The State of Washington

It's hard to figure out why teams sign certain players. It's a very inexact science. All teams make errors on a regular basis.

The Pats thought they had their kick returner when they signed Leon Washington in the off-season. The eight year veteran was a two time Pro Bowler who had returned 245 kickoffs for an average of 25.9 yards per return. He also returned 168 punts for an average of 9.9 yards.

Washington was hindered by an ankle injury throughout the season. He  spent most games on the inactive list. He had one carry for one yard and returned one kickoff for 19 yards. Most of the time, it appeared that it was a game time decision.

He was immediately  picked up by the Tennessee Titans. Will he play on Sunday or continue on his carousel around the league? Is this the end for him or can he try another team next year?

Moving The Chairs

Jets QB Mark Sanchez said all the right things the other day about his future with the team. They have him for two more years with a salary cap hit of $13.1 million in 2014. The team could cut him and save $8.3 million.

The team will be making some big decisions at the end of the season. It's a big guess whether Sanchez or Coach Rex Ryan will return. Will the Jets try to grab another quarterback in the draft?

I don't think we will see Ryan or Sanchez with the team next year. It's a complete mess. It might be time to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic.

They Play The Song Today

The NFL has played on Thanksgiving since the 1940's. In recent years, they went to three games, with a prime time battle at 8:30pm.

I have no doubt that network executives have thought of broadcasting four games. It would be difficult without starting one of them before noon.

I bet it was discussed in great detail, but they know it wouldn't work. The NFL would be on-board because it means more money in the coffers.

You can tell it's a big game, because they are showing the National Anthem before the start. They usually only do it during the playoffs because it steals valuable commercial time away from the broadcast. They made an exception today.

Is It Really Rex's Choice?

The drama and hype is building for the Dolphins and Jets game on Sunday. Gang Green plays host to a pair of 5-6 teams. A loss for either one, will almost eliminate their playoff chances.

If Rex Ryan is coaching to keep his job, you would never know it. He was very adamant about staying the course with QB Geno Smith, in spite of the rookie's dismal play. Rex danced around the question of whether he needed the permission of GM John Izdak to replace Smith with Matt Simms.

The NY tabloids are all over this story. A few weeks ago, it looked like Rex would make it to next season. Sunday is a big game for him and the Jets. The Dolphins have their own issues with the Incognito issue.

Serving Up The Soft Ones

I have several issues with college football, including how just about every team has soft opponents on their schedule. Teams look for some easy wins to pad their total to seven and become bowl eligible. The excessive amount of bowl games diminish their meaning, but they are also financial booms to the team involved. They also make money for the networks.

A look at some of Saturday's scores show how far the problem is getting out of hand: #1 Alabama beat Chattanooga 49-0, # 2 Florida State 80 and Idaho 14. # 4 Ohio State was 42-14 over Indiana. # 7 Clemson 52-6 over The Citadel. #12 South Carolina 70-10 over Coastal Carolina and #15 Fresno State 69-28 over New Mexico.

These scores happen throughout the season. Teams plays these games willingly because of the money. My school, UMass got some good pay days while taking a beating the last two seasons.

Hopefully, UMass will have their day when they schedule soft opponents to get the wins needed for a bowl game.

Brady & Manning Continue The Drama

The Pats won a thrilling 34-31 game over the Broncos last night. It had everything, including the Pats being down 24-0 at half time because of turnovers.

Brady lead the team to 31 unanswered points in the second half, but the Broncos wouldn't quit. Manning lead them down the field and sent the game into overtime.

The game had so many great plays, especially on third down. Both teams fought hard and deserved to win. It almost looked like the game would end in a tie.

It was interesting to see Coach Belichick give Manning the ball in OT and take the wind. In the end, the wind played a factor in the final punt of the game to Wes Welker. When it bounced off the leg of Bronco DB Tony Carter, the Pats were able to recover and kick the winning field goal.

I wonder how many fans turned the game off at half time. It was a frigid night at Gillette Stadium. What percentage of the fans stayed until the end of the game?

Brady & Manning XIV

It's several hours before the kickoff between the Pats and Broncos. Fans get to see Tom Brady and Peyton Manning going against each other for the 14th time. Brady has a 9-4 record and three Super Bowl wins, but Manning has all of the statistics and one ring.

Their numbers and accomplishments are amazing. They are the best of their time. This is one of the greatest match-ups ever. They are both near the end of their careers. How much longer will they play? Nobody really knows.

If you love the game, I don't know how you can hate Manning. I want the Pats to beat him and the Broncos, but I've always been a fan of Manning. He is one of the all-time greatest. We won't get too many more chances to see him and Brady battle. I hope fans enjoy it.

Still Hope For 75%

Sunday will be playoff elimination day for those teams who get their eighth loss of the season. Teams with a 9-7 record can still make the playoffs, especially if they with their division. Seattle did it a couple  of years ago with a record of 7-9.

The New York Giants started 0-6, but are riding a four game winning streak to improve to 4-6. They face the Cowboys in a crucial NFC East game where they have a chance to stay in contention.

The season is already over for Houston, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Minnesota and Jacksonville because they already have eight losses. Buffalo and Washington are fighting to stay alive.

From this point forward, every week will send another team or two to the sidelines for the playoffs. The league likes the fact that 75% of the teams are still in contention.

Cunningham Lands In New York

Former Pats LB Jermaine Cunningham didn't see much of the field during training camp because of injuries. He was expected to be cut from the team when the final roster was announced. It ended a disappointing tenure for their 2nd round pick in 2010.

Like many other players, he waited for the phone to ring. He finally got a call form the 49er's and spent most of October with them before getting released.

The Jets signed him this week. Will he make any difference in their defense? They must have seen something that caught their attention. There are many players out on the street looking to get back into the NFL. What made Cunningham the choice of the Jets?

Incentive To Play

The Pats have a number of players who will be free agents after the season. Aqib Talib signed a one year contract, hoping to have a big year and reap the financial rewards in free agency.

It was surprising when Talib didn't get a multi-year contract from a team. He decided to roll the dice and try again at the end of this season.

Talib has played very well so far, but is injury prone. His hip seems to be a point of concern in the future and has caused him to miss games.

 He should be paid like one of the best corner backs, but it probably won't be in Foxborough. Some team will offer him a ridiculous amount of money because of his position.

Missing Welker

The war of attrition continues around the NFL. The team with the best shot in the playoffs will be the one that is healthiest. Players from all teams are dropping every week.

Pats fans will be disappointed to hear that Wes Welker will not be playing when the Broncos come to Foxborough on Sunday night.

Welker took a huge hit late in the 4th quarter in his team's win over the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. He sustained a concussion and must pass all of the protocol tests before he is back on the field.

When Welker was hit, he immediately released the ball as he fell to the ground. It was easy to see that he had no idea where he was. Welker's name will appear as an entry on the team's injury report, but will this particular hit effect him down the road?

Saturday Night Games

New York Jets Coach Rex Ryan has always done things differently. It might not have been the best idea to cancel team meetings on Saturday night before their game against the Bills. The team ended up spending their evening at Dave and Buster's, a game arcade near their hotel in Buffalo.

The Jets played a sloppy game on Sunday and lost 37-14, dropping them to 5-5. Ryan is taking intense criticism for the move which was seen by some as a sign of disrespect to the Bills.

If the Jets won, it wouldn't have been a big deal, but they are fighting to stay alive in the playoff run. Ryan called it a team-building exercise. I think the team needs to get to the playoffs to save his job.

If Ryan gets fired, it won't be for one thing. However, going to the arcade will never rank as one of his best decisions.