Week Six in Review: Trade Deadline, Pacman, and Much More..

While I am still in shock from last night's Phillies come from behind victory against the dodgers, putting them one game away from the world series, week 6 in the NFL had arguably just as much dramatic value. Five teams won time-expiring plays, and four teams with share of first place in their division lost their respective game, and two blocked punts were returned for touchdowns, one of those a game winner in overtime. Obviously, there is alot to talk about, but due to the rigors of the college academic schedule, here are my SIX thoughts on week six.

1. Derek Anderson, Braylon Edwards, and the rest of the Browns are back

It may have just been one one week, but Monday night's 35-14 beating of the formerly undefeated Giants could have been the spark that gets the Browns going. In a division that features the winless Bengals, the struggling Ravens, and the inconsistent Steelers, the Browns moved to 2-3 with the win, and right back into the thick of the divisional race. Most importantly, they got there swagger back, the swagger that got them to 10-6 last year, and the swagger that made them a force in the AFC playoff race last year. Derek Anderson is back to looking like a top-10 quarterback after three weeks of his job essentially being on the line with QB Brady Quinn waiting in the wings, and Braylon Edwards finally looks like the Wide Receiver who caught a team-record 16 TD's last year. Again, I'll say this now to cover my own backside, this could have been a fluke, but beating an undefeated team in the toughest division in football by 21 points has to stand for something. Right?

2. The Detroit Lions may actually go 0-16

With the Rams and the Texans both achieving their first wins of the season on last second plays, that leaves the Bengals and the Lions as the only winless teams in the NFL. The Bengals at least have a legitimate excuse, with their star QB Carson Palmer on the shelf for the past 2 1/2 games with an elbow injury. They are still bad, very bad, but at least they have the offensive weapons (Chad Javon Ocho-Cinco and T.J Whos-your-mama) to put points on the board to possibly steal a game or two from the mediocre teams (Baltimore comes to mind) in the NFL. The Lions, however, can't even win games that they play well in. Their defense forced Vikings stud RB Adrian Peterson to fumble the ball away twice in Detroit territory, and only gave up 10 points against a pretty decent offense. The problem is, the Lions offense only scored 9 points, and gave away 2 points on one of the biggest NFL bloopers of the past decade with Lions QB Dan Orlovsky accidentally running out of the back of the endzone for a safety. If it isn't bad enough in Motown, the Lions front-office is already thinking about the future, trading away arguably their top offensive weapon in WR Roy Williams today to the Cowboys (worst possible destination ever for Eagles fans) for three draft picks. Look on the bright side Lions fans, your team just put Jon Kitna on injured reserve within the past 2 hours. And you fans thought getting rid of Matt Millen was the end of your problems..

3. If the Pro-Bowl rosters were announced today, Eagles DE Juqua Parker (formerly Thomas) would be starting for the NFC.

I know what some of you non-philly fans are thinking. Who? No, I am not talking about Trent Cole, who is also have a good year of his own, I am talking about his counterpart on the other side of the defensive-line. Look at the stats. Parker is leading the Eagles with 4.5 sacks, has 2 forced fumbles, is fifth on the team with tackles, and has 1 HUGE interception for a TD that was the force behind the Eagles come from behind victory against the 49ers this week. Parker, who was an NFL journeyman for the first 7 years of his career as Juqua Thomas, must have a new identity that came along with a new last name, which he changed this year to honor his late-grandfather.

4. Every week that goes by, Reggie Bush is proving more and more people wrong.

Yes I said this a couple posts ago, Reggie Bush will never be a typical NFL running-back. He probably won't eclipse 1,000 yards rushing in a season, and most likely won't average over 4 yards a carry for his career. Those are the usual statistics that symbolize a typical good NFL running back. Bush, while I cannot see him reaching those statistics, is THE MOST DYNAMIC player in the NFL. Yes, I am saying he is more dynamic then LT, Brian Westbrook, Randy Moss, Devin Hester, DeSean Jackson, Maurice Jones-Drew, and the rest of the NFL population. As a running back, Bush is leading the Saints in rushing touchdowns, tied for the team-lead in receiving touchdowns, and is leading his team and the entire NFL in special team touchdowns with 2. Look at the past two games for proof. Bush has only 160 rushing and receiving yards combined in the past 2 games, average among NFL running backs, but his two punt returns for a TD in week 5 against Minnesota was the only reason New Orleans even had a chance to win the game (they ended up losing by 3 in OT), and his 2 TD's (1 rushing, 1 receiving) against the Oakland this week sparked the Saints to a 34-3 victory over the Raiders. Bush has 8 touchdowns in the first 6 games, which means he's on pace for 21 TD's this year. Stay tuned..

5. What team is to step up and take control AFC West?

It's a two team race here between the Chargers and the Broncos. One week, the San Diego Chargers play poorly and lose to the feisty Miami Dolphins. The next week, they dominate New England in a rematch from last year's AFC Championship by beating the Tom Brady-less Patriots 30-10. The exact opposite happened to the Denver Broncos, as they suffered a defeat to the Jaguars this week after beating a tough Tampa Bay team 16-13 in week 5. Yet, the Broncos are up a game on the Chargers at the present time, and already lead the season series 1-0. However, I have this gut feeling that by week 17 the chargers will be crowned champs of that division for the 3rd year in a row.

6. Pacman

9 Crimes, and one year long suspension later, and he still can't stay out of trouble. Pacman was out one night at a hotel party last weekend, like basically all athletes do at some point of their professional career. Except Pacman is a little different. Instead of getting drunk, and getting a ride home or staying at his hotel, Pacman starts an altercation with his bodyguard that was provided by the guy who gives him the money to make it rain, Jerry Jones.  I wonder if Pacman knows that the bodyguard is there to protect him from getting in trouble, not to actually get him in trouble. Point blank, this guy is an idiot, no way around it. He's got a GRACIOUS indefinite suspension, because if most people had it their way, this guy would not only be out of the NFL, but would also be in the Dallas Correctional Facility (better known as jail).

Before I end this post, I have a couple non-football thoughts to share.

1. B.J Upton is a flat-out beast, and he's baseball's first true 5-tool player since a guy name Bonds

2. MATT STAIRS!

3. Thank you Shane Victorino for saving the Phillies season

4.  Same thanks  to Phillies GM Pat Gillick, who refused to trade Victorino to the Rockies as a key part in a deal that would have brought Matt Holiday and Brian Fuentes to the Phillies. Holiday is a stud, but Victorino is the 2nd half MVP for the Phils, and is responsible for 2 of the most memorable moments in Phillies History.

5. Manny is flat-out the best right-handed hitter not on steroids of my generation (20 years).He might be a bum, he might be nuts, and he may have even given up on the Red Sox. With all that said, he is a better pure hitter than Frank Thomas, Cal Ripken Jr, A-Rod, and Pujols. 

That's all for tonight. 

Go Phils.