October 2006 Archives

So I was absolutely nonplussed tonight when I turned to the NBC at 10 p.m. and saw they'd pre-empted "Studio 60" with "Varsity Blues". Seriously. My roommate, Patrick, noticed the bewildered look on my face and said, "Man, you look so nonplussed"

"I am!" I cried. "I am! I'm absolutely nonplussed. I couldn't be any more nonplussed than I am at this very moment."

"So you're nonplussed?"

"That's what I am. I am nonplussed."

Okay, I made that dialogue up, but for a reason. It's the kind of repartee you might hear in an Aaron Sorkin production, such as "Studio 60". This was a show that I so desperately wanted to love but a show that now, after only six episodes, seems destined to be canceled (I think Kim Auer gave me a longer tryout before dumping me in 7th grade although, to her credit, she did promise to give me another look during 8th grade pilot season). Anyway, it was pre-empted this evening by "Friday Night Lights". "Studio 60"'s chances for survival? To borrow a phrase from "Seinfeld", a show that itself nearly got the axe in the midst of its rookie season, "prognosis negative".

You know, considering that Studio 60's show-within-a-show airs live on Friday evenings, I'm wondering if Sorkin's show would have done better if they'd stolen that title for it.

Meanwhile, "FNL" aired directly after rookie sensation "Heroes". I haven't done all the research on this, but I belive this makes NBC the only network that can boast having consecutive hour-long dramas that feature a Texas high school cheerleader as a promiment character. To quote John Mellencamp, "This is my country."

Like most nerds who read too much and can sooner quote "A Few Good Men" than "Scarface", I was rooting for "Studio 60" to succeed. I was hoping that it would be the "SportsNight" that people finally got. But I was wrong.

In an editorial that recently appeared in The Onion, Artie Mayer wrote that, "Ever since Judd Hirsch left, the show's totally gone downhill."

Yes, it was satire. And it's funny because Hirsch appeared in the opening scene (and one more, a few scenes later) of the series and then left. But you know what? Mayer's right. Hirsch's Peter Finney "I'm mad as hell" moment and the scene that followed, the awards dinner scene that establishes the rapport between Matt Albie (Matthew Perry) and Danny Tripp (Bradley Whitford), are the peak of the show. It never got better than that.

You know what could be cool? If someone wrote a show in which all the best characters from the best failed series (Angela Chase from "My So-Called Life", Gob from "Arrested Development", etc.) inhabited some parallel universe in which they interacted with one another. I'd watch that show. Until it was canceled.

The Patriots ran the ball nine times when Monday night's game was "competitive." Why? Bill Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniel knew that running on the Vikings would be a fool's errand. They weren't going to expend all their energy for minimal reward. So they whipped it all over the lot.

Sunday night, the Patriots find a favorable matchup for their rushing attack against the Colts. Indy's 31st in the league against the run and allowed 227 on Sunday to Denver.

Anticipate the Patriots handing it off more than 30 times Sunday night, maybe more. The goal is to move the ball, yes, but also to milk the clock and keep Peyton Manning where you want him. Watching from the sidelines.

OK, home after a marathon commute from Denver to Providence and then home in Massachusetts. I took my middle son, Dan, to a haunted house one of his school friends set up in the family garage.

As we're driving up, the 8-year-old says, "If you don't go in with me or they don't let parents go in, we're out of here."

He's got an iron will, that one.

A few leftovers from yesterday's Denver-Indy game.

1) That's the best I've ever seen Peyton Manning play. And given the way Tom Brady's playing tonight with almost 260 yards passing in the first half, what a tremendous matchup. I wonder which network has that game.

2) The point was made, I think it was on ESPN Sunday night but I've been wrong before, that the Broncos should have been wise to the fact that the best way to unnerve the Indy offense is get Peyton Manning moving around. Some teams can do it with a four-man rush as the Patriots did in the 2003 AFC Championship when they laid back in zone and relied on their pass rush exerted by Jarvis Green, Ty Warren, Richard Seymour and others to force mistakes. The Steelers did it in last year's playoffs by being blitz happy. Denver tried to get after Manning with a four-man rush with defensive tackle Gerard Warren inactive and they couldn't do it. And then they didn't seem to have a backup plan to switch to in the second half when the rush didn't get there and corner Darrent Williams got eaten alive by Reggie Wayne. You can't sit around all day waiting for Manning to misfire. And that seemed to be the gameplan.

3) "I think it's been very successful for this defense so far this year," Broncos safety John Lynch said when asked why they didn't blitz. "We had a bad game but you don't go make wholesale changes because you had a bad game. I'm all for what the coaches feel will give us our best chance. (Blitzing) is a double-edged sword. When you blitz you expose yourself and thats what makes hm so great. His ability to adjust. We played well in the first half and then they go in and make adjustments and he comes out firing."

4) Jake Plummer played a very solid game for Denver. He did a tremendous job avoiding a sack on the third-and-9 play at the end of Denver's final drive, spinning out of trouble but then throwing low to Rod Smith. "The first thing Ii was thinking, was that I had to get out of the sack or we'd be out of field goal range. When I got out of the sack I didn't want to stand there holding the ball and I knew Rod was in man and I tried to get my feet set and get it to him I just didn't have enough on the ball. I'm sick with that play. I should have run, i should have made the throw. It's going to bother me."

5) Broncos strong safety Nick Ferguson has corner Darrent Williams' back. "It had nothing to do with the matchup between Darrent and Reggie. I'll take Darrent all day every day. A couple of things got mixed up but other than that our corners held it down. I don't want anybody writing stuff about the fact that Darrent didn't do the job against Reggie Wayne. He did what he needed to do. It wasn't our best performance but you know what you're get with this team. If I see something in the paper about someone trying to scapegoat, I'm going to call them out and I'm not going to be too happy. Someone tried to do that last year with (Dominique Foxworth) after the Pittsburgh game. That's BS."

6) Hunter Smith punted once for the Colts on Sunday. As he was leaving the locker room, I said to him, "Quiet day, huh?" Smith smiled and said, "Quiet career."

...was that? From the time Jake Plummer's pass fell incomplete at the other end of the field and the Broncos had to settle for a field goal with 1:52 left, you absolutely knew the Colts would take their pound of flesh.

And the did, moving 62 yards in 8 plays in 1:47 and getting a 37-yard field goal from Adam Vinatieri to win it.

DENVER - Capping a drive in which he completely worked over Denver corner Darrent Williams, Reggie Wayne caught a 19-yard touchdown pass on third-and-2 to make it 29-28, Colts. Manning hit Wayne again on the two-point conversion throw to make it 31-28 which is how it stands now with 3:35 left.

...for a terrific ending. The Broncos just ran over Indy's defense on an eight-play, 80-yard scoring drive that highlighted the biggest shortcoming the Colts have -- a horrid run defense.

Now it's 28-23 denver with 5:13 left and Indy marching. They're at the Denver 33 and Reggie Wayne is devouring Darrent Williams.

DENVER - Denver just swallowed up the final 8:54 of the third quarter and went on a 91-yard drive that culminated with a 1-yard run by Mike Bell to make it 21-20 Broncos at the start of the fourth.

It's getting good.

DENVER - The Colts just caught a huge break as Gary Brackett pried the ball loose from Jake Plummer and pulled him on top of him, causing a fumble the Colts turned into a touchdown.

So now Denver has allowed two touchdowns in 3:09 after allowing just two in the first six games.

DENVER - Talk about silencing 75,000 fans in a hurry. The Colts just went 56 yards in six plays and got a 12-yard touchdown pass from Peyton Manning to Reggie Wayne to make it 14-13 just three minutes into the third.

The Colts looked scarily efficient on the drive.

DENVER - Javon Walker just ran a little stop-and-go on Colts corner Jason David and caught a well-thrown pass from Jake Plummer for a 15-yard score.

Plummer had a nice little conversion on a third-and-5 scramble in the Colts red zone and another one earlier in the drive to help Denver along.

DENVER - Jake Plummer's 5 for 8 for 101 yards and two of his three misses were on long downfield throws. The bootleg action is working as Plummer just hit Tony Scheffler for 27 yards on a throwback.

DENVER - Two big plays have the Broncos knocking on the door. A 45-yard throwback pass to wide receiver David Kircus and then a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty on Raheim Brock for pulling a helmet moved the ball downfield and a terrific throw from Plummer to Rod Smith (the 820th catch of his career) moved it to the 2. Plummer snuck it in to make it 7-3.

Smith passed Steve Largent to move into 12th place on the career receptions list.

DENVER - The Colts just got jobbed a little. A really well-designed halfback pass with Joseph Addai throwing to the end zone for Reggie Wayne wound up incomplete. A flag flew and it looked for a moment that the Colts would get a call putting the ball on the edge of the goal line but the call went against Wayne for pushing off.

Indy wound up settling for a field goal by Adam Vinatieri from 42 yards away.

DENVER - Colts linebacker Gary Brackett just delivered a forearm to a sliding Jake Plummer giving Denver a first down. No blood though as Denver had to punt after Plummer narrowly overthrew Javon Walker on a fly down the right sideline.

The Colts first drive featured some no-huddle let's see if they do it again. And Joseph Addai is now in the backfield.

DENVER -- The Colts first drive just ended with Dallas Clark mishandling a Peyton Manning pass on third-and-6 from the Broncos 43.

Denver takes over at its own 10 with 12:24.

Meanwhile, in case you were wondering, I just saw an old school orange crush Haven Moses jersey. And I liked it.

DENVER - The Broncos had the Colts where they wanted them in third down and then let Dominic Rhodes leak out to the right and get free for a sizable pickup. Here comes another third-and-6...

DENVER - We got the inactives for you.

COLTS: S Bob Sanders, DB T.J. Rushing, TE Jerome Collins, LB Keith O'Neil, DE Bo Scholbel, G Matt Ulrich, WR Brandon Stokley, DT Montae Reagor.

BRONCOS: WR Quincy Morgan, WR Todd Devoe, S Hamza Abdullah, RB Cedric Cobbs, LB Nate Webster, DT Gerard Warren, G Chris Kuper, TE Nate Jackson.

Again, perfect day, no wind.

DENVER - How in God's name can a team allow 41 points in the first half of a football game as the Niners have?

When you go fumble, punt, interception, fumble, punt, punt, fumble and waste no time doing so (just 20 plays in the first half) that's a pretty good recipe for destruction.

By contrast, the Bears have run 43 plays.

Other than that, I like what the Niners are doing.

DENVER - Phil Simms is here in Denver doing the game for CBS and we just talked a bit about the matchup. Personally, I don't hate Jake Plummer's game. So I asked Simms why Plummer's having so much trouble this season after playing so well in 2005.

Simms explained that the lack of cutbacks by the Broncos running backs is having a domino effect on the rest of the offense.

So much of what the Broncos like to do is predicated on running their stretch play where, for instance, the ball is handed to Tatum Bell who sweeps left, picks a seam in the defense and cuts it up. Once he gets to the second level, he should cut back across the field again if he can. That helps occupy the back side of the defense and make them have to respect the play downfield. So, for instance, the defensive end on the opposite side has to remain cognizant of Bell even when the play goes away from him.

Denver then likes to fake that stretch to Bell and have Plummer bootleg back the other way. In years past, when Mike Anderson was the running back, he had nobody in his face because the backside of the defense had to give attention to the cutback.

Bell doesn't cut it back so the defensive end on the weak side is in Plummer's face. Last week, Simms said, Plummer was 0 for 7 on bootleg throws.

It's a theory.

DENVER - What a great game to look forward to today.

All I can say is, if the Broncos can't score today against a battered Colts defense, then there are seeerious issues.

It's pretty much a perfect day here -- 50s, minimal wind -- so that won't enter the equation.

Aside from the injuries Indy's dealing with, they're also going through a difficult stretch of games.

They had a surprisingly tough game with Tennessee two weeks ago, fell behind Washington and won last week, they have the Broncos today and then the Patriots in Foxboro next Sunday night on NBC.

You watch the first half of today's game and you wonder how Rutgers held the Middies scoreless two weeks ago. Yes, Navy lost quarterback Brian Hampton that day, but the synchronicity the Middie offense has is like watching an assembly line mass-production thingamabob. Very impressive.

The first punt in the game, as you may know, did not take place until the final play of the first half. Navy punted.

Biggest play of the game thus far: KNKE's 17-yard scramble on 3rd-and-19. At the time it was 10-0 Irish and with the way the ND offense has been playing, had Navy been forced to punt the Irish could have put them in a 17-point hole. Instead, KNKE gains 17, then draws Derek Landri offside on 4th-and-1, and Navy marches dowfield to score.

How about Travis Thomas! In his first carry since his 4th-and-goal one-yard TD run against Penn State on Sept. 9, Thomas ran 16 yards for a score. Thomas took the handoff, bounced outside and and exploded downfield without anyone laying a solid hit on him. Maybe even untouched. And so the question arises: Can Darius Walker play linebacker?

Actually, Walker's had a good game thus far: 11 carries for 69 yards plus one reception. But here's the problem. Darius gets his yards against defenses such as Purdue's, Stanford's and Navy's. But Purdue is 96th versus the run, Stanford 119th (last) and Navy 56th. Does Walker or Thomas give the Irish a better chance from a rushing standpoint against a team with a good defense, such as USC? One carry isn't enough to say, of course, but it would be nice to see one game where Walker and Thomas had an equal number of carries.

Defensively for the Irish, Joe Brockington is playing a great game. Tom Zbikowski has done the equivalent of running 16:31 (Navy's time of possession) worth of gassers in the first half. Don't know if you can see it on CBS, bu the offense are basically playing a Cover 3 (three-deep zone) with Zibby alone in the middle of the field and both corners pinched in toward the slot backs. As soon as Zibby reads pitch he zeroes in on the ballcarrier, which is why the Irish were so exposed on Navy's lone reverse.

Correction: Notre Dame's corners are playing man and Zibby is the lone deep guy in coverage. And yet he's making most of the tackles. Sure, he's unblocked, but you always just get the feeling that Zibby wants contact more than anyone else on the field.

Give Navy credit for running their offense with maximum efficiency, and give the Irish DBs credit for tackling sure-handedly in the first half. And Landri and Laws have basically nullified Adam Ballard on the belly dives. The difference is that the Middie slot backs are getting the corner before the Irish linebackers can make the play.

By the way, BQQB set a school record for most games in a row (44) with at least one completion. Is there a dumber record? If any QB at a non-option school went an entire game without a completion, how many games in a row do you think he'd be starting?

Is there a Most Games in a Row with at Least One Snap record held by a center at each school? Do they keep track of that?

John Carlson just caught another pass on 4th down for a 1st down for the Irish. According to the ND folks, that's the 4th time this year for him. I thought it was at least his 5th. Anyway, that's something Pete Carroll want to write a post-it note to himself about.

Well, you already knew that. But if you look at the flipchart that shows both team's starters, you'll see that Navy's defense only has three starters who weigh more than Quinn (233 pounds). They are noseguard Larry Cylc (280), right end John Chan (249) and inside linebacker Irv Spencer (241). However, Quinn is also 6'4", while those three are just 6'2", 6'1", and 6'0". So in terms of vertical and total mass overall HUGEALITY, Quinn is larger than any of the Navy defenders.

Navy used six different rushers on their opening drive. Notre Dame has used seven different rushers all season.

John Carlson just caught a 4th-down pass for a first down. Is that the 33rd time that's happened this season? Maybe an exaggeration, but that's at least the fourth 4th down completion Carlson has. I guess if I were really curious I could ask Notre Dame SID Brian Hardin, who is seated just ten yards to my left. Maybe later.

Quinn just completed a 36-yard TD pass to David Grimes for a touchdown. If you see Grimes in person, your first reaction is, "Where's your big brother?" Honestly, he looks to be about 15. But the young man is fast and he has great hands, as that play illustrated. that's his longest catch and first career TD reception. Jimmy Clausen, meet your new best friend.

Quinn's throw was pretty sick. On the run, eluding a pass rush, going to his left, and he threw it 40 yards on the money. I'm seated next to Notre Dame Observer assistant managing editor Bob Griffin, who noted that "That's the kind of throw that NFL scouts love to see."

In the interest of brevity--and of sanity--I will be abbreviating the name of Navy QB Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada to his initials, KNKE. By the way, I just did a radio station call-letter search on radio-locator.com and it turns out there's no radio station in the U.S. with call letters KNKE. Does Joe Schad have game-breaking scoop like that?!? I dare say not.

Also, there are four men seated immediately in front of us in the stands who look like extras from "Clerks". One of the dudes has a tattoo of a bar code on the back of his neck. Anyone know what that's all about?

Eleven Hundred Thirty-Six

First, the weather report: Contrary to what you may be thinking if you live in New York City (where I hear it's raining), or if you were watching College GameDay, it's neither windy nor raining here this morning.

In fact, jduging from the walk over from the hotel, any coat or sweatshirt seems superfluous today. Not that folks won't be waring them.

Anywyay, considering that M&T Bank Stadium has artificial turf, and that Baltimore has negligible wind and no moisture today, the Middies lose that opportunity to "even the playing field".

For your amusement if you're sitting around watching the game with friends or family, see who can be the first one to correctly spell the Navy quarterback's name. It's

KAIPO-NOA KAHEAKU-ENHADA

The public address announcer here today will definitely earn his salary.

Other news: Because this is an NFL stadium, they can sell beer at the game. You'll never see that at most college games. I'm guessing that the Naval brigade (i.e., student body) isn't allowed to partake during the game.

If you're a newspaper editor, what's the best nautical-themed headline you run with should Navy snap Notre Dame's 42-game win streak this afternoon?

"UNFATHOMABLE!"

"NAVY SINKS IRISH!"

or do you think Starkist?

"SORRY, CHARLIE"

If you have a better one (and I'd think you'd have to), send it in.
More in a bit....

So it was about 11 p.m. last night and I was talking to my favorite married couple under 41 years old (over 41, it's my parents), Mike and Katie McCollow. And suddenly it hit me: "Mike," I said, "I just realized that all day long I've only spoken to two people face-to-face. And here's the weird thing. The two people are Tom Zbikowski and Brady Quinn. And it was at a press conference."

I believe Katie said something like, "How sad", and I remarked that it was worse because in my brief face-to-face time with other humans, I'd asked Brady a dumb question. But jeez, those pressers (as they're known) can be so all about letting your peers know you're not as dumb as you look (in my case, an easy task). Seriously, though, those things are just too tense.

I thought, What if I were just given the mic next time BQQB is sitting at the table, and I say, "Knock knock"?

Would BQQB reply with a "Hunh?", or with a "Who's there?" I doubt we'll ever find out.

By the way, Katie came up with a great new sniglet (newly coined terms for situations that no currently existing English word adequately describes) the other night. She and Mike were out to dinner in Minneapolis, which was convenient, since that's where they live. And, well, I'll let Katie explain: "You know that moment when you're at a restaurant and you see the waiter or waitress coming out with your dinner, and you're excited cuz it's finally coming, but you act like it's no big deal?"

Uh-huh.

"Entree-cipation."

Genius. That Katie McCollow, she's whipsmart she is. You can check out her blog (yuckysaladwithbones.com) whenever you want.

I haven't seen "Flags of Our Fathers" yet, but the book was pretty damn good. Today I read that Clint Eastwood, who directed "FOOF" (Has anyone already coined that acronym for the movie?), is also directing a film on the same WW II battle from a Japanese perspective. It's going to be called "Letters From Iwo Jima" (LFIJ?). The big difference between the two films is that in the latter, a few audience members will remain in the theater long after the movie is over, not believing that it is really over.

Anyway, Eastwood's conceit has inspired me to assess Notre Dame football in the same way. From opposing perspectives. Let's give it a try:

THE IRISH ARE SO #*%$! OVERRATED!

How can you call yourselves a top ten team, a BCS-bowl worthy outfit, when your rushing offense is rated 99th in the nation and your scoring defense is rated 65th? In fact, ND is not rated in the top ten in any single statistical team category...except for the BCS rankings (10th) and the Coaches' Poll (9th). They're extremely fortunate not to be 4-3 right now and having Jimmy Clausen pull a Heisman on the verbal commitment he gave the school last April.

THE IRISH ARE ACTUALLY UNDERRATED

Notre Dame, since their 44-41 overtime loss to Michigan State on September 17, 2005, is 13-3. The three teams that defeated them--Michigan, Ohio State and USC-- are all currently rated 1,2 and 3 (though not in that order) in both major polls and the BCS standings. If you take the combined records of those teams that beat ND in the season that they did so, it would be 30-3, with two of those three losses having come to 2005 undefeated national champion Texas. In other words, if you boil it down to wins and losses, you've had to be a national-championship caliber team to defeat the Irish since mid-September of '05.
If ND is 10-1 when they meet Southern Cal, Charlie Weis will be entering the L.A. Coliseum with a record of 19-4 at Notre Dame, for a .826 win percentage. With really only one "bad" loss on his resume, in terms of the quality of the opponent who beat the Irish.

BRADY QUINN IS SO @$%! OVERRATED!

One commenter on the Hugh Johnson Project this weekend noted that the only thing not overrated about Quinn is his sister. I hear that! The dude is supposedly a Heisman Trophy candidate even though he's rated only 34th in the nation in passing efficiency?!? Hell, you give me Jeff Samardzija, Rhema McKnight and John Carlson and I might be able to complete a few passes as well. He personally gift-wrapped two touchdowns (very nearly three) for the Wolverines in September and another one for the Spartans. If he weren't on national TV every week he'd be John Beck (no disrespect intended to Mr. Beck). And, thanks, but I didn't really need to know that he shaves his arms and legs. How far away are we from a "KELLY CLARKSON!" chest-waxing episode while Samardzija, Zbikowski, Ryan Harris and Chinedum Ndukwe stand around the waxing table chuckling?

BRADY QUINN IS ACTUALLY UNDERRATED

The Irish, whether you want to blame Quinn or not, have mounted four memorable late-game drives during the four-year starter's tenure at Notre Dame. The first came against Navy in 2003, when the Irish beat Navy on a last-second field goal; the next came against USC last year and, although the Irish lost, Quinn led them on an 87-yard touchdown drive against the nation's top-ranked team. The other two were last year against Stanford and last Saturday versus UCLA. Anyway, here's the point: In those four drives Quinn is 14-16 for 236 yards passing with one touchdown throw (to Samardzija, versus UCLA) and one touchdown run (of 5 yards, versus USC).

Quinn is 5th in the nation in pass completions per game (25), ninth in passing yards per game (276), and is the only QB who has three of his receivers (Samardzija, Darius Walker and McKnight) in the top 22 in receptions per game. And in what direction do you think those numbers are going to go after upcoming games against Navy, North Carolina, Air Force and Army?

Finally, for what it's worth, BQQB is as mature and focused as any Notre Dame player I've ever come across. He seems as if he's extremely popular with his teammates, though he rarely gives the media too much of a window into his personality. He's politely aloof, but the next time you see him do a throat-slash gesture or call out one of his teammates on the field for running the wrong route, let me know. As I've written before, he's Derek Jeter in a gold helmet.

ATLANTA - So Atlanta kicker Michael Koenen had a 56-yard field goal that he made wiped out by a timeout and then had his next one -- the real one -- come up a foot short. But he got run over by Troy Polamalu so he was getting another chance to win it with a 51-yard attempt.

Then, from his rocker on the sidelines, Morten Andersen was summoned instead. If Koenen was hurt, it didn't look it on the sidelines. He had his helmet on before overtime and was being consoled by teammates after apparently being passed over.

Anyway, Andersen was about 5 feet short from 15 feet closer than Koenen's previous attempt.

If Atlanta loses this game - - and OT's about to start with Pitt kicking off -- Jim Mora will have some 'splaining.

ATLANTA - With 35 seconds left and Falcons kicker Michael Kaeding lining up a 56-yard field goal for the win, the Steelers called timeout. Actually Bill Cowher did. The only ref that heard it was the one on the sidelines and he signaled for it. But Kaeding went ahead and kicked the useless field goal and made it.

Here comes the retry.

About a foot short...

AND HE WAS RUN INTO BY THE HUMAN SHAG RUG TROY POLAMALU!

On third-and-10, Vick was cuffed and stuffed and almost sacked when he flipped a half-shovel pass to fullback Justin Griffith who gained 16. He followed that with a 14-yard run and an 8-yard scramble. Terrific game for Vick and, in some ways, it's so hard to figure why we don't see it more. Is it his fault? Coaches? Is it just that the stars have to be aligned?

AT-FREAKIN-LANTA - I gots a feeling this is going to be on NFL Reeeplay (On Tuesday....)...what a damn game. Charlie Batch just came in off the shelf and threw his second touchdown pass of the day and this thing's tied with 3:14 left and Atlanta taking over at its 18.

But I'd be lying if I didn't admit I was anxious for the fourth quarter to start. 3..2...1....finally.

We go to the fourth, Atlanta up 35-31 with the ball and a second-and-7 on their own 43.

Through three, Mike Vick is 13 for 22 for 181 yards, four TDs and two picks.

He's run three times for 19 yards. He started the game 1 for 6 passing.

ATLANTA - After Big Ben got KOd and the Falcons cashed in with a Warrick Dunn TD to make it 28-24, Atlanta, every speck of momentum their way.

Four plays into the next drive, Roethlisberger's replacement Charlie Batch, hit Hines Ward on a skinny post and Ward outran the secondary for a 70-yard score and it's now 31-28.

This may be the best game of the year so far. Unless one likes defense. Then? Not so good.

By Tom Curran
NBCSports.com
ATLANTA - Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is out of the game after getting drilled in the head by Falcons defensive lineman Chauncey Davis.

Roethlisberger laid on his stomach after the hit for two minutes and was attended to by trainers who rolled him onto his back. After several more minutes, Roethlisberger sat up. He was then led from the field, steadied on both sides by members of the Steelers training staff.

After being checked on by trainers on the sideline, he went and sat on the back of a cart and was driven in for further examinations.

Roethlisberger went down with 7:40 left in the third quarter and the Steelers leading 24-21. He was replaced by Charlie Batch. Two plays later, a Steelers fumble was recovered at the Steelers 26 by Jonathan Babineaux. It looked like there was a mishandle between Batch and running back Willie Parker.

The Falcons then scored a touchdown less than two minutes later to make it 28-24.

Roethisberger was in the midst of a terrific game with three touchdown passes on 16 of 22 passing for 238 yards.

This is the latest physical blow for the quarterback who had an appendectomy just before the season opener and was involved in a serious motorcycle accident in the summer.

ATLANTA - Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is down and not moving very much if at all after getting sandwiched around the helmet after throwing a pass with 7:40 left in the third.

We'll be updating.

ATLANTA - That Mike Vick got picked and that's why the drive ended after one play. In actuality, his short pass doinked off the hands of Allen Rossum and resulted in the pick.

ATLANTA - Allen Rossum just returned the kick 51 yards and forced Steelers kicker Jeff Reed into a smart tripping penalty or it'd be 28-24.

The Falcons have the ball at the Pittsburgh 28 with 54 seconds left.

ATLANTA - The Steelers go 80 yard in six plays over the span of 66 seconds to reclaim the lead.

The Large Ben was 3 for 4 for 69 yards including a 10-yard score and a pinpoint placement of a 36-yard throw down the sidelines to Santonio Holmes who is having (fumble aside) a massive game.

ATLANTA - The Falcons just took an onsides kick recovery and drove 51yards for a touchdown -- a tremendous throw and catch to wide receiver Michael Jenkins -- and now Atlanta's up 21-17 and Vick has three TD passes.

After starting 1 for 6, Vick has gone 7 for 9 for 64 yards. The three TD passes is a single-game career high.

ATLANTA - The Steelers have first-and-goal from the Falcons 2 with 10:38 left in the half and should make it 17-7.

So far Mike Vick's 1 for 6 with a touchdown and a pick. One of the incompletions was a drop, two others were deep throws. Meanwhile, Warrick Dunn's got 4 carries for 12 yards. Fat chance they're getting their team average of 232 today. At this rate, they're only on pace to get past 32.

ATLANTA - Just checked out the play-byplay of the Eagles-Bucs game. The Eagles have so far fumbled on the Tampa 14 and Donovan McNabb's thrown two picks, the second of which was returned 37 yards for a score by Ronde Barber.

I'm telling you, to stay in the game against the Eagles, play 4 quarters of prevent and let the mistakes come to you.

ATLANTA - Ben Roethlisberger. He's throwing with extreme confidence and - except for a bad decision on a screen on the first offensive play of the game - he's looked absolutely terrific.

He's now got a TD pass to Hines Ward as well and it's 10-7 Pittsburgh as the Steelers strike from 11 yards awau with 2:2 left in the first.

ATLANTA - First drive of the game: the Falcons run for minus-1 on first down and get flagged for an illegal formation. So it's first-and-15. And they run the same off-tackle play and gain 1. On second-and-14, Roddy White has a pass from Mike Vick in the flat CLANG off his hands. White wasn't even moving. Just standing there. Then there's a knockdown dragout fight between white and Bryant McFadden on a long throw downfield that falls incomplete.

Horrid start for the Falcons.

Until Santonio Holmes fumbles the punt, Atlanta recovers and Vick hits Alge Crumpler who burrows into the end zone for a touchdown from 22 yards out.

And now - I swear to God, - Holmes had a TD on the kickoff return and had just kicker Nate Kaeding to beat and Kaeding brought him down by his shoelace.

Phew. 12:57 left in the first.

ATLANTA - Steelers linebacker Joey Porter is down today with a hamstring while the Falcons are going without defensive end John Abraham and defensive tackle Rod Coleman.

Those are the key inactives from this game.

ATLANTA - A cat named Tyson Clabo is under the gun today. He's never played a snap in the NFL and now he's thrust into the starting lineup against the stifling Steelers defense at left guard.

Atlanta starter Matt Lehr is now serving a four-game suspension after testing positive for steroids which puts Clabo in the starting lineup.

He'll be dealing quite a bit with Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton who's just one of the best defensive linemen in the league.

This puts interesting strain on an Atlanta offense that's averaging an absurd 232 yards per game on the ground. That's 74 yards higher than the second place Chargers (158.2 YPG).

ATLANTA - We've got a little interconference flavor for you this week. I'm in the ATL for the Steelers and Falcons starting at 1.

If I was in Pittsburgh would I say I'm in the PIT? Or would it be MIA in Miami? I don't know. We'll think on that. I'm leaning towards no.

Other than this game and Carolina at Cincinnati the pickings are slim in terms of marquee matchups. Maybe Minnesota and Seattle. Maybe.

I'm in the press box already doing some radio back in Boston on WEEI. They stream their audio so for the really twisted, you can listen to me chatter AND read the Bump 'n Run simultaneously.

We'll be back shortly with some links.

T

UCLA is playing the Irish even, but give credit to Notre Dame's defense for a terrific 3rd quarter. The Irish D allowed no points and just 41 yards all quarter.

On the powder blue and gold side, Bruin defensive end Justin Hickman is a havoc-wreaking machine. And as I typed that, I swear, Hickman just sacked Brady Quinn on 3rd down. ND is now 3 of 16 on 3rd-down conversions.

If you're keeping score, Officer Tim McCarthy' s between-quarters message was: "When traffic is thick as fleas, don't let it bug you".

You sit next to Austin Murphy during a football game, you get a lot more popular. It's halftime and T.J. Simers, the hilariously sardonic columnist for the L.A. Times, has just stopped by. Simers is wearing an Angels baseball cap that he has pimped (remember when people used to use the word "customized"? They've pimped that word) by stitching an "L" just to the right of the halo'd "A". So that it reads "LA".

You have to love a man in his 50s who still delights in doing something for a goof.

The good folks at the Hugh Johnson Project report that Nebraska wideout Terrence Nunn dates Playmate Miss October Jordan Monroe. Nunn is the Cornhusker whose fumble in the final moments allowed Texas a second chance, one that they capitalized on in the game's final seconds.

Longhorns 22, Pornhuskers 20

So, as we were saying, Jordan Monroe is Terrence Nunn's girlfriend. Well, I think she's still dating him.

(Whatever you do, please do NOT Google the name "JORDAN MONROE". At least not in a crowded pressbox the way Murph and I just did. We're lucky we weren't booted--bootyed?--out). Seriously, don't Google Jordan Monroe. I'm just sayin' I wouldn't if I were you. Please. Okay, if you must, make sure the small children and girlfriend or wife (and even maybe the cat) are not looking over your shoulder.

William Snead, the UCLA player who just caught a 36-yard touchdown pass, did not have a catch this year before that play. In fact, he's not even listed on the Bruins' two-deep chart. In fact, in the UCLA media guide Snead is listed at defensive end.

If you're wondering how come Ray Herring and Chinedum Ndukwe bounced off Snead like tiny raindrops plinking against a windshield, it may be because Snead goes 6'5", 265.

Long-time blog readers will be happy to hear that the press box is comfy this afternoon, temp-wise. I love October.

If you're watching this 2nd quarter and thinking, Brady Quinn is not doing much to enhance his Heisman chances right now, you're correct. If I'm scouting Notre Dame, I'm realizing that the only player who has caught anything deep this season is tight end John Carlson.

I swear to the guy on the south face of the Hesburgh Library that I wrote the previous sentence two plays before Quinn hit Carlson with a 20-yard pass downfield. Carlson is playing like a 1st-team All-American this year, and is quickly becoming Quinn's go-to guy. I think he has four catches this half.

Purdue has the World's Largest Drum; Stanford's has the world's most banned band; and UCLA has college football's only sideline juggler. I was doing a lap of the field before the game and I noticed a dude* wearing a blue suit with a blue shirt and yellow tie. It was straight off the Craig Sager sales rack. He was juggling five balls at once. I asked a band member about him and he told me he's simply known as "The Juggler".

(* First "Dude" of the UCLA weekend recorded yesterday at 2:33 p.m.)

I don't know how many other bands have jugglers, but I like this idea. I mean, if you're a fire-breather or a sword swallower, The Juggler gives you hope that you too can grow up to perform with a marching band.

Nothing sets female hearts aflutter faster than the idea of a Sportswriter Slumber Party. Last night I hosted one.

My good friend and mentor, Sports Illustrated's Austin Murphy, blew into town and hotel rates being what they are in South Bend on football weekends, I volunteered my couch. Welcome to the big-time world of corporate media. Austin's by far America's most charming sportswriter which, I'll admit, is low praise. But Austin is one of those guys who'd actually be able to converse with you on something other than his fantasy league.

Anyway, it was big fun and it's been so long since I had s'mores, I'd forgotten how much I liked them.

Darius Walker just fumbled, gotta go....

You missed the best pep rally of the season last night. Luckily for you, I didn't so here's a quick run-down.

Your speakers:

Richard "Digger" Phelps, former Notre Dame basketball coach, ESPN analyst
Dick Vitale, noted ESPN personality, coiner of term "Diaper Dandy", proud dad of two ND alums
Paul Hornung, '56 Heisman Trophy winner, Golden Boy, serial trou dropper
Ryan Harris, Offensive Lineman, former MTV star
Trevor Laws, Defensive Tackle, designated team "hippie"
Charlie Weis

The Highlights:

--Walking into a packed JACC at 6:30 and taking a spot right at the entrance of the northwest tunnel. As I'm standing there, I'm offered a seat next to a preternaturally lovely woman holding her daughter (clad in a Notre Dame cheerleading uniform...the daughter, not the mom) in her lap. Hold on, let me look up the definition of "preternatural"...waiting...waiting..."out of the ordinary course of nature"; yep, that's correct. Anyway, you know who it was? It was Notre Dame alumna and CBS Morning hostie Hannah Storm. The Perfect Storm, if you ask me. Her husband, Dan Hicks, was sitting with two other daughters, a few seats over, and as Dan works for NBC, I'm glad I did not say something preternaturally stupid, as is my nature.

--Digger's speech. Digger was INTENSE. I mean, the last time anyone was that intense was...was...well, Monday night, Dennis Green. Digger spoke about Notre Dame basketball's three upsets of No. 1 teams (UCLA and the 88-game win streak; University of San Francisco, who were 29-0 at the time; and North Carolina) and it's pretty cool, and I had forgotten, that during the USF game the student body had spent the entire game chanting "29-1".
Diggers' face was beet-red, in clear contrast with his green shirt, so that he looked like a traffic signal. He'd lead every sentence off with, "Understand this!", and since it was in English, I did. Digger led the audience through a series of clap cheers that inevitably someone would get wrong, and you could see the glare of the old coach escaping, as if he wanted to halt practice and take the entire rally crowd through some suicide run drills.

--Dickie V. led off by saying, "How many times in the last decade at ESPN do you think I've heard that (UCLA win streak being snapped) story?" That made me laugh. Ni