Four Downs with Stock & Doc
by Ben Stockwell and Paul Hopkins
11/9/2008
 
This week the guys digest the first weekend of the NFL season, and consider the impact of Tom Brady's knee injury and where the biggest surprise in week 1 came. In the college ranks, is East Carolina for real and what will happen in the Coliseum this weekend when two NCAA juggernauts collide?
 
Tom Brady's season ending knee injury has ended New England's hopes of getting to the Superbowl.
 
Doc – FACT ! – He was the most valuable player in the NFL for a reason. Ice cold in the heat of games, Tom Brady meant the most to the Patriots. Without him, they are left with Matt Cassell who, with all due respect has the toughest job in the NFL to fill now. And he isn't in Brady's class. Chuck in an offensive line that everyone thought was suspect before the season, and a creaky old defence, this injury has just made the AFC East arguably the most intriguing Division in the NFL, from a position where it was arguably the most one-sided. The Bills, helped by special teams looked the part against the Seahawks, the Jets looked promising with Favre in (on that, did anyone else think he was going to cry when that post-game interview started on Sunday? I know I did) and even the Dolphins looked competitive. Cruel luck on Brady and the Pats, but although I think a playoff berth is still likely for them, I can't see them winning the AFC which after week 1 looks like its wide open.
 
Stock – FACT ! – They're still in the running for the playoffs but the Patriots problem is that they just lost their game winner. Many other teams can lose their starting QBs and still be competitive if they can find a backup capable of being a game manager on not throwing games away. The Patriots don't have that luxury; their offence is designed around its strength, Tom Brady. The offence requires Brady to win games, Matt Cassel simply isn't capable of doing that and neither is any current free agent QB. They might be able to ride their defence to the playoffs, but their defence and running games aren't dominant enough for a Superbowl run.
 
The most surprising result of week 1 in the NFL was:
 
Doc – Chicago over Indianapolis – Hands up who saw this coming? Not many and certainly not me. Downgrading at wide receiver, losing their first round bust running back, their first round pick going off injured indefinitely and the choice between a rock and a hard place under centre have all hung over the Bears this off-season. We know Kyle Orton is a reasonable game manager and he certainly did that, but no-one saw them overcoming the Colts. Rookie Matt Forte running all over the Colts defence, reminding us of the defence they had all regular season in their Superbowl year, was something I always thought might be possible but burning them for 143 yards on his debut was probably beyond anyone's wildest dreams when they cut Benson. The Colts probably have a bit of rust to wear off, with the number of star men who had little or no activity in the pre-season and they've not fallen too far behind with the Chargers losing at home to Carolina and the Patriots devastating injury loss, and they will be back.
 
Stock – Carolina over San Diego – In terms of both the manner of the victory and the performance. The Panthers without a certain Mr Smith not only hung with the team that many are ready to anoint Superbowl favourites, but they beat them, and they didn't just luck into the win either, they outplayed them for much of the game and had a clutch drive at the end of the game. It was a strong performance without their best player and a huge road win. The Cardiac Cats rode such late game heroics to the Superbowl a few years back, are the Cardiac Cats back to save John Fox's job?
 
After toppling ranked teams in successive weeks, East Carolina are a legitimate threat to make a BCS Bowl.
 
Doc – FACT ! – Now that they have overcome arguably the most difficult part of their schedule, there is a very good chance for this Conference USA outfit to upset the BCS. More and more they impress me on a weekly basis. Their defensive line tore through West Virginia's offensive line, stifling Pat White. Patrick Pinkney managed the game to perfection, keeping possession on three long scoring drives which kept the still dangerous Mountaineers off the field. Skip Holtz has now three – going back to Boise State in the Hawaii Bowl, successive wins over ranked opponents with his Pirates. If they can avoid letting this great start slip and go to their heads then East Carolina may be the team of 2008.
 
Stock – FACT ! – In the words of Woodrow Wilson Paige, “look at the schedule!” They've run their gauntlet, beating Va Tech and WVU they've got their toughest games out of the way early, the path is now wide open for an undefeated run and they have a pair of quality wins on the schedule. Their toughest remaining games are in conference against Houston and Southern Miss. Get over those two road bumps and they'll be in the mix with the likes of BYU and Ball State as potential undefeated non-BCS teams. There could be some heavy traffic for a BCS at large bid this year.
 
The winner of the Ohio State @ USC game this Saturday will be:
 
Doc – USC – And it won't be close. This is a titanic tussle between two heavyweight schools but as per usual when the Buckeyes get themselves in a big game – like the last two National Championships – against a college football powerhouse (did I mention their home game against Texas in 2005 which they also lost?) they'll lose. The injury or not to Beanie Wells gives them somewhat of an excuse but I don't think an even a full fit Wells would be able to keep the USC defence off completely dominating the Ohio State offence. The Trojans came across the country and decimated another BCS Conference opponent – albeit a relatively weak one, and now they have had a week off and are at home. Is Ohio State meant to stand a chance because I can't see them having one? 38-10 USC take it.
 
Stock – USC – Come on, it's in Los Angeles, Beanie Wells isn't 100% and that USC defence is just plain nasty. The Buckeyes of Ohio State struggled for 3 quarters to pull ahead of the Bobcats of Ohio and that is not the sort of preparation you want for a big showdown against arguably the best team in the nation. Both defences will be ready but USC came out of the blocks steaming against Virginia, the Buckeyes are still stuck in their blocks. Buckeye fans had best hope they were looking ahead to USC last weekend. If not USC could be playing the role of the lions to the Christians of Ohio State in the Coliseum this Saturday night.