AP
A weekly NFL breakdown that heads in the opposite direction of your average pro football analysis.
1. Since no one trusts the Titans yet, the Colts are about to become everyone's Super Bowl sleeper. Don't buy it. At some point, they're going to have to play outdoors in January. Even in a win against Cleveland, Peyton Manning reminded us once again that he can't play in bad weather. (Make that cold weather, as readers have pointed out.)
2. Drew Brees' three-interception performance in the Saints' loss to the Bucs should end his MVP candidacy. Can't we just all agree not to give the award to a quarterback this year? So what if Brees and Kurt Warner could break the single-season passing record? Four more guys will probably break it next year.
3. What an ugly week of football. After three blowouts on Thanksgiving, Sunday was just as bad. Here are some of the notable lowlights:
A) The Bengals had 155 yards of total offense in a loss to the Ravens.
B) I don't care if J.P. Losman or J.P. Ricciardi was playing QB for the Bills, how can they only muster a field goal at home against the 49ers?
C) Patriots receiver Randy Moss' two drops may have cost the Patriots a chance to reach the playoffs.
D) The Saints dropped everything.
E) Rams and Dolphins -- seven field goals, one touchdown. The Dolphins have to stop messing around with these non-Wildcat formations.
F) Someone tell the Jets the rain is supposed to affect the offense, not the defense.
G) Chiefs-Raiders ... didn't see one highlight, but I'm going to assume this was rough. Heard a rumor about some sort of Sebastian Janikowski running play gone awry, but that sounded too bizarre to be true.
4. The Giants can definitely win the Super Bowl without Plaxico Burress. The offensive and defensive lines are so dominant, their skill players have become virtually interchangeable.
5. Carolina's Steve Smith is the best athlete in the NFL. How can a 5-foot-9, 185-pound receiver constantly out-jump defensive backs for air balls?
6. If ever a personal foul was worth the 15 yards, it was Steelers safety Ryan Clark's "unnecessary hit on a defenseless receiver" against New England. Clark laid out Wes Welker, taking the Patriots' talented receiver out of the game. Welker and his fellow receivers have been torturing defenses, running for yards after the catch all season. Lots of safeties around the league have probably dreamt the hit Clark put on Welker. Hopefully the talented Welker will be just fine. While I understand the emphasis on player safety, as a fan I'd miss bone-crunching hits on receivers over the middle if they completely disappeared.
7. Looks like the Patriots aren't trading Tom Brady after all. If anyone still thinks Matt Cassel is anything more than an average quarterback who benefits from a great system, please let me know what you see.
8. Speaking of system quarterbacks, the Rams' Marc Bulger was terrible against Miami's No. 28-ranked defense, throwing three picks in a 16-12 loss. Bulger has fallen apart since the talent from the Mike Martz-era slowly went away. The Rams made a mistake giving Bulger a six-year, $60 million-plus contract before the 2007 season, especially since they didn't have an offensive line that could protect their investment. GMs better think about Bulger when they make Cassel offers this offseason.
9. Think the Jets might have read a few too many headlines about how they were going to face the Giants in the Super Bowl?
10. The Steelers are playing great football. It's a shame they won't get the chance to compete for the title, since the Giants and Titans are playing in the Super Bowl. Oh wait, sorry, I was thinking about college football. The NFL actually runs on common sense and has a playoff.
Melanie Fitzpatrick
Danica Patrick
Did You See That?
Back in Time: July 3
Comments (135) Add A Comment
Peyton can't play in bad weather? do you remember his absolutely soaking Super Bowl victory in Miami???
WALLYPALOOZA
Victoria, BC
Total Comments (296)
Good article. I don't necessarily agree, but it wasn't all ridiculous points with poor justification for a change. Maybe Perloff's actually... maturing?
I am Jack's Colon
Total Comments (170)
And Rex Grossman lost that game in the rain. Peyton was just along for the ride.
I am Jack's Colon
Total Comments (170)
C'mon, what's Peyton's record when the gametime temperature is below 40 degrees? Not good.
Andrew Perloff
New York, NY
Total Comments (902)
I was thinking the same thing. Leave it to the Perloff-meater to give us trash journalism in the first paragraph.
BigBlueNJ
Total Comments (508)
You would be the guy who should have access to that kind of information not us common folk. Look it up and get back to us.
BigBlueNJ
Total Comments (508)
Peyton didn't win that Super Bowl in the rain, the two RB's did.
drubbman
Holden , WV
Total Comments (1)
what's his record in bad weather in Super Bowls?
Perloff and Heushkel need to go
blueintheblood
Honolulu, HI
Total Comments (298)
the Colts won..Peyton's a Colt....
you know for all this crap about how it's a team game and we shouldn't focus on indiviual stars, some people sure focus on the individual
blueintheblood
Honolulu, HI
Total Comments (298)
The RBs were certainly more valuable in that super bowl, but he clearly played extremely well under the circumstances. He has several other good performances in bad weather too and that knock on him is undeserved anyway since those games he lost were against BETTER TEAMS anyway.
Today he wasn't great but aside from the pick he threw when Wayne was covered, he played pretty well. If you watched the game you'd know that. It was just one of those games. Can't blame the weather or any one individual, but things just didn't go well.
willyduer
Chicago , IL
Total Comments (3)
The reason the Colts are a legitimate threat is because they're 8-4 right now and have really only played their best football for one half (vs Baltimore) due to various reasons (injuries, bursa sacs, musical chairs with the lines). That's not to say they'll ever put it together, but the possibility definitely exists for them to gel at exactly the right time. They basically get two exhibition games these next two weeks to practice and try to round into form, so it's stupid to write them off. They could easily be a force in January.
willyduer
Chicago , IL
Total Comments (3)
lol, someone copy Andrew's #10 to one of those OU vs UT threads.
-Throne-
Manchaca , TX
Total Comments (5)
Matt Cassel is an average quarterback benefitting from a great system and Tom Brady is what? I'm sorry but if it's not obvious that quarterbacks look like stars in that offense then I don't know what it will take. Let Tom Brady go to another team and he will look pretty average. If Matt Cassel goes somewhere else next year and plays outstanding I won't say another word. Until then, him and Brady are just extremely fortunate, and average, quarterbacks.
je3smith
Chatham, ON
Total Comments (2)
Not sure Clark's hit warranted a penalty. The ball was tipped and Clark had no way of knowing this. It was a punishing hit but nothing malicious about it. Also, I don't believe he was driving helmet first. I think he was driving shoulder first. Either way, he will get a fine and of course, the Steelers will be labeled as dirty because that's what people with envy do....
Brownsfan77
Southington , CT
Total Comments (4)
Not sure Clark's hit warranted a penalty. The ball was tipped and Clark had no way of knowing this. It was a punishing hit but nothing malicious about it. Also, I don't believe he was driving helmet first. I think he was driving shoulder first. Either way, he will get a fine and of course, the Steelers will be labeled as dirty because that's what people with envy do....
Brownsfan77
Southington , CT
Total Comments (4)
If Matt Cassel is an average quarterback who benefits from a great system then what is Tom Brady? They are both products of the New England system and to say anything otherwise is blatantly false.
In addition, get off Peyton Manning. I know that after he won the super bowl it was harder to play the "he's a choker" angle but seriously, enough.
je3smith
Chatham, ON
Total Comments (2)
Didnt the Browns beat the Giants? So according to this article, that means they can't win the Super Bowl.
bippal
Brownstown , IN
Total Comments (4)
So, since the Giants actually LOST to the Browns, does that mean that they are not a Super Bowl Contender?
bippal
Brownstown , IN
Total Comments (4)
Why delete my post? I mentioned that in the logic of this article, since the Browns beat the Giants, the giants should no longer be Super Bowl Contenders
bippal
Brownstown , IN
Total Comments (4)
Omg my browser sucks, sorry.
bippal
Brownstown , IN
Total Comments (4)
Comment
Remember to keep your posts clean. Profanity will get filtered, and offensive comments will be removed.