WEEKEND FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Even with a slow week in football, Andrew Jacobsen returns with another WEEKEND FOOTBALL PREVIEW:

What a week huh? We elected a new president and…well…ummmmmmmmmm…hmmmmmm…what else? Geez. I can’t think of anything. Yeah, sure it was a big week because of the election and everything that happen on Tuesday BUT…

It was a boring week in sports. Seriously. What BIG news stories happen this week in football? Yeah, the #1 college football team lost….again. That wasn’t tremendously unexpected though. BIG NFL news? Brady Quinn starts for the Browns and plays well in his first start. Really? That’s the biggest NFL news all week? Ugh! How boring. Looks like we are in a little bit of a mid-season lull. I mean, I can only hear people complain about the BCS for so long before I want to blow my own head off. You know?

Well, with nothing for me to comment on here, lets get to the games.

College ‘ball

Alabama/LSU – On paper, this has the makings of a very interesting matchup. Nick Saban returns to LSU…and they still haven’t gotten over him leaving down there. They would like nothing better then to beat Saban and take down the #1 team in the country and likely ruin Alabama’s shot at a national championship. Will that happen? I don’t think so. But still, it would be something if it did, which makes this game a “must watch.”

Penn St./Iowa – I still, despite being at #3 in the latest BCS, think that Penn St. is in control of their own destiny to the national championship game. I still don’t think any team in the SEC or BIG-12 (certainly both) will finish undefeated. Therefore, this could be the biggest test left for Penn State and a undefeated season. Personally, I want Penn State to lose. I still don’t think they are a top 5 team in the country. Go Iowa!

Oklahoma St/Texas Tech – WOW! What happen? How did two virtually ignored programs in the BIG-12 all the sudden ascend to a point to where they are the “must watch” college football game of the weekend? Crazy huh? Must watch…well…not if you live on the pacific coast. Instead, we will have to sit through another USC beat down of a mediocre Pac-10 team (Cal). Oh boy! Once again I will not be able to watch maybe the best game of the weekend. I HATE YOU PAC-10! I HATE YOU!

[Editor's Note: Again with people bashing the Pac-10! This is ABC's fault. They had every opportunity to move the USC game to 12:30 and leave 5pm alone. But everyone loooooves to put down the West Coast. Enough!]

The Pros

One game in the books already (a pretty good game at that) and a good number of interesting matchups this weekend…

NO/ATL – Geez. Who would have thought at the beginning of the year that this matchup would be a pivotal game in the race for division leader in the NFC South? I sure didn’t…nor did I thin the Falcons would have a better record then the Saints at this point of the season. Falcons have kind of quietly been a very, very good team this year. Interesting QB matchup here too with Brees going against the NFL Rookie of the Year (so far), Matt Ryan.

[Second Editor's Note: Am I the only one who thought the Falcons were going to be vastly improved this year? It's not like the Bucs or Panthers posed any legitimate threat to dominate the South. Just saying...]

BUF/NE – What the hell happen to my Bills? I was drinking the Bills kool-aid two weeks ago (after beating SD) but now they have dropped two in a row. Both teams are tied atop the AFC East and this game could go a long way in determining who wins that AFC East.

TEN/CHI – Welcome back Rex Grossman…ohhhhh, how we have missed you. Seriously, its great to have him back, right? And against the leagues best defense nonetheless…what a treat! I think its going to be good times watching the highlights of this one Sunday night…probably will be the funniest thing on TV all night. Can the Titans remain undefeated?

INDY/PIT – Once again, another one of those ‘must win” games for the Colts. Seriously, how many of those can one team have in a season? The Colts still aren’t right. I mean, they barely beat a weakened NE team at home last week. Now the get the Steelers who will likely be without Big Ben AND Willie Parker. Two teams that are a shell of their former selves. Sounds like a great game to watch to me!

NYG/PHIL – Oh yes…another NFC east battle. Can’t forget this one. Eagles seem to be getting healthier after a tough time of it there in October. It’s a crowded division but the Giants can once again create a good amount of separation between them and the teams trying to catch them with a win here…and on the road. Should be a good one to end the day with on Sunday.

Welp..thats it I guess. Have a great weekend everybody and enjoy the games.

Andrew Jacobsen