A Handful of Football Thoughts

First off, Brian Griese is a footnote in Denver now; a simple name that stands testimony to coach Shanahan's stubborn convictions in the face of overwhelming evidence. When he was let loose, the sigh of relief in Denver could probably be heard all the way in Miami, the team that he found himself playing for and the team that didn't keep him on the roster very long at all.

This week, Griese, who last week was the third string quarterback for the winless Tampa Bay behind Brad Johnson and Chris Simms, found himself actually playing football again when Simms went down with a shoulder injury. Johnson had been demoted after failing to find a way to win the team's previous games this year.

What did Griese do? The man who was lifeless, ill prepared, and utterly un-spectacular in Denver? He brought the team their first win and managed some good numbers in the process: 16 of 19 for a 194 yards and a touchdown. Good for him, and, although I'm an official skeptic, I hope that he continues to do as well if he's the starter next week.

Underachiever that he is, he has the capacity to be a good player. Maybe not great, certainly not spectacular, but solid. Good luck to him.

And what's up with San Diego? Frankly, I had chalked up their first two wins to luck, but this third win has me wondering if they are a significantly better team than I had thought. Their 34-21 win over Jacksonville certainly makes them look like a team to be worried about, as does their 140 points scored--the second best in the NFL. What hurts them is the 115 points scored against them.

At the beginning of the season, I thought that the AFC West would see KC on top, the Broncos and Raiders slugging it out for second place, and San Diego solidly behind everyone. I was quite obviously wrong.

Instead, KC is struggling, the Raiders are fading, San Diego is surprisingly strong, and Denver is in the lead. What a surprising season thus far.

Last thought: Gibbs will turn things around in Washington. As a coach, he's seemed a little rusty in play calling and time management, but he does have a team that can do well. They would be lucky to make the playoffs this year, but I do believe that they'll end the season well after continuing to struggle for the next few games.

I like Gibbs--and he's certainly smart enough to do well in his position. He just needs a shakedown cruise to get back into the swing of things.

Of course, if my predictions for the AFC West are any indicator, my trusty prognosticating machine might be a little bit rusty...