NFL Thoughts: Week 8

Rams/Jaguars
Now that Mike Martz is all but gone for good do you think he roots for the Rams to win or just totally fall flat so he can claim they missed his guidance? If they suddenly go on a run without him it really gives anti-Martz guys like myself ammunition. I'm guessing if he decides to phone in his resignation that's one call the front office guys will let through. At any rate the Rams will never be an easy victory for teams when they are on their own turf as the Jaguars found out Sunday. Steven Jackson was huge and Kevin Curtis's 83 yard TD showed why he needs the ball thrown his way more often. If their defense and special teams don't give games away this could be a team that could make some noise in the second half of the season.

Giants/Redskins
What a huge dump the Redskins took against the Giants. I think this game gave us some indication of who is the real beast in the East. If the Giants continue to play like this, they will wrap up the division by Thanksgiving. Tikki Barber continues to make big plays and Michael Strahan still as a gap in his teeth. Scary bunch.

Bengals/Packers
Brett Favre threw 5 interceptions and the Packers still had a shot at tying this this game up in the final minute. What does that say about the Bengals? Those folks on the Cincinnati Bandwagon might want to think about jumping off before they get hurt. I think this team is on the right track but they aren't ready for the big time yet. I heard Chad Johnson wanted to get a jersey signed by Brett Favre after this game. I wonder if the drunk guy who ran onto the field will ask Brett to sign his mug shot when he gets out of jail? I can see the autograph now, "Dear idiot, if you come within 50 feet of me again, I'll sick Bubba Franks on your ass. Best wishes. B.Favre"

Broncos/Eagles
If Jake Plummer keeps playing this well he's going to screw up all my theories about him. He has shed the "So what if it's triple coverage" snakeskin and is (gulp) playing smart, efficient and validating Shanahan's trust in his ability. -----Donovan McNabb is not feeling well and this team is just not the same without him healthy. They face the Skins, Cowboys, and Giants in the next three weeks and if they don't get it together they could be out of the playoff hunt before December.

Chargers/Chiefs
Both of these teams needed to prove they could beat playoff caliber opponents. San Diego got the "W" in what is shaping up to be a chase for a Wild Card spot. Tony Gonzalez has to be ticked that Antonio Gates is being called the best Tight End in football now. Sorry Tony, Your still a Pro-Bowler but Gates is clearly the alpha male of the position right now. What were the Chargers thinking when they were dickering over his contract in the pre-season. Their basic holdup was that they didn't think he deserved Gonzalez-like money yet. This game pretty much settles that debate doesn't it? The Charger brass screwed themselves out of his services in the first game of the season and it cost them that game (remember that last minute red zone failure?). Hopefully they won't have another mental breakdown in the offseason and choose Rivers over Brees.

Patriots/Bills
A late game collapse and a 4th quarter comeback. If you didn't see the game and I gave you that sentence as a clue to the victor, you could guess the answer in less than 2 seconds right? Bruschi's return is going to help the Patriots in the coming months (dammit) and this team is going to cruise to a division title.

Panthers/Vikings
Fantasy owners who passed on Steve Smith have to be kicking themselves in the groin about now. This guy is on fire. When I saw him play at Utah I thought he was fast and had decent hands but I never guessed he would break out like this. The bonus part for Panther fans is that his name rolls off the tongue a little easier than Mushin Muhammad's does. Speaking of names, Mike Tice said this of Culpepper's possible season ending injury: "The quarterback doesn't appear to be in good shape" ----It's never a good sign when the coach addresses you by your position. It's too bad for Culpepper and the Vikings. They need a reset button on this season. On the plus side for Dante, he's got time for some recreational activities now....maybe a cruise?

Dolphins/Saints
Aaron Brooks has now officially replaced Jake Plummer (see Broncos post above) on my list of quarterbacks who I would never pick to win a big game if my life depended on their success. The Dolphins look like they have a running game and a good defense but still need a QB. So what's new?

Raiders/Titans
I wonder if Norm Chow wishes he was still at USC?

49ers/Bucs
I was thinking this would be a nice game for Chris Simms to get his feet wet and really prep for some meaningful games coming up. Umm....not so much. Hey it's only one game though. He played all right last year until he got hurt so maybe he just needs a little time and fatherly advice. Does Dad Phil call up and give him the "what the hell were you thinking, you played like $#@" peptalk or does he give him a hug and a playful noogie? These are things I need to know.

Cowboys/Cardinals
Barber looks good at RB for Dallas. Bledsoe managed to not lose the game which Parcells had to feel good about. I like the Cardinals receivers but not much else about their team. Only saw a few highlights of this game but any time Keyshawn Johnson is not on the sidelines screaming it's a good thing.

Texans/Browns
Capture the magic.

Bears/Lions
Garcia looked very Joey-like in overtime. The Bears defense may score more than their offense this season. Neither of these is a good thing.