The first half of the NFL’s 2007 season ended with a bang on Monday, just before midnight, with Brett Favre adding another chapter to his storybook career. Having just watched an heir apparent, the Denver Broncos’ second-year quarterback Jay Cutler, lead his team to a game-tying field goal in the closing seconds of regulation, the 38-year old Packer QB heaved the first play of overtime some 55 yards down the sideline into the outstretched arms of receiver Greg Jennings, who raced the remaining 81 feet to paydirt and victory for Green Bay.
It was said many times and shown in many a montage that Number 4 gets up for Monday night. I remember the 99-yarder to Robert Brooks, the circus catch that Antonio Freeman made against the Vikings and the triumphant performance against the Raiders the day after his father passed. This, too, will be etched in my mind, as another great performance in a legendary career. More importantly, the win keeps the Packers tied for the NFC division lead with the Dallas Cowboys. Those two teams will clash in Texas in one month.
For Denver, it will likely be chalked up as another learning experience for a team that is clearly a year away। With San Diego now playing like the division favorite they were expected to be, the Broncos need to get better on defense if they can and get some chemistry going with a very young offense that should have been able to win this thing in regulation. In a matchup of the worst run offense and worst run defense, Green Bay’s Ryan Grant, an undrafted player out of Notre Dame who spent last season on the Giants’ practice squad, gashed the Denver D for 106 yards, the first Packer back to achieve the century mark this season. In the end though, the story of the game would be two long touchdowns over the Broncos’ vaunted 1-2 punch of Champ Bailey and Dre’ Bly and the old gunslinger who continues to prove that he’s still got it.
A few more thoughts about Week 8…
I hope the owners are a lot happier with the response to the NFL: London than I am. I guess it hurt to have such a sloppy game. The debate over the use of the word “football” is a bit inane too. We get it, they call it something different than we do.
Nice first start for Jesse Chatman, filling in for Ronnie Brown. The Dolphins won’t go 0-16, they’ve got a week to prepare for a home game with the Bills and the Jets at home a few weeks later. That said, hopefully they won’t take a special teams specialist with the first overall pick in the draft.
The lost season for the Rams and Steven Jackson owners continues. Early reports say that Jackson’s short day this week was more due to being out of football shape than recurring injury problems. One can only hope. They won’t go in 0-16 in their division either.
The two teams who lost their respective championship games and started the season terribly are on the move. San Diego is handling the baggage of the Southern California wildfires and surging to lead the surprisingly bad AFC West and the Saints, who know a little bit about natural disasters themselves, have rebounded with three straight wins. I think they both make the playoffs.
While everyone else and their mom is losing their minds over the impending “perfect” matchup or focusing on the Patsies running it up a bit, I’d like to focus on Washington. As a denizen of “Redskins Country”, I’d like for you all to imagine what it was like to listen to the local punditry’s assessment of Gibbs and the boys chances against the Patriots… and it was favorable. “The ‘Skins have the best defense the Patriots have faced”… yeah, and they just scored again.
Congratulations, Brian Griese. Your Rex Grossman impression has you now available in 750,000 Yahoo! Fantasy Leagues and hated by scores who bet on you as a good bye-week replacement. You’re lucky Urlacher’s arthritis situation is stealing headlines from the growing pro-Orton camp.
Philly’s 3rd year end Trent Cole, a fifth round pick out of Cincinnati, got two more sacks on Sunday and leads the league with 9. Andy Reid knows what he’s doing, people.
Braylon Edwards is the real deal. Derek Anderson might be too. Charlie Frye? Isn’t that the main character from Futurama?
Dear Lions Fan: 5-2 is nice, half way to Kitna’s “crazy” prediction, but you don’t make my list with the #14 offense & #28 defense. Don’t make me send Kevin Curtis after you again.
Dear Panther Fan: See Above. #21 offense, #21 defense. And for the love of god, protect Vinny. Your offense with David Carr makes oatmeal seem exciting.
LenDale White carries the load for the Titans against the Raiders. Not bad for the 46th pick in last year’s draft. Given the choice today, would you take the first three (Bush, Maroney, D. Williams) or the second three (Addai, White, Jones-Drew)? If you were starting a fantasy team, I know your answer.
In this season of remarkable injuries, I’m shocked to see healthy, capable players like Drew Bledsoe and Corey Dillon staying retired. Where have all the Steve DeBergs gone? Iguess we still have Vinny। While I’m thinking of it, who did Aaron Brooks piss off?
FANTASY UPDATE
The TMac Nine had their best week of the season at 7-2, with a nice 3-1 effort from the Money Four for the second week in a row. The combined record of the Nine now stands at 38-31.
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