Week 4 Thoughts

Finally, the Minnesota Vikings get a win. At home. In London.

Finally, the Vikings defense made a play to seal the game.

This game was different from the first three games in that the Vikings were in control pretty much throughout the game. It was just like the last two games in that the Vikings defense looked like they might give it away in the final minutes. Fortunately, defensive end Everson Griffen sacked Ben Roethlisberger, forced a fumble, and Kevin Williams recovered about 8 yards from their own goal line. Vikings defeat the Steelers 34-27.

Blair Walsh's 54-yard goal to cap off the game-opening drive started the scoring. This was, strangely, the Vikings worst start to a game this season. Adrian Peterson took the first play of the season for a 78-yard touchdown. Cordarrelle Patterson took the opening kickoff of the second game 105 yards for a touchdown. Last week, Christian Ponder directed a crisp 80-yard drive for a touchdown. Yesterday, they got only a field goal.

Walsh is a machine. It's a real surprise when he misses a field goal. This was the case in the second half when he missed on a 43-yard attempt. Not only does he rarely miss, his kicks are rarely far from right down the middle. The miss opened the door for a Steelers comeback. Fortunately that comeback fell short.

Vikings starting quarterback Christian Ponder was out with a fractured rib. Matt Cassel got the start. He completed 16 of 25 for 248 yards and two touchdowns. Most importantly, no interceptions. No turnovers at all! He likes throwing to receiver Jerome Simpson. The first five completions went to Simpson.

Simpson had his second game of over 100 receiving yards. 7 receptions for 124 yards.

Greg Jennings had a nice game too. His impact came more on big plays. While Simpson moved the ball between the goal lines. Jennings crossed the goal line. He took a short pass for a 70-yard touchdown in the first half. He scored again from 16 yards in the third quarter. He finished with 92 yards on 3 receptions.

It's been a while since the Vikings have had such an impact from a receiver, let alone two.

I would sure like to see the coaching staff get rookie receiver Cordarrelle Patterson more involved in the passing game. Cassel threw deep to him early. Didn't connect. Then he caught a another little screen that he nicely took for a 9-yard gain. He's gotten one of those little passes in at least three of the games and that's it. He's too dynamic to be kept so quiet on offense.

Then there was Adrian Peterson. He was fantastic again. 60-yard touchdown. 7-yard touchdown. 140 yards rushing. Games like this just feel routine for the best back in the league. He probably liked having fullback Jerome Felton back on the field.

With as great as the Vikings run the ball with Peterson, they seem to struggle at running the clock to seal wins. They'd be, at worst, 3-1 this season if they could just keep the ball and control the clock at the end of games.

Despite giving up 27 points, the defense played better. They got the big play from Griffen to seal the game. They sacked Roethlisberger 5 times. Hit him several other times. Proving, again, how difficult it can be to bring down that big quarterback. Linebacker Chad Greenway had an interception.

Vikings rookie corner Xavier Rhodes is going to be a good one. He's already the best on the team. Chris Cook could be but he doesn't stay on the field enough. He was out for this game. He has the week's bye to get healthy. With Cook, I really like the Vikings corners. Without Cook, there is a lot of inexperience. Rhodes is a rookie. Josh Robinson is in his second year. Marcus Sherels is on the team as a punt returner. Sherels has actually filled in pretty well on defense due to all the injuries. Despite a 48-yard pass interference penalty, Robinson had a nice game. Especially with run support. 12 tackles. You don't like seeing a corner get that many tackles but many of his twelve were near the line of scrimmage. Comparing anyone to Antoine Winfield is a stretch but that is an Antoine Winfield stat line.

Steelers receiver Antonio Brown had a monster game last week. He had smaller numbers yesterday but he was still impressive. I really like rookie Markus Wheaton. With Brown, Emanuel Sanders, Wheaton and Jerricho Cotchery, I can see why the Steelers weren't too broken up when Mike Wallace bolted for the Miami Dolphins.

It's very early but Le'Veon Bell looks like the back that the Steelers are looking for.

Mostly because I really like Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin I don't like seeing them at 0-4. They are a better football team than that. Still, I'd rather see them at 0-4 than the Vikings.

It looked like Vikings had the fan support advantage in London.

Cassel played well. I still think that Ponder is the starter. Hopefully, seeing the game from the sidelines, seeing the way Cassel plays the position helps Ponder going forward. Sometimes you just need a new perspective. Seeing Cassel play could be that new perspective.

The Houston Texans handed that game to the Seattle Seahawks. The throw that Texans quarterback Matt Schaub gifted to Richard Sherman should never, never be thrown by an NFL quarterback. At worst, the Texans were in position to ice the game with a field goal and a 10-point lead. Instead, Sherman had an interception, a touchdown, and a tie game. Stupid penalties helped the Seahawks win in overtime.

One of worst sites in the NFL is a happy Pete Carroll.

The Detroit Lions were all over the Chicago Bears early in their game. So much so, that I was a little surprised that the final was 40-32 Detroit. The Bears entered the game at 3-0. It was a lucky 3-0 in that they could so easily have been 0-3. It was great to see them get the loss that they have deserved since week one.

NFC North now stacks up like this:
Chicago 3-1
Detroit 3-1
Green Bay 1-2
Minnesota 1-3

No matter how many times I see him do it I'm amazed at how easily Peyton Manning fits passes into tight spaces.

The Denver Broncos slapped down the Philadelphia Eagles 52-30. The Broncos offense had 35 first downs. My goodness, they are going to break the New England Patriots season scoring record by week 10.

The Cleveland Browns are now 2-0 with 3rd string Brian Hoyer at quarterback after their 17-6 defeat of the Cincinnati Bengals.

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is playing like it's 2006. The Chargers and Chiefs could be real pests to the Broncos all season long. Maybe not.

The Atlanta Falcons are making an unfortunate habit of finishing games a few yards short of game changing touchdowns. Now, they're a very surprising 1-3.

During the Steelers-Vikings game, I saw the sad news that former Steelers defensive end L.C. Greenwood passed away. He was an integral part of the fantastic Steel Curtain defense. Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, and Mel Blount got so much of the attention. Certainly much deserved as all are honored in Canton but I always thought Greenwood brought it all together. Plus, I loved his yellow shoes. RIP L.C. Greenwood.

Game Day Thoughts

Minnesota Vikings vs. Pittsburgh Steelers in London. The Vikings are the home team. That's a tough sell.

When the Vikings play the Steelers, I can't help but think of Super Bowl IX. My Vikings passion was just taking root back then.

With Christian Ponder nursing a fractured rib, Matt Cassel gets the call at quarterback for the Vikings. They also get Pro Bowl fullback Jerome Felton back from a three game suspension. This should help open things up for Adrian Peterson. He's been running into too many opposing players before he even gets to the line. Hopefully, Felton can clear that crowd out of there.

It's never good when starters are among the players named as inactive for a game. Ponder isn't the only one out today for the Vikings. Corner Chris Cook, safety Jamarca Sanford, tight end/fullback/little bit of everything Rhett Ellison are all out. That secondary is looking a little thin.

The NFL's endgame in playing games in London is apparently to have a team in London. I don't care much for that idea. I don't think that the players will like playing over there. That should be a significant voice in the discussion. It would complicate taxes. The team would be too isolated. Teams on the west coast of this country would have a tremendous trip to make. There's just too many issues. The league is always trying to expand the brand. They can do that without sending a team overseas.

There's a decent chance that Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman has a new home soon. Rookie Mike Glennon has already replaced him as the team's starter. Not only that, Freeman isn't even the next man up. He's been demoted all the way to #3. Jason La Canfora speculated that the Vikings could be a team that is interested in Freeman. That match doesn't feel right to me. I think that this season is Ponder's season to show that he can be the guy. Now, he has to get that rib healthy. The last thing anyone wants for a young quarterback trying to gain confidence is to bring in another quarterback. It's true that an NFL quarterback shouldn't be shaken by a little competition. It just strikes me as a situation that is best avoided. Freeman and the Buccaneers have been a real puzzle for me. Only a few years ago, it looked like head coach Raheem Moore had the team on the brink of something great. Freeman looked like he might be the best of the three first round quarterbacks selected in the 2009 NFL Draft. Better than Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez. Then, it all fell apart. Freeman has had some terrific moments since but they never really lasted. He's been something of a mess this year. That hasn't helped his trade value. It also doesn't help that his contract makes him a somewhat expensive acquisition. So much so, that the Buccaneers might just end up releasing him.

Philadelphia Eagles kicker Alex Henery was fined $15,750 for his horse-collar tackle of Kansas City Chiefs returner Quentin Demps. Two things about this minor news stands out. A kicker getting fined for a tackle is the big surprise. The amount of the fine is the other. Fines in the tens of thousand of dollars being broken down to fifty dollars is ridiculous. Their league should re-calibrate their fine equation.

Thanks to the pissing match between Directv and the Pac-12 Networks I was again unable to watch the Cal football game. Those clowns really have to stop acting like selfish little kids and do what's right. Make the Pac-12 Networks available to anyone with a television. Come on! As for the Cal-Oregon game, I might have been lucky that I was unable to actually view the mess. Cal fumbled the ball to Oregon on their first four possessions. That's never a good start to a game. It sounded like the weather was terrible. Rain and wind. I wouldn't know. I couldn't see it. Cal had five turnovers before the first quarter was done. That fiasco led to a 55-16 Oregon victory. Cal plays Washington St. next week. Washington St. lost to Stanford last night by a score of 55-17. That game mext week looks like a pretty good match-up. Something's got to give there..

USC head coach Lane Kiffin was fired after the Trojans 62-41 loss to Arizona St. His greatest crime as head coach was leading a talented, highly-ranked team to mediocrity last season. I was never quite sure why USC AD Pat Haden hired Kiffin in the first place. He pretty much screams pain-in-the-ass. Although there was never any doubt, father Monte Kiffin was the smart one in the family when he bolted USC, and his son's side, to be defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys last winter. Senior Kiffin never did junior any favors by naming him Lane. It's fun for most fans of the other Pac-12 teams to see USC in chaos. They have it now. It's speculated that defensive line coach Ed Orgeron and defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast are the top two candidates to replace Kiffin for the rest of the season. My hunch is that it's Orgeron due to his experience as head coach at Mississippi and his brilliant portrayal of himself in The Blind Side. Plus, Orgeron is a gas in interviews and press conferences.

Outside of the Steelers-Vikings battle, the best games this week look like the Prime Time games, of course. Patriots-Falcons tonight. Dolphins-Saints tomorrow night is one that I really like. This Saints defense doesn't look anything like the hot mess that they put on the field last year. Rob Ryan is showing again why he is one of the best defensive coaches around. Among the day games, Seahawks-Texans is interesting. The Seahawks still look like a very different team away from Seattle. Eagles-Broncos and Cowboys-Chargers are a couple more that intrigue me.

Cassel In, Ponder Out

The Cleveland Browns surprising win last Sunday broke some Minnesota hearts. The Browns also fractured a rib in Minnesota Vikings starting quarterback Christian Ponder. That fractured rib will keep him out of this Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in London. In Ponder's place, Matt Cassel will get his first start for the Vikings.

Much of the blame for the Minnesota Vikings 0-3 start to 2013 season has fallen on Christian Ponder. It's the nature of football that the quarterback gets too much of the blame when his team loses. The Vikings have scored 24, 30, and 27 points in their three losses. An average of of 27 points is often good enough for more wins than losses. The Vikings have had too many breakdowns in too many areas in these three games to place blame in one place. Unlike many fans of the Vikings, I have yet to lose faith in Christian Ponder. I think that he has the skills and the leadership to be the franchise quarterback that he was drafted to be. To draw comparisons to others, I've always felt that, at worst, he can be a lot like Jake Plummer. At the better end, I think that he has the ability to be like Drew Brees. I always thought that Plummer was a very good NFL quarterback. Ponder has to start playing with more confidence. He has to get back to just playing football. Stop thinking too much. His nice running in the Cleveland game seemed to spark something. He seemed to loosen up some. He played a gritty game but he missed some throws at the end that he absolutely has to make. It was a game that could lead to better games. None of that really matter this week. He's on ice. His fractured rib is apparently close to his heart. That's the concern that has opened the door for Cassel. The Vikings signed Cassel as a free agent in the offseason for situations just like this. He's been a starter with the New England Patriots and with the Kansas City Chiefs. The team has confidence in Cassel. He's won some games. He can win some more. Ponder's injury status is considered week-to-week. The Vikings have their bye next week. So, Ponder has two weeks to get healthy before they face the Carolina Panthers. It's Ponder's job but Cassel can lead the team. If the Vikings start lighting it up with Cassel and they get on a roll, maybe there's a question.

The Vikings have to straighten out many things. Quarterback is just one of them. Maybe the jolt of a new voice in the huddle wakes up the entire team. They sure need it.

Too Soon To Say So Long

ESPN ran a story that the career of Carolina Panthers linebacker Jon Beason might be winding down. He had microfracture knee surgery in the offseason. Through three games, he's played more like a player near the end of his career than the dynamite, veteran linebacker that he has been. I think that it's a little early to be writing off Jon Beason. I think that he'll be back. He just has to get some football in him.

Sometimes, it takes a little time to come back from any surgical procedure. Sometimes it just takes time to get back to football shape and football routines. It has to be frustrating. The body feels fine but the timing, the reactions just aren't quite there. In football, seconds and inches might as well be hours and miles. Sometimes, it's just a matter of trusting the joint again. Minnesota Vikings center John Sullivan also had that microfracture knee surgery this past offseason. He seems a bit off too. Ndamukong Suh's ridiculous hit on Sullivan's knee in week one certainly didn't help matters. As a result, the entire Vikings offensive line has been a bit off through three games. An 0-3 record is really no surprise when a very good offensive line is playing at a level a good deal below that. I've yet to see an article speculating the end of John Sullivan's career. It just takes some time. Sometimes, a player needs to play his way back. Not everyone bounces back like Adrian Peterson.

I've enjoyed watching Jon Beason play football since they drafted him with the 25th pick of the 2007 NFL Draft. That draft was remarkable. Joe Thomas, Calvin Johnson, Adrian Peterson, LaRon Landry, Patrick Willis, Marshawn Lynch, Darrelle Revis, Dwayne Bowe, Anthony Spencer, Beason and Joe Staley were all taken in the first round. Eric Weddle, LaMarr Woodley, Sidney Rice, Ryan Kalil, Marshall Yanda, and Paul Soliai were taken later. All among the best at their positions in the league today. If JaMarcus Russell hadn't been the first pick, the draft might be considered one of the best. Even with Russell, it's among the best. Thomas, Johnson, Peterson, Willis, and Revis will likely be honored in Canton one day. Beason helped make that draft great. If not for Willis, he would have easily walked away with the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. He played like a great rookie. Willis played like a great 8-year veteran. Beason got even better each of his next three seasons. He was selected to three Pro Bowls. He was one of the best middle linebackers in the game. Injuries have kept him off of the field for much of the past couple of seasons. Even beyond the microfracture surgery, he's got a lot of rust to shake off. When the Panthers selected Boston College middle linebacker Luke Kuechly in the 2012 NFL Draft, Beason moved to weakside linebacker. Thomas Davis, Kuechly, and a healthy Beason make up a terrific linebacker group. Beason is only 28 years old. Even with his recent injury troubles, it's far too soon to write of his retirement. Maybe he doesn't make it completely back but give him the chance. He's earned at least that.

Throwback Thursday: Kosar Beats The System

I wish that NFL Films, NFL Network, ESPN's 30 for 30, somebody would take a closer look at the events surrounding University of Miami quarterback prior to the 1985 NFL Draft. It was fascinating. As a Minnesota Vikings fan, grown tired of Tommy Kramer's string of injuries, I watched from afar as the drama of those April days unfolded. Without the round-the-clock bombardment of NFL news that we see today, without twitter, I was thirsty for news. I wanted to know if the Vikings would be allowed to draft Bernie Kosar. It's not often that a college kid holds the NFL in his hands. Making the league cater to him. Red Grange did it sixty years before Kosar. Not many had in between. Two teams rally wanted Bernie Kosar to be their franchise quarterback. Usually, the teams decide where a player plays. In 1985, Kosar held all the cards. The decision was his.

The only thing certain about the 1985 NFL Draft was that the Buffalo Bills wanted Virginia Tech defensive end Bruce Smith with the first pick. Who could blame them? After Smith? The Houston Oilers had the second pick. The Minnesota Vikings had the third. Many expected that Miami's terrific quarterback Bernie Kosar would fall in there somewhere but no one knew for sure if he'd even be in the draft. He still had two years of college eligibility remaining but he was due to graduate that June. The league had to know by April 15th if he intended to enter the April 30th draft. The Vikings traded their first and second round picks to the Houston Oilers on April 9th to insure that Bernie Kosar would be their new quarterback, if he was in the draft. They had even hired his quarterback coach at Miami, Marc Trestman to ease his transition into the NFL. The Vikings weren't the only team that wanted Kosar as their new quarterback. The Cleveland Browns wanted him too. Kosar grew up in Boardman, Ohio, a town 65 miles from Cleveland. The Browns had that going for them. He wanted to play in Cleveland. Instead of going to where the NFL told him to go, Kosar decided to take advantage of the unique opportunity that he had to go where he wanted to go. After the Vikings had made the trade with the Oilers, the Browns made a trade with the Buffalo Bills. The Browns traded draft picks to the Bills for the first pick in the 1985 Supplemental Draft. If the league, Pete Rozelle, decided that the Supplemental Draft was truly an option for him, Kosar would be a Brown. The sticking point to the whole thing was whether Bernie Kosar was still considered an amateur at the time of the regular NFL Draft. He still had those two years of college eligibility. He was still a college student. If he graduated, as he was on schedule to do so, between the regular NFL Draft and the Supplemental Draft, he would be cleared for that later draft. But, the real problem was with his advisors. He was being advised by his father, Bernie Kosar, Sr., and Dr. John Geletka, a dentist from nearby Austintown, Ohio. Getting advice from his father wasn't in question. Getting advice from his dentist was the real question. I haven't heard of many dentists that arrange for a loan on a leased sports car for a top NFL quarterback prospect. Geletka did just that for Kosar. Shortly before the 1985 NFL Draft, Rozelle ruled that Geletka was an advisor, and not an agent. So, Bernie Kosar was still technically an amateur. He was free to go about his business as a soon-to-graduating college student. He would skip the 1985 NFL Draft. He would enter the 1985 Supplemental Draft. He would not be selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the second pick of the regular draft. He would be selected by the Cleveland Browns with the first pick of that later draft.

Bernie Kosar became a good to terrific quarterback for the Browns. If not for some John Elway heroics, football history might shine a brighter light on his career. All was not lost for the Vikings in that 1985 NFL Draft. Missing out on their quarterback, the Vikings made a trade with the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons selected Pitt guard Bill Fralic with the second pick. The Vikings dropped to fourth and selected Fralic's college teammate, defensive end/linebacker Chris Doleman. Not bad. Doleman went on to become one of the best pass rushers of his generation. He's now honored in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Bernie Kosar beat the NFL in 1985. That doesn't happen very often.

Belichick Is A Classic

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was at his very best when he was confronted by the media for his Monday press conference. The media wanted to know the injury status of tight end Rob Gronkowski and receiver Danny Amendola. Belichick was at his uncooperative best. Here's the transcript of that little Q&A:

Q: How close was Rob Gronkowski to playing yesterday?

Belichick: I don't know. He was inactive.

Q: Did he have a shot to play?

Belichick: He was inactive.

Q: Going into the day, was there a chance he'd play?

Belichick: He was inactive for the game.

Q: What about Danny Amendola?

Belichick: He was inactive too.

Q: I know they were inactive.

Belichick: They were inactive so they didn't play.

Q: I think you have an idea how close they were.

Belichick: Well, they weren't able to play. What do you want, percentage points? They couldn't play.

Q: Going into the day, did you know they couldn't play?

Belichick: They were inactive.

Q: That doesn't answer my question.

Belichick: They were inactive, it's as simple as that.

I don't much care for the approach of many in the media. There are far too many stupid questions asked too many different ways. The media often feels that they have the right to know everything that takes place within the walls of an NFL team's facility. They do not. I love it when Belichick deals with the media in such a manner. I wish that I was in the room for it. Everything that he says about the injury status of Gronkowski and Amendola is information for his upcoming opponent, in this case the Atlanta Falcons. He's not required to dole out this information. So, there;s no chance that he will. The media, especially the New England media, should understand this by now.

Road Trip

The Minnesota Vikings are in London right now. It's their home for the rest of the week as they prepare for a home away from home home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. I don't really like these London games. I was fine with preseason games played in other countries but I've never liked regular season games moved overseas. I don't think that it's fair for the home fans to lose one of their home games. Roger Goodell and his peeps are always preaching about how fan-friendly the NFL strives to be. Fans get eight regular season home games. Taking away one of them doesn't sound very fan-friendly to me. I don't think that it's fair for the players to lose a real home game. No matter how much the NFL says that one of the teams in the game is a home team they most certainly aren't at home. If the Vikings had to lose one of their home games to London, I was hoping that it would come during the next two seasons when their home will be moved to the University of Minnesota football stadium as their fancy, new home is being built. Instead, they lose it this week. If things go well in London, the Vikings might return next season and/or the season after.

It wasn't until this Vikings road trip to their temporary home in London that I discovered that the NFL actually had procedures in place to make it a home away from home. I assumed that both teams traveled to London at the same time. Or, they at least had the option of traveling whenever they wanted during the week. I was wrong. The designated home team, in this case the Minnesota Vikings, travels on Monday and sets up their new home. They are bringing their own food. The designated visiting team, in this case the Pittsburgh Steelers, travels at the end of the week. They don't get the time to adjust to the English ways. I never knew this until the Vikings were involved. Imagine that.

I still don't like these regular season games being played in London.

Week 3 Thoughts

The Minnesota Vikings start the 2013 NFL season 0-3 with a 31-27 loss to the Cleveland Browns.

Are you kidding me? The Browns?

Perhaps the best play of the game for the Browns was the play when Vikings cornerback Chris Cook pulled a groin. Or, some injury like that. I didn't even see it happen. Didn't even know that it happened until backup AJ Jefferson was brutalized in something not even close to coverage on Josh Gordon's 47-yard touchdown to start the Browns scoring. All of a sudden Cook was on a stationary bike instead of the football field. Cook has shown some nice potential when he's on the field. He isn't on the field enough. Gordon had a huge game with 10 catches for 146 yards and the long touchdown. He took apart most every Vikings corner put in front of him. Marcus Sherels made some plays on him in the second half but not enough. Sherels did an admirable job. The 5'10" 175 lb Sherels was at a distinct disadvantage against the 6'3" 225 lb Gordon.

With starting quarterback Brandon Weeden out with a thumb injury and the much discussed trade of running back Trent Richardson, the Browns came into Minnesota with nothing to lose. They played like it too. They ran a successful fake punt in the first quarter. That led to a their second touchdown and the lead, 14-7. They scored a touchdown on a fake field goal that put the Browns ahead 24-14. That one was probably the worst. Tight end Jordan Cameron was split wide. No Vikings player was near him. It was fairly obvious that the Browns had something in the works. The Vikings should have called a timeout as soon as Jordan lined up all by his lonesome.

The Vikings would be in much better shape if they can figure out how to handle tight ends. Chicago Bears tight end Martellus Bennett had his way with the defense last week. He scored two touchdowns including the winner with 10 seconds to play. Cameron scored three touchdowns including the winner with 51 seconds to play.

Like last week against the Bears, the Vikings defense had some breakdowns in the first half and then turned it around in the second half. Like last week, the Vikings defense dominated the second half and then broke down on the final, game-winning drive. The Vikings prevent defense hasn't prevented anything in the final minute of the last two games.

The Vikings third loss wasn't solely on the defense breaking down in the final minutes. The offense shouldn't have let it come to that. Quarterback Christian Ponder played a gritty game. He scored two touchdowns on the ground. He converted a couple of key first downs with his feet. His one interception was on a tipped pass but a better throw wouldn't have been tipped. His receiver was open. He has to make that throw. He had to make a third down throw late in the game that might have allowed the Vikings to run out the clock. He has to make those throws. He didn't. Like last week, I think that Ponder still played well enough to win. But, three and outs have to be avoided. The Vikings had six, if I counted correctly. Their opening drive was a beauty. 80 yards in 11 plays. Adrian Peterson with a 2-yard touchdown. Then two three and outs. Then, another beautiful touchdown drive. 80 yards in 9 plays. Then a bunch of flopping around. The defense got the ball back to the offense four times. The offense gave it right back a couple of times.

The Vikings three first round draft picks defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, corner Xavier Rhodes, and receiver Cordarrelle Patterson are progressing nicely. All three made plays yesterday. Floyd tipped the pass that became an Erin Henderson interception. Rhodes is getting better every game. Even if Chris Cook is on the field, Rhodes might already be the Vikings best corner. Patterson made two terrific catches yesterday for 49 yards. One for 37 yards. It was nice to see him on the field more but he has to get the ball more than twice through the air.

Overall, the defense played well enough to win. It should never have come down to that final drive of the Browns. Ponder played well enough to win. If the quarterback plays well enough to win and the defense plays well enough to win, you can usually expect a win. It's the second week in a row that the Vikings had a game that was theirs to win and they didn't win.

The top teams are able to win games despite some stumbles. The Vikings, clearly, aren't one of those teams. They have so much that they need to tighten up. I would start with the offensive line. Ponder has to get rid of the ball quicker but the line isn't doing him any favors. I feel like he's getting more comfortable. I feel like he's getting more confident. He's better at stepping up in the pocket. The line is allowing too many defenders to meet Peterson in the backfield. The Browns have an excellent defense. The Vikings offensive line had a tough task but I'd say the Browns defense controlled the line of scrimmage too much of the game. That can't happen.

I'm one of the few Vikings fans that believes that Ponder is slowly creeping in the right direction. He has to speed up that process.

The Vikings-Browns game was officiated by Bill Leavy's crew. They should not be allowed on another NFL football field. This was the crew that failed to know the rule book in the Green Bay Packers-San Francisco 49ers game on opening weekend. They failed in their knowledge of the rule book again yesterday. In the second quarter, Vikings linebacker Larry Dean recovered a muff of a punt by Browns returner Travis Benjamin. Dean returned it for a touchdown. You can return a fumble of a punt return. You can't return a muff of a punt. It was ruled Vikings ball at the spot of the recovery. Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier thought that Benjamin had the ball long enough for the loss of possession to be considered a fumble rather than a muff. He challenged the call on the field. Since it was a change of possession, the play was going to be reviewed anyway. So, Frazier wasn't allowed to challenge the call. So, it was a penalty. This penalty was changed during this past offseason so the new rule should have been fresh in the mind of Leavy. Apparently that freshness was missed on Leavy. The new rule calls for the offending team to lose a timeout. The old rule called for a 15-yard penalty. Leavy chose the old rule. The Vikings were left with a 1st and 25 from the Browns 41-yard line and three timeouts with over two minute to play in the first half. It should have been 1st and 10 from the Browns 26-yard line and two timeouts. This is a pretty significant blunder. The Vikings gained about 16 yards before Blair Walsh converted a 43-yard field goal. Officials blowing a judgement call is one thing. Officials not knowing the rule book is something else entirely. It should never happen. Leavy and his crew should be gone.

The Vikings face the Pittsburgh Steelers next week in a home game far from home in London.

What happened to the New York Giants? They lose to the Carolina Panthers 38-0. Now, 0-3. Wow.

I really liked Jake Locker as a quarterback for the Vikings in the 2011 NFL Draft. He was a game-changing football player for the University of Washington. The Tennessee Titans selected Locker a few picks before the Vikings selected Ponder. I think that both quarterbacks will have nice NFL careers. Locker might have had his coming out moment yesterday. He brings his team back against a San Diego Chargers that's been doing a lot of things right. Locker hits rookie receiver Justin Hunter with a game-winning 34-yard touchdown. It completed a 10 play 94-yard drive. Nice.

The sloppy play of the Green Bay Packers-Cincinnati Bengals game surprised me more than the 34-30 Bengals win. I expected a score like that. I didn't expect eight combined turnovers. Each team with four.

The Vikings at 0-3 looks a little better next to the Packers 1-2.

Trent Richardson's first carry with the Indianapolis Colts was a 1-yard touchdown run. Good start.

1-2 is a surprising start for the San Francisco 49ers. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been in a two week funk. He has to shake it off. Now, they might be without pass rusher Aldon Smith for his off-field stunts. The 49ers have too much talent for this to last but they can't fall too far behind the Seattle Seahawks.

The Atlanta Falcons loss to the Miami Dolphins, like the Packers loss to the Bengals, shouldn't be a surprise. The Falcons defense has a bunch of injuries. The Dolphins are progressing nicely. They're a good team.

The Vikings head to London today. This could be a good time for Christian Ponder to get out of the country.

Game Day Thoughts

There were way too many schedule fillers for the fourth week of the college football season.

Florida Atlantic-Ohio St.
North Texas-Georgia
Texas St.-Texas Tech
Colorado St.-Alabama
Florida International-Louisvillle
Bethune Cookman-Florida St.
New Mexico St.-UCLA
Savannah St.-Miami
Idaho St.-Washington
Louisiana-Monroe-Baylor

A couple of those games involved some adjustments to the rules to stop the bleeding. Louisville and Florida International let the clock run in the final minutes. Miami and Savannah St. agreed to a twelve minute fourth quarter to get the game over. Georgia's 45-21 win over North Texas was the closest game of the bunch. Despite the lopsided scores, these games are a good thing for the little guys. The games bring in a nice sum of much needed money. It also gives their players some exposure. It can get some of them drafted. A few years ago, I was introduced to Presbyterian College as Cal went to Clinton, South Carolina to fill their schedule. On this day, Presbyterian defensive back Justin Bethel was the best football player on that field. He, pretty much alone, kept the Blue Hose in the game early. He's with the Arizona Cardinals now. That game against Cal might have gone a long way to getting him in the NFL.

Speaking of Cal, their defense got some rest this week. I can't say that they earned it but they definitely needed it. Cal had their bye. The fourth week is a little early for a bye but the defense, in only three games, has given up enough yards for an entire season. They needed a week off to get healthy and get ready for a track meet with Oregon next week.

The Minnesota Vikings host the Cleveland Browns in their home opener. This is the Vikings last season in the piece-o-shit Metrodome. The Vikings are facing a very different Browns than probably expected. At least, on offense. In the past week the Browns lost their starting quarterback to injury and their top running back to a big trade. Quarterback Brandon Weeden injured his thumb. Running back Trent Richardson was traded to the Indianapolis Colts. All in the span of one week. Pretty incredible. Richardson and Weeden were first round picks in the 2012 NFL Draft. That wasn't very long ago. They were supposed to be the future of the Cleveland Browns franchise. Richardson is no longer part of those plans after only 17 games. Weeden's future as the franchise's future seems in question as well. Not because of his thumb injury but because it's believed that the Browns are building up ammo to trade up, if need be, for a franchise quarterback in the 2014 NFL Draft. Quite a change in such a short time. The Vikings had better not approach this game as a gimme because of the sudden happenings in Cleveland. There are no gimmes in the NFL. The Browns have a real nice defense.

Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly is a fool if he thinks that his stupid "swinging gate" conversion attempts will work consistently in the NFL. His first stab was a failure on Thursday against the Kansas City Chiefs. After the game, he assured the world that it can work. Says that he can steal a point with the attempt. When his team fails at the attempt, he has a point stolen from him for being stupid. That's the only stealing that will take place. I think what bothered me most in his explanation for the attempt was when he said that it can work if executed properly. Well Chip, every play can work if executed properly.

Outside of the Vikings-Browns game, I think that Green Bay Packers-Cincinnati Bengals intrigues me the most. Houston Texans-Baltimore Ravens, St. Louis Rams-Dallas Cowboys are nice matchups too. Indianapolis Colts(and their new back) visiting the San Francisco 49ers looks like a keeper among the later games. Atlanta Falcons-Miami Dolphins too.

It's already week 3.

LT

"As easy as football is to me...

is as hard as life is to me."

                              -Lawrence Taylor

Showtime hit the mark with their program LT: The Life and Times. I would have preferred more of his football tales but his activities in retirement have kept him in the news for all of the wrong reasons. Fortunately for him and his family, it seems that Lawrence Taylor may have finally found the right path. 

It's hard to believe that it's been twenty years since Taylor last played in a football game. Showtime did a nice job of bringing back those memories of Taylor. They did so through football action and the words of teammates and opponents. Ron Jaworski and Joe Theisman experienced Taylor's tremendous football skills perhaps more than any other. Certainly, Theisman has some tales. As the quarterbacks of the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins, Jaworski and Theisman had to face the dominating linebacker twice every season. Their words truly found their mark. As true were the words of Taylor's teammates. Beasley Reece, Harry Carson, Carl Banks, and Steve DeOssie all spoke of Taylor's incredible football talents. Taylor, Carson, and Banks were 3/4 of one of the greatest linebacker groups in NFL history. Gary Reasons and later Pepper Johnson were pretty good as the fourth. It was also interesting to hear Giants head coach Bill Parcells and defensive coordinator Bill Belichick speak of Lawrence Taylor. Usually, quarterbacks are the players that coaches speak of that bring about championships. In the case of the Giants, it was Taylor that turned the team into champions. Belichick named Taylor the greatest football player that he'd ever coached. 

In my football time, I've never seen a football player impact the game quite like Lawrence Taylor. He changed defenses. He changed what linebackers can do within a defense. It was incredible to see. 

It's remarkable to be reminded of the accolades that found their way to Taylor's mantle.

3x Defensive Player of the Year (1981, 1982, 1986)

   -the first time was his rookie season

AP MVP (1986)

10x All Pro

10x Pro Bowl

NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team

1980's All-Decade Team

Hall of Fame

When NFL Network counted down the Top 100 Players in league history, Lawrence Taylor was third behind Jim Brown and Jerry Rice. Any list is likely topped by those three in any number of orders of finish. 

I thank Showtime for bringing back all my memories of the fantastic football played by Lawrence Taylor.

Trade Surprise

When I first heard that the Cleveland Browns had traded running back Trent Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts, I thought that it was someone's idea of a joke. After all, you can't take for fact everything that you see on the Internet. The Browns had drafted Richardson with the third pick of the 2012 NFL Draft. They even traded up one spot to insure that they were able to get the Alabama running back in a Browns uniform. After just 17 games, he's traded. I was stunned. I could see why the Colts would jump at the opportunity to obtain a back as skilled as Richardson but I was still a little surprised that they'd trade a first round pick during the season. They had lost starter Vic Ballard for the season to a ACL injury but they had added Ahmad Bradshaw in the offseason. They seemed to be o.k. at running back. It's not often that a back like Richardson is available after the second game of the season. It's a surprise when a back like Richardson is available so soon after he was drafted. This trade, in general, was quite a shock. It was apparently a shock to Richardson as well. I read that he heard about the trade from the radio. If this is true, I think that it's a terrible way to treat a person. I just think that impacted parties should be notified as soon as the decision makers agree. They should hear from the person that traded him. In this case, Browns CEO Joe Banner. General manager Michael Lombardi has been strangely silent through this surprising trade.

Some have said that Cleveland is now looking to land a franchise quarterback in the 2014 NFL Draft. Having an extra first round pick could help if they have to trade up to get that franchise quarterback. I just think that it's way too early to be maneuvering for the next draft. There are far too many unknowns. They would have to tank fourteen games to remove those unknowns. Besides, the Browns spent a first on quarterback Brandon Weeden in the same draft that brought them Richardson. Weeden could be the quarterback of their dreams. I wonder if they give him the same opportunity to justify his first round status that they gave Richardson. With Weeden, Richardson, and receiver Josh Gordon, it seemed like the new Cleveland Browns finally had some nice players on offense. Now, it looks like they are blowing that up. Maybe, Cleveland, in 17 games, had decided that Trent Richardson wasn't the back that they hoped that he would be and got what they could for him. A first round pick is a real nice return. I'd rather look at the trade in that light than to assume that the Browns are intending to coast into a high draft pick. There's too much football to play to toss a season away. The Colts look like they want to win now. Quarterback Andrew Luck, Richardson, and receiver TY Hilton is a tremendous nucleus of second-year offensive talent. I like this trade for the Colts. I wish that Colts owner Jim Irsay would stay off twitter. He was like a kid on Christmas morning with his pre- and post-trade tweets.

This looks like a fine week for the Cleveland Browns to visit the Minnesota Vikings for a football game.

Throwback Thursday: Better Browns Days

With the new Cleveland Browns visiting the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday I've been thinking of the old Cleveland Browns. I probably visit this topic a bit too much but the football that Bill Belichick had going in Cleveland in the early 1990s will always intrigue me. What we have seen from the New England Patriots since 2000 we might have seen from the Cleveland Browns in the 1990s. It's pretty hard to believe. It's probably pretty painful for all fans of the Browns. If Art Modell had just been a little more patient, maybe we have no Baltimore Ravens. Maybe, we have a Cleveland Browns dynasty in the last half of the '90s. Maybe, it's a dynasty that continues today.

I'm not sure if it's because Bill Belichick is so connected to the New England Patriots but it's hard to believe that he was the head coach in Cleveland for five years. I think that most people are more inclined to think of his time as a New York Giants assistant coach than they are to think of his time in Cleveland. No matter what it is, his time in Cleveland is significant and it greatly impacted the NFL, as well as college football. Belichick had quite the football "think tank" going in his first shot at running his own team. Perhaps the one thing that I've admired most about Bill Belichick has been his willingness to give people that are enthusiastic about football a shot. Experience doesn't matter. If you're willing to work hard. He's willing to find you a job. There's a long line of football coaches and decision makers that got their shot with Belichick in Cleveland. Nick Saban, Eric Mangini, Jim Schwartz, Al Groh, Kirk Ferentz, and Pat Hill all went on to become NFL or college head coaches. They were on his coaching staff in Cleveland. Future assistant head coaches and coordinators John Mitchell, Jim Bates, and Chuck Bresnahan also spent some time in Belichick's football factory. The list of personnel men that learned their NFL ropes in Cleveland may be even more impressive. Ozzie Newsome and Thomas Dimitroff are two of the most respected and successful general managers in the NFL today. They started in Cleveland. Newsome's first draft with the new Baltimore Ravens included UCLA tackle Jonathan Ogden and Miami linebacker Ray Lewis. Much of the Ravens' scouting of those two players was done with the Browns staff before the move. Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Phil Savage were also part of the Browns scouting department. There was some incredible football taking place in Cleveland.

Any move of a professional team to another city is brutal. The only ones that truly suffer are the fans that are forced to say goodbye. For most of the others involved, it's just business. The Browns move to Baltimore ripped the heart out of Cleveland. Several years later they got a new team but it isn't the same. It can't be when they see the team that they lost win two Super Bowls in the wrong city. It likely hurts even more when they look and see what their old coach is doing in New England. Their coach and their team have won five Super Bowls since both left Cleveland. You can't help but wonder what might have been. I often wonder about Belichick's football "think tank" in Cleveland. There was so much talent that it's highly unlikely that they would have been together for long. I still wonder what might have been if Modell had given them more time.

No Creamsicle!

One of the real treats when teams haul out those throwback uniforms for games is to once again see those snappy Tampa Bay Buccaneers creamsicle uniforms. I miss those things. The Buccaneers had planned to break out those classics for their September 29th game against the Arizona Cardinals. A new league policy has apparently put those plans on ice.

The NFL has a new helmet policy that strongly urges players to wear the same helmet all year long. They are doing this in the name of safety. This was news to me. I always thought that the league endorsed, even encouraged, teams showing up for games in uniforms from the past. If I understand this stupid new policy correctly, the teams with helmets that require an actual change in helmets and more than a simple decal change can't use those different helmets. So, they can no longer wear throwback uniforms because they would have to have a second helmet. The Buccaneer logo on a white helmet is too different from the current pewter helmet. The New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, and buffalo Bills have all changed the color of the helmet over the years. I guess that those teams can't go back either. Does the league really believe that these throwback uniforms actually use the helmet form those long ago days. I've yet to see a team pull out leather helmets. Some players go through a few helmets in a season. I don't get it.

The NFL often makes or encourages pretty stupid changes to the game. Even if I don't agree with those changes or proposed changes I can usually understand the reasoning behind those stupid changes. The proposed 18-game season quickly comes to mind. It's money. The league says that it's for the fans but it's clear that it's to increase revenue. The league is using safety, which is quite honorable, as the reason for tossing the throwback uniforms for several teams. It strikes me as a move that is all show. A current helmet with an old school look isn't less safe than a current helmet with a current look. Safety-wise, it's the same helmet! I've always enjoyed the throwback uniforms. I hate that the NFL deems it necessary to stick a fork in something fun.

NFL Getting Sloppy?

One of the basic rules of football, going back to the earliest days of organized football, is the rule that seven players must be on the line of scrimmage. It then follows that four are off of the line. In other words, in the backfield. In many of the offenses of today, there are five receivers spread out across the length of the line of scrimmage. It often looks like the quarterback is the only player in the backfield. On closer inspection, only two of those five receivers can be on that line. Three must be at least a step or two off of that line. At least they are supposed to be. It's one of the most basic of football rules. It seems that the NFL is getting a little sloppy in the enforcement of that rule.

On the Chicago Bears game-winning play against the Minnesota Vikings this past Sunday, eight players were obviously on the line of scrimmage. It was an illegal formation. There should have been a flag. That game-winning touchdown pass should not have counted. The NFL has responded and, of course, they have affirmed the official's call on the field. They said that the formation passes scrutiny because the covered receiver was a slot receiver and not a tight end. I have no idea why the title of the player's position determines his eligibility as a receiver. It's supposed to be where he lines up that determines that eligibility. I have no idea why the player's distance from the linemen makes a difference. The legality of a formation is supposed to be depend upon how many players are on the line of scrimmage. It's illegal if any more than seven players are on that line. It always has been. It always should be. The NFL is just getting sloppy in enforcing the most basic of football rules. Pretty soon, they'll look away when a team decides to attempt two forward passes on a single play. Sad, but possibly true.

Week 2 Thoughts

Minnesota Vikings 30
Chicago Bears 31

The Bears really had no business winning this game. Perhaps, I'm just bitter.

Really, the Vikings should have won. They completely outplayed the Bears in the second half until that final drive. I like it so much better when Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is sad. He was sad for most of the second half. Just sitting on the bench looking sad. He does sad so very well. It was so sad that his last pass made him happy.

The Bears signed tight end Martellus Bennett as a free agent this past offseason. He gives Cutler are real nice, real big receiving target to go with giant receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery. Too often last year, Marshall was the only real target for Cutler last year. Bennett scored the first and last touchdowns for the Bears yesterday. He's listed at 6'6" but he looks much taller than that. He's a significant weapon.

After the Bears took the lead 31-30, they kicked off with 10 seconds left. A squib kick found Vikings tight end John Carlson. He should have downed the ball where he found it at around the 30-yard line. Instead, he ran with ball and looked to lateral to extend the play. With about 8 seconds and timeouts to use, the Vikings could have run a play, maybe even two, and had a chance for a field goal. It was desperation time but Carlson's mistake took away the opportunity.

Thank you Baltimore Ravens. I thank the Ravens for making the draft day trade in 2012 that allowed the
Minnesota Vikings the opportunity to draft Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith.

The Vikings have missed having a difference-making safety since Joey Browner in the '80s. Smith is making a difference now. His interception of Jay Cutler stopped a steady Bears drive in the fourth quarter. The offense turned it into a field goal and a 27-24 lead.

As big, probably bigger, was defensive tackle Letroy Guion's beautiful strip of the ball from Matt Forte. The Bears have long perfected this technique. It was wonderful to see it done to them. This led to another field goal and a 30-24 lead.

It's rarely good when you see field goals of 28, 28, and 22 yards. When a team gets inside of the opponents 12-yard line, you have to see some touchdowns. Vikings kicker converted those three short field goals. If even one is a touchdown, Vikings win.

It was a strange game in the sense that the Vikings played much better in the second half but scored only 9 points. They were mostly shaky in the first half and scored 21. Defensive and special teams touchdowns were the difference.

Rookie Cordarrelle Patterson took the opening kickoff back 105 yards for the first score of the game. A receiver most of the time, this exciting rookie has to touch the ball more on offense.

Brian Robison picked up a fumble, caused by a Jared Allen sack, and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown. This was a critical play as the Bears were starting to take complete control of the game.

Quarterback Christian Ponder threw a touchdown to tight end Kyle Rudolph for the only offensive touchdown of the game.

I didn't get to see that touchdown as FOX had the absolutely worst broadcast of an NFL game that I have ever seen. They were apologizing for technical difficulties for the entirety of the game. The worst stretch of those difficulties started on the snap of the Vikings only offensive touchdown. I was left with the audio of that play, the following kickoff, and the Bears first offensive play. Instead of continuing with the audio for the last 50 seconds of the first half, which sucks but is better than nothing, the idiots at FOX go to the halftime show. Thanks FOX! Pathetic.

Speaking of shitty FOX efforts, it's getting real difficult to listen to Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick. They covered the Vikings-Lions game last week as well. It's more on Billick than Brennaman. It seems that Billick is doing something else in the booth and finds the game a distraction. He hacks up names all of the time. He often talks of plays as if he's watching a game other than the one that he's calling. The game itself ended up being disappointing. The presentation of it was so much worse.

Despite the lack of touchdowns in the second half, Ponder did seem to get in a rhythm. He was shaky last week. He was shaky in the first half yesterday. A ton of criticism has been heaped upon him. All quarterbacks have to plow through criticism. They have to play with confidence even when all those around him are calling for his head. I think that Ponder has the skills to be successful. He now has the offensive weapons to be successful. Yesterday, I saw two different quarterbacks playing for the Vikings. If the quarterback that played in the second half is the one that leads the team the rest of the way, I think that Vikings will be fine this season.

But, they still need touchdowns rather than field goals. Especially, when they move the ball so close to the goal.

The Vikings play their home opener next week against the Cleveland Browns. Then they travel to London to face the Pittsburgh Steelers. Starting 0-2 sucks. Starting 0-2 in the NFC North sucks even more. They can get those games back when the Lions and Bears come to Minnesota later in the season. The Vikings can take the Browns and Steelers and get to 2-2. That's not bad for a team that's getting real close to finding their way.

The NFL is just showing off with their shiny, on field product. Every morning game yesterday was a close, one score game but the Green Bay Packer-Washington Redskins. It looks like the Redskins continue to play like a team with a quarterback that didn't take a preseason snap. The Packers were all over them early and won 38-20. The Houston Texans beat the Tennessee Titans in overtime. Several games ended with least second scores. Exciting stuff. Roger Goodell must be smiling brightly.

Too bad two of the marquee games, Denver-New York Giants and San Francisco-Seattle, were more one-sided.

Game Day Thoughts

The Minnesota Vikings haven't won in Chicago since 2007 when then rookie running back Adrian Peterson went other-worldly with 224 yards. It wasn't just the numbers in his performance. It was what he did in those 224 yards. A few weeks later, Peterson would run for an NFL record 296 yards. His 224 yards in Chicago was the more dominant performance. Here's hoping for some more today.

Minnesota-Chicago, Washington-Green Bay, Denver-New York Giants, San Francisco-Seattle. My goodness. There are some terrific football games today. WooHoo! Football is fun.

College Football. I was disappointed that I couldn't find the Stanford-Army game on any of the hundreds of sports channels that I have. College football at Michie Stadium. Priceless.

It was a special moment when Rutgers retired the #52 worn by Eric LeGrand.

Cal's defense is not good.

Ohio St took apart that defense.

One of the things that worried me when Cal hired Sonny Dykes was the all offense, no defense pattern of his teams. Up tempo offenses put a lot of stress on the opponents defense. It also puts a lot of stress on your own defense. Bringing in a new coaching staff is a process. I think that Cal has some nice defensive players so there's potential for a nice Bears defense. They're far from that right now. Biting on fakes. Missed tackles. I think that they'll get there. It took years for Oregon to finally field a defense that worried opponents. Hopefully, Cal can do it faster.

Cal's offense is a lot of fun.

Daniel Lasco ran well for Cal. With Lasco, Brendan Bigelow, and Khalfani Muhhamad, Cal has a real nice batch of backs.

If Cal could have stopped Ohio St. on fourth down plays it might have been a different game. Ohio St went for it on fourth down four times. They were successful four times. They scored four touchdowns. Ouch.

Almost as bad as the 52-34 loss to the Buckeyes was the excessive amount of red in Memorial Stadium.

All the talk yesterday was Alabama-Texas A&M.

Hey Seattle, the 12th Man is in College Station. Always has been. Always will be.

Johnny Manziel is an exciting little sucker.

Manziel really had the Alabama defense on it's heels to start the game. He was just playing catch with receiver Mike Evans. 14-0 early. AJ McCarron and the Alabama defense eventually settled down and it was all Alabama.

Until, Texas A & M came whistling back.

Alabama scored on a flea flicker. Nice name.

I loved the little delayed cut that Alabama's Vinny Sunseri pulled on his 73-yard interception return on to send Manziel diving for air.

Alabama is usually loaded in the secondary. They seem to be in a restocking year.

But, they still have safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. I would love to see Ha Ha next to Harrison Smith in the Vikings secondary next year. HaHaHa!

Speaking of Clinton-Dix. That was a horrible personal foul call against him yesterday. At least the replay booth saw it right and removed the ejection portion of the targeting infraction.

Sports Illustrated is really frying Oklahoma St.'s football program. If even a quarter of the tales are true, it's as bad as the renegade days at SMU and Miami.

The Matthews family presence in football is greater than that of the Manning family. At least in numbers. The patriarch of the family, Clay Matthews Sr. played defensive line for the San Francisco 49ers in the 1950s. Sons, Clay Matthews Jr. played linebacker for the Cleveland Browns and Bruce Matthews was a Hall of Fame offensive lineman for the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans. Clay sent linebacker playing sons, Clay III and Casey, to the NFL. Bruce has his sons playing on the offensive line for Texas A&M. Jake will be a top pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Mike likely will be in a couple of years. Teenager Luke is sure to follow.

A ball thrown by Louisville quarterback looks a lot like a ball thrown by Warren Moon or Jeff George. It's pretty. Louisville has had several great college quarterbacks in recent years. Chris Redman, Dave Ragone, Brian Brohm. None of those terrific college throwers did much in the NFL. Bridgewater looks like one that will.

Michigan almost had another Appalachian St. on their hands.

Most had the Pac-12 title coming down to a fight between Stanford and Oregon. UCLA looks great. If Bridgewater is the best quarterback in college football, Brett Hundley isn't far behind. Only a sophomore.

Oregon's uniforms were ridiculous. They weren't bad last week so I had some hope that the Duck's fashion sense had improved. I was so wrong.

Go Vikings!

Hall of Fame Again

The Pro Football Hall of Fame induction and selection process really never rests. We just saw the Canton celebrations and induction of Cris Carter, Warren Sapp, Jonathan Ogden, Larry Allen, Bill Parcells, David Robinson, and Curly Culp. Now, the process of selecting the next group of Hall of Famers is starting again. A few weeks ago, we had the selection of Ray Guy and Claude Humphrey as the Senior nominees. This week, we have the announcement of the 126 nominees that will file through the selection process of the next few months. Of those 126 nominees, 16 are on the ballot for the very first time. Those first-timers are highlighted, in my opinion, by Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Derrick Brooks, Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Walter Jones, Indianapolis Colts receiver Marvin Harrison, and head coaches Tony Dungy, Mike Homgren, and Jon Gruden. I can see Brooks and Jones making it in their first year. Harrison, unfortunately, runs into the receiver logjam created by the voters. Cris Carter finally got out of it last year. Harrison will have to wait in line and Andre Reed and Tim Brown are ahead of him. I think that there is a valid argument for Dungy but I don't think that it happens this year. Bill Parcells having to wait probably did a disservice for deserving coaches. Dungy's defensive innovations gives the voters something to think about beyond his wins and losses.

The next step in this Hall of Fame process is the voters knocking the 126 nominees down to a more manageable 25. That's done in November. Those 25 are debated by the voters on the day before the Super Bowl. That's when we find out the 2014 Hall of Fame Class. If I were to pick that class, I would pick these fine fellows:

Derrick Brooks
Walter Jones
Andre Reed
Charles Haley
Art Modell

I can see Kevin Greene being there instead of Modell. I've always been on the fence as to Modell's Hall of Fame candidacy. He played a big role in the marriage of TV and the NFL through the '60s and he was certainly in the ear of the commissioners, especially Pete Rozelle, regularly. I just have a hard time throwing honest support to the man that fired Paul Brown and Bill Belichick.

and the Senior nominees:
Ray Guy
Claude Humphrey

One nominee on the list of 126 that I'd really like to see in honored in Canton is Buddy Parker. The Detroit Lions have mostly struggled for so long that it's hard to imagine that they were once a powerhouse. Parker led the Lions to three straight NFL Championship games, 1952-54. Winning the first two. The team that he built would win another championship in 1957 but he had quit before that season started. He moved on to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Parker brought Pittsburgh some modest success. The first that team had ever seen.

It's Hall of Fame time. Again.

Little York

On December 28, 2008, at the ripe age of about 28 years, Jed York was named the President/Owner of the San Francisco 49ers. His parents, Marie Denise DeBartolo York and John York became co-chairmen responsible for providing resources and maintaining their role of interacting the other NFL owners and executives. Even at 28, little York was as experienced as his parents at running an NFL franchise. If he needed any advice, the kid was better off going to his uncle, Eddie DeBartolo, seeing as he was the maniac that oversaw a football dynasty in San Francisco.

Jed York was pushed into the fire. It was certainly a strange ownership structure in San Francisco. Initially, I thought that he was a spoiled little kid with a great new toy. He had some stumbles, as you'd expect, while trying to get the franchise back on track. Hiring Mike Singletary as head coach was a tragic mistake but that decision may not have been his. Once little York gained his footing he's been terrific. I was wrong to jump to any conclusions without giving him a chance. He was wise to leave Trent Baalke alone to make football decisions. Despite his youth, he looked ready for the big time throughout the successful push for a new stadium. Basically, I've been impressed with the kid.

Little York impressed me even more with the way that he handled a situation with Ray Lewis. The retired linebacker tossed out the accusation that someone killed the lights at the Super Bowl because his Baltimore Ravens team was running away with the game. York tweeted "there is no conspiracy. I pulled the plug." Nice. Despite his incredible youth, Jed York has really grown into his role as team leader. His team is playing fantastic and they look like they are built to sustain it. Now, we'll have to see if his team can reach the great success that they reached with his uncle.

Throwback Thursday: Adrian Burk

Peyton Manning had what some might consider the best game of his career a week ago this day. That's a bold statement. Throwing seven touchdown passes in a single game draws some attention. It draws a lot of attention in the pass happy, fantasy driven football days of today. Throwing seven touchdowns in a game has been done six times now. It's more than a little surprising that it's been 44 years since the last quarterback threw seven touchdown passes in a single game. A football spends so much time in the air these days. Minnesota Vikings quarterback Joe Kapp was the last quarterback to match the single game touchdown passing standard. 1969. Before that, Y.A. Tittle. 1962. Then, the NFL gives credence to the AFL in recognizing George Blanda in 1961. Chicago Bears quarterback Sid Luckman was the first to throw so many touchdowns in a single game. He did the deed in 1943. Luckman, Blanda, Tittle, Kapp, and now Manning. Luckman, Blanda, and Tittle are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Peyton Manning is an automatic, first ballot Hall of Fame inductee five years after he steps away from football. Kapp may not be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame but he made his mark in sports beyond those seven touchdown throws. He played in a Rose Bowl, Grey Cup, Super Bowl, and NCAA basketball championship. No one else has ever done such a thing. No one else has ever come close to such a thing. Joe Kapp stepped away from an MVP award because football is a team sport. I know of no football player that has stepped away from an individual award in the name of a team sport. In the logs of football history, Luckman, Blanda, Tittle, Kapp, and now Manning are well known football figures. There was another that matched those others with seven touchdowns in a single game.

As the quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1954, Adrian Burk threw seven touchdown passes to route the Washington Redskins, 49-21. No matter how many quarterbacks throw for seven touchdowns, Adrian Burk will always be the unknown. Every quarterback today is so well known. It's a real shame. Burk actually had a nice career. Baltimore Colts in 1950. Philadelphia Eagles from 1951-56. He played in two Pro Bowls, 1954 and 1955. He was the second pick in the 1950 NFL Draft. Burk threw 54 touchdown passes beyond the seven that he threw that day in 1954. His football career didn't end after the 1956 season.

Adrian Burk worked as a football official after his football playing career was done. He was working the 1969 Colts-Vikings game when Joe Kapp matched his passing record. A few years later, Burk signaled the touchdown after Franco Harris finished the play that would later be known as "the Immaculate Reception." Adrian Burk has touched football in so many ways that it's really quite shocking that he's not better known. He should be better known. Yet, his name vanishes until another quarterback matches his record. One of these days, someone will hit on eight. Manning only seemed to be picking up steam when he threw his fifth in the third quarter. If someone hits eight, does Adrian Burk just fade away? Someone will remember. 

Vikings and Bears

This isn't about the Minnesota Vikings upcoming game with the Chicago Bears. This is about being a fan of the Minnesota Vikings and University of California Golden Bears. I am. With the start of the football season, I've been thinking about being pretty much a lifelong fan of those two football teams. Some might say that there's a lot of pain there. I've felt that sharp kick to the gut a few times. Who hasn't? All things considered, it's been a lot of fun being a fan of the Minnesota Vikings and the California Golden Bears. Recently, I've been thinking of some amazing similarities between the two teams.

First of all, neither team has won it all in my lifetime. That's actually more unfortunate than amazing. While Cal was a national power in the first quarter of the 20th century, they've been wildly inconsistent since then. As a Cal student, I might have seen eight Cal victories in three years. If nothing else, the Bears were an entertaining football team in the '80s. The Vikings have actually been quite successful since the NFL introduction in 1961. Unfortunately, that success has always fallen short of the ultimate success.

In the late '40s, head coach Pappy Waldorf brought Cal back to prominence. Cal went to three straight Rose Bowls following the 1948, '49, and '50 seasons. The Bears lost all three Rose Bowls. They didn't return to Pasadena until 1958. They lost that one too. Cal hasn't been back since. The Minnesota Vikings may not have lost three straight Super Bowls, but they did lose three in four years. Super Bowls VIII, IX, and XI. They also lost Super Bowl IV. They haven't been back to the big game since 1977. Minnesota and Cal have both shown a remarkable, and frustrating ability to fade in big games. That's gotta change.

The last thing that the Vikings and the Bears have in common is the most amazing. Some might actually call it embarrassing. I don't. I think that it makes them unique. Special, even. Each has a player that returned a fumble the wrong way. Cal's Roy "Wrong Way" Riegels pulled his stunt in the 1929 Rose Bowl against Georgia Tech. Big stage. Cal would lose that game, 8-7. Riegels actually played a strong game, minus his mistake. Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall picked a smaller stage for his wrong way run. His game was a regular season game against the San Francisco 49ers in 1964. Riegels was tackled at the one-yard line by a teammate so he never crossed his own goal line. Marshall made it into his his end zone. Thinking that he'd just scored a touchdown, he tossed the ball into the stands. This gave the 49ers a safety and two points. Riegels' wrong way run ended up giving Georgia Tech a safety too when Cal had their ensuing punt blocked. Those two points were the deciding points in Cal's one-point Rose Bowl loss. Marshall's little run didn't matter much as the Vikings defeated the 49ers that day in San Francisco.

No ultimate wins and wrong way runs. That's what the Minnesota Vikings and California Golden Bears have in common. Well, that and me.

A Football Life

No matter how prepared I think that I might be, NFL Films never fails to take my breath away. Everything that those Sabol-touched artists produce, somehow, makes football better. And, I think that football is pretty great. The bar is high. Each episode of their masterpiece series A Football Life is in a word, perfect. When I see that the series is starting again, I gasp. What's next? To kickoff this season, they present LaDainian Tomlinson.

In my time of loving football, I've fallen for three backs that didn't play for the Minnesota Vikings. I watched Walter Payton run for 275 yards against the Vikings and I was amazed. I watched Barry Sanders make Vikings defenders look like fools and I was amazed. I consider myself lucky that the San Diego Chargers drafted LaDainian Tomlinson. It was nice to finally have this singular running talent, that steals my football heart, playing for a team outside the Vikings division.

Like Sanders, Tomlinson's career felt way too short. 11 years is better than most but is less than you hope for a player like this. He rushed for over 1,200 yards in each of his first seven seasons. Incredible! For most of those years, I saw him as the best football player in all of the NFL. This episode of A Football Life brought a lot of that back. It was wonderful to see those jump cuts again. I've never seen a back move like that. People always try to force comparisons on players. Payton and Tomlinson had some similarities but it was more in the open field. Payton entered the line more aggressively. Tomlinson seemed to hop through the line. Showing more patience. More like Sanders. But, not like Sanders. Sanders broke the ankles of defenders and then truly embarrassed them. Tomlinson waited for the defenders and then hopped around them. He could sometimes even glide like Gale Sayers. We could see much of the best in LaDainlian Tomlinson. There are always comparisons. Backs that separate themselves from the rest. Mark them as a back to draw comparisons. LaDainian Tomlinson was one of those backs.

LaDainian Tomlinson's A Football Life included his slave name origins. Most would avoid that. NFL Films makes it all real. Generations passed, the salve owner meeting the slave.

If I were to change anything in this terrific episode, I'd add the Vikings-Chargers game of 2007. Rookie back Adrian Peterson went for an NFL record 296 yards. The Texan Tomlinson was a hero to the Texan Peterson. The embrace of Peterson and Tomlinson after that game was a moment to remember. A passing of the torch was an assumption as Tomlinson was far from done but it was a very cool moment among talented backs.

I look forward to all of the magic that comes out of Mt. Laurel, NJ. Tomlinson's didn't disappoint. It's great to see A Football Life back for another season. Next up is Don Shula. Come on!

Opening Day Thoughts

Well, the Minnesota Vikings weren't supposed to start the season like this. A 34-24 loss to the Detroit Lions. The biggest problem for the Vikings on opening day was Reggie Bush. They had no answer for him. The former USC professional rushed for 90 yards and caught four passes for another 101 yards. One of those catches was a 77-yard touchdown.

The Vikings defense did a terrific job on Lions receiver Calvin Johnson. He had 4 catches for only 37 yards. So, Bush took over. The Lions are a whole other team with him in the backfield.

The Vikings were in a nice spot to regain the lead fairly early in the fourth quarter. Down 27-24 after forcing a rare Lions punt. It felt like the Vikings had some momentum and they had the ball. It didn't last long. Quarterback Christian Ponder was turning to hand the ball to Adrian Peterson. Simple enough. Instead guard Brandon Fusco steps on Ponder's foot forcing a stumble and the ball is on the ground. The Lions recover. After a couple of Vikings penalties allow the Lions to convert a couple of third down plays, the Lions are gifted a touchdown and a 34-24 lead. The Vikings really did little to threaten that lead the rest of the way.

A lot of Vikings fans will be tearing apart Ponder this week. He's been a frequent target for much of the offseason and preseason. He completed 18 of 28 passes for 236 yards. Three interceptions opens up some criticism. One was on a desperation heave at the end of the game that ended any comeback hope. Another interception was on a tipped pass. The third was a killer. He had the offense moving in Lions territory and just tossed one up for grabs. It was a throw that no NFL quarterback should ever make. For me, the defense was the bigger problem in the loss. Especially their inability to stop Bush. Ponder made some downfield throws. This isn't to say that Ponder was fine. No matter how they happen, three interceptions can't happen. Ever. He has to get better.

Things looked great for the Vikings when Peterson took the first offensive play 78 yards for a touchdown. He scored all three touchdowns. Two rushing. One on a short reception. His game looked great on paper. But, after the 78-yard run, he carried the ball 17 times for 15 yards. The Lions defensive line outplayed the Vikings offensive line on all but that 78-yard TD. He encountered Lion defenders before he reached the line on nearly every carry. The Vikings typically see a lot of  2nd and shorts. That's always a nice spot for a quarterback. Yesterday, with the Lions regularly stopping Peterson for a loss or no gain, Ponder was facing a lot of 2nd and longs. Never a nice spot for a quarterback. The Lions have one of the best defensive lines but the Vikings offensive line has to get a better push.

The best thing to come out of the game for the Vikings was the play of receiver Jerome Simpson. Seven catches for 140 yards. He was terrific. Some smart plays and one dazzling, diving catch. The sort of deep threat that Simpson provided was pretty much absent all of last year.

I'd really like to see rookie receiver Cordarrelle Patterson on the field more. I only noticed him on offense for a couple of plays in the redzone. He had one catch for ten yards. He nearly broke one of his two kick return opportunities. He needs to get the ball in his hands.

Receiver Greg Jennings and tight end Kyle Rudolph have to get the ball more than their five combined catches.

The Vikings can't play this sloppy and expect to win many games.

Ponder has to get more steady. He can't make reckless throws. He has to use the weapons around him. He's got some.

Ndamukong Suh is an ass. He's supposed to be maturing but his cheap-ass low block on center John Sullivan on an interception return was pathetic. Initially, I thought that he had ended Sullivan's season. Fortunately, the Vikings offensive line leader was back on the field on the next possession. It was still a classless move. Nothing has changed with that clown. All that talent and a pissant head. He also took a touchdown off the board for his own team. Idiot.

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford may have thrown for 357 yards but Bush was the difference in this game. The Vikings have fourteen games to figure him out. If Bush keeps playing like he did yesterday the Lions are going to be a tough team to beat.

I don't pay much attention to the other games while the Vikings are playing. I was surprised that the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts had to come back against the Buffalo Bills and Oakland Raiders, respectively.

The New York Jets beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have been the surprise of the day.

I love the New Orleans Saints-Atlanta Falcons rivalry. Their games have been terrific the last few years. Although I find their games hard to predict I was still surprised that the Saints hung on to win. Sean Payton returning to the game with a win was huge for the home team.

The Green Bay Packers-San Francisco 49ers game was fun. 49ers win it, 34-28. Like the Vikings with Bush, the Packers had a real rough time keeping track of receiver Anquan Boldin and tight end Vernon Davis. Boldin is a beast. 13 catches 208 yards and a touchdown.

It's unfortunate that a good game like this was tainted a bit when the officials bungled things and essentially gave the 49ers a touchdown when they should have been attempting a field goal.

It sure is a treat to watch Boldin play the receiver position. He does so many of the little things to perfection. He's likely taken the torch from Hines Ward as the best blocking receiver in the league. He catches the ball beautifully. When the was teamed with Larry Fitzgerald in Arizona, the Cardinals should have been required viewing for anyone interested in playing receiver.

49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick ran for about 5 miles against the Packers in the playoffs last year. He only had 22 yards rushing this time. Instead, he threw the ball a bunch. And threw it well. Completing 27 of 39 passes for 412 yards.

Looks like the 49ers have themselves a player in rookie safety Eric Reid. He had an interception. Another that was taken away due to a penalty. His tackle of Aaron Rodgers to prevent a first down late in the game might have been his best play.

The New York Giants were sure in a generous mood throughout their game with the Dallas Cowboys. Six turnovers. The Cowboys took two of those back for touchdowns.

Fun game. And, it left the Packers at 0-1. Tied with the Vikings in the NFC North.

After all that generosity it was really quite remarkable that the Giants were in the game at the end. Dallas wins 36-31.

Next week is bad news for the Bears.

Game Day Thoughts

Welcome to NFL 2013! Thursday games don't count. Football starts on Sunday. Here we go!

Vikings-Lions! Boy howdy! Kicking off the last season of the Metrodome. Oh, the memories. The Vikings don't have their home opener until Cleveland comes to Minnesota in week 3. So, the countdown to the February implosion of that dump really doesn't start until then.

A thought,

If defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd starts in place of injured Kevin Williams, the Vikings could be starting as many as 12 players that the team has taken in the last three drafts. Nine from the last two.

2011:
QB Christian Ponder
TE  Kyle Rudolph
 G   Brandon Fusco

2012:
 T  Matt Kalil
 S  Harrison Smith
CB Josh Robinson
WR Jarius Wright
TE  Rhett Ellison
 K  Blair Walsh

2013:
DT Sharrif Floyd
CB Xavier Rhodes
 P  Jeff Locke

Based upon the spread-out passing ways of the Lions, it would be no surprise to see the Vikings defense step on the field with three corners in Robinson, Rhodes, and 2010 draft pick Chris Cook. Ellison and Wright may/may not get the start based on the first play and formation. The current Minnesota Vikings are led and known by Adrian Peterson. On defense, the Vikings are led by linemen Kevin Williams, Jared Allen, Brian Robison, and linebacker Chad Greenway. The Vikings future core is quickly becoming the present core and blending nicely with the "older" leaders. The above list of draft picks doesn't even include their third 2013 first round pick, receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. This kid could be a superstar. If the Vikings receive the opening kickoff today, Patterson is likely the first Vikings player to touch the ball in 2013. Basically, all indications are that the Minnesota Vikings have had outstanding drafts the last three years. 2010 draft picks Cook, defensive end Everson Griffen, and (now)receiver Joe Webb could push that assessment to four years.

In reality, the Vikings have a great bunch of young football players. About 2/3 of the roster is in the first third of their career. They also have a terrific handful of veterans. Any success seems to depend on Christian Ponder playing something close to the "backbone of the franchise" quarterback that he was drafted to be. Lacking that, Adrian Peterson will have to run much further than 2,500 yards. Peterson is a beast. He was just getting warmed up in 2012.

The Vikings-Lions game is obviously the biggest game of week 1 but the NFL has some real nice opening day games with Falcons-Saints and Packers-49ers. Giants-Cowboys tonight is always a terrific matchup.

What's a Bruno Mars?

College stuff:
I kinda missed the opening day of college football last week due to a fantasy football draft. I got Peterson! I watched all but the last 3:49 of the Cal-Northwestern game. Damn DVR!

Cal-Portland St.
Today, it's old school for me. Directv is still pissing on my college football fun. I'm left with radio. It's a good thing that Joe Starkey and Mike Pawlawski are terrific on the mic.

Cal's defense isn't terrific. They gave up over 425 yards in the first half to Portland St. My goodness, Ohio St. and Oregon are the next two opponents.

Cal survived, 37-30. This was supposed to be a walk. Portland St. was an absolute pain in the ass. They may have gained less than 200 yards in the second half but they would not go away.

As for the good. It's hard to tell for sure how the game truly flowed while listening to the radio. It sounds like, true freshman quarterback Jared Goff continues to prove that he's the real deal. Over 900 yards passing in his first two games. 11 different players caught passes. 4 different players gained over 60 yards receiving. Cal head coach Sonny Dykes certainly runs a quarterback friendly offense. If I recall correctly, Goff has a deep to short read progression. It really is up to him as to where the ball goes. Brendan Bigelow and Khalfani Muhammad each gained over 80 yards rushing. Offenisively, the Bears are cruising. Goff took care of the ball through the air. No interceptions. Some players put the ball on the ground. With the way that the defense is playing, Cal's offense can not give their opponents extra possessions.

I really like Cal receiver Bryce Treggs. He catches well, runs well, and blocks really well. His pop, Brian Treggs, was a terrific receiver for Cal in the early '90s, catching passes from current radio guy Pawlawski. While senior Treggs was a great college receiver, junior Treggs should carry the name to the NFL.

Cal was missing some defensive players. Brennan Scarlett, Nick Forbes, and Chris McCain in particular. Still, Cal's defense should have done better against Portland St.

One defensive player that seems to be emerging is defensive tackle Viliami Moala. He was a huge recruit for several reasons a couple of years ago. One of which was, I believe, his 350 lb size. He was supposed to be a run-clogging man in the middle from the moment that he stepped on campus. He finally seems to be showing up this season. He's now listed at 315 lbs and he's now a junior. It seems like he just got to Berkeley. He has the kind of talent that can tilt the field in Cal's favor. The defense most certainly needs something like that.

Ohio St, Oregon. Oh my.

As soon as you get jacked up over offenses passing every down, we find BYU rushing for 549 yards against Texas. BYU propped up the passing fireworks of Jim McMahon, Steve Young, and Ty Detmer. Now, we see the Utah boys tearing up a traditional dynamo on the ground. BYU was all over Texas 40-21.

Uh, Brian Kelly, when you think of college football history, Notre Dame and Michigan are in nearly every thought. The rivalry is historic. It's fun too. Kelly would have been better off saying that the rivalry was ending because of schedule restraints. Instead, he became a fool by saying that the rivalry meant little historically.

I saw Kelly at the recent AT&T Pro-Am. You could dress the coach in green and you are frighteningly close to the Notre Dame leprechaun.

Cool move by Michigan to honor Tom Harmon before the game. Former UCLA quarterback, actor and Tom's son, Mark Harmon was there to accept the honor for his father. Quarterback Devin Gardner is wearing Tom Harmon's #98. Nice.

It was kinda weird to see a quarterback wearing #98. Made the game feel historic. A 41-30 Michigan win didn't feel so historic.

I watched the South Carolina-Georgia game for the defense. In particular, South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. Instead, I found an offensive football game. Georgia wins, 41-30. Familiar score.

Georgia's Todd Gurley II is a tough runner. I loving watching backs that make the defense think about the contact that's about to happen.

Oregon back/receiver/returner De'Anthony Thomas is a scary player to watch if you're a fan of the other team. I haven't seen a player run away from other players like he can since Randy Moss. He's an itty-bitty guy but he can play in the NFL.

I opened my college football day with Florida-Miami. 21-16 Miami. This was actually a pretty good game. When a superbly executed punt block is the best play of the game, you'd expect a bore. But, I was entertained. Some sloppy play, very good defense, some nice offensive plays, and that great punt block. Not bad for an early season grudge game.

The ESPN talking head that stated that the NCAA should drop it's case against Miami is a fool. It's no surprise that the NCAA hacked up the investigation. That organization is packed with idiots. What took place at Miami over the past decade is as bad as it gets. SMU was a bake sale compared to the Miami circus. You can not ignore that.

Football's back.

A Few Things

I really enjoy the writing and football passion of Sports Illustrated's Peter King. His interest in football includes everything that makes the game tick. From the equipment managers and coaching connections to the chess match strategy that takes place in every game. It's not just about the players and their statistics. His new MMQB (Monday Morning Quarterback) wedsite presents all of that and so much more. King strives to educate the readers on all aspects of the game. It's great stuff. So is his MMQB podcast that popped up this week. His chats with Eli Manning and Matt Ryan were terrific. It was his conversation with fellow Sports Illustrated writer Greg Bedard that made me wince. It was only a couple of things and not the conversation as a whole.

In talking about the Pittsburgh Steelers, King referred to Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau as a Hall of Fame coach. LeBeau is in the Hall of Fame and he is a football coach but he is not a Hall of Fame coach. I've never heard Tennessee Titans head coach and Hall of Fame guard Mike Munchack referred to as a Hall of Fame coach. It's because he's not. King isn't alone. I recall one football talking head saying that LeBeau's induction could open the door for other excellent assistant coaches. Many people seem to forget or simply don't accept that LeBeau was a senior committe nominee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player. I suppose that people make this mistake because they know LeBeau best as a terrific defensive coach and so few remember his days as a Detroit Lions cornerback. They just assume that he made it as a coach. I was surprised to hear King make this mistake seeing as he was in the room to vote on Dick LeBeau for the Hall of Fame.

The other little nugget that popped up in this conversation is something that has been bugging me since the 2005 NFL Draft. Bedard said that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers greatly benefited from the time spent playing behind Brett Favre. Bedard's reasoning was that Rodgers didn't show the quarterback that he would become while he was at Cal. From his fall to #24 in the 2005 NFL Draft to comments like this from Bedard, I wonder if anyone actually watched Rodgers play football at Cal. I really don't get it. He was a fantastic college quarterback. In two years at Cal I saw a lot of the quarterback that amazes everyone today. I had no doubt that he would one day excel in the NFL. His game against USC in 2004 was a masterpiece. Sometimes I wonder if the supposed experts say this stuff about Rodgers to cover up for the mistake that so many made on draft day. The Packers were lucky that so many were blind. I've always wondered if they still select Rodgers if they drafted even ten spots earlier. It's no wonder that Rodgers always plays the game with a chip on his shoulder. No one has ever been willing to admit that they screwed up in evaluating him in 2005.

Outside of that, even including that, Peter King's MMQB website and podcast are must-see and must-listen stuff. Check it out.

Cal hosts the Portland St. Vikings today. Any school named Vikings usually attracts my attention. That isn't what first attracted my attention toward Portland St. I first heard about the school in 1980 when they took apart Delaware St. by the astounding score of 105-0. That was the first I heard of quarterback Neil Lomax and offensive innovator Mouse Davis. The 2013 version of the team put up 57 points last week against Eastern Oregon. Hopefully the Vikings far fall short of both point totals today. Cal won the only other meeting between the two teams in 2006, 42-16. I prefer it when Cal challenges themselves with their non-conference schedule. This year they did that with Northwestern last week and Ohio St. next week. Supposedly, today's game against Portland St. is a break but you never know. It wasn't too long ago that UC Davis chopped down the mighty Stanford Cardinal. Go Bears!

I wish that I could watch this game on TV but I have Directv. Those clowns and the Pac-12 Networks are still in their juvenile pissing contest.

Even More Vikings Receivers Stuff

I just can't stay away from this topic.

The Minnesota Vikings team that suited up to face the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2012 season opener included these receivers:

Percy Harvin
Michael Jenkins
Devin Aromashadu
Stephen Burton

That's very thin. Not one of those receivers is on the current roster. I can't believe the complete turnover of the Vikings receiver position in a single year. It's obvious that changes needed to be made but it's rare that so many are actually made. When the Vikings visit Detroit on Sunday, they will have these receivers on the field:

Greg Jennings
Jerome Simpson
Jarius Wright
Cordarrelle Patterson
Joe Webb

To be fair, Simpson, Wright, and Webb were actually with the Vikings last year. Simpson was kicking off a suspension when the Vikings were kicking off their season. Wright was injured. Webb was playing quarterback. Of the newbies, Jennings was starting his injury-plagued, final season in Green Bay. Patterson was playing his only season at the University of Tennessee. Now, they are all together. I like this group. Wright, Patterson, and Webb are starting their first full season as NFL receivers. Simpson has had some highlights in the NFL but has yet to truly establish himself as a reliable receiver. Jennings is trying to put the injuries behind and return to the elite status that he once held. Despite all of that, I like this group of receivers. Perhaps because this group is not the group from last year. I like the athletic ability and the potential. Jennings is the leader, the established veteran. He's an outstanding route runner with terrific hands. Simpson has to make the plays in games that he routinely makes in practice. Wright was an immediate deep threat when he was finally healthy last year. He's a smaller, quicker receiver that is often pigeon-holed as a slot receiver. I think that he can make plays from the outside as well. Patterson has the talent to be a superstar. Despite being 6'3" and 220 lbs, he moves like a smaller receiver. I've never seen a receiver his size with the movement skill that he has. The Vikings can run many of the plays with him that they ran with Harvin. Lining up in the backfield, reverses, bubble screens, anyway to get the ball in his hands and let him run. Webb is an unbelievable athlete but he's still learning the receiver position. With his size and leaping ability, the Vikings probably have a package of plays that take advantage of those skills. His role should expand as he becomes more comfortable with the position. Next year, maybe even later this season, Greg Childs will hopefully return from his torn patellar tendon injuries and make this group even better. Likely at the expense of Simpson.

Last year, the Vikings had so little talent at receiver outside of Percy Harvin. It was really pretty sad. Now, there is some talent. There's actually considerable talent. There's also a lot of inexperience. That's what made the addition of Jennings in free agency so important. The Vikings had to get young quarteback Christian Ponder some help. I think that they succeeded.