Kentucky has fallen, so has A-Rod, who got the better of the Rivers/Manning trade? All this and more in this weeks edition of…..

On the March 24, 2011 edition of “Rants and Raves” I posted a question..

Why is it that when you go to the gas station and use your credit card to pump gas, the gas pump doesn’t stop until your car’s gas tank is full.

Are you still paying attention, but, when you pre-pay, the gas pump slows down with about 50-cents to go and it then takes almost a minute or two to finish pumping? Any gas experts???

WELL, I finally got an answer to that question. I was pumping gas at my local gas station, when I noticed a mechanic working on one of the gas pumps. When I was finished pumping gas I walked over to the man and asked him that question and he politely answered the question as such…

When you use your credit card you have control on how much gas is pumped and how much you actually might want to spend so if you want to fill it up the pump won’t stop until the gas tank is full. But, when you prepay you want to only pay a certain amount, so to make sure the pump does not go over the prepaid amount the gas attendant presets when the gas starts slowing down as to not go over the price amount.

This has not been a good week for the NFL.

First Kansas City Chief’s linebacker Jovan Belcher kills his girlfriend, the mother of his daughter, then goes to Arrowhead Stadium, talks to GM Scott Pioli and Coach Romeo Crennel, thanks them for all they have done for him and then commits suicide. Now there is a 3 month old child, Zoey Michelle, without a mother and father.

If that wasn’t enough, and this went unnoticed….

Eric Eucker a member of the Cleveland Browns ground crew also committed suicide by hanging himself in the equipment shed.

I can say the Giants got the better of the deal with the Chargers for Eli Manning. There is no comparison. As we all know by now, Phil Rivers was drafted by the New York Giants with the 4^th pick in the 2004 NFL draft, while Eli was drafted number 1 by the San Diego Chargers. Manning did not want to play for the Chargers they had a 25 year-old quarterback named Drew Brees running the plays for the team. The Giants traded Rivers along with three picks (which San Diego used to draft Shawne Merriman, Nate Kaeding and Roman Oben) to get Manning. Now Rivers, Kaeding and Merriman are great players, but, they have not won any Super Bowls with the Chargers, while Manning guided the Giants to two Super Bowl victories.

8 years and 12 games stat info for Phil Rivers

112 games of which he started 108, 27,254 yards, 181 Yds and 93 Ints. 4 Pro Bowls

8 years and 11 games stat info for Eli Manning

132 games of which he started 130, 30,469 yards, 200 Tds and 140 Ints, 2 Pro Bowls

Alex Rodriguez might miss time due to a second hip surgery. It is reported that A-Rod could miss the first half of the 2013 season. He will have to have his left hip to repaired to fix a torn labrum, bone impingement and the correction of a cyst. It could take four to six months to recover.

To some, they were expected to repeat (don’t tell that to Indiana fans), to others a top 5 team, but now the sky has fallen as Kentucky fell last week from #3 to #8, and this week fell off the map and outside the top 25, by losing to Notre Dame and Baylor. This is the biggest single weekly drop from the ranking since they went to a 25 team ranking in 1990.

Don’t make excuses that Kentucky is a young team, because Kentucky was a young and unproven team last year and they won the National Championship. I must also mention that Kentucky had the top recruiting class in the nation.

The first members to be inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame have been announced. Former Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert who purchased the team in 1915, bought Babe Ruth from the Red Sox, and built Yankee Stadium. Also elected into the Hall were umpire Hank O’Day and barehanded catcher Deacon White.

I am rooting for Northern Illinois to beat Florida State. I want to see an occasional underdog, or Cinderella story every once in a while. If I was FSU I would not take NIU lightly.

Til Next Time

Scott

Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears

129 Interceptions and Fumbles in 72 Games
109 Touchdowns Thrown, 61.2 Completion Percentage, 84.0 Quarterback Rating
36-36 Record

When the Denver Broncos selected Cutler in the first round of the 2006 draft, they thought they had their quarterback of the future. Especially after he made the Pro Bowl in 2008.

Then the Broncos suddenly traded him to the Chicago Bears for quarterback Kyle Orton, first- and third-round selections in 2009, and a first-round pick in 2010. The reviews on Cutler have been mixed since.

His first year in Chicago saw Cutler lead the NFL in interceptions thrown. While he reduced his number of interceptions in 2010, Cutler led the league in number of times sacked and yards lost off those sacks. Though his turnovers decreased, Cutler threw an interceptions seemingly every game with a 4.1 interception percentage with the Bears.

While Cutler led the Bears to the 2010 NFC Championship Game last year, he still throws a ton of interceptions. He also endured a wrath of criticism for taking himself out of that championship game after spraining his MCL, even though Bears head coach Lovie Smith stated he made the decision to take bench Cutler.

Cutler hasn't really justified that big trade yet, and he has already tossed four interceptions this year. The plus side is that he is entering the second year under offensive coordinator Mike Mart's system.

The down side is that the Chicago offensive line has been horrendous at times.. If they improve, giving Cutler more time to throw, perhaps he quarterback will decrease his turnover rate and show Bears fans why their team mortgaged so much of their future on his arm.






Donovan McNabb, Minnesota Vikings




215 Interceptions and Fumbles in 165 Games
234 Touchdowns Thrown, 58.9 Completion Percentage, 85.6 Quarterback Rating
97-61-1 Record

It wasn't long ago quite a few thought McNabb was headed for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day, especially after earning his sixth Pro Bowl in 2009. Then the wheels came off.

After being the second overall pick of the 1999 draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, he started six games as a rookie. McNabb then proceeded to carry the franchise on his back the next decade. He is the Eagles all-time leader in career wins, pass attempts, pass completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns by a quarterback.

He was then traded to the Washington Redskins before the 2010 season, where he ended up being benched for the final three weeks of the season. Not only were there whispers that his productive playing days were over, some claimed he was out of shape and couldn't grasp the new offensive system he was playing under.

Washington decided to trade McNabb to the Minnesota Vikings at the end of the season. He has continued to struggle, as have the Vikings, to an 0-4 record so far in 2011.

His quarterback rating not only has gone down the past two years, but the 15 interceptions McNabb threw last year was a career high mark. He will be 35-years old soon, but some critics are wondering if his days as an NFL starter are about to end sooner than expected.

McNabb has endured his share of criticism since being drafted. Not only did a bunch of fans boo his selection that day, but he has had critics question his competence. McNabb has handled everything with dignity and class, and his selection in 1999 rivals Champ Bailey and possibly Torry Holt as the best first round draft pick that year.

If Father Time has indeed caught up with McNabb, he won't go down without a fight. He still ranks ranks fourth best all-time in career interception percentage in NFL history. He was the NFC Offensive Player of the Year after leading Philadelphia to Super Bowl XXXIX.

History shows quarterbacks nearing the end of great careers mostly never turn it on again, but people like Kurt Warner, Y.A. Tittle and others have showed it does happen. McNabb, who last year said he wanted to play for many more years, and the Vikings certainly hope he has some greatness left in him.






Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers




91 Interception and Fumbles in 58 Games
55 Touchdowns Thrown, 57.7 Completion Percentage, 73.8 Quarterback Rating
22-32 Record

Ever since Smith was the first overall draft pick in 2005, he has been on most lists as the worst starting quarterback in the NFL. He was probably put on the field too early, but the 49ers could not afford to give him time to sit and learn his position.

Yet Smith has only lasted a full year at starter once so far. He also may be running out of chances to be the starter, especially since the raw and athletic Colin Kaepernick was drafted this year. It hasn't always been Smith's fault that he he has yet to show why San Francisco drafted him, because he has been sacked 142 times in his career.

With the best receivers at his disposel in his career, Smith's 2011 season has seen him complete a career best 67.3 percent of his passes so far. He also has tossed just one interception, despite having no running game so far. New head coach Jim Harbaugh, a former NFL quarterback, has had a positive impact as the 49ers shot out to a 3-1 record.

Sometimes it takes a quarterback a few years to learn and get it all down. Canton has men like Len Dawson, Dan Fouts, Bart Starr and others as proof. So there is still a chance Smith can end up having a career comparable to those legends.







Tavaris Jackson, Seattle Seahawks




44 Interceptions and Fumbles in 40 Games
29 Touchdowns Thrown, 59.3 Completion Percentage, 77.2 Quarterback Rating
11-13 Record

Jackson was drafted in second round of the 2006 draft by the Minnesota Vikings. He ended up starting in 19 games his first three season, but stayed on the bench mostly behind Brett Favre the next two.

He left Minnesota after 2010 and signed a contract with the Seattle Seahawks. Jackson not only has good receivers like Mike Williams and Kevin Boss, he rejoined former Vikings teammate Sidney Rice.

It is his first season in a new system, as well as the first time in his career he is the anointed starter. He already has five touchdown passes, which means he will pass his career high of nine soon if he stays healthy. But Jackson has already tossed four interceptions as well, which has helped the 1-3 Seahawks rank 29th in scoring so far in 2011.

Since Seattle can't seem to get their rushing attack going yet, they will rely heavily on Jackson. After being played too early at the beginning of his career, he should be as ready as he might ever be. Jackson's entire career has been played under offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, so system familiarity will not be a reason to hold him back.







Rex Grossman, Washington Redskins




71 Interceptions and Fumbles in 45 Games
46 Touchdowns Thrown, 54.6 Completion Percentage, 71.8 Quarterback Rating
23-15 Record

The Chicago Bears used a first round draft pick on Grossman in 2003. He did start seven games in his first three seasons, but the Bears started him all of 2006. He played decently as the Bears defense led the team to a Super Bowl before losing.

He lost his starting game after seven games the next year, and was released by Chicago after 2007. After sitting on the Houston Texans bench for a season, he followed offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan to the Washington Redskins and ended up starting the final three games of 2010.

He is now the starter, but it may not be for long. Grossman still makes innumerous mistakes every game he plays, often forcing passes that often hit the defenders in the chest. Though he is in his ninth season, Grossman often plays like a rookie who has had minimal experience at the quarterback position.

With his high turnover rate, it will be interesting to see how long the Redskins will put up with him. They are a team rebuilding, but their 2011 schedule has had some luck in the fact that Washington has faced opponents bereft by injuries already.

At their current 3-1 record, it may be unlikely Grossman is benched even though the media has begun whispers a change is on the Redskins horizon. If this happens, it is probably the last legitimate shot Grossman will have as a starting quarterback in the NFL.







Mark Sanchez, New York Jets




63 Interceptions and Fumbles in 35 Games
35 Touchdowns Thrown, 54.5 Completion Percentage, 71 Quarterback Rating
21-14 Record

Some fair-weathered fans might not like this selection of a guy who played college ball at USC, where he won a national championship, then has led a New York team a game within the Super Bowl each season since the Jets drafted him in the first round of the 2009 draft.

They basically gave up a second round draft pick to the Cleveland Browns, along with three players no longer in Cleveland, to get a player who became the first rookie quarterback to start for the franchise since their inaugural season. Both critics and fans of Sanchez have pointed to his lack of collegiate experience since that day.

Being a player in a fish bowl like New York is a double-edged sword. While a player may be severely overhyped much of the time, every move made is also met with scrutiny. Sanchez has handled this situation well so far.

Some call him a newer version of Trent Dilfer, a quarterback who once rode the Baltimore Ravens running game and defense to a title in 2000. The Jets are similar to that Ravens team in that their rushing game and defense is the main reason they reached the AFC Championship the previous two years.

Sanchez still makes a ton of mistakes, but he is in just his third season and was never allowed to sit and learn his position because of the $50 million he was given in 2009. But the Jets are winning, and that is all that matters at the end of the day. No matter who is manning the quarterback position.






Eli Manning, New York Giants




153 Interceptions and Fumbles in 109 Games
162 Touchdowns Thrown, 58.2 Completions Percentage, 81.1 Quarterback Rating
63-44 Record, Super Bowl XLII Champion and MVP

Manning made a few waves before he even played in the NFL after the San Diego Chargers used the first pick of the 2004 draft on him. Refusing to play with the Chargers, he was dealt to the New York Giants for Philip Rivers.

Manning started seven games as a rookie, splitting the duties with veteran Kurt Warner. The Giants were encouraged enough by Manning's performance to allow Warner to move on to the Arizona Cardinals.

While Rivers has gone to three Pro Bowls, as opposed to one for Manning, the Chargers have yet to reach a Super Bowl. Manning, despite leading the NFL in interceptions thrown in 2007, rode a strong rushing attack and smothering defense to Super Bowl XLII.

In a game most remember for a 32-yard prayer Manning heaved to David Tyree, who snagged the ball with one hand, the quarterback was awarded the Super Bowl MVP after two short fourth quarter touchdown passes helped New York win 17-14. That is enough legacy for most quarterbacks to hang their hat on.

Manning has two areas that both greatly help and sometimes detract from his true abilities. While playing in the fish bowl called New York, he is the little brother of future Hall of Famer Petyon Manning. His family has a rich legacy that carries him and often shades the reality of his skills.

Manning is coming off a 2010 season where he led the NFL in interceptions thrown for the second time in his seven seasons. Now entering his eighth year, he has thrown just two so far despite having several teammates hurt and many changes made to the Giants roster.

He may be the third best NFL quarterback in his own family, but Manning believes he is an elite player. That confidence will hopefully increase his completion percentage while reducing a high turnover rate.








Jason Campbell, Oakland Raiders




94 Interceptions and Fumbles in 69 Games
72 Touchdowns Thrown, 61.1 Completion Percentage, 83 Quarterback Rating
29-39 Record

It has been a wild ride since Campbell began playing college football. It seems he has played in a new system under a new offensive coordinator annually. He has also played behind some porous offensive lines, leaving him vulnerable to being frequently hit.

Since being drafted in the first round of the 2005 draft by the Washington Redskins, Campbell has been inundated with tons of plays by several different coaches. He has been reunited with offensive coordinator Al Saunders this year, a man Campbell played under the first two seasons of his career.

After starting seven games as a rookie, Campbell has basically started since. He has proven to be pretty tough and durable over this time. He was making progress in Washington, but ended up getting traded for a fourth-round pick to the Oakland Raiders after the Redskins signed free agent Donovan McNabb.

He was benched by since fired head coach Tom Cable for three games, all of which Oakland lost, before coming back to lead the Raiders to their best record since 2002. While the Raiders rushing attack has been the star of this team, Campbell has tried to work hard and develop a repertoire with his young wide receivers.

It may seem Campbell has been around forever, but he will be only 30-years old soon. Oakland is headed in a good direction and have the right man for the quarterback job, but must get better play from the blockers and receivers to help him out.








Chad Henne, Miami Dolphins




37 Interceptions in 36 Games
31 Touchdowns Thrown, 60.7 Completion Percentage, 75.7 Quarterback Rating
13-18 Record

Henne was drafted by the Dolphins in the second round of the 2008 draft. After sitting on the bench as a rookie, he has started since. The results have been mixed.

While Henne's progress has slightly been slowed by the single-wing formation, also called "Wild Cat," his team frequently ran the first two years of his career, he also continues to make mistakes in his reads. Miami got him an upgrade of receivers to throw to, but his completion percentage had shown no improvement.

Despite having a good size and strong arm, his ability to check down to secondary receivers and not force passes to covered receivers has held Henne back. After having veteran coach Dan Henning teach him at the beginning of his career, Henne is now in his first season under Brian Daboll as his offensive coordinator.

With head coach Tony Sparano seemingly in his last season with the team, Henne appears to likely to have a new coaching staff in his future. Whether that is with the Dolphins or not will be determined later, as will be his future as a starting quarterback in this league.







Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos



10 Games Played and Four Turnovers
11 Touchdowns Thrown or Rushed, 50 Completion Percentage, 82.1 Quarterback Rating
1-2 Record

How can such an untested youngster make this list? When he is an overhyped entity, courtesy of the media and zealots whose view of him extends beyond the gridiron.

Critics say Tebow is basically a fullback at this stage of his career, and Denver has run him 44 times already in a career that started last season after the Broncos used a first round pick to acquire him. Despite a terrible 2011 preseason that obviously showed he isn't ready, his legion of fans cry his name all game.

The media has peppered Denver head coach John Fox with more Tebow questions than questions about the Broncos team, exacerbating the hype. Even with the Broncos coaches and players showing support for starting quarterback Kyle Orton, the media and a few fans keep harping on Tebow.

  

Eli better than Brady?? Miami returning to its normal self?? NFL sticking it to Pryor?? Did Vice President Biden start a fight?? Wow, ScottJax77 mentions the Vice President in this weeks edition of Rants and Raves.

Former Baltimore Oriole and Toronto Blue Jays pitcher, Mike Flanagan was found died outside his home yesterday. The lefty played 18 seasons, and was 167-143 with a 3.90 era over an 18 year career. He was a world series winner on the 1983 Oriole’s team and also won a Cy Young in 1979. From 1977 through 1983, he made more starts (223) than any pitcher in the American League and was third in wins (109) during that span.

What was Eli Manning thinking???? He’s better than Tom Brady?? What drugs is Manning taking??? Eli was a guest on the “Michael Kay Show” on ESPN New York when he was asked if he was in the same class as Tom Brady. This was Manning’s reply:

"I consider myself in that class," said Manning, the MVP of Super Bowl XLII. "Tom Brady is a great quarterback, he's a great player and what you've seen with him is he's gotten better every year. He started off winning championships and I think he's a better quarterback now than what he was, in all honesty, when he was winning those championships. "I think now he's grown up and gotten better every year and that's what I'm trying to do. I kind of hope these next seven years of my quarterback days are my best."

He also mentioned that the Giants have an offense that puts him in a good situation. Their physical run game opens the play-action, a facet of the game that he performs well in.

Only time will tell, but the clock is ticking and he has a long, long way to catch the 3-time Super Bowl Champion quarterback.

Let’s get ready to rumble? Wait they did. Georgetown Hoya’s Men’s Basketball Team and a Chinese professional team named Bayi Rockets had a major clash. It all stemmed from a very physical game in which Baiyi had 57 free throws to Georgetowns 15.

Here is a clip of the brawl from someone in the stands:

"Tonight, two great teams played a very competitive game that unfortunately ended after heated exchanges with both teams,'' Thompson said in a statement. "We sincerely regret that this situation occurred. We remain grateful for the opportunity our student-athletes are having to engage in a sport they love here in China, while strengthening their understanding of a nation we respect and admire at Georgetown University.''

It was reported that the game had been tense from the beginning and was stopped earlier after two players exchanged words. At one point, a Rockets player even berated Thompson after the Hoyas' coach yelled at his team.

Here is an account posted on a GT message board:

So, tonight's game...we started out behind and were having trouble moving the ball around. The PLA team's big men actually matched up with us pretty well and they played solid defense early on. We were quickly in foul trouble and they moved to the line pretty often, although it wasn't that notable at the time. Then in the second quarter we made a nice run, started hitting open shots, and played really nice defense and forced some turnovers- truly fun to watch and gives us some hope for the regular season. I believe we were down 5 at the end of the first, and then we built a 6-point lead.

Then things got really lopsided on the officiating front in the second quarter. They were in the bonus (five fouls) in the first two minutes of the quarter. The fouls continued- I think we had about 12-14 in the second quarter alone, if I had to guess without seeing a stat sheet (which I doubt will be published). On a couple of plays there was a bit of shoving under the basket, but it calmed down fairly quickly, JT3 clearly called the team over and probably said something along the lines that the officiating was ridiculous, but it didn't matter and everyone needed to stay cool. Then JT3 became more active in pushing the refs for some calls on our end (we were getting mauled, and the PLA team was getting a call basically every time down the court). Despite all of this, we finished the half up 4 or 5- we were shooting really well.

The whole thing came undone in the third. About two minutes in, the ridiculously lopsided foul calls continued (we were in the bonus again 2 1/2 minutes in) and the first real shoving match kicked off over a loose ball. The players on the court separated each other pretty quickly, but then the craziest thing I've ever seen happened- one of the Bayi big men got in JT3's face and almost took a swing. He was so shocked he didn't know what to do. So that upped the ante a bit.

Then the foul calls truly took on a comical dimension. We supposedly fouled them every time down the court, despite some really good defense on some possessions. There were four or five intentional fouls called, giving them four shots each time down the court. JT3 was called for a technical for stepping over the line onto the court. I counted Bayi scoring two field goals in the entire third quarter. I don't know what the count was, but I would not be surprised if they shot 45-50 FTs through three quarters, and we shot 6-10. I honestly think the foul count was likely in the range of 30 or 35 to 5-7. A few exchanges got testy and at one point players had to restrain themselves again. I started joking with some Chinese people in the crowd, who to their credit similarly thought it was a bit ridiculous but were mainly upset that the game had no flow. At the end of the third, despite all of this, we were tied or up two points or so. 
 

Two minutes into the fourth, they were pressing full court, trapped one of our guards (I forget who it was), and then must have pushed or punched him on the ground after he made the outlet pass, because then there was a shoving match and then a bit of a fight, and then the whole thing set off. He tried to get away as quickly as possible as the Chinese players sort of converged on him, and then benches cleared, and then people on the Chinese bench started picking up chairs. Everyone on the other side of the court started fighting as well. Brawl spread all over the court, and then off the court. After it kicked off it immediately became possible for the crowd to get involved, and then they did. As we tried to get the team off the court, bottles (plastic ones, thankfully) came out of the crowd at the team and everyone left. Security was there (sort of), but it was more equivalent to mall cop-quality security rather than actual security. The Georgetown staff wanted the security to get on the floor, but honestly these guys didn't have a clue what to do. They escorted the whole alumni contingent out fairly quickly after that. Game over, 64-64 (following another intentional foul).

I don't know how much news this will make, but even given my admittedly partisan view of how this played out, this was really not our fault. The refs completely failed to control the game, and these things happen when they can continue to maul us underneath with no consequences. The coaching staff called the whole team over at several times during the game and calmed everyone down. We didn't throw any punches and players and coaches were generally just laughing at the absurdity of the officiating at times. Anyway, not exactly what I was expecting to see tonight...

Wow, great discription.

Have you noticed that wherever Vice President Biden goes troubles follow???

He’s eligible, he’s not eligible, what is it? Here’s the deal. Terrelle Pryor was eligible for this past Monday’s supplemental draft, taken by the Oakland Raiders in the 3^rd round. He will be suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season once he signs his contract. Pryor says he will not appeal the suspension. 

It’s about time one of you guys went on vacation or something.

Ok, to be fair, it’s not that I don’t like having everyone around these parts and to be more fair, I realize that I can write any time I choose to, but sometimes you just need that kick in the ass that a deadline or responsibility gives you. So that brings us here, with me covering for OldHarry for the next few weeks, allowing me to crawl out of the woodwork. Don’t worry though Harry, I’ll keep Old Shorty safe by bringing out my own gold-plated stool for the next few weeks.

For those of you who are familiar with my writing, you know I tend to lean more towards baseball than anything else. It’s not that I don’t like football or basketball or hockey, I just can’t sink my teeth into it as well as I can the national pastime.

Still, I can appreciate the gravity of watching both Manning brothers fail miserably in their chance to put their teams in top in Sunday’s action. First you had Peyton and the Colts, taking advantage of a porous Pats pass defense to drive down the field for what would have been the go-ahead touchdown and possibly the second consecutive time that Indy has come back from a 31-14 deficit in the fourth quarter to beat New England. Instead, his wrist goes about as limp as a drug-free Rafael Palmeiro and he gets picked off inside easy field goal range. Trust me though, as a Pats fan I’m not complaining.

That’s where Eli comes in. His play is even more bone-headed that Peyton’s. For a guy whose brother talks like he’s got a mouth full, and in these parts that’s saying a lot, Eli obviously got beaned in the head with a few passes as a kid. That would be the only way to explain his choice to dive forward after securing a first down on Sunday night rather than slide. Instead, he goes into a headfirst sprawl to the ground, untouched mind you, and coughs up the football to Philly. Now certainly, both teams were having issues holding onto the ball in this game, but still, common sense was knocking at the door and Eli tried answering the phone instead.

All and all, it doesn’t look like Archie’s boys will have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

So now that we’ve tossed around the pigskin, I have some baseball debating to get into. I know we had a fairly lively debate last week about the outcome of the American League Cy Young Award going to Felix Hernandez, so I thought I’d stoke the fires a bit more. I want to know what everyone’s opinion is on the Yankees’ negotiations with Derek Jeter.

The last I saw, New York was readying a 3-year/$45 million contract offer to their 36-year-old free agent captain. Now, I could debate you on his worth as a shortstop, especially one that continues to mystify critics and win gold gloves despite declining range. Yes, he makes few errors on the plays he gets to, but he has a 1.3 WAR rating, which calculates how many wins he adds to a team over a replacement, with 0-2 being ranked as a reserve level. But again, I’m not here to talk about his fielding. Rather, I want to debate his worth to the Yankees.

There are no shortages of serviceable shortstops available on the free agent market, with the likes of J.J. Hardy, Orlando Cabrera, Alex Gonzalez, and Edgar Renteria. However, could you image the backlash in New York by the fans, the tabloids, and the ticket-holders if the Yankees allowed Jeter to walk and brought in a stop-gap player like one of the above? How much value can you place on face?

Then there is Jeter, who obviously won’t make himself a favorite son of anybody by walking away and finding employment elsewhere. Either outcome is doubtful, but both sides are playing their cards like the other needs them more when in reality, both sides can’t exist without each other and really shouldn’t. A deal will get done, but there will be hurt feelings on one side of the arrangement.

And finally, we have my buddy Scott Boras, who is finally in some hot some water. It appears the devil that walks the Earth has been pumping money into Dominican baseball prospects, which is in violation of MLBPA rules. Finally the devil gets his due and I love every minute of it. That’s right Scott; you can’t tamper with the amateur system bucko!

Alright folks, thanks for stopping by and I’ll catch up to you next week!

Jay Berwanger was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, but declined to play. The Chicago Bears traded for his rights after hiring Berwanger's college coach, Clark Shaughnessy, to improve the T-formation offense that had made Berwanger a star at the University of Chicago. 

 

Of the nine players drafted in the first round in 1936, only Berwanger and Notre Dame legend Bill Shakespeare decided not to play. Five players careers did not last past 1939, and the remaining two players careers lasted until 1944.

 

One was Bears Hall of Famer Joe Stydahar. 

 

Other famous facts was that future College Football Hall of Fame coach Paul "Bear" Bryant was drafted in the fourth round by the Brooklyn Dodgers, but Bryant immediately chose to be an assistant at Alabama University instead.

 

Bears Hall of Famer  Danny Fortmann was the fourth from last player drafted that year. 

 

This is a recollection of some of the biggest busts in NFL history, proving the memory of a Jamarcus Russell will fade over time.

 

Berwanger, however, does not belong in this category. 

 

Here is a list of the first picks of NFL drafts that did not play the way their teams and fans expected.

 

 

Tom Harmon

 

Harmon won both the Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award after a legendary career at Michigan University. The Chicago Bears made him the first pick of the 1941 draft, but he opted to play for the New York Americans of the second installment of the American Football League instead. 

 

Harmon was also making movies, which paved the way for his children to be actors. Mark Harmon may the most famous, though one daughter starred in Tic-Tac candy commercials in the 80's and another married Ricky Nelson. 

 

He then joined the Army as a pilot and flew several missions in World War II. He was shot down once, and flew a plane into a storm where he was the only surviving member of the crew. These incidents caused leg injuries, but Harmon joined the Los Angeles Rams in 1946. 

 

He played just two years before retiring from the injuries he sustained as a soldier. He scored nine times as a part-time player, including a league leading 84 yard run his rookie season and a league leading 88 yard punt return in his last year. He also picked off 11 passes, scoring once each year. One was returned for a league leading 85 yards as a rookie. 

 

Though the war ravaged his career, his impact in the AFL then is mostly unknown due to poorly kept records and statistics.He had impact in his two years in the NFL, but it came about six seasons after he was drafted by another team.

 

He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, but he could have had more gridiron success in other circumstances.

 

 

 

Angelo Bertelli

 

"The Springfield Rifle" won the 1943 Heisman despite playing just six games for Notre Dame University before joining the Marines because of WWII.

 

That did not stop the Boston Yanks from making him the first pick of the 1944 draft.  He never played for the Yanks, opting to play in the All-American Football Conference for a few years.

 

He joined the Los Angeles Dons in 1946, starting in three games. He spent the next two years as a backup with the Chicago Rockets before retiring with eight touchdown passes and 14 interceptions in his career. 

 

Perhaps he was destined for greater professional gridiron achievements if it were not for the war.

 

His is also the father of ex-Sonic Youth drummer Bob Bert.

 

 

 

Boley Dancewicz

 

 

The first pick of the 1946 draft by the Boston Yanks, this Notre Dame great lasted three years with the team as a reserve before retiring.

 

He started in two games, and ended up with 12 touchdowns and 29 interceptions. The highlight of his career was in 1947, where he led the NFL in yards gained per pass completion.

 

He is the grandfather of quarterback Chris Pizzotti, who has bounced around several NFL training camps the past few years.

 

 

 

 

Bob Fenimore

 

 

The "Blonde Bomber" was a legendary two-time All-American halfback at Oklamhoma A&M, which is now known as Oklahoma State University.

 

A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, he did not play much in his senior year because of injuries. 

 

The Chicago Bears made him the first pick of the 1947 draft.

 

He lasted one season in the league, scoring three times and intercepting two passes in the ten games he appeared in.

 

Fenimore then walked away from the NFL forever.

 

 

 

 

Harry Babcock

 

 

He was a wide receiver taken by the San Francisco 49ers with the first pick of the 1953 draft, which had one of the worst first rounds in NFL history. 

 

Including Babcock, seven of the 13 first round selections were out of the league by 1957 with little contribution. Two others never played in the league. 

 

Babcock's three seasons saw him catch just 16 balls for 181 yards and no scores. He was out of the game after 1955.

 

 

 

 

Bobby Garrett

Garrett was the guy that made teams start doing their homework better before the drafts.

He was taken by the Cleveland Browns with the first pick in 1954. When the quarterback showed up, Cleveland quickly learned he had a severe stutter. 

 

They quickly traded him to the Green Bay Packers, where he lasted one season.

 

He completed 15 of 30 passes for 143 yards and an interception before walking away from the game. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

George Shaw

The Baltimore Colts made him the first pick in 1955.

 

He started all 12 games as a rookie, but soon found himself on the bench behind undrafted free agent, and future Hal of Famer, Johnny Unitas after breaking a leg in 1956. 

 

He stayed mostly on the Colts bench until 1958, where the Colts won the championship.

He then bounced around as a backup for the New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, and the Denver Broncos of the AFL before retiring at the end of the 1962 season.

 

He won 11 of the 29 games he started, and had 41 touchdown passes versus 63 interceptions. 

 

Though there have been bigger busts than Shaw, and it wasn't his fault maybe the games greatest quarterback ever ended up on his team, he certainly did not quite enjoy the career expected of him.

 

 

 

 

King Hill

 

It might be hard to call a guy with a 12 year career a bust, but it wasn't one hoped for when the Chicago Cardinals made him the first pick in 1958.

 

The Cardinals also had the second pick that year, and got great value when they snagged halfback John David Crow. 

 

Hill started out as a quarterback, but barely played as a rookie. He was handed the staring job the next year, and won just two of 11 games.

 

He fumbled the ball a league high 13 times, which was tied with Hall of Famer Bobby Layne as the second most ever, one less than Bobby Wade's 14, at the time. 

 

The Cardinals moved to Saint Louis in 1960, and Hill was moved to punter.

 

He was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles the next year and lasted eight years with them as a punter and seldom used quarterback. He rejoined the Cardinals in 1969 as a punter before retiring. 

 

One reason for his longevity was the fact he averaged 41.3 yards per punt on 368 attempts, and never had a kick blocked until his final season.

 

He also was an important man in the players union, holding the title of Vice President of the Players Association in 1968. The league was on strike then, and Hill helped sign the first collective bargaining agreement in NFL history. 

 

Hill immediately stepped into coaching in 1970 as the offensive coordinator of the Houston Oilers, where he stayed until 1980. He then took the same job with the New Orleans Saints from 1981 to 1986 before returning to the Eagles as a scout for six years. 

 

Though he has a fine career as a punter, no one drafts a punter with the first pick of the draft.

 

He threw 48 touchdown passes, but he also tossed 71 interceptions and won just seven of the 30 games he started.

 

 

 

 

 

Randy Duncan

 

The Green Bay Packers made this quarterback the first pick of the 1959 draft after a legendary career at Iowa University, where he was the 1958 Big Ten MVP, Walter Camp and Helms Foundation Player of the Year, and finished second in the Heisman vote. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. 

 

Not liking the contract offer of the Packers, he bolted to the Canadian Football League to be a member of the BC Lions. He lasted two years there before deciding to join the Dallas Texans of the AFL in 1961. 

 

He spent most of the year as a backup to Pro Bowler Cotton Davidson, though he did start twice himself and won once. He threw one touchdown pass that year, then retired from the game to become a lawyer.

 

 

 

 

Terry Baker

 

Baker was an exciting athlete drafted by the Los Angeles Rams first overall in 1963.

He won the 1962 Heisman at Oregon State University, and also excelled at basketball. His team made it to the Final Four that year, making him the only Heisman winner to accomplish this feat.

 

Sports Illustrated named him their Sportsman of the Year and he is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. 

 

He was a running quarterback, but the Rams ran a system that asked for a pocket passer. He played sparingly over his three years in the NFL, mostly lining up at running back.

 

Baker threw 21 career passes, completing 11. He also caught 30 passes and ran for 219 yards on 58 carries with one touchdown. 

 

Unhappy with the Rams, he went to the CFL and joined the Edmonton Eskimos.

He retired after one season.

 

His selection has to be one of the most curious, because the Rams seemed intent on making him something he was not instead of adjusting some of their playbook to his style.

 

 

 

 

Walt Patulski

The Buffalo Bills made him the first selection in 1972.

A big defensive end with good speed, the former Notre Dame standout had finished ninth in the 1971 Heisman voting.

 

When he arrived in Buffalo, big things were expected. After five quarterback sacks as a rookie, he improved to seven the following year and was named Defensive Player of the Week after the 11th game.

 

He then got nine and a half sacks over the next two years. 

 

Buffalo then decided to trade him to the Saint Louis Cardinals before the 1976 season, but he hurt his knee and missed the entire year. He returned in 1977, then retired at seasons end. 

 

Though Patulski had some success, it wasn't what both he and the Bills had expected and hoped for.

 

 

 

 

Kenneth Sims

 

The New England Patriots tabbed this defensive end with the first pick of the 1982 draft.

It was a strike year that season, so Sims had three sacks over nine games. He played in just five contests the next year because of injuries. 

 

His best season as a pro was in 1985, when he had a career high five and a half sacks as New England made it to Super Bowl XX before losing.

 

He spent three of his last four years injured mostly. He played four total games over two seasons.  

 

In 1980, he was caught with drugs and the Patriots released him, thus ending his career.

Sims is considered by many as squandered talent.

 

He was called "Game Day" because he preferred not to practice during the week.

 

 

 

 

Steve Emtman

 

The Indianapolis Colts had the first two draft picks of the 1992 draft. Emtman was the first, linebacker Quenton Coryatt was the second.

 

Coryatt lasted six years with the team, getting eight and a half sacks and three interceptions before playing four games for the Dallas Cowboys in 1999 and retiring at seasons end. 

 

Emtman was an athletic defensive tackle with a "cant miss" tag on him.

 

He came out as a junior after finishing fourth in the Heisman voting. He is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. 

 

He got off to a fast start as a rookie, getting three sacks and intercepting a ball, returning it 90 yards for a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins. Two weeks later, he blew out his left knee against the Dolphins and was out for the year.

 

He then blew out his other knee in the fifth game of the following year, shelving him again. He came back again the next year, but ruptured a disc in the first game. 

 

Emtman continued to play three more games before the pain became unbearable and his season was shut down early for the third consecutive season. 

 

He joined the Dolphins in 1995, playing all 16 games for the only time of his career as a reserve.

 

After playing in 13 the next year, he joined the Washington Redskins for four games in 1997 before retiring. 

 

Obvious bad luck derailed a very promising career, but Emtman's toughness was undeniable in his ability to come back for more yearly.

 

 

 

 

Ki-Jana Carter

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

The National Football League has a wasteland of first round draft picks who never did much if or when they played. Many players are on ever draft board every year with lackluster numbers few expected at the time they were chosen. 

In 1936, the NFL created a draft. There were nine teams in the league at that time, so they held a nine round draft.

The league was not very popular at the time, taking a distant backseat to Major League Baseball and college football.  Many of the players drafted eschewed the opportunity to play in the NFL, a practice that continued into the 1950's, because they could earn much more money working elsewhere.

This includes the first player ever drafted, who happened to also be the first winner of the Heisman Trophy.

 

Steve Emtman

The Indianapolis Colts had the first two draft picks of the 1992 draft. Emtman was the first, linebacker Quenton Coryatt was the second.

Coryatt lasted six years with the team, getting eight and a half sacks and three interceptions before playing four games for the Dallas Cowboys in 1999 and retiring at seasons end. 

Emtman was an athletic defensive tackle with a "cant miss" tag on him.

He came out as a junior after finishing fourth in the Heisman voting. He is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. 

He got off to a fast start as a rookie, getting three sacks and intercepting a ball, returning it 90 yards for a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins. Two weeks later, he blew out his left knee against the Dolphins and was out for the year.

He then blew out his other knee in the fifth game of the following year, shelving him again. He came back again the next year, but ruptured a disc in the first game. 

Emtman continued to play three more games before the pain became unbearable and his season was shut down early for the third consecutive season. 

He joined the Dolphins in 1995, playing all 16 games for the only time of his career as a reserve.

After playing in 13 the next year, he joined the Washington Redskins for four games in 1997 before retiring. 

Obvious bad luck derailed a very promising career, but Emtman's toughness was undeniable in his ability to come back for more yearly.

 

Bad luck met Carter early in his career, a few weeks after the Cincinnati Bengals made the running back the first selection in 1995.

 

He blew out his knee the third time he ever touched the ball in an exhibition game, putting him on the sideline for the year. 

 

He came back the next season and scored 15 touchdowns over two years before injury struck him again. After appearing in just four games over two seasons, Cincinnati cut him.

 

The Washington Redskins picked him up for one season before he moved onto the New Orleans Saints and played in ten games over two years before retiring. 

 

He lasted seven years in the NFL, gaining just 1,144 rushing yards and 21 total touchdowns.

 

Yahoo Sports named him as the worst number-one draft pick since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, though injuries had a great part as to the reason why he struggled.

 

 

 

 

 

Tim Couch

This quarterback was the first selection of the 1999 draft by the Cleveland Browns, who were an expansion team.

 

Both he and the team struggled to two wins that year, though Couch did show promise.

 

He was hurt the next year, appearing in seven games, then seemed to regress each season even though the team was improving with more victories.

 

After a mediocre 2003 season bereft with injury, Cleveland parted ways with him. 

 

Couch spent several years talking about playing again, but he never made a roster and struggled with rotator cuff issues.

 

Too bad the UFL wasn't out then for him.

 

 

 

 

Courtney Brown

 

The first pick of the 2000 draft by the Cleveland Browns, this defensive end stayed in the NFL until 2005 with inconsistent play in between injuries. 

 

His rookie season was the only time he played all 16 games, and he got four and a half sacks. He duplicated that sack total in just five games the next year, as well as scoring his only touchdown off a fumble recovery, before he was befell by injury. 

 

He had a career best six sacks in 13 games during 2003, but played in just two games the next year. Cleveland cut him, and he signed with the Denver Broncos.

 

He lasted one year with them before retiring after 2005. 

 

Blessed with good size and athleticism, his critics felt he lacked the inner drive to be the best player he possibly could be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

David Carr

 

This quarterback was the first pick ever by the expansion Houston Texans in 2002.

 

Playing behind a porous offensive line, Carr was hit virtually every time he attempted a pass.

 

He fumbled 21 times as a rookie, leading the league with 12 recoveries while being sacked an NFL record 76 times. 

 

He led the league in times sacked his third and fourth seasons as well, though he showed some improvements. He led the NFL in completion percentage in 2006, but the Texans cut him anyways. 

 

After a one year stop with the Carolina Panthers in 2007, where he won one of four starts, he joined the New York Giants for two years as a backup. He then signed with the San Francisco 49ers as a reserve for 2010. 

 

Though his career may not yet be done, few quarterbacks took the pounding Carr did in his first five years.

 

 

 

 

 

JaMarcus Russell

 

The first pick of the 2007 draft by the Oakland Raiders, his career might be a lesson as to what can happen when you toss a quarterback onto the field before he is ready.

 

Undeveloped talent might be the best term for Russell so far, but his work ethic is widely regarded as terrible. 

 

Russell was recently cut by the Raiders and is unemployed.

 

A year or two in the UFL would do him good, but there has yet to be a story of his interest in the upstart league. 

 

Blessed with enormous size for a quarterback, and rare arm strength, the knock of him is what is in his head and heart.

 

A story circulated around Raiders headquarters that a coach asked Russell to study a DVD. When asked about it the next day Russell reportedly said he learned a lot. Problem was, he way handed a blank DVD, which further exposed his work ethic and interest in football. 

 

Only 25-years old, it is fathomable he can one day return to the NFL and salvage his career. It is looking like a long shot at best right now, because many feel he will never put in the required work.

 

 

 

Honorable Mention

 

Alex Smith was the first pick of the 2005 draft and has mostly been unimpressive thus far. He might be running out of chances to get off this list.  

 

The AAFC held drafts from 1947 to 1949. Many of their drafted players elected to play in the NFL instead. 

 

Frank Aschenbrenner was the first ever player drafted. He lasted one year with the Buffalo Bills, carrying the ball eight times for 14 yards before retiring. 

 

Clyde Scott was the first pick in 1948 by the Buffalo Bills, but he was also the eighth overall selection by the Philadelphia Eagles. He joined the Eagles for just over three years, before finishing his career with the Detroit Lions. He won a championship with each team. 

 

Abe Gibron was the last number-one draft pick of the AAFC, also by the Bills. He played ten games in Buffalo, then the league went defunct.

 

He joined the Cleveland Bowns for over 6 years, making the Pro Bowl four times. He was traded to the Philadephia Eagles late in 1956, then joined the Chicago Bears in 1958. He retired after the 1959 season, having won three championships with Cleveland. 

 

He later became a head coach of the Chicago Bears for three years, then one year for the Chicago Winds of the World Football League. He later joined the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he was beloved for his sense of humor and love of food. 

 

The fourth installment of the American Football League held drafts from 1960 to 1966.

Like the AAFC, many drafted players went to the NFL, though the AFL was much more aggressive and signed more players.

 

This aggressiveness led to better play than what the NFL was producing, forcing a merger between the two leagues. 

 

The 1960 draft was a territorial draft, though officially the Oakland Raiders selected a player in a supplemental draft who never played for them. 

 

The first pick of the 1961 draft was Bob Gaiters by the Denver Broncos, but he opted to play with the New York Giants instead.

 

Roman Gabriel was the first pick in 1962 by the Raiders, but he too chose the NFL. 

 

Hall of Fame defensive tackle Buck Buchanan was the first selection in 1963 by the Kansas City Chiefs, and he became the first to actually play in the AFL. Amazingly, the New York Giants waited until the 19th round to draft him in the NFL, and 264 players were chosen before him. 

 

Buchanan led the Chiefs to two Super Bowls, winning one, in a 13-year career that saw him named to eight Pro Bowls and four First Team All-Pro honors. 

 

Jack Concannon was the first pick in 1964 by the Boston Patriots. The NFL Philadelphia Eagles drafted him in the second round, so he chose to go there. He lasted ten years, promarily as a reserve. 

 

"Broadway" Joe Namath was the first pick of the 1965 AFL draft by the New York Jets.

 

He is widely regarded as the man who saved that franchise from extinction.

 

He became the first man to throw for over 4,000 yards, quite a feat in the ten-yard chuck rule era. He lasted 12 years with the Jets and one with the Los Angeles Rams.

 

He led the league in passing yards three times, as well as interceptions. He went to five Pro Bowls, but the Hall of Famer is best remembered for the "Guarantee". 

 

His Jets upset a favored Oakland Raiders in the AFL Champoionship, a team that handled them just five weeks earlier, that enabled them to oppose the heavily favored NFL Champion Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.

 

New York won 16-7, shaking up the world of professional football and bringing respect to the AFL and helped force the eventual merger in 1970. 

 

The 1966 season was the last AFL Draft before the leagues merged their drafts.

The Miami Dolphins selected Jim Grabowski, but he elected to join the Green Bay Packers. They had selected him ninth overall that season. 

 

Though Buchanan and Namath were the only first overall picks to play in the AFL, their impact is historic.

 

Both brought the AFL their only Super Bowl trophies,proving to all their league wasn't as inferior as the NFL loved to claim.

 

They made football better then, which in turn made the future of professional football better off.

 

 

 

Week 2 Picks (8-7 Last Week) :

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Tennessee Titans

Dennis Dixon wasn't great in his start last week, but the defense was. This unit realizes they need to carry the team right now.

Steelers 20 Titans 13





Chicago Bears @ Dallas Cowboys

Dallas was horrible last week, a far cry from the team expected to win their division. If they do not beat a team that had no business defeating the Detroit Lions last week, they may as well go home now.

Cowboys 23 Bears 21





Buffalo Bills @ Green Bay Packers

Green Bay handled the Philadelphia Eagles last week, but lost star running back Ryan Grant for the year. We will see how they will look without him this week.

Packers 24 Bills 21

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers

Tampa Bay outlasted Cleveland last week, even though their quarterback has an injured thumb on his throwing hand. Carolina's quarterback, Matt Moore, needs to play better than he did last week, and I expect him to.

Panthers 27 Buccaneers 17






Kansas City Chiefs @ Cleveland Browns

While Kansas City provided a nice surprise last week in their upset victory over the San Diego Chargers, the Browns frustrated a few by dropping their game to Tampa Bay. Though neither team will get to the playoffs this year, but it will be an interesting battle of rebuilding teams.

Chiefs 31 Browns 24






Miami Dolphins @ Minnesota Vikings

Both teams like to pound their opponents into the turf, so this will be a real smash mouth grind. Both have good running games, but less than stellar passing attacks. This could go into overtime.

Vikings 23 Dolphins 20







Arizona Cardinals @ Atlanta Falcons

Arizona squeaked by the Saint Louis Rams last week, while the Falcons went toe-to-toe with Pittsburgh into overtime before losing. Though the Cardinals have a good defense, it isn't quite as good as the Steelers, so Atlanta should be more productive.

Falcons 34 Cardinals 21







Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals
Game of the Week

Terrell Owens and Chad Ocho Cinco's egos will be the downfall of Cincinnati this year. Both cry for the ball every play, but are obviously on the downsides of their careers. Owens seems to have a foot in his career's grave.

Tight end Jermaine Greshem and the running game are more dangerous weapons, but we won't see enough of it because of the two babbling divas. This was seen last week when the New England Patriots thrashed them.

Baltimore was amped up last week, so critics expect a let down in a short week to prepare. This is a veteran team, so their Super Bowl candidacy will broadcast their intentions this weekend. The great teams win these games.

Ravens 30 Bengals 28





Philadelphia Eagles @ Detroit Lions

While the Lions were robbed last week, the Eagles started their season flat footed. Both teams will be playing their backup quarterbacks this week. Philadelphia's Michael Vick is now getting the chance he once thought he'd never get again. He has a good chance of running and throwing for over 100 yards.

Eagles 34 Lions 17






Saint Louis Rams @ Oakland Raiders

While the Rams played fairly well in their loss last week, the Raiders played poorly. Oakland needs to bounce back this week.

Raiders 27 Rams 21






Seattle Seahawks @ Denver Broncos

While the Seahawks surprised many in their blow out victory over the 49ers, the Broncos dropped a game some thought they would win. While neither team is looking very strong right now, this should be a game that goes to the wire.

Broncos 24 Seahawks 23







Houston Texans @ Washington Redskins

The Redskins benefited from poor play calling by the Dallas Cowboys last week. Their top two running backs averaged almost five yards a carry, but the team decided to throw too much.

 

Houston will not make this same mistake, especially after Arian Foster had the second most productive ground game of any player in NFL history. Washington is expected to show more offensive punch than last week.

Texans 26 Redskins 21
 

New England Patriots @ New York Jets

While the Patriots proved themselves to be a serious Super Bowl contender last week, the Jets showed they are further away than they expected. New England will widen the gap further.

Patriots 27 Jets 13




Jacksonville Jaguars @ San Diego Chargers

The Chargers are coming off a crushing loss last Monday, and they need to rebound quickly. Jacksonville looked solid last week, and will try to build off that momentum.

Chargers 34 Jaguars 24





New York Giants @ Indianapolis Colts

Neither team was very impressive last week. While the Giants defense destroyed the Carolina Panthers, their offense made way too many mistakes. The Colts tiny defensive line might just what New York needs in this battle of the Manning brothers.

Giants 27 Colts 26




New Orleans Saints @ San Francisco 49ers

This is not how the Niners wanted to start this season. They got blown out by Seattle, a team most did not expect a lot of this year. Now they face the defending champions, who are coming off an impressive win and had a few extra days to prepare as well.

Saints 37 49ers 20