Early Game NFL Notes

Between fighting off some death bug, staring down the final moments of my successful fantasy baseball championship, and only getting Giants v. Chiefs for the early game, there's really not much to report here. Normally, being in the middle ground area of New York and Philadelphia creates useful overlapping media markets and multiple games, but not today; no one thought that Patriots v. Ravens might be watchable. Just kill me. But here goes...

> It took until the fourth week of the season for Cedric Benson to remind us all that he is, in fact, Cedric Benson. In regulation against a Cleveland team that had been hyper-generous to opposing runners, Big Fat Ced gave us 13 carries for 32 yards and a fumble. Just joyous. At least he picked it up in the overtime session, and prevented this from being a complete travesty.

> The Titans have not won since stomping on the Terrible Towel. The consensus best 0-3 team ever is now the consensus Just 0-4 team after a turdbowl effort against the Jags. That will teach them.

> In the third quarter of what should have been a much easier win on the road in Kansas City, Eli Manning tweaked his heel awkwardly. He stayed in for one more play, a bubble screen to Hakeem Nicks that the rookie took to the house, then grabbed some bench for the rest of the game. If the Giants really need to go with David Carr, they are no longer the best team in the division, and maybe not even a playoff team. Yes, Carr is really that bad.

> My manlove for Darren McFadden is officially over. When you can't get yards against the Texans, you can't get yards against anyone.

> The Redskins, as predicted, are now the very worse .500 team in the history of football. When it's a come-from-behind win against a terrible Buccaneer team, that's where you are. This team should go 0-6 in the NFC East.

> I'd like to thank Seneca Wallace for (a) killing John Carlson and Nate Burleson, both of whom I had to start today due to bye weeks, and (b) generating points in garbage time to hurt my choice of the Colts defense. I've never randomly hated a worthless backup more, really.

> Lost in the 48-24 final today in Chicago is that the Lions had many more first downs (25 to 14) and outgained the home team by 120+ yards. The difference was from Johnny Knox's 102-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and two Lions turnovers. On the line of scrimmage, the Bears weren't that much better.

> Also in Jacksonville, Mike Sims-Walker had two touchdowns, or two more than he ever had as just Mike Walker. You need to hyphenate your last name if you want to be ownable in fantasy football as a Jaguar. If David Garrard ever changes his name to David El-Garrard, watch out.

> Let the Waiver Wire Rush for Cleveland's Muhammed Massaquoi commence. Just remember, kids, that he's got Derek Anderson throwing to him...

> Finally in New England, the Empire held own for a 6-point win against the Ravens, with Joey Galloway a healthy scratch and Dreamboat Brady having to stoop to sneak for a score. Why do I get the feeling that the NFL will regret not taking the Pats out in the first month of the season, when they could have been had?