Plankton

Just to cut down on redundancy, I'll play devil's advocate with some of these questions. 2. At the end of the season, how will Jason Campbell rank among the other QBs? With a few of the higher ranked QBs out this season and others underperforming, Campbell could find himself as a top 5 guy. It's certainly not likely since there is a lot of competition, but his passer rating is 96.2, 8th overall. If he can maintain those stats and translate them into big wins, he's going to at least be a top 10 guy. 3. Will this be the Pacman's last season in the NFL? If Jerry Jones wants to keep him, he'll still be around. But I can't imagine there are many teams willing to put up with him. Even considering how some owners are willing to put up with troublemakers, it's a stretch to think that a guy who is required to have a glorified babysitter with him at all times would be an easy sell for another team. The Cowboys will (or at least should) be his last shot. And he'll blow it eventually. 4. Who is the most overrated RB so far this season? I'm tempted to say Ryan Grant, but that has more to do with my fantasy team than the actual game. Grant has no TDs, but he's ranked 15th overall in rushing yards, and he plays on a team that seems to prefer to throw first. He's been disappointing, but not much more than some others. I'm more disappointed with New England's overall RB situation. For a team that needs to step up and make up for the loss of Brady, their running game has been terrible. They weren't much of a rushing team last year, but when they needed to be in the second half of the season, they ran effectively, and most people seemed confident to think of them as a team who could run well, but chose to throw. So once Brady went down, I really expected them to step their game up. 5. Who's to blame for the Bengals being so terrible: Marvin Lewis, Mike Brown, or the players? I wanted to leave some of the questions up to interpretation, but I really should have said who is most to blame. And I think that is clearly Mike Brown. He rarely makes big moves in the offseason, and when he does, a lot of those deals fall through because he's so cheap (Warren Sapp and Shaun Rogers comes to mind). He won't hire a GM. He rides out coach's contracts when he should let them go. Everyone shares the blame, but Mike Brown is their biggest problem. 12. Here are the top ten draft picks: Jake Long (OT, Miami) Chris Long (DE, St. Louis) Matt Ryan (QB, Atlanta) Darren McFadden (RB, Oakland) Glenn Dorsey (DT, Kansas City) Vernon Gholston (LB, New York Jets) Sedrick Ellis (DT, New Orleans) Derrick Harvery (DE, Jacksonville) Keith Rivers (LB, Cincinnati) Jerod Mayo (LB, New England) Excluding the Falcons and Raiders, which team is benefiting the most from their pick so far this season? Keith Rivers is tied for 34th in tackles, and he's contributed to the Bengals' improved defense (they're 16th overall now; they finished last season 27th). It might seem like a stretch, but he's had significant immediate impact. 13. What player has had the best single-game performance to date? Brett Favre. It's hard to argue with 6 TDs in one game. 15. What rookie RB has the most long-term potential? Even though Darren McFadden may be the "right" answer, Felix Jones is my pick. He has a knack for making big plays. Things would be different if he was the starting RB, and as the season progresses, teams will be more prepared for him, but he still shows a ton of potential. 16. Which Browns QB (Anderson or Quinn) will get traded and where should he go? Whether he's released or traded, Anderson is my guess for who will be on his way out. And even though he's looked miserable for several games, he still has value. It's inarguable that he has the ability to have huge games, and considering how young he is, there are more than a few teams who would want him on their team. I would personally like to see him at Minnesota. 19. Are the Packers better off without Favre? I think so. Rodgers wasn't going to stick around forever, and it was getting increasingly more difficult for the team to have proper momentum and planning season-to-season with the annual will-he-won't-he nonsense that Favre would put them through. I like Favre, but his upside was too small considering the drama he caused every offseason and how much Rodgers was developing. 23. Considering how well Turner has done with the Falcons and how he is a few years younger than LT, did the Chargers make a mistake in letting him go? I'm definitely playing devil's advocate here, but Turner is younger and healthier, and maybe just as capable. You could argue that he was untested, but they saw him practice quite a bit, and they should have put him out there during the games more often to see what they had. On paper, LT's the best and trading him would have been perplexing, but if Turner could produce at least as much as LT and you could get some nice high draft picks, you'd be a better team in the longrun. 24. Which team is hurting the most due to injuries? Probably the Seahawks, but the loss of major players on the Jags' offensive line has forced them to completely change their strategy that they worked on all offseason. I'm really biased with this one though since I thought the Jags would make it to the Superbowl. Now I just think they'll be lucky to get into the playoffs. 27. If you knew for a fact that a WR would end up winning the MVP award, who would it most likely be? Greg Jennings has almost 100 yards more than the second ranked guy (Roddy White), and he's tied for second in TDs (4). As long as he can keep it up, he's going to be the WR to have the most impact. 28. What is your favorite moment of the season so far? Ronnie Brown throwing a TD pass. That one play really opened up the possibilities for this team. 29. Which team is most likely to hire Bill Cowher after this season is over? A friend of mine is convinced it will be Cleveland since he just bought a home in the area, but that seems really unlikely to me. I wouldn't be shocked to see him go to Minnesota though. 32. Finally, which teams are making it to the Superbowl and who will win? The Giants and Colts. Giants will win.

Okay, I got dicked over waiting for a call today to meet someone for my job, so I spent my morning waiting around and had time to type out 32 questions. I just picked general questions I'm interested in--just basic football small talk. If you're bored, I'm curious what people think. Hopefully it's not too lengthy to fill out, but you obviously don't have to answer all of the questions. I'll fill it out myself later. I still have some yard work to do and a hockey game in Columbus to go to. 1. Which player is most responsible for the Falcons' newly founded relevancy: Matt Ryan, Roddy White, or Michael Turner? 2. At the end of the season, how will Jason Campbell rank among the other QBs? 3. Will this be the Pacman's last season in the NFL? 4. Who is the most overrated RB so far this season? 5. Who's to blame for the Bengals being so terrible: Marvin Lewis, Mike Brown, or the players? 6. Of the four one-loss/undefeated teams (Titans, Steelers, Giants, and Bills), who is most likely to have the biggest fall from grace? 7. Of the seven one-win/winless teams (Chiefs, Seahawks, Raiders, Rams, Texans, Lions, and Bengals), who is most likely to salvage their season and somehow sneak into the playoffs? 8. Were the Patriots smart for sticking with Cassel, or should they have sought another starting QB? 9. Speaking of the Patriots, does the loss of Tom Brady expose Belichick as a fraud? 10. Has Brett Favre been better so far this season than he was last season? 11. Whose future looks brightest: Aaron Rodgers', JaMarcus Russell's, Joe Flacco's, or Matt Ryan's? 12. Here are the top ten draft picks: Jake Long (OT, Miami) Chris Long (DE, St. Louis) Matt Ryan (QB, Atlanta) Darren McFadden (RB, Oakland) Glenn Dorsey (DT, Kansas City) Vernon Gholston (LB, New York Jets) Sedrick Ellis (DT, New Orleans) Derrick Harvery (DE, Jacksonville) Keith Rivers (LB, Cincinnati) Jerod Mayo (LB, New England) Excluding the Falcons and Raiders, which team is benefiting the most from their pick so far this season? 13. What player has had the best single-game performance to date? 14. What player has surprised you the most in a good way, and who has surprised you the most in a bad way? 15. What rookie RB has the most long-term potential? 16. Which Browns QB (Anderson or Quinn) will get traded and where should he go? 17. Biggest disappointment so far: Browns, Seahawks, Bengals, or Texans? 18. What happens to Rex Grossman, Tarvaris Jackson, and Troy Smith now that their starting jobs with their current teams are probably lost for good? 19. Are the Packers better off without Favre? 20. Is Kyle Orton a very good player, or is he just an efficient passer in the right place at the right time? 21. Who gives Tampa Bay the best chance at a championship: Brian Griese or Jeff Garcia? 22. Is Mark Bulger a good QB in a bad situation, or is he overpaid and overrated? 23. Considering how well Turner has done with the Falcons and how he is a few years younger than LT, did the Chargers make a mistake in letting him go? 24. Which team is hurting the most due to injuries? 25. Who is the frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year? 26. Which team has benefited the most from their offseason decisions? 27. If you knew for a fact that a WR would end up winning the MVP award, who would it most likely be? 28. What is your favorite moment of the season so far? 29. Which team is most likely to hire Bill Cowher after this season is over? 30. Which new head coach has been more impressive: Tony Sporano or Jim Zorn? 31. Rank your top five players so far this season. 32. Finally, which teams are making it to the Superbowl and who will win?

Maxx and AD, just curious what you guys think about Romo maybe playing since you're Cowboys fans. Would you rather him take the health risk or sit it out and maybe get behind in the standings?

The general idea is still the same. Some great players make big plays that change the game, some don't.

But assuming that the defense rankings stay similar, if Denver (30), San Diego (28), Jacksonville (22), or Indianapolis (21) make it to the playoffs and the Saints (19) doesn't, you can make a really good argument for the likes of Cutler, Rivers, LT, Garrard, or Peyton. They have poor defenses too, but their offense, which they lead, carried their teams to the playoffs, and Brees didn't. But at this point, it's a little silly to be arguing with so many "what if" scenarios. But I don't think it's as cut and dry as stats. Sometimes it's about getting wins and making up for the deficiencies in your team. It's not a completely impartial way of looking at it, but it still matters when it comes to value. The Falcons' defense dropped the ball this Sunday and allowed the Bears to score on their last drive. But Ryan and Jenkins pulled off a pretty spectacular play and won the game. Hypothetically speaking, if Brees (good stats or not) doesn't pull off those types of plays, then what would have made him so valuable this season? Wouldn't someone with slightly worse stats who is able to pull off big plays when it counts and win games be of more value? My argument isn't against Brees (with extra emphasis so as not to confuse my argument), but it's against the philosophy of just looking at stats. Stats matter, but you have to balance it out between that and other factors, like the ability to carry your team. There are other guys out there who can carry their teams (even when you play offense and your defense drops the ball), and if you can't, you have less value.

Matt Ryan is a shoe-in for rookie as long as he can stay healthy. Let's say that Brees keeps up his awesome playing for the rest of the season, but the Saints' lackluster defense somehow keeps them around the .500 mark and out of the playoffs. Is Brees a logical MVP choice? I'd have to say no. If you really were the most valuable, you'd get your team in. That may not be entirely fair, but it's probably the best way to measure it. It all comes down to the every-season argument of whether or not you factor in the rest of the team. On one hand, you don't want to punish a guy for playing on a good team. But if you don't, you're downgrading other players because they don't play on those teams. At the end of the day though, what's most valuable? A guy who can keep his team in the mix consistently, and then make those big, game-changing plays when you need him to. All that being said, at 71% completion, Brees should be able to make that happen. EDIT: Cooley could give him a run for his money; Campbell really likes to throw to him. But yeah, Witten's definitely the frontrunner right now.

So we're 6 weeks in, and its obviously too early to start talking about who should get the MVP award, but what players have at least kept themselves in the discussion? I wouldn't personally keep a lot of guys out of consideration. QBs are the most obvious choices, and plenty have played well. Jay Cutler is keeping his team alive, Donovan McNabb is back to his old self, Ben Roethlisberger is keeping the Steelers alive despite the terrible offensive line, and Drew Brees has a ton of yards already. Brett Favre probably keeps himself in the MVP mix based solely on his performance against the Cardinals and solid play in most of the other games. I like Eli Manning a lot too, and if it wouldn't have been for a bad game on Monday, he'd be the frontrunner. I suppose Jason Campbell and Phillip Rivers could be in the mix soon, but for now, the other QBs have been more MVP-ish. With a few more games like he had this week, I'd be more than willing to tout Peyton Manning too, but for now, one great game among a bunch of bad ones isn't enough to put him with the others. RBs have been a bit more inconsistent. Marion Barber has definitely been the most reliable Cowboy. Brandon Jacobs has also been pretty good. And while I think that the Dolphins' turnaround has been a team effort all the way, Ronnie Brown has had a huge impact for them. And Clinton Portis is the single most effective person on his team. Frank Gore, I think, is also a guy to look out for depending on how many game-changing plays he can make. If it wasn't for his injury, Brian Westbrook would almost definitely be on this list. LT and Adrian Petersen have been valuable for their teams, but both have performed below expectations. No WRs stand out to me. A lot of QBs are throwing it around all over the field this season, so none of them seem equally as valuable as a QB or RB. So who else is standing out this season so far? I know I have to be missing a few people. (or who else am I totally wrong about?)

0-6 actually which is depressing since I like Palmer, 85 and Whosyourmama. Sadly their window slammed shut when that Steeler guy cheapshotted Carson in that playoff game. Damn... you're right. I'm already trying to put this lousy season out of my mind.

It protects their quality at WR though since TO is getting older. While it's more sensible to make this move in the off season, Detroit was going to trade Roy Williams off this week, so if that's who they wanted, now was the time to make the move. But yeah, the secondary should be their highest priority, and I'm sure they could have made a move for a different high quality WR later. But hey, it's Jerry Jones. When he wants something, he wants it now. Too bad he can't trade for a playoff win. *rimshot* Thank you, folks! I'll be here all night. (And yeah, yeah, I know--the Bengals are 0-5... Shaddup. )

This is definitely going to crop up as a problem at some point. TO is far from logical. Even in the loss to the Redskins, where he had 7 receptions and 2 carries, he still blamed the loss on him not being involved enough. He said, "It's no secret, when I get involved, we move the chains. When I don't, we're more stagnant in our offense." (the video in the link is good too). Getting Roy Williams is a great move, but TO is still going to complain, especially in games where Williams gets thrown to more than he does. That's not to say that it will cause a huge problem though. TO is TO, and he's going to complain no matter what. It just depends on whether or not he takes it further, and he hasn't been the "cancer" he's been in the past. It's probably not going to be a big deal.

Thanks for the info, HTTK. Interesting stuff. I think I remember you mentioning that now. By the way, you are very lucky to have taken a class taught by Hooper. I'm jealous. By the way, I just finished Open Water, and holy damn, the ending is actually pretty effective. The movie reminds me of a wrestling match with a slow beginning and middle, but a hot end where the heel wins. It was effective where it mattered most, but was still kind of a downer. I saved it on the Tivo, and I think I might give it another try sometime. It might grow on me.

I'm basing it off of CHFF's quality standings.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is kind of a tricky one. Some posters went as far as to say "What happened is true," which is obviously nothing more than a marketing ploy. The remake was much more accurate, stating "Inspired by a true story," which is pretty accurate since Tobe Hooper based Leatherface loosely on Ed Gein. But by that logic, you could really say anything is inspired by a true story. I always thought the wording on the remake was interesting though. It reminds me of how sometimes companies will advertise their food as "reduced fat" (even though it is still high on fat) just to get shoppers to automatically assume that "reduced" means "low." EDIT: SPOILERS for Open Water Oh yeah, and as I'm watching this, Open Water is on the TV. Apparently in real life some scuba divers were accidentally left behind. The scuba company didn't realize it until they found their stuff on the boat two days later. They never found the bodies. I don't think the characters were based off of the real people though. I think they just borrowed the idea from reality. Pretty boring movie, by the way. But strangely kind of tense. And depressing. Even though this is off topic: I don't mind unhappy endings, but dammit, I prefer them. It's kind of a downer watching a movie like this when you know the payoff is "and then they died." EDIT #2: Open Water update: They found candy in their pockets! DRAMA! Okay, the guy just got bit by a shark. Non-sarcastic DRAMA! Still, I can't imagine watching this movie in a theater. I'm normally really patient with movies and I appreciate minimalism, but this is only working as an in-the-background movie.

When I was saying contenders, I failed to mention that I was talking about contenders to win their divisions. And I agree, Chase, the Browns and Ravens are very unlikely division winners. But I think they're still in it. The Steelers still have to play the Colts, Cowboys, Giants, Redskins, Chargers, Patriots, Titans, and Ravens. Granted, some of those teams aren't dominating, but the Steelers are certainly capable of losing any of those games. On the other hand, the Browns and Ravens have similar schedules and haven't been playing nearly as well. At this point, it's fair to give them the benefit of the doubt though. The Ravens have a usually very good defense that could carry them, and the Browns played really well last night. But that means that the Ravens' defense has to be ridiculously good for the rest of the season, and that the Browns have to put the first 5 weeks behind them. They have little room for error, and the only way either of them will pull it off is if the Steelers self-destruct. So the likelihood is really small, and one or two more Steelers wins coupled with Browns/Ravens losses will pretty much seal it for them. So the possibility is about as small as it can be, but it's still there. And yeah, Ace, the AFC North teams have tough schedules. As much as I'd like to think that the Bengals could pull of some huge upset, it's just not going to happen. They'd have to pretty much win every game, and it's not going to happen, especially since it looks like Palmer is done for the season. I hate to be one of those fans who stops supporting their team when things get bleak, but when you have a cheap owner like Mike Brown who won't make big moves in the off-season or hire a GM, a lack of support is the only clear message to give. That's why articles like this one is actually encouraging. It sucks that it's come to this, but the time has passed for this core group of Bengals. Palmer is obviously a keeper, but we have to build around other new players. I like the defense, as it shows potential and is improving. But the offense needs to be rebuilt. Hopefully Mike Brown grows a pair and is lucky enough to get as good of a trade offer for Chad Johnson as he got a few months ago. Right now I just hope guys who are obvious keepers (like Palmer and Odom) don't want to jump ship after this fiasco of a season.

No kidding. NFC South- The Titans are obviously way ahead here, but in examining quality standings, they still have a bit of a road ahead of them. Being 5-0 more than just helps them, but they still have a few tough games. Honestly, they have a pretty easy schedule, but so does the rest of the division. And with Kerry Collins and his poor passer rating, they're not out of the woods yet. We can probably write off the Texans if we want, but the Colts (3-2) and Jaguars (3-3) aren't too far behind. AFC East- This one is wide open. The Bills have a good record, but are 0-1 against quality opponents (see link above), while the rest of the division has at least one quality win. It's way too earlier to count anyone out here. AFC West- The Chiefs are obviously done, and I'm not buying into the 1-4 Raiders. Despite their terrible start, the Chargers (3-3) still don't look too bad in the long run. The same goes for the Broncos. Their record is better (4-2), but they're also a shootout team, which will cause them to lose some pretty important games. Still, the Chargers' defense has been weak too. It's definitely a two team race. AFC North- I know there are a few Ravens fans here, so maybe there will be some disagreement with this, but I think the Steelers are the only real competition here. The Bengals are obviously done. The Ravens (2-3) don't look like a legitimate threat since their offense has struggled due to having a rookie QB and injuries at RB. I'm not buying the Browns. They played ugly against the Fitzpatrick-lead Bengals, and even though they played well against the Giants, that doesn't erase the last four games. A 2-3 record doesn't look too bad against the Steelers' 4-1, but the Steelers are just playing too well for me to buy into anyone else here. For the time being though, it's safe to say that the Ravens and Browns can still keep things competitive, especially since the Steelers have the more difficult schedule, but Pittsburgh is close to pulling way ahead very early. NFC South- This one is wide open. Everyone but the Saints have 4 wins, and the Saints are at 3. They are pretty even in quality standing as well, although the Falcons are 0-2 against quality teams. NFC West- Obviously the Rams are out of the conversation. I'd count the Seahawks out as well since they only have one win. I'd also like to count the 49ers out (2-4) since the Cardinals have doubled their victories, but it's still early and the Cardinals are certainly capable of a big losing streak. Just like the Steelers, the Cardinals are close to pulling way ahead early in the season. NFC North- No one stands out here. The Bears would have been the obvious frontrunner if they would have won this weekend, but they have just as many victories as the Packers and Vikings (3). Needless to say, the Lions are done. But the three remaining teams have definite deficiencies. I would lean towards the Bears because they have the best defense and Orton is efficient, but there is no way you can say this is not a three-way race at this point. NFC East- No surprises here. This is going to be a tight race to the last week. So really the only teams we can write off are the Lions, Rams, Seahawks, Bengals, Chiefs, Raiders, and Texans. That's 25 other teams who have a legitimate chance at making the playoffs. I would probably add the Browns, Ravens, and 49ers, but their windows are still slightly open. But hey, if this really is Bizarro NFL, and Cardinals and Steelers will lose their next two games and the Browns, Ravens, and 49ers will win their's.

I love CHFF, any site that talks about how great of a QB Ben Roethlisberger is, is fine by me. Also, I HATE when teams chant "overrated" that's akin to saying "Wow, you guys lost to us. You must suck!" Chase, you referencing Big Ben so much on EWB is beginning to reach Kornheiser/Favre proportions. Plus, the Browns have been the most overhyped team of the season so far. No competition. I'll give them credit; they played a good game and acted like the team many expected them to be, but when you're 2-3 and have been touting your team as a Superbowl contender, maybe you should save the overrated chants for the playoffs if you're lucky enough to make it in.

Cassel's passer rating is 78.1, and he's ranked 19 overall. Among others, he's ranked above Kerry Collins, Derek Anderson, Carson Palmer, Brian Griese, Gus Frerotte, and Matt Schaub. Some of those guys are obviously having terrible seasons, but are capable of performing well. And plus, you have Kerry Collins, playing for a team that is 5-0, below him. Matt Cassel isn't the Patriots' problem. The rest of the team needed to step up, and they have--but not enough to dominate. Plus, I'd argue (okay, CHFF would argue) that their poor draft classes have lead them where they are this season. And I can't believe that Cleveland Browns fans just chanted "overrated" at the Giants. Maybe they were collectively doing it for the irony.

I bought the Mega Man anthology a few years ago thinking it would be a nice trip down memory lane. It took me a few times playing it to realize I could not play these damn games anymore. Mega Man is a great series, but holy hell... I just don't have the patience anymore. It pretty much comes down to this: if I can't dick around in between actually playing the game and blow some shit up or something, I'm probably not going to make it to the end.

Because they're on my fantasy team.

Plus the Bengals have just invested in younger WRs through the draft. I'd be amazed if they had any plans of offering him a big contract. This is his last season in Cincy, and they wouldn't be stupid to trade him away now since their season is already shot.

Agreed about Madden, Chase. He sometimes doesn't speak too well and he says the obvious, but he is very intelligent when it comes to football. He's one of the best announcers around, I think. And TK is a love him/hate him sort of guy. He translates really well on talk radio, decently on PTI, and poorly on MNF, imo. We do agree about Mariotti though. He's terrible in every kind of medium.

Mr. Tony's radio show is fantastic, and it is unarguably what he excels in, a fact he openly admits while being self-deprecating about his lack of announcing ability. I don't mind him on MNF, but then again, I'm usually talking to people more than listening. The only reason I wish he was off is so he could do his radio show all year round. Or at least go on a Death Star Radio rant on MNF. I'd even be happy with a small mention of someone being a naked mole rat. Damn, I miss his radio show.

Yeah, this division has a really tough schedule, so only one team is making the playoffs. Unless the Browns win today, the Steelers have this one claimed. Even though Flacco looks pretty good for a rookie and the Ravens' defense is great, it's a bit much to expect them to do better than Pittsburgh. Similarly, although I think the Browns and Bengals are better than they've played, it would be incredibly difficult to catch up to a 2-1 or 3-0 Steelers when you are starting out 0-3. Crazier things could happen I suppose, but even though the Steelers have the hardest schedule in the NFL, they are way too consistent to drop the ball as long as their major players stay reasonably healthy.

Their major problem is pretty clear the lack of protection and blocking Palmer and Perry get. Not saying the defense is great, but it's improving. I think with guys like Hall, Rivers, and Odom performing well and progressing, the future doesn't look bleak for the defense, although I'd like to see them get a good, young DT. I know it's the typical fan thing to say, "Next year they're going to be great," but they're not in a situation where they need to completely rebuild, so the expectations should be rightfully high. That being said, just about every team in history has had to work around and win despite deficiencies in their team's lineup, so their performance is still disappointing and there's no real acceptable excuse. But I think if they invest in some players who could severely improve the O-line, they will be a much, much better team. Palmer and the receivers are good, but it's unrealistic to expect them to make something work when Palmer's getting that much pressure on just about every play. EDIT: Agreed. They drafted to WRs high this year, so it looks like they are looking beyond the TJ/Johnson years already, which is fine by me, because their money could be of better use elsewhere.

Nice to see my old college, Bowling Green, get a big win. We spent a lot of money on a training center a few years ago; last year our old coach was on ESPN commenting on smaller schools upsetting bigger schools and mentioned BG as an example of small schools putting more money into their programs. I'm not sure how relevant BG can stay, but it's nice to get a big win once in a while. Too bad I moved about six months ago. Are people pretty excited around there, Green Demon? If they're not, they should be. What else is there to get excited about in BG? The fact that the Dairy Queen fills their Blizzards up past the plastic lid? Actually, now that I think about it, that is something to be excited about. The Dairy Queen in Kent stinks. Myles filled that shit up.