NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

The Seahawks are on a bye this week, but the Tuesday Two Deep is still going strong.

Seattle’s 2-2 and atop the NFC West in a three-way tie with St. Louis and Arizona, but things aren’t right in the Emerald City. Time for you, the 12th Man to let your voice and opinions heard. Vote in the poll questions and sound off in the comments section!

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Jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.

Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com

Packers are 3-1: McCarthy felt he needed to remind the team that it won. ”We talk about winning and improving, and we won the game and we’ve got a ton of room for improvement,” McCarthy said. “To me, that’s a positive. It didn’t look good, it was odd at certain points in the game, but we won the football game, we won a division football game. Still, the Packers have been building for five seasons and this may be as talented and deep as they get. The statistics would seem to bear out the notion that the Packers are either not as good as some think or they’re just out of sorts. On offense, the Packers no longer have starting running back Ryan Grant, and from afar it looks as if they’re still trying to figure out how to function without him. It’s likely that Rodgers’ comments Sunday about the offense lacking an identity and needing its best players on the field were spoken out of his frustration with the unit’s struggles since Grant went out with a season-ending ankle injury. McCarthy said the personnel on the field had nothing to do with the Packers’ failure to convert three third-and-short situations or the two interceptions Rodgers threw. “We do a lot with our personnel, we do a lot conceptually, we have a lot on our quarterback’s plate,” McCarthy said. “We (he and Rodgers) talk every day. I’m very confident that we’re on the same page.”

On same page?: After starting Sunday's game with a perfect first-half passer rating of 158.3 after completing 8 of 9 passes for 131 yards and three touchdowns, Rodgers was just 4 of 8 in the second half for 50 yards and threw a pair of interceptions on passes intended for Greg Jennings. Afterward, he questioned whether the offense had found its identity through four games. “It’s a win, so we’re happy about that. (But) offensively, we’ve got to find our identity again," Rodgers said. "I think we’ve got to make sure that we’ve got our best players on the field at all times and find ways to get them the ball." What Rodgers likes about spreading the field with five receivers and operating out of the shotgun is that, if he can make quick reads and get rid of the ball, defenses don't have enough time to pressure him and there's several one-on-one matchups he can exploit. Mike McCarthy doesn't see a problem with his quarterback, but the Green Bay Packers coach did respond to Aaron Rodgers' post-game comments about the offense by reminding everyone of their respective roles Monday.

Nelson losing return job: Packers may be making a change on kickoff returns after Jordy Nelson lost two fumbles on kickoffs during Sunday's 28-26 win over the Detroit Lions. Coach Mike McCarthy said the coaches would look at their options on kickoff returns going into next Sunday's game at Washington, but special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum indicated that Nelson will at least return some kickoffs against the Redskins. "I plan on using Jordy against Washington," Slocum said. "We may use someone else as well."

“Two” TD’s: That’s all Tom Brady’s offense needed on offense to beat Miami tonight

Tom Brady only threw for 146 yards.  The defense yielded 400 yards of total offense.  Allowed 10 of 15 third downs to be converted.  Yet when the other team surrenders two special teams scores and one defensive touchdown, numbers don’t matter in the end.

It was that kind of night for the Patriots in Miami.  They won the turnover battle with a plus four and outscored the Dolphins 35-7 in the 2nd half.  Jon Gruden mentioned the team was “loaded with young talent”, and boy was he dead on.  Two undrafted third-year running backs found a way to reach the end zone.  To make Gruden’s point even more valid and genius, two second-year guys made two more visits to pay dirt.  All in all, the Patriots showed that they could win a game when their offense wasn’t at its finest.  Tom Brady and Randy Moss were anything but fine, as they hooked up for a grand amount of zero completions.  The only time Brady targeted Moss, they didn’t connect, as Randy dropped a possible touchdown right before the end of the first half on a fake-spike try.  Other than that, the Patriots defense and special teams took matters into their own hands.

The domination started with the opening kickoff of the second half, which resulted in a Brandon Tate 103-yard TD return, the team’s first lead of the night, a lead they did not relinquish from there on out.  It all concluded at the midway point of the 4th quarter, when Patrick Chung put the icing on the 3-1 cake, returning a Tyler Thigpen 51 yards to the house to finish the scoring 41-14.  On a night when Brady became the fastest QB to 100 wins, the supporting cast did the majority of the work.

As for a much maligned secondary that couldn’t cover, so much for that.  That’s all we heard leading up to the contest.  I guess they got the last laugh, as they picked off Chad Henne three times, an amount which tied a career high for the Miami QB.  Can’t run the ball?  Well, they out gained the dynamic duo of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams 119 to 95.  So much for not being able to win a game that did not involve a shootout.  On this night the Patriots proved critics wrong, showed the young guns can play, and once again were able to win a big divisional game; a game many picked them to lose.  Belichick’s troops enjoy the vote of confidence.  Continue to doubt these Pats, they just might win another Super Bowl; a very attainable goal, considering how unexpected sources stepped out of their boundaries tonight in South Florida.

Cardinals running back Beanie Wells expressed frustration today at his limited role in Sunday’s 41-10 loss to the Chargers. Wells told Bob McManaman of The Arizona Republic that he wasn’t happy with only 5 carries for 19 yards.

“I didn’t get into the game until there were four minutes left in the second quarter (Sunday against the Chargers) and I have no clue as to why. I’d like to think I’m a big part of this thing, but right now, I don’t feel it.” Wells, who had just five carries for 19 yards in Arizona’s 41-10 loss, said he planned to meet privately with coach Ken Whisenhunt to discuss his displeasure. “Oh, we’re definitely going to have a talk,” Wells told The Republic.

Later, as other reporters gathered around his locker, Wells vented his frustration even further. “No discredit to Tim,” he said of fellow running back and designated starter, Tim Hightower, “… but I hate to sit on the sideline watching. I’d rather be out there contributing to the team and that’s something I’m not pleased about. It’s crazy. I have no clue what they’re thinking upstairs. I would like to know, but hey, I’m definitely not pleased about it.”

Now that starting RB LeSean McCoy could miss time with a broken rib, the Eagles could be calling for running backs. One report says they have already done that, calling the Bills to see if Marshawn Lynch is available for the taking.

With LeSean McCoy out indefinitely with a broken rib, the Eagles have contacted the Bills about the availability of veteran running back Marshawn Lynch, a league source said today. McCoy suffered one broken rib during the Eagles’ 17-12 loss to the Redskins Sunday at the Linc. Andy Reid did not say how much time he will miss. Lynch has fallen out of favor in Buffalo after rushing for over 1,000 yards in his first two NFL seasons, 2007 and 2008. Other than McCoy, the Eagles have only Mike Bell, who is averaging 1.7 yards on 12 carries; rarely used Eldra Buckley, who committed a costly fumble against the Packers on his only touch of the 2010 season; and undrafted rookie Joique Bell, who has never played in a regular-season game.

The NFL as expected have fined Titans defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil $40,000 Monday for his obscene gesture at game officials. The league said Cecil violated a rule that prohibits use of abusive, threatening or insulting language or gestures to game officials.

Television cameras caught Cecil using his right hand to make the gesture when officials flagged his defense for a neutral zone infraction during the second quarter Sunday. The penalty gave Denver first-and-goal, and Kyle Orton threw a 2-yard touchdown pass on the next play for a 7-0 lead.

Titans coach Jeff Fisher confirmed the fine in his Monday news conference. He called the league’s punishment swift and appropriate.

“Clearly, I’m speaking on behalf of the organization that kind of conduct on the sideline, any place for that matter, is inappropriate. The league has already dealt with the issue,” Fisher said.

Video of Cecil’s gesture was on YouTube by halftime. Cecil declined comment after the game, a 26-20 loss in which the Titans were flagged 10 times for a season-high 111 yards in penalties. He apologized in a statement Monday night.

“I want to apologize to the NFL, organization, fans and my family for my gesture yesterday. It was inappropriate, and there is no excuse for that type of behavior under any circumstance,” Cecil said.

The rib cartilage injury for Michael Vick is going to cost him a chance to play on Sunday night football this week, as reports say that Vick will sit against the 49ers Sunday night in San Fran.

Coach Andy Reid said earlier Monday that Vick’s rib cartilage injury was “day-to-day, week-to-week,” which told us little, but reports now indicate the team will go with Kevin Kolb.

Those that saw Vick on Monday said that he was moving around gingerly in the locker room, and still seemed to be in pain. Expect Kolb to see next to all the reps in practice this week with the first team, and either rookie Mike Kafka or a vet being the backup against the 49ers.

Very iffy: Steve Smith will more than likely be a “no-go” for Bears next Sunday.

Time for the rookies to pair up and play with the rookie starting QB.  David Gettis will get the starting nod along with fellow first-year wideout Brandon LaFell if Smith can’t play -somewhere Jimmy Clausen must be thrilled upon hearing this news.  At 0-4, the team is already struggling enough as it is, now Clausen is without his best weapon to throw to.

Steve Smith: “I’m not a doctor, but if I can’t walk without a boot, “I feel like a trillion dollars … I feel like a money order, that’s what I feel like. Go next week? I’m just trying to walk to the bus.”

Smith even repeated on Monday he wasn’t feeling like he was progressing.

“Just trying to walk,” he said.

Still up in the air?  John Fox hasn’t ruled him out just yet.  He’s “day-to-day” according to him -go figure.  Not admitting the obvious, a sign that your offense is in trouble; but it already is, ranking last in the NFL at 11.5 points a contest.  I wonder why he’s on the hot seat.  Now you know why the team is still winless -the coach can’t tell the truth, he’s beating around the old bush.

Looks like the road is getting tougher, if it wasn’t already for a team starting the rookie QB.  Oh yeah, don’t forget they are playing the formidable Bears defense too.  Mercy, uncle?  Time to let the run game take over.  DeAngelo and Jonathan will be up for the task.

Here’s DeAngelo Williams on the situation at hand:

“I mean, it’s tough sledding, now,” running back DeAngelo Williams said. “Whoever’s up next, I’m sure they’re going to step in and do just as well as Smitty. We’re trying to win a football game.

“Whether it’s 89, 88, 80, 81, 83, 82, whoever they put out there they’re going to put their best product out there on the field.”

Sounds to me like this offense is in disarray.  Once again, stating the obvious -maybe I can coach the Panthers.

He didn’t have the biggest game of his career, but for Ravens QB Joe Flacco, it may have been the biggest win and comeback of his Ravens tenure as starting QB.

Coming back after a poor throw that could have been their last chance on a 4th-and-goal from the Steelers 2, Flacco rallied the team with a crisp four-play, 40-yard drive that ended with an 18-yard pass to wide out T.J. Houshmandzadeh for the game-winner.

To do it against the Steelers, who were 3-0 entering Sunday is one thing, but to do it on the road and to rally after what seemed to be a final chance on the fourth down play is another.

“We always have a lot of confidence around here,” Flacco said. “But this really elevates. There’s no better feeling in the world than to win in a place like this.”

Flacco and the Ravens offense made the final drive look easy. They did an amazing job picking up the Steelers blitzes, and also the wide outs made nice plays to make the catches and get out of bounds to save the clock which in the end they didn’t need.

Even the Steelers were impressed with the play of Flacco, who threw for 256 yards with a TD and pick in the win that puts the Ravens into a tie with the Steelers for first in the AFC North.

“He can make all of the throws, and he showed that at the end of the game,” Steelers safety Ryan Clark said. “If you give him an opportunity to hit guys, he’s going to hit them.”

“He’s played in a lot of situations and done an awesome job. We have a lot of respect for that guy right there,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.

For Flacco and the Ravens, it remains to be seen what can come of this win in terms of making a run and the confidence that can come of it. One thing is for sure, it was a coming of age drive for Flacco and the Ravens as they dispatched their biggest division rival.