ATBNG

Cowher's played in four home championship games as a head coach, and the Steelers have yet to cover the point spread while going one and three. His MO as a coach has always been based primarily on bluster and emotion, but it has not served him well in his biggest battles. In this case, team preparation is going to serve him better than some bloodthirsty pregame speech. Since opening day 2003, there has only been one game out of 35 that the Pats were soundly beaten in, and that was at Pittsburgh this past year. Pittsburgh has assembled a great team with a lot of depth and a lot of versatility on both sides of the ball. There's been a noticeable drop in bulletin board material this week when compared to 2002. This is going to be a huge challenge for the Patriots. Dillon and Branch aren't going to mean anything if the other 43 guys play like they did on Halloween. I think Cowher was the coach of the year, and I think that his experience as the longest active head coach has been drawn upon this year very impressively. If he reverts to the fire breathing, jaw jutting leader of years' past and that leads him to make decisions on emotion rather than logic, he is much bigger trouble than he would be if he were to coach in the more even keeled style that he has employed all year. It's going to be an outstanding game - I really can't wait.

Zefross is still in the league?

Of course. I'm only expressing my opinion of what he is going to be worth, but I'm not attempting to speak for GM's supposedly "kicking themselves" to get this player. Note that there is no place where the one source says what these teams are willing to trade for him. Perhaps they wish to offer a fifth round pick, which is what I'm suggesting he'll go for. I just think that some posters are basing Henry's value on some evaluation like this - "if we can just get the other GMs to look at 2002 and 2003 while ignoring the fumbles and his blocking and the fact that he was benched this year and the fact that as soon as he was benched the Bills' started winning and if they never look at film..." This is Alice in Wonderland stuff.

It's speculation on your part. You have no idea how interested any NFL GM is interested in Travis Henry. Just because you post it 100 times or USE CAPS isn't going to make it more or less true.

I don't think I've ever read one bad thing about Levy on here (and it would be very rare to read something bad about him somewhere else). I think history will be as kind to Reid even if they lose - it's tough to get your team to this game four years in a row. He also has the TO excuse going for him in the aftermath - Reid made the necessary change to his team to get to the next level, but the guy unfortunately was injured at crunch time. Personally I think Reid is the clear second best coach in the league right now behind BB. I would have argued for Fisher last year, but he dropped down in my estimation this season with all the late year trick plays, onside kicks and shenanigans.

It would make zero sense for Donahoe to go on record and say "we're giving him away." His job as a GM is to build up Henry as much as he can now so that he can get the best possible players on his franchise. I wouldn't read anything into that. He might agree with your assessment that a fifth round pick is not enough, but I don't see the Bills getting any offers beyond a fifth/fourth conditional. There are severe fundamental flaws in Travis Henry's game and plenty of other ways to address the running back position. You can set any price you want, but it means nothing unless you have a buyer. If the price is firmly a second round pick, I suspect he stays on the shelf through 2005. Bully to TD if he can convince someone otherwise, but I know if I were a GM I wouldn't trade for Henry under any circumstances.

I'm thinking it was the Giants in 2000 Stevestojan. Minny was a 1 or 2 point favorite for that game.

I think this is a good summary BINYC. I would add that the league seems to be evolving towards favoring multidimensional players (who in order to provide more than one dimension have to have a decent head on their shoulders). Henry does not play special teams nor would he be any use as a third down back. I still think the compensation for him is going to be a fifth/conditional fourth. Bledsoe was sacked as many times in the 4 games (19, 0-4) that Henry started than the 12 (19, 9-3) that McGahee started. link That's going to show up on the film evaluators use to look at Henry, as well as his "performance" in that regard in 2002 and 2003.

In other words, lock up your daughters.

This is not a "fact." This is your opinion on what would have happened. When Bledsoe came in, Pittsburgh was using man coverage on the outside on Patten. It is definitely fair to say that Bledsoe threw a better deep out in 2002 than Brady did, and Brady hadn't used Patten at all during the game. Before Pittsburgh could adjust their coverage, Drew threw three straight balls to Patten - out, comeback, out and up for a TD. Good job by QB, receiver, and OC/coach for taking advantage of the change. In the second half after Pittsburgh made its defensive adjustments in their coverage, Bledsoe was 7/18 for less than 70 yards. The offense generated three points. He had one moment which I thought was terrific (touch pass sideline route for a third down conversion), and two utterly horrifying moments (the "grenade" pass, the would-be INT-TD that bounced off a linebacker's chest). Troy Brown was the clear MVP of the game. Bledsoe was at best adequate, but was in my opinion overmatched once Pittsburgh adjusted their coverage.

I was psyched that they beat Seattle because I think that that protects his job for another year. The league is much better off having Martz in it. Think about how many times his arrogance combined with his poor decision making makes you smile during the year. The guy is priceless. St. Louis fans deserve better, but without any emotional attachment I say keep the guy in the league and the good times rollin'.

Can't see Saban flowering - especially this year. Yes, they can get a better deal by simply making a pick.

I've been listening to Ash, Guided by Voices, the Pixies and Rilo Kiley this week.

Well, that is important to know - he signed a bonus heavy contract. His cap figure in 2004 is $2,247,268 - sixth highest paid player on the team.

Atlanta 34 St. Louis 13 Pittsburgh 24 NY Jets 7

Oh I figured it out long ago AG. There will be no surprise for me when I get a belligerent response sometime later, but it will be no bother coming from him. Par for the course.

More info from Mike Underwood in the 1/12/05 Boston Herald....

Talonz - that's awesome. Congratulations. You make a great point - you have to exercise and increase what you do over time to get further results (because your metabolism adjusts to your smaller frame). I've lost 15 pounds in the last six months - I would like to lose five more over the next three, but regardless I feel better than I have in many years because of the better diet and exercise. Finding the time and discipline to commit to such a thing is hard but well worth it.

Hey STB - unfortunately I have to agree with those who are telling you to move on. I know this stinks. I've known lots of guys who pursue relationships because ostensibly they want to "save" the woman (same goes for many women as well). I know none that have actually worked out, and most ended disasterously. I've done the same once or twice in my time as well - never again. Ultimately, you owe it to yourself to be with someone who gives back equally what you put into the relationship.

Tom Jackson tried expounding upon the same theory last year, and ended up looking pretty foolish when that "troubled" locker room then rattled off 17 of 18. Rodney Harrison's comments at the time were as follows: If Tom Jackson has no idea, where does that leave you? Seriously AKC - he's been in the league for 30+ years, has four rings and is the consensus best coach in the NFL. If he really had severe problems getting along with people, Belichick could never have gotten to where he is.

Agree with "Ten" (Pearl Jam), "My Aim is True" (Elvis Costello) and "Grace" (Jeff Buckley). Would like to include..... "Living With Ghosts" - Patty Griffin "The Ramones" - The Ramones And my ultimate guilty pleasure...."Elastica" - Elastica.

I buy their team rankings more than these rankings. In the team rankings, you're comparing 11 on 11 so it is always fair. In these rankings, you see receivers who attract automatic double teams like Chad Johnson, Harrison and perhaps Moulds get short shrift to the #2 guys who get single coverage because of the #1 guys' abilities. I don't think I have seen anyone yet claim that the Bills should bring Moulds back at his current salary. He's definitely overpaid, and there is no chance he could ever get close to 8.7 on the open market (half that might be a stretch) considering where he is in his career. On the other hand, if you can get him down to his market value, I think he's the type of player that you attempt to keep. Ultimately that will be the offseason argument with Moulds - keeping him at 8.7 just won't happen.

Coach Tuesday is killing AKC on this one. The refs should have stopped it two pages ago. I think the confusion stems from AKC's childhood. Back then, he and his older brother used to do "guy" things together that included watching sports like football and stag movies. At that time, AKC's older brother wisely advised him "to stop watching the ball" during one of the two activities - he still gets which one confused to this very day. I look forward to my pithy one line insult reply that ends in an exclamation point!

He always goes to Montana. He even skipped the parade in 2002. I'd actually believe the opposite - if he stayed around all offseason, it would be an admission that he can't coast on his arm anymore and needs to work on the preparatory portion of his game. It wouldn't be an admission that he is done, but perhaps that he recognizes he is getting along in NFL years.