Week 11 had a few surprises for most of us. I missed on four of my picks for the week. I thought maybe the Carolina Panthers would beat the Miami Dolphins since Carolina was playing at home and Ronnie Brown was injured for Miami. Also, it was a pivotal game for Carolina, as losing pretty much dashed their hopes for a wildcard berth. I also missed on the Kansas City Chiefs beating the Pittsburg Steelers, but I don't know anyone who picked the Chiefs in that game. I thought the Cincinnati Bengals would beat the Oakland Raiders, but so did most of the world. I missed on my upset special--the San Francisco 49er's to beat the Green Bay Packers. The Packers' offensive line held up better than I expected. On a positive note, a couple of my upset specials actually won--the Detroit Lions over the Cleveland Browns and the Tennessee Titans over the Houston Texans.
Who is going to beat the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts? I think this week will be New Orleans biggest test yet, as they play the New England Patriots on November 30 at the Superdome. It should be a fantastic game and might be decided on the strength of the home field advantage. The Superdome is the second loudest place I have ever been; second only to the Minnesota Metrodome. Both sets of fans are crazy in love with their team and never stop screaming. The Saints will also have a test against the Dallas Cowboys and will be playing away in a stadium that is too massive to be overpoweringly loud. Except for these two games, the remainder of the Saints' schedule is pretty easy with games against Carolina, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons.
As for Indianapolis, they could have a real shot at going undefeated. They play Tennessee, the Denver Broncos and the Buffalo Bills at home, Houston in Houston and the Jacksonville Jaguars in Jacksonville. While Tennessee is improving each week, I don't see the Titans beating Indy at home. Denver and Buffalo should be wins for Indy, too, as both teams have sputtering offenses. Houston always plays Indianapolis closely, but the defense of Houston just isn't playing up to its capabilities, partly because of Mario Williams' shoulder injury. The Jaguars remain a mystery team. They are capable of upsetting just about anyone, but they are also capable of laying an egg.
Am I the only person in the whole world who just loved the Belichick call on fourth and 2 with less than two minutes to play last night? The announcers were saying that it showed his lack of confidence in his defense's ability to stop Manning, but I disagree. I think it showed his total confidence in his offense's ability to get two yards in a "must do" situation. Don't you think he conferred with Brady, and Brady felt he could do it? Don't you think he looked at Indy's beaten up defense and thought the Patriot veterans could overcome the inexperienced Indy secondary? I loved the bravado of it. It was the "TIN CUP" choice; that choice we would all love to make in those situations where we just want to shake up our worlds--put it all on the line, do or die. The real mistake was not the call, but frittering away a couple of timeouts so that he couldn't challenge the spot on that play. For those gals out there who might not fully understand the scenario, each team has three timeouts per half. They also have the right to challenge a call by the officials. However, if the call is not overturned, the team that challenges the call loses a timeout. In the situation last night, because the Patriots had used all their timeouts when that play occurred, they could not challenge.
Also, have you ever noticed whenever a team calls a timeout to regroup and call their next play, the next play almost always sucks? Last night was no different. The Patriots called a last timeout for some unknown reason early in the fourth quarter. After conversing on the sidelines, Brady ran the play. It was a stupid, ineffective running play. Now if I were the coach and my quarterback called a timeout for no good reason, I would come back in with some off the wall play--like throwing the ball 30 yards downfield. I would NOT call a boring running play. Really, Brady could have called that play at the line of scrimmage without calling a timeout. It came back to haunt them. Lesson to coaches and quarterbacks--if you're going to call a timeout to devise your next play, pick one that is worthy of the timeout. No more of "let's outfox the defense with a run up the middle."
OK, so for yesterday's games I picked three wrong again. I've picked three wrong every single week, but I'm still doing better than the guys on ESPN.com. I missed on the Carolina-Atlanta game, the Packers-Cowboys game, and the Denver-Washington game. In the Carolina game, the Panthers did not turn the ball over once. They looked like a new team, but they have a tough schedule coming up. I didn't see much of the Packers and the Cowboys, but I listened to part of it on Sirius. It sounded like the Cowboys were going to win that one. I also didn't see anything on the Denver game, but what the heck is happening with those guys? It's embarrassing to lose to Washington.
I was kind of hoping that the Patriots would beat Indy even though I picked Indianapolis to win. I hate all the "undefeated season" media hype that inevitably gets started about now. It's annoying. I don't want any time to go undefeated.
It's Monday after Football Sunday, and I'm basking in the glow of a pregame tailgating party to which I was invited by some generous and rabid Saints fans. They had a spread of homemade cajun food that Paul Prudhomme would have envied. I saw their tent from the front of the Superdome when I went outside to take some photos. As soon as I crossed the street to their parking lot, they enveloped me with Southern hospitality, mouth-watering food and congeniality. I am a Southerner myself, so I appreciate the openess of Southern hospitality and the love that goes into the preparation of food to be shared by friends. Thank you, my new-found friends, for sharing with me and saving me from the media room hotdogs. Congratulations to the Saints, too, who played superbly despite a slow start.
One of the reasons I started Football for Women was to help women gain an understanding of the game, not just the technical aspects, but the emotional aspects of team participation. Younger women have had the opportunity to be team members, but women of my generation were never allowed to be on a team of any kind. As I roam the sidelines taking photos of the game action, I'm very aware of what is happening around the benches. To me, the team's chemistry is determinative of the game's outcome. I'm telling you right now, the Saints have IT. Yes, they have good talent and are well-coached, but more importantly, they have perfect chemistry. Yesterday's game revealed the difference between winners and losers. The Panthers, even when they were ahead, were lethargic, going through the motions. There is very little interaction among the players on the sidelines. When the offense is on the field, the defense was sitting down on the bench, not even watching the action. On the opposite side of the field, the opposite was occurring. I saw the Saints up on their feet, interested in every play, encouraging each other, never giving an inch. They have what it takes to go all the way. Adding to the team's chemistry is the chemistry of the fans. They are LOUD on every play. They have suffered a long time and now they are crazy in love with their team. It's a very impressive combination--team chemistry and fan chemistry. The team feels it, too. I saw them turn around and wave at their fans when the team was celebrating. Most teams do not even acknowledge their fans, but the Saints were interacting with them during the game. It was inspiring.
Ok, here I am in the bowels of the Superdome, getting ready for my first shoot of the New Orleans Saints. Although I did not pick them to win the NFC South, I think I was wrong. I think this might just be their year, and I'm getting ready to find out what it's like to be around their bench. Getting to the Superdome is no picnic, and I drove around it about five times before finally finding the media parking lot behind the stadium. It gave me a chance to take a look at this beleagured city to see if there are any vestiges of Hurricane Katrina still lingering. I guess there are a few. Frankly, I have never cared much for New Orleans ever since my purse was snatched at a bar in the French Quarter a few years ago. It seems a little sinister to me. During that same trip, I lay awake all night as people partied in the hallways of my hotel. This morning, at 11 a.m. on a Sunday, there were no party people, just a few fans out tailgating. It really smelled good in those parking lots, and I bet they have some of the best tailgating in the country. Last year, I shot an LSU game and ate some gumbo to die for cooked up in a huge black pot bigger than a car. I'm guessing the Saints tailgaters spare no time or expense to cook up the best fare in the country. I'm probably going to have a hot dog in the media room. Maybe after the game, after I have edited an captioned about 50 photographs to send off to the photo agency, I will venture down to the French Quarter and have some oysters. It is an "r" month after all.
The Panthers are missing a couple of receivers--Mohammed and Rosario--that they can ill afford to lose. The Saints will easily double team Smith, who has routinely had great games against them. I will be looking for the running game from the Panthers, especially since Michael Turner was so successful running against them Monday night. On the flip side, I expect Brees to exploit the Panthers cornerbacks, who are not the greatest. I predict a big Saints win.
I usually put my picks on another page of the website, but the web design company has it disabled while they work on some changes. Here are my picks for Sunday. I would like to point out that last week, I picked 10 out of 13 correctly. I am not one to brag, but if you check on ESPN.com, you will see that only one of their 10 "experts" did as well as I did. I have been known to win a football pool or two. In fact, one year, I picked every single bowl game correctly-that would be 16 out of 16. I won $400. I always pick a few upsets just to go against the grain. Those picks are based upon intangible factors. This week, my big upset special is Houston over Indianapolis. It's a particularly gutsy call, and none of the experts agree with me. I just have this feeling that Indy is due for a let down, and Houston is playing well enough to take advantage of it.
Wash @ AtlAtlantaThis should not even be a contest.
Ariz @ ChiArizonaThis is a good match up of two good but not great teams
Bal @ CinCincinnatiPlaying at home gives Cincy the edge
Hou @ IndyHoustonThis is my “upset special”
Miami @ NENEIt’s cold in Foxboro.Tough venue for away teams
GBay @ TBGreen BayThe battle of the Bays is usually good. Not this year
KC @ JaxJacksonvilleThis is a yawner.Nobody much cares who wins
Det @ SeattleSeattleAnother yawner.Poor Detroit
Car @ NONew OrleansI think Drew Brees will destroy Carolina’s corners
SD @ NYGNew YorkDespite having a bad few games, I think NY will prevail
Ten @ SFTennesseeThis would be a mild upset.Tennessee on the upswing
Dal @ PhilDallasShould be a great game.I think Dallas gets to McNabb
Pit @ DenverDenverWhy doesn’t anyone give Denver credit?
I just returned from beautiful Nashville, Tennessee where I photographed the return of Vince Young to the starting quarterback position with the Titans.I have a soft spot in my heart for Vince, having lived in Houston for the past three years, Vince’s home turf.I was hoping to see some humility in his face and less scrambling around with his feet.I was more than satisfied with his performance.He did not light up the cool night sky with his passing, but he was 15 for 18 and threw no interceptions.It was not a bad outing for someone who has been benched for so long.I think he has promise, and the Titans desperately need some promise.On a side note, Nashville is one great city to visit and it’s an easy, inexpensive trip.Be watching FFW’sFabulous Football Weekends section for a feature on the Music City.
The Jaguars, on the other hand, are a mystery team.One week they are hot, and the next week they are not.David Garrard and the entire offense, except for Maurice Jones-Drew, are inconsistent.Jones-Drew is amazing.He’s about my height and about three times my weight.He simply disappears into the middle of the line and comes out the other side and scores.Last night he broke through the line and ran for two long touchdowns; one a 79 yarder and the other an 80 yarder.
I missed on 4 of the picks for yesterday’s games.I did not expect Carolina to beat Arizona, but somehow they accumulated 355 yards in offense.Their running game was on and Jake finally connected with Steve Smith for a long touchdown.I’m so glad; Jake has been atrocious.I also missed on the Vikings –Packers game.I guess I thought that the Packers might win on emotion.They just don’t have the offensive line the Vikings have.Brett Favre was on his game as well, and he’s just so hard to beat when he plays like that.Another bad pick was the Denver-Baltimore game.Frankly, I’m not sure what happened there.The naysayers are saying that Denver’s true colors are finally showing through, but I’m going to reserve judgment.I think the naysayers WANT Denver to fall on its face just so they can say “I told you so.”Finally, I picked the Giants to beat the Eagles.I’m probably not the only one who was totally shocked by the Eagles domination of the Giants, so I don’t feel too badly.I still think the Giants are a better team overall.
Thanks for having the patience with me as I work on updating the design and content of Football for Women.net.It’s a labor of love, and I want it to be perfect.I’m going to be adding some features so you all can talk to each other.
I heard NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell say in an interview this week that there could be two or more NFL regular season games in international locations next year.I don’t know about you, but the NFL organization continues to astound me.How did it become so successful and powerful?I wish the US Government would hire Goddell to figure out the health care plan.He knows how to build an empire and put out a product that consumers simply cannot get enough of.The interview was quite interesting.He said that the most important goal for the NFL was to insure a quality product was being put on the field in every venue.The tools have been given to every organization to produce a competitive team; if the team does not succeed, you only have the management to blame.It is true; there is parity in the NFL.Unlike baseball, where you have an organization like the Yankees with a huge payroll, the NFL has the salary cap that ensures no organization can buy its way to the Superbowl.On any given Sunday, the team with the worst record can beat the team with the best record.Ok, that might be a stretch.There was no way the Bucs were going to beat the Patriots Sunday.Still, the Bucs did shoot themselves in their collective feet.They fired their offensive coordinator right as the season started.That tactic hasn’t worked for any team that has tried the same thing.
Getting back to the NFL in Europe, it will be interesting to see how the NFL expands internationally.Before you say it will never happen, who would have guessed the old AFL and NFL would have merged to become the powerhouse it is today?Who would have guessed players would receive millions to play football?Never say never.There is no reason why the NFL cannot expand internationally and be very successful.After all, what kind of a game is soccer anyway?How can you love soccer when there is football?I’m sorry, but I find soccer to be somewhat boring.I just do not get it.I have tried to appreciate it, but even photographing it is a little dull.You can only take so many photos of a guy hitting the ball with his head.With football, you just never know what’s going to happen.No two plays are alike, except maybe those runs up the middle that go nowhere.
Okay, this is totally off topic, butI have to relate this little tidbit to you ladies.Do you have any idea how HOT Terrell Owens is?I know, he’s not a poster child for humility, but he DOES look awesome in a leotard.How do I know?I photographed him Sunday in warm-ups, and he warmed up in a skin tight leotard.I took plenty of photos and will post them shortly.
Well, girlfriends, today I was laid off for the third time in three years.I’m sure I’m not alone in this plight, but in truth, I am ecstatic.You see, I love football and this magazine has been a dream of mine for years. I have had a hard time getting it going because I have been working fulltime or looking for a job fulltime.This time is going to be different.I’m not going to look for another job.I’m going to work on this magazine and make it something you will want to return to on a regular basis.Obviously, I hope that I can make some money doing it, but it is not my primary motivation.I am passionate about football, and I want to share that passion with my female friends out there.
I have a funny story to share about women and football.My dear mother, who is 84 years old, is a big time football fan too.She will lie on the couch on Saturday afternoons and watch three straight games. She doesn’t care who is playing, but sometimes she does doze off.There’s no better catnap than one with a football game and crowd noise droning in the background.Anyway, I stopped by to see her on Tuesday afternoon and was instantly concerned by her haggard looks. She had heart surgery last year, so we are sensitive to the tiniest signs of distress. “Miss Kitty,” I said, “are you feeling okay?”She immediately perked up and screamed out “Did you see that ballgame last night?” she asked, her eyes aglow.“I couldn’t sleep at all afterwards.”She was referring to the Monday Night Football game between Miami and New York.It was one of the best games ever, EVER!!She and I relived every touchdown, and every dramatic moment.I personally was watching it in bed and when Miami scored with 6 seconds left, I leapt out of bed, fist high, shouting at the top of my lungs.I had no stake in the game, but what drama, what fun.What a joy to share football with the ones you love.
So I hope to do a better job of sharing it with you.Take this job and shove it….
Well, ladies, we do have a few surprises after four weeks of play.The biggest surprise is probably the Denver Broncos who are undefeated.I was as fooled as anyone after their tumultuous offseason—trading Jay Cutler and the whole nasty mess with Brandon Marshall.I felt bad for their new head coach, who took all the heat for the Cutler trade.The players were fairly open about their dislike of the guy, and the experts and fans were predicting doom.Even after the Broncos won three in a row, the naysayers were jumping on board with negative predictions, saying they had an easy schedule and were just lucky.The game against the Cowboys changed the negativity.The Broncos proved they were the real deal.They still have a tough schedule ahead of them, but there is no indication they are not up to the task.The big question is how they will do on the road down at sea level in a hostile environment.
The next biggest surprise is probably the demise of the Tennessee Titans.I have never been a Titans fan, but who would have thought they would be 0-4?I did not predict them to win their division, but I did not think they would be at the bottom either.Another surprise, although not to me, is the lackluster performance of the Carolina Panthers, 0-3.Because I photograph them on a regular basis, I predicted they would finish third in the NFC-South, and that is where they are at the moment.Only the Bucs are worse.The Bucs have an excuse—they have been dismantled.My prediction is that the Panthers will also be dismantled after this season.
FFW simply must comment on the Monday Night Football game between Vikings and the Packers.It certainly had the hype, and it lived up to the anticipation.
Brett Favre was just brilliant, but he sure had plenty of time to throw.I heard that he had as much as seven seconds to find his receivers on one play.The Packers got no pressure on him at all.You have to pressure Favre or you are dead.All-in-all, the Vikings are looking pretty tough.I predicted them to win the NFC North before Favre signed, and I am even more convinced now.
I had an opportunity this past week to shoot the Cowboy/Panther game at the new Cowboy stadium in Dallas. I couldn't resist; I had heard so much about it and wanted to see if it was as spectacular as the hype made it out to be. The Panthers sent me my credential and parking pass and I had gotten my airline ticket much earlier anticipating the trip. Sunday, I was in Houston for the Texans and Jaguars, and that turned out to be a very good game. I could not believe the Texans fumbled in the endzone when they had a chance to win the game on their last drive. The ball came out right in front of me, as I was kneeling in the endzone expecting a touchdown. Monday I drove to Dallas from Houston, excited to see the new stadium. From the outside, it is sleek and shiny. It sits near the Rangers' baseball stadium in a neat little complex with Wal-Mart for an anchor. Inside the stadium, it's quite an amazing facility. Of course the gigantic screen is fantastic and overshadows almost everything else in the stadium. There are luxury suites right on the field, but the problem is, no one can see over the heads of the players and photographers lining the sidelines, so those people have to watch it on the big screen.They also have podiums on the mezzanines where they have dancing women--kind of like the old "go-go girl" concept. I took lots of photos and will post some as soon as I get the chance.
The outcome of the game was no surprise. The Panthers are just lacking something fundamental. They have no spirit. Watching them is like watching a game in black and white--no color, no pizzazz. I'm wondering if they will win more than a few games this year. If they can't get up for Monday Night Football, what will it take?
It has been an interesting two weeks in the NFL with a couple of Cinderella teams emerging and a few teams really in trouble at 0-2. Let’s start with the teams that are in trouble and the likelihood that they can overcome their poor start. Statistics say that only 17% of the teams that start out 0-2 will make it to the playoffs, so let’s guess which teams will be in that 17% this season.
The 0-2 teams are: Carolina, Miami, Jacksonville, Tampa, Cleveland, Tennessee, Detroit and St. Louis. Of those teams, Carolina, Miami and Tennessee are the surprises. I suppose those three teams have the best chance of overcoming the odds, but Carolina has a very tough schedule. They play Dallas Monday night after a Dallas loss in their stadium opener this week. I’m guessing Carolina will be 0-3 after Monday’s game—a loss record that is almost insurmountable in terms of playoffs. Miami almost beat Indianapolis Monday night in a great game to watch. It’s nice to see the innovative plays out of the Miami wildcat formations, but their defense just failed miserably. Indianapolis only had the ball for 15 minutes entire game. Think of that—15 minutes during which they scored sufficient points to win. Tennessee is the classic underachieving team. They have good talent, but they always seem to be out of kilter. Frankly, I’m not optimistic that any of these 0-2 teams are playoff contenders, but if I’m forced to pick two, I would guess Tennessee and Miami.
The 2-0 teams are: Jets, Ravens, Colts, Broncos, Giants, Falcons, Vikings, Saints and 49ers. The surprises here are the Jets, Broncos, and 49ers. I don’t think anyone thought the Jets would beat up on the Patriots like they did Sunday, especially with a rookie quarterback, Mark Sanchez going against venerable veteran Tom Brady. The Broncos are another big surprise. Those guys have got to be enjoying their record in light of the grief they got for trading Jay Cutler. Who has the last laugh now? The 49ers are an up and coming team and could be the Cinderella team we all want to see. I would say the Broncos are the least likely to make the playoffs out of the batch. I’m not sure how good the 49ers really are, but they are in a weak division and could win it.
Why is Bill Clinton a world famous good guy and Michael Vick an unforgiveable criminal? How much slack should we cut Michael Vick because of environmental influences? Here are some thoughts on the subject.
I recently completed a cross-country trip during which I listened to over 20 hours of NFL radio on Sirius Satellite Radio. I must say, it saved my sanity. The programs were originating from various NFL training camps, so there were plenty of interviews with players and coaches. I happened to catch the Texans, Giants, Jets, Rams, Browns, Bills, and Bengals broadcasts. I also caught a little of the Colts and Eagles. Based upon the interviews and the discussions among the announcers, I’m pretty happy with my picks in the All You Need to Know department of footballforwomen.net. At least one announcer has gone out on a limb with me and picked the Texans over the Colts and Titans in the AFC Central. We’re hanging out there together.
If anyone was watching the Hall of Fame game last night between the Bills and the Titans, the Titans looked far superior to the Bills on all fronts. The Bills rookie punter A.J. Traffaso had the best fake movement I have ever seen on a fake punt. He dropped back to punt, faked the handoff to the running back, and blew right through the defenders who were chasing after the running back. It was actually funny and, no doubt, made the Bills feel like fools. Punters, as you know, get no respect; but this guy was terrific. Titans coach Jeff Fisher said he had been thinking about the play since the 90's but had never been in the position to try it. Wow, I can't remember what I was thinking about in the 90's, but it wasn't fake punts.
I've actually attended both the Texans and the Panthers' training camps this past week. I'm impressed with the Texans. The Panthers lost a key defensive tackle to injury. That doesn't bode well for them. Panthers coach John Fox lost about 40 pounds, and he looks much younger and healthier. Maybe now when Jake Delhomme has a melt down, he won't look like a heart attack waiting to happen. He'll just look disgusted.
I always thought Michael Vick was overrated and overhyped. I don’t know about you, ladies, but I cannot figure out for the life of me why these bad boys of football do the stupid things they do. Michael Vick’s dogfighting activities were the stupidest of all. He lost over $100 million and precious time in the short lifespan of an NFL football player. Was assisting with a dogfighting ring really worth the loss of a shot at Superbowl ring?
Roger Goddell, the NFL Commissioner, this week gave Vick the green light to play football again in the NFL, clearly buying Vick’s story of remorse and rebirth. If I were Goddell, I probably would have done the same thing. Americans are a forgiving bunch, especially when it comes to their heroes. We love a good comeback story, too. Think Rocky Balboa, Kurt Warner, Lance Armstrong—only these guys weren’t criminals. They didn’t squander their talent, put themselves above the law, or get lazy in their invincibility.
Vick will probably not be a starting quarterback again. Some team will pick him up to use in a special play situation, like the “wildcat.” What is the wildcat, you ask? In the wildcat formation the quarterback is replaced with a more versatile player, usually a running back. The ball is snapped directly to the running back who can either run or pass, making the formation difficult to defend. Because the ball is snapped directly to the running back, and there is no handoff, the play develops very quickly. It is easy to see Michael Vick in this kind of a formation. He is a formidable runner and experienced passer.
Who needs him? We don't know, but Tony Dungy told Chris Collinsworth that he thinks we will find out very soon.
