NFL Week 17 - Final Regular Season Edition

We are back, folks, in more ways than one -- we just returned from a holiday trip to visit the family in Atlanta. The first 72 hours were great fun -- and then Delta Airlines got a hold of us. The only good part of the subsequent FIVE-HOUR DELAY was that we got to watch a lot of football while idling in the terminal.

Anyway... herewith, the final regular-season edition of our weekly football blog. And there is lots to discuss with our veteran 10-year-old football analyst.

1. OK! Very exciting final week of the season, with plenty of fireworks both on and off the field. Let's start with the beatdown the Eagles laid on Dallas -- was that a statement game or what?

It sure was. And because Oakland had beaten the Bucs, they got into the playoffs.

2. Wade Phillips is keeping his job, despite overseeing the hideous collapse (both on and off the field) of a team that had been tapped as a surefire Super Bowl contender. Is that smart or stupid?

I don't think he should keep his job. He's been mediocre, and really hasn't done much to help his collapsing team.

3. Speaking of the coaching carousel, Eric Mangini got booted within hours of the Jets' loss to the (yay) Dolphins. I don't think I agree with this move... how about you?

I don't agree with it either. But he was in New York, where coaches pretty much have to win.

4. Still on the Jets: I guess we have to talk one last time about the Brett Favre Experiment. He's saying he needs an MRI on his shoulder, and that the results will influence his decision whether or not to return. Sounds like an excuse to me. Will -- and should -- Favre come back for one more year?

Brett Favre probably will retire. I'm not sure if he should come back, though, because his performance has deteriorated.

5. Gotta pause for a moment to talk about the Patriots. After the year they've had, going 11-5 with Matt Cassel yet missing the playoffs... is that right? Should the NFL rethink its playoff formula?

If exceptions like this continue to be rare, then no. But their formula is a bit odd.

6. Meanwhile, the Cardinals (even in a victory over the Seahogs) look less impressive by the week. Is this an "out in the first round" playoff team?

Yep, especially against Fat-lanta.

7. Back to coaches: Romeo Crennel -- gone. Rod Marinelli -- gone. Deserved or not? And who the heck are they going to get to coach in Detroit?

I think they definitely deserved it. And as for coaching in Detroit, Mangini might work, and so would Bill Cowher.

8. Who do you think will be the next coaches to get whacked?

Jack Del Rio...hmm...I can't think of any realistic possibilities. Jacksonville likes Del Rio, anyway.

9. OK, let's start thinking ahead to the playoffs, specifically the wild-card round. Ravens/Dolphins -- which team has more momentum coming into this game?

Baltimore, especially because they beat Miami earlier in the season.

10. Colts vs. Chargers. Hard to pick against the Colts. What do you think?

Yes, it is. But I believe San Diego has a good chance of winning if they play like they did against Denver.

11. Falcons/Cardinals -- the battle of the birds! I think the Falcs will wipe the floor with the fading Cards, even in the latter's home stadium. How about you?

I do too. Arizona barely beat Seattle.

12. Finally, Eagles vs. Vikings. I still have to remind myself that the Vikings were division champs, that's how off-the-radar they are. And the Eagles have been pretty streaky. I think this is a hard pick -- how about you?

I'd pick the Vikings, unless the Eagles have another offensive explosion. But it is hard to believe that Minnesota won the division.

13. Looking even further ahead, the second-rounders are the Giants, Titans, Steelers and Panthers. Who's the toughest to beat in this group?

Erm...maybe Carolina at this point. The NFC looks stronger than the AFC in this category.

14. Finally, I guess you're going to have to revise your Giants-Patriots Super Bowl pick. Now that we know all the playoff teams... who's it gonna be?

Giants-Titans. But it's hard to tell.

15. Bonus question: A big sigh for the '08 Lions, who will forever live in infamy, with that Dan Orlovsky safety endlessly replayed on SportsCenter. If you could say one thing to the members of this accursed squad, what would it be?

"Shouldn't have fired Matt Millen". (NOTE: THAT WAS A JOKE!)

16. Whew! Big blog post today. Now comes the point where Hen gets to type whatever he wants.

Mike Singletary will remain as San Francisco's head coach.

NFL Week 16 Interview

The weather outside is frightful... but our 10-year-old NFL analyst is so delightful. Let's fling him a few questions.

1. After the Cards' embarrassing blowout loss to the Pats, Cris Collinsworth termed them "the worst playoff team in living memory." Do you agree?

If they play in the playoffs like they did against the Patriots and Vikings, that's what they deserve to be labeled.

2. Will the Lions go 0-16? If you were rebuilding this team next year, where would you start?

Yes, and I would start at the skill positions. Dan Orlovsky and Rudi Johnson can not win them games.

3. So Brett Favre has (almost certainly) failed to take the Jets to the post-season, while deposed Jet QB "What Impresses You About" Chad Pennington has helped the Dolphins to an astonishing playoff run. Did Brett make a mistake? Did the Jets?

I don't think he did. He's had quite a good season in New York. Same for the Jets, even though he won't be around for much longer.

4. Is the jury still out on Aaron Rodgers?

Yes. But he's looked very good tonight against Chicago, even at the helm of an underachieving 5-9 team.

5. There seems to be a wide divergence of opinion about this year's NFL MVP. With the season almost over, who's your pick?

I really don't know. This has been quite an odd year, with only a few teams standing out.

6. The technology now exists to put a GPS chip in the football, thereby eliminating measurements and all the attendant nonsense. Would you do it?

It might cost a lot, but I would do it. So much broadcast time is wasted on measurements.

7. Which major US city is most deserving of an expansion team?

Los Angeles. Not just because I live there, but because so many teams have come there and gone.

8. Which current NFL city deserves to lose their franchise?

Detroit, maybe?

9. Lotta heat on Eagles coach Andy Reid these days. Personally, I like the guy, but would you fire him?

Perhaps, but probably not. The staff as a whole may need to be reevaluated.

10. While we're on the Eagles, Donovan McNabb -- keep him or trade him?

It all depends on the free agents. If the free agent quarterbacks are not that good, they should keep McNabb.

11. Would you ever like to participate in a football pool? How about a fantasy league? How about actually playing football?

Maybe a pool or league, but I'd rather play flag football casually than in a league. *shudders*

12. Before you started watching football, you hardly ever saw a TV commercial. Now you run through the house singing them. Which are your favorites, and which do you dislike the most?

Just because I see them doesn't mean I like them, but if I had to choose a favorite, I would choose that Peyton Manning at hotels MasterCard commercial. I especially dislike the "he went to Jared" commercials.

13. Now comes the spot where Henry gets to type anything he wants.

The Lions have already set the record for most losses in a season.

NFL Week 14-15 - Playoff Edition

Didja miss us? Well, we're BACK after a one-week hiatus with our customary rundown of all the NFL action.

Q. Last time out, we talked about the teams which have been eliminated from playoff contention, and by now several more have joined those ranks. In the AFC, we've got Cleveland, Houston, Jacksonville, Oakland and Buffalo. I gotta say, I'm surprised to see the Jaguars on this list. How about you? Any other surprises?

I'm really surprised. Jacksonville had high expectations. And early in the season, no one expected Green Bay eliminated from playoff contention.

Q. Over in the NFC, San Francisco, Green Bay, New Orleans are all out of it. Stunning! These are teams with a lot of talent, many of whom were early picks to go deep into the playoffs. Who's the biggest surprise to you, and why?

Well, San Francisco was never all that good. New Orleans was trapped in a great division. So it comes down to Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers was labeled a phenomenon apparently too early in the season.

Q. Okay, enough with the losers, on to the winners. Despite their loss to the Texans today, the Titans seem head and shoulders above the rest of the NFL. But are they good enough to make a Super Bowl run?

Perhaps not, considering what we saw today. I just can't see them beating an AFC heavyweight if needed.

Q. The Steelers seem very streaky to me. How durable is this team?

They're a good team, but they didn't really show it today with a 13-9 win over the division rival Ravens.

Q. I think the Jets are a little flukey, but Favre's playoff experience will certainly serve them well down the stretch. How good are the Jets?

Very good, but still not good enough to convincingly beat a wounded team like Buffalo or win the AFC East early.

Q. I gotta say -- and not just 'cause I dislike the Rat-Coach -- I think this year's Broncos are pretty weak. You?

Weak, but they've still nearly clinched the AFC West.

Q. The Panthers -- real or fake? I always seem to think of them as tougher than they actually are.

They certainly looked good when they dismantled the Broncos this week.

Q. Are the Vikings really a playoff team?! Why?

I'm honestly not sure. They're a very overlooked 9-5 division leader, so I believe they should be considered one.

Q. And I know I say this every week, but THE CARDINALS?? Does this team belong on the short list of Super Bowl contenders?

Definitely, before their three-touchdown defeat by Minnesota.

Q. The Bucs and Falcons are battling for the remaining playoff spot. Who's got the best shot?

With the way Tampa Bay's defense has been lately, definitely Atlanta.

Q. Other bubble teams include the Bears, Cowboys, Eagles and Redskins. Who of this group has what it takes, and why?

None of these teams are really all that good. You can't call Washington and Philadelphia contenders when they're in third and fourth place in the West, and the Cowboys are disorganized but did pretty well against the Giants and have a good chance of getting a spot. This leaves Chicago, who will most likely get a playoff berth if they win their last few games.

Q. At this point, we can really start forecasting Super Bowl. Knowing what you know now, who do you think will be in Super Bowl whatever-it-is?

The Giants and the Patriots. Yes, again.

Q. And who's gonna win?

The Giants. Yes, again.

Q. Now comes the point where Hen gets to type whatever he wants.

The Lions will most likely go winless at this point.

NFL Week 13 Interview - Playoff Elimination Edition

Welcome back to the Unlucky Thirteen edition of our weekly recap. Henry's soccer team was busy winning the citywide Turkey Tournament this past weekend, so once again our football-watching was somewhat curtailed. No worries, though -- that just means you get yet another offbeat set of questions for our ten-year-old NFL analyst.

Q. Before we begin, a quick non-football question: Your team, the Sherman Oaks Guys, swept the Turkey Tournament, winning all five of its games -- and only one goal was scored on you Guys in the entire tournament! What were the keys to your team's astonishing playoff run?

Well, we didn't work too well as a team, but we were very friendly to each other and never treated each other badly. We had some very talented players.

Q. Now, on to football. As the regular season winds down, we're finally starting to see some teams eliminated from playoff contention -- five, to be exact. I want to briefly talk about each of these teams, starting with the ever-hapless Cincinnati Bengals. What were their primary problems this season?

They had the distraction of Chad Ocho Cinco, constant injuries (including the one to Carson Palmer)...everything went wrong.

Q. Do they have anything to build on for the future?

They have a lot of talent. But they need to use it to their advantage.

Q. Will Marvin Lewis be part of that future?

Maybe, maybe not. I honestly wouldn't be very satisfied, but the team was harmed by the things I mentioned before.

Q. On to the Kansas City Chiefs. Kind of a puzzle, this team. Do you think they're better than their 2-10 record would indicate?

I would say so. But they're a work in progress, with so much youth.

Q. And what of Tyler Thigpen -- is this kid any good?

Pretty good. He has nice mobility and passing in general, but he was thrown in and out of the starting role. And he's inconsistent.

Q. Ah, now we have to talk about the Lions. I always have a soft spot for this perennially crummy team, probably because of George Plimpton's Paper Lion, which in my opinion is the best sports book ever written. Is the end of the Matt Millen era the start of something good for the Lions?

Most likely. He was managing the team terribly and squandering talent and draft picks.

Q. What do they have to build on?

The aforementioned talent. Think of Calvin Johnson, or young running back Kevin Smith. They also have Rudi Johnson.

Q. Now, the St. Louis Rams. Hard to believe that just a few short years ago this team was called The Greatest Show on Turf. What's behind their precipitous fall?

They lost Marshall Faulk...They lost Dick Vermeil and Mike Martz...They lost Kurt Warner...

Q. Finally -- sigh -- we come to the Seattle Seahawks, a team that a lot of folks had picked to go to the Super Bowl this year. Guess they won't be paying off that $20 bet I made in Vegas earlier this yet. Was it just injuries that plagued the team this season?

Well, maybe Mike Holmgren didn't put effort into coaching his last year. Also, the team was just unable to do anything somehow. Maybe they shouldn't have gotten rid of Shaun Alexander so soon.

Q. I have to admit, I'm not that excited about the dawning of the Jim Mora era in Seattle. How about you?

Not exactly, but the team needs change anyway. They can't go any further down from where they are now.

Q. We'll cover the playoff contenders in a future edition of the Weird Blog, but I want to spend a moment talking about what to me is the surprise team of the year: The Arizona Cardinals. I always said this team would never get good until they scrapped their logo, but they seem to be doing well anyway. What's the secret of their success?

Anquan Boldin staying, the resurgence of Kurt Warner, a consistent running game (despite the benching of Edgerrin James). These were all critical.

Q. Final question, a two-parter: I think one of the big stories of this season has been the stellar performance of aging backups-turned-starters such as Kerry Collins and Kurt Warner. What made this the Year of the Grizzled Veteran QB?

More motivation. Being backups or being on losing teams was not appealing to Collins and Warner.

Q. And what does their success bode for their highly touted now-backups, Vince Young and Matt Leinart?

Those two are demoralized now, especially Young. They aren't that good, anyway.

Q. Thank you, Hen. Now comes the part where you get to type whatever you want.

Correction: Ed Reed did not tie Nathan Vasher and Devin Hester. His return could have been about a yard shorter.

NFL Week 12 Interview - Ultra-Compact Edition

Honestly, we did not get to watch a single NFL game during the day on Sunday -- between basketball tryouts, bike riding and soccer practice, there just wasn't time! So once again we're going to return to a somewhat generalist format when putting questions to our resident 10-year-old football analyst.

1. The Raiders beat up on the Broncos! I love it! How do you feel when your favorite team vanquishes the Rat-Coach?

Surprised. I had already written off this season. The Raiders had a ton of injuries, an up-and-down quarterback and an interim coach.

2. Why, after a streak of very good weeks of picking NFL games (including three pool wins), did I suddenly fall off the edge of the world this week, correctly picking only six games?

Well, you need to realize that not all games are going to be decided by less than a touchdown. Even when a team is highly favored, you don't need to pick the underdogs.

3. Will the Seahawks ever recover? How many seasons will it take before they're once again competitive?

Actually, not too long. Maybe Jim Mora taking over next year is just what they need. Also, there are many premier free agents that they could sign in the offseason.

4. Phenoms like Reggie Bush, Vince Young and Devin Hester seem to be struggling this year. What's the problem?

Several different reasons. Bush has been injured, Young has been demoralized and benched and Hester has had to play wide receiver.

5. Do you think any NFL rules need to be changed? Why?

I think that the NFL needs to expand what coaches can challenge so referees can be criticized less.

6. Going for it on 4th down -- for or against? And don't just say it depends on the game situation.

I'm for it, when it's needed. Punting isn't always the answer.

7. What do you enjoy watching more, a grind-it-out defensive struggle or a high-scoring aerial shootout?

A high-scoring aerial shootout. Why would you even want to see a grind-it-out defensive struggle?

8. What's your favorite football weather?

Snow. It changes the game in many ways. Think of the Tuck Rule or Snow Plow games, or Dolphins-Patriots a couple years ago.

9. You were fairly young when you visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame a few years ago. If you were to go back, what would you be most interested in seeing?

I would be interested in seeing some of the famous memorabilia they've collected, like Tom Dempsey's kicking shoe. I'm a fan of that sort of thing.

10. What's your favorite football movie? How about football DVD?

My favorite football movie is "Rudy". It was very engrossing and heartwarming. As for a DVD, I have one called "Football Follies" that I like.

11. And now the traditional spot wherein Henry gets to type whatever he wants.

Ed Reed's 108-yard interception return touchdown puts him in a three-way tie for second place on the list of longest NFL plays.

NFL Week 11 Interview - Compact Edition

Just a quick one this week, 'cause it's late on a Monday evening and we're all a bit behind. This time: Ten random questions for our resident football analyst.

1. Who deserves credit for the Dolphins' turnaround? Sparano? Parcells? Pennington? Porter? Someone else?

The whole team deserves credit. The coaching staff led by Sparano, the offense led by Pennington and Ronnie Brown, the defense led by Porter, the front office led by Parcells...

2. Name five sports clichés you'd like to see banished from the earth forever.

"left to right on your radio!" "they're a great football team on both sides of the football!" "Pursuit of Perfection"...that's only three.

3. Which aging player really needs to pack it in and retire?

In a little while, Marvin Harrison. He just isn't looking too good anymore. He did score a touchdown yesterday, but isn't really a playmaker anymore.

4. Which coach really needs to pack it in and give someone else a chance?

Jeff Fisher. He's doing a good job, but has had the Titans job for a very long time. Sal Paolantonio also lists him as an overrated coach.

5. If the NFL draft were held today, which college player would be the #1 pick and why?

Honestly, I don't know. Many draft analysts think the first round picks are going to somehow be mostly all offensive linemen, and many players in the backfield are up-and-down.

6. Which is the best way to kill an afternoon: a) attending an NFL game, b) watching a game on TV, c) listening to a game on the radio during a picnic, or d) playing Madden and NFL Street? Explain the reason for your choice.

All of the above. "a" is very exciting, "b" is good because we have NFL Sunday Ticket, "c" is a great experience, and "d" is very fun.

7. Describe the content of your school Reflections project for your blog-readers around the globe. What was the assignment, and how did you execute it?

The Reflections product was a project in which I had to cover a topic related to the topic "Wow!". I chose a play from 2003 called the River City Relay.

8. Which Manning brother is playing better right now -- Peyton or Eli? If you answer Cooper, you'd better have a good explanation.

Eli. The Giants are currently one of the best teams in the NFC.

9. If you were to assemble a fantasy backfield (including tight end and wide receiver) from all NFL players past and present, what would it be?

Johnny Unitas, Walter Payton, Bronko Nagurski, Jerry Rice, Deion Sanders and Ozzie Newsome.

10. The final spot will be left open for Henry's traditional "write whatever you want" post.

The Lions need to learn how to win games. Perhaps they should attend the "Remedial Scoring Points" class at the "Football School".

NFL Week 10 Interview - Special Edition

Welcome back to our weekly rundown of all the NFL action. Our resident 10-year-old sports analyst is bored with the conventional recaps which have dominated our first nine weeks, so I've decided to change it up with an entirely new and fresh set of interview questions. Buckle your chinstrap, 'cause here we go!

Q. Who's the biggest rookie bust this season, and why?

Honestly, there really aren't any busts. This year is one of the few years where nearly all of the first-round picks have played well.

Q. What's the most exciting team to watch right now? Describe a favorite play which is typical of this team.

The Dolphins. The Wildcat formation is very fun to watch, but so is the defense and Chad Pennington leading the passing attack.

Q. What current NFL coach would you like to sit down and have a veggie burger with? In other words, which coach seems like a guy who'd be fun to hang out with?

Mike Singletary.
(no, just being sarcastic).
Jeff Fisher would be nice to talk to. It would be interesting to see how he's preventing his players from getting overconfident.

Q. If you were suddenly summoned to join the coaching staff of an NFL team, 1) which team would you like it to be, and 2) what role on the coaching staff would you like to fill?

I would join the Raiders as a quarterbacks coach. They need a lot of help at that position.

Q. If you ran the Pro Football Hall of Fame, who would you throw out? And who among contemporary players is the most deserving of admission? Name as many as you like.

I would throw out...well, it's hard to say. Everyone in the Hall as at least one flaw. As for contemporary players, Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Marvin Harrison...the usual suspects, would most likely be in the Hall of Fame.

Q. Is it important to you, when selecting a college to attend, that they have a decent football program? Why or why not?

It would be somewhat important, because despite the fact that you go to college to learn, it would be annoying if I went to a school where the team never wins.

Q. Which network's coverage (play-by-play, recap shows, etc.) do you enjoy the most?

ESPN and NBC are both great. The broadcasting teams are good as well as ESPN's SportsCenter and NBC's Football Night in America.

Q. How about the least? Whose coverage is the most irritating?

Any radio announcer who talks about plays going "left to right on my radio". Am I supposed to see the play on my radio?

Q. What's your favorite computer or video football game and why?

Madden or NFL Street. Madden because of the good graphics and realness, and NFL Street because of all the crazyness. It's a stark contrast.

Q. Favorite book about football? What's good about it?

The Paolantonio Report by Sal Paolantonio, an ESPN reporter. It's one of those books that you can just read over and over again without getting bored.

Q. What team's uniform and/or logo is in need of a total redesign? Any ideas for fixing it?

The Raiders. Maybe they need to move to Los Angeles again and change their name to the Los Angeles Cowards or something, changing their uniform in the process.

Q. Finally: In the course of these ten weeks, what question have you yet to be asked that you would really like me to ask you?

"How does the rest of the undefeated Titans' schedule look?"

Q. Now comes the part where Hen gets to type whatever he wants.

Daunte Culpepper only completed five passes in his much-ballyhooed first start for the Lions.

NFL Week 9 Interview

Well, it's Anniversary Weekend and Pre-Election Eve, so this week we're bringing you an abbreviated version of Henry's weekly rundown of all the NFL action.

Q. Instant prediction time! The Colts and Patriots are in the 4th quarter. I have the Colts + 1 point in my football pool. Am I going to get this game?

If the Colts can hold on, yes. They have some momentum now after Vinatieri made a 52-yard field goal. It's 18-15 Colts.

Q. Titans -- still unbeaten. This is a team that really seems to sneak up on people. Are they as good as their record indicates?

Well, now I can say they are. They barely escaped with a win against the Packers, but it was still a win. And they held the explosive Packers to one touchdown and three field goals.

Q. Rex Grossman returned to the helm of the Chicago Bears, a team he once guided to the Super Bowl. Do you think he can hang onto the starting job?

Only as long as Kyle Orton is injured. He's not very consistent and it's probably going to be hard for the Bears to keep him at the helm of their offense.

Q. The Bengals got off the schneid by beating a very strong J'ville team today. How'd they pull it off?

Well, Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for two touchdowns and Cedric Benson rushed for 104 yards. They had a pretty nice performance. They almost let the Jaguars make a comeback, though.

Q. Stop that CLE! And that's exactly what the Ravens did with their victory over the Browns today. I have a feeling this Ravens team is going to get stronger as the season wears on. Do you agree?

Perhaps, but it won't matter much, because they have to play the entire NFC East and Pittsburgh eventually.

Q. Tampa Bay outmuscled the Chiefs in overtime. This KC team always seems to come up just a little short. Is this team on its way up, or down?

Well, they're definitely on their way up. But they should have won. They were way ahead and somehow fell behind.

Q. The Vikings snapped the Texans' winning streak today. What was the key to their victory?

Well, Gus Frerotte had a nice game. He threw for three touchdowns and one interception. He was taking advantage of Houston's doing a nice job stopping the run.

Q. I am happy for me, yet sorry for you, that my Falcons beat up on your Raiders today. Is the Raiders' season a writeoff?

It appears so, unless Tom Cable can make some some sort of magical turnaround. The offense was terrible, as usual.

Q. Speaking of beatdowns, the Seahawks came in for a nasty one today at the hands of the Eagles. What's behind Seattle's discouraging slide -- is it just injuries?

Well, they've mostly recovered from those injuries. But some receivers plus Matt Hasselbeck are still out. Also, they can't seem to maintain leads, as they allowed 26 unanswered points.

Q. Miami/Denver was a very confusing game. How did the Dolphins manage to get by a very good Bronco team?

Well, they're just simply better than they were last season. They held on to their lead for nearly the entire game.

Q. Finally, the staggering Cowboys collapse just gets worse and worse. Brooks Bollinger got his shot today. Can he help this team, or are they just beyond hope?

Personally, I think Bollinger is overrated. Much like Tony Romo, his first pass as a Cowboy was intercepted. He really isn't much better than Brad Johnson.

Q. Finally, we come to the spot where Henry gets to type whatever he wants. Go to it, Hen!

What's unusual is that 24-0 scores are really uncommon.

NFL Week 8 interview

Welcome back to Henry's rundown of all the action in week #8 of the NFL season. This time we're returning to the generic Q&A format, so take it away Hen!

Q. At this point in the season, who's the NFL MVP and why?

It's hard to tell. The usual favorites are all failing to do well in such an odd season.

Q. How about Coach of the Year?

At this point, either Jeff Fisher or Tony Sparano. Although Fisher's Titans have more wins, both coaches have turned around teams in turmoil.

Q. Rookie of the Year?

Chris Johnson, the quick Titans back. He's an integral part of the Titans' effective running attack, along with LenDale White.

Q. What coaches are on the hot seat right now? And in each case, is it their fault or are they just saddled with inferior personnel?

Marvin Lewis and Rod Marinelli, the coaches of the two 0-7 teams. They are saddled with inferior personnel, but they aren't introducing anything innovative to help their teams, like Tony Sparano is.

Q. I sure do like Mike Singletary. Liked him as a player; like him as a coach. Did you agree with his post-game rant? What do you think he was trying to accomplish?

Mike Singletary, usually known as a quiet coach, made a very disagreeable postgame rant. But he knows not to expect patience from the media, and also won't tolerate insubordination on what he's trying to establish as a smashmouth team.

Q. Elite NFL teams like the Colts, Patriots and Cowboys seem to be struggling this year. What's the problem?

They have to deal with injuries, i.e. Jeff Saturday, Tom Brady and several running backs and Tony Romo, respectively.

Q. In your 2009 NFL Preview, you picked the Super Bowl as Patriots-Cowboys. Care to revise that prediction? Who are the Super Bowl teams right now?

Well, now the Patriots have a chance to make it back to the AFC's elite, so don't count them out. But I can't submit a prediction. Why? There is no elite! The AFC's main good teams are the Patriots, Titans, Bills, Steelers and several 4-3 teams. The NFC has the Redskins, Giants, Panthers and even more 4-3 teams plus the 5-3 Cowboys.

Q. At this point, how would you assess the Brett Favre/Aaron Rodgers derby? Who's winning and why?

Well, the Packers and Jets are both 4-3. Both quarterbacks have been up-and-down. But right now, at least by public vote, it's Favre. We haven't seen Rodgers in a while. Rodgers has also been injured, and Brett Favre has just had many more memorable performances.

Q. Who's the most improved team in the NFL this season?

The 3-4 Dolphins. By adding a nice new set of personnel, along with the Wildcat formation, they've played well.

Q. Kind of an off question: Who's your favorite NFL broadcasting team and why?

Al Michaels and John Madden. Why not? They're pretty much the voices of football.

Q. What NFL websites do you habitually visit?

NFL.com is one. They're a great source for up-to-date news and transactions. I also frequent the NFL Transactions section of KFFL.com and the NFL section of ESPN.com.

Q. Now we come to the point where Hen can type whatever he wants.

Adam Schefter joked that Rob Ryan needs a Coors Light commercial earlier in the year; well, now Mike Singletary needs one too. Put him on the waiting list!

NFL Week 7 interview

We are back with our customary rundown of the past week's pro football action. Henry has requested this be brief, as he is busy watching the Patriots summarily dismantle the Broncos, so I'll try to be pithy.

Q. Gotta start with the Cowboys. Everyone's Super Bowl pick is looking pretty inept right now. What's behind this team's utter collapse?

Overconfidence could be one reason. Maybe they started paying attention to the fact that everyone had them as Super Bowl winners. Of course, Tony Romo was injured, and Brad Johnson had a rough day.

Q. Mike Nolan -- fired by the 49ers. Thoughts? Is Mike Singletary a good replacement?

Mike Singletary has been waiting for a head coaching job for a while, after employments with the Ravens and 49ers. As for Mike Nolan himself getting fired, he had been on the hot seat for a while. The 49ers have talent, but they couldn't take advantage of it.

Q. Suddenly the Saints look pretty wobbly. Reggie Bush is injured, and Bad Citizen Jeremy Shockey is running his mouth again. Can this team pull it together?

Maybe, but it'll be difficult. Things looked promising before, but they don't look as good now. Still, though, they have Drew Brees, who is one of the NFL's premier quarterbacks.,

Q. Quite a shootout between the Vikings and Bears, with Adrian Peterson managing 224 yards and multiple TDs in a losing effort. Are either of these teams viable?

Well, so much for the defenses in the NFC North. And yes, they could be viable, but keep in mind that they're 3-4 and 4-3, respectively.

Q. Pittsburgh beat up on the Bengals. Was this game boring or instructive?

Well, it wasn't a blowout forever. The Steelers rattled off a lot of quick touchdowns in the late fourth. At one point, they only had a seven-point lead.

Q. The Titans just keep rolling. I have to say, this is the unlikeliest undefeated team I've ever seen. Why do they keep winning?

I don't know. They have a nice running attack with LenDale White and Chris Johnson, but keep in mind they have the Colts next week.

Q. The Giants escaped a bit of a scare in San Francisco. Are the defending champs a playoff team?

If they continue to win. It might be difficult down the stretch, playing in the NFC East, but with the NFC East collapsing, it might not be as hard as it seems.

Q. The Houston0Detroit game was closer that you'd expect. Are the Lions rebuilding?

They made a nice comeback from being down 18. They only ended up losing the game by one touchdown. But yes, they're rebuilding. They and Cincinnati are the only two winless teams.

Q. How about this Brett Favre controversy? Apparently he spent over an hour tipping the Lions on how to beat his former team. Gross!

I heard on NBC's Football Night in America that he denied those reports. Although he's pretty bitter about getting traded from the Packers, it doesn't seem like the kind of thing he would do.

Q. Green Bay rolled over the Colts. What happened to faultless Peyton Manning?

The faultless Peyton Manning we knew hasn't shown up in a while. They're going into tough game against the Titans, who won't be overlooking this game.

Q. Go Raiders! Talk to me about your emotions as Janikowski nailed that record-setting field goal.

First of all, it seemed like there was a chance of a tie, as Janikowski's field goal came with less than five minutes left in overtime. It was a low-scoring game in general. But a 57-yard field goal? What are the odds of that? I was excited, despite the fact that it was another game we lost in the football pool.

Q. Meanwhile, my Seahawks are stinking up the joint. Is this season a total write-off?

Unfortunately, right now it appears so, unless they can start winning again.

Q. Redskins -- good or lousy? I can't tell. Perhaps a veteran NFL analyst like yourself has some perspective.

That was a close game. A scoreless first half made it seem like it was going to be rather boring, but with a touchdown and a two-point conversion when down 14-3, they made it a three-point game. Unfortunately, the Browns failed to convert and the Redskins held on. However, as I've said, I believe they still have to play all the teams in the NFC East at least once more.

Q. We're almost at the season's midpoint. What have you learned?

Well, the power rankings of the teams have definitely shifted a lot. Cincinnati's 0-7. The Titans are undefeated. The Colts are struggling to win games. But it looks like year-round under-the-radar contenders like the Steelers are taking advantage of that.

Q. Now comes everyone's favorite part of the blog -- when I hand the keyboard over to Henry to type whatever he wants.

If this pace keeps up, we'll have six coaches fired by the end of the season.

NFL Week 6 Interview

It's a crazy season, and I'm here with a crazy NFL analyst. Welcome, Henry. For a change of pace, I want to occasionally focus on coaching today. But first...

Q. Talk about the little bit of NFL history we saw made this weekend. It was certainly your kind of play.

A blocked punt -- much more common in college than in the NFL -- was returned for a touchdown as Arizona beat Dallas in overtime. When you think about it, it's not very unusual that this never happened before. Blocked punts are really rare, and although there have been a few this season, the chances of one showing up in overtime are astronomical.

Q. Tony Romo -- out for four weeks, broken pinky. Fatal for the Cowboys?

Maybe. Brad Johnson is an OK backup who they signed off the free agent market this offseason, but yes, it will really affect them.

Q. How cool is Kurt Warner? I don't like Matt Leinart, but I actually feel a bit bad for him sitting idle on the bench.

Well, Kurt Warner actually isn't looking too bad. He's been very erratic at some points, and he's also looked really accurate at some other points.

Q. Would you keep starting him, or give Leinart a shot?

Unless he starts doing really badly and the Cardinals start losing, Ken Whisenhunt shouldn't give the job to Matt Leinart. Although he's been on the bench for a while, he still hasn't done anything to prove he should have the job.

Q. Leinart, Tarvaris Jackson, Vince Young... a lot of promising young franchise quarterbacks are getting benched this season. Why?

Mostly because of ineffectiveness. Also, they haven't just been ineffective, they've been inconsistent. That quarterback draft class (2006) hasn't looked as good as they were supposed to be.

Q. The Rams finally picked up a win. Is Jim Haslett making a difference to this team, or was he just lucky?

Well, he might be, but he said himself that the team was practicing hard and really wanted a win -- and they did get it.

Q. Those crazy Dolphins! I know they narrowly lost to the Texans, but they sure looked impressive with all those insane Wildcat variations. Is this Tony Sparano or Bill Parcells?

I don't think it's either of them. Offensive coordinator Dan Henning probably had to run the idea through Parcells and Sparano, but it wasn't him, either. The Dolphins' quarterbacks coach observed the formation while he was at Arkansas.

Q. Go Falcons! Mike Smith is doing a great job, and the fact that he has a neo-Tom-Brady in Matt Ryan sure doesn't hurt. Is this a playoff team?

If they can continue on like this. That was a great 11-second drive by the Falcons offense to set up Jason Elam.

Q. Jaguars and Broncos -- big, muscular teams that can put up a lot of points. I know the Jags got the victory, but are they actually better?

Well, the Broncos didn't really do their best. There was a lot of room for improvement, especially for Jay Cutler. As for the Jaguars, they just took advantage of what was not an outstanding performance.

Q. The Eagles turned it on to beat the Niners, but even so, people are starting to ask pointed questions about Andy Reid. Has the game passed him by?

It doesn't look like that yet. The Eagles had a nice victory over the 49ers, which for some reason doesn't prove to me that Andy Reid should no longer be their head coach.

Q. Indy beat up on Baltimore. I can't figure these Ravens out. You?

They are very inconsistent. Joe Flacco has been really up and down. I thought he was overrated coming out of college, but he has looked OK. The Ravens, however, are going to have to stick to their good side to produce a playoff berth.

Q. Poor Raiders. I wish they'd kept Lane Kiffin. I'm starting to feel like this season is a writeoff.

What season isn't? The Raiders lost a lot of momentum, and it doesn't look like Tom Cable is going to be able to help them much, with little head-coaching experience.

Q. Minnesota-Detroit was a battle of the mediocres. Which of these teams has something to build on?

Both teams. The Vikings had no reason to be needing a last-second field goal to beat the winless Lions, especially the Lions with Dan Orlovsky at quarterback.

Q. The Orlovsky safety -- worst play of the year?

It was not that great. You can't really call Orlovsky an inexperienced quarterback -- he has played for the Lions in several situations over a few seasons.

Q. Once again Jeff Garcia is gunning for the starting job in Tampa. Why won't anyone take this guy seriously?

He doesn't have a great record. His breakout seasons were with the 49ers, then he went to mediocre Browns and Lions teams. He showed some nice flashes as a backup for the Eagles, but hasn't really done anything with the Buccaneers yet.

Q. My Seahawks seem to have a problem with stinking. Can they pull it together?

Well, this game was actually looking kind of promising, but then they got outscored 17-6 after it was 10-10. However, things are looking up a bit, because this was without Matt Hasselbeck and Seneca Wallace.

Q. The Chargers sure made a statement against New England. Are these teams going in opposite directions?

That's a good question. The question is, are the Patriots are going to be the good team without Tom Brady that beat the Chiefs and 49ers, or the bad team that lost to the Dolphins and Chargers?

Q. Who's your Coach of the Year at this point?

At this point, it's hard to tell. There aren't really any emergent Super Bowl favorites yet. There are only two undefeated teams, and one is the Giants, who are trailing Cleveland 35-14 in the fourth quarter. The other, the Titans, have only played five games, not six.

Q. Yes, but what coach is doing the most with the least at this point in the season?

Not to sound evasive, but there are a lot of coaches who could fill that. Mike Smith is one, if the Falcons continue to do well.

Q. Now I hand the keyboard over to Henry to type whatever he wants.

Does Dan Orlovsky have bad vision, or has the end zone suddenly expanded?

NFL Week 5 Interview

Once again, I'm here with sports analyst Henry to run down all the exciting action in Week 5 of the NFL season.

Q. I want to start by talking about the few remaining undefeated teams. Who are they, and are they actually that good?

A. Well, they're the Titans and Giants. They've both played a couple of tough games, but it's hard to tell who's tough and who isn't because of what's been going on in the AFC. Also, despite the NFC being very strong, the strong teams are eventually going to meet each other.

Q. Now the winless teams. Who are they, and are they actually that bad?

A. Bengals, Texans, Rams and Lions. Yes, they are that bad. The Bengals have had chances to beat tough NFC East teams, but haven't succeeded. The Texans can't hold onto leads. And the Lions and Rams are just bad.

Q. How about the Texans' epic collapse today? Was it all Sage Rosenfels' fault?

A. He shouldn't have fumbled the ball, but keep in mind that those plays were scramble runs, which probably happened because nobody was open.

Q. This crazy Dolphins offense... Can they actually make a run with this deranged two-RB attack?

A. Perhaps. But they still have to play the Jets again, the Patriots again, the Bills, the AFC West... It doesn't look good down the stretch. But they have beaten the Chargers and Patriots.

Q. Are the Dolphins a playoff team?

A. We'll see if they can turn it around. However, we are only five games into the season, and for the Dolphins four.

Q. Who deserves credit for the turnaround?

A. Give credit to the Dolphins' staff and the players both. The staff surprised other teams with the Wildcat formation, and Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams and the rest of the offense have executed it well.

Q. Someone else tried the direct snap today, didn't they?

A. That was the Patriots, but not in the Wildcat formation. It was a direct snap to Kevin Faulk in a goal-line situation.

Q. Speaking of the goal line, what's with Andy Reid and the Eagles' goal-line approach? He keeps trying to punch it in and failing.

A. That's something they're definitely going to have to work on, especially because they play in one of the toughest divisions.

Q. Does that goal-line approach bespeak a lack of confidence in Donovan McNabb's passing?

A. It could be that, or it could just be bad play-calling. And remember, this time it wasn't a goal-to-go situation. They had a short first down inside the ten-yard line. So they could have gotten a first down before a touchdown.

Q. The Seahawks got brutalized today. What happened?

A. Maybe getting back the receivers didn't help the Seahawks after all. They looked just as bad in their 44-6 loss.

Q. That Chiefs blowout today made me think maybe the Panthers are for real. You?

A. They've looked really good, but remember that it was a 34-0 blowout against the Chiefs.

Q. Overall: Exciting week or boring week? I thought it was fairly boring.

A. Fairly boring, but there weren't too many prime-time matchups. The Colts' comeback was nice, though.

Q. Five games into the season, what has surprised you the most?

A. The fact that the only undefeated team in the AFC is the Titans -- the Kerry-Collins-led Titans.

Q. I'm very surprised by the Redskins and the Cardinals. Perennial disappointments, both these teams look almost competent. What do you think?

A. Competent is a bit of an understatement. The Redskins made a comeback victory over the Eagles, and the Cardinals destroyed the Bills.

Q. What team is the biggest disappointment so far?

A. The Texans. Several people, including ESPN The Magazine, didn't envision Houston being winless at this point in the season.

Q. Any other standout performances from Week 5 you'd care to note?

A. Standing out in a bad way was Brian Griese's less-than-100-yard performance after putting up huge numbers in previous games. He did get injured late in the game, and was replaced by Jeff Garcia, who completed the same amount of passes in a lower number of attempts.

Q. Now comes the part where I hand the keyboard over to Henry to type anything he wants.

A. Is there ever going to be a time when we know whether a quarterback is sitting out a game or not?

NFL Week 4 Interview

We are back (a day late -- sorry about that) with Henry's weekly rundown of all the exciting NFL action.

Q. What was the overall theme of this weekend's games?

A. Upsets and teams getting pushed too far. The Cowboys looked as overrated as some people think they are. And the Rams just fired Scott Linehan, while the Raiders are probably going to fire Lane Kiffin.

Q. Did Linehan deserve to get whacked?

A. Well, if the Rams are going to do better, a lot of changes will have to be made. This was just one of many. They've already benched Marc Bulger and several other starters, all in an attempt by owner Chip Rosenbloom to improve the franchise.

Q. What about Kiffin? I actually think the team is playing pretty well for him.

A. Pretty well, but not well enough to hold onto leads, which they've failed to do in the past two games, and nearly failed to do in Week 2.

Q. One more Raider question before we move on: A 76-yard field goal attempt?? What the heck was that?

A. Well, Lane Kiffin had enough confidence in Sebastian Janikowski to try one of the longest field goal attempts in NFL history. It didn't exactly work though, and Antonio Cromartie, who set a record for the longest NFL play last year, attempted to return the miss but only got 28 yards.

Q. You mentioned the Cowboys. How did the highly questionable Redskins manage to stop the Cowboy juggernaut?

A. Everyone just played pretty well. Despite the injuries to the secondary, the defense did well, shutting down Tony Romo. Also, the lack of a running game for Dallas didn't help Romo much, either.

Q. We're now far enough into the season that we should be able to tell which teams are actually good, but I'm finding this difficult. What's your opinion?

A. The Bengals aren't looking that great, as they're now 0-4. Same with the Rams. But some other previously winless and horrible teams like the Browns and Chiefs won, so we'll see how they do for the rest of the season.

Q. Name the four top teams in the league right now.

A. The Titans and Bills are looking pretty good, but those are just the sleepers. Otherwise, the title of Best Team is up for grabs. Dallas lost, Philadelphia lost, New England had a bye, and Indianapolis had a bye.

Q. OK, but I'm still going to press you on this. In spite of all the confusion, who in your opinion are the teams to beat in each conference?

A. Despite perhaps not being the best, everyone still wants to beat former elite teams like the Patriots and Colts in the AFC, and the Cowboys and Eagles in the NFC.

Q. Last week everyone was saying Brett Favre looked old and worn-out. Then he drops six TDs on the Cardinals. Are they bad, or did he suddenly get good, or what?

A. Brett Favre had never gotten six touchdown passes in his career. And now he finally does it when he's about to turn 39? It's interesting. The Cardinals put up five touchdowns in the second half, but the Jets eventually pulled away.

Q. I think the Cardinals are always going to stink because of their lame-o logo. You?

A. That's an interesting thought -- except their logo has only been this way for a few years. Or maybe it would help if they stopped relocating and changing their name.

Q. I wish I knew if the Falcons were any good. Who can tell?

A. They didn't look good against the Panthers, that's for sure. But they haven't looked that great otherwise, either. There was one win against the Lions in which they looked really good; there was another win against the Chiefs where they looked good as well. But the Chiefs and Lions are really bad.

Q. Which Ohio team is more pathetic?

A. Depends on whether they're playing against each other or not. In a game in which Jamal Lewis was the leading rusher for either team with 79 yards, the Browns made a comeback and won by eight points.

Q. Texans-Jaguars and Eagles-Bears seemed to pit pairs of teams which were evenly matched.

A. Well, they didn't, because the Texans had looked bad until that game. However, Houston lost anyway on Josh Scobee's second consecutive game-winning field goal against a divisional opponent. In Eagles-Bears, the Eagles didn't look as great as they did against the Cowboys previously, but only barely lost. This was by the same margin of victory that the Cowboys had over them.

Q. Let's move off games for the moment and talk about coaches and players. What coaches at this point in the season are impressing you the most?

A. For the last game at least, Tony Sparano of the Dolphins. Now we're not sure how they'll look after their bye, but beating New England by 25 points is a great accomplishment.

Q. Who else?

A. Jeff Fisher. He's been heavily criticized, but benching Vince Young has led to a 4-0 start.

Q. Will the Dolphins modified single-wing formation fool anyone after the bye week?

A. If opposing coaches have practiced stopping it enough, it probably won't have as much success as it did against New England. Still, you have to factor in the element of surprise. Think of how the cornerbacks feel when they're defending a quarterback.

Q. What rookies are turning in standout performances?

A. Chris Johnson of Tennessee and DeSean Jackson of Philadelphia. Johnson hadn't been much of a pro prospect at East Carolina, where no one watched any of his games. But he's looking very explosive, and some people are comparing him to Adrian Peterson. As for Jackson, he's had a couple of embarrassing plays, but even though Philadelphia's receivers have come back from injury, he's looking good.

Q. Finally: What games are you most looking forward to in Week 5?

A. Dallas-Cincinnati, Carolina-Kansas City and San Diego-Miami.

Q. And now comes my favorite part of our weekly recap -- the part where I hand the keyboard over to Hen to type anything he wants.

A. Wonder how many coaches will have been fired by the end of the season.

Update

Sorry, but I'm delaying the Week 4 update until Monday.

NFL Week 3 Interview

Q. Biggest surprise of Week 3?

The Dolphins, especially the offense that Dan Henning (the offensive coordinator) used. Similar to Mississippi's "Wild Rebel" formation, it netted Ronnie Brown four rushing touchdowns and one passing touchdown.

Q. Biggest disappointment?

The Browns, who allowed three third-quarter touchdowns to the Ravens to go to 0-3. They're not looking as good as everyone thought they would. Soon, Browns fans will be chanting "Brady, Brady, Brady!" again.

Q. Outstanding individual performances?

Brian Griese. He went 38/67 (three short of the record for passing attempts) for 407 yards against the Chicago defense.

Q. Big letdowns?

The Patriots, who eventually benched Matt Cassel in a 38-13 loss to Miami at home, snapping their 21-game regular season winning streak. There were the Panthers, who just starting to look good again. There were the Colts, who, despite being very beaten up themselves, lost to the injury-demolished Jaguars.

Q. What team is better than their record would indicate, and why?

The Chargers, who lost their two games on a last-second touchdown pass from Jake Delhomme to Dante Rosario and Ed Hochuli's much-talked about blown call.

Q. What team is worse than their record would indicate, and why?

The Giants, who aren't that bad but beat a weaker divisional rival by three field goals, a victory over one of the NFC's worst and needed an overtime field goal to beat the winless Bengals.

Q. Coaches on the hot seat?

Marvin Lewis, because of the Bengals' inability to return to form and an 0-3 record.

Q. Surprise quarterbacks (good and bad)?

Chad Pennington, who finished with only 3 incompletions; players from other positions playing quarterback, who were a combined 3/3 for 48 yards. That is, unless you count the NFL.com glitch that says that Eagles tackle Tra Thomas completed one pass for four yards. As for bad performances...well, there were Derek Anderson and Tyler Thigpen, just to name a few.

Q. Backups who turned on notable performances this week?

Ravens running back/fullback LeRon McClain, who ran for 66 yards on 17 carries plus two touchdowns. Technically, though, McClain is not a backup.

Q. Emergent trends?

As I said in the last interview, the Chiefs' quarterback play continues to be terrible. Even with just one quarterback (Tyler Thigpen) they are doing badly.

Q. Big games of Week 4, and your predictions?

Vikings-Titans, Eagles-Bears, Packers-Buccaneers and Jets-Cardinals look to be interesting games. Look for the Jets to be eyeing the top spot in the AFC East if the Patriots continue to underperform (New England has a bye). Also, see if the Vikings can keep their momentum.

Q. Final line where you type anything you want.

Since when did Jon Gruden turn into June Jones?

NFL Week 2 Interview

Q. We are BACK with Week 2 of Henry's trenchant football analysis. This week, your interviewer suffered a cruel defeat in his office football pool, picking only three out of fourteen games. So it is with barely controlled rage that I ask Hen the following questions.

Hello, Henry. Two weeks in, do you see any trends starting to emerge?

A. The trend that I see starting to emerge is Kansas City attempting to somehow succeed by using three quarterbacks, one of whom was a converted wide receiver who hadn't taken any snaps at quarterback since college at Virginia.

Q. You like when players who aren't quarterbacks play quarterback, don't you?

A. That's not the point. My point is that the Chiefs have no chance of winning games with three mediocre quarterbacks.

Q. Who else carried the banner of mediocrity this week?

A. Hmm, let's see. Perhaps the Lions, who allowed 24 fourth-quarter points after scoring 34 fourth-quarter points last year, an NFL record.

Q. Why in the world do the Lions let general manager Matt Millen keep his job? He is wrecking that franchise.

A. Well, they looked pretty good last year, but this year is probably going to end up just as bad as all of the years before. Actually, the first half of last year. The Lions started out 6-2 in the first half of the year, but were 1-7 in the second half.

Q. Bears/Panthers. The Panthers eked out another narrow victory. Which of these teams is for real?

A. The Panthers are looking fairly good, and in a division that includes the Saints, Buccaneers and Falcons, who aren't as good as they once were, they could do well. However, we'll have to wait and see how the Bears and the Panthers do.

Q. Tennessee/Cincinnati. Let's skip over how embarrassingly poor the Bengals looked at home. The Titans have opened 2-0, even given all their VInce Young issues. Does this team have what it takes to make a playoff run?

A. Remember that they still have to play the Colts twice, the Jaguars once, the Texans twice, and the Steelers, Ravens and Browns, so their schedule isn't that easy.

Q. Do you feel bad for Vince Young?

A. I guess. It doesn't really matter anymore how his injury is, because all the controversy surrounding what he and his mother Felicia Young said has effectively benched him. Also, there were a couple more incidents throughout the week.

Q. We talked about the Lions' collapse, but how 'bout the Packers' Aaron Rodgers? Has he answered his critics?

A. It appears so. He's 2-0 as a starter, and 2-0 in the NFC North. He's using an excellent receiving corps that includes Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, who have become his favorite targets. The running game isn't that bad, either, but Ryan Grant has dealt with a hamstring injury. Brandon Jackson broke a long run today against the Lions, and he's one of several backup running backs.

Q. Jacksonville kind of imploded today. Can they get it together?

A. Perhaps. They didn't look that great, and they've scored a total of only 26 points in their two games, which is just more than the Lions scored in their 23-point loss alone.

Q. RAIDERS! Do you believe in this team?

A. Darren McFadden has looked really good. He got extended playing time due to the injury to Justin Fargas on an attempted pass by JaMarcus Russell.

Q. Is Russell any good? I can't tell at this point.

A. Me either. He's looked fine so far, but the Raiders' running game looked very good against the Chiefs. However, the Chiefs did lose defensive lineman Jared Allen, who was last year's leader in sacks.

Q. You seem eager to talk about Colts/Vikings. Thoughts on that game?

A. The Vikings collapsed even though they managed to outplay the Colts. Eighteen unanswered points in the second half was all Indianapolis needed to win the game, and the Vikings managed only five field goals.

Q. Giants/Rams. Could the Rams look any more pathetic at this point?

A. I'm really not sure. They're looking as bad as they did last year in an 0-8 start. Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress had big games for the Giants.

Q. Should Scott Linehan keep his job?

A. It depends on if the Rams show any good flashes, and how much confidence the rest of the staff has in him.

Q. New Orleans/Washington. How did the Redskins pull this one out?

A. I'm not sure. They came back from nine down, and survived a missed two-point conversion.

Q. How do you like Jason Campbell?

A. He's pretty good. Not exactly one of the best quarterbacks, but he had one of his first 300-yard games in a while.

Q. How about Reggie Bush, nailed for taunting when he made that "bye-bye" gesture on his last touchdown? Is he turning into a bad citizen? And do you think that motivated the Redskins?

A. I don't think he's turning into a bad citizen. It was just a bit of a mental error. But it may have motivated the Redskins a bit.

Q. My Seahawks collapsed! How did they manage to lose to such an obviously inferior 49er team?

A. I'm not quite sure how good the Seahawks are at the moment. They've had so many injuries at wide receiver, including their starting punt returner, that quarterback Seneca Wallace had to be moved to wide receiver and punt returner.

Q. And now... the Falcons. What in the world happened today? They looked so crisp last week.

A. Last week against the Lions. Even though word got out later in the day that the Buccaneers had attempted to trade Jeff Garcia back to the 49ers (his old team), Brian Griese quarterbacked the team to victory. This is his second stint with the team. The first time, he got knocked out with an injury and was replaced by Chris Simms, now a Titan.

Q. Miami/Arizona. I have to confess, I find both these teams crushingly boring. You?

A. I just found it a bit surprising that the Dolphins, led by Chad Pennington, lost by three touchdowns to the Kurt-Warner-led Cardinals. And this is not the Kurt Warner who won a Super Bowl and set passing records.

Q. How about how the Dolphins brought in another Chad (Henne) in the fourth quarter? Are they losing confidence in Pennington?

A. You know, it seems like there hasn't been a team in a while that hasn't lost confidence in Chad Pennington. It was hard to tell whether he or Kellen Clemens was the starter last year. He's also very injury-prone.

Q. The Rat-Coach won again! How did you feel about his ratlike attempt to go for two to beat the Chargers?

A. Weird. He seemed to think that passing to the same wide receiver, rookie Eddie Royal, for both the touchdown and the two-point conversion would work. And somehow it did.

Q. I think the Chargers were totally thrown when the Broncos came out going for two.

A. It must have been a little surprising. Also, I have to note that LaDainian Tomlinson left the game after ten carries for 26 yards. Darren Sproles filled in admirably, but he still isn't LaDainian Tomlinson.

Q. Two games to go. How about the Matt Cassel era in New England? Does this guy have what it takes to go the distance?

A. Cassel didn't do too great, with 165 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions, but the Patriots rode four field goals to victory. In the running game, the Patriots weren't very effective either, with LaMont Jordan getting the most yardage. But the Jets were similarly ineffective, with their only touchdown coming on a pass from Brett Favre. However, Brett Favre was also picked off by Brandon Meriweather for his first interception as a Jet.

Q. Pittsburgh/Cleveland was so boring that we turned it off. How disappointing do the Browns look this season?

A. Really disappointing. And they still have a few prime-time games to go.

Q. That concludes our game-by-game wrapup. As is traditional, at this point I turn the keyboard over to Henry to type whatever he wants.

A. On Brandon Lloyd's blocked punt return touchdown for the Bears, it looked a lot like he was trying to steal a score from his teammate.

NFL Week 1 Interview

Hello, sports fans. This is the first installment of what we hope will become a weekly Sunday night NFL recap with our resident sports analyst, Henry.

Q. Well, Week 1 is in the bag, and there were quite a few surprises, both good and bad. Let's start with the good. What team really exceeded your expectations this week?

A. The Panthers and the Bears. The Panthers somehow managed to beat the Chargers on a last-second touchdown pass from Jake Delhomme to Dante Rosario, but actually, the Chargers had needed a comeback anyway. The Bears beat the Colts by 16 points. The ridiculous, mind-numbing, short-pass-obsessed Colts offense didn't help them win at all. The Falcons also exceeded expectations, with Matt Ryan's first NFL attempt being a 62-yard touchdown pass to Michael Jenkins.

Q. How about the unpleasant surprises of Week 1?

A. So much for the Browns and their five nationally televised games. They got blown out by Dallas. The Texans also were supposed to do well, but they got destroyed by Pittsburgh.

Q. All the talk is about Tom Brady's injury. What are you hearing?

A. It's supposedly an ACL injury, but we've never known if Tom Brady has had a groin injury, or a foot injury, or some kind of injury. Now he has another injury to add to the list.

Q. How are the Patriots set for backups?

A. It was an up and down preseason for the backups. Matt Cassel did terribly. Matt Gutierrez was really good at some points. And Kevin O'Connell, the draft choice, didn't see much playing time (or at least I didn't see much of his playing time). Gutierrez was the odd one out and got cut. But Cassel looked good in his relief time against the Chiefs.

Q. How about these Chris Simms rumors? Could he be the answer?

A. Chris Simms has been looking for someplace other than Tampa Bay for a while. He got cut, then lost out in a free agent tryout along with Joey Harrington for the Ravens. Todd Bouman was signed. Also, the Cowboys were looking at him for a while. Since the Patriots already have two backups, it would be weird for them to sign Chris Simms, but he probably has a better chance of leading them to win games than Cassel or O'Connell.

Q. What did you, as a sports analyst, learn from Week 1?

A. Injuries are getting a lot more common. Two starting quarterbacks were knocked out of the Patriots-Chiefs game (Brady and Brodie Croyle), and Dallas Clark also left the Colts-Bears game with an injury.

Q. Big individual performances in Week 1?

A. Matt Forte, the Bears' rookie running back from Tulane, definitely. Against a Colts defense that had Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis on the line, he got a ton of rushing yardage. Reggie Bush, who has been rather disappointing, had a really good game catching passes and running the ball.

Q. Let's look at our favorite teams. I know your Raiders don't play 'til tomorrow. How about the Falcons? Are they for real?

A. Well, they were against a Lions team that, while being pretty good, was coming off a 1-7 streak to end 2007. Also, they somehow squandered a 21-point lead, and the Lions cut the lead to one touchdown at one point. As many people have been saying, Matt Ryan and Michael Turner did pretty well.

Q. Seattle -- what happened? They looked awful.

A. Maurice Morris was knocked out of the game with an injury at one point. So much for the running back tandem. Also, how did they allow Roscoe Parrish to get that punt return touchdown? It was ridiculous.

Q. How about the Jets-Dolphins game? Did Brett Favre look good?

A. He did, but the Dolphins nearly won the game. What CBS focused on right after the half, during the television broadcast, was the many miscues. The Dolphins had a decent chance to win the game, but Chad Pennington somehow lost his ability to complete a pass.

Q. Does today change your impressions about the top teams?

A. A little. The Eagles looked great against the Rams. And the Redskins didn't look so good against the Giants, losing by 9. As a matter of fact, the Giants didn't play so well, either. But that's just the NFC East. I don't think that Chargers and Jaguars fans should be too worried by the opening-day losses. They still have the ability to contend for the Super Bowl. Also, my Super Bowl prediction may not work now. Despite Cassel looking pretty good, Tom Brady is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.

Q. Play of the day?

A. Brett Favre's touchdown pass to Chansi Stuckey on 4th and 13. He had to escape an intense pass rush. But give some credit to Stuckey. I don't think that pass was intended for any receiver.

Q. How do you think your Raiders will fare tomorrow night against the Rat Coach (a.k.a. Denver)?

A. Well, Darren McFadden isn't officially the starter yet. Justin Fargas is the actual starter. The Raiders' defense has been recently famous for not stopping the run well. The Broncos have many running backs they can use. An example of the bad run defense was when they allowed then-rookie running back Kolby Smith to tear apart their defense.

Q. Final thoughts on Week 1?

A. It'll be interesting to see how the season plays out.

Q. Now, I turn the keyboard over to Henry to type a final line saying absolutely anything he wants.

A. Matt Cassel is probably glad now that he got to sit behind two Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks at USC.

Henry's 2009 NFL Preview

This is an interview with Hen. Let's talk football!

Q. Were you surprised by the outcome of last year's Super Bowl?

A little. The Patriots were favored heavily to win the game, because it would give them an undefeated season.

Q. Why do you think the Giants won?

Well, a lot of really weird plays involving Eli Manning. And their good amount of pressure on Tom Brady.

Q. Any chance the Patriots could go 19-0 this year?

Probably not. They'll probably do well, maybe even win the Super Bowl, but I doubt they'll go 19-0. Especially in a division that now includes Brett Favre.

Q. Let's talk about the Favre deal. Were you surprised he came back?

Well, a little. Although I think it was the wrong thing to do. The Packers had been training Aaron Rodgers as their starter, and then they got distracted.

Q. What makes a football player who's retired change his mind like that?

They think they can't bear it without football.

Q. Final question on Brett: Do you think he makes the Jets a playoff team?

A wild card team at the most, because the Patriots pretty much have that division sealed.

Q. Let's talk about our favorite teams for a moment. Raiders -- how are they going to do this year?

Well, there's no way to know. Their showing against San Francisco in the preseason opener was pretty good, with undrafted back Louis Rankin and backup quarterback Andrew Walter highlighting the game. The Raiders were also helped by four San Francisco turnovers.

Q. On to... the Dolphins! What are their chances?

Chad Pennington is an improvement, but the division has gotten even harder with the addition of Brett Favre. The Dolphins also play the Jets in the season opener.

Q. And now... Seahawks!

They'll have to rely on Maurice Morris and Julius Jones in the running game, because they cut Shaun Alexander, who's now still a free agent. Not many teams are showing interest in him, though, most likely because of his age. At quarterback, Seneca Wallace put up a good showing in the first preseason game.

Q. Is he Seattle's quarterback of the future?

You can't entirely say that, because he's been a career backup for Matt Hasselbeck. But they also occasionally use him as a wide receiver on trick plays.

Q. Trick plays -- I know you love those. Tell me a few of your favorites.

The frequent halfback passes the Chargers use with LaDainian Tomlinson are the most notable of the NFL's trick plays. Can we talk about San Diego for a little while? And Atlanta?

Q. Sure. Your thoughts on the Chargers?

The most notable preseason battle for the Chargers is Jacob Hester competing with Darren Sproles for the #2 running back job. Michael Turner signed a multimillion-dollar contract to start for the Falcons, and he originally held that role.

Billy Volek has proven himself to be a capable backup at quarterback, helping the Chargers beat the Colts in last year's AFC divisional playoffs.

Q. And the Falcons? There's a mess they're trying to clean up.

They lost Alge Crumpler to the Titans (probably on purpose), signed the aforementioned Michael Turner, drafted Matt Ryan, and are pretty much remaking their entire team. Draft pick Matt Ryan still hasn't gotten the starting job from former insurance salesman Chris Redman, who hadn't really played actively since a few seasons with the Ravens and Titans a couple of years ago.

Q. Tell me your picks for each division winner.

In the AFC East, the Patriots will probably win, but the wild card spot is undetermined, with the Jets, Dolphins and Bills all fighting very hard. Keep in mind that there are also only two AFC wild card spots.

In the AFC North, it's a pretty fierce competition between the Browns and Steelers, with the Bengals and Ravens lagging behind. The Bengals are doing better than the Ravens, but they're still not doing as well as the Steelers or Browns.

The AFC South is a really tough division, with the Jaguars, Texans and Titans trying to beat out the Peyton-Manning-deprived Colts. Peyton Manning's injury isn't too serious, but we don't know how long he'll be out. Jim Sorgi is desperately trying to fill his role.

The AFC West is the most uncertain of divisions. The Chargers are doing the best, but the Raiders, Chiefs and Broncos aren't looking too good.

Q. On to the NFC.

The NFC East is, as usual, the hardest division to figure out. The Super Bowl champion Giants return many of their starters, but the Cowboys and Redskins are close behind. As for the Eagles, they're in a strange state at the moment, with all these Donovan McNabb rumors and only an okay 2007 season.

Q. What McNabb rumors?

In the early offseason, everyone thought Donovan McNabb could be traded, or this, or that. These rumors were most likely fueled by A.J. Feeley's near-unseating of the then-undefeated Patriots.

Q. McNabb -- overrated?

I'm not sure. We haven't seen him in a while, because he's rather injury-prone, and I personally didn't get to see his showing in the preseason game, so I have no idea how good he's looking right now.

Can we do the NFC North?

Q. Go ahead.

This is going to be an interesting division. The Packers will have to rely on Aaron Rodgers, the Lions are relying on aging Jon Kitna, the Vikings are hoping they can win the division with inconsistent Tarvaris Jackson, and the Bears still don't know whether Kyle Orton or Rex Grossman can start. In fact, the best performance in the Bears' preseason loss was by backup Caleb Hanie.

In the NFC South, the Falcons are coming off their thorough rebuilding project. And the Panthers are hoping that Jake Delhomme won't get injured. They had to start him, undrafted rookie Matt Moore, David Carr and even Vinny Testaverde. David Carr is now the Giants' backup and Vinny Testaverde is retired.

By the way, Matt Moore was the quarterback of Oregon State when they upset Matt Leinart's USC Trojans.

As for the Saints, they won their preseason opener and are looking pretty good, but that wasn't even a full showing of their team. Marques Colston, one of their best wide receivers, wasn't playing. Mark Brunell, now serving as the New Orleans backup, looked pretty good.

Q. What about bad citizen Jeremy Shockey?

Oh yes, Jeremy Shockey. Hopefully he'll be able to cool down his attitude now that he's in New Orleans. And he didn't even play in the preseason opener.

Finally, the Buccaneers. If they had managed to get Brett Favre, Jeff Garcia would be the Dolphins' quarterback right now and not Chad Pennington. But they have to move on. Jeff Garcia has been plagued by injuries, forcing Luke McCown, brother of Josh McCown (the Dolphins' backup), to start a couple of games. They also have Brian Griese and Josh Johnson, a rookie.

The NFC West. The Cardinals, 49ers and Rams are all trying to look good. The Cardinals are still trying to negotiate with holdout wide receiver Anquan Boldin, one of their best players. As for the Seahawks, the other member of this division, they're the favorite to win it, but they have to overcome the losses of Shaun Alexander and D.J. Hackett, one of their wide receivers.

Oh yeah, they also lost great kicker Josh Brown to the Rams, who needed a kicker because of the retirement of Jeff Wilkins. Now Olindo Mare and Brandon Coutu are competing for their kicking job.

What's next?

Q. Hen predictions! Talk about three rookies who you think will make a difference to their teams this year.

Probably Darren McFadden for the Raiders, Sedrick Ellis for the Saints, and when he gets to start, Matt Ryan.

Q. Surprise team of the year?

Jaguars, maybe? They still have the great running-back tandem of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew, plus an improving David Garrard, whose receiving corps is helped by wideouts Jerry Porter and Troy Williamson.

Q. Bust of the year?

Maybe the Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger is injury-prone, and this time there might not be Charlie Batch to help them. They'll need to sign Byron Leftwich, who is coming in for a workout. However, several scouts have said that Byron Leftwich doesn't fit well into teams' offenses. Also, they're under pressure from the Browns, who will easily be able to snatch the division title if they slip up.

Q. Time for Hen's Super Bowl pick! Who will be the Super Bowl teams?

In the AFC, there are always the same competitors, which leads me to believe that the Patriots will most likely be the Super Bowl team. Even if the Jaguars can unseat the Colts to get the division title, they'll probably lose to the Patriots. I also have a dark-horse candidate for the AFC: The Chargers.

In the NFC, it's hard to tell. There are so many competitive teams: Cowboys, Seahawks, Saints, Buccaneers... Redskins and Giants... So I'm not sure.

Q. OK, but I'm going to make you pick: Who will be playing in Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa on February 1, 2009, the day after you turn 11?

I'll have to say the Patriots and the Cowboys. This is by no means a good pick, but it's the only thing I can think of.

Q. And the winner?

If those teams went up against each other, it would probably be the Patriots.

Q. There's your pick, folks: The New England Patriots. You heard it here first. Final thought from Hen?

I don't know.

=end of interview=