| Contributing editor Joel
Buchsbaum discusses what jumped out at him during the Sunday games from Week 13. Buffalo
vs. Tampa Bay: "It was a wacky game in that there were a ton of sacks.
Buffalo outgained Tampa Bay by better than 2-1. But the Bucs made the plays when they had
to make them and found a way to win. You know, it’s a really hard-to-explain game
because the Bills probably moved the ball against Tampa Bay’s defense as well as
anyone has all year. But they just couldn’t get points on the board and, in the past,
that has been one criticism of Rob Johnson as a quarterback. I mean, the stats are fine,
everything looks good, but the bottom line doesn’t."
Chicago vs. New York Jets: "The Bears just cannot expect to win
when they hand the Jets 14 points on James Allen turnovers and they throw 32 passes and
gain under 100 passing yards in a game. The Jets did what they had to do. They got the
early lead. They were very conservative after that, but they won the game."
Cleveland vs. Baltimore: "Total rout. The only miracle is
Cleveland scored on the first drive when a team like the Ravens weren’t into it and
got a little sloppy. But after that it was all Ravens, and Jamal Lewis just looks like a
true franchise back now. He’s just been tremendous for them. He makes everyone on
that offense much better."
New Orleans vs. St. Louis: "This is a game of one team that
really wanted it with a cocky, young quarterback that wasn’t intimidated and another
team that had no intensity, that has definitely got the ‘fat cat syndrome’ from
winning the Super Bowl last year, and you really have to question the heart and the
character of a lot of players on that team. To give you an example of how mentally
unprepared these players are: All they heard about all week was (they’ve) given up
two onside kicks already. Be careful. Work on the onside kick. And on the opening kickoff
(New Orleans) onside-kicked (and the Saints recovered). I just don’t know how Mike
Martz can take it. You get the team prepared, you prepare them for everything, and they
just aren’t focused. And I think that’s an indication that to some degree last
year was an aberration, where this is a team with a few negative players, a few positive
players and a lot of followers. And when things go right like everything went right last
year, the players follow the positive players. When things go wrong, they follow the
negative players. And that’s what’s happening this year, and what happened in
’97 and ’98. Compounding the problem is I think Martz has gotten a little too
pass-happy. The run-pass ratio was better than 4-1 for the pass, and he just gave up on
the running game way too soon."
Philadelphia vs. Washington: "Just an unbelievably brilliant
individual performance by Donovan McNabb on offense. He looked like vintage Randall
Cunningham running with the ball. And he showed great courage and great competitiveness.
The Eagles’ defense came up big when they had to and played an overall solid game.
(The Eagles) had a lot of calls go against them in this game. They showed great character,
fought back. And I think this is another example of the Redskins’ problems. I
can’t say that it’s the coach’s fault, but you have the huge win Monday
night, and it’s like they just weren’t sharp today. They had plenty of
opportunities and they couldn’t cash in on them. It’s like they win a big game
that they have to win with their backs up against a wall, and then they fall short in a
game that they really should win."
Pittsburgh vs. Cincinnati: "The Bengals were just atrocious on
both sides of the ball, except for their running game. They did a great job of running the
ball. But Akili Smith lost a couple of fumbles, didn’t throw that well. Kordell
Stewart made some of the best throws and the best downfield throws we’ve seen from
him in about three years now. And they also had a nice running game to go with it. You
don’t know how much of that can be attributed to the Steelers and how much can be
attributed to the ‘Bungles.’ "
Atlanta vs. Oakland: "Just a total blowout. The Raiders are
looking like the team that’s going to get home-field advantage throughout the
playoffs."
Denver vs. Seattle: "It was a sloppy game. It was a game that
Seattle just gave away. Both clubs just tried to give this one away, and Seattle gave it
away. And the worst news for Seattle is they really need to see their ‘quarterback of
the future,’ Brock Huard, and he can’t stay on the field. He got hurt again and
didn’t come back in this game. So now Mike Holmgren has a tremendous decision. Kitna
showed once again that he’s not quite good enough to be this team’s quarterback.
On the other hand, even if Huard has the talent, you don’t know if he’s going to
be a guy like Rob Johnson, who’s always getting hurt and you can’t count on
being there enough."
Kansas City vs. San Diego: "I don’t know what’s
happened to the Chiefs, but they’ve just totally collapsed. They win the huge game
against the Rams, and you think they’re on their way. Instead they’ve gotten
progressively worse instead of better. You have to give the Chargers’ defense
(credit); they played with a lot of heart. Ryan Leaf looked like a top quarterback early
in the game. Then he struggled, but at least he hung in there and he showed guts, I
thought, overall. The defense came up big for them."
Miami vs. Indianapolis: "This was a very competitive game. The
Colts basically looked to be in control, and they had the last drive going and Peyton
Manning made the ill-advised throw. And all of a sudden the Dolphins responded like
champions, going on that long drive, and Damon Huard made some fine throws on that drive.
And then he made a great throw to win the game."
Tennessee at Jacksonville: "This is a case where Jacksonville was
sky-high, and in part I blame Jeff Fisher. It was like when Red Miller, after the Broncos
swept the Raiders one year, called them the ‘Fat Raiders’ and Fisher kept
alluding to Alltel Stadium being (another) home (for the Titans), so to speak. I think
this was a tremendous motivating factor for Jacksonville. And Tennessee just plays the
games too close that they can’t squander points. And this is the second game in a row
that Al Del Greco cost them the game by missing a chip-shot field goal."
New York Giants vs. Arizona: "This was basically not quite a
blowout, because the Giants didn’t really have the killer instinct, but a game where
the Cardinals are just looking pathetic. They’ve had so many injuries on defense,
injuries on their offensive line. And you just can’t win in the NFL with Dave Brown
as your starting quarterback. The Giants are a team that, give Fassel credit, beats the
teams they are supposed to beat. And if you just watch Kerry Collins in these games, he
just looks very good." |
