Week 8 Recap:

Vs. W/L (7-6)
Vs. Spread (5-8)
Vs. O/U (7-6)

For the Season:

Vs W/L: 67-48-0
Vs Spread: 50-68-0
Vs. O/U: 52-50-1

Here’s where we’re at via the Spread relative to the “Sportsline Experts”:

Expert “P”: 65-50-0
Expert “J”: 63-52-0
Expert “H”: 62-53-0
Expert “S”: 59-56-0
Expert “D”: 55-60-0
Expert “R”: 54-61-0
PFN: 50-68-0

Not the best of weeks, nor one of the worst. Let’s keep movin’ forward and havin’ fun.

Week 8 Game Balls:

Green Bay: Coach Lombardi must be smiling in Football Heaven after Favre pulled another one out of the fire in Denver on Monday Night. The Pack are now an amazing 7-1.

New England: I’ve been following this team religiously since 1963. They have never looked this powerful, ever. They are on a roll of historic dimensions. It’s almost comical to hear and read about the Patriots suddenly behaving like “bullies.” Why haven’t people suggested the same thing about America’s Saint Peyton Manning? Why didn’t the media suggest that Dallas, Pittsburgh, Miami or the 49’ers did the same thing in their heyday? For more years than I care to remember, it was the Patriots who were often on the bad end of blowouts. The Redskins had a number of opportunities to put points on the board in the first half of Sunday’s game but failed to execute either through penalties or turnovers. Why can’t the football world simply appreciate the sport being played at a tremendous level without finding something to denigrate?

NY Giants & Miami: Although the G-Men won by only three, both teams played well despite the rains and horrible field conditions at Wembley. A natural surface may be fine for soccer in cases of inclement weather, but the famed Wembley Pitch took a beating from the cleats of the less-than-svelte lads who play the American Brand. Both teams get Game Balls this week for the rigors of transatlantic travel and simply awful playing conditions. Although the game sold out months ago and the fans were definitely knowledgeable and passionate, the NFL may want to reconsider any more European incursions during the regular season.

Indianapolis: Another workmanlike win on the road and they remain undefeated at 7-0. They are right at the head of the class with New England. Opponents have learned the hard way not to make mistakes against Indy’s defense, because Peyton Manning and the offense will burn them quicker than toast.

New Orleans & San Diego: Both teams stumbled out of the gate but have most certainly righted their ships and are back in the playoff hunt.

Mid-Season Team Report Cards:

New England: A+ “So Far, So Good”
Indianapolis: A “It’s No Longer Just The Offense”
Dallas: A- “Very Good, Despite The Coach”

Green Bay: B+ “Smoke & Mirrors?”
NY Giants: B+ “Big Blue On A Roll”
Pittsburgh: B+ “New Coach, Same Steelers”
San Diego: B “The Tide Has Turned”
Jacksonville: B “Who’s At QB This Week?”
New Orleans: B- “Back In Gear”
Detroit: C+ “Can They Make Playoffs? Really?”
Buffalo: C+ “Were It Not For The Injuries…”
Tennessee C+ “As Goes Vince So Go The Titans”
Ravens: C “Paper Tigers”
Seattle: C “Enigma”
Carolina C “Meh…”
Arizona C “On the Up”
Washington C “Gibbs Deserved Better Than This”
Cleveland C “Optimism, Finally”
Tampa Bay C “One Step Up…”
Minnesota C- “Get A QB, Will Ya?”
Denver C- “On The Down”
Kansas City D+ “Forgetabouit…”
Houston D+ “That Bloom Faded Quick, No?”
Oakland D+ “It’s Time To Feed JaMarcus To The Lions”
Chicago D “Not This Year, Boys”
San Francisco D “It’d Be An ‘F’ But For Willis”
Philadelphia D “Time To Blow This One Up”
Cincinnati D “Same Thing Applies”
Atlanta D- “A Lost Season”
NY Jets D- “This Team Really, Truly Sucks”
Miami F “The ’72 Boys Just Shake Their Heads”
St. Louis F “Historically Horrible”