It seemed everything was falling into place for the Titans to make it 5 in a row. The team coming into Tennessee was the Arizona Cardinals, and their star quarterback, Kurt Warner seemed to be having some vision problems due to a concussion he received the week prior. Enter Matt Leinart.
Some back stories:
1) In Super Bowl XXXIV (Jan `99), Kurt Warner was the starting QB in the Super Bowl against the Tennessee Titans. The Titans were down by 7 with just six seconds left on the clock when the late great Steve McNair threw a dart to Kevin Dyson...Just one yard short, and Warner celebrated an MVP performance by lifting Vince Lombardi’s trophy.
2) The 2006 Rose Bowl was a battle between budding superstars. Led by Matt Leinart, the University of Southern California Trojans were going for a National Title against Vince Young and his University of Texas Longhorns. The Trojans were heavily favoured entering the game, yet it ended with Matt Leinart watching from the sidelines as Vince Young trotted into the end zone on 4th and 5 from the 8 yard line to win the game. It was an amazing end to an amazing game that will go down in history as one of the best plays. Hell, the 4th down run by VY to win the game was recently named the #5 college football play of all time.
So once again, in a whole lot less of a spectacle, it was Leinart Vs. Young, for the first time since that fateful Rose Bowl.
...and once again it came down to a final drive. Once again, the ball was in Young’s hands, and once again Leinart was left as a helpless spectator on the sidelines. And once again, VY put together a masterful drive, this time relying on his arm. He went 8 for 15 for 89 yards (including 2 4th down conversions) before the drive stalled at the 10 yard line.
It came down to a 4th down play with 6 seconds left. So many similarities:
1) Six seconds, just like Super Bowl XXXIV
2) 4th down with a chance to win for Vince Young, just like the Rose Bowl.
Which way would it end up? A VY Win, or a 1 yard Titan loss?
As we are all aware by now, VY completed a 10 yard pass to Kenny Britt on 4th and Goal as time expired to win the game over the Cardinals! Vince Young is back (and using his arm!), and so are the Titans. Their win streak is now at 5...
...and I won my bet on the Titans! ;)
Pet Peeve of the Week:
There wasn’t much of an issue with it this week (I think the Falcons and Chargers were the only ones that wore theirs) but this trend of throwback/3rd uniforms is out of control. From my beloved Seahawks wearing jerseys that could burn out any HD TV, to the Broncos wearing vertically striped socks that looked like they should be in prison, enough is enough. I almost enjoy the regular uniforms these days because I don’t get the opportunity to see them that often anymore.
Stat Line of the week:
Jake Delhomme in the first half: 5-12 for 29 yards and 3 interceptions, one returned for a TD. In all, he ended the game with 4 interceptions.
What else happened this Sunday:
- I can’t tell you how many times I pleaded to through the TV to Jim Mora Jr to give Forsett a shot! Is it fair to assume he has won the starting job even when Jones comes back?
- Steven Jackson started off the game with a 25 yard run. After that, the Seahawks basically shut him down. His carries after the first were for the following yardage: 0, 1, 3, 2, 1, 1, 3, 7, 4, 2, 3, 4, 7, 0, -2, 6, 5, 4, 3, 8, 0. Of his 23 carries 16 were for 4 yards or fewer. The only one that reached double digits was his very first 25 yarder.
- Seahawks have won 11 straight over the Rams now. Wow, remember when this used to be a heated rivalry?
- Anyone remember Michael Vick? Man, I can’t wait until he makes it back to the NFL!
- Deshaun Jackson caught another TD, this time from 35 yards out. The interesting point about this TD is that it was his shortest of the season!
- This was Philly’s second straight 4th quarter comeback win. Shouldn’t a team with this much talent be winning games against Chicago and Washington a little more handily?
- When will John Fox realize that the Panthers are built to be a running team? I still think it will cost Fox his job in the long run.
- Sanchez bounces back after his 5 interceptions last week with an ok game (13 for 17 for 154 yards and an int)...Not SPECTACULAR, but enough to win while the defence is stopping everything that is thrown at them.
- Carolina had 2 TDs called back, one reversed by replay, the other nullified by penalty. After the penalty, Delhomme promptly put the ball in the hands of the Jets. This was the nail in the coffin for the Panthers
- I didn’t realize that Sage Rosenfels still played for the Texans! That is two years in a row they have given up a big lead to the Colts in Houston. This team just cannot get over the hump, and I put the blame squarely on head coach Gary Kubiak.
- Colts had a 1st and goal from the 8 yard line. 2 incomplete passes to Garcon, an incomplete pass to Collie that drew a P.I call, and a new set of downs. A shovel pass to Addai that resulted in no yards. An Addai run that went BACKWARDS, and finally Manning targets one of the best WRs in the league for the TD. Moral of the story? Throw to Wayne as soon as you can.
- After a decent game last week against the Lions, Brady Quinn went back to his old self, completing just 44% of his passes for 100 yards. You are NOT going to win a game with those numbers from your quarterback.
- Quinn caught an 18 yards pass and ran for 10 yards and a TD in a single drive. Maybe he is the new ‘Slash’? hahahahahahaha
- I don’t think Ryan Fitzpatrick is a starter in this league, but he proved today that he gives the Bills a better chance to win than Trent Edwards. Maybe Edwards can take JP Losman’s job next year in the UFL.
- Fitzpatrick (Harvard) and Edwards (Stanford) have to be the smartest QB duo in the league. We know they are much smarter than the duo in Philly. One didn't know that a game could end in a tie, the other funded a dog fighting ring. Smart guys!
- I love Gus Johnson! He made the T.O 51 yard TD feel like it was to win the Super Bowl!
- I am very impressed with Josh Freeman so far in his young NFL career. He has proven that he can keep his team in the game. If only they could put some skill in the positions around him.
- The Bucs had one of the best downs of a punt as 3 different players touched the ball in attempts to keep it out of the end zone. It resulted in Falcons ball on the 2 yard line.
- With The Bucs up by 4, the Falcons had a 1st and goal from the 10 yard line. Due to penalty, the Bucs stopped them 6 consecutive times before Chris Redman FINALLY completed a pass for the win. Kudos to the Bucs on the first 6 stops. It showed a ton of heart and that they are headed in the right direction.
- Strange game in SF. Two of the best RBs in the game going head to head, and they COMBINED for 31 carries for 108 yards. Seriously, how do EITHER of those players not get 25 carries a game?
- There is something special about Michael Crabtree. With another year under his belt, he could be up there with the elite of the game.
- Anyone else think the TD pass to Frank Gore looked a little reminiscent of ‘The Catch’?
- 4 turnovers by the Chiefs led to 28 points for the San Diego Chargers. Even better is that one SD turnover led to 2 points....for the Chargers! Yes, SD converted on a safety after an LT fumble near the goal line.
- For the 3rd time this year, Vincent Jackson finished a game with 56 yards. He has 58 yards in one other game, and another with 46. Not impressive, but I found it interesting.
- Brett Favre threw 1 yard this week for every year he has played in the NFL. 392.
- The Jay Cutler Interception Count is now at 20. I am cheering for him to reach 35 by the end of the season.
- 'Double-D' Dennis Dixon looked like a real QB out there. I think his performance tonight may have solidified a backup role for him this year, and into the future.
- With 48 seconds left in the first half, Carey Davis got his 1st carry of the season for the Steelers. He got his second carry on the very next play. He ended the night with just those 2 carries. Want to bet he doesn't even double that by the end of the season?
- I loved seeing the rushed FG at the end of regulation for the Ravens, would have been a great play had the ball travelled another 3 yards. Billy Cundiff got another chance in OT, and made the best of it!
- I'd like to give a shout out to the Montreal Alouettes who stole a Grey Cup on a last minute field goal from the Saskatchewan Roughriders. I guess you are allowed to put 13 men on the field for a FG in Saskatchewan!
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