The 5 Step Drop 11.08.07: Regular Season Week 10
Posted by Javier Zuniga on 11.08.2007
Let's talk about why washed-up NFL coaches are so bitter and hateful, whether the Giants, the Browns, and the Titans can keep their winning streaks alive against the Cowboys, the Steelers, and the Jaguars, and can ANYONE stop Adrian Peterson?
Namaste and welcome to The 5 Step Drop.
While many TV and radio broadcasters are still spending time re-hashing last week's NFL action - which featured the much ballyhooed Patriots-Colts game, a record setting performance by rookie RB Adrian Peterson, a myriad of wild kick returns for scores, and an amazing come-back for the Cleveland Browns – I think that real NFL fans could argue that this week might turn out to be even better.
There are three HUGE divisional games, a showdown between two pre-season AFC favorites, and quite a few games that look like they might end up being shoot-outs.
Unfortunately, it looks like we can't look forward without looking back at least one more time when since the biggest stories of the week are both involving the Patriots, even though they're have a bye this week.
The only thing that really came of this was that Pats fans practically wet themselves for a few days trying to take the Moral High Ground from Colts fans.
The REAL juice came out a day later when legendary NFL Coach Don Shula decided to take time off from playing shuffleboard and opening steak houses to lay the verbal smackdown on the Patriots for violating league rules by using "scouts" to try to steal defensive signals. For those of you who haven't seen the quotes from the NY Daily News:
"The Spygate thing has diminished what they've accomplished. You would hate to have that attached to your accomplishments. They've got it. Belichick was fined $500,000, the team was fined $250,000 and they lost a first-round draft choice. That tells you the seriousness or significance of what they found.
"I guess you got the same thing as putting an asterisk by Barry Bonds' home run record."
Now first off, that's completely illogical. The Pats got caught at half-time of their first game of the year. They were punished and you have to assume the league is being more watchful than usual with New England now.
So how does that diminish all the games they've won after the fact?
Secondly, I know Shula is a highly respected NFL mind and was a long-time member of the NFL Rules Committee, but this isn't exactly the opinion of an "impartial observer." Don Shula was the head coach of the 1972 Miami Dolphins and that teams is (say it with me now) THE ONLY TEAM IN NFL HISTORY TO GO UNDEFEATED. Every NFL fan with half a brain knows this and has heard it at least 12,765 times.
And why has this little fact been shoved down our throats so often? Because these blood-sucking old gargoyles have done everything humanly possible to remind us of the fact at every opportunity. Do they do it in a classy manner by rooting for some team to match their achievement and doing interviews reminiscing about the past as the season wears on? Of course not. EVERY SINGLE TIME some team gets out to a hot start (10-0, 11-0, etc) the surviving members of that team get together in a room and root for that team to lose. Here's a video of one of their gatherings:
OK. I lied. I couldn't find the video. The point is, when said team does eventually lose, they cackle like a pack of hyenas, pop champagne, and celebrate the fact that they still have the one thing that allows them to cling like the cold hand of death to the last vestiges of their "fame." The very moment that some team ends the year undefeated and wins the Super Bowl (the way the Pats might this year) these hate-filled old men might as well keel over because they will no longer be able to walk around and throw it in everyone's face: "We went unbeaten. You guys might be young and famous and rich and have the ability to get an erection without the aid of medical supplements….but you never went unbeaten."
Haters. They are literally living on spite.
Do they ever mention that in a 14-game season their Dolphins only played TWO teams with winning records? And those just barely (both teams were 8-6). They didn't play any playoff teams or any teams with double digit wins. Not once. The winning percentage of their opponents was a paltry .367 or an average of only five wins per opponent. That's the easiest schedule of ANY team to even get to the Super Bowl. Do they ever talk about that little tidbit?
Give them credit: they beat everyone they faced. But they were in no way near as impressive as this Pats teams and really shouldn't even be considered one of the all-time great teams in NFL history.
This is why Shula, instead of showing some class, has spent this week taking a dump on the Patriots. If they continue this pace, they will supplant his Dolphins and he and his players will be forgotten by all but the most dedicated NFL fans.
It almost makes me want to root for the Pats. Even more so, it makes root for karma. If the Patriots can't go undefeated, then it would be great to see the Dolphins (who Shula still works for) become the first team in NFL history to go winless in a 16 game season. 0-16. Stick that in your champagne bottle, Don.
Now…let's take a look at the best games of this week:
Sunday, November 11, Dallas Cowboys (7-1) @ New York Giants (6-2): About four weeks back, it looked like Dallas would roll through the NFC with no problems on their way to a Super Bowl; no one really took Green Bay seriously, the saints had started 0-4, Chicago was disappointing, and the entire NFC East was struggling.
My, how things have changed.
The Giants have won 6 straight games, they lead the universe in sacks, their defense looks genuinely scary, and their running game has come together nicely.
Dallas is still playing well, but they are in the midst of a stretch of three straight division games, get a short week to host the Jets on Thanksgiving, and then face two of the better teams in the NFC (Green Bay and Detroit) back-to-back. This stretch of games could literally determine whether or not they host the NFC Title game or open on the road as a Wild Card.
So normally, this game against the Giants would be a hard-fought divisional match-up where the winning team is the one who forces the most turnovers and comes up with the biggest plays. But this may not be the challenge for the Cowboys that it appears to be. The last five teams the Giants have beaten (Eagles, Jets, Falcons, Niners, Dolphins) have won a combined 8 games and have a .242 winning percentage. Bill Goldberg didn't face this many jobbers in a row.
Bill Goldberg mocks the Giants' Strength of Schedule
They also still haven't been able to get their passing game in order. You can't blame the field for all those drops against the Dolphins in the U.K. And amongst NFC QBs playing for winning teams, only Jason Campbell has a worse QB Rating than Eli's 79.5.
I honestly don't know if this defense is as good as it's looked because of the schedule they've played. But I do know this: no one – not even the Patriots – have held this Cowboys offense to less than 24 points. The Giants are going to have to score around 28 points to have a chance at winning this game and I don't think their offense is consistent enough to do that. Cowboys win.
Sunday, November 11, Cleveland Browns (5-3) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2): OK…if you saw the game in Week 1, saw the Browns lose 34-7 at home to Pittsburgh, read about the team benching and then cutting their starting QB Charlie Frye….and you can say that you predicted the Brown would become one of the league's scariest offensive teams and would end up here in a Week 10 rematch with the Steelers with the division lead on the line…if you can say all that, raise your hand.
OK, if you raised your hand, you are either a dirty, dirty liar... OR you are this guy:
I TOTALLY knew this would happen.
In either case, this magic carpet ride ends against Pittsburgh. It's just not a good match-up for the Browns: They're a great passing team; the Steelers are 1st against the pass. They're turnover prone; the Steelers are very good at forcing turnovers. The Browns couldn't stop that baby born with eight legs running all over the field, the Steelers have several RBs that are grown men and have a normal amount of limbs. It's just not good. Steelers win.
Just say a silent prayer for my stud fantasy wide-out, Braylon Edwards. I/He/We deserve better.
Sunday, November 11, Indianapolis Colts (7-1) @ San Diego Chargers (4-4) : This is a VERY intriguing game.
Before last week, the Chargers looked like they had pulled themselves together, winning three straight (including an emotional blow-out of the Houston Texans the weeks after wild-fires destroyed huge portion of San Diego), and they were headed into Minnesota to beat up on an overmatched Vikings team.
And then Adrian Peterson came along.
The Colts were undefeated, facing off against their arch-enemies the New England Patriots, and for three and a half quarters looked like the physically superior team in the GAME OF THE CENTURY!!!
And then Tom Brady threw two deep bombs and two TD passes late to help the Pats come back to beat the Colts.
So, what happens here? Are the Charger ever going to be the team everyone expected them to be this season? Will the Colts be able to get over the emotional let-down of this defeat and focus on the Chargers?
I can't answer the first question. But I do know this: a few minutes after the loss, Peyton Manning stood up in front of a locker-room full of veterans, told them that their day off was cancelled, and then went and chewed out any reporter who looked at him sideways in a post-game new conference. So I'm POSITIVE the Colts will be ready. And that's enough for me. Colts win.
Sunday, November 11, Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3) @ Tennessee Titans (6-2): How about this? The Titans have won 5 of 6 and it has nothing to do with Vince Young. They are third in the NFL in rushing, with RB LenDale White going for three straight 100 yd games. And they are first in defending the run, only giving up an impressive 66 yards a game.
Meanwhile, the Jags are scuffling. This is a team that has built it's identity on being physical, running the ball, and playing strong defense. But they have lost two of their last three games, they are giving up a ton of points, their defense is middle of the pack at best and o they are having problems with discipline. Coach Jack Del Rio announced the suspension of two players because they were arrested in separate incident after staying out late Friday night before the Saints game (professional athletes getting in trouble in New Orleans? No!). And now All-Pro DT Marcus Stroud has been suspended four games for violating the NFL's steroid policy.
These are two teams headed in opposite directions. Titans win.
Sunday, November 11, Minnesota Vikings (3-5) @ Green Bay Packers (7-1): Actually, the main reason I wanted to preview this game is to link to this:
Adrian Peterson > You
HOLY CRAP! That's Adrian Peterson in High School, in the 199 1-AA National Championship Game. And I thought the Chargers looked outmatched.
Anyways, I'm picking the Vikes here. The Pack have a great run defense, but Peterson has already shown that doesn't make a difference to him. He's killed every "good" run defense he's faced, including going for 112 yds against Green Bay earlier in the year. Plus, and this is more important, there is a good chance of bad weather this Sunday. And, ironically enough, Green Bay's offense is so slanted to the pass that they are actually going to be at a disadvantage at home as the year goes on and weather gets worse and worse at Lambeau.
I know Brett Favre is great at home, but if they can't run in Green Bay in the Winter I just can't see them keeping up this pace. Meanwhile, the Vikes should have no problems this weekend since the only time their offense slows down is when anyone other than All Day or Chester Taylor touches the ball.
So there you go. For the record, my season record for picking games is now at a robust 28-12. So obviously this column was filled with genius. I hope you appreciated it.
