NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

Seattle's starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck won't play Sunday at Qwest Field against the New York Giants.

He might not be the only Seahawk missing the game as injuries have dwindled the numbers on both the offensive and defensive lines, as well as at wide receiver, but the team's head coach isn't focusing on that.

"I don't know if it's a challenge, it's just what [it] is," said Pete Carroll at his Wednesday press conference from the Seahawks' Renton, Wash. training facilities.

"We just have to deal with it and make sure we take all the steps – you know – to tie all the loose ends together to make sure that we don't get caught."

Filling in for Hasselbeck will be Charlie Whitehurst. The 28-year-old quarterback will be making his first-ever regular-season start and will attempt his first-ever pass outside of the preseason. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Whitehurst was acquired in a trade with San Diego during the offseason.

Lining up opposite the first-time starter Sunday will be one of the league's toughest defenses.

"Perry Fewell's done a nice job," said Seattle's head coach of New York's newest defensive coordinator. "They play really aggressive in the attack."

That aggressiveness has resulted in the unit knocking out five quarterbacks from games and recording 24 sacks, with 18 of those coming in the past four weeks.

"They've really been hot coming after the quarterback," said Carroll. "They have a terrific four-man rush."

When that rush hasn't brought the quarterback down for a loss, it's still been effective. Opposing quarterbacks have completed just 53.7 percent of all pass attempts this season when the Giants have brought pressure.

New York (5-2) isn't one dimensional, though.

In Eli Manning's last game, a Week Seven 41-35 victory in Dallas, the quarterback orchestrated five consecutive scoring drives en route to tying his career-best touchdown performance with four aerial scores. It was the fourth time Manning's thrown four touchdowns in a game.

"He's a pocket, classic pocket guy with great vision and ability to make all the throws that you need to make and they like to protect him up and give him the chance to throw the ball down the field," said Carroll.

Where Seattle (4-3) will look to make its presence felt with Manning is the pass rush. Despite the four touchdowns, Manning threw three interceptions in the Dallas game as well in what's been an up-and-down year so far. He's tied with Drew Brees and Brett Favre for first in the National Football League in interceptions thrown this season with 11.

Kickoff is set Sunday for 4:05 p.m. Eastern at Qwest Field.

Can't get enough NFLGridironGab?  Follow SeahawksGab Editor Devon Heinen on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DevonHeinen.

Senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.

Packers and Cowboys headed in separate directions: Viewers who tune in will witness a team whose season has spiraled out of control playing an opponent that could easily be in that same predicament if it hadn’t righted its ship with back-to-back impressive victories. Green Bay (5-3) finds itself atop the NFC North standings after beating the Vikings and Jets. The victories over their biggest rival and one of the best teams in the NFL on consecutive Sundays showed a lot about the Packers’ moxie in times of adversity. ”This group of guys around here, we just love to fight,” Packers safety Nick Collins said. “We love to compete and we’re going to compete every week. That’s our mind-set. We just love our job. We love what we do. That’s how we approach every game.” Leader of the pack–There doesn’t appear to be a drastic difference between the Packers and Cowboys in terms of talent, so it’s reasonable to conclude that having better leadership helped Green Bay avoid a Dallas-like collapse. Safety Anthony Smith has a unique perspective on the Packers’ turnaround.  ”When I came in, there was never any panic,” Smith said. “It was just all about eliminating one or two plays, which was the difference in all the games they had lost. Since I’ve been here, they’ve been cleaning that up and not giving up big plays. Everything’s kind of clicking together now.”

Nelson, Jones have big gloves to fill for Packers: WRs James Jones and Jordy Nelson will be asked to fill the role of Donald Driver who won’t play Sunday night. As strange as it may seem without that familiar No. 80 jersey on the field Sunday night, it’s the job of James Jones and Jordy Nelson to make people forget Donald Driver is injured. It’s a harsh truth in the NFL. When a player goes down, somebody else has to step up. When the Packers go to three-receiver sets against the Cowboys, it will be Greg Jennings, Jones and Nelson. Are Jones, who has been up and down this year, and Nelson, who has come on after a slow start, ready for prime time? Jones said, “So everybody has to step up. It’s not just one guy who has to step up and make plays. Everybody is going to get more opportunities. Guys have to step up and meet that challenge.” ”Obviously, we know we’re going to get more plays,” Nelson said. “We experienced that last week. (Driver) played some but was out early. I think we’ll be comfortable out there. We’ve just got to go play our game.” Jones, 6 feet, 1 inch and 208 pounds, has been plagued by inconsistency.  ”I think James Jones is no different than some of the other players,” McCarthy said. “They have had some really good games and they have had some games that they wish they could have done a little better job in from a fundamental standpoint.”

With Colledge ailing, Spitz next in line: Daryn Colledge has never missed a game in his four-plus NFL seasons, but the Green Bay Packers veteran left guard's back problems are bad enough that he has coach Mike McCarthy worried about his availability for Sunday night's game against Dallas. Colledge, who has played 72 career regular-season games, had his back lock up on him during practice on Wednesday, and he missed Thursday's practice in its entirety. If Colledge can't go Sunday night, McCarthy could start veteran Jason Spitz, who has started 47 career games but has only seen spot duty this season, including a few snaps against the New York Jets last Sunday when Colledge lost his shoe and needed to have his ankle re-taped. McCarthy said T.J. Lang has also taken snaps at left guard in practice. "Absolutely, if I’m called upon to play, I’m definitely going to play. I look forward to the opportunity. It’s been a long time," Spitz said. "Last week, when Daryn’s shoe came off, I’m sitting there watching the JumboTron, the last play, see what happened, and (the next thing I know), he’s in my face yelling. I mean, as the backup, you’ve got to be prepared at all times.”

Masthay gets the drop on the Jets–Packers punter’s unconventional technique helped keep ball out of the end zone: When he lined up from his own 36-yard line with 3 minutes, 57 seconds left, Green Bay Packers punter Tim Masthay might as well have been positioned for a 50-yard field goal with one second left. Masthay capped a stunning eight-punt performance with a high, end-over-end punt that landed 41 yards away and bounced out of bounds at the York Jets 23-yard line. Facing 77 yards ahead of them for a go-ahead touchdown, the Jets netted minus-1 on the ensuing drive and Crosby put the final stake in their heart with a field goal. No one could have predicted that a guy who came into the game ranked 21st in gross average and 30th in net would have what coach McCarthy said was one of the best punting performances he had ever seen. Masthay averaged 44 yards gross and 41.5 net on his eight punts, landing five inside the 20. ”He’s got a big leg,” special teams coach Shawn Slocum said. “That’s why he’s here.”

Last Week: 6-7
Season: 65-51

San Diego at Houston - Two AFC teams that need wins in the biggest of ways do battle in Houston on Sunday. The Chargers need to keep up their winning ways after beating the Titans last week. The Texans were beat up Monday night in Indy. The Texans will bounce back in this one, using their offensive weapons to overcome the inconsistent Chargers. Houston 27 San Diego 23

Arizona at Minnesota - The Vikings 2010 season continues to implode after a loss last week to the Pats, and now they have dumped Randy Moss after a month with the team. Brett Favre is a wounded warrior – and the team just isn’t playing with a lot of confidence. The Cardinals are another up and down team, but remain in the hunt in the NFC West. With the Vikings playing like a team ready to pack it in, I’ll say the Cards pull the road upset. Arizona 27 Minnesota 20

New Orleans at Carolina – Has the sound of blowout written all over it. The Saints bounced back last week nicely against the Steelers, and the Panthers played em close the first time, meaning this time probably won’t be so pretty for the Cats. New Orleans 31 Carolina 13

New England at Cleveland – The Browns pulled off a big upset over the Saints two weeks ago, but will need a repeat here at home over the Pats. New England is a smart team that makes few mistakes, and they won’t fall for trick plays and I don’t see Tom Brady throwing four picks, two of which will go back for Browns scores like Drew Brees. Browns hang in, but Pats win it in the end. New England 23 Cleveland 14

Tampa Bay at Atlanta - Who would have thought the Bucs would be hanging around in the NFC South, but that’s exactly where they stand after two months of the season. The Falcons are a very steady team that can do it on both sides of the ball, and Raheem Morris’ words may come back to bite him, and I think it could start this week against Matt Ryan and co. Atlanta 29 Tampa Bay 26

Chicago at Buffalo – The annual failed game in Toronto with two teams that make you yawn, the Bills look to get their first win of the year vs a Bears team that is falling apart at the seams. The Bills have hung in with the Ravens and Chiefs, losing back to back OT games, and here’s a pick they finally get it right – despite it already being week eight. Buffalo 14 Chicago 13

Miami at Baltimore – A good AFC matchup between two teams that can lay the wood. The Dolphins are 4-0 on the road, and I think they will give Baltimore all that they can handle. The Ravens need to keep winning to keep the pace with the Steeelers, and while the trend says the Fins on the road are tough, the Ravens are just a bit tougher. Baltimore 16 Miami 10

New York Jets at Detroit - Last week the Lions got their QB back, and Matt Stafford stepped up with a big day in a win over the Skins. While Detroit is home again, it’s not going to be easy as they take on the Jets. Last week they were shut out, and will look to get back to form with a win over the Lions. Look for the Jets to rebound, and to not be so nice to Stafford and the Lions. New York Jets 24 Detroit 10

New York Giants at Seattle – No Matt Hasselbeck this week for Seattle, who play so much better at home, but that streak ends here. Charlie Whitehurst and the Seattle offense will find it a tough go against the tough G-Men pass rush, and the Giants should score more than enough to get a win to keep up the pace in the NFC East. New York Giants 20 Seattle 10

Indianapolis at Philadelphia - Michael Vick is back at QB for the Eagles, and that makes this a very interesting matchup with the Colts, coming off a big Monday night win over the Texans. The Colts will challenge the Eagles secondary, even with some players hurt. Look for Vick to have some issues with the Colts D, which played well vs Houston. The Colts pull this out with late. Indianapolis 21 Philadelphia 17

Kansas City at Oakland – Wow, where did this Raiders team come from? The silver and black and playing like it’s the old AFL, scoring 92 points in their last two wins. The Chiefs pulled out an OT win over the Bills, and will need to shore up things to beat this suddenly hot Raiders team. This could shift some balance in the AFC West, and I see the Raiders coming out with high emotion to pull out another tough win. Oakland 24 Kansas City 17

Dallas at Green Bay – This is the best the NFL has to offer on Sunday night? Please. I know, I know, no one could have guessed the Cowboys would be this bad, but they are, and I don’t want to have to watch them any more than I have to. The Packers win this one with a whole lot of ease. Green Bay 31 Dallas 14

Monday Night:

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati - The Bengals are in their usual routine of good one year, bad the next, and this is one of those bad years. Pittsburgh played poorly in New Orleans, and have a little revenge on their minds for two losses last season to Cincy. Look for Big Ben and the Steelers to get back on track on both sides of the ball, while the Bengals issues continue. Pittsburgh 27 Cincinnati 14

#12 is used to being #1

1. New England Patriots (5) – Brady-Belichick: the best QB/head coach combo in the NFL.  Familiar territory for this duo.  BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead make the run game worthwhile.  Defenses based on quickness, schemes, and system players are always underrated.  However, how long will they stay atop the rankings with the team that beat them in Super Bowl XLII right behind them.  Secondary covers a lot of ground, as range and athleticism usually makes up for inexperience.

2. New York Giants (2) – Lobbying for: A serious MVP candidate named Eli, best defense and offense in the NFC, and the most underappreciated shot caller on the sidelines.  This club is more talented than the Super Bowl XLII winning squad.  Tough game in Seattle this Sunday, that is, for Charlie Whitehurst and the Seahawks.  Name me a team that offers more balance than what the Giants offer.

3. Indianapolis Colts (6) – Peyton made Jacob Tamme and Mike Hart look like John Mackey and Lydell Mitchell on Monday night against division rival Houston.  Defense gets significantly overlooked despite its super pursuit to the QB and ball carrier.  Manning is the best offensive coordinator I know of.  Whatever this team lacks I can’t see, because #18 makes everyone and everything look good.  He makes weaknesses disappear and become irrelevant.  The best defense is a good offense, or a great QB – a.k.a. “The Great Equalizer”.  Colts “been there, done that mentality” will play in their favor immensely.

4. New Orleans Saints (13) – Drew Brees is the Steve Nash of QB’s.  A defense looks so much better when the QB is controlling the tempo at his pace while completing passes at an alarming rate.  When do Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas return?  One of the best secondaries held Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger to under 200 yards passing and no touchdowns.  More on the often forgotten Saints defense: First QB rating under 100 for Big Ben this season, only the fourth time a defense has held the Steelers to less than 13 points since 2007, and they held Mike Wallace out of the end zone.  Wallace-Roethlisberger previous five games, five touchdowns.  As long as the Saints produce turnovers, they are nearly unstoppable.  Sean Payton’s rhythmic offense and opportunistic defense possess the only legitimate threat in the NFC to take down the Giants.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (3) – The offense lacks a consistent big play threat next to Mike Wallace.  You can’t run on this defense, but you can certainly pass on them.  Their greatest strength is their greatest weakness, as quick slinging QB’s who attack the short to intermediate area in the aerial attack trouble them.  Honestly, Tomlin’s troops haven’t played a good game since Week 3 in Tampa.  “Best team in the AFC talk” was a bit too premature.  Talk is cheap, hype is unwarranted, but I have a hunch the Steelers will shut me, and the critics up.

6. New York Jets (1) – Mark Sanchez isn’t ready to take the team to Dallas after all?  LaDainian Tomlinson will slow down sooner rather than later.  Defense is more of a bend but don’t break cast than a group of playmakers.  Game against the Lions on Sunday will tell me a lot about Rex Ryan’s crew.  How can they rebound from a miserable display of football against Green Bay?

7. Tennessee Titans (4) – Randy Moss replaces an injured Kenny Britt.  Vince Young is buying time with his feet, completing the deep ball, and leading the NFL in passer rating (Peyton is 2nd).  Now, he just has to stay healthy.  Chris Johnson is a happy man because he doesn’t have to do all the heavy lifting anymore.  Defense had a bump in the road in San Diego, but they have a bye week to get return to its normal, intimidating, aggressive form.  Moss is going to love coach Fisher, I guarantee it.

8. Baltimore Ravens (7) – Flacco is getting better and better but it may be at the expense of Ray Rice and the run game.  Pounding rush attack not as powerful and effective as it used to be.  Ed Reed picked off two passes in his return; I bet he matches that number against Henne and the Dolphins this Sunday.  His impact is immeasurable.

9. Kansas City Chiefs (9) – Thomas Jones said it best: "We hung in there. The way we won actually says a lot more than the win itself”.  Big game away from Arrowhead against the hated Raiders.  Jamaal Charles nickname should be: “Easy real estate”.  Whether it be via ground or air, Charles picks up yardage with the greatest of ease.  Defense picked up their play just in time for Oakland.  Is the run defense ready to pick it up a notch to play to the level of McFadden?  Cassel needs to make smart decisions, and wise choices to keep it and run if they want to win.

10. Green Bay Packers (10) – Can’t put this team any higher because of their inept offense.  Defense showed it can carry the team, but now the offense is lacking firepower.  When will it ever click together?  Already without a run game; just made the shutout in the Big Apple even more eye-opening than it already was.  This team is “rated”.  Not overrated or underrated.  The team is so close to representing the NFC in the Longhorn State come February, and Rodgers will get his opportunity to be the difference maker.  Despite their win against the Jets, no one made a big deal of it because of their massive amount of key injuries.  If Rodgers gets this team to win one game in the postseason, he will have rightfully earned top-5 QB status.

11. Miami Dolphins (15) – If they win in Baltimore they have the inside track on a wild card spot.  Imagine if they would’ve gotten that goal-line fumble call against Pittsburgh.  Nothing impresses me or stands out about this team, yet, they are a tough and resilient bunch.  Good enough for the Playoffs in a loaded AFC?  That remains to seen.

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (19) – Time to back your words up Raheem in Atlanta this Sunday.  LeGarrette Blount’s big-time performance in Arizona has the Bucs offense thinking “Big 3″ with Josh Freeman and Mike Williams.  Arrelious Benn made a big play to set-up Blount’s game-winning TD.  Rookies are shining, drafting in the NFL goes a long way.

13. Atlanta Falcons (12) – Dirty Birds have the division leading Bucs and the Baltimore Ravens in the Georgia Dome the next two weeks.  Flacco and Freeman must be licking their chops against this secondary.  Better get to the QB, front seven.  Aquib Talib vs. Roddy White will determine Sunday’s winner.

14. Philadelphia Eagles (14) – Michael Vick returns to face Peyton Manning.  LeSean McCoy needs 25+ touches this game.  Trent Cole, time to show them why you are worth defensive player of the year consideration.

15. Oakland Raiders (17) – Darren McFadden is on a tear reaching the century mark on a weekly basis, the defense sacked Seattle eight times, and everyone is hyping the Silver & Black’s comeback to the spotlight.  The Chiefs stand in their way to the AFC West crown.  QB play is the final piece to seeing if this team is truly for “real”.

16. Houston Texans (11) – I thought Matt Schaub was supposed to be the next elite QB in the NFL?  Arian Foster is doing his thing, Andre Johnson is playing like a warrior, but Schaub has disappointed so far.  Defensive backfield will be presented with a big challenge this Sunday against Philip Rivers’ Chargers.

17. Detroit Lions (23) – Stafford is back and that means they are the second best team in the NFC North.  Calvin Johnson is the best WR in the game when Staff is under center.  Ndamukong Suh is as every bit as advertised and then some, and Alphonso Smith (4 picks) was a flat-out steal for the secondary.  More Stafford to Johnson has Lions fans envisioning a division crown in the near future.  Also, don’t forget, Kyle Vanden Bosch is playing like a man possessed.  KVB and Suh better clear their plans for Hawaii at the end of January.  I’m looking forward to Thanksgiving Day against the Patriots.

18. San Diego Chargers (27) – Antonio Gates is Canton-bound.  Rivers is going to shatter Dan Marino’s passing yards record from ‘84.  Still not buying their turnaround until Ryan Matthews and Mike Tolbert provide more of a punch in the ground game.  Defense got burned during more than one occasion against Tennessee.  Needed Vince Young to get hurt in order to win.

19. St. Louis Rams (21) – Can Sam Bradford continue to outdo encore performance after encore performance?  He’s something else.  The defense is steady and coach Spags is making me a believer for the future.  With that said, I want to see them win the NFC West now, not Arizona or Seattle -and I think they will.

20. Washington Redskins (8) – Rex Grossman and JaMarcus Russell are in the news around the Nation’s Capital.  Mike Shanahan and his son are making way too many unnecessary front-page headlines.  It seemed like they lost two or three games in the standings after losing in Detroit last Sunday.  Understatement of the year: Donovan McNabb needs to be treated better.  I don’t how the ‘Skins can recover from this crazy situation that’s turning into a fiasco like Lupe.

21. Chicago Bears (22) – Will a Bye week alter the offensive line’s sluggishness, Jay Cutler’s woes, and Mike Martz’s madness not running the football?  Lost in the shuffle, a healthy and productive defense.

22. Minnesota Vikings (16) – Back to the drawing board.  The worst coach in the NFL, a battered and bruised old QB, and the most underachieving defense in the NFL is not a good formula.

23. Seattle Seahawks (18) – 33-3 in Oakland.  Enough said.  Well I’ll also say this: I feel bad for Charlie Whitehurst going up against a vaunted Giants defensive front line, fresh off of a Bye week.

24. Cincinnati Bengals (20) – Still have hope they can upset the Steelers at home on Monday Night.  In fact, I’ll go out on a limb and say they will beat Pittsburgh.  If they do, that means they’ve gotten back to what made them successful last season, winning the AFC North: running the football and playing stellar defense.  Time to trash the pass and play tough in the trenches.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (28) – David Garrard and Maurice Jones-Drew can make the offense look razor sharp every two or three weeks.

26. Arizona Cardinals (26) - They should’ve kept Matt Leinart.  I’m convicted and sure Leinart would have this team two wins better and in sole possession of first place in the NFC West.

27. San Francisco 49ers (31) – Troy Smith looked the part of a pro QB.  He will start for the rest of the season and will lead this offense to a 20+ ppg average.  Frank Gore is playing like an MVP, too bad he’s on a 2-6 club.

28. Cleveland Browns (29) – Let’s see if Colt McCoy can make Browns Backers forget Bernie Kosar, for just a moment anyways.  Mangini vs. Belichick is a funny match-up, even more funny, the post-game “no-look” hand shake; which is so good, I wonder if they both have post-coach callings as point guards in the NBA.

29. Denver Broncos (24) - I want to see more Tim Tebow.  Prepare for the future McDaniels, if you don’t now, then you are letting your fans down; the few that remain.

30. Dallas Cowboys (25) – I’m at a loss for words on how a team this talented is this bad.

31. Carolina Panthers (30) - I’m at a loss for words on how a team this talented is this bad. (Not a typo).

32. Buffalo Bills (32) – Embrace for a third consecutive heartbreaking, three point loss; this time to Chicago in OT.

Season Records:

Cardinals: 3-4, 3rd in NFC West, Last Week: Loss vs. Tampa Bay, 38-35

Vikings: 2-5, 3rd in NFC North, Last Week: Loss @ New England, 28-18

Gametime:

Sunday, November 7, 1:00 p.m., EST, Mall of America Field, Minneapolis, MN

Things Could Really Head Downhill Quickly for the Cardinals:

The Cardinals lost back-to-back games for the first time since November 2o08 with their losses in Weeks 7 and 8.  In a flash, Arizona slid back to third place, one game behind the Seattle Seahawks (4-3) and half a game behind the St. Louis Rams (4-4).  It seems that the Cards are starting to lose their collective balance on the tight rope they've been walking since Week 1 against the Rams.  Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be many reasons to think Arizona will collect themselves immediately.

The reasons for the pessimistic outlook are many.  First, at Week 9 the head coach has flipped flopped back to Derek Anderson to start this Sunday, but it's clearly by default.  Against the Buccaneers, Max Hall started out fast with a touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald on Arizona's second possession, but promptly followed it up with two pick-sixes.  Derek Anderson also started fast when he relieved Hall before the half, but he also threw two interceptions (though one was a tipped ball), the second of which slammed the door on a Cardinals comeback.

The quarterback situation is obviously in shambles and there's no reason to think it will get any better for the remainder of the season.  Anderson isn't going to magically figure it all out any time soon and Hall needs a lot more time to develop, which leads one inexorably to the conclusion that it really doesn't matter who Whisenhunt puts out there.  Neither quarterback can be relied upon to carry the offense.  The best the Cardinals can hope for is to not allow defensive points off turnovers and to not throw the game away, like Anderson did last week.  Hopefully, the Cardinals can get it going on the ground and limit the damage Anderson can inflict via interceptions.

Speaking of turnovers, the Cardinals have a turnover ratio of (-9); only the Carolina Panthers are worse.  Arizona has lost 11 fumbles, second-most in the NFL.  The Cardinals have been intercepted 12 times, once again second-most in the NFL.

Things honestly haven't been that much better on defense, despite the recent optimism.  Perhaps the fact that they haven't given up another 41 point game leads some to believe that things are improving, but they did give up 38 points to the Bucs, which is close enough.  In addition, the Cardinals have given up 198 points in eight games for 24.8 points per game.  Further, they haven't held an opponent to less than 23 points since Week 1.  Finally, the defense is 21st in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game (231.0) and 29th in rushing yards allowed per game (143.1).

Unfortunately, the coaching staff is sinking the Cardinals as well.  On offense, with Kurt Warner recently gone and Todd Haley long gone, the coaching staff is exposed, specifically Whisenhunt.  When Warner was running the offense, instead of Whisenhunt, the head coach could hide behind Warner's amazing ability to read defenses, beat the blitz, and fire pinpoint accurate passes to hot receivers.  Now that Whisenhunt is responsible for game planning and calling plays, we've seen mistake after mistake so far this season.   It was never more apparent than last week against the Buccaneers.

On defense, Bill Davis should be fired for the same reason that Clancy Pendergast was fired: he is absolutely terrified of dialing up consistent pressure by blitzing, even on clear passing downs.  There is no excuse for sending the minimum amount of guys on 3rd and 10, which the Cardinals did constantly against the Buccaneers and really all season.  There's no way the defensive secondary can be asked to hold their coverage for five, six, seven seconds or more while opposing quarterbacks stand back and pick apart the coverage.

Whisenhunt recently tried to put his finger on exactly what's plaguing the Cardinals in the last few weeks.  Here's how he put it:

The biggest issue we are having now as a football team is that when it doesn't show up like it does in practice, we're not adjusting to it very well.  The only way to get better at that is by experiencing it."

I would think the biggest issues the team is facing is abysmal quarterback play, giving up too many points on defense, allowing an ridiculous amount of turnovers, and making bad play-calling decisions.  It's about more than execution at this point.  It's about game-planning and fielding a competitive team (especially on offense) that is prepared to win.

The Vikings Are Dealing with Issues of Their Own:

Luckily, the Cardinals are facing a team that's in a relative mess as well.  There's the never-ending saga regarding Brett Favre and Brad Childress.  As if that wasn't enough, Randy Moss has been cut by the Vikings within a month of being signed.  Despite these headlines and the fact that they are 2-5, the Vikings are a very dangerous team whether they have Favre or Tarvaris Jackson at the helm.

In terms of statistics, the Vikings aren't doing so bad, which could mean that their season is due for a turnaround, despite the fact that league sources are buzzing about Brad Childress losing his job.  Whether that's in the future or not, you can't deny that Minnesota runs and stops the run very well.  They rank 7th in the NFL in rushing yards per game (134.6) and 13th in rushing yards allowed per game (102.4).

Adrian Peterson is having another fine season and he can take over any game at any time.  He's the most violent runner in the NFL and he's already racked up 776 yards on 165 carries (4.7 yards/carry) and six touchdowns.  He's the heart and soul of the Minnesota offense.  If the Cardinals are going to have any shot against the Vikings, they must neutralize Adrian Peterson; easier said than done.

While the Vikings are down one obvious receiving threat, they still have other weapons, namely Percy Harvin and Visanthe Shiancoe.  The two have combined for 51 catches, 658 yards, and four touchdowns.  Peterson has also been a reliable target, totaling 22 catches for 194 yards, with three receptions over 20 yards.

I suppose the big question, however, will be at the quarterback spot for the Vikings.  As everyone knows, Brett Favre suffered a chin laceration against the New England Patriots last week.  The injury knocked him out of the game in the fourth quarter; the laceration took eight stitches.  Before Favre was knocked out of the game, he completed 22 of 32 passes for 259 yards and 1 INT.  It's unclear at this point who is really making the personnel decisions over in Minnesota, but many suspect that Favre is running the Vikings' ship, rather than Childress.  Here's what the head coach had to say on the subject:

Let's have a little history lesson … and you can probably venture a pretty good guess in whether you thought he'd go, you know.  I think, probably, he takes a swing at it next week.  What do you think?"

Something tells me to expect Favre on the field against the Cardinals this Sunday.  It's a feeling confirmed by USA Today as well, considering that Favre says he's okay and expects to play.  It seems that if he's got two legs to stand on and an arm to throw the ball, Brett Favre will be out there.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Vikings surprisingly haven't gotten a very consistent pass rush.  They only have six sacks through eight games.  The fearsome combination of Jared Allen, Pat Williams, and Kevin Williams have only totaled two of those six sacks.  Something tells me, however, that Jared Allen could jump start his season against Cardinals' left tackle Levi Brown.

The Vikings defense isn't creating many turnovers (9 total), having only recovered three fumbles and intercepted six passes.  Favre alone has accounted for 11 interceptions, which has obviously been destroying their turnover ratio, which stands at (-7).  You don't necessarily have to create turnovers on defense to be successful.  It's not like the Vikings have been blown out in any other their five losses.  In fact, their largest margin of defeat was 10 points against the Patriots last week at Foxboro, which isn't too bad a job against that team in their own stadium.  Statistically, Minnesota's defense is close to a top 10 unit in defending against the pass and run; they rank 14th and 13th in those categories, respectively.  It could be very tough sledding for the Cardinals' weak offense, especially on the road.

The Bottom Line:

I would never consider a road trip to Minnesota a welcoming endeavor, despite what hardships the Vikings may currently face.  Adrian Peterson is still a beast and the Cardinals give up 143 rushing yards per game.  If Arizona allows it, Peterson could have a day of days, which would make the question of who's playing quarterback for Minnesota irrelevant.

If, however, the Cardinals are able to stuff Peterson (which they did handily in 2009 at home against Favre and the Vikings) and create a few turnovers, they could steal one on the road.

“Who Dat” Nation is still behind their defending Super Bowl champion Saints

After an impressive but hard-fought victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Saints have eagerly put the win behind them as they begin preparations for their second matchup against division foes, the Carolina Panthers.

The battles against Carolina have always been some of the toughest for the Saints since the Panthers entered the league as an expansion franchise back in 1995. In fact, Carolina holds the advantage in the divisional series 17-14. To give an indication of just how tough these two teams play each other, of those 31 games, 14 of them have been decided by eight points or less. In their last matchup back on October 3rd in the Superdome, the Saints eked out a 16-14 victory in what was a power struggle from beginning to end.  The keys:  a solid rushing attack by Chris Ivory and Ladell Betts, effective passing by Brees with no interceptions, critical third down conversions and heads up special teams and defensive plays, particularly in the waning minutes of the game.

In order to be successful in Bank of America Stadium where the Saints are 7-7, they will have to execute a similar gameplan to that of October 3rd, without the costly turnovers of course. Offensively, it all starts with the play of the offensive line. First off, they've got to be more disciplined and eliminate the penalties that have been literally killing drives.  Next, they have got to consistently move some bodies around in order to open up the run game.  With injuries to Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush likely to keep them both sidelined again this week, the bulk of the ground duties will be divided among Ivory, Betts, and Jones in some combination or another.   I'd like to see Coach Payton mix it up with some screen plays to extend the run and help keep Carolina's defense off balance.  That should help set up Brees' passing and allow him to take some shots down the field.  Thirdly, they have got to do a better job of protecting Brees.

Defensively, the Saints have to continuously exact a pass rush on Matt Moore to keep him from getting into any kind of rhythm and hopefully bait him into turning the ball over.  In the past, Steve Smith has had some big receptions against the Saints secondary.  Look for Moore to try to find him as often as he can.   With the return of Darren Sharper, the secondary, which has been playing extremely well thus far, has some additional spark and energy brought by his ball-hawking presence on the field.  It's going to be interesting to see if the Saints 3rd ranked passing defense can shut Smith down or even successfully contain him.  As for slowing down the explosive two-headed monster comprised of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, the Saints will be battle-tested as usual when they face the Panthers.  In the last matchup, the backs contributed both scores for Carolina when Stewart scored a touchdown on a 55-yard toss from Jimmy Clausen and Williams scored on a 39-yard run.  However, this time around Williams, who is hampered by a foot injury that caused him to have to miss practice this week, may be a no go.  Nonetheless, Payton has indicated that the Saints will prepare for the Panthers as usual.

“Musical Chairs” under center in the Nation’s Capital

Washington Redskins QB word play: “Cardiovascular Endurance”, Rex Grossman, JaMarcus Russell.

Donovan is being run out of D.C. similar to how he was ran out in Philadelphia, the city of “Brotherly Love”.  This time around, can the decision be fairly justified?  Consider for a moment, who’s looking over his shoulder.

In a telling quote after the loss to Detroit on Sunday, Chris Cooley told reporters that "every part of our offense is garbage. Not just one facet, but all of it."

I couldn't agree more.

Halfway through the regular season, calling the Redskins offense "a work in progress" isn't just sugar-coating it as much as it's completely avoiding the truth altogether. It's a wildly inconsistent unit that has no real identity, and does nothing consistently well, except for maybe shooting itself in the foot with the most untimely penalties and turnovers possible. We've been teased with glimpses of a power running game and a vertical passing attack at times this season, but unfortunately, the bottom line remains that the offense still has a long ways to go before the Redskins can truly consider themselves contenders in the NFC East, or NFC overall.

Let's start with Donovan McNabb, who after a promising start to the season, has unquestionably taken a step back over the last three weeks. Over that span of time, he's thrown for only three touchdowns (two of which traveled less than 10 yards), but has five interceptions and has not eclipsed the 250 yard passing mark in any of those games (he's done so only twice this season, despite the Redskins having completed half their regular season to date). While McNabb's poise under duress, confident demeanor, and ability to complete passes over 40 yards still remain the polar opposite of what we had to endure from Jason Campbell over the last two and a half years, we're starting to get a glimpse of the "worm burners", unnecessary fastballs, and erratic accuracy that Eagles fans grew so tired of over the last few years. His interception in the 4th quarter last Sunday was completely inexcusable; an 11 year veteran should know not to thread the needle between three defenders when you're protecting a five point lead.

But in McNabb's defense, it's not exactly like he has the Hogs protecting him and the Posse flanking him, either. As the old saying goes: You can't make Chicken Soup out of Chicken [Poop]. And right now, the Redskins have a bunch of players offense who are playing at a level that can best be described as "dung."

Take a look at the Redskins offensive line. At no point in time this season has this unit looked like it got the better of the opposing defensive line, let alone dominating them. There are times when opposing defenders have broken through, taken a seat, and started playing a game of Yahtzee in the backfield. It's really hard for a running back to gain any yardage if he has a defensive tackle and linebacker waiting for him in the backfield, as soon as he receives the hand off. If we're speaking in terms of plastic surgery, this offensive line doesn't just need a face lift or a shot of botox this off season, it needs a god damned trans-gender reconstruction. The way Casey Rabach and Kory Lichtensteiger played last Sunday, i'm completely convinced that they couldn't have stopped a four girl scouts from sacking McNabb. Of course, in Lichtensteiger's defense, he's been playing that way all year, so it's not like we should have been surprised by his performance last week. Oh, and just for good measure, Artis Hicks also decided to play his absolute worst game of the season on Sunday, to boot.

Jammal Brown, who I still think was a hell of an acquisition, hasn't been quite right since the day he arrived in Washington. Because of Shanahan's Belichick-ian confidentiality with the extent of many player's injuries, I don't think a lot of Redskins fans realize that we got a damaged product from New Orleans right off the bat. Which means we've been stuck with extended stints at right tackle from Stephon Heyer, who is the offensive tackle equivalent of ex-Wizard Kwame Brown: enormous physical potential, yet has absolutely no clue what the hell he's doing out there on the football field. Even Trent Williams, who played so well in the beginning of the season, seems to have regressed a bit. Williams has all the potential in the world to be the next elite left tackle in this league, and he's done a slightly-better-than-adequate job (especially given the murderer's row of pass rusher's that he's faced in the first half of the season). But whether it's nagging injuries or just being "green" in general, he's not quite at that elite "set it and forget it" level of left tackle just yet.

But to make matters even worse, even if McNabb did have the Offensive Line of the '91 Redskins protecting him (man I miss those guys), the group of players he has surrounding at the skill position are completely and utterly devoid of play makers not named Santana Moss. I'll say it 'til I'm blue in the face: Anthony Armstrong is a nice find and a better story, but if you think he's anything more than a #3 receiver, you're kidding yourself. The rest of the depth chart at receiver, after Armstrong, is just plain laughable. The Redskins didn't exactly reinvent the wheel and see something that 31 other franchises didn't with guys like Joey Galloway and Roydell Williams; they're both has-beens or never-will-be's. There are at least 10 guys on the street right now who could come in an contribute more than they have. Shanahan keeps saying they're on the roster because they practice hard and do the right thing during the week, but they must seriously look like Jerry Rice and Lynn Swann in practices, because they don't produce a damn thing on the field (Deangelo Hall has as many "receptions" as Williams, and he hasn't taken an offensive snap all season).

And I don't care what any coach or any injury report tells me, Cooley just hasn't been the same since his concussion. He's not playing at 100% yet, which is alarming and borderline catastrophic considering he's now the only real dependable receiver outside of Moss, and Shanahan refuses to incorporate Fred Davis (Cooley's backup) into his passing attack

Things aren't much brighter in the running game, either. Everyone knows Shanahan's reputation of turning moderately talented running backs into thousand yard rushers in Denver, but thinking you could make anything out never-will-be practice-squad fodder like Keiland Williams and Chad Simpson is indefensible. These guys are nothing more than warm bodies who can maybe contribute a special teams tackle or two in a best-case scenario, yet we're going to have to rely on them while Clinton Portis gets himself in game shape and Ryan Torain recovers from a hamstring injury.

Unfortunately, the Redskins aren't going to address all the talent shortcomings in one single bye week. All they can basically do is regroup, lick their wounds, and (hopefully) make some adjustments as they enter the positively brutal 2nd half of their schedule.

If there's a silver lining in this, it's that, to a man, every player on offense believes the unit is on the offense is on the brink of success. Reading their quotes, you can tell that their performance doesn't come from a a lack of preparation by the coaches or an inferior game plan put together during the week. It's just a matter of execution: doing your job and beating the man in front of you. To me, it just seems like we don't quite have the pieces to do this yet. Even though we're 4-4 and right in the thick of things amongst a parity-filled NFC, maybe as Redskins fans, we need to temper our expectations regarding this team, and understand that this team is still a work in progress.

Before this season began, anyone who knows anything about football would say that a 7-9 or 8-8 record is right about where the Redskins could realistically expect to finish in Year One of the Shanahan regime. So far, we're on pace to reach this. Maybe we have to understand that if we're going to win the marathon that is the NFL regular season, we have to learn to run consistently before we can learn to run competitively.

When the Seahawks’ offensive unit trots out onto the field Sunday at Qwest Field a familiar face won’t be leading them.

According to the Twitter accounts of head coach Pete Carroll and the team as a whole, starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will not play due to his recovery from a concussion he suffered in last Sunday’s 33-3 road loss to the Oakland Raiders.

In Hasselbeck’s place will be Charlie Whitehurst.  The 28-year-old Whitehurst will be making his first start in the National Football League and will throw his first pass in a regular-season game.

The 6-foot-5, 225-pound quarterback was acquired prior to the 2010 NFL Draft in a deal with the San Diego Chargers.

Can't get enough NFLGridironGab?  Follow SeahawksGab Editor Devon Heinen on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DevonHeinen.

Caldwell’s crew continues to overcome adversity, countering injuries with victories

The bye week is finally behind us and we can begin looking forward to Eagles football again. In order to get back in the swing of things, I was able to ask ColtsGab.com columnist Josh Dhani a series of questions about the match-up.

Josh weighs in on the legacy of Peyton Manning, gives us his thoughts on Michael Vick, and tells us where each team will have an advantage on Sunday. To close, Josh gives us a final prediction on the game.

Thanks to Josh for participating this week and I hope everyone enjoys the interview!

EaglesGab: When I hear "Indianapolis Colts" I automatically think of Peyton Manning. When it's all said and done, what do you think his legacy will be? Greatest quarterback of all-time?

ColtsGab: Yes, I would say that he is the greatest quarterback of all time. Actually, just a day ago I wrote about him which you can read here. The guy is simply phenomenal.

EG: Staying on the topic of Manning, will the Colts look at every season as Super Bowl or bust as long as he's around?

CG: Yes, I think so. Manning only has six or seven years left in him. To fully take grasp of everyone's eyes, he needs to get at least 1-3 more Super Bowls to fully guarantee him a spot as the greatest quarterback of all-time to the naysayers. Manning has shown he can basically get to the Super Bowl every time. He can do it. Look at John Elway, he got his Super Bowls late in his career. I wouldn't be surprised if Peyton can get a few more rings.

EG: It seems as though the Colts have experienced a lot of injuries so far this year. Which injury has hurt the most and what back-up player has had the biggest impact filling in for an injury?

CG: I would say Joseph Addai and Donald Brown being out. When Addai was out for the 30-17 win over the Texans, Mike Hart had to come in and start. Hart showed signs of his old days in Michigan, and had 84 yards of twelve carries. Then in the Chiefs game and up to the Texans game, he has been filling in for Donald Brown, and has showed he is capable of becoming a heavy-minute back. However, Addai and Brown gone really does open up a hole. Addai a great, elusive target. He can catch, run, block, and even pass (as he showed in a game-winning touchdown versus the Niners last season). Brown is one of the fastest players on the team and is a solid back-up who fits great in the Colts' rotation.

EG: The Eagles will start Michael Vick against the Colts. What are your thoughts on how he has performed this season and how do you believe he matches up against the Colts defense?

CG: Michael Vick has been solid this season. I wanted him to start right after Donovan McNabb left. Right when Vick stepped up in the Packers game, I knew he was the Eagles' future. I think Vick is going to be pretty good against the Colts' defense, especially when he starts scrambling. The Colts' linebackers could easily be tricked when Vick is going for play-action or throwing on the run. He is a monster, even if he is 30 years old.

EG: On Sunday, where will the Colts have an advantage on offense? On defense?

CG: I think the Colts will have an easy advantage on pass offense and pass defense. When Manning is under center, watch out. Plus, the Colts have Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, and Joseph Addai (if he returns) as receiving threats. Jacob Tamme, too. The pass defense is very underrated. They have young, but very tough cornerbacks. They also have a great safety in Antoine Bethea, as he stops the deep passes down the middle. Along with that, the Colts have a scary pass-rush, led by Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. The linebackers have shown they can pass-rush pretty well, too.

EG: Where will the Eagles have an advantage on offense? On defense?

CG: The Eagles will have a nice advantage on the run game. With LeSean McCoy and Vick, the Eagles can really run over the Colts. Rush defense is also on the Eagles side as well.

EG: What player could be a potential x-factor for the Colts on Sunday?

CG: Hart will still be an X-factor whether he starts or becomes a back-up. He has been solid and if the Eagles don't notice him, they're in for some trouble.

EG: Give me a score prediction.

CG: I see the Colts edge out Philly, 27-21.

Moss to Belichick: You make Brad Childress look like Rick Moranis from the “Little Giants”

Leave a comment on what you think Moss was saying to Belichick.

As Randy Moss stood on Lambeau Field two weeks ago, with seconds ticking off the clock, he had his arms spread wide as he looked towards his sideline to try and convince somebody, anybody, to allow the offense to press forward and get some points on the board.

That image stuck with most of us fans throughout the week as the Vikings prepared to face Moss' most recent former team, the New England Patriots.

Apparently, while we casually discussed the episode in chat forums, Moss had already made up his mind in regards to Brad Childress before he even left Green Bay.

"I cannot play for this coach," Moss said to teammates in the vicinity as the club departed Green Bay, according to what an NFL source told the National Football Post. "I'm one and done."

It only took Moss three games to find out what Matt Birk, Darren Sharper, and Marcus Robinson had already figured out before.  He found out that Brad Childress will not put up with players who think their success equals a right to make team-wide calls on and off the field.  Most of all, Childress refuses to allow his players to publicly criticize him or his staff.

In the past, Moss has been the master of talking his way off a team via immature episodes that make a grown man look like a twelve year old.  Perhaps Moss' tirade directed at a local caterer was a strategic move to get as far away from Childress as he could, and as quickly as possible.

Or maybe it was simply Randy being Randy.

The Vikings traded for Moss, who was seeking a trade out of New England for no real reason other than that they hadn't given him a long term contract, and then proceeded to not give him a long term contract.  It should surprise nobody that he couldn't coexist with Brad Childress and it should surprise nobody that he continued to be unhappy.

For some reason, though, this whole thing was still very surprising.