Redskins vs. Lions

The Skins are 3-1 over the last 4 games and head to Detroit to face the Lions before their bye week. I am actually more concerned about this game than the Pears game. The Lions are 1-5 but they are favored. This shouldn't come as a big surprise as the Lions have had to play tough teams and have just come up short in many of the games (Giants, Eagles, Packers, Pears) and they completely demolished the Rams.

Stafford is back and apparently he is looking very sharp so this certainly will not be an easy game. Here are the keys:

1. Get to Stafford. He has been out since week 1 and although he has been practicing the last couple of weeks, practice is different than games. The Skins need to get to him and get him unbalanced. We need to force him to make mistakes (fumbles and/or INTs). Osakpo needs to continue his onslaught and would love to see Haynesworth play the way he played against Philly and the Pears. Haynesworth does seem more committed but still seems unsure of fitting in the 3-4. He said this week he still wants to be the best ever but said that he is not good in the 3-4. He just needs to buy in and continue to play the way he has been and all will be good.

2. Ride the Love Torain. Torain has been running hard and the O line loves run blocking. Torain has had success the last couple of weeks and that needs to continue against Detroit.

3. McNabb refocused. McNabb has good spurts but he has yet to put together a full game together. Need to get those short to medium range passes going and then continue to take 2 or 3 shots deep down field. I like McNabb from a confidence and leadership perspective but we need for him to be more consistent.

4. Don't fumble Banks! I like Banks as he gives us some big play capability but my butt cheeks clench and I tense up every time he touches the ball as it always looks like a fumble is imminent. Would love to see him break one but would hate to see him fumble one away.

5. Gano. We'll be playing indoors and if it comes down to a FG, we really need to see Gano get more consistent. He started out the year very good but the last few weeks anything longer than 40 yards seems iffy. Weather will not be a factor in Detroit so I need to see him make everything 45 yards and in.

6. Stop Suh and VandenBosch. Those are two premier pass rushers and our line has held up pretty well over the last few weeks. We need to make sure that we keep these guys checked to allow for McNabb to have time to make plays.

7. Just win baby! I really don't know too much about the Lions. They have been terrible for the last decade but they are not the Lions of old. This is a good, young team that is on the rise and they are a few bounces away from having a good record. They cannot be treated like the Lions of yesteryear and we need to go in there and take care of business. Being 5-3 going into the bye is a whole lot better than being 4-4. We also need to take our revenge from last year's loss in Detroit so we should have incentive to go out and win this game. A win and going 5-3 heading into the bye and we might start to get a whiff of the playoffs.

I expect another good game. Again, this will be a tougher game than many people expect. We cannot just look at the teams records. In the end, the Skins will do enough to win this game 27-16.

HAIL SKINS!!!

This is the way we wish we could remember Favre

This one is for you, JSR. This is the way we wish we could remember Favre. This is when I was a fan. This is when pretty much all football fans were a fan of Favre.

Again, it is sad because as a result of his actions the last couple of years (and he was free to act the way that he did), he forever tarnished his legacy. He will never be loved the way he would have been if he had just stayed retired when he made his orginial announcement.

Gretzky's return to Edmonton

Back in 1988, Wayne Gretzky who was by far and away the greatest hockey player in the game and who had just led Edmonton to its 4th Stanley Cup and who was in the prime of his career was traded to the L.A. Kings. He was traded because the owner was having financial difficulties in his other business ventures and along with players and picks that were swapped the Pocklington (Edmonton's owner) also received $15M in cash. Gretzky did not want to leave Edmonton. However, the owner was intent on trading him.

On his first appearance in Edmonton after the trade—a game that was nationally televised in Canada—he received a four-minute standing ovation. The arena was sold out, and the attendance of 17,503 was the Oilers' biggest crowd ever to that date. Large cheers erupted for his first shift, his first touch of the puck, and his two assists. After the game, Gretzky took the opportunity to confirm his patriotism: "I'm still proud to be a Canadian. I didn't desert my country. I moved because I was traded and that's where my job is. But I'm Canadian to the core. I hope Canadians understand that." He wasn't booed because the Oiler fans "cared." He wasn't booed because it is human nature to show no appreciation for teams/players that pose a threat. He was loudly applauded and appreciated because they recognized that he wanted to be an Oiler but his owner/organization kicked him out. He didn't hold the organization hostage or flutter in the wind whether he wanted to stay or go.

According to JSR and Deepie, the fans should have booed Gretzky because they cared or that it's human nature to boo someone that is a threat to their team. It's Again, Gretzky was overwhelmingly applauded. He wanted to stay an Oiler. It was not his choice to leave and the fans recognized that and applauded him as they should have. It was not disingenuine. It was not unofficially orchestrated. It is what fans do. Again, the difference with the Favre situation should be very clear. The GB fans harbor a lot of resentment and bitterness as their hero deserted them. He was not pushed out.

The same will be true when LeBron returns to Cleveland this year. Cleveland fans feel that he deserted them and is a traitor. Cleveland wasn't looking to trade him. They would have given him max amount of money. They tried to build a winner around him (bringing in Shaq, trading for Antawn Jamison at the trading deadline). Cleveland had the best record in the NBA last year so it wasn't like the organization wasn't trying to help him. However, he chose to take less money and go elsewhere and then chose to hold a spectacle when he announced his "decision." Immediately, Cleveland fans were seen burning his jerseys. They pulled down his "We are all witnesses" monument from downtown. Fans were bitter and angry.

Again, it is clear why fans react the way they do. If Favre was truly loved in GB, they wouldn't treat him the way that they do. They would not have booed him after Minnesota's Sunday Night loss where he was battered, injured, and disappointed. If they truly didn't have any hard feelings, they would have cheered him. So the point that they boo because they care or that it is human nature to show no appreciation for teams/players that pose a threat doesn't make sense.

Favre's 2009 reception in GB and McNabb's 2010 reception in Philly

JSR, the difference seems obvious but if you see/hear something different, please explain to me.

The balance of the NFC

I have been saying or the last three weeks that I cannot remember a time when the NFC looked so mediocre and so wide open. You look at the teams with the better records and many teams are not who you expect to see up there. HOTlanta and NY Giants are leading the conference with 5-2 records but after that you have Tampa Bay and Seattle at 4-2 and then the Redskins, Bears, Saints, Iggles at 4-3. Bottom line, is that the NFC right now is open for the taking and many teams have an opportunity to steal it (including my beloved Redskins).

That said, if I had to make a call as to the best team in the NFC right now, I would have to say the Giants. After starting out 1-2 and getting yearly criticism about how the team is falling apart, they have won 4 straight. I have never thought much of Eli Manning but he is putting up good numbers. Like his brother, he has been the beneficiary of being in the same system for his entire career. He understands the system well and there are times when he just picks apart the defense as well as anybody. The Giants have a solid front four on defense and they seem to be playing with a lot of confidence and fun right now.

Still, the conference seems wide open and things can change from week to week.

Brett Favre's Wrangler Open Fly Jeans

Time to go home, Favre

He sucks. Sure, he almost pulled it out in the end but he didn't and he had a pretty poor game throwing 3 INTs (one for a pick six and the other leading to GB TD). Favre's three picks came in a span of seven of his 29 passes, and led directly to 14 Packers points. What's worse is that Childress is openly criticizing the QB and their already tense relationship is certainly taking another hit. In talking about Favre's INTs, Childress stated, "Yeah, the one to Bishop,'' he said. "I'd have to look at that, cause I'd like to know where we're going with the football, because I believe the play was designed to go to the other side and I think Percy's (Harvin) standing there in big air. So not sure why we're looking at the left-hand side.''

What's annoying is that Favre wants to always portray himself as the warrior. He makes a bad play and then is seen limping and just seems like he is looking for sympathy or for the crowd to just think "Wow! Look at this courageous legend." He reminds me of the spoiled kid in the neighborhood who wants to play QB but sucks and then whenever he makes a bad play will cover it up with an excuse. I'm sure the ankle got tweaked but what was silly was that when he would run a play, he was fine. It was only in between plays when he was really limping. Again, if you are having such a difficult time walking, how can you run a play and look fine? Or if it is hurting you as badly as it seems, wouldn't you consider coming out and letting someone healthy play because it just might give your TEAM a better shot at winning?

This whole season has been a debacle for Favre so far. He hasn't played well. The team is struggling. His return to GB was a bad showing and the crowd that loved him for so many years booed him loudly at the beginning and end of the game. On top of that, the day started with more reporting about the Favre/Jenn Sterger story with Favre admitting he left Sterger messages. No doubt Favre is questioning why he let those three Vikings buddies convince him to leave the family farm in southern Mississippi two months ago. For this? For 2-4? For an embarrassing game on the Lambeau sod in what is quite likely his last trip there?

I have said before that I used to be a Favre fan; however, it's pretty sad to see what has become of him. Again, he went from being one of the most celebrated and beloved players in NFL history to a guy that is polarizing and divisive and a guy that has lost most of the love from the proud fans of GB. A guy that looks 61 instead of 41 out there trying to play and recapture some of his youthful glory. A guy that has been exposed for infidelities and admissions of guilt. Go home, Brett and try and work on your family.