Still undefeated!

Bowe Knows

Dwayne Bowe has always been a good receiver. But this year, he's not only given life to the Chief's passing game, he may have also risen his game to elite status. Check it out:

- 2007 stats: 16 games, 70 recpts, 995 yds, 5 TDs

- 2008 stats: 16 games, 76 recpts, 1002 yds, 7 TDs

- 2009 stats: 11 games, 47 recpts, 589 yds, 4 TDs

- 2010 stats to date: 11 games, 58 recpts, 885 yds, 14 TDs

Through his first 4 games this year Bowe totalled 9 recpts, 152 yds, and 1 TD. Hardly deserving of elite status. But then something clicked and over the next 7 games Bowe has totalled 49 recpts, 733 yds, and 13 TDs...in only 2 games over that span did he score less than 2 TDs. Incredible numbers. Even more incredible considering that Matt Cassell would never be mistaken for Peyton Manning.

Cowboys Win!

A few of us went down to Dallas for last week's Thanksgiving game. We were hopeful for a Cowboys win but expected a loss at the hand of the Saints. Personally, I saw a 10-17 halftime score with the Saints winning 17-27 as the final...never really being in any danger. What we saw was a completely different game that the Cowboys were a Roy Williams fumble away from winning.

The big question after that game was whether Jason Garrett helped or hindered his chances of winning the coaching job in the loss.

Hindered: Dumb play calling and an inability to recognize mismatches created by New Orlean's passing schemes leads to a 0-17 start and ultimately the loss. Terence Newman lets Robert Meacham run right past him for a 55 yard gain? Roy Williams ignores the rules of basic ball security? Marion Barber consistently runs in between the tackles for a 1 yard gain on 1st and 10? Wow.

Helped: The defence steps up and the Cowboys don't roll over coming back from 0-17 to take the lead 27-23 with 4 minutes to play. If not for a lapse in ball security, the Cowboys win a shocker.

Even though they didn't beat the Saints, I think the Cowboys still won. They've won back their pride. That can only help Jason Garrett's chances of being the coach in 2011.

What do you think?

My Favourite Dog

Are you a betting man? Then you'll be interested in the following factoids courtesy of Steeler loyalist Lloyd Sison:

"...the bias towards dogs are [the] result of of the first seven weeks on the year where dogs won the majority of the games six weeks out of seven...and by a ratio [of] 2:1 and 3:1 in five of those six weeks. Since Week 7, it's been mostly back and forth between favs vs. dogs. I suspect that there will be a bias [towards] favs for the remainder of the season'.

"The last two weeks were particularly interesting in that Week 11 had a number of big spreads that dared you to take the points. In spite of the big spreads, favs wons 63% of the games. Week 12 had much smaller spreads that dared you to lay the points and the dogs won 62% of the games".

How many of you lost $$ on the Packers and Saints last week?

What will the upcoming weeks bring?

Cortland Fine-Again

Ok, so everyone knows that mild-mannered Andre Johnson beat the stuffing out of that scorch Cortland Fine-Again on Sunday. Well known as a dirty player, most of the fans (not to mention most NFL WRs) felt that the Cortland's thumping was warranted.

- September 2010 fined $5,000 for throwing NYG WR Steve Smith to the ground by his helmet.

- October 2010 fined $10,000 for unnecessary roughness after hitting a helmet less Denver Broncos guard Chris Kuper.

These are but 2 of Cortland's fines this year alone. "Did I want it to escalate into that? Absolutely not," Finnegan said Monday on a Nashville radio show.

What did he think would happen when he yelled "Watch this" at the Texans sideline before proceeding to set things off by jabbing Andre in the neck and face mask? Damn right he wanted something to happen, he purposely wanted to push Andre over the edge.

And he still doesn't get it: "This is not hockey this is the NFL," Finnegan said Monday. "It's crazy to me to see people condoning this like I got what I deserved."

Exactly what did you deserve Fine-Again?

Touch Football Update

The Canes finished the regular season as the number two seed with a 7-1-2 record. After demolishing the Mudrunners in their first playoff game, the Canes went on to face number one seed Brick in the Division Final.

Down 0-26 at the half, the Canes did not fall apart proclaiming a new half and promising the comeback of the year. Owing much to their Championship pedigree, the Canes mounted a furious rally but unfortunately fell short losing by a final score of 24-37. Although the Canes would not repeat as Division Champs, they've proved themselves as the best team over the last two years with a 17-1-2 regular season record with a Division Title. Congratulations Hurricanes!

Bear Obsessions- Stunk last night (the score is not worth mentioning). No other way to put it. Currently 4-2 but played like they were 2-4. Have to do better than that man.

Newsflash!

Pittsburgh Steeler James Harrison has been fined yet again by the league. I have to believe he just doesn't care about the NFL's edict. When will they start doling out suspensions? And are we dedicating this money to the poor? Sounds like a good idea to me.

Derek Anderson...

...was terrible Monday night. But an even worse performance came during the post-game interview. Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIy5YZdKT8E

Even funnier was Jim Rome's comments http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toiTrEDKqk0

Da Rhino Recommends:

- NFL Network's SoundFx show on Terrell Owens "UN-STOPPABLE!"

- 2010 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Crazy

Random Shots (courtesy of Footballguys.com)

- Quarterback glitch in the Matrix as the Steelers get ready for the Ravens: Over the past 4 games, both Roethlisberger and Flacco have thrown for exactly 1,071 yards.

- ...Steeler's coach Mike Tomlin was bringing the comedy on Tuesday. Talking on NFL Sirius Radio about the fines James Harrison has received he said, "he's got two kids. That's some serious college schooling right there potentially for those kids 16, 18 years from now." He left out the part about Harrison's $51 Million contract.

- Stan Kroenke is the man behind the Denver-based sports empire that includes the Nuggets, Avalanche, and the MSL champion Rapids. He also owns the St. Louis Rams. Must have been weird for him to watch his Rams take down the Broncos in Denver.

The Comeback Kid

V for Vendetta

- Words cannot properly articulate Michael Vick's performance Monday night against the Redskins. So we won't even try. But what a statement this makes against the NFL and how only 1 team wanted to give him a chance. Andy Reid took a gamble, and now it's paying dividends. Let's look ahead to what could be the biggest game in Week 11: New Giants at Philadelphia.

- In the two full games before he was injured, Vick was 38/65 for 575 yds, and 5 PaTDs. The opponents? Detroit and Jacksonville- 17th and 29th against the pass respectively. Against the Colts it was a different story. Vick was 17/29 for 218 yards and 1 PaTD (with 74 yds rushing, 1 RuTD). Good by any standard, but the Colts could not run the football. Washington is also 31st against the pass with a 286 yd/avg/gm and 18 PaTDs allowed. To put it in perspective, it's like soft flesh vs. a Katana blade.

- The Giants will not be so easy. They come ready to run and pass (5th ranked rushing offense and 6th ranked passing offense), while the Eagles are 12th against the run and 16th against the pass respectively. After just receiving a wake-up call courtesy of the Cowboys, the G-Men can nigh afford to lose another division game. So they will be ready for war.

- Eagles will keep a slight advantage due to Vick's hot hand, and the fact that they're playing at home. But make no mistake, on Sunday we'll find how good the Eagles really are. Personally, I don't think they're an elite team yet. Don't be surprised if the Giants steal this one on the road with the help of some untimely turnovers.

Dead Man Walking

Marvin Lewis. His Bengals are dysfunctional and constantly appear pissed at each other. Did you notice that Palmer, Ocho, and Terrell weren't speaking to each other by the end of Sunday's game against the Colts? This team won their division last year, and was only supposed to get better. Instead, they won't even make the playoffs. Expect a new coach at the helm in 2011.

He's got legs...and he knows how to use them

Felix Jones takes a dump pass from Jon Kitna and takes it 71 yards for a House Call. But did you notice the convoy of Cowboys running with him? Did you notice who was in the lead and appeared every bit as fast as Felix? Yup, Roy Williams. He could have jogged it out and let Felix fend for himself , but instead he ran the length of the field and blocked all the way. Credit where it's due.

Interesting point...

....and I can't remember who raised it (Armando perhaps?). What the hell is going on with this Brett Favre and Jenn Sterger thing? Brett has admitted to the harassment, and Jenn has met with the NFL and provided 'materials'. Yet no one is talking about it. At all. Now if it had been say Terrell Owens, Commissioner Goodell would have already suspended him for 6-8 games. Maybe more. Do we have a double-standard in the NFL? Are they trying to protect a future hall of famer in his last season? Both?

"Why don't you give a little?" ('to the tune of 'The Glory of Love'- Casino Soundtrack)

Confusing wasn't it? How could Shanahan bench McNabb one week, and then the next he's getting an $88M contract with $40M guaranteed? Was there a war going on behind the scenes between Coach Shanahan and the Redskin's owner Daniel Snyder? Was this Snyder's way of putting his stake in the ground in support of McNabb? After all, what did they bring him over for? Was Shanahan a shell of his former self, now bowing down to an overbearing owner (see Wade Philips and Jerry Jones).

But alas, like me, you thought something was rotten in Denmark. This couldn't be...not the Shanahan we knew. No way Jose. Well, the real details of McNabb's contract have come out, courtesy of Adam Schefter (is he not the most connected guy you know?), and the Redskins have made it virtually impossible for McNabb to earn all of that cash. Read the article here http://nfl-facts-rumours.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22475988/25881543 .

No wonder Shanahan wasn't panicking. No wonder when asked, all he said to the media was "that's football...the highest highs, and the lowest lows. It [giving McNabb a new deal] makes a big statement about what we think we can do in the second part of the season". Smart guy. Cause all that's really happened is he's shut up the media, at least for now, and given McNabb a meager carrot to chase for the last 8 weeks. The 'Skins will determine in the off-season whether McNabb returns depending on the available QBs, and what they can find in the draft.

The Brady 'Punch'

- Boy was Tom Brady ticked Sunday night when his team failed to convert a 3rd down. That guy went up a notch in my book. He went OFF on his team. Everyone. No holds barred. I was wincing at home. Man, what a verbal beat-down! Would you have seen that from my man Romo? I hate to say it, but no way. There's a lot of QBs that could learn from that.

TROY

Anyone paying attention to Troy Smith's reemergence in San Francisco? In two games he's thrown for 500+ yds with 2 Touches, no pics, and one RuTD. Not bad...and I think he'll only get better. Watch him in the pocket, he's got a quick 7 step drop, and is very mobile. He takes maybe a second too long to go through his progressions, but I think he'll only get better in that area. He throws a tight spiral, is not afraid to go downfield, and spreads the ball around. I like what I see.

The Niners have 7 games left with 4 of them against division opponents (Arizona x2, St. Louis, and Seattle). So believe it or not, they still have a chance to win that division. Could be enough to save Singletary's job if they do. Nah, even Troy Smith isn't that good.


Touch Football update:

- The Bear Obsessions showed character in a win last night against the Gunners. Down 0-13, they roared back and won 29-15. The revenge the Gunners were seeking will have to wait. Nice win.

- The Canes came out hard and fast against the Mudrunners and never looked back. Up 34-8 to start the 3rd quarter, they cruised to a 50-30 final. Next up, a showdown with BRICK. The two teams were responsible for each other's lone loss on the season. So it should be a classic. Buckle up!

Da Rhino Recommends:


- Parenthood (NBC, Tuesdays 10pm) follows the trials and tribulations of the very large, very colorful and imperfect Braverman family. Warm, engaging, and something you can watch with the wife. Get her hooked and get a break when it comes time to catching the game.

- FORD. Yeah, I said it. In October, the company announced that overall vehicle sales were up 64% from September of 2009. The 3 top vehicles were the Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX, and the Lincoln MKT. The quality of these vehicles is reputed to be on par with the top Japanese Automakers. Have you seen the new Ford Edge Sport? A beautiful SUV. Nice job. Never thought I'd say it after owning a Ford back in the day (1988 Ford Escort GT...horrible, but my first car).

And he was so happy on my previous cover...

Are you for real?*

Who is Chad mad at? Palmer? T.O.? Marvin Lewis? I know he was frustrated over not getting the ball on Monday night, but c'mon man...how selfish can a guy be? I like the guy, but I think he really needs his girlfriend right now.

Funny enough, he's not the only Bengals WR that has cried in public (T.O. following playoff loss to the Giants,"..that's my quarterback")

Can you spare a Pennington, can you spare a dime?

How many times have you been asked to take on more at work without an increase to your salary? That apparently doesn't hold true for Chad Pennington. Now that he's been named the starter, Chad's salary has gone from $2.5M this year to $5.75M. Why? He had it in his contract. You can bet once this gets out, his agent will be fielding a lot of calls from players looking to hire him. Perhaps he can do the same for you? Of course! Give me $1000.00 and I'll give you his cell number.

Rowdy Roddy no more

Read an interesting article on Roddy White, and how he's turned his life and career around (find it here http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/14275088/getting-off-knucklehead-path-saved-whites-career)

It really showed last night against the Ravens : 12 catches, 138 yards, and 2 Touches. What a stud!

Don't make me angry...*

- Dolphins LB Channing Crowder created quite a stir when he accused Ravens fullback Le'Ron McClain of spitting in his face during Sunday's game.

"But he spit in my face. He spit in my face. That's some real ho sh**. ..Then they (the officials) said something about they let Karlos Dansby get away with a face mask the play before...who the f*** cares? A guy just spit in my face! I don't give a damn about Karlos Dansby pulling somebody's face mask. Like they didn't see Chad Henne get hit twice when he slid. Yeah, a little Stevie Wonder and Anne Frank."

Asked what the Anne Frank reference meant, Crowder said, "Who was that? Is that the blind girl? Helen Keller...I don't know who the f*** Anne Frank is. I'm mad right now. F*** it. I'm not as swift as I usually am."

Hilarious!

Le'Ron McClain had a classic response: "Nah, I didn't spit on him. That's crazy," McClain said. "That's not my game. I'm Le'Ron McClain, man. Le'Ron McClain don't spit on another player. But I will block you. Four quarters. That's a fact."

Even funnier! But yeah, he definitely spat on him. Video evidence backed up Crowder's claim.

Big Hit/ Big Hair*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jurF_NXRFgU

Beg, Borrow, and Steel

Someone recently asked me why Rhino Spiel never covers the Steelers; and it was a fair point. After all, the Spiel should be non-biased, treating all NFL teams as equals. So here goes:

• One of the most prolific, well-run Sports Franchises in the NFL. If not the world.



• 6 Superbowl victories. 7 AFC Championships. 19 Division Titles.



• 24 Individuals in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.



• Historical rivalry with the Dallas Cowboys (all-time series tied 15-15, these teams hold the record for the most times that two teams have met in the Superbowl (3...Steelers lead the series 2-1).



• 2 coaches that have left indelible marks on the football world- Chuck Knoll and Bill Cowher.



• Meanings of the Astroids on their logo? "Steel lightens your work, brightens your leisure, and widens your world". The Astroid colours represent the ingredients made in the steel making process: yellow for coal, red for iron ore, and blue for scrap steel.



• Original team name? Pittsburgh Pirates (1933).



• During WWII merged with the Philadelphia Eagles franchise (due to player shortages) to form the team Phil-Pitt Steagles.



• Recent rumours: 1. James Harrison brutally sacked NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at NFL Headquarters 2 weeks ago (a la the Michael Strahan/ Donovan McNabb commercial) after receiving word of yet another fine- this time for a late hit on QB Drew Brees. At that point he figured 'what's another $100K?' After all, in 2009 he signed a 6 year, $51,000,000.00 contract. 2. Why is Jenn Sterger refusing to talk to the NFL about Brett Favre? Because the pictures were actually sent by Ben Roethlisberger. Shhhhhh...
  

Happy Steeler fan? Geesh... :)

Fantasy Football Update

D&G League: I keep hearing how in no way did it make sense for ABT to start Fitzpatrick against the Ravens (Week 7) . That he lucked out. But was it crazy? Or did he just do his research?

- In the 3 previous games, against the Pats, Jets, and Jags, Fitzpatrick was a combined 52/85, 595 yards, 7 TDs, and 2 ints.

- Over that same time span, the Baltimore passing D had given up 62 completions (103 attempts), 747 yards, and 3 Touches (3 ints).

- ABT can speak for himself, but you gotta figure if Fitzpatrick can come in and complete 60% of his passes and net an average of 250 yds and 2 TDs, it would be great opportunity to sit Henne (ABT's other active QB) who had a tough match-up vs. Pittsburgh.

- And to further prove the point, Matt Ryan, a good but not prolific passer, cranked out 32/50, with 316 yards and 3 Touches last night. The Baltimore passing D ain't "who we thought they were...if you wanna crown them, then...."

TonyNFL League: Goose/Nick get a decent start to the weekend with 35 points from Flacco. But, it would have been an even better start if they didn't leave Roddy White on the bench. Ouch. See the previous article on the Raven's passing D.

Everyone's focus needs to be on stopping Gabe and Rick. If the gap isn't closed over the next 3 weeks, it'll be "forever hold your peace". These wily vets are showing the rest of us how to make the most out of a roster. Are you going to let them give you the stiff arm?

Touch Football Update:

- The Bear Obsessions notched up another win against a younger, faster team Wednesday night. The D was a wall and the offense was productive enough to bring it home 20-7. I guess the old guys are no longer a secret. The next game against the Gunners should prove more challenging as they're playing well this season and will be looking to avenge a bad loss to the Obsessions a few seasons back.

- The Canes went at 50% and even flipped the O and D rosters last Saturday, and still netted a tie ( 26 apiece) against the Mudrunners in a meaningless game. However, those same teams will hook up for real this Saturday in a playoff game. The winner advances to the Championship. Will be fun, but won't be easy by any stretch. You think the Mudrunners weren't going half-speed as well?

*Courtesy Footballguys.com

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At a Loss with Moss

Moss put on Ice in Minnesota

Acquired from the Patriots for a 3rd Round pick, the Vikings have waived Randy Moss after 3 games. I believe the Vikings are now on the hook for the remainder of Randy's 2010 salary ($3M+), and what did they get in return? 13 receptions, 174 yards, and 2 TDs. Nice.

Why make the move? It just doesn't seem to make sense.

- Are the Vikings upset over what Moss had to say during the Week 8 post-game interviews? Sure he implied strongly that he feels the Patriots are a better organization and that he's regretful of the move; however, it seems to me that at most the reaction should have been a chew out session, and a fine. Nothing more.

- Is this Brad Childress' attempt to regain control of the team? If that's the case, then Brett Favre should have been waived and not Moss. During the post-game, Childress was asked directly does he regret acquiring Randy Moss. His answer? "Not at present I don't...no". He said Moss' comments simply showed a fondness for a team he'd played for the last 3+ years. So how does it make sense that the next day we hear that Moss has been waived, and that Childress did so without consulting Owner Zygi Wilf and President Mark Wilf?

- Many players/coaches (Chris Gamble, Tom Walsh, Chris Harris, and Darelle Revis of note) have said that Moss doesn't always give 100% and often gives up on routes. Do I believe it? Sure. I've seen it. But if you're the Vikings you knew this already. It's something you considered before bringing him over. [In the words of Sterling Sharpe "When people show you who they are, believe them the first time...the Minnesota Vikings got fooled twice"]. The Vikings were looking for a martyr, when the sacrifice should have been Brett Favre. Did you hear Childress' explanation for letting Moss go? He said that he was a "programmatic non-fit". A what? Is that what you told the remaining players? Is that what you told the owners?

- Brett Favre: You had a lacerated jaw man! Why were you curled up in the fetal position? To me it looked like a man trying to garner sympathy as the ultimate warrior. A man trying to distract his detractors...and Moss paid the bill.

- Better for Moss, he landed with a good organization with a well respected, tenured, coach in Jeff Fisher who knows the x's and o's. He may only be a fill-in for an injured Kenny Britt. But he'll do for now. And Jeff will evaluate the situation and make a fair decision on whether he'll be a Titan next year.

McNabb benched for Rex Grossman?

Are you kidding me?

McNabb doesn't know the 2-min drill? McNabb is not in good enough shape to run the 2-min drill? (Excuse me? McNabb had a 36 yard run in the 2nd Q)

WOW. What a huge insult. Sure McNabb handled it well in front of the media, but make no mistake. This was not a vote of confidence...not game strategy. This is Mike Shanahan sending a big time message to McNabb and the rest of his team. I'm just not sure what the message was, other than to say, I'm not 100% satisfied. But aren't there other ways of telling him that? Like say, directly?

By now you know that the Shanahan's also brought in both Jamarcus Russell and JP Losman for a look-see on Tuesday. Did you know that Russell weighed in at 286 pds? Do you know what his playing weight with the Raiders was (when the entire NFL said he was overweight)? 265 pds. Nice. Look, I think that Mike Shanahan is now coming to understand why the Eagles were fine with letting McNabb go to a division rival. But don't tell me he isn't slightly embarrassed by the last few days' chain of events.

Henne destined for the HOF?

I've been hearing from Fin Fans that Chad Henne will be a future HOFer. So let's compare his 2009 (13 games started) and 2010 numbers (7 games thus far) to Joe Montana's 1980 (7 games started) and 1981 numbers (16 games):

1980 Montana- 176/273, 1795 yds, 64.5 comp%, 15 TDs, 9 Ints, 3.3 Int %

2009 Henne- 274/451, 2878 yds, 60.8 comp%, 12 TDs, 15 Ints, 3.1 Int%

1981 Montana- 311/488, 3565 yds, 63.7 comp%, 19 TDs, 12 Ints, 2.5 Int%

2010 Henne (7 games)- 154/243, 1669 yds, 63.4 comp%, 8 TDs, 7 Ints, 3.1 Int%

*In his 2nd year as a starter for the Dolphins, Henne's numbers look good when compared to Montana's 2nd starting year. However, it is definitely way too early to declare him a future HOFer. Let's wait and see Fin Fans.

C.J. Spiller is the man!

Well not exactly, let's revisit what I'd said about him back in April 2010:

"I personally didn't think he was the best back taken in Round One. In fact, I didn't even think he was the next best Back. I had both Ryan Mathews and Jahvid Best ahead of him. Why? The combine results were fairly even amongst the three, so for me it all boiled down to the game film. Ryan Mathews seemed quicker to the hole, showed better instincts in the field, and seemed harder to tackle than Spiller (although Spiller did seem like the better receiver out of the backfield). While Jahvid Best looks like he's going to be a devestating 3rd down Back. Give him half an inch too much and it's over- watch the film and you'll see what I'm saying".

The only thing I was wrong about was Jahvid Best being a 3rd down Back. He's a full-time back, and once he puts on some muscle and builds up his stamina and durability, he'll blow people away with how good he is. Take it to the bank.

Touch Football Update:

- Canes go to 7-1-1 with a 33-30 comeback win over the Twin Hawks. They game-planned to beat us with crossing routes and double slant patterns but were more lucky than good. We adjusted in time to stop their final drive and seal the win.

- Bear Obessessions take down the Wildcats to move to 1-1 on the young indoor season. Much better effort all around on both sides of the ball. The wildcats were left wondering how they could have lost to a bunch of out of shape Italianos. Wonder no more Wildcats. Wonder no more.

Da Rhino recommends:

- DVD: 'Get Him to the Greek'- A record company intern is hired to accompany out-of-control British rock star Aldous Snow to a concert at L.A.'s Greek Theater. You'll chuckle your way through this daft, foul mouthed comedy starring Jonah Hill, and Russell Brand. Then you'll cancel your kid's music lessons and wash your own ears out with soap.

- TV: The Tudors (CBC, Tues 9pm)- The multiple Emmy Award-winning 16th-century prime-time soap is back for its fourth and final season, chronicling Henry VIII's turbulent last days as king. Starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers. If you're into English History, this will not disappoint.

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