I hate the Patriots and Tom Brady, but I have Brady, Welker, and Gostkowski all on my fantasy team, and their late drive propelled me to a win in my league in fantasy football. So hey, don't really know what to say.

I hope Jay Cutler fails miserably in Chicago, his offseason antics pissed everyone off.

I got into an argument with one of my friends yesterday, who's an Eagles fan. I called Carolina trash, he stated that they were a playoff team last year. I stated that Delhomme had one of the worst postseason performances ever and that they were going downhill this season. Anyone else concur?

I've heard this argument of Urlacher being overrated before but can't wrap my head around it. Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2000, Defensive Player of the Year in 2005, top 3 in interceptions by a LB in his 9 years, and he's been to 6 Pro Bowls. Not too mention that he calls all the Bears defensive audibles and is the general of one of the top defenses in the league. How can he be considered overrated?

Can I say that the Bears don't have a shot in the NFC North by one game? Yeah. The Vikings I think are the team to beat and without the general on D, I don't think the Bears have a shot even with a successful Cutler.

Agreed though, Delhomme is just bumming me out. What's surprising though is that not only did he suffer but so did Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams, two big time stud RB's. When a QB can't complete any sort of pass or keep control of the ball long enough to be a downfield threat it's easy for a D to just load the box and bring blitz after blitz.

Dan; I think other than Delhomme, Carolina has a pretty stacked team. Steve Smith is a top 5 reciever and the one two punch of the previously mentioned backs makes Carolina's offense potent if they had someone who could lead it.

Well it looks like the Colts are signing Hank Baskett since Gonzo is going to be out for a couple of weeks. I don't really know much about him, but apparently he was cut from the Eagles like 2 days ago... is he any good?

You guys need to subscribe to "The BS Report" podcast. Bill Simmons hosts it, he's the most hilarious sports writer out there, and he knows his stuff. I listen to it every day when I drive to school in the morning, usually consists of a lot of NFL talk, but he covers all the major sports as well. You guys would love it, it's free, get it off iTunes.

I agree that he is hilarious and an excellent writer. Does he know his stuff? Mostly, but it's arguable. He definitely would have cost me a sizable fortune if I had bet on his loony playoff predictions last year. He went 0-4 one weekend (including picking the Chargers visiting the Steelers - !) and then topped it by making a podcast two notches too defensive where he whined about how his predictions were entirely valid and it was the teams, and indeed, circumstance, which failed him. He sounded like Bruno Ganz in 'Downfall' - although he has since acknowledged it in a winningly laugh-out-loud manner as a lapse of manliness. Overall, a great writer who makes absolutely essential sports escapism - just don't put a mortgage on his playoff picks.

He knows baseball more than he knows football, let's put it that way. I don't read a ton of books for pleasure (mostly because I do enough textbook reading in college so I'm all tired out of it), but "Now I Can Die in Peace" is unquestionably one of my favorite books ever. Yes, he's a Boston homer, but the book is hilarious and it shows his extremely well detailed memory concerning every little thing. It's pretty incredible.

He was whining about the lines today, he called his boy Cousin Sal (off Jimmy Kimmel? I think?) up, and Sal killed him in the line predictions. Simmons just basically went, "well I apologize to the listeners not because my predictions are way off, but because these lines are so retarded." Instead of listening to loud rock music at 8:30 in the morning which I used to do to try to get me awake last year, I've been listening to his podcasts and I gotta say I love each of them so far. He mixes it up, has actors (Bill Hader was on recently doing some hilarious impressions), commissioners (had David Stern on one time), players, you name it, it's a great podcast IMO.

Simmons can be entertaining on his podcasts, sure, but his writing's taken such a huge drop-off the past couple of years, it's crazy. Anyway, his buddy, the great Dave Dameshek, is much more likable and twice as funny and I heartily recommend his podcast over the BS Report

Random thoughts:


Titans starting 0-2.

It's nice to look at the board and think the Niners have a 50/50 chance to lead every time I look. They're up by 10.

The Eagles are either awful or the Saints are the real deal. Anyone who says New Orleans hasn't a shot in hell for a title are kidding themselves.

Conundrum: Carolina lost, but not thanks to Delhomme. Do they can him after he had, essentially, a good day?

Cincinnati over Green Bay: if you claim to have called this and you aren't painted Orange and Brown, you're a dirty, filthy liar.

The Pats are almost cooked. Almost.

Minnesota deserves my attention now. Not because they beat the Lions. But because Brett Favre has reigned in his excess and AP is as good as ever. This is frightening.

Count Washington out already. Nine points against the Rams? I swear it could be a decade before this team even makes me think they're going to the playoffs.

Also, count out Jacksonville if they go more than 0-3. This team really confuses me, but now I see there was no actual confusion; they are never going to be great with Jack Del Rio. Tougher than nails, but no coach. By the way, after going 24 of 26 for 243 yards and 2 touchdowns, Kurt Warner jokes are officially dead again.

I am greatly enjoying the Titans starting 0-2. The AFC South is for the taking by the Colts now that the Jags and Titans are 0-2 (You are kidding yourself if you think the Texans are going to be better than 8-8 or 9-7. They are way too inconsistent).

I don't believe the Saints are the real deal simply because they haven't played any good teams yet and their defense isn't very good (bordering on bad). They are currently a wait and see for me.

The Pats are in trouble if they can't beat the Jets when they have a rookie QB. Elite status being revoked? Possibly.

As long as Favre doesn't do anything iffy the Vikings are a playoff team.

These are rough times to be a Titans fan....

I'll cry for the Titans fan when they understand half the pain of a Lions fan.

Touche. Possibly the best that's been served to me.

Still, with the talent on the Titans roster, ESPECIALLY defensively, there's no way we should be 0-2 right now. A loss to the Texans at home at the beginning of the season? If we don't beat the Jets next week (it'll be tough), we're screwed.

You do need to win next week, which won't be easy, but the Texans game was a classic sleeper game. Obviously no team wants to start out 0-2, but good teams do sometimes.



Eh. Call me when the beat a good team. How can you say Favre has reigned it in based on a two-game sample? AP is the best player in the game, no doubt, and IF Favre doesn't screw it up AP could take them to the title.

__

Watching the Colts-Fins game...Dallas Clark is a staggeringly good TE. That's a hell of a run after the catch, breaking a tackle, then still outrunning the DBs? Well done.

And while I still maintain that it's ultimately a fad, the Wildcat is fun as hell to watch.

Also, there doesn't appear to be any defense being played tonight, which could make this game watchable.

Joseph Addai may be one of the most underwhelming halfbacks I can recall. He never seems to affect the game to any great length - in fact, I'd say Peyton Manning's MVP season last year was necessary for the team to lift up over the void he creates in the running (perhaps the 'O' line is to blame as well, but truly, he is really unimpressive). If the Colts had a better runner, they would be a playoff and possibly even Super Bowl lock.


Nevertheless, how much do you want to bet he has a great game in the second half tonight and shuts me up?

Now THAT is how to score with 43 seconds left in the half. Manning can do almost anything. Halftime adjustments need to happen though. Run defense is struggling and they need to fix it.

If you guys could just go ahead and lose tonight so it would help the Titans out that would be greatttttttt

Dallas Clark is officially our savior. Donald Brown needs to be the #1 back. That was a great TD run.

Wow. What a game. The Dolphins need to learn how to do a 2 minute drill. Colts 2-0!

A few things to note from this weekend:


- Peyton Manning is the best quarterback of this decade. He wills his team to win. That is a vintage, premium QB. He will go down as legend.


- Jay Cutler rebounded nicely from his week 1 performance. I knew he wasn't going to suck forever. I did not, however, think the Bears were gong to come together as well. Big surprise.


- Why did everyone think the Falcons would suck this year, again? From what I can tell they made no big changes and neither did their divisional opponents (because I do not consider Tampa Bay an 'opponent'). Still, I think Drew Brees can make the Saints a winner if they just. got. defense.


- With all due respect to Tony Gonzalez, Dallas Clark is the best tight end in football. Thank you, and good night.


- I have no idea what to make of the Green Bay Packers. I won't know until week 9 - if then.

By the way - did Joseph Addai get injured, or is he really that awful? I really can't believe how unimportant he is to the Colts offense. He's their biggest playoff liability (the run 'D' notwithstanding).