The Sports Rumors

Washington Politics…The Football Kind

It’s fascinating how the human mind works when it faces disappointment, or the need to place blame. No, this isn’t a science report you’re about to read. You’ll see where I’m going with this as you continue. When Bill Clinton was President and everyone’s pockets were filling up with more and more cash, national security budgets weren’t an issue. I didn’t hear anyone say loudly, “Hey, I don’t want to keep making money off of the economy and the stock market. Instead, I want you to take this money and invest it in the defense of the country in case of a worst case scenario!” Fast forward ten years, and the same people who loved Clinton are now saying, “9/11 is all Clinton’s fault. That administration didn’t have its priorities right. What idiots.”

Monday afternoon. My phone beeps consecutively which means I have someone texting me feverishly. I see it’s a friend of mine.

“8-8”.

8-8? At this point, I have no idea what he’s talking about as I’m getting out of my car with more grocery bags in each hand than anyone should attempt to carry.

“I told you. Skins are so overrated. They suck. Joe Gibbs sucks. He’s washed up.”

Now I am starting to understand what the text messages are about. Over time, I have come to realize that there are certain people who like to place blame on someone or something else when they face disappointment or are let down. This friend of mine who is texting me is a Redskins fan. He was upset that the Skins blew another NFC east game in the fourth quarter so to make himself feel better, he felt the need to trash the Redskins and their hall of fame coach in a text message to me. Saying things like, “I knew they were terrible. I said it all along” only makes the person feel less disappointed. It’s similar to when you tell a nine year old girl that she can’t have a $150 Barbie. She responds with “I didn’t want it anyway”. Yeah, sure you didn’t. Just like my friend; I’m sure you thought Gibbs was washed up all along. Funny how I didn’t hear about them being washed up in the third quarter when the Skins were on their way to being 6-3.

It’s not a bad thing and I’m not knocking people who have this reaction to disappointment. I did it with Virginia Tech. I immediately went on a rant about how Frank Beamer is the worst coach on earth and how Virginia Tech will never win anything of significance after their loss to Boston College. It made me feel better. Psychologically, I felt like it lessened my disappointment in a team because I already “expected it” or “knew this was going to happen”. It’s how the mind works. Now that I’m done with my psychoanalysis, let me get to the nitty gritty and talk football, as well as respond to my friend’s ludicrous conclusions about the Washington Redskins.

“The Redskins are so overrated. They were overrated to begin with.”

Really? That’s interesting. See I was under the impression that you had to be rated, before you could be overrated. Last I checked, there wasn’t a credible magazine or sports website that had the Redskins as preseason favorites to make the playoffs, let alone win the division. There wasn’t any publication that I read that said the Redskins would win 5 out of their first 9 games. In order for a team to be overrated, it has to have a lot of hype and enthusiasm going into the season. The San Diego Chargers? They were overrated. The Oakland Raiders? They were not overrated. Do you get it?

It is clear that the Redskins were surpassing expectations and had they not had a collapse of epic proportions against Philadelphia this past weekend, they would have been sitting pretty at 6-3. Maybe it’s just me, but when a team surpasses expectations and is in a playoff race that they really had no business being in to begin with, they are considered “underrated”. However, the Skins are not 6-3. They are 5-4. They are an average, mediocre team and their record reflects it. They are not over or underrated. They are what they are; a nice team with a chance for making the wild card round in the playoffs. Nothing more, nothing less.

“Joe Gibbs is washed up. He lost it. We need a crunk coach.”

First thing I had to do was find out what “crunk coach” means. I’m not some old geezer who’s not up to date with the current slang but I had never before heard the words crunk and coach go together. Apparently, it means a coach that is “tight”. My friend was actually referring to coaches like, as he mentioned, Bill Cowher. He went on to say how we need someone who’ll be tough on the players and keep them in their place.

First thing I’ll address is this. Joe Gibbs may not be what he was in 1991, but he has by no means “lost it”. What was the turning point in the Philly-Washington game? Sean Taylor going out with a knee sprain. While he was in the game, the Skins gave up 13 points through 3 quarters. He goes out, they give up 20 points. That’s no coincidence. The first touchdown was a prayer thrown up by Donovan McNabb into double coverage. The safety replacing Taylor, Pierson Prioleau, was step for step with Reggie Brown. Had the ball gone where it was intended to, it would have been batted down or intercepted. Lucky for the Eagles, the ball was underthrown and was to the backside of the receiver. Reggie Brown made an exceptional adjustment and caught it for a touchdown. A short while later, Brian Westbrook broke a big play on a screen and took it to the house; again, something he did not do when Taylor was in the game.

Last I checked, Joe Gibbs doesn’t run the defense. Furthermore, if the players are in the position to make the plays and they don’t, that’s on them as professional athletes. That’s not on the coach. The coach’s job is to put the players in the best possible position to make plays. If they don’t execute, that’s their own responsibility. The Redskins offense put up 25 points. If your offense scores more than 20 points and you lose, it’s the defense’s fault. That’s what Hall of Famer George Allen lived and died by.

I will grant you that the Skins have blown two huge divisional games at home in the second half, and that the coaches should have done a better job of keeping the focus and intensity of the team. However, that’s not enough to say that a coach has “lost it”.

To say that the Skins need a coach who will be a disciplinarian doesn’t make that much sense. They are not getting into trouble or committing foolish penalties. And do we really want to talk about “tough guy” coaches? How’d Marty Schottenheimer work out in DC? What about Bill Parcells in Dallas? My friend actually used Parcells as an example of a “crunk coach”. Yeah, he won 0 playoff games in his stay in Dallas and lost the team quicker than a rookie coach would. How’s the tough guy approach worked out for Jon Gruden the past few years. And please, don’t bring up the Super Bowl he won. That was with Tony Dungy’s players just like Kentucky’s Tubby Smith won the men’s college basketball championship with Rick Pitino’s players. Another tough guy coach? How’s Eric Mangini working out in New York. What about Tom Coughlin? Coughlin’s job has been in jeopardy every year he’s been in New York! Walking around with a stick isn’t always the answer.

And this whole Bill Cowher thing. Let me address this once and for all. Yes, I think that in time, he would be a good fit for Washington. However, let’s not start to pretend that he’s the greatest coach to ever step onto a field. Let me remind you that he has won 1 Superbowl in 15 seasons. Joe Gibbs, the “washed up” coach, has won 3 titles in 16 seasons. So ease up on the, “We need Cowher now!” talks.

“The Redskins don’t know how to build a team. Let’s go out and get all the high priced-over the hill- free agents that we can find.”

That was true a few years ago when Dan Snyder first took over the Redskins. He famously made a mistake in signing the likes of Deion Sanders, Mark Carrier, and many others. However, don’t sit here and tell me that the Redskins have not made major strides in the personnel department. Look at the roster that they have assembled through the draft.

1. Jason Campbell
2. Laron Landry
3. Sean Taylor
4. Jon Jansen
5. Chris Samuels
6. Rocky McIntosh

That’s 3 pro bowlers, an up and coming quarterback, and two solid young defensive starters. It’s clear as day that Laron Landry is a stud safety and don’t forget that the reason the Lance Briggs-to-Washington deal fell through was because they wanted Rocky McIntosh and we weren’t willing to part with him. There is a REASON the Bears wanted McIntosh. The recent free agents that we’ve signed?

1. Shawn Springs
2. Andre Carter
3. Randy Thomas
4. London Fletcher
5. Cornilius Griffin
6. Santana Moss

Springs has been a mainstay at corner, Carter is having a solid season, Randy Thomas has been great since he’s been here (except this year due to injury), Fletcher is in the top 3 in tackles, and Griffin has been the consistent factor on the defensive line. Santana Moss has not had a good season, but injury is to blame for that. Don’t forget that he caught 84 balls and almost 10 touchdowns a couple of seasons ago when healthy.

So I don’t want to hear about how the Redskins sign every big name without thinking because that’s just being uninformed. That’s a weak and lame argument.

Basically what I’m getting at is this. Yes, the Redskins have had some very disappointing losses so far this season and it stings. It bothers me for days when we blow big leads in the fourth quarter, as it does thousands of others. But it’s not intelligent to go on a rant about how a team is overrated, lacks good management, and has a washed up coach when in reality, they were two bad quarters away from being 7-2. It’s an easy thing to jump on the bandwagon of a team when they’re playing great, but it’s even easier to jump on the bandwagon full of naysayers when the team falters slightly. Winning 5 out of the first 9 and being in a position to make a wild card push is what I had hoped from the Redskins, and that’s what we’ve got. Don’t be greedy. Be a good, well informed fan and resist being a jackass.

College Football Rankings Week 11

There are a few key things we learned this weekend. Let’s recap.

• Boston College was overrated all season
  • Jesse Palmer made the comment that “Virginia Tech doesn’t belong on the same field as BC”. I guess by that same token, BC doesn’t belong on the same field as unranked Maryland either.
• Illinois is going to be really good for years to come
• Every team in the SEC is hot one week, cold the next (with the exception of LSU)
  • See Auburn, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia
• This college football season lacks a clear cut champion or a true number one team. Some people like it. I, personally, hate it and don’t like how the top 3 teams can’t stay put for more than a week at a time.
• Virginia Tech is a different football team with Tyrod Taylor on the field. It’s kind of like the difference between the Atlanta Falcons with Michael Vick and the Atlanta Falcons with Joey Harrington

Enjoy the rankings.

NFL Week Week 10 Picks

I haven’t been at near my computer much this weekend to be able to update that chart where I have my picks lined up against the ESPN Experts. However, I’ll have that up later today. In the meantime, I want to post my picks so that no one thinks I cheated when I suddenly go 100% correct on my picks this week. Below the outright picks I’ll put my spread picks. Enjoy!

I’m feeling a big week for the home teams…

Minnesota @ Green Bay

Jacksonville @ Tennessee

Denver @ KC

Buffalo @ Miami

St.Louis @ New Orleans

Cleveland @ Pittsburgh

Philadelphia @ Washington

Atlanta @ Carolina

Cinci @ Baltimore

Chicago @ Oakland

Dallas @ New York Giants

Detroit @ Arizona

Indy @ San Diego

San Fran @ Seattle

Picks Versus the Spread

At Tennessee -5 Jacksonville

At Kansas City -3 Denver

Buffalo -2.5 At Miami

At Pittsburgh -10 Cleveland

At New Orleans -10.5 St. Louis

At Carolina -3 Atlanta

At Washington -2.5 Philadelphia

At Green Bay -5.5 Minnesota

At Baltimore -3 Cincinnati

Chicago -3.5 At Oakland

Dallas -2 At NY Giants

At Arizona -2 Detroit

Indianapolis -3.5 At San Diego

Chad Ford’s Analysis - Couldn’t be More Wrong

I was reading an ESPN Insider article the other day written by Chad Ford. It was talking about the Kobe Bryant situation and he broke it down into four questions.

1. Does Kobe have too much mileage?
2. Is Kobe really the best player in the NBA?
3. Is Kobe a winner?
4. Is Kobe worth it?

As good of a writer as Ford is, I was very surprised to see how wrong he was on many of the points he made. I’ve selected portions of his article (the highlighted) and posted my response/argument to them. Have a look.

Does Kobe have too much mileage?

It’s not only the years that concern some teams, but also the minutes. Counting NBA regular-season and playoff games, Bryant has logged 33,576 minutes — 918 games of about 37 minutes each, in just 11-plus seasons.

This is a very valid point because it is no secret that Kobe has racked up a lot of minutes in his eleven seasons. Not only that, he plays extremely hard every night, more so than a lot of other players. His mileage would be a concern but you also have to realize that no one trains as hard or takes care of their body as much as Kobe does. While other NBA players are in Aruba enjoying the offseason, he’s at the gym getting stronger, healthier, and keeping his body in top shape. Therefore, if I’m a general manager, I’m not going to worry too much about his mileage because I know the guy is thirsty for winning a title and he’ll do everything possible to stay in the best shape he can to achieve his goal.

Is Kobe really the best player in the NBA?

For instance, Bryant has never led the league in John Hollinger’s PER (player efficiency rating), which combines a player’s stats and percentages into a single measure. Last season, Bryant was well behind Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade.

To put his numbers into historical perspective, his career-high PER of 27.97 in 2005-06 ranks No. 42 all-time in the league. Several current players have posted a higher PER than Kobe did in his best season, including Wade (twice), LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki (twice), Shaquille O’Neal (six times), Tracy McGrady and Kevin Garnett (twice).

Here’s where I start to disagree with Ford. What the hell do John Hollinger’s ratings mean? Who are the other 40+ players ranked ahead of Kobe on this list? I’d LOVE to see who they are. I bet Antawn Jamison or Udonis Haslem is on there. I must have missed the memo on when John Hollinger’s rankings became relevant. Dirk and Wade were better in those rankings than Kobe; so what? Dirk was ousted by an eight seed in the first round! Wade was swept in the first round; in the EAST! Those rankings are so ridiculous and they take nothing but pure numbers into consideration. I am 100% positive that Michael Jordan would never have been atop Hollinger’s efficiency rankings but does that mean he was not the best player in the game? Tracy McGrady has twice had higher efficiency rankings than Kobe. Well, first off, it’d be nice to see Tmac play a whole season for once. And secondly, we all know how “efficient” Tmac has been in the playoffs. Shaquille O’neal is going to be ahead of Kobe for obvious reasons. When you take 15 shots a game from 2 feet away, you’re bound to have high field goal percentages. I talked about this in depth with my friend last year and how ridiculous these rankings are. Here’s something for you to look up John Hollinger. Look up how many players in the league are double and triple teamed with no solid, consistent second option. Then tell me how many lead the league in scoring and take their teams to the playoffs in the western conference. Tracy McGrady has Yao Ming. Dwayne Wade has Shaquille O’neal. Kevin Garnett, Dirk and Shaq are all big men so they have a much easier time scoring than a guard does. I agree with Lebron being more efficient but that is it. There is no question that Kobe is the best player in the game, at this moment in time, and has been for the past several years. So you’re wrong to question that Chad Ford.

How does Bryant’s postseason prowess compare to Nowitzki’s? In the playoffs, Dirk has more points per game, more rebounds per game, more blocked shots per game, a higher field-goal percentage, a higher 3-point field-goal percentage and a higher free-throw percentage. In the past three seasons, Nowitzki has led his team to the NBA Finals, while Bryant hasn’t won a single playoff series.

Wow Dirk has more blocks and rebounds than Kobe?! No way! I would have never imagined that! I wonder if..if..he also has more blocks per game than Michael Jordan!  Seriously, are you really comparing the rebounding and blocked shots of a 7 footer to a guard? Making that point is as stupid as saying that Ladanian Tomlinson has more yards per carry than Jeff George. And please don’t get me started on the supporting cast difference. I’m not knocking Dirk by any means but lets not kid ourselves, 10 out of 10 people will take Kobe over Dirk any day of the week.

Is Kobe a winner?

If LeBron were to suddenly be available in a trade, does anyone believe that after six months the Cavs would still be waiting to receive a serious offer? Or 10 serious offers?

Umm, if Lebron had a no trade clause and said he would only consider being traded to three teams? If Lebron had stubborn, idiotic management who traded an All Star (Caron Butler) for Kwame Brown and all they have left to show for Shaq is Lamar Odom? Then yes, he would be still waiting to receive a serious offer. Don’t kid yourself and think that every team in the league minus the Spurs and Cavs wouldn’t take a hard look at trading for Kobe if he didn’t have such a small list. The Wizards would love to send Arenas and change for Kobe, but he’s not interested in Washington. New York would trade the Statue of Liberty for Kobe, but he’s not interested. Charlotte, New Orleans, and other bottom feeders would trade all their young talent for Kobe. Golden State, Sacramento, the Clippers, even the Rockets would trade for Kobe. Don’t sit here and tell me that more than 10 teams aren’t interested in the best guard in the league. Can you honestly say that the Rockets wouldn’t send Tmac for Kobe in a heart beat if that was in any way possible? Please.

Is Kobe worth it?

By then our eyes and hearts will likely have caught up with what the numbers and logic are already telling us: Kobe Bryant is a great player, but in a team sport like basketball he lacks the ability, on his own, to deliver an NBA championship.

Jordan didn’t win without Pippen. Shaq didn’t win without Kobe or Wade. David Robinson didn’t win without Duncan. Hakeem didn’t win without Clyde. No one has ever won alone so I’m tired of hearing people knock Kobe and say he can’t win alone. Name someone who has. Ewing? Barkley? Malone? Stockton? Kobe has his list of teams because he wants to go to a place that will provide him the assistance he needs to reach and win the NBA finals. That is his admission of not being able to do it alone. Why else is he not interested in going to New York or Philly?

Chad Ford is a great writer and has always provided good reading material. However, he was really off base with his analysis of the Kobe situation and someone had to call him out on it.

The Curse of Willingham

Everyone knows about Notre Dame’s struggles by now. In all honesty, it’s past the point of even being funny. When they were 0-4, I was laughing but we are beyond that position. It’s ridiculous how bad they really are. If anyone has seen a single game of theirs, you know what I’m talking about. The team doesn’t look like a team. They have no emotion, no confidence, nothing. Charlie Weis went from the toast of the town to being questioned louder and louder on a week to week basis.

The much publicized firing of Ty Willingham a few years back was starting to look like a thing of the past; something that Notre Dame would no longer have to answer for. After two straight BCS bowl appearances, it looked like the replacement for Willingham was the right choice. It earned Weis a 10 year contract. But this is college football and things can change from better to worse as fast as anything we know. The Willingham saga is now rearing its head again as critics are asking the question, “Will Charlie get fired? Ty Willingham did.”

It’s a valid question. Everyone who has an ounce of sanity knows that what happened to Willingham was not right. Now as much as I hate Notre Dame and dislike Charlie Weis, and as much as I like and respect Ty Willingham for handling his departure with class, I can’t sit here and say that firing Weis is the right decision. Yes, he is having the worst season in Notre Dame’s history. Yes, he doesn’t seem to have much, if any, control over his team. Yes, he looks lost. Yes, if this was a scenario where you replaced Weis with Willingham, Willingham would have been fired for sure by now. But two wrongs don’t make a right. I firmly believe that. Firing Willingham was a hasty, improper decision. But you can’t correct that mistake by treating Weis the same way.

Suppose you fire Weis and the next coach comes along and has similar struggles. Do you give him the same time span you gave Willingham and Weis? If you fire Weis now, you have set a precedent for the future and nobody will want to coach there.

As much as Notre Dame has struggled, let’s not forget that Charlie Weis is no dummy. The guy knows how to run offenses and he will get things rolling again. Give him a couple of seasons and if the results are not what Notre Dame fans and alum are expecting, you can make the change. But making a change now just for the sake of it will cause much more harm than it will good.

Ty Willingham may be on the other side of the country, but his presence is very much felt these days in South Bend.

Patriots Should Have Asterisk?

Big news of the day was Miami Dolphins hall of fame coach Don Shula making comments suggesting that if the Patriots go 16-0, they should have an asterisk placed by their record due to the events of “Spygate”.

“The Spygate thing has diminished what they’ve accomplished. You would hate to have that attached to your accomplishments. They’ve got it,” Shula told the Daily News yesterday. “Belichick was fined $500,000, the team was fined $250,00 and they lost a first-round draft choice. That tells you the seriousness or significance of what they found.

“I guess you got the same thing as putting an asterisk by Barry Bonds’ home run record. I guess it will be noted that the Patriots were fined and a No.1 draft choice was taken away during that year of accomplishment. The sad thing is Tom Brady looks so good, it doesn’t look like he needs any help.”

When I first heard of this story and these comments, I dismissed it as someone who is just jealous that his record is probably going to be tied and he is bitter because of it. Then I thought some more about what he was saying and I came to realize that Shula had some very valid points. The Patriots were not accused, but convicted of cheating. They were penalized a first round draft choice and fined thousands of dollars. That is a significant verdict/punishment. That isn’t something you can just forget. If we can say that Barry Bonds should have an asterisk next to his homerun record mark, even though he has never been caught cheating, why should we give the Patriots a free pass?

There should not be double standards, ever.

I understand that they are a great team who are absolutely dominating and destroying anyone in their path. I understand that they probably never needed to cheat to be great anyway. But cheating is cheating, and they were caught. By the way, read my last three sentences again and see if it sounds familiar. Barry Bonds was also a dominating force who probably never needed to cheat either to be great. Yet we have convicted him in the court of public opinion so the Pats should be treated the same.

I’m not sure if the asterisk is the best way to go because I haven’t thought about other possibilities yet. However, Don Shula is right when he says that it should be noted, in one way or another, that the Patriots were caught cheating during their “perfect” season.

The Dolphins visit the Patriots in week 15 of the season and could, seriously, be 0-14 vs the 14-0 Pats.  We could be witnesses to irony, karma, whatever you want to call it at its absolute finest.

First Annual ‘Sports Rumors’ Awards

By now, everyone has played at least 8 games.  Let’s have a little fun and give out the midseason awards.

MVP - Tom Brady

I really wanted to put Randy Moss here because without him, there is no way Brady is doing what he’s doing but it’s hard to not put a quarterback, who is on pace to break every significant record, as the MVP.

Offensive Player of the Year - Adrian Peterson

The rookie has run for over 1,000 yards and 8 touchdowns, and oh, he wasn’t the starter until last week.  Next closest to him yardage wise?  Willie Parker, with almost 300 less yards.

Defensive Player of the Year - Mike Vrabel

Anchoring the Patriots defense, Vrabel has been on an absolute tear this season.  He’s already accumulated 47 tackles, 8.5 sacks (.5 out of first), and 5 forced fumbles.  Every big play, Vrabel seems to be there.  As much as I hate the Patriots, there is no denying their star quality players who are playing at MVP levels.

Rookie of the Year - Adrian Peterson

See above.

FA Signing of the Year - Randy Moss

I had to give this award to Moss because there is no free agent who has made more of an impact on a team than he has.  Do you remember what the Patriots gave away to acquire Moss?  Think hard.  Give up?  A FOURTH ROUND PICK.

Coach of the Year - Rod Marinelli

The Lions have bought into his system and have won 6 of their first 8 games.  That is amazing.  No one saw that coming, except Kitna.  People are quick to say that the Lions are winning because of Martz’ offense.  That is true only to an extent.  The defense has been playing absolutely great.  They are among the top in the league when it comes to forcing turnovers.  And guess what.  They are one of only three teams to not lose a game at home.  The other two?  Pats and Steelers.  Give the Lions some respect.

Surprise Team of the Year - Cleveland Browns

As much of a surprise as the Lions have been, the Browns are 5-3?  Are you kidding me?  In that division???  Absolutely incredible.

Bust of the Year - Cincinnati Bengals

All the hype and talk about how they were going to get on the right track this year and focus.  Turns out, they’re worse than they were last year.  The San Diego Chargers and Chicago Bears should thank the Bengals for saving them from being put on this list.

Midseason Report Cards

AFC Midseason Report Card

New England Patriots – I don’t think this team could perform any better than they already have. They have dominated on offense like no one else ever has through 9 games. 16-0 is now a very serious possibility.

Grade: A+

Buffalo Bills – The Bills have brought a defense that keeps them in games to go along with a bruising rushing attack. They are not someone that you want to play. Had they not had the collapse in the final seconds against the Cowboys, they could easily be 5-3. Great signs for the future.

Grade: B-

NY Jets – They came into the season with high hopes to repeat their playoff run of last year but have fallen flat on their faces. The locker room is filled with inner turmoil and a quarterback controversy dominated the headlines for weeks. Finally, they have made the switch from Pennington to the young Kellen Clemens; however the result has been the same. There are two paths to take. Make an effort to end the season with as many wins and the most momentum as possible or just blow it off and leave it as a lost cause. We’ll find out which path they choose soon enough.

Grade: D-

Miami – The Dolphins have had so many things go wrong in the past five years that you almost feel bad for them. But this is the NFL. There is no time for excuses or feeling down. There isn’t a reason that a team doesn’t win a single game through 8 weeks, no matter how injured or beat up they are.

Grade: F

Pittsburgh Steelers – Ben Rothlisberger is back to the form that made him an instant star in the league and Willie Parker is as good as anyone when it comes to rushing the football. Mike Tomlin has made an extremely nice transition into head coach of the Steelers and if the defense continues to dominate opponents, the Steelers will present a difficult task for the Pats and Colts.

Grade: B+

Cleveland – Unbelievable turnaround from what looked like a terrible season in the making. Derek Anderson is not just some quick fix quarterback. He is playing with confidence and skill. I don’t know what the future holds now for Brady Quinn. You think he regrets holding out now? I bet he does. Anderson looks like what Romo was last year. Think about it. Young quarterback, talented, comes out of nowhere and catches fire. Maybe next November, we’ll be talking about Anderson’s 67 million contract.

Grade: B

Baltimore – Brian Billick has won a Super Bowl in Baltimore so it’s not fair or accurate to say that he wasted years of one of the best defenses of all time. However, had he been more creative on and off the field with the offense, there is no doubt in my mind that the Ravens could have been in at least another championship game. Now the defense is starting to look old and the offense is as bad as I’ve seen all year. Last year’s 13 win season is an afterthought.

Grade: C

Cincinnati – I am not going into too much detail here other than saying that Marvin Lewis has squandered his opportunity to be a premiere head football coach. He has not controlled his players and he has wasted the talent of superstars. He shouldn’t be the head coach of the Bengals come next year.

Grade: D

Indianapolis – Despite losing to the Patriots in the final 8 minutes, the Colts shouldn’t hang their heads too low. After all, they were without their top wide receiver and they led for the majority of the game. If they can get a little bit of a handle on Randy Moss, they can beat the Patriots.

Grade: A+

Tennessee – Vince Young has not play well this season. Point blank. He has not. Yet the Titans are 6-2. You have got to give Jeff Fisher his due. He is an absolutely amazing head coach and finds ways to win consistently, year after year. Think about the possibilities if Vince finds his stride. Scary.

Grade: A-

Jacksonville – Got off to a bit of a slow start and I knocked them early for having a lethargic offense. However, they’ve won 5 out of 8 games so they can’t be too bad. I still don’t see them making the playoffs though.

Grade: C+

Houston – Fast start, then they sizzled. It was exciting for a few games to think about the possibility of the Texans in the playoffs but there is no way that is happening. They still need a lot of help on the offensive line and they need a star running back desperately.

Grade: C

San Diego – They are atop the division, as expected. But did you see them doing that with a lousy 4-4 record? I know I didn’t. They have underachieved and Phillip Rivers has regressed. LT is trying hard but he doesn’t look like he has confidence in the gameplan or the direction of the team.

Grade: B-

Kansas City – Herm Edwards has to be considered for coach of the year at this point because he has made the defense better and won with no quarterback. That is a hard feat to accomplish, ESPECIALLY in the AFC. If Edwards can get himself some consistency at quarterback and another good wide receiver, the Chiefs will be a contender in 08.

Grade: C+

Denver – A favorite to contend with the elite, they have underachieved like so many others this season. Travis Henry has run well but there has been little else to be proud of. They aren’t winning games they are supposed to and could very easily be a 2-6 football team (think back to when they jipped Oakland with the field goal timeout tactic).

Grade: D+

Oakland – I really want the Raiders to get good at some point. It’s no fun having a badass team like them being a doormat for so many years. I am shocked about the whole JaMarcus Russell situation. I would have never thought he’d waste so many games of his career and so much time for development the way he has thus far. I think the Raiders will be better next year, but then again, I say that every year.

Grade: D-

NFC Midseason Report Card

Dallas Cowboys – It’s clear that the Cowboys have surpassed everyone’s expectations; even their own, despite what they say. Their only loss came to the Patriots and at this point, that is nothing to be ashamed of. Their defense needs to be addressed though as they have been gashed on numerous occasions. Defense is of utmost importance in the playoffs so if Dallas wants to make it to do the Super Bowl, they had better tighten up.

Grade: A

New York Giants – Another example of a team that has gone over and beyond in reaching midseason expectations. Don’t forget that this team was all but dead going into the second half of week 3 against Washington. The defense was a joke and the fans were growing restless. However, Eli is looking more and more like a leader and this team is moving in the right direction; fast.

Grade: A-

Washington Redskins – Jason Campbell is maturing and the defense is a good one, minus that New England trashing of course. However, the offensive line is missing three starters and that hurts a lot given that this team likes to run the ball more than anything. Their success hinges on controlling the ball and if the linemen can get some sort of consistency, the Skins should be in the thick of things come wildcard time.

Grade: B

Philadelphia Eagles – They got off to a horrific start but have won their last two games and are starting to look like they can creep back into the playoff picture. Their real test comes this week against Dallas. If they pull off the upset and get to 4-4, with 3 straight wins, everyone in the NFC needs to watch out.

Grade: C-

Green Bay Packers – I will be the first to admit that I was 100% wrong about Brett Favre. He’s like my Jeep. The monitor on the top says “2 miles until empty” but it somehow manages to get another 30. Favre is the same way. As good of a story as the Packers are however, they need to be able to run the ball if they want to win in November and December.

Grade: A

Detroit Lions – I said it in preseason and I am boasting about it now. The Lions are a good, solid football team and Mike Martz ALWAYS does very well in his second season with the team. It’s a fact. Jon Kitna was ridiculed by talk shows around the country for predicting 10 wins. A lot of people are going to have to eat their words it looks like.

Grade: B+

Chicago Bears – Well, it’s clear that Rex Grossman was just the scapegoat for an overrated team. The defense, though injured, has fallen apart. I do understand that they have some key players out but if this defense was as good as they said they were, they’d overcome the adversity. It’s not like other teams are 100% healthy either. Half of the losses on the Bears record are the defense’s fault.

Grade: D

Minnesota Vikings – This team should be able to rush for 150 yards per game because they have TWO starting running backs. I don’t care if defenses stack the line with 8 players or not. Fresh legs always come through in the end. It also should be pointed out that the Vikings have a nice defense. Brad Childress is to blame for the lack of progress.

Grade: D

Carolina Panthers – I still cannot understand how this team is 4-3. They have to be the sneakiest 4-3 team ever. Julius Peppers hasn’t stepped into the leadership role that was expected of him and there is no clear starting quarterback. It’s a battle between a first round bust and a 43 year old man. Go figure how far this team will go.

Grade: B-

Tampa Bay Bucs – Gruden will probably save his job if the Bucs win 5 of their last 8 and he will probably lose his job if they lose 5 of their last 8. It all comes on the shoulders of Jeff Garcia. If he can continue to move the ball and limit mistakes, this team should be in every game come the fourth quarter.

Grade: C+

Atlanta Falcons – The Falcons are in absolute disarray and seem to have no direction. The coach is in la-la land and the team is lost. The players don’t want to play, the fans don’t want to cheer, and this organization is in trouble.

Grade: F

Seattle Seahawks – The second easiest division in football (AFC east being the first) and the Seahawks cannot seem to separate themselves from the pack. They have looked very good and very bad, all within the same quarter of a single football game. Shaun Alexander is nothing like his old self and the offense looks anemic at times. This team is greatly underachieving, but lucky to be in a lousy division so we will see them come playoff time.

Grade: C+

Arizona Cardinals – Every year we predict the Cardinals to break out and be a contender for a playoff spot but every year something happens. Some years its injuries, others it’s bad coaching, and more often than not it is players underachieving. This year can be blamed on injuries. Maybe next year, right?

Grade: C-

San Francisco 49ers – This was the sexy pick of the offseason and everyone thought they’d be the new, young, hip 49ers. Well, injuries have decimated all hopes of success and we can only look to next year and hope for better luck for the Bay Area squad.

Grade: D

St. Louis Rams – Top 7 quarterback, top 7 wide receiver, top 5 running back. That would be a dream come true for coaches around the league. Yet somehow, some way, the Rams have managed to win zero games through half the season. I know that there have been injuries but zero wins out of eight tries is inexcusable. If the Atlanta Falcons can with a game with Joey Harrington and the Carolina Panthers can win a game with Vinny Testeverde, there is absolutely NO reason that the Rams shouldn’t be at least 1-7. They are an absolute disgrace.

Grade: F- (if that’s even possible)