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1. Relax, San Diego, your biggest problem isn't referee Ed Hochuli. No, I don't know why he blew the whistle, and, yes, I understand the call cost your team a game -- and that's bad. But this could be worse: The Bolts allowed Carolina and Denver to combine for over 600 first-half yards the past two games. If that doesn't stop it will cost them a season. C'mon, Ted Cottrell, don't wait until halftime to make adjustments.
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| Jay Cutler sure looks like the best QB selected in the 2006 NFL Draft. (US Presswire) |
3. I told you to look out for Buffalo. Not only are the Bills 2-0, but look what's ahead: Oakland next week, then at St. Louis. They'll be 4-0 when they go to Arizona Oct. 5 and no worse than 4-1 by their Oct. 12 bye.
4. Speaking of schedules, look what's next for the New York Giants: Cincinnati, Seattle, at Cleveland, San Francisco. That's the good news. The bad? That run is followed by three weeks of this: At Pittsburgh, Dallas and at Philadelphia. Yipes.
5. Don't ask me why, but the more I see of Derek Anderson the more I believe Brady Quinn finishes the season as Cleveland's quarterback.
6. Memo to Reggie Bush: Knock off the histrionics. The last time I remember Bush waving goodbye to an opponent was en route to a touchdown in the 2006 NFC championship game. It infuriated the Bears, and they won the game. Now he does it again, with predictable results. He gets penalized, the Redskins aren't happy and the Saints lose. Next time, Reggie, think before you taunt.
7. Now starring in Sleepless In Seattle, Part Deux: Mike Holmgren. I thought wide receivers were supposed to be the problem, Mike, not defense. Opponents put up 30 or more on the Seahawks twice already. A year ago they did it twice all season, with the second coming in a meaningless 16th game.
8. If I'm an aging quarterback I want to play Miami, and now. A week ago 38-year-old Brett Favre carved them up for two touchdowns and a 125.9 passer rating. On Sunday it was 37-year-old Kurt Warner putting up three TDs, 361 yards and a perfect 158.3 passer rating. Good thing Doug Flutie isn't returning to the Patriots for next weekend's game.
9. I'm sorry, but if you have Favre you do not run three times inside your opponent's 4. Nevertheless, that's exactly what the New York Jets did in the first half against New England, and shame on them. "I was a little surprised," said Patriots safety Rodney Harrison. So was everyone.
10. If I'm Brad Childress I start thinking about Plan B, and Plan B starts with Gus Frerotte at quarterback. At least he gives you the threat of the forward pass.
11. Yeah, I'd say Ted Thompson is getting the last laugh.
12. The best football team in Missouri is in Columbia, not Kansas City or St. Louis.
13. This is what happens when you can't protect the quarterback. A year ago, Jacksonville's David Garrard didn't throw an interception until his ninth start. Now he has three in two games -- or as many interceptions as all of last season.
14. I thought the slide was designed to protect the quarterback. Tell that to Carolina's Jake Delhomme. He nearly had his head taken off by Lance Briggs when Delhomme slid to the ground after a third-quarter scramble. Now the clincher: Briggs wasn't flagged. Huh?
15. Looks like Shanahan was right: Jay Cutler was the best quarterback in the 2006 draft.
Just asking but ...
• Who gets fired first: Scott Linehan or Lane Kiffin?
• When was the last time Peyton Manning was hit that hard that often?
• Think Tennessee is having buyer's remorse with Vince Young?
• Why can't Terrell Owens let the Donovan McNabb thing go?
• Did Marvin Lewis really say "We're going to beat the New York Giants in New York?" How, Marvin, how?
Five things I like
1. The Bills Backers in Albany, N.Y., who mounted a write-in campaign to get the local CBS affiliate to change the Indianapolis-Minnesota game to Buffalo-Jacksonville. They won.
2. Washington's Jim Zorn playing the fourth quarter Sunday as he did not in the season opener. Zorn promised to make changes, and he lived up to his word.
3. Tennessee's Kerry Collins making the most of his opportunity. No mistakes and a resounding win. Keep it up, Kerry, and you'll never leave the lineup.
4. Buffalo's Trent Edwards. Look at his numbers. He hit his first 10 passes and missed only five of 25 against Jacksonville ... in Jacksonville.
5. Isaac Bruce's 153 yards receiving. Wasn't he supposed to have retired when he went to San Francisco?
Five things I don't
1. Choosing between AMC's Mad Men and Sunday Night Football.
2. Instant replay not working in Denver. Someone please tell me: How is that possible?
3. Cincinnati's offense, and I use that term loosely. I think I'll add Marvin Lewis to the list of coaches who can start contacting realtors.
4. Tampa Bay's benching of Jeff Garcia. He deserves better. You think Tampa Bay would've done anything without him? Please.
5. Romeo Crennel and fourth-quarter field goals. Taking a field goal with three-and-a-half minutes left Sunday night made no sense. He still needed a touchdown to win.
| Week 2: Keeping up with Brett, Chad and Aaron | ||||||
| Player | COMP | ATT | YDS | TD | INT | W/L |
| Brett Favre | 18 | 26 | 181 | 1 | 1 | L |
| Season stats: | 33 | 48 | 375 | 3 | 1 | 1-1 |
| Chad Pennington | 10 | 20 | 112 | 0 | 0 | L |
| Season stats: | 36 | 63 | 363 | 2 | 1 | 0-2 |
| Aaron Rodgers | 24 | 38 | 328 | 3 | 0 | W |
| Season stats: | 42 | 60 | 506 | 4 | 0 | 2-0 |
Numbers, numbers, numbers
0-8 -- Ohio and Missouri in the NFL
3 -- Points that cost San Diego two losses
10 -- Brandon Marshall catches ... in the first half
11 -- Straight Giants wins on the road
50 -- Green Bay wins in road openers
317 -- All-purpose yards for San Diego's Darren Sproles
3:10 -- Time it took for Green Bay to score 24 fourth-quarter points
Rookie watch
There was no one faster at this year's NFL scouting combine than Chris Johnson, but scouts questioned whether he could make it at the next level. I think we have our answer. He shredded Jacksonville for 93 yards a week ago and Cincinnati for 109 on Sunday, and he averages 5.6 yards a carry. Say what you want about Vince Young and/or Kerry Collins, but when you put up 157 yards rushing per game I'm not sure how much you really need from your quarterback.
Next week's three best games
Carolina at Minnesota ... Not too soon to call it a must win for Vikes.
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia ... And the winner is -- Ed Rendell.
Dallas at Green Bay ... Payback time for Aaron Rodgers and the Pack.
My top five
1. Dallas 2. Pittsburgh 3. N.Y. Giants 4. Philadelphia 5. Green Bay
