Early Season Struggles

Parity in the NFL has always led to surprising starts, good or bad, for teams around the league. Usually it is a combination of injury, free agency, and entitlement that will change a team's fortunes from one season to the next. The prime example of that team this year is the New Orleans Saints. The Rams were not supposed to be great, but their offense was supposed to be much more potent than it has been so far. The Bears and Chargers are also victims of the three contributing factors that have caused early season problems.

The Saints are maybe the most disappointing because of the continued hype surrounding Reggie Bush and the media loving the post-Katrina renaissance of the Saints. But the Saints problems are hardly surprising. This is a team that always had to outscore it's opponent to win. The early season struggles are a continuation of what happened to the Saints against the Bears in last year's NFC Championship. Their offense struggled and their defense cannot stop anyone.

One factor that is highly overlooked with the Saints is the fact that they have lost their top two receivers and proven stars over the past two years. Donte Stallworth played last season in Philadelphia and Joe Horn left to join Atlanta this year. The Saints found a gem in Marques Colston but the only other legitimate threat added to the offense was the oft-injured Eric Johnson. While Johnson figures to be a solid target while healthy, there are no guarantees he will finish the season. The addition of David Patten was a waste of resources given Patten's inability to produce since leaving the Patriots.

Coupled with their anemic defense, the Saints now have a less fearsome offense. The loss of Joe Horn will be even more apparent with the loss of Deuce McAllister for the remainder of the season. Without experience at receiver or running back, the Saints will continue to struggle all season. That being said, last season was no fluke. Drew Brees was a good investment and Reggie Bush has playmaking capability. But the Saints will need to use this year to mature and need to add some defensive help before they make another Super Bowl run.

Their opponents in the NFC Championship game are similarly struggling on offense but luckily have a top notch defense to lean on. But injuries are taking their toll on the Bears with Tommie Harris and Lance Briggs ailing. The Bears' offensive woes have been placed almost entirely on Rex Grossman, resulting in his benching. But in reality, they have missed the presence of Thomas Jones. Cedric Benson has shown flashes of being capable but has also showed why he was not able to claim sole possession of the starting job last year. Also, Bernard Berrian, Mushin Muhammad, and Desmond Clark have dropped passes and stopped running on routes which have contributed to Grossman's poor numbers. Last week against the Cowboys, one of Grossman's interceptions was caused by Muhammad stopping short during his route.

So the ineffective running game has put more pressure on Grossman to make plays. No question, Grossman has been utterly unable to produce when necessary. This in turn has put more pressure on the defense to create turnovers and make plays. They have done that to a limit, holding LaDainian Tomlinson to under 50 yards rushing and Larry Johnson to similarly low numbers. But the Cowboys exploited Adam Archuletta and Marion Barber III found gaping holes and broke tackles in the running game. Although it was probably necessary to let him go, the Bears seem to miss the presence of Tank Johnson on the line of scrimmage. Last season the offense did enough to make the defense look better. This season, opposing teams are getting more opportunities on offense and the defense can only hold for so long because inevitably teams will score. One last word about the Bears, Devin Hester has not really fit into the regular offense as hoped. Although he has one return for a touchdown already, he also fumbled three times in the loss to the Cowboys, eliminating him as a threat in the game.

The Chargers seem to be more bothered by the coaching change and a sense of deserving a place in the NFL elite. The Chargers have found out quickly that they will not be given free yards after playing three tough defenses in Chicago, New England, and Green Bay. Look for them to bounce back and win their division. The Rams are more of an injury story. Losing Orlando Pace and Steven Jackson spells trouble for a bad team in a mediocre division. The Giants, Eagles, and Bengals all could be better than they are but are consistently inconsistent teams so their records are not surprising. Both the Giants and Eagles responded to two early losses with impressive wins against undefeated opponents. The Bengals should have won last week but reverted to the Bungles by fumbling away their opportunity to beat the Seahawks. Remember when they messed up the extra point against Denver last season? That one play, in a preview of what would happen to Tony Romo, effectively ended their chance at a Wild Card spot.

Never Underestimate Mothers

The finals of the US Open were supposed to be the crowning moment of a summer of great tennis. But, the real excitement came one week after the everyone had left Flushing. Lindsay Davenport, who gave birth to her first child in June, defeated Daniela Hantuchova in Bali in a three set match clinching her first title in her first singles tournament after a one year hiatus from the tour.

What was surprising about Davenport's victory is that she was healthy. After struggling with injuries and going through a pregnancy, Lindsay Davenport finally showed up to a tournament fresh and eager to play. Before retiring from the tour, Davenport seemed to be at the top of her game, but her body simply would not let her perform to her abilities. Davenport picked up right where she left off, but this time with a healthy body. She was even in decent shape, beating the top two seeds in three set matches.

Davenport dropped the second set of her match against Jelena Jankovic but put together an impressive third set, winning 6-2. Remember that Jankovic was on the verge of beating Venus Williams to claim a spot in the US Open Semifinals. But similar to that match, Jankovic was not able to come up with the shots in the final set. Against Daniela Hantuchova in the finals, Lindsay Davenport again dropped the second set and again won the third convincingly, 6-2. Hantuchova had finally put together a good tournament after falling in the first round of the Pilot Pen and US Open. But her chronic inconsistency showed again in the loss to Davenport.

Davenport entered the tournament with the goal of proving, as a mother, she could still play at the highest level. She said more than that in her path to victory and with a few months of training, could be a real threat at the Australian Open. At 31 years old, Davenport is not too old to play but certainly aging. With a baby to look after, it's not likely she plays a larger number of tournaments. But she will come to Australia prepared to make a run. If Justine Henin does not play or if there are one or two upsets, I think Davenport has a better chance to win than any other up and coming player. By defeating Jankovic and Hantuchova, Davenport has proved she can still win big matches. But the Williams sisters, Henin, and a healthy Sharapova will be tougher opponents, especially in the slams.

Speaking of the slams, I cannot end without some comment on the US Open. Though the finals ended up being anti-climactic endings to an otherwise amazing tournament, I do have some final thoughts. On the women's side, I hate to say it, but I TOLD YOU SO! Henin did not drop a set the whole tournament and beat both Williams sisters on the way to her 7th slam title. If she can stay injury free for a few more years, she will separate herself from the active players in grand slam titles and establish herself as the undisputed dominant player of this generation. I already know it, but the rest of the world might not be convinced.

As far as Roger Federer's win is concerned, it was hardly surprising, like Henin's. Federer looked more human at the US Open, dropping opening sets to Feliciano Lopez and John Isner. But what separates Federer from the field was his ability to win the big points. In the final, Federer had to save seven set points in the first and second set. I am not sure if I am more impressed by the fact that Federer did indeed save those points and win the ensuing tie breaks or disappointed by the fact that Novak Djokovic was unable to capitalize on those points. Djokovic is a great but still unproven player who has been on the verge of becoming the first non-Federer/Nadal winner since Andy Roddick won the Open way back when. I guess Djokovic is just not ready to assume the role as the third wheel in the Nadal/Federer rivalry. Still, if Djokovic wins a slam next year and if Nadal can defeat Federer at Wimbledon, 2008 might be the year that the Federer dominance comes to an end. Might.

Week One-Derful

It felt good to sit down on Sunday for some football after a long summer of non-sports related news. Of course week one in the NFL was marred with a life-threatening injury and a potential cheating scandal with the New England Patriots, but when the ball is kicked off, I am glad to forget all the distractions. It doesn't hurt when my Steelers had the pleasure of plastering the Brownies and pushing Charlie Frye out to Seattle.

Week one was not really full of surprises. Sure, every year there are a couple teams that come out and take people off guard. The closest we had to that this year was Houston looking sharp on both sides of the ball against the Chiefs. On the other hand, the Rams' usually explosive offense looked out of sorts against a rejuvenated Carolina defense. Losing Orlando Pace was not a great sign, especially for someone who drafted Steven Jackson in the first round of the fantasy football draft. However, across the NFL, things were as they should have been.

The Colts picked up where they left off, seemingly proving it didn't matter who won the NFC Championship game last year. Buffalo lost another close game that they probably should have won. The Patriots sported a new offense with Randy Moss and Wes Welker scoring touchdowns. The Chargers looked to build on last year's success with their dominance over the Bears who continued to struggle offensively. Former Chargers coordinator Wade Philips continued the Cowboys' success from last year and managed to get T.O. in for two touchdowns in the shootout against the Giants. Oh yeah, did I mention the Steelers stomping on the Browns?

What interested me most from the NFL this week was what happened off the field. Now I know this might seem hypocritical of someone who was praising the return of the season, but there is a real reason. Seeing Tiki Barber in the booth made me believe that he truly is done playing football. Despite the injury to Brandon Jacobs and the Giants' apparent need for a proven back like Tiki, he seems very comfortable in his new role. He is fairly well spoken and managed to provide unbiased analysis of the Giants while on air. Meanwhile, Bill Cowher, never much of an eloquent speaker and known more for his grit and facial expressions, made a not-so-stellar TV debut. I cannot imagine Cowher lasting more than a couple years as a TV personality and anticipate his return to the sidelines after his youngest daughter graduates from high school.

Cowher, who to the ire of many Steeler fans including myself, predicted the Steelers would end up third in the division behind Baltimore and Cincinnati. But after losing six turnovers and more importantly key players in the game, Baltimore looks to be headed for a downward spiral. The big question surrounding the Ravens was the health of their aging team. They brought in Willis McGahee to answer their offensive problems and although they chose not to use him down the stretch, he showed he was capable of handling the load and running effectively. Their age, however, showed. Steve McNair, Jonathan Ogden, and Ray Lewis all might be out for some time. If Ray Lewis has a torn triceps muscle, it could spell trouble for last season's top ranked defense. Fortunately for the Ravens, Ed Reed continues to be a stud on defense and can be effective on special teams as well. But even Reed was a bit banged up on Monday night. The Ravens defense did not seem to miss Adalius Thomas all that much on MNF but that departure will become more apparent if Lewis misses significant time.

Of course what this really means for me is that the Steelers have a better shot at winning the division. Offensively, the run game will continue to be the bread and butter for a team that did not attempt a pass in the final 15 minutes of the game. But with a healthy Ben Roethlisberger, an improved Santonio Holmes, and a coordinator that will make use of Heath Miller, the Steelers can be an explosive offense through the air as well. Much like they did during their Super Bowl win, they will probably fly under the radar for the season, yielding to the Colts, Patriots, and Chargers to take the spotlight. But look for the Steelers to be a real contender in the AFC and for Roethlisberger to enjoy much of the same success he did in the 2006 playoffs. Of course, they will need a bigger test than the Browns to determine if the defense is good enough to win a championship.

Former Champs Continue to Fall

Labor Day weekend and the Tuesday following produced quite a few great matches. Highlighting the weekend was defending women's champion Maria Sharapova losing to Agnieszka Radwanska, an 18 year-old from Poland. Radwanska out-played a sloppy Sharapova, partially by a questionable strategy. She induced double-digit double faults from Sharapova by standing halfway up to the service line on Sharapova's second serve and then moving backwards while Sharapova was serving. Though the strategy was decidedly bush-league, Radwanska smartly took advantage of a weak second serve and a mentally weak Sharapova. Maria might have to take a lot of time off to allow her shoulder to heal properly so she can get back to serving well. Without a reliable serve, she won't have success at the major tournaments. Also losing were Dementieva, another weak server, and Martina Hingis who has struggled with injury this summer.

What was most entertaining to me was Justine Henin's victory over Serena Williams. Besides looking fat and slow, Serena embarrassed herself at the press conference after losing. Serena has always claimed that at the top of her game, nobody can beat her. Well I think that's true of a lot of people. The trick is putting yourself in the physical and mental condition to be able to produce that high level of play. That is why Roger Federer is where he is and Marat Safin is where he is. Serena claimed that Justine made "lucky shots" that made the difference in the second set. In truth, Serena got wiped off the court courtesy a barrage of forehand, backhand, and volley winners at the hands of the world number one, Justine Henin.

Coming into this tournament, people were convinced that Serena and Venus could win without the match play and preparation that other players put into the majors. While they managed to do it before, Henin did not play the Australian Open and defeated Serena in the other three majors. At Wimbledon, Venus didn't have to face Henin who was upset before reaching the finals. I don't think the Williams sisters have anything to prove. They are both great players and have accomplished a great deal in the past ten years. I think Venus has been in great shape and has a real chance at the title. But the point is, although the Williams sisters are supremely talented, they will not dominate the sport like they used to with Justine at the top of her game. They may be good enough to beat everyone else, but not Justine Henin.

In the men's draw, what did David Ferrer eat yesterday? He played a dominating four set match against Rafael Nadal and looked as if he was ready for more. Ferrer had Nadal scrambling on each and every point. Nadal was clearly struggling to find a response to Ferrer's quickness and placement and his nagging knee injuries and hand injury put him in the position to be beaten. Although Nadal was in no condition to comeback and win after being down two sets to one, Ferrer maintained his level of play and his intensity to really close the door on Nadal. The most impressive part of the win was his ability to not get caught in the moment and continue to hit extremely well. Nadal was frustrated by not being able to fight as hard as he could have but Ferrer really gave him no openings. In the third set breaker Nadal called for a trainer for what seemed to be a cramp in his middle finger. McEnroe was convinced he was making something up but even if the cramp was bothering Nadal, it would not have made a big difference in the result. I think Rafa is disappointed with his result because he is a great competitor and hates to be hindered by injury. A healthy loss to Ferrer might have been easier to swallow.

Rafa's mentor and the other Spaniard still alive in the draw, Carlos Moya, has made some noise by landing a spot in the quarterfinals. Moya beat the young Latvian Ernests Gulbis in a fairly routine four set match. Moya, who now faces Novak Djokovic, was in the 1998 semifinals and looks to return this year. Unlike Moya, fellow veteran Lleyton Hewitt was bounced from the tournament easily in his second round match. Hewitt had been playing good tennis this summer, almost beating Federer in the semis of Cincinnati. But Hewitt, another former champion, fell victim to one of the many Argentinians in the draw.

Tonight's matchups of Venus vs. Jankovic and Federer vs. Roddick will be great prime time tennis. The way Jankovic has been playing, that quarterfinal match could be a three set thriller. And also, the way Federer has struggled early with big servers could prove to be the slight opening that Roddick needs to beat Roger. With the odds against him but the crowd behind him, I think this is Andy's best chance against Federer. I don't like him but I'll be pulling for him tonight. I'd like to see Venus win as well so Justine Henin can dispose of her as well.