NFL Week 1

I'm going to start off with a quick couple comments on college football despite the title and say that the Cougs have to have the worst defense in division 1. They have looked so bad these first two weeks that I have a hard time imagining they will win a game this year. I don't know if Paul Wulff is entirely to blame or even mostly to blame, but unless there are drastic changes I think WSU will be coach shopping again this offseason.

It is a big relief to see the Huskies finally put a notch in the win column, even if it was against a horribly overmatched Idaho team. Based on what I've seen in the 2 games so far it is hard to predict how this season will go, but at least it's encouraging. And my preseason prediction that they will win more games than last year has already been fulfilled. Idaho exposed a very questionable secondary and I have a feeling that USC will thoroughly exploit it next week. It could be a world class beating, but then again SC has played down to their competition a lot the last few years, even having a close game with the Dawgs last year so you never know. But you usually do. Either way, I see a lot of improvement and am really hoping for a .500 season.

On to the NFL. I don't know if Hasselbeck is rusty or if the Brett Favre mania has gone to his head and he decided that the best course of action is to make a lot of questionable throws and try to squeeze the ball into double coverage. Whatever the reason, against a team other than the hapless Rams, it will cost the Hawks dearly. I hope he has that out of his system. The running game was sporadically successful and hopefully that is a sign of better things to come as the linemen become more familiar with the zone blocking scheme. I still think that we would be best served by trading Julius Jones and letting Justin Forsett start. Forsett reminds me of Ahman Green when he was in Seattle, minus the fumbles. I think that given the opportunity he could be a big time player. Jones, for lack of a better word, is just a pu$$y out there making a half hearted effort, trying not to get hurt. Let the Forsett era begin. If we could get a 2nd round pick for Jones it would be a steal.

I have a man crush on Steven Jackson. I think he is the most versatile back since Walter Payton, it's just a shame he's stuck on such a bad team where much of his talent is wasted. It's like Barry Sanders wasting away in Detroit. Jackson is just an amazing athlete though. He's big and strong enough to run over guys, quick enough to juke guys, fast enough to outrun guys, plus he has good enough hands to be the Rams' best WR and he does an admirable job of blocking. I don't know what it would take to wrestle him away from the Rams, but I would give up a lot for him. Imagine what he could do with the Seahawks.

The Bills world class choke job on national tv was Bengal-esque, a term growing increasingly more appropriate by the day. It would have been even more crushing had I not seen it coming. It was truly masterful the way they toyed with me - holding on until I really started believing they could pull it off before dashing my hopes in a most humiliating fashion. I just can't believe Leodis McKelvin fumbled that kickoff return. Why he wasn't holding on to the ball with both hands I'll never know.

Speaking of the Bungles, that is one of the most impressive giveaways I've ever seen. That being said, maybe that's the way Orton drew up the play. I've said it before and I'll say it again: this is the year of Kyle Orton. He finally has some decent receivers to throw to, he finally has the starting job outright without having to look over his shoulder, and he finally has a quality quarterback coach. I think he'll make a run at the Pro Bowl. He may not be the prototypical big, strong armed QB, but he's got good accuracy and he makes good decisions. This is the right time and right situation for him. I just hope the rest of the team sucks enough that the Seahawks can get a good 1st round pick from them next year.

I already can't wait for next week.