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Why are we beating teams and then being ranked behind them still?
Posted: Monday September 26, 2011 8:27AM ; Updated: Monday September 26, 2011 9:31AM Peter King>MONDAY MORNING QB More ColumnsEmail Peter King So what do you want? The good news or the bad news? I'm a glass-half-full guy, so here goes: The NFL's Terrible Trio, the despondent Rust Belt franchises in Buffalo, Detroit and Cleveland, are 8-1. Over the last 10 years, since 2001, these three teams have combined for three winning seasons. "Our fans have been starving for this,'' said Cleveland linebacker Scott Fujita after the Browns beat Miami 17-16. If Cleveland's been starving, what about Detroit and Buffalo giddily celebrating 3-0 starts? ________________ Revelation of the day, Buffalo division. I can remember only two Buffalo crowds as giddy and loud as Sunday's -- though I'm sure I'm missing some. The 2007 Monday night crazyfest with Dallas, won 25-24 by the Cowboys, is one, and the comeback from a 32-point deficit in the 1993 playoff game against Houston the other. "Great game, great fun, great team we beat, great crowd," Fred Jackson said from Buffalo afterward. "It felt like we had the entire city behind us in the stadium today." Fred Jackson can really play. He had 17 touches for 161 yards and a touchdown against a team that knew he was coming. Now, he joins Ryan Fitzpatrick as a player the Bills have to sign -- Fitzpatrick's deal is up after this season, Jackson's under contract through 2012 -- to ensure the offense stays explosive. "I want something done, because I'd love to stay here,'' said Jackson. Good players like to stay with winners, and now the Bills are a game ahead of the Jets and Patriots in the AFC East. _________________ Fine Fifteen 1. Green Bay (3-0). Jermichael Finley told everyone he was ready to take his place among the Gonzalez/Witten/Gates elite of NFL tight ends. Guess we should have listened. 2. Baltimore (2-1). Just when it seemed like the Ravens might have enough offense without him, Torrey Smith appears. Explosively. 3. New England (2-1). At some point, the Patriots are going to put some draft emphasis on finding a pass-rush. In the last four seasons, in average passing yards per game, New England allowed 190.1, 201.4, 209.7 and 258.5. Who would have thought the Pats would be allowing 377 passing yards per week, through three weeks? 4. New Orleans (2-1). How fun is it to watch Drew Brees take a team on his back and win a game it has little business winning? 5. Detroit (3-0). Schwartz for Mayor! Do you have any doubt he could win? 6. Houston (2-1). Hard to say you're making progress when you surrender 40 points and 370 passing yards, but if you watched the game, you know there was a lot of good about Houston's defensive effort. And James Casey too. The local kid -- Casey went to Rice -- looks like a long-term keeper, an offensive tight end with good athleticism. 7. Buffalo (3-0). On the last two Sundays, you can't tell me there hasn't been a spike in visits to western New York cardiac units. |
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