LIONS STAY PERFECT, STOOPS CANNED & A SKAKEUP AT MIZZOU
The Detroit freakin' Lions are 5-0 after beating Chicago Monday night 24-13. Ford field was rockin' with a standing room only crowd. Just two seasons ago, team management was marketing "all you can eat seats" in an effort to boost attendance. In a state with the nations 3rd highest unemployment, getting a ticket to see the Lions play at home is a tall order, that's how popular they've become. In a town with a baseball team fighting for the World Series & the University of Michigan standing at 6-0, the Lions are still the hot ticket in Motown. The Bears came to play, they dominated Detroit in time of possession 2-1, but it was two big plays & a ferocious defense that bested the Bears. The game was slowed by 26 penalties. Calvin Johnson, aka "Megatron," caught a 73-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford & RB Jahvid Best scored on an 88-yard, 3rd quarter touchdown run. As impressive as these two game breakers were, the Lions front seven on defense is pretty damn special too. Rookie first round draft pick DT Nick Fairley made his NFL debut after being sidelined with a foot injury for over 8-weeks. The Bears have been the division's leading defense for years but no more. Green Bay & Detroit have passed them by & the worst news for Chicago, the Pack & Detroit are younger.
Chicago QB Jay Cutler was amazing, I've been tough on him in the past, but his effort Monday night was awesome. His line gave him almost no time to set his feet & throw the ball yet Cutler completed pass after pass. The different deliveries he was forced to use made his 28 of 38 passing performance even more impressive. Bear GM Jerry Angelo needs to focus on help for Cutler. Resigning RB Matt Forte(22 carries for 116-yds) should be his #1 priority. Beyond that, Chicago needs a true #1 receiver & a helluva lot of offensive line help. I like center Robert Garza, but back at his natural position of guard. Rookie right tackle Gabe Carimi will be fine too, but that's about it, they need a lot of help. Until this happens, Chicago is a distant third in this division.
I said Saturday night Arizona coach Mike Stoops was on the hottest seat in college football & was certain to lose his job at season's end. The Wildcats didn't wait till December, they canned Stoops on Monday after a 1-5 start this season. In 7+ seasons at Tucson, Stoops record was a very unimpressive 41-50. He clung to his record of three consecutive bowl games in 2008-2010, but losing 9 of his last 10 made him a tough sell. He will be replaced on an interim basis by defensive coordinator Tim Kish but already two names are buzzing around the Zona program, Boise coach Chris Peterson & Mike Leach.
To absolutely no one's surprise, TCU officially accepted the Big-12's invitation to become a conference member. With A&M's departure, the conference needed to add at least one team to honor their TV contracts. Two schools, both a long, long way from Mid-America, San Diego State & West Virginia, are lobbying hard thru the media as well as by back-channel emails & phone conversations. Interim commissioner Chuck Neinas said the conference wouldn't make any more moves until it's known what Mizzou will do.
Two weird NFL stats, the Minnesota Vikings don't have a touchdown pass this season, while the Chiefs haven't scored one on the ground.
Speaking of Vikings, Jared Allen already has 8.5 sacks in five games this season. At this rate, he could break Michael Strahan's NFL record of 22.5. Allen is 8.5 sacks short of 100. He's also forced 23 fumbles & batted down 42 passes. He turns 30 next April, wow, he could have some killer lifetime stats. He still plays every snap like it's his last.
Two important injuries to take note of, Houston loses Pro Bowl linebacker Mario Williams for the remainder of the season with a torn pectoral muscle that will require surgery. Packer left tackle Chad Clifton sustained a "significant hamstring injury" last night & will miss "weeks" according to Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy. Right tackle Bryan Bulaga is expected to return from a knee sprain allowing Backup Marshall Newhouse to fill in for Clifton.
This weekend has some excellent matchups in college as well as the pros. Here's a few:
Saturday
Michigan at Michigan State(ESPN)
Baylor at Texas A&M(FX)
Oklahoma State at Texas(ABC/ESPN)
Virginia Tech at Wake Forest(CBS College Sports)
Kansas State at Texas Tech(FOXSports)
Oklahoma at Kansas(ESPN2 - how many points before Bob Stoops pulls the plug?)
Sunday
Philadelphia at Washington(could be Eagles last chance to stay relevant)
Buffalo at NY Giants(hard picking against Bills, even harder taking Eli's turnover machine)
San Francisco at Detroit(anybody pick this as the game of the week back in August?)
Houston at Baltimore(AFC South is looking like 2010 NFC West isn't it?)
Mizzou coach Gary Pinkel has decided to shake things up after their loss to Kansas State last Saturday. Starting safety Will White & nose tackle Dominique Hamilton have both been demoted on the depth chart to 2nd team. Pinkel has opened up the placekicking job to another candidate, punter Trey Barrow. They will have a kickoff....if you will, this week to see if Ressel can retain his job after missing 7 of 13 attempts this season. He missed only 3 field goals in the past two seasons combined. The Tigers will also petition the NCAA for a medical redshirt for linebacker Will Ebner & another year of eligibility for left tackle Elvis Fisher who tore his left ACL in summer practice. Pinkel has one week, the homecoming game against Iowa State, to get his team playing up to their potential before the toughest part of the schedule comes along, Oklahoma State, at A&M, at Baylor, Texas & Tech. Let's say Mizzou can beat Iowa State & the season ender vs. Kansas, that means they'll need to beat 3 of the group above to get to 7 wins. Not exactly what Tiger fans had in mind before the season began.
Chicago QB Jay Cutler was amazing, I've been tough on him in the past, but his effort Monday night was awesome. His line gave him almost no time to set his feet & throw the ball yet Cutler completed pass after pass. The different deliveries he was forced to use made his 28 of 38 passing performance even more impressive. Bear GM Jerry Angelo needs to focus on help for Cutler. Resigning RB Matt Forte(22 carries for 116-yds) should be his #1 priority. Beyond that, Chicago needs a true #1 receiver & a helluva lot of offensive line help. I like center Robert Garza, but back at his natural position of guard. Rookie right tackle Gabe Carimi will be fine too, but that's about it, they need a lot of help. Until this happens, Chicago is a distant third in this division.
I said Saturday night Arizona coach Mike Stoops was on the hottest seat in college football & was certain to lose his job at season's end. The Wildcats didn't wait till December, they canned Stoops on Monday after a 1-5 start this season. In 7+ seasons at Tucson, Stoops record was a very unimpressive 41-50. He clung to his record of three consecutive bowl games in 2008-2010, but losing 9 of his last 10 made him a tough sell. He will be replaced on an interim basis by defensive coordinator Tim Kish but already two names are buzzing around the Zona program, Boise coach Chris Peterson & Mike Leach.
To absolutely no one's surprise, TCU officially accepted the Big-12's invitation to become a conference member. With A&M's departure, the conference needed to add at least one team to honor their TV contracts. Two schools, both a long, long way from Mid-America, San Diego State & West Virginia, are lobbying hard thru the media as well as by back-channel emails & phone conversations. Interim commissioner Chuck Neinas said the conference wouldn't make any more moves until it's known what Mizzou will do.
Two weird NFL stats, the Minnesota Vikings don't have a touchdown pass this season, while the Chiefs haven't scored one on the ground.
Speaking of Vikings, Jared Allen already has 8.5 sacks in five games this season. At this rate, he could break Michael Strahan's NFL record of 22.5. Allen is 8.5 sacks short of 100. He's also forced 23 fumbles & batted down 42 passes. He turns 30 next April, wow, he could have some killer lifetime stats. He still plays every snap like it's his last.
Two important injuries to take note of, Houston loses Pro Bowl linebacker Mario Williams for the remainder of the season with a torn pectoral muscle that will require surgery. Packer left tackle Chad Clifton sustained a "significant hamstring injury" last night & will miss "weeks" according to Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy. Right tackle Bryan Bulaga is expected to return from a knee sprain allowing Backup Marshall Newhouse to fill in for Clifton.
This weekend has some excellent matchups in college as well as the pros. Here's a few:
Saturday
Michigan at Michigan State(ESPN)
Baylor at Texas A&M(FX)
Oklahoma State at Texas(ABC/ESPN)
Virginia Tech at Wake Forest(CBS College Sports)
Kansas State at Texas Tech(FOXSports)
Oklahoma at Kansas(ESPN2 - how many points before Bob Stoops pulls the plug?)
Sunday
Philadelphia at Washington(could be Eagles last chance to stay relevant)
Buffalo at NY Giants(hard picking against Bills, even harder taking Eli's turnover machine)
San Francisco at Detroit(anybody pick this as the game of the week back in August?)
Houston at Baltimore(AFC South is looking like 2010 NFC West isn't it?)
Mizzou coach Gary Pinkel has decided to shake things up after their loss to Kansas State last Saturday. Starting safety Will White & nose tackle Dominique Hamilton have both been demoted on the depth chart to 2nd team. Pinkel has opened up the placekicking job to another candidate, punter Trey Barrow. They will have a kickoff....if you will, this week to see if Ressel can retain his job after missing 7 of 13 attempts this season. He missed only 3 field goals in the past two seasons combined. The Tigers will also petition the NCAA for a medical redshirt for linebacker Will Ebner & another year of eligibility for left tackle Elvis Fisher who tore his left ACL in summer practice. Pinkel has one week, the homecoming game against Iowa State, to get his team playing up to their potential before the toughest part of the schedule comes along, Oklahoma State, at A&M, at Baylor, Texas & Tech. Let's say Mizzou can beat Iowa State & the season ender vs. Kansas, that means they'll need to beat 3 of the group above to get to 7 wins. Not exactly what Tiger fans had in mind before the season began.
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