Is Monday Night football back?

The 2005-2006 NFL season was the final season Monday Night Football had with ESPN, ending over 35 seasons of memories and events and the big bright lights of football on primetime TV. The final decade or so ABC was losing money from Monday Night Football despite it consistently being one of the highest rated shows for there program, but they decided it was time for a change. So there partner station (and sports media's evil empire) ESPN entered into the picture and took over broadcast duties for Monday Night Football. (MNF for short) They'd long hosted the Sunday Night Footballs game but since ABC had left the pro football game, a market in which NBC had been vacant in for years they decided to pony up some dough for the Sunday Night Football game. So now the NFL wanted to make Sunday night the marquee game of the week, much like MNF used to be, they even have the 1st option on the NFL's flex scheduling to switch out games scheduled earlier in the year to get a more favorable matchup.

Al Michaels had been the voice of MNF for over 20 years had jumped ship to NBC to team up again with John Madden and like that another spectacle of yesteryear seemed to be going down the tubes. Gone were the days of Howard Cossell talking to John Lennon and in were the days of Tony Kornheiser rambling incessantly about how Brett Favre walked on water, Monday Night Football was a shell of it's former self.

But this year has changed, I'm still not the biggest fan of Mike Tirico or Tony Kornheiser but I do like Ron Jaworski who is the best at breaking down plays. They're putting more focus on the games, aside from Kornheiser who only sees stars. I like Tony on a smaller format but ESPN has been trying to push him and his co-host from Pardon the Interruption Michael Wilbon down our throats the past couple years, now Wilbon is apart of the pre game show on the NBA on ABC. As crazy as it sounds if ESPN wants a guy who will just ramble on about stars or this weeks top stories I'd choose Charles Barkley, but maybe that's because I love Chuck. The afforementioned Wilbon and Kornheiser are not dumb but I don't think they are qualified at all to be in the position that they're in. But back to the game, they are no longer bringing in a guest every week promoting there new show or upcoming movie and one of the few times ESPN is doing it, they're actually focusing on the games.

And they've had some of the top games the NFL has had this year, 10X better then NBC's Sunday Night Football. Week 1 they had the much anticipated debut of Aaron Rodgers for the Green Bay Packers vs. division rival Minnesota Vikings led by Adrian Peterson. It was a back and forth struggle all game until Rodgers and the Pack broke through and scored a couple TD's. The next week was a wild affair with the Cowboys and Eagles, I can't recall a game that featured so many up's and downs and high's and low's you couldn't look away for your TV or else you'd miss a score or a turnover. And the network exec's were popping bottles open as ESPN scored one if it's highest ratings ever for a cable broadcast, what more could they ask for, a high scoring affair between the most popular NFL team and it's division foe.

The next week the Brett Favre train rolled into San Diego as the Chargers were fresh off having been screwed by Ed Hochuli's crew and they came ready to play. The game was never all that close but like the Cowboys/Eagles game, there were big plays happening all over the field. At 2:03 left in the 1st the Chargers scored a TD, then the 1st play in the 2nd quarter, Antonio Cromartie makes an acrobatic catch and returns a Brett Favre INT for a touchdown. The ensuing kickoff Leon Washington runs it back to the San Diego 6 and the Jets score 2 plays later. Not to worry the Chargers get the ball back and score 2 and a half minutes later. Favre then throws another pick and the Chargers score with 3 minutes left in the half. That my friends is an exciting and action packed quarter of football that you can only wish happens week after week.

And so far this season it has, the Steelers/Ravens game was a physical hard hitting matchup but Joe Flacco looked like a polished veteran the majority of the game. And the Steelers didn't look good until there offense started moving into the no huddle offense. Baltimore was dominating the majority of the game and was up 14-3 then BOOOM! Big Ben Rothlesberger to Santonio Holmes for 38 yards, Ravens get the ball back, 1st play Flacco drops back WACK! Gets sacked by James Harrison and Lamar Woodley picks up the ball and waltzes into the endzone 7 yards out. Picture the BOOM AND WACK! Like they were straight out of a Batman comic where the bad guy doesn't know what hit them, because the Ravens sure didn't. Game goes into overtime and the Steelers squeak out the victory on a Jeff Reed field goal.

And then that brings me to this past week's Monday Night extravaganza, a game the Vikings had no real business winning if not for the Saints ineptitude. There is absolutely nobody out there who would say the Vikings would win if Adrian Pterson was healthy and only rushed for 32 yards on 21 carries. But give Gus "The Concussed" Frerotte credit. By the way, I'm claiming that nickname since I've never seen it, and if you don't know the story, google it. The Saints Monday Night sort of reminded me of my fantasy football team in week 4. I needed like one of 5 things to go my way and none of them did and I barely lost. The Saints outgained the Vikings by over 100 yards and I think 2 times as many yards in the 1st half, but they still trailed 20-10 going into half time.
And then Reggie Bush and some great blocking from his special teams (something Adam "Pac Man" Jones could only dream of on punt returns) took 2 touchdowns to the house. And then the Vikings did something that they haven't done since Daunte Culpepper was launching touchdowns to Randy Moss, won while passing the ball through the air. Frerotte threw a 33 yard TD reception to Bernard Berrian though it was intended for another WR. And later when the game was tied 27-27 with 2 minutes left, he threw it up and stupidly a Saints safety who wasn't looking for the ball (which he could have picked off) ran into the intended Vikings receiver. The Vikings were able to milk the clock down to 14 seconds before kicking the go ahead field goal, game over. I might add that for the 2nd straight week Martin Gramatica missed a potential game winning field goal. They still scare me because there offense led by Drew Brees and Reggie Bush can hang with anyone in the league which makes them a very dangerous potentially underdog team in the playoffs.

If Monday night can keep up this string of great games they can maybe become the primary football game from week to week that we have come to expect. They got the great analyst and Jaws, still have Hank Williams Jr. music "All my Rowdy Friends" that I have always loved and that built in core audience, it is becoming a weekly watch again. Just a couple more tweaks that I would make.

Onto my picks, I had a pretty good week last week, though I lost the 2 primetime games which stifled what could have been a standout week. Damn you Gramatica!

Last week I was: 7-5-2 vs. the spread and 3-3 vs. the over/under
For the year: 28-27-3 vs. the spead and 12-4-2 vs. the over/under
A lot of close games last week, I should have lost the Indy/Houston game if not for monumental collapse by Sage Rosenfels. But I was also just a couple points away from pulling out the Jacksonville/Pittsbugh game if not for a late comeback and had Kansas City got 1 TD or 2 field goals I could have surpassed the over/under in that game, seriously how do you get shut out? And though it is real hard to say perhaps the Bills/Cardinals outcome would have changed if Trent Edwards didn't get injured, of course the Cardinals could just be a completely different team at home then on the road.

Picks for this week:

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-1.5)
Both teams feature good defenses but the Panthers offense is loads better, and they're only average to slightly above average, for the Bucs to win they'll have to score at least 1 non-offensive TD. Panthers.

St. Louis Rams @ Washington Redskins (-13)
Washington is looking like the best team in the NFC (and yes I realize I'm forgetting the Giants I'll get to that piece of crow in a second) having gone into 2 divisional foes houses and beaten them. There schedule gets a little easier for the time being and there remaining division games are all at home. Washington's offense is good but doesn't really strike me as a team that will completely destroy teams, but this is the Rams we're talking about. I'll take the 'Skins and the over/under is 44 take the over.

Cincinatti @ New York J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS (-6)
The Jets coming off a bye week play the hapless and winless Bengals, the Bengals looked good against my Cowboys and were in position several times to take the lead, especially with Jason Garrett calling a very conservative game plan. The Jets are fresh off there bye week after pounding the Cardinals into the ground in there last game played, if the Jets were favored by a larger number I'd be inclined to choose the Bengals but 6 isn't all that big. The Bengals defense could slow down the Favre passing attack though, maybe Thomas Jones will run the ball a lot this week.

Oakland Raiders @ Nawlins Saints (-7.5)
Had the Saints not made so many crucial mistakes last week in the 1st half they would have won that game somewhat handily, they need to rebound. Luckily da RAAAAAIDAS are fresh off firing Lane Kiffin and going into the Superdome, look for the Saints to blow them out big to where they won't need to rely on Martin Gramatica's leg, because the only thing that's been automatic about him lately is his ability to miss kicks with games on the line. Hope that line didn't come off as lame as it probably did. Over/under 47 if the Raiders can get 2 touchdown's this game should surpass it. Over

Miami Dolphins @ Houston Texans (-3)
2 straight weeks the "Wildhog" formation has worked for the Dolphins, the Texans are coming off what could be considered the franchises most devastating loss but I think they rebound, I'm not completely ready to buy into what Big Bill and Tony Sparano is doing in Miami, Texans at home.

Chicago Bears (-2.5) @ Atlanta Falcons
The Bears could easily be 5-0 right now if not for blowing some 2nd half leads and they'll regret that later on in the season when they're battling for a playoff spot in the division. Atlanta is 3-2 riding high after going into Lambeau, Michael "the burner" Turner finally had a good game on the road and one of the most underappreciated WR's in the league "Rowdy" Roddy White (coined by me, taken from Rowdy Roddy Piper) had 115 yards in the 1st half. For the 2nd straight year I'm reaping the benefits of him being the only legit receiver on that team, and the only one the QB will target. Atlanta has looked great at home and that's why I'm picking this to be an upset FALCONS!

Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings (-13)
I think this Lions team is as bad if not worse then the Dolphins were last year. You know how much you suck when a team who can't pass the ball is favored by 13 against you, and it's even worse when I have to take them.

Baltimore Ravens @ Indianapolis Colts (-4)
I'm still waiting for that breakout game for Peyton Manning and the Colt offense, it most likely won't come this week but they've only looked like the Colts of old when faced with some urgency in a crucial moment where they absolutely have to score. I'm going to take them this week but wouldn't be shocked if they lost because Joe Flacco has put his team in position to win the past 2 weeks only to have them blow it in the games waning seconds. Over/under is 38.5 it's low for just about any game but high for a game involving the Ravens, I'll take the over though.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos (-3.5)
The Broncos proved last week they can play a low scoring grind it out game, and the Jaguars last week proved they can score points if needed. The Broncos this week are without Tony Scheffler and Selvin Young (though he doesn't matter enough b/c Shannahan won't give him the damn ball!) But it shouldn't matter as long as Brandon Marshall is in the lineup, but I'm going to guess the Jags pull off the upset anyways. Come on the Colts and Jaguars can't let the Titans already run away from the division, not even halfway through the season.

Philadelphia Eagles (-4.5) @ San Francisco 49ers
The Eagles are 2-3 yes but this line is absurdly low, I mean sure the teams have identical records but I refuse to believe this 49er team is good. It looks like Brian Westbrook may not play which could even up the playing field but I still take the Eagles, just hope they don't have to rely on a running back punching it in from the 1 yard line. Andy Reid you have when healthy, a top tier QB who can make plays with his feet and arm, all you have had to do the past 2 weeks is play action rollout and look for a wide open tight end in the back of the end zone, yes it is that easy. And although the 9ers suck I hope they keep getting these low over/under lines, it's at 42.5 this week; Over.

Green Bay @ Seattle (-2)
That was an embarrassing display last week by the 'Hawks, maybe it was the 9 o'clock west coast start time (the NFL should fix that for west coast teams playing on the east coast) I thought they'd look different since Deion Branch and Bobby Engram were coming back but now it looks like Matt Hasselbeck could be hurt, if not for the Packers close losses the past 2 weeks they'd be favored, and I guess on a neutral site they are. DUH DUH DUH. DUH DUH DUH DUH GO PACK GO! The over/under is 46.5, I'm staying away from that line, if the 'Hawks offense shows up this week they'll surpass that though.

Dallas Cowboys (-5) @ Arizona Cardinals
The past 3 weeks I have disliked Jason Garret's offense, it has either been to run heavy or pass heavy, he's called to many short routes on passing play when we have excelled at a more vertical and downfield passing attack. And last week though it worked to some extent I've never seen an offensive coordinator call the same running plays so many times, the fake pass handoff to Barber is a good play, but it's not good enough to where I need to see it 15 times. And though it worked this week I'd like to never see a pitch on a short yardage situation, much less a 4th and 4, I don't care how fast Felix Jones is, it only takes 1 defender to stay keep containment and the play is dead. I want to see a more agressive offense that I'm used to seeing I don't want you to forcibly run the ball because people in the media are bitching about it or get it into our star WR's hands because everyone thinks he'll run a hissy fit I just want to see great offensive execution that everyone is used to seeing and not this conservative BS. I'm almost curious if Garrett doesn't want to give away any of our big plays that we may use come playoff time.
Defensively I still see us playing zone defense, not so much last week, Adam Jones was manned up on Chad Johnson last week and was our best defensive player and that was while our defense was getting little to no pressure. Why have we not shown any agressiveness towards getting after the oppositions QB, is it because then you have to force your CB's to go one on one with no safety help if you decide to play man? We are playing a QB this week who is immobile and fumble prone if you can get to him he gets a little rattled we need to get after Warner early and often. I want at least 4 sacks and a INT. This is a game I can easily see us losing. Arizona has scored 72 points in 2 home games but I'll stick with my team in this tough situation where they have looked less then impressive.

New England Patriots @ San Diego Chargers (-5.5)
These 2 teams are bitter and hate each other, the Chargers are painted in the media as cry babies and whiners while the Patriots are viewed as cheaters in the eyes of many and there coach is a jackass. None of these teams have much respect for each other and the fans of other teams don't care much for either of these teams. I think like in week 2 when Bellichick faced off against Eric Mangini and Favre he had something planned and I imagine he has something in store for the Chargers this week. The Chargers at times have looked attentive and lacked agression but will come ready to play today. Chargers at home, over/under is 44.5, take the over, especially if the Chargers are going to win

Monday Night
New York Giants (-8) @ Cleveland Browns
It's hard to believe that this game could be another great matchup for ESPN, but the Browns are desparate and in dire need of a win coming off there bye week. If they have any hope of getting into the playoffs they need this game to prove that they are still here, they will come out with a ton of fire it will be up to the Giants to extinguish that fire. I've been wrong about the Giants the entire season, wanting them to fail, I'm still not completely sold on Eli but for the 1st time this season I will concede that they are legit and a top 3 team in the league (arguably #1) I'll even pick them to win this week, they should win big but I've seen stranger things happen. Wouldn't even be completely shocked to see them lose (wishful thinking?) Over/under 43, Over.

And I'd like to start choosing the 3 games I'd be most likely to bet on and the best pick for the over/under

3 games: take the Saints at home vs. the Raiders, Panthers on the road vs. the bucs (hopefully they'll prove they're legit) and Philly on the road vs. the 49ers

Over/under of the week take the over in the Philadelphia/49ers game 42.5 should be high scoring

Until next week, where I'll probably be writing to myself.

Here's a link to the Rangers review who's to lazy to scroll down: http://dirtfromd.blogspot.com/2008/10/rangers-season-is-over.html