In praise of Ben Roethlisberger

Suddenly all of the media pundits have discovered that Ben Roethlisberger is a great QB. Suddenly, Ben is better than Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Suddenly, he is most clutch guy in the NFL, and the dude you want in that life & death moment at the end of the game. Suddenly, there is a great out-pouring of praise for Ben Roethlisberger.

Where the fuck were you two years ago when Ben Roethlisberger out-dueled Kurt Warner in the Super Bowl? I though Kurt slew him. Ben popped right back up and led his team on the game winning drive. That hurt me like hell by the way.

This wasn't the first time Ben had done such a thing either. Far from it. He stole a bunch of games en route to the Super Bowl. He's been stealing games right and left in the final moments for quite some time now. They should call them the Stealers.

In case you don't remember, Ben was in deep shit a year ago. The Steelers were trying to trade him to my Rams. I wrote about this subject two or three times on Bleacher Report. You can find these pieces, written more than year ago, where I said that Ben was a clutch guy, and very under-rated. I also said he was greazie-basterd.

I am very ambivalent about Ben Roethlisberger. He embodies the best and the worst of the Pisces guy, which is what he is. I am a Virgo with Virgo rising. Pisces is on my 7th house. I am fundimentally biased to partner-up with a dude like Roethlisberger in just about any enterprise, especially football.

At the same time I say this, Roethlisberger manifests all those negative qualities of Pisces I have written about. He drinks like a champion, and this is why the comish sent him to rehab. He manifests impared jugement in situations away from the field. He's a morally grungy dude, and you know exactly what I am talking about. He does not analyze or assess risk correctly. This is both his strength and his weakness. On the field he is not afraid to gunsling. Off the field he is not afraid to continue gunslinging by other means.

There are two Ben Roethlisbergers: the guy you love and the guy you hate. He is like two fish lashed together at their tails, swimming in opposite directions, against each other. Incidentally, this is symbolic image of Pisces, which is what Ben is.

You might ask the following question: how can a conservative, analytical, hermit, Virgo partner-up with and risk-assessment impaired Pisces gun-slinger? It beats the hell out of me, par, but I've done it more than once in my life. I know it happens. It just happens naturally. We wind up in the same room somehow, and they have a tendency to seek me out. We gravitate together, and we strike up a partnership. We are opposites, but we form a complentary tao.

There is a saying in Spanish that goes "God makes them and they get together on their own." This is said whenever you see any strange partnership that seems to work. Pisces & Virgo are kind of like Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.

Just to give you one example: My current employers hired me because the most senior programmer in the shop just happened to be a Pisces from New Delhi, India. For some strange reason or another, he had a strong feeling that I was the candidate he wanted for the job. The bosses were not too keen on the idea. He advocated my case, and told the bosses I was the guy they had to hire. I found out a year later he was a 3/6/1970 Pisces dude. It turns out his brother is a Virgo. It turns out my brother is a Pisces. Go figure.

Incidentally, Terry Bradshaw is a Virgo and rolled with a bunch of Pisces partners including Franco Harris, Rockie Blier, Lynn Swann, and Mike Webster. No bullshit. Check it out, prove me wrong, then go figure. For whatever reason, we partner up.

Speaking of Calib Hanie...

How about that Virgo kid? A star was almost born, but not quite. Before B.J. Raji's interception return for a touchdown, I had visions of NFL GMs contacting the Bears inquiring about Caleb's availability. There may still be some of that waiting in the wings. The Seahawks have done stranger things.

He gave them quite a spark, and it was damn unlikely too. Of course, the Packer defense gave him short-shrift, but he made them pay for it. As it happens, Hanie finished 2-2: 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Still, he was far more effective than Cutler in this Championship game. He stepped up and answered the bell on a big stage. He wasn't overwhelmed and he didn't fold. That means something.

Would you deal Hanie if a fellow GM comes calling for him? My answer would be "hell no!" Knowing that Todd Collins could not get it done, I would release him immediately, and I would declare Hanie the 2nd stringer in the same breath. Knowing that Cutler is going in for... perhaps... a difficult surgery and intense rehab, I would give Hanie all the snaps in OTAs and mini-camp... presuming there is any such thing in 2011. Until Cutler returns, Hanie is the presumptive #1. Keep him around. Give him a promotion. Let him know he played his way to a reward.

Of course, if Dr. Andrews says no, and if this only a 4 week injury...

The Steelers win, the Jets lost it

The Steelers did precisely the thing I believed they would not do in this game: They ran their way to a massive 24-0 lead in the first half. They were able to parachute to victory from that high vantage point.

Everything went wrong for the Jets in the first half... except for a single field goal. The Jets roared back in the second half, making the final 24-19, but they fell short. They could not overcome their bad start.

The Steelers go for the 8th time

I wish I could be happy about the Steelers making it to an 8th Super Bowl. They do have some likable characters, and great relationship with their people. I just feel that it is a touch too much. I've seen enough of these guys for the rest of eternity.

I should be glad if they win. All the Bellichick sycophants will have trouble defending the notion that they are the team of the decade. The Steeler fans will argue with them. This could be the decade with two teams of the decade. That would fuck up things royally.

Fortunately, I think the Packers will spare us of this fate.

Still, the notion of the Steelers getting a 7th trophy really pisses me off. This seems like too much for anyone team at this point.

In truth, the Steelers just can't help it. The Steelers play in the inferior AFC, where many rooty-poots dwell. Naturally, the Steeler organization is the best of the best in this Busch-league. In this setting, a great organization like the Steelers will go more often than anyone else. No other organization has the Steeler's commitment to excellence on the AFC side.

This means you, Al. Stick that in your silvery sash and smoke it with your black mustache.

Think about this folks, the Marque franchises from the early days of the AFL/AFC such as the Chiefs, Raiders and Dolphins have basically rolled over and died. {The Chiefs are coming back now} Latter-day AFC powerhouses, such as the Broncos, are in a state of shambles. Bellichick is trying to rebuild his Patriots. Rex is trying to reform Jet culture completely.

There are many Busch-league organizations in the AFC. We know that this is a very lopsided conference with a few greats franchises committed to winning decade-in and decade-out. Just remember: The Steelers are the old NFL, not the AFL. The Packers were playing the Steelers in the old NFL long before the AFL was ever founded.

The Packers make good on the preseason predictions

A guy who makes pre-season predictions about the Super Bowl is on a fools errand. It is a rare thing indeed when we get these predictions right... or even half-right. Whenever it happens, it's amazing thing. The Packers were preseason darlings, and rightfully so, as it happens. We thought they were loaded. We had no idea just how loaded. They were loaded and some.

Do you know that there are 15 Packers on injured reserve? Some of these men are starters and some are backups. Some of the most notable include starting RB Ryan Grant and starting TE JerMichael Finley How this team made it to the Super Bowl with 15 men on injured reserve... Let's just say it beats the hell out of me. McCarthy has to be on the short-short list for NFL Coach of the year.

Many will spin this as the power of the franchise QB, and Rodgers does deserve some credit, but I say this is the power of team work. As coach George Allen said, 40 men together can't loose. You lose 15 to injured reserve and the other 25 must step up. They did. Look where it got them.

The Ravens get it done 30-7

A you know, yesterday was a day of upsets, confirming that this is indeed a fluky year where anything can happen, and any goat can climb to the top of the mountain. Given the terrible news coming out of Raven camp, I wondered if Baltimore was next.

Nope, forget about it. The Ravens slapped the chiefs 30-7. It wasn't even that close. Believe me, it could have been a lot worse. KC got a temporary stay of execution on yet another horrendous tuck-rule fumble play. The Ravens could easily have walked away with a 37-7 victory.

Though it started slow, the second half was a complete run-away for the Ravens, literally and figuratively. The Ravens defense rose up and devoured Kansas City's fragile offense, creating 3 interceptions and 2 fumbles. It should have been 3 fumbles. The tuck-rule has got to go. Damn is that communist inspired bullshit!

The Ravens didn't just beat them. They beat the hell out of them. It looks like Steelers Ravens next and Jets Patriots. This will be the third time both pairs have met this year.

So we didn’t make it to the Playoffs

A confession

So by now all of you should know that our Rams lost to the Seahawks tonight at Qwest field in Seattle by a score of 16-6. This means we finish 7-9, and they finish 7-9, but they win the NFC West due to tie-breakers. The worst case scenario has come to pass for the league office: A team with a losing record has entered the Playoffs. Embarrassing, is it not?

I have a big confession to make: I am not particularly disappointed by this outcome. Naturally, none of us like conceding the division crown to a losing football team we could have beaten. None of us like finishing with a losing record when we could have broken even.

However, you have to realize that our current roster is full of holes. 7-9 was and is an over-achievement for this group. Our current roster is just not talented enough to make a playoff run. Upgrades are necessary. I’ve been jonesing to get underway with the off-season rebuilding program for several weeks now. To make a playoff run, great improvements will have to be made; greater improvements than the ones we made during the last off-season.

A deadly receiver

The most important thing we have to do this offseason is find a deadly receiver. We need one man resembling Brandon Marshall, or Larry Fitzgerald, or both put together. There may or may not be such a figure in this 2011 draft. If there is such a figure in the 2011 draft, we are going to need a high pick to get him. Further, we will probably need to move up in the draft to acquire him. The more slots we have to move up, the more expensive it will be.

Those interested in making it to the playoffs this year should consider what that would have done to our 2011 draft position. The NFL recently changed the draft order rules such that all playoff teams will draft below all non-playoff teams. We would have drafted at position 21. Now we will probably draft at slot 14. Naturally, this is a much better position to start our quest for a deadly receiver. Don’t worry, be happy.

The second most important thing is the OL

We also need at least one ultra-behemoth guard. Two would be better. We need a guy who resembles Carl Nix or Larry Allen. How about one each? Of course, if we had simply claimed Alan Faneca off waivers…

A.J. Green

Now about that deadly receiver. Some say that man is A.J. Green. He is a Junior, but he is expected to declare for the draft. He said he was going to sit down with his family after last Friday’s Liberty bowl and make his decision. We should know soon. I heard Todd McShay extoling A.J. as the most freakish WR talent to enter the draft since Calvin Johnson. I hope he is correct. I’m totally in favor of drafting him.

The only way I would change my mind if there were some scenario by which we might acquire Larry Fitzgerald. I would gladly give up the 14 pick to get Larry, but it is bloody unlikely the Cardinals would ever deal him to us, or allow someone else to deal him to us.

I am still in favor of acquiring Lance Hankerson of Miami. If we can scam him with our #2 pick (somewhere around #46) I think we would be foolish to pass on him. It is not like we have a lot of high quality receivers to work with.

The 2010 season is dead, now on to the real work of the 2011 season.

Week 16 results and Week 17 Predictions

Dread has come upon us all. The last week of the regular season. Not only does this mean the end of the regular football year, it is the most brutal week of the year for a football prognosticator. This is the week that sends cold chills through our prostates. This is the week when nothing follows the norm.

Who will start? Who will rest? Will the Bears or Patriots really try to win the game? Do the Raiders really want to spoil? Will the Bengals spoil the Ravens shot at the title?

All of this is maddening. If you can even go 8-8 in this week, you are genius. This is the most evil week of the year for the handicapper.

How about that Tebow?

Overdue

I’ve been meaning to write this column for the better part of a week now, but it’s been a very busy time. I spent a good chunk of this holiday at home in Fresno California with the family, and my brother came down to L.A. to visit afterward. I didn’t want to do a half-ass job on this entry.

Tim had his first 300 yard game

For those who don’t know it, Tim Tebow just had his first 300 yard game against the Houston Texans. He shot 16/29 for 308 yards, with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. This yields him and NFL QB rating of 89.44, and an NCAA rating of 148.869. The formulas are different. He also ran 10 times for 27 yards and a touchdown. His long was 11 yards for the TD, so can see in the statistics that he was mostly running to avoid pressure. Most importantly, his offense put 24 points on the score board and won the game.

So Tim is back up to his old tricks again. For those who don’t know it, Tim had a career NCAA passer rating of 175. That roughly translates to an NFL rating of 122. You should note that no NFL QB has ever had a rating of 122 over 4 or even 3 seasons. Tim did precisely this against the finest SEC, Big East, Big-12 and Big-10 defenses in the country. He threw those passes against defenses loaded with Sunday talent. He did that on route to two NCAA championships and a Heisman trophy. His achievements as an NCAA passer cannot be denied.

Of course, I am biased. I have called Tim Tebow the son I never had. You know I love this kid. I temper those critiques with this point: There is a reason I adopted this kid. Getting your first victory and an 89.44 rating in just your second start is damn good for any QB. It took Sam until his 3^rd start to get his first victory, and 7^th start to get a passer rating over 89. Of course, Tim was going against the Texans’ defense, and he does have the NFL’s leading receiver to throw to.

Perplexed by the critics

I have to say, I continue to be perplexed by Tim Tebow’s doubters. For some utterly bizarre reason, they seem to think he can’t throw the football. I am absolutely sure I have no idea what the hell you guys are talking about. I am fairly sure that you are looking at some other kid named Tim Tebow, not the Tim Tebow. I keep hearing these utterly bizarre conversations about some H-Back or Tightend that came out in last year’s draft. This absolute non-sense is baffling. I have no idea where this talk comes from.

To straighten out the confusion on this subject, you must begin with one iron-clad law: Quarterback evaluators don’t know what the hell they are talking about. They are ignorant as fuck, as a rule. I am not just speaking of Tebow’s case. I am speaking of all cases, period. If they knew what they were talking about 70% of all can’t-miss QBs selected in the first round wouldn’t go bust. As I stated so many times last year, the 70% bust rate among first-round QBs is iron-clad proof that NFL Quarterback evaluators don’t know what the hell they are talking about.

You must admit, you’re 70% rate of failure is an absolutely damning statistic. If a QB missed on 70% of his passes and lost 70% of his starts, he would be a shitty QB indeed. You need to entertain the possibility that you are all quite shitty at evaluating QB prospects.

Michael Lombardi quoted Bill Walsh many times during the last draft cycle. His favorite quote was this: Very few men are qualified to evaluate the QB position, and even fewer are qualified to coach the QB. I will translate that for you: “Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN does not know what the hell he is talking about when he evaluates Tim Tebow.”

Lombardi is a very nice and diplomatic guy, and would never run the ragged edge of serrated knife through Kiper’s guts. I would, I have, and I will again. I rather enjoy it. I better cut Mel whilst I still can. He has vowed to retire soon due to the bust of Jimmy Clausen.

When you see Mel Kiper doing a QB evaluation, you must begin with the presupposition that he has a 70% chance of being wrong. You would also do well to presume that 70% of what he says is absolute bullshit. If you do not begin with these presuppositions, you are a fucking fool.

The Chargers are next

The Chargers are next. I live here in SoCal, and I hear quite a bit of Charger chat on the Radio. I can tell you that the Charger fans and the Charger coaching staff are concerned about this game. The fans don’t want to be embarrassed and neither Norv Turner no A.J. Smith want to end with a loss to the rudderless and ruined Broncos. Such a loss could be the last straw.

Most of the talk I hear is worried talk. The Chargers are worried about defending Tim Tebow. He does what Michael Vick does, and what Steve Young did. He takes the snap from shotgun and fades back to throw. You set yourself to defend the pass. He runs. Suddenly your defensive configuration is all wrong. This gives NFL DCs like Ron Rivera fits.

The Patriots? Bah… drivel!

The 7 time defending ESPN champs

So, unless you have buried under a rock, you know that ESPN has crowned the New England Patriots the Super Bowl XV champion… before the season is over… and before the playoffs begin. ESPN has crowned the Patriots champion in each and every one of the past 7 consecutive seasons. This includes 2008 when the Patriots failed to qualify for the playoffs. The Patriots are now the 7 time defending ESPN champs.

OH BUT THEY WERE RIGHT IN 2004, 2005, and 2007, and they were undefeated in 2007! Undefeated in 2007, aye? Tell that to the Giants who have big fat diamond rings on their fingers.

I’ll never forget the time last season (2009) when Chris Berman referred to the Patriots as the de facto champs. Q.E.D. quo est demonstratum. For those who complain that there is no east-coast bias at ESPN, you need some of the reality potion the New York Yankees are brewing a little south of your position. Like the Patriots, the Yankees are very close to Bristol. Grab some potion after work.

ESPN has a real bad tendency to get stuck in a groove. This is because the main man, Chris Berman, is a May 10, 1955 Taurus dude. Though he is my Earth brother, and I love the guy, I have to warn you that a Taurus like Berman is the most suborn and fixated character in the zodiac. The rest of the organization has modeled itself around his example. I’ll never forget the time Chris Berman picked the 49ers and Bills as his preseason favorites for the Super Bowl NINE years in a row! It took him almost a decade to give up on that one. I have heard rumors stating that he picked the Raiders v Cowboys nine time in a row back in 1970s. That didn’t happen either.

They say the only dude a Taurus will listen to is a Virgo. If so, I hope I can get this message across clearly, and I hope it will get some consideration. ESPN has been wrong about the Patriots 5 of the last 5 seasons. They have misidentified Patriot weaknesses as strengths in each of the past 5 consecutive years. This has lead to quite considerable error. Who can evaluate that track record of error and not see some form of bias back behind it all?

I’m not buying the Patriots

By now, you should realize that I’m not buying the Patriot theory. Why not? I’ve got some good reasons. Here they are:

1. This team is not the dynasty Patriot team. The one and only hold-over from the glory days is Tom Brady. That is not enough. This is practically an all-new edition, and quite unproven.

2. They just aren’t that talented. You will note that this team doesn’t have many Pro-Bowlers; just three Patriots were elected. Once again, coach Bellichick is doing a lot with a little. This isn’t as good a thing as some would have you believe.

3. Last year, the Ravens not only beat the Patriots in the playoffs, they beat the hell out of them. Until these Patriots prove they can beat these Ravens in a significant game, I favor the Ravens in the AFC.

4. The Patriots are benefiting from unexpectedly weak competition. The Dolphins unexpectedly collapsed in 2010. The Jets have been much weaker than expected in 2010. The Bills… let’s just say those games constitute two free victories for the Patriots. Tough games on the schedule, such as the Packers, turned out to be dramatically easier due to key injuries, such as the Packers’ loss of Aaron Rodgers. The Patriot win total is a little bloated this year, and deceptive.

5. Andrew Siciliano describes the Patriots as “a 10-6 football team with few playmakers, a suspect defense, who are vulnerable on the road.” I am sure he was referencing the spanking the Patriots took from the Browns. I don’t see much wrong with his statement. Though their record is better than 10-6, it might easily be 10-6 under slightly different circumstances. We all know how they creep down the field. You witnessed the way in which Matt Flynn, the backup QB in Green Bay, put more than 30 points on the board against the Patriot defense. The Patriots won’t have to go on the road in this tournament, but home field advantage didn’t help them much last season.

6. The AFC is the second best conference in the league. The dirty little secret we’re all keeping in the closet is that the NFC is now the better conference. The AFC just ain’t what it’s cracked up to be. The NFC won the lion’s share of key matchups between contending playoff teams in 2010. The NFC also contains two of the past three Super Bowl winners. Note that the AFC Steelers nearly lost to the Cardinals in a dandy sandwiched between two NFC victories; one at the expense of the “undefeated” Patriots. My bet will probably be on the NFC champion when SB45 comes around.

7. Our best reasons for believing in the Patriots are the things we’ve heard in the echo chamber, and the echo chamber is dominated by the North Easterners at ESPN. I wonder what the prevailing national opinion of these Patriots would be if we weren’t living in an echo chamber dominated by the North Easterners at ESPN?

I’m making a non-fashionable choice

I’m taking the Ravens in the AFC. If you want to crown their ass (the Patriots) then crown them, but the Patriots are who I think they are, and this is why their opponents should take the damn field.

The Mutinous Rabble

Intro

Last night, whilst running a few errands, I noticed that head coaches on the hot seat, on fire, and inflames were the major themes of the evening on Sports Talk Radio. This was also the rage on the NFL Network. It looks like we are preparing for a firestorm of firings in the coming week. Mark Clayton of ESPN says 10-11 coaches will fall in total by the end of this week. That means about 33% of the teams in the league will fire a head coach.

I hate to toot my own horn, but I was forecasting this more than a month ago.

Mike Singletary fired

So the other shoe has dropped and Mike Singletary has been fired. I say fired in the past tense because they did the job on him last night, not after this week’s final game. When I saw this news, I was once again struck dumb by the horrendous turn around in the 49er organization this season.

At the beginning of the season, the 49ers were expected to enjoy a cup-cake walk to the NFC West title, and Mike Singletary was the face of the franchise. Everywhere you drove in the SF bay area, including San Jose, Mike Singletary’s face was visible on some bill board or poster somewhere. It wasn’t always a 49er advertisement, but it usually was. Mike was the super star of the team, and the reason to believe in a turn-around.

Now there are broken dreams and flying machines laying in pieces on the ground. The turnaround came, but it went in the wrong direction. There will be a new GM and a new head coach in San Francisco soon. The GM will be hired first, and that GM will select a coach. We’ll see if this turns out to be the Big Tuna or someone else.

The 49er Problems are deep and chemical

I live in the NFC West. I have been a Ram fan for more than 30 years now. I keep a close watch on the 49ers. My best buddy in life happens to a 49er fan. This is a biting irony, I know. I observe the 49ers very closely, in the same way that the CIA used to keep surveillance on the KGB. I know these guys pretty well. They are the prime enemy. Know yourself and know your enemy is the saying,

What I say to you now, I say in a spirit of scientific objectivity, not spite. The 49ers problems are a lot worse than Singletary or the QB situation. Further, I would question whether Singletary was a problem at all. You may have just fired a non-problem, even a solution provider.

Most would reply that Singletary lost control of his ship, and the 49ers became a rudderless shipwreck as the season went along. I don’t quite see it that way. I think Singletary had a mutinous rabble on his hands, and they took the ship from him. Yes, he probably mishandled an already terrible quarterback situation, but this was not the key to 49er defeat. He could have handled the QBs well, and the 49er Bust-Collective would have lost games anyway.

The key to 49er defeat is a collection of undisciplined, strong-willed divas on offense, who want to do what they want to do, and don’t get along with each in the process. That offense was a rabble. You only need to witness the conflicts that have occurred recurred between Frank Gore, Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree to see what I am talking about. This group has no chemistry together. Surely it was never this way with Joe Montana, Jerry Rice and Roger Craig. Surely, it was not this way with Steve Young, Jerry Rice and Ricky Waters. Waters was a Diva elsewhere, but not in SF. Certainly, this internal conflict doesn’t make it easy to succeed as a QB with the 49ers, even if you have a good candidate.

Then there is the grand and sweeping problem of the 49er Bust Collective. During Sunday’s game, you had not one but two all-out bust #1 overall draft pick QBs, sitting on the bench, backing up a late-round, once-cut QB who was starting. Alex Smith, David Carr, Troy Smith… What a mess. Of course, the key issue here is that the 49ers have wasted 6 years waiting for Alex Smith to come around and bear fruit. It ain’t going to happen, so it is time to move on. It was really time to move on two years ago, but 49er organization has been very stubborn about giving up on Alex Smith. It cost them dearly over the last several years.

Now for the billion dollar question: If a leader as tough and single-minded as Singletary could not control that offensive rabble, then who can? I don’t think it can be done. The rabble, as currently constituted, will not be controlled. This is the problem the 49er organization needs to cogitate during the next several weeks while they are selecting a coach. You have had two highly professional and highly respected head coaches in a row in Mike Nolan and Mike Singletary. You even had Mike Martz in there for a time, and no man has successfully controlled that rabble yet.

Some, like Colin Cowherd would pile on the blame on the QB situation. Respectfully, I don’t think so. Certainly your Quarterback problems are terrible, but 49er problems won’t end with the acquisition of a franchise QB.

You can trade for the #1 pick and select Andrew Luck. You can hire Jim Harbaugh also. I doubt that will change things in 2011… if there is a 2011. No, the problem is lousy offensive chemistry, and not so great defensive chemistry. Certainly the defense is way ahead of the offense, and more talented also, but will they continue to be without Mike Singletary? I wouldn’t bet on it. I expect the offensive chemistry to remain lousy and the defense to get worse. We’ll see what happens.

Respectfully, you should consider dismantling your offensive unit, with the exception of the offensive line. If I were the new boss, I would release Alex Smith, David Carr, and Troy Smith. I would trade Frank Gore for anything I might get for him. I would try to acquire a ransom for Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree. I would assemble as many picks as possible and do a full-rebuild in 2011. I would clean house on the offense side and see what I can do, rebuilding around a new QB.

Knowing them, they will select a QB #1 overall. I wouldn’t do that. I would look for Jake Locker later in the 1^st round, or maybe the 2^nd. I wouldn’t put all my eggs in one basket. I would distribute my picks around all the offensive skill positions. I would use my several picks to try to reconstruct and reform that offense completely. I would also consider restoring the West Coast Offense, which seems to work best in your home stadium conditions at Candlestick.

I would try to hire a good 3-4 coordinator, perhaps Wade Phillips, and leave the defense intact.

Rough ride ahead

Any which way you slice it, the die is cast. The 49ers are going to look like the 29ers next year. I think it is going to be a bust-up and rebuild situation. Certainly, any man willing to take on these problems will want the authority to fix it and fix it good. Any way you slice it, the 49ers should be in for a bumpy ride next season. I would expect it to get worse before it gets better.

The current epoch of 49er history can be compared to the early-to-mid 1970s 49ers. Certainly, those were not bad teams. Only a couple of monumental performances by Roger Staubach kicked those guys out of the playoffs. Then they blew up the ship, had a couple of really bad years with O.J. Simpson and Jim Plunkett before building a history with Bill Walsh and Joe Montana.

Right now, the 49ers are at the end of the mid-1970s.

All of this bodes well for the Rams

The augurs say this omen portends good things for the Rams. The Cardinals have landed. The 49ers, who looked poised for a good epoch, are burning as we speak. The Seahawks are still a franchise QB and some change away from competition. You can’t imagine my surprise as I look at things and realize that we might well be the favorite to win the division next year… if there is a next year.

Week 15 results, week 16 predictions

Last week was a dreadful week. I finished 8-8. Oh well, sometimes you win and sometimes you get the unholy shit beat out of you. I shouldn't complain. Many a money frontin' sucka cannot call an 8-8 record for the weekend. On the other hand, I still dream of an undefeated record in one week. I will settle for 13-3.

How could the Bengals, Bucs and Bills all upset in one weekend? Wow... The Jets also rallied and won that game against the Steelers, much as I suspected they would. I just didn't have the guts to call it. Dumb...

I'm not going to say much this week. I am just going to leave it as I call it. We'll see what happens.

All I want for Easter is a deadly receiver

It is becoming clearer and clearer that Sam Bradford can be a special quarterback in the NFL, with two provisos. We need to keep him healthy, and we need to arm him with a deadly receiver.

Sam thrown for over 3,000 yards in just 14 games. He has two more shots at improving his standing. Only two other rookie QBs have ever done that, and they are not named Marino and Roethlisberger. Peyton Manning and Matt Ryan were those two QBs. Peyton threw for 3,700+ and Ryan threw for 3,440 yards. If Sam has two average games (218 yards) he surpass Ryan and fall short of Manning. This puts him between two very interesting figures. The augurs say this omen bodes well for the future.

Sam is frequently compared to Troy Aikman based on his size, accuracy, and Scorpio demeanor. If this be true, then I say it is time we find Sam his Michael Irvin. The most import thing we must do this off season is find a deadly receiver.

When I say deadly receiver, I am not speaking of consummate professionals who make the Pro Bowl and may have a shot at the Hall of Fame. Guys like Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt and Heinz Ward are fantastic, and I would like to have a few of them, but this is not what I mean when I speak of a deadly receiver. I am not speaking of Pro Bowl mega-talents. Guys like Vincent Jackson and Steve Smith are great, but these are not deadly receivers. I am not talking about divas with issues either. I don't want a Randy Moss or a Santonio Holmes.

I am talking about the best of the best of the best in the league. I am talking about impossible match ups. I am speaking of game-breaker, game changers. I am talking about a defensive scheme shredder who make DCs lose lots and lots of sleep before the big game. I am talking about a sure-fire, first-ballot Hall of Fame receiver who will give Jerry Rice a run for his money.

At the moment, I feel there are three receivers who qualify as deadly in the league this year. They are Roddy White, Andre Johnson and Calvin Johnson. Larry Fitzgerald and Brandon Marshall are having off-seasons this year, but they are also deadly. Young Dez Bryant is the fellow most likely to be joining this list in the near future.

Above all else, the Rams must acquire a receiver of this sort. If we arm Sam with this kind of receiver, it could be lights-out for everybody in the NFC West next season. In 2012, they sky will be the limit.

How I wish we could steal Larry Fitzgerald away from the Cardinals. Imagine this: Sam Bradford throwing the football to Larry Fitzgerald. Does that sound interesting to you? Even the casual observer of NFL football during the past three years would be impressed by the possibilities.

Yes, there are many rumblings that Larry Fitzgerald would like to part company with the Cardinals. Yes the Cardinals are a stupid organization, and likely to deal him for picks that might bring them a QB. Even the freakin' Cardinals would never be stupid enough to deal Fitzgerald inside the division, where he would destroy them twice per season, much as Kurt Warner did to the Rams.

Setting aside the fact that can't happen, you have to wonder what it would be like. Would Sam Bradford and Larry Fitzgerald work together well as a pass-catch combo?

Well, I hate to break out Sirus 1.1 and use the Synastry engine again, but the results look too good to simply pass them over. Sam is a Scorpio born on 11/8/1987 in Oklahoma City Oklahoma, but he is not heavily Scorpio. Larry is technically a Virgo born on 8/31/1983 in Minneapolis Minnesota, however, the Sun is the only Virgo in his chart. What do the scores look like?

Category Totals
1. Similarity of Interests and Temperament: 229
2. Mutual Success and High Achievement: 87
3. Problem Solving, Communication, and Mutual Understanding: 369
4. Mutual Kindness, Friendliness, Pleasantness, and Peace: 180
5. Aggressiveness, Competition, Power, Success, or Violence: 172
6. Adventurousness, Surprises, Disturbances: 186
7. Shared Creativity, Imagination, and Inspiration: 135

As you can see the scores look pretty damn good. The two have great similarity of interest, absolutely phenomenal communication, great friendliness, good shared creativity. The two scores that give me pause are the Success/Achievement score, and disturbances score. One is pretty average. The other is too high. With all that said, the scores are more than good enough for me to roll the dice here. I suspect the two would work incredibly well together.

According to Astrological rumor, Scorpio and Virgo are highly compatible. You can't look to me for any evidence or testimony. After 44 years, this Virgo has little positive case information to submit. I have no evidence to provide the defense team in this case. I am an odd Virgo though. On the other hand, my birthday buddy, Terry Bradshaw, had a full-on Bro-mance going with Sam Bradford during their recent interview. I guess it can work.

Week 14 Results, and Week 15 Predictions

Week 14 Results

I shot another 12-4 record last week, which was a pretty strong showing given some of the major contingencies we faced. Who could have known Aaron Rodgers would suffer a concussion whilst running against the Lions? Who could have predicted a Lion victory over the Pack? This was only one example of the several upsets we saw.

The bad-call I wish I had back was the Broncos v Cardinals. I did the hommer thing, picking the Broncos for the sake of my favorite kid, Tim Tebow, and for the sake of my Rams. Stupid… I should have known how deep the disarray in Denver would be after the firing of Josh McDaniels. They had no strong assistant to step up and take his place, as is the case (apparently) in Minnesota. The game plan was horrid and the team was flatter than a Crape Suzette.

Week 15

I have to confess that I am very uncomfortable with five (5) matchups this week. Those games are as follows:

1. Chargers v 49ers

2. Cardinals v Panthers

3. Jaguars v Colts

4. Jets v Steelers

5. Packers v Patriots

The 49ers just laid an epic beat-down on collective skull of the Seahawks, and they looked better than pretty good in the process. They could easily win this game. The Chargers have fulfilled my expectations for a mediocre season, and some. They have even lost in the month of December for the first time in a long time. I see little reason to be confident in the Chargers.

The only thing that causes me to trend this way is the even greater mediocrity of the 49ers. Like many, I picked the 49ers to enjoy a cake-walk to the NFC West title. Look at what has happened… The 49ers have added considerably to my loss totals, so I just can’t muster the will to pick them two weeks in a row.

The only reason I am taking the Chargers is this: It is a Phillip Rivers v Alex Smith duel. In a tie situation, the team with the better QB wins the first breaker. I’ll take the Chargers… very reluctantly

The Cardinals v Panthers is another woeful matchup of woeful teams suffering woeful QB problems. This is probably the single hardest game on the board to predict this week. Which turd will step up and win the Tidy Bowl game? Ultimately, after the Cards ran up the score on Denver, I believe their offensive punch is simply better than that of the Panthers. I’ll take the Cards… very reluctantly. This will be the most unwatchable game of the week.

The Jaguars v Colts is headache of a different persuasion. The experts say that the Colts win this game on paper. I say that just isn’t true. Peyton Manning’s numbers are not as fantastic as you think they are, and if you take those away, the Colts numbers look really bad. This will be a year to forget for the great one, and the distinguished Colts. The Super Bowl loser’s jinx is eating at their balls. The Jags can easily win this game, and this might even warrant an upset special of the week. I’ll take the Colts… very reluctantly.

The rats are bailing out of the crashing Jets faster than they ever abandoned any sinking ship. Don’t be so quick to write them off. They executed a major swoon last year before rallying in the playoffs. The real problem is that the Jets are weak in the lines. Their once elite offensive line is really showing the loss of Alan Faneca. Further, their defensive line is having big problems generating pass rush. The dirty little secret everybody keeps in the closet is that the Jets can’t seem to sack the QB this year. But then again, the Steelers are having trouble mustering a pass rush also. I see little reason to be confident in the Steelers. They seem to struggle along, and gather wins in the process, but they sure do fail to impress. I can see the Jets winning this game, but I will pick the Steelers… very reluctantly.

Finally, we have the Patriots v Packers. Of course, the media has already crowned the Patriots the SB 45 champions. Unfortunately, we just haven’t played the Super Bowl yet. If the Pack had a healthy Aaron Rodgers, they would be my favorite in this game. Unfortunately, they do not have a healthy Aaron Rodgers. Further, his medical status for the game is UNLIKELY as I pen this entry. Without Rodgers, I see little chance of the Packers beating the Patriots in their house. I’ll take the Patriots… very reluctantly.

Sam Bradford's report card

I was going to publish this report card on Sam Bradford at the three-quarter mark of the season. I decided to postpone until after the Saint game for several reasons. I was expecting that to be a bad loss. The Saints are beginning to peak, and the Rams have lost several key players on defense. I expected them to put a lot of points on the board, more than they actually did, thus leading to considerable down turn in Ram-fan moral.

Having a look at the accomplishments of this season should snap them out of it in time to make this stretch run through the final three games. We have good reason to be optimistic about these final three regular season games of the 2010 season.

Does anybody remember Edwards' Law?

Months ago, I wrote a piece laying down a framework for grading Sam Bradford's rookie year. I quoted Herman Edwards liberally in that entry. Edwards' law says that a franchise Quarterback is worth 4 more victories than you would have had without him.

Under that principle, we would project the Cardinals 6-10 football team in 2010 due to the retirement of Kurt Warner. I said 5-11 due to other loses. If the Rams actually acquired a franchise QB in the 2010 draft, we would expect the Rams to finish +4 at 5-11 in 2010.

What actually happened this year? Sure enough, the Cardinals have fallen hard, and worse than expected. At this point it seems unlikely they will reach 6-10. 5-11 might be difficult as well. On the other hand, the Rams are already 6-7, hold first place in the NFC West. Further, many believe they can win out against Kansas City, San Francisco and Seattle. The Rams continue to be the projected eventual winner of the NFC West.

The Rams are already +5 over last season with three more shots at victory; three shots in which we will be favored to win. You have to admit, that looks awfully good. What would you say to an 8 game turn around for the Rams? How does a 9-7 winning record and an NFC West title look on that resume? I would have to vote for Spags as the coach of the year, and Sam Bradford for AP Offensive Rookie of the year.

Even if this turns out to be a 7 game turn around, I would still favor Spags for coach of the year and Bradford for AP Offensive Rookie of the year.

Herm Edwards law is looking pretty good, and maybe even better than expected. In truth we shouldn't give all the credit for these changing records to the presence of a franchise QB, or lack thereof. The Cardinals lost Anquan Bolden, Karlos Dansby, and Antrell Rolle. The Rams also acquired Rodger Saffold, Barret Robbins, N'ail Diggs, and Michael Hoomanawanui.

Much depends on how the Rams finish, but I can tell you this: Herm Edwards' Law is looking pretty good, and Sam Bradford is looking pretty good according to Herm Edwards' Law.

How does Sam compare to Marc Bulger?

If you look at some game film of 2009 and 2010, you see quite a stark contrast in the Rams' offense in these two seasons. Under Bulger et al, the Rams were a run first and run second team. We threw the forward pass only as a last resort. In 2010 the Rams are very much a pass-first team, with counter-punch alternatives provided by the running game. Last year we were nominally a West Coast Offense team, but much more a grind 'em out running team. This year, you can actually say--with some intellectual integrity--that the Rams run a version of the West Coast offense.

Does that show up in the stats? Yep, you bet it does.

In 2009 Bulger completed 140 of 247 passes for a paltry 1469 yards, 5 TDs and 6 ints. In just 13 weeks, Sam has completed 286 of 474 passes for 2,884, 17 TDs and 12 Ints. Marc Bulger finished 2009 with a QB efficiency rating of 70.7. After 13 games, Sam Bradford has an NFL passer rating of 79.123. It was higher before the Saint game, nearly 81.

Most importantly, Bulger et al managed to produced a total of 175 points last season, an average of 10.9 points per game. This year, Bradford's offense has managed 245 points in just 13 games, or an average of 18.85 points per game. We are on pace to score 302 points in 2010.

Remember, Sam still has three games to pad his margins.

The conclusion is pretty clear cut. In slightly less than twice the number of attempts, Badford has more than doubled completions and yardage. He has more than tripled our number of touchdown passes, whilst only doubling the number of interceptions. As a result, point production has nearly doubled.

Last year, the Rams were dead-last (32nd) in points scored. This year, we are 25th in the league. Whilst a 25th in the league ranking is nothing to boast about , it is much better than last year, and better than I expected.

During the deep off season, I set down some goals for the Rams, and I hoped that we could nearly double our scoring from 10.9 to 20 points per game, for a total of 320 points. We are close to achieving this goal. If we win-out during this stretch run, we could very well make the 320 point goal.

A few words about the Playoffs

Some guys are ridiculing the notion of the Rams in the playoffs, detesting the fact that good team like the Packers may be left out because the NFC West gets an automatic bid. The same thing was said the Cardinals two years ago. Don't think I am predicting a Super Bowl, I am simply saying that those locked out of the playoffs always find a way to complain about their outcome.

Should we win-out and take the NFC West, We may well become road-kill for another team in the playoffs, but I wouldn't count on it. If we should happen to get a team like the Bucs, which is still hypothetically possible, we could and should be favored to win. It is more likely that the Giants and the Saints will be the NFC's two WC teams. Either would be a very difficult opponent.

Ultimately, the outcome of the playoffs is of no importance. The 2010 season will be a very memorable one indeed if we just get to 9-7 and make the playoffs. Most of us did not expect anything like this sudden turn around. Most of us didn't think the club had made anywhere near this level of progress during the off-season. No one in his right mind was talking about us contending--even for the NFC West--this season. Even the most sanguine among us believe the team needs one more super-strong off season before we can compete seriously in the NFC.

Just remember, if the 2010 season proves anything, it proves this: One more super-strong off season in 2011 will put us in position to dominate the NFC West and contend in a serious way.

Week 12 Results, Week 13 predictions

I have had two great weeks in a row. Two weeks ago, my prognostication hit it’s high-mark with a 12-3 record. I did not get the prediction for Dolphins v. Bears in before the opening gun, in fact I didn’t post predictions until the 3^rd quarter, so I had to remove that game from my list. In week 12, I was almost as good with a 12-4 record. Of course, I would have preferred to put one more win on my record rather than one more loss. Sheeesh… who thought the Bears would beat the Eagles? Shit!

This week has four very tough choices and several not-so-tough choices. Bills v Vikings is a close call. Many do not think so, but I can easily see the Bills winning this one. Certainly, the Vikings are not as good as the Steelers, and the Bills very nearly upset the Steelers last week. Still, I’m going to play percentages and give it to the Vikings based on home field advantage.

I think the outcome of the Jaguars v Titans is entirely dependent on the health of Kerry Collins, when I made my predictions yesterday, Collins was still listed as day-to-day. Without Kerry, the Titans have no legit chance of victory. With Kerry, they have a puncher’s chance of taking the Jags. Still, at this point, the Jags have to be seen as the favorite.

Cowboys v Colts is the toughest call on the board if you ask me. If Peyton plays well, I can’t see the Colts loosing. The problem is that he isn’t playing well. The Super Bowl loser’s jinx is biting him hard right now. Still, what are the chances he has three consecutive off-games? I find it difficult to believe that Manning will stay in his slump. I look for him to snap out of it and take down the Cowboys. Still, the Cowboys may bounce back from the loss against the Saints with a huge effort. This is almost a coin-toss game. Pick one and know that you stand a good chance of being wrong.

The Jets v Patriots is not much easier to call than the Cowboys v Colts. Ultimately, the Patriots are packing quite a whallop at home. Tom Brady’s home field record is second to none. Given the fact that the Jets won once already, and this is a must-win situation for the Patriots at home, I have a hard time picking against Brady’s home streak. Still, the Jets are bringing that crazy-chaos amoeba defense to Boston, and they could do the Patriots on their home field. This is a bit shy of a coin toss, but the Jets could easily win this game.

I personally don’t think the Steelers v Ravens is that close a match. Big Ben is wearing an orthopedic boot right now, but the Steelers have been limping ever since he came back. They were more impressive without him than they are now. The Ravens already defeated the more impressive edition of the 2010 Steelers earlier in the year, and on their home field. I think the Ravens are more impressive now than they were then. I believe they can and should complete the sweep, and take the lead in the AFC North.

What about our 2010 rookie quarterback crop?

So how the hell are our young quarterbacks doing this year anyhow?

It is not my style to comment so much and so often about Quarterbacks. The position is overrated to the point of demigodhood by most media people. I categorically reject all the delusions of godhood. I still believe in the team concept. With that said, you know I got deeply ensconced in the in rather vigorous quarterback debate during the 2010 draft cycle. I had a lot to say about quarterbacks earlier this year. I said it early and often.

There were a couple reasons for this great exception to policy. First, a couple of kids I loved watching in college just happened to be graduating last year. Those kids were Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy. Second of all, my Rams were known to be in the market for a new Quarterback, and I was hoping to impact that process.

There was also the matter of the Notre Dame alumni try to force Jimmy Clausen on the Rams, but I will downplay that matter.

We all know how the story played out. Billy Devaney took Sam Bradford over my strenuous objections. Josh McDaniels selected Tim Tebow in the first round. Jimmy Clausen slid to the middle of the 2nd round where he was selected by the Panthers. Quarterback guru Mike Holmgren absconded with Colt McCoy in the 3rd round.

So how are the kids doing? Well... it's interesting.

I've had ring-side seats for the dawn of the Sam Bradford era, and the kid looks a hell of a lot better than I thought he was. We all knew he was a highly accurate passer in college. However, I did not expect him to be quite the same after the surgery.

It turns out that he's better. As we all know, he spent months after his shoulder surgery in the weight room, mostly working on his lower-body. I have heard many quarterbacks say that arm-strength is the most over-rated aspect of the quarterback's toolkit. Most of your throwing velocity comes from hip torque and torso twist. Well, if that be the case, it might explain why Sam seems to be throwing harder and faster than ever. He definitely torques his hips when he throws. It might also explain why he has greater running speed than I remember.

I hate to make Jinxy statements, and I don't want to over-sell the truth, but... Ehmmm… Let's put it this way. Several sanguine Ram fans on the Bleacher Report site were pretty adamant that our team nailed the best QB to come out of college in the past 3 or 4 seasons. Let's just say, I'm almost sold on that proposition. I don't think it is a controversial statement to say that Sam has had the best rookie campaign of any of these young kids. There's been enough there to shock a guy like me.

But then there is Colt McCoy. I remember being dismayed when I heard Mike Lombardi of the NFL Network downgrading Colt, painting him as a bust pick. Mike believed that McCoy just didn't have the sort of arm that was necessary to succeed in this league. I though that was a very strange statement coming from a guy who calls himself a disciple of Bill Walsh.

I knew Mike Lombardi's statements about McCoy were pure bullshit. He must not watched McCoy much during his four years at Texas. The kid is a pure winner, and more Joe Montana than Joe Montana. I am sure Bill Walsh would have had a flaming hard-on for Colt if he was still involved in football during the 2010 draft.

Just as sure as I am sitting here, I know that Mike Holmgren recognized those traits in McCoy, and that's why Mr. President drafted him in Cleveland. That's why Mr. President came down from the president's booth and began working with McCoy personally during training camp. I think this is why McCoy has given the Browns a competency at QB that they haven't had in ages. Just keep watching Colt. Everything is going to be just fine in Cleveland.

One of the bleak spots of the 2010 NFL Campaign for me, personally, has been the Tim Tebow story in Denver. As you know, Tim has seen very limited action. The good news is that he’s been fantastic on the 5 or 6 plays they have let him run. The bad news is that he has only run 5 or 6 plays this season. This has been a great disappointment to me.

McDaniels seems to be replaying the 1980 Joe Montana campaign script for Tim Tebow. They send him on in carefully selected situations where he can score touchdowns. The key is to build his self confidence and the team's confidence in him.

Unfortunately, the Broncos are a foundering ship. It is unlikely they will finish 8-8 for the 3rd straight season. It is more likely they will fall down to something 6-10. There have been rumblings inside Denver that owner Pat Bowlen will not guarantee McDaniel's job in 2011. Due to the pending lockout, Bowlen may not make an immediate change in 2011, but then again he just might.

Certainly, McDaniel's has made a lot of terrible pseudo-Patriot moves. He was close to the top of my shit-list until the moment he selected Tim Tebow. I was down against Josh to the uttermost farthing until the moment he selected Tim Tebow. Any guy smart enough to select Tebow can't be all bad. Not all bad, but probably 90% bad. If he gets fired, we'll have to say he earned his ticked on the first thing smoking out of town.

But what happens to Tim Tebow if Josh McDaniels gets the sack? This is the question that has plagued my worried mind. Certainly, few in the NFL were committed to Tebow as a Quarterback in 2010. McDaniels was one of those few. Unless someone like Jon Gruden is selected as the next HC of the Broncos, I don't know what Tim's fate will be.

Lately, one of the vogue trends in NFL Football is to allow any new HC to "pick his people." This means blowing up the ship, both offensively and defensively and reconstructing things according to the vision of perfection you subscribe to as a coach. It doesn't matter if the present talent crop is good, bad or indifferent. As a new HC, you have the right to blow up the ship and start all over again. If this happens, Tim could become a casualty of organizational politics.

Certainly, if you get a run-of-the-mill candidate off the coaching retred cycle, said coaching candidate may not favor Tim Tebow. Many of these fellows don't like southpaws. Many more dislike QBs who make plays outside of the pocket with their feet. Personally, I love them, but that makes me a member of the minority report. The majority report says that guys like Steve Young, Michael Vick and Tim Tebow ain't no damn good to God or this country. St. Vince Lombardi would not approve.

It would really suck if Tim Tebow failed to make it in this league through no fault of his own, but because of the vicissitudes of organizational politics.

Finally, have the case of Jimmy Clausen. This guy may have the odd distinction of being the most advocated draft pick in Notre Dame Alumni history. In the run up to the draft, the Notre Dame forensics team was working 24/7 on his behalf advocating his case. The ferocity they brought to the table surprised me.

To this day, I believe that getting Jimmy picked high was a linchpin of Notre Dame's 2010 (and beyond) recruitment strategy. Needless to say, things haven't work out as they hoped they would.

What I can't understand is why the NFL establishment bought into the Notre Dame Forensics argument. IMHO, there was no part of the eyeball test that Clausen passed during the scoutting process. I never saw what they claimed to see in the kid. I never even suspected he would be mentioned as a serious NFL QB candidate during his three years at Notre Dame.

It shocked the shit out of me when some advocates suggested the Rams would take him with the absolute #1. I acted to crush that theory as quickly as possible. I was only partially successful. Quite a controversey arose. I got the rep of being a Clausen hater, and an Anti-Catholic, anti-Notre Dame guy on the Bleacher Report.

Before continuing, I should mention that I bare no personal grudge against Clausen. It would suit me just fine if he turned out to be a success with the Panthers. I just didn't want my team attempting to rebuild around him. I believed, and still do, that he's going to go bust. My Rams could not afford to take that plunge.

To this day, I seriously doubt he is an NFL quarterback. Certainly, better candidates than Clausen have gone bust. Still, for his sake and the sake of the Panthers, I wish him luck. It looks like he is going to need it.

Clausen did not win the starting job straight out of boot camp in 2010. This fact surprised many. Nat Moore performed very poorly coming out of the gate. After a few weeks, be it of injury or lack of performance, Clausen got his first start. The results were not good. During one game, he had a QB rating of ZERO after the first half of play.

Clausen got the hook quickly, and Nat Moore because the starter again. I have family living in North Carrolina, and they told me that the Panther fans went into an immediate funk, believing the organization made another mistake drafting Clausen. Even a detractor such as me was surprised at the speed of this write-off. Lately, it has become fashionable for the local media to ask John Fox why he didn't take Colt McCoy.

Wow...

Guess what? It ain't over yet. Moore gets hurt, and Clausen gets another chance. The second time around, he looks good until he gets hammered by Aquib Talibe on the final offensive play of the game against the Bucs. Thus ends the second act of Clausen's rookie campaign. We'll see if he gets a third strike as a rookie. The news today indicates that he will probably start week 12.

I once called out Michael Lombardi, a McCoy detractor and a Clausen advocate, telling him I would crawl to Ravenna Italy on my arthritic knees if Clausen ever became any kind of NFL Quarterback. So far I am not worried out that pledge.