Monday, September 30, 2013

Monday NFL recap - week 4

Steelers - Here comes the whining for firing the coaches. The Steelers organization isn't known for doing so and I hope they stay true to that. I'm not a fan of Haley. This is his third year in Pittsburgh and this is the Steelers third year of not-good-play. Something isn't working there. Don't think this is on Mike Tomlin. According to Tony Dungy, this isn't the coach's fault, "They just don't have good players." Right there, as a player, I'd work my ass off to prove him wrong.

Defense - I don't know what is wrong here, but we have to have our defense. No takeaways this season. All the other 15 defenses have that, even the other 0-4 teams. 
Missed tackles - I lost count on those. 
Adrian Peterson - I love watching him do his thing. Not so much when he does it against my team. 
Big Ben - It was cool to hear the real Big Ben dong when the quarterback took the field, but despite throwing for over 300 yards and moving the chains painstakingly slow he made too many errors in holding on to the ball, not running when he had clearance, and fumbling.  Oh, that fumble...
Le'Veon Bell -  My first look at this drafted running back who has been out since he hurt his foot in a preseason game. Not bad, not bad. But anyone who can run further then 10 yards looks good. The Steelers rushing yardage is worse it has been since 1935. 1935!
London - The stadium was packed with over 80,000 fans, but I've never understood it. Turns out the NFL is thinking the British need a team. Huh? Howie Long wanted to know how that was even possible with teams flying in and out. Terry Bradshaw was even more blunt, "Why are we over there again? Anybody? Anybody?"
Tomlin mad - I'm glad to see the coach pissed. He ought to be. I'd like to see Ben show some of that fire. Five sacks? He should be pissed. 
L.C. Greenwood - I found out via Twitter during the game that the great defensive end from the Steel Curtain had died at 67 years old of natural causes.  I have a lot of good memories of those guys. Terry Bradshaw did a nice tribute to Greenwood with the small amount of time he had to do so. That had to be hard to find out he had lost a friend while doing a broadcast. Those guys from that 70's era team were something special. Greenwood and his gold shoes will be missed. 

Other

The Book of Manning - If you like football, you have to like the Manning family. They are what is good in the game and what the game needs more of. ESPN did a great job with this documentary. The home movies of Cooper and Peyton are priceless. Supposedly, Archie Manning pulled the plug in the middle of the filming, but his wife made him continue, telling him his grandchildren needed to know who he was. Excellent. 
Peyton Manning - In the documentary we see how Cooper and Manning played together, planning to continue that quarterback and receiver hook up in college. Then Cooper's spinal stenosis is diagnosed and his football career ends. Peyton says in the film that he then began playing football for his brother. Well, his brother has to be really proud of his play this season. Another record yesterday. He is beautiful to watch pointing out the defense, calling plays, coaching his teammates. That is a leader.  I hope he is as good of a father as Archie was to him. 
Seahawks - I'm getting excited with this team as well. Great come from behind to win it all in overtime.  An example of a coach who fires up his players. An example of a quarterback who is as good on the field as he is off it. A leader. 
Tampa - Oh, the drama! Josh Freeman is out. Moved to third string and then inactive after he spouted off to ESPN without team authorization. The rookie quarterback might be good or maybe not. Throws an interception with a minute left in the game. Sound familiar? Just another day in Tampa when it comes to QB's. 
New Teams - By that I mean those who haven't done much for years. Nice to see some new teams, Chiefs, Seahawks, Broncos, doing well. Must be why the NFL works the system the way it does. Only this year we might have more teams vying for next years's draft pick then the Super Bowl. 
Lane Kiffin - Until he gets an attitude adjustment, I don't see him successful. 
Pat Haden - USC's athletic director might want to not make rash decisions in the heat of the moment. Not that I don't think Kiffin shouldn't have been axed, but deciding to do so in the third quarter of a losing game? Sleep on it. 

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