It was a farce because the NFL has forced the replacements on it's teams and us as fans, and not cared about protecting the integrity of each game this season. It was a joke and an embarrassment because the call was so blatanly wrong, yet no off field official could get it right and the NFL can't admit the mistake. The Packers got screwed, everyone knows it. The problem is bigger, however, than just a week 3 gift for the Seahawks. It was the biggest mistake by the Replacements on an extremely long list through only three weeks of games, and we can all only hope that Roger Goodell and the Owners stop insulting everyone's intelligence as Trent Dilfer and Steve Young stated following the game. Some deal must be made to bring professional officials back to the NFL.
The banter on this subject can go on forever as every football fan is disgruntled, but there were some other stories from the NFL this weekend. Here are this weeks quick hits:
- Atlanta, Arizona, and Houston all sit at 3-0 to start this season. All three of these teams are for real. Houston will win their division because they are in a weak division this season, but they are that good as well. They are an all around great team that should have Super Bowl aspirations. Atlanta will also win their division, but I will take Houston over them for now because they appear just a little more solid in every facet of the game. Arizona will not win their division, but will make the playoffs and are a scary team for anyone playing them. Their defense is matched only by division rival San Franciso and will give their inconsistent offense a chance in every game.
- Where is the Lions defense that scared opposing teams last season? They have given up 23, 27, and 44 points in the first three weeks of the season. They have only 7 sacks and no interceptions. This a group that should be leading the Lions to at least a wild card spot, but instead are getting beat by the Jack Locker led Tennessee Titans. I think everyone expected more from this Lions teams, and if they don't pull it together quickly the Lions will fade into a letdown of a team.
- The Patriots and Packers both sit at 1-2. Bother teams were picked by many to be Super Bowl contenders. That is of course not off the table by any means, but the expectations, especially on the offensive side of the ball, have not been even close to reality. While watching Brady and Rodgers, we still see their brilliance shine through as they are bound to make plays, but they both must elevate their games. They need to be the guys making everyone around them better. They both have the talent to adjust their style of play on the fly, but have not shown this as different players struggle or go down with injuries. Teams that play tough, hard nosed football have had success against the Pats and Pack. They need to address this and find new ways to compete and win week in and week out. All that said, both of these teams will make the playoffs so not too much to worry about quite yet.
- Atlanta is a good team as already discussed, but what happened to the San Diego Chargers? This was a home game for the Chargers that at the very least should have been close. Instead you had the Falcons travel all the way to the west coast to basically be handed a game. Phillip Rivers had a whopping 173 yards passing with zero touchdowns and two interceptions. Rivers is another QB that must elevate his game and make his guys better. He has shown the raw talent, but defenses can scheme for those things. Rivers must take the next step in leading his team and making plays when they count. This game was an embarrassment for them, and a missed opportunity to establish their dominance in the AFC West this season.
- There are two 0-3 teams currently; the Browns and Saints. Who would win a game between these teams if played on a neutral field? Trent Richardson would run all over the Saints just like Jamaal Charles did this week. Drew Brees would outplay Brandon Weeden for sure, especially because he has more weapons. I give the Browns defense the edge as the Saints have stopped no one to this point and have actually made average players look brilliant. The Browns do not have a strong tradition of winning like the Saints have established the past 5 years so they would be hard pressed to pull out any tight games. But, the Saints seem to have everything going against them because of Bounty-Gate. I'm taking the Browns for the win, someone play Madden and let me know.
Week 3 has left a bitter taste in my mouth and I'm sure many others. The NFL is a great league that we all enjoy watching each Sunday. There are so many good and interesting things happening each week that it is a shame the very integrity of the game is not only questioned, but destroyed. Hopefully Week 4's quick hits involve a little paragraph about the return of the professional referees. Hopefully, but my guess is it will not happen this week or even soon as the Owners have lost no money or fans because of what is going on. Until that happens I think they are just as happy to keep the extra money in their pockets rather than giving in to part time employees wanting pensions.
Check out Week 4's picks later this week. For Thursday night's game:
Browns +13 at Ravens
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