Points of Interest: Week 4

– Ray Ray Went Away

The Baltimore Ravens defense finished last season ranked #3 overall and #5 vs pts scored.

They came into Week 4 ranked 16th overall and after a miserable performance against a very bad Kansas City Chiefs team have fallen to 21st overall and 11th vs pts scored.

After watching last night’s game it seems that Baltimore LB Ray Lewis is not playing with the same insane level of energy, the same superhuman passion and intensity that we have come to expect from him.

He was actually on the sideline crying about being “double teamed every play”.

He wasn’t. He was just ineffective.

It has not been individual talent or even the coaching genius of Brian Billick that has made the Raven’s defense one of the best in the NFL, year after year. It’s been the physical ability AND intangible leadership gifts of Ray Lewis. His presence has motivated those around him, inspiring them to play to levels that they never dreamed they could reach before they played with him.

If Ray Lewis has lost his fire, then the Baltimore Ravens defense is lost as well.


– Tennessee Tinies

I wasn't surprised by the fact that McNair was held out (actually made the #3 QB) of the Titans Week 4 game against the San Diego Chargers. He had an injury that would have made him ineffective if he started. But I’m not a Billy Volek fan and the Titans have underwhelmed this entire season so far.

What surprised me was how well SD played. They take a lot of heat for being poorly coached and for lacking talent and don't get much credit for having a lot of heart.

Now we all have to wonder if we've misjudged Marty's bizarre seeming personnel decisions over the past two off seasons.

– The Fountain of Youth

Yeah, it looks like Arizona Cardinals ancient RB Emmitt has found it. But how about a Fountain of Truth, instead. He ran 21 times for 127 yds vs the New Orleans Saints in Week 4, averaging 6 yds per carry.

But come on, guys, Troy Hambrick burned the Saints for almost 5 yds per carry during the same game. Do you believe that Hambrick has suddenly become an elite NFL RB?

This is Emmitt’s first stellar game in, what, three years? I have to consider it an anomaly, not a revitalization.

I hate Emmitt. If he breaks a leg and it’s bad enough that he finally has to drag his washed up butt into retirement I won’t cry for him.

But, fine, if he can put up numbers like this every week for the rest of the season I'll eat my crow.

Until then I assume he needs to be sent to the stockyard and put out of his misery and I’d be happy to supply the bullet or the sledgehammer.


– Greenbacks

The New Orleans Saints poor performance, like that of the Titans, wasn't a big surprise.

What shocked was how well AZ played when they've had so many terrible injuries. The entire off season we heard "Green is good, but he's no Tuna." No, I guess he isn't.

Maybe he's better.

– Riki Tiki Runny

Going into this season what reason did anyone have to expect big things from NJ Giants RB Tiki Barber?

Over the course of his career he’s averaged about 4.5 yds per carry. Pretty nice but not eye-popping. But in seven years he has never run for even 1400 yds and he’s fumbled 39 times. He fumbled 9 times just last year and he had 8 fumbles the year the before.

This year he’s averaging 6.2 yds per carry after four games and is the #2 RB in the NFL with 455 rushing yds and he hasn’t laid the ball on the ground even once.

He's got to be the surprise player of the year.

But what about the much maligned Giants O line?

It would seem they’ve done a marvelous job in run blocking, but they’ve also allowed 13 sacks. That ranks them 2nd to last vs sacks. Only Buffalo and Arizona have allowed more (15 sacks each).

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