Week 7: 11 Things I Know I Know

1. I know Malcolm Jenkins made the play of the day. Situation: Saints lead 28-21, Bucs ball on their own 4-yard line with 7 minutes left in the third quarter. Josh Freeman hits Vincent Jackson for a 95-yard completion but Jenkins tracks V-Jax down at the 1-yard line, saving a touchdown. Four unsuccessful rushes later and Tampa Bay turned it over on downs, and the Saints would never look back winning 35-28.



2. I know the Texans responded in style to the beating they took last week at the hands of the Packers. The Texans now sport an NFL-best +88 point differential, the defense led by JJ Watt is legit, and Arian Foster and Co make this offense scary. On the flip side, I can't believe how bad Baltimore looked. Ray Lewis was a shell of his former self this year so losing him should not have been this devastating but they looked putrid trying to stop Houston and inept trying to score on them.

3. I know the Packers are the team I would least like to face right now in all of football. As good as Houston has been, Green Bay embarrassed them on their home field. Aaron Rodgers is starting to look like MVP Aaron Rodgers again, and they have the best wide receivers in football.

4. I know the Browns wide receivers are the worst receivers in football. They look like athletes, they get open, but they can't catch the ball. Exhibit A: Fourth quarter, Browns face four-pont deficit. Josh Gordon gets behind the defense, Brandon Weeden throws a perfect ball to the goal line, Gordon drops it costing Cleveland the game. (Note: I am 100% not buying the sun in the eyes excuse. These are professional pass catchers.)

5. I know the AFC wild card leaders (this is being written during Sunday Night Football and might change) have only three wins. Three! We are almost done with the seventh week of this season and no non-division leader has more than three wins. That's amazing and speaks to how bad this conference is right now.

6. I know there are no such things as moral victories. That being said, the Jets surpassed all of my expectations this week in Foxboro by taking the Patriots to overtime. New York's defense played great all day and kept them in the game. I also loved when the Jets used Antonio Cromartie on Rob Gronkowski.

Might help if the game announcers paid some attention:



I also really dislike that Phil Simms repeatedly says "eem" instead of "him."

7. I know the team I am shorting most is the San Francisco 49ers. I'm a believer in this defense but Alex Smith cannot be trusted to win a team a Super Bowl.

8. I know if the Titans can keep the game closer than three touchdowns, they will win. When they lose, they get crushed as their L's have been by 21, 28, 24, and 23 points. Look at the other games though: 3-point win, 3-point win; 1-point win. If you want to beat Tennessee, don't let them hang around or Matt Hasselbeck will find a way to beat you.

9. I know Cam Newton needs a wake-up call. I thought when Steve Smith called him out during the Giants game, he would respond. Well, clearly he didn't. After today's disaster, he ripped the offensive coordinator for his playcalling. Um, Cam. You were terrible today. Grow up, man up, take some responsibility.

With the road victory, Dallas was able to stay a game and a half behind the red hot Giants in the NFC East. This division is the best in football, and it's not even close. Every team can win on any given week against anyone in the NFL. Eli has the Giants clicking, RG3 has the Redskins hoping, and Dallas and Philly have the talent to make a run.

10. I know the NFL erred by putting only two late games on Sunday featuring five of the worst quarterbacks in the league. Yes, four teams, five terrible quarterbacks. We, the fans, were "treated" to the poo-poo shit platter of Blaine Gabbert-Chad Henne-Carson Palmer-Mark Sanchez-Tim Tebow. Very poor planning by the suits on Park Avenue. On a related note, how on Earth does anyone in the Jags' front office still have a job? Gabbert and Henne are your top two quarterbacks? Really? Clean house, Shad Khan.

This play summarizes my thoughts perfectly.

The Jags had 4th and 1 in Oakland territory late in the first half. For some inexplicable reason, they decide to roll the notoriously immobile Henne out of the pocket. Instead of trying to force a throw and possibly a completion down the field, he throws the ball OUT OF BOUNDS!! On 4th down! Who cares if it’s intercepted? It’s laughable how bad that team is.

11. I know the Lions will beat the Bears, 28-25 tomorrow night. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson shine under the lights and keep their pre-bye week momentum going.




"11 Things I Know I Know" is my feeble attempt to trump the untrumpable SI.com's Peter King and his "10 Things I Think I Think" is my favorite article each week.