It doesn't stress me out as much trying to see if I'll actually finish this project as much as it does to come up with new videos each week. The countdown was a bad idea perhaps, and I'm going to just knock that out soon to get it over with, but most of my ideas are designed for the season. There's a lot going on in the offseason, but otherwise it blows. In the meantime, you can read my blog KennethAuthor.com. I have a couple of current projects going on there, including a mission to message at leaset 500 girls on the dating site OkCupid. The messages are honest and sometimes hilarious, and I'll be sharing some shortly.
Here are some week five games. We'll kick off with Seahawks and Giants next time.
Bengals at Jaguars
I'm trying to think about what could possibly be good about this game and I'm coming up blank.
Okay, Maurice Jones-Drew. He's worth watching. Jags lead 7-0 on an MJD touchdown to start the game.
A.J. Green. He's another reason to watch. 37-yard TD to Green ties it.
Andy Dalton is intercepted and the ball is returned to the 1. To the 1. Jags settle for a FG.
I took this screenshot to show how amazing it was that MJD could stay off of the ground:
He ran it down to the 5 but the Jags settled for another FG from the 1. Oh, by the way:
The Bengals convert a 4th and 6 near the end of the half and then score a TD a few plays later, making it 13-13. If the Jags had just converted at the goal line, it could be 21-13 or some favorable score. (Shanked PAT)
Blaine Gabbert was drafted well ahead of Andy Dalton and was seen as a superior prospect. After one year, the numbers and the success of their teams would suggest that Dalton was the better pick with some people already having given up on Gabbert, but I don't think that's fair. He's regularly got less than a few seconds in the pocket and the worst WR corps in the NFL. His athleticism is clear and he evades many sacks though he's still very inaccurate on the run.
And right after I write that, he hits Jason Hill on a bomb for a ~80 yard TD.
With about four minutes left, down 20-16, the Bengals convert another 4th and 6. A few plays later, Bernard Scott scores the go-ahead TD. On third-and-one, down 23-20, this errant snap ends the game:
The Jags have a good defense, I think Gabbert just needs protection and weapons so we'll see what they do in the draft. The Colts probably won't be good, the Texans can't stay healthy, the Titans are always a wild card... the Jags just might compete next year. But they blew it on this day.
CIN 30, JAX 20
Raiders at Texans
After a Jason Allen interception, Matt Schaub hits Joel Dreessen for a 50+ yard TD. 14-6 Texans.
Darrius Heyward-Bey scores a long TD and the Raiders go for two with a minute remaining in the half, but it's no good. 14-12.
Denarius Moore was out of bounds on this catch, but you can see why fans are excited about him:
Kevin Walter tops that with the SupaMan...
After a Chaz Schilens TD and a FG, the Raiders lead 25-17 with 10 minutes left.
Down 5, the Texans have the ball with 1:50 left and no timeouts. The Raiders could have run it down an extra 40 seconds on he earlier possessin but they threw a deep pass on 2nd down.
3rd and 23, Schaub chucks it to the goal line...
:07 left, last play of the game. Schaub scrambles left and it looks like he might be able to run it in but he shovels it and... intercepted. The Raiders win.
OAK 25, HOU 20
Titans at Steelers
Chris Johnson had 21 yards on the first play of the game. He had 30 yards over the rest of the game. Just when you thought he was "back"...
I've watched a lot of football so far but I think I just saw the first successful fake punt. Completed by the Steelers. 11 minutes left in the first half and the Steelers lead 14-3.
Jonathan Dwyer nearly busts a 90 yard TD run, stopped for only 76.
How many places do you need to remind us about the remaining timeouts?
I'm not sure that I've seen Matt Hasselbeck complete a pass over 10 yards yet this season (catch and runs don't count) but within 10 yards, he's still money! Titans score and its 28-10 in the third.
Oooh... Hasselbeck completes a 20 yard pass into the end zone to Damian Williams. Only three minutes left though and down 14 points. Too little too late?
Yeah
PIT 38, TEN 21
Chiefs at Colts
FUN!
Here's a quick recap as the Colts lead 17-0: Pierre Garcon is killin' it! That is all.
I'd argue that the Bucs, Browns, and Rams were all worse than the Colts last year, but Indy winds up with the franchise QB. Go figure. And the Redskins weren't THAT terrible and they get the other franchise QB. Colts lead a Chiefs team that almost made the playoffs by a score of 24-7.
Another recap: Dwayne Bowe is also very talented.
Speaking of the Redskins and Pierre Garcon, he's a legit WR. It's easy to dismiss him because of the "Peyton Manning" thing but think about how good he did with Kerry Collins and Curtis Painter. RG3 has a good weapon there.
Bowe does things like catch balls off of a bounce on a DB's back for touchdowns though:
Well, you knew this was coming: Steve Breaston scores the go-ahead TD with 5:15 left for the Chiefs.
KC 28, IND 24
Cardinals at Vikings
In the first 7 minutes of the game, the Vikings have started three drives in Cardinals territory. Punt return, interception, fumble and it's 21-0 Minnesota early.
Oh, that's about all there is to say about this game. Minnesota went up 28-0 and it never got close. Pretty amazing that the Cards turned out to be okay, the Vikings stunk, and Donovan McNabb was starting but they were on point today.
MIN 34, AZ 10
Eagles at Bills
Alright son, let's knock some stupid games out.
Eagles drive into Bills territory early but Michael Vick's pass is tipped at the line of scrimmage and intercepted. Hey, I didn't say anything about Vick being short. The Bills drive down and Fred Jackson runs in for a touchdown.
Vick throws another interception but the Bills can't take advantage. He later hits Jeremy Maclin for a TD to tie it at seven.
Are the Eagles a good example of what could happen to the 49ers? They went from 5th in TO differential in 2010 to 30th in TO differential in 2011, despite having potentially a more talented team. But once Vick started turning the ball over, their season was done.
He just threw his third interception (a fumble was also overturned in his favor) in the first half and this one is returned for a touchdown by Nick Barnett. 21-7 Bills.
Eagles had a chance to kick a FG before half and they wasted time (Vick wasted a LOT of time) and got 0 points.
What Vick can still do is break off a 53-yard run.
Jason Avant makes a big catch and then has the ball stripped. Being an Eagles fan must have sucked this year.
Vick seemingly runs in for a TD to cut it to a 3-point game, but Philly is called for hands to the face and the penalty negates the TD. They settle for a FG instead. Good teams lose because of: Penalties, turnovers, special teams.
The Eagles, down 7, drive to the Bills 25 late in the fourth and then Nick Barnett snatches a Vick pass into his hands and that's another Philly turnover. Obviously.
BUF 31, PHI 24
Saints at Panthers
Looking forward to watching this game.
Oh boy. Cam Newton's first pass goes to the wrong team.
Jed Collins, former WASHINGTON STATE COUGAR, scores for the Saints to make it 7-0.
As he seemed to do a lot early in the year, Steve Smith scores a long TD. A scrum breaks out afterward and the PAT is blocked. 10-6 Saints.
You ever wonder who you'd be friends with if you were on a football team? If I was on the Saints, I feel like I'd be friends with Darren Sproles. What? You thought I'd choose a white guy?
DeAngelo Williams scores on a near-70-yard TD run. 17-13, Saints.
What? What just happened? The Saints had no timeouts before half and they tried to rush a field goal but ran out of time... except that they didn't because the PANTHERS CALLED A TIMEOUT. Carolina actually used a timeout and they put :02 back on the clock and the Saints FG is good. So again, I ask, what?
Newton runs it in to make it 23-20. He had an amazing 17 touchdown runs. This is a guy that's going to break some more records before he's done.
Newton hits Greg Olsen and now the Panthers take their first lead of the game with twelve minutes left in the game, 27-23.
Brees hits Pierre Thomas for a TD with :51 left and the Saints go up 30-27. Remember that odd Panthers timeout that allowed the Saints to kick a FG? Yup.
NO 30, CAR 27
Bucs at 49ers
I want to watch this game because of Kellen Winslow. I already looked at the score. 49ers win 48-3. Just what the hell am I going to learn about Kellen Winslow in a game like this? Maybe good?? Probably bad.
Nice play fake by Alex Smith, hits Delanie Walker in the end zone for a 26-yarder.
Frank Gore fumbles at the TB 11. He only had 2 fumbles this year, tied for a career-low, lowest he's had as a starter.
Freeman Problems = Rogers TD
Here's the formation
Freeman has two TE to help block and the Niners put five on the line, with just one safey.
Freeman has a bunch of time in the back, surveying the scene and he sees what you and I see: nothing. The receivers and the one TE (Moore?) are covered. But wait!
But what's that I see? A wide open LaGarrette Blount breaking out of the pile to the left. It's a short gain, for sure, and Blount isn't known for his hands, but it's an easy dump off when everyone is covered. Or... just throw it to a guy who is covered...
It's an easy snag for Carlos Rogers and it takes it to his neighborhood for six.
Bad Buc Luck:
Michael Spurlock is in the middle of this scrum, had the ball in his hands.
But out of the scrum came Chris Culliver with the ball. Just one of them days, the a Buc goes through.
31-3 after a TD pass to the "unstoppable" Vernon Davis. Absolutely one of the best assets you could have in the NFL is Vernon Davis.
I have seen nothing from Kellen Winslow, Jr. This is all 49ers. When I watch the Niners, I see a team that's disciplined. I see a team that has the league's best special teams (Andy Lee, David Akers, and Ted Ginn Jr) and I see a team that doesn't turn the ball over and capitalized on the opportunities they were given. Their offensive line was solid. Their running game is solid. They were one of the best teams in the NFL without a passing game. That's impressive and it highlights just how good they were in almost every other area. Can they do it again?
Colin Kaepernick takes over mopup duty which is cool. He looks okay. I mean, he doesn't make mistakes. It just looks like he's super raw and they gave him like four plays and on each play he only has one place he's allowed to go. No progression. You can see the talent but it needs to match the system if the Niners are going to have success. There's a reason Alex Smith is already their 2012 starter.
I didn't notice Winslow at all and he apparently had five catches. Oh well.
SF 48, TB 3
Jets at Patriots
A game not nearly as meaningful as they make it out to be.
I think that Mark Sanchez is terrible and his TD numbers were inflated this season. Let's see what the tape shows against the leagues worst pass defense!
I had a streaming consciousness of what Mark Sanchez does in this game. Here it is:
behind the line of scrimmage to Green - complete. 5 yard pass attempt - incomplete
3rd and 2, play action - 1 yard pass to John Connor. Incomplete off the hands.
25-yard pass attempt to Holmes, incomplete. A little behind Holmes, who was wide open.
3rd and 3, Sanchez sacked.
update 1-for-4
Passes to Tomlinson behind the line of scrimmage. 2 yard gain.
6 yard pass, behind the first down.
update 3-for-6. Long of 6.
12 yard pass complete to Burress.
Short pass complete.
12 yard pass complete to Holmes
6 yard pass to Burress through a crowd.
(Green Scores on a Run. 10-7 NE)
(Antonio Cromartie picks off Tom Brady in the Patriots end zone to save a TD at the very end of the half. Its still 10-7. Another crazy turn of events to start the 2nd. Patriots get a massive pass down the field taken inside the 20 to start the second half. They fumbled but the call was overturned and Brady hit Deion Branch on the next play. 17-7 NE. Joe McKnight returns the kickoff to the Patriots 20. )
Sanchez hits Jeremy Kerley for a 9-yard TD pass.
Escapes a sack, throws it away.
I don't know what time of possession says, but it certainly feels like NE is dominating that category.
Sanchez goes deep down the middle (15 yards) and misses, incomplete.
Sacnhez goes 15 yards to the sideline and Plaxico Burress makes the catch but it's out of bounds.
Hits Burress for 14.
Down 13, this is a game that Sanchez has to win in the fourth quarter.
Hits Holmes for 19.
Escapes a sack for a 4-yard pass.
Hits Derrick Mason on a short slant for a first down.
Burress drops a pass.
Hits Holmes on a fade for 21-yard TD
Game over, down by 9
Hits Holmes for 9
Sacked
Knee
Final numbers for Sanchez: 16 for 26, 166 yards, 2 TD/0 INT.
Final conclusion: Mark Sanchez isn't any better than Tarvaris Jackson, if he's even better at all. Got hotter in the 2nd half but also padded numbers when the game was in hand for New England. I give him some credit on some nice decisions and nice passes (the Holmes fade for a TD) but otherwise unimpressed, again.
NE 30, NYJ 21
Games Remaining: 182