Tuesday Morning Ranterbackacacacacacacacac

The saying is that week one is crazy, week two makes more sense, and by week 3, we have a good idea of what's happening. Teams that start 0-3 or 3-0 usually keep heading that direction. Well, as exemplified by our pickings this week, we still we really don't know what the f$ is going on.

As I've said before, I think I have picked less than 20 % of the games correctly involving the Eagles or Saints since the beginning of last season. Suddenly, I'm not so pissed at not getting Drew Brees. The Birds finally got on track after I picked them not to, natch, and Kevin Curtis went from killing me to mocking me after I sat him and he had one of the best days EVER by a receiver. But are they really back, or does Detroit just suck on D?

That's really my concern with this season. Nothing is certain as of yet. There are a few teams that we know are good: New England, Indy, Dallas, Green Bay, Pittsburgh. There are a few that we know are bad: New Orleans (for now), Miami, Buffalo, Atlanta. Everyone else? No clue. And some of those aforementioned teams could reverse themselves quickly if dramatic things happen.

So that's where I am right now... completely lost.

Some random thoughts:

1. I would buy a throwback Eagles jersey, but for those colors, they had better be selling it at a good price. Did they really wear that in the depression 30's? It looked like a 60's experiment when everyone was tripping.

2. Experts are now reasoning that the Saints lucked out last year on a bad division and loads of energy and emotion. Thus, we should not be so surprised if they aren't as good as we thought. So why then did so many of them have the Saints in the Super Bowl in their preseason predictions? I know 90 % of them at least had them winning the division.

3. Larry Johnson, Stephen Jackson, and LaDanian Tomlinson are killing the business.... and lots of dreams.

4. Rexy is not sexy. Dallas has a decent run defense but their secondary is a little shaky, and the Bears did NOTHING to expose that. This is going to get ugly fast.

5. Between Jacksonville, Houston, and Tennessee, the AFC south is suddenly much better, but who knows how these teams really are?

6. I like Jason Campbell, even after I dumped him in my unending search for a backup QB. He's got poise. POISE! He made a great comeback last week, and it wasn't his fault that they screwed it up. He scares me for the future of the NFC east.

7. San Diego keeps screwing up, and it was especially bad Sunday because the Packers made some terrible plays as well and still won. They had 4th and goal on the inch line... a QB sneak or simple run would do it, and they spread out wide for a shotgun pass play. It didn't work. Those are the kind of stupid plays that get coaches fired. But they still won! Alas, poor Norv, I knew him well.

8. College football is dead to me.

9. Quick non-football thought: during the Ahmenijidad (sp?, I guess) press conference, I kept picturing Borat saying, "In my country, we are more advanced now... homosexuals no longer must wear blue hat."

10. Seriously, I hate so many head coaches right now. Bill Simmons has always pointed out how many bad plays are called and how many terrible people are in important positions in a league that makes billions of dollars and is home to the best of the best of the best for athletes. I'd agree, but then how did they get hired? There are only 32 openings and hundreds of people trying to get in. Maybe it's just really hard to coach in the NFL.

Prove me wrong, Norv!