It’s amazing how time flies. We’re already beginning the 2nd half of our beloved NFL season,  So of course, it’s time to see how your favorite team fared midway through the 2011 season. Only, instead of giving actual grades, I’m breaking them up in categories. Same analysis as ESPN, but better because it’s not so formal. So without further ado…. the midseason report cards.

 

F*ck It, I’m On One!: Green Bay Packers

The Packers deserve a column of their own. As far as NFL class goes, there’s the Packers and then there’s everyone else. No one is touching them right now and to be honest, I don’t know who will. Aaron Rodgers is playing like he’s possessed right about now. I like Green Bay but the little hater in me says they need to sit their bragging asses down somewhere. No reason why I feel that way, I’m just a little green and tired of seeing them win.

They Are Who We Thought They Were:  Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots

The Steelers started out old and slow, but they’ve finally got the ball rolling. They’ve been on fire the past few weeks, and have picked up from last season, thanks to the emergence of guys like Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders. The Patriots make this list because they’re still a team of concern if they’re on your schedule, but they can’t stop a nose bleed (Bart Scott voice) so unless they figure out to stop good teams, they may be in trouble….

Well I’ll Be John Brown (c/o @DragonflyJonez): Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills

I dedicate this category to my Twitter buddy, who always uses this term at the right time and better than anybody I know. Most of us looked at contenders for 2011 and didn’t think about any of these teams, for a lot of reasons. New players, lockout hangover, inconsistent or not good in years past…. for whatever reason, unless you were a fan of these teams, they simply weren’t on your radar. Well I’ll be John Brown if they aren’t now. The Bengals are 5-2 with a Top 5 defense and have shown success with Andy Dalton and AJ Green. The 49ers changed their coaching staff and brought in Jim Harbaugh and have only lost one game so far, even giving Alex Smith some life. And the Bills, who had every bounce against them in 2010 despite playing hard, are finally getting the ball in their court. The Lions are probably the least bit shocking, since they finished 2010 strong. But it’s the Lions…. you still haven’t forgotten about 0-16 and Matt Stafford gets hurt if you blow on him hard enough. Alas, no bad karma and all teams are doing big things

They’re Good, BUT……..: Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants, San Diego Chargers, Houston Texans, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons 

These teams have a winning record so they’re good based on record but we really have no idea what to expect for the 2nd half of the season. The Ravens have beaten quality opponents in Pittsburgh, Houston and the Jets, but have crapped the pot against teams they should have beaten in Tennessee and Jacksonville…… The Giants are decent, but their schedule the next 6 weeks is beyond brutal and one has to wonder will the injuries they have finally start to catch up….. The Chargers are actually starting out with a winning record for once, but QB Philip Rivers (my boo!) hasn’t looked like the Rivers of old, and fumbled control of the AFC West away last Monday night……. The Texans are good, but losing Mario Williams for the year and Andre Johnson for some time may hurt them in the long run…..The Jets have seemed to regress a little on defense, and Mark Sanchez not getting much help from his run game is an issue…..The Saints WERE in my “They are who we thought they were” column, but they lost to the Rams, The WINLESS ST. LOUIS RAMS, WITHOUT SAM BRADFORD! Yeah, they go down a notch after that one….. The Bucs have youth on their side, but their lopsided loss to San Francisco puts them in this category….. Atlanta always leaves me scratching my head at the end of their games. With all of the offensive weapons they have, I don’t see how they don’t put up 30 points easily, each week. They have some inexperience on defense that holds them to this category.

Ehhhhh……………..: Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans

It’s not that I don’t think these teams are good or can’t be good… it’s just that I couldn’t add them in the “They’re good but” category because they’ve done something not worthy of that category. The Bears’ offensive line blocks like Cutler stole their girl……The Eagles started out slow, and with the “Dream Team” talk prior to the season, expectations were above normal so their 3-4 record is underachieving at best… The Cowboys need a TV time out with the way they’ve played football lately. I thought they’d be better than this at this point. I haven;t totally written them off, tho. They have talent….. The Chiefs started off rough (remember Matt Cassel’s blow up with HC Todd Haley on the sidelines??), but they’ve rebounded well. It’s the AFC West so it’s hard to be impressed just yet…..The Raiders looked like they were gonna have a good season before Jason Campbell went down. Oakland traded their 2012 #1 pick and a conditional pick to Cincy for Carson Palmer, but all Palmer did was stink it up in his debut. He’s not the same QB he was before 2005 and quite frankly, I wonder if Al Davis came back from the dead to make one last WTF personnel decision… Despite Carolina’s record, I’m gonna put them in this column because I seriously believe they try hard each and every week, yet fall short. This team reminds me a lot of Buffalo’s team last season. They hang in there, but can’t get the “W” in the end. I can’t be mad at that. They should be added in my next group but I love their resilience. The Titans are here by default, because they have a good record. But Chris Johnson got paid and told the Titans, “Fcuk your couch”. He’s still holding out but we didn’t know until now. With Kenny Britt going down, that hurt big time for Tennessee. Good thing is, the AFC South could be a 2-man race, and they’re still in it.

“Insert Comment Here”: Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Redskins

Face it- these teams’ style of play are boring and uninspiring more times than not (minus the Vikings the past 2 weeks. But that’s because Ponder now has the keys). Put yourself in my shoes…. What could you possibly say about any of these teams individually that doesn’t sound like the others in this group? Can’t figure it out? Me neither. So feel free to insert your own comment here.

 

Bad…. Real Bad Michael Jackson: Indianapolis Colts, St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos

I guess this group could be called the “Suck For Luck” lottery, but that’s unoriginal and overused at this point. These 4 teams stink and I’d bet my money on LSU or Alabama if they played any of these teams at this point. Probably the worst team of them all is Indy. Never have I seen a franchise fall so fast from one key player going down. That’s a direct reflection of the GM and ownership and it’s inexcusable. The Rams have some good pieces and aren’t AS bad as Indy (not saying much), but their defense isn’t that good, particularly their secondary (although they did hold NO to one offensive TD in Sunday’s win) and there isn’t a true #1 WR on the team. The Dolphins need a new makeover, period. Not only did you celebrate the FLORIDA GATORS championship in MIAMI HURRICANES-land, you let Tim Tebow beat you in the Final 5 minutes of the same game. Yeah, you suck, Miami…….. Speaking of Tebow, he is getting KILT in the media (yeah, I said it… not killed, but KILT!) on what most of us already knew: Great college player, lots of heart and passion, not going to translate into the NFL. It’s been a while since I’ve seen so much attention lay on one guy like this. Denver officially came into the Top 5 pick race as of Sunday.

Before I get into the hot topics of the week, I want to thank the NFL owners and NFLPA for extending the CBA for 24 hours, as they feverishly try to work out a new deal. While I’m well aware that 24 hours isn’t a lot of time and that a lockout still may occur, the fact that they extended it gave me a small glimpse of hope. I even danced a jig when I heard the good news.

This blogger/fan that I am is praying that they get this done and that there’s football without interruptions or replacements. We want football in 2011 and beyond!

Bob Sanders has found a new home out west, as he signs a 1-year deal with the San Diego Chargers. The 2007 Defensive Player of the Year was released by the Colts last month, mainly due to his inability to stay healthy. Good luck to Sanders, hopefully he can play a full year of football. Us ladies sure would like to see your name come across our screen. I get double the treat, since my boo Philip Rivers is on the squad as well…

In other news….. Jeremy Shockey signed with the lowly Carolina Panthers. Oh…………………………………

Word on the street is former Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell’s Oakland home is in jeopardy for foreclosure. Apparently, Mr. Russell owes about $195K and if he doesn’t pay it, it’s put back in the market.

We all know the Raiders threw Russell a dumb amount of money, so I doubt he’s broke. Surely buying Coogi sweaters, purple drank and fugly chains couldn’t have taken all of his $30 million plus he’s received so far. My guess is his mind frame was since he no longer plays for Oakland, he said screw that house and decided not to pay for it any longer. But why do that and mess up your credit?  Whoever his financial advisor is (if he even has one), isn’t advising him of much. Don’t be a dummy, get rid of the house and move on. Ignorance is bliss……………..

In case you haven’t heard, the Lingerie Football League said they are willing to take over your households on Sundays if the NFL cannot come up to an agreement and in fact, lockout. I’m sure the men have NO problems with seeing scantily clad women run around making hard hits and tackles. But I’m curious to know how the women feel about this?

I’ve watched LFL games before and it’s actually not that bad. But not everyone would be down to watching half-naked women try and fill a void for real football. Let me know what you think ladies… Yay or Nay on LFL replacing NFL on Sundays if there’s a lockout.

Whew, Legedu Naanee shouldn’t commit any more crimes based off of this mugshot alone. The Chargers WR was arrested this past weekend for public intoxication and resisting arrest in Indianapolis. Naanee allegedly was rude to officers after walking through a crime scene and being asked to leave. All hell broke loose, with pepper spray and handcuffs following shortly.

There’s also rumor that Naanee pulled the, “Do you know who I am?” card. Telling cops that he was an NFL player and was gonna sue their ass (his alleged words, not mine).

Dude………….. you were in INDY!! If you aren’t Peyton Manning or Reggie Wayne, don’t nobody know who the hell you are…….

This mugshot is a reminder of why some players are more known for the numbers on their back and helmets on their heads. While I know who he is from his namesake, he could walk by me and I’d never know. Sometimes that’s not a bad thing. And looking at his lips, he’s either dehydrated or he could have used some Carmax before taking this shot.

Naanee, possibly an unrestricted free agent pending the CBA, may have sealed his fate with the Chargers after this incident. Naanee is no Vincent Jackson, and with petty AJ Smith as your GM who knows what the future holds.

Looks like my boo Philip Rivers will be throwing a lot more to Seyi Ajirotutu more in 2011 or when football resumes. Don’t know who that is? Hopefully you won’t find out through a mugshot like many did with Naanee.

With the regular season over, the NFL will be ready to give out their awards for the best players in the league on offense, defense and coaching. I’m a huge fan of the game so I figured I’d give you my 2010 NFL winners of the prestigious awards that they give out every year. I’m thinking I’ll be more right than wrong, mainly because I’m awesome at this football thing. But there’s always room for error. In any event, I’m here to take a crack who wins what this year.

NFL Coach Of The Year- Raheem Morris, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

There are a few coaches who are deserving of this award. Todd Haley in Kansas City and even good ol’ Billy Boy (Belichick), after the revamping of his team. But this award goes to Morris for one simple reason- Who would have thought the Bucs would end the season at 10-6?? I, for one, didn’t see that coming.. AT ALL! The Buccaneers have one of the youngest teams in the NFL, and if they were in the NFC West they’d be hosting a playoff game this weekend.  Morris said earlier this year that he thought his team was the best in the NFC and they rallied behind that and finished strong, winning 3 out of their last 4 games. He’s not a miracle worker, but he’s damn close. It sucks that they are in the very tough NFC South with the Falcons and the Super Bowl champion Saints, but the Bucs have every reason to believe they can compete with their division foes for 2011 and beyond.

Offensive Rookie Of The Year- Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots and Mike Williams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This was hard to choose, so I’m picking both. How can you not make a case for Gronkowski? Okay, so Tom Brady throws him the ball, but so what? Gronkowski has been a great asset to the Patriots this season and a red zone killer, scoring 10 TDs in his rookie contest. Since the departure of Moss, Brady has relied on his rookie TEs in a big way (the other is Aaron Hernandez FROM… the University of Florida! *Gator chomping*). Gronkowski has taken his roll and ran away with it…. literally. Mike Williams has also done the same, becoming a big time target for QB Josh Freeman, catching 11TDs and ending the season averaging nearly 15 yards per reception. Williams and Freeman should be making beautiful TDs together in the future with his playmaking ability. Both deserve the praise. I know only one will win, but it’s my blog, I can pick both!

Defensive Rookie Of The Year- Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions

I don’t know another defensive rookie that brought so much immediate impact to his defense like Suh has. Coming out of Nebraska, I always thought Suh would be a star in the NFL and so far he’s been on track to do just that. He ended the 2010 season with 10 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble. His numbers are pretty good, but the intangibles of his game don’t translate on paper. The pressures, the hits to the QB, all of those things are a part of Suh’s game. And with a defensive mind like Jim Schwartz at the helm of the Lions, he’s going to be a problem in this league for a long time.

Offensive Player Of The Year- Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

Yes, we all know this is my boo. But I promise you, this is an unbiased choice. Rivers lead the league in passing yards (4,710) and was Top 5 in TDs (31), QB rating (101.8) and completion % (66%). Even more impressive about Rivers this season? He was able to maintain having the #1 offense in the league without the likes of Vincent Jackson, Marcus McNeill, Antonio Gates, Malcolm Floyd and Ryan Matthews all being healthy or on the roster… at ONCE! You can pretend you knew who Seyi Ajirotutu was before he caught a TD pass by Rivers, but you’re probably a liar (yeah, I said it!) . He’s the leader of this team without question, and if the Chargers had better special teams this season, they would be in the playoffs. He deserves the credit.

Defensive Player Of The Year- Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers

I’m going to catch a LOT of flack about this… mainly because I don the black and purple real heavy. I really had a hard time picking this award, because Packers LB Clay Matthews and Ravens S Ed Reed both made great cases of being the DPOY. But Polamalu had so many game changing plays this season that’s it’s hard to take this away from him. I say all the time, the Steelers won the AFC North this season because of Polamalu alone, with that game breaking hit against Flacco. When he’s not playing, the Steelers hurt… bad! Forget Ben being the most important piece for Pittsburgh, Polamalu is and it’s without question.I’m gonna get windmilled by Ravens Nation for this.. but I can’t hate on Troy, he’s a game changer. He wins, in my book.

Comeback Player Of The Year- Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles

I’m sure a lot of people will feel some kind of way about this pick. Many believe he should be the MVP of the league. And if he’s not that, then he’s the OPOY. But I disagree. The numbers don’t back that up and I mentioned why in my previous blog post . But to deny what Vick has come from in the past 2 years, only to play at such a high level this season is foolish and he deserves recognition for it. He’s still one of the most exciting players in the league and the Eagles wouldn’t be playoff bound if it weren’t for Vick. The sky is the limit for him and I hope he’s allowed to stay in Philly to grow. If not, there will be more than a dozen teams throwing money at his feet once the season is over. Comeback is an understatement for Vick. He’s BALLIN’!

NFL MVP- Tom Brady, New England Patriots

You can hate the Uggs, the Bieber cut, the wifey, the coach and the partridge in a pear tree. But you’d be the ultimate hater if you say he’s undeserving of this award. I’m not going to get into a debate about it. If you want to know why I chose him, it’s simple… you can google him. Tom Brady is the MVP whether folks like it or not. And on that note… Exit left, stage right.

Congrats to my Ravens for going to the playoffs 3 straight seasons in a row. In this franchise’s short history, the Ravens have done so much in so little time. Playoff berths, division titles and a Super Bowl is quite a feat. The next step is another ring back to Charm City, but I’ll take it one week at a time right now. Ravens QB Joe Flacco also has a few accolades to go with this joyous occasion. He became the 6th fastest QB to throw for 10,000 yards, tied with 2nd most wins by a QB in his first 3 seasons with 34 regular and playoff wins, and last but not at all the least, joins Dan Marino and Bernie Kosar as the only QBs to go to the playoffs their first 3 years in the league. People always talk about my main man Joe, but you don’t make accomplishments like this being a mediocre QB. Ask Kyle Boller, who had a better defense than Joe did during his tenure in Baltimore.

XP: Dear Ed Reed…. we love you dearly, but if you lateral a ball one mo’gin………………..

Yesterday was a sad day for the state of New York. Buffalo got that azz beat skull dragged by the Patriots, the Jets gave up 38 points in a loss to the Bears and the Giants got mudd stomped by the Packers. The G-Men still look dazed from last week’s epic fail in the Eagles come-from-behind win, and Buffalo didn’t have a real chance in hell against New England this time around.

But if you’re looking for a silver lining, it’s simply this…. the Jets still earned a playoff berth due to Jacksonville’s loss to the Redskins. But going into the playoffs, you have to be concerned as a Jets fan. The Jets have one of the top defenses in the league, yet gave up too many points in yesterday’s loss. The Jets have also lost 3 of their last 4 games. Get it together Gang Green… and fast.

It’s Shout Out time! Let me show some players/teams some Week 16 love.

S/O to Tim Tebow for doing the unthinkable: Throwing for over 300 yards in his first NFL season. Tebow brought the Broncos back from a 17-point deficit at halftime to beat the Houston Texans, 24-23. I’m a Gators fan and a Tebow supporter, but even I didn’t think he would throw for 300 yards. I’m happy for him and even more so proud that he’s shown all the naysayers, myself included, that he can be a decent QB in this league.

S/O to the Detroit Lions for finally getting it. It may be a little late, but it’s a great confidence builder for 2011 and beyond. Detroit just made next year’s NFC North a competitive division again.

S/O to Peyton Manning for the most awkward, funniest run I’ve ever seen.

Dude looked like a bobble head out there. Fantasy football owners are beyond pissed that he didn’t score, but that slide was epic! I never knew you had it in you, Pey-Pey (yeah.. I just made that up. He needs a nickname for that play alone!).

S/O to the Bengals for knocking the Chargers out of the playoffs. Before I get swarmed with, “I can’t believe you” and , “You’re rooting against your boo, Philip Rivers?”, let me say this. Cincinnati did everyone else in the AFC a favor. No one…. and I mean just that… NO ONE.. wanted to see San Diego in the playoffs. My team included. The fact that Cincy wiped them out of contention is a football godsend. The Chargers would have been a problem. And I don’t feel bad about my thoughts at all.

XP: I hope my boo understands and isn’t mad………. it’s just business, not personal.

S/O to the Arizona Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys for giving us a good game to watch on X-mas night. It usually works that way, 2 bad teams on paper making it interesting. Last year it was the Lions/Browns. this year it was the Cowboys/Cardinals. It must really suck, though, if you’re a Dallas native who dropped your Xmas plans to go to Arizona and witness your team lose to a team that’s badder than you…….

S/O to the Carolina Panthers for winning the #1 overall pick for the 2011 NFL Draft. If you’re gonna suck, you gotta be the best at it, and Carolina was without a doubt the worst team in the league this year. The beauty about parity in the NFL is you can go from garbage to a playoff contender in no time. But for now, it doesn’t hurt that you get first dibs on college’s best because you just can’t get right.

S/O to the NFL for wimping out and canceling last night’s Vikings-Eagles game. The NFL of old would have never canceled a game. I know it’s all about the fan safety and what not… but ask people that attended the Ice Bowl, the Snowplow Game or the Freezer Bowl if they wished they would’ve had the same courtesy. I’m just saying……………….

If you had to caption the fight between 49ers head coach Mike Singletary and QB Troy Smith on the sidelines during yesterday’s game against the Rams, what would you think it was about?

My guess is, it went like this:

Mike Singletary: If you keep throwing dumb ass INTs like that, not only will I bench you right now but I’m gonna cut your ass come tomorrow!

Troy Smith: Cut me?! How are you gonna cut me when your ass is on the chopping block your damn self?!

MS: This isn’t about me….. Right now, I HAVE THE POWER! (In He-Man voice). Don’t make me drop my pants to my knees again, boy!

TS: Old man, sitcho dumb azz down. I promise you, you’ll be gone before me!

Welp… guess which one was right? Bye Bye Singletary……….. It’s been real!

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday!

If any of you follow me on Twitter, my bio says that I’m a Philip Rivers apologist. It’s no secret that I have a healthy obsession of the Chargers star player (No need to get extra protection, Rivers camp LOL!). I get asked a BILLION times a week about what that actually means. I tell them, I love #17 and everything he stands for from a football perspective as well as what he does off-the-field. Since today is his 29th birthday, what better way than to show my gratitude for one of the baddest SOB’s in today’s game.

Many people don’t like Rivers for a number of reasons. Whatever you think of him, an a-hole, a jerk or whatever… there’s more to a guy who I believe is extremely misunderstood. People tend to mistake one’s passion for arrogance or cockiness (which, I have no problem with that either, as long as the results show). But there’s more to Rivers than football. Here are some little known facts why maybe…. just maybe… you should give him a second chance.

He’s the ultimate ride-or-die competitor. I could give his numbers, how well he’s played since taking over the QB position in 2006, his projected 2010 numbers and his MVP candidacy for the season. But if you ever need a reminder of how much a leader this guy is, always go back to the 2007 season, when he tore his ACL during the playoffs. Rivers continued to play in the AFC Championship game with the injury. The same projected “douchebag” is the same guy that doesn’t even use curse words when expressing himself. Chargers teammate Shaun Phillips once said that there are 3 things that best describes Rivers: Faith, Family And Football. Phillips also says there isn’t one guy on the team that doesn’t like Rivers and confirms that the Cutler-Rivers feud was sparked by Cutler, not Rivers, but only Rivers was caught on camera.

Contrary to his bad boy rep in the league, Rivers is nothing of the sort at home. I guess in the offseason, Rivers is a busy, busy man. Married to wife Tiffany, the Rivers clan has a nice little Starting 5. Four daughters and son, Rivers is well known as a family man around Alabama. He’s a devoted Catholic that comes from a tight knit family and his father, Steve, was his coach in HS.

Because of Rivers’ close family background, Rivers started the Rivers Of Hope Foundation, which helps children in foster care find permanent loving homes as well as help develop and coordinate resources and programs to create community awareness, recruit adoptive families, provide financial aid for adoption and assistance for foster children and orphans.

I know this won’t change the minds of many (Colts and Broncos fans in particular, but you can’t win them all), but sometimes it takes a different perspective to show you more about a person. You don’t even have to like Rivers on a personal level, but his numbers make you respect what he does on Sundays. Will he ever win a ring? Hard to say, considering head coach Norv Turner doesn’t have a history of playoff success. But if ever you needed a key player on your team, Philip Rivers is “that guy” you want on your team. This year, he’s played with guys we’ve never even heard of, yet he’s won with them catching his passes. That’s what great players do- win against the odds. All he needs is a ring to solidify his greatness.

The miseducation of Philip Rivers will never go away. But maybe this will at least give you a different side of him, one that’s never talked about. A family guy and a great player, this is why he’s one of my favorite players! Happy Birthday to you!

It depends on who you ask. If you ask some writers, fans and probably other players and coaches, the problem is Cushing may no longer be on any banned substances to help his game. But if you ask Cushing’s dad, that’s the furthest thing from the truth.

Houston Chronicle’s Lance Zierlein posted a blog and hinted that Cushing’s average play may be from lack of substances that he may have used last year, in which Cushing was suspended for 4 games. Well, Cushing’s dad did what most parents would do, came in to defend his son. In a letter he wrote to Zierlein, Frank Cushing sent him a big rebuttal on his son:

“Lance, I am Brian Cushing’s father and proud of it.

Do you still believe in BP, Enron, Wall Street, Weapons of Mass Destruction, and all the corporations that feed the American public like the NFL?

Do you know the NFL’s testing procedures? Do you know what happened at the appeal’s meeting in Indy? What was his score? Do you know the agreement for further testing and the scores?

Do you know that his nutrionist is the New York Jets nutrionist since college?

Amazing that you take one side and hang a clean cut kid!

Do you know that his score was a passing score 2 years ago and the NFL doctor didn’t know that the Lab Man from Ohio State (USC 38, OS 3) dropped the passing grade from 10 to 6 (-40%).

Do you know that one of the finest medical school’s in US tested him and stated that they found no indication he ever used steroids and/or performance enhancing drugs?

Do you know that he passed an ex-FBI lie detector test in Denver on this subject?

Do you know that the NFL blew off a 4 hour presentation by the former head of Houston medical school and the top HCG doctor in US, who stated Cushing was clean?

If you want the facts and the truth are home phone number is xxx-xxx-xxxx. We will be back in NJ from Thursday on!

I’ve got your number and will call you after Thursday. However, your representation that I “[hung] a clean cut kid” seems a little over the top, doesn’t it? I pointed out that his play from this last year to this year has fallen off noticeably and if he doesn’t get back to the level of play that we saw last year, Bob McNair is going to start to question people and want answers. As I’ve said all along, if he still plays like the same Brian Cushing that we all loved last year, I was fine with it. His level of play is going to be the ultimate indicator to the fans about whether or not he had help with his performance. If he plays balls-out like in 2009, nobody will care about the suspension and, in fact, people will start to wonder if the entire HCG thing was overblown.

I know what a nutrition and workout freak Cushing is…. he’s legendary for that within NFL scouting circles pre-draft. I’m not sure what that has to do with any of the things I talked about. He loves playing football and the Texans need more of that, but he has to play like the Cushing from last year. He has to or people are going to look at him and judge him with a suspicious, if not condemning, eye. That’s the nature of everyone now as it pertains to PEDs or suspicion of PEDs. Nobody in Houston is against your son, but unfortunately, he has a microscope on him and he needs to play really well right now not only to back fans off from thinking the worse, but also because most of us believe that he is the best player on the defense.”

Oh………………. okay!

Look….. Cushing’s dad is protecting his son, but he can’t be mad for the assumption. His son tested positive for HGC (a fertility drug that is banned amongst the league) and had his Defensive Rookie Of The Year award in major jeopardy as a result (the award was re-voted and Cushing kept the title). Last year, Cushing had 86 tackles for the entire season. This year, while he’s only played in 4 games due to the suspension, he has a total of 15 tackles….. FIFTEEN!!! Less than 4 tackles a game. Is questioning his play a little premature? Possibly, but I don’t think it  is out of reach, either.

The Cushing story is eerily leaning to be a Shawne Merriman Part Deux type-story. Merriman won the DPOY back in 2005, had a great 2006 season but was suspended midway through due to a failed drug test in which he tested positive for steroids.

While Merriman finished the 2006 season very strong with 17 sacks, Merriman never really regained his 2006 form. Injuries and lack of production finally sent Merriman to the NFL waiver line and the Buffalo Bills picked him up just recently.

Not saying that this is Cushing’s fate, but the similarities are there. As a parent, we all want to defend our children. But it’s kinda hard to do that when a guy tested positive and, ironically, hasn’t played at a high level since returning to his team.

So what’s really wrong with Brian Cushing??? You be the judge.

The Miami Dolphins came into M&T Bank Stadium yesterday as road warriors and left with a .500, thanks to my Ravens. I told folks, the Ravens have one of the best home records in the league and they had every intention on keeping it that way. The game should have been put away earlier than it was, with the Ravens leaving at LEAST 10 pts on the field, but a win is a win. Being 6-2 with room for improvement isn’t a bad thing, especially in the AFC. But I’ll take a “W” any way possible.

OT: The drama between the Ravens and Dolphins OFF the field was way more interesting than the game itself. Between Derrick Mason spewing ether to Channing Crowder after being called an old man, to Crowder saying that Ravens FB Le’Ron McClain spat in his face while using Anne Frank/Helen Keller  references to make a point was just madness. McClain claims he didn’t spit on him, but after watching the replay it looks like he may have. If that’s the case, than that’s as low as you can get. Being spit on is probably the worst thing that can happen to someone. It’s unacceptable and shouldn’t be tolerated, no matter how much of a jerk Crowder can be.

I know Patriots fans are stunned that they lost to the Browns. But I’m not. Listen, the Browns aren’t a bad team. They just don’t have as much talent as some other teams. But they have good players on both the offensive and defensive lines, a mobile QB in Colt McCoy, a BEAST of a RB in Peyton Hillis and a great all-purpose player in Josh Cribbs. Maybe it’s time to stop sleeping behind the wheel when it comes to the Browns. They have the potential to at LEAST play spoiler for the rest of the season.

OT: This picture.. I couldn’t leave it without adding a caption… Priceless!

Mike Vick is well on his way to being one of the top QBs in this league. The maturation of Vick’s play has been a joy to watch. He’s standing in the pocket, waiting for receivers to get open, allowing the play to unfold without thinking, “Run” when things don’t go his way, right away. It’s a beautiful thing to see a guy redeem himself after all he’s been through. I’m happy for him and for the Eagles.

On the other side, I blame the Colts loss on those Baltimore throwbacks they had on. The football gods were not pleased with the wardrobe selection.

Who is Jacoby Ford? We found out that answer yesterday, as Ford had a coming out party of sorts  in the Raiders 23-20 OT victory over the Chiefs. Ford had 6 receptions for 148 yards, including a HUGE 47-yard catch that led to the winning FG. He also had a 94 yard kickoff-return for a TD.

This is what I love about the NFL. You have guys that are hungry and when they get their shot, they come out and produce. There’s nothing better than saying, “Who the hell is that?” and cheering all at once. It’s the beauty of it all. Congrats to the Raiders, they are playing real good ball right now.

Chicago and NY Jets: You got real lucky! That’s all I have to say about that.

Buffalo:

NY Giants: I’m sorry I ever doubted you. You are on a mission right now, and you’re playing some of the best football in the league.

The Vikings won, but nothings changed. Childress is still Enemy #1 in Minnesota. He’s getting into fights with his players, he’s lost his locker room and Vikings fans are turning their backs on him. I don’t know how much time Childress has left, but it can’t be long. Lame duck coach is an understatement. He and Wade Phillips are Dead Men Walking.

Speaking of Wade Phillips, it has to be hard to see your team has literally quit on you. A news conference is scheduled at 5pm today, and my guess is Phillips finally gets sent his walking papers. After that 45-7 debacle against Green Bay, I’m sure Wade can’t wait to get out of dodge (or Dallas, in this case). You know it’s bad when Redskins fans can’t even crack jokes on the Cowboys anymore. It’s become pathetic.

Before I go, let me say this. If you don’t think Philip Rivers is a Top 5 QB now, then you’re on that 4Loko drink real heavy. He beat the Texans with a WR core that none of you ever even heard of. Who the hell is Seyi Ajirotutu??? If you go to ESPN right now and look him up, he doesn’t even have a picture next to his name. But all he did was come in, mainly because the Chargers were depleted in WRs, and have 4 receptions for 111 yards and 2 TDs. You don’t have to like Rivers. But you damn sure gotta give him his props. And on that note…… I’m done! *drops mic*