3:49: It seems most of the games are done. Buffalo is owning the Dolphins, 21-0. That game didn't have any playoff implications. However, the story of J.P. Losman coming into his own was worth the comment -- and Joey Harrington confirming what Lions fans have said all along (he sucks).
The Steelers will go to 7-7 now and have an outside shot at the second wild card spot (DAMN IT!). Willie Parker ran for 132 yards on 23 carries. Chris Weinke (18/28, 170 yards) did well. But you can't have him throw 28 times and rush only 9 times and expect to compete. I know the Steelers 17-point second quarter pushed them into that role. But you can't expect Weinke to come back neither, can you?
The Bears, with nine minutes left in the game, are allowing Tampa Bay back into the game. At one point leading 24-3, the Bears now only have a 31-17 lead. Grossman is still having a nice afternoon going 24/35 for 289 yards and two touchdowns.
David Carr threw FOUR INTERCEPTIONS against New England -- Carr sacked four times. The Texans are just horrible... like since forever. The Pats pwned the Texans, 40-7.
3:41: AFC WILD CARD SCORING UPDATE (Jags/Titans). River City Rage at one point noted that the Jags had 28-straight offensive plays (returns for TD by Titans). On third-and-12 at the Tennessee 36 yard line, River City points out that Garrard kept the play the "play alive for 11 seconds" and completed a 30 yard pass to Williams. After a five-yard pick up by Toefield, Garrard completed a one-yard touchdown pass to Marcedes Lewis. Play was challenged and reversed. Then on third-and-one, Drew ran for no gain setting up a fourth-and-one. Then Garrard threw it on fourth-and-inches to Matt Jones and it fell incomplete. No score. Titans have the ball.
3:34: J.P. Losman update. After his 21-yard touchdown pass to Lee Evans, Losman is now 12/18 for 191 yards and three touchdowns. Either Harrington was pulled or hurt, but the Dolphins made a quarterback change and put in Cleo Lemon. It took Harrington 17 pass attempts to pick up 20 yards. Lemon picked up 12 yards on four attempts. It makes me reflect a little and realize how bad-ass it is to have Carson Palmer on this team.
3:23: Reggie Bush update. Combined, Bush has 15 total yards from scrimmage. You can add 11 yards on punt return, if you want. The Redskins still lead 13-10.
3:18: OK, I found out why the Dolphins are getting shutout. It's Joey Harrington. He's 5/17 for 20 yards and two interceptions. There's a Lions fan laughing uncontrollably somewhere. Bills have the ball and lead 14-0.
3:15: AFC WILD CARD SCORING UPDATE (Jags/Titans): The Jags can't secure the football. After giving up a 92-yard touchdown on a fumble return, Garrard promptly throws a pick to Chris Hope who took it back 61 yards for a touchdown. That's 21 points, by the Titans, on two interception returns (83, 61) and a fumble return (92). Titans lead, 24-10
3:10: AFC WILD CARD SCORING UPDATE (Jets/Vikings): I think it would very reasonable to give the Jets the win over the Vikings. With over four minutes left in the third quarter, the Jets are moving at will (Chad Pennington: 26/35, 310 yards, TD) and lead 26-7
3:06: AFC NORTH SCORING UPDATE: Kyle Boller completed a 77-yard touchdown pass to Demetrius Williams to go ahead 24-10.
3:05: AFC WILD CARD SCORING UPDATE (Jags/Titans): David Garrard fumbled the ball on a scramble up the middle and fumbles the football. Finnegan picked up the loose ball and returned it 92 yards for the touchdown... and the Titans lead 17-10.
3:02: The Browns just tied the game against the Ravens, 17-17. Derek Anderson threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Braylon Edwards. In his second NFL start, Anderson is 18/21 for 191 yards and two touchdowns. I may hate the Browns more than I hate Satan, but I like those stories of quarterback-from-nowhere turned diamond in the rough.
2:55: AFC WILD CARD SCORING UPDATE (Jags/Titans): After Adam Jones returned the opening second-half kickoff to the Jaguars 29 yard line (and a face mask by kicker, Josh Scobee), the Titans went three plays then field goal. A chance from the 14-yard line to take the lead and Young throws an incomplete on third-and-five. Game tied at 10.
2:50: J.P. Losman. In a way, he's really coming into his own. He's lead the Bills to wins in three of their past four games -- most notably, wins against the Jaguars and Jets. He's thrown for multiple touchdowns in three of his past four with a completion percentage above 65% in four of his past five games. The Losman led Bills are beating the Harrington led Dolphins 14-0. Losman is 9/13 for 155 yards and two touchdowns.
2:46: The Rex Grossman finally getting confidence back story continues. Against Tampa Bay, Grossman is 15/24 for 197 yards and two touchdowns. This has to be a game Chicago wanted to get confidence back in Grossman. He's thrown 24 times while the Bears have only run 14 times. Bears winning easily 21-3
2:41: AFC WILD CARD SCORING UPDATE (Jets/Vikings) . The Jets go into half-time with a 23-7 lead after scoring 16 points in the second quarter. Mike Nugent added six points at the end of the half with field goals of 52 and 45. And Gonzo (Daily Norseman) isn't pleased. "Vikings are lucky it's that f#^@ing close"
2:30: With 1:50 left in the half, Vince YOung led the Titans offense down the field with completions of 16 and 14 yards putting the Titans in position to tie the game with a 44-yard attempt. They missed. Half-time. Jags lead 10-7. Big Cat Country.
2:26: The Texans are down 27-0, in the first half. That Mario Williams, he's one fine rookie. OTOH, Reggie Bush only has 13 total yards as the Saints still struggle against the Jason Campbell Redskins, 13-7. The Steelers are having a good time in Carolina winning 17-0. But I wanted to point out Chris Weinke who is 15/19 for 140 yards. Oddly, the supposed running Panthers offense has rushed five times for eight yards. I'll pause to let that soak in.............
Yea, the Panthers have passed 19 times with Weinke and run only 5 times. I could have sworn Bob Bratkowski was the offensive coordinator in Cincinnati. OK, that wasn't a fair jab. The Bengals offense this season has been fairly balanced.
2:24: The Browns. They've really found something in Derek Anderson. Against the "tough" defensive Baltimore Ravens (which I still question when they face a good passing offense), Anderson is 13/16 for 135 yards and a touchdown. The Browns, with under a minute, are within a touchdown -- 17-10.
2:19: At one point in time, the Lions/Packers rivalry was a decent one. Now it's the battle between teams with a combined 7-19 record. Jon Kitna is 5/7 for 35 yards and a pick. Brett Favre is 12/21 for 110 yards and a pick. Respective running games are absent. I know I'm watching the Ravens and Browns right now, but THAT game would short out my television.
2:16: AFC WILD CARD SCORING UPDATE: The New York Jets are the most over-rated team in the AFC wild card hunt. It would be a shame to the talented AFC if the Jets stole a wild card spot because of a fluff schedule. But as the great minds say, you play the schedule you're given. The Jets went 61 yards scoring on a 21-yard touchdown reception by Laveranues Coles. Jets lead 17-7.
2:10: Going into the game, I would have thought Drew Brees would mop up Jason Campbell. Howe wrong we'd all be. The young Redskins quarterback is 6/9 for 127 yards and a touchdown. Brees is 6/10 for 69 yards with 40 yards from his running backs. Bush has 17 yards total as the Redskins lead 13-7.
2:03: Vince Young is 0-3 on third down passes. For the game, he's completed 4 of 8 passes for 37 yards.
2:01: Remember Kyle Boller? Other than a touchdown pass, Boller has lost a fumble and thrown a pick. Kinda giggling right now.
2:00: You can probably already axe the Texans today. Already down 17-0 to the Pats, David Carr has already thrown two picks. With 10 minutes left in the second quarter, the Pats are threatening to score again. Personally, I don't think having Ron Dayne as your best option at running back is something makes you go, "holy crap!".
1:54: AFC WILD CARD SCORING UPDATE. Chad Pennington is on fire. With over 11 minutes left in the second quarter, Pennington is already 14/17 for 157 yards. That Vikings defense is something else. Good against the run, sad against the pass. The Jets lead 10-7.
1:35: AFC WILD CARD SCORING UPDATE (Jags/Titans) The Jags, behind a 35 yard pass from Garrard to Williams, went 10 plays for 67 yards and the touchdown. The Jags tied the Titans, 7-7.
1:34: Steve McNair had his throwing hand stepped on forcing him out of the game. Now Kyle Boller is in.
1:23: AFC WILD CARD SCORING UPDATE (Jets/Vikings): There is a ton of wild card implications between the Jets and the Vikings. If the Vikings win, they'll be one game behind the winner between Philly and the Giants. If the Jets lose, they're out of the playoffs. So both teams are playing with a sense of urgency. After the Vikings scored their touchdown, the Jets went 67 yards on 12 plays finishing the drive on a 6-yard touchdown run by Cedric Houston. Game tied, 7-7.
1:17: AFC WILD CARD SCORING UPDATE (Jags/Titans): The interception was returned 83 yards by Pacman Jones. So the Titans lead 7-0. Gamebook corrected with Garrard throwing the interception -- confirmed by Big Cat County. Titans lead, 7-0.
1:13: AFC WILD CARD UPDATE: After the Titans went three-and-out, the Jaguars' Fred Taylor picked up 35 yards on a first down run. People are satisfied with David Garrard at Jaguars quarterback, but does it really matter who your quarterback is if you find your identity rushing the ball late in the season? Then, as I was writing that, the Titans picked off Matt Jones (???). Is Garrard hurt?
1:10: AFC NORTH SCORING UPDATE: The Cleveland Browns took a 3-0 lead over the Baltimore after a 51-yard field goal by Phil Dawson.
1:10: AFC WILD CARD SCORING UPDATE. Minnesota took a 7-0 lead over the New York Jets after Brad Johnson tossed a 30-yard touchdown pass to Travis Taylor.
1:08: The Jaguars went three-and-out on their first drive in Tennessee.
This is really the first day I thought to myself, "damn, I wish I had the NFL ticket". In Cincinnati, for the early game, we've got the Browns and Ravens on CBS. On Fox, it's the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Let's see, the Ravens have all but won the AFC North and the Browns are in last place. The Bears have nearly sealed up the #1 spot while Tampa Bay too is in last place.
Discussing that happenings of the NFL day.