By Pat Imig
Cold, Hard Football Facts principal of pigskin
The media fallout from NFL Week 2 leads us to one of the great flip-flops of the young season, and it has nothing to do with Andy Reid naming Michael Vick the starter a day after naming Kevin Kolb the starter.
It comes, naturally, from ESPN's analyticallly challenged
victim of blunt head trauma, Merril Hoge, who deserves his own wing in our prison of pigskin. Hell, he could even form his own little breakfast club with Trent Dilfer.
THE MANY PHASES OF MERRIL HOGE
Following the Patriots beat-down of the Bengals in Week 1, Hoge proclaimed, "(The Patriots) are the best team in that division by far!"
Following the Jets beat-down of the Patriots in Week 2, ESPN's Hoge said: "A Ravens defense is a lot different than this Patriots defense."
O.K., so we acknowledge that the Patriots do not have a championship-caliber defense and that they provided some cozy passing zones for the Mark Sanchez and the Jets. Continue, Merril:
"And when you look at the Patriots as a whole they have corrected some of their issues but some of them still exist. There aren't a lot of phases to this team. It's Tom Brady and Randy Moss and their ability to throw the football. But offensively that's about it – you know they've got Wes Welker in the slot – but the more phases you have to a team, the harder you are to defend and the better you are."
O.K., so Hoge now believes the Patriots aren't that good – or at least not that creative – on offense.
"That's why I think Sanchez played so well too; there was a lot of phases to that game. There's a lot of phases within that passing game and they run the football."
So now, according to Hoge, the Jets have a more colorful offense than the Patriots.
To recap, New England's defense isn't good, the offense is one-dimensional and the Jets have a more balanced attack ... yet just a few days earlier, the Patriots are the best team in that division "by far!"
Join us next week when Hoge demotes the Jets and promotes the Bills as the odds-on favorite to win the AFC East.
PIGSKIN DETENTION FOR ONE OF OUR OWN
"Rams coach Steve Spagnualo either gets a cap tip for having the nuts to put the game in the hands of his rookie quarterback, or he gets the what the f*ck were you thinking award. We'll settle on the latter."
Sure, 55 attempts is a huge number. But Bradford was 23 of 34 in non-two-minute drill settings (
according to Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). During three two-minute drill possessions, he was 9 of 21. In other words, 21 pass attempts came in situations when there was no other alternative but to wing it down field.
Maybe, Wald deserves the "what the f*ck were you thinking award" for his apparent belief that a desperate two-minute offense is best led by Steven Jackson running off tackle.
Just a thought from the warden of Pigskin Detention, who (full disclosure) lives in St. Louis.
BREAKING NEWS! HOGE SECURES SEASON PASS TO PIGSKIN DETENTION
"If you looked at the last 20 years of football, there has never been a better defensive end. Does he have Hall of Fame stats? No; but he should be considered a Hall of Fame player based on how he's played the position." – Merril Hoge
Who, according to Hoge, is the best defensive end of the past 20 years?
a) Julius Peppers
b) Dwight Freeney
c) Mario Williams
d) Aaron Smith
e) A Cyborg combination of HOFers Bruce Smith and Reggie White
According to Hoge, the correct answer is "d" – Aaron Smith of the Steelers. Think it's crazy?
Trent Dilfer didn't bat an eye, "I totally agree with you."
Smith is a nice player. A Steelers stalwart for a decade. Winner of two Super Bowls. A member of
the best Defensive Hogs in 2008 and here again in the early stages of 2010. He's quietly put together a career that any player would be proud of and, yes, probably deserves a bit more press than he's generated. But he hasn't even earned the acclaim of his peers – he's made just one Pro Bowl in 11 years – let alone stood out as the best defensive end of the past 20 years.
PIGSKIN DEMERITS
"The (Cowboys) have too many tools in the tool kit. They have five good offensive linemen." – Trent Dilfer on the Cowboys
I don't care if the Cowboys have four Conrad Doblers and one Alex Barron; they still have only four good offensive linemen. Also, if you have too many tools in your tool kit, wouldn't that become a hindrance if you have to sift through too many tools? Seems highlight inefficient, which is exactly what the Cowboys are these days. Finally, if the Cowboys have so many great tools, Trent, how come they suck?
***
"Miles Austin, last year a Pro Bowler, 81 catches, led the NFC with over 1,300 yards receiving literally out of nowhere." – Joe Buck
Austin literally came out of a genie bottle that Jerry Jones rubbed after the Dallas owners realized that the six-year contract to Roy Williams really happened.
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"Mark Sanchez's performance Sunday – when he outplayed Tom Brady – is proof you can't make judgments of finality based on one game." – Peter King
True that Peter. We'll grant you access out of Pigskin Detention after your smothering analysis of the Jets offense and Mark Sanchez in Week 1.
