Veer, midline, speed option, and load option are things of the past in Texas high school football, right? These “old school” option plays might be appropriate for a wikipedia article on Tom Osborne, but certainly don’t apply to high flying, spread attacks that are common amongst one of the nation’s strongest high school football states, do they? Fact is, more and more teams are incorporating these time honored schemes into their already complex offensive systems. After all, with the cyclical nature of football, it was only a matter of time before integration of old and new would occur.
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2008 Week 6 NFL Power Rankings
This season continues to live up to the hype of each previous week with each week that follows it. Even when we’re slated to watch a bunch of mid-level games, they turn out to be nail-biting, last second thrillers.
Seriously, who would have thought match-ups between the Lions and Vikings, the Bears and Falcons, and even the Dolphins and Texans, would have been the best games of the week?
But the most interesting note of all, probably isn’t the odd close games, or the wacky endings (see Dallas @ Arizona), but how about the Browns dismantling the reigning champs, or the Patriots getting embarrassed by the Chargers?
After the Rams get their first win over the previously surging Redskins, just exactly who is for real? Are the Packers, Saints, Jaguars, and Chargers all finally prepared to turn the corner, or will we be questioning their worth after another loss next week?
This all needs to be taken into consideration when piecing together the Power Rankings each week, and since almost every team has been about as consistent as J.J. Redick’s playing time, then it’s safe to say the top then is a tough call.
With that said, I’m vouching for the Colts and Saints, while giving up on the Patriots. I’m not sure what we have in Dallas, Washington, or New York, anymore, especially with all three losing this week, and all to teams that are undoubtedly inferior to them. The only team to win in the NFC East was the Eagles, and they might be the one coming out on top when it’s all said and done.
However, until we do finally come across the final six squads for each conference, we have to go with what we know. Forget the big names, the huge off-season signings, and don’t talk to me about gaudy stats. All I need to know right now is the Tennessee Titans are 5-0, and the only team in the entire league that can say so.
Here are the NFL Power Rankings in review of week six in the NFL:
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New Look Giants
“New Look Giants”
By Billy Fellin
The 2007 Super Bowl Champions came into the 2008 season being underrated, disrespected and basically ignored. And why not? It’s not like they beat the previously undefeated New England Patriots. But that’s just the way that the Giants like it.
The Giants have looked dominant thus far this year, their most recent victory coming against a normally formidable Seattle team. So what is the cause of this success? This success is coming from confidence, depth and experience.
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Sunday "Service"
Sunday “Service”
By: Maurice K Dixon
“Let us begin our praise and worship service.”
Well, these aren’t the exact words, but due to synonymous actions, it translates into an accurate statement. As usual, this portion of service is held on Sunday mornings, but just from September to the end of the year. Those in attendance normally clap, raise their hands and lift their voices in unison.
However, this service does not contain a closing speaker (i.e. bishop, pastor), a choir, a voluntary offering or worst of all the presence of a Bible.
Oh, I apologize! I failed to mention this ain’t no church service. It’s an NFL stadium.
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Week 6 2008 NFL Picks and Podcast
Week 5 of the NFL season was pretty rough. Ryan continues to lead both the picks straight up and against the spread while RJ continue his streak of anti-locks. We’re eagerly awaiting this week’s lock so we can bet against it. He’s nothing if not consistent. The featured games this week are Ravens @ Colts, Jaguars @ Broncos, Cowboys @ Cardinals, and Giants @ Browns, which we pick against the spread. Good luck in your office pools.
You can download the podcast directly (running time 90 mins) or subscribe to the feed.
If you use iTunes, just click here and then click subscribe and iTunes will take care of the rest.
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NLCS Phlashback – Part II
This is part two in a four part series chronicling the history of the Philadelphia Phillies and their National League Championship Series appearances, leading up to the start of the 2008 NLCS match-up with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Today we review the 1978 NLCS between the same two clubs.
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NLCS Phlashback – Part I
This is part one in a four part series chronicling the history of the Philadelphia Phillies and their National League Championship Series appearances, leading up to the start of the 2008 NLCS match-up with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Today we review the 1977 NLCS between the same two clubs. Part two will educate you on the rematch in 1978. Part three will review the 1983 NLCS between the Phillies and Dodgers and part four will look back on perhaps the greatest playoff series of all time, the 1980 NLCS between the Phillies and the Houston Astros. The goal is to have each part up over the next four days. Game one of the 2008 NLCS is Thursday night in Philadelphia.
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2008 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings
The great Miami Dolphins are surging, people. They are taking us all by surprise and laughing in our faces. Not simply because they’re winning games, but because they’re doing it by playing unorthodox football.
And the worst part? The two teams from last season’s AFC Championship couldn’t stop them. So who does that speak louder for; those teams or the Mighty Dolphins?
I, much like you, am “all aboard” for a “who cares” train trip to week six. There are too many disappointing teams that are supposed to be contenders, that a team like this is a real treat. And quite honestly, they’re one of the most exciting teams to watch.
They lost Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor, yet their defense is playing very well, and stuffing offenses that normally dominate teams. And we were dogging the Jets for barely beating this team?
The Fins’ won’t be in the top 5 anytime soon, but their tricky style of “Wildcat” offense has got us, and every NFL team that isn’t undefeated, reeling. They’ve got us all thinking, “Could they really make the playoffs?”. And while it’s unlikely, especially with the Pats’, Jets, and Bills standing in their own division, it is a definite possibility.
So, aside from reading my rankings and sly comments, I beg of you to do one thing: Keep watching. Because as I say each week, it’s only going to get better.
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Are MLB Bats the New PED’s?
Questions remain regarding the current MLB bat manufacturing process and after-market tampering of bats which may be responsible for the present epidemic of broken and exploding bats, as players look for that extra edge, no longer satisfied by PED’s.
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Can a Rose grow in the Windy City
Commissioner David Stern casually walks up to the microphone and announces “With the Number 1 pick in the 2008-09 draft, the Bull pick Derrick Rose, from the Memphis Tigers.”