This is the first installment of our newest feature, The Dime. Every Tuesday, we'll give you a list of the things that caught our eye over the NFL weekend. Dig In.
I. Da Bears Don't Care About The 'Boys
"America's Team" huh? Maybe that explains why countries like China are on the come-up. Dallas just isn’t good enough. It’s hard to understand this squad and harder to predict what they will do from game to game. They change all the time (players, coaches, schemes, etc). but ultimately, they still aren’t a true contender. The O-Line is a problem, but that doesn’t explain what happened last night. That was a “heads are gonna roll” type of performance if there ever was one.
II. Big City Of Dreams
For years, I employed a specific kind of push back to any discussion of "east coast bias”. Basically, I blamed it on jealousy by southern and west coast dudes that needed an excuse to whine about their perceived lack of attention. That’s changed over the years, however, and I’m reminded every day how wrong I was.
I'm officially sick of hearing about the NY Jets. I figured locally, yeah, they’d get a decent level of coverage. Of course they would. But the high visibility and national conversation regarding this team? No, I didn’t think it would be this bad. The high amount of attention paid to this weak team is unacceptable. The Jets aren't like the Cowboys or the 49ers before last season—teams with rich legacies who just happen to find themselves caught in a temporary whirlwind of mediocrity. Other than those two AFC Championship Game appearances, the Jets have been a sham for the better part of 40 years. I guess reporters hope to catch Rex Ryan in a gaffe or see a battle between the offense and defense. Even better, a battle between Tebow and Sanchez. The Jets losing like they did on Sunday isn't cause for alarm for this franchise, it’s merely a return to normalcy.
III. Pot Meet Kettle
The Kansas City Star newspaper has an official policy that refuses to print the name “Redskins” in its pages. Citing racial inappropriateness as a primary reason for avoiding the term when referencing the Washington franchise. I want to applaud the paper, but how do the editors at the KC Star reconcile this with the fact that their own football franchise applies many of the same standard stereotypes in relation to Native Americans?
IIII. Mehtown
Detroit, like New Orleans, is a city that I silently support. Not exactly root for them, but all things being equal, I’m fine with whatever success they achieve. The D had a tough run with Kwame Kilpatrick, the downturn of the auto industry and that 0-16 season in ’08. A populace should only have to endure so much. Things have improved for the car industry and the Lions made the playoffs last year (not to mention the Tigers with back to back playoff appearances), so it seems the worst is over. Problem is, this Lions team is hard to get behind.
They stayed on the police blotter in the off-season and every week found new ways to embarrass the city. The overall lack of discipline has to be insulting to the ticket buyers and fans. They’ve started this season 1-3 and have shown the same lack of intelligence on the field. Sunday was the Lions’ second consecutive game where they allowed a punt and kickoff return TD. The locals, as you might imagine, are starting to turn on the team.
V. The “C Word”
Is anyone really surprised that Broncos Executive VP John Elway is a Mitt Romney guy? That’s not a shot at anyone, just an observation. This makes total sense.
1. Rams with the trickeration devastation.
2. I've been watching football for a long time and I’ve never, ever, never, ever, never, ever seen something like this. You’ve never seen it either. You can make the case here, that this is the strangest play in the history of the league. It seems impossible that this could happen.
3. Fumbling on the late drive was enough, but showing such a shaky grasp of the A-Town Stomp? C’mon Cam, you’re better than that.
4.It didn’t go for a touchdown, but this was the most impressive catch of Week 4. Look at his eyes.
5. He’s not a household name yet, but Patrick Peterson is on the cusp of being great.
