The 15-Play Drive

15 thoughts on week-15 in the NFL...

1. Too many angles to devote just a few lines to Giants/Eagles from Sunday, so I'll start with this...While it may be "The Miracle at the New Meadowlands" for Eagles fans, I'm guessing it's more like "The Christmas Collapse" for Giants fans. Considering the circumstances, it's one of the worst regular season losses for a team I've ever seen.

2. Polish up that resume Matt Dodge. You've been shaky all season long, and yesterday's punt straight to DeSean Jackson when you were instructed to kick it out of bounds was the capper. Where have you gone Jeff Feagles?

3. Andy Reid and Tom Coughlin both made huge mistakes during yesterday's NFC East showdown. Reid held onto the challenge flag like it was a Krispie Kreme doughnut when replay clearly showed DeSean Jackson was down by contact on his fumble early in the 4th quarter. As for Coughlin, there's no excuse for not having the hands team on the field with under 8-minutes to go, and the Eagles set to kick-off trailing 31-17.

4. Whether he did it intentionally or not, Jaguars receiver Mike Thomas did wave his left hand before returning that punt 78-yards for a touchdown against the Colts. The ruling should have been fair catch. Mike Carey's crew got it wrong.

5. You blew a shot at a touchdown Bennie Sapp. Why are you trying to pitch the ball after intercepting Ryan Fitzpatrick when there's a ton of open field staring you in the face?

6. The collar is extra tight for Tom Coughlin, Tony Sparano and Gary Kubiak this morning. All three head coaches lost Sunday, and the news that Bill Cowher's short list includes the Giants, Dolphins and Texans can't have them feeling any better.

7. Aside from the Jets Brad Smith, the two most dangerous kick returners in week-15 were Patriots offensive lineman Dan Connolly and Colts linebacker Tyjuan Hagler. Connolly returned a squib kick 71-yards against the Packers, while Hagler took an onside kick back 41-yards for a touchdown to seal their victory over the Jaguars.

8. Take the rest of the season off Austin Collie. That's three concussions this season. I didn't think that was such a brutal hit, but Collie looked like he was out before he hit the ground.

9. Under the heading of you can't predict this...Donald Brown outrushed Maurice Jones-Drew 129 to 46, Matt Flynn threw for more yards and touchdowns than Tom Brady, and the Lions, Panthers, Bengals and Bills all won on the same day.

10. Speaking of the Lions, caught up with head coach Jim Schwartz on the Sunday Drive following their 23-20 OT victory against the Buccaneers to end their 26-game road losing streak. Schwartz did his best to minimize the importance of the win, "The road losing streak never really made our radar." That may be the understatement of the year.

11. The Todd Collins award of the week goes to Matt Hasselbeck. The Seahawks QB completed a respectable 10 of 17-passes for 71-yards before being pulled in favor of Charlie Whitehurst. However, he was a turnover machine throwing 2-interceptions, and losing a fumble in the end-zone that was recovered by the Falcons Jonathan Babineaux for a touchdown.

12. Even on a day when the Titans scored 31-points and Kerry Collins threw for 2-TD's, Randy Moss was a total non-factor again. Six different receivers caught passes for Tennessee, but not Moss, who wasn't even targeted one time.

13. Tim Tebow did fine in his Broncos starting debut. He made several nice throws and was dangerous running with the football at times. That said, Tebow is not ready to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. And if he plans on subjecting his body to that much punishment every Sunday, he'll never survive a full season.

14. Yes, we had an overtime game end on the first possession in week-15. That still means in 15 of the 17-OT games this season, both teams got their hands on the ball. In case you're wondering that's 88-percent. Have I made my case yet?

15. Lost in all the other big performances Sunday was the impact Chiefs defensive end Wallace Gilberry made against the Rams. Who? If you don't know him yet, Gilberry a 3rd year player out of Alabama, sacked Sam Bradford 3-times and also forced a fumble. He was part of a Kansas City defense that held Bradford to 181-yards passing, and limited Steven Jackson to 67-yards rushing.

The 15-Play Drive

15 thoughts on week-14 in the NFL...

1. Jets strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi must be suspended by the team, banned from the sidelines permanently by the NFL, and the league should also fine the organization heavily. What Alosi did yesterday, intentionally tripping the Dolphins Nolan Carroll, was one of the most unprofessional things I've ever seen in sports.

2. Mark Sanchez has lost the "Eye of the Tiger" and is now doing his best "Chicken Little" impersonation....And yes Jets fans, the sky is falling. In their last 2-games, Sanchez has completed just 34 of 77-pass attempts with 0-touchdowns and 4-interceptions. No coincidence the Jets offense scored a combined 9-points in back to back losses.

3. How does Michael Vick take two helmet to helmet hits on the same play Sunday night, and there's no flag? Were the officials members of PETA?

4. I know you haven't played much Matt Flynn, but up 3-0 in the 3rd quarter you can't force a ball into the end-zone like that. Green Bay would never score again in a 7-3 loss to Detroit. The victory ended the Lions 19-game losing streak against the NFC North.

5. By late Sunday afternoon everyone knew the Giants/Vikings game would be held at Ford Field except the Lions. Spoke with Detroit linebacker DeAndre Levy after their win against the Packers, and when I asked him what he thought about two other teams playing in their stadium he said, "I had no idea. It's the first I'm learning of this."

6. Tom Brady is not of this earth. He hasn't thrown an interception since week-6, and in the Patriots last 8-games, Brady has 19-touchdown passes. Hand him the MVP and get it over with.

7. It took until week-14 for the smoke to clear, but there's no doubt in my mind these are the top five teams in the NFL...

Patriots

Falcons

Saints

Steelers

Eagles

8. There were certainly multiple candidates, but the Todd Collins award of the week goes to Brodie Croyle. Subbing for the injured Matt Cassel, the Chiefs QB completed just 7 of 17-passes for 40-yards before being pulled in favor of Tyler Palko. Croyle is now 0-10 in his career as a starter.

9. On a Sunday when the likes of Roddy White, Dwayne Bowe, Larry Fitzgerald, and Terrell Owens didn't get into the end-zone, Bengals offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth and Eagles guard/center Todd Herremans each had a TD grab. You can't make this stuff up.

10. Mike Shanahan and Donovan McNabb put on a game mismanagement clinic at the end of the 1st half against the Buccaneers. Follow along here...

1st and goal at the 5: Keiland Williams 3-yard run

Timeout #2: 1:05 to go

2nd and goal at the 2: Keiland Williams no gain

Timeout #3: 20 seconds to go

5-yard delay of game penalty

3rd and goal at the 7: Donovan McNabb pass incomplete to Keiland Williams

Someone want to tell me how you can possibly have a delay of game following a timeout? On top of that, McNabb tried to call a 4th timeout before the penalty. Unfortunately, you're only allowed three per half Donovan. Pitiful.

11. Nice hands and hops Antwaan Randle El. That 18-yard one handed reception late in the 2nd quarter by the Steelers wide-receiver was one of the catches of the year.

12. So much for the magic of the interim head coach. While Jason Garrett and Leslie Frazier have experienced immediate success in Dallas and Minnesota, the Broncos looked the same under Eric Studesville yesterday as they did when Josh McDaniels was in charge.

13. The Seahawks defense made Alex Smith look like a combination of Steve Young and Joe Montana. I'd give Smith more credit for his big day, but since his 3-TD passes were exactly one quarter of his total for the season, I think Seattle's D had more than a little something to do with it. By the way, 5-8 San Francisco is just a game out of 1st place again in the awful NFC West.

14. Hide your face Roman Harper. I know it didn't technically count, because your fumble return was negated by replay, but Rams QB Sam Bradford ran you down from behind....And you had a sizable head start.

15. Cardinals kicker Jay Feely is an offensive juggernaut. He single handedly outscored the Broncos, Browns, Bills, Packers, Lions, Dolphins, Jets, Bengals, Steelers, Buccaneers, Redskins, Panthers, Rams, Seahawks, Bears and Chiefs. Feely kicked 5-field goals, 4-extra points and also ran for a touchdown on a fake field goal. That's 25-points he accounted for Sunday.

The 15-Play Drive

15-thoughts on week-13 in the NFL...

1. Gutsy performance by Ben Roethlisberger Sunday night. His nose looked how the Ravens probably feel today after losing a tough, physical game 13-10. Great game to watch by the way. I'd take Steelers/Ravens every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

2. So let me get this straight...Ravens linebacker Jameel McClain clearly delivers a brutal helmet to helmet hit on Steelers tight end Heath Miller and there's no flag. Yet Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh knocks down a scrambling Jay Cutler from behind and gets nailed with a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness. Referee Ed Hochuli called it a "non-football act--a blow to the back of the runners helmet in the process of him going down." And the league wonders why players are confused. I'll say this...if Cutler wasn't a quarterback, it wouldn't have been a penalty.

3. Caught up with Vikings QB Tarvaris Jackson on the Sunday Drive after his solid performance in relief of an injured Brett Favre, and Jackson was more than honest when I asked him if he felt he was auditioning for the job, "I'm only human. It's hard not to think about next season." To be fair, Jackson wasn't brilliant throwing 3-interceptions to go along with his 2-touchdown passes, but he more than held his own against the Bills. In other words, there was no real drop-off after Favre left the game.

4. Pat Sims is a Bengal through and though. That's the only way to explain his bone-headed neutral zone infraction against the Saints on 4th and 2 at the Cincinnati 7-yard line with 34-seconds remaining. His idiotic mistake gave New Orleans a 1st down, and the win as Drew Brees threw a 3-yard TD pass to Marques Colston on the next play. Watch the ball Pat. They don't teach that in Cincinnati?

5. There's aggressive, and then there's stupid. Chiefs head coach Todd Haley was the latter of the two in Sunday's 10-6 win over the Broncos. You're leading 10-3 midway through the 3rd quarter and it's 4th and goal at the 2-yard line. Kick the field goal and make it a two possession game Todd. That wasn't the time to roll the dice. Matt Cassel, who told me afterwards he "wasn't surprised" by Haley's decision, was sacked for a 13-yard loss on the play. Haley has gambled often this season, and most of the time things have worked out. But you have to know when to take the points, and he made an emotional decision against a Denver team that embarrassed him the first time around.

6. Never has the loss of one player crippled a team as much as Kurt Warner's retirement has to Arizona. Last season Warner threw for 3,753-yards with 26-TD's and 14-INT's. The Cardinals went 10-6, won the NFC West and averaged over 23-points per game. This year through 12-games Cardinals quarterbacks have thrown for a combined 2,480-yards with 8-TD's and 16-INT's. Arizona is now 3-9, putting them in last place in worst division in football, and they're averaging just over 16-points per game. Only the Panthers have scored less than the Cardinals.

7. No coincidence that the Todd Collins award of the week goes to Derek Anderson. The Cardinals quarterback completed just 7 of 20-passes for 93-yards with 0-TD's and 2-INT's before being pulled for Max Hall, a two time recipient of this award. In a related note, Anderson was not seen smiling or laughing while sitting on the bench.

8. If there's a better 4th quarter team than the Falcons, I haven't seen them. Atlanta has come from behind 6-times this season in the final quarter to win games, including Sunday's 28-24 victory against the Buccaneers.

9. It's 13-quarters and counting since the Titans scored an offensive touchdown. Along those lines, Randy Moss continued his disappearing act with 1-reception for 13-yards yesterday. In 4-games with Tennessee Moss has 5-catches and no touchdowns. That's some impact you're making Randy.

10. Peyton Manning might as well dress up as Santa, because he's handing out interceptions like Christmas presents. In the Colts first 9-games, Manning was picked off a total of 4-times. In their last 3, he's thrown 11-INT's, 4 of which have been returned for touchdowns.

11. It certainly helps when your team runs for 251-yards as they did against the Chargers, but anyone else notice that Raiders QB Jason Campbell seems to play a whole lot better when Bruce Gradkowski isn't looking over his shoulder.

12. Maybe its time to throw Maurice Jones-Drew into the MVP conversation. That's 5-straight 100-yard rushing games for the Jaguars running back. In 4 of those games, he's run for more yards than the other team.

MJD 186-yards Titans-57

MJD 113-yards Giants 135

MJD 133-yards Browns-88

MJD 100-yards Texans-53

MJD 135-yards Cowboys 50.

13. People still don't get it. This was the statement from Cowboys radio play by play man Brad Sham at the end of the 4th quarter Sunday with Dallas and Indianapolis headed for OT, "You lose the coin toss, you lose the game." Let me educate Brad and anyone else out there who hasn't picked up on this yet. We've now had 16-overtime games this season, and in 15-of them both teams had at least one possession. The Cowboys lost the coin toss Sunday, but they won the game. Any questions?

14. Talk about home field disadvantage. Miami is 6-6, but just 1-5 at Sun Life Stadium. They score a field goal less at home than they do on the road.

15. I agree that it's a quarterback's league, but if the playoffs began today Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, Kyle Orton and Aaron Rodgers would all be watching from home. That's 4 of the top-5 passing QB's in the NFL this year.

The 15-Play Drive

15 thoughts on week-12 in the NFL...

1. Hands Steve Johnson. You know those things at the end of your arms? Use them! A week after he was on the receiving end of 3-touchdown passes, the Bills wideout dropped 5-balls including the game winning TD in overtime against the Steelers. "Why so serious?"

2. Talk about mastering the art of the gut wrenching defeat...Buffalo's last 4-losses have all been by 3-points, with three of them coming in overtime. And believe it or not, those games were all against division leaders...Pittsburgh, Chicago, Kansas City and Baltimore. This from a Bills team that's just 2-9 overall. You can't make it up.

3. If the NFL is going to suspend players for what they deem to be dangerous helmet to helmet hits, then Texans wide-receiver Andre Johnson and Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan must be suspended for Sunday's boxing match. A fine from the league would be a very weak response to an ugly incident.

4. What are you saving that challenge for Mike McCarthy? It's 4th and 3...Tony Gonzalez just picked up a 1st down on a 6-yard reception that may or may not have been trapped...And you're hanging on to that flag like it's a piece of Wisconsin cheddar. The Falcons would end that drive with a Gonzalez touchdown catch, and take a 10-3 lead into the locker room. Awful job by the Packers head coach there.

5. Congratulations to the Vikings Leslie Frazier on winning his head coaching debut. Don't know if Frazier will get the job after the season, but he clearly has a fan in linebacker E.J. Henderson. I spoke with Henderson after the game, and here's what he had to say about the team's interim head coach, "Leslie Frazier is a leader of men. Any leadership role he's placed in, he'll succeed."

6. There was no bigger turkey on Thanksgiving night than Terrell Owens. If Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis is "average" as T.O. claimed, then Owens is practice squad material. Revis held the Bengals receiver to 3-receptions for 17-yards. Way to back up the talk T.O.

7. The Todd Collins award of the week goes to Titans quarterback Rusty Smith. In his starting debut, the rookie out of Florida Atlantic completed 17 of 31-passes for 138-yards with 0-TD's and 3-INT's. This against a Texans defense that came into Sunday allowing 301-yards passing per game.

8. How bad is the NFC West? The winner of tonight's thrilling match-up between the 3-7 Cardinals and 3-7 49ers will be just a game out of 1st place. 7-9 takes that division this year.

9. Just call him Mistake Delhomme. Even in a win the Browns quarterback showed he's already gotten into the spirit of giving with 2-interceptions, including one that was returned 37-yards for a touchdown by the Panthers Captain Munnerlyn. In his last 14-regular season appearances, Delhomme has thrown for 9-TD's and 24-INT's.

10. Quick question...which two quarterbacks have the best touchdown to interception ratio in the NFL through week-12? Hint: They used to play on the same team. It's no coincidence the Patriots Tom Brady and Chiefs Matt Cassel have nearly identical numbers now. Brady has thrown for 23-TD's and 4-INT's, while Cassel has 22-TD's and 4-INT's. That's what you get when you have Patriots East and Patriots Midwest. What you also get are two teams in 1st place.

11. So much for the silver and black are back talk....The Raiders look like the Raiders again.

12. Big win Sunday for the Bears, and I know they're now 8-3, but someone is going to have to explain to me how that pass heavy offense under Mike Martz is going to work when the Chicago weather turns. "Bear Weather" won't be an advantage for the home team this season.

13. We had our 15th overtime game of the season yesterday, and once again it was not decided on the first possession. That's 14 out of 15-times both teams got their hands on the football. I'm still waiting for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to wake up and realize the coin toss decides who gets the ball, not who wins the game.

14. Giants first 10-games...30-turnovers. Sunday...none. It makes it easier when you don't give the ball away...doesn't it?

15. If Peyton Manning never sees the Chargers again he'll be a whole lot happier. In 203-career regular season games, Manning has thrown 4-interceptions or more just 3-times. Two of those games were against San Diego.

The 15-Play Drive

15 thoughts on week-11 in the NFL...

1. Vince Young needs a timeout. The Titans QB has a habit of acting like a 5-year old when things don't go his way. Young has never earned Jeff Fisher's trust, and Sunday was a prime example of why. There's always been an immaturity factor here. Young hasn't been able to handle adversity at the NFL level, and that's not the kind of player you want leading your team. Either Fisher or Young won't be back next season, and I'd bet my life that it'll be Young who's gone.

2. Every game free agent to be Randy Moss plays costs him more money. In 2-games with the Titans, Moss has all of 1-reception for 26-yards. That's flat out pathetic.

3. The Jets have 8-wins and 9-lives.

4. The Texans reached a new level of incompetence Sunday, and defensive coordinator Frank Bush should have been fired immediately after the game. Losing on a Hail Mary is one thing, but how they allowed Braylon Edwards to get that wide open for a 42-yard reception is beyond me. The Jets were trailing by 4 with 55-seconds remaining, had no timeouts, and somehow were permitted to drive 68-yards in 45-seconds. If that's not grounds for dismissal, I don't what is.

5. Way to lead by example Richard Seymour. I'm sure there are plenty of people who'd like to slap Ben Roethlisberger. However, you did your team no favors by getting ejected, and as a veteran you should have known better. After yesterday's performance the Raiders new motto should be "A Commitment to Ugliness."

6. Along those lines the Todd Collins award of the week goes to Jason Campbell. The Raiders QB completed just 7 of 19-passes for 70-yards with 0-TD's 1-INT and 2-fumbles before being pulled in favor of Bruce Gradkowski during Sunday's blowout loss to the Steelers.

7. I'm going Nostra-Lekas for a moment, because based on what we've seen through week-11, I believe there will be at least five coaching vacancies this off-season. Here's how I connect the dots right now...Cowboys-Jason Garrett, Vikings-Leslie Frazier, Panthers-Bill Cowher, 49ers-Jon Gruden, Bengals-Mike Zimmer.

8. So much for separation Sunday. There's still no team in the NFL with more than a 1-game division lead, and 4-divisions including the AFC East, North and South, plus the NFC North feature a 1st place tie.

9. Nobody touched you Eli Manning. You can't cough up the ball after scrambling for a first down.

10. Packers all-pro cornerback Charles Woodson joined me and Steve Torre on The Sunday Drive following yesterday's 31-3 rout of the Vikings. When asked about their success against Minnesota this season, Woodson pointed to one key factor, "We didn't get caught up in the Favre hoopla like last year." He's not alone.

11. By the way, if these are the last 2-games Brett Favre plays against his former team, they'll be performances he'd like to forget. Favre's combined numbers against Green Bay this season, 33 of 67-passing 420-yards 1-touchdown 4-interceptions.

12. Just your typical Patriots-Colts match-up Sunday. High drama in a game that was in doubt late into the 4th quarter. In fact, only one of their last 5-regular season meetings has been decided by more than 4-points. Take a look and you'll understand why the NFL schedule makers have them going head to head every single year.

2010-Patriots 31 Colts 28

2009-Colts 35 Patriots 34

2008-Colts 18 Patriots 15

2007-Patriots 24 Colts 20

2006-Colts 27 Patriots 20

13. Caught up with linebacker Jerod Mayo after Sunday's win, and he gave about as good of an answer as you'll get from a Patriots player when I asked him if this validated the defense, "A little bit, but coach Belichick is going to do what's best for the team." To refresh your memory, a year ago Pats head coach Bill Belichick choose to go for it on 4th on 2 from his own 28 with 2:08 remaining in a game against the Colts that his team was leading 34-28. The move backfired, and New England lost. Yesterday, the defense sealed the victory when James Sanders intercepted Manning at the Patriots 24-yard line with 31-seconds to go. So while Mayo wasn't gloating during the interview, Patriots players don't embarrass their head coach, you could tell he was satisfied.

14. Only the Bengals could manage to turn Ryan Fitzpatrick into Jim Kelly, Fred Jackson into Thurman Thomas, Steve Johnson into Andre Reed and this Bills offense into the K-Gun after halftime. Cincinnati built a 31 to 14 lead over the first two quarters before collapsing as Buffalo scored 35 unanswered points to beat the Bengals 49-31. It's the first time in NFL history that a team has trailed by 17 or more at the half and won by 18 or more.

15. You didn't think I'd forget this did you? Yet another overtime game yesterday that wasn't decided on the first possession. So that's 14-times the extra session has been required this season, and 13-times both teams got their hands on the ball. I'm sensing a trend here.

The 15-Play Drive

15 thoughts on week-10 in the NFL...

1. Why is it when Brett Favre puts up 446-yards in an overtime victory he's the ultimate tough guy...And when he throws for 170-yards with 3-interceptions and a fumble he's playing hurt? It's fitting injury and excuse are 6-letter words, because for Favre they've always been linked. I've got another six letter word for him...RETIRE.

2. I know what Vikings owner Zigy Wilf said about not changing head coaches, but I wonder if he'll be more motivated to fire Brad Childress after watching how the Cowboys performed in Jason Garrett's debut.

3. Spoke with a giddy Mike Thomas after his improbable "Hail Mary" catch as time expired gave the Jaguars a 31-24 victory over the Texans. When I asked him if he realistically thought he'd have any chance to make a play there, his response was more than honest, "Not at all. That's one shot in a lifetime. The football gods were looking over us."

4. Down 14 to 12 with 14-seconds remaining, you can't throw a pass out of the end-zone on the 2-point conversion attempt Shaun Hill. That's 25-straight road losses and counting for the Lions.

5. Anyone out there still calling the Giants the best team in the NFL? How about the NFC? Don't know about you, but I'm still waiting for them to get a win against a quality opponent before I take them more seriously.

6. File this under the heading of sometimes bad things happen to good people. In his return as a starter, Chad Pennington lasted all of 2-plays before suffering yet another right shoulder injury, this one likely a career ender. Pennington has been a terrific player during his 11-year career, but he's only made it through the full 16-game season two times.

7. Randy Moss has now played twice in Miami this season for two different teams, the Patriots and Titans. His combined numbers in those games...1-reception for 26-yards.

8. The 49ers appear to have the right Smith playing quarterback, and it's not Alex. Troy Smith threw for 356-yards and a late game tying touchdown Sunday in the Niners 23-20 overtime victory against the Rams. Compare that to Alex Smith who's never thrown for over 310-yards, and has only reached the 300-yard passing mark twice since 2005.

9. The Todd Collins award of the week goes to Kerry Collins. Before leaving with a calf injury, the Titans QB completed only 9 of 20-passes for 51-yards. Collins, who's known for his strong arm, averaged a pathetic 2.6-yards per pass attempt.

10. It only took until week-10 for Broncos rookie quarterback Tim Tebow to throw his first career pass, a 3-yard TD to Spencer Larsen. Tebow now has exactly as many pass attempts this season as former Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall, who threw an incompletion Sunday for the Dolphins. At least Tebow can say he has a better QB rating.

11. You know the drill...two more overtimes yesterday, and neither one of them was decided on the first possession. That's 13-times we've had a game go to the extra session this season. In 12 of those games, both teams got their hands on the ball. If they can make other rule changes on the fly, why can't the NFL eliminate the OT rule change for the post-season?

12. Speaking of overtime, the Jets are the first team in league history to win back to back games in OT on the road. And it's time to start giving Mark Sanchez a little bit more credit here. His combined numbers in their overtime victories against the Lions and Browns...9 of 14-passing for 169-yards with 1-TD and 1-INT.

13. Caught up with Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick yesterday following Buffalo's first win of the season, and I found it interesting that he emphasized the importance of playing at their real home. "I can't say how much the crowd helped. There's definitely a difference in terms of atmosphere." You get that Ralph Wilson? I don't care how much they're paying you to play in Toronto. It's not worth it to your team. Here's a novel concept...win games and the fans will show.

14. Don't know if you've been paying attention, but the Buccaneers are fast developing their own big three. Between QB Josh Freeman, WR Mike Williams and RB LeGarrette Blount, Tampa has a talented core to build around offensively. Blount is the oldest of bunch at 23, and the biggest question mark due to his attitude/temper. Sunday, he ran for 91-yards and a touchdown, Freeman threw for 2-scores, and Williams led the team in receiving yards. If Blount can refrain from throwing any more punches, the Bucs may really have something here.

15. In their 39-26 win over Pittsburgh, the Patriots Rob Gronkowski became just the sixth rookie tight-end since 1960 with 3-TD receptions in a game. The last player to accomplish the feat before Gronkowski actually played for the Steelers...Eric Green back in 1990.

The 15-Play Drive

15 thoughts on week-9 in the NFL...

1. Following their latest debacle, a 45-7 loss Sunday night to the Packers, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had this to say, "There are a lot of people here who are certainly going to suffer and suffer consequences." Jerry...people are already suffering...they're called your fans. The consequences, or shall I say symptoms of being a Cowboys fan are embarrassment, nausea and depression. The cure...take two aspirin and find a new team in the morning.

2. There's no doubt in my mind Eagles safety Kurt Coleman will be fined by the NFL for the hit that knocked out Colts wide-receiver Austin Collie. However, after reviewing the play frame by frame at least 20-times, I find it very hard to blame Coleman. He led with his shoulder and the helmet followed, plus Collie actually lowered his head before the hit. I know Roger Goodell wants to protect the players, but this isn't flag football commissioner.

3. At the same time Goodell has every right to drop the hammer on Nick Collins. The Packers safety clearly led with his helmet while delivering a blow to Cowboys receiver Roy Williams. Learn how tackle Nick...your bank account will thank you.

4. In a sloppy, mistake filled game they had no business winning, the Jets can feel good about one thing...Revis Island is officially open for business again. Darrelle Revis held Calvin Johnson to all of 1-catch for 13-yards. Hope you enjoyed your stay Megatron.

5. Why are you having Drew Stanton throw the ball on 3rd and 6 Jim Schwartz when the Jets are out of timeouts and there's under 2-minutes to go? You have to know when to be aggressive, and with Stanton at quarterback that wasn't the time. Spoke with Jets wide-receiver Santonio Holmes after the game and even he called that a "boneheaded play."

6. 3-more overtime games Sunday, and for the first time all year one of them was decided on the first possession. So by my count that's 11-games that have gone to OT, and 10 with both teams getting their hands on the football. Is that enough evidence to eliminate the ridiculous change to the overtime rules for the post-season? I'm still waiting for your answer commissioner.

7. I know it's not as easy as it looks, but you can't lose track of downs Jeff Triplette. The head referee in the Raiders/Chiefs game reversed a call via replay, but then had the Chiefs facing a 4th and goal instead of 1st and goal. Kansas City actually ran a play before Triplette's crew, with the help of Chiefs head coach Todd Haley, realized they had the wrong down.

8. Nothing is less compelling than a Bill Belichick post-game press conference after a loss. Among the one word answers and short boring responses from the ultimate sour-puss was this blanket statement, "Pick any subject you want and say how did it go and it wasn't very good."

9. By the way, let's not call this a Browns upset of the Patriots...let's call it a total domination. In their 34 to 14 victory, Cleveland out-gained New England 404 to 283, forced 3-turnovers and held the ball for over 38-minutes. Even perpetual grump Eric Mangini had to be smiling...behind closed doors of course.

10. On a day when they survived with a 27-24 overtime win against the Cardinals, Vikings fans were still calling for head coach Brad Childress's job. Defensive end Jared Allen joined me and Steve Torre on the Sunday Drive and said it was a victory that "saved their season." When asked if he expects Childress to coach the team for the rest of the year, Allen added "It's not our decision, but I anticipate he'll be here."

11. The Todd Collins award of the week goes to Jimmy Clausen. In relief of the injured Matt Moore, the Panthers QB completed just 8 of 18-passes for 47-yards with 0-TD's and 1-INT before being benched in favor of the immortal Tony Pike.

12. It's time to start talking about the Giants Hakeem Nicks among the game's elite wide-receivers. With Sunday's 6-catch 128-yard 1-TD performance, Nicks is now sixth in the league in receiving yards, fifth in receptions, tied for first in TD grabs, and tied for second in receptions of 20-yards plus. Not bad for the 29th pick in the 2009 NFL draft who was taken far later than the likes of Darrius Heyward-Bey and Michael Crabtree. In case you're wondering, Heyward-Bey and Crabtree have combined for 50-catches and 4-TD's this season. Nicks has 51-receptions and 9-touchdowns.

13. It's 4th and short, your quarterback Josh Freeman is 6'6 248 and you're not running a QB sneak? You outsmarted yourself on that play Raheem Morris.

14. I know the Texans secondary is atrocious, but Chargers QB Philip Rivers deserves some serious credit today. Without Antonio Gates, Malcolm Floyd and Legedu Naanee, Rivers threw for 295-yards and 4-TD's in San Diego's 29-23 win over Houston.

15. How many of you have put in a fantasy waiver claim for Seyi Ajirotutu already? And yes, if you were listening, I was able to say his name on the air flawlessly.

The 15-Play Drive

15 thoughts on week-8 in the NFL...

1. Halloween Sunday turned into fright night for offense. Five teams scored 10-points or less including the Jets who were shutout by the Packers.

2. Along those lines, memo to Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer...run the ball! I know it was Halloween, but did Schottenheimer think Mark Sanchez was wearing a Joe Montana costume? In a game that was 3-0 at halftime, and 6-0 in the 4th quarter, Sanchez had 38-pass attempts. LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene combined for 22-runs. Not nearly enough.

3. Raiders running back Darren McFadden is the most improved player in football. He now has four games of over 100-yards rushing in 2010, and is averaging 5.5-yards per carry. In his first two years, McFadden ran for 856-yards in fifteen games. He's got 668-yards in just six games this season.

4. Wade Phillips' post-game press conferences have become flat out depressing. Following the Cowboys latest atrocious performance, a 35-17 home loss to the Jaguars, Phillips was asked if he's lost the team. His response, "I hope not." Don't exude too much confidence there Wade.

5. You're already one of the best defensive tackles in football, but next time hold off on the celebration until you get into the end zone Ndamukong Suh.

6. Speaking of rookies, if you're still not convinced Sam Bradford is going to be a big time quarterback, then I have to question your intelligence. He's got the the Rams at 4-4 now, and has thrown 11-touchdowns to a receiving corps that is sub-par to say the least.

7. Randy Moss must have decided to dress up like a ghost yesterday, because he was invisible. In his return to Foxboro, Moss had all of 1-reception for 8-yards.

8. It's amazing how vital Jets castoff Danny Woodhead has become to the Patriots offense. Check out his numbers in their last 3-games...25-rushes 100-yards 1-TD. 13-receptions 125-yards. And most importantly, Woodhead has learned Patriots speak. When he joined me and Steve Torre on the Sunday Drive, he took credit for absolutely nothing.

9. I'm not buying what Mike Shanahan was selling yesterday when he tried to explain why he pulled Donovan McNabb late in the 4th quarter. "Rex (Grossman) gave us the best chance to win....knowing terminology and how we run it." Shanahan was referring to their two minute offense, but what he says makes zero sense. Donovan McNabb was acquired by the Redskins in early April. You're telling me he's not familiar with how they execute the two minute drill? And since when does Rex Grossman give any team their best chance to win?

10. Spoke with Dolphins cornerback Sean Smith after his interception secured Miami's 22-14 victory in Cincinnati Sunday, but not even he could explain this...The Dolphins are now 4-3 with all of their wins coming on the road.

11. It must be gut wrenching, but you're getting closer Bills fans. Back to back overtime losses for 0-7 Buffalo.

12. Make that 8-overtime games in 8-weeks with exactly zero decided on the first possession. Can we scrap that rule change now please?

13. Think Derek Anderson! You can't force a ball into coverage trailing 38-35 in the 4th quarter, when you're already in field goal range.

14. In a 7-7 game just before halftime, why is Brad Childress going for it on 4th and goal? Take the points, and a lead into the locker room.

15. The Todd Collins award of the week once again goes to Cardinals QB Max Hall. Congratulations Max, you're a back to back winner! 8 of 16-passing isn't terrible, but 2-interceptions returned for touchdowns in less than 2-quarters...that's embarrassing.

The 15-Play Drive

15 thoughts on week-7 in the NFL...

1. Brett Favre's magic has officially disappeared. What that means is he's no longer good enough to overcome his own mistakes. The moments of brilliance are few and far between these days.

2. One other note on the Sunday night game...Visanthe Shiancoe's TD catch should never have been overturned via replay. He absolutely had possession.

3. In his post-game comments, Mike Singletary said he still believes his 1-6 49ers can make the playoffs. He also revealed he believes in the tooth fairy and strippers with a heart of gold.

4. Are Niners fans still calling for David Carr? I think not.

5. I don't disagree with Bill Belichick's philosophy in going for it on 4th and 1 late in the 4th quarter, but the play call was awful. You have to put the ball in Tom Brady's hands there.

6. With his two interception returns for touchdowns Sunday, Browns linebacker David Bowens has now found the endzone as many times as Larry Fitzgerald this season.

7. I think Roger Goodell overreacted to last week's string of devastating hits. That said, if the league's emphasis on player safety had a negative impact on yesterday's games, I didn't see it.

8. Spoke with Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward on the Sunday Drive after their win in Miami. His take on the bizarre ruling following the Roethlisberger fumble, "Our guys said they had the ball. Their guys said they had the ball. I'm going to believe our guys over their guys." Get all that?

9. DeAngelo Hall is clearly Jay Cutler's new favorite target. Hall's stat line of 4-receptions (interceptions) for 92-yards and a touchdown was better than anything the Bears' receivers did Sunday.

10. Did the Raiders just score again? I imagine that performance even brought the color back to Al Davis's face. Then again...

11. There were several huge receiving days in week-7, but to me Kenny Britt's was the most impressive. The Titans wideout caught 7-balls for 225-yards and 3-TD's. Keep in mind he didn't start the game as punishment for his role in a fight last week, Kerry Collins was his quarterback, and the rest of the team combined had 10-receptions for 51-yards.

12. I still like Kevin Kolb, but let's face it...his uneven performance made Andy Reid's decision to name Michael Vick the team's starting quarterback a whole lot easier.

13. Don't know if he's injured, but something is not quite right about Drew Brees. With those 4-interceptions yesterday, he's now thrown 10 this year. Brees was picked off 11-times all of last season.

14. The Todd Collins award of the week goes to Cardinals rookie QB Max Hall. Even with a concussion, 4 of 16-passing for 36-yards and an interception is embarrassing. And yes, he's still Arizona's best option.

15. Strange, but I don't hear all the proponents of the overtime rule change saying anything now. We've had 7-games go into sudden death this season. None of them have been decided on the first possession.

The 15-Play Drive

15 thoughts on week-6 in the NFL...

1. You can say it's a nice dilemma to have, like Andy Reid choosing between a Philly cheese steak, or a sausage, onions and peppers sandwich...he'd probably order both...but I wouldn't want to be in Reid's shoes right now. How can you tell Kevin Kolb to take a seat? Both Kolb and Michael Vick have put up good numbers, but I'm giving Kolb the edge here. He's done it against the Niners and Falcons. To me that's more impressive than Vick's performances versus the Lions and Jaguars.

2. No head coach sounded more defeated after a loss yesterday than Wade Phillips. Make no mistake, at 1-4 the Cowboys are done. Phillips might as well get a head start and begin packing up his office now. I'm sure Jerry Jones will offer to help.

3. So much for Marcus McNeill solidifying the Chargers offensive line. In their first 5-games, the Rams had 10-sacks. Against the Chargers Sunday, they dropped Philip Rivers 7-times.

4. Let me end the Tim Tebow hype right now. Yes, he ran for a TD Sunday. No, he never came close to attempting a pass. Tebow is Brad Smith minus the athleticism. And the Jets didn't spend a 1st round pick on Smith. (He was a 4th rounder in case you were wondering)

5. Spoke with three different wide receivers on the Sunday Drive and they each had something interesting to offer. The Steelers Mike Wallace told me and Steve Torre, with Ben Roethlisberger now back they can actually use the whole playbook.

6. When we caught up with Deion Branch, he said it felt like he'd never left the Patriots. In fact, Branch revealed that he stayed in the same hotel the night before the game, and thought it was the same room for that matter.

7. During our interview with the Jets Braylon Edwards, I asked about Mark Sanchez's 2-interception day. His response, "Mark didn't go into a shell like he would've last year."

8. Back to Deion Branch for a moment...He had 9-receptions in his return to the Patriots. In the 4-games Randy Moss played with New England this season...9-receptions total.

9. Jason Campbell gets the Todd Collins award of the week. In their 17-9 loss to the Niners, the Raiders QB completed just 8 of 21-passes for 83-yards with 0-TD's and 2-INT's. Think Al Davis is still comparing Campbell to Jim Plunkett?

10. Believe it or not it took until week-6 for Drew Brees and the Saints to score more than 25-points in a game. Why do I get the feeling a sleeping giant just woke up?

11. Maybe South Beach really is a distraction. The Dolphins are now 3-0 on the road, and have given up 40-points in those 3-games. At home they're 0-2 and have allowed 72-points.

12. Alex Smith is a smart guy, but the Niners quarterback has zero pocket presence. How many more times is he going to run directly at a defensive lineman?

13. Nice one handed catch Pierre Garcon. Now if you could only make more two handed receptions.

14. That was a franchise QB performance in the 4th quarter by the Texans Matt Schaub in their comeback win against the Chiefs. He completed 11 of 14-passes for 155-yards including the game winning 11-yard TD strike to Andre Johnson with 28-seconds remaining.

15. Does the NFL really need to throw Jacksonville a bone with a Monday night game?

The 15-Play Drive

15 thoughts on week-5 in the NFL...

1. No Halloween horror flick could possibly be any scarier than the film of Todd Collins' performance yesterday. The Bears quarterback completed 6-passes and threw 4-interceptions. My advice to Collins when they review the tape...close your eyes and be afraid...be very afraid.

2. It's time for Chargers special teams coach Steve Crosby to polish up that resume, because a pink slip should be in the mail. San Diego has now given up 2-kickoff returns for TD's, 1-punt return for a touchdown, and yesterday they had 2-punts blocked. All of this in 5-games. Brutal.

3. Your defense played too well for you not to catch that ball in the end zone Dwayne Bowe.

4. Hell has officially frozen over. Niners fans were actually calling for David Carr last night.

5. The Packers have zero faith in their running game. On a day when Brandon Jackson rushed for 115-yards, Green Bay handed him the ball just once in the 4th quarter with a 10-point lead.

6. For those of you in favor of parity, not only is this the first time since 1970 that there are no 4-0 teams, the entire AFC South is 3-2.

7. The Texans secondary couldn't cover my grandmother, and she's been dead for over 20-years.

8. Why are you attempting an onside kick to start that game in Detroit Steve Spagnuolo?

9. So much for rebuilding on the fly in the NFC East. Mike Shanahan's Redskins are a missed 52-yard FG in overtime away from being 4-1. Graham Gano went wide right on that kick back in week-2, after Washington had blown a 13-point halftime lead.

10. Congratulations Detroit Lions! QB Shaun Hill told me and Steve Torre on the Sunday Drive, that was the most fun he'd ever had after a win. I have the feeling the Lions will be able to celebrate a few more times before this season is over.

11. Opposing defenses are simply daring the Colts, Saints and Packers to run the ball right now. That's a major reason why Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers led their team's to 19, 20 and 13-points Sunday. Combined they threw for 3-TD's and 5-INT's.

12. Coaching hot seat after 5-weeks....1. John Fox (he's gone no matter what) 2. Wade Phillips (Jerry Jones isn't a patient man) 3. Mike Singletary (the clock is officially ticking)

13. Does any team win closer, uglier games than the Falcons? My pre-season Super Bowl pick is now 4-1. However, 3 of their 4-victories are by an average of 5-points, and their 1-loss was by 6.

14. The Bengals are an immature team, with an inconsistent quarterback and no real leadership to speak of. Any questions?

15. If the Jets really want to create a distraction for Brett Favre tonight, they'd name Jenn Sterger an honorary captain, and have her strut out to midfield for the coin toss.

The 15-Play Drive

15-thoughts on week-4 in the NFL...

1. Give the Eagles fans credit. They showed class with a standing ovation for Donovan McNabb. Who knew they had any?

2. If the Bears offensive line was responsible for protecting the United States, we'd all be speaking Russian right now.

3. Aaron Rodgers is an elite quarterback, but with no running game to speak of, the Packers offense is far too one dimensional. Call the Bills about Marshawn Lynch...like today.

4. Anyone out there still believe LaDainian Tomlinson is over the hill? Didn't think so.

5. I feel for you Lions fans. Detroit has turned losing close games into a work of art. Three of their four defeats this season are by 5-points or less.

6. Maybe it's just me, but the 49ers offense didn't look any better with Mike Johnson calling plays. 7-points and 269-total yards.

7. You have to get down after that interception Nate Clements. A touchdown there is meaningless. The game is over.

8. No team is more Jekyll and Hyde than the Seahawks. At home they've scored 31 and 27 in wins over the 49ers and Chargers. On the road 14 and 3 in losses to the Broncos and Rams.

9. How many people predicted the Chiefs would be the last team without a loss? Anyone? Bueller?

10. In the week of the kicker the Jaguars Josh Scobee not only had the most impressive game winner, a 59-yarder against the Colts, he had the best celebration. Scobee told me and Steve Torre on the Sunday Drive, he planned that victory lap.

11. Let's be honest...the Cardinals don't have a quarterback. Anyone have Jeff Garcia's phone number?

12. The Steelers, Texans and Jets did more than just survive without the suspended Ben Roethlisberger, Brian Cushing and Santonio Holmes. They're all 3-1, and about to get key reinforcements.

13. Why do I have the feeling that I could rush for 100-yards against that Raiders defense.

14. Learn to slide Bruce Gradkowski...you'll live longer.

15. An actual T.J. Houshmandzadeh sighting. He picked the right time to emerge from the witness protection program. I almost forgot he was still in the league.

Don't Make Joe the King of Queens

The Mets have made so many mistakes over the last few seasons that David Letterman doesn't have enough room on his top ten list to name them anymore. Hiring Joe Torre would be another in a long line of errors for the franchise. It all sounds good on the surface...Torre's going to be a free agent, and he's thrived managing in the pressure cooker that is New York. He brings along credibility, a steady hand and a sterling resume. If you're thinking this is all too good to be true, it's because it is.

Let's face facts...these Mets are not the 1996 Yankees. In other words, Torre wouldn't be walking into a situation where the club is ready to win now. I'm not saying there's no talent at Citi Field, but most of it comes from the visiting clubhouse every day. Despite his track record, Torre doesn't have any fairy dust in his back pocket that's going to turn back the clock for the over-the-hill Luis Castillo...or make Carlos Beltran's knees feel any better...or heal Johan Santana's shoulder for that matter.

I also don't think Torre's in it for the long haul, and that's exactly what it might be before this team is a World Series contender again. He's 70-years old now. Will Torre really have the patience to groom the likes of Ike Davis, Josh Thole, Jenrry Mejia and Ruben Tejada? There's no quick fix here, and although they are willing to spend some money, the Mets aren't going to break the bank like one of his former employers. In case you're slow on the uptake, the Wilpons are not the Steinbrenners.

On top of everything else, Torre's personality doesn't fit what the Mets need right now. Not to compare the two, because Torre's prime rib and Jerry Manuel's ground chuck, but you'd essentially be replacing a laid back manager with another laid back manager. One thing this team must have is a motivator. There are too many players who have been far too comfortable while losing game after game and that needs to end immediately. So while I have the utmost respect for the guy, and believe there will be a spot reserved for him in Cooperstown some day, hiring Joe Tore would be yet another swing and a miss by a franchise that can't seem to keep its eye on the ball.

Put Up or Shut Up!

This might be the understatement of the year...Rex Ryan likes to talk...Possibly as much as he likes to eat. I think it's a toss up. The Jets head coach isn't shy about making bold proclamations, which has endeared him to the fan base, and earned him scorn from the opposition. Ryan is the lightning rod for a franchise that consistently made headlines this off-season with high profile additions, an extended holdout by their best player, and to cap it off, a training camp in front of the cameras on the HBO series Hard Knocks.

Along the way, Ryan has predicted a Super Bowl Championship. And come February, if he's holding the Vince Lombardi trophy, he can flip the bird to all his detractors and say, "I knew it all along." But it's a long road to Dallas, and if the Jets don't deliver, it'll be a very cold winter for Ryan who'll be looked upon as just another fat guy with a big mouth. In other words, talk is cheap. It's time to find out if there's any substance behind one of the most over hyped teams in recent memory.

There's no denying this Jets roster does have some sizzle. They added what appears to be a rejuvenated LaDainian Tomlinson to the backfield, traded for talented but troubled receiver Santonio Holmes and cornerback Antonio Cromartie, brought in safety Brodney Pool, and even picked up renowned Jets hater Jason Taylor. But there are as many questions as there are answers.

Second year quarterback Mark Sanchez has been shaky at best this pre-season. This off a rookie year in which he threw for 20-interceptions. The team released 9-time pro bowl offensive guard Alan Faneca, and replaced him with the underwhelming Matt Slauson. Chemistry could also be an issue. With all that star power comes a number of big egos. When the games count you have to wonder if they'll all be pulling in the same direction. So in the end Rex Ryan can make all brash statements he wants, but if the team doesn't back him up with wins, J-E-T-S will stand for Just Empty Talk Stupid.

For A-Rod 600 is A-Fraud

So Yankees 3rd baseman Alex Rodriguez is on the verge of joining the prestigious 600 home run club...my response, big deal! For me the A-Rod homer count, that seems to be everywhere these days, is met with a yawn. To be fair, there's no denying he's always been an enormously talented player. Rodriguez is a thirteen time all-star and three time winner of the A.L. MVP award. However, for those of you who have a selective memory, he's also a steroid cheat.

Just over a year ago, Rodriguez admitted to what for years had been speculated: he used banned substances. This revelation came after he had denied ever taking performance enhancing drugs during an interview with Katie Couric in 2007. It took a softball question and answer session with ESPN, followed weeks later by a press conference for A-Rod to finally get his story straight. Even then, he came up with some ridiculous tale about an unnamed cousin injecting him with an over the counter, yet unidentified drug "known on the streets as boli or bollee."

The whole thing sounded like an ABC after school special gone wrong with Rodriguez claiming he was "young, stupid and naive." He added that it was "hard to say" whether it gave him a competitive edge, and "all his years in New York have been clean." I hope you didn't buy all of that...if so I've got some swampland and a bridge to sell you. If the guy lied about PED's in the first place, how can I believe that he only used for two years? On top of that, why continue taking them if he wasn't sure they were really helping?

It all comes down to a matter of trust. If I don't trust that his accomplishments are legitimate, then it doesn't matter if he hits 600, 700 or 800 home runs. The way I see it, his stats are tainted. No amount of time is ever going to change that fact or wash it away. The second his unnamed cousin put that needle into his ass, A-Rod's numbers became irrelevant. I have the feeling that stings a whole lot more than the shots he was taking.

He's Not Like Mike

When it comes to basketball royalty, "His Airness" reigns supreme. Michael Jordan is the player all those who have followed are measured against. So when he speaks, like the old EF Hutton commercial goes...people listen. This week, Jordan was the latest to weigh in on Lebron James' decision to join forces with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, and his words were damning to the "Chosen One." "There's no way, with hindsight, I would've ever called up Larry (Bird), called up Magic (Johnson) and said let's get together and play on one team. I was trying to beat those guys."

Those comments confirmed what I've been saying all along. A competitor like Jordan, Bird, Magic or even Kobe doesn't want to team up with you. They aren't interested in the whole buddy/buddy thing. Special players with that kind of makeup want to beat you plain and simple. Not only that, they're driven by the challenge. Bird and Magic pushed each other without even knowing it. Jordan was consumed by idea of achieving more than either Bird or Magic, and then dethroning the Isiah Thomas led Pistons.

In contrast, LeBron wants his hand held and someone to make sure he looks both ways before crossing the street. Sure he'd like a title or ten, but he doesn't care about beating the best in order to be the best. He'd rather become Dwayne Wade's wingman in Miami, if that means getting a ring. So instead to trying to lead the Cavaliers past the Celtics and Lakers of the world, he'll play Robin to Wade's Batman. And that's fine, as long as he understands what it means for his legacy.

No longer will he ever be mentioned in the same breath as an immortal like Jordan. That conversation is over. LeBron can win multiple titles with the Heat, but in the grand scheme of things, it won't matter. He'll be doing so on Wade's team and in Wade's town. They won't be building any King James statues outside of American Airlines Arena. Maybe it's fitting that LeBron is changing his number from Jordan's 23 to 6, because the fact of the matter is, they don't have anything in common anymore.

No Moral Victories

The band-wagon is nearly empty again in the United States with a 2-1 loss to Ghana in the knockout stage of the World Cup sending many so called soccer fans back into hiding. And while their resiliency, plus their success made this Team USA squad easy to root for, in the end they can only be described as disappointing. 20-years ago advancing to the round of 16 would have been an overwhelming success..now it's simply not good enough.

When ESPN analyst John Harkes stated we should be "proud" of Team USA during the final moments of the Ghana match, I nearly lost it. Proud of what? They essentially played one good half in what what was a winnable game. I found their performance far more agitating than those vuvuzela horns ever could be. For the third time in four games, they put themselves behind the eight ball by allowing an early goal. They were slow, sloppy and disorganized in the first 45-minutes, and the decision by head coach Bob Bradley to start Ricardo Clark and Robbie Findley proved to be a disaster.

Like John McClane in "Die Hard", the U.S. always seemed to be able to bounce back, which was part of their charm. However, you can't yell out "Yippee Ki Yay!" every time and expect the result to end in your favor. So after tying the game on a second half penalty kick by Landon Donovan, and thoroughly outclassing Ghana, the United States simply ran out of steam. In the process, they missed out on a tremendous opportunity here.

This was a chance to keep soccer in the mainstream for at least another week if not longer. Team USA actually had people paying attention to the sport, no small feat in this country. On top of that, the road to the semifinals was paved in gold with Ghana, and then Uruguay to deal with. I'm not saying those are easy teams to get past, but they are manageable games. They weren't taking on the likes of Brazil just yet. So excuse me if I'm not throwing bouquets, and giving the United States a pat on the back. Instead of front page news, their World Cup exit has for many, put soccer back into the storage closet. See most of you in another 4-years.

This Bud's For You

Repeat after me...Upon further review, the runner did not reach 1st base before the ball arrived. Simple, straightforward, and a phrase that would've saved umpire Jim Joyce a whole lot of grief. Unfortunately for Joyce and Major League Baseball, checking the replay, and then uttering those words wasn't an option Wednesday night. Instead, Tigers righty Armando Galarraga's perfect game went up in smoke with 2-outs in the 9th inning, when Joyce ruled that Indians shortstop Jason Donald beat the throw for an infield single.

There's no way to sugarcoat this...Joyce blew the call! You, me, my dead grandmother- we all know he blew the call. Joyce even admitted his error in judgement afterwards. He apologized to Galarraga, gave him a hug and stated, "I just cost that kid a perfect game." But no matter how many times he points the finger at himself and takes the blame, Joyce can't change the fact that Galarraga's perfecto officially went into the books as a 1-hitter. That's where MLB Commissioner Bud Selig was asked to step in.

The drumbeat began almost immediately for Selig to take action, and restore the perfect game. He had the power to reverse the call, and just like that, the sun would be shining, birds singing, and all would be right with the baseball world again. Give me a break! Sure, Selig could have taken the easy way out and come riding in on his white horse to save the day. I love a happy ending as much as the next guy. But it would have been more than just a little hypocritical to right the wrong in this case.

Since Selig has been against expanding instant replay, he couldn't go back now, a day later, and with a straight face rewrite history. You can't claim time and time again that you want to keep the so called "human element" in the game, and then erase an umpire's mistake. And to his credit, the commissioner actually got this one right. He made the correct call by refusing to change the incorrect call, and in the process actually showed some stones. Who knew he had any!

These Odds Just Don't Add Up

The NBA draft won't take place until June 24th, but for all intents and purposes, the John Wall sweepstakes is over. By winning the draft lottery, the Wizards earned the right to take the Kentucky point guard with the top overall pick. This despite only a 10.3-percent chance of coming away with the number-1 selection. Call it luck if you will, but what I call it is wrong.

This is the sixth straight year the team with the best odds failed to win the lottery. New Jersey lost 70-games, was swept by Washington this season, yet ended up with the third pick in the draft. How does that happen? Right about now New Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov is probably thinking, "Can I get my money back?" The answer is "Nyet!" There are two marquee talents in this year's draft: Wall and Ohio State guard Evan Turner. The Nets won't be getting either of them.

I understand the rationale of the draft lottery and why it was put in place. Teams were tanking it to get the top overall pick. In the NBA, when one player can make such a huge impact, the temptation to lose games in order to select the next franchise saver is too much. That being said, it's time to, at the very least, tweak the process. This is no knee jerk reaction, David Stern...The NBA commissioner has to realize his quest to maintain the integrity of the regular season has resulted in a system that just doesn't make sense.

If Stern is dead set on keeping the lottery in place, things need to drastically change. A team like the Nets should've had a better than 25-percent chance of getting the number-1 pick. Here's the way it should be: There are 30-franchises in the NBA- we don't need all 14 that fail to reach the playoffs in the lottery. The teams with the 7-worst records should have a shot at the ping pong balls with the odds as follows:

1. 40% chance

2. 25%

3. 15%

4. 7%
5. 5%

6. 4.5%

7. 3.5%

Is that so hard? It doesn't guarantee anything, but it's a hell of a lot more fair then what's currently in place. With all these percentages, I now feel like Al Gore having taught some kind of economics class or global warming study session. For David Stern and the NBA...here endeth the lesson.

We Are All Witnesses

The Nike marketing campaign featuring LeBron James and the slogan, "We Are All Witnesses" took on new meaning in the Eastern Conference semifinals. What basketball fans witnessed was the league MVP and the team with the best regular season record in the NBA, losing in six games to the Boston Celtics. And for the first time in his career, King James' reputation as a prime time player took a major hit.

Even a triple-double in game six did little to quiet the Lebron critics, and for good reason. Along with his 27-points, 19-rebounds and 10-assists, James had 9-turnovers. He also shot a less than stellar 8 for 21 from the field. This on the heels of his uninspired game five performance, during which he scored 15-points and looked disinterested at times. So here's the million dollar question: What does it all mean?

I think the answer is simple. For all his enormous talent and commercial appeal, there's still something LeBron's missing, and I'm not talking about a grade A supporting cast. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird had it...Michael Jordan had it...and Kobe Bryant has it. Haven't figured it out yet? Let me put it this way- All of those guys were/are trained killers...single minded in their focus, ruthless in their pursuit, with one goal at the end of the day...to win a championship.

Can you picture Magic, Bird, Jordan or Kobe taking 14-shots while going through the motions in a key game five play-off loss at home, or having butter fingers in a season ending defeat in game six? I don't doubt Lebron craves a title, but I do question whether he has the mindset required to get it. In the final three games of this series, there wasn't one time when James imposed his will on the opposition. Not one time when he simply said, "Get out of my way- it's the 4th quarter and I'm taking over!" LeBron has the ability to do that, but as we all witnessed, King James came up small in the biggest moments and his season got the royal flush.

Not a "Super" Idea

"I Love New York." It's one of the most famous marketing slogans in the U.S. Now the NFL is hoping owners will love the Big Apple when the 2014 Super Bowl is awarded at a meeting on May 25th. New York/New Jersey is considered the favorite to host the big game, with Tampa and South Florida also in the running. And while I'm a New Jersey native and work in Manhattan, I think a Super Bowl at the new Meadowlands Stadium is an awful idea.

Putting a February game, played at night in a stadium without a dome, is a shaky proposition at best. Throw in the fact that a Super Bowl ticket costs in the upper hundreds to thousands of dollars these days, and it's insanity. Talk about fan unfriendly. If you want to freeze your rear end off, and pay a pretty penny to do it, be my guest. But when have the owners, or NFL for that matter, really put the fans first? So, how about putting the game first?

Picture this...82, 500 people watching in person...millions viewing on TV...Drew Brees and Peyton Manning ready to go center stage. Only one problem: it's 28-degrees, the howling wind is causing havoc with the passing game (as it's known to do at the Meadowlands), and two of the league's elite quarterbacks have been reduced to pedestrian status. Instead of a track meet, you've got a New York City traffic jam, with both teams in stop and go mode. That's not even worst case scenario...throw in some snow or freezing rain, and you've got a real winner.

In a game that's supposed to be played in ideal conditions, so neither side gets an advantage, the weather factor could also tilt things in favor of, let’s say, a team like last year's Jets. And if you don't think they would've had the upper hand out in the elements with their power running game, you're nuts. Those in favor of a New York/New Jersey Super Bowl will tell you it's the league getting back to its roots...it's old school football...the weather could create another iconic moment like the "Ice Bowl." I'm all for nostalgia and tradition, but I know better. There's never been a Super Bowl played outdoors in a cold weather city. This is about what's best for the NFL's bank account and the owners' wallets. The fact that it's what's worst for the fans and integrity of the game...well that's just not high on the priority list these days. Maybe they can all stay warm by bundling up in an "I Love New York" T-shirt.

Tiger's Tall Tale

Believability and Tiger Woods no longer mix. So forgive me if I immediately wondered, what's really going on here, when the world's number-1 golfer withdrew from the final round of The Players Championship Sunday. Tiger, citing a neck injury, claimed, "I've been playing through it, I can't play through it anymore." Without undergoing an MRI as of yet, Doctor Woods also stated he might have a bulging disk.

Here's my diagnosis...Tiger has an acute case of adversititis. Never heard of it? Ok, so I made it up. What the term means is: the inability to deal with adversity. When he decided it was time to call it quits, Woods was 2-over through 6-holes, and so far behind, he would have needed a high powered telescope to see the top of the leaderboard. But rather than finish out the final round, he took the easy way out...he quit.

I don't doubt Tiger was in some pain. In fact, it's always dangerous to speculate on whether or not an athlete is really hurt. However, you can't convince me he would've still packed it in, had he been in the hunt. Woods fought through a badly injured knee en route to a 2008 U.S. Open Championship, downplaying the issue the entire time. Had he been in hot pursuit of Tim Clark Sunday, there's no way in hell Tiger bolts.

What's really hurting him is the reality that for the time being, he's a sideshow more than the main attraction. He can't deal with the fact that his game isn't where it used to be. Woods missed the cut at Quail Hollow, and was never a real factor at TPC Sawgrass. So under the heading of "adversity doesn't build character, it reveals it..." this was another revealing episode for Tiger, who was dressed in his traditional Sunday red shirt, but ended up waving the white flag.

A Shock to the System

To tase or not to tase- that is the question. This after Philadelphia police used a taser gun on 17-year old fan Steve Consalvi at Citizens Bank Park Monday night. Consalvi hopped the fence in the bottom of the 8th inning, eluded several security officers, and decided to run through the outfield. That's when he was tasered, and went down like a sack of potatoes.

The use of a taser gun on a fan holding up the game by running on the field is unprecedented. Normally, the scene plays out like this...the fan either gets tired and stops, or is eventually tackled by security. So on the surface, the decision to taser Consalvi seems like excessive force. He wasn't really hurting anyone, and like his predecessors, would have been caught after a minute or two.

Here's the issue...in today's world, it's too hard to determine intent. How is security supposed to know who's harmless, and who's not? In September of 2002, Royals 1st base coach Tom Gamboa was attacked by two White Sox fans who came out of the seats. The career of women's tennis star Monica Seles was derailed in 1993 when she was stabbed in the back during a quarterfinal match in Hamburg, Germany.

I'm not saying every fan that jumps the fence, or runs on the field should be tasered. The last thing I want to see is that naked guy who streaks across the court at Wimbledon lying face down in a heap. Can you imagine the alternate ending to the movie Fever Pitch if after failing to catch Drew Barrymore, police at Fenway Park used a taser on her? Actually...that would've been funny. But I digress...Here's the way I see it...if you're on the field of play, and have no business being there, all bets are off. In other words, once that fan is told to stop, and they don't comply, the procedure should be very simple...shock the sucker!

Here We Go Again

Tell me if you've heard this one before...sure fire hall of fame quarterback, uncertain about his future, waits until training camp is over, and then decides he's going to play after all. That in a nut shell is the yearly off-season joke that has become Brett Favre. It's now May, and like clockwork, Favre is still hemming and hawing about whether or not to return for another year with the Vikings.

Minnesota last took the field January, 24th for the NFC Championship game...in other words, Favre has had over three months to figure out whether or not he still has the desire to put himself through the physical and mental grind of, at least, a sixteen game regular season. That would seem to be plenty of time for a reasonable person to make a determination. However, Favre has turned this yearly waiting game into an art form.

In the latest chapter of this saga, we've now learned number-4 needs a minor procedure on his ankle, which only further clouds the situation. I don't think it's a matter of if, but when Favre will undergo surgery. For him, timing is everything. If the ankle is repaired too early, he might have to actually sweat it out with his teammates in July and August. That's something Favre wants to avoid at all costs. See, this is what I've learned...Favre is an ego maniac. He loves the spotlight, still loves playing the game, but really doesn't want any of the responsibility.

When's the last time this guy made a mini camp or a full training camp? And if you don't think there are teammates that resent the fact he gets a free pass, then you're not paying attention. On top of that, maybe if he put in some extra time preparing himself, he wouldn't wear down late in the year, or have his team's season end on one of his brutal interceptions. Favre's now thrown an INT on his last significant pass attempt in each of the last three seasons. Coincidence? Even Vikings head coach Brad Childress should know the answer to that one.

Sweet Home Chicago

"It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses." Ok, so his name isn't Jake or Elwood Blues, and the trip from Miami to Chicago is a whole lot farther than 106-miles, but you get the point. When Dwayne Wade officially becomes a free agent, he should make like the Blues Brothers and high tail it to the Windy City.

If we learned anything during the first round of the NBA playoffs, aside from the fact that the scheduling is brutal, it's that Miami's a one man show. It took a 46-point performance from Wade, including 19 in the 4th quarter, for the Heat to win one game against a senior citizen Celtics team that came into the post-season staggering. Wade is now 28, and to stay in Miami with the supporting cast by which he's surrounded, would be to waste the remaining prime years he has left in his career. Pat Riley and the rest of the Heat front office can certainly pursue the likes of Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire, but they can't guarantee what Chicago can...a young, talented nucleus led by an emerging star in point guard Derek Rose.

There are drawbacks, such as the lack of a stable coaching situation, Michael Jordan's never ending shadow, and the fact that Miami can pay him more, but they're far outweighed by the benefits. If Wade signs with the Bulls, they immediately become a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference, joining the ranks of the Cavaliers and Magic. He'll still get a max contract, and if money really is an issue, moving into the Chicago market will only help his marketability.

Finally, under the heading of "there's no place like home," Wade is a Chicago native, born on the south side. He doesn't have to be on a mission from God, but if his mission is to win another title, there's only one place to be...Sweet Home Chicago.

McDaniels + ego = Tebow

During my school days, I never was a strong math student, but this equation is elementary to me. It's the answer as to why Denver traded 2nd, 3rd, and 4th round picks to get back into the 1st round of the draft for the sole purpose of selecting Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. This is quite simply Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels letting his ego get the best of him.

It's the part of Bill Belichick that rubbed off on McDaniels from his assistant coaching days with the Patriots, that and the gray hooded sweatshirt, making him believe he can mold any QB into Tom Brady...And to be fair, there is some history on McDaniels' side here. He caught lightning in a bottle when he helped Matt Cassel go from career college and pro backup, to a one year wonder in New England. McDaniels also coaxed a 21-TD pass season out of Kyle Orton last year.

Here's the problem...nobody wasted a 1st round draft pick on those guys. Cassel was taken in the 7th by the Patriots, and Orton in the 4th by the Bears. In other words, if they didn't work out, no big deal. That's not the case with Tebow. By giving up a small ransom in order to select him with the 25th overall pick, McDaniels has married himself to the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, essentially anointing him the QB of the future. And while Tebow fills the requirement of being a good character guy, an emphasis in Denver as evidenced by the trades of Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall the last two years, he's miles away from being an NFL quality quarterback.

Tebow's a project....a QB with questionable mechanics, and accuracy. A player adapting to taking snaps from under center, who has as much chance of figuring out a defense as I do a trigonometry question. You don't deal three picks, and jump back into the 1st round for a project. Not unless you're either blinded by ego, or looking to get fired. When it comes to McDaniels, it's the former, but it could very well lead to the latter.