Quick Hits: The NFL's Overtime Change

Today the NFL went through with a surprising vote to alter the rules for overtime in the postseason. The final tally was 28-4 to go ahead with the new plan away from sudden death and towards some sort of complicated, conveluted plan that would only apply in postseason games and you need a doctorate in chemistry to figure out. Why all of the fuss and change you might ask?

Because it wasn't fair to Brett Favre.

Yes, the changing of the rule is in direct response to the NFL's golden child not getting a chance to touch the ball as the Saints went marching to the Super Bowl.

Did it bother anyone when the same situation happened to Peyton Manning the year before? Eh, not really.

But for the love of God... if Brett Favre is treated injustly then something must happen to make sure such a grave mistake will never happen again.

*Notice all of the camera shots, promo material, highlights, etc. associated with the rule are from this year's NFC Championship Game. Brett Favre solemnly walking off the field without even a chance to touch the ball. THE OUTRAGE! HOW DARE A COIN FLIP DECIDE THE FATE OF THE GREATEST MAN WHO HAS EVER LIVED*

Just don't mention his epic choke job and we'll be ok.

Ok, seriously, let's look at these OT rules and try to put them in layman's terms.

1) If Team A gets the ball first and gets a TD they win.

2) If Team A gets a FG, Team B gets a possession to tie with a FG, or get a TD to win.

3) If both teams remain tied after their first possessions, then we go to sudden death.

Easy right?

Except when you ask tough questions like - what happens in case of an onside kick? Or a special teams score? Or a safety? Or doesn't Team B get an extra down on their possession to match a FG? You know, all those questions that don't appear when it's sudden death.

Call me a traditionalist, but sudden death is the way to go. It adds more drama and the stakes are raised. Especially in the playoffs when an entire can season can hinge on one play. Would the '58 Championship game be the same if it were played under these inane rules? If any change needs to be made, move the kickoff back to the 35 and make teams start from the 20 for OT. Or, if you want to go the fairness route... make it be the first to 6 points wins or have 1 10 minute quarter decide things. You know, a system that doesn't make these guys any more confused...

Yes, I understand the statistics point in this direction, and we're tired of having FG's decide games. But how is this crazy system any better than sudden death? The same arguments apply that one team still might not get a chance to touch the ball if Team A gets a TD. How is that any more or less fair than sudden death? So, really, we're not making any progress here, are we.

Maybe if Favre lost by a TD, the team that got the first possession would need 2 scores to win. That would be better than what exists now.

This OT situation is another example of using a chainsaw to fix something that needed a scalpel at best. Good luck next postseason when you are watching your favorite team in a dramatic OT game... and have no clue what is going on. But hey, at least it'll be fair to Favre... if he plays.

The Ballad of Brett Favre

Last night was an unforgettable roller-coaster ride. As a Saints fan, it was the moment and the night that I've waited on for 20 years. All of the pain, happiness, close calls, thrilling moments, and years of waiting culminated when Garrett Hartley's 40 yard FG went through the uprights. But, it will take some time for last night's game to sink in from the Saints perspective. That will come later this week. Today, we have to touch on Brett Favre. If last night were the final game of Brett Favre's career, it is the perfect ending for a Greek tragedy that would make Homer proud.

I'm no Brett Favre fan. As was outlined in the pregame fan diaries, there are several reasons not to root for this guy. But, I will say this - last night's performance was incredible. Even I was in awe of what Favre accomplished, and how he played last night. Even though he was not sacked, Favre was pounded like few QB's have ever been in a big game.

The hits he took from McCray, Sharper, Ayodele and others were brutal. After the first INT made by Jonathan Vilma, it looked like Favre was finished. His ankle seemed twisted and sprained. Lying on the training table in between posessions, some people might have thought he was finished.

*By the way, since I'm being extra nice to Favre, I have to take a shot at the arrogant Joe Buck. Buck gave us this absolute beauty as Favre was smashed and threw a pick, I'm still smiling Joe, at your flippant attempt at professionalism...

In the end, Favre got up and went on. Favre was heroic throughout the game, but in the tragically flawed way he has always been. Like in Green Bay, his last pass was an INT. He committed a cardinal sin of quarterbacking - throwing across his body, with a game winning FG beckoning. Tracy Porter stepped in front of Sidney Rice, and Favre would not get another chance to win the game. You can blame the Vikings coaches, referees, Adrian Peterson, and voodoo curses all you want, but Favre threw the pick. The worshipping media can make all the excuses they want, but Favre threw the pick. Favre played an unbelievable game, he made great throws and showed his legendary toughness, but Favre threw the pick that cost the Vikings the game.

In the NFC Championship Game, Favre set records for most playoff completions, passing yards... and interceptions. Should we have expected anything different? Although Favre took the Vikings to within an eyelash of the Super Bowl and took care of the ball all season, is it a surprise that he made the fatal error in the end? Like so many seasons before, Favre led his team to within reach of the promised land, but was stopped there.

He says his return is "highly unlikely." Who cares what he says now, we all know this soap opera will continue until mid-August. But, if it does end this way, it is the perfectly fitting ending to Favre's career. We saw what has made Favre one of the all-time greats last night: the gunslinging mentality, the great throws, and the toughness to withstand the Saints D laying the wood all night. So much brilliance, so much determination, and yet that fatal flaw that haunted him in the end.

If that's the last throw of Favre's career, we'll remember him as one of the all-time greats. By the time Peyton Manning's career is done, maybe he'll have some records, and maybe he won't. But the records are insignificant to Favre's legacy. His legacy on the field is tied into how he played the game, the good and the bad, even what was possibly the last pass of his career. We'll remember him as the ultimate tragic hero.

NFC Championship Saints Fan Diary: Vol. 3 - Facing Favre

Today brings us to Part III of my Saints fan diary. In Part I and Part II we covered the Divisional win and what it means to Saints fans to finally host the NFC Championship. Today, we begin to turn our attention to the matchup between the Saints and the Vikings starring the evil Brett Favre. Ok, maybe he's not really evil, maybe he's even a good guy to sit down and have a brew with, but I sure as heck wish he would just go away.

By now you've heard all the punditry proclaim that this Vikings season with that #4 guy is the perfect Hollywood script for the good ol' boy to ride into the sunset on a white stallion. I've seen tweets and columns talking about the media's love of Favre, and the blogosphere's hatred for him. Like always, the truth falls somewhere in the middle... but I'm more inclined to be a part of the anti-Favre crowd. I know that not everyone is going to gush over my team, or my favorite player like Favre. But is it jealousy that causes the angst and anger from fans and bloggers, or are there legit reasons? From my perspective as a Saints fan, NFL fan, and microscopic part of the blogosphere, here are 4 reasons to not love Brett...

1) Everybody Else Loves Him

-It's like people living in Columbus being Michigan fans. Or folks in Boston growing up and rooting for the Yankees. Sometimes, it just feels better to go against the grain. And, when you hear about how great and wonderful someone is for 20 years, there comes a point when you just get tired of it all. Especially when that person's reputation has been built up to a godlike status while ignoring other traits that would bring down 99% of athletes, such as...

2) The Waffling

-I don't have a problem with folks wanting to play football into their 40s. If Willie Mays wants to stumble around in centerfield for the Mets, it is his right. But, for many years, Favre has held the media and the sports world by the puppet strings to gain attention for his months of decision making, retirements, and unretirements. You didn't see any anti-Favre backlash until all of this Packers-Jets-Vikings nonsense developed, well, except from Bears fans. I'm sure if you bottled Favre's false tears from his many semi-retirement, close to retirement, and retirement press conferences you could water the Sahara.

3) The Narcissist

-Can you tell that this guy loves himself? All of the constant running around like he won the Super Bowl for every TD pass? But hey, at least he controlled himself while running up the score against the Cowboys last week... oh, wait, he didn't? Sorry. It seems that all the talk about acting like you've been there before goes out the window when it comes to the biggest showboat I've ever seen. Heck, the guy even has to turn his ability to hold an entire franchise hostage into a lame Sears commercial. It's like he knows the commercial shines a light on his ridiculous retirement act, but knows he can get away with it because he's Brett Favre and he's just so funny! And have you seen him fill a pair of Wrangler's? No wonder you have to wipe the drool off of Trent Dilfer's mouth every time Favre comes on ESPN. To top it all off, Favre decided to piggy back off of "Pants on the Ground" after last week's win! Somehow he made a song about young men and their droopy pants about his own personal success! It boggles the mind!

4) The Hypocrite

-This is the biggest thing that annoys me about Favre - he's an enormous hypocrite. Leaving Green Bay didn't bother me because he wanted to play and they wanted to move on. But, leaving New York like he did by manipulating his 2nd retirement left a bad taste in the mouths of a lot of people (not to mention his Jets teammates). Then, when he showed up to Minnesota on a white cloud after training camp, it sent my mind back to 2005 when Favre called out WR Javon Walker for holding out of mini camp. If you'll take a look at the article, you'll see that Favre calls out Walker for not being a "team player" and that if more people held out, "the game would be ruined." (Click here for some other examples)

This guy has a heck of a nerve. Favre broke ranks and called out a teammate for wanting a small portion of the millions that he has soaked in all these years. Are you kidding me? Have you ever heard another example of a player calling out another player like that? Please. And then, the same Brett Favre who didn't want to see a teammate paid, and openly criticized him for skipping mini-camp skipped mini-camp and training camp with the Vikings!!! I wonder what that first conversation was like between Favre, Rosenfels, and Tavaris Jackson...

Favre: Hello, I'm Brett Favre. Who the %#@$ are you?

Tavaris: Hi Brett, I'm T-Jack, thank you for coming in and ruining my chance at being a starting QB. You know, I haven't had the best start to my career, but by holding your clipboard I know that I will be much better off in the long run.

Sage: Yea, yea, yea. And, I got traded here, not to have a chance to compete, but because I wanted to be your emergency QB. Forget about that whole skipping training camp thing, we know that everybody loves you Brett. We know that you are 40, and that you are so good you don't need to practice with your teammates or anything.

Tavaris: Making a mockery of a team concept is no issue with us. Oh, and don't worry about what Coach Childress says, just call whatever play you want Brett.

Favre: Sage can you take this bag to my private dressing room? I don't like sharing a locker room with normies. Oh, and it's 25 dollars for an autograph.

Losing to Brett Favre and seeing him lift the Halas Trophy in the Superdome is my own personal doomsday scenario. For me, the Saints and Drew Brees are the anti-Favre. Brees is a QB who is not about just himself, but his team and his city. A guy who was too short, too injured, and not a big enough star to be an elite QB.

The Saints also have guys that needed second chances like Brees and Jeremy Shockey and Anthony Hargrove. Undrafted players like Marques Colston and Pierre Thomas. Professionals who play without fanfare and constant adoration like Vilma, Fujita, Sharper, and Smith.

For the Saints to come this far and be beaten by somebody who embodies the anti-team concept would be a bitter pill to swallow. For long suffering Saints fans, we had to live through Montana and Young's 49ers in the NFC West and were always held down by teams with more talent and more glamour. Losing to Favre's Vikings means being beaten by another star QB and another season that felt good for a while but ultimately fell short.

For this Saints fan, Sunday is the day I've waited on for 2 decades. A chance to finally make it to the Super Bowl. And, if Drew Brees can lift that George Halas trophy and send Brett Favre into another phony retirement, it'll make the historic day even more sweeter.

In our next installment we'll take an in-depth preview of the game itself. What are the matchups and storylines to watch in the NFC Championship? Find out at RSS.

ESPN's MNF Postgame Wants To Make Me Drive Flaming Poison Darts Into My Eyes And Ears

My God this is unbearable.

I'm currently watching Karl Ravech, Scott Van Pelt, and Trent Dilfer psychoanalyze, make excuses for, and try and sugarcoat the Vikings' loss to the Bears on Monday Night Football. I think what I'm really watching is three Vikings fans sitting around a bar in Duluth, MN try to rationalize what happened tonight. I think what I'm watching is a network in shock that their favorite son couldn't pull out a heroic victory. I think what I'm really watching is ESPN trying to spin this Vikings loss like Fox News spun a George W press conference.

Let me fill you in to what really happened: the Vikings.... and Brett Favre.... lost... to the crappy Bears!

They blew a chance at the #1 seed.

They blew a chance to have a 1st Round Bye in their hands.

They let Jay Cutler throw 4, yes 4, Touchdowns!

But, watching this postgame coverage, you would have never guessed that in a million years. There were so many positives to take from this game for Minnesota. And boy, these full postgame press conferences from Favre and Childress are compelling. This love affair with Favre and the media has been the scorn of this blog and many sports fans across the country - but this may be the most excruciating night for those of us sensible, level-headed sports fans, who don't wake up every morning, face to the north, and pray to the almighty Brett.

This isn't even mentioning the three cheerleaders in the booth that announced the game for cripe's sake. Wow, I'm glad I only caught the last 2 minutes and overtime (although you can see from the tweets at the upper right that my brother had to suffer through it all, thank God for me the Bears actually won).

Please, after the sleepwalking press conference, give me some brilliant insight Karl Ravech. "You can't win when you allow more than you score." Wow. Thanks Karl. Go back into your hole with Tim Kurkjan until Baseball Tonight begins.

I would rather take a bubble bath in sulphuric acid then have to sit through another season of Brett Favre playing NFL football and listen to the collective sports media gravel at his feet. At this point, it's not even about Favre himself. Yes, he's ego-driven and incredibly selfish. But the coverage of him is 1,000 times more embarrassing and frustrating. Please, let the Vikings lose in their first playoff game, and let Brett Favre go away for good - before I have to boycott all sports for the next 10 years.

If you're a jubilant Bears fan - you've come to the wrong place if you want to hear about Jay Cutler's great MNF performance. You've come to the wrong place for analysis of whether this win saved Lovie Smith's job. You've come to the wrong place if you want a look at the big picture and how this affects the Saints, Eagles, Cowboys, and Cardinals. If you are a fan of football that is looking for impartial coverage of a Monday Night classic - you've come to the wrong place. If you have 17 Brett Favre and Minnesota Vikings fathead posters on your wall - well, enjoy the rest of the evening.

You know, maybe I'm being too hard, maybe I should give them a chance when they come back from commercial. Let's see what they have to say going into the break...

"The non-Viking part of the program will actually involve more about the Vikings."

Now where do I keep those flaming, poison darts again...

Protecting the Shield - Week 15 Recap

Well now that the dream of a perfect season in New Orleans is history, that makes this edition of PTS a little more depressing for yours truly. But, after talking myself off the ledge, there is just too much goings on in the NFL to sulk for too long. So with Christmas around the corner, who is getting coal and who's getting a new Tickle Me Elmo this year in the NFL? Wait... those aren't popular anymore? Shoot.

Underrated Story of The Week: The Wild Card Races

-We know what most of the playoff picture looks like in the AFC and NFC. The Saints should (crossing fingers) take the #1 seed with a win over the Bucs. The Vikes and Eagles will fight for the #2 and the Colts and Chargers look certain for byes in the AFC. Really, the only division in doubt is the NFC East where the Cowboys trail the Eagles by a game heading into the last 2 weeks. What's not getting attention is the Wild Card race and the hot teams that could wreck the playoff chances of heavy favorites.

In the NFC, Dallas' stunning win has them flying high, but I'm still not convinced they can hold off the Giants, especially with Minny in free fall. Would you like to play either Dallas or the Giants with momentum and a second life in the first round? What about in the AFC where 8 teams are in contention for the final 2 spots? Would you like to be New England and see Baltimore or Tennessee come to town in Week 1? What if a resurgent Pittsburgh sneaks into the playoffs on a 3 game win streak? If there is any truth about playoffs in any sport it is this: beware of the hot team. So, watch out division winners. If one of these teams goes on a winning streak to end the season, you will be in danger in Round 1. Which teams will make it though... we'll talk about that a little later.

The Truth About The Story Of The Week: The Favre-Childress Saga and What It Really Means

-Brett Favre is a petulant, selfish player who has returned to Minnesota for himself and himself only. We've told you that from the beginning. Of course, the media love affair with Favre has been at a Hallmark level throughout the season with Favre continuing to play well down the stretch... until Sunday night. The Vikes were destroyed by a poor Panthers team, and reports surfaced that Favre refused to come out of the game when told by Brad Childress and a postgame shouting match ensued. This means one thing and one thing only: Minnesota is Brett Favre's team, not Brad Childress' or anyone else. Sure, I don't expect Favre to want to come out of the game; but in not manning up and pulling the trigger, Childress ceded control of the locker room to Favre. If you want to be respected as a head coach, don't let your QB run over you like a manservant, take charge of your team. Let's be real though, ever since the private planes have been flying around in August this has been Favre's operation. My guess is that with Favre leading the way, the Vikings will go down in flames. Don't be surprised if Childress goes down as well.

3 Stars:

3rd Star: Ben Roethlisberger (QB-Steelers)

-QBs don't throw for 500 yards every week. And, usually, it means a loss because a team has been playing catchup all game long. But, Roethlisberger's game of 503 yards and 3 TDs including the game-winning score as time expired was one for the ages. An unbelievable performance, but not the best of the week.

2nd Star: DeMarcus Ware (DE-Cowboys)

-Ware, playing in spite of a sprained neck, was the reason that Dallas ended New Orleans' perfect season. Ware only had 2 sacks (but got 2 fumbles with them), but his constant pressure all night had the Saints offense off balance throughout, but still it wasn't the best performance of the week.

1st Star: Josh Cribbs & Jerome Harrison (WR/RB-Browns)

-Huh? Josh Cribbs and Jerome Harrison? Is this a joke? The Browns? Really? I know, I can't believe it either, but here we are. Cribbs set a record with the 7th and 8th kickoff return TDs of his career and Harrison helped him out by rushing for an astounding 286 yards, 3rd best all-time. He had 301 yards for the season heading into the game! The most impressive stat though is the scoring of 41 points while passing for 66 yards. Browns fans should just hope these awesome performances don't save Eric Mangini's job.

Fab 5:

1. Indy

2. New Orleans

3. San Diego

4. Philly

5. Minny

-A thought about our rankings: Finally the tie at the top is broken. Now, with the spotlight firmly on the Colts will they go for it? We thought they would rest players against Jacksonville, but it didn't happen. Something tells me they might pull a surprise and go for 16-0. San Diego and Philly move ahead of Minnesota, who fall down the rankings because of their awful loss to Carolina and the locker room discord.

11 Random Observations:

1) The Cowboys win, while not upset of the century worthy, was mighty impressive. After being buried by everyone and their great-grandma (including this blog), they played a complete game and dominated the Saints for 3 quarters. But, if they lose one of their last 2 games it still might be for naught. Don't go jumping back on that bandwagon too quick.

2) Gee, with people interviewing for Jim Zorn's job, I can't imagine that the Redskins would play horribly against the Giants on Monday night. Hopefully that Fake FG call was sticking it to Dan Snyder and not done because it would succeed. That may be the poorest play design in the history of the league.

3) Mike Holmgren took the football czar job in Cleveland. Our friends at Rumors & Rants have a pretty accurate view of the situation here in a quickie article entitled Dear Mike Holmgren, Gooood Luck. I don't know if luck will be enough...

4) After another pitiful performance in Baltimore, it looks like Lovie Smith's job could be in danger in Chicago. It's a shame, because he is a good coach. In truth, the Bears should look to the front office and get rid of the uber-paranoid Jerry Angelo. Angelo's the one who supplied Jay Cutler with 85 year old Orlando Pace, 0 legit wide receivers, and 2 straight years without draft picks in the first 2 rounds.

5) If Lovie does leave, Mike Shanahan in Chicago might be the most perfect fit of any offseason coaching situation. If Shanahan is smart he would avoid Washington like football Siberia.

6) My thoughts about teams playing spoiler in the NFL, "every season there are a handful of teams that stand up and play the role of spoiler late in the season... and no I'm not counting Charlie Frye and the Raiders playing Denver".... whoops.

7) Green Bay and Pittsburgh played the game of the season on Sunday. It was a shootout that went down to the last play and kept Pittsburgh's playoff hopes alive. Mike Tomlin should be buying Big Ben whatever he wants for Christmas for the comeback win. His onside kick decision was one of the boneheadest (that's a word, right?) moves of the season and his QB bailed him out big time.

8) The Bengals should be saluted for their valiant effort in defeat to San Diego on Sunday. Chad 85's raw emotion throughout the game tore at the heartstrings of everyone watching.

9) As I tweeted on Sunday though, there just seemed to be too much joy and excitement after the Bolts won. From Jim Nantz in the booth to the players on the field, the celebrational attitude wasn't fitting of the moment. Sure, the Chargers and their fans should be happy with the big win, but it would have been nice to see a little more levity considering the circumstances.

*For the rest of the season we'll save our last 2 observations to take a look at the AFC and NFC Playoff Picture! Here's our predictions with 2 weeks to go, they've changed a bit with the results of Week 15...

AFC:

1) Indy 16-0 (W v NYJ, W @ Buf)

2) San Diego 12-4 (L @ Ten, W v Wsh)

3) New England 11-5 (W v Jax, W @ Hou)

4) Cincinnati 11-5 (W v KC, W v NYJ)

5) Baltimore 9-7 (L @ Pitt, W @ Oak)

6) Pittsburgh 9-7 (W v Bal, W @ Mia)

7) Denver 9-7 (L @ Phi, W v KC)

8) Jacksonville 8-8 (L @ NE, W @ Cle)

9) Miami 8-8 (W v Hou, L v Pitt)

10) Jets 7-9 (L @ Indy, L v Cincy)

11) Houston 7-9 (L @ Mia, L v NE)

*NE gets the 3 seed via strength of victory tiebreak, NE and Cincy would both be 3-2 in common games, and yes I calculated that just for you loyal readers!

*Denver lost to both Baltimore and Pittsburgh so they would be out of the postseason.

NFC:

1) New Orleans 14-2 (W v TB, L @ Car)

2) Philadelphia 12-4 (W v Den, W v Dal)

3) Minnesota 12-4 (W @ Chi, L v NYG)

4) Arizona 11-5 (W v St L, W v GB)

5) Green Bay 10-6 (W v Sea, L @ Zona)

6) New York Giants 10-6 (W v Car, W @ Min)

7) Dallas 10-6 (W @ Wsh, L v Phi)

*Philly gets the 2 seed by virtue of a better conference record than Minnesota assuming the Week 17 results.

*Dallas is the odd team out in a 3 way tie with GB and NYG.

What Happened In Week 15 That Will Change The Season: As The Favre Turns

-Well it took a little longer than expected, but Brett Favre's grip over the Vikings franchise looks like it might be finally coming back to haunt Minny. Did they not know about the problems and locker room discord in New York? Did they not know his track record of selfish behavior? Did they not know about his late season slumps? Yes, everything seemed hunky dory in the first 14 weeks of the season, but now trouble is rising to the surface at the worst time. It's not good if your head coach and QB are swearing and shouting at each other with 2 weeks left in the season. Now, the Vikings must win out to get a first round bye and that doesn't look likely after getting smoked by the mediocre Panthers. If Brad Childress is unable to unite the locker room and take Brett Favre down from his ego-driven power trip, it will be a short playoff exit for Minnesota. The Vikings made their bed in August when they brought Favre in on a winged chariot to Minnesota as franchise savior, now they have to live with the consequences.

Check back for the next round of our stories of the decade as we conclude 2009 at RSS! Let us know how you think the playoffs will shake out in the comments down below. Bye for now...

Hot Off The Grill - NFL Week 5 Preview

Unfortunately, I missed Mark Teixiera's walk-off win and A-Rod's heroics last night because I went back to Urbana High School for some Friday night High School Homecoming action in midwest Ohio! Of course, when you're 6 years out of high school, things don't seem as cool as they once did, but hey, at least it rained all night! Brother Yohey and I witnessed a thrilling 12-6 win for Urbana which featured 2 things I've never seen before. First, the Bush Push was flagged for a penatly (yes, that actually happened... aiding the runner? WTF?). Oh, and Urbana's kicker kicked off with the ball on the tee sideways, I'm not making that up. But enough about me, let's go to the National. Football. League. And if anyone sees a kicker kick off with the ball sideways on the tee on Sunday, please write in and let me know.

Big Kielbasa's Game Of the Week - Cincinnati (3-1) @ Baltimore (3-1)

Our game of the week involves... wait, the Cincinnati Bengals?? Is this a joke?? Somehow, the Bungals are 3-1 on the young season, and should be 4-0 aside from that Immaculate Deflection play in Week 1 against the Broncos. And, they actually play an important game for first place in the AFC North! Sure, they didn't look great last week in Cleveland, but the only thing that it hurt was their power rankings (gasp, sigh, yawn, who cares). Anyways, the Bengals resurgence can be squarely placed at the feet of a healthy Carson Palmer and a renewed D led by Antwan Odom and USC LBs Rey Maualuga and Keith Rivers.

Lost in all of the Ravens' crying and complaining like Jon Gosselin was the fact that they were one dropped pass away from possibly winning in New England. Joe Flacco's emergence and the return of the Running Back Formerly Known As Willis McGahee have strengthened Baltimore's offense immensely. Much like New Orleans, they are a surprisingly complete and balanced team. Can we really be sure Baltimore is that good since 2 of their wins are over KC and Cleveland though? At 3-1, Baltimore needs a big division win over one of the contenders. The Ravens are favored by 9 points which might be a tad much. If you pick with the spread, go with Cincy because it should be close, but the Ravens will win by less than a TD. PICK-RAVENS

Beer Brat's Spotlight Game Of the Week - New England (3-1) @ Denver (4-0)

Our spotlight game involves... wait, the Denver Broncos?? Enough with the jokes funny man! What in the name of Dan Reeves is going on here? Somehow, the Broncos are appearing to be a legitimate force in the NFL. That home win against the Cowboys led a lot of folks this week to recognize Josh McDaniels as the next coaching genius (even Brandon Marshall is now a fan) and Kyle Orton as a Pro Bowler... in the words of Lee Corso, not so fast my friend. This week, it's not Tony Romo and Wade Phillips but Tom Brady and Bill Belichick that come to Mile High. The Broncos D might have looked great against Brady Quinn and Tony Romo, but this is a different animal. Sure, the Broncos might be legit, and could even win the AFC West, but the Pats are winning this game. PICK-PATRIOTS

Chorizo's Upset Of the Week - Oakland (1-3) @ New York G... ok, just kidding... New York Jets (3-1) @ Miami (1-3)

-Ah yes, the Sanchez apologists were out in full force this week. "Well, he is a rookie, and he can't win 16 games." "Well, he'll learn not to do those things over time." "Well, he still looks good and has great genetics!" Puh-lease. What you didn't hear was that Sanchez actually has more turnovers than touchdowns, and that now he has a fresh new receiver to start dropping those passes that are on target. Welcome to New York Braylon Edwards! Let's hope he drops a lot of passes on Monday so Mike Francesa can go nuts on New York's newbie. But can Miami really beat the Jets? Miami with Chad Henne? If Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams run like they did last week on Buffalo, Drew Henson can play QB and they'll still win. Now that the Jets have figured out their human, the Dolphins will pull out a defensive struggle on Monday night in Miami. PICK-DOLPHINS

Andouille's UTR Game - Atlanta (2-1) @ San Francisco (3-1)

-Is it just me, or is Atlanta perpetually under the radar this season? I know they were on a bye last week, but does anyone remember a single moment from Atlanta's season? As a Saints fan, this game is certainly not under the radar as the Niners can give my boys a 2 game lead in the NFC South. These aren't the Rams though visiting San Fran this weekend. Patrick Willis and the D has been dominant, but Michael Crabtree won't be making any impact for a while, so the load on offense falls to Glen Coffee and Shaun Hill for the time being. Much to my chagrin, the Falcons are still a really good football team, whether anyone notices or not. They're the pick. PICK-FALCONS

Hot Dog Of The Week - Patriots HC Bill Belichick

A kinder, gentler Bill Belichick has emerged over recent years, but you know that he wants to show up his star pupil in Denver on Sunday. Do you trust Kyle Orton against a Belichick defense? Of course, the Belichick/McDaniels dynamic might not be as frosty as the Mangenius relationship (isn't it time he lost that nickname?), but the hoodie should get the best of the youngest coach in the league this weekend. Oh, and not to rub it into Browns fans, but future Hall of Famer Belichick once coached your team don't forget. The Pats might not be the irresistible force they have been, but their fearless leader is still one of the best coaches in football, and he'll prove it again this weekend.

Extra Toppings -

-I know you're just like me... kicking yourself for missing the opening week of the UFL season! If anyone out in the RSS Universe wants to provide us with a UFL Recap please write in - and then find a good psychologist in your neighborhood!

-Everyone thinks the Braylon Edwards trade is a win-win? Cleveland got some garage sale items in exchange for a guy who drops every pass in sight, and will cost the Knicks LeBron James. You have to wonder if Eric Mangini facilitated this kind of discussion in search of a win-win trade.

-It's a race between the Giants and Vikings for who gets the biggest blowout this weekend. New York faces Oakland while Minny gets the pleasure of playing the Rams. I'll bet the fightin' Favres over Kyle Boller since Eli won't be 100%.

-We poked fun at NFL Power Rankings earlier. Seriously, what purpose do they serve? There's no BCS in the NFL, no polls, no computers, no real rankings. Who started this?

-I bet NBC wasn't imagining the Colts/Titans showdown this week to feature a 4-0 Indy team taking on an 0-4 Titans club. How much longer till we see Vince Young on the field? With a lost season, you have to think that the former Texas star deserves one more chance.

-With no Saints game this weekend, it's nice to finally be able to enjoy an NFL weekend without wearing a hole into the carpet at home. Yea, I'm that guy that paces around watching football games... I've embraced it though.

-The Award for NFL Star Who Really, Really, Really Thinks They Deserved The Nobel Peace Prize Goes To... Brett Favre! Yes Brett, you legitimately do feel that you were robbed of the prize because of your ability to be constantly loved, adulated, and worshipped by NFL talking heads everywhere for being the most egotistical person who has ever played the game. Sorry for your snub. Instead of a speech like Lou Holtz gave yesterday in Hot Off The Grill, check out Y2's fabulous Favre In His Own Words comeback column for some insight from Favre. But, as long as we're showing highlights of The Office Season 2 and talking about ridiculous speeches, maybe Brett's acceptance speech would look like this....

Randall's Got His Eye On You... Dallas QB Tony Romo

Quick, Tony, what down is it? Then again, maybe you were just trying to remember how many hot blonde girlfriends you've had in the past couple years. One thing's for sure, that number 3 is a far off dream for how many playoff wins you've had in your "illustrious" career thus far. Romo is under a lot of pressure in Big D for his lackluster start as folks' eyes are opened to the fact that Romo might not be all he's cracked up to be. 21st in QB Rating and 25th in Completion % doesn't scream All Pro. The Cowboys sit at an underwhelming 2-2, but the best medicine for any team these days might be a trip to Kansas City. Romo and the entire Cowboys club need to right the ship soon. Jerry Jones sure doesn't want a mediocre team playing in his new Dallas Palace.

That concludes our Hot off the Grill Preview. We'll be back Sunday nightish/Monday morningish with a recap of What We Missed This Weekend featuring an MLB Postseason update and a Presidents Cup recap. I just had to take a shot because Johnny Miller is talking about growing up in California, oy. Enjoy the weekend!

Hot off the Grill-NFL Week 4

RSS is back with Hot Off The Grill's NFL Week 4 Preview. I'll really have to pull myself out of this week long NFL boycott due to Brett Favre's last-minute heroics, inducing a week of hero worship across the NFL. Thankfully, every Sunday is a new day in the NFL, and this week is no different in a slate full of big games. Brett Favre's Vikings lead off our look ahead to the NFL week.

Big Kielbasa's Game Of the Week - Green Bay (2-1) @ Minnesota (3-0)

Before everyone goes crazy and calls this an NFC Championship Preview, let's look at the facts. Green Bay's 2 wins have come at home against the Bears, thanks to 4 Jay Cutler picks, and on the road against one of the many minor-league NFL teams, the St. Louis Rams. Minnesota's 3 wins have come on a miracle Hail Mary last week against the 49ers, the worst team in the league in the Browns, and another barely professional crew in the LIons. So, needless to say, neither one of these teams have been as impressive as you'd be lead to believe. Still, every division game featuring these two teams and Da Bears will be critical in the big picture of the season.

Let's save the Brett Favre hysteria for other media outlets (like RSS "fave" Colin Cowherd, who's pathetic show on ESPN2 will attempt to set a record for most mentions of the Brett Favre name on Monday...words really can't describe how stupid that is) and focus on the other players in the game. First, Aaron Rodgers knows this is the biggest game of his career. He's the reason the Packers ousted the old man two years ago, and he's proven the decision right, throwing for 714 yards and 4 TDs.

However, this game will come down to the two defenses. The Packers have made some improvement under new D-coordinator Dom Capers, while the Williams Wall still stands strong in Minnesota. It should be an intense, hotly contested affair in the bright lights of MNF. As for the pick, it's hard for me to know who to go with, but here's betting that the old man gets confused once or twice and throws to the green and yellow jerseys instead of the purple ones. Rodgers outperforms Favre and the Pack win a big road game. PICK-PACKERS

Beer Brat's Spotlight Game Of the Week - NY Jets (3-0) @ New Orleans (3-0)

Our spotlight game takes us to the only matchup of unbeatens in Week 4 as the Saints host the Jets. Most of the attention will be on how Jets HC Rex Ryan tries to combat Drew Brees and the Saints unparalleled offense, but the real matchup may be on the other side of the ball. The Saints won a game with defense last week in Buffalo for the first time in, well, at least this decade. Mark Sanchez hasn't really been tested yet this season, but he'll be going into a tough environment in the SuperDome. Brees and co. should be able to make just enough plays to outduel the young gun and the Jets. PICK-SAINTS

Chorizo's Upset Of the Week - San Diego (2-1) @ Pittsburgh (1-2)

In this day and age, it's never too early for a must-win game, which is what the defending champion Steelers are facing this week hosting the Chargers. After close back-to-back defeats at Chicago and at Cincinnati, the Steelers need to right the ship, or else face falling behind division rivals. Meanwhile, the Chargers come in 6.5 point underdogs after a home loss to Baltimore. Look for Phillip Rivers to torch a vulnerable Steelers secondary, especially with no run game from the Steelers to neutralize the high-powered San Diego attack. Another reason why this is the upset, San Diego has NEVER won in Pittsburgh, not even by accident. Something's gotta give, right? PICK-CHARGERS

Andouille's UTR Game - Baltimore (3-0) @ New England (2-1)

Who would think a game such as this would be under the radar, but that's the case as Baltimore travels to Foxboro to face the Pats. The Ravens D is as stout as ever after losing several key components, and it seems the training wheels have been taken off second-year QB Joe Flacco. Meanwhile, the Pats looked like a more complete team against the Falcons last week. This should be a true slugfest between two teams who could meet again in January. At this point though, all the momentum seems to be riding with the Ravens, so play the hot hand. PICK-RAVENS

Hot Dog Of The Week - Bears WR-Devin Hester

Well, last week's Hot Dog OchoCinco did so well, we're sticking with the wideouts this week and going with the Bears Devin Hester. Yes, while Hester may not yet be a true #1, he had his best game as a pro last week, including the game-winner against the Seahawks. Jay Cutler has started to get comfortable in his surroundings, and it's been Hester who's shown the ability to go up and make big catches. This week against a porous Lions pass defense, Hester should shine again, for at least 100 yards and a touchdown. Heck, he may even reach back into the memory bank and run a punt back for a TD as well.

Extra Toppings -

-Never in my life have I ever seen so many bad teams in the NFL. If Roger Goodell had a better working relationship with the new UFL, this would be the perfect season for soccer-style relegation. Even in this day of parity, does anyone expect Cleveland, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Detroit, or Oakland to turn things around any time soon...anyone?? I rest my case.

-Ok Josh McDaniels, everyone thinks you're the cat who swallowed the canary with perhaps the luckiest 3-0 start in NFL history. Let's see how smart you look after this run of games: Dal, NE, SD, Bal, Pit, Wash, SD, NYG, KC, Ind, Oak, Phi, KC. Except for the three against Oakland and KC, how many more wins do you see in there. This is still a 6-10 team at best.

-Here's betting that Drew Brees won't get half the recognition in victory that Mark Sanchez would if the Jets win.

-My head will literally explode if Brett Favre wins to move to 4-0. Save for that one TD pass, which was an outstanding catch by Greg Lewis, Favre has probably been the least important cog in the Vikings success. This team will live and die by their D and All Day AP.

-Another coach on the hot seat may be Titans HC Jeff Fisher. A lot was expected of this team, and if they start the season 0-4 by losing to the Jags, it's hard to say how far they might fall in the AFC.

Randall's Got His Eye On You... Jim Zorn

We may go the whole season and not see a more obvious candidate for a person on the hot seat than Redskins head coach Jim Zorn. A wink and a nod won't be enough to keep him out of Randall's crosshairs this week. It all started so well for the Redskins last season with the first-time head coach, but since a 6-2 start last season, the Redskins are only 3-8. Earlier this season, he was criticized for his dubious decisions in the red zone against the Rams by ex-Washington QB Sunny Jurgensen. Now, after being the first coach in over a year to be defeated by the Lions, he faces another very winnable game against an equally bad Tampa Bay squad. Another poor performance and Zorn might as well start packing his bags to make way for one of a host of big-name coaches sitting on the sidelines.

That concludes our Hot off the Grill Preview. Speaking of grills, Mr. Yoder I and myself will be at Crew Stadium for buck a brat night! Hopefully our food coma will recede by tomorrow and we can enjoy a big day of NFL action. Until then, it's bye for now!

Brett Favre, In His Own Words

By now, everyone should know how I personally feel about Brett Favre. He is the most self-absorbed, selfish, star athlete of our time. No player in the last 25 years, save a few brain-damaged boxers, has so tarnished their own legacy. To string along an entire franchise in the Minnesota Vikings and their two potential starting quarterbacks (Sage Rosenfels and Tavaris Jackson) has been disgraceful. No player, not even Brett the Great, is entitled to skipping training camp that every other player in the league has to attend. In his own mind, Favre must imagine himself riding into Minnesota on a white horse, the savior of a franchise. However, the rest of us see him for what he truly is, a washed-up ex-quarterback, arriving into town atop a jackass, how appropriate.

Everyone from columnists, to talking heads, to former and current players seems to have an opinion about Brett Favre's comeback with the Vikings. So, instead of adding to the criticism of the Great Waffler, allow me to let his own words convince you of the level of this man's hyprocrisy.

"It's time to leave"

-Uttered after the Packers 2007 season, yes, 2007! Today the Vikings signed Favre with an option for 2010!

"It's all rumor"

-Favre's response to rumors of his unretirement from the Packers to play for another team.

"You know, the bottom line is, I may not play anywhere. But we have thought of all those things. We have thought about it."

-This was before Favre joined the Jets for a year, apparently the only place he hasn't thought of playing is the CFL.

"But apparently now, they're trying to protect my legacy by bringing me back and having me be a backup. Boy, that is really good."

-The real reason Favre left Green Bay, his ego couldn't handle Aaron Rogers being younger and better. In his own paranoia, Favre's quest to protect his legacy has only destroyed it.

"I've always considered myself the ultimate teammate, regardless of how I've been portrayed this year."

-Just like when you were the ultimate teammate calling out Javon Walker when he wanted the type of financial security you already had. Just like you were the ultimate teammate with the Jets when your own teammates were decrying your special treatment.

"I have family and friends who are like, 'All right, Brett. Is this the real deal? To me, it is. It is. Believe me. It's been a wonderful career, I couldn't ask for anything more. It was worth a shot for me to go to New York. I wish I could've played better down the stretch. I didn't."It's time to leave."

"Nothing has changed," Favre said. "At this time, I am retired and have no intention of returning to football."

-Apparently, Brett only meant it was time to leave New York. He must have misunderstood the question, what with his old age and all. I'm sure he's had some hearing loss, especially after all the mornings of telling himself how great he is being the ultimate teammate.

"It was the hardest decision I've ever made," Favre said. "I didn't feel like physically I could play at a level that was acceptable. I would like to thank everyone, including the Packers, Jets and Vikings -- but, most importantly, the fans."

-Favre deciding to stay retired and not join the Minnesota Vikings. Less than a month later, Favre would line up under center at a Minnesota Vikings practice. Apparently when he thanked the Packers, Jets, Vikings, and fans, he meant to say Brett Favre, myself, me, and #4.

"I think [my return is] great for football. I can't see how you wouldn't think it would be."

-Of course it is Brett, great for all of the people who worship the ground you walk on and all the fans and teammates you've walked over to get to where you are today. Congratulations, you have now reached the height of your delusion. I can't wait to see what wisdom you bless us with next.