Anthony Odoardi
Is it wrong to compare the 2010 NFL season to college students? As anyone knows, when you return to campus and the weather gets colder, you’re going to catch a bug. Maybe that is exactly what happened to the NFL for the first five weeks.
In the first five weeks, The NFL caught the upset bug, which caused every good team to have trouble executing and the bad teams took advantage.
Teams found the cure this week, allowing every fan a break from the complete pandemonium the past five Sundays. Good teams took care of business early. Fans can rejoice for a week six of normalcy by reviewing the good, the bad and the extremely ugly moments.
The good
If there was an “Awesome” category, I would have to put Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in it for their performance in week six.
With the 23-20 overtime win against the Ravens, the Patriots and receiver Deion Branch (nine receptions, 98 yards, TD) had me (and my Patriots’ fandom) on my feet screaming “Randy who?”
After the game, Ravens’ linebacker Terrell Suggs said the Patriots better hope they don’t see the Ravens again.
Brady responded by saying “They talk a lot for only beating us once in nine years.”
Someone needs to ask Suggs if it hurts to be burned by a guy who draws comparisons to Justin Bieber.
Is too much of a good thing bad?
Eagles coach Andy Reid has two great quarterbacks in Michael Vick and Kevin Kolb. With Vick being injured the past two weeks, Kolb has played out of his mind.
In a huge game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Kolb threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns.
With Vick expected to be healthy in time for next Sunday’s game, Reid will be forced to pick a starter.
Who is he leaning toward?
“We’ll take Michael Kolb and go play, baby,” Reid said after Sunday’s game. Thank you, Andy Reid, for bailing me out.
The bad
Lions running back Jahvid Best hasn’t been at his best lately. What was supposed to be my fantasy sleeper pick of the year and a lock for NFC Rookie of the Year is making me think twice.
He’s got the potential, but against the Giants he didn’t show it: 12 carries for 16 yards. His lingering toe injury is the only excuse giving Lions fans and me hope.
Elsewhere, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were one big win away from making “The Good” category. A 4-1 record would’ve been the win that made me a believer.
However, the dream was all the Bucs had left after a 31-6 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
It’s amazing this team was 3-1 averaging 16 points a game, one above the lowest in the NFL. Anyone believe it was just a temporary upset bug yet?
The extremely ugly
It was an awful day for helmet-to-helmet hits in the NFL on Sunday. In fact, it was so bad that the league has threatened to start handing out suspensions to players who go for the cheap shot.
Sunday, Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson, Browns receiver Mohamed Massaquoi and Ravens tight end Todd Heap were all forced off the field by brutal hits from defenders.
As pointed out by NBC analyst Rodney Harrison, with the millions of dollars these athletes make, no fine is going to put a big enough dent in their wallet to stop these hits.
A suspension and missing crucial games might be just what the league needs to put a stop to these violent hits.
Anthony Odoardi is a State News sports reporter. He can be reached at odoardia@msu.edu.
