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Posted on 10/15/2006 8:39:26 AM PDT by mainepatsfan
HA!
I've actually got a friend back home who is usng my tickets while I'm gone. (I should have to PAY him for that.)
I was on vacation last month and went to the first two home games. We lost both miserably.
I flew back here and they WON the next one. I feel sort of insulted.
Hey I know some folks who gave up their Patriot season tickets when they were God awful. They're kicking themselves these days.
Of course, it's not exactly breaking my heart that I happen to be working and living away from home while they suck so bad. ;-)
One of these years...
Morning Allegra. Hope your doing well.
I'd rather listen to nails run down a chalkboard. I wish they would find a weather girl a little less irritating.
The Carolina/Baltimore game looks like a beauty.
Philly/NO will be a good one too.
The afternoon game most interesting is Pitt/KC.
The Jets/Dolphins will get some of my attention.
'Go Bucs' placemark
Dallas should win, but they are going to have to deal with the T.O. sideshow and start focusing on football. The Texans have a problem getting fired up for games, but they should get fired up for this one.
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(Oct. 10, 2006) -- Lovie ought to know.
A year ago at this time, the Chicago Bears were 1-3 and thought to be "going nowhere." What did they do? Won their next eight games on the way to an 11-5 season and the NFC North Division championship.
Fast forward to this year and the Bears are 5-0 -- along with the Indianapolis Colts -- and ready for a big game Monday night against Matt Leinart and the Arizona Cardinals. Not so fast, says Chicago head coach Lovie Smith.
"I don't think you can peak after five games," says Lovie. In other words, as the NFL's Week 6 dawns, there is a long way to go.
And Week 6 is only the start:
Storyline: Who dat? It's Donte' and Darren!
Two Eagles who are definitely up for this game are former Saints WR Donte' Stallworth and DE Darren Howard, both added to Philly this year. Stallworth had 222 yards receiving in his first two games, but has been hampered with hamstring woes since. Howard comes off a monster game against Dallas with seven tackles (including two for losses), two sacks, two QB hurries and a forced fumble.
Howard -- who often switches positions with DE Trent Cole (tied with Carolina's Julius Peppers for the NFL sack lead at 6.0) -- and his mates will confront the Saints' explosive RB duo of vet Deuce McAllister and rookie Reggie Bush, who combined for 292 all-purpose yards last week.
In this battle of division leaders, New Orleans' ninth-ranked NFL pass defense goes against QB Donovan McNabb, who leads the league in yards (1,602) average gain (9.10) and touchdowns (11). He spread his passes to seven different receivers last week.
Storyline: You sure these are the Rams?
Good thing St. Louis still wears those horns on its helmets, or the NFC West-rival Seahawks might not recognize them.
Under new coach Scott Linehan, St. Louis has scaled back its "Greatest Show on Turf" attack to a more balanced run-pass approach that utilizes RB Steven Jackson, who ties San Francisco's Frank Gore for the NFL rushing lead (465 yards). "We're definitely not the same," says QB Marc Bulger. "We've switched to more ball control."
Seattle -- 3-1 for the third time in four years -- comes off a bye, which means they have had time to work on their four-man WR rotation that comes with the recent addition of Deion Branch.
St. Louis has the best home record in the NFL (44-14, .759) since 1999, its Super Bowl XXXIV title season.
Storyline: Could there be two more opposite quarterbacks?
The Giants' Eli Manning is a prototypical pocket QB. The Falcons' Michael Vick is anything but. In fact, he is the NFC's 11th-leading rusher (333 yards), even with a bye week off. Pair him with RB Warrick Dunn (365 yards), and the Falcons boast the league's No. 1 rushing game that is somewhat modeled after the college option.
"Vick can make things happen at any given time," says Giants LB Antonio Pierce. "Dunn is playing great. It will be a big challenge for us to see if we can stop these guys."
Of course, the Giants don't have to apologize for their rush attack that is ranked seventh in the league. RB Tiki Barber, No. 2 in the NFL last year, averages 87.0 yards in the team's four games.
And which defense will prevail? Atlanta has not allowed a touchdown in three of its four games. New York limited its Week 5 opponent, Washington, to 3 of 11 successful third-down conversions.
Storyline: Matchup heaven!
There will be a lot of great matchups in this one: the Panthers' receiving twins -- Keyshawn Johnson and Steve Smith, who have combined for 50 catches, 634 yards and three TDs -- against top CBs Chris McAlister (two INTS) and Samari Rolle (one INT) … Carolina RB DeShaun Foster, the league's ninth-leading rusher (373 yards) and coming off a 106-yard game, against roadblock Ravens LBs Ray Lewis and Bart Scott … and Julius vs. Adalius.
That final duo won't actually face each other, but if you like defenders who can dominate, Peppers and Baltimore LB Adalius Thomas are quite a twosome. Peppers -- "there is not another 290-pound guy who can move, that's as flexible or as strong as this guy," says Panthers DE Al Wallace -- ties for the NFL sack lead (6.0). Thomas, who has played eight different defensive positions, comes off a five-tackle, one sack, one QB-hurry game against Denver. "He's a guy teams have to account for," says Ravens coach Brian Billick, whose club is 8-2 at home since 2005.
Storyline: Which trend will prevail?
The Broncos have won 12 consecutive home games. The visiting team has won four of the past five in the series.
It's Broncos-Raiders! Throw out the records! "It's tough to beat 'Broncos-Raiders' anywhere in the league," says Denver K Jason Elam.
Denver might be tough to beat. Coming off a three-interception Monday night of Baltimore's Steve McNair, the Broncos have given up the fewest points in the NFL (34) and are only the second team since 1940 (Miami in 2000) to allow only one touchdown through its first four games.
Both teams have strong running games. Denver RB Tatum Bell ranks No. 7 in the league (387 yards). Oakland paired RB Justin Fargas with LaMont Jordan in Week 5 and the duo combined for 134 yards. "It's a good combination," says Raiders head coach Art Shell. "We've got to keep that going for us."
Storyline: Rex vs. Matt.
Of course, there is a lot more to this game than the two quarterbacks, but this indeed is a meeting of two of the great college QBs of recent vintage.
Chicago's Rex Grossman -- the NFL's fourth-ranked passer (100.8) -- led Florida to a 23-9 record from 1999-02, three bowl games and was the 2001 Heisman Trophy runner-up. Arizona's Matt Leinart, who will be starting his second NFL game, won the 2004 Heisman at USC, built a 37-2 record, and led the Trojans to back-to-back national championships (2003-04). Leinart had a 14-1 record in prime time games (only loss was to Vince Young and Texas in last season's Rose Bowl BCS championship).
Chicago has dominated opponents this year, scoring 156 points (No. 1) and allowing only 36 (No. 2, tie with San Diego). Its average margin of victory is 24.0 points. If new Cardinals RB Edgerrin James has his MNF cleats on, he can test Chicago's sixth-ranked NFL rush game. James has averaged 108.0 yards in seven Monday night career games.
Matchup to watch: Speedy, go-deep Bears WR Bernard Berrian -- with five catches of over 40 yards and four TDs -- against Cards S Adrian Wilson, "one of the most underrated DBs in the NFL," according to CBS analyst and former Bengals DB Solomon Wilcots.
Go Saints!
Dallas Cowboys have committed four face-mask penalties in first six minutes!
See my post #28, from before the game started. Dallas is really sloppy. Their minds aren't on the game, and the Texans want it badly. I think the only question is will the better Dallas athletes be able to beat a more motivated team with less talent?
That's the first coffin corner kick I've seen in ages. It's a lost art.
Could my Cowboys work any harder at GIVING away each game?
I will say one thing for Steelers fans: win, lose or draw, they're loyal. Raiders fans are too, but I think it's the LSD in the water.
Yay! Eagles INT! :) (where the heck is everyone??)
ARGH!!!!!!!!! Tied again - one of those back & forths. Man!
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