Top Three Shocking Things About NFL Week 8



1. The Parcells Smooch-Fest - Someone must have dropped a few pills in the Fat Man's drinking water because by game's surprising end, a victory over the Carolina Panthers on the road, Cowboys coach Bill Parcells was kissing everyone in sight. And when he was done kissing half of his own team, he sought out Keyshawn Johnson and gave him a big sloppy one too. Even John Madden was struck "almost" speechless. But give it up for the SNF crew who stitched together a quick montage of the Joey Porter to Bill Cowher kiss along with Parcells' kiss to his own player and looped it a few times. Slow night with Carolina's disappointing self-destruction which they now have two weeks to consider. I just hope this fat auld white coaches kissing young black athletes is not a new trend. Bill Parcells kissing anybody is just not an image I want to have to carry around in my head.

2. Steelers Lose To Raiders


Not kissing anybody this week but anger management class can't be far behind

Maybe we should have suspected something when this wasn't a double-digit line before the game. Consecutive wins for the Raiders for the first time since October 2005. And the World Champs who are now darkhorses to even make the playoffs? Four turnovers, four personal fouls and allowing five sacks.

But not so fast - it's not like these Raiders discovered an offence. The Raiders managed just 98 yards, giving up six sacks and failing to score an offensive touchdown.

"The offense played terrible," said quarterback Andrew Walter, displaying a remarkable penchant for the little-used Art of Self-Trash Talking. Walter was 5-for-14 for 51 yards in his crusade to make Roethisberger look good by comparison. Roethlisberger, recovering from another concussion, the last one not self-inflicted, three four interceptions, two of them on the first three series of downs for the Steelers and the other two when the Steelers were driving for scores to try and bring sanity back to the game. "Personally, it was ridiculous. We can enjoy the win I guess, but personally it was pretty pathetic the way we played on offense." Walter continued on, into the deep night.

And they still beat the defending World Champs.

3. Bears' Pumpkin Jerseys



You know the undefeated Bears are relaxed when they dare approach the field in the pumpkin-coloured jerseys in celebration of Halloween. Of course, they were only facing the 49ers so there wasn't much to take seriously but take a guess, with the Dolphins up next and the Bears still undefeated how many references there will be to the 1985 season when the Dolphins were the only smudge on an otherwise perfect season.

*****Other Random Thoughts*****

Yes, we know the Indianapolis Colts are still undefeated as well given a somewhat surprising offensive display against the previously respected Broncos defence. More telling was that the Broncos enfeebled offence managed to score 31 points on the Colts.

We know the Bears haven't faced anyone of consequence during this undefeated spell, unless beating the Vikings on the road or Seattle at home counts. November 12th through December 17th they will play in order, at NY Giants, v NY Jets, at New England, v Minnesota, at St Louis and v Tampa Bay. At least one if not two or three of those will end up being losses. It's a vicious schedule in part, to make up for the powderpuff opponents in their own division.

The Colts, on the other hand, have beaten the Giants, Jets and now Broncos on the road. They've still got New England and Dallas on the road but otherwise, they've got a better chance, considering the remaining schedule of doing the unwise and unthinkable, running the table. Of course, having nearly done so last season and having floundered miserably in the postseason, it means absolutely nothing. Wonder if they'll remember that this season.



The Jets was robbed this week. The ridiculous ruling that Chris Baker's brilliant one-hand grab was going to end up out of bounds in the endzone regardless of the fact that he was forcefully shoved out of bounds will stick in the craw all week because clearly, after a brilliant comeback, this was the Jets' game to win. If only the zebras had agreed.

Goonight to the Iggles? My preseason pick for the Super Bowl are fading fast with only the hope that a week off to reconsider will stimulate them back into a hunt.