Football Sunday

We’re at halftime pretty much everywhere. The Patriots are already up 20-0, chalking up another W and successfully making sure I won’t have to watch a second of that game. Trent Green went down with a scary, scary injury and even though it’s too soon to make any sort of joke the Dolphins are up on the Texans 16-7. The Texans have crashed back down to earth officially. In the four games of interest between me and Coup we’ve got a tie (New Orleans/Carolina), Jacksonville is up 10-0 on KC, Washington is up 14-0 on Detroit and the Falcons are currently beating the Titans 10-7. Sheesh I need a split in the worst way.

While I’m chatting away about nothing, how about Stanford beating USC at USC. Holy cow, not only was it that they won it was how they won. How do you convert a 4th and 20 AND a 4th & Goal? Unreal. This is the same team that got slaughtered last week by Arizona State.

Devery Henderson just put the Saints up 13-6 on a big time TD. He caught it deep, did the classic ‘im going to slow down and try to juke you but you’ll probably push me out of bounds or tackle me’…except it worked. Henderson shook the guy, kept running and dove into the endzone. Of course as I typed this Carolina challenged and it’s officially under review. But damnit I hope that stands cause that was a hell of a play.

He stepped out of bounds at the two yard line. Damnit. Oh well. Maybe Reggie can get a TD out of this. No. They give it to Mike Karney and he gets in, 13-6 NO.

By the way, how terrible does it have to be to be a Chiefs fan. A 10-0 deficit must feel impossible to come back from. I’m debating taking them off one of the TV’s but I’m afraid if I do Jacksonville will score immediately.

The Falcons just cannot put up TDs in the redzone. It’s like impossible. They should be up 21-10, instead they’re up 13-10. I know putting points on the board is good but damn it’s right there for them. Poor Joey Harrington has been getting pressured left and right all day.

Redskins just chipped a field goal so now they remain up 14-0. I smell a Lions comeback right now. By the way Seattle somehow manages to look the same every week. How do they do that? They are who they are just against good teams they look bad and against bad teams they look ok.

Norwood just took a kick return 76 yards deep into Titans territory. Which would be good except they have to go 25 yards to get a TD. You know that feeling when you’re playing Madden or NCAA against either someone who is really good or a really good team and you get a great return only to realize that you still have to go on offense. I wonder if the Falcons feel like that. They’ve gotta get a FG out of this right.

Detroit only pulled out a field goal on their last drive so their down 14-3 with 2:22 left in the 3rd. Uh-oh.

Very unfortunate series of events for Atlanta. Penalty took them out of field goal range and then Joey Harrington’s pass got tipped off Alge Crumpler’s hands and got picked off. I’ve always felt like those shouldn’t count against the QB. But there was an offsides penalty. So Atlanta replayed 2nd down…and Harrington threw it right to the defense who promptly just dropped an INT. Is it safe to say Joey’s pooping his pants right now? And then Morten Andersen kicks the FG short. All the momentum just went to Tennessee, if the Titans score on this next drive the game is over.

Titans fumble a punt and the Falcons recover. Tennessee just does not want to win this game apparently. The Falcons aren’t even really doing anything special but if you give a team enough chances they are going to get the job done. But then again the Falcons can’t close the door shut so we’ll see.

Games that are pretty much done. New England is up 20-3 on Cleveland, Pittsburgh is up 21-0 on Seattle and Jacksonville is up 17-0 on Kansas City. Everything else is still up in the air.

The Titans D is shaving years off of Joey Harrington’s life. Of course as I say that Harrington throws a pick and the Titans take it all the way back to go up 20-13. That pretty much is going to do it for the Falcons.

Well…in the 20 minutes I decided to let my laptop charge a bunch has happened. Plaxico Burress ended some Jets defender’s career by stiff-arming him twice and running up the sideline. I don’t even know how to describe it. The Panthers tied it up with the Saints at 13 and the Falcons not only got a stop but subbed Byron Leftwich in. They look so damn different with him its not even funny. By the way that sound you here? Its the end of Joey Harrington’s career.

Brees just threw a pick with 3:00 left in the 4th. Oh boy. Saints are going to need a stop. Seriously as soon as I typed that David Carr threw an interception. This is getting weird. Poor David Carr and Joey Harrington are going to have to counsel each other tonight. Sheesh.

The Saints of course try to kick a 54 yard field goal and miss it. Why they did that nobody knows. Whoever loses this Carolina/New Orleans game is going to feel like absolute crap for the next week.

Vince Young just threw an interception. Madden. Curse. God if they were playing anyone but the Falcons this game would have been a blowout. Can Leftwich get the 7 points they need? Probably not.

Giants just put the Jets away with an interception that got returned for a TD.

I feel like Leftwich has overthrown every pass, he had someone open in the endzone and overthrew him. I don’t know what I take…a panicking Joey Harrington or Byron Leftwich throwing balls 10 yards to high and long for receivers. And of course Byron gets his pass tipped and intercepted. Titans look like they might escape despite their 5 turnovers. Damn.

Speaking of escaping the Titans might escape over the Dolphins with a game-winning field goal. There is a second left though.

Amazingly enough the Falcons still have one more shot as they get a 3 & out. Ridiculous.

Dolphins die on the kickoff without even trying one lateral pass. So disappointing. I mean you have to at least try, don’t just run right up the middle and get tackled.

Holy crap, Tennessee can’t get the punt off and the punter gets hit at the 20 yard line. Oh that could have been blocked. Warrick Dunn runs and jukes all the way to the 2 yard line on the first play. Oh. My. Lord. I told you if you give a team enough chances eventually they are going to take advantage. 2 yards…

Oh this is just great. I can’t even pay attention right now. Carolina is on my right side and may have just gotten a first down to give their kicker a chance to beat the Saints.

Atlanta…1st and Goal at the 2 yard line, of course they botch a pitch and they are back down at the 9 yard line. Can anyone do anything right in this game? Atlanta really is that bad. 2nd and goal and Leftwich almost throws it in the stands. Someone tell him he is in the redzone. 3rd and goal…same story by Leftwich. He’s throwing everything to 7 foot wide receivers what the hell is wrong with this guy. Offsides penalty gives him another chance on 3rd down..same thing. Why is Leftwich not running? Put Harrington back in.

Carolina just kicked a game-winning field goal. Ugh. I came all the way back last week only to put myself back in a hole which could get even bigger if the Falcons go down.

4th & goal….Stanford? Hell no. Leftwich goes down. Falcons lose. Coup goes up 4 on me, I guess I’ll be back later. Atlanta is officially that bad they had every chance to win the game and couldn’t get it done.

I love how as everyone is shaking hands after the game they catch Kerry Collins talking to Joey Harrington. I’m guessing the conversation went something like this; “Ya know, it’s not that bad being a career backup. You get a paycheck, you don’t have to worry about anyhing really, there’s no pressure. You’ll be fine man.”