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[CRASHER]

Week 6 is here.....QB's are being changed....Dream Teams are being smashed to pieces and pre-season "contenders" are scratching their heads and saying WTF....and the New England Patriots had the best rushing game in the league last week!??!?!?! Things are getting weird in here......

Sunday October 16:

1pm:

Carolina at Atlanta:

Speaking of getting weird....the Falcons are in TROUBLE (nice Super Bowl pick Peter King ....), and now short Julio Jones....maybe instead of force-feeding him the ball to go GOD DAMMIT WE CASHED IN OUR DRAFT FOR YOU, WE'LL FORCE YOU IN THERE!! Now maybe the Falcons can go back to what WORKED....Michael Turner....Roddy White, and maybe even a little defense too....Carolina's probably playing better football at this point, but they seem to be that team that does everything impressive but WIN....and imagine this...Atlanta loses this game and they're in last place...2-4 and stick nails in them and hang 'em from the cross they're DONE....and with the Lions on the schedule next week, the Falcons GOTTA get their sh!t right and NOW....I think they will actually....

Winner: Atlanta

Game Quality: *** (should have lots o'offense!)

Colts at Bengals:

It's still weird to me to talk the Colts in regular-season football and KNOW the other team has the better QB before I even type a letter....it's strange....it feels like now all the Colts are doing is having a staring contest with the Dolphins, going "any way you can lose we can lose better!"....ahhh the Suck for Luck sweepstakes, right? Though like I've said before I will be openly pissed if the Colts get lucky like that (hell look how long the Dolphins are STILL waiting for Dan Marino's replacement, the Cowboys are still looking for that Aikman replacement, the Patriots will long for Tom Brady when he's gone, and the Colts are gonna get Luck-y? HELL NO!!), I should talk about this game, but be real....the Bengals aren't exactly setting the world on fire....Benson's still fighting "the man", Dalton is coming along slowly (and a 2-game winning streak...ah the power of mediocre!), and the Bengals could delude themself into getting into this division race....and we all know the Colts tank when the season is over, and they got nothing left to prove....well THIS season is over and they got nothing to prove (aside of Curtis Painter...poor bastard)

Winner: Bengals

Game Quality: * 3/4 (just a hair too good for anti-football goodness)

49ers at Lions:

Whoever saw this coming and saw one loss between these two teams, you'd have been checked for illegal drugs in your system!!!! Both teams are playing very tough in your face football (Jim Harbaugh for coach of the year....simply for fixing Alex Smith ALONE)....the 49ers are more a run-first in your face, while the Lions just unleash Megatron and he kills you with the Fusion Cannon on his arm (hopefully shooting Michael Bay in the face....often...and savagely...but not too often, he deserves a SLOW death....), this could be a really good game, but if the Lions go deep and get up 7, 10....15 points....the Niners are dicked, and you look how both teams are playing....the Lions are gonna rip out some big plays and 49er SMASH....this game is CERTAINLY worth watching to see how the Niners hang, but the Lions have too much for them.....PS, 49ers, way to lose Josh Morgan for the YEAR running up the score in the 4th Quarter...good job!!!


Winner: Lions (Alex Smith THIS!)

Game Quality: ** 3/4 (clash of styles ahoy!)

St. Louis at Packers:

Man and I thought *I* hated St. Louis....this is cruel and unusual punishment....and I'm talking on the level of Jamie Langenbrunner finishing out his awful career and then taking a front office job with the Blues type of cruelty there....I guess this is why the Cardinals are still playing....the sports Gods are throwing that city a bone....this game will be cruel and merciless....this is a men's team going into a nursery and taking 11 random infants and lining them up against them .....much brutality here....I welcome it....RETURN THE SUFFERING TO ST LOUIS!!!!

Winner: Packers (are you shocked?)

Game Quality: DUD (are you shocked? )

Buffalo at NY Giants:

....Norwood.....WIDE RIGHT.... *sigh* oh....so.....close....and some memories never die, now do they?? I think you're obliged to mention that game any time these two meet, but aside of that...it's time to talk about the Bills DEFENSE...yeah they give up yards, but they MAKE PLAYS (much like the Saints Super Bowl team did, key INTs and fumbles to turn games around, and the offense gets it done if the turnover isn't run back for 6)....meanwhile on the Giants side....yeah they're healthy on defense....but E-l-INT is back and man he killed the Giants (and my survivor pick, and my 13 point selection in my pool...yes I'm annoyed ), you'd like to think that the Giants are gonna be PIST after that disaster last week....but are they good enough to overcome the BUFFALO MACHINE? I'm not too sure about that....I'm also kinda sure the Tom Coughlin message is getting lost and it's time for that marriage to end in New Jersey....and the Bills are too darn fun to root against!!!

Winner: Bills (VENGEANCE BE THY NAME!)

Game Quality: ***

Jaguars at Steelers:

Wow, if the Steelers get any more gifts from the football Gods, they'll be dropping young college co-ed's with amnesia in Big Ben's living room for him ....seriously, talk about the perfect team to get healthy and feel better with right?? (then again I'm sure Matt Hasselbeck is still having Steeler nightmares not only from last week, but that Super Bowl the Seahawks were CLEARLY robbed in too....), I'd like to say something good about Jacksonville.....so I will applaud their loyalty to Jack Del Rio....for no apparent reason, he's won NOTHING there, this team is in the sh!tter...again....why would you keep this clown?? There's a reason no one cares about Jacksonville....and they have no chance in hell....again.....

Winner: Steelers

Game Quality: DUD (Jacksonville is BRUTAL folks)

Eagles at Redskins:

My, oh my...how the tables have turned right?? And yeah we can call the Eagles a Dream Team, this is how the rest of the world dreams about ALL Phily-Scum teams starting the year (ok, I admit I do hate the city of Phily, but they ain't the Flyers, maybe it's just because Eagle fans don't travel this North that often...that one dumbass last Sunday kinda reminded me otherwise though), on the other side the Redskins are actually playing football, good running, solid passing game...pretty decent defense...oh yeah...before I forget....Chris Cooley, yeah it was hilarious to see Dumbo "fold and choke" against the Lions....how funny was it when HE BEAT YOUR TEAM the week before?? And your sorry little team has 150 chances to put the Cowboys away and you DIDN'T! Who's really laughing?? (moral of the story, don't talk sh!t about the team that just beat you the week before)...anyway, I could rant for two weeks on that alone....the Skins are playing solid, straight ahead football, the Eagles can't block or tackle...but sometimes you just get one of those games when everything points to one team (the Redskins), but you don't factor in the team with it's back to the wall (Phily), and they come and answer the bell....and be fair, the Eagles GOTTA win this.....I'm just going on the ol'intuition here.....


Winner: Eagles

Game Quality: ** 3/4




4pm:

Houston at Ravens:

No Andre Johnson, no Mario Williams, same soft Texans team around them, and the same buffoon coach in Gary Kubiak....and add in Matt Schaub throwing game ending INTs with only 10 men on the field (and speaking of hilarity, you need to see how this last drive went.... 1st play, sack, but Raiders take 15 yard face mask instead, 2nd play, 26 yard pass first down....clock the ball, then holding penalty....first down pass on 2nd and 15, spike the ball then Schaub rolls and gifts the INT, it was the funniest 2:00 drill FAIL I ever saw).....the Ravens had a week off to sit on their Manta-Throne and bask in the FAIL of the NFL last week, this one's really a no-brainer and I am looking forward to seeing the Texans come apart...again....and this time blow the season to the Titans!

Winner: Ravens

Game Quality: **

Browns at Raiders:

This is an odd matchup....Just Win Baby vs. Just Lose Baby (hell it's Cleveland after all....you know the only place in the world that can frak up the Rock N Roll HOF....), and the Raiders come off the most emotional win they've had in a long long LONG time....running the ball, playing good defense and just closing their eyes when Campbell drops back to pass....good news for the Raiders is only St Louis (49 points in 4 games....yikes!) has a lower scoring offense then the Browns....still wish you kept Peyton Hillis, Flame? As long as the Raiders don't have a letdown after that epic comeback and Al Davis moment last Sunday, they got this one.....

Winner: Raiders

Game Quality: **

Dallas at New England:

Oh boy, the ineffective defense vs the incomprehensible QB, the Pats don't know an offense they can't make HOF worthy with their defense....and we all know Dumbo hasn't seen a 4th Quarter turnover he doesn't like, not like the Cowboy defense is much better....they've never seen a "we gotta stop 'em drive" that they actually DID stop them....this is gonna be ugly but stupidly high scoring, the Pats offense showed some balance last week (FINALLY)....and actually using the running game (FINALLY)....while Dumbo threw 3 4th Quarter INTs on that Bye fella...he sure is a pain in the ass that Bye....the Cowboys can put pressure on Brady, well until the 4th Quarter starts, and I really like the Cowboys offense and all its weapons on the Pats D....but if anyone can make a struggling defense....it's Tony Romo...the problem is everytime I get sick of this team, throw my hands up and say fvck THEM I'm done with this.....they come back and win....well I'm fed-up to high holy hell with the Cowboys...so yeah.....


Winner: Cowboys


Game Quality: ****

Saints at Tampa:

Tampa's still picking up their teeth from that superkick they took from the 49ers last Sunday....and now here comes the 2nd best offense in the NFC comin to getcha! And now Legarrette Blount is limping around...oi, the one week they need to slow the game down right?? This is NOT a good match-up for Tampa, though it's amazing that since the loss to the Packers that NO ONE is talking about how the Saints bounced back and are playing the best football in the NFC, outside of the 2 teams in the Central....this is NOT your week Tampa Bay....

Winner: Saints

Game Quality: **




8pm:

Vikings at Bears:

Boy NBC must be PISSED OFF this year...they have to promote sh!t shows like Whitney (from the commercials this pile of visual AIDS makes "Friends" look manly....), no one cares about their network....and their shining star in Sunday Night football has been serving more turds then a plate full of chocolate laxatives, the Vikings are just HORRIBLE, while the Bears are "only" bad....least the roof didn't collapse on the stadium this time...and hey if you're brave enough to watch this game...a small drinking game.... sip each time Jay Culter gets it, sip each time Al Michaels makes a gambling reference...and oh my God....next week is Indy/Saints, and then Cowboys/Eagles...it's NOT getting better for NBC...I have to laugh at this!!! And oh yeah....gimme the bad football team over the awful one.....


Winner: Bears

Game Quality: * 1/2 (this almost makes Bound for Glory an option...)




Monday October 17:

Miami at NY Jets:

Monday Night ANTI-Football.....suck it ESPN!!!! And I thought the Sunday Night game sucked....Jesus....neither one of these teams really does anything right, the Jets can't run the ball, the defense is awful, the QB is erratic (that's a mild world)...and the Dolphins will have pressure to lose this game since the Colts will have lost by then, about the only good thing I can say about this game is Daniel Thomas should be healthy and effective, and the Miami defense is at least "okay"....but it's Miami, their goal is to snatch defeat from the cold jaws of victory! Boy am I ever happy to be playing ice hockey on Monday Night.....

Winner: Jets

Game Quality: DUD




NFL Power Rankings, Week 5:

AFC:

1. Bills....still running back Mike Vick "passes"2. New England....discovered that amazing offensive weapon...called it a "hand-off"

3. Raiders....gutty, emotional win, and I gotta admit, they're better then I thought.....

4. San Diego....4-1 and playing like ass...I don't know if I'm complimenting or insulting them here....

5. Ravens...sometimes the best thing you can do is nothing at all.....




NFC:

1. Packers....too obvious isn't it....

2. Lions....sitting and waiting for Green Bay to screw up...

3. Saints....see above times two....

4. 49ers....really? Jim Harbaugh is coach of the year for making Alex Smith functional ALONE....

5. Redskins....someone remind Chris Cooley to NOT talk sh!t about the team that beat you two weeks before?

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Crash, in fairness, the Pats have shown balance two weeks in a row. It would probably surprise you, but they're now 6th in the NFL in rushing. Yes, you read that right.

We'll soon find out if last week's solid D outing against the Jets was the result of the Pats' D improving or horrible game-planning by the Jets. The Cowboys will be as good a test as any.

[CRASHER]

It shocks me to the point that if I thought they were even CLOSE to that I'd have looked up the stats....wow....128 yards/game....never seems that aside of last week they don't run it out when it matters....maybe that's why I don't see them being "balanced"....34 rushing first downs vs 90 passing

Tennessee has 67 yards a game

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

It shocks me to the point that if I thought they were even CLOSE to that I'd have looked up the stats....wow....128 yards/game....never seems that aside of last week they don't run it out when it matters....maybe that's why I don't see them being "balanced"....34 rushing first downs vs 90 passing

Tennessee has 67 yards a game

To be fair, that 128 ypg average has been blown up the last two weeks: 183 yards vs. the Raiders, 152 yards vs. the Jets. Unfortunately, it took the Buffalo fiasco to get them to realize that, great as Brady may be, they don't have to throw the ball ALL of the time.

[CRASHER]

To be fair, that 128 ypg average has been blown up the last two weeks: 183 yards vs. the Raiders, 152 yards vs. the Jets. Unfortunately, it took the Buffalo fiasco to get them to realize that, great as Brady may be, they don't have to throw the ball ALL of the time.

That's the sign of a smart franchise though....use what you got, and take advantage of your assets....better to learn that in week 3, then the first round of the playoffs again.....

let me know in 2014 when Jason Garrett figures it out

[nmigliore]

Atlanta is getting burned in the passing game, so I suspect Newton is due for another big game. It's also about time Carolina ends up on the positive end of one of these shootouts. Who would have thought Atlanta could be 2-4 through 6 weeks?

I still don't think Cincy has much more than a chance at 3rd place in that division, but they deserve some credit for playing the best defense in the league (so far....).

Only 2.75 stars for 'Niners/Lions? Come on. It's a better matchup than that. I'm envisioning a Lions' win too though; Smith's receiver corps are depleted (Edwards down, Morgan down and out for the season) and the Lions' D line can be frightening. The 49ers win vs Tampa Bay last week was impressive, and they'll win that division, but like last week, I'm still not sold just yet. The Lions on the other hand, I am; they are for real. If Jahvid Best can show he can be a respectable RB (he was fantastic last week vs Chicago), watch out.

I think you make a good point about the Bills' defense; they are giving up the 2nd most yards per play in the league, but have forced a league-leading 16 turnovers. Eli Manning has been fantastic this season but we all know he's prone to interceptions. But besides the obvious Eli-turnover thing, I think the difference maker could be how well the Bills' O-line protects Fitzpatrick versus the dangerous Giants' pass rush (league-leading 18 sacks)* and if they can continue to create holes for Jackson.

(*: edit: just read Justin Tuck won't play this week, so that helps)

I think Eagles/'Skins is better than 2.75 stars too. Eagles are desperate, 'Skins are looking to really prove themselves to the rest of the league that they are for real. I'm sure Washington also has vengeance on their mind from last year's embarrassment at home vs Philly, and they finally have a nice pass-rusher in Kerrigan to counter Orakpo and give offenses problems. Still, I think the Eagles are too desperate and too good not to win this one. Their defense has been decent yardage-wise and certainly can be a lot better, while the 'Skins are banged up at RB and have no QB. The Eagles' offense is near the top in the league in yards per play. If they can stop turning the ball over and playing like morons, they'll start winning, and I think that starts this Sunday.

Oh, Texans. I thought they would run away with that division but losing Andre for a little awhile and Mario for the season makes them pretty eh. On the brightside, Matt Schaub is still a good QB (yeah I know, terrible INT last week... he should have ran it in, I think), Arian Foster is one of the best 'backs in the league, and they should get Johnson back in a few weeks anyway. The Williams injury could really turn them from 'good' to 'meh' contenders though. A more-than-likely loss to the Ravens this week should set up an entertaining Week 7 game @ Tennessee.

So Tony Romo is going to lead the Cowboys in ending the Pats' crazy regular season home winning streak? Riiiiight. To be fair, they are 6th best in yards per play on offense and 5th best in yards per play on defense. If there were a team that could maybe knock the Pats off of their horse at home, it MAY be them.

Saints/Bucs would be more interesting if Tampa Bay was healthy (no Blount, McCoy, etc.) and didn't get their asses handed to them by the 49'ers.. The Bucs will be more prepared and Freeman (74.1 passer rating) is due to eventually turn things around, but they aren't stopping Brees and may not have the firepower to even hang with them this week.

Sunday Night might be fun in a two-sh!tty-teams-making-it-interesting sort of way. Jared Allen and his league-leading 8.5 sacks HAS to be licking his chops right now; Cutler might not make it out of this game alive... his offensive line sucks and Mike Martz/Lovie Smith can't seem to understand that Roy Williams is finished and that Knox is probably their best WR. McNabb sucks but they have AP and the Bears are giving up a league-leading 5.7 yards per carry. Vikings with this one by pounding Cutler and Peterson going crazy.

Must-win for the Jets, period. No excuses to lose.

---

I don't have much of a bone to pick with your rankings, but I think the Ravens are better than you give them credit for and it's only a matter of time before Flacco stops playing like ass.

And I appreciate the write-up as usual, Crash.

Edited by nmigliore, 14 October 2011 - 01:26 PM.

[MantaRay]

the Ravens had a week off to sit on their Manta-Throne

It was a boring week on the Throne.

[CRASHER]

Well there was no way I though Atlanta was gonna be 14-2 again, I think of all their games the only big loss that shocked me was losing to Tampa....

When the Benglas shut down an NFL offense that wasn't clearly having a letdown week (Buffalo), we'll talk...till then 94 points allowed and beating Cleveland and Jacksonville (and LOSING to Denver)...I'm unimpressed....one week is a fluke, and I care more about points allowed then yards, that means more to me on defensive success.....

I'm still not overwhelmed by the Niners....if I was I'd rate it higher....they're still "bleh" to me....

The Bills can keep you off-balance and beat you on offense anyway they want to, and that's scary....the Giants just lost to SEATTLE....in their own building...that's not good.....

The Eagles are like an NBA team...they're a human highlight package....let's see them have a nice crisp 10 play 82 yard drive without making any big plays...then I'll be convinced on them too...they're like a spot-fest pro wrestler....they'll hit all the pretty spots, but they can't tell a story or hit a basic move....when Phily can do the basics I'll think better of them....

Tennessee will win that divsion, the Colts spoon-fed it to the Texans....and spit it up....VINTAGE

Every time I have hopes for the Cowboys (after 3 quarters in the opener, and the Lions game at half time).....they sh!t the bed....everytime I'm like "fvck this team I'm done with these gutless douchebags (San Fran and even Washington)....they turn around and show me something....and I've had two weeks to build my apathy for this team....

As for Monday Night....wow:
DAVIE, Fla. (AP)—Preparing for Monday Night Football, Brandon Marshall(notes) dropped a pass during drills Thursday, picked up the ball and gave it an angry boot.

Not that emotional outbursts take practice, but Marshall said he’s planning a prime-time doozy. The mercurial Miami Dolphins receiver complained Thursday that he has been playing with his emotions in check and will show more passion Monday against the New York Jets.

“My goal is to get thrown out midway through the second quarter,” Marshall said.

the Ravens didn't play last week, they should be LUCKY the rest of the AFC sucked and I had to default to them

Glad to be contributing!!

[NJDevs4978]

As for Monday Night....wow:
DAVIE, Fla. (AP)—Preparing for Monday Night Football, Brandon Marshall(notes) dropped a pass during drills Thursday, picked up the ball and gave it an angry boot.

Not that emotional outbursts take practice, but Marshall said he’s planning a prime-time doozy. The mercurial Miami Dolphins receiver complained Thursday that he has been playing with his emotions in check and will show more passion Monday against the New York Jets.

“My goal is to get thrown out midway through the second quarter,” Marshall said.

As funny as that is, the Jets are in open civil war right now. They're too busy fighting themselves to fight Marshall. Mainly because of three diva receivers that can't keep their mouth shut and are whining about everything from the gameplan to the QB to the o-line just because THEIR numbers are down.

Well boo ****ing hoo...you know you've got problems when Plax is the least problematic guy of the three in the locker room (or when a mellow guy like Brandon Moore basically tells our joke of a 'captain' to STFU in so many words), well one of the diva WR's are gone but the Jets didn't make things any better by mealy-mouthing his departure claiming it wasn't because of locker room issues.

Edited by NJDevs4978, 14 October 2011 - 08:53 PM.

[nmigliore]

Yeah things are getting a little crazy. He's one of my favorite current Jets, but Santonio needs to just shut up already.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Damn Crash...thought I'd was going to have to say congrats there for a bit. One of the most nerve-wracking games I've watched all year. With the exception of McCourty, who sucktitude knows no bounds, hell of a job by NE's defense. Couldn't have asked any more of them.

[nmigliore]

The Pats' offense can be just nuts (and incredibly frustrating from a Jets fan's standpoint). The Cowboys held them at bay for awhile but you just KNEW Brady would lead them to a game-winning drive in the final few minutes when Dallas was forced to settle for a FG. Their defense has started looked better too; that's 2 straight games with 400 or less yards against.

I thought Newton would have a big game against Atlanta's secondary... so much for that: 0 touchdowns, 3 interceptions.

Holy Frank Gore. His last 3 games combined: 50 carries, 393 yards, 7.86 yards per carry. Yeah, I think the beast has awakened after that slow start. And another great defensive effort from the 49ers. Maybe it's time to consider them the real deal with the solid defense and running game they are boasting. Alex Smith did stink though. As for the Lions, I'm honestly stunned their defensive line hasn't defended the run better so far this season.

Not a great defensive effort from the Giants, but Eli Manning has looked fantastic this year.

Huge win for the Eagles (obviously), but the Redskins aren't going anywhere with their current situation on offense. They have no QB and their running game has been very mediocre-to-poor. Is it too late to call up Cincinnati about Carson Palmer? Maybe David Garrard?

Speaking of needing a QB pronto... tough break for the Raiders losing Campbell for the season. The defense was apparently very good (gave up under 4 yards per play) but I don't know how much I can put into that since they faced one of the worst offenses in the league.

I know the Texans lost by 15 points, but they hung in that game for awhile, which surprised me some. Schaub averaged less than 6 yards per attempt.... where art thou Andre Johnson.

Shocker by Tampa Bay. The Saints had no trouble racking up yards but 4 turnovers and 1-for-4 in redzone attempts really hurts. I will say though, and maybe I'm jumping the gun a bit, their TE Jimmy Graham needs to be up for discussion as one of the best TE's in football, at least from an offensive standpoint. 7 catches for 124 yards today, which gives him 39 catches and 620 yards for the season. He has 4 straight 100+ yard receiving games as well. I haven't seen him enough to know how he does in the blocking game, but those receiving numbers are really impressive.

Edited by nmigliore, 16 October 2011 - 07:46 PM.

[nmigliore]

Brutal start for the Vikings; Cutler manages to find Hester in double coverage for a TD and then McNabb decides to give the Bears 2 free points and the ball back with good field position at the expense of not getting hit.

They should be grounding and pounding with Adrian Peterson. McNabb is not good.

Edit (halftime): Haha, I love how the opposite of what I expected to happen is happening right now .. despite the safety he handed them, McNabb has managed to play not-awful while the Bears have stopped the run and protected Cutler like gold, allowing him to tear up the Vikings' secondary. When the Bears play the way they are playing tonight, you can understand how they won 11 games and went to the NFC Championship game last season.

Edited by nmigliore, 16 October 2011 - 09:00 PM.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

The Pats' offense can be just nuts (and incredibly frustrating from a Jets fan's standpoint). The Cowboys held them at bay for awhile but you just KNEW Brady would lead them to a game-winning drive in the final few minutes when Dallas was forced to settle for a FG. Their defense has started looked better too; that's 2 straight games with 400 or less yards against.

The funny thing is, though some will criticize the way Dallas' coaching staff handled the end of the game, I can understand why they did what they did. Romo, as we all know, can throw some bad picks late in games, so they didn't want to put him in a position to make a mistake. And Dallas' D had played a terrific game to that point...before that final drive, they had held the Pats' offense to under 300 yards, so I understood why they had confidence in giving that unit a chance to make one final stop. Their coverage was actually pretty solid on that drive...Brady just did what Brady does.

In a lot of ways, it was much more of a throwback game for the Pats...the defense playing well enough to win the game, Brady not putting up mind-blowing numbers, but finding a way to get it done when it counted the most. For the first time in a long time, the Pats actually dared to stand toe-to-toe with an opponent who hit back. It's one game, but I really hope it's a sign of things to come.

[CRASHER]

When the Bears play the way they are playing tonight, you can understand how they won 11 games and went to the NFC Championship game last season.

Yeah, but pity they only play Minnesota twice and not 12 times
The Vikings are a disaster that need be ripped to the core, minus a select few......

The funny thing is, though some will criticize the way Dallas' coaching staff handled the end of the game, I can understand why they did what they did. Romo, as we all know, can throw some bad picks late in games, so they didn't want to put him in a position to make a mistake. And Dallas' D had played a terrific game to that point...before that final drive, they had held the Pats' offense to under 300 yards, so I understood why they had confidence in giving that unit a chance to make one final stop. Their coverage was actually pretty solid on that drive...Brady just did what Brady does.

In a lot of ways, it was much more of a throwback game for the Pats...the defense playing well enough to win the game, Brady not putting up mind-blowing numbers, but finding a way to get it done when it counted the most. For the first time in a long time, the Pats actually dared to stand toe-to-toe with an opponent who hit back. It's one game, but I really hope it's a sign of things to come.

Anyone who criticizes the Cowboys for not throwing the ball hasn't been watching this team this year....I'd rather make the Pats go 80 yards then have Dumbo spoon-feed them the game on a BRUTAL interception, like he's been doing all year.....but this is what I'm talking about with this team and why they drive you crazy to the point that you can't pull for this team week in and week out....they FIND WAYS to blow these games....and the biggest different in Dallas compared to the Patriots....one team finds a way to win...the other one "Golly Gee we were close again".....righttttt

(the funniest part of the game was BOTH Bills fans I know texting me when Dallas was trying to run it out with a "GO COWBOYS" text at the same time ....maybe I'll still have fun with the Dallas-Bills game in a few weeks....oi )

Anyone still wanna accuse me of being too cynical and jaded about this team???

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Anyone who criticizes the Cowboys for not throwing the ball hasn't been watching this team this year....I'd rather make the Pats go 80 yards then have Dumbo spoon-feed them the game on a BRUTAL interception, like he's been doing all year.....but this is what I'm talking about with this team and why they drive you crazy to the point that you can't pull for this team week in and week out....they FIND WAYS to blow these games....and the biggest different in Dallas compared to the Patriots....one team finds a way to win...the other one "Golly Gee we were close again".....righttttt

(the funniest part of the game was BOTH Bills fans I know texting me when Dallas was trying to run it out with a "GO COWBOYS" text at the same time ....maybe I'll still have fun with the Dallas-Bills game in a few weeks....oi )

Anyone still wanna accuse me of being too cynical and jaded about this team???

Didn't really feel like the Cowboys blew it to me...it didn't feel like a choke-job at all. Like I said, I don't think the D played badly on that final drive...Brady was just that good (and he had to be...Dallas' D pretty much did what they wanted to up until that final drive...Brady had to be at his absolute best at the end, and fortunately he was).

But I could see where the other losses could drive you to drink for sure.

[NJDevs4978]

I didn't think Dallas's playcalling on the goalline was all that bad, the false start on third down hurt. Dallas should have thrown it once on the last series though. With Brady, there's literally no difference between getting the ball with 2:40 left and two timeouts as opposed to one.

[NJDevs4978]

Anyone who criticizes the Cowboys for not throwing the ball hasn't been watching this team this year....I'd rather make the Pats go 80 yards then have Dumbo spoon-feed them the game on a BRUTAL interception, like he's been doing all year.....but this is what I'm talking about with this team and why they drive you crazy to the point that you can't pull for this team week in and week out....they FIND WAYS to blow these games...

So you're that afraid of Romo that giving the ball to Brady is the BETTER option?! And they didn't even need 80 yards, a FG sends it to OT.

[CRASHER]

So you're that afraid of Romo that giving the ball to Brady is the BETTER option?! And they didn't even need 80 yards, a FG sends it to OT.

Have you watched the first 4 games??? Dumbo + 4th Quarter + throwing the football = Pick 6
I'd rather take my chances with that "elite defense"

CR, this wasn't a blatant choke definitely....but it was AGAIN "good enough to lose", and make it worse, they are 2-0 against division leaders right now....and you can see why there's a fed-up point and it's just hard to expect a win against ANYONE now.....and St Louis at home next week .....no city's caused me more misery then that awful town

[NJDevs4978]

Have you watched the first 4 games??? Dumbo + 4th Quarter + throwing the football = Pick 6
I'd rather take my chances with that "elite defense"

CR, this wasn't a blatant choke definitely....but it was AGAIN "good enough to lose", and make it worse, they are 2-0 against division leaders right now....and you can see why there's a fed-up point and it's just hard to expect a win against ANYONE now.....and St Louis at home next week .....no city's caused me more misery then that awful town

I've watched Brady for ten years make those drives automatically, against a lot better defenses than the Cowboys. Romo threw for 300 plus so it's not like they stayed away from throwing on any other drive.

Edited by NJDevs4978, 17 October 2011 - 09:48 AM.