411's NFL Round Up 9.30.08: A New Contender, News & Notes, & More

Posted by Emmett Wilks on 09.30.2008

The NFC has a new contender, and it may not be who you think. This, plus news and notes from around the NFL in Week 4 edition of NFL Round Up.

Senseless and sad news struck us on Monday, when it was learned that Jaguars offensive tackle Richard Collier, who was shot early in September, is indeed paralyzed from the waist down and had his leg amputated. Collier, a key member of the Jags offense, has lost his leg and his livelihood in a blink of an eye. Just a sad, sad story to have to cap off what was a wild an fun NFL weekend. We'll try to pick up the mood from here, but best of wishes to Collier and his family. Now, onto the Round Up!

QUICK NOTES

There is just no way around it anymore, the Carolina Panthers have themselves a darn good football team. In there three wins this year, the Panthers have downed San Diego (a favorite preseason Super Bowl pick), Chicago (in a physical slugfest) and this week, division foe Atlanta, who, while still very young, does possess a legit running game. With everyone singing the praises of other NFC teams (Dallas, NY Giants, Philly), the Panthers have, as quietly as any NFL team can, become a 3-1 squad and sit atop the NFC South. The Panther do very few things flashy. They don't have the air attack of a New Orleans, the headline grabbing coach in Tampa, or the media circus and first round rookie QB like Atlanta. Instead, they are the definition of steady; a newly healthy Jake Delhomme, two solid running backs (DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart) and receivers (no longer suspended Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad), and a defense full of solid contributors. But what I really like about the Panthers chances right now, the schedule. I hate looking at preseason schedules as an indicator of a teams potential success, but a quarter into the season, we have a better perspective. The Panthers have games against some very weak teams (Detroit in week 9, Oakland in week 10), and games against some weak defenses (Denver in week 15, and two games with division rival New Orleans in week 7 and 17). Over the next four weeks, the Panthers play the Kansas City, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, and Arizona. Call me crazy, but I'll be surprised if we don't have a 6-2 Panthers team going into their bye week in Week 9.


The Panthers will not be flying under the radar for much longer

It is just not necessary to continue to harp on the catastrophe that was the Matt Millen regime in Detroit. Everyone knows the record by now, 31-84. We all know the bevy of draft busts like Charles Rogers and Mike Williams, and we all know now that Millen was just not the right man for the job in Detroit. But it should also not be forgotten that there exists a culture of losing in Detroit that predates Millen. In the seven years prior to Millen's hiring, the Lions were 55-57, with four playoff appearances for teams that squeaked in (all of whom eliminated in the wild card). Oh yeah, for five of those seven seasons, the Lions also had a back named Barry Sanders, which makes any team better. Millen was a failure, no argument or debate about that, but the culture of losing and shortcoming was not brought to Detroit by Millen, he only enhanced the organization of losers that lives in Detroit.

WAY too much is being made of the Arizona Cardinals, and particular coach Ken Whisenhunt's decision to stay on the east coast for ten days. The debacle of their defensive secondary (allowing six TD's to the Jets' Brett Favre), had little to do with supposed vacation time they had. The Cards are just not a good a team again this year. I promised myself not to drink the Kool-Aid in preseason, and even after their 2-1 start. They need to show me something for 16 games before I ever again hop on their bandwagon. And speaking of Whisenhunt, some jeers are in order after running two plays after the injury to receiver Anquan Boldin. Boldin was taken by ambulance out of Giant Stadium after a helmet to helmet hit with just 26 seconds left to play. The Cardinals elected to run two more plays rather than take a knee and the sure loss to follow. I don't want to make this a bigger deal than it should be, but the knee should have been taken. Lesson learned, let's move on…

…And the safety who made the hit, Eric Smith, has been fined $50,000 and suspended a game. Now, the fine I can live with, it was a helmet to helmet shot, but the game suspension is ridiculous. This was not an intentional strike by any means. Smith was going after the man, who was being pressed into him, and delivered the hit. The NFL needs to protect its players, but this is going a bit too far. Flagrant means there was intent in the act, and you cannot tell me that Smith had any intent for that type of contact. The NFL got this one wrong.

It really was just a matter of time for Scott Linehan's tenure to end in St. Louis. Linehan was fired as the Rams head coach on Monday, just hours after starting their season 0-4. This team is a brain buster for many. While the Raiders have had their well documented failures in the front office, the Rams, on paper at least, should be a competitive ball club. But they now have one of the worst records the last three seasons, and are consistently dominated by their opponents. Where to go from here is tough to say. Interim coach Jim Haslett is unlikely going to be the long term solution, and the players are clearly disgruntled and unhappy. All in all, this is one tough situation for St. Louis.

What in the heck is the deal with people leaving the football game with 7:26 left in the fourth and your team is winning. After Jets QB Brett Favre tossed his number 5 of six touchdowns on Sunday, the stands at the Meadowlands began to completely clear out. People in mass were searching for the exit, just moments after they were cheering in approval for another score. It just kind of baffles me that people will spend the hundreds and hundreds of dollars they spend on an NFL ticket, and leave the game early when your team has been very successful. This is what is meant when people say the NFL is "pricing out the average fan." Far too many people have those great tickets because their company gives it to them, and their main focus is the tailgate party, not the game. Call me a purist, but I have never left any sporting contest early in my life for traffic or partying purposes. When I pay my money, I want to see the product, no matter how badly my team may be performing.


Little more can be said about the courage of Matt Bryant this weekend

Not much can be said about the courage of Bucs kicker Matt Bryant, who played just one day after burying his 3 month old son, who died in his crib last week. This story is just so heartbreaking, and Bryant was dignified, classy, and very honest when interviewed. For the day, he went 3-for-3, including a game winning kick with 2:26 to go in the game. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Matt, great job.


WEEK 4 BREAKDOWN

Game of the Week

Bears- 24 Eagles- 20

Could just have easily put the Skins upset over the Cowboy here, but you have to give some love to the Bears for pulling this one out. Two goal-line stands by the defense that lead to 3 points and an essentially game ending 4 and goal stand, not to mention Kyle Orton's three TD first half performance. While the Eagles were short both All-Pro players in running back Brian Westbrook and guard Shawn Andrews, the Bears did in fact play a sensational game that could help propel their season. With Minnesota floundering, Green Bay facing injury concerns to QB Aaron Rodgers and Detroit being who they are, losers, the Bears could grab the NFC North with 10 wins, mostly due to the "remember us, we were really great not to long ago and were still here" defense.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK


Larry Johnson- RB Kansas City Chiefs

Johnson, weeks after lamenting about his diminishing role on the Chiefs, broke out for a 198 yard, two TD day against the now struggling Denver Broncos defense. The once winless Chiefs got good performances from the whole team while handling Denver from start to finish in the 33-19 upset. Johnson made his impact on just his second carry when he rumbled down the field for 65 yards.

-tie-

Brett Favre- QB NY Jets

You just don't argue with it. Sure, two of those touchdown passes my grandmother could have thrown, but six, count them, six touchdowns in a game for any NFL quarterback is something that should be acknowledged. This could be a very good sign for the Jets offense in the grand scheme as well. Favre and his receivers, Laveranues Coles and Jericho Cotchery are getting very comfortable with each other. But the Jets will go no where if the defense allow 35 points in one half like they did. But this is about Brett, who did everything he could have on Sunday.

Runner Up-

Muhsin Muhammad- Carolina's wide out had 147 yards on 8 catches, and a TD, to help the beginning to take notice Panthers get to 3-1

Albert Haynesworth- Tennessee's defensive tackle my current Defensive MVP, and the Titans feed off his drive and intensity, which resulted in 6 tackles, 2 sacks, and a pass deflected at the line. For the season, he already has 5 sacks (his career best for a year is 6, set last year) and is the leader of the NFL's best defense.

BUST OF THE WEEK

Arizona Cardinals defense-

Favre deserves a lot of credit, but this was among the worst performances I have ever watched. Fox commentators counted 20 missed tackles, not to mention the embarrassing missed assignments and wide open receivers that ran free all day long. Despite the offenses turnover struggles, they still put up 35 points. The NFC West is for the taking, but the Cardinals D playing like this will keep them far, far away from any shot at the playoffs.


BIGGEST SURPRISE OF THE WEEK

Kansas City's Defense-

This is not a particularly good unit going into their game on Sunday. The Chiefs, having surrendered 38 points to the Falcons last week, played phenomenal team defense, with a good rush helping rookie corners Brandon Flowers, Brandon Carr and Maurice Legget get settled against one of the NFL's best QB's in Jay Cutler, and holding one of the NFL's better running games in check. The Broncos learned the hard lesson that you cannot win a shootout each week, but I don't think too may thought that the Chiefs defense would put up that good an effort. A pleasant surprise indeed.

LEAST SUPRISING DEVELOPMENT


The absence of Brian Westbrook to the Eagles lineup may have cost them the game

Injuries will kill a football team.

This was mentioned briefly above, but it must be stressed. A team is as good as the health of its best players. In Chicago, the Eagles were missing two their four or five most important players in Brian Westbrook and guard Shawn Andrews. Twice in that game, the Eagles were stuffed at the goal line by a very good and fired up Bears team. But as high of respect that I hold the Bears defense, I really just cannot believe that the Eagles would have been kept out of the endzone those two trips with those guys in the lineup. Andrews, maybe the best drive blocker playing today, and Westbrook, among the most versatile and dangerous backs in the league, really do make the Eagles that much better. With potential injuries to Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and the well publicized injury of Pats QB Tom Brady, one can never, never underestimate just how important one or two guys can be in football, even if it's the ultimate "team" game.

BOLD PREDICTION OF THE WEEK

Bill Cowher will be named a head coach/GM of a pro team by the end of the season.

With the Raiders, Rams, and maybe the Chiefs and Lions all potentially looking for new head coaches this upcoming off-season, does anyone really think that former Steelers coach Bill Cowher is going to be in the broadcast booth for another season. The Miami Dolphins have already shown the benefit of making a change as soon as you can, having brought in Super Bowl coach Bill Parcells with two weeks to go in their disastrous 1-15 season. Now, the Dolphins are fielding a competitive team that just embarrassed the Patriots last week. Cowher is far and away the best unemployed coach out their now, and his 142-90 (62% winning) record in Pittsburgh, and a Super Bowl ring, shows he knows how to coach a team. My bet is that he is going to end up with St. Louis. Oakland is a wasteland, and even if Al Davis offers him $8 million a year, I doubt he'll take it. Same with Detroit, who has not known winning for years. But St. Louis is not that far removed from being a talented football club, and Cowher would likely be given good leeway in forming his team and rebuilding the winning culture there. Well, at least that's what I think.


Cowher's time as an NFL analyst may soon be coming to an end

I've had enough for this week. Take care and enjoy the beginning of fall.