The Alpengeist

NFL WEEK 4 OBSERVATIONS:

This post, aptly named after my current favorite roller coaster, relates to the ups and downs already seen throughout almost every team in the NFL this year. What a roller coaster year it has been already. Just when you think we're figuring out who is the class of each division, each conference, or the league, things change just as quickly. Lets take a little peek at some of the ups and downs so far of teams that we still haven't quite figured out.

Lets start with Arizona. They got off to a 2-0 start, and in typical Cardinal franchise fashion, have come to the east coast and dropped two consecutive games. They won at San Francisco, another enigma-type team, and beat the Dolphins at home. No big deal, right? Well then the 49ers go into Seattle and beat the Seahawks and the Dolphis travel to New England and demolish the Patriots. So that makes the Cards look better, right? They then proceed to neglect any semblance of defense, let Santana Moss have a field day, and become the first team to ever allow 6 TD passes in a game by Brett Favre. On top of the back to back losses, who know the short term availability of stud WR Anquan Boldin after the hit he took late in the Jets game. Or if there will be lingering effects. They lost heir apparent Bryant Johnson via Free Agency after last season, and now will go with former Michigan standout Steve Breaston opposite Larry Fitzgerald. I think on the field, Breaston will be effective, but I don't think he's an Anquan Boldin, contract matters be damned. Also, Kurt Warner has been very turnover prone over the last 6 quarters, including being responsible for 6 in this weeks game alone. A few more performances like that and we'll be back where we started with the QB controversey questions.

Next we'll take a look at the Browns, a preseason media darling. Derek Anderson has looked nothing like the QB who won over the Dawg Pound last season. However, if you look at the stats from last year, you'll see a significant drop off over the last 4 or 5 games for DA. Also, be reminded that the Cleveland faithful also fell prematurely in love with Charlie Frye towards the end of the 05 season, only to have him falter in 06, and last one game with the team in 07 before being shipped off to Seattle. The Browns were thought to be proficient on offense but questionsable on D. Thus far neither have been impressive to say the least. Derek Anderson says now they have their swagger back after putting up 6 points through 3 quarters to another struggling defense in Cincinnati before breaking through a little bit. That remains to be seen Mr. Anderson. Brady is still right there over your shoulder.

Now what about teams that have actually SHOWN stellar offenses but havent gotten any help from the defensive side of the ball. Starting in the Big Easy. The Saints focused a lot on improving the defense this past offseason, signing Randall Gay, trading for Jonathan Vilma, and drafting Sedrick Ellis. Thus far the results have been mediocre at best. The Saints offense has had plenty of injury problems, but are still having success putting points on the board. The D just isnt able to generate much of a pass rush or create any turnovers. They got back on track with a victory over San Francisco yesterday, but there is still work to be done if the Saints defense is to get to the level of their offense. That brings us to Denver. How their defense is so bad is beyond me. Only the Rams have given up more points than the Broncos. The RAMS. Until they find a way to stop the run, 198 yards for Larry Johnson yesterday, or the pass for that matter, they will have a hard time getting to, or advancing far into the playoffs. They were a quick AFC favorite after the Brady injury, and Colts, Jaguars, Browns, and Chargers struggles, but after seeing them lose to Kansas City, a team with far less talent, reduces their early season success substantially. As I've mentioned before, they beat San Diego on a blown call, and won when Martin Gramatica missed a field goal that would have given the Saints the win. They could just as easily be 1-3 rather than 3-1. In order to get where they want to be, they need to find a way to take advantage of those two close victories and hope that the defense discovers a way to stop somebody.

Our next question mark goes to the Baltimore Ravens. I'm sure we'll find out more about them tonight, but I still think it's a bit premature for the Baltimore press to crown them as division champions and/or Super Bowl contenders (?!?!) after two home victories over teams who currently stand at a combined 1-7. Tonight will be my first look at Mr. Flacco first hand, and I'm interested to see how he respondes to taking a hit or two at the hands of the Steelers zone blitzes.

I'm sure I could continue on, but I'll cut my point at the NFC East. By far this looks to be the supreme division in the league. However, where is the consistancy? The Giants will probably be back on top of everyones Super Bowl list (their argument, no doubt, will be that they should have never left, by rule of "to be the man you have to beat the man"). However, they will be without Plaxico Burress for their next game, adding to a long winded list of disciplinary actions handed down to Plax over the course of his career (Yet, he still picked up a cool $35 million contract on opening day of the season….must be nice). Then you have the Eagles. They come out and reduce Ben Roethlisberger to a crumbling heap throughout last weeks game, then in just 2 quarters they make Kyle Orton look like the second coming of Johnny Unitas. The defense buckled down in the second half, but odds are that if the Bears offense puts up 24 points, you'll have a tough time beating them. As for the Cowboys, one game does not a season make, but you have to take a good look at what happened at home, in their last game against the Redskins at Texas Stadium and be a bit concerned. They abandoned the run FAR too early in a game that wound up only being decided by 2 points. Guess how many touches Felix Jones had? NONE. Yet, with all the time they spent throwing the ball, it was rarely to Terrell Owens, who, by the way, made it known that he was unhappy with that, believe it or not. Remember, things were going well between T.O. and McNabb until the Eagles lost a game or two. Then it became a "get me the ball more" situation with T.O., McNabb trying to diffuse the situation, next thing you know you got Drew Rosenhaus deflecting questions like he was Marc-Andre Fleury. I'm not saying that this is the beginning of the end for the Tony Romo - Terrell Owens brotherhood, but you know what they say about those who fail to learn from history…

OTHER NEWS AND VIEWS:

First pitch of Tigers-White Sox is about to go down. Tigers win and the Twins are in. Sox win and they'll play a one game playoff with the Twins tomorrow. That's the scenario I'd like to see. Make one of them earn it against each other. I'll save my MLB Playoff Predictions until after we find out if the Twins or White Sox will get in. Granted, I don't think either will beat Tampa Bay, but this at least buys me some time…

The Pirates fired Pitching Coach Jeff Andrews and First Base Coach Lou Frazier today. Can't really fault them for either move. The pitching staff was nothing short of terrible under Andrews watch, despite the success of Paul Maholm, and base coaches seem to change every year, so I don’t fault Sweet Lou for anything, but it's just the way things go in an organization that has had 16 straight losing seasons. You have to find a scapegoat somewhere. Hopefully the Pirates hired a replacement masseuse for the one they lost in the 1st base coaches box. Notice to the Buccos Brass….Leo Mazzone is out there somewhere!!

Tough week for undefeateds all around sports. USC, Florida, Georgia, Wisconsin, among others in the college ranks; The Broncos and Cowboys in the pros, and two of my own personal fantasy teams. That is, unless Rashard Mendehall comes up with 18 points tonight in one league, and the combination of Mendenhall and Heath Miller come up with 40 in another. Not bloody likely! On the same note, I'm sad to report that despite making up 4 points on the last day of a roto league, Team Power Outage missed out on the league championship by 1/2 a point. Just sucks to think that one more RBI over the course of the season and we would have brought home the inaugural season trophy...

Another lousy week of picks for me. Updated numbers along with week 5 picks and predictions coming Wednesday or Thursday.