Not Time To Panic, Yet.... It's Only Week 4!

This is the time of year where real fans find their voice. All the band wagon jumpers are upset about their fantasy teams and have not clue about the game and are starting to fade away, thank God. Besides, what do people with no real love for the game or a team know anyway? NOTHING!!  I didn't know that after 3 weeks, the playoffs started.  The sky isn't falling but that is exactly how a lot of folks are sounding right now. Sure, an 0-3 start is an uphill battle to make the playoffs but its not like it can't be done. Remember that the regular season is 16 games and not 3. Where has the loyalty gone? Teams have slow starts to the season and the panic bottom is a hair trigger. I've heard that Michael Vick should be benched. I've heard that the Saints won't make the playoffs. What I don't get is why Payton Manning is getting a pass. Payton hasn't "lit it up" either. Remember that 3 INT first half?  It's still early folks, settle in and enjoy the ride.

Vick is being used wrong in Philly. He isn't a "pocket QB" at all. More importantly, it hasn't worked.  Maybe if Vick was built by Tebow, but he isn't. I don't understand why HC Andy Reid won't use play action more. It's not like the Eagles don't have great weapons at pretty much every offensive position. The run game has come out strong with Lesean McCoy and the constant threat of Vick running. Even though Maclin is hurt, Desean Jackson and Brent Celeck aren't. Where Reid should focus is why the O-line wont consistently block and pass protect. Sure Vick has thrown 6 INTs, he's running for his life on most plays. Reid had been out coached to the point that Vick feels he has to force throws. Keeping Vick in the pocket is nice, in theory. It doesn't look like Reid or the DC know about pass protection. The O-line seems to know how to block for running plays, so why not use that to the teams advantage. C'mon Andy, you're smart enough to know that. Don't panic but make some adjustments and build around the exceptional talent that you have.

Payton is getting back into the groove of things.  After all those surgeries and being away from football for a year, his struggles aren't unexpected.  I don't understand, given what Payton has been through, how anyone could expect "pro bowl" or "MVP" numbers from Payton at this point.  Sure, it would have been nice to see but better than some are acting like it is.  The thing is, no one outside of the Broncos organization really knows what Payton can or can't do.  We hear about him not being able to throw the deep pass.  Just because he hasn't doesn't mean he can't.  How about his receivers actually being able to consistently get by an create separation from defenders? No one is talking about that at all.  Another thing that hurts Payton is the schedule.  Steelers, Falcons, Texans, Raiders, Patriots and Chargers in the first 6 weeks is a tough road to go down.  That's 4 playoff teams, 3 likely division champs, 2 division rivals and a surgically repaired neck.  That's asking a lot of any team.  Now is not the time for panic in Denver.

No one expected the Saints to be 0-3 at this point.  Goodell probably is happy but that's for another time.  The Saints are a team that is just trying to keep its fingers in the damn long enough to plug the leaks but its not working.  One problem is the Saints have no running game.  Why they didn't keep Reggie Bush is beyond me but Sproles wasn't the answer at all.  Look at what Bush as done last year and so far this year.  Say what you want, the front office has hurt the Saints in more ways then just the bounty scandal.  That's what happens when you don't spend some money.  I don't mean to suggest that the Saints should have broken the bank but to do nothing is almost criminal.  Lance Moore is the 36th ranked WR in the NFL right now.  Devery Henderson is #90. When you have a QB how hold the record for most passing yards in the history of the NFL, you have to do better than 36 and 90 at the WR position.  Brees has to take some blame as well, throwing 5 INTs through 3 games and all but he does have 904 passing yards.  Brees' doesn't have a reliable RB to help keep the defenses honest.  No one is scared of the Saints running game so they put 8 in the box and dare Brees to beat them with his arm.  It's clear, that the defense is missing Jonathan Vilma big time but that doesn't mean that you let the Chiefs come into your house and run up more than 200 yards on 40 carries either.  Can't blame Sean Payton for that.  I will say that the Saints are in 'do or die' time now.  They need to be at .500 by week 7 or their season is over.

D!