Newz Forum: OTHER: Dean's List: Amusing Musings for October 1, 2004

As New England travels to Buffalo in search of an NFL record-tying eighteenth straight victory, it bears revisiting a subtle miracle of words performed by Bill Belichick at the beginning of the end of the 2003 season. You may recall how the Bills unceremoniously blanked the Pariots in the season opener, 31-0. But New England persevered, and sixteen weeks later they hosted Buffalo with a 13-2 record and an eleven-game winning streak at stake. Moments before kick-of, coach Belichick spoke candidly to his team about the significance of their season finale. "[We] need a big push this week. These guys got us pretty good. Okay?" Belichick urged. "You don't always get a chance to settle the score here in the season, but we got this one. We need to take advantage of it this week." As the story goes, Bill's Pats did exactly that, returning the favor point-for-point and "settling the score" with a 31-0 trouncing of their division rival. So remember: Bill Belichick is more than just the best coach in the NFL. By God, he's a prophet...

Three weeks into the NFL season, the Patriots, Jets, Jaguars, Eagles, Falcons and Seahawks have yet to lose a game. Quite obviously, they are all unbeaten. But to me, none of these teams is undefeated. Not yet at least. It's too early to start projecting stats, so you better believe it's too early to be talking about the '04 Jaguars in the same breath as the '72 Dolphins. Not now. Not after three measly weeks. Two and three-game winning streaks are commonplace in an NFL season, even among the mediocre, and even in these days of Parity. 5-0, now that's undefeated. Because a five-game winning streak is impressive at any stage of the year. So wait a few weeks. Actually, wait a whole season. Because the road to the playoffs - never mind the hallowed grounds of the undefeated - is a heck of a lot longer than a three-game winning streak...

During this past Monday's evening edition of "SportsCenter," ABC/ESPN analyst John Madden systematically broke down Tampa Bay's abysmal 0-3 start to the NFL season. "When you're a great team and you have great players, and you lose great players and you get average players," Madden raved. "And you're not able to play good defense anymore, and you're offense isn't able to do great things any more, then you're not going to be a great team anymore." You got that?

Later that night during the Monday Night Football telecast, Madden had a rare moment of clarity. "Cowboys fullback Richie Anderson is an everyman running back," Madden observed. "Because you want him everywhere you go." As insight became foresight, Anderson rushed four times for twenty yards, caught two passes for forty-one yards, threw a 26-yard game-winning touchdown pass, and - on top of all that - blocked like the champ he is...

By George, Cowboy Eddie is averaging only 2.9 yards per carry thus far in 2004. But it's not like Eddie just fell off the map - he was never really on it. This alleged "superstar" has averaged less than 4.0 yards per carry in five out of his seven 1,000-yard seasons and in six out of eight overall...

Which makes me wonder if Bo knows that he was twice the running back George is - literally. Over his brilliant four-year career, Vincent Edward Jackson averaged 5.4 yards per carry, or nearly twice George's 2004 average. And in his rookie year in 1987, the Raider great gained a staggering 6.8 YPC, or almost two times George's career average of 3.7...

After his record streak of 274 straight games with a reception was snapped in Week 2, legendary pass catcher Jerry Rice vowed to start a new one. True to his word, the Raider bounced back with a vengeance, steaming the Bucs with two catches for twenty-seven yards in Week 3. For the record, the soon-to-be 42-year-old's new streak currently stands at a whopping one consecutive game...

Every week it seems Titans quarterback Steve McNair has a new injury. And quite frankly, I'm tired of hearing about it. Because the guy always plays! Don't get me wrong - I respect the reigning co-MVP as much as the next guy. His toughness is his legacy, and I certainly wouldn't question that. But I do question this whole business of listing McNair as "questionable" even though there's never any doubt that he'll actually play. It's starting to sound all too much like "The Boy Who Cried Wolf," and I'm just not much into fables these days...

[Edited on 10/8/04 by deanchristopher]

One thing i would definatly agree on is Eddie George, watching him play is so boring it's like watching paint dry. Not only did he fumble alot early on in his carrer, he is well overrated. I wouldn't call him a great back, maybe a workhorse thats about it. Anyone saying but he has over 10,000 yrds that is laughable as anyone would reach that mark if they was handed the ball over 300 times a season for over 10 years.

Originally posted by deanchristopher
"When you're a great team and you have great players, and you lose great players and you get average players," Madden raved. "And you're not able to play good defense anymore, and you're offense isn't able to do great things any more, then you're not going to be a great team anymore." You got that?

Another fine example of the clarity of John Madden...

Its not that its too early to start projecting things, its never to early. Look at the BCS it starts projecting teams before the season even begins. Explain that one?

Jets are a quality team this season, and it comes back to the point that it is all about the qb and how the qb can lead the team, look at last season the jets were horrible with chad and now they have risen from the ashes.

Eagles are getting this far becaue McNabb now has a quality target, but i stil think they have to be tested on that rushing front.

Even with the falcons it is all about the QB last season without vick they where non existing

Originally posted by deanchristopher

Every week it seems Titans quarterback Steve McNair has a new injury. And quite frankly, I'm tired of hearing about it. Because the guy always plays! Don't get me wrong - I respect the reigning co-MVP as much as the next guy. His toughness is his legacy, and I certainly wouldn't question that. But I do question this whole business of listing McNair as "questionable" even though there's never any doubt that he'll actually play. It's starting to sound all too much like "The Boy Who Cried Wolf," and I'm just not much into fables these days...

[Edited on 10/1/04 by deanchristopher]

i dont get why he gets so many injuried he looks like he is in great shape, the thing that i dont get the most is that why he continues to play ont hese injuries, sure we all know that he is a tough guy and everything, but sometimes during the regular season you have to sit a couple of games out to rest yourself with these injuries, it finally caught up to him this past weekend when eh wasnt even able to start the game. and look at how his titans lost the game to the chargers who are coming alive, with brees and ld.

Well New England kept it going with a 31-17 beating of the Bills. Brady was just 2yrds short of 300, is anyone going to stop them?

i dunno if new england can be beat right now. I think two teams have the best shot the colts, and the ravens. i like the ravens because of their defense and commitment to the run, and the colts with their high powered offense.

Even though the colts lost to the pats in week 1, the last 3 meetings have been very close and could go either way, and the colts are a much stronger team now since week 1.

Ben with the Ravens getting beat last night, do you still like the look of the Ravens?

even though the ravens did lose, they played against a very determined cheifs squad, it was a much win for the cheifs and that is what they did, what hurt the ravens was the ocnstant double teams on ray lewis and how ray over ran a lot of the plays, but not one man can save the show, the cheifs were determined and it showed, with homles rushing this ball, i wouldnt count on every team having this kindof sucess on the ravens.

the ravens looked very ordinary last night losing to a winless team, unless they can stop the run i don't see them going very far, they made the chiefs look like a better team than they are, their defense wore down as the game went on, the offense needs to get it done and give them some rest

[Edited on 10/5/2004 by toejam]

the ranves are usually one of hte best teams defensivly

i was surprised with how well the cheifs played agaisnt the ravens defense, it was a bit shocking. But i guess when you are as determined as the cheifs are you are willing to do just about anything to win.

Is eddies time over, sure he is averaging less carries and less yards per carry but is his presence on the felid that thing that matters the most?

how far can jerry rices new streak go?

he is kindof old unless he is thinking about staying another 20 years playing, i dont see any other way of making a new streak.

Originally posted by Ben
the ranves are usually one of hte best teams defensivly

Yes but that doesn't win the Superbowl. They need a few decent WR's to start off with...

what you mean it doesnt win superbowls? the ravens won with defense and the skills at the RB position.

I didn't say win Superbowls, i said Superbowl - meaning this year...

Thats in the past, i'm talking about right now. They could lose Jamal sometime this season and then they will struggle a bit to get the Touchdowns.

Boller is looking promising he made some on target passes but his wr's didnt snag them, im sure his wr's will gain confidence, and this defense can take them to the superbowl its going to be a close on this season.

Originally posted by Ben
Boller is looking promising he made some on target passes but his wr's didnt snag them.

Wr's eh? Isn't that what i said in the first place? They may not have confidence and may gain some but the have no real stars at WR.

Originally posted by hawkeye8424
how far can jerry rices new streak go?

Let's see, about 13 more weeks? No, wait, the Raiders have a bye yet...