The NFL Weekend-What’s Important, What’s Not
After every week of goodylicious NFL action, TSAO will try to separate the really important stuff from the stuff that others will try to pawn off on you as being important but really isn’t. Got it? Good. Let’s get to it.
IMPORTANT: Tom Brady’s injury:
This is important, because the Patriots didn’t look incredibly good on Sunday, and when Brady went out, they were lucky to hold off a Kansas City team that would have a hard time beating that gritty, gutty East Carolina squad that beat WVU. Without Brady, whose injury is rumored to be season-ending, the Patriots are left looking at Matt Cassel and Chris Simms and having to choose one of them to play and not model clipboards. Vegas is now taking bets on how long before we get a Randy Moss melt-down, as a result of no one being there to get him the football. When you look on the list of the worst things that could happen to the Patriots, this was right above Brady dumping Gisele for Jessica Simpson.
NOT IMPORTANT: Brett Favre beating the Dolphins.
Memo to Jets fans, the Dolphins are still pretty bad, and they had a shot to beat you as the clock ran out. Favre was pretty good, but the best thing to happen to you was Tom Brady’s injury. The Patriots lack of of quarterback is going to do more to improve the Jets’ chances of making the playoffs than their addition of Brett Favre is going to do. Favre’s performance was good, but it does not mean that the Jets are Super Bowl bound, despite what John Madden may believe.
IMPORTANT: Carolina steals a victory from the Chargers.
This game was important on two levels. First, Carolina showed for the first time in years that they can win without Steve Smith. They also showed that they are going to be a team that is capable of going on the road and beating a good team.
Second, this game is important because of what it means to the Chargers. The Chargers’ offense performed well, Phillip Rivers had three touchdowns and LT had 97 yards, but the Charger D could not hold when it was needed. Shawne Merriman had two tackles, and one has to wonder if all the speculation about him playing/not playing has caused this defense to be a little bit distracted. The Chargers gave up nearly 400 yards of total offense, 142 of which was on the ground, to a team that was without their most dynamic player. Plus, this is a sign that Norv Turner can still be counted on to choke in a close game.
NOT IMPORTANT: The Eagles destroy the St. Louis Rams 38-3.
The Rams suck. Donovan McNabb is fantastic when he’s healthy. Two things that I already knew. Check back with me in five weeks, one of these things will still be applicable. And no, I don’t see the Rams improving.
IMPORTANT: The Saints beat Tampa Bay 24-20.
This win was important to the Saints because their slow start last season kept them from making the playoffs and they avoided a repetition of that start with this victory (thank you Captain Obvious). But, more importantly, they avoided the slow start that their offense got off to last season, as they hit the Bucs up for 438 total yards, 163 of which came from Kim Kardashian’s boyfriend Reggie. If Bush finally has his breakthrough season, the Saints should run away with this division.
NOT IMPORTANT: The Falcons win over the Lions.
For starters, I expect the Lions to under-perform. Also, Falcons’ fans, I feel your pain, and I want you to do well, but even if you are improved you’re probably only going to win six games this season. But, it does look like your future is promising. Ryan looked good, Michael Turner looked great, and the Falcons receivers looked like they had just been waiting to show that it wasn’t their fault that they couldn’t get any receiving yards with Michael Vick as quarterback. This game is not important for this season, but it is important for the long-term health of this franchise, and Falcon fans should be happy with that.
ALSO NOT IMPORTANT: The new Big Show with DP and KO.
Ugh.
That was bad. Not suicide bad, but probably, tear-off-my-fingernails-with-a-claw-hammer bad.