With three weeks to play in the NFL season, three of the NFC Divisional races have already been decided; and the Tampa Bay Bucs have a comfortable if not insurmountable lead in the fourth. In the AFC, one divisional race is over; two races involve a team with a two game lead and three games left to play; the fourth is the only division race left in doubt. So much for parity in 2007…
It’s not just that teams at the top of the ladder are running away from the pack this year. Take a look at the two “national games” that the NFL schedule makers decided to “feature” on Thursday and Saturday nights this week. On Thursday, the Houston Texans host the Denver Broncos. That may have looked to be a marginally meaningful match-up back when the TV schedule was being finalized for 2007 but it now pairs up two teams that need a win to crawl back to a .500 record. Yes, I know that Denver can still theoretically win the AFC West and that both teams have a mathematical shot at making the playoffs. In addition, I also know that neither team is all that good.
On Saturday night, the NFL schedule makers have a real rotten rutabaga on the menu for us. The Cincinnati Bengals make a cross-country journey to San Francisco to play the Niners. The combined record going into that game will be 8-18. This is a game that you can turn on to provide a little background noise in your home; it certainly is not one that will interfere with anything else you are planning to do on Saturday night.
There are some interesting games on Sunday/Monday this weekend. The Ravens go to Miami and try not to be “the team that found a way to lose to the hapless Dolphins”. Miami managed to give up 38 points to Buffalo last weekend; the Bills had been averaging just over 15 points a game prior to the coin flip in that game. Meanwhile, the Ravens gave up 44 points to the Colts last weekend and the Colts had it on cruise control for the second half. People went into the season pointing to these two defenses as units that might be able to carry two inept offenses to playoff spots; the Ravens’ defense did just that last year. However, both defenses seem to be equal in ineptitude to their offenses. Consider:
Miami has given up 355 points – second most in the NFL. That’s just under 4 TDs per game.
Baltimore has given up 314 points – 88 points more than the Ravens’ offense has scored. That’s just over 24 points per game.
Jax travels to Pittsburgh this weekend for what is probably going to be the best game of the weekend because both of the teams are good; both need to win the game for playoff positioning and both teams like to play actual smash-mouth football – not the kind of smash-mouth football that lots of other teams like to say is the basis of their identity. The Jaguars have lost four times – twice to Indy. After this weekend, the Jaguars have a soft schedule with Oakland and Houston left to play. Meanwhile the Steelers have also lost four times this year but in an enigmatic pattern. The Steelers lost to the Pats, as has every other team that played the Pats but the Steelers also lost to the Cardinals, Jets (!) and Broncos. Pittsburgh also ends the season against two inferior teams (Rams and Ravens) after this weekend, but both of those games are on the road. Maybe the Steelers need this game just a tad more than the Jags?
Just down the road from Pittsburgh, the Cleveland Browns host the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The Browns are only a game behind the Steelers in the AFC North and would be the AFC’s second wild card team if the season were over now. The Bills are over .500 and are still alive for that second wild card slot if they win on Sunday. It has been a while since a Browns/Bills confrontation in December was a meaningful game to both teams.
Last week, I mentioned that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers would provide the halftime “entertainment” at the Super Bowl. I said then that I did not know anything at all about Tom Petty or why any of the other members of the group qualified as “heartbreakers”. A loyal reader sent along this note in an attempt to make me interested in finding out who these people might be:
“One of his hits is You Don’t Have To Live Like A Refugee.
“Glad the game is not in New Orleans.”
Now that Michael Vick has been sentenced by a Federal judge for dogfighting – remember, there are still pending Virginia charges related to the same kinds of crime – there is speculation about whether or not Vick can/will return to the NFL. Interestingly, most of the analyses begin with the statement that Vick could be out of prison earlier than the 23-month sentence would indicate based on good behavior. Let me ask rhetorically, what would indicate to anyone that Michael Vick could recognize “good behavior” if it ran by him and swatted him on his derriere?
In addition, he is suspended indefinitely by the NFL and would need to be reinstated by the NFL before he would be allowed to try to play in the league again. Forget the fact of dogfighting for a moment and the gut reactions that it evokes in many people; there are allegations of gambling involved in these activities and the NFL just doesn’t like gambling on “sporting events” in any way, shape or form. This matter is not resolved.
Speaking of gambling on sporting events and leagues’ aversion to that activity, here is something I find interesting. There are lots of people who make the argument that Michael Vick should not be denied an opportunity to earn a living in his chosen profession once he serves his prison term and pays his debt to society. Fans demonstrate in support of him, and last night on TV, there were more than a few Atlanta fans in the stands wearing Vick’s jersey. And since everyone is entitled to express their opinion, that’s just fine with me.
However, note that no one has yet suggested that Tim Donaghy be afforded the same set of opportunities when he has paid his debt to society. Think about it. Once he is out of prison, he will still be young enough to officiate basketball for another 10-15 years; so where are the demonstrations in support of putting him back on the court with whistle in mouth? I guess it must be a racial thing …
Finally, here is something from Dennis Miller’s TV show, Sports Unfiltered:
”Barry Bonds’ former mistress will testify against him at his upcoming perjury and obstruction of justice trial. Defense lawyers plan to portray the woman as an angry, bitter, vindictive liar. You know, Barry’s soul mate.
“This is just another blow to the Bonds defense team, coming on the heels of the judge’s decision to empanel an entire jury equipped with vision.
”In other steroid news. The international track and field council has voided all of Marion Jones’ results dating back to the year 2000. To her credit, Jones has taken the punishment like a man.”
But don’t get me wrong, I love sports…