Sunday Countdown online: Your weekly NFL guide
Weekly Picks |
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| Ditka | Johnson | Carter | Mortensen | Jackson | |
| Seattle @ N.Y. Giants | N.Y. Giants | N.Y. Giants | N.Y. Giants | N.Y. Giants | N.Y. Giants |
| Washington @ Philadelphia | Washington | Washington | Philadelphia | Philadelphia | Philadelphia |
| San Diego @ Miami | San Diego | San Diego | Miami | Miami | San Diego |
| Kansas City @ Carolina | Carolina | Carolina | Carolina | Carolina | Carolina |
| Tennessee @ Baltimore | Tennessee | Tennessee | Baltimore | Tennessee | Tennessee |
| Indianapolis @ Houston | Indianapolis | Indianapolis | Indianapolis | Houston | Indianapolis |
| Chicago @ Detroit | Chicago | Chicago | Chicago | Detroit | Chicago |
| Atlanta @ Green Bay | Green Bay | Green Bay | Green Bay | Green Bay | Green Bay |
| Tampa Bay @ Denver | Tampa Bay | Denver | Denver | Denver | Denver |
| Cincinnati @ Dallas | Dallas | Dallas | Dallas | Dallas | Dallas |
| Buffalo @ Arizona | Buffalo | Buffalo | Arizona | Arizona | Arizona |
| New England @ San Francisco | New England | New England | New England | New England | San Francisco | Pittsburgh @ Jacksonville | Jacksonville | Jacksonville | Jacksonville | Jacksonville | Jacksonville | Minnesota @ New Orleans | New Orleans | New Orleans | New Orleans | Minnesota | New Orleans |
| Week 5 Record | 8-6 | 9-5 | 9-5 | 9-5 | 8-6 |
| Overall Record | 45-29 | 42-32 | 44-30 | 47-27 | 50-24 |
| More picks: Our other experts' selections | SportsNation: Pick Week 5 games | |||||
Countdown Confidential
Burress suspension reinforces team concept: Tom Coughlin is taking a big gamble. Coming off the bye week at 3-0, the Giants are sitting pretty atop a very competitive NFC East. Indeed, most football pundits rank the Giants the top team in the league. But Coughlin is willing to put it all on the line for the sake of a coaching principle, a team concept approach that carried the Giants to last year's Super Bowl title.
Coughlin's suspension of Plaxico Burress, New York's leading wide receiver and Eli Manning's favorite target, for missing a Monday morning meeting during the bye week has indeed upheld his team concept, but it also puts the team at risk. Manning will face a desperate Seattle Seahawks team at Giants Stadium without his security blanket, and the Giants' offense will be without a player who routinely attracted double coverage.
Scott Boehm/Getty Images
With Plaxico Burress out, the Giants will have to look elsewhere for a big play.
"If he's not playing, I say that helps us," Seattle head coach Mike Holmgren said.
He's definitely not playing. Coughlin has banned Burress from the team since Sept. 22. Burress has lost $235,294.12 in pay, but something much, much more: the shame of not being with his undefeated team at home.
Manning is losing his favorite target. Burress joined the Giants in 2005, and since that year he has caught 233 of Manning's 1,150 pass completions, or a shade over 20 percent. During that same period, Manning's second favorite target was tight end Jeremy Shockey: 220 catches. But Shockey is in New Orleans. So Manning will have to find somewhere else to throw the football Sunday.
Second-year returner Domenik Hixon will play the Z receiver. And rookie Mario Manningham, who is recovering from the flu, will make his NFL debut.
But Burress' absence will almost certainly have another impact. It will allow the Seahawks to free up a safety to help defend against the Giants' rushing attack, which is second in the league, averaging 5.4 yards per carry.
"We have been very successful here with the team concept," Coughlin said in justifying his decision. "And that goes for everybody."
-- Sal Paolantonio
Flacco gaining confidence: Conventional wisdom is that quarterbacks should sit for a season -- or two, or three -- before they become starters, in order to truly learn the game. But Joe Flacco begs to differ. Impressive even in Baltimore's loss Monday, Flacco said his success is a product of actually having gotten onto the field and playing.
"I couldn't even tell you; it's just so much," Flacco told reporters Wednesday. "Any time you're able to go out there and get three NFL games under your belt and all the practice time, I can't even guesstimate how much better I've become because of it. I think it's huge for the learning curve to get out there and experience it for yourself."
Flacco said he's improved most in the mental parts of the game, from honing his preparation to adjusting to the speed of defenses on the field. Coach Jim Harbaugh seems pleased with his young quarterback's progression as well, although he warned he not yet ready to commit to All Flacco, All the Time.
"It depends on what gives us the best chance to win the next week," Harbaugh said. "Troy Smith is back in the mix. I would anticipate down the road Troy playing. He makes our team stronger."He's going to be on the field for us this year in some form or fashion, for sure."
-- Rachel Nichols
Romo remaining calm amidst T.O. storm: While maintaining his job is not to keep every Cowboys player and his ego contented, but rather to get the ball to whichever teammate is most open, be assured that even before he became the starting quarterback Tony Romo understood one thing that Jeff Garcia and Donovan McNabb seemingly never did comprehend: He knows the importance of making Terrell Owens feel appreciated.
In complaining that he wasn't getting the ball often enough, Owens seemed to be criticizing Romo's decision-making, especially with his contention that he often runs his route only to turn and find the ball has been thrown elsewhere. Still, Romo prefers not to engage Owens, saying, "He believes that getting the ball helps us win, so underneath it all it's about winning, and we understand that and I understand that."
Hunter Martin/Getty Images
Terrell Owens has struggled in tight man coverage over the last two weeks.
What should concern the Cowboys more than Owens' ridiculous claim that being targeted on one-third of the offensive plays in the loss to Washington was not enough is that the their best receiver has been unable to defeat press coverage the past two weeks. Both the Packers and Redskins put a cornerback directly in front of Owens and positioned a safety behind that. The strategy allowed them to physically punish Owens and to demoralize him. With defenders around him, Owens has found himself fighting for the ball in close coverage, which is not his strength.
This is precisely the reason the Cowboys have been so concerned about not having a speed receiver opposite Owens, someone who could make the defense pay for overcommitting to T.O. There is one potential solution outside the organization. The Cowboys have interest in Detroit receiver Roy Williams should he become available before the trade deadline in two weeks. They view him as an immediate contributor and a long-term solution to the future issue of eventually replacing Owens. But some in the organization fear how Owens would react to the addition of another prominent receiver. The potential negative effect on the overall offensive chemistry is also a concern.
But Romo and the Cowboys know how dangerous a frustrated T.O. can be, as well.
-- Ed Werder
Week 5: Numbers Crunching
Chargers at Dolphins, 1 p.m.
The Chargers are another team leaving it late. Their fourth-quarter offensive DVOA is best in the league by a large margin, with the second-place Giants closer to 20th-placed Seattle than San Diego. That's helped the Chargers rack up the league's best offense in second halves as a whole in 2008.
Miami's red zone defense was the worst in football last year; this year, they're seventh-best in football, and best in the league on goal-to-go situations.
• More Chargers-Dolphins: Intel Report | EA Sim
Redskins at Eagles, 1 p.m.
Pick the one that doesn't belong: The Redskins' defense is 15th in the league in the first quarter, 19th in the second quarter, 30th in the third quarter, and third in the fourth quarter. That meshes well with an Eagles offense that's second in the league in the first half of games and 23rd in the second half.
The Redskins' offense still has some improvement to go; it's eighth on first down, and second on second down, but only 16th on third down.
• More Redskins-Eagles: Intel Report | EA Sim
Steelers at Jaguars, 8:15 p.m.
The Pittsburgh offense has put up bizarre quarter splits through four weeks. They're sixth in the league in the first quarter, worst in football in the second quarter, best in the third quarter, and then worst in the league again in the fourth.
The Jaguars' pass defense on first down is the second-best in football; unfortunately for them, their pass defense on both second down and third down is the worst.
• More Steelers-Jags: Intel Report | EA Sim
Vikings at Saints, 8:30 p.m. (Monday)
The most entertaining battle between these two teams may come in the red zone, where the Vikings' rushing attack, the best in football inside the 20, takes on a Saints rush defense that's second-best at stopping red zone runs.
If they choose to go with their weaknesses, of course, it could be just as entertaining. The Saints' pass defense inside their own red zone is the worst in football, while the Vikings' pass offense is only 27th.
• More Vikings-Saints: Intel Report | EA Sim
Fantasy Corner
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Week 5 players I love
Brian Griese, QB, Buccaneers: A Chambers-esque return! Only one team gives up more passing yards than the Broncos (you know which one if you've been paying attention), only two teams have given up more passing plays of more than 20 yards and Griese has attempted at least 30 passes in three straight games. In other words, he's gonna be throwing a lot against a defense that isn't very good. Expect at least 200 yards and two scores from Brian Griese this week. Which is more than I expect out out of the more-than-twice-as-owned Trent Edwards. Just sayin'.
Matt Forte, RB, Bears: If Spike Lee played fantasy football and owned Forte, he'd change his company to Forte Acres and a Mule. If Jay-Z played fantasy football and owned Matt, he'd change his night club to Forte/Forte. And after Matt leads my teams to victory this week with a huge game, I intend to pop open a big ol' Forte. Sure, that's a long way to go for a mediocre joke, but it just goes to show that Forte's owners love him and there's lots of puns you can do with his name. Why, he's the Miracle on Forte Second street! See? Seriously, I could do this all day. Be glad I have other things to do.
Complete Berry Love/Hate column
On This Week
- What's going on in Oakland? The latest on the Lane Kiffin firing and Al Davis' unique response.
- T.O. and Chad Johnson are making news with their mouths … again. Where do Coach Ditka, Key, Cris and TJ stand on the loquacious WRs?
- Our analysts take their turn as candidates in the NFL version of "The Great Debate": Which team will win the NFC East?
- The Mayne Event enlists the assistance of Super Bowl champ Eli Manning to find out if Olympic sprint champ Usain Bolt is "football fast."
Video
Jaws' Film Room Nuggets
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| Frerotte |
Chat Wrap
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| Williams |
Ed (Greensboro, N.C.): What are the chances that the Lions deal Roy Williams before the trade deadline? If so, to whom? I think the Eagles make the most sense due to his old coach (Marty Mornhinweg) being there.
Mort: The Lions are in no mind frame to trade Roy Williams. I suppose if somebody like the Eagles or Cowboys wanted to offer a first-round pick and/or a defensive player, the Lions would listen, but don't expect anything to happen.
Nate (Madison): Before everyone starts jumping off the [Aaron] Rodgers bandwagon, you have to blame the defense for the most part for this two-game skid, right? They have been banged up, but also have been horrible compared to last year.
Mort: I don't even assign blame to Rodgers for the Packers' slippage here. They have had injuries on defense. Aaron has played very well. That he's hurt -- sure, that was a question mark but remember, only Brett Favre has played in 250-plus straight games. Nobody else is close.
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| Meachem |
Chad (Savannah, Ga.): Is Robert Meachem going to surprise people this season?
Mort: Well, Meacham was a first-round pick last year so I don't know how you can say "surprise." Perhaps finally performing to expectations is a better way to put it, and especially timely in light of Marques Colston's injury.
Week 5 Roundtable
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| Haynesworth |
Who is your MVP to this point?
Jeremy Green: While it is very easy to choose an offensive player, I am going to go against the norm and pick Titans DT Albert Haynesworth. When you watch the film, you can't help but notice he is dominating on a consistent basis. He is a player that keeps offensive coordinators up at night because he can change the game. I love his ability to one and two gap showing the ability to play on the edges or take a blocker and drive him into the backfield. Haynesworth possesses phenomenal strength with excellent speed, quickness and agility for a man his size (6-foot-6, 320 pounds). He has been impressive thus far versus the run and as a pass-rusher. He must be accounted for at all times, usually with a double-team. However, sometimes that isn't enough because he beat the double-team of Vikings Pro Bowlers C Matt Birk and LG Steve Hutchinson in Week 4. He has 15 tackles and five sacks, which is very impressive for an interior lineman.
Keith Kidd: For me, it's QB Drew Brees, with his uncanny ability to continue to lead the Saints' explosive offense. Due to Tom Brady's season-ending injury in New England and the struggles by Peyton Manning in Indianapolis, Brees is playing at a level that is better than any quarterback in the NFL right now. On top of that, he's done it with limited contributions from his No. 1 WR Marques Colston, TE Jeremy Shockey and RB Deuce McAllister.
Based on matchups, which player do you expect to have a big Week 5?
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| Edwards |
Green: I like Buffalo QB Trent Edwards versus Arizona's suspect and beat-up secondary. Favre threw six touchdown passes last week versus the Cardinals, and Edwards understands his system better than Favre does his. The Cardinals' weak link on defense is the cornerback position, and they are not very healthy there right now. I like the way the offensive coordinator Turk Schonert has opened up the offense. The Bills are showing a lot more versatility by allowing Edwards to throw the ball on early downs. Plus, they are using more shotgun formations with empty sets, which will help them this week. The Cardinals are a heavy-blitz team, and playing from the shotgun versus the blitz should allow Edwards time to deliver the ball quickly and allow his receivers to make plays. Look for Edwards to connect on some big plays this weekend with his star receiver Lee Evans.
Kidd: Without a doubt, Manning and the Colts have not started the season like they had planned. Offensive coordinator Tom Moore and Manning have had two weeks to prepare for a Texans team that is 0-3 and is depleted on the backend due to injuries. In two games, Manning threw for 584 yards with four touchdowns versus Houston in 2007. Look for Manning to get back on track this week.
Complete Scouts roundtable