Week Five Approaches

During football season I forget how life functions during the other seven months of the year. Each week is a matter of making it from Sunday to Sunday. What do I do spring semester? What do I do in the summer? I barely remember, and then each January or February when the first footballless Sunday comes around, I suddenly remember how to lead an authentic life.

Here are some thoughts on the upcoming weekend.

I find the most compelling aspect of the Eagles-Cowboys game to be that they are two good NFC teams who will be battling for division supremacy and who have a lot of talented players on their teams. TO going back to Philly interests me only slightly; 2-1 Dallas playing at 3-1 Philadelphia interests me greatly.

I refuse to give up hope that the Bears might suck. Buffalo has a team better built to play Chicago than a lot of the NFC contenders: strong running game, tough defense, disciplined special teams (despite all the fair catch interference last week). Why not? I’ll pick the Bills in an upset.

We still don’t know whether the Vikings will be playing the Lions on Sunday or Monday. The Vikes haven’t lost to the Lions since 2001—that’s eight straight wins, folks. Unfortunately, I am not confident. If the offense continues to struggle, the Vikes could end up allowing the Lions to stay in the game and steal one. Then again, Detroit has given up 34, 31, and 41 points the last three weeks. That’s 106 points in three weeks after giving up 9 in week one. If the Vikings can’t break 20 against the Lions and win, this season is lost, and they need to find receivers in the off-season for Tarvaris Jackson to throw to.

For the first time this season, I’m really going to miss watching Monday Night Football. I’d really like to watch the Broncos, particularly as Tatum Bell has found his way into the Experience’s starting lineup (for those not in the know, the Experience is my fantasy team). Yes, I'm still suffering from Shanahanigans, and if for some reason Mike Bell gets 20 caries and a couple of TDs, my face will light up to match the color of Shanahan's face.

And finally, another reason Dr. Z is a must-read football columnist: he writes about the HOF selection process.