* Not a good start to the "Most Wonderful Time Of The Year", three matchups featuring marginal Top 60 teams going head to head. If your not a fan of one of these schools or don't have a grand riding on the outcome it takes extreme dedication or a mental illness to sit down and invest 3 hours or so of your time to watch the likes of BYU and UTEP going head to head. To enhance the torture all three contest on Saturday were blowouts. Though I am a supporter of the BCS I'm not a Bowl guy. Make no mistake I invest plenty of time viewing those I find intriguing but many, like the slate on Saturday, warrant nothing more than a occasional score update. Regardless of my thoughts one team from every game can end the 2010 season with a W and every team involved in bowl contest is given 20-30 additional practices to build on the 2011 season and that is the biggest reason I support the Bowl system in general.
* Not long ago Pat Hill was among the hottest coaching names in the business. Fresno State was really one of the first Non-BCS teams that made serious noise in the BCS. Yes there were other Non-BCS teams who had perfect seasons like Marshall but Fresno was a team that made their noise against some really good teams they started out the 2000 season with something like 4 straight wins against BCS schools and I believe Oregon State and Wisconsin were top 25 schools to begin the season. Fresno earned first place votes in the AP and started the season 8-0 before losing fittingly to Boise. Fresno went on to lose a few more games that season but Pat Hill had made a name for himself. Now I don't know if Pat Hill wanted to leave or if Hill didn't get the offer he wanted but what I do know is that Pat Hill is still at Fresno State and at this point his star has certainly faded. For those fans of the Temple's, Bowling Green's and the like who ask why their coaches leave look no further than Pat Hill.
* Oliver Luck AD at West Virginia stated this week that Bill Stewart isn't the man to lead West Virginia to the next level. While I agree with Mr. Luck in regards to Bill Stewart I still must wonder why you allow Stewart to lead the team for his final season under contract with his replacement in the fold. Dana Holgorson will take over for Stewart after the 2011 season but this season will work under him or will he? Two different men in charge with two different coaching philosophies just spells disaster. Stewart has remained loyal to Rich Rod's Spread Option offense while Holgorson employees more of the Spread passing attack that is popular in the Big 12. So during the 2011 season will the evolution to a more passer friendly offense begin or will Holgorson change his coaching style which will further delay the rebuilding project. In big boy college football you don't find ways to save a buck, perhaps it's not only Stewart who is in the way at WVU.
* If you were to look up a bad loss in the dictionary you would likely find the Giants meltdown to the Eagles as the description. Up by 21 with 7 minutes or so to play, divisional opponent with first place on the line, and two huge boneheaded plays down the stretch. How can you not at least suspect the possibility of a onside kick and of course the low line drive punt directly to the biggest HR threat in the NFL with 12 seconds left. It's the kind of loss that could very well end a season or at the very least will likely be the difference between a first round bye and a playoff opening road game. At about the 10 minute mark in the 4th Quarter the Giants looked like a Top 5 team in the league. The Question is will the 7 minute meltdown be just that or will it be felt for the next 120?
* Big win for the Ravens in a possible Super Bowl preview against the Saints. I have been a big fan of the Ravens all seasons. From a personnel standpoint I don't see a better team in the league however in the win I still see some major concerns. For one they don't finish people. Once again the Ravens get up by double digits and slowly let teams hang around and before you know it the game is even in the 4th Quarter. Not much shame in not putting away a Saints team but allowing a inferior opponent such as the Texans to do so suggest it's more than a fluke incident. Though statistically they aren't heavily penalized I would be interested to see how many of their penalties come on 3rd downs. Time and time again on Sunday 3rd and 2 became 3rd and 7 and conversion percentages change drastically from yard to yard and not in a good way and that same scenario has repeated itself time and time again at least during the games I have watched. And perhaps the biggest concern could be the lack of finding the Endzone in the second half. The Ravens have not scored a second half TD since Week 10 and in when your facing a playoff caliber team you won't get bye consistently by settling for FG after FG.
* How about Mark Sanchez. I have been getting ripped for my praise of Sanchez and after a string of bad outings I can't say their not justified. Sanchez wasn't great on Sunday but he did manage not to turn the ball over while going 19 of 29 for 170. But let's face it the Steelers without Troy Polamalu are a 8-8 football team at best. So much of the credit for the Steelers success goes to Big Ben but if given the choice between losing Polamalu or Big Ben for the season I would say that 9 out of 10 Steeler fans would say goodbye Ben and rightfully so.
* This time next season, assuming there is one, Donovan McNabb will be the QB for the Minnesota Vikings and the Washington Redskins will still be the worst offense from a talent standpoint in the NFL. I understand Shannahans decision for benching McNabb I do wonder how the 2010 season would have been had the Redskins not acquired McNabb or had the Vikings made the move. Would 2010 have been the year of Vick or would the Vikings been better off with McNabb under center. I feel pretty confident that barring injury that McNabb would have been the guy in Philly and though McNabb can't make the plays Favre can for his team he likely wouldn't make the mistakes that Favre has for the other.
* I was delighted to see Tim Tebow lose his first career start although I was very unhappy that he broke off a long run. The highlight will make him out to be the next Michael Vick for the next two days and his 8 for 16 passing game will be overlooked.
* As long as Peyton is under center I don't see a team challenging the Colts in the AFC South. With injuries ravaging the Colts roster this was to be the year but after back to back division wins it appears as though the Colts will hold on once again. The Titans will likely feel the effects of drafting Vince Young for years to come, The entire Jaguars organization is in flux, and the Texans seem to have good personnel but something is missing. The Colts will need to address issues with the running game but Polian and Co. are among the best come draft day and the shortcomings of 2010 will likely be fixed come next season. The time was now for someone to step up and unless the Colts stumble on the road against the Raiders or lose at home to a down and out Titans squad the dominance won't end this season.
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