Matchmaker, matchmaker ...

Bowl season has started and I'm sure we'll be bombarded in the near future with stats about how different conferences do in the bowls. I'd just as soon not see another such stat because they are, for the most part, meaningless in comparing conferences. If you want to know how many wins and losses teams in a given conference had in the bowls, it's a great source of info ... but who really wants to know those facts?

As a student at a Big 12 institution, I'll look at the Big 12 matchups. But, first, I'll rank the Big 12 schools as I see them. OU is #1, having won the Big 12. Texas is #2. Nebraska and A&M are 3a and 3b. Texas Tech and Missouri are 5th and 6th, followed by bowl eligible OSU, KSU and KU.

What are the matchups?

1. Oklahoma v. Boise State
2. Nebraska v. Auburn
3. Texas A&M v. California
4. Texas v. Iowa
5. Missouri v. Oregon State
6. Texas Tech v. Minnesota
7. Oklahoma State v. Alabama
8. Kansas State v. Rutgers
9. Kansas ... snubbed.

I don't have any problem with the OU v. Boise State BCS matchup ... that's what those people decided to do with the Big 12 champ. However, some of the other bowl games are going to be a problem for the Big 12 and part of the problem is that Texas is matched up not with Auburn in the Cotton Bowl or Cal in the Holiday Bowl, but with Iowa in the Alamo Bowl. Iowa is 6-6, 2-6 in conference. Texas would probably only have 1 loss (to Ohio State no less) if Colt McCoy didn't hurt his shoulder against Kansas State. Texas, not Nebraska, should be playing Auburn in Dallas. Iowa does not deserve a game against the Longhorns.

And, why is K-State playing Rutgers? Slide Texas in against Auburn and put Nebraska up against Rutgers. That makes a lot more sense to me. Or, at least put the TTU Red Raiders up against the Scarlet Knights. That's a good matchup.

You may or may not be following me at this point, so I'll summarize. Conference bowl records aren't very meaningful in determining strength of conferences because the matchmaking process is so flawed. OU should beat Boise State, I think, but it seems like a reasonable matchup. Auburn should beat the 'Huskers. A&M v. Cal is equitable on paper. UT should rout the Hawkeyes in San Antonio. Missouri will probably be an underdog against the Beavers. I haven't seen much of Minnesota or Alabama, but the Big 12 should get a win out of those two. Finally, K-State should probably lose to Rutgers. I'll give OU, A&M, TTU and Oklahoma State half a win each and UT a win. I'll also give Missouri some credit with 1/3 of a win. That would make 3 1/3 out of 8. So, 3-5 is reasonable given the matchups. Or, 4-4 would also be reasonable.

What if we rearrange?

1. OU v. Boise State
2. UT v. Auburn
3. A&M v. Cal
4. Nebraska v. Rutgers
5. Missouri v. Oregon State
6. Texas Tech v. Iowa
7. Oklahoma State v. Alabama
8. Kansas State v. Minnesota

I could see any of those games going either way ... the Big 12 might end up 8-0 or they might go 0-8. But, if they go 4-4, or even 6-2, you still have to look at the individual results to see which conference is the best. If they go 6-2 but OU and UT get blown out, that's not a good sign for the conference because the elite teams lost. But, if OU, UT, and A&M beat BSU, Auburn and Cal but the other 5 lost, would that be so bad? Unfortunately, the Big 12 is wasting its most talented team on an underachieving Iowa squad while they are overmatched in more high-profile matchups. Oh well ... so goes college football.

On the Catfight in the Garden

When it comes to the Nuggets v. Knicks fight most people are in one of two camps: a) they say Knicks Coach Isiah Thomas is to blame for ordering hard fouls or b) they say Nuggets Coach George Karl is to blame for running up the score. Some people think both are culpable to some extent, but I don't find fence riding to be all that comfortable.

The problem is Isiah Thomas. I don't care if George Karl was trying to run up the score. I don't care if he was pressing up 20 with 10 seconds left. I wouldn't have cared if he called a time out with 1.4 seconds left to set up a play so the Nuggets could bury the Knicks just a little deeper. This is professional basketball. This isn't college. It's not high school. It's definitely not a recreational church league. If the Knicks don't want to get embarrassed, they should play better. The Knicks have a lot of talent ... Marbury, Francis, Curry, Frye, Crawford, etc. The problem is the way Thomas assembled the team in the first place ... that and the lack of commitment to team play by the guards and conditioning by the big men (Curry and Jerome James). Speaking of James, what kind of idiot gives a player who's battled weight issues $30 million over 5 years when his only worthwhile performances were in the playoffs at the end of a free agent year?

Under no circumstances is it ok to order intentional hard fouls from the bench. If Mardy Collins does it on his own, fine. It's like Ozzie Guillen ordering a pitcher to throw at a batter and then demoting said pitcher after the game because he missed. If Thomas has a problem with Karl then he should give him a call or even confront him in the tunnel. Don't tell a rookie (whose playing time you control) to take out your frustrations on the opposing team.

While I'm getting to the bottom of this, I'm going to pass over Collins and Smith (who was fouled). Smith acted as almost any NBA player would have and took exception to the hard foul. The problem was that Nate Robinson agitated the situation. As big a part as Thomas had in the fight, Robinson was right there with him. As soon as Robinson instigated the fracas, all bets are off. Anything that happens after that should fall squarely on the shoulders of Robinson and Thomas because they created the flare up.

If someone throws a punch at you and you block it and then you knock them out with a punch to their face that they aren't able to deflect, should you get in trouble? What happened to them was a direct result of something they did. That's why the person who acts first should get the penalty in football (offsetting penalties for personal fouls are B.S.).

George Karl may have been trying to run up the score against the Knicks. Or, he may have been concerned about blowing a lead late. It may have been a little of both. However, arguments that he should have taken Carmelo out with two minutes left to rest him are ridiculous. Sitting out the last two minutes of a game isn't going to significantly benefit Anthony. Whatever Karl's reason was for leaving his big guns in the game, he had every right to do that. Thomas crossed the line by threatening Anthony and protecting his players after a horrible incident. For that, he should be punished more severely than any of the players, aside from maybe Nate Robinson.

NFL Week 15 Power Rankings

		Record	Best	Worst	Comment
1	Was	5-9	1	30	Madden curse? SI jinx? The problem has been teams listed at #1 in the There's a Catch Power Rankings. Indy held down the fort early in the season, after Pittsburgh and Jacksonville coughed it up. It's hard to see Washington beating St. Louis and the Giants the next two weeks, especially with their ego inflated larger than Tom Cruise's after their climb to the top.
2	Ten	7-7	2	30	The Titans might lose their last two and will not make the playoffs, but it was a great year nonetheless.
3	Buf	7-7	3	29	The Bills, like the Titans, are lurking just out of the playoffs currently. Something has to change ... we can't have three non-playoff teams in the top 3!
4	Ind	11-3	1	30	Indy is right where they belong after a win over Cincy. Right now, they're probably behind the Chargers and right up there with Baltimore as the best teams in the league.
5	Mia	6-8	2	32	I'm going to help Nick Saban here and put out a call for some offense. Ronnie Brown is gaining less than 4 ypc and Joey Harrington's QB rating is worse than the number Daunte Culpepper posted.
6	Den	8-6	4	22	The AFC WC picture is a mess, with 4 teams at 8-6 and 4 more at 7-7. A quick aside, the AFC standings are amazing. Each of the four divisions has one 8-6 team and one 7-7 team. Each of the divisions has one team with at least 10 wins and one with at least 8 losses. Two of the divisions have the leader at 11-3 and the cellar-dweller at 4-10. The Pats have just 10 wins, but Miami has 6. The Chargers are the top AFC team at 12-2, but they are offset by Oakland at 2-12. Amazing. Anyway, Denver's in with wins over Cincy and SF ... so pencil them in if they take care of the Bengals. Yes, I did say pencil!
7	Chi	12-2	2	32	Da Bears have clinched home field in the NFC ... might it be time to give Grossman a couple weeks off and get Griese ready in case something happens to Rex in the playoffs?
8	SD	12-2	8	19	Uh oh LT, the Seahawks and Cardinals are on the schedule. Everyone knows those NFC West teams possess some of the best defenses in the league (if you didn't catch the sarcasm, please stop reading and do not bookmark this site).
9	Pit	7-7	1	27	I've been looking to proclaim the death of the Steelers' season for some time now, but they've been keeping their head just above water. I have faith that games against division foes Baltimore and Cincy will finish them off.
10	NYJ	8-6	5	29	Pencil the Jets in at the other WC spot. I like their path against Miami and Oakland better than Cincy's Denver-Pittsburgh challenge and the Jags' path through NE and KC.
11	SF	6-8	4	27	A win against Arizona will put some pressure on Seattle. However, like the Titans' season, this year in SF has shown that there may be light at the end of the tunnel.
12	Bal	11-3	4	20	I'm sure Big Ben and Fast Willie are excited about the timing of Ray Lewis' Pro Bowl snub!
13	Dal	9-5	1	30	Speaking of Pro Bowl snubs, what about TO? And, speaking of Pro Bowl voting, why is it done before the end of the season? The Pro Bowl isn't until after the Super Bowl!
14	Cle	4-10	9	31	Browns could end the season with a two game winning streak.
15	Jax	8-6	1	25	With a chance to secure their spot in the WC hunt, the Jags give up 24 points without the Tennessee offense getting into the end zone. Jacksonville could be dangerous in the post-season, but I'm wondering if it wouldn't be better if they missed the playoffs and had a sour taste in their mouths for a year.
16	NE	10-4	3	26	Top WR is Reche Caldwell. Explain to me again (or for the first time, maybe) why they didn't pony up for Deion Branch. Don't break the bank, but Reche Caldwell?
17	KC	7-7	9	22	Would the season have been different if Damon Huard was still under center?
18	Cin	8-6	4	20	Just when you think the Bengals are turning the corner ... they still have a shot, but it's not Miami and Oakland awaiting them.
19	Atl	7-7	6	27	Schaub looked good, in limited action. You can't play Vick if his mobility is compromised ... what's better a) Vick when he can't run or b) Schaub? I'm taking option b in a landslide!
20	TB	3-11	10	20	Tampa might have something to play for. There's a chance they could give SF a chance to take the NFC West by beating Seattle in week 17. Yes, I'm saying there's a chance.
21	Ari	4-10	6	31	Does anyone want James? Would they get rid of him?
22	Min	6-8	7	29	Drew Bledsoe should take some notes from Brad Johnson on how to be a professional.
23	GB	6-8	22	29	Is the Brett Favre retirement talk really starting up already?
24	Hou	4-10	8	32	Adrian Peterson?
25	Phi	8-6	4	30	Three wins in a row. What's the big deal with McNabb?
26	Sea	8-6	2	28	They've allowed 19 more points than they've scored. They're 3-3 against the NFC West trio of St. Louis, SF and Arizona. Yet, they're capable of winning the NFC. I'm looking forward to that AFC Championship Game.
27	NO	9-5	1	31	Brees is having a good season, but he's not the MVP ... especially after that pitiful showing against Washington. That is a game you can't afford to lose as you battle for a bye.
28	StL	6-8	4	29	The Rams could make it to 8-8. Will that get them into the playoffs?
29	Oak	2-12	21	31	Why waste assets like Jerry Porter and Randy Moss? Ronald Curry has more catches and yards than Porter and Moss combined, although Porter has just 1 for 19 yards. It'll be interesting to see if they address their issues in the off-season instead of stabbing in the dark for ridiculous quick fix solutions.
30	NYG	7-7	3	32	I thought shit would hit the fan in NY with the loss to the Eagles. Maybe it did, but I didn't hear about it.
31	Det	2-12	6	31	Detroit is right where they belong. It was nice of the assistant coach to deflect criticism from their horrible play with his ridiculous escapades. Maurice Clarett catches a lot of flack over the way he flamed out, but former USC WR Mike Williams has 4 catches for 49 yards. That's a nice half. He's more Korleone Young than Kevin Garnett, though. Who Young? Exactly!
32	Car	6-8	6	32	A fitting place for the underachieving Carolina Panthers. Fighting for a playoff spot, they get spanked by Pittsburgh. They have the potential to cause problems in January ... they also have the potential to stink it up and wind up dead last in the power rankings.

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Week 14

NFL Week 14 Power Rankings

		Record	Best	Worst	Comment
1	NO	9-4	1	31	NO is the new number 1. They look like the class of the NFC due to the thunder and lighting of Deuce and Reggie and the MVP-level play of their QB.
2	Jax	8-5	1	25	The Jags have the makings of a team that could make a Super Bowl charge. They're like the Bears of the AFC, but their QB takes care of the ball.
3	Mia	6-7	2	32	Who's the Dolphins #1 QB heading into 2007?
4	Cin	8-5	4	20	Cincy is looking more and more like the team everyone thought they'd be ... I just hope they have enough people out of jail to field a squad after the holidays.
5	Buf	6-7	5	29	Another sub-.500 AFC East team in the top 5. The AFC might just be the NL West of the NFL.
6	Ari	4-9	6	31	Will the Cardinals build on late-season success next season?
7	Chi	11-2	2	32	Rex Grossman was solid against the Rams, but he didn't turn any corners. He managed the game competently and I'm reserving praise until he wins a couple playoff games.
8	SD	11-2	8	19	Chargers are the top team in the league right now and LT is your MVP.
9	Pit	6-7	1	27	Pittsburgh has been digging, but they buried themselves too deep early.
10	NYJ	7-6	5	29	Minnesota, Miami and Oakland to round out the season. The Jets have no one to blame but themselves if they don't make the playoffs. They should have won last week and should win the next 3 to end up 10-6.
11	Sea	8-5	2	28	Did the Seahawks avoid the Super Bowl hangover or is the NFC just so bad that the Hawks can win lackadaisically? I'm taking the latter.
12	Cle	4-9	9	31	They're 4-4 against teams that aren't in their division ... that's a plus. Maybe they should petition the league for a switch.
13	Atl	7-6	6	27	I like the idea of Vick lining up at RB a little, but I've always thought Schaub deserved a chance to play more.
14	Bal	10-3	4	20	The Ravens are on the not-so-short list of AFC teams capable of winning it all.
15	Ten	6-7	8	30	How many Texans fans were suicidal after watching Vince Young run 39 yards for the walk-off OT TD? How many Texans fans are there, period?
16	NE	9-4	3	26	Only Tom Brady gets praised for his leadership the week after being blasted by the Dolphins and throwing for less than 100 yards. It's good to be the golden boy, apparently.
17	KC	7-6	9	22	Sorry Chiefs, but remaining games with San Diego and Jacksonville don't help the chances of KC making the playoffs.
18	Ind	10-3	1	30	Indy hasn't been great all year and now they're losing games. If this thing bursts into flames, it might be time to dismantle and rebuild from scratch around #18.
19	Dal	8-5	1	30	If everyone is tired of talking about TO, why is everyone talking about TO?
20	TB	3-10	10	20	The Bucs are 0-6 in the division ... maybe they should switch with the Browns.
21	Den	7-6	4	22	At least Denver is tanking with the future at QB.
22	Min	6-7	7	29	If the Vikes can take care of the Jets, they have a shot to get into the post-season in the anemic NFC.
23	GB	5-8	22	29	Favre and the Pack can damage Minnesota's chances in week 16 at Lambeau.
24	Hou	4-9	8	32	You can't let Vince Young beat you like that in Houston.
25	Phi	7-6	4	30	I'm torn. I hate the Eagles, but I'd like to see Garcia win some games and show that McNabb just might be overrated.
26	SF	5-8	4	27	Talk of firing Nolan is ridiculous. SF was so bad recently that any improvement should be celebrated. SF was purgatory just a couple years ago. It's not the 80's and early 90's anymore!
27	Was	4-9	3	30	Counting down the days until free agency begins and Snyder gets out his checkbook!
28	Oak	2-11	21	31	Who would Oakland take #1? Calvin Johnson would be a good fit if Oakland finallly ships out Porter and Moss. Brady Quinn? Does anyone else have questions about Quinn's arm strength?
29	StL	5-8	4	29	Speaking of teams going in the tank.
30	NYG	7-6	3	32	The Giants, Eagles and Cowboys are tight coming down the home stretch ... hopefully, one of the three will take this thing, rather than have one limp in pathetically.
31	Det	2-11	6	31	Who would Detroit take #1? Brady Quinn seems like a "good fit".
32	Car	6-7	6	32	Carolina shouldn't be here. At some point, the inconsistency has to come back to John Fox, right?

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Week 13

Pilfering the Rams

Monday Night Football is nothing but trouble. Any Bears fans have a list of grievances against the officials? Because, from my mostly impartial perspective, the Rams took the brunt of it, including two head-scratcher holding penalties against defensive lineman. But there were two important calls in particular that especially hurt their chances.

With thirty-five seconds left in the first half, Isaac Bruce slid out of bounds untouched. But, for some reason, the officials decided the clock should run, and the Rams had to waste a play, and fifteen seconds, stopping it. They took one shot at the end zone and then had to settle for a missed field goal attempt as time ran out. Because untouched, he was not technically down until he touched the sideline. Therefore, he was clearly out of bounds. (In fact, the play-by-play recap at NFL.com says "M.Bulger pass deep right to I.Bruce ran ob at CHI 23 for 24 yards". And yet.)

In the second half, the Rams sacked Rex Grossman and the ball came loose, recovered by St. Louis. But, after a review, the referee ruled Grossman's arm was moving forward, so it was an incomplete pass.

There are two problems with this. First, his arm was only moving forward because he was hit from behind. Duh! Where else was it going to go? Second, if he did attempt a pass and throw it into the ground while he was still in the pocket, then the correct ruling would be intentional grounding. The Rams not only got screwed out of a turnover here, but they also were stuck with the worst possible outcome—loss of down, for the Bears, but no change of field position. The Bears went on to score a touchdown on the drive, I believe.

Digression: this is clearly a problematic ruling. If the quarterback decides to throw the ball down before he gets sacked, then it's intentional grounding, and the outcome is the same as if he had been sacked. But if he actually gets sacked, and loses the ball in the process, then it's just an incomplete pass? How is that fair?

If you put both of these problematic calls together and take them to their logical conclusions, you take seven points away from the Bears and add as many as fourteen for the Rams. Damn the officials, once again. It wasn't even a close game, it seemed. But it should have been.

Kick Catch Interference?

With 12:42 left in the 3rd quarter of the game between the Ravens and the Chiefs, Baltimore was flagged for interferring with Dante Hall on a punt. The player didn't touch Hall, but it was ruled that the Raven prevented Hall from the opportunity to make the catch.

The referee's justification was: "the punt returner has to have a free opportunity to get to the ball, there doesn't have to be contact."

That isn't a good rule. In fact, it's an awful rule with a huge loop hole. Dante Hall had plenty of opportunity to get to the spot where the ball was going to land. He just didn't get there fast enough. Is the gunner on the outside supposed to keep track not only of where the returner is, but of where the ball is in the air and where the returner might try to get to catch the ball? Remember, there is someone trying to block the gunner the entire way to keep him from getting downfield. I think you're asking way too much!

What's the loop hole? Well, precisely what Dante Hall did. The returner can just lolly gag around then run through traffic at the last second attempting to get to where the ball is coming down. It's a great way to get 15 yards tacked on even when the defense has good coverage.

I'm all for protecting the punt returners and not having them decapitated waiting for balls to come down. However, 15 yards when there isn't any contact is excessive, and it's Hall's fault there was a problem. He didn't get into position to make the catch in a timely manner. A lot of times, returners who don't get into position just let the ball bounce, which is what happened on that play. Kick catch interference should be reserved for situations when the returner is interferred with when he is attempting to make the catch and shouldn't be called when the returner is trying to move into position to catch the ball. The defenders shouldn't be allowed to obviously impede the progress of the returner towards the ball, but they shouldn't be expected to know where the guy is trying to go and part the seas to allow him to get there.

The call may have been the correct one given the current rules. However, that rule should be looked at (and changed) in the off-season because it is ridiculous!

NFL Week 13 Power Rankings

		Record	Best	Worst	Comment
1	Dal	8-4	1	30	Romo and Automatica have Dallas 2 up with 4 to play. D that's 3rd in the NFC in points allowed isn't bad either.
2	Jax	7-5	1	25	Jags top the 5 AFC wild card hopefuls sitting at 7-5 currently.
3	NE	9-3	3	26	After another impressive win, this time a comeback over the star-laden Detroit Lions, the Pats have the gauntlet awaiting, with Miami, Houston, Jax, and Tennessee.
4	Cin	7-5	4	20	The 3rd highest scoring AFC team sits at 7-5 (8-4 without Justin Smith's roughing the passer). Without the sissification of the NFL this year, they'd be breathing down the Ravens' necks. As is, they're 2 back with 4 to go, as are 5 other teams.
5	NYJ	7-5	5	29	Jets look good for a playoff spot, they play Buffalo, Minnesota, Miami and Oakland to close it out.
6	Ari	3-9	6	31	Big games in Arizona in January won't involve the Cardinals.
7	Chi	10-2	2	32	The Bears won their division. Imagine if they were in the AFC. Would the Bears even be a WC team in the AFC? Keep in mind, Chicago is 8-0 vs. the NFC and 2-2 vs. the AFC.
8	SD	10-2	8	19	SD is 3 up in the fairly strong AFC West and is leading the league in PPG by almost 4! Announce it today, LT is the MVP.
9	Cle	4-8	9	31	The Browns are still barely edging out the Steelers for last place in the AFC North. That Thursday nighter should be a fabulous matchup!
10	Buf	5-7	8	29	Buffalo tops the 4 AFC teams with 5 wins. They aren't a factor in the playoff hunt or the race for the 1st draft pick. Oh well, there's always next year ... and the NHL.
11	Sea	8-4	2	28	Seahawks fans need to thank their lucky stars for realignment. Get rid of KC, Denver and SD (plus Oakland) and compete with Arizona, SF, and StL ... what a deal!
12	Pit	5-7	1	27	Big Ben's completion % and avg. yards per attempt are down considerably as compared to his first two years and his INT's are way up. What do the Steelers have? Do they have a good game manager? A superstar? A developing superstar? A flash in the pan?
13	Atl	6-6	6	27	The Falcons are one of 4 NFC teams at 6-6 (which is leading the WC hunt). Tampa, Dallas, Carolina and Philly await. The Panthers and Eagles are also at 6-6 currently, so this should be a race to the finish. Maybe, Vick will throw for 200+ one of these games, something he hasn't done in the last 5 (although it's hard to blame the QB too much when the receivers aren't catching the ball).
14	Bal	9-3	4	20	Ravens need to figure out how to make 1 or 2 big plays on offense a game.
15	Ten	5-7	8	30	VY and the Titans get hot and the Texas Longhorns go in the tank. Pretty cool to watch from Norman.
16	Mia	5-7	2	32	Three of the last four are NE, Indy and NYJ. Is Culpepper going to get another shot? Seems like the Dolphins ought to take a look before the season fades away ... they aren't going anywhere this year.
17	KC	7-5	9	22	KC blew a chance to take the lead in the wild card race against Cleveland. Cleveland! Final four against Baltimore, SD, Oakland and Jacksonville doesn't look promising, especially considering what the Jets have ahead of them.
18	Ind	10-2	1	30	The Colts lose to the Titans and don't move down? Weird. Indy needs to put more points on the board. It's hard to imagine, but it's not the Bears defense running out there with horseshoes on their helmets.
19	NO	8-4	4	31	All the talk is about the Bears and the Cowboys. What about the 8-4 Saints? We should learn a lot as they battle NFC East leader Dallas and wild card contenders Carolina and Philly late in the season. Maybe they'll only win 9 games this year ... that would be right in line with previous seasons (aside from last year immediately after Hurricane Katrina).
20	TB	3-9	10	20	Shouldn't Cadillacs get more than 3.7 YPC?
21	Den	7-5	4	22	It's hard to see Denver beating SD or Cincy playing the way they have been. Here's a question: if Shanahan was willing to sacrifice this year for the future, why not play Jay Cutler all season? It seems to me that Denver would have been better off if Cutler had played right away. There is more margin for error that way.
22	Min	5-7	7	29	Rex tried to give the Vikings their 6th win, but Brad Johnson kept giving it back. Do they still have a shot at the playoffs?
23	SF	5-7	4	27	At 5-7, like the Vikes. 49ers have a shot because they play GB, Seattle and Arizona in their next 3.
24	Hou	4-8	8	32	How do you win a game with -5 passing yards? You play the Oakland Raiders. Carr piled up 32 yards on 7-14, but lost 37 on 5 sacks, apparently.
25	Phi	6-6	4	30	Philly would probably be 5-7 and mailing the season in if the refs hadn't missed an obvious pass interference on a ball intended for Keyshawn that was picked off. When did the league start allowing a DB to shove a WR when the ball is in the air (and it hasn't been tipped)? Oh, they didn't? Then, why can't they get that call right. It was obvious and really hurt the Panthers. You can't come back from something like that because there isn't enough time!
26	GB	4-8	22	29	Should be a high scoring affair against SF. GB is last in points allowed and SF is 2nd to last.
27	Was	4-8	3	30	Is Jason Campbell the future? The Redskins have solid playmakers on offense but they aren't getting the results they need to compete.
28	Oak	2-10	21	31	Five weeks in a row at #28. They're #32 in my book. They beat Pittsburgh earlier this year despite an anemic offense. Then, they lose to the Texans giving up less than 150 yards of offense. Just four more games guys, just four more.
29	StL	5-7	4	29	The Rams could have moved into a tie for the WC lead with a win against the Cardinals. Emphasis on the words could have!
30	Car	6-6	6	30	Jake's 1st INT was bad quarterbacking. His 2nd was bad officiating. Why is PI a judgment call? I'm pretty sure shoving a WR is cut and dry PI ... but I also thought OU should have got the ball at the end of the OU v. Oregon game.
31	Det	2-10	6	31	Will the Lions be tempted by the talents of GA Tech WR Calvin Johnson in the 1st round?
32	NYG	6-6	3	32	The Giants are still hanging out at the bottom, having lost 4 in a row. But, there is no place to go but up and they're still in the playoff race. Now, if Michael Strahan would just shut up and get back on the field they might be in business. It would help if Plaxico tried to break up potential interceptions instead of sulk about Manning's inability to get the ball to him, too.

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Week 12

Defending the BCS?

I'm not going to do it. The idea that the BCS is a success because it matches Ohio State and Florida up instead of having Ohio State play USC in the Rose Bowl, as would have happened previously, is disturbing to me. Sure, it's better than the previous system, but what would you think if someone walked up to you and said "Do you want me to shoot you in the foot or the head?" Is there any chance I can get you not to shoot me at all?

Let's say your son gets a 13% on his first chemistry exam at college. Then, he improves to 20% on the 2nd exam. It's better, but it's not good. In fact, it's still really bad.

Just because the previous system wasn't good doesn't mean that the BCS, which is an improvement, is a good system. It isn't. It shouldn't be defended, at least as long as we aren't able to figure out who the best teams are during the regular season.

Pass interference in review

I set out to suggest that the NFL's policy that certain calls are not reviewable using instant replay is nonsensical. The rules are clear, I thought, even about roughing the passer and pass interference. Why can't the referee review those calls?

Then I looked at the NFL Digest of Rules. In particular, here is the section on pass interference:

1. There shall be no interference with a forward pass thrown from behind the line. The restriction for the passing team starts with the snap. The restriction on the defensive team starts when the ball leaves the passer's hand. Both restrictions end when the ball is touched by anyone.

2. The penalty for defensive pass interference is an automatic first down at the spot of the foul. If interference is in the end zone, it is first down for the offense on the defense's 1-yard line. If previous spot was inside the defense's 1-yard line, penalty is half the distance to the goal line.

3. The penalty for offensive pass interference is 10 yards from the previous spot.

4. It is pass interference by either team when any player movement beyond the offensive line significantly hinders the progress of an eligible player or such player's opportunity to catch the ball Offensive pass interference rules apply from the time the ball is snapped to the time the ball is touched Defensive pass interference rules apply from the time the ball is thrown until the ball is touched.

Actions that constitute defensive pass interference include but are not limited to:

(a) Contact by a defender who is not playing the ball and such contact restricts the receiver's opportunity to make the catch.
(b) Playing through the back of a receiver in an attempt to make a play on the ball.
(c) Grabbing a receiver's arm(s) in such a manner that restricts his opportunity to catch a pass.
(d) Extending an arm across the body of a receiver thus restricting his ability to catch a pass, regardless of whether the defender is playing the ball.
(e) Cutting off the path of a receiver by making contact with him without playing the ball.
(f) Hooking the receiver in an attempt to get to the ball in such a manner that it causes the receiver's body to turn prior to the ball arriving.

Actions that do not constitute pass interference include but are not limited to:

(a) Incidental contact by a defender's hands, arms, or body when both players are competing for the ball, or neither player is looking for the ball. If there is any question whether contact is incidental, the ruling shall be no interference.
(b) Inadvertent tangling of feet when both players are playing the ball or neither player is playing the ball.
(c) Contact that would normally be considered pass interference, but the pass is clearly uncatchable by the involved players.
(d) Laying a hand on the receiver that does not restrict the receiver in an attempt to make a play on the ball.
(e) Contact by a defender who has gained position on a receiver in an attempt to catch the ball.

Actions that constitute offensive pass interference include but are not limited to:

(a) Blocking downfield by an offensive player prior to the ball being touched.
(b) Initiating contact with a defender by shoving or pushing off thus creating a separation in an attempt to catch a pass.
(c) Driving through a defender who has established a position on the field.

Actions that do not constitute offensive pass interference include but are not limited to:

(a) Incidental contact by a receiver's hands, arms, or body when both players are competing for the ball or neither player is looking for the ball.
(b) Inadvertent touching of feet when both players are playing the ball or neither player is playing the ball.
(c) Contact that would normally be considered pass interference, but the ball is clearly uncatchable by the involved players.

Notes:
1: If there is any question whether player contact is incidental, the ruling should be no interference.
2: Defensive players have as much right to the path of the ball as eligible offensive players.
3: Pass interference for both teams ends when the pass is touched.
4: There can be no pass interference behind or at the line of scrimmage, but defensive actions such as tackling the receiver can still result in a 5-yard penalty for defensive holding if accepted.
5: Whenever a team presents an apparent punting formation, defensive pass interference is not to be called for action on the end man at the line of scrimmage, or an eligible receiver behind the line of scrimmage who is aligned or in motion more than one yard outside the end man of the line. Defensive holding, such as tackling the receiver, can still be called and result in a 5-yard penalty from the previous spot, if accepted. Offensive pass interference rules still apply.

And that's just the digest! Now, I understand why pass interference is not reviewable. Put all these rules together and what do you get? It's a judgment call!

In particular, consider the play that led to the game-ending interception in Monday night's contest between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Carolina Panthers. Jake Delhomme lobbed a pass to the corner of the endzone, intended for Keyshawn Johnson, that was intercepted by Lito Sheppard. The replay showed that Sheppard held Johnson up inside the endzone, and then pushed off and jumped backwards to catch the ball.

The line of scrimmage was the seven, and the ball was in the air, so it's clearly a case of pass interference, right? I thought so. But the rule digest says that "Contact by a defender who has gained position on a receiver in an attempt to catch the ball" is an example of an action that does not constitute pass interference. Well, Sheppard certainly had position, and he pushed off so that he, and not Keyshawn, could catch the ball. Case closed. It's allowed.

What?! No! Whatever that exception is supposed to mean, it can't possibly apply in this case, can it? No wonder the officials make so many mistakes. They've been asked to do an impossible job—enforce a mutually contradictory set of rules.

On the Bears and the Fox Crew

Last week, I was critical of Darryl Johnston for his criticism of Michael Vick on a particular play. This week, I'm shifting the focus to his partner, play-by-play man Dick Stockton. After a short completion to the FB by Chicago QB Rex Grossman, Stockton announced something preposterous: "you can see that the Chicago Bears, who have been hanging in there in a close game taking advantage of these defensive plays, now getting some rhythm going."

Stockton didn't realize that the ballcarrier stepped out-of-bounds short of the first down. But, even if he had made it as far as Stockton did, the idea that Grossman completing his 4th pass out of 13 attempts signifies anything is ridiculous. It was a short, easy throw and with less than 4 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, the Bears didn't have 100 yards on offense yet.

Then, Tony Siragusa (the on-field part of the trio) chimed in: "Well, I'm really surprised they're leaving Rex Grossman in the pocket, even throwing these short passes. He did so much better in the first quarter getting on the edge on the dashes and out of the pocket where he can see more and he has better passing lanes down the field, I'm really surprised they haven't gone to that in the 2nd half." Thanks, Tony.

Maybe I missed something. But, I think Grossman is 4-14 for 30 yards with 3 INT's. The reason Chicago is up 21-6 is because the defense and special teams have been excellent. Devin Hester returned a punt for a TD and Ricking Manning Jr. returned an INT for a TD. They've allowed just 6 points in spite of 5 Chicago TO's and have intercepted Brad Johnson 4 times.

So, I have two questions. How much success did Grossman really have getting outside in the 1st quarter? Maybe he was doing better than when he was in the pocket, but his rating for the game is 0.0. And, how much rhythm did they have offensively? Sure, Cedric Benson took one 24 yards on 4th and 1 to increase the lead to 21-6, but the Bears have a grand total of six first downs through 3 quarters. After another defensive stop and a good punt return by Devin Hester to the Vikings' 35, the Bears moved the ball just 2 yards and are punting it back to Minnesota. The defense and special teams are playing well, as they've done most of the season. The offense is still in the toilet, as it has been much of the time recently.

On that note, why is there so much resistance to removing Rex Grossman. Why can't you bench him, let him think about things, and bring him back the next week? Why just leave him out there? And, if he continues to play this badly, why not replace him? As I noted in my latest power rankings, the Bears usually struggle when Grossman plays badly. It just happens that the Bears D has been overwhelming today. In fact, they just stopped Faison in the end zone for a safety. I don't understand why you would take the chance of having Grossman throw away games with poor decision-making and bad INT's. Why not use the 2000 Ravens mold and play to your strengths, defense and special teams. If Grossman performs like this in the playoffs, the Chicago Bears' season is going to end prematurely.