NFLFan's Journal: NFL 2006: Week 4

• Something is not right in New England. Sorry to state the obvious but I have to start somewhere. I think the Patriots may have lost too many of their guys and the way they lost them really hurt the rest of the team. What kind of message does it send to the team when they see important players leave because of money? And New England has cap room.

  I am not sure that Tom Brady is completely healthy. I have not watched him play much this year but it seems like he is suffering from a tired arm at the very least. It is very interesint that New England have recently tried out Tommy Maddox and Vinny Testaverde.

• The Steelers need to play better on offense. The defense is still there.
• I am really starting to like Sean Payton.
• I think Marvin Lewis is a better coach than Brian Billick. That is why the Bengals will win more games this year.
• I do not know what to say about the T.O. suicide or medical scare.
• I think Shaun Alexander's foot was cracked before this past Sunday.
• I really hate that quick wide receiver screen.
• It is really amazing what Chad Pennington is doing. No baseball pitcher has ever come back from a complete rotator cuff tear. As far as I could determine, Pennington had a complete tear. I guess the rotator cuff is more important to a pitcher but it is amazing what Pennington is doing.

Last week I went 8-6. So much for my worst week being 9-7. Oh well, that is the good thing about football- any given Sunday etc. It is going to take a few weeks, or a whole season, to figure out who is really good.
Sunday, Oct. 1
Arizona at Atlanta 1:00 p.m.
I like the Falcons. Arizona finds a way to lose or the Falcons find a way to win.

Dallas at Tennessee 1:00 p.m.
I like the Cowboys. Everybody beats up on the Titans.

Indianapolis at N.Y. Jets 1:00 p.m.
I like the Colts. I was foolish to pick against the Colts last week.

Miami at Houston 1:00 p.m.
I like the Dolphins. I don't know why.

Minnesota at Buffalo 1:00 p.m.
I like the Vikings. The Vikings cannot lose two in a row! I cannot believe I just wrote that.

New Orleans at Carolina 1:00 p.m.
I like the Panthers. I cannot figure out Carolina.

San Diego at Baltimore 1:00 p.m.
I like the Chargers. I can think of a lot more reasons why the Ravens should win instead of the Chargers. So I take the Chargers!

San Francisco at Kansas City 1:00 p.m.
I like the 49ers. I do not know why.

Detroit at St. Louis 4:05 p.m.
I like the Rams. This is probably a mistake. The Rams always hurt me. You have been warned.

Cleveland at Oakland 4:15 p.m.
I like the Browns. I know, Oakland looked pretty good last week ;)

Jacksonville at Washington 4:15 p.m.
I like the Jaguars. I find myself picking the Jaguars way too much. Wish I could pick against them.

New England at Cincinnati 4:15 p.m.
I like the Bengals. The Patriots have yet to look good for a complete game.

Seattle at Chicago 8:15 p.m.
I like the Bears. The Bears need to rediscover their running game. What is up with Cedric Benson?

Monday, Oct. 2
Green Bay at Philadelphia 8:30 p.m.
I like the Eagles. I just cannot pick the Pack attack.

Rams are the safe pick

[RailGunner]

The Lions are embarrassingly bad this year, and might not win a single game.

In fact, I'd almost be tempted to hope for them to go 0-16 and get a better draft choice.

The only reason I don't is because Matt Millen would just draft another wide receiver...

Re:

[FortKnox]

The Lions will win games, and the head coach is doing a good job. Rome wasn't made in a day. The change will take a year or two to show.
I still think Millen should be fired, though...


I really hate that quick wide receiver screen.
You and me, both. If there is one thing I hate in the NFL, its the dink-and-dunk offense, and I'm seeing WR screens all over the place...

Re:

[Shadow Wrought]

I don't mind the dink & dunk so long as it is in place to set up the ball down the middle. As a lifelong Rams fan I can attest to how much I loathed the 49ers of their Dynasty era. And their dink & dunk attack. Slants, screens, and swing passes. But that pulled all the defenders in close which opened up the long ball. It just seems that teams aren't using it as a strategy so much as a means of protecting the defects in their QB.

I don't know too much to make about my Rams this season yet, but