Favre Devastates the 49ers...again

Awful memories crept back into my mind on Sunday. As I watched Brett Favre step onto the field with 80 yards to go facing a four-point deficit to the 49ers with a minute and a half to go, I sat on the edge of my seat with discomfort. My friend Gary, (also a 49ers fan) who was watching the game with me, was way too confident and kept telling me that we had it in the bag. I never feel comfortable in these situations. If I have to rely on one of my favorite teams' defenses to hold onto a lead in the final moments of a game I'm going to be nervous. It doesn't matter if the Terps have a two-point lead on the last possession of a basketball game, if the Orioles are trying to close out a game in the 9th, or if the Capitals are clinging to a one-goal lead in the playoffs. I'm always going to be a little worried. But if Brett Favre has one last drive against the 49ers, I'm absolutely frightened.

After the 49ers won the Super Bowl in the 1994-95 season, it looked like they were going to add a second chapter to their dynasty. The team of the 80s never really had to rebuild, it just reloaded with the transition from Montana to Steve Young and many don't realize how many times the Niners were in contention for the Super Bowl in the 90s. Entering the 1995 playoffs, the Niners were the hottest team in league winning 7 of 8 to close the season and were the 2nd seed in the NFC. San Francisco had a matchup at Candlestick against Favre's Packers in the Divisional Playoffs. Green Bay came out and just smacked the Niners in the mouth repeatedly, rolling to a 27-17 victory. This started a trend that to this day gives me nightmares.

The next season...Packers beat the Niners in the Divisional round at Lambeau en route to a championship. The next season...Packers beat the Niners in Candlestick in the NFC Championship (we had the best record in the NFC that year). The following year when we actually beat the Packers in a Wildcard game after TO's remarkable game-winning catch, I was in tears because I'd never seen the Niners beat Favre (by the way this is the best call by any broadcaster, ever.) Of course the next week we lost to Atlanta. Favre got us one more time in 2001-02 to make it 4 for 5 against the Niners in the playoffs.



Favre may have been my most hated athlete during those times. He possibly took two or three Super Bowls away from San Fran. Who knows maybe we would be looked at as the premiere franchise in the history of the game instead of the Steelers? As the years passed and the 49ers haven't even been part of the playoff hunt, my feelings toward Favre started to change. As he got older, I started to root for him because he continued to make remarkable plays and carry his team against all odds. And of course he wasn't hurting my team!

When Favre stepped into this situation, I thought maybe this time we could hang on. Favre is 80 years old and grayer than ever. The 49ers defense had played remarkably well all season up to that point. And I thought that under Singletary the defense would be too disciplined to give up the big play. But deep down I still had a wrench in my gut. As I watched him run the 2-minute drill, I felt sicker and sicker. And after the 32-yard TD pass to Greg Lewis (who?) with two seconds left, I wanted to yack my chicken cheesesteak and fries all over the bar at Glory Days. The state of shock and anger I was in was indescribable and could only be compared to the way I felt after two Maryland basketball losses: a 2008 loss to Clemson where the Terps blew a 20 point lead with 5 minutes left and the infamous 2001 loss to Duke when Maryland blew a 10 point lead with 50 seconds left. Instantly, I was back to putting Favre on the list of my most hated athletes again.

I was so satisfied with the way the Niners had fought on the road without their best player...only to be handed a sickening loss. At 3-0 we would be in a perfect position to take the NFC West. I know it's early but if we had a two game lead over Seattle and Arizona along with the wins we had already had over both of those teams we would be in great shape. Most of all I just wanted us to be the talk of the NFL. Playing on the west coast and not making the playoffs for the past six seasons I rarely even hear about the Niners on the national spectrum unless it's another coaching change. This kind of road win most certainly would've put us in the spotlight for a change.

It took me three hours to recover from the defeat. I had to watch other football games to get that one off my mind. Of course the constant highlights during halftime and postgame reports made me relapse back into another state of disgust. But there was something that finally gave me an optimistic view of things...Singletary's postgame reaction.

"I'd rather we lose now, taste it, chew on it, swallow it, and get better. I want them to remember what it feels like, learn from it and go from there," Singletary said.

Singletary somehow spins this loss into a positive! He calls it a learning experience. If I were a player or coach, I would've been so devastated I don't think I could've spoke to the media, let alone look at the bright side of things. He shook this loss off like it was a fly on his arm. He is incredibly optimistic and incredibly smart. He knows that with a young team like this, you can't allow them to sulk and let it have an impact on future games. He sends a message to the team to hold your heads up and move on. It seems like Singletary knows how to push all the right buttons to get this team headed in the right direction. This just reflects on what kind of a coach and what kind of a man he is.

All of a sudden I feel OK about the Niners again. Singletary really changed my outlook on the season. If I'm this inspired by Singletary, the players have to be psyched. They can take this loss and use it as motivation to beat their next opponent. It sure helps that the Rams are visiting Candlestick on Sunday. Just anybody but Brett "the 49er killer" Favre

Fantasy Friday

It's Friday boys and girls. You know what that means...fantasy and game predictions. Only two more days til Sunday! God, football is my life. It should be another interesting week with a lot of big games on tap. By the end of this week we should at least be able to separate the elite teams from the ordinary ones. The 2-0 surprises, 49ers, Jets, Saints and Broncos get a chance to prove if they're ready to take the next step. Then there's the teams trying to avoid the 0-3 disaster start: The Titans, Panthers, Dolphins and Jaguars are in dire need of a win or their seasons are likely over.

But the team that needs a strong performance more than any other team is the Washington Redskins. I know you're probably thinking "What do they have to worry about? They're playing the Lions!" But this game could not only determine the Skins fate this season, but future seasons as well. All the talk around D.C. is about head coach Jim Zorn, whose job may be in jeopardy after two consecutive lackluster offensive performances to start the season. The Skins are being called by 106.7 The Fan radio personality Mike Wise as the Washington Redzones for their inability to score touchdowns when they get inside the 20. The Skins have only one offensive TD, which came in garbage time against the Giants. Zorn's questionable play calling has been grilled by everybody, including the ancient Sonny Jurgensen who during an on-air interview with Zorn, ripped him for calling a halfback pass on 3rd and goal.  When Jurgensen said he would've called a timeout before running that play, Zorn lashed out saying he would've benched the hall-of-famer. I love that response...putting the old man in his place...the most fire I've seen from him since landing the head coach position. Don't get me started on Jurgensen. I can't stand that geriatric idiot. I'm going to dedicate an entire post to criticizing him in the near future.

Back to Zorn, the talk of the town is that he's hosed with a loss to Detroit or maybe even another ugly win. Daniel Snyder's leash with head coaches is about as short as a string of dental floss. A loss to the laughingstock of the league is likely to cause the leash to rip. I think it's way too soon to get rid of Zorn. In my mind that offense has very little talent and no playmakers. Clinton Portis isn't getting enough carries and Santana Moss just isn't that effective anymore. But the Washington area is very demanding of it's Skins and so is the trigger-happy Snyder. The scary thing is that the Lions have improved. They were leading the Vikings for a good part of last week's game and they are definitely hungry. A win is coming soon for them and if it's next week...we might see the Skins implode before our eyes.

Ok, lets get to some fantasy. We'll start out with the guys I expect to have down performances.

1. Brandon Marshall WR Broncos
I wouldn't start the diva if I were you. Marshall only has 7 catches thus far and hasn't gotten in any rhythm with Kyle Orton. He also missed practice on Wednesday with an illness (maybe another attempt to renegotiate his contract?) although he's listed as probable. Lastly and most importantly, Marshall will be facing the best corner in the league, Nnamdi Asomugha.


2. Thomas Jones RB Jets
I don't advise you to start running backs who are facing the Titans defense even though they're 0-2. No exception here. Thomas Jones has looked subpar except for some late runs in garbage time against the Texans in week one. The Titans are going to make sure to stack the box and make Mark Sanchez beat him.

3. Joseph Addai RB Colts
Addai has been killing me with his lack of production in fantasy. Why did I have to be on a slow computer that froze during the draft? He was autopicked for me and probably the reason why I lost in one of my leagues. Against the Cardinals he will not be used much as it will be a Manning-Warner showdown in the desert. What's even worse for Addai is that Donald Brown played very well last week...scoring a touchdown and caught some balls out of the backfield.

4. Byron Leftwich QB Buccaneers
Everyone that jumping on the Leftwich bandwagon better hold on for at least a week. I don't foresee him putting up the same numbers against the Giants D this week. I am surprised that he's doing as well as he has without Antonio Bryant being effective. But expect Leftwich to have some costly turnovers this week.

5. Atlanta Defense
The Falcons defense has played surprisingly well so far, prompting many to pick them up in fantasy. However this week I like the Pats offense to rebound at home. And if Welker is back and somewhat effective, I really like the Pats to move the ball well on the Falcons defense.

Get these guys in your lineup ASAP!

1. Mario Manningham/ Steve Smith WRs Giants
I told you to forget about Domenik Hixon. These two got silly against a Dallas secondary that's begging for mercy. Their reward: a date with the Bucs defense who give up more big plays and are currently in the process of trying to bribe Monty Kiffin to come back. Manningham is averaging 16 yds/rec...a number that I think will increase after this matchup. I don't think they'll get 10 catches each like last week but I'd expect at least a combined 180 yds and 2 TDs.

2. Kevin Kolb QB Eagles
Everyone seems to be looking at Kolb's three picks against the Saints and forgetting that he threw for 390 yds last week. No, neither Jeff Garcia or Michael Vick should be starting despite what some clowns think. Kolb draws another favorable matchup at home against Kansas City. I like him to put up similar numbers to last week with less interceptions.

3. Greg Jennings WR Packers
I know a lot of Jennings owners were freaking out when they saw the goose egg that Jennings put up last week but there's no reason to panic. The best cure for an ailing offensive performance is getting the Rams the next week. Aaron Rodgers and Co. should be playing angry after the surprising loss to the Bengals and put up some big numbers this week.

4. Felix Jones RB Cowboys

I seriously don't understand why Jones doesn't get the ball more. He's a playmaker with some serious wheels. I think he's the perfect compliment to Marion Barber and his punishing style of running. For some reason the Cowboys are taking carries away from Jones and giving them to Tashard Choice. This week Barber is out so it's just Jones and Choice...and a chance for Felix to showcase his talent against a Carolina defense that's given up 336 yards on the ground in two games.

5. Pierre Garcon WR Colts
This is my sleeper pick of the week. With Anthony Gonzalez still out, Garcon is the #2 receiver. He had the big touchdown grab in the Monday night win over the Dolphins. Manning got all the credit but Garcon made that play...he adjusted to a low throw on the WR screen and then smartly cut back to the middle of the field where his blockers were. Reggie Wayne hasn't seen single coverage all year so there should be some openings for Garcon against Arizona.

Picks:
Titans over Jets:
  This is an absolute must win for Tennessee and they know it. Expect the defense to put a lot of pressure on Sanchez and try to make him look like a rookie for a change. I don't like betting against the Jets with the way they've made me pay the last two weeks with surprising victories. But I think desperation will prevail over a possibly complacent and satisfied Jets team.

Colts over Cardinals:
I'm not convinced that the Cardinals have righted the ship after one win over the struggling Jags. This game will be a serious test for them. The over/under on total passing yards for the two teams is probably 1000. I like Peyton Manning to come up with another game-winning drive on primetime television to take this one.

Patriots over Falcons:
This is such a tough one to pick but I'm not gonna take the easy route and pick bunnies on this blog. The Pats have always found ways to rebound from disappointing losses, even though I don't think they are the Pats of old. Brady has gotta get it going at some point. It should be interesting to see Matty Ice Ryan perform in a homecoming in New England. With this pick I'm taking using my head over my heart and taking the Pats. But I really hope I'm wrong...I love this young Falcons team and obviously can't stand the Pats.

Saints over Bills:
Nobody can stop Drew Brees right now. I don't expect that to change in Buffalo. Expect another shootout, which is pretty much every game the Saints are involved in. I do think Buffalo will be pose the stiffest challenge the Saints have faced thus far. And if this game were being played in December I'd probably go the other way. But the weather is still warm enough in Buffalo for Brees to air out all day. Saints 3-0

Dallas over Carolina
If you are betting with spreads you gotta take the Panthers in this one getting nine points. I know it seems like the Panthers are horrible but let's keep in mind that they've played the Eagles and Falcons to start the season. Carolina might not be that bad but I don't see them overcoming a Cowboy team that wants to impress at their new stadium. They'll get a second chance in primetime to get their first win there. I wonder if Jerry Jones paid somebody off to get his first two home games at the new arena played at night. In another close game, I like the Cowboys to be on the other side and come up with a W.

You're probably wondering why I didn't pick the Niners-Vikings game, which shockingly is the only matchup between undefeated teams. I really don't know what to expect in this one. I know the Niners aren't a fluke but I'm not sure if they're ready to win another big one on the road. It's not going to be easy for Frank Gore to run on this behemoth-stacked defensive line.AP isn't going to have an easy defense to run against either I would pick the under for total points with these two defenses. Hopefully the Niners will ruin Favre's home debut.

What a Week!

In my time watching football I don't think I've ever seen such an entertaining start to the season. The storylines, surprise teams, big plays and thrilling finishes have made the football fans forget...it's only September! The NFL couldn't have asked for a better start to the season. All six primetime games this season have come down to the final minutes, which is more than the NFL could've hoped for. In Week 2, there were 10 games decided by 8 points or less. Five of these included game-winning scores in the final four minutes.

So what can we take from this bizarre week?

1. The Jets are for real. I was completely wrong in thinking the Pats would dominate them. Rex Ryan said that Bill Belichick was a better coach than he was before the game, but he outcoached his counterpart in this one. The Jets defense has stopped two of the top offenses in football in consecutive weeks.  Mark Sanchez looks as poised as I've seen a young QB since...dare I say Tom Brady? I know it's a little early for that but this kid stepped up to the challenge and the great thing is that he looks like he's having a blast out there on the field. Man do I love seeing the Pats get beat.

2. The Pats just don't seem right. I feel like anytime Belichick loses, he becomes a mad scientist who has to go back to the lab again and frantically figure out the right formula for victory. But this year that might not be so easy. I'm not one to freak out over Tom Brady being out of rhythm like everyone else. This is just another instance of "What have you done for me lately" that I talked about last week. But if his productivity doesn't improve in the next few weeks I will be extremely upset. I drafted him in the 2nd round of my fantasy draft even though he's one of my five most hated athletes in sports right now. I can't stand looking at that s---eating grin on his face. But I'm still confident that he'll turn it around. He's Tom Brady after all.

What is worrisome for the Pats is their defense. They only gave up 16 points against the Jets but it could've been a lot worse if the Jets did a better job in the redzone. The Pats failed to make the crucial stops on 3rd down, to get their defense off the field. They look like they're missing the old vets Bruschi, Vrabel and Seymour. Next week is an even bigger test for this defense when they face the powerful Falcons offense.

Quick Note: This game proved how vital Wes Welker is to this offense. I always believed that it was Moss who created opportunities for Welker to get open but this may not be the case. Moss only caught four balls for 24 yards in Welker's absence. With all the pressure Brady faced, he could've really used his blitz-buster, check-down receiver to make the Jets pay. With his other receivers, Brady couldn't match the timing perfection that he has with Welker. They need him healthy ASAP.

3. Mike Singletary has changed the culture in San Francisco. The 49ers are breaking away from their trend of being a finesse team and playing the type of smash mouth football that defined Singletary as a player. In case you guys didn't hear, Frank Gore is listed as questionable for next week's game against the Vikings due to back problems from carrying the offense. Speaking of injuries, the Seahawks might have to start their entire practice squad on offense after the physical beating they took from the Niners defense. I predicted that the Niners would win, but I was wrong about one thing: they aren't going to back away from the run no matter how many defenders are in the box. On both of Gore's long TD runs, Seattle had eight men in the box. But great blocking and tremendous vision from Gore allowed him to get to the second level of the defense...where there was no one to be found. I'm not going to be one of those guys to jump the gun and call for playoffs just yet and jinx my boys. But starting off with two wins in the division is huge, especially in a sub-par NFC West. I'm just happy to have a coach seems to know what he's doing.

4. Jay Cutler still sucks. I don't care if he beat the defending champs. He just took advantage of a Steeler defense that stacked up on the run to stop the only true star on this offense...Matt Forte. And let's not forget that if it weren't for Jeff Reed's choke job he wouldn't have been in a situation to win that game. I hope Jay bought Reed a beer after the game because those missed FGs saved him from another week of tough Chicago scrutiny.

Quick Note: Check out who shows up when you type in Jay Cutler on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGcH2lAJJRQ

I can't help but laugh at that. Real question is which Cutler is less of a d-bag. I vote for the body builder...I think he's smarter too

5. The Giants and the Ravens are the two best teams in football right now. It's possible we could have a rematch of the 2000 Super Bowl this year. A lot has happened in nine years hasn't it? Kerry Collins has made a resurgence with the Titans, Trent Dilfer and Brian Billick are both NFL analysts, Jim Fassel has disappeared from the face of the earth, and Michael Strahan is acting in movies. What has the world come to? One thing hasn't changed....Ray Lewis. Lewis made the big stop to secure the Ravens win over the Chargers on Sunday. It doesn't look like he's slowed down a bit.

Neither the Giants or Ravens manhandled their opponents like the Saints did. But both beat quality teams (Cowboys, Chargers) on the road this week. The Saints are very good but their two wins came against the Lions and a McNabb-less Eagles. I still need to see a strong defensive performance from them to put them on the level of these teams. As for the Giants and Ravens, we know how dominant their defenses are. What's scary is how both teams are ripping it up through the air. The teams' offenses are very similar actually...no big name wideouts, reliable tight ends and multiple effective running backs. The Ravens have to be thrilled with the speedy development of Joe Flacco who is quickly exiting the "game management" stage and entering "play maker" stage of his career. If the G-men and Ravens continue the success in the passing game I don't see them being stopped.

This crazy and exciting week did mess up a lot of my picks for this pool I'm in. What the hell happened Packers, Steelers and Titans? But at least I went 4-1 in the picks I posted on the blog. In my fantasy predictions I went a perfect five for five with my "don't starts" and three for five with my "play-ems". So far I'm living up to my title as "The Gridiron Guru".

Check in later on in the week for more opinions and predictions. Feel free to post comments to the blog or e-mail me at morelandjeremy@gmail.com. I'd be happy to address all of your questions and opinions.

Week 2 Fantasy and Game Predictions

Time for my first set of fantasy and game predictions. Every week, either on Friday or Saturday I'll pick five players who I think will perform well, five who won't do so well, and pick five of the toughest and most important games. So lets get things started.

Start these guys at your own risk
1. Steelers RBs:
It's extremely rare to find a team built on smash mouth football to be so ineffective in the running game. Since Alan Faneca left the Steelers, their offensive line has never been the same and the Steelers have had to rely more and more on the arm of Big Ben. Willie Parker has struggled to stay healthy and seems to have lost some of his explosiveness. I still think Rashard Mendenhall can be a good running back in this league but it's tough when you can't there's no holes to run through. Neither could do anything against the Titans...don't expect that to change when they face the Bears this week.


2. Kevin Smith:
Tough matchup for Smith going against the Vikings...maybe the best defensive front in football. Expect the Lions to be down early as usual and resort to the passing game. Only way I'd start Smith is if you're in a PPR league (points per reception) because he is one of Matthew Stafford's go-tos. In my PPR league I still benched him for Cadillac Williams.

3. Domenik Hixon:
If you thought Hixon would be Eli Manning's #1 target you were extremely disappointed to see Eli go everywhere else in Week 1. Steve Smith, Mario Manningham and even the rookie Hakeem Nicks came before Hixon. I don't expect any one wide receiver to put up big fantasy numbers this season for the Giants until Nicks comes into his own. Look out, this kid is going to be a great receiver. On the other hand I'd probably drop Hixon to the bench or even the free agent list.

4. Steve Slaton
It's hard to bench a guy like Slaton who gets the majority of the carries in Houston but if you have a decent running back to replace Slaton you might want to make a switch this week. The Titans run defense looks like it hasn't missed a beat even with the loss of Albert Haynesworth. I think you're going to see a lot of Matt Schaub on Sunday. Don't give up on Slaton this season he'll get his eventually, but it just might come later than you'd expect.

5. Antonio Bryant
I think last year was a fluke for a guy who always seems to find himself in trouble off the field. The Bucs will rely on their depth at running back to pound teams in between the tackles. Bryant missed most of the preseason and I don't think him and Byron Leftwich are on the same page yet. The Bills defense is better than the numbers show against the pass. Anyone can get burned for 350 in the air against the Pats.

Play these guys
1. Brian Westbrook
Westbrook has always been a feast or famine guy in fantasy. Thanksgiving might come early for him tomorrow. I really like Westbrook to step up big this week for a multitude of reasons. One, he's facing a Saints defense that still isn't there yet (although they are improved). Two, with Kevin Kolb taking the snaps you can't expect the Eagles to air out as often. Three, the passes Kolb does throw will be dinks and dunks. So expect a lot of screens to Westbrook...I'm thinking 5 or 6 catches tomorrow. Finally, Westbrook is fresh for the time being...you can bet on the injuries to pile up by Week 6 or 7 though.

2. T.O.
Unlike Skip Bayless, I don't think Owens' comments this week are going to affect the team at all. Owens watched his former mates score three TDs of over 60 yards against the Bucs depleted secondary last week. Owens hopes to do the same this week. By the way, when is Ronde Barber going to retire? He's almost old enough to be head coach Raheem Morris' dad! I think Owens is good for at least 80 yards and a score this week. Get your popcorn ready!

3. Percy Harvin
Brett Favre seems to have a real connection with this kid already. Bernard Berrian hasn't been around for most of the preseason so I wouldn't expect him to get targeted too much just yet. It really doesn't matter who lines up at wide receiver against the Lions does it? If I were Brad Childress I'd just tell Harvin to run as far and fast as he can every play. I'd expect numbers similar to what Devery Henderson had last week.

4. Matt Schaub
You might be wondering why I like Schaub this week against Tennessee. Well like I said earlier I don't think Steve Slaton is going to be very effective on the ground. That means Schaub will be throwing a lot...let's say around 40 times or so. The Titans defense struggled to stop the Steelers passing game last week, although it's pretty hard for cornerbacks to cover receivers for 12 seconds while Roethlisberger is scrambling in the pocket all night. You can't expect this powerful Texans offense to be held in check for long...there's just too many weapons. Schaub will get back on track and find Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels often.


5. Santana Moss
I don't like relying on a guy like Moss, who's similar to Westbrook in that he can go big or not show up at all. One day he'll go for 150 and 3 TDs, the next he'll do absolutely nothing. Kinda like last week's 2 catches-6 yds performance. But against the worst team in the league I think Moss is going to step up. It's important that he does so Campbell and this offense can get into some sort of rhythm. I like Jim Zorn to open up the playbook and let Campbell cut it loose and Moss is their biggest (not in size) deep threat. I'm actually starting Moss over Houshmandzadeh this week. I like Campbell for 250+ yds and Moss to have 100+ yds and a TD.

I'm not going to do spreads on my picks, rather I'll just give you five winners. Don't worry, I won't pick the easy games every week. Here are my picks for Week 2:

Baltimore over San Diego- Don't expect the Chargers to have anything going on the ground with LT out. Sproles is too tiny to be successful between the tackles against this defense. I like Flacco to have another strong game against a San Diego secondary that gave up big plays to Jamarcus Russell and wideout Louis Murphy...Who? Yea, Louis Murphy.

New Orleans over Philadelphia- I've been back and forth with this one but I'm going with the Saints to squeak it out in a shootout. The Saints defense will give up a lot of yards but I think they'll get a couple of big turnovers against the inexperienced Kevin Kolb.

Patriots over the Jets- What are the Jets thinking? Fueling the Patriots fire even more. Can you imagine how bad it would be if Ryan said he was a better coach than Belichick. Mark Sanchez will be introduced to the NFL this week. At least he'll find out what the turf and an ice bath feels like.

Giants over the Cowboys- I love how everyone wants to ride the Romo train after one week against a putrid defense. The Giants will pressure the Cowboys early and often, forcing Romo to make some mistakes. I like the Giants to disappoint the Cowboy faithful in a close one at the first game at the new Cowboy Stadium.

Niners over Seahawks- I know, I know I'm really biased. But the Niners are at home, the defense is revamped and the Seahawks weren't tested last week. Don't expect San Francisco to keep running it with eight men in the box. Shaun Hill has shown that he can make some plays and does a good job avoiding mistakes. I like the 49ers to open things up and let him throw it more. Should be a close one but I'm taking my boys.

That's all for now boys and girls. I can't wait for tomorrow!

I want it all, and I want it now!

Panthers fans are calling for QB Jake Delhomme's head. Skins fans think it's time to pack it in already. And in New York, Mark Sanchez is the next Joe Namath. What week is it again? Oh yea it's just Week 2! There is no bigger "What have you done for me lately" profession than the National Football League.

Delhomme is a former pro bowler and brought the Panthers to the Super Bowl in 2003 and helped them win the NFC South last season. It's understandable that Panthers fans are upset with Delhomme for throwing nine picks in his last two games going back to Carolina's rough loss to the Cards in the playoffs last year. And I know that he has to play better to give the Panthers a chance. But after one game it's too early to bench him. Who else are you going to go to...Matt Moore? AJ Feeley?

The Redskins lost a fairly close game in the Meadowlands to the Giants, who have maybe the best D-line in the league. And now they have three of the worst teams in the league (Rams, Lions, Bucs) in their next three games. Skins fans and some reporters are already writing them off. Just like they've written off Jason Campbell as a decent QB even though he plays in a new offense every year and has no real #1 receiver (sorry, Santana Moss you're just too tiny). Skins fans are so ridiculous that during training camp they were calling for Colt Brennan to be the starter this season! He hasn't even taken a snap in a regular season game! Brennan proved how dumb and naive Skins fans can be by having a poor preseason in 2009 and is now placed on IR. Skins fans need to give this team and quarterback a chance. Hey at least you didn't end up with Jay Cutler!

Now, let's go to the golden boy himself. I have nothing against Mark Sanchez and I'm impressed with his performance in his first NFL start. But I'm afraid that Jets fans are making him out to be a Hall of Famer after one week. Let's remember that Sanchez was facing the Texans, the 22nd ranked defense last season. And he relied on the running game and revamped defense to win that game. Rex Ryan is going to be a very good NFL coach, and I think highly of Sanchez too. But it's very possible that the city of New York places expectations on Sanchez that he won't be able to live up to and could cause him to succumb to the pressure. So let's give it some time Jets fans...you got the Pats this week.

Everyone around the sport of football wants to jump to conclusions about the season after one week. These are just three examples of football cities going overboard with their judgment of their teams after just one week. Why don't we just skip the season and go straight to the playoffs! There's a reason why they play the games. Who knows how much can change in the next week? I understand that each game in the NFL means a lot more than in any other sport and that teams can't afford to throw away games. But come on people, some of the talk is getting ridiculous.

Cutler's Not Gonna Cut It

So I'll start things out with a rant. And what easier character to cut loose on than the loose cannon himself...Jay Cutler. Loose cannon is the perfect way to describe his performance Sunday night as he made the Packers aged secondary feel young again. Four INT's and a handful of other passes that could've been picked off. It seems that Cutler has this sense of invincibility and thinks he can force passes into double and triple coverage with his strong arm. Well he still has a lot to learn.

I hate how everyone considers Cutler a "star" quarterback. What has he done to earn such accolades? This is just his third year as a starter and he still hasn't appeared in a playoff game. His strong arm and big mouth are strikingly similar to a previous QB who was supposed to be the next star...Jeff George. Yes, Cutler did throw for over 4,500 yds last season. But when his team needed him most, he collapsed, throwing just two TDS and four picks in his final three games leading to the Broncos' epic failure of missing the playoffs. Show me poise and composure under pressure and then I'll call you a "star" quarterback. The Mannings, Bradys and Roethlisbergers have shown me that...you haven't.

What's worse with Cutler is his attitude on the field. You might not think too much of body language, but it's what wins over fans and your teammates in the huddle. From looking at Cutler you'd think he was being forced to play football. He's always got the pouty look of an eight-year-old brat that didn't get the toy he wanted at the store. It's no wonder he's maybe the most hated player in football right now. Only God knows how his teammates handle the attitude. Right now Cutler reminds me of Willie Beamen in Any Given Sunday, the QB that thinks stardom should be handed to him on a silver platter. Soon the Bears might turn into the Miami Sharks and not play for their egotistical QB.

With all of this being said, Sunday night's performance isn't all Cutler's fault. At least two of his picks could be blamed on inexperienced receivers stopping in the middle of their routes. And Desmond Clark did the same thing on a sure touchdown in the back of the endzone. But this just proves that the Bears made the wrong choice...they should've looked for a big name receiver this past offseason. Of course the Bears want to jump the gun on any opportunity to bring in a big-name QB...they haven't had one since Jim McMahon. But Bears football has never been defined by a high-flying offense, it's always been about a smash-mouth rushing attack and a bruising defense. Let's remember this team made the Super Bowl just three years ago with Rex Grossman as their leader.

Kyle Orton was the perfect guy for the Bears. A quiet leader who could manage the game and would let Matt Forte carry the load for the offense. People forget that Orton led this weapon-lacking team to a 9-7 record last year. Cutler only went 8-8 last year with a stacked offense in a much weaker division (albeit a much weaker defense too). With Orton and a top-notch receiver (Boldin or T.O. maybe) this team could've been a real contender.

So the real question is who established that Cutler=Orton + Two first-round draft picks + a second-round pick? That's just absurd. Orton is a winner who maximizes his potential. Cutler is a primadonna who writes checks that his arm won't be able to cash in Chicago. But it's the Bears management who's really to blame. They could've built this offense around Forte and the stout defense. Instead they're stuck with a big mouth QB and no future with all the draft picks they've given away.

The pressure is only going to build as the season goes on. Chicago isn't Philadelphia, but the city can be tough on it's teams and athletes. If Cutler thinks it's going to get easier, he's mistaken. The Vikings and Packers aren't going anywhere and the defending champs are coming to town. Good luck, Jay.

Let's Get Started

Hi everyone, my name is Jeremy Moreland...I'm a football fanatic from Crofton, MD, a town just 30 minutes outside of our nation's capital. However I could care less about the area's beloved Redskins (or whatever they'll be called in the upcoming years) or the Ravens.

I'm a 49ers fan through and through. Insult me all you want, I've heard it all. I don't care that they play over 3,000 miles away from home or that I've never even visited San Francisco (that has to change). I fell in love with the Steve Young-Jerry Rice tandem but now I've had to suffer through the misery of draft busts (Alex Smith, Vernon Davis, now Michael Crabtree?), coaching idiots (see Dennis Erickson) and six consecutive losing seasons. But I have faith that Mike Singletary will turn things around in San Fran.

This blog isn't going to focus on the 49ers...although I'll mention them whenever necessary (or whenever they do something positive). This blog may not even solely focus on the NFL. I mean I have to give some shout outs to my beloved Terps. But I will make sure to cover the burning issues in the world of football as well as the ones not covered as much. Fantasy football lovers and gamblers check out my predictions for the week on Friday followed by analysis of the week that was by Tuesday.

Pondering the Pigskin will bring you a unique, comical and sometimes harsh view of the athletes, teams and important figures in the world of football. Prepare yourself.