A New Venture For Owens

It looks like Terrell Owens at the age of 39 has worn out his welcome in the NFL after 15 seasons with five teams. It's time for him to move on with his life. He appears to be destined for some type of reality show. The networks have been in no rush to hire him as a commentator. His best hope is to make a living off the silly things he does.

His latest move was to compete in the Professional Bowling Association World Series of Bowling. Most fans never thought T.O was a bowler, but he apparently rolls a pretty good game. He claims a personal best of 277. Will it be enough to make the cut?

At this point, it's more of the sideshow effect for T.O. He can keep making money as long as someone is out the paying him. Has be burned all of his bridges as far as being a commentator? Only time will tell.

Everyone Plays

Some NFL owners want to let another team from each Conference into the playoffs. I think there are already enough teams. Colleges carry it to the extreme with almost 40 post season bowl games. The competition gets very watered down.

Massachusetts high schools are clearly out of control with their high school football playoff format. Eastern and Central Massachusetts are divided into six divisions. A total of 114 teams will be in the playoffs while 81 will miss out in spite of seven teams having a winning record. Officials don't want to discuss that 18 playoffs teams had losing records.

This is all being done because of inclusion. Nobody wants their team to be left out even if it means that the games are not meaningful. Maybe, they should declare every school a Division Champion. That way, nobody will have their feelings hurt.

Look At His Right Hand

The Pats set the standard for being evasive about player injuries. They tell only what the league requires. They have that right and use it to their advantage.

We are seeing that with Tom Brady and his right hand injury. CBS kept a camera on it while he was on the sideline during the game with the Dolphins. Is it a source of concern?

At his post-game press conference, Brady said his hand felt great, but he made no effort to waive it in front of the media. So now we are dealing with a hand injury. Nobody will ever know the extent of it.

Brady will tough it out to the end. Drew Bledsoe played with a pin sticking out of his finger to repair a fracture. They all play to the end in this game.

Tough Time In Tampa

The transition of college coaches to the NFL doesn't always go smoothly. Some probably wished they never left the confines of their school.

Greg Schiano thought he was making a great career move when he took over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year, but the team is 0-7. On Friday, a group of fans held a demonstration at Raymond James Stadium demanding his resignation.

Fortunately, the Bucs have a bye week and can use the time to regroup in the hope of salvaging the season. Schiano is already 7-16 during his time in Tampa. It's not looking good for his future, especially when asked questions about whether he has lost the locker room and players. The fans are ready to dump him.

Rough Landing For Logan

We always hear about "The Patriot Way", but recent events have shown the Pats are not immune to having players make bad decisions. We saw that with Aaron Hernandez.

On a smaller scale, Logan Ryan made a stupid move after his 79 yard interception return off  Geno Smith in the Jets game. As he thundered to the end zone, he slowed down to see if anyone was near him. Once he crossed the goal line, he spun around and grabbed his crotch before falling on his back. He thought this was cute for his first NFL touchdown. He waited his entire life for this moment, but ruined it by grabbing himself for everyone to see.

His actions lead to a $10,000 fine by the NFL and a public scolding by teammate Matthew Slater. Ryan's behavior was immature and selfish. He later apologized to the public, but it took a $10,000 fine to straighten him out. Hopefully, he has learned a lesson. That segment of the play has been edited on the highlights. It was a brilliant run on his part. Too bad he had to ruin it with his selfishness.

Head Case

Brett Favre was in the news again, but for the wrong reason. We just went through that ridiculous rumor of the Rams contacting him about coming back to the NFL.

Favre has now admitted to having memory problems after all these years. Is this a sign of things to come? He wouldn't be the first or last player to be plagued by memory loss.

I don't doubt that Favre could will himself to be on the field. I think he has suffered head trauma and now must be concerned about the long term effects. It happens to everyone in the NFL. They just don't talk about it. Not good for job security.

Rams Go Too Far With Favre

It was unfortunate that the St Louis Rams lost QB Sam Bradford for the season with a knee injury. The signal caller has been mentioned as one of the rising stars in a group of young quarterbacks.

When a team loses their quarterback, options are limited. They can turn to their own depth chart or look for one of the veterans out on the street. The NFL always has a stable of retreads out there who get cycled back and forth between desperate teams.

The Rams decided to think outside the box and approached 44 year old Brett Favre about a return to the league. It's hard to believe that they were actually serious about signing a guy who has not played since the end of the 2010 season.

Favre was an extremely talented player, but how well can he play at 44? He might be a freak of nature to have survived so many NFL seasons with his body intact. I think Favre made the right decision to decline the offer from the Rams. His playing days are over.

Winning, Losing and Talking

Coach Rex Ryan may have saved his job with his team's 30-27 win over the Pats. The New York tabloids are certainly treating him differently. The Jets are getting the top billing over the 1-6 Giants who continue to struggle.

All is well for Rex in the Big Apple. He had the reporters laughing at his recent press conference. He was less defensive in some of his answers. Winning does that to everyone.

After the Pats win over the Saints, Coach Belichick had a 13 minute post-game press conference. Coach Bill always likes to talk after a win. Just don't ask him too many questions after a loss. His press conference  after the Bengals game was about two minutes. Last Sunday, he was a bit more chatty in describing the loss to the Jets. He went on for over four minutes. That's a lot for him after a defeat.

One More Time For Carter

When the Pats signed DE Andre Carter, it reunited them with a player who made the Pro Bowl during his one year stop in Foxborough. Carter was at home without a contract after playing last year with the Oakland Raiders.

He left the Pats at the end of the 2011 season after playing out his one year contract. He was injured in the final weeks of the season with a torn quadriceps tendon. He was placed on IR and missed the Pats run at the Super Bowl.

It's been a long grind for Carter after being the 7th overall pick in the 2001 draft. The draft also featured former Pats Richard Seymour and Gerard Warren in the first round.

Carter will be paid by the game. At this point in his career, it was a matter of finding a team that wanted his services. Team don't care about him being a former first round pick.

Tom's Big Game

The NFL schedule makers must have thought it would be a good idea to feature the Giants and Vikings on Monday Night Football. It looked like a great game between two iconic franchises.

However, the Vikings are 1-4 and the Giants are 0-6. There are many story lines, including Coach Tom Coughlin fighting for his coaching life. Things have gone so badly for the Giants.

It's still MNF. Fans will be watching. The ratings might take a slight hit, but the NFL cash cow will make more money tonight.

Giving Away Games

The penalty on the Pats during the Jets 56 yard field goal attempt did not cost them the game. They should never had been in that situation. They were up by 11 points at the half and got the ball to start the third quarter. They were fortunate to tie the game and go into overtime.

We will now be inundated with discussion about the controversial penalty which was called correctly. It was a specific point in a field goal play that the NFL wanted officials to keep an eye on. The penalty gave the Jets another chance to win the game with a 42 yard filed goal.

The Pats are still 5-2 and sit at the top of the Eastern Division. They will start their new week preparing for the Miami Dolphins.

Mocking Brady

You can always count on the New York Post to have great back pages and columns when it comes to playing the Pats. Friday's edition had a photo composite of a baby in a playpen with Tom Brady's head superimposed over the infant's

It was meant to mock the preferential treatment of Brady that many teams feel the NFL promotes. DL Sheldon Richardson of the Jets openly mocked Brady. That was pretty brazen from a rookie. He was critical of the league without mentioning the officials.

He mentioned that quarterbacks took their beatings in the past. He's correct on that, but the NFL is trying to protect the most important player on any team. They are also some of the league's biggest stars.

Richardson is determined to sack Brady on Sunday. Number 12 has been taking some hits and sported a shiner under his right eye after the Saints game. The offensive line really needs to do their job this week.

Words From Rex

I listened to Coach Rex Ryan's teleconference with the Boston media. It was great to hear him and some of his classic sound bites. He mentioned that he wasn't kissing Coach Belichick's rings.

He captured the back page of the New York Post from another press conference when he told his players to go home and not do anything around the house until after the game with the Pats on Sunday.

He certainly knows how to grab the headlines. At 3-3, the Jets are doing better than many predicted. I want the Pats to beat them on Sunday, but hope Rex and his crew can keep winning and make it to the playoffs. He is the perfect fit for the Big Apple. Unfortunately, his job tenure is tied to winning.

If it was strictly based on the entertainment aspect, he would have lifelong tenure as head coach. He knows how to grab the headlines.

Pats Not Knocking Hard

HBO and the NFL have an agreement to keep filming the wildly successful "Hard Knocks" program which gives a great insight into training camp.

Teams have volunteered for the show. Rex Ryan and the Jets got great ratings during their season on display, but not all teams are looking for the spotlight. It's the last thing that Coach Belichick wants for his team.

The league has stipulated that all teams must participate unless they meet one of the exemptions. The Pats should be safe as long as Coach Belichick remains in Foxborough because a team can decline if they have made the playoffs in any of the past two seasons.

The Pats fall into that category, but don't meet the other criteria of either having a new head coach or being on the show in the past ten years.

If the Pats make it to the show, it won't be good for the fans because they will either have a new coach or have missed the playoffs.

An Opportunity For Someone

The Pats will move on without Jerod Mayo. They have already lost two of their defensive captains for the season, but such is life in the NFL.

Every season-ending injury provides another player with an opportunity that they might not get. Donte Hightower will be calling the defensive signals in the absence of Mayo. Someone else will get a roster spot. Will it be somebody from their practice squad or a player cut in training camp?

Players know it's a dog eat dog world out there. They can benefit at the expense of others. Just ask Tom Brady. His career might be different if Mo Lewis didn't knock Drew Bledsoe out of the game against the Jets. Two players had their lives changed forever in one moment.

Out Of Mayo

The news just came out that LB Jerod Mayo had surgery for a torn pectoral muscle. What does this mean? Is he out for the season? Will Coach Belichick refer to it as an upper body injury?

The team will decide in the next few days whether to place him on Injured Reserve. It doesn't look good at this point for him to salvage the season.

They could carry him on the 53 man roster with the idea that he could come back for the playoffs. Ray Lewis did it last year with the Ravens, but they made an exception for him because it was his final season.

I think that Pats will wait about a week before they place him on IR. This is another big hit to the defense.

Head Games

The Pats and Saints played a great game yesterday, but both teams suffered their share of injuries. Tom Brady took a beating on many passing attempts.

I was shocked to see WR Kenbrell Tompkins still in the game after taking a violent hit to the head. The same can't be said for Danny Amendola. His condition was scary when he got hit. He made no move to break his fall to the ground. He was lucky to get up and walk off the field.

Viewers were able to see a concussion first hand. He must have suffered one. It will be interesting to see his status for the Jets game next Sunday.

Great Moment

The Pats pulled of an improbable 30-27 win over the Saints. It's hard to believe they won, but they did to run their record to 5-1. This was the defining game of the 2013 season. It was also a game for the ages with so many side stories.

The biggest play may have been Bill Belichick's decision to go on 4th and 6th from their own 20 yard line with 3:29 left in the game. That call will be debated forever.

They won the game, but could have lost so easily. You never know how it will play out.

As The Gronk Turns

There seems to be no end in the drama about whether TE Rob Gronkowski will play in the game against the Saints. He has not been medically cleared. It seems to be resting on the shoulders of the legendary Dr. James Andrews. He is supposedly examining the scans of his arm.

There is rumor of not proper healing of the bone. The plate that was inserted and caused the infection may have been a big mistake. If he had let his bone heal normally, it might have been a different story. The team and Gronk are at this point. As the Coach would say, "It is what it is".

This is a great example of trying to get a player back on the field too soon. In Gronk's case, his health may have been sacrificed last season for the benefit of the team in the playoffs.

I think this will drag out all season and after.

Now or Later

Things can only get worse for the New York Giants after losing last night to the Chicago Bears, 27-21. Big Blue is now 0-6 with no hope of making the playoffs. At this point, it will take an incredible run to finish with a winning record.

It does not bode well for Coach Tom Coughlin. Many think he is a Hall of Fame coach, but this season is killing his chances. The team has been on a losing streak that carried over from last year. Fans are getting very restless as they know the season is almost a total loss.

With the way things are going, I think it's a question of whether Coughlin gets fired now or at the end of the season. If he lasts thru Week 17, maybe they can ease him out the door. If he doesn't go willingly, the team may just fire him.

Not The Best Deal

After five games, it's hard to say that signing Danny Amendola over Wes Welker was a better move for the Pats. Both are Texas Tech products with similar playing skills. Amendola was suppose to be the younger and faster version of Welker. We were lead to believe that this was the better signing for the long term.

So far, everything is in Welker's favor. Even his team is 5-0 under Peyton Manning who is on a torrid pace to set all types of passing records this season.

Welker has seven TD's this season which equals the total for Amendola in his 44 career games. He also has the same amount of TD's for all receivers on the Pats combined.

Although he will never admit to it, there had to be a personality conflict with Welker for Coach Belichick not to re-sign him. The guy is such a great player.

Maybe Two More Games

All of the experts in the media are calling for Rob Gronkowski to return to the Pats starting line-up. They feel his absence is the cause of the team's dismal offense. Doctors are expected to clear Gronk for the game on Sunday against the Saints.

Whether he will play is the big question. After four surgeries on his arm and one for his back, it's easy to see why Gronk is a bit leery about getting back on the field. Coach Belichick indicated that the team never put him on the PUP list because they wanted him to be able to work out with the team. Gronk has been seen at practice since the start of the season.

I think Gronk should wait another week or two. I don't feel good about him playing on Sunday. He came back early from injuries twice with disastrous results. They can't afford to lose him for the rest of the season.

Tom On The Hot Seat

Pats fans are getting fidgety because Tom Brady and the offense are not playing well, yet the team is 4-1 with a great defense.

Contrast that to the New York Giants who are 0-5 with a chance to be eliminated from the playoffs real soon. The New York media is feasting on this. Some are already wondering if 67 year old Tom Coughlin is at the end of the line as a head coach.

There is plenty of blame to go around, but it always comes down to the head coach and eventually the GM. Coughlin has been mentioned as a future Hall of Famer because of his two Super Bowl wins against the Pats.

Now, there is discussion whether he will even finish the season. It's been a rough ride for Coughlin at times. Discussing his impending termination has been a hot topic with the New York writers. Another couple of loses could seal his coaching fate.

The Offensive Offense

Tom Brady had it right when he said that two field goals will not win games in the NFL. That was the total offense for the Pats yesterday during their 13-6 loss to the Bengals. There were too many dropped balls and ones that sailed over the receivers head.

The defense is playing great in spite of losing Vince Wilfork for the season and some type of knee injury to Tommy Kelly. The Pats are ranked at the bottom of the NFL in many offensive categories while having one of the best defenses.

It's been a big turnaround on both sides of the ball that has shocked many. Who would have thought the offense would grind to a virtual halt? You can only take so many players out of the equation.

The Life of Brian

Former Pats QB Brian Hoyer appeared to have found a home with the Cleveland Browns after getting only one start in five seasons. He was named the starter after Brandon Weedon sprained his thumb. It was the perfect scenario for Hoyer, a Cleveland area native.

He lead the team to wins over the Vikings and Bengals. It looked like he was getting ready for his third win until he slid awkwardly during a play. He ended up tearing his ACL and will be lost for the season.

It's a tough break for Hoyer who was looking good and appeared to finally be on track to be a starter after sitting on the Pats bench behind Tom Brady.

Where will he be next year? Will he still be a third string quarterback or get another chance to start in another city?

Tough Deal For Vince

The Pats took a big hit Sunday in their win over the Falcons when they lost Vince Wilfork for the season with a torn Achilles. It was a big blow to the team to lose one of the defensive leaders.

There had been talk about Wilfork losing a step this year because of his age. Others thought he might have been hurt. It's all irrelevant at this point.

Wilfork will be 32 shortly and faces an uncertain future. He's at the age when guys in his position start to show signs of slowing down. It will be a long rehab for the big guy. I hope we have not seen the last of Vince, but you never know.