BY SAMIR NAWAZ – FAN FUEL BLOGGER
While I continue to attempt to get over Monday night’s Dallas game and how badly my beloved Cowboys played vs. the Chicago Bears, I will still do my best in covering this week’s highlights and lowlights. While, the Cowboys losing (albeit expectantly) is definitely the low point of last week’s NFL action, I would like to draw attention to the fact that my picks are on fire right now as between last week and this week I am now 9-1.
Before jinxing myself any further here’s the review…
THE HIGHLIGHTS:
1. The Patriots re-claim the throne
If you are terribly concerned that the Patriots record is only 2-2, you don’t follow football. Their record in no way tells the truth about this team due to two suspect field goals costing them a 4-0 record right now. While I am still not sold on the Patriots come the post-season, they are still firmly entrenched as the class of the regular season. If New England manages to fix its only significant deficiency, their defensive problems in the secondary, it will once again be poised for the Super Bowl. Whether or not they win it or not this time around is another matter.
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2. Niners pounding of the NY Jets
While everyone expected the Jets to decline after the loss of Derelle Revis, it was still somewhat shocking at just how quickly a team can nosedive (even for the Jets). Does this mean the Jets are that bad or are the 49ers just really good? The answer is a bit of both, but one thing is for certain the 49ers are for real. Although they lost an upset game to the Vikings last week, any quality team can suffer a loss during the course of a lengthy season. However, the mark of solid team is how they rebound following the loss. With Sunday’s skunking of the Jets and the dominant way the defence played for four quarters, the 49ers emphatically proved that last week was not only a fluke, but that they are the class of the NFC. While I fully appreciate that the Falcons and Cardinals are undefeated, until these teams can soundly defeat a quality opponent and do so late in the season I am not sold.
3. Atlanta Falcons comeback
While I might not be sold on either the Cardinals or the Falcons, the latter’s comeback late in the fourth quarter against the Panthers was pretty impressive. With under a minute to play with no timeouts and from deep in his own end zone, quarterback and team leader Matt “Matty Ice” Ryan threw a 60 yard pass to Roddy White. This amazing play against the apparently paper mache Carolina Panther defense, set the stage for a last second field goal. If you are a Falcons fan you have to be thrilled about the outcome but you should bare two things in mind. First, that the opponent was suspect to begin with, and if the Falcons are as good as they think they are, they should have walked all over this Carolina team despite the Cam Newton hype and sideshow. Second, by now regular season wins, especially against inferior opponents like the Panthers, should not mean much for Falcon fans, when Matty Ice doesn’t meltdown come playoff time, then it will be good times in Atlanta.
THE LOWLIGHTS:
1. Detroit Lions Special Teams
Having two massive gaffes on special teams in a game is one thing, but when a team has two similar miscues just a week later like the Lions have, it is time to start asking some hard questions and demanding some answers. Especially if these gargantuan errors are costing your team wins. If the Lions were supposed to make the leap from a good team to an elite team, there is no way they can allow these sorts of bush league miscues on special teams. Lions fans have been desperate for a reason to believe the hype, and believe that their perennially lowly Lions can make it deep in the playoffs.
Unfortunately, Jim Schwartz has not only been unable to control himself (i.e. handshake-gate), but he has thus far been unable to control or hold accountable the inexcusable actions of his players or his coaches. If residents of Detroit and the 8-mile were expecting to see something other than their same ol’ Lions, they would be wise not to hold their breath until the second coming of Barry Sanders or until Jim Schwartz gets his act together.
2. Another dubious win for the Eagles
While folks in Philly were surely thrilled with the way they pulled out another last second victory, there are plenty of reasons not to take the victory or the team’s future prospects based on their current play seriously. While the Eagles did do some things well which they rarely do (like run the ball for example), they were once again the beneficiaries of luck and improbable actions by their opponent late in the game.
In this latest instance, the Eagles reaped the rewards of an Eli Manning red zone pick late, a dubious offensive pass interference call late and Tom Coughlin’s baffling decision not to at least take a shot at the end zone (or at least the sideline) on third and long at the end of the game. Couple these circumstances with the fact that the Giants just came up short on the field goal attempt, that had distance added to it due to dubious circumstance, and this win stinks to high hell. I’m not sure how a fan base that pelts Santa Claus with snowballs has such good Karma, but I have a feeling things will change when they face the Steelers this week.
3. Tony Romo’s latest debacle
As a Cowboys fan I really do not know how much more I can take. I had thought I had seen it all from Romo’s infamous fumble in Seattle; to the shocking playoff loss they suffered to the Giants when they were the number one seed in 2007; the meltdown against the Vikings in the playoffs two years ago; to the beat down they suffered at the hands of the Giants last year to keep them out of the playoffs.
If you have read any of my picks column you will see that things have gotten so bad, that I know routinely advise people to bet against the Cowboys in any game in which they need a win or are favoured (like Monday night for example). It is time for the Tony Romo era to come to an in Dallas after this season barring some kind of miracle. While it was not all Tony’s fault as both his defence, o-line and receivers let him down once again, throwing five picks in a game you are supposed to win at home is beyond inexcusable.
After DeMarcus Ware forced the Jay Cutler early in the third in Bears territory, the game was right there for the taking. However, in typical Romo fashion he made a mistake at the worst possible time. That is probably the essence of Romo’s career right there. By every measurable statistic, year in year out the numbers state that Romo is an elite quarterback. But what these numbers do not reveal is the gravity of the few mistakes he does make. These mistakes which usually take the form of interceptions, fumbles or missed throws always seem to come at the absolute worst possible time when Dallas needs a big win or even a big play. And while I have always defended Romo in the past, these critical mistakes cannot be tolerated anymore in Dallas, especially by its leader.
When watching Kyle Orton’s final drive and the way he was moving the chains, it occurred to me that as a whole the Cowboys are a relatively young team. While Kyle Orton might not be the long term solution at quarterback the Cowboys need, Tony Romo is due far too much money come the end of the season. Especially for the results he has yielded to date. If Romo’s money was spread around to the rest of the team, especially the offensive line, the Cowboys would be in a much better position going forward.
Therefore, if it were up to me and I was running Jerryworld down there in Dallas, I would give Romo until the end of the season to prove his worth. If the same dismal outcome occurs, then it is time to close shop on the Romo project, rebuild with an efficient but economical young quarterback and spend that savings on the offensive line and the safety positions in the defensive backfield. Romo my friend, the clock is definitely ticking.
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