Monday Mash- Week 7

Welcome back to the show. I apologize for the hastily-styled picks section yesterday...I only had mere minutes to get them in before the 1 pm kickoffs. The Steelers/Vikings game was pretty solid at 1 pm, but it was starting at 4pm when New York sports fans were glued to their sets. The (much needed, mentally stabilizing) Jets-Raiders game was over before it started, and that led right up to Angels-Yankees as well as Giants/Cardinals. Big Blue came up short, but the Yanks are going to the World Series for the first time since 2003. I will do a write-up/World Series preview tomorrow, but the Monday Mash as always will be dedicated to football. Here was my favorite stuff of week 7:

The Montauk BeverageWorks Delicious Performance of the Week:
Shonn Greene, Jets. Wudduya say, rookie? Thomas Jones started this game off with a touchdown, but it was Greene's day. Nineteen carries for 144 and 2 touchdowns. Can you say fantasy football waiver wire?? Greene's contributions gives Gang Green and their fans some peace of mind because...

• After losing Kris Jenkins last week, Jets runner Leon Washington broke his leg yesterday and is also gone for the season. Jenkins may not have been the flashiest, but he was the most important player on the D. Leon is without a doubt the flashiest and the most important player on the team (running, catching, kick returning, everything.) Sure, the 38-0 win was super, but the loss of Leon makes yesterday a real downer in the end. The Jets' most important individual offensive and defensive players are now gone. First test: next week against the Miami team that embarassed the Jets earlier this season. Let's get to work, Rex.
• The Giants should really send some kind of fruit basket to the Yankees. The baseball game overshadowed the real dud laid by Big Blue at home. The Cardinals came in as a real feast-or-famine team, and they controlled the game from the start. So from out of nowhere, it's the Giants that have lost two straight as their meaty divisional lead has dwindled. Lots of questions will be answered when they travel to Philadelphia next week.
• Speaking of the Jets and Giants games, the Reilly Sports Blog's NFL picks came back with a fury this week. Chargers and Jets cover as favorites while the Cardinals come up big as the underdogs. Houston busted the blog's collective balls by letting the 49ers back in for a miracle push. Favre's bed-wetting display at the end of the game made the Perfiction a failure. But we will take 3-1-1. We can take that.
• A dirty little secret from week 7: besides HOU/SF, MIN/PIT, and NYG/ARI, there were NO COMPETITIVE GAMES. The games I just listed were the only ones decided by 10 points or less. The Texans-Niners was the only one decided by less than a touchdown. On the other side of the coin, there were six (6) games that were won by 28 points or more. That is utterly absurd. The talent gap between good and woeful is greater than ever. It was really reflected this week. This season, pick underdogs with extreme caution, no matter the spread.
• Miles Austin gives Tony Romo the love and security that Jessica evidently could not. 170 yards and 2 scored for Miles, as Tony doesn't throw a pick and at least for this week, keeps the critics and their pitchforks at bay.
• The Bills are a very respectable 3-4. I thought Carolina would dismantle them since QB Trent Edwards was out. But Buffalo has an extremely unique ability. They seem to know they are low on talent, but manage to drag their opponents right down to their crappy level as well. It's uncanny. The last 3 weeks: losing 6-3 to Cleveland in a game that was rated NC-17 for disturbing images, beating the Jets in overtime because Sanchez throws them 5 picks, and taking down a Panthers team that went 12-4 last year by a score of 20-9. I'm never picking for them or against them for the rest of the year. They are too weirdly freightening.
• Keeping things in the AFC East, the Saints/Dolphins had a final score that was...well, deceiving. The Dolphins light-sped out to a 21 point lead over the New Orleans team that dominated the Giants start-to-finish last week. Drew Brees throws 3 picks for a rating below 60, but runs for 2 TD's. Such a bizarre game, and you get the feeling every single Dolphins game the rest of the way will be among the most entertaining of the week.
• The Broncos are resting on their bye with 6-0 record and a 3-game lead in the division. Jay Cutler is in now in 3rd place after losing to the Bengals by 35 points. Just saying...
  
• How did the Bucs intercept Tom Brady twice? Was he paid by the US embassy to give Bucs fans in London a reason to cheer?
• Monday Night Football features the NFC East tonight, Redskins-Eagles. Washington is playing to save their season as the Eagles try to keep the 2-loss pace of the Giants and Cowboys. If Oakland didn't beat the Eagles last week (biggest mystery of NFL '09 thusfar,) I would give the Skins a chance. But Philly is now angry and eager to keep the city amped with the Phillies in the World Series. Eagles 27, Redskins 14. Enjoy the game.