SportsBoner.com

It’s already week 6 in the NFL, and we are still blessed with 5 undefeated teams. However the throw down between the New York Giants and the New Orleans Saints will prove to be entertaining as it will prove to be telling of who is the early season heavyweight in the NFC. What should disturbingly be more telling is the ridiculous amount of downright horrible teams in the league.

With four 0-5 teams, and a couple of one win teams who could easily be dubiously infamously donut for victory like the Buffalo Bills, the Cleveland Browns, and the Detroit Lions. From the Tennessee Titans to the Kansas City Chiefs to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the St. Louis Rams, each has their own excuse for why they stink so bad, yet none of those excuses can make up for the horrendous product they put out on the field for fans to waste hard earned money on.

With the exception of the Titans who in fact have one of the better coaches in the league (just a brutal schedule thus far and 3 close losses to quality opponents), all of the 0-fer teams are fielding new coaches. Todd Haley, Raheem Morris, and Steve Spagnuolo, welcome to the NFL! In all seriousness you could conceivably attribute your struggles to a lack of a good quarterback. QB Kerry Collins of the Titans looks like he was held onto one year too long. QB Matt Cassel for the Chiefs is actually decent with a 7:2 TD:INT ratio, but an inconsistent offensive line and a lack of a running game keeps this offense anemic. Tampa Bay’s problems begins with mediocre play from incumbent Byron Leftwich and ends with current starter rookie Josh Johnson, but an even more glaring problem is the state of the once proud defense giving up big plays way too often. St. Louis meanwhile has to deal with the turmoil of blame, finger pointing, no one willing to take responsibility, unbridled anger, and accusations of not being team players… and that’s just the backlash from opposition to Rush Limbaugh’s bid to buy the Rams. In all seriousness, it comes as to no surprise that the Ram’s trouble are attributed to a weak offense and a very leaky defense. So in truth, for all of these teams and the few 1-4 underachievers, sometimes it’s not just one thing going wrong for the team, but everything in general.

However I can honestly say that the Tennessee Titans are the best 0-5 team… ever. Many felt that the loss of DT Albert Haynesworth would leave a huge gaping hold in their interior defense, but no one could imagine it would also leave a huge hole in the win column. Surely his absence is not the sole reason for their struggles. Admittedly at 0-5, the Titans can stop panicking and instead focus on next year because it will be ultra hard to make the playoffs from this juncture. Yet they have all the pieces of a playoff team almost 90% intact from last year’s playoff roster in fact. A good ground game, a solid defense and a great coach in Jeff Fisher should befit a team in the midst of a playoff push. Alas, when it rains it pours, and it just seems the Titans never recovered from that slugfest OT game against the defending champs on opening night where the Pittsburgh Steelers limped away with the win, and Tennessee continued to limp. They won’t go the way of the ‘08 Lions, but even in desperation this amateur columnist thinks Vince Young is not the answer.

Last week: 5-7-0
Year to date: 27-33-0

Kansas City Chiefs @ Washington Redskins -6.5

Houston Texans +5 @ Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns +14 @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Baltimore Ravens +3 @ Minnesota Vikings

St. Louis Rams @ Jacksonville Jaguars -9.5

New York Giants @ New Orleans Saints -3

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers +3

Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers -13.5

Philadelphia Eagles @ Oakland Raiders +14

Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks -3

Buffalo Bills +9.5 @ New York Jets

Tennessee Titans +9 @ New England Patriots

Chicago Bears +3.5 @ Atlanta Falcons

Denver Broncos @ San Diego Chargers -3