NFLFan's Journal: NFL Week 9

The Fan's Six Pack:
1.) Just heard that Steelers will be without Ben Roethlisberger for a while. I think it is way too optimisitic to suggest that he will only miss 1 game after having knee surgery. It think/know it is possible but I do not think it is wise.

2.) Where has Chad Johnson gone to? He really did not show up until late during the Pittsburgh game and he was kept out of the endzone again this past week. The can can talk but not exactly walking the walk lately.

3.) What is up with this pseudo-news story that Tom Brady did not understand game tape preparation until late last year? Sorry, but I do not buy it. It is called experience; now please stop reporting about it.

4.) Brad Johnson might not be as good as Culpepper but I don't think he will be the turnover machine that Culpepper morphed himself into.

5.) I have been a little critical of Jamal Lewis, Brian Billick, and the Ravens. I think such criticism is fair but I will say this, I watched the first half of the Monday night game and was almost convinced that Billick was right that Leis only needed more carries, ALMOST.

6.) I think the media, or at least their present incarnation, and fantasy football are very bad for football. The fantasy football people are just about stats and do not care what teams win or lose. As for the media, why are they picking on players who win games with bad or questionable stats, like Roethlisberger and Vick? Those guys are winners and their teams are not nearly as good without them.

Last week I went 10-4. Overall, I am 69-49 (.5847).

Sunday, Nov. 6
Atlanta at Miami 1:00 p.m.
I like the Falcons. This is the one against all logic pick that I afford myself each week. The Dolphins actually seem to be the better team but I am going with the Falcons. In situations like this, I usually go with the home team, oh well.

Carolina at Tampa Bay 1:00 p.m.
I like the Panthers. The Buccaneers made a run at the division early but they looked like a real flawed team right now. I know Carnell Williams is dinged but he has disappeared.

Cincinnati at Baltimore 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bengals. The Bengals showed a lot of heart hanging in there against Pittsburgh but in the end I think it just was what I call "division wackiness." I do not care if this is another division game subject; the Bengals are the better team by far and find a way.

Detroit at Minnesota 1:00 p.m.
I like the Lions. Boy, Jeff Garcia sure got some contact last week. Maybe the Vikings find a spark with Brad Johnson.

Houston at Jacksonville 1:00 p.m.
I like the Jaguars. I do not trust the Jaguars but they are playing Houston.

Oakland at Kansas City 1:00 p.m.
I like the Chiefs. The Chiefs are good against the run so Jordan is not going to do much. If Priest Holmes cannot go then it means more of Larry Johnson, which a real good thing.

San Diego at N.Y. Jets 1:00 p.m.
I like the Chargers. San Diego has a tough schedule so they cannot afford to give away the easy games.

Tennessee at Cleveland 1:00 p.m.
I like the Titans. The Titans will move the ball a little better and they have the better special teams unit.

Chicago at New Orleans (Baton Rouge, LA) 4:05 p.m.
I like the Bears. The Bears have a very good defense. Never know what to expect out of the Saints.

N.Y. Giants at San Francisco 4:05 p.m.
I like the Giants. The 49ers might have a better record than the Texans but I think the 49ers are the worst team in the NFL. Can't pick against the Giants right now anyhow.

Seattle at Arizona 4:05 p.m.
I like the Seahawks. I don't know why; I guess the Cardnials just are not very good at winning.

Pittsburgh at Green Bay 4:15 p.m.
I like the Steelers. Things do not look good in Green Bay, nor in Pittsburgh for the short term. The Packers are more decimated on the offensive side of the ball than the Steelers. Too bad Roethlisberger does not get to play at Lambeau.

Philadelphia at Washington 8:30 p.m.
I like the Redskins. The 'Skins right now are just better than the Eagles. Looks like Owens might not dress for the Eagles; it is easy to dislike the man but he is the only legit wideout in their pass-happy offense.

Monday, Nov. 7
Indianapolis at New England 9:00 p.m.
I like the Colts. Okay, I probably actually love the Colts for this week. The Patriots are not the team they have been in the recent past, I probably would not even call them a good team, and that is shame in the drama and excuse department but when the Colts beat the Patriots on Monday it will buoy the Colts to a whole new layer of the atmospehere. Remember when Steve Young finally beat the Cowboys? It will be like that.

Film?

[Shadow Wrought]

What is up with this pseudo-news story that Tom Brady did not understand game tape preparation until late last year? Sorry, but I do not buy it. It is called experience; now please stop reporting about it.

I hadn't heard anything about this, but I would be dubious, at beast, about believing it if I had. Brady has been extremely success in his career thus far. No one is that just plain lucky, so there has to be some goodness to go along with it. Breaking down film is a skill like any other. I'd guess th

Re:Film?

[NFLFan]

Seems like we pretty much agree about this.

The first time I heard was during the Bills-Patriots game this past Sunday and then I think again on NFL Live when they were having a Brady/Manning debate. ESPN is great and I watch way too much of it but sometimes it feels like they are reaching or trying to make the news.

I thought about this a little more and thought of this article [norvig.com] by Peter Norvig, who is in charge of search quality at Google. If you think about it, Brady probably has been going through some v