now Quinn has sold his house as the trade deadline approaches. There has also be word floated Mangini might trade Pro Bowl return specialist Josh Cribbs Mangini never came across a coach with a plan while with the Jets, so it will be interesting to see if he actually has one or is just trying to establish his ego. After seeing recently traded wide receiver Braylon Edwards contribute immediately with the Jets, you have to wonder if the gamble on the coach is smart.



NFL Power Rankings


1. New York Giants

2. New Orleans Saints

3. Minnesota Vikings

4. Indianapolis Colts

5. Denver Broncos

6. Philadelphia Eagles

7. New England Patriots

8. Cincinnati Bengals

9. Baltimore Ravens

10. New York Jets

11. Chicago Bears

12. Atlanta Falcons

13. Pittsburgh Steelers

14. San Diego Chargers

15. Houston Texans

16. Dallas Cowboys

17. Green Bay Packers

18. Miami Dolphins

19. Jacksonville Jaguars

20. Arizona Cardinals

21. San Francisco 49ers

22. Seattle Seahawks

23. Carolina Panthers

24. Buffalo Bills

25. Washington Redskins

26. Detroit Lions

27. Tennessee Titans

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

29. Cleveland Browns

30. Oakland Raiders

31. Kansas City Chiefs

32. Saint Louis Rams

Pix For Guys And Gals To View

This entry is dedicated to my buddy Looper.

Check his awesome site out at :http://hotbaseballwifehalloffame.blogspot.com/



Of course I had to put my own twist on this entry to avoid total plagiarism, so I considered the females who may peruse my blog by adding a few dude pix for them.


Here is some pix of some folks both old and new. Whatever you do viewing the pix is up to you.


Lisa Bonet


Stacey Dash


Rae Dawn Chong


Heidi Klum


Karrine Steffans AKA Superhead


Serena Williams


Tila Nguyen


Priya Rai


Cindy Margolis



Marilyn Monroe



Josaphine Baker



Morris Chesnut



Brad Pitt



Random Pix Of Random Folks :

Week Four Is Breast Cancer Awareness Week In The NFL

DETROIT LIONS @ CHICAGO BEARS

Detroit broke their losing streak, and do not expect to start another one of that length this century. Chicago has been player better than expected with an anemic running attack and their leader on defense out for the year. Expect this to go into the fourth close before Cutler pulls it out.

BEARS 24 LIONS 14




CINCINNATI BENGALS @ CLEVELAND BROWNS

Even though Eric Mangina finally put Derek Anderson back in as the starting quarterback, he may be the worst head coach in the AFC. His offensive line certainly is, and the Bengals should exploit that.

BENGALS 34 BROWNS 20






OAKLAND RAIDERS @ HOUSTON TEXANS

If Houston is going to fulfill expectations of being a playoff contender this year, they must win this game. Oakland has had trouble passing the ball lately, so expect the Texans to crowd the line to stop those good Raiders running backs.

TEXANS 31 RAIDERS 17





SEATTLE SEAHAWKS @ INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Without their starting quarterback, the Seahawks are not hard to stop. The Colts are always hard to stop with their quarterback.

COLTS 41 SEAHAWKS 20





TENNESSEE TITANS @ JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

The Jags got a taste of victory last week, while the Titans still seek their first win. Both teams will be hungry, and this game will come down to who wins in the trenches.

TITANS 23 JAGUARS 21





NEW YORK GIANTS @ KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

The Giants are looking good even after a few important injuries. The Chiefs have yet to find their stride on offense. Expect the Jints to ground and pound all Sunday.

GIANTS 38 CHIEFS 14





BALTIMORE RAVENS @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

This is a match up of two of the elite teams in the NFL today. The Ravens have an edge defensively, and the running game. Both receiving and blocking units are evenly matched. This might not be the last time these teams play against each other this season. Flip a coin this Sunday.

PATRIOTS 28 RAVENS 24





TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS @ WASHINGTON REDSKINS

The Bucs head into Sunday with a young, athletic, and talented Josh Johnson starting at quarterback for his first time. The Redskins are reeling, and Clinton Portis is hurt again already. Could spell doom in D.C.

REDSKINS 24 BUCCANEERS 23





BUFFALO BILLS @ MIAMI DOLPHINS

Miami is starving for a win, and the Bills are still trying to get consistent. If Miami can run the ball, then they win. Something tells me Trent Edwards will get hot Sunday.

BILLS 27 DOLPHINS 21






NEW YORK JETS @ NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

The Jets rely on their defense to win, while the Saints rely on their offense. The Jets will not have the services of two of their top DB's, so Drew Brees should be licking his lips.

SAINTS 27 JETS 17





DALLAS COWBOYS @ DENVER BRONCOS

Denver might be catching Dallas at a good time. The Cowboys are down to one healthy running back, and you know that Champ Bailey can cover Roy Williams. Dallas has been inconsistent versus the run, and the Broncos could use this and the mile high air to their advantage.

BRONCOS 31 COWBOYS 27





SAINT LOUIS RAMS @ SAN FRANCISCO 49ers

Kyle Boller will start at quarterback, and you never know which version will show in his inconsistent make up. The Niners are hurting at running back, so they will have to rely on Shaun Hill getting the ball to Vernon Dean often.

RAMS 34 49ers 24








SAN DIEGO CHARGERS @ PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Game Of The Week

The Steelers are not happy with one win right now. Expect them and the fans to be fired up for this game. The Chargers need to run the ball to stand a chance, though their passing game always makes them dangerous. This is a big battle of two teams with Super Bowl expectations, and a good measuring stick.


STEELERS 34 CHARGERS 31






GREEN BAY PACKERS @ MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Though the media is trying to hype this game up, the one to bookmark in this series is the game at Lambeau Field later this year. The Vikes are clicking right now on both sides of the ball. The running game carries them to victory as the defense gets them the ball back quickly. The Packers are not running the ball well right now, and that bodes very good for Minnesota. Ball control is the Vikings game.

VIKINGS 27 PACKERS 17



Season Record So Far : 32-15 ( Did Not Predict Opening Day Game Pitt/ Tenn)




NFL LUCUBRATIONS


For those of you not glued to ESPN listening to the Favre Diary, there has been a few other things going on in the NFL.

One big subject might be to hold an Exclusive Poll on which NFL head coach will be fired first. You could toss in a few others, but this is my five, in no particular order, who I think are on the hot seat.

1. Jim Zorn, Washington Redskins : He wouldn't even make a good offensive coordinator.

2. Eric Mangina, Cleveland Browns : He, as I said the day he got the job, was a mistake to hire.

3. Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville Jaguars : Jack is rebuilding, which takes time. Yet, he has been in Jacksonville a long time. Most coaches don't last that long with a team these days, so he makes this list almost by default.

4. Wade Phillips, Dallas Cowboys : Jason Garrett should go first, but Jerry Jones loves this guy enough to call him a future head coach. Let him try in the UFL before the NFL Jerry. Word is that the Boys are hot for Mike Shanahan right now.

5. John Fox, Carolina Panthers : Another coach on one team a long time. His team is really not performing well right now, so perhaps his sand glass is running empty in Carolina.


You could toss in a few others, but this is my five who I think are on the hot seat.

You may have noticed I spelled Eric Mangina's name wrong, but maybe you didn't? This name was given to him by me when he was running the Jets. Retread hires are an unknown generally, but this one had disaster written all over it. Mangina seems to have a predication for neglecting the trenches. This is something Cleveland does not need right now, and the top brass should accept the full brunt of the blame.

Brady Quinn was handed the starting job, and did little. Derek Anderson replaced him last week, and gave the same results. Anderson was a Pro Bowl player two years ago, which also happened to be the last time running back Jamal Lewis was effective. There happens to be a reason for this theme.

The Browns offensive line has stunk the past two years. If the team had Johnny Unitas and Jim Brown together in their backfield now, I doubt the results would be much better. Though I never saw Quinn as an NFL talent, he certainly cannot be blamed. That applies to the season Anderson had last year. If no one is blocking or catching with any consistency, you just will not win many games. Mangina might go into next year as coach, but if they may as well get rid of him now if he does not build their trenches in the 2010 draft.

The Tennessee Titans are without a win so far. This is not what was expected from a team that had such a long and dominant stretch last year. Though I did predict a last place finish for them this year, which many disagreed with me on, I certainly wonder what will happen to their season if they fail to win Sunday in Jacksonville.

The Titans will face the Colts and Patriots the next two weeks before facing the Jaguars again. Losing this week will give Jacksonville confidence to come into Tennessee and win again. If the Titans are 0-6 at that point, who knows what the moral of the team will be. Jeff Fisher has perhaps his most daunting task ahead of him so far in his 17 years as head coach of the team.



DO NOT FORGET TO DONATE TOWARDS THE CURE OF BREAST CANCER THIS WEEK if you are able.

Go To : http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/