Note to Readers: Alright, I'm going to do the Crackback a little different this week.  Instead of summarizing each game individually I'm just going to make it one long brain dump on my thoughts on the past weekend's NFL action.  I'm hoping it will make it easier to read or more entertaining.  We'll see and let me know your thoughts.  Here goes nothing:

 

There is really no place to start but in New Orleans where the Saints hung 48 pts on the undefeated Giants.  Yes the same Giants team that many had ranked as the best team in the NFL going into the game even though the only team they've beaten so far this year that they should receive any credit for is the Cowgirls.  I'm going back and forth on whether or not this game means the Saints are the best team in the league or whether the Giants are overrated. 

The first thing to take into account is the game was in the Superdome.  I know some of you maniacs don't think homefield means anything, but the Saints don't score 48 points in the Meadowlands at this time of year.  So looking towards the playoffs, it really looks like the Saints have it made.  They are well on their way to a #1 seed and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs and the only real threat to them at this point is the Vikings who just happen to play in a dome also.  It is very conceivable that the Saints play every playoff game cozy and indoors this year which is not a good sign for everyone else.

As much as I would like to avoid talking about the disgrace of a performance that took place in Oakland this week, I wouldn’t be a true Eagles fan if I didn’t bash them hard when they put up their annual stinker performance. (see the tie v/s the Bengals last year) Let me get the positives out of the way.  As much as people have been blaming the defense, specifically for giving up that hundred million yard TD to Zach Miller and his 9.8 40 yard dash speed and for not getting a stop late in the game to give the Eagles one last chance to score, I can't put it on the defense.  They held the Raiders to 13 points, they got key stops throughout the 3rd and 4th quarters and gave the offense plenty of chances to take control of this ball game.  If you would have told me before the game the Raiders would have only scored 13 points I would have predicted a 28-13 victory.  So what gives?


The offense and special teams were horrible.  Let’s shed the generalizations and name names.  King Dunlap is not a professional football player.  I’ve seen offensive linemen get bull-rushed back into the QBs face before, but Richard Seymour bulldozed him flat on his back right at Donovan’s feet more than once.  McNabb played horrible, partially because of the pressure in his face and the 5 sacks, but also typical McNabb inaccuracy; short and in the dirt and behind receivers on crossing routes.  Hell he was inaccurate on deep balls which are usually where he is the most accurate.  Not to mention his Chris Webber moment at the end of the first half, when he called a time out when we didn't have any.  David Akers.  I don't care how many 60 yarders you make in warm ups, I cannot shake the feeling in the pit of my stomach when you line up for anything longer than 40 yards.  Two missed FGs were the difference in the game you jerk.

Finally Andy Reid as always, what in the heck were YOU thinking?  Westbrook was averaging 8.3 yards a carry, you can’t protect your quarterback yet you only give him 5 carries?  The run game is working, yet you throw it 46 times?  Next week I’m sure he’ll run it into the ground, but the mark of a good team is pimp slapping scrub teams.  Instead we got pimp slapped and watching that game I couldn’t tell the supposed good team from the worst franchise in professional sports.

         
What about the Broncos' surprise start?  No one picked these guys to be .500 at this point in the season.  Now Josh McDaniels is looking like a young Bill Walsh and Kyle Orton is playing like a franchise quarterback.  For Eagles fans, how much does it suck that Correll Buckhalter is running harder than any back on our roster?  Typical Eagles luck.

         
For ESPN Primetime fans, raise your hand if you’ve heard the actual San Diego Chargers Theme song by the “Village People.”  If you haven’t, click that link immediately as we’re talking high level comedy.  Can you envision the album cover for that song?  I can’t get the image of a chubby black guy with a full facial Philly-style beard, in a power blue Chargers jersey with a scarf around his head and some pink leg warmers.  (Edit: I was sooo close, only the scarf is around his neck, damn I’m good)  One thing is for sure, they didn’t dazzle me with their play on Monday night, especially LT who is really on the brink of getting cut from my fantasy football team regardless of how many commercials he makes proclaiming he still has "it."  LT doesn't even know what "it" is anymore.

         
Staying in the AFC, Mark Sanchez is putting on one of the best sugar to s#!^ performances in recent memory.  Through the first 3 games he was praised as the next coming and a rookie with veteran poise.  Taking a look at statistical leaders shows that Sanchez’s QB rating is second last in the league to the worst quarterback to ever touch a football, Jamarcus Russell.  I don’t think the young fella is done, but he’s definitely hit the rookie brick wall head on.

         
One horrible lesson I learned this weekend was never to bench Matt Schaub in fantasy football again.  He laid an egg in week 1 so I’ve been a little hesitant to play him over Eli Manning depending on the matchups.  I decided to bench him in favor of Eli this week.  (Hear me out before you tell me how stupid I am)  My reasoning was I expected the Giants to be in a shootout with New Orleans and teams have had a difficult time scoring more than 14 or so points against the Bengals D this year.  I couldn’t have been more wrong as Schaub outscored Eli by about 40 pts this week, which just so happened to be the approximate margin of victory for my opponent. Shoot me already.

         
Hey Redskins?  Fire Zorn already and stop beating around the bush.  How much sense does it make for the front office to take play calling duties away from the head coach?  Clearly you don’t do that unless you think your coach doesn't have a clue and if that is the case why don't you just fire him arleady. What if my boss told me, “Patrick, we think you have too much on your plate, you can’t represent any clients anymore."  So essentially you're telling me you are assigning the primary duties in my job description to someone else?  Is that a demotion?  Am I left with cleaning toilets and taking out trash at this point?  My response would be, “well what do you want me to do, play on the internet all day? That’s what you’re going to get!”

         
Not much to be said about the Pats pasting of the Titans that hasn’t already been said in my last two Crackbacks.  Kerry Collins is still playing why?  Albert Haynesworth was allowed to walk for nothing why?  Given, they were playing with rookie corners in both spots due to injuries but 5 TDs in one quarter?  I meanI haven't seen people this wide open since Spring Break in Miami 9 years ago and there was alcohol involved.  Putrid.

         
I’m still awaiting the Favre implosion, but I may be waiting for that for the rest of the year.  Adrian Peterson makes it easy for QBs that suck and if you can’t put up good numbers with him in the backfield you are not an NFL quarterback. (READ: Tavarus Jackson)  You put a hall of famer back there and it is unfair.  However, I’m not on the Vikings bandwagon yet.  Consider that Favre magic has resulted in two wins so far this year on last second miracles.  Everyone who knows Favre knows that his magic could turn into bone head mistakes at anytime, particularly in a big spot.  Stay tuned.

Next week everyone gets treated to the debacle between the Eagles and the Redskins this week.  They managed to sweep us last year so don't be surprised if the Skins run us off the field or if it ends in a tie.  Be surprised if we win convincingly because it doesn't look like we are that team heading into Week 7.  The pessimism of an Eagles fan is approaching Chicago Cubs levels.