Thoughts on NFL Week 5 (2011 Edition)

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Thoughts on NFL Week 5

- A moment of silence for the passing of Al Davis.
- quiet
- quiet
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- With “Just Win, Baby” ringing in their ears, the Oakland Raiders did just that for their deceased owner.
- Love him or hate him, you knew him.
- Most recognizable owner this side of George Steinbrenner.
- How fitting that the guys whom Al Davis personally had a hand in drafting came up big for him in Houston, particularly Sebastian Janikowski and Darrius Heyward-Bay.
- Texan cornerback Jason Allen with an up close and personal view of Bay Watch.
- Janikowski (three 50 yard-plus field goals) will be a huge weapon down the stretch and in the playoffs, if the Raiders make it.
- No one will mistake Matt Schaub as Joe Montana on the run.
- A little air under the pass and the Texans have a last-minute win.
- Arian Foster’s back, but the Texans need someone more important than even Foster.
- Get well soon cards have been express mailed to Andre Johnson.
- The Texans aren’t the same without him.
- Beautiful diving catch by Kevin Walters.
- Losing Mario Edwards could be a big blow to Wade Phillips’ defense.
- As bad as the Colts and Jaguars are looking, Houston could still win this division.
- The Titans’ crushing defeat by the Steelers: an aberration or signs of things to come?
- Those shoveling dirt on the Steelers last week, I think I see an arm and leg poking out of the grave and they belong to Ben Roethlisberger.
- With a banged up defense and offensive line, Pittsburgh will go as far as Big Ben takes them.
- Someone might want to remind him to study Dan Marino on those fake spikes.
- Hines Ward still has a bounce in his step, as Titans DB Michael Griffin can attest.
- Pittsburgh may have found itself a backup running back in Jonathan Dwyer.
- Steeler DE Brett Keisell plays volleyball with Lamar Woodley.
- Chris Johnson gets reacquainted with the end zone, just not enough.
- Tennessee may not have enough weapons to take the division.
- Jim Harbaugh has entered the Coach of the Year contest along with Chan Gailey.
- Alex Smith played like a No. 1 overall draft pick.
- He was played pitch and catch with his receivers all game long.
- When as the last time you saw the Niners so comfortable with a lead they had time to give their rookie backup some reps?
- I haven’t seen this much GORE of a hapless victim since a slasher film.
- Tampa just didn’t come to play.
- Carlos Rogers has some nifty moves in the open field, and on the dance floor.
- Get well, Josh Morgan.
- Vernon Davis decides to pay a visit to the 49ers offense and the end zone.
- The 49ers should run away with the NFC West.
- The Cardinals are too inconsistent, as is their quarterback. The Rams are looking at a top 3 pick and the Seahawks have to decide on a quarterback.
- Finally, a lead Minnesota couldn’t squander.
- Patrick Peterson simply got abused by the runner with his same last name.
- See Minnesota. Good things happen when Adrian Peterson gets the ball, and often.
- The Vikings have dug themselves too big a whole, though.
- I like the double reverse by the Vikings. Executed nicely.
- If they had a stat for passes bouncing off the turf, I’d better Donovan McNabb would be leading.
- Early Christmas gift suggestions for Kevin Kolb: Pocket presence.
- Larry Fitzpatrick is just a joy to watch catching the ball.
- Bennie Wells in decapitation mode, good thing Cedric Griffin’s head wasn’t in his helmet.
- The Eagles have officially given up on the season.
- Turn off the stove and stick a fork in them.
- This team doesn’t block or tackle very well.
- Think Vince Young wants a do-over with the whole “Dream Team” comment?
- Barring a miraculous turnaround, I think this may be Andy Reid’s last year in Philly.
- The Bills’ George Wilson again articulated the blueprint to stop Michael Vick: Hands up when he passes, hem him in the pocket and hit him often.
- Vick did take some shots that should have been penalties, though.
- Under Siege II, starring Steven Segal and Vick.
- Bills showed perfect balance on offense: 28 rushing attempts, 27 passing attempts.
- Freddie Jackson’s play is keeping a first round pick on the bench.
- Dolt of the Week: Eagles DE Juqua Parker.
- You never, ever, ever jump off sides on 4th and 1, especially late in the game when you know the team isn’t going for the first down.
- The Bills know how to take interceptions to the end zone.
- Jason Avante, serving up balls like ice cream scoops.
- Just when you thought the Giants were ready to take control of the NFC East.
- Did they think they had a bye along with the Commanders and Cowboys?
- Survivor contest participate nationwide curse themselves for picking New York.
- Victor Cruz got his hands on 6 balls for 143 yards and 1 TD. But it’s that last catch that was really the difference maker.
- Psst: Longer spikes.
- What he doesn’t catch, Brandon Browner does and seals the deal for the Seahawks.
- And just like that, Seattle is almost back to respectability.
- It should have been a blowout. The Seahawks squandered at least two scores to put the game out of reach early.
- Kenny Phillips can expect a fine for the helmet-to-helmet hit.
- I think they had to scrape D.J. Ward off Anthony Hargrove’s jersey.
- The Giants were ineffective in the running game, but that had as much to do with the Seahawks as it did New York not committing to the run.
- Does Tavaris Jackson get his job back or is it the Charlie Whitehurst era in Seattle?
- Jackson was doing pretty good until he got knocked out of the game.
- Seahawks WR Doug Baldwin simply ballin.
- The Pats not only don’t take the Antonio Cromartie bait, they ignore their tendency to pass and ram it right down the Jets’ throats.
- You’ve been served, Jets, by the law firm of Ben Jarvis Green Ellis.
- Is there a better QB-WR connection than Brady and Wes Welker?
- Deep threat, slant, cross the middle, you name it, Wes runs it.
- Jets have found themselves a return man in Joe McKnight.
- Too bad he isn’t a running back as a consistent ground attack will keep the Jets out of the playoffs.
- Bowe knows juggling touchdown catches.
- Run the video tape backwards, I think you’ll hear Jim Irsay say “Tank the game, guys.”
- Back to back franchise quarterbacks, here Indy comes.
- Painter lucked onto his favorite target Pierre Garcon a few times.
- The Colts were caught unprepared for life without Peyton.
- The Chiefs large offensive wore down the Colts undersized defensive line.
- Maurice Jones Drew, the only thing exciting about Jacksonville.
- At least Blaine Gabbert can elude the rush, which he has had to do quite often.
- Leon Hall must have been muttering, “Uh, safety help? Please” as Jason Hill just strolls into the end zone on a deep pass.
- At least the Cowboys center isn’t the only one snapping balls when the quarterback isn’t ready.
- Get used to hearing Andy Dalton to A.J. Green, TOUCHDOWN?
- It helps to have long limbed receivers like Green and Gresham.
- Carson who?
- Cincinnati will pedal Palmer for a second round pick next year and continue rebuilding their young and promising squad.
- You gotta try it but those last play laterals hardly ever work.
- Good for a cheap Bengals touchdown at the end, though.
- The Tebow era begins – AGAIN.
- I’m a Tebow fan, but the love Tebow got from a stadium chanting his name is unreal.
- He can’t possibly live up to the expectations, can he?
- I kind of feel sorry for John Fox and the dilemma he has before him.
- Poor Kyle Orton. Poor Brady Quinn.
- Quinn must be saying, “But … but … I played under the shadow of Touchdown *****.”
- Forget all the tangibles, the Broncos played better when Tebow got in the game.
- Brandon Lloyd with the sick one-handed catch.
- He needed to catch that two-point conversion, but that was good coverage by Antoine Cason.
- Phillip Rivers throws a beautiful deep ball that seems to float right into the hands of his receivers.
- Is there a reason the Falcons stopped running Michael Turner?
- A back with thighs as big as Earl Campbell’s should never be a decoy in the second half.
- I think Mike Smith might be too enamored with his receiving toys, especially his newest one, Julio Jones.
- Jones is a beast in the making.
- No deficit is big enough with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback.
- He’s going to win league MVP. Book it.
- Rodgers makes sure everyone gets in on the action, twelve receivers in fact.
- And the Oscar goes to Falcons center Joe Hawley, drawing personal foul with his dramatic fall after a push from A.J. Hawk.
- Runner up, Kyle Orton applauding touchdown by Tebow.
- Packers defensive back Charlie Peprah’s bat the ball and catch is about as acrobatic an interception you’re going to see by a corner.
- Jimmy Graham, another in the long list of pro-worthy Miami Hurricane tight ends.
- Steve Smith is one small man you don’t want to mess with, as Malcolm Jenkins discovered.
- He just rag-dolled the bigger Jenkins. And the refs let him.
- Darren Sproles was a good pick up by Saints.
- Cam didn’t start the game well with an interception, and that may have set the tone for the Panthers’ defeat.
- Still the Rookie of the Year award is his to lose.
- Ron Rivera probably wants that timeout back.
- Does ESPN First Take have any other topics they can discuss other than Romo, Tebow and Vick?
- Corners are getting a raw deal with these loosely interpreted pass interference calls.

Top 5

1. Green Bay Packers – They look unbeatable.
2. New Orleans Saints – Again, their only loss is to the unbeaten Packers.
3. Detroit Lions – This could change based on tonight’s contest.
4. Buffalo Bills – By virtue of their defeat of the Patriots.
5. a.) New England – I still wonder when their defense will be their undoing.
b.) San Francisco – Have given up the fewest points of teams having played five games and a late quarter collapse of being undefeated. That’s impressive.

Bottom 5

28. Jacksonville Jaguars – Go west young men.
29. Philadelphia Eagles – This is based on expectations.
30. St. Louis Rams – The bye week didn’t help them.
31. Miami Dolphins – Ditto.
32. Indianapolis Colts – You know you suck when your fans want the franchise quarterback to sit the season.

All comments, criticisms, corrections, clarifications and additions are welcomed.