NFL Week 4 Winners & Losers

I enjoy reading all of the season previews. I think all of the "experts" get together and decide who they are going to give all of the press to. This year it seems like San Diego, Baltimore and the Giants were always in the conversation (it's easy to get the Indianapolis and New England picks right). So far this season, the three glamorous picks are a combined 5-7. San Diego is doing so bad that fans on Sunday broke out the MAR-TY MAR-TY chant. Talk about short-term memory. These are the same fans that wanted to run Marty Schottenheimer out of town after a "disappointing" 14-2 season. Here's a free coaching tip for Norv, with four chances to punch it in from the opponent's five, give the ball to the man with the record for the most rushing touchdowns in a season ... at least once. But I've already spent too many words on Norv Turner, he doesn't deserve any more.

I'm adding a new segment to the weekly winners and losers post: The Bandwagon. I'll give you five teams whose bandwagons keep growing and five teams whose bandwagons are smaller than Radio Flyers. It's up to you to decide if it's time to jump on or run away screaming.

One more note: the weekly winners and losers aren't necessarily the best or worst teams of the season. They may not even be the best or worst of the week, but they are still noteworthy in their own rights.

On To the Losers

Carolina
The concept behind the West Coast offense is to use short passes like long runs. Using quick slants, outs and screens, you get receivers in space. 7-10 yard pass routes are more effective than 3-4 yard runs. San Francisco made the West Coast offense famous. Sunday, David Carr and Carolina made it look like Hail Mary after Hail Mary. Carr's final line: 19 of 41 passing for a whopping 155 yards passing. That comes to 3.78 yards per attempt. Ouch. Steve Smith was so furious as the game went on that he spent a large chunk of the second half sitting on the bench with a towel over his head. After the game, the Bucs defense was thrilled that they didn't have to use any of their schemes designed to stop Smith. Suddenly, Jake Delhomme's injury actually looks serious. And Texans fans had something to cheer about after all.

Chicago
And in other backup-QB-really-isn't-the-savior-after-all news, Brian Griese is still Brian Griese. Look, Rex Grossman sucks. We get it. But to expect Griese to come in and immediately turn the team around is just plain delusional. The talk leading up to this week was that Griese just had to "manage the game." That's great when your defense doesn't suddenly become average and your running game is stout. Trent Dilfer at Baltimore could just "manage the game." When your quarterback has to make big plays-and by extension take big risks-you're asking for more than game management. You're asking for more than Brian Griese is capable of. Too bad he's still a better option than Grossman. On a related note, congratulations to the Lions for hanging 34 points on the "vaunted" Bears defense in one quarter. That's tough to do and goes a long way to explaining the 3-1 record heading into Washington next week.

Philadelphia
Was week four just a fluke? Please tell me it was a fluke and not a byproduct of the day glow uniforms? The Eagles really don't need an excuse to bring back the hypercolor yellow from last week. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Philly destroys the other team from New York in week six (they have a bye this week). Maybe some blocking up front will help. I sure didn't see any against the Giants.

But There Were Winners This Week

Green Bay
There was only one thing that bothered me about Favre's touchdown pass in the first quarter that pushed him past Dan Marino for most career touchdown passes was the celebration. It's a ginormous achievement, I get that. But he was more excited about that one than he was the one later in the game that virtually guaranteed the win. Look, it's not a very well kept secret that Brett's not in it for the team at this point, but at least fake it when the lights come on. Beyond that, don't look now but Indy and New England have company at the top of the standings. There's another undefeated team in town, led by a true gunslinger.

Seattle
Our high school defense used to take pride in knocking the opposing team's quarterback out of the game. One team we played against lost two in one half. I wonder if pro linebackers have the same thoughts, at least some of the time. The Seahawks managed to do it just three plays in (although it was a d-lineman, not a linebacker). After that, the 49ers offense was in the decidedly incapable hands of the Game Manager himself, Trent Dilfer. It was all downhill from there. The Seahawks offense looked like the team that everyone expected and the 49ers offense looked like the team everyone has been used to for the last few years. Alex Smith has a separated shoulder and is likely out through at least mid-October and the Seahawks have a strong hold on the NFC West.

Dallas
I've been putting this one off. I can't admit Dallas is doing things right. Me, the Tuna and the San Diego defense are all in a support group together as we watch Wade Phillips, Tony Romo and the 'Boys do their thing. This week it was St. Louis, but it might as well have been Oklahoma, West Virginia or Florida. Dallas looks for real, we might as well get used to it.

Bandwagons

More room than Aunt Fanny's Thanksgiving Pants - Detroit, Tampa Bay, Giants, NE, Indy (and this is the last time you'll see the last two teams on this list)

Tighter than the leg room in the backseat of a Mini Cooper - San Diego, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Philly, San Fran