On The Couch: Week 3

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Manning had those deep ins to Burress all day last year in Seattle and went to the well again into triple coverage and got picked. See it, Eli, before you throw it.

A fade is not a good call on fourth and two, Minnesota.

A huge drop by Williamson really did in the Vikings. It would have set them up for an easy tying field goal.

Lee Evans stepped up big in garbage time.

Rex Grossman really passed maybe his first big test as a QB with that TD drive near the end after the critical mistake. Win or lose, and let's see how the Vikings and Brad Johnson respond.

I swear I was thinking last week that the pop-op onsides kick is over and teams should kick it really slow and dare the defense to touch it with everyone ready to blast him. Your goal should be to kick the ball 10 yards and one inch. The Bills just did that, basically.

Obviously, Houshmandzadeh is back. Kevan Barlow limped off, but Cedric Houston came in, not Leon Washington, for the TD.

All the teams that ran the ball down the opponents throat are going to lose: Steelers, Jaguars, Bills. I love when this happens. Teams that pass the ball down the opponents throat never lose the game they're doing it unless the opponent is doing it, too.

Dierdorf says that the Colts miss Edgerrin James because "he was such a powerful goal-line runner." Of course, James was always among the worst in the NFL at converting short-yardage and goal-line carries.

Manning is mad at the crowd, which is booing after a second non-call on pass interfernence on Marvin Harrison in or near the end zone.

These games turn around so fast in the NFL. Within one minute, real time: muffed punt leads to short Carson Palmer TD, McGahee can't get it in from in close again and the Bills try a stupid option play with the QB, who gets sacked on third down, Antoine Winfield retuns a pick for a TD in a game where the Vikings can't muster any consistent offense, turning a 9-6 deficit to a 13-9 lead.

Levi Jones limping off for the Bengals is really bad news for Carson Palmer and the Bengals, who now have a rookie at LT.

I stand corrected. Losman looks Evans' way on interceptions.

Roethlisberger does not look good at all, which should not surprise given his summer.

Clinton Portis doesn't have to worry about T.J. Duckett taking away goal-line carries if Duckett is inactive every week, which he's been twice because he doesn't play special teams. Of course, this makes you wonder why the Redskins traded for Duckett in the first place.

Simms just said the Steelers had four or five runs in their playbook this week so they could practice those plays and not have to think about them. This is such a huge point and something I noted last week when Jim Fassel said the Ravens liked a play so much they ran it two and maybe three times. These coaches are too hard-working for their own good. They thicken the playbook but don't understand how thinking during athletic is very often counterproductive. It has to be second nature.

Brunell now 21-for-21, which helps your QB rating.

The holding call in the back out of the backfield on third and 20 (Jonathan Vilma) really bugs me.

Well, Willie Parker is clearly the short-yardage back in Pittsburgh after the fourth-and-1 score.

Jets S Kerry Rhodes has caused three fumbles on sacks now in the last three-plus quarters of football. The last one resulted in a TD. He's going to Hawaii because that's just one of the many things he does very well.

Wind is really a factor in Pittsburgh, as it was last week in Denver. It's very odd for weather to play a role in September. Chris Henry just got blasted by Ryan Clark on a ball that shouldn't have been thrown by Palmer.

That was a bad time for the Jaguars to go three and out.

I'd go get the Jets Leon Washington if I was in a really deep league. I always like those Florida State guys because they only recruit the best. The key is Washington being on the field on third down and getting 10 carries as a change-of-pace back. I think that's the Jets near-term plan.

Dallas Clark could have called a fair catch on the TD reception.

Dierdorf just talked about the Colts rushing yards (10 at halftime) as being the key to this game. "I'm not sure the Colts can just throw the ball on every play." Beats running for one yard! The Colts have to soften teams up with the passing game, spread the field, bu they're short at receiver now with Stokley out. The Colts just scored on an 80-yard drive where they had two rushing yards as I'm writing.

Also officially be very worried about Ronnie Brown and Lee Evans (who Losman isn't even looking to).

Officially (at least at this moment): The Dolphins stink, the Jets are feisty, the Texans are the worst team in football, Mark Brunell is safe as starting QB, the Steelers championship defense is in trouble.l

Sharper just dropped an easy TD on a pick that should-have-been by Grossman, who doesn't look sharpe in the glimpses I'm catching.

Okay, that third-down catch and run out of crosstown traffic was so amazing by Jones-Drew that even I almost want to say it was Sanders-esque.

Maurice Jones-Drew. I feel like saying I told you so. But don't get too excited with the Barry Sanders comparisons. No one is Barry Sanders.

Carson Palmer says he still feels rusty and "very unathletic," according to Simms. He says he's not able to get his feet right when throwing.

Roethlisberger made a really bad decision in the end zone, throwing a pick that took sure points off the board in a game Pittsburgh is dominating. Houshmandzadeh just got hurt again, limping off the field.

The Jaguars are disrupting the timing of the Colts passing game. You can tell if an offensive is in synch and if the playcalling is good by how many times the QB throws to his first read. If he's looking off repeatedly, you have problems. No first-read passes yet for Manning today.

I like the way the the Vikings are attacking the Bears with their passing game. Williamson is impressive, even though he just fumbled (pending review). Supposedly wasn't conclusive. Whatever.

The Colts have scored first in 27 of the last 33 games, including today.

This game is going just the way the Jaguars drew it up. Peyton is chopping his steps after he settles into the pocket, always an indicator that he's too hyper and not sharp. He'll have to settle down.

The interception on the opening drive is bad news for Chris Simms, with Jon Gruden chomping at the bit, seemingly, to scapegoat him for the team's offensive ills.

J.P. Losman just showed how you beat the blitz with the quick hitter to Roscoe Parrish that went the distance versus the Jets.

I think Fred Taylor is going to have a big game today.

Oh, have Bengals-Steelers recording on the other tuner. But this is a week you need that great NFL Shortcuts package.

Keeping my notes here again because I type far faster than I write and I can't really read my own writing. However, I may fade again by 4 p.m. Ferris may take over then, if he's back from the sports bar.

On the big screen, Jaguars vs. Colts. The antenna televisions have Bears-Vikings and Jets-Bills (my local game, plus I always watch the Jets).

This is a really good slate of games, though a little top heavy.