Some thoughts and some numbers regarding Week 7 of the 2011 season…
The league is in the midst of its third week when it comes to “open dates” and it’s quite the group that won’t be playing this Sunday or Monday. The Bills (4-2), Bengals (4-2), Patriots (5-1), Giants (4-2), Eagles (2-4) and 49ers (5-1) own a combined 24-12 record, with New England, the Giants and San Francisco all currently residing in first place in their respective divisions. And don’t forget the second-place clubs in Buffalo and Cincinnati (tied with Pittsburgh), who have already won as many games as they did in 2010…
It’s been a rough few weeks or even season for the clubs in the AFC South teams as the Colts (6), Jaguars (5), Texans (2) and Titans (1) have combined to lose 14 consecutive games. Indianapolis is still looking for its first victory of the season and plays at the Superdome on Sunday night, while Jacksonville hasn’t won since beating the Titans in Week 1. Of course, something will have to give this week as Houston travels to Tennessee…
One of the premier pass-rushers as well as one of the best defensive players in the league, Vikings’ DE Jared Allen has totaled an NFL-high 9.5 sacks in 6 games this season and coincidentally takes aim at red-hot Packers’ QB Aaron Rodgers, who’s thrown for 12 TD passes and just 3 interceptions in his 6 meetings with Minnesota the last 3 seasons. But the Super Bowl XLV MVP has also been sacked 21 times in those half-dozen meetings with the Purple Gang, 9.5 of those sacks by Allen…
How big has the absence of perennial Pro Bowl WR Andre Johnson been to the Houston offense? The prolific target was injured in the midst of the team’s 17-10 win over the Steelers and has missed the following 2 games after that (losses to the Raiders and Ravens) and isn’t
expected to play this week at Tennessee. So is it any coincidence that the Texans have scored just 51 points in their last 3 games (17.0 PPG), after totaling 90 points in their first 3 games this season (30.0 PPG)?…
The 4-1 Chargers are off to their best start since 2006, when they opened 4-1, finished 14-2 and grabbed the top see in the AFC under head coach Marty Schottenheimer. Under current head coach Norv Turner, San Diego had opened the previous 4 seasons all at 2-3 but this year, the Bolts are finding ways to win instead of how to lose. But one player not off to a sensational start is Chargers’ QB Philip Rivers, who has thrown 6 touchdown passes and 7 interceptions in 5 games despite the team’s winning record. The reliable signal-caller threw for 30 scores and was picked off just 13 times in 2010…
