Behind The Scoreboard


Thursday, October 1, 2009
Community \| Obits \| Editorial & Columnists \| Society \| Sports \| Education \| Classified Ads \| Calendar of Events \| Features \| Newsbriefs \| Legals \| Archives \| Subscriptions \| Photo Gallery

Behind The Scoreboard
By Claude Vinson

NFL wrapup

It’s game day again in the NFL and week number three. Do you know where your favorite team is on the stat charts? And speaking of personal picks, I have been counting more Steelers ensigns decorating the tops of vehicles in the area than that of the Cowboys. Traditionally, I have thought that this was Dallas country. Could there have been a revolution and yours truly didn’t get the e-mail? Entirely possible, given my somewhat tenuous relationship with the ’net (just ask my co-workers!).

Anyway, admittedly, the season is still in its infancy but there were two teams knocked from the unbeatens – the 49ers in the NFC West and Atlanta in the NFC South. Personally, I was pulling for the Falcons, but the hope did not spring eternal. There was a chief reason for this. The Falcons were playing the New England Patriots at Foxborough for the first time in over a decade. New England was simmering because they had lost to the upstart New York Jets last week. Coach Bill Belichick winced each time this was mentioned in any interview. He just couldn’t stand defeat at the hands of another “upstart.” The Falcons had a one-game edge going into this contest. It had been four years since the two had met.

The Jets were able to remain among the undefeated by getting past the Titans. More on that “throwback” contest a little later. Others remaining in the elite status were – Baltimore, Denver, N.Y. Giants, New Orleans, Minnesota (they are loving Brett up there. That is “briar patch country” for him), and Indianapolis (the SB runners-up were no match for Peyton and company).

Oddly enough, going into Sunday, there were eight teams who had yet to taste victory. The Detroit Lions can be removed from that list and are no longer an endangered species. They beat the Redskins to break out. They had not won a game since December 2007. The Panthers had their chance on Monday night against the Cowboys. The others hoping for a change next week are the Cardinals, Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Cleveland, the Titans and Miami.

The game between the Pats and Titans was meant to celebrate or commemorate the birth of the old AFL some 50 years ago. Both teams wore replica uniforms of the era. Tennessee was referred to as the Houston Oilers and the Jets were the New York Titans (No, there were no partridges in pear trees), their old names. Don’t worry, folks. The scoreboard got it right. The Titans won. The old Titans, that is. I think.

Report News: (662) 252-4261 or south@dixie-net.com
Questions, comments, corrections: south@dixie-net.com
©2004, The South Reporter, All Rights Reserved.
No part of this site may be reproduced in any way without permission.
The South Reporter is a member of the Mississippi Press Association.

Web Site managed and maintained by
South Reporter webmasters Linda Jones, Kristian Jones
Web Site Design - The South Reporter

Back | Top of Page