| Contributing editor Joel
Buchsbaum discusses what jumped out at him during the Sunday games from Week Six. Buffalo
at Miami: "Miami’s defense just dominated the game, took complete
control of the game. Rob Johnson has problems. He doesn’t sense the rush real well.
He tends to hold on to the ball too long, which compounded the problem."
Green Bay at Detroit: "Too many turnovers, too many defensive
breakdowns for the Packers. Early they dug themselves too big a hole to climb out
of."
Indianapolis at New England: "The Patriots had an unbelievable
game plan. Bill Belichick had Peyton Manning off balance and confused all game. He just
totally outcoached (Indianapolis offensive coordinator) Tom Moore. You hate to say one guy
outcoached another guy, but it was clear that Belichick won the chess match. He did an
absolutely magnificent job, and New England was able to do a much better job with their
offensive line this week — in part because they didn’t have to throw that
much."
New Orleans at Chicago: "Quite frankly, the Bears right now are
not a very good football team. They’re not playing at a high level. They’re not
playing with confidence. New Orleans was a team that was probably better than their
record. They were very motivated, they played a very good game and they pounded it."
Pittsburgh at N.Y. Jets: "The whole game turned on the
(Jets’ first offensive play) when Vinny Testaverde went down. Ray Lucas came in and
he obviously wasn’t prepared, and he just played a horrible game. Kordell Stewart was
overall so-so. He threw some bad passes. He threw some decent passes. He had a couple that
should have been picked off. Jerome Bettis ran well. But the big problem the Jets had
defensively was the defense seemed to be on the field all game, because the offense
couldn’t develop a tempo, couldn’t really get going without Testaverde."
Tennessee at Cincinnati: "Cincinnati played a solid first half,
got the big run from Dillon, was in the game. Then in the second half Tennessee took
control, started pounding the ball with Eddie George and it just seemed like Cincinnati
never had the ball in the second half."
Washington at Philadelphia: "A very good, tough, competitive game
all the way. Unfortunately, the young quarterback — Donovan McNabb — made a
terrible mistake at the very end of the game. He could have just laid down and got the
game into overtime. Instead, he either tried to throw the ball out of bounds or force the
pass, I don’t know what he was doing, but he threw a flutter ball right to (Redskins
CB) Darrell Green, who brought it back to set up the winning field goal."
N.Y. Giants at Atlanta: "The game turned when Chris Chandler went
out (with injury). Danny Kanell was brutal. He had receivers open. He missed them. He was
throwing behind receivers. He played about as poorly as any quarterback could play. If
I’m Dan Reeves I have to get a better backup quarterback than Danny Kanell. He just
is not good enough."
Cleveland at Arizona: "Arizona had the home-field edge.
They’re a better team. They’re starting to let Jake Plummer do a little bit more
on his own. And Arizona seems to be getting enough people healthy now to be
competitive."
Oakland at San Francisco: "Tremendous game. Reminiscent game of
the Miami-San Diego (playoff) game (won 41-38 by the Chargers in overtime Jan. 2, 1982) to
a degree. Each team had runs. The thing that really bugs me is that both coaches went for
field goals in overtime (prior to fourth down). What these coaches do not realize is
what’s an 80- or 90-percent kick during regulation time, the odds of making it go way
down in overtime because of the pressure on the kicker and the defense is more geared to
block it because this is overtime. It’s sudden death. If you let them make the kick
it’s all over."
Denver at San Diego: "The Chargers just don’t have a
quarterback. That’s the problem. The defense rebounded from the disaster in St.
Louis, but they’re close to the red zone and Jim Harbaugh throws the interception.
Harbaugh just isn’t good enough to get it done."
Seattle at Carolina: "Brock Huard is far from being ready to be a
starting quarterback in the NFL. And Seattle found that out the hard way."
Baltimore at Jacksonville: "The Ravens won with great defense,
great kicking game. Tony Banks played about as bad as a starting quarterback can play and
win. He was very lucky on the interception at the goal line, which (Jacksonville’s
Tony) Brackens fumbled apparently. Jacksonville looks like they’re in big trouble.
Mark Brunell is out of sync, the offensive line has been terrible. But for Baltimore
I’ve really got to be concerned about the way Tony Banks handled this game. He fell
apart. He didn’t even manage the clock at all at the end. He’s snapping the ball
with six, seven seconds left when you need to eat clock. He played a really dumb
game." |
