Minnesota Vikings Looks to Have Locked up Ten Wins – Maybe More

By now everyone knows about the latest head-turning acquisition in the NFL. No ladies and gentleman, we are not talking about Michael Vick. This is the return of the return of Mr. Brett Favre. I got a look at the Vikings schedule which didn’t interest me much prior to the huge pickup. But let’s all take a look together now that Favre has joined the club.

The first five games should produce a 5-0 start; at Cleveland, at Detroit, home against rebuilding San Francisco, home against defensively struggling Green Bay, and at the inept St. Louis Rams.

The next three games are tough; home against Baltimore, at Pittsburgh, home at Green Bay. I’d say the Pittsburgh game is a loss. The one against Green Bay could be a shootout based on pure emotion alone that could go either way. The game against the Ravens figures to be hard-nosed and I’ll give the Vikes the edge in that one being at home to bring them to 6-2 midway.

After that they get to rest up for a week before they face the Lions again at home, then inconsistent Seattle at home, and Chicago who has defensive and wide receiving woes at home as well. I think all three are wins bringing them to 9-2.

The final stretch is where it gets tough; at Arizona, a trap-game like matchup against Cincinnati at home, at Carolina, at Chicago who may be in the division race at that time, and home against the New York Giants who might be in playoff or NFC East title contention as well.

If the Vikings turn out to be solid, they should win one or two of those last five games. If they mold into a great team then 12-13 wins should be on the horizon. Favre may be 40 years old, and have shown signs of decay over the last half of the previous year, but in Minnesota he has a proven deep threat in Bernard Berrian, and a put-the-team-on-my-back rusher in Adrian Peterson along with starter-worthy Chester Taylor.  

This team is much more balanced offensively and stronger defensively than the Jets were last year and that should be the difference in how well Favre plays through another 16 game stretch.

Back From The Man Cave

First I would like to thank all of you for your support and kind words regarding the birth of my son, Jack Henry. More importantly I state now and declare from this moment forth that I will not raise him to be a fan of the New Jersey Jets. Did you hear me Woody Johnson? If it were not for the integrity of our content and the respect for our multitude of readers I would really tell you how I feel. You come down to the Man Cave and I will give you all you can handle.

So what have we learned since my brief hibernation down in the Man Cave these past few months? I was right about the Jets and Brett Favre. I was right about Miami beating them week 17 (I called that week 1) I was right about Laverne “and Shirley” Coles not catching the football. I was right about Thomas Jones being a bad teammate and the second best running back on his team. Probably 6th best in the State of New York if we’re not counting high school or college.

So from Man Cave I have found peace and clarity. Now I know I do not need 52″ of LCD HDTV to show me what I already know.  I could see it all from a mile away on a 13″ black and white zenith.

Rising Star?

The Jets may have found themselves the quarterback for right now, but they may have also found themselves the key to their future. Matt Cassel looked more like Joe Montana in that number 16 jersey last night. Throwing for 400 yards, 3 TD’s plus a 2pt conversion as well as rushing for 62 more yards. Granted he’s got Randy Moss and Wes Welker to target and they were playing from behind for most of the game. However you just do not put up those kind of numbers by mistake. The former USC bench warmer showed the football world last night that he has got the moxy and the confidence to lead his team as well as the support of those around him.

Cassel will be a free agent next year and has surely put himself at the front of the class for teams needing a new signal caller. The Jets would be silly not to go out and make a huge offer if Cassel continues to play this well and prove his doubters wrong. I will not go as far as to say he is the next Babe Ruth but considering the rivalry and the history of the ever raging battle between Boston and New York this could prove to be a major play by the New York Jets and perhaps could put them on track to defining their franchise.

Other teams will surely be courting Cassel. The Rams, Lions, 49ers and Vikings will surely be in the mix just to name a few. This is a can’t miss opportunity for the Jets. Having missed the boat on previous drafts and coming up short in the quarterback rich 2008 draft the Jets could make all the difference in the world by signing Cassel away from their division rival Patriots. The Patriots will not miss a beat when Brady returns next season. And with the Dolphins and Bills both having found solid qb play as well as young armed back-ups the Jets can ill afford hanging the future on what will be a 40 year old arm when they open their new stadium in 2009. Even if they get one more playoff run from Brett Favre in 2009 the future is bleak for the New York Jets A.B.

Are the Buffalo Bills Really that Good?

The Buffalo Bills have been a topic of discussion all season long. Their early success has created much buzz about them being shoe-ins for the AFC East title. I don’t see why that is though. Sure, they were 4-0, and they went down in Arizona while JP Losman played most of the game. However, JP Losman didn’t give up 41 points. At the end of week 7, the look of the AFC East will be a lot different and it can all culminate fairly easy.

In week 7, the Jets are playing in Oakland who looked like they had no spirit when they played the Saints this past weekend losing 34-3. If the Jets win, they are 4-2 and that would be no surprise if they did.

New England plays host to Denver on Monday Night Football. This game should not be easy for New England to win. They’ll have to grind it out big time. However, they’re at home in front of a national audience and if they do pull it off, they’re 4-2 as well.

Finally, those loveable Bills play host to the San Diego Chargers. Albeit the Chargers are only 3-3, they are still a good 3-3. If the Bills lose, they’ll be 4-2. Now picture this possible version of the AFC East standings at the end of Week 7;

AFC East

BUF 4-2

N.E. 4-2

NYJ 4-2

MIA 3-3

Doesn’t look too clear cut anymore now, does it? I didn’t think so.

 

Identity fraud ala New York Jets

Identity fraud

by The Boinger

What is the identity of the New York Jets? Answer: They have no identity. Not Joe Namath, not the sack exchange and not Fireman Ed. Not even the great Brett Favre is not going to fix nor change that. The Tuna couldn’t fix it and even Belichick saw the writing on the wall and bolted for New England. There is no long succession of great QB’s. There is no history of a strong run/pass oriented offensive/defensive juggernaut. It is just not there. The sack exchange? They have long since been forgotten. No one has stepped up to carry on that tradition. The front office has had one bad draft after another and continues to try pull the wool over the fans eyes with big NO NAME head coaches. They even tried to fool everyone into thinking that they were serious about moving back to NY. Them sharing a stadium with the Giants further entrenches them as the “second team” in this city. When Donald Trump has lunch with Bill Gates do they share a salad? NO! So why should the Jets be sharing a stadium with the Giants that is no where close to their fan base?

It gets harder and harder to even want to root for them anymore. If you are lucky enough to get tickets you still have to drive out to that hole in the swamp they call home. They need a major change. New ownership would be great. A new home IN NEW YORK would be even better. Perhaps they could find some empty space in the Bronx?

Laveranues Coles…CATCH THE DAMN BALL!

By The Boinger

Dear Laveranues, Brett Favre is a better quarterback than Chad Pennington. It took Randy

Moss one quarter to prove he was still Randy Moss last year when opening the season against the Jets. The Patriots went from “contenders” to outright “favorites” after that game because Randy Moss went out and caught the damn ball. He did not cry and whine or beg or plead or offer any built in excuses about playing with a new QB or being in a new system. In fact neither did Wes Welker. They had no problem going out every down, running their routes, catching the ball or even making blocks down field. Now why should it be any different for you? You went out and made a big deal about your contract for a second time now with the Jets and you have not produced. You have not proved that you are the go to guy for any one of your QB’s. Tony Romo went out and won the job because he could find T.O. no problem any time any place. Everything else fell into place for him after establishing that. You do not offer that to your QB. Not Brett, Kellen,Chad,Patrick Ramsey, Mark Brunell or Vinny. If they cannot count on you to be there on every down why do you deserve number 1 money? What do you offer any team as a number 1? At best even with a HOF as your QB you were still at best a BYE week replacement fantasy WR. So far through two game you have not done anything to prove otherwise. Chansi Stuckey is outplaying you. Is he better than you? No! No? Well he sure is playing like it and he is playing with more desire than you and it shows. Not

to mention he’s got no problem catching passes from a guy who never threw a pass his way before a few weeks ago. If you cannot get excited about playing every week with Brett Favre then what are you doing here? We anxiously await your answer or your departure, which ever comes cheaper!