Are The Dallas Cowboys Doomed To Repeat History?

It was right around this time last year that speculation began to swirl about the future of Donovan McNabb.

Media members and fans alike believed that when McNabb strapped on the pads against the Cowboys in the final regular season game of the 2008 season it could be his last game as a Philadelphia Eagle.

The Eagles were fresh off a 10-3 loss to the Washington Redskins and a shot at advancing into the postseason looked bleak as the Eagles offense sputtered in the Nation’s Capital. Andy Reid dialed up the run 16 times and asked McNabb to toss around the pigskin 46 times.

Meanwhile, the defense struggled against the run and failed to force Jason Campbell into making any costly decisions.

While the Eagles were floundering around on the road the Cowboys split their final two regular season games at Texas stadium and Tony Romo looked like he was ready to buck the December blues as he put up some decent stats.

It all set up for a playoff-like regular season game where the winner was sent into the playoffs and the loser was sent to the first-tee.

Surprisingly, the Eagles offense was efficient as they ran the ball 36 times and attempted only 21 passes.

The old Romo reared his ugly head, threw one interception and fumbled twice.

Inexplicably, the Eagles found themselves up 27-3 at halftime, and playoff bound.

Everyone who witnessed the beatdown was in a state of shock. Eagles fans could not believe they saw their team playing this well and the Cowboys fans could not comprehend how everything could go wrong.

Fast forward the tapes to this week and the situation is nearly identical.

Rumors are rampant that Saturday night’s clash between the hated division rivals will mark the final game of McNabb’s career as an Eagle.

Similar to last year, the loser will go home while the winner gets to play at least one more week and keep their dream alive for a run at the Super Bowl.

Last year’s showdown with the ‘Boys saw an Eagles offense come off an embarrassing offensive performance that resulted in no touchdowns. Once again, the Eagles were not balanced on offense the week before as they only ran the ball five times in the first half and 10 times for the game. McNabb was asked to chuck it around 36 times in a futile effort.

Romo is putting up great numbers, leading his team down the field, and not seen as a liability.

So why can’t the outcome on Saturday night be the same as the regular season finale last year?

On the surface, this game is setting up just like last year. But once you dig a little deeper, you will see some major differences.

The most obvious is that this game is being played in Dallas, which obviously gives an edge to a Cowboys team that holds a 6-2 record when playing in front of the home crowd.

How about the fact that the late Jim Johnson is not on the sideline for the Eagles? Sean McDermott may be a good defensive coordinator, but he is certainly not on the same level as Johnson.

And while McDermott is not at that level, he has also been hindered by a lack of personnel.

The absence of Stewart Bradley and Brian Dawkins is huge right now. Those two players allowed the Eagles to be effective against the run and could limit the oppositions’ tight ends.

And while Dawkins was not great in coverage, he was more than capable in providing quality safety help over the top on blitzes. As it stands right now, Quintin Mikell, Sean Jones, and Macho Harris might as well be invisible when it comes to safety help.

Without a capable blitz, the Eagles can’t force Romo into mistakes and without the blitz the Eagles’ defense loses their identity.

What about the Cowboys offensively?

Terrell Owens is not around to get into Romo’s head. Without T.O., Miles Austin has been given the chance to shine and he is proving he can be clutch.

Defensively, the Cowboys don’t have stiffs like Tank Johnson getting in the way. They have studs like Jay Ratliff wreaking havoc in the pass and run game.

The Eagles offensive line is in a shambles compared to last year, DeSean Jackson is battling a groin injury, which limits his speed, and Brian Westbrook is not the player he once was.

McNabb looks like he would rather deflect blame instead of graciously accepting the opportunity to prove he can win when everyone is saying that he can’t.

With so many differences beneath the surface, it is hard to imagine a favorable outcome this time around for the Eagles.

 

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Beating a Team Three Times in One Season: Easier Done Than Said

All week, you will hear the self-proclaimed experts tell you it is difficult to beat a team three times in one season.

They will sit in their fancy studios and use that logic to explain why the Eagles are going to beat Dallas next weekend.

Clearly, these pundits of prognostication do not have access to the Internet. If they did, they could do some research and realize that since the NFL merger in 1970, the team that won the previous two meetings against its divisional rival has a 12-7 record.

This situation occurred last year when the Pittsburgh Steelers faced the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship.

The Steelers got the best of their divisional foe twice in the regular season by a combined seven points. With a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, the Steelers completed the trifecta and won 23-14.

Yet for some reason, everyone is going to talk about the difficulty of beating a team three times in one year.

Why is it so difficult to complete the sweep? Take last year, for example.

Pittsburgh proved twice they were the better team. They proved it at their place and on the road. So why did people think things were going to be different in the third meeting? The better team typically wins in the NFL, and the 12-7 record that accompanies this situation proves that to be the case.

Imagine if the Minnesota Vikings had to play the Detroit Lions for a third time this year. Would people be talking about the daunting task of Minnesota knocking off an inferior opponent for a third time?

I know, I know. These are playoff teams, and the Lions are the furthest thing from that. But that’s not the point. The point is that if you beat an opponent twice, you have proven your opponent to be inferior. 

Dallas showed everyone they are the better team in both meetings against the Eagles. The Cowboys beat the Eagles 20-16 in Philadelphia on Sunday Night Football at the Linc. They got the best of the Birds once again in the regular season finale 24-0 in Jerry World.

The only interesting piece of information being left out so far is the fact that Dallas has been in this spot twice, and they lost both times.

Back in 1998, when the Arizona Cardinals were in the NFC East, Dallas won both encounters and then they lost at home in the playoffs.

In 2007, the Cowboys tried to complete the three-game sweep against the New York Giants and, once again, they failed at home.

Somehow, teams outside of Dallas have a .706 winning percentage when attempting to beat a team for the third time in one season, yet the Cowboys are 0-2.

That stat puts you right back at the beginning, but it definitely sheds some light on anyone who tries to predict next week’s winner.

It should remind you that when someone says, “The Eagles are going to win because it is too tough to beat a team three times in one year,” make sure you ignore everything else they are saying.

To base a prediction on a game based on something a person believes to be true, even though we now know it is not, shows a lack of research and diminishes one’s credibility.

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Hating Dallas Is Who We Are

Dallas Cowboys fans, we hate you.

Actually, if there was a word stronger than hate that’s how Eagles fans would feel about you.

It’s not that we are jealous of your five Super Bowl trophies, your new stadium, or the moniker “America’s Team.”

The contempt we hold for your spineless supporters begins with the fact that most of the fans have no connection to the Dallas area and are nothing more than bandwagon-hopping front-runners.

The cockroaches known as Cowboys fans litter America from coast to coast and they have the worst excuse for being a fan.

Some of the frauds will tell you they liked the star on the helmet when they were younger or they will tell you how much they love and respect Tom Landry or Roger Staubach.

Stop. Your reasons for splintering your backside on the bandwagon are embarrassing. Half the fan base has no connection to the Dallas area, and the other half could not locate Dallas on a map if you spotted them Texas.

Meanwhile true Eagles fans have done nothing but suffer through 49 years of not winning a championship. But we’re okay with that, because we have character and integrity. Any self-respecting Philadelphian would rather never watch a down in the NFL instead of being a traitor.

Yet when the Eagles and Cowboys throw down on Sunday afternoon, the aforementioned cockroaches will crawl back into their holes if and when the Cowboys begin to lose.

Eagle fans have no problems with a Cowboy fan that grew up in or around Dallas, but they have major issues with the fraud fans that starting liking the Cowboys because it was convenient.

Where is the character in that? Where is the dedication? Where is the satisfaction?

It’s probably a good thing frauds like that are Cowboys fans. You see, Eagles fans don’t have time for someone like that. Fans like that would whine and cry when things get tough. Yes, Eagles fans may complain about the team’s performance, but they won’t abandon their team and cheer for the flavor of the week.

Eagles’ fans are better than that.

So go ahead Dallas fans and ask us how many Super Bowls the Cowboys have. I’d be shocked if you could count that high. And we’re glad that Cowboys fans like to live in the past, because the future isn’t going to bring them what they believe is rightfully theirs.

But this year is different right?

Tony Romo finally wins a couple of games against the Giants and Redskins and suddenly everything is fixed?

Oh, it is the win against the Saints that made you believers. Right, cause the Saints looked so good over the past month including the clunker they had against the hapless Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

I’m sure Cowboys fans will come up with a good excuse as to why the Eagles beat them on Sunday. After all, your excuses for becoming a Cowboy fan are so creative.

The only thing Eagles fans can truly hope for is that with an Eagles’ win on Sunday some of the cockroaches are exterminated.

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Free NFL Picks: Week 15

The best cappers in the world play systems and they don’t force picks.

This is why I am dishing out free NFL picks and sit with a 38-38 record.

It’s okay fellow degenerates. I know you are looking for a free pick here and free pick there. The search is finally over and as I have a system that is hitting over the 60 percent clip and it does not involve fading my picks.

Review all divisional games this week and find out if the road team covered in the first meeting. If the road team covered in the first matchup, then bet them as the home team no matter what the line is.

That’s right. Have complete and utter disregard for the number and follow the system to victory.

Road teams that covered as a favorite or dog are currently 11-6 ATS. This means teams are covering 64 percent of the time. If I had a winning percentage like that I would currently sit at 49-29 and you would be paying me for picks.

Well let’s just say I haven’t even sniffed a record like that since the beginning of the year and if someone paid me for a pick I would go to jail for robbery.

The good news is that four games fit the system and they are the only games I am going to pick.

 

Jacksonville (+3) vs. Indianapolis

This game is perfect for the Jaguars.

You catch a Colts team that can’t decide what to do with the rest of their regular season against a Jaguars squad that must win the game to save their season.

So do you go with an undecided team or a desperate team?

I will take the desperate team playing at home and catching points.

And don’t forget that Jacksonville also covered the number the first time around against the Colts.

Jaguars 24 – Colts 20

 

Buffalo (+7) vs. New England

The Bills went into Foxboro on Monday night in week one and stole defeat from the jaws of victory.

To make things even better you are getting points against a team in disarray, and only 1-5 record on the road this year with the lone win coming against Tampa Bay in London.

And can Buffalo change their uniformas back to the old threads? The new unis give me headaches.

Buffalo 23 – New England 17

 

Denver (-14) vs. Oakland

Look, we all hear about Tiger so let’s use a little analogy here.

Imagine the Broncos are Tiger Woods.

Now imagine the Oakland Raiders are one his mistresses.

Got it?

Okay. Here we go.

Tiger had his way with a mistress; much like Denver had its way with Oakland on the road. Now Denver gets to go at it again and this time things are gonna get a little kinky with homefield advantage.

Uh oh.

Denver 48 – Oakland 14

 

Washington (+3) vs. New York Giants

The Redskins are playing their best football of the year as they pushed the Cowboys, Eagles, and Saints to the brink. Then they go out to the West Coast and gave a beat down to a Raiders team that knocked off the Steelers the week before.

Meanwhile you have a Giants team that has been outscored 64-23 in its last two road games.

Do you really want to lay points with that kind of team?

More importantly, do you want to bet against the system?

I didn’t think so and neither do I.

Redskins 27 – Giants 19

 

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Eagles Offense Has Something Super Going

With 5:21 remaining in the third quarter, the New York Giants successfully overcame a 14-point deficit and everyone in Philadelphia knew the Eagles were going to lose.

Even though the score was 31-30, and there were more than 20 minutes remaining in the game, Andy Reid might as well have packed the bags and told the boys to get on the bus for a three-hour ride down the turnpike.

Eagles fans are jaded because they have seen this team toy with their emotions in so many ways that Sunday night’s showdown for the NFC East was going to be another shot to the gut.

Donovan McNabb looked flustered on the sideline, the defense couldn’t stop anybody and the sky was falling.

But then something weird happened.

McNabb took to the field following Domenik Hixon’s touchdown—highlighted by botched tackles from Will Witherspoon and Sean Jones—and threw a 60-yard lawn dart to DeSean Jackson. The Eagles took a 37-31 lead and suddenly things didn’t look so bad.

These were not the Eagles fans were used to. This Eagles team had heart on offense.

McNabb has always been viewed as the quarterback who rode the coattails of a consistent defense.

All of that went out the window Sunday night when the defense was gashed for 512 yards.

As if McNabb’s immediate bounce back was not enough to prove his worth, he also orchestrated a 12-play 91-yard drive that ate up 7:24 and gave the Eagles a 45-31 lead late in fourth quarter.

Eagles fans across the Delaware Valley are going to believe this offense can overcome anything right now and they will all wake up Monday morning and begin to ask the question, “Can the Eagles possibly go to the Super Bowl?”

No one in their right mind can possibly think the Eagles are better than New Orleans or Minnesota, but the Eagles offense proved they can make plays and carry this team for a deep run in the playoffs.

So why not? Why can’t the Eagles ride a hot offense through the rest of the regular season and into the Super Bowl?

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Free NFL Picks: Week 13

Thanks Wes. I really appreciate it.

I go up in flames with the Lions, Rams, Bengals, and Patriots and you have the audacity to lie there exposing yourself to me?

It’s okay little man, I’m gonna bounce back this week because I promise to never put well-earned money on terrible teams.

What’s that you say Wes? Oh, right.

I shouldn’t bet against God-awful teams either. That whole idea of laying 14.5 points to the Browns kind of blew up in my face too.

Well if I can’t bet on or against dreadful squads then who in the hell am I going to bet on? It seems like every week there are awful teams either competing against each other or they are playing against a team in the midst of jockeying for playoff positioning.

This week is no different. Out of the 16 pieces of slop forced down our throat, only four games offer us the opportunity to watch two teams at or above .500 compete against one another.

So while Wes crams his head into his backside as if he were the world’s greatest contortionist, I am left to think that my dog is wiser than I am.

Stick to gambling on the good teams.

Not so much. The Saints vs. Pats pick didn’t go very well.

My theories are up in flames, stats are flushed down the toilet, and all logic is out the window. This is going to be an epic end to the season. I am either going to be great fade material or I am going to start ripping off huge winning streaks.

Following a 2-5 week my record drops to 35-35.

Wes, if you have any better ideas please clue me in.

 

Denver (-4.5) @ Kansas City

The Chiefs stink and should be required by law to lay at least double digits against every team they play from here on out.

The public is all over the Broncos early, but I don’t care. I’m going down guns a blazin’.

Show me a terrible pass defense and I will show you a perfect opportunity for Kyle Orton to look like a bona fide NFL quarterback.

Denver 30 – Kansas City 17

 

Pittsburgh (-13) vs. Oakland

Didn’t the Raiders come out the East Coast earlier this year?

Yeah, how did that go?

The New York Giants thought it was like playing in a scrimmage. I don’t care if Bubby Brister suits up for this one and hands the ball off to Merril Hoge. The Steelers are going to beat this slop-infested team.

And if any of the dogs on the Raiders are having problems with fleas, Wes has some outstanding techniques to show you.

Pittsburgh 31 – Oakland 6

 

Jacksonville (pick ‘em) vs. Houston

The Texans had a golden opportunity to beat the Colts for only the second time in 16 games.

Even more importantly, they had a chance to become a legitimate threat in the AFC playoff picture and hand the Colts their first loss of the season.

But no. They choked.

The Jaguars won on the road earlier this year against a Houston team that has no heart whatsoever. I don’t expect the tin-men to find one this week.

Jaguars 26 – Texans 19

 

Atlanta (+5.5) vs. Philadelphia

Who are the Eagles to lay points on the road against anyone?

They laid points on the road to the Bears and the only reason they covered was because Jay Cutler thought it would be a good idea to win the “I’m the worst offseason acquisition” award.

The Birds lost on the road to Raiders and, until they prove their worth on the road, I will gladly take the points with the Falcons.

And yes I know about the status of Matt Ryan and Michael Turner. I could care less if Chris Miller was handing it off to Mike Rozier

What’s up with the references to the Tecmo Super Bowl era?

Philadelphia 23 – Atlanta 21

 

Washington (+9) vs. New Orleans

The Saints are for real and they established themselves as the best team in the NFC, but that doesn’t mean they can’t come out flat in this spot.

After a highly emotional win and a short week of rest the Saints are set up for a huge let down.

I would not be surprised if they find themselves down late in this game.

Even if they somehow lose they are still the team to beat in the NFC.

New Orleans 24 – Washington 17

 

Dallas (-2.5) @ New York Giants

Is it December? Check.

Is Tony Romo playing in a meaningful game? Check.

Glad we established that because even those two factors can’t help out this Giants team that is dead.

Dallas 27 – New York Giants 16

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New Orleans Defense Has Saints Marching to Perfection

We have grown accustomed to the Patriots making big plays in clutch situations.

On Monday Night Football with the entire country glued to the television, it was the Saints defense that made big plays and came up clutch.

Let me repeat that for those who didn’t pay their cable or Internet bill and missed the game.

It was the Saints defense that made big plays and came up clutch.

The Patriots took their opening possession, methodically went down the field and scored a touchdown. Following a Saints punt and a 41-yard return by Wes Welker, the Pats were looking to go up by double digits and send the Saints defense into a tailspin.

And then it happened.

The Saints defense forced a turnover, and they rattled Tom Brady. The one player in the NFL who remains cool, calm and collected was suddenly sent into a downward spiral.

The Saints defensive line was getting pressure without blitzing. It looked like there were 11 players in Saints secondary.

Ladies and Gentlemen—the New Orleans Saints proved they are for real and they should be feared by everyone in the league. The Saints marched up and down the field against a terrible New England defense, but that did not surprise too many people.

Defensively, the Saints made a statement and they made it loud and clear.

Darren Sharper, Jonathan Vilma and Mike McKenzie let the Patriots get a big play here and there. But ultimately it was the Saints who made big plays and kept the Patriots out of the endzone.

Simply put, it was one of the best defensive performances by any team this season.

And the effort shown by the Saints on the defensive side of the ball cemented their mark as an elite team in the NFL and established themselves as the best team in the NFC. The Minnesota Vikings have looked great this season, but no one is going to enter the Superdome and walk away with a win.

No one.

The Saints may come out a little flat next week on the road against the Redskins after such an emotional win. They may even drop a game down the stretch, but nothing will take away from the dominant performance displayed by the Saints.

Back on September 25, 2006, the Saints returned to the Superdome and played their first true home game since Hurricane Katrina. The Saints rolled the Falcons 23-3, and it helped the Saints kick start their season.

That game will always remain special to Saints fans because of the symbolic importance.

The game held on November 30, 2009, will be remembered as the biggest regular season win in New Orleans Saints history. It officially put the Saints on the map.

There are no more critics. There are only believers.

No one will say, “Who did they beat?” Instead, everyone will ask, “Can they be beat?”

Drew Brees picked up one of the biggest wins in his career as well. But the defense needed to prove itself the most. The defense was the team’s Achilles heel, and yet they elevated their game and proved to be the team’s heart.

The city of Miami had better be ready for the Saints on February 7, because it looks like they will come marching in.

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Free NFL Picks: Week 12

Every Thanksgiving we gather together with our families, eat tons of turkey, pretend we are thankful for something, watch our crazy uncle get hammered, and watch the Detroit Lions get obliterated.

Generally, none of us would watch the Lions play, even if you paid us. But slap that terrible product on the tube at 12:30 in the middle of the week and we are all over it.

Schedule the Lions for Monday Night Football and we’re watching Dancing With the Stars, helping the wife clean the house, staying at the office extra late, or performing some other arduous task.

On Thanksgiving it’s a different story, we tune in each year and ask ourselves, “How bad are the Lions?”

By the end of the first quarter our drunken uncle says, “The Lions aren’t all that bad. I got ’em plus the points. Watch ’em win the game.”

Suddenly, the Lions are down by 20 going into the half, your uncle is halfway through a case, and you’re wondering how much money he lost.

The NFL recognized the brutality known as the Lions, so they tossed us an additional game to keep the drinking going, the money flowing, and a reminder that if it weren’t for gambling, none of us would watch.

I am not going to shy away from the tantalizing three pack of treats trotted out to us on Turkey day.

Fresh off a 3-2 week that saw my record soar to the incredible average heights of 33-30, I am going to sweep the board this week.

And when I don’t win, I will drink away my losses as my uncle tells me how much Christmas money he flushed down the drain.

Detroit-Green Bay (Lions +10)

Maybe I’m the drunken uncle who always takes the Lions. But hear me out on this one, because right now I am sober.

The line maker knows everyone is going to bet against the Lions because we all have the same perception about this team on Thanksgiving—they stink.

To compensate for this, the man out in Vegas inflated the line and gives yours truly some great value.

The Lions are only 10-9 ATS on Thanksgiving since 1992 while the Packers are only 2-6 ATS on Thursday games.

I also love the fact that the public is all over the Packers.

Green Bay 30, Detroit 24

 

Dallas-Oakland (Cowboys -13.5)

The Raiders shocked the world for the second time this season as they upended the Cincinnati Bengals.

Their previous upset came against the Eagles over a month ago.

And do you know what happened to the Raiders after they beat Andy Reid and company?

They welcomed the New York Jets into town and got tuned up 38-0.

This time around they have to go to Dallas who is desperate to get the offense going. The public is split with this game so the fade is not in effect here.

Dallas 48, Oakland 10

Denver-New York Giants (Broncos +6.5)

The public is all over New York in this spot and once again I will fade away.

New York is in a tough spot here. They just played an overtime game, must travel out to Denver (who was embarrassed last week), and try not to look ahead to Dallas next week.

There are people who will point out that I picked Dallas even thought they are in a trap game.

True. But not entirely.

The Cowboys need to get the offense going so they can’t take anyone lightly. They also get a team that is coming off an emotional win and will probably roll over like a dog. And the Cowboys are at home.

Lets recap why I don’t like they Giants in this spot. They are traveling on a short week following an overtime game, playing against a team coming off an embarrassing loss, and they may be caught looking ahead to a key divisional game next week.

And if you don’t think New York can lose on the road, then let me remind you of the epic loss at Cleveland last year.

Denver 20, New York 13

Houston-Indianapolis (Texans +3.5)

Let me get this straight—the Colts are 10-0, the Texans are 5-5, Houston is 1-14 all-time against Indianapolis, and the line is only 3.5?

When lines don’t make sense and the public is all over the obvious side, you jump the other way.

I wish I could give you stats to reinforce this pick, but I can’t.

Houston 30, Indianapolis 28

 

St. Louis-Seattle (Rams +3)

The Seahawks have no business laying points on the road to anyone. This pick reminds me of Atlanta laying points on the road to Carolina.

Atlanta showed how awful they are on the road and let a bad Carolina team get the best of them.

I see the same thing happening here.

And guess who the public likes?

St. Louis 30, Seattle 24

Cincinnati-Cleveland (Bengals -14.5)

May someone please have mercy on Cleveland.

Cincinnati 46, Cleveland 13

 

New England-New Orleans (Patriots +3)

The Patriots were rolling the Colts two weeks ago and uncharacteristically let it slip away.

I see a ton of similarities between the Colts and Saints, which is why I expect the game to start in a similar manner. The only difference will be that the Pats will bury the Saints once they have them down.

New England 47, New Orleans 27

 

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Fear Or Love: Colts and ‘Aints Make Choice Obvious

Niccolo Machiavelli once said, “It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.”

The Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints would clearly answer love since neither team strikes fear into their opponent’s heart.

Both teams are considered beatable even though no one in the league has managed to do it. So what’s the deal?

The deal is that neither team is dominant week in and week out.

Sorry Colts and Saints fans, but your teams don’t win with enough conviction. Too many times the Colts and Saints have been pushed to the brink by inferior opponents. And each team’s defense has shown major weaknesses throughout the season.

As soon as teams see you are vulnerable, it is only a matter of time until you get exposed.

Go back to the 2007 undefeated New England Patriots.

They opened the year 8-0 and were blowing teams out. Without question, teams around the league feared the Patriots.

But then a funny thing started to happen. Teams began to challenge the Pats and there were times when they seemed beatable.

The Patriots were pushed to the brink by the Colts, Eagles, Ravens, and Giants.

Suddenly this once feared team was not so scary after all.

In the playoffs they won ugly against Jacksonville and San Diego. Ultimately the once-perfect Pats fell to the Giants in the Super Bowl.

The Colts and Saints have been teetering on defeat all season, which is odd for a pair of teams that are a combined 20-0.

Indianapolis opened the season at home with a two-point win over Jacksonville and then escaped with a four-point win on the road against Miami.

The last four wins have all been nail-biters and proved the Colts can be had.

Those four wins have come by a combined 10 points.

A 10-0 team that is feared does not win four games by the slimmest of margins. A feared team rolls opponents like San Francisco and Houston, especially when both games are at home.

They were big favorites in each of those games, and the Colts looked nothing short of ordinary.

Meanwhile the New Orleans Saints may have the worst schedule ever handed out to a 10-0 team.

Start at the top and you tell me where the marquee win is.

Detroit (nope), Philadelphia (without McNabb), Buffalo (not so much), New York Jets (complete frauds), New York Giants (riddled with injuries), Miami (is this it?), Atlanta (they are awful on the road), Carolina, St. Louis, and Tampa Bay (maybe next year one of them will be good).

Everyone thought this team was a world beater after the New York Giants game, and now they look like they worst 10-0 team ever created.

Look at what they’ve done since the game against the Giants.

They were getting their doors blown off by Miami, they struggled with a terrible road team in the Falcons, they were down big to Carolina, and they struggled with St. Louis.

Hello? Fear? Where are you?

Maybe it will show up when the Saints defense proves it can be a top 10 defense on a consistent basis and not get pushed around like a Pop-Warner team.

Until then the Saints will not even be considered the best team in the NFC.

Between you, me, and everyone else outside of New Orleans, it is known that the Minnesota Vikings would beat the Saints in the Metrodome, Superdome, Tokyo Dome, or any other dome you want to throw in there.

It’s okay. When New England dismantles the ‘Aints, order will be restored in the NFL.

To the Colts’ credit, their defense is keeping the opposition out of the endzone and off the scoreboard as they lead the league in points allowed per game. Outside of that neither team’s defense is ranked in the top-10 in any other major statistical category.

Where is the fear in that?

It is true that both offenses send shivers down the spines of any defensive coordinator, but the argument is not about the offense. The argument is about the team. And the last time I checked the defense is a part of your team.

Look at the Colts team that won the Super Bowl in 2006. That team was great because the offense played well and the defense played out of their minds.

In the three games leading up to the Super Bowl the Colts held every opponent under 250 yards passing and 100 yards rushing.

Out of the 20 games combined between Indy and Nawlins the feat has only been accomplished three times.

Call me a hater, doubter, biased fan, or a disgruntled S.O.B.

At the end of the day it does not matter what I am. It matters what your teams are not.

Machiavelli, you can disregard fear when talking about these clowns.

 

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Phildalephia Eagles-Chicago Bears: Wake Me Up When It’s Over

The NFL flex-scheduling procedures kick into effect this weekend and it is shocking that no game replaced the atrocious matchup between Philadelphia and Chicago.

America would love to watch Indianapolis travel to Baltimore, but they were treated to Peyton Manning last Sunday night. Option No. 2 would have been New England hosting the New York Jets, but the Pats were tangled up with Indy last weekend.

The Chargers and Broncos could have been an option, but the last time those two hooked up in primetime the game was over by halftime.

Football fans, degenerate gamblers and fantasy football gurus around the world will get to witness two struggling teams that can’t get out of their own way.

The Eagles currently hold the fifth playoff spot in the NFC and the Bears are only one game back. On paper, it sounds like a great game with tons of playoff implications.

Too bad schedules and statistics of each team suggest we are in store for appalling football riddled with mistakes and teams that cannot execute.

The Bears are currently 1-4 over their last five games. Their average margin of defeat is 16.5 points. The bright spot over the last five games came against the whipping boy of the NFL, the Cleveland Browns.

And in the four losses, Jay Cutler has thrown 11 interceptions.

To put that in perspective, Brett Favre, Kyle Orton and Donovan McNabb have combined to throw 11 picks the entire year. 

Cutler’s 17 interceptions on the year more than double those of 21 quarterbacks in the NFL this season.

To sum up Jay Cutler in two words or less: He stinks.

The Eagles do not looked much better after losing two winnable games against Dallas and San Diego.

In both games, the Eagles could not convert in short-yardage situations, failed to capitalize with touchdowns in the red zone, mismanaged timeouts and couldn’t get the defense off the field in clutch situations.

Other than that, things are Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Oh, and did I mention the Eagles’ running game during their recent two-game skid?

Andy Reid has dialed up the run an astounding 36 times over the last two games. This means the Eagles rushed the ball an average of 18 times each game.

I put things in perspective with Cutler, so let me do the same for the Eagles’ running game.

There are currently nine backs in the NFL that have 18 or more rushing attempts per game. Think about that. There are nine individuals working harder in the run game than the entire Eagles offense.

At least the Eagles are productive when they run the rock, tuning up defenses to the sound of 3.2 yards per carry.

Out of the top 100 rushers in the NFL, 90 have an average above the Eagles’ impressive 3.2 yards-per-carry average of the last two games.

The run game looks even worse when you consider it has only picked up six first downs during the Eagles’ last two games.

In the end, the Eagles will probably win and the fans in Philadelphia will be falsely led down a road of hope.

I’m sure the running game will look halfway decent against the 21st-ranked rushing defense in the NFL. Donovan will probably light up a secondary that has allowed 16 touchdowns, fifth worst in the NFL.

Sean McDermott will find a way to call a great game on the defensive side of the ball. Thankfully his unit goes up against the 20th-ranked scoring offense, led by the ultimate turnover machine.

Fortunately for the Eagles, the NFL is filled with pathetic teams like the Bears. But in reality, are the Eagles that much better?

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

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