1. Darren Sproles is the best back-up running back in the NFL. Any other team (except for the Vikings) and he would be starting. A healthy LaDainian Tomlinson and Sproles is one of heck of a lethal combination.
2. Yes, he did finally win a Super Bowl ring two years ago, but Peyton Manning remains a great REGULAR season quarterback. Seriously, the voters couldn’t come up with anybody more deserving of the MVP award this year? Manning and the Colts were terrible to start this season.
3. I guess Arizona really was resting up for the playoffs those last miserable weeks of the regular season. Usually limping into the post-season results in first round disaster, but that wasn’t in the Cards.
4. Miami’s 1-15 record last year finally came back to bite them; the lack of playoff experience really showed against Baltimore. Will the Dolphins be able to keep it up next year?
5. The same can be said for Matt Ryan–his brilliant season finally crashed to an end. Unlike the Dolphins, I have no doubt he’ll be back.
6. Donovan McNabb’s benching may have been the best thing possible for both the Eagles quarterback and Philadelphia’s season.
7. Would Indianapolis have been favored if San Diego did haven’t the worst of luck their first two games and were a 10-6 team instead of an 8-8 one?

What do you think?

• January 12, 2009 -- Divisional Round Dish (0)
• January 24, 2009 -- U Kan Koach in the NFL (.com)! (3)
• January 16, 2009 -- NFL Playoff Picking (3)
• December 14, 2008 -- Playoff Picture Still Murky (0)
• November 25, 2008 -- EnEfElquality (0)

What Vick did was horrific, and I truly hope that this ploy fails him.  Unfortunately, it most likely won’t; that’s just not how our legal system works.  The intriguing question is, what does the future entail for Vick in the NFL?  After all, the National Football League is an organization where almost any sin is forgivable.  Just ask Pacman Jones.  How many times can he possibly be reinstated?

The timing of the plea is quite interesting, since the strong play of rookie quarterback Matt Ryan has suddenly made Vick expendable to the Atlanta Falcons if he were to become eligible again.  Prior to the emergence of Ryan, the Falcons were struggling mightily at quarterback, and one suspected that the team would be willing to put up with Vick’s baggage to have a quality player at that most key of positions.  That situation is no longer the case.  The Falcons no longer have any incentive to put up with the animal rights protests and other headaches playing Vick would involve–which means Vick will most likely have to ply his wares elsewhere.

The most obvious choice is the Detroit Lions, for whom the signing of Daunte Culpepper has not provided the spark necessary to take them out of the winless column in 2008.  Not that there’s any chance of Vick being released in time to play this season, but the Lions are so desperate for anything to jumpstart the franchise’s fortunes that Vick’s requisite troubles might actually be worth navigating.  Assuming that Culpepper doesn’t decide he wants to retire again, the Lions could even consider converting Vick into a wide receiver to take advantage of his still substantial speed and maneuverability.  It’s not like Vick is in any position to protest such a transition; he should consider himself fortunate to be signed by anyone at all, period.  And if Culpepper does hang up his cleats again, the Lions will have an even bigger hole to fill–if that’s even possible for a franchise in such complete disarray.

But then again, Vick’s plea today only opens him up to the possibility of early release.  It by no means guarantees it.  I hope our legal system shows hims as little mercy as he showed those poor dogs.  My blood still boils.

• May 17, 2009 -- Michael Vick: Dogged By Stupidity… And Questions… (18)
• August 15, 2009 -- Michael Vick – An Eagles Fan’s Reponse (24)
• January 5, 2009 -- What We Learned From the Wild Card Round (4)
• December 3, 2008 -- A Tales of Two Cities (0)
• August 19, 2009 -- The UFL Part IV: Who Are You Trying To Fool? (12)