Monday, September 21, 2009

Monday 09/21 Quickie: Jets, Brees,
Romo, Gore, Schaub, USC, Vols, More

Let's not discount the enormity of the Jets' win over the Patriots by insisting that Tom Brady ain't Tom Brady anymore and the Patriots kind of suck.

Instead, let's give Rex Ryan and the Jets some credit -- Brady looked like crap because the Jets made them look like crap. That is lead-worthy for today's SN column.

Here's what I would like to see: Rex Ryan versus Sean Payton -- Jets D versus Drew Brees. Because Brees is unstoppable and the Saints look like the best team in the NFC.

NOT the best team in the NFC: The Cowboys. Tony Romo had one of the worst games of his career -- again, we'll credit the Giants D -- and ruined the opening of Cowboys Stadium.

Anyone out there hit the fantasy trifecta: Matt Schaub at QB, Frank Gore at RB and Mike Sims-Walker at WR?

Are the Broncos the worst 2-0 team in NFL history? (Related: Who IS the worst team in the NFL? Jaguars? Chiefs? At least KC fans will go to games -- memo to Jaguars execs: Tim Tebow can't help you with the size of the problem you have.)

So, yeah, it was a typically big weekend in the NFL -- feels like midseason already, doesn't it? But there is a big college football hangover (see my two CFB posts below from the weekend):

Obviously, USC losing to Washington was THE story of the weekend. I think there is a Pete Carroll backlash brewing -- he is the anti-Tressel, losing games he is supposed to win.

You'll see in the post below: While I agree Tennessee did what it set out to do -- lose by less than the 30-point spread (seriously: they had no intention to even TRY to win the game) -- it would be a mistake to think the Gators are overrated. The defense is still sick, and Tebow was missing 3 key weapons to either injury or illness.

That said: I still don't think Florida is the No. 1 team in the country. I'll take Alabama, and I rank Cincinnati at No. 2. Wins at Rutgers and at Oregon State sandwiched around hanging 70 on a cupcake is a better resume than either Florida or Texas -- or most teams.

(The only reason Cincy is in the mid-teens is because AP and Coach pollsters had them unranked in the preseason. But isn't that the pollsters' fault, not Cincy's?)

The third-biggest CFB story of the weekend: BYU's BCS hopes end in a rout at home to FSU, which was overlooked because they played like crap against a fiesty Jax State team last week, on short rest over an exhausting game vs. Miami.

(You see Miami was a "transitive-property" beneficiary of FSU's win. So why doesn't Washington get the same "transitive-property" boost for beating USC?)

Anyway, as usual on a Monday, the SN column is loaded. Check it out here. More later.

-- D.S.

2 comments:

Bob said...

Hey Dan,

How could you leave out fantasy stud Chris Johnson.. 57 & 91 yard td runs and a 69 yard td reception! Has stud written all over it!

SwaggerTooth said...

I think Miami was bumped up because they beat what people thought was a good GT team. You actually think the poll voters are capable of thinking TWO weeks back? They barely remembered that USC beat Ohio State. tOSU is only 5 votes behind USC in the coaches poll and 15 back in the AP. Also look at the coaches poll--explain to me: #9 Oklahoma, #20 BYU, #25 FSU...