Monday, October 28, 2013

NFL Mid-Term Grades

Arizona Cardinals -  D
     The Cardinals don't have a run game to help out Carson Palmer, but he turns the ball over a lot, and the NFC West is a powerhouse, they may not have what it takes to compete.  At least they haven't shown it at all.

Atlanta Falcons -  F-
     After getting one game away from the Super Bowl last year, and with a lot of veteran free agent signings in the off season, the bar was set so high, and they have fallen flat on their faces.  Even before Julio Jones and Stephan Jackson got inured, the Falcons were outplayed, and they still continue to battle with no firepower.

Baltimore Ravens - C
     A lot of teams get Super Bowl hangovers, and the Ravens lost a ton of leadership.  If they can maintain their mediocre play long enough, they might return to the playoffs.

Buffalo Bills C
     The Bills are young team, and have shown flashes of getting better.  But injuries have hurt them, C.J. Spiller is nowhere near the pre season hype all, all of his Fantasy Football owners have figured out, myself included, and they can't put up enough points to keep leads late in games.  A shift is brewing in the AFC East, with Tom Brady in the twilight of his career in New England, Buffalo could be competing to win that division in the coming years.

Carolina Panthers - C-
     Ron Rivera isn't doing a good job, but he did have to replace John Fox, and those are big shoes to fill.  Cam Newton still lacks the maturity needed to be the franchise QB, and with no run game, and no pass defense, the Panthers will stay at that level that's just above the bottom teams in the league.

Chicago Bears B-
     Mark Trestman is a having a nice debut in Chicago, and jumped out to a strong start, but Cutler getting injured came at a time that the Lions are playing better, and Green Bay still looks to be struggling.  If Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery can get open for McCown, they should be able to stay at the top of the NFC North.

Cincinnati Bengals - B+
     Andy Dalton has been playing really well, and has shown great leadership for such a young QB, and the Bengals have beaten some pretty good teams so far this year.  If they can keep playing at such a great level, they should have the AFC North title in January.

Cleveland Browns - D
      The Trent Richardson trade seemed to be a good move, and they got a 1st round pick in the process, so that's the chance to draft more talent.  Brain Hoyer played well, and just like Cleveland's luck, got injured.  But they have shown spurts of getting better, but Brandon Weeden is too inconsistent.

Dallas Cowboys - C
     The NFC East is really weak this year, and the Cowboys look like the best team in a bad division.  Jason Garrett will be fired, and the search for a new regime will once again take place in Dallas.  They should win the division, but there are too many good teams in the NFC for them to be a real threat.  Tony Romo has been putting his best season of his career together, but the Cowboys just keep losing close games.

Denver Broncos - A-
     Peyton Manning is having an MVP caliber year, and is on pace to smash Tom Brady's single season touchdown record (50).  Knowshon Moreno has stepped up into the starting tole at RB, and looks like the first round draft pick we were all waiting for.  He had a lot of injuries his first few years, and wasn't taking football seriously until he was benched at the beginning of last season, only to be one of the top running backs in the league.  But they have only played 2 legitimate playoff teams, (DAL, IND), lost to one, and barely beat the other.  The defense is missing the pass rush of Von Miller, but as I said when he signed with Denver, Shuan Phillips has filled the void left by Elvis Dumervil, and I think is doing a better job in that DE/LB hybrid role.  The defense gives up a lot of passing yards because the offense gets such big leads and scores so fast, that their opponents have no choice but to constantly pass to try and catch up.  The real test for the Broncos after their bye week, when they face Kansas City, New England, and Kansas City again in the span of 3 weeks.  So they better rest up and get ready for a bumpy ride. 

Detroit Lions - B+
     The addition of Reggie Bush has had a major impact, and the Lions are playing like a team that is hungry for a long overdue division title, and boy does the City of Detroit need any kind of uplift right now.  Ndamekung Suh continues to play dirty, and is a constant distraction with his lack of discipline.  So much so, that NFL officials sat him down, and showed him film of himself playing dirty.  But if he can't stop getting suspended, the Lions may continue to struggle on defense.  If you still don't believe that Calvin Johnson isn't the best WR in the league, just look at his performance against Dallas, 14 reception 329 receiving yards, and a TD, and let that do the talking for ya.  He may not end up with the stats that Jerry Rice put up in his career, but when all is said and done, Calvin Johnson might be the 2nd best WR of all time.

Green Bay Packers - C+
     The Packers WR keep dropping like flies, leaving Aaron Rodgers to find new targets he isn't comfortable with, leaving Jordy Nelson as the primary receiver in that offense, and he is easily the most underrated WR in the league, and is probably one of the best, probably top 10.  Eddie Lacy has given the Pack a rush attack, and that has been able to help the receivers get open down field.  After tough losses to the Bengals and the 49ers, both which were outstanding games, they have kept up with Chicago, and should be able to compete for the division.

Houston Texans - F
     It's gotten pretty bad for Gary Kubiak, and when the fans start cheering when they're starting QB gets hurt, well that's just down right nasty.  If the Texans end up with a high draft pick, they should go get Taj Boyd out of Clemson.  He's big, got a cannon for an arm, and quick enough to run the spread.  Gary Kubiak shouldn't loose his job after this year, and should have another chance to turn things around with a new QB.

Indianapolis Colts - B
     Andrew Luck is having a superb season, and after beating Peyton in his old house, Luck made a statement to his teammates, fans and critics; This is his team now!  The sooner Richardson can catch up on the playbook, the more points they will score.  But with Reggie Wayne doing down for the remainder of the season, T.Y. Hilton, and Colby Fleener are going to have to step up for Luck if they want to win the division.

Jacksonville Jaguars - F
      Just move to L.A. already and turn the stadium into a parking lot.  The high point has been Justin Blackmon, and he is showing other teams his skills, praying for a trade to a decent team.  I bet New England somehow manages to pick him up for NOTHING, the way they did with Randy Moss.  Blackmon can only hope.

Kansas City Chiefs - A+
     From worst to first, Andy Reid has shown us all that he knows what to do with talent.  For years the Chiefs have been drafting high, and now all those young players are shining bright in Reid's system.  Alex Smith is better than people say and think, he doesn't turn the ball over, he's accurate, and is fast enough to run the spread and catch the defense off guard.  No, he won't get you 300 passing yards and 4 TD's a game, but he gets the one stat that matters, Wins.  All Kansas City needed was a decent QB, and now they got one.  The defense is playing at a tremendous level, and the Chiefs have charged to a league best 8-0 record.  Looks like Reid and Smith both just needed a change of scenery, and they are working well together.  If the Broncos aren't careful they could slip to the worst team, well last year's worst team I should say!

Miami Dolphins - C+
     The Dolphins have stumbled after a 3-0 start, and with no leadership on defense, and the lack of a running game, the Dolphins will be lucky to finish the year at 8-8. But Tannehill has played a lot better, but needs more weapons and protection.

Minnesota Vikings - F
     Adrian Peterson ran for over 2,000 yards last year, but with defenses contain him and the Vikings having a merry go around at QB, it feels like all is lost in Minnesota, and the Vikings should look into trading A.P., to a contender before it gets too late in his very injury ladled career, and they won't be able to get value for him.  Plus after his illegitimate child being murdered, I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't want get out of there, hell, I wouldn't blame him.

New England Patriots - B
     Tom Brady has no weapons to throw too, no solid run game, a mediocre defense, and he still gets the job done.  He won't have Manning numbers, but he'll have Wins, the only stat that matters.  The Patriots did beat the Saints, like the Broncos, haven't really played too many strong teams.  Brady is just waiting for Gronkowski's return, and the Patriots should not rush him back at all.  If the Patriots continue to win games without him, then they need to save him for the playoffs.  In the meantime, Brady continues to do a good job.

New Orleans Saints - B+
     What a difference a head coach makes, huh?  Drew Brees and the Saints are back on top of the NFC South, and are looking like they have returned being a major contender in the NFC.  They do have the luxury of playing in the South, but Brees is a good leader, and should be able to take them back to the playoffs.

New York Giants - F
      What is going on Eli?!  Something has to be going on, because Eli hasn't played this bad since his rookie year.  It may be time for Tom Coughlin to move on, but every time we say this, he leads the Giants to a Super Bowl victory over the Patriots.  And at 2-6, they are sinking, but they are not dead in the water, especially in the NFC East where 8-8 could win the division.  But with no running game, and tons of turnovers, that's going to be real tough to overcome. 

New York Jets - C
     After a an upset in New England last week, and so much controversy at QB to start the season, Rex Ryan and the Jets don't look as bad as everyone predicted.  But I still don't believe that they can fight for a playoff spot.

Oakland Raiders - D
     Terrell Pryor has shown flashes, but the Raiders just have so many holes that they need to fill, but they are playing well at home, making "The Black Hole" a place to fear not just in the stands, but on the field as well.  It will come down to how long they wish to stay with Dennis Allen, and with the Raiders' head coach track record, it doesn't look very good for Allen.

Philadelphia Eagles - D
     Chip Kelly is trying to bring his fast paced, high scoring offense from college to the NFL, and that is not working, because A). The Defense has no time to rest B.) Football in real life takes real strategy.  This isn't college where you get to blow out 9 lousy teams, and only have 3 real games.  No, it's professional for a reason Kelly.  I don't see him being the Eagles coach past next year, and if he is, well good for him.

Pittsburgh Steelers - F
     Mike Tomlin is a hell of a coach, but for some reason, he cannot figure out how to turn this team around.  He's not in danger of losing his job, but if you can't run the ball, and have no targets for Rothlisberger, then you will have a tough time putting points on the board.  Which is what is going on in the Steel City this season.

San Diego Chargers - C-
     The Chargers are playing better than I and many others predicted, but with the Chiefs playing well, the AFC West has become one of the toughest divisions in football.  Rivers has no run game, no targets, no integrity, no friends, and you can't have that in your "Star" QB.  McCoy is in his first year, so it may take a season or two for his low scoring system to actually take place.

San Francisco 49ers -  B-
     The reigning NFC Champs have found themselves chasing the Seahawks, and after they were shut down by Seattle, they may not be the best team in the division, or the conference anymore.  But Harbaugh is a great coach, and the Niners still have a dominate defense, but if Kaepernick can't get in a rhythm, they can fall into trouble real fast.

Seattle Seahawks - A-
     The Seahawks are arguably the best team in the NFC, but the whole NFL?!  I don't think so, because they don't have that go to WR, but they are probably the most well rounded team in the NFL.  Pete Carroll has the players focused, and they really like to play for him.  Would they be able to last in a shootout?  We know that they can hold fast offenses, but can they put up points consistently?  The better they play, the more they prove that they are a force to be reckoned with.

St. Louis Rams - C
     Sam Bradford was having a great year until he was injured, and the Rams seemed to have had all the air sucked out of them.  The NFC West is a tough place to play, and with no QB, or run game, they are in for a tough end of the season

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - F
     Tampa Bay has no identity and once again find themselves at the bottom of the league, and will probably be searching for a new coach at the end of the season.  Lack of talent + No leadership= 0-7.


Tennessee Titans - C
     The Titans are looking a lot better and if they can string together a couple more wins, they could fight for a wild card spot.  I don't believe that Jake Locker is the long term answer, and they should make a run at RGIII's backup in Washington, Kirk Cousins.  He's seasoned and learned a pro style offense, as well as the intangibles to lead a team.  But they need a QB who will put the team on his shoulders and carry them to victory.  Chris Johnson is still the fastest RB, but they do overuse him, and don't have any other weapons they can turn too.  Well, nobody has stepped up to do it.

Washington Redskins - D
     Running QB's don't last very long, and with as hard as RGIII played last year, he may have beat up his body too much.  Will he get over that knee injury?  Right now it seems to be hampering him pretty bad, and if Shanahan wants to turn this season around, he's gonna have cut his loses, and let Griffin sit out the rest of the year to try and get him back next year.  Otherwise, that young man may not have a long pro football career.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

NFL Week 6 Review: Week 7 Picks



Here are the results for week 5:

BEARS BEAT GIANTS 27-21
Shua's Pick- Bears
The Giants just look so lost, and Eli may have to be benched to wake his ass up.

BENGALS BEAT BILLS 27-24 OT
Shua's Pick- Bengals
The Bills fought, and the Bengals let them hang in the game.  The Bengals have got to close out better if they want to win that division.

PACKERS BEAT RAVENS 19-17
Shua's Pick- Packers
Packers suffered more injury loss, with Randall Cobb getting hurt, but the D prevailed long enough before the Ravens could comeback.

LIONS BEAT BROWNS 33-17
Shua's Pick- Lions
The Lions continued to put up points, and the Browns looked like the Browns again.

PANTHERS BEAT VIKINGS 35-10
Shua's Pick- Vikings
Cam Newton had a great game, and the Vikings were playing in an uncomfortable locker room, with Adrian Peterson's son dying.  This was just a sad week for that team.

CHIEFS BEAT RAIDERS 24-7
Shua's Pick- Chiefs
The Chiefs defense continued their dominance, and now Andy Reid has K.C. tied for first with the Broncos.  If Alex Smith can put up more points, they may just become the 2nd best team in the league.

STEELERS BEAT JETS 19-6
Shua's Pick- Steelers
Steelers pumped some life back into their season, but the air is slowly running out on them.

EAGLES BEAT BUCC'S 31-20
Shua's Pick- Eagles

SEAHAWKS BEAT TITANS 20-13
Shua's Pick- Seahawks
The Titans aren't as bad as they have been in recent years, and held their own against a good Seattle team.

49ERS BEAT CARDINALS 32-20
Shua's Pick- 49ers

BRONCOS BEAT JAGUARS 35-19
Shua's Pick- I didn't pick this game because we all knew what was going to happen.  But give Jacksonville some credit, they didn't just lay down as expected.  And when you tell professional athletes that they are a 27 point underdog, that is a slap in the face.  They did intercept a Peyton pass, and returned it for a touchdown.  That should bring Peyton down to earth, and you know that he's more upset about that than the fans.  The key player to the game though, I believe goes to two players; Knowshon Moreno, and WR Justin Blackmon.  Moreno has become the proven starter, and as long as he can stay healthy, his impact will continue on the field.  Whether that's blocking, running the ball, or catching out of the backfield, he is looking like the first round RB that was drafted 5 years ago.  But you do have to give props to Justin Blackmon, he left it all on the field with over 200 yards receiving, but unfortunately, he plays for the Jaguars, and the talent is very thin on that roster.  He did catch more than just passes that day, he caught a lot of attention as well, and with pretty boy Decker's contract up at the end of the season, the Broncos should make a serious move to get that young man.  I'd expect it.

COWBOYS BEAT REDSKINS 31-16
Shua's Pick - Redskins
Cowboys look to be the favorite of that division, and RGIII looks more like RG 1and 1/2 right now.

*RAMS BEAT TEXANS 38-13
Shua's Pick- Rams!
Texans fans did a really low class thing, booing for Matt Schaub, and the Rams just layed it on them with a really young and fast defense.

^PATRIOTS BEAT SAINTS 30-27
Shua's Pick- Saints
The Patriots showed that they are still a team to be reckoned with in the AFC.  The Saints have a week off now and should be able to bounce back from that loss.

Shua's Record- 11-3

Week 7 Preview

Seahawks @ Cardinals
Shua's Pick-  Seahawks













Cowboys @ Eagles
Shua's Pick-  Eagles
     Dallas is banged up, and Nick Foles can run the offense pretty well.

Bengals @ Lions
Shua's Pick-  Lions

     The Lions have looked great and Reggie Bush seems to be fitting that offense well.  If they can get an early lead on Cincinnati, they can pull off a victory.

Rams @ Panthers
Shua's Pick-  Rams

Texans @ Chiefs
Shua's Pick-  Chiefs

     The Texans' players are pretty pissed off about the fans booing Schaub's injury, and I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't give a 100% to piss the fans off.  NFL players have a camaraderie, a brotherhood so to speak.  They all wish that NOBODY gets hurt at all, and when the fans cheer a man going down, that really insults, and appalls them.  Now, Texans fans, expect a couple of years of trade requests, and bad Free agency years to come, because the players will not want to play for fans who boo injuries.

Falcons @ Buccaneers
Shua's Pick-  Falcons
     The Falcons lost Julio Jones for the year, and all those offseason moves they made are coming back to haunt them.  A team that was supposed to be contending for the Super Bowl at the beginning of the year, is now struggling to get to .500.  You paid Matt Ryan a ton of money, but all those pieces fell apart around him.  In what looks to be Tony Gonzalez's final year, he may not come anywhere near the Super Bowl.  A shame for a class act, and a walk in Hall Of Famer.

Bears @ Redskins
Shua's Pick-  Redskins
     Shanahan knows Cutler well, and will take away the pass game, but will RGIII show up?

Bills @ Dolphins
Shua's Pick-  Dolphins

Chargers @ Jaguars
Shua's Pick-  Jaguars

Patriots @ Jets
Shua's Pick-  Jets
     The Jets are surprisingly at .500 now, and can surprise a Patriots team that just lost Ammendola, but Gronkowski could return.

49ers @ Titans (UPSET SPECIAL)
Shua's Pick-  Titans

     This is my "Upset Special".  The Titans may be in a dogfight for the AFC South division, with the Texans falling hard, and Indy losing on Monday night.  If Fitzpatrick can find a way for Chris Johnson to get some touches, they could hang with the 49ers in a slug fest. If the Titans can get to Kaepernick when he's in the pocket, they can make him nervous, force throws.  The Titans may be the surprise team in the AFC this year.

Ravens @ Steelers
Shua's Pick-  Steelers
     Steelers are desperate, and this game usually comes down to the wire, and I think the Steelers will last longer at home.
 
Browns @ Packers
Shua's Pick-  Packers

     Packers are beat up, and Cleveland has been a surprise team so far.  But if Rodgers wants to keep his team in a playoff hunt, he's gotta lead them to victory this week.  Otherwise a Browns victory here, and the Pack could be looking at an uphill struggle for the rest of the season.

Broncos @ Colts (Game of The Week)
Shua's Pick-  Broncos

     The media is gonna shove this down our throats so I won't, Peyton returns home with just an overall better team, plus a rested Von Miller returns, and he has something to prove here. I feel the Broncos have more at stake than the Colts at this point.  The Chiefs are right on the Broncos' tails, and look to be a legitimate threat in the conference as well as the division. So the Broncos have to keep up the pace they've been playing at.  Plus, the rest of the team has to understand what this game means to Peyton.  He built his legacy there, and was brushed aside for someone younger.  'This one is for Peyton' game can get out of the way with this game, and one more in New England next month.  With Von Miller returning, that should create more pressure and the D should be able to get some turnovers here.  Miller needs to come out on fire!  He's rested, and pumped and angry.  If he isn't foaming at the mouth to get to Andrew Luck, then he still won't have his head on straight, and then the alarm bells should ring. 

Vikings @ Giants
Shuas's Pick-  Giants
     Eli has had his worst year quite possibly, and the Vikings aren't very good either.  But it should be a high scoring game.

AVALANCHE ALERT!!

     With Patrick Roy's impact, the Avs have stormed out of the gate reaching 6-0, and gaining 12 points in the process.  The Avs look way more disciplined, and Varlamov looks to have taken an icredible step forward under Roy.  With the youth, you do have to hope that they can maintain this type of momentum, and not burn out after the All-Star break, heading into the playoffs.  Yes, the Avs will make the playoffs, and I guarantee it.  Roy expects no less, and the players are delivering.
     Perhaps the most important part of the Avalanche's success, has to be Varlamov's confidence, and that should be sky high right now.  In 5 starts he's had over 30 saves in each game, and has been in the 3 stars 4 times, posting a 1.20 GAA(Goals Against Average), and a .965% saving percentage.  At only age 25, these are dangerous numbers, and will probably only get better in time.
     Duchene looks to be in great shape, and he showed that on Monday night, scoring 2 goals against the Stars.  One of those was a breakaway goal, and that should have made top plays on Sportscenter.  Welcome home Alex Tanguay, and he's playing probably the smartest hockey of his career with his veteran presence on the team. 
     As long as the Avs can control their overwhelming speed, they will tire down there opponents, the way they did in Boston against the Eastern Conference Champions.  Now looking ahead to Thursday's game against the Red Wings, in what will now be a once, maybe twice a year meeting since Detroit moved to the Eastern Conference, it's going to be quite a show to see, Roy going against his nemesis team.  He has to bring back that rivalry with these players, especially since the Red Wings have walked all over the Avs for the better part of the last decade.  As long as the Avs can continue to get points, and stay in first place, Denver will regain its reputation as a great sports city.  So thanks to Patrick Roy, and Joe Sakic for returning some excitement to the fans, its been to long for such loyal fans to be proud of their team.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Madden Torch?! Pass it on to Gruden!



   
    After 25 years of being the face on the most popular sports franchise video games, the time has come for EA Sports to go in a new direction.  "Madden Football" is so synonymous with the NFL, sure it will be tough to put a new name on the game.  The game is already in the NFL Hall of Fame, won many awards, and has been a big part of many young men's lives, but now it's time to move on and pick a new face! This one!



No. no. no! Not that on, this one!


    Jon Gruden has made a huge presence in the NFL over the last 15 years, from the field to the booth, that it just seems fitting! Even being a Broncos fan, I really enjoy Gruden's commentary on Monday Night Football.  He's clever, he's funny, and he knows the game extremely well. Mike Tirico does a solid job as his play-by-play announcer, but if you were to pair him up with say, Al Michaels, or Gus Johnson("COLD BLOODED"), or Jim Nantz, a Gumbel, hell, even Joe Buck's monotone voice, all of them would work with Gruden.  He's got the resume for it and he is young enough to be around for at least a decade.  Let's compare John Madden, and Jon Gruden;

John Madden                           
Former Raiders Head Coach
Won Super Bowl XI
Numerous TV Ads (Tinactin, ACE, etc.)
MNF Commentator
Crazy Eyebrows
Inivator of the Replay Screen
Catchy Commentary

Jon Gruden
Former Raiders Head Coach
Won Super Bowl XXXVII
MNF Commentator
A Few TV Ads (Hooter's)
"Chucky" Look
Gruden's QB Camp
Catchy Commentary

     It will be hard to replace John Madden, absolutely. And so many fans will be angry at first, but let's look at a few things before you start thinking negative.  The "Madden Curse", where the player on the cover gets injured, and/or has a bad year, could be broken.  Maybe turn it the other way, and the player on the cover of "Gruden Football" has a career year.  Or don't even put a player on the cover, and just have Gruden on the cover for the first few years.  "Madden" the game, has become increasingly difficult over the last 5 years or so, EA Sports could introduce the general play of the game by putting "Gruden's QB Camp" as some sort of tutorial.  Even have some sort of "Chucky Cheat", where your QB or coach is Chucky!  C'mon, that would be hilarious!  Any way that they can do it, they should just do it.  "Madden 25" is a great way to end the franchise, and the timing is perfect.  When John Madden retired from the game a few years ago, he stepped away from the game entirely.  Madden doesn't do interviews, and he isn't seen at very many games.  Also, let's be honest, how many more years does he have left?
     Gruden has the name, has the look, and has no need to go back to coaching.  And man, has he had the offers.  Everything from college to the pros, any team would be willing to have him as their head coach.  But Gruden has no desire to return.  Why should he?  He's got a cushy job at ESPN, and they will pay him enough to make sure he doesn't leave.  Why would he go back to a team that will more than likely need him to turn around their franchise?  That would be way to stressful for a guy who has it made in the sun.  He's got his ring, and he got it by beating the team that he built.  Why would he go back and work for an owner who has too much control of the team? 
     In about a decade, when our kids begin to play video games, they will have no idea who John Madden is, unfortunately, but truthfully. With Gruden, you get the voice of MNF, in the game, plus I would much rather listen to Gruden any day over Cris Collinsworth.  I like Collinsworth, but he doesn't have the charisma, or intelligence that Gruden has. 
     So listen up EA Sports!  This would be a very wise decision, and after 25 years of John Madden as the voice of video game football, he can gracefully bow out, and let Gruden take the spotlight.  Get started soon, "Guden Football '14" is less than 11 months from being released!

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Special Top 10 Hottest Female Athletes

1. Rhonda Rousey



2. Maria Sharapova




3. Hope Solo




4. Danica Patrick















5. Misty May-Treanor




6. Nastia Liukin



7. Kerri Walsh






8. Jennie Finch



9. Natalie Gublis



10. Michelle Jenneke


NFL Week 5 Review; Week 6 Preview

 

      Let's start with the most exciting game of the week, and possibly the entire season thus far, with the Broncos barely edging out the Cowboys in Big D, 51-48.  Both teams went back and fourth and Romo showed why the Cowboys gave him $50 million dollars having his best career game.  Unfortunately for Tony Romo, Tony Romo showed up in the final minutes of the 4th quarter, and threw an interception, and the Cowboys watched the game slip out of their hands.  Romo did have an excellent game with 502 pass yards, and 5 touchdowns, and even showed off his ability to escape pressure in the pocket.  But not even 48 points can slow down Peyton "Fuckin" Manning, who is on pace right now to throw 64 touchdowns on the season.  Peyton did throw his first pick of the year, but that didn't phase him one bit.  The Broncos' defense bent and almost broke on multiple occasions, but in the absence of their 3 best players (Miller, Bailey, and Woodyard), they were still able to come up with a big stop when it mattered most.  What a game, an instant classic, and I was glad to witness such a performance by both teams.

     Elsewhere, the Saints remained undefeated, the Colts upset the Seahawks, the 49ers embarrassed the Texans, the Bengals stopped Brady and the Patriots, the Packers showed up against the Lions, Andy Reid and the Chiefs stayed unbeaten, and the Giants, wow, the Giants look incredibly bad, and are 0-5 in what may be Eli Manning's worst season as a pro.  It looks like Tom Coughlin is on his way out, and this time he may have too big of a hole to dig himself out of.  He's been there for 10 years, and has 2 Super Bowl rings, he's done enough for them, and should walk away instead of being forced out.  Another surprisingly bad team has been the Atlanta Falcons.  With so many big name free agents signed this offseason, Tony Gonzalez returned at a run to the Super Bowl, but the way they've been playing, they are looking at a run to the top of the draft.  The season may slip away from them quicker than expected if they can't get their game together.
     Josh Freeman signed with the Vikings, so expect the Vikings starting QB job to get a little interesting.  The Browns and Dolphins have been a pleasant surprise, but there is still enough time in the year for them to sink or swim, pun intended. 
     So here we are, 5 weeks deep, and the NFL is going stronger than ever with at least 2 great games in each week.  This is why the NFL is king and more popular than ever, great games, getting the fans more involved through fantasy, and showing a ton of love and support for breast cancer awareness!  It's only going to get better folks, trust me!!

 
 
 
 
 
Here are my Week 6 Picks:

Bengals over the Bills

Bears over the Giants

Packers over the Ravens

Lions over Browns

Vikings over Panthers

Chiefs over the Raiders

Steelers over the Jets

Eagles over the Buccaneers

Seahawks over the Titans

49ers over the Cardinals

Redskins over the  Cowboys

Chargers over the Colts

UPEST SPECIAL:
Rams over the Texans

Game Of The Week:
Saints over the Patriots