Battle of the Bullies

What happens when two of the baddest bullies in the neighborhood square off in a fist fight? We'll find out Sunday when the 4-0 Tennessee Titans renew their bitter rivalry with the 2-1 Baltimore Ravens. Over the past 8 years, this match up has made warriors out of men and champions out of warriors. Sprinkle in the fact that these two teams really don't like each other, and you have the potential for an explosive showdown at M&T Bank Stadium. There is plenty of reason for dislike on both sides. In their short time as new franchises, these games have produced some memorable finishes.

The feud started in 2000, when the Baltimore Ravens handed the Titans their first home loss at then Adelphia Coliseum. A 13 home game winning streak snapped by a Trent Dilfer touchdown pass late in the game. For an encore, the Ravens returned to Nashville and knocked off the number one seed Titans on their way to a super bowl victory. The following year on Monday Night Football, the Raves once again snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a goal line stand as time expired. Throwing salt on the wound, the Ravens acquired several key Titans during Tennessee's salary cap purge. In the 2003 playoffs, the Titans returned the favor behind a gritty performance from an injured Eddie George. His bulldozing of the invincible Ray Lewis sparked his team and made him a folk hero in the Music City.

Some names have changed but the style of play remains the same. Both teams look to dominate in the trenches, run the ball, and stop the run. You won't see anyone stepping out of bounds to avoid a hit, and you won't see defensive players helping up a flattened quarterback. This is a throwback game in it's purest form. And oh yeah, both teams are looking to stay atop their division.

Rodriguez era officially begins.....

The University of Michigan Athletic Department gave West Virginia2.5 million dollars to leave Rich Rodriguez alone. Coach Rodriguez gave Michigan a return on their investment by knocking off 9th ranked Wisconsin, and engineering the greatest comeback in the history of the Big House. 109,000 fans watched their beloved Wolverines blossom right before their very eyes, ripping off 27 unanswered points in their Big Ten opener.

The way in which the Wolverines won was more impressive than the victory itself. Any one watching the first half would have sworn they were still in rainy South Bend, as Michigan committed five more turnovers and totaled 21 measly yards of offense. Trailing 19-0, the Wolverines headed to the locker room amid a chorus of boos reserved for the visiting Buckeyes.

Credit Rich Rodriguez for staying the course. He showed confidence in his struggling quarterback, and showed confidence in his spread offense. His team responded by racking up 244 second half yards and three offensive touchdowns. Defensive Coordinator Scott Schafer stayed aggressive, forcing two second half turnovers and scoring a touchdown of their own. The highly publicized strength and conditioning program paid huge dividends as the Wolverines simply outlasted Wisconsin. Coach Rodriguez will only allow a 24 hour grace period for pondering victories and defeats. That's good, because this type of win just raised the expectation level at Michigan.

Preseason Recap: Week 2

Ok fellow fanatics. Time to share my thoughts on what we saw last weekend. Please preface each comment with "I know it's the preseason but..."

Brett Favre threw a touchdown pass. Aaron Rodgers did not. Now...on with the recap.

The Tennessee Titans made an obvious attempt to jump start the passing game against Oakland. Well...it must have been the alternator and not the battery, because the offense sputtered...then eventually stalled...again. If Vince Young can at least break even with his touchdown to interception ratio, this team will be playoff bound again this year.

The New England Patriots backup quarterback situation is an out right tragedy. If anything happens to Tom Brady, this team will be the next in a long line of Super Bowl losers who failed to make the playoffs the following year. You will also see the "old" Randy Moss!

To my fantasy footballers: keep an eye on Drew Brees. He's completed 75 percent of his passes and has yet to turn the ball over in the preseason. If he's anything close to the Brees of 06, you could land yourself a great fantasy sleeper at QB.

And on a side note: Chad Johnson injured himself on the first series of the first quarter of the first home game....in Cincinnati. Does anybody here believe in karma?

See you on the other side of week 3!!!!!

Preseason Recap: Week One

The first weekend of exhibition games are officially in the book. Time to share my thoughts on what I've seen so far. Please preface each comment with "I know it's the preseason but......"

Peyton Manning gets my vote for MVP of the league this year for one simple reason. His team is absolutely unwatchable when he's not in the lineup. The Colts have always had a bland cast of characters, but without Manning they are boring....and bad! I have a renewed appreciation for what Peyton Manning brings to the table.

Several GM's around the league are thumping their chest at the sight of their first round pics in action. Matt Ryan, Darren McFadden, Felix Jones, and Chris Johnson of the Titans all made their General Managers look a lot smarter than the draft experts.

For my fantasy footballers....keep an eye on receivers wearing the number 17. In limited action, they combined for 16 catches...369 yards and 6 touchdowns. And that was with Plaxico Burress sitting this one out.

The 34-13 score in the Titans win over the Rams did not do the game justice. The Rams were bludgeoned into submission. Not only did the Titans rush for 340 yards, but they did it at 7.9 yards per rush....on 43 carries!!! In the second half, the Rams had the body language of the man who's been at the mall all day with his girlfriend....tired, hungry, and defeated. I can hear Commissioner Goodell..."And with the first pick in the NFL Draft....the St. Louis Rams select....."

All Hail Commissioner Goodell

The NFL is arguably the most powerful sports entity in the world, making commissioner Roger Goodell one of the most powerful men in sports. But is he too powerful? Is he too visible? Is he becoming bigger than the league that created him? I applaud his hard line stance on player mis-conduct. Athletes are role models (whether the like it or not) and it's important to show that we should be accountable for our actions regardless of our social status. I do wonder, however, why there is no outside committee to hear a player's appeal. Even a prison warden has a parole board. With that being said, some of Goodell's recent quotes can be interpreted as alarming to say the least.

Goodell recently lashed out about rookie salaries, calling them "rediculous". With all due respect Mr. Goodell, Im sure there are social workers, police officers, and school teachers who would call your salary rediculous. Besides, each team is given the same salary cap amount to shape their roster. If a team decised to give the bulk of their money to an unproven player, and they say under the cap, then no harm no foul. The NFL will prosper whether that team is competitive or not.

Staying on the subject of the rediculous, apparantly Goodell has hired a security team to investigate possible gang activity going on during games. That's right...gangs...as in drive by shootings, murder, and mayhem. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't hand signals just as important to the NFL as the first down markers? And how can this be legislated without some form of profiling or stereotyping? I seriously doubt that any of Peyton Manning's pre snap antics will ever come under league review.

Still not convinced? How about Goodell's recent "involvement" with the on going feud between Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers. By openly putting pressure on Green bay to resolve this matter, you indirectly handicap any chance for fair compensation should they indeed be looking to trade Favre. You compromise the integrity of the league office and you lift the lid on Pandora's box. Now I beg to question, what players are worthy of the Commissioner's intervention? Can Kurt Warner make his plea to be the starter over Matt Leinard? Can Daunte Culpepper "pull some strings" to reclaim his old job in Minnesota? A wise man once told me..."If it ain't broke...don't fix it".

So far so good for Parcells

Since taking over as Vice President of Football Operations, Bill Parcells has made all the right moves. Drafting Jake Long and Chad Henne could pay huge dividends for a variety of reasons. Long gives you a long term solution at left tackle and Henne was a four year starter at quarterback in a pro style offense. He can make all the throws and was effective in outdoor cold weather games. Ronnie Brown should find some holes and the play action pass should hep their offense find some balance.

Trading 6 time pro bowler and face of the franchise Jason Taylor should pay huge dividends for a different variety of reasons. You can come into training camp without the distraction and media circus that would accompany Taylor. You rid yourself of a possible "swan song" season a la Tiki Barber and you let your young team establish it's own leaders. You get Taylor out of the conference and off your salary cap, and you give your franchise a fresh start. That alone should equate to more than one victory this season.

Jacksonville Jaguars...Too Sexy?

The 2008 edition of the Jacksonville Jaguars are the sexy pre season pick to make a deep playoff run. I say not so fast. Don't get me wrong, on paper they are loaded...but I have four major concerns.

Jinx of Success: Jacksonville has never followed a playoff season with a playoff season....ever. Since 2004, the team flip flopped post season births. Out in 04...made it in 05...and so on. Well it's 2008....

Fred Taylor: Yes, Fred Taylor is a stud of a running back. He's also 32 and injury prone. Maurice Jones Drew is more than a capable backup, but can he be an every down back if Taylor goes down again? And who would fill the void in the return game should Jones Drew have to tote the rock on a full time basis? Is David Garrard ready to carry the team with his arm if need be?

Gregg Williams: Gregg Williams takes over at defensive coordinator for Mike Smith, who left to be the head coach of the Falcons. Under Smith's watch, his unit averaged 4th in overall defense and 3rd in points allowed from 2003-2007. Smith was also respected in the locker room, so the players bought into his philosophy. Gregg Williams comes in with a head coach mentality and a shaky track record. He's known to be confrontational with his players and the media, and a bit of a maverick when it comes to authority. Make no mistake about it, this is Jack Del Rio's team...period. Can they co-exist? Or will we see another Mike Didka / Buddy Ryan saga?

AFC South: The Jaguars finished the regular season 11-5, but went 2-4 in their division. The Colts are still the king of the hill and the Titans and Texans are young teams on the rise. In a tough conference like the AFC, it's hard to imagine 3 teams from a single division making the playoffs again this year.

If everything falls into place, they'll make a strong push for the division title. If not....then at least they're a lock for 09.