11.10.08 MONDAY SUCK-OFF: THE LOSERS EARN IT

Jevon Kearse and the Titans celebrate a 9-0 record with a little wit

By my count, there were five games yesterday in which the team that had been outplayed most of the game had a chance to win or tie in the final two minutes — and all five lost.

• The Eagles got run over by Brandon Jacobs & Co. (Philly had the ball for only 20 minutes the whole game), but still had a chance to win late.  Then Andy Reid called for a pair of unimaginative runs up the middle on third- and fourth-and-short, and that was that.  36-31, Giants.
• You play to win the game: a flubbed PAT earlier in the game meant the Chiefs could only tie after scoring a late TD (thanks to a BS pass interference penalty) that put them within a point of the Chargers, so the Chiefs went for two and a win in San Diego.  No dice.  20-19, Chargers.
• The Steelers played tough, but Ben Roethlisberger was sloppy, mismanaging the final drive and throwing critical interceptions late in the game, including the Hail Mary that nearly won the game.  24-20, Colts.

• The Vikings seemingly kicked the crap out of the Packers, but a pick-6 and a punt return TD kept Green Bay in the game late.  A missed 52-yarder by Mason Crosby sealed Minnesota’s win.  28-27, Vikings.  Game ball: Adrian Peterson: 192 yards rushing, 1 TD.
• After some big plays gave the Dolphins a commanding lead, the Seahawks’ attempt at a comeback consisted of a dropped pass in the end zone (that’s the Koren Robinson we know and love) that resulted in settling for a field goal, and later a two-point conversion attempt from the seven-yard line because of a false start.  21-19, Dolphins.

However, at least those five losers played with a modicum of heart.  The sucking in other games yesterday was positively brutal.  The bronze medal of suck goes to the Lions, who maintained their perfect 0-9 record by getting blown out at home by the Jaguars, a team that was supposedly imploding.  Second place goes to the Rams, who went into the locker room at halftime trailing the Jets 40-0.  That was the only game on locally at 1:00 p.m. in New York.  I considered moving to a different region at 1:10.

As bad as those two teams were, nothing could stop the gaping maw of suck created by the Panthers and Raiders, who combined to create a vortex where football fandom went to die.  Jake Delhomme completed 7 of 27 passes for 72 yards and four interceptions, while the Raiders countered with Andrew Walter (two picks) and an offense that converted just two of 17 third downs.  Who won the game?  No one.

(banner pic from Shutdown Corner)