The Barbershop: NFL Week 5

Written by Isaac Barber & Media by Joe Hubbs.

This NFL season is nearly 1/3 of the way through. It has been a really surprising season for many teams and a really disappointing year for others. Now with the bye weeks hastily approaching, it will be interesting to see how many teams are making that “Post-Bye Week” push for the playoffs. With the first 5 weeks out of the way, it is not too late for anyone. However there are still winners and losers of this bi weekly installment of the Barbershop.

Losers

Thursday Night Football

The NFL decided to start having games on Thursday nights, (I assume) to give fans of the NFL more opportunities to watch football throughout the week. I believe that it was a great move by the NFL, however, the games that are being scheduled on Thursday nights are very laughable. The Bills, Rams, and Browns have all been featured in Thursday night games. These are all teams that are consistently among the worst of the NFL. So can someone please explain to me, why would you ever schedule a game featuring any of those teams on a Thursday? It does not do any favors for all the fans starving for football in the middle of the week. I would much rather watch a University of Alaska intra-squad JV scrimmage.

Matt Schaub

The Texans, at 2-3, are still in the playoff conversation, and still have the fire power to compete for the division against Andrew Luck and the Indy Colts. They have the potential to be the most explosive offenses in the league with Andre Johnson and Arian Foster, as well as a defense that can compete with almost any offense in the league. However, potential gets you nowhere in this world. Matt Schaub has set an NFL record, when he threw 4 straight touchdowns… to the other team. Yes, Schaub has managed to throw interceptions in four consecutive games returned for touchdowns. Talk about wasted potential. Schaub needs to figure it out before the boys in Indianapolis pull away with the division.

Tebowless Teams

Tampa Bay and Jacksonville are both teams that both showed interest at one point and time in the magnificent Tebow. The Bucs and the Jaguars have both yet to win a game, and neither team has had a consistent starting quarterback. Granted, Tebow is no Peyton Manning, but I feel like his winning record over the last 2 years is way better than the track record of either team over the last 5 years. They need the attention and wins that Tebow provides. Bring him back to Florida!

Tony Romo

Romo has thrown for over 500 yards, nearly out-dueled the great Peyton Manning, and is currently setting franchise records. However, the “loyal” Cowboys fans still find reasons to hate him. What gives? I guess if you aren’t winning, blame it on the quarterback.

Winners

Morris Claiborne

Yes, the defense gave up 51 points. Yes, your team is under .500, due in large part to an underperforming defense. Yes, your secondary struggles. But Morris Claiborne is a winner in my heart. Why? He is the first person to catch an interception from Peyton Manning. That is something your kids can go to school and be proud of. They don’t even have to bring up the awful route the receiver ran, just the interception.

Joe Flacco

The Baltimore Ravens recently made Joe Flacco one of the highest paid players in the NFL. He has currently thrown 3 more interceptions than touchdowns, while making more mullah than Manning who has 15 more touchdown passes, and 7 less interceptions. He is also being paid more than Mr. Brady, who has 2 more Super Bowl rings. Flacco definitely beat the system this offseason, and for that I tip my hat to him and his briefcase full of dough.

Referees

Very seldom do I give referees any credit for anything that they do. However this will be the one brief moment that I do. Kudos. There you go… Maybe it’s just in comparison to the replacement refs we had just a season ago at this time, but these old guys seem to be making the right calls and have little reason for complaint…so far.

The Guys that dress up in orange and call themselves Broncos

I really tried to convince myself not to talk about Peyton Manning, but if you have read anything else in the blog, you can see I have clearly failed. If you have not paid attention to the Broncos, you should reevaluate everything you know about life, and find cable television somewhere this Sunday. You should also come to grips with the fact that the Broncos may have been on to something when they let go of Tebow, for some guy named Manning (too soon?).  John Elway clearly knew what he was doing when he took the risk of signing Manning after coming off an injury. Elway won two Super bowls himself when he was older than 37, so he may see some of himself in an older, yet stellar Peyton Manning.