Week 9 Thoughts

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 3:05 am

Here are some thoughts and observations with every game but one in the books for Week 9:

I'll start with something close to home - it's time for Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy to go in Green Bay. This is a poorly coached team with poor execution and a glaring lack of top-level talent. The two men responsible for those shortcomings are Thompson and McCarthy. With so many top head coaching candidates available after this season, now's the time for Green Bay to make the move. My ideal choice would be Bill Cowher.

Dear Chad Johnson - the dollar store is two blocks down and on the left.

I'm not going to lie - my man love for Chris Johnson could result in a restraining order being issued against me.

Welcome back Mike Sims-Walker.

Calvin Johnson owners spent the last month without their (allegedly) stud wide receiver and that is what they receive when he finally gets back on the field? Life sure isn't fair sometimes.

Hey look, Reggie Bush can still catch a ton of passes in a game.

I think Tom Brady and Randy Moss are on the same page again.

Memo to the Dallas Cowboys - you might want to consider scrapping the "We won't throw the ball to Miles Austin until the last few minutes of the game" plan. He's pretty good and should be getting the ball a lot more than he did Sunday night.

Remember when the San Francisco 49ers were considered a rising playoff team? That was a fun couple of weeks, wasn't it?

Think the Vikings picked a good week to have their bye?

Jake Delhomme not only started in the Super Bowl once, he nearly beat Tom Brady there. Try to remember that as you watch him now.

Hold on, Dallas Clark just caught another pass.

That sure was ugly Joe Flacco. Good thing you have the Browns coming up next week.

This one is for Ken Magner who I saw in Phoenix last week - Sack, didn't I tell you the Bengals were looking much stronger for this week's game than you thought?

It's painful watching LaDainian Tomlinson try to run these days. Absolutely painful.

The Patriots get the unbeaten Colts next week and the unbeaten Saints in Week 12. That's the kind of scheduling NFL fans should all appreciate.

Vince Young still can't throw but there's no denying the Titans are playing with more zest with him than they did with Kerry Collins. Again, though, his utter lack of passing ability makes him a liability that will be exploited against better teams than the Jaguars and 49ers.

Anquan Boldin wasn't happy he was inactive due to his ankle injury. It probably didn't help his mood that Arizona's offense looked as good as it has all season long without him.

botherk · Post by **botherk** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 5:43 am

I know most won't remember, but watching Tomlinson is like watching Willie Mays play for the Mets. Hard to watch.

I used to think defense when I heard the name, Chicago Bears.

One thing Bears fans can get used to is what Bronco fans discovered, Jay Cutler plays a lot better when the game is out of hand

Do I blame the Indy O-line or Addai for not having a 100 yard game when on every play the defense thinks pass first?

Dan Dierdorf and Tim McCarver have a lot in common

The Chargers should adopt the Indy philosophy and run as often as the Colts...The Giants would agree

Has anybody missed Larry Johnson? ...Anybody?

Sandman62 · Post by **Sandman62** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 5:58 am

Uh... YES! WE'VE missed LJ - all year long, after drafting him w/ hopes of being our RB1 (rd. 4).

So... any thoughts on his future?

Where does this politically-incorrect ambassador of good will end up for the rest of this season?

- New England? With Taylor out for the season and Morris out for a bit more, will they be content w/ just Maroney, BJGE and Faulk? Or might they do for LJ what they did for Corey Dillon and resurrect his career? (I know, wishful thinking ) But he could still serve as a short-yardage back behind the right line.

- Cleveland? Or is one over-the-hill unproductive RB (Jamal) enough for them to plod their way through to next year’s #1 draft pick?

- Washington? With Portis’ concussion yesterday, who knows when he’ll be back? Is Ladell Betts really enough for them?

- Seattle? If they didn’t feel the need to keep Edge around, would LJ really be any improvement? At least Mora has a history of using a designated short-yardage back (T.J. Duckett).

- On his couch, screaming all sorts of slurs at everyone he sees on TV, anyone who calls on the phone, the mailman, etc.?

botherk · Post by **botherk** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:05 am

How about San Diego?

Larry and LaDainian can start every sentence with, "Back in the day...."

Sandman62 · Post by **Sandman62** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:19 am

lol... "Yeah man... back in the day, I used to run all over dem [insert slur of the day]!"

renman · Post by **renman** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:22 am

I tend to agree with Phil Simms.

"The problem isn't Tomlinson, it is their (Chargers) pathetic approach to running the football, it is as if they are only throwing in a few runs into the mix to say they tried and then go back to throwing it all over.."

Tomlinson's season is remarkably like Calvin Johnsons (is his career "done?"). Both got hurt in a manner that ANY NFL player could get hurt. Both have been used horribly when they are actually in the game. Both are held back (production wise) by their circumstance as much as their own talent. While some are sick watching LT run. I am sick watching the Chargers ram LT up the back of their pathetic offensive linemen in bunched formations on obvious run downs while almost never spreading the field to use him on draws and delays and screening to him to get him in space in the way they used to.

Keep in mind... the average yards per rush for the Chargers RB's when LT is NOT running the ball is about 2.2 yards. I suppose that is LT's fault too?

If Tomlinson changed places with Benson, A. Peterson, or M. Turner I assure you the numbers would be dramatically different for both players.

The environment around a player is hugely connected to said players production level. Swap Reggie Wayne and TO or Dallas Clark and K. Winslow and the numbers for the players would be massively different.

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:50 am

Sorry James, but I don't see any similarities between LT's season and Megatron's. Yes, both have been disappointing but for Johnson, it's entirely due to him having missed time with an injury. For LT, the signs of his demise have been rather apparent for the past two season. What's happening this season isn't a surprise given how he has broken down at the end of each of the past two seasons. This is Calvin's third season and the first time he will have missed more than one game in his career.

With Calvin, you have a player who is disappointing due to an injury. With LT, you have a 30-year-old RB with a huge amount of touches under his belt who is (in my opinion) clearly breaking down and has little left. I think it's extremely likely Calvin bounces back either this season or next. I think it's highly unlikely LT does.

bald is beautiful · Post by **bald is beautiful** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 7:03 am

Originally posted by Renman:
I tend to agree with Phil Simms.

"The problem isn't Tomlinson, it is their (Chargers) pathetic approach to running the football, it is as if they are only throwing in a few runs into the mix to say they tried and then go back to throwing it all over.."

Tomlinson's season is remarkably like Calvin Johnsons (is his career "done?"). Both got hurt in a manner that ANY NFL player could get hurt. Both have been used horribly when they are actually in the game. Both are held back (production wise) by their circumstance as much as their own talent. While some are sick watching LT run. I am sick watching the Chargers ram LT up the back of their pathetic offensive linemen in bunched formations on obvious run downs while almost never spreading the field to use him on draws and delays and screening to him to get him in space in the way they used to.

Keep in mind... the average yards per rush for the Chargers RB's when LT is NOT running the ball is about 2.2 yards. I suppose that is LT's fault too?

If Tomlinson changed places with Benson, A. Peterson, or M. Turner I assure you the numbers would be dramatically different for both players.

The environment around a player is hugely connected to said players production level. Swap Reggie Wayne and TO or Dallas Clark and K. Winslow and the numbers for the players would be massively different. Chris Johnson - clearly has a boatload of zuzu when he runs.

LT - no zuzu at all. His boat left 1 1/2 years ago.

How do you not see that?

Eddiejag · Post by **Eddiejag** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 7:09 am

Originally posted by Renman:
I tend to agree with Phil Simms.

"The problem isn't Tomlinson, it is their (Chargers) pathetic approach to running the football, it is as if they are only throwing in a few runs into the mix to say they tried and then go back to throwing it all over.."

Tomlinson's season is remarkably like Calvin Johnsons (is his career "done?"). Both got hurt in a manner that ANY NFL player could get hurt. Both have been used horribly when they are actually in the game. Both are held back (production wise) by their circumstance as much as their own talent. While some are sick watching LT run. I am sick watching the Chargers ram LT up the back of their pathetic offensive linemen in bunched formations on obvious run downs while almost never spreading the field to use him on draws and delays and screening to him to get him in space in the way they used to.

Keep in mind... the average yards per rush for the Chargers RB's when LT is NOT running the ball is about 2.2 yards. I suppose that is LT's fault too?

If Tomlinson changed places with Benson, A. Peterson, or M. Turner I assure you the numbers would be dramatically different for both players.

The environment around a player is hugely connected to said players production level. Swap Reggie Wayne and TO or Dallas Clark and K. Winslow and the numbers for the players would be massively different. Renmen please stop as it's starting to get painful with your reaches about LT.He's done and you blew your first round pick and season in every league you drafted him. Please move on.