General

The Designed Rush, Week 5: Reckless Risks Actually Reaping Rewards

Oct 6, 2009, 4:56 PM UTC

Going into this NFL season, there were five drastic changes that were bound to capture the attention of the football world for the remainder of the year. While each one was met with suspicion, if not outright derision, for the most part, actually, they’re working out fairly well. Whether that will continue to play out over a full season remains to be seen.â†µ

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â†µâ†µThere’s the two-pronged Jay Cutler saga, which was the most intriguing story of the postseason until a spate of big stories broke in August. On one hand, there’s Denver, the team that choose to jettison its young promising starting quarterback and there’s the Bears, the team that paid dearly to acquire him. Together, they combine for a 7-1 record, marred only by Cutler’s disastrous debut at Lambeau. Few think the Broncos can sustain their success as their schedule gets more difficult and time wears on, but given the dire predictions that came in the wake of the Cutler and Brandon Marshall drama, their season might have to be a considered a success through a month of play.â†µ

â†µâ†µFavre’s desperation heave (always under-appreciated in that hook-up is the amazing catch made by Greg Lewis) to beat the 49ers, along with his convincing three touchdown performance Monday night against the Packers, have the Favre media machine running on overdrive, just as it was last year before the Jets collapsed down the stretch. Wear and tear is going to take its toll, especially if Adrian Peterson is as middling as he was last night. However, if Favre is looking this sharp following the three week span that features games at home against Baltimore, at Pittsburgh and against the Packers in Lambeau, then I’ll reconsider the inevitability of his predicted breakdown. As we were reminded unremittingly last night, that was his last game in his 30s.â†µ

â†µâ†µThen, of course, there’s Terrell Owens and Michael Vick. Neither could be labeled an abject failure, especially when Vick hasn’t done much of anything. From a financial standpoint, you could even cast Vick as a success for the Eagles. Even occupying the sidelines, the guy will sell jerseys, while the protests linger unnoticed at the margins. There were rumors abounding that Vick might be released from the team because it has been unimpressed with him, but really the risk has been marginal by Philly, and the audience by and large is complacent enough about his case that letting him go wouldn’t cause any embarrassment to the team. Owens, meanwhile, has only one touchdown in Buffalo and no games with more than 60 yards receiving. He does, however, post a solid 19.8 yards per catch average. Balancing that with the fact that he only has eight grabs in four weeks, and he seems like the football equivalent of an aged DH who bats .213 with 35 homers.â†µ

â†µâ†µIn a league where consistency is preached, nay, exhorted, as the immutable law of success, it’s actually nice to see a few rolls of the die work out once in a while.â†µ

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â†µFive games to watch even if you don't have a rooting interest or fantasy players involvedâ†µ

â†µâ†µCincinnati at Baltimore (1 p.m., Sunday)â†µ

â†µâ†µThe most shocking aspect of the Bengals surprising success this season? That the team seems to be excelling in spite of a still perfunctory coaching job by Marvin Lewis. On Sunday, it was reported that he was perfectly content to play for a tie late with the ball against Cleveland, but his players had to actually convince him to play for the win. And if you’ve seen a postgame locker room speech from Lewis, you know what it is to be underwhelmed. Obviously, a head coach need not be a charismatic guy in order to thrive in the league (Bill Belichick and Tony Dungy are proof positive of that) but a shred of emotion can be useful for a team that hasn’t proved itself enough to be relaxed.â†µ

â†µâ†µAtlanta at San Francisco (4:05 p.m., Sunday)â†µ

â†µâ†µFantasy owners, including yours truly, found a lifesaver in San Francisco’s defense this past Sunday. In shutting out the Rams, they served up 39 points in conventional leagues. That defense is going to need a little more help this week when they’re not having the benefit of going against the Rams. Glen Coffee, hard running though he may be, is averaging a paltry 2.3 yards per carry.â†µ

â†µâ†µNew England at Denver (4:15 p.m., Sunday) â†µ

â†µâ†µWhen Denver entered last week at 3-0, the knock was that they had beaten no team of consequence (though the freak win over the Bengals looks more noteworthy than it did following Week 1). Then the Broncos beat Dallas, and people still pinned the result more on a Dallas meltdown than a Denver team deserving of victory. Josh McDaniels taking down his former team would put a swift end to the doubting. Though with Tom Brady showing incremental gains each week under center, Denver may not be in for as charitable an opposing starter as they were with Tony Romo on Sunday.â†µ

â†µâ†µHouston at Arizona (4:15 p.m., Sunday)â†µ

â†µâ†µPerhaps not the most consequential game on the docket, but a game where possessions will trade off between offenses with Andre Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald and I wouldn’t be surprised to see NFL Red Zone check in on this contest with a little frequency.â†µ

â†µâ†µIndianapolis at Tennessee (8:30 p.m., Sunday) â†µ

â†µâ†µThe decimation of the Titans recently dominant defense has been sudden and complete, but something tells me this game will be far more competitive than an 0-4 vs. a 4-0 would suggest. And not only because they’re division rivals. The Colts were fortunate to escape Miami, a team that ran at will against them all night and ate up a vast majority of the clock, with a victory. Something tells me that formula isn’t going to work out so well every time.â†µ

â†µâ†µNFL Player Tweet of the Week â†µ

â†µâ†µ“Anybody in Cincy want to join me for dinner , headed to J Alexanders in Hyde park, dinner on me” -- Chad Ochocinco, Sunday night â†µ

â†µâ†µIsn’t that the considerate gesture? Despite the Twitter fights and some of the forced catch phrases, it’s been a little difficult to despise Ocho this season. It would have been interesting if a blogger or media member had taken him up on this offer just to get an anecdote about it. And lest anyone condemn him for completely leaving himself exposed to harm, Chad announced in a subsequent Tweet that he had an off-duty officer with him for protection.â†µ

â†µâ†µTruth About Advertisingâ†µ

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â†µWe have an early candidate for the Annual “Toyota Saved By Zero” Monotonous Song or Jingle-Based Commercial Award and that is the current ubiquitous ad for Michelob Ultra. The ad itself is pretty standard. A light beer represented by people who like to party while trying to be all in shape at the same time. Overlaid on that scene is “Oh, won’t you, shine, shine on, yyyyyyyeeeeesssssss” ad infinitum. Yes, we’re all shiny, happy drinkers of horrible beer. â†µâ†µDispatches from Madden Nationâ†µ

â†µâ†µSomething called the Madden 10 Online Franchise Companion App is now available to iPhone users free of charge. The app allows gamers to make changes to their online franchise’s depth chart, make trades and read up on league news from virtually anywhere. Because the guy who uses his phone to make fantasy football roster changes has to be able to laugh at somebody.â†µ

â†µâ†µA Delicious Bundle of Gripesâ†µ

â†µâ†µ- There’s nothing more tiresome than a team or a team’s fan base complaining about the referees costing them a game. Meanwhile, by far the most inane comment of the week was the much-circulated quote from Rodney Harrison that Tom Brady should “take off the skirt” after Terrell Suggs was flagged for grazing the quarterback while coming in low. Because Brady calls his own penalties now? That’s just the sort of thing Jake Plummer was talking about when he said he never wanted to get into commentating after leaving the game - it forces former players to deliberately criticize those still in the game that even they know to be wrong as they’re saying it.â†µ

â†µâ†µ- Is Andrea Kremer our nation’s first quasi-celebrity zipper fetishist? Sunday night’s outfit suggests a resounding yes.â†µ

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â†µâ†µ- This week’s grating Monday Night Football mantra: Brett Favre’s “eye discipline” which apparently was meant as a compliment for his ability to look off the coverage, but was used frequently enough to already be a cliche by the end of the broadcast. Naturally, Clockwork Orange-like eye discipline drills will be added to the combine.â†µ

â†µâ†µ- Speaking of ol’ Brittfar, the Favre fluffing media horde fell all over themselves to report the fact that, by beating the Packers, he had earned a victory against all 32 teams in the league. As Michael David Smith notes, Kerry Collins can duplicate that feat by beating the Dolphins in Week 15. Naturally, that should garner the same tidal wave of plaudits. â†µ

â†µâ†µ- John Madden has created his own personal version of what was once called “Roast Beef Central” at the networks, which is mammoth display of big-screen TV and a projection screen showing all the NFL action of the day at once. And he invites lucky reporters and the fathers of NFL QBs to join him in his viewing. The effect is kind of similar to the presentation you’ll get at an ESPNZone, only, y’know, you control everything.â†µ

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This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.

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