Week Four

As I was watched Monday Night Football last week, I believe that I witnessed one of the biggest bonehead plays ever.  I could not believe my eyes when DeSean Jackson, a rookie wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles, threw the football down on the 1-yard line as he was running for a touchdown.  While many considered this to simply be a rookie mistake, it was still a very big bonehead play in full view of the millions of people watching Monday Night Football.  While I realize that even I do the occasional boneheaded thing; or so my wife says; I am very thankful that mine are only on display for my wife and kids, and the occasional neighbor.

Let’s talk about fumbles this week. The definition of a fumble is the loss of player possession of the football.  In other words, a player that had possession of the football dropped it.  A fumble that goes forward and out of bounds will be returned to the team that fumbled the ball at the spot where the fumble occurred.  If a fumble goes out of bounds in the opponent’s end zone, it is considered a touchback and the opposing team takes possession of the football at their own 20-yard line.  Just to add one more layer to this, if an offensive player fumbles the ball on fourth down or after the two-minute warning in the half, the fumbling player is the only offensive player that is permitted to recover and advance the football.  If another offensive player recovers the ball, it is dead at the spot of the fumble.  Any defensive player may recover a fumble and advance it at any time. 

Week Two Rules & Tips
Week One Rules & Tips

These past few weeks of the college football season have been entertaining, but this weekend could already mean the end of national championship hopes for some teams.College Games

College Games

(24) Texas Christian University (TCU) Horned Frogs at (2) Oklahoma Sooners:
TCU is a member of the Mountain West Conference and currently the #24 ranked team in the country.  The Frogs are undefeated at 4-0 and will step up in competition as they set their sites on the Sooners.  In all four games for TCU this season, they have opened with at least a 14-0 lead.  Don’t expect a lead, ever, for the Frogs during this game.

Oklahoma is in the Big 12 Conference and is ranked #2.  The Sooners have won all three of their games this 
season by an average score of 55-14.  Quarterback Sam Bradford and running back DeMarco Murray are leading this high scoring offensive attack.  Coach Bob Stoops is being cautiously optimistic about his team this year, but it appears that he has a team that could be a national championship contender.

(8) Alabama Crimson Tide at (3) Georgia Bulldogs:
Alabama is a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and is the #3 ranked team in the polls.  After totally dominating Arkansas last weekend (49-14), the Tide comes into this premier SEC matchup undefeated at 4-0.  Running back Glen Coffee racked up 162 yards on only 10 carries while quarterback John Parker Wilson did a good job of managing the game.  While the defense returned two interceptions for touchdowns last week, they did give up some big plays.  This has to be of concern to Coach Nick Saban as he will face a much better offense in Georgia this week.

Georgia is a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and currently ranked # 3 in the country.  The Bulldogs are also sitting at 4-0 and are probably one of the more underrated teams in the country right now.  Quarterback Matthew Stafford and running back Knowshon Moreno looked almost impossible to stop in their win over Arizona State last week.  The speed of the defense was also evident as they held Arizona State to total of 4 yards rushing; that was for the entire game.  This game against Alabama should give Coach Mark Richt the chance to prove to the nation that his Bulldogs should not be overlooked as a national championship contender.

NFL Games

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers:
Who would have thought that the Atlanta Falcons, with rookie QB (quarterback) Matt Ryan, would be 2-1 after three games?  And when Ryan isn’t throwing the ball deep down the field, RB (running back) Michael Turner is scorching opponents for yards on the ground.  The Panthers are coming off their first loss of the season after being defeated by Minnesota last Sunday.  The offensive line allowed the Panthers’ (QB) quarterback, Jake Delhomme, to be sacked five times last week.  If the problems with the offensive line can be corrected, the Panthers should be able to ground the Falcons this week.

Green Bay Packers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
Green Bay’s defense allowed a season-high 217 yards rushing in their loss to Dallas on Sunday.  On the offensive side of the ball, the Packers rushed for a meager 84 yards.  To win in the NFL you have to be able to run the ball and stop the run, and the Packers didn’t do either.  Tampa Bay’s overtime win against the Chicago Bears should be credited to QB Brian Griese as he rallied the Bucs from 10 points down in the final 3:16 with 22 consecutive passes.  Tampa Bay could not run the ball so Griese threw a total of 67 passes in the game and afterward complained of a sore throwing arm.  Expect Green Bay to get back on track with a win against the Bucs this Sunday.  Go PACK!

Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys:
With six-time pro bowl (DE) defensive end, Jason Taylor, being sidelined due to an injury, don’t expect the Redskins to be able to stop the Cowboys this week.  While I realize that Washington has 2 wins and 1 loss (2-1), this will definitely be a step up in competition for the Redskins.  The Cowboys offense with QB Tony Romo, RB Marion Barber, and WR Terrell Owens appears to be unstoppable.  Let’s not forget about Arkansas favorite RB Felix Jones either.  He has scored a touchdown in each of his first three games as a Cowboy.  Don’t expect the Redskins to put up much of a fight against the high-powered Cowboys. How ‘bout those Cowboys!
 
Have fun with the “Grid-Iron Challenge” this week and good luck!