NFL Week 8 Shows Teams Need To Put Old Yeller Out Of His Misery

Many NFL fans are tired of saying "He's back!" Then there are others who wished he was never asked to return. Then there are the Hickocritons who don't care what he does, just so long as he returns.

Brett Farve is trying to tell his media buddies he will try to play Sunday so his team can win. With an ego so out of control, he fails to see he is the biggest reason they are 2-4 with his 15 turnovers.

With the highest interception rate of his career, coupled by the lowest yards per attempts average and passing yards per game of his career, Favre resembles the punch-drunk heavyweight who got in the ring one too many times.

While time eventually forgets those missteps, his may linger because of other issues that show he is more than the crying boy playing for his dead dad. He is now the dirty old man touching himself to a girl old enough to be his child while wearing Crocs instead of slippers.

ESPN tried to exclaim Farve took part of practice, while only showing footage of an old man by a locker trying to put weight on his injured ankle. Vikings head coach Brad Childress, obviously tired of watching a self absorbent egomaniac throw away games while playing outside of the the system, has publicly said the team needs a quarterback who values possession of the football.

If Childress does the right thing and benches Farve, the media blitz is on from the quarterbacks buddies. If he says nothing, he loses respect in the locker room. While people point to the streak, trying to compare it to Jim Marshall or Cal Ripken Jr., it should be noted Marshall and Ripken were not causing their teams to lose for the sake of their streaks, and still contributed heavily towards victories.

Childress only has himself to blame. He asked for a return and even picked him up at the airport. Perhaps his only avenue is to let the Hickocrite play, lose the game, and possibly get damaged so bad in the ankle that he is forced to retire. The Vikings win in that scenario.

Albert Haynesworth came out this week saying ''I'm not good enough to play the 3-4 defense. 'I would like to start and start playing like I used to ... but right now I'm fine with it ( coming off the bench in the nickel package)."

Haynesworth may have been trying to be facetious, considering he just came off a game where he had his first sack this season and came up big on a goal line play, but the message of pity was the recurring theme he has spouted since Mike Shanahan was hired as the Redskins head coach and announcing plans to switch to a base 3-4 defense.

He doesn't seem concerned whether or not he will be with Washington past this season either. ''I don't know. I have no clue. Right now, if I just keep playing, I'm going to be somewhere. Keep playing and help the teammates, and make plays and I guess get noticed more,'' Haynesworth pondered, ''so people will say I'm not a bust or whatever.''

Guess he is so self involved and so deeply sequestered from society that he fails to realize people have been calling him a bust most of his Redskins career.

Week six of the 2010 NFL season can also be called "The Day The Game Died", thanks to commissioner Roger Goodell listening to a bunch of whiny media yenta's instead of thinking of the good of the game itself.

They went on a media blitz, and Goodell looked like a wide-eyed rookie. He proceeded to throw an interception that cost the game its game. A commissioner, who hasn't played organized football since his teens, showed his insight of the game by sending a message even clean, hard hits will be fined.

He fined one player who made a clean and legal hit. The player led with his shoulder, blowing up a 165-lbs player to the point the whiplash effect caused a concussion.

The NFL has made its bones, as well as billions of dollars, on violent hits. It is a part of the game that is clearly unavoidable, no matter how the league tries. Every position but running back has gone through major rule changes. The quarterback now plays practically in a prom dress surrounded by a booth of safety, a step away from flag football.

Week six is when the entire offense became the coddled quarterback, as the defense last semblance of manhood was lopped off, thus completing the castration of the NFL.

This week he tried to top himself by holding a first ever conference of every NFL referee. He wasn't just talking about the plethora of bad calls that are as ingrained into the gridiron as the player themselves. He continued his lip service about hard tackles.

Instead of taking an intelligent path of calling out coaches of kids who are too busy scrounging for pennies instead of teaching fundamentals, Goodell thinks he can get to the root of an issue by starting at the very top of the food chain.





Buffalo Bills @ Kansas City Chiefs

The winless Bill proved that they still were an NFL team last week by taking the Baltimore Ravens to the wire in their 37-34 loss last Sunday.

Buffalo's problem is they are good against the pass, but are the worst against the run defensively. The Chiefs stink at throwing the ball, but are the top team in the NFL at running it.

Buffalo might try to pound halfback Fred Jackson often, but attacking the Chiefs 25th ranked pass defense is the best way to go with them. They have a good shot at getting a win this week, but betting on the Bills to be consistent is a huge gamble.

Bills 27 Chiefs 24







Denver Broncos @ San Francisco 49ers

If you said the Chiefs/ Bills game would be a better game before the season started, go buy a lottery ticket fast.

The Niners have one win, the Broncos have two. Besides Denver quarterback Kyle Orton, neither team does anything particularly great on either side of the ball. San Francisco has recently shown some signs of getting halfback Frank Gore going, and they will have to lean on him heavy with a third-string quarterback playing.

The NFL is trying to get global, playing this game overseas, but it it hard to imagine this battle of mediocrity will inspire much of a following.

Broncos 31 49ers 23




Carolina Panthers @ Saint Louis Rams

Here is a look at two teams going in opposite directions a lot faster than expected. The Rams already have three wins, a total many did not expect over the entire season from them in training camp. Carolina has just one.

Matt Moore is back as the Panthers quarterback, and he had a few nice moments last week. With halfback DeAngelo Williams dinged up and questionable, he will need to step up again.

The Rams underrated defense is improving weekly, and they can get a big load of help from running back Steven Jackson pounding the ball frequently against the Panthers 24th ranked rush defense.

Rams 21 Panthers 10





Washington Redskins @ Detroit Lions

The 4-3 Redskins are just a few plays away from being undefeated and winless. They have been so impressive that gamblers are betting on the 1-5 Lions this week. Not just because they beat Washington last week either.

As Detroit returns from their bye week, Washington heads into theirs. Detroit has the seventh ranked pass attack, but that was from the arm of Shawn Hill. Hill came on early in the season to replace the injured starter Matthew Stafford. Now Hill is hurt and Stafford is ready to go against the Redskins 31st ranked pass defense.

While Washington statistically has the second worst defense in the NFL, they get real tough once teams approach the end zone. Detroit also has no power backs to rely on, as they prefer to hand it to scatback Jahvid Best. Best has had a productive season, but has had nagging injuries to the point even Lions head coach Jim Schwartz conceded that full health is not likely to return all year for the rookie.

The Lions defense is nothing special either, but rookie Ndamukong Suh could present a beat up Donovan McNabb issues all day behind his sub par offensive line. If he gets time, McNabb could carve up Detroit's secondary when not handing the ball of to Ryan Torain. Torain is seeking his third straight week of over 100 yards rushing.

Redskins 30 Lions 28





Green Bay Packers @ New York Jets

It has been a questionable move by the Pack not to supplement their running backs corps after Ryan Grant went down for the year early on, especially after watching Marshawn Lynch get had for very little in return.

The glare of Grant's absence will glow brightest this game, because the Packers will need to pass often to win. They are missing their best tight end and their leading receiver is beat up. Donald Driver is so hurt, he failed to catch a pass for the first time in almost nine full seasons, 139 games, last week.

The Jets are coming off a bye week, so guys are getting healthy again. Derrelle Revis is one of them, and he should be blanketing Greg Jennings all game. New York also has the second best rushing attack in the NFL, not good news for a 23rd ranked Green Bay run defense so beat up that they had offensive lineman T.J. Lang helping out last week.

Jets 26 Packers 17





Miami Dolphins @ Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati is a mess. Last week typified their 2010 season. Getting blown out 24-3 at halftime against the Atlanta Falcons, they went into the fourth quarter leading 25-24. Atlanta then put up 15 straight points before the Bengals added a late cosmetic score in their 39-32 loss.

That has been the problem, looking good cosmetically with no substance. But that was expected after pairing up Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco, who are exactly what the Bengals are. A galaxy away from the 2009 team that went 10-6.

Miami should look to kick start their running game against a under-performing Bengals defense.

Dolphins 28 Bengals 20







Jacksonville Jaguars @ Dallas Cowboys

This is a game no one cares about, and that includes the players that will take the field. While Jaguars quarterback David Garrard returns from injury, John Kitna makes his first start in place of the injured Tony Romo in this battle of two teams going nowhere worthwhile in 2010.

Cowboys 18 Jaguars 17







Tennessee Titans @ San Diego Chargers

Only a Norv Turner-coached team can be first in offense and defense with a 2-5 record. Bolts quarterback Philip Rivers gets Vincent Jackson back from his holdout, but it is hard to imagine Jackson giving his full effort. Jackson is probably looking to get out healthy in 2010 so he can join a new team next year.

Vince Young returns to the Titans after missing over a game from a knee injury. Wide receiver Kenny Britt has gotten hot recently,taking a little pressure off bell cow Chris Johnson.

This game should go to the wire.

Titans 34 Chargers 31






Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Arizona Cardinals

Tampa Bay's head coach Raheem Morris says his team is the best in the NFC. Now is the time to prove it.

Buccaneers 21 Cardinals 17






Minnesota Vikings @ New England Patriots

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady once said he wants to play until he gets past 40-years old. Perhaps watching Brett Favre crash and burn this year will have him rethink that plan.

Vikings halfback Adrian Peterson should get the ball a lot, but maybe more in the pass than he has before. The Pats have one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL, but they could get good fast against a Vikings passer who already has 10 interceptions.

Randy Moss returns to New England, where he played over three years, wearing a Vikings jersey he wore six seasons previously. He will want the ball. The only question is if Minnesota has someone who can get it to him.

Patriots 37 Vikings 31






Seattle Seahawks @ Oakland Raiders

It is fitting these two face off on Halloween, because they truly are Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Oakland went crazy last week, scoring at will, after a season of battling to get points. Seattle is leading their division, putting new head coach Pete Carroll in serious consideration for an award. One week they are stomping the 49ers, Chargers, or Bears, the next they are getting destroyed by the Rams.

Oakland did beat Seattle 27-24 in preseason, for whatever that's worth.

Raiders 27 Seahawks 17






Pittsburgh Steelers @ New Orleans Saints

The Saints are looking for that wondrous offense that won them a Super Bowl last year. It is doubtful they will finally find it courtesy of the Steelers, perhaps boasting the best defense in all of football.

While New Orleans has been excellent defending the pass this season, their 16th ranked run defense will be tested by Steelers halfback Rashard Mendenhall. If the Saints can't run well, this could be over fast.

When Pittsburgh won Super Bowl XLIII in 2008, they failed to make the playoffs the following year. The 4-3 Saints are dangerously flirting with that territory this year.

Steelers 23 Saints 20





Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts
Game of the Week

Houston showed they could beat the Colts in the first week of this season. It helped that halfback Arian Foster ran for 231 yards and three touchdowns, but the Colts are horrible defending the run and rank 26th in the league. It is possible Foster matches those career best totals once again this Monday.

Duane Brown is the Texans best offensive lineman, and the left tackle will have his hands full with pass rusher Dwight Freeney. Houston did lose their best linebacker in DeMeco Ryans in the middle of their defense for the year, and they now hope 2009 Defensive Rookie of the Year Brian Cushing can play the spot.

Indianapolis always seems to lose a key pass catcher every year and not miss a step. All-Pro tight end Dallas Clark is gone for the year, and red zone specialist Austin Collie is also out.

Future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning has already said this game is important to his Colts. They have lost both games in their division so far, thus making him realize how catastrophic a third defeat could be in this battle of 4-2 squads.

Colts 38 Texans 35



Power Rankings

1. Steelers
2. Jets
3. Patriots
4. Giants
5. Ravens
6. Colts
7. Titans
8. Falcons
9. Texans
10. Chiefs
11. Saints
12. Dolphins
13. Redskins
14. Buccaneers
15. Eagles
16. Packers
17. Bengals
18. Bears
19. Chargers
20. Rams
21. Vikings
22. Jaguars
23. Raiders
24. Seahawks
25. Cowboys
26. Broncos
27. Cardinals
28. Lions
29. 49ers
30. Browns
31. Bills
32. Panthers