The AFC spent most of Sunday sending a powerful statement to the NFC.
By about 5:45 p.m. EST, and well into the day's second offering of games, the AFC had taken all the toss-up tilts between the rival leagues, and turned them into their own.
The Bengals had demolished the Bears, 45-10. Houston had knocked back a suddenly reeling 49ers club. Pittsburgh had played with fire, and then set ablaze Minnesota's undefeated season. Why Buffalo had even out-mediocre-d the Panthers in Carolina.
And now with its undefeated Saints being battered by middling Miami, 24-3, late in the first half, the NFC was preparing a message of surrender. But just before the white flag went up, Drew Brees' Saints put their league on their backs and picked themselves up off the Miami sod with a resounding leap.
As it turned out, Brees' gutsy TD on fourth down, and with only five seconds left in the half, ignited a 43-10 explosion that rocked Land Shark Stadium and sent the shell-shocked Dolphins players back-peddling to the safety of their locker room to ponder what in the world had just hit them.
New Orleans seemed to score from everywhere and anywhere; on offense or defense; through the air or on the ground...and Miami had no answer.
So, by the end of the day, and on behalf of the teetering NFC, the 6-0 Saints delivered the day's final rejoinder: Not so fast, baby!
Now onto a sampling of what the nation's sportswriters and columnists are saying about their football teams across every NFL city, because in the Grill Room we love the newspaper business, even if it hates itself.
(1) New Orleans 46
(16) Miami 34
- Brees leap of faith starts undefeated Saints on comeback trail.
- Miami punches out early.
(12) Chicago 10
- Brand-new Benson batters Bears then dashes talk of revenge.
- Shhhh...be careful or you might wake up hibernating Bears.
(27) Cleveland 3
- Pack feast on the weak and get fat and happy.
- Maybe the Browns trailed throughout, but at least they can catch a cold.
(13) San Francisco 21
- Kubiak passes on run to put away 49ers.
- Singletary got it half right when he went to QB Smith.
(25) Kansas City 7
- Chargers get healthy on sickly Chiefs.
- Haley's a good person, except he is a horrifically rotten coach.
(3) Minnesota 17
- Steelers' defense answered the bell...
- ...and my, wasn't that Vikings' offense the generous guest.
(32) St. Louis 6
- With Sanders, Colts' defense is finger-licking good.
- Colts abruptly pull ladder out from underneath rising Rams.
(28) Tampa Bay 7
- Patriots duck in a rout around their site-seeing trip to London.
- It's time for pathetic Bucs to take 5.
(22) Carolina 9
- Inept Panthers make local boy feel at home...
- ...and close the door on their season.
(26) Oakland 0
- Hot dog! Jets break three-game losing streak!
- Raiders stepping up, and out of another season.
(5) Atlanta 21
- Cowboys are Miles better without Owens.
- Falcons can't fly when they can't run.
(6) N.Y. Giants 17
- Cards' defense rises up and makes Giant strides.
- Giants better head back to drawing board to avoid another collapse.
(Associated Press photo)
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