As The Ball Bounces: Week 11

Bob George

Nov 19, 2002 at 5:00am ET

Morten Andersen was kicking field goals at Michigan State when Yours Truly was graduate student downstate in Ann Arbor. Man, that guy's old. Let's give this geriatric kicker the honors of kicking off this week. And it's a deep one, as usual.

Anyone who has Green Bay at home should petition the NFL to play the game at Minnesota.

Every NFL player wets his pants when he sees someone like Tommy Maddox suffer that traumatic an injury.

You want Drew Bledsoe to lose, and then you don't.

Memo to Las Vegas bookies: Pretty please make the Jets favorites when they visit the Patriots in Foxborough on Week 16.

Geek of the Week: Charles "I guarantee victory" Woodson.

Greg Robinson-Randall's present to all of us for making it back as a starter: We don't need to use the "Robinson" anymore.

Why can't the Jets play the Lions on Thanksgiving instead of the Patriots?

After the stinker on Monday night, Seattle looked less like "Seahawks" and more like "Sacrificial Lambs".

If I'm Bill Callahan, I make Sebastian Janikowski a return man in practice all week long. And I don't give him a red jersey either. Then I tell him that every time he turns his back on a return man in a game, he becomes one in practice that following week.

And I tell his teammates to treat him as if he were Walt Coleman.

I say keep Marc Bulger in there.

I can't say exactly why, but I like John Madden a lot better with Al Michaels than I ever did with Pat Summerall.

Maybe it's because I miss Tom Brookshier.

It is absolutely absurd to watch how bad the Patriots have played this year, and then remember that they were 3-4 and 5-5 last year as well.

With how badly Richard Seymour has played this year, it's a good thing that David Terrell is on injured reserve.

In a recent Globe article, there was mention of the fact that the Patriots will no longer face a dominating rushing attack for the rest of the year. Ricky Williams, Travis Henry and Curtis Martin might take issue with that claim.

I'm glad Green Bay didn't clinch their division on Sunday. Here's hoping we go into Week 17 with nothing clinched whatsoever.

And everyone including Houston, and except Cincinnati, is still alive.

Did anyone notice that Buffalo did an awfully good job Sunday in shutting down Priest Holmes?

Have the 49ers given Jose Cortez the boot yet?

Bill Belichick called his team "average". If they play "average" against Minnesota, Vikings win.

Honk if you want to look like referee Ed Hochuli someday.

If the playoffs started today, Atlanta would be in. Bravo, Shawn Jefferson, you're a class act and you're still missed in these parts.

The Patriots could sure use two more Colts games as part of their remaining schedule.

Maybe the Patriots did take last year the wrong way, and thought that winning two Vinces in a row would be a piece of cake.

The Steelers will be average no matter who quarterbacks their team. But hoo boy, will the Eagles ever miss Donovan McNabb.

In the long time continuum of the NFL, the one word that will describe Mike Martz will be "overrated".

It would be nice if the Patriots address their stadium shortcomings, and soon. Start with the men's bathrooms and go from there.

Everyone is trying to emulate Fox and their pregame show, except what they should be doing is trying to emulate Brent, Irv and Phyllis. It's about football, not comedy.

For instance, you take Jillian Barberie. I'll take Lesley Visser.

You take Jimmy Kimmel. I'll take Jimmy The Greek. In his pre-racist days, of course.

Remember him: Hardy Brown, hard-hitting linebacker of the 1950s. Watch NFL Films someday and see his vicious shoulder smacks. This guy would put Jerome Bettis to sleep.

Adam Vinatieri missed a field goal Sunday night? That's like finding a Raider fan who claims sanity.

Nice to see Charlie Weis off the cane, but now he needs to get on the stick.

Anyone who gives Al Davis air time is either an idiot or starved for sound bytes.

When does ESPN and its fine crew ever get to do a Super Bowl?

Sure sign that the Patriots are beginning their playoff run: when you start hearing the words "Lawyer" and "Milloy" mentioned more frequently during games.

Tim Couch plays in the wrong Ohio city.

So does Corey Dillon.

So trade them for each other.

The Raiders were the better team in November. The Patriots were the better team in January.

I'll be the better team in January over November anyday.