-The NFL's hot topic of the week – helmet to helmet hits – shows up in the weekend's games. The NFL world was abuzz this week after the league clamped down on head shots and hitting defenseless receivers by issuing heavy fines to Steelers linebacker James Harrison and Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather, among others. Current players almost universally came out against the sanctions, including Joshua Cribbs, who was on the end of one of the questionable Harrison hits.
But Sunday's games showed that the size of the fines certainly succeeded in catching the players' attention (which was undoubtedly the NFL's main goal anyway). Both Harrison and Meriweather were spotted taking it down a notch on plays: Harrison ducked away from a shot on a player already going to ground and Meriweather issued a hard hit into a receiver's shoulder pads instead of unloading on his helmet (sorry no highlights available). In the games I watched, there were a number of less memorable plays were it appeared that players went low with their tackles instead of going headhunting.
The players' main argument against the rule stiffening was that it would ruin the physicality of the game and prevent them from playing with freedom. Honestly, for this week anyway, that didn't appear to be the case. The games were still full hard hits and no big plays made because a defender was afraid and backed out of a hit on someone.
I think that's a victory for the league and its controversial decision in itself, because it proves that the game can stay physical and violent (and let's not kid ourselves here, that's a large part of why we all like to watch it) without having the kind of tackles and hits – you might even call them cheap shots – that can irrevocably change a player's life in a split second. The league doesn't want that 'blood' on its hands and, even though the reasons for that might be selfish (legal liability plays a part here, you can be sure), I can't blame them for it.
-The quarterbacking carousel will continue in Arizona. On Sunday against Seattle, Max Hall played badly for the third straight game since Ken Whisenhunt named him the starter over Derek Anderson. This one was actually the worst performance of the three as he completed only 4 of 16 passes for 36 yards and an interception. He fumbled in the third quarter on a sack by Chris Clemons that also knocked him out of the game.
Anderson came in and played better than Hall, leading the Cardinals on their only touchdown drive of the game. His numbers were anything but spectacular (8-17 for 96 yards) but at least he showed a little poise in the pocket.
I'd be very surprised if Anderson wasn't named as the starter for the next game sometime this week – Hall just doesn't look ready for the biggest stage yet – and that means more turmoil and disruption at the quarterback position for Arizona.
It's a pity for the rest of the Cardinals roster, because their lack of a good signal-caller is pretty much the only thing preventing this team from running away with a weak division. Their record is 3-3 despite getting 'D-' play from their quarterbacks. You just hope for Whisenhunt's sake that he knew what he was doing when he cut Matt Leinart this summer.
-Here's a shortlist of some of the studs of the week:
a. Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall: It's nice when a player ties an NFL record in a certain statistical category in a game and makes my selection job here nice and easy. Hall did just that (granted it's a record held by 18 other players) by intercepting four Jay Cutler passes against the Bears, including a pick-six and some very acrobatic catches.
b. Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt: Had his best day as a pro only two days after being involved in bar brawl. Despite not being allowed to make the start, he made up for lost time taking his first catch to the house for a 26-yard score. He finished with 225 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
c. Raiders running back Darren McFadden: Had one of the best individual days by a running back this season, averaging 10.3 yards a carry on his 165 rushing yards. He added three rushing touchdowns and a reception for a score. Like Britt, McFadden was another young player having a career day this week.
d. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger: Gave himself a 'B-' or a 'C+' in his first game back from suspension. I think he'd have to give himself an 'A' Sunday after he dissected the Miami secondary for 302 yards and couple touchdowns. He also avoided major mistakes too to finish with a 132.0 quarterback rating.
e. Browns linebacker David Bowens: Coming into this game, the 33-year-old veteran's only statistic in 2010 was a single tackle, recorded October 10 against the Falcons. Well, his stat line got a little extra padding Sunday, as he intercepted Drew Brees twice, and took both balls back the other way for touchdowns.
-Here's a shortlist of some of the goats of the week:
a. Saints quarterback Drew Brees: Threw four interceptions in a very poor performance against the Browns. The Saints have not been the same this year, and part of that blame must fall of Brees' shoulders. After all, in 2009 he threw 11 picks all year, this season he already has 10 through seven games.
b. Bears quarterback Jay Cutler: Makes this list for the same reason as Brees: four picks thrown. Interceptions plagued Cutler last year, but he had cut back on the mistakes this year, throwing only three all season prior to Sunday. Chicago fans will be hoping Sunday was a fluke and not a return of a trend.
c. Eagles cornerback Ellis Hobbs: Was the man charged with covering Kenny Britt. You figure out why he's on this list...I'll give you a clue: on Sunday, Hobbs got beat more than a stoner's African drum.
d. Vikings quarterback Brett Favre: I hate to have three quarterbacks on this list but anytime a QB throws three interceptions over a series of seven pass attempts they deserve their spot here. Favre did have good moments against the Packers and did seemed hampered by his ankle for most of the second half, but it's starting to look like the beginning of the end for the gray number 4. Especially when he throws passes like this.
e. Chargers kicker Kris Brown: What is it with the Chargers and their kickers? Brown, a backup to the injured Nate Kaeding, missed a 50 yard field goal which would have sent their game against New England into overtime. Sure, it wasn't a chip shot, but missed field goals seem to plague San Diego.
-Bounce-back player of the week: Panthers quarterback Matt Moore: It was as if Moore woke up from the coma he's been in all year – his quarterback rating was a paltry 33.3 before Sunday's game – against San Francisco and reverted back his '09 form, the form which had us all whispering about his potential. A hugely important performance from a player who needed to show the management that he's a better bet at quarterback than Jimmy Clausen this season.
-Rookie of the Week: Bengals wide receiver Jordan Shipley: It ain't easy to make noise either on or off the field when you're part of receiving corps that also contains the NFL's two biggest diva receivers: Chad Ochocinco (part of me still can't believe we've all accepted to call him that) and Terrell Owens. But Shipley did just that on the turf of the Georgia Dome against Atlanta, catching six balls for a huge 131 yards out of the slot, including a 64-yard touchdown.
-Play of the Week: Ever wonder what NFL coaches do with their Saturdays? Apparently, the last couple weeks, Browns head coach Eric Mangini has been watching Michigan State games...(click here or here if you don't get that reference)
-Ridiculous Play of the Week: No whistle yet, Jacob Hester.
Five Quick Hits:
1/ Where did that come from Oakland? 24-0 lead before the end of the first quarter? 59-14 final? 328 yards of rushing? Those are college, not NFL, numbers.
2/ It may not have been the play of the week but this is a pretty darn good catch by Eagles rookie Riley Cooper, turning a certain interception into a 37-yard gain.
3/ He doesn't have gaudy numbers (either this season or in his career as a whole) but I'll tell you what, that Josh Freeman kid is clutch. I think his moxie will make him a NFL superstar sooner rather than later. Tampa Bay can truly build around him.
4/ Officials got the call wrong on that Ray Lewis strip-fumble against Buffalo in overtime. At some point, maybe right around the time the guy's being lifted into the air by Ravens players, that has to be called a dead ball. The winless Bills didn't deserve to get their hearts broken on a missed call.
5/ Speaking of bad officiating, it doesn't get much worse (or wordier) than this.
