Hump Day: Final Loser Rankings of the season

Here we are, the last week for the loser rankings. We'll have the week 17 losers and then the final top five.

1. Detroit Lions- This really comes as no surprise. Any team that finishes the regular season 0-16 really does belong at number one. It's just common sense! I thought they could win one game, but sadly I was wrong. And while I do believe in the spirit of the Loser Rankings, no team should ever go winless. You have to put forth the effort to win at least one game.

2. Kansas City Chiefs- This team had such high hopes. I believed in this team and they fell apart. Hopefully they can get their act together for next season. The Chiefs have a lot of good talent. They're better than their record.

3. St. Louis Rams- The Rams just flat out had a bad year. Maybe something will change for the better.

4. Seattle Seahawks- This was just a bad year. I really think Mike Holmgren deserved a better year than this one.

5. Denver Broncos- You might be wondering why I don't have the Bengals on here, or even the Browns! The Broncos had a chance to wrap up the AFC West title for several weeks. They kept losing and losing. On Sunday night, they lost to the Chargers and were ultimately eliminated from any shot in the playoffs. As a result, Mike Shanahan was fired on Tuesday.


Now for the final season standings:

1. Detroit Lions- 73 points
2. Cincinnati Bengals- 42 points
3. Kansas City Chiefs- 39 points
4. St. Louis Rams- 33 points
5. Oakland Raiders- 12 points


Final Analysis: I know Raider fans are probably upset about being in the top five. They really did step it up towards the end. However, they did struggle and have some tough losses. I say be thankful they're in fifth. The Lions, were the clear runaway for this season. When you go 0-16, it makes perfect sense to have the highest points. The Bengals found themselves off of the top five for the final week of the season. I tip my hat to them. They really stepped it up towards the end.


That's all I have. I'll have a picks post for you guys on Friday.


Happy New Year!

The Mondays: The playoffs are set

Instead of doing the usual crap, here's a breakdown of all the action on wild card weekend.

We'll start with the Saturday games, which are both being shown on NBC.

Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals- 4:30 PM ET- We have the A-Birds battle going on in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals find themselves having their first home playoff game in over 60 years. It's rookie vs. aging veteran in this one as Matt Ryan of the Falcons faces Kurt Warner of the Cardinals. This should be a very good game. The passing attack is key for the Cardinals. Fitzgerald, Breaston and Boldin will be key for the Cardinals. The running attack is key for the Falcons, who have a powerful 1-2 punch in Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood.

Indianapolis Colts at San Diego Chargers- 8:00 PM ET- Instead of going to a cold Denver, the Colts will head for sunny San Diego. Both teams are hot heading into this showdown. Both teams have combined to win 13 straight games. The Colts won the first meeting earlier this season in a classic battle. You should expect this one to be excellent as well.


Now it is time for the Sunday games, one on CBS, one on FOX.

Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins- 1:00 PM ET on CBS- These are two pleasant surprises facing off for the right to go on to the divisional round. Nobody expected these two to make it to this point. Sunday was really the first time I really got to see the Dolphins in action. I was impressed with their Wildcat formation. Chad Pennington has really done well for himself in Miami. And to think, some people thought Pennington's arm was too weak. As for the Ravens, defense and a solid running game has always been their blueprint to success in the playoffs. Rookie quarterback Joe Flacco has really done well this season. He's young, but he'll develop into a good quarterback.

Philadelphia Eagles at Minnesota Vikings- 4:30 PM ET on FOX- This is an intriguing game. You have Vikings head coach Brad Childress facing his former boss in Philly, Andy Reid. Two solid defenses will square off. Speaking of defense, I wonder how Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson is preparing for Adrian Peterson. It seems like a tough task, but Johnson is a mad genius in these playoff situations. This game has the chance to be one of the best on Wild Card Weekend. I don't think we'll be disappointed.


Enjoy your Monday! I'll have the final Loser's Rankings set up on Wednesday.

Friday Briefs: Last Picks of the regular season

Yep this is the last regular season weekend for the NFL this year. Last weekend, I went 2-3, nailing the upset pick. I did go 2-0 in my NFL Network games picks last weekend. However, I won't count those. I'm 45-26-1 for the season. I will finish over .500. Yay! Time for the picks.

Chicago over Houston

New York (Giants) over Minnesota

Miami over New York (Jets)

Philly over Dallas

New Orleans over Carolina


Enjoy the weekend. Stay safe!

No Post Today: Christmas Day

Enjoy your Christmas Day everybody. Happy Holidays from Oh No Romo!

Hump Day: Loser Rankings-- Teams seem to be playing spoiler

1. Detroit Lions- They got blown away by the Saints on Sunday. They now get to go to Lambeau Field to play the Packers.

2. Kansas City Chiefs- They lost a close one to the Dolphins. It was indeed an epic battle, but it wasn't enough.

3. St. Louis Rams- They blew a close one at home to the 49ers.

4. Cleveland Browns- We welcome Cleveland to this week's edition. They have lost five straight games. This team has fallen off the face of the earth, which is conveniently where we are located.

5. Cincinnati Bengals- The Bengals are playing good football right now. They've won two straight games. However, they're still in the top five because they're 3-11-1. Sorry Bengals fans!


Now time for the regular season standings:

1. Detroit Lions- 68 points- Clinched First Place

2. Cincinnati Bengals- 42 points- Clinched Second Place

3. Kansas City Chiefs- 35 points

4. St. Louis Rams- 30 points

5. Oakland Raiders- 12 points


Analysis: This is the official top five for the season. The Raiders will officially have the top spot wrapped up. Seattle has won two straight games, so it seems unlikely we'll see them on the top five for next week. I still have that deal for Detroit if they want to win a game, so it's not too late. The battle for now seems to still be 3rd place. Who knows what will happen? The Rams get the Falcons who are fighting for the division and possibly the second seed in the NFC. Enjoy the final week of the season.

The Mondays: Falcons clinch spot in Wild Card

Atlanta Falcons 24 - Minnesota Vikings 17- Congratulations goes to the Falcons for clinching a berth in the NFC playoffs. This team has made the ultimate turnaround. The 2007 season was awful. Whether it was the Mike Vick trial or Bobby Petrino leaving for Arkansas, this team had a lot to overcome. Head coach Mike Smith has this team on the right track. With players like Michael Turner, John Abraham, Roddy White and rookie quarterback Matt Ryan, this team has a chance to be a force in the NFC for quite a few years.

Tennessee Titans 31 - Pittsburgh Steelers 14- This game should have been closer, but the Steelers had a terrible day with turnovers, particularly Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers quarterback was picked twice (one returned for a touchdown) and fumbled several times (losing the ball twice). The Titans are the top seed, the Steelers are the second seed. These teams are both very good, but neither in my opinion are a solid contender for the Super Bowl in this unpredictable AFC.

San Diego Chargers 41 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24- The Bucs chances are hurt by the loss on Sunday. The Chargers are still alive in the AFC West hunt. Here's why...

Buffalo Bills 30 - Denver Broncos 23- Two fourth quarter touchdowns by the Bills in the fourth quarter made the ultimate difference in the game. Now the Broncos find themselves with their backs against the wall. They face the Chargers this week to determine the AFC West champion. The Chargers are a game back. We're witnessing a collapse by the Broncos. They've had a chance to wrap up the division for a couple of weeks now and they still haven't done it. I'll be amazed if the Broncos beat the Chargers, because they are not playing like a playoff team. The Broncos have a lot of growing up to do.


Miami Dolphins 38 - Kansas City Chiefs 31- A valiant effort by the Chiefs in a freezing cold Arrowhead Stadium, but the Dolphins weren't about to have their playoff chances frozen. Chad Pennington had another three touchdown pass day for the Dolphins. Meanwhile, Tyler Thigpen threw for 320 yards in the Chiefs loss. The Dolphins now hold all the cards in the deck. They will face the Jets on Sunday in what could very well determine who wins the AFC East.


New England Patriots 47 - Arizona Cardinals 7- My brother said the Patriots would win by 40 before the game and he was right. Props to him.


Seattle Seahawks 13 - New York Jets 3- Not a good loss for the Jets, but then again all losses aren't that great. It was indeed the final home game for Mike Holmgren as head coach of the Seahawks. It was snowy in Seattle. Whether or not Holmgren comes back, there's no denying how great his coaching career has been. If he comes back, hey great. If he doesn't come back, happy trails and I hope the next time we see him, it will be at his enshrinement in Canton. Hopefully, Holmgren can close out his coaching career in Seattle with a win.

SUNDAY NIGHT RECAP: New York Giants 34 - Carolina Panthers 28- Out of all the games played during week 16, this one had to be the best one. Believe me, there was a lot of great games played over the weekend. Both teams rushed for a combined 459 net yards. The Giants now have the top seed and homefield advantage in the NFC playoffs. Meanwhile, the Panthers need to beat the Saints on Sunday, or else they risk falling into the no.-5 seed in the NFC playoffs.

MONDAY NIGHT PICK: Oh come on, Bears over Packers! Do you really need to ask?

Enjoy your Monday (Unless you're getting snowed on or you're freezing like I am, or both)

Friday Briefs: My not so super sweet week 16 picks

Go ahead, chastise me if you dare! I'm still in good shape for my picks. Last week, I went 3-2, just missing out on the upset pick. On with the picks:

Denver over Buffalo- The Broncos clinch the West this weekend.

Houston over Oakland- I expect the Texans to make it five in a row.

New England over Arizona- This might get a little painful for the Cardinals.

Philadelphia over Washington- McNabb keeps the train McRolling. (I know, it was bad)

UPSET PICK: Cincy over Cleveland- Come on, do you expect Ken Dorsey to really beat the Bengals and their one game winning streak?

Enjoy the weekend!

My NFL Network Picks

Indianapolis over Jacksonville- The Colts have a chance to win eight in a row. How are they staying out of the spotlight?

Baltimore over Dallas- If the Steelers can beat Dallas, why can't the Ravens?

Death in the football family: Sammy Baugh dead at 94

Sad news to report in the world of pro football. The Associated Press is reporting that former quarterback Sammy Baugh died Wednesday night at the age of 94. Baugh reportedly had several many health issues.

Baugh played 16 seasons (1937-1952) in the NFL, all with the Washington Redskins. Baugh went to six Pro Bowls and was named All Pro four times.

Baugh won two NFL titles. He led the league in passing four times. Here are some other stats courtesy Pro Football Reference:

Passing Yards- 21,886

Touchdown Passes- 187

Completions- 1693

Interceptions- 203

Baugh also coached for three seasons. He coached for the New York Titans (now known as the Jets) and the Houston Oilers. He had a 18-24 coaching record.

Baugh is in both the college and pro football hall of fame and was named to the NFL 75th anniversary team. Here's a tribute video to Baugh.

Will Wade Phillips be fired at the end of the season?

Okay, okay, you might be thinking I'm crazy for even bringing up the idea. But hey, there's a Fire Wade Phillips site, so why not discuss it.

First off, Wade Phillips is excellent on defense. He's smart as a whip. Let's be honest though, Phillips didn't really seem like the right hire for the Cowboys. He's had mediocre success as a head coach. In fact, Phillips has lost all four playoff games in which he's coached (Broncos, Bills twice and Cowboys last season).

Does he really have control of this team? He doesn't seem to be having much luck. The other day, Dallas Morning News columnist Jean-Jacques Taylor seemed to think Phillips didn't have control of the team. Taylor thinks Phillips doesn't have control of his team. This is what he said in his column last Saturday:

Phillips won't agree, but that's too bad. It's the truth. All you have to do is look at this dysfunctional team and how it has played all season to see that.

Then again, it's hard to have control of the team, especially when your boss is Jerry Jones. Jones is very much a hands on type of guy, ask Jimmy Johnson.

Let's say the Cowboys don't make the playoffs and Jones does fire Phillips. Who is the likely replacement as head coach?

If the job goes to anybody inside the organization, the first choice is Jason Garrett. Some think the struggles on the offense is credited to Garrett. Sure the offense isn't scoring points, but it's still among the better in the NFL. Plus, Tony Romo is healthy. Garrett is a sexy choice for a lot of teams looking for a young head coach. He could very well be a coaching candidate in Cleveland or KC.

A friend told me that Mike Holmgren's name has been mentioned as a potential candidate. Sure enough, ESPN's Chris Mortensen mentioned it on Countdown on Sunday. Holmgren seems like an odd choice for Dallas, given his history against the Cowboys. However, it is certainly not out of the possibility for Holmgren to coach in Dallas.

The one name I think could be a dark horse is Saints coach Sean Payton. Yes he has a Fire Sean Payton site, but the administrators fired themselves.

Payton was an assistant under Bill Parcells in Dallas. He was also an assistant under Jim Fassel in New York. Payton knows the lay of the land in the NFC East. However, in three seasons as the Saints coach, he's 4-3 (including playoffs) against the NFC East.

I say he's a dark horse, because well it seems unlikely. This is Jerry Jones we are dealing with here, so who knows what we can expect. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if he had Phillips come back another season.

Payton is in no danger of losing his job in New Orleans. The man is beloved and there would be a lot of upset fans if he left.

Hump Day: The second to last Loser Rankings of the season

1. Detroit Lions- Once again, they came close but fell short against the Colts. They have New Orleans at home on Sunday and go to Green Bay for the final game of the season. I still think the Lions are going to win a game this season. It just isn't possible to go 0-16 in the NFL. I could be wrong, but we'll see.

2. Kansas City Chiefs- A fourth quarter collapse caused this team to move into second place for the week. Also, Carl Peterson announced that he will resign at the end of the season.

3. St. Louis Rams- The other Missouri team has moved up a spot after losing as well. They lost to the Seahawks.

4. Cincinnati Bengals- The Bengals beat the Redskins. Here's something for you to digest: The Bengals have given up 358 points this season. The NFC West champion Arizona Cardinals have also given up 358 points. That's a crazy stat now!

5. Oakland Raiders- They've won more games on the road than they have at home. The question of the hour is, who will be the next coach of the Raiders?


Now the regular season standings:


1. Detroit Lions- 63 points

2. Cincinnati Bengals- 41 points

3. Kansas City Chiefs- 31 points

4. St. Louis Rams- 27 points

5. Oakland Raiders- 12 points

Analysis: The top four teams have all clinched a spot in the loser rankings. Detroit's clnched first place. Cincy has second place. The battle for third continues between KC and St. Louis. The Raiders don't have fifth place wrapped up, but they could after this weekend. The Raiders have Houston. Seattle is still in sixth place and they get the Jets and Arizona for their final two games. The Jets game will be tougher.

The Lions still have a chance to fall out of next week's rankings with a win.


Enjoy your Wednesday

Tuesdays with Romo: Photo of the week

Photo Credit: Associated Press

The Mondays: Miami is good!

Miami Dolphins 14 - San Francisco 49ers 9- Okay so the 49ers aren't exactly a good team, but you can't deny that the Dolphins are having a terrific season. They've won three straight and they have two tough road games against the Chiefs and the Jets. I like their chances against KC, but I don't know about their shot against the Jets.

New York Jets 31 - Buffalo Bills 27- It's safe to say the Bills are now out of the playoff hunt. This team started out 4-0. Since then, they have gone 2-7. It's inexcusable.

Cincinnati Bengals 21 - Washington Redskins 13- Great win on Sunday for the Bengals. As for the Redskins, they are falling out of the playoff hunt fast. I can't see the Redskins making it.

Atlanta Falcons 13 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10- HUGE win for the Falcons on Sunday. A Jason Elam field goal was all they needed to win the game.

Houston Texans 13 - Tennessee Titans 12- Come on, did you really expect the Titans to go 15-1?

Pittsburgh Steelers 13 - Baltimore Ravens 9- A Santonio Holmes touchdown catch late in the fourth quarter made the ultimate difference. The Steelers clinched the division with the win on Sunday. The Ravens still have a shot at the wild card.

SUNDAY NIGHT RECAP: Dallas Cowboys 20 - New York Giants 8- Quiet night for Mr. Romo. He did throw two touchdown passes. It seems like all of this talk is about Terrell Owens and Jason Witten. I don't have an opinion on the matter and I don't care to discuss the behavior of the Cowboys. If they want to implode, let them implode.

MONDAY NIGHT PICK: Philly over Cleveland-- Not even close

Friday Briefs: The 300th post at Oh No Romo

Oh No Romo has officially reached its 300th post. I'll have the little celebratory thing below my picks. Last week, I went 3-2. For the season, I am 43-24-1. There's a couple weeks left in the season and I hope I can have 50 wins.

Atlanta over Tampa Bay

New England over Oakland

Carolina over Denver

Baltimore over Pittsburgh

UPSET PICK: Kansas City over San Diego


Now for the video thingy for my 300th post.

Hump Day: The Loser Rankings-- December 9, 2008

Let's get cracking.

1. Detroit Lions- They came close to winning their first game of the season against the Vikings. Now they have the Colts. There is no way the Lions can go 0-16. They have to win a game at some point.

2. Cincinnati Bengals- In three straight losses, the Bengals have scored a combined 16 points. The Bengals are the worst scoring offense in the league. It is just pitiful.

3. Kansas City Chiefs- They battled with the Broncos, but fell short. Here's a fun fact--The Chiefs have the fourth least penalties in the AFC. When you compare the Chiefs with the Titans, who have the third most penalties in the league, you can't help but wonder why the Chiefs are 2-11.

4. St. Louis Rams- They got blown away by the Cardinals. This team just doesn't have it going right now. The Rams need something.

5. Seattle Seahawks- The Seahawks are another team that isn't having a very good year. It's been awful. It's weird to see them struggle.


Now for the season standings.

1. Detroit Lions- 58 points

2. Cincinnati Bengals- 39 points

3. Kansas City Chiefs- 27 points

4. St. Louis Rams- 24 points

5. Oakland Raiders- 11 points


Analysis: Nobody seems to be catching the Lions at this point. However, if the Lions win this week against the Colts, they will drop in the standings and might even fall out of the top five for the week. We have an interesting battle for third place as we see the Chiefs and Rams battle for the right to determine who is the ultimate loser in Missouri. Will anybody bump the Raiders from fifth place? The closest candidate right now is the Seahawks. They have seven points right now. If the Seahawks lose to the Rams on Sunday, they will switch places with the Rams, scoring a potential two points for the week.


Enjoy your Wednesday

Tuesdays with Romo: Week 14 in photos

You know the drill by now. Photo credits below the photograph.

Associated Press

Seattle Times

Getty Images

NFL.com/Getty Images

The Mondays: Steelers do what they do best, win

Pittsburgh Steelers 20 – Dallas Cowboys 13- The Cowboys appeared to have it all wrapped up, but the Steelers scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including a 25-yard interception returned for a touchdown by Deshea Townshend. This game was all about defense as neither offense had 300 total yards.


Minnesota Vikings 20 – Detroit Lions 16- The Lions came ohh so close to winning on Sunday, but came up short. This might be the Lions last hope for winning a game this season. This Sunday, they go on the road to play the Colts.

Tennessee Titans 28 – Cleveland Browns 9- Congratulations goes to the Titans for clinching the AFC South. They’ve played well this season.

Arizona Cardinals 34 – St. Louis Rams 10- Congratulations to the Cardinals for clinching the…clinching the…NFC West? This is a joke, right? I guess this means hell froze over.

Miami Dolphins 16 – Buffalo Bills 3- Not even O’Canada could help the Bills on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Dolphins are right there with the Jets and Patriots in the AFC East. The Jets hold the tiebreaker. The Bills are falling out of this race. It’s not entirely the Bills fault though. The rest of the division got hot and blew past the Bills.


SUNDAY NIGHT RECAP: Baltimore Ravens 24 – Washington Redskins 10- It was a cold night in Baltimore. However, the Ravens defense was burning up the Redskins. Props go to Ed Reed for getting two interceptions and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown. The Ravens have a HUGE divisional game against the Steelers this Sunday. Two excellent defenses going head to head, I smell a classic.

Friday Briefs: It's Freezing outside

In the past two weeks, I have gone 5-3, including 2-1 on Thanksgiving Day. I am now 40-21-1 for the season. On with the picks.

Chicago over Jacksonville

New York (Giants) over Philly

Denver over KC

Pittsburgh over Dallas

UPSET PICK: Atlanta over New Orleans


Enjoy the weekend.

Hump Day: More Loser Rankings

1. Detroit Lions- They got blown away on Thanksgiving. It certainly doesn't help their cause to hold on to their Thanksgiving Day game. I think Rod Marinelli will be gone after this season.

2. Cincinnati Bengals- They have Indy and Washington in their next two games. Their final two games are at Cleveland and against Kansas City. I think they can win at least one more game, but the train is leaving and I get the feeling Marvin Lewis is leaving town.

3. Kansas City Chiefs- They got their second win, but they're still in third place in the rankings. Herm Edwards will stay on board.

4. St. Louis Rams- Arizona, Seattle, San Francisco and Atlanta are left on the schedule. I think the Rams can get one more win. Jim Haslett, will probably not stay on.

5. Seattle Seahawks- They get Matt Cassel and the Patriots next, however I think the Patriots only win by 20 points.


Now time for the Loser of the Year rankings...

1. Detroit Lions- 53 points

2. Cincinnati Bengals- 35 points

3. Kansas City Chiefs- 24 points

4. St. Louis Rams- 22 points

5. Oakland Raiders- 11 points

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Raiders fall from the fifth spot soon. The Lions have to win out in order to not finish the season number one.

Tuesdays with Romo: The best division in football?

In the NFL, we hear a lot about who's the best team, but we never really ask about the best division. Much like the BCS in college football, the best division isn't an exact science. You have to factor in many different ideas.

Let's start this based on record. If you play in the best division, then it makes the most sense that you're going to have a fairly decent record, even if you're in last place. Last season, the NFC East and AFC South each had all four teams finish .500 or better.

The NFC East is currently the only division in the NFL this year with all four teams over .500. The AFC East and the NFC South each have three teams over .500 and one team at .500.

There is no guarantee that any division will have all four teams finish better than .500 for the year. In fact, since the league re-aligned in 2002, it hasn't happened yet. This season though, you never know. The Eagles and the Redskins need two more wins, while the Cowboys only one, to complete the task. Therefore, if you're looking at records, the NFC East is the best.

If you're a good team, you win on the road. The Giants went on the road in the playoffs last season and took it all the way to the Super Bowl. The Steelers did the same exact thing just two seasons prior. Last season, the NFC East won a combined 23 games on the road.

Up to this point of this season, the AFC South has the most road wins with 15 (Note: I typed this post before the ending of the Monday Night Football game from last night). The NFC East is in a close second with 14 road wins. As of right now, the edge goes to the AFC South in this category.

There is no exact science to this and I hope to pursue more angles on the quest to find the best division in football.

Photo Credit: Associated Press/NFL.com

The Mondays: Back from the break

Welcome back to the circus that is Oh No Romo! I'll be your ringmaster for this fun time. Okay, that was a little too much.

Tampa Bay 23 - New Orleans 20- The Bucs keep winning and winning! What is their secret? Is it Jeff Garcia? Is it Barrett Ruud? Somebody please explain it to me. All I know is that the Bucs are slowly becoming a legit threat in the NFC.

Carolina 35 - Green Bay 31- In my opinion, this had to be the game of the day. The Panthers went into halftime with a 21-10 lead. The Packers got back into the game fast, scoring 18 unanswered points. However, two fourth quarter touchdowns scored by DeAngelo Williams helped keep the Panthers in the playoff hunt. Big props to Aaron Rodgers though. He played great on Sunday, even though the Packers lost. He's not Brett Favre, he'll never be Favre. I think Rodgers will be a great quarterback in this league, despite what the Favre lovers might tell you.

Atlanta 22 - San Diego 16- Michael Turner won the battle between himself and his former Chargers teammate, LaDainian Tomlinson. Turner ran for 120 yards, while LT for 24 yards on 14 carries. This is clearly turning into a bad year for the Chargers. They still have a shot to win the AFC West, but they have to win out and hope the Broncos falter. Speaking of the Broncos...

Denver 34 - New York (Jets) 17- What's that? You say the Jets are good? Uh huh...Sure....

Kansas City 20 - Oakland 13- Congratulations to the Chiefs on their second win of the year.

SUNDAY NIGHT RECAP: Vikings beat Bears to take over lead in NFC North. D'OH!

Monday Night Prediction: Houston over Jacksonville

One Final Note: The Redskins honored Sean Taylor on Sunday with his entry into the Ring of Fame. It's hard to believe that Taylor has been gone for a year already. It just amazes me.