Falcons Fans Already Desperate for Drastic Changes

The Atlanta Falcons traveled to Dallas to go up against the Cowboys in week 7. This was one of the more highly anticipated match ups of the week, As the Falcons came into the game with back to back wins against solid opponents, and looked to strengthen one of their best starts in franchise history. There was also a fair amount of interest in the Cowboys, as many were anxious to see if Tony Romo and Miles Austin could continue to put on an impressive show.

The Falcons came out strong, drawing first blood on their opening drive. However, the Cowboys were able to respond with a strong defensive performance, getting four sacks against Matt Ryan, who only suffered two sacks all season. Offensively, Miles Austin added on to his break-out success by continuing to make big plays. In the end, Dallas prevailed 37-21, gaining their first victory over a team with a winning record.

Though it did not appear that the Falcons defeat was one that they could not recover from, it seemed that the Atlanta faithfull did not share this point of view. There was much outrage pouring fourth from the Falcons message boards and blogs, all who sought to drink the blood of those responsible for their apparent demise.

It was claimed that Michael Turner is worthless, as he is fat and slow. This is very unfortunate, seeing as how Turner was given a 99 rating in the latest Madden game, and was therefore expected to do very well this season. Others shared their views on the Falcons secondary. It was declared that their corps of defenders were not NFL caliber, and would more than likely fail to succeed, even if they regressed to the high-school level. Furthermore, it was debated as to what draft choice should be made after the Falcons finish the season with a 4-12 record. This would of course be very bad, as this would entail losing to Tampa Bay twice, who is now universally considered to be the worst team of all time.

Personally, I do not envision such a breakdown for the Falcons. They are still poised to make history, becoming the first Falcons squad to make back to back playoff appearances. This does not seem unreasonable at all, especially since the Vikings and Giants have begun to suffer signs of imperfection.

However, this optimism does not seem to be catching on. With a Monday night game against the Saints in New Orleans fast approaching, the Falcons supporters are predicting "an ass beating of the Century." Some of my friends in Atlanta have informed me that they will not be watching the game, opting out for a WWF special instead. I have also learned that a substantial portion of the population will be studying law books and such, trying to determine if there is any way that they can press charges against Keith Brooking.

Saints vs Dolphins

With the Saints coming to Miami, Tony Sparano should have his team fired up to have a strong showing in front of a sell-out crowd. The Dolphins are coming off of two straight victories against AFC east rivals, and are now feeling much better about the unfolding season. Much of the focus, of course, will be on Miami's defensive squad, as they look to contain the most powerful offense in the land.

The Dolphins have enjoyed success thus far running the football out of the wildcat formation, using Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams to stack up serious yardage. Many speculate that Miami will try to take full advantage of this, as it will help control the tempo of the game and keep Drew Brees off the field for as long as possible. If all goes according to plan, the Dolphins should be able to make a few good plays on defense as well, and claim another home victory.

However, things do not always go so smoothly. Miami learned this the hard way against a very strong Colts team. Playing extremely well executed ball control football, the Dolphins chewed up nearly all of the clock. Unfortunately, this forced the Colts to do what they do best. (Peyton Manning throws the football, Colts Win!) Taking this into consideration, Miami may try to rely more on quarterback Chad Henne, and have him come up with a handful of big plays. This is not at all an unlikely scenario, as Henne completed 20 of 26 passing attempts in a shoot-out style game against a strong Jets defense.

The Saints, as always, should attempt to come out swinging, hopefully climbing to an early two or three touchdown lead. If this is allowed to happen, then its assuredly Game Over for Miami. (Time to reset/Smash the Nintendo) Of Course, the Dolphins are well aware of this possibility, and will try to keep things under control. They have been studying film from the Saints-Bills game, where New Orleans entered the fourth quarter with an unusually small 10-7 lead. They will do everything in their power to keep Drew Brees "uncomfortable."

Overall, I predict that the Saints continue their trend of coming out victorious by a margin of more than one score. They have demonstrated that they can excel in defensive games, and have more than proven that they are not a one-dimensional team. Until anyone is able to prove otherwise, I will continue to have faith.

Big Ten conference fails again

In recent years, there has been a growing consensus that the Big Ten conference has reached an era of decline. In making this case, detractors usually point to repeatedly poor non-conference play and a dismal bowl game record. Though supporters of the Big Ten had high hopes that the 2009 season could be a return to glory of sorts, it is now becoming more and more evident that the quest for ineptitude is only just beginning.

Of course, one could hardly write such an article without mentioning Ohio State's most recent loss to Purdue. The Boilermakers, coming into the game with a 1-5 record, struck a serious blow to the Buckeye hopes and dreams. It seems like "The Ohio State Buckeyes" may be headed for "The Poulan Weedeater Bowl" this year.

Its not all doom and gloom though. There is always the Michigan Wolverines. Enjoying national powerhouse status, the Wolverines continue to find themselves ranked in the top 10, as they set the standard for twenty-first century collegiate football. Given their historically prestigious program, combined with their depth chart of all-world talent level players and coaches, it seems almost certain that Michigan will be in direct contention for the national title every year for the next twenty five years. Though many of their opponents pray that some type of dark horse program will come along and knock them off their pedestal, it just doesn't seem like a possibility at this point.

Hold on, now. Wait a minute. I just received an urgent communication via facsimile from the Ministry of Truth. It seems that I have been found guilty of posting nonsense classified as "Magnitude 99." The recommended penalty, in all instances, is death. Maybe the ACLU can bargain for clemency on my behalf.

All joking aside, It really isn't all that bad. As an SEC fan, I get a little enjoyment from time to time poking fun at the other conferences. Though I do believe that the SEC is the strongest conference from top to bottom, this dominance is not overwhelming by any means. Florida played a very close game against unranked Arkansas, and usually powerful LSU has been unable to put away a lot of schools that have been historically weak. Overall, I would say that the state of NCAA football resembles what the NFL has been in the last two decades. It seems that "On any given Saturday, any team can prevail. This seems very hard to deny ever since the 2007 season.

As far as the Big Ten is concerned, I think that Ron Zook, head coach of the fighting Illini, made a rather simple but very meaningful point. Yes, the Big Ten has very capable athletes and a more than supportive fan base, but until Big Ten teams make a strong showing in non-conference and bowl games, the nay-sayers will not be silenced.

The Deplorable Raiders

There is quite a bit of talk these days concerning the Oakland Raiders and their continued difficulties. Following a horrendous 44-7 beating at the hands of the New York Giants, many are beginning to contemplate what may lay down the stretch for this team. In this column, I will attempt to project just exactly what is to be expected in a detailed week by week analysis.

Week 6: The Philadelphia Eagles travel to Oakland to challenge the Raiders. Coming off of a couple of victories, the eagles will play with intensity and focus, and will attempt to make a powerful statement in this game. Donovan Mcnabb has played well since his return from injury, and will continue to do so against the Raiders. It is not unreasonable to expect that Philadelphia will score five or six touchdowns in this game. However, the Raiders will continue to struggle on offense. They should not score more than a couple of field goals. Philly wins 35-6. ( A conservative estimation)

Week 7: The Raiders face another solid opponent at home as the New York Jets pay a visit to Oakland Stadium. The Jets should be 4-2 at this point, and will be seeking further redemption after their loss to Miami. The Jets defense should show up to play big time, and a couple of defensive touchdowns could be a strong possibility. If this does happen, the Raiders offense becomes too demoralized to perform, and the game ends in a shutout. For this one I predict Jets 24, Raiders 0.

Week 8: This time the Raiders to travel to San Diego to take on the Chargers. Following Jamarcus Russel's miserable performance versus the Jets, He is benched and the backups are given a shot. I predict here that they do not rise to the challenge though, as the Chargers should be motivated to improve their record here, especially if they do not pull off the win against Denver. Oakland's offense will perform better than usual, as Darren McFadden is able to provide some assistance here. Despite their effort, San Diego wins 31-10.

Week 9: For this week, the Raiders get a bye, but this does not provide much relief as it only provides for more time for the players and coaches to reflect upon their woes. At 1-7, Many in the organization are starting to feel the heat. Raiders head coach Tom Cable frantically tries to adjust his game plan, while the powers that be try to shake things up. Expect for at least one of the coordinators to be fired.

Week 10: The Kansas City Chiefs come to town. For the sake of this article, lets assume that the chiefs will still be winless at this point. That being the case, the pressure on the Raiders to win here will be severe. Unfortunately, Oakland chokes and fails to produce once again. Matt Cassel has a remarkable game. The Chiefs win by a margin of more than two touchdowns. Tom Cable finds himself beaten by Al Davis, then fired.

Week 11: For this week, The Raiders find themselves outmatched yet again as the Cincinnati Bengals make an appearance in Oakland Stadium. Following the dismissal of Tom Cable, strength and conditioning coach Brad Roll is named interim coach. This is mainly due to the firing of both of the coordinators, and several assistant coaches as well. Things do not improve here as the playoff bound Bengals deliver Oakland one of the worst beatings in NFL history. Cincinnati wins 70-0. Brad Roll is fired late in the third quarter. Special Teams coach John Fassel is named his replacement, for now.

Week 12: The Raiders take a trip down to Texas to face off against the Dallas Cowboys. Despite all the disharmony in the organization, Oakland performs much better here than expected. With the game deadlocked late in the fourth quarter, the Raiders suffer a critical turnover at their own 40 yard line. Though the defense holds, Dallas is able to make a long field goal, winning the game in the final seconds. Cowboys win 20-17.

Week 13: Al Davis is starting to get very disturbed by this point. In a moment of what he considers to be football genius, he makes an unprecedented move and names former backup quarterback Charlie Frye head coach. Though Mr. Davis had very high expectations for this young man, it turns out that balancing the responsibilities of head coach and starting quarterback is nearly impossible. When this is combined with the fact that Oakland has to play the Steelers at home, who are making a late season playoff run, disaster results. The Raiders suffer another God awful beating and lose 48-0.

Week 14: Raiders vs Skins. Skins win!

Week 15: The implosion of the Raiders organization is now equal to that of a very massive star collapsing under the force of its own gravity. Quarterback Charlie Frye has quit the team at this point, and so has Darren McFadden. Because no replacement coach is named in a timely manner, all decisions are made by the team collectively. Of course, no one is able to come to any reasonable agreement, and further degradation ensues. No practices or team meetings are held of any kind for the remainder of the week. As a result, the red-hot Broncos replicate the infamous beating Georgia Tech unleashed upon Cumberland college in the early 20th century. The Broncos score on almost every play, and win 222-0.

Week 16: Al Davis, on the brink of insanity, decides to take a hands on approach. He declares himself head coach in an attempt to restore his all but hopeless franchise to glory. To increase motivation, he threatens the lives of all the players and all of their first born children. He is quoted as saying, "Unforeseen consequences will result", should anyone fail to perform. With Certain death looming over their heads, the Raiders play a valiant game against the Browns. Leading the game late in the 4th quarter, The Raiders defense pin Cleveland deep in their own territory. However, Derek Anderson, who only made a handful of completions all year, throws a hail Mary to win the game. Cleveland wins 10-7.

Week 17: For the final game of the season, The Raiders go up against the stalwart Baltimore Ravens. Unbeknownst to them, Al Davis has been ready for this day, and has formulated a new strategy. In what has been described as a custom made version of the wildcat, the ball will be directly snapped to Al Davis, allowing him to personally lead his team to victory. Ignoring warnings from the team medical staff and his own personal physician, He takes the field. On Oakland's first offensive play of the game, Al Davis tries to run the ball up the middle for positive yardage, but is met with a violent helmet to helmet collision from Ray Lewis. As a result, Al Davis suffers fatal head trauma, becoming the first player to die during an NFL game in many years. Ravens win.

Aftermath: Following the disastrous season, It did not seem that there was much light at the end of the tunnel for the beleaguered Oakland franchise. However, in the off-season, Rush Limbaugh made a bid to purchase the team using a fake identity. To the dismay of Al Sharpton and Donovan Mcnabb, he was awarded the franchise for 800K.

Of course, things will probably never get this bad. I'm just joking here. Its always fun to speculate, though.

Giants will not be prepared for the Saints

With the upcoming NFL week 6 games approaching, I find it doubtful that any of them will generate more excitement than the Saints/Giants showdown. Whichever team that is able to claim victory this upcoming Sunday will make a powerful argument as to who is the most dominant team in the NFC, and perhaps, the NFL.

The Giants are coming off a five game winning streak, and are sitting atop the power rankings in the NFC. Their elite defense, combined with solid play from quarterback Eli Manning, have enabled them to obliterate the competition thus far. I believe it is safe to say at this point that expectations for this 2009 squad are intensifying.

Of course, there is the matter of the quality of opposition to consider. Just for a moment, let us pretend that every team faced so far by the Giants are middle school students. If I had to issue a quarterly report card for their performance, it might raise some eyebrows. Lets just say that their folks would be none too proud.

I think that most people would be in agreement with me in saying that the cowboys have been the most formidable foe overcome by New York at this point. Though their level of play should not be described as abhorrent, it has most definitely once again failed to meet expectations. Dallas is only one overtime victory away from having most of their organization on the chopping block. It is entirely possible that they may get it together and make a good run, but all indicators at this time point to mediocrity.

Another questionable team on the Giants schedule is the Redskins. Though they have managed to acquire a couple of wins, they shoulder the great dishonor of being the only team to lose to Detroit in quite some time. After letting one slip to winless Carolina, There will be much pressure to defeat the Chiefs, as this may be the only winnable game on their schedule for the next month and a half.

When discussing the other teams, (Kansas City, Tampa Bay, and Oakland) there are not too many positive things to say right now. Almost all hope for any of these clubs for having a respectable season has been crushed into a fine powder. Kansas City and Tampa Bay have shown some capability in being able to hang with some tough competition, but until they get their first taste of victory, the disrespect will be perpetual. As for the deplorable Raiders, the subject is somewhat of a dead horse, but maybe it could stand to be beaten some more. Beginning week 3, their margin of defeat has continued to grow substantially. It may increase further if they fail to bolster what seems to be an imploding organization.

Of Course, the point I'm trying to make here is that New Orleans has had tougher competition, and has made a stronger case for itself up to this point. Though Detroit and Buffalo are struggling at this point, I do believe that the Jets and the Eagles will finish the regular season with a more than solid record. Yes, Mcnabb did not play against New Orleans, but I still believe that New Orleans would have won that game. Anytime a team goes on the road and defeats tough team like that, it says a good deal about the character of your squad.
The Saints, with the support of an enormously electrified home crowd, should be able to pull off a win in week 6. However, I don't want to get too carried away here. I find it doubtful that this game will be decided by more than one score.