Observation Deck Sep 20, 2005 | More
More articles from Jason Brichta

This week, I must begin by saying how happy and sad I am that the NFL and the Saints decided to move operations to San Antonio and play three home games here. Sad that the Saints can’t just go home and play for their fans, but happy about the positive influence it will have on my home town. When tickets went on sale, the Ticketmaster server apparently crashed in less than an hour, due to the heavy volume to get tickets for the weeks 4 ,6, and 16 contests. I hope that everyone can get a chance to buy a ticket and go to these games and fill them up, regardless of what team they root for. This team deserves to play to capacity crowds that will relish the ability to see a pro football game with a short drive on IH-37. I am a die-hard Steelers fan (I know, it wasn’t obvious or anything), but GO SAINTS.

Reality Check

Well, the two worst teams in the league crashed back to earth this week. Unfortunately, San Francisco got crushed by an Eagles team on a mission. Donovan McNabb shook off the chest injury and threw for five touchdowns, four in the first half alone. The last time he had a game like that, he was playing on a broken leg. Maybe injuries are his own personal rabbit’s foot; apart from that, I have no idea how he looks so bad against the Falcons and so good against the 49ers. Oh yeah, he was playing the 49ers.

Mossless in Minneapolis

Speaking of a quarterback looking bad, does anyone that predicted the Vikings would go to the Super Bowl want to retract their pick? Daunte Culpepper looks lost without Randy Moss and ten turnovers with no touchdown passes certainly speaks volumes. The whole premise that the offense would be better by giving up 13 TDs and 1300 yards per year is ludicrous. Easy for me to say now, but I just couldn’t see Nate Burleson picking up that much slack. To top it off, the Vikings still can’t figure out who is going to be running the ball from series to series. Mike Tice is officially the first coach on the hot seat.

The Black Rose of Texas

Speaking of the hot seat, when are the Texans going to admit that they plain suck? Last week David Carr said he hadn’t felt like that after a football game since he was in third grade. If that’s true, then he must’ve been knocked back to kindergarten after the Steelers pounded him for 8 sacks and didn’t allow their only score until late in the third quarter. I don’t think a haircut is going to inspire anyone this year. Dom Capers either needs to get him some protection or an ambulance. He is on his back more than Jenna Jameson.

Moon over My Hammy

While we are on the subject of ambulances, either Jim Mora or Mike Vick is going to need one as well. I know that Vick is the most exciting player in the league, but he is not a quarterback. He is an exceptional athlete but I don’t think he will ever learn that his skills need to be used to make time to go down the field. He came up lame after a spectacular run with an apparent hamstring injury this week. All I can say is when that speed is gone, and he hasn’t learned to control and use the cannon attached to his shoulder, he will be no benefit at all to his team.

Quick Hits:

Terrell Owens had a monster outing at SF this week, and the headlines are dwindling between him and McNabb (thankfully). Maybe the tattoo that Mike Rumph put under his chinstrap will keep him quiet for a few days. Then again, maybe not.

The Steelers are quietly asserting themselves as one of the NFL’s best teams. We will find out this coming week whether that’s true or not. However if Cowher keeps laying eggs in big games in January like in years past, it doesn’t make any difference.

Can Cadillac Williams really be leading the league in rushing right now? Willie Parker is second? Nice grab to all those that got the Escalade deep in the draft.

If you have the chance to watch a Ravens or Redskins game, don’t. Unless you need a cure for insomnia, or you’re rooting for their opponent, don’t waste your time. That is some damn ugly football being displayed and that’s three hours of your life that you can’t get back.

Short but sweet everyone -- I am on location in Corolla, NC and enjoying a great vacation on the beach. May everyone’s sleepers score thirty this week (except the ones I am playing against)…