NFL week 8 open thread
posted at 10:40 am on November 1, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
The Pittsburgh Steelers have the week off, and the NFL takes its Sunday evening off today as well at the half-way mark of the season. If that means I can’t see Big Ben Roethlisberger and Hines Ward play, it also means that we don’t have to watch Keith Olbermann either … so it all balances out. The big game this week in the upper Midwest is the rematch of the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers, this time at Lambeau Field. Packer fans want payback from the early-season loss and a piece of Brett Favre as well. Their O-line has played better lately than they did in Minnesota earlier, but I still think the Vikes are going to be too tough for the Pack — especially coming off that tough loss in Pittsburgh (and I’ll remind everyone that I predicted the Steelers would win on a late interception!). I’m picking the Vikes in a close one, 28-24.
Last week, I was only 3-2, choosing poorly by picking Da Bears and the Giants (at home!), so I’m 27-8 on the season. This week’s picks should do better:
- St. Louis at Detroit – As bad as both teams play, this may be the most competitive game outside of Green Bay today. I’ll pick the Lions to win their second game in front of the home-town crowd, 24-10. These are two teams moving in opposite directions, albeit so slowly that it’s hard to tell.
- Miami at New York Jets – Their last meeting was a terrific Monday night contest two weeks ago, but Miami on the road? They have a good running game which the Jets couldn’t stop last time out, but I’m going to give the edge to the Jets at home, 34-24.
- New York Giants at Philadelphia – It’s a big rivalry within a tough division. Could Eli Manning lose two in a row? Philly runs hot and cold, while the Giants usually just run hot. I can’t see a team that couldn’t score a TD against the Oakland Raiders beating a team looking for some vindication, even at home. I’ll pick the Giants, 27-14.
- Jacksonville at Tennessee – Like the Rams-Lions game, not compelling except for the fact that both teams have flopped. Tennessee is at home, coming off a bye week. If they’re going to win a game this season, it has to be this game. (Update: Vince Young is starting for the Titans today.) I’ll pick the Titans to win, 21-17, and Jeff Fisher can wear his own jersey at dinner this week.
- Atlanta at New Orleans – It’s the Monday night game, which has been good all year … until now. The Saints will scorch the Falcons, 38-14.
Blowback
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Man, I hope that the Giants don’t try to recruit our (the Birds) defensive backs during the offseason to replace their WRs, because even though Eli doesn’t practice with them, they seem to have their timing down.
Deshaun Jackson is still the best WR in the league.
No Plax, no problem.
LevStrauss on November 1, 2009 at 3:29 PM
Niners shocking Indy at home!
Del Dolemonte on November 1, 2009 at 3:34 PM
30 to 7 Philadelphia at the half…..
FontanaConservative on November 1, 2009 at 3:36 PM
First half…Jets and Miami each had the same number of drives (6), the same number of punts (5), and the same number of points (3).
Del Dolemonte on November 1, 2009 at 3:39 PM
The Mooch/Favre interview on NFL Network has Mariucci asking: did you ever think you’d come to Green Bay as QB of the visiting team? A: No, and I didn’t think I’d start 300 straight games or get 3 MVPs. Gee Brett, sounds like you’re overcompensating for being a narcissist, a sellout and a traitor. I watched you blubber like a baby on retirement announcement 1.0, and last year I watched your screw ups end another season for your team. The Pack may not get a win this week, but Packer fans know that you got 11 games in you tops, and it will be fun watching the Vikes season go into a tailspin in December with you at the helm.
Mark30339 on November 1, 2009 at 3:41 PM
Feeley ties a career-long field goal mark (55 yards). Jets now lead 6-3.
Del Dolemonte on November 1, 2009 at 3:48 PM
Well, at least the second half is starting out better for the Giants. They fumbled the opening kickoff and gave the ball immediately back to the Eagles, but at least this time it was on their own 20 instead of the ten, so clearly they are improving.
*sigh*
Jazz Shaw on November 1, 2009 at 3:48 PM
Oops, Feely….he just had the ensuing kickoff returned by Ginn 100 yards for a touchdown.
Miami 10, NY 6.
Del Dolemonte on November 1, 2009 at 3:51 PM
Queens are always gassed by the fouth quarter. We also have our secret (okay, not so secret) weapon…..Childress. If it come down to coaching, that bafoon couldn’t coach his way out of a wet paper sack.
Time to go get my game face on. Smelling salts, 2X4 across the forehead for the Chuck Cecil effect and my green & gold flag flying high enough to tworque off the neighbors here in East Dakota. (minnesota)
C’MON LAMBEAU!!! BOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
oakpack on November 1, 2009 at 3:51 PM
Well then he is not a traitor, but an inside man. If Pack fans feel like he is a traitor they should take their grievances with their front office for squeezing him out. Forget all that division rival crap, who wouldn’t want to play for a team that has a decent defense, an elite running back, and an offensive system that he has played for years and won championships with. It was his best option, he shouldn’t have to play for a crappy team because the Packers wanted to go a different direction.
LevStrauss on November 1, 2009 at 3:52 PM
Wow, Miami just stripped the ball from Sanchez-Jason Taylor runs it in for another TD. Now 17-6 Fish.
Del Dolemonte on November 1, 2009 at 3:58 PM
This is clearly turning out to be a day that would have been better spent doing yard work for New York fans of both species.
Jazz Shaw on November 1, 2009 at 4:00 PM
Nobody squeezed him out. They just got sick and tired of his annual diva act. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1HMbvwOf3I
The only reason he went to East Dakota was because he thought he could get back at TT for not permanently places his lips up his butt.
After 16 years playing on the tundra, he still doesn’t get it. We are Green Bay Packer fans first and last. He actually thought people should follow him to cheer for the Jets. What a dolt.
oakpack on November 1, 2009 at 4:01 PM
This is clearly turning out to be a day that would have been better spent doing yard work for New York fans of both species.
Jazz Shaw on November 1, 2009 at 4:00 PM
I’m with you and a perfectly good Sunday ruined
Willie on November 1, 2009 at 4:09 PM
Jets are coming back…just put together a nice drive and scored a TD. They were going to go for 2 but thought differently. Now 17-13 Miami.
Del Dolemonte on November 1, 2009 at 4:09 PM
Unbelievable…Ted Ginn, who a few minutes ago had a 100 yard runback for a TD, just ran another one back 101 yards.
Miami 24, NY 13.
Del Dolemonte on November 1, 2009 at 4:13 PM
Sanchez marches the Jets down the field…Jets go for 2, but the Fish pick Sanchez off in the end zone.
Miami 24, NY 19 with just over 1 minute left in the 3rd
Del Dolemonte on November 1, 2009 at 3:20 PM
Nice pick on the G-women.
I think you’re awesome Ed, but Who Dey!!!
Steelers suck.
Unoriginal Twin on November 1, 2009 at 3:42 PM
Nitpick:
The NFL season is 17 weeks long, which means that the halfway mark occurs on Week 9, not Week 8.
dljessup on November 1, 2009 at 3:43 PM
Ugh. I can’t bring myself to watch my Giants lose again. What happened the past couple weeks?? The season started off so well…I know they played easy teams the first few weeks, but still…
Yossarian on November 1, 2009 at 3:46 PM
Hope you didn’t waste any money on that.
JohnnyD on November 1, 2009 at 3:47 PM
It should be the Ravens @ 7-0, if not for the some bad penalties and kicks. And now it’s 30-7 Ravens.
What a shame Ed didn’t see this one coming. No respect from my fellow posters, No respect from the NFL and now no respect from Ed….Oh well. It’s a win any way you count it.
JohnnyD on November 1, 2009 at 3:56 PM
Miami scored again and so did the Jets, who are now again driving. 2 minutes left, 30-25 Miami.
Del Dolemonte on November 1, 2009 at 4:00 PM
Well, thanks Philly. The Cowboys and the birds will be tied for first in the NFC east now. Perhaps Ed will give the boys some props and at least mention their game in his picks…… Na, probably not, he’s a hater.
conservnut on November 1, 2009 at 4:02 PM
Ed’s not doing so well this week on the picks. At least in the early games.
disillusioned on November 1, 2009 at 4:15 PM
Jets drive stalled in the Red Zone…Miami D tightened up.
Final 30-25 Dolphins.
Gotta give Miami credit-they came back from last week’s heartbreaking loss at home and won on the road.
Del Dolemonte on November 1, 2009 at 4:15 PM
Pretty nasty looking wreck in Talladega. Ryan Newman had the ride of his life and walks away unscathed.
Oops, I thought this was the Nascar thread….
JohnnyD on November 1, 2009 at 4:33 PM
OK so which quarterback looks more clueless – Favre or Rogers? What the heck was that??????
LL
Lady Logician on November 1, 2009 at 4:37 PM
No, simplesimon is in charge of that thread.
Del Dolemonte on November 1, 2009 at 5:08 PM
Favre and the Vikes are chewing up the Pack. Color me shocked
Gatordoug on November 1, 2009 at 5:56 PM
The season’s halfway over for the Negro Football League?
I still haven’t watched a game.
I see Mark Sanchez is doing well for New York.
Yeah for affirmative action!
Being a white conservative in California, I have to root for.
Thank God for leg whips and crack back blocking!
papertiger on November 1, 2009 at 5:57 PM
In other sports news, Rudy Giuliani was not too pleased when he was kicked out of his seat at Yankees Stadium for…Michelle O’bama.
http://www.tmz.com/2009/11/01/rudy-giuliani-michelle-obama-world-series-seat/#ixzz0VeNHIaRA
Del Dolemonte on November 1, 2009 at 6:01 PM
Hi Deb!
Del Dolemonte on November 1, 2009 at 6:02 PM
Are you stoned or just a jerk?
Gatordoug on November 1, 2009 at 6:02 PM
The Favre Cam? PLEASE!
Gatordoug on November 1, 2009 at 6:06 PM
Green Bay fans send your 5 bucks to the official for that terrible roughing call.. Sheesh
CWforFreedom on November 1, 2009 at 7:05 PM
Breaking…the Fox pre-game show will be done from Afghanistan next Sunday. 2 hours, starting at 11 AM EST.
Del Dolemonte on November 1, 2009 at 7:58 PM
Screw the NFL for what they did to Limbaugh. I will not watch a game this year.
elfman on November 1, 2009 at 8:20 PM
FAVRE!!!
metric on November 1, 2009 at 8:39 PM
Maybe so. After all I’m white. Aren’t all white people stoners?
You know how they used to have team photos, where they’d have the skill positions take a knee for the front row, and the linemen and defensive backs would line up in the second row, with the coaching staff along the edges?
They don’t do that anymore.
Too many I’s on today’s teams, I suppose.
Or it could be that having a picture showing 95% blacks, along with a white kicker and punter wouldn’t go over too well with the Kumbaya All we are saying is Give Diversity a chance crowd.
Funny thing The Raiders held a Latino appreciation day – without a single latino!!!
No I WON”T subsidize my oppressors, Gatordoug. Call that being a jerk if you want. I’ll be rootin for career ending knee injuries. You can root for whatever.
papertiger on November 1, 2009 at 9:08 PM
Nope, Deb, latest stats show that the overall percentage of stoners by ethnic group falls within a very tight range. Between 8 and 11 percent for each group.
Tell Paul Newman I said high.
Del Dolemonte on November 1, 2009 at 9:50 PM
That’s interesting. The last person that approached me selling dope was a black guy.
I told him that Obama had made it legal (nearly legal).
He seemed a bit put out by the news. As if someone had just killed his capitalist enterprise, or something…
papertiger on November 2, 2009 at 1:18 AM
Niners shocking Indy at home!
Del Dolemonte on November 1, 2009 at 3:34 PM
Sometimes you gotta get slapped out of your complacency.
First game in a while where Peyton Manning hadn’t thrown a touchdown pass. He let Addai do it. San Francisco fought hard and well for the most part and had three(?) sacks on Manning. Still, the Colts find a way to win and the final score is all that really matters. Now the 49ers have to get ready to face a resurgent Bears on Thursday night. I’d be a fool to predict that one. Just point a parabolic mike at the field and listen for the pads popping (and bones breaking?).
SKYFOX on November 2, 2009 at 8:47 AM
SKOL Vikings!
Mr Purple on November 2, 2009 at 2:12 PM
This just in … Broncos limping home after a 30-7 smackdown from the Ravens.
Dukehoopsfan on November 2, 2009 at 2:55 PM
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