Inhistoric

NFL Week 9 Footnotes

2009-11-09T04:03:57Z

Whoyda thunk it? Through seven games, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were about as threatening as a sock puppet, and yet the came out yesterday and handled the Green Bay Packers -- who were in desperate need of a pick-me-up after the Favre game. Whoops. And not only did they beat the Packers, they did it in some of the most infamous uniforms in history: their original duds from the 1976 season, the year they lost all 14 games. But hey, you gotta stick with works. After all they have a 1.000% winning percentage in the creamcicle unis this season.
Colts coach Jim Caldwell is the first coach to begin his career with eight straight wins since George "Potsy" Clark, who did it way back in 1931 for the Portsmouth Spartans – who are today’s Detroit Lions. Meanwhile, Dallas Clark finished with 14 receptions – one shy of the record for tight ends. So much for having a drop-off after losing Tony Dungy.
Cincinnati is 6-2 for the first time since 1988, when they last went to the Super Bowl. Give them credit – week after week after week, they’re always going up against a tough opponent and have continually come away from it unscathed.

Randy Moss and Terrell Owens are now tied for second place on the all-time touchdown list with 140 TD’s. Jerry Rice, with 197 touchdowns, is way out in front in first place. If either player has a chance to match Rice it’s Moss, who has a beautiful thing going with Tom Brady.

How schizophrenic are the Arizona Cardinals, or rather, how schizophrenic is Kurt Warner? On week after throwing five interceptions in a loss to the Panthers, Warner threw five touchdowns and zero interceptions in Sunday’s crushing of the Bears. Warner is the first player in 31 years to throw a five-TD game directly after a five-INT game.

New Orleans is 8-0 for the first time in franchise history. Their 303 points through eight games is 28 less than the 2007 New England Patriots had in their first eight games. The Pats had some low-scoring games in the later half of the year though, so the Saints should be more than capable of making up the scoring deficit.

As pointed out at the SB Nation meta site, Peyton Manning is the first player in NFL history to accomplish 40,000 yards in a single decade.

Throwback Uniforms: Colorado Buffaloes (1930)

2009-11-08T15:13:15Z

On September 19, 2009, the Colorado Buffaloes donned uniforms from the 1930's in their game against Wyoming. Why? Because the city of Colorado had two running backs in the 1930's who led the nation in rushing, and because 2009 is the 150th anniversary -- or the sesquicentennial -- of the city of Boulder, where the University of Colorado is located. Why exactly did they choose 80 year-old outfits to honor the 150th birthday of the city? Uh... hmm... meh, whatever.

The point is that Colorado crushed Wymong, 24-0, and it was all (not really) thanks to the jerseys. So, should the replica jerseys stay for good, or should they have been left in the past? Find out after the jump...

Colorado looked pretty odd wearing silver and gold. But the team was in desperate need for a change, having lost the first two games of the year. Here, wide receiver Scotty McKnight makes a reception for a first down.

The C's on the side of the helmet are an interesting look. Nowadays, the team has a buffalo with the team's initials on the side.

According to the Denver Post's recap of this game, "Colorado wore throwback uniforms with silver pants to honor the 1930 teams led by Kayo Lam and Byron "Whizzer" White that put CU on the national football map." I'll admit that college football isn't my forte, but I am skeptical that those football teams put the program on the map. The team had one season in 1937 where they went 8-1, they moved up to a higher division, and then they sucked it up for basically the next 30 years. If that's what it takes to get on the football map, then the map must be pretty damn easy to get on. But hey, I'll trust the Post.

Ralphie V, the Colorado mascot, is rushed onto the field to begin the game. I'm not sure what happened to Ralphie's I through IV, but I'm sure they were delicious.

Overall:

As you'd expect from an 80 year-old uniform, the Buffaloes digs were pretty basic. But at least they had presence of mind to put something on their helmet, so at least they were identifiable. A lot of pro football teams went years and years without a logo on their helmets -- the Cleveland Browns still don't have one. Final score: they're okay. Not good, not great. I look forward to seeing these again in 2030 when the old team is honored for real.

Final Grades:

Classic Colorado home uniform: C

Photos taken by Doug Pensinger, Getty Images

Death of Ex-Falcons QB Randy Johnson

2009-11-08T05:46:00Z

Death of Ex-Falcons QB Randy Johnson

Compelling Atlanta Journal-Constitution story from a month ago on the downfall and death of Randy Johnson, the Falcons' debut quarterback and a 10-year pro player.

Chase for Perfection/Imperfection: Week 9 (The Final Three)

2009-11-07T08:00:23Z

Well, the imperfect/perfect teams in the NFL are dropping like flies. Last week the Broncos lost, the Titans won and, only because they were playing the Lions, the Rams won. Now there are only three teams remaining that are gunning for a win-less or loss-less mark. Can any of those three make it to Week 10?

Carolina (3-4) @ New Orleans (8-0):

The Panthers are the most schizophrenic team in the NFL. At first they were awful, then they won two straight, lost to the lowly Bills and then destroyed the defending NFC champs. Now comes their biggest test -- against a Saints offense that has looked downright unstoppable thus far. New Orleans is on pace to break the single-season scoring record, and I know they dropped 34 last week, but I doubt that the Panthers have enough offense to keep pace with them. Look for the Saints to move to 8-0.

Green Bay (4-3) @ Tampa Bay (0-7):

It's the battle of the bays, and it doesn't look good for the Bucs. Not only are they going against a Green Bay team anxious for a win after the Favre game, but they haven't played a football game in the United States in three weeks -- meaning they'll be rusty on top of it. Sadly for Tampa Bay, this looks to be their easiest remaining home game of the year (the rest are against New Orleans, the Jets and Atlanta). It's hard to like the Bucs to ever win a game, and I wouldn't bet on them to start now.

Houston (5-3) @ Indianapolis (7-0):

The Texans are looking better than they have in their existence, and are on pace for their first winning season ever. The Colts are obviously favored to win, but look for the Texans to give them a hell of a fight. Not only do quality AFC South teams tend to bother the Colts, Indianapolis will suit up without Bob Sanders, who suffered a season-ending injury last year. This should be close.

Great start for Celtics; is 72 looking better?

2009-11-06T14:59:53Z

Let no one mistake these Boston Celtics with the Los Angeles Lakers teams of the early 2000's. This is not a team that slouches out of the gate.

For the third straight year, the Celtics are looking great immediately. In 2007-08, they began with eight straight wins and won 29 of their first 32. In 2008-09, they won 27 of their first 29. Can Boston keep pace with their impressive track record? They'll have to if they want to make Rasheed Wallace look good, as Rasheed predicted earlier in the year that the Celtics could win 72.

As a conscientious spectator, I will say that their start no more proves than disproves how good they'll be this season. They lost seven of nine games at one point last year, and a brief downturn is inevitable. Still (health permitting) they are a lock to finish in the high 60's. But let's say they were gunning for 70 or 72 wins -- what sort of start do they need to get off to, at least historically?

(find out after the jump...)

Nine teams in NBA history have won at least 67 games in a season -- here's what those nine teams did in the beginning of the year:

TEAM	Streak to begin yr.	Thru 30 games	Thru 50 games	Final record
1995-96 Chicago Bulls	5 straight wins	27-3	45-5	72-10
1996-97 Chicago Bulls	12 straight wins	26-4	44-6	69-13
1971-72 L.A. Lakers	4 straight wins	27-3	43-7	69-13
1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers	7 straight wins	27-3	46-4	68-14
1972-73 Boston Celtics	10 straight wins	26-4	41-9	68-14
1985-86 Boston Celtics	1 straight loss	23-7	41-9	67-15
1991-92 Chicago Bulls	1 straight win	25-5	41-9	67-15
1999-00 L.A. Lakers	2 straight wins	25-5	39-11	67-15
2006-07 Dallas Mavericks	4 straight losses	23-7	41-9	67-15

To win 67 or more is to be one of the greatest teams of all-time. Seven of the nine teams won it all, and only the teams that didn't were the '73 Celtics and the '07 Mavericks. Dallas, by far, had the most bizarre path to 67+ by losing the first four games of the year. They then had three separate streaks of ten or more straight wins, won 38 of 40 at one point, and then went out in the first round to the Golden State Warriors -- which of course shouldn't be news to anyone reading this.

Still, the chart shows that if you're even going to approach 70 wins, you have to be damn near perfect. Let's not forget that the 1996 Chicago Bulls only lost one game by more than nine points, and lost three of their games by only one point. The Celtics have looked great from the start and are even better through six games than those '96 Bulls. In fact the Celtics' start is historically impressive. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, they are the first team since the 1947-48 Baltimore Bullets to win their first six games of the year without allowing 90 points in any game.

One problem the Celtics face that the '96 Bulls didn't is some stiff competition within their conference. No, the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers may not be better than them, but they're no pushovers either. They play the Magic four times this year, Cleveland another three times, the Lakers twice, the Nuggets twice, and the Spurs twice. We'll wait to see if they can continue their success through 30 and 50 games, but so far the Celtics are looking good.

Gratz to the 27-time champs

2009-11-05T05:15:43Z

You know how people say "money can't buy you happiness" -- that may be true in the real world, but in sports, money means EVERYTHING. It took a change of managers, a steroid admission from Alex Rodriguez, steroid revelations of Giambi, Clemens, and Pettitte, and a change of scenery, but at long last the New York Yankees found the right combination of superstar sluggers and pitchers to win them their 27th title (the most in sports history). And just what was the source of their winning combination?

Straight cash homey.

The combined contracts of A.J. Burnett, CC Sabathia, Hideki Matsui, Mark Teixeria, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, and Johnny Damon -- seven players -- is greater than $1 billion. This team had all the offense in the world the past nine years, but when it was all said and done, it was their pitching that put them over the top. And how sweet is it for the Yankees to win it all with Pedro Martinez of all people on the mound. Prior to this series, the last time they saw Pedro the Red Sox were going to the World Series. This time around it's Pedro who is going home the loser, and the Yankees are victorious.

I'll say this though. Thankfully there is enough parity in the MLB postseason that it took this team nine long years to win another championship, even though their rosters were as gaudy and loaded as any we've ever seen. The Tigers, Angels, Red Sox, Marlins, Diamondbacks, and Indians were all able to get past them. Eventually though, something's gotta give. It doesn't matter how open your sport is; when one team is paying a quarter of a billion dollars a year to its entire roster, the time will eventually come when that team reigns supreme. That time is now.

Also, kudos to Hideki Matsui, whose six-RBI performance tied Bobby Richardson for the most in a World Series game. If he really is going to Seattle next year, and if this really was his final game in a Yankees uniform, he certainly went out with a bang -- winning the series MVP. Meanwhile, Alex Rodriguez finished just one RBI shy of the all-time postseason record. Even without that feather, A-Rod has inarguably silenced the critics who said he wilts in the clutch.

ESPN doc covers Holmes-Ali bout

2009-11-04T07:02:30Z

In commemoration of its 30th anniversary, ESPN has enlisted thirty different film-makers to make 30 different films about 30 different things that happened since the cable giant first came on the air. The series, appropriately called 30 For 30, has delved into several sports stories that shook the sports landscape over the last 30 years, among them the Colts' move to Indianapolis, Wayne Gretzky's departure to L.A., the death of the U.S.F.L, and the death of Len Bias.

One of the most recent episodes was a documentary about the Larry Holmes-Muhammad Ali fight from 1980. The short film, "Muhammad And Larry," showed rarely-seen footage prior to their heavyweight fight. The actual fight itself is only covered in the last minutes, as it's the build-up to the event that the film focuses on.

I've enjoyed all the 30 For 30 episodes, but this was the first one that I could actually imagine writing a thesis paper about. Although the director never says a word about either fighter, the inferred character examinations on both Holmes and Ali are fascinating, as the two of them inch closer and closer to the day of the match. All the while you're asking yourself, "Why?" Why on Earth would Muhammad Ali, the most revered boxer in U.S. history, take on someone so much younger and stronger? Why would Holmes take on someone who hadn't fought in two years and was obviously well past his prime?

From the moment the cameramen enter Holmes' house and get a glimpse of his trophy rack, Holme's motivation is made pain-stakingly clear. Larry never liked that he lived in Ali's shadow. He didn't like that Ali was the "greatest of all-time" and that he was just another heavyweight champ. For Holmes, fighting Ali was his attempt at vindicating himself historically.

There's a beautiful scene midway through the film that shows Larry Holmes from 1980 driving around inhis car, listening to a song someone had made of him. Several minutes later, the film seamlessly cuts to Larry Holmes from 2009, who is also driving around in his car. And wouldn't you know it -- he's listening to the same song almost thirty years later. And not only is he listening to it, he's singing the words to it from his heart. You can only imagine how many times he must have listened to that tape from 1980 to 2009.

Then there's Ali, whose motivation was much murkier. Obviously a fat paycheck can convince almost anyone to make a bad decision, but it was an especially bad decision for Ali, who was still lucid and healthy at the time. It was the fighting that he did in this fight and later excursions that wound up being the final nails in the coffin; the injuries he sustained from those fights landed him Parkinson's Disease and damaged his body forever. The man who was known for his elegance and grace is now no more than a shadow of himself.

Even after all these years, it's hard to find a definitive reason why Ali, 38 years old and a three-time heavyweight champion, would come out of retirement for this. Maybe he was so confident, so assured that he really was the greatest ever, that he felt he didn't need to be in top physical shape, that maybe his guile and his wisdom could lift him to victory in spite of their age difference. Maybe he was itching for another shot at glory, at proving to the world that he was, and still is, the best boxer ever. Or maybe he had surrounded himself with so many people with dollar signs in their eyes that there was nobody there to put a hand out and stop him.

For whatever reason, both fighters met in the ring and fought each other for 10 brutal rounds of boxing. It was as one-sided a fight as there has ever been without a knockout occurring. Holmes, for all his animosity towards Ali's status, was really a huge Ali admirer and was hesitant to deliver a killer blow. Finally the fight was stopped in the 10th, but not before Ali took punch after punch after punch to his head, each one looking more painful than the last.

It wasn't the shining moment that either Holmes or Ali was expecting. It was just a terrible fight between two fantastic boxers that, had reason prevailed, should have never happened. In the end, it may have been Ali's stature and legend that brought both men to the ring -- had Ali not been Ali, it's unlikely he would have been offered millions of dollars to come out of retirement; it's unlikely Ali would have been motivated for it; it's unlikely Holmes would have been motivated for it. Both men tried to recapture or capture the status as the greatest ever. Instead, both men put on one of the worst fights ever, and did nothing to improve their own regard in the eyes of the history books.

Derek Anderson: the luckiest player in the NFL

2009-11-03T23:00:37Z

Five games ago, Browns coach Eric Mangini made the decision to go back to Derek Anderson after a trio of rough starts from Brady Quinn. And since that time, Derek Anderson has put together five of the most absymal, pathetic, god-awful starts in the history of the National Football League. In yesterday's game against the Bears, Anderson went into halftime with a 0.0 passer rating. I can't think of a number that screams "maybe it's time for another switch" like 0.0.

Here are the stats: in Anderson's five games, the Browns have gone 1-4 and lost their four games by a combined 78 points. In that time, Anderson has thrown two touchdowns and nine interceptions and has completed only 55 of 135 pass attempts. Even worse, he has actually regressed since he first took over and has completed only 29 of 87 passes in his last four games (with an average of only 80 yards per game). Overall, his completion percentage is a dismall 42.9% and his QB rating is 36.2% -- Anderson is dead-last in the NFL in both categories, as he is in the category of yards per attempt. He is second-to-last in yards per game and fith-to-last in interceptions, which is impressive considering he didn't start in the first three games of the year.

Anderson's passer rating is the lowest a quarterback has had through eight games since Marc Wilson, who compiled a 29.2 rating in 1981.

At first when Mangini said that they were going back to Anderson because he gave them the best chance to win, few people could argue. After all, it was D.A. who led them to a 10-win season in 2007. But that argument can no longer be made as Anderson is officially ranked as the worst QB in the league. So why? Why is it that Anderson not only hasn't been waived but is actually still listed as the Browns' starter? The team will never admit this, but if Brady Quinn takes 70% of his team's snaps this year, he gets a $10.9 million raise. Saving Quinn may not mean saving face, but it means they'll save a little cash.

It's understandable that if the Browns are going to suck, they might as well do it as cheaply as possible. But still -- Brady Quinn has only started in six career games. You have to at least give this guy a shot at improving, because you can't expect Anderson to get better. Once you cross into the level that Derek has crossed into, it'll only get worse and worse and worse. Quinn at least has a chance to become good (after all, Aikman and Manning were horrible their first seasons). Anderson's play warrants a benching, however he's fortunate enough to be in front of someone who management doesn't want to play.

Utley ties Mr. October's record

2009-11-03T15:09:37Z

There are several players in the Yankees dugout who could win the MVP if they win the series. In the Phillies' dugout, the choice has already been made.

With another two-home run game, Phillies second baseman Chase Utley hit his fourth and fifth home runs of the series -- tying Reggie Jackson for the most home runs in a World Series. This also ties the record for the most homers in a single postseason series, tying Jackson (who did it in '77 against the Dodgers), Ken Griffey Jr. (1995), and Juan Gonzalez (1996). With six total playoff homers, Utley is only two behind the record for a singe playoffs, a record which is shared by Barry Bonds and Carlos Beltran (8).

Utley has hit four home runs and is 4-7 in the Phillies' two wins, while he is only 2-11 with one homer in their three loses.

For Joe Girardi's sake, he better hope that either Pettite or Sabathia gets in done in Game 6 or 7. His knock from the beginning has been that he over-manages the game and gets himself into trouble. Well now he's in a spot where his final two starters of the season will be throwing with a full day's rest less than the Phillies' pitchers, and Sabathia might have to pitch in back-to-back starts with only three days rest. Considering that they could have lengthened the rotation after they went up 3-1, Girardi is in position to get absolutely destroyed if the Yankees lose the series.

Say goodbye to this...

2009-11-02T22:51:59Z

Well, it's been a good... month, but Inhistoric is getting a new look -- as is every site in SB Nation. I'm going to miss this puppy, but hey -- you gotta move forward. You can't spend the rest of your life working on an Apple II with Windows 95 as your operating system. Eventually you gotta bite the bullet and buy Vista or 7. Sure, it'll look different, and I'm sure that I'll hate it the first time I see it. But within a week, I'll have already forgotten the difference.

What does the new site look like? Don't know yet. We'll find out tomorrow...

NFL Week 8 Footnotes

2009-11-02T08:00:19Z

It was a big day all around for Brett Favre. For one, he threw his 21st career four-TD game – tying Dan Marino for the most all-time. For another, Favre has now started in 300 consecutive games when factoring in postseason games. I know Favre said this wasn’t about revenge, and I know he was weepy after the game, but he’s played awfully well in their two games against Green Bay. You can’t tell me he wasn’t a little motivated to stick it to Ted Thompson.
Kurt Warner become the first player in NFL history to throw for 14,000 yards with two separate teams, but it was hardly a momentous game for K.W. Warner turned the ball over SIX times including a quintet of interceptions. Almost every team that’s lost the Super Bowl in the last ten years has missed the playoffs in their following season – luckily for the Cardinals, the NFC West is so barren that they have practically no chance of relinquishing first place.
Ted Ginn hadn't done much with the Miami Dolphins until Sunday, but what a Sunday he had. Ginn become the first player since 1967 to return a pair of touchdowns for over 100 yards… in the same quarter. His 299 return yards was the second-most ever in a game, behind only Tyrone Hughes, who recorded 304 return yards in a game in 1994.
The Indianapolis Colts are the first team in history to win at least seven consecutive games in six consecutive seasons. In a way, Indianapolis is too consistent for their own good. If they weren’t, you’d probably be hearing more calls for Manning to be MVP again. There are only two undefeated teams left, and the QB’s for those teams (Brees and Manning) could go 1 and 2. It may be up to their records to decide who is 1 and who is 2.
Jason Taylor collected his sixth fumble recovery for a touchdown this season – setting an NFL record. Miami hasn’t dropped off the map like a lot of people thought they would, but they’ll need to improve defensively if they’re going to challenge for the sixth and final AFC playoff spot. At least one Dolphins linebacker is getting it done.
Well, it had to happen. Someone had to win the game between the Rams and the Lions, and it just so happened to be St. Louis. Their losing streak stopped at 17 games, fittingly to a team that recently ended a 19-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Colts' winning streak increased to 16 games.

Throwback Uniforms: Oregon Ducks (1996)

2009-11-01T07:00:16Z

In the fourth week of the college football season, the Oregon Ducks donned their uniforms from the 1996 to 1998 seasons in the hope of upsetting No. 6 California. Not only did they beat California, they emasculated them with a 42-3 beatdown. The result was so stunning, so unpredictable -- even for a quality Pac-10 team like Oregon -- that everyone was thinking the same thing: it had to be the uniforms.

But was it?

For those of you who don't know, the Oregon Ducks are well-known for having made an absurd amount of uniform changes over the years. In fact in 2006, the school make a pact with Nike that gave them a whopping 384 different jersey selections, literally meaning that every single season they'll be wearing something new.

When I first saw this uniform, it instantly reminded me of the old jerseys the Notre Dame Fighting Irish used to wear in the 70's and 80's. I was somewhat surprised to learn that the Ducks wear wearing this design barely a decade ago. It has a much older look to it.

Oregon running back LaMichael James had a huge game against the California defense: 188 yards and a touchdown. The interlocking OU on the helmet is no longer a part of the design. This is probably because there are at least half a dozen teams that OU could associated with (primarily Oklahoma)

I think it's interesting that none of their uniform designs would lead you to believe that they're called the Ducks. Granted, a duck isn't exactly the most fearsome creature out there, but you'd think they'd have a picture of a duck on at least one of those 384 options.

Overall:

It's pretty hard to wear a yellow helmet and yellow pants and get away with it. And since most of the Ducks uniforms are pretty ugly -- what with the lack of attention to detail with 384 jerseys -- I was expecting the 1996 editions to be kinda shabby. But these actually look alright. And when you annihilate one of the 10 best teams in the country, it's hard to argue with the results.

Final Grades:

Classic Oregon home uniform: B

Photos taken by Steve Dykes, Getty Images

Chase for Perfection/Imperfection: Week 8 (The Sensational Six)

2009-10-31T07:00:25Z

Last week, the Minnesota Vikings ended their quest for perfection with a close loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers -- which was a shame, since the only thing that could've made the Vikings-Packers game tomorrow more compelling was if the Vikings were still undefeated. Nonetheless, there are still six teams remaining with either a win-less record or a loss-less record.

What are the odds that these six teams will all maintain an (im)perfect record? Well, let's take a look...

St. Louis (0-7) @ Detroit (1-5):

If ever there was a time when a snuff film would be an acceptable alternative to an NFL game, this would be the scenario. Okay, Rams-Lions isn't that bad... but it's close. Both teams have lost 17 of their last 18 games and 25 of their last 27. That means that in their last combined 54 games, the Rams and Lions have combined for a 4-50 record. Will the Rams win? Who knows; if they can't get it done here, against a team this lousy... it doesn't look good for them to EVER win.

San Francisco (3-3) @ Indianapolis (6-0):

Since getting off to a 2-0 start, the Niners have looked utterly dysfunctional -- and throwing out Alex Smith after two years of hibernation can't possibly be a good thing. Peyton Manning is playing as great as he has ever played in his career, and it's hard to imagine that the Niners will be able to stop him when they couldn't stop Brett Favre, Matt Shaub, or Matt Ryan. In fact, all three of San Francisco's wins have come against NFC West opponents -- proving without a doubt what is the worst division in the NFL.

Jacksonville (3-3) @ Tennessee (0-6):

As bad as the Jags looked in the first two weeks, and as little fans as they manage to draw, Jacksonville is right in the mix of things in the AFC wildcard race. However, if they're going to make a serious push for the postseason, a loss against the 0-6 Titans would be completely unacceptable. Tennessee will be throwing out Vince Young for the first time this season, and the Titans offense will have to adjust to him on the fly. But because the Titans are at home against a mediocre opponent -- one that they play all the time -- it certainly wouldn't surprise me if the Titans got their first win of the year.

Denver (6-0) @ Baltimore (3-3):

Since getting off to a great start, the Ravens have taken a slide -- and for once it's not because of their offense. Joe Flacco is banged up and will have to deal with one of the three remaining undefeated teams in the league. It's going to be a close game and the outcome could swing either way, though there's no doubt in my mind that the Ravens will want it more. At 6-0, in a crappy division, the Broncos can live with a loss that the Ravens just can't. That being said, this will be the ultimate test game for Kyle Orton. If he can succeed against a lauded Ravens defense, then he'll deserve all the credit in the world.

Atlanta (4-2) @ New Orleans (6-0):

Reggie Bush made headlines this week when he said that the Saints could go undefeated. Honestly, the league is so immensely weak this year that it's not out of the question -- just unlikely. However, the Saints need to prove themselves against a terrific Atlanta team on Monday Night Football. The Saints' 46-34 comeback against the Dolphins in Week 7 was their lowest margin of victory this year. Should we expect another 40-point outburst?

Byes:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-7)

Enjoy the bye Tampa -- it may be the only week this season that you don't actually lose.

An inauspicious start for the Cleveland Cavaliers

2009-10-30T08:00:18Z

It's hard to tell what's the bigger surprise -- the fact that the Cavs won 66 games last year, or the fact that they've started the season 0-2. Although the Celtics and Raptors were two competitive opponents to start the season against, this certainly isn't the start people were expecting. In fact the Cavaliers, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, are the first team in NBA history to lose the first two games of the year after winning 65 in the previous season.

There are several things to look at before hitting the panic button. For one thing, it's only two games in. This team will have five-and-a-half months to gel and synchronize. Also, we're not seeing this team at full-strength. Leon Powe and Delonte West will give the Cavs a much-needed boost when they get back, and if the Cavaliers are indeed able to trade Zydrunas Ilgauskas for Stephen Jackson, then that's a whole extra 40 points per game that'll be added to the roster. Granted, I don't know why the Warriors -- who only play young, small, quick people -- would want to trade for a 7-foot-3, injury-prone 34-year-old who recently said that he's thinking about retirement... but hey, since when have the Warriors ever done anything that made sense?

The point is that there's still a ton of time left to see if this roster will work out. One thing is clear, however -- this team has to stop being the LeBron James Show if they're ever going to get anywhere. Mo Williams and Shaquille O'Neal have not played great in their first two games, and if someone else can't take up the scoring load once in awhile, then this team will have the same problem they had last year. Williams has been particular atrocious; the 7-22 shooting is bad enough, but to produce only five assists in two full basketball games is downright pathetic for a point guard. He can't just be a jump-shooter; he actually has to create some of the offense and do a little passing, otherwise Shaq is never going to be utilized properly.

Throwback Uniforms: Atlanta Falcons (1966)

2009-10-29T09:00:17Z

In Week 2, the Atlanta Falcons defeated the Carolina Panthers, 28-20, to move to 2-0 on the young season. Not only did they win in the scoreboard department, the Falcons managed to look pretty sweet in the process, as they donned uniforms from their inaugural season in 1966. Of all the throwback NFL uniforms worn in 2009 -- and there were a lot thanks to the AFL's 50th anniversary -- this beauty was one of the best.

The Falcons don't exactly have a rich history. In fact, they had never even posted back-to-back winning seasons until they did it this year. The birds' history can be chocked up to three things: the '98 team that went to the Super Bowl, Michael Vick, and Matt Ryan.

The red helmets featured several things the current ones don't: a different-looking logo, a black stripe, and white and gold outer stripes. The uniform also featured striped tube socks, though you can't exactly see them from this photo.

The Falcons have made at least a dozen changes to their primary uniform over the years, although the main colors remain the same: black, red, and white. The Carolina Panthers, since joining the league in 1995, have not changed their jersey design at all (unless you count wearing black shoes instead of white as a change).

Tony Gonzalez, playing in just his second game with his new team, caught seven passes for 71 yards and a touchdown. Gonzalez had spent the previous 12 years in Kansas City and is considered one of the greatest tight ends of all time, if not the greatest. He was one of several Falcons who said he digged the '66 uniform: "Yeah, I'm liking them," he said prior to the game. "You like anything different sometimes just to break the monotony. They look cool to me."

Overall:

I only give A-ratings to great-looking uniforms that could be worn now, on a daily basis, without anyone complaining that they're outdated. This Falcons jersey certainly applies. At first glance, you wouldn't even now that it was worn in 1966. You'd think it was just a regular alternate. So thumbs up Atlanta Falcons! You may have been horrible in 1966, but at least you looked good while you stunk up the joint.

Final Grades:

Classic Falcons home uniform: A

Photos taken by Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images

Favre contemplated retirement since 2002

2009-10-28T10:00:20Z

As we inch closer and closer to the long-awaited matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings -- a game that will pit Brett Favre against his old fans -- it's hard to believe just how long the Favre retirement saga has gone on. In fact, here are some excerpts from a New York Times article in 2002 (seven years ago) where he said he was nearing the end.

Brett Favre is thinking about retirement. He said so last week.

He didn't put a date on it, but the thought has started circling inside that bright yellow helmet, swimming along with the X's and O's he has so brilliantly maneuvered as quarterback of the Green Bay Packers.

It does seem a little dubious that the 33-year-old Favre is thinking about anything but bringing another Super Bowl title to Green Bay, especially when the Packers are 5-1 after Sunday's 28-10 victory over the New England Patriots and when Favre continues to escape trouble as if he were Indiana Jones in cleats.

But last week, he and his wife, Deanna, talked about retirement. And now, he freely tosses it out there whenever someone asks.

''I am thinking about retirement,'' Favre said. ''I think it's only fair. My wife and I were talking, and she was telling me what they were saying during the telecast Monday night, about how I can play until I'm 40. I was telling my wife: 'Look, one thing I know for sure is that I am playing well right now. But I don't ever want to get to a point where I'm not playing well and it forces me out.' ''

''I am happy,'' he said. ''I have played well. I'm making good decisions and helping our team win. But at some point, either injury or lack of performance will step in, and I just hope that I will leave the game before that happens.''

There you have it. It's been seven years -- that's right, seven -- since Brett Favre inclined that he was on the way out. To put that in perspective, keep in mind that LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade had not even been introduced to the public. As long as you've seen LeBron James, Favre has been contemplating retirement. Crazyness.

But hey, you can't say that Favre isn't having fun right now. Minnesota is looking damn good, and with Adrian Peterson there helping him out, his shoulder should be in better shape by the end of the season than it was last year. Sunday should be interesting.

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images)

Historical odities from Colts-Rams smackdown

2009-10-27T08:00:15Z

On Sunday, the 0-6 St. Louis Rams met up with the 5-0 Indianapolis Colts and the result was just what you'd expect: a 42-6 blowout by the Colts. Rarely do two teams with such a disparity in records meet at this point in the season; you'll remember that towards the end of the 2007 season, the Patriots -- on pace for a 16-0 season -- played against the Miami Dolphins, who finished the season 1-15.

But the historical-ness didn't stop there. Peyton Manning's streak of consecutive 300-yard games stopped at five, falling one game short of a record held by Steve Young, Kurt Warner and Rich Gannon. He did not come away empty-handed however; with 3,989 career completions, Manning passed Warren Moon for fourth place on the all-time list. Manning is also making a tremendous case for his fourth career MVP: not only is his team undefeated, but he is on pace to break the single-season records for completions, yards and completion percentage. When Brett Favre does retire, whenever the hell that will be, Manning will be the guy who breaks all of his career records -- potentially including his consecutive games streak.

Going back to the game, never had two teams met with such a discrepancy in streaks: the Colts had won 14 in a row and the Rams had lost 16 in a row. Those streaks now stand at 15 and 17 straight respectively.

In Week 8, the Rams will look to end their dubious streak. And if you're willing watch them try to do it, you're crazy.

Next Sunday's matchup between the Rams and the Detroit Lions will be one for the history books (no, seriously). Both teams have lost 17 of 18 games and 25 of their last 27. And if the Rams go 0-16, and it would make this game the only matchup in NFL history between a team coming off a win-less season and a team on its way to a win-less season. In other words, Rams-Lions will be one of the worst matchups EVER and is easily the worst game of the season so far. If you’re either sadomasochistic or brain-dead, this is the game for you. For everyone else with an IQ over 30, for the love of god, watch something else.

Also, their game with the Lions is their best chance of cinching the streak. If they can't get it done in Detroit, their losing streak is almost guaranteed to go to 20 games -- a mark that we haven't seen in over 30 years. The Colts, on the opposite end of the spectrum, are in good shape to extend their NFL record for consecutive seasons with 12+ victories. The Colts are also now only six wins away from tying the record for consecutive regular season victories, a mark held by the New England Patriots of a few years ago. The Colts' next seven opponents are the 49ers, Texans, Patriots, Ravens, Texans, Titans, and Broncos.

NFL Week 7 Footnotes

2009-10-26T07:00:31Z

Yesterday’s Vikings-Steelers game featured the first fourth quarter in NFL history to contain three touchdowns of 70 or more yards. Interestingly enough, none of the three TD’s came with the scoring team’s offense on the field – one was a kickoff return from Percy Harvin, one was a fumble recovery off of Brett Favre, and the other was an interception from Favre within the final two minutes.
With their 46-point performance against the Miami Dolphins, the New Orleans Saints are on pace to break the 2007 Patriots' scoring record. Through six games, the Saints have produced a terrific 238 points. Through the same amount of games, the '07 Pats had scored 230 points.
With 462 receptions, Jason Whitten moved into ninth place on the all-time reception list for tight ends. He is currently tied with ex-Jets TE Mickey Shuler.
The New York Giants record streak of starting the same five offensive lineman is over. With Kareem McKenzie's groin injury, the streak stopped at 38 games.
Brett Favre had been absolutely perfect in the red zone prior to the fourth quarter of yesterday’s game (10 TD’s, 0 INT’s). The interception that passed through the hands of Chester Taylor was his first of the year when he got within the 20 yard-line.
The four TD’s Chicago allowed in the first half of their 45-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals was the most they had given up in franchise history. Now that the Bears are 3-3, you can be sure to hear some panic in the streets of Chicago today, even though their losses were all at the hands of some pretty tough opponents.
John Carney passed George Blanda for the third most points in NFL history. Only Gary Anderson and Morten Andersen have scored more points. Carney is still 431 points behind Gary for No. 2 all-time. Those three are the only players in NFL history to tally over 2,000 career points.
Courtesy of Sean Leahy of USA Today: "The Jets rushed for 316 yards in the 38-0 win at Oakland (after losing Leon Washington, likely for the year, in the first quarter), which gave them 634 yards rushing in the last two weeks. They became just the second team to rush for 300 yards in consecutive games since 1960."

Throwback Uniforms: Raiders and Chargers (1963)

2009-10-24T23:30:11Z

The San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders kicked off the 2009 season in style. Playing in the nightcap of a Monday Night Football doubleheader, the Raiders looked to end their 11-game losing streak to the heavily-favored Chargers. Oakland came damn close, even taking the lead with 2:34 left on a 57-yard touchdown throw on fourth-and-15. But Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers justified his $93 million extension by leading the Chargers on a game-winning drive. San Diego triumphed, 24-20.

The real story, however, was the retro jerseys that both teams were wearing. Both the Raiders and Chargers -- like the Bills and Patriots in the lead-in game -- were members of the old American Football League. And as an ongoing tribute to the AFL's 50th anniversary, both teams dressed up in their old AFL uniforms.

For the Chargers, wearing powder blue was nothing out of the ordinary. For the Raiders, silver and white was a blast from the past, colors they hadn't donned in a long, long time (at least at home). So who had the better garb? Find out after the jump...

The Oakland Raiders are actually infamous for never changing their uniform design, as well as for always wearing black at home. In 2008, new head coach Lane Kiffin ordered the team to wear white at home for the first time in 45 years, a rather unpopular move. This time around, Raiders owner Al Davis gave his full consent, as it honored the league that he was once the commissioner of.

Davis was quite pleased that the old jerseys got a revival. "I thought about doing it in past," he said at a press conference, "but the league didn’t want us to do it. I was the one who designed the uniform. We used it in 1963 and it was great. The reason they didn’t want to use it in the past is the film cannot identify certain players in the throwback uniform; the silver numbers are tough to identity. So teams start complaining. So I stopped it, and we just did the black -- we’ve never changed -- and the white. I always loved those things. In ’63 everyone said, wow, that’s the best-looking uniform ever. But we just got away from it because of the film work. They’re always complaining about something."

The Oakland Raiders wore black and gold before Davis changed the color scheme in 1963. I don't know if the old silver ones are the best uniforms ever, but they're not bad. Their old color uniforms -- and older version of the black and silver -- look much better than the white version, as most color jerseys do.

The Chargers have also kept their jersey design mostly intact. In fact, most people might not even recognize that the Chargers are wearing retro uniforms since they currently wear an alternate jersey that looks just like it. The most notable difference, of course, is the uniform numbers on the helmets -- a design feature that was wisely abandoned by other teams.

Just so you can see the difference in the designs, here is the alternate home jersey that the Chargers currently wear. This was photo was taken by Stephen Dunn during the Chargers-Colts playoff game in 2009. There are several minute changes: the side stripe has a blue background, the front number is more defined, the side numbers are above the bolt and not below it, the lightning bolts all look different, and the facemask is a different color.

Both the Raiders and the Chargers played briefly in Los Angeles. The Chargers played their inaugural season in L.A. before migrating to San Diego, where they've been ever since. The Raiders spent more than a decade in Los Angeles before Davis move them back to Oakland.

Overall:

I honestly think the old blue Chargers jersey trumps the current one by a lot. I think the numbers on the side of the helmet are incredibly dorky-looking, but I'm still willing to give the uni an A. As for the Raiders whites, they're okay. It's not the greatest jersey of all-time like Davis said it was, but then again, Davis is hardly an objective voice (he designed it after all). I give the old Raiders uni a thumbs up as well -- maybe not a they-should-wear-them-everyday thumbs up, but a thumbs up nonetheless.

Final Grades:

Classic Raiders away uniform: B

Classic Chargers home uniform: A

Photos taken by Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

Chase for Perfection/Imperfection: Week 7 (The Magnificent Seven)

2009-10-24T04:39:09Z

In the last two years, we have seen both a team with a perfect 16-0 record and a team with an imperfect 0-16 record -- two things that had never been done in all the years before it. And six weeks into the 2009 season, there are still seven teams remaining that are still eligible to go loss-less or win-less. This week, we'll call those teams The Magnificent Seven, in homage to the Magnificent Eleven, one of the best NFL Films tunes (not that anyone cares).

Anyway, here's what the seven teams have in store for them in Week 7 --

Indianapolis (5-0) @ St. Louis (0-6):

In maybe the most lopsided matchup of the season, the Rams will play at home against Peyton Manning and the undefeated Colts. St. Louis came tantalizingly close to beating the Jaguars last week, but the odds of them toppling the Colts, the most consistent franchise in the NFL, are slim to say the least. I think it's a safe bet to assume that both the Rams' losing streak and the Colts' winning streak will be alive after this weekend.

Minnesota (6-0) @ Pittsburgh (4-2):

This is an enormous test for the Minnesota Vikings, who will go on the road against probably the best team in the AFC. The Vikings will certainly match up well, since they're the best in the league at stopping the run and have a very solid defense to boot. The game should be very close, and major props to the Vikings if they can pull it off. But a healthy Steelers team should be the favorite, and a cold Pittsburgh temperature won't do Favre any favors.

New England (4-2) @ Tampa Bay (0-6):

If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had any chance at beating the Patriots, it was because they were playing at home. However, this game will be played in London, a whole ocean away from Tampa Bay, Florida. I don't want to say there's absolutely no chance of the Bucs winning, but I think you'll see Richard Henne win "Father of the Year" before the Bucs put a dent in the armor that is the Tom Brady Patriots. If a 59-0 beatdown of the Titans didn't convince you that they don't hold back, nothing will.

New Orleans (5-0) @ Miami (2-3):

This game is a tossup in my opinion. The Miami Dolphins have looked great in their last two games and have scored at least 23 points in all three of their home games. While their offensive doesn't stack up to the New Orleans Saints', who are on pace to break the scoring record, the Dolphins have played fantastic at home and can keep pace in the scoring column. The Saints have a tough opponent tomorrow if they want to continue their quest for perfection.

Byes:

Denver Broncos (6-0)

Tennessee Titans (0-6)

(Bucs photo by J. Meric, Getty Images)

[Correction Appended: I originally wrote that the Dolphins have scored 19 points in all five of their games. That was not the case -- they scored 7 points and 13 in different games. Thanks to goodlucksaturday for pointing that out.]