American Football Spectacular: Our Villains Are Bleeding And So Are We

Coming to you from Shannon Arms in the Sunset while watching Michigan vs OSU, it's American Football Spectacular's National Football League week eleven preview!

* Seattle vs. San Francisco
Sunday, November 19, 2006. 1:15 PM, PST.
Week 11
The Battle Of The Wounded Hawks

Talk about gettin' up after being challenged, in the last two weeks the Niners' defense acquitted themselves far better after the blowout in Chicago and taking plenty of heat for their failings.

A two game winning streak. Hmm. Yeah. Feels pretty good. A bit familiar. A little nostalgic. And it's been a while since we've felt this way. Like hearing music from your high school days drifting by from the window of a passing car.

Granted, the offenses they did better against were Minnesota and Detroit. But the defense looked far better than before. OK, granted; they couldn't have looked much worse if they had tried.

But after holding both MIN and DET to a 3rd down conversion rate of about a third and reigning in two streaky offenses who'd had a bit of success this year, it feels a little better from how things felt after that whole Chicago-style debacle.

So what's contributed to this difference? Well, after getting excoriated in this very column, for the past two weeks LB Brandon Moore has been playing as though his favorite shirt depended on it. He's been stupendous.

And into town now come the NFC West-leading Seattle Seahawks. You can tell where they are by the trail of blood they leave behind them. They're missing huge hanks of players from their D, and the two main skill players for their offense are trying to make this Sunday their return to the field from injury.

By SFist Christopher Rogers for "American Football Spectacular," contributing

Seahawk keystone QB Matt Hasslebeck's knee is hurt. Fleet-of-foot QB Seneca Wallace has been executing OK in Hasslebeck's stead, and when he's directing the plays for Seattle, he brings that whole mobile quarterback problem to the plate.

Last year's MVP and this year's Madden 07 videogame cover boy RB Shaun Alexander has a cracked bone in in his left foot. The Madden curse strikes again! The not-exactly-threatening RB Maurice Morris has been filling in for Alexander, but the actual problem with the Seahawks' running game is the weakness of their offensive line. After losing LG Steve Hutchison in the offseason to the Vikings, the Hawks have had a bunch of injuries necessitating personnel shuffling on the line. And All-Pro left tackle Walter Jones can't make every block.

Now, speaking as your attorney, we see that the Seahawks are not as strong as they would be if they had all their guys healthy. This is good. Can the Niners force this game into a shootout and outscore Seattle? There is a chance. There is a chance to reach .500, to take down the top team in the NFC West, and to broach the Niners' first three-game winning streak since 2002.

What this chance requires is opportunism, a pass-rush, and a little luck. Say it with me now: Three. Game. Winning. Streak.

* Oakland vs. Kansas City
Sunday, November 19, 2006. 10:00 AM, PST.
Week 11
The Battle Of The Wrong Starting Quarterback

Well, well, well. After last week's loss wherein the Raiders couldn't shut the door on the Broncos, QB Andrew Walter criticized the Oakland offensive scheming. As well he should.

Al's Head Coach Art Shell gave some sort of non-answer for an answer to the press, and suddenly the word out of the Raiders' camp was that Aaron Brooks might be the starting QB in Arrowhead for this week.

If the Raiders were to start Brooks instead of Walter, that would mighty foolish; the whole point of this season now is to get Walter experience to be the Silver And Black quarterback of the future. To put him in the doghouse for criticizing something that need be criticized? Stupid, stupid, stupid. Don't do it, Art. Don't. No. You're going to do it, aren't you? Sigh.

Disciplining Walter while letting Randy Moss keep talking about how he's feeling unhappy about the same thing is dumb. Walter is the key to future Raider success. Moss and Brooks aren't sticking around, period.

On the other side of the equation, the Kansas City Chiefs are getting QB Trent Green back from a serious head injury. The Chiefs had been doin' OK with Damon Huard at the helm, but now, Green will be put back at the fore. Smart? Too soon? Do they really have to risk him a week early against the ravening Raider power-mullet defense? Doesn't seem like the best idea by KC Head Coach Herm Edwards, does it?

"I think he's going to play well," Herm said to Yahoo Sports. "I told him he doesn't have to put this team on his shoulders by any stretch of the imagination. We still have to play the type of football we're capable of playing. We've got to be able to run the ball. We've got to be a balanced offense. I told him just go out and have fun playing quarterback."

Alright, well, Herm, here's the issue: The spot on the KC offensive line where they are weakest is at the tackles. This is good for the Raiders' pass-rush, and you know what that means... it's time to... unleash Derrick Burgess!

Whomever is taking the snap for KC, they're certain to meet Mr. Burgess' acquaintance. Now, what says the expert on all this?

"Trent will do OK. A little rusty but no turnovers, said American Football Spectacular's Kansas City correspondent Kyle Vorak. "They're gonna come after Trent, fer sure. Final score: 24-23, Kansas City. KC and Oakland is always close."

Now, OK, is this game winnable? Well, if the Oakland offense keeps "staying the course" as Art keeps saying they will, they do not have a shot. Unless, of course, the Raider defense scores about 21 points. Sigh.

Next up on your American Football Spectacular: Recapping which quarterbacks kept their heads, and looking forwards to Thanksgiving.