The 5 Step Drop 11.15.07: Regular Season Week 11
Posted by Javier Zuniga on 11.15.2007
A look at why the NFL should keep Pac-Man Jones out of the league, the Pats continue their march towards immortality, the Colts try to get off the mat against KC, and the magic..the beauty..and the raw SEX APPEAL of the latest superstar couple to take the world by storm: ROMOWENS!!!
Welcome to this week's edition of The 5 Step Drop
After two straight weeks of monumental match-ups, the NFL is actually having a slow period before Week 11, with most of the news concerning various injuries to marquee players throughout the league.
LAS VEGAS -- Suspended Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones is prepared to take a plea deal that will get him probation in a Las Vegas strip club triple shooting in an attempt to salvage his career. Under the written plea agreement obtained by The Associated Press, Jones intends to plead no contest to one charge of conspiracy to commit disorderly conduct, a gross misdemeanor, in return for a promise to suspend a sentence of one year in county jail.
That's right. Adam ‘Pac-Man' Jones, former TNA tag-team champion, has rolled over and agreed to testify in order to absolve himself of any responsibility for starting a brawl in a Las Vegas strip club which resulted in a triple shooting that left one man paralyzed from the waist down. And if Jones is allowed to come back and play it would completely undo all the work the NFL has done to eliminate the criminal image of the league.
Now let's be clear: ‘Pac-Man' Jones is not a "nice" guy.
Before anyone pipes up and decides to send me e-mails talking about how Jones loves his mom, or volunteers at a soup-kitchen, or gives money to his alma mater, let me say that I don't particularly care. I'm not saying the guy is a monster and eats babies. He didn't kill Kanye's mom. But you don't get into as much trouble with the law as Pac-Man has because you are a "nice" guy. He has more arrests (6) than interceptions (4) since he entered the league. He is not what you would call a Pillar of the Community. Unless your community is Tijuana, Mexico (And if it is, you are probably reading this whilst drinking a tall glass of penicillin).
Pac-Man Jones. In TEW terms: This segment really brought the crowd down. Rating: F
But the NFL is not exactly a "nice" league. It never has been.
It is a punishing, brutal sport that actually encourages its players to beat the crap out of each other. Men like Jack Lambert, Dick Butkus, and Jack Tatum became house-hold names for going out and trying to rip their opponents' heads off. Hall-of-Fame DB Ronnie Lott was once famously asked if tried to put opponents in the hospital when he hit them. "The hospital?" he replied, "I'm trying to put them in the morgue." For years, the NFL's best selling video was its annual collection of vicious hits.
The NFL celebrates swagger….ego….cockiness….at every level. Why do fans respond when players celebrate even the most mundane plays? And the talking heads might pontificate about how great it is to see the quiet dignity of men like Jerry Rice and Barry Sanders, but what gets the most attention, really? What draws ratings? Broadway Joe, the '85 Bears making music videos, the Ickey Shuffle, ‘Prime-Time,'Chad Johnson and his endless stream of props..and so on…
So ‘Pac-Man' Jones isn't a "nice" guy. But that normally isn't a big deal. The NFL isn't a place for "nice" people.
And I wouldn't normally have a problem with someone getting a chance to salvage their career. The NFLPA is publicly working to get Commissioner Goodell to reduce "Pac-Man's" suspension. Even if that doesn't work, this plea deal practically guarantees that Jones will be able to return to the NFL next season. And while the Tennessee Titans probably won't bring him back due to everything he has done in the past - despite the public support of his teammates - you can bet that some team will be willing to work with Jones' character issues because he is a young, talented cornerback and kick-returner with a knack for making big plays. Hell, as much as I hate to admit it, he'd fit in great on my Cowboys team.
So how is this different than Chris Henry going back to work after his suspension? Or Tank Johnson? Or even Michael Vick's inevitable return?
Because Adam ‘Pac-Man' Jones, despite the possibility of losing an NFL career he's worked his entire life for, despite facing the possibility of a one-year jail sentence, despite losing MILLIONS of dollars, has not changed one bit.
While meeting with Commissioner Goodell to try to have his sentence reduced, Jones gave as an example of his community service the fact that he gave away 1,500 tickets to a TNA Pay-Per-View event for kids to go see him wrestle. Ummmm….I guess? It IS a nice gesture.
But how about changing your actions? Jones still has criminal cases pending: A felony count of obstruction in Georgia from a February 2006 and public intoxication and disorderly charges in Tennessee from August 2006. (Although to be fair, he hasn't actually committed a felony in the last year or so. That we know of.)
Or how about taking responsibility in the Las Vegas case? When "Pac-Man" decided to "make it rain" he incited a riot that left strip club employee Tom Urbanski paralyzed. People could have died. And yet Jones and his two co-defendants have plead out to lesser charges and face NO jail-time despite the fact that neither of the three have agreed to identify the gun-man who did the shooting. That's right….there's a better than average chance that the man who shot up the club will never be caught – even though the police have a photograph and a club full of eye-witnesses – because nobody will point the finger.
The NFL needs to send a message or else how can we take them seriously that they want to "clean up" the league. If you let someone like this back in the league, who cares how many eight-game suspensions you hand out?
Even if Jones doesn't know the shooter, someone in is entourage does. And until that gunman is identified, then "Pac-Man" Jones shouldn't be allowed anywhere near an NFL field.
Let's go to the games.
Sunday, November 18, New England Patriots (9-0) @ Buffalo Bills (5-4): A few weeks back, it looked like the biggest threat to the Pats going undefeated was the fact that the AFC East was so pathetic they might clinch before Thanksgiving and it would be extremely difficult for Belichick to justifiably keep playing his top stars. And then the Bills came within one onside kick of upsetting the Cowboys on a Monday Night game and they turned that momentum into a four-game winning streak.
Now, the Bills' opposition has been terrible. But the defense has played better, RB Marshawn Lynch is the best rookie not named Adrian Peterson, and the Bills have even won despite playing quarterback carousel with Trent Edwards and JP Losman. It also doesn't hurt that WR Lee Evans is doing his usual second half surge and is putting up big numbers (not coincidentally, when Losman began starting).
But it's time for a reality check. The Pats have looked damn-near invincible all year but for three quarters in Indianapolis. And even though the Colts seemed to present the blue-print for beating New England, Buffalo doesn't have what it takes to follow those plans.
You need to control line of scrimmage and run the ball. The Bills will be without Lynch and possibly two starting offensive linemen.
The only way to slow down the Pats offense is to pressure QB Tom Brady. The Bills are 30th in sacks.
The Bills needed a 4th quarter come-back and a last second field-goal to beat Miami. The Pats beat the ‘Phins so badly that Miami players wee openly weeping about it afterwards.
Unless there's a freak snow-storm, New England is going to go through Buffalo like Britney Spears through a side of bacon
Sunday, November 18, Kansas City Chiefs (4-5) @ Indianapolis Colts (7-2): Pity the Chiefs. Despite being under .500, they are in contention in the AFC Weak. But their offense has come apart at the seams. They have two QBs that make KC fans year for the days of Steve DeBerg. Stud RB Larry Johnson is banged up because no one ever told Coach Herm that you can't run a guy 76,782 times over two seasons. And they traded their back-up earlier in the year because someone in the organization was playing Madden '05 and thought bringing back Priest Holmes was a good idea. To be fair, though, Madden 05 is a helluva game. Check Priest out:
Dick Vermeil Not Included
The Colts are also pretty banged up. DE Dwight Freeney is out, possibly done for the year (so much for that rematch against NE). Marvins Harrison's knee is apparently part of the WGA and has gone on strike.. And the Colts were so beat up that by the end of the Chargers game last week, they had only 40 active players, everyone was going both ways, and Peyton Manning was wearing a leather helmet and attempting drop-kicks (OK, not really).
This is a M*A*S*H* unit game and I don't expect it to be pretty. But what it comes down to is this: someone is going to make just enough plays to win the game. Do I think it will be Peyton Manning? Or the two-headed QB known as Broman Cruard or Dadie Huoyle? Exactly. Colts win.
Sunday, November 18, Washington Redskins (5-4) @ Dallas Cowboys (8-1): This game is hard to figure out. The Redskins have looked pathetic on offense at times, yet still manage to win because of their defense, a better-than-average running game, and a QB in Jason Campbell who looks like he could be an impact player if Coach Joe Gibbs ever took the reigns off. Win or lose, they've been in every game (and should've beat Philly last week).
Except for New England.
And unfortunately for Washington, the Cowboys on offense are the closest thing to the Patriots going in the NFC. And it won't help that All-Everything S Sean Taylor will miss the game and starting corner Carlos Rogers is lost for the year.
In Dallas, with a chance to sweep the NFC East and essentially put the division to bed, I can't see the Cowboys losing this game. The Skins would love to turn it into a slugfest. But the Cowboys showed in the second half they don't need but a second to put points on the boards. This will be close early, but look for the Cowboys to win big in the second half.
So for the third straight week, get ready because the Cowboys, under God's watchful eye, will be putting on a show. Forget Bennifer. Or Brangelina. Screw the Beckhams and TomKat. Go to hell, Beyonce and Jay-Z.
There's only room for one SUPER couple now. And they wear big giant stars on the side of their heads. Get ready.....for ROMOWENS!!!!!!
Look for a Healthy Dose of ROMOWENS this weekend
I know, I know...I make me sick, too.
Sunday, November 18, New York Giants (6-3) @ Detroit Lions (6-3): Let's see…both teams were considered NFC "contenders" last week.
And then the Lions turned in the worst rushing performance in modern NFL history, and were totally manhandled by the ..um…Arizona Cardinals.
As I pointed out last week, the Giants were mainly on a winning streak because they beat every jobber on the planet not named Barry Horowitz. So losing to Dallas wasn't a "shocker." But the way they lost – Eli looked totally lost, the defense couldn't generate a pass rush, tons of mental mistakes, a porous pass defense – was what had to be especially disheartening.
Both teams NEED this win. The Lions follow this game with a Thanksgiving showdown against the red-hot Packers, a division match-up in Minnesota, hosting Dallas, and then at San Diego. Their season finale is in Green Bay. Not only was last week a bad loss, but a loss here might signal a total free-fall for an over-achieving team that still can't play defense.
Counting this week, the Gi'nts play four of their next six on the road and end the year by hosting New England. Their easiest remaining game is arguably at Chicago. Ouch.
So what does this game come down to? Mistakes. Or more precisely, causing them. The Giants lead the league in sacks. The Lions are (shockingly) third. And they lead the league in forced turnovers. Someone is going to screw over their own team. Since the game is in Detroit, where the Lions are unbeaten this year, and Eli still looks like Paris Hilton taking the S.A.T.'s when the game is close, I pick the Lions.
Sunday, November 18, San Diego Chargers (5-4) @ Jacksonville Jaguars(6-3): Has there ever been a more demoralized team AFTER A WIN than the Chargers last week?
Coach Norv Turner has clearly lost the team. He was trying to hype it up as though this was the win to "turn the season around" but his players knew the truth. They got TWO kick returns for TDs, picked Peyton Manning off six times, took an early lead at home, and then still needed the most clutch kicker in NFL history to miss a chip shot last-second field goal to come out with a win. The players were unusually distraught.
LT knows suffering. So does his fantasy owners.
And yet….they lead the division. Chipper up, LT.
The Jags get their QB back. But more importantly, with San Diego QB Philip Rivers playing as poorly as he is, they can use the same game-plan they used last week to beat the Titans: stop the run, dare them to pass. The Jags might put 10 in the box and just rely on the fact that Norv Turner has no clue he has the best TE in football on his team. Or that LT is an amazing receiver. Or that you can run something called a ‘screen play.' Etc.
Honestly, the only way this could've gone worse for the Bolts is if they'd hired Lloyd Carr.
Jags win.
That's the preview for the week. If you have any thoughts, feel free to drop me a line.
