National Football Post Tavern Talk

SOME MAJOR INJURIES

QUARTERBACKS

Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers - right hand - X-rays negative

Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles - chest

Jon Kitna, Detroit Lions - sprained right knee

RUNNING BACKS

Brian Westbrook, Philadelphia Eagles - ankle - MRI pending; THIS ONE MIGHT NOT BE GOOD.

FULLBACKS

Tony Hunt, Philadelphia Eagles - concussion 

TIGHT ENDS

L.J. Smith, Philadelphia Eagles - back 

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

Jammal Brown, New Orleans Saints - groin 

Cooper Carlisle, Oakland Raiders - ankle 

Langston Walker, Buffalo Bills - undisclosed 

PLACE KICKERS/PUNTERS

Reggie Hodges, New York Jets - left thigh - Status unknown

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

Casey Hampton, Pittsburgh Steelers - groin 

Gerard Warren, Oakland Raiders - neck 

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Al Harris, Green Bay Packers - ruptured spleen 

Reggie Nelson, Jacksonville Jaguars - bruised knee 

Dawan Landry, Baltimore Ravens - head 

Aaron Ross, New York Giants - shoulder 

Fred Bennett, Houston Texans - undisclosed 

Scott Starks, Jacksonville Jaguars - leg 

Michael Lehan, Miami Dolphins - hamstring

I’M BUYING A ROUND FOR THE COACH OF THE WEEK…

Miami Head Coach Tony Sparano really deserves a ton of credit along with his entire staff.  Not getting down, nor disappointed, the Dolphins flew back to Miami from a horrible game in Arizona and devised a great game plan to beat the Patriots and upset many of the suicide leagues.  Even Randy Moss had this to say: "You've got to take your hats off to the Dolphins."  I've been watching football for a long time, and I've never seen a Miami Dolphins team having all these gadgets.  This was a great job by the whole staff. 

I’M BUYING A ROUND FOR AN ASSISTANT COACH OF THE WEEK…

Jim Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles is amazingly creative, but yesterday he took it to another level.  He had his defensive team aggressive from the time the game started and never let up until the final whistle blew.  I believe that when you play a team that is weak in the offensive line, you attack and always rush five guys and never allow the line to help each other.  The Birds were relentless and I am pretty sure Ben Roethlisberger will be very sore for the next few days. 

KARAOKE TIME...  WHAT HAPPENED? 

I am not sure what happened to the New England defense or the entire New England team yesterday.  They looked slow.  They looked like they had the bye week on their minds and not the Dolphins.  I listened to Head Coach Bill Belichick’s press conference after the game and he said it best, “I know we are better than that.”  It's one thing to lose Tom Brady on the field, but losing him off the field has an effect, too. 

YOU HAVE TO WONDER...

About Matt Schaub and his ability to lead the Texans to the promised land.  Schaub has lost 9 of his last 11 starts for the Texans and does not show the ability to will his team to win or inspire them to victory.  The Texans were 2-6 last year and based on Hurricane Ike's moving their first home game, the Texans are faced with another tough road game this week in Jacksonville.  Schaub has to find a way to prove his toughness to his teammates and to the teams he faces. 

STATS TO THINK ABOUT

1. Michael Turner now has 54 rush attempts indoors for 434 yards and 6 TDs (just over eight yards per attempt). 
2. 105 of Gus Frerotte's 204 yards came in the third quarter.  The Vikings outgained the Panthers 180-73 in the second half.
3. Trent Edward’s fourth quarter outings the last two games: 21-29 for 268 yards and two touchdowns.  In the final quarters of those games the Bills have scored 27 points. 
4. In two games the Ravens have rushed for 380 yards and thrown for 258.  Amazing.  They can run the ball when EVERYONE in the stadium knows they HAVE  to run.
5. Brian Griese's 67 pass attempts is the fifth highest total in NFL history for a single game, three shy of the record held by Drew Bledsoe (70 on Nov. 13, 1994).  What makes it even more amazing is that the Bucs were not so far behind that the game dictated a passing game. 
6. The Chiefs have lost 12 straight and there is no end in sight to the losing with Denver and Carolina next.  Who can they beat?  Will they win more than two? 
7. Don’t you love this stat?  Brown joined Hall of Fame QB John “Paddy” Driscoll as the only players in NFL history with four rush TDs and a TD pass in the same game (Driscoll did it for the Chicago Cardinals on Oct. 7, 1923 against the Rochester Jeffersons.)
8. The 49ers 18-point win is the largest margin of victory since Dec. 7, 2003 when they beat the Cardinals 50-14.  How about that one?  The Lions are everyone’s homecoming game. 
9. The Ravens are 29-5 when they score a defensive touchdown and it looks to me that the defense is back and flying to the ball. 
10. The Eagles defense at home this year has only allowed two third downs to be converted out of 24.

RAMBLING THOUGHTS

1. Raiders got the ball back with 4:03 in the game and the Bills only had one time out left and the two-minute warning.  They ran it twice for minus two yards and then threw a deep pass incomplete, allowing the Bills to gain an extra time out.  The Raiders walked off the field losers and still with two timeouts in their pocket.  That is poor game management. 
2. I thought at the time, that the Saints should not have kicked the field goal and gone for the win.  Surely they knew that Martin Gramatica's percentage for making the long field goal was not good.  I thought the chances of the Saint defense being able to hold the Broncos were even less.  Had the Saints gotten the first down, the game basically would have been over and they would never have had to put the defense back on the field.
3. Indy has to find a way to get more physical with their offensive line and keep the pocket firmer for Peyton Manning.  He has taken too many hits so far this year.
4.  At what point are people going to double Brandon Marshall and not let him have a record-setting day each time he takes the field?  I laughed when K.C. Joyner of ESPN Stat fame had Marshall only making yards against bad corners.  That is what good coaches do, they find the mis-matches.  Jay Cutler is downright amazing right now, with his swagger and play.
5. When Jared Allen can get a lead in the Vikings' Dome he is impossible to block with one blocker.  The Vikings did enough in the passing game to win the game and when you can make a few plays in the passing game, it helps out the morale of the team.  
6. If I were the Saints, I might call the Chiefs and ask if I can acquire Larry Johnson.  The Chiefs are going nowhere with him and the Saints are going nowhere without a big back.  The Chiefs need to have a liquidation sale and get more picks. 
7. Speaking of trades, the Lions are going to have a hard time resigning Roy Williams after the season.  They might want to give some thought to trading him.  I realize they can make him their franchise player, but this team is one of the oldest in the NFL and needs picks. 
8. I keep waiting for the Cards to give the ball to Tim Hightower more during the normal offense.  He adds a burst and explosion that they don’t have with Edge James. 
9. I have always said that the true measure of your team is the ability to play on the road and that if your offensive line is bad, it REALLY shows up on the road.  Pittsburgh tried to fix their o-line this offseason, but could not make it happen.  And it will cost them all year long. 
10. Cleveland needs to find a way to move the ball offensively and to stop opponents from running the ball all over them.  There needs to be a meeting of the minds today in Cleveland so they can put together a plan to fix this team.

LET’S HAVE A TOAST TODAY

Miles Austin, the former Monmouth College standout, had two catches for 115 yards and a touchdown yesterday and put an end to all the cries from Cowboy fans wanting to add another receiver to their team.  And while we're at it, let’s toast the game last night in the sense that both teams wore very similar uniforms to the ones that were worn back in 1969.  I love those old time, classic uniforms.  And finally, let’s tip the glass a third and final time to Marion Barber, who runs the ball in a style that would make some of the older players who once played on that sacred turf in Lambeau very proud. 

HEY BARTENDER, WHAT'S ON TAP TONIGHT?          NEW YORK JETS AT SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

Brett Favre is 3-0 lifetime playing in San Diego.  The Jets need to become more effective on first down in this game and keep their offense out of long down situations.  With the extra day to prepare, the Jets and Favre should be able to establish some sort of identity for their offense. 

Both teams have a player that can change field position and change the game.  The Jets have Leon Washington and the Chargers have Darren Sproles.  Look for Sproles to get more touches then ever tonight.  Nine attempts in two games are not enough for him. 

If I were the Chargers, I would spread the field on first down out of my base offense and get tight end Antonio Gates into some favorable matchups. 

If I were the Jets, I would get into some no-huddle and force the Chargers to make plays in space, something they have not been able to do the last two weeks. 

The Chargers need to find a way to be able to play some coverage and not give up the big play.  So far this year, the Chargers have allowed nine passing plays of 25+ yards. 

Chargers need to find a way to get the lead and not play from behind today.  They have been outscored 40-24 in the first half this season.  This has made the Chargers run/pass ratio in the first half 62% pass and 38% run. 

The Jets are 54% pass in the first half and 46% run.  Both teams have been very effective converting third downs this year. 

One thing is for sure, the Jets will know the personnel well for the Chargers as their offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer coached in San Diego two years ago.  This is the third straight game that the Jets will have faced a 3-4 defense. 

I expect that Phillip Rivers will keep making plays with his arm.  He seems to be in a great groove right now. 

The Jets need to handle Charger defensive tackle Jamal Williams inside if they want to have any success running the ball.

Both teams will need to get pressure on the opposing passer.  Calvin Pace of the Jets has been the best rusher so far in this game.  He needs to play big and the Chargers need to account for him.  

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