Draft Day One!

The Football Log is back! After a promising start to last season, posting became inconsistent, and we had a disappointing finish to the season resulting in a first round exit. (I'm looking at you, fantasy football teams.)

Regardless, the last two and a half months were a bleak landscape filled with something called baseball and some kind of overhyped basketball playoff thing. (What is a Shocker, anyway?) And of course, football won't be starting for another 4 months, but at least the draft, an oasis in an otherwise empty desert that is the offseason, has begun.

Yesterday was the first round of a bizarre draft that seems to feature very few interesting skill position players. Offensive linemen and cornerbacks seem to be all the rage this year. After the Chiefs picked Eric Fisher over Luke Joeckel (I still can't tell if that was a surprise or not), which seemed to be a decision based on some mythical concept called "upside," Joeckel was immediately taken by the Jaguars, who are perennial losers in the AFC South. In the next few hours, when they take any one of Smith/Barkley/Nassib/Dysert/whomever, that probably won't change, because none of those four are able to turn a team around like Luck or Griffin.

Anyway, next up were the equally bad Raiders (sigh), who traded down nine spots and only gained a single extra pick, the tenth of round two. Keep that in mind as I progress through this recap. The Dolphins promptly took someone who doesn't weigh over 300 pounds, that being Dion Jordan, linebacker from Oregon.

After Philadelphia took another tackle, the Lions broke the trend by selecting Ezekiel "Ziggy" Ansah, a former soccer player from Ghana whose mother wanted him to be drafted by a team in Utah, since they had gotten so comfortable at BYU. Oh wait...yeah, there aren't any teams in Utah. Perhaps he will be the Ansah to Detroit's struggles. (I can't even count the number of times I've seen that inane pun, and I still used it regardless.)

Barkevious "Keke" Mingo, who sounds more like a pet dog than an NFL defensive lineman, was selected by the entirely new Browns regime, which has yet to ditch Brandon Weeden, despite the fact that former NFL.com staffer and current Browns GM Michael Lombardi doesn't like him very much.

The lack of a player capable of running a sub-5 second 40 yard dash was becoming more and more apparent as Arizona took guard Jonathan Cooper. Soon, the Rams traded up to #8 and took Tavon Austin, a dynamic wide receiver/running back from West Virginia. Austin's teammate, Geno Smith, the not-really-consensus top quarterback who was shown every 5 seconds on ESPN's broadcast, continued to fall.

The Jets took DeMarcus "Dee" Milliner next, the actually-consensus top cornerback. Hey, it's a start. Don't worry, we'll hear from them again in four picks.

As Mark Ingram was quick to point out, the next two players, Chance Warmack and D.J. Fluker, both linemen, completed the trifecta of Alabama players. No surprise there, given how thoroughly the Tide have dominated the FBS recently.

And then, the Raiders were up again. With Sharrif Floyd, their supposed target at #3, still on the board, it seemed like a golden opportunity, right? Wrong. Instead, the Raiders took D.J. Hayden, a cornerback from Houston who suffered a life-threatening injury in practice last season. He damaged his inferior vena cava, crippling his circulatory system. And then, he made it out of the hospital six days later. Flash forward to the NFL draft, and he's a first-round pick. It's a risky pick, but it definitely addresses a need, seeing as the Raiders need everything except running back and kicker.

Two defensive tackles followed, Sheldon Richardson for the Jets and Star Lotulelei, himself a victim of a heart injury, for the Panthers. The Jets conveniently failed to draft an impact player.

The Saints picked Kenny Vaccaro, who immediately stood out to us home viewers as ESPN showed not only an impressive highlight reel, but also the Texas safety's numerous tattoos.

And then the first quarterback came off the board. No, it was not long-suffering Geno, who was staring intently at...something and awkwardly glanced up at the camera before looking away. Instead, it was EJ Manuel, whom the Bills took. Honestly, just about anyone is better than a Tarvaris Jackson-Aaron Corp combo. (Doug Marrone didn't even know "Andy" Corp's name when he took over the job.)

After a second linebacker went to the Steelers, the inevitable 49ers trade up through the draft netted them Eric Reid, an LSU safety. Just as the Manti Te'o hype machine started to fire up, two more linemen followed for the Giants and Bears.

After the Bengals took Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert and the Falcons took Desmond Trufant, brother of current NFL corner Marcus, the Vikings were on the clock. Manti Te'o speculation continued, but everyone must have forgotten that Sharrif Floyd, projected #3 pick, was still on the board, because the Vikings were able to snatch him up half a round later.

The Colts took Florida State defensive end Bjoern Werner, which of course sparked a Bjoern = born pun on NFL.com. Then, the Vikings showed up again, using their pick that they acquired for Percy Harvin to take cornerback Xavier Rhodes. (Not Tyrann Mathieu, who scheduled a draft party to celebrate becoming a first round pick. And guess what? He wasn't taken.)

The Packers then drafted Datone Jones, whom Aaron Rodgers congratulated via Twitter. Rodgers also told Geno Smith to be patient. He'd be waiting for a while longer.

The Texans took DeAndre Hopkins next. It's about time they paired a competent receiver with Andre Johnson. They've waited so long that he'll be retiring soon and they'll need two good receivers.

Denver took another falling prospect, defensive tackle Sylvester Williams, before the Patriots were on the clock. The Vikings, however, traded up for their third first-round pick, in the process giving up four draft picks. Yes, four. The Dolphins only gave up two to move into the #3 spot. (They would later brag that they got the pick for "half price." Great job, Reggie McKenzie.) Minnesota then took Cordarrelle Patterson, who not only has a cool name but also a lot of potential as a wide receiver.

The Rams took inside linebacker Alec Ogletree with the antepenultimate pick. Then, the Cowboys, who had traded down earlier, took Travis Frederick, a huge reach in the late first round. I get the feeling there will be a new regime in Dallas soon.

Finally, the Ravens took safety Matt Elam with the #32 pick, which had a number of notable consequences for Day Two:

1) Three premier quarterbacks are still on the board.
2) Manti "Media Circus" Te'o is still on the board.
3) Tyrann "I got kicked off my school's team and still claim to be an elite prospect" Mathieu is still on the board.
4) For the first time in 49 years, no running backs were taken the first round. Eddie Lacy is still undrafted. All I know is that he was good in my Madden franchise.

See you later for a Day Two recap!

Week 9: Fantasy Football Update

So, some of my readers may know that I am the owner of a pair of fantasy football teams, "Saintly Cowboys" and "Shaky Lightning" (based on their default logos). I have been doing fantasy football for a few years, but my best finish was second place. I really want to win a championship this year. In 2009, "Hypnotic" destroyed rival "Crazy Jay" in the semifinal, but was beaten by an extremely powerful "Wrecking Crew" team in the championship. In 2010, "Strike" entered the playoffs with an impressive 11-3 record and the number one seed, but was upset by underdog "alldayap10" in a low-scoring battle. I lost the third place game, too. 2011 was not as good of a year. I slipped into the playoffs with an 8-6 record and the fourth seed, and I ended up in fourth place again.

How my teams are doing right now:

Saintly Cowboys (5-4):

I have alternated between winning and losing with this team. I started with a solid roster and improved by adding Fred Jackson, but both Greg Jennings and Pierre Garçon were injured. Fortunately, I picked up Randall Cobb and Denarius Moore to go along with Julio Jones, and all three have been excellent. Strangely, my last victory dropped me from fourth place to fifth place.

QB: Drew Brees is a consistent starter. I had Josh Freeman as a backup briefly, but after the Bucs' slow start, I replaced him with Matt Schaub.

RB: Maurice Jones-Drew and Michael Turner are not as good as you might think. MJD has missed many games, and Turner loses a lot of carries to Jacquizz Rodgers. I'm currently using Fred Jackson in place of MJD, and I have Rashad Jennings as a handcuff for MJD.

WR: I already discussed this position above.

TE: Vernon Davis is a great player, but his bye week was this past week, so I signed Kyle Rudolph, who did absolutely nothing.

K: I rotate players here. I have Shayne Graham right now. I use Young GZ when the Rams have a good matchup.

DEF: The Bears have been great all year. They had a fantastic performance against Tennessee this past week.

Shaky Lightning (6-3)

Shaky Lightning is probably the better of my two teams. I have made good waiver wire pickups and I currently have an amazing group of running backs. I am currently less than stellar at QB, however.

QB: Like I said, this position is one of my weaknesses, along with DEF. I have to alternate Phillip Rivers and Tony Romo based on recent success and matchups.

RB: I am loaded at running back. I have Run DMC, Trent Richardson, Stevan Ridley and DeMarco Murray as my main running backs, thanks to a combination of activity on the waiver wire and strange transactions from my opponents. Due to some weird circumstances (DMC and DMM are injured and Richardson has a bye), I have to use Vick Ballard at running back this week. He was not great, but I needed someone, and he outperformed my original option, Rashad Jennings.

WR: I somehow ended up with four wide receivers who can be started on a regular basis: A.J. Green, Steve Smith, Demaryius Thomas and Denarius Moore. They serve me well week after week.

TE: I already had Antonio Gates, and when one of the other teams dropped Aaron Hernandez, I snapped him up. I now play them based on matchups.

DEF: Who needs a consistent defense week after week when you can play matchups? I used the COLTS on Thursday night against Jacksonville, and they got me 20 points. I used to have the Ravens, but they're deteriorating rapidly.

I'm hoping for a lot of success this year in fantasy football!

Week 8

A week of surprises:

• Bucs 36, Vikings 17: I certainly was surprised when Doug Martin went off for a total of 33.4 fantasy points. Also, an underrated and surprisingly good Vikings team was blown out by Tampa Bay. The Bucs always seem like a team somewhere in between contender and bottom-feeder. This year, they have a chance to turn things around and go somewhere in a weak NFC South.

• Dolphins 30, Jets 9: The Jets are ridiculous. We see a different team every week. It seems like they are always either blowing a team out or getting blown out. As for the Dolphins, Matt Moore led them to this victory. Will there be a quarterback controversy in Miami? I doubt it, personally.

• Browns 7, Chargers 6: Especially now, after the Chargers destroyed the Chiefs on TNF, this final score seems strange. The Chargers are a talented team, but they never win the AFC West, a relatively weak division in which any team can beat any other. I personally did not expect a Browns win, and I definitely didn't expect Trent Richardson to perform well while injured, even though he did last time he was ailing. (P.S. It seems that San Diego now has a chance of making the playoffs after their win.)

• Colts 19, Titans 13: I read WalterFootball.com frequently, and I believe it was there that I learned that the COLTS are in PLAYOFF CONTENTION at 4-3. If they made the playoffs this year, that would be a remarkable turnaround after last season's miserable failure.

• Patriots 45, Rams 7: I thought the Rams were better than this. Young GZ (Greg Zuerlein), the Rams' kicker, let me down, too. I have him on both fantasy teams.

• Packers 24, Jaguars 15: The Jaguars were competitive without MJD! Against the Packers! I have to say that that's a surprise. The Packers definitely aren't as good this year as they have been in the past, but I think they can still make the playoffs.

• Falcons 30, Eagles 17: No surprises here. Vick is still mediocre, Falcons are still undefeated.

• Steelers 27, Redskins 12: RG3 can't do it himself for Washington, contrary to popular belief. Pierre Garçon (like my fancy ç cedille?) needs to be healthy. Alfred Morris is surprisingly consistent, though and I like this team right now. As for the Steelers, I'm surprised they won this game with only no-name running backs like Jonathan Dwyer, Chris Rainey and Baron Batch on offense.

• Lions 28, Seahawks 24: Well, Detroit looked more like the Detroit of last year than the winless Lions of a few years ago in this particular game. Seattle is a legitimately good team, though, but Russell Wilson needs some more experience.

• Bears 23, Panthers 22: Carolina's slide continues. Cam "Superman" Newton is looking more like the Joker (yeah, they're not from the same series). As of today, DeAngelo Williams hasn't been traded, but it's the tradeline, so he'll be a Panther for a little while longer.

• Raiders 26, Chiefs 16: KC needs a new QB. Matt Cassel isn't much better than Brady Quinn in terms of success at this point. There are a lot of QBs in the draft this year, and Kansas City will hopefully, for their sake, be in a position to get one.

• Giants 29, Cowboys 24: Revenge! New York overcame a Dallas team that beat them in the kickoff game this year. The Cowboys did pretty well, though, especially considering the fact that they had Phillip Tanner at running back during this game.

• Broncos 34, Saints 14: Would it surprise anybody to learn that the Saints are still mediocre? Maybe a few people thought Drew Brees would right the ship, but that's not looking likely.

• 49ers 24, Cardinals 3: Surprise! The Cardinals don't seem to be legitimate contenders. When they had a great start, many people, myself included, thought they had a chance this year, but they were dominated by a division rival.

The season is halfway done and I'm sure that an exciting second half awaits all of us NFL fans!

Week 7 Impressions

In a surprising week of football, some very interesting things occurred. This week, I was able to watch larger portions of the games. With the help of some statistics, here are my observations from Week 7:

• I'm changing my stance. The Panthers are the league's biggest disappointment, not the Saints. Everyone expected so much from Cam Newton, as they rightfully should have, but the reality is that Carolina has a pair of mediocre running backs, a dearth of good wideouts behind Steve Smith, and inconsistencies at many other positions.

• Quarterbacks aren't everything. While they are quite important, a team's performance does not depend on its quarterback's, as evidenced by the Redskins' loss to the Giants despite a big game from RG3.

• Who are the Texans? Which team are we going to see, the Houston team that obliterated Baltimore (a team that was missing two key defensive starters) or the Houston team that was handled easily by Green Bay (a team coming out of a slump)? I think they could go pretty far in a bizarre AFC filled with middling teams.

• The Patriots may have won, but their reign is likely coming to an end soon. They almost lost to the Jets, and the AFC East is a tight division. There's a chance they may not win it this year. This team needs some depth for the future at many positions. They could also use a top-flight running back to use on a regular basis. Their current strategy is alternating between Ridley, Bolden and Woodhead, and I'm sure that infuriates many fantasy football players.

• These Bengals aren't as good as last year. While Andy Dalton and A.J. Green are a great duo for the future, Cincinnati seems to have regressed after 2011's surprising playoff run.

• The Rams have come up close in many games against elite teams. This week, Green Bay beat them by ten. However, St. Louis hasn't made the playoffs in a few years. Their rebuilding process could finally be working out. They've already acquired some possible successors for Steven Jackson in Isaiah Pead and Daryl Richardson, and with the right pieces, this team could contend in a few years.

• Fantasy football is a strange world. I found myself dominating with non-big-name players like Randall Cobb and Fred Jackson, while Trent Richardson and Maurice Jones-Drew struggled, both due to injury. Drew Brees put up about 30 points, while Tony Romo scored about 14. I made the dumb decision to use the Titans defense against a Bills team that scored 34. For my opponents, Santana Moss had an unexpected breakout game in Washington's loss. Victor Cruz was a standout as well, but Calvin Johnson, of all people, underachieved. Jonathan Dwyer (!), a little known, one-time third-string running back scored 12 points, and Jordy Nelson also had a great game with Greg Jennings out. My teams are both in playoff contention at 4-3 each.

See you next week!

Week 6: Division-by-Division Review

For the blog this week, we’ll be doing something a little different. I unfortunately missed most of this weekend’s games, I’m going to go over the current state of each division. And trust me, there are some interesting ones, as you’ll see right away.

AFC East: I don’t think I’ve ever seen a division like this. Every team is 3-3 right now. I’m expecting the Patriots to pull away, but who knows? They don’t look so good this year. The beleaguered Jets are there too, along with the disappointing Bills and ever-changing Dolphins.

AFC North: Out with the old, in with the new? Well, maybe. The Steelers and Ravens have perennially led this division, and the Ravens are still in the lead right now. But after losing two key defensive starters in Ray Lewis and Lardarius Webb, things might get harder for them. Also, they’re facing the Texans this week, and that’ll be a big test. The Bengals are second at 3-3, while the Steelers and Browns are struggling.

AFC South: The Texans are definitely dominating this division right now. Even though they just lost, they are tied for the best record in the AFC. Some of the other members of the division are rebuilding (2-3 Indy and 1-4 Jacksonville). But Tennessee is somewhere in between. They should be better than 2-4, but CJ2K just isn’t producing right now, and Jake Locker is still injured.

AFC West: Last year, the Raiders almost won the division. Before that, the Chiefs were victorious. This year, Peyton Manning and the Broncos are tied for the lead with an extremely inconsistent Chargers team. I’m surprised that Norv Turner is still coaching San Diego after all this time, but if he pulls off a playoff berth, his job is going to be safe. Denver and San Diego are currently sitting at 3-3.

NFC East: This division has a reputation for being tough. It lost some of its credibility in the past few years, but now the other teams are pushing the defending champion Giants. Turnover-prone Philadelphia is clinging to second place, tied with a Redskins team that has been energized by the emergence of RG3 and a surprisingly good running back in Alfred Morris. Who would have thought that the Cowboys would be in last after they defeated New York earlier in the season?

NFC North: The Packers in third place? Wow. This division has been flipped upside down since last year. Chicago is in first at 4-1, and they have a half-game lead over 4-2 Minnesota. Meanwhile, the Packers and Lions, playoff teams from last year, are sitting at 3-3 and 2-3, respectively. The NFL is very strange.

NFC South: With all the hype for Cam Newton, it’s surprising that the Panthers have one win this season, and that the quiet Falcons are the league’s only undefeated team. The Falcons just can’t seem to win in the playoffs, though. I think they may turn that around this year. The Buccaneers have shown some signs of improvement under Greg Schiano, whereas the Saints are the season’s most disappointing team. They aren’t winless any more, but they’re still only 1-4.

NFC West: This division is really good! Two years ago, Seattle won this division with a LOSING RECORD. Now, the NFC West is the strongest division in football, at least according to records. The Cardinals are in the lead, but they’ve been in a slump. They’re tied with the Seahawks, who are doing surprisingly well under inexperienced Russell Wilson, and the 49ers, who just got demolished by New York. Don’t sleep on the Rams, though; they have been surprisingly good and have Greg Zuerlein, who may be the best kicker in the league in a year or two.

Overall, I didn’t realize until writing this how convoluted the NFL standings are this year. Anything can happen! See you next week.

Week 5

We're back on schedule with this week's blog!

I'd like to get your comments on a certain subspecies of quarterback: The Cam Newton / Robert Griffin / Michael Vick. Streaky and exciting, yet mistake- and injury-prone. Can this sort of QB make a career of it in the NFL, or do they merely light up the scoreboard for a fraction of a season and then burn out?

I think that Cam Newton and RG3 have qualities that Vick lacks: good decision-making and ball security. I think that they will be able to have long careers, and one should keep in mind that Newton hasn't even been injured once. However, mobile quarterbacks take a lot of wear and tear. Some make it, and some don't.

The Falcons' move to 5-0 was cause for much celebration in our household. Could this be the year the Birds finally make a legit Super Bowl run?

I think so, yes. The NFC seems unusually weak, especially the Falcons' division. I could see them beating virtually any team in their conference.

Falcons, Texans. Which undefeated team is better and why?

I just finished praising Atlanta, but I have to go with the Texans. They're an all-around team. They have a great group of linebackers. They also have a great running back, plus a quarterback in Matt Schaub who won't give any games away. He also has Andre Johnson lining up on the outside during most plays.

Both your fantasy teams won this week, each moving to 3-2. Any strategy tips for your readers who are fantasy owners?

Be active on the waiver wire. Other teams tend to drop big-name players who are injured or going through a cold streak. Pick those players up; they'll rebound soon enough.

Los Angeles took yet another step toward getting an NFL franchise this week. Would you like to see a team in L.A.? Would you go to the games, or do you prefer watching at home?

I would certainly go to some games, although I do like watching at home. I will still keep my allegiance to the Raiders, but I would support a theoretical LA team.

Every year your birthday party is a Super Bowl party, and every year you ask for NFL Sunday Ticket as a birthday present. What first got you interested in football, and what is it that sustains your interest?

I started watching in 2004, and I've been a big fan ever since. I feel like football has many possible outcomes, and every game features a few exciting plays. New wrinkles emerge in every game, every week, and every season, along with new players. Overall, I am a diehard fan. I also follow college football to a lesser extent.

Which players' jersey would you most like to wear (past or present)?

I think some Raiders player's jersey would be nice, maybe Bo Jackson or Ken Stabler or Jack Tatum or someone like that. 

Colin Kaepernick gets almost no attention for his peculiar and fascinating role in the 49ers' offense. Talk about how the Niners use this guy, and whether you think it will continue to work.

Kaepernick, a scrambling quarterback from Nevada, acts as a Wildcat-ish player in the 49ers' offense. He makes their offense more exciting and less predictable. When every play is not just a handoff to Frank Gore or a throw to Vernon Davis, the defense has to be on their toes.

What three football books would you recommend to your readers?

300 Pounds of Attitude; Badasses (don't remember the rest of the title); A Few Seconds of Panic.

Doesn't it seem like every year there's a Ravens game with a final score of 9-6? Do you find defensive struggles boring, or exciting?

I find them exciting only if the defensive struggle is caused by fumbles and interceptions, not 10 punts from each team or something to that effect.

Talk about the Seahawks' deliberate safety late in their victory over the Panthers. Did you agree with the strategy?

I didn't actually hear about this play originally, but after reading some articles, I have to say that I agree. At first I thought that while Pete Carroll didn't want to risk a blocked punt, he should have had faith in his punter, Jon Ryan. But then, I realized that in a six-point game, two points don't really make a difference. It was a smart move for field position.

Oh, those lowly Buffalo Bills. Is this another team in need of a reboot, or are there a few key moves they need to make to become competitive?

This team is so mercurial! They really should be better. I think they need a franchise quarterback and wideout.

There was some controversy this week as classless Chiefs fans cheered Matt Cassel's injury. Did you agree with teammate Eric Winston's rant at the post-game press conference?

I have to agree. As a teammate, you don't want to see your so-called fans cheering for your close friend's injury. It was a reasonable reaction.

Finally: We're five weeks into the Peyton Manning experiment. How is he doing overall? Do you think the Colts were right to release him? How would you evaluate Andrew Luck's performance in Indy?

Well, the Broncos don't seem too much better than they were last year with Tebow and a similar team. However, they definitely have improved a little bit more, and I expect them to win the division. I honestly think the Colts were right to move on. They needed a fresh start after their awful year with Painter and Orlovsky at QB. As for the Colts, I don't expect too much this year, but Luck is starting to settle in and look like the prospect everyone thought he was.

Now comes the part where Hen gets to type whatever he wants.

My predictions have not been great so far, so I'll take a bye this week. 

Anyway, I think that Brady Quinn has a chance to finally prove himself this week. He's getting the start, if I'm not mistaken. He could create a quarterback controversy in Kansas City.

Week 4

Week 4

October 2, 2012

Welcome back! Read this Week 4 recap as you prepare for Week 5!

The big topic lighting up sports talk radio was the Tony Romo five-interception bloodbath in Chicago. Is this yet another vaunted QB on the downslope? Do the Cowboys need to accelerate their search for a quarterback of the future?

They need an heir apparent. Romo has never been great. The Cowboys just can’t seem to perform in the playoffs, when they make it there at all. I don’t even remember Romo ever being considered a “vaunted” quarterback.

There was also much talk of Jay Cutler dismissively walking away from offensive coordinator Mike Tice -- when the team had a lead! This guy's sourpuss is becoming the stuff of legend. Do you think a quarterback has to be lovable to lead a team?

Well, it certainly plays a role. A leader has to be well-liked by his or her subjects. Because a quarterback leads the offense, they shouldn’t be disdained by their teammates.

Many pundits claim the Houston Texans are the league's best team. What do you think? Has Matt Schaub joined the ranks of elite quarterbacks?

The Texans are a good team all-around. With a solid defense that has stayed strong despite losing Mario Williams and an offense that is far from one-dimensional, they have a chance to go far this season. Matt Schaub is very underrated.

We saw the ups and downs of the irritating ice-the-kicker timeout yet again this week. What do you think of this tactic? Does it work? Should it be outlawed?

I think it could work, but kickers have probably gotten used to it right now. I don’t think it should be outlawed; there’s no real rule that could be made that would prevent icing the kicker. Coaches would find another way.

Four weeks in, what offensive and defensive trends do you see emerging?

Rookie quarterbacks are quite mercurial. That’s something that I’ve noticed. As far as defense is concerned, a lot of teams are lacking. We’ve had some very high-scoring games.

What can be done about the epic disaster that is the New York Jets? This is a team that can't seem to do anything right. If you were to take over as their head coach or GM tomorrow (and you might), what are the first three things you'd do to rebuild this team?

1) New quarterback. 2) New running back. 3) New wide receiver. There are a lot of things wrong with the way this team is built. I think they could use a full overhaul. A lot of players have stuck around from past regimes.

What the heck happened to the Lions? This was a team that opened last season 5-0. Do you think they can pull it together?

It’ll be hard for them, but they still have a chance at a wild card. I think they need a running game free from injuries, suspensions, and random people like Joique Bell.

Would you agree that the season's biggest surprise is the Minnesota Vikings? Name three things this team is doing right. Do you think their good fortunes can continue?

I’m not sure they’re the biggest surprise, but they’re certainly doing well. I don’t think they’ll continue this, though. Remember that they barely beat the Jaguars, and they’re in one of the top divisions. They do have a great running back, great defensive end and a surprisingly good receiver in Percy Harvin.

I meant to ask this last week: Who are your favorite NFL broadcasters? Who does the best job with play-by-play and who's the best color man? Talk about their strengths. If you were to go into broadcasting, who would you like to emulate?

I really like Jim Nantz and Joe Buck as far as play-by-play is concerned. I don’t know any specific ones, but I like color commentators who are actually knowledgeable. If I were to be a broadcaster, I would be a calm, composed kind of guy, more like Jim Nantz than someone like Gus Johnson or Marv Albert.

Suddenly some questionable prospects like Ryan Tannehill and Brandon Weeden are playing pretty well. Who are the other notable rookies (on both offense and defense) at this point in the season?

RG3 is a big standout. The RG3 vs. Luck debate is something that I think will be going on for the entire duration of their careers. Trent Richardson looks like an elite running back in the making. I’m glad to have him on my fantasy team.

I am well pleased with the performance of the Atlanta Falcons thus far, particularly last week's gutsy comeback against the Panthers. Does this team have what it takes to go the distance?

I think they’ll win the division. They have little competition besides Carolina (the disorganized Saints and mediocre Buccaneers), and they just showed that they can beat the Panthers.

On the other hand, a week ago we were talking about a Russell Wilson coming-out party, and now the cries have gone up in Seattle for Matt Flynn. Who's the better choice to lead this team?

Russell Wilson deserves to start, but I think he should be on a short leash. Matt Flynn is much more experienced. Both have different skill sets.

A final wild-card question: How long do you think it will be before we see a female coach -- even an assistant coach -- in the NFL?

That could take a while, but I believe that a woman with a lot of expertise could be hired sometime in the next decade. It’ll be hard to overcome the prejudices, but we’ve already seen a female referee on the replacement crew.

Now comes the part where Hen gets to type whatever he wants.

So much for Javon Ringer. He had two carries for 14 yards.

This week’s prediction: Tim Tebow will throw an interception.