Football Recap (Part II)

Yesterday we covered a few of my thoughts from the long weekend of college football. Today I will share a few thoughts on last Sunday’s NFL action as we look forward to a monster weekend of football that puts what most likely are the best four teams in football against each other. And no, I did not forget about Monday’s horrendous game, but I sure wish I could…

· The Steelers are certainly counting their blessings this week as they tried their hardest to leave Buffalo with a loss. My biggest complaint from the game, besides the James Harrison penalty, was the Steelers abandoning the running game for much of the second half before returning to it in overtime. Rashard Mendenhall had 18 carries in the first half when the Steelers moved the ball at will on the Bills, including their opening drive when they ran the football six consecutive times from Buffalo’s 24-yard line to score their first and only touchdown of the game. Mendenhall had eight carries on that drive alone but received only 10 carries the entire second half before getting 8 more carries in overtime where the Steelers coincidentally moved the ball down the field and won the game.

· Speaking of Harrison, the NFL is not singling him out. The problem is his reputation and his style of play. Harrison does lead with his helmet, but it is usually his facemask that he sticks right in the chest of the opposing player. This is supposed to be legal but there is a very fine line between his facemask and the top of his helmet, especially as the officials are watching the game in full speed and have been instructed to throw a flag if they are unsure. The NFL is going to have to address and clarify this issue in the offseason, but in the meantime Harrison needs to stop leading with his head at all or the Steelers need to shut up and live with the consequences if a flag is thrown.

· How about them Bears? Chicago is now 8-3 and would be watching from their couches with a bye if the playoffs were to start today. This past Sunday the Bears were able to slow down Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles who were everyone’s flavor of the month in the NFC coming in. The Bears are winning with their defense and Jay Cutler’s (gulp!) ability to protect the football. I have watched a number of the Bears’ games this year, however, and believe that Cutler has been a little more lucky than good with his lack of interceptions. At some point we will see the real Cutler come back to haunt ‘da Bears down the stretch or in the playoffs.

· In what could have been a preview for a playoff game or even the NFC Championship, the Atlanta Falcons knocked off the Green Bay Packers in what was a fantastic game. Matt Ryan is now 19-1 in his career at home. The Falcons will host the Saints in late December in what very well could be the game that decides not only the division but home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. I am guessing that most NFC contenders will be pulling for the Saints that day to knock off the Falcons, not that playing in the Superdome against Drew Brees would be any kind of picnic.

· Injuries are a part of life in the NFL. Every team has to deal with their share but no team has been more affected this year than the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts have been without Dallas Clark, Austin Collie, Joseph Addai, Gary Brackett, Clint Sessions and Bob Sanders, among others, for significant portions of the season. These guys aren’t just good players for the Colts, they are difference-makers. It is one thing for NFL teams to have injuries among their marginal players who can be replaced with a somewhat comparable player (something we have seen the Steelers do on their offensive line and Baltimore in their secondary) but teams cannot lose their difference makers. Steelers’ fans should know this feeling all too well after last year when they watched the defense suffer without two of their top difference-makers in Aaron Smith and Troy Polamalu.

· The Chargers, led by Philip Rivers, look poised to go on another late season run. Rivers, who in my opinion is the MVP of the NFL right now and is playing the QB position as good if not better than anyone in the league this season, and the Chargers have consistently turned it on in December over the years but it remains to be seen if they can get over that final hurdle in the playoffs. With Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Ben Roethlisberger (owning eight of the AFC’s last nine Super Bowl QB appearances) standing in his way it certainly will not be easy for Rivers to exorcise his playoff demons.

Thursday Night Pick
PHILADELPHIA (-8) over Houston