The High Court

Deep Thinkers Only...

In Contempt

The Chief Justice

September 19, 2005

 

This week’s winners…NFL Week Two edition…

 

5.  The New England Patriots…In this very space last week, I defended the Pats against critics suggesting that they would fall from their lofty perch this season.  After what I watched on Sunday afternoon, I might be jumping off the bandwagon.  Well…maybe not yet.  Somebody has to beat the champs when it matters, but if they continue to play the kind of football they played against the Panthers, that won’t be a tall order.  The loss itself, to a very talented Panthers squad on the road, isn’t that bad.  But twelve penalties, most of the procedural nature, and a slew of dropped passes doomed any rhythm New England could have hoped for.  Tom Brady was not sharp, and much of that can be attributed to the relentless pressure the Carolina defense applied.  Perhaps of greater long-term significance is the complete absence of a running game in the first two weeks of the season.  The Pats must find the offensive balance that has been a hallmark of the past two championship seasons if they hope to repeat in 2005.  I wonder if they miss that guy in South Bend…

 

4.  This spot was supposed to be reserved for the Arizona Cardinals (how ‘bout them Birds?  0-2?  Business as usual…), but the embarrassing effort of the Baltimore Ravens gives them a spot on the Monday morning contempt list.  Remember when Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Brian Billick was an offensive genius?  Yeah, me neither.  I don’t care if the Ravens have Ray Lewis, Jerry Lewis, Huey Lewis, or Lennox Lewis on defense, until the Ravens put somebody competent under center, you can forget about them as a Super Bowl contender.  Since their Super Bowl victory, Billick has had a revolving door of underachieving youngsters and under-talented retreads at quarterback, and they continue to waste a superior defense.  I wonder if Billick wishes he had Trent Dilfer back.  After all, Dilfer looked pretty good leading the Browns to a win over the club at #3…

 

3.  The Green Bay Packers…Uh-oh.  The Pack dropped their home opener to the aforementioned Browns, a club picked by many to be the worst in the NFL.  Green Bay’s defense was already a known weakness coming in, and after the season-ending injury suffered by Javon Walker in week one, the offense has question marks of its own.  The Packers have the luxury of playing in the seemingly weak NFC North, but unless Brett Favre finds a fountain of youth, and the running game can kick it up a notch, Green Bay’s playoff hopes will be undone by that porous defense.  We don’t know if this will be the last year of the Favre era or not, but we have reason to believe that the Mike Sherman era will conclude either way…

 

2.  The Detroit Lions…The 49ers were also walloped in week two after a week one victory, but they suffered their loss against the Eagles, a non-divisional foe (although don’t think I didn’t notice how bad you were, Tim Rattay).  The Lions took their momentum to Soldier Field and got taken out to the woodshed.  A Chicago team that only scored seven points last week posted 38 against the Lions behind rookie QB Kyle Orton and veteran running back Thomas Jones.  Not to be outdone, the Lions’ special teams and offense were in a giving mood, too.  Bobby Wade returned a punt 73 yards for a Bears touchdown, and Mike Brown took one of Joey Harrington’s five interceptions to the house 41 yards for another score.  Harrington likes to play the piano in his spare time, and on Sunday he looked every bit like Billy Joel.  Matt Millen and Steve Mariucci are giving Detroit fans very little reason to believe, and owner William Clay Ford might want to think about a recall…

 

1.  The Minnesota Vikings…That gurgling sound you hear is the Viking ship going down.  And that water coming on board?  That’s courtesy of the holes Daunte Culpepper keeps blowing in his own hull.  Daunte threw five interceptions in Cincinnati on Sunday, this on the heels of his five-turnover performance a week ago.  Think he misses Randy Moss now?  Culpepper is just one of many problems for Minnesota, however, along with no running game and revamped D that is just as porous as the old one.  Along with the indignity of a 29-point loss on the scoreboard to the Bengals, the Vikes also suffered the humiliation of having their secondary (specifically corner Fred Smoot) called out by the Bengals resident loudmouth Chad Johnson during the week.  Smoot’s answer:  To allow Johnson 139 yards and a touchdown on seven catches.  Smoot’s quote:  “Yeah, I’m embarrassed.”  Don’t feel bad, Fred.  You ought to have plenty of company there.  Head coach Mike Tice got in trouble with the NFL for scalping tickets to the Super Bowl earlier this year…in the future he may have to buy scalped tickets…just to get back in the Metrodome…