3afan
10-03-2007, 12:24 PM
from ESPN:
1 (1) Patriots
4-0-0 How consistent has the Patriots' offense been this season? They've scored in every one of their 16 quarters. In fact, the Pats have put up points in their last 36 quarters dating back to last season.
2 (2) Colts
4-0-0 The Colts could be facing some severe injury problems Sunday against Tampa Bay. WR Marvin Harrison, RB Joseph Addai, S Bob Sanders, TE Ben Utecht and LB Rob Morris are all banged up. Fortunately for Indy, the Bucs have injury problems of their own.
3 (3) Cowboys
4-0-0 We're not looking to rain on the Cowboys' 4-0 parade, but their four opponents have combined for three wins this season, and another lowly team awaits them Monday night in 1-3 Buffalo. We'll know how seriously to take this team on Oct. 14 vs. New England.
4 (6) Packers
4-0-0 Expect Brett Favre to slow down this month. Of his record 422 TDs, 87 have come in October -- the lowest total of any of the four primary regular-season months. How do the other months stack up? 1. September (117), 2. November (108) and 3. December (102).
5 (7) Seahawks
3-1-0 The Seahawks need to get more out of RB Shaun Alexander in the first half. Of Alexander's 353 rushing yards this season, just 94 have come in the first half. Mike Holmgren blames assignment errors for most of the problems.
6 (4) Steelers
3-1-0 RB Willie Parker may be one of the NFL's top backs, but he has a tendency to disappear at times. In his 35 starts for the Steelers, he has been held under 40 yards on six occasions -- including the 37-yard performance in the loss at Arizona.
7 (11) Titans
2-1-0 Vince Young is STILL upset about losing the Heisman Trophy to Reggie Bush. But maybe that's the best thing ever to happen to the Titans' QB, since it gives him plenty of competitive fuel. Unfortunately for Young, he can't play the Saints every week.
8 (10) Jaguars
2-1-0 The Jags are 1-3 following bye weeks since Jack Del Rio became the head coach. That doesn't bode well for this week's game at Kansas City ... other than the fact that it's against a team that has scored just 56 points in four games.
9 (19) Buccaneers
3-1-0 The Bucs are 3-1, but can they overcome the season-ending injuries to RB Cadillac Williams and OT Luke Petitgout? Losing the veteran Petitgout might be the more damaging blow. Second-year pro Donald Penn takes over the LT role.
10 (8) Broncos
2-2-0 The Broncos' 2-2 start is their worst (through four games) in seven seasons. In allowing 181.0 rushing yards per game, the Broncos rank next to last in run defense. The new defensive scheme evidently still has some kinks to iron out.
11 (5) Ravens
2-2-0 The Ravens aren't looking like one of those potentially elite teams many experts expected them to be. Sunday's loss to Cleveland can best be described as humbling. "This is a pretty low point for us," TE Todd Heap told the Baltimore Sun.
12 (20) Lions
3-1-0 Is head coach Rod Marinelli letting the 3-1 start get to his head? He told the Detroit Free Press that his Lions are on their way to being "an elite team." Might want to play another elite team first -- the Lions' first four opponents are a combined 5-11.
13 (14) Redskins
2-1-0 Veteran WR Keenan McCardell, who just signed, should be able to offer help quickly. He knows Joe Gibbs' system, having been drafted by the Redskins in 1991. The Redskins might need him this week depending on the injury to Santana Moss.
14 (12) Panthers
2-2-0 Head coach John Fox has his work cut out for him. DT Kris Jenkins says his team has "no heart." The QB situation remains unstable. WR Steve Smith is upset with the offensive coaches. DE Julius Peppers is unproductive. Other than that, everything's fine.
15 (22) Cardinals
2-2-0 Should've seen the upset of the Steelers coming. After all, Ken Whisenhunt and his staff probably know the Pittsburgh playbook almost as well as the Steelers do. It certainly seemed that way on defense, as the Cards shut down Pittsburgh's ground game.
16 (9) Chargers
1-3-0 The Chargers led the Chiefs by 10 points going into the second half. That'd be a good time to rely on LaDainian Tomlinson, right? Well, LT had just six carries after halftime as the Chargers lost their third straight. Will Norv Turner make it to December?
17 (17) Texans
2-2-0 There were so many players accepting blame for the Texans' surprising loss to Atlanta that an apology intervention was needed in the locker room. Don't these guys know it's a lot more fun for us when they point fingers and blame others when things go bad?
18 (23) Giants
2-2-0 One of the quirky things about the Giants' 12 sacks against the Eagles is that Michael Strahan had only one. But that one allowed him to surpass Lawrence Taylor as the team's career sack king.
19 (15) 49ers
2-2-0 With QB Alex Smith sidelined with a shoulder injury, veteran Trent Dilfer moves into the starting role. He'll be taking over an offense that ranks last in the NFL in total yards and passing yards. Coordinator Jim Hostler is feeling the heat.
20 (13) Bears
1-3-0 Perhaps the most stunning development Sunday was the NFL-record 34 points the Bears allowed the Lions in the fourth quarter. We were gonna ask Mike Ditka about it when we saw him in the ESPN parking lot Monday, but he was already in his Ditka-sized SUV.
21 (28) Chiefs
2-2-0 RB Larry Johnson finally busted out for his first 100-yard game of the season in the win at San Diego. But he has yet to reach the end zone this season after scoring 40 TDs the previous two years.
22 (16) Eagles
1-3-0 Think Donovan McNabb was feeling a little battered the day after suffering 12 sacks in the loss to the Giants? Yet, probably no one in Philly felt worse than LT Winston Justice, who was used as a revolving door for six sacks by Osi Umenyiora.
23 (18) Bengals
1-3-0 Marvin Lewis is mad ... screaming mad. His tirade -- "If you don't want to be on this team, please don't show up" -- in the locker room following Monday's loss was loud enough for reporters waiting outside to hear. Not that anybody was eavesdropping.
24 (24) Raiders
2-2-0 Perhaps lost amid the five-TD frenzy (three run, two pass) produced by Daunte Culpepper in the win over Miami was the fact that Culpepper completed just five passes. Of course, when the running game is going so well, who needs to actually throw the ball?
25 (27) Browns
2-2-0 Last season, the Browns scored 24 or more points just three times. This season, they've already matched that total in the first month. Derek Anderson's QB rating (88.4) is better than those of Vince Young, Jay Cutler, Eli Manning and Philip Rivers.
26 (21) Jets
1-3-0 The Jets have to figure out a way to put more pressure on the quarterback. New York has only three sacks this season, lowest total in the AFC. Only Carolina (2) and New Orleans (0) have fewer sacks in the league.
27 (25) Vikings
1-3-0 A little bit of Adrian Peterson goes a long way. He produced 112 yards on 12 carries, including a 55-yard run, in the loss to the Packers. Would a heavier dose of the rookie improve the Vikings' chances of winning? Well, it might not hurt.
28 (32) Falcons
1-3-0 Safe to say that after leading the NFL in rushing yards the past three years, the Falcons will not extend that streak to a fourth year. Without Michael Vick, they've yet to break the 100-yard mark this season.
29 (26) Saints
0-3-0 Now that Deuce McAllister is out for the season with a torn left ACL, the question in the Big Easy is whether Reggie Bush can be an every-down back. If he isn't ... well, ex-Saint Ricky Williams just applied for reinstatement. Hey, we're just saying.
30 (29) Bills
1-3-0 Is there a QB controversy in Buffalo? Trent Edwards, filling in for the injured J.P. Losman, led the Bills to their first win, albeit against a Jets defense ranked 28th in the league. Edwards gets a tougher test Monday night against Dallas.
31 (31) Dolphins
0-4-0 We love it when players weave in the lexicon of the Internet when discussing their teams. Following the loss to Oakland, Jason Taylor told the Miami Herald: "You can Google all the negative emotions and they're all there for me."
32 (30) Rams
0-4-0 It's almost inconceivable to think the Rams' offense has gone 31 possessions without scoring a TD. Marc Bulger was pulled in favor of Gus Frerotte in the loss to Dallas, but the troubles go beyond the QB position -- like injuries to the O-line.
1 (1) Patriots
4-0-0 How consistent has the Patriots' offense been this season? They've scored in every one of their 16 quarters. In fact, the Pats have put up points in their last 36 quarters dating back to last season.
2 (2) Colts
4-0-0 The Colts could be facing some severe injury problems Sunday against Tampa Bay. WR Marvin Harrison, RB Joseph Addai, S Bob Sanders, TE Ben Utecht and LB Rob Morris are all banged up. Fortunately for Indy, the Bucs have injury problems of their own.
3 (3) Cowboys
4-0-0 We're not looking to rain on the Cowboys' 4-0 parade, but their four opponents have combined for three wins this season, and another lowly team awaits them Monday night in 1-3 Buffalo. We'll know how seriously to take this team on Oct. 14 vs. New England.
4 (6) Packers
4-0-0 Expect Brett Favre to slow down this month. Of his record 422 TDs, 87 have come in October -- the lowest total of any of the four primary regular-season months. How do the other months stack up? 1. September (117), 2. November (108) and 3. December (102).
5 (7) Seahawks
3-1-0 The Seahawks need to get more out of RB Shaun Alexander in the first half. Of Alexander's 353 rushing yards this season, just 94 have come in the first half. Mike Holmgren blames assignment errors for most of the problems.
6 (4) Steelers
3-1-0 RB Willie Parker may be one of the NFL's top backs, but he has a tendency to disappear at times. In his 35 starts for the Steelers, he has been held under 40 yards on six occasions -- including the 37-yard performance in the loss at Arizona.
7 (11) Titans
2-1-0 Vince Young is STILL upset about losing the Heisman Trophy to Reggie Bush. But maybe that's the best thing ever to happen to the Titans' QB, since it gives him plenty of competitive fuel. Unfortunately for Young, he can't play the Saints every week.
8 (10) Jaguars
2-1-0 The Jags are 1-3 following bye weeks since Jack Del Rio became the head coach. That doesn't bode well for this week's game at Kansas City ... other than the fact that it's against a team that has scored just 56 points in four games.
9 (19) Buccaneers
3-1-0 The Bucs are 3-1, but can they overcome the season-ending injuries to RB Cadillac Williams and OT Luke Petitgout? Losing the veteran Petitgout might be the more damaging blow. Second-year pro Donald Penn takes over the LT role.
10 (8) Broncos
2-2-0 The Broncos' 2-2 start is their worst (through four games) in seven seasons. In allowing 181.0 rushing yards per game, the Broncos rank next to last in run defense. The new defensive scheme evidently still has some kinks to iron out.
11 (5) Ravens
2-2-0 The Ravens aren't looking like one of those potentially elite teams many experts expected them to be. Sunday's loss to Cleveland can best be described as humbling. "This is a pretty low point for us," TE Todd Heap told the Baltimore Sun.
12 (20) Lions
3-1-0 Is head coach Rod Marinelli letting the 3-1 start get to his head? He told the Detroit Free Press that his Lions are on their way to being "an elite team." Might want to play another elite team first -- the Lions' first four opponents are a combined 5-11.
13 (14) Redskins
2-1-0 Veteran WR Keenan McCardell, who just signed, should be able to offer help quickly. He knows Joe Gibbs' system, having been drafted by the Redskins in 1991. The Redskins might need him this week depending on the injury to Santana Moss.
14 (12) Panthers
2-2-0 Head coach John Fox has his work cut out for him. DT Kris Jenkins says his team has "no heart." The QB situation remains unstable. WR Steve Smith is upset with the offensive coaches. DE Julius Peppers is unproductive. Other than that, everything's fine.
15 (22) Cardinals
2-2-0 Should've seen the upset of the Steelers coming. After all, Ken Whisenhunt and his staff probably know the Pittsburgh playbook almost as well as the Steelers do. It certainly seemed that way on defense, as the Cards shut down Pittsburgh's ground game.
16 (9) Chargers
1-3-0 The Chargers led the Chiefs by 10 points going into the second half. That'd be a good time to rely on LaDainian Tomlinson, right? Well, LT had just six carries after halftime as the Chargers lost their third straight. Will Norv Turner make it to December?
17 (17) Texans
2-2-0 There were so many players accepting blame for the Texans' surprising loss to Atlanta that an apology intervention was needed in the locker room. Don't these guys know it's a lot more fun for us when they point fingers and blame others when things go bad?
18 (23) Giants
2-2-0 One of the quirky things about the Giants' 12 sacks against the Eagles is that Michael Strahan had only one. But that one allowed him to surpass Lawrence Taylor as the team's career sack king.
19 (15) 49ers
2-2-0 With QB Alex Smith sidelined with a shoulder injury, veteran Trent Dilfer moves into the starting role. He'll be taking over an offense that ranks last in the NFL in total yards and passing yards. Coordinator Jim Hostler is feeling the heat.
20 (13) Bears
1-3-0 Perhaps the most stunning development Sunday was the NFL-record 34 points the Bears allowed the Lions in the fourth quarter. We were gonna ask Mike Ditka about it when we saw him in the ESPN parking lot Monday, but he was already in his Ditka-sized SUV.
21 (28) Chiefs
2-2-0 RB Larry Johnson finally busted out for his first 100-yard game of the season in the win at San Diego. But he has yet to reach the end zone this season after scoring 40 TDs the previous two years.
22 (16) Eagles
1-3-0 Think Donovan McNabb was feeling a little battered the day after suffering 12 sacks in the loss to the Giants? Yet, probably no one in Philly felt worse than LT Winston Justice, who was used as a revolving door for six sacks by Osi Umenyiora.
23 (18) Bengals
1-3-0 Marvin Lewis is mad ... screaming mad. His tirade -- "If you don't want to be on this team, please don't show up" -- in the locker room following Monday's loss was loud enough for reporters waiting outside to hear. Not that anybody was eavesdropping.
24 (24) Raiders
2-2-0 Perhaps lost amid the five-TD frenzy (three run, two pass) produced by Daunte Culpepper in the win over Miami was the fact that Culpepper completed just five passes. Of course, when the running game is going so well, who needs to actually throw the ball?
25 (27) Browns
2-2-0 Last season, the Browns scored 24 or more points just three times. This season, they've already matched that total in the first month. Derek Anderson's QB rating (88.4) is better than those of Vince Young, Jay Cutler, Eli Manning and Philip Rivers.
26 (21) Jets
1-3-0 The Jets have to figure out a way to put more pressure on the quarterback. New York has only three sacks this season, lowest total in the AFC. Only Carolina (2) and New Orleans (0) have fewer sacks in the league.
27 (25) Vikings
1-3-0 A little bit of Adrian Peterson goes a long way. He produced 112 yards on 12 carries, including a 55-yard run, in the loss to the Packers. Would a heavier dose of the rookie improve the Vikings' chances of winning? Well, it might not hurt.
28 (32) Falcons
1-3-0 Safe to say that after leading the NFL in rushing yards the past three years, the Falcons will not extend that streak to a fourth year. Without Michael Vick, they've yet to break the 100-yard mark this season.
29 (26) Saints
0-3-0 Now that Deuce McAllister is out for the season with a torn left ACL, the question in the Big Easy is whether Reggie Bush can be an every-down back. If he isn't ... well, ex-Saint Ricky Williams just applied for reinstatement. Hey, we're just saying.
30 (29) Bills
1-3-0 Is there a QB controversy in Buffalo? Trent Edwards, filling in for the injured J.P. Losman, led the Bills to their first win, albeit against a Jets defense ranked 28th in the league. Edwards gets a tougher test Monday night against Dallas.
31 (31) Dolphins
0-4-0 We love it when players weave in the lexicon of the Internet when discussing their teams. Following the loss to Oakland, Jason Taylor told the Miami Herald: "You can Google all the negative emotions and they're all there for me."
32 (30) Rams
0-4-0 It's almost inconceivable to think the Rams' offense has gone 31 possessions without scoring a TD. Marc Bulger was pulled in favor of Gus Frerotte in the loss to Dallas, but the troubles go beyond the QB position -- like injuries to the O-line.