Thoughts on Week 3 in the NFL...
By Scott Burks
Week 3
of the NFL for me was a bad week. My Steelers blew yet ANOTHER lead --
this time to the Bengals of all teams, and the Panthers lost to those damn
Cowboys. Here are some more thoughts from the weekend.
It's going to be a long year in Pittsburgh.
I never thought I'd say this, but the Steelers' defense stinks. That's
twice in a row that this alleged defense lost games on the last drive of the
game. Losing in Chicago to a good Bears team last week was one thing.
However, blowing the game to Cincinnati is inexcusable. How in the
hell did they squander a 20-9 lead in the fourth quarter to a team that
they've owned for a decade? Worse yet, how did they let the immortal
Brian Leonard gain 11 yards on a 4th and 10? Un-friggin'-believable!
Sure, Ben Roethlisberger did throw that bad
pass that led to a Pick-6. Sure Limas Sweed is a scrub that cannot
catch a cold (way to hold onto the ball when you fell on your ass in the end
zone). And sure kicker Jeff Reed forgot how to kick field goals for
some reason. But the Steelers' D had NO business coughing up a 20-9
lead in the 4th quarter to a team they've dominated most of the day.
So much for defending the Super Bowl crown eh Pittsburgh? Now as for
the Bengals...
How 'bout those Bengals?
Gotta give props to the Cincinnati Bengals for coming from behind against a
team that's dominated them the last decade. The Bengals of years past
would have mailed it in. Keep in mind the Bengals are one fluke tipped
pass away from being 3-0. The AFC North officially become a 3-team
race. Kudos to QB Carson Palmer and head coach Marvin Lewis!
Gotta love
NBC's Rodney Harrison. I've always thought that Harrison would
make a good analyst if he chose to go into the media. But I never
expected he'd come out with haymakers. First he clocked Mark Sanchez
for Sanchez's infamous photo shoot for a magazine before training camp.
Now he clowned Terrell Owens for being a selfish player and being only
concerned about his own stats over the welfare of his team.
Harrison is what
we all want in an analyst: honest, tough, and unafraid to speak his mind.
While I hated him when he was a player, I love him as an analyst. Now
as for his whipping boy...
Terrell Owens did not do anything wrong in his
press conference.
Let's make one thing clear: T.O. did not say anything controversial in his
press conference after the Bills' loss to the New Orleans Saints. He
was merely answering a question. Nice of the media members for trying
to goad T.O. into giving selfish answers by asking those questions.
Sometimes I blame the media for creating the storm that is T.O. After
all, it takes two to tangle.
As much as I dislike T.O. and his narcissistic
act, I do feel bad for the guy at times. If he answers a question
honestly (in his mind), he is perceived as selfish. If he doesn't,
then it is implied that he is selfish. He cannot win for losing.
That was the ugliest Monday Night game in
recent memory. That
game represented 3 hours of my life that I cannot get back. With the
exception of the two-minute drill at the end of the first half, the Carolina
Panthers were God-awful. Jake Delhomme was a turnover machine again,
this time accounting for three turnovers. Their offense started the
second half with consecutive three-and-outs (I lost count after five)!
They were also unfocused and undisciplined on defense. Is it too much
to ask for Julius Peppers to make a play or two this season?
The Dallas Cowboys weren't that much better.
Bad play-calling on offense kept what should have been a blowout close.
Remember when the Cowboys had 3 chances to punch it in from the 1 yard line
in the second half? Why did they elect for two fades in the corner of
the end zone (both incompletions) when their running game was gashing the
Panthers? Unbelievable...
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