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Pro Football Notebook: Week 7
by Mike Neri
Lovie’s Way: It’s no secret what second-year head coach Lovie Smith
is doing in Chicago. He has focused most of his energy and draft picks on rebuilding
the Bears defense first. Chicago has a plodding offense that is averaging just
8.5 points per game on the road behind rookie QB Kyle Orton. Chicago is 5-1
“under” the total this season and 15-7 “under” since Smith took over.
Injuries in Green Bay: How much more can they take? You have to feel
bad for the Packers, who have been decimated by injuries on both sides of the
ball this season. Star running back Ahman Green is the latest casualty. He was
lost for the season with a ruptured right thigh tendon Sunday. They already
lost ace WR Jevon Walker, and now wide receiver Robert Ferguson will miss up
to a month with torn left knee ligaments. Third-down back Tony Fisher is now
the top running back and the receiving corps features Donald Driver, kick returner
Antonio Chatman and former practice squad member Jamal Jones. No wonder the
Pack is 1-5. Making matters even worse was the manner in which they lost Sunday,
blowing a 17-point and losing to division rival Minnesota. Even tough they started
poorly last season and made the playoffs, don’t look for that to happen this
year.
There’s No Place Like Home There’s a great race in the NFC East. A closer
look finds the Redskins, Giants and Eagles at combined 9-0 at home, and 3-6
on the road. The miserable AFC East is similar, with the Dolphins, Jets and
Bills a combined 0-10 on the road!
Shakeup in Tampa: Teams that are 5-1 don’t normally change starting
quarterbacks, but that’s the case with the Bucs this week. QB Brian Griese is
out for the season with an injury. Last week the team traded for former San
Francisco QB Tim Rattay. QB Chris Simms will get the start this weekend in San
Francisco. They are 0-4 in regular-season trips to the West during the Jon Gruden
era. Simms should have one advantage Griese didn't in recent games. Running
back Cadillac Williams, who ran for a rookie-record 434 yards in his first three
starts, is expected back in the Bucs' lineup after missing the past two games
with an injured left foot.
AFC or NFC? Remember last year when the AFC dominated the NFC during
the regular season? So far this year the AFC is 14-17 against the NFC. Still,
the AFC has won 5 of the last 7 Super Bowls.
The Worst Ever? Every year we witness bad teams in the NFL, and some
years have multiple terrible teams. But this season we might be looking at the
worst ever. It appears the rebuilding San Francisco 49ers might be one of the
worst ever. They are currently ranked second worst in the NFL in total offense
and dead last in total defense, incredible numbers. San Fran is getting outscored
by a 35-16 average! And on the road, the 49ers are 0-3 Su/ATS where they are
getting beat by a 41-11 average. The only bright spot is they do have a win,
opening the season with a 28-25 upset of the Rams. It may be there last win,
as well, until next year.
Paper Lions: The Detroit Lions’ offense has been a huge disappointment.
However, they probably turned a major corner this weekend with veteran Jeff
Garcia stepping in for struggling Joey Harrington. While the Lions only scored
13 points, they won the game and Garcia was 24-of-34 for 210 yards and no interceptions.
The Lions had the edge in total yards 329-174. The 210 passing yards was already
the best they’ve had all year. Look for Detroit’s offense to get significantly
better the rest of the season under Garcia.
Punchless Ravens: Baltimore again has the No. 2 defense in the NFL and
an atrocious offense. That’s why they are 5-1 “under” the total.
Who Needs Clinton? Clinton Portis, that is. Denver traded him two years
ago for CB Champ Bailey, believing that running back depth is important and
RBs get hurt too often. Look at Denver’s current crop of running backs and their
yards per carry: Mike Anderson (478 yards, 4.3 ypc), Tatum Bell (455 yards,
6.9 ypc), and Ron Dayne (4.1 ypc). The trade has helped both teams, as Washington
has a balanced offense under Porter and still has a terrific defense.
Traveling Band: The Saints are playing more road game than usual because
of the hurricane disaster displacing them. That will take a toll on a team,
and notice that in official road games the Saints are 0-3 SU/ATS the last three
getting outscored by a 33-14 average.
Houston, Over and Out: The Texans have had a disastrous season, but
it’s far more than just a weak offensive line. Did you notice the Texans are
last in the NFL in total offense and second to last in total defense. And they’re
getting worse, allowing 34, 42 and 38 points the last three games (all went
“over” the total).
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