Good afternoon fellow NFL fans. It's Week 8, which means we're about to cross the midpoint in the regular season. Hey wait a minute, didn't the season just start? Exactly. It's a sprint, to be sure, which is why it's important to start every game and every season quickly and on a winning note. That being said, the Giants lost their opener to Dallas, but have gone 5-1 since then and lead the NFC East. And on Sunday we get to try and avenge that loss, in a building where Eli Manning is 3-0. I like our chances. So what else is happening? Let's have a look around the NFL...
But first, the UFL suspended operations mid-way through their season. Wait, the UFL was still playing? Brilliant idea playing in the fall against the NFL, huh? I have two words for you, UFL--USFL, and XFL. I have three words for those of you who just snickered when I mentioned the XFL--He Hate Me. But I digress....
For a cool hundy, you can have yourself a pair of wide receiver gloves like these. Wow, I can think about 900 pieces of merch I'd rather have than those things. And you know they are hideous when USA Today calls them, you know, hideous.
I have been saying it's hard to believe the Ravens are (insert record here) after I saw them up close at Arrowhead in their narrow 9-6 win over the Chiefs, and last Sunday in Houston they were exposed for the fraud that they are. Of course, this is the NFL, and teams tend to wake up or go back to sleep quickly.
The Panthers were supposed to win it all, remember? They took out a full page ad in the Charlotte Observer to talk about why they would win it all. Pretty funny now as they sit at 1-5 and Cam Newton continues to pout with a towel over his head. And coaches' heads are starting to roll.
I'm not sure about you guys, but I sure pegged the Vikings as a bottom dweller. Of course, they were on a roll before folding up their tent at home against the Bucs on Thursday night, so it should be interesting to see if they go into free fall in the second half of the season.
I love reading stories like this--Aaron Rodgers had a professor who told him he'd never make it in the NFL. I'm big on proving people wrong, and as those stories go, this one is a doozy.
This is one of the more intriguing matchups of the week--Matt Ryan, Philly kid, returns home with his 6-0 Falcons in tow to face a tough Eagles team in a hostile environment. I sure would like for Philly kid to leave their 7-0. How about you?
Here is what I think when I read about the bounty case with the Saints, and all the appeals and motions filed and current and former commissioners--wake me up when it's over.
You know what else makes me sleepy? Reading about NFL games being played in London. And they are going to make the Jacksonville Jaguars "England's team?" Wake me up when it's over.
Roger Goodell is definitely going to be watching the Jets/Dolphins game closely after Aaron Maybin's stupid comments about trying to "knock out Reggie Bush" within the rules of the game. Yeah, and I want to eat an entire pepperoni pizza within the rules of being on a diet.
How long do you guys think Brady Quinn will be the Chiefs' starting quarterback? Here is my favorite line from this article: Because Quinn's girlfriend, former Olympic gymnast Alicia Sacramone, is often out of town (she's currently touring the country as part of the Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions), Cassel and his wife, Lauren, "invite me over for dinner a bunch, and sometimes I bring them food." Wow, intriguing stuff.
Did anyone see Brandon Jacobs on Shark Tank a few weeks ago? He looked way more animated there then he did on the sidelines watching his former team dismantle his current team.
It was nice to hear Eddie George talk about Eli Manning as the best quarterback in the game right now. And last Sunday Rodney Harrison said the same thing on Football Night in America. And yeah, the way Eli comes through in the clutch --even right after throwing horrible interceptions-- makes it hard to disagree.
It's getting cold outside, and that means it's time for making giant pots of chili and eating chili all week. Here's my recipe. What's yours? Feel free to share with the class.
Have a great weekend fellas, and enjoy the games tomorrow. Go Giants!