Bill Bergey's Battle of the Network stars look ahead to Week 9 of the NFL

Where she stops, nobody knows..

Dayton: No referendum exemption support for Vikings stadium

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In a troubling move for a new Minnesota Vikings stadium, Gov. Mark Dayton announced Tuesday that there was not enough legislative support to exempt either Ramsey County or Minneapolis from having a referendum to increase local sales taxes for the project.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/blogs/133019458.html

 

Tampa Bay at New Orleans is a huge game in the NFC West. Saints need to get some of their mojo back after a putrid performance against the Rams, and to stay on top in the division.

Not only would a loss drop them to third, behind TB and Atlanta (which plays at Indy), but would give the Bucs a season sweep of the Saints.

Regardless, Saints have issues. The OL is inconsistent, the defense as a whole is average-to-mediocre and the running game has not produced as expected.

And, don't discount the injury to Sean Peyton. Calling plays from the press box is not the same as being on the sidelines.

This is still a playoff-caliber team, but they need to start showing it, beginning this week.

 

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11305/1186660-100.stm

I would have much rather been wrong about this one, but it looks like Woodley is out for this week, most likely for the game against the Bengals the following week as well. I figured them to be a good bet to at least split those two games. Now, I'm not so sure.

Roethlisberger is not going to be able to play keep-away against the Ravens as easily as he did against the Patriots.

 

Shaun King pretty much says Gruden's a liar.

Nothing that Simeon Rice and others haven't already said.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/11/02/shaun-king-calls-jon-gruden-inherently-dishonest/

 

Well, this certainly doesn't sound like Peyton Manning is going to play this year, or ever. His next "checkpoint" is Dec. 1, and Manning isn't exactly confident he's going to be ready after that date.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20111103/SPORTS03/111103012/Colts-QB-Peyton-Manning-says-healing-process-going-slow-?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|IndyStar.com

Nothing earth-shattering, just two months today since my surgery. Not a whole lot to report,” the four-time NFL MVP said. “Still waiting for the fusion to take place. That takes place, they thought, between two and three months. Still going slow with that.

“I still have some of the same issues I had before the fusion as far as the nerves and the regeneration. Still dealing with that, the idea being that this surgery gave me the most stability for the nerves to regenerate. That’s still a process there.”

...

Early next year, Manning’s contract includes a team option for $28 million. If the Colts don’t pay it, he becomes a free agent. Manning said he wanted that terminology in the deal because he knew he wasn’t healthy when he signed the five-year contract worth $90 million.

This was the deal where the Colts didn't require a physical. At least it was sporting of Manning to leave the Colts an out.

 

I think it's best to assume both parties went into the deal eyes wide open. The signing bonus and first year salary were for past services rendered on the part of the Colts. The $28 million option was Manning's hammer in case he got better. If he doesn't, well, the Colts are off the hook. If he does, renegotiation might take place. Or not. It's Peyton Manning. The Colts didn't have the best bargaining position, as the NFL standings indicate.

 

The next time Peyton Manning sees the playing field, it will be as Graduate Assistant on Derek Dooley's staff in Knoxville.

 

Say hello to Colts QB Andrew Luck.

 

He's a hell of a player, and I have enjoyed every minute of his career in the NFL. He is a credit to the game, to his team and to his city.

I think a lot of NFL fans will have the "Manning Face" if it is true he cannot play again.

 

We'll always have his commercials.

"CUT THAT MEAT! CUT THAT MEAT!"

 

I can't think of a player in any sport whose reptuation got such a boost from getting hurt. He went from how-come-he-only-one-Super-Bowl to greatest-of-all-time-because-he-took-these-schlubs-to-the-playoffs-every-year in an instant.

 

I just don't see the Colts getting him. Some other team will ultimately be worse than they are.