WEEK 5 WRAP-UP: COMING FROM AHEAD!

 Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory    

Teams were coming from ahead all over the NFL yesterday.  We went 6-1 with our picks, earning us  barcalounger #1 in the Basement for the week.  

MARQUEE GAME:

TITANS 28, BROWNS 29  

It wasn't easy.  It took everything they had, including a safety. Up by 25 in the 2nd quarter, the Titanics chip away early, and then go full-landslide in the 4th to give the Brownies their biggest comeback of all time, and only 3 points off the all-time comeback (28 pts by 49ers vs. Saints with some kid named Montana at QB).  The Titanics did what all great Doormats do. They celebrated the victory at halftime, and then went all in for the defeat in the 2nd half, killing off their running game, getting a blocked punt for a safety, and punting as soon as humanly possible whenever they had the ball.  Kudos to Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt for what must have been the greatest Doormat half-time speech of all time. Oh, to have been a fly on the wall in that locker room. And pulling off this kind of collapse against the Brownies, a Doormat great, makes it all the sweeter.  

DOORMAT DIVISION STANDINGS WEEK 5 

NFC             W-L              PF       PA      DIFF 

Tampa Bay     1-4              103       156      -53

St. Louis         1-3               84        119      -35 

Washington    1-3               95        109      -14        

Minnesota       2-3              101       126      -25

Chicago          2-3              116       131      -15

         

AFC                              

Jacksonville    0-5               67       169      -102

Oakland         0-4                51       103      - 52

Tennessee      1-4                60       110      -50

NY Jets          1-4               76        96        -20

Kansas City   2-3                119     101      +18

Tampa and Jacksonville solidify their leads in the NFC and AFC.  The Vikings and Cheaps are back in the standings, and the Bears scrape into view with their come-from-ahead loss to Carolina.

THE GAMES:

JAGS 9, STEELERS 17

Not even the crumbling bums from Steel town can lose to the Jags.  ESPN headline: "Steelers D comes up big in win over Jags."  Please. The Gags don't need any help keeping themselves out of the end zone, and really, it's kind of insulting to imply that they do.  Everybody's "D" comes up big against the Jags. 0-5 and smokin' hot, the Jag-ooo-ars get past a tough one and now have to gear up, or down, for next week's massive massive MASSIVE tilt against the host Titanics at LP field (which stands for, we assume, Long Playing, as this next game is going to feel like an eternity).  

LAMBS 28, EAGLES 34

The Lambs pulled a classic: a blocked punt for an Eagles TD on the first possession of the game (at 14:37) and a sack-and-fumble into the end zone for another Eagles TD on the first play of the second half!  That's going to deflate even the most ardent fan in any rumpus room on any given Sunday.

Offsetting this glory is 3rd string QB Austin Davis, who posted a 123 passer rating for the game.  What kind of doormat stat is that?? Up 34-7 in the 3rd, the Eagles take the rest of the game off, and Austin nearly wins the game.  Another rookie who doesn't know any better. 

BUCS 31, SAINTS 37

They were this close.  Down 31-20 early in the 4th quarter, Saints fans began heading to the storage closet for their Ain'ts sacks...but no.  Good luck losing to this year's Bucs.  It was a varied attack. First, the defense started a penalty party, ensuring a long Saints drive for a TD.  31-26.  Then the Bucs dug deep: with a first down at their own 20, Bootineers QB Mike Glennon fumbles to the 2, and then 2 penalties squeezes it to the 1/2 yard-line, and then BOOM Glennon gets sacked for the safety!

31-28.  Great thing about safeties is it avoids having to deal with another possession. Boots punt-off to the Saints, who tie the game with a FG. Overtime. Bucs give Saints free first down (penalty) and they fall down for Saints TD.  Whew.

FALCONS 20, GIANTS 30

Falcons haven't won a game on the road yet (0-3), and this come-from-ahead loss keeps it rolling.

JETS 0, CHARGERS 31

When sportswriters call you 'hapless' you know you are in the driver's seat.  The HAPLESS Jets go 1-12 on 3rd down, pile up 11 first downs, 12 penalties, 3 turnovers, 151 total yards, and, thank you, 8 punts.  That's all the worst stats of the day in one game. 

Tonight:

SEAHAWKS at DEADSKINS 

Seahawks kinda mediocre on the road.  Deadskins pretty bad everywhere. 

Just imagine how fun this game is going to be if the Giants finish off the Nats earlier in the day today.

aaaaAAAAAAAnd That's The View from the BASEMENT!!!!