Upon Further Review — A Blog From The Top

12/26/2009 12:58 AM -  Craig Davis

12/26/2009 — 1:35 am CT

- First off, Merry Christmas (a little late) and happy holidays to you and yours. My Christmas holiday has been great thus far, traveling with my wife and four kids from Oklahoma to Ohio for some time with Grandma and sledding on the “big hill”. My boys don’t get much snow where we live, so it was nice for them to do something they don’t get to do very often. The funny thing is… we leave Oklahoma and they get the most snow they’ve had in 30 years. I’m dreading going back and driving on those roads.

- Speaking of the roads, we decided to take I75 south through Cincinnati to Louisville to Nashville on our way back to avoid the storms that were supposed to hit Missouri and Illinois on Christmas Day. Instead, we hit tons of rain in Southern Ohio and most of Kentucky, but at least the roads weren’t slick. Anyhow, I had a hair-brained idea that if we could get to Nashville in time, we might be able to score some tickets to the Chargers/Titans game at LP Field. Well, as luck would have it, we rolled into town around 5:30 local time, fought the traffic, landed a hotel right outside the stadium and got four tickets for me and my three boys to watch the Chargers dissect the Titans.

- Things I learned from the game tonight:

1. Vince Young is overrated and despite all the good things he’s done to get the Titans to this point, the Chargers exploited his weaknesses and made him look like the QB who got benched a few years back.

2. Chris Johnson is still the most dangerous and probably the most talented RB in the NFL. I watched a very average San Diego defensive line absolutely dominate what was supposed to be a very good Titans offensive line.

3. Tennessee’s secondary is a bit overrated, as well. Match them up against a few 6-5 receivers with a little speed and they look average.

4. Philip Rivers might be the second-best QB in the NFL behind Peyton Manning. No, I’m not talking fantasy QB… I’m talking NFL QB. No disrespect intended to Drew Brees or Tom Brady, but Rivers is incredible when his line gives him some time.

5. It will take a near-perfect game from the Colts, Pats, Bengals, Saints, Vikings, etc. to beat the Chargers. This game was played in 27-degree weather and gusty winds, yet Rivers played as if it was 65 degrees with a slight breeze. They ran the ball well, threw it well, and played defense like they were 100% healthy.

6. The Titans need to get some receivers in the off-season. Justin Gage is a joke, Kenny Britt has trouble holding onto the ball and Nate Washington is scared to death to go over the middle.

7. The Titans need a new FB… Hall just isn’t getting it done and defenses are starting to hit Chris Johnson harder and harder.

8. Titans fans are a bit fickle. They DO know how to tailgate, I’ll give them that… but the stadium wasn’t even 3/4 of the way full at kickoff (could have had something to do with it being Christmas Day) and it was less than half full at about the 10-minute mark of the 3rd quarter. The defense could have used the home-field advantage, but tonight the Titans didn’t have it.

9. These refs tonight were the worst I’ve seen in a long time. Yes, I realize the Chargers do a great job of moving the ball downfield with the long passing game, but they get more bogus pass interference penalties than any other team in the league. Still, some of these penalties I saw tonight were completely bogus and the use of the instant replay system is a joke.

10. Tennessee is a few players away from being really good again. Losing Keith Bulluck and David Thornton meant more to this defense than even I thought it would.

11. Darren Sproles is better than LT2 right now and should be getting more touches per game.

The bottom line tonight was… the better team won, and won big. The Chargers are a finely-tuned machine and, like I said, it’s going to take a near-perfect game to beat them right now… especially in December.

12/21/2009 — 1:10 am CT

- Biggest surprises today: Jerome Harrison rushing 34 times for 286 yards and three TDs is absolutely unheard of. I thought we were supposed to see Josh Cribbs in the backfield. Oh, right, sorry, he was too busy taking kickoffs back to the house. I told you that game would be high scoring… but not even I thought Cleveland would go over the total themselves; Chris Chambers out-doing Dwayne Bowe… and by a significant amount; Michael Bush rushing for 133 yards and a TD; JaMarcus Russell throwing a TD without an INT; Knowshon Moreno just 42 yards against that defense (2 YPC)???; The Vikings scoring just 7 points against Carolina; Bucs RBs Derrick Ward and Cadillac Williams CATCHING a TD pass; Thomas Jones rushing for just 52 yards against Atlanta; Maurice Morris busting out for 126 yards and a TD against a very good Cardinals run defense; Jay Cutler just 94 yards passing?; Adrian Peterson was the leading rusher and receiver on his team, but his receiving yardage doubled his rushing yardage.

12/20/2009 — 10:50 am CT

- No Devin Hester today.

- Maurice Morris and Andre Brown will split reps in the Detroit backfield.

- Dwayne Bowe has been reinstated by the league and will be active for today’s game vs. Cleveland. No word on whether or not he’ll start but you can expect significant playing time. Downgrade Chris Chambers.

12/20/2009 — 10:40 am CT

- Daunte Culpepper starts for the injured Matthew Stafford. Definite downgrade for WR Calvin Johnson.

- Larry Fitzgerald is active and in the starting lineup.

- Don’t forget, Cardinals K Neil Rackers is OUT today and will be replaced by Mike Nugent… for Jets and Bucs kicker.

- Say what you want about Steven Jackson, but despite everything he’s going through (back, flu, etc.) he’s active again today and expected to start against the Texans.

- Both Matt Ryan and Michael Turner are expected to start for the Falcons against the Jets. The weather is bad, so expect a ton of Turner… if he stays healthy.

12/17/2009 — 5:00 pm CT

- Our condolences to Chris Henry and his entire family as a result of this tragedy. May he rest in peace.

- It appears both DEs (Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis) will be in the starting lineup for the Colts when they face the Jacksonville Jaguars tonight. Stay tuned for further updates.

- A bad case of the swine flu has ravaged the St. Louis Rams… it’s so bad all the players were sent home before practice today to get vaccinated. You think it was bad last week for the Rams… it could be worse vs. Houston in Week 15.

- Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams both practiced fully today and should be good to go for Sunday night’s tilt with Minnesota. They’ll need to be as close to 100% as possible because the Vikings bring one of the league’s best run defenses to Carolina.

- For whatever reason, the Dallas Cowboys have not cut K Nick Folk. You can, without a doubt, count on him to miss at least one field goal.

- WR Terrell Owens missed practice today suffering from the flu, and his status for Sunday’s game is still up in the air.

- Good news for Michael Turner owners… he’s expected to return to practice today for the first time in two weeks. That obviously doesn’t mean he’ll play, but it’s a good sign. On another note — QB Matt Ryan is also expected to return. Stay tuned.

- Cowboys DE DeMarcus Ware jogged onto the practice field with his teammates today for the first time since his neck injury Sunday. He’s still probably not going to play Saturday night, but this is definitely encouraging.

- Did you know we only had 3, 300-yard passers in Week 14? That’s the lowest total number of 300-yard passers we’ve had for week all season. Those QBs were Eli Manning, Matt Schaub, and Chris Redman.

- Adrian Peterson owners fear not. After struggling in Weeks 11 through 13, AD bounced back last week with a 2-TD performance, not to mention 136 all-purpose yards. This Sunday night vs. Carolina, there’s not doubt Peterson goes for over 100 yards on the ground and scores at least once.

12/16/2009 — 5:50 pm CT

- Bengals WR Chris Henry was apparently seriously injured in a car accident after reportedly trying to jump into a moving vehicle in some sort of domestic dispute. Remember, Henry was put on IR after suffering a broken arm last month. Henry reportedly suffered some “life threatening” injuries after falling out of the back of this pickup truck as his fiance drove away from the home. I have a feeling this might be the last we hear of Henry in a Bengals uniform… if he makes it.

- Just when it looked as if Kyle Boller would practice this week in preparation for the Texans this weekend, he went home with flu-like symptoms and, therefore, rookie Keith Null took all the snaps with the first team today. Despite five INTs last week, Null did show some positive signs, and this week getting to play at home against a pass defense that isn’t quite as “taxing” as Tennessee’s, he might be able to put together a few nice drives. Steven Jackson is likely the only Ram worth starting this week, and even he’s a bit of a question mark with a sore back.

12/16/2009 — 3:39 pm CT

- Do you like free, online arcade-type games? You gotta try this one out. No strings attached, no registration pages. Just a free game that will make you split your pants laughing so hard. Let’s just say it has to do with Tiger Woods, his wife, a girlfriend, a car, and a golf club.

12/16/2009 — 12:45 am CT

- Is it just me, or is Cowboys WR Roy Williams just really stupid? Okay, maybe not stupid, but he’s 3 cards short of a full deck. After drawing negative criticism to himself when he was crying for the ball because he’s “a #1 receiver”, Williams has now opened his yap again, talking trash about the Saints and saying their meeting with New Orleans this weekend is “just round 1 of a 2-round fight.” Yeah, that’s exactly what you want to do to a team that doesn’t really need a reason to open up a can on you. Nice going Roy… you just eliminated the slim chance you had to win this game in the first place.

12/15/2009 — 3:47 pm CT

- Is it really Tuesday? I mean, did Monday Night Football really happen? Couldn’t have… it had to be a dream. Yeah, it WAS a dream. I dreamed that the Cardinals turned the ball over 7 times, including 5 fumbles lost and two Kurt Warner picks. ZERO points at halftime because of five first half turnovers. The Niners scored 24 points off those turnovers. It was a horrible nightmare. Shoot, even Frank Gore ran for 167 yards and a TD against this top-notch run stopping unit. Whew, good thing I woke up. Wait… what???

- Titans QB Vince Young injured his hamstring on a 44-yard run Sunday vs. the Rams. HC Jeff Fisher said his QB would be listed as “day-to-day”. They’re calling it a “mild strain” of the hamstring and will monitor him in practice this week. Kerry Collins will be ready in case Young can’t go. Ugh… and before I get any “should I start Kerry Collins this week” emails, the answer is NO!!

- This is completely non-fantasy related, but this new report about Tiger Woods using Performance-Enhancing Drugs can’t be true… can it?

- The good news is… Cowboys DE DeMarcus Ware is going to be okay despite suffering what appeared to be a serious neck/spinal injury in Sunday’s loss to San Diego. The bad news is… he won’t be available for this Saturday’s game in New Orleans. The Cowboys have absolutely no chance to beat New Orleans in New Orleans. If I was a gamblin’ man, I’d put a large sum on the Saints minus the 7.

- Troy Polamalu could play at least one more game this regular season, even though the Steelers have very little chance of making the playoffs. The Pro Bowl safety has missed eight games so far this season and parts of two others with ligament injuries to his left knee. He probably won’t play this weekend at home vs. Green Bay but he definitely said he’d like to play vs. Miami (if possible) at the end of the year.

- Josh Cribbs the running back? Could be. Browns HC Eric Mangini said he might experiment with Cribbs lined up behind QB Brady Quinn in certain sets. Does anyone else think this is a stupid idea?

- Jets QB Mark Sanchez will practice this week in hopes that he can start Sunday vs. Atlanta. Rex Ryan won’t name a starter yet, but he’s hopefully he can run Sanchez out there this weekend. Does anyone else think the Jets have no chance if Kellen Clemens is under center?

- How bad has it become for QB JaMarcus Russell? HC Tom Cable said that he’s going to do “what’s best for the team” this week at the QB position since Bruce Gradkowski is doubtful. That could mean Charlie Frye, and NOT Russell, could be named starter.

- Is it a jinx to play tight end in Houston? Just weeks after Owen Daniels was lost for the season, it was learned today that rookie TE Anthony Hill was also lost for the season because of a torn knee ligament.

- Results from WR Larry Fitzgerald’s MRI are not yet available, but he told reporters today that he’s going to be “okay”. He’s just sore but doesn’t believe there is any structural damage to his injured knee.

- Rams QB Kyle Boller is expected to practice this week and start Week 15 vs. the Texans. Will it matter really?

- Redskins RB Clinton Portis told the Redskins Insider that he will play again in this league… somewhere. Meanwhile, expect WR Devin Thomas to be utilized even more this week as a punt returner. Thomas is already in the starting lineup at WR and KR… now it looks like he’s going to be returning punts.

12/13/2009 — 5:48 pm CT

- I didn’t see it, but I’m guessing Bruce Gradkowski must have gotten injured because JaMarcus Russell is now on the field.

- Chris Johnson is about to score his 4th touchdown of the game. Nope, Kerry Collins actually threw on 4th and goal and completed a pass to Alge Crumpler.

- The Cowboys would be better off completely building this team from scratch because Jerry Jones doesn’t have the guts to fire Wade Phillips. This is an 8-8 team that won’t win another game the rest of the season. What a pathetic joke.

12/13/2009 — 5:29 pm CT

- Darn, there goes the Tennessee shutout. I gotta tell you… I’ve been kinda impressed with what I’ve seen from the rookie QB, Keith Null.

- Scary injury in the Dallas/San Diego game. DeMarcus Ware is going to be carted off the field after suffering an apparent neck/spinal injury. We’ll update his status as soon as we get it.

- Anyone question why the Titans changed QBs to Vince Young? I can’t imagine what this team’s record would be if he had started from Week 1.

- Patrick Crayton sucks. Tony Romo is waaaaaaay overrated. This team is a mess.

12/13/2009 — 4:39 pm CT

- Halftime scores… San Diego leads Dallas 10-3, Tennessee leads St. Louis 23-0 and Oakland trails Washington 17-10.

- Rob Bironas just converted his third straight field goal. Seriously, how hard is it to convert field goals when that’s all you are paid to do?

12/13/2009 — 4:23 pm CT

- I’m sorry Marion Barber fans, but he’s the least talented of the three backs Dallas has. Oh, and Nick Folk is DONE in a Cowboys jersey after this week. DONE!!! He missed ANOTHER field goal. Dallas has now left 10 points on the table and you simply can’t do that with San Diego. They are in HUGE trouble.

12/13/2009 — 4:16 pm CT

- Does anyone else hate listening to Phil Simms as a commentator? Can he be anymore biased against the Cowboys?? Hey Phil… you got your LaDainian Tomlinson jersey on up in the booth??

- Titans QB Vince Young has left today’s game vs. the Rams with an injured knee. Kerry Collins has replaced him, already completing two of four passes.

- Absolutely unfreaking-believable. The Cowgirls drive the ball all the way down the field on the ground, and when they get four chances inside 5 and can’t score… holy cow. This game is about to get ugly. Oh, and a side note to Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett… you have other running backs who can run the ball inside the 5. Just because Barber is a bit bigger doesn’t mean he should get every carry. What a joke

12/13/2009 — 4:02 pm CT

- I’ve seen several personal foul penalties in the past, but I’ve never seen an offensive lineman get two in the same quarter. Rams G Richie Incognito is currently on the bench with the coach chewing his butt out.

- Typical Cowboys football… morons. 4 penalties for 58 yards already. Anyone still want to defend Wade Phillips??

- CHRIS JOHNSON… AGAIN!!!! This guy is so fun to watch. This one on a screen pass. Titans lead 14-0.

- I just figured out why LaDainian Tomlinson gets so many one-yard TDs this year. Because the Chargers get so many bullcrap, bogus pass interference penalties on deep passes that it sets them up inside the five. That penalty was absolutely ridiculous on Gerald Sensabaugh. Note to referees… this game is IN DALLAS, NOT SAN DIEGO. HALF of LT’s TDs were set up on pass interference penalties. I guarantee you he won’t sniff 100 yards rushing today.

- Terrance Newman sucks!!

12/13/2009 — 3:29 pm CT

- Chris Johnson is freaking SICK!!! He turns nothing into something, being the most patient runner I’ve seen this year. He just took one 40 yards to the house… his 10th of the year. 7-0 Titans. He could go absolutely nuts today.

- Stop the presses again… Nick Folk made a field goal. Cowboys lead early, 3-0.

- Solid game plan for the Rams today. With rookie QB Keith Null starting, Steve Spagnuolo has decided to keep everything short… 3-yard passes to the tight ends and backs. This shortens the game and keeps Tennessee’s offense off the field. He’s completely 7 of his first 8 passes… for 36 yards.

- Wow, gutsy call early in the Dallas game. 4th and 4 at the San Diego 35 and they go for it. Pass completion to Roy Williams for a first down. Drive kept alive. Knowing them, they’ll still find a way to screw this up.

12/13/2009 — 3:19 pm CT

- Okay, so the late games have kicked off. I’m gonna be very interested to see if the Cowboys can keep their penalties to a minimum and if the Titans can steamroll the Rams much like Baltimore did to Detroit. Also, I know it’s a snoozer of a game, but I’m interested to see if Bruce Gradkowski can do what he did to Pittsburgh’s defense last week. Let the late games begin.

12/13/2009 — 3:13 pm CT

- Injuries from the early games… RB Correll Buckhalter injured his ankle in the second quarter and didn’t return. Kevin Smith was carted off the field with a leg injury that appeared to be pretty severe. TJ Houshmandzadeh injured his neck in the 4th quarter and didn’t return. LB Aaron Curry took a helmet to the kidney and had to leave the game. Matt Hasselbeck injured his shoulder but he did return to the game.

- Baltimore has scored again. QB Troy Smith ran one in from about 15 yards away. 48-3??? This is exactly the kind of game the Ravens needed to get back some confidence.

- The Colts are the first team in NFL history to win 22 consecutive regular season games.

- Congratulations to Brandon Marshall. 21 receptions in a game… can you say NFL record?

- Like I said… it seems as if the Colts just get bored. The third TD reception of the day for Dallas Clark, fourth TD pass for Manning and 4th TD of the game for the Colts. They lead 28-16 over Denver.

12/13/2009 — 2:50 pm CT

- Adrian Peterson is back, or maybe he never went anywhere. He just sealed the deal with a two-yard TD run. Vikings lead 30-10.

- Jacksonville is a joke. David Garrard is terrible. Dolphins win, 14-10. What a boring game… no wonder there were only 128 fans in the stadium.

- Now I see why the Chargers cut Chris Chambers. If the Chiefs end up losing this game, Chambers deserves much of the blame. What a joke. He dropped a perfect pass on third down and 10. It would have set the Chiefs up, first and goal at the 2.

- Does anyone else hate the roughing the punter penalty as much as I do?

- Is it just me or do the Colts get bored? For whatever reason, they seem to jump out to big leads, then fall asleep on offense, allow the opposition to get back into the game, then decide to turn it back on and win.

- The Falcons just blew a golden opportunity to upset the Saints. Roddy White dropped a second down pass and then Jason Snelling came up short in fourth down and two. Saints go to 13-0… congrats to them.

12/13/2009 — 2:40 pm CT

- Mike Woellert is a genius. Brandon Marshall just caught his 20th pass of the day, and his second TD. Denver now down by just one score.

- Ouch, Kevin Smith was just carted off the field after suffering what appears to be a horrible leg injury. I’m guessing we won’t see him again this year. Maurice Morris and Aaron Brown will likely split reps.

- Guess what… another missed FG attempt by a pathetic kicker. Mason Crosby kept it a one-score game by missing yet another FG attempt. Pathetic.

- Holy crap!!! Did the Saints just try a fake field goal attempt with a 3-point lead and 2 minutes left in the game?? They did… and they didn’t convert. Atlanta takes over with plenty of time.

- How good is Darrelle Revis? Did he just get another pick-6? Dang, they’re calling him out of bounds at the 7. Good news for Thomas Jones owners… he just scored as a result of Revis coming up short. Two TDs on the day for Jones.

12/13/2009 — 2:31 pm CT

- Green Bay definitely isn’t playing its best football today, but I’ll tell you this… I’m ranking Jermichael Finley in my top 5 TEs next season. Aaron Rodgers will be top 3 as well.

- Chad Henne is trying his best to make sure Jacksonville stays in this game. He just threw an INT at midfield.

- The team who has the ball last in the Atlanta/New Orleans game will win. Wow!!

- Who knew Indy had such a good run defense? Moreno has 20 carries for 60 yards. Kudos to Josh McDaniel and his staff for not abandoning the run despite falling behind 21-0.

- Kansas City receivers need to be held accountable for some of this stuff… it should not all be on Matt Cassel.

- Willis McGahee just ran for another score. This is ugly… Ravens lead 41-3.

- The Bengals absolutely have no offense. Neither do the Jags.

- Sorry, had to help the wife with Christmas kids’ stuff that involved paint. You do the math.

12/13/2009 — 2:07 pm CT

- So Matt Schaub throws a pick… first one of the day. Matt Hasselbeck turns around and does the same thing (yes, he’s miraculously back in the game) and his INT gets returned 60+ yards for a pick-6. Texans lead 34-7.

- Jamaal Charles, right on cue, just busted off a 70-yard TD run. Bills 13 Chiefs 10.

- I was wrong… dead wrong about Brandon Marshall today. I told a caller to sit him (though he had three other great options) today. DOH!! All he’s done is catch 13 passes for 131 yards and a TD. Kudos to my colleague who said START MARSHALL!! Good call Mike.

- Peyton Manning just tried to force a pass to Reggie Wayne, but it bounced off Champ Bailey’s helmet, went straight into the air, and was picked off by Brian Dawkins.  Denver has it at the Indy 30 trailing 21-7.

12/13/2009 — 2:05 pm CT

- Wouldn’t you know it… as soon as I mention the Bucs don’t have a first down they get one.

- Josh Scobee just brought the Jags to within four points… 14-10 Dolphins.

- Stop the presses… Kris Brown just made a field goal. I still think he’s dead meat after this week.

- The Vikings scored again. Adrian Peterson just dove over the pile and opened up a 23-7 lead.

- The Tampa Buccaneers still don’t have a first down and they’re halfway through the third quarter. No joke.

- The Texans are driving again, deep in Seattle territory yet again. Oh, and speaking of this game… Matt Hasselbeck was drilled by DeMeco Ryans and had to leave the game with a shoulder injury. His return is doubtful.

- The Falcons won’t go away. Chris Redman just hit Michael Jenkins on a 50-yard pass play for a TD. 23-16 in the third quarter.

12/13/2009 — 1:47 pm CT

- Field goal time in Jacksonville… but stoink!!! Dan Carpenter hit the upright. Dolphins still lead 14-7.

- Sammy Morris has fumbled for the second time today. Panthers take over after the recovery. Still tied 7-7.

- Upset warning at Soldier Field… Jay Cutler, yes Jay Cutler, has just thrown his second TD pass of the day. Bears lead the Packers 14-13.

- No sooner than I write the piece about Cassel, Ryan Fitzpatrick throws a pick in the end zone. Touchback… ball goes back to Kansas City down 10-3.

- Matt Cassel really looks bad and is in danger of getting benched. He just threw an INT in his own end and got his RB hurt (Jamaal Charles) in the process. No word on whether or not Charles will return.

- Reggie Bush fumbles one play (though he recovered it) and then takes a screen pass to the end zone for a 19-yard TD pass.

I’m taking a quick time out. I’ll be back in 10 minutes.

12/13/2009 — 1:35 pm CT

- The Saints and Falcons have already started the second half while everyone else is either at halftime or still in the first half.

12/13/2009 — 1:28 pm CT

- Mark my words, Kris Brown will be cut in the next few days. He missed another field goal as the Texans headed to the half. Meanwhile, Jay Feely has converted all FOUR of his attempts in the first half. Believe it or not, there are still a few good field goal kickers around the NFL.

- I can only wonder how many yards and TDs Andre Johnson is going to end up with. 10 catches for 184 yards and two TDs in the first half alone… and they’re driving again. Sheesh.

- Is it just me or should Jamaal Charles have more than 41 yards against the worst run defense in the NFL? What the heck?

12/13/2009 — 1:23 pm CT

- Another Dolphins turnover… this time by WR Davone Bess.

- Thomas Jones just busted one up the gut for a TD on Tampa’s porous defense. Jets lead 16-0.

- Ray Rice has done it again. A 59-yard TD run to extend Baltimore’s lead. Rice has 6 carries for 103 yard and a TD already in the first half.

- Leave it to the refs in Boston to try and get the Patriots back in the game. A phantom pass interference call on Ben Watson sets up New England deep in Carolina territory.

12/13/2009 — 1:03 pm CT

- Brett Favre to Sidney Rice, 9-yard TD pass. Vikings lead 10-0. Great set up as they faked the screen to Taylor and Favre scrambled to find a wide open Rice.

- Peyton Manning to Dallas Clark, 2-yard TD pass. That’s three this half for Manning. Clark appeared to injure himself on the TD catch despite not getting hit.

12/13/2009 — 12:51 pm CT

- Dallas Clark never ceases to amaze me. You need to see the catch he just made behind Brian Dawkins on 4th and 4.

- Joe Flacco to Derrick Mason, 62 yards for a TD. Ravens lead 10-0. Mason was clobbered, held onto the ball, and ran the rest of the way for the TD. Now he’s being helped off the field.

- Ryan Succop got the Chiefs on the board. Bills lead 7-3.

- WOW… the Patriots just fumbled the ball (Sammy Morris) over to the Panthers. New England looks absolutely gross right now.

- The Jets still lead the Bucs 6-0 in the most boring game of the day.

- Packers stopped in the red zone. Mason Crosby adds another FG (from 26 yards). Packers lead 13-0.

- No wonder half the stadium is empty in Jacksonville. Chad Henne on a QB sneak scores a 1-yard TD. Dolphins lead 14-0.

- Ryan Longwell kicks a 41-yard FG. Vikings lead 3-0.

- Wow, the rout is on in Houston. Matt Schaub to Andre Johnson again, this time from 17 yards. 24-0 Houston.

12/13/2009 — 12:36 pm CT

- Knowshon Moreno was stopped on 4th and 1. Denver trails 14-0.

- Was that Terrell Owens that just caught a TD pass? Yes it was. 7-0 Bills.

- Holy crap… Tom Brady throws a pick and Matt Moore turns around and hits Steve Smith on a 41-yard TD pass on play-action. Panthers lead the Patriots, 7-0.

- Ravens in the red zone again… still scoreless with Detroit.

12/13/2009 — 12:30 pm CT

- Ryan Moats TD run… Texans blasting the Seahawks, 17-0 first quarter.

- Mason Crosby nails a FG to extend Green Bay’s lead, 10-0.

- Another FG from Matt Bryant. Falcons lead the Saints, 6-3.

- Sheesh… Manning to Dallas Clark… TD. Already two TD passes for Peyton Manning (the other was to Austin Collie) in the first 8 minutes. Glad we suggested starting Manning to that one caller this morning.

12/13/2009 — 12:23 pm CT

- Wow, the Falcons are in the red zone again.

- Vikings TE Visanthe Shiancoe and Bengals CB Jonathan Joseph got tangled and both committed personal foul penalties. Good game in Minnesota right now.

- Ricky Williams, touchdown from a yard out.

- Matt Cassel just tried a bootleg on 4th and goal from the 1. No dice. Aaron Schobel took him down behind the line. No score in Kansas City.

- Ryan Fitzpatrick just fumbled deep in his own territory, Chiefs recover. Still no score.

- Ricky Williams just fumbled out of bounds in the red zone. Whew.

- Texans just kicked a field goal. They lead the Seahawks 10-0.

- The Jets just executed a fake punt. Obviously they are desperate because they realize Kellen Clemens isn’t going to lead them on many scoring drives.

- Uh oh, Ray Rice just fumbled out of the end zone. Touchback.

- A couple of 4th and 1 situations WERE converted. The Jets and Dolphins both kept drives alive by converting.

12/13/2009 — 12:06 pm CT

- Ray Rice just ripped off a 52-yard run setting up the Ravens in the red zone.

- I really think Bill Belichick has lost his mind. Another 4th and 1, another fullback dive, another miss. Can he continue to be such an idiot?

- Boy, it didn’t take long for the Texans to exploit the Seattle secondary. Matt Schaub to Andre Johnson… 64 yards and a TD.

- Josh Freeman just threw a pick that led to a Jay Feely FG. Jets lead the Bucs, 3-0.

- Ryan Grant just had his longest run of the year… a 62-yard TD run. Packers 7 Bears 0.

- Matt Bryant, in his first action for the Falcons, nailed a 36-yard field goal. Falcons 3 Saints 0.

- Matt Moore really stinks. So does Kellen Clemens. I wonder which backup is worse?

12/12/2009 — 3:29 pm CT

- Not that anyone was worried, but Tom Brady returned to practice Friday and made it through a walk-through today, meaning he’ll be “good to go” for Sunday’s game vs. Carolina. Keep in mind, however, that Carolina’s pass defense is stout and things won’t come easy early on for the Pats passing game.

- Speaking of the Panthers… Matt Moore has officially been named the starting QB Sunday.

- Vikings CB Antoine Winfield said there’s “a good chance” he’ll play Sunday vs. the Bengals.

- Browns HC Eric Mangini said a new contract is “imminent” for WR/KR Josh Cribbs. Gee, ya think?

- Not that it matters a whole bunch, but Johnnie Lee Higgins has been named starting WR over rookie Derrius Heyward-Bey who is dealing with an injury. Heyward-Bey is currently listed as “doubtful” and likely won’t play.

- Jets S Kerry Rhodes has about a 2% chance of returning to the Jets next season.

- No doubt, QB Vince Young will play Sunday vs. the Rams despite missing practice Thursday and Friday. “Heck yeah I’ll play, I feel good,” Young told reporters Saturday. Solid fantasy starter this week if you have no better options.

- Despite being listed as “questionable” for Sunday, Mike Bell told reporters he will play against the Falcons. Still, Pierre Thomas is a better fantasy option at this point.

- Panthers RBs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart will both play Sunday against the Patriots.

- Colts RB Donald Brown (shoulder) has been ruled OUT for Week 14 vs. Denver. Upgrade Joseph Addai a tad, but don’t expect a huge game against a much-improved Denver run defense.

- Rams WRs Donnie Avery and Brandon Gibson will start Sunday vs. Tennessee despite having numerous injuries between them.

12/10/2009 — 11:55 pm CT

I baffled. I’m completely baffled as to how the Pittsburgh Steelers could come out flat in a must-win game. They knew what was on the line and failed to score one touchdown… ONE!!! Against the second-worst fantasy run defense in the entire NFL. And what baffles me even more is the fact Rashard Mendenhall carried the rock just 16 times for 53 yards. It was a combination of HORRIBLE play calling and tremendously bad blocking up front. Cleveland just wanted it more.

Ben Roethlisberger would have probably done just as well in a wheel chair. His feet were in cement tonight and he was scared to death to run the ball. If I told you before the game one QB would be sacked eight times and the other one would be sacked just once… wouldn’t you guess Quinn was sacked 8 times? Yeah, me too. But that wasn’t the case. Big Ben looked like a Big Stiff in the pocket  and should be embarrassed at some of his choices. Even still, there are others to blame. The offensive line sucked… and I mean sucked bad. The receivers gave virtually no effort (other than maybe Heath Miller) and the defense allowed Cleveland to rush for 171 yards while rushing for just 75 themselves. This game was won (and lost) in the trenches.

The defense should be embarrassed that they allowed Josh Cribbs and rookie Chris Jennings to look like Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, because that’s exactly what it looked like. No disrespect to Cleveland or their fans, because they worked hard to win this game too, but this is a talent mismatch and the Browns had no business winning this game. Eric Mangini is a horrible head coach, yet he just beat Mike Tomlin… so what does that say about Tomlin?

The Steelers were completely overmatched in every phase of the game… they didn’t block, they didn’t tackle, they didn’t run well, and they showed absolutely no urgency to win despite the circumstances. It was a nice run Steelers’ fans… but that run is over. It’s time to start thinking of the NFL Draft in five months. The good news in all of this is that I told several people to bench all of your players from both teams, with the exception of Rashard Mendenhall. Had the Steelers used him right tonight, he might have had a better game. Bruce Arians might be looking for work come next season.

Don’t forget to join Greg Brosh, Mike Woellert and myself Friday at 1 pm ET for another edition of “Two Feet In Bounds“, a 1-hour radio/podcast that will break down tonight’s game and will look ahead to the rest of Week 14. Have a great night everyone.

12/10/2009 — 5:25 pm CT

So I sit here on a Thursday afternoon, doing a series of radio interviews on numerous stations across the country, and it appears the #1 question today has been, “what’s the status of Brian Westbrook and DeSean Jackson?” I’ll tell you the same thing I’ve told them… Westbrook won’t play and Jackson will. That’s the short answer, anyhow.

- HC Andy Reid knows in order to make a serious playoff and Super Bowl push, they need Brian Westbrook on the field. If you the Eagles take a chance on playing him in Week 14 or even Week 15, they run the risk of him being “concussed” again and likely lost for the rest of the season, including the post-season. If you have him, don’t play him, period.

- As for Jackson, he’s such a dynamic player that anytime he’s going to be on the field he probably needs to be in your starting lineup. Well, all indications are that he’s definitely going to be in the starting lineup after missing last week due to a concussion from the previous game. He’s been cleared to play and there’s no doubt in my mind he plays, and plays well.

- Current weather in Cleveland, Ohio right now… 15 degrees with a wind chill of ZERO. The wind is holding steady at 20 mph but it’s expected to go up to around 30 mph by kickoff with a 40% chance of snow. Start Rashard Mendenhall and leave the rest on the bench. I just can’t sit here and tell you to start a gimpy Hines Ward (who might not even play) or Santonio Holmes, knowing that Pittsburgh will do their best to run the ball 40 times or more as a team. Cleveland is second-to-last in the NFL in allowing fantasy points to RBs, yielding 187 total yards and 1.5 TDs (per game) to the RB position.

- UPDATE: NFL Network is now reporting Hines Ward is going to “give it a go” on that hamstring tonight in Cleveland. Even so, I’m not suggesting you insert him into your starting lineup unless you are absolutely desperate.

- Bad news for Vince Young owners, as he couldn’t even make it through practice today and now he’s being listed as questionable. Young injured his knee in the third quarter of last week’s game vs. Indy and it’s apparently flaring up. Kerry Collins finished taking reps with the first team today and Young will be re-evaluated tomorrow.

- Speaking of Tennessee, RB Chris Johnson missed practice today because of an ankle injury while WR Kenny Britt returned to practice for the first time this week. Both are expected to play vs. St. Louis. Monitor the Johnson situation closely.

- Jags RB Maurice Jones-Drew did return to practice today and will start, barring a setback, Sunday vs. Miami. After his dismal performance last week vs. Houston, I’m not sure he’s a great start this week vs. a better Miami run defense. Should you sit him? Obviously not, but I’m not expecting much either.

-  Pats QB Tom Brady missed practice again today with a finger injury, along with sore ribs and a bum shoulder. The AP reports that none of these injuries seem serious and Brady WILL be ready for Sunday’s game against Carolina. The Panthers, though they sport a losing record, are 5th in the NFL in fantasy passing defense vs. QBs (allowing just 14 PPG to the QB position).

- Although Peyton Manning is considered a “must start” every week, keep in mind he’s facing the hottest pass defense in the league (Denver) allowing just 9.5 fantasy PPG over their last three. Looks like the Broncos might be back to early-season form. You’ve been warned.

- My guess is that QB JaMarcus Russell either won’t be in Oakland next season or he’ll be forced to re-work his contract… something he says he won’t do. Russell will have to battle like heck to get the starting job back, and if he doesn’t win it the Raiders absolutely won’t pay him all that money anymore. Russell also (sort of) threw Bruce Gradkowski under the bus, saying guys are starting to make plays to help their QB. What a fool. Even if he does get lucky and win the job back, you think any of those players are going to want to play with him now?

- Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck could be a decent play vs. Houston this week, and it’s important to note he returned to practice today. Houston ranks 17th in the NFL vs. fantasy QBs so Hass could be in for a decent game.