NFL Week 9: Mid-Season Report

Well, here we are. As hard as it is to believe, we're already at the halfway point of the 2009 season.

The first eight weeks have done very little to disappoint the NFL kingdom. Volatile shootouts, explosive running attacks, and decimating defenses have permeated NFL coliseums giving fans an experience that money can't buy. There have also been certain story lines that have added just the right seasoning and flavor. In the midst of these battles, there have been some warriors who have valiantly stood out.

My Mid-Season award winners:

1. NFC MVP: Brett Favre. Leave the old man alone. He's having a career year.

2. AFC MVP: Peyton Manning. He's the only reason that Indy hasn't lost a step post-Dungy.

3. NFC Rookie of the Year: Percy Harvin. Don't forget this name.

4. AFC Rookie of the Year: Knowshon Moreno. He's clamoring to break out of the gates in Mile High country.

5. NFC Coach of the Year: Sean Payton. Incredible job giving this undefeated team balance.

6. AFC Coach of the Year: Josh McDaniels. I can't believe I just typed that, but who can argue?

So, are you ready for the second half? Let's take a look at Week 9 as the NFL continues its journey to Tampa, FL.

• Washington Redskins (2-5) at Atlanta Falcons (4-3): FOX, 1pm EST - Strolling into the Georgia Dome right now to face a wounded Falcons team on the heels of two straight losses is a horrible idea. You'd probably have more fun playing bingo.
  

• Arizona Cardinals (4-3) at Chicago Bears (4-3): FOX, 1pm EST - Inconsistency has ruled both teams this year. It will be interesting to see which teams show up Sunday in Soldier Field. In a bizarre twist, Arizona is undefeated on the road while the Bears are 3-0 at home this season.
  

• Green Bay Packers (4-3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-7): FOX, 1pm EST - Bucs rookie QB Josh Freeman begins his NFL career facing a team who has a damaged psyche after last week's emotional loss to the Vikings. There will be desperation on both teams, but Green Bay is more equipped to do something about it.
  

• Miami Dolphins (3-4) at New England Patriots (5-2): CBS, 1pm EST - Last year, the Dolphins went to New England and introduced The Wildcat offense. The result was a significant loss for the Pats. The Hood is a master at adjusting so don't expect him to fall captive to Miami's shenanigans again especially on the heels of a bye.
  

• Houston Texans (5-3) at Indianapolis Colts (7-0): CBS, 1pm EST - It's pretty clear that the Colts own the Texans. They are 13-1 vs. Houston and have never lost to them at home (7-0). Peyton Manning has seared the Texans in his career as well. While Houston has won three in a row, there is no one hotter than Indy.
  

• Baltimore Ravens (4-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (5-2): CBS, 1pm EST - If there was one area that Baltimore was weakening in, it was their defense. Last Sunday, that all changed when they put a clamp on Denver. Now, they travel to Cincy to take on a Bengals team whose two losses have come at home.
  

• Kansas City Chiefs (1-6) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4): CBS, 1pm EST - Anyone could Twitter the game plan to coach Jack Del Rio: give the ball to Maurice Jones-Drew.
  

• Carolina Panthers (3-4) at New Orleans Saints (7-0): FOX, 4:05pm EST - Past history would tell us that coach John Fox dominates the Saints. He's 10-4 against them, and Carolina has won six of the past seven meetings. But those victories were not against THESE Saints.
  

• Detroit Lions (1-6) at Seattle Seahawks (2-5): FOX, 4:05pm EST - Raise your hand if you care.
  

• Tennessee Titans (1-6) at San Francisco 49ers (3-4): CBS, 4:15pm EST - With Vince Young at QB, Tennessee looked and played like a different team last week in their win vs. the Jags. RB Chris Johnson's career day didn't hurt either. The Niners have lost three in a row and have been inconsistent on both sides of the ball.
  

• San Diego Chargers (4-3) at NY Giants (5-3): CBS, 4:15pm EST - Something is amiss in the Big Apple. The Giants defense, especially their secondary, has become porous, and QB Eli Manning has looked like a rookie in the last three games. This is great news for QB Philip Rivers and Co.
  

• Dallas Cowboys (5-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (5-2): NBC, 8:20pm EST - There's nothing like an energized NFC East battle on the national stage with first place on the line. Plus, these two teams truly dislike each other. Both teams have won two in a row and have balanced offensive attacks. Tony Romo has won 12 straight November starts.
  

• Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) at Denver Broncos (6-1): ESPN, 8:30pm EST, MNF - If you're in the mood for a hardcore battle, then look no further than Invesco Field. Denver will know more about itself in seeing how it responds to its first loss of the season vs. the world champions. If there is a chink in the Steelers' armor its on special teams which is good news for Denver's return specialist Eddie Royal. Get out your TiVo and cancel any plans you had.

BYE: BUFFALO BILLS, CLEVELAND BROWNS, MINNESOTA VIKINGS, NY JETS, OAKLAND RAIDERS, ST. LOUIS RAMS

STANDINGS

Chris Mortensen: 9-4, 81-35

Peter King: 11-2, 81-35

Adam Schefter: 6-7, 80-36

Keyshawn Johnson: 11-2, 80-36

Cris Carter: 8-5, 79-37

Eddie Chinn: 9-4, 77-39

Mike Ditka: 6-7, 74-42

"Damn! We're in a tight spot!"

Those famous words, uttered by the great Ulysses Everett McGill in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, proves that he knew a thing or two about being in precarious situations.

So does Titans coach Jeff Fisher.

During his 15-year coaching stint with Tennessee, Fisher has been through it all. He has seen the best of times and the worst of times. And, through it all, Titans owner Bud Adams has remained by his side and loyal. He has avoided getting involved and tried to take a back seat while Fisher and his coaches did what they were hired to do.

Tennessee has now lost six straight games to begin the 2009 campaign; one which they were destined and equipped to make a run at the Super Bowl. Their defense is now ranked 31st while the offense has been sluggish including an impotent passing effort led by the old journeyman Kerry Collins. He simply hasn't been making plays and winning ball games like he did during last year's 13-3 season.

Coach Fisher has stayed by Collins' side all year. He's also the one who made the decision to let Jim Schwartz leave his DC post and take the Detroit gig. He also hired his replacement in Chuck Cecil. Through these six excruciating battles, Fisher has remained loyal to Collins and remained steadfast as the Titans have continued to sink. These once-admirable traits though have made Mr. Adams impatient.

This past week, the 86-year-old Titans owner reaffirmed his man crush on Vince Young who has been the #2 QB while waiting for his time of redemption to begin after going through a major maturation process in the last year and a half. He believes that VY has what it takes to get this team back to its winning ways.

The result was Fisher announcing this past Thursday that the Vince Young era had arrived.

Bud Adams did more than just flex his muscles as the owner. He abused his position. He overlooked the chain of command, cut out the middle man in GM Mike Reinfeldt, and imposed his will on Fisher. Of course, Fisher will never admit that this is what happened and will appear supportive of Adams because that is the kind of man that he is.

Yes, I know he's the owner. Yes, he writes the checks and it all starts with him at the top of the pyramid. But what exactly does this say about Adams? Why would an owner disrespect the system and put his head coach in such an awkward dilemma by forcing him to make a change against his wishes?

Don't get me wrong. The manslaughter in snowy New England showed that Fisher's stay-the-course manner needed to take a back seat. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see that changes needed to be made, but Fisher has proven in the past that he knows how to improvise and make it work.

Instead, Adams interfered and put Fisher in a position where he isn't liable if Tennessee continues to decay. There will be the argument that if Adams had just stayed away that this vessel could have corrected its course.

Don't get me wrong, Jeff Fisher has made some mistakes this year. Maybe enough to get fired even if Adams had stayed behind the curtain while this thing did, in fact, blow up.

But, he deserves to lose or keep his job with dignity and on his own terms instead of being jerked around by an intruding owner. Adams should have kept his mouth shut and let the hierarchy function.

Instead, the Titans move forward with an owner-endorsed QB and a suspicious head coach.

NFL Week 8: Scary Events

Week 7 consisted of some battles that were nail-biting, inspiring, laughable, and downright horrifying...you could write a screenplay to Saw VII.

This past week has also had its share of incidents that were enough to make you run and hide or shake your head in utter disbelief.

In Tennessee, owner Bud Adams expresses his man crush on QB Vince Young. Coach Fisher announces on Thursday that Young is now the starting QB. For those of you playing at home, the Titans do have a GM. Things appear out of tune in Music City.

The atrocity on the field has now bled into the stands in Cleveland. A petition has gone out to all the denizens of the Dawg Pound to boycott the start of the game on Nov. 16th vs. Baltimore on Monday Night Football. He wants them to stay on the concourses, outside the stadium, or in bathrooms until the kickoff is over. He wants owner Randy Lerner to get a clear message that the fans have had enough. I have an idea: Just don't go to the game.

Upon further review, Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell has, in fact, admitted that last week's loss was his fault. He now sees that he made some mistakes. "We still have a lot of football to go...It's going to be OK, I promise. Just take my word that things are going to get better. I can't tell you when, but I know they are." Isn't that what they said on the Titanic?

Long-time Chiefs idiot Larry Johnson used a gay slur twice this week expressing his displeasure with Kansas City's coaches and the direction of the team. According to GM Scott Pioli, that includes creating a new culture and attitude in order to raise up a struggling franchise that has sunk to the NFL ocean floor. It's also well-known that disloyalty will not be tolerated.

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has taken his share of sacks over the years. He's been driven into the turf 212 times since 2004 which is a NFL high for 87 games. So, I guess it should be no surprise then that he got sacked...during a bye week. In last week's win vs. the Vikings, Big Ben was thrown for a one-yard loss. Not anymore. An NFL scoring change is now calling it a sack.

There were also several teams that were the victims of brutal slayings. Cleveland remained true to form as Green Bay buried them 31-3. Kansas City avoided the upset by submitting to San Diego 37-7. Indianapolis ravaged the Rams 42-6 to stay unbeaten. In London, New England put on a jolly good show in old England by destroying Tampa 35-7. Oakland proved that they aren't a fluke by getting hammered by the Jets 38-0. And, Cincinnati was not a good host as they were very rude to Chicago 45-10. Six out of 13 games were blowouts with a combined score of 228-33.

Let's take a look at the Week 8 contests as we try to get past Halloween.

• Denver Broncos (6-0) at Baltimore Ravens (3-3): CBS, 1pm EST - Both teams are coming off byes, have suffocating defenses and balanced offenses, and young coaches who excel at putting together a game plan. This should be quite a ride.
  

• Cleveland Browns (1-6) at Chicago Bears (3-3): CBS, 1pm EST - I wonder if Browns coach Eric Mangini knows what he wants to be when he grows up.
  

• Houston Texans (4-3) at Buffalo Bills (3-4): CBS, 1pm EST - Normally, you wouldn't pick these two teams as being dangerous away from home, but both are becoming road warriors. Buffalo's ball-stealing secondary will have its hands full with Matt Schaub and Co.
  

• Miami Dolphins (2-4) at NY Jets (4-3): CBS, 1pm EST - If I had told you before the season began that by Week 8 the top two rushing teams would be the Jets and Dolphins, you would have laughed in my face. I have a feeling the Jets have their sense of humor back.
  

• St. Louis Rams (0-7) at Detroit Lions (1-5): FOX, 1pm EST - How bad do Lions fans want to see their team get out of their funk? The game is blacked out in Detroit.
  

• Seattle Seahawks (2-4) at Dallas Cowboys (4-2): FOX, 1pm EST - This is actually a critical game for Dallas who if facing Philly and Green Bay on the road the next two weeks, and if they want to be a playoff team, they must show up like they did last week vs. Atlanta.
  

• San Francisco 49ers (3-3) at Indianapolis Colts (6-0): FOX, 1pm EST - I think you could randomly select anyone in the crowd and let them be head coach while making QB Peyton Manning the offensive coordinator, and get the same results.
  

• NY Giants (5-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (4-2): FOX, 1pm EST - There's no doubt that this is a big day in the City of Brotherly Love. The Eagles host the hated Giants who will be looking to exact revenge on Philly after last year's playoff defeat. Across the street, the Phillies host the Yankees a few hours later. Good times.
  

• Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3) at Tennessee Titans (0-6): CBS, 4:05pm EST - This has the elements of being a closer game than the records indicate. Both squads have lethal running attacks and the two worst secondaries in the league. It also marks the beginning of the Vince Young era...again...so the home crowd will be pumped.
  

• Oakland Raiders (2-5) at San Diego Chargers (3-3): CBS, 4:05pm EST - A loss to the Raiders could result in a massive amount of For Sale signs showing up in Norv Turner's front yard.
  

• Carolina Panthers (2-4) at Arizona Cardinals (4-2): FOX, 4:15pm EST - Last week, the Panthers allowed only 167 net yards and nine first downs to Buffalo...and lost. This week, Carolina visits the red hot Cardinals. Need I say more?
  

• Minnesota Vikings (6-1) at Green Bay Packers (4-2): FOX, 4:15pm EST - It's time. The reality that Packers fans have been dreading will come to pass when Brett Favre steps onto Lambeau Field wearing the scariest costume on the face of the earth. You can dissect this game as microscopic as you want, but Favre will be juiced for this ultimate showdown. Everyone will.
  

• Atlanta Falcons (4-2) at New Orleans Saints (6-0): ESPN, 8:30pm EST, MNF - Preparing a game plan against this smoldering Saints squad is like raking leafs in a wind storm.
  

BYE: BENGALS, CHIEFS, PATRIOTS, STEELERS, BUCCANEERS, REDSKINS

STANDINGS:

Adam Schefter: 11-2, 74-29

Chris Mortensen: 8-5, 72-31

Cris Carter: 7-6, 71-32

Peter King: 10-3, 70-33

Keyshawn Johnson: 7-6, 69-34

Mike Ditka: 8-5, 68-35

Eddie Chinn: 9-4, 68-35

Just Living a Dream

648 days. It's hard to believe that it's been that long since Brett Favre walked off the Lambeau tundra. For almost two years since, Favre's life has been a TV reality show hosted by the media.

It began in January 2008 when the Packers lost to the Giants in the NFC Championship Game 23-20. The next month, Brett Favre tearfully announced his retirement having every intention of leaving. In the past, he waited several months to decide. His family needed time with him, and he needed time to clear his head.

So, if you think about it, there would have been only one reason why Favre made his decision so soon: Packer management pressure -- Forget what he's done for the organization and the city, and force him to make a decision now. Having just suffered a devastating defeat after a brilliant season and still aching from head to toe, it's no shock that he stepped away.

Has anyone considered that he cried at the press conference because of what Ted Thompson and Co. were forcing him to do? This man gave his heart to the city of Green Bay, broke just about every record in the book, won a Super Bowl, and two MVP's. Why would you get so impatient with a man who doesn't deserve it? I'm sorry Aaron Rodgers was drafted by Brett Favre's team, but that was his team. He hadn't shown any signs of faltering play so why would they change direction when things were hitting on all cylinders?

Well, they did.

That set into motion a chain of events that rivals The Amazing Race. Brett sees that he's not wanted so he demands a release that results in him wearing a new shade of green in The Big Apple. It's an up-and-down season, he gets hurt, and then retires again. With the new regime coming in with Rex Ryan, he wasn't going to have a job anyway.

Once again, he made a decision that was rushed and forced only this time he admits that he did it to himself and shouldn't have. He is itching to stay in the game that he loves so dearly so he has shoulder surgery and rehabs exceptionally. Before you know it, Favre is wearing the Purple and Gold of Green Bay's most hated rival.

This Sunday, Brett Favre will enter Lambeau Field where it all started. Virtually every one of the 102,313 denizens of this fabled city will be either at the game, in a sports bar, or at home in front of the TV. Parks will be empty. Businesses closed. Bicycles laying in front yards. Tumbleweeds blowing across Main Street. You'll be able to film a movie and no one will know.

How will they view the man that put that city on the map? Will they see a man who single-handily improved the city's economy through increased tourists or the one who caused a 10-15% drop off in business when he left? A hero or a traitor?

It's expected and understandable that many will want to express their displeasure to #4. They will want to burn jerseys, saw up their Cheesehead hats, and display posters that should be distorted for kids.

But, all this man has truthfully done is show himself to be a human who wants to keep living the dream that is ingrained into every bone in his body. Don't get me wrong, this 40-year-old kid has matured in all of this too, but he has come to realize that he just wants to play football, and who would be dumb enough to say no to even more money even if it is with a hated rival?

Brett Favre loves football. He loves competition and thrives (and profits) on attention. He also knows his rights and freedoms as an American. In other words, all #4 has done these past couple of years is be himself.

NFL Week 7: Wanna Get Away?

Embarrassment, humiliation, and chagrin raise their ugly heads every NFL Sunday.

A surging desire to disappear, sink into the ground, or transform into someone else develops on every battlefield. You'd even give up a large portion of your contract to construct a time machine within seconds in order to go back in time several minutes.

In Week 6, the severity gauge for these mortifying moments was showing an unusually high reading for some teams and athletes who challenged our perceptions and paradigms of professionals.

1. Tennessee Titans - Their defense gave up 619 yards and 59 points in the snow while their offense put on a brilliant display of impotence by scoring zero points. It was like watching a high school game.

2. Kerry Collins - What's even more stunning is that Collins went 2 for 10 and -7 yards....in the whole game. That's really hard to wrap your mind around. It's like U2 filling up half a stadium. Something tells me that the Vince Young era will begin soon -- again.

3. Donovan McNabb - He called a timeout with 27 seconds left in the first half. The problem was that the team didn't have any left, and as a result Philly had to settle for a field goal. McNabb also admitted last year that he didn't know the overtime rules in the NFL. You know what? He just might be a candidate for Are You Smarter Than A Fifth-Grader?

4. New York Giants - They were ranked #1 in offense and defense and appeared steadfast. Then they were introduced to Drew Brees who went out of his way to make the Giants feel welcomed. He unleashed 369 passing yards and 4 TD's while the offense accumulated 493 total yards and turned the G-men into a whipping post.

5. Philadelphia Eagles - Whenever you allow a circus act like the Raiders to hold you to three field goals and beat you, it's time to get a swift kick in the rear. The "Fire Andy" and "Bench McNabb" campaigns are gassing up.

6. Jim Zorn - Wow. What a week for coach Zorn. His Redskins lose to the Chiefs, their sixth straight winless team. As a result, his play-calling duties get stripped from him and given to Sherm Lewis who was calling bingo games last week.

7. Mark Sanchez - He began the year in pure Matt Ryan style by possessing a mature demeanor and uncanny ability to avoid mistakes. That came to a screeching halt in pure Ryan Leaf style when he threw 5 interceptions in his third straight loss vs. the Bills who had been unraveling themselves.

8. Dante Wesley - This brainless Carolina DB streaked down the field during a punt only to launch himself like a missile into Bucs returner Clifton Smith who had called for a fair catch. Smith suffered a concussion, and Wesley was ejected. He called it a mistimed hit. I guess the waving of the hand was misinterpreted as Smith flipping him off.

Let's take a look at the slate of games for Week 7 and hope that everyone can act a bit more professional this week.

• New England Patriots (4-2) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-6): CBS, 1pm EST - And you thought 59 points was a lot.
  

• Indianapolis Colts (5-0) at St. Louis Rams (0-6): CBS, 1pm EST - I hope there are plenty of defibrillator kits on the Rams sidelines.
  

• San Diego Chargers (2-3) at KC Chiefs (1-5): CBS, 1pm EST - It's hard to be trusted on the road when your struggling on defense and running the ball. The Chargers enter a rowdy Arrowhead Stadium to face an inspired Chiefs team. UPSET PICK
  

• Minnesota Vikings (6-0) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2): FOX, 1pm EST - Both teams have bruising defenses and lethal offenses by ground and air. Favre and Big Ben are having career years, and this matchup of possible Super Bowl foes will be tremendous to watch. Next week, Favre goes to Green Bay.
  

• Green Bay Packers (3-2) at Cleveland Browns (1-5): FOX, 1pm EST - With next week's historical battle with Favre on their minds, the Packers must play smart football so as to not get caught in this trap game.
  

• San Francisco 49ers (3-2) at Houston Texans (3-3): FOX, 1pm EST - Inconsistency has reigned supreme in both cities this year, so it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that this is a statement game for both squads if they are to stay in their respective division races.
  

• Buffalo Bills (2-4) at Carolina Panthers (2-3): CBS, 4:05pm EST - This battle pits two teams who each have aging WR's griping once again about number of catches. Both will be clamoring against a top-5 secondary, but Ryan Fitzpatrick will be taking over for Trent Edwards so expect TO to continue to see his career slow down.
  

• NY Jets (3-3) at Oakland Raiders (2-4): CBS, 4:05pm EST - Typically, I would say that the Raiders and coach Tom "Break Jaw" Cable would be the perfect remedy for a horrendous three-game losing streak, but we are talking about the Jets who are in a tail spin and have only beaten the Raiders six times on the road in their history.
  

• Chicago Bears (3-2) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-2): FOX, 4:15pm EST - When an NFL player feels passionately about being mistreated by a former team, he is never lacking in motivation when it comes time to face that ex-franchise. Bengals and ex-Bears RB Cedric Benson does not have fond memories of the Windy City.
  

• Atlanta Falcons (4-1) at Dallas Cowboys (3-2): FOX, 4:15pm EST - This bye week couldn't have come at a better time for Dallas. It gave them a chance to heal and re-evaluate themselves. They will need to be hitting on all cylinders to win this shoot-out vs. this dangerous Falcons unit.
  

• New Orleans Saints (5-0) at Miami Dolphins (2-3): FOX, 4:15pm EST - If the Dolphins plan on winning this game, they need to keep the ball out of Drew Brees' hands by controlling the clock with The Wildcat. Meanwhile, the Saints have an underestimated running game too to go along with their blazing passing assault which will be targeting Miami's rookie CB's.
  

• Arizona Cardinals (3-2) at NY Giants (5-1): NBC, 8:20pm EST -There's no doubt that the key to this game is for NY's defensive line to pressure Kurt Warner like there's no tomorrow if the defense wants to avoid another torching. Losing two in a row is rare for these Giants and they're ticked.
  

• Philadelphia Eagles (3-2) at Washington Redskins (2-4): ESPN, 8:30pm EST, MNF - Longtime NFL assistant and ex-bingo caller Sherm Lewis was coerced out of retirement by Daniel Snyder to call plays for poor ole' Jim Zorn, who has learned that his job is safe the rest of the season. Huh?

BYE: BALTIMORE RAVENS, TENNESSEE TITANS, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS, DENVER BRONCOS, DETROIT LIONS, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

STANDINGS

Chris Mortensen: 6-8, 64-26

Cris Carter: 10-4, 64-26

Adam Schefter: 8-6, 63-27

Keyshawn Johnson: 9-5, 62-28

Mike Ditka: 9-5, 60-30

Peter King: 6-8, 60-30

Eddie Chinn: 7-7, 59-31

Are the Titans lost?

When an NFL team falls on any given Sunday, their loss is always thrown under the microscope and dissected down to the chromosomes.

Weather. Injuries. Bad position matchups. Penalties. Turnovers. Girlfriend breakups. The list goes on. Sometimes, these are viable factors that do contribute, but there are also games when the team and/or players just simply have a bad day.

Then, there are those battles that scream the same message that the couple yelled at Neal Page and Del Griffith in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: "You're going the wrong way! You're going to kill somebody!!"

Minus 7 yards. No, I'm not referring to the result of a RB being introduced to Ray Lewis or a fumbled snap. This is the total number of throwing yards by QB Kerry Collins last Sunday vs. the Patriots after Tennessee was dismembered 59-0.

59-0? This is not just a loss. This is not just a beating. This undivided humiliation experienced by the Titans was a glowing message to coach Jeff Fisher and his staff, the players, the city of Nashville, and owner Bud Adams -- You're going the wrong way.

When you give up 691 offensive yards to your 186 and commit 5 turnovers and no takeaways...in the snow, then you better believe it's time pull off the highway and get out your atlas. This, of course, on the heels of having already lost the first five games of the season.

After this blowout loss, the 86-year-old Adams said, "Right now, it's as bad as I've seen it, and that's a long time. I've never had a team start out like this. We had the best record in the NFL last year. I can't understand it.''

Adams knows that the Titans are off course. He knows that someone missed an exit or veered into a muddy ditch after falling asleep.Usually, those kinds of mistakes are the responsibility of the head coach.

The Titans owner supports that theory. "That is one of our problems, the coaching staff.''

It's never a good thing when a team is only five or six games into a season, and you can already smell burning flesh from the head coach's rear end. Just ask Washington and Oakland. While these teams appear to be in far worse shape from top to bottom than Tennessee, this debacle in Foxborough has revealed some major flaws in the trip plan.

Titans coach Jeff Fisher said, "What we have to do is find a way to win a ballgame.'' Yeah, that's a great idea. Yes, this glowing revelation may seem elementary, but the common fan has no idea what one win means to a team that is stuck in idle with its hazards flashing.

Fisher is an icon in Nashville. He's as solid, moral, and unwavering of a man as you'll find patrolling the sidelines, and has always had the respect and support of Adams every minute of these past fifteen years. I believe he has what it takes to get this vehicle back on track and pointed in the right direction.

But, he and his staff better come up with a plan quickly or else Adams will find someone else to drive and leave them hitchhiking.

NFL Week 6 Preview

Has everyone recovered from Week 5? I trust no one developed physical ailments or needed to be hospitalized. We experienced quite a display of offensive fireworks, a couple of OT battles, and some thrilling come-from-behind victories.

Several offenses had some nice "practice" sessions. Donovan McNabb showed he was healthy by unleashing against the Bucs 33-14. Atlanta seemed to benefit from a bye week by bringing unrest to the Niners 45-10. In St. Louis, Favre and Co. did what they needed to do by disposing of the Rams 38-10. The Seahawks announced their intention to hang around by annihilating the Jags 41-0 while Indy kept the Titans winless 31-9. In NY, the Giants stripped the Raiders clean 44-7.

If that wasn't enough, the cities of Denver and Kansas City watched their teams enter overtime, but only one was victorious. The Broncos stunned the Patriots 20-17 as Josh McDaniels showed Master Belichick that he is, in fact, ready to go out on his own. Cowboys WR Austin Miles had a career day by catching 10 passes for 250 yards and 2 TD's as Dallas blew past the Chiefs 26-20.

Baltimore and Washington still aren't quite sure what hit them. The Ravens and Bengals went back and forth all day until Cincy stunned Baltimore by scoring a TD in the closing seconds and winning 17-14. In our nation's capitol, the Skins dominated and led the Panthers 17-2 only to watch their struggles intensify as Carolina came back and won 20-17.

Last year's Super Bowl contestants had to hold off their foes in order to secure a victory. Pittsburgh avoided a catastrophe by beating Detroit at home 28-10 while the Cardinals stopped Houston at the goal line to escape 28-21. Also in Miami, the Dolphins stormed back and overtook the Jets 31-27 in a nail-biter on Monday Night Football to cap off a thrilling week.

I do trust that everyone has, in fact, recovered and had a productive week because this weekend has the elements of being another doozy. Check your sick leave balances because you may need to call in ill once again.

• Houston Texans (2-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-1): CBS, 1pm EST - Houston, welcome to the home of the Cardiac Cats. In every game this season, Cincy has rode the waves of high-voltage drama to the shore of notoriety.Why stop now?
  

• Cleveland Browns (1-4) at Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2): CBS, 1pm EST - Defensive maniac Troy Polamalu is back and healthy. This battle is rated R.
  

• Baltimore Ravens (3-2) at Minnesota Vikings (5-0): CBS, 1pm EST - Last week's collapse at home coupled with the loss in New England the week prior equals a Ravens outpouring of frustration.
  

• Kansas City Chiefs (0-5) at Washington Redskins (2-3): CBS, 1pm EST - Both teams reek of burnt hair and flesh after each squad got burned last week by Dallas and Carolina respectively. Great time to spend on Hulu or Fancast.
  

• St. Louis Rams (0-5) at Jacksonville Jaguars (2-3): FOX, 1pm EST - A frustrating streak will end in J-town this Sunday. Either the Rams will break their 15-game losing streak, or the Jags will finally beat the Rams who is the only team that Jacksonville has never beaten.
  

• NY Giants (5-0) at New Orleans Saints (4-0): FOX, 1pm EST - Skip church. Trust me, God won't care. Each team's offense and defense is ranked in the top five. The Saints have been an uncontrollable force while the Giants have the reputation for being an immovable fortress. Get ready for war.
  

• Detroit Lions (1-4) at Green Bay Packers (2-2): FOX, 1pm EST - Fourteen straight losses at Lambeau Field, being ranked last in scoring defense and touchdowns allowed, and possibly being without the starting QB and star WR can only mean one thing.
  

• Carolina Panthers (1-3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-5): FOX, 1pm EST - No evidence has been uncovered that would lead anyone to believe that Tampa is equipped to stop their 9-game losing streak. Especially against a Carolina team who has a lot of momentum after getting their first win in dramatic fashion last week.
  

• Philadelphia Eagles (3-1) at Oakland Raiders (1-4): FOX, 4:05pm EST - Emergency vehicles standing by...
  

• Arizona Cardinals (2-2) at Seattle Seahawks (2-3): FOX, 4:05pm EST - Despite some injuries on the O-line, Seattle's offense is quite rejuvenated and lethal while their defense is turning heads. Arizona is just too inconsistent right now.
  

• Tennessee Titans (0-5) at New England Patriots (3-2): CBS, 4:15pm EST - Many Titans fans have been clamoring for a Vince Young sighting and just might get it if things get ugly. This unruliness could rear its ugly head sooner than later in Foxborough where Tennessee has not won since 1993 when they were the Oilers.
  

• Buffalo Bills (1-4) at NY Jets (3-2): CBS, 4:15pm EST - Don't worry Jets fans. This two-game slide isn't an indication that these are the same old Jets. This team is very different than the embarrassing squads in the past. Speaking of which, Buffalo should put a smile back on your faces.
  

• Chicago Bears (3-1) at Atlanta Falcons (3-1): NBC, 8:20pm EST - The momentum from last week's dissection of the Niners will be too much for Chicago to handle in the Georgia Dome.
  

• Denver Broncos (5-0) at San Diego Chargers (2-2): ESPN, 8:30pm EST, MNF - With Oakland and KC no longer threats, San Diego knows that this is a must-win game for them. Knowing and doing aren't the same thing.
  

BYES: DALLAS, SAN FRANCISCO, MIAMI, INDIANAPOLIS

STANDINGS

Chris Mortensen: 10-4, 58-18

Adam Schefter: 9-5, 55-21

Peter King: 9-5, 54-22

Cris Carter: 10-4, 54-22

Keyshawn Johnson: 9-5, 53-23

Eddie Chinn: 8-6, 52-24

Mike Ditka: 7-7, 51-25