To Sum Up a Few Things...

The sports media has a tendency to beat a dead horse until its guts spew out on a slew of topics. What I'm going to do here is write what I think is the bottom line to all of them. Some topics I talk about may be overdone in the media, while others I feel inclined to write about for no specific reason.

1. Robert Griffin III has had one spectacular performance thus far this season against a rather poor defense. What he did was impressive, but if he had had a crummy game, we'd all be screaming that he was a bust the way we are about Ryan Tannehill and Brandon Weeden. What I'm saying is, while Griffin will probably go on to have a terrific career, one game is far too small a sample size to evaluate an NFL player.

2. Beating the Bills proved nothing for the New York Jets. The Bills may well win two games this year. The Jets are still a circus as of now. If they can win two out of three against the Steelers, 49ers, and Texans, maybe it's time to start to think they are legitimate. But right now, they're still an 8-8 team at best.

3. Tim Tebow still cannot pass the football. It's kind of weird to me how for all the work he does, he can't correct his throwing motion and throw spirals. He'll be in the league awhile, but would be better off becoming a tight end. It'd also be nice if, as a backup quarterback backing up a mediocre starter and special teams player, Tebow would be talked about less than most teams. But as long as ESPN exists, we all know that's not going to happen. 

4. If the NFL is going to fine multiple defensive players each week, there has to be a way for them to fine guys on the other side of the ball as well. Slap DeSean Jackson fifty grand for admitting he didn't play hard last year or something.

5. The NFL needs to quit making the rules so the offense scores every time and everyone gets 350 passing yards. Heck, even Blaine Gabbert amassed 260 last week. The league needs to start catering to the hardcore fan instead of the casual one, which we know will never happen. I won't get into player safety here.

6. If my Phillies fall short in their comeback bid for the playoffs, go A's and O's. Love the fight these teams possess despite such minute payrolls (by pro sports standards, of course).

7. I'm still not getting why the NFL is still hiding the evidence in the bounty scandal. Looks more and more each day like they don't have any. We'll wait till the meetings are finished.

8. Michael Vick should be benched for Nick Foles if he pulls another dud this week against Baltimore.

9. I really hope Seattle gets an NBA team back. And they should call them the SuperSonics again, because that was by far the best name in pro sports.

10. It's a real shame the Pirates are collapsing again. The way they're going, it's bound to be losing season number twenty in a row. As they're accustomed to this time of year, Pittsburgh has already turned their full attention to the Steelers.

Week 2 NFL Projections

 

Philadelphia Eagles 30, Atlanta Falcons 17

Atlanta won't be able to contain their former star Mike Vick in his determined return. If the Bears can put up 30 on the Falcons' D there is no reason the Eagles much greater attack can't. 2011 won't be as kind to the Falcons as many predict; the expectations are set too high.

Buffalo Bills 27, Oakland Raiders 13

This is the first time in years a game between these two would be considered relevant at all. Ryan Fitzpatrick impressed fans everywhere in a convincing 41-7 win last week, while the Raiders barely escaped with a win over the hapless Broncos.

New Orleans Saints 24, Chicago Bears 20

Defensive leader Brian Urlacher lost his mother this past week, but will be returning to play this Sunday. Even with Urlacher on the opposing side, you can't pick against the Saints to put up a decent amount of points, and the Saints D will stave off Jay Cutler's attack just enough to get the W.

New England Patriots 41, San Diego Chargers 31

No surprise if Tom Brady and Philip Rivers combine for over 800 yards in this matchup. While San Diego did allow the least yards in the NFL last week, facing Tom Brady and the gang is just a bit different than a declining Donovan McNabb.

Detroit Lions 48, Kansas City Chiefs 10

If the Buffalo Bills just put up 41 on this Kansas City D, they are going to have even more trouble with this Lions offense that has the looks of something special.

Baltimore Ravens 24, Tennessee Titans 10
Cleveland Browns 20, Indianapolis Colts 13
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20, Minnesota Vikings 17
New York Jets 24, Jacksonville Jaguars 7
Pittsburgh Steelers 17, Seattle Seahwawks 13
Washington Redskins 21, Arizona Cardinals 20
Green Bay Packers 38, Carolina Panthers 14
Dallas Cowboys 20, San Francisco 49ers 17
Cincinnati Bengals 14, Denver Broncos 10
Houston Texans 34, Miami Dolphins 20
New York Giants 23, St. Louis Rams 17

Vick Cashes In

Boy, does it help to be a gifted football player. Just a few years removed from prison, dog killer Michael Vick was signed earlier today for six years and 100 million dollars, roughly 40 guaranteed, by the Philadelphia Eagles. This comes after a season in which Vick posted a 100.2 passer rating and was awarded the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year Award.

The average person with a criminal record struggles to find any work at all, but football can take someone a long way. Formerly bankrupt, Vick will have the cash to build a mansion similar to the one in Surry County, Virginia, the site of his dog-fighting ring, Bad Newz Kennels.

By signing Vick to such a lucrative deal, the Eagles have made the decision, or statement that Michael Vick is now their franchise. The struggling offensive line will have even more of a responsibility to protect him, as he is now 100 million dollar property.

His top receiver, DeSean Jackson, now has more reason to gripe. A top ten NFL receiver, he had all the right to hold out during training camp, as he is due just $650,000 this coming season. It is a possibility the Eagles tried to free up more cap space for Jackson by signing Vick to such a long-term deal, but it didn't do much, as the Eagles are only four million under it. This is not enough to give DeSean the money he wants. There is always the consideration that if the Eagles see enough in Steve Smith they might be willing to part with Jackson altogether and have Smith and Jeremy Maclin as the primary receivers, but that is an issue for next year.

Vick's reckless style of play makes such a large investment extremely risky; whether he will last past this season is yet to be seen. He throws his body around the way Philly fans love in the nature Allen Iverson did playing basketball, but the front office will surely frown upon it. And the way the offensive line has guarded him throughout the preseason has not been encouraging, as Vick has taken numerous hits.

Vick's quality of play in the future is up in the air as well. Toward the end of last season opposing defenses seemed to pick up on his tendencies, and he finished up the year a lot sloppier than he began it. He's made reckless decisions so far this preseason as well.

All of this aside, the Eagles see enough in Michael Vick to give him a hundred mil. They see enough in him to entrust him with the task of accomplishing the one thing his predecessor, Donovan McNabb, could not: bring the Lombardi Trophy to Philly.

Plax Out of Jail

 

Donning a throwback Phillies cap, Plaxico Burress came out of jail for the first time in two years, and exclaimed "It's a beautiful day."

The 34-year-old receiver was sentenced for illegal gun possession after accidentally shooting himself in the thigh with a concealed weapon in a New York City nightclub. He had reached stardom in the NFL and was in the prime of his career. Unlike Michael Vick, he was charged on a pretty forgivable crime, that didn't cause harm to anyone but himself. It was just a boneheaded decision.

He will be immediately forgiven by fans around the country, and especially by whatever city's team signs him. The Phillies cap may prove significant, as the Eagles are a rumored team of interest. Agent Drew Rosenhaus, who is also DeSean Jackson's agent, has not ruled out any team, including Plax's former team, the New York Giants. Brandon Jacobs, Burress' best friend on the team, did say however he thought he would want a fresh start somewhere else.

Age is a factor for Burress' return to the NFL. Michael Vick was 29 when released. Burress is 34, relatively old for an NFL wide receiver. He stayed in the best shape he could while in prison, though, and didn't face the wear and tear of an NFL season.

The lockout is certainly a pro for Burress in terms of a personal standpoint; he gets time with his family whom he hasn't seen for two years. But where he should be soon is at a training camp, and learning an NFL offense. He is set to begin working out with other NFL players very soon, but it isn't the same setting.

When the free agent market is allowed by the NFL, many teams are expected to show interest. Rosenhaus thinks Burress will make an immediate impact on the NFL, and play at almost the same level that made him a household name.