Displaced Cleveland Fan

These are stories from around the league that I thought were worth noting. You can read my recap of the Browns week 15 game here.

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As long as it’s still the regular season, the Colts are the NFL’s best team.

Indianapolis beat Jacksonville in a wild Thursday night game, 35-31. The win is the Colts’ 23rd straight regular season win, an NFL record. The Jaguars gave them all they had. But in the end, the Colts were just the better team.

Peyton Manning threw for 308 yards and 4 touchdowns. Dallas Clark caught two TD passes. Reggie Wayne and Austin Collie had one each.

The Colts are now 14-0 and their remaining games are against the Jets and the Bills. Both are winnable games, if Indy wants to shoot for 16-0. They may choose to sit some of their key players in view of the playoffs though. They do have the #1 seed in the conference wrapped up. 16-0 means nothing without  a Super Bowl (just ask the Patriots).

So what should they do? Play the reserves, but play to win. After all, you never know when you might need them for real. Might as well try to win with them instead of kill time with them.

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These are stories from around the league that I thought were worth noting. You can read my recap of the Browns week 11 game here.

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The old man’s still got it.

After deciding late in the off-season to return to football, Brett Favre joined the Vikings. No one knew if he could perform like he used to when he was with the Packers. The Vikings may have been a better team than the Jets. But Favre was also a year older. After ten games, we have seen what Favre can still do. The 40-year old quarterback has led his new team to a 9-1 record.

It’s not just the record. Favre is putting up MVP-type numbers. He came into this week averaging over 250 passing yards per game, a 68% completion rate, 17 touchdowns, and just 3 interceptions.

Yesterday against Seattle, he recorded the best completion percentage of his career - 88% on 22 for 25 passing. He threw for 213 yards and 4 touchdowns before being taken out of the game with a big lead. The Vikings beat the Seahawks 35-9.

The Vikings could have the division title wrapped up in a week or two. Then Favre will be in the playoffs trying to win another Super Bowl, this time with the Packers’ division rival.
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These are stories from around the league that I thought were worth noting. You can read my recap of the Browns week 6 game here.

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In a snowy game with old school uniforms in Foxborough, the New England Patriots demolished the Tennessee Titans 59-0.

I don’t know what the bigger story is - how great the Patriots played, or how awful the Titans are.

First the Patriots (mostly Tom Brady) - They scored 35 points in the 2nd quarter to go into halftime leading 45-0. Tom Brady was 29 for 34 (85.3%) for 380 yards and 6(!) touchdowns. Even when he left the game, backup QB Brian Hoyer was 9 for 11 (81.8%) for 52 yards. Laurence Maroney rushed 16 times for 123 yards (7.7 average) and a touchdown.

For the Oilers Titans - Kerry Collins. 2 for 12 (16.7%) for -7 yards, 1 interception and a 4.9 QB rating. Seriously. They turned the ball over 5 times (3 fumbles, 2 interceptions). There were two positives though. First, they rushed for 193 yards. Not bad. Of course, that’s offset by the -7 yards passing. Second, the offensive line didn’t allow a sack. That’s good, right?
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These are stories from around the league that I thought were worth noting. You can read my recap of the Browns week 4 game here.

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Who’s the best quarterback in the NFL? Tom Brady? Drew Brees? Eli Manning?

My pick is Peyton Manning. For the past few years, he has been the best QB in the league. Yes, I realize that many will challenge that statement. But if I were able to build a team around a quarterback, any quarterback, it’d be Peyton Manning. Hands down. No question.

This week against the Seahawks, Manning through for 353 yards on 31 of 41 passing (75.6%) and 2 touchdowns. Through four games this season, he’s completed over 70% of his passes, averaged 334 yards a game, and has 9 touchdowns.

He also reached a milestone this week with his 342nd career touchdown pass. This ties his with Fran Tarkenton at third on the NFL’s all time list of most career touchdown passes.

I’m not really a Colts fan. But I do enjoy watching their offense play with Manning under center.
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These are stories from around the league that I thought were worth noting. You can read my recap of the Browns week 3 game here.

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Eric Mangini’s former team, the New York Jets, improved to 3-0 after beating the Tennessee Titans 24-17.

According to ESPN, Rookie QB Mark Sanchez (the one the Browns could have taken in the draft, had they not traded down) became the first rookie QB to start and win his first three games.

Meanwhile, the Browns have Mangini yanking Brady Quinn out of the game after the first half in favor of a 3 interception performance by backup Derek Anderson. Just for fun, let’s compare the stats from these two QB’s:
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These are stories from around the league that I thought were worth noting. You can read my recap of the Browns week 2 game here.

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We had a wild one in Nashville.

The Tennessee Titans, hosting the Houston Texans, were looking to rebound at home against a supposedly inferior team after a loss last week to the Steelers. But the Texans played tough and stayed right with them all game.

This game was physical. Then it got intense. Then it got ugly. Jason Jones of the Titans was ejected for his part in a brawl on the sidelines in the 4th quarter. Watching this game, you knew something like that was going to happen. These teams kept getting closer and closer to a fight. It’s a good thing Albert Haynesworth doesn’t play for the Titans anymore, or else someone might have gotten some cleats across their face.

Finally, with less than 3 minutes to go, Houston pulled ahead on a field goal. On the next possession, Kerry Collins fumbled the ball back to the Texans who ran out the clock.

I don’t know if it’s the fact that I’m living in southern Kentucky just north of Nashville where most of the people claim the Titans as their team. But I really enjoy watching them lose. That may be awful of me, but it’s the truth.

Oh, and Houston QB Matt Schaub through for 357 yards and 4 touchdowns. What in the world?!
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These are stories from around the league that I thought were worth noting. You can read my recap of the Browns week 1 game here.

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Wow. NFL fans are never going to believe this one.

Brett Favre has come out of retirement and is the new starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings. He made his debut in the season opener against Cleveland. Browns fans were privleged to see one of the all time great quarterbacks of all time lead his new team to victory.

Most NFL fans outside of Minnesota and Cleveland don’t know Favre is back. The media hasn’t said anything about it. It’s almost as if they don’t like Favre. Even after this game, no one is talking about his return. It is a pity that more people have not heard so that they can appreciate the latest unretirement and return of #4.

(One of the announcers of todays Browns/Vikings game actually did say that Favre was “one of the all time greatest quarterbacks of all time.”) (more…)