5th Street: Wild, Wacky Week especially out West

Well just when you think you have this league figured out, it throws you another a curveball. Case in point was out in the NFC West: the 2 best teams (Seattle v. St.Louis) and the 2 worst teams (San Fran v. Arizona) played. Both games a team had a huge lead. Both games incredible comebacks occurred. Now no one is really surprised if/when Arizona's defense collapses and they lose, but Seattle?!? The Seahawks had the number one rated defense going into the game. They hunted, sacked, hurried Bulger and forced three interceptions in the first half. At the end of the first half, Seattle was leading 24-7, Mike Holmgren was already diagramming plays for next weeks game against the Eagles and the Seattle fans were drinking coffee (well they always do that). But coaching genius Mike Martz (a man that admits fewer mistakes than George Bush) had Seattle just where he wanted him.
In the third quarter Martz used the Marshall Plan and scored three points, softening the Seattle D via repeated kidney punches and all Faulk all the time. In the fourth quarter and OT the Rams, despite a Seattle defense that blitzed cornerbacks, linebackers, and possibly a tank, outscored Seattle 23-3. How did this happen?
In the fourth:
9:26 Bulger finds Manumaleuna the Slender in the end zone. Holmgren responds by continuing to eat his celebratory bag of dorritos. No worries, yet. Seattle 27-17

11:30 Bulger throws a 44 yard bomb to Kevin "Who" Curtis. Holmgren responds by sticking pins in Marshall Faulk voo-doo doll. Mike Martz seen doing the running man. Seattle 27-24

12:30 Shaun Alexander hit by tranquilizer gun. Seattle forced to punt. Holmgren makes sacrifice to Pan, the god of Goats.

14:52 Marc Bulger, channeling St. Hannah (patron saint of comic book super-heroes), leads the Rams down the field with no time outs, setting up Jeff Wilkins who hits a game tying field goal. 27-27.

OT Rams win coin toss. Holmgren electrifies end zone in last ditch effort.

3:02 into OT Bulger hit a random fan ( Shaun McDonald) streaking down the sideline on a 52 yard pass play for a touchdown. Holmgren found in fetal position crying for Binkie his Teddy Bear. Rams win 33-27

2. Alright stand up if you predicted San Diego over Jacksonville, Detroit over Atlanta and New York over Dallas. Keep standing if you also predicted that Detroit, NY Jets and NY Giants would be a combined 11-2 and Tennessee, Green Bay and Kansas City would be a combined 4-10. If your still standing you will be committed to an insane asylum. Coaching matters (witness the Giants finding an offensive line and Detroit finding a clue) but so do injuries and the return of Chad Pennington and Jeremy Shockey can't be overlooked.

3. If there is one permanent fact in the NFL these days (besides Janet Jackson off the Christmas Card list) it is the New England Patroits. 19 straight wins. Cheers all around for Brady's razor sharp accuracy or the offense line that opens holes and gives the QB time. But as the Detroit Pistons showed in the NBA , great defenses, teamwork and turnovers go a long way. While this Cleveland native hates admitting it, Bill Bellichek always has his teams on all cylinders.

The Turn
4. Is there anything more fun (or common) in baseball then second guessing the manager? Was Johan Santanna pulled too early? Should Houston have left Roger Clemens in longer? Did Torre/Francona not use/use their closer/starter/porsche at the right time? Nonetheless if Boston is finally going to get over the CURSE it seems only fitting that they have to go through the Yankees.

The River (random thoughts)
5. If Chaos Theory is correct and the flapping of the butterflies wings in North Dakota produce a hurricane in Indonesia is it possible that by writing this article I am influencing the outcome of a sports game? Do you think the Browns regret not drafting Ben Roethlisberger now or will take a few more losses? After all that debate of taking Phillip Rivers or Eli Manning I find it ironic that its Big Ben playing. How bad is OSU playing, coach Jim Tressel has lost complete confidence in the power of his sweater-vests. Finally, how much more leeway does Joe Gibbs have before Daniel Snyder puts his foot in his mouth.