The following Week 9 NFL previews are brought to you by bloggers everywhere.
Patriots at Colts:
Agganis Lives: “Before moving on to the other games, a word about this whole running-up-the-score controversy. It’s a lot of garbage. Bill Belichick is not a popular guy right now, so critics among the media, coaches and players are in full attack mode about the margin of victory all season, and in particular, the 52 points hung on Washington. I will grant the opposition its belief that Brady is kept in games too long (as a Pats fan, I tell my TV to get Brady out of the game – I feared the possibility of a cheap shot by a frustrated defender even before Michael Wilbon essentially sanctioned a kneecapping this week).” Patriots 30-27.
Bengals at Bills:
Bengal Stripes: “Rudi had a terrible start to the season. Watson is the better choice as the starter…Rudi better run with a purpose this Sunday if he wants to keep his job.”
Cardinals at Buccaneers:
Arizona Cardinals Fan: “It all starts this week with one of three remaining games against stiff opposition. Tampa Bay (and a road game at that) is not a pushover. That said, they just lost to a Jacksonville team that was minus all of their decent quarterbacks, either through cuts or injuries. The Bucs are without their best rushers, and while they have an outstanding quarterback, last week he revealed his humanity by being picked off for the first and second times this season. I see victory in the cards (pun entirely intentional…and now you can stop groaning).”
Chargers at Vikings:
Bolts Blog: “The Chargers go into Sunday’s game at Minnesota feeling alot better about themselves and the AFC West title that is theirs for the taking in a suddenly much weaker AFC West Division. I thought the Vikings would be using the #3 quarterback, but opening day starter Taveres Jackson is back with a bad finger on his throwing hand. Tavares, that was one of those 70’s bands that all wore like the same one piece bell bottomed stretchy suits with like sparkly stripes. Hits like ‘Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel’ and’It Only Takes a Minute’. Tavares, I hope you are not named after this band. That would suck for your coolness ratio.”
Vikings War Cry: “For Darren Sharper, it’s time to put up or shut up. He’s been yapping about how he should be fired if a tight end catches the ball on him- and yet, Dallas Clark and Tony Gonzalez have had huge games against this defense.”
Texans at Raiders:
Goldfish and Clowns: “After giving the impression in the beginning part of the season it was finally ready to join the NFL after having played in the league since 2002, Houston has lately slid back into near “oh, are they playing?” irrelevance. (Hey, I can relate.) While the Texans have one of the best passing games in the league, they can’t run the ball worth a cow’s salt lick and their defense is average in the extreme against both the run and the pass. The team has at least some positive direction going for a change, but at the same time gives every impression of being stuck at the “work in progress” phase of its existence.”
Ravens at Steelers:
Baltimore Ravens: “Baltimore had better be ready for some football! The Ravens are coming off their Bye week, in which they’ve gone 5-0 over the past five years. They also have defeated the Steelers three straight times, including two beatdowns last season by a combined score of 58-7. In the first game, Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger said Bart Scott’s sack was the hardest he’d ever been hit in his career. Scott agreed. This year, both teams are aware of last year’s games. The Steelers are looking to return the favor and the Ravens understand that their roles are reversed now. An upset win by the Ravens will vault them into first place and put them on target for another playoff appearance. However, a loss this weekend will drop them not only to a .500 record, but to 0-3 in the division.”
Da’ Bears Blog offers a few suggestions for dealing with a bye week.
Big Blue Notes takes a look at the entire NFL during the Giants’ bye week.
Agganis Lives offers predictions for every game this week.
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