Week 9 Picks

Houston (+5) @ Minnesota
Jacksonville (-8) @ Cincinnati
Tampa Bay (-9) @ Kansas City
Baltimore (+2) @ Cleveland
New York Jets @ Buffalo (-5.5)
Arizona @ St. Louis (+3)
Detroit (+13.) @ Chicago
Green Bay @ Tennessee (-4.5)
Miami @ Denver (-3.5)
Atlanta (-3) @ Oakland
Dallas @ New York Giants (-9)
Philadelphia (-7) @ Seattle
New England @ Indianapolis (-6.5)
Pittsburgh (+2) @ Washington

Let's Make It Official

I have been contemplating switching my allegiances as an NFL fan, and I have made my final decision. I did not watch a single play of the Bengals game this weekend, and not only did I not miss it, I enjoyed watching real NFL football played by real NFL players. Monday night was extra enjoyable to me as I watched a team that I am now officially adopting as my new NFL team, that's right......ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Tennessee Titans!

Call me a front runner or bandwagon jumper all you want, just don't call me stupid. I am done with an organization that has no interest in winning. The Titans have a well respected head coach who finds players that fit his style of play (i.e. tough defense, ball control offense). They have an amazing defense to watch with tons of play makers (Haynesworth, Vanden Bosh, Bullock, Finnegan). They also have an electric rookie running back in Chris Johnson. I am not a big fan of Lendale White or Vince Young, but I am willing to overlook them. An added bonus that Tennessee gives me is that they are within a 4-5 hour drive of Cincinnati. This would allow me to make a road trip to catch a game or two each season if I want to. In order to make this move official, I will need to cut ties completely with the Bengals. I might still check in here and there to see if any improvements are made, and I am going to allow myself room to come back as a fan if the front office structure ever changes. Until, then, you can find me cheering on the 2008 AFC South leading Tennessee Titans.

Week 8 Picks

Posting my picks early because I am going camping tomorrow.

Oakland (+8) @ Baltimore
San Diego (-3) @ New Orleans (in London)
Kansas City @ New York Jets (-13)
Buffalo (-2) @ Miami
Atlanta (+9) @ Philadelphia
St. Louis @ New England (-7)
Arizona @ Carolina (-4)
Washington (-8) @ Detroit
Tampa Bay @ Dallas (NO LINE)
Cleveland @ Jacksonville (-7)
Cincinnati @ Houston (-10)
New York Giants @ Pittsburgh (-3)
Seattle @ San Francisco (-5)
Indianapolis @ Tennessee (-4)

LAST WEEK (Overall): 8-6
LAST WEEK (ATS): 7-7
SEASON (Overall): 59-43
SEASON (ATS): 51-49-2

Favre Strikes Again

I am sure everyone has heard about this story (even though ESPN refuses to report on it). Brett Favre allegedly contacted Matt Millen prior to the Lions/Packers game to spill the beans on the Packers offense. I wish I could say I was surprised. Favre is a prima donna who was probably trying to get back at Green Bay for the way he was treated prior to his trade. Favre is an overrated clown, and I would just assume not hear about how great he is ever again.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/10/21/espn-explains-decision-not-to-report-favre-story/

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8700404/Favre-denies-info-leak;-ex-teammate-takes-jab

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/10/22/glazer-goes-on-the-warpath/
http://fromthetee.blogspot.com/2008/09/week-2-picks.html

Gas On The Fire

The Bengals are 0-7 and people are again demanding change out of Mike Brown. They will not get it, at least not the type of change they would like which would result in Brown bringing in a general manager. I don't think it is too much to ask for Brown to increase the scouting department in order to put the best possible product on the field. Brown has argued that his system does work, and I decided to see how good it has been. I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment;

1998 Draft

Round 2: Artrell Hawkins (43 overall)

• (44) Patrick Surtain, (45) Brian Kelly, (46) Samari Rolle. Everyone remembers the Artrell Hawkins era in Cincinnati, and it is amazing that we spent a second round pick on him. What is more amazing is the fact that these three corners went immediately after him. How on earth could you miss this badly on a selection? My guess is that Brown was able to scout Hawkins since he played at UC, so he went with the guy close to home. The other three corners have been to 4 Pro Bowls combined.

1999 Draft

Round 1: Akili Smith (3 Overall)

• Edgerrin James (4), Torry Holt (6), Champ Bailey (7), Chris McAlister (10), (15) Booger McFarland, (16) Jevon Kearse, (17) Damien Woody. We also passed on the Saints offer which would have given us their entire stockpile of picks so they could get Ricky Williams.
  

Round 2: Charles Fisher (33 Overall)

• (36) Mike Peterson, (37) Jon Jansen, (38) Mike Rucker, (41) Dre Bly, (46) Kevin Faulk.
  

Round 3: Cory Hall (65 Overall)

• (73) Joey Porter, (78) Marty Booker, (85) Dat Ngueyen, (87) Mike McKenzie.

Round 4: Craig Yeast (98 Overall)

• (100) Hannibal Navies, (105) Brandon Stokley, (106) Warrick Holdman, (109) Aaron Smith, (111) Roosevelt Colvin, (113) Dexter Jackson.

2000 Draft

Round 1: Peter Warrick (4 Overall)

• (5) Jamal Lewis, (6) Corey Simon, (7) Thomas Jones, (8) Plaxico Burress, (9) Brian Urlacher, (12) Shaun Ellis, (13) Donnie Abraham, (16) Julian Peterson.

Round 3: Ron Dugans (66 Overall)

• (67) Mark Simoneau, (78) Lavarneus Coles, (80) Darrell Jackson

Round 6: Neil Rackers (169 Overall)

• (177) Dhani Jones, (186) Adelius Thomas, (189) Mike Anderson

2001 Draft

Round 1: Justin Smith (4)

• (5) Ladainian Tomlinson, (6) Richard Seymour, (13) Marcus Stroud, (17) Steve Hutchinson, (18) Jeff Backus, (19) Casey Hampton, (21) Nate Clements

Round 3: Sean Brewer (66)

• (74) Steve Smith, (80) Kevan Barlow

2002 Draft

Round 2: Lamont Thompson (41)

• (51) Clinton Portis, (52) Anthony Weaver, (54) Maurice Morris, (56) Ladell Betts, (59) Sheldon Brown, (62) Antwan Randle-El, (65) Deion Branch.

Round 3: Matt Schobel (67)

• (73) Will Witherspoon, (89) Akin Ayodele, (91) Brian Westbrook

Round 4: Travis Dorsch (109)

• (110) Aaron Echols, (126) Jarvis Green, (128) Larry Foote, (135) Najeh Davenport

2003 Draft

Round 3: Kelley Washington (65)

• (68) Lance Briggs, (69) Jason Witten, (71) Nate Burleson

2004 Draft

Round 1: Chris Perry

• Vince Wilfork, Steven Jackson, Chris Gamble

Round 2: Kiewan Ratliffe (49), Madieu Williams (56)

• (57) Antwan Odom

Round 3: Caleb Miller (80)

• (81) Chris Cooley, (84) Shawn Locklear

Round 3: Landon Johnson (96)

• (98) Shaun Phillips, (108) Jericho Cotchery, (110) Nathan Vasher

Round 4: Matthias Askew (114), Robert Geathers (117)

• (119) Mewelde Moore, (126) Jared Allen

Round 5: Maurice Mann (149)

• (154) Michael Turner

2005 Draft

Round 4: Eric Ghiaciuc (119)

• (123) Kerry Rhodes, (130) Darren Sproles, (132) Chris Canty

2006 Draft

Round 2: Andrew Whitworth (55)

• (57) Devin Hester, (60) Maurice Jones-Drew

Round 7: Ethan Kilmer (209)

• (215) Cortland Finnegan

Anways, you get the idea. The Bengals have failed to develop quality depth because they are unable to find talent in the middle rounds of the draft. Sure, we can't expect them to get it right all the time, but missing out this often on this many players is a shame.

Week 7 Picks

Sunday, October 19

Tennessee (-8.5) @ Kansas City
The Titans are 5-0 and coming off a bye, meaning Chris Johnson and Lendale White should be plenty rested to take on the lowly Chiefs run defense. I have no idea how the Chiefs plan on scoring any points in this game given that Larry Johnson will be serving a one game suspension, and Tony Gonzalez is pissed at general manager Carl Peterson for not trading him prior to this week's deadline. Johnson's suspension is a suspicious one since the Chiefs did not disclose what the exact reason for it was. They used the "conduct detrimental to the team" card, but one has to wonder if it is at all related to the latest allegation of assault facing Johnson. A 26 year old woman has accused Johnson of pushing her in the face at a nightclub. This is Johnson's third separate run-in with assaulting a female, proving to everyone what a model citizen he is. Needless to say, with Johnson out, the Chiefs have only one real weapon to take on the league's best defense, and that one weapon is extremely pissed off at his own team. Gonzalez claims Peterson told him that he would be traded before the deadline, but deals fell through, and Gonzalez is pointing the blame directly at Peterson. Apparently there was a deal in place with Green Bay which would have sent Gonzalez to the Packers for a third round pick. Peterson allegedly changed his mind at the last second and asked for a second round pick which was rejected. I would love to watch Herm Edwards trying to put a smile on these latest events. TITANS 27-3.

San Diego (PK) @ Buffalo
Conventional wisdom says to take the Bills in this one. The Chargers are traveling cross country to play an early Sunday game after winning an emotional game against the Patriots last Sunday night. The Bills are coming off a bye, and they will be looking to erase the sour taste left in their mouths following the beat down they suffered at the hands of the Cardinals two weeks ago. I am not yet sold on either of these teams, but I will put a little more faith in the Chargers. Marshawn Lynch is a guy who seems to be a very good every down back, but he does not have the same dynamic as someone like Ladainian Tomlinson. Trent Edwards should be back this week, and he seems like a solid quarterback, but he does not have the same big-play passing ability as Philip Rivers. Of course I don't trust Norv Turner or Dick Jauron, so that is a wash. The Bills defense is slightly better than the Chargers who have had problems stopping anyone this season. In other words, I am trying to break this game down by position because I have no idea how this one will play out. Anything could happen, and that is probably why this game is a pick'em. I will keep placing my confidence in the Chargers, misguided as it might be. CHARGERS 24-21.

Pittsburgh (-10) @ Cincinnati
I have been wrong in picking almost every Bengals game this season, but there is no way I am taking them this week with Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback. Fitzpatrick scrambles around like a chicken with its head cut off, and he does not look like he has a clue when it comes to reading the defense. The Steelers have dominated the Bengals in Cincinnati in recent years, and I expect that dominance to continue this week. The Steelers are coming off a bye which came at the right time, giving their battered players a chance to heal up. Willie Parker re-injured himself in practice this week, and he may not be able to go Sunday, but Mewelde Moore should be able to fill in admirably against a Bengals defense that has not been able to stop the run this season. I don't think there is anyway the Bengals are able to put up enough points to win this week against a tough Steelers defense. STEELERS 27-14.

Baltimore @ Miami (-3)
The Ravens laid a total egg last week against the Colts, and it looks like the early season shine has worn off of Joe Flacco and John Harbaugh. Baltimore's defense is still tough, but they could have some problems defending against Miami's Wildcat offense. The Dolphins have showed a new wrinkle to that offense each week, and I am sure they will have something new devised to take on this defense. The Ravens offense is centered around their running game, but they could have a tough time gaining traction this week against a Miami defense that has been stout against the run. This means there will be added pressure on Flacco who has struggled recently, especially on the road. This should be a low scoring affair, but I think the Dolphins will have enough to take it at home. DOLPHINS 17-10.

Dallas (-7) @ St. Louis
I am officially off of the Cowboys bandwagon for the time being. Dallas cannot protect the passer on offense, and their defense has not been able to stop many teams. This would be a perfect spot to take the Rams. Dallas will likely have Brad Johnson at quarterback, and they have been surrounded by the distractions of Adam Jones and Terrell Owens. The trade for Roy Williams this week will go one of two ways. It will either cause Owens to completely lose it due to a lack of attention, or it could spark this offense, and Owens, by opening up the opposing coverages, giving Owens more room to roam. This could also pay off big for Jason Witten who should find more space over the middle. Tony Romo might actually be able to play after practicing Thursday and Friday despite a broken pinkie on his throwing hand. The Rams are coming off of their first win of the season, and they will be looking to put together what is known as a winning streak. I think the Cowboys will rally together for at least this week and pull off a big win in St. Louis. COWBOYS 34-17.

Minnesota @ Chicago (-3)
The Bears had trouble stopping Adrian Peterson last season, and you can be sure they will have their entire focus on shutting him down. This will put the game in the hands of Gus Frerotte who will have to make big plays at Soldier Field. Brad Childress has to be thankful that the game is on the road considering that the Minnesota faithful erupted into chants of "fire Childress" during last week's nail biter against the Lions. Childress is another one of those coaches who exudes zero confidence while roaming the sidelines. As long as the Bears are able to contain Peterson, I think they could win this game somewhat handily. Kyle Orton, yes that Kyle Orton, could have a nice day against a Minnesota defense that is susceptible to big plays in the passing game. Bernard Berrian will be making his return to Chicago, and he has actually come on in recent weeks to give Frerotte a legitimate target to throw to. I am going with the home team in this one, especially after Minnesota's performance against Detroit last week. BEARS 20-14.

New Orleans @ Carolina (-3)
The NFC South is wide open as every team seems to play much better at home. The Panthers looked awful last week in Tampa Bay, as Jake Delhomme played like a rookie against Monte Kiffin's defense. Fortunately for Delhomme the Saints defense is nowhere near as good as the Bucs, and he should have a big day throwing to Steve Smith. Drew Brees is the consensus front runner for MVP, and he has a legitimate shot at breaking Dan Marino's single season record for passing yards. He will have his favorite target back this week, as Marques Colston is set to make his return after missing the last several games with an injury. Reggie Bush is banged up, but it looks like he should be able to go on Sunday. Bush will have little room to run facing the tough Carolina defense. This game could be a high scoring affair, and I will stick with the Panthers who will be playing with an edge after last week's embarrassing loss. PANTHERS 35-27.

San Francisco @ New York Giants (-10.5)
Speaking of embarrassing losses, the Giants looked awful last week in Cleveland. Eli Manning made the kind of mistakes he had eliminated over the past 10 games dating back to last season, including a costly pick six as the Giants were driving in the Browns red zone, trying to make it a one score game. Tom Coughlin is the type of coach that gets his teams to focus, and this means that the 49ers will be heading to New York at the wrong time. The Giants will want to erase last week's loss from their memory as quickly as possible, and I expect them to come out of the gates quickly and never look back. San Francisco will need to feed the ball to Frank Gore early and often in order to control the clock if they want any chance of keeping this one close. Look for Brandon Jacobs to have a big day on the ground, and Plaxico Burress to make a few big plays in the passing game. GIANTS 38-20.

Detroit @ Houston (-9)
The Dan Orlovsky Era is underway in Detroit, and I could not be more excited to see it. Until he proves me wrong, Orlovsky is the type of quarterback that makes selecting his games easy. Basically the rule is pick against Orlovsky. Last week's game in Minnesota provided fans with all of the evidence they need, as Orlovsky ran out of his own end zone for no apparent reason. He ran on the white endline for 10 feet or so before anyone really realized what the hell was going on. The two points Minnesota got for the safety wound up being the exact difference in the game. Moves like these show that he might not be ready for the big stage just yet. The Lions also traded Roy Williams to the Cowboys, and it was a move that shows that Detroit's new brass might actually have an idea what they are doing. They received a 1st, 3rd, and 6th round pick for Williams, which seems like way too much for a guy who has never really proven himself to be a consistent number one receiver. The Texans pulled off their first win of the season last week in dramatic fashion. Matt Schaub ran in a quarterback draw on fourth down with only a few seconds left to give the Texans the win over Miami. Houston has some play makers on offense with Andre Johnson and Steve Slaton, and they have a dominant defensive end in Mario Williams. Williams should be able to harass Orlovsky all day, and Houston's offense should encounter little resistance in putting up points. TEXANS 30-16.

New York Jets (-3) @ Oakland
The Jets look like they might be legitimate contenders in the wide open AFC East, and they face another tough test in Oakland, a week after beating the Bengals at home. Actually, the schedule for all of the AFC East teams is laughable, as they have the benefit of playing the AFC and NFC West which are the two weakest divisions in the NFL. Brett Favre should be able to have another nice day, and the Jets defense will have little to worry about against the inept Raiders offense. Oakland has talked about implementing their own "Wildcat" offense which would allow them to use Darren McFadden and Justin Fargas in the same way that Miami uses Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. McFadden's toe injury has delayed this process, but he is supposedly getting healthier every week. McFadden has been a disappointment to fantasy owners, especially ones who took him early in their drafts (banging my head on the desk). Even if he is healthy, McFadden will still have a tough time running for a team as bad as Oakland. It also never helps when your team falls behind big on a regular basis, limiting the number of carries you get for the duration of the game. JETS 34-17.

Cleveland (+7.5) @ Washington
Was last week's win a mirage, or was it a sign of things to come? That is the question all Browns fans are asking themselves, and they could have their answer this week as Cleveland heads to the Nation's capitol to face the Redskins. The Browns looked reborn in last week's win over the Giants, and their offense finally displayed the execution fans were expecting to see from the get go. With the Giants losing to Cleveland, the Cowboys losing to Arizona, Washington losing to St. Louis, and Philly struggling to beat San Francisco, it is time to wonder if the NFC East is as good as everyone thought they were a few weeks ago. (Slapping the desk, doing my best Dennis Green impression, "THE NFC EAST IS WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE!") The Redskins are good, but they are not the type of team that is going to blow anyone out. They rely heavily on Clinton Portis, with their passing game playing a complimentary role. Seven and a half seems like too many points to give up in this spot, and I think Cleveland might just go in there and pull off the upset. BROWNS 24-23.

Indianapolis (-2) @ Green Bay
I was wrong. There, I said it. The Colts looked healthy and explosive during last week's blowout win over the Ravens, and my Indianapolis eulogy now seems a bit premature. Granted this team has two wins it should have never gotten, but like all good teams do, the Colts have taken advantage of it and now seem ready to take off on a hot streak. Marvin Harrison played like the Marvin of old, and I wonder if the pending lawsuit regarding the Philadelphia shooting had anything to do with that. Harrison's quiet demeanor could just be a facade to someone who carries around Belgian pistols. Could his Philadelphia car wash be a front to other business?? This is all speculation, but Harrison may very well be a modern day Don Corleone. Needless to say, I think people would be wise not to piss him off anytime soon. The Packers have been somewhat of a disappointment this season, and their defense has not lived up to the expectations many had for them prior to the season. Fortunately, the NFC North is an open race, and Green Bay should be able to stay in it till the end. I just don't see them gaining any ground this week. COLTS 23-16.

Seattle @ Tampa Bay (-11)
NBC just has to love this Sunday night match up, and people are wondering why John Madden does not feel like making the cross country trip to cover this game. Seneca Wallace will be on display as the Seahawks quarterback, and he will have his hands full going against the always tough Tampa 2 defense. The Buccaneers continue to win without any legitimate play makers on offense, but they could be aided by the return of Joey Galloway who is a game time decision after missing the last few games with an injury. Tampa Bay's offense is nothing to write home about, but I don't see any way Seattle puts up enough points to make this competitive. This should be a blowout, and I would not be surprised if Tampa's defense gets in on the scoring with a return or two. BUCCANEERS 31-10.

Monday, October 20

Denver @ New England (-3)
Welcome to the rest of the NFL, Patriots fans. They are now experiencing what it is like to have a mediocre quarterback at the helm. With Brady, the Pats could afford some mistakes in other parts of their game and still feel confident about winning easily. With Matt Cassel, New England can no longer afford those mistakes, and it shows how close most teams are in the NFL on a weekly basis. Little mistakes here and there are often the difference between winning and losing, and when you are getting inefficient play from your QB, those mistakes usually cost you the game. Still, I think Bill Belichick finds a way to rally his troops and win a big Monday night game. One match up that could pose problems for the Patriots is Brandon Marshall against the New England secondary. New England's corners are all short, and they will have trouble with the big, physical Marshall. The Patriots will need to roll coverage his way all night and force someone else on Denver to beat them. This will put pressure on Jay Cutler to find his other receivers, as he has shown a tendency to lock on to Marshall, especially on third down. Marshall should still have a nice outing, but he will be outdone by Randy Moss who excels on Monday night and is going against a Denver secondary that has had its own problems in stopping teams this season. PATRIOTS 27-20.

LAST WEEK (Overall): 8-6
LAST WEEK (ATS): 7-7
SEASON (Overall): 51-37
SEASON (ATS): 44-42-2

What's The Deal??

The Bengals are terrible, but couldn't they at least look halfway decent doing it. They switched uniforms a few years ago, and I was in favor of it at the time. Now, I am convinced that they have the ugliest uniforms in the league, especially when they wear those God-awful orange jerseys. What's worse is that several other teams have changed their look recently, and I have failed to see what for. Here is a look at some of the old and new looks:

Cincinnati Bengals (THEN)


VS. (NOW)


I think the old uniforms got a bad rap because of how bad the team was during the 90's. Looking back on them, they were simple and crisp. The new uniforms have way too much going on. For example, what the hell is up with the white stripe running down the side of the black and orange jerseys? Way too many stripes, and way too much orange, in my opinion. Orange is a hard color to work with, and it is best used as a secondary color in uniform combinations. I think the Bengals helmets are unique, and I would not change them, but with the helmets being so busy, the rest of the uniform needs to just compliment the helmets, much the way they old unis did.

Arizona Cardinals (THEN)


VS. (NOW)


OK, so there is not a lot of difference here, but the red is a slightly darker shade, and what is up with the stripes down the sides of the jerseys? The old uniforms had a really sharp Cardinal red color that went really well with the white pants (or vice versa). Now the white jerseys have the red on the shoulder pads and down the side. This is a classic example of a team trying to do too much. Simple is almost always better. They had a nice look before, there was no reason to change it.

Buffalo Bills (THEN)


VS. (NOW)


This change might make the least sense of all. The Bills used to have one of the best, most classic color schemes around, red, white, and blue. Again, they were simple, and they looked sharp. For whatever reason, the Bills decided to change their shade of blue to a darker blue, and they joined the crowd by adding stripes down the sides of their jerseys and solid color to the shoulder pads of their white jerseys. Their monochrome look, as seen above, is terrible, and the new blue does not even match the blue of the bison on their helmet. I will give them some credit, the throwbacks they wear twice a season are sharp, too bad they can't wear them all the time.

Minnesota Vikings (THEN)


VS. (NOW)


Again, I just ask why? The Vikings darkened their shade of purple and added stripes and lines all over the place. They used to have that royal purple with a little yellow mixed in. Now, they have a dark purple with some yellow and some white stripes here and there. Whatever happened to the solid color jersey? You know, the type of jersey that is one solid color with maybe some stripes on the sleeves, and maybe the numbers on the shoulder pads. These new uniforms just have way too much going on in them for my liking.

Atlanta Falcons (THEN)


VS. (NOW)


The first bad move the Falcons made was changing their logo. They had a classic looking Falcon that did not need to be changed. Instead of leaving a classic logo alone, they decided to add some red to it, and make it more streamlined in an apparent attempt to make it look meaner. The uniforms also used to have a classic feel. The black and red went well together. Now, red, white, and black are all mixed together. There are different stripes and color blocks all over the uniforms, and it is yet another example of there being too much going on.

I will admit that my favorite NFL uniforms are the ones the are simple. Teams like the Bears, Colts, and Steelers all get bonus points in my book because they have a look that they stay true to. There is no need to change something just for the sake of changing it. In the end, it is usually about money, and new uniforms are a way to get fans to go out and buy more merchandise. It is too bad, however, that some classic looks are gone all for the sake of marketing.

NFL Fan Free Agency-Tennessee Titans

TENNESSEE TITANS
CURRENT RECORD (5-0); 1st PLACE AFC SOUTH

Our next stop on our fan free agency tour takes us to the Music City, Nashville, home of the Titans. Tennessee had struggled some prior to last season, but they have a good history and a stable base that makes them a safe bet to invest into.

PROS

• Head coach Jeff Fisher has been around forever, and he always has his teams ready to play. This means that the Titans will likely never be down for long, as Fisher has shown the ability to rebuild quickly. He also possess the kind of passion and desire that have seemed to escape Marvin Lewis the past few seasons.
• They made the Super Bowl in the 1999-2000 season and were within one yard of forcing overtime.
• Orchestrated the "Music City Miracle" which has to be one of the top five plays in the history of the NFL Playoffs.
• Were formerly the Houston Oilers which blessed fans with the likes of Buddy Ryan, Jerry Glanville, Earnest Givens, Haywood Jeffries, Warren Moon, Earl Campbell, Chris Dishman, Bruce Matthews, Bum Phillips, and a cool logo.
• Rookie running back Chris Johnson is one of the most exciting young players in the league, and I have a huge man-crush on his running ability.
• The Titans have the best defense in the NFL which means they have an opportunity to win each and every Sunday.
  

CONS

• They have Vince Young on their roster, and not only is he not a good quarterback, he is apparently crazy and has no desire to play in the NFL. These are not good qualities for a "franchise quarterback"to have.
• They have an extremely ugly logo and ugly uniforms.
• Steve McNair and Eddie George were key contributors to the team in the early part of this decade, and I hated Steve McNair and Eddie George.
• LenDale White is currently on the roster, and I hate LenDale White.

• Were formerly the Houston Oilers which tortured fans with the likes of Buddy Ryan, Jerry Glanville, Earnest Givens, Haywood Jeffries, Warren Moon, Earl Campbell, Chris Dishman, Bruce Matthews, and Bum Phillips.
• Introduced Pac-man Jones to the NFL.
• Jeff Fisher's hair.

Well, it certainly seems like the Titans have more pros than cons in their favor, and they are a team that I would feel confident in supporting if I decided to follow them. They have some superstars on defense, some young talent on offense, and a head coach who has a very successful track record. I don't think I am ready to jump on the bandwagon just yet, but I think I am definitely going to put the Titans at the top of my list.

NFL Fan Free Agency-Arizona Cardinals

ARIZONA CARDINALS

CURRENT RECORD (4-2); 1st PLACE NFC WEST

Our first stop in our quest for finding a new NFL teams takes us to the deserts of Arizona where we find the Cardinals. Arizona has not had very much success in the past, but they have a lot of young talent that make them fun to follow and worth a look. Here is a break down of the pros and cons of the Cardinals.

PROS

• Head coach Ken Whisenhunt coached under Bill Cowher in Pittsburgh. It is clear that he has taken his no nonsense approach to Arizona, and it has made the Cardinals into a tougher team. It is certainly an upgrade over the asylum Marvin Lewis controls in Cincy.
• The Cardinals have an exciting offense made up of Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston, Tim Hightower, and Kurt Warner.
  
• Matt Leinart is waiting in the wings as the quarterback of the future, and in his spare time he throws killer parties.
• Former St. Xavier product Pat Ross is currently the back-up center.
• Arizona also has a young defense that should continue to get better in the near future.
  
• They play in the weak NFC West which means they have a legitimate shot at the playoffs every season.
• If I ever wanted to go to a game there, I would not have to worry about cold weather. It can be very hot at the beginning of the season, but as they say, it is a dry heat.
• Better uniforms than the Bengals.
  

CONS

• The team is owned by Bill Bidwell who is one of the only owners in the league as cheap as Mike Brown.
  
• The Cardinals are another example of a team that masters in futility, with only one playoff appearance in the past couple of decades.
  
• Arizona is far away, and that means that they would be relatively difficult to follow on a regular basis.
  
• Matt Leinart might throw killer parties, but he is also a creep, and not someone I would want to support in the years to come.
• This is the same franchise that thought it would be a good idea to hire Dennis Green as head coach.
• Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin likely won't be around much longer. This could leave the team in a state of flux.
• It's the Cardinals.

Well, those are the pros and cons of supporting a team like Arizona. While I enjoy watching them play, I do not think I can justify going to a team that has an ownership group as poor as the Bengals. That would essentially defeat the purpose of my fan free agency search. So, I will leave Arizona without signing, but I will pull for them whenever I catch them on the TV.

NFL Fan Free Agency

All Cincinnati Bengals fans have probably questioned their allegiance to the team at one point or another over the past 18 years. Most of them consider doing other things with their Sundays each fall, but they ultimately come back for more punishment. This has gotten me to thinking about the possibility of following another team. The possibility of investing my emotions and my time in another city's professional football team. There are some who would say that I am bandwagon jumping, that I cannot cheer for another team. I have decided that I can indeed switch my allegiance, but that it is impossible to do so, leaving me stuck with the Bengals whether I like it or not.

YES

1. NFL players are able to sign with other teams. They find no loyalty to the teams they are on, especially in this day in age. I see no reason why I cannot do the same. Why should the city one is born in control the team that person has to follow?
   
2. For all of the time, money, and emotions I have invested in the Bengals, I have received nothing in return. The team has made one playoff appearance since Mike Brown took over as owner, and they are often the laughing stock of the league.
3. Without a proper organizational structure, this team is destined for failure year after year. There is no general manager, a minuscule scouting department, and an owner who is as cheap as they come.

NO

1. I have followed this team my entire life. I know the roster backwards and forwards, and I have invested copious amounts of time into learning as much as I can about this organization.
2. I live in Cincinnati. It would be extremely difficult for me to follow a team from another city when everything around me would be filled with Bengals talk. Plus, it would be tough to follow that team on a daily basis, given that my only access to information would be through the internet.

I honestly think those are the only negatives I can think of when it comes to the possibility of rooting for another team. So I really think that it is ok for someone to follow another team, but it would be very difficult, and I don't know if the transformation can ultimately be completed. Either way, I will select a few teams that interest me, and I will break down whether or not they could cut it as my new NFL team. I am officially filing for NFL fan free agency, and now I need to see if there is an offer to my liking on the table, or if I will have to re-sign in Cincinnati to continue following the Bungles.